Stool is completed!

Susan finally gets her stool! and I gain a little more space in my art room.
I'm always so happy when a client or friend is pleased with the work. I was trying to get this idea across of being grounded but also being "out there". From the earth to the sky.
I have been taken by these photos of space lately and that was my inspiration. There's a lot out there!
There is always this funny feeling though when something, a project, has been sitting around, taking up space and then it's gone. Soon enough something comes along to fill it, but until then, it is a strange feeling.... like something is missing.
Well, it was fun. But time to move on.
Next project - Art show and library mural.

Balance

Two more panels that I did. CC got the "Balance" one. I think the whole Key to life is about being in balance. It is amazing how we can go off the deep end sometimes - filling our minds with what we think is real, when in fact it is not.
I hang my humble head on this one today. I could blame it on too much work... too much thinking and not listening or paying attention.
Embarassingly I tell this story...
My bank issued me a credit card. In my broken mailbox, I took out an evelope from my bank which was opened. I kind of freaked out and I saw that there was a missing card. That was my perception. So of course I called and blocked it. Today I get the card in the mail - thinking, wow, that was quick. Same number. Then I noticed the big bold note on the first letter saying that MY CARD WAS ON ITS WAY! oh. oops. now I wait again. At least I have a new mailbox and my mailman is happy about that...
So, about balance. Time to slow down, pay attention, read the fine print, even if it is screaming out at you in big bold letters!
Balance brings us back to center - we swing far left, far right. We may climb higher and higher, but when we stop pumping so hard, we slow down and come back to center. To stillness.
It is in this stillness that we can hear that inner voice whispering to us the message we are supposed to hear. We can only hear it when we are quiet.
These messages sometimes come early in the morning as we are just awakening. A voice. Clear. Listen to it. It may be just the answer you have been waiting for.
Slooooooooooooooow down.

Spring - new projects to begin.

Now my attention turns to the library mural and the children's art show. I will be juggling here but my intention is to put my focus on each one intensely - be in the moment with each one. I should probably make a scheduele because I will be dillusional if I pretended these two things were the only things to focus on.... ah, taxes.
I do not like paperwork. I put it off. This year I started putting my receipts in an accordian file for each month vs. in one box for the year. Then about this time of the month, I start to sort my receipts and then call the accountant. I did ok until about June or July. Then I just stuffed everything in towards the back. I need work in this department.
So actually it is 3 big projects I have.
Each deserves my undivided attention to it.
I had a meeting for the library today and set things up so I can get in during the Spring break. I taught the last class today with the kids and now can focus on putting it together - this I am very excited about. I'm excited about both projects.
not so much with the taxes.
Happy Spring everyone.

Metal

Metal is in the mail.
A group of us made 6 panels. Primary ingredient was metal with fiber as a side dish.
I always became mesmerized as I heated up the copper to watch it change color. I learned that I had to be quick to pull away from the flame or it would lose the color variation. This detail of one, shows some variations.
Hard to photograph shiny stuff and without a flash, it gets blurry.
I'll keep playing with this stuff for sure. I bought a roll of it a couple of years ago - now I know why :-)

Focus on the NOW

I received this email from The Daily Guru today:
YOU CAN OPEN ANY DOOR WITH CONCENTRATION
The first law of success is concentration. Bend all of your energies to one point, and go directly to that point, looking neither to the right nor the left. Concentration is the magic key that opens the door to accomplishment. Success is the result of well directed energy. You can, in time, become what you earnestly desire to be, if you set your face in the direction of the things you want and bring all your powers to bear towards its attainment. When your physical and mental resources are focused, your power to solve problems multiplies tremendously. To do two things at once is to do neither. Nothing can add more power to your life as much as concentrating all your energies on a limited set of targets. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.

This is something I need to bring myself back to. Focusing on the task at hand.
It is so easy for me to get overwhelmed because I have chosen to take on multiple tasks.
Yes.
I want to do it all.
I enjoy doing what I do, so I want to do more of it.
And I usually plod along, until I get paniced and realize a deadline is creeping up - sometimes a few at the same time. uh-oh.
This is when the universe intercedes and gives me a blessing. A snow day. I had the day to myself yesterday to work on my metal project. I gave it my undivided attention. That is what makes the difference.
Today I am going to look at some walls in a children's day care center. Adding one more thing to give my attention to. It gets added to the list.
I'm thankful there IS a list.
I just have to keep it from distracting me. Stop looking at it all at once. See what it directly in front of me. Focus on the task at hand.
Move up the ladder one step at a time.
Be here now.

Eclipse

Although this looks like a cresent moon, it is a full moon. A lunar eclipse.
We went to the beach to watch the moon rise and see this eclipse. There were quite a few people there waiting. I kept my eye on the horizon expecting to see it rise from the water, when a child came over talking about it, Seeing it. All of a sudden I spotted it, a dim reddish disc already above the horizon.
The girl's mom, now standing besides us, John initiating conversation. One conversation leading to the next when she mentioned the Marshlands. I love the Marshlands. She proceedes to tell the story of the time they were there and saw a baby deer, telling how the kids were getting close to the baby, until the buck came. As she was talking about it, I realized....
I was there! I told her it was me, who came over to them and how we all ran when the girls screamed the buck was coming. And here we were sharing another unusual site. Life is funny how we cross paths with one another.
They left and we took up conversation with a couple on the other side of us. They had a dog that looked like Rauchen. More connections.....
We watched most of it ~ seeing the moon become unveiled behind the shadow.
What wonders are we capable of unveiling? What remains hidden in our subconscious or in our soul that is ready to be unveiled?