Wishcasting Wednesday :: What is your love wish?

Thank you for joining me for this week's Wishcasting Wednesday. If you'd like to join this magical circle of dreamers and doers, please visit Jamie Ridler Studios.

This week's prompt:

What is your love wish?

My love wish is to love myself completely with a forgiving, healed heart. I wish to attract my soul mate, my forever partner, who can teach me a love like I've never felt before.

Hugs,

Even More Found Hearts

I love it when I find hearts in unexpected places (Found Hearts & More Found Hearts & Hiking Found Hearts). I found this heart when I was flipping through pictures on my iPhone of beginning layers on canvas paintings:

This heart was also discovered later when reviewing pictures on my phone. How awesome is it that the gap between the carnations formed a heart shape?

I didn't notice the shape until I placed this crystal in my window sill.

A heart-shaped crack in the parking lot walking into Michaels.

Found heart when the cookies were pulled out of the oven (scooped cookie dough).

I found this heart when I was editing the photo.

This heart is upside and a not easily seen in this picture but when you're holding it and turn the crystal upside down its easily noticeable.

Hugs,

When Courage Roars (Or Meows)

Positive emotions originate from love while negative emotions stem from fear. Fear is a powerful emotion because it’s genetically linked to the survival instinct. Our bodies become overburdened by fear’s unnecessary stress on our systems. The stress hormone cortisol becomes elevated, we are unable to relax, and our immune system becomes weakened.

Emotional energy attracts like, as in, fear will attract fear. While we do attract who we are, that can also be used to attract positive. Courage attracts courage. To generate the flow of positive energy you must first initiate positive energy. Send out positive signals in order for those in the same or similar frequencies to gravitate towards your positive emotional energy.

Love is what we are born with. Fear is what we have learned here. The spiritual journey is the unlearning of fear and the acceptance of love back into our hearts.  ~Marianne Williamson

Last week I talked about how frustration can teach you patience, the same can be applied to fear teaching you courage. Fear places you in a position to test your bravery. Fear places your unresolved emotional baggage in the forefront, brings it to your attention, which then allows you the space to confront and work though these emotions. Without the fear you might not have been mindful of the work to be done or simply avoided it. Without the fear you wouldn’t have the opportunity to courageously explore your fears. Courage lessens the hold that fear has on you.

No matter how strong of a hold fear may have on you; love is the greatest force of all.

Hugs,

Soul-Care

I’m been thinking about how we call it self-care when we spend time taking care of ourselves with journaling, bubble baths, and walks on the beach, but what it really should be called is soul-care. Essentially, that’s what we’re doing, soothing and pampering our soul – our spirit, essence, heart, core, center, foundation. Isn’t that where the real work should take place?

I declared this as my year of self-care. I’ve been back on track with my eating (thanks to Jenny Craig) for two weeks now. I gave up my love/addition to Coke (soda) almost two weeks ago in which the first few days were ugly, to say the least. I severed the ties to my reliance on fast food of at least fifty percent of my weekly meal source, now to zero percent. I’m getting a little more energy to start adding movement into my daily life. I’m learning how to hoola hoop and for this uncoordinated animal it is quite the challenge! Water consumption is high on my priority list. I’m finding that the more I drink the more I crave.

I’m turning to self-care methods, for a change, instead of food to comfort me. I’ve taken more baths lately than I have in a long time. My favorite is the addition of EO Nighty Nite bath salts to my bath water. I add “make art” to my schedule because I know that I need it now more than ever.

I’m ecstatic about the changes I’ve begun to make but what I’ve really noticed is that while I’m taking care of me it’s my soul that reaping the biggest rewards. I feel more whole and complete, more like me. The innermost core of my being is relishing in the much needed care I’m receiving. This is what it feels like for my heart to sing. This is what it means to love yourself. This is how you make you the number one priority in your life. Why has it taken me so long to get this?  

I know I have a tough road ahead of me. There will be times that I will struggle and times I will fall but I’m committed to getting back up each time and continuing this path. xoxo

Hugs,

Quote - Never Alone

image credit

For attractive lips speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes seek out the good in people. For poise walk with the knowledge you will never walk alone. ~Audrey Hepburn

DIY :: Mini Heart Stamper

This is the easiest little project! Take a #2 pencil and draw a heart on the eraser to serve as a guide for trimming.

Use a sharp knife or blade and carefully carve away the excess from around the heart.

I painted a few blank cards with watercolors and added a little sea salt to the wet paint. Once dry, gently rub to remove the salt. The salt will add distress and variation to the watercolor.

Add text to the cards and use the mini heart stamper to create a border.

Instead of a heart you could make a flower, butterfly, or any other simple shape as a stamp. I hope you like this little tutorial!

Linked to: Project Inspire, Tatertots & Jello, and 52 Mantels

Hugs,

Teaching Patience: My Lifelong Lesson from the Universe

The message I seem to consistently get from the universe is, “I will teach you patience.” You would think I would eventually learn but alas I am merely a disciplined child still sitting with my nose in the corner. 

Generally when there’s a lesson there will be a test to follow. Patience will be tested. Repeatedly. Especially if you’re in a hurry. Apparently, the way you handle small frustrations sets the stage for how you handle the larger ones. Patience allows for tolerance, for yourself and others, which then makes room for an improved ability to love, again for yourself and others. Delayed gratification is a stepping stone to achieving patience. A win for the reasoning part of your brain over the impulsive part.

When you lose, don’t lose the lesson. ~Dalai Lama

Frustrations true purpose is not to frustrate you but to support you in aligning with your higher self. When dealing with frustration, imagine a devil and an angel sitting on your shoulder with their contrasting views. The devil character encourages you to stay frustrated because it feels you have a right to be upset. The angel, the more mindful side of you, will insist on seeking the lesson by trusting your intuition. Cultivating patience is never an easy task but it’s a heck of a lot more liberating and compassionate in the end.

The most common frustrations:

-Blank isn’t happening quickly enough.
-You don’t receive what you ask for.
-Feeling rejected.
-Disappointed by others.

The first one is what frustrates me the most often. I fail to remember that spirit works on its own schedule, not mine. Things will fall into place when the time is right not when I say I want it. I’m not much of a gardener but I do know that there are certain times to transplant. If a flower is flourishing in a small planter, transplanting to a larger planter too soon may cause it to wither away. Blooming only happens at the right time for flowers. The same goes for us.

One of the most invaluable lessons I’ve learned is that you may not get what you want when you want it but you will always get what you need. Don’t fight the frustration as it will only wear you out. Relax into it. Go with the flow. Take a deep breath to curb reacting. Draw on laughter. Seek the positive.

Hugs,

Quote - Possibilities

image credit

We all have possibilities we don't know about.

We can do things we don't even dream we can do.

~Dale Carnegie

DIY :: Sleepy Time Slumber Pack

I've struggled with falling asleep for as long as I can remember and this has become the perfect natural remedy to helping me fall asleep faster. My favorite scent is lavender which is relaxing and soothing. Chamomile is calming and rumored to chase away bad dreams. I added a few tumbled stones to further promote sleep by their soothing and calming qualities.

There are many ways to make a sleep-inducing pouch but this is the way I made mine:

- 10 drops of lavender essential oil

- Handful of dried lavender buds

- Handful of dried chamomile flowers

- 2 amethyst tumbled stones

- 2 sodalite tumbled stones

- 1 linen or organza pouch (I used the sweet bag my Soul Mantra locket was packed in)

Gather the materials.

Add the dried flowers into the pouch.

Place the desired number of essential oil drops onto the flowers.

Add the crystals, seal the pouch, and gently mix the contents to distribute the oil.

Place the Sleepy Time Slumber Pack next to your pillow and breath in the amazing aroma. Zzzzz....

P.S. You may need to mix the contents periodically to release the fragrance and/or refresh with a few more drops of essential oil.

I'm linking to:

and Tatertots & Jello.

Hugs,

What I've Been Up To

self-gifted carnations

Hello, sweet peas! I’ve been busier than usual lately taking a couple online classes while keeping up with my household responsibilities. For years I’ve wanted to take a class from Flora Bowley and, while I would love to attend in person, I’m thankful for the opportunity to take her online course Bloom True. I love that we start from a blank canvas with absolutely no intentions of what the final product will be. This is only the second week so I have no idea as to what my canvases will evolve to. This is such a different process to me and one that my soul has desired for so long but the letting go and trusting my intuition seemed too high of a mountain to climb. 

The following are just a couple starting layers but I really wanted to show you the area I set up for myself to paint in. I rolled one of my supply carts out of the way and nailed a canvas drop cloth (from the hardware store) to the wall and let the excess drape across the floor protecting it and the wall from paint splatters. I painted a few of my intentions on the canvas as gentle reminders to let go and have fun.

 

a blindfolded painting exercise.

snippet of a painting

I’m also taking Mondo Beyondo which has been on my list for a while and Brave Girls Club Art School Wings Sessions. I should also mention that I completed Creative JumpStart Summit and attended a few various webinars.

Busy, busy! This past weekend I escaped the raking and bagging of pine straw in my backyard (11 bags!) for a bit to go to a gem and mineral show. Here are a few of the goodies I brought home with me:

I added a few new lovely crystals of amethyst, kyanite, apache tear obsidian, rose quartz, a gorgeous selenite tower, and a few pieces of sea glass to my home.

This is a super secret project I'm working on and will share with you soon!

This is a sweet girl from my art journal:

And a birdie couple (from Brave Girls Art School) in progress in my art journal:

Have a wonderful week!

Hugs,