Thank you!

This week is unique.

"Down time" to me...gets a little restless after week one. 

I have some AMAZING THINGS I'm cooking up apart from my usual thoughts of traveling, connecting and making art. 

The problem usually is- staying ON COURSE through the rest time to accomplish these goals big and small.  This week I've felt a slight distraction coming to say hello.  I've felt ups and downs - anxiousness and lack of confidence.  All those friends that come to visit when you don't want them to. 

Truthfully I would rather have a nice phone call from a friend than THESE "friends". 

I do have huge dreams.  Some of them very silly and very simple.  What is boils down to is I do love making connections with people.  Be it creatively or by finding common ground to laughter.  I am, at heart, a RELATOR to the core.  I realize I dive in and out of these worlds of wanting to be alone and wanting to socialize.  I am realizing more and more how I work internally - and in that, the more I know me,  the more I can realize when I'm having a good or bad MENTAL day. 

The mind is the labyrinth of the thoughts that access emotions/logic and everything we seemingly are created with.  One minute you can access the thoughts that take you to high places of joy and the next minute you can access a thought that takes you to a lowest of low.  Choosing which thoughts to access is key. 

Choose wisely.

Friday Fantasy: "3 dimensions and eye-face"

I had a lovely friend over last nite whom is an all-over beautiful person and SUPERNERD.  I had enlisted her help to brainstorm, talk and feel out where I'm going with my wedding photography AND other things.  After our journey of talking shop and nerdy-ness....as per usual there was moments of play. :)

I took a few pictures of her using random objects she was gravitating towards...and really I always end up feeling so "spacey" anyways. hahahah!!!!  So my *fantasy* tends to take me to outworldly places using lines, textures, lights and FACES. 

When creating this image below....

 It is kinda funny that you can't see the DOME that is around her face - but you can clearly see the hoberman sphere.  I let my fingers guide me as I made it feel as if it was one of those kinds of images that jogs your eyeballs and you try to figure out is this motion, is this blur ...is this a mess!?! :)  I fell into the 3D world and just let it be.  I love the colors and I love how her double-eye turned out. 

I had a flash of stuff like this in my mind:

I then took myself to a familiar prop - the lighted magnifying glass.  I don't think I will ever get tired of it. I really don't! HAHAAHAH :)  This time - somehow her eye seemed to take up half her face.  I really liked how creepy fun cool it looked and so I took it up a notch here. 

Letting the FANTASY part come into play.....I did this:

original image - model: Jedi Goddess

Combining the front and back side of the magnifying glass - model: Jedi Goddess

Finalized idea/image - i'm kinda obsessed at how weird it is! - model : Jedi Goddess

Ok folks - so basically LET YOURSELF take a turn for the weird.  Accept that sometimes you just need to play a bit and open yourself up for friends and play time.  Ideas can come as you share time with others and you also give your imagination a STRETCH.  

Take yourself into the 3rd dimension and OPEN YOUR EYES to the possibilities!!!!

FRIDAY FANTASY:
-what is the last PROP you used in a weird way? 
-how did that turn out? 
-have you TRIED IT AGAIN????
-what new twist can you make from a past image idea?
-NOW DO IT.

Much Love

Jen

Thursday Thinking: "Access your heart"

I can't help but sometimes FEEL overwhelmed when it comes to digging out the treasures in my heart!  I sat down today to start thinking about the future.  You know the not-so-distant future of 2015 and beyond.  

I was stuck for a few moments.  

When we get so busy and forget to slow down, we might also miss dreams inside that needed to be found.  We may already be LIVING a lot of our dreams - but I've also found that some dreams are within dreams to an even BIGGER dream.  (geez, Inception much?) heheeh!!!!

Yea you feel that?

OVERWHELMED!!!!!

But, take heart dear ones - this feeling only lasts a short while because then you get back on track breaking down your dreams/goals into pieces that you can walk out bit by bit.  We weren't made to FLY necessarily - we were given FEET to walk to our destination.  

Hey, that doesn't mean I don't WANT wings - but let us stay on the ground for a few moments...to tread lightly and keep moving forward.  Open your eyes and mind to the light that surrounds you and your path.  Let peace and love rule.  

Before you know it - you have opened up a huge ball of energy and it changes your life forever.

THURSDAY THINKING:
-what dream has been buried that you need to DIG out? 
-where does YOUR energy come from? 
-what drives YOU?
-write down at least ONE GOAL today and set yourself to complete it in the next 3 months!

Wednesday Wandering : "cleaning out your car and meeting friends!"

This week's "Wednesday Wandering" takes me outside for a few on this wonderfully chilly rainy day.  Honestly - when it is raining I stay indoors - but oddly when I TRAVEL....I go outdoors.  I don't know why.  I haven't figured that out yet. :)  In St Louis I was on a mission to create...and even CREATE in the rain.  But here at home - I find I'm a true homebody. 

Except for today!!!!

Today, I have started cleaning out my car. 

Now to you, maybe this isn't a huge deal - but for me having done all this traveling and more traveling and less and LESS cleaning....MY CAR WAS A MESS. 

The outside had been freshly washed, the belt tensioner tightened....but the trash and props and more were just overly cluttering my life AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

So, phase 1 - I have completely taken out the trash, threw stuff in the recycle and next - I'll attempt to vacuum it later or tomorrow.  Then, probably wipe it down with armor all.  I always find that cleaning your car and home is just like cleaning out your mind & heart.  You have to ADDRESS what is going on inside so that your outside and inside collide.  There is a harmony when things are cleaned up.  Not perfect, just CLEANED UP.  :)

Don't ignore your mess.
Because then it turns into a disaster.
 You have the power right now, right here to deal with your mess and get moving into a less cluttered direction.  Sometimes I can't even think unless I de-clutter!  I need to BREATHE. I need to think.  I need to assess my mental and emotional health.

Phase ONE - done!!!! The car is reflecting a less-cluttered moment.
Phase TWO - finally leaving this house to meet friends. 

Wednesday Wandering: 
-where did you go today that was NOT your house.
-did you see the sky?
-did you see a friend? 

Tuesday TipTricks!!!! : "Using WINTER as the perfect excuse to create"

WINTER.
IT IS COMING.

So, I'll be the first to tell you - it is NOT my favorite season!!! I don't like being cold and I don't like wearing 5 layers of clothes to STAY warm.  My winters here in texas turn into flannel pants every single day.  It is the warmest thing I own for my legs.  Go figure. 

However, I like to take that 3-7days we might be locked in our house for ICE (long story, short story, Texans have crappy roads in winter) and make some art!!!

So my biggest TIP or TRICK today is - let winter work FOR you instead of against you!!!!

Below you will find images throughout last winter and what I experienced as a TEXAN who really dislikes winter.  I start with making art from icicles and then merging into a fun project with Rachel Frank, Jane Love and Justin Hardesty in Chicago IL.   

 I was able to push myself artistically even when the bitter cold was sweeping across my face, hands and eyeballs!  The wind off the lake was SO STRONG i couldn't even open my eyes.  I had to walk BACKWARDS!  In the end, I learned that relationships mean just as much to me as the art I create.  These people in this blog have touched my life in more ways than one and I'm so greatful for them.  So, even when I travel in WINTER I find love, happiness and creativity. 

artwork made of icicles on our house.

18 (or less) degrees - Chicago IL - Model: Jane Love  Designer: RFD by Rachel Frank

working around the blizzard. - Model: Jane Love - Designer: RFD by Rachel Frank

enjoying our wintertime - together.  Chicago IL

our moments on the frozen lake - no photo shoot here - just plain crazee wind!!!!!

making snow angel art

making memories with friends - even if I dislike winter!!!  I love Justin!!!!!

Tuesday TIPTRICKS:
-When winter hits, what are you going to use for your next project?  Snow? Ice? WIND????
-Share your art with someone who hates winter, see if it inspires them.
-What is your greatest memory from winter? (be it traveling or relationships) 
-Don't let WINTER shut you down this year, find ways to bring the light and joy into gloomy weather.  Make it fun and make new relationships!!!! <3 

Much Love

Jen
 

Monday Madness: "Longing"

I titled these things "Monday madness" because sometimes I am thinking of random things all weekend or all day long.  This is where I stop and enter into the madness.  

In dictionary.com - "madness" has a 4th meaning.  

intense excitement or enthusiasm. 

 

I have a hard time really communicating my heart out into the world, but yet somehow it does get out there.  If you don't see it in words then you see it in pictures.  My viewpoint is my own.  My eyes are my own and my madness is my own!!!!

 

I am reflecting this morning about my short time in Maine.  I look at the images and how blue and crisp the waters were and I want to be there again.  I want to be there longer than 2 hours.  I want to sit on the rocks and absorb the surroundings to the fullest.  

 

I realize that even if I planned a trip up again - it would not be the same as before - but would be another UNIQUE experience to life and love.  Embracing all of who I am NOW and all of who I am in the future.  Realizing that every day dreams that are seeds have to take root, then BURST into the light for all to see.  

 

Enjoy a few beautiful moments from Maine.  

 

I had never been to this state before.   

Now I feel myself being drawn back - if only for the water's edge.

 

Thank you for enjoying and reaching for inspiration every day!!!!

Monday Madness:

-what right now are you INTENSELY excited about? 

-share an image with your friends and family about something you experience in 2014 that ignited your passions

-write a paragraph about how you felt in THIS moment.