Wishcast Wednesday and 52 Photos Project - November 30,2011




Twinkle lights in the blizzard

Morning friends, today we are sharing wishes over at Jamie Ridlers Studios and pictures at Bella's 52 Photo's Project.

Today's prompts are:
Wish:  What treasures do you wish for?
Photos: Twinkle lights

The treasures I wish for are simple:  Love, Peace and Happiness for myself and others.  So simple yet so hard.  For me when I start to feel any of these, my defenses go up, my anxiety kicks in and the doubts start creep in.  I just want to be in a place that I can give and receive these with an open heart.

Here are some more twinkle light shots, there is just something about these lights that invokes joy for me. Be it dark nights of the soul or shorter days, twinkle lights lift the spirit.


 



So what treasures are you wishing for this week?  As you wish for yourself, so I wish for you also.

Namaste,

Karen

Wishcast Wednesday

November Full Moon 2011

We are sharing wishes today over at Jamie Ridler's Studios.  The prompt this week is:  What do you wish to remember?

This time of year as night takes over the day and the darkness seems deeper, I wish to remember that this season will pass to the next soon enough.  This time of year I feel my mood turning inward and a slight gloominess overcomes me, especially around the holiday season, there is too much forced stimulation and the pace of things seem to speed up unnaturally making me wish to retreat.

some leaves still holding on.. yellow and blue

Some other things I wish to remember are:

the color and light WILL return
trees baring their beauty for all to see is a visual gift
the moments of joy are still there to be had
twinkle lights can really lift your spirits
my love for fuzzy socks and warm cozy scarves is back
though there has been loss there is still so much to be grateful for
beyond the commercialism of this season there is good will to share
it's OK to slow down, you are not missing anything that won't come back around again when you are ready

You can also see me over at Jen Lee's place this week talking about self care as she rolls out her "Care and Keeping of the Creative Soul".  Karen over at Jen Lee's place.

I leave you with this picture of our pup Bella who finds much joy digging through the fallen leaves for her ball.

Much love to you and yours this Holiday Season.
Namaste,
Karen

My Care and Keeping Story over at Jen Lee's

A favorite self care moment - drinking some tea out of a favorite mug

The wise and wonderful Jen Lee is rolling out her "Care and Keeping of the Creative Soul" manuals after Thanksgiving and she is starting off the week sharing student stories of her "Care and Keeping" workshops that were given at Squam Art Workshops.

Jen Lee Squam Art Workshops Sept 2010

You can see my experience today over at Jen Lee's place (click below link).  I can honestly say Jen has changed the way I look at self care most simply by reminding me that I deserve it and showing me that when coming from a full place I am able to give more to others and myself.

Karen's Care and Keeping Story

May your today be a good one.

Namaste,
Karen

11/11/11

sunflare hitting dreamcatcher

There has been much talk regarding the significance of 11/11/11 floating around the web today.   I like what John Cainer says below in his video about it being a re-boot,  how you can re-define and clarify your intentions for yourself and the world. 

Today is also Veteren's day Gratiude to all of our service men and women, past and present this day



So my friends what intentions are you making today?

Namaste,
Karen

52 Photos Project November 9th 2011

Reaching for the Sun

The Prompt for Bella's 52 Photos Project this week was "Shades of Aqua"  I ran with that and pulled together some of my favorite iphone pictures from this last week that had shades of  blue in them.  This time of year can be tough with all the gray days so I look for those spots of blue to carry me through.

You can check out Bella here at:  52 Photos Project come join the fun.



flare through the trees highlight the blue sky




poor Bella , she sat still so I could get this pic of her (blue in the hat)





my favorite chimes .. love the sun shining on the blue heart

 


the trees are almost bare, love the shapes of the branches against the blue canvas of the sky




Blue and Yellow so good together




My husband with his Giant's FBall shirt, he bleeds blue for his team!

So friends where are you finding the bright spots in these gray days of fall?

Namaste,
Karen

wednesday wishcast and 52 Photos Project

Halloween 2011

Today is Wednesday and we are sharing wishes and pictures over at Jamie Ridler's Studios and Bella's 52 Photos Project.

Prompts:  Jamie Ridler's Studios:  What do you wish to nourish
                Bella's 52 Photos:  Halloween

I missed the prompts last week as I was at Serendipity Art Retreat in North Carolina, which I will write more about when I have sat with the whole experience for a bit.  I know for sure I want to say yes to more of these workshops as they really help nourish me in a way that I don't do for myself at home.



Serendipity Retreat:  Peace is found in the space in-between

 My hope is that I learn how to incorporate more of that creative retreating in my daily life, even if it is just for a moment a day.  Just a moment to check in with myself and see where I am and what I need before I give it all away to the worries of the day.  Do you know what I mean?  A moment of grounding of coming back to self.  It can be in the form of writing, art journaling, picture taking, painting, anything that takes me out of that head space.           

One thing I learned at Serendipty was to nourish others you really need to make sure you are nourished also so you can give without becoming depleted.  Now logically I know I can't attend all the retreat and workshops out there but I can keep showing up in my daily life and attend the ones that I am able to and I will keep reminding myself that I am important and worthy of self care and love.

Now for the Halloween photo prompt, you see all that candy up there at the top of my post, well it's still in my house!  We had a freak snow storm that downed wires and tree limbs and caused my town to cancel Halloween.  So I am sad to say (or glad) that bounty of chocolate is still in my house.  I hope the kids come around this weekend before my husband and I eat it all.  Below are some pics of the fall snowstorm as well as some goofy halloween pics that I was posting with friends on facebook, hey I had to entertain myself some way! 

trees weighed down with snow blocking street

snowy leaf

falinter

Halloween has been hair raising this year

the better to hear you with - Bella

So how are you wishing to nourish yourself this day?  As you wish for yourself, I am wishing for you also.

Namaste
Karen