Progress report on 100 Acts of Spirit

It is only Tuesday of my big week for Random Acts of Christmas Spirit and I am already having the time of my life! I made these little cards and taped candy on the back of them. Now everywhere I go all over town to run errands I am leaving them in places for people to find! My 15 year old son went with me the first day and said he wished he could have parents that were normal. I say it is not good to be normal! We need more people willing to stick their necks out and make this world a better place. I don't want to live in a world where everyone is normal. I can watch CNN if I want that- too depressing! The really cool part of this is, by the time we got to the last errand-groceries my son was picking people to give them to! It really is contagious!

I have been doing other things too- leaving the bird seed in parking lots, catfood for ferrel cats, paid on a lay away, given to charities around town, and taken goodies to folks! I have been having a blast! You think I am doing good for others, and I am but the real gift is to me because it feels so great!

I'm still collecting and acting on ideas so keep them coming. I have all week. This afternoon I am taking some catnip to the adoption kitties! Hope you are enjoying your holiday season as much as I am!

My plan for next week

         I have a plan that I want to carry out for next week and I am calling it the first annual 100 Acts of Christmas Spirit. I plan to see if I can go around town and give Christmas spirit every where I go. I have had my own spirit cranked up this season but of course parts are stressful-  like shopping, Christmas cards, planning/scheduling, just keeping up with everything, etc. So I decided to take a week and celebrate in a way that would give me great pleasure.


 Ideas that I have come up with so far are:


*make small cards with candy attached and pass them out to strangers on cars, in mailboxes, leave them at  
  the book store on shelves, where ever.

*Go to Petsmart where the cats are all up for adoption and donate money to CAPS. Leave some catnip in
   each cage.

* Give money to a different charity everyday for a week

* Practice as many random acts of kindness as I can think of during the week

* Leave some catfood where I know that ferrell cats are living (Can you tell I love cats?)

*Buy coffee for people at my favorite coffee place- Moka Joe's- say the next three people to go through       the drive thru

*Write thank you notes to people who serve me- mailman, grocery, bank, hair, doctors, etc.

I'm still working on my plans. Today I bought candy. Tomorrow I will work on cards. I hope to be ready by next week.

What I would really like is anyone who knows me or just hears about this, to participate with me. Think about how many people are out there just on facebook. What if each person did just 5 things to improve Christmas for someone or something else? Can you imagine what an impact that would have? It would be magic! So if you have some good ideas that you are willing to share-  please leave them in the comments section so we can all perculate our plans for next week!


Thank you for considering this! I can't wait to hear how this goes!

Studio Redo Update

        I have finally gotten to the Ikea store to spend the money that I won in the Instructibles.com Ikea Space Challenge. I won $200.00 for first place! I purged tons of stuff and really cleaned out my space! I promised you that I would update you with photos and so here they are. I have finished special orders for Christmas and I am now ready to start planing for a great 2012. I am very grateful for the Ikea gift card and to Instructibles for having the contest. I owe lots of gratitude to all of you who voted for me and supported me. Now I can get on with the business of making art!

Art Everyday equals Happiness Everyday!

Here's the latest in the Art everyday for a month challenge! It is perfect for a Monday. We can all use a little sunshine! I hope you have a great week. Please do something that you love to do this week. Share your happiness with others. You never know what struggles the person you see may be going through. Your smile, kind word, or deed, may be just what it takes to brighten the day for someone else!

Here are my artworks for the first week of the  
November Creativity Challenge!


      I signed up for Leah Piken Kolidas's art everyday for a month challenge and WOW-what an experience! I have really enjoyed this process! These are smaller pieces 5"x 7", ink with watercolor pencils. When I started working on Week 2, I think I have gotten more warmed up as things are getting bigger and better!  I promise to show you real soon. My size went to 8"x 10" and I'm exploring my use with line more so they are taking longer to finish. Plus I am continuing to work on commission pieces so that take time as well. I hope you will enjoy these for now!
      I had forgotten how coloring is so close to therapy. The act of coloring, cleared my mind, and allowed me to get into the flow. I just let go.  It was exciting to paint with water and watch the color move into the spaces. During week 2, I am using watercolor paints to add color and then going into the areas with water color pencils to highlight or shade areas. I plan to go for canvas and mixed media/collage next. I can't wait to see all of the work by the end of the month!

Letter To My Muse

Dear Muse,


         I wanted to take a moment and write you this letter to say thank you for all the inspiration you have given me along my journey here on Earth!
I know I have not always been able to act on it; especially when the wild woman took my place these last three years. I have come back and she has been asked to leave, hopefully never to return. I plan to stand beside you and listen to your guidance. Together, we will forge a new path and will create many beautiful things together. Our time together will be amazing!
   
       So as we move forward into our new future, I promise to take good care of my body and to keep myself open to your voice. We will work side by side to make art that inspires others. The world will be a more beautiful place to live and we will remind others to be grateful for all that the Creator has given to us. I hope that in the end you will be very proud of our accomplishments together.
         
                                                             With much love in my heart,
                                                                         
                                                                                             Pat




       An exercise from the Divine Spark 90 day Muse practice with Shiloh McCloud at  

                            www.theredthreadcafe.com            

I WON!

I just found out I was one of 5 first place winners of the Ikea Space Challenge held at www.Instructibles.com! This means I won $200.00 towards my studio redo. If I add my commission money I should be able to afford the whole redo. I think it is time to celebrate! Thank you to everyone who voted for me!

Gratitude!

       

I am grateful this week for:

1. My studio purged and looking better waiting for new furniture when I win (I hope!) the Instructibles.com Ikea Space Challenge. Even if I don't win, I won because my studio has been purged of lots of stuff! Lots of it went to charity and the rest to trash. The contest has made the process fun and made me stick with it! Thank you to www.Instructibles.com for offering this challenge.


2. My turtle, Starla, that I painted for the Surf City Art Guild in order to raise money for the Karen Beasley Turtle Hospital in Surf City, N.C. raised $1600.00 at the auction. My mission for my art is I want it to make a difference in the world. I hope many sea turtles are helped by my small contribution. I really enjoyed being a part of something bigger than me!


3. My health returning. I had a scare last week with my left eye slightly bulging, which led to a cat scan, that led to extra doctor's appointments and then no where. We are going to keep an "eye on it." I find that funny-"keep an eye on it." This could be an early thyroid problem but then again it might not.  Either way, I am better than I was three years ago when my whole system crashed so it's all good.


4. I unloaded the kiln and all my commission pieces look okay so I am ready to start glazing!


5. All of the opportunities to work with special teachers this year. I finally met Alyson Stanfield and Christine Kane both who I have followed and studied with for years. On-line classes with Carol Tuttle, Kelly Rae Roberts, Jennifer Louden, Tara Gentile, Deepak Chopra, Laura Hollick, Shiloh McCloud, Pam Carriker, Jodi Ohl, Todd Henry and Jennifer Lee. I have learned so much and grown in amazing ways from studying with these amazing people. I love how the internet has made the world much smaller.


6. My PEEPs, you have kept me in the game when I thought I wouldn't be able to go on. Your support for me and my art is amazing. Thank you for supporting me through my illness the last three years. Finding out I had fibromyalgia and a faulty pituitary gland was very hard, to say the least. We got through it together and now I am ready to go. No more sickness driving my bus- I am in charge and ready to go!


7. Meeting my Fab Four Group in Charlotte. It has been a great joy to have you to "mastermind" with. I look forward to our accomplishments in 2012. You girls are awesome!


I could go on, but I'd be writing a book. My heart is full of love and I am very grateful for everything. Hope you have a great week!

Etsy Shop Opens!

   I am happy to announce my Etsy shop just opened! The banner is coming soon but the shop is open and it has 6 items to sell. More will be coming soon! You can see it at www.etsy.com/shop/pathouse


Also want to remind everyone the Auction for the Karen Beasley Turtle Hospital is tonight at 6:30 p.m. Hope we raise lots of money for the turtles! I'm going to miss mine!

The Turtles are coming!


     A year ago I was  chosen to participate in a very special fundraiser sponsored by the Surf City Art Guild in order to raise money for the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Surf City, North Carolina. We decorated a 30" tall fiberglass sea turtle  to be on display this summer and then to be auctioned off to raise money for the new hospital. Last year, they had so many turtles that they had to move some to garages in the area. The hospital is just too small for all the great work that they do. It is my favorite news story to watch as they release the turtles back in to the ocean! Anything that I can do to help with that process is well worth the effort.

    Each Artist who participated had a business sponsor. I would like to say thank you to mine The Bistro at Just Baked in Surf City. Registers Auto and Collision of Hampstead, N.C. contributed the clear coating for each turtle. It was a very exciting thing to pick my turtle after it was coated and be able to see the other designs! Twenty two artists created turtles and each one is amazing! Also many other people helped with this, I wish I could list them all.

    This Friday, September 30, 2011, at 6:00 p.m. is the auction. It will be held at The Assembly Building at 720 Channel Blvd., in Surf City, N.C. Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be served and the public is invited. The auction will officially start around 7:15 p.m. We hope to raise lots of money! If you can come and see and buy. If not, you can contact Jean Beasley at 910-470-2800 to donate money.

I continue to work an hour a day on my big studio clean out. It has been a long drawn out process but I am having some good results. I took 10 boxes of stuff this week and donated them to charity! My goal is to continue this one hour a day until October 9th when the Ikea Space Challenge ends with www.Instructables.com. On that day I am going to declare that I am finished except for getting the new furniture and setting it up. I will then have a general maintenance plan so that it never gets like this again.

     I have learned from this experience that I have been living with the leftovers of my school teacher mentality. My years of using parts of my salary to provide supplies for my students taught me to live in a state of lacking. My mindset has been there will never be enough supplies so I should save and reuse. I have learned this past year that I prefer to live in a State of Abundance! So I am sharing my wealth with others who may need it and I am looking forward to winning the contest. I can finally have the studio I always wanted! I have cut out pictures for years of what I would like for my studio and it's very interesting, the look is always the same. I didn't even know Ikea existed yet!

     Two days ago I had a visitor in my studio who startled me with his unannounced presence. I went to lift a box and there he was and moving fast! I thought I would add his photo to the updated photos of my space so you can see him. He 's a pretty good looking guy and it is fun to watch him change colors when he blends in with a new background! I prefer no more surprises though!

So I'm off to do my hour. I'll crank up my stereo and get working! If you haven't voted yet I can really use your support! www.Instructables.com, Ikea Space Challenge! Thanks for your support!

Progress is being made!

   I have been working on my studio clean out for a week now and it is starting to show progress. I  learned that Instructables.com is having an Ikea Space Challenge Contest that starts today. You upload pictures of your space then show /tell how you could improve your space if you won the $1,000.00 gift card from Ikea. I have had the best time this weekend shopping in the catalog for furniture. It is so empowering to imagine a space that I create with real furniture chosen by me! Currently, I am using lots of castaways from various places. I am grateful to have all that I do have but, I would LOVE to be able to upgrade!
     In shopping the Ikea Catalog and my imagination, I created a beautiful space for my work. I see 4 Billy shelf bookcases on caster wheels to display my work. The shelves are movable and the bookcases can be used in picture number 3 to create a closet space behind them for storage. What you would see instead of those ugly plastic shelves is a white wall of beautifully displayed artwork. The other side of the room I would put 3 sets of Expedit bookcases with 8 squares in each one. Also on wheels, with baskets in every other hole. These shelves would store all of my mixed media supplies. Later, I would love to add more Expedit bookcases with a top to create a worktable. I did include a three drawer filing cabinet. My total without tax came to $1001.96.
      I am continuing to clean out and purge this space. I plan to prepare my entry for the contest and submit it this week. I am then going to send as much positive energy as I can into winning. Then when I do win, I will post beautiful pictures and a great blogpost about how wonderful this whole experience has been. Our local charity will be blessed with furniture that someone will be glad to use for their space. We can have a virtual party at my place to celebrate! Keep the prayers coming!  

Reinventing my Studio Space

       I have disrespected my studio space. It has been trashed, unloved, and just sad. My studio is a garage in our backyard that can be a nice space to work in. I have spent many hours working away creating new things. Three years ago, I did a crash and burn and became unable to work very much. I became adrenal fatigued, Vitamin D deficient, and totally out of sorts. Two years ago they decided I had Fibromyalgia. This story is not about me being sick, but about my journey now that I am better. I have steadily improved each year getting a little better and finally in January of this year I decided I was ready to take my life back!

      So I walked out to my studio and it looks like this! These are photos that should never be published because they are horrible. I am putting them out there so that you can see how I transform this space back to a useful and lovely place to work. I am doing it for one hour a day twice a day. I walk in turn on some peppy music and then turn on my timer and go! I use my journal writing time to dialog with myself in order to set my intentions for the next session. So far I am seeing great progress! I'll show my progress as I go. Please pray for my progress. I am going to need all the help I can get.

East Carolina University School of Art Alumni Exhibition

   East Carolina University School of Art and Design Alumni Exhibition starts Friday September 2 and runs through October 1, 2011. Art by more than 300 alumni representing all studio areas will be on view at three locations. These locations are Wellington B. Gray Gallery, located in Jenkins Fine Art Center on campus, Emerge Gallery located at 404 South Evans Street in Greenville, N.C., and The Greenville Museum of Art located at 802 South Evans Street. The reception for the exhibit will be Friday, September 2 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. at the three exhibition venues.

    My piece "The Grouper Party" will be at the Emerge Gallery location. It is a 15"x 15" clay piece made with handmade and glazed tiles. So if you are going to be in Greenville, North Carolina anytime soon you should stop by to see the show! It promises to be a great one!

Getting ready for Irene

My studio is currently filled with patio furniture and plants from outside. This is making it impossible to complete my weeks goal of cleaning my studio and working on commission pieces. I just hope all is well when the storm passes. I getting ready to hunker down with movies, brownies, and maybe some wine. Perhaps I can work on some more action steps for my wall to complete after Irene leaves. She is a very unwanted house guest! Everyone in the path areas stay safe!

What are your top three things that you are working on right now?

I'd love to hear what you are doing right now! Mine are finishing commission pieces, studio clean out, and keeping up with my online classes!

Getting Ready for Change

     It's hard to believe that school starts next Thursday! It seems like my son Austin just got out of school and yet the whole summer has flown by. It has been a good roller coaster ride! Lots of travel- beach, Utah, San Antonio, Charleston, Charlotte, and lots of time visiting and learning new things. I have enjoyed the cook outs, eating watermelon, and spending time with family and friends. I have also enjoyed taking classes and learning new ways to market my business and new techniques to use in my art. Next week, we will go back to normal- whatever that is! I am both looking forward to having a schedule and sad to see free time go.

       As I prepare for these upcoming changes that next week will bring I am practicing not going into overwelm. It is a favorite crutch of mine! I gather a huge list of all the things I wanted to get done over the summer but didn't and then Boom! I go into overwhelm and freeze! This year I want to avoid all of that. I have accomplished a great deal this summer and I intend to celebrate that first. Then I will put all my new action steps onto small post a notes and add them to my action wall. This way I can prioritize and only look at one or two at a time. No panic. No overwhelm! I'll keep you posted with how well this works.

Welcome to my new blog!

                                                             

   "Life is a field of 

         unlimited possiblities."

                                             Deepak Chopra                                                                        

     Today my blog is born! I have been dreaming of doing this for at least a year but perfectionism has been getting in the way so I keep putting it off.

Today, I am stepping away from the fear! I am putting it out here imperfectly!

Let's see what kind of possiblilites we can dream up!

                                           

                                         Enjoy the ride!