Our Last Post At This Location

We are growing and evolving, as always. And, as part of our evolution we have moved over here:

Wine, Women And A Paintbrush

Come visit us and see what new, exciting things we are up to and ideas we have to share with you!

Lori and Cheryl.

What an inspiring project -

This brings tears to my eyes. I know too many little girls (and bigger ones) who don't believe this. I want it to run in schools everywhere. Maybe we can begin to adjust the horrible messaging that we are all receiving that beautiful looks only like the model on the cover of Vogue.

Here's how it started...

http://www.flickr.com/groups/theiambeautifulproject/

and here's the completed project...

You should download this...

Print out a couple or all of them and put it where you can see it everyday. Then... let it sink in, believe it, roll around in it a bit, and let it be how you go out into the world.

23 things about you.

for those afraid of lettering...

This is such a great video about how easy it is to create interesting lettering for your art journals and canvases.

Lettering for Your Art Journal from Julie Balzer on Vimeo.

I'm a big fan of her blog too... there's tons of inspiration and she's very generous with her "how-tos" as in this journal spread. So interesting to see how it transforms in the process.

on love and vulnerability

You will love this!

I happened on Christy Tomlinson's first online workshop - She-Art - signed up on a whim, and have been thoroughly enjoying it for the last few weeks. She has such a warmth that you just want to grab a cup of coffee and hang out "with her". (Watching her videos). It was a three week process, with new videos of inspiration and techniques uploaded each week and lots of time to watch - I think they are up through April.

I'm taking the next one and thought you might want too, too. It's worth every penny of the very inexpensive $35! Sign up here. Plus I think you'll like her site. Be careful, though, I got a little carried away in her online store.....

A course you should know about - especially since it starts tomorrow!

I just took this workshop and would highly recommend it if you are up for a pretty intense life review! I was challenged by it, inspired by it, and moved by it. It's a wonderfully creative way to create some space for yourself, and ultimately understand yourself better. The brave girls ladies have created an online offering, with lots and lots of videos of both how tos and inspiration. They also provide all the materials you need - you just print them out - I loved that part. It created such ease. I could add my own materials if I felt like it but otherwise everything else was there. It has a time line on it which is generous but ultimately it comes to an end, so if you are not in a place when you have time to keep up, it might not be right for you. They do, however, allow you to take it again for just $25. Here's the link - Soul Restoration.

Symbols and Labels

In preparing for this month's Wine, Women and a Paintbrush, I was thinking alot about the "labels" I wear these days. Mostly, they are Chauffeur, Chef, and Spectator and, while I am 100% behind my kids and their passions, I'm not always fulfilled by the routines and responsibilities that that brings for me. So, after reading Jennifer Swift's book, Creative Bloom, I thought it would be fun to create new labels or symbols that help us to remember who else we are. And, as is always the case at WW&P, everyone went off on their own tangent! Which is exactly what Cheryl and I hoped for when we designed this offering. A place to take the materials we provide and explore and play to your heart's content.

This particular evening was delightfully intimate (just 5 of us) and, as such, was full of deep thought and conversation. And outcomes. Included below are: a remembrance of life, inspiration for managing the day's activities, the fun of play, a reminder of flow, peace and joy, and a gift for someone who inspires.

This project is an easy one to do at home. Just head over to Home Depot for some rebar tie wire and flush wire cutters. Then put on some play clothes and bend away. The book mentioned above is great for whimsical inspiration and even comes on the Kindle!

The Inner Critic

Whew. This one was a little sombre. I guess I should have known that when women are faced with looking at their inner critic (or outer critics), we are ultra hard on ourselves and tend to not only look at but feel all the things that we think are wrong or not working. And, with lives that are so full of responsibilities, expectations and choices, it's easy to pay way more attention to the things that aren't
getting done or that aren't working or good enough instead of looking at all that we are and all that we accomplish.
Luckily, part of the exercise was a second portrait that reflected the opposite of the critic - based on questions like - "what are your gifts?" what's wonderful about you?" what can you say to the inner critic to get a little space and a little perspective?". And despite having gone so far down the path of yuck, I think we all got there and I think it shows in the artwork. I don't think that most women take enough, if any, time to pat themselves on the backs and review their successes - at least the personal ones. It's all about perspective - looking at the big picture - life as a whole - not just the pieces that aren't working in this moment.

Inspiration for this project came from several artists - you might want to take a further look. The portraits themselves are a wonderfully simple, rewarding process developed by Pam Carriker. She has a great video on her site that walks you through it. The inner critic/gremlin part was inspired by a book by Diana Trout - Journal Spilling - and another online artist - Violette.

Thanks to the ladies who put their hearts into this evening - I hope that it has tempered some of that endless nattering from the critic and reminded you about how fabulous you really are!

Right Brain Planning

I've just added a link at the bottom right of the blog that might interest you. Jennifer Lee's Right Brain Business Planning Summit started today and I've just spent an hour listening and looking around her site. There is lots of creative inspiration there and, if you are in the midst of business building or planning creative projects, you might want to catch the rest of the 10 days of webinars. It's so great to have access to like-minded people who are making it easier for those of us who think, plan, and dream creatively to do that without feeling so "black sheepish"!

Try Odosketch

This is fun! Love the pastel colors and the crayony, watercolory feel of the drawing. It's always a little frustrating to try to draw with a mouse but these give such pretty results, it's worth a try. Here's the link - odosketch.

A wonderful start to 2011

January's Wine, Women and a Paintbrush was an inspiring start to the new year. Part of the process this time was exchanging a finished prayer flag anonymously. I always love how that turns out, the synchronicities blow me away. And I think it reminds everyone there how amazing the group is. There is never a dull moment, the opportunities to learn are endless, and everyone's support for each other really is heartwarming. If you've been considering joining us, believe me, you'll be hard pressed to find as welcoming and interesting a group as this!

one more that i have to add!

I've been signed up to this group - which is free by the way - for quite a while but have just gotten around to participating. And, I'm impressed! Tam, at Willowing and Artist Friends, has generously offered this course for free, has obviously put lots of heart and time into it, and I'm excited about its contents. There are all kinds of other courses and creativity on her site as well. Well worth a look.

some help in making creativity part of your daily life

Every January I wonder how I can be more creative in the year ahead. (And keep it up past January). Fit more projects in, make journalling or painting or sewing more of a priority as opposed to letting it sit on the back burner - as it often does - while I race around attending to all the other "priorities". Fortunately, there are artists out there who understand! And who've, either on their own, or in groups, have created projects and challenges for people just like me - to provide daily, weekly or monthly inspiration to make the time and enjoy the process. I've discovered three sketching/art journalling ones so far and have put their badges on the right side of this blog so that you can check them out. I love that each of them is a mix of inspiration, technique and support. Now to find the time to fit them ALL in!

And... if you have lots of time and really want to go down the rabbit hole, check this out! What a fantastic art journal reference post... Rhomany's Realm.

Lori

Two Fabulous Sites you need to know about BEFORE the Holidays

Happy Holidays,

A couple of sites I love that will be of big help in the last minute holiday frenzy...

One, Smitten Kitchen, has a recipe for the decadent and

oh so simple "Christmas Crack". The only time I make this is when I am taking it with me to a gathering where it will all be inhaled - so that I won't eat it all myself!

http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/04/chocolate-caramel-crackers/

I've signed up to receive emails from this site because the recipes are terrific - and the pictures make me want to rush right to the kitchen (or to the store to get whatever I am missing.)

The second site is Michelle Allen's. I met Michelle at Artfest last year when I was lucky enough to take a class from her. She is every bit as happy and energetic in person as she seems on her blog. It's one I check in on regularly as I love how she shares her life as well as her creativity. These gift labels will definitely be adorning many of my Christmas gifts..

http://allendesigns.typepad.com/blog/

She's generously created these tags and some address labels that are downloadable from her site for us to use.

Wishing you all a creative holiday!

Lori

Holiday Greetings

There are going to be some very lucky people who will find beautiful, heartfelt mail art in their mailboxes this season. A variety of scrapbook paper, paints, stamps, stickers, and various other ephemera went into the creation of the fabulous letters above. Just as important though, were the contents - there was a lot of love being poured into these beautiful gifts. This is the season when it is so easy to get caught up in the doings and the chaos of holiday preparation and we forget about the love, gratitude and generosity that are the foundation of the holidays. This month's workshop was all about letting someone know how important they are - I think that the writing of the letters was truly as wonderful for the authors as it will be for their recipients.

Happy Holidays,

Lori

Check out this video! Also, have a look at Cheryl's link on the left hand side of the page. She's been quite prolific since moving to Victoria and has lots of wonderful inspiration on her blog. You can sign up to be updated to all her new posts as well.

October's Wine, Women and a Paintbrush

These are photocopied self-portraits, over-painted, and collaged. There are a couple more to add as soon as my camera battery is recharged..

March

The gathering of women at this workshop was amazing. The connections, the interactions, the surprises were truly fantastic and it was just a great place to be for a few hours.

Someone suggested recently that perhaps, in light of our focus on process rather than outcome, we shouldn't be putting the finished pieces up on the blog. That they essentially defeat the purpose of letting go of expectations in order to really be present at the evening, letting whatever happens, happen. It makes me think about the need for both - the ability to, in the moment, let go of outcome, judgment and expectation, and also, in the end, to honor the outcome, no matter what that is. It seems to me that as women, and caretakers, we spend alot

of time giving - usually without expectation - and probably not nearly enough time appreciating or being appreciated. So maybe Wine, Women and a Paintbrush is a

place for both. An opportunity to let go of the daily responsibilities for a couple of hours but also to acknowledge and be acknowledged for what we've accomplished.

These pieces turned out beautifully. There is so much thought and heart in every one of them. You could feel that in the room and it showed in the way that women who'd just met were there for each other with support and guidance.