Thank you's and updates

Since I posted about returning to the States several people have left me comments, and THANKFULLY they told me about the comment in another forum.

For MONTHS now I have been receiving comments and I had NO idea! When I moved to Bahrain I had to change my email address and even though I changed it for my Blogger account, I didn't realize I needed to change it for my email notifications as well.

For everyone who has left me a comment that I have not previously responded to... THANK YOU. I appreciate your kind thoughts, words of support and encouragement. I have now corrected the email address and will be able to respond when you actually LEAVE a comment, rather than six months later :D

Now, for an update on family life.

Christopher and I will be leaving Bahrain in one week. Chris is in the Navy, so he will be stationed here until December when his orders are up. He can not move until that time. Christopher and I will not be able to return before December, so once we leave, we will be gone for good. Chris is planning a trip home sometime this summer so that we can have a few weeks together mid way through our time apart.

I am not happy to be leaving, but I have accepted it and I am looking at it from a positive perspective. I am going to miss everyone here, but I am looking forward to many things back in the States as well.

I am going to make the most of the time I have left here in Bahrain and make as many memories as possible <3

We had a cookout and family game day with friends and family and we are planning to do it again next weekend. Today I am hanging with my cousin's wife (they are also stationed here.) She is interested in art journaling so I am passing on lots of the supplies I will not be able to take with me and we are going to the art store to get her a journal :D

Tonight we will all be taking a trip to the pet store to help the cousin's find new puppy goodies.

It's going to be a good week <3

Art is My Meditation

Life here in Bahrain has not been very enjoyable lately. Due to protests and violence we have basically been on lock down. We have been advised to stay home and stay away from any 'activity.' Since I am not sure what I am allowed to say I have not been online much and I have to keep many thoughts to myself when I am online. I hate having to censor myself in this way, but our safety is more important than my opinion.

The upside to being couped up in my house is that I have had a good bit of time for arting :)I spend hours playing with paint, collage, stamps and gel medium.

Art is my meditation. My brain slows down,I am able to relax and I just lose myself in the process.

Art journaling has given me so much more than I ever could have expected. I never thought I would learn so much about who I am. I never thought I would heal so many wounds or experience so much forgiveness. My eyes and my heart are open and I am changing. I am learning to fogive myself for things that I have done, but more importanly, for things that I had no control over. I am learning to accept myself and love myself and I never thought that was possible.

My skills improve with every page and my creativity is really starting to blossom. I find myself thinking of new ideas all through out the day and I have several projects in mind for the coming months. The first of those projects is an altered book that I will begin working on today. It will be a tribute book using several techniques that are new to me. I will post pics to share my progress.

I also got an email with some VERY exciting art news, but I have to wait a few more days before I can share that secret.

On a side note,I have finally linked my blog to my Flickr account. Now all of my images can be viewed in one convenient spot :D

Now, I am off to work on my altered book!

I NEED '21 SECRETS'

I recently began a journey of Love in my art journal. "Art Journal Love Letters" is a workshop created by Connie Hosvicka at Dirty Foot Prints Studio. I have already learned so much, but I still have so much to learn.

Connie recently announced that she will be discontinuing Art Journal Love Letters in order to open up bright new windows of opportunity for her students. Her newest project is the colaborative effort of 21 different artists, all with skill, talent and imagination. "21 Secrets" officially begins Ocotber 1, 2010 and will only be available through the end of the year.

I REALLY want to take this workshop!

Effy Wild, one of my favorite people, will be teaching one of the classes in the workshop. She always has a way of making me see something in myself I didn't know was there. Her class is designed to help artists see inside their souls and bring it to life in their journal. I have not yet been able to open up in my journal and I desperately want to be able to. This class is a MUST for me.

Paula Phillips' class is centered around doors and windows that will help hide the secrets with-in or accentuate a something special. This will also help make my art journal more interactive and give me a place to store special memories and momentos.

Connie Hosvicka, herself will be teaching one of the classes that will help me the most. Connie is all about teaching artists to be FEARLESS in their art. Her class will focus on getting your ideas out of your head and onto the page without holding back. I have a major problem with holding back and can use all of the coaxing I can get!

I not only WANT to take this workshop, I NEED to take it. I WANT to learn as many techniques as I can. I WANT to play in my art journal and make a mess and be OK with the messy. I NEED to break free and explore my inner most thoughts, feelings, secrets and fears.

Go to Connie's website and have a look around. To learn more about "21 Secrets" including who all 21 artists/teachers will be, follow this link:

http://www.dirtyfootprintsworkshops.com/2008/09/21-secrets-art-journal-playground.html


Once at the site, you can sign up to take the class and you can sign me up to take it with you! :D