ORIGINAL BLISS

Landed

 

Two feet planted safely on my home turf.

Strangely, I was really really nervous the nights before my flights... but once at the airport and on the plane, I enjoyed it immensely. Angels calmed the skies for our flight. They were each the smoothest, clearest flights I have ever taken.

Seeing the Grand Canyon, the Great Salt Lake, and Lake Tahoe from 30,000 feet was awe inspiring.

 

We got our mock up and had a beautiful snow flurry that crystallized the world and made the simple act of driving an adventure!

 

We had a girls day with my sister, crushing on gay men in Cobras, and young ones singing love songs on the stage. Laughing at how 1 little ol' martini effected my sister.

We had nieces sit on our laps and Rhodesians nose our cold noses.

Mattea and I cuddled under the covers and giggled until our toes got warm.

   

I kept waiting for the regret to sneak up on me... the shame that I was so impulsive and took off on a whim.

Never happened. Never will.

 

Nothing but dance and celebration in my soul!

But it is so nice to be back in my lovers warm embrace, with a bath and a glass of wine to warm my frozen bones!

Namaste,

C H E Z

What to call this?

  

Just little sketch...

Will be back from Colorado on Thursday!

Namaste,

C H E Z

Dancing with the Wheel

  

So my daughter and I made it to Denver. Yesterday was a beautiful day for flying. Barely a wobble of turbulance! The winds and rain from earlier in the week had cleared the sky giving us incredible visibility.

Flying over my old home of San Diego made me a little homesick. Fly over the Grand Canyon was amazing. And flying into Denver was gorgeous!

I was so worried about me freaking out and being nervous --- I didn't worry about Mattea who told me she likes flying. Then last night told me she didn't like it as much as she thought. I t was boring.

Teenagers!

Sheesh!

Off to University of Denver... some lunch with my sister... some more bonding with the neices... then Spring Awakening. I can't wait.

Namaste,

C H E Z

Waiting for Winter

  

Where is ol' man winter?

There are still too many leaves on my trees.

Maybe there will be snow in Colorado?

A light dusting would be pretty, especially since we don't see snow in our part of Cali.

That's my mock up... a little powdered sugar on the ground.

Namaste,

C H E Z

Gratitude

 

"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice."   Meister Eckhart

There are times when our light goes out.

Sometimes the winds of circumstance overpower us and extinguish our spark.

Sometimes when a storm is blowing, rather than observing from the safety of our temple, we venture out and willingly join in the tempest, effectively blowing out our own flame.

Today I express my gratitude to the soul brothers and sisters that re-mind me of who I am and help reignite my spirit.

 

My copies of "Dreaming on the Page" arrived in the mail today. WOW! I impressed even myself. The print quality is stunning!

Be advised if you purchase a hard copy of the Zine, Lulu prints on demand, so the wait time is longer than if it was already printed and just shipped. But it was so worth the wait!

Also --- If you live in the Central Valley, tomorrow is the Hand Born Modern Craft Bazaar in Downtown Modesto. I will be there with art and recycled paper earrings. Come down and visit!

Namaste,

C H E Z

Let Your Soul Soar on the Harmonies

 

Listen to the whole song before you read this post.

   

Something about music can really set the soul to soaring, doesn't it?

My skin breaks out in goosebumps and an ecstatic tingle shudders to the core, electrifying my being.

Emotions swell, tears well and spill...

a baptism.

Music is what kept me going to church for many years...

I'd go every Sunday if I could just listen to the choir sing then get up and leave before the preach. Actually, that could be kinda fun. Go into a church and sit in the front row for the kickin' choir and then get up and walk out before they ruined my buzz. Think they'd get it?

It makes me wonder why music effects us that way.  A certain chord is struck, a layer of perfect harmonies, the mathematical perfection in the melodies... it realigns my DNA and my soul takes flight.

 

Namaste,

C H E Z

Song of Purple Summer - Cast of Spring Awakening

False Evidence Appearing Real

 

I made an impulsive decision.

I really want my sister, Niki, to see Spring Awakening. She lives in Denver and the national tour is going to be there at the beginning of December. I was going to buy her tickets as a Christmas present... but being the control freak that I am, I didn't trust that she would get a sitter and actually GO!

So I bought two more tickets and two round trip plane tickets and my youngest daughter and I are taking a whirlwind couple of days to take my sister to a musical.

Really.

We are totally excited and making all our plans, buying sweaters, etc...

There is just one thing:

I HATE flying.

I used to be fine with it. I was in the AIR Force for Christ's sake! Then I had kids and the fear of flying manifested itself.

The flying part isn't what scares me. It's the crashing part.

Obviously.

Telling me it is safer than driving does not assuage the dread, so don't try.

It used to be that I wouldn't even ENTERTAIN the idea of traveling if it involved a plane.

But I didn't think twice about booking the flights to Denver. It shocks me. I am flying in cold weather over the ROCKY mountains!

I keep checking my gut and trying to find that familiar panic.

It isn't there.

I find myself trying to create the fear --- trying to dig up false evidence --- imagining flight scenarios that should easily freak me out, recalling as the many airline tragedies as I can, 

But they don't hold.

What happened to me!

Did I grow out of this FEAR?

Do you outgrow your fears like your taste buds change? I didn't like tomatoes when I was young and now I can't have a salad without them...

is fear like that?

Maybe it really hasn't hit me yet because the trip is still a week away.

Or maybe my belief about reality changed.

I have always had ideas about the nature of reality, maybe they finally sunk in deep enough and changed me at my core.

I like that better.

Namaste,

C H E Z

Healing

 

My body is fighting something.

Aches.

Pains.

Swollen glands.

Lethargy.

I have journal pages done, but no energy to photograph and blog.

Still going to work, though. Can't call in sick on a Saturday night... yikes.

Sending healing energy my way, please.

Namaste,

C H E Z

Soloist

 

My dreams tell me things that I don't want to know or listen to. They are always right. But it is easier to live in denial and not make the changes that are necessary to progress, to move forward in a positive direction.

 

My intuition tells me things in the back corner of my mind. A violin soloist, that has been playing a very loud and distracting truth. I used to notice it, and make suggestions based on its information, but lately Intuition has been hella loud and demanding. I have been calling it like it sees it, its accuracy surprising and chilling. Like watching Ghost Hunters on tv... goosebumps.

But it is disruptive. I cannot ignore it and live in bliss, putting blinders on and going on my merry way.

It is making things uncomfortable. It is making change happen which is terrifying. But I guess the alternative would be worse. Change WILL happen. At least I know it ahead of time and can move with its flow.

 

Blah.

Namaste,

C H E Z

"Dreaming on the Page" Now Available on LuLu!!!

 

I did it!!!

I finished a project I wanted to have complete before Art Every Day of the Month was over.

Issue #1 of "Dreaming on the Page - 10 Soul Journaling Adventures" is available for purchase at LuLu.

You can purchase either a printed copy or an electronic version of the book.

I am so excited!

Several years ago, My art journaling process had become about something much deeper than making pretty pictures. It became a sacred space where I threw my dreams, fears, laughter, tears, rages, plans, reflections,

obsessions, should ofs, could ofs, have tos and to dos. Sometimes my creations were pretty, sometimes they were a complete mess, but always a truthful reflection of my experience.

I started calling my “art journaling” - Soul Journaling. 

Soul Journaling moves beyond words, playing with images to access a different part of your brain to explore deeper insights about yourself and your journey. It is a process that is truly like dreaming on the page.

This ZINE is the first in a series of soul journaling adventure guides that I hope will assist you with your
Dreaming on the Page.

In this 32 page, full color guide, you will find 10 journal prompts with step-by-step instructions. You can follow the process exactly or adapt them at your choosing. The projects are truly meant to be a springboard for your own creative process so I have included some suggestions on how you can adapt the page and make it your own.

If you are brand new to the process of art journaling, I challenge you to open your journal and jump right into a project. If you come across a term or process you do not understand, you will find a “FUNdamentals of PLAY” at the back of the ZINE, that provides descriptions and expanded explanations.

When we make pictures in our journals, adding color and form to the page, we illuminate
them and in the process we illuminate ourselves.
We unearth our buried dreams.
We face our fears.
We find the sacred in the ordinary.
We speak our truth.

Let the adventures begin!

Namaste,

C H E Z