Friday, March 2, 2012

Happy Friday 03.02.12

First iris blooms of the season!

Hi Everyone!  I have the new blog up and running for Live.Life.Wonderful., and will therefore be phasing out That Girl Designs.  Still getting the new site looking fresh and fancy, but it is up and ready for you to visit.  You can find me on Facebook here, and the new blog here.  Be sure to add Live.Life.Wonderful. to your blog subscriptions, and please, please "LIKE" my FB page.  And, if you have questions or want to reach me, you can still send an email to thatgirlannmarie.at.gmail.com for now.

Have an awesome weekend.  May it be filled with beautiful flowers and good times.
Ann

Friday, February 24, 2012

Happy Friday 02.24.12

Hugo

I couldn't help myself.  I had to post this picture of my Hugo.  Austin had some great rain late last week, and the waterfall at the edge of our property was running again.  I've been sleeping with the windows open at night and the sound of the fall is perfect for lulling me to sleep.  

Having the fall running again has been a wonderful reminder of how blessed I've been to live in this house with the beauty of nature that surrounds it.  A reminder that the sights and sounds of nature make me happy.  Make me feel content.  

Here's to a weekend lost in nature's splendor.  Hope yours is filled with all good things.
Grateful Everyday
Ann 
Photo = P. Just for That Girl Designs

Friday, February 17, 2012

Happy Friday 02.17.12

 In Progress Paintings

Not much happened around here this week.  A little work-work, a little class studies, and a little painting. 


And on Wednesday, I took a bike ride down to the park that is close to our house.  The weather was beautiful, and when the weather is this nice in February, you get outside and enjoy it.  {Not loving how I look in the bike helmet, but I'd rather look a little funny, then fall and bust my head!}


 One of the amazing sunsets we had this week. 

I'm hoping to spend quite a bit of time in the art studio this weekend, and maybe see a movie.  I hope your weekend is filled with fun stuff! 

find your peace,
Ann

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Love of Art

February 14th is typically reserved for lovers. Those in love.  Romantic love.  Isn't that what Valentine's Day is suppose to be all about?  It has never been a holiday (is it really a real holiday) that I particularly care for, and not because I've spent this day alone and without love in my life. But because I find it highly over commercialized and a day that puts undo pressure on those in love to mark the day through some grand gesture.  Hey, if you are a romantic at heart and get excited on this day, by all means go right ahead and do it up in splendid fashion.  More power to you. I won't deny that I haven't been caught up in the hype in years past and have been the recipient of some of those grand gestures.  The picture above is of a metal sculpted heart within a heart, that my husband made for me to mark our first Valentine's Day together.  It came with a poem, an orchid stem, and fine chocolate.  A special day indeed for me, and one I will cherish forever.

But today, this Valentine's Day, I'm marking the day with Love of Art through the FlyTribe blog hop devoted to this topic. The heart, and the theme of love, is a hugely popular subject for artists in all forms of artistic expression: paintings, mixed media, photography, writing, dance, music, film.  And as these artists are using love as their muse to create their art, they are also practicing their love of art.  It seems the two cannot exist without the other.  Like lovers who's bonds cannot be broken by time or space.  I create art because I love what the act of creating does for my soul.  How it makes me feel - the rush, the energy, the sheer joy of being in a creative state of mind.  Somewhat like the way one might feel about being in love with a someone.  And for me, my love of art does not end with me creating art, but it extends to my surrounding myself with art in all forms.  The songs I listen to, the photographs and paintings that hang on my walls, the books I read.  And even more meaningful, my love of art holds the love for my artist friends.  My community of art lovers, my tribe. 

Please head over to the FlyTribe blog for a list of artists and art lovers who today, this Valentine's Day 2012, are sharing their stories of love....of art.  

You can also click on the heart with wings picture to the left which will take you to the FlyTribe blog.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Happy Friday 02.10.12



Are you ready for this one?  I'm taking Flora Bowley's Bloom True online painting course and one of the ways she encouraged us to start a painting was to blindfold ourselves, put on some music and smear paint on the blank canvas with our hands.  So, thought I'd do just that and video tape it.  It was kind of fun, except for the part where I almost knocked over the easel and canvas! Music is Macy Gray - Beauty In The World (shake your booties boys and girls.)

Have a great weekend my friends.  Perhaps you will blindfold yourself and smear paint on a canvas.  Or not.  If nothing else though, fill your weekend with fun, laughter and creativity.

Enjoy
Ann

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Learning A New Approach

A few days ago, I was feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.  Not unusual feelings for many of us who have filled their lives up to the brim with tasks, responsibilities and commitments. And in addition to these things, topped it all off with issues concerning the heart and soul.  At times I felt like screaming, and in the next moment, crying.  Maybe I was just hormonal.

As I've learned to do, I simply sat with my thoughts and emotions and asked myself some questions; about my truths, the way I walk through my life.  And three themes came up: stress, planning and control.  Stress is the easy one for me to handle.  Take a walk, talk to a friend, play some uplifting music, practice yoga or just go sit in the sunshine.  Stress no longer plays a huge role in my life and I am so much better for it.  Maybe the ability to deal with my stress is a result of my getting older, wiser, I'm not really sure. But whatever the reasons, I now recognize when I am headed down the stress highway, and I'm able to get off before to many miles pile up.

I'm a planner.  A big time planner!  Always have to have a plan, for today, tomorrow, next week, and by all means, next month.  If I don't have a plan for what I will be doing, how I will be spending my time and where I will be, I become a complete wreck of anxiety.  The fear of the unknown is almost to much for me to take.  But lucky for me, I've recently been able to stop so much of the forecasting I do about my life.  I keep thinking of those people who fly a little bit more by the seat of their pants.  Who just allow life to unfold as it will and embrace uncertainties along the path.  I admire these types of people.  Long to be more like them.  Sure, having a plan is not always a bad thing, but when you find yourself almost paralyzed from moving forward because you don't have a plan, perhaps it is time to learn to plan less.  Enjoy taking things slower and letting go of the strict script you've written for yourself.  This one is new for me and I am determined to give it a go.  To plan less, and just enjoy more the unfolding of a day, a week, a month, as it will.

Which brings me to control.  Or more aptly, controlling.  Yep, along with being a planner, I've also been known to be (even called a time or two) a control freak.  I don't really consider myself freakishly controlling, but I will admit that trying to control, and feeling in control, of everything that is in my life and effects my life, is how I have lived for most of my life.  Funny as it may sound, and even counter-intuitive, when I became a mother is when I first began to let go of trying to control.  Let's face it, you can only control so much how fast a little 18 month old child will move when you are trying to get out of the house to make it on time to an appointment.  Sure you can just pick them up in your arms and run out the door, but that never ends well for either of you.  My point is, that when we try to control, we actually can find ourselves out of control.  In our behavior, our thoughts and emotions.  I'm exhausted from all this controlling.  I'm letting it go. Washing my hands of the it.  For that which I can control, I will.  For that which I cannot, I will surrender.

Stress, planning and control can become a vicious cycle and a trap for how we live our lives. One leads to the other, which leads to the other.  Well, I for one am getting of this bus.  Jumping right off into the great big unknown.  Into a life that flows more naturally and with ease.  If these three themes have played over and over in your life too, maybe you would like to get off the bus with me, and together we can learn to stop and smell those flowers, watch  birds fly, and learn to find more happiness and joy in our everyday lives. 

Let go. Surrender. Find some peace.
Ann

Friday, February 3, 2012

Happy Friday 02.03.12


Another week has flown by and although I haven't been here with any news, updates or inspiration, my week has been full - maybe a little too full, of real life stuff.  January always means a great deal of tax prep work for me to get everything in order to hand over to our CPA and I'm finally done with the exception of delivering the mess.  I can't tell you how much I look forward to the day when I no longer have to be the bookkeeper for our biz. 

I was hoping to have made some progress on my new blog/site, but nope, not a thing accomplished on that front yet.  I'm trying not to put to much pressure on myself, but when I'm ready to move on an idea, boy am I ready!  My therapist called me a "hard charger" a couple of weeks back, and I guess she's right.  I'm having to learn in life that sometimes it is in my best interest to just sit with a situation, problem, or my emotions before acting.  Not always easy for me, but I am learning. 

The fortune cookie strip shown above has been sitting on my desk for several weeks.  I don't usually save my fortunes, as let's face it, they are incredibly cheesy most of the time, but this might just be a note from the Universe.  It came to me at a time in my life when I am evaluating why I am here.  What my purpose in life is and how I should serve others.  What do I have to contribute in this life?  What path am I meant to travel?  It is all beginning to come into focus.  The stars are aligning and the wheels of change are slowly shifting into motion.  The messages and signs from the Universe began as nudges, but now I am being forced into transition.  Sometimes I think of the Universe as a mother, who starts with gentle suggestions to her children to do this or that, and only when they don't comply does she wield her parental powers. 

Trusting and having faith in the ever changing process of our lives is not always easy.  Yet a part of our human existence we must accept.  In an effort to shut out the realities of impermanence, we only cause ourselves more suffering.  Sometimes you will hear people say that "change is good" and many times it is, but you seldom hear them say, it is easy.  I've been one of those people most of my life who has been afraid of change, but no longer.  The last couple years, I've begun to look at changes in my life as opportunities for a better and even fuller life.  I've even started to initiate changes in my life. Big, huge step for me!

I wish for you a weekend filled with happiness, good times and love.  And that your team wins the Super Bowl! 

Peace,
Ann
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