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Gratitude Friday is a weekly ritual I started in order to focus on all the small and big positive things that happened during my week. I invite you to join me, you’ll see how much being thankful can change your life. If you want to know more about it, read my introduction post.

Happy Friday !

What a roller coaster of a week this has been…

This is what this weekly ritual really is for me: a time to ponder the negative in order to let it be outshined by the positive. Knowing that yes, it is there, but that it does not have to be what matters the most or what takes the largest place in my mind and in my heart.

I feel truly blessed. Like this inner knowing that everything is there for a reason.

This week, I am thankful for:

• Great heartfelt talks.
• Mom arrives in 5 days.
• We did arrange the guest room for her, even if the walls do need some color paint (they’re white).
• I received a fantastic and totally unexpected gift that made me cry of Gratitude
• FaceTime dates.
• It’s the week-end.
• I’m still losing weight, bit by bit.
• Listening to the crazy talks. That leads me to more acceptance.
• The book «The Night Circus» by Erin Morgensten. Listening to the audiobook on my iPad while painting.
• Zopiclone pills.
• Good health insurance coverage.
• Living close enough from the US border so it’s easy to cross it to receive parcels.
• Pep talks, encouragement. Knowing that they were exactly the answer to my prayers.
• Never giving up.

What is on your Gratitude List this week ?

If you wrote your Gratitude Friday on your blog, don’t forget to enter your NAME and URL below so I’m notified and can come to read you (you can also join by commenting this post): [linkme]

I am one that usually try to reason everything. Which is quite paradoxical when you know than I am also a supporter of gut following in almost everything I do.

When it comes to creativity, I am more often listening to what is whispered than trying to find my way out of it. However, when it seems too big, too crazy, too weird, I push it back. Like a reflex I don’t control (or it wouldn’t be called a reflex, right ?).

I am an over-thinker. Nothing overly good or wrong about it, this is just my reality and I go with it.

I noticed that last year, and the beginning of this one as well, has been filled with sometimes very high peaks of creativity (you know… when you only think about what you wanna paint next. And this color you use over and over. and this series of painting you are dying to start. and and and…) alternating with sometimes very deep holes. A rollercoaster it is, my friends. And now and then, it gets scary no matter how loud I scream to let it go.

When my Inner Voice tells me that this would be a good idea, I answer a loud «HELL YES ! (thank you)* but right now, I am pushing the Voice away even if I know she is right. How do you do when you know you are just facing a big useless stupid resistance but don’t know what to do against it ? I don’t like fighting my feelings anymore, been there too much for too long.

You know how it is always easier to give advice to someone, and when you face the same kind of situation you find it impossible to practice what you preach ? I hear you.

I was talking to my Studio Buddy (ie my lovely neighbour) yesterday, she asked me what I’ve been doing lately (since it’s been a while and we needed to do some catching up). So I told her: I am inspired, but every time I come to the Studio I look at my in progress paintings and go back upstairs without doing anything. And I showed to her the ones I’ve been working on and told her: «this is not my usual style. There is a freaking boat on this painting. I mean… A BOAT !!!!!!» and while talking, I realized: «I know what’s wrong now ! Until now, I felt like I needed to paint my Nixies because it is my signature style. But I don’t HAVE TO, I can do abstract if I feel like it. Or a booooooooooat if this is what appears, and I need to be okay with the changes in my style and in what I create. And let go of the fear of what people could think of it.»  This was my epiphany moment.

And that was a good crazy talk. I now know that it’s okay not to paint the same thing over and over again and that change can be good even if it is scary at first.
Use that fear.
Push in the right direction.
It’s okay.

So you’ll soon see a boat painting about journeying. And I am called to work with Totem Animals. It is a subject I’ve been fascinated with for more than a decade now but was afraid to tackle in my art. Afraid not to make them justice (if that makes sense), but I don’t believe in coincidence and if that Hare appeared in my Art Journal, it’s for a reason (I don’t usually do animals except Owls). So I am researching in my books, online and inside of myself.

I don’t know if that Mr Owl is done or not, he is teaching me a lot. And Mr Hare may get out of my journal to be on a painting of its own…

Gratitude Friday is a weekly ritual I started in order to focus on all the small and big positive things that happened during my week. I invite you to join me, you’ll see how much being thankful can change your life. If you want to know more about it, read my introduction post.

Happy Friday (well… it’s Sunday now, because I forgot to schedule it to post without me having to think about it. And our Saturday was filled with 0 computer time. Oops) !

I won’t lie: I am pretty happy that it is finally the week-end. My husband has his Friday off from work, which means we’re spending these three days together and this is something really priceless to me.

I’ve been in an introspection mode lately, trying to figure out where I wanna go in my creative career (it is was to the point where I was wondering if I really was an artist or not. yup. that kind of hole…). Trying to define my Faith (and my conclusion is: I don’t belong to any box, and I accept that now. I appreciate having a bendable Faith).

There is a lot to be thankful for, but I will go to what comes in my mind as I’m writing this here. This week, I am thankful for:

• My daughters playing outside. With or without our neighbors’ kids.
• Spring break coming to an end (as much as I love them, we are all happy school is starting again soon).
• Facetime on my iPad mini.
• Having finally started our Family Painting.
• Having my Mom on the phone.
• Cooking as a family. Thank you for the best kitchen we’ve ever had to date.
• Sunshine.
• Netflix.
• Decluttering. Organizing.
• j-10 before my Mom arrives from France.
• Honesty. Trust. Confidence.
• Deepening my knowledge.
• Healing the Past to assure a better Future and a fantastic Present.

I wish to all of you who are celebrating a happy Holiday time.

A few pics of my week:

If you wrote your Gratitude Friday on your blog, don’t forget to enter your NAME and URL below so I’m notified and can come to read you (you can also join by commenting this post):
[linkme]

Gratitude Friday is a weekly ritual I started in order to focus on all the small and big positive things that happened during my week. I invite you to join me, you’ll see how much being thankful can change your life. If you want to know more about it, read my introduction post.

Hola !

It’s Friday my friends. Spring break, for two weeks, with two young kids avid of things to do. «Why can’t we watch tv Mom ?», yes I am trying to limit their screen time because between tv, the computer, the games console, the tablet…. they would spend all their days on that. And… I had the joy to discover plenty of lice eggs in their hair at the beginning of the week, and mine because lice love my afro hair you know. Which forces me to limit their time with our neighbors as I don’t want them to be infested as well. That sucks ! If you have any tips to kill them all for good, I take it (I spend 3hrs/day getting rid of the eggs, hair by hair).

We celebrated Koala being now 6. Nothing big but she loved her day, which is what matters to us.

This week, I am thankful for:

• Learning from past experience.
• The feeling of accomplishment that goes with this week painting.
• Packing orders.
• Facetime.
• My mom arriving in about 3 weeks from now.
• The Sun between the rain.
• Walking with the girls to the nearest park, which is about 1km from home (± 0.62 miles). Letting them play and run outside. Did it despite in pain.
• Artists that share their gifts.
• Nice words of encouragement regarding my art.
• Good food.
• Taking it easy.
• Make up
• Abundance

If you wrote your Gratitude Friday on your blog, don’t forget to enter your NAME and URL below so I’m notified and can come to read you (you can also join by commenting this post):
[linkme]

Today, I am reminded to celebrate the small and bigger successes. The goal achievements. The hard work that eventually pays off.

Today, I want to remember the simple joy of witnessing them enjoying a cheap  hotdog or a frozen yogurt at the Swedish furnitures store.

Today, I embrace the silliness of who we are.

Today, I want to appreciate talking to her on the phone. I will hug her soon.

Today, I am thankful for my Spirituality and acceptance that it is okay not to believe in what the majority believes in.

Today, this is a few of the things I truly and deeply cherish.