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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.

Hello Lovelies !

Yep, it is this day of the week already, Friday. Was waiting for it ! I can’t believe April is really there now. It seems that 2011 will pass very quickly; which I am good with at I was predicted a life-changing year 2012. Posing the right bases in 2011, harvesting the positivity the year after 😉

This week, I am thankful for:

• The support received from the Ladies in our Facebook group «52 paintings in 52 weeks».
• The artworks I created this week. I am finding my groove again, it seems to have gone somewhere far away but it eventually came back home.
• The few days of sunny weather. Feeling the sun’s warmth on my skin is priceless. I wish they was not announcing several continuous days of rain AGAIN, I can’t take it anymore, this grey gloomy weather is killing me.
• Cheridoo got us new cellphones. So yes, I won’t have the last version of the phone I wanted but I am still happy.
• My girls are back to school, which makes every one of us happy. I am blessed to have kids that LOVE school. Summer break will be long….
• My gluten free bread is not a disaster. We all tasted it this morning for breakfast and it was a success. I am really trying to improve our way of eating and I do not eat meat anymore.
• The book «The last song» by Nicholas Sparks. Almost finished it. It is my first book from this author, whom I know mostly because almost ALL his books are successful movies. I am reading lots of good books this year !
• The Receiving project 2.0 begain this week; Jo Anna Rothman rocks it all !!! I can’t wait to continue our session together today.
• Some people are suddenly coming back in my life after having deserting it. It is strange but I welcome them back with a smile.
• The radio mode on Grooveshark. I (re)discovers some songs. Good to go outside what I listen to everyday and to be surprised. Right now it is playing «Ghosts» by Michael Jackson ♥♥♥
• Our family getaway in the US last week end. I really enjoy this kind of moments together.
• New opportunities are knocking at my door.
• I feel loved.
• It is only 9am but I decided that I will finally receive the two packages I am waiting from the US, sent like 2 weeks ago (I am pretty sure a US package arrives fasters in France than in Canada…).

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.

Hello Beautifulz !

No, my title has nothing to do with Christina Aguilera; even if I like her and we finally watched Burlesque (which we really enjoyed).
It is April 1st and I don’t even have an April’s fool to do. rhoooo.

How was your week ? I hope it was not too harsh on you. But if it actully was, I hope this Gratitude Friday ritual will help you see some light.

This week, I am thankful for:

• My back to basics into portraits with Suzi Blu classes. I feel the urge to make mine better, even if I refuse to change them completely (they may stay mouthless, yes). I need to add depth and emotions into these pretties.
• Advices and support regarding this new practice. It is important to me.
• My art was shipped in several different US States and I hope it will continue and will also fly everywhere in the Universe !
• I finally signed up for fellow Vancouverite photograph Vivienne McCaster‘s online class «You Are Your Own Muse» (aka «YAYOM») based on self-portraits. It was the perfect timing and I thank my husband for having given me his green light for this. A pity it starts in a while (end of may).
• The perspective of becoming a vegetarian is sending me over the moon. I may keep some sea products sometimes, so it won’t be a real vegetarianism (don’t blame me please). I ate a lot of vegetarian food in Toulouse (France) but never found products as good here, I hope I will find some things at Whole Foods and it wont cost us an arm (my husband and daughters will still eat meat).
• Sewing again with my machine in order to create new fabric journals for the shop.
• Creativity flow that does not run dry.
• Thinking about our family week-end getaway.
• My mom I love like crazy. I miss her badly. Can’t wait for this winter so she will come back in Vancouver.
• This canvas, that allowed me to get through very painful feelings:

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.

Hello !

I am so happy Thursday is over. This was a very very rough one, my heart is still heavy, my Soul crashed. But this is also why I started this weekly ritual of Gratitude Friday, to lift my spirit up. Is there a thing when kids are 4yo that cause them to do whatever they want and be just… mean ? Am I a bad mom that did something wrong to go through such a hard time with my younger daughter ? I am just lost right now. Hoping it will get better, easier, funnier. And that Love will win.

I still found moments for which my heart is filled with Gratitude in this black & white week (it was either fantabulous or disastrous, so yes, either all black or all white. Hoping to find the balance in the shades of grey… soon.):

• I sold a total of 4 prints during this first week of opening, this is huge for me. And I am super excited to list some new products soon (originals to come).
• I wrote a blogpost about my struggle to accept my Uniqueness, it was written with tears and share with anxiousness. But the responses I receive, either in the comments, by email, on Facebook, that was just beyond everything I could have imagined. It makes me so happy I hit the “Publish” button instead of keeping it in the draft of my WordPress…
• Spring seems to settle down here, can’t wait for the first bbq and the first picnic on the beach.
• I started a new serie of 7 paintings, each on 10×20″ canvas, that makes my heart sing.
• We found very good food in Granville Island market, that makes being away from France less difficult.
• My mom was honest with me and I appreciate that.
• I have amazing friend showering me with their love and support. Wish plane tickets were less expensive, are the distances shorter. Need some real hugs.
• As a treat for the opening of my shop and actually having some sales already, I ordered a print of Jesse Reno’s Octopus painting I fell in love with during his workshop last September. I was not able to afford the original, but having a print of it is awesome. I am happy he offers this option now.
• Made some chocolate mousse to soothe my heart. It has magical powers.

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]

A few months ago, I created this painting: 

It was my way of affirming to myself «I finally acknowledge that being different is a good thing as long as I accept and embrace it». I felt out of the loop for most of my life. Like I did not belong anywhere, to anything. I was lonely and had a very hard time.
Why was I not interested in the same subjects as my classmates in high school ? Why did they not care about the same things I did care about ? Why is nobody seeing how much pain I am going through ?

It took me years to feel good in myself. Not especially in my body, no, but to finally make peace with my Soul. Acceptance…

A few nights ago, I had a dream I knew when I woke up from it that I had to record it immediately in my journal so I would not forget it. Here is part of it:

It implied a group of artists students I was in, a teacher (a famous Portland based artist, covered with tattoos… do you see who it was ? ;)) and a competition. At one point, my classmates were all excited about getting a piece of Michael Jordan’s tshirt to add in our collage but me… i did not get the reason of the excitement. I isolated myself and started to cry. Then, the teacher came to me and asked me why I was crying, I answered that I don’t understand why I am not as happy as the others are, why was I again outside of the crowd, that all I wanted was to continue our project and see where it will lead us. Here is what he told me then: «You are passionate for so long now, you have Creation flowing inside of you. I can see it by looking straight in your eyes. Accept the fact that you are different, that you have your own style, your own voice. This is what makes you Unique. This is your strength. Yes, it implies solitude often, and also going against the current and the trend. But listen carefully to your Inner Voice and have fun, experiment !  Don’t worry about the ending, you’ll see what happens. However, don’t lose yourself along the road by doing what the majority tells you to do: it would be a waste.»

Don’t laugh at this dream… the context in it is weird (I mean… wth was Michael Jordan doing there ? lol). BUT this message is so important to me.

I was affraid to say «I don’t like vintage artwork» «Steampunk does not speak to me that much» «I don’t get the wonderfulness of Distress Inks». Going against the trend can be frightful, it was to me. Especially when I was just beginning to find my voice, when I was actually looking for it. My first class was Suzi Blu’s Petite Dolls (it was the first one she taught, see how long ago it was ? lol), this is how it began… my first girls looked like hers as I was trying to understand how to draw a face. But then I went away from it more and more to find my own girls. It was more than two and a half years ago, and today I still see Petite Dolls everywhere, the same kind of whimsical girly Suzi creates, but from others. It makes me kind of uncomfortable because I see it as people stay in their comfort zone by copying (not necessarily intentionally though).
It took me about two years to define my own style, what I love, what I don’t, it is not something you come up with in a day (or you are a lucky bean if this is the case !). And I am still experimenting.

Accepting the Weirdo in me, and that this is a reflection in what I am creating, is a huge leap of faith.

PS: if you like the illustration you can buy a print of it in my Etsy shop.

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.

Hello !

WHAT.A.WEEK !!! Amazing…

This week my heart is so full of Gratitude that I feel like it could explode right now. But it won’t, and could even take some more goodness.

Sharing some of the best (would be too long if I was sharing everything):

• I finally took the leap and opened my Etsy Shop. Thank you for all of you who supported me along the way, for months, and now that it is opened. Do not forget you can win a handmade journal (made by yours truly) by helping me to spread the love.
• I sold two prints.
• I was including in this amazing Treasury created by Aimee from Artsyville: Mix it up.
• Yesterday (Thursday) was just an amazing day. Spent some time alone with my husband (which never ever happens since we live in Vancouver); bought some presents for Koala’s 4th birthday, had fun at afterschool thing with Grenouille…
• We are reorganizing my tiny corner of the sunroom where I stock my art supply and had very good deals at Ikea yesterday.
• Money is coming in ! Positive Affirmations DO work for me.
• I received all the packages I was waiting for the same day.
• I love working in my new Art Journals. I will make more and put them for sale so you can love them too.
• I found a huge notebook (11″x14″) to create my dreamboards and maps in it. For only $16.50 (way less than the giant Moleskine). Love me some Opus Framing Art Supply in Granville Island.
• Donna Downey is doing an «Inspiration Week»: everyday of this week she is recording herself working in a journal. This is just fantastic !
• I am just happy to be living the life I have right now. Dreaming big, taking steps forward, sharing.

I hope you will share with me what made you happy this week. I know a lot of you experienced hard times lately, so maybe this would help.

Take care.

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]