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Jo Anna Rothman is one of these chicas I can call “friend” even if we never met yet. She is an amazing healer, she is also an intuitive counselor & guide.

I met her I don’t remember where (I think it’s via Twitter, when I saw a retweet of her by someone I am following, and won a reading with her) but it was through her AMAZING project called The Receiving Project. It is totally free, it’s a 32day project during which you commit to focus on what you are receiving. Seems weird ? Here is what Jo Anna explains about it:

”The Receiving Project is 32 day process designed to explore and enhance your ability to receive the multitude of gifts that life has to offer.
[…] Something amazing happens when people set the intention to receive gifts from The Universe.  They become open to the magnificent presents that are all around them, everyday.  They get into a groove where goodness flows. And most of all they have fun.
All you do is set the intention to receive a gift from the universe every day for 32 days. These gifts can come in any and every form. If you feel like it’s a gift that you were able to receive, then it counts.
To support you in your process you will receive a twice weekly email newsletter. I am available via email for additional assistance.”

I participated in the project and it simply changed my life. It totally goes along my ritual Gratitude Friday, to focus on all the positive happening in my life instead of what the rocks on the road are.

Once you pay attention to the gifts you receive everyday (yes: every single day), you realize how full your life is. Of course, sometimes you wonder “is it real ?” and my answer is simple and quick: yes.

We tend to link “gift” with a physical thing someone offers to us. But it’s not that narrowed. The inspiration you were waiting for is a gift, the sun on your face despite the fact the forecast’s announcement of pouring rain is a gift, a dream telling you the message you needed to hear is a gift and so on.

The magic in the Receiving Project is that it opens you to receiving uncounsciously because you know you don’t “ask too much” and that you deserve all of this.
32 days is perfect: neither too long nor too short (but I miss weekly emails by Jo Anna though).

She also runs a Healing Circle every month in the San Fernando Valley area (California) and one-on-one session as well.

Jo Anna is working hard on creating a fantastic new website and a 2.0 version of The Receiving Project !!!!!

Her website: Jo Anna Rothman
Learn more about The Receiving Project
Facebook page

And you know what ? I am giving away a one hour session (by phone, skype or messenger). Trust me: she is awesome.

The winner will be randomly chose (via random.org) on Monday October 11th. The giveaway is opened until Sunday 10th midnight Pacific Time.

Let me a comment to this post telling me what you feel you need to receive from the Universe right now.

Good luck everyone (i have two more things to giveaway…) !

Hello !

Here I am, finally taking this big huge step in my creative life. Thanks to all your support, I am finally opening a shop where you can buy my artwork.

I drop off this failure fear that kept me aside for so long. For the moment, I opened an account on the RedBubble website. You can by my artwork on a lot of different supports: postcards, prints (with lots of options), on canvas etc. I love the fact that the buyer can chose exactly what s/he wants.

I am filling it a little bit everyday. If there is an artwork you like that I don’t have in the shop, don’t hesitate to ask me for it.

I am also in the process of pricing my originals. Some are made on canvas, others on wood panel. I want to be sure it’ll ship safely and today i don’t know how to pack art yet. Those of you who already sell your artwork, I admire you; pricing is very hard in my opinion.
Again, if you’re interested by buying one of my originals, send me an email. The address is located at the top of the right column.

We are working on a pretty integration of the page here in the website so it’ll be easier for you.

It’s right there (click to go to the website):

I still have this impression I have to wake up from a dream. I spent last week-end at a two-day workshop by Jesse Reno !

I discovered Jesse via Suzi Blu a while back (like a few years ago, maybe two or so). At first, i didn’t really like his art. Maybe because it brought to me things I didn’t want to feel, it seemed crazy and too crowded for me at this time. But the more I wanted to know about his work, the more I was blooming in my own artistic Universe, the more what he creates resonated in me.

Some of my Twitter friends were talking of the next Art & Soul that will happen in Portland in a few weeks, so I went on the website to see what it was and fell in love with two workshop; Jesse Reno’s was one of them. But it was already full (of course).
But it stayed in a corner of my mind, I don’t know why but a few days later I googled “jesse reno workshop 2011” just to see if he had workshop scheduled that will be closer geographically (I was actually thinking of Seattle that is the closer big US city from Vancouver); thinking that 2011 will allow me some time to get organize regarding my daughters, how to get there etc. What a surprise when I saw “Jesse Reno is coming back, September 25-26 2010, Vancouver Canada”. It was at the beginning of September. I knew the organizator by name (I heard lots of good things about them, the store RubyDog’s Art House. I know that being that close from the date, it will be sold out but just in case I decided to email them to ask. It happened that it WAS sold out, that there was a waitlist; I was the 4th in line. I thought it was dead for me this time. Leanne tells me to stay hopeful because Jesse was there last year and all the people on the waiting list did get a spot eventually ! Hoooorra.

Excitation, stress because english is not my mother tongue and when I speak it I always fear the people I’m talking to will not understand what I’m saying, stress because i don’t know anyone that will attend (it’s always easier to do something new when you have a reference point, fear that people would think my art sucks etc etc etc (yes, the Gremlins were pretty harsh on me !).
I bought some non-toxic paint, which I don’t like at all (luckily, the sweet lady by my side agreed to share hers; and the girls will be more than happy to have this paint to play with without me worrying they have some all over their body. I realized later that the Deserres brand in jars are all non-toxic, yipaaa), I bought two big pieces of 90lbs paper, and I’m ready to go !

On Saturday morning, I am kind of REALLY nervous (i apologize again to my husband and kids, I’m not funny when stressed out); and we had a hard time finding the place as Leanne mislead us with a wrong address. I was a little late but it was okay. People were setting the room up, protecting everything from the mess we’ll be making.

Jesse arrives and began by telling us his story, his background and how he ended up becoming a painter. Then, he did his first demo. The workshop was the perfect blend of live demos, fun exercises, active painting when we had to just go for it and experience, group critics, laughters….

I discovered amazing artists there. I am just in awe from all the different backgrounds we all come from: sculptor, collage artists, someone never painted before this workshop, confirmed artists, some where there just to have fun, someone was there despite the fact she HATES having her hands covered with paint. Isn’t this fantastic ? This is, in my opinion, what makes this kind of workshop rich.

After this 2-day workshop (2 days is perfect. And trust me: I discovered he’ll do a 5-day workshop in south america next december, if I had the $1600 I’ll join without thinking it !), Jesse’s art makes sense in my mind, it takes another turn. When watching at his artwork, I understand how it was made and it’s just like magic in front of my eyes. Like I had access to the backstage.

All my fellow Tribe ladies where in my thoughts: Jesse Reno is the living embodiement of painting BIG and FEARLESSLY, without any a priori regarding what the painting will look like when finished, without any anxiety of covering it up to make it even better. Enjoying the process. Having fun. That’s all that matters. It’s pushing me out of my comfort zone, without pushing me in my retrenchements either.

I had this kind of HUGE breakthrough while speaking about the workshop to my husband. I have a better view of what I want to do artistically speaking. I have to finish the paintings starting during the workshop and then play with what I learned, digest it a bit, and incorporate it in my own style. It’s like this workshop was what I needed to take the step further in my creativity.
And you know what ? Spending 7 hours with paint all over my hands, exploring my inner universe by putting it on wood/paper, is something I totally could do for the rest of my life 😉 I’m just uber frustrated because I don’t have the space to do so. But I may buy this big plastic protection, put it on the floor and just… go with the flow !

Here are some pictures (just click on each one to enlarge it):

The previous painting became the one at the right top here

Two local artists I met during the workshop (I wish I’d knew all the names and websites of everyone… please if you were there, let me a comment, give me your website/blog address so I can give you a shout out right there too !):
Meghan Wise
Jackie Dives

Jesse Reno’s website: www.jessereno.com
His blog: www.jessereno.com/blog

A little glimpse at the artist having fun:

You know how much I love Connie (oh I should create a blog badge from this “I love Connie” all around the blogsphere, what do you think ?! heehee), from DirtyFootprints studio, right ?
What a best way to thank her for everything she offers to the World, to me, that a creative thing made myself ?

At first, I thought of a painting. But, I wasn’t feeling it. And when I don’t feel somethig as being the right stuff to do, I don’t force it. And then, i remembered this 16page journal I made months ago, following Teesha Moore tutorials on YouTube and I had my WOW moment: this was it. I’ll feel it with whatever comes in my mind when thinking of Connie… And I have to confess: I love how it turned out. And I am beyond happy that she loves it too.

Here is her reaction like 5 minutes after receiving it:

Tracie’s journal is just gorgeouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuus !!! See this smile on Connie’s face ? it’s just… it made my day (and my art penpal received her something too ! me=happy happy happy !).

And because i thought it would be fun, I recorded the first spread of the journal. Here you are:

This week is going to be FREAKING AWESOME ! So many good things are happening today I can’t barely take it all.

PSSS: stay tuned, I’ll share with you my 2day workshop with the fabulous Jesse Reno soon !

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.

This week was awesome semaine fut géniale ! Some worries but the goal of Gratitude Friday is to clear this out and focus on all the positivity we received during the week.

First of all, thank you so much to people who thought of me last monday for my 25th birthday. I must confess I wasn’t waiting for so much love and it was a very very pleasant surprise. It touched my heart. My day was just perfect.
This ring is the gift from my mom. It’s made of silver and turquoise, handmade in Tibet. It’s full of symbols and when I look at it, I see wind, sun, clouds, waves, two lotus flowers, the shape of it is like a shield around the middle finger of my right hand…

Thank you for the pretty obvious sign I received this week regarding the path I have to follow regarding Healing. I know it’ll only be the beginning, that I will step away from it, take what i need and modify it (if i can say so), but I have to start somewhere and it will be with this.

Thank you for the unexpected spot that broke free the day of my birthday for the two-day workshop Jesse Reno will teach via Ruby Dog’s Art House. And for the ease with which I find the stuff I needed for it. I must confess i’m totally freaked out because it’s not my birth language, that Jesse Reno is kind of imposant via video so I can’t imagine what it will be “for real”. But I know it’s going to be awesome !

Thank you to Raymond, some will understand.

Thank you for September because most of the tv shows I love are back; my husband is not that happy about it though because he can’t play video games as much as he’d like to (we only have one tv).

Thank you for this big project Connie put together and for the 20 persons involved in the “21 secrets” workshop. Can’t wait for October 1st !

I’m so happy that Netflix is finally here in Canada. I hope all movies and tv shows will be available soon. We’ll be able to see all the season of Lost etc. We can’t go to the movie, so the movie comes to us 😀

Thank you for the after-school facility for Grenouille and for all the educators. She does not want to come back home anymore because she loves it so much there…

Thank you for all the hope brought in my life regarding my projects and our shared projects.

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):
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