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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 beautiful souls !

How was your week ?
I had a big fibro flare-up beginning on Monday (all my fault, even with my pill box I forgot a night dose and have to pay the consequences for it… then forgot the morning dose a few days later so…). But that’s okay because I decided not to let it define my week and tried to squeeze as much work as I could.

I noticed that having what I call a studio buddy really helps me to get more painting done. We talk, we laugh, we create, we have another pair of eyes when needed. It kind of forces me to show up in the studio, even when I don’t feel like it because x or y reason. And it is just about that: showing up, getting started.

This week, I am thankful for:

• Listening to my body. I am sure it is one of my Life Lesson (and one of the reason why fibromyalgia was put into my life).
• Recording a new {Painting In Motion video}.
• Having managed to create 4 paintings this week.
• Believing in Miracles.
• Doing the work to be me.
• Showing up in the studio.
• Being back on track with my green smoothies routine (you are aware of that if you follow me on Social Media).
• Support I receive. And give.
• Feeling like I am on the right path finally.
• Blogging more regularly (I wish I’d have more interaction with you guys, though).
• My Mom has her plane ticket. She’ll arrive from France in April for three months with us !
• My family.
• Friendships.
• Leonie’s Workbook+Planner. Both the Business edition and the Create your incredible year are amazingly helpful.

What are you thankful for 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’ve always loved books. Always. I want to share with you the ones that make a difference for me (and as for music, I read a bit of everything. So don’t hold your breath and expect something in special from me. I’ll talk about art book, novels, self-development and whoknowswhatyet). Hope you’ll enjoy 🙂

Since my teenage years, I have been devoring books about witchcraft, Wicca, Religion, Paganism, Buddhism, Self-development. I even create a forum that, back in the days, counted thousands of members with a few hundreds active ones. Some are still my friends now, more than a decade ago.

Books is where I learn. Books is where I discover. Books is where I escape. Books is where I can find the help to orient the compass that helped me find my North.

My Spirituality is not an area of my life I spread around. Fear ? yes, of judgement. Because we have to be honest: we, Humans, are pretty easily judgemental of others (what they do (or not), how they dress, their accent when they speak, what they do believe in (or not).
I had to loose all hope to get back to life. I was 17-18.

I learned to dig deep because I love understanding. And knowing. I learned that I have nothing to prove and that my Truth is simply that: MY Truth. My Faith is constantly moving, going with the flow, growing as I grow.

I wanted to share a bit of my credo with you:

I do believe in a «Higher Power». I call It «the Universe», or in French I call it «les Petits Vieux».
I do believe Jesus existed, and that he indeed was a special someone. But I am not really religious (sometimes, I wish I was. Would make it easier).
I do believe there is a good reason for everything. Everything. And everyone that comes my way, may the person bring love or hate. This is my job to figure out the lesson(s) and grow from it.
I do believe in duality.
I do believe that everything is energy.
I do believe we are all connected.
I do believe that we all have the power to change.
(and in so much more…)

I decided to try in 2013 not to buy too much books, but to read what is already on our shelves… Besides, we have an amazing public library service, that is free and has lots and lots of interesting books to choose from.
I had to make this exception though when I discovered this book, «May Cause Miracles» written by Gabrielle Bernstein. I remembered her from a video interview she did with our local Danielle Laporte (there is something unmistakable in Gabrielle’s voice) when I watched her segment with Marie Forleo.

It’s been a few months, if not more, that my Husband and I began talking about our Spirituality again. I miss our little pillow talks about Life, and told him so. We met through our Spirituality, so this is something that links us and that we have absolutely no taboo talking about together.
However, I felt something was deeply missing. I felt disconnected. I knew I was on the right path, but it was still not exactly it. And I could not pinpoint exactly what was wrong.

And once I realized what I needed, I just could not find a «how to get there»… until this book.

The cover kinda sells it for what it is: a 6-week (40 days) program, on which you work EVERYDAY. You have a morning meditation that sets the goal for the day. A positive affirmation you can use when you are facing the challenge of the day (for example for me, day two was yesterday and is about seeing things differently and choosing Love instead of Fear). «Love» is the term she chose to use to makes everyone agree and at ease, not religious nor too woo-woo either, it is Universal and everyone understands it (she clearly states that it does not imply sentimental love). And an evening journaling and meditation exercise.
Each day’s work build for the next one and so on. It goes gradually, which makes it less intimidating.

Gabrielle refers quite often to «A course in Miracles» which is a book written by Dr. Helen Schucman and part of The Foundation for Inner Peace.

you.have.to.work.it.to.get.it. I would love to say to you that simply thinking and it will become true, but right now I would be lying. I know that you have to go for your dreams. To say and feel and know this is what you truly truly want. And it is okay to deviate, totally okay.

Here is the video trailer for it:

I appreciate that she goes straight to what she wants us to understand (sometimes, the meaning of things gets lost in embellishments).

I needed structure and guidance. I find it in these pages. If you read me regularly, you know writing is part of my practice, and the evening ritual uses journaling to reflect on the day, which I love. It does not have to be pages and pages and can even be a simple list if it is what makes you comfortable. You can stay on the same day as long as you feel the need to.

When you purchase the book, you get access to two free meditations and other goodies that can be helpful along the way.

Have you heard of Gabrielle Bernstein ? Read some of her previous books, or this one ?

Would love to know about other people’s path in this process of becoming a Miracle Worker.

Here is the first blogpost about my take on Project Life. I will try to post about it every week, on Mondays (duh, you could have guessed that with the subject of this, I know). May it be just the spread I did for the week before. Or sharing a struggle (in hope someone will help ? I love discussions !). Or talking about something around it that I love. We’ll see how this goes.

I really wish that it will trigger your curiosity about memory keeping. And that we can share our process with each other.

If you are not familiar with it, Project Life is a system of memory keeping developed by Becky Higgins. It takes all the stress and (if you want) fuss out of using all these photos you take and want to keep. In her own words:

Project Life provides an ultra-simple solution that helps us get those pictures into albums without draining our time, energy, and wallets. I’m so glad you’re here.

Bear with me as I am still in the early stages of it, even if I did start it a year ago (I may talk about that on a seperate blogpost later). And especially because I want to be more regular in working in the album, I am planning it this time. I want the process to be fun, creative but still effective.

1. I want to work in it weekly. Not just when I think about it. Yes, it means having something to actually share, and this is for me all the point: seeing and recording what would be invisible to us otherwise. The first time doing homeword after Winter break, as it marks being back to our regular routine for example.
2. I still am undecided about printing everything at home with my Selphy and bigger printer, or going once a week-end to Costco and get the 4×6″ photos printed there. It will be a cost question I guess, to see what is cheaper (both are good in quality so it won’t be a factor of decision).
3. I need to see ahead. Will I need filler cards (the kind you use to fill a space on your page), journaling cards ? double-sided or not ? this kind of things to determine week by week.

I would really need a space dedicated to my Project Life «stuff»: store the photos I print as I take them and know want to use them for the week spread/page (and I am not that much of a neat freak, but when it tends to our photos I can be); the products from the monthly Studio Calico Project Life kit (will be receiving the January one today), the cards I do myself, etc.
For now, it is regrouped (kind of) near my computer (I have an Expedit made of 4×4 cubes and my computer desk is attached to it).

I had the crazy idea to do one album for our family. One album for each girl. So three in total. But it is challenging in many ways too, so I will have to think about how to make it work. The idea of replicating spreads does not really excite my creativity…

Are you doing Project Life ? How are you organizing it so it stays simple ?

Project Life is a memory keeping system initiated by Becky Higgins. This is how I decided to keep track of our family life.
If you live outside the US, you can order Project Life items on Scrapbooker’s Inner Circle.
You can find all my Project Life oriented blogposts right here.

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 !

I hope everything is feeling good in your world and that you feel amazing in your life. That may sounds fluffy bunny but I do wish the best for you, that the good outrun the bad.

I have been exhausted for most part of the week (when you suffer from fibromyalgia, everything *in my case anyway* evolves around my sleep somehow; the pain level, the mood, the exhaustion. It is all related like trapped in a huge spider web). I have been experiencing nightmares several nights this week, so shaking up the feeling was sometimes hard (I am lucky to have a tender husband who offers me his arms when i wake up crying).

But despite all this, doing this «week in review» and counting my blessings helps. a lot lot.

This week, I am thankful for:

• Finally having got our car back (it was in repair since the accident a month ago).
• Creativity. No matter what, just showing up in the studio and do something.
• «True Free Spirit» class, Mindy our teacher, and my classmates.
• We got my Mom her plane tickets. She will arrive for her 3-month visit in exactly three months.
• Having some dry breaks between the several rainy days.
• Our neighbors.
• The King’s cake was a success. And 100 % handmade (inclused puff pastry and frangipane).
• Melissa came for a playdate. She even brought her Gelli plate along with her so I could try (so much fun !).
• The original paintings I shipped were received and seem to be loved.
• True friendship. Finding our groove after the storm. Finding each other.
• Having listed the two new size possibilities when you purchase a print from me.
• Prayer. Faith.

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 so happy to announce that you can now choose to have your favorite artwork from me in different sizes.

The usual one: I go from 8×10 (as soon as my current stock is gone) to 8.5×11″. It will be what I call the regular print size.

The downsized one: I can print your choice of artwork on the same beautiful paper* but in a 4×6″ format. Easy to hang on your wall, it is also the standard photo size so it is easy to find a frame for it if you want. (Click the image above to see it in the shop).

The oversized one: I can print your choice of artwork on the same beautiful paper but in the bigger 11×14″ size. As well as the other two formats, it is easy to find beautiful frames to go with the print if you want. (Click the image above to see it in the shop).

* I print on satin paper, which is midway between glossy and matte. It is a heavy 80lb paper.

By default, I print with a white border around the image for easier framing. However, if you want it to cover all the sheet of paper, simply tell me so when purchasing.

Just tell me the name of the artwork you would like in the «Note to Seller» when being at checkout in Etsy. You can find the listing for either the 4×6 or the 11×14″ in my «Special size Prints» section in the shop.