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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 !

March is already there. March !!! In a few weeks, my baby Koal will be celebrating her 4th birthday. And Spring will officially be there…

This week, I am grateful for:

• This big canvas I am currently creating on, not a size i am used to but perfect for what I am doing on it.
• My new personal project, that already shows some changes inside myself (!).
• British singer Adele’s songs, that I am listening to in repeat mode this week. Especially the songs “Lovesong” “Someone like you” “He won’t go” & “Rolling in the deep”.
• Today is Friday AND payday for my husband.
• I won a spot on Traci Bautista’s online class called “Discovering Y.O.U.” about discovering how to market our art business (and more, I simplify it).
• For the first time this morning in about two weeks, I woke up headache free !
• I am still losing weight.
• The Universe is with me; I feel listened to and supported.

And don’t forget about my book giveaway, still open to participations for a few days. You can win the latest book of Marianne Williamson titled “A course in weight loss, 21 spiritual lessons to surrendering your weight forever”.

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]

Hello !

As I told you in yesterday’s blogpost, I am currently working on my body image issues.

While talking with Samantha Kira last year, I remember having told her how taking self-portraits was helping me to appreciate my body and my face more. It is not about thinking “I am beautiful”, not for now though, but about learning to appreciate the envelope I was given to live in. To cherish it as it is.

I was browsing my self-portraits file on the computer yesterday morning and some close-ups on my face especially. And then I noticed the freckles on my cheeks and nose. I always wanted to have freckles… I didn’t even know that I actually have some, they are just so pale regarding my skin tone that I couldn’t have seen them without these self-portraits I snapped !!!

Last week, while talking to my dear friend Anu, the idea of beginning a 365 photo project popped up in my mind. BUT I didn’t want to just take a picture of something that was in my day (don’t misunderstand me, I love seeing others’ 365 projects, but this specific one is not for me). This is how the idea sparked.

And from one thought to the other, I decided to document it everyday as well. I created a file in my text editor program where I paste the day picture along with some thoughts about it. And in a year from now, I will have a “what it is to be me” i will be able to print and bind. I have no idea where it will take me. But the thing I know is that this idea came to me for a reason…

My friend Anu told me she couldn’t do it because she is afraid of seeing what she looks like everyday. This is exactly my point: learning to love me the way I am. I won’t put make up on just to be sure I won’t feel bad about my face for the picture. I want to see me as Me.

I think I am crazy to start this project but I am also very excited about it !

Illustrating this blogpost is the first picture, taken on March 1st 2011 (yesterday).

Hello !

This one of my review as a review reader for Hay House.
At the end of last year, I received serveral awesome books to review for Hay House, this is one of them. The other reviews will come soon.

“A course in weight loss, 21 spiritual lessons for surrendering your weight for ever” is written by Marianne Williamson.
The first time I heard of her was thanks to her famous quote I discovered in the excellent movie Akeelah and the bee (but it is misquoted in the movie, unfortunately). This quote about fearing our Light and success resonates deeply in me.

First of all, the book itself is beautiful; a green hardcover with golden embossed letters. And for me, even if i know i shouldn’t, the cover and outside of the book is what makes me pick it from the shelf at the bookstore or not.

When I was told I could receive this specific book, I felt it was right what i needed. Perfect timing as since a few months I am in a healing process regarding my body image.

Here are a few words by the author about the book:

This book is a retraining of your consciousness in the area of weight, turning your journey to weight loss into a spiritual quest. As you restore your spirit, your body itself is reminded of its natural intelligence. By getting back to the truth of who you are, you will get to a place where all your problems with weight have disappeared.

The book is divided in chapters that each corresponds to a lesson. But don’t worry: there is no timeline; you do it at your own pace. For example, it took me quite some time to digest lesson one. I am only at the beginning of lesson 4 right now.

I think that we all struggle with our body weight once in our life. Either it is because we think we are too fat, or because we would need to get some shapes.
It took me years to admit that I have eating issues. And it is hard for me to say it out loud publicly here because it is really a struggle. I used to eat very very little and then I started to overeat, which is still an issue I am fighting currently. Until a few months ago, I was sometimes eating compulsively for many reasons (from being bored to being in a Spleen period…).
But once you face it and want to take steps to fight it, having some support can be very helpful. This is what this book is for me.

I am someone who deeply believe in the power of intention and of positive thinking. I also know by experience that my spirituality and my body are linked.

In her book, Marianne Williamson exposes what the holistic and spiritual reasons of having eating issues can be and how to get rid of it forEVER. Yes. This is not another book with impossible diets.
I don’t tell you it will be quick and easy because it will not. This is a journey you begin. A journey to recover the body you want to have, the positive image you should never have lost.

If you are used to journal, this will be even better as writing along this sacred journey is highly recommended. There are white pages at the end of the book made for it, or you can of course use your own journal. Getting it out by writing is VERY helpful because it helps actually seeing what you were hiding to yourself.

I do believe that we can get over it and even if it takes time, even if it is a struggle, we can eventually get back to our “normal”.

I just want to talk to you a bit about one thing. Marianne Williamson refers a lot to the Divine, to God. I am spiritual but not religious. I am used to this kind of reference and to shift “God” by “The Universe”. So don’t let it block you if you don’t believe in the Catholic form of God. I really loved this passage in the book:

“In Alcoholics Anonymous, there is the notion of a Higher Power, or God as you understand Him. And that is fine for our purposes. It doesn’t matter what you call it, as long as you call on it. The point is not a name or a word or any religious doctrine or dogma. The point is a spiritual principle that  becomes a living reality, affecting both body and soul: that a power greater than the mortal mind, in you but not of you, can do for you what you cannot do for yourself.“

You can learn more about the book right here: A course in weight loss

Here is Marianne Williamson talking about it:

You can easily find the book in Barnes & Nobles in the US.
Or in Chapters in Canada.

I have two copies of the book so I really want to give one away to someone who would need it. Maybe this someone is you ?
Let a comment here. It will end in a week, on Monday March 7th at 12pm pacific time.
Only open to people in Canada and the USA, sorry but this is an heavy book.

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 !

Here in Vancouver it is VERY cold (like -8°C) But the sky is a gorgeous blue. It is hard to believe we are Friday again… How was your week ?

This week, I am grateful because..:

• The new computer my Husband and his colleagues built for me (they do not need a lot to be pleased). So OK this is not a powerful fancy expensive Mac computer but it suits my need very well. Ands editing videos is way easier now.
• I went back to my Art Journal and made a few spreads. He is almost complete now. I can’t wait to start a new one. And in a few I will have plenty to see and will be able to realize how things evolved since this day of July 2008 when it all began for me.
• My new art journal video. It is totally imperfect but I like it a lot anyway. It was a quick and easy page to create and I learned along the way.
• My mom stays strong in quitting smoking.
• I am still losing weight. I will lose every single pound that I don’t need on my body. I have Marianne Williamson’s book and will give one copy away very soon so stay around.
• I started my bigger to date canvas (30″x30″). And a stranger complimented me about it yesterday !
• My first customer received the journal she ordered me and wrote me a very positive feedback.
• We tried Brussels Sprouts again, with a recipe I saw on Giada Di Laurentiis’ tv show. It was delicious !
• I am having a LOT of fun trying binding techniques. I finished my first coptic journal (will talk about it later). And I found THE perfect book to learn from.

Wow this week’s list was pretty long !

Do you believe March is knocking on our door already ? Soon we will celebrate Koala’s 4th birthday yooohooo !

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]

Hello !

It happens to me sometimes… I just wanna play in my art journal (this one is almost finished !) and see what will come out.

For once, I didn’t start the page with an idea or even an intention. I didn’t want something complicated, nor to draw. Yes, I also forget about my girly sometimes.

This page was really quick to create (like 20mn). I simply began with colours that were appealing to me and then I just followed the flow of what I was seeing.

This is for me a good example to remind me that I don’t necessarily have to spend 1hours to do a page I like and that the unknown can be as fun !

Here is the page:

I really enjoy using the sprays and stains made by the brand Lindy Stamp gang. The pigments and shimmers are just gorgeous !

The camera angle is weird and I apologize for this. I try to figure out the best way to record so you can see better and to be still at-ease. I am experimenting and planning to do more and more videos.

Here it is: