RedBarn Studios

last year, for 2011, I chose the word C R E A T E.

my intention in choosing that word was to signify a change in direction…a change in mediums…a change in outlook.  i thought it was about the action of making & creating new, more fulfilling for me art…art that spoke from my soul instead of from just the tips of my fingers.

throughout the year i thought about my word C R E A T E and i have to tell you, it never completely gelled with what i had in my mind but still, i knew that that was the word i was meant to incorporate into my life for 2011.

these last few weeks, as I contemplated my new word for 2012 and pondered about the year that was drawing to a close, it suddenly dawned on me the real meaning of my word.   it was sitting there, all the while, waiting for me to discover its truth.

C R E A T E :: to bring something into existence

it was never about the actual act of creating a painting or stitching a journal

it was truly more about opening up my inner eye even wider and creating a space in my heart and in my mind for these things to happen.

it was about :

…shedding the old, the comfortable

…allowing the different to blossom

…finally, finally! letting go of that last bit of old rope i clung to

…giving myself permission to begin where i was

…trusting that this was what had to be

~ ~

breathe.

~ ~

as for 2012……i know i’ve stumbled upon the word for me when it starts jumping out at me whenever i read it on a sign or spy it in a sentence, just wanting to be noticed, taken in, savored….to then wiggle its toosh in a bit as it takes a seat in my heart and settles in for the long haul.

this word struck me right in the middle of my forehead when i came across it.

F O R W A R D

there is such a sense of calm

of sitting in my rightful space when i think about or say this word to myself.

so i shall move F O R W A RD and see what happiness develops.

~~

smile.

Tags: New Year, word of the year by grace
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okay, okay, i know it’s the middle of the month and i haven’t picked my word.  well, actually i have, i just haven’t posted about it yet.

as usual i was struggling to pick one word to use as my help tool for the year. at first it was resolve. it seemed to fit because what i thought i wanted to do was finish up this seeking path, but the fascination and connection with that word fizzled out cause i know i will always be a seeker.

the other word i came up with was release cause i wanted to release the fear, inhibitions and stalling tactics that bound me to this spot my feet had planted themselves in.  but something kept gnawing at me that that, too, wasn’t the right fit for me this year.

in looking back on 2010 i realized that i had already adopted the word release as a second word for the latter part of 2010.  (definition: to be liberated, to unfreeze, to unblock).

the last few years have been more of an introspective journey for me to find my creative place in this world.  it’s been a long adventure to find the person in the artist and the artist in the person and, in the end, i ended up finding my own tiny light that i didn’t know existed before now.

i have delved deep into my own thoughts and soul and i’ve come away from that inside seek with more clarity and peace, more than i ever knew was out there for me to receive.

so i believe the time has come to implement all this self knowledge. my word (that i think, in fact, has chosen me) is…

C R E A T E.

today i listened the introductory audio message of a year long online class i am taking with Ali Edwards called ONE LITTLE WORD.  i do love being inspired by other people’s words. i think i will like this class.

a good friend who seems to find me whenever i need to hear words of encouragement and receive virtual hugs of support said that she knew i had not finished searching and when i knew…i would know.  love that about her.  her words are direct, succinct and usually spot on.

Tags: New Year, word of the year by grace
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resolutions, shmesolutions…who needs em.

instead i promise to live this year as it comes…with AUDACITY and authenticity, with the calm that comes with centered peace.

a few things i resolve to do this year….

* take lots more pics (and share them)

* spend more time with friends

* journal without editing (darn that delete button!)

* feel less guilt over the goodies i enjoy eating

* learn how to use PSE actions (finally)

* write more personally

* amp up the journal making (cause i love it when you get excited about receiving one of my journals)

* breathe more deeply

* indulge in just 1 chai tea latte a week (OMG did I just write that??)

* walk more often

* be present for my kids (I do that now but they are growing up so fast that i want to be sure i see & experience everything)

* fly high on a cloud (or let go a little more)

* allow ME to be stage front for a change

how are you planning to spend your year?

Tags: New Year, ponderings by grace
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yes….life interrupted once again.

and will continue to for the next few months but am feeling the need to get back to regular  picture taking and blogging and writing.

it’s been a whirlwind this past week with my family here for Christmas….laughter and laughter and even more laughter.

tonight we will take some time to bring in the new year together before they all head back home and my new normal begins.  so…

happy new year to all.

may the year 2011 be wondrous and wonderful for you and yours.

Tags: down time, life etc., New Year by grace
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I have been a bit absent of late….blogging in a rather hit & miss manner (no kidding, you say!).
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Although I have been working on my fiber art and journal projects
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(above – new canvas journal I’ve been working on & below – cropped photo of orchid quilt for group exhibition…see, told you so!),
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and taking pics of in progress work,
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and pics of cool and interesting things,
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and thinking and sometimes starting blog posts (new post from my Inner-views with another fiber artist in next few days)
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but….for some obscure to me reason…..never actually sending these thoughts of mine out into the blogosphere.
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My thinking right now as to why that is?\’a0 To some extent, it’s that my art is evolving/changing enough in what I’m producing, probably more than I can keep up with or formalize a goal for, so catching you up in blog posts is almost near impossible. New year…new habits (maybe, sorta kinda…mmmh).
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Also been thinking A LOT about my Word For The Year (a la Christine Kane). I’ve gone thru at least 7 different words that I thought might be good to implement as I go forward but none have captured the complete essence of where I am in my life and in my art at the moment.
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I also didn’t think any of the words I came up with would propel me to excel or push me forward any……that is until a few days ago\’a0 while reading a blog I ran across…
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…you know, you click on a link on someone’s blog list and when you get to that blog, as you read you click on another link in their blog list then another and another and before you know it you are at a site you’ve never read before but it resonates with you then you have another blog to add to your RSS feed…(deep breathe here..ahhh) — but I digress, big time!
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So, with ALL that said, I’m still here, plogging along, doing my thing. **Just a heads up…this post became way toooo long (a lot to say after that absence huh) so I’ve divided it up into 2 individual posts. See next post for my word of the year**
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(Note: please take the time to read Christine’s post about your 2010 word, she explains it so succinctly and has a tool that you can use to help YOU choose your word).
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See ya next time “In the Hayloft”,

Tags: Art, defining one's art, life etc., New Year, year of me by k grace howes
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Just a quick post to officially usher in the new year.

I would also like to say a very special thank you to all of you who regularly read my blog. I love your comments, advice and good words about my work and invite you to stay on this journey with me.

I wish for all of us another year of wonderful experiences, continued growth, spiritual blessings and much success in our art journey.

Happy, Happy New Year!

See ya next time “In the Hayloft”,

Tags: New Year, ponderings by k grace howes
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Earlier this year, back in January, I began hearing about Christine Kane. First from my FAB friend, Judy, then on a blog I read quite regularly, Lisa Call. I admire both these women and trust that they knew what they were talking about when it came the inspiration of Christine Kane.

They were right.

She is very inspirational.

Word for the Year

Around this time of year we all go thru a regular and uninspiring year-end ritual of choosing  our New Year’s Resolutions. Christine Kane has a new take on New Year’s resolutions….

CHUCK the darn things out the window!

Really…cause none of us ever really follow thru with any of them anyway. Instead, she suggest we pick a word for the year.

Just one word. That’s all, she says.

“Then hold that word in your mind throughout the year, and let your word guide you to take action” (feel free to read more about it here and here).

I had all intentions of doing that this year, 2008, but obviously my life and mind had other plans. Next year though, in 2009, I intend to follow thru. I might need reminding from time to time but the INTENTION will be there.

Ah…you have just read my first word.

INTENTION

In order to start the year off right one should prepare beforehand. A few days ago I wrote down a few words and phrases that I thought might work for me: being present, choice,  discipline, focus, presence, allow…nothing resonated. I closed my eyes and got in touch with my goddess soul.

She picked: INTENTION and SELF-DISCIPLINE. (didn’t she realize that it was only supposed to be one word?).

No matter how I tried over the next few hours I couldn’t shake that 2nd word and kept coming back to it time and time again…..so I’m going with it. Enough of letting things slide (business or personal). State my intention, live my intention and be self disciplined enough to get the work done so that it can be completed.

At the end of the previous 2 years I found I could label each year. The first was the “Year of Me”. In looking back I saw that I did things that pleased me as concerns my artwork. Obviously I needed to find out more about me,, the artist, now that I had nerve enough to call myself one. The second year I labeled “Finding my Muse” cause boy did she ever talk to me …even though she did disappear from time to time…the nerve of her!

INTENTION

For 2009 I intend to begin at the beginning….at the beginning of this new year instead of the end of it.  I intend to start how I mean to finish. Wish me luck on my new journey.

What I wish for you, however, is a year of intention and meaning…in your life and in your work. I wish you peace, abundance, focus and clarity. Finally I wish you JOY and the courage to find your word for the year and let it become your guiding force.

BTW, the tag line on Christine’s blog reads:  Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous.

I love it…why not just BE!

See ya next time “In the Hayloft”,

Tags: life etc., my muse, New Year, ponderings, word of the year, year of me by k grace howes
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Happy New Year!!

I collect saying of all kinds dealing with all things but the ones I love the most have to do with being who you are and feeding your creative muse.

I dreamt about my blog last night in terms of my artistic endeavors. I know I need to start the year out right and commit myself more fully to this creative journey I find myself on. This means committing to it, in a serious manner, in my head. No more hanging about.

With that in mind and today being the first day of a new year, here are a few of the saying that are winding their way thru my mind and hopefully will express themselves in my art:

• Find the seed at the bottom of your heart and bring forth a flower.

• Break thru your colour barrier and see the world thru your own coloured glasses.

• Creativity is allowing ourself to make mistakes; Art is know which ones to keep. Scott Adams

My mission for myself this year is to express myself more openly thru my art, to reach inside and pull out from the depths what I know is there and to not struggle with the how of it, and to push the boundaries when it comes to promoting myself, my art and my business. I have more concrete goals written down but the synopsis of them is such.

My wish for all of you of is to do what you know you MUST do, then do it some more. Keep looking towards the light and keep reaching for the stars.

Peace and prosperity and much success, however YOU define it.

Tags: life sayings, New Year by k grace howes
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So this last day of 2007 came upon the Howes household and what do you think we did? We let it crawl in slowly, and lazily go about it’s duty of counting down the hours while the whole household just did the same. We had our last family breakfast of 2007 at 12 pm and just a little heads up for everyone…6yr olds do not get the concept of eating brkfast for lunch. Nada, nope, no way!

I decided though that I should end the year as I want the new one to
start, by making ART! All thru the months leading up to Christmas I saw boxes being made and decided I’m supposed to make one as well. I’d created a fabric collage made from pink strips sewn to a base and then covered with an irresdescent sheer and quilted the heck out of it. It had been staring at me for a couple of weeks and I was tired of it’s accusatory look that said “DO SOMETHING WITH ME, DARN IT!”

Whether it wanted to or not, it was going to become a box and it had better be glad I didn’t turn it into inchies, doggone-it! Anyhoo I figured out sizes for each piece and started cutting – 1 bottom (4″ sq), 4 sides (2 1/2″ x 4″), 1 lid top (4 1/4″ sq) and 4 lid sides (7/8″ x 4 1/4″).

I also cut the same from Fast2Fuse.com and a lining fabric. I sandwiched the Fast2Fuse between the top and the lining fabrics, right sides facing out, and fused all three layer between two pressing sheets (no need to get the iron all messed up on what is supposed to be an easy art day). Then came the tedious part of satin stitching all the edges (40 of them to be exact).

You’ve got to understand something, for some reason, unbeknownst to me, I can’t stand doing satin stitching. I don’t know if, in an earlier life, my only job was to satin stitched garments (probably by hand, no doubt) or that I resent the use of all that gor-gee-ous thread just for the darned edges or that I could be reading a new issue of Quilting Arts Magazine during that time or what. I just don’t like to satin stitch! I’d rather do needle turn applique (which I’ve actually come to like). When one actually convinces oneself that raw edge applique is now one’s favorite form of applique then you really really know that I strongly dislike (I save “hate” for really good stuff) satin stitching.

Okay, don’t laugh, truthfully it wasn’t all that bad. I got thru it anyway. Above you can see the pieces set up to be joined. I butt the edges and, increasing the length on my machine, I ziz-zag stitched the edges together. I did this in one continous stitch and broke the threads only when I reach the beginning threads. Then I turn it over and re-enforce the stitch form the inside by zig zagging over the butted edges again. Repeat same with box lid.

When finished, the sides of the box and the lid easily fold up. As you can see from the photo above I cut the box top sides in a curve before I satin stitched the edges. Gave it a little more pizzazz I thought. I then folded up the sides and whipstitched the sides into place. I even remembered to hide the knot by starting on the inside of the box (below).

It’s fairly easy to hold the sides whilst you sew them up. No pins are needed at all. Be careful when stitching though cause the thread kept getting caught and I’d realize this 4 or 5 stitches away and notice that the thread wasn’t pulled all the way thru. No matter, I really like what I ended up with. I really really like the way the irrisedescent sheer fabric is frayed all around the box.

A few hours later here is my finished fabric box. The year 2007 has passed along a great treasure. I am grateful for all the good that rained down on me and mine in 2007; a family to love, a new direction to follow and a belief in myself and my art that was a long time in coming.

In my 2008 Dream Box I will put all my dreams and goals for the coming year, a special space for all the good things to come.

I wish all my friends, and the many more friends I will make in 2008, a wonderful New Year filled of lots of love, happy contentment and creative success thruout the year. Hurrah!

See ya next time, “In the Hayloft”,

Tags: New Year, working small by k grace howes
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