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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so i’ve been reading this e-book, flying lessons, by kelly rae for a few weeks now and all i can say is….i must be ready to hear it cause this girl is hitting some sweet spots.

i looooove me self help books. i love the dig…the excavating to my spirit soul.  i used to buy one book after the other all the time but found that i read and read each book but never actually got to the end. after a while they just got put aside. they didn’t hit any sweet spots.

credit:kelly rae roberts

kelly writes in such a way that you feel that you and her are sitting, chillin at your fav coffee shop, drinking a venti latte (cause you know this will be a long session) and talkin to you best girl as she breaks it down for you.

kelly starts of by giving you the one-two punch…..facing one’s fears (agrh! you say and complain “do i have too?”).

lemma me put it like this.  you know in that investment commercial where the agent tells the person to “stay on the green line” as the path unfurls before them? well i think conquering your fears is like that.  unless you take over and control those meddlesome, pesky, full ‘a noise things, your little green line never moves forward.

so it seems fitting that 1st kelly dishes out about breaking it down, not pushing them away or stuffing them in a draw to deal with later {read never, ever, ever here} but, rather, facing them and tellin them who’s boss.

so now that i’ve delved and journaled and thought and told them gremlins about themselves and put away the key to the lock (cause i now control them suckers) i feel i’ve cleared the path to move forward, to C R E A T E the life that’s waiting for me.

thanks miss kelly rae!

credit: kelly rae roberts

p.s.  if you think you are ready for your creative bliss to take you places…..read kelly’s book first and hit your sweet spots, then you too will begin to soar like a bird in flight.
fasten those seat belts honey!

Tags: defining one's art, Inspiration, teaching, 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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D I L I G E N C E.

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My word for 2010.

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...constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken

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…persistent exertion of body or mind

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…steady and careful application

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…proper attention or care

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But first a recap.

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I chose 2 words for 2009…Intention and Self-discipline. I found that by the end of 2008 I needed to seek out new goals, to define my INTENTION for the year to come and, by adding SELF-DISCIPLINE, I was able to keep myself on track. It was a year of thinking, redefining, repurposing, even if I came to the conclusion that I was to let go of art (yes, I even went there) or just do it for my pleasure – not to sell or exhibit.

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I gave myself the whole year to clearly define what I wanted to do for me and how that would manifest itself through my art, while still creating art as well. This year was about clarifying my wants and needs and purging all the shoulda-coulda’s that I seem to always let come to the forefront and sometimes take over and block my creativity.

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I realized that I not only did I see what others did to be successful but thought I had to do it that way myself, all this without taking the time to put ME in the equation.

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Now that I have established intentions for myself in terms of life and art, I can now act more DILIGENTLY toward implementing them…2009 was definitely a year of finding ME in ART again.

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In 2010 I will, with DILIGENCE…
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Bummer! I scheduled this to post on New Year’s Day but some glitch in WordPress prevented that. Thankfully I was able to find it and repost today. Whew!!!

Tags: word of the year by k grace howes
2 Comments »

D I L I G E N C E.

My word for 2010. A few definitions that I’ve gathered are:

…constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken

...persistent exertion of body or mind

…steady and careful application

…proper attention or care

But first a recap.

I chose 2 words for 2009…Intention and Self-discipline. I found that by the end of 2008 I needed to seek out new goals, to define my INTENTION for the year to come and, by adding SELF-DISCIPLINE, I was able to keep myself on track. It was a year of thinking, redefining, repurposing, even if I came to the conclusion that I was to let go of art (yes, I even went there) or just do it for my pleasure – not to sell or exhibit.

I gave myself the whole year to clearly define what I wanted to do for me and how that would manifest itself through my art, while still creating art as well. This year was about clarifying my wants and needs and purging all the shoulda-coulda’s that I seem to always let come to the forefront and sometimes take over and block my creativity.

I realized that I not only did I see what others did to be successful but thought I had to do it that way myself, all this without taking the time to put ME in the equation.

Now that I have established intentions for myself in terms of life and art (will be keeping them to myself for now), I can now act more DILIGENTLY toward implementing them…2009 was definitely a year of finding ME in ART again.

In 2010 I will, with DILIGENCE…

Tags: word of the year 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
6 Comments »