What is HAPPY MAIL???

Happy mail is another aspect of the Documented Life Project from the lovely ladies at "Art to the 5th." I spoke about the project in my last post and showed some fun photos, but will give a brief synopsis of it here.
 
The Documented Life Project or DLP, is a project that was started by a group of ladies simply showing how to have fun decorating a personal calendar planner.  Each week there are new "art prompts" that group members can engage in at home, put in their personal planner with their own signature flair, and share on Facebook with the entire group if they so desire.

"Happy Mail," is mail that participants send to one another.  The outside of the envelopes are oftentimes decorated, while inside lay all kinds of surprises;  fun tidbits to use in your 'calendar planner.'  There is a list of names and addresses from which to pick, and you just pick some, and send.  I pick the ones that say they will reciprocate, because of course, I want some happy mail too!

Here are a few photos of a piece of VERY HAPPY MAIL I received:

One side of the envelope, decorated by Lisa Kumcur.

This was one of the many lovely items waiting inside, by Lisa Kumcur.

This is by far the most wonderful happy mail I have received:)  And after receiving it, I was encouraged to make some super snazzy happy mail myself.  Below are the envelopes I created....I don't have photos of the goodies inside, but let me say, I'm sure no one was disappointed!!!

Happy Mail Envelopes, created by me

Let me also say how freeing the process of making the happy mail envelopes, some of the goodies inside and my planner has been.  It's just a fun place to play, and of course, you can just keep painting and layering until you find your happy place, that sweet spot.

Have a blast today, enjoy your life, and live to the fullest.
Love and hugs,
Cynthia

The Documented Life Project

I've been having such a good time with The Documented Life Project since I joined about a month ago.  If you haven't heard about it, give it a look....it's soooo much fun.  What is it?  It's basically a free group created by 5 artists who joined together calling themselves "Art to the 5th."  http://www.arttothe5th.com/
Basically, you paint, doodle, and groovy-up a regular yearly planner.  They recommend using a Moleskin planner, but I already had an 8X10 inch planner so I just used that.  Here are some photos of mine.

I just love how this spread turned out!  Mainly the part on the left.  The top to middle right is still unfinished....I like to leave room to doodle and add things as I go.

You can see some of the fun tabs I put on the page edges to show the months (on the top left of the page.)

For this page (above) I had some "artist's papers"....like scrap booking paper that had these cute little pop tops on it.  I used a round punch to punch them out and then pasted the days of the week on top.

These little hexagonal shapes also came from some cute papers I bought.  Thought they would be just perfect for this.

As you can see...I went crazy.  Did most of the pages shown here over the course of a week, and don't think I worked on much of anything else.  It seemed that once I got started it was very addictive and I just couldn't stop!  I found it to be incredibly enjoyable, therapeutic, plus...interesting things happen....things I'd like to add to my other artwork.  It's a very freeing experience and if you don't like something, you just keep painting over it!

A brayer was used on most of the pages to achieve a layered look.  It's amazing what one can do with only a brayer and some paint!  I am also having a blast using an array of neon/florescent colors, as I have just discovered how amazing they are!

Stay tuned for more to come, and thanks for stopping!

Art On Creative People!

Cynthia

PUBLISHED...IN ART QUILTING STUDIO MAGAZINE, SUMMER 2014

PUBLISHED!!!

This is my first time though it should not be!!!  I have thought about getting published forever and a day...I was on my way to submitting a very long time ago...a Halloween submission.  But I had an accident and ended up in the hospital  And I never did get published.

Not long ago, I stopped in on my etsy site to give a little check..nothing really ever sells, because I think no one knows I am there!!!  But to my surprise I had a message from the editor of Art Quilting Studio Magazine about my cute mini quilt characters, saying I ought to apply to be published.  Well, with this little boon, I was well on my way. I immediately contacted the editor and submitted my goodies.

I'll have more photos of new mini quilt characters very soon!


Cynthia

Happy New Year!

"Holly's Doll," Christmas 2013.

Happy New Year Everyone!  Above is a painting that I started with only the notion that I wanted to paint one of my girls, just on a larger scale.  This one is 18" X 24".  I just started with the girls' face and let the rest happen by intuition, with the exception of the pinstripes in her dress, a suggestion from my best bud, who is also a painter.  I feel this is one of my best paintings to date, and for that I have to thank the Creator who works through me.  Thanks God.  This piece was so much fun to play with and to watch come together. Sometimes I get stuck with my paintings....I don't know what to do next!  But I do feel the fact that they are unfinished and lack something.  So I continue on.  Sometimes I have pieces I refer to as 'problem' pieces....I keep trying to finish them, and they continue to aggravate me!  Not so with this piece.  Also, something very new for me was to add these pinwheels in the background (sort of a Zentangle type thing.)  When I first started messing with them, I thought, wow, that doesn't look good.  Then I thought, just keep going!!!!  So I did.  This is a recurring theme in my own artistic journey....to A.) trust the process, B.) have patience....creations are not made instantly, we use care, and love them into being.

When we take the time to listen, all the answers will be found.  Cheers to LISTENING THIS YEAR, and ALLOWING OURSELVES TO RECEIVE ALL WE DESERVE.

XOXO,
Cynthia

BELIEVE IN YOU

"Believe in You," 2013, 12"X12" canvas board.

I'm still going to paint a border around the edges, but I'm quite happy with this little lady.  In fact, I'm trying to integrate the messages I NEED TO BE PAYING ATTENTION TO into my artwork.  I know I'm not the only one.  I know we all have doubts about ourselves;  maybe a little, maybe a lot.  The fact is though, we have all we need right inside.  We just have to fan that little flame, each and every day.  Recognize all your many gifts and stop obsessing on who you are not or what you don't have.  Have gratitude for what you do have and what you can make happen.

Looking forward to the new year and all it will bring!

Cynthia

Positivity is Paramount

Fly and Be Free, Cynthia Anderson, 2013

 

Positive statement for the day from Louise Hay: "I listen to what I say.  If I hear myself using negative or limiting words, I change them."

As Joel Osteen says, "whatever follows, 'I am,' is going to come looking for you."  So speak well of yourself, others, and even circumstances.  It is the 'framing' of our lives that can change everything.  In other words, if you 'frame' it as a horrible obstacle to overcome then that's what it will be.  If you 'frame' it as an opportunity to rise to the challenge then you are approaching the situation from an entirely new viewpoint....a WINNING viewpoint.  It's simple:  POSITIVE is WINNING, negative is not!

It's just like art or anything else in life; instead of looking at ANYTHING and picking apart everything that is wrong with it, begin to open your eyes and your mind to WHAT IS RIGHT...with your art, with the situation, with that person. 

It's funny, I found myself in a pit of negativity where all I could see was all the injustice in the world and everything that I thought 'needed fixing.'  The thing about this is that I had then BECOME PART OF THE PROBLEM, RATHER THAN PART OF THE SOLUTION! 

Once I read the Dalai Lama was asked if he had any regrets.  He said well, maybe just one.  A time ago an older monk had come to him saying that he could not attain certain yogic or meditation postures (I'm doing my best to remember the story). The Dalai Lama had told him that he may have to wait until his next incarnation to do it in a younger body.  So, the monk went off, and threw himself off a cliff, in order that he might be reincarnated all the sooner.  When the Dalai Lama heard of this he felt very bad that the monk had taken his advise to bring about this outcome.  But, His Holiness also said that if he'd have decided to get 'stuck' on this and sort of wallow in it, he would not have been able to continue on with the greatly beneficial work he has done and continues to do.  That's me paraphrasing the story, but the message is the same.  The only answer is to walk on in positivity, love and light. 

REMEMBER TO listen to how you speak to yourself and everyone around you.  What you give out, you get back, so:

Peace Out, Love Each Other, and Live in Harmony
Til Next Time, Cynthia

Letting Go of Perfection

 

Hope you are all well!  Courtesy of a painting group I'm part of on facebook, I was given the opportunity to view this lovely little gem, http://is.gd/sp0nOs, about a mother, her new sweet sketchbook, and her daughter's insistence that she SHARE said sketchbook.  When the mother tried to explain away her not wanting to share, the daughter turned her own words around on  her and said, "well, if you can't share we might have to take it away!"  How adorable.  And when the mother did share her book....well, go see what happened!  Something new was born with the collaboration of these two artists, and many insights were given. 

by Busymockingbird

One insight I really appreciated was this, "Most importantly, I learned that if you have a preconceived notion of how something should be, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE DISAPPOINTED.  Instead, just go with it, just ACCEPT it, because usually something even more wonderful will come out of it," busymockingbird.  Agreed!  That's what I've been doing lately, just going with it.  I don't have a preconceived notion of what I'm going to do, I just start doing.  I do know I'm going to have a character there, because I love doing characters and faces, but I have no idea who she will be or what she will be doing.  (Maybe someday soon there will be guys in my paintings too!)

by Busymockingbird

I also would like to address the fact that nothing in life/nature is perfect.  There is no such thing.  According to Webster's perfect is, "corresponding to an ideal standard or abstract concept."  I say just be perfectly you:)  That is enough!  Really, it is! 

I think there is also a wisdom and a relaxation of unreasonable expectations that comes with age (hopefully) that can help you to focus on what is truly important, and let go of the rest.  I think this wisdom (if one chooses to use it, if one can quiet themselves long enough to listen to it) can also help us lose the things in our life that no longer serve us, sometimes never did serve us.  I know I have been waiting so long for myself to WAKE UP....but all of life is a journey, everything you have done or will do is your journey, and leads you to be exactly where you should be right now.  Today is your day, this week is your week, this year is your year.  What will you do with it?  What plans will you make to help yourself reach your goals?  Don't know what your goals are, sit down and listen to yourself, meditate.  Just try it.  It's not hokey, spooky or weird.  It's probably one of the most natural things one can do; it let's you tune in to the source, and from there, all things can be achieved!!!

Take care until next time.

Peace Out, Love Each Other, and Live in Harmony
Cynthia