Tea with the Muse: Daily Spark Day 3

Today we were to ask our Muse a certain type of question...

Then:

Ask her to reply in a shape or symbol
Draw what you see and write down the answer your Muse gives you.

*****

I asked and put the pencil to paper and in my mind's eye I could see it clear so I started sketching before I even opened my eyes... saw a Silver Salmon jumping out of the water.

 Wasn't sure what to make of it so I went looking for symbol meaning online and at:

http://www.starstuffs.com/animal_totems/dictionary_of_wateranimals.html

 

Found this:
Salmon:
Transformation of the spirit, shows how to feel and sense others, will help clarify issues in life. Fish in general show how to swim the currents of life, use of intuition to navigate effectively, aids in attuning to the world of emotions, the un/subconscious and other-worlds, heightened senses including visions, dreams and related psychic abilities. Salmon teaches using intuitions and instincts and listening to the stillness. Do you currently feel stuck? Salmon demonstrates a time to rest and a time to move. Salmon can show how to swim into new adventures. She teaches survival, migration and movement, journeys, beginnings and endings. Which stage are you currently in? Salmon shows how to cope with physical transformation during this transition time. Salmon's lesson covers 1-3 months so have patience as you adapt. She will show how to integrate the changes with a perfect sense of timing as well as finding where you truly belong. Salmon will guide you in this journey of the mind, body and spirit.

 

It makes perfect sense and totally answered my question.

Thank-You Muse. 

 

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 163

It's that time of the week again! Head on over to:

Stamping Ground

 You can have an invited snoop of everyone's desks this week!

This has been a busier week in the Art Journal department... trying to catch-up on The Red Key and starting Daily Spark: Tea with the Muse... as well as Book of Days, Soulistry and... and...

So if you check back on the Blog, lots to see!

Today, well, last night really... 

I was working on The Red Key from Cosmic Cowgirls University so that book is out and open.

The Yellow Daytimer/Bible of all-knowing-ness was out, needed to confirm the time for my appointment this morning. GOOD NEWS there... Things *are* improving with rest and exercise so surgery for the prolapsed bladder is off the plate (for now) yeah! Still under 'no lift' orders and rest. *grumble grumble quietly* AND I can get back to the gym with a few adjustments. whooop!

umm... yes and the desk *blushing* The rest is the usual mess and oh yeah... I should go clean those dirty paint brushes now before they start to smell. lol 

Happy Wednesday!

Book of Days: June 16th

Today was my *big* doctors appointment and the last few nights I could not sleep... so I ART-ed.

 This is one of 'those' pieces of paper I've been working on/saving for awhile. 

When there was excess Pain - 3D Crystal Lacquer - Misted Stencils etc... added them on  layer after layer.  Voila!

The Red Key: EXTRA...ORDINARY

The Muse just LOVES helping you
stretch those creative muscles!
Today, grab pencil and your journal and have your muse point out

an object for you to sketch. 

Let your eyes really see it.

******* 

Started by drawing a 'canvas' on the page for my sketch and doing a quick watercolor pencil wash around it. 

Then stopped and just sat in the Studio, closed my eyes and asked...

Then opened them to 'see' what my Muse wanted me to see.

The 1st item to clearly come into focus when I opened them again was a jar of wooden hearts rescued off some FreeCycle wicker planters. Future RAOA (Random Acts of Art) supplies.

So that's what I sketched...

Had a hard time once I was done pencil sketching to NOT grab a pen and do a re-outline and erase, like I usually do. Instead I reached for a Red Pencil Crayon and simply highlighted where my Muse led. 

Then I was led to the computer to find a quote and this is it:

Follow your heart, but be quiet for a while first. 

Ask questions, then feel the answer. 

Learn to trust your heart... ~Carl W Buechner~

 

The Red Key: TIME FOR A (SAB)BATH

Regardless of your religious or spiritual persuasion the muses have unanimously recommended that you claim some down time. Whether it is a day a week of rest  - a sabbath. Or a bath. (I'm hearing shouts of rose petals and bubbles from the muse contingent!)

Lay down your relentless pursuit and lay yourself down while you're at it... 

******

 

A little mixed collage and paint for this page...

Watercolor pencil for the wallpaper, printed images for the tub and those sh-exy Red Boots, paint daubed on with the end of an un-sharpened pencil for the plethora of soapy suds and marker highlights here and there. 

 

Journaling:

Every Cowgirl needs time for a (Sab)Bath...

Today I took mine in the tub... ipod playing some

Cosmic Cowgirls recorded phone-calls... glass of wine on

the side... and the door closed on the World.

... ahhh....*Bliss* ...

 

 

The Red Key: Bone Gathering...

BEGIN THE RITUAL OF GATHERING

What are the places of you that you have left behind? Cut off? Let go? Hidden? What are the places inside of you that you are calling back now on your quest. What are the beliefs you have held that you are shedding like old skins? You are invited to this ritual of gathering the bones.

******** 

This was a hard one... 

Listened to the Audio no less than 6 times. Two of them tonight; once before I started typing my journling and once again before picking up the pencil to sketch. 

Another *wow* to me page resulted.

Bone Quest
-Sarah Cooper-

Alone she must be on this stage of her quest…

Before she can go further she must be whole.


But as she looks down at a body that has been torn apart, by her self and others, piece by piece over the years…

She realizes it will not be a simple task.

Anything worth doing is rarely simple or soon and this task is worth doing, nay *must* be done.


She must search back along the many roads she has walked…

The many paths she does not wish to trod again…

For there and only there will she find the bones she has left behind.

The flesh and sinew worn away, long gone…

She will find them bleached and dry with passing of time.

Though once, when they were fresh, there was life in those bones…

Time has made them less…

Not so horrible to deal with…

Only dry, crumbling memories of what came before.


Now she must gather these bones wherever they fell…

Gather them together and hold them to her as she walks through the fire.


The fire will heal,

The fire will cleanse.

The fire will sear away the past hurts…

And help form a new body to hold these bones.

A body of light…

A body of hope…

A body prepared to start walking the new path laid out before her.

A body: complete, whole and unbroken.

*******
Background is whetted watercolor pencil... 

Main image was pencil sketched, traced out in permanent pen, guidelines erased and then colored in with markers.

Favorite bit: Red Key Earring.

Tea with the Muse: Daily Spark Days 1 & 2

ahh... finally got my 'ducks in a row' for this and started last night.

These are backwards 'cause that's how I roll.  :O)

Day 2:

Letter to my Muse.

An apology.

 

Day 1:

Letter from my Muse.

First I wrote...

 Then I ART-ed around it.