{comment, thought, & digitally fragmented}

 

Yesterday, I finally got to see my girl Dawn after a few weeks of busy busy time for both of us. We always chat for hours about art, life, and trying to make it in this business. Our thoughts usually align, and it was so nice to be able to just vent about all the things that have happened to me this year, as well as the behaviors and blog posts of our friends and inspirations online. 

I have to admit -- my blog reading has steadily declined over the past month; if I don't see your update as part of my Facebook feed, I usually don't read things. I've all but disappeared from Twitter. And while I love blogging, I've decided to switch it up a bit so I can focus on getting amazing new things ready for you all this summer. 

I'm loving my photo posts/newsletter/vlog system I have going here. The newsletter has to be, by far, my favorite resurrected piece of old-school social media, and now that I'm on MailChimp, people can -- and have! -- reply directly from the message and let me know their thoughts. I LOVE THAT! 

It isn't that I don't have time, it's just that I'd rather be doing other things. I've been bitten by the inspiration bug that has this fibro girl spending hours and hours creating -- I've gone down to about 6-7 hours of sleep a night, have something for my hands to work on when I'm watching TV (which, now that the season's over for most shows, isn't very often anymore!), and have been churning out journal and class documents like no tomorrow! 

I'm hoping to have my first art installation this month, sell new prints, pull out the Yudu, and re-stock my Etsy shop with fun new things floating through my head. I meet up with other artists and friends all the time, attend social events (First Friday tomorrow, anyone in Phoenix?), and read poetry. I'm also going to be in Art Journaling (my name's on the cover!) & Cloth, Paper, Scissors, and have more work waiting in the wings.

All in all, amazement. 

If you read Dawn's blog, you surely saw this post from yesterday. It's something we discussed and decided to try, if only for a bit. While I adore your comments, I just don't have the time between everything else going on to answer every one of them. So, for now, comments are going off. You can always click the link on the sidebar there to send me an email or even a snail-mail letter! My vlogs, posted on YouTube, will still have comments on, and I check Facebook about twice a day, if you'd like to leave a note on my page. I'll be sending out a newsletter every Wednesday, as well as a reminder note when the weekend feed goes up. 

I'm just feeling so digitally fragmented -- updating FB, the blog, twitter, flickr, etc -- that I really need to pull back. Blogs used to be posted without comment features, and if I've learned one thing from my vlog series, it's that even having comments turned on, people will write you a note. 

Hopefully, this means more meaningful responses from me, enjoyment for you, and a more focused Kira. 

 

{journal dreams and beads from a bottle!}

 

I've been a very busy girl today! After my morning bike ride, where I snapped pictures and got stung by a bee, I came home to write a more in-depth outline of my summer art journal course, then got started on finishing up a journal for Kym. 

I have become a journal-making machine! 

The Journal Dream Shop has been a wild success! I am now running about 4-5 weeks for your journal to be done, though I'm working as fast as I can without sacrificing quality or my health. So I am booked up! 

Because of this, I'm going to be writing less blog posts. But don't worry -- I'll be vlogging once a week and hopefully doing time-lapse journal pages in the meantime. And I'll snap photos like crazy of what I'm working on! 

Kym's Journal

They're really tons of fun to make, and I like to think on the person and what they're dreaming of when I put them together. They really are hand-made -- I do everything from cut down the paper to round the corners to cut slits for elastic. They aren't perfect, so if that's what you're looking for, you might want to try a store. These journals are crafted with love by my hands -- I have glue all over them, and they wear the battle scars from using an x-acto knife to do detail work. I touch every part and hope you feel inspired when you get yours! 

journal construction

 

As soon as I'm less-booked, I'll be making blanks to put up in my Etsy shop. But since the price isn't all that different, why not order a perfect one for you? I'm up to experimenting with form and binding -- I'll be making a binder journal with fabric edges and canvas pages next week! 

Check out the newsletter if you're not already subscribed!

Because I'll be focusing on crafting journals and writing my next workshop, I'll be sending out a lot of info in my weekly newsletters. You'll get a blog post straight to your inbox (and that means an article written expressly for the newsletter that won't be appearing on the blog itself!), some inspiring words, maybe a prompt, updates, and a coupon each week! 

The form to sign-up is right there on the sidebar, so make sure to enter your address so you don't miss out on anything! My newsletter's going to be a Godsend for me -- an easier way for me to keep you all updated and inspired while I put my nose to the grindstone and get things done! 

Beads in a Bottle are here! 

I needed a little playtime before getting down to business, so I pulled out my brand-new pack of Beads in a Bottle by Tulip and embellished my journal cover (even more, I know!). This is the gemstone set, and I kinda want to go back and get a different one! 

beads in a bottle

At first, I thought it'd be hard, but not at all! They leave a little wisp when you pull up the bottle, but it soon settles to make a bead! I need some more practice, though, and then I'll be embellishing this plain t-shirt I've had for awhile that needs some bling...

beads in a bottle

(above: right after applying)

beads in a bottle

(above: all dry!)

So I'll see ya all later! I'm running off to the pharmacy before it closes and grabbing dinner at the grocery store! 

{the rhythm of the mountain}

 

A few weeks ago, my father and brother piled me in the car for a trip to South Mountain. It stands at the southern border of Phoenix proper, a long mountain in the valley that boast cell phone and broadcast towers. I'd wanted to visit since first arriving out here, but never found anyone to go with. 

We climbed high, huffing and puffing, as my brother - 20 years old and full of energy - disappeared from view over the summit of the smaller mound we were climbing. At the top, I could see across all of Phoenix, over to the mountains on the other side, the crescent shape they create, almost cradling the city. 

A bet was made - my brother headed to climb even higher as my father and I camped out on a rock jutting over the edge, the flat, even surface making for a perfect seat. While we waited, munching on trail mix, I wandered off to create a rock tower. 

I don't know why I did it. Actually, I do. I've seen these on blogs over the years, the posts all spiritual and amazing, and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. What does piling rocks have to do with anything? Why do it at all? I felt like a child building a sand castle while a bully watched -- would someone knock it down? Why make it if it wouldn't even be noticed? 

Here's the thing they don't tell you -- finding the rocks is the best part. Scattered across the top of the smaller mountain were rocks of all sizes and colors, some more precariously placed that others. I went along trying to find the right size and shape to build the next level -- would this be flat enough to hold another above it? Or would it cause the whole thing to fall over? 

And up there, atop a mountain, there's no sound but the rush of a gentle breeze. It's absolute peace. The longer I searched for rocks, the clearer my mind became. I was focused on my task. And when I finished, I sat on the ground and looked at it, thinking will someone else see this? 

That's the point, I think. That someone else will walk up this mountain and see, among the nature-scattered shapes and plants and flowers, a little bit of connection to someone else. Manmade, yes, but not in the sense we usually think of -- this wasn't a human structure, an architectural monument to all we can create. It was simply rocks, built to honor a Higher Power, to show someone they are not alone in the world, that there are others out there even when the terrain is bleak and bleaching your very bones. 

I found myself swaying to the rhythm of the mountain, reconnecting with nature, with myself, with the Divine. I sat and let myself not think before watching my brother become a dot atop a higher peak. I may not be able to make it up that high, but I can sit lower and appreciate the beauty around me and reassure those passing me on the path that imperfection is not only okay, it's the point. 

{video diary #31: the bittersweet goodbye}

Before you get to the video, can I say again how AMAZING and HUMBLING this experiance has been for me? I wish I could call every single one of you who's watched and commented and say THANK YOU. Or hug you. If we met. One day, we'll be able to do such things, I hope! But for now, please please take this as my sincere thank you for allowing me into your lives for 15 minutes a day, for sharing your stories, for being cheerleaders and shoulders to cry on, for your encouragement, support, and sympathy. For happiness and celebration and amazement and...I could go on forever. 

With much love, 
Samie Kira