Giving Thanks

As I sit here, curled up under a blanket I pulled from the hope chest at the end of my bed, a new journal at my side, I am reflecting on my day. I helped cook dinner, spending hours on my feet to make turkey and twice-baked potatoes and veggies. In-between working on bits, I finally bound together my new journal, as the journal I started when in Florida is finally full.

But this morning, sitting at my desk, I spied a stack of cardstock. I cut leaves from a variety of colors and walked out into the living room where my family was gathered and handed them out. "Write one or two things you're thankful for on each leaf," I told them. "I'll string them together and hang them where we can all see them."

I can now look over at the dining room, where a colorful array of cardstock leaves hang from a string under family photos, mismatched handwriting showing what we're thankful for. In moments when we feel life is working against us, we can look up there and be reminded of all our blessings.

This is living an artful life. Bringing art and creativity into daily life, allowing yourself to express your true self, be a kid again, remember what it was like to play.

And I have to remember that none of this would be possible, this art, these journals on the couch next to me, the joy of working on beautiful new papers, teaching houses of women play and art and creative living....waking each morning knowing I am in control of my own day, my destiny, even if projects pile up and I feel pulled in so many directions I don't know which way is up....none of this is possible without YOU.

Yes, you! You, the reader, the fan, the one who reads my ebook or loves a painting so much, you buy a print, the one who enjoys my art and words and ideas, so you come take a class or join the Ning community. You, my dear, lovely darling, make all this possible.

You have given an ill girl a dream and a job she can actually do. You have given her the chance to make her own way and create things every day she can be proud of. You have given her dreams back, those she felt were long gone.

Thank you for being part of my tribe. For coming along on the ride. Seeing emotion and value in the work I do, the art I create, the adventures I go on, both out in the world and deep into my soul.

Today I am so thankful for all of you, those who I've met, who I've only spoken to, and those I have yet to meet.

Thank you.

Love,
Samie Kira

Magic Boxes Were a Smashing Success!

Last night was the first meeting of the new Mixed-Media group I'll be holding every month, and wow, was it wonderful! Just look at all the gorgeous boxes they created! 

I always get nervous when starting with new students, or trying something different (this was my first project-oriented class, versus teaching bookbinding or art journaling) - who's to say what I experience will translate through? But wow! Everyone was chatting and laughing and just...getting their hands dirty! Some even said they were having fun while class was going on, and others sent me lovely messages on Facebook after we all went home.

It was a soul balm we all needed. I can't wait until next month's get together.

(Did I mention is was hosted by my darling friend Denise? Who is also a chef? We were well fed, happy creative women!)

An Artful Friday Night...

I gave myself a little time to play today. I've been busy with a mega huge project that consumed my weekend and beginning of the week, and last week was fraught with hospitals and a reactive FMS flair-up. I'm rockin' this week without any of my pain medication, which has been full of random, crying breakdowns, a lot of self-love, and coping techniques. Oh, and amazing friends! Now, which one of you wants to help me with meals...and do any of you deliver? 

As some of you know, I'm participating in National Novel Writing Month this month, in my 10th year! I decided to write my entire 50,000 word novel on my new-vintage Facit typewriter (it's older than my mother!). Yesterday marks the halfway point, and I am so excited to say I'm still going strong! It may sound hard to write 1,667 words every single day, but I find it clears my head, and allows me to sink into another world. Last night, I did 8 pages! Today, I took my machine in to be looked at, stuck keys adjusted, and to learn how the tabs work and see the inner workings. I have to say, they continue to fascinate me, and the local shop has so many kinds, I can stay there for hours just talking typewriter mechanics! 

If anyone wants to read a non-plotted or outlined, completely off the cuff, slightly sci-fi novel, well, I have it all scanned, up to page 61! 

I have been dying to play with my new Catalyst Tools (thank you!) since they arrived in a color-filled box. They are fantastic for playing with on your gel plate, making the awesomest patterns! I plan on some more play tonight, and layering up paper for little journaling kits & embellishments I plan to stick on Etsy for the holidays.

The Catalyst Tools are just so colorful, intuitive, and ergonomic! They sit in your hand well, and I'm just having fun! I did a little painting with them today, with some modeling paste and texture gel, over an old canvas. 

When I was in Florida, one of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring things of my life - and simple. We visited the ocean at the end of the day, just before sunset, when the water was so cold, my lips turned a bit blue. As we warmed up on the beach, I witnessed birds skirting across the sea, so close, they could almost touch it. Watching them as the sun went down was amazing, and I found myself saying, "I wish I could take pictures with my mind and print them out," before I realized that's why I paint! 

Created with the Catalyst Tools, layers, acrylics, and crayons. I was just playing - it was fun to have pure play! And I love it...it says to me what I wanted to express.

But what has made me happiest? Being driven to paint on a canvas again. Rather, Birch! I haven't done a large painting in awhile, even though I dream of doing so every night. Other things take my time, such as creating things for the 'net, putting together classes, admining orders, etc! But I've decided THIS weekend is for painting! I'll be transferring the antlers girl from my journal to the wood, and see what comes through. Expect lots of texture!

(Of course, I'll be doing that AFTER I edit a tutorial video for Journaling Deep. My brain literally hurt after three 12 hour days editing, so I really needed to rest it before I got a migraine!)

And one last little thing - if you notice, the comments are disabled. I had a long discussion about this with friends, expressing my curiosity as to why my comments have dropped overall...and I think I need to remember WHY I blog, so I'm turning them off for a little bit. But you can always hit me up on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or send me an email! I love hearing from you, as I'm thinking my word for 2013 will be connection!

(There's also a link down there to share my posts, now, or just hit like!)

Shining From Within...

I've always been captivated by the moon, that milky white light, the way it cuts through the cold on a clear winter's night, or seems to radiate heat in the height of summer. When I was younger, I set a jar of water, scented with rose oil, out during the full moon, hoping to capture a bit of its magic. I kept the jar for years, opening it every so often to smell the moon-rose water inside. 

I lost it in the move out west, the magic used up, gone, only drops left inside. 

I've found myself playing, looking at the relationship between color and shape, putting together elements in my journal that I feel would produce simple beauty, evoke emotion. There are pages I spend hours on, and others I put together over weeks, finding little bits and scraps that would work amazingly well together. 

It's almost like going on a scavenger hunt, long-winded with the prize of a loved journal page, finding all those elements that are supposed to fit, work together. Plucking pieces of the Self from a pile of papers and scraps and left-overs from other projects, bigger projects. 

It's how we piece ourselves back together after a stressful event, a long trip to our Soul Home we avoided for so long, we needed to go far, far away to find ourselves again. All those pieces of our True Self shed and forgotten, dropped for shinier, newer toys. But those new things may not be the best for us, or feed our ego instead of nourishing us, and at some point, we're left alone, grasping, in the dark, for those true bits, hoping to light our Soul Light once again, glowing bright against the darkness.

Take time today to be Silent. To sit with yourself and listen for those words of wisdom, those answers you already know. Collect together the yearnings of your true nature, put them together, shine from within.

Journal It! Book Love <3

I was lucky enough to get a copy of this new art journaling book, Journal It! by Jenny Doh and I really like it! 

If you've chatted with me, you know I'm very picky when it comes to art books. I have such a great time discovering things myself, and have been doing this for so long, that many art journaling books are simply too basic or don't really catch my interest. I can count on one hand how many I've purchased in the past few years! 

But Jenny has done a fantastic job of bringing together a myrad of different styles and approaches; that was the first pleasant surprise of this book. The other is the variety of short tutorials spread throughout! You really get to think differently about jouraling and what you include when presented with all these new ideas. There are artists I've known for years and others I've never heard of, all of them journaling for different reasons, with different materials, and creating beauty in all its shades. 

A few of my friends are in here, and I couldn't be more proud to see their progression. I've known Debra and Roben-Marie for years, and Kathrin and I used to run in the same Moleskine circles way back when I was getting started. 

I tried a few tutorials and ideas already! I can't wait to sink deeper into this book and try out all sorts of fun stuff....like the tree rubbings and custom journals? How cool is that?! And watercolor progressions....it seems so calming!

I really love this book, and wholeheartedly recommend it if you're looking to grow your journal practice! Check out this little book trailer for more! 

On Returning to Home & Chronic Conditions

I recently joined the world of iPad owners (well, I share this with someone, but that still puts me with owners, right?) and have found myself spending time away from my studio and art supplies, so I thought I'd see what this thing can do....and wow! The apps out there are amazing, and react just as materials would if I were using them in the studio - pretty closely, at least! Now I can sketch and journal away from home. While I don't think this will replace my normal materials and methods, I really do love being able to play. I create to relax and get in touch with my Deeper Self. I read this passage in Women Who Run With the Wolves, by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, last night that has resonated with me, getting me to think. I love when words worm their way into my mind, taking up root as I mull them over. What do they mean to me? How can I use them to prompt change in a positive direction?

When the culture, the society, or the psyche does not support this cycles to return home, many women learn to leap over the gate or dig under the fence anyway. They become chronically ill and purloin reading time in bed. They smile that fancy smile as if all is well and go on a subtle work slowdown for the duration.

I may shock you with this next statement, but there are times I am thankful for my chronic conditions. They have taught me so much about myself, slowed me down to better enjoy the little things in life, and are always ready to - and quite loudly - remind me to reconnect with myself. This may be through pre-flare-up pain, that tells me I need to rest and take time for myself, or through full flare-up days, when I stay in my pajamas and, as Estes says above, "purloin reading in bed." Or work in a sketchbook. Or enjoy a movie. But if becoming chronically ill is the result of too much time spent up in the outside world, what does that mean to me? My illness started when I was 15, and has, unfortunately, become complicated as the years pass. Does this mean I need to spend more time in my Soul-Home? Nightly visits in Utter Silence? And how is it that so many days have gone by since the last time I truly created...not nights on the couch while watching movies, but alone, in my space, when I seem to live outside time? One thing I can relate to is the last bit, about smiling "that fancy smile as if all is well." I am thankful that I don't seem to need that mask anymore. About a week and a half ago, I had the pleasure of working with a new client, Jen, and was filming her in her studio. She gave consideration and acknowledgement to my FMS, and even had us take a shorter work day for my sake. And yet, I wasn't treated as though I'd break, or any less of a professional. I felt more like a Whole Self in those hours than I have in a long time (remind me to write of returning dreams; it is an amazing experience!). Any thoughts? I know I shall continue to mull this over in my mind, turning up the soil of my fertile soul, preparing to plant new ideas and dreams. I do hope to discuss such things more, with all of you, spreading the words of change and Wild Souls as I continue on my journey. With love, Samie Kira

Creating a Magic Box (new local class, too!)

Starting this month, I’ll be running a monthly mixed-media class. I’ll be teaching projects and techniques at a lovely little studio space near downtown Phoenix, and we’ll have a yummy dinner & dessert to enjoy while we’re creating! 

I am so very excited to show you November’s project — a magic box! 

I wanted us to create things that could be given as gifts or help us record the upcoming holiday season for the next two months, and became enchanted by the magic of nature and wishes and boxes combined! 

The process of creating this box was brilliant! I know we talk about the transformative power of creating art, but it is one thing to read the words and another to experience them. 

My new awakening has me out in nature, more, reconnecting to my roots. I want to stand in the grass and soak in the energy of the Mother. I want to jump in pile of leaves (in dreams, as there are not enough leaves here to create a pile). I want to pull nature into my daily life and art, and I learned that through creating this piece. 

I also began working with clay. As a child, my mother was an amazing clay artist, using found objects and her own hands to craft faces and shapes and little creatures. Textures for skirts and faerie wings. I’ve missed that, and became inspired to add clay to my box. 

And then there is a bit of collage. Washi tape. Paint. Crayons and marks and scallops. Stamps. 

But my love is the bundle of twigs, held together with wire and findings, old seam binding from my grandmother’s stash. The wire loops down through the lid of the box to create a handle with which to open your box of magic. Of photos. Of books. Of memories. Of wishes for the future, dreams you hope to come true. 

There are so many possibilities. 

I am so excited, I’m going to create more! More and more! 

You can come with and make one, too! 

I’ll be teaching the first class of my new monthly shindig on Tuesday, November 20, 2012, at 6PM. 

It will be held at Spread the Weird Studio down near 7^th Street & Roosevelt, right along Roosevelt Row and all those galleries and shops! 

Cost is $30. Part of the cost goes towards yummy food. 
Please bring your own cigar box (or you will be able to grab one at class for a small fee).

This class is organized by me and Denise of the Make Stuff Club meetup. You can either pay via PayPal with the link below, or call me to pay over the phone. Please note that space is limited!

I really hope to see you there! I want this monthly meetup to be full of art, fun, and new discoveries. 

Gelli Arts Gel Plate Basics! (video)

Ah, finally! Even if you don't see them, I'm working on videos every single week, and am now working with others to make them awesome & amazing videos for their tutorials, too! So here's the gel plate tutorial I filmed a couple weeks ago! 

I've learned so much and converted more than a handful of people with this fun, easy to use product! I'll be making another with 'advanced' techniques pretty soon, for those of you with your own plates who want to know more! I just....I have so much fun with my gel plates! It's so calming and medatative and full of all sorts of layers and possibilities! 

If you want to see more of what I've created so far, check out my Gel Plate art gallery!

My lovely amazing friend Roben-Marie has ALSO posted her take on gel plates -- we scheduled our posts to go up together to give you all a Weekend of Gelli Arts! 

Thanks to Gelli Arts for giving us the opertunity to play with this amazing product!