let’s talk about chakras -or- how to get a yoga girl, part 2

29. December 2011 · 2 comments · Categories: damn hippies, how to change your mind, how to do stuff · Tags: , , , , , ,

from NWsacredart on etsy

 

Ya’ll ready?  I’ve had a pretty substantial obsession with chakras for the last several months, and you know me–when I get my heels into something, I don’t stop until I reach as far as it can go.

Spirituality, with its endless differences and similarities, has been a favorite topic of mine for … well, forever.  At the ripe old age of 36, turns out I’ve been studying this jive pretty hardcore for the last twenty years.  Solid.  Sometimes in secret, sometimes organized in classes and degrees.  It’s a topic I’ve chased for a long, long time.  ’Cuz Baby, I was Born to Run.

Seems a few limitations in my life have lifted and I’m free to start talking about it now.  And hey, what do you know, maybe get a little coin from it.

So let’s start at the beginning.  

There are seven centers of energy within the human body, known as chakras.  I won’t get into the whole historical aspect of that, mostly because it’s boring and also because I don’t feel like doing any more research about it right now.  Whether or not you believe in the source of their existence is inconsequential ~ think of a chakra as a focused point of intention.  Like a target on a bale of hay.

Each of these seven points of focus represents a culmination of ideas, the experience of mind/body/spirit within the physical self.  There’s a lot going on when it comes to chakras, layers upon layers of history and interpretation.  You could spend an entire lifetime working through these concepts, and often people do.  They’re called yogis.

Here’s the easy version:  when your girl’s talking about chakras, she’s talking about a hell of a lot more than rainbows.

Kick her some credit.  It’s an intricate system.  Women are intricate beings.  So are you.

Step up.

Chakra One  ::  Earth

Right at the base of your fly lil’ honey’s bum, at the point where her legs meet her core, lies the first chakra.  Look down.  Note that you have the same point on your body, therefore you have one too.  (See?  You have something in common already.)

This is the source of gravity, inherited instincts, evolution itself.

The work with your first chakra focuses on GROUNDING.  The physical self as an organism on the earth, the edges, the limitations.  Where the skin of a being ends and the air begins.  It represents the strength of your legs, your attachment to the earth.  Your roots.

Be like tree.

Simple Meditation for Dudes

Focus on limits.  Limits are different than restrictions.  Imagine a room.  Any kind of room you like.  It could be a bathroom, it could be a cathedral…and yes, it can be a bedroom.  That’s fine.  Within this room, imagine the color of the walls, the style of furniture, what elements would be present in a room of this kind.  How can you rearrange the pieces, move things around?  Would more space be created if you took something out?  Is there a piece of furniture you would like to see?

That’s a limit.

Chances are good that you don’t feel claustrophobic in a regular old living room, right?  But you don’t park your car in there.

Restriction means you can’t.  Limitation means you work with what you’re given.

Oddly enough, very clear limits create very clear avenues of yes.  Or no.  Maybe your girl likes white couches and modern decor but you want to hang out in a cabin in the center of the woods.  Awareness of the first chakra helps define those lines.  It doesn’t mean you can’t put a pristine hunk of furniture in the middle of your lair, but you better be prepared to keep up with some maintenance.  Dig?

Breathe.

Right now.  Do it.

Witness your breath.

The limits of what your lungs can hold.

Amazingly, such a small amount of oxygen keeps you alive.  All day long.

For the advanced version, breathe for three minutes, concentrating on what it feels like to fill and empty the capacity of your lungs.

How to Get the Girl

Talk about your experience with feeling grounded, connected.  Spend time outside with her, move your body.  Climb on things.  Throw rocks.  Don’t show off, be casual about it.  Talk about your admiration for trees and entities that are deeply rooted.  This is about your experience, you can’t fake it. If you don’t know, ask questions.  Listen more than you speak.

Are you faking it?

Get back to the mat.  Ask yourself why.  Listen to the answer.  Be humble.  Adjust.  Release.  Repeat.

That’s the work.  Go do it.

 

Yoga with Your Girl

Savasana (corpse pose).  Preferably with a view of the sky.  Stars are nice.  And don’t be getting any ideas about sex.  That’s a different chakra.

This is foundation.  Limits.  Being in one place, one room, one center of concentration.  You can’t ride two horses with one ass – you’re not that flexible yet.

We’ll talk about sex next time.  Promise.

 

much love – miss j

 

professional artist series: how to use the paintbrush in watercolor painting

12. August 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: how to do stuff

The Professional Artist Series is a look into the world of the working artist, featuring tutorials, tips, and personal perspectives about art from those who really know the ropes.

(So, like, here’s some basic guidelines that will help keep your work from looking like total crap.)

 

 

Getting Along with the Paintbrush – Basic Watercolor Techniques

Artist: MaryAnn Cleary of Spirit River Studio

Style: Impressionist

Currently Studying: Landscape Painting

Influences: Sargent, Georgia O’Keefe, Nicohlai Fechin

Links: maryanncleary.com, facebook


Watercolor likes to be one of those evasive media. Tough to control and full of surprises, which is what makes it so charming. There are a multitude of ways to use watercolor, each dependent on the technique used with the brushes.  In this tutorial, you will find a summary that introduces some different ways to use your brushes in watercolor painting.

 

 

  • A wet-into-wet technique is where the paper is saturated with water before any painting takes place. The brush is then loaded with paint and the fun begins–paint runs and flows wherever the color will go. The edges are soft and delightful. Don’t be afraid to really load the paint onto the brush as the color will always be lighter with watercolor.  (Watercolor always dries lighter than what it appears when wet.)

 


  • Blotting: a good trick with watercolor is to blot areas where you want less paint. You can use a paper towel for this, a rag or even a dry paint brush. It all depends on how much paint or water moisture you want to lift.

 

  • A very popular method in watercolor is the dry brush technique. This is just a brush, loaded with various amounts of paint, used on dry paper.

This a pretty crude painting, but I wanted to show you how to use and apply the various brush techniques. Sometimes you will want to make use of the negative space or background and fill that with color, leaving the focus with more white (paper showing). Other times you may want to paint the flower or focal point with lots of color and leave the negative space (background white).

These techniques work well in art journals too–the point is to just have fun!

 

Next week:  Watercolor Paper – What Does It All Mean?

 

 

the right brain approach to money – a conceptual explanation of how to manage your finances

09. August 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: how to change your mind, how to do stuff

 

I don’t even know where to begin with this one.  Chances are good if you’re an artist, you have a troubled relationship with money.

The trouble comes from the inability to assimilate a left brain approach to a right brain point of view.  Those who are left brain driven excel with lists, figures, details, rows, and calculations.  Those who are right brain driven excel with broad concepts, overall pictures, visual representations, color, movement, change.  Money is generally explained, tracked, and represented by left brain driven tools.

So the trick to healing your relationship with money, for you right brain driven folks, is to conceptualize.  Translate it into a language that makes sense to you.  Here’s what works for me:

Money is a form of energy, nothing more nothing less.  You invest your energy into work, which creates your income.  The income then becomes an exchange–the energy received for the energy given.  The amount that you work, and in what capacity, determines the ability to support your desired lifestyle.

If you are frustrated or failing, then you are out of alignment, meaning the energy you are spending is not bringing the results you desire.

For instance, when I was pursuing my sewing endeavor, I was constantly exerting a tremendous amount of energy without making any money.  To be clear, there are obstacles and challenges to overcome when working for yourself, but there is a point at which you should begin to reap some rewards for your efforts.  I was not seeing those rewards, despite my best efforts and expert experience.

I was out of alignment.

Money is an energy, like air is an element.  It is neither good nor bad, merely an exchange of this for that.  Like air, it can be polluted, but it is a necessary tool for survival in the state of our world as we know it.

No one ever accuses you of taking too much air.  Of wanting too much air.  You take what you need.

If you exercise or move quickly, you require more air.

If you exert more energy or resonate at a higher frequency, you require more money.  (And we’re not talking about Buddhist monks that live in the mountaintops here, we’re talking about you.  You, living in industrialized society, need money.  Stop acting like a martyr and accept where you’re at.)

Money, like air, is an inexhaustible resource.

Without limit or question, you consume the air need.  You don’t worry about where it will come from.  You never consider the amount of air available if you go for a run, hop on a bike, or trek up the mountainside.  You just go for it.  You allow your physical body to do the work it needs to do, though increased oxygen flow is what makes the experience physically enjoyable.

More air makes your body feel better.  The flow of new oxygen renews your cells and helps your body produce at its optimum level.

You don’t hoard air, you don’t stockpile it in a room and track its every move.  You use it.  You breathe, you don’t worry about it.

Money is no different.

When you are in alignment, you don’t have to worry about money.  Like air, it flows freely.  You receive what you require, you expend the energy without hesitation.

 

If you’re interested in reading more about integrating natural elements into your life’s work, check out NaturalRhythms.org.

 

::  the air that I breathe  ::  the hollies  ::

professional artist series: choosing paint brushes for watercolor

29. July 2011 · 4 comments · Categories: how to do stuff

The Professional Artist Series is a look into the world of the working artist, featuring tutorials, tips, and personal perspectives about art from those who really know the ropes.

 

Artist: MaryAnn Cleary of Spirit River Studio

Style: Impressionist

Currently Studying: Landscape Painting

Influences: Sargent, Georgia O’Keefe, Nicohlai Fechin

Links: maryanncleary.com, facebook

 

An Introduction to Basic Brushes for Watercolor Journaling

Brushes are the tools and the life line of watercolorists. For someone just starting, the vast array of brushes can be absolutely mind boggling. They vary in prices, sizes and shapes depending on quality and materials.

Watercolor brushes typically have short handles, but long handled brushes are available as well.  Your choice depends on personal preference and portability.

Short handled brushes are a good fit for use with a watercolor art journal because they are so easy to tote around.

As an avid traveler, I always have a stash of watercolor supplies close at hand for quick stops along the countryside.

For making my journal pages, I prefer the Koi watercolor set that includes a little palette and small brush. Nice, compact and great colors. Besides the wonderful self-contained water brush that comes with the Koi set, I like to use a variety of brushes for painting different effects in my water color journal.

  • I have two half-inch flat brushes. One is a kolinsky sable (B) that I bought more than twenty years ago. They are the creme de la creme of brushes.   I also have a half inch flat synthetic hair brush (A) that has very soft, bouncy and flexible fibers. The fibers are a bit longer than my old sable brush and I find that I use and like it better than the sable.
  • I also carry a few round brushes. One is synthetic  – and totally sucks, but I like the effect for some things. The rest are all natural hair brushes that I picked up in China during the two years that I lived in Suzhou. They work great.

The main thing to look for in a brush is the feel and look of the fibers of the brush.

A good brush will have a sharp point. (I have been known to spit on them to see their point shapes correctly when wet.) It’s difficult to tell by just looking at a dry brush, especially with the starch the companies apply  to hold the shape. A good art store will have a glass of water where you can dip and play with the brush to see how the water flows from the brush and what the point shape looks like when wet. Some are excellent. Other brushes suck.

Also, be sure to gently pull on the fibers to make sure they don’t fall out.  This is a typical problem with cheap brushes that results in scattered hairs all over your painting.  Very frustrating.

I would stay away from the darker and thick looking natural fibers where the shape is inconsistent, but the price is cheap.

With brushes you  get what you pay for. An artist needs good tools.

Also, stay away from the stiff, synthetic types. There are some great synthetic fibers now and there are also brushes with a blend of synthetic and natural fibers. Those can be pretty amazing, too, and very cost effective.

 

Brushes in the image and a test of how they paint:

  • A – a synthetic 1/2 inch flat brush. Paints nicely and holds the paint very well. (No. 6  1/2″ Umbria Flat Princeton Art and Brush Co. 6250F)
  • B – sable flat. It used to paint a lot nicer before an old boyfriend used it for something other than watercolor (1/2″ flat Aquarelle by Grumbacher)
  • C – synthetic fibers (no. 12 Sablette by Utrecht)
  • D – natural fiber about the same size as the one above.
  • E and F – natural fibers Chinese brushes – I wanted you to see the points on these. Compare the look of these to the stiff synthetic of C.
  • G – white synthetic that came with the Koi watercolor kit. Excellent.  A brush like this helps you achieve very fine lines.

Next we will play with the actual paint and I will show some techniques with how to use it. Enjoy!

 

::  down by the water  ::  pj harvey  ::

how I spent my morning and some techie hookups for you

14. July 2011 · 1 comment · Categories: how to do stuff


 

It took me about an hour and a half to figure out how to make one of these little badges.  If you would like to make one of the little buggers, allow me to save you some time.

Upload your image in the appropriate size to Photobucket (for the direct link code).

Go here and copy the code on the page, insert your links.  Voila.

 

::  indier than thou  ::  mc frontalot  ::

(ya’ll heard of nerd rap?  there ya go.  full of hookups today.)

a crafty procrastinator’s guide to getting it done: 10 tips for focus, productivity, and keeping it fun

14. June 2011 · 3 comments · Categories: how to do stuff

Yesterday, I promised you some tools for how to deal with the panic of waiting until the last minute to get everything done for an art/craft show.  Without further ado, here are some key tricks that I employ on a regular basis:

  • Keep your skills warmed up and limber. Be creative in some way every single day.  Push yourself to play around with new mediums, photography toys, sew up goofy little monsters just for fun–and not necessarily all in one day.  Keep it fun.  Making room for the daily practice keeps the machine oiled, warmed up, and ready to rumble.  You don’t just jump into a car that’s been sitting cold for months and take a jaunt across the country.

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  • Keep a project notebook. This is my #1 procrastination tool.  A sketchbook doesn’t work.  It has to be a notebook solely devoted to keeping track of tiny OCD details, like with lines.  Write down every single step involved in each Thing To Do, starting from the end and working your way backwards.  Assign each project a page of its own, make little boxes for check marks, write down every single step involved from cutting fabric to tagging finished items.  This will most likely scare the shit out of you.  That’s normal.  Push through it.  Writing every tiny detail in black and white gives your mind the freedom to find solutions and work quickly instead of running around in circles chasing don’t-forgets.  The only time I touch this notebook is when it’s crunch time.  Nothing else goes in there.  Nothing.  Try to find a red one, like you’re the president in a movie and it’s your emergency/crisis/the-world-is-about-to-end phone.

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  • Keep a log of your notes from previous shows. This should contain price points, customer feedback, observations, display issues, and ideas from previous runs.  I keep a three ring binder for each show I do regularly (MADE Fair, farmers markets, etc) so that when I’m ready to start the merchandising leg, I have a quick reference for what I’ve done before.  I know immediately what sold well, what bombed, what got a lot of attention, and what needs to be marketed or displayed a little better this time around.  This helps me stay consistent for my customers and it keeps all the information in one place.  Sometimes what works at one venue (or season!) doesn’t work for another and it’s easy to forget that between events.

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  • Refine your production process. How can you adjust your steps to save time and be more efficient?  In just about every instance, it’s quicker and more productive to tackle the whole project in steps rather than completing one item at a time.  Like when I’m cranking out bloomers, I can make 8 pairs production style in the same amount of time it takes me to make 2 if I do them one at a time.  Crazy but true.  Also, you might like to know that I’m planning an online Production Style Sewing Workshop later this fall.  More on that later when I’m not up to my eyeballs in production sewing myself.

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  • Exercise your Buddha mind. Be willing to let it go.  Don’t get attached to everything on your To Do list.  Know which items can be ditched, ruthlessly eliminate ideas and projects that will hinder overall production.  Keep your big sellers that you can make with your eyes closed.  Let go of the hand knit baby alpaca shrugs with beaded trim, even if they do only take a few hours to make.  If you only have a couple of units of the product, save it.  They’ll stick out like a sore thumb and will create a sense of chaos in your display.  Work them in to the next show when you have a larger quantity.  You’ll be that much further ahead for your next round of procrastination.

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  • Stay on track. Work on similar steps all at once.  Your mind is living in a battle zone and giving it the comfort of familiarity helps reduce stress and gets the job done.  Do all your hems at once.  Sew all your drawstring ties in one sitting.  You’ll be speedier with repetition, even though it’s boring.  Push yourself to finish the pile in front of you before taking a break.  Give yourself limits.  Pretend you have a really crappy boss and you’re back in the saddle of a day job.

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  • Go where the energy is. This is somewhat of a contradiction of staying on track, but sometimes your head is just not in the task at hand.  If you keep thinking about an element of production on another item and it derails your focus from what you’re doing, switch.  Complete the steps that are the least cumbersome for that particular day, mood, whatever.  Sometimes you’re exhausted and can only handle straight lines of stitching.  Don’t try to fiddle with something intricate on a day like that.  You’ll produce mistakes that will cost you time in the long run.  Sometimes you’ve had just the right amount of coffee and chocolate chip cookies, and your energy is a better match for the more difficult step.  This is where the project notebook is the most beautiful thing on earth.  Scan and find the step that suits you.  Don’t get attached to anything else.  One thing at a time.

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  • If you get someone to help you, have them bring a friend. One helper is distracting.  Two helpers keep each other busy.  It has also been proven that people who perform the same task with another person work more than twice as fast.  I’ve bribed friends with handmade gear, dinner, 6 packs of beer–you don’t necessarily have to shell out money.  You’ll be amazed at how many people out there would be jazzed to help out, even if it’s only for an hour.  A couple of teenagers can get a serious amount of tedious, time-consuming-but-easy stuff done in an hour or two.  (Don’t worry Kate, I don’t give your kids beer.)

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  • Don’t be alarmed if it feels like nothing is getting done. This always scares me.  I work on everything in steps, jumping from one project to another and nothing ever feels done.  When you start feeling like this, re-visit the project notebook and start checking off finished steps.  If you’re close to finishing something up, go ahead and make it happen because it will bring a sense of relief.  If you’re overwhelmed, find something simple to tackle in order to get warmed up.  It works.  The paralysis is the killer.  Just keep moving.

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  • Take a little bit of time for fun. Play ping pong for a minute.  Go for a walk.  Run around outside and take pictures for an afternoon.  Check in with yourself.  We have been trained to ignore and accept stress, particularly at intense levels.  Stress is not a natural state of mind.  Step outside the work zone, even if it’s only for a tiny solo dance party that lasts one song.  Breathe in some fresh air and revitalize a little bit.  But then dive right back in.

What helps you out in Procrastination Station?

 

.:  folk implosion :: nothing gonna stop  :.

free crochet pattern for dishcloths that don’t suck

08. June 2011 · 2 comments · Categories: how to do stuff, look what I made, more about yarn

 

So I know this is super glamorous, but one of the most tried-and-true tools in my arsenal of housecleaning gear is a cut up rag that I use to wash dishes.

With four people and no fancy electronic dishwasher, let’s just say I spend a lot of time looking at those little pieces of cloth.

Over the years, I’ve learned to accept–enjoy, actually–the time in front of the sink with my arms immersed in water.  An act of working meditation, a grounding concentration of peace that immediately brings me back to center during highly charged emotional upsets, which happen pretty frequently in a house with two very young children.

 

The dishes are an odd source of both stress and relief.  As a gift to myself, I finally made something pretty to enhance the peace a little–a sweet little crochet dishcloth made from Hempathy, a blend of hemp, cotton, and modal that provides just the right amount of scrubby, durability, and flexibility.

Like most things in the Virgo world, I’m pretty picky about my choice of dishrag.

I’ve tried a multitude of supercute tawashis with no luck–they’re too thick and small for my taste.  I love the simple dishrags my grandma has used for decades, but I found them to be way too big and soppy.  My intention was to create a simple cloth that I would enjoy using, a tool that I could make quickly and easily without trying to find a pattern, and most importantly, something that would get the dishes clean.  I have tried hemp, linen, cotton, wool, and acrylic and I’ve found Hempathy to be my number one choice for dishcloths.  It’s lightweight, soft but tough, and it doesn’t get all stiff when it’s wet.  Because it’s so light, it also dries very quickly–which means no funky dishrag stink.

These are super quick to whip up — just click on the link below to view the pdf.  Feel free to sell items made from this pattern–please link back to thepeacefulpeacock.com.  Enjoy and please feel free to share!

 

Dishcloths That Don’t Suck – printer friendly version

 

 

 

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