Looking for Logo

Hey babes-
We need a logo for this website. Is anyone interested in designing one? If so, please comment here or send me an email with your design by June 7th. OR, if you don't want to do the actual design but have ideas on what it should look like, let me know that, too!

Also, I'd like to redesign the look of this site. All ideas are welcome.

Partial Pile of Project Parts

Perhaps this pile of project parts is why I feel so scattered. Everything is only partly ... partly sewn up, partly knitted, partly stuffed, partly embroidered. My plants are only partly potted. The laundry, partly folded. The house is fully filthy... hey wait! That's one thing to feel complete about! Yippppeeee!!!
Okay... so I am making a "goalette" for myself (a goalette is a small goal that if not met, should not impart guilt on the goalettee.) Back to the goalette... by the end of the weekend, I am hoping to be able to post a picture of a pile of complete projects. If the goalette is met, I will be happy... if not, no worries.

Involvement

I've been away from the blog for abit. With all this new media I've been reflecting on both what I'd like to share and receive in these spaces. What I'm longing for is connection and inspiration. I've already have enjoyed reading many of your posts and love seeing your work online. I hope and look forward to reading and seeing more. I recently made some time to create a piece for a friend of mine. This piece is titled 'involvement' part of a small group of paintings I call 'poetry pieces'.

La Cascade

For the last five summer I have taught workshops at the beautiful artists retreat house in southern France, La Cascade. Last summer I was already there when I started working with Shannon as my creativity coach. I spent the summer in deep thinking- prodded by her inspiring questions and suggestions- while teaching the workshops and also camping for several weeks in the Pyrenees and Provence.
I'd think about my answers to her questions and ideas while at the campground at night or in the studio at La Cascade- and then find an Internet cafe to send my replies to her. It was a very fruitful time even tho I wasn't actually making my art.
I recently wrote a short article for Somerset Studio magazine on La Cascade which is in the current May/June issue. And I'll be leaving next week to be there again.
If you'd like to follow my journey there and the workshop experience- I plan to post once a week on my own site-http://www.dayledoroshow.com Then hit the Journal button. And I have more info there on the France page about my workshops there for 2010. ***Unfortunately I can't get a picture to load- I invite you to click on my Dayle's Flickr link on the sidebar at my site and there are lots of pics there.

Looking for Recipes!

Ni had the fabulous idea to share recipes on this site.  In particular, she's looking for yummy breakfast ideas...so let's start there.  Does anyone have fun and yummy breakfast recipes and inspiration you can share with us here?  If so, tag your post "breakfast recipes" so we can get a collection going.

I've added a link to the side bar for vegetarian recipes. If you have other links to share, let me know!

Here's one that I have yet to try but I think it sounds very yummy.

This recipe was borrowed from www.vegancoach.com.

Vegan Blueberry-Banana Walnut Pancakes

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup unbleached flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 banana, mashed
• 1 1/4 cups non-dairy milk (I soy, rice or almond milk.)
• 1 Tablespoon granulated sweetener
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or (defrosted) frozen

1. In a large bowl, sift the flour and baking powder together. In a small bowl, mash the banana with a fork and add 1/4 cup of the milk, mixing together until there are no lumps. Add the banana, sweetener, walnuts, blueberries, and remaining milk to the dry mix and stir together until "just mixed".

2. Heat a nonstick pan or a lightly-oiled frying pan. Let sit on medium heat until the bottom turns golden brown. Flip and cook other side. Repeat process until all the batter is gone. Makes 2 or more servings.

Taking Flight

Wow...I'm truly inspired.  I've been receiving a lot of messages to paint, to collage and to explore art journaling more deeply.  I've kept a journal for as long as I can remember - and for some reason recently I've had so many visual, powerful journal books, collage and mixed media artists, and other bits of inspiration keep entering my life.

I'm following it.  I don't know where it will lead....

Kelly Rae Roberts is an artist I recently discovered and I spent the afternoon reading her beautiful book Taking Flight:  Inspiration & Techniques to Give Your Creative Spirit Wings.

So much of what I read sounds like something I would have written.  It's great to find other artists living their authentic life.  I'm reminded that I'm living a creative life, yet my wings are needing to expand...fuller.  I'm ready to fly higher.  

I love the magic and power of kindred spirits.

Spring Clean and Let Go

The other day I followed my intuition to walk into the bookstore. I'm usually drawn to the magazines when I'm in need of inspiration.  I happened across a new "Cloth, Paper, Scissors - Studios" magazine that had the most scrumptious photos about 25 different artists and their amazingly organized art studios.  If you are feeling a deep desire to reinvigorate your workspace, I highly recommend this issue!  There are so many creative ideas on how to rethink your space, including an article entitled "Clutter Out, Creativity In", that offers great suggestions.

One tip that I found especially helpful is when you are wanting to clear out some of your old work, take a digital photo, so you can keep a record of it, then you won't feel the need to hang on to the piece.  

That simple reminder helped me feel good about my decision to let this piece go: 

I've never really had a spot for it in my home, however, I couldn't bare to let it go because it is my one and only welded creation - an amazing accomplishment for someone who doesn't really like using big "power tools", let alone working with a flame!  I'm usually more drawn to "softer, warmer" kinds of medium, so I was surprised to learn how much I enjoyed welding.

Yet, ever since I cleaned out my basement this spring, letting go of things that no longer serve a purpose in my life, has become a whole lot easier.  And making space for new things has become an exciting new hobby of mine.  The more I let go - the simpler my life is becoming. That feels so much better to me these days than hanging on to things just "because".

So, thanks for allowing me this opportunity to share photos of my welded shelf.  I love it and it's time to say goodbye. 

What are you ready to let go of to make more space for your creativity?