Ghosty super powers – remnants of the holi-daze
Finally, with the holiday season now officially over (even the holiday lattes are done and dusted… tear!), I can get back on track with building my Moon Birdz creative illustration business (contact me at jen@moonbirdz.com to discuss any of your art needs, including but not limited too… children’s book illustration, logo design and art licensing), as well as more inspiring blogs to usher you into a creatively inspiring 2015.
But first, I have to be honest… this holiday season was a really tough one for me. I went back to Minnesota, and barely 2 days off the plane, something I’ve never had to deal with before happened… My 89 year old Father ended up in the hospital with stroke-like symptoms. He couldn’t use his legs and was very confused and disoriented. The rest of my time there was a blur of hospitals, doctors, nurses, social workers, transitional care discussions, and trying to be the glue holding my family together. It was truly heart-wrenching, and a testament to the strength and will of the human spirit. You never really know how strong you are until one of your beloved ones is in desperate need of your care. You just do whatever it takes, and possess superhero power to help make them better. The sun is just starting to peak through the clouds again, and I’m really happy that I was there to help my Dad when he needed me the most, and would do it again in a heartbeat. Family is everything, love is everything, patience and compassion are everything, and the ability to allow yourself to really FEEL in situations like this is everything. I had my moments of breakdown, but I got right back up and was onto the next mission to help my Dad. So, if you’ve ever had the unfortunate fortune to go through something like this please know that giving your family your all is one of life’s rewarding (albeit sometimes painful) blessings, but also allowing YOURSELF to truly FEEL and let the tears fall is one of the biggest gifts you can give yourself, for the tears are one of our bodies most miraculous healers, and absolutely necessary to get through tough times so that you can purify, cleanse and be empowered for the next challenges life throws your way.
Once I returned home I was compelled to sketch an octopus. Why? I’m still piecing that puzzle together, but it gave me a sense of tranquility with the calm, flowing beauty that they possess… and their ability to have a helping hand (or tentacle in their case) ready at a moments notice. It just felt like the right thing to draw… my ghost octopus…
In heartfelt gratitude,
Jen
Find your creative currency
I wanted to share this Mystic Mama article with you as it really struck a chord with me, and how I strive to find inspiration in the every day and how outside factors can help aid in igniting that creative spark inside. With the craziness of the holiday season, I think this advice is really helpful in keeping you creative, and grounded. Thanks, Mystic Mama!!
xoxo,
Jen
Let the music move you
I‘m so happy right now… I got to see not only one, but 2 of my favorite bands play this week!! I’d have to say that going to shows is about one of my very favorite ways to spend a night out. Right off the bat you know that you’re going to have a good time because you love the music that will be played, and once you get there you’ll be surrounded by people who love the band and are all there for one common purpose… to have a great time and unite with one another over the music. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a show where people are in a bad mood. It’s like all of the metal brethren come out to engage in a wild nite of song, head banging, dance and libations (of course mead would only be so appropriate at these metal shows! Bunch of rowdy vikings…).
Down – NOLA super group with Phil from Pantera and (until recently) Kirk from Crowbar… I have not the words to explain how much they ROCK!!!! It’s like Pantera but dirty Southern style… yessssss…
Opeth – Mikael Akerfeldt doing what he does best… amazingly haunting, gorgeous music!!! It’s the perfect marriage of heavy metal and melodic. The Swedes really know their metal.
Music has always been such a huge part of my life. It’s been the friend that I could always count on in the good and in the bad. Only music can evoke such powerful feelings inside me, bringing me back to a certain place, person, or emotion with just one strum of a guitar chord. It’s an amazing portal that you can choose to visit over and over again and always get the same healing benefits. It also plays a big role for me while creating my art. It’s as if the music imbeds itself into my work. It’s actually visibly noticeable which kind of music I was listening too. That’s why when working on my children’s book art I have to listen to lounge-y, trip-hop, swing, James Bondish sounding upbeat music. When I do my line drawing (more choppy, bold) then I can listen to my beloved metal. But mixing the 2 different types of music, with the 2 different types of art never works for me. It comes out looking a little how the music sounds. I must say that it’s been fun experimenting with some new music as of late… like Celtic Folk.
What kind of music inspires you the most?
xoxo,
Jen
Building your inspirational coven
Over the past few days my thoughts have turned to the friendships that we cultivate during our lives, and how crucial it is to have a support system of peers, outside of your family. Particularly the importance of our girlfriends. Now boyfriends/husbands are fabulous, don’t get me wrong, but today’s post is all about girl power!!
I refer to my gaggle of girls as my coven. We come together over tea, cocktails, delicious food that we prepare for one another, uplifting conversation, and a spell or ritual (particularly during the new or full moons) thrown in for good measure. We inspire each other to do great things with our lives, and support each other on the journey. We discuss and help each other move past any obstacles that may be blocking our path towards our dreams. It’s incredibly empowering to have this female support. We are all exceptionally magickal creatures, each one of us has her own unique magick, and when brought together with other women the potential of what we can do is astounding!! Now, some of you may not agree with the whole ‘magickal coven’ type thing, but that’s ok. I don’t brand myself as a Wiccan, but I do feel drawn to some of their rituals, and of course the way they honor nature. I prefer to think of myself as a ‘magickally spiritual’ being who marches to the beat of her own drum. Point is, you don’t have to conform to anything in order to create your coven. All that you need is like minded girlfriends, and enjoy uplifting, elevating, and supporting one another. We are all so special, and the more time that we can spend with our girlfriends the better we become… for ourselves, and for the men in our lives. This was a hard lesson for me to learn as at a very early age I thought that it was all about having a boyfriend, and shut out my girlfriends. I found out the hard way by losing most of my girlfriends when I was a teenager… at that crucial time where we need them the most. Lesson learned, I’ll never let that happen again. Now, I am most inspired by the women in my life, and by great females who take charge and transform their lives and live their dreams! Some of the stories that give me so much strength and hope are about women who were working in jobs that they were not thrilled about (although on paper, very good executive jobs), decided to jump ship and start their own business, making their dreams a reality… and fiercely succeeding at it. I mean if that doesn’t get ya going I don’t know what will!
Me and some of my lovelies…
Let your girlfriends know how much they mean to you today. Always make the time to see them on a regular basis and discuss your hopes, dreams, and goals. Together we can help each other live beyond our wildest dreams, and be enriched in fabulously blessed lives.
This post is dedicated to all of the amazingly spectacular women in my life… I love you all!!!
xoxo,
Jen
Why Not Wednesdays
I‘m going to give you a challenge today because, why not? It’ll be fun. Sometimes we all need a kick in the pants to jump start our creativity. We need a whole new reason to be inspired. You know what I’m talking about, if you’re anything like me and have a pretty regular routine it can sometimes be a challenge to find something new and ‘pause-worthy’ with the same ol’. I’ve created a list of some things that you can do to shake it up and hopefully feel a renewed vigor for art/cooking/music/wood working/sewing/whatever your fancy, after! So… why not…
1. Get a new hairstyle/cut/color. Hard to not be inspired when you’re looking so darn hot!
2. Take a way home that you’ve never gone before. I’ve heard it said that when you trick your brain into doing something unfamiliar (that you usually do every single day), it fires up the synapses giving you a different perspective, triggering new thoughts, inspiration.
3. Go to a museum you’ve never been before and check out the art that you usually would never consider looking at. Bam, new perspective!
4. Do something that makes you cringe. Pick something that you don’t like to do or avoid doing, and DO IT!! Sometimes its’s no pain no gain. After you do it more than likely you’ll realize that it wasn’t that bad, and if it is, kudos to you for putting yourself out there in the first place!
5. Let your freak flag fly people!! Who cares who’s watching or listening. Belt out your favorite tune, dance in public with reckless abandon and just be wonderful weird you!! It feels so good to be a freak, embrace it.
6. Take a trip to a foreign land and experience the culture. Live like the locals, go where they go, eat the food they eat, speak their language. And if you can’t afford a big trip, explore a new town you’ve never been too before in the state you live.
7. Consider a new career path, especially if you’ve been feeling drained or unfulfilled at your job. When I was trying to find my path I took a career development course at the local college. I took some fun personality tests which were sent away to California to be graded. When they came back it detailed out what career path would be best suited to my personality, and it worked… no surprise here, I was told to do art. Should’ve listened to that a bit better later on in my career… But I’m back on track now! Better late than never. And remember, it’s always wisest to find a new job while you have one. Never jump without a safety net!
8. Try a juice cleanse. Sometimes cleaning out your body also helps to clear the mind, and who doesn’t need a little of that from time to time!
9. Take a yoga class and chant along with the Om’s, even if it makes you feel uncomfortable. It has the power to unlock so much.
10. Be bold and make some new friends outside of your social circle. New minds can help give you new perspectives on everything!
Good luck! I’ll be following right along with you in these challenges. Let me know which you choose and how it felt.
xoxo,
Jen
