Hadassah Tea and Me

I am off to Marla Friedman's home for a Hadassah Tea. I will be speaking about our book Butterfly Kisses and Wishes and Wings- and more specifically how creating art was a part of my healing process.

Fittingly, when I was gathering up my books and support materials to bring this afternoon to the Tea, I picked up the sketchbook that was gifted to me following my diagnosis. That book was the springboard for ideas, images, thoughts and feelings that began my Body as an Open Book Series. Opening the front cover I found a quote I jotted down from the book Conversations with God, "The point of life is to create- who and what you are, and then to experience that."

That resonated with me 7 years ago as it does now. That act of being creative is is part of who we are as human beings. Using images,words, sounds, our bodies, our (hidden?) gifts or talents to express our experience is the key to living our lives fully- where ever we are or where ever we find ourselves. Hope where you are is a place of contentment and joy on this Sunday in January.

Speaking of Tea, I have been keeping up with my tea bag drawings. Some are quick late night sketches to fulfill my daily intention. Others are more deliberate observations. Here are a few from January.

Autumn Inspirations

The leaves are turning, the air is crisp, and the days are still warm. It is Autumn at its finest. The air is also charged with politics and the economy. Trying to stay centered in this time of change and turmoil, I find myself returning to my work and my yoga and meditation practice.
I was out last week by the pond doing some monotypes with pastel. It was good to be outside, working from life and staying present. I also brought the colors, energy and energy of fish flopping about onto a larger piece with the same theme- Autumn Pond. My studio is still a work in progress, but more and more it feels like my space that I can return to.

This is also breast cancer awareness month. Ellen and I speak regularly cross country as we look for ways to continue moving forward with our book Butterfly Kisses and Wishes on Wings and helping others in a more direct way. What I love is that the book has a life of its own. People are starting to find us and share our message with others, gifting it forward, visiting our website www.butterflykissesbook.com, or some other grace of God. Amazon, as well continues to sell the books on a regular basis through their website. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw_0_16?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=butterfly+kisses+and+wishes+on+wings&sprefix=Butterfly+Kisses

But I am especially excited that our book has been found by a wonderful new website and email newsletter. "StyleSubstanceSoul.com is a unique website whose mission is to inspire women to live a life of passion, compassion and action. Our tag line is \"Look good. Feel Good. Do Good,\" and we provide lots of great ways to accomplish those goals every week."
http://stylesubstancesoul.com/themes/butterflies/have_10_minutes.html
I am inspired that there are so many women whose mission is to inspire, support and celebrate each other. Thank you Amy Krause and Lois Alter Mark. I too, look forward to reading StyleSubstanceSoul for some Soul Food.