Joyful Purpose

Random Musings

"family history, personal history and cultural history all can be mined to work within this theme, using patterns to accentuate your self, to bring added meaning to the image, to tell a story or point to your history" That is the Self Portrait challange - and I suppose HATS are a big one for me - part of my past - I was a hat designer, part of who I am  - I like to wear them always have-  The one is a vintage find that I love - love old hats just love them!

The Purpose Journal packages are finished and ready to mail - sending one to Somerset Studio in hopes that they may want to publish it -~ you never know unless you try - right?

And  some random shots of my evolving studio at the beach.

My friend darling Maija tagged me as a Rockin' Girl Blogger - honored to be sure - so here are a few that I think are rockin' as well ...

Deb Trotter

Rebecca Sower

Nina

Misty

Stephanie Lee

Heather Bullard

You Rock Sistas!

Busy Weekend

  Well, I finally got some work done this weekend - completed is more like it.  I was part of a cupcake swap and on eof the things that I have been working on is a hand lettered and artfilled cupcake zinette for my partner which I finally finished last night!  It is filled with recipes, ideas, and tips that I drew, colored and wrote on my trip at the lake.  It was a fun project and I hope she likes it a lot. Next on the list was assembling the PURPOSE JOURNALS for the Artjournalz collaboration that I held.  I must say they came out really lovely and I think everyone will be happy when they receive them.  Check out the Artjournalz site to see all the pics - what is it BTW?  A yahoo group that I started on art journaling projects.

My heart is overflowing

I don't even know where to begin.  I had my day at Maryvale yesterday with the girls.  It was the first time that we started working on canvas.  And all I can say is that I had to hold back the tears and emotions that welled inside me.  Their work was so powerful and strong.  It was a dawning that after many weeks of teaching and then letting them go to see what they created and the depth and feeling was so soulful, courageous and truthful.  I had asked them to write about what their hands hold ... what they want the world to know about them.  The real them.  We started our session listening to the India.Arie song " I am not my hair" 

Is that India? What happened to her hair?

Da da da da da

(Verse 1)
Little girl with the press and curls
Age 8 I got a jerry curl
13 and I got a relaxer
I was the source of so much laughter
15 when it all broke off
18 when I went all natural
February 2002
I went on and did what I had to do

Cuz it was time to change my life
To become the woman that I am inside
97 dread locs all grown
I looked in the mirror for the first time and saw that (hey)

(Chorus)
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your expectations (no)
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am the soul that lives within

(Spoken)
What she do to her?
I don’t know; it look crazy!
I like it.
I might do that.
I wouldn’t go that far.

(Verse 2)
Good hair means curls and waves.
Bad hair means you look like a slave
At the turn of the century
Its time for us to redefine who we be
You can shave it off like an African beauty
Got in on “loc” like Bob Marley
You can rock it straight like Oprah Winfrey
It’s not what’s on your head, it’s what’s underneath (say hey)

(Chorus)
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your expectations (no)
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am the soul that lives within

Does the way I wear my hair make me a better person
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better friend
Does the way I wear my hair determine my integrity
Expressing my creativity

(Verse 3)
Breast cancer and chemotherapy
Took away her crown and glory
She promised God if she was to survive
She would enjoy everyday of her life
On national television her diamond eyes are sparkling
Baldheaded like a full moon shining
Singing out to the whole wide world like hey

(Chorus)
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your expectations (no)
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am the soul that lives within
(Repeat)

If I wanna shave it close or I wanna rock locs
That don’t take a bit away from this soul that I got

If I wanna wear it braided all down my back
I don’t see nothing wrong with that

and then they shared what they had written over the week.  They used b/w photo images of their own hands in the pieces.  I am so proud of them that they were willing to share their pain, sorrows, and hopes - that they were not afraid - when these are souls who have known real fear.  The human spirit is so strong.  I read them passages from my sine on Artful Purpose - that of Nina's, Deb's and Juliana's.  They got it - the proof is in the pudding or in this case the painting.

This is a poem by one of the girls that I asked to share with all of you.

In My Hands

In my hands I hold the world

I hold both your future and mine

I hold so much power on the inside

but on the outside there's no sign

In my hands is the future

bright and clear

everyone is safe

and there is nothing to fear

In my hands is the past

filled with misery and pain

experiences that have scarred me

and left a bloody stain

In my hands I hold my life

dangling by a thread

torn between a nightmare and a wish

and a fantasy and horrific dread

In my hands I hold your life

by which in anger I may consume

or when I excel and change the world

may help you blossom, flourish and bloom

In my hands I hold the world

I hold both your future and mine

I hold so much pwer on the inside

but on the outside there's no sign.

 

Mama's Gotta Brand New Bag

Yes, Mama's gotta brand new bag for summer!  and its fun!  I love this bag it is really light weight has lots of pockets and it cheers me up to look at it.  It is a Lesportsac bag so it is durable and well made. Sometimes you just gotta go for something FUN!  Its the little things in life at times that make the heart sing.  I know a bit shallow but you have to have a bit of levity sometime!

Beautiful Flower

Here are some pics of the Maryvale girls work from last week.  I prompted them with the song by India.Arie "Beautiful Flower"  We listened to it and used the lyrics as a part of our journal pages.  I am very happy that the meaning moved them in more ways than one.

Beautiful Flower lyrics by India Arie.

This is a song for every girl who's
Ever been through something she thought she couldn't make it through
I sing these words because
I was that girl too
Wanting something better than this
But who do I turn to

Now we're moving from the darkness into the light
This is the defining moment of our lives

'Cause you're beautiful like a flower
More valuable than a diamond
You are powerful like a fire
You can heal the world with your mind

There is nothing in the world that you cannot do
When you believe in you, who are beautiful
Yeah, you, who are brilliant
Yeah, you, who are powerful
Yeah, you, who are resilient

This is a song for every girl who
Feels like she is not special
'Cause she don't look like a supermodel Coke bottle
The next time the radio tells you to shake your moneymaker
[ Beautiful Flower lyrics found on http://www.completealbumlyrics.com ]
Shake your head and tell them, tell them you're a leader

Now we're moving from the darkness into the light
This is the defining moment of our lives

'Cause you're beautiful like a flower
More valuable than a diamond
You are powerful like a fire
You can heal the world with your mind

There is nothing in the world that you cannot do
When you believe in you, who are beautiful
Yeah, you, who are brilliant
Yeah, you, who are powerful
Yeah, you, who are resilient

Yeah, you, who are beautiful
Yeah, you, who are brilliant
Yeah, you, who are powerful
Yeah, you, who are resilient

Yeah, you, this song is for you
Yeah, you, this song is for you
Yeah, you, this song is for you
Yeah, you, yeah, you
You are brilliant

Back in the Groove

The times they are a changin.....  back into the groove as we are staying at our house by the beach for the rest of the summer and have started to settle in.  I decided to make our storage shed into an art studio so here are some pics of the start and two paintings that I started working on yesterday.

 

I went to an annual antique sale and picked up this great finds for my bathroom.  3 cool old suitcases, a tin lunch pail from Italy and a sweet pink lenox box. Also changed the pics in my favorite wall of the house with new family shots of our summer.  Reminds me to cherish my moments and my blessings.  Hope your weekend is a good one.  I am rereading book 6 (yes indeed I am a HUGE Harry Potter Fan!) so that I am ready for the last book which I just hold and cherish - want to stretch it out as long as I can - although it is killing me not to devour it! (Please do not tell me anything about it!  I am so afraid I am going to hear something on the news or from someone about the ending before I read it - must go into seclusion now!!

A Passion for Cuppity Cakes

My friend Nina collects heart shaped rocks and thus being inspired as such I decided on my trip to the lake to do the same- makes me feel connected to her heart and the heart of nature as well.  So here are my treasures next to my favorite sign ("I love signs") from my friend Judi. And now some other treaures from my new swap friend Kecia.  Who for Tammie's cupcake swap made me all these sweet treaures.  Each one has such care and detail. Oh such delicious goodies!

A trip to remember

Okay I am warning you if you don't want to see the family vacation turn back now ....  I have just returned from 2 glorious weeks with my family in Priest Lake, Idaho.  And all I can say is that it was the best trip we have ever had together.  There is something about the simpleness of a cabin in the woods by the lake and the beautiful surroundings that opens the heart.  Our days were filled with wildlife, boating, hikes, huckleberry picking, bbq, s'mores, family time, games, reading (no tv folks ;) ) I read 3 books!  and a lot of laughter.  I must say it was a hard transition back to reality and I am missing the fresh air and chittering of the chipmunk ( a resident one that my son named "THe Chipster".  Memories to be savored through pictures and thoughts and feelings.  My boys both remarked to each other (not thinking the parents were hearing of course!)  that they would never forget this trip.  I clearing second that motion!  Much more to come in the days ahead - my life has been a whirlwind since getting back.  That being said here is my disclaimer .... zines, swaps, and journals will be forthcoming please grant me patience.