Oxygen on a Pink Saturday

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DSC01350Happy Pink Saturday. Bev from How Sweet The Sound is hosting another fun Pink Saturday, Please stop by and visit all the pink posts today.

The colors of winter at the beach

DSC01350Recently I was in search of Oxygen. But not the normal kind, the creativity kind. You know you need it when you start to doubt yourself.

Lovely Washline

DSC01350I also know when I am in need of oxygen when I start to expect my family to fill me up. A little flag to go find my own oxygen.

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DSC01350So I picked up favorite books filled with inspiration, went to my favorite blogs, and listened to uplifting music.

Winter Light on Old Silver Beach

DSC01350I visited one of my favorite favorite people Suzi Blu. She is one of the most courageous artists and she wrote a fabulous post called...

and I ask, do you give up?

I have been watching Suzi for a long time on You Tube, here is the link to her videos. She calls them Suzitube. Isn't she the cutest?

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DSC01350Every now and then I feel discouraged, and my creativity gets so teeny tiny. That is when I know that I have to start giving things away. So, I thought I would give you all some inspiration that I found on my little journey the other day.

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DSC01350In the book The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron wrote:

"Creativity is the natural order of life. Life is energy: pure creative energy"


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DSC01350That is why when we give it away, we feel energized.

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Julia Cameron taught me years ago, that I needed to breath in alone and gather the very inspiration that encouraged my creativity. She also taught me the necessity to stay in touch with your feelings, or they will get so lost as you care for all the people around you, that you might forget who you are. Thus she taught me about writing morning pages. Little journal entries that let me express what I am feeling that day. Did I mention that The Artist Way has a web site now HERE?

Great Aunt Adelaide's Attic

DSC01350Next the more I give away the more inspiration I seem to find. So, getting lost in others always gives me oxygen.

A Gift

DSC01350In the book Simple Abundance Sarah Ban Breathnach talks about how we must get our oxygen outside of our family.

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DSC01350In my family everyone just thinks I can draw an elephant. Even if it takes me hours to create, they will say "Oh yeah, an elephant!" That is because they only know me creating. "Oh yeah, a journal" EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK, it might have taken me months to create that journal.

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Lesson learned be with people that you can learn from, even if you don't have the same skill set yet, you will challenge yourself. Join groups that are out of your comfort zone. I enter the Spoonflower weekly contest all the time. I never win. Because I am learning, learning how to create patterns that work on fabric. The people who win are so far out of my league that I am forever learning. It gives me oxygen, and something to aspire to be.

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DSC01350So, I share it with all of you, and you give me so much oxygen with your lovely comments. You have no idea how you have lifted my spirits with just popping by and saying something nice. Maybe someday I will come back to this blog and see my artwork and read what I have written, and your comments and rekindle this amazing chapter in The Land of Blog.

Silhouette Reflections

DSC01350Julia Cameron teaches us about "Believing Mirrors". These are the people who see our goals and aspirations and believe in us. The purest form of inspiration...you are my Believing Mirrors.

bicycles in Falmouth

DSC01350Thank you for giving me oxygen. Creativity is natural, it's as natural as breathing. JUST INHALE all the many creative resources that are around you and BREATH.

Swan heart "meet cute"

"We are all Creative, and it is never too late to inhale the creativity around you and find your gift."

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DSC01350Did you know that seagulls inhale before they take flight? Well maybe they don't...but it sure looks that way to me! Besides it makes a really cool ending to this post. The song for this post is KEEP BREATHING. And remember breathe!

awaiting flight

Happy-Pink-Saturday-Pink-Blossoms
Vee said...

Now see?! I would never dream that you needed "oxygen" too. I would just have imagined that you were always full to the brim and that your creativity was always bursting at the seams so thank you for telling us how it truly is. And aren't families just that way? Oh yes, there she goes again. Nothing special. (And then we remember that they did the same thing to Jesus...hmmmm...they missed the extraordinary because they thought they "knew" Him. Not that we're deity or anything, just that if it happened to even Him, we can understand how it might happen to someone else.) Okay, it's official. I'm babbling again!

Mary Isabella and Kiley too! said...

So very true....m..

Joyce said...

As we well know Karen, if we wait for our souls to be filled by family we will spend our lives running on an empty tank. We need our kindred spirits to help us make sense of it all. I come to your blog and all the other fabulous art blogs whenever I need to fill up my tank. I am never disappointed. By the way. on Sunday Tower Hill Botanical Gardens has free admission. The spring gardens are gorgeous. Photo ops galore. It starts at 10 giving us plenty of time for the Goddard House show. We will be filled to overflow.

Lori said...

Karen, i feel that way often...uninspired i mean...when that happens i just hop around on blogland and find inspiration galore...i don't even subscribe to magazines anymore...there is more inspiration here than i will ever need...thanks for being a part of what keeps me inspired:)

Tara said...

Hi Karen

What a day for me to stop by! John Lennon has a quote where, when asked why he was so "inactive" for five yrs or so--he needed to breathe in in order to breathe out---paraphrasing! It's hard to explain how the process of creating can be so fulfilling!

Thinking of you and your gorgeous artwork often!

Thoughtfully Blended Hearts said...

What an incredible post!!! Thanks, I needed that...inspiration is sometimes so very elusive!!!

Jeanne said...

Dear Karen,sometimes we all need oxygen to just breathe. Inhale and take a good long look at what we want to do right now. Then we somehow get perspective again and off we go. I do believe in you and in your wonderful creative ability to make an elephant look awesome. JDI is a family byword. Just do it! It really works. Well, most of the time. smile.

Tomorrow is always another day.

Hugs, xoxo, Jeanne

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Good morning dear one...
How true it is that when we give it away, no matter what it is, we can all breath a little easier? You, along with a handful of others, have given me wings to fly in my creativity. I know that there will be and already have been days when I feel I am going or will not go anywhere. But when I give it away and let it go, I fly away with it and there is the satisfaction. I guess God is like that; He creates and freely gives it away.

Thank you for all the wonderful images and inspiration....your blog truly lives up to its name! Anita

Tristan Robin said...

wonderfully thoughtful and inspiring post - thank you!

(and lovely photos of course)

{Bellamere Cottage} said...

Hi Karen.....

Who knew? You're just overflowing with creativity...I would never have guessed that you needed a "fill-up" from time to time too. I'm happy you're searching for the things that do that for you....

I actually HAVE that adorable little elephant print....thanks to you and to my sweet Mrs. Magpie!

Have a wonderfully creative day.

Hugs,
Spencer

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Oh Karen, what a beautiful post. You know I needed this! I am not a creative person, but I still need that same oxygen. I did go watch that cute tape of Suzie, and I watched the tape about the morning journal. When I get time, I'm going back to watch the other tape on that site. You've posted some beautiful breathing pictures on this post. When I looked at those pretty starfish and shells, I did breathe some creative oxygen. I would never have know what words to use, but I realize now that when I come to your blog, I breathe in the inspiration. Thank you so much, sweet Karen, for your inspiration and for your sweet, caring attitude. Hugs, laurie

Draffin Bears said...

Hi Karen,

What a beautiful post and it is always lovely to come to your blog and be inspired by your lovely writing and photographs, thank you.
You always have so much to share.
We always need to take a step back and get that much needed oxygen and inspiration.

Have a happy weekend
Hugs
Carolyn

Suzie Button said...

I can feel you taking a deep breath from here! I hope you have a lovely Pink Saturday! Suzie

Celestina Marie said...

Oh Karen, I am so glad you wrote this post. I feel it was meant for me. I go through all the places you describe and always need to look outside myself for the oxygen. Then I find it waiting for me, where I least expect. Creativity asking to come out. You share this so well my friend. Family always sees us and views our creative side differently then others who walk the same path. The love us through it all. But finding creative joy inspired by others who share our same passions is very special. I have always felt that way about you, your art work and writing. You have no idea how many times you have made a wind of oxygen come my way.
Thank you so much sweet friend.
Love ya, Celestina Marie

Steph said...

It's a precious gift to "hear" you describe the inhale and exhale of creativity. Your vision, talent, hard work brings so much beauty and joy into our lives (my life). It's easy to forget the journey and hours involved for you. Thank you. I'm glad that you have searched and strived to know how to get the creative oxygen you need and appreciate and am encouraged by your sharing of these thoughts and insights. You are very special.

Rhondi said...

Dear Karen
What a lovely post and such true thoughts. The Creative Call by Janice Elsheimer is similar to The Artist's Way but she adds the element that creativity is a gift from God and that we honor God and grow closer to him when we are creating. I found it even more helpful that The Artist's Way.
Hugs, Rhondi

Kdottie Designs said...

Karen ~ such an inspiring post. Who knew you needed oxygen for your creativity. It seems you are always creative - your art is always beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

Beverly said...

Karen, you are always, always, always an inspiration to me - and you give me oxygen.

I can't begin to tell you how many times I have reminded someone to just breathe. Often times, it is all we can do to get through a moment. I have had to do it many times, too.

Any time you need comfort or encouragement, feel free to call on me. You so deserve to receive what you so freely give to all of us.

Happy Pink Saturday, dear one.

Anonymous said...

Ahhhhh, a breath of fresh air filled with oxygen we can all breathe. Thanks for sharing and helping us realize all that is around us.

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