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Today I had the pleasure of interviewing Karen Bryant for my upcoming Journey of the Heart Journal online class that starts next month.
I first met Karen last summer when she hosted a new moon gathering for women. I knew instantly when I met her that I wanted to get to know her better. In my interview with Karen, she shares her story of leaving her conventional medical practice to follow her heart which has lead her to founding Med-A-Physical Whole Health, LLC - a wholistic healing practice. Today she incorporates her background in "traditional" healing with the field of Shamanic Energy Medicine.
In our conversation we touch on:
This interview is packed with so much wisdom expressed beautifully and lovingly.
I hope I have you intrigued and interested in joining me for an incredible 6-week journey that begins June 10th.
This interview is one of six that compliment the course which includes reflections in writing and in video along with gorgeous journal pages.
CLICK HERE to get more details and to register.
CLICK HERE to visit Karen Bryant's website.
Namaste,
Kathryn, Costa
Collage Diva
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I orginally published this post last year and thought it was timely given that today is Ash Wednesday.
When I first set out yesterday to write this post, I felt restless. I decided to follow my instincts and hopped into my car and headed to the ocean. I landed first in Portsmouth where I savored a gorgeous Tempranillo wine from Spain at a restaurant called Agave Mexican Bistro. Just a few doors down I stopped into a darling consignment boutique called Cheap Chique where I splurged and bought the sexiest shoes made in the mountains of Italy. Oooooh I think it is time for a pedicure before I step out into the world with these new shoes.
I was feeling pretty satiated from the food, wine, and recent purchases. I headed to North Hampton to walk the beach. (click photo to enlarge) My lungs filled up with the salty air and my body relaxed to the lullaby sound of the water moving in and out. Even as I write this I can hear the deep sound of the waves crashing. Mission accomplished! My restlessness disappeared.
Earlier in the week, I received a surprise package in the mail from California. Tucked inside was the handmade paper cross pictured above. Nance had been inspired by my cross making blog post from last year and has taken up the practice of making crosses using found objects. (I've since updated and reposted the CROSS MAKING post and contest.)
When I asked her about the cross she said that it reminded her of my word for the year, "embrace." Intrigued by this little paper treasure, I spent some time reflecting on it in my journal. The origami base forms what looks like wings and illustrates my own emergence from a 7-year period of hibernation. Like the figure I'm spreading my own wings. I thought about the cross and and my own crossroads. I posed the following questions in my journal, "Where am I heading? Who will join me? What will I do?"
I thought about the everyday crossroads in our lives, you know those little decisions that when added up make a difference in how we live.
"Do I eat the cake?"
"White or Wheat or skip the bread altogether?"
"Yes? No! or Maybe?"
Then I made another connection that this Wednesday begins Lent. For those of you who are Catholic you might enjoy this virtual Stations of the Cross that I designed where you can follow the Passion of Christ. Thinking of Lent naturally lead me to thinking about questions like:
"What crosses am I bearing?"
"Do I continue to carry the same burdens?"
"Is it time to let go?"
"Am I carrying someone else's cross?"
I'll close this post with sharing a few thoughts about the burdens we often carry. Take a moment to think about something that is weighing you down. How do you talk about it? Do you find yourself making excuses or using words that paint a negative picture? Every time we tell these stories we dig ourselves deeper into the pit of despair. I challenge you to try a couple of things if you are feeling burdened. 1. Stop talking about it. Talking can get you stuck like a broken record and you can't move forward. 2. Drop the excuses. Excuses don't help any situation - they will only serve to hold you back. 3. If you feel compelled to talk about it, reframe the story in a positive way, a way that will inspire you to take action, move forward, and make healthy choices. Identify the successes found within the situation, the skills learned, the knowledge gained. Change your focus not on what you have done as much as what you want to do and what you get to do.
As I look back on my cross, I see the man with his arm stretched out and I think "Go for it. Embrace life and all that it has to offer. Don't be afraid! You may not know exactly the course you are charting, but you do have wings. Step into your future!" I love that when I do step out, I have a new pair of beautiful shoes to wear.
A friend on Facebook posted this quote:
Today I will be open to the future rather than trying to create it through my expectations.
Do you have a word for the year? Consider making your own cross and incorporate images and words that reflect the meaning of your watchword. Download the Journey of the Heart Journal page and consider the crossroads in your life.
To get your copy of the Journey of the Heart Journal, subscribe to the True North Arts Newsletter:
Subscribe to the True North Arts/Collage Diva newsletter to download the journal pages for free! That's right, subscribers will get access to a weekly journal page with new artwork, prompts, affirmations, and/or inspirational quotes. You can unsubscribe at any time.
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Creatively my focus is on writing and illustrating my book. Here is a sneak peek of the journal pages that I'm working up. It is based on my blog posts for the Journey of the Heart Journal. Readers of my blog have had access to downloading a "pocket size" version of this journal. I'm now working up big & beautiful journal pages that will coincide with all new reflections for a print version that will be available for sale. I am loving this larger size.
I can't wait to have it all pulled together and released into the world. I trust that I will stay the course and it will happen very, very soon.
How are you expressing yourself creatively?
Today I am grateful for all of the skills that I've developed so now I can have fun creating this new project.
Namaste,
Kathryn Costa, Collage Diva
Capturing Gratitude - A daily photograph challenge
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I've had this beautiful journal sitting on the shelf patiently waiting for me to pick it up and give it a purpose. It was a gift from a colleague who really gets me. The journal is made of "eco-friendly tree free papers" meaning that the paper was manufactured by recycling cotton rags. It is handcrafted by artisans in India. The pages are bright, cheery, heavy, and feel wonderful in the hand. I knew I wanted to give this gem a special purpose.
It all came about after drawing the mandala pictured above. I love the heart shape and decided to take the patterns and motifs that I've been working on in the leaf shapes and work them into heart containers. After drawing the mandala I cut it out and thought how it would look good decorating a journal cover. I went to my shelf to see what I had and found this journal waiting for me. When I opened the bright color pages and set the mandala on top, I knew I found a new home for my doodles.
Here is a closer look at the heart mandala. I started with my favorite pattern, the spine of hearts.
I'm really quite fond of this dotted vein motif. I wasn't dismayed that this heart wasn't the exact size as the first one. I tend to like drawings that are imperfect.
I love how the swirl pattern emerged in this heart.
Here is another variation of the swirl pattern.
I went back to my doodles from last week and carefully cut out the leaves. This book will be my sampler of doodle designs.
I have plenty of room to add more doodles.
Last week I was thinking about how I might get paid to doodle. Then it struck me. Each year I design a poster that is distributed to every Catholic parish and school in the New England states. It is a poster to celebrate Religious Education Month. I've had the honor of designing this poster for several years now.
Here is the first poster I designed in 2009.
I spoke with the Director of Catechectical Formation about my idea to illustrate the 2013 poster using this "doodling style." The theme is "Open the Door to Faith." I'm picturing a door and the frame around it has symbols of the faith. She loves the idea. Each day I will be motivated to get my routine work done so I can pull out my favorite black pen and some paper and begin a study of the symbols of the Catholic faith. I'll start with the Sacraments and take it from there.
Coincidentally, the journal that I'm using for my doodle study was given to me by the same person I collaborate with on these posters.
Today I am feeling so grateful that I can use the skills and gifts that I love at my day job. I'm getting paid to doodle. Now how cool is that?
How do you bring what you love to do to your job?
Namaste,
Kathryn Costa, Collage Diva
Capturing Gratitude - A daily photograph challenge
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If you've been following my blog, you know I've been playing with different patterns within a leaf shape. Yesterday I started working with these patterns and a couple of new ones arranged in a border.
Would you like a closer look?
I thought so... follow me down the page.
This motif is perhaps my favorite.
Here is another variation of a motif that I've been playing with. Don't you just love swirls?
Here is the third pattern from my week's play.
Here is a variation of the previous pattern. I haven't decided yet which one I prefer.
Those swirls made a come back. Little dots are also another detail that I love.
I haven't decided yet what I will do with the top and bottom and center spaces. The idea is that this page will be a sampler and a reference for future doodling projects.
You have to check out Janice's blog post today at Taproot Studio. I love, love, love how she is playing with leaves. What a kindred spirit.
Today's gratitude photo is of the beautiful and yummy my DH made for me. I love how he not only cooks amazing foods but even takes care in how he arranges them on the plate. I'm one lucky girl.
What are you grateful for today?
Have a lovely day.
Namaste,
Kathryn Costa, Collage Diva
Capturing Gratitude - A daily photograph challenge
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Today's doodle of the day is a leaf pattern with dotted veins. These really are fun to draw.
Here is a closer look at one of the leaves with texture and color added.
Yesterday my husband come home after visiting with some friends. Marilyn sent Fernando home with this tasty treat of smoked salmon. Ooooh they prepare some of the most wonderful food in their smoker.
Yesterday I discovered Deepak Chopra's 21-Day Meditation Challenge. It is a free series on abundance. Just three weeks ago I was thinking about selecting a word for 2013 and settled on abundance. At the time I decided I would get a jump start on working with the word. Why wait until 2013 when I felt I needed to begin right away. What a delight to find this series that ties in perfectly. It is a great way to start the day. Interested? You can sign up for it HERE.
Today I am feeling grateful for generous friends like Marilyn and Rhett. Their generosity of spirit is an example of true abundance.
Have a lovely weekend!
Namaste,
Kathryn Costa, Collage Diva
Capturing Gratitude - A daily photograph challenge
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I continue my study of patterns within a leaf shape today. I'm sure you can quickly determine the motif of the day. Swirls are a favorite pattern of mine. There is something so satifying in drawing them. (click on image to view larger)
I also varied the center vein of the leaf. I think this one that looks like peas in a pod is my favorite.
Here is a look at one of the little leaves. Isn't is sweet? I was eager to add a little color to my posts and brought in some texture too.
As I started adding the swirls to this leaf, the shape reminded me of a mandolin. (click to enlarge)
I think my favorite leaf shape are these long ones. They remind me of feathers.
Today I'm grateful for this challenge to create art every day. I really feel so happy when I'm creating. My folks often ask me, "How much time do you spend creating and blogging?" They don't really get it. I turn to them and ask, "How much time do you spend watching TV?" They just look at me blankly. It is okay though, they see that I'm happy and that is all that matters.
Warmly,
Kathryn Costa, Collage Diva
Be sure to see how others are taking up the challenge and visit these links:
Capturing Gratitude - A daily photograph challenge
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I'm hooked on doodling. I've started exploring different pattern and motifs and have decided to work with the leaf shape as a container for my doodle experiments. Pictured here is what I worked on last night. You'll see a leaf with a spine of hearts.
I wondered how it would look if I made the hearts larger. I like to draw little curls on my hearts. I think I like the larger hearts. What do you think?
I drew a smaller leaf so I could explore the heart to leaf size ratio. Here the stem gets a curly-q end. I like the little dots in the hearts, it is just enough detail.
You know once I started drawing these leaves, it was hard to stop.
I changed the shape of the leaf making it more narrow and I added little shadow marks on the hearts. I really love this pattern. I'm eager to get my pen out again, I have some other patterns and motifs in mind.
Today I'm grateful for the many people who share their artistic talent and creativity on the web. I've been so inspired by the group on the Art Every Day challenge.
For some doodle inspiration check out these three spots:
I hope you find some time for creativity today!
Kathryn Costa, Collage Diva
Capturing Gratitude - A daily photograph challenge
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Want a peek inside my new gratitude journal? CLICK HERE to read my super duper gratitude post and a look inside the journal that is pictured above. I'm having fun each day altering the pages and counting my blessings.
Capturing Gratitude - A daily photograph challenge
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