My Biennial Journeys

It seems my personal growth has been chunked into 2 year blocks of focus…when I became so stuck that I couldn’t move, I spent two years focusing on freedom and adventure. Which led to wanting more adventure, but my fears were my limiting factors – again, two years changing my relationship with fear so that I can keep moving forward in my life. Then I had this tiny spark of creativity that I’ve spent a year nurturing and blossoming into some sort of reality and along with that has come a sense of joy and wildness. Oh to feel wild and alive!!

During a recent blog consultation to help me define or redefine the direction I am going, the conversation went something like this: “Yeah-but (me) I don’t adventure every day, I don’t Airstream everyday, I don’t sew every day I don’t even create art everyday…I’m very eclectic in my work”. Then I realized that there was a constant in my life…the one thing that I do every day is JOURNAL.

Sometimes it’s creative/artistisc journaling, sometimes it’s pages filled with rambling words, often it’s a combination of both, but it is how I begin my days. I might forget how integral journaling is to me – I might forget its power and usefulness in my personal growth…..but I never forget to journal.

I wake up 2 hours earlier than the world just to have that delicious time to myself and listen to the song in my heart. I switch up my techniques often, so it never gets dull. I get flashes of clarity so I know things are sorting themselves out quite nicely. I have learned to listen and trust my intuition.

But words, while they are my treasures, don’t often capture what is in my soul. I have discovered that some sort of visual journaling can sort things out in my subconscious even better. Draw first, listen second, and understand last.

There is nothing like the feeling of reaching way down into your soul and rummaging around to bring something out into the light. Luckily I am wise enough to focus only on what pleases me (versus what might please you enough to purchase it)…Even more luckily, you have shown me time and time again through emails, comments and your check book that journaling and creativity are the most important to you as well.

All of this is my way of saying that this blog will remain eclectic and you will never know what you’ll find here. But at this time, creative journaling is my focus and passion and I am reveling in letting my wild heart have a turn….

A Bit Out of Focus, But Getting Clearer Every Day

I am continually in a state of change….It is exhilarating and exhausting at the same time, but I am learning to manage my energy better and just sit back and Love the Adventure.

I am feeling a pull into a new consciousness – but I can’t seem to bring it into focus yet. Like having the words on the tip of your tongue, but instead it’s having a thought on the edge of your awareness.

Here’s what is floating around inside my head:

Animals – Art – Love – Freedom – and the quote ‘Sometimes things fall apart so that new things can come together’…..

Here’s what I know today:

The more I am around nature, the bigger my heart expands and my compassion grows. I love that feeling. Yesterday I drew the two young bucks that visited me a few weeks back, and I have a fox that has been in my thoughts as well – while this is all fine, these thoughts don’t feel like a path – they just feel like the place to begin a new awareness….

You just know I drew these two in front of an Airstream, right?

Here’s how I am coping with not knowing:

Stay in the now

Let my heart expand with love ( it does quite often I realize)

Trust that I don’t need to know

Keep doing what I love

Celebrate new awareness – even if it’s fuzzy.

I have one more celebration:

My Etsy Store Loving the Adventure with Zan Packard has been open for 30 days and I've have so many positive remarks from shoppers - I've had 285 views, 19 favorites (hands down the  favorite is 

The Mindful Journey - Color - Create - Journal ) 

My grown-up coloring book is creating much interest on the web (yay!)

....it is a wonderful beginning. I am thrilled to be part of this wonderful site and know that we will have a fabulous time together - more and more ideas to create are always just  a thought away.....

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CELEBRATED?

 

I hope your answer to that question was yesterday, or minutes ago, but I had to take a  hard look at my answer….because I couldn’t remember the last time. And it’s not because I have nothing to celebrate. Here’s a summary of what I’ve been up to the past 12 months:

• Published my first-ever book: A Life Without Limits
• Reconnected to my creative energy. I am drawing and coloring every day.
• More Than Words workshop was borne…a high energy, fun workshop designed to help others revive their creative juices too.
• Published my second book: a coloring book for grown ups called The Mindful Journey ~ Color, Create, Journal.
• Continued to color and create and developed a line of art and opened my Etsy Store.
• Found and bought a vintage Airstream (AKA Gypsy) that will be my haven and artist’s studio while I’m on the road.
• Rekindled my love of fashion sewing and am finally using the fabric I’ve been collecting for 25 years.

In one short year I can truly say that I am a writer, an artist, an adventurer, a vintage Airstream renovator, and a home fashion sewer (again). And I would be heartbroken if I couldn’t be all of those and more.

So as you can see, there have been rich opportunities of things to celebrate. You would think that I would be jumping for joy with all the accomplishments I’ve done (both internal and external). So the burning question is why the hell aren’t I? Hmmm, I’m still working on that one, but until I fully understand it, I know that I can learn new behaviors:

• I’ve learned how to define and embrace the adventurous side of me (on my terms),
• I’ve learned how to change my relationship with fear so that it no longer defines what I do,
• I’ve learned how to let go and trust whatever comes – to actually enjoy the feelings of uncertainty and anticipation.

 Now it’s time to learn how to CELEBRATE. To begin, I am journaling not only things I am grateful for, but I am imagining myself as my BFF and what I would say to her (me) about who she is and what she is accomplishing, perhaps even write a letter to myself (oh, I know: write a note of congratulations on one of my note cards and send it to myself)….a simple shift perhaps, but I suspect it will be significant….I’ll let you know.

It’s time to infuse some JOY into my life, and I think conscious celebration will accomplish that quite handily.

In the meantime, ask yourself when was the last time you celebrated YOU as being fantastic, wonderful and good enough? It’s a worthy question and worth a moment to think about. 

GRAND OPENING ~ Please come....

New Etsy Shop for Loving the Adventure

I’m am so excited to announce the Grand Opening of my new Etsy Shop. It’s been a dream of my ever since I first learned of Etsy. I invite you to check it out here.

I currently have all my products for sale on Etsy – it’s so easy to sell and buy. I played with the idea of having a ‘shop’ on my own website, but Etsy is such a complete package for the seller and the buyer that it doesn’t make sense to go it alone (see, even loners know when it’s time to join a community).

So here’s a sampling of what you’ll find – these are my favorites:


UNDER THE STARS Wall Art

Under the Stars Wall art - 8x10 image in an 11x14 Violet hued Mat (Comes unframed)

“Bask in the moonlight under the stars and listen to the call of the wild. Breathe in the smells and sounds of nature for that is where your heart resides.” This beauty is only $16 plus shipping (and if you’ve priced mats lately, you’ll know what a great deal this is).

SET OF 4 NOTE CARDS (5X7) from the Vintage Gypsies Series

"Vintage Gypsies" Series set of 4 5x7 Note Cards (blank inside)

One each of the following titles:

“Just Another Day in Paradise”, “Under the Stars” “Airstream Heaven”, “Airstreams and Palm Trees”

Vintage Gypsies Note Card set of 4

Four individual cards created from my original illustrations that have been digitally colored.

Set of 4 - 5x7 Glossy Note cards

Includes white envelopes

Each comes in a protective clear plastic sleeve.


And I can't leave out The Mindful Journey Coloring Book:

There are lots more to see in my Etsy shop (just search LovingTheAdventure if you lose this link).

There are also many, many more ideas that my creative brain is dreaming up (Think Airstream shaped cards - yes I will hand cut them).

While I would love for you to shop with me – think self and gifts, I especially want you to visit my shop and give it the good energy that only you can bring. The more visitors I have, the greater chance of upping my search standing and that alone will translate to sales. 


Wish me luck (I know you do), and talk about me – I can hear it whispering on the wind and I love it!!!

DREAMING OF AIRSTREAMING

Happy Friday the 13^th!! This week has been triple digits where Gypsy and I are hanging out. Not much done since I’ve been back from my 2 week visit with my kids. However, I've been crafting in-house, and I finally finished the frame for the medicine cabinet mirror.

Cabinet sans door

Fresh paint - blank canvas

Completed

Close up of corner

Funny, I’ve been drooling over shell frames for decades and I’ve even had a collection of shells almost as long. Thank you Gypsy for being the inspiration to make it all happen.  What do you think? Don’t you feel adventurous just looking at it?

 I did order some “luxury” items for her too,

Double pancake LED RV lights

The double pancake LED replacement lights are perfect for better quality lighting and low heat output and low energy usage. It was a splurge, but I’m confident that they will be well worth it.

And the Fan-Tastic Vent (with thermostat!!) will be a wonderful edition to the overall comfort as well – it will exhaust hot air out, or pull cool air in – thermostatically controlled depending on the temps. I think I have met my criteria with these purchases: Well lit, well ventilated, and cooler comfort inside. [Of course, I still have to paint the interior to finish the criteria of bright and cheery].

Fan-Tastic Vent fan

 I haven’t been pleased with how the cabinet and closet doors have turned out – the paint has cured for 6 weeks or so and it just doesn’t feel good to the touch. I’m going to break down and buy Krylon spray paint and do a final coat just to give it that polished look (and hopefully give it some durability – a small space is no place to have “delicate” paint).

All in all, I’ve been busy trying to move forward, stay cool and take advantage of some in-house down time. 

I also have some big news to announce – but that will have to wait for a few days – I will probably do a mid week announcement, so be on the lookout to learn more of what I’m doing. 

SOMEONE MOVED THE EDGE

What do you think of when you hear Loving the Adventure? Just what is adventure to you? If you’ve been following me for a while you know that I find adventure just about everywhere. It’s all about attitude and perspective. Quite frankly it is my way of surviving the everyday stuff. Some people look for the positive, I look for the adventure.

I used to think that adventure meant going and doing, and I imagine it’s what many people think of as well…but as exciting as going and doing sounds, I haven’t the time, energy nor money to play quite that large all the time.

So while my grand going and doing adventures happen about once or twice a year, I still want to feel adventurous every single day. It’s juicy and invigorating. Feeling adventurous, to me, is akin to feeling alive.

As you know I’m in between adventures now…feeling a bit of a lull, and I've spent the wee morning hours contemplating my life….Am I happy? Am I contented? Am I leaning into fear enough? Am I moving forward? The answer to these questions is a solid YES! (Whew!).

But the edge of my comfort zone isn’t where it used to be: someone moved the edge, and I’m no longer on it. I think I’ve become accustomed to this life of not knowing what is coming next – of letting go of stuff that holds me down – of not wanting any real ties to anywhere. While living this way used to feel slightly uncomfortable and unnerving, it doesn’t any more….the edge has moved further out – which means my world of possibilities has expanded.

The long and short of it is, I am comfortable. Not a bad place to be especially with the imminent new world of adventure that will open up to me when my travel trailer (AKA Gypsy) is road worthy. How long that will take doesn’t seem to be the issue….her restoration process is my regeneration….we are both gearing up to do some wonderful things.

But for now I will be loving life and Loving the Adventure – with freedom and creativity. Life is good. 

Puppy Update

It’s pretty funny how exciting normal body functions can be. Yesterday the pup continued to drink water throughout the day – and kept it down. He still wouldn’t take the special food that the Vet gave us so I was administering ½ tsp at a time of chicken soup via eye dropper. Can’t say he really liked that either, but I did this every half hour or so hoping to get some nutrients in him and not overload his digestive system.

While my daughter-in-law was feeding the other dog his kibble, the pup acted really excited. She tried 3 (count em, 3) kibbles that he gobbled down – a quick call to the Vet confirmed that it was OK to let him eat – at this point he NEEDED food.

Yes, he ate a bit more – drank more – slept through the night and this morning a happy and hungry puppy greeted me. I'm still waiting to see how ‘things process through’ him – if you get my drift. Today, I am more hopeful that ever….today is the birthday party – today’s going to be a good day!!!

NB – as with all Parvo cases, it is always a 50/50 chance of survival - and very little hope during the darkest hours. I am filling my gratitude pages with joy this morning. I know we can only breathe easy – not fully out of the woods yet, but right now, my heart is bursting with love and gratitude……I’ll take it.