New Etsy Shop "Altered Revelations"...

I have had these sweet, tiny brass easels hiding away in a drawer in my studio for quite some time. So I played with some pieces of "stampbord" (great product with a multitude of uses) and created these teeny collages embellished with copper,metal filigrees. They were just perfect to rest on the easels! You can find these little burst of encouragement listed in my Healing Expression's Etsy shop!


ALTERED REVELATIONS....

I wanted to officially introduce my new Etsy shop called "Altered Revelations". I will be filling this shop with items that are created with the mixed media artist in mind. As an artist I am always on the lookout for items to incorporate in my own work and I thought it would be fun to create a place where I could offer these discoveries to those who also share a passion for mixed media collage and assemblage! Here you will find vintage style collections, unique trinkets, findings and other handcrafted items for use in your paper and fabric collage, altered books, assemblage and mixed media work! Below are a couple examples of two vintage-themed collections that are currently in the shop. You can find these and other treasures to inspire your creativity here at Altered Revelation's Etsy home!



GOODIE BAG OFFER: If you would be interested in helping me spread the word about my new shop by placing a button link for my Altered Revelation's Etsy store on your blog, I have a sweet goodie bag filled with a few Healing Expressions treasures that I would be happy to send you as a "Thank You"! Just let me know by email, include your address and I will send the goodie bag on its way!

Thanks for stopping by and may your day be filled with love, kindness and hope!

Art Blessing Giveaway!!!

Its been awhile since I offered an art blessing giveaway and I thought this "Vintage Journey Acrylic Cube" would be a wonderful way to bless one of you! Click here to see more pictures of all sides of the cube.

I am always so grateful to receive your support and encouragement as I continue to explore and share art as a healing, revealing and redemptive tool in the revelation of our inner worlds. If you would like to be a part of this giveaway please leave your contact info in the comment section and I will add your name to the drawing! If you would be so kind as to share about this art blessing on your blog I will add your name twice to the drawing (just let me know)! I will draw the name of the blessing winner on Friday, April 2!

Won't you join me?- "Newsletter" Reflections on Art, Music and Life!

I am working on a new project that I am getting very encouraged and excited to share! Beginning next month I will launch a monthly newsletter that you are cordially invited to be a part of! My hope is to offer creative encouragement through writing, poetry, journaling exercises, reflections on the healing journey and other musings on art, music and life! I will also use this newsletter to have a monthly giveaway and showcase new work for sale, upcoming therapeutic collage and art journaling workshops as well as other special events and happenings on my website! If you would like to receive this newlsetter please sign up on the right sidebar in the aqua-colored box marked "Healing Expression's Newlsetter". If you would be kind enough to share the news on your blog, let me know and I will add your name twice to the first month's giveaway!



Thank you to everyone for your overwhelming response to the One World One Heart Giveway! Thank you to Lisa Swifta for organizing another wonderful event! I so enjoyed participating again this year and am happy to announce the winner of my Glass Butterfly Necklace is "Julia at Vintage With Laces"!

Please stop by and visit Julia's beautiful blog!



I was thrilled to receive my "Decorative Art Girlie" from Kelly Rae Roberts new collection this week! I adore the spirit behind her work. The words really spoke to me:

Listen to Your Life
DREAM BIGGER
unleash your joy
embrace vulnerability
WHAT IS CALLING YOU?
love with abandon
get quiet...just be
REDISCOVER YOUR PASSION
Nurture Your Soul
Allow the blessings to sink in and stay awhile
Surround yourself with good people
HONOR YOUR INTUITION








ART JOURNAL REFLECTION:(Click image to enlarge) What does it mean to risk the leap for you today? What do you need to let go of to take the plunge? What might you be afraid of? Where might it take you if you dared? What is the one, small "next thing" you could do just for today?

A few more reflections....

Found myself staying in the studio the last couple days and that images and musings continued to pour out. I think in all the challenges and activity in earlier months my little river of creativity had been stopped up. My time away is about moving those stones around, rearranging and maybe the flow will be fresher, wider and deeper. These cards can be found on ebay.

Mid Summer Reflections......

I thought I would step back in for a few moments to share a few new pieces I recently created. My time away continues to restore my heart and enlarge my vision. The unexpected has often rearranged any plans I thought I might have and priorities have become so clear. There have been difficult choices in order to step into this new space but I am moving through life these days with much more internal simplicity and quiet and am breathing deeper in releasing much of the striving. Having had to let go of much I had been holding onto...for a season...I am trusting what is meant to return will one day return. I feel a deep trust in leaving it up to God who and what that will be. For now, my sabbatical is revealing, challenging and hopeful. Each of these original art cards have been listed here on ebay!

I also had a wonderful opportunity to create a special 12x12 inch piece for the opening of the "Grid Show" at the Imago Dei Gallery in the Portland Pearl District. Over 100 artist's were asked to contribute their reflection on the theme of "Touch". All proceeds are going to support the art program of a local school. It was truly amazing to see all the different styles and mediums!

And finally I must leave you with some tempting treats I made with my son and the neighborhhood gang recently. I forgot how much I love to create desserts! Its little discoveries like this that my time away continues to reveal. I am enjoying making these new memories! And yes.....they were really yummy! Creative Blessings to you and I hope this summer brings you rest and enduring memories!

Prayers of My Soul....

I am always drawn again and again it seems to creating sacred little places to record our deepest thoughts, questions, prayers and hopes. Every now and then, I pull out the sweet diaries I kept as a little girl, childlike handwriting that even then was compelled to write what my heart hoped to speak into being. The personally written words always made the feelings more real...more tangible. I just love the idea of journals created as a piece of artwork. Placing these sacred whispers of our soul in a place of honor, on a sweet easle...with a scented candle shimmering next to it... just seems to usher in the tender voice of God... "Sweet child of promise, I value who you are and are becoming and all that your heart wants to speak...all that you feel matters deeply to me". You may find more images of this new journal and tag ensemble that is being offered in my Etsy Shop(update...journal is sold!).

I came across this video today. It seemed gentle, quiet and beautiful. Some of us may at times struggle with the truth of the message but the place deep within where this peace exists is where the sweetest of healing can take place. Wherever you find yourself today, even if you just feel unsettled in your spirit, the words are comforting. Remember to pause the music currently playing on my blog (on the lower right sidebar) before viewing the "Blessing".

Body Reconciliation.......

So much to share. Its been such a week of deep emotions...I have needed time to just process all that is being woven around, under, over and through my heart. But first, I am so sorry for the delay in announcing the Art Blessing Giveaway winner! All of your names were gathered in my butterfly box and it gives me great joy to bless Susan Baldwin (Blog, "JensmeresJoy") with the little handmade journal. Please take a moment to stop by her inspirational blog! Thank you to everyone for your sharing and encouragement! Although I may not always be able to respond to all of your comments, please know each are cherished and I am honored that you took a few minutes to share your hearts!

This is a very special week in watching the seeds burst through the soil of a dream that I have shared with several woman who have traveled the long journey to recovery from sexual abuse and to healing our relationship with our bodies. Many years ago, there were several of us whose paths began to cross, hearts were shared, tears shed and journeys traveled. Over time, and difficult years of each indivually working through our own painful pasts, we began to share a vision to see our creative energies and gifts brought together to offer a safe place where those who had been hurt could come and experience healing in heart, spirit, body and soul. Tonight marks the opening of the Non-Profit called "Body Reconciliation" that I am so blessed to be a part of. My dear friend, Cristi Dillon, is founder of this sacred place and she and several other dear friends have partnered together to begin to offer workshops, resources, speakers, and other events for those in our community who seek healing and a healthy relationship with the bodies they call home. We all took part in a recently filmed news story by Tracy Barry of our local Channel 8 News. The story aired tonight and can be seen here at the KGW.com website (Giving Back: Healing Abuse Survivors). It was a huge step of faith to reveal ourselves this way but we each know God has been leading this process all along and we are simply stepping into our part of His larger redemptive story.


So tonight I sit in awe of how God is redeeming what was painfully stolen from each of us as little girls. My deepest prayer is that by sharing this message of hope we might be able to touch one other "little girl" out there who suffers in silence and is needing to find a safe place to reveal her heart, heal the shame...and come home to her body. If you would like to encourage our vision your prayers for this place would be greatly appreciated. For those who would like to financially support this new non -profit, information can be found on the Body Reconciliation website link above!

New Year's Art Blessing Giveaway: Destash!

Mixed Media Treasures Giveaway!
I have been going through my studio trying to make room for new ideas and directions this year and thought I would share a box of goodies for the collage artist! Giving just seems like a truly "ripple effect" thing to do. So many are struggling with just making ends meet these days. I wonder just what resources are really available between us all. And if those resources were released from hearts and hands willing to let them go and received by those whose needs were waiting to be met....the inequity and imbalance that seems to exist in our own communities might shift. I know this art offering won't save the world today but I offer it in the spirit of hope. What we each can give away are like seeds in another's life that might grow and multiply in ways we cannot even anticipate! Sometimes it is just so simple. There is so much we already have that is waiting to be released to another! So if you would like to be entered in the drawing just leave your name and info in the comment section below! I will draw a name to receive all of these items on Monday, January 12th!

If you would like to mention this giveaway on your blog and provide a link back to this post, let me know and I will add your name twice to the drawing! It would be fun to see this giveaway start a little ripple in the creative community.....what can you assemble from what you already have and give away? I'd love to hear your inspiring ideas!

Breathe Hope- "Race for the Cure"

This past week- end I put on my walking shoes and my youngest son and I, joined my good friend Kelly to participate in the 2008 Susan G. Koman, "Race for the Cure". The fundrasing event for breast cancer here in Portland, Oregon is one of the largest on the West Coast. We hopped the Max train and headed down to the Waterfront in downtown Portland to join a literal "sea of caring humanity" that either walked or ran the 1K or 5K races. It was quite an emotional experience reading each of the pink 'In Memory Of' or "In Celebration Of" signs each participant pins to the back of their shirts with the names of loved ones and friends who have either lost a battle with breast cancer, are in the courageous battle to heal or are living as a survivor. We walked the 5K in memory of a dear friend who lost her battle and several other dear ones who are in process of healing from or fighting the disease. I was overcome at the creativity of the different groups that participated and their enthusiastic spirits! At every turn there was a rainbow of emotions that were being expressed...joy, grief, happiness tears...all amidst the celebration of laughter, dancing, friendship and music!


And what would the event be without the delightful and upscale restroom experience of the "Honey Bucket"!!!


The fundraising for "Race for the Cure" is still going on for another few weeks and I wanted to find a way I might be able to contribute with a little fundraiser of my own. This collage of mine "Breathe Hope", always reminds me of my friends who are facing breast cancer. For the next two weeks I would love to offer this piece as a fundraiser for the "Race for the Cure". Any sale of this work as a mounted art card ($5.99), greeting card ($4.25) or 5X7 ($8.99) print will go directly towards the fight to find a cure for breast cancer. You can either purchase the print in my store on Ebay, Etsy, my website or directly from my blog by contacting me personally. My deepest appreciation if you are able to join in!






I also wanted to share a charm style ornament I recently finshed to contribute to another beautiful event called, "Ties the Bind- Artists United to Fight Ovarian Cancer". If you follow the link you will be blessed to see a vast array of heartfelt work that has been created and contributed by a huge group of mixed media artists. You can also read more about the cause and how you might be able to help support the research and fundraising for this special cause as well!






And now for the finale to our weekend...rocking out at the Journey/Heart/Cheap Trick Concert at the Clark County Ampitheatre!!! Somewhere inside this calm, conservative appearing gal there is a rocker chick trying to find her way out (haha)! For my oldest sons 19th birthday we took him, his brothers and his good buddy to a concert that was "totally sick" (that means really cool in teen speak!)! Talk about a blast from the 80's past. It was quite a de'ja'vu to the days when my hubby and I were dating in high school...but now we had all these grown kids standing next to us jamming to these great Journey songs too! They confirmed what we always knew all along when they exclaimed, "Mom and Dad you guys had the greatest classic rock songs ever in your day!!!" I don't think any of us had any voices left by the end of the night!