Today was so warm and sunny. I walked my dog along the old train tracks near my house and admired the beauty around me. Still on the tracks, however, were trees and branches felled by Hurricane Sandy. I thought about how fragile I have felt since the storm. How does one treasure life and its ephemeral nature without becoming overcome with worry?
Knowing as I do
that all I hold dear will change
how then live with joy?
that all I hold dear will change
how then live with joy?
When I came home, I wrote these words in my journal, and thought about how opposites or seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the world and inside of us; how we're always striving to live with grace and a sense of balance.
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| (using the Dots & Dashes, and 6 Pointed Starry Night stencils from Stencil Girl) |
Must we experience feeling fragile to recognize our strengths? Do we need darkness to appreciate the light? Do we know what pleasure is because we have felt pain? Life is made up of all of this, and yes, it is beautiful and grand, but sometimes heartbreaking too. Linking up to Frilly and Funkie's "Light" challenge. List it Tuesday's theme this week at Artsyville is "small comforts." Besides meditating, making soup, walking in the woods, cuddling with my kids and hubby, and connecting with friends, my "go to" thing for self-soothing is making art. This weekend, I needed a lot of that, so I went on an ATC (artist trading card) making spree:
UPDATE: The winner of the medieval leaves stencil is Gloria!
Wonderful vibrant colors, loving sentiments and a picture of JOY! I would love to win a prize!
Gloria, send your snail mail address to jessicabethsporn (at) gmail (dot) com and I will get your stencil right out to you!
Thank you so much for visiting! I read and treasure every comment and will answer any questions as quickly as I can.
I loveeeeeeeeee your page!! Gorgeous colors and loving the journaling! And that Santa card is fabulous!!!!
ReplyDeletethat Santa is amazing! Beautiful journal pages, too.
ReplyDeleteLOL, who knew Santa was so cute in his boxers? I'm sure he needs yoga to calm his nerves after dealing with the elves all year.
ReplyDeleteOh what a great day and an inspiration looking at the way life is and accepting it. I like your yoga Santa very smart. It's cool how you sewed your ATCs too! I love making ATCs.
ReplyDeleteThanks Juniper! I must confess that it's faux stitching with a stamp! Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/We-Memory-Keepers-Stamper-Straight/dp/B00682XDLM/ref=pd_sim_sbs_ac_5
DeleteI follow your blog! :)
ReplyDeletevery well said jessica! there's always light at the end of the tunnel and we are always made stronger with the challenges in lives. It's part of being alive. What will make us strong and go through life is God. :)
ReplyDeletefollowing your blog:)
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing humorous end to a sad post. I love your yoga Santa...he makes me smile ear to ear!! Just perfect and fun!
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine how tough it is to experience Sandy and the aftermath.I know it's affected even those in the West of Canada and we don't live in it's midst. It really does show how fragile life is!! Your words ring so true!
I love your word art... so much vulnerability in those words.
Hugs Giggles
Wonderful 99th post Jessica !CONGRATS on your BLOG100 posts! I enjoyed it to read- though my english isn´t the very best, I can feel what you want to say.. it´s LIFE ... up and down, day and night ..we just have to be in balance..you are so right!
ReplyDeletea wonderful page.. and I laughed loud here about your funny Santa! GREAT!
Happy blog milestone! Of course I follow your blog!! Interested to see the Hebrew calligraphy too! Sweet cards.
ReplyDeleteI well imagine it takes a good while to get over the likes of a sandy storm. I'm glad you are ok, arting it helps I bet!
Life is amazing as are your designs. I enjoyed reading the story behind the stenciled pieces. The ying yang symbol you displayed in your post is very meaningful to me for some unknown reason, or is it? Perhaps deep down inside I know it is the meaning of life: the ebb and the flow. The coming in and the going out. Maybe, or maybe I just like the bold black and white statement it makes.
ReplyDeleteGreat list! I'm just learning to meditate...and LOVE IT!
ReplyDeletemaybe the extremes in life, the presence of both, makes us more aware of where we are in this world. your journal page is so eye-catching and i love knowing the story behind your inspiration.
ReplyDeleteOh I just love the Santa yoga card!!!
ReplyDeleteLol! I love your zen Santa!:)) Great list! I need meditation, too. Been slacking off a little bit lately. Fabulous ATC's as well. I am your follower, too.
ReplyDeleteJust reading "walking in the woods" brought back memories of the way the woods smell so good this time of year.
ReplyDeletejust a wonderful post... I agree, sometimes our comforts and happy spots have to be compromised in some way so that we appreciate their beauty and value. love your lettering, love your list, and love those ATCs!
ReplyDelete"Balance" is a big word for me. I'm always challenged with that whole "life/balance" thing. The world is fragile, especially now. Your page, as always, jumps out to hug me all the time. Your holiday card is so adorable... and I'm thankful that you did not give Santa any nipples. Just sayin.
ReplyDeletebeautiful lettering. great list.
ReplyDeleteWonderful journal art page and so much thought went into the creation! Love how you framed the words! Fun Christmas card! Congratulations on post #100 and before you know it, you will be at 200! Thank you for joining us at Frilly and Funkie!
ReplyDeleteLOVE the ATCs... yes, creating art can be comforting.. it works for me if I'm in the 'zone'. I cam only imagine how you must feel after the storm. Here's a hug.
ReplyDeleteWow!I would love to test drive those Hebrew stencils! I would try them on fabric....and yes, I'm a follower, too :)
Fantastic balance, your yoga teachings come through. Fantastic ATC's, I never fail to smile when I see your work and Santa in balancing pose with his chubby belly is making me laugh out loud! xox
ReplyDeleteYour comforts are perfect - the same as mine! :) I might add curl up with a good book.... Love your bright and colorful ATCs and I think that's going to be something I add to my 'must try' list for 2013. I've been a long time follower, so go ahead, give me that second chance to win! :) Happy Holidays and congrats on that 100th milestone.
ReplyDeleteA great multi-tasked blog entry! Perfect, straight-forward list...thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that art is your go to thing! (I'm trying to get there, but am pretty new to art.)
ReplyDeleteI love artist's trading cards and am going to do some of this next year, I think. Fun.
Thanks for the give-away! (And I'm following. I thought I was already, so I'm confused. lol But I'm following now.)
opposites - such an amazing thing. I never realized how fabulous it was to walk around my office, until I hurt myself! Love the stencil images on your first piece. And the Santa is adorable! {:-Deb
ReplyDeleteGorgeous journal page, I love how you've explained it, really good food for thought. Beautiful ! Thanks for joining us at Frilly and Funkie. Sue C x
ReplyDeleteYour ATCs are beautiful. I've been following your blog since Judy Shea told me about rooming with you at Art Is You.
ReplyDeleteLove your blog and follow it. Your Santa is too cute!
ReplyDeleteHi I am here via List It Tuesday:) I am not following but I am now;) I just love your work. those ATCs are beautiful and I love the roses! great work. I like your Santa card too. Most of all the list is great.
ReplyDeleteTake care and I'll be back Fran Txo
I'd love to win one of your soothing ATC's...and I am a follower! Beautiful thoughtful post today, I enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteI follow your blog and learn so much from it, sometimes without even realizing. Today your blog popped into my mind as I drove to the hospital to see my 97-yr-old Mom -- always these paradoxical reminders of human fragility and strength.Though I couldn't be painting, I could think about it as I drove. What I thought of were some of your recent entries -- preparing the support with paint and scraping it, your stamps, your colors, your language. I thought, too, about how much you share of yourself through your art and how connected I feel to you because of it. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi Jane - thank you so much for your heartfelt comment. Blessings to you and your mom, and I hope your day is filled with courage and strength. xo
DeleteThis page is wonderful! I just love your swirly writing...bold and eye catching! All your yummy bright colors just draw you in as well! Fabulous wording, and thanks for the wonderful reminder about the frailty of everyday living and how things can turn so quickly. Thank you so much for playing along with us at Frilly & Funkie this fortnight. So glad you joined up!
ReplyDeleteoh, I love that haiku. So beautiful and true. You really went on an ATC making spree! So many and all beautiful. Congrats on your 100th post! That postcard is so cute . Seeing Santa in his shorts feels right to me, sitting here inthe Queensland summer . . .
ReplyDeleteLove your doodled writing as always-just so fun to look at! Such a heartwarming post too. Congrats on your upcoming 100th post!! I started my blog in March this year too but I'm not quite near 100 yet :). I am a follower and would love to win your ATCs-just looking at them makes me happy! Your Christmas card is sure to bring smiles to anyone lucky enough to receive one-love it! Looking forward to the stencil hop too.
ReplyDeleteJessica, I love the large whimsical lettering and that fantastic background, as well as how your art is so meaningful to this time in your life. The Christmas card has me grinning... what an awesome piece of art! So glad you joined us at Frilly & Funkie for the light challenge.
ReplyDeleteOh Jessica! What a fabulous post!! Opposites...such a rich topic and I love your journal pages...fabulous lettering and embellishment~ wonderfully whimsical and serious!! Thanks for joining us at Frilly and Funky!
ReplyDeletefantastic Santa card such great fun. thanks for joining us @ CCAYR. Merry Xmas. x
ReplyDeletePlease, do tell the brand of inks and paints you use.
ReplyDeleteYour work is SO beautiful.So must detail,super,super,super.
Hi Nancy! Thanks so much for the kind words! For the watercolors, I mostly use this set: http://www.dickblick.com/products/sakura-koi-watercolor-sets/ For the "Fragile/Resilient page though, I used Peerless: http://www.peerlesscolor.com/world_famous/home.html. I love the black pen from Scarlet Lime and us it for all my lettering. http://www.scarletlime.com/store/proddetail.php?prod=penSL Hope this helps! (For acrylics - I either go really cheap with Michael's brand craft paint or upscale with Golden Fluids!)
DeleteCongratulations on making it to 100 posts!
ReplyDeletei had art supplies on my list it tuesday: small comforts list... but upon reading your list, i think you're right. it's not so much the art supplies-- it's creating art with them (although, sometimes I do like just looking at the supplies themselves). i love the colorful ATCs you created with yours!
ReplyDeleteYour study of opposites is fantastic. Beautiful stenciling and layering and your lettering is so whimsical and fun. This is such a cool entry into our Light in the Darkness challenge. Thanks so much for sharing with us at Frilly and Funkie.
ReplyDelete