A Bit of Bragging

Every once in awhile I need to brag about my girls.

The older one is living in Prague, and writing for several blogs. (Check out her "48 Hours in Prague" guide!) She loves to travel, and often writes about her experiences - the good AND the bad.  Sometimes her posts give me pause as her mom - but she always ends up OK.  Check out her post for Pink Pangea: A Guide to Traveling Safely in Columbia.  I'm so glad I only learned about those adventures after the fact!

Mariel keeps a personal blog here,  and, in addition to writing for Pink Pangea, writes for Envato,  Medium,  The Write Life,  Go Abroad, The European Association for International Education, Sonderers Magazine, Immersion Travelers, and more.



She keeps her own website at ESL Write Away, and will be going to Oxford University in the fall to get her masters in Applied Linguistics.

My younger daughter, Samy, lives to be onstage.   She's been performing for as long as she could walk and talk - and just blossoms under the lights.  Here she is at 9!

Now, she is a sophomore in High School, but would much rather have an agent and be running around NYC to auditions.  While she's waiting for that to happen, she is performing in her High School shows, and was recently chosen to be part of a program run by Vanguard Theater Company called the Broadway Buddy Mentorship Cabaret.  She, and 24 other teens and young adults, were selected out of an audition pool to work with Broadway actors for a few months, and then perform with their mentors in a cabaret.  Here are some glimpses from the cabaret - where you will see a bit of her performance.

The best thing about both my girls is that they have huge hearts.   I love them so much!

I would love to know a bit about your kids' passions.  If you feel comfortable, please share in the comments below!

         Visit Stencil Girl Products and RubberMoon Stamps to see all my designs!

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:

InLinkz.com

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you are entering a GIVEAWAY, please add your email address in the event I need to contact you.

To avoid SPAM, please write it like this: jessicasporndesigns (at) gmail (dot) com

Thank You!

Five (More) Reasons to Participate in Online Challenges and Bloghop Winner

About a year ago, I posted:  Five Reasons to Participate in Online Art Challenges, Video and Giveaway.   That post described some of the valuable takeaways from  Mindy Lacefield's #365Faces challenge on Instagram, as well as a video fast forward of one of my faces.  

I've been participating in the #100daychallenge on Instagram.  My theme this year is #100daysofresistanceart.  

I'm challenging myself to not only do a piece of art a day around this theme, but to incorporate creative lettering.  This is something I don't feel confident about.  But with each effort, I gain a little more confidence.  

Here are five more reasons to participate in online challenges (or any kind of challenges).

 1. If you never try something new, you'll never know what you're capable of.  

It's super comfortable to keep doing something I already feel I've mastered and am good at. But if I don´t challenge myself and try new things, I'll never know my potential.  My advice:  choose one thing you´d like to try but are afraid to do wrong, and go for it!

2. Challenges help us grow.

I know that in my life, challenging situations -- even very unpleasant ones -- have helped me grow personally as well as professionally.  Have you experienced this?  Sometimes we have to experience failure, pain, and even near-destruction to grow and realize our true potential.  My advice:  Do something you didn't know you were capable of, and observe whether you become more confident, knowledgeable and skilled.  You'll never grow by just thinking about trying something new. 

3. Challenge breeds creative thinking.

When I challenge myself to do something new and scary, it prompts realizations, new ideas, and new inspiration in ways I never even imagined.  My advice:  do something you feel you don't have the skills for and just see where it takes you, and how you find solutions you didn't even know were up your sleeve.  

4. Challenges make you more aware and in the moment.

When I keep doing things that are in my comfort zone, I get mentally lazy and tired. When I challenge myself, I am much more focused and engaged.  My advice:  Do something out of your comfort zone and be aware of everything about it -- even how it makes you scared or tense or insecure.  And then watch how those feelings change as you make progress.

5. Challenging yourself will help you outside of your artwork, when life throws you curve balls.

One of the reasons to practice difficult poses in yoga is to watch how your mind reacts to the challenge.  We practice maintaining an even breath and holding our calm and peace, even when we are wobbling or throbbing.  The idea is to take that practice off the mat and into the world.  If you challenge yourself in your art by learning a new technique, and practice being kind to yourself as you practice, you will see the value in every experience whether it is good or bad.  As a result, you will be that much more calm and  resourceful when faced with challenging and unexpected events outside your studio.  My advice:  do something new and scary, and know that every time you persevere, you are taking an important step to realize the possibilities that life has in store for you. 

Why did I choose the theme of Resistance Art?  Because I have decided to be involved, on a daily basis, in what is going on in our country.  

We recently celebrated the holidays of Passover and Easter - both of which involve themes of rebirth and renewal.  In addition, in the Passover seder, we recite the reminder: Never turn your back on a stranger, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt.  

It is an imperative to be an up stander - not a bystander - to injustice whenever you see it.  ONWARD!






AND - THE WINNER OF LAST TUESDAY'S BLOG HOP IS:

Jill commented on all three blogs, and I pulled this comment out of the hat!  Jill - please email me your snail mail address - jessicasporndesigns at gmail dot com.  

Thanks all!

         Visit Stencil Girl Products and RubberMoon Stamps to see all my designs!

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:

InLinkz.com

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you are entering a GIVEAWAY, please add your email address in the event I need to contact you.

To avoid SPAM, please write it like this: jessicasporndesigns (at) gmail (dot) com

Thank You!

Five Reasons to Challenge Yourself

No one really enjoys doing things they're not good at.  I've never liked the expression "Practice Makes Perfect."  Because perfection is an illusion.  Practice itself IS perfect.  Here are two images that sum it up perfectly:

One of the things I've been challenging myself to do is to paint loose watercolors.  It goes against all of my instincts for control and predictability.

But here's why it's important to keep practicing and to share my progress -- even if I'm not where I want to be with this technique.

1. If you never try something new, you'll never know what you're capable of.  

It's super comfortable to keep doing something I already feel I've mastered and am good at. But if I don´t challenge myself and try new things, I'll never know my potential.  My advice:  choose one thing you´d like to try but are afraid to do wrong, and go for it!

2. Challenges help us grow.

I know that in my life, challenging situations -- even very unpleasant ones -- have helped me grow personally as well as professionally.  Have you experienced this?  Sometimes we have to experience failure, pain, and even near-destruction to grow and realize our true potential.  My advice:  Do something you didn't know you were capable of, and observe whether you become more confident, knowledgeable and skilled.  You'll never grow by just thinking about trying something new. 

3. Challenge breeds creative thinking.

When I challenge myself to do something new and scary, it prompts realizations, new ideas, and new inspiration in ways I never even imagined.  My advice:  do something you feel you don't have the skills for and just see where it takes you, and how you find solutions you didn't even know were up your sleeve.  

4. Challenges make you more aware and in the moment.

When I keep doing things that are in my comfort zone, I get mentally lazy and tired. When I challenge myself, I am much more focused and engaged.  My advice:  Do something out of your comfort zone and be aware of everything about it -- even how it makes you scared or tense or insecure.  And then watch how those feelings change as you make progress.

5. Challenging yourself will help you outside of your artwork, when life throws you curve balls.

One of the reasons to practice difficult poses in yoga is to watch how our minds react to the challenge.  We practice maintaining an even breath and holding our calm and peace, even when we are wobbling or throbbing.  The idea is to take that practice off the mat and into the world.  If you challenge yourself in your art by learning a new technique, and practice being kind to yourself as you practice, you will see the value in every experience whether it is good or bad.  As a result, you will be that much more calm and  resourceful when faced with challenging and unexpected events outside your studio.  My advice:  do something new and scary, and know that every time you persevere, you are taking an important step to realize the possibilities that life has in store for you. 

Here's where I am with my watercolor flowers.  I'm making progress!


You can also watch Watercolor Flower Tutorial on YouTube.

What have you been afraid to try?  Share in the comments below, and let's all pledge together to support each other and try something new.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

In general, I keep politics off my blog.  But it would be odd to have this post, which I wrote a month ago, go out without acknowledging the presidential election in the USA.  Without getting into it too much, I offer these two graphics, which you are free to download for your personal use.

I've also donated $10 each in monthly recurring gifts to different organizations in "honor" of our President-Elect, VP-Elect and team. Donald Trump and Mike Pence will get cards letting them know that they inspired me to support Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Ocean Conservancy, and the Human Rights Commission. 

Imagine if each of us donated $10 to similar organizations in their honor.   I figure I can allocate $50 a month to protect the rights I hold dear.

If you decide to do the same, you can have your thank you cards sent to: Donald Trump, The Trump Organization 725 5th Avenue New York, NY 10022, email: info@donaldjtrump.com; and Mike Pence: 200 W. Washington St., Rm. 206, Indianapolis, IN 46204, email: info@mikepence.com

ONWARD!

And the winner of the Archetype Book is...

Congratulations Angelina.  Check your inbox for my email!

         Visit Stencil Girl Products and RubberMoon Stamps to see all my designs!

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:

InLinkz.com

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

If you are entering a GIVEAWAY, please add your email address in the event I need to contact you.

To avoid SPAM, please write it like this: jessicasporndesigns (at) gmail (dot) com

Thank You!

Art Journal Your Archetypes - And a Giveaway!

I am thrilled to announce that I am one of the participating artists in Gabrielle Javier-Cerulli's new book, Art Journal Your Archetypes. 

Gabrielle outlines Carl Jung's definition of an archetype as,

"an inherited pattern of thought or symbolic imagery derived from the past collective experience and present in the individual unconscious."  

Although this might sound a little "out there," the study of archetypes is a way of exploring your personality and learning more about yourself based on patterns of behavior. 

The study of archetypes was new to me, but my conversation with Gabrielle lit my fire!  Here's the follow up to our initial conversation: 

You can also watch "Jessica Sporn is in my Book" on YouTube.  

Gabrielle's book is fascinating and exploring your archetypes through art journaling is stimulating and inspiring.  

After receiving my copy, I was inspired to create this art journal page, Find Your Path, based on several of the tutorials in the book.

You can also watch "Follow Your Path" on YouTube here.  

To celebrate the release of "Art Journal Your Archetypes," I am giving away one copy of Gabrielle's wonderful book.  Here's how to enter!

1. comment below and share how YOU explore aspects of your personality in your art;
2. in your comment, add your email address in the event I need to contact you. To avoid SPAM, please write it like this: jessicasporndesigns (at) gmail (dot) com;
3. I will post the name of the winner IN THIS POST on Tuesday, November 15.  So on November 15, check back here.  
4. Most importantly for my USA friends, don't forget to vote today!

And the winner is....

Congratulations Angelina!

Sharing this beautiful graphic by Kim Geiser.  

Use your voice and Vote TODAY! 

https://kimgeiserstudios.threadless.com

         Visit Stencil Girl Products and RubberMoon Stamps to see all my designs!

If you haven't already - please connect with me here:

InLinkz.com

Your comments make me so happy and let me know you were here. I read and treasure every comment and will happily answer any questions as soon as I can.

Thank You!

SaveSave