On Listening and Voicing -- a special guest post by Rachel Awes

Dear Creative Souls, 

Happy April! Today we have an extra special guest. My dear friend and soul-sister, Rachel Awes is here with a BOUNTY of goodness -- empowering poems, free art downloads, and some incredibly helpful prompts for you to dive into. It's all geared around a big theme I am honoring this year -- VOICE. From inner-voice to outer-voice, to all the ways your voice longs to show up and express itself. 

Have you met Rachel before?? She is pure joy, pure depth, and pure dee-light. Let me introduce you to her, and her special brand of magic --

Rachel Awes

 

This is Rachel. Isn't she a candy colored delight of a human?! She is an author, psychologist, and art playgroundist. She is fully-present, and fully gifted in listening -- her first book "All I did was Listen" is super inspiring (along with all her books, "The Great Green Okayness" and "Diving In")

Without further ado, here's some delicious goodness for us, from Rachel.

  

Her Voice by Rachel Awes

We are all treasure chests
with hearts in the middle
and we get to make room for
what really belongs inside.

Water.
Mandalas.
Surprises.
Creating.
Intertwining with the good.
Planting.
Marinating.
Being our fullest.
Growing.
Being authentic.
Receiving.
Dressing up.
Being deliberate with
what we keep in
and what we keep out.
Engaging in what we love.
Listening to what we want.
Trusting our thoughts.
Waking up to wonderment.
Pressing imperfectly on.

Gems will appear when we listen.
Voices will be heard.
Even sung.
They have been there all along.
Needing to be mined

and they are
all mine
and they are
all yours.

Free Downloadable Art Print

My Words Come out Good by Rachel Awes

I am practicing
saying words
that come out of my heart.
Like they do
before falling asleep.
Like they do
when sitting with
a trusted friend.
Like they do
when writing next to
a big lake.

I am paying attention
to what happens
when
I give myself
space
to do this
important work.

The shower invites me
to sing bigger.
Canyons coax me
to be heard.

It is how
our world is made.
It is how

we are made.

Free downloadable art print

Creative exercise with VOICE

Get our markers, crayons, finger paint, or whatever suits your fancy, and put what your voice looks like on paper or canvas. What are the colors? Shapes? Words or no words? Feelings? Needs? Treasures? Secrets? Dreams? Invitations?
Write a love letter to your voice. Trusting one’s voice tends to develop around age 9. Maybe consider a love letter to your inner 9 year old. What does she need to know?
Practice hearing your words, through a voice recorder or in the shower or singing in the car. Practice holding your voice with compassion.
If you could give your voice a new practice, what would you love to do? Read stories out loud? Sing? Tell your truths in the dark or to a waterfall or to your angels?
Write a poem using “VOICE” as acronym, like:

V oice turned
O n AND
I nspiring
C ourageous
E mergence.

Listen
1. How did you listen to your inner knowing and wisdom as a child? What memories arise?
How about as a teenager, young adult, and now?
2. What messages throughout your life have inhibited such listening? What have you come
to fear about listening to your heart? What might be new messages you can give from
your wise self to your scared self?
3. What helps you to listen to your heart? Art-making/creative projects? Walking in
nature? Journaling? Prayer? Meditation? A silent retreat? Talking with a trusted friend?
Talking with a therapist? Talking with a healer? Massage/body work?
4. What if you created an invitation to listen to your inner wisdom? In the form of
handwriting on a card? A painting? A collage? A vision board?
 

Speak
1. Psychologists say that we develop a sense of voice around age 9. What was happening
for you around that age? Were you coming to trust your voice, hide it, question it? What
stories were influencing your voice journey?
2. What are memories of you using your voice? Hiding your voice? Who supported your
words and who discouraged? What are you choosing to tell yourself now?
3. How do you currently care for your voice? How do you feel about your boundaries of
who you share your truths with and how much you share?
4. How do you currently feel inspired to use your voice? Are there words you want to say
to a particular person? To a group? To the world? To yourself?
 

All shared with LOVE & DIVINE SUPPORT for your listening & speaking & whole
life, XOX,

 Rachel Awes
Psychologist, Author, and Art Playgroundist

http://rachelawes.com
http://rachelawes.etsy.com
https://www.instagram.com/rachelawes/
https://www.facebook.com/rachel.awes/
https://www.pinterest.com/rachelawes/

Wondrous Weaves and Healing Spirit Dolls Collection (+ my vintage shop)

 

 It all started with a spontaneous trip to IKEA, to look at chairs for Ever's room. In the kid's section, they had a loom set up. This loom was standing there smiling, calling my name... 

 

"Oh, this will be sooo fun!" I thought it would be something I'd mostly do with Ever. 

 

After I got home and made the first piece, it swirled me into creative whirlwind. The next thing I knew, I was rummaging through all the precious fabrics I'd collected over many years running an online vintage shop. Little and big scraps wove their way in. Finally a place for these treasured scraps to land! 

 It feels sooo good to create without an end result in mind. . . 

to feel a force greater than myself as I let my hands and heart roam. 

This healing collection is available now: www.carissapaige.etsy.com

For those interested in my vintage shop, see below!

www.jackandtilly.etsy.com

  

 With massive amounts of love, 

Carissa 

 

Life Book Giveaway (now CLOSED)

Dear Creative Souls, 

I am just getting back from a pilgrimage out west in Colorado: Storytelling in Original Voice by Dr Clarissa Pinkola Estes (Women Who Run With The Wolves). The experience was completely transformative, beyond my wildest dreams. I'm still digging and piecing together tangible words to describe what I gathered in the 5 glorious days and 4 glorious nights of intensive soul digging. One night as she was telling us our bedtime story a pack of coyotes (or wolves?) came howling by. I was laying in the back of the room with my sweater cocoon (hardcore adjusting to the altitude) and tears of joy streaming down my face. More on this whole journey soon. 

A quick note about what's to come from me in 2014: I have so much top secret goodness in store...! Legend of YOU is being completely refilmed and amplified with new magic and insights I've gathered along the trail... and more. I will make early-bird announcements on my newsletter first, so sign up on the side if you want to ride that train or any other train with me come 2014 ---> 

Without further ado: I'm thrilled to play a part in Life Book 2014 amongst the incredible line up. AND I'm thrilled to give-a-way a free spot. In the comments below I'd love if you'd share: "What lights your creative fire?!" along with a way to reach you (email / website). I will pick a winner next week! 

Here are the rest of the amazing teachers and participants of this blog hop:

12th Sept 2013 - Tamara Laporte - www.willowing.org/blog

13th Sept 2013 – Tascha Parkinson – www.timewithtascha.blogspot.ca

14th Sept 2013 - Lesley Riley – www.lesleyriley.com

15th Sept 2013 – Alena Hennessy – www.alenahennessy.com

16th Sept2013 – Kat McBride – www.KatCanPaint.com

17th Sept 2013 – Carla Sonheim – www.carlasonheim.com

18th Sept 2013 – Jane Davenport – www.janedavenport.com

19th Sept 2013 – Danielle Daniel – www.danielledaniel.com

20th Sept 2013 – Jennibellie – www.jennibelliestudio.blogspot.com

23rd Sept2013 – Kelly Hoernig – www.kellyhoernig.webs.com

24th Sept 2013 – Micki Wilde – www.thesecrethermit.blogspot.co.uk

25th Sept 2013 – Kate Thompson – www.fracturedangelics.blogspot.com

26th Sept 2013 – Flora Bowley – www.florabowley.com

27th Sept2013 – Anna Dabrowska – www.tworzysko.blogspot.co.uk

28th Sept 2013 – Steven Speight – www.speightoftheart.com

30th Sept 2013 - Serena Bridgeman – www.serenarty.com

1st Oct 2013 – Dyan Reaveley – www.dyan-reavely.blogspot.co.uk

2nd Oct 2013 – Effy Wild – www.effywild.com

3rd Oct 2013 – Carissa Paige – www.carissapaige.com

4th Oct 2013 - Marieke Blokland – www.bloknote.nl

5th Oct 2013 – Christy Tomlinson – www.christytomlinson.com

6th Oct 2013 – Traci Bautista – www.treicdesigns.com

7th Oct 2013 – Mika Diaz – www.mikadiazmixedmedia.com

Thank you for being here. 

With Love, 

Carissa

PS. Blog revamp underway! 

21 Secrets LIVE + Give-a-way !

Painting in Progress . . . . 

Ahoy, creative mates! How's your week? It's been a whirlwind here. I just wanted to drop in and share an exciting new project underway: 21 SECRETS LIVE! Have you heard?? It's a delicious extension / celebration of 21 SECRET'S 5th Year!! The incredible light-beam, Connie has put together this bright, new, electric addition and I am so excited to be a part of it. Here is a glimpse of some of the fantasmo artists you'll be going live with:

The cherry on top: I'm offering up 2 FREE SPOTS (woo-hoo!) 

I wanted to do this give-a-way a little differently than last time, and ask you to answer two or more questions. Each question answered will be an added entry for your name! 

1. Who's your favorite Superhero (or villain)?
2. If you had a zillion dollars, what would you do?
3. What is your deepest, wildest dream?
4. Have you ever gone on a sabbatical? Tell us about it!
5. What would you most love to learn about or do next?
6. What's the most daring, scary thing you'd really like to conquer?
7. What holds you back?? (I will collect these answers & do a releasing ceremony!) 
8. What's your favorite place to go, collect your thoughts & get grounded?
9. If you could embody the essence of anyone (past / present), who would it be?
10. Who is your biggest inspiration? Artist / Writer / Speaker / Creative / Being
11. Make up a crazy character and describe them + their hidden talents!

Thanks for playing along. . . I will pull names from the "magic hat" next week. I hope you win!  Here is everything you need to know AND where to sign-up for the early bird special --->> 21 SECRETS LIVE!

My Tumbling Act

Last night I had a dream I was flung out onto a stage. The mission: perform an improv acrobatic act. I began to panic. I haven't done gymnastics in 20+ years. Something inside me said: tap into what you knew as a child. I fumbled around in this leotard, peeking at the audience all sitting in their seats, and I just began to tumble my way around the stage... Literally tumbling. Cartwheeling, falling over, rolling around. Little kid style. Not long after this tumble act was over, I was home. Inside my house there was this huge black basket. Curled up inside was a gentle looking yet HUGE snake. I was mesmerized by it's creamy color and subtle brown pattern. My eyes were trying hard to focus on it. A voice tells me, "look up anaconda." I search for anaconda. My Grandfather suddenly appears and tells me 3 snakes appeared in his house once.

I wake up, take notes, research anacondas. I dig into Animal Speak to look at Snakes and the number 3. Here's the fascinating thing about my dreams the past 5 years: while I'm inside my dream, I can literally ask: what does this mean? What do I need to learn from this? The answer isn't always there. Sometimes it's like a riddle unfolding as the day goes on. Sometimes my days feel like extensions of dreams. So many wonderful mysteries about this life.

Confession: The last few months have felt like a tumbling act... I tumble inside my head, my heart, my words come tumbling out backwards. There has been a lot tumbling around in a lot of little ways and let me tell you: a bit of my own madness tumbled out and led me to some incredibly wide open fields. These things I'm confronting leave me feeling joyous and shellshocked.

My biggest tumble of all: I've made some huge snafus with some huge things and feel slightly embarrassed (?) about it.

Namely: Legend of You. The glorious project I announced was underway on 12-12-12. The lessons I've learned when it comes to unveiling something incredibly precious to you before it's complete, is that it's better to keep some things under your hat until their finished. The videos for my course were accidentally erased. The joy and madness of digital. The writing content is safe, but yes, the videos must be refilmed.

Legend of You, I am picking up the pieces, rebuilding, and coming back stronger than ever. 

In the meantime, I don't plan to force it. It feels so much better to confess this, because the loss was a little tragic and for a while I felt completely crippled, like I can't make any decisions or make any moves until this thing is outside of me. To those of you who've been waiting for the ride: thank you for your patience! I feel like I have so much to say about the things we lose along the way. I have always regained whatever it is I've lost and it always comes back in a deeper more profound way. 

 My new mantra. Freebie! Download / copy / print / share :)

Local Current: I'm teaching Art Journal Magic at The Funky Trunk in downtown DeLand and preparing a painting class. Some other precious things... I'm keeping under my hat for now. Much of my art is there right now, so if you are local and want to peruse, it's a fabulous little shop next to the Women's Museum of Art smack dab in the heart of things.


Last but not least on this giant update train: 

I can finally announce how excited I am to be a part of SOUL FOOD! Have you heard about it yet?? There's a whole slew of creatives cookin' up some Artsy Lessons and Soul Food just for you. I'll have more details on my "course / dish" as time grows near, but until then: 

Learn all about this fabulous offering AND get in on the early bird special <click below>

With Love and Confessional Relief, 

Carissa

Legend of YOU: Sneak Peek

My heart is so silly full as we approach this new year, so ready to journey into 2013 beginning with Legend of YOU. Thank you for hanging in there while I sort out the technical aspects! And deepest gratitude for being a part of this journey. More words and sneak peeks as January draws closer!

Cheers to new years + NEW LEGENDS!

All my heart,
Carissa 

PS. You are warmly invited to join my new creative community: Legend of YOU!  I have yet to set up the mobile version, so it may appear blank if you aren't viewing from your computer.

Wonder Books in person! + "Space Holding"

Little Blue typewriter + goodies to rifle through!

Beautiful messes

by Shari Sherman aka HulaDogDesigns

Demo table

Inspired Wonder-Women

by Jane Renfroe

by Jackie Tomassi

by Kim Brown

by Radha Ananda Prema

by Miriam Chacon

by Laurin MacLeish

Wisdom unfolding by Miriam and Jackie

Scatters of wisdom by Shari Sherman.... 

"Wisdom Begins in Wonder"-socrates

I am at a loss for words! This past weekend I held the first Wonder Books workshop in downtown Sanford at the Jeanine Taylor Folk Art Gallery where 8 wonder-full women gathered round and opened wide, let looooose and freeeee. Each with their own unique and wild voice. A total dream! The messages that came through serendipitously to everyone through blind pickings and painted unfoldings was a true joy to witness. The happy mistakes, the pushing through, the connections and magic that happen when creative women get together. It's a true force of nature. . . a cyclone of creative energy with all sorts of happy heart sparkles dashing about the room. Hugest thanks to our hostess with the mostest -- Mary K Shaw and Jeanine Taylor for the holding the most glorious space.

I have been working long & hard to bring this and other eee-courses to you very soon! Sign up for my newsletter in the upper right to find out when.

The art featured on the walls is a collection of "Delicate Creatures" by Carolina Cleere. We were all so happy to create amongst her creatures!!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Last but not least: 
A sugary-sweet-collab between me -n- Rachel Awes!!

Space Holding / Holding Space unfolded back and forth with pure magic and joy. It is a reminder of the sacred essentialness of Space Holding for ourselves, our hearts, and others -- a reminder than when we get together creatively and work together creatively we amplify that energy and miraculous things bloom. To share in our journeys, to hold space for one another, to hold space for our art / our exploding hearts, to hold space for our everything we've been through to guide and lead, to BLESS / HONOR / and BURY the rest.

Taking all of that wisdom gathered in wonder-ing and sprinkling it into the lives of others. . . . 

This print is a reminder of the power that comes from Space Holding. Click here to get a print!

With Wonder, 

Carissa 

PS. There are some more photos of Wonder Books taken by the gallery right here!

New Paintings

Bubble Girl ~ Original Sold ~ Prints Available

Ethel ~ Original Sold ~ Prints Available

Henrietta ~ Original & Prints Avai
lable 

Eleven Whispers ~ Original & Prints Available 

Hello! Here are a few new paintings I finished this week. . .

 I can't recall if I've shown you the 3 big pieces I finished, so here they are too:

I am amping up for a solo exhibit in June 22 - July 22 at Little Fish Huge Pond in historic Downtown Sanford. I'm super excited (& a wee-bit nervous). Sanford is an old, adorable port town here in Central Florida. I couldn't be happier to have my art there for a month. I couldn't think of a better place to break the ice! If you are local ~ opening night is Friday June 22 from 6 - 9 pm ~ I'd love if you stopped by! Little Fish is the coolest little place in Sanford. . . The atmosphere is quirky, eclectic, weird, and wonderful (~.~)

Wisdom. Harmony. Angels Influence

Here's to a wonderful week ahead. . . 

X x 

Carissa

Find the feeling....

Processing my sleeping dreams. . . 

"The whole world is wild at heart & weird on top" David Lynch

I am going through the process of space clearing, yet again. It's amazing how much one can accumulate not only as an artist, but after living in one space for 9 years. It's all coming together though, on so many levels: Spirit, Mind, Body.

I have much to share, but for now just wanted to say HELLO and share some BIG paintings I'm working on in the midst of the Clearing:

Sending you B I G BIG 

LOOOOOOOVE

XO

New Art / Art Dolls / Video Glimpse into my Creative Process

I've added quite a few new originals to the shop. A batch of affordable / collectible / original / mixed media pieces on Bristol paper. Check them out right here!

Introducing: the newest addition to the family -- Art Dolls! I've been visualizing these dolls in my head for quite some time. It was truly magical to have them come to life for the first time! They're made from salvaged linen, vintage fringe trim, feathers collected from the Florida beaches, paints, and mad-mad LOVE.

While making these the word "spirit doll" kept popping into my head. After looking it up, I believe these most certainly are Spirit Dolls. They've both been infused with incredible amounts of love, energy, meaning, and Spirit. Little Messengers! Eloise has already become an Aussie (how exciting). Margo is still patiently waiting for a Dreamer to come along who needs her magical powers -- find out more about the personal meaning for Margo (right here).

Last weekend (11-11-11) I met Goddess Doreen Virtue at the ICDI Conference. She's an intutitive angel and advised me to work outdoors, that everything in my life will be more magical if I do. She also called me "Fairy Girl", and said I'm surrounded by fairies. This has seriously come up 4 times this year by different intuitive people. Apparently I have fairies around me! Not sure if you believe in Fairies, they are essentially the same as Angels, but more Earthbound. They do sparkly fairy like magic. (I guess if I'm surrounded, I better learn more about them!) There was also a 3 hour talk by Wayne Dyer. He is INCREDIBLE to say the least. I left so full of emotion, so wide open, so incredibly WOW. The tears were flowing. I also heard Carolyn Myss, Collette Baron-Reid, Debbie Ford, and more! So many great teachers. I'm still processing it all. I'll share some of my notes and thoughts later!

Last but not least -- Here's a video I made this past Sunday, on a bit of a whim. I know the editing isn't perfect, but I had fun. Fun's what its all about! I wanted share glimpses into how my creative process works: Writing, dressing up, thrifted treasures, painting, playing, photographing, experimenting! Growing up I had a major infatuation with Mary Poppins, and watched the movie a zillioin times. Life was kind of crazy growing up, so a magical flying nanny with "A spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down, in the most de-light-ful way" become a huge fantasy for me, soul food. Its where my creative sparks began. I recently discovered the old Walt Disney / Mary Poppins record from 1964 and was so thrilled. I came home and played it while I was working on the dolls above. See -- all this rambling ties in somehow. Anyway, I could ramble on. Hope you enjoy my little take on Mary Poppins.

 Happy Thanksgiving Friends / Family! I'm so gratefull for YOU and for all that you share and teach. Sending LOVE in WAVES.