Studio + Soul Rehab

I am (or was) thick in the process of inviting more order into my space. Home is so important to me. Creating a space where I feel alive and electrified is something I'm obsessed with. I'm a little off my rocker at times, moving things around, juggling this and that. My mind never seems to stop interpreting my space, or thinking of new ways to improve it. The past few months I went on a rampage clearing out cabinets, drawers, and closets. It all started when a friend of a friend came to town.

Linda Arlene Schwartz -- Intuitive Mystic, Spiritual Counselor, Transformational Bodyworker. 


When she offered to give me a reading along with taking a look at my space, I hesitated / resisted. Somewhere deep down I knew this would lead to another giant soul-stirring adventure. You see, I've been doing a lot of soul-work lately. I've had a few run-ins with Intuitive Angels who have done nothing but bless me with the exact guidance and wisdom I needed to step further along my path. I've been applying so much energy and effort toward emerging and healing broken bits that I wasn't so sure I could handle yet another Swift Kick in The Ass from The Universe.

Ready or not, here it comes. 

Before the Swift Kick in The Ass:

Cue Mary Poppins and her Magical Clean Up abilities will you?! Here are some after pics:

I completely cleared the closet out & started it over FromZero. It formerly held vintage dresses from my Vintage Shop. They've now been moved to The Official Vintage Room. The closet in my studio? A symbolic gesture of the message I've encountered so much lately -- 

It's time. Come Out of The Closet. Be Exposed. Let go. 

Exposing the bare concrete. Unearthing the root systems. 

Healing. Getting back to what's essential. RECLAIMING. 

Doing all of this with my bare hands, by myself, for myself. 

Coming back together. Out with the stagnant. In with the useful, necessary, and ME.

Ever-changing carousel of characters on my chalkboard ledge :)

Photograph of my Grand-Daddy enlarged and greeting me every day when I walk in my studio. 

Happy little desk corner. 

The setting sun.

Night Light.

Candles all aglow. 

I hope you enjoyed this mini-tour of my studio. You can see the space where I paint (on the black & white rug) which doubles as the backdrop for Jack & Tilly (my Vintage Shop). It's changed a bit more since I took these pics. I'm happy to be back on the blog train! I have so much to share and catch up on!

Have a blessed week, 

Carissa

At Home With MySelf

Falling in love with life......

Hello Friends.... My how time flies! A lot has unfolded since my last update... I'll try to keep this short & sweet! Every Friday I get up and drive over to my most favorite yoga center in the world. It's a place I know will never disappear. A solid ground that will never give way. A place which will always be. HOME. This particular day I decided to sit in the gardens after class. Just to sit, reflect, & witness the beauty. I've been so extremely grateful for the decision to quit the soul-less job & the way things have locked in & felt SO RIGHT. The creative flood gates opening wide & all the magical people & creatures I'm encountering in my day-to-day life are sure signs I'm on the right path.... There have been too many signs for me to even begin to blow-off or ignore as just happenstance. I am feeling increasingly light & buoyant... I've just put to words what this all means to me now --

I AM at home with myself...

After walking many paths...... I am finally at home with myself.

I sat there absorbing the plants & air. Noticing an earthy little lizard fellow, sitting right next to me, just so matter-of-factly eating a delicious bee. Right then & there I was struck with this big truth I come to time & time again - everything we ever need on our paths will be provided, EVERYTHING (good, bad, or indifferent)... Everything is nourishing us. Step by glorious step. So I left with this feeling of certainty & overall well being... Pure excitement for what lies ahead. On the way home I had to stop at the art store to replenish my paper for prints. While there I got an email from Mary, the manager of The Jeanine Taylor Folk Art Gallery in Sanford. She wanted to purchase a print of "Explore" and have it delivered to the gallery where they were having their monthly art walk! I was over-the-moon... I love Mary & I love this gallery... Its one of the first touchstones that inspired me to ever pick up a paint brush in the first place. Delivering prints here was a proud moment indeed. Mary gifted me with such genuine heartfelt feedback. It meant so much to me... and inspired me greatly. Yet another precious stone in my path... (Thank you Mary!)

That same night we went to another little street show in downtown Deland. The 4th Friday of every month "The Nest" hosts a little mini-street-festival. While tip-toeing around The Florida Victorian (my favorite treasure hunting haunt IN THE WORLD) I ended up meeting and falling in love with Anna Tomczak who kindly invited me to her 100+ year old house & studio for some easter egg painting. I will share pictures from her place in a separate post. It's a dream studio I tell you, a dream!

In other news.... People have been asking about originals... I'm happy to say I've loaded up the shop with all NEW originals. AND-and-and I'm going to be offering a sale very soon on certain originals to make roooooom so I can vroooom around my studio & make more art. If you want to be first to know, sign up for my wee-little-newsletter in the upper right! Otherwise, just keep an eye on my shop/blog/twitter/facebook/what-have-you.

Sending you much love & windows of airy goodness,

Carissa

Navigating Away From Fear

Bb i s f o r Beanie Propeller

Hello friends, I'm writing at the eve of dream boogie. I've been a little quiet lately, taking time to reflect and dig through my messes in search for answers and signs. I realized something huge today - I've been afraid to talk too much about my glorious dreams because I'm afraid that if I talk about them too much, I will scare them away. I've been smothering my own progress with f e a r and a whole lot of ridiculousness. More thoughts on this another time...

At the end of last year i was ready to embrace writing. After years of denial, I'm ready to wave my pen and paper flag because, "I'm madly in love with writing." I may not be any good at it (technically) but the act of writing is like a deep breath for me. It's true. Others called me a writer far before my feeble mind came around to realizing. I even bought a notebook recently at the Dollar Store and the cashier plainly asked, "Are you a writer?" I was completely blown away, because even SHE, this stranger, seemed to know while I'm afraid to admit it. I paused for a second and quickly said "Yes!" My journals are my best damn friends & they've never left my side.

writer - a person who commits his or her thoughts, ideas, etc., to writing: especially while exploring the wild blue yonder, forgetting about the rigid rules of society, and carving out their own path.

(this is my embellished version of webster's.)

In December I ordered juicy pens thirsty paper. SARK always nurtures any movements I decide to make creatively or otherwise. I was desperately checking the mail every day, feeling a lot like Calvin (and Hobbes) when he sent off for his beanie propeller. I still remember the smile on my grandfather's face as he was passing me clips from that series. The Sunday Funnies were our ritual. These memories and this new found inspiration fill me with enormous cleansing tears. I emailed SARK a little message just saying how excited I was and how I felt like Calvin waiting for his beanie propeller. I didn't expect a response, but she sent a little line in return that ended with "happy beanie propeller to you..." which touched my heart. She's great like that.

Calvin orders his sparkly beanie propeller

I believe our dreams have their own direction and purpose and unfold when they're meant to. They whirl and propell us even if we're clumsy, misguided or completely in denial. We must wear them, wave them, and go out into the world bravely. No more hiding!

Bathe in the Beautiful Bold Brave Bodacious Babe that you are!

Trust in your glorious dreams!

with love,
carissa

ps. i'm sorry about the wacky fonts. i can't seem to fix the issue here. i made the past few posts in the new blogger (beta version i think.) if anyone knows why all the fonts won't stay uniform please let me know :)