Caturday: Escher

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Escher at the Window

It’s been two years since the kittens came into our life and Escher still skedaddles if you come too close too fast, if there’s too much hubbub and if you even think about picking him up. Still, we have made enormous progress.

One of the lovely things about him now is that he loves to be near. When I was very sick this winter, he was my daily companion, curled up right beside me in bed. He’s been letting me pet him for quite some time now but mostly he walks away as I try. As a result, I mostly pet his tail, LOL! In the past couple of weeks, he’s started figuring out that if he alters his approach, he can get his head and neck pet, which he loves. In those moments, he’ll purr deeply and even start kneading. Bliss!

My heart just booms when this happens and all of this gives me hope that our trust will continue to grow, that we will get closer and closer and that one day, he may even sit on my lap.

Let me pick him up? Well, one step at a time.

stART eps 81: All Aboard the Grumpy Train!

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Every couple of weeks I film stART: Creating as We Go with my two sisters, Suzie and Shannon. We share our creative projects, from challenges to celebrations, and support each other’s creative lives.

It is safe to say there are some grumpy pants in the house for this edition of stART! Don’t worry, it isn’t all grumpies, all the time, but mood and resistance certainly come up! That said, we still have tons to share from collage and paper cutting (and the difference between the two), bucket lists, jewellery, and oh, so many classes!

As always, we hope you enjoy the show!

In this episode we mention…

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Creativity, Delight & Coming Alive

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Every Monday, Wednesday & Friday morning I invite you Behind the Scenes at my studio.

Today: It’s the Full Strawberry Moon and time to think about how delight can awaken us to our dreams! Plus, what it means when your life is your studio!

Mentioned in Today’s Show

Baby Raccoons

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Creative Living with Jamie: Dar Hosta James

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Dar Hosta James on Creative Living with Jamie

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Creative Living with Jamie (episode 261): Interview with Dar Hosta James

What will it take for you to believe me when I tell you that you’re creative? That’s the question I start with this week before diving into a fascinating conversation with artist Dar Hosta James. Dar shares how she became an accidental artist and cobbled together a rich and diverse creative life.

Dar (Hosta) James is a painter of trees, a collage artist, a writer and illustrator of children’s picture books, a creative project manager, a designer, a teacher of both children and adults, a speaker on creativity and education, a creativity life coach and a certified educator for GOLDEN Artist Colors.

Dar is the daughter of an artist with an exploration in visual arts that has been life long, self-motivated and self-taught.  After a brief stint as a high school teacher, she became a stay at home mom in rural Ohio where she discovered a love of collage while spending days at home with her two, young sons though, later, she would continue working in education through writing and art as a visiting author, an artist in residence and a national speaker on creativity in education. In 2003, after a move to central New Jersey, Dar started an independent publishing company, Brown Dog Books, which became a platform for her own illustrated children’s books. Of her life as an artist, she says, “Art has become a metaphor for my life… my life has become a metaphor for my art… in both areas, I try to look for what is working and how to make it all more fun. The two feed each other.”

Connect with Dar James

Website: www.darsworld.com
Instagram: @indarsworld

Dar’s Special Offer!

Save $10 on a pair of Dar’s stunning yoga pants with the discount code TAKE10.

Shine a Light ~ Spread the Magic

Whether this is the first episode that you’ve listened to or we’ve been hanging out for years, I am so glad that you’re

here.  I love knowing that we’re hanging out in your studio, folding your laundry or that we’re hanging out while you’re walking your dog or going to work. Wherever you are and however you listen, I want you to know, I cherish you. And if you cherish this show, if it has been a blessing to your creative life, please spread the magic! Take a moment to leave a positive rating or review on iTunes. Share the podcast with your friends! You really can make a difference by shining a light on the show so that it can be found by other creative hearts just like you.

Scheduling, Energy and the Practical Nature of Living a Creative Life

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Every Monday, Wednesday & Friday morning I invite you Behind the Scenes at my studio.

Today: Musing on the practical stuff – schedules, busy-ness and resource management. It may not sound sexy (though I know some of you think it is) but it is key to living a joyful, fulfilling creative life!

Mentioned in Today’s Show

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A Neglected Garden Still Blooms

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I love my garden but with all the rain and all the busy, I haven’t had a chance to get out there much this spring. The other day, I joined the kittens looking out the back window and these amazing pink blooms called to me.

I grabbed my camera and braved the overgrown grass and the dandelions, noticing how much was in need of pruning and of weeding, and came to stand in front of these magnificent beauties.

Yes, I felt badly for not having tended the garden.

Yes, I didn’t want to look and see the mess. It’s easier to hide my neglect when I simply stay inside.

Oh… but what I would have missed.

This works the same way with our creative hearts. We may have been too busy. Times may have been too hard. It may have been weeks, months or years since we have tended to our artistic soul. Maybe we never have.

But we needn’t worry. Our creativity is firmly planted within, ready to bloom. You just have to find the courage to look.

JRS Tree Peony