Creative Every Day for November begins!

November is "Create Every Day" at Leah's Creative Every Day.

I awoke this morning charged up to create! I spent several hours working on ATCs for several swaps I am involved with. It was a real treat to play and create and just enjoy the chance to have a large block of time to create.

Autumn colours - using a weave technique.

 

Hallowe'een was a fun time - all 5 grandchildren arrived with their costumes and we got lots of pictures.

The Day of the Dead blog fest yesterday showcased great artwork. Be sure to check out Mother Henna (and my blog about it as well!)

This week's affirmation letter is T - and I decided to continue with the treats from The Joy Diet. (See my entry here.)

I am looking forward to a very creative month. I am involved in quite a few ATC swaps and am really enjoying the challenge and the community.

I am also planning a new project for this month - more later!

Have fun creating this month!

Treats - The Joy Diet

This week we were to focus on "treats" as we worked on The Next Chapter -The Joy Diet.

This was actually an easy one to incorporate as I really needed treats this week and I found lots.

I was able to create (created more ATCs and had fun with photograpy), have treats (especially chocolate), read, watch TV (my fav. -So You Think You Can Dance Canada finale!), buying used books at the 50% sale at the thrift shop, have the craft club at school for Grade 4s, celebrate Hallowe'en at school, dance to Thriller with my class several times!!

Taking photos yesterday coming home from school was a definite treat. I usually don't have my camera with me at school but I did as I was taking photos of the children's costumes. It was late, as I had been cleaning desks and looking for work to mark, so as I drove home I noticed the setting sun and the beautiful sky. I just had to stop and get some photos! Talk about a treat for the soul!

Then when I arrived home the moon was out - almost full!

I had been feeling sick most of the week but those treats really boosted my spirits. (I wrote earlier about my hubby's cancer scare - he is still not out of the woods)

I also had the Day of the Dead project to write about - that was a great project. See here.

Day of the Dead Blog Fest

Happy Hallowe'en One and All!

Tomorrow though, begins a new celebration for me - Day of the Dead.

Wikipedia has a brief description to give you an overview:

"The Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos or All Souls' Day) is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and by Latin Americans living in the United States and Canada. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. ."

This day honours those who left us, giving us an opportunity to remember them. It is also the time when the veil between our world and theirs is so very thin.

Kara of Mother Henna, offered a chance to take part in a "Day of the Dead" art Collaboration back in September. I came across it late but it really grabbed me and I knew I had to take part.

We were to create any art to reflect this theme.

Each ATC card I created , I thought of people I had lost. My Mom, my Dad, my godmother/aunt, other aunts and uncles, my mother-in-law, my brother-in-law, all of my grandparents, friends. It really was cathartic.

Now the Fest is open for all to view.

Kara has many ways for you to honour your dead:

*Create an ofrenda - an altar that is a special way to honour and remember those you have lost.

*Say their names.

*Create art in their names.

*Do random acts of kindness in their honour.

She asks: "What do you do this season to honor and remember your loved ones and the universal experience of grief and love?"

I have my own ofrenda, with pictures of my loved ones. Some of my art is there as well.

We all grieve in different ways. This has given me another way to honour those I have lost - a very personal way.