My turtle mandala

I love to see and share the mandalas created during my mandala workshop. I am always amazed at what is created.  Here are the rest of the mandalas that were created at the April 20th workshop.

Mandala by Lisa Pieper

Mandala by Joy Weber

Mandala by Joy Weber

Mandala by Belinda Brin

Mandala by Belinda Brin

Mandala by Belinda Brin

Mandala by Jo Ann Walton

Mandala by Tina Sparks

Mandala by Tina  Sparks

Mandala by Marty Cahill

My spiral mandala

I am so grateful to all the workshop participants for sharing their mandalas.  They inspire me in so many ways.

My  next mandala workshop is November 8th and 9th.  I can’t wait.

Springtime has arrived and for me that means long days and crazy busyness of transforming gardens from sometimes bare earth into glorious wonders.  Of course there is little time for anything else, including creating blogs.  Here is a peak into some of the work I have been doing – and loving.

I got to pick out these beautiful ceramic pots from Vietnam and plant them with succulents. I love the colors and shapes of the pots and the special treat was to plant them with amazingly beautiful succulents.  The woman who wanted me to create these colorful summer pots is from Texas, so succulents are part of her growing up and remind her of home.  She and her family travel also, so these pots don’t need to be – and shouldn’t be – watered everyday.  They can go away for a weekend and not worry about watering.

The colors of the water holding leaves are subtle, strong and breathtaking.  The shapes range from bold to fine and feathery. They mix well.  The larger succulents are annuals for St. Louis, but many of the smaller finer leafed ones are perennials used for green roofs in our climate.

Of course the mandala shapes makes me long for my art room and time to create marks on paper.  That will come soon, after the plants lining my driveway are planted.

Earlier this year I wrote an article for an upcoming 2013 summer issue of Missouri Gardener magazine about succulents in containers.  After writing the article I couldn’t wait to create more of these beautiful summer container gardens.  I have succulents left over from the pots I created for others, most likely my own large stone planters at the front of my house will be filled with succulents this summer – after all the other gardens are done.

Recently my dear friend Sharon, who lives in Kent England, came to visit.  She brought along her skills in felt puppet making, which she learned at a storytelling workshop at a nearby Steiner school.  One day before she came to visit,  we were Skyping and she showed me the puppets she had made.  I told her I would love to learn how to make them.  She said they were very easy to make and she would teach me how when she came.  As it turned out, I wasn’t the only one who wanted to learn, so a workshop was formed.  In a matter of a few hours, felt birds and other creatures came to life.

The creations shown here were made in a morning workshop by people who had never worked with felt.  These were made with needle felting, which involves a special kind of wool felt and needles that are stabbed into the felt to bind the wool together. There are no stitches of thread to hold parts together, the wool binds itself together when the needles are stabbed through the wool.

I made a finger puppet fairy with butterfly and flower qualities

.

A little sweet human like creature was made also.

Sharon had us first make a small nest and eggs to get used to punching the felt with needles. Feathers can easily be added to the felt.

Here are some  photos that  show the process and materials.

The wool used is called Norwegian C1 wool felting, or the American version can be used.  We bought our supplies from a company called Felt Alive  in Oregon.  I have lots of wool left and can’t wait to  bring some more creations to life.

Thank you Sharon for sharing your talents and teaching.   Like most other Americans, I have the idea that listening to a beautiful British accent makes it easier to learn.

This is not the last 100 Days for Mandalas, another session will start in July. (Yeah).  Sorry it has been a few weeks since the last 100 Days for Mandala post, but here are many  mandalas to share to show what has been going on since the last post.

And of course mandalas will be part of future posts from now until July.  If there are mandalas you would like to share, please send at any time.

One of my mandalas from the workshop

The mandalas shown here are from my Mandalas, Meditation and Journaling workshop I taught last weekend.  Workshops bring a special kind of creativity and community that only happens when gathered together.  I love teaching others by sharing creativity in the intimacy of my studio.  I have all my toys (art supplies) and books in one place. Also all the years of creativity that have been expressed in workshops, mandala get togethers and working by myself in this special place bring an energy that inspires me and others. In fact one participant asked if I rented out the space just so she could come hang out there.

Below is a sharing of some of the wonderful creativity from those who created these mandalas in our workshop last weekend.  (More of this creativity will be shown in upcoming blog posts)

Mandala by Marty Cahill

Mandala by Tina Sparks

Mandala by Jo Ann Walton

Mandala by Joy Weber

Mandala by Belinda Brin

Mandala by Lisa Pieper

MANDALA PROMPT – Let the community of creativity that is shared online and in workshops be an inspiration and connection for your own creativity.

MANDALA MEDITATION -  Mandala Meditation – Creative Flow & Community

As mentioned above, more of the creativity from this recent mandala workshop will be shared in upcoming blog posts.

Purple, my favorite vegetable color

Excel Spreadsheet with 2013 garden seeds for my garden

 Yes, this is my list of seeds for 2013.  I have to put them all on an excel spreadsheet.  But it does give me some order to the chaos of wanting it all.

Radishes to eat crunchy fresh or stir fried and mellowed

The photos shown in this blog are some of the actual seed packages I used, or photos of plants I have grown in my garden before and can’t live without.  At the end of this blog, and in the first paragraph above, is a link to my article titled “The Sweetness of Garden Dreams” that was published in the February issue of The Healthy Planet. It is about how I select seeds. I apologize to the readers of that article who were promised more info on my blog, that it took so long to make it here.

My veggie garden in past years – nasturtium, swiss chard, fennel, beets

My favorite zinnia ever – Queen Lime Red – only available as seed

Small melons and tomatoes named for Alan Chadwick, a legend in organic gardening

Sunflowers from bird seed scattered during the winter (for the birds)  on my garden in front of my house

Black-Eyed Susan, my favorite rudbeckia triloba – mostly an annual that sometimes reseeds

These Love-In-A-Puff seeds are why I grow this plant. Each seed has a perfect heart imprinted on the black sphere.

These miniature bushy morning glory like plants really don’t like the heat, but I love them anyway.

A carnival of carrots – of course

I hope your garden will be filled with the magic of seeds.  The amazement of watching a tiny seed grow into a plant is beyond words.

If you would like a PDF of my plant list, please let me know.

Link to The Sweetness of Garden Dreams article, published in February 2013 in The Healthy Planet magazine.

Above is the back side of my most recent mandala folder.  I made a decision to try something again, that I had tried to do before, and it failed.  It felt scary to put myself out there again, for fear of another failure.   This back side was the final page of  working out the not so great feelings first and then coming to a place of peace after I created the first three pages of this mandala art journaling folder.

This mandala folder below is about mystery.  I like adding small envelopes to hold special thoughts and prayers.

MANDALA PROMPT -  Let the embrace of the mandala guide you on your journey through life

MANDALA MEDITATION – Mandala Meditation Feel The Circle

I am filled with joy that my mandalas and the story of how they became part of my life are featured in a six page article in the spring issue of Art Journaling magazine.    I found copies at Barnes & Noble.  Here are the pages.  Let them be an inspiration.

I don’t know if the words can be read on some internet devices (smart phones for example).  If you would like the words, please email me and I can send them to you.

MANDALA PROMPT – Let the images and words of your heart, hands and mind flow together in your mandalas.  The soul speaks in both images and words.  Let them be your guide.

MANDALA MEDITATION – Mandala Meditation – Art Journaling In A Sacred Circle

In this beautiful, crazy springtime (deep snow one day, flowers the next) the joy of earth and sky seeps into our bones, body and being.  Nature calls to us with its mystery and magic and leaves its imprint on our souls.

Mandala by Anne Brune – created at Mandala Get Together a few days after a crescent moon

The above and following mandalas reflect nature’s call and our creative response.  Interestingly it is often not until the mandala is finished that we become aware that we are letting the colors, shapes and symbols of creation’s majesty shine forth. Sometime nature’s inspiration is a conscious choice, other times it comes through heart and hands to be known and expressed while the mandala maker is unaware they are the channel of nature’s beautiful expression.

Mandala by Christine, created during a spring rain with lightening and thunder

Mandala by Ann Brune, created a few days before spring to usher in the greening of the earth

Mandala by Tina Sparks – owl eyes that pierce with their wisdom

Mandala by Christine – a snow poem

Mandala by me – I want the green of spring to break through, with the love of earth and sky as roots

The following mandalas have their own mystery and meaning.  Let all of these mandalas speak to you in their own way.

Mandala by Christine

Mandala by Tina Sparks

MANDALA PROMPT – Let the Earth, Spring and Nature Speak to You & Inspire You

MANDALA MEDITATION – Mandala Meditation Feel Springtime

I so love this prairie path.   It looks like in a dream, leading to a mysterious unknown place where great soul adventures will take place.

My red patio table stays outside year round, and is part of the view from my art studio.  Its surface called out for a mandala in the center of its already mandala shape.

I used stones that I had painted last year and dried rose petals from last year’s garden.  (Oh spring and summer with your glorious blooms, I can’t wait)

The three 12 inch mandalas I created in a flower bed next to the driveway and street were so fun to make.  They are not just for people pleasure, they are for the birds.  The string yarn was cut into foot long sections, in hopes that the birds will find the yarn and use it for their nests.

Inspired by Nespoon, the artist featured in my last blog, who uses doilies as the design of her urban art,  I placed three of my mother’s old paper doilies on the ground.  (I have plenty more so these were not the last). On top of the doilies I put gourds.  My hope is that some animal will find the gourds and eat them.  Then I wrapped the yarn around in a circle.

I used three different kinds of yard.

The robin’s egg blue punched paper is meant to inspire the robins to take the yarn and lay their beautiful blue eggs.  The heavy paper is from a box that holds the “to die for” macarons from the new French bakery in St. Louis called La Patisserie Chouquette.

The other punched flower and heart shapes are from an old poster of my mandala flowers and construction paper.

I see these three lovely mandalas from the window by my desk. I can’t wait for the birds and other wild creatures to claim them for their own.

MANDALA PROMPT – Enjoy the out of doors now that we are in spring.  Let the gathering light guide your creativity and shine from your heart.

MANDALA MEDITATION -  Mandala Meditation Springtime

There is an artist in Poland named Nespoon, who creates what she calls “jewelry for public spaces.”  She works with the mandala shape of doilies, those circular lace shapes that maybe your grandma or great grandmother made.  Her work gives honor to the craft along with brightening public spaces with a different kind of graffiti.

Her work is done with large stencil doilie patterns that she spray paints to create the image. Sometimes she adds smaller ceramic mandala shapes that she adds to the doilie graffiti.

Sometimes the ceramic art is put in places where it looks like it has been there all along.

Sometimes the ceramic pieces are put in public places that don’t usually have art as part of the landscape.

Some of her work is traditional doilie lace making, put in public spaces instead of in a home.

The contrast of rust and large lace mandala image is the kind of urban art that brings a feminine touch to the street.

The sweetness of this wall is something not seen in public spaces very often.   I’d love to see more of this kind of art bring light to empty urban walls.

Public art at the beach, why not?

MANDALA PROMPT – Create a mandala outdoors.  One way is to gather twigs, leaves, stones and other objects from nature. Paint a mandala on a surface like the tree trunk above, or some other “canvas” that will reveal itself to you.  Create a mandala inside and bring it outdoors, put it in a place that will surprise others.

MANDALA MEDITATION – Mandala Meditation Spring Outdoor Mandalas

PS – please check out Nespoon’s website on Behance (another great creative site).  Her work brings so much light to urban places that shine when beauty becomes part of their essence.