Monthly Archives: January 2019
Whimsical Wednesdays ~ The Artist’s Corner: You Are A Canvas To Paint From The Palette Of Your Heart
As I’m up to my Faery ears in creative fun here at the Forest Portal, Whimsical Wednesdays inspired me to share about a recent transformation I physically went through to keep in alignment with my own inner artist and soul signature expression. I’ve mentioned many times before how we can live “life as art” and that my own personal motto has been “creating life as a work of art.” This extends to all aspects of you and your experience, and I know that one of the ways that always feels to boost creative energies and inspiration for me, is when I change my way of adorning myself with different clothing choices, accessories, hairstyles, or even hair colors. The latter is what recently took place just last Thursday.
Aqua has always been my favorite color and I’ve often admired women who had aqua/teal colored hair. I just never wanted to go through the process of how you needed to get that at the time.
I actually didn’t have a plan to do this, it just happened spur of the moment. I briefly mentioned that it might be fun to do sometime and perhaps would do for my birthday. Then while I was at my hairstylist, we both got excited at my mentioning and a momentum kicked in high gear.
I walked out looking as you see in the above photo.
It was easy to do at this stage because I already have natural silver hair at top, and silver ribbons we’d been weaving in below to accentuate my wanting to go bolder and even more dramatic with embracing my silvering hair while my natural ones grow out.
I’m known to do things either big or not at all.
This provides the base to just add a color toner of my choice over these areas. It’s only semi permanent, as it fades out over continuous washings.
It was obvious to me, I was ready for this even bolder expression of my soul’s essence and having the light to darker shades of teal weaving through my brown hair makes it feel so natural to me.
For me, the aqua or teal has always represented the higher heart energy between the heart and throat – a place I feel has been more of the journey for me to expand and deepen into. Yet, it also is a color exuding a lot of creativity energy and expresses transparent, vulnerable, open communication between the heart and spoken word.
I feel much flow, joy, peace, balance, and wholeness in it.
Not to mention, it really exudes watery energy, which speaks to my Native Pisces nature and my inner mermaid or merfaery. 😉
It feels like another way I’ve embraced putting myself out there more, not being afraid to be seen, and not shying away from the parts of myself that at one time made me feel lonely, misunderstood, and different.
I’ve always felt “not of this world” and yet I’ve learned to be in it with much greater joy and peace while I’ve worked hard to merge the Earth and Cosmic parts of myself.
This new hair feels to be a visual reflection of that merging I’ve worked so hard on and the synergy I’ve been finally able to create in finding more harmony in being. It whispers of an ancient me and speaks of a future me, intertwined in the now.
And so, this new creative energy I have cascading throughout my hair, speaks to deeper embodiment for me, self love, and honoring of my creative soul.
It’s really cool to see how something so simple or perhaps silly to some, can truly speak volumes of someone’s journey and can make an energetic difference in the way you live each day in or out of alignment.
While I may do things more dramatically, even just simple changes make a world of difference.
I’ve definitely felt a shift with this new, but perhaps more “now me” and even reflections of this alignment I feel.
The first time I went out with it to an event, an older woman in her 70’s came over to me to tell me that between my hair and how I was dressed, I really looked to be very creative and artistic.
I thanked her and replied that I was in fact an artist, to which she smiled and said she could see that.
Perhaps it’s my way, as my tattoos have been, to display my heart on my sleeve and share who I really am even more transparently and unapologetically. Not to mention, is a way I share the process of my journey very openly.
Something that was very hard for me growing up and even made me cringe in the beginning stages of my adult life when I started to reveal more of myself and my artistic and spiritual work to the world.
I’ve noticed a huge creative spurt the last couple of days, too, as I’ve been in “mad” creation with the inspiration that has come for items I’ll be sharing soon in my new Etsy shop – new launch date TBA. In fact, just yesterday, I created 22 imaginative themed worlds of mini bunny Faery gardens. I have another 10 to go today, but alongside the new painting art and items, I’ve really outdone myself in output of creativity so quickly.
And I have so much more inside me to come, including great excitement (and even a bit of healthy nervousness) over returning to my book full time, which all feels interwoven like braids of hair.
I believe it has to do with my following the joy in my heart AND embracing who I really am – not being afraid to share with the world what moves through me.
This has been a very long and at times super hard journey, so I don’t want anyone thinking it came overnight and not without challenge. We have the tendency to only see what is before us now (which is great, as in focusing on the now), but tends to provide a false idea about people and that we each go through a process leading up to that now.
I mention this because, while I still work on things now, I want others to know that it is possible to move out of the place you find yourself in currently, if in fact you aren’t happy or are experiencing challenges. With commitment to you and your individual journey and process, you can create a different and more aligned experience to what you desire. Absolutely!
Growth of the spirit is a beautiful, although colored journey, and the only goal to achieve is the one you deem important to experience.
And speaking of spirit growth, many Native Americans believe hair to be a physical manifestation of the growth of the spirit and that it supports extrasensory perception, as well as connection to all things. They also believe hair to be like tentacles reaching out to take in energy and information much like whiskers on animals – makes me think of my bunny loves and their sensitivities to energies through their whiskers, ears, feet, nose, and inner vision despite being far-sighted and having a blind spot at the center.
I never thought of hair in the past as such until the last half dozen years or so, and every change I’ve made, including chopping it all and growing it out, has always reflected a turning point and shift in my life in big ways.
It really is something how the way we express our creative energy can affect things energetically.
And of course, not expressing it, has it’s own experiences as well.
Whether you feel creatively blocked or gushing with creative energy that wants a new outlet, you can do little or big things to help move it.
This could be in the form of things like playing more, as Monday’s blog shared, doodling on scratch paper, planting a garden, buying a new outfit, rearranging or redecorating your space or home, journaling and free-writing, singing, dancing, throwing paint on a blank canvas, molding some clay, spending time imagining and day-dreaming, walking in nature and seeing all of her beauty great and small, or even wearing your hair differently.
You, your life, is a blank canvas awaiting your creation. The palette of your heart is a vast and limitless space from which to choose how you want to express yourself and live your life. The only limit is choosing not to let those colors shine.
Monday Musings ~ The Writer’s Corner: Soulful Sunday 107 – Play by Brad
To celebrate the first blog back from The Writer’s Corner since my time away in Sedona, I’d like Monday’s Musings to kick off with the musings around the theme of “Play” because it truly is the cornerstone to well-being, balance, optimal living, and cultivating more creativity – IMHO. This is a great post by my sweet friend, Brad, that includes a wonderful article for both your inner child and children in your life to understand the importance of play in your and their lives.
I’ve heard recently from several friends that they struggle with wanting to experience more creativity, have blocks in terms of their writing and other projects, aren’t sure where to start in terms of their ideas and dreams, or feel challenged with experiencing joy and optimism in their lives.
I truly believe that play is so important to life and if it weren’t for my Peter-Pan syndrome refusing to “grow” up in the way others have accepted this to mean, I likely would feel all the same things too. Yet, I embrace singing, laughing, dancing, make-believing, making up stories, seeing through childlike eyes of wonder, believing in the magickal, seeing the glass half full, talking to myself and all the creatures of Mother Earth and the Otherworlds, recreating myself and my environment to match my heart’s joy, and embracing being silly despite others around me acting all “grown up”.
If you struggle with writing or feeling a block with your creativity, check out number eight of the ten benefits of play in the article within Brad’s blog post.
If you allow yourself to spread your wings beyond the boundaries conditioning has created and embrace having more fun, playing, and being silly now and then, you will definitely feel a difference in your life and experience it through different eyes as well.
Your projects, dreams, and writing will get a boost of freshness, as you reset a new way of being that embraces all those wonderful core parts of who you really are, rather than making them feel like they need to behave and have a life-long time out in the corner – remember, nobody puts Baby in the corner!
I hope this article helps inspire you to play more and make 2019 more joyous for you. I really do believe you’ll find your projects and life flowing and thriving more.
Here’s an accompanying short blog inspiration I shared before, with some quotes to inspire more play – Play More.
This episode of Soulful Sunday explores the power of play.
Play is so important to optimal child development that it has been recognized by the United Nations as a right of every child. ~ Kenneth Ginsburg
Enjoying some playtime with my nephew Willie.
Children learn (through play) critical life skills for mental, physical, emotional, social, cognitive, and communication development. A growing body of research (and my experience too) shows that play is equally important to adults. Play supports health, stress management, learning, and better relationships.
We get so caught up in our responsibilities that we forget to play, laugh, and enjoy life regardless of our circumstances. Play is defined as any activity done for pure enjoyment, rather than serious reasons or purpose. The danger in posts like mine is that we will add play to our growing To Do Lists! Then you face the paradox of wanting to play because…
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Ask Astrid Fridays ~ The Rabbit’s Corner: Honoring the Sacred Relationship to Nature & the Nature Within
As today marks the four-year anniversary that my sweet, special needs bunny boy, Cosmo, came home with me forever, Astrid is wanting today’s message to be a reminder of the sacred relationship humans are gifted that is about guardianship and stewardship, rather than ownership and dominion over nature. She wants us to move more into our hearts and not simply succumb to ego desires at the detriment of foregoing these sacred relationships. It is a great honor we are born into that comes with a commitment to awareness of compassion for the highest, to walk in presence of most heart-fully and responsibly.
There’s not a day that goes by that Cosmo isn’t a part of my daily thoughts and reminders. Astrid knows this well, and is in communion with him and my other star rabbits.
Whenever something comes up that can potentially trigger or lead me astray, Cosmo instantly comes into heart and reminds me of how he approached everything with unconditional love, regardless of the situation. This instantly shifts my energy and keeps me aligned.
Astrid doesn’t want this post to be about her, so she asks me to share Cosmo’s last message that expounds on what she feels important to impart.
“I honor Master Cosmo with utmost respect. Let his love and words speak for today’s message,” she says.
Here it is:
Cosmo’s Message & Mission ~ A Journey of Greatest Compassion
With the recent passing of a dear soul in rabbit body named Flynn on the Full Moon Eclipse, who was like Cosmo’s twin brother in heart in so many ways, Astrid feels the importance of sharing how sacred every soul is and that regardless of the body chosen to incarnate as, there is something important that everyone has to teach us and help us to experience.
Astrid shares, “Your greatest teachers are many times in the form of something you wouldn’t think, or idealize, them to be.”
This can come to be the people who most trigger and challenge us, or it can be through a tiny fragile animal like a mouse or rabbit, an unusual insect, a little “Charlie Brown Christmas tree” type plant, or Nature’s expressions.
“Never underestimate the power of any child of Mother Earth to have profound effects on your life. If you open your heart more, you will hear the voices all around you that are talking to you all of the time – not just when you decide to listen,” she adds. “You are never alone and what you think you need or desire, can come through in a different way and form once you release attachment to how things ‘need’ to be. That, of course, including and starting with the sacred relationship within you. Tania discovered this when she surrendered deeper into her heart and discovered the truth of boundless love residing there.”
She’s right.
And part of what I discovered for myself was the profound relationship to rabbits that was unique for me and that made all the difference, as well as led me back to myself.
“Please tell them more about this discovery, my dear friend,” Astrid encourages.
“Okay, well the best way would be to share what I’ve recently wrote about this on my “Creating Life As A Work Of Art” page to this blog,” I answer.
“Very well, that sounds good to me,” Astrid replies. “I think it will be insightful about how you found your greatest meaning, sacred connection, and passion for life, which demonstrates to others it can be through something unique that speaks to each soul.”
Here is what I wrote:
Creating life as a work of art is my personal motto and I’ve learned that I do this best with a rabbit by my side – a magick rabbit, to be precise.
I’ve always lived a creative life, but it wasn’t until a life-clarifying experience a few years ago that I uncovered a deep truth in my heart – I wasn’t me without a rabbit. These complex and mystical beings stir something within that opens my heart wider, tears me inside out, lights the deepest recesses of inspiration and imagination, and makes sense of what can’t be explained.
Rabbits have played the biggest role in 16 years of my life (I’ve been blessed with 5 rabbit companions – currently Astrid is my cocreator on Earth while the other 4 are the star guides to my Cosmic compass) and in surrendering to learning the wisdom they have to teach, I have come to know myself even more. They have helped me to create a life that reflects the dreams and visions of the child within. We share a bond of watching over one another and encouraging the best in each of us to step forward courageously.
Their connection with creativity, abundance, and that fertile Spring energy of joyous blossoming reflects the importance of cultivating this renewing energy and innocence.
I’m passionate about sharing the magickal qualities of rabbits with others and the art of presence they embody that can help reveal the mystical origins we long to discover. The way of the rabbit is a recipe for creative living and enrichment. They indeed take us down a rabbit hole of discovery and adventure where the only limits will be how far we let our imaginations run. I love inspiring people to remember who they are and rabbits are way-showers to hearing that song again.
“I love this,” Astrid says and nudges my foot with loving approval. “You’ve come a long way and we – souls as the rabbit collective – are ever-grateful for your devotion and sacred commitment to relationship with us and the Earth Mother we love, and for being one of the voices for our messages. And since you’ve come this far, we hope you are willing to come a little bit further this Earth cycle you’re on.”
Tears.
“I know many times you want to let go and in the past have all but given up. Since you’ve trusted this much, please remember to listen to that song, as it is still composing itself,” Astrid adds.
“You always know what to say,” I share.
And so it is that Astrid, my star rabbits, and the rabbit collective are asking me to surrender even deeper to listening, and be willing to go all the way.
I didn’t realize Astrid would use her collective message to also message me an answer to my question I had about the new choice and timeline that was presented to me just recently and within Sedona’s womb.
The rabbit hole is an ever-deepening adventure.
If you’re on Instagram, don’t forget that today Astrid and I will be sharing the start of the Giveaway later, which will be ongoing through the 31st, with recipient announced on February 1st. We’re finalizing details and will be posting how you can receive a special little gift to celebrate the upcoming launch of our new Etsy shop – The Magick Rabbit.
Whimsical Wednesdays ~ The Artist’s Corner: The Art of Living
From the red rocks of Sedona to the white wonderland of Tahoe, I sit here surrounded by winter blankets of snow swathing the Forest Portal of our home.
We arrived back Monday evening, still vibrating in the energy of the Full Moon Lunar Eclipse – also a Super Blood Wolf Moon – and I’m just now fully integrating back in time for today’s Whimsical Wednesdays share from the Artist’s Corner.
We were away between Friday 1/11 and Monday 1/21, enjoying quite a full vacation and igniting of the new for 2019. Since we were driving, we decided on a stop-over in Las Vegas the first night to break up the drive – only exploring out for delicious comfort vegan food at The Modern Vegan for both dinner and early brunch, but the rest of our time was spent in the magick of Sedona’s high vibes.
We spent several days on our own anchoring in the energies, as Sedona welcomed us back, and then the rest of the time was with dear friends who all journeyed there from both the Grand Canyon and Tahoe to reunite.
I also had the chance to connect with two sweet friends that live in the area, we set intentions and sent out prayers from the Peace Garden two separate mornings, and of course we sampled all the great vegan eats and some new finds!
Every day was filled with tons of outdoor fun and exercise that tallied up to 60+ trail miles we ventured on foot and bike in 8 days – although I only went mountain biking once and Dave went three times making his mileage come to 74.
We thought it would be fun to see just how much adventure our feet take us on. 🙂
Unlike past blogs, I won’t be recounting our entire trip, but instead will be focusing on how Sedona was actually the birthing of my art and the “art of living” for me.
If you’d like to see a full photo journaling of the adventure, you can find all the beauty and adventure at my Instagram page here, even if you’re not on Instagram:
TaniaMarieArtist – (If you see two overlapping white squares in the right hand corner of a photo it means there are several photos to each post. You can click on them and then click the arrows to venture through)
It was interesting that our friends asked me about my time in Sedona, having me recount the evolution of my experiences with her energy since the beginning.
Although I now experience flow, joy, and tons of nature immersion, it wasn’t that way at start. Her powerful vortexes asked of me to dig deep, purge, cleanse, heal, and strip away everything I knew how to on a daily intensive that lasted for nearly two years. My journeys then were journeys into the inner sanctum of my heart and I only ventured out on small occasion to walk or drive somewhere where I could meditate, anchor in the work I’d done, set intentions, and receive insight for what was next. Other than that, I had no contact with anyone and in fact, had made a clean break from the life I had before.
I can share more another time, but it was very intense and hard work.
It also opened the door to my artistic journey I’m on now.
Although I drew nearly all of my life up until that moment, for joy and only once for actual pay, it wasn’t until I started uncovering layers within myself that I decided to purchase some oil paints, canvas, and start truly painting for the very first time in my life while on this inner journey living in Sedona.
It didn’t happen right away, but the more I released and healed, the more I felt the call to express myself on canvas.
The first painting I created was for my parents – it was an oil painting of Venice they have in their living room today – an image I replicated from their travels there. I just jumped right in, as if I’d been painting all of my life, but in actuality I was simply moving the energy that I had released from within that echoed of my lives on this earth and the artist within me that had always been there.
Upon completion of this painting, I then created some symbolic paintings that seemed to echo not only the healing and insights I’d received, but the messages of empowerment and transformation that were taking place.
I also created a few charcoal pencil portraits of my grandparents and others.
In essence I was tapping into the well of creative energy as a form of communicating what was within me and channeling through me, while also adding layers of healing that aided the work I was doing – giving myself therapy on every level imaginable and with every tool available that I knew of and was learning along the way.
My art became a form of self expression, much as this Super Full Moon in Leo has beckoned forth from us all – to shine like the light that you are and to birth new creative things from the power within that you embody innately.
It was in Sedona when this creative birthing took place, that I knew art or creative expression was an important part of who I am and what I needed as the breath of life to bring through.
And since, I’ve continued to channel creativity, as it flows through me in its many forms of expression that shift as I do.
It is also then that I realized life could be lived as a form of art and how the “art of living” started to manifest as my way of life – everything seen as a way to create beauty and inspiration, as well as to paint my way through experiences and weave the story I wanted to tell with different strokes of colors and feelings that reflected my essence.
From then on, even though I would still have more layers to journey through, I lived much more presently and with intention.
Sedona helped bring me back to the core of who I am and it was up to me how I wanted to paint the rest of my journey from the heart.
So while my first encounter with Sedona was intense, there has always been a love affair with her energies, knowing she supported exactly what I needed. Since that time, every trip thereafter has been softer and more joyous, flowing, and activating, igniting major shifts and leaps at just the precisely aligned moments.
I was always a willing partner to her dance, but I’m no longer struggling to keep up.
Creativity continues to ooze from each encounter with her and greater inspiration comes forth, providing me choices and new possibilities.
This trip was no exception, as I found myself not only receiving inspiration on the new, fun images I’ll be creating next, but also found myself dancing with yet another potential timeline I hadn’t entertained before.
I didn’t know until the trip was approaching that we’d be there for this powerful Full Moon Eclipse.
Perhaps many of you also felt its potency and like something has shifted and/or released. It seems as though things are moving forward and receiving a green light, after a thoughtful pause for a bit.
I shared this with a dear friend about my experience with it:
The eclipse was a powerful experience, although gentle too. We actually had opportunity to watch half of it with an astronomer and telescope, which was very cool to see it so clear and close. It was very clear in the evening and then a thin veil of clouds emerged, which made it symbolic, to me. It did not affect viewing, but I could tell there was still a very thin veil – so as if those layers are very close to full reveal collectively soon. The astronomer had about 4 telescopes set up and we could see star clusters as well, like the Pleiades. We left to go back to our Airbnb home because we had to pack and leave very early the next day for the long drive home, so I watched the second half there. The house was perfectly situated with the moon right in front of the main sliding door and windows and patio, so I watched the whole thing. It was very moving because at the same time I got word that a favorite bunny of mine (that I’ve followed on Instagram for a while) had passed right as the eclipse was darkening. I saw that he’d become ill earlier that day and I had a feeling something might happen. It was very potent to say the least, and being that he reminds me of my male bunny, Cosmo, because they had the same exact special needs and the same unconditionally loving demeanor and expressions, it hit me hard. It was quite something that this bunny, Flynn, had chosen such a powerful portal just like my bunnies Cosmo and Joy had, to depart – one on Samhain and the other on Summer Solstice Full Moon. It wasn’t random and it just clicked in a bunch of things, as well as felt like a big shift. Very heart opening and moving. So, it did ignite some memories, but also a seed of new. A lot through the bunnies, but deeper levels. I’m not sure as of yet what the new entails, but that it is a seedling awaiting choices that can ignite new timelines.
Something very profound hit me while watching the eclipse, which I haven’t felt in the past with other ones. It was special and sacred to come through rabbits, whom I hold most dear and reflective for me and my life. They, too, symbolize creative abundance and fertile impetus for the new. The Moon, of course, has a large rabbit on it. 😉
I received a big hit to my heart and core of what is a must for me to do right now.
The rest is a story yet to unfold, but will do so as I support this creative expression to live as the art of me – my creative contribution to the new beauty we’re weaving together as a collective.
New Etsy Shop Update:
Originally there was intention to start a Giveaway this past Monday 1/21, but with travels and such things shifted and Astrid has chosen this Friday 1/25 to begin the Giveaway instead. This will take place on Instagram.
There’s potential of things shifting with the shop launch date, which is set for Friday 2/1, but for now it’s still that date. I will be checking in with Astrid and my other star bunnies, as the days unfold here. I have a lot to prepare for the launch, and two items have been delayed until the 8th or sooner due to an office move my printer is undergoing.
I always trust my rabbit familiars with their impeccable and keen navigation, so I’ll defer to them if they want us to go ahead and launch on 2/1 with most of the items, adding the two later that first week of February. (Laura mentioned that the Lunar New Year is not until the 5th and the 8th the Moon enters Aries, so who knows what the bunnies have up their thumpers!)
Or, if we’ll just launch everything together when I know they will all be ready.
Either way, it’s coming up very soon and I have lots to prepare. So I’m off!
It was a wonderful trip away and I’m also happy to be back. I hope you all had a great week and that the energy of this Full Moon Eclipse has ignited a creative transformation within you too.
Ask Astrid Fridays ~ The Rabbit’s Corner: Taking Some Down Time
Astrid doesn’t have a big message today except to share that while I’m away she intends to also take some down time. We both know the importance of rest, recharge, and review and this is what she intends to do while I mirror much of the same on my first vacation in a while.
While a lot of hiking, biking, good food, fun, and friends are in store for me, mostly I’ll be tuning into Sedona’s energy and receiving inspiration and activation for what’s to come, along with some good ol’ rest.
Astrid intends to use this time away to prep for my return and our shared work ahead, but also to tune in with me and receive some of that inspiration herself through the vortexes I’ll be visiting.
She, like myself, see this as a reset and perfect recharge for what we foresee as busy times ahead.
I took Astrid to the vet for a check up yesterday before leaving so I could leave with relief, and she received a healthy green light. This is still very stressful for her to be probed and travel, so she’s resting and rebalancing from the experience while preparing for her new faery sitter to arrive.
She knows not to push things and so she’s been resting since I brought her home, eating well, and hanging low in her tunnels and corners so that she can recharge.
And that’s what she wants to remind others of is how important it is to rest and listen to your needs so that you can return balance and harmony to your life and be ready for all that new creative energy that you want to bring through.
It will provide greater clarity and energy, without blowing yourself out or feeling unmotivated.
Take time for you and advantage of the opportunities that present themselves.
Astrid is doing that right now and so am I.
Sometimes doing nothing is the best and most productive choice.
Astrid will back in two weeks from now, as we both take advantage of this down time.
Whimsical Wednesdays ~ The Artist’s Corner: The Magick Rabbit Shop Launch & Giveaway Announcements
Due to limited time today, as I am immersed in preparations to leave Friday morning for vacation, I thought today’s Whimsical Wednesdays from The Artist’s Corner would be a good time to announce the upcoming official launch of my new Etsy shop and a fun Giveaway that will be taking place in conjunction with it.
As you might recall, I shared a first reveal on 12/12/18 of the new artwork and fun creations Astrid and I have been working on.
We call this collection “The Magick Rabbit ~ Storybook Tales of Wonder and Whimsy Come to Life.”
While my previous Etsy shop – that has been dormant and sold out since 2013 – was focused on crystals and my Crystal Illuminations paintings, the new shop will feature a combination of storybook rabbit art, prints, items featuring my artwork to first include greeting cards and blank journals, as well as some really fun and magickal mini rabbit Faery garden kits – oh I can’t wait to share those with you soon!
The latter are magickal little themed worlds that you’ll be able to put together yourself!
I do all of the procuring and will feature a photo of the end result I’ve imagined, then once you receive the kit, you’ll be able to enjoy the journey of creating it yourself and adding your own magick touches!
Fun, fun, FUN!
It’s been a process and I’m still working hard at getting everything I have so far together for the launch that will be on Friday, February 1st! This so happens to be my beloved rabbit twin soul’s birthday (Nestor) and the magickal Imbolc of new beginnings, purification, and the light within blossoming.
There will be anywhere from 22-28 mini rabbit Faery garden kits to choose from, alongside the original five paintings I’ve already shared in the link above, and then the items I described with these images on them.
I’m currently working on a new collection of original, whimsical rabbit artwork that Astrid is assisting with ideas for. I plan to have fun exploring these more while I’m away in Sedona’s inspiring energy. I’m in the sketching mode right now, but will bring my art book and tools with me to play and keep the channels between Astrid and me open to receive her guidance.
These will be different than the first collection and may or may not make it in time for the 2/1 launch, but will be available shortly after, if not.
Some of the other potential items I’m looking into creating down the road may include coloring books, tote bags, and mugs. I can’t promise these, but they are in the Faery-works in terms of exploring and discussing the details.
Everything is a step-by-step process and I only want to do as much as is fun and flowing, as truly this is purely a joyous project for me to bring these to life and share them with you. They are meant to help rekindle the wondrous heart of your inner child and act as portals to harness sweet magick into your everyday life.
I just love expressing and spreading beauty, wonder, and playfulness.
I hope they will act as reminders to nurture and cultivate more of the same for you and help whisper a little more enchantment into your life, overall.
All created and shared from the heart of one Magick Rabbit and one Rabbit Faery. 🙂
That leads to the Giveaway.
Due to the excited response I received via Instagram when I asked if people would be interested in this, I will be starting a Giveaway on Monday, January 21st on the Full Supermoon Lunar Eclipse.
This will be available to anyone who is on Instagram. I know not everyone is on social media, but for those of you who are, you can look for details about this on 1/21.
Unfortunately, I can’t run a Giveaway on all three platforms I’m on because it’s far too much to manage, so I chose Instagram.
You can find me there at this handle: taniamarieartist
The Giveaway will run between 1/21 and 1/31. I will announce the recipient on 2/1 – the day of my shop launch. I’m still deciding on the gift to give away, but I’m feeling it will likely be one of the mini rabbit Faery garden kits.
Again, all details will be on my Instagram page, upcoming.
A fun way to share the magick with everyone and my love for rabbits, as way-showers to the wondrous world within.
Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive of this new creative venture for me and for the loving encouragement about something that brings joy to my heart to share.
Again, this is my last Whimsical Wednesday post until I return the week of the 21st. I’ll see you back here on 1/23 and wish you all a wonderful continuation to your new 2019 creative journey.
Ask Astrid Fridays ~ The Rabbit’s Corner: Animals Understand
Today’s share from Astrid is a very important one, in our opinion, as she wants to impart to everyone more presence, patience, and effort in the way of communicating with your beloved animal companions. She tells me, “I want to share about talking to animals a bit because frankly I don’t think many people understand that they can, or forget that they could.”
I have to agree with her fully, and while Astrid is not going to be giving a lesson on how to do animal communication, she simply wants to stress communicating with your animal friends just as you would naturally communicate with anyone.
True, there are different ways, approaches, and techniques you can use – mostly it’s a process of trusting yourself and believing – but her message is one of reminding, more than anything, or in other cases, opening up this dialog for the first time.
If you speak from your heart, the techniques don’t matter so much although can be a segway to help.
“We are here for a purpose in your lives and while we communicate in nonverbal ways and demonstrations of reflections, we can also understand clearly what you say and feel, as well as have the ability to relay messages. I only ask for you to be open to this idea and try it. It may feel weird or silly at first, but then isn’t everything kind of silly if you think about it a lot? Many people talk to their unborn children while they are growing in the womb. Some talk to their family and friends who have journeyed to the other side. Others talk to God or other forms of unseen Sources that you believe in. So why is it so strange to think you could talk to animals AND that we could actually understand and communicate back? Think about it,” says Astrid.
The last four days ending 2018 and beginning 2019 we had family visiting, which included this little Faery you see beside Astrid. She’s our six and a half year old niece, Violet. I was curious to see how Astrid would relate with her and all of the activity she’d be in the middle of that she’s not so used to. Especially given the last time children had visited, Astrid was not pleased and established boundaries from the get-go.
I had explained to Astrid, as I always do, what was about to happen before our family arrived and shared with her all of the details of who was coming and how things would be.
And for the first time, Astrid welcomed a child into her realm with curiosity and a warm heart.
I was also sure to explain to Violet, who is very sensitive to animals and the Unseens, how she could best engage Astrid.
And so, the two of them met each other half way, opened their hearts to a new friendship and possibility, and found this to be the bridge between them.
They both did very well and Astrid was working her magick, much like a therapy animal. She stretched herself to help engage and bring out more within Violet, but also knew when she needed her own space and recharge time, retreating to her tunnels or pawing gently with tiny thrusts, rather than her usual big grunts and charges, if she wanted to impart something of a boundary with her.
In this way, she was also demonstrating to Violet, that when Violet might feel upset about something that she could create gentle boundaries, too, without having to be over-dramatic.
Astrid now wants me to share about how one Big Faery taught one Little Faery to remember who she is and how to harness her abilities. In my book, however, it’s more about how Astrid continues to be a guiding light in my life and everyone’s lives she touches.
So, after the first night, Violet came to me and said that she woke up in the morning with Astrid standing over her.
It wasn’t until that second night, before bed, that she brought it up again and said that it scared her and made her feel uncomfortable.
Violet and her parents were staying downstairs next to my office and Astrid’s room, so it was normal that Astrid would be sharing the space with them.
However, Violet started saying that she wanted to close Astrid into her room for the night because she didn’t like her visitation in the morning.
Her parents told her she couldn’t do that because Astrid is a house rabbit, that is free to roam.
I’d been quiet while her parents were handling things, then looked at Astrid and knew we needed to take this a step further.
So, when Violet came into my office to tell me she was going to close the door I had a Faery-to Faery conversation with her.
Astrid was right next to us and the conversation went something like this.
“Astrid really likes you. Remember I told you that you’re the first child she’s ever been open to. She doesn’t mean to scare you, nor did she try to. She just really likes you and either was giving you healing energy, or was curious and maybe even wanted to play since the wee morning hours are fun times to her,” I said.
Violet listened.
I then continued, “You’re a Faery. Why don’t you have a nice conversation with Astrid and ask her if she will leave you alone in the morning because it scared you to be woken up like that. She understands, but you just need to talk to her and tell her how you feel.”
Violet processed this quickly and said, “Okay.”
She then proceeded to get down by Astrid, stroked her gently and told her in her own words how she felt and asked her to please not do that again.
We then went to bed.
The next morning Violet came upstairs and I asked her if Astrid had come to wake her in the morning.
She said, “No she didn’t.”
I said, “See, she understands and you are able to talk to animals. Remember this. The only thing that makes us different is the body we live in.”
Violet smiled big.
She was very happy and proud of what had taken place.
I believe she’ll remember this and carry it through in more situations where she can feel empowered, empower another being, and not power over or deny the value of another child of this universe.
Astrid was very pleased and continued to open her heart and be gentle with Violet. She also continued to honor Violet’s wishes for the rest of the nights they stayed with us.
“I want her to know…for everyone to know…that humans and animals can share a harmonious relationship. It takes time, patience, a little effort to listen and decipher sometimes, but if you open your heart then all possibilities await you.”
Thank you Astrid for your wisdom you so generously share with us and for being a guiding light and bridge between all of creation.
Whimsical Wednesdays ~ The Artist’s Corner: Being You More Creatively Will Help Create the World You Want to See
Welcome 2019. It is already the 2nd of the New Year, as I sit down to share this new blog post. Do you feel a shift in energy? I could sense something in the days leading up, and although each day is just that – another day – there does indeed feel to be a different air about things. At first I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but perhaps I don’t need to either.
Being that this #3 New Year collectively rings in greater creativity and innovative vision to bring forth through your personal vehicle of expression and embodiment, it may be that you are feeling a deep calling from within to make changes and live more from your heart than ever before.
I found it sweet that the day before New Year’s Eve, when we were hiking to the lake, I found a snowflake ornament hidden in the brush below this tree you see in the photo above. The tree is decorated year-round and I felt the discovery of this hidden sparkle of delight inviting me to hang a bit of magick this tree guardian would watch over that would reflect my unique creative expression in the divine collective – just as each snowflake is unique, but part of Source. It reminds me of a painting I did long ago titled, “Uniquely You, Divinely One.”
To me, this was also the message I was being shown in discovering the snowflake…that is what’s so important this year to truly shine our creative uniqueness in the world, as a way to empower the collective.
I looked around for some way to fasten the snowflake on the tree and Dave pointed out a small silvery white ribbon on a branch. So I threaded it through the snowflake and tied it on.
Perhaps this is the shift I was sensing. That things are truly focusing more on the micro, inherent in the macro. That what each of us chooses to express – no matter what it is – is what is going to shape the world the most. This being both the world – reality – you experience AND the reality for the collective as potential.
I know for me it’s been an increase in creative energy via new channels and forms and creating a lush reality around me that nurtures my heart and soul. I find the more I do this, the more I bring that level of peace, joy, and love out into the world more consistently and through each experience I encounter. AND the more I enjoy this temporary Earth home because I am embracing the potential it was meant to be.
This increase in creative energy came from inspiration I wasn’t sure I had in me anymore back three years ago – a time when I felt life on Earth no longer offered enough to keep me past the closure I’d come to.
And yet, just as the heart is vast and limitless, so too is our creative capacity. Creative reinvention found its way into my life again and I said, “yes” to it.
Are you ready this year to say “yes” to something in your heart?
Perhaps you might find at least one way in which you could express yourself in a new and currently more heart-full way?
Even if it’s just a new outfit, hairstyle, reorganizing or redecorating a room, starting a project, finding creative ways to spend more time or more meaningful time nurturing yourself, with loved ones, doing something you love, and/or, but quite importantly, out in nature connecting and receiving her gifts.
Currently I’m immersed in family visiting right now and having our niece here who is 6 1/2 years old truly always reflects to me the part of myself I value and nurture likely the most – my inner child.
It tickles me that she wants to spend so much time with me and I gather it is because of that part within each of us that meets in the heart…the little girl that loves magickal things.
It is this same part that is fueling my current creative projects – the focus full throttle now, after a lot of anchoring. I’ll be jumping back in after our family time comes to closure and can’t tell you how much energy I feel ready to pop.
I received word recently from my rabbit family that February 1st will be the launch of my new Etsy shop. It just so happens to be my beloved and departed rabbit, Nestor’s, birthday, as well as the magickal Imbolc of new beginnings, purification, and the light within blossoming.
And the more I keep channeling creative energy, the more I’m seeing and hearing of people all around me doing so many wonderful new things! It excites me greatly.
Some other big changes and arrivals have come all at the end of 2018 that perhaps I’ll share in another post, but for now I’m wishing everyone a wonderfully creative new spark in your life and that you find yourself feeling ready to nurture and cultivate more of what you love and desire, as well as intend for the world through your own actions.
Tania Marie 