About Me

My photo
I suffered a serious stroke over 10 years ago (aged 43 at the time) and it's been a slow, often frustrating, recovery... I lost my speech and was totally paralyzed on my right side, but with patience and regular physiotherapy, I can now speak, walk short distances, operate the computer, but my right side is still paralyzed. I get botox injections 3 times a year in my right bicep and forearm, which relaxes the high-tone muscles and makes it easier to stand and walk. Last year I started weekly sessions of hydrotherapy, where I build up the wasted muscles by exercising while supported by the warm water. It's bliss at the time, but I ache like heck next day - but it's so worth it :)

18 October 2013

Friday

Feel free to click on the image to enlarge :)

Here's my first ever Full Moon Dreamboard!
(I share how I made the journal on the Libra New Moon here.)
I really had fun with this - gathering images from my stash box mindful of Jamie's question for the October Harvest Moon: What do I want an abundance of?

Starting from the top left:
Long awaited Autumn (a favourite season!), a cute typewriter (I want to write more), Inspiration (always want more of that!), handmade books *sigh*, and Sisterhood (image of some suffragettes for International Women's Day). Then, the words 'Growing confidence...' and 'Beauty and tranquillity combined', with a gorgeous image of a turn-of-the-century artist at her easel (I want to paint more), and an amazing quote:

Clear your mind, quiet your thoughts. You are a vessel.
What you need will come to you.
Christy Santaro (2006)

clipped from an old We'Moon diary. My 'word' for 2013 has been Be a Vessel :)

Then on the right: Jamie's prompt/focus, a card of a fabulous stained glass window where I've written October 2013 and Harvest Moon. Then the words: 'Exciting, watching, relaxing, haunted' clipped from a World of Interiors advert, the words 'Making Your Mark' and another gorgeous image of a Victorian writer/student/scholar.

Ending with another We'Moon page with these words:

Each Woman carries within her the medicine for her healing. Sometimes it is hard to see and feel the one who holds the medicine bag. She is there. We must never stop listening for her arrivals. Shhh... Silently she comes bringing what is now needed. Believe...
Shiloh Sophia McCloud (2007)

On which I've stuck a found, fallen leaf...

I've found making this dreamboard very healing... I knew I would, as soon as I saw Jamie's interview with Susannah Conway (I just took Susannah's Journal Your Life course), and she mentioned her Full Moon practice.

Now, each month, I will look for images for my own healing, for I know the Moon brings medicine and healing in all her phases...

Thank you, Jamie! I'm so happy I found you :)


07 October 2013

Monday

Today's journal prompts from Susannah were all about Spirit, what we believe and making altars...

Funnily enough (why am I always surprised by serendipity/synchronicity/timings??), I made an altar this weekend...


... on top of the dvd cupboard I sit opposite on the sofa.

The 'cloth' is a small wall-hanging a dear friend made last year as a birthday gift, it shows a haiku she wrote for me.

On the left is a coaster my daughter made in DT last year showing the deathly hallows (she's Harry Potter mad!)

Behind that is my Mary Magdalene statue I found on ebay from France. I'm fascinated by MM having read this amazing book, and believe she has been misrepresented/misunderstood by 2000 years of male-dominated Christianity.

Next to Mary are two artworks bought from Birdie Fincham. The monoprint (The Blessing of Water), I think perfectly shows one part of my soul (it's hard to get a good photo because of the flash glare).


The painting (The Pilgrims) shows another - I am a Taurean, and that white bull head scares me, but she is a part of me, as much as the calm, praying pilgrim next to it.


The canvas saying was given to me by a dear friend, and at the front right is a new purchase - a coconut offering bowl from Lauren. To me it's the perfect representation of my word for 2013 Be a Vessel, as I show on the right sidebar of this blog :)


Inside, I've put a wee murano glass heart, which I've had for years and truly cannot remember how I acquired it!

I think you can tell why these items are on my altar :)


01 October 2013

Wednesday

Can't believe it's been a week since I posted!

I have been busy since Friday, when Susannah Conway interviewed Jamie Ridler.
I was really struck by her Full Moon Dreamboards... I've never made a dreamboard as I don't really subscribe to the whole manifestation philosophy.

But I've always been aware of the Moon and her phases. So I made this...

... and I've done this so far...
It's the New Moon on Friday/Saturday. My plan is to make the Full Moon spreads double-paged, so this is to just set the tone of the journal...

By the way, the lunar calendars on the inside cover are from We'Moon diaries, which I just adore. I cannibalize the poems, articles and artwork from them when I'm finished :)

Like Jamie suggested, I looked for white space in the pictures I chose, so I could write on the  images. But I need to find an all-surface pen, as I struggle to write in pencil, even though I have these coloured all-surface pencils, bought before the stroke.

Also, I've added a new badge to the sidebar which links to this month's prompts from Jamie for the Harvest Moon, if you wish to join in :)

I'm really looking forward to this new practice - it just seems 'right' for me.