Card #8- Spring Garden

Card #7

My stepdaughter and grandchildren were visiting for a few days so haven't been working on cards.  Today I had a few minutes to work and created this card with an Asian looking design.  I love the earth colors and the simplicity of the card.  Creating 35 cards is harder than I thought it would be.  The next card I create will be in a Spring mode.

Luminous Mandala Work/ One on One/Session 2

In this session I worked with my student on "Chapter 2:  Our Bodies As Conduits of Light" from Judith Cornell's Mandala:  Luminous Symbols for Healing book.  We started with a meditation entitled, "Bringing Prana Through the Hands" which was followed by two exercises:  drawing an outline of the hands and then illuminating them with the white pencil using the scale of light shading technique.  The purpose of these exercises is for a person to will learn to strenghten their will and mental powers so they can distribute inner healing energies throughout their bodies.  The hand drawing is a simple biofeedback device--a visual mirror to the eyes and brain-- by making the invisible energies visible and more real to the conscious mind. As a person draws thier prana(life force), physical body and paper and pencils all will be linked in an alchemic healing process.  I have displayed above the drawing of my student.  Here is what she wrote about it: I have plenty of energy from Source to use on myself first.....then others.  The energy directed to me feels really good and has much power in it.  My focus right now is on me first- to fill and sustain myself as an energy being residing in physical form."  Great Work!

Making a Translucent "Float Frame" Sun Dappled Leaf Collage

I diverted from my card making process to work on this collage.  I read the current World Wide Pressed Flower Art Newsletter and pressed flower artist, Barbara Hallman shared instructions on how to make a sun dappled leaf collage.  Barbara owns and operates Natures Gifts, a business located in Washington, D.C.   It was an interesting process because it involved using 4 layers of sheer art paper and gluing leaves down on each sheet.  This layering process gives dimension to the pictures and when the sun is shining through it looks like leaves blowing in the wind as they fall from the tree.  I want to make another spring collage using this technique using panseys.  I have always loved panseys and their bright faces and sturdy constitutions.
Thanks so much to Barbara Hallman and the generosity of her sharing!

Card No. 6

In this card I used the poinsettia petals that I pressed after Christmas and covered them with a sheer paper and added perfect paper adhesive and this process created a soft look.  It is hard to see in the picture but the sheer paper has flecks of gold and silver which gives it a nice touch.  I just love the color combinations of the petals with the background paper.

Card No. 5 Made with Faded Flowers

This card was also made with some flowers that were given to me by the son of a flower artist who had passed away.  When I got them I didn't think I would ever use them and then I was encouraged by another flower artist to keep them.  Now I am growing to like them and when I use them they give a nostalgic and sentimental look to what I put them on.  I don't know what they all are because some of them were not labled.

Spring 2012 Luminous Mandala Advanced Workshop

Luminous Mandala Advanced  Workshop

This workshop is for those persons who have completed the basic Luminous Mandala class and have learned the techniques of drawing and coloring luminous mandalas, or for persons who have previous art experience.  This workshop focuses on providing a safe and healing space in which to create luminous mandalas for healing, and provides choices for expressing healing of self, healing relationships, making a sacred connection with nature, or expressing the soul's divinity.  There is time for participants to create a luminous mandala and to process it with group feedback(if desired).

When:  May 5, 2012, Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Where:  2972 Bailey Ave., Medford
Fee: $90 with a $10.00 fee required in advance to hold a space.  Scholarships may be available to offset part of the cost.  Contact one of the facilitators for more information.
Facilitators:  Diane Tibbitts, M.Ed., L.P.C. and Janet London, M.Ed.

Bring a sack lunch and colored pencils including white.  Snacks and beverages will be provided.

To Register Call:  Janet 541-608-9238 or Diane 541-779-1840 or e-mail Janet at hummingbird710@msn.com

Diane and Janet are also available to do private workshops if you can gather a group of 8 to 10 interested people.  For more information call Janet or Diane or e-mail Janet at hummingbird710@msn.com

The mandala images shown in this blog post were created by one of the Fall 2011 Luminous Mandala Class Participants after the class ended.

"The Luminous Mandala class was incredibly helpful in moving me forward with my future goals.  It helped me to accept me and my health problems and to embrace and encompass all parts of me as not good or bad, just me.  Pure acceptance.  The Luminous Mandala class helped me break through a creative block and move with it instead of just frustration and depression until the block was over."  Jennifer, Luminous Mandala Class Participant, Fall 2011