Alternative Methods for Making Art - Part 2

Today's method of making alternative art is a hot topic as of late.  People get all up in arms over Ai, and while there does need to be some regulations set in place about stealing art from artists - it's here to stay and it can be a wonderful tool for people who don't have full mobility, nerve disorders, or don't have use of their arms.  If this is how you are able to create your art, then there is NO shame.  

Try to find the most ethical ai drawing program you can, though I really can't say which ones that is.  I haven't heard too much chatter about Hotpot.ai, and that is what I have chosen for these art prompts.

  

There are endless groups online that host ai prompt challenges and give advice on how to better create images.  However, prompting sometimes doesn't go our way and we end up with something bizarre like the example below.  See if you can find the faults:

 

Here's a great tutorial on correcting common mistakes. There are a few other options as well.  You could also do corrections in a graphic illustration program or photo editing software, and if you do have some use of your arms,  you could paint or draw over the mistakes. A lot of ai programs also offer correctional tools built into the apps. I have found seven mistakes in this image so far.  Who knows, you might find more!  

I don't have a lot more to say on this subject.  A simple web search will turn up so many rescources and information, and you can become a pro in no time. 

There Can be Miracles...You Know the Rest

 Have you ever witnessed a miracle in your life? I have—several, in fact. But today, I want to share one in particular:

 

 

When I was younger, a classmate of mine had a tragic accident and fell into a coma. As if that wasn't enough, she developed a severe infection while unconscious. One day, our teacher paused class to speak with us about her condition. I'll never forget her words: "The doctors have given her less than a one-percent chance to live." She then allowed us some time to comfort one another and ask questions.

 

 

I didn't move. I didn't cry. I didn't even feel sad. Why? Because somehow, deep down, I knew she would survive. And I wasn't alone. Kids have a remarkable way of holding on to hope. We all talked about how she couldn't—or wouldn't—die. I felt an unwavering certainty that she would recover and go on to live a healthy life, and many others shared that belief.  The doctors did an excellent job, but they lost hope.  We have to believe at one point that there is more.  Yes modern medicine can be wonderful, but again...there is more. 

 

 

Not only did she survive, but within a year, she became a track star. Nothing could hold her back. She was full of life and smiles.  I was lucky enough to see this with my own eyes.  Someone I knew defying the odds.  

 

Fast forward thirty years... Have miracles ceased? It feels like the world has stopped believing, and perhaps, so have I. Adulthood has a way of stripping away some of our sense of wonder, but it’s more than that—the world itself has changed.

 

 

Recently, I read a book written in the late 1800's. The author warned of a future where materialism would dominate, and we would lose faith in the unseen wonders of life. When disasters strike today, you might see people on social media offering prayers or healing energy, only to be met with cynicism and dismissive remarks, claiming it does nothing. But it does. We are beings of energy, and our intentions certainly matter.  Sadly I think these people who offer up their prayers hide in the recesses and eventually cease.  Words hurt, even if we tell ourselves that they don't.  Another topic for anther day, but half of the comments on social media are bots left from bot farms, shaping society. 

 

We must continue creating miracles with our energy, our prayers, our thoughts, and our meditation. We need to keep manifesting miracles by spreading love, no matter how much hate surrounds us. Remember, your thoughts matter. Your energy matters. Your prayers matter. And above all, your LOVE matters. Don’t let anyone take that away from you or replace it with a false creation—a fabricated god, egregore, or thoughtform. There is only one true source for everything, and that source is divine love.

 

 

If you'd like to know the science of our intentions, then look up the work of Masaru Emoto.  He was a Japanese scientist that did experiments with water crystals.  He would say hateful and loving words to a glass of water and then flash freeze it, and afterwards study the frozen water crystals.  The water that was spoken to kindly froze with beautiful gemetric crystals, while the hateful water had fragmented crystals.  I don't know about you, but I find that pretty convincing that our intentions do have an affect not only on ourselves, but our surroundings.  

 

Alternative Methods for Making Art - Part 1

Whether it's a budget issue, or you are other-abled, there are many alternatives to making your beautiful artistic creations!  Today I am going to talk about the digital method.  At this stage in time, most of us have a tablet or phone.  Depending on which you have there are many affordable or even free apps that will allow you to create your art!  I'm not going to walk you through these programs as they are not my favorite method, but I do occasionally create on Procreate (iPad / iPhone).  Don't worry there are so many other options like MS Paint, Sketchbook, Krita, Painter, Adobe Fresco, My Paint...Just do a quick search.  The great thing is you can draw with your finger, or you can purchase a stylus or Apple Pencil.  

 

 

 

These programs are also great if you have a shaky hand, you can automatically correct your shapes to make them uniform!  It's also fun to find different color combos via hex codes.  I love Procreate because it's affordable and very professional.  So many people make a career of creating art on this program!  I don't know the current cost, but I only paid $9.99 when I purchased it, and it came with a wide array of brushes.  Another great thing is that you can purchase additional brushes created by other artists and extend your options.  I just use the basic brushes, because I'm not too invested in creating digital artwork for a living.

 

 

 

  

Another great reason you might want to create digitally, is because you have all of your artwork in one place and not taking up space in your home.  If you ever fancy selling it or having a piece for yourself you can just print it out at home or have it professionally printed.  

 

 

You can also create fun repeat patterns on these programs and then make custom wrapping paper, wall paper, or fabrics.  There are plenty of sites where you can upload your designs and then preview them.  You can even leave them for others to purchase and make a little money on the side.  

This is part one of this series, but stay tuned as I will be introducing other methods for you to create art if you have any limitations that prevent you using paints and other physical  materials.  Heck, some of you might not want the mess.  I pesonally LOVE making a mess on my art table.  I'm usually covered in paint by the end of the day, and sometimes I'll miss spots, so my husband gets a good laugh when get gets home from work.  

 

 

Your Awakening Art Journaling Course

 Hello friends!  As of yesterday I finished the outline of the course: Your Awakening Art Journaling Course.  

 

 

This is an introductory course into the awakening process, where I guide you along the way using art as a medium.  I really want to offer my courses at fair prices and still give you quality material.  I know they say to charge what you are worth, but the world is in a tense state and we need more and more people being guided through the woods of this process so they can share their light with others.  I have decided to put this course on Udemy, and the others to come on my website.  At least that is the tentative plan.  I don't have an exact date of when it will be ready, but hopeing in Autumn or early winter.  

 

 

You don't have to be an artist to take this course or buy fancy art supplies.  You can even use your kids crayons and markers and an old notebook.  I will show you many ways to create a journal.  If you do want to get fancy schmancy, I can also recommend my favorite art supplies and journals.  If you fancy making your own, I will have a video up on how to do that as well.  

 

 

 If you want to travel deeper into your awakening and healing journey, I will be offering many other courses in the future!  I want to hit on a lot of the main points of negativity in the world right now and guide you artfully into self-discovery up the mountain.  

 

 

I'm even going to teach you how to infuse your artwork with energy in the mandala making course.  Wooooo hoooo!!! I'm so excited over this.  We will be making a Book of Shadows....Or rather, A Book of MY Shadows.  This will be a journey into the integration of your shadow.  No cutting if off like Peter Pan.  I also want to help you venture deeper into your Dark Night of the Soul during your awakening, so if that section of the Awakening course is not enough, you can also work your way through this gem.  That is the most difficult part of the journey.  

 

 

I also want to guide  you on making your own personal grimoire of happiness, and if you so fancy you can keep this in the family to pass on to future generations, and even leave some blank pages for the next ones to fill in!

 

 

 Lastly, I'm hoping to eventually fit in other courses on Balance, Burnout, Self-Love, and Detoxing from your electronics and social media.  My next step it complete an example journal for the Awakening Course and write out the course material more thoroughly.  Can't wait to see you in my virtual classroom!

 *If you are other-abled and have a difficulty with drawing / painting, then I will give you some alternatives to create art to put in your journals.  Technology has its time and place, and this is definitely one of those times where it comes in handy and is a wonderful tool to let the imagination express itself.*

The Comparison Cure

On the last post I promised to tell you about the pitfalls of my awakening, but I've decided to slip this post in first.  There is so much comparison and 'woe is me' going on and I have the perfect cure!  Lucy Sheridan has written one of the world's best books on comparison.  She is the only comparison coach out there, and for those of you that can't afford to pay for coaching, no worries!  You can purchase this book for a small sum.  

If you are always comparing your situation to others, and asking yourself why you don't have what they have...Honey that's a big red flag on your part.  As the teacher used to say in class, "Worry about yourself!"  We will never raise our vibe or do better for ourselves if that is our focus.  I'm gonna put a little checklist below and if any of these sound like you, then get this book!

• Why does she get to go on vacation three times a year?  I can't even afford one. 
• He's so lucky to have a nice car.  He has no idea how lucky he is.  
• I want to start doing (insert thing here) in my life, but I don't feel I can or that I deserve it.  
• I feel like an imposter doing (insert thing here). 
• Why did Helen make 100k last year doing the same thing I did, and I only made 10k?  
• I wish I could do (insert thing here).  
• I love (insert thing here), but that's just a pipe dream.  It's certainly not meant for me.  

It's no lie that some have an easier time getting started due to their karmic situation, but honey you aren't going anywhere as long as you are looking at them and feeling sorry for yourself.  Trust me, if you feel drawn to doing something, your spirit is calling you to do that thing, and a path will open up if you just make up your mind to walk on it.  It won't always be easy.  Nothing is easy.  So if it's a handout you want, just keep your hand out, but I doubt anyone will put anything great in it.  We sculpt our soul into something brilliant with the work!   

 

 

Joy comes from within.  We are all unique, and we have to embrace our own and learn to love ourselves.  

Uncertainty in Awakening

Ah, it has begun. You are experiencing your awakening, and with all those beautiful influencers, it may seem like a breeze. You'll practice yoga, meditate, and everything will fall into place effortlessly.

 

 

However, the reality of an awakening is often quite different. Many people become discouraged and end up on a more challenging path. Let me help you stay on course and get back on track. It's not that you can't be fit, practice yoga, and find happiness—it's just that you need to navigate through many obstacles and endure a dark night of the soul before reaching your destination.

 

 

I recall growing up and eagerly anticipating our annual family vacation. Being a water sign, the beach, with its vast ocean and a hotel with a large swimming pool, was a dream come true. But to get there, we had to endure an 8.5-hour drive, which wasn't always pleasant. While some parts of the journey were scenic, much of it was flat and monotonous. We also drove through towns cluttered with garbage and dilapidated buildings. These areas felt desolate and depressing, often causing us to get lost and making the trip feel endless. I wondered why the council didn't clean up these abandoned places. It felt disheartening, and I would almost lose sight of our destination, overwhelmed by these bleak towns. Adding to the discomfort, my parents often argued, and my father became irritable whenever I needed a pee break.

Eventually, the signs of our destination began to appear—75 miles to buy the world's best surfboards! 50 miles to get live hermit crabs (poor creatures). 30 miles to the town's best seafood. 10 miles to the boardwalk! My parents would lighten up, and so would I. We knew we were close, and happiness was within reach. No more depressing abandoned towns, no more arguments, no more bathroom breaks. Then, the glorious horizon would appear—I could see the ocean! Without waiting for my parents to unpack, I would run to the back of the hotel, kick off my shoes, and march through the scorching hot sand. I had arrived. The long drive, the sad towns, my parents' bickering—all of it faded away as I became fully present in that moment.

This serves as a powerful metaphor for enduring the hardships of a dark night of the soul. We must keep moving forward, navigating through challenges to reach the vast and beautiful ocean of our awakening.

 

For some, years of enjoyment await at the destination; for others, less time may be available. It depends on when we awaken and our individual karmic situations. What truly matters is being present and living in the moment. Remember, you are eternal, while this physical form is not. You are a soul inhabiting a body, not merely a body with a soul. Never forget that.

Your awakening may start beautifully and with great excitement, filled with anticipation for the destination. Yet, remember, it is a long journey, and you will encounter rough patches filled with fear, hate, resentment, and doubt. Do not linger in these places. It is easy to be deceived, and negative influences (figuratively speaking) can make it seem almost necessary to stop. Stay on your path and fight. Do the work and do not be misled by illusions. Your heart and soul will guide you, and love is always the answer.

Soon, I will share how I got sidetracked during my journey, setting up camp in the rough parts. It took a lot to dismantle the illusions and pull myself out, and I am still a work in progress. I will gladly share my pitfalls with you so you can arm yourself with love and awareness. Be well, my friends!