Monkey business...

Those who know me know that I have a thing for sock monkeys. I love them. I just can't help it...it's almost an obsession, lol! Needless to say, this love has rubbed off on my students at school. They all want to make them!!! Being that I have over 300 students and only 1 sewing machine, well....especially when I need to have some sort of control over the sewing part. Call me Monk, lol!

So I decided to host a 6th grade Art Club called the Kinship of the Traveling Sock Monkeys. I let the kids pick out which colors they wanted for their monkeys (pink, blue, or brown red-heeled socks) and then bribed my friend AJ (mostly with Starbucks and cupcakes...and I have yet to produce the cupcakes, lol!) to help me sew the bodies, limbs, ears, and tails of 30 monkeys.

The best part of this project is that the kids are going to document the life of their sock monkey in a journal (provided by me). They will write journal entries from the monkeys' perspectives, as well as document with pictures of their monkeys in action. Art (stuffies art) and literacy. What a delicious combination.

We're two days into this Art club project and the kids LOVE it! They are having a ball....the room is a-buzz with excited conversations about monkey names and wardrobes, where they are going to take their monkeys, etc.

Here are a few pictures of our monkeys-in-progress. They don't look like much at the moment, but give em a few more weeks. Max the giant sock monkey is overseeing the whole shabang :^)






And my first graders kinda jumped on the bandwagon with little clay monkeys...


And the journey continues...

Candice :^)

Every spare minute that I found this past weekend I sculpted or sewed or stuffed doll parts. And I found myself so desperately looking forward to those little bits of time! Those moments in between loads of laundry or when my 15 month old would take a VERY short nap.

It's the stopping that I don't like, lol! Having to put down my clay (paperclay is my new found art love)and get out of my zone. But realistically, the kids, the hubby, the food shopping, the cleaning and cooking must get done. And getting rid of spiders. But that is a story in and of itself :^)

This all surprises me really because I haven't been able to focus on my art, my dolls, for quite some time. Whether it was lack of interest or lack of time--or self-imposed lack of time or procrastination more likely--I don't know. But something has released within me or I have subconsciously let something go. But my desire to create is back with a sweet newfound force. And I am loving it! So in light of this, I am looking at my day, seeing where I can nip and tuck time per se. Even if I get to fit in just 15 minutes, that makes my heart sing. And I really feel like it keeps me on top of my craft. And creating has been like breathing for me. When I don't do it, I feel a part of me is missing, like I can't breathe.

So, this is a BIG step for me! I am creating time for myself to work, breathing (lol!).....and now looking at tentative dates to resign from my day job. No, I'm NOT crazy!! Lol! In talking with Marisha, I need to physically pick a date to resign and write it on a calendar. If I am willing to release what is not working for me, something else will present itself. Gotta get the ball rolling. Universe, I am VERY ready! In my heart, I KNOW the capacity in which I am teaching is no longer healthy for me. Both physically and emotionally. My goal is to be a self-supporting artist. To be able to work from home and take care of my kids, to teach local workshops, possibly travel around the US to teach workshops as well. This is what I see for myself. I have picked two tentative resignation dates, one in October the other in November. Technically (legally) I need to give my school district a full month to replace me from the date of my resignation. Both of those dates would do not only that, but allow me to leave right before Thanksgiving or Christmas. Imagine starting 2011 in this way???? Yes, yes, yes!!!!

Later on I'll post (hopefully)some pics of the girls I have been working on. I am making 4 girls for the Spring issue of Prims magazine. Whether or not they publish them, we'll see :^) Two of them are early 1900's beach babes, along with their mermaid friend. The 4th is a pretty large doll. She's not sure if she wants to be an angel or not. We'll see where she takes me :^) They tend to take on a life of their own. Also, nearly done, is a little Goth girl named Molly. She has her own skelly plushie and will come in a black, purple satin-lined coffin. She REALLY is a cutie :^)

And so it begins?

I just pulled the Book card from my Angel deck for the third time in 6 months. Me, write a book? About the metaphysical? Come on. I have bought (and read, not just collecting ‘em here) so many books on the metaphysical that I could build a small house with them if I used the right adhesive. But seriously. How could I compare with such authors as Wayne Dyer, Louise Hay, Esther and Jerry Hicks, Caroline Myss, and Sonia Choquette? What could I possibly have to say to others that is earth-shattering and life-changing? I’m just a New York transplant-doll artist-art teacher-mom-wife living in Colorado.

My mind flashes back to my first Metaphysical fair in 2008. I met with Chris and Bob Neelin. Chris is an RN and nationally recognized trance channeler; Bob is a spiritual counselor. I was completely amazed at the things Chris was telling me in her trance-like state. Near the end of that first session, as Chris was coming out of her trance, I was speaking with Bob. And I distinctly remember him saying “You have a book in you young lady. Write it.” The whole session was recorded so I went back and just listened to that bit.
Yep. “You have a book in you young lady. Write it”.
In me?!
Okay. It IS a possibility. But what in the heck am I going to write about?

Flashback to September 4th. I went to the Metaphysical Fair in Denver and saw Marisha Diaz. She is a phenomonally gifted channeler. I've seen her before and have had a phone session with her as well. So there I sat, listening to her, or rather, to my spirit guides channeling through her. Tears in my eyes.....and not from anything bad mind you. It was all about my life's purpose (MY ART)and how behind I am with it!! And about leaving my current job. And how my physical ailments have manifested because of the above-mentioned.

So I have been thinking about all of this non-stop. And beginning to look at my art in a new light (which I will divulge in a later post). What does all of this mean you wonder? I have decided to take everything I have learned from these authors, guides, etc. and live it. Authentically. Fully. Deliciously :^) Does all of this REALLY work? Will I manifest the life I have so longed to live?? Will I finally live my life's purpose?? Will I finally get that studio space over the garage that is not built yet???

I invite you to take this ride with me. I promise, it will be interesting, if not entertaining. See my artwork progress, change....heal others??? I'm beyond excited about what is coming....and strangely calm as well. For now anyway, lol.