Isabel Designs

I’m not quite sure who first posed this question, but I think it’s worth asking over and over again: “When is the last time you did something for the first time? I’ve contemplated the question often over the past year, but more importantly, have taken it to heart. New people, places and adventures await at every turn, and I am anxious to embrace them as opportunities for change and personal growth. Perhaps it’s as simple as making a new middle eastern recipe, or hanging a set of bifold doors for the first time. It could also be as exciting as starting a new jewelry business, or strapping on a set of skis and hitting the slopes (ok, I have to admit I went downhill skiing as a teenager, but at 48 it sure feels like the first time all over again). In the past few months I’ve also learned how to dye easter eggs and weave a basket, and I can’t wait to see what will come next!

Nancy & Lauren

For me, the question isn’t so much about seeking out the next great thrill, – even though I still have a desire to bungee jump and sky dive – rather it’s about not standing still.  A couple of months ago I met a fellow songwriter at an afternoon workshop. She has a passion, energy and expertise  for the craft that is inspiring. (Check out Lauren Passarelli). Doing something for the first time can mean you have to step out of your comfort zone. In this case, I had to put my fear aside and ask Lauren if she would be interested in a collaboration. She said yes! We started working in the studio together to record one of my songs, and I believe there’ll be co-writing in our future as well. That’s momentum. 

So now I’ll ask you, “when is the last time you did something for the first time”? Maybe sharing a story in this blog will be your answer!

The bracelet my first boyfriend gave me after our first kiss, the keys to the car that declared my ‘roll down the window and crank up the music’ independence, and the love notes exchanged between me and my first true love, preserved in shoeboxes and Tim Horton cans, are evidence that I am a sentimental pack rat. I don’t apologize for hanging on to these things. They help me remember special moments in my life. They remind me that I was here. 

Sunflower Angel

Up until recently, I still had the big green trunk that my Dad passed on to me when I was thirteen. It held precious things like ticket stubs from concerts and movies, letters from high school friends and sweethearts, and the high-heeled pink shoes that my sister made me wear to her wedding. I also stored college art projects and theology essays, the ones that got A’s, so I could remember those achievements. It held photo albums filled with the escapades of friends that still make me laugh out loud when I look at them. The trunk was ruined in a basement flood a few years back, so I had no choice but to part with it and the majority of its contents. One starry summer evening, when the flames were burning high in a backyard campfire, I put the trunk in the fire, and ceremoniously gave its ashes to the wind. It was a good lesson for me to ‘let go’ of some of these old things. Let’s face it – I’ll never wear those pink shoes again!

Today I received an email that filled me with a sense of hope and newness. Today I witnessed a great blue heron walking along the water’s edge, and felt the morning sun flood its light on my face. These were not yesterday’s memories. This is my now. I know all these things will be added to my storehouse of treasures, to be called forth again when I need them, or least expect them, but living in the moment, feeling them for the first time over and over again, is really where it’s at. I am here. 

 

Inspiration - Photo by N.Cotnam

I had an opportunity to view two fabulous DVD’s over the weekend. They were so helpful and inspirational that I thought I’d share the titles and links here on Isabel Design. 

I’ve been familiar with Dr. Wayne Dyer’s work for many years, have seen him on PBS, and own a set of audio CD’s called “The Power of Intention”. Saturday night I gathered with a few friends to watch “The Shift”, where Dr. Dyer “explores the spiritual journey in the second half of life when we long to find the purpose that is our unique contribution to the world…(it) not only inspires, but also teaches us how to find the path to our spiritual purpose and therefore our greatest joy.”

The second DVD introduced me to a woman who’s been creating positive change in the world for years, Louise Hay, and her book and dvd entitled, “You can heal your life“. Hosted by Louise, the movie “offers not only an intimate look into her moving and inspirational life story, but also a special segment devoted to helping you apply Louise’s affirmations and groundbreaking wisdom to heal your own life and the challenges that you face today.”

I thoroughly enjoyed the message and recommend these DVDs to anyone who is looking for purpose in their life.

Cup of Inspiration - photo by Noella Cotnam

 I think most artistic types struggle to find the incentive to create when feeling overwhelmed or just plain tired. It’s too easy to get side tracked in front of a TV, or aimlessly surf the internet, when really, you know you should be doing ‘something’ more productive. ‘Something’ that would make you feel good inside and remind you that you are a creative force to be reckoned with, if only you could get started. The Irony is that the act of being creative – of engaging your mind, soul and hands to make something that wasn’t there before – is exactly the catalyst needed to get out of a slump. 

It’s not like I’ve got limited choices when it comes to exercising my creativity. I’m a songwriter, visual artist, jewelry maker, writer, outdoor enthusiast and love to cook, and any one of these things could bolster my imagination. Perhaps it’s just that I want to do everything at once, and so my wheels just spin like bald tires in the mud, and I don’t get anywhere. When I’m stuck I turn to previously proven methods to augment the process.

Here are five things you can do to jump start your creativity when you’re in a slump:

1) Give yourself permission to relax. Creative answers often come to us when we least expect them and they need time to brew. Quiet, reflective time allows your subconscious to reorganize and connect the dots in fresh new ways. 

2) Do an environmental assessment – just a fancy way to say ‘clean up your space’! An uncluttered, organized work space with everything in its proper place gives you a ‘clean pallet’, ‘a blank canvas’, and room to breathe as you prepare to start a new project. 

3) Change your space. If you’ve been glued to that same spot for days, it’s time to find a new stall. Little indie type cafes are a great place to go and hang out for an afternoon. A lot of ‘creative types’ frequent these places and their energy can be intoxicating. 

4) Share your energy. Brainstorming with another person or group will almost always ‘spur the flow’ of ideas and inspiration. Bouncing ideas around can lead to that next big thing and ‘recession-proof’ your creative gene pool.

5) Find a new muse. If your creative fairies have left the building, maybe it’s time to play with gnome’s instead. “Guiding spirits” are all around us, so the next time something or someone tickles your fancy, pay attention and prepare to engage!

There are many ways to get the ol’ creative juices brewing again. Do you have something that works for you? Share it here.

As the saying goes, April showers bring May flowers. As I watch the day unfold with sunshine, I am trying to put the list of things I need to do in some type of priority. Of course there are the regulars that always seem to eat up my weekend like house cleaning, groceries and errands. But on this day, I hear the song of my perennials singing, “Ready or not, here I come!” The daffodils are blooming, the bleeding hearts are budding, and there is a new little friend whose name I can’t remember, a gift from my sister in law, blossoming little white flowers above spotted green leaves. The leaves that I neglected to rake last fall are now compacted on the lawn, and the stalks I left for ‘winter interest’ are now just looking dead as the new green plants are emerging underneath them. It sounds like a lot of work, and there is a part of me that wishes I could wrinkle my nose like Samantha from Bewitched and make my gardens perfect. However, once I’m out there, the feeling of nurturing my plants always brings on a sense of peace and satisfaction. So, I think my regular chores can wait. Gathering up my wheelbarrow, shovel, gloves and rake will inevitably bring about more satisfaction as I focus on my connection with Mother Earth.

It’s a rare sight for most of us, so I’m considering myself very lucky to have an eagle in the neighbourhood. I can’t tell whether it’s male or female, but it’s very big, its presence ominous. I first spotted it hovering above the lake last fall, and wondered if this was simply a migration stop. Apparently, eagles love fish, and the little lake I live on has plenty of them, so even if there’s a little competition with the herons, it’s a good feeding place. At any rate, it came back this spring and I hope it’ll stick around. 

I don’t know very much about the bald eagle, but I do know it is the national symbol of the United States, and a sacred symbol to many native American and Canadian tribes. In some cultures, eagles are considered spiritual messengers between the gods and humans. “They send their prayers to Eagle, so as it rises above the chaos to meet the Creator…it will return with a vision for the people.” (Animal Totem)

I have always been interested in spiritual signs. I seek them, wait for them, and hope to recognize them when they are presented to me. I wonder if the eagle has a message for me? According to the Animal Totem website, an “eagle shows us that people with high ideals need to be able to spread their wings so they can reach for the stars. Eagle brings the gift of clarity of vision. As long as we follow our intuition we will be heading in the right direction.” 

Another website on totems says the eagle is a great reminder of our own ability to soar great heights even if it means getting ‘scorched’ in the process. Perhaps the message for me is to glide  and flap on the air current and let go of the emotional fear of falling – or failing; to be open to new experiences and possibilities, even if they make me uncomfortable. That’s a good message any day of the week.

Over the winter I had the opportunity to take a jewelry making class. Yes, I already know how to make some jewelry, but there is a such a vast array of materials and techniques associated with this craft that a lesson or two here and there is essential. So Jewelry 101 taught me how to shape metals – silver, bronze and copper – using a jeweler’s saw with a tiny, delicate blade, along with files, grinders, and polishers. I also learned how to solder metals using a torch – the lesson here  being that I love playing with fire!

Have you ever wondered how they get those beautiful textures in the metal jewelry you wear? Well I have…and now I know. There is a machine called a ‘rolling mill’ that looks a little like Mom’s old ringer-washing machine, except it’s a tad more sophisticated. I was able to create an impression of a feather, and imbed the profile of a guitar string in metal. Simply a remarkable tool that I enjoyed experimenting with.

There are aspects of every trade that are mysterious until you get a chance to ‘tour the studio’. Once the curtain is pulled back, it shines light on a plethora of possibilities. Down the road, I hope to implement some of this new knowledge into pieces for Isabel Design. For now I leave you with photos of two items I made in class: a guitar string ring, and a musical wave broach with a bezel setting.

I love to work with my hands to create things I feel with my heart. Jewelry has been a relatively new ‘craft’ for me, especially the pieces that can be seen at Isabeldesigns.com. I first experimented with necklace making when I was on tour with my band and choir on the East Coast of Canada in 1998. Between gigs, we spent time at ‘Point Michaud Beach’ on Cape Breton Island. The shore was lined with ocean tossed stones; their beautiful colours and markings exposed as waves curled to shore and washed over them.

I left the beach that day with my pockets full of precious treasure. Treasures that were then fashioned into “Crossrocks”. I have since made over a hundred of these necklaces, and sold them at concerts and online for the next few years. They are still a popular gift for confirmations and other special spiritual occasions. I am always moved when I see someone wearing one, and they continue to remind me that no matter how small an object, or how tiny a deed, who we are and what we do matters. 

There are many traditions that wrap themselves around Easter, not least of which is egg decorating. Historically, the egg was a symbol of rebirth and new life. What started as a pagan ritual of spring was embraced by early Christians and celebrated during Easter.

I don’t remember egg decorating as a child, but I sure did love to wake up to chocolate and jelly beans on Easter morning. When my nieces and nephews were little (and not so little), we would hide scores of candy outside on my parents two acre property, and watch them scurry through the grass (and sometimes snow) to fill their baskets with loot.

This past week we had a few friends over for ‘craft night’ – which of course entailed egg dying and decorating. There is something magical about the process and I think we all felt like kids in some fashion. To feel young at heart is exactly the kind of rebirth I needed to enter into this years celebration.

I can’t tell you how happy I am that the bulk of winter is behind us. Though it’s still rather chilly today, the sun is shining, the ice is melting, and there is very little snow left in the yard. This makes me happy. The other morning while I was lying in bed, I heard the familiar, yet uplifting chirps of sparrows and blackbirds; another reminder that the ‘changing of the seasons’ is upon us. Today I will find a moment to lift my face to the sun and offer gratitude that my soul too, feels the momentum of spring and feels like singing. I hope you feel it too.