one week... discovering a new way of art

wow.. i can't even begin to tell you how crazy and wonderful and crazy North Carolina was! I had all these grand plans to blog and return emails and facebook and all sorts of things while I was gone and holy heck that just didn't happen! lol

many many things transpired while I was there.. I met some wonderful beautiful people and created some really wonderful friendships that will last a lifetime! The days were long.. teaching and being with these wonderful ladies from 9 am until 9 pm.. each day was wonderful but also found it extremely exhausting on my body. MOST of which I think had to with the crazy weather that was going on there. Holy cow. I was in so much pain while I was there. Like non stop and hard hard pain. It was hard also being alone for 10 days. Away from my kids, my family and so far away from my closest friends. Have to admit it was a really hard 10 days.. but also some of the most rewarding 10 days I have ever experienced. I can't even being to express how much I loved teaching in that format. Really being able to share my love of art, my love of life and myself and who I am to 20 women each week. Getting to spend 4 days with them.. and ONLY them and just getting to know them and their lives and their loves as well. seriously i wish I could teach that way all of the time. It is truly a very unique and cool experience. and reminds me why I love teaching and sharing my art so much.

so things here at home while I was gone were a little crazy and I think sometimes just when you think you have life under control it just gives you another log for the fire.. one of those logs came in the form of a huge loss for us and our family. Our little dog max..

 

poops as I called him.. was hit by a car the friday night before I came home and was killed. My kids didn't know it at that time, as the women who hit him brought him to the door and when my husband saw his little crushed body, just wrapped him up and jumped into the car and took him to the vet. Max is allie's dog.. we gave him to her for her 12th birthday but really he was all of ours. We all loved him so much. So after my husband called me and said he didn't make it.. I asked him to let me call the kids on facetime on our phones and tell them face to face about max. It was a very very hard phone call. I could tell they thought I was calling for some exciting reason and when I told them the news.. with HUGE tears in my eyes and rolling down my cheeks.. the tears and cries and bawls and whales that followed from them just crushed me to the core. I wanted so badly to be in the room with them and hold them. Allie just rocked and cried back and forth and little noah just cried hysterically for at least an hour. It was a very very hard moment as a parent to be so far away from your kids.. and I had already been gone for over a week.. and had missed them so terribly.. that it was just one more thing that made my heart ache for them and for home. Our family will miss max. We had a small funeral for him sunday when I got home.

Ben made him a casket and we all said our goodbyes and put our love notes in his casket with him. We started to let each child put a shovel of dirt in the grave and little noah cried out.. wait! i wanted to write a love note on his casket like we did grandpa. So ben helped him down into the hole and he pulled out this giant sharpie he had.. and wrote  "we love you" on the box.

We all just stood there and cried. It was an awesome healing moment and bonding experience.  Then someone said "not grandpa has someone to keep him company.. little maxie"

So yeah.. North carolina was so much fun. So many awesome memories had there. During the couple of days I had off I was able to take a road trip with friends and made some awesome memories with that too. So many funny stories and moments that will forever be in my heart from those 10 days. But honestly have to say.. some of the hardest 10 days of my life.

I came home with a new found resolution to DO WHAT MATTERS MOST. that is my motto.. has been forever.. but I think sometimes we let things start to get into the way of our intentions.. and while some things are good.. we need to choose the things that are best. Right now my family is my best and also I have to admit.. I decided over the last 10 days that teaching.. and mainly ONLINE teaching is my love. I LOVE sharing my heart and love others sharing their heart with me. It truly fills my soul. I have had a lot of other great opportunities come over the last year as well, with liscneing and tv shows and other things.. but I decided while I was in NC that while all of those are awesome and fun and the chance of a lifetime. if I don't focus on what TRULY brings me happiness.. which is sharing on my blog, connecting with other women.. sharing my art.. my process.. helping others find themselves through life and art. if I don't DO that and I endup filling my days up with too many other things.. I will find myself once again unhappy with what I am doing in my life.  HUGE lesson learned over the last 10 days. Excited to move forward into my new resolution of putting my family and my art first.

Which brings me to the title of this blog post.. one week.

So I haven't actually blogged about this very much. I think only once or twice.. but in a week I have my first BIG workshop of the year.. starting.. and it's with the VERY talented Junelle Jacobson called the Art of Wild Abandonment.

 

 Her and I talked on the phone yesterday just going over some of the videos and things we have been editing and i have to tell you.

 HER SOUL is in this class. wow. when I started watching the video that had been edited and in its final stage of being loaded to the classroom.. I was in AWE. IN AWE of what this women puts out there.

She doesn't do this for fame.. or money or praise or recognizstion.. she creates becauase it's a passion she has inside of her.. it's a way to express herself and her life and her love of God and all things good.

 I spent the entire morning today watching videos of her week one and I just cried. I truly cried. I think I kept saying over and over.. this girl just blows my mind.. she freaking rocks. She makes me want to be a better artist and share more of myself with others. Her process is so different than mine in that she truly looks around her and sketches life in all forms and then paints life in all forms

I don't. I sersiouly sit down and with no other thought I just paint. There is no rhyme or reason.. and I thought I would NEVER have an interest in sketching or learning a process where I "journal" my life through drawings and then turning them into paintings and pieces of mixed media.. but after watching her and listening to her and her process..

I seriously went out and bought a simple sketchbook and a pencil. not a fancy one either.. just a simple number 2 pencil to sit and just sketch my thoughts. NOT WRITE MY THOUGHTS.. SKETCH THEM. wow a healing experience it is. Life for me right now is so full of crazy moments and my heart is so fragile right now.. and I have to be honest and say this class has not come at a more perfect time for ME. Crazy to think that.. because it wasn't planned that way.. but I am right in the middle of some of the hardest times of my life and this class is giving me huge direction and healing from it. 

 Anyhow.. just had to share with you how much I am excited about this class.. so many of you area joining me.. and have already signed up.. and I can not WAIT to have you join me. wow.. SO excited for this!!!
If you want to learn more about this class with Junelle (and me.. I am actually doing it to.. you will see my process of what Junelle teaches.. and hopefully not laugh through it!! lol) but I would love to have you join me too!

You can learn more about it HERE.. TRULY hope you join me.

plus junelle does a fun q and a on her blog here about it too!

This week.. hopefully thursday? I am going to do a huge long blog post about North Carolina and these wonderful beautiful women I met. Can't wait to share them with you!!

Hope you have a wonderful tuesday!

Comments

[Kip]

sending a huge hug to you Chrissy, both for your pain and the loss of your precious pup.

[Maria Levine]

Glad NC was fabulous but sorry about the pain! AND SOO Sorry for Max! HE IS SUCH AN ADORABLE DOG! My type of dog. I'm NOT a dog person but those little buggers I love! BIG HUGS!

I'm signed up for the class and can't wait! I just love watching the videos you create and can't wait to see Junelle's videos! Is there a supply list? Or just your basic stuff?

[chantille]

Christy so glad you are home safe and sound.

So very sorry and sad to hear about little Max (did post a little message on facebook), awful news for you all. I hope he was not in pain for long.

R.I.P little Max

[Sherry C]

I'm so sorry to hear about Max. Hugs to all of you. It was great meeting you in NC - glad you're home safe and sound. I can't resist taking this class, sketching isn't doodling, is it? lol

[Michelle van Wyk]

You have me in tears.. that is so sad... I cannot imagine my dogs dying.. i had to give my dogs away when I immigrated and it just about killed me... My deepest sympathies to you and your family...
Love your work.. wish I could come to a class but Australia is a bit far away... time you came to visit us methinks !

[Liane Townsend]

I came across your blog last year Christy at a time when I needed a seriously positive outlet to allow me to slowly process the grief I was feeling. I chose art and I chose you, (or did you choose me), because you lifted my spirits, made art seem possible for me (a stick people drawer lol), and you gave me permission to express myself through paint and create my own art. Thank you for being you and for sharing yourself and art with me. You always add a skip to my step! So glad you are home with your family and so sad you all lost Poops...

[Patter Cross]

Christy, I am SO sorry about Max. We too lost our dog (last August) when we were away from home. It was the hardest thing ever! I pray God heals you all and allows you to remember those fun, cuddly times with Max. Hugs!

And I am thankful you found what matters most. Traveling is SO hard on the body and the family. Believe me, I know.

And Junelle, yes, she is AWESOME! I love her work and have been following her for a while. I have a photo of one of her precious lambs in my studio. I have signed up, and I can't wait for the class to begin. Between the two of you, you are my FAVS! Hugs and prayers to you and your family. Blessings,

[Sarah P]

I'm so sorry that your furry family member is no longer with you. Sending lots of love to your family from mine.

[Michelle H.]

I'm so sorry for your family about your pet.
You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.
Big hugs!!

[kirsti]

Oh my Christy...what a horrible thing to happen to poor Maxie and even mire so when you weren't there..I know how hard it was when we lost both our pooches..one from old age and one from a stomach tumor..it's been two years since Haggis died age 14 1/2 and it's only now we feel ready for another one!! Can't wait to hear about your adventures. Take care..
Kirsti xx

[Julie Quaschnick]

So sorry for the loss you and your family have suffered....I sat and cried as I read your post...Dogs have a special place in our hearts, they give so much and ask so little in return....just know we are here, sharing your sorrow for little Max. You are the best at what you do, I have never learned so much as I have in your classes! I love that you keep it real Christy! Hugs!

[Tracey L.]

So sorry for your loss of little Max. It is so hard to lose a beloved companion, and my heart goes out to you and your family.

[Pam L.]

I am so sorry for the loss of your pet. How heart wrenching it must have been for you on that phone call! I am glad you are back home with your family and the healing has begun.
I have been signed up for this first class of yours as soon as it was available and CANNOT WAIT to get started! Thank you for the time and talent you share with us.

[Kelly Luna]

It was so wonderful to meet you last weekend. I'm so sorry you had to go through so much, though, while there. You were amazing through it all. I'm already signed up for this next class and I just can't wait to create with you again. (hugs)

[heidi hines]

WOW!! I'm GLAD you had a GREAT time on the trip!!! YOu probably needed that time to wind down and have some creative time. I am REALLY sorry about the loss of your puppy!! ITs very sad!! Give ALL the kids hugs and kisses for me. Its so sad. We have a puppy too. he's 8 months now. he's a toy poodle. I can't even image what to do if, something like that happen to him. I want to give you a hug too!! ITs So sad. so, I am sorry to hear that and I hope some how they will get through this difficult time in life.... ;(

[ana smith]

I'm not a 'drawer' so everytime I see an art journal, it literally scares me. But I want to do it so bad.....so I'll try to wrap my head around it and begin. Like you said, I need to 'do what matters most'. And art journaling seems to matter to my soul.

[Heather parrish]

I am not a blogger or shall I was not a blogger until I met you and wanted to learn from you and read your stories to connect and be inspired to be creative in life and art. Like one of the other "bloggers" I think you found me. Because I was not sure about all this mixed media stuff. I am excited to finally take your She Art 1 class after all this time of trying it on my own. I am sorry for your loss, your blog to today made huge golywopper tears because I understand your pain and how hard it is to tell your children the hardest things in life (things you don't ever want to but need to) and not be there when you need them the most. Thank you for being you and being a part of my life even in the smallest possible way. I hope to one day meet up with you again...I am believe that can happen. There have been others in my life like Stacy Julian that have made a difference in my life after one or two happenstance meetings and I met up with her again just recently again...actually when I met you at CKU Reunion. It was there that I found my new love of mixed media and art.

[Emy]

I am so excited about the new class. Can't wait for next week.xx

[marci]

i am so excited for this course! when you first announced it i think i actually squealed!;D she is AMAZING and then add you and voila' *inspiration* at its finest!!
i'm so sorry about your little max...we just got a puppy a couple of months ago and it would break my heart if anything happened to her...and what a hard thing to go through as a mom.:(

thank you for being so real and awesome.

[Stephanie]

Hugs to you and your family! Can't wait for the class to start! I have been looking forward to this for weeks and weeks!

[Patricia Rodriguez]

This brought tears to my eyes! He was so cute and adorable! *hugs!*

[Robin Flate-Strubbe]

hugs to you and your family - losing your pet is like losing a good friend: a friend who gives you unconditional love,makes you smile when your down, and gives you wet kisses, just when you need them ( and sometimes even when you don't ) . I know you and your family will always cherish him .

[Denise Lehenbauer]

I was crying so hard about poor Max. Our pets are so special. Blessings to you and your family. Give the kids a hug for all of us out here in blog land. We ache so for them. I am glad that you had a good time on your trip.

[Marilyn Nimmo]

I am so sorry about the loss of your precious Max. I have two "babies" at home and cannot imagine losing them. We love our pets so much. Thank you for sharing what was a very difficult time for your and your family. Sending lots of hugs for you and your family.

[Laurie M]

I am so sad for you and your family, it is so hard! I just signed up for the class, now I cant wait for it to start!