Keep Your Karma Clean

Karma is a Sanskrit (an ancient language from India) word. The word "Karma" means action, as it relates to the entire cycle of cause and effect. Through the law of Karma, the effects of all your actions create past, present, and future experiences. It makes you responsible for your own life, and the pain and joy it brings to you and others. Think of the phrase " you reap what you sow" and you get the concept.

Karma is more about the energy of a person's intention, rather than some power wielded by the gods. So, if you do a good deed with good intentions, then at some point the good energy will come back to you. And if you do something that comes from a place of anger, hatred, greed, jealousy or other negative energy, then the same will come back to you in some form or the other. So, you create your own Karma. It is something you have total control over.

I am conscious about making sure that I live my life by adhering to the laws of Karma. If I do something wrong, I make amends to right it. If I cannot have a good relationship, I move on to live and let live. I do not spend time thinking negatively about anyone. Negativity is like a boomerang, all that energy keeps coming back right at you. And when someone does wrong by me, I have learned to just let it go. Your Karma, good or bad , will catch up with you. And if you haven't done right by it, it will come back to bite you when you least expect it.

Every day is an opportunity to enhance our Karma. So, a good idea to keep our Karma clean always.

The Science Behind The Art

I am not a traditional jewelry designer. Even way back when I was just stringing beads, I wasn't satisfied. I would look at a component and try and figure out how to attach it to the necklace. Or I would find a smooth stone that I wanted to incorporate into my jewelry and had no idea how to make it work. Hmmm.....those were frustrating days. The usual bail (the component used to hang a pendant) was not exciting enough for me. It always had to be something different - something unique.

When I see something in a magazine that is close to what I had in mind, I have to learn the method. Seed bead weaving never really interested me. All those tiny, teeny seed beads are just not my cup of tea. However, the things you can do with seed bead weaving - now, that is fascinating. The science behind the art keeps me on my toes. I am the same way with wire, I love the versatility it gives me.

I have designed a few necklaces around this coconut shell ring. Sometimes, I have kept it simple and showcased the shell. One day, I was playing around and created this seed bead flower. It was too floppy. I thought attaching it to something would give it the support it needed. Out came the coconut shell ring. Next a woven bail to hang it on the Red Tiger Eye and Amazonite necklace. I am on a flower trip these days, did you figure that one out already? (grin).

Not a great photo, I know, but what do you think?

Follow That Blog: Pecannoot

I follow several interior decor blogs. One of them introduced me to Pecannoot. For that I am grateful. Pecannoot is Jess Gonacha's wonderful uplifting blog focusing on pictures. As she says in her blog: we think in pictures. we all have desires and dreams. we all feel discouraged sometimes. what better way to lift our spirits and bring our dreams into being than through pictures? this blog is for that.

Her tag line reads "Make Every Day Abundant". She encourages you to send her your art, photos that align with the theme of abundance. Through her blog, I have discovered some incredibly talented artists. A place to go for my daily dose of feel-good energy. Visit and you will know what I mean.

She recently showcased one of my paintings. Thank you Jess.

A Few Of My Favorite Things

Here are a few of my favorite things.....

1. A clean house. Ah, the smell of a clean house, nothing beats that (grin). Wierd, I know. Even more strange, it is tied to my feeling of well-being, that sense you have deep inside of all being well in your world. It might have to do with my childhood and the fact that my mother kept a clean and orderly home. Last week I had to let my housecleaner go, she just wasn't doing a good job. Besides which she broke a favorite Raku glass. Am I disappointed that I had to let her go? Not really. In a "sick" sort of way, I am looking forward to doing some house cleaning. I find it very therapeutic. And no, I am not coming over to clean your place.



2. Early morning coffee. It is not just the coffee you know. It is sitting on my lanai, when it is still cool outside. Listening to the birds, enjoying the flowers and plants, watching the little lizard play hide and seek in the pot. Smelling the wonderful coffee.... Now hubby will tell you that I do not drink coffee. I drink a mixture of coffee and chicory - a very mild instant coffee that he scoffs at. But then, I am not really a coffee drinker. I just love the ritual.



3. The surprise of dinner. Hubby cooks every night. I never know what he is cooking. So, every day I have something to look forward to. Sometimes he tells me what is on the menu and other times I have to wait until dinner. Regardless, the anticipation is refreshing and fun. Every night I tell him, "this is the best meal yet". He just laughs and says, "you always say that, honey". Well, what can I say, I am at a loss for words, especially when my mouth is full.



4. The unexpected phone call from a friend. It is terrific to hear from old and new friends. More so when I least expect it. The sharing, exchanging and connecting is something I value greatly. It leaves a positive glow, long after the conversation has ended.

What about you, what are some of your favorite things? My painting entitled "Basking In The Sun". I have fallen in love with the Blue Herons in Florida.

Owning Our Behavior

I was very young when I realized that I saw things from a different perspective. Not a better one, just a different one. There was this awareness of the difference from early on. Right and wrong have always been very clear in my mind. Even those times when I was in the wrong and did not want to own up to it. I still knew immediately that I was in the wrong. You see, there is no justification, convincing myself that I am right or talking myself into blaming someone else. Not even the remote possibility of having a few hours of ignorant bliss.

As I got older, my tolerance of people who did wrong and justified their behavior got to be non-existant. It boggled my mind that people could not see that they had done wrong. Then I got even older and realized that people did know that they had done wrong, but did not want to take responsibility. There was no ownership of behavior. I see that so much everywhere I turn these days - on TV, in the newspapers, even shopping.

As human beings, we are all flawed. We fly off the handle, have temper tantrums and say things we do not mean. In taking ownership of our behavior we make a conscious effort to change, to become better. Otherwise, I wonder, what would be the point of our existance? I wish that in addition to teaching math, science and all the other good stuff they crammed into our heads in school, more importance was given to teaching kids how to be responsible for their own behavior. To take ownership, to have clarity between right and wrong, to do the right thing every single time. Wouldn't that be nice? Hmmm...maybe as parents, that would be our job.

Don't mean to be preachy on a Sunday (smile), just an observation. Here is one of my first paintings when I moved to Florida, entitled "Gulf Oasis".

Major Drama

The most exciting part of the Maitland Art Show happened on Sunday morning. There were ducks, mallards and muscovies by the lake. We heard some major quacking going on and ventured out of our booth to check out the commotion.

There was a tiny chick running all by itself in one direction. Then we hear some major quacking and here comes mother duck from the other direction all upset with her chick. Little chick sees her and goes running to her. Mother duck goes running towards her chick. Then they get close and the mother gives the little one a piece of her mind. It was so cute, I could almost hear her words! Then they go off walking together. Mothers and kids, some things never change - human or ducks.

Meanwhile, a big crowd has gathered to watch the entire drama. Everyone cheering on the mother duck and chick. So cute.

Three Cups Of Tea

I read a lot. No, that is not quite true. I used to. That is, before painting and jewelry making took over. But, I still try to read as much as I can. Since I have insomnia, late night reading is the "in thing" these nights. Mostly I read fiction. A way to jet off into another world, sometimes an adventure in a far away place, at other times solving a murder mystery and on the rare occasion, a sweet romance.

Every now and then, I will read a book that is not fiction. One that changes my world a little. A book that grips my soul and takes me on a journey of self-discovery. One that makes me sit up and ponder about my purpose in this world. Makes me look deeper inside me than I would on any given day. I felt this same soul-searching when I was reading Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth and the Power of Now.

The book I am talking about is Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission To Promote Peace....One School At A Time. It is the true story of Greg Mortenson, who devotes his life to building schools in the remotest mountains of Pakistan. But it is so much more than a story of a person building schools. It is a story of how one determined person can make a difference in this world. And how the power of the Universe sometimes brings the right people together to make miracles happen. An important book, especially in this time in our history when there is so much distrust between us and the Muslim world. The story of an extraordinary man who teaches us that more can be done by building relationships than making war.

At the end of the book, I was so inspired to run out and make a difference in some small way. To really think about how I can leave a legacy behind that will be remembered for generations. If there is only one book you can read this year - this would be it. Please read it.

If you have already read it, I would love to hear your thoughts.

What Role Are You Playing?

Ah....the roles we play. Daughter, Wife, Mother, Sister, Sister-in-Law, Daughter-in-Law, Aunt, Friend....the list is endless. No doubt, all important. Are there certain times though, when we find ourselves too immersed in a certain role? Where expectations, perceptions and predefined roles written by who knows who, hold us captive. And sometimes, the roles are brought on by our love, commitment, devotion - maybe even guilt. So important, not to get lost in these roles, don't you think? That, every once in while, we stop to check the pulse of the role called Self.

Ah yes, I can see you nodding your heads now. You haven't done that in a while, have you? I used to be like that too. These days, I make a conscious effort to check my pulse frequently. If I don't, I am so immersed in the roles I play that I lean towards loosing my identity. And, that my friends, is a roller coaster to stress, anxiety and depression. I used to feel guilty every time I took time for myself. But, now I know that I can set my boundaries in a way that works for everyone. Not that I can, but I must. And so should you.

When I get overwhelmed, I take an hour or two to do nothing. I read, watch a movie, listen to music or sleep. When the phone rings, I don't pick up. This is why I have voicemail. I don't get on the computer, don't reply to e-mails, don't blog, don't pay the bills. Is there a voice in my head telling me that I am too busy to waste my time, that people are waiting for me, that nothing will get done if I take a break....sure there is. I just ignore it. And when my self-inflicted break is over, I feel refreshed enough for some role playing again (grin).

Check out these wonderful ducks at the Maitland Art Show.

A Day In The Park

The Maitland Art Festival this weekend was great! Did I make a lot of money? Nope. But it was great all the same. The setting was absolutely gorgeous - in a park, near a lake. The ducks, mallards and muscovies kept us entertained the entire weekend. The weather was wonderful - not too hot and not too cold. Perfect weather.

My booth faced the lake. I got wonderful compliments about my art. Even more interesting, the women kept asking about the necklace I had on. So, of course, I had to tell them that I was a jewelry designer too. I gave out as many jewelry business cards, as I did my art business cards.

Even though I did not sell any original paintings, I did sell many prints. I guess the economy has made everyone a little leery about spending money. I can't say I blame them. That is exactly what we have been doing too. Not spending money on things we don't need.

I was exhibiting my paintings at this show. Seeing the crowds at the jewelry booths made me wonder if perhaps I should have been exhibiting my jewelry, hmmm...! As you can see, hubby had the best time ever. The ducks loved him, he had food. He had them eating out of his hands - literally (grin). In the end, it felt like a mini vacation, just what the doctor ordered.

On The Road Again

On the road to exhibit at another art show, that is. My paintings this time. I will be at the 21st Annual Maitland Spring Festival of the Arts this weekend. It has been a while since I exhibited my paintings. The last two shows have been about my jewelry. Between now and May, I have three shows exhibiting my latest acrylics. My art show calendar runs from October through May. Summer is time to create new inventory. Painting and making jewelry is very relaxing. Therapeutic really. Brings everything back into sync in my life.

This will be the first time that I am going to showcase my new art on wood blocks. I am excited. Remember? I wrote about them here. This one is of tulips and is the second in a series entitled, "Six Degrees of Separation".

See you Monday!

Are You Tuned In?

I believe that there is a power much bigger than us in the Universe. I call it God. Even though I grew up Catholic and love what Jesus had to say, I am not a fan of the Catholic Church. Over the years, I have experienced unexplainable, powerful events. These usually manifest when I come to a major crossroad in my life and look for guidance. And, boy have the messages come through loud and clear.

Years ago, I was working in a stressful managerial position in San Francisco. This was in the early years of my career. My boss, Jake (not his real name) appeared to be very friendly and supportive. Though from time to time, he would show an ugly side. Eventually, I was approached by another company with a job offer. Even though I had jumped at the opportunity, I was torn about leaving. A few days after I had given my one month's notice, I get a voicemail. It was from Jake to the CTO. He had accidently sent it to me. It was a very long message about me with some serious accusations. In a nutshell, it was a long list of things to discredit my reputation. I was in shock, totally blown away. Until then, in no way, had Jake shown his anger or hatred toward me. I listened to the message, then forwarded it to the CTO with the message, "Jake meant to send this to you, but he accidently send it to me. If you have any questions about his message, you know where to find me". I never heard from the CTO. A week later, Jake was fired and escorted out of the building by security. We never really found out the real reason behind his termination. My decision to move on was spot on.

I have also been privy to e-mails sent accidently to me, about me. And usually when I am struggling with making a decision. It is as though the Universe says, "here let me help you by showing you what is being said behind your back" (smile).

Amazing, don't you think, how the Universe works? I believe that if you live your life honestly, with integrity and do the right thing, then you will be protected from evil. All you have to do is to be tuned into the right channel (grin).

The beautiful Azaleas in my back yard, blooming full force several weeks ago. The blooms are all brown now.

It's A Party

Busy as a bee - that would be me. Designing and creating new jewelry. The muse is definitely around. Believe me, I am grateful. One is never certain when she will take off....again! My outdoor art shows have been successful. That means my inventory has depleted. Which is good news for my customers, they get to see new designs more frequently.

Mother's Day is upon us and it is time for a party! My Mother's Day Jewelry Party takes place on April 29 and here is the invitation I sent out recently. I like invitations that have a clean, uncluttered look, that grab your attention. I showcased some of my new designs, so that it catches the eye (and interest). What do you think?

If you are in the Tampa area and are interested in coming, leave me a comment with your e-mail for further details. Time to go now and make more jewelry.....

On another note - 200 Followers!! More reason to party. Oh My Gosh! You like me, you really like me (grin). Jokes aside, I just realized that I have only been blogging since August 2008, so it is not even a year yet. Dear Followers, you inspire me to write better, work harder at my photography skills and get creative with blog posts. You make it worthwhile.

Acknowledging Your Presence

On many occasions I have revisited a blog to see if the author has replied to a long comment I left. A curiosness to read someone else's take on what I had to say. So, it is indeed surprising that I have not bothered to reply to my commenters. How rude of me! I apologize. It is as though a friend speaks and I ignore her. I enjoy reading your comments immensely. The connection I feel with many of you is eerie to say the least. Even though I have never seen you, we are kindred spirits on so many levels.

My friends run the gamut from the serious, calm ones to the boisterous loud ones. They come from different walks of life with varying interests. Being a typical gemini, I dabble in a little of this and a little of that. There are the artist friends, book club friends, spiritual friends, neighborhood friends, friends from my technology career days, friends from my stay in Hawaii, etc. Sometimes they meet, but often they stay in the separate areas of my life. I enjoy and appreciate all of them.

My blogging friends fall into different categories too - there are my Etsy friends, then those who write about interior decor and fashion, bloggers from India, Malaysia and Singapore, the ones that delve into the spiritual and philosophical, the poetry writers, photographers and travelling pals. The blogging world has exposed me to incredible talent and inspiration.

As for the blogging etiquette, now that is beyond me. Do I reply to a comment on my blog or do I visit your blog? What is the best way to acknowledge your presence? In trying to figure out the best solution, I have chosen the "no solution" way. Shame on me! Time for a change. If your comment is seeking a dialogue, I shall reply on my blog. And when time permits, I shall visit your blogs and leave you comments. How does that sound? My goal this year is to make the time to visit more blogs and leave comments. It is not about leaving a comment for comment's sake, but to make a connection and a friend (smile).

The florals are a fairly new series with me. Here is my acrylic painting entitled "Purple Passion".

Novica

You have an idea. You begin creating. But it does not come out the way you envisioned it. Or you wake up with no inspiration. You think "tomorrow will be better". But, then a lot of tomorrows go by and still no inspiration. If you are an artist, then you have been here and done that.

When I get into this funk, I visit one of my favorite websites, Novica. Novica works in associaton with the National Geographic to provide an avenue for artisans from developing countries to sell their creations to customers worldwide. My, oh my, what talent! See for yourself.

This is a necklace by Busarin, who is from Thailand. I love flowers and you see a lot of them, both in my paintings and jewelry. What beautiful flowers she creates with gemstones and wire.

Creating From Your Heart

A long time ago, when I began my painting career, I resolved to follow my heart. To create art that made people feel good. Having worked in corporate America, there was this niggling question of whether people would be interested in buying what my heart desired. I opted to not worry too much about that, and to let my creativity guide me.

Nothing prepared me for the success that has come my way. Every time, someone tells me how much they love my work, I am floored. When they hand me the check for $1500 or more for one of my paintings, I am hesitant to take it. What! you are paying me for doing what I love? Even after all these years, praise and kudos make me want to look behind me. To make sure that they are indeed talking about me (grin). A day doesn't go by when I don't stop to give thanks for my good fortune. To work at something I feel so passionate about, how cool is that!

When it came to designing and creating jewelry, once again, I am following my heart. I design what I like to wear. Last weekend at the art show, a customer loved the flower necklace I had made for myself. She bought it off my neck. Then she eyed my earrings, so I sold her that too. She had a great sense of humor, because after that she looked me up and down and said, "Just checking to see if I can buy anything else off you".

So, my advice, follow your heart, create what you feel passionate about. The customers will come. My latest design - wire wrapped purple quartz, freshwater pearls and pink jade with a flower pendant. I am not a "pink" girl, but I loved how these colors came together. I took the photograph in the afternoon with the sun shining on the opaque glass table. Don't you love the reflection of the gem stones on the glass?

Update: A friend stopped by to chat today and bought this necklace. I had not even had a chance to create a price tag for it, nor inventory it. Yay!

Sitting On Top Of The World

As a kid, I wanted a tree house. I dreamt about building one by myself. A secret hideout where I could hang out, read, play make believe. In my mind's eye, I imagined every aspect of the little space. There was a sense of power sitting high above the ground, looking down on my minions below (smile). And if someone wanted to visit, they would have to pay a fee. Perhaps it would be the headquarters for my secret society. Somehow, my tree house never materialized. Years later, I got around to painting one. Hey, want to join my secret society?

My tree house entitled "Sitting On Top Of The World" and the poem I wrote for it:

A tree house built with love and care
A magical place for memories to share
As a child sitting on top of the world
Imagination soared and what stories I told!

Dance Of The Palmettos

I have lived in California, Hawaii and Florida in the U.S. Every place is different. Especially when it comes to the flora and fauna. I saw vultures for the first time in Florida - they are quite fascinating, in an eerie sort of way. Every time, we are out driving somewhere and hubby sees a group of vultures, he has to yell, "party time". With morbid curiousity, I am always trying to figure out what they are feeding on. It was also a first time with the Blue Herons and Sandhill Cranes. What elegant beauty. I can sit and watch these birds for hours. Same goes for the plant life. Beautiful palms swaying in the breeze bring Florida to mind, don't they? My backyard is a conservation park - yes, lucky me. Full of pine trees, different types of palm trees and palmettos. The palmettos are low growing palm tree with fan-like leaves, so precise in their symmetry. They bring to mind this scenario - me lying on soft plushy cushions, being fed grapes and fanned with palmetto fronds to cool me in the hot Florida sun (grin).

Here is my acrylic rendition of palm trees and palmettos.

The Kindness Of Strangers

March 31, our 25th wedding anniversary. The first one, anyway. Yes, we have two wedding anniversaries. The first one was in Malaysia and the second one, on June 15 in Reno, Nevada. It is a long story, I shall tell you some day. Today, it is about the wonderful Ethiopian restaurant we went to the other night for the first of our anniversaries.

We kept reading such good reviews about it. We had to give it a try. Many years ago, we enjoyed Ethiopian food at the Blue Nile in Berkeley, California. Their honey wine...yum. Hubby and I are such homebodies. We rarely go out anymore. Hubby is a great cook. I cannot get myself to pay for food when I can get incredible food at home (grin). Besides which, my obsessive compulsive cleaning and hygiene thoughts kick in. I keep picturing what their kitchen looks like, whether the cook washed his hands after using the bathroom, whether the veggies were cleaned well before being made into salad.... Yes, I know -obsessive compulsive.

Yet, we drag ourselves out once in a while, just to get away from the rut of being couch potatoes. The first thing that struck us as we walked into the Queen of Sheba was the decor and ambiance. You get the whiff of incense, the many traditional Ethiopian crafts on the wall, floor, tabletops. The walls a warm orange/yellow color. The hand-printed table cloth. Ethiopian music playing. The owners, women with the biggest smiles. The food was fantastic. Ethiopian food is made of spicy vegetable and meat dishes. The best part is their spongy bread called injera. You use it to soak up the wonderful stews. Ethiopian food is often served family style, in a large platter and you eat with your fingers. Being of South Indian heritage, the eating with the fingers part was not a big deal for me. Hubby on the other hand, had some amusing challenges (smile). He did get better as the evening progressed.

We chatted with the owners a bit and they found out that it was a special occassion for us. The surprise of the evening. When the women came out wearing traditional garb, singing and dancing for us. The song - congratulating us and wishing us many more years together. A photo of the receipt, where they wrote in Ethiopian. A perfect evening. My only regret, "Where was my camera when I needed it?".

I also share this morning's photo of flowers in my garden.

Just When I Think...

that the muse has left town, there is a wave of inspiration. Jogging back and forth between painting and making jewelry can get stressful at times. The best way for me to earmark time for each, is to listen to my heart. There was a plan, once upon a time. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I work on painting; Thursday, Friday and Saturday I work on making jewelry. Sunday I rest. So, how did that work out for me? Yeah, right! As Woody Allen said, "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans".

Now, I just do what I feel like doing each day. Sometimes it is days (or weeks) of painting. Then I get invigorated by something I see on TV or in a magazine and I am all fired up to design jewelry. Then there are those days when I wake up and there is this immense inertia to do nothing. So, I do nothing. Well, maybe laze around and read a book. For the past several weeks I have been busy painting. Last weekend I exhibited my jewelry at an art show, and now I am ready for some jewelry making.

Hmmm...perhaps it was the compliments and conversations about what inspired each creation that jump started this renewed energy in making jewelry. Time to go shopping again for gemstones. As my beading buddies will vouch, any excuse, right? Photos of two of my freshwater pearl creations.

I am off exhibiting my jewelry at another art show this weekend. Boy, that is two weekends in a row - a little too much for these old bones (grin).

Holding Its Own

Vases. There are many different kinds. They look great with or without flowers. Even a simple bowl can turn into a abode to showcase flowers. I am always on the lookout for the unique and unusual. This glass piece stood beautiful all on its own. Walking by a store in Carmel, California, I saw something quite lovely through the corner of my eye. I stopped, gazed longingly at it displayed in the store window. Appreciated the shape, the interesting stand. Then I walked away, but kept thinking about it. Of course, I had to return to the store and get it. The plan was to just enjoy it's elegant lines. Then, one day, at a dinner party, I put some flowers in it and people said "Wow". Some marbles in the vase help hold the tulips in place and adds more visual interest.

What do you think?

Follow That Blog: Things We Forget

My foray into the blogging world began with Etsy. A marketing ploy, a way to showcase my jewelry. A year later, it is a place to share my thoughts, my creativity and a launching pad for friendships. Along the way, I have enjoyed reading many incredible blogs. But sometimes, it is more than words.

This series is about sharing my blog finds with friends. I have 172 followers now. A humbling moment to be sure. Thank you for following, I am grateful. I want this to be a place that you feel like coming back time and again; one that will stay in your mind even if you don't read it daily; provokes you into thinking differently and appreciate what makes us unique and individual. The blogging world at large has become a teacher, and I, a mesmerized student.

Some I stumble upon, some I find through other's blogs. The first in this series is a blog called Things We Forget. Small post-its with little messages left in public places in Singapore. I just love the simplicity, the art and the messages. What do you think?

Springtime brings these wonderful Gerber Daisies, in so many different colors.