New Woodburnings!

My last post was in March, while I was taking my first ever course of learning how to create mandalas and woodburn them. I've gotten hooked and I want this to be my niche (while still creating all other types of art, of course). Below are my 2 newest creations. I've already started on a new creation. Pictures to come soon!

Have a wonderful day!!
Kelly

Mandalas and Woodburning....

Since my last posts, I have started a Mandala Woodburning course with Ashley Hall....

Have you ever heard of Jake Ducey? He's an inspirational motivational speaker/author with a million YouTube videos. I've been following him and have purchased some of his work. Ashley Hall is his soon to be wife, who is an incredible artist - she has beautiful woodburned Mandala pieces, and now I'm taking a 6 week online course from her. I've drawn my first mandala and am so proud to call it my own. I love learning new things. Also, I've never spent so much time on ONE piece. With painting, I do abstract, pours, or more simple, so they take me 2-3 hours. This mandala took me probably 10 hours (broken up within a week). Now I'm practicing with my woodburning tool creating a new mandala, and wow! It takes even more patience and precision! I love this challenge and my next post will be showcasing ALL the work I did for woodburning (good and bad, haha).

Thanks for reading! Check out my Mandala below!

Paintings within the last month!

Past Art Creations...

Hoping This Sticks....

 

I've started many a blog, only to lose interest and have them fade away. Only once have I had a blog be successful (to me), but only because it focused on a one month trip to the Phillipines and I was tracking my journey (though I utilized Facebook more than the blog, I do admit). However, I love the idea of blogs and I truly want this one to stick. Here's why:

This past year has been all about Transformation. I've spent my life wishing I could make a living being creative - singing, painting, writing, acting, etc etc etc! I want to travel the world and experience everything our Earth has to offer. My life has been a cycle of wishing and doing. I've taken so many risks and therefore have had many experiences, but after that risk I always cower back and live the "normal" life society has trained us to do. I've been a gypsy for jobs. One minute you'll be congratulating me on my new career at Microsoft or The American Heart Association. The next minute, it seems, I've lost all interest, moved to NYC and working at a restaurant in hopes of doing something exciting (like being an extra on tv shows, which I did the 3rd time there)! This scenario occurred 3 times (maybe 4, I lost count). I moved to NYC at least 3 times, with each time getting scared and withering back to my comfort zone of practicality and making money at a NORMAL job. This cycle ends NOW. I'm serious. I have to be serious for my own well being. And I'm refusing to be a follower and do the NORMAL job.

Last year I quit my job at Microsoft without anything lined up, not even money. I had to get out. It, like so many other practical jobs I've had, was draining my energy and happiness. I am not meant to work a meaningless job for the majority of my waking life. We only have this one life that we know of and it's not worth it. As long as I have the right mindset, I can do anything. Once I quit, I hired a life coach. Did I have the money to afford her? NO! But I trusted and wanted it sooo bad that the money showed up. Shocked me too. With my life coach signed for 3 months, I also joined her women only 6 week challenge called Unleash Your Inner Unicorn. Insanely empowering and I really stepped up. With that, I also joined a Transformation gym and lost 20 lbs (that I gained out of depression) in 6 weeks. I also took a break from working (as the money showed up) and after time found a great restaurant job that fell right into my lap. My mindset was ON FIRE. But then life throws curveballs.....my back went out and I had to leave my gym for a while. My boyfriend and I spontaneously got full custody of his 2 year old son while living in a 1 bedroom apartment. I got fired from my cozy restaurant job. Life happened, and fast! For the most part, I kept up my positive attitude, but I admit I was declining and feeling defeated. I went back to Olive Garden, a restaurant I didn't really want to go back to but did because it was easy and fast as I had worked there before. I was grateful for that. At least it was still leading me towards my creative goals. My boyfriend, his son and I moved into his family home that belonged to his late grandparents, and now we have amazing rent for a 4 bedroom house, and have his family as the most amazing landlords EVER! Still, I slithered back into my old ways of practicality and found a new job as a Dental Assistant. I had high hopes for this one (as I usually do), however HOLY HELL. NO WAY! My depression and anxiety sky rocketed shortly after starting this job. It was not in line with ANY of my goals. I did it for a steady paycheck, that's it - even then the steady paycheck wasn't even going to cover everything and I was still going to have to get a 2nd job. So I quit, therefore continuing the cycle. I say NO MORE. I now have a job at my friends local Reno restaurant, I'm trying out Uber Eats as it's flexible, and working more on my art then ever. I am even taking a new woodburning online course with Ashley Hall - very inspirational. I follow her husband, as he's a big motivational speaker and author. Who knows what will happen, but I am starting to feel more in line with who I am.

So this blog is the start of my amazing art journey while working the non practical jobs. I'm scared, but we do what we need to do to reach our goals. So if any new job comes my way that isn't in line with my creative/traveling goals, I refuse to do it. I will not be practical any more, and I'm going to blow myself out of the water when I learn what I can accomplish. :)

Thank you for reading this looooong introduction. I was writing this more for me than for you. It felt good to write it out. <3