Today and Tomorrow's Blessings

Today's Blessings: I put together the staff newsletter for the agency I work for. We have just over 30 employees. Today I attached a specially designed holiday card with one of my mandalas and a Smile Card to December's newsletter. Wednesday I will hostess the staff holiday party as well and am still brainstorming ways to bring creative generosity into the mix.

Tomorrow's Blessings: I will be sending out four blessing packages. One for a fellow Zaadzster who requested a journal; two for another Zaadzster and the young woman she's lovingly opened her home to; and one for a survivor of violence.

A Soul Sister in Creative Generosity

From a comment on an uplifting blog I read every day I was lead to Kim, whose website is full of all kinds of creative generosity and kindness. But what is especially lovely is that she makes inspiring and hopeful "magic wands" for children suffering from terminal illneses and links to several other online projects that connect anyone who is inspired to share a little kindness with ill children who could use the extra lovins.

What a great way to start the day! Blissings to you all this holiday season!

Blessing Art

Here are some of the recent art blessings I've created: Butterfly Transformation dolls and Blessing Journals. I'm sharing the dolls because the pictures came out so much better than previous sharings.

The journals are a new endeavor. I decorate the outside with papers and embellishments, then include handwritten inspirational quotes and poems for women in transition throughout the book in hopes of encouraging the recipient on her journey.

If you know of a woman who may be encouraged by a doll or journal, please let me know. Remember this is a gifting project and costs nothing to you to request a blessing for yourself or someone else.

More Blessings

One of the recipients of a recent blessing package sent me a beautiful gift in return, her self published book Spread Your Wings and Fly: An Origami Fold-and-Tell with a set of deep purple paper cranes. What a lovely gift!

I never anticipated people returning blessings to me when I started this project. But I am glad to practice being a joyful recipient. So much inspiring creativity abounds in this world. I am also hopeful for the future of the human race because of the tremendous positive creativity I am honored to witness nearly every day from my little corner of the world.

A Shower of Blessings

Wow! I am in awe of the blessings that have been showered upon me recently. I received Kara's package today, full to brimming with her art cards, buttons, magnets, and a stunning book of meditative photographs. Serendipitously, I had just run out of cards I could write handwritten notes on for blessing recipients. Now I have an abundance of beautiful cards! My heart is smiling in deepest gratitude.

Conspiracy Collaborators

Yesterday, I received a package envelope in the mail that jangled...a lot. Kind of sounded like there was something broken inside. I didn't recognize the address, even from people I've corresponded with concerning donations to the Conspiracy. I was intrigued. I opened it up to find it overflowing with papers and ephemera for art making. Jeanette at PostcardX sent me the package. I love that I get unexpected suprises from PostcardX every couple of months. It brings a little dash of creative magic to life. I must remember during lulls in blessing requests that I have an endless source of people to bless there.

Also, as noted in a comment on a previous blog post, Kara from Motherhenna.com and the wonderful "A Peace of..." blog and collaborative art project, is sending some 1000 Faces of Mother Henna art to include in blessing packages. Very, very cool.

Transformation Dolls

I thought I'd share a couple of the Transformation Dolls going out today, as well as the description of my intent behind the dolls. Of course you can't see the beautiful detail of the fabric texture and coloring, but you get an idea anyway.

Transformation Dolls are made with the intent to be a symbolic companion to the lives of women in transition and/or healing. It takes one full day to make a doll and I hold healing and loving intentions for you during its entire construction. I hold hope that you will nurture yourself and find the beauty in your life. In heart-full agreement with Oriah Mountain Dreamer, I pray that you discover the one word you are meant to be in the great love poem of life we are writing together.

The doll filling includes lavender and chamomile to induce feelings of calm and peace.

Butterfly dolls and/or charms are meant to symbolize the process of growth and transformation that you are embarking on or journeying through.

I use beautiful, bold colors with the following meanings in mind:

Purple is an uplifting color representing spirituality, wisdom, and the crown chakra – our direct connection to the Divine. We must remember to keep ourselves open to guidance and the still, small voice within, our deepest intuitions. We must learn to release and surrender, flowing with life instead of struggling against it.

Blue is a healing color and induces feelings of calmness or serenity. It is often described as peaceful, tranquil, and secure. It is the color of the throat chakra, which represents our voices and our will. Women too often keep our thoughts and feelings quiet, usually stuffing them deep inside, internalizing life’s difficulties and wreaking havoc on our bodies. We must learn to honor our truths and vocalize them when necessary.

Gold/yellow is related to wisdom; wisdom in thoughts, words and deeds. It is the color of the solar plexus chakra and motivates us towards making positive changes in our lives. Also related with optimism, self-confidence, spontaneity, flexibility, understanding. A sense of humor, joy, and laughter are natural balanced expressions of the solar plexus.

Orange represents constructive joy. Orange is the best stimulant and help in times of depression, loneliness, and boredom. Orange is the color of the sacral chakra, the energies of which concern our personal relationships. Are we in relationships that nurture and uplift us? Or are we settling for less than we truly desire?

What Do I Do Exactly?

I've received some inquiries recently into how exactly I piece together blessing packages for each recipient, so I thought I'd write a post about it so that people have a better idea of things.

Each package is a combination of both stock and unique pieces:

Every package contains a set of art & word cards that are not unique but highly inspirational writings or poems that I believe anyone could benefit from. I put together the writings with my mandalas, kaleidescopes or beatiful stock images I find online. Not everyone gets the same set--I try to draw on what little I know about them or trust the Universe is guiding me--and I'm always adding new ones to the bunch. Lately, for women I've also been intuitively drawing a card from the Grace Cards to include in their packages. I used Goddess Knowledge Cards from Susan Boulet in the past.

I create a unique envelope for each set of cards made from pretty papers, stickers, embellishments, etc.

Then I include something handmade: either a Transformation Doll, Blessing Box (full of at least 50 business card sized inspirations), or I'm going to start doing journals as well (they will be decorated on the outside and have handwritten quotes/poems/prompts on some of the pages inside). I've also made clay tokens with symbols or quotes. I'm thinking about getting back into clay again and maybe making inspirational tiles.

Depending on my abundance level at the time, some packages have contained Blessing Rings or cards from NepalesePaper.com.

Lastly, I include a handwritten note or card.

I wish I had the time and inspiration to put together entirely unique packages for everyone, but now that I've sent out more than 100 packages in the last year, I'm grateful I set things up the way I did. Everyone is guaranteed to get a unique piece of art from me, but also get a big handful of inspirations.

How much goes into packages often depends on my financial and art supply abundance at the time. Sometimes I'm struggling to get printer ink and card stock to print post cards on or postage for packages. Other times I have plenty of everything. I'm good right now. I'm still using the postage that was donated quite awhile back, but it's close to running out. That's when things might get more complicated since every package costs at least $2.00 to send. I'm just going to trust the Universe will provide as needed.