Enchanter's Echo

Dear Friends,

Feeling better today and and was able to get out and about a little.

Had tea with my friend, Denise, at our new local coffee shop, Espresso Theory.

Denise writes under the pen name, Anise Rae.

Her second book Enchanter's Echo of the Mayflower Mages series will be released February 17th. 
 
She writes terrific paranormal romance.  

I loved her first book - Syphon's Song.  It was fun, engaging and a great read.  I loved the characters and the world Anise built.  I love the magic that flows through her books and I highly recommend them.

Today we planned a book release and signing party.  She will be signing books and meeting fans in two weeks.  If you're local I hope you will join us to celebrate her amazing achievements.  

Wrapping you around with infinite love & creative achievement,

Christine

 

Wordle Play

Dear friends,

Still battling a cold so played with Wordle tonight as my blog entry....

InterPlay Wordle

Grateful

Dear friends,

 I'm participating in a February Blogging challenge for inspired blogging.  Today's prompt was gratitude.  Ya'll know I'm a huge gratitude fan and have a practice of giving gratitudes on a daily basis.

I have to confess today I'm struggling a little.  Yesterday I woke up with a nasty cold.  I'm so rarely sick that I was taken off guard and surprised.  So first off I'm very grateful for my regular health (that I sometimes take for granted).
 

I am grateful that I had the energy to drive into Decatur today for my friend +Ruth Schowalter's first class in the series InterPlay Alchemy.
As always InterPlay uplifts me and helps me find grace.

I'm thankful for the beautiful sunshine today and my old dog, Merlin napping and snoring on the hearth as I write this.

I'm also grateful for art and it's presence in my life (and my family's life) as a tool, a gift and a medium for communication.

I included this sun piece I did a while back for the Daily Creative Practice  it reminds me of all the amazing things in my life I am grateful for when my head's too stuffy to think.

What are you grateful for today?

Wrapping you around with infinite love, health and gratitude,

Christine

 

One Billon Rising

Dear friends,

I have somehow found myself as part of a revolution.  When I think revolution I think protesting in the streets and violence yet the movement I'm a part of uses art and love.

 As I reflect on it I realize it started around 10 years ago when I attended a play the Vagina Monologues in Fort Worth, TX to support four of my friends from Earthsprings who were performing.  The Vagina Monologues is an episodic play written by Eve Ensler.  It is a powerful play and I highly recommend it!  Usually it is being performed in the month of February and supporting local women's shelters.  Using Theater and performance art to raise consciousness for change.

This weekend I participated in a Peace Post making workshop hosted by Atlanta's One Billion Rising.

One Billion Rising is the biggest mass action to end violence against women in human history.  The campaign, launched on Valentine’s Day 2012, began as a call to action based on the staggering statistic that 1 in 3 women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. With the world population at 7 billion, this adds up to more than ONE BILLION WOMEN AND GIRLS.

The frog Joe and I created together :)

The workshop this weekend was a creative way to use art to bring awareness to numerous causes.  There were post made for Education, Immigration, One Billion Rising, The environment and more.  We had a great time meeting new people, talking about peace and creating beautiful art together.




Here is a quick video from the creator of the project, Kira Corser:

Saturday our team planned and then painted for over four hours.
Joe joined me on Sunday and we had a blast creating together on the environmental post.

Our environmental post team!

We dashed off after painting for 3-4 hours to make it to a SoulPrint Players rehearsal.  Soul Print Players are the InterPlay performing arts troupe that we belong to and our company will be performing as a part of a benefit on Feb. 14th to support the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence.  We'd love for you to join us to see an incredible show and support this amazing organization.

 

"What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make" -Jane Goodall 

 Wrapping you around with infinite love and peace,

Christine

Saying goodbye to January and welcome Febuary

Dear friends,

Welcome to February!  Not completely sure how January went by so fast but whew what a whirlwind.  It's been a month of expansion (as I dive into 2015) and some contraction (as I let go of 2014). 

2015 necklaces Snake/spiral energy for me.

The spiral and Hamsa symbol are part of the InterPlay logo and they have been showing up for me in other ways too.  When I found this clay pendant by a fabulous Native artist through her Etsy shop  Secret Canyon I knew it was my 2015 necklace.  

 

Jennifer and I in the wind outside of Lee Arrendale

Friday I wrapped up a sixteen week InterPlay series with Jennifer Denning, Director of Atlanta InterPlay at Lee Arrendale State Prison.  It was an amazing experience working with the women once a week and bringing play, connection and performance into this environment.  Jennifer wrote a great blog about it.

I'm wrapping up my InterPlay Leadership training and all the requirements to become certified and preparing to share InterPlay with my part of the world.

Atlanta Botanical  Garden - photo by Ruth Showalter

I will begin facilitating a monthly playgroup in Norcross the 3rd Sunday of the month starting Feb. 15th!  If your local I'd love for you to join me.  In April I will begin offering 4 different classes through the Duluth Parks and Recreation Dept. and my classes will be listed in the Spring Newsletter 
for residents to check out!  Yahooo - I'm so excited!

Yesterday I had an amazing opportunity to participate in 
making a Peace Post for Peace and Justice through One Billion Rising.  It was a collaborative
art experience that I felt really privileged (and brave) to be a part of since I sometimes struggle to identify myself as an artist.

My friend +Hallelujah Truth  and I

 It's time to head back out for another day of painting, collaboration and peace.  I'll post more on the process soon and hopefully pics of our finished pole.

I'm tired yet full of life today since last night Joe and I went out and celebrated a friend's birthday by singing Karaoke till Midnight.   

One of our family words for 2015 is community and I am so grateful to be a part of many communities online and in person that bring such joy and purpose to my life.  
 


Wrapping you around with infinite love and play,

Christine

Creating January

Dear friends,

Still working on my groove for the New Year and I wanted to share a few pics of what is inspiring me...

These beauties now grace my fridge thanks to my mother and her thoughtful New Year's gift.  These are done by my mom's friend and artist, Jeanye Mercer.  She's one of those amazing people that it is on my  "I want to be her when I grow up!" list :)  Mom sent the magnets for the girls and I was gifted with a beautiful print!

"Write Your Story" by Jeanye Mercer

I love thoughtful, artful presents and I was thrilled to get these in the mail. 

Here are a few of my pendants, pins and magnets that came out of the Kiln last week!  I'm very happy with the results and glazed a bunch more last night.  I'm also working on a bamboo wind-chime gift for a friend and I made the beads and glazed them to use as the clankers last night - they will be finished soon!

I have been having some great Coaching & Mastermind sessions with my "team" this month.  One of the mantras that came out of a session with +Ruth Schowalter  (who is an amazing creative coach) is "I am a clear seeing Wisdom, Embracing and creating space for my clients for healing and Love.  

Sounds like a great way to go forward in the New Year!

Wrapping you around with infinite love and wisdom,

Christine

Creating a New Year!

Dear friends,

Wow!  January 7th already.  I took a break from blogging (a little longer than I anticipated) after #Reverb14.

Between the youngest  battling the flu for 6 days, the holidays and being out of my routine the time has magically disappeared!

Yesterday school started back for the kids which means my regular routines kick back into gear - yahooo!!!!

 I love the New Year and the collective manifesting that is occurring.  I've been using Susanna Conway's free workbook Let's Make Some Magic in 2015 to review 2014 and make some great plans for 2015!

I also did 2 of her 5 day email course to choose my word for 2015 (I think I'll do a whole blog on that tomorrow).

 On New Year's Eve Joe and I rang in the New Year dancing under this amazing Geo-fire dome built by the crew of Incendia.  We danced until 2 am - wow!  We celebrated New Year's Day with the girls and friends and a fantastic
yummy meal, terrific conversation and fun!

At another friends' 12th night celebration we participated in a burning bowl celebration (to let go of anything we needed to in 2012 - we wrote it on a piece of paper and then it was burned) and whispered our intentions for 2015 into a newly lit candle.  It was a beautiful ceremony and evening that included new friends, lots of yummy food and music!

Downtown Duluth - Sunset Sunday

 One of the things I did during the break was finally sign up for Instagram (thanks to the encouragement of my friend +Hallelujah Truth ) my "handle" is gautreauxgang and here is a picture I captured after work on Sunday in Downtown Duluth, GA.  

This week for Daily Creative Practice I  started Zen Tangling - super fun and relaxing all at the same time!

I also had a chance to have tea and catch up with several friends over the break - which is always delightful!

One of the things on my list for 2014 & continuing into 2015 is pottery.  I had a chance to create a few things over the break that are in process.  They have been fired once and now I'm glazing and getting them ready for the second kiln firing.  They are simple pendants and magnets.  I'm excited to see how they turn out!

2015 is off to a creative and fun start and I'm excited to see it unfold.

Wrapping you around with infinite love and all the best this New Year including lots of joy, laughter and love,

Christine