December Studio

Be BRAVE

Be BRAVE.

Over and over, I told myself.

Have faith, seek courage, be brave.

YOU. CAN. DO. IT.

So, you made a BUNCH of mistakes parenting your teen.  Right now, you're doing the best you can and you're doing it with LOVE.

So you're not sure if anyone will want to buy your art, or if they'll even care.

SO. WHAT. 

Be brave anyway.

Be brave and keep going.

This was the first and super critical mantra I repeated to myself this year as I navigated being a mom of a teen, being an artist with a message of hope, being a human.

Being brave is hard.  Sometimes, being brave means to set boundaries, or say the thing that will piss someone off because they don't want to hear it, or to not care about pleasing everyone in the world.

Sometimes being brave is to ask for what you want, and not feel sorry for wanting something JUST. FOR. YOU.

Sometimes being brave is telling someone else that their courage helped you define your own.

This year, I did everyone of these things in an effort to be MORE COURAGEOUS. To work outward from my heart and not care if people like it or don't like it.

What have you done that was brave?

This beauty is available in my ETSY shop as a gorgeously stunning 8x10 print.

Go check it out, and while you're there, pat yourself on the back, because I KNOW you've been courageous this year, I just know you have.

:)

My personal New Year

Tuesday marked the beginning of my personal New Year.  

It was my birthday and according to the internet, it was a divinely perfect day to launch NEW & BIG & AMAZING ideas and prjoects and dreams and prayers.

Naturally, I am compelled to sit in reflection and stillness to take it all in and be in awe of the wonder that life is.

I feel blessed.

Looing back on the year I have just come through, I can honestly say that I feel SO AMAZED that I stand here today in reverance and awe of life and love.  I am truly surprised that I feel so grateful when I had so many hard and difficult moments--as a mama and as a human--throughout the past 365 days.

There were moments I felt SUNK and to think of those dark times, it feels miraculous to be standing here today in so much LIGHT.  But, here I am and LIGHT is how I feel.

Looking back, I remember moments thinking "How am I going to do this?"

I had a lot of uncertainty, but a desperate hope for better.

I had a lot of fear, but a tenacious drive for freedom.

There was some deep dips into sadness, with a tremendous yearning for JOY.

At the end of all those moments, I reminded myself to look past any negativity and stare hard at the light.

I prodded myself to Be Brave.  To love myself and to love the process.  To look for the lessons and keep learning.  

To never give up.

So, now, as I go forward, there is so much behind me, there is so much that has passed and will forever remain in the past.  

I now go into this new year (as I stare down the everlooming barrel of THE BIG FOUR-ZERO) with a exorbitant amount of courage, light, love and tenacity.

I have a power that I didn't realize was mine all along.  And it feels damn good, I have to say.

In celebration, and to start my NEW YEAR off right, I have decided to begin a year long art challenge called PROJECT 52.

In this year, I will post one new piece of artwork each week on my blog, facebook, instagram and twitter.  There will be no rules, other than the pieces are new works and there must be one post per week for a total of 52 weeks.  Hence, the name Project 52.  Clever, right?

The goal, obviously, is to challenge myself to be creative enough to make one new piece each week and brave enough to share it, imperfections and all.

I figure if I want to grow this dream of mine I better work hard and share my toils.  No more keeping it all to myself.

And to kick it off, I have three new pieces that I will reveal over three days ( the number 3 is sacred and divine for me, it has a lot of meaning in my life) and each will be available in my Etsy shop as a print.

These new pieces are each significant to the journey I just travelled this year, each a sacred prayer which propelled me forward through rapid growth.

Thanks to all of you who have come here to read about my journey and to those who are joining me now.  There is sometimes a hesitation inside of me to share my heart so openly here, as Ego tends to deter this kind of thing, but I've learned that my heart must lead the way and I am so humbled and honoured when you dear friends reach out and tell me that you connect to my story in some way.

I believe this is the whole point to life.  

We go through it and we love and we hurt and sometimes we feel connected by an invisible string, heart to heart, and we feel, even if just for a minute, that we too, are worthy of love and support.

That is why I let my heart lead.

Please check back later today to see the first installment of PROJECT 52. And, maybe I will even have a logo designed for the project...who knows?

 

Thanks, friends. Happy Thursday! (wow, Thursday, already?)

XOXO

Choose JOY.

 

Each of us has a story.

A script; a journey.

We have our demons.

Our v i c e s.

Our weaknesses.

and     our     struggles.

But we also have 

POWER

 

{The POWER to overcome demons.}

We have a light which will never go out.

Life DELIVERS the moments 

and we get to choose:

SORROW.

or

JOY.

 

WE are the ones with power.

 

To seek the light. 

TO CHOOSE JOY

 

Dalyce Crossley

2013

#decemberstudiomanifestos

MAKE THE LEAP.

To me, a Superhero is someone who invites her wisest, bravest, most alive self to come out and play, every day. This doesn’tmean having all the answers, being unshakably strong, or performing dramatic feats of heroism. It means being someone like you – and someone like me. Someone who is anxious and uncertain, oh, say, 50 – 80% of the time. Someone who wants tolive a juicy, full, courageous life — but doesn’t always know how. Someone who understands that vulnerability just might be the greatest superpower of all. 

ANDREA SCHER

 

 

So, I made a leap this week, guys and wow, it didn't feel the way I thought I would feel.

I thought it would feel awesome and exciting.  Instead it felt full of anxiety and uncertainty.

In fact, I spent a good deal of time crazy texting my good friend Carlene, basically asking her to hold me as I fell into a million confused and fragmented pieces.

She told me to get real. (Good friends are so awesome.)

And then she sent me the quote above, and I cried.

So, what was the leap?  I bought a professional fine art quality printer.

It was a big leap.  Like expensive leap, and OMG you have to actually make product and put your heart and soul on display and actually own up to this creative life you WANT. SO. BAD. kind of leap.

Ya, that.  

You know, no big deal.

When I brought the printer home and told my husband, he looked at me and said, "Ok, well, I guess we better get you a better work space."

And then he toiled and hammered and worked through the long weekend (as he was contracting a "man-cold" I might add) and built me this:

It's not fancy, but it's functional and I LOVE IT!!  

Good husbands are so awesome.

And now, I'm not freaking out so bad.  I've cooled the jets on the pricetag and told myself over and over that this is what you have to do to get to where you need to go.  

You push, you leap, you do.  

Sometimes you don't ask permission, you just effing do the thing you want to do.  Sometimes you gotta get the hell outta your own way and quit freaking out already so you can clear your path to a better life.

Sometimes, you lean on the ones you love, you spend the money, you stop making excuses, you stand up on the shoulders of the dear hearts that love you, and you fricking. make. the. jump.

Into your future.

Into your life.

So that's what I did.  And, finally, my heart is welcoming the uncertainty by encircling it in a whole shitload of joy.

I'm feeling mightly blessed and brave these days.  And I have so many to thank for boosting me up along the way.

Thank you to every person who has done their part to help me get here.  Whether you ordered art from me, or read this blog, or support me in life, over tarot cards, over drinks, and over texts, or told me you were inspired by what I do.

Every gesture, each moment, and all the words that encouraged me to keep moving forward has been forever written on my heart. I am a lucky, lucky human to know so many beautiful people.

Stay tuned for some sweet new developments in the near future. Can't wait to share my new products and artworks.

Happy Tuesday friends.

 

 

 

 

This image was captured by me in 2011 on Salt Spring Island, a favourite place and a favourite animal.

Crows are one of my favourite birds.  Owls are my spirit bird, but I see Crow and Raven as my companion bird.  This last two weeks Crow and Raven imagery have been haunting my thoughts.  Today I was scrolling through my iPhoto to find an image to go with this post and I saw this guy from 2011.  Intuitively I knew he was who I should choose.

 The Crow Spirit Animal, a Guide about Fearlessness and Determination

Have you ever watched a group of crows ganging up together and chasing out birds much bigger than they are? This behavior makes the crow a useful animal totem to call when you need support in dealing with adversity. If the crow chose you as your power animal, you are encouraged to develop your personal will power and speak your truth more loudly.

INFO FOUND HERE

I've just finished a 7 day work week and it was one of the more intense ones I've had in awhile.

And, when I say work, I am referring to the J-O-B I do as an employee of a filthy rich Candian corporate retail giant that I think might be planning on TAKING OVER THE WORLD.  Kind of like King Kong did.

Yes, I know, it's a scary thought.

Anyhoo.  This week has pretty much sucked.  Like, it has sucked the life and energy and joy right out of my bones and I really don't like it when that happens.

I spent a good portion of my day at work yesterday in tears.  

Boo Hoo. 

They were tears of utter frustration and sheer overwhelm.

They sucked.  A lot.

Today and tomorrow, I get to NOT GO THERE.

SO, yay!

Today, I am going to crank the tunes, light a fire and do some creative things.  I am going to completely ignore the dirty floors, stack of dishes and piles of laundry and I am going to get my groove on in my studio.

Tomorrow I might sneak in some quality time with my broom and vacuum.  Also, I might not.  

I will be going to my daughter's school to volunteer my time at the Book Fair, AND THAT MAKES ME SO HAPPY I CAN'T EVEN! 

So, ya, I'm going to do whatever I feel like doing and I'm going to DECOMPRESS THE STRESS.

Also, I will be actively working on my EXIT STRATEGY (as in I don't want to be part of the WORLD DOMINATION OF CANADIAN RETAIL GIANTS, so I am planning my escape).

What do you do when life gets too intense?

Do you or have you dislike(d) your job as much as I do?

Hope you have a wonderful day and that you get to do something that's JUST FOR YOU today.

Thanks for stopping by:)

**PS: usually I try my very best to write upbeat stuff here or stuff that will inspire others to grow as souls.  Sometimes, I think that means that when we're fed up, we should talk about it and do so in an empowering way.  Like, for example, my tears of frustration empowered me to get working harder on my goal to build my creative business, to stop telling myself all the reasons I might fail at such an endevour and instead tell myself all the reasons I will absolutely ROCK as a creative entrepreneur. So, GOOD out of BAD.  And that will always be my goal here.  I think that being honest and not glazing over the bullshit is also very important, so that too will be my goal here.  My hope is that my words will inspire and connect us in a common goal of making our lives brilliant.  Just like the crow encourages us to speak our truth loudly, from time to time, I will be getting a bit LOUD and RAUCOUS here.  Hope you don't mind. :)

This image was captured by me in 2011 on Salt Spring Island, a favourite place and a favourite animal.

Crows are one of my favourite birds.  Owls are my spirit bird, but I see Crow and Raven as my companion bird.  This last two weeks Crow and Raven imagery have been haunting my thoughts.  Today I was scrolling through my iPhoto to find an image to go with this post and I saw this guy from 2011.  Intuitively I knew he was who I should choose.

 The Crow Spirit Animal, a Guide about Fearlessness and Determination

Have you ever watched a group of crows ganging up together and chasing out birds much bigger than they are? This behavior makes the crow a useful animal totem to call when you need support in dealing with adversity. If the crow chose you as your power animal, you are encouraged to develop your personal will power and speak your truth more loudly.

INFO FOUND HERE

I've just finished a 7 day work week and it was one of the more intense ones I've had in awhile.

And, when I say work, I am referring to the J-O-B I do as an employee of a filthy rich Candian corporate retail giant that I think might be planning on TAKING OVER THE WORLD.  Kind of like King Kong did.

Yes, I know, it's a scary thought.

Anyhoo.  This week has pretty much sucked.  Like, it has sucked the life and energy and joy right out of my bones and I really don't like it when that happens.

I spent a good portion of my day at work yesterday in tears.  

Boo Hoo. 

They were tears of utter frustration and sheer overwhelm.

They sucked.  A lot.

Today and tomorrow, I get to NOT GO THERE.

SO, yay!

Today, I am going to crank the tunes, light a fire and do some creative things.  I am going to completely ignore the dirty floors, stack of dishes and piles of laundry and I am going to get my groove on in my studio.

Tomorrow I might sneak in some quality time with my broom and vacuum.  Also, I might not.  

I will be going to my daughter's school to volunteer my time at the Book Fair, AND THAT MAKES ME SO HAPPY I CAN'T EVEN! 

So, ya, I'm going to do whatever I feel like doing and I'm going to DECOMPRESS THE STRESS.

Also, I will be actively working on my EXIT STRATEGY (as in I don't want to be part of the WORLD DOMINATION OF CANADIAN RETAIL GIANTS, so I am planning my escape).

What do you do when life gets too intense?

Do you or have you dislike(d) your job as much as I do?

Hope you have a wonderful day and that you get to do something that's JUST FOR YOU today.

Thanks for stopping by:)

**PS: usually I try my very best to write upbeat stuff here or stuff that will inspire others to grow as souls.  Sometimes, I think that means that when we're fed up, we should talk about it and do so in an empowering way.  Like, for example, my tears of frustration empowered me to get working harder on my goal to build my creative business, to stop telling myself all the reasons I might fail at such an endevour and instead tell myself all the reasons I will absolutely ROCK as a creative entrepreneur. So, GOOD out of BAD.  And that will always be my goal here.  I think that being honest and not glazing over the bullshit is also very important, so that too will be my goal here.  My hope is that my words will inspire and connect us in a common goal of making our lives brilliant.  Just like the crow encourages us to speak our truth loudly, from time to time, I will be getting a bit LOUD and RAUCOUS here.  Hope you don't mind. :)

The things I am grateful for.

 

 

 

"We live only to discover beauty.  All else is a form of waiting."

-Kahlil Gibran

I am ever grateful for these and many other things.  

My family

A safe and warm home

Fire

Food

Enough money

Fear

Challenges

Anger

Frustrations

Being inspired

Inspiring others

My hands

My beating heart

Love 

Rain and wind

People who try, help, care and understand

Forgiveness and my ability to be forgiving and forgiven

You

Me

AND MY DOG :)

When I write, paint, photograph, and do brush script, I do it from my heart.  I paint the things I love the most, I take photos of what I think is beautiful.  My script is full of words that guide, empower and heal.  My writing is the same: I look at the dark stuff, the hard stuff, the easy and the joyful stuff.  And, primarily I do it for myself.  I paint and script and write and photograph in order to heal my heart and in order to honour myself and my purpose.

The reason I SHARE MY WORK is to inspire. I want to help others to heal, to see their worth, to know that their struggles and pains, joy and light is worth is important and it is HONOURABLE.  We are all just meer humans in an infinite, vast universe and we all belong and we are all worthy of knowing that our pain is real and important.  Our dreams are valid and necessary.

Sharing my work isn't always easy to do.  It's vulnerable.  It's scary.  It's full of worry.

I wonder if others will think I am a hack, or crazy or maybe a little too sentimental.  I used to worry a lot about that. Now, I only worry a little about that.

It's gotten easier--partly because many of you have reached out to me and thanked me for writing, painting or scripting.  You've told me that I inspire you and that leaves me feeling FULL.  I mean, it is the reason I do this work after all.

It's gotten easier, also, because the more I tell myself that I am worthy, that my work is important and that WHAT I HAVE TO SAY IS VALUABLE to the greater good of the world, the more I believe it and the easier it is to share with the world.

So, tell me.  What are you grateful for in your life?  What hard and painful stuff have you encounted that has made you a better person? And what do you have inside your heart that could be shared with others to maybe inspire them to heal, and help yourself heal at the same time?

Thanks for coming to this place of mine to read, share and inspire me to be better.  I humbly am so grateful for you all.

Happy Monday!

Colours & Textures: Autumn 2013

"So come to the pond or the river of your imagination, or the harbour of your longing, and pull your lips to the world and LIVE YOUR LIFE"

-Mary Oliver

It has been the most amazing week for weather, light and autumn beauty around here.  Due to Mercury Retrograde, I decided to stay off my computer and instead go out with my camera and capture moments of outstanding beauty.  I am so blessed to live where I do.

A few things to note: 

-These photos were shot with my DSLR camera (Sony A200), not my iPhone.  This is of importance (to me) because since I purchased my phone, I have neglected my DSLR and that makes me sad.

-I clearly love rosehips, bokeh texture (bokeh=blur/blurred light), backlighting and wood grain

-These pictures took me forever to load to this post, which is realy no fun, and takes TOO MUCH TIME (ahem, typepad designers).  When I used the Blogger platform, I could load multiple photos at once (much, much better)

-These photos are my own, and mostly SOOC (straight out of camera); a few were edited with only my iPhoto editor. I tweaked exposure, contrast, highlights and shadows.  I did this to save time.  Usually I edit in Photoshop and it takes awhile.  

-You may or may not notice that they do not have a watermark added.  As a friendly reminder: if you visit this blog and see these lovely photos, please contact me BEFORE you share them anywhere to ASK permission.  Thanks!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Xo Dalyce

Mercury Retrograde and Kid President

Mercury Retrograde in full effect.  I can't load photos to the blog so I guess that means its back to reading for this gal.  Check in soon for new posts.  In the meantime, you haven't heard of Kid President, you must check him out now! Even if you have, go back and watch again.  Smiles, people! Smiles!

Happy Tuesday.

On changing our beliefs.

 

'Beliefs act like coloured lenses in front of your eyes. They filter out certain realities and let others in. Beliefs are always self-reinforcing. You see through them and find evidence for your beliefs all around you, regardless of what the belief is.'

'The greatest leverage for moving yourself and your life forward is to examine and change your beliefs...this is...one of the most significant opportunities to speed your personal development and your ability to manifest what you want. '

'People who let go of old beliefs look and feel lighter, younger and more open. They laugh more easily and enjoy more of life's abundant possibilities. The word enlightenment actually means "to lighten up". '

'Would you like to change a few beliefs?'

Excerpted from Creating On Purpose: the spiritual technology of manifesting through the chakras by Anodea Judith and Lion Goodman. (pp. 66-7)

**The above passage has been paraphrased in parts.  Where you see breaks in the passage and where you see three continuous dots (...) is where I have taken liberty to paraphrase for brevity to support the feeling I was trying to capture with this quote.