shelleyshockley

Channeling Your Creative Spirit

I’ve been on a journey to rejuvenate or positively channel my creative spirit over the last several months – from photography to knitting and adding in a dash of writing along the way. I’ve had successes and near misses but I’m feeling good about my latest venture Creativity Boot Camp.

What you may ask is the Creativity Boot Camp? Given life by Maegan Beishline of Madeline Bea Photography, the Boot Camp is an opportunity for artists, and folks like me (non-artists) to exercise their creative muscles. During this two-week Camp you are given assignments that work hopefully take you by to your youth when you eagerly attempted to create masterpieces for your parents. You know the stick figures that most of us created and the purple skies!

More importantly you are given the opportunity to just “be”. You aren’t graded and hopefully you are encouraged. Now I haven’t submitted anything for my peers to view just yet, but if this experience is anything like the classes over at Big Picture Classes Online I expect nothing less than enthusiastic encouragement.

Drawing and painting have never been considered pleasurable experiences to me – why because truthfully I don’t think I have what it takes. When we feel inadequate we run away from tasks, and that has been the case for me with art and math.

My maiden attempt at painting – no planned creation, just off the cuff.

While thinking about signing up for this class I wondered “is this really for you” well after two days I say YES, because I am being pushed to leave my comfort zone and try something new.

Wish me luck on this journey and stop by this page from time to time to see what I’ve created over the next two weeks. Now don’t laugh at the creation above, just know that I am stretching my creative muscles and throwing caution to the wind!

Rejected Sisters Fighting

The calendar clearly says mid-May, but Cinderella’s two rejected sisters are fighting for attention! That would be Winter and Fall. They just can’t seem to let go and today their combined grip has been hermetic. The consistent rain leaves you drained and you add to that the plummet in temperature and you run for comfort under that quilt you never got around to putting away. Good thing you were procrastinating that day!

So on this dreary Sunday evening I’m sharing a shot that leaves me with warm thoughts and a longing for Spring to make her appearance! Please Spring, won’t you come out to play? You’ve been away too long…we miss you!

My heart warms at the sight of these heart shaped petals.

The Sparkle of Spring

Today we took a look at the “Sparkle of Spring” as part of the Big Picture Online Classes Picture Spring class. Luckily Mother Nature cooperated late in the day as I was able to capture these shots.

Take a moment out of your day to enjoy the joys of spring. I’m sharing my view of spring with you, stop by regularly to see what’s new.

Mother’s Day

It is still difficult for me to Celebrate Mother’s Day so in order to prevent a weeping fest I spent the majority of my day weeding my uncontrollable flower bed, While I was toiling away I was startled beyond words by this baby bunny, so in honor of all babies longing for their mother’s – take a peak at my Bunny!

My backyard Bunny

Bunny also provided the perfect opportunity for me to complete my Day 5 prompt for Picture Spring – Getting Grounded. We were to put the camera on the ground and snap from there.

Have a great week!

Are We Safer Today?

Last night while winding down from a fairly busy weekend, my regularly scheduled programming was interrupted by a breaking news story. The President was due to make an announcement about a matter of “national security”. Within moments it was reported that Osama bin Laden, the notorious mastermind of 9-11 had been tracked down in Pakistan and killed.

The initial response I must admit was one of elation and pride. I was proud that after nearly 10 years President Barack Hussein Obama had completed the task that had alluded his predecessor. I was happy that a man responsible for inflicting such pain and destruction on so many parts of this world was now gone.

Later as I watched the celebrations in front of the White House and at Ground Zero I wondered, “how much elation are you supposed to feel” or “should you be elated when a life is taken”? On many levels I believe that this exuberance is justified, but as a Christian I wonder aloud – “How do you celebrate the death of another?”

One of the first signs of spring – Peace in the Garden.

Beyond the religious implications of celebrating death, I wonder how safe are we? I do not for one moment believe that al Qaeda will just lie down and say, “what’s done is done”. They will retaliate so we must continue to vigilant and instead of rejoicing in the death of a man – we must be aware focused and prayerful.

I for one will pray for peace throughout the world, and continue to enjoy the peace I find in taking shots like the one above.