Showing posts with label birth mandala. Show all posts
Showing posts with label birth mandala. Show all posts

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Thankful Thursday: Marianne and Frida


Most of you know that our dear friend Marianne came to visit me all the way from the Netherlands. I still can't believe she was here in my home, my studio!
And most of you know that I have been working on a painting for her for over a year now in exchange for the exquisite birth mandala she painted for me.
I have had such angst over what to paint!  And I have had a few starts and failures.
I knew I wanted to do a portrait of Frida Kahlo for her but I kept trying to make it look like the ones we've already seen painted by herself and other artists.
It never felt "right" to me. And then I knew why.
I was tired of seeing her torment and sadness.
I wanted to paint her in a soft way in my own style.
No thorns holding the signature sparrow around her neck. No scars or blood from the fateful accident that haunted her life and her paintings.
So here I present to Marianne and you, "Young Frida."
Calm, sure, beautiful, feminine and happy at La Casa Azul.





Thank you Marianne, kindrid spirit and sister across the miles.
I will never forget this visit.
 


The last photo was taken by my other new and dear friend, Felix, Marianne's son. He is as magical as she is!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Marianne's back pages by Lolo


What I love about this patterned paper is often times it can be as it is. For instance, this little bluebird is sitting in the middle of a mandala shaped design. All I did was write this in the middle..."This little birdie brings a message of love from lolo in Rhode Island to Marianne in the Netherlands."





The larger piece of paper (because it overlaps the first) is filled with these wonderful organic shapes like flowering branches. I wanted to put a raven in there but I think a Red-Winged Blackbird is quite a better choice this time. Besides, he's such a hopeful sign of Spring!

I colored in some shapes here and there to give this side more color.

There you have it. Now tomorrow it will go to Joss!

Friday, January 22, 2010

My pages for Marianne's Journal: part one

Have any of you been following the ArtySoulSister's Journals? What a blast this has been!



Marianne has asked that her sleek black cat, Sjimmie be featured on all of our pages for her journal. I've been waiting for him and apparantly so has my cat, Bliss!



Who's that behind the stained glass window? It's a kitty out in the cold snow. Wait...it's Sjimmie!!

He finally made his long journey from the Netherlands to Rhode Island!


After we brought him in from the cold he ate a good meal, groomed himself and snuggled up to Bliss. Even Emma the crazy dog was enjoying his company!

The three new pals spent a lot of time in the studio because they love the sunlight in there.

Sjimmie kept looking at the beautiful birth mandala his mother Marianne made for me.

I could tell he was getting homesick.

It was hard saying goodbye to him but he knows he can come back anytime.

Please bring your mother next time Sjimmie!



Now he's on his way with a first class ticket to London to see Joss. Once she adds her pages he'll be going home to tell Marianne about his many adventures!

Bye-bye Sjimmie!! It's been so much fun spending time with you ;)

Hopefully I'll get the back pages done soon!! Stay tuned...

Thursday, October 08, 2009

Thankful Thursday: Birds and Blossoms



There are many angels in my life, the most recent flock being my blogger buddies. I never would have thought such meaningful, heartfelt friendships could have evolved from this virtual space. I'm truly blessed.





One of the first angels I made friends with is Joss, aka Soulbrush.


She and I share many things in common including personal (inner) battles.


We will always feel that 'sister' connnection.

As most of you know she does this amazing art with a bit of an African influence. I was lucky enough to nab this beautiful ATC in a recent trade with her. I take the blame (proudly) for getting her started on them and for her deep addiction in creating them! Thanks Jossie! xoxoxoxo








Another angel I met along the way is Margaret from Waterblossoms. She does the most amazing series of ATC's with Zentangle flair like nothing I've ever seen before! Each new series takes my breath away.


The other day I went to my P.O. box and there was a large package from Margaret. We're doing a journal project together ( ArtySoulSisters) but I'm not supposed to be the one that gets the journal after her so I was confused as to what the box was all about.


This folder was on top with instructions not to throw it away because there were goodies inside! I love the little monagrammed notepad...





...and also this matching magnet and the notecard with the sweetest message.







No wonder she wanted me to make sure I looked in the folder! There were 2 exquisite cards with this image. It took my breath away! And she was so thoughtful to ask me to send the extra one to none other than my "Raven Sister", Renee! Yes Renee, it's in the mail ;) xoxo


But wait, there's something else in the box!


Margaret said she was in her favorite store in Illinois when something called out to her..."Lolo!!!"



OH-MY-GOSH!!!!


I gasped when I uncovered this beautiful wooden raven. I was speechless!

I photographed her next to my Jobi Pottery dish from my dear old friend Barbara for taking care of her kitty. They look great together but I know Miss Raven will be happier under my beautiful birth mandala by Marianne.


Perfect choice!


Margaret, thank you from the bottom of my heart for sending me all of these goodies. I feel like you know me so well. I hope we meet one day! xoxo



Before I end this post I also want to thank KJ for her wonderful cards that make me smile and for her daily emails just checking in with me.

Many of you know I met KJ once and this weekend we're going to Provincetown for 4 days of fun. We'll be meeting up with Debra Kay (yay!) and maybe Suki??? We'll have to work on her. We'll be missing Mim who is by her MIL's side post surgery along with her hubby. Big hugs Mim!!

Soulbrush and Marianne were hoping to make the long journey, but work and other things have made it impossible. We'll share our memories with you when we get back. I know we'll meet one day!!

Oh, I almost forgot. It's my 3rd Blogiversary!!

Thanks for coming along for the ride ;)

xoxoxo

Lolo



Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Animal Wednesday: My Birth Mandala


Many of you know Marianne, wife, mother, animal lover, world traveler and the creator of exquisite mandalas. The other day a large package came to me and it was my very own birth mandala painted in oils by her. We had talked about doing a trade when I showed interest in having her paint this for me. Never did I imagine what impact it would have from the moment I opened it. I just knew it was me at first glance. I'll do my best to share its meaning with you by summarizing her explanation. She took the time to write out several pages as well as printing a couple of notecards with this design. Unbelievable!

The mandala is created from the numbers in your date of birth based on numerology. Every number has a vibration and a color. We start with the day of birth, the 7th. Then the 8th month, August. The year is 1953 ~ 07/08/1953

The reading starts from the inside of the mandala to the outside. Please enlarge it to see the beautiful detail. Here we go...


7 (purple) star with a spiral in the middle. The spiral translates into meanings of spirituality and rebirth. In terms of spirituality, the spiral symbol represents the path leading from outer consciousness to the inner soul. In terms of rebirth or growth, the spiral symbol represents the consciousness of nature beginning from the core or center and thus expanding outwardly. This is the way of all things as recognized by most mystics.


8 (violet) Lotus. The lotus flower is a symbol of rebirth, but in addition to its religious meaning, the lotus is also a symbol of all that is true, good and beautiful, representing good fortune, peace and enlightenment.


1 (red) snake. The Ouroboros "tail devouring snake," is an ancient symbol depicting a serpent or dragon swallowing its own tail and forming a circle.

The Orouboros often represents self-reflectivity especially in the sense of something re-creating itself, the eternal return, and other things perceived as cycles that begin anew as they end.


9 (rainbow colors) lotus petals. In brief, the lotus is a very important symbol in Buddhism. it refers to the purification of body, speech and mind, and the blossoming of wholesome deeds. An open blossom signifies full enlightenment, a closed blossom signifies the potential for enlightenment.


5 (sky blue) with five crows. She felt compelled to choose this animal for me!

Crows are the keepers of the sacred law, and to have a crow in your totem is very powerful. personal integrity is your watchword and your guide in life.

If you have a crow totem, your prime path is to be mindful of your opinions and actions. You must be willing to walk your talk, to speak your truth and to know your life's mission.

Crow is an omen of change. Crow lives in the void and has no sense of time, therefore, it sees past, present and future simultaneously.

Crow merges both light and dark, both inner and outer,

It is the totem of the Great Spirit and should be respected as such.

They are symbols of creation and spiritual strength.

Look for opportunities to create and manifest the magic of life.

Crows are messengers calling to us about the creation and magic that is alive in the world today and available to us.


3 (yellow golden) suns. The sun, celestial guardian of the human ego, rules Leo.

The sun is an emblem of glory and brilliance. It is also a symbol of authority. It represents happiness, life and spirituality. The rising sun is a symbol of hope.


All of these numbers added up equals 33 (3+3=6) but I keep the vibration of 33 because it's a master number. 33 is my birth number.

33 (yellow and golden) hearts. These hearts are part of a chain of golden beads and pearls. Gold, the noblest color, represents the light of the sun and was once borne only by Princes. Gold is said to gladden the heart.

Pearls are called 'teardrops of the moon.' Some believe that pearls were formed by angels passing through the clouds of heaven. Over time, the pearl has become a symbol of purity and innocence. These form a yin/yang protective chain of unconditional love with the hearts which can't be broken.

The meaning of my birth number 33...

The Compassionate~

The 33's cherish a love of beauty and balance. They feel a deep compassion for the world and have to guard against becoming a martyr. We have to be cautious of self-sacrifice for others. We are more helpful by becoming teachers by showing the way for others to follow. Te birth number 33 is very rare and will call me to leadership and responsibility. This may not always please me, but I'll have to make my peace with it.

The 33 individuals usually achieve fame through acts of kindness, tenderness and compassion that lead to the transformation of the world's consciousness. Some famous 33's are Albert Einstein, John Lennon and Meryl Streep. I'm in good company! ;)

I'm told that I'm often coming up with ideas that some people think are a bit 'out there.' If I follow my instincts then others will follow me and we'll end up with a kinder, gentler world.


And finally, my birth number added with my birth month (the 5th sign of the zodiac)=5+33=11. This is my course number, and again, another master number. This number is the course you have to follow in life in order to fulfill your destiny. It is represented by the 11 rainbow colors in the background.

Here's what marianne said about people who are 11's.

'When you practice spontaneity, you stop judging others. You see beyond past and present and overcome obstacles that would normally become impossible to transcend. Cherish adventure, life's drama and all mystical experiences.

learn to serve people unselfishly. It is important to be empathic whether you agree or not. Develop your wisdom and the ability to be impartial. This needs courage and a special way of handling resistance: not fighting, but still reaching your goal.


I know this is a lot to take in on a blog, so thanks for hanging in with me. I just felt compelled to share the beautiful work and words of Marianne , a new and cherished friend. I know we'll have that glass of wine together one day!

Thank you so much.

~Namaste~