Book club.

I've joined a book club recently with my sister and some friends. So far the selections have been amazing. We started with a pretty heavy one, a non fiction book that is currently on the bestsellers list called Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristoff and Sheryl Wudunn. It's about the oppression of women and how to turn that into better opportunities for women and girls on a global level. It was absolutely amazing! Life changing! As some of you know I volunteer regularly at the Rape Crisis Center of Central Mass as a sexual assault counselor. I had stopped volunteering for awhile due to my crazy life situation, but after reading this book it made me realize how good I really have it. I just started volunteering again this week because of it and am trying to plan a volunteer abroad trip as we speak. The second book which was right along the same "life changing" lines was Eat Pray Love. I couldn't have read this at a more appropriate time in my life. The author, Elizabeth Gilbert, relays her real life, year long trip to Italy, India and Indonesia on a quest to find herself. And of course now I'm trying to figure out how to finance a soul searching trip of my own. I also finally got around to reading The Alchemist. All of these soul-searching books are causing a mini-crisis of self but maybe that's exactly what I need right now! It's honestly been years since I've read this much. I used to be such a book worm and over the past years, since I've been out of school, I really haven't let myself just unwind with a good book. Now I can't get enough. I am waiting for the bookstore to order our next book club selection and in the meantime I've even picked up a copy of The Picture of Dorian Gray from my mother's bookshelf just to pass the time. I'm reading about a book a week and loving it! I feel like my brain is working again! This weekend our book club plans on going to see the film version of Eat Pray Love and then discussing. Our next book is Honeymoon in Tehran in case anyone would like to read along with us. (Thanks for the amazing book choices Katie!) Check out the trailer for Eat Pray Love and then go see it!

Inspiration Art 1.

My friend Gina and I decided to take another stab at our "Inspiration Art" series. Every other week we will take turns emailing a photo, drawing or other piece of ephemera to one another. We each have 2 weeks to complete an art project based on this "inspiration". It could be a painting, mixed media or other and we can incorporate the actual image or just use it as a reference. We will each post our finished projects on our blogs. I just finished mine so have a look! I will link to Gina's blog as soon as she posts hers. Here is the image that I chose for week 1.

And here is what I came up with. I made a collage of vintage sewing patterns, buttons, lace and other vintage sewing items, and coffee as a "stain". I am going to mat and frame it but who knows how long it will take me to get to that so I figured I'd post it as is.

Forest Rogers.

I am amazed by this artist, Forest Rogers, whom I stumbled across on this fantasy art website (no nerd jokes here...I am well aware). These were a few of my favorite pieces. Her work is reminiscent of Brian and Wendy Froud who are most known for their collaborative work on Jim Henson projects. I can't believe that a lot of this is done in Fimo and Polymer clays! I swore they were real people at first glance. Now I'm going to embarrass myself trying to sculpt!

Swift Fox.

I have been seeing a little Red Fox on my boyfriend's road quite frequently and it's got me on a fox kick. I've been meaning to use him as inspiration for an art project for some time. I commissioned a painting from my friend Gina a few days ago - check out her wonderful work here. But I got impatient and did one myself. So here it is. Materials used: Vintage wallpaper, acrylic paint, ferns, and stain.

Gypsy Life.

I've been "homeless" for a few weeks now as we are trying to save up some more money for an apartment. Not the worst situation to be honest. It has made me reconsider what's actually important in life and it's refreshing not to have so much "stuff" around me all the time. Don't get me wrong....I can't wait to start decorating a new apartment and stocking up on spices in fancy jars and exorbitantly priced bath soaps but for the time being I'm enjoying the gypsy life.  I can't have everything with me so I've been forced to choose just a few vital things to lug around with me in the interim. I guess that says a lot about a person. If you had to fit your most important things in a backpack what would they be? Mine looks like this:
1. Kitty
2.Books  (Currently reading The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway Half the Sky by Nick Kristof and        Sheryl WuDunn)
3 Essential oils
4. Sundresses and bathing suit
5. Journal
6. Deck of yoga cards

I also somehow managed to fit the almost the entire contents of my craft room into the back of my car. Hey.... a girl's gotta  create!
So, although it hasn't been too bad not having a permanent address, I am thinking that one of these lovely wagons would make my plight that much more tolerable. I am planning on owning one of these at some point in my life. Can't you just picture this as a backyard retreat?

Wolf Moon.

Tonight is the first full moon of the new year. It is the Wolf Moon, the biggest and brightest full moon of 2010.

The moon has always held special meaning for me. I guess you could say it's become a personal symbol over the years. My mother always had pet names for my sister and I growing up. April was Sunshine because she was always happy and singing and up at the break of dawn ready to start the day. And I was the darker (ok moodier) child who stayed up playing all night and slept all day... so I was Moonbeam. One of my favorite stories growing up was a book that my Aunt Lee gave me called Little Daylight about a little princess who slept all day and played all night and whose beauty waxed and waned with the moon. I have never outgrown my love of nighttime escapades. I feel like I am on a completely different time schedule from the rest of the world. When everyone else is ready to relax and sleep I'm ready to go out dancing.

As I've gotten older the moon has come to represent a lot more for me. The ever changing moon phases and their power over the tides and earth fascinate me. One of my biggest challenges in life, and something that I work towards every day, has been to accept change and trust in the cycle of life...to know that there is light and dark in everything and that even when the world is at it's darkest point...a sliver of moon will appear the next night and the cycle will continue.

Native Americans called January's full moon The Wolf Moon because of the long, cold winter nights that left hungry wolves howling at the moon. In Native American folklore the wolf symbolized death and reincarnation. The wolf, though portrayed as an aggressive hunter in modern culture, is actually a very shy animal. It is said that if a person has Wolf represented in their totem, they have a natural psychic ability and should listen to their inner wisdom and will feel most at peace when at one with nature and when they learn to trust their intuition.

So it seems to me that while I admire the beautiful silver Wolf Moon tonight and while my New Years Resolutions are still fresh, it would be a perfect time to start over...to reincarnate (so to speak) into a new person....to let go of old habits and begin healthier ones, commit to accepting challenges and changes with grace and to make a pact with myself to always listen to that inner voice that I know is in there. Enjoy the full moon!

Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland.

I haven't anticipated a movie this much in a long time! Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland is due in theaters March 5th 2010. Check out these photos of the main characters...so creative!

 

 

New Art!

I finally painted something! My boyfriend Andrew has been asking me since we started dating to paint him something. I finally got around to it. This piece is based on Odilon Redon's painting from my previous post. I used acrylic, pen and gesso on a 12"x16" canvas board. Though the man in the painting was not intended to be Andy, it came out eerily similar to him. I wanted the floral motif on mine to be more comic book-esque so I added pen details instead of leaving raw edges.

New Beginnings.

Happy New Year! One of my resolutions is to get back to blogging. There are already a lot of changes for the upcoming year in the works. The major change being that I am moving. I've been here in my little cottage about 2 years which doesn't seem like long, but when you've moved as much as I have it seems like an eternity! It's been very bittersweet packing and getting ready for the move home in February. I really left my mark on this place and was finally able to sink my roots in here but the move will allow me to save some cash and possible even head back to school....which has been a long term goal. So as I'm packing I took a few pictures and used some old photos and compiled a little mosaic to remember my first real 'home' by. Here is to new beginnings and fresh starts!

Music of the Soul- Au Revoir SImone

I am posting about Au Revoir Simone today. Their album The Bird of Music has been on repeat in my car and in my head for a few weeks now. There is one song in particular that I am just in love with. Here are the lyrics to Stars:

And since we met I simply cannot forget You are on my mind Yeah since the day we met I think I haven't slept More than an hour at a time You make wanna measure stars in the backyard with a calculator and a ruler baby I found a letter that describes how the moonlight will lead me to the distant place that you will be I don't know how but there's a power For now, it conveys a subtle mystery And from my house As I look out The stars align You make wanna measure stars in the backyard with a calculator and a ruler baby I found a letter that describes how the moonlight will lead me to the distant place that you will be The open sky Is mine tonight It gives a sign Of what I'll find The open sky Is mine tonight It gives a sign Of what I'll find You make wanna measure stars in the backyard with a calculator and a ruler baby I found a letter that describes how the moonlight will lead me to the distant place that you will be You make wanna measure stars in the backyard with a calculator and a ruler baby I found a letter that describes how the moonlight will lead me to the distant place that you will be

These girls are so talented. The lyrics on the CD remind me of someone who I would probably be best forgetting but it's so hard when you have such good music to remember and cry to. So that is what this CD is great for. Going through a breakup. It's not necessarily a heartbreaking CD or a breakup CD but when you are personally going through this, of course it seems as if the whole world is writing songs specifically for you. The Bird of Music has beautiful emotion laden lyrics and is just filled with sad love songs that leave you with a slight feeling of melancholy hope at the end of each one. I listened to it while painting constellations on my bedroom ceiling with glow in the dark paint...and yes crying.

I <3 Boxborough.

I am so lucky to live where I do. Not only is my apartment super unique and wonderful but I am surrounded by conservation land and horse farms. I took a walk a few days ago and thought I would share the view from down the street. Enjoy!

Bottle Necks.

Hey. Sorry I've been missing. A lot of changes have been taking place in my life right now. Some I have chosen to make....some have been unexpected ....I'm hoping that they are all for the best.

Before I get into all of that, I would like to announce that I am officially registered as a vendor at stART on the Street. This is a great arts and crafts festival in Worcester. This year it will be held on Sunday September 2oth from 11am-5pm. I'm super excited as this will be my first time vending on my own. To tell you the truth I don't have an awful lot of inventory so I am trying to motivate myself to get going on a few key pieces. I'll mainly be selling whimsical home decor and furnishings and a few pieces of wearable art. SO......I hope to see you all there!

For those who aren't able to make it to the festival, I am also creating an Etsy site (to be launched shortly) where you will be able to view and buy some of the items I am creating.
So....there you have it...the next step in my life...laid right out in blog form!

The first items up for sale are Bottle Necks-remember these? I had a few left overs from last year and I improved upon the design a bit. Each unique necklace is made from a vintage soda bottle cap. The cap frames a picture printed on high quality gloss paper and sealed with clear resin and hangs on a gold and black cord. I am selling them for $15 each plus shipping and handling. If you are interested in ordering a Bottle Neck before they are swiped up from the Etsy shop please contact me via email at ajoykennedy@gmail.com and specify: Moon, heart, skull, black cat, palmistry hand or rose. Limited quantities of each are available.

Thanks for being such a patient group of readers and I promise promise to post on a more regular basis!

The Uniform Project.

This is the most amazing idea! Akanksha is an extremely talented and creative girl with a great vision. She started The Uniform Project to fund education for slum children in India. She is blogging about her outfits each day for one year to raise awareness and money for these children. The catch? She is wearing the SAME DRESS for one full year! You have to check this out!