Monday, July 30, 2007

Taking the First Step





It is the end of a month that has required that I look at my life and make some decisions about where I am going and how I can get there. Although I have good discipline when it comes to my art I have never shown that same will power and strength when it has come to taking care of myself physically. The truth is I know that it has an impact on other parts of my life including my creativity. I have decided to take the bull by the horns if you will and make my health and taking care of myself a larger priority. To this end I am planning on working on improving my diet and starting to add more physical activities to my life.

The world seems to be looking out for me in this goal because my landlady and friend Colleen has also decided to make this a larger priority in her life also and we are going to try being exercise buddies. I think that having someone else with similar goals and someone to be accountable to will help both of us. We start tomorrow morning.

I am sure with several more months to contemplate my life and goals and time to slowly implement new positive changes to my life that by the time my husband gets back that I will developed some new good habits and that by the end of the BJP journey that I will see several changes in how I look at things.

I have finished my July page as you can see from the photos above. If you go to my Artistic Kreations and Passions Blog you can see an idea of how they are going to be hung up.

I am still working on my journal for the month and mainly need to figure out what all I want to say on the tags. It is just narrowing it down and organizing the thoughts. It will be part how I did it and part what I was going through and thinking during the process. In the next few days I will probably finish it and get a post in here with the finished journal.

I have also started working on printing up the photos for August and once I get them finished I will post the page before beading as well.

13 comments:

Robin said...

I want to join with you and Colleen from afar... would that be ok with you??? That darn gate has been locked for a very long time, and I too feel its affects on my art and my life. To make exercise and more healthy eating a priority is something I want and need to do. I could walk at 10 am, and be with you in spirit. What do you think?

Is the smaller picture on this post the back of your July page? What about the tags... where will they go?

I like how it looks hung with your June page... spacing seems right... they're different and have a different impact, and thus need the space in my opinion.

Hoooooray for changes and self nurturing! Robin

Angela said...

Robin I would love for you to join us in spirit. I have always battled my weight and definitely eat when I am stressed. It took me a lot of moves before I managed not to gain 10 pounds every time we move. I have gotten better at recognising when I get stressed and knowing things that will destress me. I never eat enough fruits and veggies and when Wayne is gone I eat what is easy a lot of the time which is not helping any. And in my opinion working out is that "work" All of that said I know that I would feel better and have more energy if I took the time and effort to make my health a priority. (My husband is thrilled) If you ever need to "talk" feel free to e-mail me. I don't expect that this is going to be easy.

Yes the smaller picture is the back of the piece. I will be making a card to go in the pocket of each month. The Tags will go into my July journal that like June will be a seperate book. I will end up with 12 pages and 12 books when I finish this up.

I figured that I would wait before I changed the spacing to see how it looks with the next month or even once I fill the first chain which will support 4 pages. I will have 3 rows across and 4 down when I am finished.

For anyone who reads the fact that I will have 12 pages and 12 journals remember that I have no children and until January no husband. I also currently don't work outside the home except for a beading class here or there so mostly my life is creating which is wonderful but can get a bit lonely. Lucky for me I have all of you,
Thanks Angie

girlgonethreadwild said...

What a neat post and tribute you are making to yourself in the effort to get healthy! I too am contemplating joining a gym, but I have never been one to stick to a regimine and thus wonder if walking would be a much better fit. I have tried to go at this with my sis in law but she fills me with excuses. lol Your post speaks to me and reminds me that I alone can make the effort...how true that our art reflects inevitably the very core of our being. Imagine what we will create when we feel completely whole. Thank you for sharing your post. I love the direction your pages are going in, I'll be sure to check back in to see how your walk has effected your creative energy.

Judi D said...

Very lovely page, good luck on your goals.

Padparadscha said...

I simply love your July page, and I think it's really great that you have decided to improve your life. Cheers !

Kind regards

Barb said...

I am totally in awe of your work. It is *incredible*. What an inspiration.! And I loved your thoughts on living your life and your creativity. Amazing. Thank you for sharing it.

KV said...

Wonderful stuff, Angela!


Kathy V in NM

Timaree said...

I wish we could enlarge the picture to see more of your lovely details but at least I can see your blogs now! My son gets tired of my excuses for not walking; he says it's as simple as taking one step out the door and then another! It does work - when I do it!

Artifax said...

Beautiful! I love the beads you used for the moon gate!

Ellen said...

Angela
This year I became passionate about losing weight & getting healthy. I had a thyroid incident a couple of years back which left me with high cholesterol & blood sugar as well as 30+ lbs over wieght.

Through sensible eating & working out at a gym, I have got my cholesterol & blood sugar down to good numbers & lost 10 lb so far this year..

You can do it - I'll help cheer you on

I read recently that it takes about 2 weeks for a new found activity to become a habit. So begin with small changes & you will find that the bigger changes become easier

Lillian said...

Hi Angela,

I love how your project turned out, with all the details on the flowers, etc. How did you do the edging all around the piece?

Here's to staying healthy, thanks,

Lillian in WA

Angela said...

Girl gone thread wild- I know we have to want to exersize and keep healthy, oh if there was just a magic pill that would make us healthy. But I know if I hadn't been through what I had been at different points of my life I wouldn't be the person I am now and that would be sad. Normally the gym thing hasn't worked for me because I had too many excuses not to go. Hopefully with an exercize buddy that won't be an issue. You can do it if you want it. Go for it. ~Angie

Everyone- Thank you so much for all of the wonderful comments. It is great to know what objective eyes think, I love them but I have invested a lot of emotion into my pieces so I am even more biased than normal.

Freebird- If you didn't see the info on the August post I changed the pictures out with a bigger size so you should be able to enlarge them now.

Kiwi Ellen- You go Girl!!! I am proud of you. That is my plan, small changes that are sustainable so I am less likely to backslide. Thanks for cheering me on, I am getting my own little cheering squad, how fun : >

Lilian- I made a line about 1/4 of an inch in on each side of the piece and then it is bassically a beaded whip stitch. (Come out the front, pick up however many beads you need and then stick your needle in the back along the line and come out the front again and then repeat, a lot) If that doesn't explain it enough let me know.~ Angie

Caren said...

Angela, this is a beauty and congratulations on your decision to make changes in your life!

Caren

My BJP is
beadbunny.blogspot.com