believe, create, inspire
https://youtube.com/shorts/bFn623mXBGU The Great Affair is a mixed media portrait that encourages adventure and travel. I created the feature video above and was moved by a comment left on my Instagram post: So beautiful! It made me think about the way we, as artists, can travel far, all around the world even, through books and creating …
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Often the compulsion to clean out precedes new beginnings. Do you find yourself annoyed with your clutter? Disappointed with your decorations? Bored with your art form? The compulsion to clean out is a sign of personal growth to come. We must make room for the new; whether in our homes, garages, creative spaces, minds, hearts, …
Are you passionate about your art form; and yet, have another one calling to you? If so, you might be a crossover creative. Crossover A point or place of crossing from one side to the other. The process of achieving success in a different field or style. Perhaps you’re a writer who longs to dabble …
What is the deeper need? The pull that pushes past being an artist or writer or content creator or business owner. The longing to build something of lasting value, human benefit, eternal significance. This desire to delve into developing never departs for the artistic entrepreneur. I don’t fully understand it. In fact, I’m far from …
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Are there any other creatives out there who struggle with balance? I sure do! I imagine my efforts to hold onto all that I love as if they are balloons tied to strings that I'm grasping: I found this reflection in my book, Refrain from the Identical: Insights and Inspiration for Creative Eclectics, and thought …
Inspiration is like a feral cat.It stalks around in the shadows.You never know when it will grace you with its presence. When you're trying to catch it,inspiration slithers away. But when you give up the chase,inspiration comes and finds youwhen you least expect it to. It's a waiting game.An idea starts to form in the …
I carry the blessing in my writing journal, tucked inside the front cover like a hidden treasure map. My father penned the blessing and gave it to me at a time, unbeknownst to him, when I really needed encouragement. I was struggling with what my life’s purpose was all about when his blessing came: “Hi …
When it's time to let go... https://youtu.be/sdLkUwVo9C0
Check out my YouTube video to learn how to create this unique salt dough tea light holder: https://youtu.be/l-jD7SrTilw Salt dough sculpture is an inexpensive activity Here's some additional salt dough lessons you might enjoy trying: https://youtu.be/v1t3siymcPw https://youtu.be/RnIFXSjoDg8 https://youtu.be/IJ8WJf5u9fQ
The soul sings sweetly when gratitude graces gently. I've been thinking a lot about gratitude lately; asking, "What does it look like in my everyday life?" Gratitude rests so sweetly in the soul; the very existence of which seems a miracle, the merging of our fragile human nature with God’s mother hen-like love. I'm pretty …
Hope grows in the most unlikely of places, searching out souls huddled in darkened corners of despair. I know, I’ve been there, and hope found me. So, I want to plant seeds of hope: Hope made possible by the gift of God’s grace. The surety of His trustworthy nature. His promise to never leave or …
Have you ever felt your life's destiny was quite random, like the path of a falling leaf? Have you ever wrestled with unexplained longings? "Destiny" is a poem that visualizes wanting something you can't fully describe or identify. This YouTube video , Destiny, reflects on those feelings: https://youtu.be/EvWp9U_xVpg
Those times in life when unforeseen circumstances force us to circle without a place to land. When we can’t seem to move past the moment. When our energy drains away so we have nothing left to lift us out of the doldrums When life severs our serenity. Tragedy. Loss. Illness. Disillusionment. Disappointment. Failure Everyone’s list …
This YouTube video will show you how to make a salt dough bread and fruit basket: https://youtu.be/sdmUYQ6peJs
Have you ever felt desperate for grace? Just a whisper from heaven to calm your angst? The assurance that everything is going to be ok? The Ringing of the Bells puts into words and images this cry of the heart. https://youtu.be/76NskJoH4m0 If troubles were akin to a turbulent sea crashing upon the coastline, perhaps we …
How interesting that when I am most stripped of thought and emptied of soul, eventually, the sighs rise inside, like ocean waves, and then roll through my pen. Something someone can relate to splashes onto paper; no guile, no posturing, just an honest description of a human dilemma. And when this happens, people relate, and …
Continue reading "The Mysterious Wave-like Nature of Writing"
I’m trying to find my way back to the reflective writer I once was. Funny thing is, she seems like another lifetime ago. I search for her in memories and imagine a woman who rose every morning to write. Yes, I sigh, she vaguely resembles someone I used to know but now aspire to become, once again. Her …
Have you ever felt overpowered by others' opinions, or found yourself withdrawing your voice to make room for the voices of others? If so, this poem is for you: https://youtu.be/Xi1f3EjFsxw As an artistic type, I've found other ways to express my voice when I find myself receding. Writing poetry, and then visualizing the poems by …
Insignificance: to small or unimportant to be worth consideration. Without power or influence. Have you ever struggled with insignificance? Felt too unimportant to be worth consideration? Wondered why what means so much to you means so little to others? What is it in the human soul that longs to be loved, to be heard, to …
Learn how to sculpt a natural salt dough wreath that includes leaves, flowers, fruit, and nuts. This step-by-step video lesson will show you how from start to finish: https://youtu.be/v1t3siymcPw Salt Dough Sculpture Videos: Check out some other easy and fun salt dough sculpture lessons: https://jodeelunaart.com/2021/03/14/fun-and-easy-salt-dough-art-projects/ https://jodeelunaart.com/2020/11/22/salt-dough-snowman-ornaments/
Be brave when your eyes cannot see. Be brave when fear stifles your voice. Be brave when you dread the path before you. Be brave when trusting God is your only option. https://youtu.be/zbC41ZSdqo0 Oil Progression Painting I saw this painting in a dream recently when I was undergoing a series of health tests to determine …
Sometimes we writers need to break free of other's expectations to find our voice and our audience. This poem, Gulliver's Release, expresses these longing: https://youtu.be/KM1ZL8m9ppY Today I relish alone. Just me, curled up on the couch, wrapped in my cozy, white robe. Candles lit as I watch a little bird perch on the roof of …
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https://youtu.be/QSUB73FDC9M When you prayAnd the answer does not comeThe heavens fall silentA harmonious hush heard No “Not yet”Nor “Wait” graces earsOnly peace that lingersIn the unknown you seek When you prayAnd the heavens fall silentYou must rest and believeFor the perfect to come When answers to my questions do not come, I find the Lord’s …
Here's a fun and easy craft for St. Patrick's Day. Watch the video to view the step-by-step process or follow the instructions and images below the video: https://youtu.be/97lbIflEt5I Here's the step-by-step instructions: Measure and mix together the flour and salt: Add water to green paint and mix, and then add the flour and salt mixture. …
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https://youtu.be/qM2ifcWCqO0 Watch the video version using the link above. A woman arises from the mist and walks towards me. All my writing until this moment seems but mere child’s play, splashes in puddles of rain. She unfolds her soft, supple hands, not gnarled, and scarred as I would assume for one having put her hand …
I revisited a post and poem dating back to March 2, 2012 and decided to create a video version: https://youtu.be/o6Jk0_uNqJU Here's the former post: This morning I received another phone call informing me of another precious friend who has died. This is the fifth person in the last two weeks. From ages 19 to 82, …
I'm captivated by the Birds of Paradise that grace my garden. These lovely flowers hold special significance for me. They remind me to surrender lofty aspirations in exchange for blessings that come from living an everyday life in an attitude of surrender. Like the Bird of Paradise, the wingless bird of surrender, life plucks our …
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https://youtu.be/MB8i6FJSDkE Ambition is my Achilles heel—a character weakness in my animal-like nature that drives me off course. Ambition is the fly in the ointment of my spirituality—an ever-present annoyance that buzzes around my brain, convincing me to go off course in chase of another vain pursuit. Ambition drives me to obsess the future, take big …
Welcome Home is a mixed media oil portrait. https://youtu.be/wuAQAUxwCuk The project began as a collage of photos from my husband and my trip to Maine. Originally, I titled the artwork "Art and Soul" after the trendy art gallery photo I'd taken under her eye. But as I painted her, something surprising happened. The compulsion to …
I came across the seven virtues listed in 2 Peter 1:5-7 during the Covid 19 pandemic. They seemed like the perfect antidote for the social unrest and animosity happening, even among families and friends as people divided over issues. These virtues stirred my heart, and I found myself longing for character traits that had eternal …
As Valentine's Day approaches, I thought it would be fun to do a series of posts/videos that show how to sculpt hearts using salt dough. Salt dough is an easy, fun craft you can do with all ages. What a wonderful gift your children can give to their friends along with the traditional valentines: Select …
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Into the night he whispersStranger from another realmShrouded form so sweetly familiarApparition from youth I once touched Into my mind he whispersStranger from another realmUnfolding path steers my awkward stepsOnly moving forward matters Into my soul he whispersStranger from another realmDrawing me towards immortalityI sense a presence not of this earth Often The Stranger visits us in …
This is one of my most challenging and yet rewarding paintings. What a privilege to capture the essence of this amazing boy. Here's a short video that shows my process: https://youtu.be/lRnMpfDswTY
My pen lays dormant. Unfettered from the demands of work; yet cocooned for an unknown becoming. In retirement, days stretch long and lazy. I can now do what my heart desires, and a return to writing is one of those desires. Yet, my former practice of daily writing has reduced to an occasional burst of …
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The concept of “Refraining from the identical” is essential for anyone wanting to pursue a creative lifestyle. Twenty-first Century living is packed full of activities that seem so important; yet, only as we weed out some things can we make room for our creative pursuits. You do not have to be an accomplished writer, artist, or content …
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Do you ever feel pulled in a dozen different creative directions? I sure do; in fact, I wrote an entire book for people like us. Creative Electics is what I call artistic types that desire to try many different kinds of arts and crafts. Here's an excerpt from Chapter 1 of Refrain from the Identical: …
Here's an easy and fun craft idea for getting you into the holiday spirit. Follow this video for step-by-step instructions for creating a salt dough Santa: https://youtu.be/9IKa-6trcR0 I enjoy reading comments grandmas' leave on my YouTube channel when they watch my salt dough ornament videos. They are so excited to discover a fun and easy …
There is a hidden element in finding God’s will. We never know for sure whether we’re heading in the right direction. We might feel confident about our salvation and even hold fast to God’s promise of eternal life; however, while we walk upon this earth, a certain amount of uncertainty remains: “Should I pursue this …
Take an artistic journey through the creation of a cherry blossom painting that spreads across three canvases. My daughter's time spent living in Seoul, South Korea, inspired her to paint cherry blossom trees. This post will take you through the process. Begin by creating a muted background with various colors of acrylic paints: lavender, blue, …
I believe that courage is accumulative. The more we make decisions to overcome our fears and do what we know is right, the more our minds and spirits increase in strength and resolve. Small courageous steps take us a little bit further down the path of our destiny. Yet although they are necessary, they are …
Whenever I feel afraid, I remember the little sparrows in Matthew 10:29: “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.” This scripture reminds me of the intimate care our Heavenly Father provides for us. So in order to help process my grief over …
This post will show you how to create a mixed media with a heart theme. This is a fun project you can do with a few simple materials. READ ENTIRE POST...
Have you ever grown weary from trying to figure it all out? I'm so directionally driven. In fact, I often wake up with these words on my lips, "Lord, what is your direction for my life?" And then I knit my brow in consternation because I still haven't a clue as to what God would …
I am captivated by the concept that heavenly treasure can reside in earthen vessels, imperfect people filled with the Spirit of God: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; …
When shards of life slice through our souls and lodge in our hearts, character flaws form and fester around these painful experiences: We find ourselves overcompensating with ambition for injuries to self-esteem suffered in childhood.We grow suspicious and cynical because of abandonment suffered from disloyal relationships.Negative experiences with churches, employers, or organizations sully our trust …
When I was a new believer, I tried so hard to hit God’s mark for my life. Yet, even though I sought to depend upon His Spirit, I was more aware of my failure than of His heart. Now that I’ve got over 35 years of following under my belt, I view spirituality so differently. …
This morning I’m writing from a top room in the Eagle’s Nest at Heavenly Valley, Lake Tahoe. A gift from family, my husband and some of our children nestled into this mountain retreat before Christmas. From where I write, I can see one of the Heavenly Valley ski slopes. Call them writers’ retreats, vacation …
Nothing challenges the consistency of my creativity more than a day job, and I’ve had plenty of those over the years. I’m back to work as a middle school literacy teacher so my days, once again, fill with lessons and meetings and drives across town. Gone are those summer sessions of writing until noon. Then …
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Spent a lifetime searching for you Unseen guide eluding grasp Only remnants of your presence Miracles seen in my past Yes the trail of all your wonders Strewn behind my tender steps Evidence of glory's sunder Though the path before me kept Blindly I will surely follow Seeking for your shrouded will Down through darkened …
I am pleased and honored to feature Monique Gascon's amazing and inspirational post about her passion for traveling. Whether you are an avid travel enthusiast or an armchair traveler wanting to see more of the world, you will find this reflection fascinating: I often wonder what factors motivate a person to become a traveler. Are …
JoDee Luna Art 