Wow the wonderful emails, comments and messages have been so special to read and I thank you all.  Ustream_twStudiosTo answer a few questions:  YES Monday nights LIVE on twStudios Ustream Channel with me will continue!  I look forward to those nights and sharing that creative time with you!  Now there will be more products shared, new techniques, greater variety of altered projects & art journals, and we will dig deeper to work out of our comfort zones, ME TOO!  I think change is all about that.  I am very excited about that and my passion for art is unchanged…in fact it is greater. 

Last Thursday we had our final "Do Something Creative Everyday" Class which was a huge success. I so loved sharing that, the pages and our time together so stay tuned for more classes/workshops similar to that!  I will be sharing that class and what we created so make sure to upload your pages to the Flickr Group HEREhttp://www.flickr.com/groups/dosomethingcreative/

Also, I want to take the time to thank Paula for this beautiful necklace she sent last week.  Little did she know just how fitting this and her card was in this time of change. Although it is a necklage I hung it on my rearview mirror as a reminder every day of how blessed I am and in some little way are leaving a mark in this world.

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Her beautiful card says:

"Hi Tracy, I made the enclosed necklace for you just to say Thank You for giving me back my passion for art. I've gone thru some major life changes due to illness and I stopped painting. Today I painted my very first commissioned piece thanks to you! You inspire me more than you will ever know. God Bless You, Paula M."

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What was ironic about this necklace is it has dragonflies on it and just that very morning I had read this on Maria Shriver's Blog: Transformation Lessons From a Dragonfly: It's Never Too Late by Wendi Knox:

 

Dragonfly-page-001Transformation Lessons From a Dragonfly: It's Never Too LateBy Wendi Knox

If you’ve ever wondered if you’re too old to reinvent your career, follow a dream, or learn how to surf, tap, fly, yodel, knit, or you-name-it, this story’s for you.

Once upon a time, (actually, last year), I was peacefully walking my dog, Lucky in the neighborhood.

But then, the voice of Edna, my Inner Critic, interrupted the calm with: “When are you going to give up that pipedream of yours? You’re not getting any younger, you know.”

Like I needed to be reminded. Here I am over fifty, starting my own business. After years of creating award-winning ad campaigns for some of the biggest brands in America, I’m creating my own brand of inspiration called Oh My Goddess.

When I was in an ad agency, there were departments full of people to help implement a creative vision. Now, it’s just Me, Myself and I. And all three of us are usually overwhelmed.

So, as I often do, I turned my fears over to a higher authority. And asked the “Universe” for a sign.

With that, I headed home to meet a copy deadline. But instead of focusing on the computer screen, I found myself staring out the window.

Right there, in my little garden, were not one, not two, but maybe a hundred of the most gorgeous red dragonflies you can imagine. I didn’t even know they came in red. Or that they traveled en masse.

What magical creatures. Chinese-red bodies. Rainbow prism wings. Whirling, twirling. Forwards, backwards. Leaping, spiraling. It was a dragonfly ballet.

I had never even seen one dragonfly in our backyard. It’s not like there’s a pond or creek here. In fact, Lucky’s water bowl is our only body of water.

I practically skipped outside to join the fetch. Bet you didn’t know that’s what a group of dragonflies is called, did you?

Soon, I found myself twirling and swirling right along with them. It was like a fetch of faeries. And quite a fetching fetch, I might add.

Just to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating or anything, I called my next-door neighbor, Julie, to come over. And she was just as transfixed by the dragonfly display as I was.

Being far more logical, Julie wondered if there was a nest or something in the neighborhood. We asked around and discovered that everyone else was “fetch-free.”

Next, I googled “dragonflies.” I learned that they represent “change” in almost every culture. And are often linked with magic and mysticism.

I also discovered that dragonflies are born in the water. And they don’t develop their iridescent rainbow wings until much later in life.

Oh my goddess, that was it! On my walk, I had asked for a sign. And the dragonflies answered me.

Those magical messengers came to show me the beauty of finding your true colors later in life.

Evidently, it was a message they really wanted to hammer home since they kept coming for the next three days. The fetch arrived daily around 11AM and flew the coop by 2PM.

On the last day, I decided I really should write about this phenomenon. After that, they were off. Poof. Just like that.

I like to think they were continuing their mission, spreading light and love to someone else who needed it. Maybe that person is you?

So, if you’re thinking about spreading your wings (at any age), here are a few things I learned from the dragonflies that just might help:

Find your fetch. If you’re going to take off in a new direction, find some like-minded, supportive flying companions. Sharing ideas, resources, feelings and visions can help you soar. Avoid “bubble-bursters.” You know who I mean.

Celebrate the process. Dragonflies spend most of their lives as a lump of larvae at the bottom of a pond. They shed their skin several times before emerging in winged victory. Instead of bemoaning the past, they soar in the Now.

Leap with faith. Believe it or not, these aerial artists can maneuver forwards, backwards, up, down, left and right. Note to humans: progress doesn’t always happen in a straight line. Trust is required.

Magic happens. Dragonflies (and this story), remind us that there’s more to life than the “real world” would have us believe.

When we have the courage to show our true colors, the universe conspires to give our heart wings.

So, where will yours take you?

Kind of ironic when I got that beautiful necklace the same day. I even designed my last art journal page around those dragonflies thanks to Paula!  I figure someone is trying to send me a message and I got it loud and clear! 

So change is scary but so part of life.  By the encouraging words and messages I am up-lifted and am ready to embrace it and me.  As my friend Victoria put it, "Embrace the change for the doors it will open, the unhindered ability to create, live your passion and continue to showcase the brilliantly talented Tracy".  What propelled me to ship my belongings one way via UPS in 1992 from Michigan to California carries me today.  That time for change is now and the spark is lit.

I thank those around me who help me keep that fire burning in me.  I am blessed beyond belief, that I know for sure!  I hope this weekends finds you doing what you love and being with those who love you.

Tracy

“I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.” ~Marilyn Monroe