Buy Now Buttons - Items Are For Sale Here!!!!

Yes!!! Now it is possible for you to purchase the creative items that you see on this blog! If...no WHEN you see something that you adore, you are able to purchase that particular item directly from the post that it is featured in. 

To make things even easier for you, I have tagged the posts that have items for sale with  

"for sale"! Also, I will only put one item for sale per post. That way there will be no confusion as to what button you are pushing for what item. 

Paypal is the service that I am using to process your orders. PayPal is a service that enables you to pay, send money, and accept payments without revealing your financial information. It acts like a digital wallet where you can securely store all your payment options, such as your bank account and credit card. When you want to make a payment, you don't have to pull out your credit card or type your billing info every time.

They offer those who use their services to make purchases the following: 

• $0 Liability for Eligible Unauthorized Purchases when you meet our requirements
• Refunds for incorrect orders or items that never arrive
• A convenient process for resolving problems

For additional information on your security protection, please go to www.paypal.com

This new addition is all part of this life changing journey that I am on. Thank you again for taking this journey with me! Until next post...

Pearls of Wisdom:

After I had given up to go, the thoughts of the journey were often attended with unusual sadness, at which times my heart was frequently turned to the Lord with inward breathings for his heavenly support, that I might not fail to follow him wheresoever he might lead me.

~John Woolman

Be blessed!

What I Am Living For

It's jewelry that I have been creating for the past few days! 

My Sunday trip to Northern Liberties (read further) inspired these new earrings.  They are created with screen and fabric, which make them extremely light. I ended up sewing a stitch down the back to add an extra "funk" to the design!

Stitching that adds a little "funk" :)

SOLD

(This pair is sold, but more to come..stay posted!)
 

Thoughts For The Day

I am back in the swing of things and creativity is the gift that I am not sure I could live without. On Sunday I went to a part of Philadelphia called Northern Liberties. It's an up and coming, quaint but large hub of prolific artists (both amateur and experienced) who's seemingly sole reason for living is to create. They have found ways to support themselves and are doing a wonderful job at it.

I have been knowing for some time that my success lies on these following things (to name a few):

God - Obedience to His will is of the utmost importance. His timing is impeccable, and I must cease each moment that is given. Praying and asking for something without action is futile. He has already mapped out the journey, and I need to stay on the course that is layed out in the map.

Networking -  No man is an island. To think that I can make this journey without others is preposterous. Learning from and mingling with other business minded folks forces me to grow in areas that I am well versed in and some areas that prove to be the opposite. 

Community -  Surrounding myself around, and immersing myself in a community that is of the same mind frame is so important for the growth of my work. Right-brained folks (the side that is associated with recognizing faces, expressing emotions, music, reading emotions, color, images, intuition, and creativity) tend to think drastically different than their left-brained counterparts. I am realizing that I need to be around other artists that think in the same book if not on the same page. 

I am working this current surge of motivation! Continue to read about my journey and don't forget to add your comments! Until next post.....

  

 Pearls of Wisdom:

“Community is a sign that love is possible in a materialistic world where people so often either ignore or fight each other. It is a sign that we don't need a lot of money to be happy--in fact, the opposite.”  

- Jean Vanier, Community And Growth

Be blessed!

Exo31 Art, LLC Jewelry Return Policy

If you are not satisfied with your jewelry, you may return it for an exchange or credit ONLY. Any item purchased at a retailer other than Exo31 Art, LLC cannot be returned to Exo31 Art, LLC for an exchange or credit. Please contact the retailer your items were purchased from.

• Your exchange or credit must be requested within 7 calendar days of receiving it. Please notify us via email (exo31art@gmail.com) before the return.  Your package must be postmarked within 7 calendar days of receiving it.
• Jewelry must be its original, new, unworn, and undamaged condition to be eligible for exchange or credit. 
• All return shipping charges are the customer's responsibility and cannot be refunded. Please return jewelry in its original package. When shipping please make sure that the container is well padded and ship using UPS or USPS. Shipping insurance is not required, but recommended. Exo31 Art, LLC is not responsible for damages or loss incurred in return shipping.
• Information as to where to return items will be sent in response to your exchange or credit request email.
• Once your jewelry item has been received and examined, your original method of payment will be credited within one week, not including the original or return shipping costs. You will receive an email confirmation of your refund once it is processed.

Life Without Commercial Flawlessness

You may be wondering what I have been doing since the last time I have blogged. 

Presenting Exo31Art LLC's website:

  www.wix.com/exo31art/the-beginning

The Exo31Art website has been consuming lots of my time. There are still some quirks that I need to work out, but it is a great start. In a few days I will be posting how you all will be able to purchase Exo31Art products from this (The Artist in Me) blog. 

Check out the site, and let me know what you think. I am always up for some constructive criticism!

 

Thoughts For The Day

The other day I was jolted awake by the phrase, "life without commercial flawlessness". I thought long and hard about what that could mean, and it came to me. Although I have been working hard not to be consumed by being perfect, I was being wooed toward the very thing that I was attempting to flee from. 

I have posted before about being perfect and knowing that perfection is not the goal, but the journey is. But somehow in the past few incredibly busy months, I have shied away from posting because it wasn't going to be "perfect". It was that exact thought that kept me from sharing some integral parts of this incredible journey that I am on. 

So today, I am committed to doing life without commercial flawlessness! Life happens, and because nothing in life is perfect...neither am I, and that is okay! I am no longer interested in wearing a mask of flawlessness...not for others, and definitely not for myself. My declaration is this...I am who I was created to be at this very moment for a particular reason. No, I am not perfect, but the imperfect moments help me to evolve, build my character, and achieve great feats that I may not have never known I could accomplish if things were always indefectible. 

Pearls of Wisdom:

"Some of us (perfectionists, especially) fuss so much over making the 'right' choice, but in life, all that's really needed is to make any' good' choice, believe in it, go through with it, and accept the consequences." 

~Unknown Author

Be blessed!

Working Off The Flow

I have been honored to be a part of a group of friends that I so affectionately call my family!

There is no coincidence that I am occupying this space at this moment in my life. No, I am not the booming business owner, wife, mother or billionaire (yes, I said billionaire!) that I am going to be yet, but I am learning some valuable lessons in this stage of life.

Character Building
I am beginning to understand that this is the foundation to ever good thing....my character...my good character...my integral character! A character that understands that my word is only as valuable as the action that is taken to make that word come into fruition.

Taking Lessons From a "Miracle Fruit"
There is a tiny little berry that has become popular in the last few years called the "Miracle Fruit" or it's scientific name Synsepalum dulcificum. Although the fruit is flavorless it has amazing properties that psych tastebuds into thinking sour, bitter and spicy tasting foods are really sweet.

Pretty awesome in my book, and gave me a new found way to greet life. Yes, things that we take in are sometimes sour and downright nasty, but we don't have to ingest it that way. In other words, it's not always the trial that makes a trial bad, but how we perceive that particular trial.

We have all heard the saying about lemons that rings true. Lemons don't always have to be sour if we take the time to find out how to make those lemons lemonade!

Self-Esteem
The ugly bouts of low and high self-esteem happen, but do not have to take over!

I admittedly have bouts of both from time to time, and am learning new ways to overcome both. There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance, as well as surety and insecurity. Well, the fine line I want to walk folks! As a matter of fact, I am determined to walk the fine line, not teetering on either extreme. A determination that has a healthy attitude and outlook on who God has really created me to be!

The Best
Simply put..the best is yet to come!


In its blank state


Detail shots


It's coming together quite nicely!

So, thank you Nerd family! You inspire me to press forward more than you know! I love you all!

Pearls of Wisdom:
The great gift of family life is to be intimately acquainted with people you might never even introduce yourself to, had life not done it for you.
~ Kendal Hailey

Be blessed!

Grateful

I woke up yesterday, and did my normal routine. Then I decided to watch a clip of a show on MTV's "Real Life" called "Losing My Sight". The young folks featured were all born with sight, but for various reasons (accidents & generic diseases), their sight was declining to blindness.

My thought..."WOW! Amongst all of the things that I complain about, I still have my sight. I can still see the brilliant creations of our CREATOR! Who am I to complain?" I immediately got to work! I stretched a canvas before getting in a good word from the house of God.

The world calls this day...Thanksgiving Day! And today, I thought it was only appropriate to let God know just how grateful I am to Him by doing exactly what HE created me for.

Here goes the start of a new painting folks.


It's stretched and primed!

Pearls of Wisdom:
Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.
~Brian Tracy



Be blessed!

Giving

This morning I woke up with a song on my mind. The name of the song is, "I Give Myself Away". It made me think a great deal about giving and the giving away of stuff...material things.

I can say that I am a giving person at the core of who I am...giving of my time, giving of my talkent, and giving of my heart. However, sometimes I find it hard to give away material things. Perhaps the thought process is that if I am giving of myself in other areas I should at least be able to keep my stuff; or so I thought until last week.

Last week I was slammed with the unction to give away some of my things (a painting and a pair of shoes to be specific). I know, a pair of shoes out of the 200 pairs or so That I have, and a painting in the arsenal of paintings that I have not sold as of yet is not such a big deal! That is what you are saying right?

In the grand scheme of things...no it does not matter. If I had to be honest though, sometimes giving of my things hurts. I love shoes, and my paintings are like my babies!

Obedience can be a beast, especially when it is something that seems will have you to lose instead of gain. But what I am learning is that there is a things called sowing seed, and reaping a harvest. Yes, this is a biblical system, but works for anyone who decides to use the principle. IBM, Starbucks, and NIKE are all companies that find ways to give back using the principle without being founded on Christian principles.

The system works folks if one works it! So me giving away a pair of shoes and a painting is just the beginning of the process. I am in the sowing phase of my life. Sowing into my business, my financial stability, and my future.

Each time I sow, I am targeting or naming my seed. That means I am naming the harvest that I am looking to grow as a result of planting the seed. As a friend said to me earlier today, what farmer plants a seed and expects nothing to grow as a result of planting that seed? They don't! They plant a particular seed and expect to get the harvest of that particular seed they planted.

I will name the thing (harvest) that I am looking for/expecting each time I give (sow). Therefore, each time I sow I am expecting a tremendous harvest!

What am I looking to expect from the shoes and painting given away? I would say making new connections with artists to start with. Then, selling my pieces, being represented by some galleries, being accepted to some residencies, and eventually opening up my own gallery!

This is only the beginning!!!!!

Later this week:
A painting of a sketch done!

Pearls of Wisdom:
Give, and it will come back to you..pressed down, shaken together and running over!
~KGCM

Be Blessed!

A Rough Few Weeks

They say what won't kill you will only make you stronger, and I believe I am indeed a bit stronger.

Graham...the sweet, yet tough 90 year old woman that I have blogged about in the past, passed away on the 6th of this month. It was a shocker as I was in the midst of helping a dear friend of mine dealing with the funeral of her father. I was trying to be strong for her....I did my best to do what I needed to do for her and her family. I attempted to stay in the moment, but all I could think about was I was never going to hear her voice again.

The thought was bittersweet. No, she wasn't ill to the point of death, but yes she was tired. She survived all of her 12 siblings, her husband, and her best friends. And although she had us, she was undoubtedly lonely.

So on one hand, I am sure she was happy to go. She did so peacefully. And on the other hand, I will miss her, even though our relationship wasn't what I may have wanted it to be. She loved me, and I loved her. We had a good understanding of one another, but not like a grandmother/grand-daughter relationship. She was a tough cookie, and like so many of the women on my mother and fathers side of the family, lacked an affectionate component.

It's pretty amazing because my mother is and my father was probably some of the most affectionate people that I know. Growing up, I saw that example and have taken it to another level. I am an uber affectionate person. I am comfortable with that now. It's who GOD has made me...a woman with a whole lot of love to give. It's a good thing that my parents have passed down to me. I declare that my husband and I will pass the same down to our children. It's a legacy that will be carried on for generations to come!!!

So, I don't have any new art work to share with you all this evening. I am getting back in the saddle and should have something to share in the next few days. And the journey continues....

Pearls of Wisdom:
A friend who is far away is sometimes much nearer than one who is at hand. Is not the mountain far more awe-inspiring and more clearly visible to one passing through the valley than to those who inhabit the mountain?
~Khalil Gibran