Dance

The Lovely Powerful Women of Project Vagabond. Strong and Beautiful Gypsy Sol. Proud and Wonderful! Project Vagabond. I used to do this. Been three years I think since I left RedMoon, I had only just been allowed in after years as a student. When I first started lessons I didn't think I wanted to be on stage, just wanted to learn the dance. Then my confidence grew and I loved dancing on stage as a tribe! I've done a couple of solos since then and participated in the Cowboy Bepop project Em did. But I do miss the tribe. Miss dancing with a group of women who are dancing for love of music, life and movement. ATS and Tribal Fusion are styles of belly dance which embrace the power and strength of a woman as well as her beauty and grace. That is not to say that other styles of this dance aren't strong or powerful, on the contrary, but rather, that these styles seem to put those aspects of the dance to the forefront.

I am so proud of these women. Some I know well, others I just know enough to admire their skill and passion. I need to get back into dance. For me. I feel hollow sometimes for the lack of it in my life. Good thing I took notes and had a generous teacher! Thank you Zivah. Thank you to all my dancing friends. You bring joy and light and whimsy wherever you dance!

More Pages

Working on this art journal has been fun. I wish I did it everyday. More than once a week at least. I've been thinking it might be neat to incorporate my thought about Dickens and his characters as I go. Reading Oliver now and it is hard sometimes because the situations described are so sad and often the people I read about remind me of people I knew through my dad's ministry. The human state. But the contrasts he gives are so poignant and beautiful it makes the whole story more bearable.

Last night I went with some friends to a local belly dance hafla. It was a blast! I love seeing women dance and embrace their will and beauty through dance. More on that later. Below is a photo of the beginnings of a project long over due. Most of that stuff is what I coved the walls of the various rooms I occupied in my early adult years.

Change of Pace

I've decided to try and do one Art Journal page every week through the end of this year. This is the first.... I don't think I'm very good at drawing or painting, but I want to get better and this seems like a good way to begin. I'm also very inspired by Pam Carriker, her blog is to the right of this screen, BagLadyArt. Her work with Somerset Studios Art Journal magazine along with many other artists makes things in my head click and I find myself thinking, "I want to do that!" So here I go. This should also help me to keep this updated since I'd like to try and post each weeks page, barring the event that it would be too private. It seems that this has also been brought about by the Artist's Way book that some friends and I have just completed. We are going to begin the second book, Walking in the World, next week, but take it much slower giving more time to take in what we're doing and allowing for the crazy schedules we all tend to have! This past Saturday the girls came over for late lunch at lu's and I was thrilled to have flowers to put out for us to enjoy! Since I last wrote I've had a birthday. The big 3-0! My husband made me a beautiful portable writing desk, shown above, and the whole day was wonderful! I have some of the best friends and family anyone could hope for! And in a couple weeks the celebration will continue as my cousin Abby and I fly out to Virginia to visit my sister and her family!! And finally Donavin. Yes, I've named a trunk. :) I love him! And have been working to get him in better shape, though for his age I'd say he's in pretty good shape. I'd love to use him all the time, we shall see. I think that will be enough for now. I will be working more on the quilts, and putting together a new bellydance costume, to say nothing of all the homework coming my way....but I think it's good to keep up with this, let's see if I can!