July's Creative Dare

This creative dare for July is to pick a Monday.. any Monday with Tracy.. create a piece, inspired by her and share it.  She also wants to know what part Mixed Media Mondays plays in our lives.. :-)  As for me.. as I learn not to not be so critical of my art.. and be more accepting of it and love it.. I too learn to be more accepting of myself.. and my choices.  My art makes me happy.  at the time I created it.  I can always see ways to improve it, but just like with many things.. some times you just have to do the best you can, then walk away.. knowing what you did was enough. Tracy Weinzapfel, she said,"  The friendships I have formed have changed me as a person as my Art tells a bigger picture......it defines me at times."    

 Old piece revisited for July's Creative Dare.. Got my grunge on with Tracy Weinzapfel.

I love coffee.. and this was one of the very few times.. I created right along with Tracy.  

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FIND YOUR VOICE Lesson 2: Who Are YOU? Part 1

My name is Tamiko, known by family and most of my family and friends as Meko/Miko; Meatloafia to my brothers when we were kiddos, lol.  Miss Minnie to my daddy; and Meeko and YO MAMA to my daughter Brook. :-)  I am a 41 year old gemini thats hails from Hillside, IL.  but originally from Chicago, IL.

My favorite colors are hues of purples and blues.  Believe it or not, as much as I LOVE PURPLE.. it's my POWER COLOR... :-) I don't wear it much in clothing.  I will wear it in accessories (earrings, rings, watches,charms, pens, purses, phones, shoes.. you get my drift) .  I also will choose it as a room/car/house color.. lol  Blue.. I will wear.. it's my goto to color.. especially in denim!  I also love black.. I hear it's slimming.. LOL :::pulling stomach in as I type::  I am not a big reader unless FB/TWITTER/BLOGS/AOL/COOKING and CRAFT MAGS count.. ::grinning like I got dimples to show::  if they don't.. original statement stands..  My hobbies would include anything social media; arts and crafts of every freaking kind; computers.. and to be honest.. computers started this all!! and my music- I love music.. as a matter of fact I am missing the Chosen Few Deep House Picnic.  Speaking of music.. I need to make a playlist to add to my blog.. I think that will be part of my lesson 2.. in place of something else I'm suppose to do. :-)  My favorite foods.. while they may not be the best for me in ample amounts.. dark chocolate.. and coffee would be at the head of the list!!  I could talk about the pleasure that comes from eating those.. forever!  Combine them? It's HEAVEN on EARTH!! :-)  I also enjoy a good steak.. I could never be a vegan.. I love meat.. and potatoes.. but I am learning potatoes are not my friend.. ::big overly dramatic sigh and moment of silence inserted here::: lol I love seafood as well..but nothing SLIMY in TEXTURE!!  My favorite holiday for a very long time has always been Christmas.. Especially after I had my daughter, but my dad died on Christmas.. and it's had a lil gray cloud over the day's activities for me every since.  My daughter doesn't understand or know.. So I try to enjoy the day.. despite the want to sometimes just crawl in bed and feel sad.. Anywho.. Dad wouldn't want that for his granddaughter.. so I suck it up.. and try to have a better rest of the day.. but the whole season feels a lil tainted for me and filled with sadness till I do some crafting.. or something.. for someone else. My favorite kinds of music would be deep house, disco, r&b, hip hop, carribean/reggae, jazz and  lil light country (yes... there is such a thing as light country.. its my term and I'm sticking to it!!)

My best accomplishment would be living.. :-)  I say that now with a smile.. but believe me.. for a while.. I wasn't very sure.  I received a pacemaker in September on 2012 on my mother's birthday.  No one saw this coming.  Apparently I have some genetic heart disease that went undetected for 40 years that could have been fatal. So again.. not ignoring my health and going to the doctor and choosing to live makes that one of my biggest accomplishments. The worst day I encountered was not being able to attend my father's funeral service.  I was only 50 feet away, but my daughter, who has autism.. didn't like the crowd of people gathering or their loudness.  So we forced into the dark limo early.. where I sat and held her close and thought of my dad.  I thought of a bunch of things.. but I won't go there..My longest trip my car.. was to Niagara Falls, NY.  We did the US and the Canadian side.  Liked it so much we did it two summers in a row!  By plane the longest trip was Los Angeles, CA.  Furtherst I have ever been from home is when  lived in Brooklyn, NY for a about three months. My smartest topic is not for this blog, which is rated, my mama may one day read it.. my funniest quirk.. is not liking the juices of my foods to mix on my plate.. lol   Anyway, more about me ... later...

http://rukristin.com/findyourvoice/

Lesson 1: FIND YOUR VOICE- PART I

 In the above picture instead of five photos.. I focused on 5 things I needed to begin the process of starting my Follow Your Voice *challenge*.  You will see a pencil.. I am sure that while writing I will make plenty of mistakes (smile). My Lesson- I know I will refer to it constantly throughout the week! My Pitt pens/plain papermate for doodling,  haha as you see I have already begun doing some on my lesson! My camera for taking pictures (might be my trusty Kodak.. or my HTC cell phone.. :-) and Last my MP3 player.. whenevr I feel blocked.. I will put my buds in my ears.. and unplug my mind!!  That's my story and I am sticking to it!!.. Thanks for coming on this adventure with me!!

What is Storytelling to me? What stories do I want to tell?  

To me, storytelling is the ability to capture an audience with true or make believe dynamics of some sort. Whether it be with groups of words and sentences; pictures or pieces or art; movements as in a dance; notes in a song.. The stories I would like to tell would be of childhood and adult memories, some good, some bad.. some lessons well learned.. some adventures with friends.. lol  my daughter.. my craft..   I could tell a goo-gob stories.. and no one would tell them from my perspective.. like I could.. :-)

Who are you? Use this space to describe yourself...

 :-) I am Tamiko in japanese it means a beautiful child/flower.. I am Mother of one, Daughter, Sister, Friend to many, an exWife, Lover, Starving Artist (not in the nutritional sense, but in the thirst for knowledge and desire for technique and artistry, :-))  I love deep. I am passionate about things I care about.. and I care about a lot of things.. and money isn't one.  I am motivated by enlightenment.. if that makes sense.. so I feel like I will forever evolve! I am a purple, chocolate, and coffee lover!!  I am a WSL and Pacemaker Recipient!  I am unsure, unknowing, KIND, Fair, Spiritual, Strong, Weak, MEAN, Sarcastic and probably some other things.. lol.. :-)

What are your storytelling goals? 

How do they fit in with the rest of your creative & life goals?

My Story telling goals will help me to communicate my purpose.  I am transforming and with these changes  I will need to be able talk to people and explain the impact of having had WLS, a pacemaker, losing over 100lbs, having a child with autism, my art and crafts and how things have affected /sustained me during these times.

More Powerful Truths!

I like this page because I used a bunch of POWERFUL TRUTHs to create it..  What are powerful truths? To me they can be different for the individual.  For me, they are strong beliefs, things I abide by day to day.. Things I hear.. that make me want to say Amen because they move me spiritually/morally/internally (for a lack of better wording).. lol  Almost like how some folks hear verses in the bible and scream Amen. :-)

Anyway.. again.. it was fun..  I have a bazillion more I could write down.. but these came to mind first...

New Challenge.. Story Writing..

I guess this blog will become more active. not with just my cards.. or my journaling.  Thanks to my friends over at Mixed Media Mondays. Sandee, Leslie, and Susan.. We will all be taking part in the Summer Find Your Voice Story Telling Workshop!  Sounds cool right?  Sounds mad cool to me!  Starts June 24th, that's tomorrow!

Anyway, will update and share as I learn more!!

XOXO

Oh yeah, Happy Birthday Ian!!
(that's my baby Brother, never know when he is reading)