Make your own kind of Magic!

"Magic is something we all secretly wait for, no matter how hard-bitten and cynical we become as the passing years vanquishes our spirit. We hope that somehow, something or someone will arrive and turn that magic wand and our life will flip over.

To create magic we need to do two things:

• Believe in magic.
  
• Be the magician of our life and bluff our way through life's inevitable difficulties.

We must know that the New Year is not a Genie that will bring us all that we have secretly been wishing for. We need to get inside that bottle and be that Genie ourselves." --Nazia Mallick

The above excerpt is from an article that I read recently on Ode Magazine's Readers Blog: "How to create magic in your life this year" by Nazia Mallick. In her article, Ms. Mallick continues with her own formula for creating magic in her life this year.

One of my favorite quotes corresponds quite well with Mallick's first bullet point:

"... for magic to happen in your life, you must believe in magic."
-- Grandmother, quoted by Lynn Andrews

If I don't believe that magic happens, then I certainly won't be seeing any.

As I continued thinking about the idea of making magic, I decided to look up the origin of the word itself. A very early definition (c. 1384) describes magic as the "art of influencing events and producing marvels" (Online Etymology Dictionary).

How well that definition corresponds with Mallick's second bullet. In order to make magic, I have to "be" the magician in my life--the one who influences events and produces marvels, the one who keeps on believing and being even when obstacles show up along the way. Here is what what Rob Brezny had to say about obstacles last week to those born under the sign of Leo:

"Obstacles are a natural part of life, just as boulders are a natural part of the course of a river," notes the ancient Chinese book The I Ching. "The river does not complain or get depressed because there are boulders in its path." I'd go so far to say -- this is not in the original text, but is my 21st-century addition -- that the river gets a sensual thrill as it glides its smooth current over the irregular shapes and hard skin of the rocks. It looks forward to the friction, exults in the intimate touch, loves the drama of the interaction. --Rob Brezny, Freewill Astrology

What a sexy way to look at obstacles! So now the choice is mine--how will I view the challenges that come my way? Will I continue to believe in magic and in my abilities as a magician? Obstacles are only obstacles if I declare them to be.

The collage above is from my Collage Journal and illustrates to me how I can make magic happen in my own life. The pictures and words are my magician's tool kit with its secret messages and magic spells. Now, it's time for me to add the "abracadabra" of believing and being.

--Vicky :o)

"Making Magic"
Collage Journal Page
Copyright © 2007 by Vicky Lynn Macchione

Too much noise in my head!

My goal this year is to "lighten my load." And, this morning I discovered another way I can make that happen: Stop unconditionally believing all the voices in my head.

Today, while I was checking my email, I found myself getting agitated. I was reading a newsletter by someone, considered to be an inspirational person by many, who was advocating a way to be more environmentally conscious. Something snapped inside! I found myself expressing disgust at being given yet another thing to put on my Life's "To Do" list.

Don't get me wrong. I certainly believe it is important to be environmentally conscious. However, I am weary of all the messages coming from emails, television, movies, governments, parents--living or long-dead--religions, friends, families, lovers, and the list goes on forever, AS WELL AS my own list of correct living prerequisites. How much of my life and energy do I spend being concerned over all this noise? WAY TOO MUCH!

I decided today that I can no longer put off determining what is and what is not important to me in my Life. I can no longer let others tell me how to live my Life. It's time for me to stop the Noise Madness. For as long as I listen to and unconditionally believe what others say, I cannot hear the "still, small voice" that resides within each of us.

In the last few months, I had started taking my name off inspirational newsletter email lists. I was being overwhelmed by inspiration! Now, I see that I am still too involved in all the wisdom everyone else seems to have. It's time to listen to the wisdom within. My Life, My Way. This collage from my Collage Journal illustrates clearly the message of this post. How interesting that I made the collage over 2 years ago.

--Vicky :o)

P.S.After I wrote this post, I discovered this short passage by Rumi, very appropriate to what I have written here:

"All my talk was madness,
filled with dos and don’ts.

For ages I knocked on a door—
when it opened I found

I was knocking from the inside!" --Rumi

"Start Within"
Collage Journal Page
Copyright © 20o6 by Vicky Lynn Macchione

"People see only what they are prepared to see."

I put this collage on the inside of a birthday card for a friend that celebrates her birthday tomorrow. Happy Birthday, Rola!

You will notice that on my previous posted collage and on this one, I used the same quotation. In fact, I used the quotation as the title of this post as well. This quote is by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

What I find most interesting is yesterday I received an email that illustrated this quote for me. The email came from someone I have known for several years but with whom I am not in frequent contact. She had known me somewhat intimately in the past but we have not spoken in person for at least 4 years, and we rarely exchange emails. In her email, she assumes that I am exactly the same as I was when she knew me--and that my reactions to situations could not change and certainly have not changed.

As I read her email, I realized that everyone tends to categorize people in their lives and, likewise, everyone tends to keep those people boxed in by those categories. And that's one possible interpretation of the Emerson quote. We can't possibly see changes in people if we are only prepared to see what we have always seen, if we wear the blinders of our categorizations and definitions.

I am grateful that I received this woman's email because it confirmed the importance of this quote. Since I used it both on my Vision Collage and the collage I posted here and then received this email that illumined the quote, I believe the Universe is sending me a message: In what areas are you (meaning me, of course) unprepared to see changes or unusual vistas or challenging thoughts and ideas?

That's the question that will on the "front burner" of my life as I go through 2009.

--Vicky :o)

Collage: "The Key to Change"

Copyright © 2009 by Vicky Lynn Macchione

New Year, New Vision!

For the last couple of years I have tried to write in a journal each day--Morning Pages as Julia Cameron calls them. Lately, I have been having trouble making my daily 3 pages. So I have been rethinking those pages and how I really want to use them. In the midst of this Morning Pages reinvention, I got the idea to make a collage to mark the shift from 2008 to 2009. This new collage is posted here.

Many people like to make vision boards as a way to direct their visions and fulfill their dreams for the new year. That's what this collage is all about for me. Two phrases I particularly love are these: "Don't be a spectator on this trip" and "There's no death worse than just waiting around." Both of these phrases come from Michael Green's The Illuminated Rumi 2008 calendar. The poem goes like this:

Don't be a spectator on this trip.
There's no death worse than waiting around.
Set your heart on the hero's gold.
And go. --Rumi

Last year I often found myself feeling like I was waiting. If I had to describe what it was I was waiting for, I would say it was Life or maybe it would be more accurate to say that I was waiting for something I thought needed to happen so I could live my life. I would often have thoughts like: "When this or that happens, then I'll do this or then I'll feel that way." I was experiencing "delayed living," which in Rumi's view is the worst type of death. And as the days of 2008 went by, I realized more and more that whether I spent those days waiting, spectating, or actually living them right NOW, time continued to pass and days disappeared!

In 2009 I want to hang up my spectator glasses, end the "waiting-around-death" experience, and GO for the "hero's gold" of living each day as full and as well as I possibly can. I am using this collage to inspire me to remember and live my vision.

--Vicky :o)

Vision Collage: 2009
Copyright © 2009 by Vicky Lynn Macchione

Yuletide Musings and a Wish for YOU!

May sweet sounds and tender moments fill the days of your Yuletide Season.

Merry Christmas!

--Vicky :o)

"Yuletide Musings" Collage
Copyright © 2008 by Vicky Lynn Macchione

Happy Winter 2008!

Since we have friends that have different beliefs, I created one card this year that could be used to celebrate Christmas and the Winter season. I offer the card and poem I wrote as a way to salute the 2008 Winter Solstice.

Winter's Tender Gaze

Winter, like Love, waits for us
At the end of every road;
Her gaze, full of tender warmth,
Despite the bitter cold.

Intruding on our busy days,
Dressed in lengthening shadows of night,
Winter paints each tiny crevice with darkness,
Increasing the brilliance of Light.

As the stars that sparkle best in shadow,
We shine brightest under Winter's gentle gaze,
We sow the seeds of Hope, Love, and Happiness
Through the gifts and tender thoughts that fill these days.

May Winter's ever-watchful eye
Gently guide you on your path this Year;
May your Holiday Season be blessed with Light,
Your Days overflowing with Peace and Good Cheer.

--Vicky :o)

"Winter's Tender Gaze" collage and poem
Copyright © 2008 by Vicky Lynn Macchione

Even the Squirrels Are Proud!

I saw a cute photo taken by Dave Weaver on Yahoo's Photo Highlight Slideshow. The photo showed a squirrel standing next to a mini American flag. The photo was taken on November 6 in Omaha, just two days after the historic election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States.

As someone who has lived in another country (Canada) for the last seven years, I can identify with articles I read in which Americans who live in other countries said they were once again proud to say they were Americans after this election. Unfortunately, many of the policies that have been enacted during the last eight years have not resulted in Americans being warmly welcomed by other nations or their citizens. I have experienced some of that coldness and frustration even here in Canada.

The election of Barack Obama, the record numbers of voters, and the feeling that Hope has once again surfaced in America is a cause for joy not only in the United States but throughout the world. And, as Dave Weaver's photo illustrates, maybe even in the animal kingdom!

--Vicky :o)
P.S.The words on the photo were added by me.

"Patriotic Squirrel?"
© 2008 by AP Photo/Dave Weaver

October Ends: It's Raining (Reigning) Hope!

NOTE: Read on to discover the meaning of this picture for Michel and me.

However, as I post this picture, I realize that it might also represent what many Americans are feeling today after electing Barack Obama as our new president.

Many of us have felt that as a nation we were standing on a precipice overlooking an abyss that offered darkness and contained who knew what. And yet Hope offered us a way out if we could just stick together and exercise the rights and privileges we have to make a difference. And we did!

It was a "dark and stormy" October for me!

First, there was the multitude of "anniversaries" in October: my late father's birthday, October 9; the anniversary of my nona's death, October 12; the anniversary of my mother's death, October 16; and the wedding anniversary of my parents, October 24.

Then, there was the fact that we had to face October without our special friend Félicia.

Finally, I continued to be in a lost-and-alone space, reeling from a situation with a close friend that shook me to the core of who I am and what I believed. The pain of that occurrence, which started on July 20, hurt my heart so much that I still could cry when talking about it in October.

But then something happened. We went to visit Québec City, our annual pilgrimmage of sorts, a place we go every year since we met in 2000. And something changed. I can't tell you how it changed or exactly when. I do know that on the evening of October 19, I was extremely low--so low that I actually thought, as I turned down the sheets in the hotel, that the time had come to seek professional help.

The next day, I was still sad and negative and--okay, let's use the overused word--depressed. We had a wonderful day: the weather was beautiful, even though cold; we explored places we had never gone before; we had coffee in a café where they roasted their own coffee beans and where lots of interesting people came; we shopped for winter clothes; we ate dinner in a different part of the city and experienced an invigorating walk back to the hotel. (The picture posted here I took that day.) But as I look back there was nothing that stands out as phenomenal, as something that would have caused a shift.

But something had shifted. I realized it that night (October 20) when Michel and I were once again talking about my friend and the situation that happened during the summer. The pain in my heart just wasn't there any more. There were no more tears. There was no anger or frustration or blame or loss. We were just talking and it was all okay.

The next morning, although I was very aware that the pain was gone, I still did not realize the monumental change that happened. That change blossomed day by day and it continues even now. How do I know? The pain and tears have not returned. Sounds, sights, and feelings seem new and fresh. I have moments of pure happiness and peace. And each day, I find reasons to be grateful and more in love with Life.

As I express my thanks to the Universe/God/Source, the words "Thank You" just don't seem grand or glorious enough to contain all the gratitude I feel for being granted this shift in perception! This shift is a Gift of Grace.

Because of my own self-involvement, I didn't realize that Michel also was dealing with a dark and gloomy October! He captured his (our) experience in a picture that he created using Photoshop. We both contributed to the final result that is shown above. (By the way, the picture uses the French spelling of October. )

As a new month and a new page in the history of America and the world begins, I wish you a November that rains (reigns) hope!

--Vicky :o)

"Octobre 2008"
Photo collage
© 2008 by Michel Pettigrew; www.mpgraphique.com

Québec City Photo
© 2008 by Vicky Lynn Macchione

Dreaming Félicia

Félicia would often sleep with us at night. The process went something like this. First, she would jump on the bed and make her way toward my chest. She would climb aboard and position herself just so. Then, she would purr and really immerse herself in the caresses she would insist I give her. Eventually, she would get off--by her own choice or by my persuasion--and position herself at the foot of the bed next to my feet. Sometimes in the middle of the night, I would shift in my sleep and feel this "rock" (she weighed over 20 pounds) at the end of the bed. ;o)

The night we said goodbye to Félicia I had a difficult time sleeping. So the next morning after Michel left for work, I went back to bed and I dreamt of Félicia.

In the dream, I am in bed sleeping, believing that it is October 1 and Félicia is gone. Then, I feel Félicia down at my feet, very carefully creeping near my feet as usual. Her creeping has awakened me and I realize it really is Félicia! I am amazed and ecstatic. I sit up in the bed and start talking with her excitedly. "Félicia, you're here! You're alive! You're all right!" I reach toward her to pet her and at some point she has jumped off the bed and is lying on her back and I see her tail stretched out. I am trying to play with her and pet her at the same time. She is being playful and stays just a bit out of my reach. I keep saying, "Félicia, you're all right!" I know that Michel is coming home around noon that day and can hardly wait to show him that she's alive.

When Michel does arrive home, I try to tell him and show him that Félicia is alive and there with us. He can't see her, so he doesn't believe me! To help him see her, I put a large star that is on a yellow and orange ribbon around her neck. This ribbon necklace is too long for her. The star is quite large and looks like a star you would see on a general's uniform. The ribbon and star remind me of the Olympic medals given to athletes. In the dream, I am hoping that Michel will at least see the ribbon necklace move even if he can't see Félicia. The dream ends there.

I have a Native American friend who once told me that when a loved one's spirit/soul departs, it usually takes about a year before he/she adjusts in the journey to the other side. When you dream of that person, it means that he/she is settled and ready to help you. I find it amazing that Félicia has already come to me in a dream. And, of course, I believe she was only doing what I asked--letting me know she was all right.

As we walked home from the vet that night, Michel said he visualized Félicia standing next to Yoda and the other Jedis from the Star Wars movies, luminescent and ready to be of assistance. I have posted a photo that he created to portray our little Jedi Master.

--Vicky :o)

Félicia's Leaf

Félicia was an indoor cat all her life. In our previous apartment on the second-floor, she was able to go out on our balcony, but in this basement apartment, she was only able to see directly outside from the sun room. During Autumn, she would position herself on the large window sill and try to catch the falling leaves as they swirled and danced outside the window. On particularly windy days, she would go back and forth chasing the leaves--such a funny sight!

Félicia had stones that irritated her bladder. The pain she associated with peeing in the litter box would cause her to pee other places. One place she tried was the carpet in the sun room. We couldn't let her continue that behavior so we had to keep her out of that room. We were sad because we knew how much she loved looking at the birds, the squirrels, other cats that came by, and, of course, the leaves.

Imagine my surprise yesterday when I went into the sun room and saw this sight out of the window: a leaf suspended in mid-air as if by magic. Immediately, I went outside to take some pictures. I have posted one of them; I titled this photo "Félicia's Leaf." Ironically, when I tried to take a picture of the leaf from inside the sun room, the only place I could get a good shot was the sill where Félicia would usually lie to observe the world outside.

Michel came home early yesterday and was able to see the leaf and take some photos of it, too. A few hours later the leaf was gone. No trace of it remained. In the 3 years we have lived here, I have never seen a leaf suspended like that.

As Félicia was leaving her body, I asked her to let me know she was okay. The appearance of this leaf, the arrival of the parcel after I posted my last entry, and the presence of Félicia in a dream I had the morning of October 1, which I will recount on another day, all seemed to be her way of letting me know that she is just fine.

--Vicky :o)

Goodbye to a Special Friend!

Last night we said goodbye to our cat Félicia. To honor her, I have posted her picture. This picture shows her love affair with boxes, no matter what size! She always loved when we got parcels in the mail. She would watch patiently as we removed our "treasures," waiting until we gave her what was left. Then, it was her turn to explore in as many ways as she could think of. :o)

I will write more about her in a future post.

"Cats come and go without ever leaving." --Martha Curtis

--Vicky

P.S. Today, several hours after I had posted this entry, we received a parcel in the mail. Perhaps Félicia was sending me a message? I like to think so. :o)

On Saying Goodbye and Letting Go...

The poem posted here is one I wrote last month. This poem is just another step in a year long journey of examining and evaluating attachments--deciding which to keep and which to release.

Letting go is a difficult task, even when I know that it is the best course of action for my well being and spiritual growth. What might you need to let go of to create new vistas on your spiritual journey?

--Vicky :o)

How Do I say Goodbye?

How do I say goodbye?
When the time has come to leave,
When your path is no longer mine;
And I know now I must go
Or be forever deceived
By the brilliance that is you.
How do I say goodbye?

How do I say goodbye?
When I see that what you say
No longer agrees
With the Voice inside of me,
The One that guides my feet along this path
And knows exactly what I need.
How do I say goodbye?

Realize this:
I do not say—“You are wrong;”
That what you have is not the truth
Indeed it is The Truth for you.
But for me:
The way is clear and I must stand
In The Truth that governs my path, my Way,
And so I simply say . . .
Goodbye.

August 18, 2008
© 2008 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Whose boat is it anyway?

"The more you let other people tell you how to sail your boat, the less the boat belongs to you." --Vernon Howard

This quote came "sailing" through my email Inbox on a day I truly needed it. And I have used it consistently ever since to remind myself that this life I am living is mine. While I can ask for advice and learn from the experiences of others, I am the final authority, expert, captain of the HMS Vicky. :o)

In my life, I have always put people, whether friends or actual authority figures, in a place of authority--they know more, they have experienced more, they are already perfect, fixed, or somehow more.

Hmmm...I think I see a common thread there--the word more. ;o) The minute someone or something is more in my viewpoint, it means that I am less. And when I am less, I am always needy, searching for that special something or someone able to fill that need. Of course, the reality is there is no need to fill! As someone so aptly put it: "You are the One you are searching for."

After a lot of years of giving my boat away, I am taking back control. It's not easy. There have been some perceived benefits to my allowing others to tell me how to sail my boat:

• I don't have to think for myself or listen to my Higher Self.


• There is always someone or something else to blame when things don't work out. (This perception is obviously not true since it was me who gave the "helm" to someone else!)


• There is a measure of security in being in the same boat with someone else even if it's my boat and he/she is steering!

Ultimately, life is about responsibility. I can either accept that I am responsible for all my choices and decisions--even the ones I make by not making them, or I can go through my life blaming others because my life isn't working out the way I want. I have decided on the former perspective.

About the collage: I made this collage as the cover of a birthday card for the husband of one of my friends. Although I knew he loved the water and boats, I did not know that sailing was one of his most favorite activities.

--Vicky :o)

Birthday card collage
Created using scrapbooking accessories
and a shell from Santa Cruz, California
© 2008 by Vicky Lynn Macchione

Trust Your Gut

The other day when I posted, I was going to use the collage shown with this post. But for some reason--a gut feeling?--I didn't. ;o)

I thought about the collage today because my "gut" is bugging me. It started while I was chewing the last few bits of my organic pumpkin, flax seed cereal with organic soy milk. That last bite tasted like I had eaten cigarette and ash remains that can be found in an ashtray. Now, it's true I have never ever eaten cigarettes and ashes; but when I was young, I had to clean the ashtrays my parents used. For some reason, every time I did, I could taste the ashes. It was a sensation that filled my nose and my mouth! And that's what today reminded me of only the experience was reversed: I tasted the ashes more than smelled them.

I spent about 5 minutes spitting and spewing the remains out of my mouth, gargling, and rinsing my mouth out at least 10 times. At one point, I thought I might actually throw up. (My apologies to those of you with weak guts!) When I finished purging my mouth of the horrid tasting contents, I made note of the time in case I had been poisoned. I have this belief that if you are poisoned, it takes about 20 minutes for the symptoms to set in. (Perhaps the belief came from all the crime dramas I have watched and mysteries I have read!) In any case, I am fine other than my gut is still queasy, and if I think about it, I can still taste and smell those "cigarette remains."

So now the task before me is to determine what exactly is my gut trying to tell me with such a pronounced, multi-sensory experience. After all, in order to TRUST my gut, I have to KNOW what it is saying.

--Vicky :o)

The Summer of Difference

I have not posted much at all this summer. This summer has been a summer of difference: The weather has been unusual--more rain and less warm days. The status quo has shifted often--friendships drawing to a close. Letting go has been the theme. Every time I felt like I had found a place of consistency and regularity and security, some situation would arise that upset that complacent feeling and pointed to another belief, idea, opinion that needed to be released.

There has been no resting place this summer. Either I have had times of excitement because I knew that transformation was imminent or times of disillusionment, when things I believed came in conflict with those beliefs held by my circle of friends and it was necessary to say goodbye--at least for a season.

And now Autumn is just around the corner. Hope swells in me for this new season, the season of harvest. Will I be gathering the seeds of commencement? Will the Autumn sun with its unique warmth and light bring a glowing promise of new way of seeing, perceiving, and embracing Life? I await what unfolds.

--Vicky :o)

"I am through with everything but you." --Rumi

"Wisdom"
Collage Journal page card
© 2008 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Wordle--Take 2 ;o)

Here is my second attempt at making a word collage ("word cloud") using the online "toy" found on the Wordle site. People use all types of words--from song lyrics to birthday wishes. In this attempt, I gave Wordle my blog URL and let the tool come up with a word cloud. You can see other people's endeavors by checking out the Wordle Gallery. Time to play! --Vicky :o)

Abstract #3 Emerges!

This morning I finished my third abstract on canvas. The title of this one is "Emergence." I feel like the three abstracts show a progression of growth, change, and transformation.

• First, we teem (team) with Life;
  
• Then, we journey to and through the black hole of infinite possibilities;
  
• Finally, we emerge.

I really thought I was going to have to paint over the whole painting because I just couldn't get it right (whatever right is). I kept adding and changing. I was getting very frustrated! Finally, I was able to let go and just leave it as it is. Now, I am mostly pleased with the results.

Someone once said about my collages that they show how much is going on in my mind, they show too many thoughts. Perhaps that's what my abstracts say as well. However, the one thing I love about my collages is that an observer can find something new in them every time they are viewed. I hope that happens with my abstracts, too.

--Vicky :o)

"Emergence"
Acrylics on canvas

© 2008 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Abstract #2 on Canvas

I call this abstract "The Black Hole of Infinite Possibilities."

While doing this painting (and my next as well), I don't know when to stop! (Hmmm...Wonder what that means?) So I keep adding paint, and then it feels like a mistake. Then, I have to figure out how to salvage the painting! I'm sure there is a metaphor for my life in that experience.

I was surprised when Michel told me that he liked the black in this painting, even though he said he doesn't really like when I put black. I find that the black adds some kind of depth and development and contrast to this particular abstract. And, of course, the black swirl IS the black hole mentioned in the title.

One element Michel doesn't like is the swirl of paints I use. I love the swirls; they remind me of gratitude because they remind me of the Go Gratitude logo (shown below):

Expressing gratitude is something I need to remind myself to do often, which is why I put them in my paintings! Also, swirls always remind me of space and galaxies and awesome wonders of the Universe. So captured in a swirl is thankfulness and limitless creativity. Not bad for a twist of color!

--Vicky ;o)

"The Black Hole of Infinite Possibilities"
Acrylics on Canvas

© 2008 Vicky Lynn Macchione

A Title for Abstract #1

Today I finished my second abstract on canvas, which I will be posting later. But an interesting thing happened when I was writing the title on the back of the painting: I got a title for the first abstract I did. You can see my first abstract here.

Drum roll please!

The title is "Teeming with Life." What is even more special about the title is that the word teeming is a homophone of the word "teaming." So the abstract has two meanings! (I LOVE when that happens!) Not only does the painting capture the feeling of Life's wild abundance and overflowing vibrancy--the teemingness of Life, but it also has a message: Join Life's team and embrace that wild abundance and overflowing vibrancy moment by moment in your own life!

--Vicky :o)

P.S.A homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but has a different spelling and meaning. I always thought those were homonyms but Wikipedia corrected me today!

The Eyes of Spring

I created this mask for a young woman who works at the café to which I go almost daily. Her birthday is tomorrow and she will be 21 year old.

I titled the mask "The Eyes of Spring." There are so many eyes on the mask! I am particularly drawn to the girl on the forehead. That image captures qualities that I see in the woman at the café--fragility and gentleness coupled with determination and intensity.

I am not sure why I created a mask, but I love the fact that there are so many images of Spring--apple blossoms, grass, daffodils. There is a "knowingness" reflected in all of the "eyes." Something that promises new life and new hope even when the cold and barrenness of winter does not seem to want to release its hold on our hearts and our perspectives.

The Eyes of Spring know.

--Vicky :o)

"The Eyes of Spring"

Collaged Mask

© 2008 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Abstract #2 -- The Promise of Spring

Yesterday (Easter), I painted this abstract. It's the size of one of my collage cards. Originally, I thought I would use it as a background for a collage. But when I finished, I just loved it so much that I decided to keep it as is.

I have titled the painting, "Spring's Promise." To me it has the feel of flowers bursting, of Life emerging from winter's darkness, of newness, growth, and abundance.

I have been longing for Spring this year more than usual because the winter in Montréal has been quite long. We have come close to a snowfall record that was set back in 1971 (383 cm is the record). How very appropriate is this little abstract painting: a reminder to me that Spring always follows winter and the promise of new life awaits to burst forth!

Happy Easter and Happy Spring!

--Vicky :o)

Spring's Promise
© 2008 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Celebrating Birth Days

My younger daughter had her birthday in February. She happened to look at my blog today and pointed out that I hadn't put any of the cards I have made for her on my blog. So I told her I would. :o)

This is the birthday card I created for her this year. The interesting part of the card is that it is in black and white. For several days before I created the card, I had the chorus of a song called "Shades of Gray" by the Monkees playing over and over in my mind. Here are the lyrics:

But today there is no day or night
Today there is no dark or light.
Today there is no black or white,
Only shades of gray.

It was these lyrics that led me to create the card in black and white. And, later I realized the only color on the card is surrounding the phrase "Be Yourself," which I believe is a message directed to my daughter from the Universe. This message correlates with the poem I wrote for her:

On this the day of your Birth
What messages will the Universe write?
Lovingly etched in the journal of the Soul,
Eternally recorded in black and white.

What Ideas whisper in your ear?
What Dreams below the surface lie?
What Desires inspire and stir your Heart?
What Visions await your perceptive eye?

Seek your answers deep inside. . .
It's there the truest Wisdom abides.

--Vicky :o)

Card and Poem
© 2008 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Slowly Wading into Abstracts

I was inspired by a documentary Michel and I watched to try some abstract painting. The name of the documentary was My Kid Could Paint That. While the documentary may not have been favorable toward its subject, Marla Olmstead and her family, I was inspired by watching the cute little kidlet applying paint to the canvas. So I decided to buy some acrylics and some 8 x 10 canvases and give it a try.

What I hope to do with the abstracts I create is to use them as backgrounds for my collages, which means I am slowly taking steps toward the realm of mixed media.

When I finished my painting (no title yet), I was quite happy with it. I feel like there is an organic quality about it that shows my desire for spiritual growth and abundance. At the very least, I know using the different colors brought me healing and balancing of my energies. And, painting it was extremely fun!!!! :o)

Abstract
Acrylics on Canvas
© 2008 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Every Day is Valentine's Day!

Spontaneous times are often the most memorable!

Michel and I had a lovely Valentine's Day this year, despite the fact that he believes that this "holiday" is only a commercial gimmick. (To be honest, I have only come around to this thinking in the past year or so.) He has told me any number of times that Valentine's Day is every day not just one day a year. So I have to say I was surprised (pleasantly I must say!) to find an e-card in my Yahoo Inbox this year.

Two girls who work at the café I frequent daily had been encouraging me the day before to do something romantic for Michel. So I decided to create a card for him, which I have included with this post.

Later, while I was washing dishes, I thought perhaps we could go to dinner that evening. About 30 minutes later, Michel called to say that we should go to dinner! I love when we connect in our thoughts that way.

We had a lovely dinner at a Japanese restaurant near our apartment and then had a wonderful dessert and coffee at the café. No big plans, no big expectations, and yet our evening was special, charming, and romantic. Now how can I put this kind of spontaneity to work in my daily life?

--Vicky :o)

"You opened the door . . . to my Heart!"
Valentine's Day card
© 2008 Vicky Lynn Macchione

The Title Arrives

So this afternoon the title of the card on my previous post arrived. The card's title is:

"Unmasked: The Contents are Goddesses"

--Vicky :o)

beliEve: Contents are Goddesses

I just finished this card that I originally created as the front of a birthday card for my oldest daughter. Her birthday is at the end of next month.

The title of this card has not made itself known to me; however, here are several observations that I made about this card.

• I love the way the word believe is spelled: beliEve. The name Eve comes from the Hebrew and means life. The women on this card are all vibrant with life so the name Eve emphasized in the word believe is very appropriate.
  
  
• Did you notice the other words in the title of this post? These words are also found on the card. The word Contents is found on the door. The words are and Goddesses are found at the bottom center of the card. Ironically, I did not remember that the word are appeared with the word Goddesses. But as I look at the card, its contents are indeed goddesses. (Another reference to Eve as well.)
  
  
• This card can be viewed in conjunction with the card discussed in my previous post "Seeing Behind the Mask." There are some striking similarities and contrasts. Take a moment to look at the two cards together and see what you discover.

--Vicky :o)

Collaged Birthday Card Print
© 2008 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Seeing Behind the Mask

"I love it when a plan comes together." -- John "Hannibal" Smith, The A-Team

The title of this card is "The Women Behind the Mask." The idea for this card came when I found out that the mask cutout would "fit" perfectly on another cutout of a face. From that discovery came the idea of showing what lies behind the mask. And what lies behind this woman's mask? A melange of women who represent the feminine in each of us, men included. (Side note: Michel's first comment when seeing this card was: "It's all women!") ;o)

I put the quote at the beginning of this post because that's how I feel about this card. One little discovery and an entire card results. How great is that? So here's my paraphrase of the quote: "I love it when a collage comes together!"

--Vicky :o)

"The Women Behind the Mask"
Intuitive Collage Card
© 2008 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Field of Grace

Today, I am posting a poem I "received" on January 14, 2008.

A Life's Purpose

To live in Beauty of the night,
To walk each moment not by sight,
To change illusions without might,
To utter "Thank You" despite my plight;
To raise awareness as I go,
To surrender will to Divine Flow,
To rely on Truth not what I know,
To walk this path is my goal.

©2008 Vicky Lynn Macchione

This page from my collage journal is entitled "Field of Grace," a phrase I saw recently in a Caroline Myss newsletter. What does this phrase say to you?

--Vicky :o)

"Field of Grace"
Collage Journal Page
©2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

My Own Measure of Magic

After I finished Julia's card (see yesterday's post), I was doing a lot of thinking about Magic and how I see it in my life. So I created this collage in my collage journal. (The date is when I made the collage.)

I just noticed today that my "tape measure" is held within the sun; it is the base. That makes sense to me because I am a Leo and the Sun is my ruler. (Do you see the double meaning there? Ruler=King; Ruler=a measure) When I discover a realization, insight, or message like that in a collage, for me, that is real magic. Now, I can ask myself how the sun in my life (what is the sun in my life?) measures magic: now, I can discover a new way to look at how magic operates in my life.

Another image I love in this collage is the nest of "hands." Although one could look at this sculpture and see the parallel between a mother bird and her babies in the nest and a mother's hand and her children's hands, what I see is God/Source/the Universe and all of us. All of our "little" hands reaching our to join the Eternal Hand of God. For me, that reaching out is magic.

Finally--although there is always more to discover--there is the "eye" in the flower and the "eye" in the peacock feather. One exists in imagination; the other exists in Nature. Which is more real? For me, imagination and seeing life as a dream and dreams as reality is magic.

"Whether we name divine presence synchronicity, serendipity, or graced moment matters little. What matters is the reality that our hearts have been understood. Nothing is as real as a healthy dose of MAGIC which restores our spirits." --Nancy Long

"A deep man believes in miracles, waits for them, believes in magic, believes that the orator will decompose his adversary; believes that the evil eye can wither, that the heart’s blessing can heal; that love can exalt talent; can overcome all odds." --Ralph Waldo Emerson

--Vicky :o)

"My Own Measure of Magic"
Collage Journal Page
©2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Do you believe in Magic?

"... for magic to happen in your life, you must believe in magic."

--Grandmother, quoted by Lynn Andrews

I created this card for my friend Julia to celebrate her birthday in October. She's a very unique individual, and we have been friends for 10 years. We met at work and grew our friendship from there. Some friends are in your life for the duration; Julia is one of those, and I'm grateful to have her!

I would say that Julia's "magic" is of the practical variety, which may seem a paradox to some people but she carries it off with style and grace! This card illustrates the paradox and demonstrates the touch of magic that she is--exampled by a tree growing a chair or roses emerging from stones!

I used the quotation by Lynn Andrews in conjunction with her card. Grandmothers are so wise! No matter how pragmatic you are, if you believe in magic, if you look for magic, if you cherish, inspire, and create magic, Magic will appear in your life. This is the message the card brought me. What message is the Universe sending you?

--Vicky :o)

P.S.Here are some additional "magical" quotes to think about.

"Intuition whispers true: We’re not dust, we’re magic!" --Richard Bach

"The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper." --Eden Phillpotts

"Magic is believing in yourself; if you can do that, you can make anything happen." --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"Magic is not a practice. It is a living, breathing web of energy that, with our permission, can encase our every action." --Dorothy Morrison, Everyday Magic

"Heart of Magic"
Intuitive Collage
©2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

The "Eyes" Have It

In light of my intention to look at everything as a message from the Universe, I have been hyper-aware of "eyes." Not only have my "real" eyes been in my conscious awareness due to sensitivity to light and a feeling of itchiness, but "eye" pictures (eye of Horus, God's eye in the galaxy, a photo of an eclipse that looked like an eye), "eye" words (insight, clairvoyance, clair-obscure, clair-0btuse, vision, obvious), "eye" functions (seeing, not seeing what is obvious, reading) keep showing up in my waking and dreaming life.

One instance of this "eye" influx is in a new friend's blog, Art in Every Day. She had mentioned this recurring image that was occurring in her drawings, and because of the reference she used (the Lemony Snicket movie), I knew that the mandala she mentioned she was going to post would have the image of an eye! And, sure enough, it does.

So what do I make of all these "eyes?" I'm not clear other than to say that the Universe has got my attention! (And, I am paying attention to the parallel "sound" message of "I" as well!) To illustrate my willingness to hear, see and understand, I am including a page from my collage journal entitled "Enlighten Me" that I created in September of last year. Thank you for the messages; please enlighten me!

--Vicky :o)

"Enlighten Me"

Collage Journal Page

© 2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Happy 2008--The Year of Fearless Living!

So one year has ended and another begun! I was very happy to see 2007 depart. For me it was a long year full of facing fears; in fact, I named 2007 the Year of Fear. My biggest fears have always been about being sick or having some serious disease. However, I discovered those fears reduce down to one--death.

That realization was a surprise to me. I always thought my fears were about being sick or suffering while being sick, but I discovered that my fears were also about not finding out I was sick in time, which meant I would die. Or making the wrong decision about a symptom or illness, which meant I would die. Or (and this is rather laughable) having both of the above occur and then have people shake their heads in pity or disgust and say that I should have known better; I should have followed the current medical opinions; I should have done this or that so I would not be facing death. Ultimately, they would say it was my fault. And, of course, that is another type of death--death of the ego!

So as 2008 begins, I intend to acknowledge my fear of death, which I am doing right now, and to see it as a symptom of an energetic imbalance in my life. In addition, I intend to look at each moment--each situation, symptom, problem, etc.--as a message from the Universe, which it is and always has been.

As I begin a new year, I decided to include a collage I created during the summer called "Soul Compass." (I made the collage in response to an exercise in Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way.) I assembled the collage on a piece of wood shaped like a bread board (or pizza board). The words on the collage are from Isaiah 30:21 ". . . your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, 'This is the way: walk in it.'" How appropriate and relevant those words are when considering my intention for 2008. Once again, I stand amazed at the wisdom of the Universe who inspires my Soul to create collages whose message become relevant at the perfect moment!

--Vicky :o)

"Soul Compass"

Collage on Wood

©2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Have Yourself a Happy Little Holiday!

Such a long time and "'Unseen' Devotion"

It has been quite a while since I have posted. I would title my journey through the last 3 months as "The Period of Highs and Lows," and the abstract to this period would read: The experiences I had were either very, very good or very, very bad and when they were bad they were awful (from my perspective, of course). :o)

I have posted my latest Intuitive Collage (the cards formerly known as Collage Cards). I created it in honor of a friend whose birthday is today. I have titled this collage: "Unseen" Devotion. Now, please take note of the quotation marks around the word unseen because they are very important. They indicate that the devotion represented by the angel's face is for those unlimited possibilities that exist in the realm of Grace. (One definition of grace that I absolutely love is "the Uncreated Divine Energies of God.") Her focus, then, is on all those divine and energetic experiences and situations that are flowing all around each of us that have not yet been created.

--Vicky :o)

"'Unseen' Devotion"
Intuitive Collage
©2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

The Birth of a Collage Card

It's been over a month since I posted! I have been busy making cards. I made the collage card I am posting today a few weeks ago. When I was creating it, I did not realize that it was going to be for someone. When I finished, I knew it was for my sister, whose birthday is August 21.

This card evolved rather differently. I had these leftover strips of paper that I decided to weave together like children do for art projects when they are in grade school. Once I had finished weaving them, I thought they might look good as a background for a card. Then, I got this idea to put pictures that represented the 5 senses--the heart represents the sense of touch or feeling.

In my search for pictures, I had also cut out a key and chosen the flow of stars. I wasn't sure why until I saw the 5 senses on the woven background. I realized that the woven background, which seemed like a tapestry to me, represented one's life and the 5 senses were the gateways or means by which we gather the threads.

But there was something missing: the key. The key represents our thoughts, what we think about and how we define what we see, hear, taste, smell, and touch/feel. With our thoughts we construct or weave the tapestry of our lives.

To also represent this key, I included some quotations. One in particular repeated itself in my head: "...for there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so."--William Shakespeare, Hamlet. The other quote found me shortly before I mailed the card: "The best way to predict your future is to create it."--Peter Drucker.

I added the flow of stars to represent the influence of the Soul and the Universe/God/Source. That input also guides how we create our life tapestry. And to ensure that the idea of creation was evident, I included the hands from Michelangelo's painting of God creating Adam.

And that's how Creating the Tapestry of Your Life was birthed!

--Vicky :o


"Creating the Tapestry of Your Life"
Collage Card
© 2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

My Gypsy Soul: Where Will It Take Me?

This is the third card of the three I mentioned yesterday. When I made the three cards, I was actually testing how to glue on the surface I am using. After I made the card titled "Time to Create," I knew immediately it was for my friend Mary. I used it for her birthday in May. The significance behind the pictures I chose and her life was pretty astounding!

I already explained a bit about the card called "Blooming Wisdom" in yesterday's blog entry.

Today's card took time to finish. I found the words "Gypsy Soul" a week or so ago. The words "flushed with pleasure" I found only yesterday! Sometimes collages are like that. They take time to be "born."

This card represents a transformation through which I am going. I have always been a "straight-arrow" rule-follower. I have always been out for perfection. I have always minded my "p's and q's"! But that attitude has been changing in the last few years. And, if the astrology reading I received recently is any indication of my Soul's goals, there will be a lot more that coming in the future.

What I love about this card is the tension between "Good Conduct" and a woman who is so obviously and audaciously NOT about good conduct and who wants to live a life "flushed with pleasure." Deep within this woman is her Gypsy Soul in infant form, just waiting to emerge. When will that gypsy soul make her appearance? There is no time marked on the clock, so it could be at any moment!

I hope when people see my cards, they find a message for themselves as well. While I may create my cards alone, I never create in a vacuum because I am always connected to All through Oneness. After all, as I have read in many places in the last few months: "There is only One of us here." --Vicky :o)

"Gypsy Soul"

Collage Card
© 2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Blooming Wisdom

This is one of 3 cards that I created at about the same time. The first--"Time to Create"--is also on my blog. The third is still not quite finished. This one--"Blooming Wisdom"--is one of my favorites thus far.

The basic premise of the card is that wisdom doesn't just grow from childhood but actually blooms throughout our lives as it develops within us. And those blooms are often different in their timing, appearance, and fragrance to ourselves and others.

Sometimes I don't know why I put elements on a collage card. In this case, I added the words "Life is Art." Perhaps that was the wisdom being shared with me the day I created the card, telling me that my next event of Wisdom blooming is represented by my art.

The fact is that whenever I create a card or collage, there is always a message for me, even when the card is created for someone else. So I always feel doubly blessed: I get to do art I love for someone else to bless them and I receive something that I need for my journey. --Vicky :o)

"Blooming Wisdom"
Collage Card
© 2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Speaking Archetypes

A friend commissioned me to create a collage card for her friend whose birthday was in June. This was my first attempt to create such a card for someone whom I really didn't know. I only knew bits and pieces through our mutual friend. I have to admit I was a bit doubtful.

I have come to believe that when I create a collage for someone there is a Force (the Source, the Universe, God) bigger than me at work. For example, with this card, I knew immediately that the card must have archetypes, must have some reference to Einstein, and must have a quote by Carl Jung.

As I began to work on the card, I knew it had to have elements in black and white, the woman's picture with the intense eyes had to be used, and there had to be a writing instrument, a compass, and a clock.

My friend has seen a copy of the card and has told me that I am right on in my choices. That pleases me, of course. I look forward to hearing how the recipient of the card views the imagery, what it means to her.

I think what has been most important and beneficial in the creation of this card is that I was continually confronted with a choice during the creative process: Either I trust that I am guided in the creation of these cards--in other words, I believe as fact that the Source knows all, is in all, inspires all, and ultimately creates all through us--or I don't. My choice? Definitely to trust in the guidance of Source!

--Vicky ;o)

"Speaking Archetypes"
Collage Card
© 2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Finding Grace

I created this card for my friend Sue who is celebrating her 70th birthday this month. She has always referred to God or the Source as Grace.

She herself is one of the most gracious people I know and always exhibits "Grace under pressure," even when facing circumstances that many people would find overwhelming.

I am always amazed at how my collages turn out. For example, it took my boyfriend to notice that when one puts the words together that appear on the card, they make sense as a sentence: "Teach others who knows Grace." For me, they were just words that needed to be on the card! I chose them because they described or symbolized Sue. In fact, I added the small slip of paper with "who knows" after I thought the collage was finished. I had to go back through my collage cut outs to find that paper again!

I am looking forward to Sue receiving her card in the mail and finding out the significance for her. There seems always to be one that I am never aware of. That's the beauty of collage: it is possible to tap into the collective consciousness of the Universe and uncover the messages that will touch our Soul.

--Vicky :o)

"Finding Grace"
Collage Card
© 2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Collaging My Collages: How Her Words Encouraged My Art

I created this collage as a gift for someone who has encouraged me in my collage artistry.

The center collage, "In Her Image," was one of the first collages I created as an adult. (I had not done any collage work since I was a kidlet of 12 or 13.) In it, I illustrate that women are searching for that perfect image--but whose image is it?

The frame around the center collage are reductions of collages, life stamps, and cards I made after this person mentioned how much she liked the center collage.

There is also a quote from Proverbs 25:11 in French: "Des paroles justes dites au bon moment sont comme abricots d'or avec des ciselures d'argent." The verse in English reads: "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." (KJV)

I also included a personal message to her in French, thanking her for her encouragement and wishing her a happy birthday.

Words are powerful tools that can help build or destroy a person's vision. Choose them wisely!

--Vicky :o)

"A Word Fitly Spoken..."
Collage
© 2006 Vicky Lynn Macchione

Time for a Change!

I have decided to make major changes in my blog. Check back to see what my brain and heart come up with! (Oh no, I ended the sentence with a preposition! What next?)

--Vicky ;o)

"Time to Create"

Collage Card

© 2007 Vicky Lynn Macchione

3-month update!

It's been ages since I have written on my blog! Here's a quick update on the last 3 months.

My ankle continues to heal and the discomfort I feel is less and less each day. I'm riding my bicycle outside again, gaining strength, and rebuilding muscle lost while recuperating.

I just finished an intensive French writing course. I enjoyed it and met some pretty neat people.

I have been reading lots while recuperating, which means lots of visits to the library. Fortunately for me, it's about 8 blocks away, which allows me to get my practice walk (for strengthening my ankle) in every time I go.

On June 24, Michel (the man who is my life partner) and I will celebrate our anniversary--5 years of living together!

So while this year has been quite different from those in the past, I find that so far, it's been a year of growth and new beginnings and gratitude. I'm grateful that our bodies heal the way they do and that a broken bone can repair itself. I'm grateful that there are those people who train to help you rebuild your body after an accident. I'm grateful for those people who have kept me in their healing thoughts and have given me wisdom and advice during this time.

My goal for the second half of the year is to remember what I have learned, keep practicing the lessons, and express joy, love, and gratitude for each day as it comes. :o)

Take care in gratitude! --Vicky :o)

We each get a lifetime . . .

Since I have been housebound because of my broken ankle and subsequent recovery, Michel has been going to the library for me. Sometimes, I give him a list of books to get for me, which he does. But he also surprises me with something else he thinks I might like to read. One of those surprises has been The Sandman, a series of 10 bound volumes of comic books about the Dream Lord and his family, the Endless. I have really enjoyed reading them, and I love the collage artistry of the covers.

In the seventh volume entitled Brief Lives , Death, one of Dream's sisters, comes for a man who has lived for 15,000 years. He is amazed that after such a long life, he is dying as a result of a freak accident.

He says to Death: "But I did okay, didn't I? I mean I got, what, fifteen thousand years. That's pretty good. Isn't it? I lived a pretty long time."

Death (who is portrayed as a warm and charming young woman) responds: "You lived what anybody gets, Bernie. You got a lifetime. No more. No less. You got a lifetime."

(Neil Gaiman, The Sandman No. 43, Nov. 1992, pg. 5)

I have been thinking about Death's response ever since I read this conversation. What she says is reality in these Earth bodies--we get a lifetime. No guarantees how long or how short that lifetime will be, but we all get a lifetime. One morning we will wake up and it will be our last morning, our last day on Earth, our last day in the body we have called our home on Earth.

The idea of a lifetime is a great equalizer: none of us knows the length of our lifetime. We only know we each have been given an Earth "lifetime" to learn our lessons, to discover our spiritual selves, to live our purpose, to love others and ourselves.

What will you do with your lifetime? What will I do with mine? How does that question affect my choices for this day? What if today were my last, what would I do?

That last question is how Paolo Coelho approaches the subject of lifetime. He talks about journeying each day with Death as our "friend and counselor" (The Pilgrimage, page 148). Coelho believes that the awareness of Death need not bring fear but, instead, invites us to view each moment as a time (NOW) that overflows with life:

He [Death] was not going to allow me to put off until tomorrow what I should be enjoying today. He was not going to let me flee from life's battles, and he was going to help me fight the good fight. Never again, ever, was I going to feel ridiculous about doing anything. Because he was there, saying that when he took me in hand to travel with me to other worlds, I should leave behind the greatest sin of all: regret. With the certainty of his presence and the gentleness of his face, I was sure that I was going to drink from the fountain of life. (Paolo Coelho, The Pilgrimage, page 148)

Take care in gratitude! --Vicky :o)