Today marks my third year with my blog! I’ve come a long way and learned so much in those past three years. I can’t believe what can happen in such a short time! Special thanks to everyone who has followed along this journey with me! I can’t wait to see what the years ahead bring!
Here’s a little something I whipped up to share my story about the current work I’ve been doing. It is all Zentangle inspired artwork starting with my very first sketch leading to my most current ZIA. Enjoy!
Thanks for stopping by this week. I hope you enjoyed my compilation! Let me know what you think in the comments below! I hope you had a great first day of spring.
Until next time,
“Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!”
Two years of writing, photographing, drawing, creating, thinking, over-thinking….oh sorry! It’s been great. I have loved every minute of it. I just spent some time going back and checking out my old posts; seeing how I’ve improved and seeing ways I still need to improve. My blog is a fantastic tool for helping me grow as an artist. I can see everything I’ve done laid out before me. I can see the techniques that have worked the best and what materials I prefer. All my ideas are visual (whether it be drawing, sketch, writing, or photo) instead of festering in my head. Then I can decide, “Yea, I’m going to do more with this” or “Oh my gosh! What was I thinking?!” Also, it is surreal to literally have a timeline of my life neatly in file. I have pictures of events I had forgotten about, drawings of beloved pets that have since passed and lessons learned along the way.
Another incentive of keeping a blog is that I can connect with people that are just like me! It’s silly how sometimes we feel all alone or that we are the only person in the world that has ever felt the way we do. When in reality we are not alone at all. We are all connected. There are so many people out there that love totem animals, drawing, nature, zentangle, horses, horror movies, photography, so on and so forth…just like me! I feel as though I am finally sharing my work with people who get it! Now don’t get me wrong, my family has always been there and have supported me in more ways than one (you guys are amazing and I can never truly show you how grateful I am). It’s comforting to know there are others out there on this great, big planet that see what I see, that feel what I feel and that love what I love. It makes me feel a little bit bigger. Like an ant in a colony. Not one mind but many working as one. A collective. A hive. That’s how you move mountains. If you try to move it alone you will be crushed from the pressure. Know there are others like you, trying to achieve the same task. When many work as one, mountains seems weightless.
I am very thankful for all of my readers and followers. I love seeing comments from you guys and hearing your stories! We are not so different, you and I. I look forward to hanging out with you for another year. Take care!
Until next time,
“No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.”
The Great Blue Heron is common throughout North America. They can thrive in diverse climates ranging from the frozen shorelines of Alaska to subtropic swamps and even deserts. They also have a diverse diet. Though mainly feasting on fish, they have been known to seek out frogs, turtles, salamanders and even gophers.
I have been seeing them on a daily basis flying overhead. They are so massive yet graceful; they are hard to ignore. After about a week or so of seeing them everywhere I knew it was time to do another drawing and some research.
They represent self-reflection. The Great Heron will seek out those who have lost sight of who they are or those who cannot seem find their place in the world. You must learn to look within yourself to find out the answers. If you wallow in self pity, low self-worth or are lacking pride in yourself, you will never reach your true potential. Like a heron hunting for fish, we must dive deep within ourselves. Listen to your emotions and allow yourself to flow like water down the path you already know is right. Heron asks us to recognize our inner strengths and weaknesses. See yourself with unrelenting eyes and figure out where you can improve and grow. Do not be over-critical of yourself, though. Being too judgmental could dampen your spirit even further. There lies a balance within us all and only you can figure out where your center is. Do not get lost trying to obtain perfection. There is no such thing. Do not try to blame others or the circumstances of life. Face your inner demons and take responsibility for your actions. We cannot grow if we can not face what is truly holding us back.
This hit home for me. I am extremely over-critical of myself and have lost sight of where I’m going. So much heartache has followed us this year; it was difficult to let things rest and move on. I’ve been struggling to find my own way again but I’m trying to find my inner voice. The real me. Not the sugar coated one that hides her emotions for everyone else’s sake. It’s draining, physically and mentally. I need to be real with myself and real with the people around me. I need to stop worrying about trying to be perfect. I’m perfectly Meg and that’s all I can be.
What about you? Have you seen a Great Blue Heron recently? Share your story in the comments below. Thanks for reading this weeks blog. I hope you enjoyed it!
Until next time,
“If you focus on the hurt, you will continue to suffer. If you focus on the lesson, you will continue to grow.”
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Today marks six months since my family suffered the house fire. So much has happened in half a year it is no shock I’m caught out of breath at times. But lately I feel like I can take a breather, take a step back and get back on track to where we left off. We’ve just recently moved to our new place and were finally able to replace the computer. Thank goodness I don’t have to use my phone anymore! It was challenging trying to keep up with my blog during this long process and I apologize for not posting as much as I usually do. That’s where the catching up comes into play. I haven’t been able to draw at all in the past few weeks and I can literally feel the damper that puts on my soul. Luckily, I’m working outside in the sunshine everyday in the flower beds so that helps. It’s amazing how everything transforms through the year. Certain flowers bloom at certain times so the gardens are forever changing. It’s a joy to watch throughout the seasons.
Just like the gardens, we are forever changing. I feel like my life has had a vigorous scrub down. My family has been through a great deal in a short time. We needed to adapt quickly. At times it was a struggle but I finally feel like we can bloom again. I now have the opportunity to catch up with “me” and get back to making art. It’s quite a relief. A few more trips out on the kayak doesn’t hurt either.
Long story short, I just wanted to explain my absence and thank you guys for hanging in there with me. I can’t wait to get back on track with my work! I have many more animal totems I want to share as well as some botanical studies.
Until next time,
”Nobody is gonna hit as hard as life, but it ain’t how hard you can hit.
It’s how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. It’s how much you can
take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning’s done.”
I feel as though when the universe has a message for us the animals bring it to our attention. They are messengers of the spirit realm while also being great teachers of life’s lessons. I have been relying heavily on them to guide me when I am feeling overwhelmed or aimless.
Since the house fire, we have been staying at various places whether it be hotels or family member’s homes. A temporary home will be available soon for us to stay until we can get back on our feet and find a more permanent place again. I have moved so many times these past two months it is down right rediculous. And that’s just the past two months! Call me a nomad but I have moved more than ten times in my life so far not including this experience and whether I like it or not I am still not done!
For one reason or another, we have needed to go to the house to take care of various things. Some days I could spend all day there going through the rubble. Other days I can not even stand five minutes. Though I noticed, everytime I went there I saw a blue jay cross my path. He would perch on a branch or fence in front of me and then quickly take off again. After the third or fourth time, I knew it was time to do some research. When I looked up blue jay, I could not believe how spot on the symbolism was for my current situation.
“A blue jay is a decidedly resourceful creature that strives to create the best environment for itself and its family with what it has access to. It will make its home anywhere that it can, making the best out of every situation.” –Sunsigns.org
Blue jays have the intelligence to quickly learn new skills and can adapt to any situation. They are observant and persevering. They will overcome any hurdle and stand their ground confidently. Blue jays can easliy come up with new ideas and concepts and will not be held down by anything.
I am thankful the blue jay has crossed my path to teach me this lesson. I will do my very best to adapt and make a suitable home wherever life leads us. Making the best of a situation is a good practice to always keep in mind. To show respect for this marvelous avian, I have completed a zentangle inspired art piece. I enjoy this style incorporated with my totem animals. I have decided this will be my new “thing”. Be prepared for many more totem animal pieces!
I hope you enjoyed today’s post! Do you have a story that involves a blue jay? Share your story in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
Until next time,
“I never realize how much I like being home unless I’ve been somewhere really different for a while.”
Megtography is…well…you guessed it! Meg + Photography = Megtography. I’ve decided to share one photo a day that encompasses my life. With my family’s recent house fire, I lost all of my images saved on my harddrive. About 10,000 or more pictures gone forever. Luckily, I do have many shared on social media sites and a small collection on photobucket but nowhere near what I had. Therefore I need to start from scratch. I want to photograph my life and the moments that stand out to me from day to day. Perhaps I did something really special that day and I want to highlight it. Maybe I saw something funny that made me smile. The scenery might have put me at ease from the sight of it. There are so many instances that grab my attention and I want to remember the feelings I experienced. I want to share those moments with everyone. I decided to do all black and white photography. It is all about what is going on in the picture and the feeling it creates. I don’t want color to distract from that.
Doing this daily will help keep me focused. It keeps me positive and motivated. It gives me a chance to go back and look at what I do everyday and everything I have to be thankful for. I have the opportunity to share my free spirit life style with you! I also have a safe collection of my photos if any accidents were to happen again. I know I can always come back here, go through my images, read my blog and feel a sense of accomplishment.
What about YOUtography? It’s a great exercise for anyone to try. It is quite similiar to the 365 day challenge. It takes discipline, patience, and passion. If you have those qualities or need to improve them, give it a try! You just might see what you’ve been missing! Thanks for stopping by this week.
Until next time,
“Oh yes, the past can hurt. But you can either run from it, or learn from it.”
I’ve been doing research lately on the Saturn return. It takes Saturn about 29.5 years to return to the same place that it was when you were born. Saturn has a powerful impact on our lives and moving into our next stage of life. Once the full rotation draws near, it tends to send one’s life into chaos, or rather a thorough and rapid awakening.
It’s interesting to think about, considering the average person feels like they truly have come into adulthood in their late 20’s/early 30’s. The effects of your Saturn return can last up to three years or so. If you’ve been wandering through life, not really clear as to where it’s heading, your Saturn return whips you into shape like a clarity boot camp. Loose ends that have been left in the dust come to light and demand to be tied so that you can enter the next stage of your life ready to go. It is also a time to reevaluate situations in your life. If your struggling to hang on to something that Saturn is telling you to move on from, perhaps it is time to let go. 
If you haven’t guessed, I am currently experiencing the Saturn return. So many things have been happening this past year, I feel like I can barely catch my breath. In the same hand I don’t want it to slow down either because I am accomplishing so much and tending to things that I’ve left neglected for too long! Changes are rapid, responsibilities are growing and things just keep popping up demanding my instant attention. My life is orderly chaotic right now. I feel like I have grown so much in this 
past year. I have had so many epiphanies, my head may explode! Let me tell you, it’s an overwhelmingly fantastic feeling if you haven’t already experienced it yourself.
I have much in my life to sort through and perhaps maybe even a little reevaluation of where I’m going with my art. I feel as though I’ve been thrown every which way in the art realm and it’s because of my own doing. I need to decide what I am doing and stick with it!
Have you ever heard of the Saturn return? Have you experienced it yourself? Share your story below in the comments! I would love to hear how it worked out for you! Thanks for checking in this week!
Until next time,
“You’ll have bad times, but it’ll always wake you up to the good stuff you weren’t paying attention to.”
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I am excited to say that this week marks my one year anniversary from when I started my blog! I am very proud of my consistency and tenacity to keep up with it! It’s thrilling that I can share my work of all kinds with anyone who cares to take a gander. My drawings, photography, writing, paintings, all of it in one giant collection. It feels like the “Chronicles of Free Spirit Meg”. It keeps me focused and keeps me working even when I’m in a slump. This blog has helped me really see things, to pay attention to details even more so than I already did. There is always more to learn and because of that reason I feel like my blog will live on forever. Or at least until I die or blogging is replaced with the next big best thing!
I won’t lie, it has been a struggle. It takes so much time and effort to edit the photos, write your entry, proof-read, put the pictures together, link it to all your media sites, tags and finally get the thing scheduled to post. That’s just the blog. That doesn’t include actually doing the sketches and fine art and going to the actual events and taking the pictures. Phew!
But in keeping this blog, all my hard work is laid out before me. It’s neatly tucked in a digital filing cabinet for me to share with everyone in the world! That, my friend, is a pretty cool feeling. It’s the proof of my blood, sweat, and tears!
I would like to do a little recap on this past year and share everything I have accomplished but before I do, I want to say THANK YOU! Thank YOU! The reader, the viewer, the friend, the free spirit, whoever YOU are, thank you! I love all of my readers and your support goes a long way! Thank you for all the views, comments, and followers. It encourages me to keep chugging and pursue the free spirit lifestyle! I hope my blog continues to do the same for you!
Share your opinion below in the comments! What is your favorite part about my blog? What is your least favorite part? Any tips that can help me grow are always welcome!
Until next time,
“Great men are not born great, they grow great.”
