Vintage Brave

Just showing off my latest painting. She has so many layers, both symbolically and physically.  Just love her, and love that my spirit feels free enough to create. 

Her name is Vintage Brave.

Thanks for Stopping by.

Much love,

Mikel

Words of Wisdom: Printable Quote Monday .... Buddha

 Sharing some wise wisdom credited to Buddha.....

Lovely Buddhist Images are large size and available in my Etsy Shop.

This 20 piece set is large size, images are from 600 pixels to 2500 pixels, it boasts quan yin, buddha, and om symbol, and other Buddhist symbols and deities.

Here is some larger detail here:  Double Click to Enlarge.

 

Find Out More of the specifics on my etsy site.

Buddhism Love Images Only .    Buddhism Love and Buddha Quotes Images and Photoshop Brushes.

To Celebrate... and because I love you.. and want to share

Here is a freebie for you.

Buddha Quotes....  Transparent png files.

Here are just some of my favorite of these quotes.

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”  Buddha

“What we think, we become.“  Buddha

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”   Buddha

“It is better to travel well than to arrive.”    Buddha

“The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.”    Buddha

“There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills.”   Buddha

“It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.”  Buddha

“To understand everything is to forgive everything.”   Buddha

“You cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself.”   Buddha

“When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.”   Buddha

“There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.”  Buddha

“The tongue like a sharp knife … Kills without drawing blood.”   Buddha

"To conquer ones self is a more difficult taske than conquering others" Buddha

"You, yourself as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and recognition" Buddha

"Doubt Everything, Find Your Own Light" Buddha

"Better than 1000 Hollow words is one word that brings peace" Buddha

"Three things can't be long hidden: The Sun, The Moon, The Truth" Buddha

"Work out Your own salvation, do not depend on other people" Buddha

Have a Lovely Week.  I love Comments... Please leave me one let me know if there is something you would like to request or something you like.

xo Mikel

Words of Wisdom: Printable Quote Monday - Henry Thoreau

This week I compiled quotes by Henry Thoreau.... really profound and amazing how long ago they were written with so much personal insight and wisdom. 

You can find a full page printable pdf of these quotes for your mixed media... card making, scrapbooking or other art     Here

You might also like quotes from Maya Angelou,  or Emmerson

So much love to you all..... xxxx Mikel

Words of Wisdom: Printable Quote Monday ... Maya Angelou

Welcome to Printable Quote Day here at With Wild Abandon.....

I put together a printable page of quotes from Maya Angelou.. 

She is definitely one of my favorites.

This is a fully printable file 8.5x11


Click Here to download a 8.5x11 printable pdf page.

Hope you enjoy!  Please let me know which one is your favorite and why!

So much love to you all. .... 

Freebie - More Truth Card Printables

I am getting so excited about the Truth Cards I am making for Brave Girl Camp and Melody Ross.  When I first started to take her online classes and then attended Brave Girl Camp, I was introduced to the idea of Truth Cards.  These are little  2.5x.3.5 cards that you create fairly quickly that help you to remember what the truth is, which helps to dispel some of our deepest fears and lies we have been telling ourselves for years.  I carry some in my purse, have some on my mirror or by my computer..... they are such positive reminders.

I wanted to share with you a printable sheet that will make six truth cards.
There are six backgrounds, and three cards with words for you to cut out for your cards.

Please download the printable .png file Here :   or the Printable PDF. 

You can find out more about Melody Ross and Her project to create Truth Cards for Women around the world Here: 

There are also several other free downloads on my site that will help you to create these truth cards.  Why not spend some time making a few cards for yourself, and some for gifts for others.

Much love.,.. Mikel 

Examples of Truth Cards made with these...

Free Spirit Freebie, Image Transfer, or Digital Stamp

 So excited to share with you my latest creations.  I made these to adorn some of the Truth cards I am making for Brave Girls.  They have a project that is filled with love and will touch many woman through out the world.  To find out about Melody Ross's Project, you can go here to watch a video.  

I made these Digital Stamps. There are six in the set.  Love Love Love them!

You can see details here: 

Enjoy a couple close ups: 

To Celebrate I am offering the one as a freebie. I hope you enjoy!

I am also including a printable page for making truth cards with the purchase of these images... it looks like this :

Your FREEBIE for Stopping BY:

Your freebie is about 4 inches tall, comes in a png file and prints beautifully if needed.

 You can download freebie Here:

 Much love to you all.

xo Mikel

Examples of Valentine Truth Cards Made from these...

Freebie ACEO / ATC Backgrounds Printable

I am sharing a page of printable ACEO/ ATC size  backgrounds. They would also make great backgrounds for individual gift tags.  This sheet contains nine designs and comes in a 8.5x11, 300 DPI png file.  It prints lovely and crisp ...

. 

Click Here for png file    or Here for a jpeg

I also just listed a fun fun package of 18 of these backgrounds and a special romantic overlay in my shoppe:

You can check out the details here

Thanks For Stopping by.

xo Mikel

PS... Check out my Motivation for making the backgrounds...

I made these to adorn some of the Truth cards I am making for Brave Girls.  They have a project that is filled with love and will touch many woman through out the world.  To find out about Melody Ross's Project, you can go here to watch a video.  

Words of Wisdom ... Truths I have learned.

I have spent much of my life listening to lies my brain made up. These lies kept me stuck for along time. Things like, "You dont matter", You are Lazy", " You make bad choices". I have really been working at noticing how I treat me, and the things I say to me at times were worse than I would have ever dared to say about anyone else. I think many of us do this, and those lies keep us from really spreading our wings and soaring. I created these little clipart images for my journaling. 

 I took a really incredible online class called Soul Restoration - with The Brave Girl Club and needed some images that really spoke to my soul.  Melody Ross Teaches Soul Art... and I learned so much about myself. Thank You Melody.  If you are interested the next online session starts August 7.  If you are a Brave Girl Camp Graduate, or are taking taken any of her online classes you can use the coupon code brave in my store to get 25% off.

These little guys are printed on paper and stuck in so many places... my wallet, my fridge, my windows, my mirrors.  They really helped me to remember the good things that I know to be true.  So I am sharing these with you.. and hope you enjoy them as much as I have.. they changed my life.  

CLick Here to access and download your freebie.

I actually made 20 of these little gems.  They are listed in my Etsy Shoppe.... 

Click Here to access the Etsy Listing. Double Click on the file to get a good close up!

Thanks for stopping by...  I would love to know if you like my little images.

Sowing the Seeds of Love....

Just finished this beauty!  First Painting on CANVAS I have done in  years.  The close ups really reveal what the painting is about....

       

I am so grateful to be in a space where I feel my muse sweep in.  

Much love to you all......

It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that’s important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there’ll be any fruit. But that doesn’t mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result. 

~ Mahatma Gandhi 

Vintage Courage To Change Tag Set! and a Freebie Share

Here is one of a few things I sat down to create this week to go with some of the art soul work I have been doing...

Click Here to Visit Etsy Listing

I apologize because the copyright changes the look slightly.  Here are some closeups as they are quite ornate.

         

I also have a listing for these tags that are blank and customize able by you in my shop, or for a small fee I can add any saying to the tags.

Namaste...

xoxo Mikel

Please feel free to snag one of the following Freebies of the tags... right click and save as.

Please Click Here to Download Your Freebie

Brave Girls Camp

So excited to share some of the things that have been happening in my life.... :)

Woohoo.. I made my dream come true of going to Brave Girl Camp!  It was incredible.  I spent four nights in a cabin in McCall Idaho with 20 heartfelt beautiful women who have become my family.  Melody Ross, Kathy Wilkins and staff loved and pampered us with elegant nourishing food, and special gifts.  Melody is insightful as she shared her journey and helped to inspire and guide us on taking the next big steps in our lives. Melody is a talented professional artist and writer among many things.  I think what I admire most about Melody is her stance on love, marriage and family.  I feel honored to have met these women and to have them touch my life.  It is well worth any sacrifice to make it up to this retreat.

While I was there had to admit that I have no more excuses when it come to making my dreams come true.  I have always wanted to use my art to help women.  I so believe in the creative process as a way to affirm and get in touch with our souls.  I hope to empower women on a spiritual and creative intertwined path.

Thank  You to Melody and Kathy for the life changing experience.

One thing I really love is the daily truth emails....  I read them every day and they have changed my life.  You can subscribe to them here:

I love being a Brave Girl!

1 Corinthians 13

Chapter 13
Paul discusses the high status of charity—Charity, a pure love, excels and exceeds almost all else.

 1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

 6 Rejoiceth not in ainiquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Let Your Spirit Shine... Women's Empowerment Wristlets...

These wristlets... were totally inspired by a beautiful group of women that have been teaching me how wonderful we each truely are.. individually. 

Let Your Spirit Shine……
Women’s Empowerment Wristlets( still working on a name .. if you have a suggestion) are designed to inspire healing, responsibility, empowerment and hope for women. Women’s Empowerment Wristlets serve as a reminder to bring forth the beauty and strength within ourselves, to be inspired to be the best we can be, and to let our individual Spirits shine through. Each wristlet is organic in nature, unique in its own design, size and shape and not made from a pattern... symbolizing the unique difference’s and beauty each woman has.
Namaste.. Love Mikel

Oh.. and the most important thing... %20 of all profits from this item will be donated to the

Rape Recovery Center. 

Much love.. and Namaste..

Mikel

PS... please enjoy some of my favorite quotes...

There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud

was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.

~ Anais Nin ~

People are like stained-glass windows.

They sparkle and shine when the sun is out,

but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed

only if there is a light from within.

~ Elizabeth Kübler-Ross ~

A woman is the full circle.

Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform.

~ Diane Mariechild ~

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly,

what is essential is invisible to the eye.

~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry ~

When we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed.

But when we are silent, we are still afraid.

So it is better to speak.

~ Audre Lorde ~

Stop Violence Against Women Campaign

Original Article from Amnesty International.. Please visit their website to contribute.. thanks

Stop Violence Against Women Campaign

Violence against women is a human rights scandal. At least one out of every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime.

• In Europe, domestic violence is the major cause of death and disability for women aged 16 to 44.
• In the United States, a woman is raped every 6 minutes; a woman is battered every 15 seconds.
• Rape of women is widespread in armed conflicts such as Colombia and Darfur.
• Trafficking of women has become a global phenomenon where victims are sexually exploited, forced into labor and subjected to abuse. Murders of women in Guatemala, Russia, India, and other countries often go uninvestigated and unpunished.

The experience or threat of violence affects the lives of women everywhere, cutting across boundaries of wealth, race and culture. In the home and in the community, in times of war and peace, women are beaten, raped, mutilated, and killed with impunity.

In 2004, Amnesty International launched its global Stop Violence Against Women Campaign to help break the silence around this scandal, stop the violence, and create a world where women and girls are afforded their basic human rights. Across the globe, Amnesty International members have united to work towards making women's human rights a reality; the campaign is intended as a contribution to the efforts of the women's rights movements around the world. With this campaign, Amnesty International will show that the right of women to be free from violence is integral to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As long as violence against women continues, the promise to humanity of the Universal Declaration cannot be fulfilled.

How Amnesty International's Campaign Will Stop Violence Against Women

To acheive its goals in helping to end violence against women, Amnesty International is:

• Urging governments and armed groups to end impunity for violence against women during times of conflict and post-conflict
• Demanding that governments abolish discriminatory laws and practices that perpetrate violence against women in the family and in the community
• Calling for the adoption of new laws and policies to provide women protection from violence

We support women's human rights defenders, and we are urging governments to ratify the Treaty for the Rights of Women (CEDAW) and its protocol without reservations.

In the US, we have worked in support of anti-violence legislation and other national initiatives to stop violence against women. We have worked to increase public awareness of violence against women as a global human rights issue and to contribute to efforts to challenge attitudes and behaviors that perpetuate violence against women.

Amnesty International has used a human rights framework to guide its campaigning work to stop violence against women. By using a human rights framework to oppose violence against women, we help to change the perception of violence against women from a private matter to a public concern that requires action from recognized authorities. Use of the framework also enables Amnesty International to use international human rights standards and laws to cut across national boundaries, cultures and religions to protest violence against women in all its forms. And perhaps most importantly, it makes it possible to use international remedies to hold governments accountable if they fail to meet their obligations to protect women from violence, regardless of who commits it or where it's committed.

Original Article from Amnesty International.. Please visit their website to contribute.. thanks

Announcing New Jewelry Collection

Well, I decided I should start to figure this blog thing out more and hopefully promote my work at the same time.

I have been on a medical leave from my job since February 14, 2009. I miss my job, and the people that I work with immensely. I hope to return soon.

I have Narcolepsy, with Cataplexy and right now sleeping is not fun for me. I have been trying to get back to being able to sleep several hours a night. For now, my body is not co-operating with me at all. I am taking a new prescription that as of yet has not had much success - but am still crossing my fingers.

I have been trying to stay busy-but my ability to concentrate is minimal.... in my up time, I have been working on a jewelry collection... which I just listed on Etsy. I am not sure how to go about the promotion, but plan to document that here so that I can have a record and share with anyone interested.