Disclosure: I have a creative muse crush.

Blog 30 of 30 ~ Effy Wild's Blogalong ~ Thirty Posts in Thirty Days 

Confession time.

I have a creative muse crush.

True story.

It all started when my mom came to visit back in July.

Mom and I got all crafty in my craft room.

I dug out the few Lifebook 2013 projects I wanted to work on.

One of them caught my eye.

"Artful Shamanism" with Effy Wild. 

She takes you on a meditative journey and then you create your vision as a mixed media project.

Her's was a willow tree.

Some back story - I've never been able to draw.

Or rather - I've never really tried.

I've drawn one thing in my whole life and it was a funky witch 
that I drew in 3rd grade. 
It actually won 3rd place in some contest.

My 3rd Grade Witch Drawing 

I have always carried with me the limiting belief that 

"I can't draw."

I have also been known to say

"Drawing? Oh, no. I can't. My brother, Lucas draws.

He got all of the drawing genes. 

I make jewelry and candles."

Part of the reason I took Lifebook, a year long mixed media course, was to dabble with drawing.

I hadn't drawn shit all year.

So - back to "Artful Shamanism" with Effy Wild -

I looked at her project and I thought,

"I can do that. I'm going to draw a tree."

And sure enough.

I did.

"I am The Abundance Queen" mixed media by me, Amy Riddle 

I drew an abundance tree...

I was so happy that I drew and painted a tree!

I went on to draw another tree for the 

"Artful Shamanism" project.

This is my tree of no shame. 

Lifebook 2013 Artful Shamanism with Effy Wild 

I was delighted. I drew another tree.

Who is this Effy Wild woman
that is inspiring drawing power?

I love to research, so I started looking her up.

I checked out her website, read up on her, and

she led me to an incredible art journaling book called,

"Inner Excavations" by Liz Lamoreux. 

Not only was Effy reading the book, 

but having an entire Excavate-Along.

As you read the book and do the journaling exercises, you can see what Effy has done.

Plus the author also posted a whole Excavate-Along with her.

I love this! 

 I love to work on projects with people.

It's inspiring for me to see what others are doing.

It gets me thinking and even more inspired.

I, of course, bought the book 

and started my very own Inner Excavation. 

The cover of my Inner Excavation Art Journal

While I was inner excavating, I noticed Effy was 
planning a blogalong, 

Thirty Posts in Thirty Days.

Effy Wild's Blogalong 

Well - I signed up.

I used to blog 3-5 times a week until April when I moved.

Everything stops when you move.

It was taking me forever to get back into the blogging habit.

What a perfect opportunity to get me back on the blogging train.

So, through Effy's inspiration -

I can now draw a tree, I am art journaling on a deeper level, I am blogging every single day for the blogalong -

but wait -

there's more!

More? 

Yes. More.

Another Lifebook project with Effy.

Fantastic.

I did this project a bit different than the directions.

The directions called for you to 

find a more emphatic way to talk to yourself.

I spend a lot of time doing that already.

I do morning pages, meditate, recite affirmations - 

I'm always working on me.

I wanted to work on a different aspect of me.

The first thing I did was write a letter to all of the "boyfriends" I've ever been involved with, thanking all of them for joining me on my heart's journey.

Without those experiences, I wouldn't be who I am today.

Without those experiences, I wouldn't have my fantastic relationship with Chris.

It felt so cathartic painting over all of their names, 
letting it all go.

It felt so cathartic drawing a heart, complete and whole.

LifeBook 2013 Heart Sight with Effy Wild

Thank you Effy for inspiring me on many levels.

Thank you for encouraging me to dig deeper into my core being.

Thank you for the continued inspiration of writing, drawing, creating, and being authentic. 

You rock Effy Wild. 

Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
 ~Amy
 The Magick Muse

Amy Riddle is an empowerment coach, crafter of sorts, writer,
herbalist, reverend, and all out muse.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Alternative Medicine with an emphasis on herbs. 

She is a certified professional life coach with the Life Coach Institute of Orange County. 

Amy craves to inspire others to be healthy and whole in body, mind, and spirit. 

She has an affinity for striped socks, stinging nettle, and all things faery.

Goddess of Compassion, Kuan Yin

My True Intentions Paper Doll, Kuan Yin

One of my big things for this year is Life Book 2013. 

It's a year long mixed media art class. 

Every week I get a different assignment via how-to videos.

This last week was an inspirational exercise 

called, "True Intentions". 

We were to create a paper doll from rubber stamps. 

I don't have a collection of stamps...yet. 

So, I went for paper...it's a paper doll and I have plenty of paper.

 I used magazine clippings, scrapbook paper, and an old calendar.

At first, I wasn't sure what I was going to do, I wasn't sure if I was even into this project...but then something emerged.

Kuan Yin has been on my mind a lot lately.

 I planned on writing a blog this week about her impact on my life and how I crave to emulate her with my Life Coaching path. 

Are you familiar with Kuan Yin? If you aren't...you should be. 

Kuan Yin is the Chinese Goddess of compassion.

She is a bodhisattva...which basically means 

she achieved enlightenment, 

but chose to forgo nirvana in order to save others. 

How incredible is that? 

You achieve enlightenment,

but you say,"Oh, no...I must stay and help others." 

She warms my heart. 

Kuan Yin is compassion. 

She is patience. She is love. 

She is kindness. She is empathy.

She wants to help others be the best they can be.

I understand that. 

I want to help others, too. 

I want to use my gifts to 

help people discover their authentic path.

I will be a successful Life Coach this year. 

I want to help others find their true calling.

That is my true intention.

I have Life Coach training in February. I will be certified!

I'm so excited about this transition in my life. 

I even have a campaign on Indiegogo to help with tuition and travel costs. I'm about $387 from meeting my $1,000 goal.

So close, one week left.

Check it out.

Help Amy Help the World

Kuan Yin 

by Amy Sophia Marashinsky

I made the vow

and kept my word

I reached enlightenment

but rather than pass over

to the state of eternal bliss

I retained human form

till all beings attain enlightenment

Keeping human form

enabled me to know more deeply

the pain other experience

Because of my deep feelings

because of my understanding

of misery and suffering

because of my decision

I am called The Compassionate One

She Whose Name Alleviates All Suffering

But wouldn't you prefer to wait

feeling what others feel

suffering what others suffer

knowing their pain as your own

wait till the end of all suffering and pain

till all beings attain enlightenment?

For me there was no other choice

"True Intentions"

Peace, Inspiration, & Love,
 ~Amy
 The Spirit Dancer