Choose canvas, paint a dark background to your intuitional liking. Include some color variation–you’ll know what to do.
Take toothbrush, dip in white paint, hold horizontally, and with your finger, pull the bristles back and release.
Do until your intution says “finished”.
There! It’s your portrait in Stars…aren’t you Beautiful!
Yeah, we all come from ” The Stars”.
What about your new name? How about CHON Stars?
Don’t tell us you forgot high school science class when your teacher let you know you were nothing more organically than Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen and Nitrogen? Now that you know you came from ” The Stars”, how about this new name? *smile*
Mandala Sisters Have Their Favorite Number.
Mother Nature Has Hers!
Mandala Sisters admit our favorite number to use when creating mandala is 8!
Mother Nature may prefer 6 in her creations. The hexagon is seen in the cell of a beehive.
Are those little mandalas in the center of those cells?
It takes 6 spokes to make a snowflake!
Mother Nature’s Mandala. Earliest known photographed snowflake by Bentley.
The pattern of a tortoise shell is composed of hexagons. (is it wrong to admit here that we just don’t feel like looking at a tortoise?)
Quartz crystals: six-sided formations before we knew “6″ was six!
Okay Mandala Sisters what does this have to do with painting a mandala? Six has represented “family” for ages. What better way to give a loving tribute to your child when they are born than with painting a mandala to represent the energy of the child coming in to the family.
Conversely, what about painting a Mandala for the elder in your family as a new version of the family tree.
So let’s start with the number six and let this be about the love of your family. Yeah, yeah see the directions above and make your family tree mandala!
Mommy and Daddy Welcome Their New Baby With A Painting!
One of us has seen the collection of the Queen’s Royal attire on display at Buckingham Palace. Guess what? She’s tiny!
Did you know:
If you are in London during May 13-18, 2012, the Mall Galleries will host 35 years worth of portraits of the Queen?
A Royal portrait painter is given only (6) one hour sittings to compose their painting unless SHE gets chatty?
There have been more than 130 official painters of Her Majesty?
Queen Elizabeth sat for more painters than any other English Monarch?
One famous painting of the Queen was created using a photograph?
So who painted the Queen from a photograph?
Andy Warhol!
To paint a person during a limited time frame is like painting a baby…where you, the artist, must capture everything possible before the light changes or the mood changes! Talk about working quickly!
Artists share their experiences of painting “Queen Elizabeth, the Monarch” during this show at the Mall Gallery. Will viewers get a glimpse of Elizabeth, the human?
Elizabeth, age 7, Painting by Philip Laszlo
Now please, get your timing straight while discussing the “Diamond Jubilee” as you eat your Sticky Toffee Pudding in the pub…
Most people might think a Diamond anniversary represents 75 years but no, this is a 60 year celebration! HUH?
“Mandala Sisters, how can that be?” you say.
Worried that she wouldn’t live until her 75th anniversary as Queen, palace officials”bent” time under Queen Victoria’s rule so the 60 year benchmark was proclaimed the “new” official length for a Diamond Jubilee.
Wabi-Sabi
During our “formative” years in the Village, our Mother kept tea in a commemorative tin made to honor Queen Elizabeth’s marriage to Prince Phillip. We loved that tin! That childhood memory inspired the collection one of us has pictured above. It’s just a bit of our personal collection of old tea tins from back in the day. It seems fitting to be thankful for all the cups of tea our dear Mother served us as we honor her memory for Mother’s Day. Thanks MOM!
Mary Cassatt
(um, that’s not us…)
You, faithful, dear reader, know neither Mandala Sister has the courage to get tattooed. We’re too yellow for that but we do respect the artisans that participate in this form of art. While we’re at it let’s go ahead and have a little discussion about YELLOW.
Just coming out of Tax Season can leave many feeling punched in the gut so it may be a good time to stimulate your Third Chakra (location: solar plexus) with it’s key color yellow!
Since we are on the subject of the Queen, in Heraldry, yellow indicated loyalty and honor. Yet, historically, yellow was connected with cowardice. How can this color create such a range of feelings? Yellow symbolizes joy, happiness, intellect and energy for our modern times, but did you know that scientists have confirmed that babies cry more in a YELLOW room (anyone grabbing a paint brush and choosing a new decorating shade for the nursery…hmmm)? To this day, most men will not purchase a yellow car ….perhaps they’re a Yellow Belly?
What about Blue?
Does the color blue evoke a feeling of calmness, purity, and peace for you or are you scared of blue? JULIUS CAESAR WAS!
Its Woad in England, Pastel in France
This little, yellow, plant caused all the trouble!
Yet, Woad created all the cash flow for the growers! Picked, dried, fermented, and formed into balls to be mixed with water and used as a dye, Woad or Pastel, as it is known in Toulouse, France, became a feared color back in the days of Caesar. Yep, for Julius Caesar, blue was considered a color of war and barbarian retaliation. The ink was used for tattoos or slathered on their shaved, naked, bodies as Caesar noted about the defenders of Briton. Blue was also known as the “Devil’s Color”!
and now…”The Other Side of the Coin”
Meanwhile, back at the farm, the growers of pastel in Toulouse enjoyed a wealth and status that is still evidenced by their historical architecture today! The buildings made of a light, red stone lent a pink hue to the city. Toulouse is known as “La Ville Rose”, the Pink City. Love it!
A 15th century mansion, now the “Hotel d’Assezat”
Times heals all wounds and colors!
The “energy” of blue slowly worked its way in to the stained glass windows of the cathedrals and churches around the latter part of the 14th century. Prior to that period, Mother Mary was painted wearing red garments. The negative connotation of blue finally faded and it became linked to the qualities of sweetness, innocence, and purity. Blue, once a color of war…now, a color of holy reverence.
Hey Mandala Sisters, why the change of heart about blue?
Vanity!
Like popular personalities of today, the Monarchs of Old realized the benefits of wearing blue garments or appearing in front of blue backgrounds for their portraits.
Some believe this is the origin of labeling wealthy people “blue-bloods” while others attribute the meaning to their having fair skin with blue veins. You decide.
How interesting is that for a color to evolve from a symbol of War to a color of Peace? The current color trends for war are khaki, beige, and olive green. Any energy readers out there will know these three are considered low vibration colors. It’s no wonder blue didn’t last through the centuries as a color of War.( Just can’t stick, it’s got too high of a vibration!)
Did you know they have found scientific evidence that 1 in 6 people have blue eyes and they can all be traced to a single, maternal source through the mitochondria? Wonder what color eyes Julius Caesar had?
Do you remember the proud feelings coursing through your little childhood veins after you completed one of your masterpieces?
We remember those days vividly and we have a firm belief in sharing our knowledge with the young ones now. And here’s the extra blessing:
WE LEARN FROM THEM!
Mandala Sisters lived next to a very talented girl in the Village when we were growing up. Linda was gifted in singing and playing piano.
She shared her musical gift with us when we were children!
And now you might be thinking…
“Well, Mandala Sisters that’s wonderful and all and glad you had that lovely childhood experience”…
But wait, here’s the effect our neighbor’s generosity had on us throughout our lives:
We have a wonderful childhood memory worth it’s weight in gold.
We became interested in music from multiple time periods.
We developed a discerning ear for voice and instrument though neither of us went on to become concert pianists or vocalists.
We learned a bit about history and American culture through the music she chose to play.
We learned about a variety of musical artists.
We learned about different styles of music.
We spent time with a person that was safe, kind, and very loving.
But mostly, we are wicked good at musical trivia! Bring on the “Trivia Night”!
See what we would have been missing in our lives if she kept this gift to herself? So we’re asking —
“What talent do you have to share with another?”
Manage your own stress by sharing your creativity with another human being. This will get your focus off your troubles by helping another person.
The beauty in what we just observed…
They didn’t think they could do it but they sure did!
Creation Begins!
The Tropical Scene
The Underwater Cave
Homage to Jackson
Selena's Butterfly
One of our favorite people, little Miss M, used a shirt worn in a movie to provide her with inspiration to create some art.
We watch a Selena Gomez movie
Miss M says, ” I like that butterfly shirt Selena Gomez is wearing. It’s pretty.”
Mandala Sister replies, ” You could paint something like that to hang in your room”
Miss M asks ” How could I do that?”
Mandala Sister replies, “EASY! Just remember what you like about this shirt. Feel it. Then we’ll do it YOUR way!”
Miss M intuitively chose her colors then began her background with a splatter paint technique.
Little Miss M finished her painting and proudly showed off her art. Though the shirt in the movie was white and looked nothing like Miss M’s finished product, it was the energy behind it and the courage to follow through to do her own thing that was so wonderful to observe and be a part of.
Anchor yourself during the wild energy currently on the Planet by doing your own ART or helping another do theirs!
Ok, now we need to talk about teeth!
Mandala Sisters love and welcome the differences in everyone. It is individualistic style that make life and everyone in it interesting. BUT, we are starting to see a pattern that is not only alarming but a little disconcerting to those that love an interesting smile. Note, you don’t see Mona Lisa’s teeth, but you can only wonder and imagine what they might be like. The “original” Chatty Cathy Doll™ whose little teeth were quite charming started a trend that changed toys forever! We still love this doll!
Wabi-Sabi
Chatty Cathy Doll
As for the dolls of Now…
The old saying, ” you broke the mold when you made that one”, takes on a new twist. These teeth seem to be the same for all these dolls.
More Teeth Diversity!
Is it the quest for the handsome Prince that causes everyone to now have the same dental esthetics?
The Mandala Sisters appreciate a different quality in their ideal of a Prince…it is not just the teeth, but a little humor goes a long way!
Billy Hill Disneyland's "Other" Handsome Prince
(If you visit Disneyland this summer do yourself a favor and see a comedy/musical act that is so entertaining and inspiring!)
Mandala Sisters have great appreciation for Mother Nature as she shares her artistic creations with all of us. Thank you Mother for your flowers, buds, and evidences of new life.
What do you get when you mix:
A scratchy recording of The Irish Rovers singing “The Unicorn”
A “Kimberly” 4 B graphite pencil–
A drawing pad
And a BLINDFOLD!
FREE-FORM ART!
The above was the recipe one Mandala Sister was given by her college professor to “loosen up the mind and the hand” for free style drawing!
It seemed like the biggest waste of time back then but he may have known something.
But why the same song, week after week? Did the Professor long for his Hootenanny days? Or was he trying to drive a bunch of college freshman a little cuckoo?
This is not a slap to the Irish Rovers or the song ”The Unicorn” (written by Shel Silverstein for fans of the book ”A Light in the Attic”) but finding your free form is a challenge when the chosen music doesn’t have much of a beat to begin with.
The semester ended and that Mandala Sister would have given anything to hear “Kitty, the Rose of Kilrea”, yet another hit by the Irish Rovers! It had a little more promise for the task at hand.
If you’re adventurous and want to do this exercise find something with a noticeable beat. It’s easier to work with and you can just close your eyes! No blindfold needed. Hey, switch hands, you’ll access another side of the brain.
It Takes Ca-Ca-Ca-Courage!
Really good instructors realize the power that resides in the creation of Art and the best of them are very nurturing when they spot the energy of creation stirring in their student.
Spirit and emotion are released into a painting and that means it is released from you when you create.
And now, here’s where we have had to suck it up and admit that we may not have gotten it when we started out but the fact is:
Music Lends Itself to Creativity!
That’s the reason the Mandala Sisters have tried to demonstrate throughout our posts the effect of music on your every day way of being. It can be calming, inspiring, but can also flush out those creative juices one has stirring.
We created our first Mandalas to Luciano Pavarotti’s recording of “Nessun Dorma”. We can still see ourselves painting when we hear that music! It’s like having that wonderful experience all over again!
She didn’t even like that type of music but here’s what happened!
One Mandala Sister had a “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” of sorts, the type that was inspired by the great Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. While painting together in class, one Mandala Sister looked over to see the other Mandala Sister frantically painting with the speed of light, sparks and creativity like she has never seen before. Take a listen to this:
This was the outcome from listening to Flatt and Scruggs!
Try it for yourself!
Here’s a little fact about life on Planet Earth:
NONE of us are created alike. We are all created to be different. Period.
Don’t Make Your Garbage Man Mad. Here’s What We Did!
Whether at the Louvre, the Tate, or the museums in the States, a classic way of teaching world-wide is to try to duplicate the Masters. We never come close to creating like the Masters but it helps to understand the artistic process. It’s endearing to observe groups of small children trying their hand at what the Masters excelled at. They get it too! But here’s how we’ve used one of those lessons…
You can’t just throw out excess paint these days. That’s big trouble in this time of environmental concern and that’s fine with us but what to do with the excess? Jackson Pollock to the rescue!
Artist Jackson Pollock was highly criticized in the Art World when he began this free-form style of creation.
In our view, he cornered the market on fun when he put the classic way of painting down and started throwing the paint instead! Thank you, Jackson Pollock, for showing the way.
Jackson Pollock
This is really, really fun!
This is ours. And here’s the closeup below!
How to do it?
Paint the background a base color to compliment ALL your excess colors.
If something doesn’t look like it fits, don’t use it. There’s no going back in this painting.
Add enough water to make it really soupy but not watery.
We threw paint with a spoon, flicked paint with the pointed end of a paint brush but our favorite tool was a thin crochet hook that we just dripped in a circular motion.
We added each individual color in a layer before going on to the next color.
Voila´! The painting was finished when we intuitively felt it was so.
But Mandala Sisters, we don’t have a place to do this type of painting!
Sure you do! The bathtub! Cover the inside of your bathtub with a few garbage bags taped to the inside and throw away when you’re finished. Any mess cleans up with water. It’s latex! You are using latex, aren’t you?
Yippee! It’s the Vernal Equinox on March 20th, otherwise known as Spring!
Mandala Sisters like to go through their musical libraries at this time of year and add new songs, revisit old songs and in some cases delete songs that just don’t seem to be a vibrational match anymore. It happens. It’s not that often but,- we have had a break up with a song before.
Our bodies know what they like if we just listen!
Try a little Spring cleaning on the media in your own world. Energy wise, if you’re flipping over that song repeatedly, it may be time to push delete or put it in another folder. Look at the art that surrounds you to decide if it still gives you pleasure. We’ve given directions to create new art!
One song that we still like is ” Mack the Knife”. Who doesn’t know that song? We read once that Simon Cowell declared it the best song ever written. But we’ll get back to that in a bit.
NEWS, NEWS, NEWS!
Mandala Sisters read alot and it seems the same people seem to be making the news headlines consistently. What is it that keep the same people front and center in our media? It happened again recently as this Superstar made the news once more!
Well, who are we talking about?
LEONARDO
Da Vinci, that is!
Here’s the latest buzz in the newsworld about Leonardo:
Art Historians believe they have found a Da Vinci mural hidden behind a fresco done by Vasari in Florence, Italy. This could be a thrilling find if it pans out! Research and time will tell and the preliminary findings look very strong. So what’s the fuss about? The fresco by Vasari had to be drilled into to have a little peek-see from behind. It is five centuries old and stands in it’s own rite as an important work. A historical tug of war is ensuing about this situation.
Did you know?
It’s said Leonardo favored wearing a rose colored wrap/coat?
Experts believe they have found his fingerprint on a frame and that his mother, an indentured slave, was of Middle Eastern decent?
While working on the “Mona Lisa“, his right arm was in a sling. Though Leonardo was a leftie, this physical limitation caused him to finish the “Mona Lisa” while sitting down. Some experts consider that painting to be unfinished.
Leonardo Da Vinci has been paparazzi- worthy since the 1500′s! Isn’t that absolutely amazing?
With Spring, comes the new fashion. So what will the Mandala Sisters be wearing or not wearing?
“The Shootie”, half shoe/half boot probably won’t be making it’s way into our closets. Not because we can’t appreciate it’s Art but for two personal reasons:
After neglecting to wear high heels daily, we are starting to look like the finalists at an “Appalachian Cloggers Convention” when doing so. Gotta keep those ankles trained for such a shoe!
These remind us of a famous shoe that scared the whooey out of us when we were girls! Yep, the famous shoes in the movie
“From Russia With Love”
And now, for a big bowl of tangled spaghetti..and to honor the author of “From Russia With Love”.
Author Ian Fleming
It’s been over 100 years since Ian Fleming was born. (Love that name!) Though Fleming is mainly known for his “James Bond” spy thrillers, there is a tender side to this author.
He wrote a book for his son called:
The idea was given from a dream had by Dana Broccoli, wife of Albert Broccoli, producer of the James Bond movies. The movie starred Dick Van Dyke, of ”Mary Poppins” fame.
Music: The Sherman Brothers, famous composers of “Mary Poppins” and so many Disney songs.
Author Roald Dahl, of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” otherwise known as “Willie Wonka” collaborated to bring “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” to the silver screen!
That’s alot of talent!
Back to the music…We adore this clip of Louis Armstrong singing “Mack the Knife”
We hope you click on the link and listen to another American Treasure. Pay close attention around minute 2:24 when he starts singing about the names. He pays extra attention to the name “Lotte Lenya”.
Now for the fun part:
“Mack, the Knife” originally titled, “Die Moritat Von Mackie Messer” from the “Threepenny Opera” (“Die Dreigroschenoper”) was written by composer Kurt Weill!
“Mack the Knife” was a song from an Opera!
It has been sung by so many artists over the years but it was Louis Armstrong that added “Lotte Lenya” making it the accepted jazz version that it is today.
So Mandala Sisters who is this Lotte Lenya?
Lotte Lenya was married to composer Kurt Weill and won a Tony for her performance as ” Jenny” in the ” Threepenny Opera”.
Kudos: It was the first time an actress won this category in an off-Broadway performance.
But Hold On! Lotte Lenya played “Rosa Klebb” in “From Russia With Love”
Rosa Klebb of shoe fame
Actress/singer Lotte Lenya noticed when people found out she played the part of evil “Rosa Klebb” in the James Bond film they always looked down at her feet.
The Mandala Sisters haven’t been remiss in posting. No…we’ve had a very good reason!
HER!
Welcome the newest Mandala painter in our Soul Group!
Mandala Sistersare ready to
“spring into action”.
Hey, have you visited your house of color today???
The Art of Writing A Book
This month children worldwide have been celebrating the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel , also known as Dr. Seuss. It seems everyone we know recognizes his characters, books, and sentence structure. The bold colors and the simple lines appeal to our senses. Let’s take a look at some of Dr. Seuss’s color style.
Turquoise Blue and Red prevail in Dr. Seuss’s works along with Black and White. So what do those colors mean, Mandala Sisters? WW
Turquoise heightens creativity and sensitivity while healing the emotions with balance and stability. Turquoise is the color of awareness. It’s great for children and great for adults learning to work with their intuition.
Red signifies energy and strength and is a powerful communicator and attention grabber. Everyone on the planet “knows” red just like they “know” a circle. Red has that unspoken quality that say, “I’m here so look at me!”
Of course, there are other bright and significant colors featured in his illustrations but not with the same frequency. Seuss obviously knew a great deal about getting a youngsters’ attention with color. Take a second and see how you feel when you first look at the covers of his books. Try to look with fresh eyes!
‘
“Was it the gin, the Dean, or the boat?”
“Dr. Seuss” had an interesting beginning into the creative world. Mandala Sisters like to research artists and why they do what they do. Did you know “Dr. Seuss” began because of a drink of gin!
During the Roaring ’20′s ,Dartmouth student, Theodor Seuss Geisel was caught drinking gin with some fellow classmates. Dean Craven Laycock reprimanded Theodor Geisel by kicking him off the school paper. Ya can’t keep a good artist down so Geisel began using his middle name as a pseudonym to secretly continue writing for the paper and shortly thereafter ”Dr. Seuss” came into being.
Dr. Seuss took a ocean liner to Europe and the rhythmic sound of the engines begat the meter for his first children’s book:
“And To Think I Saw It On Mulberry Street”.
All of us owe a lot to his efforts toward inviting us to read, explore poetry, art, and nonsensical characters. Dr. Seuss was professionally challenged to create a storybook to encourage children and thus ”The Cat in the Hat” came into being. (Could this be another “embed” story?)
Life offers each of us it’s twists and turns, but in Dr. Seuss’ case we have to ask, “was it the gin, the Dean, or the ocean liner” that we should all thank?
And the teacher of the energy lesson is:
Meryl Streep!
Mandala Sisters read energy all the time. Whether it’s from the human kingdom, animal kingdom, the inanimate kingdom, it’s all part of the World we live in. Everything around us is in continual communication.
Recently, we saw the replay of Meryl Streep accepting her Oscar and noticed the body language during her speech.
The energy lesson is this: Meryl Streep is making her Oscar acceptance speech. Our wonderful world-class actress “feels” the energy of those who don’t support her win.
This is the downside of being an empath–we feel everything and have the ability to pretty much know who our lovers are and who our haters are. Yet being empathic is the SECRET to her success! Meryl Streep if you are reading this, Mandala Sisters give you a nod for being SUCH a good actress that we can’t ever watch “Sophie’s Choice” again. Ever.
What does a high caliber actress do when she feels her haters? She takes her hand and “waves” away that energy! The “wave” changes and puts a stop on the incoming energy. All of us do the “wave” when we are overwhelmed or changing our belief about the severity of information coming to us. Ever seen a fussy toddler wave at energy? It works! Now you can purposefully use the wave when things get overwhelming. Wave it away! It’s another thing we’re hardwired for!
Hey, who ordered the chocolate Leprechaun?
We wish all of our readers a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Why’d You Choose That Tattoo?
Mandala Sisters ask another random person this question.
Answer: I got this tattoo to match the birthmark on my wife’s arm.
This same guy recommended this bottle of wine. Love the artwork. Maybe something like it for his next tattoo?
Wine: Dearly Beloved “Forever Red” California Wine
This is a meditational tool to choose color that is germane to YOU. All that’s required is your imagination, a pad of paper and pen. That’s it!
Here is the basic meditation we have developed for color selection. If you are creating a Mandala you will choose the following colors:
A background color
A color for your sacred center
A color for the first ring of petals
A color for each successive round of petals
You have two options for this meditation: choose all of your colors at once or use this tool for each ring of the Mandala as you paint. This is to serve YOU in the best way.
Now for the process:
Get comfortable and close your eyes so your brain will focus on your request and eliminate distractions.
1. Picture a house in your mind’s eye. It can be any type of house. You will know this house as your “House of Color” to be used over and over for your projects.
2. Walk to the front door of your house. Open the door. Inside your “House of Color” is a hallway. There will be as many doors in the hallway as for the areas to be painted. Each door is marked specifically for the area of the Mandala to be painted.
3. The first door on your left is labeled “Background”. Open the door. This room will be flooded with the color your sub-conscious has chosen for you. Jot it down on the near-by pad of paper.
4. Proceed to the next door labeled “Sacred Center”. You may also see an image inside this door. If so, make note of it as you may want to incorporate that into your painting.
If you like, you may continue attaining the remaining colors for your painting. However, if you want to stop and paint out the information you’ve received, do so. Re-enter your House when you are ready to paint the next ring. The necessary doors will be there waiting until you are ready to open them.
5. When you have finished walk out of the house. Close the front door. Your “House of Color” will be waiting for you when you need to make another selection.
This can be used for anything! Ask to be shown a color you are happiest wearing or what color relaxes your physical body. Go in your house, open the door, and retrieve the information for wonderful YOU!
Color Chosen Specifically for a Personal Mandala
Animals, Animals, Animals!
We grew up around all sorts of animals and respect their value on the Planet. It was so natural for everyone to know another families’ pet in the Village. Animals and humans alike knew each other’s rhythms. Pets were mostly limited to cats and dogs but other animals were there too!
Standby for a politically incorrect bit of information about life in the Village.
When neither dog nor cat would do, some people in the Village would buy a little monkey if they needed cheering or even a chimpanzee. It was perfectly normal to us that if things got a little rough a monkey was a perfect solution to banish those blues.
We know. We know. But it was a different time. Yes, yes, we know.
And We STILL Address Pets By Their First and Last Names!
Dogs seemed to be the leading contender for favorite pet in the village though every now and then we’d have a cat lover amongst us. Our neighbor girl was always good with a cat. She could dress her cats, wrap them in a blanket, and take them for a buggy ride as the cats sat in total allowance. Mandala Sisters were never that lucky with a cat.
The Village had it’s own animal policing. Our dog was a wonderful pet but it seemed he had a fondness for chicken. We still think he was the victim of a malicious rumor! Still, if a dog was walking beyond their home territory a phone call was made to their owner, the appropriate coordinates for the rescue were given and all balance was restored.
A typical conversation about a dog: ”What’s Tootsie Ebrey doing this far down the alley? We’d better call and let them know she’s out of the yard!”
Tootsie, being the dogs’ first name, followed by Ebrey, the family that owned her. It just rolled right off the tongue…dog’s first name, human’s last name. Mandala Sisters still have that practice to this day and if we don’t know their human’s last name a Mr or Miss will suffice until we have it. We taught that to our children too.
The eldest child of our joint group is an animal lover. Her interest rises with the unusual, the wounded, the beautiful, the infirm; she just loves ‘em. She and her brother named their first puppy after devoted dog lover, actress/singer Doris Day.
Doris Day (credit: Wikipedia)
This year has been full of news-making animals for eldest daughter to ponder e.g. the Blue Squirrel, the Painting Squirrel, the smallest lizard and so on. She once had her heart set on a Lavender Cat until she saw it’s ” Blue-blooded Price”. But whether blue, lavender, brown, whatever, animals are wonderful teachers and companions. Of course now we’re going to say: “let’s do an Animal Mandala!”
What to do for an Animal Mandala:
Photograph your pet. If your animal wears an accessory, like a scarf or bow consider that color to be worked in for your painting. The photograph will be placed in the center of your painting instead of choosing a color for your Sacred Center. It can be glued, or you can use Modge Podge™, the medium that “changes” lives. We love it!
If you or your family member would like to do your own rendition of your pet then paint your little darling in the center! Make a Mandala to memorialize your pet! It’s a nice keepsake. Do it for a friend!
You never know, someday your pet may paint a Mandala of you!
Why’d You Choose that Tattoo?
We found another willing participant for our tattoo query so the Mandala Sisters ask:
“Why’d You Choose that Tattoo?”
Answer: “I wanted a cross. I found this one on the internet and had it done. I wanted something I wouldn’t get sick of and want to change in the future.”
Mandala Sisters work with color DAILY. So do you! In fact, we both have a dear friend and constant companion that invites us to explore the world of color and it’s accompanying energy. That is our gentle teacher, ROY G. BIV. Have you ever met ROY?
Our “Seen” Rainbow
Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
Indigo
Violet
Roy is invited many times a day to participate in our lives!
Artists use the impact of color to convey the energy and meaning of their artwork. You know the importance of color in your home, or in choosing a car that expresses your self, or in dressing your body. We all use color as the quiet messenger in our lives. Hot Dog! Let’s get started and have you show us your color!
But Mandala Sisters how am I going to choose a color for painting my first Mandala? I’ve never done this before.
Rest assured” Dear One ” that we have so many tricks up our sleeves for teaching you how to select your colors, we’re getting ready to change into our kimonos!
Our "Seen" Rainbow. Seen? What do you mean? Seen?
Oh we were wondering if you saw that caption…yes, the “seen” rainbow.
Here’s the news: Until you develop more cones and rods in your eyes, you are only gonna see these colors or the variations of them in our “Earthly Spectrum”. Believe us, there’s more color out there…lot’s more than what we perceive.
We’ve told you previously that we are ” Energy Facilitators”. What does that mean?
It means this: We perceive information on a deeper level in our beautiful, divinely, designed world and convey it for those who don’t. Nothing is wasted or left dangling without meaning. We believe our world is beautifully and intricately coordinated and color is one of the first places that makes a statement and gives information.
Color Has :
Sound
Frequency
Meaning
A Bodily Location
It Has A Tone yeah, you don’t have to “See” it
Can Give Medical Diagnostic Information
And now for the simplest, least thought provoking method of choosing a Mandala color!
Sixty-Four Ways to Pick Your Color
The simple directions with no thought behind it–there is one string attached: no backsies–what you pick, you stick with. Do you remember how exciting it was to get your first pack of 64 crayolas™? Now you have the option for 96, 108 and even the ability to make your own custom color crayola crayon™ (more on this at a later date).
Take a package/box of 64 crayons and dump them in a large grocery bag. First you will be selecting a back ground color for your Mandala. Reach in and pick a color out. No peeking. Place it to the side.
Next choose a color for your sacred center and pick it out in the same way.
Continue on for as many rings as you are going to include in your Mandala. You could be adding rings until the cows come home.
You may include multiple colors within each ring as you progress. The main thing for this post is to establish the background color and the color for your sacred center.
Our next lesson will include a more meditational type of color selection.
Let’s take a little color break, shall we and talk about a body part ’cause you’ve got some spleenin’ to do!
We like old black and white movies. When you work with alot of color sometimes it is nice to go to the Other Side with only black and white.
Mandala Sisters noticed two frequent “spleen touchers” in the old movies–Jack Benny and Bob Hope! We love ‘em both and appreciate their time honored humor. Bob Hope touched his spleen openly, left hand on left side of stomach while Jack Benny frequently held his arm over his hand touching his spleen in a crossed-arm style.
So why Mandala Sisters…why do they touch their spleens?
The spleen is the energetic site in the body where new, fresh, energy comes into your subtle energy body which in turn feeds your physical body.
Need a little boost in your self esteem? Touch your spleen! If your energy is lagging, tap your spleen (left side of body in the squooshy part below the rib cage) and THANK your spleen for nourishing you and revitalizing you!
Mandala Sisters extend a Happy Valentine’s Day to all our readers! Please be seated as we serve you a piece of Lavender Rose Cake prepared especially for us by the bakers at “MADhouse Cakes”. www.madhousecakes.blogspot.com
The decadent Lavender Rose Cake from MADhouse Cakes
Let’s resume our talk about Paris! There are wonderful, artistic inspirations everywhere in this city.
If you go, please take a moment to relax at “Angelina” located at 226 Rue de Rivoli. End your visit at the Louvre, cross the street and enjoy a cup of chocolat chaud. This wonderful establishment, founded in 1903, is popular with locals and tourists alike. You’ll forget all about your sore feet after the first sip of the velvety, hot chocolate topped with thick, whipped creme. The accompanying serving of water is a welcome break to the intense sweetness. You’ll have some, we guarantee!
“Angelina” doesn’t want you to forget them for long so they sell a mix to be taken home as a souvenir. This might not be the exactsame thing as having a cup of their wonderful L’Africain chocolat while sitting in their Belle Epoque tea room but with a little dreaming it will do in a pinch!
Chocolat from Angelina
While you and Mandala Sisters enjoy the party let’s get back to why we ask you to consider creating your own works of art!
The sacred center that grounds the beginning of your painting is the energy essence of your soul. Surely you have realized just how special a circle is on Plant Earth! ( We will give instruction in the next post on how to choose the color that represents you !)
Who Paints a Mandala?
If you are the type of person to go into quiet reflection, a mandala is the visual reminder of your inner power.
For the person that creates from spontaneity their energetic signature is a mandala that becomes a power totem to visually remind them to have the courage to follow through!
See? It’s all good!
Now for a little trip down memory lane and our time to introduce:
Wabi-Sabi
Who's the Valentine behind the door?
We just wonder what has happened to this guy? We always saw such possiblity in him! We’re betting he’s “The Spontaneous Mandala Painter!
told nearly 25 years ago to the Mandala Sisters by a very wise teacher.
We have a great appreciation for the rose! It has a lot of meaning in our lives. Mandala Sisters were “rooted” in rose education early on (pun intended); from the rose hip vitamins our grandmother would give us, to our time showing roses at the local fairs. Roses were even the subject of a winning science project for one Mandala Sister!
The famous lyric, “I never promised you a rose garden” did not hold true in our family. We had one of the grandest rose gardens around. One morning our parents just decided to plant a formal rose garden. And boy did they! We lost count but there were hundreds of roses in the garden.
People would come from miles away, to see our beautiful roses grown and nurtured in the garden area. We grew accustomed to having people walk through our yard to get a glimpse of the fantastic horseshoe-shaped rose garden, complete with multiple gazing balls for your viewing pleasure. Both of our parents used their artistic talents in concert with the roses and other flowers we would grow to achieve very artful, award-winning rose arrangements.
The rose is synonymous with the word “Love”.
This is the time of year where people use the rose or other flowers to show their affection for another. We love that!
We can’t go much further without a little tidbit…(we promise we won’t embed you in this post but we will bring something up again.)
Dean Martin sang…”When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie. That’s Amore!”, but did you know that most traditional pizza places cut their pizza pie into eight slices? Yes, once again, the power of 8! We love 8.
If you look at the petals of a rose (or any flower for that matter), you begin to see what could be the start of a Mandala.
Roses, more roses...
It doesn’t make any difference if they’re real or silk. We just love ‘em!
Hey, how’s that painting going on the heart mandala? Just wondering.
Project time: You don’t have to paint a mandala. We use many different mediums to go into the Sacred Circle. Look what we just happen to have on hand:
A whole buncha kiddie stickers! Let's use 'em!
Just placing objects in a circular formation is calming and a way to get grounded and quiet. Now don’t get us wrong–you can have loads of fun while doing a mandala, it’s just a way to focus on your inner self. Look below, a circular formation without painting a brush stroke! Cut-out pictures or photos can make striking mandalas too!
A Mandala of a curious medium!
One of us used to have a boyfriend that would talk “baby talk” to her alot of the time! If we had him here right now he’d probably say, ” you paint in a little circle-y, good for brainy!” (Now you know why she “used” to have him as a boyfriend!”
