poor little delilah, it turns out she has been camping out on my art blanket the past few days because she sprained her paw. oh she is breaking my heart with her sad sweet cries. (but she is such a trooper!)

photos i took while walking around the hood with ellie this morning.

we probably need to switch up our walking route, because i keep finding things that i want to wear. i am trying to save money, and things like this don’t help.

like these boots. and that whole outfit on the left. i wonder if i could get away with a scarf wrapped around my forehead like that?

before.

after.

thats all. see ya!

went to the famers market this morning, and saw these little dudes. it makes me kinda sad, though. i don’t think anything with wings should ever be put in a cage.

how cute are these? this is what my future baby will wear. the artist, kelley, was so cute too. you can order her stuff here, and she has an etsy shop too.

this makes me want to learn to sew.

e street cafe. otherwise known as the place i met justin.

walking home….

the courtyard where i live.

some paintings i did.

dinner at dusk.

goodnight…

my day in photos, day 1. it starts off with delilah. she loves loves my art blanket for some reason. which kinda sucks because now i have nothing to throw down when the sweetlings come over to play. maybe it is all the creativity that happened on that blanket?

me walking ellie. oh how i love ellie. ellie can do no wrong.

actually, it was more like ellie walking me. i know i am supposed to control her, and make her go at my pace..but that is not my strong point as a dog walker. it was more like me hauling ass after her for 30 minutes, with a camera no less.

meditation gardens. whenever i go down the 101, i always admire these pretty flowers.

one last look at the sea before we head home.

ellie very happy in her special spot. love the vintage suitcase she is sitting next to.

a mermaid party i did today. can’t take credit for the cool sandcastle cake, though.

birthday party art packs, filled with art journaling supplies.

one slightly shy birthday girl.

one very cute boyfriend walking me to an italian dinner.

one full, happy mermaid.

the end. see you tomorrow!

i have been somewhat overwhelmed in mermaidland, hence the lack of posts lately. but i so appreciate all the generous comments you all left regarding my little slideshow. i also want to thank especially all the kind-hearted folks who have sent AMAZING (oh my god) art packages for the shakti project. i am still in the process of writing thank you notes, so if you have not received one from me yet, you will.

thank you, thank you.

in other news-ah, i don’t know where to start. hows that? lets take pictures instead. you want to join me? my poor little camera has been neglected lately, and i have been feeling painfully disconnected. i need an easy project. starting tomorrow, i will take pictures of my days for 1 week to share with you. i will make a commitment each day to find something beautiful and good to connect to. please join in if this inspires you. i would love it.

sometimes there are no words.

and thats okay.

lets play anyway.

i made a little movie.

song:out of our heads by the amazing sheryl crow.

for all the little and big girls that make my life magical….this is for you.

love, the mermaid xx

i leave a message
and realize how tired i sound.
drained.
forced.
i am not even fooling myself.

it is a strange ride to find
your dreams upon you,
manifesting into a soft sweetness,
the realest part of you
out in the open
for everyone to see.

but nobody talks as much
about the grit
and the dirt and the fog
that surface with the dream.
the darkness that invites you back in,
because surely you do not deserve such
greatness.

he pulls me out again and again.
he wipes off the mud
and gently listens as the well opens,
salty ocean tears spilling out
all over the magenta covered couch.

i did not expect the lonliness of this path.
i did not think i would stop relating to people
in the same way i had before.

but back then i was covered
in heavy layers,
shoes that were pretty but uncomfortable
and hair long enough to cover my face.

now it is tshirts
paint splattered hands
bare feet
and hair that is short and unruly.

i thought i could change
while everything else stayed the same.
i thought things and people
would someone magically change with me-
but that does not make any sense,
now that i see things more clearly.

he holds the ugliest parts of me
and tells me that now may be the time
to lead alone.
that others will come,
but now is the time to do what i am doing
and trust that i am doing it right.

i write this with great hesitation
not really sure to share this part of myself.
but maybe others feel this way too.

maybe others are finding there is a
certain ache on the way to the dream…

and maybe it does not make it any less beautiful
but stronger…
because you walk anyway.

the above photo is from my art journal-i love fish! (no surprise there….and part of my name means fish, so you see i really am a mermaid)

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alright lets talk art camp. i am so glad there are those interested in doing this too! yay! i am going to give you a simple first assignment and discuss a few more things…

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if you already have your own art journal, bring it to show the kids. (or kid) there is nothing more inspiring than someone showing you their own work. it is okay if you don’t have one yet, and the first class would be a great way for both of you to bond and do one together. that is how i started-i had a friend come over with her two girls, and we all started one at the same time. kids LOVE it when you do art with them.  it is also helpful to have some art journaling type books on hand. (or any collage book that is inspiring) i like anything by sabrina ward harrison, this new book i got is great, and i also show them swirly’s new book. if you have a computer at hand, suzi blu videos are always uplifting and inspiring!

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it also helps to tell them why you are starting an art journal (or wanting to) what is your story? mine starts with a stuffy 7th grade art teacher with a big blond buffant who used a piece of artwork i did as an “example of what not to do.” i was totally traumatized by it, and did not do art again until my early 20s. now art is my life, and i don’t believe that shaming a child with art has ANYTHING to do with creativity-in fact, creating is the exact opposite. creating is love. art is love. and mean art teachers suck! (okay i leave out that last part but its true)

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kids like to hear your stories, it brings an element of realness to you.

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now i realize not everyone is comfortable with this, and that is okay. these posts should be used as guidelines and inspiration. no one needs to teach art according to the world of mccabe. use whatever speaks to you, personally.

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the kids love to decorate the outside of the journal, which is an easy way to start. i get the tan colored moleskin journals, which are nice and smooth and plain. i am a obsessed with letters-i love love love em! i had the kids think of one word and then pick out their letters from my very large sticker collection. by choosing just one word, there is more thought involved, and they understand that this is a special word. (you can give examples-peace, love, friendship, joy) i tell them that they cannot pick the wrong word, because this is their journal, and they make all the decisions in it.

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speaking of which, i repeat the fact that it is their journal a LOT. most kids are not used to this much free rein with art projects (compared to what they do in school) and ask many questions-for example…
“can i overlap my pictures with the stickers?”

of course you can, it is your journal.

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this concept may take awhile, and some kids get it more quickly than others. another thing that i emphasize on a daily basis is these are fat, messy, fun books. you can’t mess up in them! they are not precious little pristine books-they are wild and complicated and layered and colorful-just like you. every time i would hear, “i messed up,” i would reply, “that is impossible! these are books that are fun and fat and messy.” messy becomes a positive word, as does fat. they love this.

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so they choose a word..(you don’t have to use stickers-you can use cut-outs, letter stamps, etc) and then they get to decorate. i always try to set the art products up in an appealing way…so the kids naturally are drawn to them. i found a bunch of vintage plastic bowls at a yard sale-all pretty colors that are fun to fill with beads and things. i also use those plastic kids lunch trays. they come in beautifully bright colors! you don’t have to set up this way…just trying to get you to think outside of the box. use what you have.

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i think it is important to not overload the kids with art products. i don’t like this for several reasons: first, they are not going to value or appreciate anything if there is an unlimited supply. quantity becomes more important than quality and they may focus on more! more! more! rather than their art journal. (i will get more into that in the online class) second, it can be just plain overwhelming. too many decisions can be hard, especially on the extra sensitive kiddos.

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i like to start with 2 or 3 products. example: oil pastels, decorative papers with glue, colored pencils. show them how to use each one before they use it-even the simple stuff. learning how to properly care for the supplies is an important part of the process. making art is a gift, and so is you teaching them. if they are being disrespectful with the products-it can be really frustrating. (for everyone) luckily, most kids LOVE to clean, love jobs, love responsibility.
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other things that are fun to put on journal covers-mermaid/fairy cut-outs (i take cards i have saved and copy them…they look great, and it is much less pricey then buying cut-outs) tissue paper, ribbon, shells, crayons, paints…you get the idea. i bring out the glitter and a few rhinestones as a special treat once they have finished.

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so this should keep you busy for your first art date. some of the more experienced folks probably will do most of this already-i just did not want to leave out the beginners. remember-these are merely guidelines…listen to your own voice of intuition more than anything else.
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and have fun!

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tomorrow (hopefully) i will be posting some new products in my etsy shop. i have a few new rocks sets and my first canvas to sell. (hint: it has fins.) see you then!

lots of good questions you all asked! here are a few to start…
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okay-so where in the heck did you find all those kids?

i have taught on and off since i moved to san diego 8 years ago, so i had a small mailing list. mainly though i had a super-mom-friend who hosted a camp for me a few years ago. i asked if she could host another one, and to send my flier to everyone she knew. (which turned out to be half of southern california) she picked the kids for her house, and i split the kids on the waiting list into different groups and went from there. word travels fast!
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what if you don’t have that kind of connection?

do you know one girl that would be interested in a camp like this? offer a class to her, and see if she wants to bring a friend. (if you are not comfortable asking for money upfront, offer a free intro class, then follow up with a second date if you think they are interested-chances are they will be!) you have to start somewhere, and i personally think the small groups are the best groups of all. the girls are going to like what they are doing and will tell their friends, as will their moms.

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what if you don’t have a cottage by the sea?
you don’t need a cottage by the sea to teach a mermaid class. my place is sooo tiny, you would laugh if you walked in and saw me making fairy jars with 6 girls. i threw down an old blanket and that was their “space” to work on. my point is work with what you have.

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also, i did not teach all my classes at the cottage. there were also moms who hosted camps in their homes. (it actually was not even my idea…they asked.) they emailed all their friends with my info and basically did the marketing aspect of it. in return, their kids got to go for free. it was a win win situation. as far as insurance goes, i had a disclaimer that all the parents filled out before their kids came to camp.
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not having to pay rent on a space is huge. for the moms who hosted, (i knew none of them previously) i invited them over to my home for an art date with their kids before summer started. that way they could get to know me (and vice-versa) and get an idea of what i do. plus, i was at ease because i was doing what i am most comfortable doing.

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how did you market yourself?
i did no formal advertising-7 camps full all from word of mouth. get a few moms to like you, and you could ask for no better marketing tool!

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why i know you can do this too…
here is the thing-camps are a big thing for kids in the summer, most of the kids i taught had already gone to several. i had so many moms (and kids) tell me it was the best camp their kids ever went to. this amazes me because they were attending camps that pulled out all the stops-sports camp, gymnastics camp, golf camp, surf camp-and on top of all that these camps included: waterslides, video games, movies, field trips, a circus probably…
i gave the kids a moleskin journal and some art supplies.
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but this is why i believe it worked-they started feeling really good about themselves in art. (even the perfectionists) it became so much more than painting or drawing. they learned about creativity and how important that is to a girl, how it can be used as a tool. they began calling themselves artists and would proudly display their “fat and messy!” books with huge smiles. they broke “art rules.” colored out of the lines. tore up pages in old books. they started to use the word inspire instead of “copy.” they became liberated. finally, they had a place where it was okay to mess up. they really thrived in the non-structure of an art journal. they were free!
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if you feel inspired to do this…if this sounds like something that would fill you to the brim with joy…think about why. did you feel limited as a child? do you wish you had a camp like this growing up? is there an empowered part of you that feels called onto share? are there little girl bits in you that need to heal? listen to that voice. this is what is going to make your camp work.
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there are more questions and i will try to answer as many as i can. in the meantime, here is my idea: i will continue to post ideas and inspiration here regarding teaching your own classes/workshops/camps. with the folks that want more input than i am blogging about, i will do an online class in january which could offer additional support, project ideas, how to deal with parents, organization, etc. (let me know if that is something you are interested in…)
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for now-here is my suggestion to anyone who wants to get rolling with this. homework assignment #1-find a student! just one. (or more, but you only need one to start) it could be your daughter and her friend, a friends child, your neighbor, anyone who you think would benefit from some art and love. have them bring a journal. you don’t even need to go out and get fancy art supplies yet if you don’t want to-you can totally work with what you have. once you have your first student, check back with me here and i will give you all a project to do. (or do our own!:))

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by beginning now, you are going to start attracting energy that will help you along. practice makes perfect-i think the biggest mistake folks sometimes make (myself included) is waiting until everthing is “perfect” or until you are ready. i say begin imperfectly right now! you can do this, i promise you that.

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now go find a little girl and lets do some art….

get ready to drool….

my friend stacie just launched her magical shop bella wish today! these beauties are all handcrafted with tremendous love and care. the one above is arriving for moi! i cannot wait…that thing is not going to leave my neck. (oh and she does custom orders so you can really have some fun!)

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i love that she uses inspirational words in her jewelry. i really do believe in the law of attraction-and think this would be such a special gift to yourself. (or a pal) the beauty of claiming a word for your own is so sacred. even if you are not “there” yet, you are attracting all kinds of good energy even when you are not thinking about it or “doing it right.” the word/necklace also falls very close to your heart chakra, and would be a powerful healing tool.
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when my dad passed away, i had a really hard time getting out of bed. one day when i was lurking around my favorite local shop-i spotted a painted bottle that said in pretty letters: “happiness takes action!” it was a silvery aqua color and had clusters of whimsical beads and treasures on it. i bought it with the intention of feeling happy again. i set it right next to my bed, so it was the first thing i saw each morning. it reminded me that i needed to bravely face the world in order to heal and find happiness again…and was the ideal companion in taking that first step. (which felt so huge at the time) things did get better, and when a close friend was having a hard time, i passed the bottle onto her, wishing her the same magic it brought me.

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this is SO much more than a beautiful necklace…it is straight from stacy’s heart. anyone who orders or receives one of her pieces is truly blessed and lucky. i am so proud of you stacy!!!!

you know those random, small moments in your life that feel magical out of no where? like you stop and feel how truly blessed you are for a minute? i had a moment like that today.

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so my week off turned into an etsy making week. i think i really missed posting there this summer! i have to admit, whenever i get an order i do a little dance. and it is not a cool dance. its just so exciting to have someone buy something you made!

i have two new things i think you will like:

i got a few requests for you are enough rocks…you can get them here.

you also get a love rock with the package…

do you know someone who needs one of these?

i also created the alex mini journal. (after my friend alex who covets all things mini!) i thought these would be perfect for the beginner art journaler (but you don’t have to be a beginner) who is a little intimatidated to start. the pages are small and the materials are fun. you don’t have to go the art store and spend a lot of money, instead you can try some of my favorite materials and get to know what your inner child likes to play with.

by the way…i had a few interruptions while taking that photo…

speaking of inspiring things….have you all ordered swirly’s book yet? you can order them here..but i got mine on her etsy shop. you get a print with it! receiving this package was so much fun! it is all sparkles-and-magical, it feels like she is gifting you with a personal gift. (so much better than going to barnes and noble and standing in that line) not only is it a beautifully illustrated book that will make you want to stop and do art in the middle of it…it is also one of those books where you say YES! and ME TOO! the whole way through. even delilah is inspired by it, and you know how picky she can be.

have a great weekend peeps! i am really in the mood to eat some buttery popcorn with a cherry coke…anyone see any good movies lately?