As a writer I find it embarrassing that I was never an avid reader as a kid. I was much more interested in going outside. It didn’t really matter what I was doing, as long as it was outside. Mostly, I wandered. I looked at things, smelled flowers, tried to talk to the birds, and when I felt really brave, I would lift up a rock and see what I might find hiding underneath. I didn’t really become a recreational reader until I graduated from college.
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Started my day today watching an episode of Bob Ross and following some of his advice as I created my own version of “Happy Little Trees.” What an inspiration he was. Such a lovely person. He always says, “don’t copy me, make it your own. Make the place you want to go to.” I feel like I’ve been there all day, even while I’m roaming around in my urban desert home. I’m still there among those happy little trees. Magic. Thank you, Bob!
May your day be filled with happy trees of any size.
Bonnie Kelso writes and illustrates books that celebrate diversity, creativity, and all the special qualities that make each of us unique.
Vitalize Your Creative Life is a workbook based on a series of classes I designed based on creating from the energetic space of your inner child. In this workbook, I encourage you to rediscover the creative kid inside of you by coloring, scribbling, and even drawing stick figures. This is a very approachable book for people who want to begin exploring their creative life in a playfully spiritual way. Read more…
Enjoy!
x,
Bonnie Kelso writes and illustrates children’s books that celebrate diversity, creativity, and all the special qualities that make each of us unique. Her book EVER OPEN is now available on Amazon in print and for kindle.
Deep in the heart of the Everglades, 26 tiny eggs are beginning to hatch in a giant nest under a tall cypress tree. The fourth alligator to see the light of day is about to embark on a classic hero’s journey. Join Baby D as he explores his world through the innocence and wonder of a natural dreamer. Discover what makes him special while pondering what it might be that makes you special, too.
How do you record all of the ideas and insights that come to you every day? Dean and I have been using these customizable Playbooks for the last few years. I’ve made a few adjustments over the years and now I am ready to let you give it a try as well. This tool is in the testing stage so I am very open to receiving feedback on how you use it, what you like about it and how you think it could be improved.
I understand that they may not be ideal for everyone, nor are they meant to be used by everyone. They work well for me and Dean, but we have extremely busy minds that love to document growth as it comes to us in all sorts of symbols, dreams and messages from all the mysterious realms of life.
If you are looking for a new creative planner to try this next year to keep your thoughts organized and track your daily evolution, I hope you will give this Playbook a try. It has been an amazing benefit to my own spiritual and professional development as a creative person over the past few years. I love starting each day with a cup of coffee and My Playbook.
I look forward to hearing what your experience of it is. It’s currently available through Amazon so you can order a copy to use for this coming 2019 annual cycle.
Here’s a short video showing you mine and how I use it. I’ve upgraded the cover and fixed a few typos, but for the most part the interior is exactly as shown. It’s 8.5 x 11″ so you can write and draw BIG! 🙂
May all your creative ideas be recorded and treasured!
With love,
Bonnie Kelso writes and illustrates children’s books that celebrate diversity, creativity, and all the special qualities that make each of us unique. Her book EVER OPEN is now available on Amazon in print and for kindle.
Deep in the heart of the Everglades, 26 tiny eggs are beginning to hatch in a giant nest under a tall cypress tree. The fourth alligator to see the light of day is about to embark on a classic hero’s journey. Join Baby D as he explores his world through the innocence and wonder of a natural dreamer. Discover what makes him special while pondering what it might be that makes you special, too.
Dreams are so weird. Well, mine are to me. If I told you about them you would probably find them really boring, so I will spare you that. I did have one last night where it was a dream inside a dream. Those are rare. In my dream I was telling two people about what we were doing in a dream, and yes, their eyes were glazing over as I spoke… in my dream!
Although most dreams are strange and hardly seem worth remembering when the alarm goes off in the morning, some dreams seem to demand our attention. Those dreams feel more lucid and not like a dream at all. There’s something different about the light, the feel, the sounds and the overall intensity of them. Have you had one of these lately? Do you know what I’m talking about?
Mine was simple and non-threatening. It was a red crayon. It was just lying there waiting for me to pick it up. I remember exactly what it looked like. It was one of those big chunky crayons, made for little hands. It was new and perfect in shape and form. The tip was an unpressed cone of wax, still shiny from the processing plant. The paper sleeve on the crayon was free of wear and tear. I could tell it had not been handled much, if at all. It was as if this crayon had been perfectly preserved from childhood. My childhood. It was being saved for now. Saved for me to take and use in my 48th year of life. Perhaps in the past I have used other colors. Maybe those have already been worn down past the paper wrapper, but not the red. I’ve never used the red. Why? Is it too bold? Is it too everything I have never felt qualified to do until now? Continue reading
I made a wish last night under the New Moon. It was a wish for help in manifesting my next children’s book. This one I wish to be even better than the last. That’s how I push myself, that’s how I grow and get better at this creative life thing. I’m not doing it alone this time. I’m reaching out for help. It feels good to ask for help, not something that has ever come naturally to me. It’s humbling and awesome and I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.
May you whole heartedly engage in the reverent ritual of creative manifestation.
Love,
Bonnie Kelso writes and illustrates children’s books that celebrate diversity, creativity, and all the special qualities that make each of us unique. Her book EVER OPEN is now available on Amazon in print and for kindle.
Deep in the heart of the Everglades, 26 tiny eggs are beginning to hatch in a giant nest under a tall cypress tree. The fourth alligator to see the light of day is about to embark on a classic hero’s journey. Join Baby D as he explores his world through the innocence and wonder of a natural dreamer. Discover what makes him special while pondering what it might be that makes you special, too.
I was just wondering what to put in the frame when my cat returned proudly from the hunt.
Sending love to you and all the fearless warriors out there,
Bonnie Kelso writes and illustrates children’s books that celebrate diversity, creativity, and all the special qualities that make each of us unique. Her book EVER OPEN is now available on Amazon in print and for kindle.
Deep in the heart of the Everglades, 26 tiny eggs are beginning to hatch in a giant nest under a tall cypress tree. The fourth alligator to see the light of day is about to embark on a classic hero’s journey. Join Baby D as he explores his world through the innocence and wonder of a natural dreamer. Discover what makes him special while pondering what it might be that makes you special, too.
Dean and I were hiking up at Mount Charleston last weekend. The quaking aspens were in peak color. What an inspiring feeling to be surrounded by the color yellow. I feel empowered in the solar plexus and ready to take on the world again! Enjoy!
May your day be touched somehow by the color yellow.
Love,
Bonnie Kelso writes and illustrates children’s books that celebrate diversity, creativity, and all the special qualities that make each of us unique. Her book EVER OPEN is now available on Amazon in print and for kindle.
Deep in the heart of the Everglades, 26 tiny eggs are beginning to hatch in a giant nest under a tall cypress tree. The fourth alligator to see the light of day is about to embark on a classic hero’s journey. Join Baby D as he explores his world through the innocence and wonder of a natural dreamer. Discover what makes him special while pondering what it might be that makes you special, too.
I’ve never enjoyed creating self-portraits. But, for some reason I just created one, and really enjoyed doing it! I was suddenly inspired by a weird painting I saw in the background of an episode of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. It was a framed painting of a woman standing next to her cat. In the episode a woman from the 50s is being scolded by her parents for allowing her marriage to end. I was only half watching, because I was really drawn to the painting hanging on the wall of the woman’s bedroom. Even now, I’m not sure what it symbolized.
I guess there’s the stereotype of the lonely woman with no husband and only a cat for a companion. It could have just been there as some sort of subliminal symbol. I wonder how much this has really changed over the years.
Anyway, for some reason I really felt compelled to re-create the image I had seen ever so briefly. I especially liked in the image I saw how the woman was shoulder to shoulder with her cat, like they were totally in this thing together. I drew my current cat, Freeda. She definitely has the strongest personality of any cat I’ve ever been familiar with. Some of you may not know this, but she even has her own blog. Even though I only have one cat, I still proudly consider myself a cat lady.
Soooooo, Happy Caturday!
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Love,
Bonnie Kelso writes and illustrates children’s books that celebrate diversity, creativity, and all the special qualities that make each of us unique. Her book EVER OPEN is now available on Amazon in print and for kindle.
Deep in the heart of the Everglades, 26 tiny eggs are beginning to hatch in a giant nest under a tall cypress tree. The fourth alligator to see the light of day is about to embark on a classic hero’s journey. Join Baby D as he explores his world through the innocence and wonder of a natural dreamer. Discover what makes him special while pondering what it might be that makes you special, too.
Bonnie Kelso 