af Adam | dec 28, 2014 | Lise Meijer Web Shop, Prints, Sale, Uncategorized
Dear you.
Do you sometimes feel that you are too …. wild, quiet, impossible, crazy, forceful, stubborn, strong, passionate, expressive, chatty, opinionated, loud, weird? That you basically are a burden and TOO MUCH?
Well, then you are probably quite creative and chock-full of life that needs to be shared with the world! Here’s a salute to you and all the beauty you contain that deserves to have a place in the world – with all of you, just as you are, no less!!!
“You are a Blessing/ Du er en velsignelse” Acrylic and paper on canvas, 24 x 30 cm 1600 kr.
Text in painting above reads:
“You are a true blessing. With all your funny quirks and odd colors. You are NOT a burden! You are you ……
You are a life force, an honest party, a true story and a waterfall of inspiration and beaming smiles. You are a blessing, just as you are!”
AND, I just made the image above and the 3 below available as signed prints in my webshop, you can check them out here! AND, if you buy 3 prints I have made this discounted set just for you!!I Perhaps a new years gift to yourself or someone you think would be thrilled to receive a print with a soothing message!
“”House of Inspiration/ Inspirationens hus” Acrylic and paper on canvas, 24 x 30 cm 1600 kr.
“Blooming garden/Blomstrende have” 24x30cm/7,9 x 11,8 in – 1.600 kr./ 299 $
“Pouring Joy/ Rindende glæde” Acrylic and paper on canvas, 24 x 30 cm 1600 kr.
Love, Lise.
af Lise Meijer | jul 18, 2014 | Finding courage, Finding strength, From my life, Lise Meijer Web Shop, Prints
“Circus of Balance”, available as A4 poster right here in my shop
We never know beforehand. Not fully. We have to walk the path, often feeling partly blindfolded or dimmed in our vision. Like driving through the night, only able to see as far as the frontlights are able to light up the darkness. And still we somehow get there. That is, if we “get up, get in the car and drive”. Sitting at home wondering how to drive in the dark won´t do it.
When I created this image it was for an international competition. I felt way out of my comfort zone and actually scared, but I dove in and really gave it my very best. I even went to have the painting scanned professionally and payed a graphic designer to create the file in the right dimensions. I often refrain from any kind of competition because I am afraid that I won´t be able to handle if I loose!
Well, I didn´t win and I was not selected as one of the top 50 either. There were more than 2000 entries from all over the world, but still I could feel my heart drop: “how will I ever get there” “There” meaning learning how to get into a market I don´t know much about, learning how to make a business from my passion, learning how to earn money from what I create so that I can keep creating.
I am still learning, and often frightened too. However, this image went on to become the all times bestseller amongst my creations so far. Whenever a shop places an order, they will give a number of their wanted cards and images in different sizes, and very often they add: and could you give us 10 extra of this image in all your sizes please, it is selling so fast!
What I am saying is: I could not see, it felt utterly uncomfortable, I still gave it my best – then I felt like a looser, and my heart dropped. But found my way forward with what was important: to keep driving/creating from my passion. And then this image found it´s very own way of being of use and joy in this world, slowly but steadily finding it´s own place and usage.
I am very thankful for that experience, the whole of it!
af Lise Meijer | apr 1, 2014 | Finding courage, Finding strength, From my life, Lise Meijer Web Shop, Prints, Sale, Uncategorized
Image: “Pot of Inspiration” ON SALE right now. 20 % off everything in my webshop until coming sunday!!!
I write my morningpages most days. Some days it helps me be with the parts of me I would otherwise push under the carpet because it didn´t at first seem tempting to examine the feeling of fear, restlessness or sadness. Truth: they always hold a hidden gem, and morningpages is one way to uncover that. Other days it gives me a place and time to jump verbally with joy or count my blessings. In both cases, it´s like quietly stirring my inner pot of inspiration. It really is. I can almost feel the bubbles rising.
In my experience, Inspiration comes to visit when we make ourselves attractive to it. And, to Inspiration, attractive does not mean a perfect or always happy person. I find that what Inspiration seems to find most attractive is something I will call “Movement toward Joy”. When we dare to move – even with the smallest of steps – in the direction of our passion and joy and does so again and again, that´s when Inspiration decides to jump our train.
(Me, writing morningpages – yes, lefthanded!)
And “plop”, you have an idea that seemed to come from out of the blue. Or you suddenly SEE the solution of a certain problem. Or perhaps you just know that you have to begin taking that dancing class, for no seemingly logical reason. And when you do, even more inspiration begins to flow, which leads you in the direction of a more passionate and fulfilling life.
For me, writing morning pages (more about morningpages HERE) is the greatest help for inviting Inspiration as a daily companion. It keeps my inner pot brewing keeping up the temperature of my life passion without making me burn out. I highly recommend this tool, created and introduced by the blessed creativity coach, Julia Cameron.
I don´t think of it as luxury to live a life nourished by Inspiration. I think of it as a respectful and most fitting way of administering this marvelous life we have been given. May Inspiration quietly and steadily be bubbling in our lives every day. Perhaps hidden under the surface and not very feelable to ourselves on testing days. But all the time nourished by our quiet steadily Movement toward Joy!
“Dancing with Joy”, also part of the 20 % SALE this week!
af Lise Meijer | feb 18, 2014 | From my life, Prints, small joys, Uncategorized
(“Time for details” signed posters available HERE)
The last weeks I found myself absorbed in details. Sometimes the big picture doesn´t seem clear, or perhaps right now is not time to try to understand the full scope of why I am here, what I am doing or where I am going. That´s how I feel at the moment. Instead I found myself utterly enjoying all kinds of details. I also discovered something, a discovery that came from taking up a new practice, I call it: “Daily Deliberate Gratitude”.
(Celeste, me, Vincent and Rune on a forrest walk, aaaah!)
I heard many people speak warmly of practicing gratitude (I am sure you have too) but this is the first time in my life I took it up as a daily thing. Since the beginning of this year I have been doing my Daily Deliberate Gratitude, calling over 3 things I am grateful for every evening before going to sleep. Let me just join the chorus: it works wonders in so many fine ways!!!
(Freja, one of our 2 dear cats; they add a lot of well being to the whole family, and they seem happy with us too!)
So here is what I discovered: I saw how Details and Gratitude interconnect. 9 out of 10 times it was the details that caught my Gratitude-attention, rather than the big things. Small things like a tender hug from my son, the quiet time spent with one of our cats, the forgiveness in my husbands voice after a misunderstanding. The moment of letting myself shower in the returning sun and light. A helping hand at the right moment; being allowed to also be there at the right moment for someone else. The beauty of candles reflected on the shelf, creating a new picture on its own. A well brewed coffee.
(The kindest and very professional helping hands from Celeste)
I would recall 3 of those things every evening and what I discovered was this: By noticing and giving thanks for the small things I began sometimes waking up feeling grateful for EVERYTHING. A spontaneous grateful feeling throughout my body. I didn´t even notice that I did NOT feel this very often before, but I certainly noticed the difference. What a blessing to wake up feeling grateful!
(Detail from our kitchen, just love this towel rack from a local market)
(This little setup with a painting and 2 of my favorite candle holders puts a smile on my face; they somehow just fit!)
In sincere gratitude for all the details in life.
Xx Lise.
PS: If you love postcards with details (including the “Time for details” postcard), check out this pack below of 8 cards – totally cute if you frame them, or to give away for small joys!
Pack of 8 cards available HERE, worldwide shipping with care and joy!
af Lise Meijer | dec 10, 2013 | Finding strength, Paintings, Prints, Soul speed, Uncategorized
Perhaps you too need small daily reminders during this season leading up to winter solstice and Christmas. Reminders to your soul and heart that they are important players and allowed to be in charge. And that this season offers rich opportunity to connect to something deep & profound. Like LOVE. Like COMPASSION. And like FORGIVENESS. I have been pondering a lot about forgiveness lately and the enormous power that releases when we learn to forgive, instantly, rather than hold on to stress and hurt. Forgive ourselves and others. Simply and quietly letting it go…..now.
Here are two reminders I keep close to heart:
“Quiet now” Original sold, signed prints available HERE.
Text in the painting reads:
“Quiet now. Allow the pieces of life to settle in their own way and time.
Even a shaken world can be transformed to a wonderful mosaic – with time”
(Lise Meijer)
And from one of my all times favorite books:
“Today, why not ask for the creative and physical energy you’ll need, not just to survive The holiday season, but to enjoy it”.
Sarah Ban Breathnach.
Oh yes, beautiful advise. Thank you Sarah.
Wishing us all courage to pause long enough to feel our true priorities.
af Lise Meijer | dec 6, 2013 | From my life, Paintings, Prints, Soul speed, Uncategorized
“Joy under the tree”. New painting. Available for purchase HERE, as the very first of a series of small and affordable paintings on Etsy, yay!
Strange how we humans create traditions and then keep them up long after no one can remember or manifest their true meaning. Strange how just a little awareness can shift that.
One day a most wonderful Christmas tree presented itself to me. A tree standing alone in a winter landscape. And yet not alone. It was part of a beautiful world of life, not visible to the eye unless you were able to see through the cold winter earth beneath its roots. There were presents under the tree! But a very special kind. The kind that makes you still with wonder and joy. They were pure life energy and juices from trees and plants withdrawn into the ground to be stored and renewed during the cold season. And they were wrapped in a deep understanding of the cycle of life and death.
I saw a world of promise and new life. Forces making ready for the year to come. And I noticed how the tree was settled, knowing that what the eyes can´t see is still there, as pure joy under the surface. That this is another kind of spring, felt by those who are able to be so still that they can hear what goes on under the surface.
Detail from York Minster
This December I will try once again. To do what I can and leave the rest. And not be driven by traditions. But rather use them as an opener and guide to what may be a hidden truth. Remembering that true presents has joy and connection and don´t come with a demand. I know it´s not easy in this world. But I firmly believe we can create our own new traditions, little by little. Traditions connected to something true. Something real. Even if it´s something we can´t see it with the eyes.
Here´s to lots of true joy under the trees this year!!!
Xx Lise.
PS: part of my sanity in times like this comes from the small (or sometimes big, yay!) moments of reconnecting with myself through writing morning pages. Lifesaving. Really.
