SAY CHEESE - FEBRUARY!

THE RESCUER - 146/365

the strength to fly

comes from

the struggle to get off of the ground

to impede the struggle

is to clip the wings

and disable the bird

Question:

Whose wings are you clipping?

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (peeled paint)

THE SAD-SACK 145/365

to feel powerless

is to have the need

to change another

Question:

What does "acceptance" mean to you?

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (peeled paint)

THE KNOW-IT-ALL - 144/365

to assume to know the answer

is to follow a path that leads to nowhere

Question:

What are your assumptions?

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (peeled paint)

Herbs: Dill

THE CANTANKEROUS FOOL - 143/365

stored disappointment

is fuel for

unhappiness

Question:

What can you let go of?

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (aged mahogany)

THE BARGAINER - 142/365

to gain at the expense of someone else

is to loose far more than something is worth

Question:

At what price are you willing to "win?"

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (peeled paint)

THE ONLOOKER - 141/365

it takes confidence to step in

as others look on

Question:

What prompts you to get involved?

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (aged mahogany)

THE PINER - 140/365

regrets are created by

missing the experience of

"what is"

by longing for

"what was"

Question:

What are you longing for?

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (aged mahogany)

THE SAGE - 139/365

wisdom

comes from

the honest reflection

of a failed experience

Question:

How do you respond to mistakes?

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (aged mahogany)

THE HOME-RANGER - 138/365

the most important thing to protect

is my own integrity

Question:

What is the state of yours?

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (weathered wood)

Dried herbs (chervil leaves)

THE REPEATER -137/365

repeated thoughts create new truths

Question:

What new truths are you manifesting?

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (aged mahogany)

THE REFUSAL TO "BLEND-N" GUY - 136/365

it takes courage to celebrate

what some believe should remain hidden

Question:

When do you feel compelled to "blend-n?"

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (aged mahogany)

THE CHANGE-ARTIST - 135/365

it takes

courage

to break what is not broken

heart

to pick up the pieces

&

love

to create something new

Question:

What do you wish to change?

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (weathered wood)

THE OPINION COLLECTOR - 134/365

opinions matter most

to those to whom they belong

Question:

How do you value other opinions?

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (black soot)

THE WISE-looking-ONE - 133/365

wisdom has not a face

but a voice

that comes from within

How do you describe wisdom?

Clay Ingredients

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (black soot)

THE (not so) LONELY HEART - 132/365

TO BE ALONE

IS TO WAIT FOR LOVE TO COME

don't wait another minute

GIVE

AND GIVE GENEROUSLY

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

THE CHANCE-TAKER - 131/365

"I'm going right up to that ledge - maybe even inch my toes over it. If I don't take a chance, how will I know I'm alive?"

My Reflection:

To feel the uncertainty, to experience the disappointment, to suffer the loss and to try again is the only way to expand possibilities and diminish the illusion of fear.

Question:

When are you willing to take a chance?

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (old paper)

THE WISHFUL-THINKER - 130/365

"That flower is NOT dead. Yes, it's wilted, it's brown, the stem is soft and the petals are falling off but it's NOT dead."

My Reflection:

Belief depends not on the evidence I see but the evidence I choose to accept.

Question:

What do you want to believe?

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (weathered wood)

Herb - Chervil leaves

THE ACCOMPLISHER - 129/365

"I'll be able to breath when all of this gets done. What do you mean I'm turning blue?"

My Reflection:

I suppose that when I'm done doing things I'll be dead or when I'm dead there will be nothing left to do.

At the same time, I'm learning that joy doesn't come from completion but rather from finding something worthwhile to accomplish and then enjoying the creative process of accomplishing it.

Question:

What does "accomplishment" mean to you?

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (old paper)

Herb - Sage

THE CONTEMPLATOR - 128/365

"There are always sides to ponder, evidence to see, opinions to consider before I make up my mind. Of course once my mind is made up, then I must begin again because by that time things have changed."

My Reflection:

If I spend too much time sifting through old evidence, I may miss the opportunity to be present for the truth.

Question:

What do you tend to over-think?

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (black soot)

Herbs - Chervil leaves

THE FIXER - 127/365

"I like putting things back together especially people. People are my specialty. If you're falling apart come to me - I'll put you back together again seamlessly. Of course I don't repair internal damage...that's up to you."

My Reflection:

I'm learning that sometimes what appears to be broken isn't and what needs to be fixed shouldn't.

Question:

What or who do you find yourself "fixing?"

Clay Ingredients:

Scupley Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (black soot)

Herbs - Dill

THE CHERRY PICKER - 126/365

"It's easy when you think about it...life is filled with a bunch of cherries just waiting to be picked - all I have to do is reach up and take one.

Of course they don't always taste so good which requires spitting that one out and taking another. If this happens too often I guess that's when life can become "the pits" instead of the bowl full of cherries."

My Reflection:

It's a curious thing when sometimes I feel like life is happening to me and other times I'm making life happen. I suppose that's the difference between feeling like I've got bowl full of cherries versus tripping over a bunch of pits.

Perhaps the pits are just part of eating the cherries and the sooner I accept that the more I'll enjoy one and not worry so much about the other.

Question:

How does your cherry tree grow?

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (black soot)

Dried Herbs (chervil leaves)

THE SCOREKEEPER - 125/365

"It's your turn...I called last time so I'm just going to wait to see how long it takes before you call me. I bet you don't call...I bet I'd never hear from you if I didn't call you. We'll just see."

My Reflection:

I'll admit there are times when I am more comfortable making an assumption than I am with direct communication. "Oh I don't need to ask that question..I already know the answer," I'll say to myself.

Perhaps what I'm failing to realize is that it isn't the "answer" that is most important - but rather the willingness to ask the question that becomes the mortar between the bricks of a strong relationship.

Question:

When do you assume you know the answer?

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (black soot)

THE DREAMER - 124/365

"I don't care how important it is - right now I want to concentrate on this wonderful image in my head. It's about the two of us...we're on a mountain top having a picnic. It's a beautiful day, we're happy, we're in love and we're discussing our fantastic life together.

What do you mean I'm living in a dream? Wait...what do you mean? Hey....come back"!

My Reflection:

I believe in the power of positive thinking, visualization and having a dream but I'm also aware that having a meaningful relationship requires much more than just some words or images I might have in my head. It requires my willingness to give whatever time and energy it will take to make that happen.

Question:

What does having a "meaningful" relationship mean to you?

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (vintage-photo)

THE GOODY-2-SHOES - 123/365

"Are YOU okay? I want to make sure YOU'RE okay...don't worry about me ...my happiness depends on YOU. If YOU'RE happy I'm happy.

If you are sad I hope it's my fault because if it's my fault then I can do something about it....please tell me it's MY fault?"

My Reflection:

I've tried often enough to know that taking responsibility for another person's happiness is a sure way to end up with two unhappy people. While I don't want to cause another person to be sad, happiness is never found at another's expense whether it be theirs OR mine.

I'm beginning to learn that "happiness" is fleeting when it depends on the actions of others. Perhaps true "happiness" is simply a sense of "well-being" that comes from knowing I have the ability to choose how I'll respond to whatever life's circumstances may be.

Question:

How do you find "happiness?"

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (vintage-photo)

THE BALL BUSTER - 122/365

"I'll take you on anytime...but I hope you know that you're no match for me. Even if your words ring true, I'm much more shallow than you are which allows your rhetoric to pass right through me without even a scratch."

My Reflection:

Like most people, when my honor feels threatened I enter the boxing ring ready to fight for my beliefs. I throw out a word or two failing to realize at the time that even if they land appropriately I can't possibly win the fight.

I've learned that it doesn't matter who's right, who's more sensitive, or who has the thickest skin...the only person who ends up reduced in size, is the one who thinks they've won.

Question:

What gets you into the ring?

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (vintage-photo)

THE WISE OLD FART - 121/365

"Listening to you gives me gas...I try to hold it back and not pass along my thoughts on the matter but all that ever does is give me a stomachache.

So, I've decided to let you have it...just let it go...get it out of my system. If you don't like it...well...you can always plug your nose, hold her breath or leave the room...take your pick."

My Reflection:

Sometimes I think my life experience entitles me to not only have an opinion but to share it as well. The problem is, an opinion that has not been asked for usually isn't valued - which leads me to think that in spite of all that experience - I too have much to learn.

So perhaps when I feel the urge to express my opinion, I'll remember that practicing my ability to "listen" may be more valuable than the "experience" I'm inclined to share.

Question:

How do you share your wisdom?

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress Powder (vintage-photo)