Courtney and the Vortex

Sedona, Arizona

This past Saturday me and my fellow adventurer, Michelle, (and her dog, Bella) went to Sedona for the day. The weather last week was really nice and I hadn't been on a day trip since March so we spontaneously decided to go for a hike. I've been visiting Sedona nearly every year since I was a little girl (we live only 2 hours away) but I'd never really done any hiking there. My family would always go camping in Oak Creek Canyon and just bird watch and play in the creek all day. But I'd heard a lot about Sedona's vortex areas and thought it was time we checked it out. To be honest, I only had a vague idea what a vortex was. I understood that they were areas of high energy that came directly from the Earth's surface but I didn't know much beyond that. The only vortexes I had experience with were the ones in the water temple in Ocarina of Time so I was kind of expecting them to look like a pit or something. Michelle didn't really know what to expect either so we thought we'd just surprise ourselves when we got there. I did some research beforehand on which was the best trail to hike for beginners and we decided on the Boynton Canyon Trail which is 6 miles roundtrip. Before we hit the trail, though, we made a quick detour to check out the Chapel of the Holy Cross which is a church that's built right into rock face. I'm not a religious person, but it was pretty cool and the view was fantastic. We took some cute selfifes with Bella and then continued on our way.



View from the Holy Chapel of the Cross

By the time we got to the trail it had warmed up a bit but not too bad. I think it was high 70s to low 80s and there was a nice breeze going. The hike started out in the valley but eventually turned into the forest. It was cool to watch the scenery change the further we walked. One of my favorite parts of the hike were these little lilac butterflies that would all gather on the trail and when you'd walk over them they'd burst all around your feet like confetti. I honestly felt like I was in a Studio Ghibli film it was so beautiful. About 30 minutes into the hike we passed a group of ladies that had all gathered around a rock wall and were touching it a lot. We wondered if that was the vortex area but weren't really sure so we kept walking. It's hard to describe but I felt so...content this entire hike. I just felt light, peaceful and happy (which is kind of a rare feeling for me). I just couldn't stop smiling and felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. I'd even started my lady time that very morning and was expecting to be in terrible pain the whole day but the pain never came.



Lil desert flower

The only thing missing from this hike was the creek. I just love the sight of rushing water and it would have been wonderful to stick our feet in the creek. Other than that, it was perfect and a large majority of the trail was shaded. We had brought a few snacks so halfway through we took a short snack break and so did the mosquitos, haha. The Boynton Canyon Trail ends with a magnificent few of the canyon but since the terrain did get a little steep at the end I had to climb to the top solo. It was pretty amazing and I felt it was well worth the trip. I sat there for about 5 minutes and just stared at the beauty. I think round trip it took us about 3.5 hours which isn't bad for a 6 mile hike (and with a pupster in tow).



My hiking buddy, Michelle

When we got back to the car we were pretty starved so we stopped at Whole Foods for a bite to eat. I got a roasted veggie sandwich (with chips AND a pickle) and a peach tea. After hiking our butts off all day our sandwiches tasted AMAZING. If I had the money I'd totally retire in Sedona. It's just such a neat place and everyone seems so happy and laid back.


View at the end of the Boynton Canyon Trail

Once I got home I told my dad about my experience hiking through the vortex and explained how oddly calm and content I felt throughout the hike and he said that that was the energy of the vortex affecting me. Apparently, the energy affects everyone a little differently and especially those who are really sensitive individuals (like myself). I thought that was really cool and I will definitely go hiking in Sedona again now that I know how good it makes me feel.

I recently got a fancy new camera and am just lovin's it!

In my next post I will write about this weekend's adventure (I know, I'm totally hogging all of the fun). Today I am leaving for San Francisco to visit my dear friend and fellow crafter, Miss Twinkie Chan. I haven't been to SF since I was 8 years old so I'm very excited to explore and hang out with my babe. Lots and lots of pictures to follow! And to all you papas out there, Happy Father's Day!

Mercury in Retrograde

President of the Sad Girls Club

Things have been...weird lately. I've had two moods for the past week--sad or mad and it's made being at work very difficult since the majority of my job is me being a smiling face to greet everyone and help them with their problems. But what about Courtney's problems, huh? What about that? Thank the gods I have a handful of really good friends that I've been able to talk to about my moodiness this week or I wouldn't know what to do. As I've gotten older (and wiser) I've gotten to the point where it's easier to identify who my true friends are. I may have my down days but I love myself enough now to know when I'm not being treated right. I was talking to my friend at work and she was telling me that I'm way too smart of a lady to allow anyone to make me feel like I'm not good enough or successful enough to be their friend. And although I know this in my heart it's good to hear it from someone else, ya know? Once I turned 30 something inside me just clicked and I was just done with people's bullshit. I can't stomach phony people anymore. I only want to have people in my life who are real and who I can really share things with. I don't have time for "fair weather" friends who are only there when things are good. Life is hard and you need to have people in your life who you can count on and who can rely on you. I heard a quote once that said, "A good friend will help you move. A true friend will help you move a body." Now that's a little extreme, but you get the idea.

In other news, last weekend Michelle and I went on our first "new bf 2k15" mission and it was kind of a bust. Hanging out at her house and talking before we went out was awesome but then we went to The Duce. Normally we go in a group of 4 or more people but this time it was just the two of us and it was a totally different vibe. First we just sat down and chatted because we weren't feeling the song that was playing. While we were sitting there two guys approached us and I just got really weird and uncomfortable. Maybe it would've been different if they'd been cute but idk, as soon as they approached us all I wanted was for them to go away. That's when I realized that maybe this isn't the best route for me to take. Having one of my best friends witnessing how awkward and shy I get around boys was the WORST because I'm a totally different person with my friends than I am around strangers (especially male strangers). Eventually a song we liked was playing so we danced for a bit but then they played a lousy song and everyone dispersed from the dance floor. I did a quick scan of the place and didn't fancy any of the boys so we decided to check out Crescent Ballroom instead. There wasn't a DJ or any shows going on so everyone was hanging out on the patio. I got a bottle of Coke like a major dweeb and we found a spot to hang out and chat. Again, I just felt uncomfortable and out of place. Bars just aren't my scene and I felt like I wasn't able to give Michelle my full attention because I was trying to patrol for cuties at the same time. Michelle is one of my favorite people in the whole world and I started to resent this bar for taking my attention away from her and our conversation. Anyway, I got home around 1am and in a pretty discouraged mood.

I try to be in tune with the Universe and be conscious when it's trying to communicate something to me and I felt very strongly that night that bars and clubs aren't the place I'm going to find my match in. But where the heck is he? I was talking to Melissa about this quandary and she said that this dude needs to put in some bloody work too, that it shouldn't be 100% my responsibility to find him. I'm a very special girl and I shouldn't have to work so hard to find a decent man. However, then I think to myself, "Maybe the reason I keep running into dead ends with men here is because I'm looking in the wrong place. Maybe there's a reason I've developed such a wanderlust lately. Perhaps I'm meant to meet my person during my travels." (I can be a hopeless romantic at times).

So anyway, the moral of this story is that I've discovered bars aren't the way to go but not to lose hope entirely. I think for next month's outing we'll try joining a Meetup group or something.

Before I close, I'd 'd like to list 3 things that have happened recently that have made me happy since this happens to be Mental Health Awareness Week:

1.) It's a small victory but I beat my buddies at Mario Kart three times in a row last night. It made me feel really good after having such a poop day.
2.) I bought myself some super cute sandals that look just like a pair I had when I was little.
3.) A senior at work told me on Tuesday that I was one of the kindest people she knows

Well, that's all for now. I hope you are enjoying your Thursday and in case you're not, hang in there! We've almost made it to the weekend :)

Livin' the Craft Life

Puppycat "Flawless" (SOLD)

Today has been one of those rare days where everything seems right with the world. I've gotten so much love for my artwork today and it's put me in a lovely mood. Since I was in a really lazy mood for the majority of October (not to mention being sick for a week and then going on vacation) I decided that November was going to be a super productive month for me and so far it has been. I've been working on new pieces day and night and am really pleased with my most recent work. As an artist, nothing makes us happier than knowing our hard work is appreciated so to everyone who has supported my business or simply said something nice about my art THANK YOU SO MUCH! It means the WORLD to me! I can be a bit insecure about my art and how it's received so when I go through dry spells it really wears down on me (yes, artists need constant validation). But this month has been awesome! I've gotten loads of new fans on Instagram and Tumblr and have had two people ask me if they can feature my work on their blogs! YAY!



Totoro "Brush Your Teeth" Hoop (SOLD)

I think another thing that is adding to the lift in my spirits lately is that I have some neat things to look forward to. First being my upcoming Thailand trip (it's only 2 1/2 months away now), then there's Friendsgiving coming up on the 29th (my friends and I are celebrating Thanksgiving together) and finally my trip to London next October to visit Melissa. As a person who suffers from melancholy, I've noticed that it helps me to get through difficult periods or times of sadness when I have some things to look forward to. I try not to live in the future (or the past) too much but it does give those bad days a boost when you're able to daydream about good times to come. I'm really excited about 2015 and think it's going to be a great year for me. If I'm lucky, maybe it'll be the year that someone special will enter my life (not going to hold my breath, though, haha!)



Jake Ice Cream Hoop

Oh, another thing that made me smile today was my internet friend, Jenny, including a pic of me in her Selfie Project 2014. Jenny is a doll (inside and out) and one of my favorite bloggers. She put a post out on Instagram asking people to send a selfie and a short caption saying something that they love about themselves. If you'd like to see mine and the other lovely ladies who participated in this project, please visit Jenny's website at:

www.shelovesdresses.com

It's just so nice to see so many gorgeous girls loving themselves. I'm all about self-love and positivity these days and encourage everyone to be kind and nurturing to themselves.

Okies, well, I'm going to get back to work but here's a few more of the hoops I've made lately. If you'd like a custom embroidery for yourself or a loved one this holiday season, please contact me on Etsy! www.iggystarpup.com



Stitch "Ohana"
 



Everything's Coming Up Milhouse!


 



 

"P" is for Positivity (and Pizza)

I've been pretty bummin' lately with all of the crazy things going on in the world (Gaza, Ferguson, the death of Robin Williams) so I thought I'd do a post centering around all of the positive things in my life. Sound like a good idea?

I thought so too.

So here's a short list of positive aspects of my life and things that make me happy:

*I'm healthy. I am so fortunate to have a healthy body and am so thankful that it takes care of me. A year ago I started exercising regularly after having an injury and it has really helped to strengthen my body and calm my mind. Taking care of your body is super important and you feel so much better physically and mentally when your body is well cared for.

*My family. Of course my family can drive me absolutely crazy at times but I really am lucky to have them (minus the demon brother). My parents are two of the kindest people I know and have been so good to me. They've supported me through every decision (good and bad) that I've been inclined to make and have shown me what it means to love someone unconditionally (even if they are a 30 year old spinster struggling artist babe).

*My best friend and soul mate, Melissa. This girl came into my life 7 years ago (thanks to Myspace) and over the years we've grown from internet buds, to pen pals, to best friends (forever). She is a delightful and beautiful human being and I'm so privileged to have her in my life. Even though we live an ocean apart I feel closer to her than anyone else I know. No matter how crummy I'm feeling she knows just what to say to cheer me up. I wish we lived in the same time zone but hey, you never know, someday we might!

*Dogs. Dogs have brought immeasurable joy into my life. Don't get me wrong, I love cats with all of my heart but dogs give their love so openly and freely and without judgment. Whenever I see a dog I light up like a birthday cake. Dogs seem to be naturally drawn to me and I to them (I like to think of myself as a modern-day Snow White). I loved how easy it was to communicate with all of the dogs I encountered in Europe; they took one look at me and they knew I was a friend. I'm very much looking forward to the day I can get my own dog (or two). I think it's going to be one of the happiest days of my life.

*Art. Even though it has been difficult and the field is extremely competitive, I still believe that my purpose in this life is to make art. There are times where I feel like I've let my parents down by choosing art since I had the grades to pursue whatever career I wanted but none of those paths felt right until I ultimately followed my heart and chose to be an artist. I am a firm believer that people should do what they love regardless of how much money they'll make. Art hasn't made me rich and most likely never will but if you're just making art for the money, then you're in the wrong business. When I am working on a piece I become totally engulfed in the process and work into the late hours of the night often without even realizing it. Nothing else has ever captivated me as much as making art and I'd like to continue to make it for the rest of my life. Another thing I'm grateful for is knowing that my art brings joy to others. Imagine that something that brings you so much happiness is also able to bring happiness to other human beings. It's win-win! My fans are very special to me and have no idea how much I appreciate their support.



As a person who has struggled with depression and anxiety it's all too easy to focus on the negative parts of life. To be honest, Robin Williams death really affected me personally because I know from personal experience how hard it is to hide your true feelings and thoughts from others and conceal your pain. Often times people who have depression are the ones who are making everyone laugh and seem happy on the outside because they don't want people to feel the things they feel. I've made tremendous progress with my anxiety but dealing with depression is still something I struggle with. I've learned that self-love and acceptance are very important, though, and I'm working on finding happiness inside myself instead of seeking it through other people. I'm a work in progress, but we all are, right?

I recommend that you take sometime tonight (or whatever time of day you're reading this) to reflect on the good things and people in your life. And if you are struggling and need help, don't be afraid to ask for it. You are very important and we all deserve love and respect.

Thanks for reading this post and take care, sweet potato!

Love,
Iggy