Jump Into These Coastal Creatioins! ~ Meet The Boardwalk Artist Series ~ Featured Artist ~ Norma Gafford of Beachcombers Cove

Many thanks to Norma for such a great bio! Next week another Boardwalk artist will be featured - so don't forget to stop by!

"I am a retired hippie..... livin' the dream of being a creating artist and loving every minute of it. (Actually I am a retired art teacher.) Inspired by the ocean and sky, every day is an adventure on the Texas coast.

My philosophy is: Life's a Beach and we may as well jump in and make a splash!

I love to design in sterling silver wire. Most of my pieces are inspired by the natural beauty of the ocean and beach. All of the work is designed and hand-made by me.. I make my beads by the lampworking method. This is an ancient process where glass rods are heated until molten, then wrapped around a stainless steel mandrel, which forms the bead. Then the beads are kiln annealed for durability. Other materials such as Thai Silver, Gemstones, Shell, Bone, Leather, & Beach Glass sometimes add to the variety of design.

My 2-dimensional work is also inspired by the sea and air. I love to draw and paint fish, mermaids, turtles, dolphins, all kinds of sea and beach creatures. My favorite media are colored pencil, pastels, and watercolors.

Life is too short to wear boring jewelry. Jewelry should be FUN!"

See more of Norma's work here:

www.beachcomberscove.1000markets.com

www.beachcomberscove.blogspot.com

Couch 2 5K Program - Week 1

I am on week 1 of the couch 2 5K program. If you haven't heard of it is a program designed to get you running a 5k in 9 weeks. So far so good - I finish my 3rd and final day of week 1 on Friday. You are supposed to do this every other day for one week. I am using this supplement to my weekly workout routine. I hurt everywhere right now -but it is a good hurt. My ribs... legs... you name it. After completing this program, I am looking forward to being able to hit the roads again for morning runs along the coast!

To find out about the program check out Cool Runnings

Here is the official Couch 2 5K website

Here is a great site to download the podcasts Robert Ullrey has composed. I saved them in mp3 format which is pretty universal for ipods, mp3 players etc. To do so on just right click on the "Podcast" link under each week. Then select "Save Target As" or "Save Link As". You might want to create a folder on your desktop for this. Then when the window pops up add .mp3 to the end of the file name and save. This should convert it to an mp3 file so you can add it to your mp3 player or ipod. This is a great tool Robert Ullrey has created because it gives you all the timings for the weeks - as far as when to run, when to walk etc.

Good luck!

Overcoming Creative Blocks with Meditation and Yoga

Often times we can get away from ourselves and let the daily stresses of life overshadow our inner calm. Sometimes, we can just suffer from a good old creative block for reasons unknown. A good way to help and get those creative juices flowing again is through Yoga and meditation. This is a good practice for total body, mind and spiritual health. It helps you get centered, balanced and just more grounded.

It is good to find at least five minutes in the morning - in a quiet space... away from any distractions. You can either sit on the floor or lay down. Try to take 1 short and 1 long deep breath in and 1 short and 1 long breath out. Do this many times... then start to slow your breathing down until you find your baseline breath. While doing this keep your eyes closed, but look as though you were looking above a horizon line to prevent falling asleep. Think of something in calming - blowing fields of wheat grass, or the rolling surf hitting a sun soaked beach. Doing this will give you the boost you need for the day, clearing your mind and getting you ready to tackle obstacles that may arise with more of a level head.

Yoga has been a source of total body wellness (flexibility, joints, organ health, strength and detoxification) for more than 5,000 years. Having your body and mind in a relaxed state allows for the creative energy to flow. There are many resources available on the Internet and through books that can teach basic practice. If you have a local YMCA or gym, most often you can find Yoga classes there as well. Remember - healthy mind and body can yield limitless creative results!

It's Time To Deck Your Walls! ~ Meet The Boardwalk Artist Series ~ Featured Artist ~ Wendy Russell of Artrussell

Many thanks to Wendy for such a great bio! Next week another Boardwalk artist will be featured - so don't forget to stop by!

"I'm a native New Englander, having been born and raised in southern Connecticut. My family lived within walking distance of Long Island Sound and I spent the summers of my youth at the beach swimming, playing in the sand, boating and chasing after ice cream vendors. Bliss. Ocean themes have naturally become important additions to my portfolio of paintings.

Art has always been an essential part of my life. After graduating from college with a degree in Interior Design, I was determined to give city life a try. I moved to Boston and after working in the city for a while, I realized that although I'd always love to visit cities, living there was not for me. I tried the Massachusetts suburbs and worked on a visual merchandising team for a major department store chain. The work was varied and creative, but also very physical. I carried more sofas and ladders than I care to remember. In the meantime, I had taught myself to spin and weave and eventually, left my job to pursue my art and craftwork.

The country life began to beckon and I moved to Vermont in the early 1980's. Three children, lots of gardens, and piles of artwork later I still awaken each morning wondering what subject might catch my eye and become the focus for my next painting. My husband and I consider ourselves very fortunate to have found a home on a gem of a lake in this beautiful state.

My motto: There's an artist in each of us. Trust in yourself to let go and create what you need to create."

Stop by Artrussell on 1000 Markets and Shop Now!

Take a stroll down The Boardwalk next week for another featured Boardwalk artist... until then...

Happy Easter!

Fun Friday Find will be back next week! Wishing everyone a happy Easter! Check out this cute bunny from Bliss Forrest.