Dragonfly Enchantment

When I Grow Up I Want to be . . . a Tribal Fusion Belly Dancer

2009-09-15T08:55:00.006-05:00

I've been belly dancing since after I gave birth. I tried other forms exercise to get back in shape. I got bored and I was still in pain from the pregnancy and birth and a bike run in shortly after. I discovered the belly dancing twins, Veena & Neena and fell in love. I thought, 'I can do that!' I luv to wiggle and I didn't have to jump up & down hurting my joints like aerobics so it was perfect for me! It felt good, I felt like a woman, feminine and powerful! Not only did it feel good to my soul but my body. The hip and back pain I had (so bad I couldn't sleep at times) went away! When it did occasionally come back I just belly danced the pain away!

Now i'm in the habit of constantly doing the hip rotations and tilts constantly without thought, so now I never hurt. I do it in my computer chair, on the couch, in bed, doing dishes and when I crank up the radio! It is now the only dance I know. For years I loved to use my hips when dancing pop/hip hop and now I realize that it was in the vain of belly dance. We all do it, all woman! I now see that it is a natural movement for woman to make, instinctive, powerful, healthy. Some say the Egyptians would use it to aid in child birth, a dance, a movement good for woman. I don't know if the Egyptians did do this but it is great for me.

When I was zapped a link of Rachel Brice dancing Tribal Fusion style I wanted to be a belly dancer! I've always wanted to do it but m a n. When I saw her on youtube I was amazed, inspired, moved. Because of her and other artists of the dance like Zoe Jakes, I can't suppress the desire to be a Tribal Fusion Belly Dancer when I grow up (again:D ) !!! Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm to old, too fat! But not for belly dance it seems. Look it up! Many woman are large, and over thirty! I may never be a professional but I can have fun trying!!

Listen to this interview with Rachel Brice and you will see what this dance does to a woman, why I would want to do it. One of many reasons.

Look at this woman's confidence and love for herself and her body!

Here are more empowered 'more to luv' women like me!

if you want to see some of the best dances on youtube just check out my play list on youtube!

What has made you fall in love with your femininity, your womanhood??

BTW: I will be adding belly dance work out vids to my weekly routine in addition to what I already do. So go to my Moving Enchantment blog to find out more, to join in!

Come Shake it With Me!!

2009-09-08T15:14:00.003-05:00

check out my new youtube channel dedicated to wieght loss: Moving Enchantment @ youtube
and my new blog focussed on the same: Moving Enchantment

Creation Station

2009-09-05T22:46:00.003-05:00

I have my art table supported by storage bins that have been bending under the weight of my beautiful supplies and their containers. Like my grandmother's juice glasses, jelly jars, old jars from my mother and a flower pot that has been in the family for a few generations. And of course there are the dollar store, thrift store and wal-mart finds.

So Thursday I dragged all the bins out of the harry potter closet and put two deep of bins under the table top my mother gave me from a woman she took care of years ago who past away. It's the perfect size for our small space! I put the leaf on top against the mirror and all my supplies sit on that. I dusted, edited, & rearranged my creative station ending in results I luv. Though I miss having my glasses of brushes, pencils, etc. spread out more.

ps: sorry the pics are SO bad! please forgive me!

Dental Dread

2009-08-31T22:35:00.005-05:00

I was so nervous about the dentist that I was up past 4 this morning! Which wasn't hard since I was up almost as late the night before. TOO much stress for me to handle right now. I'm trying to deal with it but I don't think I will settle down until I know what direction things are going and that we'll be ok. I would appreciate good vibs sent my way! Bunches :) I'm hopeful that at least some of them will want to help instead of being hard @rsses.

Good news? . . . This time I had music with me. I kept my MP3 player cranked up with nirvana, pink, celtic tunes, etc. which helped me stay relaxed most of the time instead of getting worked up. TIP: use loud driving music like hip-hop, rock of any kind, even pop. It drowns out the dental sounds better than anything else. Drowning out those sounds do more for me than 'relaxing' music could ever do!

Oh, the good news I was thinking of was the technician thought my hair was professionally done and loved it. She was surprised I did it myself, “it's layered underneath like it's suppose to be and everything!” oh yeah babie! That is my art of the day, hair stylist extraordinaire!

Inspire Me Thursday . . . Pear

2009-08-30T19:44:00.007-05:00

I can't stop drawing, doodling, creating something! Usually I struggle to create now I struggle to stop. Going to enjoying it while it lasts!

I went to Inspire Me Thursday and was inspired to make this doodle. I love pears and the piece they had up for an example got me going. I started that night and couldn't stop. I was up past 3am and started again when I got up early afternoon.

Illustration Friday... MAGNIFY

2009-08-29T20:16:00.004-05:00

I've been wanting to paint SO bad for the last few days. It was an itch, a craving. But no, I did not paint. I did everything else! Ink, gel, paper, color pencil, charcoal (my fav!), & marker. I just needed to create something. Get my hands dirty sitting with a chaos of paper, paints, scissors, pens, pencils, art mess stuff. I feel much better now!

Here is my submission for Illustration Friday... MAGNIFY

Broken but Healed by Art & Creativity

2009-08-28T13:19:00.008-05:00

With all the losses and other things I've been through the last four years I see the therapeutic benefits and necessity of art, of creating something, anything to let it out. A poem, painting, scribbles, anything. Right after the loss of my brother I literally couldn't think. I couldn't read, I couldn't even watch TV because I couldn't fallow what was going on, it was gibberish. But I could knit. Some may not see this as art but it is creative, it is zen. I find myself looking for my paints or typing away when hit with more stress or pain than I can bear. I feel the need to express it in some way. Cry yes, I needed to cry but I needed other outlets.

Right now I want to paint, I want to write, I want to play with my web designs, make graphics and I will and am and have. Those who are already artist's or creative types know what I'm talking about. You do it too. But those who may not be right brained like us, I encourage you to try it. Find ways to express your pain. It is so healing. There is a reason why the loony bins have arts & crafts, music therapy and tell you to keep a journal. So lets do all that before we need to be locked up! Ok, the last part largely applies to me but it makes sense to do what works for even the worst cases, art and therapy!

What are the ways you deal with great losses or everyday stress? What do you do when you feel broken like I do now?

books i'm luvin' right now

2009-08-25T18:36:00.006-05:00

Yesterday i was THRILLED when the UPS guy showed up with my free book! YAY! You know how i LUV books and what is better than free?? I got to have it free just for blogging about what i think about the book, good or bad :D but i was relieved when last night i found that I'm luvin' it. I was laughing so much! Laughter is good medicine and I'm needing that a lot right now. The beginning of this month was the one year anniversary of my brother's passing and I've been feeling depressed, crying again. That is why I try not to remember when people pass so this doesn't happen. But how could I not remember this one. I was there, i watched his body change after his body died sitting at his feet in ICU. I want him back, that's all i can say.

“The BackBerry Diaries...adventures in modern motherhood” by Kathy Buckworth has been a wonderful LOL book so far. Even the most boring parts of a book (for me) the preface and introduction was funny! It is perfect for my circumstances, needing laughter and short entries that enables my ADD mind to keep reading & stay in the book.

My second book I got from half-priced yesterday is amazing! “Gifts of the Soul.. experience the mystical in everyday life” by Constance Rodriguez, Ph.D. It looks like it will be a more serious in-depth book, no fluff. Now I've only read a little so far. There is a lot about Carl G. Jung in this, mythology, psychology, and spirituality. It reminds me of what Joseph Campbell talked about in his interviews on PBS when talking of retrieving lost pieces of your soul. Keep in mind I just started this book so I don't know what else it will reveal.

If I like the freebie, “The BlackBerry Diaries” I will most likely do a give away! So start following this blog and me on twitter and you will know when the contest is up!

Y'all have a great day!

PS: i have a new youtube channel to focus on weight loss and a new blog to go along with it!

Music from HeyKelsey

2009-08-24T01:22:00.004-05:00

this woman is an AMAZING artist, singer & song writer! her voice is earthy & true.. go to her channel and send her love, DON'T forget to tell her Dinah aka: Ms Dragonfly sent you!

i get to join in on a fun meme, MUSIC MONDAY where we share a something something, good music!

The Eclectic Blogger

2009-08-21T03:46:00.010-05:00

The creative process is a ...you know what. I think it's been my ADD that has kept me from excelling in any one area of art of which I consider writing to be one. I have so many ideas, I cool off on one and turn red hot for another leaving the previous project unfinished. But there is also the double edge sword of the fear of failure and success. My life has become scattered and unfocused. So I'm trying to rein myself in just enough to keep productive without hampering my creative free spirit.

Because of this I've been reevaluating the direction I want to take this blog. How am I going to keep it interesting when I keep changing focus? What is my focus, is there a general one that will be good enough, is art or creativity good enough? I want to write about my life as a single mother with the most important job in the WORLD, as a spiritual woman relieved to have found MY path, as a woman on a journey connecting and accepting my body for a healthier slimmer me, as a creative person who can't stick to one thing for the life of me but has to try to do it ALL!

I scribbled down my thoughts on my idea notebook and didn't figure out who I am but did narrow down upon four focuses' for my life right now, three of which will never change, one only slightly. Here they are ironed out though mentioned pryer.

1.Lifestyle changes for permanent, safe, natural weight loss.
2.Accepting my random creations and going with my creative flow.
3.Deepening my spiritual experience, knowledge, and strength.
4.Being the best mother I can supporting, guiding, and loving my son through to his success to be completely self-sufficient, happy, and no longer in need of me. (out of college – out the door!)

These will be the topics I will probably write about the most. But I will also want to share other things with you. This blog is about me, my life, my journey. I don't think I can be a niche blogger, I'm a life blogger! I hope that is ok with my readers. I do care and appreciate you all! Thanks for all your support over the years, I appreciate you immensely! Please feel free to leave me feedback, I want to hear from you.

The eclectic blogger signing out!

My Creative Journey

2009-08-19T01:57:00.020-05:00

here i've put together a list of my blogs focused on my arts and crafts. i have such a wide range of interests i thought it would be nice, easier to just put them all in one place so if you like, you can fallow along with me on my attempt to create. i may not be an 'Artist' but i am an artist as are all of you!

starting on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 to February 2009:

passions wain
i did it!
Paralyzed
I've Got My Mojo Back!
Inspire Me Thursday ~ Peace
Creation Frenzy
My Shop is Open!
Creative Cruse
Illistration Friday ~ Primitive Flower
Inspire Me Thursday ~ Scrap Yard
Midnight Creations ~ this is what i do when i can't sleep!
Read All About It!
New Girl!
Art is . . .
Soul Food
Great Loss
Sewing, Knitting, & Crochet
Autumn Pear
hiatus
I Think I'm Back
Divine Insperations
Juicy!
Netoholic, Reporting My Deviations

Need Help With Hooping Questions?

2009-08-18T17:37:00.008-05:00

Visit Hoop City - Hooping Community

Love, I Want That!

2009-08-16T07:55:00.004-05:00

Women

2009-07-19T12:51:00.003-05:00

PS: i made this video!

Deceit

2009-05-19T10:01:00.007-05:00

Sweet and quite she sits and waits
motives hidden behind her shy face
the perfect moments collect as her lies percolate
each deceitful seed hidden in one, unknown to the other

days upon days
weeks upon weeks
collected into months she waits steadily
patience her virtue
cunning her vice
her innocent face and quite voice hides
her plans to ostracize

back from my journey I find her hall closed to me
'why' I ask but her angelic voice is silent while her courtiers reliant
on her words of secrecy deceiving them of my banishment she planned for me

I shout out my innocence and point out her lies
but it's to late, this witch must hang till truth cries
friends now turned against this witch in pain

I plead, 'why can't you see she planned my fall long ago
now am I to be a witch alone?
Your friendships I can not forgo'

straddling my corpse
now that eyes are upon her
she is quick to apologize
false words fall from her
her courtiers satisfied
they believe her heavenly fantasy
accepting she caused me no harm though it be fallacy

heart broken, abandoned, to summerland I ride,
to the gods I cry 'let them see through her lies!'

Resin From The Dead

2009-05-07T11:27:00.004-05:00

i've been learning so much.. reading, reading, reading. I've finally gotten off the net and into my books! But i find that i have to read several all at once for me to keep moving forward with any of them. Hey, what ever works, right? I'll be up-dating my goodreads so you know what i'm reading. The new additions are 'discovering spirit in sound chanting' by robert gass (got to get more of his cd's!) and 'dreaming true' by robert moss. Woah, lot's of roberts, lol... the dream book is the best one i've ever read. This is the one we all need to read! Forget the rest with thier keys that tell you what things mean to other people, you have to learn what things symbolize for you!

I'm sorry i haven't been around much, although i've really tried to keep in touch with my tweets, pings, and ning. I've been super busy mommie. My son has so many activities my head just spins and he is worn out. We both can't wait till summer when all this frenzy will end and we can just relax and hear our own thoughts and breath.

I can't hoop y'all. My feet keep giving me trouble! So i will spend the summer in the pool as much as possible! Hopefully if i loose enough weight i can get on my feet and do other things like hooping and belly dance. I can't even belly dance! My feet start hurting and i have to site down! Help me guys, i need to see the doc about this but i don't want to go. I just hate going to the doc! Remind me if you think of me :D

hope all is well with you friends!

xoxo,
dinah

Back in the Hoop!

2009-04-20T13:40:00.002-05:00

Hooping Break

2009-04-14T09:56:00.006-05:00

i haven't written in so long that i don't know what to write beyond my one obsession – hula hooping! I've gotten the flip-like cam i was waiting for! The LCD screen pops out so you can change it to face you no matter where you point the camera. I've been playing with it a lot, mostly with my son at home, school, ball games! Oh and my new dish washer! Lol yep, i'm that excited!

I am going to have to go to the doctor because i keep having trouble with pains in my feet and ankles. I dread it, i HATE going to the doctor! I am planning on buying two new pairs of good shoes. One for the house and one for outside. I go around bare foot too much i think and at my weight it's not good, at least that is my assumption. I'm so sorry i won't have hooping vids yet but i will see what else i can do.

Everyone, have a GREAT week! And 'shake it'!

xoxo,
dinah

hula feever!

2009-03-14T17:13:00.005-05:00

Last night it just kept pressing into my mind & body, i just tingled with the desire for a hula hoop! So i grabed my kiddo and we went off into the rain to Target to cure my hula hoop craving. We looked all over the store before we got to the hoops. I got another journal and a few little things we needed/wanted for our other creative endevors. When all was said and done i ended up with a blue and pink hula hoop, a bright pink ball covered with tiny fingers, and a toddlers buble tumbler.

I was trying to pick out a ball from the giant bin you have to squeeze the balls out of, 'are you trying to relate to me mom? Like they do on tv.' my son asked me as if i was picking my nose. 'no! This isn't about you, it's for me.' i said, 'i'm getting in touch with my inner child i guess.' he was relieved! lol. . . he seemed happy to see that i didn't have an angle, an alterior motive but i was just doing something for me that he could just so happen to relate to and join in. i had not planned to buy other 'toys' i was just going to hula hoop for a fun and low impact exersice. But there i was like a kid picking out toys to play with.

We got to the hoops and i was pulling them out as he was testing them out, one by one trying to find the biggest i could find. It isn't as large as suggested but it will have to do until i can find a way and place to buy another. I am itching to know what wal-mart has!

So this is my creative soul expressing itself in creative play. I guess my joy guides were very active last night! Sometimes we just need to have fun, play! No matter how silly it may seem or how old we are. If it makes your heart light up and body feel at peace then it's all good!

Go, play! Have fun!

xoxo,
dinah

here is the awesome hula ning where i caught my hula fever, safiredance

come play with me at DE - Dragonfly Enchantment!

This is Why I Shouldn't Do Quickcapture!

2009-03-13T22:37:00.003-05:00

i need the editing tools! i just ramble! but i had to put it up because my son was so great in it! can you see how he is my muse? he made it fun!

btw, i can not hula hoop but i am still trying!

here is the awesome hula ning, safiredance

come play with me at DE - Dragonfly Enchantment!

I Won 1st Place!

2009-02-28T11:31:00.002-06:00

jessicadoyle.com
jessicadoyle.etsy.com

My Son Corrupted by Twain!

2009-02-24T20:39:00.007-06:00

we watched 'Mark Twain' a documentary after school. it told of his life and his careers, what made him a writer, they had quotes and excerpts from his letters, books, and articles. we laughed out load the whole night. i didn't realize how funny Mark Twain aka Samuel Clemens was. i new he was a great writer but i felt like i could relate to him and his style of humor. humor is my son's first love, how he copes and all he wants to take in. he doesn't care for anything unless it's funny!

as i put my son to bed tonight he repeatedly told me, 'i think i'm going to write! i can cuss when i write!'. 'yes', i told him,' you can cuss and say what ever you want in your journal. it is your world and you are god but. . .' 'but not out load!', he finished. he's very happy to get to cuss... lol

oh yes, Twain cussed! :)

The documentary is titled simply, 'Mark Twain' a film directed by Ken Burns. through PBS home video.

xoxo,
dinah

ps: another example of how corrupting art can be ;)

Come Join My World!

2009-02-23T19:34:00.001-06:00

dragonflyenchantment.ning.com

The Power & History of Woman

2009-02-20T15:58:00.005-06:00

part 1
part 2
part 3
part 4
part 5
part 6

i encourage all to watch this documentary. those of all faith and spiritual belief and non-belief will get a lot out of it. i strongly encourage woman to watch this to learn more about our history of which there is little.

this is my path, this is me.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-15T16:08:00.012-06:00

So sorry i am late! We have had a interesting weekend! ;) Just like my birthday i also celebrate Valentine's all month long! This is the month of love! So go out and buy up all the half price chocolate to get you through the hormonal months ahead! Lol ;)

Have a great week!

xoxo
dinah