Personal Transformation

4 weeks ago, I made a big decision.

I had been toying with Vegetarianism for years now. I'd go a day or two meat-free and be VERY proud. I've been working on a new list, inspired by Leni, my "29 before 29"-a fantastic list of to-do's, to-tries, and to-be's before I turned 29. #16 on that list was, "Explore a Meat-Free week and record the results." I felt happy, fulfilled, light and free the days that I left the meat out...but I'd always get sucked back in because I LOOOVED cheese and butter and bacon and ice-cream and BBQ's and... The salads at Cafe Rio make me drool a little bit. Training Table? YES PLEASE!-One Hickory Burger Combo, added bacon, with Cheese Fries, dipping sauce and a large Diet Coke. East Coast's Ham & Cheese with everything but onions. Yummm...

Until I read about three pages in T. Colin Campbell's, (PhD) book, The China Study.

I decided then-June 24th, 2009 that I was going to cut ALL animal protein out of my diet.

No Meat

No Dairy

No Eggs

I did it not to be ethically sound or to save the planet-I did it for a perceived selfish reason: My Health. But...the good news? I AM being ethical and am saving the planet! By not consuming these "foods" I am almost eliminating my chance of getting cancer and Type 1 Diabetes (both diseases are in my family-on my Mother's AND Father's side.) as well as supporting animal rights and NOT supporting the chemicals and pollution that comes from "processing" animals. There's not even the packaging to deal with. When buying fresh veggies, you get the produce bag-which can be recycled in Murray (either in my city issued recycling can OR I can take them to work-my Elementary school recycles grocery bags!)

In 4 weeks I've lost about 5 pounds and an inch each off of my tummy, thighs and arms. My skin is smooth and glowing. I need less sleep, have more energy and am tolerating heat better. I'm eating less, burning more. I never thought that I could get so full on veggies and brown rice...

ALL by just by cutting out animal protein.

About three weeks into this transformation, I received an email from one of my favorite online shops, Mod Cloth. They are having a Terrific Transformation contest in honor of their website make-over and asked for each of their friends to blog about THEIR biggest transformation. When I read it, my new lifestyle had clicked so well that I didn't think that it HAD been a personal transformation-it was just my new, easy life. Then it hit me-when I finally took a GOOD look at myself. I had made this change. I made this choice. A change that gotten me on a great path. More energy=More accomplished. Feeling Better=GREAT choices. And so on, and so forth.

I really believe that because of the HUGE, yet simple choice of becoming Vegan it has made it possible to start so much and clear negative beliefs, feelings, and thoughts. I've started attending my Church meetings with a good friend and for the first time in my life, LOVE IT. I've also committed to attending fall classes at The Academy of Arts University. (I can earn my degree 100% online! I just got info back today!)

Life is good.

j

Let Them Eat Cake...

Sofia Coppola is one of my favorite writer/directors.
Kirsten Dunst is a HUGE fave of mine. So is Jason Schwartzman.

Naturally, I fell in LOVE with Marie Antoinette some years ago. Who wouldn't?

"Marie Antoinette defied both royalty and commoner by living like a rock star..."

Inspired by the look and feel of the movie as well as the AMAZING soundtrack (I'm in love with songs, 'Opus 36' by Dustin O'Halloran, 'Ceremony' by New Order and 'The Melody of a Fallen Tree' by Windsor for the Derby) and Donna Downey's 'Inspiration Wednesdays' I went to work transforming an otherwise blah journal.

The movie is so rich with color (pink, cream, orange, teal, light blue, sea foam green, sepia...) and sparkles and layers upon layers of INTENSE texture. I wanted to see what would happen when I pushed myself so I used the lavish feel of the music and the history as a template and completely ignored my inner instinct when I felt it was time to stop layering and adding. (Once I felt that "need" I pushed it another FULL day-about 6 hours of watching the movie and listening the music and adding MORE!)

THIS was the result:

Over the top Kisses,

j

M.U.S.E. you satisfy my soul...

Life is good.

Thanks to the time off (all total, I get 10 weeks. I'm in the middle of week 4 of 10 now) I've had LOADS of free time, creative time, down time.

Time to FINALLY get some of those "sudden bursts of stupidity" (thanks Mr. Miller) out into the open, onto paper, out of vinyl.

After sitting in front of the fabulously addictive Cricut, I had one of those inspiring moments and out of it came M.U.S.E. Guitar Bling! :)

So far, I've made a good 300. Lots of cutting, figuring, arranging, sitting with a quilting needle pulling off the vinyl that's not part of the design. Happily, they are selling and selling FAST at Starchild. Then...people in Bountiful saw the designs and wanted some-they then went to their local amazing shop (Murphy's Guitars) asking for them. I've since been in contact with Murphy's and sent them 80 designs, on a consignment basis. In less than a week, he's decided to place them ON the counter by the register and sell them full time! I'm in negotiations with him now...

I created M.U.S.E. Guitar Bling as a way to personalize MY guitars without damaging the surface. The brilliance of Static Vinyl is it's just that! Static! It sticks when you want it to (to any slick/shiny surface) and comes right off-no mess, no goo, no damage to your gorgeous piece of soul. (Yes, I'm talking about your guitar!) Or mirror, pic frame, sliding door, window, bathroom tile, candy jar, etc., etc., etc.,

Just HAVE to have one but can't make it to Starchild or Murphy's? Good news... 6 of my best selling designs are now up on Etsy!

Find them here! jonnajonna.etsy.com

Stars and Love, ;)

j

Follow the MUSE

Can I keep the goal I set for myself? Can I really walk 1 mile a day? (Seems like such a silly goal-but when you think about it...and the fact that I'm NOT working this summer...)

I threw it out there and asked my fb friends who was in. So far, the response has been amazing. To support us in the this quest I've created an open group, "Follow the MUSE" to connect us and get us motivated, etc. You can find us here:

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=11167&uid=111570231513#/group.php?gid=111570231513

Come join us!

j

A Happy Space

(Me...)

(Best part? I still can't find everything.)

(The happy Cricut)

(Yes, Todd wrote my name... :))



So...a year or so ago I took over half of B's room and renamed it "the craft room". Then I decided that I wasn't going to just sit in the corner, putter and watch old VHS tapes, I was actually going to be productive.
{Hench the purchasing of the Cricut.}



Today, I reclaimed the space and named it:









"My Studio"









Why? I'm an Artist dammit! :)




I totally deserve a happy, happy, inspiring place to create M.U.S.E. I've earned that, right?

Enjoy the pics as much as I enjoy my space, My Studio.

j

...and I quote...

"That Tommy Shaw knows his shiz!"
says ever delicate B.


While playing the "Should I File it or Toss it???" game with a pile of old stuff I came across my receipt for my first guitar: an Ovation Celebrity MS 257. The receipt was dated May 20th, 2000. I also found the journal entry from the day I knew that I had to hold my own guitar in my hands...

Let's go for a ride...

"May 16th, 2000

STYX!!!

I saw STYX!!! I saw Tommy Shaw! Row 15 Sec. FAA. I stood on my chair for the opening song,
'Brave New World' and for 'Blue Collar Man' then a man with a flashlight yelled at me and told me to get down, I didn't want him to take me away, so I did...

Tommy played 'Crystal Ball' on his green 12 string Taylor. While singing along, I had an overwhelming feeling that I NEED my own guitar. Thank you, Mr. Shaw!"

I spent the next three days digging and researching to find my PERFECT guitar and found it on May 20 at Wagstaff Music (it was here in Murray-then it was torn down to build Borders, etc.)

Fast forward 9 years and 10 days to the night of my last STYX show, Tommy walks out with his green Taylor and talks about 'Crystal Ball' being his first song for STYX and how glad he was that it was the title track of his first record with the band. And then, he began to play...

I had that same feeling as I did way back then when he sang. This time, I knew that I had got to learn the song and make it mine.

I took my music (TAB) to B, who looked it over with wide eyes and said, "It's gonna be hard Seester!" I told him I gave myself a year to learn to play it "fluently". He told me he'd give me until the end of Summer. Last Saturday was our first attempt at the song (fingerpicking) and we got through THREE MEASURES!!! THREE!!!

It was then that B said what he said about Tommy. I second.

j

The Krylon Bandwagon

Inspired by the painting frenzy-patio chairs and the inside of the Studio-Donna Downey's "Inspiration Wednesdays", and my new love of yellow, I picked up a can of Sun Yellow Gloss Indoor/Outdoor Krylon spray paint, and my old wicker hamper and mag rack and ran outside.

Quickly I figured out that I also needed a change of shirt, an old sheet (No newspaper, recycling queen that I am...) and some sort of mask before I went much further. I found my DigiTech shirt: "The Power to Create" (DigiTech makes effects for studio/musician use), a Dr.s Mask and and old bed sheet and got to work.

Do you see the slight yellow tinge on the bridge of my nose?

I'm resisting the urge to somehow glam this project up. There's nothing wrong with a simple coat of paint...right? Besides that, they're going in the same bathroom as this:

Oh , glory be!

j