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Hello and Welcome,

This week in the lab I am finishing up my St Patrick’s Day Decorations with a few upcycled mantel nick nacks. But first. It is week six of The Artist Way re-cap and this weeks chapter is titled Recovering a sense of Abundance. If you missed any of the previous chapters you can find links to those posts at the bottom of this page.

In Chapter 6 the author Julia Cameron writes about luxury as one way to restore our sense of Abundance. Her point, I think, about luxury is that we can and should find it in the small things, not just the big things. Again, it is about paying attention, one of the first lessons in her book. It hits at the heart of why people who have everything are sometimes the least happy people and others with so little live happy and fulfilled lives. And it has me thinking about what I think constitutes luxury in my life. This thinking goes hand in hand with gratitude and being grateful, but it takes it a step farther to the little ways we treat ourselves to remind ourselves that we are worth treating. The best thing about luxury is it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money or any money really.

Of course, the advertising industry wants to define luxury as spending. And apparently, the more you spend the more luxurious the thing is that you are buying. But you and I know better don’t we. I don’t drive a luxury SUV. My home is quite modest. I don’t often buy myself new clothes or make salon appointments. I don’t take exotic cruises or vacation abroad. I mean, I make things from trash, how glamorous can my life really be? And yet I do have plenty of luxury in my life. Clean sheets and a soft bed are a luxury. Long hot showers are a luxury and trust me when I tell you that having those fancy plastic dish gloves is a luxury. (As I was typing this, one of the new puppies threw up on the couch and the gloves were very much appreciated.)But most of all not having to work full time is a huge luxury. I will gladly give up the luxury vehicle for the luxury of not having to work to pay for it. 🙂

I hope I don’t sound too high and mighty and I should mention that I do not always appreciate the luxuries that I have in my life. Sometimes I give in to the advertising industries definition of what is luxurious. I am even sometimes envious of other peoples nicer cars, homes etc. But it is an interesting exercise to contemplate what luxury is. It is a valuable tool that helps takes us from a place of scarcity to abundance. So for this week at least I will try to pay extra attention to all of my life’s little luxuries.

How about you? What do you find luxurious in your life?

And since I find playing with trash somewhat of a luxury, shall we get on with today’s project or projects as it were?

The first project I made was this book paper shamrock garland.

The second project was my faux green beer mug.

And the Whiskey bottle to match.

And last I made a decorated candle and upcycled candle stand.

All the details and tutorials are in the video below. And you can find the links to the products I used at the bottom of this post. If you would like to see the entire trashy St Patrick’s Day house tour you can check out the link here.

Happy Upcycling,

Get caught up on the Artist Way Re-cap.

Week One – Recovering a sense of Safety – (With upcycled pie tins made into a twisted valentine tree)

Week Two – Recovering a sense of Identity – (With upcycled found objects candlesticks)

Week Three – Recovering a sense of Power – (With my trashy St Patrick’s Day House Tour)

Week Four – Recovering a sense of Integrity – (With St Patrick’s Day Plastic Bag Bouquet)

Week Five – Recovering a sense of Possibility – (With St Patrick’s Day Mantel Display Part 1)

Advertising Disclosure: Upcycle Design Lab may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website.