Week 16: Are you JOY Oriented??

"Don't be result oriented. Be joy oriented." -Christine Mason Miller


Every time I read this quote from Christine's wonderful book "Desire to Inspire"  it reminds me to be JOYFUL in my art, my writing and my LiFE. It also makes me realize that so much of what I do in my life isn't joy oriented...I am always striving for a certain outcome. How sad is that?

This week I want you to focus on the JOYS of Life and see how different you look at things. I know when I am just enjoying the moment I don't get nearly as stressed or feel the pressures of the world bearing down on me.

This week I want you to sit down for a few minutes each night and write down ONE word that best describes your feelings of the day. So far my morning has been a HECTIC one and instead of feeling joy I am feeling nothing but STRESSED OUT!! UGH! I do hope to turn that around this afternoon by spending most of it in my studio working on some surprises for my upcoming Girls Weekend:).

After you decide on a word...take time to write a few sentences or paragraphs on how your day went and how you went from being result oriented to JOY oriented. I am excited to see what the next 7 days of words are and how well I do at filling my days with JOY!!


Let me know how you're doing with our 52 Week Challenge. Remember...if you are new here or are just on a different week...be sure and go to the top of my blog and click on 52 Weeks. All 15 weeks are there:)

Thank you so much for being here!! 

Join our FB group.
What is 52 weeks?
All our weeks so far.

Win a BRAVE GIRLS Class!!!!

Debi Minter you have WON the class!! Please contact me at les262@embarqmail.com with your information to give to Brave Girls!!!! Thanks to EVERYONE that entered!!!!


If you have read my blog very long then you KNOW how VERY MUCH Miss Melody Ross and her sister Kathy inspire me to be brave, create art and FLY!! I have taken nearly every one of their AMAZING  Brave Girl classes and have stretched and grown and do things now I used to only dream about.

Well girls get ready because have I got a BIG SURPRISE for YOU!! You can WIN their very latest class!! Right here!!!

And let me tell you girls...this is gonna be ONE AMAZING class!!!

Melody is so real and everything she says will uplift and inspire you to be a better YOU! Here is what she says about her latest class..."Soul Comfort".

 “I want to teach you some new habits of creativity mixed with simplicity that I have learned over the years. Being a recovering hoarder of supplies and techniques, this is really a new way to give yourself permission to do things simply but beautifully.

One of the most wonderful things about this course is that everything fits into one fabric tote bag . . . I wanted to create a whole course where all of the supplies fit into a tiny space so that you could take it everywhere you go…so that you could do it sitting on your bed, on your couch, with your family, do it with your children, in the car, wherever your day takes you. It’s incredible. This has changed my life. This has been something that I have used on my own and I can’t wait to share it with you.”

Girls this is a WONDERFUL chance to take a class from the best community on the web...Brave Girls Club!!

I am honored to be able to give one of YOU a FREE spot in this beautiful and creative class....sooooo excited!!!

To Enter

Answer the following question in the comment section below....

"What inspires you to be your very best?"

I will pick ONE WINNER Friday night by 5PM with Random Generator.

Be sure and pass this on to all your friends. Good luck, girls!!!

Week 15: Are you Listening?

It's Week 15!!! I hope last week was fun for you as you said Thank You to those people that inspired and uplifted you. I have a few more cards to mail out this week. I want to shout out a HUGE Thank You to everyone here that takes the time to read my blog, comment and play along with our 52 week Challenge. I truly appreciate YOU and learn so much when you share!! Thank you!!!

Imagine that ... just for a moment. Your body knows you better than your mind knows you. Our thoughts are often skewed and out right wrong. But our bodies? Our bodies don't lie to us. Our bodies are never wrong.  -Yahoo Shine Blog

I haven't felt good for awhile now. VERY tired, lethargic, foggy brain, forgetful, achy all over (especially my neck and shoulders), hungry, bloated, grumpy and more. I do have Hashimoto's Disease and take the drug Synthroid to help my thryroid function so I thought everything was ok. Yet...I KNEW something was very wrong with my body. I am not supposed to feel this bad!!! And despite every effort to lose weight...my healthy eating and exercising have done very little to make the scale move or my body to show any kind of improvement at all. All of this has proven extremely frustrating for me!! 

Sooooo...one day while cruising around on the internet I came across an old blog friend's blog. As I began reading her posts I realized that she had Hashimotos, too. And over the course of a year she LISTENED to her body  made choices to CHANGE her lifestyle and heal herself. WOW! As I kept reading I realized that every sypmptom she had...I did, too. 

I spent the next week reading everything on Hashimotos and how thousands of people have felt as awful as I have, decided to do something about it and through hard work they now feel better than ever.  

I also learned that a pesky little thing called GLUTEN wrecks havoc on people with Hashimotos Disease. Turns out everytime I eat something with gluten in it my body is ATTACKING my thyroid. Sooooo...guess what I am about to do??

My family and I are going GLUTEN FREE for 30 days. I ordered a book all about living the gluten free lifestyle and have found dozens of blogs to help me out. I am DETERMINED to heal my body and get my HEALTH back!!! I want to feel energized again!!

Girls, my body had been telling me for over a year that something was wrong...I just wasn't listening!! Your assignment this week is to LISTEN to your body!! What is it telling you? How are you feeling? Do certain foods or drinks make you feel worse than others?? Do you need more sleep? Does your migraine come on after you eat or drink something in particular?? LISTEN and journal what you find out!! 

Hope your week is a GREAT one! And I will be keeping you posted on how this new way of living is going:)

It really will

Happy Friday, girls!!!

Week 14: Thank YOU!!!

"I can no other answer make, but, thanks, and thanks." 

William Shakespeare


I hope you crossed off a few items from your Procrastination List. I did and it feels great. Still have that Doctor's appointment to make...I PROMISE to get it done this week...promise!

We are switching gears a bit this week and doing something really different...we are saying THANK YOU to all those amazing people in our lives that have lifted us up, inspired us, shared with us, helped us, meant the world to us and just plain rocked our world!!!

Here's the thing...they may not know how much they rocked your world...but YOU know!! You know how on that ONE really, really hard day you went to their blog or facebook page and read a post they had written or a quote they had shared and it CHANGED your day!! Or what about those friends that you hang out with daily, weekly, every now and then?? Do they know how much you appreciate them??! 


"It's all about the little things; the little things mean a lot."  -Christine Castro Hughes


Saying Thank You is really no little thing...although it can seem like it. Saying Thank You is perhaps the very best thing we can do...not just for others but for ourselves. Showing gratitude for another human being can transform your day from a ho-hum one to a day filled with love and hope and joy. So this week we are saying THANK YOU!!!

Assignment:  Take about 10 minutes and jot down those people, friends, mentors, etc. that you would like to Thank. Take time to review it and pick out 5 of them to send a Thank You note, card, letter to. You can make the card, buy one, send it via e-mail or facebook. The goal is to just do it. Stop thinking about how much those people mean to you and tell them!!  Honestly....I think you'll be surprised...5 won't be enough!! When you really get going you may find yourself sending out dozens of Thank Yous...and that would be just amazing:)

Be sure and journal about your experience in your art journals and share in our FB group.

Girls...here are my art journaling pages for Weeks One-Thirteen

Week One-Morning Routine

Week Two-Mission Statement

Week Three-Absolute Yes List

Week Four-Sleeping Rocks!

Week Five-Move!

Week Six-Self Talk

Week Seven-Happy List

Week Eight-Solitude

Week Nine-Reflection

Week Ten-Eating Fresh

Week 11-Spend Time with Nature

Week 12-Taking Risks

Week 13-Stop Procrastinating

I am LoVinG this project and building momentum in my life!! Please share what's going on with you:) YOu can do that here in the comment section or on a our FB page. Below are the Links to our 52 Weeks Being Me project and our FB group. You are never, ever behind!! Just jump right in:)

52 Weeks
FB group

Week 13: Stop Putting it off!

How was your week?? Did you take any risks?? I plunged head first into my Art Retreat idea and am wondering why I just didn't start it sooner! Already my head is buzzing with ideas. Love this and only see myself moving forward with my dream from here!! Thanks to those of you that showed interest in teaching. I appreciate your enthusiasm and support. If YOU would like to teach leave me a comment or message me on FB or email me at les262@embarqmail.com I am just in the baby stages of planning and am looking for teachers of all kinds...jewelry making, mixed media, drawing, painting, art journaling...leave me a comment even if you are remotely interested!!!

Okay...so on to Week 13! PROCRASTINATION!! UGH! We ALL have it...don't you think?? I know I am sooooo bad at this!! And girls, procrastination makes us TIRED and swallows our dreams up!! We don't want that do we??!

I have procrastinated all day in writing this blog post...and WHY??!! I don't know. I procrastinate on making art, writing, all kinds of things!! I am super bad at putting off BIG stuff, too. Like stuff that really, truly HAS to be done...like HEALTH stuff. I have needed to make a doctors appointment for THREE things for MONTHS now and something always somes up. So because I haven't called her I think about it a lot and it weighs on me and makes me feel overwhelmed and I think...Les, just make that appointment!!

This week we are going to overcome our procrastination!! I want you to finish this sentence in your journals....fill in the blanks.

"I really am dreading............ It is hanging on me and I feel...........about it. I WILL just get it done! I bet it only takes.............to do!"

Make a list of all you have been putting off!! Everything! Make a list and get it off your mind. It is weighing you down...big time!

Here is how I finished the above sentence....

"I really am dreading going to the doctors office. It is hanging on me and I feel sick and angry about it. I WILL jut get it done! I bet it only takes me an hour to do!!!"

What is weighing on you, girls?? What do YOU keep putting off????

I NEED you!!

Happy Friday!! Love my Fridays:) I substitute at the High School then coming home to pick up house, laundry, make dinner then heading out to our first home football game...Go Spoofhounds!!:) We are State Champions and VERY GOOD....so the game will be awesome.

Girls, I have a vision...a BIG vision. I am listening to my HEART and it is telling me to have an art retreat. One that brings us together...in a peaceful place when we can learn and grow from one another. I need YOU to help!! If you are at all interested in TEACHING an art class would you please leave a comment?? Tell me what you can do/would like to do. I am thinking about having this either this coming spring or next fall.

The retreat would be 3 days/2 nights and filled with art and inspiration and spirit and lots of JOY.

Let me know your thoughts!!!!

Week 12: Taking Risks is SOOO Worth it!

"The ambitious climb high and perilous stairs, and never care how to come down; the desire of rising hath swallowed up their fear of a fall."  -Thomas Adams


Welcome to Week 12 of Being Me. Looking back on our challenge I realize  how I am feeling today and the goals I am setting for myself are because of the prior 11 weeks work. Each week is building on one another...that's exactly what I was hoping for!

 No matter where you are on this 52 week journey... I hope that you are feeling momentum in your life and growing and learning and developing new ideas and goals for yourself. Remember...NO WORRIES if you are on Week 5 or ready for Week 12. Do your best!!

 The goal here is to take each week's theme and learn and stretch and become the BEST YOU!!! 

This week we are talking about Risk Taking.

Throughout my life I have tried to have the courage to do things that no one would expect...least of all me! At the age of 32 I learned how to swim so I could do a Sprint Triathlon...talk about taking risks...it was CRAZY!! I fear water after all...I mean I don't even swim in a pool!!  Oh and speaking of things I fear...I am deathly afraid of heights...I get vertigo, about pass out...the whole deal. So what in the world was I thinking when I got myself all hooked up into this contraption???:)

It was my birthday (i think my 35th or 36th) and all I could think about was being taken up 180 feet, pulling a ripcord and dropped at lightening speed.

It was one of the scariest things I have ever done!! But soooo AMAZING!!!!

I took a risk and had a blast!!!!

Here I am nearly 10 years later and wondering why I haven't taken more risks in my life. Risks add excitement and meaning to our lives.

"Who dares nothing, need hope for nothing."  -JCF Von Schiller

During our vacation I thought a lot about the risks I'm willing to take to make my art and writing goals become reality. One of my dreams that keeps me up at night, planning, wishing, hoping for is my dream to have an ART RETREAT. I want to bring together my blog friends to teach, create and spend a few days soul-searching together. I can see this happening in my mind. I can feel it in my heart.

I decided that NOW is the time to begin taking steps necessary to bring my dreams to life. I am willing to take risks, to contact people that may say no, to have the naysayers around keep on putting me down...telling me that NO ONE would ever come to Maryville for an art retreat. I am ready to look at them and smile but keep on going ANYWAY!!!

"Do not be too timid an squeamish...All life is an experiment. the more experiements you make, the better."  -Ralph Waldo Emerson

And speaking of risks...over the weekend I finally took out a big canvas that has been sitting in my closet for MONTHS and began my Flora Bowley inspired painting!! I had soooo much fun!! I am not nearly finished yet but just wanted to share a little peek:)

Since working on this piece I have felt re-energized, focused and I have at long last found MY ART. I KNOW what it is I want to create now. Words, images and paint on canvas...makes my heart sing.

 Oh and guess what??? Somebody has contacted me about buying this piece!! And it's not even finished!!

Your assignment this week, girls is to do some risk taking yourself. Look back on your life, make a list of risks you took and how that felt. Did you move forward in your life? Are you still taking risks?? Pick ONE thing that is in your heart and take that first step to making it become a reality!!!!

I'm a Risk Taker

"If you play it safe in life, you've decided that you don't want to grow anymore."  -Shirley Hufstedler, Lawyer

Just a little nervous here...lol

I've always thought of myself as a risk taker. Someone who loves trying new things and tackling life's challenges head-on.

Me and Bo the Red Boa Constrictor

 The past few days I've been inspired to really take a look at my creative life...and I realized that when it comes to risk taking...well, let's just say I've played it safe for way too long now!!


I am ready to take a giant leap and see where my ideas take me!!! 

I will share my thoughts, ideas and more in Week 12 of our 52 week Challenge!!!!


It's FRIDAY!! Oh do I love Fridays! Especially now that school is back in session and I am working nearly full-time as a substitute teacher. I have been at the High School all week and am ready for some relaxing time and STUDIO TIME this weekend. I am also ready to share a few FRESH ideas with you...enjoy.

1. I have been a Follower of this lovely lady for several years now. Not only is she talented but she is bright light and adds so much to my days when I read her blog. Love her!!!

2.  If you are thinking about taking a class this Fall, Dina Wakely is offering this one and this one. Which one do I choose??!

3. If you are looking for FRESH art with deep, spiritual meaning then please stop by my friend's Etsy shop!

Have a perfect weekend, girls!!!


52 Weeks art challenge

Week Eleven: Get Outside!!

I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.  ~John Muir, 1913, in L.M. Wolfe, ed., John Muir, John of the Mountains:  The Unpublished Journals of John Muir, 1938



Thanks so much for being patient with me during my time off. I think many of us enjoyed having an extra week to catch up anyway!!;) Remember girls...ALL 52 Weeks will be at the top of my blog so you an ALWAYS do this at your own pace. Please don't feel like you are behind, ok? That kind of thinking just makes us feel yucky and like we aren't good enough...and YOU are AMAZING!

Speaking of AMAZING let's get on with Week Eleven..."Spending Time with Nature".

Lake Balm where we stayed.

The past 7 days I spent in beautiful Northern Minnesota in a town called Bemidji...well, actually we were 30 miles north of there in a very wooded and quiet area. 

There is just something about being surrounded by crystal blue water, woods, pretty flowers and wild life of all kinds.

The dock down from our lake house

When I am outside I am more me than at any other time. I enjoy the fresh air and sunshine on my face. It is heaven!

Dainty little wild flowers

Loons are the official bird of Minnesota:)

Being surrounded by all this beauty energized me and allowed me to think clearly, set some new goals and just be.

Me and Em on the boat

I know that's why I love walks so much. Anytime I can be outside makes me HAPPY!!!

Silly goose we fed bread to on the shoreline.

This week I want you to spend time outside. Even if you live in a tiny apartment in the city and have very little grass...get outside. Look around. Take in the sun, the clouds, the flowers {even if they are in a pot}. Walk, sit on a bench and read a book or take your journal outside and create! I did that several mornings on the deck and enjoyed every second!!!!

Happy Me!

In your art journals jot down a few of your favorite things to do outside. Write down any feel good memories of time spent outside, too. 

God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars.  ~Author unknown, commonly attributed to Martin Luther

Unplugging

Girls...I am unplugging from the world for the next week. My sweet family and I are going to Northern Minnesota for rest, fishing, sewing, journaling, painting, laughing and more. We plan on sitting around a campfire every night toasting marshmellows and playing games till midnight. I can't wait to spend time with them. I love them!!! Soooo much:)

See you back here for Week 11 on August 19th:)

52 Weeks Art Journaling 

Week Ten: Eating Fresh

**So sorry, Girls this is a day late. Yesterday was one of those days. I just wasn't feeling well...ouchy neck and migraine. I am on the mend today!!

"The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any."  -Anon.

It's unbelievable we have been working on ourselves for TEN WEEKS now!! I know that I have seen myself improve in several areas and continue to work on my weakest areas. I am so grateful you are joining me...we are gonna have the BEST year of our lives!!!

Before I share this week's theme I wanted to share my journal pages from Weeks 8 and 9.

Week 8 we focused on the importance of Solitude....

I used a very serious girl to show how important finding time to be by myself is. Like my journaling says....it is "Necessary for my heart."

I love using bright colors in my work, circles, diamonds and lots of words and phrases.

In Week 9 we Reflected on the previous weeks and tried our best to work on some of our weaker areas.

This page is a bit different from my usual style.

This is a Dina Wakely inspired page...love her!!!


Ok...so here we are on Week Ten and I am sooo ready!! This week we are focusing on Eating Fresh. It is summer afterall {for some of us anyway!!}...a time when my favorite vegetables and fruits are at their peak.

There is NOTHING better than a HUGE tossed salad with greens from my garden!

This was yesterdays lunch...sooo yummy!!! Lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, sweet red onion and homemade italian dressing. My favorite!!!

I also eat lots of berries, peaches and watermelons during this time of year. I wish they were available year round!!

A big part of my 52 weeks goal is to lose some weight and get in shape. When I eat healthy I just plain feel good!!!

This week I want you to really take a look at what and how you eat. Do you eat fresh produce daily? What kinds of fruits and veggies do you typically reach for? What are your favorite ways to eat them? Are you willing to try new kinds of produce? Which ones?

I want you take note at how you FEEL after eating a fresh, healthy meal versus a fatty, junk food type meal. How does sugar affect you? Are you tired, anxious and headachy after? Become aware at how the foods you eat make you feel.

For the next two weeks I want you to create a dinner menu. Taking the time to do this truly does make it easier to eat healthier. Here is what my week of meals looks like...

Monday-steak on grill, mashed potatoes, big salad
Tuesday-Lemon pork chops, rice, salad
Wednesday-Chicken tacos
Thursday-baked potatoes, broccoli, salad
Friday-BBQ pork sandwhiches
Saturday-Leftovers with salad
Sunday-Traveling and in Bemidji....something from restaurant (aim for salads and chicken)

I will be sharing fresh recipes starting today and throughout our next 42 weeks. Pinterest and Allrecipes are my favorite places to go for yummy ideas!!!

This week in our journals why not make a list of fresh, healthy foods that fill us up and make us feel amazing. We could write down how foods make us feel, too so we always have a reminder why its so important to eat clean!!!

Girls, what are YOUR favorite fresh foods?? Pleaase share...I love new ideas for eating!!!

Fresh Fridays: Please meet My FAvOrITe aRTiSt

"And no one will listen to us until we listen to ourselves. The Goddess awakens in our hearts before she awakens in the world."  -Marianne Williamson, Writer



Welcome to the Weekend and Fresh Fridays. Each and every Friday you can drop by and learn about a cool mixed-media technique, idea or meet an interesting artist to freshen up your creative endeavors. I am always on the lookout for new ideas, products and artists!! They inspire me so:)

This week I wanted to share one of my favorite artists with you...Flora Bowley!!

I'm not sure where or when I first heard about this fabulous artist...but I am sooo happy I found her. Her work is delightful and stirs something in my heart...I LOVE how she paints and what she paints!!

This is one of her recent posts...LOVE it!

All of her canvas's are HUGE! And to watch her paint is a lesson on creating itself. She stands and smears paint, uses various tools and she always has her spray bottle!

No two paintings are alike except for her use of bright, bold colors and shapes.

Her work is FANTASTIC and is the reason I am learning so many new painting techniques!!!

She does offfer a class...oh how I dream of taking it one day,

For now I am happy with her book (that I am purchasing very soon!)

For me art is a feeling. When you see something or create something you should feel it so deep in your heart that you KNOW it's you. That's what Flora's work does to me....it speaks to my heart.

To learn more about this fabulous woman and artist please so here.

What artist is really speaking to YOUR heart right now?? Please share!!!