dROp by And LEt mE knOw WHaT u THInK

So, I have a new blog look. I wanted something different. I like it....what do you think?

PS. My dear friend Leanne is cooking something up for me, too {i think} I asked her to anyways. You know she is sooo talented;) and soooo willing to indulge me. So sweet!

And the Winners are....

Yesterday I drew out FOUR lucky winners to my 1 year Blog Anniversary!!! Whoo Hoo!!! Here they are....

Hand Made Tags-Jerrie and Dawn

Butterfly Collage-Doris

Big Collage Pack-Bev

Thanks to EVERYONE who left a sweet and thoughtful comment, you Liked me on FB and/or became a Follower!!! I appreciate you so very much!!!:)

A few new things coming to Words of Me Project beginning NEXT week!! Can't wait to share....

Happiness Is...

I played Lucy in our 8th grade musical "You're a Good Many, Charlie Brown". It really was the perfect character for me...she's a take-charge kind of girl and that's me...plus she is hopelessly in love with Schroeder, following him around all day like a puppy dog. Reminds me of the days I used to stalk my husband;) {lol}

Anyhoo....{i didn't really stalk, Dave...we just happened to "run" into each other a lot-tee hee}...in the show I sang the song "Happiness Is..." 
What I loved best about singing that song was how, well happy it made me,  It's filled with the simple things that bring us joy...like 2 kinds of ice cream and a sharpened pencil.

My darling friend Leanne wrote all about what brings her happiness in her blog yesterday and is the inspiration for this post today.

When I was in college I remember thinking I was happy. Looking back now...I know I wasn't. Without going into all the gory details lots of bad things happened to me which I tried and tried to block out with alcohol. Oh, sure I'd be happy for a few hours but then wake up to reality {and a headache} then repeat the cycle all over again.

I was constantly chasing happiness.

If you Google happiness you get over 4.6 million results! Here are a few...

*Quotes

*Personal Growth classes

*Tips on how to be happy

*What is Happiness...the definition

There is even a place on the Web you can visit to get happy!! Happiness.com 

After trying to find happiness I came to the realization that happiness cannot be found in books or magazine articles. It cannot be found in food or clothes or cars or trips.

No.

Real, true happiness can only be found in our hearts.

Happiness is a state of being.

There are hundreds of reasons why I'm happy each day. And yes it can be because of food, my family, your blogs, a great book, the weather and dozens of other things.

It's when we can say to ourselves that we're happy without the influence of all the other stuff...that's when we know we're happy.

When we can just BE.




So many things add to the happiness of my day....these flowers on my dining room table.

My little marker board that sits in my kitchen. I fill it with greetings, quotes and our daily menu everyday!!

I love my craft space!!!

My sweetie, Gizmo:)

My darling Em and my Mom

My son and the Missionaries from our Church. They have such a sweet Spirit!!

And finally my husband. He is simply amazing and honestly I don't know if I ever would have loved myself enough to have found true happiness without his influence in my life.

I am blessed and I am happy.

So, what about you? What does happiness mean to you, girls? Please share!!

I am linked up today with Amanda....

Stop by Amanda's Blog today!!

A Note of Gratitude

How beautiful a day can be
When kindness touches it!
~George Elliston

Thank you for spending time with me, for reading my thoughts and dreams. I appreciate you and your kind words more than I can say.

What do you do {plus give-away!!}

I write, I scrap, I collage, I paint, I do crafts...

Tell me, what do you do?

I would love to know...

Be sure and leave a comment by MIDNIGHT tonight...In honor of my 1 year Blogversary I'm giving away some pretty cool prizes including a MEGA Collage pack filled with papers and ephemera and buttons and more!!

Happy Weekend:)

Just a little something to think about...

Writing, scrapbooking, painting, collaging...these are all passions of mine.

"Inside you there's an artist you don't know about...Say yes quickly, if you know, if you've known it from before the beginning of the universe."  -Jalai Ud-Din Rumi

I create because it relaxes me. It takes me back to a simpler time. A time when I could just be me. 

---

  Thomas Mann - “Solitude gives birth to the original in us, to beauty unfamiliar and perilous - to poetry."



 I write to hear my voice. To figure out where it is I'm going...




To me, the greatest pleasure of writing is not what it's about, but the inner music the words make.  ~Truman Capote, McCall's, November 1967

I am happy.

I am content.

I am living an authentic life.

How about you?

I am a Guest Post...

So today...stop by my friend Leanne's Blog..."From Chaos Comes Happiness" for a little bit of MY chaos;)

Yep, she is in the Magic Kingdom and asked me a month or so ago. I think you'll laugh your head off at my chosen topic...

My First Date with Dave.

It's a must read;)

Read it here.

Tell Me, What is Heart Saying?

 “Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.” — Mary Lou Cook

Something has happened to me that's hard to explain...I have had an awakening of sorts. Oh, I know that sounds kind of corny...but I have. It's true. 


I am learning to listen {truly listen} to what my heart is telling me. 

Is is easy? Oh, my goodness no. I mean the rational side of me says things like "who are you kidding? you can't do that?" It laughs at me, with ferociousness.

“You must not for one instant give up the effort to build new lives for yourselves. Creativity means to push open the heavy, groaning doorway to life. This is not an easy struggle. Indeed, it may be the most difficult task in the world, for opening”

Last Monday night our Art Professor friend was giving a lecture on creativity at our local State University. I ended up going and feel richer for doing so.

Chris focused on what creativity really is. 

It's all about emotion...our emotions.

“Don't think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It's self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can't try to do things. You simply must do things.”  Ray Bradbury

Chris shared that for him, art is a way to get through things.There was a time in his life when he thought he was losing everything. One day he just picked up a pencil and started drawing...slowly. In time what appeared was a Series he now calls "The Grip". This collection of pencil drawings was on display for us to see that evening and throughout the next month. Walking through the gallery, seeing his art...you could feel every, raw emotion he was going through. 

"Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see."  -William Newton Clark

The goal of art, I realized that night, is to put my soul on paper.

As Bejamin Disreali tells us..."Learn to unlearn."

Chris went on to share dozens of logos he had created including the Franklin Covey look of the late 80's and 90's. 

He shared his fire with us...his enthusiasm for paint and pencils and creating. 

My favorite part was his description of how he loved the feel of paint, the softness of it, how it felt squishing between his fingers.

As I was leaving to go home I noticed an open door to a classroom. I could see easels, in a semi-circle, each one holding a large canvas. I peeked in, eager to take a closer look. Walking in, quietly I saw tubes of paint lying about, used brushes and half-filled jars of paint stained water. I breathed deeply, closed my eyes and enjoyed the smell of oil-based paint. 

"If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint", then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced."  -Vincent Van Gogh

I am listening. I hear what my heart is saying. 

I am ready to try, to be open.

I am ready for a new adventure to begin.

What is your heart telling you these days? 

I Blog to Inspire

Today I have been blogging for one year!!! To celebrate I'm giving away the following...

Beautiful hand made tags...

No two are alike...




This HUGE Collage pack filled with scrapbook papers, brads. buttons, ribbons, ephemera, a mini album, hand made notebook and so much more!!

To enter my give away do the following...

1. leave a comment for 1 entry

2. Like me on FB for 1 entry

3. become a follower for 1 entry

Winners will be drawn one week from today!!

Today is the last day of the SITS Back2Blogging Event!!

It's been tons of fun, given me a greater appreciation for my Blog and I've met some really amazing women bloggers I never knew about!!

Today, our assignment is to answer the question: “Why Do You Blog?” 

The story I am writing exists, written in absolutely perfect fashion, some place, in the air.  All I must do is find it, and copy it.  ~Jules Renard, "Diary," February 1895

I blog for several reasons.

I love to write, to journal, to keep track of my days.

I love meeting other like-minded women who try their best to balance it all...wife, mom, teacher, artist and friend.

But the main reason I Blog...

the reason that keeps me striving to be authentic and creative and inspiring...is you.

For 5 years I wrote a weekly column in the newspaper called "View from the Front Porch".

I wrote about life, about hopes and dreams and goals. I was funny, sometimes sad, I was always real.

When I write a story or a blog post or a column I share little bits with you. Sometimes I'm loud and outgoing other times I'm quiet and whispering.


What I like in a good author is not what he says, but what he whispers.  ~Logan Pearsall Smith, "All Trivia," Afterthoughts, 1931

I write because I have something to say. 

There is no greater joy than to inspire another person to become.


My mission here is to get you to see.


See your days, your hours, your minutes as a chance for you to become something you only dream about. 


I am a Mom
I am a Wife
I am a Seminary Teacher
I am a Friend
I am a Creative Soul


I am someone who sees each day as a gift and intends on living every moment I'm given.


I am a writer
I am a blogger.


When once the itch of literature comes over a man, nothing can cure it but the scratching of a pen.  But if you have not a pen, I suppose you must scratch any way you can.  ~Samuel Lover, Handy Andy, 1842

Anniversay Week {Day 4)

It's Day 4 of the SITS Back2 Blogging Event!!

Today's assignment is to blog about a woman who inspires me. To be honest LOTS of women inspire me so this was kind of hard. I mean to pick just one when so many of YOU inspire me daily...well, it just doesn't seem fair to leave anyone out.

After much thought I picked a woman whom I didn't know much about just a few months ago but has had quite an impact on my way of thinking. She has made me realize how important it is to understand where it is we come from so we'll know where we're going. Her Uncle, is perhaps, one of the most influential African Americans in the World. I am trying to be more like....

Dr. Alveda King

Alveda Celeste King (born January 22, 1951)^[3] is an American Christian minister,^[4] political conservative, anti-abortion activist, author and politician. She is a niece of the civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. and daughter of the late civil rights activist Rev. A.D. William King, Sr. and his wife Naomi Barber King. She is the full-time Pastoral Associate of African-American Outreach for the Roman Catholic pro-life group, Priests for Life.^[5] She is currently a Senior Fellow at the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution, a conservative Washington, D.C. think-tank. She is a former member of the Georgia House of Representatives and the founder of King for America. She is the mother of six, and a grandmother. {Wikipedia}

Her Uncle, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has always been an influence for good in my life...so it's no surprise that his niece would be the same.

What inspires me about Dr. Alveda King is the way she speaks truth. Her voice holds no contention, no anger, no hate. She speaks from her heart of love and peace. .Her words are gentle and kind yet when she shares her opinions you know just where she stands.

My family and I had the privilege to hear Dr. King speak in Washington D. C. a few weeks ago at the Restoring Honor Event at the Lincoln Memorial.

Not only was her speech that day uplifting and inspiring but just the fact that she was there under death threats made me realize that she does stand up for what she believes...just like her Uncle so many years ago.

Here is my sweet family in the crowd at DC...

And while I may not agree with everything Dr. King says...I know that she is a woman full of Spirit. She does everything out of love...that is what I aspire to do. To be. A woman who does everything and treats everyone with love.

So, I would LOVE to know...who is inspiring you right now and why?

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An update!  Yes, my Blogversary is tomorrow...BUT I am extending the contest to one more week!! Hooray! And I have upped the prizes from 1 to THREE:) 

Look at just one of the fab prizes that could be yours...

A super cute {and inspiring} butterfly collage!!

And looky, here...handmade tags for scrapbook pages. collage pages and MOrE...

 Sooooooo, what are you wainting??!?!?

Comment for 1 entry

Like me on FB for 1 entry

Follower me for 1 entry

Deadline is September 24th at NOON!

Drawing September 24th and winners posted on Monday, the 27th!!!!!

Anniversary Week {Day 3}

The fabulous ladies at SITS invited their members to a Back2Blogging Event...

I have been participating all week...so fun! Today's Challenge was to select our favorite Title Post and tell you why we liked it. Me, being the overachiever I had to pick several...enjoy:)

This is probably my second favorite Post title ever...I mean, truly I'm not very good at the title thing. I know, I know we are supposed to come up with titles that are easy to find when others are searching the Web for something to read...but I've never got into that. Soooo....I generally just write down the first thing that pops in my head.

Anyway....I thought this was pretty cool "Turn Your Light On". Another great post "A Little Bit of Happy". Not only do I like the title but this post just makes me smile:). To feed your muse check out these awesome titles: "A Creativity Challenge to Knock Your Socks Off" and my favorite post title to date with the actual post to follow "R U Ready for a Revolution?"

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Creative things happening at Words of Me Project and I can't wait! So ready to write, get to know myself better, bring all that's inside into my art...ready to inspire and be inspired. Ready for this....

and can't wait for this...

Two AMAZING books written by sisters Linda Woods and Karen Dinino.


Visual Chronicles came out first in 2006. Some of the chapters include...

*I'm just not artistic
*I can't write
*Nothing happens in my life
*I have no time

One of my favorite sections in this book encourages you to come up with a personal color palette to use in your art journals. The authors share that the color RED may be used to show anger, heat or love. While BLUE shows water, sky, calm or trust. However, as they state in their book you can use these guidelines or "turn them upside down" with your own color guide. I am making mine and will be sharing here very soon!

Journal Revolution: rise up and create! shares more ideas for journals, personal manifestos and other works of art created based on your emotions. Here is a sampling of a few chapters...

*Plan your attack
*Crack the code
*Take cover
*Trespassing Zone

This book gives you questions to answer so you can dig deeper, learn more about why you think a certain way then shows you artistic ways of expressing yourself on everything from art canvas to trading cards. Love these books!!

You can buy both books here and here.

Last week I "gathered my forces" into one small basket with handles so I can take it anywhere. Here it is...

Another shot of my "forces"...

Here is a list of some of my supplies. Most of them I already had.

watercolors
acrylic paint
scrapbook tape in several different designs {it 's the yellow with blue flowers in the photos}
a ruler
avery labels
colored pencils
mini alphabet stamps
chipboard journal discs from Urban Lily
several sizes of paint brushes
several sizes of foam brushes
chipboard words
word stamps from Heidi Swapp
lots of ink pads
a baggie with little treasures {brads, buttons, flowers, postage stamps, tickets and more}
sandpaper

I had so much fun gathering these supplies. Everytime I look at my basket I get so excited thinking of all the possibilites {my word for 2010 by the way!}
These books are full of so much that my head was swimming with ideas. Plus after getting my art basket ready I was inspired to CREATE! I decided to make a mini journal to put my ideas in. I love how it turned out!

I started with a mini chipboard album kit from Jenni Bowlin Studios. Love her stuff!! I took it apart and painted the chipboard covers a lime green.

I inked the edges black.

I really loved how the heart was cut out on the cover so decided to call my little book this...

"Journal my heart out".

Decided to put the date, too {I date EVERYTHING!}

Wanted to do something with the inside of the covers, too. Here is how they turned out.

This is on the front and here is what I put on the back inside cover.

That chipboard square is from Urban Lily from several years back. I use these all the time...so great for journals!!

I wrote "the good. the bad. the ugly." Because authors Linda and Karen encourage you to be REAL with this artistic endeavors.

Here's the back.

Now here are pics with the book put back together...

I know my little journal isn't perfect. But that' is why I am in love with these books. They aren't about perfection. So many times when we think of traditional scrapbooking it's all about cutesy and sweet and adorable. And while I enjoy scrapping those things and in that way I am ready to explore that side of me that takes what's inside and puts it on a piece of grungy cardboard, uses watercolors, bubble wrap and masking tape. It's gonna be hard to get out of the "proper" way to "do art"...but this is exactly what I need to break down those "perfect" walls and truly see what kind of artist I am.

I have always considered myself a "word artist". That's what writers do...create art with what they say. That's what appeals to me so much in these books "Journal Revolution" and "Visual Chronicles". It's putting WORDS with EMOTIONS with ART. For me, the perfect combination!!

I encourage you to try this, too!! Go to Amazon, buy one or both of these books!! Right now you can purchase them here for almost half of what I paid...

Even if you don't have the books...you can grab a basket and start "gathering your force". Put what speaks to you in your basket, sit back and just look at it. Your creativity will start running amuck and you will be so excited to create your very own art journals, too!!!

This is something I'm gonna be doing EVERY WEEK here at Words of Me. Sharing, creating, gathering, jouraling and inspiring. I sure hope you'll join me on this journey!!!
****I better share my WORD from last week as it's a good one!!

BEAUTIFUL

–adjective

1.

having beauty; having qualities that give great pleasure or satisfaction to see, hear, think about, etc.; delighting the senses or mind: a beautiful dress; a beautiful speech.

2.

excellent of its kind: a beautiful putt on the seventh hole; The chef served us a beautiful roast of beef.

3.

wonderful; very pleasing or satisfying.

As I continue to lose weight and inches I am feeling more confident than ever!! I went clothes shopping and ended up finding the PERFECT dress! I have always and forever wanted a polka dot dress. I found one in a smaller size. I feel BEAUTIFUL in it!!

I also felt like my week was beautiful spiritually and emotionally. I felt the Spirit of gratitude fill my heart on more than one occasion last week. And finally I will leave you with a sneak peek of my Mother's Day celebration and this beautiful gift I was given...

**Hope you enjoyed!!

Okay...one more thing...and yes this post is now becoming a novel {sorry!}

THIS Friday the 17th is my ONE YEAR anniversary!! To celebrate I have a ginormous collage pack to give away!! To enter do the following...

Comment Below for 1 entry

Like me on FB for 1 entry (FB page on the right side of blog)

Follow Me for 1 entry

Good luck!!

Anniversary Week {Day 2}

Today is Day 2 of the SITS Back2 Blogging Extravaganza!! This challenge has really got me excited about blogging and creating and inspiring. Thank you SITS!!!

Here is the Challenge for today...

"Re-post an entry that you really liked and you wished more people had paid attention to."

I am a Collector of B's

"Be grateful. Be smart. Be clean. Be true. Be humble. Be prayerful."
- President Hinckley

This piece of advice was given by one of my favorite men that walked the earth-Gordon B. Hinckley. He was a great leader in my Church...respected, loved and cherished by everyone who ever met him or heard him speak. Sadly, he died a couple of years ago...but his memory lives on in the hearts of so many.

The first time I came across Hinckley's famous "Be" quotation was back in 2006. We were visiting our friends in Utah and I saw the quote hanging above their sink in the kitchen. I LOVED it! It spoke to me on so many levels. "Be grateful. Be smart. Be clean. Be true. Be humble. Be prayerful." It was a like a compass for my life. A reminder of how I envisioned myself to be. The qualities I wanted to pass along to my children.

It was during that summer I became a fan of "Be's". I found myself searching for not only that quote on a plaque but anything with the word "Be" in it.



I've always enjoyed the song "Let it Be" by the Beatles. It's my favorite. That summer I found a shirt with that on front of it! I was thrilled. I wear it often especially on those days I want to feel inspired...like today.

Two summers ago, during one of our Utah trips, we ended up at the Ogden Mall, like always. We hit all our favorite stores like Franklin Covey (yes, I'm a nerd), Aeropostale, American Eagle and Down East Basics. As we were heading out, we happened to go through a HUGE gift type store. There, right by the door was the most amazing grey granite tile I'd ever seen. It said in bold letters "Just Be". Without hesitation I bought it and smiled all the way home. It now sits on top of my armoire in our bedroom. Every morning I'm reminded to let it go. Enjoy life, all those little moments. Don't get uptight over the little stuff. Just Be.

Last fall while back to school shopping with the kids I sound the most perfect "B"...it was a silver necklace...very simple. Just a letter "B" on a small silver circle with another circle (this one gold) that says "Love". Inside the box was a note that said, "Whenever you wear this "B", be reminded of who you are and where you are going. Love the journey." I wear it almost daily. It might sound funny but when I'm wearing it I'm reminded of all those "Be's"...Hinckley's, The Beatles and my "Just Be" plaque. It keeps me calm and on the path I've set out for myself.

Now, it seems, wherever I go I'm in search for more "B's". The letter, the word...it doesn't matter. I just want more. Be's speak to me.

Oh, I did find this website the other day. Of course I had to check it out. She must love "B's" just like me:)


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Why do I love this post?

-I love B's :)
-I wrote this using my voice. I think you can tell how passionate I am about the letter B!!
-These are all things I want to remember in my life and use daily
-I still love B's and Be's
-I thought the Title was clever:)

If I wrote this post today I would include a photo of my "Just Be" tile (I know I should today but I am strapped for time!) I would also add a question at the bottom of the post to encourage comments. Here's the question...

"What are you a collector of?"

**I am learning so much from the SITS Challenge and am having a blast reading all the participating Blogs. Finding so many new, amazing and inspiring women!!

***I am celebrating my ONE YEAR Blogversary THIS Friday!!! I will be giving away a HUGE Collage pack filled with handmade tags, papers, a journal and more!!! 

Comment Here-1 entry
Like me on FB-1 entry
Become a Follower -1 entry

Happy Tuesday!


PS...if you left a comment in yesterday's post that counts as an entry!!!:)

Anniversary Week {Day 1}

Just a little bit excited today!! Last night I realized that THIS Friday is Words of Me Project 1 year anniversary!!! Yep, 1 year ago I sat down, typed in blogger.com, hit create a blog and began my journey. Oh what a wonderful time I've had!! From meeting new friends, improving my writing skills and finding amazingly awesome blogging communities I look forward to all the groovy stuff I'll find this year:)

Here's what I think is really neat-o...there just happens to be this super awesome"Back to Blogging" event going on over at one of my fave communities on the web SITS. I wrote about them a few posts ago....remember? All this week the SITS Girls are providing prompts for our posts. To add to the fun they have sponsors...Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath and Florida Builder Appliances to share the journey with us. So off we go...

Prompt #1: Share your first Blog post with everyone and share with your readers what you would do differently {if anything}

Here is my very first post on Words of Me Project dated September 17th, 2009

This idea has been running around in my mind for several years. Since I ADORE words so very much, have kept a journal nearly all my life and am always looking for new and creative ways to explore my creativity...I thought it would be fun to create a "Words of Me" journal.

My Blog was created to inspire and encourage you to take a look at your life this year in a very different and very unique way...one word at a time.

Throughout the week we'll be keeping notes on our lives. This journal can be as detailed as you want it to be or not. You can make lists, full sentences or jot down a few events that took place that week...you decide. At the end of our week...there's where the fun begins! At the end of each week we'll look back on the past 7 days and come up with ONE WORD that best describes that week.

Did I mention you can't use the same word twice?

This Challenge officially starts October 5th, 2009 and runs until October 5th 2010. Now don't worry if you start late...just jump right in and get to work!

Throughout the next year we'll be sharing our words with each other. This place will be filled with journaling prompts, scrapbook pages and prizes to keep you coming back and to keep your creativity charged.

I am looking forward to the next 12 months...I hope you'll join me for one amazing journey!

PS...I would LOVE to get the word out about the Words of Me Project. If you love this Blog as much as I do would you please send them my link?

Leave a comment below...I would love to meet you. And if you're an old friend...let me know you've stopped by!!

By the way...stay tuned for one heck of a prize package give away to kick this event off!!

And by the way...I'm not finished putting up links, photos, etc. yet. So if you've stopped by and I know you and you're saying...Hey where is my link?!! It's coming!!!:)

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Honestly...I like my first post. It explains what the goal of my Blog is, a bit about me and what my intentions are for the year. Pretty good job, Les;)

I must say though that I haven't kept up with my one word a week. Was doing so good for 9 months or so then one week would go by and I'd forget to post my word then before you know it a month had gone by then I just sorta stopped. Even though I don't have 52 words describing my life I do have approx 35. It has been fun looking back at the past year and all my words!!

What I am most proud of with my Blog is how I've evolved. I have written posts about various topics but still stayed true to myself and my intentions. The 31 Days Creativity Challenge was one of my favorite ideas yet...{look for a second 31 Days Challenge this January!!!}

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With all this Anniversary Hoopla I want to have another Give Away!! Still working on that so stay tuned!!;)

Going Retro this Week...

Howdy, girls!! You know that old Johnny Nash song..."I Can See Clearly Now'"? The one that says It's gonna be a bright, bright sunshiny day? Well, that's me...NOW...after much contemplating this weekend on my life and what is important to me at this time in my life.

It was like blinders had been covering my eyes making it nearly impossible for me to see what was right in front of me all along. I know now what it is I must do and what it is I can do to bring more order and peace to my world.{and do so with a smile on my face}


I intend on writing out some very clear intentions for myself this week. I promise I will share this new found "enlightenment" along with my intentions later in the week.

I am excited to be participating in a Blogging Challenge this week from one of my favorite communities "The Secret is in the Sauce" or as they are more fondly known as SITS. Don't know about SITS? Click here to find out more and read what I'll be up to for the next 5 days. ;)

I am ready to kick my blog up a notch...so get ready...

Here I Come!!

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday...

Trying my Best

All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.  -Henry Ellis

I am trying my best. Trying to do as much as I can with a big smile on my face.

I am trying to learn the art of letting go of those things which I don't need in my life right now, while holding on to those things which matter the most.

The only problem I see is that so much matters to me...

There is so much I want to do with my days.

I simply cannot fit it all in.

And still keep a smile on my face.





So, it's time to stop and think about what really does matter to me and do only those things.

*creating art

*writing/blogging

*spending time with family

*keeping my house picked up

*teaching and learning in Church

Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? But when you add all the responsibilities of everyday life in there and man, time just goes...it vanishes...


For disappearing acts, it's hard to beat what happens to the eight hours supposedly left after eight of sleep and eight of work. -Doug Larsen


Today is Friday...one of my favorite days of the week. Today I will take advantage of a few hours this afternoon and use them wisely, in my art space, creating something just for me. 

And I will think about this quote...

Much may be done in those little shreds and patches of time which every day produces, and which most men throw away. -Charles Caleb Colton




....And try my best to remember it on those days I feel like there isn't enough time.


Do you feel this way? Does time just vanish? Do you take advantage of those "moments" and spend it doing your favorite things? I would love to hear!!!

 

INCREDIBLE Give-away!!!

My friend {and mentor} Lisa Bearnson just launched a BRAND NEW site. Now if you already know Lisa {she is the Founding Editor of Creating Keepsakes Magazine, author of a dozen or so books and just an all around amazing person}then you know how talented and full of energy she is. So even though we haven't seen her pretty face in CK for awhile it doesn't mean she hasn't been a busy bee.

Me and Lisa last summer in Utah

Nope! She's been hard at work and is ready to bring us exciting projects like these!!

{all images are from Lisa Bearnson's Blog}

Gorgeous, digital Memory Books that YOU create!! Click here to find out MORE!!

How would you like to win one of these beautiful books to create yourself? This darling School Days PhotoBook could  be yours...

Or how about a brand new Silhouette Machine!!!

All you have to do to enter is click here to visit Lisa's Blog. You have until this FRIDAY...so be sure and stop by TODAY!!