Thank Goodness for Little Girls

Last year when I began this whole Brave Girl journey of mine {I took Soul Restoration} I began to uncover my Truth.

I began listening to my Heart and trying to hear what it was telling me.

Deep down I wanted to create. I knew I couldn't draw or paint or work with clay. What I did know was that I adored WORDS. I am passionate about WORDS. I love putting words on paper, in my blog and I discovered my heart song when I began putting WORDS with pictures and paint and flowers.

I began believing in my work. Creating my Brave Girls and collages added so much to my life. I began taking on-line art courses...learning and growing and realizing that I could create.

As my confidence grew...my art became more of my own. My thoughts and feelings on canvas were not only inspiring me but others as well.

I decided to take a leap of faith and enter an area craft show. When the first one didn't work out...I tried again.

My first show was a couple of weekends ago. It was amazing! The support and love given to me that day will stay with me for a very long time.

My first sale of the day was so sweet and happened within 5 minutes of the show's opening. A young girl {about 10 to 11} came over to my table. She was so darling. As she looked at each piece her eyes grew big and smile wide...

"Grandma, get over here!! I know what I want for Christmas!!"

Just hearing those words from her mouth blew me away. She wanted something I had created for Christmas??!

"Grandma, I want this one."

Note: It wasn't this exact piece but one similar...there was a vintage girl and a butterfly in the piece she chose.

Her Grandma warned her that if she bought it this would be her only present from her. The sweet girl said..."That's okay, Grams...this just speaks to me. Can we get one for my sister, too?"

Ok, so an 11 year old loves my work. It speaks to her!! Holy cow!!

Oh, and I simply wanted to hug Grandma because that wonderful woman bought that piece and one of my Brave Girls "Sassy" and gave me 2 bucks extra 'cause she loved my work so much! WHOA!

As they walked away I winked at the girl and gave her smile.

"I knew you were a Brave Girl," I said.
"How?" she asked.

I nodded at her shirt and she grinned. Her hoodie had a butterfly with the words Dream, Hope, Imagine. It was awesome!!

I have another story to share but I think I'll save that for another post.

One more thing...I have another show coming up December 10th in Bethany, Missouri AND I have been invited to sell my work at a shop in town called "Cow Girl Flair"!! I am beyond excited and working so hard on Cow Girls!!! They are turning out soooo cute. I will share later:)

Have a wonderful day girls. I leave you with one of my latest Brave Girls and a link to my favorite Brave site...Brave Girls Club. Melody and Kathy have inspired me to live my dreams!!!

"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble."  -Helen Keller

Random Monday

So many things to be thankful for this week!

This was our Thanksgiving table. I can't believe I actually got to be in the photo!!

Of course we had an abundance of food. All quite delicious. What a wonderful cook {hee, hee}


These two kept snitching ham all afternoon.

I make a ham and turkey each year. We love them both...and you gotta have turkey, right?!

Sunday was my son's 1 year anniversary with his girlfriend Sarah...

"Hey, Mom can you make Sarah and I brunch on Saturday...I want to surprise her but since I always burn the eggs...."

"I would love , too Jacks:)"

 On the menu...

scrambled eggs
bacon
chocolate chip pancakes
milk

She loved it.

Have you seen this book??! Thanks to my daughter's art teacher I now own it.

This is so darling. Love it!

And speaking of girly art my sweet Mama bought me this for my Birthday!!

Happy Birthday to ME!!

It started a few weeks ago...but I haven't had time to stop by the classroom yet! Good thing Christy gives you 6 months!

Oh and thanks to Andria...I am participating in 1001 Journals with April Cole!!

I still must tell you the two beautiful stories from my first craft show AND tell you some exciting news!! I will tomorrow {promise}. Blogger is being soooo slow today and this post has taken waaay too much time to write!!!

Here's a background I created...15 in all this weekend:)

How was your holiday??

My Wish for YOU

Best Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is here, so our minds have turned
To what time has taught us, to what we’ve learned:
We often focus all our thought
On shiny things we’ve shopped and bought;
We take our pleasure in material things
Forgetting the pleasure that friendship brings.
If a lot of our stuff just vanished today,
We’d see the foundation of each happy day
Is special relationships, constant and true,
And that’s when our thoughts go directly to you.
We wish you a Thanksgiving you’ll never forget,
Full of love and joy—your best one yet! By Joanna Fuchs  

My Blog friends...you are some of the very BEST people I know. Thank you for your support. Thank you for sharing your hearts with me.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

It finally happened!

"Flaming enthusiasm, 

backed up by horse sense

and persistence,

is the quality

that most frequently

makes for success." 

-Dale Carnegie

Over the weekend something happened...

I experienced my first show.

It was so much more than I expected.

And I have some 

pretty awesome stories to share.

I was so afraid to do this.

So afraid people wouldn't get my Art.

But they did.

They got it!

They oohed and aaahed

and bought so much!!

My next show is Saturday December 10th.

It's a BIG one. Lots of vendors...

lots of customers:)

I have sooo much work to do.

I can't wait to get busy.

My mind is working overtime.

The ideas are just piling up in my brain

and I 'm trying to figure out how I am gonna

fit it all in!

But I will.

"We can accomplish

almost anything 

within our ability

if we but think that we can!"

  -George Matthew Adams

Along with my show I have another

HUGE announcement!!

I will share that along with 2 inspiring

stories from my show in Tuesday's post.

Have a CREATIVE day, girls!!

Friday's Joy Jam!

Happy Friday, girlies! I don't know about you but I am soooo ready for Friday and Thanksgiving Break!

I started my morning teaching Seminary to my class then went to the gym for a 25 minute jog/walk then I was able to spend 55 minutes at the massage therapist. Oh what JOY that brought me!! I am feeling so good now {big smile on my face}

Sooo many things bring me JOY! Here are a few of them....

No, I don't have these shoes...{sure wish I did!} These represent 2 weeks of exercising. November 7th I committed myself to an on-line Healthy Holiday Challenge for 8 weeks. I have a partner and everything:) In 2 weeks I have joined the gym again and do anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes of cardio, stretching or yoga a day. It was slow going at first but as of yesterday I was adding jogging bursts during my treadmill time. My heart and mind are all in sync...feels so good:)

Along with working out I am eating cleaner {trying to avoid high fat snacks and sugar} as well as drinking more water. There is nothing so good as an ice cold glass of water with lemon. Makes me feel good inside and out.

Oh how I LOVE Thanksgiving! Each year I spend the morning cooking turkey, stuffing, pototoes and more while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with the kids. I make sure and have Christmas tunes close by, too.

Would you look at these two?? Jackson and Emma!! This seems like ages and ages ago...but yet, it doesn't. Funny how that goes. Em was about 3 here and Jacks was 5.

Here they are today....nearly 17 and 14.

And finally I am soooo JOYFUL because of this cold-blooded man....;)

Yes, Breaking Dawn opened at 12:01!!! My family and I have our tickets and will be headed to theaters EARLY for our 9:45 show tonight. Can't wait!!!

I love the idea of JOY and am linking up with a NEW blog. Check it out!

Link up here.

What's bringing you JOY this week??

Fire Up

"Woman is so made that whenever anything fires her soul,

impossibilities vanish."

-La Fontaine

The Power is Within YOU!

Last Friday was Oprah's Life Class Finale and it was as if she were speaking directly to me. Love it when that happens. Have you seen Life Class? Don't even know what it is? Click here to see all 25 episodes. They are amazing!

Anyway...Oprah's last episode was entitled "You've Always Had the Power". Think of that scene in Wizard of Oz when Dorothy is asking Glenda to send her home. Remember what Glenda tells Dorothy??




Dorothy had ALWAYS had the power within her and the best part?? We do, too!!!

Sooo many women already know that and are such great examples to me. I shared many of them with you in this post. Be sure and stop by to check out the amazing women I spotlighted.

Leanne and Jodi are two women in my life who, at this very moment are living their creative dreams. Not because they got lucky and it's just happening to them. No because over the past year they have worked so very hard, painting, drawing, writing, sharing and finding a way to do it all.

 They have tapped into their own hearts, they believe in their dreams and they are taking steps daily to insure their dreams come true. These two ladies are like my own personal compass. Each time I read their blogs or see their work it reminds me of my own path. My own power.

This was me last night in my artsy space. I love this photo because this is me being 100% me.

No, I definately won't win any beauty awards but I feel so good here. Wearing my sunny yellow tee, bangs pinned back and a big smile on my face.

I am back at work. It's been awhile you know. Just haven't been too inspired to actually work on my art. It sure felt good.

Background with alcohol ink. Love it!

See that vintage lady? One of my amazing readers (Maggie) sent me this (and lots of other stuff, too!!)

Then there's this one...

This background is one of my favorites. There is just something about red and blues together.

One of my latest additions to my art space...

Isn't this sweet? My Mom gave me this several Christmas's ago. It's supposed to be used for appetizers, etc. but I think it's awesome filled with all my flowers.

So many projects I'm working on. Here's a peek at my space from last night...

This bed is used for all things art! No sleeping here-LOL.

What can I say? I'm such a visual person. I enjoy seeing everything in front of me. My dream is to put a table in here and get rid of the bed.

My desk is cute but doesn't have a big enough workspace.


Remember Leanne I mentioned a bit earlier in this post? Here is a bit of her work...

Sweet magnets...

Gotta love Elsie there, too. Anybody else love Elsie? I bet her a few years back at CHA. She was so petite and darling. Love her quirky sense of style and art. It is so her!

Some finished work. Just in time for Christmas.

Another piece just for fun.

The whole thing...

It's kind of a strange image but I really loved it when I found it at the antique store.

So, yes...I am remembering that the Power does lie within me. Like I said last post...I am trying hard to listen to my heart whispers.

I love where they are taking me...


"Give to the world the best you have
and the best will come back to you."
     -Madeline Bridges

Where is your heart taking you these days?


PS....I somehow managed to delete my wonderful Bird banner last week. I don't know what happened. I am working on a new one with Leanne...for now here is an old one she made me along with a funky background. Can't wait to get something fresh and new!

Heart Whispers

"All I can do is act according to my 

deepest instinct, and be whatever I 

must be-crazy or ribald or sad or

compassionate or loving or

indifferent. That is all anybody can do."

                             -Katharine Butler Hathaway

Lately I've been listening.
To my husband
my children
my friends
inspirational speakers
and church leaders.

And myself.
My heart.
Trying to hear what it's telling me.

I get side tracked so easily you know.
I'll go from wanting this
to wanting that
to wanting something entirely different.

So I listen....

And I hear.
I trust what my heart is telling me.

I have a bad habit of not being patient.
Of not following through with my heart made plans.
I have this whisper
then this grand idea
and do bit here and there...

But then I just stop.
I don't follow through.

I don't follow through because I get side-tracked.
Not by TV or the internet or other stuff....
No.
I get side tracked because of someone elses dream coming true.

I compare myself to everyone.
And when they may have success at something
then I am certain that they
just took my dream away 
and I get angry and sad
and I just want to say WHY can't MY dreams come true??


But then I stop.
I listen.
My heart is reminding me
that it wasn't their dream I wanted to achieve.
I have my own dream.
And while their dream is fine and all...
it's not mine.

So, I am listening.

I create my art to:
1) encourage
2) uplift
3) inspire

My greatest inspiration comes from women who need a boost.
Women who think that life can't get any better.
They sit around and beat themselves up
because they don't think they are good enough, or pretty enough or skinny enough.
They don't think they can be who they want to be.
They have lost their dreams over and over again.
It's those women that move me to create my art.

So I remember that my dreams are my dreams.
They are unique.

"Every time you don't follow your

inner guidance, you feel a loss of

energy, loss of power, a sense of

spiritual deadness."

      -Shakti Gawain

Do you follower your heart? What is it saying?


PS...The fabulous Leanne, creator of the darling Anna Lee, is reworking my blog banner for me...looking forward to something fresh and new:)

YOU Inspire Me!

"Surround yourself with people you can learn from.
Don't try to do it all on your own. I don't believe 
I could have possible accomplished what I've
done without the help of everyone else."
                                      -Sigrid Olsen, Fashion Designer



I am so excited to be living in a time when we can get to know creative souls from all over the world. What a blessing to have YOU in my life! Each of YOU inspire me to be a better artist, to stretch and grow my own set of wings, to become who it is I'm meant to me.



Andria from Drawing Nearer
Leanne from Chaos Comes Happiness
Art Journaler Carmen
Jennifer from A Poem Life
Beautiful Soraya
Danielle over at Her Painted Word
Christy Tomlison
My Mentor Melody Ross
The Very Crafty Alexa
Kristin from Twinkle Twinkle
Super talented Scrapper Megan
My Other Mentor Jodi

Each of these women has touched my heart and fill me with inspiration on a regular basis. They are talented, witty, silly, serious, vulnerable, spirit-filled, artsy and so much more.

THANK YOU!!!

*These are just a sample of the amazing women that inspire me.

Who inspires YOU? Please let me know!!!

I've got an Attitude!

Today is the day I Bless our home.

I will take out the mop, the broom and dustpan.

The vacuum and sprays.

I will dust and pick-up and

create

a clean and peaceful environment

for my family.

"The greatest part of our

happiness or misery depends

on our dispositions 

and not on our circumstances."

  -Martha Washington

Gratitude Filled Heart

"If, deep in our hearts,

we are grateful in proportion to 

the good that is ours,

then we are sure to know a kind of 

Peace and Thanksgiving that can make us

kin to all the world."

-Mary Brooks Picken, 1924

As you go throughout your weekend...

remember all their is to be grateful for.

I know there is so much going on this 

world today.

Many of you may be unemployed,

have a hard time paying your bills

or on the verge of bankruptcy.

Whatever our situations I am convinced

that when we have a heart filled with gratitude

it just makes things better.

We see better, we hear better

we think better.

It's so easy to get overwhelmed...

I know.

But remember to count your blessings...

no matter how small you think they may be.

Happy Friday!

Before & After Fun

My creative space has been a chaotic mess!! It had become so bad that all my desires to head down there and get to work simply vanished.

So last week I said ENOUGH!

I got to work and for the next 4 days I went through nearly EVERYTHING!!!

Boxes

and 

baggies

and 

baskets.

I sorted and made piles and sorted again.

I found papers and brads and stickers I hadn't seen in nearly 10 years!! 

I didn't even know I still had stuff that old. Geesh...

And while it was soooo very time consuming....

it was WORTH IT!!

Here are some really messy BEFORE PHOTOS and some fabulous AFTER PHOTOS....

Markers and rub-ons and papers just randomly stuffed in baskets and bins....

Everytime I looked at this I was so overwhelmed.

 I didn't even KNOW what was in here!

 

Books, photo albums, baskets of paper and photos 

were piled in this cabinet. I didn't know what all was in here.

Same with this white cabinet. It looks innocent enough!

What made this cleaning different from all the other times

is that I actually took everything out!

I didn't just half way go through my items. I took everything out then sorted. 

Yes, it took time but it was worth it!

Here is the cabinet AFTER!

All my empty mini albums, cutters and 

scrapbook pages that need albums are stored here.

Kits are here. Oh, and extra paper! I didn't realize I had sooo  many empty notebooks. If you ever need any scrap paper just call me:)

Other random AFTER PHOTOS...

That messy catchall cabinet now houses all my photos. It's nice knowing where they are.

That messy shelf is now home to past issues of CK, Making Memories and Simple Scrapbook magazines as well as a few idea books.

These open shelves were frightful until

I cleared them out. 

Now they are home to all my empty albums....{and Ziggy}!

I made a space in one of my cabinets for extra canvas's and vintage magazine images.

Why didn't I do this sooner??

I have plenty of bookshelves now for idea books.

These are just a sample of all the STUFF 

I put in 1-gallon bags to GIVE AWAY!

Every single bag went to various little girls at my church.

They LOVED them!

More photos of my cleaner space coming tomorrow...

What do you do with all your extra art supplies? Please share!