This is the Life!

Happy Tuesday Girls!! I hope this post finds you happy and enjoying the first days of Summer!! The sweet photo above is my family at "Pirate Cove" mini-golf course in Osage Beach, Mo. We spent last weekend there and had a fabulous time!

Spooky pirate!!

Aren't these gorgeous?

We made the trip to support our son Jackson. He made it to the State Finals for the Optimist Club Speech Contest. We were so excited to get away!!  This is us having dinner at JB Hooks on the Lake. The contest was the next day.


I am proud to tell you that my son took FIRST PLACE!! 

He won a $2500 college scholarship!! We are so proud of Jackson!!!


Today is this sweet girl's 15th Birthday!!

Em at Dogpatch in Osage Beach

My Em is 15!! How in the world did this happen?? I remember her 1st Birthday like it was yesterday. Love you, Ems!!!

The rest of our week is filled with Soccer and traveling to Springfield for my cousin's wedding Friday night. Lots of fun going on this week.

I am looking forward to art journaling again very soon. And I am looking forward to my Summer Art Challenge!! I hope you'll join me starting June 4th.


What trips are you taking this summer?? Please share!!!

In Need of Change

My Brave Art

The Simple Life.

How I long to live it.

Always rushing from here to there...

From there to here.

I feel like my life is that

Dr. Suess book...

"Oh the Places We Will Go".

Always going and going...

only really going nowhere.

Just rushing.

Playing beat the clock.

Trying to fit it all in

but never really living the moment.

I am feeling the pressure

my kids are feeling the pressure.

Will Summer be different?

Will we be able to stop 

this crazy life?

I am in need of

CHANGE.

Big time,

life altering

CHANGE.

My weight has spiraled out of control.

The stress of all this going

has me up to 

my highest weight ever.

Nothing fits.

Yes,

I am in need of a 

CHANGE.

This weekend 

my little family is headed

to Osage Beach, Missouri.

It's a really fun

tourist town right on a 

beautiful lake.

My family and I 

need this break.

We need a 

CHANGE

of scenary.

We are going to 

cheer on my son Jackson.

He is competing in the State Level

Optimist Club Speech Contest.

Go Jackson 

GO!!

This weekend

I am going to 

relax

and 

savor 

the 

moments

with

my 

family.

Then...

come Monday...

I will be ready 

for the 

CHANGE

I so need in my life.

I have been extra 

GROUCHY 

with this extra weight.

Extra sad

and tired.

But no more.

It is time to embrace a 

major mind-shift...

a heart-felt 

attitude adjustment.

I 

KNOW

I can do this.

My Brave Art



So here's to
CHANGE.

Here's to
a beautiful weekend with my family.
Here's to my son Jackson!!


Best of luck, son!!
We love you!!

I Needed That!

What happens when you go away for a couple of days leaving your everyday worries behind??


You get silly, happy people!

Oh, WOW! Did I ever need to be silly and goofy and laugh!! We did all that and more!!

I came home feeling revived and inspired.

Girls, Tuesday I will finally draw a winner from our last give away and I will get everyone's gifts in the mail. Thank you for your patience:)

More photos of our Girl's Weekend, my latest Brave Art and what I'll be doing that's sooo inspiring this summer!!!


Have you gone on a weekend getaway recently? Please share!!




Linking up with Mingle Monday!!!

Say Hi!

It's all those Little Things

Every day may not be good, but there's something good in every day.  ~Author Unknown

Oh, girls...life has been hard in the Ackman house for sure...but let me tell you things are getting so much better!! I am grateful for all the little things that have helped me along the way.

Yesterday I received a sweet surprise from fellow blogger and friend Maggie. We met on the Brave Girl's website and quickly connected.  Turns out we have a mutual friend...how crazy is that?! Remember the little girl, Lizzy that had a stroke last year? Well her family used to live in Las Vegas where Maggie lives and they attended the same Ward {church} and they were {and still are} friends! Small world, huh?!

Anyway...check out this awesome card Miss Maggie sent me....

Along with the card she mailed me two fabulous necklaces and this!!!

Soooo me don't you think?

Maggie, I appreciate your thoughtfulness and have a teeny, tiny something headed your way;)

Painting has been helping me through the stresses of the past few weeks...last night I began working on backgrounds for my "Heart" series.

I want these pieces to be full of texture and depth. Many more layers to go here...can't wait to show you what the finished look will be.

I have also been working on more Brave Girls...

My friend Carolyn was diagnosed with Breast Cancer last fall. Her courage and attitude during this most difficult time has been the inspiration for these Girls. Each one is filled with Words to help those women battling cancer.

Each Girl sells for $20.  Now through June 1st...ten of that will go directly to Carolyn's Relay for Life Team. I am sooo excited to help with this wonderful cause.

Looking forward to reading these magazines!! I am a magazine freak. Love them:) 

I was over the moon yesterday when I went to the mailbox and found my latest edition of Somerset Studio.

Not so happy though with this note that came with it...

Hoping I can talk my husband into buying me 2 years this time around...I mean I get that totally awesome clip art CD FREE!

The last thing keeping a smile on my face this week is my daughter Em.

On the Ackman Farm-October 2011

It's been a rough couple of weeks...but my girl...we have overcome a lot and what I know for sure is that I love her. I will protect her and be here for her no matter what! 

We went to Wal-Mart yesterday and she found these....

Lotions and foot scrubs. "Mom, let's have a night of pampering!" I couldn't resist...and at just 98 cents a tube we bought both. Looking forward to spending some "spa" time with my Emma:)

I leave you with this thought...

There must be a tomorrow, because my life overflows today.  ~Lois Chartrand

What little things are you most happiest for today?? Please share!!!!

On a Roll...

Day 3 and going strong. How about you?

I do have to be honest though...these days do get away from me. Before I know it the time is getting late and I am like...I haven't created today!! 

My sweet Em had 2 basketball games last night in St. Joe so it was a late night for sure. Have you seen my Emma girl in action?? She started on the Freshman team and quickly made it on JV. That Emma is one Brave Girl for sure!! Love her. And THANK YOU to my friend Marcy. She took this amazing photo!!!

Okay...so we got home late and all I really wanted to do was head to bed but instead I went to my studio, grabbed my art journal and bag of pens and headed upstairs to my cozy bed.

 I was determined to do something!!

This is my first art journal from my Brave Girls class last winter. There are several pages painted but not written on.

Each page asks a thought provoking question...when I'm in the mood I will answer each one like I did here.

It's so rewarding to go back and read my journal. I have grown so much in my thinking. I am truly becoming the person I have wanted to be for so long.

So back to last night. I knew I needed to journal something...nothing was coming to me. 

Except ideas for a later time.

So I went with that and sketched out a few ideas for a "Pieces of My Heart" series I have in mind.

Each piece will be collaged and painted on a 6x6 canvas. 

This series has been running around my head now for awhile...last night was the perfect time to just get it all down.

Before I knew it Em came in, too and shared her idea for a canvas...

The coolest part...was I had told her I wanted to do one based on her and Maddie's friendship. Those two girls are like "Soul Sisters". 

Em and I began collaberating...I think she wants to make it herself which I am thrilled with. Anytime I can create with Em is good.

So that was my extent of creating...not much but yet I accomplished so much...I have a whole idea on paper for upcoming projects. Love that!

Here are a few Prompts for today:

1. Try a technique out of your comfort zone. {i really, really need to do this one!}

2. Paint a background on...

    *paper

    *canvas

    *wood

    *art journal

    *wherever!

Quote of the Day:

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world."
Harriet Tubman

Stop by these Links:

1. Do you know Rebecca Sower? I have been a fan since the early 2000's and read her columns in Creating Keepsakes Magazine. Her blog is beautiful and simple and sooo full of Spirit and Truth. I don't visit her near enough. She is wonderful. 

2. Click on this for 30 ideas to jumpstart your journaling!!

3. The more organized I am the better I feel, the more I get done and the more creative I am. Here are 10 ways to help us stay organized every single day!

How are you doing?? Stop by my Words of Me Facebook fan page to share your projects, ideas or just to talk!! Have a wonderful day, girls:)

Sneek Peek-Joy Jam

Happy Friday!! I am feeling absolutely amazing this week. And a BIG part of that is because of how I've eaten for the past 6 days.
As a part of my New Year's Resolutions I am following the "Eat Clean" plan by Tosca Reno. 

Now Tosca is just like me {and maybe just like you!}.When she was 40 years old she was fat and frumpy...look at her today...WOW! She is 52 years old and in the best shape of her life.

Tosca says that 90% of what we eat determines how we'll look and feel...90%!!

The past 6 days I've eaten 5 to 6 small meals a day and taken out all the sugar in my diet. I feel fantastic!! I will be sharing more of this plan, recipes and what I eat next week.



So many things are bringing me JOY...I am linking up with "You're Heart Makes a Difference" and spreading my joy all over blogland!!

This little family of mine brings me JOY every single day!! This is us on New Year's Eve...oh what fun ringing in 2012 with this crew!! We had our bubbly and Times Square on TV and we were set:)

This sweet girl of mine is so JOYful.

She is silly and funny, too. Whenever someone's down Em will start talking in a goofy way or dancing around, spreading her light everywhere she goes. People just naturally gravitate towards here goodness. I want to be just like Em when I grow up!



The abundance of warm weather and sunshine this week has brought everyone in my small town so much JOY!! It's January 6th and my windows are open!!










And finally...my NEW and IMPROVED studio
 is bringing me joy and making my heart sing...

Here's a sneak peek at one of my shelves and a few of my favorite things....

Be sure and come back Monday for a complete tour.

What brought you JOY this week??

  Stop by for Friday's JOY JAM!!

Trusting Myself in 2011

Oh how giddy I am about this New Year.

2012.

Somehow it doesn't seem possible

to even be in the 2000's...

ya' know?

I remember when I was in high school

and my friends and I 

would talk about how old 

we'd be in the year 2000.

I think that all came from the 

song "1999" by Prince.

Remember that?

I am 45.

This is the year I take my life up a notch.

No more waiting.

I learned so much this year.

It began with finding Brave Girl's Club

and taking Soul Restoration 1.

Read all about that here.

That class was life changing...seriously.

And this Time Line in particular allowed me 

to see my life...

This page in particular changed my life.

I know it sounds so strange

so over the top dramatic...

but it's true.

It's 100% true.

I realized that those 5 years of my life

between 1972 & 1976 made me 

who I am today. 

The events that happened in those

young years made me see life 

very differently.

I found the Spirit here.

 I learned how to pray here.

Those 2 things saved my life.

I took another on-line class this year...

just for fun! 

SheArt with Christy Tomlison.

This was my first girl...Claire.

Christy's class opened my mind and my heart.

Her class along with all I had learned in 

Soul Restoration really helped me

find my artistic voice.

I began making my Brave Girl's like CRAZY!!

 The more I created the better I became.

And the more I found my own style.

I was so happy putting words with images.

I began creating art to "Uplift, Encourage & Inspire".

I found out that to tell 

my story and 

share what was in my heart

I used birds and butterflies.

Collage painting

fabric scraps

sheet music

and

lace 

all became my staples.

2011 was the year of the Art Journal as well.

In June I signed up for another

Brave Girl class...

Soul Restoration 2.

Melody taught me that in order

to live my Big, Bold, Beautiful Life

I had to make better choices.

I had to to choose how to use my time.

I took this to heart and am 

still trying to watch less TV, 

limit my computer time

and spend my time doing

what makes me truly happy...

Family

Art

Writing

Reading Scriptures

Taking care of me.

Despite all this encouragement

I had several bouts with the Fear/Doubt Monster

But then

using the tools I learned in SR1 & 2

I had this HUGE A-Ha Moment.

I realized I truly was a 

Brave Girl!!

And I began living MY LIFE

on MY TERMS!

I was determined to live my

life in the best

way I knew how...

With COURAGE!

And 

GUSTO!

And I did.

I even sold my Brave Art in

2 craft shows

and gave many pieces as gifts 

to friends, family

& complete strangers.

I found myWINGS

in 2011.

I am on the right path

going into 2012.

I have sooo many new and 

exciting goals...

so many areas of my life

I want to GROW in.

My WORD for 2011

was REINVENT.

I think I did a great job of

reinventing my art.

The way I think about myself as an artist.

Where will 2012 lead?

What WORD will I choose to lead and guide me in the New Year?

I will share on Monday, January 2nd.

Happy New Year Girls!!