Journey to the Heart:Shake it Up/Do What it Takes to Listen

‘“Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.” – Dave Barry

There are times when I just want to think.

 I don't want my mind cluttered. 
I don't want to worry about others...
I just want to think.

Yesterday was a day like that. I woke up with a Heart filled with anxiety and fear. Instead of seeing the bright side of everything I was only seeing the negative. From the clothes hanging in my closet (I have NOTHING to wear/I look fat in EVERYTHING) to my hair (I threatened to cut it all off....LOL) I was a big, ugly ball of negativity. 

One of my first mixed-media pieces. I create so differently now!

As I continued to spew pessimistic sarcasm throughout our home I suddenly stopped. What the HECK was I doing?? 

I went to the kitchen, made myself a healthy lunch and sat at the table. As I looked around at our clutter I could feel my heart tighten...I knew what I needed to do...

This may sound crazy to you but when I am so over the top unwilling to even crack a smile I know what I NEED...I need to put some of my favorite tunes on and CLEAN!

Yep!

Clean!

There are few things more rewarding to me than an orderly,  fresh-smelling home. And while I am sweeping, mopping and putting things away I am thinking. I am submersing myself and connecting to my Heart. It's one of the few times in my week when I don't check my phone, stop by the computer, sit down to watch a favorite show. 

I just clean.

And think.

I have had some of my best ideas while scrubbing the toilet!

What My Heart Told Me

During my Scrub Fest I heard my Heart tell me I need to bust out of a rut. It is the New Year after all and I have Big Dreams to Dream, goals to reach, blog posts to write! I thought about what NEW Challenges I have started and what practices I want to keep in 2016. There are quite a few...maybe almost too many...and yet this is the year I want Grow and CONNECT to people, to my art, to my body...to my Big Dreams. 

Today's Challenge

This weekend take a few hours to break out of your rut. Try something NEW...Find something NEW! Sometimes it's just fun to Google a new art technique or head over to YouTube and watch a few videos. Here are MY NEW Challenges for 2016...I am so excited to try them all!!

Mixed Media Monthly Challenge

Here is what I am working on for their January Challenge...Time Flies.

His Kingdom Come
I have been a member of this faith-based group for a year but never participated in their challenges. My intention this year is to complete each monthly challenge and post on their site. Shonna is a wonderful leader! If you want to enrich your relationship with God I encourage you to check this out!

52 Card Pick Up
My cousin actually told me about this and I loved it! A fun and very easy challenge creating ATC's (I am using index cards) with their weekly prompts. Here is mine from last week...

I have ALWAYS loved lists so it's a natural for me to participate in the Reset Girl's Lister's Gotta List Challenge!!   Cori even has FREE downloads that fit perfectly in your planner or in an art journal. I am using a small journal for my lists...all I need is a pen or marker and I am good! Super simple and VERY do-able!!!

Girls, the bottom line is this...if your Heart is telling you to be creative...then BE CREATIVE. I found mixed-media art 8 years ago...and even thought I DID create...it wasn't much when I look back. I thought about it, I made plans to do it...but I always put something ahead of MY TIME. In the past 2 years I rarely make excuses for my art time...I just DO IT! And this year I am SUPER EXCITED about these challenges...they will hold me accountable to my ART! When we create we become more creative...it's TRUE!!

So take time...find a new challenge to shake it up a bit. Listen to your Heart...scrub a toilet...do whatever it takes to HEAR those Heart Whispers. It will be so worth it!

Ready for the Summer

My side yard

We are having the 

prettiest Spring in

Northwest Missouri this year.

I am grateful for all the

sunshine 

and 

warm

days.

This time of year I start to get ancy.

Ready for the daily grind

to

stop.

Ready to sleep in a bit

or go on an early morning walk.

I find myself making a mental list

of all the summer activities

I'm looking forward to this year.

Art Journal page

On the top of my list is getting to work at The Art Experiencein Downtown Maryville. Not only is it going to be so much FUN...but I am sooo excited to learn many new art techniques!

I plan on painting and collaging throughout the summer. My goal is to have paint on my hands every.single.day:)

Jackson and I are still running the Disney Marathon in January. My official training schedule begins in June.

I am looking forward to my friend Kristin's "Summer of Color" Challenge this summer. If you joined us last year then you know what a creative blast we had. If you didn't...then stop by for this year's Color Challenge.

Our summer will be a busy one...Emma has her first full-time babysitting job, Jackson will be mowing with his Dad and delivering pizza. We hope to go to Wisconsin in late July to visit a friend. Plus there are so many movies my family and I have been waiting for including...

1. The Avengers

2. Battleship

3. Men in Black 3

4. Rock of Ages

5. Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

6. The Dark Knight Rises

7. Total Recall

Art Journal page

In summer, the song sings itself. 

 ~William Carlos Williams

What are your plans for summer? Please share!

A Little Challenge...

So my last post I shared with you how my MOJO had taken a hike and that, after a month it was slowly coming back. Well, you know what?? I want it back 100%. And the very best way I know how to get it back is to just put in the time...

The creative time that is!


‘The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself.’  Alan Alda

Like Alan Alda says...I want to leave my city of comfort and go into the wilderness of my intuition. 

I want to take all those ideas running around in my head and get them down on canvas or in my art journal or scrap with photos of my family.

Art is what I love.

It fills me up like nothing else.

So, I have decided that starting Monday, January 23rd to create everyday for 2 weeks.

Everyday I will journal or paint or scrap or draw...something.

AND I will share it here with you.

What to know the best part??

I want YOU to join me!!

I know, I know...there are about a dozen e-courses going on out there right now...but all I'm asking is just 2 weeks of your time! 

January 23-February 6.

“There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same patterns.” — Edward de Bono

So, will you join me? Come on, girls!! Let's get our creativity on!!!

Oh and don not worry!! You do NOT need to post your work unless you want to:) The goal is to JUST CREATE!!!

You girls are awesome:)

Story in My Heart

I woke up this morning thinking about my WORD for 2012...STORY.

I kept thinking am I really sharing mine? Do my friends and family and readers really know me?
My story.

I promised myself and you that throughout 2012 I would share pieces of myself as I journey towards health, art and peace. This is the year I MEAN it. I am going to be true to you and true to me.

Here's what I wrote in the front of my Gratitude Journal December 19th.

'My year of Story. Stories full of grace, light and hope. Stories of my Life. Stories of how we made it through 2012, on our new path filled with gratitude in our hearts. This is my year of Story."

It's been nearly 2 weeks since the new year began. 2012 has been different. I have been kinder with myself and others. I have charity growing in my heart.

Today I am working on my Body Journal for the class I'm currently taking from Brave Girl Melody Ross. It's called Body Restoration and girls can I just say what a story this is gonna be. I have a wonderful feeling that issues I have had with my body since I was in 3rd grade may just start to melt away. Melody worked miracles with restoring my soul...I can't wait to see what miracles await me and my body image.

There is still time to take this course. It's $99 and let me tell you from experience...Brave Girl classes ROCK. Not only are they art but they are soooo healing. Melody puts her heart and soul into each lesson and piece of art. Love it!

Do you have any artsy plans for the weekend??

Social Media Boundaries

So far this New Year's thing is going pretty great. I am eating 5 to 6 healthy meals a day, working out, writing in my gratitude journal, finally taking my She Art 2 class AND staying relatively calm.

I am trying my best not to be hard on myself. In years past if I didn't do everything I said I was going to every single day...I considered myself a failure.

Not this year.

I don't write everyday in my journal.
I have lost my temper a few times.
And I am struggling with my workouts...I was really out of shape.

The difference is...this year I am doing the best I can.
And I know that.
And that's ok. It feels really good to be at this place in my life.

However...there is another area of my life that needs a major overhaul!!

I came to the realization yesterday that I spend waaaaaay too much time on my computer.

And while it's all good stuff...keeping in touch, reading inspirational blogs, finding tasty recipes for my family...it's a huge time-waster for me.

Instead of doing things I should be doing...I find myself sitting at my computer wasting the day away.
Not good.

Sooooo

I have decided to set some Social Media Boundaries.

1. 15 minutes a day on Facebook. That's it. No more. I will update my Fan Page, check on a few fave groups and move on. My biggest problem with Facebook is how often I check it throughout the day. It's crazy!!

2. I love blogs. I love finding new blogs. However, when they become a means for me to put off my real life then it's time to get off the computer, get up and start living! Sometimes it's information overload, too. So my goal here is to read my blog list {which are sooo many of YOU!} then give myself permission to spend a few extra minutes blog hopping...thinking about taking one day a week and allowing myself 30 minutes or so to indulge in that...maybe even an hour a week. We will see how it goes.

3. I get sucked in to all those "scandalous" type articles on Yahoo. NO MORE! Talk about a HUGE time waster!

4. I must set boundaries on how many times a day I sit at my computer. This is soooo important!! I mean I find myself checking in my blog, FB, Twitter, blog hopping, Yahoo...3 -5 times a day. Before I know it...an hour is gone.

So I want to know...how do you do it? What are your boundaries for Social Media? How much time do you allow yourself to be on the computer? Any suggestions to help me out??:)

Please share!! I would love to know!!

Word for 2012

Happy New Year!

I am ready to let go of those things that hold me back

and keep me down.

I am ready to create a strong, fit body.

I am ready to open my heart 

I am ready to become all that I can.

I 

am 

ready

to 

tell

my 

STORY.

All of it.

Every last little bit.

The next 365 days will be real.

No fluff.

I will share my accomplishments and strengths
My failures and weakness's.

I am ready to write my heart.

Share my story.

Be real.

This is the year I live my truths.

This is the year I will forgive myself for not being perfect.

For not always doing my best.

For mistakes I will make.

I will take my time,

be patient

and give myself some slack.

This is the year I will share my STORY...

*I will submit my art, my blog and my stories for publishing

*I will write guest posts for others and ask other bloggers to share here
*I will spend time in my Art Journals weekly

*I will get in shape by eating clean and working out, inspiring & encouraging along the way

*I will read my scriptures and other church publications daily, making sure to share

This year my family and I have a very big STORY we wish to share. To celebrate Jackson's graduation in May 2013 we are catching a plane and headed to....

Disney World!! 

Sure, Disney is pretty cool on it's own...

but what makes this story different is

what we need to do before we 

get there.

Run.

And 

run

and run

and

run.

We are training for the 2013 Disney World Marathon

the second Sunday in January!!

This isn't something we decided on a whim.

This event has been in our hearts

for 7 years.

We were there during the race in 2005 

and couldn't stop talking about it.

We promised one another that someday we

would be a part of this race.

That someday is 

NOW.

I know all about marathons.

I ran two in my 30's.

I know the time and effort it takes to train.

It's hard to run 26.2 miles.

But you know what?

It's do-able.

And I can do it!

My kids can do it!

We

are 

gonna 

do

it 

together!!

2012.

My Year.

My Word?

Story.

What's your Word for the year?

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!!

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

What's on Your Work Desk??

Life is moving right along.

My two teens  are now in their 4th full week of high school.

Homecoming is right around the corner and they both have dates. 

Time is going so fast. 

I am just trying to keep

every moment shared,

every sweet conversation we have,

tucked in my heart for future reference.

 So very soon

all of this will be in the past.

They will be living their own lives...

making their own dreams

in their own homes. 

Jacks & his girl Sarah.

Time goes, you say?  Ah no!
Alas, Time stays, we go.
~Henry Austin Dobson

 

I have been creating in between golf and soccer games,

dentist appointments and church activities. 

Creating fills my heart with such joy and comfort.

I am grateful for art.

I think it will make it a bit easier to say goodbye

when my kids move on.

At least I hope it does.

These are just a few of my Brave Art pieces.

These are wooden blocks 

I decorated with paper, paint, bits of odds and ends

 and vintage girl images. 

They are meant to encourage you

to reach for your dreams and be a Brave Girl.

Stop by Julia's today for over 100 Work Desks and projects!!


What's on YOUR Work Desk?

My Big, Bold, Beautiful A-Ha Moment

** This is Part 1 of  my "Big, Bold, Beautiful A-Ha Moment". There is lots of rambling...I hope you can decipher it all...I just needed to get this all down so I don't forget where I've been and that I came out of it...stronger, happier and ready to pursue my Big, Bold, Beautiful Life.

**If you Twitter...please don't be offended. I am not saying Twitter is a bad thing in moderation:)



Most of us have dreams. Some of you may want to get in shape, run a marathon, start a business, travel overseas or start a family.

When we know what are dreams are...it's easy to set a few goals and begin working towards that dream.

Sometimes, though...we may get sidetracked. Life gets in the way. Our desires have to take a backseat to our family, jobs and home. And sometimes...it's none of above that throw us off track...it's us.

I have been in a funk.
I have been comparing myself to everyone and everything.

I was on Twitter, following all these Mom Blogs with thousands of Followers, reading their Tweets and thinking..."How do they do that? How in the world do they DO all they claim to? "

Have a blog,
make a meal,
throw spectacular birthday parties,
drive the carpool,
run a successful creative biz,
Tweet, Facebook,
and all the while maintaining a perfectly spotless and decorated home
all while wearing the latest fashions, hair and make-up.

It's exhausting.
Seriously, I was reading these Tweets thinking..."do these women ever sleep?" And more importantly "are they enjoying and living in the moments they are tweeting about?"

I found myself wanting to become like these women.
I'd have my Blackberry out at every event, tweeting about...

My groceries!
Em's soccer game!
Doctor's appointments!
School football games!


I found myself more concerned with my latest Tweet rather than what truly mattered...the actual moment.

Melody Ross is my mentor. I adore her style, her flair for vintage and I love how she shines. I mean , Melody just has this glow about her. She inspires me on so many levels.

I have taken two of her classes...Soul Restoration 1 & 2. Ladies, I highly recommend these two courses. They will truly change your perspective if you do the work.

Over the summer, Melody left Facebook for 90 days. Her words about her addiction and what she learned from staying off the computer all summer spoke volumes to me.

Here is an excerpt from that post that hit me like  a ton of bricks....

...and that it got to the point in my life where I was choosing a virtual life over a real life. I was choosing pixels over people. I was choosing the number of LIKE’s I ‘earned’ over my husband’s opinion of me, or my children’s opinion....or God’s opinion. I was choosing hours in front of the computer over all of the beauty that life has to offer. Most days I was very aware that this was NOT how I wanted to spend my time, but somehow, I just couldn’t really make myself stop.

When I read these words is as if I wrote them. "I was choosing hours in front of the computer over all of the beauty that life has to offer."

Twitter made me feel worthless...like everything I was trying to accomplish here was pointless. I don't have thousands of followers.

I don't have a...

perfect home

fashionable clothes
a thriving creative biz

Seeing all those women having all those things was making me second guess my dreams. I mean, if you don't have all of the above then how can you ever even have a piece?

I was losing sight of why I blog.
Why I create.
What I want to do.
What I do.

I write Words of Me Project to uplift, inspire and encourage....even if just ONE person is ever touched by what I say...then that will be enough. If ONE person is inspired to change their life for the better...then I am living my dream.

My Brave Art

Stay Tuned for Part 2....

The Fear/Doubt Monster

Two words.

Two ugly, little words.

Fear

and 

Doubt.

I've always been a writer.

Writing is my first love

I've written for  radio and

newspapers most of my adult life.

I'm very confident 

and rarely afraid to

share what I write.

But my art.

Oh, that's a whole different ballgame.

Even though in my heart I just 

know if I didn't create.

If I didn't paint

and doodle

and try...

I wouldn't be honoring my 

authentic self.

 

 I wouldn't be the ME, that 

my Heavenly Father intended.

But oh, that

Fear 

and Doubt.

It's here, in my heart

reminding me of one of those

scary monsters that lived in my closet.

It's staring me down

and telling me ugly, nasty things.

It laughs at me.

"You are wasting your time,

your money

and making a fool of yourself."

The Fear/Doubt Monster 

whispers this to me most days.

And most days I just tell him to be quiet.

To leave me alone.

But then

there are those days

he yells.

His scary voice seems 

to surround me.

I can hear him 

no matter where I am or

what I'm doing.

"You can't draw like so and so."

"You call that art?"

"What a joke."

Fear and Doubt.

Doubt and Fear.

A piece I made during Soul Restoration One

I wonder

if we knew what other

artists are thinking

if we would be able to chase

the Fear/Doubt Monster away...

for good.

Do you suppose that mixed-media artists like 

Pam Carriker

and 

 Misty Mawn

and

Nancy Lefko

ever experience

the Fear/Doubt Monster?

I think so.

I mean they have to.

We're all human, right?

We all can be so very hard on ourselves.

I think it's time to say

"Bye, Bye Fear/Doubt Monster."

You may scare me...

but you can't hurt me.

You can't stop me from

being my very best.

I may not be like Pam

or Misty or Nancy...

But I am ME.

I am Leslie.

My goals and dreams are just 

as real and as important a theirs.

I am willing to learn

sacrifice

humble myself

practice

practice

and practice more

to make them come true.

So 

Bye, 

Bye,

Fear and Doubt.

This is one woman who knows where 

she's going and what she 

needs to do to get there.

**Linking up with "Share the Joy"

I Have Arrived

My Business cards are IN. Here they are...

 

I found this awesome website that let's you take your Art and put them on your Biz cards.

 

Moo

 

 I was able to choose 6 images...

I knew exactly the ones I wanted. And I knew I wanted rounded corners on my cards. It cost $4 more but so worth it!

 

The quality of the cards is excellent. They are heavier than a playing card!

 

I thought long and hard about the name of my Creative Biz...

I just kept coming back to this...

Brave Girl Art. 

  When I'm creating

and putting myself out there 

I just feel so...BRAVE.

I mean this is NOTHING I would have

ever considered for myself

just one year ago.

NEVER!!

However, because of the classes 

I've taken,

blogs I've read, 

techniques I've learned...

I can do this now.

I have learned how to be BRAVE. 

I am a BRAVE GIRL and I create.

**If I ever decide to sale on Etsy or anywhere else on the Web I will not use this name for obvious reasons.  This is local for me at the moment and at this time I have no intention of selling on Etsy.**

Here are a few things I've been working on...

 

Golds, browns and dark greens are becoming my favorite colors to use in my projects.

Lots of ink

and lace

and texture.

Butterflies keep popping up all over my work,  too.

Something so simple...but I really love it.

Couldn't you see this sitting on a nightstand in your bedroom?

Remember all those wooden blocks from a few weeks ago? Here is what I'm doing with them.

These are meant to motivate and inspire you.

Perfect for your desk top

or sitting on a shelf.

I must say Thank You 

to my friend and fellow creator, Jodi

for the inspiration here.

If you haven't seen Jodi's work...

be sure and stop by. 

She inspires me daily.

With your help I'm so close

to reaching my Follower goal of 300.

You girls are AWESOME!! Thank you!!!

The contest closes at 5PM CST tonight. I will announce the WINNERS tomorrow!!!!!!

What shape or word or symbol keeps popping up in your ART??