Embracing the Hard Times

Worry never robs

 tomorrow of its sorrow,

 it only saps today 

of its joy.

  ~Leo Buscaglia

Life has been CRAZY.

No time to blog

or

create

or 

BREATHE.

My stress level

is

very

very

high.

Some days

I want to 

cry.

I mean have a full-blown,

sob in my pillow,

hypervenilating,

cry.

Page from my art journal.

I can't think of 

any other time in my

life when I was

more stressed

or 

worried

or 

sad.

This past 

week 

I have 

been thinking

about 

everything.

I 

have 

decided

I

need

to 

just 

be 

happy 

with

where 

I 

am

RIGHT  NOW.

My art journal

A peacefulness 

follows any decision, 

even the wrong one. 

 ~Rita Mae Brown

I need to

Embrace

the good

the bad

the ugly.

I need to fall in love with my life again.

My art journal

People often say 

that this or that person 

has not yet found himself. 

 But the self is not 

something one finds, 

it is something one creates. 

 ~Thomas Szasz, "Personal Conduct," The Second Sin, 1973

Beautiful Women

There is just something about Mondays. Most of you may not agree but I truly love Mondays. It's my day to start fresh, to Bless our Home with clean floors and rooms and clothes.

Today is no exception. So many projects already accomplished and it's not even Noon.

Over the weekend I was able to go to my church's women's conference. It was wonderful! And I found my new favorite song and video...have you heard "Beautiful Heartbreak" by Hilary Weeks? Oh you should listen to it, girls. Made me think of so many of you...going through trials, trying to understand why bad stuff happens to good people.

Take a moment to listen and watch....






Profound, isn't it? The African woman in the video is Mariama Kallon. Last October I heard her speak and had the privilage of meeting her. Her story is one of great loss and tragedy...of love and hope. Hear a small part of her story here.




What she doesn't share in this video is how she watched in horror as the rebels took a machete and hacked off her sister's arms and legs right in front of her. And how she was the next in line to endure the same exact torture when she heard a voice whisper inside her head to look up and pray. She began praying with all her heart to be saved. Seconds later she heard a scuffle and turned to see men from her village running towards these rebels. They ran off...leaving Mariama to live another day. With great sorrow she looked in horror as her sister's torso lay on the ground...she was alive...yet Mariama knew she wouldn't last for long. She found her way out that day and currently lives in the Salt Lake Valley in Utah. She travels the world sharing her story. Her message is one of love and hope and peace. She has turned her tragedy into a Beautiful Heartbreak for sure.

You may recognize the other woman in the video from her Blog..."The NieNie Dialogues." Stephanie Nielson is on my must read list daily. Listen to her story....




Girls, I hope these beautiful women have inspired you today. I hope you will take each of their stories into your heart and never forget them.

Who inspires you? Please share!!!

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!!

True Happiness

Today's post is brought to 

by the word

HAPPINESS....

Things are good.

Really, really good.

The past 2 days

{going on 3}

I have been sorting and organizing

every little thing in my craft space.

WOW! I sure do have a lot:)

Yesterday I took 3 gallon size bags 

to a family that has girls.

They went nuts!!:)

And that makes me happy....

My Mom brings more to happiness to others than anyone I know.

"The habit of being uniformly considerate

toward others will bring

increased happiness to you."

   -Grenville Kleiser

Royals game Fall 2011

"A multitude of small delights constitute happiness."

-Charles Baudelaire

Em in Wisconsin on the farm

"Happiness comes of the capacity to

 feel deeply, to enjoy simply,

to think freely, to risk life, to be needed."

-Storm Jameson

Dave and his 87 year old Grams

"Men are made for happiness, and 

anyone who is completely happy has

a right to say to himself, "I am 

doing God's will on earth."

-Anton Chekhov

One of my fave Brave Art pieces

I have a show coming up November 20th.

I am sooo excited!

I also have a chance to TEACH this winter!!:)

I am being true to my art.

I am being true to my heart.

I am staying the course.

"The mere sense of living is 

joy enough."

-Emily Dickinson

Linking up with Jennifer today...

What brings you happiness??

Keep On Keeping On-{WIN}

"Keep on going, and the chances

are that you will stumble on 

something, perhaps when you

are least expecting it. I never heard

of anyone ever stumbling on

something sitting down."

Charles F. Kettering

So I stumbled a bit yesterday.

I'll be fine.

And I learned a lot.

And actually I am quite excited to see 

what more I can accomplish

before another show 

happens along.

I spent the afternoon in my space,

listening to the Brave Girls 

"Restore" CD. 

It's just what I needed.

Brave Art by Les

It's wonderful what happens when 

you put inspiring music on

and mix with paints and canvas

and words.  

The best kind of therapy I know!

This is my favorite look...rich, warm brown

with a creamy white.

I have just the perfect

little bird and verse that's going on here.

As I sat in my space,

lost in the music,

my thoughts turned to you.

How much each one of you, my readers,

my friends mean to me.

I appreciate your words of encouragement and support.

Soooooo, to say THANK YOU

I painted you a Brave Girl!!

Now I only painted one...

so really, she can only go home with 

one of you...

And she really, really wants to!!

All you have to do take this sweet girl home

is answer this question...

"What do you do when 

life knocks you down and you

just don't think you can go anymore...

not even one more step...

how do you lift yourself back up

and "Do it Anyway?"

Please leave your answer in the comment section. 

You have until Monday, October 17th at Midnight.

I will pick a random winner and post

on my blog by Tuesday, October 18th.

Be sure and stop by tomorrow...

Smash 45 Begins....

Linking up with Rook 17 today!!

Enter here

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?

A Happy Heart

Today is my day to "Bless our Home". It's the day I put on my 80's tunes, a t-shirt and capris, grab a broom, Lysol, paper towels, Swiffer Wet Jet and get to work.

Today I will "bless" our home with fresh smells, a clean look and positive energy.

I work quickly, sing at the top of my lungs and smile. It's fun and my family loves coming home to a house that looks and feels better then when they left this morning.



I am feeling good.
I have joy
and enthusiasm in my heart.

Creatively I am unblocked. Ideas are pouring our of me into my Art.
It's wonderful!

Yesterday I was able to spend 5 hours of uninterrupted time in my space. Things are coming together for my first show in October!!

My heart is full.

What makes you heart full, girls? Please share!

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....

Working Together

I believe in lifting others up.

I believe in friendships

and partnerships 

and teamwork.

I believe the best way to grow 

as a human being

is to love one another

by embracing our differences

 and recognising that it's

because of our unique styles,

personalities and beliefs

we can become who we're meant to be.

I choose to be kind

and

loving

and 

positive

and

joyful

and

optimistic

and cheerful.

source

I choose to lift up

rather than

tear down.

Throughout the 2 years I've written "Words of Me Project" I have had several series of posts where I interviewed fellow artists..."Make My Monday" or promoted a favorite blog I followed..."Who Do You Follow?"

I am a HUGE believer in building one another up.

So many times women in a creative position will allow jealousy to ruin a friendship.

Many years ago that very thing happened to me. Someone I considered my best friend became very successful in the scrapbooking world. While I was sooo very happy for her...she became nearly unbearable to live with. All the "fame", jobs and hoopla went to her head. To this day we no longer speak. It always makes me sad...

One of my goals with my blog is to promote YOU. I continue to be amazed at all the talent in this world of ours. So many of YOU have uplifted me by your comments. I can feel your love:)

Yesterday on my Face Book fan page I did a little experimenting...I posted that today was Share Thursday and asked you to share links to your blogs, your artwork, anything. I was absolutely thrilled when a few of you did just that!!

So beginning today and everyday...PLEASE feel free to post your Blog links, give aways, artwork, ideas, etc. on my  Fan Page. Let's talk and learn and grow together!!

"Alone we can do so little;
 together we can do so much." 
-Helen Keller, Activist

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??