Be of Good Cheer

We go through our days

working, striving, loving,

coping, doing, creating,

cooking, leading, guiding...

Some days 

most days

time passes so quickly

we forget to hold 

onto what really matters.

Jacks & Em 12 years ago.

What really truly matters

is our relationships to one another.

Are we loving enough?

Do we give and listen?

Are we tough when we need to be?

Are we really listening

or are we just nodding our head up and down hoping 

no one will notice?

Do our kids cry out when they 

need us?

Or do they give

us bits and pieces

quietly

subtley

in ways we 

might miss 

because we just

keep 

going

and 

going

and

 going.

 

Em & Jacks Christmas 2011

 

 

 

 There is always so much to do.

Always places to go.

We need to be mindful of our days.

We need to show our loved

ones that 

YES

WE 

HEAR

YOU!!!

 

Em at 14

 

Not everything that happens in life

can be made all better

with a hug or a kiss.

When my kids were little

and they got hurt

or in trouble

a toy from the Dollar Store

could make it all better.

That doesn't work now.

No.

What works the very best is

love

and 

prayer

and 

setting an example.

Tough love 

works

too.

Sometimes 

it's the only thing

that does work.

 

But that can be 

oh so 

EXHAUSTING.

Oh so

HARD.

 

It drains you

and makes you want

to curl up in a corner

and die.

 

It makes you want to wish your days

and weeks and months away.

Just so you can get through all the hard stuff.

 

Giz & Jacks Christmas 2011

 

Yes,

Life is hard here right now.

But unlike yesterday and the 

day before that...

I am choosing to be 

CHEERFUL.

I am choosing 

to see the positive.

Here is a quote from one of our church leaders...

With God’s help, good cheer permits us

 to rise above the depressing present 

or difficult circumstances.

 It is a process of positive reassurance

 and reinforcement.

 It is sunshine when clouds 

block the light.

 

-Elder Neal A. Maxwell

 

 

I can't be overcome 

with sorrow.

I can't live in the past.

 

Life is hard.

Raising kids is hard.

But it's my responsibility to 

be here for my kids.

 

No matter how my heart aches.

No matter how hard this may get.

I will be of "good cheer".

 

 

 None of us will escape tragedy 

and suffering. Each of us will probably

 react differently

. However, if we can recall

 the Lord’s promise,

 “for I the Lord am with you,” 

we will be able to face our problems 

with dignity and courage.

 We will find the strength 

to be of good cheer i

nstead of becoming resentful,

 critical, or defeated. 

We will be able to meet life’s

 unpleasant happenings 

with clear vision, strength, and power.

 

-Elder Neal A. Maxwell

 

 

Linking up today with

 

Just Write

And

Commit to Write

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!!

Reinvent Myself-Slug Bug

I am feeling restless.
I tend to that when I do one thing for too long.
I think I have ADD.
Seriously.


So the art show didn't happen last weekend.
It gave me lots of time to think.
It gave me time to listen to my heart.


I have been doing lots of reading and watching Oprah's Life Class. Goooood Stuff!

So, last Wednesday was my 45th Birthday.
Every year on my Birthday I set 10 goals for myself.
This year I did something a bit different and way more fun.:)

I created a two page collage of what it is I want in my life this year.

I do want to choose the good news...
focus on the positives
not the negatives.

I want to remember I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father and he loves me so very much
and He knows what's best for me.

I want to be my VERY BEST SELF.

That's me and that sweet, little bird is my truth.
She's there...and I am ready to embrace it.

I am ready for a change.

That's what I've been realizing these past few weeks...
maybe even months.

I need something different.

Day in and day out it's been the same thing. I have the same routine every single day.
I thrive on routine...but lately I'm becoming stagnant.


My WORD for 2011 is REINVENT...
so I think it's time I do just that.

REINVENT.
CHANGE.
BECOME.

I am a Brave Girl.
And like I've said dozens of time before...Brave Girls can do anything.
We're like Wonder Woman...

We are.
I am.

So here I am...thinking of ways I can REINVENT myself and add some ZING to my life.

After a heart to heart talk with the love of my life we have decided to recommit ourselves to our health.
We had both lost weight last year but are back at feeling and looking pretty squishy.
Soooooo.....
my number one goal for my 45th year of life is to focus on my eating and exercising. It really is pathetic how bad of shape I'm in at the moment.
We have also recommitted to giving up soda. We are now 3 days without one drop. We CAN do this!


Throughout this goal making process
I am really listening to myself. 
Normally I would just jot a few goals down and call it good.
This year I'm taking my time.

As much as I enjoy creating
and painting and collaging...
I don't think my true purpose in life
is to focus every ounce of energy on
selling it.

My true passion is writing and connecting
and teaching. 

Words
quotes
encouraging
uplifting
healing

All words I have written here stating what my passions in life are.

So, for now...
I won't be putting my energies into an art show but instead writing more, sharing more, taking photos, scrapbooking {i miss it!}, sharing stories here with you and working on my Brave Girl orders {i really LOVE creating girls for specific people!!}



I am doing Zumba, eating smaller portions, drinking nothing but water and trying lower calorie versions of our favorite foods.

Oh AND I am driving a new car!! My Birthday present...something I've wanted ever since I watched Goldie Hawn in Foul Play....

My new Bug!

I think this year may just be the best year yet;)

Do you have a WORD for this year? How are you doing? Any ideas on lo-cal foods or Zumba moves would be great, too!


By the way....We have a WINNER of the Brave Art Girl!! Random Generator spit out #7 late last night...that's....

 

Soraya!!! I have been reading her blog for over 1 year now!! Congrats, Soraya and thanks to everyone that entered!!

It's a Little Bit Scary....

I am feeling very scared

and 

very small.

As much as I want to do this show

on Saturday...

a part of me wants to run

and find a corner

and curl up

and just 

QUIT.

Oh, not my art.

Not my creating.

But putting it out there...

that is scary.

Scary, scary, scary.

These words by Leonard Zunin are really speaking to me this week...

"I believe that courage

is all too often mistakenly

seen as the absence of fear.

If you descend by rope from a cliff

and are not fearful to some degree, you 

are either crazy or unaware.

Courage is seeing your fear, in a 

realistic perspective, defining it, 

considering alternatives and

choosing to function in spite of risks."

This week I must take

every ounce of courage and strength

in me and be 

BRAVE.

"The death of fear is in

doing what you fear to do."

Sequichie Comingdeer

This week

I will overcome.

I will put my heart

and my soul into every

last detail.

I will be an example to

my kids that when you 

start something 

you finish.

I will teach them that no

matter what else is going on

in your life

you can make your dreams 

a reality.

Despite work and family obligations...

If you are willing to give up 

those things you enjoy like 

TV, reading, hanging out with friends...

if you sacrifice those things

you can be a success

beyond anything you

ever imagined.

"Far away in the sunshine are 

my highest aspirations. 

I may not reach them, but I can look up

and see their beauty, believe

in them, and try to follow 

where they lead."

Louisa May Alcott

**Due to an oversight with my email I will not be able to participate at all in this show. I am ok. I can't believe something I wanted so bad is not gonna happen...it just seems like one thing led to another and this morning was it. I have learned NEVER to trust e-mail!! I am doing this all via snail mail next year! Anyway, I am going to find some shows this spring and be better prepared and go for it!  I learned so much from the shows over the weekend I attended.

This is American Idol

We bought our tickets May 22nd at approx. 10:01 AM.

Row 29 Floor.

We were thrilled.

Tuesday August 2nd at approx. 2:45 PM.

We left Maryville for Kansas City.

We can't believe it's finally the day!

We decided to make a night of it.
Zona Rosa for tacos and good conversation.

Yes, my boy ate all thas!

At approx. 5:35 we left the restaurant for downtown KC.
The concert was less than 2 hours away.
We were all so anxious to see Scotty and Lauren and Casey and James.

Our excitement was building.
We ate snow cones to calm us down.

At last the lights dimmed, Ryan Seacrest came on the bid screen and the American Idol theme music came on.

THIS is American Idol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The crowd roared.

And these girls came on stage.

Thia, Lauren, Naima and Hayley.

What a thrill to see the Idols at last!

My daughter Em loved Stefano.

He sung his heart out.

We all agreed he had come a long way since Idol. 

Wow.

What a nice surprise when two of our favorites popped on stage, out of the blue.

Casey and James.

Those two can SING now!

And each one of them was so personable with the audience.

They love life and we could tell.

 

The ladies seemed to sing more than the guys.

That's Thia, Lauren and Pia.

Speaking of Lauren.

She is a darling.

Oh my goodness.

What a cute girl!

Sassy and Spunky.

Beautiful!

We loved the stage. Everything was so BIG and COLORFUL.

Before we knew it the first half was over. 

It was time for intermission.

We still hadn't seen Scotty yet...

When he finally arrived on stage the crowd jumped out of their seats, arms up and screamed "Scotty, Scotty."

He sang "I Love You This Big".
Loved it.

The moment I saw him at Idol try-outs I said..."That's the winner." 
I just always have adored Scotty.
He talked to us quite a bit and thanked David Cook's family for a wonderful KC BBQ at their home.
David Cook was the American Idol a few season's back and is from Kansas City.

Emma and I waited all night to hear Scotty and Lauren sing.
They were awesome!!!
I am pretty sure they have a thing going on;)
CUTE!

Hayley {she came in third} was so funky and silly.
Just loved her, too.
And her voice was incredible.

Before we knew our time with the Idols was over.
But what a wonderful time it was.
I snapped this photo outside the Sprint Center as we walked back to our car.

I can't think of a better time.
Awesome concert.
Delicious food.
Time spent with family.
Perfect.

What a Find & 31 Days

Several things to share....

*Last week I went to several yard sales only to come up empty handed UNTIL the very last one. 

JACKPOT!

I found 100's of vintage images and The Best of the Old Farmer's Almanac all for...

are you ready for this?

95 CENTS!!

Yes, you read that right.

100's of the coolest vintage images from the 20's through the 50's all for only 95 CENTS!

Wow.

Made my day.

The Almanac is just so darn cool...chock full of interesting, witty and inspiring words. Be on the look for it's contents sprinkled throughout my blog in the coming months. Too fun!

*It's August 1st...and if you've been with me since last year then you probably remember my 31 Days Creative Challenge. We had one in August and then last March. No, we aren't doing one this month {i have something else coming up later in the fall} I thought it would be fun to post random ideas from both Challenges for the next 31 days. Be sure and follow me on Twitter and/or my Facebook Fan page for daily inspiration.

"It is not necessary to indulge

and spoil children

in order to make them happy.

Indeed, that is one of the

 surest ways of

making them miserable for life." 

Farmer's Almanac 1881

I am so grateful....

Today is a GREAT day. I am so grateful for....

*NO PAIN! This medication I am on is working. I feel AMAZING!

*I get to create ALL DAY! My kids are on the Trek and Dave is working so I am creating!!!

*Diet Dr. Pepper with vanilla during Happy Hour today:)

*This amazing weather. Lots of sunshine!

*My Blog and my fabulous readers. You all mean the world to me!

*This is my 375th post! WOW!

*All the on-line Challenges and Classes that are helping me learn and grow and stretch myself in Art.

*My Father in Heaven who created this beautiful Earth we live on.

Have a beautiful Friday girls.

What are YOU grateful for?

My Medical Problems Solved?

One Hundred and Eighty Seven Dollars.

That's what a 2 day migraine cost me this week.

Ugh.

But as one of my favorite songs from Annie sings...

The Sun will come out tomorrow.

 And it has.

I can feel it's rays shining down on me.

I am feeling hopeful and a bit excited.

Yesterday was my doctor's appointment in Kansas City. Around here you only go to KC to see a doctor if it's important...and it was. You may remember back in April I began seeing a Pulminologist for my shortness of breath and dizziness. After many tests he sent me on to a thyroid specialist. You see, they thought I had thyroid cancer. I have hundreds of tiny tumors all over my thyroid with one larger one that may have been cancerous. There was even talk of me losing my thyroid. The past month I have been a wreck imagining what it was gonna be like living without a thyroid.

So yesterday {after an hour massage and one chiropractor adjustments and $125 less richer} my Mom and Em and I drove to KC. My neck was still ouchy and my mood was less than jolly. 

We talked all the way down about my headaches and neck pain and how I just can't keep living this way and that along with finding out more about my thyroid I was going to pick this Dr. Thompson's brain about my migraines and see if he could reccomend a specialist for me.

Nearly 2 hours later I was sitting in his office with a list of questions and determined to find relief for my migraines and to face the truth about my thyroid cancer. {if i even had it}

Here's what I found out and here's my "Sun will come out tomorrow" moment....

*I DO NOT have thyroid cancer-Hooray!

* I am NOT going to lose my thyroid-Whew!

*My blood test indicates I have....Drum-Roll Please....Hashimoto's Disease. What's that you ask and what are the symptoms? Well it causes extreme muscle pain in the shoulders {that would be ME} and unexplained weight gain of about 10 to 20 pounds without being able to take it off {Yep, me again} and sluggishness and fatigue {so that's why I've been soooo tired} and depression {i thought it was just me and all the stuff I have going on} as well as a few other pesky problems {most of which I have}.

So today I am starting a drug called Synthroid. This is gonna help my thyroid levels get back to normal and will help all those symptoms go away. Could it be my shoulder aches and pains have been this all along??

Dr. Thompson also gave me a script for a new migraine medication AND the name of an excellent migraine specialist. He was so sympathetic to my issues...just a great man.

Girls, I have HOPE...something I didn't even know I had lost. But I had...because I haven't felt this hopeful in a very long time.

Today I feel like there is a chance for me to get my life back in control again...to minimize my down time with migraines and neck and shoulder pain and to lost that 20 pounds I have been working on for years. This is huge for me!!

I am off to clean my house today. With nearly 1 week of feeling down with pain...today is a good day. Very little pain...NO migraines. It's laundry and picking up and then the fun stuff...a bit of art.

Thanks for listening to me ramble on today. It's a long post without any fun art or photos. You girls are great.:)

I will be sharing my Summer of Color PINK project tomorrow!

Ready to fill myself up

Thank you so very much for all your kind words yesterday. They meant so much.

The next 3 weeks of my life are gonna be filled with one long To-Do list. I am Co-Director of Young Women's Camp in my Church... and while I enjoy being with the Young Women in our church...camping is a whole other story. The great outdoors is highly over-rated;)

Thank goodness I have my dearest friend Kristin to help me during this time...I am hoping her attitude towards camping rubs off on me...she is a much better sport than me. Today we are headed to Sam's Club to gather all our food for camp. You see we are responsible for cooking meals during camp...over an open fire, outside. Really? Oh, yeah...I guess we are camping...in tents. Did I tell you how much I am not looking forward to camp?

But Kristin assures me this will be fun! So much FUN!.

FUN

–noun

1.

something that provides mirth or amusement: A picnic would be fun.

2.

enjoyment or playfulness: She's full of fun.

"A picnic would be fun." It doesn't say anything about "Camping would be fun."

As much as I grumble and moan about this upcoming event...the fact remains...I am in charge. I am responsible for about 8 girls from the ages of 12 to 17. From June 6th-11th....Wish me luck;)

And really, I will try my best. I will smile and be positive and try my best to share with the girls. I will remember the phrase..."this too shall pass....."

The rest of my summer I am pretty excited about!! I am making plans to fill myself up with ART and WRITING and SPIRIT and HEALTH.

This is my summer to create from the heart and write with passion. This is the summer I get strong and healthy and love myself...my whole self.

  This is my summer....

 

I will be announcing a BIG give away later on in the week...one that I am BEYOND excited about!!!  You see I want YOU to fill your soul with peace and truth and creative inspiration. I want you to feel alive and self worth...this is one give away you won't want to miss!!!

Speaking of give aways...I had one last week. I will announce the winner during tomorrow's "Workdesk Wednesday" post. 

Have a fabulous day, girls;)

More Tests but it's all GOOD

What fun I had participating in my first "What's on Your Work Desk Wednesday"! Thanks to all the ladies that stopped by to see what I am working on. You can expect me to pop over to see your work soon;)

A HUGE thank you to Soraya from "A He{Art} Full Life". She sent one of her works of art for Lizzy's Benefit and it is BEAUTIFUL!! Please stop by her blog and say HI!!!

Here is an update on me....

So, I have had this breathing problem for 3 years now and it just keeps getting worse. I mean there are times I am gasping for air. If this weren't enough I am dizzy, too. Crazy dizzy. Not all the time, but several times a day. I can just be sitting on the couch and the room begins to spin and my stomach gets to feeling sooooo sick. It's really bad when I go up stairs, too. Most times I have to hang my head and rest just a bit and take a deep breath. Sometimes the dizziness overpowers me and I can't drive or even move...I feel as if the room is spinning wildly around me.

Needless to say I have been worried...not just because of these symptoms but because last year during a CT scan they found a mass on my lung. Anytime you hear the word mass you think of cancer, right?

We didn't have health insurance at the time {we are self-employed} so me being me refused to see the doctor {even though I was referred to a pulmonalogist immediately}. Here it is a year later, we have insurance and I saw Dr. Caruso at last. He is wonderful!

I spent 45 minutes doing a variety of breathing tests to see how much oxygen was in my lungs. I did pretty well which kind of surprised me. The test wore me out though and I found myself trying to catch my breath the rest of the day. So here is where I am now...

I go back in May for MORE TESTS. Lots more. Dr. Caruso is certain the "mass" is an old infection that has calcified...that was a relief. However, I have a whole host of other problems now...but I feel oddly calm about it all. Here is what I'm looking at....

*echocardiogram {i have nearly all the symptoms of having mitral valve prolapse}
*CT scan of my head {to rule out a tumor}
*CT scan of lungs {even though they look healthy something could be hiding}
*blood work
*thyroid check
*thyroid check of my tumors {i have had thyroid tumors most of my life-all benign as far as know}
*having our water at the house check {long story, but the Doc says could be water, buying a BRITA today}
*a few other things...can't think of them now. {i think they just want to rule out everything!!}
The bottom line is Dr. Caruso doesn't know exactly what is going on. Obviously something is making it hard for me to breathe and I am fatigued easily and making me dizzy. Like I said a bit ago...I feel calm about it all and know I am going to be okay.

I just know it.
I do.

Girls, you all mean the world to me. Your kind comments, your sweet thoughts...all of you are so very talented. Keep on writing and creating and supporting one another!!!

This weekend is a fun one. We have a dear friend stopping by on Monday so we'll be sprucing up our home this weekend. It's also our church Open House on Saturday then Date Night with Dave. Hoping to see a movie. In between all that I can hear my Art Journal calling my name:)

What are you doing this weekend?

Weekend

Just thinking about so many things today. Life is good. I am working on creating a plan for my health as I feel like a stuffed turkey this morning!!

Today I am cleaning up, gathering my supplies for a crop coming up in just 2 weeks and playing games with friends and family tonight.

Be sure and drop by Monday for the first day of our 12 Days of Christmas Challenge!!!!

Every production of an artist should be the expression of an adventure of his soul.
W. Somerset Maugham

What are you doing with the rest of your weekend?

Welcome November

"When the trees their summer splendor
Change to raiment red and gold,
When the summer moon turns mellow,
And the nights are getting cold;
When the squirrels hide their acorns,
And the woodchucks disappear;
Then we know that it is autumn,
Loveliest season of the year."
-   Carol L. Riser, Autumn

I welcome this new month, on a Monday. It just seems almost magical when the first day of the month starts on a Monday. Somehow it seems like I can start a million new projects, have extra energy and be ready to take on the world when this happens.

I spent the weekend thinking about life. As you may recall last week was just so-so for me. As my good friend Leanne writes...I had landed in Crankville and was having a hard time leaving. Sometimes when we are sad or mad or gloomy we can make ourselves even more so by whining and complaining to those we love. Friday night I found myself almost making myself upset by just gibbering away to my husband for a whole 30 minutes about how cruddy my life is.

Pathetic.

So anyways, I spent the weekend and all morning contemplating my life and why I felt this way. I came to this conclusion...

This was the first year my kids didn't go Trick or Treating. They are growing up. I was so upset about this that it just affected every thought I had. My babies aren't babies anymore. There are no more discussing costumes for months and months, no more last minute "Mom can you come help me do my make-up?", no more sifting and sorting through candy for hours. No more.

I think I am okay now. Once I came to realize that this is what was eating away at me I could mourn a bit and move on. And I did. We ended up having a wonderful Halloween...enjoyed our dinner with Mom, pumpkin and apple pies {which I ate waaaaay too much of} AND we all watched "Halloween Town"...our favorite.

Keeping with the WORD from last week which was APPRECIATIVE...I did and do appreciate the time I have with my kids. And even though they are growing up we can still celebrate holidays just in new and different ways.

Speaking of the Word of the Week...let's move on to THIS week's WORD!

I am ready to stop procrastinating. Heck, you could call me Queen of Procrastination. If I don't want to do something I keep putting it off and putting it off...but not this week! I have crossed 4 things off my list this morning that I had been putting off for WEEKS! I intend on crossing 3 more things off by 3 today.

Our WORD is....

PROMPT

adjective, -er, -est, verb, noun

–adjective

1.

done, performed, delivered, etc., at once or without delay: a prompt reply.

2.

ready in action; quick to act as occasion demands.

3.

quick or alert: prompt to take offense.

4.

punctual.

I intend on getting my To-Do list done each day

I intend on doing those things I usually put off

I am gonna do everything with promptness this week!!

Are you like me? Do you tend to put things off? What kinds of things do you procrastinate on?

What is my cREaTiVe Purpose?

“Every moment of your life is infinitely creative and the universe is endlessly bountiful. Just put forth a clear enough request, and everything your heart desires must come to you.”  -Ghandi

Lately I have been feeling out of sorts. Not myself when it comes to my creativity. I am feeling, well, not very creative.

No, no let me rephrase that.

I am feeling creative yet unable to put my thoughts into my projects.
I want to create. I look around at all my stuff...you know the stuff that makes your heart race. The paper, the glue, the paint, the stickers and rub-ons. The buttons and flowers and little bits of this and that. My big bin of rubber stamps with words and butterflies and birds. 

I see it all. I go to my studio. I gather a few things then...nothing. Or I'll have something but something that is so juvenile looking I would never share it with any of you. Never. Ever.

*sigh*


“The creative mind plays with the object it loves” Carl Gustav Jung  

I love paper and pens and words. I use sunshines and butterflies in my work and words. It always goes back to words. Whether I'm writing or creating a scrapbook page or art journal...it's all about the words.


 
“A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others” Ayn Rand quotes

When it comes right down to it I must stop comparing myself to everyone else. There are sooo many amazingly talented Bloggers out there who create these masterpieces. Lately I find myself comparing where I am creatively to these women. This is not good.


Not only have I felt inadequate in my artsy stuff but my writing has suffered. My ideas have been stagnant. I haven't been learning and growing and inspiring.

That's not a place I want to be.

“Creative activity could be described as a type of learning process where teacher and pupil are located in the same individual.” Arthur Koestler 

So, I am here, being honest with you and myself. Realizing that even though I don't create those one of a kind collages that are publication worthy and my paintings resemble those of a kindergartner...I am just a pupil. Trying my best to find my own Van Gogh. I know an artist lives within me. I just haven't found her yet.


“There is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost.”  — Martha Graham


How about you? What do you feel about your creative work? How do you get through the rough times? I would love to know!!

I APRECIATE My Life

What a glorious weekend spent with family...all women. Fantastic! My Mom, My Aunt and my Cousin, Lora.

We laughed, we cried, we ate yummy, fattening food, we played cards, we hung out in our jammies. It was perfect!!

Gotta tell you about a GIVE AWAY going on over at this website!! Be sure and stop by. You could WIN a wonderfully inspiring book from my Blog Friend, Jen!!!:)

It's hard to imagine...but this time next week Christmas will be everywhere. It seems the day after Halloween every television station, every newspaper add, every magazine becomes Christmas. Now, don't get me wrong...Christmas is my favorite time of the year...but I happen to ADORE Thanksgiving, too. Sheesh, time is is slipping through my fingers.


There is one kind of robber whom the law does not strike at, and who steals what is most precious to men:  time.  ~Napoleon I, Maxims, 1815

Speaking of time passing waaaaay too quickly...we are already into Week 4 of our 52 Words 52 Weeks Challenge. Wow! 

Our Words so far have been...

gratitude

bliss

order

If you missed any of these words...no big deal. No need to start from the beginning. Just jump right in!

I have given quite a bit of thought to this week's word and have come up with this...

appreciative

–adjective

feeling or showing appreciation: an appreciative audience at the concert.

 There is lots going on in my world this week and instead of feeling overwhelmed I want to appreciate all that I get to do. Soooo....this is the Word I need to help me through the week;)

Several of you have created scrapbook layouts of your Words. LOVE this!! Stop by Sharla's Blog for a bit of scrappy inspiration.

This week I have two goals...to start eating clean again and continue working out daily AND to create a bit everyday...no matter what. I find I spend more time thinking about creating rather than doing it. Not this week...no matter how busy I am! 

 

What are you working on this week? I would love to know. Remember to appreciate all that you have to do and get to do!! Be appreciative to your family, your friends, your boss, your Maker. It will make a difference in your life. I promise!!;)