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Living in Color

Note: While I am out of town I invited 3 ladies to guest post for me. This is Doris. I am not sure how we met but I am soooo happy I stumbled upon her blog. Please be sure and visit her when you a minute. She always writes such thought-provoking posts!! Thanks for this, Doris!:)

 

 

Do you notice the colors in the world around you?  There are so many different shades and hues; it’s a wonder our brains can take it all in.  Even as I sit here at my computer in a corner of my house I see pink, brown, beige, yellow, coral, blue, red, white, aqua, black… the list goes on and on!

 

I’ve always found it fascinating how some colors are soothing, some are invigorating, and some are even annoying (neon anything comes to mind)!  I decided to do a little research on the meaning of colors and chose the basic colors of the rainbow to share with you.

 

Red is exciting and energetic; red (and of course pink) are highly associated with romance.  Red has been shown to increase enthusiasm and encourage action.  Red is a color of confidence.  It is bold, and can sometimes be considered a color of aggression.  Beauty, love and good fortune are all common associations for red.  Did you know that red is the first color you lose sight of at twilight?

 

Orange is known as one of those colors that people either like it or they don’t, with very little “fence-riding” about it.  Orange, like yellow, is associated with energy and vivaciousness.  In China, orange represents happiness; however, orange in Christianity represents gluttony.  It looks like that “you like it or you don’t” philosophy is pretty accurate!

 

Yellow brings to mind happiness and optimism.  It is stimulating and often associated with energy.  Lance Armstrong said, “Yellow wakes me up in the morning.  Yellow gets me on the bike every day. Yellow has taught me the true meaning of sacrifice. Yellow makes me suffer. Yellow is the reason I am here.” 

 

Green is ever-present in the world around us.  So much so, our brains likely don’t even recognize its prevalence.  Green is tranquil and refreshing, and generally associated with peacefulness and nature.  In many cultures and religions, green represents resurrection and eternal life.

 

Blue is the most popular color and the least gender specific.  Blue represents dependability and constancy.  Lighter shades of blue have a calming, cooling effect, and the brighter shades tend to be described as dramatic.  In Mexico, Iran and Korea blue is a color that represents mourning.

 

Purple – which is my favorite color – is said to be a balance between the energy of red and the calming of blue.  It is said that purple is often the favorite color of those who are creative and/or eccentric.  Purple is associated with royalty.  Purple was the color of the first man-made dye, which was made out of coal tar – wow, that doesn’t sound very regal does it?!

 

The next time you’re out and about, take a minute to look around you at all the different colors in the world.  They all seem to blend together perfectly, which is amazing to me.  Humanity with all its quirkiness spends so much time trying to match colors or choose colors that complement each other – but in nature it all just seems to fit together effortlessly.

 

What is your favorite color and how does it make you feel?  What does it make you think of?  Consider looking up meanings and traditions about your favorite color – it’s interesting and fun!

Pure Bliss {photo fun!}

Dear dear Leslie!

Thanks so much for letting me stop by and share a story with you. Your words inspire me, and this week, I thought it would be fun to expand a little on your word of the week . . . and what a fantastic word it is.

BLISS: Supreme Happiness. Utter Joy or contentment.

Just saying the word kind of brings me there, to that happy place in my mind.  After reading Leslie’s post earlier this week, I started thinking about moments in life when I had that blissful feeling, and realized that Bliss may come around at the most unexpected times, and in the most unexpected ways.

Years ago, long before our daughters joined us in this world, my husband and I were great adventurers. Phil & Leanne (the second Louis & Clark, I’d like to think.) We were always up for something – be it hopping in the car on a Thursday night and driving to New York City for the weekend (we live in Chicago), or deciding to wake in the middle of the night and drive to downtown Chicago to watch the sun rise over Lake Michigan. We were spontaneous, and if you could find us, you’d usually find a silly story behind what we were doing and why we were doing it. We often took our adventures with a camera in hand, and as the brilliant thinkers we are ;), we decided to photograph these escapades by way of our feet. Yes, our feet.

Photo of us in the streets of New York City, back in 2006.

In our home, we have three large photo collages displaying our FEET pictures, showing our life (and feet) chronologically. From early adventures to places like Michigan and downtown Chicago, to our wedding day, to our feet on the freshly laid grass of our very first house, and photos of our daughters feet the days they were born. We have photos of our feet during some of our best, most blissful times in life.

It’s funny how these simple photos … or FOOTo’s (sorry, couldn’t resist!) … can remind me of the very moments when I felt so happy. When I look at the above photo from New York, I remember this very day like it was yesterday. We were walking through the streets of New York City, in Little Italy, to be exact, and we were searching for an Italian Restaurant that we had visited years. I remember exactly what we were wearing, I remember the sights and sounds of Mulberry Street, the smell of garlic in the air, and the feeling of love that I had for being here with Phil. We had been married for 8 years and Katie, who was 2 years old at the time, was staying with my sister-in-law overnight so Phil and I could enjoy a bit of New York on our own. I remember feeling happy. In love. Bliss. 

Isn’t it wonderful how bliss can happen at the most unexpected times, in the most unexpected places, and when looking at the most unexpected photos? In the very beginning of our “feet” picture days, our family thought we were nuts (maybe it was because of all of the spontaneous escapades that had them shaking their heads at us, too.) Now, you’ll laugh to know that each time we are out doing something fun, someone in our extended family will tell us “Don’t forget to take pictures of your feet!”

Next time you are on an adventure, look down at your feet and snap a photo of them … wherever they are. You’ll be surprised how happy that photo might make you years from now. It may even bring you some BLISS. 

Note: Thank you to my dear friend, Leanne!! I admire her writing sooooo much and want to be just like her in sooooo many ways!!:)  Please stop by and visit her very, very soon!!!!!!!!

The Power and Gift of Scrapbooking

Note: While I am on my trip I invited 3 ladies to guest post for me. Meet Soraya!! I interviewed her a few months ago for "Make My Monday". I love her work and am always inspired by her posts. She is a MUST Read for me:) Please stop by her Blog today!!


I started scrapbooking seriously when I was pregnant. I am an artist but stopped painting at that time for fear of exposing my baby to all the toxic substances. Scrapbooking became a major creative outlet for me and was a great way to prepare for baby. I plunged right in buying all sorts of how-to books and fell in love with all the decorative papers and epherma. I made layouts to fill a whole book that included ultra-sounds, a baby shower and a month by month of baby’s first year. All the while…I never really understood how powerful this craft  really is; it is visual storytelling in art form.  Here are the extraordinary gifts I received…

Communicating with future generations:

 I was able to preserve memories of Tara’s life that only I, as her mother, would know. These memories will get passed down to generations…how powerful is that? Tara’s great, great grandchildren can read all about Tara. They will have an idea of their roots; they will know where they came from and have a sense of identity and belonging. I can communicate with my direct descendants yet to be born!  

Writing:

Another gift is that I started journaling  a lot on my pages. My writing took on a whole new direction and a whole new avenue of creativity laid before me. My writing became infused with vulnerability, honesty, humor, heart and soul. I started writing poetry again and once I wrote a whole page about Tara’s beautiful little feet! The minutia of life became important enough to preserve.

Photography:

 My photography skills greatly improved; I wanted only the very best pictures for my layouts. I started taking pictures from different angles and in different light. I started capturing the mundane and the beautiful. 

My Art:

 Scrapbooking also affected my art. When I started painting again after the birth of my daughter, I found myself using decorative scrapbook papers and my own text. I loved the visual elements of storytelling that I was now able to incorporate into my art.

I don’t get a chance to do much scrapbooking now…I am very busy with Tara and painting…but one of my all time fave things to do is to pull out the beautiful book of Tara and re-experience her magical beginnings. Its’ all there…preserved, cherished and come to life on these pages. It brings tears to my eyes and fills my heart with the most incredible joy.

44 Never Looked So GOOD!

May you live all the days of your life.
- Jonathan Swift 

 Today I am 44.

Yep, 44 years old.

We turn not older with years, but newer every day.
- Emily Dickinson

That used to sound so very, very ancient to me. Like when my Mom turned 40. Wow! She was over the hill. 

I am looking forward to this year like none before. For the first time in my life I know where I'm going. I know what I believe. I know my life is blessed....and I am grateful.

We are always the same age inside.
- Gertrude Stein 

I have everything I need today. A loving family. Friends. My Church. My Savior and Heavenly Father. I have my talents...writing...creating...inspiring.

And I have YOU. Each one of you mean the world to me. 

One of the signs of passing youth is the birth of a sense of fellowship with other human beings as we take our place among them.
- Virginia Woolf

Thank you for taking time to read my blog and leave such uplifting and inspiring comments. I appreciate you so much:)

Are You in Need of a Little Bliss?

So, last week's WORD was Gratitude. I found myself repeating "I am grateful" throughout my days. It was a wonderful  way to kick off our 52 WORDS 52 WEEKS Challenge. I even had a chance to share my word journey in Relief Society yesterday during a talk on repentance. I realized, that for me, my greatest sin is being ungrateful.

Choosing a consistent focus of heartfelt gratitude and appreciation elevates the quality of consciousness which without fail elevates and enhances quality of life. -from Abundance and Happiness.com


In case you are new to Words of Me Project and our 52 Words Challenge...WELCOME! Click here to learn more about the Challenge.

On to this Week's WORD!!

BLISS

–noun

1.

supreme happiness; utter joy or contentment: wedded bliss.

2.

Theology . the joy of heaven.

3.

heaven; paradise: the road to eternal bliss.

4.

Archaic . a cause of great joy or happiness.

 Couldn't we all use a little bit of bliss in our lives?!?

“Give up all bad qualities in you, banish the ego and develop the spirit of surrender. You will then experience Bliss.” Sri Sathya Sai Baba 

This week I will focus on giving up my bad qualities...

*thinking negatively about others
*beating myself up for not getting everything done
*not eating whole, clean foods
*not getting enough sleep
*not exercising and spending time outside 

I will focus on the positive in my life. I will take last week's gratitude and keep it in my heart.

There is nothing to practice. To know yourself, be yourself. To be yourself, stop imagining yourself to be this or that. Just be. Let your true nature emerge. Don’t disturb your mind with seeking. .

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

 I would imagine if we could master the above quote we would all find our bliss...


I am doing something creative with my Weekly Words. I have decided to create my very own ART JOURNAL of all 52 Words. I will be sharing very soon...


What can YOU do to find your BLiSS this week?

PS!!!  My Birthday is TOMORROW!! My goal was to get to 175 Followers by then. I am almost there! If you are NOT a Follower already would you be so kind and give me an early present:)

Images from DC {Random Friday}

Whoo Hoo! We made it to Friday!!!!!!!!  Today my daughter Emi, my Mom and I are headed to Kansas City for a day of shopping!!!!! It's been a looooooong time since we've done anything like this {you know...hard times and all. This economy stinks}

Anyway....I can't wait!

Our WORD this week is Gratitude. How are ya' coming along with that? I am loving it. I have been reminded on several occasions just how blessed I am.


Since it's Friday I have a few Random goodies for you. Please check out my friend Angie's Blog this weekend. I loved her post "What I've Learned". You can read it here.

I love Marching Bands. As I sit and type this morning I can hear the Maryville Marching Spoofhounds practice. Just says "Fall" to me:)

Here are a few photos from our DC trip....

DC...Here we come!!!

 One of our favorite parts of the trip was driving through Pennsylvania and Maryland. This part of the U.S. is BEAUTIFUL!!

 Wednesday night we spent the night in Frostburg, Maryland. What a quaint, little town. We LOVED it! Dave and Jacks at the restaurant where I enjoyed fresh crab cakes-YUM-O!

 Along the interstate in Pennsylvania.

 This was our view from the photo above...soooo pretty.

 Our family on the back veranda of George Washington's Home Mount Vernon. That's the Potomac in the background. This was our favorite part of the trip, I think. What a lovely place to spend the day. I highly recommend it!

 Mount Vernon. The afternoon was perfect!

 If you've ever been to the White House then you have seen this. These people have been camped out here for like 30 years!!

 In front of the White House. We took this same photo back in 2006. Our kids have changed so much...

 The Smithsonian Art Museum

 Jacks and Emi were fascinated by this protester in front of the White House...

 Okay, if you want to have inspiration oozing out of your ears then you MUST go to the Smithsonian Art Museum!!! This painting so fits mine and Em's personality:)

 Doesn't she look artsy??

 Jacks snapped this of Dave and I...the museum was getting ready to close so there was like no one around and we were on the 3rd floor. It was kinda cool. All I kept thinking was "What if we get locked in here? Sweet!"

 On the backside of the Art Museum

 Rally Day. This was taken at approx. 4 am. It was soooo spiritual.

 There were dozens of buses from all over the United States!

 An image from the Rally

 After the Rally, walking towards the main part of DC to catch a cab. My kids in front of the Washington Monument.

 Ms. Photographer

 Love this photo. I snapped it after the Rally. We had been walking forever and finally got to the city part of DC. This photo is great!! These folks didn't know one another at all...yet having quite the conversation. I loved it!!

Being a part of history was something I will never forget. My family and I are so blessed to have been there that day. Here are a few things that continue to amaze me about that day....

*All the PEOPLE!
*The Spirit that was there. Here we were in a sea of people yet I felt nothing but a sense of joy, hope and peace. Everyone got along....
*No trash was left behind. We left the place SPOTLESS!
*Alveda King. I will never forget her powerful prescence
*Staying up for 24 plus hours, arriving at the Rally at 3 AM. The place was filling up soooo fast!
*Standing at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial at 4 AM. Incredible.
*Feeling Glenn Beck. Seriously...when he is on stage you feel his energy, his passion for our country.
*Being with my family, in that place at that time. I will never forget.


Ladies, thanks for letting me share! You are all amazing and I appreciate all my NEW Followers and all the comment Love you have given me this week!!

Have a wonderful weekend and remember to keep writing down 5 things a night you are grateful for!!!!

Who Ignites You?

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." -Albert Schweitzer

Who, in your life, is rekindling your Spark?


Here's to one amazing day of GRATITUDE!! {it's our WORD of the week!}

Artist Trading Card Fun

So with my new blog schedule {go here to read it} Wednesdays are the day I share my creative projects, ideas, photos, etc. with you. I have been saving this latest undertaking of mine for a few months now. So happy to show it to you today!

Artist Trading Cards!! I first heard about these cute, little creations 5 or 6 years and have wanted to try them ever sine. But for whatever reason I kept procrastinating and never got around to it.

Then as fate would have...last July while Em and I were roaming around Micheal's I found a set of 10, all neatly packaged, ready for me to take home!

Creating these teeny cards was so inspiring...

I painted the backgrounds one afternoon then came back whenever I could squeeze a few minutes here and there in. I used stickers, an old Winnie the Pooh book, punches, acrylic paint, brads, chipboard, markers, cra-pas crayons and colored pencils.

There is a really great book called "Artist Trading Card Workshop" by Bernie Berlin that I used for my inspiration.

Find this eye-popping  book here.

It is FULL of techniques, photos and sooo many ideas!! Everything can be used in art journals, collages and scrapbook pages.

The thing about these cards is I'm supposed to trade them with someone else...I'm having a bit of a hard time with this as I truly do enjoy them.

However, they are called Artist Trading Cards sooooo....I had this crazy idea that if YOU would like to try your hand at creating one of these adorable cards that maybe we could trade? If you're interested leave me a comment to let me know or email me at leslieackman@yahoo.com

So, I want to know...have you ever created an Artist Trading Card {ATC}?

52 Words 52 Weeks

So last year I went about describing my life in 52 Words. While I didn't keep up with it every week {sad, but true} I DID end up with dozens of WORDS describing my life from October of last year to today. The challenge was fun and quite and eye opener of how I live my life {mostly good}.

This year's Challenge is a bit different and I'm inviting you to join along. Not only will this open us up to what's possible in our lives but I think it has the power to change our lives {for the better}.

52 Words 52 Weeks

When: October 5th, 2010 - October 5th, 2011

Where: Every Monday {or Tuesday} on Words of Me Project Blog

What: Each week you will be given a WORD to think about, write about, scrap about, collage about and LIVE. Each word will be positive and uplifting in order to better our days, our weeks, our months, our year! Along with a WORD a week I will be sharing journaling prompts, project ideas, exercises and more to inspire you to live a creative, fulfilling and abundant life!

"As simple as it sounds, we all must try to be the best person we can: by making the best choices, by making the most of the talents we've been given."  -Mary Lou Retton

Let this BE the year you become the best person you can be. Take your talents, your passions and hobbies to a whole new level. 

Are you ready for this week's WORD?

Gratitude

–noun

the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful: He expressed his gratitude to everyone on the staff.

—Synonyms
thanks, thankfulness, appreciation, gratefulness.  

I want you to take this word and really let it soak in. What does it mean to be grateful? This week take a few minutes each night and write down 5 things you are grateful for. They can be anything...even the fact you are grateful the day is over and your ready for bed.

Try to catch yourself being grateful. Maybe you're running late for school and the kids are causing you stress and you just know you're gonna be late for work, too. Instead of focusing on the stress and the chaos and your anger...take a step back, take a deep breath and remind yourself that the sun is shining, your family is healthy and "this to shall pass". Try to find the gratitude in your heart rather than the frustration and stress.

Let me know what you think about this project. I am soooo excited about it! Lots of good stuff in store:)

**Remember...it's okay if you don't want to commit to all 52 weeks. Feel free to pick and choose your weeks...I just hope you'll join us when you can. 

I have a button coming for this Challenge soon so you can share on your Blogs and let others know that you are taking the Challenge...and maybe they can , too!

Words have the power to change your life! 

Welcome to My Life

It's October. My absolute favorite month of the year. 

"There is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots may be lighted on, and produce so pleasant an effect on
the feelings, as now in October." 
-  Nathaniel Hawthorne

My anniversary is in October, my Mom's birthday, my Grandpa's, my Aunt's, my Mother in law's, MY birthday....

Yes, in one week I will be turning 44. 

Whoa! 44 sure does sound...old. I don't feel old. I feel pretty good. Well, sometimes this body of mine doesn't work well...but my spirit feels good. 


With a new year of life comes a new set of goals, hopes and dreams. Not only have I decided to change a few things here at Words of Me Project but I've decided to embark on a whole new way of life. I've decided to fill my days with gratitude, with beauty, with creativity. 


My goal is to look at my life with a fresh pair of eyes. Where there was once a pile of laundry,  sink of dirty dishes and paper is taking over every counter top I will see opportunity. 


Opportunity to create a clean, welcoming environment for my family. 

“Originality is simply a pair of fresh eyes.” -Thomas W. Higgins

 Last Friday my artist friend gave me some of the best advice I've ever heard regarding creativity. He said if you want to be creative...you must create everyday. When you see a beautiful painting.... that didn't just happen. There are thousands of hours that went into it. 

 

Thousands.

Chris draws. He also is an art teacher at our local university and a Dad and a husband and a leader in our church. I MEAN HE IS ONE BUSY GUY.

But, yet he still finds time to draw every. single. day.

 

Remember the 31 Days Creativity Challenge? {Click here to read all about it!!}

 

When I was into that Challenge, coming up with ideas, participating in it...my creativity exploded! I could do everything better.

That's what I'm talking about. By adding little bits of painting, scrapping, writing, whatever into our day...we are happier, more productive souls. We really are.

 

Check out my friend Soraya's Blog post today. She offers us a list of ways she injects creativity into her daily lives.

 

So with this new year of life about to get underway I am changing the direction of my blog a bit. Making it better in so many ways. Lots of inspiration, projects and words to get you moving in a creative direction.

 

My goal for Words of Me Project is to energize your life.

  

The way you look at it.

 

The way you live it.

Tomorrow I will be introducing our latest Challenge "52 Words 52 Weeks". Can't wait to share this life-changing idea with you!

New Blog Schedule, Awards and Stuff

Whoo Hoo! Happy Friday!! The past few days have been hard for me...lots of pain in my face, neck, shoulders and teeth. Today, however I can tell it's gonna be better. Between 2 chiropractor treatments, hot rice bags and sleeping the past few days I should be good to go for Homecoming tonight. THANK YOU for your kind, uplifting comments on my FB page. They were appreciated;)

Lots to share today!! So let's get to it.

First of all I have been given two Blog Awards this past week and am soooo appreciative!! Thanks to Kristen and Nan for thinking of me. Please click on their names and stop by their blogs when you get a chance. They are daily reads for me...Okay, first award is from Kristen..."Sweet Friends".

Nan gave me the "Cherry On Top" Award...

As with any award I'm supposed to share a few things about me that you may not know.....

1. I am a clutterbug. I hate clutter but somehow it seems to surround me. I mean I have a clean home but waaaay to many papers and little things I don't know what to do with. Consequently I have laundry baskets in my walk-in closet filled with stuff that has no home.

2. I love Autumn and Winter. I love it when the days get shorter and  we can put flannel sheets on the bed and be all cozy in the house.

3. I don't go anywhere without lip gloss and eyeliner.

4. I teach early morning Seminary in my church 5 days a week. That means I get up at 530 every morning and teach Scriptures for 45 minutes Monday through Friday. {i don't get paid}

5. My favorite music is light AM classics from the 70's

6. My goal in life was to be the next Barbara Walters and cover a Presidential Election.

7. If my husband and I were younger we would adopt a child from China or Africa.

THANK YOU Nan and Kristen!

Now on to what's coming up this fall on Words of Me Project!! So happy and excited about it.

Beginning THIS Monday, October 4th, it's an all new Challenge...

52 Words in 52 Weeks

I'll tell you all about it Monday;)

My goal is to blog 3 to 4 days a week with these topics...

Mondays: Share "52 Words 52 Weeks", inspirational ideas, ways to better ourselves, inspiring quotes, goals and motivation

Wednesdays: Creative Projects, How-to's, writing tips, my thoughts and dreams, creativity ideas.

Fridays: Friday Favs is back with all things random. From my fav clothes, blogs and TV shows to funny things my kids said or the weather.

If you have been reading my blog for long you might remember my "Make My Monday" interviews. I LOVE sharing your blogs with others and getting the word out! Instead of a full blown interview I will be showcasing a blog button and/or link on my sidebar each week. If you'd like to be featured please send me an email at  leslieackman@yahoo.com!!

I will be gone from Blogland from October 13th thru the 18th. Be on the lookout for several guest bloggers. Should be fun!!

Have a wonderful weekend:)

Thank you!

Just so you know I appreciate each of your comments regarding m blog look. I am taking everything into consideration!

I am working on a new look...nothing set in stone at the moment!!:)

I will be back later today with a post...Happy Friday!!