The Many Faces of Being Brave

"Only one feat is possible: not to have run away."  -Dag Hammarskjold

"Being Brave." 

We heart that phrase so often these days. 

"She did it anyway." 

"She was a brave girl."

All phrases I know by heart and use often in my journals and my art thanks to one of my favorite artists and people Melody Ross of Brave Girls Club.

If you don't know about this phenomenal group of over the top TALENTED and INSPIRATIONAL women then PLEASE, PLEASE go here. You will be so HAPPY you did:)

To me, Being Brave has always meant one thing...that despite the obstacles, the hard work, the FEAR  I would just do it anyway. I would 100% Go For It! But after taking all of Melody's amazing on-line classes, I have learned that Being Brave means so much more...and sometimes we are the Bravest when we just WALK AWAY.

If you read my last post {which seems like I wrote an eternity ago} then you know all about some big changes going on in my life. My son Jacks moving to Texas, my weight loss journey AND the biggest change of all...purchasing an existing art studio..."The Art Experience".

Before I go any further...I want to back up a little bit. We are talking about "The Many Faces of Being Brave" today. Being Brave means SO. MANY. THINGS.

That's my Mama in blue:)

Mom knocked on my door one afternoon last week, a bag of cat food in hand, with tears running down her face. She had just been to the vet for one last moment with Baby, her beloved cat of 12 years. For my sweet Mama Being Brave meant saying goodbye to a dear, sweet friend.

Sometimes life throws us a curve ball...something so unexpected it takes our breathe away. That's exactly what happened with my father-in-law Dave. Since February he has been living with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. His doctors have given him 3 to 6 months. We are hoping for more...so much more. For my father-in-law Being Brave has meant facing this ugly disease head-on. Taking chemo, being sick and still managing to enjoy his family. Last week he made it up to Maryville for a turkey hunt with his sons.

I love this photo and will cherish it!! My father-in-law is SO BRAVE!!

Oh my SWEET, AMAZING and BEAUTIFUL girl!! Being Brave for this one has meant saying goodbye...For such a young girl she has had her share of goodbyes and I know how hard they have been on her. I am so PROUD at how she has handled them and SO PROUD of the COURAGE she has shown in the face of adversity. Love my GIRL!!!! Emma truly is one of the BRAVEST Brave Girls I know!!!!!

So let's get back to me and MY changes...what Being Brave has looked like for me these past few weeks. 

This is the art studio...the one I was GOING to buy.

It's beautiful. It has everything an art studio needs. The past month I have filled notebooks with ideas and To-Do's...class ideas and products. I was beyond excited with all the support and love people were giving me.

But then...

something happened.

When I got really still...

and started to really listen to my heart...

it didn't feel right.

Not one little bit.

I couldn't believe it!

How could this be??

This was my dream come true!!

Or so I thought.

When I really stopped to listen...

my heart was telling me what was important

and what it was I truly wanted.

I want to be here for my girl {she needs me so!!}

I want to reach my fitness goals {almost half way there!}

I want to teach at art retreats {ME in South Carolina this fall!!}

I want to HAVE an art retreat.

I want to create and write and inspire.

I can do all of those things here, in my studio at home.

I can reach out to all of you on my blog and on Facebook.

Being Brave for me has been so much more than listening to my HEART.

Being Brave has been ACTING upon what my heart was saying.

It has been telling people my decision to NOT buy the studio. {i have gotten so many funny looks}

Being Brave has felt so right.

So now I am ready to see where I go from here. I have so many things planned for my blog and our Facebook group. 

I feel free and happy.

I am at peace.

Have a Blessed Easter Friends!!

The Easter feeling does not end.
It signals a new beginning,
Of nature, spring, and brand new life,
And friendship, peace, and giving.
The spirit of Easter is all about
Hope, love, and joyful living.

Author Unknown

Week 39: Embracing Change

"The art of living does not consist in preserving and clinging to a particular mood of happiness, but in allowing happiness to change its form...happiness, like a child, must be allowed to grow up."  -Charles L. Morgan


The last month has been a whirlwind of change for me. It all started when  my 19 year old son Jackson moved to Texas.

Us last April in Kansas City

It is so strange not seeing or talking to my boy everyday. Yet I am managing OK and text or Snapchat him daily!

A welcome change has come in the past month...I have said NO to Can't and dropped nearly TWO sizes and feel fantastic about myself!! I am eating more veggies and fruits along with lean proteins and exercising regularly.

a page from my art journal

This month I went from sharing my son's laptop to having my OWN iMAC!!! It is pretty dang exciting!!!

I also rewarded myself with a new cut and color last week!! It's shorter and makes me feel young and free!

But perhaps one of the biggest changes this month is the making of a DREAM come true....

I am taking over an established art studio in my town of Maryville..."The Art Experience"!!

I still can't believe it's happening...yet when I look back on my artistic journey I realize it's what I have been working on for so long!

All the classes I have taken, the classes I have taught, the people I've met, this journey I have been on for nearly 7 years...it has all led to this...my very own place to do what I LOVE...what fills me up and gives me wings!!

I officially take over May 1st and am SO EXCITED to begin making the studio MY OWN!! Lots of re-arranging and things to add over the next few months!! By the end of summer we will be in a totally NEW location with new colors (aqua, yellow and red) and whole new feel!!! But for now I will be patient, take one thing at a time and teach, teach, teach. I just know I will be learning, learning, learning, too...lol.

You can stop by our website and check out all we have to offer and be sure and "Like" my Face Book page, too.

As we continue on our Being Me journey I want you to think about Embracing Change this week. We ALL go through change...sometimes it's all good stuff....other times it's hard and scary and yucky. I want you to talk about YOUR changes in your journals this week. How are you growing? What are you learning? Did you see the changes coming? Are you at the end of the changing process, the middle or the end??

Girls, I am so grateful for each of you and love reading your comments and seeing your work. I hope you have a happy and creative week!!! Be sure and share your journals with us in our FB group Mind.Body.Soul.

And remember...you are NEVER behind!! Stop by here to start your Being Me journey today...it's free!!:)

Computerless and Creating

Give thanks for what you are now, and keep fighting for what you want to be tomorrow. ~Fernanda Miramontes-Landeros


Here I sit, on my couch with a friend's laptop writing my post. It seems like I haven't posted in forever!! When my son moved a few weeks ago he took his laptop with him and since that is what I had been using the past two years....it's time I got a new one! We actually went computer shopping Saturday at the APPLE STORE!!! I am getting a desktop MAC and can't wait to have it!! I hope the next post I write will be from that:)

Instead of posting Week 39 of our Being Me class I think I'll just write a post about all I've been up to and wait until I have my MAC so I can add photos...I hope you don't mind waiting.

Remember if you want to play along you can go here.

So many changes have been coming my way...my 19 year old son moved to Corpus Christi, Texas and is working. Talk about a quiet house!! My daughter Emma will be a Senior next year and is busy making future plans....not in Maryville of course. I still can't wrap my head around the fact Dave and I will be "empty nesters". It's just weird!

Perhaps the biggest change of all is something I am undertaking...something I only dreamed of. Something I have been preparing for most of my life, really....

When you really want change, reinforcement will come from your heart. ~Doc Childre and Deborah Rozman, Transforming Anger
I had an opportunity fall in my lap. And even though I am nervous and scared I am READY. I am ready to follow my heart and put everything out there to make my dreams come true! Very soon I will be able to share this dream with you but for now I must keep quiet...shhhhhhh.....

The past few months I found myself not spending any time in the studio. I knew that had to change in order for me to keep growing as an artist and in order for me to stay sane:) Soooo Monday I began my "Becoming Brave" daily art journal. My goal is to do something creative in my book every single day...even if it's just adding a stamp! This journal will be a place for creative play, favorite Words and will chronicle me Becoming Brave as I embark on a new adventure.

One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince, 1943, translated from French by Richard Howard

I will be sharing my pages with you in the coming weeks along with Week 39 of our Being Me journal e-course. I appreciate each of you that reads my blog, is a member of our facebook group and connects with me on my personal facebook page. Thanks for being here and thanks for sharing you art, your stories and your heart!! xoxo

Week 38: Living with No Regrets

Life is short,
Break the Rules.
Forgive quickly,
Kiss SLOWLY.
Love truly.
Laugh uncontrollably
And never regret
ANYTHING
That makes you smile
- Mark Twain

I have had the flu...the achy all over, fever, chills, sleep all day, lose my voice, bone tired FLU! For 10 days I have worked on getting well. And while I am still so very tired I am working my way back to life and am so grateful. Being sick is absolutely ZERO fun! It's nice to be back and share Week 38 of Being Me with you.

It's hard to believe this journey of ours is nearly 3/4ths of the way done. I have grown so much over the past year and know the ideas and principles I have shared throughout this course will be used time and time again. If you are new to Being Me...no worries! Just click on the 52 Weeks tab at the top of my blog...all 38 weeks are there and ready for you to work on. It looks like we are on track to finish up in Mid-May. Of course I will keep all 52 Weeks on my blog indefinitely...so you have plenty of time to work on it:) Please share with your friends and remind them it's free:)

Okay...let's get on to Week 38...it's something I've been thinking about a LOT lately...the past.

Look not at the days gone by with a forlorn heart.  They were simply the dots we can now connect with our present, to help us draw the outline of a beautiful tomorrow.  ~Dodinsky 

My son, Jackson is moving...this Sunday...far, far away...to Corpus Christi, Texas...and my heart is breaking. I mean I always knew this day would come...my kids would grow up, graduate and head out on their own. But now that it's here...I am at a loss. I don't know what to do. I feel like I can't breathe. What am I going to do?? Jackson is the kind of kid that brightens peoples days. I mean I can be having the worse possible day and in he will march, all Jim Carrey like, saying something completely ludicrous, making me laugh so hard I almost pee my pants. We like the same things...sitting on the couch watching old "B" horror flicks, Dr. Phil and goofy comedies. We play games, go out to eat and just enjoy hanging out together. He is my first child and ever since he was a little guy...he has had my heart.

The thought of saying good bye is totally ripping my heart out....I find myself replaying moments from his childhood over and over again in my mind. "Why didn't I spend more time with him?"...is all I keep asking myself. "If only I knew it would all go so fast...I would have spent more time with him!!"

The other day I spent an hour walking in our neighborhood, reminiscing about things we used to do together and crying because it's all over. The day was overcast but as I got closer to home, the sun started to come out, lifting my spirits a little. As I walked up a long hill, face down with tears flowing a thought crossed my mind. "I can either spend this week crying and living in the past for what was OR I can embrace the wonderful young man Jackson is becoming and ENJOY him NOW."  

I made a decision right then and there to be thankful for all those times we spent together but now it was time for him to go out in the world, see what it's like and fly on his own. I realized in that moment that I was living in the past, beating myself up for not making the absolute most of everything...at least that's what I was telling myself...that I hadn't been the best Mom. That I hadn't been enough.

Girls, we can't live our lives in the present with joy in our hearts if we are so stuck in the past, wishing it back...thinking life was so perfect back then. The Truth is...Life is pretty amazing right now...even though Jackson is moving and I won't get to see him everyday...I KNOW he'll be back. I KNOW we will go see him. I KNOW everything will be ok.

I am tired of living today with regrets. I want TODAY to be JOY FILLED!!!

You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest that it leaves your arms too full to embrace the present.  ~Jan Glidewell

Girls, this week I want you to think about something that is holding you in the past. What is it that you wish you would have done differently? Or better? Do you spend your days obsessing over something that happened a very long time ago? It's TIME to set yourself free! Memories are beautiful things but the NOW, TODAY...that's what matters. The people in our lives at this very moment...they matter. Love your kids, your family and KNOW that Today is the Day. Today is the Time you get to spend with them!!

Create a journal page celebrating the here and now. The beauty of TODAY.

Week 37: See & CEleBrAtE!

"To see far is one thing, going there is another."  -Constantin Brancusi


I tend to do the same things over and over...it's more comfortable that way..lol. But is comfort what we should be striving for in this one precious life of ours? I don't think so! My WORD this year is MOVE. My very favorite quote that represents where I want to go this year is from The Hobbit and has a permanent home on the side of my blog...

“Go back?" he thought. "No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!" So up he got, and trotted along with his little sword held in front of him and one hand feeling the wall, and his heart all of a patter and a pitter.” -The Hobbit

Girls, when I read this quote I get tears in my eyes...dorky??? Maybe...but it sums up how I want to live my life...not being afraid. Trying new things. Being scared but doing it anyway.

The past 2 years have been a rough one for our family. You can read about it here and here. There were times I didn't think I would make it through...the pain was too much. Financially we were barely squeaking by. We would go weeks at a time not knowing where the money would come from to pay our bills, buy food, etc. It was surreal and I often thought "Is this as good as it gets?"

Looking back I know our family went through this trial so we could be the people we are today. We appreciate everything...I mean everything! We have love and compassion for others like never before and our faith has grown like I never thought possible!  Oh and that little Hobbit quote above?? I have lived that...Throughout our Dark Time (it's what I call those two years) I wanted to GO BACK to our old life...the life where we had money to go to Disney World and buy new cars and clothes and see movies three times a week. A time when I didn't feel worry and stress (or so I thought). I wanted to GO BACK! But like the Hobbit...it wasn't meant to be...the ONLY THING to do was to MOVE forward. And I I was scared...oh so scared. Forward meant I couldn't SEE what was ahead...there were so many variables in MOVING Forward...

These precious souls are what matter to me!!

But I put my Brave Girl pants on and MOVED. With each day that passed by I became stronger and stronger. I prayed so hard at times with tears streaming down my face I thought my heart would explode. But I kept going. I found new ways of doing things. I created my Brave Art. I art journaled. I spent time with my precious family.

I survived.

Girls, last weekend was momentous for our sweet family. You see, all the muck we have been slogging through has nearly dried up. The debt we had hanging over us...is nearly gone. For the first time in over 2 years we are almost healed! We have been able to breathe MUCH easier the past few months with less stress than we've experienced in years...but it was THIS weekend when we could really, really SEE what was in front of us...LIGHT.

To celebrate I took my paycheck and for the first time since this all began and spent it on ME. I know, I know....that may sound selfish...but it was SO MUCH FUN and FELT SO GOOD! And honestly...I have plenty left over for groceries, bills, etc...so I was responsible!!

Here is what I found!!

Paper clay!! I have been so inspired lately by several of my art friends and the beautiful things they create with this. I can't wait to play!! And those wooden keys look like so much fun don't they?? I see hearts in my future....:)


Last year when most art supplies were wishful thinking  I went on Amazon and "Wished" these stencils to my Wish List...last weekend I found them at Hobby Lobby ON SALE!!

Acrylic paint was on sale so I picked up a few of my fave colors, along with spray inks, stamps, glitter (will look so good on those keys!) and something NEW...pearlescent to me water colors.

Can you believe it?? I now own a Dremel!! And my sweet husband bought this tool kit to go with it. This intimidates me a bit but now I can add some 3-D Embellishments to my work...something I can't wait to do!

I used my 40% off coupon for this fun kit!! Gelatos!! I have always wanted to try...now I have this groovy kit from Faber-Castell that shows me a ton of techniques....I can already tell these will be my new favorites!!

I also found brushes on CRAZY SELL, inks and pattern paper!! 

Girls....you may be thinking...where in the heck is Leslie going with this week?!?!....Girls, I think we ALL have problems and hard times and depression and pain and sickness that is so very difficult to get THROUGH. ALL OF US must MOVE Forward in order to progress and grow and LIVE. 

This week I want you to TRY something NEW. I want you to Branch Out. I want you to really SEE how far you've come then CELEBRATE! Buy yourself a new art supply you've been wanting or go to You Tube and watch a new technique and TRY IT! 

I have been HIDING from so many things these past two years...but NO MORE! I am making friends, sharing my heart...really putting myself out there. It's not always easy but I am doing it! And I want to start living this way in my ART! In my journals, on canvas, my blog and other social media sites. 

I am so GRATEFUL for EACH ONE OF YOU! Whether you know it or not...THIS blog and my challenges I share with you...they ALL have kept me going....they have helped put my what's in HEART in perspective. Even though the muck was swirling around...my HEART really was full of love and hope and light.

THANK YOU so much for sharing my journey!! I truly hope and pray that Being Me is helping you to live a better life and be the best YOU!!!

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What is Being Me?
All 37 Weeks

What Constitutes ART?

I'll lean on you and you lean on me and we'll be okay. (Dave Matthews Band)



I have something to say...I don't mean to offend anyone...I just have to get this off my chest and I really, really want YOUR opinion on the matter....so please read and comment if you have something to add:)

There are dozens and dozens types of Art.

abstract
fantastic realism
folk
decorative
cartooning
classical
realism
cityscape
mixed media
sculpting
ETC.

Every Artist sees the world around them so differently, yet growing up I was led to believe that art wasn't truly art unless you could draw and paint like Michelangelo, Da Vinci or one of my favorites Norman Rockwell. I LOVE his work and how it depicts America with such sweetness and charm. Several years ago I went to the Smithsonian Art Institute and saw most of his paintings...my cheeks hurt from smiling so much!

"Couple in a Rumbleseat"

Then there is Mary Cassatt...

"Child in an Orange Dress"

Again...her work is what I grew up thinking art was supposed to be...realistic looking people in realistic settings.

It wasn't until I was a Senior in high school did I begin to understand that art could be so much more. My Humanities class took a field trip to St. Louis where we got to spend the day at the Art Museum there...oh how I LOVED it!! And I fell in LOVE with abstract art!! In recent years I have studied two of my favorites Georgia O'Keefe and Paul Klee.

"The Lake" by Georgia O'Keefe

"Southern Gardens" by Paul Klee

Another artist that some may say is unconventional is Andy Warhol. Here are two of his paintings from the 1960's.

"Eggs 2"

"knivesx"

Honestly I am not a big fan of Warhol's but I can appreciate his work as an artist. I understand that each of us has unique talents and more importantly we each have something very different to say.

"Let each man exercise the art he knows."  -Aristophanes

What is all of this leading up to?? Last Saturday night my in-laws and I went out to dinner. My mother in-law had told me about her artist friend and was anxious for me to see her work. Not only did I get to see her work {it hangs in the restaurant we ate in} but she happened to be there. I told her how much I loved her work {she paints with oils...creating beautiful landscapes...very nice} and then proceeded to tell her about my daughter Emma. I pointed to her and shared how Emma's love of drawing and painting people has inspired her to attend MICA....an art institute in Baltimore. Instead of smiling and supporting my 16 year old daughter her face became dark and she frowned. In an irritated, almost sarcastic tone she said..."Well, that's a stupid thing to do. Waste your time and money going to an art school. She'll never be successful at that!." 

I was shocked and  quickly replied..."I am proud of my daughter and she plans on going into graphic design." I then told her my passion for mixed media and teaching. Again, instead of smiling and showing support she sarcastically said {while walking away} "Good luck with that."

Girls, I was floored. I couldn't even believe it! Would you treat a fellow artist that way? Aren't we supposed to love, encourage and support one another?? I say YES!

Some of us create like Norman Rockwell, some like Henri Matisse and others, like myself, create messy art with a message...

However and WHATEVER we create is our OWN. Our art is US! Art is what's inside...we are putting our hearts on canvas!

The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.

Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC)

Thinking about this woman still bothers me...seriously I can't believe she treated Emma and I this way. I felt like she was "dismissing" us and the ART that we create. The funny thing is...after she left I looked around at her work, hanging on every wall of the restaurant...and all of a sudden all I saw was ugly...I didn't see the beauty anymore...she had ruined that.

Girls, I would LOVE to hear your thoughts and opinions on this post!! Please leave a comment here or on our FB page:)

Weeks 35 & 36: Review & MOVE Forward

"Doing what you love is the cornerstone of having abundance in your life."  -Wayne Dyer


Just so you know, girls...I can't believe how FAST this past week went! Before I knew it it was FRIDAY and I had not posted Week 35. Shame on me, huh??:) So this week I am combining Weeks 35 & 36 and reviewing how far we have come so far with "Being Me". In case this is your first time here be sure and go here to learn all about "Being Me" and here to get all 34 weeks so far. Thanks for being here!!! Remember..."Being Me" is a completely FREE art journaling class for everyone. Enjoy!

Let's take a quick look back at "Being Me"...there is a lot to learn about ourselves don't you think?

In the early weeks of this year long challenge I encouraged you to create your Mission Statement. Do you remember what's in yours?? What is one area you really want to focus on TODAY? For me I want to remember these things..."When I do these things...I KNOW I am the BEST ME I can BE! *eat fresh foods *avoid sugar *workout *spend time outside *spend time alone *date night! *Family time *keep our bedroom clean and organized *go to bed with a CLEAN kitchen...When I do these things I KNOW I will be happy and full of peace.

Another topic we covered this year was the importance of saying Thank You to others. There are soooo  many people that have helped me on my journey and continue to be there for me. Most of them probably don't even know how much their love and guidance have shaped me into the person I am today. I think it's time they knew don't you?  Even if you did this exercise last summer I know there are more people you can Thank!! Take time this week to do that:)

Nobody likes REJECTION so we talked about that during Week 22. Here is a quote from that week...

Rejection is part of the job description for anyone in the arts... one must have a sense of purpose... of where you want to go with your art, and no one decides that but you.Seek relevance instead of approval. (Jackie Knott)

Passion and Fear...the two really do go hand in hand.  Did you answer these questions??

1. Think of a time you wanted something so much that our were willing to do anything to get it. What was the outcome? I have many examples of this throughout my life but the one that comes to mind is my determination to train, run and finish a marathon. I wanted nothing more than that for years...so one day I sat down and made a decision to just do it! I found a group to train with, signed up and focused on getting my body in shape and trained diligently for 9 months. Crossing that finish line was one of the proudest moments of my life.

2.  Do you feel exhilerated by your creative work right now? What ignites you the most about it? If you're not psyched about your current work, what would you rather be doing? At the moment what ignites me most is TEACHING...I LOVE teaching ART to women...LOVE it! Honestly it comes as no surprise as I have always known one of my missions in this life was to uplift and encourage other women to be their very best...I have done that for years with my writing and fitness endeavors and am doing it now with my love of art. I am so excited about my dreams and goals regarding this passion!

3.  What discomfort are you willing to endure to promote and experience your passion? What I need to work on now is just getting down to WORK. I need to be serious and set office hours and studio hours. I need to take time to work on class ideas and handouts as well as studio time for creating and sharing on my blog and other venues. I suppose the discomfort would be to let my housework slide a bit or delegate the work to my family and give up watching so much TV:)

4. What are your specific fears about yourself and your work? That I am not good enough. That my work and ideas will be laughed at. That I won't fit in with others. That people will say things like  "What is she doing teaching?" "She isn't creative enough" etc.

It has been quite a journey the past 34 weeks and we still have nearly 20 weeks left! I hope you are learning and growing and listening:)

 I hope you will take the next two weeks looking back at your projects/journal entries and find areas that need further work...maybe you need to go deeper with some of the weeks. I am going to focus on my Mission Statement and the questions I answered above. I am so ready to MOVE my dreams Forward!!

I also want to share some amazing women I am finding on the Web. There is sooo much inspiration out there!!

Shelley Rydellie
Pam Garrison
61 Daily Paper Prompts
The Documented Life Project
GREAT Postal Art Projects!

Oh and one more thing....in case you want to come and hang out on a BEAUTIFUL Beach with me and some other great girls and make ART...then sign up for THIS...Art Beach Retreat!!!  It's October 9-11th and sure to be TOTALLY relaxing and inspirational! And I would LOVE to meet you:)

Oh and one more thing...lol...join our Face Book group here. Lots of sharing going on:)

Today I Know....

"The openness to begin is all the openness required to have each day. We start today, and tomorrow we start again, and the day after we start again; as we will the day after that. In this way does our journey come to us. We begin. The rest unfolds through us."  -Julia Cameron


Last fall I was so blessed to be able to take Melody Ross's "Soul Comfort" class. This was the fifth class I had taken from her and wasn't disappointed. One of the practices I learned from the class was keeping a "Today I Know" journal.

It is smaller than my other art jounrals {5x7} and much simpler. No acrylic paints or modeling paste, no stencils or fancy stamps...heck not even my favorite...spray inks. No, the goal of our "Today I Know" journal was SIMPLICITY.

A page I created after I joined Curves...one of my faves:)

Melody encouraged us to use crayons, colored pencils, magazine images and other "found" items.

Yes, you will notice I couldn't resist using my beloved Washi tape!!!

Oh there was one other "catch", too....all of our supplies and journal had to fit in a bag...that way we could journal anywhere at a moment's notice. My bag is filled with words, images, a pair of scissors, 2 glue sticks, colored pencils, a box of crayons a few rolls of Washi tape. I keep it near my art desk so I can grab it whenever I need it...I know where everything is...NO STRESS!

I rarely create in this particular journal in my art studio...I prefer to curl up on the couch instead, surrounded by my family and create away:)

Another favorite from my journal.

This simple way of journaling has shown me that really all we need to create are a few supplies and a little bit of time. It has also taught me the practice of creating a little something everyday...{although I haven't worked in here in awhile...which I intend to change tonight!}

LOVE this one!!!

Keeping a journal just plain makes me HAPPY!! Sure I still LOVE sitting at my studio desk surrounded by my paints and embellishments and stencils and inks...but I am so glad to have found this "new" and simpler version of art journaling. I think it compliments the more labor intensive pages very well!!

I want to encourage YOU to start art journaling!! Oh, maybe you already do...and you probably do or you wouldn't be here...but if you have only been thinking about it or thought it was too "artsy" for your abilities or taste...why not try this simpler form of journaling? I just KNOW you will not only love it...but it will begin a practice of creating...and the more we create...the more creative and inspired we become!

Speaking of art journaling...have you started my FREE e-course "Being Me"? If not...go here and check it out:)

I would love for you to join our group of very talented and supportive girls on FB. Mind.Body. Soul.

For journaling ideas...go here.

Thanks for being here!!!

Week 34: Who is on your Forgive & Forget List??

“Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude.” 
― Martin Luther King Jr.



There he was, innocent looking enough...smiling and laughing with our kids. I just sat in the corner, arms folded, sulking. My heart was hardened...I knew I would never forgive the wrongs I felt he had done to my family and me...never.

But then, as fate would have it...we would get a call...the news was bad...it was cancer. The bad kind. The kind that takes absolute no mercy and takes your life within months. 

Hearing the news, my heart sank. Somehow in a split second my hardened heart melted and I felt nothing but love and compassion for this man that I had been angry at for years. 

“When you forgive, you love. And when you love, God’s light shines upon you.” 
― Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild

Our world has been turned upside down the past 2 weeks...my father in-law was diagnosed with operable pancreatic cancer-Stage4. The cancer has spread to both lungs as well. It is such a somber time in our home as we try to wrap our minds around this. My family and I spent last weekend at his home...reminiscing, laughing and just hanging out.

Grandpa loves popcorn and made a HUGE batch for us while we watched Percy Jackson.

I love this photo of Em and her Gramps:)

Here we are at Pizza Hut last Sunday. We plan on making the most of our time with him, visiting often.

I have known this man for 23 years and in that time have spent much of it bitter and angry. He is very opinionated and most times never, ever admits his mistakes. Hurtful words and actions have come from him regarding our faith....something I hold dear to my heart. His words have cut deep and in order to protect my faith and my family I often feel the need to defend it.

But then...we got the phone call. We drove down to see him. My heart melted. I was devastated. All I kept asking myself was "Why have I been so stubborn?? Why couldn't I have just turned the other cheek?"

“The willingness to forgive is a sign of spiritual and emotional maturity. It is one of the great virtues to which we all should aspire. Imagine a world filled with individuals willing both to apologize and to accept an apology. Is there any problem that could not be solved among people who possessed the humility and largeness of spirit and soul to do either -- or both -- when needed?” 
― Gordon B. Hinckley, Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes

It is waaaaay past time to FORGIVE this man. He is my husband's father, my children's grandfather, my father in-law. He is a very good man. He loves his family. He believes in Jesus Christ and has good, strong Christian morals.

 It is time for forgive and forget.

“I want to be the kind of person who can do that. Move on and forgive people and be healthy and happy. It seems like an easy thing to do in my head. But it's not so easy when you try it in real life.” 
― Susane Colasanti, Waiting For You

Girls, is there someone in YOUR life that needs forgiving?? Is your heart hardened towards a loved one, a friend, a co-worker?? I KNOW it's hard to MOVE forward until we FORGIVE. I have known this for years and years but chose not to listen to my heart...it was just easier to stay angry.

I am ready to HEAL MY HEART. I am ready to FORGIVE this man and SEE him for who he is...a kind, loving man that loves his family more than life itself.

I forgive.

**Take out your journals and  heal your hearts. Decide who you need to forgive and make steps towards doing just that. Let me know how you are doing!! How do YOU forgive???