Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart.
He who looks outside, dreams. He who looks inside, awakens. Carl Jung

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Breathe

Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn.  ~Elizabeth Lawrence

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I have been on a self-imposed sabbatical ~ although I often work with others on self-care, I managed to forget nourishing my own spirit.  Thought I’d share a few images from my daily life (I do love living in a seasonal area); when the beauty around me is enough, I know I’ve arrived back to where I want to be.  Miss all my bloggy friends and hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season in whatever way you celebrate it.

Friday, August 19, 2011

ABC’s of Me ~ A

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We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another.  Luciano de Crescenzo

I did several art journal pages to begin with letter “A” but angel is what called to me.  A dear friend recently sent a goody bag full of treasure. Any gift or thought is always uplifting; however, in these particular moments where I have felt such a drought, this unexpected gift was a soul shower.   And what a surprise that there were four books that I was clearly meant to read at this phase in my life ~ Marianne Williamson and Julia Cameron (always my favorites) and a new favorite, Anne Lamott.  I journaled my way through each of these books, each one building on the other (certainly too many pages to share here!) which finally culminated in my ABC’s of Me angel page.

What books have touched you in a meaningful way?  More importantly, what people have touched you in a meaningful way?

Sunday, August 7, 2011

The ABC’s of Me Self Discovery Project

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I made this journal for a friend who found meaning through children’s books.  At the same time, I was reading Marianne Williamson’s The Age of Miracles and somewhere in the process realized I wanted to get back to basics.  The phrase “the ABC’s of me” resonated and using the alphabet for list-making and acrostic poems is a common technique both in journal writing and creative writing (although for most of us I think those lines blur…often journal writing is creative writing and vice versa).  Perhaps with the back to school season upon us, as I shop for backpacks and notebooks and colored pencils etc., “the ABC’s of me” seems timely; especially as this will be the first year in a long time that I am not taking any classes (yay, all done). 

My plan is to explore in my journal each letter and all that bubbles up in terms of re-discovering self at this new age I find myself in.  I’ll post about the “letter of the week” and sprinkle in some creativity prompts along the way.  I hope you’ll join me.  There’s a linky on the sidebar that will remain during our process.  No rules ~ feel free to join in, observe, link on the side, link on your blog…or not…I would love for you to, but I know how many fun blog events I bailed out of because I couldn’t keep up or make the time for all the parameters (ex ~link here, visit the first two blogs and comment, visit the blog that signed in five spaces before and after, comment three times, link in your post and jump twice in a circle while rubbing your head…).  The link is live and I will post “A” sometime this week.

A few prompts now to express yourself your way (journal, blog, mixed media, poetry etc.)through the alphabet ~

pull out a dictionary and see what words call to you from the letter you are working on

open a book to a random page and do the same

 write the entire alphabet down the side of the page and write an acrostic poem

start your “letter” journal entry with “(letter you are on) is for…”

think of at least five adjectives with that alphabet letter that describe you

tear out different magazine images that represent the letter you are working with and collage

think of one adjective that describes you and create a writing entry or art journal page around it

instead of adjectives, think of what begins with that letter that you value (i.e., A ~ Autonomy, B ~ Balance, C ~ Cupcakes)

use the words that you are finding or are bubbling up for you to string together in a short story or poem

Have fun…and if you are participating quietly, I would love to know how the process is going for you.  If you’ve linked to the side I will come visit.

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Art Journal Every Day

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I’ve been keeping up, although not always linking up, with Julie Balzer's Art Journal Every Day.  I finally decided to try watercolor.  Clearly I need to play more but as always my focus is on the process, not product and I enjoyed that watercolor and paintbrush forced me to slow down.    

Julie Balzer had one series of posts where she divided the page into 30 and did 30 faces in 30 days.  I have not ventured into faces and I didn’t divide into 30, but I did think it would be fun to have a spread of “mini-journal notes” on hand when I don’t have time to write long entries.  So I will be adding to these pages over time.   Perhaps you’ll create some mini journal notes with me…?

 

Sunday, July 31, 2011

When it rains…

I finally had an excuse to pull out the 8oz green acrylic on sale for 49 cents plus 25% off ~ too bad it was the last bottle!  Ended up with seven journals, ten bookmarks, seven ATC’s, five background pages, 25 coffee-stained pages and a partridge in a pear tree (sorry, couldn’t resist now that I’ve really gotten started on Christmas).

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Have a wonderful week!

Friday, July 29, 2011

What To Expect From Your Adopted Tween

What To Expect From Your Adopted Tween

I just read What to Expect from Your Adopted Tween E-guide written by Judy Miller.  I met Judy a couple of years ago at the Story Circle Network conference and was immediately struck by her passion for parenting and issues surrounding adoption.  This passion comes through in her clear, easy to read e-guide.  The information is on target and delivers not only what to expect, but what to do as well with insight, compassion and real examples.  I would recommend this e-guide for anyone as the core issues and inherent loss in adoption span any age.  And we are all touched by adoption.  Consider these numbers taken from AdoptionFacts.org:

~Approximately 7 million Americans are adopted persons

~ Approximately 140,000 children are adopted by American families each year

~ As many as 100 million Americans have adoption in their immediate family (adopting, placing, adopted)  

What To Expect From Your Adopted Tween is set for release 8/1/11.

 

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Believe the Impossible

 

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These pictures strike me a bit of Alice in Wonderland …I can just imagine another world beneath the canopy of blooms.  I am reminded of the Queen of Hearts when she says Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.

I am off from work this week and found that the much needed break seemed to trigger lost enthusiasm for dreaming, writing and envisioning new projects.  I may or may not see all my ideas to fruition, but half the joy is in allowing myself to explore and play in different directions.

What do you do to get your creative energy flowing?  Are you giving yourself permission to believe in the impossible?

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Altered Journal

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~ Another cereal box moment:) ~

I have been getting loads of promotions in my in-box recently for Christmas in July which triggered my thoughts back to last holiday season where I began in November for my handmade crafts and almost didn’t make it.  Although some of my crafts were dismal failures (think misshapen soaps and freakish looking body scrubs), I was able to complete journal totes, bookmarks and prayer cards in the last hour.  This summer, I decided to go ahead and get started on some recycled journals.  I’m not sure why these have been calling to me more than the altered spiral bound sketch pads I was using.  I definitely run out of pages quicker but I like the easy fit of these into my purse.  By the way, if anyone has any ideas of some type of “sleeve” to preserve the flowers on the front please let me know.

I found the idea for using cereal boxes on YouTube and modified it.  You can find instructions for the the cut of the journal cover at Girls Express.  Instead of wrapping paper like my daughter did for the other blog, I tore out some music from the last church bulletin and mod-podged (do you think the manufacturers knew their product would turn into a verb?!) randomly,  gessoed front and back, inside and outside, then covered with a couple of acrylic paints using a credit card.  I found a picture that called to me along with some more sheet music, brads, stamps and flowers and threw it all together.  I blended in some oil pastels, added some distressed ink in a few places, used bubble wrap dipped in black ink and sprayed with sealant.  The back and inside folds have the same gessoed and painted layers with a stamp or two and some distressed ink.  For the inside pages, I soaked some card stock in coffee, cut to fit and used jewelry cord threaded through two holes punched in the spine.  Those are also randomly stamped.  (You could also use background pages for the inside like those that Shona Cole demonstrates at The Artistic Life.)

Anyone else starting early? 

{Shameless plug ~ Starting “Celebrate Your Journey” on-line 8/1/11 through Story Circle Network…would love to see you there!}

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Magic in the Moments

 

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The capacity for delight is the gift of paying attention. ~ Julia Cameron

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The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.                   ~Thich Nhat Hanh

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To be mindfully engaged is the most natural, creative state we can be in.
~Ellen Langler

Are you rushing through your moments, worried about yesterday and tomorrow or are you celebrating the moments as they come?  Take a nature walk to restore balance and the practice of focusing on each moment and journal about the process.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Note to Self

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 ‘It’s okay’ is a cosmic truth…Richard Bach

I haven’t had the time, or made the time truthfully, or motivation to really create lately ~ in writing, sewing or art journaling.  I did post an article @ All Things Healing about the basics of visual journaling, From Journaling to Visual Journey and  I also made some cards to send to a few people I had been thinking about.  I definitely haven’t been blogging as much and catch myself “should-ing” on myself – I should be or do this or I should be or do that.  And then I have to remind myself that where I am is where I need to be…and that’s more than okay.

Where are you at today?

Monday, June 20, 2011

And Then I Blinked

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They outgrow us much faster than we outgrow them…loosely paraphrased from a Jodi Picoult character

At a recent weekend getaway, my youngest daughter (10 going on 25) insisted we buy the above wedding dress but finally settled for a picture.  This is my dress she said. 

I’m torn between differing emotions but will leave the thoughts about why my little one is already thinking about weddings for another day.   What strikes me most is just how fast our children grow up.  Cliché or not it is so true.  I look at my daughters and can still feel their little baby bodies in my arms.  I’ve “launched” one daughter and although she is doing well I still feel a deep-seated ache that my family is no longer intact. I get that a healthy identity is separate from others but also recognize that parenting doesn’t end at an arbitrary age.  And that age isn’t ten like my youngest might like me to think.  Regardless, it seems incredulous to me that we are here, in this space, one daughter an adult, another on the verge of puberty.  Wasn’t I changing diapers yesterday?!  As Steve Martin says in “Cheaper by the Dozen”…no more blinking!

At least she has good taste - the dress is gorgeous:) 

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Saturday, June 11, 2011

Defining Family

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Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family.  Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.  ~Jane Howard

I had a moving, eye-opening experience yesterday.  I was privileged to see a young man I had worked with for years graduate high school.  My mind reeled back to when I first met him and the trials and tribulations that he had to experience to get to this place.  With those thoughts floating in my brain, I attended his graduation party that his foster family held for him and realized that we, “the system”, had it wrong.  By the federal and state government standards of “permanency”, we failed this youth.  His record will join the statistics of “ageing out of care.”  What those numbers don’t capture is a family and church community that loves this young man and supports him today and in his future.  The gathering held an intimate circle as they sat him in the middle and each person spoke about their care and commitment to this young man and their hopes for a joyful life.   What I witnessed is family in action and I was reminded again that family formation is diverse and not created by birth certificates or court papers.

Take some time to reflect on what family means to you, how it may have changed over the years and who is part of your “tribe.”

 

Monday, June 6, 2011

Random Thoughts

Summer is the time when one sheds one's tensions with one's clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit. A few of those days and you can become drunk with the belief that all's right with the world.
-- Ada Louise Huxtable

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A summer journal my daughter made.  The “how to” can be found at Girls Express

I have become involved with a great website All Things Healing.  Check out the many informative articles on the Writing and Poetry Page.

I haven’t been active on my blog lately, just enjoying shedding my skin (and tension!) for summer as well as working on some new offerings, hopefully ready by fall.  I hope to visit my blog friends soon!  Have a wonderful week!

 

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Nourishing Spirit

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You have to nourish your spirit,
to keep it well and alive.
Be open, without losing integrity,
Kind without being overwhelming,
Give without giving up your self.
Embrace without being oppressing
Love, but don't forget to love your self.                                                                                         
~ Mads Avnboeg
I know it sounds cliché but how do you feed your soul?

Saturday, May 14, 2011

May Queen Musings

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A delicate fabric of bird song
Floats in the air,
The smell of wet wild earth
Is everywhere.

Red small leaves of the maple
Are clenched like a hand,
Like girls at their first communion
The pear trees stand.

Oh I must pass nothing by
Without loving it much,
The raindrop try with my lips,
The grass with my touch;

For how can I be sure
I shall see again
The world on the first of May
Shining after the rain?
- Sara Teasdale, May Day

I shared this poem with a women’s circle I’m in and wanted to share here as well.  I love the imagery and the message of capturing each moment.  Take some to reflect on how the poem resonates for you.

(The above picture is of one of the journals I made for my women’s circle out of cereal boxes.)

 

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Where I’m From

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My version from the link in yesterday’s post ~ a template for writing your own version of “Where I’m From.”

 

I am from black and white pictures, powdered Tide and sprinklers.

I am from buttercup kisses, bare feet, orange groves and grooved dirt paths.

I am from honeysuckle, tomatoes and the persimmon we couldn’t pronounce.

I am from arched eyebrows and Mary Kay.

I am from Easter Mass, picnics, tea towels and apple cheeks; from Mary and Elizabeth and her sisters in childhood slips. 

I am from theater and writers, intellect and wit. From Irish fire and Saints. 

I am from rosaries, candles and cathedrals, from lush green hills and the sea.

I am from the swamps of Florida and the whistle walks of D.C.

I am from the beauty of McColl and the strength of single mothers.  I am from compassion and laughter, survival and tears.

I am my mom.

I am me.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Perspective

First you need only look: Notice and honor the radiance of everything about you…play in this Universe
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Tend all these shining things around you:
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The smallest plant, the creatures and objects in your care.  Be gentle and nurture.  Listen…
Anne Hilman
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Have you listened to self lately?
Looked at life from different angles?
Write a letter or poem of gratitude to someone that has nurtured you.
Write a letter to self from someone that may not have nurtured you in the way that you wished…allow room for forgiveness.
For me, Mother’s Day is a good time to reflect on roots.  I love this template Where I'm From in creating your own poem.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Journaling by the Moonlight

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I have the great pleasure of being the host on Day 12 of the Virtual Blog Tour of author Tina M Games whose book Journaling by the Moonlight: A Mother's Path to Self-Discovery (and its accompanying deck of 54 journaling prompt cards) is celebrating its 1st birthday on Amazon on Tuesday May 3, 2011.

Author Tina M Games is a certified creativity and life purpose coach. She calls herself the "Moonlight Muse" for women who want to tap into the "full moon within" and claim their authentic self, both personally and professionally. Through her signature coaching programs, based on the phases of the moon, Tina gently guides women from darkness to light as they create an authentic vision filled with purpose, passion and creative expression.

Yesterday, Tina visited Debra Simpson at Syndicating Your Content where she answered about why write this book, journaling process leading to the book, discoveries and what she hopes people will take away after reading.

Today, I'd like to share with you a recent interview I had with Tina when I got to ask her some questions on how this idea took shape, astrology’s role, tapping into intuition and thoughts on living an authentic life. I hope you enjoy it.

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Tina M Games: Thank you, Dawn, for your interest in my book, Journaling by the Moonlight: A Mother's Path to Self-Discovery and its accompanying deck of 54 journaling prompt cards.

I believe that mothers are a significant part of the "ripple effect" - that will transform the world into a more loving, more nurturing place. Imagine for a moment a "pebble thrown into a pond." It creates a ripple that goes on and on and on.

When a mother is living life with complete authenticity, she's subconsciously giving permission for her kids to do the same. She's truly at her best - creating powerful change for her family, her community, and for the world at large. It's all part of "the ripple."

It's my belief that "a happy mother makes the best mother" - and our kids really do want to see their moms happy!

Dawn Espelage: Tina, when did the idea for Journaling by the Moonlight begin to take shape?

Tina M Games: Shortly after the birth of my first child, and after making some fairly significant life changes at the same time, I fell into depression - a place that felt so foreign to me, a place where I felt like I had fallen into a black hole with no way out. It was during this time, a period that spanned over two years that I had disconnected from everything that made me happy. Because my son suffered from chronic illnesses related to serious colds and severe ear infections, I made a very difficult choice to give up a successful career in order to care for my son full-time. I hadn't realized until this experience how much of my identity was tied into my career. I really enjoyed working. And without that opportunity in my life, I felt very lost and very unhappy.

It was during this time that I fell back on a great passion of mine - journal writing. And as a mom of a baby who did not have a normal sleep schedule, I found myself exhausted and emotional much of the time. So night after night, after I'd get my son settled and after my husband went to bed, I'd grab my journal and retreat to my favorite chair - beside a big bay window where I caught a glimpse of the moon. It was the moon that taught me the meaning of transition. I'd watch this beautiful lunar goddess, night after night, move in and out of her various phases. And before long, I began to connect her phases with my own emotional tides.

I noticed that the moon always began in darkness and gradually, she'd move into full light - and cycle back around again. And I noticed the contrast between dark and light - the darkness of the night sky against the beautiful full moon light. I started connecting to this - as if I was being divinely guided through my own transitions of dark and light. I began to notice the ebbs and flows of my emotions. There were good days and bad days.

And then one day, several years later, I had an ah-ha. After several conversations with my own mother and other mothers whom I had encountered along the way, I began to wonder, "Are there other moms out there who may be having a similar experience?"

I decided to create two focus groups of mothers where we could have honest discussions about motherhood, careers, and life purpose - and how they all fit together. These dialogues eventually led to a series of articles and then to the creation of my coaching practice - where I could work with moms on a deeper level.

This is when I decided to write my book. I wanted mothers to realize that every human transition begins in darkness and gradually moves into light, where we get a glimpse of what is possible. And then we retreat, to ponder the many ways we can manifest these possibilities into reality. This requires deep work, where we step into our own truth and into our own power - and where we can emerge in the most authentic way possible. This is what I call the Blue Moon phase - when we finally realize that we are here on this Earth to be WHO we are, to put our personal thumbprint on the world in the most truthful, most authentic, most unique way possible. Each one of us are individuals being divinely guided on our own purposeful path.

Dawn Espelage: How does astrology play a role in the work that you do?

Tina M Games: In astrology, the moon represents our emotional nature. It also shows the type of relationship a woman may have with her own mother as well as the type of mother she may be herself (her style, her demeanor, her strengths, her weaknesses).

Wherever the moon shows up in an astrology chart is an indicator of where we might have the strongest emotional ties. For example, if a moon shows up in the 1st house (the house of self), we will have strong emotions when it comes to how we perceive ourselves - our appearance, our body image, how others may feel about us. And the astrological sign of the moon (the zodiac sign) sheds light on how that emotion will play out.

Many of us aren't aware of our emotional patterns until someone points them out. Astrology offers insight based on the astrological sign and the astrological house - and helps a woman better understand her emotional nature and how best to manage it in a way that most benefits her.

Whenever I work with a client around her mothering patterns, I look at the moon in her astrology chart and guide her from there - looking at what's natural for her and what she might need to do if she wants to make some adjustments. And if necessary, I look at the moon signs of her children to see how they naturally receive her on an emotional level.

Dawn Espelage: Intuition also plays a strong role in your life. How do you tap fully into that?

Tina M Games: Intuition is our "divine channel of wisdom." It always knows best. And when we listen to it, we can't go wrong. It feeds a mother's soul with the right messages for her children - and it feeds her soul with the right messages for herself. And when we can be fully open to it, it always gives us the answers we need. When we doubt it, even in the smallest of ways, we can be thrown off track - sometimes in a very painful way.

This is where journal writing can help. We can ask ourselves the deep, thought-provoking questions and we can listen for the answers, allowing them to feed through us. We are all divinely guided - and when we are willing to ask the questions and when we are open to receiving the answers, we can travel a more purposeful, more authentic path.

In my case, I knew what was best for my son - and at the same time, I knew what was best for me. And I knew in a pivotal moment of my life story, that the two were not the same. But I didn't fully listen to my intuition. I only listened to part of it. I let guilt take over.

Looking back at that time in my life, my intuition was screaming, "You can give your child what he needs and you can give yourself what you need. There are ways it can be done." But guilt consumed me, and I gave in to what my son needed - and in a sense, I was telling myself, "You don't matter." While my son's needs were met, mine were not. And this resulted in depression.

What I learned from this experience was - a mother really does know best. She knows what's best for her child - and she knows what's best for herself - IF she really listens and follows her gut instincts.

Dawn Espelage: Any last thoughts about living an authentic life?

Tina M Games: Wouldn't the world be a much better place if we were all following our hearts? If we could truly live life with passion and purpose, everything would have a richer and deeper meaning. It would create a ripple of positive and loving energy that could literally heal the world.

I believe that mothers are a significant part of the "ripple effect" - that will transform the world into a more loving, more nurturing place. Imagine for a moment a "pebble thrown into a pond." It creates a ripple that goes on and on and on.

When a mother is living life with complete authenticity, she's subconsciously giving permission for her kids to do the same. She's truly at her best - creating powerful change for her family, her community, and for the world at large. It's all part of "the ripple." And if our children could live life in a way that honors who they really are, it would make the ripple even bigger because they would touch lives in a positive way, too - just by living authentically.

Because moms are natural role models, our kids are observing all the time. There's a lot of truth in the saying, "Monkey see, monkey do." In other words, when a mom is modelling the value of following her heart, her kids "get it" - much more than they would if she was just saying it. Kids feel energy. They know when a person is happy and when they're not. So why not be happy - and let the ripple flow?

Self-empowerment is a beautiful thing!

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I hope you enjoyed this interview with Tina M Games and that you’ll check out her book and card deck Journaling by the Moonlight: A Mother's Path to Self-Discovery this month at Moonlight Moms Circle 

Here's why:

FREE 3-DAY PASS

When you visit the page at the link above and request a "launch reminder", you will automatically receive a FREE pass to Tina's 3-day "I’m a Mom… But Who Am I Really? Telesummit" with 11 creative writing moms and grandmothers speaking on how to use intuition, journaling and creativity to explore life purpose. You can listen to the telesummit online in the comfort of your own home, and even ask questions during the broadcast.

This telesummit is a completely free "no purchase necessary"
gift from Tina, to celebrate the 1st birthday of her book.

FREE GIFTS

When you buy Tina's book or the card deck during its birthday celebration on Tuesday May 3, 2011, you can ALSO receive a complete library of beautiful personal development gifts from authors, speakers, coaches and other enlightened professionals from around the globe including one from me…

Treasure Chest - An e-Guidebook

along with another e-Guidebook ~ May Queen Musings

To claim your 3-Day Pass and read about the free gifts, go to: http://moonlightmomscircle.com/book-launch/pages/pre-launch.html

Thanks for reading! As usual, please feel free to share your comments and thoughts below. I love reading your feedback.

AND… be sure to follow Tina tomorrow when the next stop on the Virtual Blog Tour is Pat Montgomery who will be interviewing Tina on importance for kids to follow their heart, journaling importance for moms, moon in our lives and Tina’s on learning lesson. To visit that "stop" on the tour, go to http://www.parentsrulewithpat.blogspot.com/

 

 

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Junk Journals

Although I’ve been silent on-line, I’m still journaling daily and adding in visual components too.  I’m still trying to figure out what exactly a junk journal is, as there are varying definitions.  However, I saw one made out of cereal boxes that looked like fun.  I did my own thing out of a cereal box, cardstock and twine.  It actually started with an ATC:

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Then I gesso-ed and painted the “cardboard” side of a cut cereal box (I used the outside of the cereal box as the inside of the journal and covered it with scrapbook paper but didn’t take a picture), added ribbon, stamping, paint pen embellishment, the ATC and a flower:

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I only painted and stamped the backside:

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I added a brad and some twine to close it and used coffee-stained cardstock for the inside pages with some random stampings(the pictures of those did not come out well).  By the way, I found some great, low-priced stamps @ Scrapbuck.com (I’m not an affiliate).

I’m still in the learning curve of making my own journals.  If you are interested in learning more, there are tons of you tube videos & of course, the many talented bloggers out there:)

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Monday, April 11, 2011

Double Digits

 

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Because time itself is like a spiral, something special happens on your birthday each year: The same energy that God invested in you at birth is present once again.
Menachem Mendel Schneerson

Happy Birthday to my youngest baby girl who has insisted this is a big year as it’s “double digits”!

When I look back I am amazed at how fast these ten years went by and find myself wishing I could slow time and re-do so many moments.  But I love who she is becoming, her drama and humor a constant source of fun and insight often beyond her years.

What are you celebrating today?

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Girls’ Artist Trading Cards

 While we teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about. Anon

  I have always loved that quote.  I am constantly amazed by my children and others in how they take what I see as complex and turn it into stunning simplicity. My youngest had one of her friends over this weekend and their every conversation, choice and play seemed so natural.  There was no concern of political correctness and no self conscious behavior, just two kids who genuinely liked each other.    

They pulled out art supplies and wanted to make artist trading cards.

My youngest found a tri-fold card I had, painted it gold, applied a key

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And symbolized what she treasures within ~ love, music & animals

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Her friend found the butterflies

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They swapped friend ATC’s

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And then they joined two ATC’s together to represent their friendship

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Very cool to watch them enjoy creating while talking seriously about the definition of a true friend.  Inspired me to go ahead and post my ATC creativity prompts’ PDF for girls with the themes of All About Me, Feelings, Friendship and Girl Power.  They can be found @ Girls Express.

What’s inspiring you this weekend?

Friday, March 18, 2011

Bared

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May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night and a smooth road all the way to your door.  Irish Blessing
I’ve been going through a “bare branches” phase lately
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eyes riveted to the naked starkness     
bold against the changing backdrop
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exposing beauty through vulnerability        
one last stand before spring bursts through
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As I progress through a season of  physical, emotional and spiritual spring cleaning                                                                
I feel a kinship for the stripped down version  
knowing that sometimes pruning ornamental clutter is necessary before the bloom
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What’s been calling to you lately?

Monday, March 7, 2011

Mom’s Treasure

A daughter’s smile on a swing set and the beginning blooms of spring ~ in this moment all is right with the world…

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I hope you’ll join me in capturing memories and creating memories with our daughters in Mom's Treasure: A Storybook Workshop
Empowering our daughters through relationship and creative expression. This four week on-line circle will feature a weekly guidebook with writing and art activities for you and your daughter in exploring identity and values, enhancing self-esteem and writing her story through love and compassion. A coaching call for self-care will be offered along with a bonus guidebook for mom.  (No writing or art experience needed)  See sidebar for paypal...Mother's Day Special - only $40.00