Inspiration Deck

I first saw this project in Desire to Inspire by Christine Mason Miller and was intrigued of course.  Who wouldn't want to have a little card-sized piece of inspiration to encourage her daily?  Well, the wonderful Jessica Brogan decided to take the matter into her own hands and start an inspiration deck swap of her own as well.  Immediately I decided I wanted to participate and I'm finally finished with my cards, just waiting for everything to dry completely then they will be on their way to Jessica.

A bit of brief background:  take a deck of cards (total 53), gesso them, decorate a bit and include a different inspiring quote on one side, personal contact information the other.  Mail them to Jessica and she creates a diverse inspiration deck for each participant.  When she's all finished each of us will have a deck of 52 amazingly inspirational cards to cheer us on each week!  I can't wait.

These cards will be from 52 creative gals from around the whole United States, how INSPIRING is that?!

Just knowing we all created this with a loving intent will be a great feeling every time we look to these cards for inspiration.  I'd like to thank Christine Mason Miller for the original inspiration and for Jessica Brogan for turning it into a reality!

Check out my Interview!

Ever since I took the Flying Lessons e-course from Kelly Rae Roberts last August, I have been so blessed to meet tons of amazing women who have formed a friendship that's still going strong.  Recently a friend from the course, Zulma interviewed me for her blog.  I hope you will stop by and check it out!

Thanks for visiting today and thanks to Zulma for including me in her artist interviews!

My Love of Art - Blog Hop

These past two years my life has changed in a lot of ways and art has contributed to it most of all because I finally started doing things that are good for my soul, namely creating.  I decided to make this "For the Love of Art" Fly Tribe blog hop post really simple--sort of a "thank you" to art and the reasons I love her so (sorry if that sounds a bit corny!).

I love art because...

• it makes me feel so damn happy!
• it makes me forget about anything else going on around me (sometimes even eating or picking up my daughter from school at a certain time--oops!)
• I get to work with and see originality and beauty -- what's better than that?
• it has helped make some new creative friends who finally understand my love and NEED of creating
• I believe it has helped my health immensely, namely putting my kidney disease in remission
• it has also introduced me to some amazing online artists who have shared their lives, inspirations and techniques with me so generously

I hope you'll be able to hop around and visit a few of the other blogs participating in this hop.  You will be inspired for sure. I hope you have a great Valentine's Day and are able to share your love with someone special. Thank you for visiting me today!  If you have a love of art too, I'd love to hear what it has done for you.

Spring, Where are you?

It's no secret I'm not a fan of winter and snow.  It was quite windy, cold and rough driving today because of a new snowfall.  I often say we will move somewhere warmer when Isabella is out of school.  A place where there is greenery all year, flowers for much longer and maybe even fruit trees right in the back yard.  I do wonder though if I would appreciate spring and summer as much if I had that all year round.  Right now, spring is so very delicious to me because of the bitterness of our winter.  I do enjoy the anticipation of my favorite season soon to be here.

So let me say, I can't wait for lovely spring to arrive and with it flowers (tulips and lilacs are two of my favorites), leaves on the trees, green grass and lots of sweet birdies singing in the yard.  And then bring on the summer nights, crickets and a sky full of stars.  I guess this post is to uplift myself and know that the flowers and trees are on their way.  They will be here before I know it.  

What about you?  Do you live in a warm or cooler state?  Is there something about one of the seasons you really are looking forward to?  I'd love to hear, so share if you'd like.  Thanks for stopping by today.

Need Some Positive Affirmation

I think I am pretty good at encouraging others to think positively and try to frame problems as if they are great opportunities in the long run.  Deep down, I know this is true.  But I'm having a hard time with a consistently positive mindset lately.  Mostly regarding my creative goals and dreams.  I've been told that I am right where I need to be.  This is a comforting feeling except when I just want things to HURRY up and Happen!  I know--that's the opposite of what people keep telling me.  So I decided to look through some of my journals from the past years to see if I could find some uplifting and positive affirmation.

I found this meditation by Shakti Gawain and I like how it is worded in the present tense, as if all these things are already true, that I'm not just hoping for them.  I've read so much about wording our hopes and dreams as if they are already happening and I really think there is something to it.  I hope this affirmation speaks to you in some way as well.

The universe is unfolding perfectly.

I don't have to hang on.

I can relax and let go.

I can go with the flow.

I trust my own process.

I always have everything I need.

I have all the love I need within my own heart.

I am lovable and a loving person.

I am whole in myself.

Divine love is guiding me and

I am always taken care of.

The universe always provides.

(Photos by me)