Note To You

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Dear Beautiful Soul,

Your mind, body, and soul deserve a break. Self-care should be an important part of your routine even if you have to schedule it. Time for rest and relaxation, time to decompress and renew, a little “me time” with what’s important to you – a bubble bath, journaling, creating art, sewing, or even a nap. It’s okay to place yourself at the top of your list. YOU are a priority. You will have so much more to offer your loved ones when you have time to regenerate your own self. Pick a rejuvenating activity, take a few cleansing breaths, and soak in the splendor of restoring your being. So, make sure you give yourself permission for some “me time” with some much needed self-care and loving nourishment. You deserve it!

XOXO

Quote - Meet with a smile

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Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.  ~Mother Teresa

Juicy Ebooks

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Hello my lovelies! I hope you're having a beautiful week. I wanted to share a few magical ebooks I've come across lately.

::Free::
~ Stories from the Universe from Louise Gale
~ Creating Spaces from Gunsinger Coaching
~ 23 Things You Might Not Know About You from Zen at Play
~ What Your Angels Want You to Know and How to be a Morning Goddess from Goddess Guidebook
~ The Best of Crafting an MBA from Crafting an MBA
~ Creativity 101 from ABC Creativity
~ The Connectionfesto from Finding You
~ Crafting a Life and Spacious Goals from Scoutie Girl
~ From Passion to Profit from Create as Folk

::Worth Every Penny::
~ Business Goddess guide from Goddess Guidebook
~ Wild Sister Magazine (e-mag) from My Smiling Heart (I'm 3/4 way thru and loving every juicy morsel of it!)

Are there any ebooks you've fallen in love with? Happy reading!

XOXO,

Wishcasting Wednesday: What do you wish to take a break from?

To "be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes" visit Jamie Ridler Studios.

What do you wish to take a break from?

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I wish to use this upcoming weekend (4th of July 4-day weekend) to take a break from social media and from the usual household responsibilities. I wish to spend quality time with my son having a blast at the waterpark, lounging by the pool, and being a beach bum. I wish to read until my hearts content and enjoy some much needed rest and relaxation.  I'm using Marriott points to stay at a resort on our beach for a staycation with my son. No yardwork, no laundry, and no cleaning!

My Favorite Things

1) What sweet votive candle holders from Crafty Clementines.

2) I want this embellished tank from True Rebel Clothing.

3) And this handmade nightgown/dress from Ruby Chic.

4) How sweet is this cupcake stand from Vessels and Wares?

5) This is a great idea from ChoochMagooz.

Join me each Tuesday for My Favorite Things, beautiful and unique finds from Etsy and other favorite retail therapy sources.

Online Book Club - The Not So Big Life

This was April's selection for Tranquility Du Jour's online book club but I just finally got around to reading it. It's a great read with a lot to digest. I'm still working through some of the exercises in my journal. Sarah Susanka uses her architect background to help us visualize moving through the various "rooms" in our lives by making subtle shifts in order to focus on what really matters to us and move away from the "bigger is better" mentality.

The Not So Big Life

Here are my takeaways:

~ Slowing down allows us to become present and able to listen to our inner wisdom.
~ Intuition is "perfectly attuned to the truth and completeness that you have the potential of becoming."
~ Overwhelmed is generally caused by the accumulation of stuff and/or speeding through our lives.
~ Anything and everything has the potential to lead to personal growth.
~ "...if you can provide the basics for yourself and your family, you do in fact have enough."
~ That "Now is the only real time that exists."
~ Meditation "is simply to show up, become alert, ...and with an open mind allow whatever arises in the mind to arise and then simply let it go."
~ Clearly express your intention, then let go.
~ Go toward that which you are rejecting.

I love this quote she used at the opening of Chapter 8:

Submit to a daily practice.

Your loyalty to that 

is a ring on the door.

Keep knocking, and the joy inside

will eventually open a window

and look out to see who's there.

~RUMI

Quote - Inner Peace

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We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.  ~Dalai Lama 

Weekend (and week) Recap

One of my wishes this past Wednesday was to turn over a new leaf and embrace the changes taking place in my life. One of those changes was of the physical type that really changed my outlook. I decided it was time for my hair to go and to rock a new hue. 

It seems like such a simple act yet it feels so good to let go of my attachment to hair. Especially since I've been told most of my life that men love long hair, long hair is sexy, etc. I've never had hair this short or this blonde (iphone photo above kinda sux) and I feel so transformed. I'm so glad I did it!

Wednesday night I took part in Tranquility Du Jour's Tranquilology Teleclass with Kimberly Wilson. Kimberly is such a sweetie and so full of tips to add a bit of tranquility to your lifestyle.

I worked on a few new girls this weekend.

Vintage Sweetie & Fly away with me.

Hello Lovely & Flower Child

And I began on a special project for a dear friends daughter. And let me tell you, thank goodness for the internet because I needed a reference point for this monkey.

I also worked on lampshades for my bedroom. If you remember a few months back I talked about getting new bedding and adding some custom artwork to my bedroom. I've added a few more touches since but my lampshades weren't working so I did this today:

I wanted a shabby chic, handmade look and had originally planned to add flower cabachons but then came across this rosebud trim from Donna Downey's shop and thought it was perfect.

I'm off to finish reading, The Not So Big Life from Sarah Susanka (review coming soon) and indulge in some season premiere of True Blood while hiding out in my bedroom since it's not so very kid-friendly. Have a good rest of the weekend!

Hugs,

Note to you

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Dear Lovely,
I hope you know that you are truly amazing. Don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise. Your uniqueness is part of your beauty. Don't hide it and don't be ashamed of it. Share that special part of yourself with the world.

Much love,

Quote - Dreams

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Dreams are the touchstones of our character.  ~Henry David Thoreau

Quote - Compassion

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Compassion is a living, breathing, organic emotion that vibrates through you and links you to those around you.  ~Deepak Chopra

On the web

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~ Oh She Glows shared some delish recipes like this one for Blueberry Vanilla Bean Pancakes with Blueberry Glaze, Strawberry Almond Butter Soup, Quinoa Almond Berry Salad, and Gluten-free oil-free vegan walnut brownies.

~ Kind Over Matter shared this beautiful Hopi Elder Prayer printable.

~ I heart Jen Lemen's post on How to be Happy and I'm swooning over How To Fall in Love: A Beginner's Guide.

~ This is a sweet tutorial to make a scrappy patchwork heart (via One Pretty Thing).

~ Post at Wish Studio from Christine Mason Miller, On Writing.

~ I love this empowering class for girls, Little Brave Girls. What beautiful artwork and inspiring messages these girls made!

~ Don't miss my guest post on Living Life Photographically this past week on my India journey.

~ Fourth of July cupcakes in a jar from The TomKat Studio!

~ What Happens When you Finally Surrender on Dirty Footprints Studio.

~ Art to Inspire (moving on from failure) on Scoutie Girl.

Have a great weekend my lovelies!

Quote - Celebrate our she-roes

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How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!  ~Maya Angelou

Wishcasting Wednesday: What do you wish for this summer?

To "be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes" visit Jamie Ridler Studios.

This week's prompt:

What do you wish for this summer?

I wish for a magical summer full of creativity, fun in the sun, and quality time with loved ones. I wish to turn over a new leaf and embrace the changes that are taking place in my life. I wish to close the previous chapter and start over fresh on this new one. I wish for joy, peace, and love. I wish for activity and I wish for relaxation. I wish for both to exist in beautiful harmony.

My Favorite Things

1) My custom stamped metal pendant created by Jodi at Creative Life Designs.

2) This porcelain red floral ring from New Moon Studio.

 
3) This inspirational fine art print from Choosing Beauty.

4) This birdcage jewelry display from SquackDoodle.

5) This half apron form Atomic Aprons.

Join me each Tuesday for My Favorite Things, beautiful and unique finds from Etsy and other favorite retail therapy sources.

Quote - Happiness

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Happiness is always a choice. You can’t wait for circumstances to get better. You have to create your own good fortune. So look for ways to be happy every day. ~Joel Osteen

Weekend Recap - Art Journaling

I've been an art journaling fool this weekend!

Some of the images and printables used are from The Graphics Fairy, Holstee (This is your life manifesto), Free Spirit Knits (How to be a free spirit), and some were ads from People magazine that I really liked. 

Hugs,

Online Book Club - The Art of Non-Conformity

I decided to join Kimberly Wilson's Online Book Club this month, especially since I purchased this month's selection from ibooks a few months ago during The Right-Brain Business Summit and never took the time to read it. June's pick is The Art of Non-Conformity by Chris Guillebeau. I've written about Chris's ebooks that I read in the past (here).

The Art of Non-Conformity

Here are my takeaways from the inspiring book:

~ "You don't have to live your life the way other people expect you to."
~ "In the end, it's not all about you. Most of us want a life that leaves a positive impact on others."
~ "Fear begins with an undefined worry, a voice in the back of your head that says you're not good enough, you won't succeed with anything big or significant, and you might as well give up and stop trying to stand out."
~ "When we really get serious about our insecurities, we usually find that three specific fears emerge: the fear of failure, the fear of success, and the fear of change. The greatest of these is the fear of change itself."
~ "We generally resist change until the pain of making a switch becomes less than the pain of remaining in our current situation."
~ "Gatekeepers are authority figures who seek to limit the choices of others - you can do a or be, but not c, d, or e."
~ "Your project should be "location independent," meaning that you can operate it from anywhere in the world."
~ I love The One-Year, Self-Directed, Alternative Graduate School Experience in Chapter 6.
~ "Investing in people...I don't view this principle as an act of generosity; I view it as an act of responsibility and gratitude."
~ "Radical exclusion is the process of eliminating things that are unnecessary."
~ Create a "to-stop-doing list."
~ I bookmarked Chapter 10's travel hacking info for future use and Chapter 8's list of charities that focus on "investing in people."
~ The chapter, "Your Legacy Starts Now" had super duper helpful info on creating your own legacy project.
~ "While most good work is comforting, great work is simultaneously comforting and discomforting because it pushes us to go further."

There's still time to join the book group Kimberly's hosting (here) or pick it up to read on your own.

Quote - Day dream

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All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.  ~T.E. Lawrence

Here I am! On sharing my India journey

Dipping in the Ganges River in Rishikesh India.

Happy Friday! Today you can find me guest posting on my dear friend Jodi's inspiring blog, Living Life Photographically sharing my journey to India last year - Yoga, India and Unfolding Creatively.

Have a wonderful weekend celebrating Father's Day!

On the Web

I spent some time last night working on a special birthday card. I need to do that more often instead of buying generic cards from Walmart.

I hope everyone has a fabulous and creative weekend!

~ Guest post on Creative Every Day from Chris Zydel, Everything I Know About Transformation I Learned By Making Art

~ Heart-shaped eggs for Father's Day

~ The Lost Art of Noticing from Roots of She

~ DIY sparkle market tote from Alisa Burke

~ Mushroom Barley Risotto from Oh She Glows

~ Recycled jeans doormat from The Crafty Chica

~ Summer popsicles and printables from The TomKat Studio

~ Yummy coconut cake from Susan Branch

XOXO,

Quote - Dreaming dreams

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Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.  ~Edgar Allan Poe
 

Quote - Peace

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Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.  ~Buddha

Full Moon Dreamboard - Full Strawberry Moon

Tonight's full moon is the Full Strawberry Moon. Let's celebrate by releasing our worries and embracing our dreams. To participate in Full Moon Dreamboards, visit Jamie Ridler Studios. 

It seems like my board is leaning towards relaxation and embracing my creative self. Letting love in and being open to what the future may hold. I couldn't be happier with that!

Observations Through A Child's Eyes

There is more to life than increasing its speed.  ~Mohandas K. Gandhi

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I was reading this guest blog post on Roots of She earlier, The Lost Art of Noticing, and it really made me stop and reflect on how I spend so much of my time rush, rush, rushing through my tasks, days, and life. We’re always in such a hurry to get nowhere fast yet we miss out on so many of the small, beautiful details in our lives. 

It reminded me of when my son was little, now 11, and he would be amazed by the most common things. Well, common to me. But to him they were the most amazing things. I was stationed in Virginia when he was a toddler and I remember the first time snow ever fell on his little head. He had that look of, “What? What was that?” and looked up so curiously, as if the sky was falling. I remember him sticking his tiny little hands out and investigating this strange substance that was lightly coating his jacket. What I wouldn’t give to have that sense of wonder in my life again! 

I also remember when he would eat goldfish crackers and would gingerly pick up each fish, give it a once over, carefully place it in his mouth, and taste, really taste each morsel. You would have thought those goldfish crackers were filet mignon! He deliberately savored the whole experience and then relished each goldfish as if it was the very first one.

Do you ever intentionally stop what you’re doing to delight in the simple pleasures of life? Do you ever view your world through child-like eyes (as I mentioned earlier)? 

Maybe we should take more time to explore our miraculous senses.

What do you see? Name 5 things.

What do you hear? Is it distracting or soothing?

What do you taste? What does it taste like?

What can you touch near you? How does it feel?

What do you smell? Is it pleasant or offensive?

Slow down, there's no rush to the finish line. Take the time observe the world with the wonder of child's eyes.


Much Love,

Wishcasting Wednesday: What delights do you wish for?

To "be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes" visit Jamie Ridler Studios.

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What delights do you wish for?

I wish for a heart that is healed and open to love.
I wish for a complete family.
I wish for overabundant creativity.
I wish to follow my heart's desire.
I wish to dance in the rain.
I wish to seek like-minded friends.
I wish for uninhibited laughter.
I wish to observe the world with the wonder of a child's eyes.
I wish for a healthy and energetic body to explore the land.
I wish for peace and love among the people who inhabit this world.
I wish for enough.

Am I asking for too much? :-)  

My Favorite Things - Father's Day Edition

Today's picks are all about Dad!

1) These mustache glasses from Modern Madness make me giggle.

2) What a sweet keyring from Art of Silver!

3) Love this, "I am Mr. Darcy" tee from Brookish!

4) This is just the sweetest Dad print from Vickie Wade Fine Art.

5) These photo blocks from Lonestar Accessories would make a wonderful Father's Day gift.

Join me each Tuesday for My Favorite Things, beautiful and unique finds from Etsy and other favorite retail therapy sources.