Mid Winter Slump

Spring is so darn close I can smell and taste it!  Although, in my part of the world, Winter hasn't been that harsh.  We had about 2 hours of snow and some days of rain and wind, but not a whole lot.  Still, I'm longing for Spring. Along with all the colors and light it brings with it.  I've talked to many people this week, who seem to be in a "slump".  The delight of the holidays are past.  We spend a lot of our day in the dark.  The weather can be a little "mean".  Spring flowers are starting to tease us with green shoots.  The outside of my local grocery store is lined with bright and cheery Primroses, all begging to be taken home and placed in my front yard. (About ten of these said plants, worked their way with me and are now gracing the front of my house.)
With the energy shifting and moving more towards Spring, how do I manage the next month?  With my creativity, of course.  The trick for me is to find new ways to tackle old things.  With the new tricks, incorporate fun in every step and move.  Even though, I'm in the habit of using this approach, I still sometimes have to dig deep.  This week I was bemoaning the fact that I want to up my walking/exercise AND I want to spend some time doing library research for a writing project I'm creating.  For whatever reason, I set it up in my mind that there was no time to do either one.  Until I took a deep breath and really thought about it.  It was the classic, "Well, duh." moment.  I have not one but two libraries within walking distance from my house.  Both are a great walks for me.  Both are walks I love and enjoy.  The only thing getting in my way here was me.  So, I stepped aside (sorry for the pun) and got out of my way.  Once again, this led to other creative solutions to some road blocks I'd been facing.  The slump melted, Spring thaw started.
Are you feeling in the Mid Winter Slump?  What small step can you take to melt a road block that is standing in the way of what you say you want?

Until next week...create to feel great!

17 projects complete!  35 to go!

This week's project is a cover/holder for my Weight Watchers books, tracker and other materials.  All in one place, easy for me to grab and go or track and go.  It also helps rid myself of yet another excuse/road block to my success.  Another plus- I get to use some of my polka dot oil cloth and it's another project, where I designed the pattern.

Around The World In Creative Ways

Last week I wrote about "Tribes".  This week the focus is on the big wide world of creativity.   As many of you might remember, I create and play a lot on a site called Swap-Bot. (www.swap-bot.com)  It is an amazing resource of creative ideas and community.  Over the past year I've gotten some fun swap items that were hand crafted from all parts of the world.  I've connected with some fun folks and I've crafted and discovered things I could and want to do.  I love Swap-bot.
Recently, I joined a swap that was promoting other member's blogs.  I got to check out some amazing folks.  I think if you have the time they are worth a check out as well.
My partners were Bluecranyons, viridanmuse, silvermoonsnake (who hosted the swap), collenfranks and springknitter. As part of the swap, we are to give a bit of a review and hopefully be skillful enough to get you to click over and check them out, which I hope you do.

http://craftingwithblue.blogspot.com 

So fun and colorful!  This is a blog that is jammed packed with ideas in paper.  Scrap booking and card making.  She is nice enough to add patterns and templates and some tutorials. (Unlike yours truly-).  Her Valentine heart card...so cute.  Printed it out to use all year around and really for next Valentine's Day!

http://bone-needle.blogspot.com

WOW!  This is a wonderful blog for an old costume lady/history buff like me.  She is from Finland and love Medieval needle work and costumes. Amazing.

http://vintageterrace2.blogspot.com

This writer is a crafter and creative mind who lives in the Ukraine.  I've been following Colleen's blog for some time now, as I often find amazing ideas on her site.

http://theviridianmuse.blogspot.com/

If you love Fairies, this is your blog site.   She creates a line of the cutest Fairies ever!  I giggled as I checked out her blog.  It made me feel like a little girl.  Very sweet.

http://bpositivebfree.blogspot.com

Okay.  How could I NOT love this blog? Or anyone else for that matter?  She's got her own Positive Campaign going on over there.  Lovely Lovely insights!  Wonderful heartfelt writing style.  The post about raising and saving a mouse.  I cried.

This swap was great for me to do. Because sometimes, I get so wrapped up in my world of creating that it is good for me to step out.  It's good for us to see the world from different angles, even if it is done from the internet.  I hope you will take a minute and look at these folk's blogs.  I think it will be worth the trip.

Until next week create to feel great!  16 projects complete 36 to go!

And speaking of Around the world...this week's project is a Sewing Machine Cover...for another swap partner.  It is on it's way to France as I writing this!  Another design created using no pattern!  I didn't even peek on the internet to find a DIY.  The fabric I got at S.C.R.A.P.  which if you live in Portland and love to make things and haven't checked this place out.  Get off the internet and go now...!

Finding One's Tribe

Have you ever met someone for the very first time and just knew they you had known them all your life?  There is the comfortable feeling of "home" with them.  It's like picking up where you left off.  Yet this is odd, because the two of you just met.   Well, that's someone from your "tribe".   People who understand who you are on every level of your being.  Nothing is forced.  Everything is comfortable.  I can't even question it.  It just is.
Finding one's tribe is one of the most valuable gifts a person can have in one's life.  It is bigger than family, even though it really feels like family.  I call it my soul's family.  It is supportive without confusing lengthy explanations.  Then there is that feeling of safety.  That feeling of "I can try anything.  I can be really be who I am." and they accept me.  It is a magical ease being apart of tribe.

How in the world does one find their tribe?  I do know one can not set out to find their tribe. The best way is being aware in the moment. Trust you will know when you meet them.  A tribe can sort of find a person.  If one is not being themselves in the moment and being aware in the moment, they will miss their tribe.  Your tribe is personal to you and you alone.  Some of your tribe will know and get along.  Some will not have the same connection.  What is important is your real and true connection to your tribe.  I've also found that real and true members of your tribe bring out the best of you, not the negative side of you. They are a force for the positive. 

I feel I've been blessed over the past few years to connect with more and more folks in my tribe.  It grows by the years.  It is helping and supporting me to be a fully realized healthy person.  I had the opportunity this week to spend time with some members of my tribe I had not seen for awhile. That time brought it home just how important they for me and how much it contributes to my positive well-being, my creativity and my life.
My tribe knows who they are.
Thank you for all your many many gifts.

Have you started to find members of your tribe?
Until next week...create to feel great!
15 projects complete! 37 to go!

This week's project is called Valentine stuffers.  A really cute way to give a Valentine.  They are stitched paper hearts, filled with whatever your gift is.   Mine were some sewing notions for a friend.
They can be stitched by hand or if you don't have that, glue works as well.  Just clamp it down so it sticks.
I also thought of yarn and a big needle.  Maybe using a hole punch to help if the paper is on the heavy side.

I Knew It!

Perhaps it is the first of the year "let's all get healthy" frame of mind folks adopt, but this last week I've seen more and more stories and articles on the relationship between being happy and positive and good health.   Our outlook on life effects us physically.  This might be a "well, duh" moment.  Yet what I love about all this is that it is coming into the light.  Negativity isn't good for us.  It eats at our bodies. It makes us sick in our hearts and our soul.  It just makes us sick.  Yick!  Now the scientific community is supporting this with hard findings.
So, why do we want to keep poisoning ourselves with the negativity?  I've said this several times here...
cause it is easy.  That's why.  There is sooooo much negativity out there.  Sooooo much support for being negative and holding on to the negative attitude.  Why not being negative?  Well, at some point it catches up to us.  With illnesses, aches and pains, a shorter life, poor quality of life. We would not knowingly put rotten food in our bodies and expect to remain healthy.  Well, negative thoughts, words and actions can be the equivalent to ingesting rotten food and expecting to stay healthy.
Everyday, we can decide to be positive or negative.  We can be sunny or gloomy.  I know all this first hand. I know how to be just as negative as the next person.  Three years ago, I decided to work on that.  Shift the tide. Change my life.  It works.  Come on over to the positive side of things. One step at a time.  One reaction at a time. Your body will thank you for it.

Is negativity living in you?  What small small step can you take today to move towards feeling positive.  Viewing the world through positive eyes?  Then  like the shampoo bottle says...rinse, lather, repeat.

Until next week...create to feel great!

14 projects complete! 38 to go!

This week's project...pattern weights.  I'll admit it right here...I watch way too many sewing competition shows.  Project Runway, The Fashion Show, 24 Hour Catwalk...  They designers all use pattern weights to hold down their sewing patterns (what no pins!).   They are expense to buy.  I made my own! Using fabric yo yos (as much fun to make as they are to say) and heavy washers. Decorate with a cute button and let's sew!