The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars and to change the world.”—Harriet Tubman

Any one who knows me, knows I love love love Christmas. (Even those of you who have followed this blog for a while might even know this about me.) I know I drive people nuts with my love of this holiday, I do my best to keep it in check, but sometimes I just can't.  Broadside has learned to just smile and let me go, as he knows there is really no stopping me.   I don't do a whole lot of decorating, I don't even have a Christmas tree of sorts anymore, as I really hate clean up and the taking down of holiday stuff.  Yet I love the energy of this time.   The cats look cleaner, brighter and fluffier to me.  There is a little something extra in the air.  I love the lights on houses and the possibility of a Santa sighting.  I can be talkative to the general public and wish them well, and they take it and actually, seem to like it.   I can craft craft craft like crazy and send it out into the world and people seem to take it and actually seem to like it.   Yeah there are more people out and doing craaaazzzzy stuff (where do they go the rest of the year?), traffic is more challenging, lines are longer (I hate standing in a line, nothing is worth it for the effects on my outlook.) and sometimes it can just be a hassle to move along this time of year.  Yet if you simply accept these as the way it is and not let it get to you, I know you will hear more laughter, more kind talk and sometime in the background you'll catch a the sounds of your favorite Christmas song.  You know the one, it is the one that the radio station never plays enough and you might have forgotten about it until you just now heard it.

Here's what else I love about this time of year, it is a time to reflect and dream for the new year.  Yes!   What do you want more of in the new year?  What do you want less of?  Write all that down and dream. Dream Big!  Because your life does depend on it.

So, what's your big dream? It's time to go after it?

Until next week create to feel great!   6 projects complete! 46 to go!

This week's project is a sweater for Wooti.  The Dog with the big dream!  It's almost been a year since his trials and challenges of living in Africa to his dream of the good life in America.  Yay!  Wooti effects everyone who knows about him.  He gets them to think out side of themselves, even if just for a second.  For me, Wooti is the symbol of not to give up.  Even losing a leg didn't stop him!  Go Wooti!

 

 

Amazing How Things Work

Last week, I was cutting up vegetables for a stir fry with my very sharp chef knife, and I nicked the tip of my thumb.  It bled a bit, I put a bandage on it and carried on making my dinner.   I realized later the extent of the cut.  I could have use a stitch on it but I didn't I just kept and eye on it and nursed it myself.  As it started to heal, I got a real insight on the amazing power of our bodies.   New skin grew, and I almost have a new thumb tip.  I'm not writing this to be gross.  I'm talking about it because it got me to thinking.  If I can heal a physical wound, it goes to show that we are strong and can heal any hurt we suffer in this life.   We have to nurse ourselves  through the initial cut and pain, until the new grow starts. We have to allow time to take it's course and do the healthy behaviors that allow the healing, be it physical, mental or emotional.  A good support system is like a good bandage.  It protects us as we start to heal.  We don't need the bandage forever, as the wound get better, just like sometimes we won't need the high level of our support system, as we get stronger.  In fact, we can often then be in a place to be a "bandage" for some one else and their healing process.

Yes, I firmly believe we can heal anything in our lives and our world.  Not saying it is easy.  Not saying we will.  But we can. We can regenerate ourselves.

Is there something you would like to heal in your life?

Until next week...create to feel great!

6 projects complete!  46 to go!

This week's project is a lunch sack set.   Complete with a sandwich wrapper, snack bags and a lunch sack.  Here's a bigger for me.  I designed the patterns as well as doing the sewing!   So much fun!  Makes lunchtime fun!

Thankgivings Thoughts

Wild Geese

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting --
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

~ Mary Oliver ~

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!  I wish for you that you are able to find your place in the family of things.

Until next week...create to feel great!

5 project complete. 47 to go

This week's project...a simple sweet journal cover.  More things to put birds on!

Here's Looking At You, Kid

This past Saturday, my friend Marilee and I attended an event call Braco (pronounced Brat-zoh) in America.  It was out at the airport Sheridan.   This is what is called a gazing event.   Braco is a man from Croatia who is known for channeling energy.  He doesn't call himself a healer and doesn't want to be worshiped.   For $8.00 he comes into the packed to capicity hotel event room (about 400 folks fit in the room) and gazes at everyone for five minutes.  He doesn't speak in public and he's in and out of the room quickly. 

Now I love whoo whoo stuff. I have my fair share of purple clothing, candles, chimes and a yoga mat.  Over the years I've attended psychic fairs, had my palm read and studied tarot cards.  I like this stuff, because I love information of any kind. 
And now, here comes Barco and the folks who claim he changed their lives, healed their illness and addictions, all by staring at them for five minutes at 8 bucks a pop.  Wow.  This was too good to be true.   I giggled as I read his website and the reports from folks who had attended his events.  I warned my friend, I just might get the church giggles, she said. "Whatever happens happens."  Okay. She had been warned.
We paid for two sessions, figured it was cheaper than a movie with popcorn.  I arrived early and walked around the lobby.  Some of the other attendees were in line for the next session, they didn't look like any different from the folks I'd waited in line with that morning at Starbucks.   I did notice the energy was calm and quiet. With an small vibe of expectation and hope.  It felt good.  Shortly after my friend met me, we were allowed to take our seats in the room.  It was packed!
Folks were shoulder to shoulder and hip to hip in the cheap hotel chairs.   A lovely blond lady came to the stage and talked a bit about Barco.  They showed portion of a video, that was on sale in the lobby. Then it was time for Barco.   If we could stand, we were asked to stand.  They started the New Age music and Barco entered.   It felt like he made eye contact with everyone in the room.  I later remarked that I thought he looked like a Christmas Elf in a white shirt and jeans.   All too soon, he left the room.  The blond woman allowed some folks in the crowd to speak to debrief (although they weren't brief) and that's when my friend got the church giggles with the guy sitting next to us.   Several folks around us, including myself started to giggle.  I guess this is a normal response, and happens all the time. Barco and his folks are okay with it.

After the second session, my friend and I went to the hotel bar.  We talked about the sessions. 
Here are my thoughts about Barco.   All he does for $8, is give folks permission.  Permission to feel whatever about themselves or others in a quiet, still, positive manner.  In his odd way Barco makes it okay to do whatever healing we have to do in this life.  The energy and message is positive  The blond woman encouraged folks to have an open heart towards ourselves and others. Not a bad message. I think we all want some sort of miracle in our lives. On some level, I think people start to "feel" that miracle while standing there in silience.  Just how often are we silent in our lives?
The experience cemented the bond I have with my good friend of many years.  We've shared a lot over the years.  And now we have experienced Barco together.

With all the negative messages we are bombard with everyday of our lives.  It was refreshing to have a positive message given to a group of people. It was cool that the message was given in silence.
Do I think or feel Barco is a healer?  I think we all have the power in us to be healers.  Heal ourselves and heal the world with positive thoughts, and actions.  Barco allows us to entertain all the possibilities.  It is even okay to be a giggly as little kids.

If I had only one negative thing to comment on about Barco, it would be the table full of swag.  The DVD's and the line of jewelry.  Sort of cheapened it, but I guess sometimes folks need to go shopping after an experience out of their comfort zone.  You can always pass on it.  Some folks need stuff for an anchor.
Even with that, I think it would be cool if everyone had that experience at least once, if only to tell the story and experience something totally different and out of a comfort zone.  

Thank you, Barco for one of the most fasinating afternoons I've ever experienced.  I got my value for my $16.00.   I'll be seeing you.

Until next week create to feel great!
4 projects complete. 48 to go.

Eight Sock Monkeys headed to Texas for the children who lost everything in the fires they had there this year.   It is part of Craft Hope Project. I hope they bring smiles and comfort to the kids.  They made me laugh as I sewed.



Drama Queen

In his books, Ekhart Tolle asks the question, "Do you want peace or do you want the drama?"  I think most folks jump at saying "well, peace, of course." Then proceed to live with or create drama.  I know this, as a personal fact of my life of years past. I've been known to create my fair share of drama or be involved in it.  All the while saying. "I wish this would stop! I just want peace of mind."  Crazy making stuff this drama/peace question is for some.
For someone, like myself, who has lived with drama most of her life and years ago set out to eliminate the drama and seek peace, giving up the drama and it's creation is a tough task.  The creation of drama is comfortable and a known practice.  It's a fall back course of action. A place to visit when life gets boring or isn't quiet complicated enough.  After years of battling with drama, I realized this week, I've come to a place of calm and peace and routine in my life.  I liked.  Yet, I can hear the that little drama queen calling to me to come out and play. This week, I had a chance to look at this drama vs. peace idea.
I friend of mine asked me to describe drama and then to describe excitement.   Lightening bolt struck me. One of Oprah's "ah moments" flashed.  As I described these two words, I found great differences in them for me.

Drama seemed old, tired, stagnate,negative, old of my control. Almost dare I say, boring. It's full of hard feels, disappointment, junk and stuff to deal with, ill will, conflict and tension. A great way to experience drama is to keep rehashing the past.  The woulda, shouldva, couldvas love drama.

Excitement felt like creative options were open, forward movement is happening, it feels dazzling, endless and generous.  There is also a joy in excitement.  Like a kid on Christmas morning or her birthday or a day at the circus.  Excitement can come from anything and everything.  Like walking in the morning and seeing a hummingbird feeding on bush and waving "hi" to you or spending the afternoon painting with a good friend or sitting on the sofa and having a silky soft old lady cat jump up and purr in you lap.  Excitement is all this and millions things more.  I need to be totally in the moment to experience excitement.
So, now, I've come to realize that I can create excitement and know peace.  I think that's a cool concept to play with for the time.

 Now, do you want the drama or peace? How will you go about creating excitement in you life?

Until next week...create to feel great!
3 projects complete! 49 to go.

I put a bird on it!

This week...is painted bowls and a painted Santa.   My good friend Marilee and I discovered Mimosa Studios.  We spent the afternoon painting ceramics.   We're going back.  It's fun to have a creative project that I didn't have to clean the mess up after wards.

Now What?

I hate to say this, but I've had what can only be called a "now what?" week.   I got caught in some vortex of strange energy and I've been working to get my way clear of it.

It started this week with Broadside deciding to help me with my home improvement list.  Nice, right? Yeah well.  His approach to these things is cranky at best and sometimes not completely thought out.   I'm thankful for the help, yet...it comes with a price, even when he offers to out of the blue to help.  In switching out the broken kitchen faucet, we blew a pipe that we knew was shaky at best.  We didn't have water for a day or so.  It was tense times around the homestead.  We still need to fix a drip.  Sigh.  At least we have running water and in abundance.

Then our home computers decided they didn't want to be connected to the internet.  What!  I need my laptop with internet connection to go about my day. Major.  I'm writing this from the office I work at, and I can not down load my photo of my project of the week.  Sigh.  At least I have work to do and a computer and a comfortable home to do it in.

There were other little things that made life an extra challenge.  Still.  In perspective, really really small.
I might be safe in saying here, that no one likes a "now what?" day or week.  Life sometimes comes at us pretty darn fast and we can't duck quick enough.  It is all in how we view anything and everything.

I have a bag of tricks to help me shift my perspective.  Sighing and taking a deep breath is one.  Going for a walk, however short, is another.  Crafting for a few minutes or whatever I can spare, always good.  Even organizing an area in my house for a short bit, will help me move to higher ground on the situation.

What are some of your tricks to help you shift your perspective?

Until next week...create to feel great!
2 projects complete.  50 to go!

My project of the week is a holiday apron.  I'm having trouble downloading photos from my office computer.

UPDATE!!!-  And here's the above described apron!

So, until I get my laptop back and connected, I can tell you, it is made from a vintage Santa print and vintage pattern.  It is really fun!   Check back here for a photo.  Sorry.

Bless You!

My week off went by at the speed of light.  I'm excited to be back to my project of the week, and writing the blog posts.  
My week started off by the staff at my local Starbucks, presenting Broadside and I an envelope with certificates for a week's worth of free coffee drinks.  The staff decided that we were their customers of the week.  We earned this honor because we are so "cheery and funny everyday."  They look forward to seeing us.  We look forward to seeing them as well.  It is a great way to start our day.  It was wonderful to be acknowledged for being positive and funny.
The rest of my week was filled with crafting, coaching my amazing clients, lunches with friends and wonderful walks in the Autumn sun.  One of my friends said he didn't recognize me because I looked so happy and that has changed my entire being.  Wow!  The work I've been doing on myself over the last year is starting to show.
On one of my walks this week, I was hit with just how happy I am and the great life I'm creating. 
Might sound like bragging.  Okay.   I'm just taking stock of my reactions to what life is tossing at me.  My life is what I'm making of it.  I still have areas of work (thank goodness! I'd be dead if I didn't.), life is anything but perfect. I have challenges.
An effective trick I've learned and I'm using is to send a blessing to whatever is annoying me. Sending a blessing works with positive situations as well. The blessing can be for peace of mind or the person or for strength or for an answer to a question.  With the simple act of blessing I feel all the blessings that are in my life.  I can relax and move forward.  Blessings flow to and from me.  It is freeing.  It's working for me.
So, sending you blessing for whatever it is you want to have or change in your life. 
Bless you!  It isn't just for sneezes alone.  Also, don't forget to count your blessings as well.

My project is a cover for my little barbeque.  It sits on my newly painted and refreshed front porch.  I wanted to protect it from the elements and have it ready to go when I want to "que".