I Found My Thrill...

We're all pretty tapped out financially after paying all the moving related expenses, but my daughter got creative this past weekend and gave me a gift that I'm thrilled with.  What was it? 
Simply a set of small spray bottles, a package of colored markers and a bottle of rubbing alcohol that she picked up at the dollar store.  You might shake your head and wonder "What's so thrilling about that?", lol!
And the thrill is this:  I'm going to be able to experiment with using alcohol inks!  We used this video as a reference to create our own.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6z5JgUOw3U&feature=related 

I now have six 2 oz bottles of alcohol ink (six different colors) to play with.  Ranger alcohol ink is about $3.50 for .5 oz, so my daughter saved approximately $80.00!
Next, I'm going to try making my own decorative tapes.  Here's a post about that:  http://juliekintaiwan.wordpress.com/2010/06/29/make-your-own-faux-japanese-masking-tape-tutorial/
Then on to paper flower embellishments courtesy of this post: 
http://littlebirdiesecrets.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-to-make-torn-paper-flowers.html
Oh, and maybe some shrink plastic buttons too!
http://scrapbooking.about.com/od/pagestarterideas/ss/shrinkpunches.htm
Do you have any money saving tips for creating art supplies, embellishments, etc.?

New Adventures

I recently moved across state - an eight hour drive - and have been staying with my daughter and grandson while looking for a place of my own.  And hooray!!  I signed a lease yesterday on a modern, well insulated and well maintained two bedroom apartment.  It's upstairs from my daughter's place, but I made sure it would be okay with her.  After all, when most young people move out on their own they really prefer having some distance included in their independence, lol.
I'm not sure how long it will take to actually get moved in and settled but I'm looking forward to having my art supplies available again.  Art supplies are top priority - with kitchen things running a close second.  It's been challenging creating journal pages, etc when the only materials I have are eight pastels and eight water color crayons.  I am so looking forward to experimenting again and delving into new techniques.  All the wonderful videos and classes available online!  My fingers, hands and spirit are just itching to get started on all the new adventures (creative and otherwise) waiting for me.  And I'm so very glad to have you here to share the adventures with!!
Wishing everyone a fantastic weekend and a wonderful Mother's Day.

Feeling Catty Today?

Feeling catty today?  Oh, I am; I definitely am.
It feels like one of those days where my "claws" are just a split second from being unsheathed (though I'm not dangerous, really!)  One of those "don't you dare mess with me!" days.
Not that I'm in a bad mood.  Not at all.  I feel  happy, connected, centered. It's just that my tolerance level for general B.S. is low.  Living with a chronic illness and enjoying my sanity/groundedness translates into not having the energy to spare for things that make life more difficult.  I don't want drama; I don't want judgement - and I don't want negative attitude!  I triumphed over despair, fear and negativity last week and I want and need the space, and grace, to celebrate and enjoy the gifts that I've garnered.
I need those gifts to settle in to my soul and grow deep roots.  If I nurture those gifts, feed those roots, then perhaps in time I won't feel the need for claws - symbolic or real - and protecting the wild, wonderful core of myself will be automatic and easy.
Befriending and healing my own pain, triggers and past is an on-going process that I'm extremely grateful for.  But it IS an ongoing process; a constant learning and reaffirming - a practice.  And I've finally arrived at the point where the practice is easier; where I shift more easily and where the gifts are greater than the grief.   As I've always told my kids, practice makes perfect (or as close to it as we can get).
Having your claws on stand-by, feeling catty, doesn't make you a witch or a bitch.  It means you've developed an awareness of, and willingness to protect, your boundaries.  It means that you're learning to listen to the deepest, grandest part of yourself and to honor that.  So...are you feeling catty today?

Blog Tour & Giveaway

Wow!  I was so impressed with the beginning of this blog hop and giveaway that I just had to post.  It's all celebrating (for 19 days!) the kick-off of the book "Inspired Remnants, Curious Dreams" by Kerin Gale, and the first stop on the tour can be found at http://remnantsofolde.com/2011/04/30/kick-off-inspired-remnants-curious-dreams-online-tour/

How's Your Bibo?

"Garbage in, garbage out" was a nice catchy little phrase that was popular when I first started using computers, meant to show that the quality of data input affected the quality of output.  And I get it - really, I do!  But the concept has so much more relevance for our lives that I'd like to change the phrase to reflect that.
It could be "Good In, Good Out".  Or "Quality In, Quality Out".  Or even "Light In, Light Out"...hmmm, maybe not that last one, lol!  It could also be "Beauty In, Beauty Out" (Bibo).  This one makes me laugh because "bibo" is what my grandson calls his belly button.  And since the belly button is the result of our first physical connection to Source, I think that the symbolism is pretty damn awesome!
Thought, word and deed have incredible power to change your life, with thought operating at one level in creating your reality; what you verbalize or otherwise express at the next level, and what you do at the highest level of creative power.
"The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind."  ~ William James, psychologist
As I settle in to a new location and deal with the uncertainties, challenges and crises arriving in my life, I've found myself struggling with this; with feeling overwhelmed and sidelined with doubts, negativity, fear.  It took a reminder from my daughter "Mom, remember:  thoughts become things!  Choose the good ones" to move me in more positive directions.

And it's true - what we take in affects (and this includes self-talk) what we put out and what we receive and experience as reality on every level of our existence.  If my mind is focused on negatives then that focus gives those negatives power.  If I'm surrounded by negative people, it's harder to remove myself from that negativity.  But just as we react to other people's moods, words and projections, we also react to our own.
The things I allow into my life affect me on subtle, but very real levels.  If I believe that I am unworthy, unloved, incapable of good; if I choose to believe in my insecurities and uncertainties then life conspires to fulfill those beliefs and make them a part of my reality.
There are times in everyones lives that negatives can't be avoided; times when, like this past week for me, there are crises to deal with, or times when we truly need to cry or grieve.  A lesson that I continue to learn is that it's important not to submerge ourselves in them.  Acknowledge them; honor them as part of your life experience; process them and move on.  Actively look for the positives around you.  Honor yourself by learning how to change your creations into positives! 
The patterns of your life won't change overnight, but time and practice will truly help.  Reminders are good - they work!  They can serve to call us back to ourselves and realign our lives with our joy and our positive creative power.  As Oprah stated "The smallest change in perspective can transform a life.  What tiny adjustment might turn your world around?"
So....how's your Bibo??

Fantastic Giveaway

Look what I've found!!  This is a fantastic, totally generous and huge giveaway on a newly discovered blog.  Definitely enter the giveaway, but explore the site too.  Lots of great techniques, projects, photos, ideas and more.

Oh, and the giveaway?  It includes some wonderful embellishments, lots of stamps, distress stains & ink, Tim Holtz papers/stamps and Configurations box,  a signed copy of the book: "Teach Yourself Visually Collage & Altered Arts", alterable tins, boxes, book, coasters, etc.  And a Vera Bradley tote to tuck all the goodies into!
Ah!!  I SO want to win!  Lol.
http://inkstainswithroni.blogspot.com/2011/04/half-million-visits-huge-give-way.html

Easter Update

Easter almost passed me by this year.  I don't think that it would have registered on my radar if it weren't for my grandson!  To all of you who celebrate, I wish you an Easter holiday and season filled with blessings.

I'm settling in at our new location - as much as possible until I find a place of my own.  I love it here so far.  Ontario is a small town; just a little bit country.  There is a carpet of stars in the night sky; I can look up and see the constellations and a hint of the Milky Way.  But the sky, day or night time, seems so vast!  In more than a week, I've only seen one small plane flying overhead.  The air here has a precious clarity and freshness too.
Looking out the front door of my daughter's apartment, I can see a field that's home to a few cows and an occasional horse.  Beyond that, and beyond the highway, is the Snake River.  And on the other side of the river, I can see hills in Idaho still dusted with snow.
A neighbor has chickens and a rooster who loves to greet each day.  It seems like a clarion call to me, urging us to wake up and celebrate new beginnings; to sing new songs and create things anew.  Oh, and for those who like to nap in the early afternoon, he also has a special mid-day call, lol!
And this IS a new beginning; an adventure...I can't wait to see what new discoveries I make...