Full Moon Dreamboards - December - The Full Blue Moon

FRUITION

Click to enlarge of you want

This is a rare occasion when we get 2 full moons in one month. So rare it has come to be known as "blue moon" as it happens only "once in a blue moon!"

For this full moon dreamboard I decided to try my hand at painting on canvas. I had a basic idea, but decided I did not want to use traditional paint. SO I used liquid food coloring. I also added of course...some glitter.

Basically at the end of this year 2009 I am already setting my sights on 2010. I am so excited for once at the upcoming new year! I am focusing on all that I know I am about to receive! There were many plans laid and steps taken in 2009 to prepare for the "fruition" of goals in 2010. I am so ready to receive.

Some make new year resolutions and lists of things they wish to accomplish in 2010. I think that is great and I will have many of my own....however...this year I wanted to choose ONE word as my main focus for 2010. I decided on FRUITION! The dictionary definition is:

attainment of anything desired; realization; accomplishment

That is exactly how I already see 2010 taking shape and I have my hands and arms open wide...ready to receive!

Hence my painting. I wanted to create something magical....because I know my 2010 will be beyond something magical for me. I wanted to create something that resembled the aurora borealis.....with magical moon dust raining down on me.

I also made a little slide show of the moon dreamboards I made for this past year....but I did not start until July 2009 so I only have 1/2 year of moon dreamboards here. I also tried to include photographs of the real moon each month that I had also taken.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Anyway.....if you wish to participate in FULL MOON DREAMBOARDS go check out my side bar for Jamie Ridler's studio link.......it is so much fun! You can also check out other moon dreamboards by going to her web site.

I wish each of you a very happy, blessed, and abundant NEW YEAR!

(AFTER all this I realized I forgot at least ONE of my dreamboards on here...apparently I started in June and it was the STRAWBERRY MOON?? I may have made a mistake then on my other moons.....

Happy Holidays!

I just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday season!

Cannot believe we are in the week of Christmas 2009 already!

It always happens this way. Once we get to Halloween the rest of the year just flies past and we find ourselves once again heading into the holidays and a New Year!

I am really excited for once about the new year and all it stands to bring! I am excited! I am looking forward to it. I feel endless possibilities and renewed hope and just seem to KNOW and sense amazing, incredible, BIG wonderful events will happen in my life.

SO I am also excited about the next full moon dreamboard coming up!

Check out my sidebar to go find out more about it so you too can participate!

adorable cat loving the kitchen sink water!

I Dreamed of Christmas (George Michael)

My uncle shared this with me on Facebook and I just fell in love with the song but more so even the video clip. This is so very magical...and the combination of the song and video are simply amazing. ENJOY!

My Christmas tree this year..........

Full Moon Dreamboard........Full Cold Moon

I am only using ONE image with ONE word again this month for my full cold moon dreamboard. Lately I have struggled with a few things which always tests me.....and the message I continue to get over and over is "BELIEVE!" Just believe.

The month of December my only thoughts are to look at the world and time of year through a child's eyes (as you see here) and really, truly BELIEVE! That can apply to so many areas of my life right now....but even more so this month.

SO...this is a simple dreamboard this time round.



to see more full moon dreamboards go check out Jamie Ridler's site by clicking on the link on my side bar.

adorably cute playful kitty.......

Perception.......something to think about......

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.


4 minutes later:


The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.


6 minutes:


A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.


10 minutes:

A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.


45 minutes:


The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.


1 hour:


He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.


No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.


This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.

The questions raised:

*In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?

*Do we stop to appreciate it?

*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?


One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.

How many other things are we missing?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Ninja Cat........

Chocolate-Filled Double Delight Peanut Butter Cookies

I really want to try this recipe this year!

Chocolate-Filled Double Delight Peanut Butter Cookies
PB Cookie Dough
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, slightly softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth, national brand)

Filling and Topping
1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, finely chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy, national brand)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp confectioners’/powdered sugar
3 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp finely chopped chocolate (semisweet/bittersweet)

Make the cookie dough. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light. Beat in egg, followed by the vanilla and peanut butter.
Gradually add in dry ingredients and beat on low speed until just combined.
Spoon dough onto a sheet of wax or parchment paper, shape into a roll about 3-inches in diameter and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Prepare topping and filling. In small bowl, mix chopped peanuts, granulated sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
In another small bowl, stir peanut butter, cocoa powder, sugars and chopped chocolate until smooth. If mixture is very wet (this may be the case if it is very hot outside), add an additional tsp or two of confectioners’ sugar. Shape mixture 20 small (1/2 inch) balls and place each on a sheet of parchment paper. Set aside.
Remove cookie dough from fridge. Cut the log lengthwise in half, then make 10 horizontal cuts to slice the dough into a total of 20 even pieces. Each piece should be a semi-circle in shape.
Flatten each piece of dough and place a peanut butter ball into it. Shape each cookie dough piece around the filling, making sure to cover the ball completely. Repeat with remaining dough and balls.
Roll each ball in peanut-sugar mixture and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 2-inches between balls. Use a flat-bottomed drinking glass to flatten the cookies down to 1/4-inch thickness.
Bake for 9 - 11 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
Cool for 1-2 minutes on the baking sheet, then remove cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 20 large cookies

today was frosty outside........down to 28 degrees this morning!

Chilly......great morning to stay snuggled in bed. I have had a very hard time getting started for the day and am still only about halfway through what I would normally be through this time of the day.

I need to crack the whip now and get with it!

It was also extremely foggy today. Wish I could have grabbed a few photos.

PLEASE consider participating in the HOLIDAY MAIL FOR HEROES program ....just click on the link at the top of my sidebar for more details.

I have decided.....

to make a journal book on "WINTER" and all the things I love about this season. I then will also do the same for each upcoming season. I wish now I would have done one already for fall...and I may go back and start that as well along with this winter one...instead of waiting till next fall. OR make a second one next fall. I will see. I love the idea of putting photos or images or artwork of all the things I love down into journal form. This idea has opened up many other ideas for me as well. Here is a page I worked on the other night. I really like all the images and plan on infusing this page with the scent of Christmas tree.

I have always loved those LITTLE BIG BOOKS and IDEALS....and how they incorporate images and artwork and recipes or poetry based on different themes. So why not do something like this myself, but on a much more personalized scale? I am so excited about this idea.

I have also decided to make a PILLOW book. I have a lot of erotic poetry I have written...but then was torn what to do with it. I thought at one time about publishing a book of it...but was not sure I wanted to have my name tied to perhaps what some might consider "smut" though I do keep mine clean compared to other's standards. I also am now wishing to write in a more "romantic" way....

Anyway....I had heard about Pillow books in the past..where concubines in geisha houses and some aristocrats would keep note paper by their bedside and then write down all their secret sexual desires and fantasies and keep them in a journal under their pillow only to be shared with their lovers if even them. MAYBE this is what I am to do with all my writings. I have not put anything on my poetry site for so long. I had quite a following there when I did. I am being torn inside between whether I SHOULD or whether I should NOT write like that. SO I stopped writing it altogether. BUT maybe in a format like a PILLOW BOOK....that might be the direction for me to take with my poetry. I imagine that could then be marketed should I so desire. HUM....lots to ponder there...as I have done so now for a couple of years.

What have you worked on lately?

PLEASE consider sending this little dying boy a Christmas card.......see story below...and link to video

Diana Biorkman needs your help in making her son's wish come true. She has a 5 year old son, Noah, in the last stages of a 2.5 year battle with Neuroblastoma Cancer. The family is celebrating Christmas next week and Noahs request is to get lots of Christmas cards. Please consider sending cards to:

Noah Biorkman
1141 Fountian Viewcircle
South Lyon, MI 48178

here is a link to the video......

NOAH BIORKMAN

Please send whatever you are led to send! Thanks!

a little more fall before winter........

Full Moon Dreamboards "The Full Frost Moon"

CLICK TO ENLARGE if you want.......

Jaime over at JAMIE RIDLER STUDIOS


asks us this month "What do you want to bring to life in this final part of the year? Is it time to breathe some fresh energy into your 2009 goals and intentions? Is it time for completion and clearing? Are you already starting to cast forward into 2010? What will you dream of under the Full Frost Moon?"

Well I don't know about everyone else....but I have a lot of things left unfinished and I would like to finish as many as I can before the end of the year. Now I know I always tend to bite off more than I can chew and I always try to tackle everything all at once instead of breaking things down into smaller projects....so very often nothing I want to do gets accomplished as I am too overwhelmed to even begin. OR I begin, but never complete a project.

I have a lot of organization still to do in the current home I live in to make it more streamlined and functional, more cozy and roomy. I have a lot of boxes to finish unpacking and then put away....or move off site into storage pending a possible move next summer. I have lived in my current space with boxes around me for about 3 years and stuff piled around. I feel choked and suffocated and always have things hanging over my head that need to be done. I am not sure why I always do this. DO I fear once I get things done of the free time I will have? Am I afraid I will be "finished" and I would have nothing left to do which is of course absurd. There are always things to do and new things to learn. My life will never be "finished."

BUT the procrastination or not completing things I set as goals is really bugging me tremendously.

SO before the end of the year I want to focus on organization....getting my house in order literally....and clean....getting myself in order and healthy and lean.....(or on the way at the very least).......and taking the free time I do end up getting and really enjoying all my moments.....remaining childlike so I can really enjoy the upcoming holidays with my son and family.......and enjoy the real vacation time I am planning on taking during the holidays as well. I want to EARN my time off though so I have a lot to do. I am hopeful I will be filled with tremendous physical energy to complete all the physical things I must do before the holidays......and the rest should come pretty easy after that.....or at least I hope!

Turlington's tattoo remover.....so hilarious!

The Climb.......Acapella (wow!)

FIREMAN's hat from a plastic rotissierie chicken cover!

YES! It can be done. I am not going to use one of my covers to make one however as I like to reuse my covers and only have a couple left. I know I know.....I could go buy another rotisserie chicken and in all honesty after seeing the photo I posted I would like to...but.....I am not right now.

BUT as I was doing dishes today and was washing the plastic cover from a rotisserie chicken I realized it resembled a fireman's hat...those red plastic things you get as a kid when the firemen visit your school? Yes...you can make one with this cover! Wash it after using...dry it...spray paint it red....apply a badge or emblem to front section and something to hold it on the head if needed and voila! A plastic fireman's hat for a kid!

Meanwhile......it is a gorgeous fall Sunday and I have much to do. Noah and I will head off to take some fall photos and run errands. My sister had posted this video on Facebook and I just loved it. I love to hear rain and I love storms so I thought this was pretty cool that the sounds you will hear all come from people's hands! DO NOT watch the video.....well at first I know you will want to....but close your eyes and just listen. I swear it sounds just like a storm!

turn it up at first but then down as this will become a thunderstorm! (at first too it can sort of sound like bacon frying!) Leave it to me associate even this with food! I cannot snap my fingers like the people in the clip can.

The Joy Diet...Week 5: Chapter 4....."CREATIVITY".......

well....where has mine gone I would ask? I am not going to take photos of my journal this week because to be honest....it does not have much in it but ramblings about why I just had issues with this chapter. In fact....I have been working ahead in this book and I have even more issues with future chapters coming up.

I am not sure where this leads me or what it means. I wondered if I was just making up excuses as to why I did not feel I could or should or would do certain "instructions" per Martha's guidelines in this book.

Unfortunately for me....or maybe fortunately....The Joy Diet has brought me little true "JOY!" Now maybe that is part of the plan...after all we all get "uncomfortable" and "touchy" during times of soul searching and changes.

During this week's chapter I have realized I have a REAL time issue. NOT one that is made up....but real. I work from home 8 hours or more per day to support myself and my son. I also homeschool him which takes a few hours out of the day. I also have to take him to his various therapies each week. AND then there are the usual things around the home that need to be taken care of..which I do all of those myself. I think I am feeling overwhelmed and if you factor in there about 5 hours of sleep I am lucky to get each night...my 24 hours is pretty much used up for any given day.

I then thought well Melinda.....it must be YOU. YOU are not disciplined enough.....or you are LAZY.....etc. BUT you know what? I am tired. I am tired of being given all these instructions of what I should or should not be doing or what I should or should not eat or how I should or should not be. I have so many instructions and lists of things to do that never get completed...things never getting crossed off my perpetual TO DO list.....it depresses me...which makes me not feel like doing anything. It is so hard to hang onto any real JOY when one feels like that.

By working ahead I found the next chapter was on Risks...and then Treats. I had an even bigger problem with RISKS.....thinking that chapter was entirely crap. I did not think much of purposefully seeking out any risk taking behavior I may find scary or uncomfortable to "help me" in any way reach any desire I might have. Obviously I was not getting it....and maybe it is because I came out of this CREATIVITY chapter with such a bad attitude.

Don't even get me started on the Treats chapter. I made it as far as the PLAY chapter.....but was by then mostly skimming or only reading. I no longer felt like a participant. I was on the outside looking in.

It must be nice to have a life so cookie cutter clear and clean. Where one can just cut out a portion each day to do specific things and that portion never gets smashed to shit and changed entirely into some unknown blob you no longer recognize. I don't have that luxury anymore...and have not for a very long time. Of course that could be a rather boring life perhaps too. Since my son was born my life is more "spur of the moment" now and that is not necessarily a bad thing. Unfortunately; however, many times these "flexes" and "changes" in our schedules happened because of bad things pertaining to my son.....times he would get into trouble at school because of his autism and the fact that the school staff has no freaking clue what autism is even about let alone how to handle a child in school who has autism. Yeah..can you HEAR my bad attitude? IT SCREAMS from my insides yet silently.

I have worked so hard to float......just to keep my head above water and float...enjoy the ride..be peaceful....maintain a sense of peace anyway......relax......smile...be happy...believe I am happy and all will be well...try to realize all will be well no matter what......fake it till I make it.....all that crap. Working through this book has just made a whirlpool out of my calm seas. Maybe this is part of Martha's plan...but I don't like how it is making me become ...how I feel inside. I have worked hard to be flexible with my schedule.....to let things go.....to stay in my pajamas all day if I feel like it and not feel bad because of it. I have found many ways to keep myself and my son sane and happy....stress-free.

Maybe I am ticked because I realize I just don't have time to write 5 of these things out each day or 10 of those...or even to take 10 minutes each day for myself to sit and do nothing. SO many things get added to this growing list of things to do and my list is already out the door. I like Martha....but I just don't have enough extra time to do all the stuff she expects us to do. I just don't. Will I still achieve my goals as I recognize them? SURE I will....when I am ready.....I always have once I make up my mind on something. That was never an issue for me. MAKING UP my mind might be however...but it is going to have to just "float" for awhile too....simmer.

So I have decided to STOP my pursuit of this particular project because it just is making me have a really bad attitude. It has become something I feel I MUST do and yet can never accomplish at the same time which does not help me feel good about myself or help me reach any goal let alone any desire I might have.

I DO admit that some of my attitude is stemming from the realization that some of my desires hinge on the actions (or lack thereof) of other people. That pisses me off now....and I find that just unacceptable. I am tired of excuses and run arounds. WHAT I do with this information in my life I am not yet sure.

SO.......I have a bad attitude and frame of mind right now. I cannot find it in me to go further...

This diet for me is over......

AFTER reading someone else's post on this week's chapter I realized I do not care for Martha's SMUG attitude throughout...and the silly crappy suggestions she makes from time to time about listing even ILLEGAL things to do towards reaching your desire.....illegal ideas. I guess I am a bit more practical and wish to avoid wasting my time thinking about ILLEGAL things I could do that I will never do anyway..in hopes that somehow will inspire me to think of even more things to solve all my problems...blah, blah, blah. It must be very hard being MARTHA and having all of life's answers bottled up inside her head!

I also now realize why it is called the JOY DIET! Diets are about RESTRICTIONS.......less of's......perhaps that is what happens here via Martha on purpose.....we are being RESTRICTED of JOY in our lives. Because that is certainly what has been happening to me the farther I got into this book.

As I said before......the diet is OVER for me....and I am sorry if this hurts any fellow participants feelings...but it is how I feel and I am not holding back about it here on my own blog.

AND I could not have said it any better than Collage Diva sums up on her post this week. I LOVE what she did with her ideas this week..and if my copy of this book had not been a library copy...I would have long ago wrecked it too!

Check out her work here:

COLLAGE DIVA

I bet this is NOT just for men!

yes......this guys expresses it all so very well......

The Joy Diet: Week 4, Chapter 3 - DESIRE

If you want to try to read these you will have to click to enlarge..but my printing is horrific. It seems to get worse the faster my thoughts come and the more I work through this book the faster I write.....so.....it is gonna get nasty!

my version of Tandi's Tomato Pie......so delicious!

CLICK TO ENLARGE PHOTO!

OKay....I had seen this recipe in Country Living awhile back and today I decided to test it out. I substituted a few things. I used little grape tomatoes from my garden cut in half for the plum tomatoes....and basically just added as many as I wanted to fill the bottom of the pie crust and then another layer on top. I also do not have mayo in the house so I used some salad dressing....I think it was Sweet Valdia Onion or something like that. I used a Pillsbury refrigerator pie crust...and it may have baked a tad too long but was it so yummy!!!! SO sweet. I used onions from my garden too......and between those carmelizing a bit with my grape tomatoes....wow! Here is the original version of Tandi's Tomato Pie recipe you can try if you like!\

Tandi's Tomato Pie

1 baked pie crust
4 medium plum tomatoes (I substituted a ton of little grape tomatoes cut in half)
1 Cup chopped white onions
dash salt
dash pepper
2 Tablespoons of chopped fresh basil (or from a spice jar)
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I substituted liquid salad dressing my choice)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

Bake pie shell.

Mix mayo and cheeses together to form a cheese mixture.

Place 1 layer of tomatoes or about half in the bottom of the pie crust. Add 1/2 the onions and half the spices. Try to spread 1/2 the cheese mixture over this. Add another layer of tomatoes, onion, and spices and top with remaining cheese mixture. Slice a big tomato on top for decoration and add additional cheese if needed (which I did need to do) to fill in gaps on top.

Bake in 375 degree oven for about 30-45 minutes until golden brown. Cool 20 minutes before cutting to serve.

I think other cheeses would be good to try too like smokey cheese and gouda or Swiss...I do not normally eat any cheese but Parmesan on occasion or string cheese. BUT I have been wanting to try this recipe for so long now. I would HIGHLY recommend you try it sometime! SO delicious and simple to make! MEATLESS too for those veg heads out there!

Full Harvest Moon Dreamboard - October 2009

(CLICK TO ENLARGE IF YOU WANT)

I have had a recurring ongoing THEME in my life lately so it is of no surprise to me it also showed up AGAIN on this month's moon dreamboard.

When October rolls around I start to smell fires in fireplaces.......and notice the leaves beginning to change. Everything becomes cool and crisp...everything becomes a warm, amber glow. I want to become cozy......to have orange glow all around me....surround myself with the ones I love....and just hibernate.

I am blessed. I have abundance in so many areas of my life for which I give thanks. I also have abundance in some areas of my life physically that I continue to struggle with....which prevents me from receiving all that I could or even sharing all I could.

So again the message loud and clear to me was "BURN THE FAT"......SHARE THE EXCESS....and burn/remove the WRONG excesses so I can make room for the positive abundances to show up in my life.

This is a time for organizing......removing....replacing.....making the most of my space.....ALL my space...including MY OWN PHYSICAL space ...rather than the other way around...and have it suffocate me.

In 2 short breaths it will be Halloween....and in 2 short breaths after that Thanksgiving. Then 2 more short breaths it will be Christmas......and 2 breaths after that a new year will be upon us. I am tired of saying the same things and yet not acting on them. I am tired of just letting all this continue to fester and absorb my time and attention. I am tired of carrying around the extra person I wish was in my life and feeding it to keep it hanging around.

And again my SIGN continues to read... "JUST DO IT" ....

The Joy Diet - Week 3 /Chapter 2 - TRUTH......

wow.......I have to say I have had some big revelations. Here was one of my first ones... (To read more entries on the Joy Diet click on my side bar link to take you there!)

IF you can even read my printing you will have to click on the photos to enlarge. I tend to start writing/printing as fast as my thoughts and it can get pretty messy. I only print the way it is....and can do a great/neat job if I am not going with the flow of my thoughts. IF I am though..look out. Anyway.....

David Letterman on getting his affairs in order.......

Apparently David Letterman chose to make some public announcement on his show last night? where he admitted to having affairs with several of his female staff members he worked with because of some $2M extortion plot. (I don't know why I should have been surprised and had to pick my shocked-open-in-denial mouth up off the floor)

He went on to explain that a man identified by police as Robert Halderman, a 51-year-old Emmy Award-winning producer, found out that he was sleeping with several staff members.Halderman allegedly threatened to expose the 62-year-old Letterman, who married his girlfriend, Regina Lasko, of 23 years in March, unless he forked over a staggering $2 million

Now.......in his words he said he he felt like he had to stay quiet about it all....not allow it all to become public (like keeping it private made it any better....somehow made it all OKAY)....and that he had to "certainly protect" his family.....protect the women he had the affairs with....protect himself.......and his job.....so he kept mum about it all.

Gee.....how can anyone be so blind? Does David Letterman and other men/women who have done this same behavior not realize for a minute the best way to protect your family......your spouse.......yourself......your job.....is to never make a choice to jeopardize it to begin with? To not treat them like they don't matter cause hey "I got to stick my dick up in all that right now"...........

Not that I was a fan of David Letterman before let alone his political opinions........but this just sours me to him altogether. Now he has become a creepy perverted old man. One of many others who just can't seem to keep their junk in their trunks. Another disappointment to a dying breed. No wonder women wonder if a man actually exists anymore who can be faithful or committed to "just" her. So they have learned to "settle" for a "lesser" man....because yes men......just because you can go around ram-rodding all over the place with many....does not make you more of a man in our books. So women learn to just accept the lesser man...and say all of it is alright. It doesn't matter. They end up with a weak man....not a strong one. They expect less.....they get less. Meanwhile the upright, righteous, strong, moral man with integrity as his backbone continues to slip away from our world.

Sure people make mistakes......but......it sounds like Dave apparently had a pattern.....so then it becomes more like "choices" rather than "mistakes." AND if we all got real about it........even the mistakes are still "choices."

Way to go Dave..... finally married your girlfriend after 20+years!! and you have a child together with her...make the commitment to finally "forsake all others".......and all your shit hits the fan. So classy! So admirable.

Truth always comes out........always........eventually - - one way or another.

The Joy Diet...Week One...."DO NOTHING FOR 15 MINUTES EACH DAY"

I decided to start a small JOURNAL for the next book we will be working through in The Next Chapter...THE JOY DIET by Martha Beck hosted by Jamie Ridler from Jamie Ridler Studios.

Here is a link to read all about it...sign up....and read others' entries each week.



THE JOY DIET

You can also check my sidebar as I always have the links posted there to all the NEXT CHAPTER books we work through.

I have many journals so I grabbed one that I had purchased at our local dollar store and began writing my thoughts about this week's assignment on DOING NOTHING. I will do this every week and then make a VISION CARD to include at the end of each posting in my journal as well. Here is what I did this week and my thoughts: (YOU will have to CLICK on each picture to see the enlarged picture to read it)










I imagine as the weeks go by and I diligently try to remember to work in this journal each day posting my thoughts....on each week's assignments.....I will perhaps become more creative. I have not felt well this week so I used a lot of images instead of doing much in the way of my own drawings.

How did you handle your 15 minutes of doing nothing??

Wreck This Journal........the journey continues....

I have to say I have really enjoyed this project so far and the fact that I am continuing on to fully complete this journal. I have altered some of the directions to suit my needs...which has made it even more interesting. Here is what I worked on this past week or so....


I feel overwhelmed with longing a lot....so I decided to make a page about that.....


Here I did toss the journal out of my shower that time...but altered the page to incorporate another message about making an unpredictable movement with your life! I just now see where it also said destructive! YIKES! I will need to cross those words out too! ANYway....don't be afraid to open that door!


Don't we all feel like misfits at one time or another? AND yet there is a place for us all....BELIEVE!


I have seen a few artists using only the skills of their mouths to hold paintbrushes and pencils to create masterpieces. For this page I covered up the top of the original message and decided to do a piece of artwork myself WITHOUT using my hands. I was not nearly as good as the artist on the page opposite my sketch....but I had fun with it!


I had lots of affirmations going through my head this week...



I like snowmen....here are a few of my favorites....and....it won't be long before we see some of that beautiful white stuff again!

What have YOU wrecked lately??

oh this is how I feel about my coffee most days...........yes..I am drinking it again

lots on my mind........

government crap.....well..more like obama crap........

God Bless our country is all I can say at this point...and God have mercy on us and do all you can to reveal the truth.

Just finished making a homemade pizza.....it was pretty yummy too.

Wreck This Journal - Week 14....I continue on.........

I am continuing on in my journal. The biggest thing I have noticed when I work on my journal is how it just calms me and brings me a sense of peace. I also just realized I don't think about food when I work in my journal. It is like I get taken into another world altogether......where everything is sort of put on the back burner to simmer......while I let all my steam out. I can let out a breath. It has been a very good project for me to work on and develop more discipline with my creativity.

I have had a couple of family members pass on this summer. It has caused me to think a lot about family and what our family means to us. Time...and how precious it is...time already past. How we really should treasure each moment. I added a copy of an old photograph of 2 of my relatives from the past...along with old-fashioned vintage dolls and clocks. I colored the brown background with 2 different shades of brown crayon and then once I had enough wax built up I took a brown marker and went over that smearing it with my fingers to sort of stain it. I really like the patina effect it gave it.



AND I guess partially because I am totally aware of the passing of time as well as loved ones...among other reasons..I have really been having to fight off getting into a depressed state of mind. SO I figured since this is how I was feeling one day....I should just show it on paper.


On Labor Day I woke up to a nice wonderful rainy cool day ...and a tremendous migraine. I decided to do a page about that....


Another sun face......all in blue.....I just liked the colors so much and the face.....


I am not sure what got me to thinking about monkeys...and I always think of sea monkeys and Wizard of Oz monkeys when I think of monkeys. I love them both though the Wizard of Oz monkeys still sort of scare me!


Well.....I am sleepy......and will probably take a nap before the big Ohio State game tonight.

Question is......

WHAT have YOU wrecked lately??

please go to link to read about SWINE flue vaccine..also contains animal cancer cells...please don't get it........

SWINE FLU VACCINE DANGERS

Full Moon Dreamboards - "HOW WOULD I LIKE TO SHINE?" - September 4, 2009

My dreamboard this month is very simple. ONE image...one image only. NO words...cause the words just pop into my mind.

I have always been naturally drawn to images/creations/artwork of the sun and moon. I have often wondered why that is. When Jamie asked us how we would like to shine for this month's full moon dreamboard it got me to thinking.

This month's moon is about saying goodbye to the summer season...and hello to the harvest....and fall. It is the full corn moon and sometimes also known as the harvest moon.

I think an image of the sun came up for me again....ironic as it is since I am doing a MOON dreamboard....because of the question Jamie posed to us.

I WANT TO SHINE LIKE THE SUN!!! I want all the hidden parts of me that I have buried under covers for so long to BURST out like rays of the sun and shine for all to see. I want to reflect my light out into the world like sunbeams......filled with warmth and love and nurturing....energy.....I want the real me to finally be allowed to COME OUT AND BE SEEN.

Faces and images of the sun to Native Americans means:

# Sun - Earth Guardian in Day, Healing Energy
# Sun Face - Giver of life, warmth, growth, goodness.
# Sun Rays - Constancy.

I find this so appropriate of how I feel when I look at the sun....or feel its warmth.....or am drawn to another sun creation. It heals me.....gives me warmth and energy......gives life.....it is constant. Filled with goodness and growth!

SO I want to SHINE LIKE THE SUN!!!!

find more full moon dreamboards here:

JAMIE RIDLER STUDIOS

I am so getting ready for fall.......