From Chaos Comes Happiness

What are you doing next month? Yes, the WHOLE MONTH. All 31 days. Any plans? No? Well . . . I've got something perfect for you. CREATE! Yes, I said 'create' ! Not sure where to begin? Well, follow me over to my friend Leslie's blog to find out where.You see,  Leslie will take care of it for all of us. Beginning March 1st, Leslie is hosting a "31 Days: Write, Create, Be" Party.  Leslie will prompt us with some wonderful tips, ideas, and goodies to create something . . . anything. . . 6 days each week. Seriously, 6 days a week, all month long. (She's pretty wonderful, isn't she?) I participated in Leslie's challenge last summer, when she held her last "31 Days" festival, and it was such a great way for me to sneak in a little creative fun each and every day. Her prompts were motivating, inspiring, and so helpful to my chaotic brain, that I was so grateful to participate. And this time around, I'm look so forward to thi...

I just had to share with you a little book I am working on . . . if you are NOT a scrapbooker, please don't give up on me (or scrapbooking) yet. I've got the easy-peasiest way to gather your memories from this summer, and quickly journal about your adventures. . . why not CREATE a Summer 2010 book? Too bothersome? Too much work? Too crafty? Too expensive? Too . . . too . . . challenging? I used to think so, too. I started scrapbooking when my oldest daughter, Katie, was 6 months old. For the past 6 years, I have gone to the crops (cult-like gatherings of crafty ladies with glue and ribbon), I have purchased the papers, embellishments, and rolling luggage bags. I've developed the THOUSANDS of photos (I'm not kidding). And while I still regularly meet with some dear friends for a night of scrapbooking - it truly has become more of a spiritual and soul-enriching gathering than a "scrapbooking" sort of thing. You see, this summer - something changed. I want to...

Just a few of the things I've learned this week . . . I am still multi-creatively challenge . Seems that as I focus on creative projects involving the camera or paint, I loose all focus on writing for my blog. This makes me sad : (  . . . please hang in with me as I explore this renewed creative spirit! I promise to be back to much more thought provoking posts soon!. Being a "single" parent is the hardest role in the world. I am NOT a "single" parent - although PG is now on day 18 of his 25 day business trip. I am drained and exhausted, I'm tired of not having any "me" time (with the exception of a few hours Friday evening.) I applaud all those single parents out there who have no support - and those families who may have a parent gone for long periods of time, I say, "HATS OFF TO YOU!! YOU ARE AMAZING!!!" Having my Mom and sister over yesterday was so very helpful . . . why can't they just move in for the next week? Actually - I wo...

Just a really quick update for you ... I just returned from a fanTAStic creative night with my dear friends and snapped a couple photos to share the wonderful art done this evening! You might remember my friend Leslie from {Words of Me Project} threw a challenge out there to us in blogland to come up with three words that mean something to you, and create some sort of art with those words. Some of us this evening did just that . . . Cindi's Words: Reach, Heal, Possible Peggy's Words: Serenity, Gratitude, and I never got the 3rd word from her - uh, oh! Laura decided to continue working on her New Mexico vacation album - it's so gorgeous and stylish. I love it! And me, well . . . I had a vision. I love when I have visions. It's like a light bulb goes on in my brain and I know exactly what I want to do, and I won't stop until it is done. My vision for this challenge started with a canvas and some mountains . . . then, I worked on a little bit of the sky . . . nex...

My Creative Focus for today: Laughter! A few weeks ago, a blogger I admire greatly (Gigi at Kludgy Mom ) introduced me to Laugh Out Loud , when a post of hers was submitted and selected to appear on the site. I had seen the LOL button on a few other blogs before, so it was high time I head over to this Laugh Out Loud blog and check it out. I mean, I love to LAUGH , and I prefer to do it OUT LOUD , so this is the perfect place for me! Laffy Lady, the head laughter guru, has got it going on! What a fantastic place to visit for great laughs! Smart writers - funny stories - truly a great time from start to finish. So, I thought I'd try it . . . maybe something I've written would fit. Yesterday, I received an email from Laffy Lady telling me that, yes, a recent blog post I wrote would appear on Laugh Out Loud ... TODAY!!!!   HOLY COW!!! I can't believe it! I mean - pinch me, I must be dreaming! This is the very first time a post of mine is being featured on another b...

My Creative Focus for today: Be Today I am . . . tired. I'm fighting a cold that the girls have managed to pass from one to another, now to me. It's hotter than "H-E-Double Toothpicks" here today, and in the midst of my crankiness, I am trying to . . . Be. PG is on day 14 of his 25 day trip - and I am so ready for him to be home. I am also ready for school to start (anyone else out there with me?) I am tired of hearing my own voice say the same things over and over again, "Leave your sister alone", "No, you can not have another cup of juice", "I do not want to put Tom & Jerry on again", "No, a popsicle is not a good breakfast". I am a broken record. Today I mowed the lawn and worked in the garden. There was so much sweat dropping out of me that I made the Hoover Dam look like the desert, I swear. This same garden that I was so happy with on Monday (and provided the most beautiful tomatoes and basil you have ever see...

My Creative Focus for today: Doodling What to do with three young children, and the need to create? You break out the Crayola, of course! Nothing on the box says its for kids only, so I did what any "I Must Create" Mom would do ... and joined right in. I'm in a bit of trouble, though. School Supplies are on sale EVERYWHERE. I've already made a few purchases for the new school year. That's not where the trouble lands, though. It has to do with MY need to break open the new markers, crayons and glue sticks, and make some art. Yes, that's what tonights creative adventure was. There is something so mesmerizing about art supplies to me, even if they are Crayola. The colors, the textures, what they produce when used. The possibilities really are endless. I sat at the kitchen table absolutely lost in what I was doing.  I found myself using blues and whites, adding pinks and yellows, working freely and openly with my small little brush, like I w...

My Creative Focus for today: Photography CHALLENGE:   to take some really interesting photographs. Pay close attention to the lighting, colors, and focus (oh, yeah, that's a big one that I often have a problem with - the ol' FOCUS thing!). CREATE a delicious meal using some of the vegetables we have grown in our garden. Since today was a work day, I was really up for incorporating dinner into my creativity adventure. It was pretty easy to do that . . . because I had the perfect menu idea. And the ingredients all fit well in line with some great photos. One of the things I really wanted to do this year was improve my photography skills. You see, I am NOT a photographer. I can't even claim to do it as a hobby. Most of the good shots you might see on this blog have been taken by PG (with the exception of one or two.) But I long to BE a good photographer. I do. So, today is about stretching my wings and letting go of the ...

Here I go ... off on a creative adventure! Where will it lead? I have no idea. What will I do? That, too, remains to be unknown. Will I share it with you? Well, like most of my life, yes. I'm joining dear Leslie over at Words of Me Project on "31 Days: write. create. be. " What am I hoping for? That I will actually allow myself a little bit of time, every single 31 days, to create SOMETHING. It could be spent taking an extra special photo, or creating a special picture with my kids crayons and markers. Whatever it is, I am hoping that I find some time to connect with my creative soul that often gets placed on the back burner during the day to day chaos of this life. You might remember back to the beginning of the year, when I introduced my 2010 Word of the Year (CREATE), I was all gung-ho to spend the year doing just that - CREATING. But, unfortunately, I have fallen quite short in the Create Department. With Leslie's encouragement and inspiration, I'...