Category Archives: Empower

Dick Blick Watercolor Contest

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Happy August!! I can’t believe that more than half the year has already flown by. With all of this summer heat, I’m definitely ready for the cooler weather this year.

Dick Blick Art Supplies was hosting a watercolor contest so I thought it was a good opportunity to practice my portrait painting skills. I worked on her for some time and this was my entry into the contest. I named her “Crystal” because of her crystal blue eyes.

I feel I’m getting better but the eyes are still a bit wonky. However, I recently found a better technique to get them more even so I’m working on that at the moment. I love how her hair turned out, it took lots of layers. Overall I was happy with the painting I entered into the contest. There are so many talented artists who entered and inspired me to keep going!

Hope this inspires you to create today, thanks for stopping by!!

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“If you have the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed.” ~Unknown

Thoughtful Thursday – Give Mom a Gift that Touches her Heart 💖

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Mother’s Day is this Sunday, May 14th. Often we take for granted all the wonderful things that mom’s do for us everyday. Like the pile of clean clothes that magically appear in your dresser or the sweet love note with encouraging words that are hidden in your lunch bag. What about the breakfast or dinner that’s ready to go just when you’re starving, in a rush and don’t have time to make anything for yourself. Let’s not forget all the love and support they give as the biggest fan of our lives!

This Mother’s Day give her a gift that touches her heart. Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Spend the day with her doing her favorite things.
  • Serve her favorite home cooked meal on a beautifully decorated table.
  • Create a themed meal from a place that she wants to visit.
  • Bake her favorite sweet treats and serve them up bistro style.
  • Plan a walk or hike in her favorite park and enjoy the great outdoors.
  • Go to the nursery with her and get a few flowers to plant in her garden.
  • Take her on a picnic and spend a quiet afternoon talking.
  • Go on a nice bike ride and stop for a light bite.
  • Spend an afternoon at the local museum.
  • If she has a lot of responsibilities offer to pitch in and give her the day off.
  • Serve her breakfast in bed or cook a morning brunch.
  • Watch her favorite movies with her and bring all of her favorite snacks.
  • Take an art class with her, whether online or in person and create something together.
  • Make a scrapbook filled with all of your favorite memories and photos of her.
  • Make her a handmade card or mini book with special photos or memorabilia.
  • If you’re computer savvy, create a video slide show of your favorites times spent together.
  • Make her a spa basket with handmade treatments (plenty of recipes can be found online).

Get creative, put a little extra thought into it and give her a special gift from your heart!

Thanks for stopping by!!

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“When you look into your mother’s eyes, you know that is the purest love you can find on this earth.” ~Mitch Albom

Thoughtful Thursday Mission Organization

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Imagine going to the library and the books are randomly placed on the shelves. You’d get frustrated because you can’t find what you’re looking for. If you were the person in charge of getting new books for the library you wouldn’t know which books to add because you don’t know what’s already there.

We all have a tendency of acquiring “stuff” that seems to pile up and multiply all on it’s own if we don’t tend to it. Maybe we’re just not an organizer by nature or we’ll get to it later but then later never comes. All this “stuff” stops the flow of energy causing you to become unhappy, stressed and lose clarity to name a few.

I’m getting ready to do the floors in my studio. It’s something I’ve been putting off but needs to get done. I’m not looking forward to packing everything up because I have a lot of art supplies I use. On the other hand this is going to force me to really look at what I have and ask “do I really need this, does it bring me happiness.”

I wanted to get some new ideas and a fresh outlook to organizing my studio so I purchased a book by Desha Peacock, “Your Creative Work Space” which is available on Amazon.

I started reading the book and love it so far. Desha shares examples of creative work spaces from different people in different professions. She also shares her wisdom for organizing your sacred space and keeping that way. I’m already very excited to put some of her ideas to use and create better energy flow in my studio.

I’m not sure how this is going to work out but I’ll do my best to keep posting and sharing the happy with everyone. Wish me luck 😅

Thanks for stopping by!!

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Thoughtful Thursday Energy Flow

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I’m making some changes in my home, including my studio. I normally don’t like change because it takes me out of my rhythm. But one good thing that’s coming out of the chaos is it’s forcing me to declutter.

We tend to get caught up in the normal rhythm of things because our minds are running on autopilot. But when you bring in change, it makes you look at things more closely. One of my favorite quotes is by Marie Kondo “Does it bring you joy? If not get rid of it!” It’s a simple enough rule to follow but is easily overlooked.

Another rule that Marie Kondo talks about is that when you bring something new into your home, something old must go. This keeps you from accumulating too much clutter. But who can let all those treasures that you’ve spent countless years collecting simply go? I have a tough time with that one, lol. But it is a good rule to follow.

As far as my studio is concerned I’ve decided to put some things that I don’t use much temporarily in storage. This way, I give myself a certain length of time and if I don’t need the things in that box, they can go. If I find I need something, then I have to make room for it in my studio. It makes it easier because I don’t have to overthink the whole process.

What do you do to get the energy flowing in your home? How do you organize and declutter? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!!!

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“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” ~William Morris

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A few of my favorite books:

  • “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing” by Marie Kondo
  • “Clear your Clutter with Feng Shui” by Karen Kingston
  • “Real Life Organizing: Clean and Clutter-Free in 15 Minutes a Day” by Cassandra Aarssen

Thoughtful Thursday Back to Basics

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I love listening to Earl Nightingale’s coaching session called “The Strangest Secret” which can be found on YouTube. There’s also a book on Amazon. This was the first life coaching session that was ever recorded back in 1956. I’ve listened to it countless times. I’m often asked “Why do you keep listening to it? It’s basic stuff and you already know all of this.” My answer is always the same, “Yes, I do know the basics but hearing this recording helps to remind me of what they are and keeps on track.”

Let’s face it in today’s world we have hundreds if not thousands of distractions each and every day. With so many distractions, it’s hard to stay focused. So sticking to your goals and having clarity can be pretty difficult when we keep running after each new shiny penny we see.

I recently listened to one of Brendon Burchard’s podcasts and he made some really good points. In this podcast Brendon said “Common sense isn’t always common practice.” And that’s so true. We know we should be doing x, y and z but often we don’t and as a result we fail in life and in reaching our goals.

Earl’s recording reminds me of how easy it really is to reach your goals and create the life you dream of. The power to create is in you, in your mind. If listening to Earl isn’t your thing, that’s ok. Then find a life coach that works for you. Or make a list of reminders that you can look at first thing in the morning to help keep you on track. But be mindful of where your thoughts take you so you can stay focused on what’s important.

Hope this post inspires you. Thanks for stopping by!!!

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“Perhaps the world isn’t giving you what you want because based on all your distractions and lack of discipline, it’s simply unclear what you are asking for.” ~ Brendon Burchard

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Thoughtful Thursday Free your Mind

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Every animal on this planet lives in the present moment. They don’t concern themselves with what happened yesterday nor do they give any thought to what tomorrow may bring. They’re simply living in the here and now.

Human beings on the other hand are born with the ability to worry and it’s something we love to do. But worrying won’t allow you to change the circumstances you’re thinking about. But it will change how you feel emotionally and physically. Worry loves to bring along her faithful companion fear, who has the power to stop your in your tracks.

When worry and fear join forces they can seem unstoppable. The two of them will make you give up your dreams. You won’t go for what you truly want because you’re afraid and they’ll stop you from moving forward in your life. But this is where you need to bring in courage and confidence to fight for your freedom to create the life of your dreams.

Don’t allow worrisome thoughts to grow and take over your mind, keep them in check. If you find they’ve grown into thoughts of fear, think about the worst case scenario and what is the best way you could handle it. Get comfortable with that and one by one, lay all your fears to rest. Remind yourself that worrying won’t change a thing and be confident and believe in yourself. You are a truly amazing person✨

Thanks for stopping by!!!

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“Confidence is something you create within yourself by believing in who you are.” ~Unknown

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Thoughtful Thursday Book Review

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I just finished reading “The High 5 Habit” by Mel Robbins and really loved it. In her book, Mel explains the importance of supporting and cheering on your family and friends throughout life. It’s something we all do without giving it much thought. Yet when it comes to ourselves, we’re overly critical and rarely if ever do we give ourselves credit for how far we’ve come on this incredible journey called life.

This simple concept of high fiving yourself everyday may seem silly at first but I can tell you it’s absolutely mind altering and in a very good way. Mel doesn’t just talk about starting this habit with easy to follow steps. She goes further by explaining how this affected her own life and then gives you the science behind why we do what we do and what we need to do to change.

I highly recommend reading this book which is available on Mel Robbins website or on Amazon. “The High 5 Habit” is a well written book that will help you understand yourself better and learn how to make positive changes in your life.

Hope you enjoyed this book review. Thanks for stopping by!!

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“Good habits are as addictive as bad habits, and a lot more rewarding.” ~ Harvey MacKay

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Change Watercolor Portrait

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I finished this portrait last night and named her “Change.” Just as caterpillars change to stunning butterflies, sometimes we also have to change to stay on our life’s path. Change isn’t always fun but can lead us to great things.

Have a fabulous day!

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“Change is the law of life, and those who only look to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” ~John F Kennedy

Watercolor Journal Angel Cynthia

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My creative muse is finally showing herself once again. This is my latest angel in my Strathmore 5.5″ x 8.5″ watercolor journal. Her name is Cynthia.

Hope you’re having a super weekend!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

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Thoughtful Thursday New Year’s Resolutions

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It’s hard to believe that there are only 23 days until the New Year and then we’ll be in 2022. With the holidays in full swing many of us have busier than usual schedules. But this is the perfect time to start thinking about the New Year and what you want to accomplish.

A good place to start is to see where you are on your resolutions from this year. Did you get to where you wanted to be? If you did that’s awesome! If you didn’t, then take a look at what may have thrown you off course. Think about how you can improve on that for the next year.

When deciding on New Year’s resolutions, choose ones that resonate with you. And I mean something that you “really” want to attain. Don’t make resolutions for things that you feel would be nice to do or have some day. Those half hearted resolutions will never get off the ground because you’ll never fully commit to them. And by not reaching them, it’ll have a negative impact in your mind.

So stick with fewer resolutions that you’re passionate about. Put all of your heart into reaching your goal and you will. Stay focused and remind yourself everyday of what you’re aiming for. Check in weekly to make sure you’re staying on course and if you need to adjust your resolutions a bit, that’s ok they’re not set in stone.

Quick Summary:

  • Set New Year resolutions that are attainable and that you’re passionate about.
  • Decide on 3 resolutions at the most. Too many are overwhelming.
  • Give yourself deadlines to make your resolutions a reality.
  • Look at your resolutions everyday to keep you on track.
  • If life throws you a curve ball, adjust your resolution a bit.
  • Most important, be kind to yourself and celebrate the journey!

I hope you enjoyed this post. Thanks for stopping by!!

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“What the New Year brings to you will depend a great deal on what YOU bring to the New Year.” ~Vern McLellan

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