Category Archives: Motivation

Thoughtful Thursday Mission Organization

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Photo by Lisa on Pexels.com

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 😅

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Photo by Jill Wellington on Pexels.com

Motivational Quote by Brendon Burchard

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I thought I’d share a motivational quote with you today by Brendon Burchard on one of my abstract paintings:

“The ultimate secret to growth is finding something worth fighting for.”

His words ring true. If you don’t feel strongly about something with your whole heart, you’ll never go it. What do you think?

Hope this inspires you in some way today!

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Thoughtful Thursday Energy Flow

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Photo by Vecislavas Popa on Pexels.com

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

Photo by Dominika Roseclay on Pexels.com

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

Vibrant Art Journaling

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Jodi Ohl recently hosted a Color Lovers Challenge that I participated in. I loved every moment, especially the challenging ones. But for Day 12 which was Vibrant, I used a canvas I was working on for the challenge and saved a place in my journal to come back to and finish at another time.

So this was the vibrant watercolor abstract painting I made in my journal. I added a quote by Zig Ziglar which pretty much summed up the challenge: “If it doesn’t CHALLENGE you, it won’t CHANGE you.”

Have a wonderful weekend!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Color Lovers Challenge – Days 14 – 17

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I joined Jodi Ohl’s Color Lovers Challenge which runs 30 days so I’m posting several days at a time. If you missed my earlier creations, I’ll have links at the bottom of this post. These are my latest creations:

Day 14 – Forest/Mountains/Grass

I painted this a while ago in watercolor but thought it went well with the prompt.

Day 15 – Flowers

I decided to do a loose watercolor painting of flowers and of course couldn’t resist adding glitter for a little bling 😉 I added a quote by Henry David Thoreau which I love “This World is but a canvas for our Imagination.”

Day 16 – Sad

I had a hard time with this one because when I looked at all of my paint colors, they’re all bright and happy. That’s not a bad thing but definitely made it hard to paint “Sad.”
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So this was my take on it, an abstract watercolor, kind of a stormy day. I added a quote by Vivian Greene “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”â €

Day 17 – Candy

Yesterday’s prompt was candy and with the holiday season fast approaching, the only thing that came to mind was a candy cane which I love. So I painted this in watercolor and added a little quote, “Candy Cane Wishes & Mistletoe Kisses.”

In case you missed my previous pages, just click the links: 

Day 1

Days 2 thru 5

Days 6 thru 9

Days 10 thru 13

I hope you’re enjoying my entries for the ColorLoversChallenge. Have a wonderful weekend!

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Thoughtful Thursday – The Magic of Autumn

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Photo taken by Maria Vidaurre

Summer is officially coming to an end on September 22nd as we welcome the Autumn Equinox. Here in South Florida, we don’t really experience a change in scenery. The weather cools a bit but there is no major change in season visually.

This was a photo I had taken while hiking 10 miles on the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia with my husband. The air was cool and crisp on the morning we embarked on our hike and the scent of wet leaves permeated the air. Mother nature had graciously painted a stunning canvas of yellow, red, orange and brown for us to enjoy. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking on the trail.

It was a magical hike where I found myself again and remembered what I was made of. There were parts of the trail where I had to dig deep to find courage and endurance to push on. One section had a small brook covered with leaves which were very slippery. Even though I was super careful, I ended up taking a fall but luckily it was nothing major and just ended up with a bruised knee.

The most treacherous part of the trail was a section that was covered with large boulders from an avalanche that wobbled and moved as we crossed them. This part slowed us down considerably and the sun was setting soon.

To say the least, I wasn’t too keen on the idea of getting stuck on the mountain, at night, out in the cold. I much preferred my warm bed that was calling my name back at the lodge. So with all the grit and determination I could muster, I forged on to reach the end of our hike.

As the sun started to set in the horizon, the temperature began to drop pretty fast and darkness was setting in. Just when I thought we wouldn’t make, we came to the end of the trail. I was so happy and soooo relieved. We did it 😅

Looking back on our hike I felt a sense of accomplishment and pride. It was quite the adventure and I loved every minute I spent with my husband. Time on the trail renewed my energy and sense of wonder. It was a great recharge for my mind, body and soul.

We’re going on another hiking trip on the Appalachian Trail this fall but it will be at a different section of the trail and a shorter hike. Really looking forward to seeing all the beautiful colors again!

What do you like most about autumn?

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“Notice how autumn is more the season of the soul than of nature.” ~Freidrich Nietzsche

Photos taken by Maria Vidaurre

Thoughtful Thursday Vision Boards

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Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

Vision boards are a way of putting your goals and dreams into one place so you can focus on them everyday and bring them to fruition. There are no rules for creating vision boards. They can be big or small, neat or messy, on a wall or foam board. You fill them with photos, words or both, it’s entirely up to you. Personally I like to use photos from magazines or the internet. They help me visualize my goals more easily.

Think about what you really desire in life maybe it’s better relationships, a better job, more time with the family, finding love, etc. Then find photos that relate to your desires and put them on the board. For example, if I’ve been dreaming about taking a cruise, I’ll look for an ad with a cruise ship and the destination I want to go to and put that photo on my board. If I want to get healthy and in shape, I’ll find a photo of an athlete and put that on my board.

The vision board will help you to attract the right circumstances in your life to make your desires a reality. It will also help keep you focused and on track. The photos will help you to visualize yourself in the circumstances you desire. But what is even more important is that you feel the positive emotion related to your desires whether it be joy, elation, happiness or any other strong positive emotion. And I don’t mean just think about the feeling, I want you to really feel the emotion in every cell in your body. Imagine yourself attaining your goal and think how good you’ll feel when your desire becomes a reality.

You want to keep the vision board in a place where you can see it everyday so you stay focused and have clarity on your goals and desires. The vision board will help keep your passion and energy fueled so you can attain your goals. Imagine the possibilities. The sky’s the limit so dream BIG!

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“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” ~Walter Elias Disney

Photo by eberhard grossgasteiger on Pexels.com

Spirograph Watercolor Journal Page 2

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Last week I shared my first journal page using Spirograph. This is my second journal page. I had so much fun creating these two pages. I love how they turned out and hope you do too!

I made this page the same as the last. I created the background with a watercolor wash and while that was drying I made my Spirograph designs on coordinating cardstock, cut them out and glued them into the journal. Next I drew a few doodles and inspiring words. I topped it off with a shading, highlights and stickles for a little bling.

You can have some serious fun with a Spirograph set. Just use your imagination!

Hope you’re having a fabulous week!

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The Power of You Mini Book – Quote

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Hope you had a great week! This is the last quote from my mini 3.25″ x 4.5″ book:

“Character is how you treat those who can do nothing for you.” ~Unknown

Really love this quote. The author was unknown but it looks like it originated from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe who said “You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.”

Hope you enjoyed these words of wisdom. Have a great weekend!

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The Power of You Mini Book – Quote by Coco Chanel

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Hope your weekend is off to a great start! A quickie post today with an inspirational quote by Coco Chanel from my mini 3.25″ x 4.5″ book:

“Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself!” ~Coco Chanel

This is a good quote. So many of us spend a lot of time trying to be someone else and fit in. There are 7.9 billion people on this planet and each one us is unique, how incredible is that!?! It’s time to Celebrate YOU!

Have a great weekend!

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