Category Archives: Archives

Sweet & Thoughtful Gift Ideas For Mom

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Mothers’ Day is near. This is a time to celebrate our love and appreciation for all that our Mothers have done for us. 

Here’s two of my favorite picks, you can check out even more ideas on my  Gifts for Mom – Mothers’ Day Gift List Board.

A chic and sweet frame so that Mom can keep all those close to her heart for her to see. This beautiful tree frame has seven heart shaped frames for her to fill with her loves to display.

Family Tree Heart Frame from Things Remembered

 Help Mom feel like the boss that she is with this tote to keep all that she needs for her busy days. A timeless piece for her to stay organized with a personalizable gold plate. Available in beautiful, classic colors for every style.

Personalized Leather Tote from Things Remembered

 A mother’s love is never-ending, a love to be celebrated.

Check out more of my favorite picks for gift ideas:

Gifts for Moms – Mothers’ Day Gift List.

 

All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive payments for leads/sales. For more information please reference my disclosure page. 

My Artist’s Bucket List – Exploring New Territory

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As an artist I am always looking for ways to grow. I have several forms of art and artistic expression that I am eager to try.

Oil Painting – my go-to paint choice has always been acrylic, in the last year I’ve expanded into water colors but I still have yet to give oils a try so that’s most definitely on my list!

Macrame – The beautiful wall hangings and jewelry that I’ve seen come from this wonderful craft are beautiful. I think this is a skill that will take more patience but I think it will be relaxing and rewarding.

Pottery – Think “Ghost”. How could you not want to try this? I’m a Virgo, meaning I’m an Earth sign and it absolutely intrigues me to be able to create something from such an earthy substance. I cannot imagine not liking the feel of building and creating something within my hands.

Figure Drawing – I’ve started dabbling in this as I explore with oil pastels but this is something I would like to really take the time and dig into. The art of the shape of the human body is beautiful and I truly want to be able to depict it on paper.

Weaving – The intricate designs and colors that can be captured within a woven piece is amazing. How each piece can tell a story of its handcrafted journey.

Calligraphy – I am a quote and inspirational words fanatic. I think this would be a wonderful skill to master to share that love.

 Screen Printing – Old school style. I tried this out when I was in school and it is so cool putting your artwork onto the fabric. I would like to revisit this skill.

 Dance – I have had dance on my bucket list for a while. The expression that can be shared through the art of dance can be quite powerful. There are many forms of dance that can be explored.

 There are so many forms of art out there. What kinds of art do you do and what’s on your bucket list to try?

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A Peek Inside the Spring CauseBox

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Jumping into the warmer weather with a Spring CauseBox

CauseBox curates a box full of wonderful unique items that give back to the world.

This has been my favorite subscription box ever. I love that I am sent amazing items each season that are carefully picked with a purpose. The focus of Spring’s box was authenticity and the beauty of one’s self. “Stay  True and Be You” was this season’s message.

Check out all the great goodies I received in this season’s box:

“Be You” Block Print – Each box always includes an inspirational print. This box’s piece was created by California based artist Lili Arnold with beautiful spring blossoms. You can check her out on her instagram @liliarnoldstudios

MudLove Limited Edition Container – Founded by Luke Wright, MudLove has partnered with Water for Good and donated over $350,000 to provide water aid in the Central African Republic. They believe that “without water, clay is merely lifeless dust. And without water, we as people cannot survive.” They craft mugs, bracelets, and necklaces all made with love. You can check them out at www.mudlove.com

“Stay True” Canvas Banner bu Altru – Created by the first ever CauseBox original brand, formed to create beautiful and meaningful exclusive pieces for the CauseBox community. This banner was made in partnership with Tribe Alive which partner with female artisans in Guatemala, Haiti, India, Honduras, and Fort Worth Texas to employ impoverished women at fair trade wages.

Mini Equator Studs by Sasa Designs – Most of the jewelry made by Sasa Designs is made by deaf women in Kenya helping to provide jobs for them. Megan MacDonald, founder of Sasa Designs believes that “the deaf community deserves an opportunity to participate in the global community”, and she shows that support through her company. Shop more of her designs and products at www.shopsasadesigns.com/

Room and Linen Spritzer by Braid – This stuff smells amazing. It’s light, fresh scent is so uplifting. It’s made with organic and essential oils to help soothe and relax you and contains no harsh, harmful chemicals. They also donate 10% of their profits to Hope Supply Co which is a charity that provides necessities to homeless children.

This Bar Saves Lives – This is a total “giveback snack”! Every time you buy one of these bars, they deliver food packs to those who need them most. So far, This Bar Saves Lives has donated more than 1,500,000 meal packets!!!

Banded Hair Ties – Banded believed they could make hair ties and headbands better – more comfortable, fun, and pain free. Banded has been so loved that they have also been able to donate over 9.3 million meals to those that needed them.  Shop all they have to offer and give back to children in need at banded2gether.com/

This is the perfect box for the caring, the nurturing, and the mindful. Join the CauseBox community today: Learn More About CauseBox

 

All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive payments for leads/sales. For more information please reference my disclosure page. 

Why Working Towards Minimalism Is Important To Me

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I see a lot of posts about minimalism that focus on owning less stuff and de-cluttering, this isn’t what minimalism is about for me. For me, minimalism is more emotional than functional. Minimalism is about learning to make room for things that have meaning to my life, things that bring value and joy to me, and about letting go of the things that don’t. It’s about clearing space for better things in my life, allowing space for things to grow. It’s about following my heart and soul’s desire to have more in life, more than just stuff, things bigger and more inspiring. It’s about filling my life with adventure, love, and about filling a fiery desire to live life to the fullest. 

When my Grandparents passed away I found myself in a very emotional state, I became almost materialistic in a way that I needed to possess all of their material things so that they would always be there with me. Maybe this was how I was coping at the time but in the end, having all of their stuff didn’t help me mourn any better. Time is the only thing that can heal a sorrowful heart. 

I grew up with the idea that having stuff meant you were making it in life. I had all of these ideals in my mind that in my life now just don’t make sense any more. Minimalism is about having less stuff, but not in a way that whoever has the least stuff is a better minimalist. It has a much deeper meaning than that. Moving towards minimalism is freeing for me. It is a process of letting go, learning to be detached. It is about letting go of clutter that I thought was providing me safety but really was creating chaos. It is about letting emotions flow through me and not staying stagnant within an object. It is a journey for an understanding that living with less can mean that I’m living with more. 

I have been working towards minimalism for about 6 months now and I’ll be honest, I still own a lot of stuff but I’ve also let go of a lot of things as well. My thought processes are evolving and that is why I continue to work towards minimalism. I am finding more joy and less confusion in my freedom of being able to let go. Yesterday, my Mom’s new puppy climbed on my dresser and knocked down a whole bunch of things, most of them breaking as they hit the floor… a couple of years ago I would have been a mess, one of those items being an oil lamp I inherited from my Grandparents and other treasures I had collected over the years…but in the moment, I wasn’t worried about the stuff, I was worried about the puppy cutting herself on the glass. It is just stuff after all, it is not breath or the essence of life, just stuff. 

As I learn to let go, I find myself less stressed and happier. Calmer in the things that happen in my life, both good and challenging, both big and trivial. I find myself watching less tv, only buying clothes I love (even though I’m still struggling to let go of the clothes I still have), and more focused on working towards the things I really want out of life – like checking off a gigantic bucket list! I am by no means a role model for minimalism but I’m proud to be working towards it and someday I may just get there and some day I will feel as if I can truly call myself a minimalist but for now I’m okay with being a “minimalist in training”. 

Powerful Lessons of Discovery from Confusion

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I found this poem in a folder from my childhood. This poem speaks of how I perceived confusion as a child.

Confusion is the dark gray of a stormy sky

It sounds like the crying of starving children

The taste is of stale crackers

And the smell of a salty sea

An evil curse upon a prince I see

Confusion makes me feel as if the world

Has turned against me

I think that confusion in many ways feels the same to me today as it did to me as a child. Confusion can stem so many more emotions in our lives. It creates frustration, doubt, and sometimes even anger. As adults, we like to control the things and experiences we have in our lives, and confusion steals that power from us. I have learned that confusion also has its purpose though. It leads us to discovery, to lessons that need to be learned. Confusion can push us to look deeper into a situation, to see larger meanings. I am learning to take steps back when I find myself enveloped in confusion. I try to look at the situation as an opportunity to learn and to grow, asking myself what do I need to know that I do not know now. Confusion does not mean we have failed, it means there is more to know, more to understand.

Even though it is uncomfortable, I choose to embrace this opportunity, I choose to learn.

How To Get Back On Track To Reach Your Goals & Dreams

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I went eleven days without writing, without posting, without sharing my thoughts with you all. I wasn’t MIA, I was on a bit of a different path, a side street for a bit. I took some time and dove into my office life as a marketing manager, I took some time to sleep, I took some time to process the moons, to clean out my closet. I took some time to think, a lot of time to think…and now I am here, ready to go.

Restart

Sometimes we need to take some steps back, take a look at where we are, where we want to be, and what we need to do to get there. This helps us clear away the fog that builds up on our lenses, refocus ourselves to drive towards our goals, and to set adequate steps to take to reach those goals.

1.) Set concrete goals.

2.) Clear out the clutter.

3.) Write out the tasks that need to be completed.

4.) Schedule out tasks and routines.

5.) Focus on one task at a time.

I feel stronger, calmer, with a clear mind ready to move forward towards where I want to be. I have spent the last few days enrolling and starting my course for my health coach certification, editing my blog editorial calendar, cleaning out my planner, scheduling my fitness routines, and writing out my daily mindfulness tasks. 

My Goals:

1.) Get Fit Again – Not that I completely fell off the wagon, but I’m not where I want to be or where I know I can be. I scheduled exercises for every morning, set goals for packing lunches, and will be working more gym time into my week.

2.) Health Coach Certification Program – Classes started this week, woohoo! To keep myself on track, I’ve scheduled class time with myself each week. 

3.) Blogging – Updated my editorial calendar, scheduled blogging time, spent my downtime getting ahead with some posts.

4.) Painting/Art Time – Picked the upcoming art shows I want to apply for, wrote the deadlines on the calendar, and scheduled in art time each week. 

Allow some flexibility into your schedule and your routines. Allow yourself to be forgiving of yourself if you slide or miss a task. Keep your goals in eyesight, write them down and post them where you see them frequently. Celebrate your successes. 

Now go kick butt and make the magic happen! 

How to Use Poetry to Serve your Soul

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Poetry is a release,

An escape of words,

Into the moments beyond us.

Thoughts of love,

Thoughts of sorrow.

Poetry captures the essence,

Of the world around us.

Allowing our visions,

To become words upon the paper.

Poetry opens the cap,

Of the bottle we hold locked away.

April is National Poetry Month, a time for us to recognize it’s amazing existence in our world. It has served a purpose to share our stories from generation to generation. It has created a place for us to release our emotions from within ourselves. It has provided therapy to many and has enlightened others.

Allowing yourself to express your emotions, your thoughts, and your feelings whether through poetry, journaling, or art serves your soul.

Serving your soul allows you to process your emotions and thoughts and let them pass through you so that you can continue to grow. Poetry is a great tool to use to help that process. Poetry doesn’t need to be long, it doesn’t need to rhyme, it just needs to be true to you. A poem can be created by a list that becomes fluid. Write a simple poem of expression by first writing a word of how you feel. Now elaborate on that word. What does that emotion mean to you, how is it shaping your thoughts in this exact moment?

The Path of Art Journaling – Exploring My Growth

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About a year ago, I started art journaling…I found it a wonderful release of the stress that the day had brought. Since then my mind has opened and the creativity and artistic nature of my personality has unleashed so much more. Today I sketch, I paint routinely, and I dive into free drawings with my pastels when I find I’m struggling to sleep. This #artthursday I took a look back at where I started adding art back into my daily routines…this shows that when we start with just a simple step it can unleash us into many wonderful places as we continue to move forward on our paths.

March 2016: So one of my bucket list to-do’s is to make an Art Journal. I’ve always thought they were so beautiful and such a wonderful way to be expressive. I have seen tons of great ideas online, you can check out some of my fave ideas on my Pinterest Board – Art Journaling.  I want my art journal to be fun, push the limits of formality and tradition. I want lots of color and funky doodles. I try not to conform to one set style or structure, just let myself explore and be free. I’ve found this a wonderful way to calm myself, a unique way to add to my meditations, a place to release. Some pages take thirty minutes, some take hours, some pages are part of one project, some a single thought.  I’m still quite a newbie and cannot compare to some of the beautiful creations I’ve seen online but my art journal is mine, not a following of any one else’s, my own creation, part of my artistic and spiritual journey… I’ll share as I go along, as I evolve and grow, hoping to inspire and stir ideas for your own…

I continue to grow more and more each day, some days I produce more art than others. Some paintings take months to finish and some I finish in a day. Each month, I find myself trying a new medium or a new technique. I have become more free in my expression and pushing past boundaries and limitations I used to hold myself to. I have opened myself up to seeing inspiration in so many more places and it has brought beauty to each moment in my days.

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Moments with a Glass of Wine – (& a special offer for my readers!)

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A glass of wine means so much more to me than just a cup of alcohol…a glass of wine means friendship, good conversation, a moment to relax, to chat about memories and dreams. Some of my fondest memories circle around a good glass of wine. I remember sitting on the patio next to the garden dreaming up adventures and life with my neighbors, I remember the 4th of July that my mother and I sat on the porch and watched the fireworks from our backyard, the shared bottle of wine around the bonfire, the glass of wine with my best friend while we picked songs for her wedding…every glass of wine that I have ever had brought with it a memory. 

“Not much beats a good glass of wine and good conversation.”

I have an exciting offer to share with all of my fellow wine lovers out there too! I was given the opportunity to work with Mavenx and Drinks.com to bring you some very special savings. With warmer weather on the way I am excited to stock up for many warm nights and great wine with friends and family.

Find what deal suits your palate with all the exclusive offers I have on my Mavenx Board – Special Savings on Wonderful Wines. What’s great about these sites is that you don’t have to be in a club/subscription service to buy the wine at the special pricing!

 All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive payments for leads/sales. For more information please reference my disclosure page.