Consider this..........

Beginnings of a good Summer and I wanted to share what I am up to, reading, and participating in through out this week's posts. I hope you will share your doings as well!

So Here we are starting the week (It's not too late to sign up!) with excitement winning a prize package from Brave Girls club Soul Restoration 2. If you know these girls, Sisters Melody Ross and Kathy Wilkins) I am already a winner for participating in their artful and empowering classes. Now it's win win! Can't wait. Click HERE for Soul Restoration info and more!

Can I just say what's on my heart today though............. that I encourage all of us to ask ourselves when considering anything............ Is this an "I SHOULD" or is this an "I COULD"?
It seems to me the I should's are such an outside voice and so demanding and condemning. The I could's on the other hand are an internal voice of I hope, I dream, and empowering.

I hope you will accept the I could's this week and quickly push away the I shoulds and do something ~ plan something positive and empowering for yourself! Check back this week for more sweet friends! Sending Love today! XO

Catching our breath in Indiana

Although we are entirely safe and sound, there are many who didn't dodge the storm so well last night here. Some who were just a mile away from us.......a huge wind shear (correction: now they are calling it an E1 tornado) going down our two lane highway. Still a mess and will be for a few more days or weeks. Nothing like Joplin, Missouri~ but there are so many effected by this storm in so many little pockets of this Country I am now realizing. So much rain and quite honestly a little dark cloud I just can't shake. I am so thankful for the art, for friends and for a peace that passes understanding at opportune times. So grateful! Sending you some of that gratitude today my friends, and allow your self the freedom to BREATH a little, k?! XOXO

You should!

Amy Powers has the cutest swap going on here................ I hope you will be inspired to accept the invitation. It is always so much fun to swap creations! Looks like the sky is the limit on ideas in the tiniest way for this one. I just love that! Oh, and keep dreaming my friends......from the last post. It helps so much. XOXOX

You can

Beautiful weekend to you my friends! I hope you find happy dream filled thoughts along your journey this weekend where ever you are! Sending Love~ XOXO!

My favorites right now..........

......favorite ink, favorite paints to ink over.........favorite words this week. I just love art journaling. It is truely my first love in art. My main squeeze! What is yours? Sending a hug out this week to you my creative friends! XO

You are

I loved Melody Ross's recent post and reminder of the performance trap thing. (You can see here.) I actually created this page before I read it and love how sometimes we help to confirm our findings here in blog land. And as far as the performance trap...do and do and do thing goes~ I find that I am not necessarily wanting to impress anyone else, but prove to perhaps that "voice" that urges me to do it all, and do it all better....do it now....... or I will miss something!

Yeah, like miss the good stuff.....

"Everything is good, but not everything is Beneficial." 1 Corinthians 10:23

.............and how about the beneficial stuff? Webster's calls it advantageous or favorable.

Wishing you a favorable, beneficial day and the know how to avoid the voice that steers us outside of that...........to the seemingly good stuff. XOXO my friends!

Fun mission accomplished

How thrilllllled am i?? Iknow, I know~ it doesn't take much! Just a few of us crafty gals, some good eats and a delicious project to explore.

The craftiest ones in the land...minus Steph, who was with her sis and Lisa, who was with a customer. Oh, and check out her to die for bins of crafty goodness below. And that isn't for sale, but if you come to the shop you will surely find something made out of all that on any given day! So inspiring.

About that little exploration thing from my last post........ was this ever fun, adventurous Friday! Been trying to meet up on Friday's at Lola Rue with Generous Lisa, Hope, and Steph...........and of Course Kim and Kelly today too and I think you will like what we did! Adorable purse creations the girls brought back from a craft darling Karla's fun event, Birdsong. There is just something about us girls doing our "art thing". It helps. Bunches. Check out Hope's latest version here.

Sometimes the answer is "just play". Love that. Sending Love and play your way for this adventurous Mother's Day weekend! XO

Sending Patience..........

..........as always, sending it because I need it so badly myself! Keep looking my friends! Happy Explorations this weekend to you! XOXO

Tiny Journaling

Just about the size of index cards. Tiny bit of journaling. Doing a bigger one too, simultaneously. I hear others who benefit and utilize journaling say they work in multiple books at a time a well.

Funny little artist thing. Working up the urge to stitch something to. Hope this week finds you in pleasant places in your journey! Sending Peace my friends! XO

Xalted Ministries

Wow. Wow. Wow. 500 plus kids.......Wow. Actually the number may be different....check facebook if you are on. I just know how many chairs we inititally set up and they were filled and then some. So...........Praise God for an amazing evening. Truely an honor to be a part of. Humbled to have my art hanging in the lobby area set up for the Warehouse Jam last week too, with maybe you can see above. The band picture isn't too great, but the colors were fun. Our Xalted Band totally nailed it and Abandon came to rock the house until the end. Good stuff!

In case you haven't checked out the button to the right, Xalted Ministries is a youth outreach with music, media, art, and drama with a message. All the arts rolled into one event. Focus is on teenagers in today's world with difficult choices. My heart is full to see so many involved in these various arts and so many that are inspired to be after this too. Sending love for the start of a beautiful week my friends! Resting now.........but some fun art to come! XOXO