I am Grateful for …

- the rain

- the amazing support group of writers who are also my dearest friend’s family

- the gift of words which I have, and Kels is enJOYing with her writing

- the opportunity to indulge in a whole weekend just for Me

- cornflowers ~ Oh, Wow!  I Just Love Cornflowers!

- my personal trainer, Sharon

- the new version of an old friendship

- the amazing options for creating fabulous handmade projects using Stampin’ Up! product

- the fabulous time I’ve spent with lovely friends, in the last week

- my family being able to do an awesome job of … everything … while I am not there.

All of life is a journey;

which paths we take,

what we look back on,

and what we look forward to

is up to us.

We determine our destination,

what kind of road we will take to get there,

and how happy we are when we get there.

~ A Little Book of Happiness ~

spring sunshine

spring flowers

preparing for the month-long challenge

sending handmade cards to arrive in people’s letter boxes

a black amber and lavender scented candle 

sharing other people’s JOY

planning holidays

writing

being inspired by creativity

surfing ‘angel’ energy

eating freshly prepared, crisp vegetables

personal training

feeling fit

going away on a ‘time out for ME’ vacation!

We had a fun afternoon, yesterday.  Actually , I had a fun day.  The inspiration was coming through thick and fast for my writing, thanks to a new friend who stimulated a whole bunch of new past lives for me to ‘see’.  I spent the morning sipping a gargantuan sized coffee and nibbling a fabulous banana & sultana muffin.  Lovely Beverly indulged me with a Long Phone Call and we laughed and giggled and inspired and motivated each other. 

Fun and Inspiration.

I then spent a while playing with some images for a collage/poster of characters from television and the movies who represent ‘Strength’.  That’s what attracts me to a man, or woman for that matter.  So, I have an awesome pictorial representation of Gladiators and tough cops sitting on my writing desk, inspiring me. 

I enJOY listening to music which reminds me of times past … certain songs take me right back to those moments of love and angst and funny experiences from high school.  Music is so evocative!  It’s also helpful for connecting with those people with whom I have past life relationships.

So, the craft room is filled with Inspiration and Magick.  I know the magick is there because Kels has been having a couple of really crappy days and, after doing homework in the craft room, she spent some time writing.  Happy Kels is back!  Woo Hoo!

Doesn’t it make you want to hang out in the inspiration-filled craft room, too?

So … I started writing, yesterday.  I just had to get some of those words out of my head ’cause they have been chasing themselves around, playing ‘tag’ for over a week! 

And … I am blown away by what I wrote!

Today, I am overwhelmed by the whole writing process – how am I going to be able to physically write enough words to achieve the Challenge Goal of a 175 page novel??

I decided to update the ‘Challenge Group’ which I set up through Yahoo.  I created a poll asking how others support themselves during a challenge and that gave me an opportunity to collect my thoughts about how I am going to achieve my goals. 

I also bought a new handbag which reflects the change in direction that I have made for this part of my life.  The lovely sales lady even checked that an A4 notebook would fit in the bag, before I bought it!  How Sweet!  I use only 1 handbag at a time and that usually lasts for a couple of years.  My ‘old’ bag was more reflective of being a combination of ‘At Home Mum with a Life’ and ‘Career Woman’.  My ‘new’ bag is less showy and reminds me of being a Uni Student.  It feels really comfortable.

As I write this post, the sun is coming up and there are beautiful pink clouds in the sky.  I realised that my window needs cleaning!  I recently moved my computer table to a place right in front of the window – a bit confronting early in the morning when it’s dark outside but very light inside as I feel a little like I’m under a microscope   – which gives me a beautiful view of the outside world.  One of my all time favourite scenes in a movie is from Love Actually where Colin Firth’s character goes off to the house in the country to write his book.  It has always appealed to me as a wonderful location for quiet inspiration.  So, window cleaning will help me feel ‘in the zone’ for writing.

And, I have surrounded myself with other wonderful reminders that I Am A Writer.  Lots of notebooks for jotting down thoughts & ideas (blog post topics, too); a poster showing what I am achieving in the month (see on the side bar); and affirmations ~ “I am an Inspiring and Motivating Writer” and “All my needs are met with ease and grace during the writing process”.

At the Angel Workshop, the ladies played with punches and coloured cardstock, creating inspiring shapes in fabulous colours on which they wrote their affirmations.  Colour, Shape, Affirmation.  A perfect recipe for success.

I have my notebook.  I have my book title.  I have my plans for the month’s writing.  I will plan meals & menus in advance.  I will write a list of Things To Do for each day/week, so I don’t have to worry about getting other ‘mother’ things done. 

Hmm.

Ok.  I think I am organised. 

I Can Do This!

Friday night was the Manhattan Concert ~ David and the Guys from Backs to the Wall played an Eagles song, Heartache Tonight, and it was Fantastic!

Which has made me think about last year’s concert where the guys played Pink Floyd ~ the first time they’d ever really played as a group ~ and how stressful it was.    Things, this year, were so much more relaxed and looked like fun.

I really admire David taking on that HUGE commitment, last year.  He pushed himself right out of his comfort zone by playing lead guitar publicly.  The success the guys attained, that night, encouraged them to continue to meet once a month or so and become a ‘real band’.

Today, it’s one week until the NaNoWriMo Challenge begins.  I am counting down the days to Writing My 50 000 Word Novel.  Actually, I have already dabbled in a few words … 58 to be exact … and I think I will make an official start, this week, because I have the time (and the words are chasing themselves around in my head waiting for me to write them!). 

There are a bunch of Fabulous Friends who are Committed to a 30 Day Challenge and I’ve created a Support Network for us all.  There are lots of very different commitments but the thing they have in common is that the commitment is 4 times longer than any other challenge we’ve participated in, before.  Woo Hoo!

What do YOU want to do in November?  Is there something you’ve always meant to do but haven’t done so?  Maybe you can join us with the 30 Day Challenge.  Kels was inspired by all of us, especially Lovely Beverly’s daughter, Sarah, who is taking up the Young Writer’s Challenge on NaNoWriMo.  Kels has decided to write a novel about school, or in her writer’s terms, “Hell”.

Let me know if YOU want to share in the Fun and Challenge!

I’ve joined NaNoWriMo for the Novel Writing Challenge in November.

I’m really excited.

I’ve been telling everybody that I am writing a 50 000 word book in 30 days.

I’ve even extended the Challenge to lots of friends and asked them what they would like to commit to doing for 30 days.

Even more exciting is that I have 11 other ‘challenge buddies’!  Woo Hoo!  The plans are to meditate, eat well to lose weight, be practical/creative/metaphysical in a Purposeful manner, to declutter, to sort out finances and paper work ~ the list goes on.  You get the idea.

What I love most about the whole Challenge Concept is that a whole bunch of amazing people are going to really commit to making a difference in their lives.  3 of us are writing books.  2 have started … I’m planning and jotting down ideas and really ready to make a proper start but want to get my stamping projects out of the way first.

I wonder if the other Challengers are as nervous about the commitment as I am? 

Thank goodness I have a couple of Writing Buddies.  I know this journey will be fantastic!  I am So Excited.  I love writing.

I totally loved making this set of Gift Cards using the Stampin’ Up! Ornament Punch and Delightful Decorations Stamp Set.  I wanted a little Thank You present to give Lovely Karen after her superb support at the Angel Workshop, last weekend.  I am so thrilled with this project that I have ideas brimming over in my head for other colour and design combinations.

Cardstock: Always Artichoke, Real red, Whisper White, Real Red Patterned Paper

Stamp Set: Delightful Decorations

Ink: Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Encore Silver, Always Artichoke

Accessories: Silver Cord, Ornament Punch, Stampin’ Dimensionals, White Gel Pen,  Real Red Polka Dot Ribbon, Dazzling Diamonds, Brads

All product from Stampin’ Up!

As November is Challenge Month, I am spending this week preparing for the Stamping Workshops I have on the calendar for next month.  I have been creating a little box with 3×3 gift cards as a Thank You Gift for Lovely Karen, my workshop co-facilitator.  I have totally enJOYed that creative process, especially as I didn’t stamp at all, last week!

I have created a cute version of the Pocket Notes Purse by Jan Tink, for my Stampin’ Kids Workshop, in a Halloween theme, and plan to share some of Becky Roberts’ Tres Chic Handbags at the following workshop. 

Of course, Christmas is coming and Thank Goodness, again, for Becky Roberts!  I have used one of her stunning projects for the first Festive Workshop and will create another amazing project of Becky’s for the second Christmas Event.  Ahh, Real Red, Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler and Always Artichoke.  I Love Christmas Colours!

And, as always, once I get started stamping and creating, the ideas flow very easily.  I’d LOVE to create more Gift Card Boxes, in different colour combos and have them ready as little gifts for when I need them.  And, I really need to make my own Christmas Cards, but which design to choose?

LOL.

I am EnJOYing Being Creative.

I am Excited about Challenge Month.

Really, Life Is Wonderful!

I had an amazingly wonderful day.

The weather was also amazing ~ we had the most incredible hail storm early on Saturday morning which made the deck look like it was completely covered in snow!

It was wonderful to have the workshop at home and fabulous to be able to nurture the lovely ladies who attended the event.  I also enJOYed being able to Indulge in a little Nurturing of Lovely Karen, my co-facilitator.  On so many levels, my needs were met.

We participated in Meditations, Dance ~ Sonia Choquette’s “Love Your Life” is an awesome way to start a workshop! ~ Discussion and an Activity using Punches and Affirmations … I had the brilliant idea of punching out some heart and star shapes to write affirmations onto, and before long the table was covered in stars, hearts, flowers, scalloped circles, and birds, in all sorts of vibrant colours!  It was fabulous!!

We spent the afternoon playing with Oracle Cards and how to use the cards for exploring Past Lives.  I LOVE Oracle Cards!

All in all, it was a Very Successful Event and one I look forward to expanding on, in 2011.  First workshop on the calendar will be one devoted to Past Lives.  This was a request from one of the workshop participants: “Please can we have more on Past Lives?  All Day?”

Of Course!

I LOVE doing Past Lives, too!

Woo Hoo!