Random on Purpose

Still Love My Guy!

Today's color challenge on Splitcoast was Close to Cocoa/Taken With Teal/Very Vanilla, which is a very cool color combo, and sort of leaning towards masculine, which was the CAS (Clean And Simple) challenge yesterday.  I decided to combine the two and came up with this:

 

The only stamping involved is what's inside the designer label holder - a flourish from Studio G, and the sentiment from Stampin'Up!'s You & Moi set.  I freehand cut a little heart to pop up there, too.  The dp is reeeeeaalllly old Provo Craft (I'm talkin' six years or so!), but I thought the colors were about right, and it wasn't too fussy for a masculine card...

I finally got a decent paper trimmer, so I went back to getting all of my stacks and stacks of papers trimmed and filed, and I've discovered some great stuff I'd forgotten I had!  I'm not too concerned about "trendy", so I'll probably start using a lot of it, too!  Woo hoo!

On another note:  As I go about the business of the day, many/most of the projects require minimal attention and/or brain power, so I do a lot of mulling and pondering and such-like (you'd think I could've figured out the problems of the world by now, eh?).  Much of what I ponder is how my life has gone/is going and what I've learned from it all and how I can apply it going forward and what I should share with my offspring to help them along in their journey, etc.  Not always that deep, but often enough to say so...

Anyway, since I was making a card for Greg to remind him that he's still my favorite, I started thinking about our journey together and all.  We never "dated" when we were first getting to know each other - we just hung out.  Our conversations were long and the subjects of them far-flung, and I was head-over for him in a VERY short period of time!  He took a little longer to feel the same way (or at least to admit it), but we were together for two years before we got married.  We went through SO MUCH in those two years, that we figured if we weatherd all that mess, we were good to go!  Know what?  We were - and we ARE!  I'm still all twitterpated almost 18 years later!  He's truly my best friend, and I enjoy his company over everyone else I know!

I've had many experiences with friends - even members of my family - saying what a great couple we are and what a great relationship we have.  Some have gone so far as to admit that they were jealous of what we have together!  Pretty cool, huh?

I'm not really sure why I decided to share that info with you all tonight...  I guess I figured that it's a good thing to acknowledge the things you're really thankful for, and I feel truly blessed to have this man in my life.  He truly has no enemies, and is so much more careful and considerate in dealing with others than I am!  I mean well, but sometimes the way I phrase things comes out different (and worse) than how it is in my head.  I'm learning from him and trying to do better...

I guess that's enough blathering for tonight - I hope your monitor isn't dripping goo at this point from all this syrupy sentimentality!  Thanks for stopping by, and have a great night!  Ta!

Imagination and Play

Hi!  I'm back for just a little minute, with a project I HAD to make after I watched a clip from Oprah that brought me to tears.  Not because the subject matter was particularly sad, but because the overall effect is tragic!  Oprah visited a second-grade class at the Yearning for Zion polygamist ranch (the one that was raided and over 400 children removed).  You can watch the clip HERE.

Several things came to mind, but the overriding tragedy is that these children do not get to use their imagination AT ALL!  They've never even heard of Cinderella or the Little Mermaid or Humpty Dumpty or Shrek, let alone pretended to be one of these characters!  They claim that work is fun, and they never play ("it's not fun", claimed one little boy), and the very meaning of the word 'play' is synonymous with 'goofing off'!

Why do I consider this tragic - beyond the obvious these-kids-are-missing-their-childhood scenario?  Because the underlying tenet - that everything they do serves the purpose of becoming like God - is self-contradicting, for starters.  If, in fact, there is a God, and if, in fact, He is perfect, would he not have a perfect imagination?  Didn't He (or She or They or whatever) dream up flowers and clouds and hummingbirds and the platypus and all the rest of it?  If these people are aspiring to become gods themselves, won't they need imagination when they start creating their own "worlds without end"?

Every single thing you see around you - NO exceptions - was a thought before it was a thing, whether in man's mind or God's.  Have you ever, ever in your entire life created something with no thought behind it?  With no imagining the end result?  Yes, things evolve in the making, and the finished product may turn out different from the original thought, but the original thought at the very least initiated the making!

Einstein - brilliant man that he was - referred to imagination as "a preview of coming attractions".  It just pulls at my heartstrings to see this entire generation of children growing up without a preview, and with no concept of play!

Furthermore, I recently read an article about the importance of play to keeping our brains healthy.  I can't remember all the ins-and-outs of it, nor where I read it, but it was something along the lines of play being vital to keeping our brains fluid and supple and able to problem-solve and the like.  Isn't that a purpose well-served?

One of my favorite quotes is from Jerry Seinfeld:  "It's good to play, and you must keep in practice."  Amen, Jerry!  I used it on this:

It's a little wall hanging to remind me to play.  I used two other quotes besides the Seinfeld one.  They are all from the same "Simple Thoughts - Laughter" stamp set from Cloud 9 Design.  The paper is from Sassafrass Lass, and has my old high school colors (red and gold - go Corona Panthers!), so it qualifies for last week's "Limited Supply" challenge on Splitcoast to use either our high school colors or the colors from our wedding.  The other guideline was to use either staples, photo turns or clips of any kind.  I dug out my spiral clips and tied a ribbon or two around them.  The pattern behind the sentiments was the "Petals" wheel (that isn't a wheel anymore) from Stampin'Up! stamped with Summer Sun.I can't get a decent picture to save me today - too cloudy and bad light or whatever - and so the colors are a bit off and the words are harder to read here than in real life, but at least I made something and shared, right?  That's it for today - I've got sewing to do! 

Maybe you can tell that my mindset is improving...  told ya the funk never lasted long!  We'll see how this week/weekend goes from here...  Hope yours is going fabulously, and I'll be back (hopefully) soon!

The OddBrain Train

I have a little musing for ya today, but first:

 

This is a quick little card I made yesterday for the  Limited Supply challenge on Splitcoast.  We were limited to digital images and diecuts, and only two embellishments.  I thought the timing was kind of interesting, because I had just decided earlier yesterday morning that I would go ahead and set up an Etsy shop to sell digital stamps, among other things.  The image on my card is one that will be available in my shop when it's up and running - hopefully in a week or two (maybe sooner if I have time and get real motivated).  For the diecut part of the challenge I used my always-at-the-ready Top Note die - I can't believe how much I use it, and I can't believe that I ever believed I didn't want/need it!  My two embellishments are the ribbon and the brad cinching it into a bow.  The paper is from Colorbok, and I colored the image with markers.  I need to get more colors and learn how to use them more effectively, I'm thinkin'!  I also think paper-piecing the dresses would have been cuter.  Ah well, next time!

Okay, here's where the philosophizin' starts, so turn away now if it's not your thing...

I did a JoAnn fabrics run this morning (50% off the notions wall - needed more needles, and 99-cent patterns - need more summer tops), and had a blip trying to come out of the parking lot.  I was waiting for a line of cars to go by so I could make a right turn out onto the road, and there was a car with the blinker on, indicating that they were turning into the parking lot, so I got ready to make my turn.  Just as she got to the turn, the driver turned off her blinker and kept coming straight (good thing I paused), and she and her passenger both made arm gestures like "what the...?" as they went by.  I'm thinkin' "what the...?" myself, since her blinker was on, and - for whatever reason - the incident, minor as it was, made me feel.....crappy, for lack of a better word, and I actually felt like crying!

After I was able to make my turn and head homeward, I was pondering why such a trivial thing would have such a huge impact on my mood.  (And yes, I did allow the tears to come - healthier to acknowledge and work through the emotion than to suppress it - for a few brief moments.)  I was more interested in the "why" behind the reaction than I was about anything else, so I mulled it over and decided this:  Feeling misunderstood or misjudged has been a VERY common occurrence in my life.  I don't feel like an outsider or that people don't like me or any of that, I just have always felt a bit of a "fringe-dweller" - I'm accepted - maybe even liked - by everyone, but don't really "belong".  I know I've mentioned this before, but there it is again...

The reason I allowed all of this back into my consciousness today, I believe, was to acknowledge this: because of all of the incidents where I felt misjudged/misunderstood, I have always tried very hard to stay out of judgement of others.  Yes, I will comment on an outrageous hairdo or bizarre wardrobe choice, and I'm VERY fond of noticing quirky verbal missteps - I'm only human, and I find these things amusing - but they are commentary on the THING, not the person wearing or saying the THING!  One particularly strong memory from my youth (12 or 13 years old, I believe), was one of the leaders of my church's youth group making a joke about, "If you want to be popular, get six ugly friends", and all I could think of was, "What if you were one of the six ugly friends?  How would you feel?  Would you even know?" and other thoughts along those lines.

I truly believe that the experiences we have guide and direct us to where our strengths lie and what we most want to learn in our "mortal experience", and if we pay attention to these experiences and the lessons they are teaching us, we can develop our strengths and overcome our shortcomings and move into being who we really are.  I'd like to think that my fringe-dwelling experiences have made me a more understanding, compassionate person who is proficient at separating the person out from the circumstance/behavior, and reacting - or even aiding - appropriately.  At least I hope so...

Okay, I'll get off the soapbox now, and go find something appropriate to a "holiday" to do!  Hope you're having a good one, as well!  Thanks for stopping by!

Something Else to Think About...

It's been awhile since I mentioned my firm belief that everything is The Same Subject - meaning, basically, that EVERYTHING intertwines with and is connected to EVERYTHING ELSE, so what applies to one area pretty much applies numerous and sundry other places, as well.  I've also noticed - frequently - that once you pay attention to a particular thing, it pops up everywhere.  Coincidence?  No - what we focus on expands, and we attract it by our attention...

After I posted my "For Sure" musings, I received comments and emails that validated several of the things I think about.  As I was going about my usual Sunday routine yesterday, I read an interview with Hugh Jackman that included a passage that caught my attention:

"He takes his religion very seriously and would prefer I go to church," Jackman says of his father. "We've had discussions about our separate beliefs.  I just find the evangelical church too, well, restrictive.  But the School of Practical Philosphy is non-confrontational.  We believe there are many forms of Scripture.  What is true is true and will never change, whether it's in the Bible or in Shakespeare.  It's about oneness.  Its basic philosophy is that if the Buddha and Krishna and Jesus were all at a dinner table together, they wouldn't be arguing.  There is an essential truth.  And we are limitless."

AMEN!!!  I un-joined the church I was raised in quite a while ago and, while I'm incredibly grateful for the foundation it gave me, I no longer feel guilty about not going - or even not believing various aspects of the dogma.  Much of it is still viable and resonates in my daily life, but some does not.  I keep what resonates and let the rest go...  I, like Mr. Jackman, believe that there are many forms of Scripture, and not all of them are written.  I expounded a bit of this philosophy in this post, and continue to learn and grow from many sources.  Information received in one venue/genre/your label here can be extrapolated and applied in many areas!

Okay, now I can get on with my day without these things buzzing around in my head!  Hope yours is magnificent!  Ta!

For Sure...

I'm in a bit of an introspective mood today...  It started more like the doldrums, but then I came across this, and had a shift in my thinking and mood.  Now I'm pondering - again - what really matters and what I can do to be more mindful and aware on a daily basis, or even minute-by-minute.  I'd hate to think that it would take something cataclysmic to move me out of ennui and apathy into awareness and action.

Like many others, my intentions are good and I have an intellectual "knowing", but haven't taken that other step into internalizing and acting on what I know.  My excuse is always TIME - there's just not enough of it to go around in my current paradigm!  And yet...I know that this is my perception, and not even an accurate one...  A more honest reason is PRIORITY, and my lack of follow-through on the plan to prioritize I alerted you to a while back.

Regardless, I am now thinking - again - of  "What I Know For Sure":

• EVERYTHING happens for a reason - EVERYTHING!  I can, with almost complete confidence, say that the reason is to teach you something - usually lessons in love.  Ask, "How does this teach me love?", and you can generally see the lesson.  Sometimes the lesson is as simple as "I don't value that behavior"...
• You will get the same lesson in a variety of ways until you LEARN IT!  Don't like how your life is currently going?  Figure out what you're supposed to be learning, and move on!
• You can control NOTHING beyond the three-square-foot area that is your "personal space" - not your spouse, your children, your boss, your circumstances, NOTHING - but within that space you have ABSOLUTE POWER!  You - and you alone - are in charge of the thoughts and emotions that move you into or out of the circumstance, the mood, the job, the relationship, etc.  It is the actions you take based on those thoughts and emotions that determine your life - YOU get to write your story!
• Continuing that thought: you have to be proactive in your life.  A turning point in my personal journey came after I heard this line from the Rush song Free Will: "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice."  It was then that I realized that I had allowed circumstances and others around me to decide for me, with close to disastrous results.
• You have to SAY.  It is complete insanity and completely unfair for you (or me) to expect anyone to meet an expectation they don't know you have!  Find loving ways to communicate your needs (and wants) to those who matter.
• The Universe (or God or Spirit or higher power or whatever label you're comfortable with) is just as willing to assist you and meet your expectations as you are willing to express them.  Again, you have to SAY.  The caveat - no frivolity or wavering here - mean what you say and what you expect and back it up with your actions.

There are other things running as an undercurrent in my head that I also know for sure, but these are the ones close enough to the surface to be able to articulate well enough to tap them out here...

There's probably more, but that's enough for now.  If any of this is helpful to you, then I'm glad, but - like I've said before - this blog is mostly for me to keep track of and improve my own life, so these are the things I needed to hear again today - glad I told myself!  If you've read this far, then take a minute or two (or an hour or two) to ponder what you know "for sure".  I'm certainly glad Oprah challenged me to do so (not personally, but in a general readership kind of way - still valuable...)!  Have a fantastic evening, and thanks for stopping by!

A-HA!!!

And so today's post is one of sharing an epiphany...  Remember my "Year of Intention" post?  And my post on "making it count"?  Yeah...can you say "failure to follow through"?  Understand - it's not from lack of desire or even effort, but there was something missing that kept me from realizing exactly what I needed to do.  Well, I found my answer in this article from Oprah's "Spirit" newsletter that I get in my email periodically.  I'm sharing it with you for two reasons: 1) I think that this is information that EVERYONE can benefit from and, 2) I may be MIA a little more frequently as a result of applying this new mindset/way of life.

I love that I have a handful of people who find my blog worthwhile enough to visit/subscribe to, and I don't want to drive you away or disappoint you, but I also don't want to spend my life spinning my wheels and never getting to what really matters most, ya know?  So this post is a warning of sorts that this blog will be changing a bit.  I will still post cards/mini albums/other projects and tutorials here, but I have no idea how often - could be several times a week, could be every other month - until I see where my new come-from takes me.  I also will, in all likelihood, be using this blog as a forum for sharing my discoveries on a spiritual/philosophical plane, so if that is going to bother you, be forewarned!

I have a couple of Easter ideas that I have already planned and need to execute tonight so they can go postal tomorrow, so know that those are coming, but after that I just don't know.  To more fully understand what I'm talking about, go read the article.  It's not very long, but I'm thinking it will be life-transforming!  Further bulletins as events warrant... 

Thankful for Odd Brain

This is my second post today.  The fun, creative one you'll need to scroll down for - this one is because I need to get this "out there" while I'm thinking about it...

I know I kind of poke fun at myself about how oddly my brain works, but as I was going about the business of the day, I was doing my usual "mulling things over" that I do when I don't really have to focus on the task at hand, and realized a few things:

I've come to the conclusion that how I personally remember anything is not random, as it appears at first glance.  I have to have an emotional attachment to information in order for my brain to store it in any accessible area.  I'll refine that even a little farther and say that it has to be a positive emotional attachment!  For whatever reason, if something strikes me as quirky or amusing or elicits a sentimental or affectionate response, then I can hang onto that.

If my response is negative - anger, sorrow, whatever - then I remember it only for a very short time, if at all.  Even the absolute worst things that have happened to me ever, ever in my life are only vague recollections, and I generally remember it without any emotional response in the remembering - just kind of a "Wow, that sucked, didn't it?" type of thing...  What a blessing!

The downside of this peculiarity of mine is that I sort of feel like an aloof observer in my own life sometimes.  I truly enjoy my siblings, my children, my grandchildren, my husband, etc., etc., and love them all dearly, but I don't have that "I'll die if anything happens to them" passion thing that you hear about/see in the movies.

Maybe part of that, too, is my belief in the why we're here/what comes next deal.  I truly believe that this "mortal existence" or experience being "human" or whatever is just a stage of progression in the big scheme of things, and therefore temporary.  My personal belief is that we always were and always will be, in some form or another.  I don't know (nor do I care) what the other forms could possibly be, but I refuse to accept that this is all there is...

So, there's my little philosophical discussion for the day!  Now I can move ahead with what I'm supposed to be doing, without worrying that I'll lose the train of thought before it reaches its destination - thanks for coming along for the ride!

Things That Make You Go "Hmmm..."

Today's post has no artwork, no brilliant ideas, no tricks or tips or techniques...  Instead, I'm throwing a "something to ponder" out there.  The Thing To Ponder is this:  what is going on in the creative community and, more specifically, the creative blogging community?  It seems to be polarizing - some of the blogs have upped the creativity/ingenuity to an amazing level, while many seem to be stuck in some kind of rut and/or just getting boring...  I have to think I'm in the latter category because of several things:  1) my energy level and mojo level have been low of late, largely due to stressors from work and family (I know I've whined enough about things here on this blog to make you cringe), 2) I've had several people unsubscribe from my blog this week, 3) I'm not all that thrilled with some of the stuff I'm putting on here, and feel generally uninspired - like there's something else I'm supposed to be doing but haven't nailed it down yet.

Understand - I don't take it personally when anyone unsubscribes.  It's a bit disheartening because there's a bit of a sense of failure - or at least of having let someone down, but I started this blog with a whole different intent in mind and it evolved into a "creative sharing" spot, and I've continued it mostly as a way to keep myself motivated and involved.  If someone likes it well enough to subscribe then yippee, but if they opt out that's okay, too.  And - like I said - some of the blogs I subscribe to are rapidly approaching un-subscription status, as well...

Which brings me back to the pondering part:  are we generally hitting burnout (except the rare few who seem to be burning brighter)?  Is there something else going on?  Is there just TOO MUCH for it to not start looking all the same?  Are we on the cusp of some new wonderful revelation in the stamping/crafting world?  I have ZERO answers, but I'm wondering if taking a break from blogging entirely might be smart, just to recharge the batteries and come back with a fresh perspective.  Or maybe go back to my original intent with this blog (which was pretty much just tapping out my ponderings - if you read the first few posts in the archives, you'll see what I mean).  I don't know...  I'm certainly open to any and all suggestions/feedback/answers any of you out there in blogland care to send my way.  Meanwhile, have a blessed Sabbath, a great week, and we'll see what tomorrow brings!

A Sweet Memory

As I mentioned in my previous post, I was hoping to catch up with some of the Splitcoast challenges today.  As usually happens, though, the one card I made went through such an evolutionary process that I only did the one.  What a sweet experience, though!

The challenge was to make a card inspired by one of our memories, or an item that brought back a memory.  I present this:

 

That humble, worn shaker on the right is the beginning of my love affair with the color red.  It represents everything "virtuous, lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy" - most notably HOME in the truest and best sense of that word!

Alice Jean Shumway raised womanhood in general - and motherhood in particular - to a high art.  She could have been anything, and done anything, as she was an incredibly intelligent, creative, accomplished woman.  However, she always considered "Mother" to be her truest and highest calling, and executed it with the excellence and love that she always put into everything she did.  She taught us a love of reading and learning, encouraged us to be creative and resourceful, fostered self-esteem and respect for others, sang us lullabies and played the piano and allowed us to blast our chosen music at full volume and a million, billion other amazing, wonderful things!

That little shaker was one of the most often-used items in her kitchen.  It always had cinnamon and sugar in it - for toast and for the little leftover bits of pastry when she baked pies.  Just looking at or holding this shaker gets me all misty-eyed and lumpy-throated and nostalgic - it represents comfort for the body and the soul, and makes me realize all over again how truly blessed I was to have been born to the amazing parents I was fortunate enough to call "Mom" and "Dad".

If any of my children or friends or anyone I've ever encountered feels even a bizillionth the affection for me that I feel towards my parents, I will have lived a life worth living, after all...

Make It Count

Good Morning, All!  I stayed up way too late last night (again) trying to make a card for the sketch challenge on Splitcoast, but I was too tired and kept making mistakes, so - with a better idea of exactly what I needed to do - I went to bed and started fresh this morning.  Here's the card:

I used Close To My Heart "Creative Basics Silhouette" papers, and their "Make It Count" stamps, as well as Stampin'Up! More Mustard cardstock and ink (for distressing).  The clock face and sentiment are stamped (and embossed) on parchment cardstock that I have had in my stash for years.  Some of the tweaks from last night's attempt are the way I did the ribbon (it looked too plain, but when I added hardware, etc., it looked too fussy) and the photo corner.  I was having a hard time coming up with a way to balance the visual weight, since the lower left corner was so heavy, and the piercing I tried didn't show at all with this paper, the brads weren't doing it for me, etc., etc.  The mitered corner was this morning's "fresh eyes" solution.

WARNING:  I am about to wax philosophical, so if you only visit my blog for the creative sharing,stop reading now!  Also, my ideas are just that - mine - and I do not expect you to necessarily agree with them, so feel free not to, if you choose.  I just throw my musings out there to jump-start yours...

I am a firm believer in the idea (I was going to say "fact", but just because it's true for me doesn't mean it's true for you, so let's go with "idea" so we can stay friends...) that we are able to receive information from some pretty unexpected sources, and that we will continue to get the same information - or lesson - until we GET it!  Coincidence is not a concept I find valid, although serendipity and synchronicity are absolutes in "Sue-land".  The circumstances of our lives are to teach us, and it's up to us to pay attention and be aware and come to conclusions about the information we receive.

I have a book I've referred to previously here - Animal Speak, by Ted Andrews - that covers the ways we receive information from animals (including birds and insects).  I've long held the belief that answers to prayer most often come through another person in our path - sometimes a friend or family member, sometimes a stranger.  Even just the "dailiness" of our lives and how that goes are clues to what we need to be paying attention to. 

Case in point:  I've made no bones about the fact that my "job satisfaction" of late has been lacking.  Things about my job that used to be simple no-brainers have become complicated and difficult.  Family circumstances have shifted to the point where I see drastic changes coming soon.  All of the animals and insects in my space lately have called attention to the fact that a change in direction is in the offing.  Dreams - the ones that I can recall - indicate the same thing.  Little blips I read here and there reinforce the message:  My horoscope a few days ago recommended that I let go of my fear and nothing would stop me (no, I don't live my life by my horoscope, but it's still information that can feed into the overall pattern - I don't want to miss clues, ya know?)  The title of an article in a magazine about some celebrity or other (Kevin Costner, maybe?) had to do with not letting fear hold you back, too.  I also have recognized - and lamented - that my "Year of Intention" unintentionally got seriously derailed!

Even the stamps I chose to use for this card are "random on purpose"!  I was mulling this over as I was assembling the card...  Yesterday I was reading a quote from Oprah's "Mission Calendar Inspiration" (I get them daily in my email), and it was this from Annie Dillard:  "How we spend our days is of course how we spend our lives."  A-HA!!!  I am one of those who truly believe that we should spend our days doing what we are passionate about, and that success (however we choose to define it) will follow.  I am also one of those hypocrites that knows better, but doesn't do what they know.  Obviously, I need to change that!  I even know what it is I want to do (which is quite a feat in and of itself, since it only took me 52 years to figure out...!)

So my challenge to myself - and to you, too! - is to pay attention to the information and MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES, letting go of fear.  It is important to recognize that when we fear we have no room for faith, and when we have perfect faith, there is no room for fear.  Understand that this is not just a "religious" concept - this is a LIFE concept!  Universal truth is true regardless of religious orientation or lack thereof.

And that's the end of my musings and I'll get off my soapbox now and go DO something!!! Thanks for stopping by and have just the most amazing day you possibly can!  Later!