Homegrown Hospitality

The "P" Word

One of my things, you know, the "P" word (PURPOSE) is to "inspire" others.

BUT but the other "P" word is PINTEREST and the inspiration that comes from that PLACE is something I can not describe.

Actually, I can use the word "Over-Stimulated" to describe myself when I am on the PINTEREST site, which usually results in  falling off my axis, losing all focus and ending up a bigger Whirling Dervish than I already am...

anyways, in my quest to only visit PINTEREST in 15 minute increments (75 times a day!, just kidding) I came across these which I instantly wanted to make, like right then because I knew I had loads of the PERFECT fabric from the napkins I made almost five years ago (can you believe it has been five years, eeek!!!) ..

anyways.....
in my PURSUIT of PRACTICING all kinds of things this year, I waited...until yesterday, which really was only two days since the day I saw them, but, I did not POUNCE on them as if I was Tigger. 

 to be continued....

40 Days...

added this morning..for you to follow me along in... right..up.. there...in the corner, or you can click here, too http://homegrownhospitality.typepad.com/photos/40_days_in_the_word/index.html 

www.40DITW.com

 

Practicing:Patience

by letting the decoupage dry and then letting the paint dry and then letting the puffy paint dry...

so that I can go onto creating the next page and the next page and the next page until it gets filled up and will burst at the seams with happy...

Today, practice patience so that you can burst open with happy.

All of the Above

WARNING: A LONG ONE...Grab some coffee, tea...or drink of choice.

We all have a specific "purpose" and several years ago, when I not only "heard" that, but took it SERIOUSLY did I "get it" (no, not "my purpose" but the entire scope of what it means)  

I was EXCITED to know WHAT my purpose was, because I never really "knew" what I wanted to "be" when I grew up besides a wife, a mom and a PTA member (hold your comments !!!!).

Insert screeching breaks....

Ummm...It is not like you stand in line, wait your turn and then be handed a slip of paper that tells you what your Purpose is and, "Duh"...it's not really what "we want to be"... (I thought I had to figure it out...)

 

NOPE.

Our individual purpose is "what we were created to be" and up until a handful of years ago, did I REALLY get it...and I had to "grow through" what I had to go through* to understand it all and now I get it. I mean, I got it...

My Purpose, that is...

and here is the thing, everyone else around you may be able to "see" it and "know it" and even tell you what "it", your purpose is, but until you REALLY get it, you don't...

Oh, I hope I have not lost you because here it is:

I am starting to feel, think and see things differently than I really ever have before and with that, I have to say...

It's not about scrapbooking...(duh)

or doodling.. (eek!)

or making things from paper..(drat!)

or baking things from dough and batter..(whatttt????)

or stitching things from felt...(gulp!)

or painting, stamping or really anything thing else....It, MY PURPOSE is about inspiring, influencing, teaching, reminding and loving all of the above and creating a community around it.

Insert falling confetti, letting colorful balloons fly, blowing party horns, clicking heels like a leprechaun, lighting fireworks..

It only took 42.75 years to figure it out..now I have 42.75 years, give or take, to work it. 

 

Thank YOU for being part of my PURPOSE!

amen.

Practice:Process

It is Saturday, January 21..5:15am...it is raining, it is quiet...everyone is asleep (even coco) and I am working, thinking, listening, doodling, reading, absorbing and something just clicked...a big click....I want to shout..LOUD...but I can't...because it is 5:15 and it would mess up my quiet and for sure wake up the dog, and then he would whine for a bone, and then it would just go a tad downhill from there...so for now... lucky you..you get my silent shout!

Fastfoward...7:30 am

Dog is awake...so is the Valentine..still raining, coffee pot empty...still raining...thoughts down...dreams spoken...doodle doodled and just so you know....I am getting it..seeing more of the big picture

and along with that...YOU are a HUGE part of my process...

So thank you! 

Practice Journal 2012

It has been awhile since I have gotten really creative and super messy with paper, ink & paint so with a open weekend coming up that is supposed to be FULL of RAIN, I am preparing to start the beginnning of incorporating my 2012 word PRACTICE

with several techniques that I love, to create a new art journal.   

As I have become more intentonal with the things I do, the process of creating this journal is going to include me practicing the following ideas, purposes, feelings and emotions:

P - purpose;process;practice

R - relax;relish;remember

A - adventure;artful

C - challenge;commit;cultivate;create

T - transformation;time;together

I - improve;imagine;inspire

C - choices;changes;color

E - embrace;emerge;enjoy

I hope that this idea sparks something inside you to practice something today.

Practice:Finishing

Today I have made a list, set a goal and have a plan to get it all done! 

I am going to PRACTICE stitching this

with these

while PRACTICING my laundry skills by folding these

and FINISH the day by having it all done and put away!

Practice:Stitching

in honor of my 2012 word "PRACTICE"..I have been practicing my stitching and not only practiced "French Knots" yesterday..I finished my first "Doodle-Gone-Stitched-Scrapple-Stitchery"

 What once upon a time was a doodle...

became an embroidery pattern on muslin

and then a work in progress

and now done!

Yippeee..and now what do I do with it..not sure yet...but I will figure something out (I have a couple ideas!)

Right now I just like to glance at it about 150 times a day! 

Trim a Tree..

We are not doing a card this year,

boo, us.

But, if it counts,

I had intended to,

because I doodled a tree...

so, should you feel inspired, YOU can print out this download Download Christmastree2011

trim a tree,

frame it,

or make a card, 

or some tags...

or all three!

Yea, me!

Happy Happy Merry Merry!

uhhhhgggghhh..another class?

I know that there are 1001 on-line classes these days, many of which I have taken, a few that I wish that I had the money to take..and even one or two that I signed up for and never did the project. (I have a hunch that you may know what I am talking about.) So, as I started to post yesterday and continued to write about this new 2012 year long "follow along" class, I wanted to take a tiny bit of time to address the thoughts that you may have and based on a comment I got:

"Love it!!! I wonder if you have any tips for when I have the project staring at me, but feel so overwhelmed...that I spin in place and get nothing accomplished. I know if I just gave it 15 minutes, I would feel good, but instead I just end up having a pity party"

•  "Another class????"
•  "If I sign up for one more thing I am going to crack!"
• " I dont not have time for a scrapbook..journal...whatever it is...class"

Guess what???...This is EXACTLY WHY I am doing this class....EXACTLY WHY...because I am the same exact way. I might crack, I do not have another minute and I have too much laundry to do...

AND THIS IS WHY I AM WRITING, TEACHING AND WALKING ALONG SIDE YOU IN THIS CLASS....

WE NEED IT.

As I started to thin out the ol' shead-teau, re-read some of the books I have been reading the past year, took a closer look at my random notes, doodles and "wannabe" journal entries, I realized that I could combine everything into one small place, where I was able to go to each day, once a week, once every month...or several times a day if I wanted and scrapbook...journal and..or...doodle.

Yeah!

This is where I sit each day to blog, doodle, wander through Pinterest, read blogs, stare into the screen...and just to the left, is what I am going to use, teach, inspire, and scrapbook*journal*doodle with you:

 
Refer to the photo:

1. My small binder ready for the year.
2. My 12x12 plastic tote box thing with EVERYTHING but a little paint, modpodge and stamps that I will use along the way.
3. Books that I want to quote, refer to and tear pages from

That's all we are going to use...with the exception of the occasional tool, paint brush, marker....Here is a better look to calm your thoughts: 

Another thing about my process that I recognized, realized and arm wrestled with this past year is the fact that I can NOT create something to teach you that does not have a purpose. (Don't roll your eyes...stick with me).

Example: I LOVE love love to make things...duh....and particularly, Mini Books.  I can make a mini-book with a pile of newspapers and twine if you wanted me to....I am pretty sure if I was on Survivor and I had to make a mini book from the things I only had on the island to get off the island, I could....anyways, what I am saying is I love to make them and could teach them to you until I was blue in the face..but then what do you do with them?

It should not matter to me, what you do with them..but it does matter to me because YOU matter to me and, well... because I have THREE large plastic totes in the ol' shead teau FULL of mini books....and I am thinking you might too. One can only have soo many mini books...I think.

Okay, so after all of that..sorry...all I really wanted to tell you is that this is going to be a

• Follow along side you class
• Get things accomplished class
• Develop a habit of journal/list making class

Yikes..sorry to overwhelm you...go about your business and have a happy Monday!!!!