Homegrown Hospitality

Unique Contribution

Today I am sharing a new doodle with you that I am sending to all of the Scrapbook LIFE Journal 2012 class participants. It was inspired by a sentence in the book, "The Gifts of Imperfection" by Brene Brown. This month we are focussing and learning about Talents, Abilities and Creativity and here is my shameless plug..."read more about the class here"

Something that I think we all forget and need reminding of  is that we were each individually handmade which means we are unique...

and when we use our "unique" as a tool to better this place...it makes a difference. 

Scrapbook LIFE Journal Class

Two weeks ago, I kicked off a new year by opening a brand new year long ONLINE CLASS that is making me feel faith, is challenging my wonder, making me smile, pushing me to work, think and research more, is causing some to struggle..in a positive way, is making me appreciate and LOVE what I am blessed to do for a "living" more than I had ever thought...and is making, well, helping me with creative decisions that I have been arm wrestling with for awhile.

 I often refer to these things as "Forks in my Road"..or if you are in PA, it may be a slow "White Topper" that is causing you to slow down a bit and "think" 

anyways....

The new "Scrapbook LIFE Journal" class was developed based on a need and is being completely embraced by those who are knee deep into the course..all over the world and based on the fact that class participants are all coming together, helping, support and encouraging one another...

I extended the registration until January 31st and I would love for you to join us! 

Here is a link to the post that outlines the basics of the class and there is a registration link at the end!  "God & A List" 

14 days left..

14 days until December 31st..the last day to register for

*Scrapbook*Life*Journal 2012*

an entire 12 month online "follow along" class about how to incorporate scrapbooking everyday life, journaling, faith, accountability, authenticity and doodling together in a smaller format binder. 

The class, the concepts and the contents are not overwhelming, not complicated and in the end, will be rewarding in so many ways! This class is being developed based on necessity, at least for me, to keep up with what I love to do...create....and who I love to do it for..God, my family, my friends...and myself!

The first first six months are based on:

January - Being Honest with Yourself        

February - Surrendering Your Heart

March - Owning your Talent    

April - Random Acts of Art

May - Life IS Beautiful

June - Surrounding Yourself with Friends     

The class includes:

• a weekly journal prompt posted to the closed FB page
• a monthly PDF printable calendar
• a monthly PDF printable doodle to color and embellish to add to your own journal based on that months theme
• a PDF of journal prompts, quotes and verses based on the monthly subject & techniques.

To read more about this class, check out this post and this post or if you are all ready to sign up, just click here! 

Title

I wrote in the word title as the "title" because I could not think of a title. (talk about wordy!) You can read the post and send me an email on whatever you think the title should be called.

So..anyways...

I am so sorry that I do not have any cute Christmas ideas for you today, nor any words of creative wisdom because I have poured myself 110% into writing and creating for the new 2012 class.

I cannot seem to stop thinking,writing, typing or doodling and my sleeping habits have definatly taken a hit and really, I need to take a break, because at this moment, as I type, I feel like my eyeballs are going to fall out of my head and when they hit the floor, they are going to break...damn wind. (sorry for the language)

Now, I do not want to "boast or brag" about the class, but I do want to promote it because the content was not created by me, but by God...and it is good, the class, I mean...well, and duh..God is Good. He is ALWAYS good...even when you think He's not...

He is.

Wordy (not Him..me.)

anyways...here is the banner for the January classroom

and here is a doodle I just did as I was trying to figure out what the heck I was going to blog about this morning and as I read it, the end seems to go along with my point for the day... (I like how God always plays connect-the-dots with me!)

We all need a little more "honesty" & "admitting" in our lives so that we can move ahead ( reminds me of the Devo song)...and ya know, yes, we all need to admit things so that we can move forward BUT (always a big butt)...it, the "admission" does not always need to be a "negative".  Sometimes, I think people associate the thought "Be Honest with Yourself" with the idea that you need to "fess up" something that is negative....

um, no...not true.

I am going to stop now....I think you get the point...plus I need to get back to my writing...it is a 12 month class..and it is good.. for me and for you.  Like a vitamin! 

and hey, sorry if you sing the Devo song all day..I already am!

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!!!!

God..and a List.

WARNING: it is a REALLY long one...but try to read through..I think it is kinda worth reading...and there is a BRAND NEW CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT at the end!

In the past years and in the recent days, I have received comments, questions and emails from you about how "impressed you are" on how I "get things done"

Truth is...I don't always get my "creative things" done..or, shoot, my "physical" things done...or the house cleaning done..or, for the love of Pete, the laundry done...BUT (and yes, she is a big butt!) for the past 11 months I have been aggressively "Cultivating" just about every aspect of my life...for the better (at least, I hope!).  "CULTIVATE" is the word I chose for 2011 and I have been running that poor little nine lettered word through the ringer!

http://homegrownhospitality.typepad.com/homegrown_hospitality/2011/01/happy-new-years-daydoodle.html

http://homegrownhospitality.typepad.com/homegrown_hospitality/2011/01/cultivating-change-creativity.html

http://homegrownhospitality.typepad.com/homegrown_hospitality/2011/01/closed-for-restoration.html

http://homegrownhospitality.typepad.com/homegrown_hospitality/2011/01/cultivatingcreativity.html

http://homegrownhospitality.typepad.com/homegrown_hospitality/2011/01/cultivating-my-faith.html

I have been cultivating my faith, our home, my family and my art.  I have lost focus way too many times, fought anxiety and doubt more than I prefer to admit (although I just did!), experienced one too many "forks in the road" and, at the same time, seen the road as clear as a bell and felt just as confused and lost...all while keeping my center.

That, my friends...is my FAITH in action.

whew...BUT (damn big butt, sorry for the language!) I have felt motion sickness along the whole entire way. You see, I have always, no, make that "had" (because I am REALLy trying hard to work on this)1001 projects going at the same time. 

In the past few years, I have tried so so hard to change, modify, tweak...whatever it is...the way I work, but the fact is, that IS the way I work, when it comes to "art".  I think back to my high school days in Mr. Friedrich's class and I was the same way.  I think back to when I "tried" to be a college student in art class, and again, I was the same way...so for the past year, and more recently in the past few months, I have been a complete "Whirling Dervish" when it comes to creativeness while trying to stay grounded, focussed and the new truth is..

It is starting to change. (insert marching band music, fireworks, floats..)

Two of the best tools that I can suggest, that have proven to work for me is: God and a List. 

It is really that simple.

I have come to finally recognize after being told, having read, even hearing it over and over, that I, no, WE, can not do things on our own. 

duh.

We think we can "try" but the facts are the facts, so again, what is working for me is God..and a List.  Each of my days start with a little quiet time (besides the snoring dog) coffee with Hazelnut creamer and creating a list of the days "to-do's" thoughts, a doodle or two and a verse and/or quote....

and then,

light a bolt of lightning (even though it was 84 degrees) it all came to me yesterday as I "checked off" one of the entries on my days list.

Now, here is my list for today:

After you are finished squinting, trying to read what is on my lists, go back and take a look at the first picture and read what is listed first:

•         "Create a mini book from the "pile"

Now go back and take a look at the second photo, and right there, to the left and above my list is what I accomplished and why there is a check mark on photo one. Yesterday, I was on task, calm and completely 100% creatively focused.  I was not sure exactly what I was creating. but knew that I was creating in the right direction.

That again...I am proud to say..

is FAITH in action. (go ahead, you can clap!)

Note: the "pile" WAS (keyword) a HUGE avalanching pile of 12x12 papers that I have been HOARDING for way too long because I was going to, "ut um"...use them one day. Yesterday WAS that day.  It took up a majority of the day, but I used it all...and there was A LOT!!!!

whoot..whoot!

I created an entire 7" x 9.5" binder book that I am now writing an entire 12 month BASIC, EASY NO STRESS "follow along" class about the whole enchilada..  It includes what I have learned in the past year...what I have been working on, striving for and cultivating.  Like I said, I am in the middle of writing the class curriculum so it is going to be a week or two before any more details will be available, but  I can tell you that the first six months is based on:

January - Being Honest with Yourself        

February - Surrendering Your Heart

March - Owning your Talent    

April - Random Acts of Art

May - Life IS Beautiful

June - Surrounding Yourself with Friends            

The "Part One..the first six months of 2012"online class will include a weekly journal prompt posted to the closed FB page, a monthly PDF printable calendar, a monthly PDF printable doodle to color an embellish to add to your own journal based on that months theme, a PDF of journal prompts, quotes and verses based on the monthly subject,  techniques...

One of the best parts about this class is that you can do it with the avalancing pile of paper you already have...at home, in your jammies...whenever you want, wherever you are. The supplies are basic...a small binder, page protectors that fit into the binder and your basic "scrapbooking" supplies..well and your avalanche of paper.

OH..and..just in time to put on your "Christmas List" (Download Momswishlist).....The other best part about the class is the way you can purchase it:

The First Six Months for....$32.00 

or

All Twelve Months for...$40.24  

It is AMAZING what happens when a "whirling dervish" slows down...she..no, me (and probably you, too!) can focus.

More to come...and it is gonna be wonderful!!!

PLEASE NOTE: Nothing will be physically shipped to you for this class but it is IMPERATIVE that the correct EMAIL address is provided on your order to receive all class materials.  Facebook is NOT required for this class. All prompts will be posted to group and emailed weekly.