Homegrown Hospitality

Do Something - July 2012

Dang July went fast....pretty sure that I was reminding you that once 4th of July passes..it is all down hill till Christmas...

see, I was not making that up.

It happens every year.

Anyways, if I were a scrap booker, maybe an active participant of Project-Life 2012 (I do have all of the stuff..) or had Insta-Gram (which Jack referred to last night as the "world's greatest invention") then this would you might have seen:

starting at the top and moving left to right:

• Working out at Athlete's Choice several days a week..more than I ever have in my life (both working out and sweating..thanks Maria!) http://www.athleteschoicersm.com/
• Still displaying the biggest American Flag (probably designed for a building) that you can on a little house
• Enjoying the renewed relationship with being creative everyday, thanks Tim! http://timholtz.com/
• Documenting big things in the smallest ways
• Children being water ambushed by big mean neighbors...(just kidding, they are small..and bald..the neighbors..not the kids. Was that nice of me to say?)
• Finding heart rocks
• Rollerblading (kids, NOT me!) running, walking and riding around the lake
• Baking for a cause http://www.cookiesforkidscancer.org/
• Chicken fights & bbqing chicken..alot
• Blazing trails with Regina & Amy...and Ben, too!http://www.ocparks.com/whitingranch/
• Sailing the Maui sea and tanning feet at the same time http://www.teralani.net/
• Spreading the word http://www.jessie.org/
• Joining forces with the wives http://www.racerxonline.com/2012/07/27/racer-x-films-surfercross-day-1
• Selling cookies for the cause....http://www.cookiesforkidscancer.org/
• Watching Plumerias bloom in the backyard, wishing we were back on vacation
• Watering and wondering if the pam tree is going to get attacked by the giant zucchini plant
• Loving him and wishing he would stop playing car salesman..no, I mean car buyer.
• Finding more heart rocks
• Trying to convince boys not to throw signs in EVERY picture
• Riding bikes
• Sailing the high seas of Lake Mission Viejo
• Reading & studying http://www.onlyyoucanbeyou.com/
• Buying socks for the cause http://www.jessie.org/joyjars/
• Becoming more civilized campers...bye bye tent
• Sticking to a schedule

Today...or maybe tomorrow, bake some and share some...Click HERE for the recipe.

here is the recipe for these.

Use 'Em

When I am tired, I become unsettled and when I am unsettled, I start wondering..questioning..doubting...

gulp.

"Am I doing what I am supposed to be doing??"

"Am I doing enough??"

"Am I doing too much??"

Late yesterday afternoon, I started wandering around, not wanting to do anything specific and knew that I just needed to relax.  

Easier said than done. 

How does one "just relax" when there is so much world noise going on, even when it is super quiet?  

and then, last night, I remembered....

I doodle.

duh.

so I wrote out this phrase:

"Only I can be me and you can be you, so let's work together and see what we can do.."

and then I started coloring...and that is exactly what I did last night...

I colored.

Just me, the couch and my markers...for a few hours...and I colored myself down off that wall of wonder.

This morning, that wonder, questioning and doubt was lifted by a single email that reminded me of what I already know...and I picked up my little Moleskin and added a new page.

and this is me reminding you of something you probably already know...

Use 'em.

Your gifts, your talents, your abilities...

Use' em to make a difference.

Happy Sunday

I sent out a newsletter this morning just recapping the changes here on my blog and thought that in case you do not get the newsletter I would

1. Remind you of the changes
2. Encourage you to sign up for the newsletter

Art For Sale                          As you know, I love to make things and because of that love, I seem to accumulate piles and piles of projects that I feature on the blog.   I have decided to start selling my original pieces to you with 10% of the sell price going towards little socks for Joy Jars/The Jessie Rees Foundation.  For more info on this, please visit here All of the projects that I create are part of what I call my HEart collection. HE is GOD and art is what I believe part of my purpose is, which spells HEart.  Each piece is inspired by my love for God, from the books that I love and the life that I live.   You can find the Art For Sale button on the upper right hand sidebar of the Homegrown Hospitality Blog at www.homegrownhospitality.typepad.com Click Here for the direct link to the Art For Sale. Creative Classes I am currently teaching an online Doodle class over at Scrapbook News and Review.  This is an updated Doodle class based on my 2010-2011 Doodle 101 class.  It is a self-paced class which means you can log on at anytime and work as you wish!  Please visit here to read more about class and register I will also being teaching classes in-store and as dates are scheduled, they will be listed.  If you have a store and would like to schedule a workshop, please email me at [email protected] This button is located right under the Art For Sale button on the side bar.  Here is the direct link : http://homegrownhospitality.typepad.com/homegrown_hospitality/online-in-store-class-information.html Create@Home  Home is best and we have lots of supplies, stash and things we can create with right at home.  While I am teaching and selling my work, I also want to share my love for making things by inspiring and reminding you to take a closer look at what you have and then create something with it! Click on the Create@Home button and take a look at how I create with lengthy tutorials and lots of photos!     The first project is already up and more will be added soon!

I also want to thank those of you who have made purchases this morning since sending out the newsletter...I am going to go shopping for little socks for Joy Jars this week!  Thank you again, so much!

Enjoy today!

Our Creative Best

Whether it is being creative with paper, paint, wood, computers, spreadsheets, organization, food,etc. we are all creative in one way or another and it is our responsibility to do our best at what we were created to do.  In "Only You Can Be You" page 102 there is a great verse that reminds us of this fact.

"Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life" Gal 6:5

I really love this verse so I painted it on a canvas over layers and layers of paper, paint, texture and more paint...well and added a heart, of course!

It is part of my "HEart" Collection because HE is the reason for my ART and this piece is for sale.  I have decided that as I create, share and sell my art, 10% of the sale price will go towards the purchase of socks for Joy Jars.

Canvas Details:

• 8 x 10 flatback canvas suitable for framing (Frame Not Included)
• Created using acrylic paint, distress ink pens, watercolors & ink
• Heavily textured 

Price $37.00 plus $5.00 shipping.

SOLD...thank you Linda!

More coming soon...

Do Something

Last night was the final night of the summer study "Only You Can Be You" and I felt a little sad at the end when Erik said "good night" because it was "over" when it dawned on me that it is only the beginning.

The beginning of being fully surrendered and of "Me being Me" so the reminders, art and thoughts about "You Being You" will continue on.

Here is a GREAT reminder and hopefully inspiration for you to do something today...

"Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility" Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Only You Can Be You by Erik Rees, page 166)

A Follow Up

After posting yesterday and in-between trips to the skate shop, the skate park, Sonic and then back to the skate park, I created this canvas based on the thoughts and notes I have been taking from the book "Only You Can Be You"

I am working on some sort of tutorial for this and will post it as soon as I am done!

Enjoy the journey....

Ask & Listen

Good Morning...here is another great excerpt from the book "Only You Can Be You" 

I know so many women right now, including myself, that are in that "Am I doing what I am supposed to be doing" stage of life.  We spend more time questioning ourselves instead of questioning the one who designed us...

duh.

For me, the thing I most often forget is to ask HIM and then listen...actually, I do ask (once in awhile) and then try to figure the answer out myself.

duh, again. (Insert throwing myself under the dang bus again..)

IT DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY. We need to ask HIM...and as it reads in "OYCBY" (on page 94 if you have the book)

Now, based on that phrase, I am going to go create something....be back later! 

Creative Best

8 days with no ink, paper, adhesive, paint, chipboard or anything else besides a little bag of markers (I had to!) and a stack of books is good for the heart, soul and the mind.  Don't get me wrong, it was HARD for me to just stop and leave it all behind because I have been on a real creative roll, but like I have mentioned before, there comes a point when I have to STOP because if I don't, I am out of focus, off center and I malfunction.

Now you might be thinking "Oh, sure...we can not all take 8 days on an island.. " but the fact is, I have to do it EVERYDAY so that I can stay centered, focused and at my creative best.

....so do you.

It is our responsibility, like the verse says above. (If you have the book "Only You Can Be You", turn to page 102) 

Now speaking of creative best, I have been working and teasing you on the projects that I have been working on for last weeks CHA show in Chicago and now that I am home and the show is over, I can finally share with you EVERYTHING...yay..but a little at a time.

First is a canvas I did for the Tim Holtz booth using several of the new Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz stamps.

I started with a blank 8 x 10 canvas and stamped the entire background with a stamp and black archival ink. I overlapped here and there and it is okay....The one thing that you are going to learn about my stamping skills is that I have none...which is perfect!

The I used a border stamp (one of my favorite sets!) and stamped the large scallop several times on on paper

and trimmed it out

I used another border stamp from the same set and stamped out several of the images on kraft paper 

and handcut letters to read "Create Soulful Art" (if you do not want to hand cut letters, just run the paper through your diecut system) then I arranged it all on the canvas BEFORE adhering it down.

After laying it all out, I stood back and knew it was missing something so I grabbed a piece of paper and tore out a big ol' red heart (duh!) distressed it a bit and adhered it to the center using my new most favorite glue-sealer ever...Glue-n-Seal Then I glued down my words and finished up by adding a little shading and shadowing using my black TM Distress Ink pen...

Today, take some time to STOP, rest, refocus and do your creative best...it's our responsibility.

 

InLinkz.com

Maui was PERFECT...

but Home is BEST.

We sailed...

and snorkled

absorbed all of the beautiful tropical colors..

soaked in the beauty around us..
and sat..and sat..and sat...

without a phone ringing, a dryer drying, a dishwasher washing, a drop off or a pick up.  Just sun, sand, surf, more sun, a few tropical drinks, some new friends, and more sun.

Okay, well one of us did not sit much...I mean, what else are you supposed to do while waiting for a table at the Hula Grill, duh!

So sad to leave but so happy to be home sweet home.

More to come...

Up to Something & On the Road....

I have NOT been a good blogger this summer and I apologize, but while I have been working, living and doing new things, our garden is going crazy...

I have been working like one of Santa's elf's getting boxes packed and off to Chicago for CHA with things like this:

and this

and this...

but I will not be in Chicago because in just a few hours, along with this stuff

we will officially be on vacation, so that means that the blog is going to be quiet for a week....

While I am gone, please consider checking this stuff out:

• Courtney's new book is coming out in just a few weeks...and if you have not read the first one, A Sweethaven's Summer, um, you should...and it is only $.99 to download...
• There are NEW Brave Girl Camp dates up for this year and I am almost brave enough to decide on a date...yikes! oh, and Soul Restoration registration is open and class starts in a few week...and it is oh so good....
• My new doodle class is open and ready for you to get your doodle on.  You can read more about the class here and you can go over here to sign up and doodle!
• Speaking of doodles, here is a doodle that I just posted on Facebook and want to share here, because I know you go to Target...and Michael's...and there are LOTS of little toes that need warmth...and for a $1.00...shoot....

• To learn more about Joy Jars, go here
• To Learn more about The Jessie Rees Foundation, go here
• Become a FB Fan of the Jessie Rees Foundation 

okay my friends...This is farewell for a week

Aloha.