Five Ways to Live Your Dream

I have been going through magazines pulling out recipes, articles and such that I want to save. And I came across this...in Organic Style (which isn't in print anymore but has an online version but I just subscribed to it today.)

5 Ways to Live Your Dreams
1. Break the rules. Do what you want, if it harms no one.
2. Spend time alone, at home, in a restaurant, or across the globe and you'll hear your inner voice.
3. Follow your passion -- whatever it takes.
4. Stop worrying so much about what other people think. It's your life.
5. Get over your fear. Fear is normal, so embrace it, and then you'll get past it.

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. a nice Memorical day weekend with Michael
2. getting quite a lot accomplished this week
3. some pictures I ordered came in the mail - pictures of Michael and family and it is nice to look at them and think of good memories
4. the rain - although it is causing us to turn off our computers because of the thunder and lightening coming with it. I love the smell of the rain.
5. lemonade - always have it this time of the year and it just tastes so good.

I recognize that I have much more to be thankful for in my life.

Do Something...

Another daily note in my inbox:

Starting something, Darby, is the best way to finish something.

And just doing a teeny, tiny something, today, anything, from wherever you are, is the best way to start something.

I'm not just a client,
The Universe

ps: Today, Darby. Make a call, ask a question, search the web, buy a book, pound the pavement, measure, cut, paste, poke, and of course, give thanks in advance.

Birthday Wishes

I love you and hope you have a beautiful birthday celebrating YOU!

Doing Not Thinking Challenge

So my goals for this Doing Not Thinking Challenge goals are:
1. Work on art once a month (great if more but I want to at least try for once a month)
2. Create Soul Collage cards (like at least 3 done by the end of challenge)
3. Organizing and decluttering - which I have been working on already but want to continue with these areas
* storage
* Michael’s office
* bedroom closet
* front closet
4. Sew one thing. I haven't sewn in years and picked up a basic sewing book at the library and want to make it a goal just to sew one thing so that I don't keep putting it off.

Progress: I started on Michael's office a little bit. And we are looking at some optional storage solutions for is office too as he just doesn't have enough room. Although now with one computer blowing up he does have more room to utilize on his desk.

I am going to carve out some time to do art this weekend. I got some repurposed some furniture and really like how I have things organized so it should make creating easier.

Goals Completed: bedroom closet

All about the breakfast...

I get these daily notes in my inbox:

Dreams create their own pathways, if you don't try to force things.

Taking action summons miracles, whether you recognize them or not.

And, Darby, it's never too late in the day for breakfast.

Dream on, wild thing -
The Universe

ps: Maple syrup, please, Darby.

Memorial Day

With today being Memorial Day, it of course made me think of family and friends that have passed.

Today though I really thought of both my Grandpa's - my Mom's Dad and my Dad's Dad. Both of them passed away quite a long time ago but I miss them. I did think of good happy memories of my Grandpas. I thought of playing cards with my paternal Grandpa as a little girl. He taught me how to play many card games and it is something I enjoy to this day. I remember riding with my Grandpa to pick up my Grandma from work and sitting real close to him because I just always wanted to be near him as he was my hero. He brought me to get ice cream cones and always liked the same ice cream -- anything with nuts but usually butter pecan or black walnut. (photo of my Grandpa and I - 1968)











And I think of my maternal Grandpa working on the farm. I don't have as many memories of him because he died when I was fairly young - I think 6 years old. But I remember watching him work on the farm. I see him saying grace at the head of the table. And I remember the feel his overalls against my skin when he held me on his lap. He had that smell of farm...it was the smell of grass and earth. (photo of my Grandpa when he was in the Army)

So today I kept them in my thoughts as well as other family and friends. And remembered good memories associated with each of them.

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. laughing so hard that I woke Michael up. Stephanie Plum books give me many laughs.
2. S'MORES!
3. having a really good time with Michael's friend Lala. I haven't felt so comfortable with a friend in such a long time.
4. the unexpected joy that the movie Sex and the City gave me - tears and laughs - I forgot how much I enjoyed the series.
5. Michael's old t-shirts....I love wearing them. I wore one today and it smelled like him - his cologne. And it just made me feel nice. Silly little simple pleasure.

Beautiful People

The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.

- Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Doing Not Thinking Challenge

So my goals for this Doing Not Thinking Challenge goals are:
1. Work on art once a month (great if more but I want to at least try for once a month)
2. Create Soul Collage cards (like at least 3 done by the end of challenge)
3. Organizing and decluttering - which I have been working on already but want to continue with these areas
* storage
* Michael’s office
* bedroom closet
* front closet
4. Sew one thing. I haven't sewn in years and picked up a basic sewing book at the library and want to make it a goal just to sew one thing so that I don't keep putting it off.

Progress: Nothing accomplished on these goals.

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. a good friend that sent me a Princess package. So much fun to open and so very sweet of her!
2. wanting to walk back into the theater again and sit back down to watch Star Trek again. It ROCKED! Loved the cast they just did a fantastic job at the characters.
3. Michael still loving me though I can't do the Vulcan salute. Being a geek it was a real tragedy him finding out that I couldn't. :)
4. getting my name at dreamwidth.org. I have a unique name but it still is hard to find it available out here on the web.
5. my parents giving me that unique name. I have always loved it and thankful they named me Darby.
6. for spending a great afternoon with Michael at the Art & Jazz festival. Pretty much right away we bought something. A little metal sculptural wall piece to group with a few other pieces we have from local artists. (take pictures later)
7. going out of town to meet a new friend (new to me old to Michael) and getting together with family to celebrate a special occasion.

Art on the Corner

Every year in Grand Junction we have what is called the Art & Jazz Festival. Michael and I have gone most years - I think maybe missing one out of the 6 years we have been together. They close off Main Street and line it with art vendors and then have a stage where then there is of course the other half the name...Jazz. It has gotten smaller each year - or at least it feels like it has to us. But we still go and support Colorado artisans.

With the festival comes the changing out of Art on the Corner. Grand Junction's Main Street has sculptures up and down it which they call Art on the Corner. And many of the pieces get moved or taken out to get ready for new pieces that are basically unveiled at the Art & Jazz festival. It is one of many things that I love about Grand Junction - is the art that lines Main Street.

Here is a few new pieces for 2009...

Doing Not Thinking Challenge

So my goals for this Doing Not Thinking Challenge goals are:
1. Work on art once a month (great if more but I want to at least try for once a month)
2. Create Soul Collage cards (like at least 3 done by the end of challenge)
3. Organizing and decluttering - which I have been working on already but want to continue with these areas
* storage
* Michael’s office
* bedroom closet
* front closet
4. Sew one thing. I haven't sewn in years and picked up a basic sewing book at the library and want to make it a goal just to sew one thing so that I don't keep putting it off.

Progress: I got the bedroom closet organized and decluttered. I have a box started that will be going to goodwill after I am done going through the house. Nothing else accomplished on these goals.

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. Michael being home from Denver!
2. the presents he got me - toys! Stickers, coloring book and magnetic "paper" dolls! Sqeee! (All Disney Princess stuff - specifically Belle as she is my favorite! She loves books too!)
3. getting quite a bit accomplished this week - steam cleaning carpets, deep cleaning bedroom and bedroom closet reorganized
4. getting one of my Doing Not Thinking Challenge goals done. (Bedroom closet reorganized)
5. friends getting married - just perfectly for them! The bride was just beautiful in her ring of flowers in her hair and bouquet from her flower garden. I am so happy for them.
6. giant cinnamon rolls that are just so YUM! It was a nice treat tonight!

Doing Not Thinking Challenge

So my goals for this Doing Not Thinking Challenge are:
1. Work on art once a month (great if more but I want to at least try for once a month)
2. Create Soul Collage cards (like at least 3 done by the end of challenge)
3. Organizing and decluttering - which I have been working on already but want to continue with these areas
* storage
* Michael’s office
* bedroom closet
* front closet
4. Sew one thing. I haven't sewn in years and picked up a basic sewing book at the library and want to make it a goal just to sew one thing so that I don't keep putting it off.

Progress: Well I didn't really do anything on these goals. I have been organzing and decluttering but not the specific areas I put down as goals. I haven't done art yet but I do think I have my studio organize in a way that will be more productive - easier to find things and see things that inspire me. For the Soul Collage goal I did tear some images out of magazines that I think I want to use for some of them. For the sewing goal as I said I picked up the book. And I have read it so now just need to see if I have fabric to make something or start deciding what I want to make.

Gratitude Friday

1. for making really good progress on reorganizing.
2. for some good grocery store deals.
3. for finding a basic sewing book and excited about getting back to sewing some thing for the house.
4. for finding some good storage solutions for my studio
5. for being the first of the month. Every month on the first Michael wishes me happy anniversary - although the actual yearly anniversary is February 1st. But we try to celebrate the relationship every month as a reminder of how blessed we are to have each other.

Doing Not Thinking Challenge

I am doing the challenge through my other blog but since it is mostly artistic goals I will be posting the progress here too.

I did the challenge last time Kathie at Two Frog Home suggested it. And I really liked having the goals and seeing that I was actually doing instead of just thinking. One of my BIGGEST thinking but not doing issues is my art. I think about it ALL the time. I have written down a ton of things in my art journals that I want to create but I don't actually get around to creating. So this time around I decided to put that into my goals.

So my goals for this Doing Not Thinking Challenge are:
1. Work on art once a month (great if more but I want to at least try for once a month)
2. Create Soul Collage cards (like at least 3 done by the end of challenge)
3. Organizing and decluttering - which I have been working on already but want to continue with these areas
* storage
* Michael’s office
* bedroom closet
* front closet
4. Sew one thing. I haven't sewn in years and picked up a basic sewing book at the library and want to make it a goal just to sew one thing so that I don't keep putting it off.

Recent Reads

Checked out Big-Ass Book of Crafts by Mark Montano is a fun book! Lots of kitschy crafts. Switch plates, hanging lamps, punk plates, Japanese hand-mirrors, Warhol litho-pillow, ultra-suede covered containers, fabric covered hangers and so many more. It is a big ass book of crafts but lots of fun.





Another I am reading right now is Home Hints and Tips by Rosamund Richardson. It is very interesting but also making me a little batty. It is a guide to living in modern times naturally, safely, leaving less of a foot print on the planet and just over all more healthy. Talks about all the toxins in paints, wax on foods, plastics leaching and so on - so making me a little sick to my stomach when I think about it all. It has great tips and resources though.

I would like to have both on my bookshelf.

Friends

As I mentioned in my gratitude post yesterday I received some mail love this past week. I couldn't find the card online but it is similar and from the same series as this one.

It said on the front:

"Awake, my dear.
Be kind to your sleeping heart.
Take it out into the vast
field of light
And let it breathe."

Inside she just wrote a very touching message. I have been having lots of insomnia and her words were a comfort.

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful...
1. A lovely piece of mail love I received this week from a dear friend.
2. For getting some yardwork done and the shed painted - 2 tasks I am not especially fond of with my allergies.
3. For cookies I baked this week coming out PERFECT - which is at times a challenge in high altitude.
4. For being able to wear a spring top I bought on clearance this winter
5. For the wonderful day I spent with Michael. I had one of those moments that got me choked up and teary because I am so blessed to have him in my life.

I recognize that I have much more to be thankful for in my life.