New Goals for 2017!

Hello New Year!  I can’t believe it is already 2017! Of course, like most of us, all I can think about is setting new goals for the year and reflecting on 2016.  The last few months I’ve majorly slacked on my creativity, journaling, and this blog because life happens.  I’m pregnant and I’ve got a bun in the oven that’s making me SUPER sick! I am 5 months pregnant now and FINALLY getting a little relief from this little peanut.  Wooo Hoo.  It feels so good to be almost back to my old self!

Now that I am feeling saucy and creative, I’ve got plenty of goals in mind for the new year.  I’ve immersed myself into some of my favorite creative planning books along with a new one called “Your Best Year 2017: Productivity Workbook and Creative Business Planner” by Lisa Jacobs.  I’ve heard great things about this creative planner from fellow bloggers and just had to get my hands on it.  So far I’m loving it.  My main focus this year will be directed towards improving my business/blog and getting a little bit more organized in that regard.

I also want to motivate other creative entrepreneurs and share my creative journey as a business owner in hopes you can learn something.  That’s the one thing I’m constantly searching for from other successful bloggers…..how did they do it? What did they do to get to where they are today?   I feel like it is kind of a hidden secret. I mean, I want to know the products they use,  marketing strategies, the workshops they’ve taken, and all the tips and tricks along the way. Even the horrible mistakes.  I want to create a road map of my journey to help you with yours.

Some other changes I’d like to make are posting on a consistent basis.  I am very guilty of posting on a whim when I feel motivated.  Does anyone else have that problem? I surely can’t be the only one!

I think I am going to get rid of the monthly journal prompts for now just because I’m kind of over it.  Don’t get me wrong.  I still think journal prompts are great.  But I feel like doing something a little bit different. Instead of the monthly journal prompts for each day of the month, I’ll do ONE journal prompt for the month along with a journal spread to inspire you.

Here is a spread from my bullet journal on quarterly goals inspired by Boho Berry. I just love this idea. I still have to fill out my action steps.

Okay. Okay. Enough about me and my goals. I want to hear about you and your goals for 2017! Lets make 2017 great!

My challenge for you is setting five goals that you can accomplish in the next three months.  Then creating an action plan for those goals. Make sure you set S.M.A.R.T goals.

S: Specific

M: Measurable

A:  Achievable

R:  Relevant

T:  Time-Based

Please share some of your goals with me in the comments!  Would love to hear them. 

January Journaling Prompt

Happy New Year!!! Here is your journaling prompt for the month of January!

Finding Her Voice

The Art of Discovery.

The Stories Begin Here

This month I kept my journal spread pretty simple.  Sometimes it’s harder to get started when you have to set up your art space.  Gathering all your paints, stamps, and embellishments can be quiet a lot of work in itself making you not want to journal at all.

What’s great about this spread is you can sit on your couch, thumb through some old magazines, ripping pages out as you go and simply paste images down with your glue stick. Easy Peasy!

Below is a list of the supplies I used to create this journal spread. Have fun exploring January’s journal prompt.  Get as artsy as you want.  And share your work with me in the comments!

Supplies List:

• Black n’ Red Notebook:  This notebook is great because it’s large with thick paper and super cheap. 
• Crafty Rolls Decorative Glitter Tape Silver:  My husband bought me these for Christmas.  OMG! Loving them.  It’s a glittery fabric tape.  I’ve never used anything like it.  Kind of addicted to them now.
• Hot Pink Duct Tape
• Scotch Mega Glue Stick
• Old magazine clippings:  Be sure to check out my post about “How to Organize Your Magazine Clippings for Art Journaling”.  It’s one of my most popular posts.
• Scissors

 

Easy Peppermint Bark Recipe

‘Tis the season for holiday baking.  My husband requested that I make some Peppermint Bark along with all my other baking treats.  Luckily for him….and me, making Peppermint Bark is super easy!

I recommend getting Premium chocolate like Ghirardelli, it will make the difference.  If you are on tight budget with all your other holiday expenses–get Ghirardelli White Chocolate Chips and Toll House Semi-Sweet to cut down the cost a smidge. This recipe makes a decent batch of Peppermint Bark for you to share with family and friends too.  You just know they’ll be requesting some!

Ingredients:

• 2 bags of  11 ounces of Ghirardelli White Chocolate Chips
• 2 bags of 11 ounces of Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 6 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, divided
• 6 peppermint candy canes, crushed

Directions:

1. Line a 15 x 10 cookie sheet with waxed paper; set aside. (Use a bigger cookie sheet if you want the Peppermint Bark to be thinner.)
2. Place the semi-sweet chocolate and 3 teaspoons of the vegetable oil in a medium glass bowl. Stir chocolate and oil together until chocolate is lightly coated. Microwave for about 2-3 minutes stirring every minute. Once the chocolate is melted, stir in 3/4 teaspoon of the peppermint extract.
3. Pour the melted chocolate on the prepared pan. Spread evenly over the bottom of the pan. Refrigerate until completely hardened, about 1 hour.  If it is cold enough outside put pan outside to hardened, only takes about 15 min.
4. While waiting for semi-sweet chocolate to hardened.  Crush your 6 peppermint candy canes in a small zip lock baggie.
5. Place the white chocolate and remaining 3 teaspoons vegetable oil in the same cleaned medium glass bowl. Microwave exactly the same way you did the semi-sweet chocolate. Making sure not to over microwave. Make sure to stir every minute.
6. Once the chocolate is melted, stir in the remaining 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract.
7. Pour the white chocolate directly over the semisweet chocolate layer; spread evenly.
8. Sprinkle immediately with the crushed candy canes over the top and gently press into the white chocolate.
9. Refrigerate until completely hardened. Remove from pan and break into small pieces.
10. Eat & Enjoy!

December Journaling Prompts!

Hello Lovies!  I can’t believe it’s almost December already!  For this month of journaling I’ve provided a word or two for you to journal about.  Write whatever comes to your mind first.  Have fun free-writing and brain dumping!  Maybe write the word in HUGE bubble letters with splashes of color first.  Then grab your favorite pen and begin jotting down your stories and ideas.  Have fun!

1.  Grace
2.  Intimidating
3.  Focus
4.  Fearless
5.  Inspire
6.  Cherish
7.  Giving
8.   Children
9.   Awkward
10.   Lesson Learned
11.   Dating
12.   Bliss
13.   Beautiful
14.   Cruel
15.   Secrets
16.   Gossip
17.   Romance
18.   Journey
19.   Adventure
20.   Summer Morning
21.   Holidays
22.   Family
23.   Free time
24.   Courageous
25.   Past Relationships
26.   Unspoken
27.   Wandering
28.   Hurtful
29.   Hope
30.   Travel
31.   New Beginnings

If you enjoy the word prompt inspiration you can even collect words and phrases from magazines to use as journal prompts!  Be sure to check out my blog post on organizing your magazine clippings–I have a section about collecting words and phrases!  Happy Holidays! ‘Tis the Season!

November Journaling Prompts!

It’s that time again!  Journaling Prompt time.  I am going to do something a little different this month.  I’m feeling the urge to change it up a bit.  This month I am going to focus on QUOTES.  I will provide a different quote for each day of the month and I want you to write about how that quotes makes you feel and what comes to mind when you think of the quote.  You can play make believe and write a fictional story or maybe write about something that you are currently experiencing or a memory from your past.  Grab your favorite notebook and let’s have fun!  Make sure to write the quote on top of your page.  Add some colorful splashes with markers or gel pens! Or even add some picture from some old magazines.

1.  “She understood that the hardest times in life to go through were when you were transitioning from one version of yourself to another.” –Sara Addison Allen
2.  “I loved her not for the way she danced with my angels but for the way the sound of her name could silence my demons.”  –Christopher Poindexter
3.  “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.”  –Ayn Rand
4.  “I would rather die of passion than of boredom.”  –Vincent Van Gogh
5.  “There will always be a reason why you meet people.  Either you need to change your life, or you’re the one that’ll change theirs.”  –Loubis And Champagne
6. “It is a risk to love.  What if it doesn’t work out? Ah, but what if it does.”  –Peter McWilliams
7.   “She has been through hell.  So believe me when I say, fear her when she looks into a fire and smiles.”  –E. Corona
8.  “You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one.”  –unknown
9. “You can’t solved a problem on the same level it was created.  You have to rise above it to the next level.”  –Albert Einstein
10.  “Every night her thoughts weighed heavily on her soul but every morning she would get up to fight another day, every night she survived.”  –R.H. Sin
11. “If you’re laying in bed wrapped in sheets of miserable thought, go to sleep.  If thumbing through old messages only causes your heart to ache and long for something unattainable erase them.  If it hurts to keep everything you’re feeling bottled up inside let it out.  If you’re clinging onto someone that doesn’t  treat you like you’re worth the world let them go.  Because sometimes we choose to believe that things are only indistinguishable shades of gray when in reality, life is more black and white than it seems.  If you’re unhappy with the way you are living your life change it.  –M.K.
12. “For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again.”  –F. Scott Fitzgerald
13. “Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.”  –Victor Hugo
14.  “To be beautiful means to be yourself.  You don’t need to be accepted by others.  You need to accept yourself.”  –Thich Nhat Hanh
15.  “I want to get into my car and drive until I find what I’m looking for.  Maybe it’s purpose or maybe it’s a new start or maybe it’s just a sky with unclouded stars.”  –R.I.D
16. “There were things you wanted to tell me and there were things I was dying to say.  But you were scared and my voice faltered so we both sewed our lips shut and buried it away.”  –E.G.
17. “The moment you feel like you have to prove your worth to someone is the moment to absolutely and utterly walk away.”  –Alysia Harris
18. “I think there are two kinds of forgiveness, the kind that when you forgive you’re also giving them another change, or the kind where you forgive, but move on without them.  Use them both wisely.”  –S.B.
19. “I promise if you keep searching for everything beautiful in this world.  You will eventually become it.”  –Tyler Kent White
20. “She was fascinated with words.  To her, words were things of beauty, each like a magical powder or potion that could be combined with other words to create powerful spells.”  –Dean Koontz
21. “And at the end of the day your feet should be dirty, your hair messy and your eyes sparkling.”  –Shanti
22. “No one can tell what goes on in between the person you were and the person you become.  No one can chart that blue and lonely section of hell.  There are no maps of the change.  You just come out the other side.  Or you don’t.”  –Stephen King
23. “I feel there is nothing more artistic than loving people.”  –Vincent Van Gogh
24. “The thing about chaos, is that while it disturbs us, it too, forces our hearts to roar in a way we secretly find magnificent.”  –Christopher Poindexter
25. “With freedom, books, flowers, and the moon, who could not be happy?”  –Oscar Wilde
26. “People are prettiest when they talk about something they really love with passion in their eyes.”  –K.V.H.
27. “In your life, you meet people.  Some you never think abut again.  Some, you wonder what happened to them.  There are some that you wonder if they ever think about you.  And then there are some you wish you never had to think about again.  But you do.”  –C.S. Lewis
28.  “She didn’t leave you for making too many mistakes’, she left because you made the same mistake, too many times.”  –via curiano.com
29.  “Someday, everything will make perfect sense.  So for now, laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears, and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.”  –unknown
30. “Don’t think.  It complicates things. Just feel, and if it feels like home, then follow its path.”  –R.M. Drake

Wow! That’s a lot of quotes.  Searching for quotes and writing this list was a lot of fun!  Maybe you can compile a list of quotes that speak to you! Enjoy!

 

How to Throw an Amazing Lion King Party! The DIY Way!

 

My baby boy just turned O-N-E! And it has been the year of Hakuna Matata!  I might as well say all things Lion King are his jam!  When Jax turned 8 months old I knew I had to throw him a Lion King party for his first birthday.  To my surprise there really wasn’t much out there in terms of Lion King decorations or Lion King party ideas.  Even on Pinterest there wasn’t much Lion King Party ideas, sure there was Lion Guard (the latest craze) and Safari parties but my baby doesn’t want Lion Guard or a Safari Party.  He wants the Lion King!  And gosh darn it.  My baby is gonna get a Lion King Party!

Not that Jax really demanded a Lion King party at the ripe age of one.  But you get the idea.  When mamma has her mindset on a theme, by gully, mamma’s gonna do what she can to get it done.  So, I devoured all things Lion King, Lion Guard, Lions, and Jungle themes on Pinterest to spark some inspiration.  I am a DIY type of girl and made all the decorations myself.  I started making the decorations slowly over a 2-3 month period.  I didn’t want to bust my butt crafting at the last minute.

In this post, I”ll share how I threw an amazing Lion King themed party for my son’s first birthday.  I’ll break down my process and explain the techniques I used to create the decorations, games, party flavors, etc.

Simba Painting:

This was the first Lion King project I started.  I found an old piece of heavy duty chipboard that was in our garage that was the perfect size.  I’m not going to go into super detail on how I made this but I will give you a brief synopsis of my process.  I did not buy anything to make this.  I used stuff I already had.  So please search your house for supplies and don’t spend tons of money making this.

Step 1: Paint the chipboard white. (You can buy a canvas too, but I am all about using what you already have and not spending tons of money on new art supplies…that being said, I am a craft and art supplies hoarder so I have tons of art supplies already).  You can also just use white poster board.  But that isn’t as sturdy and will get flimsy after painting it.

Step 2:  Cover the WET white painted chipboard with plastic, bunching it up in areas.  You can use white kitchen garbage bags to do this.  This will create a cool, textured background. Leave the plastic and let it dry overnight.

Step 3:  Use light blue spray ink and stencils to create a cool design on top of the white background.  You can make your own spray inks too.  That’s what I do.  Youtube has great tutorials on how to make your own spray inks using water and food coloring or water, rubbing alcohol and acrylic paint.  Check it out.

Step 4:  Create a large Simba stencil out of cardboard.  I printed a smaller image off the internet to use as a reference.  I made a grid on the cardboard and free-handed the design to create the stencil.

Step 5:  Spray paint the design on the canvas.  I used a mixture of yellow, pink, and red spray paint (that’s what I had at home already) to create the Lion.  I layered the yellow spray paint on top of the pink and red spray paint to create different shades of orange.

Step 6:  Add purple drips using watered down acrylic paint.

Step 7:  Add orange and white paint splatters on top of the Simba image.

DIY Jungle Vines:

I found this idea on Pinterest.  I used three different leaf templates to create my leaves. I resized my leaves to a size I liked.  I printed the designs on white card stock to create the templates. I traced around the leaf template on an assortment of green card stock. Then cut out the designs.  I did this slowly over a two month time frame. Doing a little here and a little there so I wouldn’t have so much to do the last week leading up to the party.  I bought brown mailing paper from the Dollar Tree to create the brown vines.  I also used light and dark green streamers.

With the extra scrap paper I cut smaller leaves free-hand.  I strung the smaller leaves on twine.

Table Decorations:  

I printed the Lion King characters onto white card stock and taped the back of them to wooden nail sticks.  I drilled a hole in the center of the wooden circles so the wooden nail sticks would fit snug.  I cut the tips of the nail stick flush to the circle and cut varying lengths.  I added raffia bows to the stick for that finished look.

In the making….

SAMSUNG CSC

The Banner:

I found the inspiration for the Simba, Timon, and Pumba banner on Pinterest (the seller of these isn’t selling them anymore, but I do want to give her credit because I totally copied her idea).  I handmade each one of these banners.  I created my own template by free-handing each element of the character onto white card stock.  Then I traced it onto the appropriate card stock color. For the Timon on the far left I glued the tail the opposite way. I laced the banner with twine.

The Mini Birthday Crown:

I found this mini-crown template online and adjusted the size a smidge.  I used card stock and leather and added an elastic strap to complete the crown. Jax did not like the elastic strap so we just placed it on his head, luckily it stayed on! 🙂

The Activities:

1.  Lion King 2 Liter Ring Toss

   

I used ten 2- Liter bottles. I filled them with about 2-3 cups of water to weigh them down. Then I painted the bottles with yellow spray paint and a light mist of red spray paint.  I found some pictures online of the Lion King characters, adjusted the size so they’d be roughly the same size, and glued them on the 2- Liter bottles using a glue stick.

I made the rings using cardboard.  I made six rings total because I set up two groups of five 2-Liter bottles for the party so that more kiddos could play at once.  Each game had three rings.  To make the rings, I traced around a bowl to get the inner circle and free-handed a parallel circle.  I used an X-Acto knife to cut the rings out.  My rings aren’t cut perfect but it doesn’t bother me.  I spray painted both sides with a grey primer paint (I already had this spray paint that’s why I used the grey) then I added splashes of yellow spray paint.  I used orange craft paint and wrote “Hakuna Matata” on the rings.

I debated between ring toss or coconut bowling.  Either one would be fun.  In the end, I went with ring toss because I didn’t want to worry about someone getting hit with a coconut or it breaking and denting the 2- Liter bottles.  You really could make this game with any party theme.  All you need to do is change the color scheme and print off the appropriate characters.

1.  Lion Mask Craft

Cute Sign: Make a cute sign for the craft table.  I downloaded a new font and the Lion King images from dafont.com.  I folded a piece of 8.5 x 11 inch scrapbook paper in half and glued my label on the paper using a glue stick.  Make sure the paper is card stock or glue your scrapbook paper to white card stock using a glue stick to make it more sturdy.

Cut colorful scraps: I stuck with the yellow, orange, red color palette for the lions mane.  I used different decorative scissors to cut the strips. I didn’t really worry about making each size the same.  They are probably roughly 4 inches long.

Lion Mask Example:  I made an example of how to make the lion mask using the colorful strips.

Pre-Made Lion Plate Masks without the Mane:  I made three different lion masks for the kiddos to choose from.  You really don’t need to make that many.  You can stick with one design if you want.  Glue a thick Popsicle stick on the back of the paper plates (I used contact cement). I bought my plates and Popsicle sticks at the Dollar Store.

Make sure to add some glue sticks and color crayons when setting up your craft table.

The Cake, Cupcakes & Smash cake:

SAMSUNG CSC

I bought a Simba Toy off Amazon to use as a cake topper.  The bakery did the rest.  I wanted a yellow and orange color scheme with brown foot prints.  I used wooden log slabs that my dad cut for me when I visited him in Montana during the summer as the cake and cupcake holder.  I think the wooden log slabs add a nice touch.  Maybe you know someone who has a lot of trees and a chainsaw that will be willing to cut you some too.  If not, you can always buy some!

Signature Drink:

Every party needs a signature drink!  I found this party punch on Pinterest.  It is amazing!  Lemonade, orange juice, cranberry juice, Sprite, vodka…Yum!  Here is the exact recipe for the drink.  I labeled the signature drink “Rafaki’s Rumble in the Jungle (alcoholic)” so that everyone knew it had alcohol in it.  I didn’t manage to take a picture of the drink from the party but I put the punch in a drink dispenser with spigot and taped the label onto the container.  The guys of course had beer.  The kiddos had apple juice boxes.  And we also had Soda for the non-drinkers.

Party Favors:

I mixed regular animal crackers with chocolate animal crackers and M&Ms.  I cut the lions out of two shades of yellow and orange card stock.  Of course, I used a template to make the lion embellishments and resized the image to my liking.  I sealed the bags with a rubber band and used cute decorative bakers twine that was yellow, orange, and brown to tie on the Simba.

I hope I got your creative juices flowing and you are ready to start crafting your next Lion King party.  Many of these ideas can be changed to whatever theme of your choosing though.  And of course, make sure you have plenty of food!  We did burgers, brats, Caesar salad, pasta salad, watermelon, strawberries, an assortment of veggies with homemade ranch and chips.  Hakuna Matata!

October Journaling Prompts!

Wow! I can’t believe it’s almost already October! September has been a little crazy because my son turned O-N-E this month and I threw a big Lion King party.  I made all of the decorations myself.  It seems that Lion King is a thing of the 90’s because there really isn’t much out there nowadays.  I loved having an “excuse” to be crafty and had fun making all the decorations though.  I might share some pictures from the party a little later and share how I made some of the decorations.

In October, I’m hoping to write a few more blog posts on art journaling now that things have slowed down a bit at home.  Until then, I hope you enjoy more journaling prompts! Be sure to check out my other journaling prompts if you’ve missed out on those!

1. How can you change someone’s life for the better today?
2. I couldn’t imagine living without….?
3. What always brings tears to your eyes?
4. What’s one topic you need to learn more about to help you live a more fulfilling life?
5. What new habits would you like to cultivate?
6. In what ways can you re-structure my time?
7. What fun activity would you like to incorporate into your life?  What steps can you take to make it happen?
8. Who are the three most important people in your life?  Write a little about each person and why they are important.
9. Where do you want to be in 5, 10, 20 or 40 years?
10. What was the last life lesson you learned?  Why do you think you needed to learn this lesson?
11. What stops you from making the first step towards your dream?
12. Do any of the things that used to upset you a few years ago matter at all today? What’s changed?
13. List 20 things you are grateful for.
14. If you had one year left to live, what would you try to achieve?
15. How would you describe yourself?
16. What comes to your mind when you think of “taking care” of yourself?
17. What would your life look & feel like if you had balance, peace, & calm as an every day experience?
18. Write a gratitude note to a friend, listing all the things you like & admire about them.
19. What could you let go of to give you more balance?
20. What do you need help with in your life?  Is there something that you have been struggling to create but the path seems filled with obstacles?
21. If you could live one day over and over again, what would you choose to do?
22. What is the most important quality you look for in another person?
23. If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would it be?
24. What was the best day of your life? Why?
25. Do you say ‘yes’ too often when you really want to say ‘no’? Why?
26. What is the number one change you need to make in your life before the end of the year?
27. How can you simplify your life and focus on the most important things to you?
28. What stresses you out?
29. What do you most regret never telling someone?
30. Do you think you would be happy if you never had to work again? Why?
31. What is your favorite Halloween memory?  Describe it?  Why is it your favorite memory?

September Journaling Prompts!

Summer is coming to a close.  And I have more journaling prompts for you!  Have fun with these prompts!  Add colorful splashes to your page with markers, gel pens, and doodles!  Pick and choose the prompts you like or simply go down the list in order.

1.  What are your thoughts on intuition?
2. What do you daydream about now? What do you think about when you are stopped at a traffic light or when you are lying in bed at night?
3.  What if you knew for certain that everything you are currently worried about would work out okay?  What would you do?
4.  Is their a problem area in your financial life?  If so, describe it.  What are your beliefs about money?
5.  What single change in your life would give you the most joy?
6.  What is the one thing that you most envy in others?
7.  What small step could you take that would lead you in the direction of your dreams?
8.  What do you do when you feel stressed?
9.  How would you describe the darkest time and circumstances in your life?  What was going on?  How did you handle it?  How do you feel about that dark time in your life now?
10.  What are the interests in your life that bring you joy or make you feel excited?
11.  When you are faced with uncertainty, what are some of the bigger changes or transitions that affect you?
12.  Write a few lines about something you feel unhappy about in your life right now.  If you could wave a magic wand and create a happy, new situation, what would that be?
13.  List four successes that you are proud of achieving.  What qualities do you feel you developed as the result of these successes?
14.  List those unanswered questions that have been plaguing you since childhood.
15.  What sort of “secret life” do you think about, or even engage in?
16.  What is your signature color?  Red?  Blue?  Pink?  Think of your wardrobe, what colors do you wear most?  Why do you like this color?  What does this color mean and represent to you?
17.  Write a letter of encouragement to your creative self.  Recognize your accomplishments and obstacles.
18.  Write about the worst thing that ever happened to you.  How has this experience shaped you and made you different?  What lessons did you learn from this experience?
19.  Cut random shapes from paper of at least three different colors.  Play around with the different shapes on a bigger piece of paper.  Write about what you learned.
20.  Do something a kid would do:  play with bubbles in a bath, color in a coloring book, play with leaves, sticks, and mud…..Write about how this experience felt.
21.  What if it didn’t matter if I (or it) was _______________ or not?
22.  What if you went wild?  Did something you’d never do?  What would it be?  What would happen?
23.  What physical activities feel like play to you?  What makes you smile and captures your attention for no other reason than it’s fun for you?
24.  List 10 activities that make you feel good?
25.  What parts of yourself do you regularly hide from others?
26.  Something about yourself that you really would like to see your children emulate is….?
27.  What parts of yourself are you holding onto that no longer are a true part of who you want to be?
28.  What are some events in your life you feel guilty about not being present for? Are you feeling guilty because you actually wanted to be there, or is this an outside pressure?
29.  What parts of your life are most distracting?
30.  Describe your perfect vacation?  Where are you?  What activities are you doing?  Who are you with?

 

 

 

 

30 Day Affirmations Challenge! (Why I Love Positive Affirmations!)

 

I am all about writing affirmations to create positive change in my life.  I believe they work, that is, when I write them consistently in my journal.  Just like everyone I go through the ebbs and flows of life–sometimes I’m a moody artist (as my husband likes to call it).  Other times, I’m focused on self-improvement and positive thinking.  If I had my way I would choose positive thinking 10/10 times. That’s easier said than done though.

Therein lies, the great power of writing DAILY affirmations and choosing the right affirmation for you!  Affirmations are positive statements you tell yourself about your life and the success you imagine is coming your way.  I always believed in positive affirmations but never saw dramatic change until recently.  I finally figured out why my past affirmations weren’t working and the steps I need to take in order to see long-term change.

This method has helped me accomplish some of my goals and given me more confidence in blogging and writing than ever before.  Along with blogging more frequently (and experiencing the flow of creativity and effortless writing),  I have been working out again, thanks to my fitness affirmation and the Miracle Morning.

My fitness affirmation:  “Every day I am growing healthier & more attractive.  Everything I do adds to my health & beauty.  Everything I eat adds to my health, beauty, & attractiveness.  This or something better now manifest for me in totally satisfying & harmonious ways for the highest good of all concerned.  And so it is!”

Are you ready to benefit from the power of affirmations too?  First, I am going to share with you my experience, affirmation process, and give you tips along the way to help you start your own journey.

My Story:  For years and years I’ve wanted to have a successful blog.  This desire probably dates back to 2007, if not earlier.  I even started a WordPress blog back then with little success and lots of confusion on the mechanics behind a website  (marketing, SEO, website design, photography, etc). Everything about running a website seemed so overwhelming and impossible. At that time in my life, most of my journal entries and affirmations were focused on how I didn’t want to feel rather than how I DID want to feel.

Flash forward, to 2014, I still have this desire to blog and motivate women to be creative and achieve their goals. My husband helps me build a site for my jewelry using Shopify. (I think to myself, why didn’t I ask him to help me sooner–way easier than trying to figure it out on my own!)  Overtime, I learn the ends and out of Shopify and their blog platform (I don’t like their blog platform and want to change to something else but don’t know where to begin).  My journal entries are still mostly about how I don’t want to feel.

Friday Nov. 6th, 2015:  “Where I am today/ now?  I feel stuck, overwhelmed, anxious, blocked, cluttered, annoyed, and cranky.  I feel self-doubt.  Will my website be successful?  Will I get a following and make money doing it?…….” 

From this old entry, you can see where my head is at.  I also experiment with different affirmations to help motivate me to write more blog posts.

My affirmation:  “I am easily able to write blog posts.  I am now able to write blog posts with ease.  I now have a successful blog and write with ease……” 

I rewrote this affirmation a few different ways.  I know that the words “write”, “blog posts”, and “easily” were trigger words that didn’t make me feel good because I didn’t believe I could write well.  This affirmation certainly wasn’t working for me.  I had too much negative emotion attached to it.  Even now I don’t like the sound of it.  As I look back on old journals I notice a lot of different affirmations.  I never focused on ONE affirmation or area in my life for an extended period of time.  I always wrote a different affirmation depending on my mood at the time.

In the middle of April 2016, after a long hiatus of not writing in my journal regularly, I grab my go-to book, “Creative Visualization” by Shakti Gawain, to start writing affirmations again (I have probably read this book 10 times–it’s great for when I need a positive pick me up!)  After experimenting with different affirmations, this is the one I choose.  I absolutely love this affirmation!  It makes me feel empowered and happy with no negative emotions attached to it.

My Creative Affirmation:  “I am now an open channel for creative energy.  Creative ideas & inspiration are coming to me every day.  This or something better now manifest for me in totally satisfying and harmonious ways for the highest good of all concerned.  And so it is!”

Necklace:  “Gentle Spirit” by Trendovy

I wrote this affirmation down regularly in my journal, over and over.  I choose to focus solely on this affirmation in hopes it would help with my business, blog and creativity.  As soon as I began working with this affirmation I started to see improvements.  Within a few days, I had this explainable confidence and knowledge to design and transfer my blog over to WordPress–I did this all by myself!  This is something I’ve wanted to do for two years.

As I continued working with this affirmation I began posting blog articles each month.  I have written 14 blog posts in 4 months!  This may not seem like a lot but when you compare it to the 10 blog posts I had written in two years previously,  it is quiet the transformation!  I’ve even noticed a change in my journaling.  I no longer fill the pages with what I don’t want or complaints.  My entries are mostly filled with to-do’s, ideas and inspiration, and lots of book notes.

That is why I believe in the power of affirmations!  I have seen such amazing results in such a short time.  I still love my creative affirmation and use it everyday!  Now that I’ve focused on that affirmation for an extended period of time, I have recently added an additional fitness affirmation to the mix.  I write or read my two affirmations daily.

Are you ready to start your 30 Day Affirmations Challenge?!  Let me share a few tips to help you begin!

Tips for Writing Affirmations:

When you start working with affirmations have fun with it. There are so many great resources out there on writing affirmations.  One of my favorite books on the subject as mentioned above is “Creative Visualization” by Shakti Gawain.  She has wonderful techniques and exercises to help you think positive and visualize your goals.

Another personal favorite is, “How to Get Everything You Ever Wanted” by Adrian Calabrese.  She breaks down the process into 6 Steps–(Proclaim it!, Affirm it!, Sanctify it!, Energize it!, Invoke it!, and Give thanks for it!)

My third favorite is, “Your Heart’s Desire” by Sonia Choquette.  She shares personal stories and has nine principles to help you master the art of manifestation.  Her exercises will help you clarify your goals.  She also provides fun meditation exercises.

Necklace:  “Gypsy Soul” by Trendovy

Necklace:  “Karma” by Trendovy

Tip 1:  Focus on an area you’d like to improve and state it as if it’s already true.  If you feel any resistance with your affirmation–tweak the words until you feel good about it.  Some times there are trigger words that ignite a feeling of disbelief and doubt.  It’s better to remove those words and come up with something better.  Look online or read motivational books for inspiration!  I had to do this a few times before I came up with my creative affirmation.  It was no where near where I wanted it to be.

Tip 2:  Gauge your emotional response to your affirmations.  Think of your emotions as a number on a “happiness scale” ranging from 1-10. Where 10 equals feeling bad, negative, full of doubt and disbelief and 1 feeling excited, encouraged, blissful, and giddy! You’ll ideally want to be a 1 on the happiness scale.

Tip 3:  A few examples to get you started. Let’s turn your desires into affirmations!

Examples: 

• Let’s say you want a relationship:  Write:  “I am beautiful and ready for love!”
• If your house is cluttered and a mess:  Write:  “I live in a beautiful home feeling relaxed and comfortable” 
• If you want to lose weight:  Write:  “Everyday I am growing healthier and more attractive.”
• If you are thinking negative:  Write:  “Happiness is a part of my life now and I feel deeply relaxed and centered.”

Tip 4:  Always leave room for something better to manifest.  I learned this technique from “Creative Visualization” by Shakti Gawain.

I always finish my statements with this sentence or something similar to it:  “This or something better now manifest for me in totally satisfying and harmonious ways for the highest good of all concerned.  And so it is!”  It leaves room for something better to come your way. 

Are you ready to start your 30 Day Affirmations Challenge?!

Your 30 Day Affirmations Challenge:

I challenge you to focus on ONE specific area you’d like to improve and create an affirmation for it.  WRITE this affirmation in your journal or on a piece of paper each day for the next 30 days!

I’d love to hear about your experience with this 30 day affirmation challenge!! Please share your thoughts and experiences with me.  I hope you make affirmations a part of you life and reap the rewards of positive thinking and believing in yourself!

 

Setting Up Your Bullet Journal (How I Set Up Mine)

 

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Have you heard of Bullet Journaling?  It is all the rage among list makers and planner keepers!  Bullet Journaling is a personalized planner for goal-setting, list making, memory keeping and tracking your day-to-day activities in a fun, colorful way.

I came across Bullet Journaling a few years ago but never really understood it and thought all the symbols seemed way too confusing.  That is until I discovered Bohoberry.com, Kara, the blogger of bohoberry is a bullet journal guru.  After reading her blog and looking at some of her YouTube videos, bullet journaling really piqued my interest again.  I always wanted a better way to plan and organize my goals but hadn’t really found a system that worked.

Luckily Mother’s Day was just around the corner.  I asked my husband for a Leuchtturm 1917 (A5) Dot Grid notebook (has index and pages already numbered) and a set of Staedtler markers to begin my bullet journaling (a.k.a. bujo) adventures.  While waiting for my notebook to arrive, I researched the basics of bullet journaling, watched YouTube videos, and looked on Instagram and Pinterest for inspiration.

This is how I set up my first bullet journal.  I am still tweaking and figuring out what works best for me.  And will continue to customize my bujo for my needs.  I encourage you to do that as well!  Keep what works and remove what doesn’t!

The Key:  Represents the symbols I use for my tasks, events, appointments, and notes.  I looked on Pinterest for bullet journaling key ideas and chose what I liked best and added a few symbols of my own.

I also, added a Color Chart Key for my daily Time Tracker (tracking 24 hours of the day in my daily spreads for the time spent on activities.) I will discuss this further down in the daily spreads section.

Affirmation:  I designated a page for my affirmation.  This is the area in my life that I am focusing on at the moment….CREATIVITY.  Some people just choose a word for the year but I like affirmations better because I always see positive change when I use them consistently.  I may even write an affirmation at the beginning of each month.  It just depends on my needs at the current time.

Calendar:  I made a year-at-a-glance calendar spread.

Headers and Banners Inspiration:  I watched a bohoberry Youtube tutorial on banners and headers and doodled along with the video.  It’s a good way to practice.  I also looked on Pinterest and Instagram for header and banner ideas too.  Pinterest and Instagram will become your new best friend if you want some bujo inspiration!  I use different headers and banners for the date on my daily spreads.

June Log:  This is a monthly-at-a-glance calendar spread.  It’s a general overview of the events/appointments happening in the month.   I used the day of the week and number that correspond with that day.  I did this format instead of a typical calendar spread because I already have the months graphed out in my creative journal.  Didn’t want to repeat it in this journal.  Plus, formatting the month this way makes it super easy and not as time consuming as graphing a standard calendar.

Ugh, I messed up when I first wrote June and covered it up with a magazine scrap.  I don’t love this spread for that reason but I am not going to agonize over perfection.  You will have mistakes and that’s okay.  The important thing is tracking your appointments, events  and writing in your bujo.

Projects:  I added some goals/ projects that I’d like to complete for the month.

June Memories:  I did a memories page for the month of June.  This is where I doodle cute little pictures of important activities, events, and highlight memories that happened during the month.

Okay, I’m not perfect….I started this post in the beginning of June…and it is now August.  My June Memories page is still blank. lol I still like the idea of keeping a memories page and will continue to do so.  I’m just going to go back and doodle my memories for June this month.

June Tracker:  My June Tracker is a habits tracker that tracks which activities I do regularly.  I got the inspiration for this spread from bohoberry.  I really like the habit tracker because you feel like you are accomplishing tasks and it lets you know how much you are doing something.

Gratitude:  I love my gratitude spread!  I write one thing I am grateful for each day of the month.  You can write as many gratitude’s as you’d like for the day but I find that writing one per day is manageable.  I enjoy it.  It reminds me to be thankful for even the little things in life I might otherwise overlook.  And helps me be more optimistic.

Doodle Challenge:  The doodle challenge is meant to get me drawing and doodling more on a regularly basis.  I am supposed to doodle each day of the month.  I’m not gonna lie.  Sometimes I didn’t doodle and just made up for it by doing more than one doodle on other days.  I looked online, mostly Pinterest for doodle ideas.

If doodling or drawing isn’t your thing you can create any type of daily challenge.  Maybe you want to read more.  Create a challenge for getting some daily reading done.  Or if you want to exercise more maybe you create a fun exercise challenge spread.

Daily Spread:  Daily Spreads are fun because they look pretty and colorful when you are done.  I add a time tracker before the date. Throughout the day, I color in the time spent on  activities.

• Time Tracker:  I number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 to signify 24 hours in a day.
  • I fill in the times I’ve spend on activities using their proper color code from my Color Chart Key.  For example,
    • Sleep = Blue
    • Appointments = Green

As you can see on (Thursday 6-2-16)  I slept from 11 pm- 7 am and had an appointment from 1-4 pm.

Next, I doodle the date.  Then add the days weather with a weather icon.  I really don’t need to add the days weather because I can just look on my phone but it’s fun drawing them and adds a little color to the page.

I add my goals/tasks for the day and checked them off when complete.  I add quotes and affirmations that resonate with me.  I don’t always add quotes to my dailies only when I feel like it.

You can add a Weekly Spread into the mix too.  I didn’t do it this time and probably won’t because I think with the Monthly Log and my Dailies I track enough.  It just depends on your needs and how busy you are.  I just love the customization of the bullet journal.

I will keep you updated on the evolution of my bullet journal as time passes.  I’d love to hear some of your tips and tricks too!