A Friend's Give-a-way

Head over to my friend and fellow blogger's page for a give-a-way.

John is an author, a healer, an artist and all around beautiful spirit.

(if you don't win, you can always follow one of his page links to his Etsy stores!)

He creates healing art pieces and is giving one of his prints away.

You can enter for a chance to win a copy of the print below.

For your chance, click HERE.

Your print will arrive all the way from Tenerife, Spain!

(Perhaps for some of you that's not so far. For me? It's quite dreamy!)

A Shout Out

It appears the majority of people drawn to blogging are women.

Perhaps that has to do with our gift of gab?

I am taken by so many of my fellow women bloggers.

Their beautiful words, amazing artistic talent, depth of sharing.

Big smoochy wet kisses to all the bloggy ladies out there! 

But what about the men?

Today
 I want to raise awareness of

and give a shout out to

 a few of my favorite male bloggers out there.

Woot Woot!!!!

 

~~~~~~

John with The Healing Seed

He is insightful and generous in word and spirit.

He shares stories, wisdom and wonderful art.

A true feel good space in cyber world.

He is a beautiful blogger and brilliant friend.

~~~~~~

Jerry with Shadowhouse Creations

He is a self-taught extremely talented photoshop guru.

He shares tutorials, textures, photos.

His work is amazing and generosity never ending.

If you are even remotely interested in photoshop textures, it is a MUST visit.

~~~~~~

Dan with Single Dad Laughing

He touches on important and heartfelt subjects such as self-esteem and homelesness.

He also has a knack for embracing the lighter side of life

and an insatiable appetite for M&M's.

~~~~~~

Terence

I discovered him through is book:

Nothing Happens Until It Happens To You

Not only does he stand for and speak as a victim of job loss due to the struggling economy,

he also allows you into the thought process of the male ego.

The book is about his loss of long-term employment

and the journey he takes into the world of job seeking.

While speaking of struggles, fears, and hardship,

he is able to tell his tale in an entertaining voice

sure to keep the reader smirking.

The characters are quirky and real.

Truly entertaining.

I am unfamilar with his blog 

but discovered it highlighted in Reader's Digest.

You can find it at

Pink Slip My Ass

words, words, words, words

I LOVE WORDS!!!!!

My word of the year.
Focus
Soooo hard!!!! It is already proving to be quite challenging (and more apparent that I need it).

My alternate word. (kudos to my creative support sister Elena for... well... supporting me in it)

The following word creatively conjured up as a joint venture.

Thanks go to Word verification, Elena, and Self.

Mookyper - n. or v.  or however else you want to use it (definition) 1. a state of being when one has embraced their inner freak  2. the feeling/action of twirling gleefully in mismatched flowing clothes and brilliant scarves with arms outstretched embracing life to the fullest. 3. Free spiritism. Also my new nickname from Elena. What to call her? Maybe I'll call her Lala (for love angel *wink*)

Last year #2 son created his word of the year.
Opaldeous - (definition) The best of the best.
He created the word and meaning, remembered it all year and embraced it. Bravo little man!!!

Focus

Mookyper

Opaldeous

Hey, if Sarah Palin can make up words, why can't I???

I want to embrace all three of these words and use them regularly. Who knows. Maybe we can get them accepted into the dictionary of real words! Heck, what am I talking about. They're already real words!

I'm off to focus on my to-do list.

Have an opaldeous day.

May moments of mookyper wash over you as you go.

List list list list

Today's list prompted by Aimee over at Artsyville!

I'm so frustrated. Today I figured out I'm suffering from Creative Constipation.

Causes? doubt, inhibition, excuses, laziness, fear, restriction, inaction, time
Cures? action, action, action, action, sew, write, create, knit, take photos, play, draw

I have no schooling or training in anything creative, yet I love to create. But I don't create.
I'm a perfectionist and have trouble doing anything that I don't do perfect. I am far from perfect in anything so that is a limiting characteristic.
My favorite types of art are mixed media. The messier the better. So why don't I allow myself to play? I stopped playing as a child when I was very young. I exchanged play and creativity for anal retentiveness and control. I know. Boring, right? But they got me through. Funny thing? I now live with five extremely creative people who cut loose and make constant messes. What do I do? Stress about the mess and obsess on the disorder (I also adore and love all their creations).

From this day forward I vow to work on cutting loose and creating. It won't be perfect and probably never will be. I realize that now. The realization is freeing. Now I will create for fun. For the freeing feeling. I will try my best to let loose and see what becomes (although I will be cleaning up after myself).


(example of the self-talk that wanders through my brain. this particular train of thought happens to be that of increased self-awareness and exploration. problem solving. this is good. me no likey the bad.)

You Will Never Find Me List-less

Having trouble getting into the blog groove lately.

My fibro is flaring and I'm suffering something fierce!

Anyone out there with fibro?

Man, would I love to talk to you!

Anywho, Amy from Artsyville has saved the day

by giving me something to blog about today.

Lists!!!!

I'm a list-a-holic.

I have so many lists running rampant in my home

I need a list to keep track of my lists!

It's a sickness, really, but one I have found no cure for.

Truth be told? 

I enjoy them :)

The two tablets to the right

are a couple of the ongoing lists

that are milling about my desk.

Sadly, the lists are not just the pages that are showing their faces,

but many pages before are covered in list matter as well.

The Oh So Colorful list to the left

was made especially for this fine Tuesday List posting.

This would all sound more coherent if it weren't for the 

To-do list in my head

that is blocking my train of thought

as it sits untouched today

again due to the fibro.

Seriously, anyone? 

Anyone else deal with the mind-sucking,

body depleting,

pain-inducing,

frustrating condition of fibromyalsia?

Think I'll add that to one of my "to-do" lists.

+ find fibro support group and resources

(p.s. I've been a follower of Artsyville for some time

and thoroughly enjoy every minute spent there.)



UPDATE:

My 12 y/o son spotted my list for today and wanted to do the same.
How brilliantly splendid!!!
I love inspiration and it's that much more beautiful
passed on
and on
and on!

Here is B's list...

Thank you Amy, for starting Tuesday's List.
Thank you all who have visited.
Do you have a list you would like to share?

Introducing...

I would like to introduce you to a talented, sweet, generous artist.

Her name is Julie Haymaker Thomas.

She is a mixed media artist and teacher.

You can find her website here.

Her blog is here.

Etsy here.

I love her blog profile pic. It's the cutest!

And here is something I won from her blog!

It hangs above my stove.

Isn't it sweet? 

I was trying to decide if it was a spoon full of magic, wishes, or perhaps love.

Better yet, a spoon full of generosity as Julie mad it with her own hands

and offered it as a give-a-way on her blog.

I decided it was a spoon full of goodness which covers it all ;)

She simply calls it "A Spoon Full of Stars".

She offers a tutorial here.

There were kits offered as well.

I must be off to seek her guidance on how to purchase.

Have a wonderful day

with a spoon full of goodness

on the side!

~ thank you as always for visiting ~