Dear Beautiful Girl,
You have plenty of time to figure it out. Don't put so much pressure on yourself. Remember that most of us are alive for nearly 100 years, and in those 100 years, we will have lots and lots of opportunities to get things right. It is never too late, and you can start over again every single day for the rest of your life if that's what it takes.
In the years of our lives, we can count on the fact that we will continuously fall on our faces, make mistakes, and take the wrong paths sometimes. We just will. All of us. It's part of the deal.
You are absolutely spectacular, no matter what your mistakes have been, no matter how many times you have had to start over, and no matter how many lessons it takes for you to learn valuable things. You are just an awesome student of life. You are the fun one! You are the one the teacher makes lessons for in the first place!
So sweet friend, cut yourself some slack. Do better tomorrow. Count the victories you HAVE had. Look at how far you have come. And especially, look deep into that pure and beautiful heart of yours and see that THAT is who you are. You are not your mistakes or your wrong turns or the weaknesses that you are STILL working on overcoming. That is your human part. You are the BIG BEAUTIFUL spirit part, the one who keeps trying every day.
So keep it up. Kiss yourself in the mirror and tell your cute self that you are doing just fine.
So much love,
Saturday, 28 May 2011
Friday, 27 May 2011
A Great Day Spent Arting!
My BG friend Bernice came to play today, we had an amazing time, she arrived bearing flowers and a car full of "stuff" to play with for "She Had 3 Hearts". We drank copious amounts of liquid (coffee for her, tea for me!) and ate a healthy lunch (poached salmon, mixed salad & new potatoes) and a healthy tea (Lemon Chicken Greek Style with steamed vegetables). I think she managed to complete about 10 pages in her art journal, I managed 6, I will upload tomorrow as light was too bad for photos. Thanks Bernice for driving nearly 300 miles to spend time playing, much appreciated!
Cute New Radley Bag and It's MINE!
The newest Radley Bags are limited editions that are store/city specific so obviously I got the Bristol one (my closest Radley shop) showing te River Avon, the Balloon Festival , the SS Great Britain and Clifton Suspension Bridge, all things Bristol has as landmarks, it's so cute I couldn't resist!
Update! Bags only available for the following cities: - Aberdeen, Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London (no longer available!), Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham & Sheffield.
Update! Bags only available for the following cities: - Aberdeen, Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London (no longer available!), Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham & Sheffield.
Brave Girls Daily Truth - A Little Bird Told Me!
Dear Uncommon Girl,
Sometimes the very bravest thing we can ever do is to walk away from something that we want very very very much, but that we know deep in our gut is not meant for us. The other side of this brave decision is the holding tight to something else that is scary or humdrum or not quite what we thought we really wanted, but that we KNOW deep in our gut is our own divine path -- the path to our most incredible, uncommon life.
The really wonderful consequence of making these kinds of decisions is that little by little, sometimes really fast and sometimes really slow, that scary or humdrum thing somehow transforms into the most incredible, beautiful, miraculous and PERFECTLY IMPERFECT and joyful thing that we could EVER imagine. In fact, we usually cannot even BEGIN to imagine how perfect this thing is going to become if we just step out on that scary and sometimes very painful leap of faith. Life has a way of making something very tremendous out of something inconceivably boring or scary.
That's what bravery is, lovely friend. It is deciding what to let go of and what to hold on to, no matter how it feels in this moment -- knowing that you are giving up something very very good for something OH SO MUCH BETTER, the BEST in fact -- having faith that when you listen to your heart, no matter how scary or disappointing the news is it has to give you, that EVERYTHING will ALWAYS work out beautifully in the end when you make brave choices that are your RIGHT CHOICES.
You know what it is. And you can do it.
Love you forever.
Sometimes the very bravest thing we can ever do is to walk away from something that we want very very very much, but that we know deep in our gut is not meant for us. The other side of this brave decision is the holding tight to something else that is scary or humdrum or not quite what we thought we really wanted, but that we KNOW deep in our gut is our own divine path -- the path to our most incredible, uncommon life.
The really wonderful consequence of making these kinds of decisions is that little by little, sometimes really fast and sometimes really slow, that scary or humdrum thing somehow transforms into the most incredible, beautiful, miraculous and PERFECTLY IMPERFECT and joyful thing that we could EVER imagine. In fact, we usually cannot even BEGIN to imagine how perfect this thing is going to become if we just step out on that scary and sometimes very painful leap of faith. Life has a way of making something very tremendous out of something inconceivably boring or scary.
That's what bravery is, lovely friend. It is deciding what to let go of and what to hold on to, no matter how it feels in this moment -- knowing that you are giving up something very very good for something OH SO MUCH BETTER, the BEST in fact -- having faith that when you listen to your heart, no matter how scary or disappointing the news is it has to give you, that EVERYTHING will ALWAYS work out beautifully in the end when you make brave choices that are your RIGHT CHOICES.
You know what it is. And you can do it.
Love you forever.
Thursday, 26 May 2011
Oooh - I'm excited!
I'm really excited, I'm on my own for a few days while DH is away (see previous post) so I put a plea on Facebook for a play mate, loads of people expressed an interest (sadly the ocean is too big for a visit from them, although it would have been great and there was talk of hiting a plane but I think it was a little toooo expensive LOL!) BUT Bernice is coming to play She Had 3 Hearts Tomorrow - so watch this SPACE.
A Busy Day
Thursdays are Grandson days and we went to a soft play in Bristol today as the weather was so bad, unfortunately everyone else had the same idea! Shame the kids weren't looking at the camera when I took the shot!
Brave Girls daily Truth - A Little Bird Told Me!
Dear Incredible Girl,
When you've done all that you can do, and you still feel like you have so much further to go, when you feel like all that you have to give still isn't nearly enough, when it seems that you will not be able to keep up everything that needs to be kept up for one minute longer -- stop and breathe.
Look. Really really look at what you are expecting of yourself.
You are an incredible girl. You are amazing and strong and brilliant. But friend, you are also a human being. You cannot do it all. You cannot always hold everything together perfectly, and you cannot be perfectly composed every single day. It's okay to have 'off' days. It's okay to feel weak and overwhelmed and have meltdowns once in awhile. It's okay. YOU are okay. Everything is going to be okay. It is.
Let yourself have days to be a perfectly imperfect human being. Let yourself feel what you need to feel and process your life the way you need to process it. Let yourself BE.
Bad days will pass, overwhelm will dissolve, and the sun will come up again tomorrow morning, just like it does every day. There will be a brand new sparkling day waiting for your tomorrow, waiting for you to hold hands with all of the joy that it is offering.
You are just right. You are doing great. You are fabulous!
And you are very very very very loved.
When you've done all that you can do, and you still feel like you have so much further to go, when you feel like all that you have to give still isn't nearly enough, when it seems that you will not be able to keep up everything that needs to be kept up for one minute longer -- stop and breathe.
Look. Really really look at what you are expecting of yourself.
You are an incredible girl. You are amazing and strong and brilliant. But friend, you are also a human being. You cannot do it all. You cannot always hold everything together perfectly, and you cannot be perfectly composed every single day. It's okay to have 'off' days. It's okay to feel weak and overwhelmed and have meltdowns once in awhile. It's okay. YOU are okay. Everything is going to be okay. It is.
Let yourself have days to be a perfectly imperfect human being. Let yourself feel what you need to feel and process your life the way you need to process it. Let yourself BE.
Bad days will pass, overwhelm will dissolve, and the sun will come up again tomorrow morning, just like it does every day. There will be a brand new sparkling day waiting for your tomorrow, waiting for you to hold hands with all of the joy that it is offering.
You are just right. You are doing great. You are fabulous!
And you are very very very very loved.
Wednesday, 25 May 2011
DH Leaving for France!
DH is off to France with the PanClan (Honda PanEoropean Motorcycle Club) for a week away, I love him in his leathers and he looks a bit like a plain clothes Motorcycle cop with his helmet & jacket.
So that leaves me with 6 free days (I have the grandson's one day!), what shall I do? Ooh let's see, a 12 hr crop on Saturday, an Ultimate Pedicure (Garrufa fish included) and loads of art - She Had 3 Hearts, Mixed Media canvas's, doodled birds and playing with my new Chip Art Tools - Yummy! That with a sprinkling of white wine and some healthy WW meals, unlimited TV, DVD's & music blasting on the iPhone BLISSSSSS! One thing missing! My bestie Mate Maggie who sadly has to work and can't come to stay!
Brave Girl's Meeting
Emily & I meet up in Cribbs Causeway (Bristol) for a drop off from the USA!
And this was the drop off, my gorgeous Chip Art Kit, just $50 WOW! I can't believe I've got so much stuff for the price!
Brave Girls Daily Truth - A Little Bird Told Me!
Dear courageous girl,
Sometimes things happen in life that are completely out of our control that strip us of our self esteem, confidence, and hope. Often these things continue to taint us and put a stain on our lives for years and years, until they distort the truth of who we really are, until we actually start believing the lies that come along with these kinds of experiences.
You are NOT what has happened to you, no matter what the circumstances surrounding the situation. There is NEVER anything that you do or did that makes you deserve to be treated badly, to be abused, or to have horrible things happen to you at the hands of another.
If you are caught up believing a lie that says that you will never overcome, you will never be the same, you will never be able to move past it, especially that you somehow deserve it or brought it on yourself, please stop, beautiful friend. PLEASE STOP.
You are precious, beautiful, and pure. Your life matters SO MUCH. YOU matter so much. Whatever has happened to you that has tried to blow out that light in your soul, don't ever believe that there's not a flame anymore. YOU are still in there. You are healing and overcoming and becoming every day. You are incredible!! You are BRAVE!! You can do this. YOU CAN.
See the beautiful truth of who you really are, and tell yourself over an over again. Throw out the lies today.
We love you so much.
Sometimes things happen in life that are completely out of our control that strip us of our self esteem, confidence, and hope. Often these things continue to taint us and put a stain on our lives for years and years, until they distort the truth of who we really are, until we actually start believing the lies that come along with these kinds of experiences.
You are NOT what has happened to you, no matter what the circumstances surrounding the situation. There is NEVER anything that you do or did that makes you deserve to be treated badly, to be abused, or to have horrible things happen to you at the hands of another.
If you are caught up believing a lie that says that you will never overcome, you will never be the same, you will never be able to move past it, especially that you somehow deserve it or brought it on yourself, please stop, beautiful friend. PLEASE STOP.
You are precious, beautiful, and pure. Your life matters SO MUCH. YOU matter so much. Whatever has happened to you that has tried to blow out that light in your soul, don't ever believe that there's not a flame anymore. YOU are still in there. You are healing and overcoming and becoming every day. You are incredible!! You are BRAVE!! You can do this. YOU CAN.
See the beautiful truth of who you really are, and tell yourself over an over again. Throw out the lies today.
We love you so much.
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
Brave Girls Daily Truth - A Little Bird Told Me!
Dear sparkling girl,
We all need more words of encouragement and less words of judgment.
We all need more hugs and less dirty looks.
We all need more congratulations and less guilt trips.
We all need more random acts of kindness and less time spent gossiping.
We all need to be loved more without conditions or expectation. We all do.
Thank you for being the one who does it, who loves unconditionally and spreads joy and works in kindness and gives big encouraging hugs.
You are changing your world and your life and everyone around you with each small act. You are a hero. Keep up the great work and keep passing it on.
We all need more words of encouragement and less words of judgment.
We all need more hugs and less dirty looks.
We all need more congratulations and less guilt trips.
We all need more random acts of kindness and less time spent gossiping.
We all need to be loved more without conditions or expectation. We all do.
Thank you for being the one who does it, who loves unconditionally and spreads joy and works in kindness and gives big encouraging hugs.
You are changing your world and your life and everyone around you with each small act. You are a hero. Keep up the great work and keep passing it on.
Sunday, 22 May 2011
A Lovely Weekend Away!
I spent Friday - Sunday with my friend Liz & her husband Jeremy at their beautiful Welsh home. They bought a cottage & barn in Mid Wales and have lovingly converted it to a beautiful home and separate self catering holiday cottage called Blaenglanhanog a delightful 250year old drovers cottage, 1,000 feet up in the Cambrian Mountains near Carno in Mid-Wales. Take a look at their website and look at the views I had walking in their front garden.
Well worth a visit, fantastic place for foodie types as the local produce is divine and numerous, ask Liz where to get super ice-cream, amazing organic pork & tasty chicken? Visit beautiful deli's, talk all things green and just chill in front of a log burner. Liz even sells her amazing home made cakes, preserves, bread & in season fresh produce from their garden, eat whilst there and/or take some home, whatever you won't be disappointed.
Thanks for a great weekend Liz & Jeremy, loved our trip to Montgomery and finding an amazing shop called Indigo Moon run by the talented Tina Gilmore
Brave Girl Daily Truth - A Little Bird Told Me!
Dear Patient Girl,
The way like works most of the time resembles a big field of muddy earth. Yes, that's right. A big field of MUD. That's how life FEELS sometimes.
What you cannot see is that underneath that mud, that same mud that had been painstakingly plowed and had all the seeds pulled from it, what you CANNOT SEE is all the seeds that are planted underneath all that muddy earth, that earth that is mud because it has also been watered.
When your life feels like a big field of mud, when you feel like you are stuck up to your ankles in that mud, just remember the law of the harvest.
Those seeds are growing, right this minute, even though you cannot see the growth. Those seeds are taking root and pretty soon they will burst through the ground and you will no longer see the mud. You will just see an entire field of big gorgeous blooms. You will not believe your eyes.
So just be patient, beautiful friend. Your life is moving forward exactly as it should be, right under your feet. Keep watering your field. Keep the weeds out. Keep believing.
Have a fabulous weekend.
The way like works most of the time resembles a big field of muddy earth. Yes, that's right. A big field of MUD. That's how life FEELS sometimes.
What you cannot see is that underneath that mud, that same mud that had been painstakingly plowed and had all the seeds pulled from it, what you CANNOT SEE is all the seeds that are planted underneath all that muddy earth, that earth that is mud because it has also been watered.
When your life feels like a big field of mud, when you feel like you are stuck up to your ankles in that mud, just remember the law of the harvest.
Those seeds are growing, right this minute, even though you cannot see the growth. Those seeds are taking root and pretty soon they will burst through the ground and you will no longer see the mud. You will just see an entire field of big gorgeous blooms. You will not believe your eyes.
So just be patient, beautiful friend. Your life is moving forward exactly as it should be, right under your feet. Keep watering your field. Keep the weeds out. Keep believing.
Have a fabulous weekend.
Friday, 20 May 2011
Brave Girls Daily Truth - A Little Bird Told Me!
Dear Fabulous Girl,
YOU know what you are about. YOU know who you are and what drives you.
Stand up for it.
Give what you have for it.
Believe in it.
Help it along.
Be part of it.
Protect it FIERCELY.
Love it with your whole soul.
WHATEVER IT IS.
BE BRAVE FOR IT.
If you won't do it, who will? The world needs more women, just like you, who are willing to stand up for what they believe in, what they are about. It is time to be who YOU are!!! There are such important, beautiful things that will never happen if you do not do them.
You are absolutely mind-blowingly courageous. Thank you for that.
YOU know what you are about. YOU know who you are and what drives you.
Stand up for it.
Give what you have for it.
Believe in it.
Help it along.
Be part of it.
Protect it FIERCELY.
Love it with your whole soul.
WHATEVER IT IS.
BE BRAVE FOR IT.
If you won't do it, who will? The world needs more women, just like you, who are willing to stand up for what they believe in, what they are about. It is time to be who YOU are!!! There are such important, beautiful things that will never happen if you do not do them.
You are absolutely mind-blowingly courageous. Thank you for that.
Thursday, 19 May 2011
Brave Girls Daily Truth - A Little Bird Told Me!
Dear Clever Girl,
Everyone has an opinion about what you should do with your life, don't they? Today is the day to forget outside opinions and to embrace your own peculiar truths and dreams. Today is the day to go for it, even if it makes you look like a freak.
If your heart is telling you to do it, and your heart just won't give up, even if it's been telling you the same hting for years and years and years, you probably haven't done it because of your fears of the opinions of others.
You are never going to make everyone happy, ever. To life a bold and uncommon life, you are probably going to turn a lot of heads and make a lot of other heads shake in disbelief about the path you have chosen for yourself.
In the end, you will never regret listening to your own deepest truth, even when this means shutting out almost every other voice. Our deepest truths are our highest selves, coming from places of authenticity and love and light and joy. How could that be a bad thing?
Go for it, brave girl! We are rooting for you all the way.
Everyone has an opinion about what you should do with your life, don't they? Today is the day to forget outside opinions and to embrace your own peculiar truths and dreams. Today is the day to go for it, even if it makes you look like a freak.
If your heart is telling you to do it, and your heart just won't give up, even if it's been telling you the same hting for years and years and years, you probably haven't done it because of your fears of the opinions of others.
You are never going to make everyone happy, ever. To life a bold and uncommon life, you are probably going to turn a lot of heads and make a lot of other heads shake in disbelief about the path you have chosen for yourself.
In the end, you will never regret listening to your own deepest truth, even when this means shutting out almost every other voice. Our deepest truths are our highest selves, coming from places of authenticity and love and light and joy. How could that be a bad thing?
Go for it, brave girl! We are rooting for you all the way.
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Christening Present!
My daughter & her family are off to a Christening over the Bank Holiday weekend, she commissioned me to do a birdie picture for the gift. It's unique and certainly Jake will not have another one on his special day! I hope she and they like it!
Brave Girls Daily Truth - A Little Bird Told Me!
Dear Wise Girl,
Having a rough day? Stop and take a breath, and remember it's important to stick to the facts, because we often make things up in our heads that get us into a tizzy that is hard to get ourselves out of. Fears are mean little fabulists.
Think about everything you have feared in your life, or even for the last 30 days. Think about what you have feared for the last 24 hours, in fact. Think about the stories that you made up in your head about those fierce fears, about all of the terrible and scary and devastating things that surrounded those fears, about how if those things happened, they would surely ruin your life.
Now think about whether or not ANY of those things came to pass, and if they really did devastate your life. Sure, some yucky things actually DO happen, but a large majority of our fears are stories that we make up in our heads that never ever happen. Yet we waste SO MUCH TIME on them. Aren't we silly creatures?
So stick to the facts. And if the facts are harsh and look like they might yield some difficult consequences, think about the WORST thing that could possibly happen, and then ask yourself if you could live through it and be okay. See? YOU CAN! And YOU WILL!!
Because you are a brave, brave girl.
Now go make up a super fun story about yourself with an exciting adventure, and then go live it! Have a wonderful day.
Having a rough day? Stop and take a breath, and remember it's important to stick to the facts, because we often make things up in our heads that get us into a tizzy that is hard to get ourselves out of. Fears are mean little fabulists.
Think about everything you have feared in your life, or even for the last 30 days. Think about what you have feared for the last 24 hours, in fact. Think about the stories that you made up in your head about those fierce fears, about all of the terrible and scary and devastating things that surrounded those fears, about how if those things happened, they would surely ruin your life.
Now think about whether or not ANY of those things came to pass, and if they really did devastate your life. Sure, some yucky things actually DO happen, but a large majority of our fears are stories that we make up in our heads that never ever happen. Yet we waste SO MUCH TIME on them. Aren't we silly creatures?
So stick to the facts. And if the facts are harsh and look like they might yield some difficult consequences, think about the WORST thing that could possibly happen, and then ask yourself if you could live through it and be okay. See? YOU CAN! And YOU WILL!!
Because you are a brave, brave girl.
Now go make up a super fun story about yourself with an exciting adventure, and then go live it! Have a wonderful day.
Tuesday, 17 May 2011
Michelle Jackson-Mogford's Class
Where does the time go, spent just over 3hrs on the class at Scrap-A-Mia, then started work on it today at 10:10am and finally finished at 4:45pm - phewww suppose I'd better have lunch now, when you look ate the project you'll see why it took me so long. Thanks Michelle for the class that pushed me! Where do I start, patterned papers, kraft board, inks, acrylic paint, lumiere paints, doilies, embossing powders, stamps, punches, jewels, beads, ribbons, serviettes and of course glues of many descriptions!
Celine Navarro's - Class
Patterned Papers, white cardstock, Kraft cardstock, a selection of embellishments, masks, inks, punches all go into a 10 paged mini book, I put mine through the bind-it-all rather than use rings as I think it looks neater.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)