blog hop continues!

Celebrating Artful Gathering 2013 Online Art Retreat

Open for Registration

Blog Hop your way for chance to win!

From June to August 2013, ArtfulGathering.com will be presentingTWO exciting semesters of premiere online video workshops offered by fabulous artists who are known nationally and internationally. We are all very excited to share our knowledge, skill, and creativity with you, and we hope that you will join us for this AMAZING annual online event.

Blog Hop with us for a chance to win a $200 gift certificate towards an Artful Gathering 2013 online video workshop(s).

(Gift certificate applicable to 2013 workshops only and does not apply towards kits or dvds).

Each week I will announce the next featured blog for you to visit, and there you will find a new secret word or words that you will need to collect along your way. Once you have collected all the words from each blog you visit, they will work out to say a very artsy phrase. Here are the rules:

1. For your chance to win, you must collect all the secret code words and submit them upon the final destination blog in May. A random drawing will be conducted from those participants who have submitted the complete collection of secret words. 
2. Only one winner will be randomly drawn from the list of participants who have collected all the secret words.

Remember to collect all the secret words. These words will work out to say a very artful phrase, and you’ll need all the pieces to be eligible for the final prize drawing!

Please HOP over and visit the Amazing

Diane Cook

http://www.rosa-josies.blogspot.com//

(Pick Up the Next Secret Word)

Celebrating Artful Gathering 2013 Online Art Retreat

Open for Registration

Blog Hop your way for chance to win!

From June to August 2013, ArtfulGathering.com will be presenting TWO exciting semesters of premiere online video workshops offered by fabulous artists who are known nationally and internationally. We are all very excited to share our knowledge, skill, and creativity with you, and we hope that you will join us for this AMAZING annual online event.

Blog Hop with us for a chance to win a $200 gift certificate towards an Artful Gathering 2013 online video workshop(s).

(Gift certificate applicable to 2013 workshops only and does not apply towards kits or dvds).

Each week I will announce the next featured blog for you to visit, and there you will find a new secret word or words that you will need to collect along your way. Once you have collected all the words from each blog you visit, they will work out to say a very artsy phrase. Here are the rules:

1. For your chance to win, you must collect all the secret code words and submit them upon the final destination blog in May. A random drawing will be conducted from those participants who have submitted the complete collection of secret words.
   
   
2. Only one winner will be randomly drawn from the list of participants who have collected all the secret words.
   

Remember to collect all the secret words. These words will work out to say a very artful phrase, and you'll need all the pieces to be eligible for the final prize drawing!

Please HOP over and visit the Amazing
Pamela Huntington

http://www.pamelahuntington.typepad.com/;

(Pick Up the Next Secret Word)

HoPPy Easter!

My friend, Jenn and I love vintage bunnies; especially with big tall ears, so this year we decided to do an bunny swap. We also thought it would be fun to make handmade bonnets for our bunnies. This is the bunny that Jennifer sent me (along with the darling little wicker basket/doll purse!) My bunny just finished her egg hunt and was quite successful in her finds. I forgot to take pics of the bunny I sent Jenn, so hop on over to her beautiful blog to see hers. 

Happy Easter!

Healing

Recently a good friend of mine sent me an email discussing some things she has learned in therapy. I was so impressed by the email and what she had to say that I asked her if I could share it on my blog. I felt it was a good read for anyone. So with her permission, I share:

About a year and a half ago I was able to find a wonderful therapist that has helped me work through some issues that I have carried with me for many years.  Some issues for a lot longer than I even realized. 

I had not realized how many of the communication dynamics had affected me and how I was still allowing them to do so.  I have suffered through very deep depressions, suicidal actions/tendencies, physical/mental/emotional abuses, self-loathing, total lack of confidence….etc., etc., etc.  I can be honest with you all because you have been there with me either through it or during the direct responses to it and I can honestly say that without the help/support and love of most of you I would not be where and who I am today.  Literally.

So now the good part.  J  I’ve learned that what has happened before can’t be undone.  Whether the relationship has been friendship or family -  I can’t change how they have treated me and I cannot change what my response to it was.  Then. 

Lessons I’ve learned are these….

I have a responsibility to treat those that I choose to have in my life with respect, love and caring and just as importantly I have a responsibility to make sure that I am receiving the same from them.  We are all worth it and worthy of it.

It’s okay to surround yourself with people who love you and care for you as you are. 

It’s okay to expect to be treated well by people.

There is never a need to “buy” someone’s love and/or acceptance.

If someone continually puts you and/or your feelings last on their list or nowhere on their list it’s okay to take that as an indicator of where you rate with them and to more forward accordingly.

Most importantly I’ve learned that I’m a good person.  I’m not perfect but I’m a good person.  I am special in my own way just as we all are.  Not everyone will like or love me but I don’t need them to. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

happy Friday,

kecia

Love tokens

I've been making these little cotton felt hearts, which I have dubbed, "Love Tokens".  (and i'm going to do a little tutorial at some point).I like to give them out to people I meet in public (strangers) who look like they are having a bad day or maybe they work one of those jobs that none of us want to do (like cleaning a public bathroom). Or I like to give them out if I received excellent customer service (a rarity these days!) 

I recently handed one to a toll booth attendant. She wasn't very friendly and you could tell she was just go through the same motions again and again (probably bored out of her mind, i get that.) When I handed it to her, I explained that I was giving it to her to let her know I appreciate her. She got the biggest smile on her face. It was fun to shock and surprise her. And hopefully it made a difference in her day. 

I'm getting ready to leave for 2 weeks (taking miss sophie with me) doing some teaching and traveling  to Nashville, TN (Art-is-You) and Saluda, NC (Random Arts) and I will hand these out along the way. When I stop at rest stops, I also like to put them in the return dispenser on candy/gumball machines!