Thoughtful Thursday - Just Keep Swimming!

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming.....  I sing it to myself in dory's voice. Such a catchy little tune isn't it?  If you don't know what I'm referring to, it's dory from Finding Nemo (youtube it. hehe).

This sweet fish can't remember where she came from or what she's doing most of the time. But, still she sings, just keep swimming!  Isn't this a fantastic lesson for us all?  Dory teaches us that no matter what obstacles we have to conquer, no matter what terrible ordeal life throws at us, if we just keep swimming (keep moving forward), all will work out in the end.

I dunno about you, but I need to learn that lesson over and over again sometimes.  I have a bad habit of letting the weight of the world rest squarely upon my shoulders.  Are you like that too?  What does it do for us to allow this stress and worry enter our lives and take hold of us?  How is it helpful to fret over this day's woes?  Does it somehow make the problems go away? Perhaps it helps us figure everything out better?  No, unfortunately that's not true either.  Sadly, we take on too much in our lives and then wonder why we're always so tired.  Am I right?  Or am I right?

We need to learn how to ditch all of the stuff that we can't control anyway.  Let's just set that nonsense aside because it does us no good. Let tomorrow worry about tomorrow because today is here and now.

Well friend, no matter what life throws your way, I want you to sing along with me..... Just keep swimming, just keep swimming!!

Thank you so much for stopping by today, friends! I hope you go out into your day with a happy heart and a song in your head! Hey, just keep swimming, just keep swimming! :-D You're welcome!

Have a fantastic day!

Until Next Time,
Happy Crafting!

#TheStampinChic

Thoughtful Thursday - Make Your Bed

Good morning all!! I hope you're doing well today!  It's the 2nd FULL day of school today and the young scholars are on their way.  Our morning routine is pretty basic: get up, get dressed, brush your hair and teeth, make your bed, feed your animals, have a great day! 

The question arose "Why is it such a big deal to make my bed, if I'm just going to crawl back into it tonight anyways?"  The man child did make a good point, however there is always method to my madness. "The reason", I responded, "is because no matter what happens throughout today, no matter how good or bad, you'll have accomplished at least one productive thing. And hopefully, that one thing will lead to other productive and good things." He accepted that answer and went about his task.

But it got me thinking......

Isn't it amazing how our outlook in the morning (from the moment we step foot out of bed) dictates the kind of day we'll most likely have?  I find that when I have set myself up for a rough day, it takes an act of congress to turn it around.  So, I try really hard to make it a positive start.  What better way than to be able to say "I'm clean. I'm dressed. I've had breakfast. My bed is made, and I am ready to take on this day!"

So, get up and get dressed! Eat a good breakfast. Make your bed and go tackle this day!



I hope you have a super fabulous one my friends!! Thank you so much for all your love and support!  You're such a blessing to me. :-)

Until Next Time,
Happy Crafting!

#TheStampinChic

Thoughtful Thursday - Contentment

Hello, Hello friends! I hope you're all doing well today!  The past few weeks have been a SCORCHER here in East Tennessee, but the last couple of days have been absolutely AH-MAZING!!!!  80 degrees with only a 50% humidity is just GORGEOUS. :-)  So I was sitting in the rocker on our front porch, having my cup of coffee and just taking in the beautiful morning, when I realized how content I was with my world at that moment. 

What a fabulous feeling!  Of course, at times like that, it's easy to find contentment.  But what about those days when everything seems to be going wrong?  We overslept our alarm, the car wouldn't start, the kids are fussing, traffic is slow, I could go on and on.... You get the idea. lol.   It's a bit harder to find contentment when things aren't going our way. Instead we find resentment about our situations.   But if we can just "keep our eyes on the prize" as they say, and think about those little things we love so much about our lives, we will have an easier time to find contentment in each and every day.

I love when the weather cools off and folks start using their woodburning stoves and fireplaces.  I love the crickets singin' after dark.  I love how my family can settle in and watch a movie together.  There are so many little things that I love about my life, that I can carry those with me through the times when I struggle.  I'll tell ya, a nice cup of herbal tea out on the porch before bedtime...... hits the spot and makes the day end on a good note.



Here's to finding your cup of tea at the end of a long day!  May we all be blessed enough to find contentment each day, no matter what struggles we may face.

I hope you do! And if you can't, come on over to my place. I'll share a cup with you. :-)

Thank you so much for stopping by today my friends! I hope the day is kind and the weekend is even better!  ~ Lots of Love!

Until Next Time,
Happy Crafting!

Thoughtful Thursday - Finding your mojo

Good morning friends! Today's Thoughtful Thursday is all about your mojo.  You know, that thing that gets you up and runnin'.  That thing that gets your creative juices flowin'.

Sometimes, I wake up bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready to tackle everything life throws at me.  Me and my mojo are one with the universe and we are ROCKIN' IT!!  Other times, I look EVERYWHERE trying to find that pesky lil buggar that seems to be completely evasive. Those days can be super hard.

What do you do when your mojo is on vacation, and you need its help? Creatively, one of the things I like to do is CASE a project I see online.  That's one of the reasons I LOVE CASE-IT Wednesday.  It's a great mid-week boost to help my mojo stay on task.  Alot of times, your mojo takes a hike because of things going on around you. Stressors from home, work, family, life in general, all play a role in chasing your mojo away.  I think of mojo like an ol' laid back hippie. Right? he's all "chill, man! Don't be so heavy."  When things settle down in your mind and body, your mojo will start to come back.  So, the key to having our mojo when we need it, is to take a step back from the stressors and take a deep breath and relax.

This morning, I woke up feeling a bit tense and tired and had so much trouble getting in touch with my mojo.  I decided to CASE a few projects for upcoming blog posts to relax a bit and, wouldn't ya know, my ol' friend showed up! YAY!!

So, I made a thing for you.  I LOVE THIS!! It may be one of my favorite projects this month! I hope you like it too! :-D

I've got a Stampin' Bingo event coming up this weekend and I want a few fabulous projects to showcase our AMAZING products.  I think this will fit the bill nicely!  I am totally in love with it!  If only we had a room with the nautical theme, ANYWHERE in our home! lol.  This is definitely display worthy.

I got the 5x7" frame from Walmart. Behind the glass is a piece of the Come Sail Away DSP. It makes such a nice background. The decorative piece is Very Vanilla Cardstock matted onto Balmy Blue Cardstock, and has been highly distressed with Soft Suede Ink.  All of the images and die cut elements are from the Sailing Home Bundle and I've tied some of the Night of Navy and Sahara Sand Twine into the project.

Ya know, I would consider this piece a collage of sorts.  I always find my mojo lurking in a big pile of collage elements. I LOVE LOVE LOOOOOOOOVE layering things. It's my happy place, and this fit the bill perfectly.

I hope you've been able to take something away from today's "chat", and that you enjoyed the bonus project as well!

Thanks so much for stopping by today, friends! I hope you have a wonderful (rest of your) day!

Until Next Time,
Happy Crafting!

If you loved today's project and want to make one for yourself, here are the supplies I used.  Simply click on one of the images and you'll be taken directly to my website where you can order.  I would love to be your Stampin' Up! Demonstrator! :-)

Product List

Sailing Home Bundle [151066]	Come Sail Away Designer Series Paper [149481]	Night Of Navy/Sahara Sand Baker's Twine [149483]	Balmy Blue 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146982]
Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [101650]	Mossy Meadow 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [133676]	Crumb Cake 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [120953]	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100730]
Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pad [147115]	Snail Adhesive [104332]	Mini Stampin' Dimensionals [144108]

Thoughtful Thursday - Reaching Goals

Happy Thursday friends! I hope you're doing well today!  

This week's Thoughtful Thursday is about Moving Forward, achieving your goals, reaching your dreams, whatever you want to call it. 

I promoted to the title of Silver Elite this week.  I am over the moon excited! This was a huge step and one that I have been working very hard for.  There were definitely times I wondered if I would achieve this goal at all. And times when I said giving up would be easier. That is certainly true, but where would that get me?

We all have things we want to achieve, places we want to go, or things we want to do.  So, what keeps us from doing them?  Fear? Obligation? Finances?  We have some degree of control over all of those things. Don't we?  We may not be able to do something right away but, with a bit of planning and work, we can still manage it at some point. 

One of my all time favorite quotes is from one of my all time favorite creators, Mr Walt Disney.

He said: 

I absolutely LOVE that!  It's 100% truth.  Our mindset is our greatest resource or our greatest hindrance.

Katharine Hepburn goes on to say: 

I take that to mean that I shouldn't wait for others to get me where I want to be in life. I have to work for it and make my way, myself.  That's not to say that others can't help you of course.  Having our "tribe" to help each other along makes life much easier.  But it means that you are responsible for your own ambitions and achievements. 

So, here's to setting goals and reaching them!  Here's to saving up so you can go on that DREAM TRIP!! Here's to buying that new car or home! Here's to that big promotion that you've been working so hard for!!

HERE'S TO YOU!!!

I hope today's post has given you joy and positive thinking to carry with you.  Have a fantastic day my friends!

Until Next Time,
Happy Crafting!!

Thoughtful Thursday - HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY USA!!!

Good Morning Friends!!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY USA!!!  

Today is a day of celebration. A day of reflection.  A day of appreciation.

A country's Independence Day is a very special day. It's the day they gained their own identity and voice.  It's the day they gain their freedom from the clutches of someone else. 

While it's always fun to get together with friends and family to celebrate, let's make sure we remember exactly what we're celebrating today.  Take a moment to thank all those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom to shoot fireworks and have barbecues.  Hug a veteran or service member and tell them THANKS for all they do. And, be sure to really take in all of the luxuries and freedoms we have here in our great nation!  We have many more than most of the countries in the world. 

Today, I say

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY USA!!! I LOVE YA!!

And, because it's my absolute FAVORITE patriotic song.......

Thanks so much for stopping by today friends! I hope you have a safe and happy 4th of July!

Until Next Time,
Happy Crafting!

Thoughtful Thursday - To Do Lists

Good morning my friends! How are you today? 

This week's Thoughtful Thursday is all about To Do Lists.  Do you use them?  Does it help?

Are you one of those people who adds a task, just so you can mark it off your list? hehe.  I AM, I AM! I admit it. lol.  Sometimes I add a half dozen things to my already huge list, before the day is over. Are you one of those people too? 

This is where that simple yoga and deep breathing come in to play, for me.  hehe.  Once again, we're putting a ton of expectation and stress on ourselves aren't we?  But, it sure does feel good to mark another task off the list!

What do you make "TO DO" lists for?  Work?  Chores at home?  Travel? Whatever you make your list for, if it's helping you remember to get everything done, you feel better when that last one gets marked off! You are not alone, fellow List Master!  Here's to you, and getting those lists conquered!

Just don't forget to take a nice cleansing "WOOOOOOOSAAAAAAAH" when you're done! hehe.

Thanks so much for stopping by today my friends! I hope you have a fantastic day!

Until Next Time,
Happy Crafting!

Thoughtful Thursday - Fear?

Good morning my friends!! I hope you're doing well today. :-) Are you feeling good? Maybe you're a little apprehensive after seeing the subject of our "Thoughtful Thursday" today?

FEAR

What does this word mean to you? How does it make you feel? When I see this word, I can literally feel my blood pressure increase.  My heart starts to race.  I get a bit edgy and concerned. I start to imagine some of the scariest things out there.

But, what if I told you that most of the time your fear is irrational?  When you have a fear of talking to people or a fear of heights, those can be irrational fears.  That being said, I'm right there with ya! I am TERRIFIED of heights! ACK!!!  But why?  Surely being up high isn't going to hurt me. It's the fall, or rather the sudden stop at the end of a fall that would hurt me.  So then, if I take precautions not to fall, there is nothing to fear and I am just as safe as if I were on the ground. Right?

Why am I sharing this with you? Well, because I want to bring light to our fears.  Let us think about what it is that REALLY makes us fear a particular situation.   The fear of falling?  The fear of failing or being rejected? All of these can be downright crippling, and can keep us from doing those things we want to do or that will help us succeed in life.

In business, the fear of failure and being rejected can keep me from advancing in my career.  It can keep me from finding new customers or from asking customers to order from me. But, what's the worst thing that can happen if someone rejects me? Truly.  The absolute WORST thing that happens is they say "no" and we part ways.  Why then, is there so much fear involved?  

I saw a video where Will Smith ( I love that guy!!) talked about FEAR.  It was INCREDIBLE and I felt led to share it with you today.  

What do you think about his logic? 

"GOD PLACES 

THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE 

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF 

FEAR"

That's a wild concept isn't it?  If we let go of those irrational fears and take a chance,  we can open our minds up to greater possibilities than ever!

So, today, I challenge you to face one of those irrational FEARS. Break it down to its simplest form.  Strip it of it's power and realize that YOU are in charge. Then, conquer that FEAR! And know that I will be right there with you, facing mine too!

Here's to us and being BRAVE!! 

I would love to know your thoughts on today's topic.  Please comment below and share something you're afraid of or how you conquered one of your fears. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today my friends!  I hope today's topic was interesting and thought provoking. :-)

Have a super fabulous day!!

Until next time,
Happy Crafting!

Thoughtful Thursday - Man(woman)'s Best Friend

Good morning my friends! Today's Thoughtful Thursday is a reflection of my family's recent trip to the midwest.  We left East TN, headed for Iowa, then down to Wichita, then even further down to Midland Texas, and then back home.  This adventure took a week and a half to do and I think it goes without saying that we were EXHAUSTED when we got back home.  In fact, that may be an understatement. lol.

I realized something on our way home from that trip.  The one thing I was looking forward to the most, about being back home, was seeing our dogs again.  Because it was such a long trip with so many stops, we left them behind with a family friend. But the whole time we were gone, I was wondering what our babies were up to and was missing them terribly!

Man(woman)'s best friend.......

My favorite "people" in the whole wide world! I can always count on my puppers to be excited to see me, to be ready and waiting to hear all about my day, and to just LOVE me unconditionally.

In all this month's relaxation techniques, yoga, and taking time, this week's post is all about our furbabies. Do you have a precious fur baby?  What is your favorite thing about them? I love that mine are more than willing to let me dress them in crazy matching clothes and will have a great time doing it! haha.  I love that no matter how bad my day might get, there's always a wagging tail and a full heart waiting for me.  It's uncanny how they have the ability to change your entire mood with just a little nudge or kiss. And, there's even a degree of science to this.  Studies show that our overall health is improved by having our fur babies around us!

So today, I encourage you to take a few moments and celebrate your fur babies.  Love on em and show them how much you appreciate and care for them.  Our best and most loyal friends!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I have really enjoyed having you here with me!

Have a super fabulous day!!

Until next time,
Happy Crafting!

Thoughtful Thursday - Take Time

Good morning my friends!  It's time for Thoughtful Thursday again already. hehe.  I'm really liking where this month's "thoughts" have been taking us.  Do you?  So far we've learned a bit of basic yoga to loosen us up a little and help us relax more.  Have you been keeping it up?  I have! Especially when I'm having to sit still for a length of time.  We are doing a lot of driving through the rest of this month and the yoga stretches have been incredibly helpful to us. Yes, I've passed them on to my family! lol.

Last week, we were reminded to just breathe and take a bit of time for ourselves to regroup and refill our own proverbial cup, so that we can be a better person for those around us.

Today, I'd like us to remember how important those little fleeting moments can be.  While we're practicing our "slow down" by sitting in the rocking chair on the porch, we can have an incredibly meaningful conversation with our spouse or child.

How precious are those moments that don't cost anything and seem to be so insignificant.  One of my favorite childhood memories of me and my "Pappy" (my great grandpa) is the time we spent laying on the lawn lounger looking up at the stars late in the evening, watching for shooting stars and finding constellations.  It cost us nothing but a little time, and I know it was as good for my 8 year old soul as it was for his 80 year old one.  He was such a special part of my life, and oh! what I wouldn't give for just one more of those evenings looking up at the stars!

So, today's Thoughtful Thursday is this: spend a few extra minutes lingering in those little moments that can mean so much.

I'll bet we all have at least one time that we can recall, where we felt completely engulfed in a moment that was so small and yet so significant to us.  Feel free to share your story in the comments below!  Let's get to know each other a bit!

I hope you have a wonderful rest of your week and weekend my friends!

Until next time,
Happy Crafting!

Thoughtful Thursday

Good morning my friends!  Do you find yourself constantly hurrying from one task to another each day?  I do. I am guilty of cramming way more into my day than I have hours for.  Why do we do that to ourselves?  What is the purpose of filling every waking minute with SOME "THING" that must be done?

Today, let us take a minute to just breathe and relax..........woooooooosaaaaaaaah!  Last week, we did a little Yoga. Did you enjoy that?  Have you continued to do it? I have especially liked the spine stretches. It seems to help loosen the tension in my shoulders and back.

“Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.”

-Eleanor Brown

This concept seems kind of foreign doesn't it?  We're taught that if we worry about ourselves before anyone else, then we're selfish. But emergency personnel are taught to check their surroundings for safety BEFORE they run to an injured victim. Why is that?  Well, quite simply, it's because they're absolutely useless to that victim if they were to get hurt on the way to help. Right? Seems like a good idea.  The same is true for us and our mental safety and wellness.  When we don't take a minute to "regroup" or decompress the stressors and responsibilities of the day, we take them to bed with us and get a rough night's sleep. That leads to a long and exhausting day, which leads to another rough night's sleep, and on and on and on. Am I right? So, for today (if not every day), take a few minutes for YOU.  Find a quiet place, maybe do some of that yoga we learned last week, close your eyes and just focus on your breathing. Slow, deep breaths.  

Remember to fill your cup a bit before you start your day (each day), and you'll not only feel more relaxed and energetic, but you'll feel your interactions with others will be more enjoyable too!

If you are noticing a trend in our "Thoughtful Thursdays" so far, it's because I'm speaking to myself as well. hehe.  With our preparations for this big trip and our new "adventure" in life, I've found myself downright frazzled some days.  As I am reminding you to "ENHANCE YOUR CALM", I'm also looking inward. hehe.

Thanks so much for visiting with me today! I hope that you have a fabulous and stress free day and weekend!

Until next time,
Happy Crafting!

Thoughtful Thursday - Yoga

Good morning to you! I hope your week has been a fabulous one. It's almost the weekend! YAYAYA! 

In the hustle and bustle of my own world, I've realized the need for moments of calm, silent reflection.  Do you know what I mean?  This ol' world moves lightning fast most of the time, and it can be hard to catch your breath. So, let's promise each other that (at least on Thursdays) we'll come here and find solace.  Promise? 

With that in mind, welcome to our first "Thoughtful Thursday"!  Each week we'll slow down to a crawl for just a few moments, take a nice deep breath in and a slow relaxing exhale, and do a little "Yoga for the mind". 

Yoga: You know, when I was first introduced to Yoga, I had no idea how that could possibly be beneficial to your health.  Looked like just sitting in awkward positions to me.  I couldn't imagine how it was comfortable or relaxing. lol. But then, a friend of mind showed me just a few simple techniques.  LOVE!  Mind you, I'm no Yoga Queen.  You'll not find me in a handstand or any of those other intense poses. However, I believe I have discovered why Yoga is so popular.  It's because of the calming effect, the slowing of the mind. Sweet release from the chaos of our day to day lives.

So, let us spend our time together today practicing just a simple form of Yoga that you can do at your desk or in the car in front of your child's school, shall we?

How was it?  Did you enjoy it?  Was this your first experience with Yoga or are you a Yoga master?  Leave a comment down below and tell me about it!

I hope you have a super fantastic day friends!! Thanks so much for stopping by.  Don't forget to come back again next Thursday (and every weekday. hehe).  And don't forget to squeeze in some paper crafting while you're at it!

Until next time,
Happy Crafting!