A Little Found Love

Something happens when I choose to be present.

When I focus.

When I ignore the hustle of NYC.

I see love. 

I'm more grateful for where I am,

who I am with,

and what I have.

What happens when you choose to be present?

Let Love Grow - AEDM & Shared Messages

AEDM Day 5

I'm linking up with Art Every Day Month throughout the month of November.

Creating art each day: doodling, painting, journal making, stamping, photographing, etc.

I'm also linking up with Andrea at DreAm**heArt**sMart**ArT - today's theme was heart.

While watching tv last night, I sat down with paper and my micron pens. I had a goal of making a tree and adding a few hearts to meet the theme challenge.  Well, one heart turned into many.

Due to Hurricane Sandy, it seems that all around me is chaos and frustration. I'm safe and have a home - for that I am grateful. So, I wanted to capture the love that I have for Superman and for our life together.

Hop over to Leah's website and visit a few other creative soul's who are participating in AEDM.

And, don't forget to visit Andrea's site for all the hearts that were inspired via her challenge.

For those of you who follow my blog regularly, you know that Monday usually means Shared Messages from the Universe. Well, today is no different.

It is my belief that messages from the universe speak to me and remind me of something that is inside of me. When I first see them, I often don't even know what is really being advertised. Instead, the message conjures emotions or thoughts relating to something that is going on within me; in my heart, in my mind, in my soul. I see them on billboards, in magazines, store windows, church plaques...everywhere.

I secretly call them soul whispers.

The messages are all around us

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The above message was drawn on the sidewalk in my neighborhood. As I walked to yoga, I walked right past it like a typically New Yorker in a hurry to get somewhere. I had to turn around to capture the photo.

It is such a simple message. In the city that I live in with so many still cold, hungry, and without shelter this message touches my heart. Be thankful for where you are, what you have, and I encourage to give to those who are in need.

As always, thanks for visiting, commenting, and following along on my creative journey.

A Little Bliss...

I am linking up with Liv Lane today and her Little Bliss List. I am really enjoying sharing what has brought me happiness and joy this past week with you. The real truth is that it makes me more aware throughout the week, more grateful, more positive, more present. I love it!

I've had a difficult week: my fibromyalgia pain has been over the top (some day I'll share more went I won't whine), the day job has been more than stressful,  blah, blah, blah...so the little moments of bliss this week have a little more meaning to me. 

1. Cork love. Friends have been saving corks for me. What I'm going to do with them I'm not entirely sure, yet. I've carved a couple, used some for making marks on paintings but I know that there is a creative cork creation in my future so I will continue to collect them. I love the heart that was burned into the corks from a particular brand of wine that they drink. 

 2. Hanging out with very dear friends, enjoying good food, laughs and great conversation as well as a little entertainment from their daughter who is 2. I love children at this age who are just learning to talk, always inquisitive and the simple joy that they exude is contagious. Thank you friends.

3. Sometimes it is the simply things that can make me smile. I get up early and Superman sleeps later every day. The morning is my time to write, to create, to blog hop...I love the quiet. Each morning I get up and make coffee in a clean coffee pot. I said it was the simple things that can make me smile. Superman cleans the coffee pot, fills it with water each day after I've gone to work so that the next morning I just have to grind coffee and have my morning cup. He's the best. xoxo


Also, do me a favor and visit Renee Burke's blog Happily Ever After where I am guest posting today in celebration of her sumMEr of ME series. 

Click the button below and visit the link party and share the love with a few other blogs. Get inspired and remember what brought you bliss and touched your heart this past week.

Shared Messages from the Universe - Hearts & Love

It is my belief that messages from the universe speak to me and remind me of something that is inside of me. When I first see them, I often don't even know what is really being advertised. Instead, the message conjures emotions or thoughts relating to something that is going on within me; in my heart, in my mind, in my soul. I see them on billboards, in magazines, store windows, church plaques...everywhere.

I secretly call them soul whispers.

The messages are all around us

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Lately, I've been noticing hearts again in my every day. Without consciously looking, I notice them.

The one above was captured in the subway station on my way home from a long day. Now normally, I am in zombie mode at the end of long day simply rushing from work, to the subway and home. Why or how I was actually conscious enough to notice this heart - I will never know.

As I paged through my Instagram photos that I've uploaded to flickr I kept going back to this one this morning. Even though there are no words it holds a lot of meaning for me this morning.

See, I've been reading your comments. Yes, I know I am a little slow to take in all of your kind words that you've left me for me during the past week. And, yes, I know I haven't commented or visited back - but I will. This past week has been a little personally difficult. You know the kind of week where you wish you could get a do over - well that was my past week. All of your comments this morning melted my heart, touched me and brightened my day before it even really got started. I believe that this is why this photo spoke to me this morning.

The shared message today is to capture the love in everything you do. The smile you receive from the stranger as you walk down the street, the thank you the store clerk says as you check-out, the good morning you get greeted with, the simple everyday kindness that we all take for granted...capture the love and hold it in your heart.

Thank you, each of you, for reading, for staying connected, for sending me love via your comments - your words hold such power and love. They have touched my heart. Thank you for sharing!

WOYWW - What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday?

I am hooking up with Julia over at Stamping Ground. 

It has been too long since I shared my desk but below is why. My desk doubles as a cat perch (prime sunny window seat in my tiny apartment) and it has become the catch all for my supplies. I need to create more space in my apartment I just haven't figured out how or where to do that. My decision honestly is to move but in NYC that isn't easy so I will need to figure it out soon.

But, as you see there are some yummy buttons, markers, an inspiration deck that needs attention and piles.

Where I create has become the top of my bed. There is just more space. So, armed with newspaper and wax paper I often spread out and create. Besides the occasional cat stepping on something or often getting their nose painted this works for me.

Below is one of my inspirational decks. I am participating in a swap with the other ladies from 2011 Flying Lessons e-course. Many of us still keep in touch on Facebook and I signed up to do 2 decks and they are due next week so I need to work fast. This deck will all say 'small steps BIG celebrations'.  I believe that we need to celebrate the little accomplishments on the way to achieving our goals - it makes the journey more enjoyable.

A regular deck of playing cards and gesso then for this deck watercolors and waterproof markers.

Then I am also working on my Creative Color Challenge piece. This month the colors are red and Louise threw in a theme roses. So, inspired by photos that I took of a single rose while visiting my Mom I drew the below. Tonight I will use Tombow markers and water to add my color (thus fulfilling my Bloom page for my Color Love class). Wow, way to link all the fun creative things together - yahoo!  Check back on Friday when I post the finished piece and the photos that inspired me.

Do me a favor and hop over to Julia's blog at Stamping Ground - randomly pick 5 people from the long list of people who play along and visit their desks this week. 

You just never know what might inspire you.

Shared Messages from the Universe - Om

It is my belief that messages from the universe speak to me and remind me of something that is inside of me. When I first see them, I often don't even know what is really being advertised. Instead, the message conjures emotions or thoughts relating to something that is going on within me; in my heart, in my mind, in my soul. I see them on billboards, in magazines, store windows, church plaques...everywhere.

I secretly call them soul whispers.

The messages are all around us

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Breathe

Inhale...

Exhale...

I remember the day that I took this photo. 

It was a day that I took off from my day job 

to specifically explore the city and take pictures. 

I remember because I had been walking 

around for hours 

and this reminded me 

to breathe, to pause and to take a break.

This is exactly what I need at the moment 

as I start back at my crazy day job today. 

So, I will be pausing 

from blogging until Friday.

Only a few days

 but a few days will be

 all I need as I will miss you.

Have you paused lately?

Have you taken the time to breathe?

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Have you noticed any Shared Messages from the Universe?

Share your message by joining my flickr group by the same name: Shared Messages from the Universe and post or link your photos.  Share those written messages that you walk by most of the time.  Those messages that all of a sudden you notice, you read, you react and they move you forward.

I'd love to see the messages that have inspired you!

Love of Art

Happy Valentine's Day! 

I've been creative in way or another since I was young. My love of art started in grade school and was inspired my Mom and her friends who used to craft and create small pieces of art, mostly ornaments, to sell during the holiday season when I was a child. Today I love all kinds of art and simply respect an artist for creating from the heart.

I've fallen in love with photography all over again during the past year. 

During the past two weeks, while walking throughout NYC, I've been capturing photographs of hearts. It honestly has been so much fun seeing and noticing the world around me with heart shaped glasses. What do you see in the world around you?

Click the Fly Tribe button below and visit the other bloggers that are participating in the Love of Art blog hop today to see what they've been inspired to create or simply what inspires them for the Love of Art.