Sunday Snippets

 My week in pictures...as seen on Instagram:

I am joining up with Tinniegirl this weeks and her Sunday Snippets. I am letting the pictures tell my story.

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?

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

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!

Day 18 May Flower Challenge & A Little Bliss

  Welcome to day 18 of the May Flower Challenge.

I'm fascinated with flowers. They are all over my tiny apartment. I photograph them all the time. I draw, paint, doodle them, create them out of paper... I also see them all over the NYC. Each day I will post flowers and I hope that you will join in. The only rule is that your blog post or flickr photo that you link must contain flowers. Click above on the May Flower Challenge Page to learn more. 

A few found street art photos to qualify as my flower a day in May for my May Flower Challenge.

Also, today I'm linking up with Liv Lane.  Every Friday, Liv hosts the Little Bliss List link party...it is about listing the little things that have touched our hearts and made us feel joy, peace, warmth, love and/or a little bliss during the past week. So, I'm jumping on the bliss band wagon.  

1. Found flowers...seriously they just keep crossing my path.  I am having so much fun with my May Flower Challenge - posting a flower a day in May. Those of you who are participating, I hope that you to are having fun. You each are inspiring me with your flower photos, stamps, drawings, paintings, collages, paper flowers - - flower art!  By the way, it isn't too lane, join in some flower fun at any time and share your flowers.

2. During the past weekend, Superman and I attended a small artist fair in NYC.  I just had to have this. 

Designed and made by Jessie Driscoll of Made From Coins. This lovely little flower is made out of an antique silver dime. Visit her site to see and learn more.  

6th Street Flowers At My Feet                     Photo by Jazmyn Henry

3. The found flower bandwagon...a dear friend, Jazmyn, who lives in the NYC keeps seeing flowers. She is an avid reader of my blog and a huge supporter of my creative journey.

This lovely flower presented itself to her one day and she just had to snap this great photo, share on her facebook page and tag me.

It made my day.

4. A big thank you to Superman this week. He not only has made dinner for me most of the week but he also has been the cat wrangler.

With a new young cat in our house poor Tucker has had a workout lately and their play time has been rather rambunctious during the day while Superman works from home.

Little Java is half of Tucker's size but full of spunk.

What has brought you bliss this week? Get inspired by reading the other bliss bloggers today by clicking over to Liv's blog. 

Also, don't forget to visit the other May Flower Challenge participants by clicking on their links below.

Participate by linking your blog post to my blog post. Each day during May, starting on May 1st, on my blog post I will have a linkytool available so that you can link your specific blog post (not just your blog but the post itself) to my blog post. And, please remember to link back.

Participate by linking to the flickr group - May Flower Challenge- and adding a photo of your flower creation. Make sure you add your photo to the linky below each day that you post.

Shared Messages from the Universe - Yes

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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We hear and say the word "no" 

so many more times 

during the day

 than we say "yes".  

Do me a favor and pay attention today and become aware of how, when and the number of times that you say no. And, notice how many times you tell yourself no in your head.

Could you, should you, have said yes instead? 

And, what if you would have stepped
outside your comfort zone and said yes?

I want to encourage you to say yes more often.

We often limit ourselves,

 we hold ourselves back, 

by not saying yes.

We each have the right to give ourselves permission
- to say yes to whatever it is
that is deep within our soul.

Fear is a very powerful thing - if we allow it to be. 

I want to encourage you to say yes 

even though there may be fear. 

Even though you 

do not know 

what the outcome will be. 

Even though it may not work.

Say yes - even if your eyes are shut,
even if you are unsure,
even if you have fear...
say yes - be brave - say yes!

The alternative is no...

and then you will never know the what if...

So, say yes today 

to one thing 

that you normally 

would have said no to

 - you deserve it.

I want take a moment and let you know about an amazing free offering that Catherine Just is sharing on her website. Check out her video. Catherine is an amazing photographer and all around inspiring person. She is hosting the Soul*Full Summit  6/18-6/29 to help and encourage us to move through our fears. So, click on over and sign-up...say yes to this - - - you deserve it!

Little Bliss List

Every Friday, Liv Lane hosts the Little Bliss List link party...it is about listing the little things that have touched our hearts and made us feel joy, peace, warmth, love and/or a little bliss during the past week. So, I'm jumping on the bliss band wagon.

A smile can really change my mood. I don't know about you but living in NYC means that you often see the same people during your commute. It also means that you usually don't acknowledge one another, you don't say hi, you don't chit chat...you just go about your day. This past week there were moments of stranger kindness, even in this big city, that made me smile:


1. To the man who held the bus door for me when my hands were full - thank you.


2. To the woman who assisted me when I dropped my purse on the bus the other morning. You could have walked past but you stopped and helped - thank you.


3. To the pizza guy at the shop around the corner from my apartment who waves at me every night when I walk past - thank you for creating a sense of community.


4. To the woman who sat next to me on the bus, asked to look at my photos while I did on my camera instead of pretending not to look but looking anyway, your kind words meant so much - thank you.

5. To the man who gave me his seat on the subway the other night because he was kind and could tell that I was not feeling well - thank you.


6. To the artists who risk defacing public property to add their touch of creative panache to the city, you make me smile, often - thank you.


7. To the person who wrote the message in the photo below - I do hope that you find your love story that doesn't suck - but thank you for the out loud laugh when I walked past your message and the smile that stayed on my face for the next few  blocks.

What has brought you a little moment of bliss this past week?


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

As always, thanks for being a part of my creative journey. - Lori

Shared Messages from the Universe - Love Me

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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On Friday, as I walked around NYC with my camera, I was surrounded by LOVE. 

 I saw this beautiful word everywhere.

The above picture is the very first thing I noticed when I climbed out of the subway in Chinatown, NYC.

It made me think about being selfish and how it is necessary to remember to take care of yourself. 

LOVE ME

Being selfish has a negative interpretation and I'm going to go on the record and say 

- enough already!

 It is necessary to take care of yourself; to slow down, to pamper, to spoil, to breathe, to love yourself. 

You are the only one who knows how you feel physically, emotionally,mentally, spiritually, etc. Therefore, you are the only one who will know when you need a break. You are the only one who will know when you shouldn't try to do six things at once. You are the only one who will know when you should pause.

So, I want to encourage you to spend a little "Love Me" time today. 

You deserve it!

Sunday Color Snippets

I took Friday off from my day job and spent the morning with my camera.
I fell in love with these mosaic light posts:

By the way, building a house in NYC takes creativity. Check out that house on top of that building! Amazing!

Can you you find color in your every day?

Please visit the May Flower Challenge page above to learn more about the fun! Additional information will be added as the day goes on.

Photo Heart Connection

Kat Eye Studio is hosting the photo-heart connection project. On the first of each month we share the photo, that we took during the previous month, that speaks the loudest and the strongest to our heart and soul.

I love this monthly photo heart connection. . . What I am learning is that each photo speaks to my heart for a multitude of reasons. I am also learning that 90% of the time I am taking a picture because it does speak to me and not for any other reason. I love that. To do something that I am passionate about, that feeds my soul, that touches my heart and to share it with you - is ever so rewarding to me.

So, this month I choose this photo of street art because every time I look at it, it makes me smile and I picture myself jumping up for joy or dancing like the little character is doing (at least that is what I see). It makes me smile.

I always feel a little lucky to capture things like this when I am walking in the city. I know that they won't last long when they are drawn directly on a building. Sooner or later a building maintenance person will have to clean it, repaint it or sand it off. A little momentary piece of art in my opinion.

 

Please enjoy stalking the Photo-Heart Connection blog post and visiting the other participant's links by clicking on the logo below. Enjoy having your heart warmed with the beauty of their photos.