My Creative Side.....

Somedays I feel like I could burst with creativity!

And somedays I do!

I love the feel of my chalk pastels on my fingertips as I blend color and bring magic to a plain white piece of paper.

I love transforming my artwork into things that can be useful, as well as beautiful.  I've wanted to put my art on clothing, except I'm not quite sure how to do that or if I'm ready.

For now though, I share my framed artwork and make my own note cards.

My newest love in the creative department...  Squishing acrylic paints to create one of a kind miniature works of art.  Then, I transform these miniatures into note cards that can be used to cheer up a friend, or remind a loved one of how much you love them.

Chalk Pastel Print note cards

Acrylic note cards

The cards are all frameable, which gives them the added bonus of not only being the card for on top of the gift, but being the gift itself!

Spending time in my art studio (aka the laundry room!) makes me feel so relaxed.  I feel like the moment I decide to sit down and indulge in some play time I sink into a peaceful meditative state.

Every once in a while you'll find my youngest son sitting at my desk creating some magic of his own.  These usually end up on the refrigerator or he will hide his masterpieces so he can use them as gifts when birthdays and special occasions roll around.

And sometimes I get out the acrylics and we sit on the deck and create for hours at a time!

It's fun to play and be creative.  I love that my family gets to experience this in our house. 

There is total freedom for them to be who they are.

I love that!

Expectations and all that Jazz....

Expectation: belief about (or mental picture of) the future •anticipation: anticipating with confidence of fulfillment •the feeling that something is about to happen


Expectations...  They are tricky little suckers...

I've come to regard expectations as just a smidge evil.  They turn good people into buckets of stress!

Why?

Because we can't control someone else's behaviour and actions.  So expecting something from someone outside of ourselves is almost always a lose/lose situation...

Have you noticed what happens when the things you have been expecting, don't come through?

It throws you off balance and turns you into a miserable sour puss for the rest of the day....  Maybe you'll use that as an excuse to make everyone else around you pay for your misfortune, or maybe you'll sulk?

Expectations can ruin your plans for the loving life you wish to live.

I know the argument will arise that the Universal Law of Attraction says that we need to be in a state of expectation when it comes to our dreams.  I gotta tell you; I experience a higher rate of positive manifestation when I don't put my full energy into the expectation part! 

The key to this law is to feel the appreciation and the love of the expectation, not just in the expectation itself.

The kind of expectation I am addressing is the kind that takes a loving man, woman or child and turns them into a blood thirsty lunatic when they aren't getting their own way....  Sound familiar?!?!

I've heard the argument "respect and love should be expected from our children, family, friends and spouses" or "without expectations there isn't anything for anyone to work towards".

What about when your expectations totally take over your life.  You expect this from one person, this from another and something else from someone else.  Your life is full of expectations of others.

Are you living a life where you are expecting everything from everyone outside of you?  Do you find yourself in a state of consistent disappointment and unhappiness?  Are you unwilling to carry out the exact expectations you are putting on someone else? 

If you answered yes to these questions.  Let me ask you:  How is this working for you?

I'm guessing that it isn't....

The good news is that this is really easy to change.

The next time you have the opportunity to expect something from someone (and there is ALWAYS another opportunity).  Take a moment and re-evaluate the situation.  Ask yourself if there is a benefit to this expectation or will it leave you feeling unloved, unworthy and unappreciated if the other person doesn't follow through? 

Relax your expectations a little.  Relax them until you feel happiness and relaxation instead of stress and frustration.  Until your relationships blossom and feel good to you.  Until you receive something you didn't expect.

What you may find is that the less pressure you put on the people in your life, the more room there is for harmony in your relationships, and the less room there is for stress and frustration!

Besides, the only person we can really expect anything from; is ourselves.  And even that's a challenge some days....