I have every intention of making it to the studio today. I have got to get out there and clear off the center island and begin assembling the last one of the two boxes for the Surprise in a Box swap. They need to be postal real soon so that they will arrive on time! However, today, I have a lot on my mind.
As I am writing this, I am reminded that I was recently shocked! A long time ago, I attempted to add a site counter here and managed to get it functioning partly... however, it doesn't show up on my blog template for some unknownst-to-me reason. Anyways, I receive a weekly emailed update on the number of visitors here and while checking that email, I noticed I had 220 visitors on the 2nd of February!!! What? What did I add that day that was so interesting?
I quickly opened another window, pulled up my blog, and found the date. There it was, the Surprise in a Box boxes, cards, tags, and the surpises inside that I'd create and a total of three responses. I was blown away! I believe it is important to give credit where credit is due and want to mention once again that those boxes are not my own design but something that I desired to re-create. I discovered them some time ago while shopping at On Paper in Columbus, Ohio. There on the shelves were the prettiest boxes and wrapping paper created by Barbara Schriber Inspired, I did some research found her website and learned how to create the paper medallions myself. But I learned a very important lesson; my visitors want to see more of my art and what inspires me! So, I need to start sharing that and creating some more of it, huh? Please visit Barbara's website and her mother, Melissa Neufeld, I'm certain that you'll be inspired, too.
Anyways back to my plans, after I finish the boxes, package them for shipping, I need to turn my attention to finishing the Gothic Pages swap. Several members of a group of online artists that I share information, techniques, and artwork with, recently decided to host a swap based on this style of art. I am uncertain at this time to whom to actually to credit the design to but I'll be more than happy to share that once I discover the original source once again. I'm thinking it was from the book, "Mixed Media Explorations"??? Anyways, I recently received the template from Linda so that I can now check my arch size, and if correct, begin the creative process of assembling them. I'll try to remember to capture a picture of them to share the source of that artwork here with everyone who so kindly visits.
I thank you for that, visiting, with me, here. It means a lot to me... knowing that I have something worth sharing. I love to discover like-minded people and blogs to visit. So if you visit, would you so kindly leave me a comment? No matter how you do it, what you have to say, so that I can visit and leave a comment with you? I often go through my archives and hit those comment links so I can revisit at a later time to see what's new, too. Also, I often wonder if there is a "net-quette" for adding links to my blog? Should I email others for their permission to add a link here or do you just add what you'd like to share? And what is the correct way to respond to comments? Often I visit those who've visited and left me a comment so that I can visit and comment with them. Sometimes, I can find an email addy to send an email and others times I cannot. Therefore, I post a comment to let them know I checked their blog out as well.
I love to see what others are creating. Seeing and reading what is going on in their lives, being inspired, and learning along the way... I've discovered that my own life is multi-dimensional with a variety of interests from scrapbooking, rubber stamping, home decorating, sewing, gardening, mixed media artwork and that I can find, be inspired, and learn just about anything through the internet and through other's blogs. It has added an entirely new dimension to my internet surfing and I like to comment and let others know that they've inspired me and give credit where credit is due. I've also learned so much about myself along the way and I believe Maya Angelou says it best when she says "we're more alike than we are different." I have found that I can truly relate to other people, that it is important to share my thoughts and feelings, the little things in our lives that provide us with comfort and joy. I often wonder if maybe I should re-vamp my own blog and simply feature only my artwork within it, when I suddenly realized, it isn't an accurate reflection of who I am. I'm multi-dimensional with a variety of interests, I'm fun, loving, and kind; a caring and compassionate human being and I hope that my blog reflects that. I know I can be all over the place... that is me... that's my life... that is how my brain is wired, LOL! And one more thing before I go, I've learned that writing this blog, sharing my knowledge, my resources, my personal life, is actually making me a better person.
If you had met me in real life some time ago, you would have discovered that I am actually sort of shy. I'm more guarded, scared and afraid of being hurt, I often have to remind myself that others who I interact with have very little power over me, my own thoughts, and my feelings. I can be self-conscious and often inhibited because I fear being judged too harshly or having my own life negatively impacted in some way. I set up barriers and established imaginery boundaries to guard my heart and spirit and once those are in place, I tend to withdraw. Writing here, behind the facade of the computer's screen, I can be who I am, without those fears and insecurities to some extent and that is helping me so much in my real life.
I am learning to be more open, more vulnerable, more.... inviting. It hasn't been an easy road for me to attempt to do this in my life, but I one day realized that I was missing out on so much more because I was afraid to take that chance. It is something that I am working on, making me a better me. {smile} I now ask myself what would I do, what would I share, what would I say, and what would I do if I knew for certain that no one would judge me by the choices that I make. And the answer to that is that I'd dance, I'd smile more, I'd reach out to others and embrace the relationships that I have with each and every one of them, and that, my friends, is what I'm attempting to do. I ask myself what is stopping me from being the person who I desire to be, from doing what I'd love to do? Those answers differ and come with a variety of responses that are so enlightening! that I have made a resolve to try to incorporate at least one of those answers into my life. It's soul-dancing! Becoming the person that I was meant to become. I try to remember that is what others are doing, becoming who they really are and sharing that with the rest of the world.
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