Today I am giving you Permission to Be Real!

Today I am giving you Permission to Be Real!

People who keep it real present themselves as they truly are, the good parts and the parts most of us would rather hide.

Most of us are familiar with the idea of keeping it real and have an intuitive sense about what that means. People who keep it real don’t hide behind a mask to keep themselves safe from their fear of how they might be perceived. They don’t present a false self in order to appear more perfect, more powerful, or more independent. People who keep it real present themselves as they truly are, the good parts and the parts most of us would rather hide, sharing their full selves with the people who are lucky enough to know them.

Being real in this way is not an easy thing to do as we live in a culture that often shows us images of physical and material perfection. As a result, we all want to look younger, thinner, wealthier, and more successful. We are rewarded externally when we succeed at this masquerade, but people who are real remind us that, internally, we suffer. Whenever we feel that who we are is not enough and that we need to be bigger, better, or more exciting, we send a message to ourselves that we are not enough. Meanwhile, people who are not trying to be something more than they are walk into a room and bring a feeling of ease, humor, and warmth with them. They acknowledge their wrinkles and laugh at their personal eccentricities without putting themselves down.

People like this inspire us to let go of our own defenses and relax for a moment in the truth of who we really are. In their presence, we feel safe enough to take off our masks and experience the freedom of not hiding behind a barrier. Those of us who were lucky enough to have a parent who was able to keep it real may find it easier to be that way ourselves. The rest of us may have to work a little harder to let go of our pretenses and share the beauty and humor of our real selves. Our reward for taking such a risk is that as we do, we will attract and inspire others, giving them the permission to be real too.

Something Very Wonderful Happened Last Night!

First of all Good Morning to you all!  Hope that you had a restful night.  You know me, I've been up since yesterday.  Am use to that though.  I cleaned my craft room sooooo thoroughly last night and now I am going to be very anal about messing it up again, LoL!

But let me tell you about this wonderful thing that happened last night.  As you may have seen the post that I want to sell my Copic markers due to the fact that I am pretty much getting frustrated with not "getting it".  Now it's not that I gave up just like that when I first had a mistake. No, this has been going on for a while.  I am even in a class online.  I am in fact in the intermediate class, if you can believe that! So I left a message on the board of where I am taking these Copic classes to see if by chance someone there would be interested in purchasing them.

I was not expecting this, but the wonderful woman who is the instructor of the class contacted me personally and said that she would help me out personally and we even talked on the phone last night!!!  Now tell me how many times does that happen?  To me?  Not often.  To have someone go out of their way to personally help me out with something that I am truly struggling with was just the sweetest thing and it really made me feel good.

So needless to say, I have changed my mind about selling the Copics and I am going to give it another try.  I am my own worst critic, I have told you all that before I know I have because it is SOOOO true.  Well, I am going to try and change that...no, wait.  I WILL change that.  I just found a quote that I really like and I would like to share it with you.

"There are no shortcuts to any place worth going"

~Beverly Sills~

This just says to me to work hard at what I want to accomplish because nothing is ever handed to you no matter what it is.  You have to work hard at it, practice it, and as Lisa said to me last night; 'if you have to get up and leave your project for a day or two and then come back to it, that's ok'.  I had to paraphrase that b/c I cannot remember verbatim what she said, but I hope you got the drift of what she was saying.

I am in a really great mood today.  I cannot say if it is because of what occurred last night or if I am just happy.  Let's say both!

I would like to show you two cards that I made for my mom.  She had asked me to create 2 get well cards for her.  One was for a woman who had broke her leg.  She wanted it somewhat funny and this is what I came up with...

This first one was for a gentleman and this is obviously the front

This is the inside of the above card

This next card is for the woman with the broken leg

the picture for some reason no matter how many times and ways I took it the front did not turn out how I really like it, but I still hope you can get the general idea.

And here is the inside of the card

I hope you like!

Well this is it for me, I have quite a busy day ahead of me.  I need to create create create!!!

Please have a wonderful day! And thank you for stopping by!

The Latest Card Sketch Reveal From Sassy Lil' Sketches!!!

Sassy Lil' Sketches

March 21st Card Sketch Reveal!!!

Let's see what you can all come up with for this one!!

Sassy Lil Card Sketches

I am selling Copic Sketch & Copic Ciao Lot *NEW*

Copic Sketch & Copic Ciao Lot *NEW*
Click this link above for more information or email me


These markers are all in perfectly new condition. They were purchased and never used. Reason I am selling is because I do not have the time to learn how to use these markers correctly. When used correctly though you can make BEAUTIFUL art work with these.

What I have is 57 Copic Sketch markers all in different colors except one duplicate color which is RV04. There is the 8 Copic Ciao Manga Skin color set with the 1 Copic Black Multi-liner marker. 3 colorless blenders along with a new bottle of colorless blender refill solution. 2 hard plastic cases-one holds 72 Sketch markers and the other holds 36.
All of these together totaled over $400.00 and I am selling for only $275.00 + $12.00 for shipping.
Shipping cost includes insurance cost as well.

*****SPRING*****

Happy Spring Everyone!!!

Can you believe that it's FINALLY here?!  I am not sure that I can really believe it...but I AM wearing shorts and the windows are open.  So great this weather is.  The beauty of it is amazing while watching all the new flowers and trees blossom and grow!  Ahhhh just love it!

I have a card to share with you.  It is for a friend of mine who I know from online and she recently became a first time grandma!  So I thought a card was in order,  of course!

{Don't worry about the glitter on top ~ I have since fixed this~}

Here is a closer view:

I sure hope that you all find something to do outside today {weather permitting} to celebrate the first day of Spring! As always, thank you so much for stopping by and have a FANTASTIC DAY!!!

ONE MORE THING...

Sassy Lil' Sketches will be having another CARD REVEAL SKETCH

                                                                SEE YOU THERE!

St. Patrick Day Symbols and Traditions

The Shamrock

The shamrock, which was also called the "seamroy" by the Celts, was a sacred plant in ancient Ireland because it symbolized the rebirth of spring. By the seventeenth century, the shamrock had become a symbol of emerging Irish nationalism. As the English began to seize Irish land and make laws against the use of the Irish language and the practice of Catholicism, many Irish began to wear the shamrock as a symbol of their pride in their heritage and their displeasure with English rule.

Irish Music

Music is often associated with St. Patrick's Day—and Irish culture in general. From ancient days of the Celts, music has always been an important part of Irish life. The Celts had an oral culture, where religion, legend and history were passed from one generation to the next by way of stories and songs. After being conquered by the English, and forbidden to speak their own language, the Irish, like other oppressed peoples, turned to music to help them remember important events and hold on to their heritage and history. As it often stirred emotion and helped to galvanize people, music was outlawed by the English. During her reign, Queen Elizabeth I even decreed that all artists and pipers were to be arrested and hanged on the spot.

Today, traditional Irish bands like The Chieftains, the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem are gaining worldwide popularity. Their music is produced with instruments that have been used for centuries, including the fiddle, the uilleann pipes (a sort of elaborate bagpipe), the tin whistle (a sort of flute that is actually made of nickel-silver, brass or aluminum) and the bodhran (an ancient type of framedrum that was traditionally used in warfare rather than music).

The Snake

It has long been recounted that, during his mission in Ireland, St. Patrick once stood on a hilltop (which is now called Croagh Patrick), and with only a wooden staff by his side, banished all the snakes from Ireland.

In fact, the island nation was never home to any snakes. The "banishing of the snakes" was really a metaphor for the eradication of pagan ideology from Ireland and the triumph of Christianity. Within 200 years of Patrick's arrival, Ireland was completely Christianized.

Corned Beef

Each year, thousands of Irish Americans gather with their loved ones on St. Patrick's Day to share a "traditional" meal of corned beef and cabbage.

Though cabbage has long been an Irish food, corned beef only began to be associated with St. Patrick's Day at the turn of the century.

Irish immigrants living on New York City's Lower East Side substituted corned beef for their traditional dish of Irish bacon to save money. They learned about the cheaper alternative from their Jewish neighbors.

The Leprechaun

The original Irish name for these figures of folklore is "lobaircin," meaning "small-bodied fellow."

Belief in leprechauns probably stems from Celtic belief in fairies, tiny men and women who could use their magical powers to serve good or evil. In Celtic folktales, leprechauns were cranky souls, responsible for mending the shoes of the other fairies. Though only minor figures in Celtic folklore, leprechauns were known for their trickery, which they often used to protect their much-fabled treasure.

Leprechauns had nothing to do with St. Patrick or the celebration of St. Patrick's Day, a Catholic holy day. In 1959, Walt Disney released a film called Darby O'Gill & the Little People, which introduced America to a very different sort of leprechaun than the cantankerous little man of Irish folklore. This cheerful, friendly leprechaun is a purely American invention, but has quickly evolved into an easily recognizable symbol of both St. Patrick's Day and Ireland in general.

IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER Sassy Lil' Sketches CARD REVEAL!!!

This month's sponsor is Nikki Sivils and just wait til you see her new line of paper!!!  Nikki was generous to give all of us on the DT some of her newest line and I want to give a HUGE

So with no further ado', here is first the sketch from Sassy Lil' Sketches:

And then here is my take on this particular sketch using Nikki Sivils newest line called "BEATRICE":

Everything I used to create this card was a Nikki Sivils product excepty the green, white, and pink ribbon, and the small square piece of pink card stock, as well as the gold metal star.  Other than that it was all Nikki's paper line BEATRICE.  I used my Cricut Expression to cut out the polka-dotted paper as well as used Cricut markers to outline it prior to cutting it.

I sure hope that you join in on our contest.  The winner will receive something from the
Nikki Sivils line and I know you would love to have that now wouldn't you?

Please check out the other Design Teams take on this sketch and also see more of the newest like of paper from Nikki Sivils.  Please add your own take on this sketch before April 5th to be eligible to win!  Good Luck to you all!

Getting Ready to Read a New Book! I've Also Started a Local Craft Club Too!

The newest book I am getting ready to read is

I recently joined a book discussion club and this is the book that has been chosen.  We will not meet until April 12th to discuss it.  I looked in the library and on the Paperbackswap.com that I use a lot and there is such a huge demand for this book that it MUST be good.  No exaggeration but I am #1046 I think that was the number, but I am over a 1000 people in line just for one of the copies of this book on the paperbackswap site.  So I got lucky and found a FREE audio ebook and just downloaded it. 

I will start to listen to it most likely this coming Monday when I will be able to concentrate and focus on it.  It really seems to be quite and interesting book!

I also have some other news to share with you.  Now I am not sure how many people who follow my blog that live close to or in Cincinnati, Ohio, but I wanted to let those of you who do know this...

I started a new craft group entitled The East Side Women's Craft Group . Now just because it says East Side, does not at all mean that anyone from ANYWHERE close can't come and be a part of this new group!

Well everyone that is all I have for now!  Thank you for stopping by and be sure to check back in tomorrow because Sassy Lil' Sketches is having another reveal and I really think you will like it!

Not a good day...In Fact It STUNK TO HIGH HEAVEN!!!!

Well just when you think things couldn't get any worse...

I had hip problems on and off for years now, then last week my back went completely out.  This also isn't the first time my back went out like this either.  This too has been going on for years.  So I went to my orthopedic surgeon today for my hip, and I already have an appointment on this upcoming Monday {3-14-2011} to see a new doctor that specializes in back problems.  Well turns out that my hip is fine, yea! right? 

WRONG!  Turns out that I have Spinal Stenosis according to my orthopedic doc.  I will admit that in researching about my back problems I too thought that it was Spinal Stenosis.  At first I thought to myself "wow Christy, you nailed it on the head"  But I got home after another long ordeal which I care not to go into at this time; the tears fell and I am extremely upset by this and scared half to death.

I feel that I am 39n yrs old and that EVERYTHING is happening to me now.  I have to already go to voice therapy in order to regain my voice back. What could possibly be next?!  I am so depressed right now, I cannot take it.  I feel like just going to bed and staying there for the next year with the blankets high over my head.

I am ANGRY!  I am furious at this whole diagnosis.  I don't even know what more to write now.

So I will end it here.

Please have a good night!

Procastination

Just some fun for now, Have a GREAT day! And Thank You for stopping by!

I've been reading...

Hi there everyone!  Hope you're all doing well today!

I have put my back out the other day and have not been able to really move around to much.  So I was reading a lot.  I finished up the book: The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time by author: Mark Haddon.  This was a GREAT book and it tells the story through the eyes/mind of a 15 yr old autistic boy.  I really recommend this book.

After I read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, I immediately grabbed The Kite Runner and actually read this book from front to back in one sitting.  It was 371 pages and I just COULD NOT put it down.  Very good story about loyalty and friendships, family, and changing times.  It really moved me and yes I did cry a bit.

This post is short, but I will be back soon with more crafts to show you. 

Again, thank you for stopping by!  Take care!