Real Simple magazine

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  -Ben Franklin

When I lecture and teach, I talk a lot about taking risks and not being afraid to fail because that is how I try to live my life. Over the years I have entered Real Simple's call for their "Your Words."  I have never been selected until "What is your secret to hosting a great Thanksgiving meal?" I was and still am in shock that I was selected because my "secret" had nothing to do about planning the meal or selecting a theme as others shared.

The actual experience was interesting. When I first received the list questions, my answers were not long enough (they got edited in the end anyway). When asked what I do for a living, I stated that I make art, teach, lecture, write and curate. The reply was to ask if I was retired. LOL They would not list everything that I do . I still don't understand why so they chose mixed media artist and curator. I am fine with that, but still wonder why doing many things that all feed my soul and for me, are all connected, could not be listed.  So far only my mother and one friend have noticed I am in the magazine so I guess I won't have my 15 minutes of fame. I can only hope that if I can start a movement for sharing more about what we are grateful for in the people we love then I will have accomplished something. Here's to "the buffet in between." I do love Thanksgiving and I am so thankful to those who read my words.

Gratitude

You have to believe the buds will blow, 
Believe in the grass in the days of snow;
Ah, that the reason a bird can sing
O his darkest day he believes in Spring.
                              -D. Malloch

My bronchitis and sinus infection has not gone away (more than three weeks) even after a round of antibiotics. I cannot remember the last time I was this ill for this amount of time. To say that I am not a good sick person is putting it mildly. It looks like I am back to the doctor tomorrow. 

I was feeling particularly low on Friday so you can imagine my surprise when a box arrived at my door. I didn't order anything and did not even think that it could be for me. Diane Dunder, you sure know how to make a girl cry. Thank you, thank you! I am speechless. Your wonderful piece of artwork now hangs in my office. I am deeply, deeply touched by your kindness and plan to pass it on. 

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts on teaching at the local quilt shop. I have decided to release the place with love. Time to get healthy, regroup and figure out what's next for me. "We are all here just for a spell and then pass on. So get a few laughs and do the best you can. Live your life so that whenever you lose it, you are ahead." -Will Rogers

With Deepest Gratitude

Good things keep arriving in the mail. Today came a check for $500 from the Northern Lake County Quilters Guild  to help with my Georgian Quilt Group. I gave my lecture "Connecting Cultures:An American Quiltmaker's Pilgrimage" at their May meeting. They were a delight and engaging group and now they have a piece of my heart. Thank you!

Sunshine from Wanda

Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.
                         --Ralph Waldo Emerson

I am blessed with the most caring friends a person can have in ones life. This tiny bit of sunshine made into a magnet came in the mail from my friend Wanda Shelton.  I cannot help but smile every time I see it. Thank you Wanda! This tiny act has lifted my heart. Who have you given some sunshine to lately? 

With Gratitude Every Day

In ordinary life we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.  - Dietrich Bonhoeffer  Yesterday I kept thinking about how the world is changing and not all for the better. Why do we need to shop on Thanksgiving day? I believe that small changes can create the opportunity for change. I remember when I made the conscious effort to be more grateful. It started by signing emails "With Gratitude" even when it was difficult. This helped me to realize that I needed to be grateful for those who caused me pain because they also caused me to grow as a person. I began a journal just for listing things and people that I am grateful for having in my life. I wrote in it each night before I went to sleep.This lead to another journal where I worked through difficult experiences until I could feel genuinely thankful for them. This, of course, is still a work in process.  I am still working on being grateful for Chicago's long, grey, cold winters. So I hope you will join in me making gratitude a habit because with gratitude also comes acceptance and kindness and happiness. I am grateful for you!

Gratitude Friday and a Travelling Journal

 Above all else, it is about leaving a mark that I existed. I was here. I was hungry. I was defeated. I was happy. I was sad. I was in love. I was afraid. I was hopeful, I had an idea and I had a good purpose and that's why I made works of art. - Felix Gonzales-Torres

The Sisterhood of the Travelling Art Journals is having another round. I was so excited to receive Helen Lindton's journal because I had an idea for her "Icons" themed journal--Uncle Sam. Helen is from Australia so I thought this was perfect. Why not give give her an American icon? I didn't like the first background I created so I scrapped it and started over. Once I got going it came together quickly and I was having fun. It felt so good to be in a creative groove. I think the warmer temperatures today had a much needed positive effect on me. I put a short history of Uncle Sam in the envelope I created. I even learned some things I didn't know too.  Since it is a fold out page, I am still thinking about what to do with the other side of the page. Thoughts?

Nolwenn Petitbois does Gratitude Friday on her blog.  I remember Christine Castro's "Good Things" journal entries. More than twenty years ago, I started my "affirmation" (affirming good things) journal where each night before I go to sleep I write down at least five good things that happened that day. It changed my life. I love the idea of actually sharing and hopefully getting other people to do the same. Just think of all the positive energy we could put out there. I think I will start more of an art journal just for my Gratitude Fridays. I don't think Christine will mind.

So here is my list from this week:

1. Nathaniel going to Pensy's for me and picking up salt free lemon pepper.
2. Tyler singing with me. I know he is not even three months old but when I sing, he sings! It is so incredible.
3. The followers on my blog. Can't live without you and your kindness.
4. All the artists who share their art and lives with me- Sisterhood of the Travelling Art Journals, heARTist Trading Cards, Crossing the Line: Artists at Work, and Postmark'd Art.
5. Sunshine
6. Johnny at Trader Joe's for the daffodils and telling me that I had "good karma." All I did was wait patiently while he took over and bagged my groceries. I'm good at it! It's like a puzzle.
7. My new camera
8. The light box now installed in the basement
9. Encouraging words
10. Tom who may not get what I do but never stands in my way and never complains that I use the laundry room for clay
11. The female crow who continues to visit me
12. Watching the expression on the little boy next door when his mom read him my chalk message for him on the sidewalk in front of his house. Priceless.
13. The wonderful people at my Dominick's store. I love them! They make my grocery shopping experience a joy.
14. Moroccan stew
15. Changing the stories in my head
16. A clean sink
17. An organized closet
18. The battered women's shelter resale shop for taking my donations and helping me have fewer unneeded things
19. Michele Bilyeu
20. Nina-Marie Sayre and her Off the Wall Fridays

Hope, Gratitude and Clay

Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul- and sings the tunes without the words- and never stops at all. - Emily Dickinson

The older I get the more friends I have that seem to need comforting- health problems, deaths, divorces, broken hearts. For a while I sent my little "Mending a Broken Heart" hearts. Now I have feathers which I have been sending. Just small reminders to let people know that there is hope and I am thinking of them. My youngest son insists (daily lately) that I need to sell them so I am now in the process of setting up an Etsy shop. This is more of an undertaking than I realized but I hate to disappoint him. He is such a great cheerleader and he loves what I am doing. I know that I will get asked so here's the scoop and maybe you can share your thoughts with me. I am thinking about selling the larger feathers for $10.00 each or 3 for $25.00 plus shipping. The feathers are individually made and approx. 7 inches long so no two are alike as you can see. They are light enough to ship first class which will keep the shipping cost down. I have also considered including a small card with the Emily Dickinson quote on it. Thoughts?

Wednesday was a tough day. It was one of those days that started out full of promise and quickly turned into a day where nothing seemed to go right. That is until I arrived at Clay Space and found a bowl from Ken on my shelf. I didn't think he was serious when he said that he was going to give me the bowl. Ken is a new friend. He and I are totally honest with each other which is so refreshing. We can critique each others work. We both love the positiveness from the people from Clay Space but we both want constructive and honest feedback not just cheer leading.

When I finally ran into ken to thank him, he said that I could throw it in the dumpster. I have to say that at first I thought the bowl was a hot mess but on closer examination I found the shape of a tree. The bowl went from ugly to interesting. Ken was thrilled that I have seen the tree and happy when I called it a "hot mess." I am keeping the bowl as a reminder to not be afraid to try new things (Ken was playing with wax on this piece), friendship, kindness, and gratitude. Do you have something that reminds you to focus on good things?

I am making this my Off the Wall Fridays post.