A Creative Spirit

Naturally Thin - 4

2012-09-21T15:43:00.001-04:00

I haven't written about my progress on the project to become naturally thin for a couple of weeks because I have struggled a little. HMMMM maybe if I had continued to track the progress MAYBE just maybe I wouldn't be struggling.

I have lost another 1 lb on the scale but I know it could have been more if I had been as motivated as much as I was on week one. So back to plan and on to Step #4.

This step is another one we ALL know to do, but in this technology age we forget.

PAY ATTENTION

That's right, pay attention.....to what you eat, how you (or someone else) makes it, when you eat and where you eat.

This means to stop multitasking while eating - so no more TV watching, computer surfing or talking on the phone. (UMMMM I am struggling with this one). Sit down while eating. If you skip the multitasking, it sure would be easier to be more calm and enjoy the meal more.

Chew slowly and enjoy each and every bite instead of wolfing in down and not paying attention to whether you are full. Make sure you are actually tasting the food before it is gone and you can't remember if it was good or not.

On to a big part of Step 4 - don't eat it if it isn't that good. What a waste of calories, energy and just plain common sense. I can deal with something that doesn't look good if it tastes YUMMY but if it isn't tasty, why eat it?

So what do you think of this step? Like I say, I struggle with not multitasking while eating. I just wanna slump into the couch, watch TV and eat. BUT I then realize that I finished off a whole plate of something that I don't even know if I liked, or if I was full or without even caring if it was healthy.

I would love to hear if you are also on a weight loss journey and how you are doing. Maybe we can motivate each other a little.

Until next time....keep on creating.

How's it going????

2012-09-19T16:11:00.000-04:00

Did you pick a word to describe your passion or your goal for 2012?

Back in January, I picked the word Believe. I wanted to stop being in my 'self-pity' mode and start believing in myself and my abilities again.

So how am I doing? UMMMM OK, but first let me remind you of the goals I wanted to accomplish or the way I planned to live out my word this year.

First by spending more time with God. That is MY strongest belief so that part of my life deserves more time. More time in the Word, more time in prayer, more time sharing my beliefs.

Also, by meditating on the positives, on the blessings I have in my life and stop focusing on the losses.

Doing what I believe to be right, even if others mock or criticize me for it.

Being willing to take risks and go the extra mile to achieve better things.

Accepting compliments graciously. “Thanks, I really worked hard on that prospectus. I’m pleased you recognize my efforts.”

Here are my updates:

I have been reading 1-3 Psalms a day as well as adding Christian books into my reading list so I would say I give myself an A- on this goal.
I am still working on this one. I try to start each day with a positive attitude know that each day can be a GREAT and happy day. I am giving myself a C+ on this one.
I am not really sure why I put this one on here. I must have REALLY been feeling down on myself at that time.
Risks are still tough for me, but I am putting myself out there again. At work and in my personal life. So far, so good and I haven't fell flat on my face yet. Another C+ on this one.
This is still a tough one for me. I am working on forming the words 'thank you' instead of contracting whatever compliment I get. That goes for compliments on my cakes, my clothes, my hair whatever. I am going to be positive on this one and say that I am doing about B work on this.

So how is your year going? We are in the home stretch, almost in the last quarter of the year. My plan is to continue on this path of believing and I know great things are sure to come. Are you with me?

Until next time....keep on creating.

Baby Shower...

2012-09-17T15:47:00.001-04:00

for a special baby.

A special little girl arrived in this world 6 months ago way before her due date weighing 1.2 pounds. She is definitely a fighter and spent each day for the last few months getting stronger and getting to know her parents as well as hundreds of health care workers... Doctors, nurses, aides and whoever she needed to help her grow and stay healthy.

This miracle baby came home recently and our office threw a small baby shower for the daddy, who is a coworker.

I am not showing pictures of the dad or mentioning the baby's name to protect their anonymity and privacy. I did want to share the pictures of the cake and decor tho. It was a pretty quickly thrown together and decorated because in the corporate world, conference rooms are at a premium and we had a minimal amount of time to decorate.

I am still working on getting the buttercream smooth when cakes are ordered without fondant but with fondant decoration. Since this cake was made, I have been trying some new techniques to smoothing the icing and currently I am working on the bench scraper method and have gotten a LITTLE better since this cake was done a while back. Next will be the crusting buttercream with Viva towel method. Wish me luck on this because I really am having a tough time.

Do any of you have the problems with smoothing buttercream like I do? Or have you perfected a method? If you have any hints or tips for me, I would LOVE to hear them.

Until next time.....keep on creating.

The Naturally Thin Project - Part 3

2012-08-31T16:24:00.000-04:00

On to the next step on my journey with the Naturally Thin plan by Bethenny Frankel.

The second 'rule' in this plan is "You Can Have It All, Just Not All at Once".

DANG and I thought I could just eat and eat and eat and not see any consequences.

Join me on this next step on may way to changing my thinking about eating and dieting.

Bethenny's point with the Naturally Thin plan and with this rule is that 'dieting' is not helping us.

Most diet plans ban certain foods so we feel deprived. I WANT that cupcake, or Twinkie or chocolate bar but my 'diet' says NO WAY.

Enter anger, hunger, feelings of deprivation. No wonder most of us can't follow a restrictive plan.

Bethenny says we CAN have chocolate, or cake or mashed potatoes. BUT we can't eat a pound of chocolate, half a cake or a pan full of potatoes.

Moderation is the key here people.

First think about what you want. Do you want some potatoes with your dinner AND dessert?

Then you will have to cut both of the portions on those two treats way back.

How about you eat the taters but then only have a bite or two of someone else's dessert. (Ask first or you may get a fork stabbed into your hand).

Or reverse this and just take a bite or two of someone else's cheese filled potato dish and then eat a scrumptious dessert.

Are you seeing the point of this rule?

It was hard for me to grasp as I am definitely of the "I want it all" mindset and thought I would feel deprived looking at food thru the eyes of Rule # 2.

On the contrary, I know I can taste whatever I want and determine where I want to use my "bank account" points for the day on.

Today, I may want that Salted Caramel Cupcake from the local cupcakery and tomorrow I may want a nice piece of bread with a nice helping of butter.

Or, if I am making a cake or cupcakes for a client, I can taste the icing as needed to ensure I am giving them the best I can give.

No guilt, no kicking myself the rest of the day. A taste or two and move on.

There is LOADS more involved in this rule, but this is my take on it. I know that I have to think about what I want to eat, whether is it worth using my daily expenditures from my food bank account, and whether I really hungry or just bored, sad or lonely.

Sounds easy right? Well, I can report that it has been easy for me.

I lost another 1.1 lbs this week which is a BIG thing for me since the older I get, the harder it is to lose. So this little engine that can is still chugging along.

Next week I will take a look at the Rule # 3, so I hope you will be back to check in then.

Until next time.....keep on creating.

If you want to check out previous posts in this series:

A new way to eat...

Eating Naturally Thin - Part 2

Photography Skills

2012-08-27T16:30:00.000-04:00

A few months ago I let you all in on a secret - I took an online photography class to learn more about my digital camera. Check out the original post here.

I have been an avid amateur photographer since I was a kid back in the dark ages - when little instamatic cameras and Polaroids were all the rage. In college I took a photography class and splurged on a Canon AE 1 and really learned how to shoot great pictures. I used that camera for years taking pictures of my babies, who turned into toddlers, and all the way up until about the time they graduated from high school.

AHHHH those were the days of rolls (and rolls) of film piled up in a drawer just waiting for someone to send them away to be developed. Then enter the digital age, when I received a little Sony digital camera as a gift to use to take pictures of my grandkids. That made me happy for a few years because it took great pictures without having to do much more than push the little button. SNAP, CLICK and DONE.

I wasn't satisfied tho and I bought a better camera to take on a mission trip to Alaska. I mean I NEEDED a better camera for there right? I had always loved my Canon AE 1 so I decided to get another Canon and went with a DSLR (HMMMM can't remember which one right now). No more little tiny digital for me. Oh no I looked sharp with my big camera and it did take good pictures. GOOD not great. But why was that?

HMMMM could it be that I was stuck on Auto mode on my camera? I gave up trying to figure out all the settings a nice Canon offered when my kids were little and I thought it was much easier to just leave it on Auto and continue the SNAP, CLICK and DONE way of shooting pics that I was used to. But now, ALL these years later I decided to relearn what I knew back in the 80's. How to think about the settings on my camera and change them up to get the BEST pictures possible.

Since my original post, I did go out and get myself the Canon 3ti and I LOVE it. I rarely put it on auto, and intead use the M (manual) setting most of the time. I have taken some GREAT shots and then some NOT SO GREAT shots. But that is where my newest obsession comes in. Photoshop. I LOVE IT. When I don't quite get the settings right on my camera, I upload them to Photoshop and do a little creative editing.

Is Photoshop cheating? Doctoring up the original shot to fake it being a GREAT right out of the camera shot? I don't think so, but then I was really lousy at figuring it out and wasn't doing much changing anyway. So I once again turned to the guys at ShootFlyShoot for some help. They have a great Photoshop Elements 10 class that starts with the very basic functions and takes you through some pretty amazing tutorials on creating wonderful photos. I am having such fun turning my so-so pictures into something I am proud to share with others. The classes are quick and easy to understand and if a 'not so tech savvy' gal like me can do it so can you.

I will be sharing some of my before and afters on here soon, but in the meantime, if you want to know more about how to shoot great pictures or how to clean them up a little, just click on the button to the right to find out more. I think you will be amazed at what you can learn in just a few short lessons.

If you pop on over and take the ShootFlyShoot classes, let me know what you think.

Until next time....keep on creating.

Sunday Morning

2012-08-26T07:59:00.000-04:00

Looking forward to the Worship in the Woods experience this morning and spending time with good friends.

How are you spending your Sunday?

Eating Naturally Thin - Part 2

2012-08-24T16:39:00.000-04:00

I am working very hard to continue on a healthy eating lifestyle once and for all. I just completed my third week on the Naturally Thin plan from Bethenny Frankel. Check out my original post about the start of my journey.

Today I am going to give my thoughts and experiences on the first of ten tips.

1, Your Diet Is A Bank Account

The way I understand it is that we start each day with a certain amount of food in our account. Kinda like a budget amount. Bethenny stresses that her plan is not a DIET but a lifestyle and I agree with her. I do, however, think that rule 1 is about the closest her plan comes to a true diet plan like Weight Watchers.

BUT the difference is that there is no counting or tallying. This plan is a little more fluid. Some diet plans forbid certain foods - carbs, or sweets or who knows what else.

With this plan, I can choose to eat whatever I want but balancing it out during the rest of the day. Kinda like my checking account. I know I can't go on an all out spending spree or I will be bouncing checks all over town.

That check bouncing equals added weight if I overdraw my food account for the day.

I lost another 1.4 pounds this week and that was TOTALLY without depriving myself.

I allowed myself to share a cupcake with a friend - TWICE.

I had lunch with co-workers at a Japanese Steak house.

I had ice cream.

You heard me right, I worked all of that in this week by balancing out my food throughout the day.

When I wanted a cupcake I ate a BIG salad light on the dressing.

When I knew I was going out to lunch, I toned back my dinner plans and had more fruits and veggies.

This really is a great way to look at your daily intake and plan ahead for any treats you want during the day.

Well that is all for this week. I hope you learn a little from these posts, but I definitely recommend you get the Naturally Thin book by Bethenny Fankel to learn all of the details of the Bank Account tip.

Until next time....

Keep on Creating.

Friendship Friday - a day late

2012-08-18T07:21:00.000-04:00

Join in on the fun of Friendship Friday

The question of the week to help you get to know your fellow bloggers is this:

What makes your home town unique?
Share some fun facts about where you live
At this week’s Friendship Friday!

Hmmmm unique? Not sure it is unique, but I live in the capital city of our great state.

One of the most famous zoo's or at least zoo spokesperson in the US with his frequent visits on national TV.

A major college town with a pro hockey team that calls this place home.

So there you have it... a lil about my home town....well my adopted home town anyway.

Until next time....

Keep on Creating!

A new way to eat....

2012-08-17T16:42:00.000-04:00

We all know:

HOW we should eat (not until we burst)....
WHAT we should eat (heavy on the veggies)...
WHERE we should or shouldn't eat (not in front of TV)...

So why do Americans struggle so with obesity? I am not here to say I am an expert. Maybe a semi-expert on losing and regaining weight, but not on knowing the secret to getting to and staying at a healthy weight.

Enter Bethenny Frankel and her Naturally Thin plan (not diet) and the book of the same name.

Say what you will about Bethenny, you may love her or hate her, but her thoughts on healthy eating and being 'naturally thin' are really resonating with me. I have been following her rules for the last two weeks and am down about 3 lbs. You have NO idea how thrilled I am because it is super easy for me to gain weight but OH SO HARD to lose it since I turned the big 50.

What is the secret behind Bethenny's plan???? Pretty much all the tips we already know with a few new twists thrown in, Basically it is more or less eating mindfully. I can do that...... It means I don't have to feel deprived or hungry. It means I just pay more attention to the cues my body is giving me about what I want and if I am REALLY hungry or just bored, sad, tired or anxious.

I will be posting more in the coming weeks on this plan and how I am doing on it. But for now, if you are looking for a self - help book to be your end of summer read, I would definitely check out Naturally Thin by Bethenny Frankel.

Until next time.....keep on creating.

And another recipe

2012-08-15T16:30:00.000-04:00

I couldn't resist. Once again this recipe comes from the September issue of Food Network Magazine (see the trend here?)

Talk about baking something creative. I LOVE this cake and it is oh so simple. This is one I will plan on making soon and will share pics. YUM OH!

And no your eyes are not deceiving you!!!! That really is a cake.

Check out the recipe below.

PB&J Sandwich Cake

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
All-purpose flour, for the pan
1 18.25-ounce box white cake mix, plus required ingredients
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 to 2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup grape jelly

Directions

Butter a 9-inch-square cake pan, line with parchment, then butter again and dust with flour. Make the cake mix and fill the pan three-quarters full (you'll have batter left over). Bake at 350 degrees F until a toothpick comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.

Let the cake cool in the pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and let cool completely. Transfer the cake to a work surface. Trim off the top using a serrated knife, then slice the cake in half horizontally.

Beat the butter and peanut butter with a mixer until smooth. Alternate adding the confectioners' sugar and milk, beating after each addition, until the frosting is fluffy and smooth. In another bowl, whisk the grape jelly until it is loose and spreadable.

Spread a thick layer of peanut butter frosting on the bottom cake half.

Spread the grape jelly on top of the peanut butter frosting, making sure to reach the edges. Top with the remaining cake layer.

Cut the cake in half diagonally and transfer to a serving plate. Separate the halves slightly to show the filling

Magazine Monday

2012-08-13T16:44:00.000-04:00

Or should I say Recipe Monday as it seems that is what I like most about the magazines I am reading these days.

Today is a quick and simple recipe I definitely plan to try soon.

Once again it comes from the September issue of Food Network Magazine.

Roasted Shallot Yogurt Dip

Toss 6 unpeeled shallots and 3 unpeeled garlic cloves in 2 teaspoons olive oil on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until soft (20-30 minutes). Cool and then peel. Finely chop and mix with 1 cup plain low fat Greek Yogurt, 3 tablespoons chopped chives and salt to taste. Top with more chives. Serve with your choice of dippers.

How yummy and HEALTHY to boot.

I think this would be a perfect little snack to put in your lunch box.

Until next time....

Keep on Creating!

Magazine Monday

2012-08-06T16:38:00.001-04:00

OOOOOO how I love to peruse food magazines for recipes and entertaining ideas. Pretty much anything that has to do with cooking. BUT I have gotten out of the loving to cook and whip up the recipes myslef mindset. I am trying very hard to enjoy cooking again. Why? Because it is healthier, it is the use of REAL foods instead of processed ones and it is cheaper.

What a great way to get back in the cooking habit than to make a cool summer gazpacho. Easy peasy and quick to whip up to boot.

I found this yummy Tomato and Watermelon Gazpacho recipe in the September 2012 issue of Food Network Magazine.

I decided to whip up a modified version of this recipe with the veggies I got at the Farm Market and YUM OH YUM! I didn't have watermelon so I left it out but I may just make this again with watermelon to see how the sweet melon adds flavor.

Here is the link to the recipe if you want to make it and let me know what you think.

Have you made gazpacho? Do you have a recipe you make over and over?

I would love to hear it so I can try your version.

Until next time....

Keep on Creating!

Sunday Morning......

2012-08-05T09:09:00.000-04:00

I am thanking Got today for all the blessings and memories that were had yesterday as my brother and I started the slow dig out at my parent's farm.

50 plus years of marriage equals a LOT of stuff.

Old photo's, the scent of the horses my mother loved so much, and a view into what both of them felt was worth keeping made for a wonderful day.

Have a blessed Sunday.

Organizational Challenge

2012-07-23T17:10:00.001-04:00

I have lamented about it here on A Creative Spirit before that I am NOT an organized kinda gal. I am good at overlooking clutter, pushing stuff in every imaginable out of the way space, and ignoring my upstairs storage closet.....I mean spare bedroom.

I don't like to clean either so I pay my daughter to do my deep cleaning. Last week she brought my 4 year old granddaughter with her to 'help'. This little one is NOT a neat freak by any means but I guess she opened my closet and promptly said "ARRRGGGHHHHHH BA BA's (that's what she calls me) CLOSET IS A MESS." She then took it upon herself to pair up my shoes, and I guess she had them lined up in a beautiful organized manner outside of the closet until her mom told her that she had to now put them neatly back in the closet. So she opened my closet and said "AARRGGHHH WHAT A MESS" and just threw all the shoes back in and shut the door. My daughter called me at work to break the news to me and was laughing pretty much hysterically.

That brings me to today's post......I have GOT to get organized. So I went out to bhg.com to see what kinda tips I could find. I love Better Homes and Garden's Magazine but I couldn't wait to see if next months issue had any tips.

In my search I found a personality test for organization. HMMMMMM sounded like just what I need. After answering a few easy questions, I was diagnosed as having an 'artists personality" when it comes to my life and to organizing. Which basically means I am a happy go lucky gal who really doesn't care much about keeping things neat. Really described me pretty well.

Here is what was said about my type of organizer:

Are you a creative spirit who responds to visual cues but finds it hard to get motivated to stay organized? Then you might have what professional organizer Audrey Thomas calls an artist's personality. Traditional clutter-cutting solutions might not work for you if out of sight means out of mind. Instead break down tasks into achievable 30-minute projects, use attractive out-in-the-open filing systems, and employ easy-to-maintain solutions for cabinets, drawers, and closets.

I love that is suggested I am A CREATIVE SPIRIT. Big smiley face on that one.

Now I just have to find some creative fixes for my creative spirit way of organizing and dig stuff out from the hidden spots to donate, toss, or decide if I really, really, really want to keep it.

Stay tuned and I will share some of the ideas and fixes I find...some of which I might even put into practice.

Until next time.....keep on creating.

Sunday Morning

2012-07-22T08:29:00.001-04:00

If you are looking for an uplifting night full of blessings, I hope you someday get to see Casting Crowns in concert. Their newest single, Jesus Friend of Sinners reminds me to:

Open my eyes to the world at the end of my pointing fingers
Let my heart be led by mercy
Help me reach with open heart and open door
Oh Jesus friend of sinners break my heart for what breaks yours

Vegetarian Rice Salad

2012-07-18T15:47:00.001-04:00

Welcome to another Vegetarian Wednesday.

Here is another recipe I found in the July 2012 Better Homes and Gardens Magazine. It sounds YUMMY and it is a great way to use leftover rice and those veggies in your fridge that need cut up and used before they turn into a pile of wasted cash. UMMM I have been there and done that.

Let me know what you think of the recipe and if you will be trying it.

Until next time....Keep on creating!!

Summer Rice Salad

Leftover rice - I plan to use brown rice.
Chopped veggies like:

Carrots
Onions (remember to soak in ice water)
Sweet Peppers ( I like red or yellow)
Cucumber
Zuchini
Summer Squash
Etc

Toss Rice and vegetables together and add a handful of dried cranberries and toasted walnuts ( I prefer pecans).

Drizzle with a little olive oil and fresh squeezed lemon juice.

How easy and how fast.

Magazine Monday

2012-07-16T16:27:00.001-04:00

I have admired Lucy Liu since her days on Ally McBeal (one of my FAVE shows of the late 90's) and now I still love watching her in her more recent movie roles.

A reason that I admire her is her take on life. From the April 2012 issue of MORE magazine (yes I am still behind on my magazine stack) comes the following quotes:

Learning to say no - It's not about rejecting anything; it's about prioritizing. I think, I am not going to do this, because I'm going to do that instead. And you hope the "instead" is a happier option
Learning to say yes - It's amazing how we can't take a compliment. I say to someone, "Oh, you look so beautiful", and they're like, "No, I'm tired and I ate blah, blah, blah last night." They could just say, "Thank you!"

I don't know about you, but I have trouble with both of those things. I need to work on them so if you have any personal stories on when you said "yes" or "no" I would love to hear them.

Until next time....Keep on Creating!

Sunday Morning

2012-07-15T08:24:00.000-04:00

I have been listening to Sound of Your Voice by Third Day a lot lately. I will put it on a loop to play over and over on my iPhone. It is a good reminder that sometimes I just have to stop talking, stop worrying, just STOP.......... and listen.

Have a Blessed Sunday everyone.

Vegetarian Wednesday

2012-07-11T16:31:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone, I wanted to share with you a challenge that my Weight Watcher pals online cooked up. One of the gals on our board has a daughter that is a Vegan and who challenged her mom to try to go Vegan at least one day a week. This Weight Watcher friend shared this with all of us and asked if we were up to the challenge? So far there are 2 people doing Vegan Wednesday and 2 are doing Vegetarian Wednesday (including me).

Why some Vegan, some Vegetarian? UMMMM, WELL....I am kinda a wimp and I love my Chobani Yogurt, eggs, milk, and cheese and so does the other gal that was up for the challenge.

My issue has been trying to find yummy recipes that would work for lunches and dinners once a week. I have been searching the internet and magazines for some great ideas and last weekend I found a yummy recipe for a salad using corn cut straight from the cob. I have included it at the end of the post.

One thing about the recipe that had me scratching my head tho was the soaking of the chopped onions in ice water! Have you ever heard of that? I did some internet searching and came up with the fact that by soaking the onions in water it removes the stinging bite of the onions and mellows out the taste.The acids that cause your eyes to burn and give that sharp taste are water soluble so soaking in water actually makes them more sweet and crunchy. Who knew?

The great thing about this corn salad recipe is that it would actually be Vegan (at least I think so) and since my plan is to eventually jump on the Vegan Wednesday band wagon, I need to keep this recipe handy. But for now, I just may have to throw some feta cheese on this salad and call it a day.

Are any of you up to joining me on Vegetarian or Vegan Wednesday? Does anyone have some great recipes that I can add to my stash for the coming weeks? I would love to hear from you.

Fresh Corn Salad - Better Homes and Gardens Magazine

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/4 - 1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

4 ears fresh corn

1/2 cup finely diced red onion (cut to same size as the clusters of corn kernels), soaked in ice water for 20 minutes and patted dry

1/2 cup cucumber, seeded, not peeled if unwaxed, then diced to same size of onions

1/2 cup red or orange sweet pepper, diced to same size as onions

1/2 cup cherry or pear tomatoes, halved or quartered

3 tablespoons parsley, finely torn

1 tablespoon basil leaves or buds, pulled apart

1 tablespoonfresh jalapeno, seeds and veins removed, very finely diced*

1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

1 - 2 cups small arugula leaves

1. For dressing, in a glass bowl whisk together vinegar, sugar, the 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper until sugar is dissolved. Let dressing stand while preparing salad.

2. For salad, cut corn kernels from cobs. In a large bowl toss corn and remaining ingredients except sea salt and arugula leaves.

3. To serve, transfer salad to large serving bowl. Season with the 1/2 tsp. sea salt. Add the dressing; gently thread in arugula leaves. Serve immediately. (Cucumbers and tomatoes will begin to break down.) Makes 8 servings

Until next time.....Keep on Creating!!!

Magazine Monday...

2012-07-09T16:21:00.000-04:00

This week I just have a short quote from the August 2012 MORE magazine - you know that one for women of a certain age?

"I think people become more watchable after 30, when they have something on their face and something between their ears. " Angelica Huston (60 years old).

Proof positive that I should be proud of the wrinkles I have worked hard to earn.

How many of you agree?

Until next time....Keep on Creating!!!

Life gets in the way...

2012-07-07T07:19:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it has been over a month since I checked in here on A Creative Spirit.......

and here I was planning to spend more time on here with my blogging friends.

"Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans" - John Lennon

Oh how true that statement is. So many life things, both good and bad, have happened since I last checked in. I could add work to that statement too tho as I have been so busy at work that some evenings I am so exhausted that I just want to come home and sit on the couch with my fur babies and close myself off from the rest of the world. It is in times like these that bedtime comes early and a few short hours later, the process starts all over again.

In between all the busy-ness I have found time to hang with my kids and grandkids and even took a lovely vacation to Duck, NC (more on that later). But now with this crazy heat wave here in Ohio (which is also happening in loads of states) I continue to hole up in my little condo.

I haven't even been staying in touch with my favorite blogs and I miss everyone. I do stay in touch with a lot of you by reading your posts on Facebook or your tweets on Twitter. And from those posts and tweets it sounds like a lot of the rest of you have been busy too.

I am working on a couple of party posts over on Creative Concept Events and I will let you know when those posts are up. And as hinted, I am working on a vacation post here, but still working on some photoshop work on the pics.

I hope everyone is having a great summer so far. For those of you in this heat wave.....stay cool. For those of you without power, I pray you have somewhere to go to get out of the heat. And to those of you in some wonderfully cool parts of the world....send some of that beautiful weather my way.

Until next time....

Keep on creating!

Magazine Monday

2012-05-21T08:25:00.001-04:00

Do you have a favorite magazine? Do you have subscriptions to your faves or do you spend the crazy 'over the counter' price at the local Barnes and Noble or grocery store?

I have several magazine subscriptions and am REALLY bad about letting them pile up. So here is my new idea........ I will get to at least ONE of my magazines in the pile every weekend and post about it here. This may include me sharing a recipe I wanna try or maybe information about something concerning women's health (sorry to the guy followers) or maybe even just an advertisement that caught my eye.

So let's get this party started!!!

Up on this weeks agenda? The May 2012 issue of More magazine. If you haven't heard of it, you are probably a much younger gal than me as it is a magazine directed toward women over 40. There are loads of articles that would interest gals of all ages tho, so don't stop reading yet. :) And since this is week one of my foray into Magazine Monday, I will keep it short and sweet.

What Not to Wear Ever

Pleats They add volume in all the wrong places. Want texture? Try tweed.
Ruffles Too poufy. Floral prints (small please) are equally feminine.
Bulky Knits Even in dark hues they add pounds. We like soft layers.
Horizontal Stripes If you love the classic pattern, find it in accessories.
Capped Sleeves Makes even thin arms look chunky. Choose anything else.

Well I hope you all learned something from this. I know I sure did.....that I have way too many of the WRONG clothes in my closet. Hmmmmm, guess this gal needs to go shopping.

Until next time....

Keep on creating!!!

Some new ideas.....

2012-05-19T08:23:00.000-04:00

I love posting on this blog. I love all the readers that stop by. I love getting comments.

I have been trying to think of some new ways to post more often. To be able to express myself a little more and talk to you.....my followers.....about what is going on in my life, but also to put some things our there that interest you all too.

I am going to start some theme posts.....weekly (hopefully) posts that chat about magazines I am reading (Magazine Monday), and pictures that have touched my heart (Wordless Wednesdays-loads of bloggers do this).

I am working to come up with some other themes to add, but this is where I can use your help. Do YOU have some thoughts on what you would like to see or read? Do you do weekly theme posts on YOUR blog?

Stay tuned as I work on visiting with you all more often as well as talking to you more often through this blog.

Until next time....

Keep on Creating!!!

Icons of my era...

2012-05-18T09:29:00.000-04:00

Death is inevitable. If this last couple years has smacked me in the face with any reality.....that one is it!

So why does it feel so weird, and make me question my own mortality when an icon from my younger years dies?

Whitney Houston earlier this year and now Donna Summer.

The death of these singers made me really think back to my college days. Dancing and disco-ing til the wee hours of the morning. AHHHHH those were the days.

I put it out on Facebook this morning about my memories of dancing at Fat Daddy's in Morgantown, WV in the late 70's and seems that a bunch of my sorority sisters were thinking of the exact same thing. It is nice to reminisce with people I would not be in contact with were it not for the internet and social media.

To think that when we were dancing at Fat Daddy's there were no CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers. WOW do I feel old now......

But in my mind, I am the same thin, disco-dancing gal I was back then. My body disputes that fact of course, but maybe it is time to put on some old Donna Summer and let my fur-babies witness some of my old moves.

Are there any icons (actors, singers, etc) that bring back memories of your youth? Does it make you smile? Or does it make you wish for those simpler days?

I would love to hear some of your memories. And if you wanna join me in some virtual disco dancing.....I would love for you to let me know some of your fave disco songs so I can add them to my playlist. :o)

Until next time.....

Keep on creating!!!

Mother's Day

2012-05-13T08:18:00.000-04:00

Today is a day of bittersweet emotions.

I will be celebrating being Mom to my two little ones who are now wonderful adults. We already started our celebration last night and will finish up today with a Mother's Day lunch later today.

I will also be remembering and missing my dear Mom, as this is our first Mother's Day without her. I promised a post about her ages ago, but I haven't been able to bring myself to do it yet. It will come as the sadness and grief lessen and I am sure that it will help bring closure to the stress of these last 2 years.

So for all of you who are mom's and grandma's I wish you a wonderful day with your families today - whether they be near or far. For those of you missing a mom that is no longer with you, I wish you great memories.

How are you spending this day? I would love to hear about your plans.

Until next time.....

Keep on Creating.