I knew I was on to something good!

Yesterday's Wall Street Journal!

I knew I was on to something.

Now it's confirmed.

After all it's the WSJ!

Anyone that knows me can agree I could use improvement in my Focus and Memory.

Here's confirmation  I'm going in the right direction.

My latest Zentangle is a first of a kind for me.

It's really large.

19x24

I loved every second of the many hours it took to complete.

Let's see what this does for the memory !

All or nothing!

Bill Maher said it brilliantly here.
What resonated with me is that he said
Israel always wins.
WHY?
Because they have NO CHOICE.
They either win all or lose all.
Isn't that brilliant as a metaphor for life?
We make commitments easily
and then change our mind
and want to bow out.
If we KNEW when we commit
that it's 100% or nothing
how much stronger and more successful
would we all be
in all we undertake...

There is no peace while others suffer...

Worries  fill

my mind.
We are living in difficult times.
It's not easy to detach.
Exploring my own little art world really helps.
“Any fool can be happy. 
It takes a man with real heart 
to make beauty out of the stuff that makes us weep.” 
Flowers are what I love the most.
After all
flowers are G-d's way
of letting us know
that although the world
is oftentimes cruel
and
ugly,
flowers,
in all their glory,
is beauty at it's essence.
....because you can grow flowers
where dirt used to be...
And most of all -
your mind is a garden,
your thoughts are the seeds,
the harvest can either be
flowers or weeds.
I am obsessed with flowers.
I created a page in my
art journal
that shows just that.

and a fun piece ready to be framed.

Stamps are from one of my favorites http://donnadowney.typepad.com/

She has inspired me to go for it.

Just take a chance and make something.

This is definitely a favorite one for me.

Thanx for checking in with me.

Here's to Peace in the world.

“But I have come to learn there is no peace while others suffer.” 
― Lily Blake, Snow White & the Huntsman

Going on an adventure without leaving home!

What I love about my new art adventure is

daring to try.

I put a fresh piece of paper in front of me.

I have no idea what will happen.

I look around and see what inspires.

I start in one place.

I finish somewhere else entirely.

(Something like life itself).

This piece turns out exactly how I hoped it would.
Not because it was planned this way.
But because I followed my inner creative spirit.
I trust myself to know.

Yet when I begin

I have no clue where I'll end.
and

I laugh my way through it all.

Because it makes me happy
to see colors everywhere
no matter what!

'Every adventure of an artist should be the  expression of an adventure of his soul' 
                                                                                                        W. Somerset Maugham

Have a BLAST!

I love my Thesaurus!
Choosing specific words clarify to your audience
the depth of your thoughts and feelings.
More than that
words have impact on your own self.
I have a friend
that whenever I ask her about her day
she describes whatever she did as
'a blast'!
After years of thinking
why is she having a blast doing this and that
while my experience was 'ordinary',
I decided to join her one afternoon at the beach with some friends
and have a 'blast' too.
What I discovered is...
the power of words.
After spending a pleasant enough time
as we packed up to leave
my friend exclaims
'wasn't that a blast?!
And it hit me right there and then.
The word she chooses colors her experiences with richness.
Stored in her memory in a positive way.
So simple.
And from there on I made a conscious effort
to substitute any negative words
with positive ones.
It's a few years later now
and I can honestly tell you
that my life has changed .
Positive words actually create the reality of positive experience.
Which leads to happiness...
which leads me to my happy hobby!
For years I've wanted to make an Art Journal.
I finally started.
Hopefully this journal will reflect growth in my artistic journey.
I try something new on each page.
My first page uses paper and paint.
I love making little houses.
So I thought I'd start with that.
Also kind of a metaphor
for whats taking place in the house of me.
AND my favorite SHEL SILVERSTEIN poem.

So that is the introduction to my art journey. 

Encouraging myself to listen to my inner voice.

(BTW I had a BLAST doing this!)

Creativity is the act of self discovery.

Over 30 years ago I moved to Miami.
It didn't take but 30 seconds and I was smitten.
I know it's true love because I feel exactly the same now as I did then.
Early morning birds chirping...
Light breeze from the ocean...
Fans whirring...
Long shadows on the wall toward the evening...
The list goes on.
Never gets old.
And
all this loveliness inspires me every day.
Love of beauty is taste
the creation of beauty is art.-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Over the years I've discovered my creativity in different ways.
Mostly through scrapbooking.
Which is why I started this blog.
Now I'm HEAVY into watercolor and markers.
And I'm having a ball.
I wish  y'all would try it.
Believe me when I tell you
There is a little artist in you begging to be released.
Pick up a marker and you'll see what I mean.
This here is a Zentangle/markers collaboration.

First I draw...

 Now the fun part.

And while we're at it...

JOY!

COLORS!
ZENTANGLE!

MARKERS!

It's a great way to challenge yourself.

Joy is what happens to us when we recognize how good things really are.

Pink isn't just a color, it's an attitude!

Your attitude is like a box of crayons.
Constantly color your picture gray,
and your picture will always be bleak.
Try adding some bright colors to the picture
by including humor,
and your picture begins to lighten up.
That's how I see life.
The worse I feel
the more color I wear!
Add brighter lipstick.
Make a pretty fruit salad.
Or just make some art.
Here's one for you.
Doodles and paint.
This is what happy looks like for me.
What does happy look like for you?

I found I could say words
with color and shapes
that I couldn't say any other way
- things I had no words for.  
                    Georgia O'keefe
                       

As long as it makes me happy...

I haven't blogged in over a year.
And then I saw this TED TALK
which motivated me to start again.
It's a way of giving my grandchildren a peek in to who I am.
...and no matter how 'good I look for my age'
all they see is a bubby... 

With that being said...
I love to read.
When I was a little girl I went to the library every Friday to get books for Shabbos.
Not being a safe neighborhood
my heart would pound with fear
until I was safely enclosed and surrounded by my beloved books.
Yet that never stopped me.
Each story carried me off to a new adventure.
I could smell the food that was being described on those pages.
Words like
delectable,
dainty and
succulent,
brought vivid images to my mind.
Opening the first page always brought thrills of anticipation.
Betsy Stacy and Tibs.
Remember them?
All the Nancy Drew books.
The  Hardy boys.
The Secret Garden.
Read that at least 10 times.
Matured to Gone With The Wind.
Read that at least 20 times.
Who didn't?
The power of  words.
They take me prisoner.
Wind themselves around me
like a warm blanket.
Sometimes they keep me so enthralled
I cannot move for hours.
Now that I'm older,
I especially love reading memoirs of strong resilient people.
Their strength inspires me in ways they'll never know.
One of the most powerful reads thus far has been
As Long As I Live .
Beautifully written.
Each page reaching me at  my core.
I mostly read on Shabbos.
If a book really grabs me
I'll read a bit every night.
So please
KINDLE
Don't take books away from me.
I need to feel them.
Turn each page with a dampened index finger.
Fold the corner of the page as I drift off to sleep
Just like when I was little....
Books have always been my obsession
and that's never changed.
HOWEVER,
I now have a new obsession.
WATERCOLOR.
I have no idea how to paint,
but I'm determined to do it anyway.
Don't really care if I follow any particular rules of art.
Just want to do what I know feels good.
So I'll share my stuff with you as I learn.
Maybe I can inspire YOU to try something too.

Painting is easy when you don't know how, but very difficult when you do. ~Edgar Degas
In that case for me it's really easy....

My first 'real' artwork.
First one's a charm I think.
I tried again.
and again.
and again.
I'll show you.

So there you have it.
As I continue it will be interesting for me to see how I learn new things.
I'm gonna try to learn all I can through YOUTUBE and blogs.
Love the challenge...
When you do it for yourself there's no pressure...

Out of the box. What does it really mean anyway?

The question is
do you want to be 'in the box'
or
'out of the box'.
The box with it's implications of
rigidity and squareness
symbolizes constrained and unimaginative thinking.
I think
the box also indicates safety.
Being sure of your boundaries.
Knowing where  borders begin and where they end.
I have no problem with what the expression tries to convey -
the importance of looking at things in a new way.
That can be what makes a person stand out in creativity.
But when did being 'in the box' become boring
and being 'out of the box' insinuate interesting?
I wouldn't say it's the only or necessary way to be unique and original.
Another direction to take is simply
being happy and in a good mood.
It broadens ones thoughts and actions
without the need to step 'out of the box'.
Oxygen to the brain stimulates your mind.
Running, dancing...
That is not so out of the box.
Feeling blaaa?
Do a few jumping jacks.
Read something funny that makes you laugh.
Really laugh.
You'll feel invigorated enough to reach inside yourself
where all your creativity is stored in the first place.
Parents - encourage uniqueness
whilst providing stability.
Be responsive to your kids needs
while challenging them to develop skills.
The more skills (knowledge) one has
the more potential there is
to translate original thinking,
from abstract to actuality.
So forget this 'out of the box' concept.
Learn as much as you can
teach as many ways as you know how
and you will see how much creativity there is in each one of us.
Speaking about that special standout kind of person
here's one original, interesting, and
precocious
(i love that word!)
little girl.
As a result of spending lots of time with adults
she says the funniest things.
She is not your 'typical' little girl.
Some would say she is "out of the box"
I say she is an original!

She always had a sparkle within her.

From the very beginning it was apparent that she was determined to be 'miss independence.'

I am thrilled that I document the memories of her development and growth.
I wouldn't want to forget a thing.
watch this first!
http://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work.html

You may be out of my sight... but never out of my mind...

Can you miss your child every minute she's not with you?
There is something about this one in particular that makes me miss her alot.
Maybe it's her energy...
her passion
her joy
her ability to move forward,
at a pace that most of us cannot maintain,
that I find so intriguing.
She is a walking box of crayons.
The biggest box of colors you could find.
It's a burden to be given that kind of charisma.
It's powerful.
It's awesome to watch her compete
with herself.
I think this girl does exactly what Hashem wants her to.
She uses her G-d given gifts to
guide
teach
inspire and love.
So what do I do when I miss her?
I don't call.
She's really busy!
I pull out my stuff and do what I love best.
I remember.
I craft.
I document.

Do you want to join me?
Start by scraplifting.
I've shared the idea with you here.
Find a layout you love and make it your own.
It's a quick way to satisfy a strong desire to get it done.
The original layout is here.

If I had a single flower for every time I think about you, I could walk forever in my garden.  ~Claudia Ghandi

happy birthday my little one...

....when I'm old I'll still need you
you're my sister and my favorite friend.
and I promise I'll be here
like you've been there for me time and again...
(full lyrics here)

Having six daughter is a blessing times six.
It's a beautiful thing for a parent
to see her children
loving each other.
I think it's the ultimate form of nachas.

...and when you need me
I'll be here at any time
I love you
sister of mine...

Don't waste the moment.
Call your sister!

Happy Mothers Day

Yesterday I got lots of calls.
Happy Mothers Day!
It's nice to be recognized
by your kids
by their friends.
It's nice.
But what's really nice about motherhood
is seeing the adults that you grow.
Although you never want to let go
you have to know...
“But kids don't stay with you if you do it right. 
It's the one job where, 
the better you are, 
the more surely you won't be needed in the long run.” ― Barbara Kingsolver, 
R. is one of these kids.
She exceeds my expectations
of what is good
and right.
Her ability to connect
is a gift we all secretly envy.
She just loves
with all of her heart
no matter who, how old
or what background you may be from.
This comes from being non-judgemental
(she definitely got that from me LOL!!!)
nurturing
(from her father for sure!)
and just plain giving.
This girl makes me proud.
In a million ways.
Proud to be her Mother
for sure.
Honored to be her friend.

Took me a few hours to make this layout.
Layering
and
inking
and
more layering.
Trying to use up all my stash
before I allow myself to buy more.
That could take years
but I am determined.
(well maybe not ALL my stash.
come on lets be realistic.)

Happy Birthday Shlam.

I read a great book this weekend.
The Light Between The Oceans by M.L. Stedman.
It is about the all consuming desire of motherhood
regardless of personal pain, sacrifice and lies.
Great read.
Thought provoking.
Having children is undoubtedly the greatest gift of life.
The ultimate leap of faith.
Trusting that the world
in to which we bring this child,
will provide them with great things.
A joy as deep as pain.
An agony as exhilarating as pleasure.
When you make loving and caring for others
the story of your life
there is never a final chapter.
The joy continues on always.
Page after page.
When they were young
I was their teacher
but as they grow older
I am more often the student.
The older generation has a different take on this.
When I gently protest to my mother
"Ma, I'm a middle aged woman.
I think I know what I'm doing."
She responds
"I'm still older than you."
Toni Morrison writes in Beloved
"Grown don't mean a thing to a mother.
A child is a child.
They get bigger, older, but grown?
What's that supposed to mean?
In my heart it don't mean a thing."
Yet I still maintain my children can teach me much.
Shlam, you teach me to have empathy.
Understanding of differences.
Acceptance.
Perseverance.
You show me
that being your mother
is (and I quote)
"finding a piece of yourself 
separate and apart
that all the same
you could not live without" -jodi picoult
Happy Birthday Shlam.
May this year bring you
wonder and joy
new experiences
and what every mother wants
HAPPINESS.
Love you.

Being a mother is the great gift of life...

Took 54 years to truly enjoy...

“In truth a family is what you make it. 
It is made strong, not by number of heads counted at the dinner table, 
but by the rituals you help family members create, 
by the memories you share, 
by the commitment of time, 
caring, 
and 
love you show to one another, 
and 
by the hopes for the future you have as individuals and as a unit.”
― Marge Kennedy

So it took me 54 years to truly enjoy Pesach.
And it was worth the wait.
Do you want to know what ENJOY means?
Having all my children under one roof
fast asleep...
Walking towards the kitchen in the morning
knowing
as I turn the corner
little humans will be running towards me
shrieking
bubbieeeeee.....
as the wrap their little arms
around my legs.
Listening from the other room
to the bursts of laughter
coming from my children
loving each other through teasing
as only a family has permission to do.
Knowing all the while
they are building bonds
stronger than steel
never to be broken.
Gathering together
twice a day
for a delicious meal
and accepting authentic praise
for making yummy food
out of 5 ingredients
for 7 days.
Sharing private minutes with each of my children
reconnecting through hugs and kisses
listening
and hearing
who they are
who they've become
and who I am becoming
through their process.
Because at the end of the day
my children is the sum of all my parts.
When they leave I focus back on myself.
I am left with lessons learned
from my children
(and there are many
which I will slowly share
as they become part of me).
Enjoyment
is being in the moment.
We had 10 days of
intense
sweet
meaningful
light
awesome
moments.
Because at the end of the day
it's not about how much we have
it's about how much we enjoy...

.I love hand stitching on a layout about family.
It feels cozy!

New and Improved....

Dear Sarale,

If I would have been born in this day and age

I probably would have been you.

When I am with you

I see myself.

My genes

your expression.

My strengths

your accomplishments.

My humor

your laughter.

My heart

your tears.

My commitment to family

your love for your family.
My candor
your honesty.
My perseverance
your spunk.
In my eyes
you are the new and improved version of me.
Each day to me is a fresh start to try again.
You are a constant work in progress.
Every day is a welcome experience for a new challenge.
To take a lesson from.
In order to become a better person.
To delight in.
To explore.
That's you.
That's me.
Love you alot....
                                MA

"As long as you could find yourself, you'll never starve" - Suzanne Collins

Does social media make me relevant?

Each time I learn something new in the social media arena
I feel relevant.
I'm not gonna lie
I have this fear of being left behind.
I want my children and grandchildren to keep me in the loop.
How can I possibly do that without whatsapp?
or instagram?
What if they're discussing google glass and I bring them a bottle of water!?
I'm pretty sure they will have a great laugh
at my expense!
This month was my Birthday
and
my amazing kids gifted me with
drumroll....
an IPhone.
I've been lusting for it
but was afraid to commit.
Now I'm a happy Mama
sending silly snapchats
instagrams
and chatting about apps
in a casual grown-up way.
I have to admit
I even feel more confident with it.
I mean,
now I will never be lost (google maps)
be hungry (google kosher restaraunts closest to where you are)
forget to Daven (app for siddur)
have an excuse not to say Chitas (yep you can download that too)
keep up with breaking news (collive)
deposit my check with a click of the camera (awesome!)
listen to music
you get the idea....
Makes you a more complete person.
I think.
Or does it?
As I've posted before here
I have a drawer full of pictures.
I randomly choose one
when the mood strikes me.
I picked up this photo and stared closely at it.
Suddenly I realized something.
I had a powerful 'aha' moment.
What makes us relevant as parents is LOVE.
I see a young mother,
full of hope
loving her children
dressed beautifully
posing for the camera
wanting to save the feeling of pride
in herself and in her children,
for posterity.
I am just like her
She was just like me.
My grandmother and I are exactly the same.
Without all the fancy gadgets.
All we want
is to give love
to receive love
and to look fabulous while we do it!
75 years have passed since that picture was taken,
but I can almost hear the sounds of the birds in the backround,
smell the spray starch on the children's linen dresses,
feel the softness of the cotton beret,
that undoubtedly my grandmother lovingly crocheted,
as my mother rested her cheek against her mother.
I look closer and I see
hope
gratitude and
peace
on my grandmothers face.
Like all us mothers,
Relevance is being a loving person.
My grandmother was relevant.

It took me time to put this layout together.

I wanted to do the picture justice.

I think I did...

I love noise, I love silence...

“To make the right choices in life, 
you have to get in touch with your soul. 
To do this, 
you need to experience solitude, 
which most people are afraid of, 
because in the silence you hear the truth and know the solutions.” 
― Deepak Chopra

A wonderful insight....

I love noise.
I love silence.
In noise I get to connect with others.
In silence I get to connect with myself.
Knitting is the way I use silence to be productive.
I need to create while I meditate.
When I knit and it's noisy
it feels like I'm swimming against the current.
Knitting has always been something I've enjoyed.
Been doing it since I'm a little girl.
I remember as a teenager
knitting through the night
in my room
listening to music.
There's nothing that brings me back
as when I knit and listen to oldies...
I'm working on preparing different knitting projects.
I need to have one or two going at any given time.
Lucky for me I met a friend who is a knitting genius.
She worked in knitting all her life and creates patterns.
Knowing her inspires me to step out of my comfort zone.
There is so much to learn.
If I could exist without sleep
I would knit through the nights.
The only downside is...
I SHOULD BE EXERCISING INSTEAD!

Here is a sneak peek of one I'm working on.
First one is my favorite pattern - chevron.
I love knitting or crocheting chevron.
When I am done
this will be a gorgeous
expensive,
10's of hours worth
of love
(crocheting is slower than knitting sometimes)
AFGHAN.
Here is the first panel.

So that's it for now.
While I keep busy with my new IPhone,
Words With Friends, (facebook game)
knitting,
scrapbooking
and working,
I will continue to contemplate life
and learn something new every day.

Happy Birthday Shloime...

Every single day
since you were born
you have added something so amazing to our world.
I can't imagine our family without you in it...
Happy Birthday, my beloved son.

I love making little books that flip open to reveal a bunch of pictures.
It tells a little story all on it's own.

I love this passage so much.
“We’re so caught up in our everyday lives 
that events of the past, 
like ancient stars that have burned out, 
are no longer in orbit around our minds. 
There are just too many things we have to think about every day, 
too many new things we have to learn. 
New styles, 
new information, 
new technology, 
new terminology … 
But still, 
no matter how much time passes, 
no matter what takes place in the interim, 
there are some things we can never assign to oblivion, 
memories we can never rub away. 
They remain with us forever, like a touchstone.” 
― Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore

When I am being creative, I am happy...

I finally finished my sweater.
Lo and behold it's actually cold enough to wear it today.
How crazy is that?
50 degrees in Miami.
So it took me 30 hours to make this and I get to wear it for an hour or two.
That's how quickly the cold weather passes through.
But I couldn't care less how long it takes.
Because it's the process I enjoy.
Why rush it?
The fun and the healing benefits are in the process.
And the satisfaction...
Oh the satisfaction...
of making a sweater without a pattern.
What a great mood booster.

I cannot understand how anyone can live without a hobby.
There are a great deal of reasons that having a hobby is important to your well being.
Relaxation, pleasure, discovering your talent, connecting with people
are just a few to consider.
For me
the most important benefit would be
exploring myself through my hobby.
Whether I am reading, playing piano, jewelry making, baking, knitting, or scrapbooking
i discover something new about myself in the process.
Especially as I get older.
Discovery taps in to my youthful spirit.
It's new.
It's fresh.
It hasn't been done yet.
I am the only one who can do something uniquely me.
How exciting is that?
(oy, do I need a craft room...)

Do you know what else boosts the mood?
Great friends.
I am dedicating this layout to my wise and loving friend.
As I was struggling with some choices
she simply said
"Just show up.
That way,
when opportunity knocks
you will be there to open the door!"
When someone says the right thing
at the right moment
it's worth remembering.
Thanx  Arlene.

And last but not least
here is my newest love of my life.
Each child adds dimension to your life you can't imagine being without.
On weekdays I can watch little video snips I receive from the kids
but on Shabbos
I need my scrapbook pages.
To sit quietly
peacefully
savoring each little picture
as they deserve to be savored.
Appreciating all my blessings
in a conscious, present awareness.

I really wish you could all share in this amazing hobby.
Try it.
I've said it before and I'll say it again -
there is no wrong way to do it.
There is only YOUR way.

8 years ago I was a friend at Rochi's Bas Mitzva.

Now I am an AUNT invited for lunch!
It's crazy.
And it's wonderful...

Gotta have a camera to blog a good post!

How can I blog if my camera broke?
No post is fun without pictures.
Com'on
how many of you really read...
most of you just look at the pictures and move on to the next blog!
So I'm a little bummed out right now.
(What does bummed out even mean?)
Can't take pictures of my projects
so I guess I'll have to borrow a camera
(which I won't do
because my luck
it will drop and break
in which case I will have to buy a camera anyway
and give it to someone else to replace the one I broke
so I guess that leaves me with one option)
find money and buy one.
Rochelle
any suggestions which one to get?
Should I just get an iphone instead?
Anyone out there who posts great scrapbook layouts
I NEED YOUR HELP HERE.