Tracht Gut Vet Zein Gut

"We can complain that rose bushes have thorns
or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses."
There are ways to change the way you are accustomed to thinking.
But you have to do the work.
Let's get going.
First things first.

SMILE
So simple
Practice by looking in the mirror.
Take a picture of yourself smiling and not smiling
Which you do YOU like better?
                                                                                                                        
READ POSITIVE THINKING QUOTES
Get these words in to your head
Chant them all through the day.  
Pretty soon they will become you.
                  
MUSIC
Happy happy happy happy!
Get those earplugs in and dance in your room for a full 5 minutes.
5 minute could change the next 24 hours.
That I guarantee is the one that works the quickest and the best.

HELP SOMEONE
In Tanya the Alter Rebbe speaks of the great importance of Tzedakah.
A Sefer designed to improve OURSELVES
So why is GIVING to someone else part of the work?
Because it helps YOU
more than the other person.
So give.
A hug
a smile
a kind word.
Your heart will fill up when you see what you can do for someone else...

CHOOSE POSITIVE FRIENDS
Sometimes we are surrounded by negative people
They might be related to us
or we may be working with them.
But we are not surrounded by them all the time.
So when you have the opportunity to choose
let positive people be your only choice.

And most importantly...

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
for the choices YOU make with the circumstances given to you.
I've heard the excuse
'I had no choice'
too many times.
How do people convince themselves of this idiotic crippling thought?
Why?
Because it gives them a way out.
Changing your thought process is not impossible.
It takes time.
Start with small steps.
Cultivate new habits.
Make the life-long commitment
to look inside yourself
and be willing to change.
Do you know what I love about working on my inner self?
Acknowledging to myself that I am still young enough to make changes.
As long as I am working on myself
I will never grow old...

I am by no means an artist
but I make art.
You may not be Ms. Happy
but you could make happy!

We Are Our Choices...

We start off by making choices.

And at the end the choices MAKE US.

Make good choices

because that is who you will become.

Make a choice to be 

happy

productive

self motivated

curious

humble

and

respectful.

Guarantied success.
My choices were clear from the start.
My heritage taught me.
FAMILY.
Have as many children as you can.
I was young.
I didn't understand.
But I listened.
And now I have
children who love us
and each other.
Is there any better choice?......

Photography credits
www.rachelfellig.com

Do You Know Where You're Going?

Do you sometimes wonder how you started out in one place
going in a certain direction,
or so you thought,
and ended up somewhere else entirely?
I don't think this happens to all of us.
But it certainly happens to many of us.
I've been in the 'people' business for many years.
And I can tell you some people really know their direction.
They make plans
and with G-d's help they get  there.
More or less.
I was never that kind of person.
I kind of wing it.
But as I get older
I wish
I was a planning kind of person.
Which would mean
you make choices
and stick with them.
You continue to make choices
to support your original choices
and that's how you get where you want to go.
Its not a foolproof plan
but I've seen it work.
When I create
I follow both concepts.
Sometimes I plan.
Like in this sweater I made for my son.
Wonderful patten.
HERRINGBONE CARDIGAN.
I had to follow every stitch.
And it was so worth it.

I added the hat and scarf.
How could I not?
Want to keep him warm.

He decided to share with his son!

Then I go to this craziness.
Trying to make some art.
Not exactly any rules for me here.
so I start with this:

Which is actually not bad.

But I couldn't leave well enough alone.

so I did more 'patchking'

and ended up with this.

Interesting.

But not exactly what I hoped for.

Oh well.

I can always try again.

And here is a cardigan I started ages ago.

Finally made something for myself.

Yarn was given to me by a dear friend.

Last Sunday I forced myself to figure out how I would bring some excitement to the design.

I hate leaving unfinished projects before I start a new one.

This was in a bag for at least six months.

I found this wonderful leftover piece of lace

and 5 hours later

voila!

So very happy with the result.

An example of no plan
that went right!
So there you have it.
Put one foot in front of the other
and
GO!
“My direction? Anywhere. Because one is always nearer by not keeping still.” 

I never got to go to Greece...

I never got to travel the world and collect stuff from thrift shops to remind me of everything....
I never got to go to art school...
I never got to become a personal trainer...
I never got to hike for a week all by myself...
I never got to go to a fashion show and sit next to Anna Wintour...
I never got to become a famous author...
(don't really want that, just want to write like one)
I never got to be on Shlichus...
I never got to take voice lessons...
I never got to be the one with a good memory...
I never got to be the girl who dyes her hair blue and gets away with it...
(doesn't mean I'm not frum, it just means I'm arsty!)
I never got to live in Manhattan and walk walk walk...
I never got to go to Greece..
Or Spain...
or Venice...
or the Grand Canyon...
I never got to take dance lessons...
or become a makeup artist...
I never got to go to a JLI retreat...
I never got to learn mosaics...
I never got to become a therapist...
(ok maybe that one I did. After all I'm a Sheitel-macher)
I never got to become an excellent quilter...
or a media artist
or a jewelry designer
or even a cake artist...
I never got to wander through used book stores...
I never got to have my own art/craft room where I could throw paint on the walls...
I never got to bike across America...
I never got to write a cookbook...
I never got to publish a Scrapbooking for Everyone by Faygie Fellig...
I never got to lock myself away and create for days on end...
I never got to 'choose' where what and why...
But what I did get was
beautiful children
who nurture me,
encourage me
and make every day significant in various meaningful ways..
eg.
They respond to my jokes
(lol, lmao, ma you crack me up)
push me to take care of myself
cheer me on when I undertake new projects.
They keep me up to date and relevant.
I know how to use and Iphone
navigate the computer
and watch Ted.com.
Seeing life through their eyes is all the adventure I need.
Ups, downs and arounds,
it's what Hashem chose for me.
and that makes it amazing.
 ......which brings me to

I'm working on something new.
I want to paint on a canvas.
It's a first for me.
Very intimidating.
No idea where to start.
But start I did.
We'll see where it takes me.
First draft...
Started with some paint

a few hours later I had this

'patchkied' around till I finished with this

Not done yet.

We'll see...

Maybe I'll add some of this

or a quote....

hmmm.....

or paint over the whole damn thing.(I sense frustration!)

IDK! 

but I'll keep you posted....

Art is the only way to run away without leaving home. Twyla Tharp

A hug from far...

There is no greater blessing than birthing a child.
When I got married I was young and naive.
I thought having children was a given.
What did I know about the world?
All I knew was my own little corner
in Crown Heights.
I had never even gone overseas until I was married.
Seems impossible now to imagine
how information needed to be accessed through sheer will
versus today
when you can plop down in front of a computer
and sit in a chair
casually drinking coffee
as you access the entire world
without burning one single calorie!
And the years speed by,
making the memories of my youth appear so simple and uncomplicated.
There is still one basic human function
which never changes.
Having children would be the one life experience
that connects us to our ancestors.
There is no 'more improved' way to experience a natural miracle.
We all are one, united in that moment
when Hashem grants us the gift of life.
Allowing us to feel a tiny moment of creation in it's essence.
How grateful I am for this awesomeness in my life.
Having children
and watching my children have children.
It leaves me trembling with gratitude.
Nothing compares...
I don't live near all my grandchildren so I don't get to hug and kiss them as much as I would like.
What I do instead is KNIT.
Each stitch represents a little kiss I string together
to create something they can wrap around themselves
as a substitute for a hug.
When my grandson was born I made a soft yummy blanket.

A hug from Bubby.

I love this pattern.

Now he is  a year older and needs a much bigger hug.

Now here's a lot of huggin!

I hope I can keep making hugs for many years 

for as many miracles as Hashem will grant me.

Just waiting...

“You will face your greatest opposition when you are closest to your biggest miracle.” 
― Shannon L. Alder

...And while I contemplate this quote I draw...

and draw...

 and draw...

and BTW

Tzviky

I'm working on the scarf you asked me to make for you.

You're going to wear it

IN GOOD HEALTH

till 120!

Lemonade out of lemons...

"Life handed him a lemon,
As Life sometimes will do.
His friends looked on in pity,
Assuming he was through.
They came upon him later,
Reclining in the shade
In calm contentment, drinking
A glass of lemonade."

G-d knows we all get our share of lemons.

If everything was sweet 

What challenges would we have?

Where would our self esteem come from?
There is no greater feeling than 'I did it myself".
The harder the challenge 
the greater the feeling of accomplishment.
One of the ways I train myself is through art.
When I start a project I usually have no idea where I'm going with it.
Most of the time I'm satisfied with the results.
Not ecstatic but satisfied.
But I never give up on it.
Even when I think It's a wash
I try to make it work.
This last one took many hours.
At the end I wasn't crazy about it.
So I cut it into squares and VOILA!
A piece of unexpected art.
I particularly love the way the frame slowly 'appeared'.
Now I love this piece.

Bottom line is YOU GOTTA MAKE IT WORK!

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...