Quote - New Way of Thinking

"We don't think our way into a new way of living;

we live our way into a new way of thinking."

~ Henri Nouwen

 

 

Moments of Gratitude (Summer)

I LOVE the summer and today really feels as if it has arrived.

The sun is shining, the sky is blue, and it is a balmy 31 degrees outside.

I just love it!

A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.  ~James Dent

Book Review - Calm My Anxious Heart - by Linda Dillow

Book Review

Calm My Anxious Heart: A Woman's Guide to Finding Contentment by Linda Dillow

I stumbled across this book via my Kindle. I am a self confessed self help book junkie and I am always looking for some wise words to inspire. Written by a lady by the name of Linda Dillow, this book has a very religious flavor so it was a little left of centre for me. I found it to be filled with some wonderful advice on contentment and acceptance. You can replace the word "God" with whatever you feel comfortable with, "universe"or "higher power", regardless of your beliefs, this book is full of relevant wisdom for us all.

Some of my favorite quotes:-

Contentment happens on the Inside

Looking back I realise I did desire to trust God, but sometimes he was very slow. He was moving at what I thought as a snails pace, I unconsciously decided that he needed my help.

It's our "helping God out" that leads to an anxious heart. When we take over and try to control what happens, we take our focus off the One who is control and put our eyes on our circumstances.

As I accept the given portion other options are cancelled. Decisions become clearer and hence my heart becomes inexpressibly quieter.

Every woman has circumstances that appear to be prison bars.

Two women looked through prison bars, one saw mud the other saw stars.

Making the choice to look at the stars.

Most of us can categorise our lives in both positive and negative ways. You could write a glowing list of the positive in your life and you could then write a list of sobering negatives. Both lists are true. Which list do you spend most of your time dwelling on?

"Beware of what you dwell on, for that you shall surely become" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

We must take control of our mind. We are commanded to "be transformed by the renewing of your mind" We renew our mind when we take the negative thoughts captive and dwell on the positive.

Ultimately, contentment is more a shift in attitude than a change of circumstances.

You will never really enjoy other people, you will never have stable emotions, you will never lead a life of godly contentment, you will never conquer jealousy and love others as you should until you thank God for making you the way he did.

Although no one else could see you, God saw every detail of the formation of your body. As a weaver intricately embroiders colours together to create a beautiful pattern, God knit together your veins, muscles, nerves, and every curve and indentation that is uniquely yours. What tapestry can begin to equal that human fabric?

Perhaps you too want to be content, yet you hear the voices that say " be successful, be popular, be beautiful, be perfect" Oh my dear friend, stop listening to the voices. Listen to God's voice.

Helen Keller, who was born deaf and blind wrote these thought provoking words:

They took away what should have been my eyes
(But I remembered Milton's Paradise).

They took away what should have been my ears,
(Beethoven came and wiped away my tears).

They took away what should have been my tongue,
(But I had talked with God when I was young).

He would not let them take away my soul -
Possessing that, I still possess the whole.

-Helen Keller

Ironic isn't it? Single women look at married women and wish for a husband. Married women look at their husbands and wish for different ones. Childless women long for children and mothers long for the day when their kids will be in school. It is even possible to be content with your role in the here and now?

Sheryl's question is a good one. When does a woman become an adult? Perhaps when she stops comparing her life to other women's.

....peace of the sort the world can not give comes, not be removal of suffering, but in another way - through acceptance.

What roles do you play? Are you single, married, divorced, widowed? A physical mother, adoptive mother, a spiritual mother? Are you content with the roles God has given you?

If I insist on perfection or nothing I will end up with nothing. I must be willing to forgive. And if you long to be content, so must you. Unless we do, our anxious hearts will not be calmed.

Worry is like a rocking chair, it will give you something to do but it won't get you anywhere.

"The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith. The beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety". George Muller

Perhaps the most striking characteristic of worry is it's absolute impotence. Worry never changes a single thing except the worrier.

Faith is contemplating my small part of the picture/puzzle without being able to see the finished product.

Funny Toilet Roll People

I've been a little slack with my blogging of late.

I have to admit that I have had a bit of a dry spell creatively.

This weekend my neice, my mum and I decided to recreate our family as toilet roll people. We saw it on TV and though it looked like a fun idea.

This project took us quite a few hours and it really was alot of fun. We laughed so much at each others outfits and in the end we came up with quite a few original characters.

Toilet rolls, scraps of fabric and lace, glue, markers ands wool for hair.

Quote - Patience

"Anything you do with patience, you are not wasting that time. Anything you do impatiently, with a restless mind, know for sure you are wasting time." ~ Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

I love this quote and I absolutley love this idea for a garden... stunning!

Moments of Gratitude (My Brother)

Today my big brother turned 40. 

"A brother shares childhood memories and grown-up dreams."
~Author Unknown

I am very grateful to have him and his beautiful family in my life!!

Moments of Gratitude (Sea Acres with Friends)

Recently a couple of friends and I have started to go on a weekly walk at the Sea Acres Rainforest. It is a beautiful, peaceful environment where we can reconnect with nature, catch up and keep active with walking.

It is a lovely way to spend the afternoon and I am grateful for the tranquility in brings into my life.

Quote - Advice from a Tree

"Advice from A Tree"

Stand tall and proud
Sink your roots deeply into the earth
Reflect the light of your true nature
Think long term...

 

Go out on a limb
Remember your place among all living beings
Embrace with joy the changing seasons
For each yields its own abundance
The energy and birth of spring
The growth and contentment of summer
The wisdom to let go the leaves in the fall
The rest and quiet renewal of winter

Feel the wind and the sun
And delight in their presence
Look up at the moon that shines down upon you
And the mystery of the stars at night
Seek nourishment from the good things in life
Simple pleasures
Earth.. fresh air.. light
Be content with your natural beauty
Drink plenty of water
Let your limbs sway and dance in the breezes
Be flexible
Remember your roots.. and
~ Enjoy the view

~By Ilan ShamirSee more

Moments of Gratitude (Fresh Produce)

We don't have a lot of space at our house for a garden but this year my goal is to utilise the space we do have more effectively. This is our first crop of Radish.... Yummo.

I am grateful to be able to grow my own produce, even just a little here and there.

The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses.  ~Hanna Rion

Moments of Gratitude (10 Years of Marraige)

Yesterday was our 10 year Wedding Anniversary!! I came home to 10 stunning red roses... one for each year. How romantic!

I am very grateful for my husband, our love and our partnership in life.

“A wedding anniversary is the celebration of love, trust, partnership, tolerance and tenacity. The order varies for any given year.” ~ Paul Sweeney

Moments of Gratitude (Positive Psychology)

I recently met a person who introduced me to the concept of Positive Psychology . I like to call him Positive John. He is an amazingly kind and empathetic man with a passion for sharing knowledge and helping people to find more confidence and joy in their lives.

In a nutshell.....
"Positive psychology is the study of happiness. Psychology traditionally focused on dysfunction—on people with mental illness or other psychological problems and how to treat them. Positive psychology, by contrast, is a relatively new field that examines how ordinary people can become happier and more fulfilled."

So, what I really love about it is that it focuses on a persons strengths instead of their weaknesses. It is so powerful and I am very grateful to have the opportunity to introduce these concepts into my life.

Moments of Gratitude (Messages from the Universe)

This week 52 weeks of Gratitude has become Moments of Gratitude. This reason for this change is simply that I wanted a bit more freedom in when and how many gratitude posts I do.

I went for a walk this week in my lunch break along the breakwall. As I was walking along with the intention of being in the moment, I was not really fully succeeding I must admit, with thoughts and doubts still playing on my mind. Then suddenly, it was as if this huge rock jumped out in front of me........... I stopped in my tracks and on the rock was written "Be HAPPY 4 this moment... 4 this moment in your life". It was as if this rock was written for me to read on this day. I stopped walking and sat quietly beside the rock and relished in these words and the beauty that surrounded me, feeling grateful for this message.

Jeans for Genes Day

 

This week was Jeans For Genes day, which is a fundraising day for research against childhood disease. People are encouraged to wear denin and raise money for this great cause.These are my very funky jeans that I created especially for this day. This is the second year they have been worn with pride!! So happy and colourful. I love them!

Moments of Gratitude (Community)

Community

I want to espress my gratitude this week for the wanderful community that I have found through my Yoga Practice. It is wanderful to be around like minded people and enjoy that sense of support, friendship and community. xoxo

Each of us is a being in himself and a being in society, each of us needs to understand himself and understand others, take care of others and be taken care of himself.  ~Haniel Long

July - Creative Colour Challenge

This month in the Creative Colour Challenge, Louise Gale set the theme of multi colours with letters. This was a fun challenge and this month I ended up combining a mixed media collage piece with some computer graphics to create an interesting blend of colours and words.

Art:- Unlock Your True Self

Collage aspects are done with scrapbook paper, magazine cut outs as well as torn up aluminium foil. Then painted with acrylics and further texture added with a hot glue gun and some stamping. The overlay of text is done on the computer with some very wise words about unlocking your inner power.  We all need a little bit of that from time to time!

Thank you to Louise for featuring me this week in the Creative Colour Challenge Friday Feature. xoxo  Click here to check it out!

http://louisegale.com/2012/07/friday-feature-tamara-unterweger-color-challenge-creative-soul/

Moments of Gratitude (Senses)

I can hear, see, smell, taste, touch

How grateful I am for these 5 senses that enable me experience and enjoy my world

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order. ~ John Burroughs

Moments of Gratitude (Fresh Herbs)

I love fresh herbs!! Corriander, chives, basil, parsley...mmmm yummo.

The intense perfumes of the wild herbs as we trod them underfoot made us feel almost drunk.  ~ Jacqueline du Pre

Nature Still Flows

For me the last month or so has been a bit of a struggle and as a result I've been feeling quite creatively blocked.  Sometimes it's hard to see the joy and magic when everything seems so hard. Today I wandered around my yard seeking some joy and I realise that even if I am not flowing, nature is certainly still in full flow!!

My little winter garden is full of little surprises, colour and a reminder that we too are all part of nature and will inevitably once again flow and flourish.

"When you are low with nowhere to go remember this, when you open your eyes, your heart, your spirit, yourself, there you will find the stranger called hope." ~unknown

I bought this orchard plant about 2 years ago and was alive with beautiful golden flowers. It hasn't flowered since but it looks like this year it will once again bloom...

New life......

    “Try to be like the turtle, at ease in your own shell” ~ Bill Copeland

Thank you little garden for sharing your beauty and joy!

Moments of Gratitude (Hot Bath)

There is nothing better to relax than a long hot bubble bath!! I am very very grateful for my bath time.

“I can't think of any sorrow in the world that a hot bath wouldn't help, just a little bit.” ~ Susan Glasee

Moments of Gratitude (Red Wine)

If your heart is warm with happiness, you'll need a glass -

if sorrow chills your heart, have two!  ~ Bob H.

June - Creative Colour Challenge

The Warmth of Simplicity

This month I've been a little creatively blocked/challenged. My original piece for Louise Gales Red Roses theme did not turn out to plan, far to complicated for my state of mind this month, so I decided to go back to simplicity. I made these pieces for my bedroom to go into wooden frames. I incorperated ribbon, collage, red and orange acrylic paints as well as texture with lace and gold spray paint.

Art:- The Warmth of Simplicity

Moments of Gratitude (Stillness)

Stillness of Mind

This week I have been grateful for the few moments of stillness in my mind. When the splashing of thoughts and input stops and the pool of the mind is calm and clear. I look forward to them becoming more frequent and lasting again in the weeks ahead.

"If water derives lucidity from stillness, how much more the faculties of the mind! The mind of the sage, being in repose, becomes the mirror of the universe, the speculum of all creation." ~ Chuang Tzu

What does mixed-media art mean to you?

This week when visiting Creatively yours Fi  and reading her fabulous interview on what Mixed Media art means to her, I decided to follow the link to Mixed Media May: An Annual Blog Celebration of Mixed Media Artists! and join in the fun.

Here is my interview.............

What does mixed-media art mean to you?Mixed media art is like my therapy. It is my time to get out of my head and into my heart and heal myself with creativity. It is an outlet to experiment with such a huge variety of mediums and materials. Sometimes the choices can be a little overwhelming! But the term “mixed media” offers an incredible amount of creative freedom which I love.

How long have you been a mixed-media artist?
I have always been creative. I travelled a lot when I was younger and expressed my creativity more with poetry and the use of water colour paints as it was easier to fit into a backpack.  Over the last few years I have really created the space at home as well as the time in my life to really immerse myself in my art.

  

How has your art impacted or enhanced your life?
To be creative is like an escape. I am not sure what I would do with myself if I didn’t have some creative project on the go. It enhances my life by offering me a non thinking place to express myself with a few words and lots of colour.

What are a few of the mixed-media supplies you find yourself using most?
I am a bit of a texture paste junkie. I also love using metallic paints. For collage I really like using tissue paper and interesting scrapbook papers as well.

Who are some of your favourite mixed-media artists?
Kelly Rae Roberts, Ann Baldwin, Tracey Verdugo

What makes your mixed-media art unique?
I don’t think that I have really developed a distinctive “style” yet. I would like to think most of my pieces reflect individuality through their variety of textures and design. I play and experiment a lot still so I guess I’m still trying to find my own uniqueness.

Where can we find you? 
http://www.tamoonstone.blogspot.com.au

Please tell us about yourself (short bio with headshot).
I am 38 years old and live on the East Coast of Australia with my husband. We have two very affectionate and energetic black Labradors as well as a very calm and somewhat illusive cat. I love animals and we have chosen the fury four legged kind of children. I work full time and like many others dream of winning lotto so that the ratio of work to play could be a little different. I spend most of my free time on art projects and find so much joy and peace when I am being creative.  I love my family, the beach, reading, yoga and I try to live my life in the now. (easier said than done some days J )

Moments of Gratitude (Blankets)

Blankets

As the weather starts to cool down here in Australia I am so grateful for soft, warm, fluffy blankets!

So cosy.... so inviting!

A joy to snuggle in.....

“If you are cold at night, let the promise of my love cover you like a warm blanket” ~ Matthew White

Sun, Sand & Sea

Over the last few months I have been working on 2 very large canvasses for my brother’s lounge room. He selected the canvass size and gave me an idea of the colours he likes and then left it to me to come up with a creation. These canvasses are huge, about 2 metres by 1 metre each which is a lot bigger than the surfaces I am used to working on. Not to mention the added pressure of painting something for someone else’s house…..

So it is a big job and a very interesting project which I am loving.  However, this weekend I reached yet another impasse, stuck on colour and flow and after about 7 hours working on them yesterday I had that song “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers going through my head. 

“You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run………….”

I think there’s a certain point when working on an art piece that’s not flowing, that you have to know when to just walk away. Let go for today and look again with fresh eyes tomorrow. I did end up doing this, even if it was about 2 hours too late.

So after a very “serious” day yesterday I decided to do something fun and light hearted today. This week via CED I discovered Carolyn Dude from A Colorful Journey was having a Virtual Vacation Link up. What a beautiful idea!! On a rainy day like today I thought it would be perfect to spend a holiday amongst the Sun, Sand & Sea.

Small canvasses with texture, acrylics and metallic paints. On the sand section I glued some beautiful tiny shells that I had collected from the beach sometime ago. For the backing I used a section of a table runner. To add a little more interest I also added a couple of lovely balsawood features.

I really enjoyed this project today. No expectations just the joy of creating. Thanks Carolyn for inviting me to join this wonderful vacation by the sea,  just what I needed.  :-)

Art:- Sun, Sand & Sea

Moments of Gratitude (Friends)

Friends

Last week some friends from work spoilt me with kindness, beautiful words and these amazing gifts. I am so grateful to be surrounded by such lovely people. I feel very lucky for the wonderful friends (new & old) that I have in my life. xoxo

"A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world".  ~Lois Wyse

Attachment and Aversion

This months theme at Creative Every Day is opposites. Perfect opportunity to share this piece and some thoughts on the topic of attachment. Also linking this week to Inspire me Monday and Instant Inspirations.

sukha-anushayi ragah

duhkha-anushayi dveshah

Attachment is that which rests on pleasant experiences

Aversion is that which rests on sorrowful experiences

Attachment:- Definition: Exaggerated not wanting to be separated from someone or something. (Exact opposite of Aversion).

It is said that the key to freedom and happiness is to go beyond attachment and aversion, the emotional responses that influence our ability to see our world with true clarity.

During our life our self-identity is formed by a collection of previous emotional experiences.   Therefore we can become driven to seek opportunities to repeat previous experiences of pleasure over and over. We can also become subconsciously driven to avoid previously painful experiences, so that our desire to protect ourselves limits our options in life. Applying our opinions and emotional responses from past experiences places a filter over our ability to see the present moment as it truly is.

 

It is said that when we fully let go of our attachments and aversions we enter a state of harmony, balance and connection with our higher self, where we know that everything is unfolding according to a Universal or Divine plan. 

What a beautiful feeling that must be!!

Art:- Attachment and Aversion

Moments of Gratitude (Girly Days)

Girly Days and Pampering

There is nothing nicer that having a day to treat yourself to some pampering. Whether it be a massage, a facial, a manicure, a pedicure, whatever floats my boat and makes me feel relaxed and special. This week I spent a beautiful day with my Mum, we went to yoga together, had a pedicure and then some lunch. Just perfect. I am so grateful for these precious days!

You are the knowing.....

This week I am also linking up to Instant Inspirations with Nicole Levesque at Inner Expresions. (see button on right hand column). What has inspired my creativity this week.....??

Nothing that comes and goes is you.
"I am bored." Who knows this?
"I am angry, sad, afraid." Who knows this?
You are the knowing, not the condition that is known.

Eckhart Tolle