We all need some extra clarity and direction once in a while.  We all need a clear vision of our life’s mission. 

Here’s today’s simple thought….

What one thing do you really what to be known for?

What one word describes your life and gifting so well that if it was taken away from you… it would shake you at your very core?  What is the legacy of your life?  Who are you designed to be?  What makes you feel complete?

At first, this may seem easier than you think.  I suggest taking a note pad and writing down all of the things you think this one word might be.  Filter them and let them sit.  Go back to it again later.  The word is often an adjective.  It is usually an action that you are at your core.  It is the way you think, what you base your world-view on, what you prioritize everything against.  It is the beginning of all your passions and dreams.

So… once you discover what that word truly is…. are you living it? Does this word help clarify and simplify your life, or are you letting the life complicate your word?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Happy Winter Day!

Today we are going to think creatively with all this winter that surrounds us.  I think it’s so easy for winter weather to make us less creative, so today I want to use it for INSPIRATION!

Yes, today I would like you to ‘think outside the box’ and be inspired by snow, shades of gray and simplicity of landscape.  At first glance, it seems colorless and almost lifeless.  But… wait… there is beauty and inspiration there, we just have to slow down to take in all of the details. 

Okay, I know there are some readers who do not have snow outside their windows.  If that is you, I envy you a bit… but I believe you can still gain some inspiration from this post, so, please read on.  (Maybe consider remembering a time you were in a snowy landscape or browse some online resources- photos, blogs or the like, to find some wintery scenes to pull inspiration from. Try here at Anna Malin’s blog or here at haus maus .)

Now, for the details that will allow us to create in a new way….

In a typical winter scene, there seems to be lack of color, but it’s really abundant in color, one just has to spend some time really looking.  The twigs, trees and wood that are exposed have many shades of gray, brown, gold, tan, and even some purple or red hues in them.

Where there is snow that has fallen, it can be heavy and wet, icy and hard, or soft and clumped.  What do those textures represent?

Look at the sky… the various shades are determined a bit by the time of day.  Maybe some early morning pinks and purples, afternoon blues and grays, and possibly some evening color with a bit of orange or magenta.

How does the landscape lay?  Are you looking at fields of softly blanketed white, a backyard of greenery laden with heavy snow, or a city boulevard with homes and buildings lined up like soldiers along a snowy avenue?

Now that you’ve really spent a few minutes looking at the details, how can you use that information to inspire your creativity today?  What did you gain from looking at the scene outside your own door or window?

Can you imagine creating a piece of art with those colors, textures and details?  Would you like to take a photograph to capture the beauty?

Would you like to pull your gardening books and make plans to update your garden areas to better compliment a winter landscape?

Would you like to gather some friends and enjoy a day outdoors sledding or going on a quiet winter walk?

Are you compelled to plan a menu to incorporate hearty comfort foods to share with friends on a cold winters eve?

Would you like to nestle in and knit a sweater for someone special with the colors of winter?

Are you inspired to redecorate a bit, embracing the hues and textures outside your window?

Creativity can take us to new places.  When we take the time to really look at the details around us, we take those details with us to other parts of our lives.  We can be changed by nature and our surroundings when we slow down and take the time to welcome those bits of beauty that can often go unnoticed around us.

What beautiful things did today’s winter scene inspire you to do today?

Supplies:

Large bowl, tray or low vessel to fit your dining table

Assorted pumpkins, silk or dried flowers, fruits, artichokes, leaves, branches, and greens

Scissors, floral foam, pins and tape (optional)

Any other accessories, ribbons, green or spanish moss, do-dads, or fun things that you would like to be part of your table decor

Here is an example of what I’d like you to assemble:  (in your own creative way of course!)

I’d like you to fill your vessel with the elements that you have gathered.  Don’t worry about being too stylized, just make a loose arrangement of fall gatherings.

To Start:

Use your largest item as the first piece in, building around that.  I like to put in off center, if possible. (My largest item is the twig pumpkin.) 

Next:

Cut a square piece of floral foam to sit next to your largest item.  This doesn’t have to too big, just an anchor to build up some height with your next items.  If you can gain height without adding the floral foam, no need to follow this step.

Next:

Now the rest of your pieces just get layered in, so just go ahead and just start arranging in the objects that you have collected. Vary the height, color and texture of your collections.  If you have any open spaces that you want to fill, add some green or spanish moss to fill those areas.  The moss also is a great “bed” for everything to lay on.

Final touch:

Add a few ribbons to your arrangement.  Don’t worry about making bows per say, just use some floral tape or wrap, tie or fold them into soft loops to fill in and compliment the other textures in the arrangement.

Now, you’ve just made a super easy centerpiece that didn’t take too much time and will be the perfect centerpiece when the table is all set.  Remember to keep your arrangement low, it’s much easier to talk and see your guests when they don’t have to crane their necks to see over the centerpiece.

Good job- what part of this challenge did you find the most fun?  The part that challenged you the most?  Thanks for participating! 

Today’s Daily Creative Challenge is spurred on by this lovely autumn weather we are having.  I think nature is our biggest source of inspiration.  It almost instantly de-stresses our bodies and minds, allowing us to be creative, along with giving us endless inspiration to draw from.

So… I would like you to get out there over the weekend to enjoy it… but there is a small catch!  I want you to play with your camera while enjoying the bounty of fall. It doesn’t matter if you are a professional or amateur photographer, or even someone who “just owns a point and shoot”.  You can play with your camera creatively!

First, don’t worry about what you’re going to do with these photos.  You don’t have to do anything if you don’t want!  I just want you to see nature’s gifts through the eyes of your camera.

Take photos, lots of them.

Take them up close and from a distance.

Photograph leaves, mums, pumpkins, kids, blue sky, the lake, farm land, it doesn’t matter.

Just take photos and really SEE what surrounds you.

If you’re able, try to play with light, shadows, contrasts and even backgrounds.

But mostly just let yourself be creative!

That’s it… just enjoy the lovely weather and colors and try to see things you wouldn’t notice if you didn’t have a mission.  We all miss so many of nature’s delights because we are just too busy or preoccupied to notice them.

Have fun and don’t forget to stop back and leave comments about what you photographed and what you really saw through this challenge!

Blessings for your journey!

When we constantly keep our minds busy, we miss out on a great many things.  We miss out on our deeper inner thoughts, our creative muses, being comfortable with our own silences.  It may take practice at first, but it’s almost like meditation.  Quieting our thoughts and mouth to let our true selves really “speak” to us can make us grow in many other ways.

I have always wanted to go on a weekend silent retreat, the time just hasn’t worked out yet.  It is my goal to do that someday soon.  I just need to really plan out in advance to m ake that happen.

So…have you ever been on a silent retreat?  Have you taken time just for you and your thoughts? Maybe it’s something to add to your list.  If you think “no way!”, maybe a semi-silent retreat is a place to start.   Or, maybe try this first by taking a day or an afternoon all to yourself and not talking.

I have treated myself to several Silent Days and just love it.  I like to do it in the fall and spring, as it seems like a perfect “change of seasons” kind of thing to do.  I will often pack a lunch and go to a lake near the city and spend the day enjoying a walk, some prayer time, maybe do a short bible study, some more quiet time, and writing in my journal.  I have had some fantastic creative and life changing ideas investing this time alone with myself.

Guidelines for your own Silent Time:

Go somewhere you won’t be disturbed, or let those who you live with know you need your quiet space for a while.  Shut off your phone.  No watching TV.  Spend time reading, journaling, listening to quiet music, meditating, praying, talking a nature walk, or generally being quiet and reflective.  If you choose to read, only read for a short time, and choose something simple.  The point isn’t to just read your favorite book and avoid talking, but to really settle yourself into a time of quietness.  Have a notebook or journal handy to jot down your thoughts.

So, dear blogging friends, my challenge to you is to gift yourself a silent time.  I know it may take some planning, but set aside a day in the near future to do this.  I would love to hear your thoughts on this, if you tried it, your experiences, and how you felt after you did it.  I am looking at my calendar and scheduling my own day right now…