A Neon Easter

After spending a wonderful Easter weekend with my family and friends it was time to decompress and get back to business.  I mulled over and over and over the chart on the right.  My health is progressing and I am healing, but much slower than I want too.  I want to jump right into my purpose and passion.  I can't do it now it would be like jumping in with two left feet.  The foundation is weak, I don't want to build a new empire on a weak foundation.  So, I have to focus on healing and building a new sound structure for living.  

After being in my head for a few days I picked up the knitting needles and crochet hook and continued creating new fabric.  The funny thing is I am a yarn junkie.  Only handspun, hand dyed artisan(very expensive) yarn works for me.  I love, love, love it!!  My family NEVER wants me to knit or crochet anything for them.  They say the yarn smells, is too scratchy and too colorful.  So, this year I bought some craft store yarn (as I held my nose) that my daughters liked and made them berets, cowls and gloves this year.  They loved the cheap non-verigated yarn.  My sister came and loved them too.  What? 

 Now, this cold winter I changed the colors in my room.  Very bright, vibrant and almost neon.  I bought cheap neon craft store yarn (only because I love neon).  Then decided to make two traditional afghans with these very contemporary colors.  They would knit/crochet up fast on large needles.   The yarn is washable (since the dog lays on my bed) and was a perfect match with my bedspread and curtains.  Over Easter my eldest daughter, my sister and my son (wow) put in a request for these neon colors.  I was floored!  How could they!  I have shelves brimming with gourmet designer yarns (and I do mean brimming) and they want $3.25(on sale) craft acrylic yarn.

I was stunned to say the least. 

 But, as I always told my kids while they were in school and they questioned their teachers, 'give the people what they want'!  

Flow living

I've been going with the flow this month.  April is flying by fast and furious.  The outside world seems unsafe and violent.  I'm choosing to pay attention to my inside world.  I've been creating and updating my coaching packages; taking care of personal day-to-day business; and crafting a neon orange cable throw.  I've been branching out in my new environment meeting new people and exploring different parts of town.  Most of all I've been putting out lots and lots of Love energy out to the universe.  Why, because Love heals all wounds.

Self-Care

I have not totally recovered from my wonderful trip and training and week long visit from my best friend.  I have a list of to do's, but no energy.  I have decided to change my mind set and not beat myself up for not getting back into a routine.  Self-care is more important right now.  I realized that my energy has been scattered all over the place and that in order to be the most productive I needed RnR.  Free from guilt RnR.  I have never allowed myself the freedom to just rest and relax.  My past behavior was always on high alert, anxious and waiting for the next crisis.  Now I realize that in order to be successful I need to take time out to rest, relax and conserve my energy.  Then I will be prepared for the next adventure that is coming my way.

Art Venture in Asheville

After my wonderful session with Uplevel Your Business and Christine Kane.  My friend and 'Soul Sistah' Suzanne took me on a mini Art Venture in Asheville.  She's visited here for years and participates in the Biltmore craft show during the month of August.  As you all know I have been house bound for a couple of years and haven't been to an art gallery, yarn shop, or upscale hip restaurant in quite some time. Suzanne and her husband Paul were quite the hosts, they were patient and kind and assisted me with my walker/rollater and other paraphernalia.  We had a great time.  I really needed this kind of 'Art Therapy'.  I am inspired again to make and create, got lots of new ideas and remembered some old ones.

Here we are in front of the art gallery, both wearing Suzanne's 'Clothes Encounter' designs found at www.Arttowearhouse.com

Having a cocktail spiked lemonade with vanilla Stoli and cucumber.  Um, um good!

Gazing and dazing in a huge and fabulous yarn shop.

Thank you Sue and Paul for a wonderful Art Venture!!

Uplevel Your Business Event

I am so very grateful to have participated in the Uplevel Your Business Event this past Wednesday. I left my comfort zone to be in attendance and was very impressed with the kindness and support that I received from the other UYB and GOLD members. Christine was awesome and so focused on up leveling us on our dreams with the Becoming 360 Blueprint training. After a wonderful day of site seeing and experiencing Asheville I am now ready to go home. I have my task sheet and am ready to embark on my new vision for my business and my life. Thank you Christine and Team for allowing me to attend this empowering experience.

Welcome to Crafty Diva Cottage

Welcome to Crafty Diva Cottage, twelve years ago this month I came home from a funeral sat down at my computer and started manically drawing these dreamy crafty women.  I had never drawn or was a fine artist.  My creativity always was in crafting.  I created these women out of unspoken grief and pain at the loss that my children and I had just suffered.  I became obsessed with creating these crafty women soon to become 'The Crafty  Diva's.'  I drew them on the computer printed them out, designed fabric, scarves, aprons and bags.  Branded them and designed and developed craft kits.  I even wrote and illustrated a fairy tale around their creation.  I created a cottage business around them, where I sold my craft kits, hand knitting and held crafting parties and workshops. I created and crafted these divas to inspire women to use crafting and creativity to access their own innate power and voice.  For a couple of years I had fun with my 'adult 'girl scouts.'  The thrill faded away along with more grief and heartache due to my declining health and more family deaths.  Last year I decided that I would relaunch the 'Crafty Diva's' in a new a more updated way.  This blog is the just the beginning.  Stay tuned to watch how we evolve and craft new hopes, dreams and desires.  Here's a look back at the original line of 'Crafty Diva' Crafting Accessories.

Past vs. Present

Hey everyone! It's been a struggle this week. Part of my negative past bled into my positive upbeat future. I have had a legal issue ongoing for 12 years now that stems from my previous very successful business. This issue has been a thorn in my side and I allowed it to cloud my life these past several years. This week it came to a head. I realized that This issue came to life because I did not honor my own power. I gave my power and trust away to my legal team. They did not have my best interest at heart. At that time in my life I trusted authority figures and respected people in powerful positions. I learned the hard way that by giving my trust away to people who were undeserving dis-empowered me and caused me a great deal of pain and heartache. I shut myself off and began isolating. This January I made the decision to start expanding myself and took steps to stop isolating and step out into my power. This is why I joined Uplevel Your Business. Now that I have stepped into this new paradigm of up leveling I can look at the past with different eyes. I'm ready to slay the dragon because by up leveling my life and business I realize that I have the power, the knowledge and the control over my life.

I didn't get to work on module 2 this week. It will be a challenge to catch up, but I did face the greatest block that I have had to my future success and I'm ready to walk out the details. It's hard to admit that I let something else get in the way of my UYB work this week. Any suggestions on how to get back on track? Do I rush through module 2 for the next 3days and get back on track with module 3 next week or do I follow the theme of 'progress not perfection' because as I learned this week, all of the answers are inside of me.

The first Crafty Diva Cottage

Today for throwback Thursday I'd like to present the first Crafty Diva Cottage which was located in Prescott, Az.  I had always dreamed of having a little 'shotgun shack' to create in.  A grownup 'dollhouse'.  When I found this little cottage it was the beginning of me really understanding how your dreams can manifest.  I had placed in my journal years before the concept of a little cottage to have my business in.  I traveled high and low looking in five different states trying to find the perfect place.  I went to Arizona to study Art Therapy at the college there and lo and behold I found my little cottage.  It didn't last long, life events took over and my stay in Arizona was cut short, but the Dream had manifested.  I knew that if it manifested once there would be another one more suited to me and my business goals and dreams. P.S. There was!

Working at Home

This week has been an emotionally challenging week for me.  I have been setting up my home office and attempting to provide structure to developing my new business model.  I have been out of the small business circuit for the past couple of years due to my on going health challenges.  I decided to get some support and not try to do everything myself and participate in a business coaching program. I've already owned and operated a very successful business in the past.  So I know the basics.  This week I have found it very difficult to adapt to setting up a business model while being physically challenged.

I stopped taking pain medicine over a year ago in order to rebuild and restructure my life.  I had developed a routine to manage the day to day activities of my life after my relocation.  I had just gotten in a grove and was feeling very upbeat and positive.  Almost pain free.  Feeling like I was ready to move to the next level and get more focused in my business.  I was ready to go on Monday, new laptop and printer, new office chair designed for comfort, trash bags to get rid of the clutter, music playlist ready.  I watched the training videos, cleaned, wrote organized from morning til late at night.  My office assistant 'Nala' observed this new routine.  I was feeling good and giddy from my new work day.  The kids commented on my clean office.  I gathered my things and began to walk up the stairs and boom.  Pain! Lots of it.  I crawled to bed.  Reluctantly took Tylenol and tossed and turned all night.  The next day I woke up lots of pain.  I said that I would rest today, I sat up in that chair too long yesterday.

 I started feeling low, low energy mentally and physically.  That's what happens when you are in pain.  I started to question my ability to accomplish my goals.  I let myself get confused.  After a day of rest and knitting I went to sleep.  The next morning I woke up feeling better no longer low energy, positive outlook.  I realized how much pain affected my mood and my outlook.  I realized that I'm not a sad and depressed person.  Being in pain lowers your energy and causes you to be melancholy.  Now it's Friday the week is coming to an end.  I didn't accomplish everything that I wanted to this week, but I did realize that it is very important to find my own rhythm and design and develop my own work style.

Crafts Heal...

Mom and Me Time

There are many roles that I have taken on in this lifetime, daughter, sister, student, entrepreneur, artist, wife and mother.  The one role that I feel is truly my life purpose is that of a mother.  I have been a single mother for the past fifteen years.  There are a lot of challenges involved, lack of sleep, lack of help, lack of energy, lack of time, lack of support you can go on and on and on with the lack song.  There is one thing that you have an abundance of and that is Love!  Love from your children and Love for your children.  There are many times that I wanted peace and quiet to be left alone.  But, the kids continue to push the boundaries and insist that their presence be known. Finally,  I stop whatever I thought was important and cave into the hugs and kisses and the 'I love you mommy's'.  They make the 'lack song' go away and my heart sings a new song of 'Love and Joy.'

For most of my life I have been using journaling and intuitive collage to express myself.  Here is a collage that I made that represents 'motherhood' to me.

For throwback Thursday here is a picture taken during my first year of single motherhood about 15 years ago.  P.S.  my two youngest children were born around valentines day.  How about that for Love!

Be Bold, Tell Your Story!

The southwest pueblo native american's make what they call clay storytellers.  A women that is surrounded by lots of children listening to the story that she is telling.  I made my own version of storyteller's these pots that you see below. I am naturally a shy person.  I have had to work hard to overcome my shyness.  My grandmother and my mother where appalled at it.  Being the Bold Sassy extroverted women that they were.  They wanted me to be proud, bold and stand up and be noticed.  I wanted to hide in a corner and have no one look at me.  I noticed along the years when I spoke people wanted to hear what I had to say.  I then pushed myself to be bolder and stronger all the time.  Around the age of thirty I had conquered the fear and shyness.  I began to speak with authority and lead others.  I was a business owner and a CEO my employees looked to me for guidance.  As life has passed on and I have more experience I realize that I now have a story.  I again became that shy six year old.  Who would want to hear my story?  Everyone had one.  Yes, they do.  Just not my story.  Mine is unique and pertains to me and my life experiences.  I have put myself out there in social media now and am ready to be bold and tell my story.   Are you ready to tell your story?

Snow day

Snow day in the south.  Or, rather ice...

Doodling and Painting

It's been a challenging few days here. When the unpleasant past bleeds into your hopeful future what is a girl supposed to do. Stop, breathe, pray, express gratitude, collect yourself and create. So that's what I'm doing. Working on some new creations. 

Winter Comfort Knitting

This past weekend was another 'polar vortex' weekend.  I am now further south so I'm not getting all of the snow that they are getting back in the DC area.  I love winter and cocooning, hibernating and all of that.  Down here in the south it's different.  The sun shines a lot and is bright, which I love, but I do miss my snow storms.  So, this weekend I cocooned and knitted a 'stashbusting' throw.  It's easy peasy, big needles, many yarns and fast.  Perfect for an ADD person like me.  I finished it in 2 days.  It's easier than knitting a scarf or hat.  I love picking the different colors and textures for the rows.  There is a method to making this light and airy yet very warm and comfy.  You have to mix wool, novelty, fuzzy, and mohair yarns together.  It's not scratchy at all.  This is my third color way.  I'm kinda over my pink phase, but I had been planning this one for a year. I had to make a fancy fringe, I am a fringe kinda gal.