Notice Your Surroundings

We have noticed lately there are a lot of people in our corner of the northwest who are polite, smiling and offering to help should help be needed by anyone. Since I use a mobility scooter to get around, my partner has to load/unload it from our van. More and more, people who are passing by will ask if we need any help. As a recent example, a man passing in his car stopped and asked if we needed help. When I am shopping in a store and can't quite reach something, someone will ofter to help me. We may even spend a minute talking.

I find it heartwarming that so many people are becoming aware of others around them. Not too long ago, people wouldn't pay any attention to their surroundings. They went through life not making eye contact with anyone and they didn't smile. It may be that if two people happened to make eye contact, they would have to either smile, or make some sort of conversation. Oh no! That could not be allowed it seems. But now, I notice people are not so afraid to look up and see another person. They may even nod politely or smile. When I ride around in my scooter, I smile and say Hi to everyone and most of the time they smile back. Children are especially curious about my ride. I am happy to explain why I ride it. Their parents smile and are glad that I would take time to talk to the children. It always makes me smile when a child will ask about my scooter. There is no embarrassment from a child, only curiosity.  

These little interactions between humans is a very natural part of living. Pay It Forward is one way people are interacting more. I see it quite often now. We try to Pay It Forward when we can and find that by doing so, we feel better about life in general. Helping another person in some small way helps make the world a bit better.  How do you deal with day to day interactions with others?           

Nature and my garden

I am eagerly waiting for the last frost to finish up here in the northwest so I can plant my garden. I am so excited because I have not been able to plant a garden for such a long time. It is going to be small but grown in my own yard with no chemicals. I will lovingly care for it and watch as the seeds and tiny plants grow and reach for the sun. There is nothing like picking a tomato right off the vine and biting into it. The flavor of the flesh warmed by the sun is a pleasure I have missed. When I was young, I would sneek out to the garden with my salt shaker and eat a tomato right in the garden. And sometimes I would sneak in a few peas too. More than once my mom would find me sitting in the dirt between rows with tomato juice dripping off my chin. 

People everywhere are discovering that home grown vegetables are great and really pretty easy to grow. And you can plant a garden almost anywhere you can find space. It seems to be the latest thing in cities around the country. For example, people in California where looking for something to do in Los Angeles. They call it "Guerrilla Gardening". Check out these websites: http://www.laguerrillagardening.org/, and http://dpw.lacounty.gov/epd/sg/. There are so many web sites that will help you get started. Even if you only plant a few tomatoes or beans, you will find that growing your own food is satisfying and the flavor beyond anything you can buy in a store. 

Give it a try. Don't have a yard? Try growing something in a flower pot on your patio or porch. There is a great satisfaction of watching a seed grow that you have planted yourself. 

Working and Retirement

I am still having a difficult time adjusting to retirement. I have a bit of anxiety when I think I have to get to work. I don't want to be late. Then it hits me, I don't have to go back to work. I worked for over 45 years and now it is time for me to rest. But I can't, I say to myself. And the argument starts. lol

So I have my crafts to keep me busy along with a wonderful man and two adorable kitties to love and care for.  I have a craft room where I have all my lovely items that I use for various creations. I make greeting cards, ATC's, journaling, and my favorite Polymer Clay. I haven't done clay work for a while. I thing my muse went on strike. I couldn't come up with anything new. I don't like to copy others and I just couldn't come up with anything. Recently my muse came back and I am beginning to get my clay together and drawing out plans for my new ventures. Soon I will be posting some new items in my Etsy shop.

This summer I will have a garden. I am excited about it. I want lots of tomato plants for sure. And of course carrots, lettuce and other things. Zucchini, red peppers, cukes and the list goes on. It won't be a big garden but a little of this and a little of that. In a couple of weeks we will get some manure to amend the soil and get the garden all tilled and ready. I can't wait to wear my garden hat and get busy!

So, that is what I am doing to keep myself from worrying about not working. It is so difficult to change a lifetime routine.

Glitter

Glitter, those little shiny bits of color that make you smile. I am a glitter magnet. I admit it. Any time I am near it, I end up with some stuck somewhere on me. I don't have to touch it, just be in the general vicinity of any item containing it and low and behold, there it is. Either stuck to my face or my hair. It is very sneaky. It's so light you don't know you have it until someone says "Excuse me but you have some glitter on your face". Then being embarrassed, you try to get it off. Is there such a thing as self gluing glitter? It doesn't want to come off so there must be. And even if you think you have it and are done getting it off, you turn your face in the mirror to check all angles and there it is. Hiding in plain site on your cheek or the side of your nose. I usually give up at this point and just let it shine as if I put it there on purpose. You can't fight the glitter fairy so you might as well turn it into something positive. The next time someone tells you that there is glitter on your face, just smile and say "Oh this is a new style I am trying out. Do you like it?" So there, Glitter Fairy!

Everything Happens for a Reason

Ok, I have always said that. I just read that someone else made this comment and it reminded me of some of the times I have said it. Something is going the way you think it should go, then all of a sudden everything goes haywire. It happens to me a lot with my creativity. I might be working on a piece of clay and something goes wrong. I might set the piece aside and walk away for the rest of the day. Then the next day when I go back to my craft room, I see the piece in a whole new light. I may not have been happy with what I was making and subconsciously goofed it up. In the end I was glad I didn't just chuck the thing in the junk pile. Sometimes things do happen for a reason. Now if I could just figure out if something will happen to make my craft room organized, I will be all set.

New word for 2013

Here we are twenty days into the new year. Time is going too fast. There are so many things I want to do this year. If time would slow down maybe I could get some of my list accomplished. But then I always end up adding to the list as time goes by. I might find an idea here and there that could be used with something I want to work on. I have a nice blank notebook to put ideas into and I am able to draw an outline of it so I don't forget. {Getting older sure can be a problem}. All I have to do is remember where I put the book. ;)

Anyhow, I have made a tag to hang in my craft room as a reminder of what I hope will inspire some creativity for me. I have it hanging where I can see it from anywhere in my craft room.

This is the tag I made for inspiration. I chose Design for my word this year. I am looking at my art in a different way and hope to be able to design my ideas in a new and exciting way. I will be using brighter colors and a different style than I have in the past.

I hope that whatever you decide to do this year turns out quite successful for you and you achieve excellent results.



I would love to post your ideas here on my blog. Contact me any time.

One Little Word

While reading the sites I follow on Google Reader, I came across a great idea on this web site: http://ideasforscrapbookers.blogspot.com/2013/01/one-little-word.html.

 This is Cindy deRossier's wonderful work of art.

 I thought this was a great idea. I chose the word "Design" for my one little word for 2013. I will be making my own tag showing my design theme. Hanging it in a good location will surely help to inspire me with my daily creations. I will post a picture here when I have finished my creation.

Have you chosen your "One Little Word" yet?  What did you choose? Why not show off your project with everyone?

Have a great day.