Self-Care Rewards

 In my last post, I discussed the importance of self-care and how to start managing your own self-care in your life.  I encouraged everyone to take an active approach to achieving self-care by making a written contract with yourself which focuses on your goals and how you will reward yourself for earning each of those goals.  

Now for the rewards, my favorite part.  I have compiled a list of rewards that complement the self-care goals that I have set for myself as well as those that I encourage you to do.  They range in price from below $10 to $150 each, but each are well worth the money for the amount of self-care they will help provide.  Only you can decide the amount that you are willing to spend on your own well-being.  Plus, as my mother says, you deserve it.

Below $25

Posh Pocket  Adult Coloring Book 

This pocket coloring book is just what you need for relaxing and meditating after a long day.  I have one similar to this one, and I use it not only at home but also when I travel.  Sometimes adults need an activity when traveling in the car along with the kids.

Replacement Lids for Hydro Flask Water Bottle

I don't know about you, but I like to have a choice when it comes to the mouth of a water bottle.  This combination pack has you covered for all of your drinking needs.  

La Raffine Sleep Eye Mask with Removable Gel Pads

I have never slept with an eye mask to block out the light, but I have used them for migraines.  This sleep mask comes with removable gel pads that can be heated or cooled depending on your needs.  I might just get this one so that I have a beautiful backup.

Yogalicious High-Waisted Leggings

I have several pairs of leggings, but none to the caliber of these soft babies.  These leggings are great for yoga, lounging around the house, or getting through security at the airport.

VegNews Magazine Subscription

VegNews Magazine has to be my all-time favorite food magazine.  However, it is not just about food.  It's articles highlight the plant-based lifestyle from food to cosmetics, travel, and more.  I learn something new every time I pick up this magazine.

Moleskine Classic Expanded Journal

Moleskines were my first papery addiction.  I love writing in them, and they are perfect for journaling and reflection.  However, the paper can be thin, so avoid using a fountain pen in this expanded version of my favorite journal.

Less than $50

Homesick Candle

Nothing goes better with meditation than a wonderful candle.  Homesick candles are scented according to fond memories.  I am anxious to try this one which smells of New Orleans (hopefully Uptown and not the French Quarter), my second home and first love.

Gaiam Reversible Yoga Mat

When it comes to the world of yoga, Gaiam is one of the best brands.  Not only do the beautiful mats make you want to lie in the happy baby pose all day long, but they support you fully as you move from mountain pose to downward dog.  I love my own mat that I purchased during my first attempt at self-care during COVID-19 last year.

Daci Women's Rash Guard Swimsuit

If you are anything like me, you burn to a crisp in the sun.  I am sure it is a combination of medications plus the fact that you can use my legs as a night light at bedtime.  In order to keep me from burning to a crisp during outside swimming, I use a rash guard swimsuit with an SPF of 50+.  This swimsuit from Daci has been on my wishlist since summer.  I just love the colors!

Hydro Flash Water Bottle

I have done a lot of research on water bottles lately, and this one keeps topping everyone's list of vacuum sealed, dual insulated stainless steel water bottles.  I am not sure that I can bring myself to pay this much for a water bottle, but I'm worth it, right?

AKK Tennis Shoes

Women's Health rank these tennis shoes as the best walking shoe with memory foam.  At just over $40, it is a steal!  I wish I had done some research before buying my recent pair of not-so-wonderful Skechers Go Walk shoes.  This one will be purchased before my next big vacation.

Greater than $50

Beats Studio Buds

Who doesn't like to listen to music or audiobooks when they work out?  These noise-cancelling ear buds are just what you need for that morning jog on the treadmill or that 6-hour cross-country commute.  

Audible Subscription

For me, nothing excites the brain more than a good book.  While I do not have an Audible subcription yet, I hope to get one soon.  Then I will be able to listen to Harry Potter while reading Harry Potter (not to mention watching Harry Potter).  Sometimes, a good book is all you need to relax the mind and soothe the soul.   One of my friends swears by audiobooks, so why not go with the best source out there.

I hope that you find all of these self-care rewards useful.  Sometimes, not knowing how to reward yourself can be a stumbling block to achieving a goal.  And remember that all rewards do not have to be tangible.  You can work toward a stay-cation or a trip to the spa, whatever trips your trigger.  Just be sure that you have a whole list of rewards for the next time you achieve a self-care goal.

The Necessity of Self-Care

During these times that try men's souls (COVID-19), I have struggled to take care of my own well-being.  Sure, I go to my doctor appointments and take my medicine, but I realized that staying at home all the time was mentally, physically, and spiritually draining.  Things that I used to do to take care of my mind, body, and soul are no longer readily available.  After struggling with a bit of depression, as I am sure most of us have, I decided that I needed to start caring for my whole self.  This takes a little more effort than going for a pedicure or brunch with the girls, but doesn't everything during a pandemic?  

To begin, I pulled out my trusty Bullet Journal to search for empty spaces in my month that I fill with self-care activities.  I know that I am more likely to do an activity if I assign it a time in my calendar and actually write down the activity in my BuJo.  I discoverd that I have more time in the day than I actually realized.  Some days, I can allot 30 minutes.  Others, several hours.  Next, I created a Self-Care Bingo board for my Bullet Journal.  To do this, I thought about all the ways that I can care for myself in order to rejuvenate.  These activities ranged from painting my nails and reading a magazine to prepping for healthy meals and practicing yoga.  I encourage you to find 25 things that you enjoy or need to do to establish the practice of self-care.  Thirdly, I picked 7 habits that I want to practice during the span of 4 months.  With those 7 habits, I created a SMART goal (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) for each habit and a reward that I would give myself once I accomplished each goal.  Finally, I wrote a contract in my Bullet Journal in order to bind myself to achieving these goals along with the rewards which I would freely give to myself upon completion.  

What started out as a worthy idea quickly became a plan for self-care.  If you do not take care of yourself, then no one will.  You are worth the time and effort that it takes to organize these ideas and carry them out.  You will love and cherish your own well-being and will set a great example for the others in your life.  During this next week, I encourage you to create your own Self-Care BINGO board and Self-Care Contract.  To get you started, I have created Free Bullet Journal Printables of my BINGO board and Self-Care Contract.  Fell free to download these and add them to your BuJo, or better yet, use them as a spring board for your own.  

Self- Care BINGO Board

Self-Care Contract, Goals, and Rewards

I hope that you will use these templates to create your own journey into the world of self-care.  Like always, you can find all of my FREE BuJo printables at the link on the right hand side of this page.  Feel free to download, print, use, or adapt them to suit your own needs.  Stay healthy!

Thankful November

 When I think of November, the first thought that comes into my mind is Thanksgiving.  But not what is the purpose of Thanksgiving except to be thankful for all that you have.  Being mindful of gratitude is a special skill that one has to develop; it doesn't just come naturally for most.   Last year I participated in a group activity called "Thankful November."  Each day, we were given a journal prompt which helped us to explore our lives and the latent gratitude that we have in our lives and for our lives.  Through this daily exercise, I gained a new perspective on life.  I recognized the importance of practicing gratitued daily, even for the small things.  Now, I keep a daily gratitude log in my Bullet Journal Weekly Layout.  I simply write one thing I am grateful for each day, and at the end of the year, I will have a list of 365 items for which I am grateful.  So, I encourage each of you to find time in your day to answer the following prompts in your Thankful November journal so that you, too, can begin to find your own path to gratitude.

Journal Prompts for Thankful November 2021

1. Who is someone special that has taught you about unconditional love?  What did they teach you?  How can you show unconditional love to someone else?  To yourself?

2.  What five personality traits are you most thankful for?

3.  What about your upbringing are you most grateful for?  How has it influenced your life?

4.  Write about the family members you are thankful for?  What makes each one special?

5.  List five things you are currently doing well.

6.  Who or what in your life are you happy to have let go?  Why?  How has your life improved since?

7.  List three good things that have suddenly caught your attention that make your feel grateful.

8.  Whom do you take for granted? How can you show your appreciation for that person?

9.  Name five things that always put a smile on your face.

10.  What possessions do you own that make your life easier?

11.  List three things that you love about your favorite room in your home?  Why are these your favorite?  Do they make life easier or more enjoyable?

12.  Focus on your five senses.  What can you do to make yourself more mindful of each of the senses?

13.  Do you have a special relationship with your pet?  In what ways can you thank your pet for all of the joy and comfort that it brings to you?

14.  What about your career or job are you most thankful for?

15.  Create a list of twenty ways you are fortunate.

16.  What meals/recipes do you enjoy making?  Why do you enjoy it?  What does this meal give you?

17.  Write about a time when someone went out of their way to help you.

18.  Describe your favorite moment of the day.

19.  Has anyone ever performed a random act of kindness for you?  Write about that experience.

20.   Do you have a favorite hobby?  What does that hobby create in you?  

21.  Write about something you did to make someone happy today.

22.  When was a time you were successful?  Write a thank you speech to the people who helped you achieve that success.

23.  Describe something good that you saw in your community.

24.  Where is somewhere that you have been that you are thankful for?

25.  What is someone or something that makes you feel safe?

26.  Which public servic or organization are you most grateful for?

27.  Write about a family tradition that you are thankful for.

28.  Describe the piece of clothing that you are most grateful for.

29.  Explain the role of gratitude in your life.

30.  In what ways can you be more mindful of gratitude?

Happy Thankful November!

Random Acts of Art Kindness

 As I look around me at the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, I see that we are truly missing Kindness in our daily lives.  From hate groups to hate speech, the world is growing dimmer each day,  In order to spread Kindness and cheer, I have decided to engage in Random Acts of Art Kindness (RAAKs). 

 

First of all, what are RAAKs?  Random Acts of Art Kindness is a way to spread the joy of art to those who need a little extra Kindness in their lives.  You can do this by creating little pieces of art (drawings, collage, Artist Trading Cards, etc.) and leaving them randomly around your town or community for others to find.  This is not meant to be a scavenger hunt for all of the art you leave (similar to geocaching).  It is, however, meant to give spontaneous happiness and Kindness to those who happen to find them.

Next, do all RAAKs have to be the same?  Of course not!  Art is as different as each individual person is.  This does not mean that you cannot create the same piece of art to leave at several different locations.  You can put as much effort into creating RAAKs as the joy you will receive by sending them out into the world for others to find.  For example, I have bought a set of small colored envelopes with white cards from Amazon on which I will create artistic notes  to leave in random places throughout my community.  This piece of Art Kindness can be taken by its finder or passed along to another person who needs a little Kindness in their lives.

Thirdly, where do I leave my RAAKs once I have created them?  RAAKs can be left anywhere!  I plan on placing them on random cars at the grocery store, in Little Free Libraries, inside books at Barnes and Noble, on the restaurant table with my tip, and even engaging local business owners to help in the endeavor.  The point is to place them where they can be found by others.  You never know when or by whom the RAAKs will be found.  That is the beauty of randomly placing the places.

Finally, do I have to make my own RAAKs?  Ideally, yes.  But that is not the main purpose in placing RAAKs.  The real reason is to spread Kindness.  If you do not have the time or energy to create your own, then I would like to encourage you to order a free set of Kindness Cards.  Vicky Barone is a North Carolina artist who creates Kindness Cards to be given out in the community.  She is offering a free set of her designer cards to those wishing to do the same.  The only price you pay is for shipping.  When I ordered my set of 30 cards, it only cost $4.04 for 2-day shipping.  Please visit her shop at https://www.vickybarone.com/products/kindness-cards and order your set of cards today.

Whatever your age or stage, it is possible for you to create RAAKs to spread Kindness throughout your community.  The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.  You may be able to start of tidal wave of Kindness in our world that will last for generations to come.

When Life Gives You Lemons

 This past year, I turned 40 years old.  Within 4 months of my birthday, I was told that I needed a total left hip replacement.  I was not expecting this news, so it came as a great surprise and was very overwhelming.  I knew that I would have months of recovery ahead of me.  Unfortunately, I did not anticipate the amount of time that I would be sitting in a recliner without anything to take my mind off of the pain after surgery.  So, when Life game me Lemons, I made Lemonade.

First of all, as I prepared for my hospital stay, I packed everything that I use on a daily basis for personal growth and order including my Bullet Journal supplies, my daily journal, and my tablet for reading and watching documentaries.  Mind you, not all of my BuJo supplies were able to transport, so I only took what would fit in my traveling journal case.  It was still more than I thought I would need.  This down-time would be an excuse to catch up on my list of 101 Goals in 1,001 Days (see the Bullet Journal Page for a complete list of my goals).  And, on top of everything, it would be a temporary distraction from the post-operative pain.  I would highly suggest that when packing for surgery (or any long-term trip) you take advice from Coco Chanel. "Take off the last item that you put on."  

Secondly, use your time wisely.  I stick to a "growth agenda" on a daily basis.  Schedule time when you will work on each separate goal.  I allocate one hour a day for reading literature, 1 hour a day for reading Latin (I am a Latin tutor), 30 minutes for journaling, and up to 1 hour for Bullet Journaling.  If I don't use all of the time, that is okay.  I have allocated time for each goal to be completed so that I don't have to rush through anything.  Although perfection is not the key to Bullet Journaling, it never hurts to aim for it.  I suggest that any time not spent in creating your Bullet Journal should be used for reading blogs and searching Pintrest for inspiration.  Do you have a favorite blog site or Instagram page?  These are great ways to gather ideas for your BuJo.  Feel free to list your favorites in the "Comments" section.

Finally, be easy on yourself during recovery.  Down time does not mean that you just sit and watch television or Netflix the entire recovery period.  Unfortunately, we have less energy and less clarity during recovery than we would have on any other given day.  For that reason, I like to create templates on the computer (you can find these under Free Bullet Journal Printables) for each layout that I use in my journal.  The Bullet Journal community is very big on sharing ideas and adapting them for your personal needs.  If you are planning for a long recovery, I suggest printing out (or Pinning) any template you wish to use during this healing period.  I love my Leuchtturm 1917 because I always know exactly how many dots there are per page which helps me to plan accordingly.  Make sure to have a pencil and eraser handy during this process.   Use this time as an opportunity to create layouts that you always wanted to include but did not have the time, plan the month ahead with weekly spreads, and simply explore your creativity.  Make sure you are having a "good time" with more emphasis on GOOD rather than TIME.  

Do you have an upcoming surgery or event that will cause you to have a lot of free time?  What are your "rules" for recovery?  Planning ahead of time will allow you more opportunities for personal growth and creativity.  This is a time to explore your wants and needs with the focus on healing yourself.  May you find both during this period of excessive free time!

Creativity and the Level 10 Life

 Lately, I have been researching how to approach living my best life in 2021 and recording the process in my Bullet Journal.   While searching for answers on blogs and Pinterest, I kept noticing the phrase "Level 10 Life" popping up everywhere.  I decided to delve deeper into the topic.

The phrase "Level 10 Life" was coined by Hal Elrod in a book entitled The Miracle Morning.  Elrod claims that 95% of people never reach their full potential because of a lack of planning, prioritizing, and implementing attainable goals.  According to him, we need to reflect on ten various realms in life to see what we can do to reach a Level 10 Life on our own terms. Those ten realms include the following:  friends and family, personal development, spirituality, health and fitness, finances, physical environment, career, romance, fun and recreation, and giving and contributing.  By dividing each realm into measureable, attainable steps and working to achieve these goals, one can presumably take the necessary steps to living a Level 10 Life.

But I wondered whether all of these realms applied to everyone in their quest to live a Level 10 Life.  I don't have a significant other or a career, so these would not apply to my life.  I also consider charity to be part of spirituality and personal development.  Finally, I asked myself what gives meaning to my life and motivates me toward the ideas of accomplishment and connection with the world around me.  Easily enough,  I decided that CREATIVITY had to be counted in my Level 10 Life in order for it to feel like it belonged to me.

If you are reading this blog, then chances are that CREATIVITY belongs in yours, too.  You will find examples of goals for each realm of life on other blogs, so I will give you samples on creativity.  However,  a Level 10 Life is all about YOU,  so please develop your goals so that you will have no trouble owning your plan of attack.

Needlework 

Create 1 cross-stitch pattern per month for 4 months.

Take 1 class on crochet on www.Craftsy.com

Learn 3 new knitting stitches a month for 3 months.

Embroider two handkerchiefs by March.

Papercraft

Practice Hand-lettering for 2 hours a week for 2 months.

Compile 1 scrapbook page per week for 3 months.

Design 12 holiday cards by December 1st. 

Create 2 Bullet Journal spreads per month for 6 months.

Writing

Complete 30 journal entries in 1 month.

Compose 2 poems a week for 5 weeks.

Write one chapter a month for 12 months.

Join a writer's group on www.meetup.com

Cooking/Baking

Learn 1 new recipe a month for 10 months.

Make homemade jam.

Learn to bake challah.

Take a cake decorating course. 

Fine Arts

Create 1 painting per month for 4 months.

Draw 1 mandala a week for 6 weeks. 

Sketch in the park.

Compose 1 Artist Trading Card each week for 12 weeks.

I hope that this gives you a sense of SMART goals to help you create your own Level 10 Life.  Just remember to leave room for your soul to grow!

~ Melissa

Finding Inspiration

Ever since COVID-19 hit in March, I have been desperately trying to find inspiration to make art of all kinds.  Unfortunately, until the last month or so, I found none.  My journals remained unfilled, my paper remained blank, and my art nook simply housed all of my art supplies.  I could not drag art from my body, not to mention my soul.  Then, I remembered that inspiration happens at the most unexpected times.

Inspiration comes from the Latin word inspiro which simply means "to breathe in."  So what does breathing have to do with inspiration?  I like to think that the creative spark from which we were made allows us to breathe in experiences, ideas, images, etc. that in turn allows us to turn out creative works.  What do you breathe in daily that moves or motivates you?  Think of the smell of freshly brewed coffee, the sight of the first rays of light in the morning, or the sound of a weeping violin on the radio.  Although every living being has the ability to "breathe," only humans are given the ability to inspire and seek inspiration.

One of the creative websites which I follow has recently rebranded itself.  The new www.Craftsy.com has a plethora of classes, ideas, and printables that will bring inspiration to even the bleakest of moments.  Since they are rebranding themselves, Craftsy is offering a year of Premium Membership to all subscribers for $2.49.  What a steal!  Simply click on the price to be taken to the membership deal.  I was really reticent to join, then I saw that I had access to 1500+ online classes in just about any subject you can imagine.  Today, I even spent 90 minutes on a Hand Lettering class and didn't even finish it!  That will be my project for tomorrow.  I am not paid to promote Craftsy, but I am writing about it to encourage you to seek out inspiration...especially when little seems present.  You can find inspiration of Pinterest, Flickr, blogs, and even shopping in craft stores.  Many people believe that true inspiration hits when least expected (in the shower for me), but that is simply not true.  When you are open to the idea of searching for inspiration then you are more likely to find it.

This leads me to my Word of the Year for 2021.  I chose the word "Inspire" to motivate me to find inspiration in even the darkest of times and to allow it to flow forth unencumbered.  The image that comes to my mind of the "spark of creativity" is The Creation of Adam by Michaelangelo in the Sistine Chapel.  It is breath-taking in person!  However, it is also a point of "inspiration", not only for Adam, but for all those who view this masterpiece.

  

I encourage each of you to find your own source of inspiration daily, and use it to bring forth a world of creativity all your own!

~ Melissa

Start the New Year with a Vision Board! (Happy Rosh Hashanah!)

 There are so many beginnings in a year, one hardly knows when to start a new goal, project, or program.  There is the Jewish New Year (September), the Solar New Year (January), and the Lunar New Year (March).  So, how do we know when to actually begin again.  In my opinion, I think it is useful to learn from and celebrate all three.  

The Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) is the time when The Almighty determines who will have a happy, successful life during the next year.  We apologize for all of our wrong-doings (both intentional and unintentional) and eat special foods to welcome a Sweet New Year.  The Solar New Year begins on January 1st every year.  As with all holidays, we eat special foods, make resolutions, and try to be better in mind, body, and spirit throughout the calendar year.  Lunar New Year begins in March, and is the start of the Chinese Zodiac.  The characteristics of the Zodiac sign for the year determines who and what will prosper and how.

As a follower of Judaism, I have developed my own rituals that include elements of all three.  This Rosh Hashanah, I decided to develop a Feng Shui Vision Board for the upcoming year which will be posted on January 1st.  I learned about Feng Shui from a practioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).  She introduced me to the idea that various colors and the arrangement of color can influence the outcome of the future.  I must admit that I was a skeptic (and still am), but as life wasn't going peachy for me, I decided that it could not hurt any worse.

Let's start with the idea of a Vision Board.  It is widely agreed upon that if you want something to come to fruition, you must first envision the goal for yourself and commit it to paper.  You often see these based on jobs, projects, weddings, or even what you want your house to look like.  So, if you can visualize the goal, then you can achieve it.  Feng Shui Vision Boards do the exact same thing, but they look at all aspects of your life.

Each color on a Feng Shui Vision Board represents a different area of your life that you wish to improve upon.  

Purple = wealth and prosperity

Red = fame and reputation

Pink = love and relationships

Green = family and physical health

Yellow = spiritual well-being and health

White = children and creativity

Teal = knowledge and wisdom

Black = career

Gray = travel and helping people

I created this easy to follow template which can be found under the FREE Bullet Journal Printables tab.  After laying out my format, I decided to find clip art in each color that represented what I want for my life this year.  I also found quotes that matched my goals and included those in each box as well.  For example. if I wanted to get married, I would find a picture of a pink engagement ring to paste on the printable.  For knowledge, I found an image of a blue bookshelf with the phrase "Knowledge is Power."  And for spiritual well-being, I looked for a yellow Torah scroll.  I encourage each of you to take a few moments to ask yourself what you truly want from the year ahead and make an effort to put it down on paper.

Most Feng Shui practitioners will tell you that it is important to hang this vision board where you will see it often in the place where you want things to happen.  That is why this Vision Board always goes in the very front of my Bullet Journal.  I can easily envision what I want to take place in the year to make my goals come true.  Now, I am not exactly sure if this works, but I did revive my tutoring business this year, I have established my library, I have lost 10 lbs., and I have started a series of creative blog posts.  

I wish you all peace, prosperity, and creativity in the New Year!  L'Shanah Tova!

~ Melissa

Journaling Your Way to Creativity

 Creativity isn't something that comes naturally for all people.  Some have to work diligently to find and maintain that creative spark.  There are many different ways to do this, but my favorite is journaling.  No, not keeping a Bullet Journal (although you can keep your journaling entries in your BuJo).  Journaling is the act of writing or drawing in a designated space in free form or following prompts.  You can journal about your life, ideas, art, literature, travel, cooking, or anything your heart desires.  If used properly, journaling can give you immense insight into yourself and the world in which you live.

In the vast world of journaling, there are few rules, if any.  However, I would like to make some suggestions from my own experience that may help you in your journaling adventure.

1.  Have a designated journal that you use for each different topic.  Right now, besides my Bullet Journal, I have a daily journal for addressing prompts found on the Facebook group page called The Stationery Nerd Herd.  The Stationery Nerd Herd is a group dedicated to the love of stationery in all forms (including journals!!!).  I also have a dedicated art journal, and a Harry Potter Moleskine journal for compiling my chapter reflections of the Harry Potter series of novel aligned with the podcast called Harry Potter and the Sacred Text.  Four journals at once may seem like a lot to some people, but it helps me to stay organized in my thought process.

2.  Designate a specific time and place to journal.  This may seem like a no-brainer, but just like with schoolwork, we function at our highest when there is order in our world.  You may choose to write daily, weekly, or when you finish the end of a chapter in a book (like I do with my HPST journal).  By setting a specific time for the creative writing process, you validate the act itself.  Schedule time in your planner or BuJo for this important task just like you would for a haircut or a spa day.  This should be dedicated "you" time.

3.  Start the journaling process with a given prompt.  I have included this because it is hard looking at a blank page with no idea what to write.  You can easily "Google" journal prompts from art to self-care and everything in-between.  Just pick one and start writing.  I have enjoyed being a member of The Stationery Nerd Herd, because the group owner has provided members with almost a year full of journaling prompts in at least 8 different categories.  Pam Tremble, the group owner, has recently published a book called 30 Days of Journaling: An Introduction to Daily Journaling.  If you do not know where to start journaling, start here.

4.  Buy a journal and pen/pencil that you love to use.  No one wants to write in a wide ruled composition book with a Ticonderoga pencil.  If you are going to journal, use one that will excite you every time you open it.  There are TONS of journals out there, and the search for the right one that suits your needs can be daunting.  While I prefer black, hard-bound, dot-ruled or blank journals, not many do.  Lucky for us, Pam Tremble has unraveled the mystery of the best journals in 2020 which you can find here.  My suggestion is to find a cheap colorful journal to begin the process, and graduate to a new journal after filling the first as a reward.  Pens are a whole other story.  Choose a pen that feels good in your hand, has a color of ink you like, and will not bleed through paper.  Ballpoints and gel pens are fine for this activity.  My favorite pen is a Dr. Grip Gel Pen by Pilot which promoted by the Arthritis Foundation for ease-of-use.  They are more expensive than other similar pens; however, you can buy ink refills and reuse the barrel.  I keep a ballpoint and a gel pen in my purse which I have had for over 10 years.

For those of you that want to keep your daily journaling in your bullet journal, or just need a place to start for now, I have created a Minimalist Journal Entry BuJo Page that you may download for free here.  It fits a Statement sized sheet of paper as well as an A5.

 

I hope that you learn to enjoy the journaling process as much as I do.  Feel free to leave comments with your favorite journals, pens, or prompts.  Happy journaling!

~ Melissa

Maximizing the Minimalist

For those of you who do not know me, I am a minimalist at heart.  It took me years to become that way, and if you looked in my closet, my office, or my art nook, you would think differently.   I believe that I became a minimalist shortly after my house burned down in Hurricane Katrina in 2005.  It took an act of G-d to make me realize that my attachment to stuff was just that...stuff.  I didn't lose my memories, my knowledge, my beliefs, or any of my core values.  Everything else is replaceable.   Now, I am not going to tell you to read a book by Marie Kondo or start selling all of your earthly possessions on ThredUp.  I will ask you to evaluate what is important to you enough to spend your time, energy, and emotional investment.

I really did not see myself as a minimalist until I started keeping a Bullet Journal.  While there are many fabulous spreads on Pinterest and Instagram that will make you drool, I stick to a simple template without extraneous detail.  So, for my new BuJo journey, I decided to maximize my minimalism.  Just because you do not NEED to have a full detailed agenda, doesn't mean that you don't WANT one.  One way for me to maximize my time, paper, and sanity is to have all of my information that I need for the week in one place. 

After asking myself what I would like to know each week, what are my goals, what MUST I accomplish, and what I would like to track, I created a fabulously busy minimalistic weekly template for next year (or any year for that matter).  It includes Daily Appointments, a Habit Tracker, a Meal list, a To Do list, Notes, Weather Tracker, Random Act of Kindness, a Gratitude Log, a Grocery List, an Expense tracker, and Image of the Week, a Quote of the Week, and a Work Log.  The great thing about it is that everything fits on 2 pages of an A5 journal.  I have left the log black and white to suit the needs of everyone.  I have not yet decided if I will use color this year to code my appointments, so this leaves me the option to decide later.

For a free copy of my Maximized Minimalist Weekly Bullet Journal Template please click here

After developing my weekly template, I looked at past journals and agendae to see which portions of my monthly spread I actually used.  Where my week is packed with goodies, my monthly spread was merely a glance at the month ahead.  Adapting a monthly BuJo template was quite easy compared to the weekly.  

For a free copy of my monthly Bullet Journal spread, please click here.

I think that Minimalism is a state of being.  Once you know what you have to have to get along, then you can add extras here or there...whether it be a new scarf, a new pack of Mildliners, or an extra column in your Bullet Journal.  There is no rule stating that a Minimalist cannot maximize her time, effort, creativity, or even stuff.  I encourage each of you to employ a practice of minimalistic thinking to one area of your creative life.  Does your ATC need 3 different stickers?  Do you have to have a new set of Gelly Roll pens to start the year?  Will your world collapse if your office doesn't have the right pattern of wallpaper?

This can be a hard concept to grasp for some people.  However, when you let go of the need to have stuff, you make more room to maximize the things you love.

~Melissa

Igniting the Flames of Creativity

 How many times have you sat down with a pencil and piece of paper, determined to create *something*?  During the past several months, I have done this at least two dozen times.  I doodle, I sketch, I erase.  Nothing seems to ignite my creative flames anymore.  That is until I picked up my Bullet Journal at the behest of a Facebook group leader.  She forced me to ask myself several questions which I had not thought about for several years: 

1 - Why do I have so many art supplies that are just sitting and wasting space if I don't encourage myself to use them?

2 - How much joy does art create for myself and others?

3 - What feelings does creating art elicit in me that are idly sitting by the wayside?

4 - When is it ever time to give up on something that you love?

With these four questions, my creative flames were rekindled.  So, I began slowly.  I decided to create a doodle of my favorite insect (a honeybee) that turned out so beautifully that I pulled out my Micron Pen Set to give the drawing more depth.  I even posted the image to my Instagram account (which so far only had a few pictures of my cat).  It is going to be the cover page of my next Bullet Journal.  From that point, I decided to blog about the process of Bullet Journaling.  I have spent hours searching Pinterest, Amazon, and AliExpress looking for the perfect *new* supplies for my newly rekindled passion.  Then, yesterday, it hit me!  The only way to encourage myself to use my skill and imagination is to write down an attainable goal for my creative endeavors.  

Goal setting is a great way to get yourself out of a creative rut.  First, you need to set a specific goal.  A teacher friend once told me that a goal is just a dream until you write it down.  It isn't enough to say, "Practice art for 15 minutes a day."  If that were my goal, I would set a timer and hold a pen for 15 minutes without ever drawing on the page.  Instead, I have set a challenge to "Create a Hamsa coloring book with at least 15 different Hamsas."  Now, I have an outline to work from and a specific image with which to work.  Secondly, make the goal attainable.  If I had simply said. "Make a Hamsa coloring book," then I would have not known when enough were created to satisfy my goal.  Last of all, your goal needs to have a timeline.  For this, I researched 101 Goals in 1,001 Days.  This gives me a definite time period (2 1/2 years) to complete my goals.

If you happen to find yourself in the same position as I did, I encourage you to create an art goal.  Creative endeavors only take up about 10 of my 101 Goals ranging from drawing and writing to cooking and photography.  Please look at the Bullet Journal page on this blog to find out the rest of my 101 Goals.  I wish you all the best on your artistic journey!

~ Melissa

Creativity during COVID-19

 It has been years since I posted anything to this blog's main page. (I have added to subpages though.)  Life has changed dearly for me in the last 7 years.  From teaching to being disabled, engaged to single, the death of loved ones to the rise of new friendships, the world is full of new experiences.  However, the one constant I have had is the desire to produce creative works.  Now, with the prolonged self-imposed isolation due to COVID-19, I have a new-found passion for art.

I have written a book in Latin, taught homeschool art to my niece and nephew, sketched, doodled, photographed, cooked new dishes, and composed poetry.  Why do we feel the need to create, especially when the world around us seems to be chaotic?  Artistic endeavors allow us to delve into a world entirely of our own making.  It is the one thing we can control.  

At the end of 2019, I created a Bullet Journal for the new year.  I meticulously planned, counted, drew layouts, and decorated my journal with the hope of taming the unknown.  However, once COVID-19 hit in March, I have not opened it once.  Resistance seemed futile.  With the beginning of the school year, my interest in creativity rejuvenated.  For those of us whose year begins in September, it seems like the optimal time to renew passions and perfect practice as much as possible.

That being said, I will now begin the preparations for a Do-over Bullet Journal.  I am using the time left to refresh supplies, plan pages and lists, gather necessary information,  rethink my goals, and most importantly, CREATE.  I would like to encourage all of those who have stagnated during this epidemic to join me in this creative rejuvenation.  Please follow my creative processes for the BuJo on the respective page to the left of this post.

May you find the strength to return to creativity!

~Melissa

Live, Love, Laugh, and Be Happy!

It has been half a year since I posted to this blog, and it is mostly because I have been busy doing other things.  I am getting my teaching license and am in school all summer, I have gotten engaged to a wonderful man and will have a beautiful step-son next year, and I have just completed my first year of teaching after being disabled with Fibromyalgia for 10 year.  All of this business has left me derelict in my duties as a blogger, and for that I apologize.  However, I am not sorry at all because I have been living, loving, and laughing my days away.  In fact, I think that being happy is by far the main reason to set aside some of those unnecessary tasks with we pick up to fill the void in our lives.  Yes, I am still drawing.  Yes, I am still creating digital art.  But, with all of my overwhelming busy-ness, I am thoroughly tired at the end of the day.  I will update the page soon, I promise.  Until then, Live! Love! Laught!  Be Happy!

Happy New Year!

Last year was filled with all sorts of emotions that sucked all of the creative juices from my body.  Mind you, I continued to play with digital scrapbooking, but I let my blog energy fall by the wayside.  This year, I hope to update my blog regularly, add photos to my new page, and insert links to freebies and giveaways.

I encourage you to embrace the world of creativity this year.  Make a scrapbook, take a photo, write a poem, keep a journal, whatever makes you happy.  We all have a brand new start, and as Anne of Green Gables says, "Tomorrow is always fresh with no mistakes in it."  And with that quote, I will leave you with the thoughts of a happy, fruitful, new year.

We have a Winner!!!!

Sarah has won the MyMemories Software Suite V3, $10 to spend in the MyMemories Store, and $20 to spend in the Touched By A Butterfly Store at MyMemories.  Thank you all for entering my contest.  I do hope to have at least one more this year, so please keep checking back here for more information and another chance to win.  Congratulations, Sarah!!!!

MyMemories Software Giveaway!!!!

In honor of my birthday on August 19, this year I will be giving away one copy of the MyMemories Scrapbooking Software Volume 3 and $10 to spend in the MyMemories Store!!!!  My lovely friend and designer, Celeste from Touched By A Butterfly, will also be giving the lucky winner a $20 coupon to spend in the Touched By A Butterfly Store at MyMemories. Each contestant will be allowed to enter the contest in 5 ways:

1.  Follow http://missasmuse.blogspot.com/ and leave a comment with your email here.
2.  Visit www.mymemories.com to pick out your favorite designer and kit that you would like to have and come back here to leave a comment with your email.
3.  "Follow" me on Pinterest and leave a comment here with your email saying that you have done so.  (There is an easy follow button on this website!)
4.  "Like" MyMemories on Facebook and leave me a comment telling me so along with your email.
5.  Follow MyMemories on Twitter and leave me a comment telling me so along with your email.

The winner will be randomly chosen at 9 p.m. EST on August 19, 2012.  I will post the winner here and email the winner with the coupon code and instructions for using it shortly thereafter.  Good luck!

MyMemories Software Review

For all of you who love to capture memories of your kids, grand children, or even pets, then MyMemories Suite Volume 3 is for you!  The MyMemories Software is a wonderful program that allow you to prepare digital scrapbooks without the mess of scissors, scrap paper, and glue.  All you need is a computer and an ounce of creativity in order to create dynamically themed pages based on your photos and your memories.

The MyMemories Suite Volume 3 allows you to customize scrapbook pages in a variety of methods.  You can resize, reshape, and recolor photos, turn them into shapes, and embellish to your heart's content on papers of your choosing.  The software itself is extremely user-friendly allowing even the most novice of techies to create beautiful pages that will last forever on already designed templates or pages which you design from scratch.  Best of all, MyMemories has added customized gifts to their plethora of digital scrapbooking materials from mousepads to t-shirts, keychains to phone covers and stationery that you may decorate with your own images and digital scrapbook pages.  But you do not have to limit yourself to scrapbooking: you may use the software to create all kinds of hybrid projects from cards and calendars to memory books and CD covers!

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the MyMemories Suite Volume 3, please visit www.mymemories.com and add the coupon code STMMMS4712 at checkout to receive $10 off the price of the software and $10 to spend in the MyMemories Store.  In order to receive the full discount, all items must be purchased at the same time.

If you have any questions regarding the software, please leave your email address and a comment.  I will do my best to give you all the information you need before delving into the extremely addictive world of digital scrapbooking.  Check out the Scrapbooking tab to the right of the page for a sampling of exactly what you can do with this wonderful software.

Remember to make a memory today, and keep a camera on hand to capture it!

MyMemories Scrap Challenge and Sale

As many of you know, I am now on the Creative Team of Touched By A Butterfly, a digital scrapbooking design company.  This week, our fearless leader Celeste is hosting the Weekly Blog Challenge at MyMemories.  To enter, all you have to do is design a page using one of Touched By A Butterfly's kits.  These may be purchased at her MyMemories Store or you may download a free kit from Touched By A Butterfly's Facebook page simply by "Liking" it.  You can purchase the MyMemories Software for $10 off plus get $10 to spend in the MyMemories Store using the coupon code STMMMS4712.  The lucky winner of the challenge will receive a FREE copy of the kit Smashology 101 by Touched By A Butterfly.

In honor of her hosting the weekly scrap challenge, Celeste is offering 35% off her entire store as well.  Be sure to check out the store!  I have several new clusters and an upcoming photobook there which you are sure to love as much as I do.  Make sure that you hop on over to the pages listed in order to enter the challenge and have a chance at the freebies!

Remember to make a memory today, and keep a camera on hand to capture it!

Time to Go "CAMP"ing!

The Blog Train has rolled into town once again, bringing you a very special theme for a hot July.  Instead of resorting to the normal reds, whites, and blues of the summer, www.blogtrainblog.blogspot.com has the lovely summery theme of camping free for users for the entire month!  This is a once in a lifetime chance to grab freebies from almost a hundred digital scrapbook designers.  I know what I will be downloading for the next 2 weeks.  Do you?  Just check out The Blog Train Blog website to find all of the coordinating kits for the color template following template.  Happy Hopping!

Christmas in July Blog Hop

Hello Everyone and welcome to our Christmas In July Blog Hop. This hop is hosted by Touched By A Butterfly and A-Manda Creation.

You should have arrived from YoBeth's Blog http://scraptious.wordpress.com/

We wanted to start Christmas a little early this year. We have some new digital kits to showcase for you today. You will see some awesome inspiration along the way as well as some great freebies.

Here is a cute QuickPage that I created using Touched By A Butterfly's kit entitled "Funky Christmas."

Grab "Funky Christmas" here

Freebie QuickPage Download Here

Here is the blog hop list in case you get lost along the way.

Celeste http://www.touchedbyabutterfly.com/
Amanda http://amandacreation.blogspot.com/
Yobeth http://scraptious.wordpress.com/
Melissa http://missasmuse.blogspot.com/
Dawn http://dawnsdelightsart.com/
Yolie http://www.justyolie.com/
Stacie http://hestiashelper.blogspot.com/
Dagi Scrap http://dagiblog.blogspot.cz/
Amy http://scrappinmemories78.blogspot.com/
Hilary http://www.facebook.com/cutiefatchick

Keep on hopping... Go to Dawn at http://dawnsdelightsart.com/

Ho Ho Ho!!! Hope you have a wonderful day and enjoy our Christmas In July Blog Hop.