I’m teaching art journaling tonight to a group of ladies belonging to a Mastermind group.  It should be fun!  What a wonderful way to bond with your group and in the meantime create a meaningful, colourful journal of where you are headed in your life!  Creating a book that has been filled with your intentions in a graphic way has power.  It’s like creating a goals list, committing it to paper and then if you choose, reviewing it every day (best if you do it first thing in the morning) to help manifest your dreams.  When you do this you are activating the RAS – the reticular activating system in your brain makes you aware of information that is important to you.  Check out this quick video with Lou Tice as he explains the RAS. 

If you write down and illustrate your goals either by drawing, painting or collaging them and if you review them on a daily basis your RAS will notice opportunities that arise in the world which can help you manifest your dreams.  It’s sort of like seeing Volkswagens everywhere once you announce you want to buy a Volkswagen .  They were always there before but you simply never noticed them.

Not your Mother’s book club

Tomorrow night from 6 to 8 pm I’ll be at Black Bond Books in Semiahmoo Mall, White Rock, B.C. creating bookmarks with tweens and teens and teens-at-heart!  There will be prizes and snacks and best of all it’s free!  You can share your favourite books and get new recommendations from knowledgeable staff!  I’ll have my teen’s dream journals and some of my other journal pages available for the teens to look though. I hope to see you there!

The happiness continues!

Congratulations to Marney Makridakis – her book Creating Time became a #1 Bestseller yesterday afternoon in both Canada and the US!  Yay!  Callie Carling (Marney’s Partner Relations Coordinator) has creating a fun little video to celebrate the book becoming a bestseller!.

See you all tomorrow!

I can’t believe the incredible TIMING – i JUST received my book Creating Time yesterday!  I was so excited!

My Buddha Time guide is in the book!  My Mission tree is in there too and a step by step guide on how to create your own!  I can’t wait to delve into some of the exercises and time shifting ideas! 

It’s the ending of time as we know it…and the beginning of an exhilarating new life!

Creating Time: Using Creativity to Reinvent the Clock and Reclaim Your Life is finally here! The book’s official launch day is today, Tuesday, April 17.

Come take a look and scoop up your bonuses here! 

I just wanted to let you know that i am an affiliate and do receive some compensation if you click the above link. I never promote anything i don’t believe in .

Here’s an article written by Marney for your enjoyment!

No Time? Changing Time Anxiety to Time Artistry

By Marney Makridakis author of Creating Time

When I surveyed fifty-two people about their experiences with time, the results revealed that 90 percent felt “somewhat anxious” to “significantly anxious” about time. What’s even more startling is that these results don’t even seem all that surprising. Stress and worry about time is very much a part of most of our lives. Our modern society makes it acceptable and even expected that we fall into patterns of being worried and stressed about time. While worrying about time seems to be part of our humanity, does it really need to be? What kinds of payoffs are we getting from worrying about time?

It’s helpful to dig deeply to figure out what is at the root of our problems with time. Why do we overschedule ourselves? Why do we want to be so busy? Why are we so consumed with time? Why does it seem so “normal” to worry about time so much? Why is it easier to be caught up in a drama about time than it is to be released from it?

Here are some examples of payoffs that people might receive from worrying or complaining about time:

• · Time is a good catchall: if I can complain about being busy, then I don’t have to look at other areas in my life.
• · My schedule is wrapped up with my self-esteem. Being “too busy” means that I’m successful.
• · I don’t plan things that I might enjoy because it is too scary — it just feels safer to be bored.
• · Worrying about time gives me something to talk about with other people.
• · Worrying about time is a convenient excuse for not following my dreams.

Once we can identify the payoffs that we get from worrying about time, we can see them for what they are: illusions that keep us from living our true potential. Simply being aware of what we are getting from our time worries allows us to make a different choice: a choice to partner with time, instead of working against it.

We know that time is relative. Einstein proved it over a hundred years ago, and you prove it every time you compare an hour you spend in the dentist’s chair to an hour you spend with a loved one! Time is totally different in these two extremely different situations because of several variables at play, such as emotion, engagement, flow, desire, interest, pain, and pleasure. With so many variables dancing around in every single moment of our lives, we know that time is never constant. Since time is relative, we can use this to our advantage, and choose what our relationship with time will be. Every time we decide how we choose to talk about, measure, and experience time, we are creating a new era of time.

It’s time to finally drop all the archaic views and limitations of time that have held you back from fully embracing the wild beautiful truth: time is not a defined line; it is instead a vibrant, completely moldable, layered, multi-faceted work of art that is in your hands to create and design, each and every day.

Marney K. Makridakis is the author of Creating Time. She founded the Artella online community for creators of all kinds and the print magazine Artella. A popular speaker and workshop leader, she created the ARTbundance approach of self-discovery through art. She lives in Dallas, Texas. Visit her online at http://www.artellaland.com.

Based on the book Creating Time: Using Creativity to Reinvent the Clock and Reclaim Your Life ©2012 by Marney Makridakis. Published with permission of New World Library http://www.newworldlibrary.com

As you will recall on Friday I had landscapers over fixing up the front yard.  They removed the butt ugly cedar bush as well as the three pyramid cedars (which were dead on one side) – the only thing that remained was the yucca plant.  The Large rhododendron near the house ended up biting the big one as it fell over when the landscapers were putting the cloth down. It simply fell over – the root ball was so small and the trunk was rotten on the inside. The gardeners marvelled at how it even had some buds on it. 

Mr. G and i were faced with an empty garden so had to go out to buy shrubs – they look so tiny compared to what they used to be however we are thrilled with how you can see the magic cottage much better when you come around the corner.  The yard looks tidier.  The magic cottage looks pretty juicy today as it’s raining. How lucky we are that the rain held off all weekend.  My muscles are so sore from all of the yardwork – but it’s a good kind of sore – we’re very happy with the results.

Last Friday I spoke about Landscaping as a metaphor for your life and how important it was to goal set.  You DO get a lot more accomplished when you goal set.  Brian Tracy talks about goal setting in the book “Goals” as well as in his book “Eat that Frog”. Jim Rohn talks about goal setting too in his books and audio CD’s. In the Success Principles, Jack Canfield talks about doing 5 things every day towards your goals (which is very do-able and less daunting when you look at a HUGE goal).

Whenever i am overwhelmed and don’t know what to focus on I go to my flipchart or whiteboard and create a mindmap about what i want to create.  Usually in the middle i have my main goal with radiating lines coming off of it.  At each of the spokes is either a step (an action step) or a mini goal that is a sub goal of my Main Goal.  If you don’t know what mindmapping is all about check out this great article by Moshe Mikanovsky .

Here is an old mindmap i created on my whiteboard.

Spring fling craft fair and swap

I went to check out Nicci’s Creative Finds Spring Fling craft fair and swap yesterday and picked up some stamps and fibres for my teens Dream Journal Workshops.  There were some wonderful finds there – lots of people were selling their no longer needed craft supplies at awesome prices. 

Teens Dream Journal DVD in New Zealand!

My friend Wendy of Late Start studio received her Teens Dream Journal DVD the other day and blogged about it! I’m so happy you like it Wendy and will be using it with your students as well as recommending the DVD to teachers in the near future! Stay tuned for a guest post from Wendy in the very near future – she’s an amazing educator and all around beautiful spirit.  I’m so happy to have met Wendy (online ).

Visual Bio – someone asked if they could see my visual Bio enlarged?  Here it is!

I’m so excited that tomorrow is the Time Machine Blast-off bonus Day!  If you order Creating Time from an online bookseller tomorrow you’ll receive over $125 worth of Artella Merchandise!  Stay tuned!

On good Friday my friend Cathy brought her sister and niece and nephew over to the magic cottage for a tour and a bit of crafting.  Here are the eager beavers who can’t wait to dive into their frame project – Kaitlyn 8 and Ryder 4 years old. Aren’t they beyond adorable?

The kids had so much fun choosing their paint colours and then finding all kinds of embellishments to accent their fun creations!

Kaitlyn found some friendly plastic (broken jewellery) from over 25 years ago and a fimo mouth i created for a college project from 23 years ago. The legs were from an abandoned project. Who knew that being a packrat would come in handy? Kaitlyn was very pleased with her frame.

Ryder had fun with glitter, buttons and a variety of embellishments.  I even found a fun foam number 4 for him to use!  More is more right? Cool frame Ryder!

During the short tour of the Magic Cottage (it is a cottage after all ) Kaitlyn spied a couple of trolls in one of my shrines upstairs.  She squealed with delight and said she too collected trolls. I told her i had a collection of trolls too and that later on she could pick a troll to keep. She instantly gave me a BIG HUG!!!!  So when i pulled out my troll collection the kids did a Troll line up – easier to see them that way.   I said that both of them could pick a large troll and a tiny troll.  I’m not sure if the craft or the Troll choosing session was the highlight of their visit . 

At the end of the visit Kaitlyn, Ryder and I piled onto the bed for a quick photo.  What a wonderful end to a fun visit!  Thanks for visiting Ryder and Kaitlyn!

Soon I’ll be off to babysit my little grandbaby Cillian.  I can’t wait until he is old enough to craft! See you tomorrow!

Here is Shannon of Musings on Realities with the three papier mache sculptures i gave away.  She’s a teacher at the local High School and was the first to respond to my call out to give away my whimsical creations.  I am sure i was quite the sight pulling my 3 creations in my granny cart along the road to the High School and then hauling them out while students looked on with curiosity . Shannon will be repairing the guys and then using them as samples and inspiration for her art students. How fun is that?  I can still visit my little creations in their new home!

Sensitive Creatives

Many artists are sensitives – or rather Highly Sensitive People.  Rather than regard yourself as odd, strange or “out-there” why not see the gifts in being creative and sensitive?  This article talks about the gifts but also mentions what to look out for.  I used to think i was a freak (well i am – but in a good way ) as i could not stand large crowds, loud noises, angry people, people getting to close to me etc.  Now i know why.  I also know that it’s vitally important to have time to be by myself and escape the maddening crowd!

Psych Central (where this article comes from) is my go to website for all things about depression, elevating your mood, how to deal with anxiety, OCD, ADD, the brain and behaviour, grief and loss and creativity among other things. You can sign up for their weekly newsletter if you like.

The Crow Addiction

As you all know i have a crow addiction – i believe the crow is my totem.  It often appears in my work along with crow feathers so you can imagine my delight when Effy Wild came out with this lovely art journal video dedicated to the crow. I love it! 

The Creating Time Mega Event is still going strong – click on the link and you can have access to all of the goodies.  Tonight you’ll be able to hear Jill Badonsky, Jennifer Lee, Eric Maisel, Claudine Hellmuth, Suzanne Falter , Janice Taylor and Michelle Berlin!  The event tonight is interactive so be sure to have a pen and paper handy.

I babysat my grandbaby Cillian on Wednesday – isn’t he a doll? During his short one hour nap i decided to read a bit of the book Wheat Belly.  Have you heard of it? It will blow your socks off!  Dr. Davis, the author contends that it’s wheat (gluten) that is making many of us sick not to mention giving us a big belly. Dr. Davis goes into great detail about how the wheat that we eat today is not the same wheat we ate before scientist’s messed with wheat in the 50’s.  They created a higher yield shorter (in the area of height) wheat than it used to be.  To make a long story short today’s wheat is actually bad for you!  There is gluten in practically EVERYTHING! There is even gluten in most lipsticks.  I was wondering why my lips were itchy when i veered from using Body Shop lipstick and used drugstore lipstick.

Here are some of the symptoms i have which i hope abstaining from wheat will help alleviate:

Moodiness, foggy brain, irritable bowel syndrome, joint pain, osteopenia, ADD, hearing problems, low energy, hypoglycaemia,  dry wrinkled skin (one can only hope it will work), AND losing the wheat belly among other things!

So far after four days of being on this diet i have not NOT lost any weight!  Whattttttt?????  But i have noticed my stomach is not as distended.  Apart from feeling a bit clearer in the head I haven’t noticed too much but I’m very hopeful because it all makes sense to me.  I am giving this diet a try for 3 weeks.

Whenever you eat a couple of whole grain pieces of bread your glucose levels spike really high.  Some diabetics have been able to reverse their disease by eliminating all gluten products from their diet. 

If you have not been feeling well and nothing you take seems to be working why not try eliminating wheat from your diet for a month and see if it makes a difference?  It’s WAY better than taking drugs isn’t it?  Losing the wheat has helped folks suffering from depression, schizophrenia, arthritis, diabetes, celiac disease, crones, IBS, heart disease, ADD and more!  You may have a gluten intolerance and not even know it.

I must confess though – following this diet is not easy – it means no bread, no crackers, no scones, muffins, pretzels, cake, cupcakes, pasta or sauces with flour in it.  Lots of dressings and condiments have wheat in them too!  Going out for dinner is challenging since I’m a vegetarian and most menu items have either bread (like a veggie burger) or pasta in them.

Well that’s my little rant for the day – I do hope you look into this if you have not been feeling well.

On an artsy note I have a friend coming over today with her niece and nephew to see the magic cottage and to work on a craft – it should be fun!

Happy Good Friday to you if you celebrate!