Break Up With The Internet.......

.......or at least stop giving it most of your valuable time.

I get sucked into the Internet throughout the day.  Today........it just consumed me.  I was looking through various sites and unconsciously comparing my life to others.  Doubting the things I am currently doing/working on because they cannot be as fabulous as the people I look at.  People.  People I do not know.

Certain quotes would randomly pop up stating.......If you are bored, you need to shed your current life for another,

Are you 100 % happy with the people/person in your life? If no, you need to leave them and travel down that wide open road to a new happier life and pursue your dreams.

"You should be living your dreams"  "Don't settle" "You should have that dream job that gives you the Lexus"

If you are generally happy with your 9-5 job, your office job, your blue collar, white collar no collar job.......then you are living the dream.

I sat back and realized that......over time....the Internet, if your not careful, paralyzes you, gives you self doubt, depression, anxiety.  If you are on it enough, the search engines know how to throw certain ideas, wants, needs (needs that may not really be a need at all),  your way.

If you are not careful, you will get sucked into this vortex of insanity.   You will keep wanting more, doubting, wondering if you have enough friends, if you are traveling to all the cool places.....that your Friday night at home watching a movie is not good enough.

If your home on a Friday night watching a movie, your Friday night is just fine.

Things like that will make you doubt what you are doing.  Thinking you should be on a 24hr high and everything is perfect.  That there are no ups and downs in life.

Focus on making you better not being a version of someone else.
Focus on making your relationships better not wishing you had someone elses relationship.
Read that book, not their page
Learn something new and not learn more about "them"
Make a friend and not friends with a social media page.
Take a walk and see the world around you.......not the world around profiles.
Appreciate the little things around you and watch how big your world becomes.

YOU are enough
YOUR life is just as fabulous as the ones you follow.

Go On With Your Bad Self

This past election had so many people outraged.  Why?  Because it seemed that the side that did not get their way had to through a temper tantrum. They had to have paid days off because they were sad? So much anger because a women did not get elected.  She did not get elected because the majority of the votes did not want her.  They did not believe in what she stood for and they did not want more of the same.  End.

Bratty celebrities threatening to move out of the country if Trump won.  Well, your still here.  They make more money then they will ever need.  Their job is to entertain us, stick with that.  There are a few that actually put time and effort into helping humanity.  Making the world a better place.  Focusing on positives.  You don't hear much about the ones that do that because it's boring.  It does not make news.  You only hear about the ones who make a scene for the publicity.  To stay in the lime light.  So many people want to tear things apart instead of coming together.

Like him or not, he is our President.  He isn't perfect, but he tells it like it is.  He stomps on the media as they should be stomped on.  They lie to benefit themselves.  To get ratings, they focus on trivial, material, idiocies. We hear to much over saturated BS.  Nothing that stimulates the mind.  Let's give him a chance to see what he can do for America.

We have a right to vote for who we want, but if your choice does not win, it wasn't because the world is out to get you or hates women or hates people who are different.  Yes, there are people that do, but there are also people who hate animals, being around people.....there are just assholes in the world. 

We have more power than we realize.  You can make the world around you a better place.  You can make someone's life better just by being nice or helping them out or giving them a smile.  You can make your mind better by opening a book, learning something new, focusing on something positive for you and your family.

Don't get all caught up on the idle chatter.  Wasted words.  Focus on doing good with you and your life and your community and make it better. You got this!

Holidays and New Year

I usually have mixed feelings around the holidays.  So many people are lonely and as I get older I try to help them more......not just during the holidays, but throughout the year.  A kind smile, a helping hand and listening ear.  Any little gesture helps.

So many people do not have others to spend the holidays with or who they have is just a small number to be with........nothing big and extravagant like what is portrayed.....how society feels we should celebrate....throwing money into gifts.  I think we tend to forget what is important.  Quality not quantity.

We tend to look at the wrong people for role models.  Media does more harm then good at times.
In a world where people are trying to follow latest trends so they look cool, some don't realize they are just being brainwashed by the over saturated nonsense being fed to them.  They forget to let their true self be known.

I see so much name calling, back stabbing, trash talk that it is really to much.  For the new year lets make a goal to try and put our ego and insecurities aside and be real. Don't be afraid to show your pain. and your struggle.  This is what is relateable .....not trends or trying to be the next great thing...

Pursue a goal. delve into a hobby.  Learn something new.   Let your creative side bloom and be shown.  Be honest and kind.

"When you gratefully do what you love 

and love what you do, you experience the feeling of true worth

 and magnetically attract the people, places, things, ideas and events

 to help you fulfill your purpose in life."

Let's jump into 2017 with new adventure, ambitions, innovations.....let's shake it up a bit!!


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🐚 :: Details of Summer :: 🐚

I made this from a shell I found combing the beach like a nomad.  Summer maybe leaving us, but I can still keep her around my neck! ;)

Room Goals

🐚 :: Details of Summer :: 🐚

I made this with a shell I found combing the beach like a nomad.  Summer maybe leaving us, but I will still keep her around my neck! ;)

Don't ever think you can't do something.  Don't be still in life either.  If you are not creating something, learning something, putting one foot in front of the other, your not going to grow.  Find that something that gives you a burn.  Travel.  Go expand your mind.

THOUGHTS

 💭 || Great quotes do not come from great people. They come from ordinary people who think differently. It is nice to be around people who THINK DIFFERENTLY than you. They challenge your ideas and stop you from being complacent. Which is my biggest fear 😳So get out there, meet new people, share your crazy ideas with the world and get inspired to do great

Soul Mates

I've never been one to fully rely on one person.  When I mean rely, I mean emotionally, artistically, educationally etc.  I mean there are so many people who you can click with over different things. There are so many people who can bring different things out of you and push you to greatness.  You do not need your spouse to be all things.

Every time I hear someone say something about their "soul mate" I would think........maybe there is something wrong with me, I don't have that one and only person to do all things with.  My best friend will only do things if her boyfriend is with her.  That is so not me.  Hopefully after the newness wears off she will come back to reality a bit.  I've been married for well over 20 years and  I have friends that I like to do certain things with as well as my spouse.  No one can be all things to a person.   Branch out a little..........grow.  Life would be boring if you didn't.

I came across something on the Internet the other day and it made me so happy to know I am not the only one who things that you need only one person to do all things with:

So, know it is OK to have a variety of soul mates.........your normal!

Happy New Year

I'm not going to start an exercise program with unrealistic goals to lose weight.  A program I will not continue with.  I'm being honest.  I don't need a new year to start that.  I do something every day to be healthy.  To incorporate good habits daily.  Those goals, those baby steps will form habits.

I'm not going to enroll in school to better myself.  I'm already in school.  I'm not going to start a new hobby because if I want to learn something, do something, travel somewhere, explore...........I do it.   It is life. It keeps moving and so should  you.

You don't need a holiday or any special day to start something.  You just start.  Everyday I try and surround myself with encouraging, thought provoking and inspiring things.  I don't care that Steve Harvey made a mistake announcing the Miss Universe winner.  It disgusts me on how we tear people apart in this society.  How we are so enthralled with how many selfies the Kardashians take.  You rarely see encouragement to reach out to others, to help people in your own community.  Has humanity taken a back seat?  

Everyone is worthy of forgiveness.  Everyone is worthy of second chances.  People make mistakes, horrible ones at times, but for some people, who they were then are not who they are now!

The news has become tabloid news and gossip.  More often then not it is always negative, never positive.  There are people who are in and out of the system/jails like it is a country club and we never do anything to try and rehabilitate them or put the fear in them so they never want to return. They just keep working the system.  They should have harsher sentences.  Maybe people will feel safer in their neighborhoods.   There are people who commit a crime one time and they are thrown away for life.  If they have mental issues we should treat it accordingly.  If someone shows remorse, if someone has grown and changed we should probably give them a second chance.

 I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down

Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town

I wear it for the prisoner who is long paid for his crime

But is there because he's a victim of the times
~Johnny Cash

There are a few things I came across over the past year that I am glad I saw.  Actually many things, but here are a few:

I Will Fear No Evil~ Less Brown

https://soundcloud.com/musiclover33-2/i-will-fear-no-evil-les-brown


Patty Smith.  I read her book Just Kids and it was great.  Not a big fan of her music, but I love how she tells a story.  I am getting ready to read her next book, M Train.  Here is an interview I came across.  Here is a speech she did "Advice To The Young"  Anyone can use it really.  Just go after what you want:

https://vimeo.com/57857893

Asher Moss and Melodi Meadows are artist.  I would love to hang out with them and just absorb their energy.  Check out their video below:

Kids on The Run on Vimeo

https://vimeo.com/125259757

I hope all who reads this has a great New Year's.  I hope all who reads this has peace and that something on this page.....one of the links a word... anything inspires you.  Always learn.  Always grow.  Always explore.

Food For Thought

Inspiration that I've collected from the Internet:


Class. Respect. Honest. Emotion. Defense. Loyalty_The traits of a real man.  Don't get confused.

Your successes and your failures are the result of your own mind.  You choose which way the road takes you.  No one else.

Characterize people by their actions.  Don't let their words fool you.

Your desire to succeed needs to be stronger than your fear of failure.

Local minded people will never understand global minded goals.

Promote what you love instead of bashing what you hate

Shake Your Life Up A Bit

You get to a certain age or point in life when you take a look at who is around you.  You have to say to yourself, are these people giving me the best, positive energies to  make me a better person?  You should always want to be better than who you are now.  You always want to continue to learn, express and grow.  When your in your comfort zone, you are not at your best.

Stay away from people who complain.  Be around people who like to make a difference.  Ones who do something or write something or change something to make a difference, no matter how small. We are conditioned to believe that you have to have a 9-5, live in a cookie cutter neighborhood type of life.  If you step out of that mindset, be bold or daring you are looked at like a freak.

 

There are a lot of things discover in this life.  There are a lot of things you can do or be.  Reinvent yourself.  Reinvent a room in your house.  There are so many things that you can learn and do that will change you. Choose a different hair style, outfit.  Stepping out of the same old can renew you like you cannot believe.

You don't have to have a pile of money. Travel.  Even if it is walking or biking to explore your neighborhood.  Drive.  Take a weekend away or a few hours away off the beaten path.  Read, something out of the ordinary. Write, to someone, yourself or an opinion on topic on the Internet.

"Some people die at 25 and aren't buried until they're 75"-Benjamin Franklin

Art Journal

I LOVE art journaling.  Once a month friends and I get together with food and wine and create amazing pages and share ideas and talents.  

One of the things we like to do is make our own books.  Sometimes we will do a fat book challenge and anyone who wants to can make a page to add to it.  We usually pick a theme.  Once we have a count of how many are going to participate, say 10 people, we each make 10 pages then get together and bind them.  Here is an example of one that was done:

I love having a book with pages from my artist friends.  So inspiring.  These can be done on cardboard or water color paper.  You can apply a gel medium over painted pages to give a leather feel.  If you don't have binding equipment you can always put pages together by folding them in half, like a book, and securing them with ribbons or yarn by poking holes in the crease.  I usually do two holes in the center spaced about an inch apart.

I came across this picture on the web.  I printed it out and I pasted inside one of my art journals.  I randomly color the flowers with bright colors.  

I never really liked keeping a traditional journal.  I hated spewing negative thoughts on pages.  It is good to get it out, it really is, but I was always worried that it would get found.  The reason I am crazy over art journaling is because I can add images or paint abstract on my pages and write messages.  

I have several of Sabrina Ward Harrison's books.  She is one of hundreds of people who inspire me.  I do similar things with my pages. Here are some pages from her books.  

Happy Journaling!  

Bug Love

Better Yourself

I feel that as a person you should try and better yourself.  Try new things.  Be kinder.  Surround yourself with people who are more achieved than you so that you will strive for better things. So you don't sit stagnant in life.  Learn.  Grow.  Move.

As we get older we tend to get into the same old circle...........go to work, come home, sit on the couch.  Watch horrible reality shows that tear people's lives apart.  This is what some of our parents did, the majority anyway.  We tend to complain about people, things, gossip.  Really this is a wasted energy, a cycle that needs to be broken.

I see this at family/friends events such as cookouts, gatherings.  People stand around complain, talk about this, that.  No one talks about ideas, how to change things and if they do it stays right there.........that "talk about" stage.  Get people together and play volley ball or flag football with the kids.  Do people do that anymore?

Go make something happen.  Go make someone's day brighter.  Reach out to someone who needs it. Travel.  There is so much to see. Find your passion, no matter how big or small.   Forgive.  Find a club or a meet-up with people who like the same thing you do.  A cooking class, wine group, arts, movies.  Can't find one?  Create one.  Learn something new; a language, how to play an instrument, how to change oil or buy stock.

You will be surprised how much you will grow by doing something you normally wouldn't do!

Inspiration

Inspiration comes from many places; books, movies, songs, people.

I watched a movie on Netflix sometime ago, Into The Wild.  This is based on a true story.  It was one of those movies that stayed with me, not only because it was  a true story and the main character died, but because of the inspiration that came from it.  If you haven't seen it check it out, or Google his name.......Chris McCandles.  It is also a book.

Of course, without going to the extreme of what he did, I believe that you should not remain stagnate in this life.  There is so much to do, learn, see.  You can explore in your own neighborhood and find something new or learn something new.  You don't have to have money to do this.  The library is a vast resource of information.  

You cannot grow if you don't expand your mind and fear, it will paralyze you.   When learning something makes you uncomfortable, do it.  Push.  Because in the end, once you do what you think you can't do, it is an amazing feeling to experience in itself.

 

Very True

Focus your energies on positive things.  

Lend Me Your Eyes.................

I love summer. 

I love the feeling I have when it comes.......

I want to lay on the beach.  This is the only time I can really relax and be lazy without guilt......

Summertime gives me the passion to live, create, travel..........it gives me so much energy....

I want to be a hippy and live on the beach....;)

Which Door Do You Choose?

Vintage Tooled Leather Handbags

I have a new obsession!

 
Tooled handbags!  Do you remember these?  I was born in the wrong generation.  I love all the 60-70's style.  Look at this one:

I love the mushroom design!  These things are so cool! I was at a thrift store this week.  When am I not?  I am in and out of them all week long!  Guess what I found:

Not as nice as the ones above, but after some TLC they will be great for the motorcycle, with jeans.....anything!  They stitching is in perfect shape!  I love them.  I can strap it across my chest and not have to worry about setting it down anywear, specially when I am having drinks on the water. 

I did manage to find a nice flowered tooled leather bag online!!  I cannot wait for it to come!!  

Have a great weekend!!

Living Life....and Other Oddities

I found a passion in life that makes me happy.  We can have one or we can have many.  I have many.  It is the Gemini in me ;)  It took me a while to find the passion that fuels my creative side.  Once I found this however, it branched me out in all sorts of directions.  I love it.  From jewelery designer,  to dabbling in Art & Mixed Media & recycling/upcyclying to getting involved in groups with like minded people.  I am very happy I keep going on these multiple avenues; not to be complacent.  People can do that to you ya know.  Keep you complacent.  Burn out that flicker of light that is starting to ignite full blown passion.  Ridicule other people's choices, looks and lifestyle.  Get away from them.......FAST.

I love this show called Oddities on the Sci-Fy channel.  It is about a shop called Obsura, co-owned by Mike Zohn and Evan Michelson and a buyer Ryan Matthew:

This show is amazing to me!  They comb flea markets, estate sales looking for the most bizarre things.  They talk to the most fascinating people. They have a repeat customer Laura, who if I were to meet her  would think she is a little bizarre, strung out or who knows what.  But she isn't.  (or maybe she is, but who cares).

What she is, is a beautiful, smart business women mortician turned designer who likes the bizarre.  You know what?  So do I and who cares.  I was thinking last night about my earliest memories of something that I liked, that I had passion about.  It was junk yards.  My dad use to take me to this junk yard back in Jersey.  He went to look for parts to fix, replace what ever was needed on the vehicles and I roamed around looking at all the old cars, fascinated.  You could see this junk yard from the road.  It stretched out for miles.  I was amazed.  I loved finding trinkets, and making jewelry out of them, fixing or give new life to something.  Flash forward 25 some years later and here I am.  Designing, upcycle, redoing.....having fun!  I also like skulls and bones.

Don't forget to do what you love and explore this whole wide world. No matter what it is such as bone collector, cemetery dweller, minimalist, vegan...be happy because you know what?  This is life, no one gets out alive you better enjoy the ride! :)

Ciao~