Ruffling a Few Feathers

Week 4   * DO52  *  ROUST

I'm not sure I like my new verb for the week.  Boy, right there, I'm not going into the week with a positive vibe.   Researching ROUST does not seem like something I would do on a weekly basis like some other fun verbs.  It's not like I'm going to ROUST the chickens and get some feathers flying.

Can't simply find any quotes with ROUST in them.  It keeps asking me if I want the quotes from Marcel Proust...a French novelist from the early 1900s. Or then my search takes me to fashion designer Olivier Rousteing who clothes people like Justin Bieber and Kendell Jenner.(no, I don't think so.)

Ok, who picked this word????

Maybe I need to rally up and ROUST you DO52-ers.

We are almost at the end of month one of 2016.  Do you want a challenge? Can you SHINE a little brighter?  As Parker Palmer says, this allows your head to receive feedback from your soul at a pace and depth that suits you. The weekly verbs are the metaphors you need to live mindfully.

Today, I am here as an Ambassador to the House of Shine to prompt you to take action.  Don't worry if you missed the first 3 weeks of the year.  Jump on in and pick a DO52 stick right now! Open up and welcome that word into your week.  Then come back here and share your story.

I need to ROUST the House of SHINE peeps.  Go pick your DO52 stick for Week 4, start moving to the action and just see where it might take you!!!

Heart Across the Globe

It's all about the journey, right?

When you practice every day you get better at what you do.

I practice doodling.

I practice writing.

I practice converting hand doodles into electronic color pictures.

I have fun when I practice!

Below is my original 8-1/2 x 11 doodle picture representing Hearts across the globe.  As you can see, I take some things quite literally. 

After I took this picture, I uploaded it to Photo Shop Elements 8 and 'colored' it in. Shh, I found a mistake.  See if you can find it. 

I don't need to print it off, because now that it is in the computer, it has become digitized and can be up/downloaded wherever I want it to go.

The un-colored version is going to the Doodle Institute as a contribution to the next coloring book.  

Not sure what I'm talking about?  A few months ago I signed up for online classes at the Doodle Institute.  It's an online community of doodlers, artists and like minded creative types.  As part of an on going project with our leader Diane, she decided to create a published coloring book with our artwork.  In doing so, she took us along with the process, showing each step of the way. 

Our collaborated coloring can be found on Amazon here.

I Will Contribute

Week 3  *  DO52  * Contribute

About a month ago, Claudia asked me if I would be willing to contribute some of my talents to the House of Shine, specifically facilitating the DO52 Facebook page.  I'm not shy. Some of my strengths are that I am organized, devoted and dependable.  I said yes!  How can you not say YES to Claudia! What is one word a week.... compared to all the things that go on in the day of a life?

Outer order contributes to inner calm - Gretchen Rubin



I'm sure many of you have heard of The Happiness Project?  The quote above and the book are written by Gretchen Rubin.   Throughout the past few years I have read her book and followed her on social media, as well as many other... personal help gurus. The Gifts of Imperfection, Brene Brown, and The Last Lecture, Randy Pausch, and The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren. That list goes on and on and on!  I think their insightful help books are fantastic.  My problem is.... whose plan do I follow?

New Year! New You!  What to do?  Well DO52 of course!  But how?  You're busy right???

I've said it before... I love to learn.  I love quotes that fit into my life. I love finding 'signs' that let me know I'm on the right path of my journey.

Bottom line... I don't have the end all answer.  But what I do have is a lot of 'spunk' when it comes to encouragement.  I believe in validation.  I believe in positive re-enforcement.  I believe there is a lot of good in the world.  We just need to take time to see it!

If you have accepted the challenge at the House of Shine to purposefully jump start and enrich your life, take a moment right now and select your next DO52 stick.  Think about your new verb. And take action!

Finally, please contribute here on Facebook... I'm prompting you to SHINE a little brighter. Remember to have fun with this!!

If you are an over achiever like me, click the link below for some further insight from Gretchen Rubin ... to help clear the clutter...

http://gretchenrubin.com/happiness_project/2013/10/do-you-fall-for-any-of-these-common-clutter-clearing-myths/

The powerful play goes on and you will contribute a verse - Walt Whitman

Thumbs Up!

I needed some quick, one dimensional, simple.... yet cute cards!

I used ink and my thumb print... and then added a few doodles with pen or marker, to make these quirky:

 tweety birds.

funny frogs.

silly snowman.

and the rest.

Doodle cards are the most fun!  

Simplicity is great.

Stayed tuned, more cards to come!!!

DO52 * Week 2 * Assure

Week 2   *  DO52    

I decided on the spot that I would be an artist, and I assure you, it was no ordinary artist I had in mind. - Henry Ossawa Tanner

It is the 2nd week of 2016!  How's life going?  Busy, huh?  Or, have you made time to purposefully jump start and enrich your life by welcoming a new verb into your week?

Hey there!  It's Peggy and I am an Ambassador for the House of Shine .... soon to be.....

Funny story!  I live in Illinois (which is different than I'm from Illinois, please don't get the two mixed up)!  I have a neighbor whose husband went to graduate school with Claudia's husband.  Over eight years ago, my neighbor Denise told me about a friend in Texas who was starting a blog and thought I would be interested in following this creative lady at HiLowAha.

I became a fan, a big fan!  There is a reason that the House of Shine came into my life.  I could share the list, but the story isn't over! And now through habit ...I choose to SHINE first and foremost... it is a way that I can share my very best. I can assure you that I will certainly make something happen!!

It's Week 2  of DO52, time to select a stick and welcome the new word into your week.  

I picked
assure.
1: tell someone something positively or confidently to dispel and doubts they may have

Get your DO52 sticks out of your desk drawer and on top of your desk so that you can see them.

I'm still working on pretty storage,

Here's what things looked like before.

Check back all this week to see how I use my new word, see how I create a fun new storage container and see what silly stories I come up.

Now it's your turn.  Get your DO52 sticks, invite your new verb into your life and be creative, have fun and share your SHINE. Maybe tell us how you showed up at the doorstep of the House of Shine

Wanna Build a Snowman

Well it's a fine day here in Chicagoland.

Not the kind of day you would build a snowman outside, it's raining!

I probably say this every January.... and some of my best friends are flakes.... but I love me a cute snowman!  Mostly, doodled snowmen!

It's 2016!! Have you set new goals?  New challenges?  Words to live by?  My one little word for the year is Cultivate!  Part of cultivating a good life is.....to find and learn new ways to be creative .... for instance.

If you go back anywhere in my blog, you will see that one of my top postings is about learning new things.  I love to learn!  I noticed through my horoscope as well, that a Aries trait is one to love learning!!!

We will see if this works.  I am learning how to do a video with my snowman doodle.  I'm quite excited if I was able to make this work. I set up a video clamp, lighting, made the video, edited the video and added music.  If I come back with red text to the post, it means I had to EDIT.... because this attempt was not a complete success.... yet!!!!

Do you wanna build a snowman.... on paper.... with video!!

Panda Express

Funny story, but it's true.  Well, not ha ha funny... but interesting!

So, the other day I was inspired to 'create' something.  I didn't know what at first.  But then I read somewhere that somebody was going to doodle an animal.

Okay, so, I will take inspiration wherever I get it.

I thought just a bit... and this animal came to mind. Hmm, why this animal... why paint it... also just a whim, just an inspiration. Not a doodle, but a painting? (can we just say rambling on)

After I finish him... I think he's super cute!!!  Just what I needed as part of my create every day mantra.

And literally, not even 5 minutes ago as I'm writing this post.... knowing that I'm including this panda no matter what I post about and I'm thinking ...'why did I come up with a panda?' I mean that animal is pretty random, don't you think?  With the way my mind works....

And I figured out that yesterday morning when we were listing out our meal plan and grocery shop list for the week... I picked a recipe from our Robinson Recipe binder that was from Panda Express: kopy kat.  And it finally hit me! Duh

I think dreams, and signs and mediating, and just looking outside the window (or box) can inspire us... if we just take a moment to see it. Maybe the next panda will be wearing ear muffs and be holding a sign that says SHINE on!  Now that's an idea!!!!

Happy New Year!!!