A Plethora of P's / #2: "Possibility"

Impossibility tries its darndest to lure us from our dreams. But it doesn’t have to succeed.

Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. The Beatles were turned away. Thomas Edison was told he was “stupid”. The world is flat. Walk on the moon? Preposterous. “Impossible.”

Possibility though, now that’s good stuff. Possibility presents infinite potential.

Every atom, every seed, every leaf, every breath, every step, every day … is pregnant with possibility. Possibility is wonderfully persistent. It is ­endless; it is perpetual.

Today could be the day you see a shooting star. Today you might climb a mountain. Today you may choose a salad over an extra helping of fried chicken ~ or maybe, like me, you’d rather choose an extra scoop of ice cream. (um, that’s okay, right Mom?)

Today could be the day you make a positive difference in the life of a child. Today could be a day you unexpectedly make someone smile ~ or a day where someone unexpectedly makes you smile. Today you could learn something magnificent. You could feel alive with creative spirit.

Right now, you might make a decision to observe a difficult situation from a fresh perspective ~ and that decision might lead to a new idea that can lead to a new action that takes you on a new path of possibility….

Ponder the possibility in any given moment. What can you feel? What can you imagine? What positive thought can you grab onto? What will you choose?

Baby steps, giant steps, doesn’t matter. Dream it. Believe. Think the thought of “possible”.

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A Plethora of P's / #1: Punch

My newest pet project coincides with a most auspicious day: 1-1-11. (I like that!)

And, as happens every New Year, I feel a surge of renewed hope while the words “THIS is gonna be a great year!” ring in my ears.

This year though, with the intention to manifest more of that “something great”, to avoid disillusionment and an almost inevitable sense of “okay, maybe next year”… I’m going to work with one of my favorite subjects: the power of thought. It’ll be an ongoing journey of sorts, shared through words and pictures.

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The trick with “thought” is deciphering which ones are worthy. Of the millions that zip in and around our minds every day ~ consciously and unconsciously ~ how can we let the cream rise to the top? You could call it “thought training”.

Of course there are lots of ways to “quiet the mind”, and they are invaluable tools. Meditation, yoga, strenuous physical activity. Music, dance and art. Acts of kindness and giving. All highly recommended, and sometimes necessary. But that’s not my focus here…   This project is about focusing on what you think. Because what you think engages you with life’s outcomes more than many people realize.

Thoughts can create a better you or a more troubled you. Thoughts affect those around you. Thoughts precede every action. Thought is energy, and it’s potent.

Though we can’t see them, thought forms are as real, possibly more real, than the keyboard I’m typing on. What you think can have enormous power.

As a kid, I was often told to “think positive thoughts”. At some point, that advice seemed too simplistic. In youthful fashion I’d think, “It’s not that easy. They don’t know what I’m going through. You can’t just do that. You can’t just ‘think positively’ and expect everything to become sunshine, lollipops and rainbows”.

But over time I discovered…  that in a way it really IS that simple. You can choose positive thoughts over negative ones. And it does make a difference. A simple twist of thought can change the direction of the moment, the day, the month, the year…  and they are yours to direct!

This is not to say a negative thought should be hunted down and executed, or that having them is “bad”. Remember all those millions of thoughts? They’re not all going to be feel-good, Pollyanna-like thoughts. But the beauty is that you can change them. You can learn from them. You can release them. You can use them to get to a better place, even if it’s just one notch up. It‘s worth the effort ~ and I personally believe most of us have only scratched the surface of the potential power held within our thought patterns.

It’s a big concept yet a simple one, and it’s sometimes easy, sometimes hard to train our thinking. And unless one lives on a deserted island, it’s not just our own thoughts; other peoples’ thoughts can filter in and influence our psyche. When you pay attention, the impact of *thought* is undeniable.

I don’t mean a belabored, obsessive kind of thinking, but more the seed of an idea, the whisper of a deed, the affirmation of beliefs. And whether arriving through your conscious or subconscious mind, tending reaps rewards.

I feel blessed for the positive teachings I was shown in childhood. None of us get through life unscathed though, and those lessons became a springboard for learning how to maneuver some of life’s more intense struggles. They’ve helped me weather many a storm; sometimes when all else failed.

So, this idea for creating a series about positive thinking, expressed through my love of words, art and design, came knocking at my mind’s door. I answered, and here we are.

To make it fun, I decided to use my propensity for “P” words (which may turn out to be a practice run for an entire alphabet, also formed in my mind). Besides, it follows a natural pattern … Patricia, Pencil Points, Peace, P’s ….

So, without further preamble, let’s proceed towards proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.  :  )

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New & Improved Mermaid Video Debut

Sorry to post this again, but it must be done!

I wasn’t satisfied with the sound quality on my Magnetic Mermaid Toy video. The music itself was excellent, the problem came with the translation inside the video editing software.

Thanks to the collaboration with musician and master whistler (& fellow perfectionist!) David Santucci, a new track was prepared that worked MUCH better in the editing process. Our ears are much more pleased ~ and we think yours will be too. Please enjoy!

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Joyful Creativity ♫

A brilliant (and very fun) performance!  It’s been making the rounds, but for those who haven’t seen it – watch and enjoy. If this doesn’t make you smile this holiday season, I don’t know what will!

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Excellent Pickin' for the Holidays

More musical treats from David Saxton. Yes, he’s my brother, so sure, I’m probably biased. But ~ while I may be his biggest fan, I’m also not afraid to critique, and it’s from that place that I know that he’s got more talent in his left pinky than all the fingers and toes in a roomful of people. Enjoy!

For anytime:

For the holidays:

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Gifts of Peace, Magic & Creativity (under $20!)

Can it be last-minute holiday gift idea time already? Hmmm. I just might have some ideas. How about the gift of reading and imagination..? A Book of Fairies, and  The Book of Mermaids are great for school-age kids! The Magnetic Mermaid Dress-up is ideal for 3 and up. All are available at Amazon.

Then there’s a whole bunch of cool stuff over at my *boutique* at CafePress.  Totebags, mugs, coasters, mousepads, journals and magnets, grouped by my signature pieces of “peace”, “pencil points”, fairies” and “mermaids”. Lots to choose from. Fun, unique, and practical!

Happy holidays ~ and may peace, magic and creativity fill your hearts!

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A Conspiracy of Mermaids, Art, Music and a Toy

If you recall the “sneak peeks” I posted a while back, your wait is over. Here’s a special something I’ve been conjuring up for the holidays!

For those interested, this video was created with hand-drawings, animated in PowerPoint. I wanted to push the boundaries of what most people think PowerPoint can and can’t do. In that sense alone, I feel a mission was accomplished. But I also wanted to have some fun with it…. which I did!

The vision for the video came to me after it was clear that no one wanted their children to be filmed in a piece that would be shown on YouTube. That was disappointing, since kids really engage with this game and it would have been great to capture their enthusiasm. But, as someone, somewhere, once said, “inside every cloud is a silver lining”. This one came in the form of a happy idea.

And so, this is what happened when an idea + illustrations + PowerPoint + some good music became a video!

Special thanks to composer/musician David Santucci for lending his remarkable talent to this piece. A gifted artist and overall nice guy whose work will soon be available in high-def quality on iTunes; it was a delightful collaboration.

Now I hope you’ll go on over to Amazon and buy the Magnetic Mermaid Dress-Up toy and make some kids very happy this holiday! :  )

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"52 Weeks of Peace" Totebags Are Here!

In the name of brazen self-promotion, I’d like to start spreading the word that some terrific canvas tote bags are now available, adorned with designs from my “52 Weeks of Peace” series. One bag shows all 52 weeks, others are created with individual designs.

For the time-being these are available online only, through my shop at CafePress. But I have to tell you, I personally love their canvas bags. They’re sturdy and earthy and hold a lot of stuff.

They really make a great gift – practical AND fun (oh, and yes, with a message…!) . And by the way, requests are being taken. If you have a favorite “week” you’d like to see on a bag, let me know!

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One Last Sneak Peek

Everyone’s crazy busy, so you may not have noticed that I’ve not posted as often as usual. But in case you did …. remember the post about “what’s inside my head”? Well it’s been stuck on #3 for quite some time.

Lots and lots and LOTS going on, lots of cool work, but not a lot that I can post yet. What I can post is another sneak preview of my “secret project”…. which I hope to have complete very soon.

Ah. All this unveiling to be done. I guess patience is called for.

In the meantime, here’s a last peek of the special little something in the works.

 

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Andrew Bird: One-Man Orchestra

In a word: impressive.

From TED: Musical innovator Andrew Bird winds together his trademark violin technique with xylophone, vocals and sophisticated electronic looping. Add in his uncanny ability to whistle anything, and he becomes a riveting one-man orchestra.

On a personal note, it’s interesting that I discovered this, and a few days later, my teen shared one of her favorites songs from … Andrew Bird. Bells went off, and I thought about how cool that we unknowingly shared this appreciation. I also happen to really like the cover of his CD. I’m a fan.

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