proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.
Pancakes. Because, really, who doesn’t love pancakes? Need I say more? Let’s fire up the griddle. : )
(see our growing, ongoing Plethora of P’s here)
I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a hard time finding my groove this month. And I’m really not sure what the connection is, but I’ve noticed a couple of recurring themes ~ so maybe that’s a start.
First there’s yellow. Not normally a color I’m especially drawn to (I like yellow, don’t get me wrong ~ in fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever met a color I didn’t like. Well, that’s not true, but that’s for another time), it’s been popping up and infusing itself into my work as if of its own volition … perhaps forcing cheer, optimism and luminosity into my sub-conscious mind. Or maybe it’s coming from my sub-conscious. Either way, I guess it’s not a bad thing.
So, there’s that. Yellow, welcome to my world.
At the same time, dragons are shrieking. You may (or may not) know that I’ve been working on my Book of Dragons for some time now. There’s just not been enough time in the day to get it done in the timeframe I’d hoped for, and no one has offered an all-expenses-paid art retreat in Tuscany or Fiji, or even North Dakota. As a result, many of them (the dragons) are still in my head instead of freed on paper, and they are restless, let me tell you. It was hard to get this one to calm down from a very fitful slumber long enough to capture the basics.
So the beasts are on the march, and yellow is pervasive. And that is that.
Although somehow it might tie in with having felt overwhelmed with all the various irons in the proverbial fire for so many months, and the so many months before that. And storms, and a holiday, then another, then another. You know how that goes. And then all that non-stopping made my back say “you’ve had enough, but you’re not relenting, so I’ll make you!” So there was that. And then January and the yellow and the dragons started happening. I dunno, maybe it all fits, somehow. And then again, maybe not.
But if one were to portend … maybe there’s a yellow dragon in my future… a happy, luminous beast. Until then, it’s back to work and finding my groove ~ but stay tuned!
If you’re not in the holiday spirit yet (and even if you are), here’s one more. Cheers!
A few ditties to get you in the Christmas spirit.
1. Holiday tea #1: remedy for too much hustle-bustle ~ enjoy liberally whenever peace & calm are needed.
2. Holiday tea #2: when you need a little more pep in your step, and some umph in your ho-ho-ho.
3. A Plethora of P’s / #49: Peppermint: Popular for providing a perky punch to the palette. Also a preferred prescription for various physical predicaments, and provides a sweet emotional pick-me-up when given to the young, then watching their faces light up.
4. Because we all need a little cheer. : )
Cheers!
The holidays are kicking into gear, and our shop is always open! Please feel free to share with friends interested in something special, good for mind and soul, priced under $25 and created from the heart. ♥
I had some fun feeling grateful. Hope you will too ~ and I’m wishing a very Happy Thanksgiving to all!
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“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought;
and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” ~ G.K. Chesterton
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Joy is the simplest form of gratitude. ~ Karl Barth
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Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.
~ Marcus Tullius Cicero
“My alphabet starts with this letter called yuzz. It’s the letter I use to spell yuzz-a-ma-tuzz. You’ll be sort of surprised what there is to be found once you go beyond ‘Z’ and start poking around!” ~Dr. Seuss
We’ve had a rough go on the east coast in recent weeks, and as I write this, the predicted Nor’easter is bringing down the temperature a whole lot more. What the snow will do remains to be seen, but the whole affair adds insult to injury for thousands of still-out-of-power or displaced folks.
Within all this, schools and towns are in various states of open or closed throughout the area, the election happened, and “the show must go on” with work to be tended. (yes, dear clients, I am working!)
So I decided to lighten up a bit, with a little nonsense borrowed from the great Dr. Seuss ~ which seems to make as much if not more sense than “real life”. (And I’ve a feeling there will be more installments of nonsense down the pike …)
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Here’s wishing you a bit of nonsense in your day. 🙂
“What’s Your Point?” Pencil Point Series / © Patricia Saxton
It started with a college art class assignment~ one of the few assignments I adored ~ where we had to draw one crazy shape (or some such thing), then interpret in a myriad of ways.
I remember my shape was squiggly with random loops ~ kind of Miro-esque now that I think of it ~ and that I went nuts. I could barely keep up with all the ways I could keep the same design but make it look completely different. Colors, lines; the possibilities were endless! This was better than a drawer full of chocolate, or at the time, maybe more like a keg of beer and a bunch of great friends.
Eventually I had to stop, probably needing to put in some study time for other classes. Besides, it was a meaningless shape, so there was no impetus to keep going beyond the “oh cool” factor. I do think though, that because it was meaningless, my mind opened up to explore freely.
And so it was that this freeing exercise came in handy later on, when I started my business’ first promotional campaign. The memory of “many designs from one” prompted what became a signature series ~ those of you who’ve known me for a long time know exactly what I mean when I say “pencil points”.
Every 2-3 months for several years I’d send out a new Pencil Point Postcard (the pencil point also being my logo, giving it “meaning”), and the response was fabulous. Everyone had a favorite, people really looked forward to getting the next one, and I had fun creating them. And when pitching my design wares, pulling out a stack of pencil point cards almost always sealed the deal. Even if clients weren’t going to need something quite so creative, I think they liked knowing there was that kind of original thinking behind the scenes.
When business turned electronic, I decided to start a new series, online. “52 Weeks of Peace” postcard book was born, and the subsequent “Plethora of P’s” series. There will probably be something new in the future, but neither the peace signs or the positive P’s have run their gamut yet. (There are still more pencil points, too; I just have to draw the line somewhere … no pun intended!)
Sometimes I think it might be some kind of mental affliction. Maybe I am a little nuts. But really, “oh well”. We all have our quirks.
“A Plethora of P’s” / © Patricia Saxton
Unplugged is when you decide to stay away from all work and computer / electronic connection.
Very unplugged is when Mother Nature steps in to be sure you fulfill that intention. Something along the lines of a rainstorm. Drenching your laptop. Unrecoverable. Which is what happened to mine on my “unplugged” trip ~ just so there was no cheating, even if I’d wanted to.
The bad news, of course, was having to get a new laptop sooner than I’d hoped. The good news ~ it was a liberating 7 days. I highly recommend it. Just one caveat: be careful what you ask for. The universe just might give your request an unexpected boost!
In any event, thought I’d share a small taste of what I did instead of checking emails and monitoring facebook pages… (Thank you rainstorm?)
The way I see it, if I can’t be in Tuscany, I might as well bring a little Tuscany here.
Of course, indecision reared its head as I thought about using this color on my kitchen walls for a couple years before buying the paint. And then, even then, I had a moment’s hesitation. Not only for the color ~ although the concern was real, if temporary (because at some point you just have to go for something brilliantly unexpected and risk regret) ~ but for the act of painting. Give me a blank canvas any day! But interior wall painting isn’t high on my list of fun things to do in my (very rare) spare time.
Oh sure, once you’ve got your tools, cleared the space, cleaned up the walls, taped the edges, painted the corners and are finally (!) ready to swish the rollers into the paint tray and swab the walls with long strokes of color, it’s not so bad.
But then there are second coats, sometimes thirds, and dabbing your messes up along the way, and the light changing, and other duties calling so that the disarray hangs around too long.
Once all that is done, and the room put back together (including the opportunity to toss all those crafty things that’ve been lurking in deceivingly tidy plastic containers under the bench…last used how many years ago?), you can indeed feel good. Satisfied at making a fresh, bold change. Happy you were nuts enough to try it. And glad it’s over!
I’m not over yet though…. so back to it before the light changes……..
