Category Archives: Goals

I Feel Pretty!!

Good evening!

I had such an excellent evening!! I always am soooo JAZZED after belly dancing class!! and guess what????

WE DANCE WITH VEILS TONIGHT!!!! 😉

That made me feel like a bug-a-jillion dollars!!!!!

Who knew that you could actually get toned and fit while twirling, and spinning, and flipping, and making butterfly shapes out of your veil!!!

SO

MUCH

FREAKIN’

FUN!!!!

Seriously, how could I NOT have discovered belly dancing before??? What else could I have been missing out on because I was a big ol’ chicken!?!?!?! Our instructor, Jody, did a full veil dance for us at the end of class, and it was soooo SENSUAL and MESMERIZING!!! You literally couldn’t take your eyes off of her!!

THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO DO!!!!

I aspire to dance like my dance instructor when I grow up!!!

Can you imagine??? I don’t care, if God didn’t want me to dance, he wouldn’t have put a song in my heart, dang-it!!! 😉

I LOVE dancing!! I know that I will be one of those women who will be doing it for THE REST OF HER LIFE!!!

As I go off to bed, and join my dancing dreams in la-la-land, twirling, and smiling like a FABULOUSLY crazy person…

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

Note to Chunky Dunkers: 1 hour down, only 2 more to go!!! I am DETERMINED to keep my weekly commitment!!! 😉 Oh, and plus I have started to track my food again today!! I am very happy to report that I am on target!! WHOO! HOO!! Oh, and did I mention that I passed up a HUGE cookie platter at a work celebration today??? MAMMA IS FEELING GOOD!!! 😉

I’m Calling It In!

Good evening!

I really never do this, but I am calling it in this evening, just to say good night!! It has been a long day, a good day, but very long all the same!! I haven’t really done much of anything in my art studio this evening, but put a large stack of paper away. I was hoping that I could get away with decorating an .88 cent cardboard box, but nope! It just ain’t gonna cut it!!!  Scrapbook, and handmade papers can be very expensive, and I will feel better know that they are all stored safely, and neatly, but that they are also easily accessible so that I don’t possibly damage them while I am searching for the perfect piece of paper. I’m just sayin’!!

Jason is downstairs having some guy time, watching a man-movie! You know the kind the screaming, shoot-em-up, smack, smack, boom, pow, movies!! LOL!! 😉 I am glad, he doesn’t take the time to do that enough!!!

My goal is to have this art studio completed by Wednesday evening, oh wait, I just realized that that is TOMORROW, and that just might take some kind of a miracle to get that accomplished, but I am praying for one!! So I am sure it will be fine!!

Anyway, I have to read some of my weekly homework before I fall asleep tonight, and I am sooooo getting to bed earlier than I had made it last evening, so I am going to call it a night!!

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

A New Evening!!

Good evening!

For most of the day today, I have been frantic whirlwind of cleaning, organizing and purging!! My art studio/office is starting to look better, but it seems that as soon as I clean up one pile, two more show themselves!! Those sneaky little pests!!! 😉 I did not take any pictures this evening, however, I’m confident that I will be able to in a few days, and the room will be completely done!!! WHEW!!

In the process of cleaning, purging and organizing my office/art studio, I am learning to realize just how important a safe place to create is for me. This is ABSOLUTELY priceless!! I am excited to see where my imagination can take me, and I know that having a clean, organized, clutter free space that truly represents my personality is something that EVERY GIRL should have! Especially, if one is trying to tap into one’s inner artist! I can honestly tell you that I don’t know where I will end up in 1 year, 5 years, 10 or 20, but I CAN tell you, that it is GOING TO BE GOOD!!

I want to give a shout out to my husband, Jason!! There were many times today, and this whole weekend, where I have been completely overwhelmed and needed either some moral support, cheerleading, or just someone with a stronger will then I to physically remove some items from our place that just needed to get donated or recycled!! Jason has done that for me, as he has on many occasions!! I love you, Sweetie, and I could not have gotten nearly as far as I have without your help! YOU ARE MY ROCK! You make my life so much better, and I still thank God that you are in my life. I TRULY am one lucky girl, and I OWE YOU SOOOOO BIG TIME!!! Thank you, Jay!

As for this week! I am not sure exactly what to expect yet, but priority number one is to get this art studio/office finished!!! Mamma needs a place to create!!

Work will be busy, but really, when is it not?? I also need to make sure that I get a couple of weeks on the calendar for our vacation! We are planning on camping with my sister’s family at the end of the month, but even that time has not been approved just yet! So, I will have to do some negotiating with some of my co-workers on that!

I am wanting to take a Zumbe class! I was planning on starting that next week, but I was burning my candle at both ends, still am, and that is going to have to wait a little while longer!! 😉 That is part of the reason for uncluttering my home so that I have more time and energy for doing the things I want to do – like Zumba!!

Have I told you that I am still doing my Artist’s Way morning pages, and weekly artist’s date with myself. I am, and I am still loving it! I was surprised to see that I was on week 9 of that process!!  The old Christina really never did very well with following through on things like this. This new Christina can’t imagine never not doing it!! They have radically changed the way that I look at my life, which in turn has changed me!! For the better!! I am so much happier than I was in the past, and I have reconnected with my creator, and now have hope for a different future than the dismal one I was settling for!! now, if only this new Christina could just lose some weight, and figure out world peace, all would be DIVINE wouldn’t it??? LOL! 😉

Until I speak with all tomorrow…

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

 

Slowly But Surely!

Good evening!

I know that these pics may not look like I am making much headway in my art studio/office clean, up but I feel like I am doing A LOT!!!

My sweetie helped me locate, and assembled this perfect little bookshelf to put on top of my craft dresser, My new motto is storage, storage, storage!! I have spent a good portion of my day sorting supplies and putting all like items together. Tomorrow will be more about getting things out of there for donating to charity, recycling old magazines, and papers, putting everything into their new homes, and decorating like a banshee!! That is my FAVORITE part!!! 😉

I am loving the green on the walls, I had dabbled with the idea of changing it, but to be honest with you – it is just too much work!! So, I am sticking with my gut and just working with it! I am adding baby pink, silver, and baby blue into the mix!!  Also adding the cubicle bookcase on top of the dresser and some lovely white curtains, is making this place feel so much nicer – even though there is still sooooooo much left to do!!! I think the room is taking on a much softer  girlier-glam feel! I know that is hard to believe when looking at these pics, but it really took me 5 years to get it into the state that it was in, so it is going to take me a little while to get it back to ship-shape!! 😉

I must confess, that I was so overwhelmed when I went in there to start this morning, that I decided to go shopping instead! Nice, right??? I bought some replacement essentials like bed pillows, and towels, which we were in desperate need of new ones!! Then when I got home, Jason helped me first thing, and I was still sooooo overwhelmed!! WHERE THE HECK DO I START??? Well, when I had taken Linda and GG’s craft class, they started with a meditation, so I thought I would give that a try! It TOTALLY worked!! I realized I had to stop feeling guilty and forgive myself for letting the room get to be such a disaster. I then made the decision to open my eyes, find one thing to toss, and one thing to put away. That seemed easy enough to commit to, so I did it, and then did again, and before I knew it I was on a roll!!

Anyway, I have a lot of work ahead of me for tomorrow, but I am excited to see what I can get done!!

TO-WANDA!!!!
(a la Fired Green Tomatoes, for those who are not in the know!)

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

A Rather Productive Day!

Good evening!

I realize that I have been doing a lot of late night posts, but I am pushing the envelope to get AS MUCH done as possible!! 😉

Today, my goal was to start uncluttering my nightstand, bedroom, writing desk, walk-in closet and dresser drawers!! It took me most of the day, but I am very happy to report that I have gotten that done!! I was able to gather 3 bags and 2 boxes worth of clothing that will be either given away or donated to charity!! WHEW!! That was about 60 items of clothing that will no longer be cluttering up my closet!! I also have completely reorganized the sort order of everything, it used to be by color, but now it is by type of clothing. All dresses in one section, pants, in another, skirts in another, etc. etc. I have never organized my closet that way, but I am SERIOUSLY loving it!! The colors are all integrated together, and somehow it feels much cheerier the way it is organized now – more like me, if that makes any sense??

Tomorrow, my goal will be to unclutter the upstairs linen closet, bathroom, and craft room/office. THAT room is going to be the SCARIEST because there is just sooooo much stuff in there that really needs purging!! HOWEVER, the task seems to be much easier than I had orinally would be because I am able to look at each item and say, “Does this truly represent me and our new lifestyle?” No? then out it goes!! I know there will be someone else who will be able to use it, if not I!! 😉

I had planned on taking before and after pictures, but in all honesty I was so excited to get started this morning, that I didn’t do ANYTHING else when I got out of bed! I literally, sat up and started cleaning my nightstand off! Ok, that might be a little bizarre!!

Anyway, this evening my sweetie and I went to dinner and a movie with some friends of ours, Dawn and Erin. We had a nice dinner, and then zipped over to go see Pirates of the Carribean III, in 3D. It was a long movie, and it was alright. However, the scenery was FANTASTIC, the costumes were MESMERIZING, the soundtrack was HYPNOTIC, and the relationship between the Christian and the mermaid was HOT & STEAMY!!! YUM!! It made me want to spend tomorow reading a lust int he dust book, which is what we call romance novels in this house!! 😉 but, I will stay focused!! I have brought soooo much new stuff into this house, and I have to do all I can to make sure that EVERY SINGLE THING IN THIS HOUSE HAS A HOME WITHIN IT!! 😉 I will get there, it will just take me some time!! Ok, maybe a LOT of time, but it will happen slowly but surely!!

As for now, I will just be happy to be able to “shop” in my newly cleaned, purged, and organized closet!! It is SIMPLY DIVINE!!!

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

We Love You, Oprah!

Good evening!!

I got home this evening, and was VERY excited to see that my sweetie had recorded Oprah’s last episode!! So, I have spent the last 45 minutes watching and crying, and watching some more!!

I just LOVE Oprah, as I am sure a lot of you have too!! Oprah has been a constant in my life since I was 10 years old! Always bringing words of wisdom, comfort, laughter, and inspiration! A friend when I needed a friend, a momma when I needed a momma, and an auntie when I needed an auntie!! I have dreamed about being a guest on her show, and have dreamed about being in the audience during one of her greatest things episodes!!

What I think I love the most about her final episode is that it is just her, all alone, speaking to us. Speaking to me. I love that she speaks about God, capital “G”, and how important he is in our lives! It is so GREAT to see someone of such high visibility talking about “God”, and not calling him something safe, or PC. Calling him by name is so powerful, and I am not sure why I needed to hear that, but I find that I really did! Thank you, Oprah!!

Also, her message about it being our responsibility to know what kind of energy we are bringing to any situation, really hit home for me!!! This made me question, “What kind of energy do I carry around with me every day?” I know that I am going to be thinking about that all day tomorrow, and for the rest of the week! I want it to keep me conscious of what energy I am bringing into the room at work, at home, at dance class, with friends, family, or complete strangers!!

Oprah has made me want to somehow change the world, even if that is only through helping my small circle of friends and family! I want to leave an indelible mark on this world. I am not sure what that is going to look like, but I know that it is greater than I that would be accomplishing this!

I know that this is not the last we will hear of Miss Oprah, rather this will be the beginning of a new adventure in her life. I can sit here with confidence and know that no matter where she is or what she is doing, I can know that she has made me a better me for having listened to her, and observing her actions! I thank her dearly, even though I have never even met her. I pray for her in all of her future endeavors, and I KNOW in my soul,  that someday the two of us will meet, and I will be able to express my gratitude to her in person!!

Until that day, Oprah, WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU!!!! 😉

Have a FABULOUS evening!!

A Charming Day!

Good evening!

I wanted to share with you the jewelry class I was fortunate to take yesterday! 😉 I spent the day up at the Tarte store up in Aurora, Oregon. The shop is ABSOLUTELY DIVINE!! I could LITERALLY purchase EVERY SINGLE THING in that store and decorate my house with it! EVERYTHING is my style to a T!!

The room that we had our craft class was EXACTLY the way that my craft room SHOULD be!! 😉 I have thought about how to describe it to you, and words just could not describe how girly glam this room was!!! The room was basically draped with an indoor tent for grown up girls, and there was a gigantic chandelier right in the center of the room, dripping in beads.

Here are a couple of pics:

This is a large parachute that they sewed tulle to. Isn’t that INGENIOUS?!?!?!?

Do you see what I mean?? You just couldn’t help but feel the girl glam vibe that was in that room! That was P-R-I-C-E-L-E-S-S!!

They had a place setting for every one of us women, there were 15 of us. These were just soooo charming, and I now want to work from a silver tray from now on! What do you think??

So chic!! 😉

The lovely, Terri Brush was our instructor, and the first thing we learned how to do was to design, etch and form copper bracelets – this is a good project for working your arm muscles!! There was SO MUCH POUNDING going on!!! WHEW!!! 😉

Next, we got to play with solder!! Using some old keys, we coated them in solder and played with some letter stamps! That was fun!! (Just in case you can’t read these, they say “Dream Big” and “Inspire”)

What came next were create mini collages to place inside of charms that we then got to solder!!! This was my FAVORITE part of the entire class!!

Here are the backsides of my charms, the previous picture was a view of the front of the charms! I literally could have done this all day!! They are short and sweet, and HIGHLY gratifying!!! 😉 I am planning on using these to make a couple of charm bracelets!!

and last but not least! I got to play some more with the letter stamps, and I decided to make one last charm for my bracelet! but, this one ended up being MY FAVORITE OF THEM ALL!!!  This is my sweetie’s and my initials, and the date of our wedding!! I LOVE that the letters and numbers are all catty-wompous! It just seems to make this one all the more charming!!!

They left us at each of the place settings, it is a, dare I say it, a charming box of chocolate!! It is decorated so chicely, that I have a feeling that this little package will NEVER be opened!! 😉

I have ALWAYS wanted to learn how to create these charms and I am soooo THANKFUL that I have finally acquired this skill!! Terri is a gem, and this class was really a fun way to learn all of these fun jewelry making techniques!! I would highly recommend this class to anyone fortunate enough to be able to take it!!

Have a FABULOUS evening! 😉