Minimizing...a preferred change

Today's update comes to you from the cool, beautiful, glowing-under-the-full-moon, city of Austin...

on the bus headed downtown for yoga

Today - I celebrate my dreads...6 months.
I don't think they are minimizing, but I've committed to them for 365 days.  My hair was much simpler to deal with prior to it's dreadiness, but I like them still the same!

Today -  I celebrate educational opportunities.
I'm taking action to go back to school and complete my degree.  Maybe even a Masters =)  The University I have chosen is known for minimization...sustainable community, vegetarian diet, one class per month, meditation twice a day, sobriety and health.
My kind of place, for sure!!!

Today - I celebrate Project 333.  It is showing me that my outer appearance doesn't always reflect my inner self.  And my clothes certainly have nothing to do with who I really am - they are only one representation of me.  It's been a challenge not to reach for something else in my closet, especially when half of my clothes are dirty, and when what I have on doesn't go together - but I have overcome :-)

well...I have 'cheated' some. 

During the 3-day Austin City Limits Music Festival I worked in the Medical Area.

Those make for very long 12-hour days and it was pretty hot this year.  I wore shorts.  Mind you, there are no shorts on my list, but I made the decision that comfort was a priority if I was to stay in a compassionate, helpful state-of-mind.

ACL 2009

I think I mentioned that I was going to a clothes swap...

This is what I went with: 

And here is what I came home with:

So I gave away about a half bag of items and got a lot of very cool stuff to wear next year ~ Thanks girls :-D

Second, I left my sandals somewhere for over a week (oops!) and with it being in the 90's in October - I had to put on a pair of flip-flops or I was going to die from schweatty-foot, a diagnosis common to those living in hot, humid environments.  OH! and one more thing ;) I switched my multicolored flats for a pair of plain black mary-janes, as the other ones just weren't working out.  Otherwise, my personal adventures in Project 333 are great.  I look forward to experiencing more.

Today - I celebrate creativity and family.

I made this Halloween ensemble for my minimal little family in Kerrville.

 I sewed this purse myself while at a Stitch Lab class - my first zipper.

  Maybe it will help me to help minimize how much I carry around!

Today - I celebrate Life and Love. There is nothing minimal about them.

ENJOY your life and find compassion in your heart.

Nature's Treasures!  I love this place...

Project 333 - Inspiring Change

Okay...i'm committed to this for the next 3 months!  Starting tomorrow, October 1st, I will only wear the 33 items of outwear that I chose for myself through the end of December.  Thank goodness that underwear, workout wear, and sleepwear aren't included...it was hard enough to reduce my wardrobe to these thirty-three things.  I mean, I'm a Texas girl and it's starting to drop under 70 degrees at night - will I freeze to death?  I guess if it gets too cold, you may see me in ALL 33 items at the same time.  And another thing: coordinating, blending, accessorizing...tough!!!  So forgive me if I can't pull off a matching outfit from time to time...I tried  :)

I found this "project" on the Green LA Girl blog.  I did indeed miss the Six Items or Less challenge a few months ago, but I am excited to see if I can pull this one off.

So here goes...(drum roll please)...my 33 items

WORK WEAR

1. boots
2. jacket
3. fleece pullover
4. LS uniform shirt
5. SS uniform shirt
6. SS uniform shirt
7. uniform pants 
8. uniform pants
9. Med Team t-shirt
10. navy do-rag (for bad hair days)

WINTER WEAR & Accessories

1.  coat
2. boots
3. hat
4. scarf
5. gloves
6. my favorite hood
7. sunglasses
8. purse

DAILY WEAR

1. SS t-shirt
2. SS blouse
3. LS t-shirt
4. LS shirt
5. cardigan
6. zip-front sweater
7. pullover sweater

1. overalls / dress
2. wrap skirt
3. skirt
4. striped jeans
5. jeans
6. multi-colored slip-ons, which may get exchanged for one of those Limited Edition AUSTIN pair of TOMS - if I can get my hands on them
7. (not pictured) green hiking boots
8. (not pictured) yoga sandals 

Yep - that's THIRTY-THREE!  all right there.

...but wait!  there's more...  

Here's what most of it looks like  back in my closet 

my sweaters

And because of the camera perspective, that group of clothing is smaller than it appears!  But I am still committed...I'm still going to go through with it...I'm still................. going to ask you to encourage me.

What is even better, I'm going to a clothing swap on October 5th - Project 333 has allowed me to clean out my closet even more.  No telling who'll get my give-aways, but I hope they enjoy them as much as I have!  Noooooooooooo, I am not getting rid of ALL my other clothes, shoes, purses, hats, etc.  But I am becoming a simpler person in many ways.  Grateful for what I have.  No real need for more.

I say, if you are interested in challenging yourself,  just JUMP RIGHT IN!  

Check out more info at Be More with Less

LOVE YOU!

BE Yourself...don't DO so much

I have had a number of enlightening experiences in the last few months which has enabled me to do some much needed soul searching.  I am lucky to have a number of close friends that are going through much of the same life-altering 'stuff' and feel blessed that I am able to discuss my deepest feelings, share what I have learned so far, and receive their suggestions, too.   This goes well with the article I read a few days ago, The Pattern of Fullfillment: Know Yourself, Be Yourself, Give Yourself Away.

I'd like to quote one of my favorite parts.  "Although a lifelong process, knowing one's self along the way requires only curiosity and determination.  It is not the persons who are set somehow by a framework or universal pattern outside of their selves that live the most authentic lives.  Each of us finds our self in many relationships - with the Universe, God, Nature, one another, even with the various selves we are through the course of a day.  It is the variability of these relationships that provides the many vectors we can use to identify whom we are.  It is not one particular reference point that is definitive.  Deepening one's awareness of the many versions of self and integrating those facets into a cohesive sense of self leads to the fullness and richness of... being fully alive....What better evidence of our knowing our self that being a self that is fully alive!"

I LOVE feeling Fully ALIVE!    I LOVE myself!     I LOVE my Life!     I LOVE YOU!


In the article, the author, Steve Lawler, suggests that we ask ourselves these three questions

1. Who am I to me?
2. Who am I to you?
3. Who am I to us?

"Ask the questions again and again until your answers describe your being-ness, not your doing-ness."

Ahhhhh, Syncronicity!!  I was recently told by a trusted friend, whom I consider a "mom" - "Practice BEING...not DOING."  Tough for me!  Goes against all that I have ever known.  But what I do know is that when I am able to just BE - I feel the best I have felt in my life and want more.  So, I'll continue to ask these questions of myself in all of my relationships.  Thank YOU for being a part of my life.

On another note, as Halloween approaches once again, it's time to decide on my costume ;)  

Normally, I decide by November 1st of the prior year - this year is no different.  I shall be Grace's Avatar from the AVATAR movie.  After all, she is my doppelganger (a ghostly double of a living person that haunts its living counterpart)!       I mean...seriously...it was like watching myself on the big screen.  A number of my friends told me this, as well - without knowing my personal thoughts, etc.  Weird!!!

SO...I'm gonna paint myself up and put some beads in my dreads.  It'll be fun :-D

And as I am contemplating the whole Avatar thing...I found a beautiful article describing what one is in a spiritual realm.  Find Your Avatar says that "the role of an avatar is to show us our own inner beauty."  And I like that definition best!

If you read any part of the article, I encourage you to check out "Why we need avatars," although I found the entire article good.  But don't forget to scroll down to the Ten Pitfalls to Avoid on the Path.  I'm taking her advice for things to watch and be aware of!

Well...that's enough from me for now.  May your Journey be full of Light and Love!

"inhale the universe... and exhale divinity"

   I recently read these words on a FB Note by Tanja Dimond and they have quite an intense meaning for me, today. 

I believe I will use them on a regular basis, especially during my day job where I find it more difficult to keep my Balance.

   It's been a while since I wrote last. 

The only way to sum the last few months up...

"CHANGE"

All for the Best, I must say. 

Lately, most days I am able to declare that I am having

the best day of my Life.

My May vacation pictures have all been uploaded onto my personal FB page.  Enjoy!

I am already planning my next vacations.

first one in January...second one, maybe next August.  =)

I have been doing Yoga, regularly, at Sunstone since late June.  I reached my 25th class the other day and feel great!!!!  My body is having to adjust itself from years of ballet training I did in my youth, but the achy joints are worth it.  I love Sunstone - they really work at encouraging everyone to continue with their practice.  What I enjoy about my yoga classes the most...?  That it's a competition with myself, not with anyone else.  If you want to try it for yourself - AUSTIN FREE YOGA Day is coming up on September 6th!

Love yourself - Love others
Inhale the Universe...Exhale Divinity

~keli

STATE of mind

(this is the first in a number of posts in reflection of my travels, May 2010)

I returned from vacation on the 27th of May.  Eager to tell you all about it and reflect on the many places I got a chance to visit...so here goes!

There were 11 States that we spent time in.  As a child, my grandmother used to make us stop, get out of the car and pose near the signs for pictures.  Since I despised that so much, I decided to capture the essence while moving.  Most of the time, my plan worked pretty well  :-)

Although, our state of mind changed more frequently, depending on our driving speed, the weather, scenery, etc. we crossed those state lines primarily in this order.

GEORGIA

SOUTH CAROLINA

NORTH CAROLINA

TENNESSEE

VIRGINIA

MARYLAND

DELAWARE

NEW JERSEY

NEW YORK

PENNSYLVANIA

WEST VIRGINIA

I will expound on each of these throughout the following themed blog entries.  If there is a specific one you can't wait for...leave me a comment & I'll put it at the top of the list!

some very crafty updates

I often read Danielle LaPorte's blog White Hot Truth.  

It's regularly inspiring and honest.  I love that combo!!!

Recently she released The Fire Starter Sessions and knowing that I would flourish personally, in one way or another, I purchased it!  I'm in the process of absorbing all of the juicy information & inspiration...i'll get back to you when I finish it.
If you happen to decide to purchase it - please give my name as a referral   =)


So...as my craft room gets more organized...my craft stuff yearns to be played with!!!  I think you know already that I am learning how to sew.  In order to do this 'properly' - I needed an ironing board.  Since I believe in supporting individual crafters, I found this lovely cover on Etsy....


Made by City Chic Country Mouse It fits perfectly, on the ironing board AND into my decor!

















Here is a painting I created a couple years ago...

my heart & soul felt empty for years, but once I became willing to connect with the Spirit of the Universe...the Light warmed my soul and began to heal my heart. As my mind also becomes healthier - one day at a time, my Life gets better and better!

One of my jewelry creations, made in a Jennifer Perkins class at the Stitch Lab last year...I gave it to my cousin, Tomi, for her birthday.  Hope she loves it as much as I do  :-)










And last but not least...

The Crafty Superstar is a super-fab book for anyone wanting to learn more about the craft biz!  Grace is full of wisdom on the storefront.  The book is an easy read, flows well, and makes a lot sense...I read it in one day b/c I couldn't put it down!!!  (this in itself, says much)  Buy it!  Read it if you have the slightest interest in crafts.

But wait - there's more!!!  ...I just received the new StampinUp catalog and simply cannot wait to order more from it.  I already love the few items I was able to order and preview as a Demonstrator.  I'll be making a few things for you to see ASAP.  If you wanna take a peek at the Retiring Items, order them now from my website keli.stampinup.net because they are 1st come, 1st serve until midnight June 30th - then they are "gone forever"

I've been Lazy...

Yep!  I admit it.  I needed a few days to rest & relax from my vacation.  Taking a near month-long vacation from the daily grind can really wear a girl out  ;-)
But, here I am, back in the saddle.  I can't say that I'm excited about it, yet there is something to be said about getting "home."  Ahhhhhhh!


So since I completely misjudged the amount of time I would have to blog during my excursion, I plan on recapturing it here.  I tell you, it's kind of a blur for me & I am really happy that I kept a fairly good travel journal.  I think it will do some good to reflect back on everything.  Here the plan:  THEMES.  The month of June I am dedicating to certain subjects that were evident for me on the road-trip.  If at any time there is something specific you'd like to hear about, please post a comment & I'll make every attempt to address it.  


For now, I wanted to provide some currency.  My first day back to work was June 1st (yesterday) and boy, did I feel discombobulated. *BTW -that's one of my all time favorite words*  Good thing I could perform my job duties, but WHEW!  I had a difficult time speaking in full sentences and capturing words to explain my personal thought process.  YES, some of you who know me are saying to yourself "she always does that" but really, I know when it's worse than normal  ;-?  I am attributing it to being 'In The Wild' for 24 days and not speaking much.  I'm thinking now that I kinda get those people who have a hard time interacting with others because they spend so much time by themselves...it really does leave a person speechless.


Next on the list:  Dreads.  We'll I am honestly feeling a bit overwhelmed right now.  They say "give it time," as with other Life issues, and I am.  But man-OH-man...this is the first time in my life that I have EVER spent so much time on my hair.  Not even in the 1980's did I have to do so much with my hair or put so much in it.  Now, I use a special shampoo and THREE products to help my hair loc into dreads.  Mind you, I've had long straight hair for at least 17 years and the only thing I would do with it is braid it, ponytails, clips - very basic stuff for the most part.  But I'm working on learning this entirely new concept for living with a new hairdo.  I want the long-term effect and this is just one more aspect of my life that is teaching me Patience.


Speaking of Patience, here is another thing.  I am on the third day of The Master Cleanse.  I completed 10 days a little over a year ago and have a goal of 14 days this time around.  It seems to be "working" much better - maybe I wasn't mixing correctly last year or something.  But I am feeling more energetic as the days pass.  Here is another link that has the original booklet available in PDF: Master Cleanse by Stanley Burroughs


I must go out and watch the storm that's rolling in.


Take Care of Yourself & may Peace be yours!

12 days - Atlanta to NY City

Whew!  I finally made it on the internet long enough to write a little about my travels. Thanks goes to my friend Whitney in New Jersey for welcoming into her home for a couple days!

Travels began on May 3rd (via a ride to the airport from Sara). We flew out of Austin to arrive in Atlanta, GA where the VW Camper RetroBus was waiting.  Her name is "Daisy" and she is a lovely shade of HAPPY Yellow!  I love her.  Normally, she is a happy-go-lucky lady, but just like every person on the Earth, she has her moody times along with the regular nuances that you have to become accustomed to in order to get along with her. One such example is the unlocking sequence must occur in order because if you try to open any other door besides the slider, you may break the key off into the lock.  Luckily, this has yet to happen!  Once the slider is open, you may open the passenger door - get in - then open the driver's side.  It's quite easy once you get the hang of it  :-)

Daisy only tolerates 200 miles per day before she becomes exhausted; sometimes it's sooner if you are jaunting thru the multitude of hills in Virginia (where it took about 5 hours to travel that distance).  She gets about 10 miles to the gallon and currently, fuel costs on average $2.85 in the Northeastern United States. Camping spots (most primitive tent sites) in the State and Nat'l parks range from $15.00 to $25.00 per night.  But the sites have been prime - even if we aren't sleeping in a tent, and it's been truly wonderful.

Everywhere we travel w Daisy, she gets the thumbs-up, the peace sign, or any other Happy approval from those around her.  The most common question is "What year is she?" The answer is 1977...she was born two years after me and we are meant for each other!  She even has "REDUCE - REUSE - RECYCLE" painted in green on the inside portion of the slider door which I find very kewl...

So far we've explored Brasstown Falls in South Carolina, driven thru the Smokey Mountains, had ice coffee in Cherokee, North Carolina, seen Davy Crockett's birthplace in Jonesborough, Tennessee, hiked through the Brushtree area of Jefferson Nat'l Forest, walked a few feet on the 'official' Appalachian Trail, and been to the Natural Bridge and Caverns near Roanoke, Virginia.  I've spent one (long) day in each of the following big cities: Washington, DC; Baltimore, Maryland; and New York, New York.  I've done so much walking that it's easy to sleep from 10pm to 8am every night...

There has been quite a bit of card playing, horseshoes, picture-taking and iPod listening; some book and magazine reading, and even a few episodes of Northern Exposure on the laptop;  some pretty COLD nights and many warm/humid days; occasional 50 mph gusts of wind and a couple of rain storms.  All-in-all, the trip has been a dream come true!

I will post additional picutures when I return home, as I currently have no way to upload them from my digital camera.  BOO-HOO!!!

What I would like to share with you is one of my morning scribbles while I was camped in Virginia, near the Natural Bridge.  This will hopefully give you an idea about how lovely the experience was.

This morning, May 9th, I am sitting on a mossy fallen tree that lies over a running stream.  I am surrounded by beautiful forest.  I hear birds chirping and the water gurgling past rocks, trees, and other natural debris.  The sun is peeking through the green coverage and should illuminate me soon.  There is a moth spinning its wings while flying around me - probably wants the tasty sweater I'm wearing - it's near 40 degrees.  I see a daddy-long-legs sitting on the leaf of a plant.  I haven't seen one of those for years!  I used to play with them when all the other little girls were freaking out  ;-)

These prime camping spots are a blessing.  They are nestled down into the mountains and are fairly frequently difficult to locate. The signage isn't the most traveler friendly at times.  Luckily, I don't have plans of where to end up next, which makes it better in the long run and makes Life full of fantastic surprises!!!

What I have come to realize more vibrantly than ever, is that I am a WILDERNESS Girl...through and through (not to be confused with a country girl).  The big cities simply drain me.  I enjoy visiting them, but they do not energize me like the trees, streams, and nature does.  When I am out there away from the concrete, I am FULL of Life.  I am connected.  I feel at Peace.  I know within my heart and soul that the wilderness is where I am supposed to be.  Interestingly enough, I am an Earth sign; charted Capricorn years ago.  But since I am on the Aquarius cusp, I find my self as "the wanderer" - a gypsy.  I am coming to terms with these aspects of myself and accept my soul for what it is.  The more I have fought it in the past, them more unhappier I became.  So no more fighting...I'm gonna roll with it!

AND Roll on to the Catskills and Woodstock, too!!!  Oh, I just can't wait!!!!    :-D

So much, so little time!!!

As I reflect upon my Welcome to my Craft Room/open house Day...I am proud of myself.  I tried; I made an attempt; I am going to make more attempts.  "Failure" may stunt me for a few hours, but I am not going to let it stop me in my tracks!!!

So here is ME - I want to share myself with you...my own personal "style" is still evolving.

On the table here I have displayed some greeting cards, jewelry, repurposed/upcycled gifts, coasters, etc. that I have made.

This is the first quilt square I have ever made.  Stitched by machine.  I used instructions provided by StampinUp, the Big Shot (to cut my Debbie Mumm fabric), SU Sweet Pea felt (leaves), and SU satin ribbon.  It turned out pretty cute and I had fun putting my own spin on it.  Now, it's decor for my bag  :-)

this is the SU Simply Adorned charm I created. I stamped a cute little leaf and used SU Watercolor Pencils...the other side has some SU Designer Series Paper (DSP) to decorate it.

I love the card I made for a customers' nephew!  I used SU "Under the Stars" and "Lovely As a Tree" stamp sets, plus my Watercolor Pencils again.  I'm liking the campin-out theme since I'm about to be campin-out for a whole month.  Yipee!!!

This project was a blast. I've been keeping a box of stuff to upcraft, repurpose, and/or upcyle (depending on your personal word preference)...I finally did it! I made it for my friend Terri. I took a salad dressing bottle, decorated it, then filled it with yummy chocolate! The new items I used to create this beauty are SU Silver Foil Smooch Spray over the Presto Patterns DSP in the Summer Mini Catalog and other SU retired items.

 

You can always order StampinUp items from me here to create your own crafts!

http://keli.stampinup.net/

Onto the REST OF THE STORY...

Last Thursday, Earth Day, I delivered a card order, had lunch with a friend and got dreadlocs.  Yep!  I took the hairdo plunge and went to the LocDoctor for the install.  Here is the process that I went through...

 Liz was initially going to only section my hair, but after some discussion - I decided to let her do the entire install & let my inexperienced (gracious & willing) friends off the hook. Glad I did and I think they are glad, too   :-)

Here I am...waiting to get started.

I'm happy the "sectioning" has been completed

.

Here you see Liz and her husband, Casey are in deep concentration on the installation process.

 

  I'm pretty nervous at this point because my hair is SO much shorter than I thought it would be!  Yes, Liz warned me it would be shorter, but....YIKES!

Nicole was my entertainment & moral support! I am SUPER glad she was there for most of the process. LUV Her!

And......DRUM ROLL Please........the final Knotty Keli for you to see.

I'm happy with the 'end product' - although it's already taking a lot of hair-care that I'm not used to, I am learning the dreadlock technique.  I look forward to having them "mature" as they call it.  OH!  And I want them longer...a lot longer, too!!!  Liz & Casey are the BEST!!! I enjoyed the time I spent at the studio, too.

While I was sitting in that chair for 10 hours on Earth Day, I had time to think.  This is some of what I contemplated that day...
Are we all just caught up in our daily routine?  So stuck, that we are unable to make the smallest efforts to create a better environment...so lazy, that we can't take care of ourselves with exercise and nourishing foods...so selfish, we can't take the time to be there for someone in a time of need or celebration?
I am included in this stuckness at times - it feels yucky!  It takes continual effort to not get caught in so much routine, that I forget, or disregard, others.  I strive to be fully compassionate, and for me, that is not an arrival point...it has to be a way of life.
How about you?  How do you show compassion to others and to your environment?

Super-great SUNDAY

I started the day, bright & early, by heading to the Stitch Lab for a class.  I learned how to make pajama pants from Hayley.  LUV her!  After some yummy, fresh coffee...we all were alert enough to dig into the pattern tracing process.  Then we learned to use a surger.  The surger is pretty intimidating...but Hayley simplified it for us and we felt confident enough to surge our own pj pants!  She is a fantastic and patient instructor - which made it much more enjoyable for us all, especially when something went wrong  ;-)

So here I am in all my pj pant glory!  (do you like my DeathProof t-shirt?)

The fabric I used is designed by Debbie Mumm's Happy Planet collection.  The design I chose for the majority of my pants has "Planet Green" Earth on it.  The bottom cuff has a 'think green' theme.

I wore them last night & they are soooo comfy!  I plan on taking them on vacation with me.






While I was there, I got one of Jenny Hart's  Sublime Stitching embroidery patterns.  I love ALL of her designs - it was hard to choose. This particular one is perfect for keeping my hands busy while I travel next month.  Stay tuned for my finished product(s). 

So i left there and scurried off to the HOPE Farmers Market to use my Groupon coupon, which happened to be eight 5-dollar ticket vouchers I could use at any booth. and free bag...very cool!

FIRST - I stopped to get some Sweet & Spicy Mango Chutney from Kala's Kuisine.  Oh, it's so good!  I'm thinking on using it with my next tofu meal.

Next, I picked up some sauteed Tempeh w/greens from the Energy Foods booth.  I'm having it for lunch today - so if you are interested, please ask me how it is.

I'm SO happy I finally picked up my GoLocal card to support Austin's local businesses.  I've been wanting one of these for literally years.  Only $10 gets discounts all over the city...hundreds of places...and the list grows constantly! 

Okay, three tickets down. Mind you, there are a ton of fantastic vegetables and fruits, fresh from the local area, but I'm not cooking anything soon since I have no time and I'm getting ready for vacation.  Futristically, I will return for those luscious items!

For now, I just made my way through the art area.  I picked up some lovely Abelone earrings from Elementals, a book (the Master Cleanser) from Inside Books Project, and a beautiful "peace" night light from Third Coast Art Glass.  It looks so pretty in my entryway. 

Also at the Hope Market, Empower Yoga and a weekly, local band.  Due to my timing, I happened to miss both...BOO HOO!

When I got back home that afternoon, I put some finishing touches on some of the cards that I am making and played Apples to Apples with my peeps  I really like the game - we had a lot of fun!

                                                                                                                           

 Later last night, I watched Dirt! the movie

It's a great film!!! It's eye-opening, educational, inspiring, and even touching in parts (i shed a couple tears).  I liked it so much that I plan on watching it again while I finish a card order.

This week, I am sharing my Craft Room with my friends  - I'll post some fun pics of the event at the end of the week!! 

Julia!

I just got finished watching Julie and Julia...I loved it!  What a great story, or stories, that taught me quite a bit about the blogging world and provided even more of an appreciation for cooking than i had before.

Wow!  and the whole motivational aspect of never giving up on your dreams blew me away.  Although sometimes I feel like Julie did when the stuffing fell out of her bird on the kitchen floor - but I am really working towards making my dreams a reality.  Super Kewl!  I feel so great and very positive.

My appreciation for good food stemmed from the many goulashes I ate as a child.  I mean, who ever really knew what was in those things.  But I ate them.  I was a kid.  I ate them over & over again; each one a little different depending on what we had in the pantry and refrigerator.

Today, I eat out much of the time, or at least prepared foods made for me by Whole Foods, Central Market or Sprouts.  I'm a vegetarian with hopes to be fully vegan and eventually on a Raw food diet someday.  ummmmm....Daily Juice Cafe!!   I feel best when I eat Raw foods on a consistent basis - but being that I don't cook (except for the occasional experiment, or what turns out to be one) this is difficult.   I've even heavily considered taking classes, but I don't have the passion for it and have decided to leave it for those who do!

The Julia's in my life happen to be some of my best friends, which makes me a very lucky gal.  Darra, Terri, Kim, and Tannifer all rank very high in my book!!!  I love them all for many reasons, cooking is just one of them.

I've been to Julia's kitchen at the Smithsonian.  I wish I could find the pictures I took of it.  But the main thing, I too, remember were how high the cabinets were.  Me, being 5'8 or 9, these counters were greatly pleasing to me!  ...just the right height.  No bending or stooping.  Not to mention the sheer square footage of her kitchen.  As I recall, it was sectioned off in the museum into two parts.  It was a true artists dream.  She had everything she needed, with every tool you can imagine, organized just the way that would make it easier for her to create her superb dishes.  (this is how I envision my craft room)  

I admire art in every form & believe that cooking is one of them.  

Thank You; if you bring Life to food - YOU RAWK!!!

Greatness!

Last weekend was full of GREATNESS!  Friday night - I went to the Texas STARS hockey game at the new Cedar Park Center.  I learned that it's the semi-pro team for the Dallas STARS and saw player get his jearsey ripped off durring a scuffle...but there wasn't any bloodletting at any point in the game, which was a bit disappointing.  I mean - that's what hockey is all about, right? 

What kept me most entertained was the reactions from the crowed & how they would feed off of the punches that were thrown.  This just confirms for me that whatever is surrounding us as beings here on earth, be it negativity, or other vibe - we just magnify it with our own thoughts and actions, usually unconsciously.

Saturday, I explored the Lonestar Roundup.  I've been a couple times before, but this year was bigger than ever!  So much to see.  Here is just a very small taste of what was in the show...

I just love the color of this classy ride. UMMM yummy.

this beauty is a 1963 camper van and I am sure you can see that this is right up my alley!!

...funny thing is, the cat that owns her is from Kerrville (my home town).  Syncronicity  ;-)

And here is a bit of agressive kinda-action, but there were ALL kinds of racers there. 

If you've never been to a vintage car show - I suggest you put it on your bucket list.

Here I am at a Charger show a few years ago in Boerne, TX

Next, I hopped on over to Mother's Cafe for a bite to eat.  It was my first time there & I loved every bit! What I didn't realize is that all dished they serve are vegetarian or vegan...those with me had a difficult time choosing their dish, but ended up liking most of it after all.  Whew!!!

To sum up the day, I chose to check out a park that was close to my new place...

Brushy Creek Park

They have canoe rentals and a walking/running path. Many picnic tables under some beautiful trees...a really nice place

this guy was working on his flying skills - today was a perfect day to do it (i think) b/c the winds were good and steady out here in the open field.

TTFN...but stay tuned for my favorite inspirational business-savy ladies blog & some things I've learned so far