Creativity, Crafts, Books, Movies, Greyhounds & Favorite Things

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I’m working my way through the book SHED Your Stuff, Change Your Life by Julie Morgenstern.

“The four steps of SHED (Separate the Treasures, Heave the Trash, Embrace Your Identity, Drive Yourself Forward) provide a framework for proactively managing change, transition, and the feeling of being stuck and unsure. By releasing the defunct, extraneous, and burdensome objects and obligations that are weighing you down, you create the space to discover what’s next and gather the energy and courage to move forward.”

There are three areas where you work the SHED process…physical space, time and bad habits.

I’m starting with my physical space, keeping in mind my theme…Caring, Artistic & Free. Having a theme is particularly helpful because it gives me something to focus on and inspires me to part with things when I waver.

Last week, I outlined the process Julie gives you to SHED your physical space. This week, I started on some drawers and cabinets. I chose to start with drawers and cabinets because I can get through one quickly, and it helps me build momentum for larger projects. They’re good practice.

Here are two examples…my candle drawer and my collar drawer.

Candle Drawer – Before

Candle Drawer – After

I burn candles several times a week, so this is not a stagnant drawer…just messy.

I pulled out items that belong somewhere else,

and I pulled out items I no longer want.

Collar Drawer – Before

Collar Drawer – After

Again, I pulled out items that belong somewhere else,

and I pulled out the items I no longer want.

All of the items in these two drawer were “practical treasures.” Practical treasures are “objects that are useful to you and can contribute to your ability to fulfill your new theme.” I find dealing with “practical treasures” easier than dealing with “meaningful treasures” that are “symbolic or sentimental objects that bring you pure and unambiguous joy, energy and inspiration.”

Next week, I’ll do an area that contains “meaningful treasures” and review what Julie says about working the SHED process with your time.

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Every Saturday, I share my weekly Artist Date.

For the next few weeks, I’m going to share some of the stops we made during the road trip I took with my mom and one of my sisters.

After our lovely time in Juliette, Georgia, we headed to Senoia, Georgia.

Senoia is a picturesque small town. Many movies and television series have been filmed in Senoia, including a very popular current television show…

…The Walking Dead. Senoia is Woodbury!

Although most of the buildings on Main Street house shops, businesses and eateries, a few of the buildings are “sets.” Recognize this?

Photo Source

The movies and television shows that have been filmed in Senoia are marked by metal plaques set into the sidewalk paving stones.

Surprised to see Fried Green Tomatoes after my report from Juliette, Georgia? The Threadgoode family home is located in Senoia.

To see a list of the movies and television shows filmed in Senoia, checkout this link.

Finally, I spotted a Greyhound cult member…yet one more reason why Senoia is a wonderful place.

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Every Friday, I share a poem. Friday is also the day I post a prompt of something you can do to make the world a kinder place. I call this the Kind is Kool challenge.

I offer both the poem and the kindness challenge without any obligation, so “Comments” are turned off every Friday. Enjoy.

Better than Gold

Better than grandeur, better than gold,
Than rank and titles a thousand fold,
Is a healthy body and a mind at ease,
And simple pleasures that always please
A heart that can feel for another’s woe,
With sympathies large enough to enfold
All men as brothers, is better than gold.

Better than gold is a conscience clear,
Though toiling for bread in an humble sphere,
Doubly blessed with content and health,
Untried by the lusts and cares of wealth,
Lowly living and lofty thought
Adorn and ennoble a poor man’s cot;
For mind and morals in nature’s plan
Are the genuine tests of a gentleman.

Better than gold is the sweet repose
Of the sons of toil when the labors close;
Better than gold is the poor man’s sleep,
And the balm that drops on his slumbers deep.
Bring sleeping draughts on the downy bed,
Where luxury pillows its aching head,
The toiler simple opiate deems
A shorter route to the land of dreams.

Better than gold is a thinking mind,
That in the realm of books can find
A treasure surpassing Australian ore,
And live with the great and good of yore.
The sage’s lore and the poet’s lay,
The glories of empires passed away;
The world’s great dream will thus unfold
And yield a pleasure better than gold.

Better than gold is a peaceful home
Where all the fireside characters come,
The shrine of love, the heaven of life,
Hallowed by mother, or sister, or wife.
However humble the home may be,
Or tried with sorrow by heaven’s decree,
The blessings that never were bought or sold,
And centre there, are better than gold.

Abram Joseph Ryan

Kind is Kool Challenge

Week 27 Challenge – Send a card to a nursing home addressed to “A Resident Who Needs A Card.”

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Every Monday, I post a painting “inspiration.” Every Thursday, I post how I interpreted the inspiration. I decided to do this to keep myself painting, to strengthen how I go from an idea to a painting, and to give myself permission to play and try new things.

This week’s inspiration was LOVE.

I think I will float a little black paint around her to make her pop out more. I didn’t intend to use hearts in the background and then, there they were. So predictable.

How to be HAPPY!

Every Thursday, Jay of The Depp Effect, posts something that makes her happy, and I’m playing along. She encourages us to look around and notice the things that make us happy. I enjoy this challenge because it makes me consider the things that make me happy, but are easily overlooked. It’s a wonderful exercise in attention and gratitude. Please grab the badge and join in.

Here’s something that makes me happy…TCHOTCHKES.

tchotchke noun /ˈCHäCHkə/

from Yiddish tshatshke trinket: a small trivial article usually intended for ornament

In a previous life, I may have been a magpie. Often, I wish I weren’t drawn to all manner of curious bits and bobs, but I am. Case in point, these two little cows. Do I collect cows? No. Do I have friends or relatives in the dairy industry? No. Am I attract to the traditional black and white cow pattern? No. Then, why do I have these two little cows? I want to hear the magpie’s answer. Mine may be similar.

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I do an “Every Day Ugly” post on the second Wednesday of every month. I look around at all the things I use the most, to make sure those are my “best” things. This series was inspired by my friend, Amy, who noticed that some of the ickiest things she owned were the things she used the most. She wanted to change that to make sure that her every day life was filled with beautiful, functional things. This inspired me to take a look around and make sure that I wasn’t saving “the best” for days that rarely come.

This month, the change came in the form of what I’ll call a premium container. Companies sometimes offer a nicer container that can be refilled with product. I purchased one of these containers to hold my Q-tips and have gotten a lot of mileage from this purchase.

I like it because it is perfectly sized. It has a low profile that allows it to fit in a bathroom cabinet drawer. I actually bought two of these containers. When one is completely empty, I know it’s time to put cotton swabs on my shopping list.

I love to see what you’re doing too. My friend, Amy, who inspired this series, recently shared a few updates.

She purchased a gorgeous dark lime leather tissue box cover to cover tissue boxes that are cute but don’t match her decor. Amy suggests checking Target’s nice selection.

Would you believe these lovely containers hold dog food (top container) and miscellaneous meds, snacks, supplements, etc. (bottom container) for 3 Greyhounds? When Amy wanted to get rid of a huge dog food bin in her kitchen, she picked these up at Target for under $10 each. She fills the food container from the big dog food bin, now happily residing in the garage, every 3 days or so. When they come to our house for a doggy play date, Amy just grabs to top bowl and brings it to our house.

Thank you, Amy for sharing some great ideas.

I would love to have you join in. If you have some plain thing that you make beautiful, send me a picture or pictures and tell me about it at whatremainsnow@gmail.com.

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Casper, the baby of the family, turned 5 years old this past Sunday, July 7th. Here’s a tribute to my little boy:

C – Comical

Casper makes me laugh every day. He is so guileless, fun-loving and goofy that you can’t help but laugh and smile at his antics. Even when he’s naughty, I end up laughing.

A – Adorable

Of our three hounds, Casper is the one everyone is drawn to. He has very expressive eyes, and you can’t help but fall in love with his adorable little self.

S – Sensitive

Freedom is defiant, Nikki is long-suffering, and Casper is sensitive. If I get after him, his feelings get hurt. If he’s mean to one of the girls, he always tries to make up, usually by laying right next to them which they both hate.

P – Playful

Casper has a very playful nature. Zoomies, play bows, chases and laps around the yard are all part of Casper’s daily routine.

E – Endearing

Casper wins hearts. That cute face and sweet nature make him everyone’s favorite.

R – Rambunctious

Casper plays with gusto and keeps an eye on things. He likes to watch out the front window and if anything is going on, Casper, with much energy, let’s us all know.

Happy Birthday, Casper. You’ll always be my sweet baby boy.

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Here’s what’s happening in my studio:

This Week’s Inspiration

In 2013, I’m doing Inspiration Mondays and Results Thursdays. Every Monday, I’ll post a painting “inspiration” and then on Thursdays, I’ll post how I’m interpreting that inspiration.

Last week’s inspiration was JOY.

This week’s inspiration is…LOVE.

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I’ve written weekly posts that I categorize under “Creating The Creator” ever since I started writing my blog. What Remains Now is a record of my creativity journey, something I started after my daughter left for college. For the last two years my journey has moved forward at a nice pace, but the last couple months I’ve been very unmotivated and really not too interested in changing that…in other words, stuck.

The last time I felt like this in a big way, I worked my way through the book SHED Your Stuff, Change Your Life by Julie Morgenstern, and it helped me.

“The four steps of SHED (Separate the Treasures, Heave the Trash, Embrace Your Identity, Drive Yourself Forward) provide a framework for proactively managing change, transition, and the feeling of being stuck and unsure. By releasing the defunct, extraneous, and burdensome objects and obligations that are weighing you down, you create the space to discover what’s next and gather the energy and courage to move forward.”

There are three areas where you work the SHED process…physical space, time and bad habits.

I’m starting with my physical space, keeping in mind my theme…Caring, Artistic & Free.

The first step is to decide where, in your physical space, to start…your “point of entry.” You look for areas that aren’t active and dynamic in supporting your theme. You’re looking for “collections of items that are generally immobile, unused, excessive, those that bring up negative feelings or no longer feel relevant.”

The second step is to separate the treasures of which there are two basic types…practical treasures and meaningful treasures. Practical treasures are “objects that are useful to you and can contribute to your ability to fulfill your new theme.” Meaningful treasures are “symbolic or sentimental objects that bring you pure and unambiguous joy, energy and inspiration.”

Julie encourages you to set-up some “Treasure Guidelines” before you start separating the treasures, to help keep you focused and strong. She also talks about the different reasons you may feel attached to an item. This can be helpful in breaking attachments to items you really shouldn’t keep.

From here on out, I’ll just be summarizing points in the book as I read through it, because it’s going to take me more than a few weeks (a lot more) to complete my SHED process. Even though I won’t report the laborious SHED of my physical space, next week I’ll pick an area and work through the process to illustrate how it works.

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Every Saturday, I share my weekly Artist Date.

For the next few weeks, I’m going to share some of the stops we made during the road trip I took with my mom and one of my sisters.

One of my favorite stops was Juliette, Georgia, one of the filming locations for the movie Fried Green Tomatoes.

From the 1880’s to the 1950’s, Juliette was a mill town, but when the mill closed, the town went into decline.

When the town was scouted for the movie, many of the building were abandoned and covered with kudzu.

Today, Juliette is a stop for those who love the movie. The buildings now house shops offering souvenirs, gifts and antiques. There is also The Whistle Stop Cafe.

The Whistle Stop Cafe building was built in 1927 by Edward L. Williams, Sr. He ran a general merchandise store there for 45 years, closing it in 1972.

After the movie, The Whistle Stop Cafe was made into a real cafe.

Probably not hard to guess what we ordered…fried green tomatoes.

I enjoyed Juliette, Georgia, because although it is a tourist attraction, it isn’t “slick.” The shops are unique and quaint.

While my sister and I ran around, my mom and aunt were welcome to sit and visit outside the shops.

There was even a stray dog, Shep, who worked her way around town and was allowed to come in one of the shops.

A wonderful day, filled with wonderful memories.

I love movies. If you’d like to read about my favorites, I have the posts gather under the category A Bowl of Popcorn, a Movie and Thou.

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Every Friday, I share a poem. Friday is also the day I post a prompt of something you can do to make the world a kinder place. I call this the Kind is Kool challenge.

I offer both the poem and the kindness challenge without any obligation, so “Comments” are turned off every Friday. Enjoy.

An Old Lesson From The Fields

Even as I watched the daylight how it sped
From noon till eve, and saw the light wind pass
In long pale waves across the flashing grass,
And heard through all my dreams, wherever led,
The thin cicada singing overhead,
I felt what joyance all this nature has,
And saw myself made clear as in a glass,
How that my soul was for the most part dead.

Oh, light, I cried, and, heaven, with all your blue,
Oh, earth, with all your sunny fruitfulness,
And ye, tall lilies, of the wind-vexed field,
What power and beauty life indeed might yield,
Could we but cast away its conscious stress,
Simple of heart, becoming even as you.

Archibald Lampman

Kind is Cool Challenge

Week 26 Challenge – Before you act, consider your motives. This is a wonderful exercise in the morning, as you plan your day or in the evening, as you reflect upon your day.