About Friday

This is what we did Friday night-it was so much fun. We went to the early part too where it was just Steven sitting at a microphone with his guitar. He sang requests, took questions and told stories about some of the songs he had written.
We didn't realize that Josh Wilson and Andrew Peterson were touring with him. That most assuredly was a pleasant surprise! There were more stories through out the night which makes hearing the songs so fun because you know the whys behind them.

Gary even bought the new CD's of each of them that they had available for only $10 ea. So now I get to relive the date over and over again!

Of all the songs sung last night, even including Cinderella, the song that brought me to tears and got me nudges from my sweetie was a song that Steven wrote for his then 11 year old daughter. I have been on a journey of self discovery this year and this song touched the 11 year old in me that never got past feeling "good enough".

The computer is not letting me load the video but I have posted it on my facebook page if you would like to see/hear it. It's not a SCC video but one someone made with the lyrics that so touched me.

Something to see

So--do you know Curly Girl products? Bet you've seen them and chuckled at the cuteness!


She is having a giveaway over on her blog, be sure to pop over and see what is going on. There are previews of her christmas stuff too. Oh I just LLLOOOOVVVEEE christmas!!

Christmas!!

Are you thinking-"jeez Karin, it isn't even Halloween yet!"

Well for those who like to do crafts and scrapbooking it isn't too early to think about Christmas. Some things you have to start early. I have begun to think about putting together another Christmas Daily album-
I first read about them on Ali Edwards blog. The premise is to put together a bunch of pages ahead of time and then just add photos and notes as the days progress in December. Stubs from outings, pictures with Santa, tree hunts, etc. I did one last year and used an old book I found as the covers and for some of the pages. Ali sponsors a Flicker group-here is a link to my book.

If you would like to hold a workshop for your girlfriends, with supply packages, I would be glad to come and present. Check in with me for rates...

New workbook

My Brave Girl group has decided to work through this book next. We did the first chapters over the last few weeks.
"This book will guide you through the expressions of photography, poetry/journaling and mixed-media as they pertain to exploring how we not only currently see ourselves, but how we can learn to see new things hiding below the surface. Each of these sub-topics features a different contributing artist (or the author) and includes tips, prompts, meditations and other exercises, along with plenty of full color inspiration. "

It has been interesting to work in a different format and to take purposeful photos. The exercise that surprised me the most was the middle one of the lesson. We were told to pick a random book/magazine and write down words that jumped out at us. Juicy words. I didn't know what that meant, and I thought about it for a few days. Then I picked up a book and started writing down words. They seemed to be following a theme-weird....

Then you were to take those words and write a poem with them. That seemed daunting. I hadn't written poems since high school, and we all know that was a while ago!! But I started and it just seemed to flow out of the pen onto the paper. It was amazing. I loved the poem and it spoke to just where I am now.

The next step was to make a type of art piece using the poem and photos. Again, I thought about it for about a week, trying to envision what it would look like. I printed the poem out a couple of ways and then I just went for it. It was interesting how bits and pieces found their way onto my collage. And here it is-
I had to put it in the scanner since all my photos end up blurry due to a shaky hand problem. This is how the poem reads:

I stand still and listen,

waiting for the opportunity

to develop.

I hear the

whispering wind tell me,

remember the desperate,

tremulous moments

that a simple prayer interrupted

and whispered to me.

The journey to freedom,

awakens the mesmerizing promise

of patience and confidence.

As gentle as the

wings of a dove,

I am arriving at the place

I belong.

My heart has opened,

like a present,

to the promise of hope.

Karin Canazzi 2011

I'll post more after each lesson-

20 pounds

That my friends is a photo of a 20 pound note...

Not exactly what I meant about the 20 pounds I am writing about -
but
a lot nicer to look at then what I mean.

8 weeks and 20 pounds are gone from my body. It has been an enlightening few weeks as I got back in the roll of eating prepacked meals. I want to eat a lot of stuff that is NOT in those little
packages. This time though, I am trying to figure out what it is that I am desperate to eat away.
That is the crux of the problem. I was using food for other things than energy!

I do a lot of sitting and staring into space. I'm thinking through a lot of un-lovely stuff unfortunately. This is some of what I have found out; I do a lot of comparing. Even comparing myself to me at another time. Comparing is a waste of time because at the core of it I guess I'm saying I'm not happy with the me that God made. Did I really say that out loud?! I am talking here only of the multiple cells and how they were put together and how they respond to influence of external forces-namely food. Of course I do realize that I was putting way too much influence on those aforementioned cells. So I am working on loving myself just as I am. I had a wise woman tell me that she had heard multiple conversations when people were talking about me. Not judging me or my size, she said it had never come up. Instead they talked of my compassion and love and willingness and skills. Well that is probably what I should be focusing on too. I am also rebellious-I want to do things that I know aren't healthy and not do things I know are. Even though I KNOW chocolate isn't healthy on the whole, I can't imagine not having any around. Even though I KNOW diet soda isn't good for the body at all, I haven't stopped drinking it. Even though I KNOW taking walks every day is good for me, I rebel against it.

So although I do enjoy the clothes getting loose and not clinging quite so much, I will be looking for ways I can loose some other things like condescending words, previous opinions, and certain thoughts. I WILL be cutting down on the diet soda and promised my health coach a 5 minute walk a day. Just remember that these are all steps while although small are bigger than me at the moment.

Boy that was a lot of honesty laid out there and I don't know if anyone cares but I am throwing it out in cyberspace anyway and I'm pretty sure it will make a difference to me.

New favorite thing

Pinterest

Have you heard of it yet? Chances are you have, and either you're already obsessed (like I am), or you're wondering what it's all about.

Do you love to bop around different blogs and online stores gathering inspiration and just enjoying the fun things people are doing and making? Do you bookmark things you don't want to forget, projects you want to try, etc. -- but then you forget all about those things once they're tucked away in your bookmark folder?

Well, Pinterest is wonderful for visual people. It's like a virtual inspiration board, so you can keep track of all the great things you see online -- crafts, recipes, home decor, anything you like. Set up categories with your own titles, it's always easy to see at a glance whatever you're trying to find. You can also post photos of things you've done or find online. This is what my boards looks like right this now:It's also a fun social sharing thing, because you can follow other people whose taste you like, and others can follow you. If you want to see what I've been pinning, you can take a look here.
Oh, and one nice thing is that you don't have to follow every category a person creates. I have a few people that I just follow their craft posts. Their pins show up on my main page and if I want to add the items I just "repin" them onto one of my boards. It's great that it's not an all-or-nothing follower thing.

Let me know if you want an invite from the pinterest page) and I'll send you one! Be forwarned, you will start lots of conversations with "on pinterest I saw/got..."
This isn't a sponsored post -- I'm just loving all the inspiration that I can't help sharing the fun!

Advertising

Advertising sure has changed and so have attitudes about the sexes and there roles. Thank heavens!

These ads were sent to me via email but I think they deserve their own moment in the spotlight...

Good to know something was helping those with a bit "extra"-

didn't those advertising writers have a compassionate bone in their bodies?

and if all else fails--

If that tooth really bothered you-

nothing is as attractive as this-

for a fun time call-

perfect gift-

really pushing the truth-

really that is all it takes-

I just took naps-

yeah-that is what we are for-

I think Dyson would be more fun-

I can think of other ads I would like to circle-jewelry--

and finally-
relief for those overworked women-

So glad times have changed-aren't you?