Final Blog Post On Blogger

Dear Reader,

This will be the final blog post on this platform. Don't be sad, it's all good! Nourish Create Bloom has moved to a beautiful new home. 

I'm cordially inviting you to check out the new digs. But please note: if you'd like to continue getting inspiration sent to your inbox, you will need to visit the new site and sign up. And while you are there, check out the blog post that I wrote just for you. 💗

www.NourishCreateBloom.com 

As always, I'm incredibly grateful for your readership and support. I look forward to our new beginning and hope you'll join me there!

With Lots of Gratitude, 

Kathianne

Love Looks Like a Glitter Lava Lamp

Apparently all the red and pink in the stores this week inspired me to blog again. Twice in one week. Whoop, whoop! You go me.

Actually, the real inspiration came when my husband, Brian, gifted me with freedom. He took our daughter to school and took Disco to "the doggy spa." So I was totally free for 6 divine, uninterupted hours. 

And the whole time I was creating/writing/learning, I gazed at this lovely thing:

Brian gave it to me that morning for Valentine's Day. I could say that he got it for me because he knows me so well. But that's not completely true. Really it's because the last time I was visiting my BFF in Arizona, we saw this glorious, glittery, glowing thing and I asked her to text Brian right away and tell him to get me this. Since it's screaming, "KATHIANNE!" in big sparkly letters, I'm sure he would have bought it for me had he seen it on his own. But since he had to go to 4(!!!!) Target stores without success and then ended up buying this one online from Amazon, I'm guessing he would not have found it and I would not have it and thus you would not be reading this blog post right now. 

The morals to this glitter lava lamp love story?

1. Don't be afraid to ask for exactly what you want.

2. Enlist your BFF for assistance in gift-buying. 

3. Love is a verb. 

4. Persistance pays off.

5. Money cannot buy happiness. But it can buy a glitter lava lamp and for me that's pretty darn close.

Everytime I see this magnificent expression of his love, 😝

I will think of how he went to great efforts to find it for me. 

💖That's love with sparkles. 💖

Go Spread Love

My Dear Readers,

I'm sending you love. 

Texas-sized, sparkly love.  

From my home to yours.

It's LOVE Week! It's LOVE month! Even if you don't have a "Special Lady" or "Special Mister," it's no matter. Surely there is someone (ANYONE) who you love and someone who loves you. This is a great time to send them a 😘 text, a card via snail mail with glitter in the envelope (it's not too late, it's never too late), a 💖 posted on their Facebook page, or an extra long hug. You might even consider leaving a comment on a blog post (hint,hint.)

Send love to people (and animals) who really need a reminder that they matter: refugees, foster children, sick kids, the impoverished or homeless, injured veterans, abandoned animals, lonely old folks, and grieving families to name a few. Give a smile, money, hugs, prayers, your time, your gently used clothes and homegoods, and/or notes that say you care. Pick up garbage that you didn't leave to love our verdant planet. Practice self-care (NOURISH yourself with dark chocolate, blackberries, green tea, long walks, and bubble baths. Or gratitude-journal writing, time being creative, and 15 minutes sitting in silence so you can hear your soul.) Love yourself and then love others from your overflow! 

And who doesn't love this bunny who is obviously the life of the fiesta?

This world needs more love! So be a love spreader! Spread love like heart-shaped confetti blowing in a 55 mph wind gust. (Biodegradable confetti, of course, because we also love Mother Earth.)

Please keep me posted on ways that you are spreading love this month! 

↣↣↣💘↢↢↢

PS: If you have little ones at home, try this craft with them. It's super easy and fun.

I-Spy Sticker Cards

I save all of the stickers we accumulate (lots of $1 sticker packs from Target, it might be a problem) in a bin and then whip out the bin for projects like this. Just take a notecard and stick, stick, stick away. It's great for fine motor development.

We (and by we, I mean me because God gave me a daughter who is perfect as he made her except that can only sit to do craft projects for 3-8 minutes at a time) made these for some of our little friends that live far away. On the back I wrote: We made you an I-Spy! Can you find.....a strawberry, a squirrel, a teeny skull, and....... What else can you find? I sent the cards in envelopes to keep the stickers from falling off in the mail. A sealant like Mod-Podge would also protect them if you are more inclined to send postcards.

Go spread love Dear Readers!

You Only Have to Bloom.

I found this quote today and wrote it in my art journal (along with a little doodle). 

Something inside me was pushing to post it on here too. 

So, who else besides me needed to hear this message today?

Transformation doesn't ask that you stop being you. 

It demands that you find a way back to the authenticity and strength

that's already inside of you. 

You only have to bloom.

-Cheryl Strayed

A Woman to Admire: Kristen Roedner

Dear Reader, I'm so excited for you to meet Kristen Roedner. Can't you just feel the sunshine she radiates from her being?

Kristen is one of the most LIVE OUT LOUD women I know. We met in Boston, circa 2002ish, through our sorority alumnae group. Delta Delta Delta, y'all!

Kristen hosts "Spread Sparkle" meetings at her home. It kills me that I live too far away to attend. She's been on me to start my own chapter.  I'll keep you posted if I do.

As I mentioned in a previous post, she drives a freakin' pink flying pig.

And there's a rainbow painted on the hood. Of course.

For the past two years, Beni and I spent the last week of summer break with her and her incredible daughter, Rosa Jane. The notes Kristen taped around her house for RJ made my heart melt. And made me excited to do the same once Beni can read.

Kristen's home is filled with art, art supplies, and inspiration.  I took the below photos last August. Two glittering reindeers and a flying pig Christmas tree are on display year round. Because they make her happy.

(Side note: I've never met anyone with more colored pencils than me. Her stash blew mine out of the water. I'm pretty sure I'd take her on ribbon and glitter though.)

But why all the pink flying pigs, you ask? She wrote an incredible blog post to explain her obsession. After you read it, you will know why I love her so much.

Kristen oozes sparkle and inspiration. And you want to know the craziest thing? She says I inspire her.

Glittering Thanks

A Very Happy Thanksgiving 2013

Here's how we give glitter thanks at our house.

Turkey Craft Number 1: Glam Gobbler

Clockwise from top left:
1. We found the inspiration for our turkey on a window at Beni's preschool.
2. I'm teaching her early- you can NEVER add too much sparkle.
3. Turkey in progress…

And here is our Glam Gobbler making his internet debut:

We were both so happy with how he turned out. He's a keeper for sure.

Turkey Craft Number 2: Sending Gratitude

Clockwise from top left:
1. and 2. Making handprint turkeys with paint and glitter.
3. The finished product says: We are thankful for you.
4. Sending our love to Godparents, grandparents, and beloved aunts and uncles.

Celebrating Thanksgiving at Preschool

Clockwise from top left: 

1. Beni-Bird modeling her Native American headband.

2. The Williams family feather: what we are thankful for.

3. Side view of previously mentioned fashionable headdress.

4. A huge turkey of thanks at Beni's school (one feather contributed by each family.)

Thanksgiving Day Traditions

Clockwise from top left:

1. and 3. Watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

2. Our vegetarian meal.

4. One dessert for each of us. 

A Night of Thanks

Clockwise from top left:

1. Gratitude-themed books.

2. Sitting by the fire for story time.

3. My art journal entry for 11-28-2013.

4. I've been recording blessings in my gratitude journal since 2002.

And one more thing I'm so grateful for…..
 you, Dear Reader.

***

PS: Please forgive the funky formatting and the extra spaces. I swear, it doesn't look like this on my end. I spent over an hour trying to fix it and then decided to publish "as is" before I lose my good feelings of gratitude. What a relief it is to let go of "perfection"!

Oh My, Lucky Star!

Last March my spirited friend, Kristen Roedner (who's been rumored to poop rainbows), told me about a whole living art camp I just *had* to attend. Since I have the utmost confidence in her creative recommendations, I immediately signed up.

Now, fast forward to early this October when Kristen picked me up at the San Antonio airport in her pink flying pig. 

The two of us headed off on the backroads of the Texas Hill Country with the sun shining, top down, hats on, and me feeling like Thelma. Or Louise. Our destination: Lucky Start Art Camp. 

Lucky Star was a Texas-sized experience. I could write several blog posts about it, but since I've been a bit lax on the blogging lately, I'm going to cram it all into this one. I hope the magical essence of the experience shines through my words and photos. 

Look at this place! Lucky Star Art Camp was held at Waldemar, an all-girl's camp in continuous operation since 1926. 

I'm pretty sure my Waldemar cabin was built (and possibly decorated) in 1926. How I wish I had taken photos to show you! There was a kitschy Western cowboy mural on the wall over the fireplace. And kitschy Western cowboy comforters on the bunks. And kitschy Western cowboy curtains over the windows. I loved it all! Everyday as I stepped into my cowboy boots, this East Coast girl felt like a real Texan. (For the the first time, even though we moved to Dallas three years ago.)

While there were a variety of lodging options, I went for the full-camp experience and bunked with Kristen and four strangers, who I came to adore.  My cabinmates were an incredible mix of women: the famous novelist, the intuitive healer, the hilarious Jersey girl who once kissed Bradley Cooper, the super sweet and quiet Houston stay-at-home mama, Kristen, and me. Six of us in a small rustic cabin with one bathroom and four bunk beds. It could have been a disaster, but it was magic. We laughed, we cried, we stayed up late to talk. I felt like I was back in my sorority house. My cabinmates and the other women I met at camp were remarkable, creative, generous spirits who made my experience sparkle.

A wide array of classes were offered at camp: quilting, jewelry making, sewing, canning and preserving, cheese-making, photography, apothocary, intuitive healing, painting, creative writing, and more. It was hard to narrow down my choices, but I finally selected:

1. Happy Painting with Juliette Crane (held on the banks of the Guadalupe River!)

2. Dreambook by Shawn Stratmann, and 

3. How to Write a Children's Story by Katherine Center.

(BTW, I just finished her latest novel, The Lost Husband, and I highly recommend it.)

Besides our classes, we could hike and explore, paddleboard or canoe, swim, do yoga, or horseback riding. And the food! Fresh and local and healthy. But most of all, yummy.  We had incredible evening programs about slow family living, eating well for the planet, and dream setting. After evening program, we sat around the campfire and listened to Mandy Rowden sing and play her guitar. All that was missing was a round of kumbaya.

I really shouldn't complain about anything. Except that I'm a nature lover who would prefer to never see creepy crawlies. And two cabins down a tarantula was found outside. And scorpions frequent this part of Texas. And a frog got into our cabin one night. I am big-time bug phobic and would also prefer frogs stayed outside. Good thing I didn't see any of them, so I was still able to sleep. Braving the wild creatures of Texas was worth it, and I'm already signed up for Lucky Star next year.

***

And don't worry, Dear Reader, I know you want to hear more about my friend, Kristen, so a whole post on her is coming soon.)

Sending Love to Boston

Boston has a special place in my heart. 

It's the city that brought me together with my BFF, and where we both trained to be dietitians. It's where I first hailed a cab, rode a subway, and lived completely on my own. It's where I learned to love Grey Goose dirty martinis and public transportation; where I learned to say "wicked pissa."

It's where I met my husband, where we got engaged, and where we spent the first several years of our marriage. When the Red Sox broke the 86-year-old curse and won the 2004 World Series, we lived three blocks away from the ball park.

I moved to Boston three times! Just when I thought I had escaped the long, dark New England winters, my love for the city called me back. That, and the incredible friends that I had (and still have) there.

Today, while I watched the interfaith prayer service to honor the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing, I created this to express a bit of what I was feeling. I am sending love, peace, healing, hope, and light to the people of Boston.

Boston will always be in my heart. I lived there for ten magical years. 

Maybe someday I will move back for a fourth time. I would do it in a heartbeat (as long as we could live in a warmer city during the six-month Boston winter.) 

But for now I'm stuck in Dallas. So I'll just have to send my love. 

Cut and Paste Therapy

Readers, get out your glue sticks. 

It's time for some therapy.

I've written about the meditative benefits of coloring in the past, 

and making collages works just as well. 

Creating in my art journal is an important part of Operation Reclaim sPaRkLe. 

So after I put my daughter to bed, I grab my glue, plop down on the floor, and get busy.

These are the collages I created this week using only a glue stick, 

Anthropologie catalogs, and my church program. 

Many of you told me you need to reclaim your sparkle too.

So now it's your turn. 

Go ahead, Readers. There's no shame. Get into therapy!

Special thanks to Artsyville, for inspiring me to dig out my glue sticks and go for it.

Just Add Color

Last month I introduced Amendi, my personal training client (and now friend!), to the joys of adult coloring books.  If you now think I am crazy, please read on.

I've been a fan of coloring for many years now.  Just like knitting, it's therapeutic and meditative.  If you've ever seen children color, you know that they calm down and get into a trance-like state.  It's the same for us adults.  (And I can't just sit and watch t.v.  I'm either coloring or sewing or embroidering or collaging or creating something.)  I recommend coloring and other creative outlets to my nutrition & wellness coaching clients.  It's an excellent form of stress management.  Spending time out of our thinking and overanalyzing left brains and stepping into our creative right brains manages stress.

So after her personal training session, Amendi and I went on a field trip to the local Barnes and Noble.  We found the adult coloring books in the children's section. (Go figure.  I've normally found them in the art section.)   She picked out two (and I'm proud that I restrained myself from purchasing any more.)

I recommend colored pencils (not markers) and being sure you have a little sharpener close by.

Here is the website where I order mine:  Dover Publications
They have SO MANY books for colorists of all ages.  It's quite unbelievable how many they have.  You can also sign up for emails that give you access to free coloring pages each week.  (Also great for those of you with children.)

Go ahead ladies.  GET YOUR COLOR ON!

Turning One

My dear readers, we've reached a milestone!  Nourish. Create. Bloom. is turning one today.  Last year on April 17th, I wrote my very first blog post and here we now are- 365 days and 75 posts later. 


It's been an eventful year.  For sure, it's been the most challenging year of my life and I'm still in the midst of a lot of uncertainty.   But I've made it thus far through this (in)fertility journey; mostly by being grateful for all that I do have, practicing extreme self-care, and learning (and relearning and relearning) to surrender to what is.  It's been a year to put all of my self-help reading to the test.  And I (toot, toot) am very proud of myself for maintaining my sanity.  And growing. 


It's also been another opportunity to learn who the Wonders are in my life.  There's nothing like troubling times to make it crystal clear who is going to always be there by your side.  When I started to lose faith, my Wonders reminded me they believed in me and my dreams. Often it was just what I needed to keep on keepin' on.


Now- major change in gears- a few random thoughts....


I'm planning some giveaways to those who comment on the blog.  More details soon.  I'd also like to know: What are your ideas for the next year of N.C.B.?  What would you like to see more (or less) of?  


Earlier this Spring N.C.B. got a new look.  What do you think?  (If you get N.C.B. email subscriptions delivered to your inbox, you can check out the new look by clicking on the post title -Turning One- above in your email.)   


Several readers have asked, so more of you may be wondering.  Yes, it is my own artwork that I post.  If I've ever posted a collage that's really colorful (and usually quite busy), I made it.  So, if you happen to need a personal and unique gift idea, let's talk. 


I'm tickled pink to know people are reading the blog consistently.  I have no idea who is reading, unless you leave a comment or tell me.  I've had some surprises.  My best friend from 7-9th grade (hi Kerry!) and I have reconnected through my posts and her thoughtful responses.  And yikes!  My first true love also found N.C.B. and sent me an unexpected email.  That one freaked me about a bit.  I know that when I write a post the world can read it, but I still kinda hoped ex-boyfriends weren't going to be reading my personal thoughts and struggles.


And finally, THANK YOU for reading, commenting, and sharing N.C.B. with your friends over the past year.  I heart all of you.

Happy.

Happy Easter.  Happy Passover.  

Joyful wishes going out to all you lovely Nourish. Create. Bloom. readers.

Claire Was Here

When I joined my artist's collective, I had the fortune to meet Claire Vohman. 

She creatively swirls art and quotes- two things I love.   

Yowza is a regular word in her vocabulary. 

I'm going to start using it now too.  How fun!

Claire is a real joy to be around, so I wanted to bring her joy to you.

Be sure to visit her website: www.clairewashere.com

and show her some support!

*For some crazy reason, some of her artwork (the three black pictures above) would only post on my blog in their  negative version.  Since I am not super dooper computer savvy, I couldn't figure out how to get them to show like her original work.  I loved the sayings of these three and I just had to share them with you.  

Sorry Claire for altering your work.  I didn't mean too!