Happy Monday – Where do I find inspiration?

Where do I find inspiration? Sometimes, I will be in my favorite place, nature and sometimes I find it in the aisles of the supermarket or in this instance Target. The box for this candle caught my eye. I thought how the yellow color made me feel happy and I liked the pairing with the lavender color.

Sometimes I only pull the color combinations and other times I want to emulate the design in some way. So after taking the candle out, I kept the box. I have had this box for a few months. But I wait for the inspiration to really work its magic and waited for the right moment to use it.

This weekend I was on Zoom crafting with my friends and I started pulling out spring supplies. By the way, Happy Spring!! I had this stamp set for a bit and wanted to play around with it. Then I thought about the box and knew that now is the time to see what I could do with it.

I pulled out my brushes and some Distress Oxide inks and I emulated the design and color of the box for a background. I then grabbed my Copic markers and after stamping up the image I colored the flowers.

The sentiment just felt so right. How many times, do you lay your head down on the pillow only to hear that inner voice criticize your efforts for that day? Well, this card is here to remind you that you are enough today. I really love this sentiment because it addresses the feelings of inadequacy in our daily lives.

I made several backgrounds and colored up several images so I think I will complete them and consider them for the spring inventory.

Where do you find your inspiration?

Belinda’s Book Nook Book Review: Stir: My Broken Brain and the Meals That Brought Me Home by Jessica Fechtor

Stir

Title: Stir: My Broken Brain and the Meals That Brought Me Home
Author: Jessica Fechtor
Copyright: June 23rd 2015
Genre: non-fiction, memoir
Format: ARC, review-book, e-book Pages: 288

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

The beauty of reviewing for publishers is that I can select books that I think I would enjoy reading. When I saw the description for this book a few months ago, I knew it was a book for me. As I am getting older, I am finding I am focusing more energy on my health and what I put into my body. This book sounded like a remarkable true story that I felt might inspire me to continue to strive towards health.

What I found out was I quickly fell for the format of this book. Jessica oh so nicely weaves the most scrumptous recipes into her story that it seemed natural.  I found myself anxiously waited to see what yummy recipe she would share at the end of each chapter. It seems so fitting that her book would do this, for you instantly see the importance food, family and friends play in her life. At such a young age, she really seems to be wise beyond her years. She didn’t allow this awful event in her life to prevent her from seeing a new path and embracing it.

Being sick is suppose to come along with grand realizations about What Really Matters, but I don’t know. I think deep down, we’re already aware of what is important and what’s not…. we know. We just forget to know sometimes.

She talks about how near death experiences force us into a state of what she calls aggressive gratitude and how the big and the small come to the forefront and we are just grateful to be around to experience them. It reminds you to be in the present moment. This not to say that she had no worries which are from the past or future. But that we are meant to work through things while still being present.

Her descriptions of her interactions with food whether preparing a meal or hosting friends at her home for dinner, were Zen-like. She truly is in the moment of the experience.

I feel inspired by her to recapture my love of cooking and baking. I think somewhere between drop off, pick up, homework, and all of the other day to day things I have lost my joy with food preparation. While doing my recent cleanse, I felt a bit of that spark only for it to back away again now that I have completed the cleanse. This book pulls you into the present and makes you re-examine yourself in the process. It does a lovely job of exploring  her beautiful relationships with friends and family while keeping me the reader fully engaged.

I managed to copy several recipes out of the book and will definitely giving them a try.  Here is a list of a few that caught my eye:

  • Kim Boyce Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Louise’s Applie Pie
  • Whole Wheat Banana Bread
  • Italian Prune Plum Tart

Jessica has a well established food blog that I implore you to visit. You won’t regret it. Her blog is called Sweet Amandine

I really enjoyed this book and think you will two. I am giving it 4 1/2 butterflies. I hate that Goodreads doesn’t have half stars so I was forced to give it 4 stars there. I think this is a great book that explores many topics and leaves you feeling filled with joy.

Happy Reading!

Belinda

4.5rating

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox

Join other followers: