Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

meet the superhumans


love this *superhumans* video! thanks to melissa blake


................

ever feel sorry for yourself?
yah.
me too.

ever afraid to face fears?
ever seek superhuman courage to overcome a seemingly insurmountable obstacle?

ditto for me.

well here's some of my recent inspiration.
holey moley, the paralympians!

honestly. people amaze me.

physical challenge is something oft on my family's mind:
my dad walked with an artificial leg since he was a young teenager.
my mother now depends on her wheelchair to be mobile.
my mother in law painfully awaits a much needed hip replacement.

folks' ability to overcome these physical challenges always amazes me.

and the inaccessability of almost everywhere is something we think about daily. (and we have the priviledge of living in *accessible* canada!) 

and these athletes?!
talk about overcoming obstacles!
wow.

but sadly, we've found it difficult to even find media coverage here in canada of the paraolympics games. here's to working on that in the future!

what's inspiring you these days, nicies?


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Monday, June 11, 2012

a gorgeous giveaway with the languid lion





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inspiration.
we all need it.
& i just love the inspiring ideas, creations & sentiments handmade by geri jewitt of *the languid lion!*

geri's a self-taught & now full-time designer + handmade enthusiast who's "gone rogue" from corporate & happily creates & produces notecards, stationery & paper creations enriched with freedom & soul.

i love how everything is eco-chic & upcycled that the languid lion creates! now that's inspiring!

and excitingly ... there's a new product line coming on August 15, 2012, which will be dedicated to love... selling stationery suites + decorations + accessories ... for your wedding & happily ever after.


the languid lion


read on to WIN a $50 gift certificate for a shopping spree in the languid lion shop! woohoo!











a Rafflecopter giveaway





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one way to enter is to grab one of my rikrak studio buttons,
like this one for YOUR BLOG! here they are!


the rikrak studio



the rikrak studio

and add it to your blog!
{ ... just copy & paste the text in the box above onto your blog sidebar! thanks! }

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:: RULES ::

a) it is possible to have a maximum of 13 entries total per person.
b) please make sure to leave each entry as its own comment. thanks!
c) using random.org, 1 winner of this giveaway will be chosen on
june 20th @ 12:01 AM EST.
d) open to contestants worldwide.
e) please be sure to leave me an email where i can reach you if your account doesn't link to one. thanks.

 

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thanks so much, the languid lion!




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Wednesday, February 2, 2011

*the pep rally* ... just for you.


cheerleader photograph postcard via TheStrangestThings
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{gosh...  i've been feeling in need of a little *cheering *, and i had the hunch that maybe, just maybe ... some of you could use a little boost to the spirits too, nicies.
cause heck - life can be really really tough sometimes  - right? so here's a little *pep rally* for all of us, cuties. some of it new thoughts. some ideas you've  
so if you need a personal cheerleader today... i'm all yours ... here we go! ... }

.................... 

***shish***
***BOOM***
***bah!***

*cueing the marching band!*
*grabbing the pompoms!*
*cheering into the megaphone!*

gimme an Y! ....
.... "y!"
gimme an O! ....
... "o"
gimme an U!
"u"

YOU you YOU
can do it!


we all need a little encouragement now and then.
i know i sure do.
in our daily lives, in trying something new, in getting through something old.

we all need a little pep talk.

nicies ... here's the thing ... you can do it. 
whatever you're facing. whatever you're struggling with. 
you can make it thru. 
we might need some extra helpers, some creative problem solving. but we can do it.

new year's resolutions may have come and gone. 
the skies may seem especially grey & cold & bleak right now as february opens.
but i really believe it's what's inside that counts. 
it's our attitude that can make all the difference in life & art.
believe in yourself, sweeties.
believe in your creativity & the possibility that surrounds us.

you can do it.
you can make the changes you want, and be the things you dream to be.
maybe not all in one day. but in little steps, in meaningful ways we can be and do and become the things we want! i know that's true. and along the way we can relish the little joys & good moments, too.


we can do it with each others help. with patience & love & reaching out & building our communities of support & cheer. 

my evidence: just think of all of the things in your life that you never thought you could do at some point, and then you DID it. you made it thru, you challenged yourself {or challenge just plopped itself down in your path } and then you just did it!


i know for me, sometimes i have to try something new to get to where i dream to be. 

and taking a risk or encountering extended difficult times: let's be honest  - these are scary things.
for certain it can be scary to put yourself out there. to try something new. to change. to find new ways. to do the thing we really want to do, but are afraid to fail at.

it's scary when obstacles litter our life paths. when bad stuff happens. when just making it thru the day can seem impossible!

i know you all know what i mean. 
i know some of you are there right now. 
in the deep dark difficult times. 
i mention all this right now for 2 reasons. first of all ...  cause there's a lot of difficult stuff happening here in the extended rikrak family these days. stuff we can work thru together as a family for sure, but really tough stuff none-the-less.

life's overwhelming sometimes, isn't it. 

YET...
there is so much good all around us. 
sometimes those good things seem pretty little, don't they, in comparison?  
and sometimes those good things like to hide themselves away when all the bad stuff comes to town, so they're tough to find, right? . 
it's like *hide n' go seek* when the rough stuff is all around.
but the good is there. we just gotta find it, and celebrate it.

and we can't do it all by ourselves. i don't think we  need to. 
i'm so thankful for the cheerleaders that surround me in my life: thru good & bad. thank you loves. you help me get thru all the tough stuff.
and i sure think we ALL need cheerleaders. 
who are yours? 
feeling low on cheerleaders in your life? 
or maybe in your art or craft? 
here's my advice: find some more!

lean on them & thank them & try your best to do the same cheering for them. 
that's my advice today.
{& i'm trying my best to do it, too! }


pattern via PrettyfulPatterns & vintage megaphones via vintageseventyfive
................

and one more thing ... 
the other reason for today's pep rally is because of the*handmade olympics*  - a celebration of things handmade - cause hey - we need more celebrations, don't ya think?

again this year, so many wonderful folks in the handmade community have mentioned to me their honest fears about nominating their own works in each event - or nervous about having the great judges see their goods, or not having the confidence to share their works with the world. i can appreciate that: FOR CERTAIN. 

there have been so very many times when i feel terribly nervous about the risk of sharing what i've handmade. when i'm not ready to show the world what i make, feel nervous about going to the next step with my creations, feel less-than-confident with something new in my own handmaking or blogging or coaching work in the world of handmade. 

BUT... sharing what you're making can be a great thing.  taking a little risk can take us to somewhere WONDERFUL AND NEW.

if you make something, i'd love to see it!
and i'm not the only one out there!
i firmly believe that creativity is inspired as we share our ideas!
so nominate some of your work! ... at the very least, you might feel more confident about your creations, your ideas, your creativity, your self! and i think that's the most important thing! small steps, sweeties. small steps.
believing in your own work, whether it's a craft, an art, your words, your ideas, your parenting, your daily 9-to-5 (or 7 am - midnight!) of a career, believing in yourself is surely a step toward finding happiness, isn't it?

i think so!

so get nominating (closes on friday feb. 4th of  this week!)
believe in your self!
show us the work you're proud of.
who knows - maybe it'll encourage you to make more things!
and hey - that's a great thing.

and encourage others in their creativity by nominating them. the cyber world, like the rest of the world,  can sometimes be a quiet and solitary place. knowing others are looking at and loving what you're making can make ANYONE's day, no matter how established they are!

and as my dear dear friend a. would say: be gentle on yourselves, lovelies.
so true. 


and beyond the handmade olympics... beyond art and handmaking.... whatever thing you want to do - you can do it, nicies!
- just put your mind to it! find a way!
 
today's a new day - and you can start again.
today you can reinvent yourself to be the thinker, doer, motivator, partner, mommy, daughter, creator, friend, soul, person you want to be. & that, in my opinion, is one of the great GREAT things about life!


okay...

*deep breath....*
*laying the pompoms down...*
*turning over a new leaf and challenging myself to make/do/try something new today!*
*hugs....*

go team go!

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Wednesday, December 1, 2010

gifts of hope

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hi wonderful ones. 
it's december 1st ... the beginning of a new month, something of a new season, and it's world AIDS day.

an especially good day to raise awareness & take action in helping toward answers to the AIDS/HIV pandemic.

i'm a firm believer that there are so many great, important causes we can support with our time, our monies and our energies. today's a great day to put those plans into action!

there are so many great things i think we can all do towards helping those touched by this epidemic. especially at this Holiday time of year. why not give the gift of hope & life as a Holiday gift this year?

two of my favourite calls to action are:

:: supporting UNICEF AIDS/HIV action plans such as the gifts of magic::


................


or visit the Stephen Lewis Foundation site and donate what you can to the  Grandmothers to Grandmothers project,

these are amazing organizations connecting the communities around the world, today and everyday. 

i'm a big believer that if we all do what we can, great change can happen.

here's to awareness, understanding, love & action.
hugs, friends.
love and wellness to you all.
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Wednesday, August 18, 2010

the ekphrastic challenge { part five } : signac


paul signac's pointillist superstar: Sandy Seashore, 1890
via the Pushkin Museum, Russia.
.......


bravo, superstars!
the 4th round of the ekphrastic challenge was met with fabulous nominations and suggestions! i just loved seeing your artistic interpretations of the art & the tones that create it!

so as requested: round #5!

today we're lounging at the beach  with a painting full of late summer lure: Paul Signac's pointillist superstar Sandy Seashore.

 oh how it reminds me of one of my favourite summer beaches: sandbanks provincial park here in southern ontario! just love those gorgeous sandy grey tones, the textured dots, and those dunes-o-delight!

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so, here's the challenge for you:
.........................................


using the idea of ekphrasis , a "graphic or artistic description/representation of a visual work of art" ,  study the colours of the painting above, and/or the colour palette generated to match it (see above) . leave a link here to a handmade item of yours, (or another's) that is inspired by these colours + tones!

in about a week, i'll compile the suggestions and post them as our 5th collective *ekphrastic response.* 
---> just keep in mind, i'm looking for handmade works that fit the colour-palette of this piece! thanks.

so show me your late summer signac, nicies!
can't wait to see what you come up with!

and may your day be filled with gorgeous tones!
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Thursday, July 29, 2010

{hand} making change: the D.A.D. project


like many lovelies out there, i'm greatly inspired by folks that create change for the better in the world. gosh.... folks do this in so many wonderful ways. in this rikrak studio series, we'll be meeting wonderful lovelies who are creating a better world with their handicraft. thanks for inspiring good in the world, each and every one of you. today, here's the next {hand} making change feature: the D.A.D. project!

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what do you do when difficult times come your way?

two wonderful artists & sisters, emily chen & serena chen, chose to turn a challenging health prognosis into a healthy action: the D.A.D. (drawing a day) project!

emily & serena write: "This project is a tribute to our father, who has been battling stage 4 colon cancer since May 2009. We are taking turns, creating a drawing every day, and donating $10 from the sale of each print... to the Canadian Cancer Society, the largest national charitable funder of cancer research in Canada."

so wonderful!
i was so moved to read how one of the most difficult things about their father's situation are their own feelings of helplessness. gosh - that can be such an obstacle in life, can't it!?

i think it's such a brilliant, positive, hands-on way to turn that helplessness into a way to help! love it!


i've been so lucky to get to know emily a bit over fun tea parties {we found out we lived on the same street in ottawa after tweeting and etsy foruming last year!} and i'm such a grand grand fan of everything mchen. she's an amazing, kind, generous, loving creative powerhouse and i hope you'll visit her latest project!

--> artists: you can also donate your own artwork to help raise funds! just contact serena & emily!

the D.A.D. project
shop | twitter | blog


serena chen

shop | twitter | blog


emily chen

shop | twitter | facebook | blog


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have a great *{hand} making change * group,
shop or project that i should feature?


let me know!

.........

have you ever focused on your art
to help you thru a difficult time?

to create change?

tell us! i'd love to hear!






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Thursday, February 11, 2010

the ekphrastic challenge *revealed* : part two


woohoo!

you've done it again, nicies!

i put forth a new creative challenge last week- and you rose rose rose to it!
and so
part two of the ekphrastic challenge began: suggest handmade works that are ekphrastically inspired by the colour palette of a famous piece of art. this time i chose the beautiful *pavane* by jean paul riopelle. wonderful wonderful suggestions, lovelies! i love seeing what you come up with... so here we go...






row one
CrowandIris
burntmill
ScowlingOwl
MichellesThreads
ThePeachTree

row two
kylebogucki
sarathomas
emmarts
pulpandpaisley
vintagebutterfly94

row three
ripegoods
InHonorOf
DirksenDabbles
fionachapman
SewMo

row four
rachel austin
LucindasNiceThings
nauli

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wonderful tones, lovelies!
and a special thanks to the superstars, like nauli, who handcrafted something just for the challenge! i love it!

tune in again soon for a brand new round of the ekphrastic challenge!
and don't forget to cast your votes in the *handmade olympics!*

over 9000 individual votes cast so far!
woohoo democracy!


and have a most inspired day, filled with lovely tones, nicies!



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Thursday, November 5, 2009

{hand}making change : the scribble group


like many lovelies out there, i'm greatly inspired by folks that create change for the better in the world. gosh.... folks do this in so many wonderful ways. in this new rikrak studio series, we'll be meeting wonderful lovelies who are creating a better world with their handicraft. thanks for inspiring good in the world, each and every one of you. today, here's the first {hand)making change feature.
.............................

there is a group of wonderful handcrafters i know who meet on a daily basis to to share stories, encourage one another, share their art and cheer each other on over virtual coffee. that's a wonderful thing in itself!

the wonderful souls who are part of the canadian buy n' sell party on etsy are a warm and welcoming group, and whenever i pop in, i'm always cheered by their friendly welcomes and kind words. a few months ago, these lovelies decided to take on a group art project where "the concept is to practise the art of being creative while letting go of preconceived thoughts and barriers of what art 'should' look like. Art for arts’ sake." it was the brainchild of member Emmarts, and folks loved the idea!

papers of your choice were passed between 3 members of the group all across Canada, and as each member added their own beautiful touches, both fabulous mixed-media art & a gorgeous idea was born.
now The Scribble Group on etsy is a wonderful little shop where you can buy the artworks made by these lovely souls, and all of the proceeds from sales in the shop go toward supporting a wonderful charity.

currently, the Group donates all of it's monies toward 'Use words, not guns' a "project that originated through a city wide task force on guns and gangs violence intervention and prevention." Scribble Group member StuffbySteph is a vital part of the "Use words, not guns" mandate, and she writes: "The winter months are upon us and the needs (of the task force) are high. I am beyond thrilled to be a part of the Scribble Group's 'love and heart of scribbling.'

it's wonderful to see handmaking artists not only expanding the parameters of art, but making change, thru their art, in such meaningful ways. so be sure to visit The Scribble Group shop, peruse the gorgeous gallery of their works, and know that your art purchase will go toward using words, not guns. inspiring work, nicies!

have an inspiring story to share about {hand}making change in your own world? please let me know! i'm always looking for new folks who have a story of change to share! thanks!
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Monday, October 19, 2009

an *inspiring* little game! { part 4 }

wall A


it's time again for another fun round of gaming!
a little while ago we played the 1st 3 parts, seen here.
so try your hand @ round four and be inspired! the person who guesses the most correct matches wins a little feature here on the blog!!

..............................................


i love games.
and i love seeing others' inspirations!
so here's a fun game for all of us.
i've become very fascinated of late with the idea of inspiration boards or idea walls. i've seen images of many amazing little walls or boards dedicated to carefully collecting different little goodies that inspire the artist!

i love it!
i'm fascintated with how they look. how they feel, and what folks choose to add to them. i'm also interested in how they relate (or not!) to the artist's work! so i found some of my faves in the blogosphere, and I thought we could do something fun with them!

........................................


the FUN RULES:
take a look @ the images below (and the one at the top!) .... each inspiration board or wall belongs to a fun artist who is, this round, also a brilliant blogger! i've featured the accompanying blogs at the end of this post in the *the bloggers* section. see if you can, without looking/researching, match the inspiration board to the blogger. (i.e. A1, B2, etc)
and please post your guesses below in the comments!
...................................

each image links to the artists’ photostream... BUT try not to look until after you’ve entered your guesses. it doesn't matter if you're right or wrong - i just thought it'd be fun to try and guess! thanks so much to the artists/bloggers for sharing their amazing boards and work. i’ll be posting the answers later (wednesday-ish) in a separate post.

at that time, i'll also feature the person who commented with the most correct answers! so be sure to play!
(but if you're REALLY eager to know which belongs to who.... just click on the board photos!
HAVE FUN!
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wall B

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wall C

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wall D

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wall E


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and now for the crafty bloggers!....

blogger 1: the fabulously talented kim of desire to inspire.

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blogger 2: the brilliant she.likes.cute.

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blogger 3: the lovely lu summers of summersville

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blogger 4: the inspiring seaembraces of the seaembraces blog.

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blogger 5: the wonderful cleverkaren

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ps: have an inspiration board? let me know!
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Wednesday, June 24, 2009

teachers...


as school wraps up for little rikrak tomorrow, we're happily wrapping up little homemade gifts for his lovely teacher, and i'm feeling so thankful for the amazing teachers out there.

lots of teacherly folks in my life. my mom's a teacher.
cute hubby is a teacher.
& once upon a time, i used to be an elementary school teacher, and an ESL teacher abroad before that. i'm so thankful for my wonderful new career path of handmaking, but i think i will always feel that teaching is one of the MOST important jobs in the world, right up there with parenting!


i've been so lucky to have had so many great teachers over the years myself. amazing folks who thru patience, their loving & kind ways, and encouragement helped me to learn more about myself, the world, & how to be a better person. when i've had a not-so-great -for -me teacher, it can be a tough haul, can't it? but when i've had a great-for-me teacher... WOW! it's magic!

my parents were (and are) my greatest teachers, for sure! and in school, i think fondly of mrs. d & mr. b , who encouraged me to find my own path, and helped me to have even more confidence in my own creative thoughts, and to believe in myself, on so many levels. in university, to dr. h. , who became a dear friend, and taught me to use "i" statements in all i do, and to try and see the world thru another's eyes. this revolutionized my thinking, and i tried my best, in my own ways, to use all of these teachers' wisdom in my own teaching, and now parenting. it's hard work, isn't it? but thanks to these and other teachers, i'm learning! :)

so thank you, teachers! it's an amazing thing you do!

who are teachers that have made a difference in your life?
tell us about them.
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Wednesday, June 17, 2009

the answers: an *inspiring* little game { part 3}: sketchbooks

question mark cross stitch pattern by andwabisabi
yay!
i'm so glad some folks added their fun answers to part three of the *inspiring* little game post from yesterday!

PLEASE NOTE! if you haven't had a chance to play the game yet,
please stop reading this post lickity-splitly and head on over to the game post here!


then you can come back here to see the answers!

.............................................
the answers to the sketchbook & artists matches are...
A5: tad carpenter

B6: carina envoldsen-harris

C4: ouou
D1: mondopanno
E3: alanna risse / angrypirate

F2: senyol


............................................
many congrats to two entries who both guessed 4 out of 6 matches correctly!
here's to:

the lovely eNVe jewelry shop!
just look @ her beautiful creations. so pretty & with so many great deals in the shop.... she has a new clearance section, too! hurry & shop & save! great guessing!



and congrats to
annemarie, of the shop dinah's friends,
who makes these adorable teeny tiny needlefelted sweeties! oh heavens! aren't they so sweet?!


and congrats to the wonderful ouou, who guessed 4 of 6 correctly as well,
including her own fun sketchbook entry! :) thanks, nicey!

great guessing everyone! and thanks for playing!


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Monday, May 4, 2009

ode to the underdog


horse tote by stevester
red horses by gypsyandtwink
tiny ingemar swedish horse rubber stamp by Corrabelle
wooden toy horses mini mat by Rigmarole
woodland screenprint by cityablaze
mirror head dress in medium by elysiumdesign

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happy monday, nicies!
hope you had a great weekend!

.......................................

i don't know about you.. but i love cheering for the *underdog!*

this weekend, one of North America's biggest horseracing events, the Kentucky Derby, swelled those thoughts for me.

in horseracing, i guess like in any sporting event, there are favourites & longshots.
the anticipated winners and the underdogs.

i’ve kinda always loved the underdog. my dad was a big fan of horseracing. he'd always cheer for the longshot. no matter what!
how about you?

on saturday, the horse Mine That Bird was the 50-1 upset winner @ the Kentucky Derby. he was a longshot - not too many folks thought he'd emerge as the winner, with fierce competitors who seemed more able, more poised, more ready to come out ahead...but he did. somehow that longshot horse really really won! in the words of the announcer.. " a monumental upset." ... an "impossible victory."

i've gotta say - i love when that happens.. i love cheering for the underdog...

remember all those great tales about the victory of the underdog?
like Atticus Finch in “To Kill A Mockingbird."
that great 80’s hit “The Karate Kid”
all of the underdog heroes in great literature. that regular kind of person who can overcome challenges from seemingly insurmountable odds... finding victory over big corporations, governments, natural disasters, etc.

i think of popular internet tales circulating these days: Jason McElwain, Susan Boyle, upset wins, folks overcoming amazing odds.

it's inspiring! it reminds me we can all achieve what we dream of.

congrats to all of you that have faced insurmountable odds &
persevered and found success!
go underdogs!
how about you... have a favourite underdog tale to share?

..................................

(ps: my little rikrak shop 100th post sale runs til tonight! be sure to shop & save!)
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