a drop in the ocean...

Don't get confused by identifying yourself as just one of the billions of people who live in this world.
You carry greatness... because you were created with a purpose.

Share the love,
M.

3 versions to choose from:
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You are not a drop in the ocean, you are the entire ocean in one drop. -rumi
Just Keep Swimming- famously said by Dory from Finding Nemo :)

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you are not a drop in the ocean,
you are the entire ocean in one drop- Rumi

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you are not a drop in the ocean,
you are the entire ocean in one drop- Rumi

8.5x11 : Just keep swimming- Dory

My Version- I made him a rainbow of awesomeness :)
Don't forget on the blank ones, add your favourite verse,
Lyric, Poem, make it truly yours! <3

Body Break! Take A Break from Society.

Do you remember Hal and Johanne, who used to do Body Break! in the 80's. If you aren't sure what Body Break is, i'm sure you can youtube it, but it was a minute or so commercial on tv that taught you something healthy, this was just at the beginning of the health craze that has since taken over every aspect of our lives. Oh my goodness... it is crazy.

Anyway this year the hubby and I decided to make changes that makes our body's happy, for me, that means playing squash, throw in some weight lifting and the elliptical/treadmill, about 4-6 times a week (when I am not injured from falling off said treadmill). Now, let's be clear here, this body is made for comfort not for speed... I'm  built more like a Cadillac than a F1 race car, and I'm ok with that. But I also know that air plane seats are getting smaller as they try to pack more of us on a flight than every before. So on that note, I want to make sure I fit nicely into a seat for our long (long, long, long) flight to Uganda this fall. Duy and I also talked a lot about living a long time, apparently I feel like I'm going to live forever and Duy, well he is happy with his biblical allotment 70 years or so. Me- I scream and balk at the idea of only having 70 years. I have way too much to do, and so much to give that I just don't think one lifetime will be enough- but I digress...

We are soul/spirit beings that are housed in beautiful bodies that come in all shapes, sizes and colours... Make sure you don't judge yourself on your package... the gift lies within. In our society it is hard not to be hard on ourselves. I just want to remind you- be kind to you, take care of you, and love you. You are a miracle and you are here for a purpose, whatever that may be... you are awesome. 

Share the love,
M.

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YOU ARE WONDERFUL :: LIVING LIFE ON PURPOSE 2015 UPDATE.

I just wanted to give you all an update on our Living Life On Purpose 2015 Journey.

We are in fundraising full throttle! We are raising money like crazy people, (at least I feel like I am going crazy!) I am constantly trying to come up with new ideas for the blog, Etsy and basically anything I can do to help raise these funds.  It feels awesome and very scary all at the same time!

I want to thank you - each and every one of you- who has clicked that donate button. Every bit counts, 1 dollar or 100 dollars... big or small, it all adds up and it is making this journey a reality. You have heard my heart and you are sharing the love and you are inspiring me to keep on going.

Just think... even a little nobody Canadian girl can do something so wildly out of her comfort zone because I have your support, not just financially, but emotionally. I appreciate all of your kind words, and you sharing your stories. You are making this a reality. I cannot thank you enough. 

Our main sources of raising money are, selling my art work (family portraits + paintings), creating and selling Journal Cards, Illustrations and Prints on Etsy. That along with all donations that have come in via the blog, we have raised just under half of what we need.

With that half, we have bought our tickets. We will be working at a Children's Village in Uganda for what accidentally turned out to be 5 weeks, instead of 4...ooops ? or YAY! Either way, it is what it is.  We leave our cozy little home and head off to the great unknown on the 27th of September and we will be back on November 3rd. I am freaking out. I am excited, and I am scared, and nervous and well, freaking out.

Please connect with me, share your stories, let me hear your heart. You hear mine every day. I love to hear from you. Your encouragement is undoubtedly one of the highest honours you can give me and I thank you for that.

Please Pray for us as we continue to work our butts off, creating revenue and income to help in this journey and we'd like to leave the orphanage a financial gift to continue to help in paying for the children's education, healthcare, and love care. It takes a village to raise a child... and it takes a BIG village to raise an orphan... we are that village.

I cannot say thank you enough, you have grown my heart so big it is popping out of my chest. I am so honoured by each and every one of you. YOU ARE WONDERFUL !

Share the love,
Missie + Duy

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Joy Comes In the Morning...

Oh yes it does!!

"sorrow may last for the night, JOY comes in the morning!"

How true, when I say this over and over again, I get excited...
Yes, I've made it so that it has to do with coffee (and don't get me wrong- Coffee does bring me great Joy- but wow what a verse to get in your heart!)

Share the love,
M.

Ps. are you following me on Facebook? I've just uploaded a wonky little video of me and my workspace :)

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As If?!

As if you need a reminder!

Share the love,

M.

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Comparison

So, you know when you skulk around Instagram, your favourite blogs, and Facebook instead keeping your head in your own work... well... Have I got a little story for you;

Yesterday I took a day off from "working" and I did domestic stuff. In the spirit of honesty,  I finally unpacked from our China trip (some stuff but not everything),  I did some laundry, I cooked a meal, I cleaned out a closet and I stalked all of my favourite people online.

I went to bed last night feeling overwhelmed -not because I was so excited to see what other's were doing and feeling encouraged. No, I was overwhelmed because I felt like I wasn't doing enough. I don't have enough Christmas prints ready to go, I haven't even thought about doing a new Advent Calendar yet, I don't even have my own christmas cards printed. I need to be printing things and having them available on Esty. I need to have an open house and sell some of my Printables all ready to frame for our Living Life on Purpose Africa 2015 trip. I need, I need, I need- ack!

What have I been doing all year? How am I not being as creative, as productive, as awesome as everyone else.

WAIT!  STOP!  HOLD THE PHONE GIRL! 

Melissa! (or insert name here___________________) Stop comparing yourself to others and get your head in your own work and just be creative.

Stop worrying about what other's are doing, stop looking into their proverbial 'bowl' to see if they have more than you do. I once read somewhere:  the only time you should look in someone else's bowl, is not to see if they have more than you, but instead to see if they have enough. Are they ok? 

This sweet image is from:
www.chibird.com

So I'm being honest... because frankly, I dislike this feeling, I dislike looking at others and feeling that I am not enough, and I think I'm probably not the only one...

I saw this awesome little design from ChiBird and I wanted to share it, because we're all different, we are all kinda awesome. And when it comes to creative work, creativity and productivity... the only person to compare yourself too is you. Am I doing all that I can do? Am I the person I want to be?




There are only 24 hours in the day, (Melissa, or insert your name here______________) you can't do everything, but do what you do well... and sleep tight at night knowing you are awesome.

Thanks to Theodore Roosevelt for saying:  Comparison is the thief of Joy. How true. Yesterday I had my very own experience with this. So I've created a print that I will be printing off and sticking to my forehead,  because it is all too true. Comparison IS the thief of Joy.  Booyah!

Share the love,
M.

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Eat, Drink & Be Thankful!

It's that time of year, October in Canada, where the trees are all turning yellow and red and we get to celebrate thanksgiving. We celebrate it,  a month (plus some) earlier than our friends in the US, and I secretly love it! Canadians get to celebrate in October and then, because the world is so small- thanks to the internet,  we get to continue celebrating until the end of November!

I love that in my life there are almost two months carved out for being grateful, reflective, and thankful.  And that we get to celebrate this act of gratitude.

Yesterday was a terrible day in Canada. One of our own, Cpl. Nathan Cirillo (age 24) was shot while on honorary guard at the National War Memorial. It's a sad day in Canada, we are all rocked to the core with this horrible news... in this time of horror, it is hard to look into our hearts and choose gratitude instead of fear, retaliation, and hatred.  But we must, we must. Hatred breeds hatred... Love breeds gratitude and gratitude breeds love. I am so grateful to those men and women who put their lives on the line daily for our country and for other countries (maybe our Peace Keepers have even put their lives on the line for your country). I am grateful for the men and women who are first responders in emergency situations -who put their lives on the line for us every day. I am grateful for the people who stand for us and with us in times like these.  I pray peace over our Nation and over your Nation... 

In all things, give thanks... even in times like these...
Share the love,
M.

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Maybe. Just Maybe.

Maybe, just maybe this is the key to having a happy, successful, productive life-  oh ya, throw in a little hard work, a lot of elbow grease, the desire to see others succeed and the ability to just keep on going.

Share the love,
M.

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Frankly Darling...

I don't give a hoot.
Whoo me?
Nope I never feel like this.
Ever. I always care.

Ok, I'm lying- sometimes I just don't give a hoot. I've been doing a lot of soul searching lately... I often worry about things that aren't any of my business, my concern, or anything I need to even be thinking of.  Do you find yourself tangled up in this web of 'false responsibility' because it makes you feel valuable or worthy?

I've taken to reminding myself often "not my circus, not my monkeys" sometimes I have to say "not my circus, yes my monkeys" and still have to let it play out as it will.

I can't control everything, cause If I could, let me tell you... lol no, seriously- sometimes we just have to stop, let it go, and not give a hoot how it turns out for our own sanity! Sometimes we women tend to try to fix everything, for our spouses, our children, our friend's children, our parents - and the list goes on! But you know what... you don't have to fix the neighbourhood... you just have to live in it :)

I mean of course apathy sucks! That we take no part in- for causes that we need to stand for, we stand! For changes that we can make, we make! To fight the good fight, we fight! - I'm not talking about this sort of thing, I'm talking about the little stuff that we burden ourselves with, the stuff that tires us out so that when we do need to fight, apathy is just an easier choice.

What are you concerned about today that you need to let go of? What responsibilities are you carrying that really aren't yours to carry, but because you are such a good person, you took it over?
What do you need to say "Frankly darling, I don't give a hoot" about today?

Let it go... breathe... the world didn't fall apart- nope it's not easy, it sucks to not be in control all the time, but on the other hand, the freedom that it brings is marvellous!

Let it go + Share the love,
M.

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Smug Pug.

I've been having some fun here working on some new style of prints and loving every minute of it...
I hope you like them too!
Now don't be a smug pug- instead,
Share the Love,
M.

If you haven't read about our Living Life on Purpose Africa 2015  >> Please take a read and if you love free printables please consider giving a donation to help us on our journey! 

 

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International Coffee Day!

Oh yes, it really is a thing. Of course some people probably don't know about it, because they may not have as much coffee coursing through their veins as I do... but none the less it is to be celebrated!

I saw this quote and I thought, it is so true... I often call coffee my 'mojojuice'... I have my coffee I get inspiration- I create- you get free printables :) See how important coffee is to our symbiotic relationship? Now don't you want to celebrate with me?

The dates appear to differ in different countries, I am Canadian and at the moment I am in China, so I will be celebrating with my North American counterparts today! Wooohoooot bring on the caffeine :)

Here is a list thanks to wikipedia:

• China- early April
• Denmark- May 6
• Brazil- May 24
• Costa Rica- September 12
• Ireland- September 19
• Mongolia- September 20
• Germany- September, first Saturay
• Switzerland- September 28
• SEPTEMBER 29th <- that's today :) 
• Australia
• Canada
• England
• Ethiopia
• Hungary
• Malaysia
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Sweden
• United States of America
• Japan- October 1
• Austria - October 1
• Romania- October 1
• Philippines- October 21
• Taiwan- November 7
• Nepal- November 17

If you are a coffee fan, have I got some fun stuff for you! Check out these great free printables :) Make someone's day and share your love of coffee with them! Click here >>  COFFEE << for the entire ensemble - Or take a peak at a few of my personal favourites: Coffee Talks, Procaffeinating, Nothing goes better with Coffee..., RISE and SHINE!, I put the PRO, in Procaffeinating, No Talkie before Coffee- and SO many more... 

Share the love,
M.

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Please Don't Rain on My Parade.

Please don't rain on my parade with your dumb cockamamy ideas of reality!

Sometimes you've just got to tell it like it is. 

Let your imagination soar!  Follow your heart! Make your dreams a reality! Believe in yourself!

And ignore all other's cockamamy ideas of reality. 

This one's for you :)

Share the love,

M.

Oh and I've got a simple little reminder - Please Don't Rain On My Parade ~for the kid's room,  or the kid in you, or if you want to post it at the office and be slightly more politically correct :) Take your pick- M.

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Hi Y'all!

Hi Y'all! What's shaking in your world?  We are still in China and I am still loving it... I *might* be missing home a little... and yesterday a.lot.


What I've learned so far:

~ Shanghai is huge, busy, bustling and beautiful- I prefer my small town of Taicang.  And Chinese characters, no matter how long I stare at them, never reveal their meaning to me-  Instead they remain mysteriously beautiful works of art... each and everyone of them.


On another note- This print would look fabulous printed out in card format- who doesn't love snail mail! I'l be ordering some for myself :) 

Share the love,
M.

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