Images of Hong Kong and a little kick in the pants

{images by peter nurney of san francisco}

Years ago, I started looking into Buddhism. Without getting into a convo about religion, I will say that I found reading and thinking these new thoughts really opened my mind to so many things. I kept journals for my kids at that time so that when they were teenagers they would be able to pick them up and read them and know me better, understand me better, and hopefully bridge a gap that teenagers and parents sometimes have. So, without a mention, I just left the journal out in the open (you know on the book pile in the bathroom).

Hee, I noticed it was getting some lookies. I love rereading it myself and came upon this writing on mindfulness, which I am sure I included with a conscious premonition and serious retrospective reason, even though there are swears in it, I thought it was so impactful and would kind of stop them in their tracks...teenagers need to hit a wall now and then. If they are any good at being teenagers, they swiftly and gracefully find their way over the wall and into the next adventure, promptly calling for a ride back. I took a minute for a potential opportunity. The metrics aren't good.........but in theory, I may be one up.

I thought to myself as I revisited it, "Well this actually comes in handy every once in a while!" I get so busy and sometimes go about things without really thinking about what I am doing. We all do, I am sure. I have been really trying to be in the moment and enjoy every one...and it makes me happy! Try it and take this little ditty in...

The Mirror of Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the root of the Dharma.

Mindfulness is the body of practice.

Mindfulness is the fortress of the mind.

Lack of mindfulness will allow the negative forces to overcome you.

Without mindfulness you will be swept away by laziness.

Lack of mindfulness is the creator of evil deeds.

Without mindfulness and presence of mind,

Nothing can be accomplished.

Lack of mindfulness piles up shit.

Without mindfulness you sleep in an ocean of piss.

Without mindfulness you are like a heartless zombie, a walking corpse.

- Nyoshul Khenpo Rinpoche

(Nothing like driving it home.)

REMINDER: only a few days left to enter for the necklace. If you stop by and would like to enter, just become a friend of FC and your name goes into the mix. Lucky duck.

Squam Art Workshops

image via squamartworkshops.com

I was over on Gypsy Girl's Guide admiring her latest post and stubbled upon "Squam". What is Squam? This looks like a holy heaven for artists, dreamers, writers and adventurers. What a fantastic idea! Summer camp for grown ups...Squam Art Workshops at the Rockywold-Deephaven Camps in Holderness, New Hampshire.. I have goose bumps and I am thinking about how this could fit into my softball/baseball filled schedule. It looks like they have a 4 day pre-summer and a 4 day fall workshop.

Oh, if I could have the ultimate life, this would be it, sharing art/inspiration, waking up by the water, sipping wine by the fire, meeting cool people and spreading the good stuff.

Say "I am thinking of you"

Write your love a note today...

{pen macro image by Linda Cronin via Flickr}

Get personal

{image via ffffound}

Lately, I have been doing alot of trends research for work and one main compelling trend is getting personal and connecting with nature. No matter what your business, getting personal is a strategy that the best will achieve and I cannot wait to see how creative it gets. Take this packaging from Belvoir Fruit Farms. The labels wrap around on an angle and are handlettered. The bottles are sleek and modern with personal lettering, making you feel like someone penned them and shelved them just for you to "pick your favorite flavah"! (You have to listen for my New England accent.)

{image via ffffound}

They also grow ingredients right on their farm. Their site is really nicely done and even their homepage is vibrantly hand drawn with abundant elderberry flowers (mmm, I can smell the sweetness now)... and there is more great packaging exploding off their pages.

Packaging is like magic. There is a little gift shop in Tatnuck Square in Worcester, called Bhadon. She beautifully wraps any gift. With a thoughtful presentation, even a small gift conveys a multitude when presented with a personal touch. Bhadon is my first choice because I know she goes the extra mile to make my gift special. Retailers must listen to consumers and compete for their position in today's market more than ever. I hope to see alot of initiative back to this kind of creativity and effort.

Inspired from the other side of the world

Maria Thomas, Jella Verelst of Belgium, and Rick Roberts. Jella's designs were so intricate and elaborate and just blew everyone away. It was amazing for me to see how creatively different everyone was while using the same tools and direction. The inspiration to be different and unique was so exemplified and perfectly enhanced by the work of all the guests at the seminar.

Fina Man came all the way from Hong Kong. Her trip was only 4 days long and she traveled over 20 hours to be with us in Whitinsville. I wish she could have stayed longer and visited a bit.
Next time Fina!

Personally tangled name tags of each guest. Maria calligraphed our names on the other side.

Maria's shoes that weren't spiffy enough...until tangled!

A mosaic of inspiration

Personally, I love henna designs. Every summer I sport some henna, always being a little too afraid to get a real tattoo. I just can't settle for one design to be on my body forever. I have always wanted one, but can't lock it down. Henna and all these great patterns I have learned will be a great bonus when the summer is finally here. Below are mehndi hands, traditionally used for brides that I ffffound. They are actually from a travel website and if you look carefully you can see points of interest imbeded into the designs! Such a creative advertisement.

{images of mehndi via ffffound}

Ireland on my mind...

With St. Patrick's Day soon approaching, there has been a bit of Irish music being played in my house. I have been thinking about a few different and unrelated Irish things...the trip my parents have yet to take. 911 took their trip away. It was planned for a few weeks after and Mom just did not want to fly after. She will get there someday...I will see to it. Some very Irish childhood friends from elementary school shared a trip to Ireland a few years ago to celebrate their 40th birthdays. Lastly, my favorite story of all...

To the best of my memory...Two friends, Kathleen and Matthew snuck away to Ireland for a little vacation. Kath did not know what Matthew had in store for her. They met at college, Williams College in western Massachusetts. He from upstate NY and she from Worcester. The two love birds found themselves in a pub one afternoon, soon after Matthew popped the question to his love.

In celebratory spirit, they shared Guinness (after Guinness) and noticed a man in the corner with a "Maine" sweatshirt on. The two introduced themselves as they were neighbors, essentially. So they drank and shared stories and the two shared their news with the new friend. They talked and celebrated the afternoon and into the night with their new friend. There was a dilemma on their minds as they thought about the wedding day. Where were they to have the ceremony? They decided to meet the families in the middle...at Williams where they met. But who at Williams would they have perform the ceremony? They new no one and wanted it to be someone they both knew. As they talked, the new friend said that he would do it, as he lived right in North Adams, Massachusetts! He turned out to be a priest as well. So Kath and Matt wrote down their contact information on a Guinness coaster and gave it to him. He married the two.

After the storm...

It was a spring like day today, with another storm forcasted. Darn. Opening the windows and sporting flip flops today felt so good. I really don't like this part of living in New England. Winters are long and looking outside my windows makes me dread the spring clean up.

So many trees came down from the ice storm that I am planning my very own "Burning Man" weekend here. Make lemonade I say, or...wouldn't this little set up be wonderful?