I thought it was time to create something and share it for my monthy art blesssing giveaway! I have been reflecting on what it means to breathe in gratitude and let in fill the heart. Its so easy to not be fully present in the moments that each day brings...to let the worries, fears, insecurities or hurts of life to fully inhabit our inhaling and exhaling. I hope this little, original journal will be a secret place to record the moments in each day that offer an opportunity to be grateful. The smallest of acts of kindness, a caring touch, the sound of childrens laughter, talking a walk, savoring a quiet meal or listening to the silence in the middle of the night. There is an endless array of moments to record and experience...to be present for...and breath in and exhale...to express gratitude for....If you would like to be entered in my giveaway for this handmade "Gratitude Journal" just leave a comment with your email address and on Monday evening, Sept 15th, I will draw a name for this art blessing! I would also love to hear what moments you have found to be grateful for this past week (not required to be entered in the drawing though!). Below is another larger journal I was asked to make for a dear woman healing from breast cancer. I hope each piece will encourage and inspire!
Sweet thank yous to Shelley and Nelda for blessing me with an "I love your blog" award. I have never been able to choose from all the amazing blogs out there to send it on to so I invite you to roam through all the links you find on my blog for creative inspiration and discovery! Thanks so much for stopping by today!
30 comments:
Lani you are simply amazing! The way you can take this and that and put it together to make something so beautiful and ALWAYS full of meaning is a true talent!
I'm going to gracefully opt out of the giveaway because I have already been a lucky winner on your blog, but just had to tell you in a not so graceful way...you rock!
There is an award for you on my blog...not a tag, but especially for you because of all the positivity and hope you put into my art.
What I am grateful for this week hasn't happened yet, but we are going camping. I'm going to set up a fairy hunt for the girls. I bet you after we make our own garlands out of what we find around us that we will find remnants of fairy dust and maybe even a fairy hideaway...or a tiny book that was left behind!
:)
Mere
I am going to share this for my daughter who is in Bible College at Central Bible College...She came home for a wedding and her loan papers were here and she was hit with huge interest as she had a medical bankruptcy in order to go to Bible college..she is in her second semester and she just cried on Friday and thought she would not be able to go back on Sunday...then her laptop quit on Friday..it was just an attack from Satan! Later that day she got a call for a job interview and last night she did get the job and she is back at College and we just told her to go and we will figure all of this out as she wants to be in school so bad! God has brought her through so much and she just made it through back surgery in May! I would love to send this to her to journal this year as last night she shared that she see's God in all of this and I am so glad that she can see him provide..my brother gave her a laptop to use until we can get hers fixed and on Saturday is her 23rd Birthday ...the first time we will not be together...She is studying to be a missionary and a Children's Ministry Leader! I never could have imagined this for her a few years ago but never under estimate God...hugs and prayers Cheryl I love all of your creatiions...Lani...
I am grateful every night, when my children 19,16,11 are sleeping safe and sound and I am an earshot away.
Hi Lani - so here you are! We met at ConvenZioNE (I was with Susan Tuttle for most of the event) It was a pleasure to meet you, you are such a lovely & talented soul :> I regret that I didn't get the chance to talk to you personally but I am grateful that I connected even briefly with who I did though and truly believe that certain people come into our lives when they do, for a reason. Maybe we can connect at the next retreat :> (I so wish I had been staying up at that big beautiful house!)
Hugs,
Laura
Hello Dear Lani,
What a sweet idea. I will try to enter by 15 Sep. Your blog is also great as I am able to find others' work and spirit through it.
The photos you have posted today have been such a visual feast for me! Thank you for sharing.
Get More of What You Love,
Candace
You are really amzing, what a generous giveaway, Lani.
I always love visting your blog.
I'm grateful every day that me and my family are healthy.
What a beautiful piece and generous giveaway-love your blog. Thankyou for sharing. Carol
Lani, I am loving your website. What a beautiful place you have created. I'm thankful that we have been able to touch base and share a bit about art journaling. I look forward to more times of sharing. You are a very talented lady and I'm blessed by you.
Thanks
Lani, the journal is amazing =).
I'm grateful for many things this past week but one thing that has made me sooo happy is to have secured an plane ticket home to visit my family. I miss them so much, and to just know that I will be seeing them in several weeks time makes me feel blissful.
Thanks Lani =)
Love, love, love your work and your blog. I wanted to enter in your contest for the beautiful Breathe Gratitude Journal. I have to share a very big realization I had this week. I am into genealogy and have been researching my mother's family, who were Mormon pioneers. I found a book online that I downloaded, which was written by a distant cousin. The book describes horrible hardships, horrendous persecution (here in America of all places), primitive living conditions, lots of children to care for, not much food or money, being run out of town after having your home and possesions burned, and having to emigrate somewhere else and start over with nothing, dying family members and friends constantly... I realize that with all of our problems and difficulties we are very fortunate, more so than most people. Through all of these hardships, these people had tremendous faith and love of family and friends and truly loved and cared about each other and helped in any way that they could for anyone. They did not give up and kept trying no matter how hard the situation. That to me is huge and has really helped me to deal with some very stressful situations recently and be more greatful for what I have. Thanks so much, I look forward to seeing more of your work and blog.
Sue Harvey
ladywolfartz@gmail.com
Hi Lani, I love the idea behind your journal. I blogged this week about something similar. Breath Gratitude for what we have but not to loose sight of the suffering of others. Not to let it depress us, that does no one good. But just to be aware, to be open to the fact that the connectiveness between us all is the truth. Not to turn our heads in horror but to open our minds to the fact that we have the power to shift our thinking to encompas all of humankind.
You of all the friends I have I feel are truly in touch with such things. Your art touches people in ways that change the way they think of our togetherness. I love you for it.
Hugs
Bernie
Hi Lani, I would love to be part of your drawing my talented friend. I am grateful for each day that the Lord has given me. I think everything else falls under the act of breathing. Thank You for your kind and thoughtful site and for sharing your inspirational work. Who you are Lani shines through it. Dee
Hi Lani, Wow I guess just in time... Just talking about a gratitude journal in therapy. Your art is wonderous. visited your website again tonite. I love your art. Actually did some free hand painting this week. used alot of paper in my art this time. I am grateful for the many friends that I have met thru my journey in healing from my eating disorder.
with this disease you truely forget about others and the help & healing they can be for you & you for them. It's a very selfish disease, I realized for me. I have so many things to be grateful in the day, I just open my eyes to the wonder of the blessings that are right in front of me. Thank you for your inspiration!
Belladonna
hi lani, thanks for stopping by the blog and giving me a such a nice compliment. really appreciate that. i love the journal and that is themed on gratitude. you are right, it is easy to get caught up in all the things that need to get done, that we aren't grateful for what is happening right before us. thanks for the reminder,
kecia
Oh Lani ! How absolutely beautiful. I am very, very greatful this week as we have just learned that my sister's cancer has NOT spread to her lymph nodes. Your art is breathtaking!
Z's friend, Connie
Hi Lani!
its always a joy to be able to share our love of creating in a way that can help others, your journal for your friend is stunning and so heart felt I am sure it will lift her spirits!
My life is such a joy, I am truly blessed in just about every way! a loving supportive family and the luxury of being able to dream and play in my art studio. I am grateful for my life more then words can express!
I visit your blog frecuently although I don´t usually do comments. You are in my faves since I did my artwork, pure inspiration for me. Now I have read your giveaway and I must to say you are very generous because it´s beautiful and I know how somebody feel when a piece like that fly away. Well, sincerenly I´m grateful for my DH, who try to let me spend my time playing with my papers and paints, do shopping, dinner and is a perfect father.... everything after work of course, when we come back tired.
But I have to add my two lovely kids that make me feel alive everyday.
OH, please visit my art blog. Now I´m doing a postcard swap and maybe you want to join.
Now that I have you in my Google Reader, I can keep up with you! I'd love to win your give-away! It's gorgeous.
A few things I'm thankful for this week:
!) words from a wise woman that helped me see in a new way
2) My son's silly sense of humor
3) Two amazing women coming alongside me to teach Women's Bible study this year, a class based in meditation, journaling, and art expression!
4) great deals on supplies for my Bible Study class starting on Tuesday
5) a successful bra shopping trip! Believe me, this is grounds for standing on a platform and shouting! LOL!
What hand has led me here to read what I needed to read. Gratitude. It's not something i don't practice, but sometimes the things of the world can so darkly overshadow it, it's a struggle to stay above it all. There are many struggles I am dealing with of late, faith is my anchor. Thanks for sharing who you are and what you are. It's a blessing. xo LindaSonia
What a joy to learn of your blog through JoAnn Pierotti's blog! This morning I am not only grateful for my home, my husband and awakening to my snuggling pup, but also to Google Reader which helped me find you! Jood hopborns@gmail.com
Grateful for the link to your blog from JoAnn's blog. Beautiful art and words! Also for the fact my daughter is home from college this weekend and we were able to spend some time with my mother (who has Alzheimer's. Girl's day out!
I am so happy to have found your blog Lani. Sometimes my heart gets so heavy. It will be nice to come here and *rest* awhile.
Thank you for the opportunity to enter your beautiful give-away!
I really love visiting your site, it's always a pleasure and source of inspiration !! thank you for sharing with us.
Lani, thank you for offering such beautiful artwork for a give-away, I will hope to win :) I'm thankful this past week for the safety of family and friends that endured the hurricane in Texas this weekend. I love your new website-you are so very talented and I will enjoy visiting!
Tami
Lani I love your "Breathe Gratitude" piece. I am grateful for a roof over my head...food on the table...bills paid on time...that although my dh has been unemployed for most of this year and has only 1 more month of UI bene's I know that God will provide all that we need...for my good little car to get me/us where I need to go without the fear of breaking down... waking up each morning...the HMO for taking the approp. blood tests and providing new pills to help to manage my symptoms(diagnosed with terminal illness 6 years ago and told I wouldn't make it through the weekend...still grateful for living through that weekend)...the opportunity to make some art....the love of my husband...that we made it through another Sept 11 without another terrorist attack...that the weather cooled down so I could sleep more comfortably...so I could live more comfortably...the ability to start my ASL classes....the opportunity to be kind to someone each day...and if I don't see someone to call someone) and above all I am grateful that Jesus Christ died and rose again and that I have a deep and loving relationship with Him!
huge hugs
Patti V
Hi Lani,
I am grateful tonight for the comfort of our home and the safety of my family....with all of the tragedies this past week.. my heart is heavy for all of those who have been displaced and those who have lost family or friends. Sending out Love and Light, Peace and Healing to all...
Brenda Bliss
Oh Gosh..I hope I'm not too late..
I'd love to win..
deena@deenawarner.com
JoAnna sent me..deena
I hope I'm not too late! That journal is GORGEOUS! Though it has been a few weeks now, I'm SO GRATEFUL for meeting you, Dawn, and many other wonderful artists and the ZNE convention!
xoxo,
Kristin
Off to look at your site...
I may be too late for the drawing but that's okay - I'm always thrilled to take a moment for gratitude. Hmmmmm - I'm rateful for my friendship with a 3 year old who taught me that fingerpainting needs A LOT of paint! I'm grateful for inspirational art blogs. VERY grateful for fall weather. I am grateful for a life filled with grace. Thanks for this moment :)
Kathy L.
Hi there! I saw your comment on my blog about your splendid giveaway. We were out of town last weekend having a fabulous adventure :) but wanted you to know that I got your sweet note!
Your artwork is always so beautiful! Congrats to Ruth on winning that beautiful journal!!
There is so much to be thankful for in life, indeed!!
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