Friday's Lovelies : 1.27.12

* by Amanda Oaks

I gots ze SMASH JOURNAL FEVER! It arrived yesterday & I spent some time with it (above) & I think we're gonna be BFFs. Thank you Liz for sharing your process & inspiring so many of us. Your story resonated deeply -- I've also started the Jen Lee way of journaling, so much freedom in that, love it. Pssst... Liz even started a journaling flickr group : Notes for the Journey & an instagram tag, LOVE - Eeeeee!

Speaking of Instagram (it's a sweet & free iPhone app for all you non-iPhoners) - have you heard of StickyGram? I purchased a set, it's not going to be my last, nope. These would make such sweet gifts! AND until the end of January, when you make 2 sheets of StickyGrams, they’ll give you an extra sheet of 9 magnets for just $1!

Your journey is our journey : Such goodness, truth & beauty from Dyamond, yum.

Free : The Nourishing Wisdom Workbook : Simple practices, principles & recipes to transform unhealthy patterns, spark your self-care creativity & restore your inherent radiance.

Do you stomp around on the west coast? Craftcation is a three-day indie business & DIY conference featuring lectures and DIY workshops with leading industry professionals on art, craft and food-centered small business in Ventura, Ca March 22-25 2012. -- Oh! If I wasn't on the other side of the country I'd soooo be there, looks fab!

Are you a nurse, know someone that is a nurse? Check out Nursetopia! Her post about KOM made my heart DANCE. Thank you Joni, for all do you in this world. Your co-workers are so lucky to work with you!

Geometric Garlands?! Swoooooon!

I've been hearing a lot about Birchbox, a company that sends 4-5 deluxe beauty product samples out to you every month in a sweet package for $10/m. Found this fab list of sites similar to Birchbox here.

The Yes & Yes calendar looks so awesome (on sale right now too!) : 12 months of sweet ideas, great quotes, weird-but-real holidays. When you finish a month, flip it over & use the templates on the back to make postcards, gift tags, book marks, greeting cards.

Best Of Alt :: CREATIVE BIZ CARDS - oh man. I love a good biz card, these are so fun.

My Valentine's Day Roundup from last year!




Have a sweet weekend!
Love you,


Pin It

Sponsor Love : cozyblue

cozyblue
~ simple . crafty . handmade . goodness ~

hi! my name is liz, and i am a super crafty wife and mother of two amazing kids.

my shop is called cozyblue, and i think you'll like what you find there -- customized prints and pillows, wall art, needlework patterns, journals, photos -- all of them handmade with care.

my designs and products are simple, sweet, and fun.

inspired by family, nature, and other joyful moments, they make fantastic gifts for you and yours.

but they are also more than that -- they are about creating and celebrating connections.

behind each design is the love and creative energy that inspired it. my hope is that some of that love shines through in each product that i make and send out into the world.

connect:
:: shop :: facebook :: blog :: flickr ::

Pin It

When things are shaky & nothing is working

print by nettie71 on etsy

When things are shaky and nothing is working, we might realize that we are on the verge of something. We might realize that this is a very vulnerable and tender place, and that tenderness can go either way. We can shut down and feel resentful or we can touch in on that throbbing quality.

—
Pema Chödrön


Pin It

peace is every step

print by MaryMataPhotography on etsy

Peace is every step.
The shining red sun is my heart.
Each flower smiles with me.
How green, how fresh all that grows.
How cool the wind blows.
Peace is every step.
It turns the endless path to joy.

—
Thich Nhat Hanh



Pin It

Loving The Inner Critic

Post by Jo Anna Rothman.


print by violetbellaphoto on etsy

Loving The Inner Critic

The Inner Critic can be loud. Powerful. In your face with it’s demands and constraints. It can whisper in your ear with a low purr. Telling you to stop and slow when every other pore of your being is urging you on. It can be mean. Nasty. And sometimes downright cruel in it’s relentless quest to get you to listen.

I used to think that my job was to fight it. Argue back and win. Dominate with love and kindness...with perseverance. But then something, some part of me, had to lose and I didn’t like that either. It didn’t really feel good when I could finally beat the Inner Critic back into her cave for a minute or two. I was aware of a sadness and fear that would emanate from that part of my being. Just because she was kind of a bitch, didn’t mean that I wanted to be one too.

Not to mention, the fighting did not work. With every tug of war that went on inside of me, my Inner Critic got stronger. The war provided the perfect place for her to sharpen her claws. My determination to move forward in spite of her only made her that much more determined. Stuckness would show up again and again. I would get so far and then she would get the better of me. I would stop. The Inner Critic’s mission would be accomplished and I would head back to square one.

Our Inner Critics do not criticize for the fun of it. They have a purpose. And one that is sacred and dear...one that was so needed at a point in our lives. One that doesn’t need to be carried out in the same way any longer. The Inner Critic is a fearless and fierce protector. It will go to the ends of the earth to keep us safe...safe from change, from disappointment, from our world spinning out of control as we grow into the essence of our being. This part of ourselves desperately does not want us to get hurt as we move forward in whatever adventure we are embarking on. It will pull out every dirty trick it knows if it thinks that it will stop us from greater pain. Does it realize how much they hurt us as they try to tighten the reigns? I don’t know. But I do know that the need to keep us all safe and sound trumps rational thought.

The antidote to the internal war is love. Love your Inner Critic. Just as it is. Just as it fights. See it as the little, scared child it truly is. And love it. Just as you might a tantruming toddler. Appreciate it’s position but don’t give into it. Whisper back that you are grateful for its years of service. That you have no demands on it. No need for it to do anything. That you are simply loving this part of you that is in pain. That is in pain. That is feeling disconnected from the great wonderful whole.

It may be hard to love that prickly part of you at first. But remember, it is a part of you. And all of you deserves to know that they are worthy of love exactly as they are. By fighting our Inner Critic, we only manage to reinforce that it is separate from the wellspring of love inside of use. When we love that aspect of ourselves, we bring it closer to the fold. Closer to the love. And close to the truth that we are wonderful just as we are.

Do I still have an Inner Critic? Yes. She rears up in different areas of my life. She tries to control and keep me still. But since I committed to loving her, she is so much more malleable. So much more willing to be loved. She is able to be swayed. To understand. And to let me go about my work without having to cut through a tangle of anger and fear. My Inner Critic has no interest in destroying me. She lets her fear be known and allows me to love her just as she is. Then I get to love myself just as I am.

Jo Anna Rothman, MA is an intuitive coach and facilitator of The Receiving Project. She revels in assisting people in falling in love with their lives. She is committed to living a life full of pleasure, purpose and enthusiasm. And perhaps most important, she knows the secret to the perfect s’more.

To read more of Jo Anna's guest posts on Kind Over Matter click here! Pin It

Sponsor Love : Smaller Box : Scoring Publicity For Your Small Business

Scoring Publicity For Your Small Business

Do you dream of seeing your products in magazines, blogs and even TV and movies?

Your products would be a huge hit with people, if only they knew about them. Advertising is expensive and it's hard to get noticed in the sea of competition. Scoring mentions from the media is a low-cost and effective way to get your products seen by the public.

How do I know this? I've had my own products featured in dozens of high profile outlets! My partner and I run a successful clothing label and much of our growth has been a result of publicity we've achieved. Our products have been seen in magazines, featured on high traffic websites and worn on popular network TV shows!

Now you can pitch your products the same way we do it! I've put together the ultimate how-to for DIY publicity. I'm sharing all the tips and tricks my partner and I used to land media placements. I'll teach you how to:

* Create a media list
* Craft the perfect pitch
* Build relationships with the media
* Design a press page
* Pitch your products to celebrities, TV shows and movies

Want to learn more about this offer? Pop on over to my website for details!

Pin It