Tied in Knots

If you read here regularly, you know I travel with a bag for creating all the time. I can squeeze three stitches in while I wait in the drive through or work on something if I have to sit waiting for a child to finish practice. As a result those bags become a jumbled mess of supplies and tools.

Last night I spent hours straightening out the floss and specialty threads I had tossed into one of those bags. I untangled, labeled and wrapped onto those cardboard bobbins, all that stuff. There is a sense of accomplishment to doing that. The other thing a project like this does is satisfy my need for almost mindlessness. I can think about things and I found myself doing just that last night.

I have been inspired for the ATC's for the vintage children with party hats swap from small creations. Those will now go together and be mailed this week. I discovered that I am attracted to bright colors right now instead of my normal neutral color scheme. (what is with that?) Several ideas presented themselves for my ATC indulgence project. And the design for the next baby shower gift is formed. (Another girl will be coming in December) I think I needed that little break to recharge the creative batteries.

Do you have a way of recharging? Of resting your mind and your body? Of opening yourself to the muses? Please share.

Many people read my blog. Many people comment here or email me behind the scenes. I appreciate every one. I love to see comments and share that little bit of each other. But yesterday, I received an email that left me speechless. A relative of my husband's linked to my blog through the softball website of my daughter. He took the time to read every entry, and then sent me one of the most encouraging emails I have ever received. What was so encouraging was the fact that I am not close at all to this man (understatement of a lifetime) and he is a man of few words. I really appreciate the time and effort he took to do this. I actually called my husband and said "the earth has stopped rotating on its axis." Mind you - this email was not a long drawn out thing - just a straightforward, encouraging few sentences.

Now why did I share that with you? Because each of us has the power to do this for someone. To encourage, to build up, to respond. This affected me because it came out of the blue. Think about what happened. Now think hard about someone that you can affect in a positive way. No, not the person who would expect it. Not one of those people you are comfortable with encouraging normally. I challenge you today to identify one somebody and with just few genuine, simple words, encourage them. I have already done that today and the response has been phenominal.

It's kind of like the tangled knotted mess I worked on last night. There is always that one thread that - once it is freed from the mess - allows everything else to sort itself out. Then you can use all of that thread to make something beautiful or incredibly functional or both. Maybe your encouraging words will be that thread that allows a person to impact their world in a beautiful and functional way. Try it - you have nothing to lose - and someone may have everything to gain.

Day 9 of using what i have - almost 1/3 of the way there.

Have a beautiful day and help someone else have one too.