If Picasso made an autumn tree...

Art class! Celebrating the arrival of Fall.

(By the way, did you know you can color on coffee filters with markers, then spray lightly with water and the colors bleed? A very cool project for kids! Will be trying this again at home soon.)

Because I dared to write

In “On Writing” Stephen King wrote,
“The scariest moment is always just before you start. After that, things can only get better.”

I perused their tweets and lurked quietly into their blog posts. I followed their tales and shared joy from their memories. I felt the familiar twinge of jealousy as I scanned all the comments and tweets among the group; I would never feel such camaraderie.

The Red Dress Club? Looked like fun. However, jumping in myself was an utterly horrifying idea. These were real writers; teachers passing along their gifts to the newest generations, published authors, and bloggers who have already reached a certain level of fame I could only hope to find.

I was not qualified.

It was too scary.

What if they laughed behind their computer screens, baffled by the nerve of this untrained nobody blogger?

The RemembRED memoir prompts were persistent, intriguing me week after week, pulling me to join in. Finally, I took the plunge. Six months ago, I linked up with my very first The Red Dress Club post: First Day.

My stomach fluttered as my sweaty hand guided the mouse to hover the cursor over “publish”. I closed my eyes and quickly, before I could change my mind, clicked. That moment was the scariest. It was the moment I allowed myself to join a group of talented writers. The moment I agreed to call myself a writer. My own kind of writer, perhaps, but a writer nonetheless.

It has been easy from there. Am I a professional writer? No, and I don’t need those credentials. I blog for fun. I blog to relieve my brain when words are building up inside.

And when a prompt inspires?
I write. I link up. I tweet it out. Then I sit back and enjoy the creativity of others.

I am uplifted when I touch someone with mine.




The Red Dress Club has since evolved and has a new name: Write on Edge. Intrigued? Join in! I promise it is not as scary as it seems.

Coolest. Gadget. Ever!

The Brookstone store in Lenox Mall was hopping with tech-savvy ladies Thursday night! Several area bloggers were invited to browse the store, touch and feel, and learn all about the amazing products available at Brookstone.

Do you have a gadget guy at home? A husband who is impossible to buy for? Check this out - hands down the coolest new toy I've seen. Every time this was flown in the store, a crowd gathered to watch:



The Parrot AR.Drone Quadricopter is sold exclusively at Brookstone. It's not cheap, price is $299. But surely there's a fun-loving person in your life who deserves a treat?

Some of my other favorites?
   The N.A.P. Luxe blanket
   The Squeez Pro foot and calf massager
I would heal my aching feet and calves while cudding the ultra-soft fuzzy blanket. Daily.

Oh - and check out Tweet Your Heart Out - tweet 4 words from their amazing anti-gravity massage chair and you can win one! Entry through 10/31. This chair? Is AMAZING. Really. I didn't want to get up. Ever.

Check out Brookstone.com for hundreds of items you never knew you needed, but that make your life a whole lot more fun.

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I was not compensated for this post. I participated in an Atlanta blogger's event and received a goody bag. The post was in no way required from Brookstone. All opinions belong solely to me..

I wish for you...

Sometimes, a writing prompt gives me an immediate jolt of inspiration. I know what I want to write and how I want to write it.

This week, Mama Kat showed this image that's been floating around Facebook:

And Mama Kat asked... "Who does it make you think about?"

No pondering needed with this one. My thoughts went instantaneously to someone. Not a person who isn't making an effort in my life, but a person who needs to read these words, take them to heart, and get the dead weight out of her life. Forever.

I am not at liberty to talk about it here
    ... which probably makes for a pretty lame blog post.

But it is not my own life to analyze, nor my own life to discuss on the Internet.

But for those of you out there who allow others to manipulate your feelings?

I wish for you strength.

For those who accept letdowns from the same person/people time and time again?

I wish for you self-worth.

And for those who hang on tightly to someone who just cannot give back?

I wish for you power.

The power to know when the time is right... and finally let go.


- - -

WW: This bed is crowded!

Amelia's bed was crowded this morning!

Kitty

Dumbo

Cat



Amelia & Ladybug
"We're both smiling!"



Also making an appearance in Amelia's bed?
Three small frogs, a turkey, a sleepy lamb, and a wolf.

Slumber party!

Link up with @BelleBeanDog and @TamingInsanity for  
iPhone Photo Phun today!

Wind and a blur of color

T-shirts and sneakers whiz by in a blur of rainbow colors. Heat from sun-warmed metal radiates through our clothes. Wind lifts my hair, tangles it. The volume of her voice rises and falls as we, too, rise up and glide down, around and around.

Mother and daughter, we survey our domain. We lean to the side, fingers wiggling at the little Daddy down below. I spot a petite train. She exclaims when she sees a playground. Grins are exchanged with nearby riders sharing our little bit of airspace.

Her joy in this moment is worth the nausea to come.

This week's writing prompt from Galit at Write on Edge: "This week I want you to conjure something. An object, a person, a feeling, a color, a season- whatever you like. But don’t tell me what it is, conjure it."  Our limit was 100 words.

Sand castle masterpieces... and memories too!

On our way to our beach vacation last week, Amelia was jittery with anticipation.

"Mommy! Look behind us and see if Grandma & Granddad are back there."

I explained (as best as I could to a three-year-old), that Grandma and Granddad were coming from a different direction and we'd meet them at the beach house.

6 minutes later...

"Mommy! Look behind us... NOW are Grandma & Granddad back there?"

- - -

Family beach trip 2011 may have been the best one yet. Amelia was at the perfect age to stay out on the sand digging, running, and building castles. She enjoyed the ocean with little trepidation, giggling as waves splashed against her legs. She happily munched crackers and grapes as her feet swung back in forth from the rainbow beach chair. She chattered and smiled. And she bossed around the six adoring adults who were there, seemingly, just to watch HER play.

And this year? We came together as a family team, once again, to build the best sand castles on the beach. One castle per day, growing larger each day:

Day 1:  The Lagoon Castle

Day 2: The Royal Kingdom

Day 3: Majestic Mountain Castle

Day 4: Mega Castle!

It was fun to build these together as a family. Amelia learned our technique early on, and she even helped for a minute or two. She happily played in and around each castle, and we allowed ourselves a touch of pride when other beach-goers stopped for photos. We brought extra smiles to the beach that week, and solidified some magical memories for ourselves too.

Sand art by Amelia
(c) Sep. 2011