Being Awesome // Contest Closed

I'm just kidding....it wasn't actually a contest. But I think I am done with those "30 Days of Being Awesome" posts. I will post the winner later today, just kidding! He he he. I will post a little "30 Days Re-Cap" in the next week or so...or whatever...

Also, something else I wanted to talk about today...ummm...crap. Give me a minute here to think of it. While I'm doing that, feel free to talk amongst yourselves.

******* ONE TWO THREE DAYS LATER ********

Yeah, I have no idea what I was going to write about. I let it sit in my brain, and I tried not to directly think about it, so I would just spontaneously remember it; and then I thought really hard on what I was doing right before I started typing. But neither strategy was successful. Oh well. Must not have been that important then, eh!?

I will say that I changed up the look of my blog a little bit, so if you're in a Reader, jump out and take a peek! This was completely unplanned and whatever the opposite of pre-meditated is. I got home from work on Saturday night, and was super inspired to "DO SOMETHING," so this was it (until 3am...aiy yi yi). I am a lucky lady in that my JOB is so inspiring. In actual fact, I find it to be the people I work with and the customers that hang out there that are so inspiring to me! These ladies LOVE this hobby as much as I do, and even if I have had a royally crap-tastic week they put a smile on my face. And it doesn't hurt to get a little gossiping time with Nadine, and a lovely visit & coffee from BFF!

Please note: I threw in that "symphony style" pic for symmetry, but don't I look cute? Well...doesn't my lower half look cute (sorry about the feet....) // new blog look! // this is how we roll at TM...dead animal skulls featuring prominently in western-themed photo booths. yee. haw. // Nadine & I were busy making badges on Saturday night, using TM's machine (available for you as well, at 50cents per button!) so I made up matching ones for me & BFF. He approves!

later loves

P.S. If you are visiting me in expectation of a "What to Wear" post, you are in the right place! But at the wrong time...apparently. No need for a time machine! Just come back later (evening-ish?) for my version of What To Wear On Laundry Day. If you are so inclined!

Being Awesome...Out & About

Prompt #20
Be a tourist in your own town.

Yesterday's prompt was designed to get you out exploring the great wide world. And this one is designed to get you exploring & discovering new things about your very own neighbourhood!

Go to the zoo, or a museum, or just wander around Downtown with a tourist's eye. Try a new-to-you restaurant, or pub. Find the tackiest, touristy thing you can manage - mini golf, or some sort of miniature train ride comes to mind - and do it! Take a friend along for laughs!

And this week's re-cap:
#16. Write a list of things for which you are grateful.
#17. Donate something to a thrift store.
#18. Buy something from a thrift store.
#19. Go on a mini road trip, have a little adventure!
#20. Be a tourist in your own town.

Only ten prompts left to go...I guess I better start figuring those out!

later loves

Being Awesome in Adventureland!

Prompt #19
Go on a mini road trip. Have an adventure!

I must admit that I have been quite envious of Erin's & Nicole's posts about trips to ghost towns, and Valemont, and wherever.

And with the seasons changing over, I can't think of a more perfect time to head out of town and see a little bit of the world.

later loves

Being Awesome....and falling behind!

ACK! Thanksgiving and the (stupid wonderful) Long Weekend totally set me off course with this! So you lucky readers get two tips for being more awesome today...enjoy!

Prompt #17
Donate your old clothing and/or housewares to a local thrift store.

Prompt #18
Buy something from a thrift store.

I am a super fan of thrift store and second-hand shopping! I think it is great for so many reasons: great for the environment, my budget, my sanity....

A lot of thrift stores out there are partnered with a charity, so part of their proceeds either go back into the community or, as in the case of Goodwill, they employ people with disabilities who maybe wouldn't be employed otherwise.

All around goodness, people. Plus, vintage is always in style and you can sometimes swing some very sweet vintage pieces at bargain basement prices!

YAY!

later loves

I am grateful for...

If you will think back to post #16 in my "30 Days of Being Awesome" series, you might remember something about a "Gratitude List". Now, I am reluctant to call it that because it seems to me that Oprah was a tad obsessed herself with creating "gratitude lists" all the live long day and - minor confession here - I never could stand Oprah....

Oh well, Queen of Talk Shows aside, I do enjoy a good list of things that are awesome in my life. I thought I would share mine here, to maybe inspire you to create your own if you haven't already.

And to make it even MORE awesome, I have done it in scrapbook form. Oh yeah....I'm awesome like that. (geesh Lisa, get over yourself!)

And all the little details...

I am grateful for...

new friends // old friends // "Best Friends Forever" // Zumba // new music

early morning coffee runs at work // autumn colours // my boys

my niece & nephews // notladylike // arts + crafts

colour // personal emails // having a pen pal // Instagram
little adventures // all the random things Dude says!

Also...hay bales.

I know there are more, but this sweet list makes me happy for the time being!

I'll have another "30 Days of Being Awesome" post/prompt this afternoon. I am thoroughly enjoying this project, even as it is falling flat in the real fake Internet world. Oh well....blogging is a personal thing, and this kind of a (public) list inspires me to keep on blogging and keep on keeping on.

later loves

for the scrapbookers: This was a really easy layout to build. I started with one printed Instagram, and then measured all of my squares from there. And then I filled them in. There is pattern paper, and stamps, and stencils. I tried to keep my colours and patterns balanced around the page, and made sure to repeat specific patterns in the handy triangular formation. Most of my embellishments are of the "flat" variety. I have actually found myself relying less and less on traditionl embellishments, and more on my stamp sets, washi tape, and pattern paper to finish off my layouts. That being said, I might need to have some sort of scrapbooking-supplies-online-garage-sale in the near future! Whee!

Cross-posted on the Treasured Memories Inspiration blog.

Being Awesome: Day Sixteen

Prompt #16
Write a list of things for which you are grateful.

I think that we all tend to get bogged down and a tad bit obsessed with the crappy stuff that happens in life; and seems to stack up, and the interest compounds, and it can all be a bit overwhelming. And then when you look at it all together, it can all seem like BIG STUFF, when really most a lot of it is just little stuff.

The best cure for putting all that little stuff away, is to write a list of the big and little things in your life that are really awesome! These are things that you are most grateful for, the things that make you smile.

And if you have been playing along with these prompts, you might have a couple of extra items to add to your list this month!

later loves

Being Awesome: Day Fifteen

Prompt #15
Give a Mom-friend a break and offer to babysit her kidlets...for free!

I am a mom, in case you were wondering. And I know how absolutely fricken wonderful it is to get a night "off". Hell, there were some days when I would have settled for an hour off. Or, if we're really being honest here, five minutes to pee in peace....

So why not help out a Mom-in-need and offer to take the kid(s) for a little bit so she can have a chance to pee in peace. Or, y'know, go grocery shopping or have a date night or something more exciting!

And here is a re-cap of the week that was.
#11. Volunteer your time.
#12. Take a class.
#13. Go on an "adult play date"
#14. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
#15. Babysit for a Mom-friend.

And here is the original post, so if you are tuning in part way you can at least have some kind of idea of where I am going with this 30 Days of Being Awesome hoopla..... We are about halfway done now. Is anyone else playing along with my prompts? Or trying to be more awesome in other ways? Anyone...???

later loves

Being Awesome: Day Fourteen

Prompt #14
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

I know this seems totally weird-o, but I think it's a great to be awesome for myself and for the earth. Whoa...that was lame to the extreme, peeps! Living a little more green is very important to me, and even though I have been ignoring my worms since July (bad Mom), I try very hard to be as environmentally conscious in my everyday life as I can.

Here are some more specific prompts for this one:
- Start a small compost bin in your backyard. All you need is a lidded garbage can, some brown material (dead leaves, sticks) and some green material (kitchen scraps) and a sunny place to put it. It cuts down on the amount of trash that gets sent to the landfill, and makes amazing fertilizer for your plants and garden.
- Reduce the amount of stuff coming into your house in the form of packaging. I try to remember to bring a cloth bag with me wherever I go, but even if I don't have one on hand, I always tell the cashier I don't need a bag. Then try to cram all my purchases in my purse (this is where a giant one comes in handy) or balance them in my arms on the way to the car!
- Do you have a recycling program in your city? We've got one of the best in the world, so I'm kind of spoiled with this one. Even if you don't have curbside pickup, you might have a recycling depot close by that you can use for your household recyclables. If you're not sure what is recyclable in your neck of the woods, check out your city's website. A handy tip for any recyclables is make sure it's clean (no food debris - yuck!) and dry!

There are loads more ways to bring the Three Rs into your life! This is really just the tip of the iceberg. I know Mel & Trisha would have a couple of ideas for me to add here....

later loves

Being Awesome: Day Thirteen

Prompt #13
Go on an "adult play date".

Now, I want to nip those dirty thoughts right in the butt, and start off by saying my son always comes home refreshed, relaxed and exhausted from any play dates with his little buddy down the street. It gives him a chance to be in a new space, and test his boundaries and learn how to interact with another person. Who's to say we grown ups can't have play dates as well?

Find a buddy, and find a new place to spend a couple of hours. A good friend & I spent many hours at Prairie Gardens last Saturday wandering around, taking photos, eating and just playing. It was very refreshing, and so much FUN!

later loves

Being Awesome: Day Twelve

Prompt #12
Take a class.

Better yourself. Grow your brain. Learn a new skill, or find a new hobby. My Mom & I took a basics photography class last fall, and it was so awesome! I have been thinking about taking a course on html & CSS coding, but I haven't really looked into it seriously in awhile. Maybe now's the time!

I also want to try my hand at some trade skill. Like carpentry, for example. I'll have to see if Home Depot has any of those "Handy-Lady" classes coming up. BFF is such a terrible influence! HA!

later loves

Being Awesome: Day Eleven

Prompt #11:
Volunteer your time.

I volunteer with my Community League, on the Board. I am the Secretary, and I also get the mail and write the cheques. We are a tiny little League, struggling to get volunteers, and host events, and do all the things that Community Leagues used to do back when I was a kid. I complain about this "job" quite a lot, but once I get to the meetings, or get going on cheques, I feel really great. One of my very good high school friends is the President, and I know that for every cheque I write that's one less thing that she has to worry about.

later loves

p.s. It's not business. It's your life. Why do people say that, "it's just business"? Is that supposed to make things less shitty? Is that supposed to be helpful? Also, I have really been thinking lots and lots about following your dreams vs. being labelled as "selfish" and what a fine line that is. I dunno if I'm going to post about that here, or if I'm just going to give BFF an earful about it this week...stay tuned?!

Being Awesome: Day Ten

Prompt #10
Make dinner for someone who always makes dinner for you.

This would be my Mom. She always makes a spectacular dinner for us every Saturday night. For once, I would like to treat her to something that the family made. I would definitely need to ask for some help with this one. Group effort! Now, since she reads my blog I'm just going to go ahead and say: "Mom. I'm thinking this would work out best for that second weekend in October, unless you have other plans, cause this weekend is in two days and next weekend we are all away. M'kay? Love ya!"

And a recap of the Awesome Week that was...
#6. Go out on a coffee date with someone you haven't seen lately.
#7. Send a letter or a card to someone that makes you smile.
#8. Leave a lovely comment on somebody's blog.
#9. Do somebody else's chore.
#10. Make dinner for someone who always makes dinner for you.

later loves

Being Awesome: Day Nine

Prompt #9
Do somebody else's chore.

This may sound completely ridiculous for those of you who either have no chores, or do all the chores in the house, or don't live with roommates/children & husband. But I know how wonderful it feels when Russel takes care of the dishes. Or takes out the recycle or the garbage. So this week I am going to try and return the favour and do one of his chores...wait a minute.....does he even have any? I might have to make him a list, and then take care of one of them to get the ball rolling on the rest. Yessirree. Dear Russel, be more awesome by doing one of my chores this week.

Thank you very much.

later loves

Being Awesome: Day Eight

Prompt #8
Leave a lovely comment on a favourite blog.

Now, for some of you this may not be a big deal. I mean, I comment on people's blogs all the time. But I know lots of people who ahem stalk ahem my blog and the only trail they leave behind is a website in my stats! I want to know who you are! I want to say hi, or send you an email, or ahem stalk ahem your blog.

And for you bloggers out there, isn't it just the best feeling ever when you log in and see you have a bunch of comments? And don't you want to spread that feeling?

I thought so.

later loves

p.s. this does NOT have to be anything deep or particularly witty. Sometimes when I stop by my friends' blogs i just want them to know I was there and took the time the read their posts, so I literally just type "hello" and leave it at that. Remember the "no pressure" thing I talked about when I started this little "assignment". I haven't forgotten...

Being Awesome: Day Seven

Prompt #7
Send a letter or a card to someone who makes you smile.

I love having a pen pal. I look forward to receiving a new card (& treat) in the mail as much as I enjoy sending one off!

later loves

Being Awesome: Day Six

Prompt #6
Go out on a coffee date with someone you haven't seen lately.

There is nothing quite like connecting with a friend over a cup of joe. Especially when the baristas remember you solely based on your delicious smell.

later loves

Being Awesome: Day Five

Here is your fifth prompt, as well as a re-cap from the week!

Prompt #5

Hand-deliver a special treat!

I never bake. Well, that's a lie. I bake on occasion. And when I do, I like to share the wealth! Whether it be my Friend-Famous muffins, or my new gluten-free cookies (ermagherd these are so good!). So this is a good excuse for me to do some baking. And also to get rid of some of those calories that would otherwise be going straight to my ass!

And let's look back at the week that was:

#1. Email someone who lives far away and ask them how their day was.

#2. Tell a friend s/he looks awesome and mean it.

#3. Give somebody a hug because you need it // Because they need it.

#4. CALL your BFF and ask him/her what's up!

And today's: Hand-deliver a special treat.

Again, I would love to know if any of you are playing along. Or if you've found some other ways to add some "be awesome" to your everyday.

later loves

Being Awesome: Day Four

Prompt #4
Call your BFF and ask him/her what's up?

I text BFF all the time. Like, we're talking a ridiculous amount here! But I never just call him to say hi and to chat. I talk on the phone for a living, so I am always reluctant to do that in my down time as well. But there is something so much more personal about actually speaking with someone directly, instead of the "wait for a witty response" that texting involves. Also - and my high school friends will back me up on this - I have never been a fan of chatting on the phone. This one will be really tough for me, but I am going to try my darndest!

later loves

Being Awesome: Day Three

Prompt #3
Give somebody a hug because you need it.

Give somebody a hug because they need it.

This one goes both ways. Sometimes it is so nice to get a hug, but sometimes it is better to give than to receive.

And sometimes you just aren't the hugging-type of person, but getting a hug from a friend might just make your day....

later loves

Being Awesome : Day Two

Here's the next "prompt" for you, on your quest to be more awesome.

Prompt #2:
Tell a friend s/he looks awesome! And mean it!!

This one I especially love because I know how awesome it feels when you get that kind of compliment.

And here's a little bonus tip for you...don't ever tell someone they look "tired." Gah! That's the worst...you might have well just said: "You look like shit today Lisa". Thanks a lot! You're not doing anybody any favours with that one. Didn't your Mom ever tell you that if you don't have anything nice to say, keep your damn fool mouth shut?!

later loves