Diana Trout's blog

Gratitude

Gratitude is a simple thing. Humble. The act brings us down to the most basic element of humanity. If we can be thankful, everything else seems to take care of itself. If we are grateful, we have shifted the focus from self-centered to global. 

I forget to be thanksful, we all do.

I wonder, if we all remembered to be grateful more often, could we find ways to make our worlds and our world better and then have more to be thankful for? Do you think it works that way?

I am so grateful to you. Each time you look at my blog, make a comment, say "hello," I am gratified. Thank you. 

Love you all, Diana

Time Keeping: Planners

 

It's that time of year when I review my planner from last year and decide whether it's working for me. This system is working really well for me.

Several years ago, I went paper-free. It was  inconvenient and unsatisfying. One day in Office Max I found Avery's 5.5." x 8,5" binder and all of their planning and calendar inserts and grabbed it.

The folks who are using their planners as little daily journals inspired me to make planning a bit more fun so I dug through my stickers and post-its and some Smash book stuff to add to my planner.  Here's the video and below I give a bit more explanation. 

I trimmed pieces of scrapbook paper for some of the tabbed pages. 

Avery's plastic envelope inserts are great for reminders, business cards, notes-to-self. 

Smashbook envelopes were hacked off and adhered to the inside front cover. A small composition book fits nicely for brainstorms. That book and the Frixion erasable pen (which comes with an extra refill) are both from JetPens.

All in all, this planning system is flexible, fun and working for me. The only drawback is that I can't find a set of weekly calendar pages with the dates/months already entered. I have to do that myself :(

As emails come in or appoinments made, I enter them directly into my computer calendar and then either Sunday night or Monday morning, I transfer everything into my paper calendar and plan my week. 

If I'm planning a long term project, after the initial brainstorming, I break everything down in dates in my Omnifocus (this is a great app for businesses). Omnifocus is hooked up to my iCal. 

 I slipped a piece of paste paper and a tag into the plastic covered front cover

I hope that some of this info helps you. Small business owners have a lot of plates spinning. My system works for me and it's been a long time in the making.

Let us know if you have any ideas about organizing your time. 

If you want to make this more of a hobby, there are TONS of videos on YouTube. Search any of the following: Filofax, Midori, Erin Condren, Kikki K. 

The Moorish Chief

If I was going to a desert island and could only take one piece of artwork with me, this is the one.

I fell in love with this guy when I was a teenager at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The whites in his dress: cool and warm, crisp and soft. The hand resting on his bent knee. His weight so convincingly resting on his foreshortened foot. 

Every millimeter of his face and figure seems to ooze a dangerous power.  My one and only bad boy.

The details in this painting are so rich and seemingly endless. I could look forever.

Austrian painter Eduard Charlemont painted this in 1878. It first hung in Paris. There is a rich history behind this painting and if you google it, you can find out more. 

Notice the power in The Chief's dark skin and whites of his robe. The placement of his belt and the ornamentation around that area (ahem) that lead our eye down to that perfectly placed foot. He's loosely holding a knife in his right hand.

So, yes, I have a crush on him. With good reason. I have a print hanging in full view of my desk. A wonderful sight when I look up. A high standard of creativity and artistic mastery to spur me on and inspire me. 

Wilding Watercolors

I'm playing in the few available hours lately. 

Watercolors one day, acrylics another.

My sketchbook lives on the coffee table. I go through a half dozen (or so) of these a year. My fav is the Canson XXL. BOGO at Michaels Crafts store this week. The above sketches have been transferred to canvas awaiting color. I am thinking restraint :)

An Extra Hour

What did you do with your extra hour this weekend? I treated myself to a really lovely outing on Sunday and some purely frivolous shopping. Some bobby pins with fake gemstones, a magazine, and a few new beads. I gave myself a manicure and hit the gym.

I learned to make woven leather beaded bracelets. They are easy to make and will make nifty gifties for friends and family. Check this ... you can search on YouTube for woven bead bracelet or Luu Chin (?) bracelet and come up with a slew of videos. Minimal supplies; maximal results.

PS: "Hitting the gym" is not a phrase I use much. I prefer Mark Twain's "When I feel like exercising, I lie down and read a book until it passes." However, Planet Fitness with its "no lunk" alarm and scarcity of those gym rats who look like they've devoted their lives to their pecs have made my gym experience a little gentler.

And a special note of thanks to Denise who sent me that very cute zip pouch pictured above. It's a wonderful printed linen. 

Let's give a cheer to a new week.