Final Thoughts on Thanksgiving

As we end the month of November and head into the Christmas season, I thought I would share an experience with you.

In my work, sometimes they have motivational speakers and stuff to try and make the workplace a happier one. I went to a staff meeting where they presented a video they want to share with the rest of the work place, and wanted our input on it. It was good, I enjoyed it -- but mainly for the artistic value of it and the beauty shown. The man who presented the motivational idea was Dewitt Jones.

He is a world renown photographer, apparently, though I had never heard of him before. He has done lots of photos for National Geographic, and he talked about those shoots and how he feels about them -- telling some stories about the people he got to know through doing these assignments.

I liked his perspectives on the photos. I thought it interesting how he sought to tell a story with his lenses. Since he has become a motivational speaker, he has focused on that aspect, and developed his stories into different themes, depending on the subject he was called on to speak about.



But in this short video they played, he said that as he developed as a photographer, he found himself saying thank you after every shot. He was generic in his praise, he said he sent it out to the general cosmos -- but he felt a great need in thanking whoever it was or whatever it was that had created these beautiful vistas for him to capture.

I thought that was significant.

Our Heavenly Father has given us a great deal of beauty on this planet. We can see it and be thankful for it, or we can be sad and depressed and never see the wonders around us.

This time of year I feel is extremely beautiful. We have the glorious fall colors that we just experienced and the coming season ahead that I love -- snow! The seasons are full of beauty and capturing these scenes is an art. Whether it's in painting, drawing or photography, there is much to be thankful for. KSL.com has a spot where they share photos taken by readers and those who want share sights of Utah, you might want to check it out, they keep archives up to the past year as well as current shots.

I was glad that I had been given the chance to discover another person with artistic ability who is striving to share his thoughts and positive philosophy with others. I'm impressed with the example he shared in his presentation, and I hope all of you are aware of the joy of life and are thankful for your many blessings.

Onward to Christmas!

Oh, and if you haven't been recently, you really need to check out the recent additions to the Yourldsneighborhood website! It's getting better every day.

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The Art of Thanksgiving

Have you ever thought about why we celebrate this day, once a year? I know we've all been taught it was about the Pilgrims and the Indians, and how they made it through the summer and had a good harvest, etc.

This is all good, and we should remember those who came before, but I'm thinking now. Today. Traditions.

In the world we live in, we have so much to be thankful for. We have much, so very much more than many of those in the world. We have food, shelter, clothing, employment, freedom of speech, transportation of our own, families, etc. The list is endless.

I've been out of the country only a few times, and it's always been to Mexico or the Caribbean. To see how people live on less than $100 a week, in small apartments or shacks, struggling to put food on their tables every day, working at jobs most American's would rather not do -- it's amazing. It's very humbling, and it made me appreciate where I live even more.

At this special time, I want to share my Thanks with you. I came from a poor background; my parents both died when I was young and I spent most of my youth in foster homes. These homes were good, (wonderful by some stories I've heard) and I eventually found the parents that I call Mom and Dad.

The mainstay in my life the whole time was the knowledge of my Savior, Jesus Christ. Through all my trials and hardships, through all my joys and happiness, He has been there.

It's because of His many blessings that I can enjoy the life I now have. I have a wonderful loving husband, several happy and loving children, a home, a job, and many, many extended family members who love me.

If I were to pass away tomorrow, I would be a happy woman in the knowledge that while I wasn't perfect, I had made progress.

One of the things that has stood out to me in my transition from one home to another, was the traditions we create in our homes. One of those days full of traditions is Thanksgiving. I'm sure many of you have them -- who cuts the turkey, who cooks the turkey, who makes the best pies, etc.

Thanksgiving is a special time for me. I treasure the whole day with family, and the day is ripe with tradition. Each member has a special place in my heart for the joy they have brought. In the morning we go shooting -- which may sound strange, but having several gun enthusiasts in the family and a brother who is now retired law enforcement -- they like to shoot clay pigeons. I think it's a male bonding thing, but there are some girls that come too. The wives rarely come, which I find interesting.

I always go. I like spending time watching my brother and my husband interact with our children and their cousins and uncles. The married nephews and nieces in-laws have adopted the tradition with us and many of them join in the fun -- one of them even bringing their automated thrower. Everyone loves that, let me tell you.

Then we go home, clean up and head over to my sisters for dinner (when it's our year -- this year it's my husbands family, so we won't be going) and there will be a feast to both the eyes and the stomach. Children pretty much behave themselves, no one breaks anything, everyone helps clean up afterward, and we hang out until we're so full we can't possibly move anymore or until it's time to head home.

My children look forward to it every year.

We try to instill in them the idea of thankfulness, but I'm never really sure how much it sinks in. This year I think we're gonna talk about it the day before when we have our waffle dinner. (Which is another tradition.) Somehow several years ago, we decided we needed something simple the night before. My husband made waffles, and it has stuck. The children know they can count on them the night before Thanksgiving. We gather as a family unit and share our excitement, joy and love for each other.

I hope you have many rich traditions in your house. I hope you are teaching your children wonderful traditions that will live through their lives and bring joy to them and their children.

Hopefully it will be a tradition of love for the Savior and His gifts...as well as all the many blessings we enjoy in this free land.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

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Readying For The Season

One of the things I love about those big fancy home magazines is the large glossy photos of their homes. Don't you just see your kitchen in one of them? Wouldn't you love to have the covered chairs with matching ribbons, clean linen table cloth with matching napkins and matching silverware, fancy goblets and candles glowing softly in the romantic setting? (romance isn't only about love...)

And then reality hits. You lower the magazine to see your own table with it's plastic cover (so the wood doesn't get ruined by multiple spills), unmatched chairs, plastic plates and glasses, mis-matched flatware and worn tablecloth that has seen two generations and was handed down by mom.

You sigh.

You look at the photo and then back at your table, and then at the children happily running through the house, innocently unaware that they are the object of your thoughts.

Which would you rather have -- happy children who don't have to worry about spoiling the table, or a perfect home? Well, long ago, I finally discovered that the children were more important, but I did manage to hang onto some of my nice things.

While it's important that children know they are more precious than gold -- sometimes they need to experience what it means to take care of fine things. To enjoy them and take care of them.

We have found that children learn to take care of things through practice and example. We are fond of china and crystal in my family when it comes to Thanksgiving. My mother always put out the best, and when there were younger children, they had their own tables, usually without the china and crystal, but still with nicer plates and glasses.

Now that I'm married and go to two different Thanksgiving celebrations (we trade years like everyone else...grin) I find it interesting how different the two families celebrate things. My in-laws use paper plates, plastic ware and paper cups. We have nice table clothes, usually, but paper napkins and such. Clean up is usually pretty easy, and their focus is on family time and games. She doesn't really do a lot of decorating for Thanksgiving, and her Christmas decorations aren't usually out yet.

My family does the whole bit -- linen table clothes, napkins, (usually folded in intricate designs by my sister who loves to do such things) Crystal, real silver and nice serving dishes. It's still served buffet style, as my in-law's do, but we are much more aware of the day, we are all dressed nice, and it seems more special somehow.

It also takes more work. We usually set up things the night before, and my sister takes the nieces and nephews to help set and learn the art of fine dining. (Sometimes reluctantly...) Clean up usually takes a joint effort, but it doesn't take long with everyone washing and drying and helping clean up. We all feel it's worth it. Then we sit and gab, and usually desert is on paper plates...it all depends on the consensus.

My sisters house where we hold dinner, is very large and was built with the idea of entertaining family during the holidays and for family gatherings. She designed her kitchen with that in mind, and it really makes it nice. She usually has her Christmas decorations up as well, which really adds to the mood.

What I'm trying to get at with these two comparisons, is that sometimes decorating and preparation make a meal a special thing. Using fine china and crystal is something that everyone should experience if they can, and I think it lends a feeling of civilization to the event. I'm sure there are lots of families that figure Thanksgiving is all about bowl games and how much you can eat--but I like to think it's more than that, and we try to have our children experience it. I notice that our children act differently when at my sister's home compared to my in-law's. They act more refined, aren't as likely to run crazily through the house, and readily say please and thank you.

While they still say please and thank you at grandma's, it's usually in a teasing way, and they jostle each other in line, laugh more loudly, and generally act more casual. I'm sure there are pro's and con's to both sides, but for now, I'm encouraging the more formal of the two.

Our family feels it's an occasion to share time, memories and the finer things of life. It revolves around the meal, but that is just an excuse. We love to gather together and spend time together. Thanksgiving is the one time that everyone who can, comes for dinner -- even the older nieces and nephews that normally are too busy.



If you don't have family to visit during this time of year, maybe they live too far away for finances, or you don't have anyone living, it leaves it to you to make your holiday a special one. If you have small children, this is doubly hard, since they don't really understand the reason and feelings.

It takes time. It will come, they will grow, and you can establish traditions now that bring joy and stability in the years to come. We may not all have the ultra fancy dining rooms with covered chairs and crystal, but we can have nice things that show pride and caring about how we live and what we love.

That is the art of living at home.

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HowManyOfMe.com

There are 7 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

I thought this was pretty funny. My daughter's name came back with only 1 person in the US. How popular is your name?

Relaxing is an Art

Sometimes when we enter this time of year, we find stress. It's a friend that many of us know well. However, it doesn't have to be.

I think November is a great time to sit back and take stock of our blessings. Thanksgiving is a week away, and all of us have many things to be thankful for. Many of us have family, friends, a home to keep us dry and warm, and employment to help us provide for ourselves.

We have food in abundance available and if we are fortunate, we have health and strength. There is the wonderful freedoms we experience living in one of the best countries on the planet -- even if you don't live in the US or Canada -- I'll bet you are thankful for your homeland.

There was a book written several years ago that my mom gave me. It was a book about gratitude. In the book she suggested that you keep a gratitude journal and write down five things each day that you are grateful for.

I did it faithfully for awhile, and then discovered that I would rather enumerate my thankfulness to Heavenly Father in prayer than write them down each night. Writing them down seemed monotonous and repetitive, as if I weren't finding anything new in each day. It became a burden, when it was supposed to be helping me find peace.

I agree that writing in a journal is important and we should list our blessings each day -- but sometimes when life seems stressed, it's time to take a breath and relax.

Find a quiet place, grab a notebook, a piece of chocolate (or 2), a cup of chocolate or herbal tea, and give yourself a half hour. If a half hour is too long, take fifteen minutes -- but you need the time. You've heard the Peter Pan Mantra -- Find your happy place? This is the time to do it.

Sit and close your eyes and think about your life. What are you thankful for? The way your hubby fixed the squeaky chair for you? Or how he prepared dinner the other night to give you a break? How about your children...what have they done that bring blessings into your life?

There is so much to be thankful for. Just a few moments of thinking about it, and you'll be able to list them out on the paper. Just keep going. Think of as many as possible and see how full you can get the paper.

You might be surprised what you come up with.

The Art of Imagination

I so love it when an idea is plopped in my lap. Sunday I was looking through the newspaper, and there was a wonderful article about James C. Christensen. I thought, hey, he'd be great to write about.

In my last blog, I wrote about illustrators -- I should probably have mentioned him, but only because he has books in print with his art work in them.

This man really stands on his own.

What I love about his work is how it grabs at the imagination. It pulls you into his world, and makes you wonder why he drew it like that, or why he added that -- what is he trying to tell me? I like the creativity of his characters, the colors, the animals, the total imagination that takes place. sigh. I would love to live in his world.

What I remember most about him are two things. The first one is back several years ago when we used to watch TV once in a while, and were watching Extreme Home Makeover. There was a family in Bountiful that had a young daughter (among others). While they were redoing her bedroom, they were able to get (at least this is my memory -- I can't seem to find anything on the Extreme Makeover site to verify this, so don't get too upset anyone...) Mr. Christensen to do a mural on the wall for her of fairies, since she was really into them. It was an amazing mural, a one of a kind piece of art that I hope that girl cherished. It would have been something any of us as a young girl would have loved. The way he does fairies are just dreamy and lovely and -- well, I just loved it.

Unfortunately the other thing I remember about him (vaguely after someone reminded me) was a controversy over his last book which had a painting of mermaids and how they were depicted. After being reminded of this, I now remember reading about how a library was being asked to take the book of it's shelves because the art work was inappropriate. I remember debating within myself, and I guess I figured it was probably not something I'd want my children looking at, but I also put it out of my mind. I have a hard time with art that displays the human body without clothing, even if it's supposed to be 'reality'. I like Disney's version of the mermaid better...but that's a whole different subject. I wasn't part of the debate, and it was soon banished to the inconsequential lands of banalities.

If you aren't familiar with his work, those shown here are just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. These were the paintings displayed in the newspaper, but if you look him up here, you can see the full range of his talent and abilities. He truly is amazing.

There's no end to the places the imagination can take us.

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A Couple of Things...

I was too busy and crazy yesterday, so I didn't get to mentioning the honor of Veterans...sorry dad. So here it goes...
At this point in our history when things look bleak politically, the last things we have to hang onto are our freedoms. I am so proud to come from a family that was full of service for our country. I am proud of my son (that comes home tomorrow!!!) and his desire to serve. I have several nephews who have gone the extra mile, and one that just finished Navy Seal school...(man does he look buff!)
Without our veterans who have fought so valiantly in our past, we would not have a future. I honor them today, and all of their sacrifices. Thank you.

Also...I came across a video on Youtube...actually it was sent to me -- I don't go to youtube unless sent there...ugh. Anyway, this video is totally inspiring. I wish that I could post it here so you wouldn't have to go there to see it, as they've stuck a bunch of porn on the same page as him -- try not to look at anything on the side bars, okay??? UGH!!!

But his story is too amazing to miss. It will leave you in tears.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I0DRk8dFjI

Art as Illustration

Last week the Deseret News ran an article about a exhibition at the Springville Museum of Art. Unbound: Original Picture Book Art by Utah Illustrators. There are 27 illustrators showcased. I'll bet you didn't know we had so many in Utah! They do a special readings on Saturday mornings with the illustrators for children. You can check the times here. I thought (since I'm an illustrator) I would showcase that exhibit today, for those of you who might be interested.

The artwork they showed was for 4 different artists, but I will try and show a few more. The first one is Guy Francis.

Guy Francis has done several children's books, and they look hilarious. His work is really humorous and imaginative. His characters show lots of life, and I love the colors he uses. The book in the picture is the illustration he did for Mrs. McBloom, Clean Up Your Classroom! Great stuff. He has also illustrated a couple of games that look really fun. Go check out his site.

The next one they featured was Greg Newbold. His work is many and varied as well. The book he illustrated was The Barnyard Night Before Christmas.
Another one he did that you might recognize is Winter Lullaby. His work is rich in color and strong in line. He is another talented artist that is sought after by the large publishing houses back east.

Mark Buehner is another illustrator that is very talented.
In one of the interviews he did, he said that the most disappointing thing about doing illustrations is how they come out in the books -- sometimes it's not what you pictured, or not the colors you painted. But there's not much you can do about it -- not all of them turn out bad, most of them are wonderful, as you can see by the print of Harry Potter's Balloon Farm. He felt they came out too strong, but I see that as a focal point of his work.

Sherry Meidell's work is a whole different world. Her work is with watercolor, and so the feel is entirely different.
Her work is a little more subtle, a little more flowing in feel, and a gentler feel. I love her work with horses, and it looks like she's done many illustrations. The clip above is from Emma Jo's Song.

Another artist is Fumi Kosaka. She doesn't live in Utah anymore, but she went to BYU and studied both in Idaho and Provo.
Her work is a different feel as well. It's more of a childish feel, more relatible perhaps by a child's point of view. I like her use of color and the simple expressions on the children's faces.

Will Terry is another artist who uses bright colors and excellent drawings.
His work makes me think of stories like James and the Giant Peach. It's large, colorful and eye catching.

It seems to be an illustrator of childrens books, that your work generally needs to fit those categories. All of the illustrators I've spotlighted so far seem to fit very well within that range. However, a contradiction of sorts is the work of Ben Sowards, illustrator of the popular Christmas Oranges. His work is softer...gentler and emotional. It speaks to the child as well as the adult. He has other books available through Deseret Book as well, and I'm sure you've seen many of them.

Of course...I had to add myself. I didn't illustrate children's books, but I have illustrated a compilation of stories by Claire Bowen called Sorry, the Stork Takes No Returns. She is a great writer, will a humorous way of putting things and I had fun bringing her stories to life.



I hope you've enjoyed this weeks groups of artists. I hope it inspires you to look further into their exhibits and enjoy more of what they have to offer. Springville is a great spot for the arts, and I hope you'll look into seeing the exhibit.

Don't forget to look up the Yourldsradio...LDS music 24/7 through your computer!

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Art and Photography

There are many facets of art in today's world. I've talked about lots of them, but today I found something that touched my heart and I wanted to share it with you. It all started with the Mesa Arizona Temple.

In 2007, a talented photographer by the name of Mark Mabry Jr., was asked to put together a slideshow of the life of Christ as portrayed in the pageant. What followed was an amazing time of spiritual growth and enlightenment for thousands who saw the slideshow as it was shown during the first part of 2008 and as it has been sent through the internet.

The images have since been put together in a book that is now available through Deseret Book, and I think it will become a must have for many.

This inspiring group of photos came to my attention through an email a friend sent us, and as I watched the images unfold, I was very touched. Not only did the music move me, (Come thou fount is my favorite piece of music) but the photographs seemed to catch the very essence of Christ and his ministry. It draws you in, pulls at your heart and fills you with the spirit. I don't think anyone can watch the slide show without some measure of emotion. It's that strong.

I invite you to go and see for yourself.

I suggest you read the accounts of the various participants and how they felt as the photographs developed. Read the accounts of how they grew as a person, and in spirit during this wonderful project, and how thankful all of them are -- for the Savior. The man who portrayed Jesus had been in the pageant for a couple of years in a row, and the humility of the man playing John the Baptist is inspiring.

As you watch, maximize your screen, and turn up the volume on your speakers. You will feel the spirit testify to you of the love and grace of our Savior Jesus Christ. You will be drawn closer to him, and you will know you are loved.

This world gets crazier and darker each day. Art and music bring us closer to each other and to the Lord. Now, through the marvelous gifts of camera and talent, we are given even more.

Thanks to Mark Mabry Jr. for doing a fine job and allowing his work to be seen around the world. He has done many kind things in relation to this work. On his site is this message:
"So, if you have a soldier currently in Iraq, in your immediate family...
If they email me, name and rank and families home address, I'll send a small
print and dvd to their family as a gift. Really, I want to hear how you're
holding up and be inspired by your stories. It's totally selfish, I know, but
I'd love to know that these images continue to make a difference. Thank you for
your service."

He will be the first one to tell you though -- it was not him. It was the Lord.
Reflections of Christ

Something else to aid in your online musings...listen to the new YourLDSRadio! It's wonderful uplifting music 24 hours a day, through your computer. Check it out today.

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The Last of Pumpkins...

I just wanted to cover one more aspect of pumpkins before moving on to November. One of the things that is most fun about pumpkins this time of year is the carving. Growing up, pumpkins were all the same. No one thought to carve them any differently than the triangle eyes, nose, and missing teeth.

All that has changed. Through the years, carving pumpkins has become an art form. No longer do you need to cut all the way through the skin and insides -- you just cut through deep enough so that the light glows through. It's amazing what they come up with now.

Along with that, not only have the carvings taken on a whole new vista, but there is a lot of painting on the pumpkins as well. It is basically a whole new canvas for the art enthusiast to explore. There is carving as well that is more of a sculpture, and some of that work is amazing -- the pumpkin almost looks like butter, the color of it. This particular artist, Scott Cummins, has a site where you can view his work from each year. Go check it out -- he's amazing.

For this blog though, I wanted to focus only on the carving aspects. If you are interested in doing more than the simple carving of a pumpkin, there are several ways to do this. You can buy kits in the stores, or you can go online and find lots of patterns and suggestions. One site that looked pretty good for learning was Spook Master. They have a pumpkin carving 101 class that goes through the basics and explains things I never understood. Like I said...I have always been more of the triangle cut pumpkin person. (I can hear it now, but isn't she supposed to be artistic? Doesn't she paint? -- that only pertains to that aspect of my life. In many other ways I'm really not very artistic at all. It drives me crazy! ;) )


One of the best places to see examples of carved pumpkins is the Syracuse Pumpkin Walk. This is rapidly becoming an annual tradition in this part of Utah. My mother-in-law lives right next to the park where they hold it, and this year she and her husband took their great-grandchildren for a tour. It was an evening they all loved. She mentioned that it's become quite the popular event, making the wait and line over an hour long...so perhaps it's only for the die hard enthusiasts. This year they had over 1000 pumpkins -- all donated by Black Island Farms, the same one that had a corn maze I highlighted a couple of weeks ago.

I wanted to showcase some of the pumpkins that were displayed. Hopefully next year you'll have a chance to go see them in person. I always forget until afterward -- but perhaps you can make a mental note for mid-October. You won't regret it.


While some of the pumpkins have cartoon or familiar figures as their theme, some of them are quite startling.


Some also were cut more traditionally, as in this welcoming spot -- but they were still humorous and (as far as I'm concerned) take talent to do.

But this one is purely simple lines and flowing with the light. It's my favorite. Which one do you like best? You might have a contest of your own next year and see which one comes out on top.

And on a side note: The new Yourldsneighborhood radio is up! It's great fun, go check it out for clean an uplifting music 24/7!

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Laugh attack!

Okay...Sandra had this on her blog, and I couldn't stand it--I had to put it on mine. It was soooo funny! This poor man...lol enjoy!