ABC Wednesday---E is for Envious Encourager of Entropy!

ABC Wednesday is hosted by Mrs. Nesbitt's Place.

Hmmm...technically that title is incorrect...but I like it anyway! Before I begin, this is the best AND simplest definition of Entropy I could find online:

The energy form of a system that relates to its internal state of disorder. High entropy levels are disordered states, low entropy levels are characteristic of ordered states.

Again, before I begin, if you are reading this, you already know my beliefs, but I have picked up a few new readers so read on if you dare. I believe in God. He, along with this belief, has gotten me through more things than I ever care to recount. I will not at any time try to convert you to my beliefs. They are simply part of my story...what makes me, Mel.

Ok...on with the post...

I, like most folks, have had several times in adulthood where I found myself wondering, "What exactly am I supposed to DO with my life?" And at most all of those times I was greeted with a neon sign from God telling me exactly what I'm supposed to do! However, one cannot grow in Christ, or spirituality, or strength, or character if all they ever get are neon signs. Eventually you're going to have to walk the walk and prove that you have faith. Do what you know and believe is right and look to the future. THAT is what this post is about.

I have been at one of those crossroads now for awhile...and I found myself praying without a solitary clue as to what I'm supposed to be doing. Folks, I *know* I'm supposed to be a mother...that's a given. But I've got myself wondering if there isn't something else I should be doing, especially financially, to help the family as well. I've put some used books up for sale on Amazon.com along with some mint condition Barbie's I've cleaned out of my collection. I've done ok, but those sales aren't anything you can anticipate or depend upon. I've also opened an etsy shop and again, while the extra money is certainly welcome it is nothing one can count on.

I was feeling particularly discouraged after viewing the successes of several of my friends in endeavors they have recently undertaken. I found myself muttering...and mumbling...and whining...and letting the green eyed monster get the best of me. Certainly not growing in character...now is it? ;) Then, He kind of smacked me in the back of the head, cleared His throat, and I got it. These successes I spoke of...in others? They were sparked by a word or two from me. Why don't you try this? Why don't you add this to your designs? Why don't you just go out with him, what will it hurt? The list goes on...it has for years. My job...what I am supposed to be doing right now, is simply to be an Encourager. No, I'm probably not going to make any money from it, but it IS what I'm supposed to be doing. Of course, as soon as I realized this I was sent someone I didn't WANT to encourage...typical eh? Building character...remember?

And so, I will continue to Encourage until I reach that next crossroad. In the meantime? Well folks, let's face it. I'm about as far away from being ready for my next big blessing as someone could get! And THAT'S where the Entropy comes in! My life currently feels like my workspace. Yeah...so cluttered I couldn't accomplish anything productive if I wanted to! While I continue being the Encourager I'm supposed to be, I'm going to get some order back into my life...and restore my balance. I've made a list of 12 things I want to accomplish in 2009...all aimed at restoring balance. I figured even I could handle one thing a month! Believe it or not, one of them is simply finding time to write once a week in my blog...another is a basic as drinking more water. A big one is clearing the clutter and I'm ready to start on that workspace. I've said it before many times, I *need* to create to find peace. Can you find peace on that table? I can't...I think it's buried under the fourth pile on the right. ::shudder:: I have no plans to create anything to sell...but I'm sure that will come later. Right now, I just want to have MY space, where I can sit and create for ME. I'm pretty certain my rewards from THAT are going to be Exponentially greater than anything monetary.

Camera Critters---Hey Ma! Need Some Help?

Camera Critters is hosted by Misty Dawn.

These pictures were snapped while I was TRYING to shoot some of my work for my etsy shop.

As you can see I had no shortage of help from my able assistant, Wally...who at this point was attempting to make off with one of my Santa ornaments.

I'll just hold that backdrop down for ya' there Ma.
Thaaaaaaaaaaanks Wally...

Hey! Shhhh...somebody is following me! Don't scare her away...she's my first! Someone is interested in my neurotic ramblings!

Why don't you join her...maybe I can have my own posse!

All you have to do is scroll down the page until you see the title "Exceptionally Bored People" on the right. Then click "Follow This Blog".

Besides the nice suprise of adding a new follower, I'm also excited that I'm participating in a showcase on etsy today. Not familiar with etsy? Stop by...there are SOOOOOOO many wonderful handmade creations there...to suit all tastes and styles. Start your Christmas shopping...or finish it...or buy something for yourself! So wish me luck...and stop by and take a look around! Miss Mel's Dry Goods awaits your visit. If for some reason that link won't work, you can click on any of my items directly to your right and you should end up at Miss Mel's.

Now I'm going to go start decorating for Christmas!

UPDATED 11-29-08 It's official!!!! I've got a posse!!!! To celebrate that fact, "Exceptionally Bored People" has now been renamed "Mel's Posse"...c'mon along y'all!

Today is a good day. Today I saw someone I haven't seen in well...since before Hope came home. This woman is so very important to me...so very important to who I am today...and I don't think I've ever properly thanked her for it.

I met Carol...too many years ago to count...at The Yankee Peddler Festival. I fell in love with her line of cloth dolls called Ragamuffins and purchased at LEAST one a year for...again...too many years to count. Over the years, running into her at YPF or various other art shows I also fell in love with her. I learned that she had been a teacher and for various reasons had left that part of her life behind and started her own business, designing and creating her Ragamuffins, bears, rabbits, and jewelry. Does that sound familiar to any of you who know me in "the real world"? SHE is the reason I sat down one afternoon and sketched out my first pillow design. I was petrified as I played with the fabric for the first time...and was sure that it was going to turn out as some horribly misshapen "thing"...as I'd never done anything like this before. But it didn't...I loved it...and I kept making those pillows...literally hundreds of them...many as gifts...and still many more sold to first time and repeat customers. Did I mention that she owns one of my very first? SHE is the reason I nervously paid my fee for my first tiny craft show and eventually worked my way up to larger multi-day shows. SHE is the reason I expanded my line to include not only pillows, but samplers, ornaments, pins, gift bags, and yes...dolls. She has gone farther in this endeavor than I ever hope to. Her talent...her faith...her love of family are all something I admire and aspire to. It is by the support of my husband, the grace of God, and HER mentoring, that I am who I am today...and today...is a good day.

I haven't created anything save for a small standing order for a dozen or so Christmas ornaments every year since Hope came home. I gave up doing shows because in all honesty, I just couldn't leave her...I couldn't imagine leaving early Thursday or Friday morning to set up and then not seeing her again until late Sunday night. The same is true with Claire...I can't do it...and I won't do it. But once again...my mentor is leading me in another direction...and probably doesn't even realize it. She has started blogging. On her blog she shows her latest creations, discusses her life, her grandchildren, her upcoming shows...and advertises for her Etsy shop. I've got a lot of ready inventory left over and Etsy looks like a good way to ease back into the business until the girls are old enough for me to get back into the shows. I check that blog every single day to see what she's up to...and it has reignited that spark...the NEED to create...my head is overflowing with ideas!

Using that spark...and a pretty good nudge from The Holy Spirit, I set off to JoAnn's to look for fabric...not just ANY fabric...but fabric with either cardinals or clouds or milkshakes. As you can see by the picture, I found some. (The picture is much clearer if you click on it and view the larger image.) I've spent this last week taking the tiniest of baby steps. Again, just cutting the fabric for the first time in close to six years brought back many fears of "this is not going to turn out right". And, again, once I got started it was like going back to a place of complete and utter peace. I finished the pillow last night and delivered it to Carol today. It is a one of a kind original...just like her. Check out her blog and you will find the very special meaning behind the saying.

I love you Carol...and I thank you from the very bottom of my heart. xoxoxoxoxoxo

::sigh:: I need a tissue...