Tag: inspiration

Posted in creative writing, creativity, journal, journaling, writing

New Releases! 6 Lined Journals with Unique Cover Designs

Posted on by Cynthia D. Griffin

I love creating guided journals, but this month I decided to try designing some regular journals to see what I could come up with. The results are these six lovely creations. Each journal has 120 lined pages waiting for whatever writing or journaling a person is in the mood for. The difference between the journals is just the cover, because isn’t it nice to have choices?

Here is the official description below…

This a perfect for your every day use or great as a gift. This is a 120 page lined notebook or journal ready to be used for any kind of writing, journaling, or note taking. This is also small and can fit in most handbags, packs, or even a back pocket. Journal size is 5.25″ x 8″ with glossy cover and cream colored lined paper inside.

Some of the journals like the Affirmations, Gratitude, Inspiration, and Dreams can be used specially for those particular topics, or just used for free writing or regular journaling. My personal favorite is the Inspiration journal, not just because of the image and color, but I love the idea of having a journal just for writing inspired ideas (I have lots of those)!

Here are the individual links for each of the journals in case you want a closer look.

Notes is great for note taking or jotting down on the fly ideas.

Affirmations is great for keeping track of your favorite affirmations or creating your own.

Gratitude is great for writing down all the things you are thankful for and appreciate in life.

Dreams is great for writing down your dreams overnight, or life dreams (goals) that you want to come true.

Inspiration is great for writing down anything that might inspire you, or you have inspired ideas that you want to make sure you don’t forget.

Journal is great for note taking or just a generic journal.

I went ahead and created a separate page on this blog for lined journal. So they are easy to find (because I will be adding more at a later date), and hopefully won’t be confused with my guided journals.

Enjoy!

Posted in artistic, blog, blog series, Celebrating the Journey Of, creativity, inspirational, the creative process

Celebrating the Journey Of Nature Bound Design Co

Posted on by Cynthia D. Griffin

One of the things that I have loved doing in the past on my blog is author interviews for books or series I have read. I’ve decided that I want to broaden that concept and start doing interviews for other people too. There are so many wonderfully talented individuals out there, and I want to celebrate at least some of them on my blog.

So I’ve created this new blog series that I hope to post on at least several times a month, celebrating the journeys of some interesting people I either know, or happen to meet along my own journey.

I’m going to get the ball rolling with Sophia who I met through this blog. She has a business creating handmade jewelry. I saw her products and decided I had to know more about her and her business. So I’m going to hand this over to Sophia, so she can tell you more about her journey.

I love your jewelry designs. I’m curious to know more about your business Nature Bound Design Co. Can you tell us how you got started?

I really got started through my love for nature and the outdoors.  I was born in Germany, and I was always out and about there, exploring the beautiful forests and natural areas that my part of that country had to offer.  Sometimes my family would go on long hikes as a group, and sometimes I would just spend time in the woods near my house.  I was lucky enough to live at the end of a road that terminated near a large forest, so there was plenty of nature to explore right in my backyard!  From that exploration grew a love of natural materials, like stones.

I have always been a creative type. From building things to painting and creating music, I have always felt an overwhelming urge to create. One day, I was exploring YouTube and noticed someone creating jewelry from polymer clay pieces that looked like colorful stones.  I gave this a try myself, but I found that I didn’t like the non-authentic nature of the clay or the way it smelled when baking. So I decided to try to create with the real stones that I had adored since I was young. 

Wire wrapping seemed to be one of the most popular ways to approach this, so I started devouring YouTube videos about how to wire wrap stones.  After much practice, I got good enough to feel comfortable opening an Etsy shop to sell what I had created.  Close friends were my first customers and support, and I am so thankful that they provided me a foundation to get started!

Tell us a little more about the products you make?

I create mostly wired wrapped jewelry, although I do some beaded pieces that are strung together without any kind of wirework. My hope is to start doing some projects with leather this year, since I just launched a men’s line, so I will be offering woven pieces soon as well!

What makes jewelry making so special to you?

Continue reading “Celebrating the Journey Of Nature Bound Design Co” →
Posted in Christmas, inspirational, seasons greetings

A Christmas Card To You

Posted on by Cynthia D. Griffin
Image From Pixabay

I love receiving Christmas cards in the mail. We even have a doorway we hang them all up so we can see them every time we enter the living room. The cards aren’t just lovely thoughts that come in the mail, I use them as a Christmas decoration too.

Sadly, I’m not that great at sending out Christmas cards myself. Last year, I actually sent out a Christmas letter, because we had moved and I wanted to keep everyone up to date about how we were doing, and it just felt right to do. But I really suck at keeping up a tradition that others seem to like to do.

Maybe that’s part of my problem. I never liked to follow the crowd. I always liked doing things my way. And I often buck “traditional” things, especially if it’s expected. Yep, I’m a total rebel. lol…

I struggled with whether to send out cards or a letter this year, and ultimately decided to just stop trying to be like everyone else. I’m just not a send-a-card kind of person. I am a blogger though. And I do love finding fun ways to lift people up and let them know I care about them. So instead, I’m sending Christmas wishes through my blog this year.

The best part is that by posting a Christmas greeting on my blog, I’m not just sending a greeting to a select few, I’m sending it out to everyone. So here you all go, whether I know you personally or not, here is a Christmas card greeting for you.

My Dear Friends (and Family),

Continue reading “A Christmas Card To You” →
Posted in a guided journal, journaling, self-improvement, writing

New Release: In This Moment, I Feel… A Guided Journal

Posted on by Cynthia D. Griffin

Here’s my newest journal in the Journaling To Feel Good Series. In This Moment, I Feel… is all about taking time to stop and enjoy the moment.

That has probably been one of the hardest things for me to do is to stay present. I get so busy thinking about the past, or dreaming about the future, I often overlook where I actually am. That’s why I created this topic.

I have been journaling in a proof copy for a little over a month with this one. I don’t use it every day. Maybe three to four times a week, but each time I do, the prompts really help me see what’s around me with fresh eyes, which is quite a lot of fun.

Here is the official book blurb.

When we take the time to be present in the moment, we step out of the constant chatter of our minds to see what really is. We are no longer living in the past, or the future, but in the now, and the now has so many wonderful gifts to offer us. We can also cultivate a deeper awareness of ourselves that can bring positive change to our lives. This guided journal is a great way to step into the moment, and regularly enjoy the here and now.

This is the third book in the series. I feel Peaceful Because… and I Feel Appreciation For… are the first and second book.

And look for two more journals coming out by the end of the month! One more for this series, and another one that’s a stand alone called The Daily Self-Care Journal.

Posted in inspiration, inspirational, writing

Speak Your Truth: Keeping Calm During Upheavals and Chaos

Posted on by Cynthia D. Griffin

speakyourtruthgraphicMost people like a nice quiet kind of life. And probably most people achieve that to one degree or another. Unfortunately, life doesn’t always stay quiet. Every once in a while, a series of events leads life into upheaval and chaos.

A lot of emotions are usually attached to upheaval and chaos when it occurs. Anger. Panic. Sadness. Despair. Frustration. Maybe some of it is bitter sweet. Maybe we know the end results will make things better for us, but impatience plagues us each and every step.

It is so easy to be swept away by the emotional tidal waves that buffet us as we try to move our way through a chaotic time. Sometimes the emotions and events are so abrupt and intense, we are left numb and in shock.

All of these emotions may be valid and deeply felt, but they don’t help us stay calm in a storm. They don’t help us find our center so we can navigate our troubled waters with clarity.

Acting out of impulse is not always a bad thing, but a constant series of reaction instead of calculated action can have serious consequences. It can even make chaotic times in our lives even more so.

Our best course of action sometimes is to do nothing for a time so we can reflect on our emotions and circumstance, and we can make more informed and Continue reading “Speak Your Truth: Keeping Calm During Upheavals and Chaos” →