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Sunday, September 23, 2012

Day23: Today I smile because...


09/23/12

Day 23: Today I smile because.... We had a great time at the Feis this weekend. Bridget did get a first in her Slip Jig, which is one of the 1st places she needs to move toward her preliminary champion. She did a great job all around. I am reallly tired today, and my back hurts quite a bit, but worth it to see my daughter perform.

I hope you are all having a great weekend.  Sorry to keep this so short but I have about 350+ emails I have to sort through because I haven't really been on my computer in about 4 or 5 days. Between not feeling well and going out of town I have fallen behind. 
I shall return tomorrow.

What made you smile today???

God Bless,
Kimmie<3

Friday, September 21, 2012

Day 21: Today I Smile Because.....


09/21/12

Day 21: Today I smile because.... I am feeling better. I have missed the last 2 days of my 30 day (everyday) challenge because I wasn't feeling well. I am disappointed in myself for not getting on and jotting something. Blogging everyday is hard enough when you feel well, but trying to muster energy when you don't is tough. So I just didn't.

Today I am taking my daughter Bridget and 2 other girls from her dance school to Raleigh,NC for a Feis (fesh) tomorrow. Bridget has been working really hard, so fingers crossed it pays off and she does well. 

Though I would love to chat, I have a million things I need to do before leaving. So say a little prayer for Bridget, and I will be sure to let you all know how she does.

Hoping you all have something to smile about today.

God Bless,
Kimmie <3

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Day17: Today I Smile Because


09/17/12

Day 17: Today I smile because...... I'm not really sure if I smiled or not. Today was just a typical day. It was as if I went through the day on auto pilot. I believe we all get to a point because we are mostly creatures of habit that we move through our days with such routine that when the day comes to an end and we reflect back, we wonder where the time went. I got up this morning and I blinked and it was time for the kids to get ready for bed. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather have a day like today rather than a day that seemed to drag on endlessly.

Even though it was a very routine and typical day, I am doing something a bit different than I have been normally doing, I am trying an experiment in "positivity". I am going to live in the positve and not focus so much on the negative things that happen. I am even starting a journal of positivity. I am keeping it as an art journal, which so far has been fun to do. I keep positive affirmations in the form art. I got the idea from Jenniebellie.blogspot.co.uk. I follow Jenniebellie's art blog. She decided to do a vision board. I then saw a documentary on Netflix called "The Secret" dually named for the best selling book "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne. I didn't want to do a vision board though. So in keeping spirit with my new journey into the world of Art & Art Journaling, I decided I'd keep a book and call it my book of positivity.

I took an old book I bought at the re-store and I have altered it to be an art journal. This process was really a lot of fun. It took me a few days to get the book prepared for journaling in. To alter a book for this type of journaling I first had to remove about 2/3 of the pages. This is so when you begin the actual art work, it leaves room for the book to expand without putting undo pressure on the books spine. One of the most important thing in choosing a book is to make sure the book is sewn into the spine and not glued. This is because your pages will pull away from the spine and thus ruin your journal. I then took the remaining pages and glued them together by 2's, using a glue designed for book making, preferably an acid-free, or PVA glue. This strengthens the paper and allows me to use a lot of different types of wet mediums without tearing up the pages. (I saved the ones I tore out for use in future art projects)

I am 3 journal entries in, I really looked at the cover and ironically the book title of my new positivity journal is called "Wonderful Things Happen" It was once a childrens book of stories and poems. I have made my entries one of positive things in the belief that if I think in a way that is only positive, then only positive things will happen. 

I have also dedcided that I am tired of dwelling in all the stress of what has been my life the last few years. I can't change what has happened, I can't change, control or undo the issues that have put me on disability, I can't change or control the prices of gas or groceries, I can't change or control the loss of my income, and so on, and so on. I have decided however I can change my attitude about the circumstances of how I choose to emotionally handle all these things. So I am choosing to think, act and feel positive. 

Now I am not so unrealistic to think I am going to be like Mary Poppins, strolling through parks singing songs of happiness, but now when something stressful happens I will try to handle it with a more positive attitude. I will take some pics to share with you all. 

So what made you smile today??

God Bless,
Kimmie <3







Monday, September 17, 2012

Day 16: Today I Smile Because...

09/16/12

Today I smile because...... I got to do absolutely nothing. I didn't have to run a child to sports, go to the store, or do laundry or cook dinner, I did absolutely nothing. I stayed in my pajamas all day. I even slept in. Wellactually I was up at around 6:30 - 7:00 am, but I went back to bed about an hour after I woke up and then I slept until like 1pm. It was awesome. It has been weeks since I got to do nothing. I find it is very refreshing.

Well I guess I had one thing to do today, my blog post. I am determined to follow through and make sure I do at least 1 blog post a day for 30 days. Hard to believe this month is already half over. Doesn't seem like I have been doing my 30 day day challenge for 2 weeks now. 

I did have one good laugh today as well. About 30 minutes ago I was walking into the bathroom, and I have to pass my room to get there. well my hubby was asleep so I decided to shut the door so I could keep the dogs out, as I shut the door the large art easel must have been leaning on the door because it came crashing to the floor. My hubby almost came out of his skin. It startled him to the point he jumped so high he almost came off the bed. Good thing he has a strong heart. I found it extremely comical, him not so much. So not only did I get something to smile about, I had a really good laugh to boot.

What made you smile today???


God Bless,
Kimmie<3

Sunday, September 16, 2012

In Loving Memory of a loved one

Leonard P. Hogan
My husbands uncle passed away last night.This is a great loss to our family.... Uncle Leonard was the jokester /prankster of our family.  He always made you feel welcome and a part of the family. 

His presence on this earth will not go unnoticed. It is truly a great loss for the family and the community alike.

Our prayers and thoughts are with his wife Darlene and his 6 children at a time like this.  Uncle Leonard may you sing and fly with the Angels. We all love you, and we will all miss you greatly.

With a heavy heart,
God Bless,
Kimmie <3

Day 15: Today I Smile Because.....


09/15/12

Day 15: Today I smile because...... My son Jacob,(who is my 3rd child) turned 19 today. It is hard to believe he is 19. Time just flies right on by. Though there was a time when he was a child that time seemed to stand still.

Jake graduated this past spring. It was bittersweet. All the years he struggled in school with his learning disabilities, he made honor roll both semesters, and he got an A+ on his Senior exit project. At about 9th grade he mellowed out and he got less and less frustrated with school. He did decide to take a few months off and will start Community College in January. Right now he is working full time and saving every penny he can. He has an amazing work ethic for someone his age. I am extremely proud of the man he has become.

For his birthday dinner, he chose homemade mac n' cheese, fried chicken, green beans, and instead of cake he wanted apple pie. Yup that's right, apple pie. It was yummy. 

So, what made you smile today???

God Bless,
Kimmie<3

Happy Birthday Jake!!!

Kaya helping blow out the candles on "Birthday Pie"



Friday, September 14, 2012

Day 14: Today I Smile Because....


09/14/12

Day 14: Today I smile because.... I have made some progress in my Sketchbook for the Arthouse Sketchbook project. This project is for the Brooklyn Library of Art. It was started in 2006 in Atlanta and was moved in 2009 to NYC. The Sketchbook project feature's 18,000+ artists in more than 130 countries from around the world. It is open to anyone who wants to participate. Participants range from newbies like myself to some extremely talented artists. 

It costs $25.00 to participate, and for an additional $30.00 they will digitize your sketchbook. (I am having my digitized) They have a whole list of themes you can pick from to label what your sketchbook is about. Mine is still uncatorgized, I still am not 100% on what I am doing. Their website is http://www.arthousecoop.com/sketchbookproject/ There you can read all about the project, they also have message boards and forums so you can take a looky-loo at others sketchbooks.

I decided to participate when I began my journey into the world of Art and Art Journaling. I rationalized doing this by telling myself if I pay to do the project, I will not give up on this journey when it became too hard. (And believe you me, I have been more than frustrated on more than one occassion) I have only done about 1/3 of the pages so far, slowly but surely I am getting there. I took a few pictures to share with you. Remember I am very new at this, but I am pretty content with what I have done so far. I am not posting pics of all the pages I have done so far, just a few.

What made you smile today??


God Bless,
Kimmie<3
The Cover

This is a collage 
"Sometimes life turns you upside down and carries you away and takes you to places unknown....
....enjoy the ride for it may take you to your destiny. -Kim Hogan

My upside down cutie, made from 2 seperate pieces of printable ephemera. The drops of color are done with Indian Ink.



A collage, the stamp in the bottom corner is an Irish Blessing.

A handmade tag that I stained and stamped.

This isn't quite done yet. The tree is a print transfer with a watercolor backround.