{life reflections}

. . . . . . . . . . 

{life reflections}

 Weekly thoughts and rambles. A glimpse into my mind and world. 

These are entries that I might jot down in my Happy Diary; what happens when we put our fingers to the keyboard and allow our thoughts to flow uninhibited. Reflections from the soul. 

Reflections of life.  

I hope to leave you inspired. 

If you want to share your own reflections of the week please leave a link to your "life reflections" entry in the comments for all to find and see.

. . . . . . . . . .

It's been a very very busy couple weeks! I always feel like I'm ahead with work when it comes to markets, that I have lots of time. And then I blink. And the market season is here. So I've been rushing around getting ready… and feeling rather overwhelmed. Stress seems to come in spurts for me, almost always to do with work one way or another; deadlines or money. They are difficult issues to work around and feel good about sometimes, but they are things I practice more and more, especially when you know how the Law of Attraction works and how if you feel as if you don't have enough time or enough money then you won't. So I've been telling myself every day; there is no need to stress; I have more than enough money, I have more than enough time, everything will get done and everything will be fine. It's true. Things always have a way of working out, so I need to keep that in mind during those times when I feel overwhelmed. Ironically, I stumbled upon one of my older posts about "learning to not get overwhelmed." How appropriate. Thank you Universe. 

Well, I'm off to actually take a day off and relax and lay in the sunshine for a while. Today is mine and Cory's 9 year anniversary. Nine years! That's crazy! So I'm going to spend the day with him and then later today is my bestie's birthday party so should be a super awesome day--and a nice relief from the chaos of my current mind. It's a dress-up party too, how fun is that?! 

Hope you're all having a lovely day and enjoying life and remember to smile even when you feel stressed or down. Oh the power of a smile or a laugh. Mood transforming! :) 

Love you all! Sending you happy positive energy and a skip to your step!  

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

{life reflections}

. . . . . . . . . . 

{life reflections}

 Weekly thoughts and rambles. A glimpse into my mind and world. 

These are entries that I might jot down in my Happy Diary; what happens when we put our fingers to the keyboard and allow our thoughts to flow uninhibited. Reflections from the soul. 

Reflections of life.  

I hope to leave you inspired. 

If you want to share your own reflections of the week please leave a link to your "life reflections" entry in the comments for all to find and see.

. . . . . . . . . .

Has it ever been a busy life lately! I can hardly keep up with orders (in a good way ^_^) while also trying to juggle getting ready for this year's market season! Sometimes being self-employed requires more discipline than I seem to have. The free spirit in me perhaps. I think I just maintain the faith that everything works out--because it always does. Reminding myself that there is always enough time for everything that I want to do helps too. When you tell yourself you have enough time then the Universe magically rearranges itself so that there is. Magical! I love the Law of Attraction. I still don't understand how people refuse to follow it sometimes. I mean, I get that it's hard to wrap your mind around at first, but what's the harm in believing it? Especially because it Does work. Granted things don't always happen when we try to manifest them, but there's always a reason, whether it be our own unwillingness to believe or because we're forgetting to immerse ourselves in the whole "make-believe" of things already Being so that they actually Are. If you haven't read "The Secret" or don't know much about the Law of Attraction, I've probably lost you. I'll just skip ahead to some other random thoughts for the day, but I wanted to slur out some Law of Attraction stuff first because, well, that's where my ramble was taking me today. 

I've been busy. That's where I was right? 

Work is fantastic. I love my job! I need to manifest a little extra time to make sure I'm blogging more though too--I've forgotten a few posts last week (you may or may not have noticed) so I'm trying to be more on it. Especially because there are still articles that I want to take some time to write up and don't want to rush through. I also want to try and blog more about things you all want. And I don't know what you want or don't want unless you tell me. ;) I love getting feedback, good or bad, because it points me in the right direction and gives me material for improvement. That being said, this is still my blog and so I'll still be writing about whatever the hell resonates with my heart. ;) 

Life has been busy. Good busy. There is always room for friends and laughs and relaxing. I've been taking part in the 30x30 David Suzuki Challenge as well this month; spending at least 30 minutes outside for 30 days. I'm usually outside for much longer than 30 minutes a day, but there are some days when I'm working hard (and since I work from home) when it seems like an effort to squeeze in that 30 minutes. I'm glad I'm doing it though because it is that push on such days. It's so important to be outside. It's so important to spend outside in the grass or dirt barefoot as well. We are so filled with positive ions (those are the bad ones) from all the electronics around us and from always wearing shoes and being in buildings, that those positive ions don't actually have an exit and so the negative ions can't replenish. When we are barefoot outside then we are grounding ourselves and therefor are able to release those ions. It's good. It's important. And we don't do it enough. You feel instantly better. If you are depressed or if you have a headache or don't feel well, just spend time outside barefoot and you'll better in no time. For real. Like magic! But not… because it's just the way ions are. So my 30x30 challenge has been just as much about being barefoot and grounded as it as been being outside. I love it and I will definitely implement this into my life. Of course it's easier in the warmer months, but at least it's a good place to start. 

People are funny. That's where I'm going next today. Emotions, conflicts, and relationships become so entertained, it's hard to tell what you're doing sometimes--or what others are doing for that matter. It's important not to over think things, not to create problems that don't exist. It's the whole reason I wrote the "Tips to Self Care" post because I felt it was an important post to write this week. Negative emotions are plagues to our bodies and minds. Feelings like jealousy, envy, insecurity, anger, all those things, they just don't really have a place in your life. Not a beneficial one anyway. Sadness and anger are good passing waves, they are reactions and feelings from the heart. Things like insecurities, jealousy, and envy are created from the Mind. They do not serve you so it is important to unlearn them. Plus the more you focus on those feelings the more you'll attract things that will make you feel them again (a little more Law of Attraction for you). 

Life is beautiful, it is grand, it is full of possibilities, opportunities, and magnificent relationships, but you'll never find those wonderful things if you close yourself off from them.   

That's all from me today, I'm off to relax with some tea and take a day to write and draw and work on my Book. :) Hope you're all having a fantastic long weekend and making the most of what's around you and filling yourself up with gratitude! 

Much Love! 

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

{life reflections}

. . . . . . . . . . 

{life reflections}

 Weekly thoughts and rambles. A glimpse into my mind and world. 

These are entries that I might jot down in my Happy Diary; what happens when we put our fingers to the keyboard and allow our thoughts to flow uninhibited. Reflections from the soul. 

Reflections of life.  

I hope to leave you inspired. 

If you want to share your own reflections of the week please leave a link to your "life reflections" entry in the comments for all to find and see.

. . . . . . . . . .

It's been an interesting week. Being self-employed means work can come in waves. There are times when you're struggling, and other times when you're so busy you don't know what to do with yourself. Truth is, even when sales are slow, I'm still busy. Maybe I take on too many projects, but it doesn't feel that way, not when these projects are things that I enjoy and live for. And that's what life should be about (aside from the meaning of life, which is to be Happy); chasing your passions. No, wait… not "chasing," Living! Living your passions. Yes, that's right. Okay, so, living your passions is what it's all about, it's what you should be doing, it's how you should be living your life. If you have dreams and aspirations that you've put on hold because of (insert reason here) then maybe it's time to dig those back up and make time to do them again. It's like what I talked about on Thursday about Thriving and not just Surviving; you spend so much time at your job that you Should enjoy it. This brings me to the wisdom I've seen before that if you don't enjoy your job then you're doing something wrong, and that you instead should be doing the job of your dreams instead of making excuses not to be doing so. 

I always wanted to be a writer. That was what I was going to go to University for. I'm glad that I didn't go to University, as it turns out life took me in a few circles anyway before I would get back into writing again. It's not just a hobby for me anymore, it's my way of passing along the lessons that I've learned in life so that I can help others. That was the other thing I wanted to do, was to help people. Both were things I didn't know how to make a career from. They were kind of pushed aside, but not really in a neglecting sort of manner, more of a twists and turns of life sort of manner that simply dropped them from my attention for a while. First I needed to work on myself. You can't do much for others if you're not helping yourself after all. So in my twirling life experiences, I became focussed on health, went vegetarian, went vegan, and wanted to write about it. I started blogging. One thing led to another and this blog has grown and expanded and unravelled into the beautiful place it is today. 

Funny how life does that?

I'm also drawing and writing fiction again, something I dropped when I was about sixteen or seventeen. I love writing. Did I mention that already? I'm not the best writer (although I did receive the Writing 12 award in school when I was a grade below that class), but that's not what I'm about anyways. Like most things in my life, I go with the flow, learn as I practice, and sort of just do my own thing. However that turns out, as long as I'm happy and enjoying myself, then I'm happy with it. I don't understand how people can get so caught up in the technicalities of Everythinggggg. I'm not that sort of person. Never have been. I don't really believe in "one answer" solutions. Life is too complex. Everything is too complex. Maybe that's why I never enjoyed math. 

Do I have a point? Right; Living your Passions. That's what we were talking about right? Or, rather, that I was rambling about. ;) (are smiley faces proper punctuality?) 

So, yes, Live your Passions. Don't get caught up in the hows and whys and technicalities. Focus on your passions and they will lead the way to your dreams one way or another. I always say, go with the flow instead of resisting things. Going with the flow is going with the current and it will bring you to wherever it is that you want to go. I promise. Promise promise. 

Well, that's my ramble for today. My friend got tattooed the other day and it has me desperately wanting to get tattooed again. I would start rambling about that but then you'd never leave my blog and I'm sure you have things to do and people to make smile, so I won't keep you any longer. ;) 

But I will leave you with a few articles I want to write about this week (that I will hopefully get to): Tattoo Standards; and Being Self Employed. Because I get quite a few questions about both these subjects. 

Anyway, let me know if there are other subjects you would love to see me write about (not that I don't already have a bizzilion ideas). And let me know about your lovely week, what you've been up to, your own "life reflections" (you can leave links to your own posts if you'd like, or just leave a rambling comment like me ;)). 

Much Love always always! xoxo

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♥ Permaset Aqua: Eco-friendly textile printing ♥

Today I thought I would share the inks I use for all my silkscreening. :)

When I first started silkscreening over a year ago I was determined to find eco-friendly inks. I mean, I use eco-friendly fabrics and try to do everything as eco-friendly as possible so it didn't make sense to me to use toxic inks that would wash down the drain and pollute the world as well as be toxic for people to wear. So in my search I found Permaset, an amazing environmentally-friendly, non-toxic, water-based textile ink. Put simply, I love them. 

Permaset inks are a revolution in textile screen printing inks. Based on carefully selected pigments and the latest advances in polymer technology, Permaset delivers pure colour, a superior soft handle and excellent durability in an easy to use ink that is environmentally friendly.

Why water-based inks?

Most textile inks are just plain terrible, and most are plastisol inks. Plastisol inks contain PVC and phthalates that are harmful to the environment and have been linked to numerous medical disorders. Plastisol inks also require the use of harmful solvents in the cleaning process. 

Water based inks do not contain PVC or phthalates and you don't need solvents to clean the screens down after they've been used - you can clean them with water, hoorah! 

Permaset Aqua inks do not contain ozone-depleting chemicals such as CFC's and HCFC's, aromatic hydrocarbons or any volatile solvents. In fact, Permaset Aqua inks do not contain any toxic chemicals at all. It is formulated free from Lead and other heavy metals and passed the Oekotex Class 1 standard with 60% to spare. Plus, it's safe to use on underwear, swimwear, and even baby clothes.

So, simply? I feel comfortable using them and selling my customers products that aren't going to poison their skin! 

Permaset also has an amazing selection of colours and options. The inks are really nice to work with, and since I have used other brands of ink when I very first started I do have something to compare them to. The inks glide on smoothly and are easy to work with, they also dry quickly and are just plain beautiful and vibrant. Best of all? They are non-toxic and are the most eco-friendly in the industry. 

They also have printing ink for paper, cardboard, glass, and plastics, which I have not yet tried but hope to soon. And they have specifically made inks for bright and dark toned fabrics for unmatched results.

I have a few new projects in the works, that I'm not going to reveal too much about yet… it has something to do with leggings and bright colours ;)… but I am very excited to be trying out some new colours and to share new experiments and projects with you very soon. 

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☺ The Productivity of a Day Off ☺

A day off. It seems like this foreign concept these days, like a crazy fantasy land that only exists in our imaginations. A day off? But I have deadlines, things to do, things to accomplish, this and that and more. There's no time for a day off. We feel like we can never rest, as if we aren't allowed to take it easy when we have all these deadlines and things to accomplish and do. Well, I'm here to tell you that if you want to be productive and if you want things to go smoothly, then take a day off for just plain pure fun and relaxation and for You! 

Okay, there are some things that are overly obvious when it comes to the benefits of taking a day off, but I will be elaborating and making you realize just how much you need to actually take time for yourself, to Enjoy yourself, to Enjoy life, to laugh, and feel relaxed. 

Truly what I want to get across here is to realize the importance and Productivity of taking a day off! It may sound like an oxymoron, but I promise you it isn't, here's why… 

If you don't refuel then you're running on empty. If you're running on empty then how can you possibly be that productive? Things are going to take much longer than they should. It'll be more difficult to focus. It'll be more difficult to concentrate and prevent your mind from wondering. It'll be difficult not to feel frustrated. Refuel! There is no point in running on empty!

Life is meant to be Enjoyed! Aka, life is meant to be Lived! The point of life is to be happy, if you're not happy then what's the point? If you're not doing the things you enjoy then you are wasting your life away. Put the excuses aside and learn to take that time that is absolutely necessary for yourself. Remember, the only time that matters is right now, so stop placing happiness in the future or it will forever stay there just out of your reach. 

It's not Selfish. It Is Selfish. There is nothing wrong with being selfish, for if you can't make yourself happy and be all that you can be then you are useless to those around you. You must first help yourself before you can be of service to others. So be selfish, take a day off already!   

Good Thoughts Attract Good Things! This is the most important point I want to talk to you about today. If you truly feel like you don't have time to take a day off and none of the above points have yet convinced you, this is the icing on the cake, the "big" reasoning behind actual productivity resulting in taking a day off. *deep breath* okay… 

It is the most basic principle of the Law of Attraction (therefor Life) that if you want Good things in your life then you have to Feel Good. If you don't take a moment, a full day, to Enjoy yourself then you can't get onto a higher vibration, you can't get onto that frequency of feeling good, and therefor on the frequency of Receiving Good Things. It's really quite basic when it all comes down to it; Feel Good, Receive Good. This point is absolutely relevant, because if you don't feel like you have Time to take off to enjoy yourself then that will always be your reality. If you don't think there is ever room for play, then there never will be. Until you decide to stand up and change your routine, to change your life, to change your habits, and to change your attitude, then you will remain in the same circle where you have to work hard constantly just to survive. That is not life, that is not living, that is not joy. 

Say you want a better job, a raise, more free time, less stress, and so forth, then you are not going to receive those things until you put yourself on the frequency of receiving them. And to be on the frequency of receiving those things, you Must Feel Good. And to Feel Good, you must must must do the things that make you happy--which usually involves (you guessed it!) taking a day or two or three off to truly feel joyous and happy and stress-free while doing them. You know, taking a breather. Again, if you spend your entire life thinking that you need to work hard in order to get further in life then that will always be your reality, you will always be reaching for it, and chances are people will always take advantage of your overly hard work ethic. I'm not saying be a slacker. I'm just saying that you are Allowed, Deserve, and Need time off for joy in order to receive any good things in your life. 

Rearrange your priorities. Figure out what you truly enjoy, what makes you happy, and do those more. That pile of work will always be there, no matter how hard you work, unless you put yourself on a positive frequency. That day off will always be in the far off distance, buried under the workload you are creating yourself. 

So the next time you feel too busy for a day off, remember the Law of Attraction. Remember that in order for Good Things to come you must Feel Good. You must spend time on Joy. You will be amazed by what transformations will happen in your life, quite often immediately. All of a sudden that big pile of work will magically be done for you. All of a sudden you'll get a raise and not have to work as many hours. All of a sudden your dream job will appear. All of a sudden your relationships will improve, your life will improve, and all Good Things will begin to come to you. 

Productivity is only relevant if you are feeling good. Productivity means nothing if you are constantly attracting more work. If you don't make time for play then there never will be any. Take a day off, even if you feel like you can't, and go out and enjoy life to the absolute fullest! Make Happiness your priority, take that day off to focus and feel joy in its most vibrant form and watch all Good Things come to you.  

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☺ Motivational Mondays! ☺

 We're taking back Mondays!!!

"Motivational Mondays" are fabulous tips to get you excited and pumped for the week! 

Feeling low? Moody? Down on life? Well, that's what these posts are for! Time to feel awesome again and get some Positivity rolling! Just because it's Monday doesn't mean you can't have fun, smile, and enjoy Today! Apply these tips to your week and try to tell me that you don't start to see an improvement in your life! ;)

It's all about You! Change your perception, change your attitude, love your life! xo

☺ Cheer Up! It's only Monday! ;) There is plenty to smile about, to be grateful for, and happy experiences waiting to be had if only you choose to Cheer Up and seek out the best. Opportunity is only found when you accept it and welcome it into your life, so grasp the opportunity to smile and to welcome all the goods things just waiting to leap into your day. 

☺ Cheer Someone Else Up! While we're on the topic of cheering up… on your happy little path be sure to cheer up at least one other person today. Make your positive attitude so contagious that it spills over onto others.

☺ Declutter Time! It's hard to feel "zen" or relaxed or focussed if you have a constant clutter, whether it's in your workspace, living room, kitchen, or space just for you. Do a little (or big) cleanup, sort through what benefits and enriches your environment and what is just sitting there doing nothing or unappealing. Also, dare to clean out your fridge and freezer, it's scary what can lurk in there! Clean up your environment and you'll clean up your headspace and soul.   

☺ Have Fun Working! First, pick up an unbreakable positive attitude, next do everything you need to do to make your job fantastic. Listen to some awesome tunes, dance around (whether or not others are looking), have amazing conversations with customers, do something silly, take breaks. Do whatever it is you need to do to fill your work day with bliss. 

☺ Watch "Yes Man." Because this movie is always an awesome one to rematch and pick up that awesome "yes" attitude to enhance your life. You know, life is about living, so live a little! ;) 

☺ Challenge yourself! Spend the next 24 hours without Complaint, or Criticism, or Speaking of the Past.

☺ "Judge nothing, you will be happy. Forgive everything, you will be happier. Love everything, you will be happiest." - Sri Chinmoy Pick up that loving attitude, that surrender to all things positive and watch how your life transforms and blossoms. 

Have a beautiful day, week, life! Much Love from me to you! 

Create a Nice Day! xo

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♥ Artwork Sneak Peak! ♥

Two drawings I've been working on this week. Very little sneak peak, there's a lot more to these. ;)

Hope to have them fully coloured and in the shop next week. :)

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☺ A New City, A New Life? ☺

I couldn't quite decide what to blog about today, and then it occurred to me; the thing I have been struggling with lately, the Move to a new city.

That's right, today's post is a bit more of an inward look. I'm far from perfect and I struggle at times with things as well. The point is to realize what isn't working in your life so that you can correct it. 

The move has been a mixed blessing, as any Change seems to be. Probably has something to do with our human nature to resist change. Well, I have learned better, so it's time to look at things more positively no?

So here's the question: What do You struggle most with when you move to a new city? 

For myself, Friends seems to be the big one. I have always had a hard time with friends for some reason, very likely some deeper routed issue that goes back to my childhood. Regardless, I have a hard time meeting new people. I work from home. I don't have a whole lot of hobbies that get me "out there". So how does one approach this issue? 

I like people, that's not the issue. Perhaps I'm a tad picky when it comes to real friends though. I mean, REAL friends. You know, the ones that you can share anything with and would do anything for. I miss mine back in Edmonton. But moving to new places means lifestyle changes and time to step out of ones usual habits and comfort zone and get to know new people, right? Well, at least I think so. 

(myself and my two favorite sweethearts back in Edmonton)

I have debated even getting a part-time job that gets me at least a bit more out in the public. Yoga is another one I'd like to pick up this week. I'm also debating getting back into Skateboarding for the simple reason that there is a Girl's Skate night every Thursday here. 

So, I guess this has two questions and a bit of rambling on my part ;p 

How do You meet new people and friends? How did you meet your closest friend? 

And what you find intimidating about a new city? 

Let's hear your stories and ideas!   

Peace & Love,

xo

~Bianca 

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