Tag: upcylcing

Crack Me Up

I’ve been on a roll this past week. After months of dormant creativity, I engaged in some serious work about what was blocking me. As soon as I got down and honest, it was amazing how my energy began to flow! I started looking at things that were bothering me, not so much as problems, but as chances to create what I wanted, instead of reacting to whatever was on the 2am list.

And so, when at dinner last week I splattered salmon butter on one of my favorite summer easy dresses, I rushed home to wash it. Despite my best efforts, the spot wouldn’t come out. Bummed, I let it go. And then in the shower, it hit me…tie dye it! Barely dry, I ran out back, made a concoction of bleachy water in a spray bottle, simply rubber banded around the spot and a few other places and sprayed away. Viola’! Now I like it even more!

Check out this lovely essay about Kintsukuroi and then take a look around your home and life. What’s broken that you aren’t willing to throw out and yet maybe struggle to live with? Perhaps there are some relationships that are pretty cracked, but valued. Or maybe there’s an object, like my Bobie’s  cracked vase that I waited years to own. I love it and use it as a planter. I found a vine that sits inside and drapes over the crack. I don’t even notice it when my heart delights at it’s place on my table.

http://www.camiimac.com/good-juju-today-blog/kintsukuroi-more-beautiful-for-having-been-broken

Sometimes it’s easy to see a spot, or a crack, or what is missing in our lives, and feel badly. But sometimes, if we just reframe it, tie-dye it or fill it with gold, we hold it differently and it can become a new and valued treasure.

What was cracked in your life that you were able to MindFULLY  Kintsukuroi?

Let us know!

 

 

 

 

 

Binky Blinks

boxes

Those of you who know me, know that I have a thing for “G-d Winks” — moments, people, ideas and “ahas” that show up at just the right time. Today I had “a moment” – a short conversation with a nice guy in a cigar shop. What was I doing in a cigar shop?

I was having a rough day. No, I didn’t pop in for a smoke. I was simply driving a bit aimlessly after realizing I had misread the time of an important event and missed it. All dressed up, and with my head swimming with my mistake, I slowly wandered home down a new street with lots of small store fronts. While stopped at a red light, I noticed a cigar store with a front bench stacked with colorful and shapely cigar boxes. Hmmmm… curious, I pulled over to take a closer look. A sign said $3 each. I was drawn to the boxes even though I had no idea what I was going to do with them.

As I was waiting to pay, I noticed how relaxed some guys were, lounging in large leather chairs, TVs on, having a smoke. The store, divided in half, was full. This led to a conversation with one of the guys working there, which led to the validation of an idea I have been carrying around. We talked for a bit, exchanged info and then he leaned over, winked at me and said, “There are two bags of boxes I just put out by the dumpster and they are either going to get thrown away or someone will just take ’em.”

Score! I pulled my car around the corner and loaded them into the trunk. Between the store and home, an idea of what I can do with them popped up. Names popped up. And then, I realized. I don’t just notice “G-d Winks” now I was noticing “Binky Blinks” – my new name for ideas that come to me when I intuit possibility.

In my exploration of NEXT, I am learning that  we all make mistakes and sometimes wander “aimlessly”. I wonder if it’s not what I don’t do, it’s what I do with what I’ve done. Using the cigar boxes as a metaphor for transformation, I plan to make something new of them. And the part of me that misread the time on the event? Well, my intention is to transform it and show up in a new way.

Hmph. Now that the smoke has cleared, I think I can see it all a bit more clearly.

Where do you see MindFULL possibilities and what do you do with them?

Let us know!