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Monday, December 11

self portrait challenge {Red}


my red shoes, canon digital rebel xt

These red shoes make me happy. I know there is that old adage..."no one can make you feel anything" but in this case that's not true. These red shoes really do make me feel happy. When I slip these ruby shoes on my feet, I feel like all I have to do is do like Dorothy does in Wizard of Oz and click them three times so I could go anywhere, be anything, do whatever it is my heart desires.


boho, canon digital rebel xt

You see...they have some magic instilled in them from their previous owner who sent them my way for good measure. I am so grateful for this magic sprinkled from her beautiful soul to these beautiful soles.

A darling friend of mine emailed me five things she was grateful for today... beckoning me to do the same. I love being asked about what I am grateful for because it helps me get out of a funky headspace and into a lighter one. Often, when I am feeling a bit down (or grumpy), my husband asks me to tell him three things I am happy about. Being asked to focus on gratefulness really works for me. It shifts me into a much more peaceful place. Because, although some days I do wake up fully aware of the goodness around me, there are also days when life's noise gets in the way of me being able to see that goodness clearly.

I am going to list five things I am grateful for and I would love for you to respond with some of your own gratefulness. If you can't think of five...even one is better than none!

1. Firefly lights hanging in our bedroom.
2. Being pleasantly surprised with three photo shoots in two weeks!
3. Running out into the gorgeous sunset today to take pictures of my shoes.
4. Leonie guiding me to this cool blog.
5. An owner of a bead store teaching me a cool knotting technique with leather and then giving the leather to me for free! He's such a cool hippy in his late 60's. Definitely left me with good energy for the remainder of my day.

44 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

yeah! the red shoes, so gorgeous on you and I imagine they did bring you a few of my secrets to you.

December 11, 2006 at 6:03:00 PM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

5 things I am grateful for:

1."The Last Kiss" Soundtrack

2.The random act of kindness I saw unfold last Saturday: http://travelsinwind.blogspot.com/2006/12/random-act-of-christmas-kindness.html

3.Finding your blog!

4.The spa gift card I am using this week!

5. The warmish weather here in Charlotte today (much warmer than last week!)

LOVE YOUR RED SHOES, BTW

December 11, 2006 at 6:20:00 PM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

thank you for this....

five things i am grateful for:

1. time with my loved one.
2. girls' night coming up on friday.
3. connecting with my boss on a more emotional level.
4. the community of bloggers.
5. books and art.

December 11, 2006 at 6:38:00 PM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ooh, I love Gluten Free Goddess...even though I don't cook...I just keep reading her for the occasional photo she posts of her New Mexico surroundings. (We have a tiny parcel in No. NM.) Those shoes are fabulous.

December 11, 2006 at 6:59:00 PM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Those shoes are adorable... and I really needed to read this today, so thanks. 5 things I am grateful for... my dad, my mom, my hubby, my friends, my self...
and one more- the gift of finding you.

December 11, 2006 at 7:27:00 PM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

love your red shoes! i have about four pairs and wear them every chance i get. i need to be more grateful in my life, thanks for the inspiration.

December 11, 2006 at 8:03:00 PM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

We match this week. Both the shot and the shoes look great.

December 11, 2006 at 8:05:00 PM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

1. Yummy sushi and conversation with my best girlfriend today.

2. A really kind barista at Starbucks.

3. Fun clients and lots of much-needed $$$!

4. Laughing out loud today.

5. A new boy :)


Love to you darlin'!

December 11, 2006 at 8:39:00 PM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You, the fabulous previous owner, and the red shoes are all magical! Thank you for reminding us of the wonderful power of shifting our thoughts and embracing the goodness around us, no matter how big or small. Some days it takes some effort to refocus, but it is so very worth it.

xoxoxo....click those gorgeous heels and make a wish.....xoxoxox

December 11, 2006 at 9:13:00 PM PST  
Blogger Deirdre said...

Love, love the shoes, they're so cute. Thank you for the reminder to be grateful for the little things, sometimes I forget. And thank you for the gluten-free link. Celiac runs in my family, and while it seems to have skipped our particular branch, it's always on my mind that it could show up any time and I like to have access to information.

December 11, 2006 at 9:33:00 PM PST  
Blogger Georgia said...

Fabulous shoes!!!

Okay five things...

1. The hubby
2. The kids
3. Good friends
4. Pumpkin Cheesecake... (yum)
5. a roof over my head

December 11, 2006 at 10:47:00 PM PST  
Blogger kelly rae said...

i am in love with these shoes! and i photo shoot with you would be a DREAM!

December 11, 2006 at 10:49:00 PM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh I can't wait to check out that gluten free site as I am gluten free baby!

I love the photo-my monitor shows all photos darker than they are so I can't make out the new haircolor. Bummer.

Gratitude:
1- that I made some money to finally buy one of your necklaces:)
2- that I am feeling my creative juices flowing like a mighty river
3- that I bought my first SARK book this week and am loving it-and a friend is reading it along with me.
4-that my son is putting together two word sentences and can communicate better every day.
5-That my stepdad lived through his heartattack and sounds stronger every day.

December 11, 2006 at 11:59:00 PM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh and of course I am grateful for you sweetie-you are such a dear lovey to me.

Lots of hugs and kisses

December 12, 2006 at 12:00:00 AM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

how cute!!! and so great to know that they make you happy :)

1. looking at your blog and smiling :)
2. to have beautiful cat Tara next to me
3. my creative world
....

December 12, 2006 at 1:07:00 AM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I bought my first red shoes about 5 yrs ago...I have been looking for new ones lately...love, love, love them!

December 12, 2006 at 2:20:00 AM PST  
Blogger Vanessa said...

Fabulous shoes! You can come over, slip them off and toast your toes by my fire any time!
By the way, any idea where their lovely previous owner got them ;)

Grateful me:
1. Gale-force winds blowing round my house right now making a chill run down my spine and invigorating my morning.
2. My sweet sweet 7-month old baby who slept right through for the FIRST time EVER last night!!!... Little angel looked so like his mum with puffy puffy eyes this morning!
3. The tasty espresso machiato my husband made for me a short while ago
4. Girl's night coming up with Barcelona buddies this Thursday
5. The way my gorgeous 2-year-old boy puckers his fleshy lips up for a kiss

December 12, 2006 at 2:37:00 AM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

First of all....love the shoes!!

Second, these words 'days when life's noise gets in the way of me being able to see that goodness clearly say all for me and remind me of things I could not see anymore. Thanks for that! So here's my list:

1.) Sleeping untill 09.30 on a tuesday morning, just because I can.

2.) The free, unexpected, X-mas tree I got a couple of days ago.

3.) The blogs I read, which inspire me and warm my heart. I love this kind of digital friendships, peaks into peoples lives and hearts all around the world.

4.) A fresh mug of hot coffee.

5.) Love. Nothing or no one in particular. Just love.

December 12, 2006 at 2:59:00 AM PST  
Blogger Susannah Conway said...

i am grateful for your face, your hair, your arms, your talent and your HEART :-) i miss you baby... let's talk this week, deffo x

December 12, 2006 at 3:16:00 AM PST  
Blogger Jamie said...

What happy shoes! No wonder they make you smile. They make me smile just looking at them! I used to have a pair of red boots that had the same effect on me. I think it might be time for me to seek out red footwear.

Thanks for that inspiration and the inspiration to list 5 things I'm grateful for.

1. I am grateful that my Dad and I are talking.
2. I am thankful for the magnificent, strong, loving, creative women in my life.
3. I am thankful for my husband, the way he loves me as I am and makes me laugh.
4. I am thankful my brother passed his comps.
5. I am thankful that we now have light fixtures instead of bare bulbs in our kitchen.
6. (Bonus Answer) I am thankful for this wonderful prompt :)

December 12, 2006 at 3:47:00 AM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have certain items that make me happy, it really is true! I love your red shoes and they are extra special with the striped tights/socks.

Grateful for:

1. That my husband's trip to Tokyo is 1/2 over and he'll be home soon.
2. Roller derby practice
3. Having my daughter sleep with me every night while my man is away
4. Babysitters!!
5. Vanilla rooibos tea

December 12, 2006 at 3:56:00 AM PST  
Blogger Left-handed Trees... said...

Oh my...those shoes are amazing (and I'm not even "into" shoes--prefer bare feet long after summer goes!). Your list and advice are equally lovely. Mine?

*That my health is steadily improving after seeking out some alternative therapies to use in conjunction with the "medical" ones.
*That the fall semester ended yesterday and I'm on sabbatical for the spring--so my time is truly opening up.
*That my writing has been so steady and invigorating for the past month.
*That I am finding artist communities online and in "real life" to support my evolution.
*That my family (including the extended group) is so beautiful and closer to my heart than ever before this season.

Thank you!
--D.--

December 12, 2006 at 6:28:00 AM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Those are some fantastical shoes that I would definitely break the bank to own. You have some excellent taste. Those would make me happy too. In fact, just seeing them on YOUR feet made me happy, which is.. not normal. I'm going to have to question my reaction.

kidding - sort of. The shoes rock.

Yay for the remaining hippies that spread their love across the earth. We need more of them.

December 12, 2006 at 7:39:00 AM PST  
Blogger JC said...

I love the shoes and the photo! It's so weird to me to see such green grass in December.

I'm grateful for:
1. warm weather in December
2. finishing my papers for school this semester
3. friends
4. being able to sleep in on Saturdays
5. someone at work brought homemade cookies!

December 12, 2006 at 9:02:00 AM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am grateful for luscious blog entries like this, for warm winter days in NYC, taking myself out to lunch in a few hours, being inspired to work on a fiction piece later and finally being open for more goodness to enter me...

December 12, 2006 at 9:08:00 AM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I LOVE your shoes and socks! And this was a lovely post. :)

December 12, 2006 at 10:45:00 AM PST  
Blogger Kim Carney said...

Very lovely portraits. I can see why you would be happy wearing them.
I am grateful for
1. My wonderful son
2. My health
3. Chocolate rolls (see my blog for recipes)
4. Mom being with me
5. My great and supportive friends ;)

December 12, 2006 at 2:20:00 PM PST  
Blogger Greg said...

I love these photos... keep up the good work!

December 12, 2006 at 2:40:00 PM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Those are really lovely shoes. I do have many things around me that make me happy too. Special pieces of jewelery, old but comfy sweaters that carry a multitude of memories.. I love that extra pep in my step I feel when wearing something I love, especially if it's red.
Thanks for the comment you left me last week. I'm not really into photography, but I'll take any compliment I can get on my angles!

December 12, 2006 at 8:28:00 PM PST  
Blogger Alex S said...

Those shoes are so delightful! I esp love that cute double front strap. I remember you had some other red shoes up awhile back that I think your husband had bought for you and those were just super too. YOu should check out the sale shoes on Urban Outfitters site. They sometimes have ones that I bet would be right up your alley too!

December 12, 2006 at 9:46:00 PM PST  
Blogger Deb R said...

I can see why you love the shoes! They're beautiful and then to have a friend connection too...magic.

I'm grateful:

1. That my husband is trying to quit smoking and seems really committed to doing it.

2. That I get to see my extended family this weekend when we all get together to spend a couple of days baking cookies and making candy to share.

3. That our weather here in KY has been mild and sunny the past few days and...

4...that J fixed a problem with our generator so that if it stops being mild and sunny we have a back-up power source.

5. That a box from Amazon containing the main gift I'm giving my husband for Christmas finally arrived today after taking so long I was convinced it was lost.

That got long...sorry! But it felt good to make the list. :-)

December 12, 2006 at 9:50:00 PM PST  
Blogger liz elayne lamoreux said...

i love reading all of these comments...it just made my night. i believe in this practice of listing the gratitude so much...thank you for this reminder.

and i love the shoes!

my five things tonight...
friendship
love of a dear man and a dear puppy
enchiladas
laughter (out loud snorting laughter)
warm, snuggly socks

December 12, 2006 at 11:10:00 PM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am so in love with your shoes! I can see why they make you so happy :)

Things I am grateful for...
1. my sweet little family
2. good chapstick
3. warm hugs from my love
4. my new Regina Spektor cd- have you heard her yet?
5. you and your beautiful blog!

December 12, 2006 at 11:40:00 PM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The last "anonymous" comment was from me, Andi! For some reason, it didn't let me enter that...

December 12, 2006 at 11:41:00 PM PST  
Blogger Bedazzzled1 said...

Love, love, love the red shoes! Are they clogs? If so, I think clogs are incredibly comfy to wear.

Ah, I am grateful for hundreds of things...but five off the top of my head:

1. My hubby
2. My kids
3. My sisters, their hubbies, and their kids
4. Laughter
5. Love

December 13, 2006 at 12:27:00 AM PST  
Blogger Marcia (123 blog) said...

I love those shoes. I also had a pair of happy red shoes but they were lost in transit when I had them posted from one city to this one many years ago. And I haven't been able to find a pair like that since.

My five things are:
1. A wonderful salary increase!
2. Having a cottage to rent out - you can see the trend (more money for baby-getting)!
3. Client phoning me to thank me for my Christmas card and tell me she's referred me to her work people to book me to talk! Yes!
4. New coaching client - lovely, lovely girl!
5. My husband who can make me laugh - always

Thanks for getting me in a good mood and thinking positive again!

December 13, 2006 at 4:49:00 AM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

red shoes = magic

always. not sure why-- but it is so true. Red boots work well, too.

~bluepoppy

December 13, 2006 at 7:47:00 AM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

what lovely, magical shoes. and i love your wonderful thoughts... i think shifting focus onto something positive when dealing with anything negative is the key to staying grounded and sane in this zany world.

December 13, 2006 at 12:08:00 PM PST  
Blogger Admin said...

great shoes! i LOVE red!

December 13, 2006 at 1:04:00 PM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

1. New people who visit my blog and leave my nice comments :) Thanks so much for stopping by!

2. My hubby.

3. My kitties.

4. Humor.

5. Lots of work this week.

December 13, 2006 at 3:12:00 PM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why, you know I LOVE your red shoes since you put them on my blog banner for me! :0) I still just love my banner! Thanks again!

December 15, 2006 at 2:52:00 PM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

love the ruby red shoes. they look magic.
THREE things for which to be grateful : self-portrait blogging :) - family together for Christmas (only a week away) - regular phone updates from workmates fighting the Australian bushfires

December 16, 2006 at 1:56:00 AM PST  
Blogger sandy said...

I love, adore those red shoes..so cool...your blog is too!

sandy

December 17, 2006 at 6:48:00 PM PST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am grateful for:
1. The One and Only who answers me when I am so down.
2. Finding a place in this community to write and find my niche as some kind of writer.
3. Finding release through prayer and writing...even if it doen't come when I want it.
4. The beautiful weather and the peace I sense when I walk outside.
5. The air that I breathe.

December 18, 2006 at 6:48:00 PM PST  

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