Tonight upon your pillow
Close your eyes and hide your head
For the fairies and the goblins
Will be hovering ’round your head…

here is my gift to you…

Happy Halloween to all my ghoulish friends…It has been an amazing Halloween season for me with all the #MMSGetCorny and #DontBeTheDarkHouse excitement…I want to thank everyone who made this campaign a huge success!!! I will be dancing the night away…but I forgot my shoes…am dancing barefoot…don’t step on my toes… thank you all ghouls and goblins….

just click on image, then copy

This is an original 6″ x 6″ digital painting from original artwork, doodles and textures and some PhotoShop. Please take a painting with you on your flight…you can frame it as artwork, use it to make napkins, coasters, decorate treat bags…be creative with it. You can print it as many times as you like..but it is for personal use only!!!

My inner child is full of wonder and very sweet. I fear people taking advantage for me. I am always worried about protecting my own interests. I’m prone to be quite emotional and over dramatic. Deep down, I enjoy being scared out of your mind… even if I don’t admit it. I am a total overachiever and workaholic… the type of person who plans their elaborate Halloween costume weeks in advance.

What’s Your Halloween Personality?

The family road trip is that special time during which the people you love pile into a car and set out across this wide  continent on a journey of exploration and transformation. It is very much the All American family right of passage. However, the recent decrease of economic standards and increase of gasoline prices have brought about a rethinking of this long held tradition in many families.

These families are choosing to stay closer to home, doing Staycations or short day trips instead of the gas and money guzzling cross country jaunts of days gone by. So what are these new ideas all about? They are mostly about saving money while creating new and novel family memories.

What is a Staycation?

A staycation is a vacation you do at home. In most cases, it can be a less costly, fun filled and/or relaxing alternative to a long, expensive trip. The best thing about it is all the time and money you can save.

So how do you still make it a journey of exploration and transformation?

Here are some creative ideas my family loves:

1. Explore your city. Take a look at your hometown through the eyes of a tourist. Check out the local zoo, art museums or water park. Go for a walk on the nature trail. Have a family picnic in the park with a game of touch football afterward. Check out the places tourists visit and you may usually avoid. Creating these local memories has an upside…after the staycation, whenever you pass one of these spots, you will be filled with the memories you created there! Tip: Avoid what you normally do.
2. Unplug. The more tech dependent your family members are…this more probability that this could be the best thing you have ever done for family bonding. When you don’t have the distractions of cell phones, texting, video games and television, you have to communicate and interact with each other. You will be surprised at what you learn about each other during these blackout times. Tip: Set one night or one hour a day to plug in.
3. Eat Out. Since you are saving so much money staying home, you can eat at a local restaurant at least once a day. Let each family member have a day to chose the eatery. Tip: No chain restaurants. Explore!
4. Eat In. This is a fun one. Cook a meal together. Everyone joins in, picks a dish to create and serve. You may have three desserts, but who cares…you are on vacation. Tip: Be flexible and enjoy.
5. Camp in the Backyard. This is really fun if you let yourself enjoy the experience. The kids will love it. Make a campfire and cook your meal over it. Sing campfire songs and tell scary stories. Tip: Stay outside ALL night.
6. Volunteer. Go help at a soup kitchen or food bank. Give a portion of the money you save this week to a charity. Donate clothing or food to a shelter.

Below are some shots of my hometown…Fernandina Beach, FL.

Once the staycation is over you may find that you want to do some of the above activities on a regular basis. You could have a once a month or once a week family time with some of these ideas. Be creative. Stay flexible. Relax. And enjoy!

Next week I will talk about day tripping to save money.

As you know I love to decorate for the season or holiday…or just to have a change! It is that creative ADD I have embraced as part of my personality! Visionary ideas are easy for me…I am a master brainstormer. So Halloween is great fodder for my over-active imagination.

Here are some ideas to spark yours…

All images from Better Homes and Gardens online…one of my favorite places to browse.

Milestone, Anniversary, Landmark, Special Occasion…any way you view it 500 of anything is an accomplishment to be proud of…and I am!

SOAR

“Do what you love, and love what you do. DO WHAT YOU LOVE, AND LOVE WHAT YOU DO!…I want you to go to the edge of the cliff, jump off, and grow your wings on the way down. Don’t worry about having the wings, they’ll come.” -Ray Bradbury

As you know I  am deep in the process of building my wings…I jumped off that cliff on January 1, 2010…and I have not hit the ground as yet!!!

Creating these 500 articles has been a time for growth as a writer and an artist. It has also been a time of transformation. The first pages of this magazine have grown into a maga-blog celebrating the life and lifestyle of creatives everywhere. I haven’t pushed or shoved, begged or cajoled the over 2000 newsletter subscribers or the 909 Facebook fans…it has developed organically. That way I know they are real fans and loyal readers.

A Love Letter to My Readers

The blogsphere is designed for creativity and self-expression…every day we are invited to create something new…something fresh and something memorable…and, just as quickly, it fades into the next moment in time…and begins anew.

I took a risk this year by transforming the look and feel and mission of C8C. One of my all time favorite bloggers Evelyn Rodriguez of Crossroads Dispatches wrote: “Technology can either be used for more efficient isolation or more meaningful intimacy.”

I chose the latter…more meaningful intimacy. The linking…the sharing…the dialog…the new friendships add layers to my life. Through Cre8tive Compass I have come to know and care about people I would otherwise never have known. I come in close contact with the everyday lives of hundreds of you daily/weekly…and all are precious jewels I treasure deep in my heart.

It is this connection that keeps me coming back…the commonality that fuels my spirit with hope and love. The blurring of borders, both real and imagined, seems to be happening before our eyes as we blog and connect and interact. Daily you help me widen my perception and my reality. You enhance my soul’s perspective…learning about you helps me learn of myself…

The need to express my everyday life…in my real, raw voice helps me grow…as a woman, a friend and as a citizen of our planet. With each word I write I become more connected to my spirit.

Growing and Soaring I am…thank you for allowing that connection with you to flow…

As I hit the Publish button on this post my heart expands to embrace yours! XOXOX

How fun is it to decorate and bake for Halloween? It is also a great time to let your kids imaginations fly creating wickedly yummy sweet treats. Just whip up a batch or two of your favorite cupcake mix or buy some cupcakes at the grocery store if you are time crunched! Provide bowls of candies, nuts and pretzels, tubes of icing, throw in a marshmallow or two and you have all everything you need for a fun afternoon of memory making with your little ones.

Here are some ideas to inspire your imagination…click image for larger view!

For the directions and more ideas visit Better Homes and Gardens online. All images are from BH&G.

Your front door says a lot!!! It is an amazing place to show the world what surprises lie within your home. It sets the tone for guests when they arrive. Fall is a great time to spruce up your front door with a new coat of paint. I offered some amazing fall wreath ideas last week to get you thinking about decor. Now we talk about making the door amazing.

yellow front door from www.colorcompany.ca/blog/

Feng Shui books tell you to paint your front door red to bring in the strong Yang energy. ‘The [front] door is very important because it brings to you the very auspicious energy that will nourish your house.‘ If the whole neighborhood has red doors…perhaps you want to beak the monotony. Here I offer some inspiration…

pink front door from watermelonwine.files

lime front door from Curlin Reed Sullivan

teal front door from www.aicup.org

purple front door from interiordec.about.com

blue front door from www.shelterpop.com

Below you find my inspiration…a French or Greek blue color…

French blue door from fengshuiwall.com

If you are ready to spruce up your front door now, here is a great How to Paint Your Front Door Tutorial from DIY Network

I don’t watch a lot of television…I am too busy blogging! However, there are a few shows I make time for…Designing Spaces, Project Runway, HGTV’s Design Star, most Food Network shows and my early morning coffee/tea time fave:

The Balancing Act on Lifetime

I have watched TBA after my morning walk for a few years now.  What I love the most about The Balancing Act is, if I want to watch a segment again, all of them can be found on their website under Show Themes. The show airs Monday through Friday 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM (ET/PT).

The Balancing Act TV Show on Lifetime Television is America’s early morning show about women, for women and trusted by women. Celebrating life and all there is to accomplish, The Balancing Act inspires and empowers with entertaining and educational segments, placing women in the best position to achieve balance and success in every area of their lives. Make sure you check out TheBalancingAct.com not only to get a new sense of balance, but to also learn about new and exciting show promotions. The Balancing Act’s hosts are Beth Troutman, Kristy Villa and Danielle Knox. The show is produced by O2 Media and filmed in southern Florida!

It has changed format over the years and now has a daily theme – My Life Monday, My Family Tuesday, My Empowerment Wednesday (I never miss), My Home Thursday and My Weekend Friday. That pretty much covers all the bases in a busy woman’s life.

The Balancing Act also has a bevy of bloggers…oh to be one of them (HINT HINT)…who write for their blog. It is a nice addition to the show but, of course, I would like to see more about the creative lifestyle!

Sorry, I got a little carried away telling you ALL about TBA and just remembered I wanted to share the super Halloween craft idea I found on the show using Bic Mark•It Permanent Markers. Crafts expert, Terri-O, shares the project with Danielle. I would love to see more craft and creative living projects on the show!!

Cute Pumpkin BOO Centerpiece

This was a quick and fun project for a fall Sunday afternoon. I am sure the kids would have fun helping you do this. The complete how-to for this project and many others can be found on the Bic Mark It website. I found the markers at Walmart and the rest of my supplies at Dollar Tree. I love doing dollar store crafting!!!

MATERIALS

BIC Mark-It® Permanent Markers in assorted colors
White acrylic paint
3 mini pumpkins
3 glass votive holders
3 votive candles
Black seed beads or glitter
Elmer’s White Glue
Foam Pumpkins (you can use real pumpkins if you like)

What I did:

The pumpkins

1. Trace around the votive holder on pumpkin.
2. Using a sharp knife, hollow out each pumpkin. Make sure the opening is large enough to hold the glass votive holder. 
3. Using a black BIC Mark-It® Permanent Marker spell out BOO across the three pumpkins. I squiggled outlines of each letter first.
4. Then fill in the letters with the marker. The kids will love to do this part.
5. Add glue along the rim of each opening and let glue drip down the sides of the pumpkins.
6. Sprinkle the black seed beads or glitter over the glue and let dry.

Votive holders

1. Using your white paint, draw ghosts on each of the glass votive holders.
2. With the BIC Mark-It® Permanent Markers decorate the rest of the votive holders with bats, spider webs/spiders, pumpkins and any Halloween goblins you wish.
3. Add glue to the rim of the votive holders and dip in the black seed beads glitter and let dry.

Once votive holders and pumpkins are dry, insert into pumpkins and add candles.

I am using the crafty pumpkins as a centerpiece for my dining table. I will share the other crafts on my table throughout the next few months….so come back often.

Here is my This Moment story about shopping for the Bic Markers.

The Balancing Act also has a great online magazine called “Balance Your Life.”. Check it out for great ideas.

Find & Follow TBA:
Facebook
Twitter

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias. However, all opinions are 100% my own

“Problems cannot be solved at the level of awareness that created them.” –Albert Einstein

As a mentor and coach, I facilitate breakthroughs…this is really ALL I do for my clients…

I walk with them as they breakthrough and claim their soul-based authentic power and passion…

I find that there are basically two types of clients:

• one who does the same things with the same mindset with the same routine day by day, month by month, even year by year…and
• one who accepts challenges, embraces change, and adapts their plans accordingly…

I often find that clients are their own worst friends…why do I say this? Being your own best friend can propel you into your wildest dreams while self-sabotage can keep you stuck, blocked, or even paralyzed from moving forward and claiming your best life and career!

 

you cannot walk the same path every day and expect to end up somewhere else -me

You cannot keep doing the same things that brought you here and expect a different outcome…you have to find new strategies and, this is the biggie, actually implement them…

How do we get to the place where my client experiences and even expects breakthroughs?

1. Be quiet and listen to your authentic inner voice…not the inner critic, but the true voice that knows exactly what you need to do to achieve your goals. Stop listening to others or worse, buying into their well-intentioned suggestions or ideas. Accept and understand that they are on their own journey and are looking through their personal filters. It is easy to confuse their path with yours. Take time every day to quiet your soul and connect with your inner guidance system that is always 100% correct. Trust that you know what is best for you.
2. Learn that fear, doubt, and chaos are the signs of a breakthrough…if you reflect on your past you can probably find several examples of this. When you experience any tightness or painful feeling, practice connecting with it deeply and allow it to lead you to the opportunity it births. It is almost always a occasion for growth…personally, professionally, emotionally, spiritually, financially, etc. The more chaotic, painful, and frustrating the circumstance…the bigger the breakthrough.
3. Stop chasing perfect…perfect is impossible period! You know the drill. You must know everything…have every possibility covered…have every duck in a row…have every i dotted and t crossed…it must be just so…I am just picky! Face it…all of this is just a delay tactic, procrastination, self-sabotage at its finest…and the single biggest stumbling block for many. When you allow yourself to embrace the ‘done is better than perfect’ attitude of most highly-successful people, you are well on your way to fulfillment and achievement.

Trust your intuition, embrace fear, and let go of perfect…these steps will lead you to more authentic power, more fulfillment, more balance, and more profit.

Take Debbie Ford’s self- sabotage quiz to see how you rank.

Three beautiful things…

photographs taken at sunrise 9/4/2011 by Rebecca E. Parsons