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Our premier edition
of Celebrating You!
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EclecticEpiphany.Com
Each month we here at EclecticEpiphany.Com will be sharing with you
some of the ingredients we have found to be helpful in pursuing a
fulfilling and inspired life. Topics encompassing everything from
nurturing your authentic Self in thought, health, and spirit, to living in
spaces and expressing to others close to you a sincere reflection of your
true personality. But most importantly, our main goal is to assist you in
the journey to discovering what is essential to achieving your own special
brand of daily bliss and happiness.
You can look forward in each edition of Celebrating You! to find a
Newsflash on what's happening on the website including new products &
services and special promotions & discounts which you will be the
first to hear about. There will also be a selection of insightful and
informative articles and columns written by an eclectic panel especially
for our newsletter. Passionate people sharing their personal thoughts,
experiences & expertise in hopes of passing on their combined
knowledge to enlighten and enrich your life.
We hope that you enjoy our premier edition and thank you for allowing
us the privilege of sharing a few moments of your day.
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EclecticEpiphany.Com
Boutique Interiors is excited to welcome our first
NEW artist, Achwubba from Málaga, Spain. Here's a little bit about the
artist:
Art has been and
always will be a part of my life; I've been painting for as long as I can
remember, 8 years ago I started to experiment with paper mache and
realised that it was great fun and could be used for many things, since
then I've created a range of paper mache items mainly for decorative use,
they are all hand made and hand painted with a design that I came up with
when I was in college (mainly sitting in the back of the classroom during
my most unfavourite lessons...I'm not telling you which
ones...)
To learn more about the unique name "Ach!wubba" and shop their
decorative accessory Gallery please visit Ach!wubba Gallery.
A Whimsical
Thought Artistic Greeting Cards asks, "What are the most memorable & cherished
gifts you have received in your life?"
Often upon contemplation you may surprisingly discover that it is less
about the material gift and essentially about the memory of the thought
intended behind the gift when you received it. Whether it symbolized the
loving commitment of another, the endearment of your child, or the
indulgence of a good friend...the true gift holds no form, it is their
loving intention that you carry with you each day. We invite you to share
with us your most "thought-full" gift and read about the most thoughtful
gifts others have received at The Gift of Thought.
The Pen Pal
Project is about revitalizing the increasingly endangered
"art form" of letter writing. Do you miss receiving a hand-addressed
letter in the mail? Or the arrival of an international delight covered
with colorful stamps documenting its trip to your mailbox? Fill out our
Pen Pal Profile and become a member of our soon to launch Pen Pal Project.
Meet men and women from all over the world coming together to share their
lives and culture. Intrigued? Visit Pen Pal Profile.
And don't forget to stop by and leave your mark on our map and a message
in our Guest Book!
That's all the news
for now...see you next month!
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A Thoughtful Discount
At EclecticEpiphany.Com, we believe that quotations offer a gem of
insight into the span of another's' lifetime. They are droplets of pure
wisdom, which can help to piece together the guidelines for a fulfilling
life. In line with our commitment to assist you in the discovery of your
true authentic nature, we offer to you our "thoughtful
discount". Click on the underlined word in the quote below to
discover our monthly promotion.
I have learned this at
least by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction
of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has
imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common
hours. - Henry David
Thoreau |
Erika
Harris
"I made it to France
safely. I've got a lot to do to be ready for my recording sessions, but
I'll write again when things slow down."
I received this
quick e-mail from my friend, Rosgo, who scores music for film and TV. Being
a film score composer is what he wanted to do since he rode a bike with
training wheels. It's what he wanted to do since he left ball games to
race home and catch the opening credits - and SONG - to his favorite shows
(which were favorites because of their music, more so than their plot or
characters.) Rosgo was unwavering with his dream, even when those close to
him failed to show support or understanding. I'm amazed by the clarity he
had as a child, and the commitment he maintains as an adult. A commitment
which has given him the freedom to be his own boss, and the opportunity to
travel the world while doing what he loves most. He inspires me. And I
share this small bit of his story with the hopes that you find inspiration
in it, too.
So, let me ask you: What is inside you that just
might be ready for RELEASE? Is there a talent or dream that you would like
to develop, but you've been too afraid to risk failure? Failure is a comma,
not a period. And it's not nearly as debilitating as walking around with
unexpressed passion or creativity. That's what will kill you... in slow,
daily increments. Hopes and skills have been put in you for USING and
SHARING. And they tend to fester and rot when they are ignored. But when
you allow yourself to be used by them - when you allow your talents and
curiosities to express themselves through you - you are repaid with the
deepest peace and delight of mind.
Life is futile and joyless
without something to cultivate... without something to bring forth, and
share with others. People who complain of boredom or loneliness only do so
because they haven't yet discovered, or committed to, that thing that they
have been endowed/chosen/prepared to bring into the world. You won't have
inner-peace without doing this. And you won't lose inner-peace once you
have.
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Pondering Thoughts from the Wild Goose
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John
Noah
My Thoughts on..... "Seizing the Moment"
When Eclectic Epiphany asked me to write for their
Newsletter,"Celebrating You", I first considered what I might
have to say and how it could be of benefit to others. But even more
importantly, I had to decide if I really had the desire to become a
contributor. But the one thing I have learned in this life is, "there
are no accidents", so with their invitation, and factoring in the
coincidental way we were first introduced, I knew I had to "seize the
moment".
Which then became my first topic to ponder my
thoughts on.
My first perception of the importance in
"seizing the moment" came about after hearing the Little Rock
Nine as guest speakers at Central High School in recognition of the 50th
anniversary of their historic event in Little Rock, Arkansas. These nine
stepped forward and made a statement that certainly "seized the
moment" which affected change in years to come beyond what they could
have imagined, when they decide to go to an all white school. What they did
changed things to come and made a profound and defining difference in this
world. Not one cried or indulged in a pity party, they took advantage of
all the opportunities presented and worked hard to "seize the
moment" in each area of their life.
Too many people put
off something that brings them joy, just because they haven't thought
about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming, or
are too rigid to depart from their routine. I know I was talking with my
daughter sometime ago about the subject of "seizing the moment" and taking
a chance in life, and she stated, " Dad at least you have done so many
interesting things in stepping forward to do things differently and have
lived an interesting life by doing that very thing. "
I
got to thinking after that, about all those women on the Titanic and as
the story goes, passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an
effort to cut back, just think if they knew then it was their last night
would they have cut back? Would you have seized that moment? How many of
you, will eat at home because the suggestion of going out to dinner wasn't
brought up until after something had already been thawed? Seize the moment
and step out. You can always put "dinner" in the refrigerator
for another day.
How often have your children dropped in to
talk and sat in silence while you watched 'Jeopardy' on television or a
sport game, or you were just too busy in that kitchen preparing a meal? We
have so many opportunities in our lives to seize the moment...that can
touch so many lives. I cannot count the times I have called people and
said, "How about going somewhere in a half hour?" Some would gas
up and stammer, "I can't....watching TV.....I have clothes on the
line.....Need to clean the dishes. My hair is dirty... I wish I had known
yesterday... I had a late breakfast... It looks like rain..." And my
personal favorite: "It's Monday." There was a particular special
friend that I wanted to see several times and she always had an
excuse..... She died last year. We never did have lunch together.
Because Americans cram so much into their lives, we tend to
"schedule" our own headaches..and we seem to spend more time
planning a vacation than "seizing that moment" right then. We
live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the
conditions are perfect right now! We'll go back and visit the grandparents
when we get the baby toilet-trained. We'll entertain when we replace the
living-room carpet or get new dishes. We'll go on a second honeymoon when
we get two more kids out of college. We never use the "good
dishes" when we entertain, sometimes we even hide the goods.
Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and
the list of promises we've made to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we
awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of "I'm
going to," "I plan on," and "Someday, when things are
settled down a bit." Don't wait; "seize that moment now"
Don't waste it!
Life isn't
just about work and money.
I don't know about you, but
at 64 I am not ready to settle down..and certainly haven't. Just ask my
daughter. We have only this life in front of us, so let's all, still be
willing to give to others...especially.... our time.
When
anyone calls my 'seize the moment friend", she is open to adventure
and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her
enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes, and
you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of skates and skip an
elevator to walk up the stairs or maybe even for a bungee cord. That's why
I like her so much. Can't wait to do something with her again. Another
friend of mine, a thin man, but his lips have not touched ice cream in
years. He loves ice cream. It's just that he might as well apply it
directly to his stomach with a spatula and eliminate the digestive
process. The other day, he told me, he stopped the car and bought a
triple-decker and said, "If his car had hit an iceberg on the way
home, he would have died happy!"
Have you ever watched
kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the
ground?
Ever stopped to follow a butterfly's erratic flight or
gazed at the sun into the fading night?
Do you run through each
day on the fly? When you ask, "How are you?" Do you hear the
reply? Do you listen to the person and "seize that moment"?
When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred
chores running through your head?
Ever told your child,
"We'll do it tomorrow." And in your haste, not seen his
sorrow?
Ever lost touch? Let a good friendship die? Just call
to say "Hi"?
Do you see what I am trying to say here?
"Go For It"...." Seize That Moment " Now get ready and do
it. No more tie downs, OK!!!
This Olde Wild Goose is reminding
you to be conscious of every second and that when you worry and hurry
through your day, it is like an unopened gift....Thrown away.... Life is
not a race. Take it slower. Hear the music before the song is over. Life
may not be the party we hoped for... but while we are here we might as
well dance! Enjoy the music...and for sure "seize the
moment".
Thanks for listening and thank you to Eclectic
Epiphany for allowing me to "seize yet another moment" in
life.
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Soul Journeys:
Indulging the senses through art and food
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Miesha
Hardison Hayden
Soul Journey's is an exploration of our individual essence
through the stimulation of our collective senses of vision and taste.
Please join me each month as we travel visually through the work and
creative expression of artists, in addition to, wetting our palette with
an edible delight that can add healing and regenerative energy to our
souls. As we partake of this journey together, may our senses provide the
platform for creative insight and nutritional health.
Visual
Journey in Portraiture Stylized and formal, Joshua Johnston pulls
the viewer intimately into the essence of his subjects through an
impenetrable gaze. Commonly known as the first recorded African American
portrait painter, his style has been documented in over 80 paintings.
Working as a free black artist he was actively providing portrait services
to the wealthy mercantilists present in Baltimore, Maryland from the late
eighteenth century through the early nineteenth century. As the invention
of the camera had not yet occurred, these portrait paintings were
significant symbols of power and status to those patrons who commissioned
works.
A self-taught artist, Johnston adheres to the traditional elements of
colonial portraiture executed in a folk tradition with a flat
two-dimensional rendering of form. His limited and muted use of color
contrast directly to an overt use of detail in the accessory trim and
finishes on the clothing of his sitters. A remarkable body of work
produced from a man who defied the challenges of his era to prevail
through his individual creativity. Please visit www.askart.com/AskART/J/joshua_johnson/joshua_johnson.aspx
to view the work of Joshua Johnston.
Sweet Journey of Taste Banana Smoothie
2 cups
frozen organic bananas
1 1/2 cups soymilk
1 tbsp of *cinnamon
1 tbsp organic vanilla extract
Place frozen bananas, soymilk,
cinnamon and vanilla in the blender.
Blend thoroughly until well
mixed, and serve immediately.
*This month's natural healing ingredient is cinnamon. Recent studies
have shown that cinnamon is a natural alternative to reducing blood sugar
and cholesterol. Healing properties of cinnamon are found in oils
contained within its bark such as cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl acetate and
cinnamyl alcohol. Cinnamon is also a good source of calcium and fiber
which can bind to bile salts. Once bile is removed by fiber the body can
break down the cholesterol.
The information contained in this article is no substitution for
medical advice. Please consult your doctor or qualified health
professional before changing any medications or starting any natural
healing practices.
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