WeDesire WeDnesday: Desire Map

In December, 2012, I began reading The Desire Map by Danielle LaPorte. I first noticed Danielle in 2009 when she was writing a blog called White Hot Truth. That title perfectly describes the authenticity with which Danielle speaks. From there she introduced Your Big Beautiful Book Plan, then The Fire Starter Sessions, and now she has gifted the world (sounds mushy I know but the love I feel for her work warrants mushiness!) with The Desire Map.

The Desire Map is a holistic approach to planning your life. It guides you to identify your core desired feelings, and to use those feelings as the drivers of what you want to do, have and experience in your life.

It turns goal-setting inside out.

The Desire Map is a multimedia program. It comes with a PRINTED book (it’s embossed, even!) a downloadable book, audio book, a series of audio contemplations; a private, online Desire Map space; an app, and 12 weeks of weekly inspiration to help people make desire-mapping a true practice.

If you haven't already read my posts about the Desire Map, let me share with you that it is a new way of thinking for me; it is a way of making decisions and "goals with soul". The premise is that we are conditioned to make decisions and goals based on what we think we will feel when we achieve them. The Desire Map makes one aware that they can feel that way right now; it helps me realize that what I think I will feel later, I can feel now, if I make "how I want to feel now" a priority. Instead of waiting to feel whole and complete I can feel that way now and along the way to my goals, by doing the things that make me feel that way.

Here; I'll let Danielle tell you

Friday, May 24, is Danielle's birthday. Her gift to you is a "pay what you can" day for The Desire Map program. With the program you receive a paper copy of the book and access online to the digital download, music play lists, weekly support emails from Danielle, and some other nice goodies. There is even a support group on Facebook that you can check out right now; you don't have to own The Desire Map to join the group (it is a public group) so check it out here. You can also play this audio; it is a reading by Danielle of her introductory chapter of the book!

Don't worry that it's a gimmick (it's not.) Don't worry that you will be obligated to buy more (everything you need is in one package.) Don't worry that what you can pay is not enough (it is.) You know you found this post today for a reason; believe in it.

Wouldn't it feel good to feel good about everything you decide to do? Decide to accept Danielle's gift and get your blessing; pay what you can. CLICK HERE to get your blessing.

Tubes Tuesday: Deception

"The Woman Who Wasn't There" (2012) is a documentary film about one of those people who lie about everything. Tania Head wasn't there. She was not a survivor. She was not in the twin towers. She was not married or engaged to "Dave". She didn't have a dog. She wasn't a friend. Whether she was really nice is in question.

Memecenter.com

Tania Head did a lot of nice things for a lot of truly nice people who were truly nice survivors and family of survivors of what has become known as "9-11". She did it all as what cyberspace calls a "troll." She rubbed elbows with the mayor and got the gates of ground zero open to the WTC survivors group; she also influenced the board members of the group to dethrone the groups founder. She didn't do anything illegal though; she didn't sign papers or gain money. However she raped the emotions of a lot of people who loved her and cared about her because they believed her. I've never heard of such an extreme example of selfishness; however sociopaths are not capable of selfishness because they are not capable of identifying with others.

Like anyone else who watches this film or hears this story, the questions beg an answer: Why? What did she have to gain?

The way this film tells the story is excellent. The story is almost incredible. That people can do such a thing is so disheartening, almost as much so as the tragedy that Tania Head so much wanted to be a part of.

Love of Butterfly Free Bead Giveaway

Love of Butterfly Free Bead Giveaway by monaraebeads featuring a black diamond necklace

 

It's 'Magination Monday here at MonaRAEbeads. For some reason I haven't had many entries to win my butterfly lampwork bead. Maybe you need a few ideas to get that imagination working toward how you might use that extra large bead!

I say string it on a chain, or a few! And don't you LOVE those shoes?! The only thing I love more than those shoes would be if I could wear them !!!! Keep the dress simple, graphic, and statement filled, then add butterflies in pops of color.

Can you imagine yourself with this bead? How would you use it? Give me YOUR imaginative ideas on my Facebook page here!

Did you enter to win? If you do you will also receive 30% at my shop! Just click here for instructions on how to enter, but do it fast because the drawing is on 5/22/13 at midnight PST!

Free Bead Friday: Butterfly

I will be giving away the bead pictured here to one lucky entrant. If you want to be that lucky person you must complete each of the following steps by Wednesday, May 22, 2013, midnight (PST), when I will make a random drawing from the entrants.

• Like my Facebook Page here: https://www.facebook.com/MonaRAEbeads
• Subscribe to my web site, MonaRAEbeads.com, here:  http://monaraebeads.us5.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=e2138147dc1e11a052eab57bf&id=1552eb8a5a

If you are already a subscriber and a Facebook fan, please leave a comment below to get your entry. Everyone who enters will be an instant winner of two coupons for 15% off at my shop, which can be combined for 30% if you want, or passed on to a friend! Good luck!

 

LookBook: Pansy Skies

Pansy Skies is one of my favorite beads. I love how perfectly balanced the amount of colors and the placement of dots turned out. I have an issue with color...more is better I say, but not necessarily better looking. Often my work looks like (at least to me) I just didn't know when to stop.

Margie Deeb

Some people have such a talent in the area of color, and two "masters" I admire are Brandi (Brandi Girl Blog) and Margie Deeb.  

Brandi Girl Blog

There is so much inspiration, but never enough time or money to create all the things I would like. I think that is what I love about websites like Pinterest and Polyvore. They let me plan to create. Here I planned to create a necklace with Pansy Skies using complimentary beads by Lori Bergmann. I had a lot of fun designing an entire ensemble around my imaginary necklace, including a FABULOUS pair of shoes I can only think about wearing!

Paired with beads by Lori Bergmann

If you ever want to see how I would design jewelry with my, or even your beads, subscribe here to my blog, follow me on Polyvore, or just send a request.

Even better, create your own designs with my beads and share them with me on my Facebook page; I'll give you a coupon for 15% off if you do! And if you "Like" my Facebook page I'll give you ANOTHER coupon to combine for a total of 30% off!

We Desire Wednesday: Distraction from Self

Gratitude Journal by ILoveItAll

Am I just bored? Sure I want more money, but I have what I need to pay back Peter when I borrow from Paul. I have a beautiful big house in a beautiful big forest on a beautiful big mountain. I have an amazing son who never asks me for more than I can give, and has the most amazing mind and the biggest heart. I have two adorable pooches, and even though one is lame and the other one likes to eat poop, they are still loving. I have talent, tons of talent. I am creative with everything I do, I can write, I can talk, I can think, I can put myself out into the world with (mostly) effortless courage. So why, with all of this, am I questioning what I am supposed to be doing with my life?

Am I really just bored when I think "I have no purpose. I have no direction.  I have no goals."? Well, I don't set goals the way I used to; my goals are to feel the way I want to feel. I feel faithful that the Universe has the plan, and I'm just waiting to see what that is and what I'm supposed to do with it. I know I'm a good advocate, and I'm applying for jobs that will let me shine and advocate for people. I've had a few interviews but no job.

Why we can't live in the moment by Futurity.com

When I think of the comforts I will have to give up so that I can work I feel like I'm losing something, and then I think of the comforts I will gain by having a job, and the joy and satisfaction I will gain, and there is a balance. So I keep going, but not knowing where. When I feel dissatisfied, or puzzled about the current state of my existence, am I really just bored? Am I looking for drama? Am I looking for something to stir me? Am I questioning it because I want to be distracted from being okay with myself and doing the things I love and have the luxury of time to do right now?

Sakura Bloom by Tesori Trovati

I once identified with the fulcrum on a teeter-totter. I'm feeling like that again. I'm sure that's not a coincidence. I have been feeling a need to look back, to learn from myself. I also feel the need to start fresh with The Desire Map. There's a quiet opportunity right now to grow. A seed was planted, and like those I planted in my garden, it is germinating and soon will be visible. Here's to spring, springing upward into life.

But before I go, I have to share this amazing song with you. I saw it for the first time just as I was finishted writing this post.

Tutorial Tuesday: Scales Pendant

Here in the Mother Lode (Murphys, California to be precise) we have a great little bead shop, Murphy's Bead Gallery. It is a "Gallery" in every sense when you walk in and see the amazing beaded pieces made by the owner Sue Horine.

I go into Sue's shop once a week; she's next door to the Murphy's Music Co. where my son takes guitar lessons. I love to chat with Sue about her art and techniques, as I paw through the beads in baskets and hanging on the walls. I swear I see something new every time. But there's almost always something I fondle every time I go in, and finally give in and buy it.

This week I had to have these turquoise shell coins!

As I created the jump rings I knew I'd need for each of the coins a vision of a mermaid tail came to mind.

I love working with wire, and the idea of a diamond shape covered in scales felt just right to show case the shimmeriness and pearliness of these beads.

I had to decide how big I wanted the pendant to be, and I had a limited number of beads, and then I would need to calculate how big to make the wire frame. I started by thcounting the number of coins I had and what number would make the widest row of the diamond. Then I threaded some coins on a wire, spaced the way I wanted them to hang, and measured that width. The problem was that they wouldn't stay lined up so I decided I needed beads between the coins; I found the perfect shade of metallic turquoise tubes to use as spacers.

I used the grid on my table as a measuring device and cut a length of wire long enough for the diamond shape as well as the bale and wrap. I created the bail by bringing both ends of the frame wire around a mandrel and wrapping them together at the neck using a finer gauge wire that would become the lattice support for the beads on the pendant.

After securing the bail I strengthened the wire, shaped in the diamond. I used a hard rubber mallet and that flat, iron, gadget which is actually a concrete curb shaper from the hardware store. I use my knees as a vice around the shaper's wooden handle (on the back side) and the flat side forms a table like surface.

I moved the bale ends up, and planned to create spirals with them. Now the fun begins. I decided to fill the top of the diamond with these great metallic and textured dark blue rounds. I began coiling one side of the diamond base just far enough to fit the bead in the crook; after coming out the other side of the bead I wrapped again around the frame to the point where the second row of dark blue beads would fit, adding a coin between them.

Then I resumed wrapping wire around the base until the next row would cross under the coin on the first row about 3/4ths of the way down (enough to show as much of the next row while keeping the first row from falling behind it). I continued in this manner, adding a dark blue bead to the beginning and end of each row, and using three lighter blue, smaller tube beads as spacers between the coins.

To finish the pendant I made a spiral from the bail ends and spread the loops at the top to form a "v". Here are back and front views.

I hope you have enjoyed watching me work, and that it inspires you with some design ideas of your own! Here's an image you can pin to your own pinterest boards. Unitl next Tutes and Tubes Tuesday!