• Bored?
• Want something different to do?
• Create a collage!

All you need is paper, images from magazines or other periodicals (or even the web), a glue stick, and scissors.

It's easy. It's fun. Anyone can create cool art!

In support of the World Collage Day celebration on May 9, 2020, I'm the happy recipient of a wonderful little packet to create collages as well as an uplifting mini (2.25" x 3.5") collage by artist, Elsa Bouman.

Front and Back of Mini Collage by Elsa Bouman

8"x5" Peaceful Forest and Dino Celebration Collages
​by Kathryn V. White

A big thank you to the Shoreline-LFP Arts Council along with the Gallery at Town Center in Lake Forest Park and Elsa Bouman for brightening my day.

So join in the fun and celebrate World Collage Day with your own creations!

Post Card Sized Cowboy Collage and
​Mini Totem Collage by Kathryn V. White

There is something to be said for expressing gratitude frequently.  First of all, it makes the world a kinder place.  Secondly, it makes people feel appreciated.  Thirdly, it can help shift your negative attitude to a more joyful one.  This just skims the surface of the many benefits of gratitude.

The team at Grateful Living provides some wonderful resources to help you express your gratitude.  For example, you can

• Email beautiful e-cards to friends, family, and others to acknowledge friendship, send love, and say thank you.
• Light an online candle for someone who could use some positive vibes sent their way.
• Reflect on a daily question.

Gratitude is something that resonates with many people across our world.  For example, according to Grateful Living’s website as of September 8, 2018, 20,923,257 online candles have been lit from 194 countries.

So join the circle of grateful people across the planet and share some gratitude today. 

                                             ***
Kathryn V. White is an author and artist. Her book, Rumble Tumble Joy: A Journey for Healing, Inspiration, and Wholeness, is a finalist in the 2014 Wishing Shelf Book Awards. Her art is available as fine art prints. Find out more at: www.kathrynVwhite.com

Wow! I had a fantastic time at the June 2016 Etsy Craft Party hosted by Ugly Baby and La Ru in Seattle.  It was so much fun, I actually stayed for 6.5 hours.  

And what kept me so long?

Washi tape...I couldn't get enough of this stuff.  I embellished cards, coasters, and envelopes.  I couldn't stop.  Just as I finished one card, I had to do another and then another--doing both the inside and outside of the cards and doing an envelope to go with the card.  Check out my creations in the above photo and the photo slideshow below.

And then there was the drawings for prizes.

Each hour, I eagerly waited to hear my ticket number called--as I wanted to win a fabulous prize.  Several times I was off only by one digit.  I'm sad to report, I didn't win that day.

However, I got a wonderful swag bag. And because I stayed to the end and helped with clean up, I got another one!  YIPPEE!

So thanks to Ugly Baby and La Rue for a cool event and all the sponsors who gave great prizes and provided craft supplies for our creations.  It was one fun day--even when it poured rain!

And as you can see, I'm particularly grateful to Scotch 3M for their Washi tape and Strathmore for supplying cards to embellish.

I'm already looking forward to a 2017 Etsy Craft Party!

It's been a great year for expressing myself, including creating a dream catcher, magic mojo hands, a free-form beaded wire basket, paintings, collage, and other art.

I’ve shared my experience of getting through an extended challenging period in my life and how by focusing on joy during that time, more joy did come into to my life, building bit by bit and blossoming in some very unexpected and powerful ways.

​This sharing was videotaped and now people across the world have access to my story as well as the stories of many others.  To hear more, please click here or on the below image.

​My book, Rumble Tumble Joy: A Journey for Healing, Inspiration, and Wholeness and my children-of-all-ages ebook, Odin the Ferret were both Wishing Shelf Book award finalists this year.  Click on the covers below to learn more.
​

​In addition, my art has begun to reach more people by being juried into exhibits and through prints being sold on Imagekind.com. Approximately ten years ago, I fought the impulse to paint (which is a story itself) and then later gave into its unyielding call.  Now, it's wonderful to see the fruition of the seeds planted and nurtured over the long-term.  I’m curious to see where this growth will lead me.

As I say goodbye to 2015 and hello to 2016, I’m excited about what the future brings—through my own volition as well as through synchronicity.

As part of my explorations, I’ve been talking with people about possible opportunities and researching and signing up for classes for the coming year.  

I’ll be studying Buddhism, using writing to continue to awaken to the wisdom contained in my spiritual journey, doing process painting, delving more deeply into collage, and expanding my capacity to live a happier and more fulfilling life.

Life is a journey—made all the more rich by awareness, intention, releasing that which no longer serves one well, and continual acceptance of a greater divine harmony working behind the scenes.  This acceptance can be hard and often requires faith—a muscle my life has been giving me plenty of opportunities to build!

May 2016 be an expansive year of all that is divinely good for you, our planet, and other beings.  Walk towards that good, embrace it, and share it.
​
Namaste.

                                  ***
Author and artist, Kathryn V. White's most recent book, Rumble Tumble Joy: A Journey for Healing, Inspiration, and Wholeness, is a finalist in the 2014 Wishing Shelf Book Awards.  Find out more at: www.kathrynVwhite.com

Perhaps there’s another way…a way that acknowledges the good in life and through that acknowledgment, great and wonderful changes occur…

Meet John Kralik, a man who found his perspective shift from self-pity, anger, disappointment, and despair to one that could see the good that came into his life every day.  

With this shift, his difficult life changed to one of health, fulfillment, and love—all through the simple action of hand-writing 365 thank-you notes over 15 months.

Are you ready for real change?

Then learn more about John’s book, 365 Thank Yous, by clicking on the cover.  (Affiliate link)

                                              ***
Kathryn's most recent book is Rumble Tumble Joy: A Journey for Healing, Inspiration, and Wholeness. Find out more at: www.kathrynVwhite.com

And then as part of this same process there is the marketing of the book—before, during, and after it’s published.  Like so many authors, I want to use my precious time and energy for writing my books and stories—and yet marketing is something that must be done.  It's part of the whole package of being an author in today’s world of traditional, indie, and hybrid publishing.

As I continue down the road of getting my book, Rumble Tumble Joy: A Journey for Healing, Inspiration, and Wholeness, ready to go out into the wider world, I appreciate D’vorah Lansky and all the folks that joined her to help us authors be more successful in marketing our books. 

D’vorah’s recent 30-Day Book Marketing Challenge & Blog Hop was a wonderful way to learn!  The informative daily emails with important information broken down into small chunks that one could choose to read that day or later on was a great way to get me thinking and implementing new things without having an information overload meltdown! 

Want some easy book marketing tips from the Challenge? Click here. 

I recently implemented Sharon Williams' LinkedIn tip and now my soon to be published book, Rumble Tumble Joy; some of my published stories; as well as an anthology I’m included in are highlighted on Linkedin.  Easy to do?  YES!  To see how I’ve implemented Sharon’s tip, click here.  (Scroll down until you see "Kathryn White's Publications")

To find out more about my short stories for inspiration, joy, and widened perspectives, click here. 

To find out about my short stories for children, click here.

To find out more about Rumble Tumble Joy, click here.

And to help an author spread the word about her writing, please "Like" my Facebook Fan page!  Click here to access it. 

With 2014 fast approaching, I enjoy taking some time to reflect on 2013--a year of challenges, growth, and fun!

It’s been an exciting year with writing and sharing my short stories, moving forward on the design and future publication of my book Rumble Tumble Joy, meeting new people, learning new things, and entering the world of social media.   

Social media has been a great tool for informing me about what others are doing in terms of the arts as well as for the good of the world.  And, in turn, I’ve enjoyed using social media to share with all of you books, movies, TV series, art, conferences, classes, and so many other things that support beauty, wellness, the environment, and life-affirming living. 

So if you are looking for something inspirational, entertaining, or educational, please check out my blog posts—I’ve organized my posts into categories.  My hope is that as the posts within each category grow over time, they provide a selection for you to peruse and easily find something of interest.  My Facebook and my Pinterest pages, and to a smaller extent my Twitter, provide additional information and visual treats.

Please tell others about my writings and social media outlets.  As an artist, it delights my heart when people enjoy my creations.  In addition, I enjoy spreading the word on the wonderful things others are up to through my use of social media.

Thank you for your interest, engagement, and support.

Best wishes to you for 2014!

Kathryn

In the mood for some poetry?  

Recently, I was introduced to C.P. Cavafy's poem, "Ithaca."  The poem is a good reminder to me to savour my life journey for it's through my attitude and my experiences that I gain the true wealth of my life.  

And by keeping this perspective, I can limit my disappointment if I find that my final destination is not everything I envisioned it to be. 

As the real reason for the existence of the final destination is not about capturing a peak experience, but inspiration to keep moving forward on a path of learning and of growth.

Thank you, Mr. Cavafy, for this beautifully-written reminder!

Don't have a Kindle?  No sweat!  Download the free Kindle App that can be used on PCs, iPads, and other devices.

Click on the book cover above to go directly to the ebook for downloading. (Affiliate link)

For those in the UK, you can download my ebook here: http://amzn.to/18Gk5Pu
 
Please join me in recognizing and celebrating all the support we get from our girlfriends by letting others know about this FREE gift!  All moms, aunts, sisters, daughters, and friends can take pleasure in a loving and uplifting story!
 
Enjoy!

(Note: Amazon manages the start and cut off date and time--so don't wait until the last minute to access this deal as you could miss it due to time zone differences.)

Don't you love the beauty of whales, dolphins, porpoises and other marine mammals?

If yes, please take a moment to honor these amazing creatures by helping to protect them from the horrible impacts of mid-frequency sonar. 

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council in its Spring 2013 edition of Nature's Voice "the National Marine Fisheries Service is preparing to approve the Navy's five-year plan to use high explosives and deafening mid-frequency sonar in its training and testing exercises throughout enormous swaths of ocean off America's coasts."  

This extreme noise has harmful and horrible effects to marine mammals, including hearing loss as well as hemorrhages in the lungs and other organs.

Pierce Brosnan narrates a short video of the impacts.

Learn more and add your voice today to protect the lives of these and other amazing sea creatures at NRDC's website.