In these first quiet moments of morning, remember you are the gardener of your own mind. Today, plant seeds of possibility, instead of doubt.

Water them with gentle truths instead of harsh judgements. Let hope bloom where worry tries to grow.

Your thoughts are the soil where your day takes root, feed them with the kind of love that makes miracles seem possible.

With love and joy,

Courtney

Hi! Just wanted to give you an update on The Joy Project. I have many paintings that I want to display throughout the town of Granville. If you should come upon one, flip it over and you will see The Joy Project! It is yours for the taking, please give it a nice home that is filled with love and joy.

Love, Courtney

The month of February is all about Love and Joy!

I’m presenting you with a painting of Mt. Fuji in Japan. One of my dreams is to travel to Tokyo with my husband. The song going through my head as I painted was “Rainy Night in Tokyo” by Michael Franks (you can view the words online).

My second work this month is a Valentine array of hearts from one of my favorite coloring books. I remember as a child seeing the large boxes filled with Valentine candy and adorned with beautiful pink and red ribbons. You can’t find them like that now. Enjoy!

Hello dear Friends!

Back when the pandemic began, I was trying to find a balanced, calming center of my well-being. A dear friend of mine, knowing my love of art, suggested that I investigate paint-by-number. My eyes always light up when color is in the equation!

When, as a young woman, I was diagnosed with ADHD and an anxiety disorder, I began to paint on a daily basis. After doing some research on the paint-by-number opportunities available these days, I was relieved and excited. This painting process (mostly in acrylic paints) helps to improve brain function by engaging both sides of the brain simultaneously, boosting confidence and promoting a meditative state. The icing on the cake is when the painting evolves into something I created.

In a 2005 research study conducted by Nancy A. Curry, undergraduate students were randomly assigned to color a mandala, a plaid form, or a blank piece of paper. Results demonstrated that anxiety levels declined for the mandala- and plaid-coloring groups and that both of these groups experienced more reduction in anxiety than did the unstructured-coloring group. These findings suggest that structured coloring of complex geometric patterns may induce a meditative state that benefits individuals suffering from anxiety.

One of my goals in life is to spread joy whenever and wherever possible. Hence the Joy Project. The plan is to reprint some of my favorite paint-by-number projects (some reproduced below) on postcard-sized handouts that will feature a painting on one side and a brief inspirational quote on the other. You never know where these will pop up, so stay alert and open to JOY, and it will find you! And maybe one of the originals will find its way into your life as well!

Love,

Courtney

In the mid-1800’s, it became a popular desire for people to head out west to California, which offered vast farmland, rich natural resources and an abundance of minerals. Two families, in particular, the Donners and the Reeds, were over the moon about “California Life”. Before their journey began, George Donner posted an advertisement, in the San-gamo Journal. “Who wants to go to California without costing them anything? A team of eight young men, of good character, who can drive and ox team will be accommodated by gentlemen who will leave this vicinity about the first of April. Come boys! You can have as much land as you want without any cost to you.” Just imagine, many families with all of their belongings, traveling from Illinois to Oregon or California. They had to construct the wagons and hire teamsters to help with the oxen to follow the long, arduous path ahead. While they were making their way, babies were born, several weddings took place, and many deaths occurred.

The story of this journey and its consequences is the subject of Michael Wallis’s riveting book, “The Best Land Under Heaven,” which I wholeheartedly recommend.

There were two routes to choose from, a shortcut that Lansford Hastings, the author of the “Emigrants’ Guide to Oregon and California,” and the advice from James Clyman, who strongly advised not to take the shortcut that Hastings was recommending. Clyman, a veteran of the War of 1812, had first-hand experience with traveling through the Rockies. Unfortunately, the Donner Party, anxious to get to California, chose the path of Hastings. This fatally changes their journey, as they were not warned of the disastrous weather that they would encounter, the lack of food, resulting conflicts between families, the biting cold and treacherous roads, encounters with Indians, mosquitoes and ticks, etc. Hastings played down the negative parts and it was a nightmare from then on for the families who took the shortcut. When food ran out, and no wildlife to hunt for, some turned to cannibalism, they were so desperate. A man by the name of Keseberg was promoting this; he would lie and say someone had died when in reality he had killed them in order to have sustenance.

Some survived this arduous journey, but many perished. I could not put this book down; Wallis writes beautifully, you feel like you are right there experiencing it. What I learned from reading this book is how fortunate we are in modern society to have food, medicine, education, and transportation, just to name a few of our blessings. I now plan to read Wallis’s earlier book, “Route 66”.

Color makes me happy,  I spend many hours coloring in my adult coloring books.  I go to another world.  When I was in boarding school, I had the most important mentor in my life, Mrs Allen.  I detested the boarding school, my only outlet was to go to my art class, and I would paint for hours. My favorite was doing large abstracts, with vibrant colors; she would guide me and say keep going you are doing a wonderful job. Or, she would give me recommendations when I was not sure of color or shape. She understood me, and color was my refuge.  Now, many years later, When I am doing my coloring I feel her presence .

People have different outlets for anxiety or stress, I am highly affected by our world events lately,  and I am sensitive but, I have wonderful friends, faith , and the love of my life, my husband, Keith .

I also listen to music while I color, when coloring, for example, I just finished a knitting theme, I love to knit so it makes me feel calm and happy!

Here is a picture of my knitting project, it was so much fun.