Genuine Bloom Notebook

Haitian Roots - Supporting Haiti's Children Through Education

2008-07-25T10:56:00.000-07:00

My sister Dianne's friend, Heidi has adopted two girls, one from Haiti and the other from China. I just saw on her blog that she mentions a woman she knows started a charity to help children in Haiti recieve an education. Since going to school there costs about $250 and most people there make less than $100 a year most families cannot afford to send their children to school. You can sponosor a child from $250 or make smaller donations. The website for this charity is http://www.haitianroots.com

When Heidi adopted her daughter Lily from Haiti Dianne went there with her on one of the trips (you apparently have to make more than one trip there if you plan to adopt a child from there). Hearing the stories from Dianne and seeing the photographs of what Haiti was like, and having read just a little bit about what life is like in Haiti since then, is amazing. If all I can do is spread the word just a little about a place that is helping these children get an education and thus help some of them out of poverty then at least I can do that.

New additional location for Genuine Bloom Co!

2006-09-27T22:16:00.000-07:00

Genuine Bloom Co. now has a physical location in addition to its internet
address! I've joined with my friends at Ancestor Market in Cedar
City, Utah and now have a little booth inside their store! You can now buy
everything from the Genuine Bloom Co. website at their store (as well as some more
things that you won't find at the website such as vintage wares that I hunt out
for).

I'm so excited for this! It was so much fun setting up my own little space! Okay, it looks a little bare right now (and you can't see everything), but more will be added!

If you get a chance to be in Cedar City check us out!

Comfort Suitcase Kit

2006-05-29T20:59:00.000-07:00

In her book Simple Abundance author Sarah Ban Breathnach talks of having a comfort drawer "for those nights when you feel you'd like to pull the covers over your head and never come out." A place to "stockpile small indulgences" for those certain times when comfort is needed. Items to pamper yourself.

A comfort drawer may include a bottle of bubble bath, a scrapbook of special mementos, scented candles, herbal tea, chocolate, and/or whatever suites your fancy.

For myself, instead of a drawer, I have put together a little comfort kit using a small, blue, vintage train case. There's not much in it, but just looking what is inside makes me feel warm. First is a pair of the softest chenille like socks, a sample vial of Evelyn Rose eau de toilette by Crabtree & Evelyn, and a special pretty pink notebook and a pretty pen to write down my thoughts (writing being perhaps the most special things I can do for myself), as well as a copy of Simple Abundance and another of Ban Breathnach's book called Something More. And although it's not shown in this picture I just added one of the Daydream travel candles (it has the most heavenly scent) that are sold at Genuine Bloom Co. as well...I couldn't resist.

Think of creating a comfort drawer, basket, kit, or whatever creative idea you come up with for yourself. Perhaps also make one up for a friend (probably something more portable than a drawer) and give as a gift.

Strolling Down Chic Blvd

2006-05-25T23:26:00.000-07:00

When I finally got around to reading my email this morning, low and behold, I discovered something very exciting. The ladies at www.chicblvd.com highlighted the "bliss" sleeping mask from the Genuine Bloom Co. website in one of their newsletters (you can check it out here http://www.chicblvd.com/enews/Guidance052506.html).

And don't just check out because Genuine Bloom was mentioned. There are other great things mentioned as well. One of my favorite books The Dream Giver is shown. And next to it you'll see some blue sandals that are made by Mohop...and these sandals made by this company are so cool, you should check them out. And they link to See Jane Work, which is a great site. And I haven't checked out all the other stuff either, I'll do that later.

So anyway, thanks to Nikki and Kailynn at www.chicblvd.com. Check them out.

Too much sugar...

2006-04-04T13:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my birthday and so I indulged in a lot of sugar...well, what for me is a lot of sugar. So yesterday I did no work becuase it was my birthday. And today because I have an adverse reaction to refined sugar and I've been a little under the weather anyway...I've been just plain wiped out and exhausted all day. So next to nothing is getting done today either. I should have just stuck with one or two slices of birthday cake and none of the other stuff...then I'd be doing slightly better I think.

But I had a fun birthday and enjoyed myself...just spent most of the day shopping and going out to lunch with my mom and one of my sister's. I think the only thing that would have made the day better would be to have had some of these birthday crowns from http://barbaraschriberdesigns.com/crowns.htm and/or a glittery birthday banner maybe something like this http://www.paperbellastudio.com/kits.html (although this one isn't a birthday thing).

Fortune Cookie Wisdom

2006-03-12T22:16:00.000-08:00

As I was cleaning my desk up the other day I came across a small stash of slips of paper from fortunes cookies that I had saved. I tossed a few and taped the rest to my computer monitor leaving me with a total of four (although I suspect there are a few more about somewhere).

The first one says, "Put up with small annoyances to gain great results." This is very useful when you work on a computer that has little quirks. It also helps I think when starting a business...where the annoyances aren't always so small. I also think it probably applies to friendships and family...and probably every area of life.

The next one says, "Don't let friends impose on you, work calmly and silently." I kept this especially for when I started my business as I knew I'd be tempted to let instant messaging chatter keep me from working.

The third says, "Turn your thoughs within--find yourself." And doing that has been very important to me. Not sure that I've found myself yet, but I at least catch glimpses. The more I look within ironically the more I begin to live life more fully outside of me.

And the last says, "The heart is wiser than the intellect." (Actually it has a typo and really says "The heart is wiser that the intellect" but oh well.) This is a really good one for me as I'm not really an intellectual but I do tend to live a lot from my head rather than from my heart in many certain instances. I'll understand things, but not really from my heart.

So what bits of fortune cookie wisdom have you kept or still remember?

It's March? Are you sure?

2006-03-03T21:51:00.000-08:00

Has another month passed by already? It seems like I'm either always busy doing things that matter, or busy doing things that don't matter and are totally unimportant. The latter comes in two categories...the first is where I'm hopping along, being a busy bee (okay so I'm mixing metaphors...just imagine a rabbit with bees wings) but deep down I know I'm not accomplishing much or that what I'm doing really is not very important. The second on the outside appears more leisurely. I'm not talking about rest and relaxation...that's important. I'm talking about meaningless rest and relaxation...the kind where you don't really feel rested and relaxed afterwards, you just feel kind of...bleh. Maybe you don't know what I'm talking about. Eh, it's all good. I hope to do more of the busy things that do matter and the kind of rest and relaxation that's important though.

Anyway I am excited that I have new collage charms/pendants from Cindy who makes them for me in...and I will be listing them on the site soon. You'll probably have to wait until Monday though for that. In the meantime, here's a sneak peak of just one of them.

This charming collage pendant says "friends sing" on one side and "a true friend knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words" on the other.

I love it. Friendships have been so important to me. They may not always know the song in my heart, but they can laugh with me and encourage me as I dance to it.

Am I Grown Up Yet?

2006-02-09T14:29:00.000-08:00

I have a collage art charm like the ones sold on the giftshop portion of this site that says, "it takes courage to grow up and be who you really are" (and I just found out that quote is by e.e. cummings).

And I realize that, for me it least, that it is very true.

When we are young we may say things like I want to be a firefighter, ballerina, doctor, etc. I wanted to be a songwriter when I was eight. When I was eighteen I wanted to write novels. Now I say I want to be an entrepreneur with a store.

But I have, like many others, still wondered what I want to be when I grow up. Many of us at 30, 40, 50 and on are still saying to ourselves, "I don't know what I want to be when I grow up."

Rarely do we hear ourselves say, "When I grow up I want to be Me!"

And I wonder if now I am ready and wiling and do I have the courage (and will it take much longer) to grow up to be Me? When I am truly willing to be Me and fully accepting of Me...maybe then I can truly say I've grown up to be what deep down I've always wanted to be.

tag! ... she got me!

2006-02-09T14:24:00.000-08:00

Okay, although I am fairly new to blogging I have already been inducted into what I believe is a blogging tradition called tagging. And I am many days late in responding to having been tagged as well.

I've been tagged by the amazing Amy of Inspire Company (and if you haven't ever been there you should).

The rules for this one is to remove the top name from this list and add yours to the bottom...so here we go:

Becky
Marilyn
Teresa
Amy
Sharyn

and bump up everyone else's name. Then add names of the people you are tagging.

1. Alas, I have not been reading too many blogs lately so the only one I can think of tagging is my wonderfully funny cousin Katrine

Lastly, answer the questions below:
What were you doing 10 years ago? Trying to be a romance novelist.

What were you doing 1 year ago? Working behind an old fashioned soda fountain and candy counter.

Five snacks you enjoy (in no particular order, as all snacks are created equal) Fresh organic strawberries. Macadamia Paradise Boomi Bar. Smartfood white cheddar cheese popcorn. Poppers (jalapeno peppers stuffed with a cream cheese mixture then battered and deep fried). Onion rings. Applebees spinach and artichoke dip with chips.

Five songs to which you KNOW all the lyrics: 1. Sometimes by Depeche Mode (which is rather sad that I do) 2. Grease (pretty much any song from that movie) 3. Theme from Ice Castles (they made us learn this in elementary school for some bizarre reason) 4. Pina Colada by Rupert Something I think 5. Rainbow Connection (from the Muppets...another thing taught us in Elementary...but I loved Kermit so that's okay)

Five bad habits: 1. Not putting things away. 2. TV 3. Not making my bed. 4. Spending too much time on message forums. 5. Not believing in myself (I'm getting over this one though!)

Five things you would never wear, buy, or get again: 1. Ultimate Finish liquid powder make-up. 2. Cover Girl Clean Make-Up (with Noxzema in it...it's like putting Noxzema on your face but not rinsing it off all day long...caused major breakouts on my face) 3. Water bra 4. Catnip scented blow bubbles (cat is not interested in them). 5. Catscratcher that you hang on a doorknob (for some reason my cat is afraid of these...go figure).

Five favorite toys: 1. My computer. 2. Digital camera. 3. My cat (okay a cat should not be considered a toy but at times I make sound effects when I pet her like a little boy with a toy care or something and sometimes I think of her as a live stuffed animal, etc.) 4. Books. 5. My imagination.

Okay...this took way too long to fill out. I don't think I know myself very well. :)

An Extraordinary Room of Your Own

2006-01-21T23:14:00.000-08:00

A group of women I know have recently begun discussing creating a special room of their own. A place that inspires and uplifts them, that supports them in the lives they are trying to create for themselves, as well as others such as their loved ones. It’s a topic that I’ve been pondering myself for quite some time. I too desire to create within my own environment a space that supports, nurtures, and uplifts me rather than dragging me down. I am becoming more thoughtful about each item in my room. Do I really love it? Is it possible that if I surround myself only with what I love that it can effect me positively in ways I do not know? Sort of a subtle symbolic affirmation, rather than of positive statement taped to the bathroom mirror?

Just recently I found this passage in Marilyn Paul’s book on organizing called It’s Hard to Make a Difference When You Can’t Find Your Keys that speaks of this sort of idea beautifully.

"Slowly over time, you can fill your spaces with things that have special meaning for you. These items help tell your story. In Hebrew, the word for ‘thing’ and ‘word’ is the same. Thus, our things could be our words, and our words are part of our story. Loving your things helps you tell your story. Your special treasures then contribute to a place to live that is alive with meaning for you. Your things contribute to what we could call your landscape, and your personal landscape influences how you experience life. If your environment is meager in meaning, you’ll experience that meagerness in your soul. When your environment is rich in meaning, not overfull of possessions, you’ll feel that richness in your soul as well."

And if maybe at the moment we don’t have a room of our own yet, we can start smaller. Maybe make do with a little nook or corner. Or even maybe even have to start smaller than that until you can expand...perhaps with a single precious object, a photograph, a locket on a necklace, a vase of flowers, or such. Something, anything that calls to you and reminds you, inspires and uplifts, that when you look at it you find it pulls you towards the direction of the life you dream of.

Welcome to the Bloom Notebook

2006-01-20T11:38:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time a woman named Sarah ban Breathnach went on a journey of discovery she called Simple Abundance. Every day she wrote about what she learned as she went along this path in order to share it with her readers.

In a similar way I hope to also take a path of discovery and share it with others who may read it. While it took a while for Sarah’s book Simple Abundance to first get written, then published, and then into the hands of her dear readers, mine will be rather more instantaneous than that as I use the Internet to publish my thoughts. I hope you will find some value and enjoyment from my musings on a variety of subjects from decorating to being true to oneself.

Sharyn