Happy Holidays!



A vacation is having nothing to do 
and all day to do it in.
  - Robert Orben

Have a wonderful Holiday!

Until next week,
Pam




101 Places I Find Creative Inspiration


Are you stuck staring at blank paper? Need inspiration?
Here are a 101 of my favorite inspiration generators.
See if one will spark something for you!

Until next week,
Pam


  1. Create new Pinterest boards, search your topic or browse their "popular" category
  2. Flip through trade, home décor and craft magazines like Somerset Studio, Digital Studio, Anthropologie and Better Homes and Gardens.
  3. Flip through fashion and lifestyle magazines like Architectural Digest, Vogue and Travel and Leisure
  4. Flip through shopping catalogs like Crate and Barrel, Sundance and Garnet Hill
  5. Google random topics and scroll the "images" tab
  6. Watch your favorite TV show
  7. Watch a new TV show
  8. Watch a foreign TV show
  9. Watch a vintage classic TV show
  10. Listen to your favorite music
  11. Listen to International music
  12. Listen to Holiday music
  13. Watch an MGM movie musical
  14. Go to theater to see a play
  15. See a movie
  16. See a concert
  17. Read a new book
  18. Reread an old book
  19. Browse independent boutiques 
  20. Wander a mall
  21. Shop a department store
  22. Go to an art gallery
  23. Visit a college gallery
  24. Go to a Children's Film Festival
  25. Go to an International Film Festival
  26. Take a nature stroll
  27. Go on a hike
  28. Wander a toy store or toy department
  29. Search other artist's websites
  30. Search online art galleries 
  31. Visit a museum
  32. Look through your clothing accessories
  33. Look through your jewelry
  34. Wander a craft store
  35. Wander a furniture store
  36. Wander a fabric store
  37. Search topics on Instagram
  38. Look up artists on Behance
  39. Visit a plant nursery
  40. Arrange loose flowers in a vase
  41. Visit a historical site
  42. Take a long drive 
  43. Go somewhere new
  44. Wander the makeup isle in a drug store and look at the ads
  45. Look up the flags of the world online
  46. Visit a library
  47. Wander a book store
  48. Flip through random magazines
  49. Look through greeting cards
  50. Join a coloring group
  51. Google "the meaning of colors"
  52. Google "exotic destinations" and click on the images tab
  53.  Visit your local Audubon Society
  54. Look at scrapbooking papers at your local art store
  55. Look at the yarn isles at your local craft store
  56. Go to a sporting event
  57. Look at your favorite Facebook pages
  58. Write in a journal
  59. Interview someone
  60. Go to the gym
  61. Meditate
  62. Do yoga
  63. Take an online class
  64. Take an in-person class
  65. Gift wrap something
  66. Take pictures
  67. Take a sketch pad and sketch at the beach, the park, the mall
  68. Find inspiring blogs online
  69. Learn something new
  70. Make a list of things you would like to do or try
  71. Make a mood board with pictures and drawings
  72. Look at past work
  73. Make a list of your favorites…color, song, trip, food, etc…
  74. Do something "just for fun"
  75. Do something nice for someone else
  76. Do something nice for a stranger
  77. Browse "print on demand" sites like Redbubble, Zazzle and Café Press
  78. Browse artists product sites like Teefury and Threadless
  79. Call a friend
  80. Find inspirational quotes online
  81. Keep a dream journal
  82. Try a new recipe
  83. Bake
  84. Sleep
  85. Watch YouTube videos
  86. Set a timer and write…5 minutes? 3 minutes? 10 minutes?
  87. Play with a child
  88. Have a cup of tea or coffee
  89. Learn about another culture
  90. Go to the water…ocean, lake, pool
  91. Start an artists group
  92. Try a new medium
  93. Keep an idea journal or scrapbook
  94. Join a group sketchbook project
  95. Search for artists studios online
  96. Doodle
  97. Get new art supplies
  98. Clean and reorganize your creating space
  99. Look through old photo albums 
  100. Learn  about different customs
  101. Create something (anything) for a set time (30 minutes? 60 minutes?) EVERYDAY.
     

Be Inspired, Art for a A Day Well Lived

Artwork by Pam Vale

Several years ago, I was introduced to a man with a vision, that also happened to share a Birthday with me. 

His mission was to help as many people as he could, appreciate their daily lives and celebrate "a day well lived" in whatever way that mattered to them.

We worked together and based on his thoughts, I created the art above to represent his new venture.

Recently, I was super excited to be scrolling on social media and spot my art translated into a beautiful piece of jewelry! (Which is now available on his site)


Below is a description of his mission and some links to see what's it's all about.

What would make a "Day Well Lived" for you?

Get involved. Get Grateful. Connect in this wonderful community.
I love creating art for positive, inspiring companies!

Until next week,
Pam



Gratefully Inspired! A celebration of a day done authentically & with gratitude. 
Please sign up for our weekly newsletter


About:

A Day Well Lived was created in February 2012 to celebrate the events, people and experiences that, upon reflection, allow us to feel like we "did the day right." 

It's a reminder to appreciate things we might take for granted - like a walk with the dog, or simply sitting quietly in sunshine. A Day Well Lived is about being true to ourselves, and remembering that even on those days when everything doesn't go as planned, we can still feel good that we reacted authentically. Even the toughest days can be A Day Well Lived.

A Day Well Lived is personal, as we all have different ways to find our center. But, by sharing our own thoughts and experiences, we can learn and inspire. And doing that...is A Day Well Lived. 

If you're interested...you may read the blog post about why "A Day Well Lived" was created: http://toddlieman.com/2012/02/29/a-day-well-lived/


Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/adaywelllived

OneNote, One Perfect Little Organizational Tool


Over the years, I have managed to develop organizational strategies that keep me on task and on time. These work really well in all areas, except one.

I am a note jotter but I am not great with little scraps of paper. I'm a bit of a "pile-person", meaning that I am great at making piles of paper that I am sure I will look at… but never do.

Sometimes, trying to override that failed system, I will group small scraps of papers with notes into some kind of container…an envelope, a plastic pouch, a small bowl, a file folder, a binder pocket, etc.

This also never works.

I have tried to organize myself electronically but that had pitfalls too. I would email myself notes and then they would get buried in my inbox. I began to get organized with an app called Evernote and then they changed their service terms. I had a bad experience with their changes and lost faith in them.

Then…I got a new computer. I actually blogged about the new computer last week. I am in love.

I ended up with a Microsoft Surface Pro (amazing) and it had the full spectrum of Microsoft apps including a little gem called OneNote.

Being an optimistic person and a little desperate I decided to give it a try. I'm only about 6 weeks into my relationship with OneNote but I have to say that it has been kind of great so far.

Here are some of my personal likes:

  1. It works seamlessly on all of my devices and computers
  2. It was very easy to install on all devices
  3. It's free!
  4. There is virtually no learning curve and it is intuitive
  5. It's simple, user friendly and looks the same on all devices
  6. It updates almost in real time across all devices
  7. It's super fast and allows me to jot notes, create files and add content quickly and without a lot of effort. For me, this is key as ideas come to me rapidly and at inconvenient times

All that in only the first 6 weeks!

OneNote does a ton of other cool stuff that I haven't even explored yet but so far, I am really pleased with it.


Below I have also included their "official" description of what the app does. Check it out.

Do you have a favorite productivity app or program you use?

Until next week,
Pam





Official Description

OneNote is your digital notebook for capturing and organizing everything across your devices. Jot down your ideas, keep track of classroom and meeting notes, clip from the web, or make a to-do list, as well as draw and sketch your ideas.

TYPE, WRITE, AND DRAW • Write anywhere on the page and unleash your imagination • Use your device's pen or your finger to write and draw with multiple types of pens and highlighters • Take notes on a white background, or add a grid or ruled lines for easier drawing and writing

CAPTURE ANYTHING • Quickly take a note by clicking the Note button in the Action Center and on supported pens* • Send websites, recipes, documents, and more to OneNote using the Share Charm, Microsoft Edge, Clipper, Office Lens, and dozens of other apps and services

GET ORGANIZED • Search and find anything in your notes, including handwritten ink and the text in pictures • Quickly access your most recent notes, complete with visual previews of each page • One-click access to to-do lists with check boxes

MADE FOR TEAMWORK • Easily share your notebooks and notes with colleagues, family, and friends • Plan vacations, share meeting minutes or lecture notes with people around you • Edit notes together and see changes in real time

ALWAYS WITH YOU • Your notes travel with you whether you're at home, in the office, or on the go • Notes are automatically saved and synced in the cloud, so you always have the latest on all your devices • Your notebooks look familiar on all your devices, so you can pick up where you left off on your desktop, tablet, or mobile device

Check out the website, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and visit the blog for the latest news: onenote.com facebook.com/onenote twitter.com/msonenote blogs.office.com/onenote *Some accessories sold separately; hardware dependent.