How a simple candle changed my productivity....

Mmmmmm, do you smell that? It's fresh baked cookies rising. The whole room is warm and safe.

Today is all about smells! I have always been very aware and effected by my senses and surely smell is not left out! This Gemini sun with a Taurus moon is all about aroma!

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I have always been aware how a favorite smell might put me in a good mood. I had just brought home two WONDERFUL smelling candles that I snagged from my local craft store. One of which was Peppermint and the other was Christmas Tree.

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I lit the Christmas Tree candle as I sat down to work on some recent commissions yesterday. As the room started to fill with the amazing aroma I melted into my work. It created such a perfect atmosphere to work in. I worked practically non-stop for HOURS on end. 

           This candle made me less restless and enhanced my focus and concentration by relaxing me. I realized that not only did the candle enhance my mood it enhanced my creativity and resources to express it in the way that I wanted. I never thought something so simple as a candle could help me be so productive!

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Here are some of my personal FAVORITE SMELLS!

1. Lavender - My mother always had lavender around when I was growing up. I love it.

2. Books - The smell of a new book or a dusty old one, I turn the pages and smile in the scents.

3. Rain - Fresh rain is my absolute favorite smell. 

4. Fresh Paint - As an artist whenever I smell any type of paint I am immediately happy.

5. My boyfriend natural smell - sounds a little creepy but it's true I am attracted to his scent.

If lovely smells can change me so greatly, how about bad odors? As easily as I am effected by my favorite aromas the same is true for ugly ones. I can easily become nauseous by just one smell of something foul. You can't always avoid bad smells though so how do you think it changes your day when you are forced to come in contact with one?

My nose is crinkling just thinking about my LEAST FAVORITE SMELLS!

1. Skunk - It doesn't make me gag but I quickly receive headaches after smelling a skunk.

2. Cigarettes - As an ex smoker I am shocked to see how harshly I am effected by this aroma. PEW!

3.Moldy Food - One sniffy of moldy food and you'll find me gagging.

4. Vomit - As I get older my sensitivity to this smell is getting better but it still isn't pleasant

5. Port-o-potties - I mean it's obvious why I wouldn't like this.

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Most of these are everyone's least favorite smells but it's interesting how I can tell I am effected so easily. Simply glancing at the list of my favorite smells and then at the least favorite smells my body language shifts. Even in my seat in front of my laptop. 

(One of my favorite author's Gretchen Rubin explaining aromas in her life)

Well what do I do now that I am more aware of how aromas effect me and my moods? I have started with permanently having a wonderful candle in my art studio at all times. I have also placed a few more in other rooms of the house. I was careful to make sure that the ones I placed in other rooms were liked by my loved ones. I wouldn't want one of my favorite smells to be one of their worst! 

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Lastly I have decided to carry a tiny bag of Lavender in my purse with me all the time. If I am ever in a situation where I am driving and pass a dead skunk, or walk down a street and get a face full of cigarette smoke, I will be able to wash it away with something I love!

(Here is a fun video from YouTube stars trying foods and smelling others at the same time!)

What are some of your favorite smells? Do you have any in common? Are you as effected by smells as myself? Let me know in the comments below and don't forget to subscribe with the blue button on the top right of the blogs! I hope the rest of your day is a perfect as the smell of roses!

Until Tomorrow - Dream Away

Samantha Menzo

Cloud Nine Studios

Etsy Featured Item of the Day:

Vintage 80s Scratch and Sniff Smelly Stickers Sticker by - ModerneMe

Song of the Day:

The Gallows Trailer Song - Smells Like Teen Spirit Cover

Color of the Day:

Sailor's Delight

I am in the mood for some reading!

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Hello again everyone! Today is the first day of October and boy does it feel like fall has finally arrived! My favorite time of year and I couldn't be happier! Mercury is still retrograde until the 9th. (Click here is you want to know what this means) This Mercury Retrograde has been more difficult then I anticipated. I haven't been able to go inward or even wanted to like I normally feel pushed to do as soon as mercury retrograde appears. Today I felt it.

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All I have wanted to do all day was read. I want to dive into a book and get lost in the world it brings like I have so many times. I have a long commute to work and it has been a year this month since I discovered audio-books. It really has changed my drive and allowed me to always stay with books even when life gets busy.

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I remember as a child when I fell in love with a book for the first time. I had read many books before and enjoyed them greatly but nothing captured my attention and made me lose reality along with sleep than Harry Potter. I truly believe that Harry Potter and the entire series will always be the most amazing thing of my childhood. I think every time I start a new book or search for my next one I am hoping that it will even come close to grabbing my heart like those books did. 

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     Sometimes I feel guilty reading books. I have this undeniable need for constant production. Even to the moment before I go to sleep I have the need to check emails or update a listing on my Etsy Shop. During movies you can normally find me sketching or writing this very blog. Reading doesn't allow me to be "productive" and I have convinced myself that taking time for me to read is selfish and I feel I will fall behind. I have been thinking about how to change this. How to read more and change my feelings of guilt and anxiety about reading. It is something I love and I should take time to do it without a negative aftertaste.

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Reading before bed instead of working on my phone is a good start. Does anyone else feel the way I do? It's sad, books inspire me so much. Books help awaken parts of my imagination that are so crucial for making art. I would love to use reading as a tool for creativity.

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Right now I am reading a wonderful book that has me gripped by its world and characters. It's called "The Book of Lost Things" by John Connolly. I am not going to tell you anything about the book. Just trust me and go get it!

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What are some of your favorite books? Do you have any reading rituals? I love a good cup of tea and a blanket when I am reading. How do you think I could get rid of my negative feelings of guilt when trying to set time aside for reading? I would love to hear your thoughts!

Until Tomorrow - Dream Away
Samantha Menzo
Cloud Nine Studios

Etsy Featured Item of the Day:

Book Necklace by - OxfordBright

Song of the Day:

The Best Indian Chill Out

Color of the Day:
Benjamin Moore Evening Sky 833

My inner Girly Girl and "Embracing the Pink."

Hello Everyone! I am in such an inspired and motivated mood today. I spent most of the last few days locked inside my studio trying to get as much done as I can and I really am hearing that clock tick with the DIY Art Fair right around the corner. I was able to finish up so many half done pieces and that was so gratifying. I also was able to take a good chunk of the day to prepping more wine bottles. I soaked them and peeled the labels and then took them outside to spray some base colors on them and I can't wait to get back and knock some cute new wine bottles out! 

So yesterday I was on Facebook scrolling along when I came across a video that caught my eye. I clicked on it and was instantly hooked. It is Lil' Fairy Doors and my inner child was squealing with delight! I was so excited over this little pink door that I had to take a step back and look at exactly why I was so giddy!

(My brother and I fishing as little kids :] Happy Birthday Zachary!)

So I began to think about how I was raised with a tom-boy sporty spice kinda attitude. I loved my cut off jean shorts and bandannas. I loved showing up the neighborhood boys in any sport I could and after a certain age I made it by business to HATE pink. I even convinced myself that the thought of pink made me mad. Why? 

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When I started playing disc golf around 2 years ago, I had a disc that was my favorite to use but it was pink. I was the best at throwing that particular disc and slowly I grew fond of the color. I had a connection with it and a positive one. Slowly I started wanting more pink discs. Then I wanted pink shirts, then a pink bag, until I slowly was EMBRACING THE PINK!

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I realized a connection with this transformation after listening to part of Gretchen Rubin's - The Happiness Project. She wrote about how for so long she suppressed her love for children's literature. She wanted to be known for reading intelligent books and not fairy tales. She figured out what she was doing one day and decided to ditch the thought and embrace her love for children's literature and she started a small book club dedicated to it! 

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I was suppressing my inner Girly Girl. I wanted people to think I was tough, and cultured and intelligent and somehow me liking pink went against that notion. So i decided to start my own book club......well not really. I just decided that I loved pink and girly girl things. When I saw the Lil' Fairy Door I wanted one so badly. I made me think about my art pieces that I create in my studio. 

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I have mentioned making "sell-able art" vs "enjoyable art." I have struggling with this thought lately because of trying to prepare for this Art Fair. I have found myself knocking out so much generic sell-able art just to make sure I have inventory and it's not as enjoyable for me. When the fair is over I have decided to dedicate a chunk of my time creating fun and light girly pieces. I still love my rustic pieces on wood and wine bottles but I am missing something and it's all for my inner Girly Girl!

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So I hope you all enjoyed the blog today and remember to embrace any and everything you love in life because we all want the real you! I will be Periscoping in my studio tonight at 7pm Eastern Standard Time if any of you are interested in joining me you can find me @Cloudninestudios. 

Until Tomorrow - Dream Away

Samantha Menzo

Cloud Nine Studios

Etsy Featured Item of the Day:

Pink donut watercolor PAINTING rainbow sprinkles (fine art print realistic food doughnut girly pastel art nursery dessert kitchen decor) by - ASheaDesignLab

Song of the Day:

Beyonce - Run the World (Girls)

Color of the Day:

Coral

Why do we collect things?

     

      Do you have any collections? Have you had this collection since you were a child or have you just recently started collecting? Why have you chosen this specific item for collecting? Is it the historical importance, or the money value, or the emotional connection, is it a purely visual attraction to the collection? Collections are fascinating to me!

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     There are many reasons that people have come up with over time to why people collecting things. I haven't done any studies myself to say that this is the best reasoning but I would like to think that people collect things because it makes them happy. Even if you think your collection is for money purposes, how does it make you feel when you acquire a piece that fits your collection and you know it's worth money! That's right, you guessed it!

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    The top ten things that people tend to collect are: Coins, Movies, CDS, Video Games, Stamps, Books, Dolls, Cards, Key-chains, and Rocks. Now that I think about, I have a collection of books. I have a TON of books and most of them I have read and will never read again but I keep moving them from place to place with me because I can't let them go. They make me happy. I am attached to them and the meaning they hold. Most of them I know where I was in my life when I was reading it. So I suppose this unintentional collection of books is from emotional connection. 

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    I am however decided on a new collection that will be intentional! TEA CUPS. I love tea cups and I always have. Why do I love them? Well, I am glad you asked! The first reason I love tea cups is because I am very connected with the story and Disney movie of Alice in Wonderland. Tea cups remind me and make me think about wonderland and looking at beautiful tea cups really set my imagination into power mode! Also I actually love drinking tea. My gramcrackers and I drink tea every time we are together and so the collection could actually be functional which I like. I don't know if I could collect something that I wouldn't do anything with like rocks. 

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    I have mentioned to my boyfriend a few times now that I want to start collecting tea cups and he has recently told me that he wants to start a collection as well! He wants to collect music records. He also wants his collection to be functional. He imagines his collection being displayed in a part of the house where company can actually sit around and listen to the records when they are over. I am definitely supporting this collection!

Let me hear what your collections are and what it is about them you love! Do you think your collection brings you more happiness? Leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts!

Until Tomorrow - Dream Away

Samantha Menzo

Cloud Nine Studios

Etsy Featured Item of the Day:

She's Whiskey in a Tea Cup Jack Daniels summertime american apparel tri blend graphic tee Women's Racerback Tank Top by - EllieSueTees

Song of the Day:

Alice | Pogo

Color of the Day:

Farrow and Ball

My 4 kind of movies that INSPIRE ME!

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I have been in the mood to watch some movies lately. Movies that I have already seen multiple times. Movies that INSPIRE me to create.I thought, that's an interesting topic for the blogs! I have mentioned before that I do not watch TV and I find that very important for myself and staying on track with my day. I am an all or nothing girl so it's hard to just watch an episode or two of something. Once I realized this and cut TV out completely I have been much happier and definitely more productive. 

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But LOVE to watch movies. I don't do it often but when I get to watch a movie that really connects with me I am in my element. Something stirs up in me and I am motivated to make art! I have a hard time sitting still though so if I watch a movie at home I often find myself sketching or working on an existing project during the movie. Sometimes I can even look back on a piece of artwork and remember what movie I watched when I was working on it.

What kind of movies inspire me the most? I would say I have FOUR major kind of movies that really get me into the creative art making mood

. So let's start with #4. HOLLYWOOD CLASSICS. I have had a love of old movies ever since I was a little girl. I really don't know where it came from but I use to fall asleep to Turner Classic Movie channel on my TV all night long. I would sing old songs and practice impressions of actors like Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Fred Astaire, Greta Garbo, Rock Hudson, Doris Day....I could go on forever. There is something about an old movie that instantly inspires me to think and create art. What are some of your favorite Hollywood Classics?

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#3. ARTISTIC FLICKS

This one may be obvious but maybe you are an artistic but get nothing out of artistic movies. Well I definitely do and some of my favorite movies of all time are the cliche artistic movies. I really latch onto a movie that uses all of the outlets for art. Wes Anderson is one of the best known artistic directors and most all of his movies really do the trick. The Life Aquatic and Moonrise Kingdom being my top two. I love Eternal Sunshine for the spotless mind, not only is it acted by two great actors but the color schemes and camera work flip a switch in my brain when I sit down and watch it. Anyone want to recommend a great artsy flick to me? I could use some new material. :]

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#2. MOVIES FROM BOOKS I READ

I am a big reader and nothing is more exciting then hearing that your book is being turned into a movie! When I was a kid and gripped by the Harry Potter series like everyone else it was my world to go see the pages I had read put up on the big screen. Since then I am not sure if anything else comes close or ever will but there have been  a few really great books into movies. Not always is the movie as inspirational as the book but it is still fun to see someone put colors and sound to the story you imagined in your own head. 

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#1. Disney Classics and Animated Movies

I use to feel so embarrassed to admit how excited I was to go see a new animated movie in theaters over other movies. Now I don't care I will shout it from the rooftops. Animated movies have really come a long way and nothing gets me more inspired for art then a good cartoon. Disney classics are probably my number one go to for putting on a film while making some art. Maybe the fact that I don't really need to watch it and I can see it in my mind so I can concentrate on what I am working on. I think it has to do a lot with bringing out my inner kid. My inner kid is highly creative and sometimes I forget how to play and be imaginative like my inner kid can. So Disney Classics and Animated Movies are my biggest film inspirations!

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Man I had a lot of fun making today's blog! I hope you enjoyed reading it. Now that you know what kinds of movies really get me inspired what are some of yours? Do we have any in common or are you the wildly action packed adventure movie lover? I love me some action but I wouldn't say it makes me want to make art. What are your thoughts?

Until Tomorrow - Dream Away

Samantha Menzo

Cloud Nine Studios

Etsy Featured Item of the Day:

Movie Camera Giclee Art Print - Watercolor Camera Poster - Movie Art Print - Inspirational Wall Decor by - MaryWatercolorWords

Song of the Day:

Harry Potter - Prologue/Intro

Color of the Day:

Sandcastle