Our latest STICK OF THE WEEK! is Cheri Paxton. Cheri is in the NOW as founder of
Shoe•ol•o•gy, a website that offers stylish shoe sewing patterns for women, babies and kids. At Shoe•ol•o•gy, the study of shoes and endless creativity fall into your hands. Cheri teaches you how to make beautiful shoes step-by-step with her sewing patterns and detailed tutorials. In addition, Shoe•ol•o•gy also offers sole material and shoe friendly fabrics.  Cheri Paxton Cheri Paxton has been married to her wonderful husband for fifteen years and has two beautiful daughters (3 and 6). While staying at home with her girls, Cheri runs three different Etsy shops, Sweet Pea Kids, Sweet Pea Patterns for baby and Shoe•ol•o•gy for women. "My kids inspire me everyday. I can't think of anything more satisfying than sewing up something cute for my kids and then watching them run around in it. It is such a privilege to be able to share the patterns I create with the world." Cheri loves sewing, painting, crocheting, beading & everything artsy and crafty. She is passionate about making and teaching people how to make shoes. "I'm addicted to the feeling of making something new that didn't exist before. I find it invigorating and exciting!"
Tell us about your NOW (Noodle On the Wall)
My NOW is all about designing shoe patterns to share with the world! I design baby, kids, and women's shoes. Then I create beautifully illustrated tutorials to teach people how to make shoes just like they see in my pictures. I sell them as PDF patterns so people have the convenience of downloading them in a very short amount of time. That way, they can get started right away.
 Shoe•ol•o•gy for women Is your NOW simmering, al dente or fully cooked and why?Ha ha, I love this question! I feel like my NOW is somewhere between simmering and al dente. I say that because my original goal was to have shoe patterns available in all sizes and I'm almost there. I also say that because I've worked really hard the last couple of years researching and developing new ways to make shoe making possible for the everyday do-it-yourself person out there. I found a great product for making outdoor shoes that can be sewn on a regular sewing machine. I sell this waterproof material in my women's shoe shop HERE. But this material was really just the first step. There are still new developments that I am currently working on that I will be introducing soon. My goal this summer is to put together an illustrated e-book that will teach people how to make really nice looking shoes with a harder and thicker sole.  Shoe•ol•o•gy for women What recipes can you give other Creative Moms Taking On The Creative?
Adventurous moms out there are learning how to sew. With my shoe patterns and other sewn items, they are having great success! My advice is to not get to locked into the "recipe!" When you buy a pattern, learn the basics on how to make it functional and then have fun creating eye candy....... bows, flowers, ribbon...... whatever! Take liberties to express yourself through your creations and have fun with it!
 Jack and Jill Loafers What motivated you to throw your noodle?
I've always been the entrepreneur type! Before Etsy came along, I almost always had my own business. Just to name a few, I sold handmade soap, jewelry and painted murals for businesses and homes. However, I am an introvert at heart, so when Etsy opened it's doors, it didn't take me very long to figure out that Etsy was where I needed to be!
 Owl and Chick Slippers  Little London Loafers What inspires you as a Mom and as a creative person?
Well, it's kind of like I have to create in order to be a good mom. I know that might sound weird, but if I don't take time out to create even for a short amount of time everyday-- I get down right grumpy! Being creative is how I recharge my battery. My kids are very interested in art too, so they are right beside me getting recharged! Even small things like coloring or painting with my kids helps a lot.
How do you juggle Mamahood and your NOW?
Boy is that a loaded question! It's hard. Really hard. I'm not going to lie. Being a work at home mom is by far the hardest thing I've ever done.....hands down! It's definitely getting easier now that my youngest just turned 3. I still find the most important thing I can do is to give them as much time as I possibly can. Even when I feel very rushed to get my work done, I try hard to stop often throughout the day and read to my kids, sit and snuggle with them or just take time out to let them know that I love them. This seems to help more than anything else I've tried. Some people would say to keep a good schedule, and I believe that is true too. I'm just not very good at it!
What technology issues have you run into with you NOW?
When I first opened my first Etsy shop, it was really easy to make a sale. Now because of the way Etsy changed their search tools, it is more difficult to get traffic coming through. I have to advertise to get traffic now. There is also a lot more competition now than when I first started, so that makes things more difficult. Yet, I am determined to be adaptable and move along with changes so that I am not left behind.
On a positive note, I am very grateful that the online sewing communities are rapidly growing. Just ten years ago if you didn't know how to sew and you didn't have anyone to show you how to sew, you wouldn't dream of buying a pattern. Now with all the helpful sewing blogs out there and the illustrated tutorials that come with most PDF patterns that are bought, women all around the world are being empowered to create and sew in a way that would not have been possible without the internet. It's awesome and I feel so privileged to be a part of the online sewing community that makes this possible for them. What is your ultimate pasta dish?
I grew up in NY and my mom is 100% Italian so this is a tough one! If I had to pick just one I would have to Penne alla Vodka.
“Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force." -Shel Silverstein
Free The Doodle!
I'm not really sure what happened to me the other day. The last thing I remember was sipping a hot cup of coffee while intently staring at my walls. All of a sudden, I found myself driving to the local Sherwin Williams paint store with my two kids in the car. Essentially, I think it was the crayon doodle all over my walls that finally drove me off the edge. I entered the store on a mission and quickly dove into a heavy conversation with the sales clerk about paint finishes, while my kids perused the color swatches. As we drove home with the paint cans safely packed in the trunk, my son asked, "Are we doing a project Mommy?" To which I replied, "I'm freeing the doodle!" He looked at me excited and confused. He looks at me like that a lot.
Interestingly, I chose a blue color. I LOVE blue, but it's risky for me to put on my walls. When it comes to decor, I can be boring. But for some reason, that particular day, I was going to throw the noodle. I was going to take on the creative! Well, not right then, but probably around 8pm when the kids were in bed.
Since that evening, I have to admit that I've been on a painting rampage! I painted the walls, painted a floor, painted the shed, painted the dog.....sorry Otis......I got carried away. Oddly enough, while stroking each new canvas, I found myself breathing, relaxing.......and most importantly, listening. With all of the chaos and noise happening every day, the simple creative task of painting, gave me a chance to listen to my own thoughts and feelings. Me and my brush found our own little world of silence. A place to recharge the battery. And most importantly.......free the doodle and listen to my noodles!!! (Such a powerful sentence.......and it rhymes too. I mean really.)
But being creative doesn't always have to be about freeing yourself of the doodle.....or any other task that might need to get done. It can also feel like a break, your own form of meditation, a massage or morning cup of coffee. And in those moments, when it's only you, your silence and your creativity.......that's when you most listen. And that's usually when the noodles start simmering.
So take on the creative. Free your own doodle if you must! Because you owe that time to your thoughts, your feelings, your creativity and maybe your walls. Tucked away in your silence, you may find some simmering noodles ready for take off.
comment or mail me at elena@noodlesonthewall.com
Welcome to Noodle Thoughts. A new blog post every Tuesday bringing you Mama adventures, funnies and tidbits to uplift your day. Writing for Noodles On The Wall has opened up a whole load of stories about mamahood, so here goes......
Where's My Coffee?
Lately, I've been setting the alarm and getting up before the kids. It gives me a few minutes of silence and a chance to actually have a few sips of 'hot' coffee before I get too distracted with the kids. Because once the kids are up, I'm in The Mama Zone. And let me tell you, when you're in The Mama Zone, you never know where your coffee cup might end up.
 Now, I'm sure you know The Mama Zone well. It's the hour when breakfast gets made, diapers get changed, sippy cups get filled, lunches get packed, kids get dressed and teeth get brushed. It's a time when your mind works fast but your hands work faster. When feeding one child while searching for socks and packing a lunch is simple and every day. Why?? Because you're in The Mama Zone. You never got so many things done in your life in such a short amount of time. Especially before eight o'clock in the morning.
And when the kids are safely off to school, the babies are playing and maybe the sitter has arrived so you can go to work or get stuff done, that's when The Mama Zone ends and the fog clears. That's when you realize that a crazy woman took over your body for about an hour or so and that there's strange evidence to prove it. Because being in The Mama Zone can also mean going to work with oatmeal in your hair, forgetting your purse, your cell phone, and maybe your pants.......no? That's just me? Ok. Sorry.
But let's face it, The Mama Zone is the place where you are the super mom but not always the super woman. After all, your mind can only hold so much information. And sometimes, when you come out on the other end, you can find your coffee cup in the strangest of places.....in the bathroom, on a shelf, on the hood of your car, in your refrigerator.......I actually came home from work one day and saw my coffee mug on the fence. My son was the one who saw it first and asked, "Mama, do you drink coffee when you climb the fence?" To which I replied, "I don't know. I was in......The Mama Zone."
Our latest STICK OF THE WEEK! is Kaia Canales. Kaia is in the NOW as CEO and founder of Tales In Apparel, a tiny children's wear design house that advises start-ups, boutique labels and mass-market brands on styling, growth and value to excel in their market. Tales In Apparel
Kaia Canales is a designer, a mentor, a lover of entrepreneurship, an owner of six sewing machines and six dress forms and a mom of two boys. Her greatest strength is multitasking, so brainstorming on her latest noodle while folding laundry or crafting, is a regular thing for Kaia. Kaia comes alive when faced with a challenge and loves to make task lists.
"I love crossing tasks off when done. I do this with a pen and scribble in the margins."
Tell us about your NOW (Noodle On the Wall)
Often people have great children’s product ideas but are intimidated by the notion of business plans, sales strategies, public relations, resources for manufacturing and everything involved with launching a brand. What do you really need and which do you do first? This is where I step in…Tales In Apparel is a full service design studio specialized in helping you create baby, children and tween product collections. I advise start-ups, boutique labels and mass market brands on everything related to children's wear to excel in their markets. I can help businesses go to the next level. I have been working in the children's wear industry for 12+ years and I am well experienced in building new clothing brands and tweaking old ones. This industry is completely riddled with regulations and guidelines that are not easily known and constantly changing. I help my clients build brands and make smart business decisions for their ‘happily ever after’.
Is your NOW simmering, al dente or fully cooked and why?
Tales In Apparel is that nice set of enameled cookware with just the right pot for YOUR recipe. I have steady and fantastic clients with their own sauce and I would like to add more to my stovetop this year. In order to attract more business, I am currently working on launching my blog and making mindful posts at least two times a week. I tell everyone that brand building is the key to longevity and now I plan to walk the walk. Through blogging I am learning my own voice by telling tales and sharing all that is aspirational and inspirational to me and potential clients. I plan to inspire, educate and most of all preach all things related to children's wear design and business. I have been professing my love for kid's fashion and entrepreneurship for too long without putting my ideas into cyberspace.What recipes can you give other Creative Moms Taking On The Creative?
I believe every great brand has a story. If yours is not spicy enough, don’t be afraid to add some fiction to make it memorable. When your audience connects with you/your brand, they turn into advocates. Give them that opportunity.
Separate your mom self from your business self. When left together, they may boil over. Your maternal instinct will naturally add flavor to all you do. For example: never ever bring your kids to a business meeting. I have worked with mothers with one eye on their children. It is never productive. Just don’t….
When starting, align yourself with an army of mentors, friends, bloggers, etc. that you have accumulated. Share information on your trials and successes. This concept has helped me build many relationships that I truly treasure and I welcome more!
 What motivated you to throw your noodle?
Tales In Apparel is a natural evolution from all the freelancing, consulting and brand collaborating I have been doing since becoming a designer in the industry in 1999 and starting my children's wear collections Fable and Lore in 2006.
 Fable and Lore Friends and ‘friends of friends’ started to ask me all kinds of business advice based on my professional experience. Where does Calypso manufacture? What were the bestselling items at Old Navy? Where do you get your hangtags printed? I realized I loved being part teacher, part entrepreneur. And then questions got deeper. Do you like my new logo? How do I create a linesheet? How do I set up a booth at a tradeshow? Help me design this dress? Soon my daily focus started to shift toward helping others and I loved every second of it! Unfortunately for Fable and Lore, in 2009 CSPIA added requirements which caused my testing costs to skyrocket and the profit margins were no longer…well, profitable. Soon after I closed that chapter of my life and focused on Tales In Apparel. But I never looked back. Without each experience, good or bad, I wouldn’t be able to help others with the same passion for survival and unique perspective of the industry.
 What inspires you as a Mom and as a creative person?
A good book. A beautiful day. My kid's laughs. Undisturbed sleep. I thrive on passion and creativity. I am inspired every time I take on a new client and help them write their own story. I look to them as my muses. My forthcoming post, "don’t sweat the small stuff," is lightly based on a client who needed to commit to her collection but was having doubts.
She came through brilliantly, but not without
nightmares and sweat stains.
How do you juggle Mamahood and your NOW?
With my husband's help. He and I share the same work, balance, life goals and desires for our children. He is the smartest man I know and I need him for every aspect of my life. He takes on many family responsibilities other men would not and makes this life a living fairytale. In fact he is not only my prince charming, he is my editor for all things written (hi Peter). I am a horrible writer. I could not survive without spellcheck…or Peter!What technology issues have you run into with your NOW?I use technology only as needed. I 100% depend on it to work with my clients and gain new ones. If I had more time, I would explore more avenues of social media. For now I take baby steps in my free time and currently I'm playing with ideas/categories on Pinterest. What a great way to collect your own thoughts!
What is your ultimate pasta dish?Multi-faceted, balanced and fun wagon wheels! One day I would love to have an abundance of clients and expand Tales In Apparel into a hired team of people working together on customer goals. I hope to reach out to more start-ups and become the it girl for all things children's wear. I hope to inspire and educate with my blog on even bigger ideas and concepts for the industry. I would love to one day guest blog for some of my mentors: WGSN, Kid's Fashion Reports, Earnshaws, Fastcompany (anyone reading?) and one day I want to explore with my own products again. Check out the beautifully done Tales In Apparel Promotional Video HERE Tales In Apparel BLOG
Thank you to all that entered the Lay-n-GO Giveaway! The winner was chosen at random.org and will receive the Lay-n-Go LITE. And the winner is.......................... Elizabeth Smith Calvez Congrats and thanks for entering! Lay-n-Go will contact you by email for your giveaway. And a great BIG thank you to Amy at Lay-n-Go for sharing their noodle! Have a beautiful and creative day!
"Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it. " -Greg Anderson American Athlete  Glenn in the Amphitheater This past weekend my husband was invited to perform at a French Chateau in Pennsylvania as a featured artist. So, we dropped the kids off with my parents and went on a little adventure. Now I know I'm his wife so I'm a little biased, but my husband Glenn is one of the best musicians I have ever seen. He is a skilled drummer, piano player, performer, and most importantly, Glenn plays with his heart and soul. It is beautiful to watch, so of course, I went along for the ride..
Glenn began his performance in a huge amphitheater with blazing bon fires outlining the outskirts of the stage. Ridiculously amazing! Sound check had been checked, his musical gadgets were all working and he was ready to make some beautiful music at this grand chateau. Within the first five minutes though, Glenn's microphone had a glitch, then his hand sonic drums hiccuped, his amp started to crackle and the sound started to waver. I sat in the front row holding my breath and wanting desperately to save him. I wanted to pull the curtains closed and send everyone home with a "sorry, but we're having technical difficulties." We were in an open amphitheater though.........no curtains to pull and nowhere to hide. In a sense, Glenn was naked out there.
I had already deemed the whole thing a wash and a failed performance in my head. But as the glitches kept happening, I saw my husband release them with a breath. I witnessed him calmly take a left instead of a right without a moments hesitation. And as he took a sharp turn and strayed from his own road map, he still continued to play with his heart and his soul. I know every single person in that audience felt the strength of Glenn's ability to detach and move on. He didn't wither away, he didn't falter.......he moved forward.
 Glenn rockin' out! As I witnessed my incredible husband's ability to control the uncontrollable, I realized that most of us live our lives strategically planning our own outcomes. We attach ourselves to the guided road map so much so, that when the 'plan' doesn't pan out, failure is the automatic outcome. That's where I had gone in those first five minutes of my husband's performance, and unfortunately, that's usually how it all boils down for me. I don't stray......I tread water until I drown.
And Glenn certainly did not drown. What came out of Glenn's performance was magical. Really. As the bon fire smoke gently caressed his face in the moonlight, the sound of his djembe drums softly enveloped the night. There was a stillness as the audience waited eagerly for his next move. Listening intently, then clapping their hands, tapping their toes until everyone had a tamborine, a shaker and a drum stick in their hands.
Those glitches and hiccups created a different journey for Glenn. He couldn't rely on his usual routine and so his organic and stripped down performance reached the audience on a different level. They listened harder, felt more and allowed themselves to stray from the road map. Ultimately, Glenn's performance took the audience on a journey that gave them a chance to find their own heart and soul.
As one audience member later said, "you were a kernel of popcorn when you performed. It was exciting to see you pop." Yes, there is truth to that statement because watching Glenn was unpredictable, exciting, inspiring and also very motivating. He started to play with a simmer, dialed up the heat until inevitably, the kernel popped for all of us.
So when you throw your noodles on the wall, be flexible with the outcome. Enjoy the journey, take a left if need be and release the glitches. Because you never know what can come out of a glitch........maybe a popped kernel:)
comment or email me at elena@noodlesonthewall.com
Our newest STICK OF THE WEEK! is Amy Fazackerley. Amy is in the NOW as CEO and creator of Lay-n-Go, a patent pending activity mat, cleanup, storage and carryall solution in one. Two sizes (5' and 18") offer kids and parents a great way to easily manage their toy collections at home or wherever your travels may take you!
 Amy Fazackerley lives in Alexandria, VA with her three sons (8,6 and 4) and super supportive husband, and right-hand Lay-n-Go man, Adam. She has spent over 20 years in sales and marketing and holds an MBA (in strategic marketing) from Johns Hopkins University. Amy was recently ranked #26 in the Start Up Nation’s Top 200 Leading Moms in Business of 2012.
 Tell us about your NOW (Noodle On the Wall)
My NOW is the Lay-n-Go, a product that helps parents avoid the cringe when the "The Crash" happens. You know, that moment when your child gets out every plastic bin and basket they can find and proceeds to dump out every single one until they find that perfect part, piece or accessory. With Lay-n-Go, there is no cringe because there is no CRASH! Your kids can play for hours and cleanup in seconds!
Our mission is to foster kids' creativity with smart and easy organizational solutions for families on-the-go. It should not only be fun, but it should be easy. It’s a cinch...literally!
Is your NOW simmering, al dente or fully cooked and why?
My NOW is not just simmering, it is always boiling over….I am constantly creating and always working on the next big idea and project. Even though I have an MBA from Johns Hopkins, I love to let the “fine arts” side come out to play! Plus, living with four men keeps my pot ALWAYS boiling and my plate ALWAYS full!
What recipes can you give other Creative Moms Taking On The Creative?
One of my favorite quotes is.....
"You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take." -Wayne Gretzky
I would have to say that as I am growing/creating my product and my brand, I have had to "take a lot of shots". You quickly realize, as an entrepreneur, that if do not take the shots (even though so many are so risky and some people think you are crazy) you don't even have a chance to win. So, what have I learned? Do not give up. It is hard work. Nobody just gets "lucky." It is a long road, but if you believe you can do it, you will. You have to have confidence and believe in your idea/product and know that the people around you will support you and pitch in. You HAVE to take those shots! Don’t worry about making the meal PERFECT, just try it. Buy the pasta and turn on the stove.
 What motivated you to throw your noodle?
My three sons and their MILLIONS of small LEGO pieces! Lay-n-Go is about a Mom who loved all her kids’ incredible mind building toys with small pieces but needed an easier solution to clean, contain and manage the chaos.
What inspires you as a Mom and as a creative person?
I just think about my family and friends and put everything into perspective. What REALLY matters at the end of the day.....that is what inspires me. I want this adventure to be fun (both for me and my family). My husband and my three boys love being a part of my business. I couldn’t do half of what I do without my right-hand man and I try to involve the boys in all of the “fun” stuff: the testing, the development, the press, the videos. For me, this is a TRUE family affair and we all have fun doing it together and seeing results together. I think it’s really important to be able to show my kids that you can do anything you put your mind to. We have a lot of fun celebrating awards (we have received 12 to date) and they love hearing about another shop in another state or country that is now selling our Lay-n-Go solution!
The creativity, well that just comes with living with four men!!!
How do you juggle Mamahood and your NOW?
I keep it all in perspective. As exciting as it is to be your own boss and run your own company, at the end of the day, my MOM job always comes first and foremost! Bottom line…I stay SUPER organized and run a TIGHT TIGHT, yes, let me say it again, very TIGHT ship.
Mom VS CEO. There is the good, the bad and the ugly in the never ending balancing act.
THE GOOD: My kids become a working part of my business and we have fun learning things that will be with them for a life time. Like understanding you can be your own boss and you don’t have to drive to an office or wear a tie to work every day.
THE BAD: I work hour-to-hour around the kids’ schedules. On top of running and growing a business, I still have to do the laundry, make the meals, keep up with sports schedules and do house hold stuff.
THE UGLY: Starting, running and growing a business takes a lot of energy and TLC (it has become a forth child for me). I usually finish up in the office about midnight and then fold one more load of laundry, unload the dishwasher and head to bed about 12:30 to start again in a few hours!
What is your ultimate pasta dish?
My ultimate pasta dish would be simple and easy, but VERY enjoyable. Just like my life philosophy. Keep it simple. Make things fun. Enjoy what you do or don’t do it. Don’t be afraid to take some shots. And spend as much time with your friends and family as humanly possible!
Enter to Win the Lay-n-Go LITE Giveaway!
 THE PRIZE:
Lay-n-Go® LITE (patent pending) is an 18 inch travel/mini activity mat that converts into an easily transportable satchel allowing for a quick and effortless clean-up of small toy pieces in seconds. Toy collections used on the Lay-n-Go surface are easily spread out for hours of fun at restaurants, on airplanes, in cars, at Grandma's house, etc. Once playtime is over, the drawstring is pulled and the activity mat is instantly converted back into a soft storage bag. Lay-n-Go LITE is small, but like its big brother/sister, it is a smart and easy personal activity mat, cleanup, storage and handy little carryall solution in one.
To Enter:• 'Like' Lay-n-Go Facebook Page.
• If you haven't already, 'Like' Noodles On The Wall Facebook Page.
• Tell us one item on your 'To-Do-List' this week that is just for you or your noodle.
• Giveaway closes May 22nd at midnight.
• Prize will be shipped in the US.
• One entry per e-mail address is permitted. The winner will be selected using random.org and announced May 23rd back here. ENTER BELOW TO WIN!
"As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others." -Audrey Hepburn  I'm one of those people that makes 'To Do Lists.' Yes. Lists. Plural. Lists are oozing out of my pockets, my bags, my car and my armpits. Ok, maybe not the armpits but still, I think you catch my drift. I LOVE lists! They keep me organized and motivated. They add a little skip in my step when at the end of the day, each 'to do' has been crossed off the list. Maybe you can relate, or maybe at this point you will now stop reading this blog because you officially think I'm a nut case. I don't care. I'm a list addict and I'm proud of it.
My lists are full of bills that have to get paid, mountains of laundry, cleaning, appointments, more laundry and grocery shopping. Grocery shopping has to be my least favorite thing to do.......especially with the kids. Racing through the aisles as quickly as possible before one of my kids decides he or she has had enough. The distractions are no longer distracting, the goldfish have been eaten, the baby is over the key janggling trick and my three year old son is just not into being mommy's little helper today. I have run out of FUN and I still have to pay! Inevitably, I forget something. It drives me nuts! But, when I'm done, I pick up that pen and I happily slice it off the list.
Besides the usual mundane tasks, my 'To-Do-Lists' also include work, husband and dog. But at the very tip top of my to do's, are my children. And let me tell you, their list can get very long. Just going to a park for the afternoon can add a whole load of to do's in my bag. When they are parched, I have a drink. When they are hungry, I have food. When they get hurt, I have a band aid. Before any other item on the list, my children are the priority. They are number one. I make my kid's daily lives a little smoother and their routines a little easier. As moms, that's what we do. We carry our bags filled with the glue that keeps our children connected, the nourishment that feeds their brains and their souls, the silliness that makes them laugh and the arms that hold their cries. And we always cross these moments off our lists with love. But as everyone and everything gets added to our lists, it gets longer and longer, until there is no more room left for us.
Well, every year, I add a little space for myself by taping a great big ME list on my wall. I don't think of these listed items as tasks, duties or responsibilities. This list is full of undertakings, missions and assignments from the heart and for the heart. It's my own special list......and I love it! But, to be honest, I rarely cross off more than one undertaking a year because these items are at the bottom of the list. But what I've come to realize, is that in order to be all that I can be for my husband, my dog, my job and especially, my kids, I also need to be a priority on the 'To-Do-List.' I have unknowingly put myself below the mundane tasks of laundry and trips to the cleaners. Can you believe that? Those duties will get done eventually, because let's face it, wearing clean underwear is important. But if I don't make the ME list a priority too, I might get lost in the shuffle of to do's. And in the end, I won't know who ME is.
So if you love yourself a good list, I invite you to write your ME list down and look at it every morning. I encourage you to make yourself a priority for at least this week. Maybe it will give you the jolt you need to move forward......to throw a noodle or two......to fulfill that part inside of you that makes you, YOU. Because when you find time for YOU, all the other to do's benefit too.
Don't lose that YOU in the shuffle of to do's. Pick up that pen and put yourself on the To-Do-List today!
Comment or email me at elena@noodleonthewall.com
Our latest STICK OF THE WEEK! is Kelly Coveny. Kelly is in the NOW as founder and director of Evolve The Conversation, a movement that shifts the focus from the external circumstances (our job titles, income, weight, successes, failures, appearance) and personal biographies (where we come from, went to school, what happened to us) that currently separate us, to the internal beauties and truths that resonate, inspire, and connect us. A movement in which we create a space for transformation by honoring the power of conversation to awaken, heal, delight and inform us.  Kelly Coveny loves the act of creation. "From the glimmer before it is even a seed to the full grown execution. From the thinking, feeling, intuiting part, to the faith that it IS possible. Whatever it is, I love it." When Kelly is not writing books, poetry and lyrics, she can be found leading a creative department at an award winning marketing agency called MILK. As a mom and a wife, Kelly is also creating "a new and hopefully more and more beautiful relationship with my two beautiful boys and amazing husband."
Tell us about your NOW (Noodle On the Wall)
We are all looking for answers but maybe we are not asking the right questions. We talk about the next big deal, the most organic brand of chicken nuggets, the hardest pilates class, the failing economy–the external circumstances in our life but…what if we evolved those conversations?
In an interview on NPR, late Irish poet John O’Donahue asked, “When is the last time that you had a great conversation, a conversation which wasn't just two intersecting monologues, which is what passes for conversation a lot in this culture. But when had you last a great conversation, in which you overheard yourself saying things that you never knew you knew, heard yourself receiving from somebody words that absolutely found places within you that you thought you had lost and a sense of an event of a conversation that brought the two of you on to a different plane...a conversation that continued to sing in your mind for weeks afterward...I've had some of them recently, and it's just absolutely amazing, like, as we would say at home, they are food and drink for the soul.” Maybe all we are really asking for is…a meaningful conversation.
As a tour de force, it is subtle, soft, quiet—seemingly unessential. It will not save Aids babies, rescue refugees from Afghanistan, clean the water in Tanzania or keep the polar ice caps from melting. Not yet.
And yet, what if, individually and as a culture, we developed a more emotionally empathic vocabulary? Deepened our grammar for what it means to be awake, aware? Expanded our syntax of self-awareness? What if we learned to talk about what really matters to us? Discovered ourselves in each other? Each other in ourselves?
Realized that we are all connected? To everyone and everything?
What if we went beyond the sound byte? Had conversations about how certain music, poetry and art makes us feel more alive? More beautiful than we ever dreamed we could be? More loving? More able, simply, to be? What if we taught our children how to do this? Our schools? What if we became a culture that rediscovered our inner resources?
What if we began changing the world one conversation at a time?
Evolve The Conversation is a movement that begins by hosting a series of salons (think cocktail party meets book club meets metaphysical therapy) across the country and world, with featured artists speaking about deeply transformative topics, like liminality. It will be filmed to form episodic web, a series for broadcast and a documentary. It will be adapted into a play, a book, and an educational template for schools. It will be created with the intent to travel the world, to transform it by raising our level of awareness of the quantum connectedness we all already share.
Kelly Covey with artist, Da Chen at Paper Roads Salon
Is your NOW simmering, al dente or fully cooked and why?
All three. Always. Is anything ever really finished? Wish it was:) But feel like all aspects of my life are a work in progress all the time.
What recipes can you give other Creative Moms Taking On The Creative?
Dark chocolate melted over Kashi cereal poured on tasti d'lite frozen yogurt. Yumminess and reduced guilt:) Heaven. I have no recipes. Work with what you have temperament-wise. I am an A-type, highly active, mind-like-a-gerbil-on-a-wheel type of person so doing an album, writing a book, working in advertising, starting a movement and being a mom seems reasonable, mostly.
What motivated you to throw your noodle?
Bored out of my mind at cocktail parties talking about blah blah blah and a deep desire to help people connect in meaningful inspiring ways.
What inspires you as a Mom and as a creative person?
Nature. Beauty. All those who are no longer here and the gifts they have given me. The driving desire to make beauty and inspiration. To feed others inspiration and love.
How do you juggle Mamahood and your NOW?
Different everyday. Some days I do it well. Some days I have breakdowns. I haven't found the magic hamburger helper.
What is your ultimate pasta dish?
Rotini, fresh pesto and canned Albacore white tuna. Fast, easy and delicious. My very Italian husband would be horrified:)
Evolve The Conversation Introduction Video HERE Check out Evolve The Conversation TOPICS and "explore the meaning"
Subscribe to Evolve The Conversation BLOG
Check out Kelly's other noodles HERE
Thank you to all that entered the Playground ABCs Mother's Day Giveaway (our first giveaway by the way.) The winner was chosen at Random.org and will receive Playground ABCs newest noodle, Age, Love....Photo.
And the winner is... Michele from ModDesignGuru Congrats Michele and thanks for entering! Playground ABCs will contact you by email for your giveaway.
And a great BIG thank you to Playground ABCs for sharing their noodle! Have a beautiful and creative day.
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