July 23, 2010

stones of inspiration

tradition is important to me as a mom.
my children count on and look forward to certain things from year to year.
one of those things is jennie lake in the grand teton nation park.
it was formed by melting glaciers over 60,000 years ago.
each year our family hikes around the lake 
and up to "hidden falls"... an amazing 80 ft. high waterfall.
then we take the shuttle boat back to the other side of the lake 
and eat ice cream.
simple, but oh so important on the agenda.
this year i couldn.t make the hike, 
so this little munchkin volunteered to stay with me.
this is miss micah gabrielle.
my art buddy.   my actress.  my free spirit.
we decided to find some nice boulders next to the lake to sit on
then we got out our art journals and drew what we could see.
it was hard when "this" was our view.
we started talking about the beauty that was around us 
how we wished we could share it with everyone we knew.
share how it made us feel.
then i had an idea.  we gathered several small stones...
and "wrote" our sentiments.  little encouragements for others.
...then we headed for the nearest trail.
and surreptitiously stationed our "messages" for others to find along their way.
on rocks
on fallen logs
on bridges
in unused homes {hopefully}
on crispy branches
right in the heart of the path
tucked in wooden coves
on blankets of evergreen
on hewn down timber
from our hands we delivered our little nuggets of inspiration
and 
a new tradition was born.


what would you encourage others to
 do.  feel.  take notice of.   be.
if you created your own stones of influence?


-cultivate the art of inspiring others-

37 comments:

  1. Oh, I just love this!! I've often thought of leaving little messages or little pieces of art in public places for others to find. You are inspiring me!! What a wonderful trip this must have been!! Much love, Silke

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  2. oh your stones took my breath away.
    thank you.

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  3. this is fabulous! leaving messages to be found in such a beautiful space is a great idea, Chrissy =-)

    as for a 'stone of influence', i think the message for such a grand and beautiful place such as Grand Teton would have to be:

    "This moment belongs to YOU"

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  4. i love these stones
    almost more
    than ice cream!
    i love the words you wrote...
    what might be additional ones?
    love & love some more
    stand as tall as you are
    shine
    bow often
    you are beautiful
    loved as you are
    follow your heart
    trust what you hear
    you are art.
    ok chrissy, that was fun!
    i also want to say
    that i love your handwriting...
    i really truly doodly do!
    & oh that micah,
    what a deer to stay w/you!
    i love her dress & face!
    lol to you
    (& btw, that monke-mail i sent
    while sitting side by side our sam
    & giggling lots!). xox

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  5. ~oh gosh...i have written words on ♥heart rocks♥ but the beauty that lies within hiding these treasures...these gofts for others...its such a beautiful treat...what a gift for those who find them...what a mind you have...a the heart of you two...be still i am...warm wishes and brightest blessings~

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  6. That is the best idea!! I would love to come across those inspirational rocks while hiking one day. I may have to start a new tradition. And let me just say holy cow, what a beautiful place! That lake view is gorgeous, how nice it must be to live so close by. I definitely need to visit that spot someday. :)

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  7. What a beautiful new tradition. I may have to adopt this one myself.

    I am also a huge fan of tradition. It tends to ground me and bring me back to myself. Thank you for sharing.

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  8. I'm off on an adventure now to find Chrissy and Micah heART rocks! Maybe you'll find some from the people you've inspired today, sweet one :) So happy you shared this with us. We all needed it!

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  9. Sooooo lovely...what fabulous inspiration to put out there for others to find. LOVE THEM honey. You are such a wonderful inspiring mum and friend. xxx

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  10. I LOVE this! You are so wonderful!!! I just wish I could have run into a few of those rocks on the path. You are FULL of inspiration. love, LOVE, LOVE you!

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  11. I am thinking of the lucky, lucky people who would have found your stones... it would be such a huge buzzy feeling. You are a true gem!!! xxx

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  12. I love this! Wouldn't it be amazing if we all started the tradition where we live or visit. Such a wonderful idea to share with your daughter.

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  13. chrissy! that is awesome. i would love to stumble upon one of those rocks! you are so amazing!

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  14. How fun to come upon your darling little rocks. Chrissy, I miss you and so happy to see you loving life. You are truly beautiful. Darling Micah. Tell her I love her dress!!
    hugs and loves to you!

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  15. well, i've gotta say that i'm loving your new tradition.....not that there's anything wrong with hiking in sweltering heat, but who can argue with just sitting on a big boulder with a sweetie named micah and being creative......together!! and those stones......oh my goodness....those stones!! you are such a precious inspiration!!! happy weekend, sweetness!!! xox, :))

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  16. That is the sweetest thing EVER Chrissy. I am SO going to do that one day. Thanks for the inspiration. And your daughter is gorgeous. Like you :)

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  17. So cool! and what a memory for your daughter to remember. I really enjoyed the photos and I agree- I would LOVE to find your stone's while hiking! I say we all do it!

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  18. Wow ... what a wonderful and inspiring idea. I'm so glad you shared it. I'd love to do this sometime. What did you use for the lettering? Sharpie pens? Acrylic w/flat nib? or something else?

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  19. Really touchning and inspiring - and so great you didn't just think and talk about doing this, but actually DID it right away. Kind of ike a little art project - the art of living. i love your post!

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  20. How fun! And inspirational. And thoughtful. And, well, fun!! Hey, we weren't too far away from you over in Idaho. Beautiful country for sure. Feeds my soul and yours too it sounds like - how awesome for your kiddos. Love you, Ms. Chrissy!!

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  21. what a fabulously inspiring idea! even better than ice cream! (well, ice cream + stone-leaving would be the best). i can imagine the fun of finding one of your stones.

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  22. What an beautiful idea. I can just imagine being the person who stumbles across these stones. That would be inspiring!

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  23. you....my dear dear friend....inspire ALL of us who come visit you here at this sweet home of yours.

    i just LOVE this idea....and i love the messages written and all the
    lovely little spots that you stowed them in.

    i LOVE this beautiful picture of Michah! what a beautiful soul.

    i adore you and miss you MUCH!!

    xoxoxo
    k

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  24. Hi Chrissy - Again I just love these! But I wanted to swing by and tell you thanks for the comment you left on my blof. And I thought to share something that was pivotal to how I saw myself as an artist. It was a couple of years ago and I must have been complaining to my husband about my inability to get off the ground artistically. He told me my problem was that I was too much of a "jack if all trades" with my art. He said it like it was a bad thing. But when I think jack of all trades I think of renaissance artists like da Vinci. It helped me to reuse that mt incessant hopping from media go media was really fueled by a need to know how they all work. And curiosity in art is never a bad thing. Trust your inner artist that all the disparate interests will cone together some day and you will be so glad you allowed yourself to be whimsical with your self-education now. Hope this made sense. :) Love your photos of hiking- I miss it right now. :)

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  25. Yeah - I'm posting from my iPhone and probably should have read what I wrote before I posted. Reuse ... was supposed to be "recognize that my incessant...." :)

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  26. I *LOVE* this! Super inspiring :) Thank you so much for sharing

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  27. Chrissy-
    I LOVE these joyful rocks!! I would LOVE to find something like this while walking in such a beautiful place, anywhere really. I have been meaning to create something that I can leave in public like this. I may try this myself with my kids.
    Thanks
    xo,
    dana

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  28. oh chrissy! i love these rocks and these pictures and these words of yours. such a joy to stop by to see you, sweet friend. what a beautiful new ritual to create.

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  29. You've created living stones -words that give life and encouragement not only to the passer-by but to the rock placer!

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  30. this is a beautiful idea and I love that it is on stones!! how fab. I am going to do this too. There aren't many nice flat stones around here, and they might stick out in the city, but I think I will give it a try. Thanks for the inspiration.

    Amelia.x

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  31. A beautiful tradition, and a beautiful gift to put out there in the world for others. I love your little painted rocks. I look at mine everyday when I am in my studio, and it grounds me time and time again.

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  32. I'm chiming in with all the enthusiasm... AN INCREDIBLE TRADITION!! I love painting on rocks... words and art... but how wonderful to offer them as unexpected gifts in such magical places. A beautiful post, Chrissy! Thank you.

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  33. I've done this with rocks before. When I went through a divorce, I wrote all the words that weighed me down until then and drove to a quiet spot on the river and threw each one in. It was a nice symbolic way to rid myself of those things that no longer served me.

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  34. Chrissy this is such beautiful post- I love this wonderful tradition you have started. I have been so busy- barely time to breathe- this post was just what I needed- thank you for your beautiful inspiration.

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  35. You are just the coolest, most inspirational mum!

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  36. I love this, Chrissy! The way you made a new tradition with your daughter, the inspiration and love you left in messages for others, the magic of it all. Your handwriting is so beautiful and expressive. Thank you for your inspiration--I will definitely be doing this sometime this year, in some variation.

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  37. i have missed my visits here ,these rock shout with such love i had to say thanks ..if i ever found one i would soar...

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your comments put the biggest smile on my face!
thank you so very much!