think differently...

art as prayer...

art for me is prayer...it is allowing the energy to flow through me to create as no one has before me and as everyone has before me...creation is the moment i am most present in my life and at one with the universe...Cre8Tiva in Cre8Topia!

USA Today has me fired up!!!

This article on the cover of USA Today both saddened and incensed me....so much so that I wrote a response. For me, who usually is unpolitical and chooses not listen to the news,...this is major! Major enough for me to start a MOVEMENT!!!

I was raised in this beautiful community on the banks of the Ohio River. This town, and the people who live there, contributed to the savvy business woman I am today. It was neither "no place" nor  "a rural problem area" before Henry J. Kaiser arrived. And my family never worked at Kaiser.

It is not a "one horse town" and there was a strong middle class before Kaiser and there will be after. Kaiser, indeed, was good for Ravenswood and brought people who had lived in many parts of the world to leave a mark on this town. Their influence and sophistication made for an idyllic, cultured lifestyle in the 1950, 60s and 70s and still shapes the area today.

It is the type of community where you know and care about your neighbor and you allow your children to walk home from school without fear. It is clean and non-polluted and I, and many others who have spent time there, will always fondly call it home.

I am saddened and incensed by the statement, "One-horse towns such as Ravenswood risk losing their reason for being." Juravich, who teaches about labor at the University of Massachusetts, should spend some time in Ravenswood before declaring it done. He states, "Without a hospital or university campus or county seat, they're one plant shutdown from oblivion." There is a hospital 15 minutes away, a university campus 30 miles away, and a county seat 15 miles away. All of which are much closer than similar areas of a metropolis. 

The Manifesto  

The people of Ravenswood are proud and strong and will survive regardless of the state of the plant. It is but a reflection of a mirror that many Americans do not want to look into.  It may be happening to smaller towns today but it will trickle up eventually and touch even Juravich. Turning away from the scene in the mirror does not mean it does not exist.

The world is indeed going through a cleansing process... and no place will this cleansing be more evident than in the world of business! We no longer trust big corporations balance sheets nor the executives who approved them. We see jobs disappearing and finances crumbling as a result of the virtual business model and the wanton and uncontrolled greed of Wall Street, big business, and a corrupt political system that turned a blind eye to the shenanigans.

It is time for a change. It is time for new thinking. It is time to restructure the way we work and feel about working. The people of Ravenswood and other towns, large and small, will need to create their own jobs as small business is what is destined to save our economy. Small businesses will use this transition period to retool and re-engineer the very foundation of our economic structure. The old way of doing business has not served our economy, our planet, nor us. It is time for new ideas.

I believe that now, more than ever before, women are poised to lead these small businesses with an inherent skill and a pioneering spirit I call the Revolutionary Woman. A woman who is prepared to lead the revolution by creating companies that will become the employers, the role models, and the innovators of a new way of doing business. 

I call on the women of Ravenswood and other towns suffering from this economy to step fully into their innate abilities as leaders, nurturers, and heroines! The Internet has equalled the playing field and social media is reshaping the way business is conducted. It is easier to start, run, and succeed in business at this point of history. So join the Revolution...join the movement this cover story of USA Today has inspired.

Today a 58 year old woman from Ravenswood, WV with a computer,  an idea, and a will to succeed competes toe to toe with larger, more established publications. That woman is me. Read my story and more about becoming a Revolutionary Woman at The (r)Evolutionary Women Blog.

Join the Movement today 

by leaving a comment 

and fighting to save our communities.

inspired by the sea...

melissa at the inspired room dot net has asked bloggers to share what inspires us...well, of course, you would know that i am inspired by the sea and everything that shows up to greet me on my morning beach walk... i will share a photo essay today so you can see what i see...and be inspired...

'majesty' amelia island, fl 2/19/2010

how could you not be inspired by this scene every morning? it is the perfect place for my meditative time  that launches my days...

my path to the ocean

i may find a feather at sunrise

or see a gull soar against a firelike sky

i may stroll with a great blue heron

or see a pelican fish for breakfast

or dolphin's splash

i sometimes catch a couple watching the sunrise

or the birds watching the sunrise

i find a heart in the sea foam

or a heart rock

or beautiful nature's vignettes

get close to a tiny bird

 catch the sun rays on the boardwalk as i leave the beach

In Search of Self Love...

every artist should watch this 35 minute movie about life as a creative soul...enjoy

View this movie at cultureunplugged.com

In Search of Self Love : 

A simple yet healing short feature video narrated by artist Rita Loyd. In this video, Rita, as an artist, tells how the creative process taught her to love herself. She also speaks about the true meaning of self-love and what she has learned in order to incorporate self-love into all areas of her life. Rita makes it clear in this video that true self-love comes from the spirit rather than from the ego. As she tells her story, the visual of the video is of her painting the image "Embrace all that you are with love." Be inspired by her simple yet powerful message.

One World One Heart...magic carpet giveaway...

Ride the Magic Carpet 

Tour over 1000 Artful Blogs

Win Amazing Stuff

what a fun time OWOH was this year
thank you all who visited and subscribed to
my magazine & began following me...

welcome to Cre8Topia...i am Cre8Tiva, muse extraordinaire of Rebecca E. Parsons...to connect is one of the greatest gifts to me....connecting with so many other creative bloggers worldwide is especially heartwarming...and this is what Lisa Swifka  @ a whimsical bohemian blog is creating again with her 4th annual One Heart One World global blogging event...it is about connection, about blogging, and about creativity...exactly what Cre8Tiva loves... 

please follow me and i will follow you back.... 

if you subscribe to my online magazine for cre8tive entrepreneurs i will give you an extra entry...

 ...so here is a Magic Carpet giveaway meant just for you...

Custom Collectible Dixie Doodler Bag called "love my friends"

This adorable 10-1/2" wide by 6" tall (closed) pink and yellow clutch purse is named 'love my friends' was created especially for OWOH. It has yellow flowers, doodles and words painted on it. Lined with pink and green polka dot cotton with a pocket inside, it will hold a cell phone, blackberry, iPod, credit cards and checkbook, money...just grab it and go! Made of durable #14 canvas, the purse is named, signed, and dated. (see other photos of clutch and the story behind the artwork below).

and the winner is:  #71 Cassey ba.......17@aol.com

here's the scoop...all bloggers with an active blog are welcome to leave a comment (ON THIS POST ONLY) about your One World One Heart magic Carpet ride experience so far, your worldly location (city/country) and a viable means to contact you (e-mail/blog address)...you will have a chance to win...  the clutch purse will be awarded on 2/15/2010 @ 10 PM EST with a random number generated winner...click the OWOH logo above to return to One Heart One World central...there you will find your ticket to over 1000 blogs in the right column...hop aboard the Magic carpet and visit the participating blogs from around the globe and interact with the bloggers...all have very special giveaways too!

after the festivities, please return to linger a while among my blog posts and discover the magical world of Cre8Tiva... where intuition and creativity meet to form intuitivity!!! if you like what you see, please feel free to follow me and subscribe to my free online magazine for creative entrepreneurs "Artistically Speaking"

click to enlarge

The Dixie Doodler - Doodle Bags...Functional-Collectible Custom Artwork!

Accessories, Clutches, Wallets, Totes and Jewelry

It's the perfect accessory for casual outfits or that little black dress. They always get attention! Mixed media artist, Rebecca E. Parsons line of accessories called The Dixie Doodler-Doodle Bags. Rebecca designs, hand paints, sews and fashions one-of-a-kind purses, wallets, and jewelry out of canvas dropcloths from her mural and faux finishing days.
"One day I was folding a dropcloth and noticed a heart-like paint spatter that I had signed and dated when it happened. It gave me the idea to make a tote bag. Because of where it was on the dropcloth, I could not get it in the right orientation for a tote, so I made a clutch purse. Every time I carried it, people would stop me and ask where I got it," Rebecca says. Lightening bolt idea. "I could probably sell these things!!!"

things I wish someone had told me before starting a biz

someone asked for advice about starting a business today...this is my response...

the beach this morning

congratulations for wanting to take the leap into your dream!!! there are many of us who have been exactly where you are and i offer support in the creation of your business and salute you for asking for help!

Things I wish someone had told me before starting a biz:

1. Trust your intuition and passion. There is no idea that comes to you without the resources to accomplish it...what you need is already there waiting for you. 
2. Always choose passion over profits! Passion is sometimes the only thing that will keep you going when there are difficulties and/or low funds...and there always are these times. When you are passionate about your mission, you infect others with that passion...and that will bring the income. So learn to talk your passion...everywhere.
3. Do the work it takes to create a business model that works for you. That means planning, research, and time. Doing the business plan can be the most rewarding time in your journey...if taken seriously and done well, it can give you clarity of purpose and define the path to prosperity. Without one, you will struggle and jump from one thing to another looking for something that works. You may stumble upon it, but charting your course is much more efficient.
4. Know your core values...and your core business values. Then create your business mission statement and values. Post and read these frequently and make sure every decision you make is in support of these.
5. Take an action step toward your dream every day!!! Don't get stuck in the planning and the research...do something that will propel you forward. Just do it!!!
6. Find support of others on the same path as you. Connection, especially when working from home, is necessary to keep you accountable and on track.
7. Ask for help when you need it. Do those things that you are best at and will be the best return on investment for you...leave the details to others and hire help as soon as you can. It will free you to create the dream.
8. Believe that what you do is of value. Create a pricing structure that supports the value and the dream.
9. Learn how to ask for the money!! If you have to stand in front of a mirror for an hour every day until you can ask for the job without flinching, blushing, or laughing...do it.
10. You must do 3-5 hours of targeted marketing a day. You are in the business of marketing, no matter what you do, sell, or offer. You have no chance of success, if nobody knows you are in business and what you have to sell.

and...Never Give Up On Your Dream!!!

 

Always Have Heart!!!