Gems 3.1

Posted on January 2, 2017 by Niki Flow

I hope you’re having a beautiful day. ♡
Here’s another light-filled ¤ Gem ¤

Journey Notes

The theme for the month of January is “journey.” If you have a favorite quote about “journey,” or the journey of life, please leave a comment! As you may have noticed, we started a new number series. The Gem today (“3.1.”) begins our third year, and is the first we’ve published. Happy New Year from all of us!

Your Creations

As always, we would love to feature your creative visions. When we show each other what we find beautiful, we get a glimpse into each others’ hearts. If you would like to contribute a photo, poem, story or piece of art for limited use on our website, please send us a note. You always retain full rights. Your work will be shared on Instagram with credit, and the link to the page here shared on Twitter and Facebook.

About US

Our About Us page got a update today. This is our new logo/blurb to explain what we are about in a few words:

May you find joy every day of your journey.

♡. under1000skies

TGIF 6: Big News under1000skies

Posted on December 24, 2016 by Niki Flow

I hope you’re having a beautiful day. ♡
Here’s what’s happening this week on ¤ under1000skies ¤

This week we featured three photos from Alisa Reagan

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and one from Niki Flow

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Thank you for donating your beautiful photos! ♡

NEWS

We have purchased under1000skies.com and under1000skies.org!

During 2017, we will be working to build both websites and have them up and running as soon as possible. As you may have read, thanks to Bay Area Web Designers, we received a free year of hosting for our Domestic Violence advocacy and survivor site, Moonsongs.net which will go live by the end of March. This will be a sister site to under100oskies.org. Very often, women and children who are victims of domestic violence and other violent crimes become homeless.

Taos NM – Ben Archer

One of our photographers and volunteer coordinator, Niki Flow, spent years with her youngest son homeless. Niki lost her home and the contents of her home due to DV and stalking. Most of that time, she and her son did not spend on the street but in DV shelters, with friends and family. Domestic violence was also the cause of the death of her youngest son, Samuel Christopher. Since then, Niki and her two older sons, Benjamin and Joseph, have been passionate about helping those who are homeless and who have been through trauma become — not just survivors — but a strong, connected tribe of thrivers.

under1000skies-org-mousepad

We’ll be using the Under1000skies.com site for our new store (coming soon!), and 100 percent of the profits from our products sold there will go to buy artist packs. We’ll be selling things like cards, stationary and mouse pads using Niki Flow’s heart-people drawings, like the one above. The under1000skies.org site is where we’ll have our artist gallery and daily photos.

TGIF: What It Really Means

T.his G.orgeous (Planner) I.s F.ree!

00000001-the-handmade-home-journal-free-2017

This weeks TGIF is a cool #freebiefriday thanks to Liz Stevens Art. She tweeted this today:

Thanks to @thehandmadehome for this gorgeous FREE printable planner that I’ve been using for 3 years

The Handmade Home 2017 Planner

I can’t wait to print this and start using it. Such a beautiful gift to the world! *cheering wildly* Thanks so much Ashley and Liz!! ♥

What Do You Find Joyful? Beautiful?

The theme for the month of December is “joy.” If you have a favorite quote about “joy,” please leave a comment! As always, we would love to feature your creative visions. When we show each other what we find beautiful, we get a glimpse into each others’ hearts.

May you find joy every day.

♡. under1000skies

Gems 2.81

Posted on December 22, 2016 by Niki Flow

I hope you’re having a beautiful day. ♡
Here’s another light-filled ¤ Gem ¤

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These Are the Good Old Days

What Do You Find Joyful? Beautiful?

May you find joy every day.

♡. under1000skies

Gems 2.80

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Niki Flow

I hope you’re having a beautiful day. ♡
Here’s another light-filled ¤ Gem ¤

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What Do You Find Joyful? Beautiful?

May you find joy every day.

♡. under1000skies

T.G.I.F. 5: “What It Really Means”

Posted on December 17, 2016 by Niki Flow

I hope you’re having a beautiful day. ♡
Here’s what’s happening ¤ under1000skies ¤

This week we featured four photos from Alisa Reagan (thank you) ♡

2.75 – 2.76 – 2.77 and 2.78

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TGIF – What It Really Means

Totally Gorgeous, Incredibly Fit: The Remarkable Story of Ernestine Shepherd

There is nothing more joyful that regaining fitness and health after it has been lost. This week’s inspiring TGIF story is about 78-years YOUNG Ernestine Shepherd.

Published on Feb 4, 2014 on Prevention’s YouTube Channel

“Do healthy, ripped bodies only belong to the young? Not if you’re Ernestine Shepherd. At 77, she’s the world’s oldest female bodybuilder and in our original documentary short, we follow a day in her life.”

https://youtu.be/na6yl8yIZUI

This is a more recent photo – she’s 78 here:

And here’s her daily routine:

What Do You Find Joyful? Beautiful?

May you find joy every day.

♡. under1000skies

Gems 2.78

Posted on December 16, 2016 by Niki Flow

I hope you’re having a beautiful day. ♡
Here’s another light-filled ¤ Gem ¤

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Special thanks to Alisa Reagan for giving us permission to feature this beautiful photo today. ♡

What Do You Find Joyful? Beautiful?

May you find joy every day.

♡. under1000skies

Save

Gems 2.77

Posted on December 15, 2016 by Niki Flow

I hope you’re having a beautiful day. ♡
Here’s another light-filled ¤ Gem ¤

“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh

Special thanks to AnnC for sharing this quote and to Alisa Reagan for giving us permission to feature this beautiful photo today. ♡

What Do You Find Joyful? Beautiful?

May you find joy every day.

♡. under1000skies

Save

Gems 2.76

Posted on December 13, 2016 by Niki Flow

I hope you’re having a beautiful day. ♡
Here’s another light-filled ¤ Gem ¤

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This is the full quote. Special thanks to WaY for sharing this quote and to Alisa Reagan for sharing this beautiful photo. ♡

“I want a life that sizzles and pops and makes me laugh out loud. And I don’t want to get to the end, or to tomorrow, even, and realize that my life is a collection of meetings and pop cans and errands and receipts and dirty dishes. I want to eat cold tangerines and sing out loud in the car with the windows open and wear pink shoes and stay up all night laughing and paint my walls the exact color of the sky right now. I want to sleep hard on clean white sheets and throw parties and eat ripe tomatoes and read books so good they make me jump up and down, and I want my everyday to make God belly laugh, glad that he gave life to someone who loves the gift.” Shauna Niequist

What Do You Find Joyful? Beautiful?

May you find joy every day under 1000 skies. ♡.

Gems 2.75

Posted on December 13, 2016 by Niki Flow

I hope you’re having a beautiful day. ♡
Here’s another light-filled ¤ Gem ¤

SONY DSC

What Do You Find Joyful? Beautiful?

May you find joy every day under 1000 skies. ♡.

Gems 2.74

Posted on December 8, 2016 by Niki Flow

I hope you’re having a beautiful day. ♡
Here’s another light-filled ¤ Gem ¤

Photo by Niki Flow. I took this photo on a recent walk. I stood under this beautiful tree and took a quick photo looking straight up. I didn’t see the heart until I opened it in psp9. Do you see it? =) ♥.

For the Believer

“When people say they can’t see the good coming from the pain, my answer is that it’s not our job to know. It’s God’s. It’s just our job to trust, whether we see it or not, that He brings beauty from the ashes.” -Sara Frankl, Choose Joy: Finding Hope and Purpose When Life Hurts

“If this is my life, if this is where I am, then this is where God is, too.” -Sara Frankl, Choose Joy: Finding Hope and Purpose When Life Hurts

For the Skeptic

These two quotes are really helpful — if you believe in God. If not, there is still scientific evidence that shifting focus can reduce pain. This is true physically of course as many Lamaze moms know, but it’s also true for emotional pain as well.

I’ve been in both places — believing in a benign being and believing spirituality is a hoax and a crutch. In both cases, I found ways to choose joy. I hope you can today too.

Here are a couple of quotes about choices we make in life from a scientist and a skeptic.

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.” -Albert Einstein

“We’re born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we’re not alone.” -Orson Welles

What Do You Find Joyful? Beautiful?

The theme for the month of December is “joy.” I chose “joy” to honor my sister-in-law Joy Archer was killed in 1984 after graduating second in her class from MIT. Our annual Running-for-Joy 5k/1mile walk/run takes place on her birthday December 26th to celebrate her life. This is held where you are and all are welcome. We donate to Kiva.org in Joy’s honor but that’s completely optional. We’ve had several remote participants over the years who run/walk on Joy’s birthday to remember the amazing life she lived in only 23 short years.

If you have a favorite quote about “joy,” please leave a comment! As always, we would love to feature your creative visions. When we show each other what we find beautiful, we get a glimpse into each others’ hearts.

May you find joy every day under1000skies. ♡.