This is the fifth of a seven part series of my various stores on Zazzle.
This store is called PositiveAffirmation. I already had an Affirmation category in my CherylsArt store on Zazzle; however, it kept growing. To keep things cleaner, I created another store, also featuring affirmation products. My intent was to have all new designs in this new store, but I inadvertently had some overlap. For the most part though, the designs in these two stores are mostly unique to each of these stores.
The categories, so far, in my PositiveAffirmation store on Zazzle are:
Apparel and Accessories:
Here you will find Aprons, Belt Buckles, Pin on buttons, Hats, Necklaces, Ties, Tote Bags, and Tshirts.
Some of the designs in this store are simple one word affirmations. The words are usually made from a cutout letter font, featuring a photo of some of my flowers for the inside of each outlined letter. I think they give an extra added appeal to the affirmation.
The Home, Pets, Car category includes, Car (products), Clocks, Keychains, Kitchen, Luggage Tags, Ornaments, Pillows, Posters, Signs, Tiles, and Wall Art.
I usually write in an affirmation, but on this particular design, I made a template that is to be filled in with the person's own favorite affirmation. I know that using a mirror when reciting my affirmations have proven to be very helpful, and wanted to encourage others to try the same method. I designed the artwork for the mirror.
The New Products category is automatically an option by Zazzle, assigning any newly created product here, if the designer doesn't already give the new product a category, when designing it. This category is usually empty.
Office and School:
This category includes Binders, Business Cards, Dry Erase Boards, Mousepads, Notebooks, and Stickers.
An affirmation can serve as subtle reminders each time we see it, i.e. when we see it on our notebook.
As of this writing, there are only two items in this Category, so there are no subcategories as of yet. At some time, there will be more. Your suggestions and requests are welcome. As well as any requests for other categories too.
Stationery:
The Stationery category includes Address Labels, Cards, Notepads, Postcards, and Stationery.
Address labels may be thought of as pretty small for an affirmation, however a simple reminder to Give Thanks can be a timely reminder for Thanksgiving, as well as throughout the year.
Thank you for your visit, comments, and or sharing too.
Cheryl Paton
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
This is the fourth of a seven part series of my various stores on Zazzle.
The store that I'm reviewing here is MazePuzzles. I already had a Birthday category in my CherylsArt store on Zazzle; however, I knew that I wanted to make a variety of maze puzzle themes, so I went with creating a store for just this theme. Another thing that sets this store apart from my CherylsArt store, is that I used very little of my own artwork in designing these maze puzzles. I created most of these puzzle designs from designs on Canva, of which I subscribe to.
In my MazePuzzles store, I show the Collections first on the landing page; these are sorted alphabetically by theme, followed by product type. A design theme collection is the perfect place to look if you're planning a themed birthday party. There you will find all the different products for that particular theme.
The roduct type collection is the perfect place to look if you know you just want a birthday card, or want to see all the different designs in one easy to look at place.
Here are how the product categories are arranged in my MazePuzzles store.
Birthday Maze Greeting Cards:
It's great seeing all the different maze puzzles pictured in one easy to view location. It can help you decide which maze puzzle you want to go with. The maze puzzles not only include different animals and such, the puzzle themselves range from pretty easy to somewhat harder.
The Monkey and Bananas maze can be considered easy or hard, depending on whether the overlapping vines might offer just some added fun or confusion!
Here is another option for inviting your guests. The invitations differ from the greeting cards, as there was enough room to add the party details to the front of the cards.
Birthday Maze Notepads can be a fun addition to a maze puzzle themed birthday party. All the kids can work a puzzle while they're waiting for cake to be served, or in between game playing, etc. The notepads are 5.5 inches by 6 inches and there are 40 sheets per pad, making it easy for kids to try again should their sheet get messed up. A larger, 8.5 by 11 inch option is available, but the purchasers would need to edit their selection to get the whole design to fit within the printing area.
The maze puzzles are offered on the 7 inch square paper plates. The square can also be ordered on 9 inch. There are also round plates offered in the same sizes as the square plates, and also a round 7 inch bowl.
Birthday Maze Postcards:
The postcards can be used instead of greeting cards or invitations, to invite the guests. It can save on paper usage and possibly postage.
Birthday Maze Napkins:
The maze theme is printed on paper napkins. All of the items in this store are easy to personalize using the provided template forms.
Maze Puzzle Paper Cups:
The maze puzzle design is just printed on one side of the paper cups. Having hosted birthday parties before at an art store, I could just imagine young kids turning their cups all around to view the maze puzzle from alternate sides, and then you know what might happen next. Anyway, I decided to go with the one sided view!
The yard signs are a fun way to show guests where the party is. These signs are printed on lightweight, weather resistant, corrugated plastic, that is 4 mm thick. They are listed to last for 6-9 months for outdoor use, depending on weather conditions. They come in a choice of shapes, including circle, house, helmet, and arrow. Various sizes are offered for the different shapes. You may need to edit to get the design to fit into whichever shape and or size that you select.
Do you have a favorite design so far? There are actually eight different maze puzzle designs in all. You'll have to visit the store to see them all.
Did you think of any other product that you might desire for a maze themed birthday party? Let me know in a comment below. Thank you.
Cheryl Paton
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
This lyric video is one I wrote and produced, titled "Your Destiny, Your Way." At its core, it's simple: chase your dreams, love Mom.
I created this piece with my sons in mind, but truly, it's for sons and daughters alike. I just naturally wrote it from a son's perspective because that's the life I've lived as a mother.
And while this message comes straight from my heart and my own experiences, I write knowing that this isn't just my story. It belongs to so many of us. The way we love our children, the way we hope for them, the way we quietly stand behind them wanting them to build a life that feels like their own, that's something most mothers understand without needing it explained.
I wrote this for all of my sons. But if I'm being honest, there is one in particular who is out there chasing his dreams in a big, bold way. This song leans toward him. It's inspired by him, and it's for him.
That said, I already know this won't be the only one. I have ideas for each of my kids, what I want to say, how I want to say it, and how I want them to feel when they hear my words. This is just one piece in something much bigger I'll create over time.
At the end of this post, I'll include the full message I shared alongside the video, because it ties everything together.
How I Wrote These Lyrics
I don't often have songs come together this quickly.
Actually, that's not entirely true, but it is rare.
Most of the time, I think deeply about the story I'm trying to tell. I map out where it's going, how I'll move into the chorus, what I want the bridge to say, and how it all ties together in a meaningful way. I'm very intentional when I write.
But this one, it just poured out of me.
The idea came to me on the night of April 30, 2026. As with most of my inspiration, it hit me while I was sitting in my room watching TV. And then suddenly, there it was, that feeling of I need to write this right now.
So I did.
I started writing that night, and before I knew it, the lyrics were there. Not forced, not overthought, just flowing. The story unfolded as I wrote it, rather than me trying to guide it into place.
I finished the entire project the next day, on May 1, 2026, and published it that same day.
From start to finish, I would say I spent about 18 hours on it.
And I'll be honest, once I start something like this, I can't stop. I have to see it through. I feel this deep pull to get it out of me and into the world. It's not pressure exactly, but it is a kind of urgency. Like something inside me is asking not to be held onto.
And I've learned to listen to that.
The Lines That Mattered Most to Me
There are so many personal meanings woven into these lyrics, but there are a few lines that I really wanted to land.
"Dance in darkness, cry in lights."
Interestingly, I originally wrote this the other way around.
But it didn't sit right.
It's easy to celebrate in the light and hide in the dark. That's the natural way most of us move through the world. But I wanted to flip that.
Dance in your quiet moments. Celebrate your wins without needing an audience. Let those moments belong to you.
And when it comes to the harder parts, don't be afraid to let them be seen. Not everything, not your whole story laid bare, but enough to be real. Enough to show that the path wasn't effortless.
There's strength in that kind of honesty.
"You can't buy any chances; they already belong inside you."
This one was important to me.
There's this idea that opportunity can sometimes be bought with money, influence, or connections. And yes, those things can open doors in certain ways.
But your real chances, the ones that matter, those are not for sale.
They come from within you, your drive, your courage, your willingness to take a step forward when you don't know how it will turn out.
You don't purchase that. You become that.
"The pressure to be someone you were never meant to be has been broken. Take the pieces to build your dreams."
This line comes from something I've seen over time and reflected on in my own generation.
There was a lot of pressure to follow certain paths, to choose what was considered stable, traditional, and expected.
And sometimes, people didn't take the wrong path, but they took a path that wasn't truly theirs.
That pressure can come from others or from within ourselves.
But what I see now, especially in my children's generation, is something different. There's more freedom, more openness, more willingness to build a life from the inside out.
And that's what this line is about, letting go of that pressure and stepping into something that actually fits who you are.
“Everyone of us knows our own way, but we fight it desperately, too scared to step outside of how we’re seen.”
This lyric is exactly what it says.
Most of us, if not all of us, feel a calling at some point in our lives. There’s something inside of us that knows the direction we want to go, even if we don’t fully understand it yet.
But stepping outside of how others see us can get in our way.
Whether we realize it or not, we allow those outside perceptions to shape our choices. We hesitate, we second-guess, we adjust ourselves to fit an image that was never truly ours to begin with.
And in doing that, we can slowly drift away from what we already knew deep down.
Final Thoughts
I wrote these lyrics on April 30 and completed the production on May 1, 2026.
What inspired me most was watching my four sons grow into their own lives, each one building something different, something uniquely theirs.
It also made me reflect on my own youth, growing up in the 1970s and early 1980s, when the path forward often felt more defined and less flexible. There was a pull toward tradition that did not always leave room for something unconventional.
But the world has changed.
And while those pressures still exist, I've seen a shift, a beautiful one, toward creating a life that starts from within.
This message is for all my children.
But especially for the one who is out there right now, chasing something big.
I want him, and all of them, to know this.
I'm right behind you. Every step of the way.
The old rules only stay alive if we keep believing in them.
So don't.
Create your own way.
To my sons,
Chase your dreams.
Be brave.
Plan well, work smart,
**Subscribe For A Free Short Guide on How to Convert Your Poems Into Lyrics***
*********
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
This is the third of a seven part series of my various stores on Zazzle. I'm going through them alphabetically.
When I went into private practice as a literacy tutor for adults, I looked around for various teaching tools that weren't geared towards kids. There was very little to choose from. I used to design worksheets for students, including word search puzzles and more, to help my students have something they could do to help reinforce their newly learned skills.
I had made a few basic flash card for learning basic words, for those that were more at the beginning level. After I left that, and started creating art and the like on Zazzle, I got the idea to design flash cards for reading, that were geared towards adult learners.
I included a photo or artwork on one side and customizable text on the reverse side.
Here are the categories in my Custom Flash Cards store on Zazzle.
Adjectives Reading Flashcards:
Adjectives are words that are used to describe a noun, a thing, such as a fuzzy peach.
The Alphabet Cards are not flashcards, but are tutorial cards for the alphabet. It shows directional arrows on the letters, to help students to master the writing of each letter. The majority of students that I worked with already new the alphabet, but those who are true beginners can appreciate a tutorial that is geared for adult learners.
The Animal Reading Flashcards category features a variety of animals, from wildlife to domestic animals.
DIY Flashcards:
The DIY Flashcards category features basic instructions on one side of the flashcard, and a placeholder for the purchaser to upload their photo on the reverse side.
Floral Reading Flashcards:
The Floral Reading Flashcards features a variety of flowers, including a surprise of the word MOM spelled out with flowers. I do not have a Holiday category at this point, but that might be a good idea to do.
Food Reading Flashcards:
This category features a variety of food items including fruit, vegetables, a couple of entrees including pizza, and desserts.
This category features common insects in the United States. If you have a request for an insect that is unique to your area, do let me know in a comment below.
Love Cards:
The Love Cards are not flashcards, but offer a couple of options to students that want to express their love to someone, with something that is personal to them.
This category is automatically assigned by Zazzle, if a specialized category isn't already picked upon designing of the new product. This category is normally empty.
Number Flashcards:
These number flashcards feature artwork of an item that has something that can be counted, along with the numerical number and the word for that number, on one side, and just the word for the number on the reverse side. The text can be easily customized should the tutor want to use these flashcards for a different purpose.
Personalized Family Flashcards:
The Personalized Family Flashcards are to help the student recognize words that can describe a family member. The purchaser is to upload a different photo from the student, so that these cards can be personal to them. Any of these cards can be personalized with different text, and for relatives and or friends that haven't been already specifically made; i.e. any flashcard with a female photo on it can be used to make a card for an aunt.
Places Reading Flashcards:
This category represents common places, like a ball field; a well known place, like the Eiffel Tower.
Transportation Reading Flashcards:
These flashcards features different types of transportation, and even a drawing of a space shuttle for those who are interested in space.
Verbs Reading Flashcards:
Verbs describe a type of action, such as this flashcard for hand washing.
I had an adult student ask me to go over the various words that could be found on restrooms. I had never paid much attention to them before, but did do a search of this special request. On one restroom for women, the word used was Sheilas. Not at all what most people may expect when they're out an about and want to use the appropriate restroom for them.
So there you have it. If you know anybody who can benefit from these cards, whether they be tutors or learners, do pass this blog along to them. Thank you.
Cheryl Paton
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Those of you who know me know that I write lyrics about life. That has always been my lane.
I’ve shared many different life moments through my words and then brought them into videos and streaming platforms. I write about motherhood, fatherhood, grandparents, humor, and life reflections.
I write for special occasions like weddings, as well as for motivation and inspiration. I also write about quieter emotional states, like numbness, indifference, and the in-between feelings that are harder to define. Life is not one-note, so I never wanted my writing to be either.
But no matter what I am writing about, I try to end on a hopeful note. That matters to me. There is already so much negativity in the world, so much division and harshness in the way people speak to each other. I do not want to be part of that.
I am not perfect, and I make mistakes, but I'm committed to contributing something better. When I write, I want to add a sense of understanding, a sense of connection, and something that lifts rather than divides.
These Lyrics are Very Personal to Me. It's The Anthem For Anyone Who is Not Done
This lyric video is different for me.
This lyric video, titled "I’m Not Done," has become my daily reset. It is the voice I turn to when I need to remind myself who I am and where I am still going.
When I wrote the lyrics, I made a point of speaking across the years. I mention the ages of 20, 30, 50, and over 60. That last one is me. I am living that line.
At the heart of it all is one message. I’m not done.
That's why I called it that. I needed to say it clearly and without apology.
There is a line in the chorus that says, “Don’t count my candles, count my sparks.” That line carries everything. It is the heartbeat of what I am trying to say. Life is not measured only in years. It is measured in energy, in passion, and in what still burns inside you.
“It ain’t over till it’s over.” That idea has lasted because it is true, but only if we decide it is.
And that is really what this lyric video is about.
I did have older women and men in mind when I wrote it. I thought about the quiet moments when people start to wonder if their time has passed or if they should begin to step back. But this message is not only for them. It is for anyone, at any age, who needs the reminder that they still get to choose.
Because that is what I believe. We choose.
We choose whether we are done or not.
And when we make that choice with intention and with passion, we begin to move differently. We show up differently. We go after things we may have talked ourselves out of before.
That is where this came from.
It is not just something I wrote.
It is something I feel and live, and I dedicate it to all of us still pushing forward, doing what we find joy in.
**Subscribe For A Free Short Guide on How to Convert Your Poems Into Lyrics***
*********
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
This is the second of a seven part series of my various stores on Zazzle.
If anyone has a store on Zazzle that is getting to big, it can be helpful to make a separate store that features designs that aren't currently in the original store. Since my original store was all about my artwork, I decided to make the photos that I was wanting to use, be in a separate store. This method can also help customers more easily find what they are looking for; as there is less categories to look through.
I don't have near the amount of photos that I do of my artwork, so it is easier to navigate. As of the writing of this blog, there are only nine categories in CherylsArtPhotos on Zazzle. Although there are only nine categories, there are a wider variety of the different photo types. They can include animals, fireworks, flowers, floral peace signs, insects, scenes, trees, wood, and more.
The categories that I decided to have are:
Apparel and Accessories:
I love this beautiful photo of when my pink azaleas were in full bloom along the neighbors back wall. I thought this beauty would have been popular on a variety of products, but the main one that sells is on men's ties. Cool!
The sub-categories in this section are Ties, Tote Bags, and Tshirts.
Celebrations:
Although I used a bit of my artwork to top off the groundhog, it is more photo than artwork, so this critter got assigned to CherylsArtPhotos. Did you know that Groundhog Day is always on February 2nd?
There are not many items in this category, so there are not sub-categories to see here.
Holidays:
I have always been a cat lover and have created a variety of designs inspired by a number of my cats. Sometimes, the photo is just cute enough to leave things as they are. Here, my cat Tori is exploring her present. This photo is printed on downloadable cards, if you happen to be ordering close to the holiday.
The various holiday items only take up one page, so there is also no sub-categories for this section.
Home and Sewing:
Home and Sewing includes a variety of sub-categories. They are: Clocks, Doormats, Fabric, Kitchen and Dining, Magnets, Nail Art, Notepads, Shower Curtains, Throw Pillows, Tiles, and Wall Art. The Kitchen and Dining sub-category actually has sub-sub-categories.
This pretty black eyed susan photo looks great on mugs. The mugs can be easily personalized on the provided template form.
I currently have two mugs that I purchased from Zazzle. The artwork looks great, as does the finish on them. They wash up great in the dishwasher.
New Products:
The New Products category is actually assigned by Zazzle if you don't already choose a category when designing your product.
Office and School:
There are three sub-categories in Office and School. They are Business Cards, Mousepads, and Pens.
Sports, Toys, and Games:
The Sports, Toys, and Games section also has a variety of sub-categories. They are: Cornhole Games, Jumbo Fast Four, Pickleball Paddles, Playing Cards, and Puzzles. As you can see, the store designer and fine tune how they choose to make their categories, sub-categories, etc. If I had a lot of items in this section, the sub-categories would have been more general in nature.
Stationery:
There are six sub-categories in the Stationery section. They are: Address Labels, Cards, Post It Notes, Postcards, Stationery, and Stickers.
Floral and scenic postcards seem to be a popular choice.
The Travel section has two sub-categories. They are Luggage and Luggage Tags.
I hope you enjoyed the overview of CherylsArtPhotos on Zazzle. Any of the product links above will take you to my CherylsArtPhotos store on Zazzle. To search this store, choose a link that says CherylsArtPhotos; once there, you can do a search for what you are looking for by looking for the search box below the header.
May you have a great day and may you find what you are looking for.
Cheryl Paton
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
I sat down to write the lyrics and the song Dear 1975 as a tribute to us, to the older generation who lived through those times, and to the memories we carry.
When we look back, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking we didn’t know how good we had it. But the truth be told, I did know. I was fifteen years old, safe and secure in my parents’ home, in the same room in the house my brother now owns.
I can still go back there if I want, but it’s never the same without my parents. Even so, I’m so grateful that my brother has the home.
1975 represents something bigger for us seniors. The world is moving so fast now, and it’s easy to look back through rose-colored glasses, but I think most of us who lived happy, healthy lives in the ‘70s will agree the decade was simply wonderful.
Life, The Music, and The Freedom in 1975
The culture in 1975 was amazing.
The music was unbeatable. The sitcoms, the variety shows, the freedom. It’s funny to even use the word freedom to describe it, but that’s exactly what it felt like.
On social media, so many of my peers who grew up in the ‘70s often reminisce about how free we were, and it’s true. I remember being on my bike from morning until night, riding to friends’ houses, calling my mom to say I wouldn’t be home for dinner because I was eating at Linda’s. Even when she moved across town, we biked there too, then on to the park, then to school, meeting our friends along the way.
There were no cell phones, and our parents were okay with it. We were just on the move, living and breathing that kind of independence that seems almost impossible to imagine today.
Here's the lyric song video tribute I wrote for us who are of the generation of 1975:
Do You Know Where Your Kids Are?
And then, of course, there was the nightly reminder on TV: Do you know where your kids are? I think back to that now, and I can’t help but laugh.
Ten o’clock at night, flashing across the screen were the words and commentary, "Do you know where your kids are?" I was always home by then, thinking, who actually loses track of their kids? But it was the ‘70s, and we had that notice, that little nudge from the world, as if to remind parents that yes, the kids were out exploring the world, and yes, that was okay, but time to come home!
Thinking About Mom and Dad in the 1970s
Some of my most vivid memories involve Mom and me watching movies together, or Dad coming home from long work trips. His briefcase would be filled with coins, which my brother and I would happily dump on the floor and divvy up.
Dad would be sprawled on the floor in the living room with the eight-track playing country songs, the kind that I can still almost hear in my mind.
Our vehicles had eight-track cassette tapes, and I begged for my first tape recorder for Christmas just so I could hear my own voice, and promptly discovered I didn’t like it.
Our house was always full of people. Neighbors dropping in, friends hanging out, the laughter and chatter filling every corner. That, to me, was the ‘70s. Family, friends, security, and an unspoken understanding that life, in those moments, was exactly as it should be.
Writing Dear 1975 was my way of capturing that warmth, that freedom, and that sense of rootedness we sometimes forget to appreciate when we’re young.
It’s a reminder of the simplicity we sometimes take for granted, the moments that feel small at the time but last a lifetime. It’s a diary entry to my younger self, and to anyone who remembers 1975 the way I do: full of music, laughter, love, and the kind of freedom that can only come from feeling safe in the world.
**Subscribe For A Free Short Guide on How to Convert Your Poems Into Lyrics***
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
This is the first of a seven part series of my various stores on Zazzle.
Zazzle is a print on demand company. They print, ship, and handle the orders and any returns. Artists and designers open stores on Zazzle and upload their designs to various products. My first store that I'll be giving an overview of is CherylsArt.
CherylsArt is my general overall store and my first store on Zazzle. You'll find a lot of different design types and product types there.
The current main categories are:
+ Affirmations
My most popular item in my Affirmations section is the Proverbs 25:11 verse featuring an apple of gold on a background of silver, on magnets. There are a lot of different affirmations, on various products, to choose from in this store.
You will find quite a few affirmations here on a variety of products. Sometimes we all can use a reminder to feel good and or to refocus.
+ Apparel and Fashion Accessories
The apparel part includes leggings, tank tops, and tshirts. The accessories part include belt buckles, belts, hair ties, hats, head bands, nail art, necklaces, pin on buttons, scarves, and watches.
Although I designed this apple watch back in 2013; it didn't start selling until Christmas of 2025! I think it finally became the right time for it; people were ready for a bit of humor I believe.
Art and Wall Decor includes canvas prints, drawings on faux wrapped canvas, drawings on wrapped canvas, posters, wall decals, wall panels, and wall tapestry. The drawings categories have their own categories so that the ones that can be painted in can easily be found. They make fun activity options.
+ Baby
The Baby category includes, adoption, announce baby, baby bags, baby bibs, baby blankets, baby shirts, baby shower, binders for photos, burp cloths, clocks for the nursery, dry erase boards, and pillows for nursery.
These cloud themed dry erase boards are a great way to share messages about the baby. They come in a choice of pink and blue. This is especially great for new and busy parents who need a way to communicate what's up.
The Celebration category is about all things that can be celebrated. This category includes birthday, candle parties, graduation, neighbor get together, party hats, retirement, ribbon, rubber stamps, stickers, tissue paper, and wrapping paper. This category pretty much covers what isn't a birthday or wedding themed.
+ Elections
The Elections category includes products for my preferred candidates, as well as informational items on helping all votes to count.
+ Holidays
The Holidays category includes Christmas in July, Christmas/Winter (which also includes other winter holidays), Easter, Father's Day, Halloween, Independence Day, Mother's Day, New Years, Saint Patrick's Day, Thanksgiving, and Valentine's Day.
+ Home, Pets, Sewing, and Car
The Home, Pets, Sewing, and Car category includes sub-categories for each of the mentioned categories.
The car category includes bumper stickers, car mats, license plates and frames. The home category includes accessories for the home, bathroom, bedroom, calendars, clocks, doormats, dry erase boards, hand sanitizer, kitchen and dining, light switch covers, moving, ornaments - that aren't holiday, and tiles. The Pets category includes dog beds, pet bowls, and pet tags. Sewing and Crafts includes fabric. There are sub-categories under fabric to make browsing easier.
A popular item in my Home category, is this Moving postcard, in the Moving sub-category. The truck painting proved to be a very popular choice for awhile. As with any item in CherylsArt, if the item includes artwork, the artwork is created by me. With the truck image, I saw a truck that I thought was awesome, and got permission from the driver to include my artwork of it on products. He said it was fine as long as I included his name in my description. Here is a shout out to Dan Hyde. p.s. The color choices are mine.
You will not normally find any products in this category. Usually I choose the category right after designing the new item.
+ Office and School
The Office and School category has a lot of sub-categories. They range from alphabet rulers to yard signs, and pretty much anything you can think off, in between.
+ Sports, Toys, and Games
The Sports, Toys, and Games category includes games, guitar picks, sports, and toys.
No, these aren't throw pillows. They are actually game bags for cornhole games. So you will find these in the Sports, Toys, and Games Category, under the sub-category of Games.
The Stationery category includes pretty much anything stationery related, that isn't birthday, graduation, or wedding related. Items include address labels, cards, envelopes, letterhead, notepads, photo cards, postcards, rubber stamps, stationery, and stickers.
+ Travel
The Travel category includes luggage, luggage handle wraps, luggage tags, travel mugs and tumblers.
+ Weddings and Anniversary
The Weddings and Anniversary category includes a long list going from Anniversary, to all types of items wedding related. I don't know how it works for customers searching in individual stores on Zazzle, for wedding, but for me when I search for a wedding item in my store, I need to include the item type to get any search results. I guess it may be because there are so many wedding items.
These address labels are in the Wedding category, as I designed them for with a couple in mind, though anyone else can use them. There are also matching wedding invitations, etc. for this design, in Weddings. If you're not sure about which category to begin your search, go towards the top of the page, below the header, and do a Search this store search; i.e. fern address labels.
And there you have it. I have changed my store layout a number of times over the years. At one time I based it on the designs, but that got to be way to many. Then I sorted the categories by product type only. That was too much of a mix match. So I currently decided on general themes, and then did further breakdowns into sub-categories. You will find more sub-categories in my CherylsArt store, once you explore on any category that has a lot of items in it. If you know the item type and theme that you are looking for, you can also fill in the Search this Store box that is located below my store header.
Hope this helps for when you're shopping at CherylsArt on Zazzle.
Cheryl Paton
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Sometimes we have hot air balloon days where we'll see hot air balloons flying overhead through various parts of town. I have always admired them and one day got the idea to paint a special balloon, with Imagine Love written on it. I also included a large eye. Some people use their third eye, the space in the center slightly above the eyebrows, to imagine their desires.
That is why I included the third eye, though one does not have to use the third eye in order to imagine.
But onward. When I originally created this painting, I imagined just the general feeling of love. But this morning when I pondered what to write about, I began thinking about various ways to imagine Love. I was watching fun pet videos on YouTube and thought that Love could be a basket of adorable puppies. It could be a momma dog nursing her pups along with a kitten in the lineup.
It could be a bright golden light filled with loving energy, coming from above.
As I was taking my shower, I thought of the water coming down from the shower, as being a shower of blessings.
As you can see, one can imagine Love in a variety of ways. How might you imagine Love?
Anyone can do this at any time. It can help lift one's mood. It can help change one's perspective for their next thought to being more of a feel good thought. One can do this with just the intention of doing so. If you have trouble imagining, an option is to find an image the depicts what you would like to imagine. YouTube can be a great resource for this.
If anyone would like a reminder to imagine what they love on a more regular basis, I have made a collection of Imagine Love products that you can view in my CherylsArt store on Zazzle. I have placed this design on nine products so far, and will be glad to accommodate your request for it to be placed on any other product that Zazzle offers.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
I wrote The Tango of My Life around 2009. I wasn’t personally walking away from my life at the time, but I know I must have been stressed. You know those moments — when life feels loud and heavy, when everything piles up at once, and you suddenly think, I just want my life back. That’s where these lyrics came from.
When Life Gets Too Loud
This song is an empowerment song, but not in a dramatic or rebellious way. It’s for women who feel overwhelmed. Not women who are necessarily trying to walk out on their lives, but women who reach that quiet breaking point where they say, Damn… that’s it. I need to find me again.
That’s where the lyric Destination Me comes from. It came from that internal moment when you stop trying to hold everything together for everyone else and realize you need to turn back toward yourself. Destination Me isn’t about leaving your life — it’s about returning to yourself within it. It’s the decision to choose yourself without knowing exactly what the next step looks like.
This song isn’t about running away. It’s about claiming yourself again.
Writing Was Always My Exit - Sometimes Saving Me From Heading to the Front Door!
For me, the exit was never leaving — it was writing. Some people journal. I write lyrics. I’ve been doing that since 1968 (yah, I was 8 years old). When life gets tangled, when emotions don’t come in neat sentences, I put them into a song or a poem.
The Tango of My Life came from that place. It came from needing to breathe. From needing to hear my own voice again. From realizing that sometimes the only way through overwhelming life circumstances is to stop and put the truth somewhere safe.
This song isn’t about quitting on people, and it isn’t about abandoning your life. I’m not saying that some people don’t need to leave certain situations — sometimes they do — but this song holds more than one truth. It can be a momentary feeling of get me out of here, or a long-standing knowing that something has to change. It holds both.
The Middle Still Belongs to You
The song talks about how someone else may have gotten the beginning of your story, but you still get to decide the middle — and ultimately, the ending. That part belongs to you. Always.
This is a song for people reclaiming their lives. It’s also for someone who’s just having a bad day and thinking, I’ve had enough. I need to pause. I need to do this for me.
If that’s you — even just for today — this song is for you.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Decades ago, I was a mom to a toddler. Besides the normal things to adjust to, I also had to adjust a behavior response from me. My child was doing normal child things, however one of those normal child movements stirred unsettled feelings from long ago.
My child was safe, however, I didn't want those old feelings stirring around; I pushed them down to try and get through trying to be present in the moment. It worked for a bit, but it kept happening with each witness of my child's normal behavior. I decided to try something different.
I had a guided imagery tape that I listened to, to relax my mind. The guided meditation had the listener imagine a room where the listener could feel safe. Then it had the listener imagine another scene, of something one might like to do or become.
In that second part, I intentionally imagined myself responding to my child with a calm and peaceful feeling, whenever I witnessed the behavior that was a trigger for the old feelings.
I did this on day one. I didn't really notice any difference in how I felt.
Day two was pretty much the same. The cassette tape (This was pre-internet days.) was around 25 minutes long. So I could more easily listen to it when it was nap time for my child. So once a day, was pretty much what worked for me.
I listened to it again on the third day. And the next time that I witnessed the behavior that had triggered my old feelings, they weren't there! I was calm. I felt peaceful. I did it.
It took me three days, but I would have done as many as it would take. I had used guided imagery before, that had reduced pain that I had after surgery. That had been a God send. I knew it could work. I had faith in it.
The cassette that I listened to is not available anywhere, to my knowledge. However there are other options.
One is to do a search on YouTube. I did a search for change behavior meditation and a variety of good sounding options came up.
There are also CDs on Amazon, for guided relaxation cd, that address a variety of things.
Also, the very first guided imagery tape that I had, I made myself. I played some basic piano tunes and recorded that on one tape, and played that while I read the script that I had created, while I recorded both on to another tape.
I had used a variety of books on self hypnosis, and positive self talk, to make a relaxation tape ahead of the surgery that I was scheduled for. This method can take a lot more time and effort, but it was also very nice in that I got to listen to my own voice, and I was in agreement with each and every message and affirmation that was on the cassette.
As you can see, guided imagery can be used for a variety of things. I had a friend that listened to one on pregnancy and childbirth; she did not experience any labor pains and her doctor had to tell her when to push when it was time to give birth.
You can browse a variety of self hypnosis books on Amazon, if you are interested in making something more personal to you. You know best which method and or topic(s) speak most to you.
For some added encouragement, I wrote a poem to help relay this message.
I imagined it as so.
I got over it because I imagined it as so.
Took me three times over three days for it to be true.
But I was determined, no matter how many times it took.
I was determined to make it so.
My child was worth it.
I was worth it.
To be beyond the remnants of the past.
My child deserved having me be present.
I deserved being in the present with a conscious choice of my response.
We were both worth it.
And my imagining made it so.
We were both worth it.
And my imagining made it so.
If you are dealing with anything like this, my love and blessings to you in finding the path that helps you have a healthy transition to your desired outcome. Change is possible.
Cheryl Paton
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
.jpg "Your Destiny, Your Way - A Message For Our Children")
