Color Inspiration

I have been enthralled with all the color in my life right now.  Here is some of it:

Everyday

So much has been happening and I feel so fortunate.  My days are full, the weather a bit warmer, and we are moving forward with choices made.  So a quick "what's new":

- Taking Mati Rose's painting course and loving it.

- Trying to create everydayinmay.

- Trying new tea and whole leaf brewing.  so yummy.

- Dyed my hair a shade lighter.

- Doing loads of laundry everyday and needing to switch summer and winter clothes.

- Bought strawberry shortcake ingredients for dessert.

Have a great monday!

Project Perfect 2.0

Of course I didn't do everything that I wanted to.  I couldn't get my body out of bed before 7 am, even to fix the kids a healthy breakfast.  So 7 am is my new perfect.  At least until I'm not working nights.  Then we will see if I can get up earlier.

I wish I had this formula to pass out so everyone could feel great about themselves and what they are getting accomplished.  Some days are better than others and that's ok.  We decided that it is more important for me to be home than to work nights and weekends right now.  Will it be tight?  Of course but we are in a position where at least it is possible.  We haven't always even been close to that.

We are looking at what bills we can reduce and how much less shopping I can do :)  I feel good about this choice and I can't wait to have the time to concentrate on the kids and house.

My thoughts are all rambling around in my head and I have big plans for my creative time.  Lots of project ideas that I'm hoping to accomplish.  I apologize for the lack of photos.  My nice camera is showing an error 99 and it looks like it will need to be sent in to fix.  But I'm embracing my thriftiness this summer and my phone will have to suffice.

Get outside more, less time on the computer, learn new skills.  Don't get discouraged.

Project Perfect

I started a project in the beginning of the year that I called Project Perfect.  I was thinking over the holidays of everything that I wanted to accomplish and realized that it was impossible to do it all.  (we have all had that moment, right?)  I've heard all the cliches about no-ones perfect and everyone makes mistakes.  And I completely agree.

However, what if I'm going about it incorrectly?  I'm a recovering perfectionist.  Not even the good kind that make awesome, detail orientated things, or folds clothes in nice piles.  Nope, I'm the kind of perfectionist that does nothing until I've researched and planned the best way to do something, buy something, accomplish something.  By then I'm sick of the whole thing and scrap it.

So I decided to re-think this "perfect" thing and what if I do it perfectly for me?  So my piles aren't straight and color-coded, they are in drawers, right?  Maybe they aren't even in drawers, but they are clean.  That is my new perfect.  Or even better, I gave the two oldest kids days to do their own laundry and it's not my responsibility anymore.  I just reduced the amount of laundry I have to wash, switch and dry, fold and put away and forget the getting the clothes into the dirty hamper.  That sound perfect to me.

Lets be honest, dishes and laundry and cleaning can only ignored for so long.  I'm a huge believer in mom-time, and creating even in chaos.  But one day it does have to be cleaned especially if you want your life to run more smoothly and look nice.  So I decided to bite the bullet and be perfect.  To not let the piles get larger or whine about how life is unfair and I don't want to clean up after everyone.  To get up earlier and exercise, to drink my 8 glasses of water, to have a meal plan, to have regular sex with my husband.  All those things that I procrastinate because I don't feel like doing them.

The secret?

You have to find out/ figure out YOUR perfect.  Not your moms, husbands, kids, internets or friends way, but your priorities and acknowledgment of what is important and what isn't as important.

Interested in how I did?  more tomorrow...

Painting with kid

I guess you know that you are the mother of many when you just set the youngest at the dining table with a canvas, some paints and brushes and just say "try not to hit the table or wall".  Maybe someday I'll finally let them use glitter again.  haha 

He is always very proud of his work and it helps me relax and just create.  Without any big picture in my head and disappointment that it isn't coming out the way I envisioned.

(did you check out the instragram pic over there on the right side?  how cute is he in his sports coat and scarf combo?)

Handmade Christmas 2012

It's starting to get cold here in the New England area and my mind was on Christmas this morning.  Forget Halloween and too much cooking on Thanksgiving but I love planning for Christmas.  I don't worry too much about what we get our kids but we usually set up a budget and get the things they want the most then see how much is left of the budget and plan accordingly.  We do a mix of handmade and store bought and there isn't too much stress.  We decided when they were younger not to go overboard because it just set expectations too high for the next year.

But what I do stress about (and spend hours planning) is what to do for the extended family.  Now I'm talking about our parents and sisters/brothers and nieces/nephews.  Not all of our aunts/uncles and cousins.  We don't exchange with them anymore and usually attend the family Christmas party.  We have talked a little bit about stopping the gift exchange but honestly I think we all like thinking about what the other person would like.  At least I do.  Every year since I've started reading craft blogs I've wondered how to have a handmade Christmas.  But the problem I run into is what to make the family members that just aren't into crafts and handmade.  Brother-in-laws anyone??

I think I may have solved my problems this year!  I plan on making Baskets of Handmade for each "family".  Each member of my family (hubby, myself and each kid) will make something handmade for each family to go into the basket, making sure there is something for everyone.

Of course, this sent me to pinterest for some ideas.  I haven't started a dedicated board yet but here are my boards that I started pulling from.  Now I have a range of skill levels in my family with a 4yo boy, 8yo girl, 11yo girl, 11yo boy, 13yo boy and my husband.  I need to match the interest of person making the craft with skills and the person receiving it.

I'll pull together a post with pictures of what I have decided but I wanted to get this out before it flitters from my mind, only to be remembered on Christmas Eve.

Wow... time warp

It doesn't feel like months have passed but each day that goes by it is a little harder to come back and think about typing.  It almost like writing in my journal.   I used to try to "catch up" on what has happened but then realized that it didn't really matter!  I just need to write and talk about this moment.  I have been reading, knitting, working, painting but not much cleaning.

I have been having a blogger life but without the blog.  Does anyone else feel that way sometimes?  I've made some recipes from books and blogs (from Pinterest for extra points!) but no pictures or any proof.  I've been organizing our time and chores with pretty planners and lists.  I have even started an inspiration board.

So why the need to share it with the web world?  That is the struggle in my head right now.  Does it mean more if I share it?  Am I only doing it so that it can be shared?  Am I looking for the validation?  I'm an introvert and do not feel the need to share much so where does this desire come from?  I wasn't very interested in being part of the popular group then or now.

Maybe just the need to connect with someone who is interested in the same things I am?  Not many people in my life have the same interests and frankly the husband nods convincingly but I know the interest is not really there.  

I am also the recovering perfectionist that wonders why do something if it isn't the best out there.  Which is really ridiculous.  Sometimes I just need to do the best that I can do and respect that it will get better with time.  I've been painting recently and struggle with how I want it to look and that it won't be perfect.  But I constantly remind myself that it will get better over time and it's the process, not the end result.  I was reminded of this when Kelly Rae posted a picture of one of her first paintings.  It was better than mine but still not at the level she is producing now.  If I am kind to other's attempts then I need to do the same to myself.

So all these reasons to justify my actions but I just have to remember to show up and put the time in.

* this moment

This moment inspired by SoulePapa this week.

Found: Ducks

I'm still editing some photos of cowls that I knit over the last couple of weeks so I decided to take a duck break.  There is a little creek/drainage that goes through our from yard (more of a swampy area that is non-playable) and two ducks came to visit!

Max was very impressed and the next day they even came up to our patio to find more bread.

A Week in the Life: pictures

Here are some of my favorite photos from the week.  I unfortunately didn't take as many as I would have liked but it was a good start.  I used both my big camera and my iPhone.

 My end table filled with projects.

 Top of my printer.

 Emma searching for birds and cats.

 Leaving work on a sunny day.

 Trying new art supplies.

 My current favorite saying.

Scene at break during rain.

There are also tons of pictures of kids and coffee.  I know I'm suppose to do something with the photos but I'm stopping now.  None of them really tell a story or even a full day so I'm going to keep practicing until I can get that.  I hope everyone did a little better!

A Week in the Life: intro

Where to start?  I have been doing some fun stuff and boring stuff and everything in between.  Starting new chore lists (which is always fun), painting our hallway and adding new frames (need to take pic), school vacation, teaching and my studio is finally clean again.

I'm trying to participate in A Week in the Life (via iHanna) by Ali Edwards.  I've never been good at finishing but I started this morning.  I even took my camera to class (even if I didn't take any photos).  I'm trying to get out of my comfort level and not worry about taking photos in public.  Although today it was difficult as it was pouring out and I didn't want it to get wet anyway.

Do you ever have so much to talk about that you don't know where to start?  I will try to focus one one little thing each time and post more often.  The picture above is when I went to Arizona to spread my Grandma's ashes.  She has been gone a long time but we finally got everyone is the family together after 16 (?) years.  I am also planning a dreamcatcher with some souvenirs from the trip.  I can't wait to show it!

Thanks for coming by...

Silver lining

It has all finally calmed down and my hours have been drastically reduced to almost nothing.  It feels weird to not have a full work schedule and the paycheck will definitely suffer for it.  But I am trying to see the silver lining.  So...

1.  More time to cook and buy groceries
2.  Enjoy the spring weather if it ever gets here
3.  Extra time to make class samples
4.  Less daycare needed
5.  More time for blogging and projects

The kids all have a snow day today.  We did a quick clean up this morning after a movie and a candle is making the house smell delicious.  I even managed to bake a little treat to go with hot cocoa after playing in the snow.

I have some large house goals planned for this spring and am determined to get it under control.  We might only rent but I want to be done moving rooms around and decorating.  A couple of years ago we painted the hallway into the kitchen a limey green but I am thinking of changing it to gray.  The living room/dining/kitchen is all turquoise (you can see it in the picture above).

Other random info:
- I am flying to AZ next weekend BY MYSELF to visit my family.  very weird and may be the first time in 12 years I have flown alone.
- I am looking for the perfect purse.  I usually just buy some cute ones at the thrift store but am constantly changing out for the right occasion.  I would like to use one for everyday and that's it.  I'm thinking Fossil but much more than I usually spend.  (especially with the loss of hours mentioned above.)
- Need to take more pictures.  enough said.

I promised I haven't stopped thinking about you, my little sad blog.  Often I think about what I will type and what kind of picture I will post, quite often really but then it never comes out like I think it is going to.  I'm really clever and entertaining in my head but somehow it never comes out right on paper. 

I'm not one to keep things private or put on a fake persona so it is a struggle to figure out how much to include and how much is too much information.  I'm kind of an all or nothing type of girl.  I get bored of talking about the weather and taking pictures of nature.  No one cares if I've lost a couple of pounds or if my kids received really great report cards. 

But I know I have things to offer and I don't want to be one of those blogs that stops after a year.  So I am here, trying to figure out my style, my voice, my vision.  I'm working through the kinks and teaching my self so many new things.

One of my New Year's Goals is to write in my journal more often, which I am doing, and I will see how I can include this little spot in that goal. 

Loving Life

My house is a mess, nothing is organized, and there is no food in the house but the laundry is washed, the dishes are done and the sheets are clean.  Sometimes you just have to be happy for what is done.  And I am happy.  Busy but not too busy 24 hours a day. 

I was feeling really tired for a while but I think I have my second wind and refocused desire to succeed.  The store has a new manager in the building and everyone knows how difficult that transition can be.  So while I have pictures of some arrangements that I have done, I'm going to save that for another post. 

Today I am feeling the holidays.  Whether Thanksgiving or Christmas, it doesn't matter.  I'm making my lists and reasonable duties for the season.  Last year I did a great spread for the family on Thanksgiving but this year I know I am going to have less time so we will eat at the in-laws and I'll make some deserts to bring. 

Last year I made a bunch of gifts to give but this year?  Maybe personalizing mugs from the thrift store with porcelain markers will have to do.  So I have pulled together a list of inspiration to make my holidays a little easier this year.

Easiest quilt ever but still completely awesome:

Kids collection storage:

and a treat for Christmas morning:

(click on the pictures for source)

As I was looking through my photos I realized that I was way more organized by this time last year.  I had gift supplies bought and planned out already!  So I need to get moving. 

Anyone have any tips for making the holidays go smoothly?

A Season for everything

Right now, more than just the weather seasons are changing in our household.  No baby in this blog but new jobs and finding a new rhythm.  We had a year where I stayed home, then a year where I worked part time, nights and weekends.  I had time to create, clean and cook (even if I didn't actually do it all the time).  I had time to read, do laundry and sleep in.

Now the busy season is upon us.  I have been offered a new position of full-time floral designer for our local craft store.  And in addition to that, I am teaching Wilton cake decorating classes and scrapbooking classes at the same location.

Our oldest four kids are now in school with the youngest still two years away.  In this economy I cannot pass up the opportunity to work more hours and still be home before and after school.  I do have the best husband who has to pitch in more and helps out with dishes and laundry and kid-watching.  Even stopping at the grocery store with children to pick up dinner ingredients when I change my mind at the last possible moment.

I do have a lot planned for this little blog and maybe it will actually get done now.  I miss writing and posting my pictures.  Heck, I miss taking pictures.  See you all later!