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Just last week I shared Carter's Mama's newly re-done home office, with all of it's fabulous vinyl lettering (and numbering!) to add the unexpected wow to the room. Well, guess what? You (and I) can have this look too, even if we don't have a Silhouette Machine!
To find out how we can all have this, click here to hop over to the other page on my blog...
Okay, being shirtless in a restaurant ('coz you spilled your water all over yourself while trying to impress your Auntie with your ability to manouver a straw) is probably a whole lot easier to get away with at the age of two.
It doesn't hurt that he's just so danged cute.
Carter's Mama is on the trip of a lifetime.
I get all teary eyed each time I think about it. If you're not in the loop, you can get fairly up to date here. You see, our family will be growing in numbers very soon (we hope!) and we are all over the moon about it!
Carter's Mama is in Ghana now, and she has taken lots of things for the children at the various orphanages and foster homes. Clothing, flip flops, toothbrushes and toys....her bags were over flowing! She will be coming home solo this trip, but hopefully soon...very soon, she and Carter's Daddy will be heading back to bring home some very precious cargo.
For this first trip, she prepared pictures of home to share with the newest little family addition so things hopefully will not be so scary and new once everyone is settled in at home at last. I'll be sharing much more about this blessing as it unfolds, but for now, your prayers and thoughts are appreciated for safe travels and a very speedy adoption process, for my family as well as the many, many other international adoptions going on around the world.
Judging from the comments and emails on yesterdays post, I see that I am a member of a pretty large club of disorganized people looking for that elusive sense of pure unadulterated peace that can only come from being able to find your stuff in less than three minutes.
*sigh* So many piles, so little time.
Anyway, here are a few more of my thoughts on paring down. Let me start with a short parable....Last Thursday evening, during American Idol (Randy jackson has cut back a bit on his use of the phrase "Yo, Dawg!" and Steven Tyler's facial expressions alone make the show worth watching, don'tcha think?) I decided to clean out my clothes closet for the third time in the past year. Each time I moved, I pared things down...a bit, yes...but last Thursday evening I decided to go item by item, trying each and every single item on, standing in front of my full length mirror, making the decision right then and there, to donate or keep the item.
Part of what prompted this was the fact that, while my closet appeared to be crammed full, I was still only wearing the same four outfits, and three pairs of my shoes. (Do you do that?) At first it was rather difficult, as I had moments of thinking of all of the reasons to keep each item (...."but this white French cuff dress shirt would look aaaaamazing if I ever buy another black pencil skirt, and it was such a great price at the season end sale at GAP four winters ago".....) but I quickly snapped out of it, as I gave myself a stern look in the mirror and thought about the real odds of me buying that crazy-cute-but-I'd-never-have-a-place-to-wear-the-black-pencil-skirt-that-I-currently-do-not-own-anyway to go with the white French cuff dress shirt, and put the shirt in the bag for GoodWill. I felt comfort in telling myself that if I ever do buy a black pencil skirt, I will just get an aaaamazing shirt to go along with it.
It got easier with each piece of clothing, and before I knew it (okay, two hours of American Idol and part of the news..) I had made it all around the closet and had filled two ginormous bags for donations. My closet is now half empty, (or is that only half full?) and here was the big bonus- I discovered not one, but two sweater dresses I have had for well over a year that I had never worn.
Not.
Even.
Once. (I am not sure if I am ashamed of this part, or thrilled, as it was like getting new clothes...for free.) The moral to this parable is that you we I shouldn't ever buy anything I do not love madly and need.
Next stop...my workroom office. This achieving balance thing just may be contagious.
On New Year's Eve, I shared (here) that I had chosen a "word" for the new year. That word is Balance, and I am determined to continue working on achieving...creating... finding balance (It has been a bit lost for some time now...) over the next eleven months, give or take.
What I am discovering is that one of the best things, for me anyway, in helping with this process, is paring down. Less is more, I am beginning to realize. What I mean by this is that the more I pare down, the more I organize things around my home- in my office, my car, my drawers...the more I am able to work more efficiently and effectively. And that's a great feeling.
Now, some of you may have just rolled your eyes at my last statement, and thought, "Duh. It's not rocket science, it's common sense. Being organized does make life easier."
True enough, but I am convinced that there are two kinds of people born into this world; born organized people, and born disorganized people. I am clearly in the latter group. (I like to think it's because I am a "creative type"....) Now, if you did in fact roll your eyes, you are most likely in the first group of born organized folks. (Count your lucky-and-very-organized stars if this is you.)
You see, you born-organized people by nature put the cap back on the toothpaste and always put your keys, cell phones ..watches in the same place when you are done using them. Even if things might appear to others to be disorganized, you know where your stuff is. The rest of us, well...we struggle with the little things like that. It doesn't come naturally for us. That's why finding balance...between time spent working, chores, recreation...whatever...can easily get all whack-a-doodl-y and sideways, and the next thing we know...we're completely outta balance.
This is where I am realizing that paring down helps....less to coordinate, less to put away, less on my list of to-do's, and happily for me, more time for the fun things in my life. It's taken my stress level down several notches I'd say, and I am feeling like I am actually accomplishing more, which in turn is giving me a sense of feeling more in control...of balance.
And I am liking that. A lot.
How are you doing with your word for twenty-eleven?
Carter's Mama has been hard at work with oodles of home projects, as well as getting ready to leave the country in just a few days (more on the latter later.) One of the re-do's she did recently was the home office.
Formerly the formal living room of the home, it has now been transformed into a fabulous home office workspace, (there is also a huge great room style family room so the living room was never used at all) complete with plenty of storage for gift wrap, craft items, computer supplies, and multiple spaces to work.
She added some whimsy and style by using her Silhouette machine to cut out vinyl lettering for a quote on the wall, and big bold numbers on the cupboard that were just installed from a closet organising company.
It's amazing what a little touch of the unexpected does to take a room from good-and-workable to wow-and-wonderful, don'tcha think?
I've got my booth space at Camas Antiques looking pretty good this week. Lots of new vintage pieces have been added, and there are still more to come within the next few days!
Be sure and plan to come by if you're in the area, as all the booths at Camas Antiques are full to the brim with vintage treasures!
Sorry about the headless shot of my model here, but I wanted to share the oh-too-danged-sweet wording on this shirt. I got the lil Mr. C this shirt last year for Valentine's Day, and it finally fits him this year....pretty cute, huh?
Here are just a few more shots of my handsome cute-enough-to-be-a-GAP-Kids-model working it for the Gramma-camera...
I hope you're spending time with someone sweet today, or, at the very least, treating yourself to something out of the ordinary and extra special!
We had an absolute blast at the Funky Junk Sisters show last Saturday, and my jaw was seriously sore from all the smiling and laughing I did. I feel like Sunday, Monday and Tuesday are a bit of a blur.
I like to think I'm good at multi-tasking. For example, I can paint a piece of furniture, talk on the phone with my blue tooth and bake cookies all at the same time. I'm not saying this to brag, I'm just sayin'... but...after I do a show, or a giant home project, or a huge bake order...I kinda hit a wall, metaphorically speaking.
I need a little down time after that. And my mind kinda goes to mush for a couple of days. I'm only sharing this 'coz I haven't posted in a couple of days, and it's because my mind went blank. Completely blank.
I can't think of anything post-worthy to chat unless you count that I watched the Superbowl. I took three bubble baths. Moose went in for a hairdo and got his nails done. Oh, and I went and got my teeth cleaned this morning. You'll be happy (or maybe couldn't care less...) to know that my check up was flawless. Mmm hmm, my "minny pearls" as my Rock n' Roll buddy calls them, are in tip top shape and good to go for another six months.
Beyond his hairdo appointment, Moose's life has been equally uneventful the past couple of days.
I guess that's a good thing.
See what I'm talkin' about? Nothing comes to mind to share that might be the least bit interesting or exciting. Oh! Wait...I got a very inspiring and exciting email from the Boys at Barn House inviting me (and my best Buddy Clark, 'natch) to be in their one and only show of the year, (which of course we are extatic to be part of!) on Saturday, July 30th, so mark your calendars now. This is a do-not-miss event, people!
Okay, I'm off to play bank teller for eight and a half hours, and hopefully get my blog post mo-jo back for tomorrow.
I hope you're having an equally unevetnful and relaxing Wednesday as well.
So.
Much.
Fun!
If you were one of the many, many folks that came by to say hello, thank you! It was such fun meeting you in person. For those of you that weren't in the area, or able to come to the show, I have pictures to share. Here was our cash wrap, complete with Clark's vintage cash register, and a sweet lil' sign I made for us. Our booth was pretty much wiped out within the first 45 minutes, and we continued to revamp the space throughout the day, making things move in closer and fluffing...next time we'll keep much more overstock in the truck outside!
The location for the event was perfect, with ample sized booth spaces, and some of the cutest danged stuff I have seen in quite a while. Linda, one of the Funky Junk Sisters, brought her trailer...so cute! And there were a couple of other trailers as well, and I got pictures of one of them.
I was told that when they do the show up near Seattle (The next show will be in May) they have lots of people bring trailers and they form them into a circle outside and camp in them during the show. (be still my heart! How fun does that sound?!)
Lots of our amazing and talented friends were in this show...
It was a fun, fun day and we are already looking forward to (and planning for...!) next year's Junk Salvation show!
All the info on the Juk Salvation show is on the post before this one, but I wanted to share just a few shots of some lil' spots in our booth before the show tomorrow.
Show time is 8:00-4:00 and you'll want to arrive early for the best selection. Let me just tell you right now, there are some absolutely amazing booths at this show! Dixie and Linda (The Funky Junk Sisters) have done an awesome job with this show and we are thrilled to be part of it!!!
So....this is the most organized I have ever been for a show, and yet..I am still not feeling organized. While I have piles of finished projects everywhere you look, I still have so many more pieces not completed.
I'm not sure if it's my time management, the fact that I just have so many ideas for things that I continue gathering pieces, the possibility that I might subconsciously like to work under pressure by waiting until my deadline to work like a maniac, or because I seem to procrastinate a little bit once I get a project far enough along that I can see how it is going to look in the end, and I loose my zippity-do-da for wrapping the end up.
Whatever it is, I kinda like to think it's a genetic thing, except the only other family member that seems to have this tendency would be my first born daughter, so...maybe not.
I catch myself wishing for just four....more....hours in each day. Seriously, if every day had 28 hours in it, I am quite sure I could get everything done on my To-Do list. In fact, I think I'd be completely organized.
Anyway.
Where was I? Oh yes, I am more organized than ever before. And excited. I can't wait to set things up tomorrow and take some pictures. It's gonna be such a fun show! We have a great booth location.... (Come see me in booth spaces 19 and 20) ...and there are so many fabulous people doing the show that it is sure to be a wildly fun day. There is an admission fee, but if your print off this coupon and present it at the door, you'll get a dollar off, so be sure and do that.
If you're in the area, I hope to meet you. If not, I'll be sharing pictures after the flea market!
I'm still frantically finishing up all sorts of projects today so I am ready to head across town and begin our booth set up early tomorrow, but I took myself a quick lil' break to share the cutest new thing around my newest home.
You know, I don't have a lot of space to showcase the welcome feeling I want to create when friends and family arrive at my home because...well, the porch area is pretty small, but I'm doing the best with the space I've got. I saw this idea done up on another blog a while back, and yesterday, Carter's Mama copied it for my own front door. (How nice was that?! I love it!) Mmmm hmmm. She made it with a yinyl sheet and her trusty Silhouette machine!
I really like the bit of style it adds to my porch, don't you?
My little Barbie condo looks more like a construction zone this week than a humble abode. Shocking, I know. (What? You were picturing me, all organized, methodically painting and creating a piece at a time in my garage, then pricing it and stacking it somewhere in an orderly fashion? Ha! The garage is officially full, and my little dining room has now become command central; my newly designated area for pricing stuff.)
Seriously, poor Moose doesn't know what the heck is going on, what with the painted chairs lined up along the back wall of the cozy living room, and vintage crystal stemware stacked all about. He mostly lays in the entry way where he feels a bit more secure, and looks around like he can't quite decide if we're prepping for a blow out cocktail party for the Obama's, or if we're getting ready to move again.
He can relax come mid morning Friday, when the crazy-ness will all have been moved out of the living room and we'll begin set up for the big show this Saturday. Till then, he'd be well advised stay out of the hard hat area or he's likely to find himself with a vintage bow on his neck and a price tag.
