monday randoms

Just got done with dinner with my girls, Adam's out of town for the week so it's me and them til Friday. I'm not sure Bella, Tess or I got a word in edgewise as we listen to Megan prattle on about her school adventures. So far since school started 1 girl has broke her arm and another one broke her leg. I'm thinking they're going to get rid of the monkey bars.


So last weekend...what a mess. I knew it was going to rain and would have much rather spent the last night with my sister instead of wet outdoors, but Adam felt it necessary that we go to our ward camp-out, so we did. I admit it was more fun than I could have imagined watching 1/2 the tent fill up with water and all four adults smashing into the other half while we tried to stay dry. I guess there is something enjoyable about the sense of adventure...even when it does involve being uncomfortable. It was fun playing games while the rain pelted down and the thunder cracked on the outside. The next day was beautiful weather and if we didn't need to get home to Megan's soccer game I'm sure we would have stayed up there longer.

I've decided to give up candy again and you'll know I've already failed one day into it when I tell you the symphony chocolate bar Adam bought tastes like mint chocolate. I thought maybe he bought mint chocolate to try it out until I saw the candy bar sitting next to a pack of winter-mint gum. I never knew gum in a package could be strong enough to infuse with chocolate.


My dear friend Hannah sent me this one of a kind magnet. I've put it in my kitchen on my magnet board in a prominent place where I can look at it daily to remind myself not only of the good friends I have, but the gift I have to choose the life I want. Thank you Hannah!


Remember this post I did a few weeks ago? I haven't forgot you see, it's just I've had lots going on since then. I stole some time while my sister was busy shopping with her kids one day to tackle my studio. It was just too depressing to walk into and I couldn't take it any more. I got rid of the ugly costco table and utilized the table we use to have in our library. Then after cleaning off my desk I moved it around and wallah, I have a completely different look. I am quite pleased with what I've done so far. It is not complete, I have a lot of organizing and work to do on the walls, but I've already been inspired to be in here more and really that's what I was looking for.

I thoroughly enjoyed the 60-70 degree rainy weather today and can now say I'm ready for autumn. :)

oh the possibilities...

Adam has me thinking about my studio. I go in stages where I talk about it, a lot, and drive him crazy with the possibilities, but as it turns out he gets excited about the possibilities as well...

I'm going to Portland this weekend with my friend Amy. It was a last minute thing, but am so welcoming this little break from the normal to discover Portland...again. Anyway, since I'm leaving Adam has fully come clean that he had plans to turn my studio upside down while I was away. While I admire his desire to surprise me I'm grateful he brought it up and gave me the chance to talk about what I'd love to do with the room. With limited budget it just really boils down to using what I've got, rearranging and decluttering.

Obviously it's a room to work in and there will be some clutter, but right now there's so much stuff I just don't use any more or stuff that I've moved on from that it's not functioning the way I want. Also, my style has change a lot in the last few years and I want my studio to reflect where I'm at now.

So it looks like I've got myself a big project on my hands...a project I am excited to tackle. This is what it looks like now. I literally just stepped away from my computer and took these photos with my phone.





I have a few idea, a few things I'd like to try. I know I want to paint the closet doors black and maybe paint the room. I know on one of the walls I've thought about doing floor to ceiling b&w photos. I saw it in Elle Decor Magazine and fell in love with it. I don't know that I have a great wall for it in my studio, but I may try. If not I may do wallpaper on one wall instead.

Just thinking about the possibilities gets me itching to start right now. Changing things around always helps to motivate me so I'm hoping this project of mine will be just the thing I need to get me in my studio again and working.

**Does changing things/rearranging furniture in your home help you get inspired?

fresh start

I got the itch the day after Christmas. Usually it doesn't come until after New Years when I take down and box up Christmas, then I can't wait to attack my house and organize. I'm thinking it was my studio that put me over the edge.



Seriously what a disaster...the holiday was not kind to it. I spent a good portion of my day cleaning and man it felt good.



Since then the organizing bug has not left me and each day I've hit something. Monday it was Bella's room. She's in desperate need for clothes and I needed to know how desperate so we went through and cleaned out her closet which led to her entire room. It was a crazy realization to learn that she's a hoarder and not good at organizing. I've got my work cut out for me because I can't have her leaving our home without understanding that you don't have to keep everything.

It was also funny to see Tess dying for me to help her. I told her her room was next, but by the time I got done with Bella I was so wiped out that I said we would do it tomorrow. That answer was simply not good enough for her. She loves to organize and clean and wouldn't stop until she convinced me to tackle her room after lunch. So we did. Tuesday and Wednesday was left for Megan's room and the basement.

It's been such a great productive week and I feel like we have the makings for a great start around here for the new year.

four for one

Today is a music day.
I know it probably sounds crazy, but I don't listen to music everyday. Some days I need the quiet, other days I crave the noise. Today just happens to be one of those days where I need something. Right now I'm listening to the Weepies, Adele, and Jem.

She said

[as of saturday. it looks slightly better now...slightly.]

Me: "Tess, have you seen my red marker?" (said while fumbling through my studio looking for marker)
Tess: "Maybe you could find it if you cleaned off your desk."
What can you say to that, especially since that has been my advice to her?
Me: "touche'!" (is that how you spell it? I never took french.)

Spring snow


It's officially spring as of Saturday and it couldn't look further from that outside. Big snowflakes have been falling since last night and my world is covered in white. While I'm not to happy about it, I want 70 degrees again, it does look beautiful. I'm enjoying it like it's the last time I'll see it until November comes around. Hopefully that will be the case.

She made my day


We spend most of the day together yesterday while the other girls played chess with their dad. She told me lots of things like the meaning of the word "crush". Apparently it's when two people kiss. Should I be afraid that she knows this word even if she got it wrong? Then she told me she loves me because I take care of her, and that I'm good at it. It felt important for me to hear and definitely saw it as a tender mercy from above.

saturday at home

Ah, I love Saturdays like the one I had today...free of obligations when you don't HAVE to do anything or even leave the house. Staying home left me with a lot of opportunities, and what I was really in the mood for was organizing so I thought I would tackle my studio.



I pulled out my computer, dusted, and fixed all the knotted cords so it looks much nicer underneath my table. While doing that I decided to move my scanner to my bookcase which leaves me more room next to my computer. I went up in the attic and found an old lamp to put on my table to keep me company during the evening hours when I can't sleep (I've been meaning to do this for awhile as the light in my studio at night isn't so great).



I also managed to clean off my desk which, come on, that takes a fair amount of time to do and a task you often get side tracked from. It's crazy the amount of stuff that will pile up over time.



I did a bit of rearranging around the first of the year I failed to mention. I guess you could say, I just needed a little change and there's not a whole lot I can do in terms of moving furniture so I moved stuff on my walls instead. I moved my cork board next to my door which left a large space to fill. I decided a plant was needed and then I moved a painting over (only temporarily until I can figure out something else) to fill in the extra space.



It was a good Saturday, a very productive Saturday...apparently Tess thought so too. I found her using her sketch book next to my new lamp.

thawing out

[I couldn't believe how warm it was today. I was shoveling some snow that got neglected last week and I was doing it in a t-shirt.]

What is that feeling after a big holiday or event that make you want to purge and clean like mad? Maybe not everyone feels that way, but I always do. It's most prevalent after the winter, summer, and especially after Christmas. I guess so many things get neglected with the holiday busyness that it's nice to finally get things in order. Of course nothing says organization like the new year. I always like to start off fresh and yes that includes my goals.

Well, today the majority of the day was spent organizing and cleaning. I almost took down all the Christmas decorations, but I just couldn't bare to say goodbye to the lights just yet so I'll wait until Friday like I normally do. We are looking pretty good over here except for my studio which is still a disaster.



I've decided to take a picture of my desk once a week this year just to see how it evolves. I like the idea of seeing what stories the messiness tells, like the cough drops on my desk share that I was feeling less than myself around the holidays or the crochet hat in the back by my monitor shares that I went to Joanns today to get some yarn so I could attempt my first crochet hat (I actually did finish it tonight, but will share it when I take a picture) or the Christmas wrapping paper that is still out shares the time of year. So many stories in one small pictures. I'm quite excited about this new project of mine. If nothing else it will definitely help me appreciate all the work that's getting done to create such a mess.

One more thing....your help is needed. Yesterday out of the blue I got a new calling for my church. I'm now an 'activities day' leader which is planning/executing two activity a month for 8-11 year old girls. I'm looking forward to something different, I've never done activities day before, but I will miss being in the primary and teaching each week. Since I've never done it I feel sort of at a lost so could you please share any ideas you might have or a good resource for me to draw on? I would greatly appreicate it.

Hope it was a good post Christmas Monday.

bathroom redo

Perhaps it doesn't seem like a big difference to you, but to me sitting at my computer knowing when I look over I'm not going to see a toilet and a busted wall staring back at me is worth all the effort. Ha! It wasn't even my effort so of course it was worth it. It was Adam's mother's day gift to me. Thanks babe.

before


after




I moved my cabinet of drawers that use to be next to my computer to where the toilet use to be and replaced the drawers in my studio with a small bookcase I bought at IKEA. The four blank 8x8 canvas you see on the wall will be my new project. I hope to get something inspiring on them this week, but realistically it will probably be weeks later.

switcherooni

Guess where I'm standing while taking this photo?

Yes, I will be changing that fan/light

If you guessed my bedroom you were correct.

Friday I had this wild and crazy idea. Well, I guess it wasn't so wild, it's something that we were going to do in a year down the road, but I had been thinking an awful lot about it and decided what the heck let's make it a reality. When we designed our home we build three bedrooms all in a row for each of our girls. One of them was currently my studio until Megan was old enough to move near her sisters. Well the time has come to move her to her rightful place, next to her sister's where I must say she is so excited about.

I knew what I had signed up for (a load of work), but I don't think I realized just how much stuff I had and how many trips that really meant of me, just me, going back and forth. I was non stop all day Saturday and Monday (it was all I could do to keep the sabbath, I really wanted to finish). I had to move Megan out, then all the girls wanted new rooms so we switched everyone around. With Adam's help I was able to get all the furniture moved by the end of Saturday. Monday I started at 6am putting shelves up, which always takes way more time than planned. Then I had the horrible task of moving the stuff out of my studio closet. I have a lot of stuff...I'm going to be selling a lot of stuff. Once I was done moving my stuff out I was ready to make a closet for Bella, move her in my old studio, then move Tess' cloths to Bella's old room and the story goes on with Megan. Phew! It has been a long few days, but oh so worth it. The girls are all happy about their new digs and me, well, I'm loving the space, the light, and the proximity to my bedroom.

check out my new ikea shelves, the shelves I have been coveting for 3 years now.

I'm not 100% finished, still things I want to change. Are you ever really done? It's a constant process, at least for me, one I love very much.

my stamps are finally out

So last Saturday after doing somethings for other people I decided to treat myself. I finally hung my stamp shelf. Yes, you heard my right, the whole thing all by myself. It's enormous, but fits and does the job. I suppose it just drove me nuts not having my stamps out and available. I just love the way it looks. My room is slowly coming along. Every time I make a change its harder and harder to leave.

saturday accomplishments

Among all the fun (not fun) errands that I do on Saturday I was able to work on my studio a bit. I finally hung up the bulletin board I bought a couple months ago and set up a bigger table for my computer so I can actually type without my arms hanging off the edge. It makes the room feel so much more open. I can't wait to fill the board with inspiration. I have stuff I want to hang I just haven't had time to find pins to put it all up. Also I had Adam hang my 3 shadow box frames right outside my studio so its the first thing you see as you come in. It make me so happy to walk down the hall now. I just love the way it looks. I hung 3 of my favorite layouts and plan to change it every few months.

sorry the lighting is so bad but i tooks this at night.

my studio

I have been very excited about this. I have talked about this for weeks now and thursday night I stayed up until 1:30am working and organizing all my stuff. It was a lot of fun going through everything and remembering what I had. I actually found a layout I had done months ago and forgotten about (will post later).

What can I say I feel like a very lucky girl. I have a great room with awesome natural light (never had that before and never thought I would), a perfect desk to work at standing up or sitting down with lots of space for storage, a deep big closet that allows me to store pretty much everything. The only thing I haven't figured out yet is where to put my stamps. The shelf adam made for me is too big so hopefully soon I will be able to come up with something.

I feel grateful that I have this space just for me. A place to learn, explore, create. Can't wait to get busy.

it makes me happy...

to have a clean works surface.















My magnet board full of memories.





















My stash of paints.























My alphabet stamp set from Impress.















Listening to my girls playing dress up.






















Love Saturdays like these where I can do some organization. Do something for me. Feels good to see my desk again.