'I Can'

Where has January gone?! It’s hard to believe it’s the last day of the month already. I’m not exactly sad to see it go – especially with all the snow we’ve been getting and more on the way, but it does make me stop and think about how quickly time tends to just slip through our fingers. This time last month the year was coming to a close. I was busy, like many, celebrating and making New Year’s resolutions…feeling the afterglow of the holiday season paired with the promise of hope for the coming 12 months. Doesn’t that just sound lovely?!

It was…that is until those pretty sparkling holiday lights faded to black. The trees brought into homes for a sign of life and celebration were tossed to the curb. The speed of things increased slowly but surely until life in general went back to what felt like the ‘old’ routine, leaving it a bit challenging to feel motivated to get off the couch, out of comfy clothes and working towards all those resolutions, goals, hopes and dreams that had me all jazzed.

The thing is though, time is moving along, doing its thing – with or without me. Simply put, I need to keep moving towards all that it is that I wish to do, despite feeling like the world is nothing but one big, very cold iceberg.

Australian artist, Jane Davenport’s calendar is hanging above my desk at work and now it’s also in my mudroom (liked it so much I picked up two). This picture has been staring back at me all month through those quiet and not so quiet times, whispering again and again, “I Can.” And the funny thing is that little starfish has taken on a persona all its own in the way it talks to me and moves me. If I sit quietly enough, I can almost hear the waves. Feel the powerful and yet centering feeling that often comes with being by the ocean. It’s in those moments that I’m reminded of all I resolve to do. Wish to do. Dream to do.

Here’s a toast to another month of resolving to look life in the face with courage and strength to follow all that it is we wish for ourselves.

Colorscope

One of my dear friends in Boston gave me this sweet, inexpensive ‘colorscope.’ When I stayed with her a while back she had one in her apartment hanging on the fridge. Being the girly girls that we are, we’d get up each morning, get ready and head right to the fridge to read each other’s color horoscope for the day. The ‘colorscope’ is made up of 20 commonly worn vibrant colors that gives you a little insight into your mindset for the day based on the main color you’re wearing that particular day.

When she picked me up my very own ‘colorscope’ from Paper-Source, I brought it straight into the office for a cheery way to start the day. For me, it’s become a little ritual for settling into my day. And it just so happens that today, I was told exactly what I needed. Does that ever happen to you?

“You are highly emotional and very loyal to your friends. You are disciplined, an overachiever and very serious. You have a keen understanding of the past and are aware of why things happen the way they do.”

Okay…so the first part I’m not loving but that last part just made me smile :) It reinforces and gives me comfort to be on the path I’m on.

A Calming Renewal

Coming off of a five day weekend has given me a calming renewal. With all the holiday décor put away (still had some lingering things here and there) and the pretty white snow sitting outside I had to usher some of the peace and beauty of it inside.

Puttering around the house, organizing and fussing over some of the small details is always a good time for me.

This weekend some curtains went up in the hall from the mudroom to the house, white flowers have been placed here and there and fabric was purchased to make some new dresser runners. I even managed to get a good snow shoeing session in at a local sculpture park.

Ahhhhh…can you feel the relaxation coming through your screen?

Snow Day Inspiration

Late last week big fat flakes were a fallin’ here in upstate New York. It happened to be one of my days off so it kind of felt like an old school snow day. Ah, the memories...sledding, hot cocoa and crafts. Minus the sledding I did just that. And since I was already feeling all cozy and warm, what better kind of project to work on than one for Valentine’s Day.

Found a sweet and simple card idea in one of my magazines that uses those free paint chips from the hardware store.

Whipped out my stamps, some foam stickers and fun scissors and started playing. With careless abandon I created a few simple cards for the holiday.

Not sure about you, but I’m almost always planning/thinking about a holiday or upcoming trip. To be honest, I don’t think I would have it any other way. Life just seems sweeter when you have something to look forward to.

While I had out all my supplies, I made myself a few bookmarks. Lately I seem to always have a few books that I’m between and there never is a bookmark to be found. A bit tired of using random pieces of paper to hold my place.

These pretties will do the trick!

Setting Up Shop

It’s been a long time coming, but it’s starting to happen. My husband has been gracious enough to clear out his big old bulky desk out of our office and let me have a whole room for my creative needs. I plan on using the space for a mix of things….freelance copy writing work, storing art supplies and goodies as well as just having a space where I can go be a girl and be inspired and creative in. After the clearing out a LOT of papers and years of our junk, I was able to spend a fair amount of the weekend setting up shop, which really meant a lot of organizing. Organizing for me is utterly therapeutic so needless to say it was a relaxing time going through everything.

In addition to all this, I received a belated Christmas gift. During the holidays my husband and I started a new tradition by making each other two homemade gifts. My second gift was a custom made French memory board that spans two small walls in the room.

He was such a good sport about building this for me. We went to the craft store (three times) for fabric, more fabric, buttons, decorative nails and ribbon and not to mention a fourth trip to the hardware store for molding and supplies. But in the end, it is such a lovely addition to the room; one that will be used for many years to come.

A few weeks before Christmas I redid this old piece of furniture to use as a printer stand with the added benefit of extra storage below. You’d probably never guess that this piece of furniture was SO beat up that we could not even get rid of it at our garage sale…it was in the FREE pile and no one wanted it. I dragged it back in the house this fall and decided to keep it with the hopes of being able to bring it back to life. Not too shabby if I do say so myself.

Oh and one other lovely piece in the room is this space saving greeting card stand that so beautifully displays all those pretty cards I pick up here and there.

Let the creative juices start flowing.

Another year

How has another year gone by?! It's pretty hard to believe. Looking back on 2010....it's been an incredible year. In honor of my obsessive list making here's a run down of some of the highlights:

- Quit my job

- Got engaged

- Planned the wedding. Lost the venue

- Take 2 - planned the wedding again

- Got married

- Found a great new job

- Explored Costa Rica, Bolton Landing, Geneva, Boston and Long Island

- Made many yummy homemade soups

- Had one massive garage sale

- Learned how to slow down

- Read a ton of great books

- Became an aunt of a pretty little seven year old and an English Bulldog named Tonka

- Took some life altering classes

2011 Goals...Hopes....Dreams....Wishes.....

- Start a creative group

- Raise some chickens

- Blog way more than in 2010 ;)

-Start a fun business - maybe a store on Etsy

- Plan a few trips

- Write a home manual

- Continue to enjoy life and have fun