graceful designs

Snow Day

Midget's got the right idea.

Last Minute Baby Gift

We received a last minute invitation to a bowling party (bowling!) for a baby's first birthday.

I made one little ball, and have two more to go.

And typepad? I am very, very upset with you. Something I pay good money for should not be so confusing. I just want to reply to comments. That's all. It shouldn't be so difficult. Really now.

Looking Good

I've got bread rising, lentil soup simmering, and calm children today.

Gifts are coming together on a very simple, small scale.

Our visiting schedule for the holiday is now arranged, and feels manageable.

I went to the dump today, and put two large boxes o' stuff in the free pile, and earlier this week we donated 9 garbage bags of clothing/bedding. It sure feels good, moving things out.

I am feeling rested, and thankful for the many blessings in my life.

Tonight I am going to be working on putting some notebooks together. If anyone else wants one, feel free to scroll down and leave a comment. I'll be getting in touch with those who already requested, but typepad is making it hard. I used to be able to reply to comments, but now I'm not getting e-mail addresses. I'm not sure if it's me or typepad, but it's annoying.

Vintage Redefined- A little giveaway

I have a plethora of vintage ephemera, books and whatnot. When I see vintage, I have to grab it. I've decided to put some of them to use in a new life form, and make up some notepads/journals/new books. As most of my goodies are recovered from other people's garbage, I didn't feel a smidgen of guilt cutting into these books.

This notepad was made with vintage flashcards, lined paper, and an assortment of other papers.
 

I really enjoyed making this one, and am looking forward to experimenting with different papers and themes.

My question for all of you is this: Would you like one of these little notepads? I'm feeling creative and happy today, and thought it'd be nice to spread some good cheer.

If so, would your preference be only unlined pages, only lined pages, or a mixture of vintage fun/blank pages.

I'd love some input, Leave a comment and I'll make one just for you, just the way you want it.

(I'll start working on these as soon as I close down Santa's sweatshop; I still have a few all of my Christmas gifts to wrap up)

Tooth Fairy and Trouble

Laura lost her fist tooth yesterday.

She has another one loose, and is scheming to see what she can get from the tooth fairy this time.

Oh, the excitement!

And Braeden is continuing on his reign of terror. Among yesterday's discoveries were~

(a drawer filled with broken ornaments~ I was wondering where they all went to)

And

(It's okay mom, we can glue it.)

Sarah, you aren't alone...

Yesterday it was crazy warm, and today it is icy and rainy and cold. I made a run out for some extra food and salt for our stairs, and think we should be all set for a snow day tomorrow. It looks like things are going to be nasty.

I am going to take some deep breaths, put on some Christmas music, and look forward to a cozy long weekend with the kiddos.

Decorations at My House

I see all of these lovely homes on peoples blogs, and in magazines. Exquisite decorations, meticulous attention to detail, festive, and just plain beautiful.

Then there is my house.

My tree is looking pretty sorry, because of this guy.

Here he is playing with the "necklace" he took off the tree. He and the cat spent a long time this morning running around.

Whatever ornaments haven't been broken have been redistributed throughout the house.
 
Light switches are particularly popular, and heaven forbid you move an ornament to turn a light off...

While I am sitting here typing this, Braeden just came in and said "mom, I'm okay" I asked what happened, and he said "I breaked one of your things. I breaked the whole pickle. Don't scratch yourself, you might get hurt."

Sigh...

I need to make some paper ornaments, and popcorn garland, and seriously kid proof this place.

Thankfully I have Laura, my prolific artist to help out.

Felt Balls and Follow Through

This morning I woke up inspired, and determined to complete a project~ a felted ball necklace to be specific.

Usually, I get an idea in my head and forge ahead, only to  stray off course somewhere along the way... I'll make felt balls, for example, and then leave them sitting out for a while, because I'm not sure what to do next. Then the kids will find them,or a cat or three, and before you know it, I am picking up scraggly pieces of wool and throwing them away. I'd say that is what happens about 80% of the time. I just kind of peter out part way through.

But today, I sat at the table and said I wasn't getting up until I was done, even if I hated what I made. I gathered up some wool roving, and my shoebox full of jewelry making supplies and went to work.

Try #1 was yucky.

Try #2 was better.

I'm sure try # 3 would be even more impressive, but I have my limits, and they are reached relatively quickly these days.

I wanted something bulky and festive, and unique. It's kind of all that.

I've got an idea for my next one, but I'm not sure how to execute it. I'll think on it for a while, and then give it a go. There is pleasure to be found in creation and completion, even if it's not exactly what you were hoping for.

Discombobulated

I am a woman who relies on routine. I tend to stay close to home, and I need advanced notice if plans are to be made. I am not a spur of the moment kind of gal. We are a family who deals with bipolar disorder and autoimmune disease, and my emotional resources tend to get spent dealing with those issues. I find I do a lot of adjusting and bending to deal with the daily grind, and just prefer everything else to stay stable. Predictable. Comfortable. Ya know what I mean?

So when I logged onto lexulous yesterday, I was dismayed. I play scrabble as an escape. A very reliable escape. The rules are concrete, and never change. Until yesterday. I had 8 letters in my tray. Eight! My triple word scores weren't in the corners. Q was worth 12 points. Twelve! What the hell? I stumbled my way through two games, and got my ass kicked. I logged off feeling agitated, and a little bit betrayed. Didn't they know how important that stupid game is to me?

And then this morning~ I went grocery shopping, exhausted from a night of prednisone induced insomnia. All I needed was a few staples to get me through the day, and quite honestly I like ShopRite and the familiarity of the aisles. It makes me happy. But when I walked through the door this morning, I was greeted with chaos. The entire store was being reset. Baking where the seasonal used to be, pasta in the dog food aisle. I felt like I was in the middle of a nightmare, with people everywhere ripping items off of the shelves and hiding them on me. I wasn't the only one upset, there was an irate woman standing in the aisle hollering because she couldn't find her spices. Normally I look down on grown women who have temper tantrums in public, but today I wanted to applaud her. Or stand next to her and join in. Where is the Cumin, and why the hell are you moving it on me? Oh, I was mad.

So here I am, ridiculous me, trying to recover from the trauma of having my game messed up, and my grocery aisles rearranged. Now that the initial shock is over, it'll just be a matter of time until the new becomes old, and I'll have settled back into comfort. Until then I'll be burning some calories with some extra pacing around the house though.

On the good news front~ I have actually started making christmas presents! I've had ideas flitting through my head for a while though, but it wasn't until yesterday that I was able to sit down and make myself dive in.
It's a start at least.

Thanks for stopping by!

Staying Positive

If you are looking for a lighter read and some inspiring essays on gardening, I highly recommend this book.

It is filled with stories of people who truly make a difference. They are transforming~children, criminals, the elderly, communities, the world... all through gardening.

I attended a wellness committee meeting for our school district last night, and left feeling a little bit grumpy, to put it nicely. "Going green" can be a controversial subject. I am working hard to turn my attitude back around, and to find joy in this process that I have been working so hard at.

I am excited to be meeting so many parents from neighboring schools who are working towards a common goal though,  and I want to serve my school and community with a positive spirit. So I need to shake off the negative feelings. I wouldn't mind getting my hands dirty today, to plant something and anticipate it's growth. Maybe I'll try a windowsill herb garden. Again. Maybe the third time's the charm???

Contemplation

I've been spending an awful lot of time contemplating lately. I ask myself questions that don't always have easy answers.

Am I loving enough?
What does my family need from me?
Am I giving enough?
Am I giving too much?
Am I lazy?
Should I get a job?
What's for dinner?
What do I want?

As I have been very critically examining my life, some answers come easier than others.

I have been lazy. I have settled into a life of distraction, often with good intentions, but not enough focus to follow through.

I love deeply, but quietly. I do withhold, and want to learn to open my heart more. 

Dinner is a tough one for me lately, as silly as that may seem. I am trying to purchase thoughtfully, and it can be a challenge to do good for the earth and the pocketbook at the same time, as well as making meals my children will enjoy. Progress is being made though.

Should I get a job? What do I want? These are questions that sneak up on me, usually in the dark of night. For now my family is my job, but I am open to the possibility of work, if that perfect situation comes along. And wants... I want to create a home that embraces us with comfort, and an atmosphere that encourages creativity and joy. I want to give to my family, and to my community as well.  I want to be challenged intellectually and creatively. I want to laugh more. To feel like I am important. To make a difference in this world.

I have been pretty quiet lately, but busy in my silence, prioritizing, organizing, gathering energy for the weeks ahead. I am looking forward to this holiday season, to spending time with family, creating memories for my children, creating a peaceful home, and finding peace in the process.