1/19/11

{a day in the life}...

the day we finally cleaned out our garage. 

we've been putting it off for far too long. it had to be done. and it had to be done while our temps are in the 60's and not in the 100s. which isn't far off. damn desert living.

this was the state of chaos our garage was in before. i mean, it wasn't incredibly horrible - some unpacked boxes that have been in there since we moved in 11 years ago {clearly there was nothing we couldn't live without in those boxes} & random crap strewn about - but it had "hoarders" potential, so i figured we should nip it.   




 the man's work bench. {hey! are those my sneakers?!} 
it's not surprising he can never find a tool when he needs it. 
especially since the majority of his tools are shoved in buckets. placed randomly throughout the garage. and inside the house. 
it's the reason why we have 26165473 hammers. 
because it's easier to just go buy one than to try and find one. naturally.



i found a box of stuff i had stashed away for my first kid and look what was in it - my MOST FAVORITE childhood teddy bear! her name is "biscuit"she was a birthday gift from someone... i can't remember who, but i've had her since i was 5 yrs old. 
wow. she looks GREAT for her age, don't you think? 



BINKIES! my first kid was a TOTAL binky baby. she always had one in her mouth and one in each hand {note to self: find & scrap those pics}. those two stuck to the top of the box were her favorite ones. uh... i'm guessing it's probably about time i let those go considering the condition they're in. ew.



i also found a box of "collectibles" - some 80's barbie dolls given to us by an aunt {omg it's malibu barbie & skipper!} and a BUTTLOAD of mcdonald's promotional beanie babies still in their packages. 
i wonder if they're worth anything?
there's one teeny vintage doll that sort of creeps me out, as most dolls do. and a couple of 1966 nekkid barbies. at least the back of their heads are stamped 1966, but after reading this article, i'm thinking they're also 80's. at any rate, they look a hot mess.
*WARNING - if you are offended by gratuitous nudity - LOOK AWAY!*






in one of the unpacked boxes marked "home decor" {which has me seriously questioning my taste and sense of style}, i found a wall hanging from india. 
yep. actually purchased IN INDIA by my husband when he was there on a business trip awhile back. 
isn't it lovely {she says sarcastly}?
he thought so. he really did. so much that it HAD TO be hung above our waterbed. yes, a waterbed. don't pretend like you've never owned one. 
anyway, the day i got to take this beauty down and pack it away was one of the best days EVER. i think subconsciously it's the reason why i wasn't in hurry to unpack that particular box. {SORRY, HONEY!}
don't get me wrong, it was appreciated. 
and it really is a quite lovely piece of fabric with beautiful vivid colors and well, you can't see them in this picture, but alot of shiny sequins. 
it's just something that will NOT be going back up anytime soon or something that can be ripped apart. and i'd hate for it to be packed away for another 11 years so... i'm GIVING IT AWAY! 
yep. i don't know that anyone would be interested, but if you are or know someone who might appreciate this, please leave me a comment or shoot me an email! i'm not even kidding. 



wanna see the "after"?


i know it sorta looks the same as the "before", but trust me... it's not. we dumped a lot of crap. and there's still some work to be done in there, but now everything has a place. and i have a sense of... peace? sanity? lightness? something. you know that feeling when you de-clutter. it truly does wonders.

don't forget... if you're in need of an authentic indian wall hanging {because who isn't?}, leave a comment :)

happy wednesday!
xo



1/11/11

and the word is...



do more...
laughing. loving. playing. creating. teaching. learning. cooking. baking. reading. documenting. communicating. connecting. giving. the list goes on...


do less...
worrying. spending. yelling. complaining. sitting. analyzing. fearing. 


do nothing. do everything.
some days i want to conquer the world. other days i just want to curl up and watch it go by. 


do what i want to do. when i want to do it.
so often, i let guilt keep me from taking some time for myself - to watch a movie or to read a book or play a game or make some art because there are other things that NEED to be done around here first. but i realize now that if i don't do things for me {and my mental & creative well-being}, pretty soon, i won't want to do anything at all. what a sad existence that would be.


don't think. just do.
no more over-thinking and analyzing my creative urges and decisions. no more being fearful of doing something wrong or of failing. 


for me, this year is about doing. 
what is your year about?

1/7/11

it's a new... everything

yet, i feel like i'm already so far behind. and we're only 7 days into the new year! how does that happen?

speaking of new... TADA! new blog. finally. it's taken me long enough to clean it up. am i happy with it? of course not. i never am with anything i do {please tell me i'm not the only one}. 
it's a work in progress. 
there will be some tweaking  here and there. 
and adding of new things always.
but i am generally satisfied with it at the moment. 
it seems cleaner. lighter. simpler. 
and actually makes me WANT to blog now, so that's a good thing, right? because i have plans. and ideas. 
and things i want to share. 
oh yes.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!


super cool pic from The Telegraph


i feel like it had to be said. because everyone else has already said it. and blogged it. and tweeted it. and proclaimed their resolutions and set their goals for the year. and are actively practicing their chosen "olw". 
which is great. for them. 
yet here i sit, with my christmas decs still up, presents STILL strewn about the house, kitchen STILL a mess from christmas day festivities {I KNOW!}, a pile of last year's mail and bills that need attending to. 
BUT... i've come to realize that, well - it is what it is.


i really admire those people who have their shit together before the start of a new year {i won't lie. i'm even a little bit jealous}. i've thoroughly enjoyed reading all about their past year and new endeavors. i just have to come to accept that i'll never be one of those people. and be ok with it. 
so... there it is. 
I DON'T HAVE MY SHIT TOGETHER! 
and probably won't until around the middle of june. 
BUT... i did choose a "word" for the year. so there's that.


one thing i've really enjoyed reading on others blogs are their recaps of 2010. i would LOVE to do something like that, but i can barely remember what i did last week, let alone the happenings of an entire year. 
so, i'll just share my most recent "proud moment" event - in december, i was a featured guest on the JBS Inspiration blog!

now, anyone who knows me knows how big of deal this was for me. 
i was beyond thrilled! 
and here's what i made:

wicker ball ornaments

and a layout
totally fun. totally honored to have been asked.
not a bad way to end the year. an even better way to start off a new year (at least craftwise)!


1st post of 2011 - DONE. post #2 coming up in the next couple of days and it's all about the "word", so please do come back. ;)


hope your year is off to a fabulous start!

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