• Blog - Creativity

    T Tuesday: journal edition

    I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I have thought about and even started a personal diary or journal only to abandon it within a week after basically forgetting about it after day 2.  I would either think I had nothing to say, be paranoid about someone stumbling across my inner thoughts or perhaps just was intimidated by the hundreds of stark white pages ahead of me.

    So l started actually using my newly created personal journal. I’ve discovered that it is much more inviting to write in than a blank page for me. I actually want to sit down to write. I even think during the day about remembering to write something down later. I’m rather excited about this new phase in my creative journey.

    Watching the growing community of Hobonichi users was very inspiring as well as generous journal folk who share their videos on YouTube. So many ideas to put to use. I feel as if I pulled together the things that will work for me from the plethora of information I’ve absorbed. That being said, its important to me that I am authentic in what I do…not just copy ideas verbatim. What fun is that!? Besides this is my personal journal…if I can’t be real on those pages, there is really little hope.

    I think I might do another video after a while to share some progress and interesting tidbits or techniques I’ve used in the journal.

    I did a little before school refashion for Mini-me last week as well. We’d picked up this sweater at Goodwill but she didn’t like the length it was on her…she’s very petite aka short. So she asked me if I could do something about it…15 mins before we left for school. What do you think?!

    Last week simply flew by. Volleyball games during the week, a tournament that both Mini-me and I worked at then a short trip to a small apple orchard with friends. I finally tried a couple of varieties of apples that were developed by the University of Minnesota; honey crisp and sweet tango. Both were so good! The orchard also had a few pear trees. I’ve never been a fan of pears but I took a slice when offered since it was the polite thing to do. I was actually surprised at the difference in taste than typical grocery store pears.

    Thank goodness we got some nice apples because I really need those. You know the old saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”… well, I am fighting a cold. I was hoping it was just allergies but I fear it is a cold. Those darn germ covered kids and surfaces at school. Just can’t seem to avoid it. So my beverage today is an immune boosting drink. Fingers crossed that it does the trick.

    Work and volleyball still dominate our schedule.

    What are you doing today?
  • Around home - Blog

    T Tuesday: seeing red edition

    Mini-me and I are continuing to redo her new room aka J’s old room. Since he won’t be using his 9 months of the year, his stuff and my sewing machine have taken up residence in there. Sewing machine is only temporary. 🙂

    Speaking of the sewing machine reminds me that I posted about my handmade journal yesterday. I even made a video of a flip through of the journal…check it out.

    Back to the room makeover. Mini-me has lots of black and white accessories with splashes of red such as this painting she claimed.

    As you can see it doesn’t look great on the blue walls.

    So she is auditioning some paint colors.  Oh and check out the candelabra. I picked it up at a rummage sale a while back. It was in need of a bit of sprucing up. I removed the dangling beads and sprayed everything…including the beads and faux crystals black. They turned out really good!

    I had also picked up a white vinyl cushioned vanity stool a while back. It evidently was so ugly I didn’t take a “before” photo.

    I removed the cushion and upholstered it with that splash of red she was looking for.

    And these great vintage buttons from my mom’s sewing box.

    Doesn’t look great now with a fresh coat of black paint and the new cushion!?!!

    The room seems to be coming together. The paint will be the biggest thing to contend with. Time is always a factor. She also wants fairy lights for soft lighting to hangout in. When it done I’ll have to take some more photos.

    dark coffee or coffee in the dark

    And of course since this is T stands for Tuesday I am sharing my morning cup with you…

    What are you doing today?

  • Art - Blog - Crafts - Creativity

    Handmade journal

    As promised last Tuesday I am sharing the handmade journal I created. I was going to take a crazy number of photos of pages then edit and decided that was just way too much work!! Instead I recorded a video showing the journal page by page with some babbling narration from me.

    I’m sure I am not the only one who doesn’t enjoy the sound of their own voice so listening to this over and over was a little hard for me.

    Enjoy!

    Handmade Journal