Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that.
Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. -Harold Whitman

Sunday, December 18, 2011

{butterflies}


Have a beautiful Sunday!
Pin It

Thursday, December 15, 2011

{Christmas Prints}


I bought these a couple months ago to frame pictures of my children for the wall in the guest room/library.  I ended up doing something different on that wall so I casually put two of them above the bookshelves in my office.  I really liked the height they added to the room.


So I decided to create a couple quick prints to fill them for Christmas.  


I made the red and gray "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" print in Illustrator.


The bird tree graphic is from The Graphics Fairy.  It's from a 1870s Christmas card - how cool is that!  I changed the color from black to dark turquoise in Illustrator.  


I hoped to have them printed on regular paper but Kinko's wanted $35/print...uh no.  So I converted them to .jpgs and sent them to Costco for $5/print.  YAY!


If you look really close the prints are a little blurry but from a distance they look great.


In the interest of full disclosure.  This is what the rest of my office looks like...*sigh*... I CANNOT keep it clean and organized.  It is a huge source of stress because it is the first room you see when you open the front door and I cannot be creative in that space!  I really need to make this room a top priority.  {{update: I spent some time in my office today and have cleared the floor (mostly - still some neat piles of stuff that has no home yet) and my desk.  Whew...that feels better!}}


Pin It

[also overwhelmed]

and the scary part is i did a lot of things ahead of time to keep myself from feeling overwhelmed.  and yet here i am still feeling like i am racing the clock.  going on a week long trip for thanksgiving and a days before xmas birthday do not help, but these are joyous things and i can't let myself get all stressed out over something good.  christmas in my family is often an emotionally charged holiday, we all have very strong personalities, and well, we are not known for yielding when we feel justifiably wronged.  oi.  so this month is sort of spring loaded jack in the box waiting to explode.  every year i assign myself the job of not turning that crank anymore than absolutely necessary, and maybe we can just keep that box from bursting open.  deep breath.


today. today is all i can control.  on the docket today:



  • drop off kid 1 at school
  • drop off kid 2 at school
  • harass pre-school picture company about not listing ordering deadlines on the form and having a late fee of $13
  • call the father-in-law and figure out schedule for tomorrow with kids
  • shower
  • start straightening up the house or at least put laundry away
  • renew my expired driver's license
  • costco for groceries and to pick up photo prints from vacation for xmas presents for grandparents and vacation scrapbook (because many have asked to see photos from the make a wish at the boy's bday party, so yes I've been stressing myself to deliver, but also because I am on a mission to start printing more) done except the part where the changed the color profile so my 300+ prints are off. . .i don't want to talk about it.
  • take the boy to get his hair cut after school um yeah, the girl got her haircut too. . .i'm not super happy, i liked it long
  • feed the children
  • take the children to number 2's xmas program
  • put the children immediately to bed as it will be past bedtime
  • answer urgent emails from clients
  • perhaps clean some more
  • go to bed before 11 pm (ha, like that will happen)
and it's grey and cloudy and windy and wet today, and i am starting a cold. . .the odds are stacking against me.  but i will do this, find my calm.  make good choices, control my chaos, not let it control me.

i can do this
i am doing this
Pin It

Monday, December 12, 2011

{Overwhelmed...}


So much to do...

Brain filled to capacity...

Where to even start...

I need to make a list...see it all out in front of me...

1. Make meal plan for week
2. Home Blessing Hour for downstairs
3. Zone 3 work (read this to learn about my zones) - this week I am in the Master Bed/Bath
4. Grocery list
5. Bills
6. Print Christmas newsletter
7. Finish addressing/stamping Christmas cards
8. Target for more tree lights, Santa hat for the girl
9. Finish decorating Christmas tree
10. Wrap presents for mailing
11. Mail presents
12. Flowers to Mom for her birthday
13. Put together IKEA Lego storage - sort Legos
14. Purge toys for Christmas
15. Look at blog posts for the week
16. Decide on small OPAM for the rest of December --> Finish Secret Room
17. Laundry

There is much more needing to be done but I think this will take me all day!  :)


Menu
Monday:  Lentil Sheppard's Pie || Salad || Bread
Tuesday:  Baked French Toast
Wednesday:  Chicken Parmesan & Penne || Salad
Thursday:  Avocado Chicken Parmesan || Salad
Friday:  Creamy White Chicken & Artichoke Lasagna || Salad || Bread Sticks
Saturday:  Ribs || Slaw || Collard Greens || Corn Bread
Sunday:  Curried Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk || Salad || Naan
Pin It