Homegrown Hospitality

Do Something

make it your mission to do something for someone today...

Truly Necessary

uhhhhgggghhh..another class?

I know that there are 1001 on-line classes these days, many of which I have taken, a few that I wish that I had the money to take..and even one or two that I signed up for and never did the project. (I have a hunch that you may know what I am talking about.) So, as I started to post yesterday and continued to write about this new 2012 year long "follow along" class, I wanted to take a tiny bit of time to address the thoughts that you may have and based on a comment I got:

"Love it!!! I wonder if you have any tips for when I have the project staring at me, but feel so overwhelmed...that I spin in place and get nothing accomplished. I know if I just gave it 15 minutes, I would feel good, but instead I just end up having a pity party"

•  "Another class????"
•  "If I sign up for one more thing I am going to crack!"
• " I dont not have time for a scrapbook..journal...whatever it is...class"

Guess what???...This is EXACTLY WHY I am doing this class....EXACTLY WHY...because I am the same exact way. I might crack, I do not have another minute and I have too much laundry to do...

AND THIS IS WHY I AM WRITING, TEACHING AND WALKING ALONG SIDE YOU IN THIS CLASS....

WE NEED IT.

As I started to thin out the ol' shead-teau, re-read some of the books I have been reading the past year, took a closer look at my random notes, doodles and "wannabe" journal entries, I realized that I could combine everything into one small place, where I was able to go to each day, once a week, once every month...or several times a day if I wanted and scrapbook...journal and..or...doodle.

Yeah!

This is where I sit each day to blog, doodle, wander through Pinterest, read blogs, stare into the screen...and just to the left, is what I am going to use, teach, inspire, and scrapbook*journal*doodle with you:

 
Refer to the photo:

1. My small binder ready for the year.
2. My 12x12 plastic tote box thing with EVERYTHING but a little paint, modpodge and stamps that I will use along the way.
3. Books that I want to quote, refer to and tear pages from

That's all we are going to use...with the exception of the occasional tool, paint brush, marker....Here is a better look to calm your thoughts: 

Another thing about my process that I recognized, realized and arm wrestled with this past year is the fact that I can NOT create something to teach you that does not have a purpose. (Don't roll your eyes...stick with me).

Example: I LOVE love love to make things...duh....and particularly, Mini Books.  I can make a mini-book with a pile of newspapers and twine if you wanted me to....I am pretty sure if I was on Survivor and I had to make a mini book from the things I only had on the island to get off the island, I could....anyways, what I am saying is I love to make them and could teach them to you until I was blue in the face..but then what do you do with them?

It should not matter to me, what you do with them..but it does matter to me because YOU matter to me and, well... because I have THREE large plastic totes in the ol' shead teau FULL of mini books....and I am thinking you might too. One can only have soo many mini books...I think.

Okay, so after all of that..sorry...all I really wanted to tell you is that this is going to be a

• Follow along side you class
• Get things accomplished class
• Develop a habit of journal/list making class

Yikes..sorry to overwhelm you...go about your business and have a happy Monday!!!!

God..and a List.

WARNING: it is a REALLY long one...but try to read through..I think it is kinda worth reading...and there is a BRAND NEW CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT at the end!

In the past years and in the recent days, I have received comments, questions and emails from you about how "impressed you are" on how I "get things done"

Truth is...I don't always get my "creative things" done..or, shoot, my "physical" things done...or the house cleaning done..or, for the love of Pete, the laundry done...BUT (and yes, she is a big butt!) for the past 11 months I have been aggressively "Cultivating" just about every aspect of my life...for the better (at least, I hope!).  "CULTIVATE" is the word I chose for 2011 and I have been running that poor little nine lettered word through the ringer!

http://homegrownhospitality.typepad.com/homegrown_hospitality/2011/01/happy-new-years-daydoodle.html

http://homegrownhospitality.typepad.com/homegrown_hospitality/2011/01/cultivating-change-creativity.html

http://homegrownhospitality.typepad.com/homegrown_hospitality/2011/01/closed-for-restoration.html

http://homegrownhospitality.typepad.com/homegrown_hospitality/2011/01/cultivatingcreativity.html

http://homegrownhospitality.typepad.com/homegrown_hospitality/2011/01/cultivating-my-faith.html

I have been cultivating my faith, our home, my family and my art.  I have lost focus way too many times, fought anxiety and doubt more than I prefer to admit (although I just did!), experienced one too many "forks in the road" and, at the same time, seen the road as clear as a bell and felt just as confused and lost...all while keeping my center.

That, my friends...is my FAITH in action.

whew...BUT (damn big butt, sorry for the language!) I have felt motion sickness along the whole entire way. You see, I have always, no, make that "had" (because I am REALLy trying hard to work on this)1001 projects going at the same time. 

In the past few years, I have tried so so hard to change, modify, tweak...whatever it is...the way I work, but the fact is, that IS the way I work, when it comes to "art".  I think back to my high school days in Mr. Friedrich's class and I was the same way.  I think back to when I "tried" to be a college student in art class, and again, I was the same way...so for the past year, and more recently in the past few months, I have been a complete "Whirling Dervish" when it comes to creativeness while trying to stay grounded, focussed and the new truth is..

It is starting to change. (insert marching band music, fireworks, floats..)

Two of the best tools that I can suggest, that have proven to work for me is: God and a List. 

It is really that simple.

I have come to finally recognize after being told, having read, even hearing it over and over, that I, no, WE, can not do things on our own. 

duh.

We think we can "try" but the facts are the facts, so again, what is working for me is God..and a List.  Each of my days start with a little quiet time (besides the snoring dog) coffee with Hazelnut creamer and creating a list of the days "to-do's" thoughts, a doodle or two and a verse and/or quote....

and then,

light a bolt of lightning (even though it was 84 degrees) it all came to me yesterday as I "checked off" one of the entries on my days list.

Now, here is my list for today:

After you are finished squinting, trying to read what is on my lists, go back and take a look at the first picture and read what is listed first:

•         "Create a mini book from the "pile"

Now go back and take a look at the second photo, and right there, to the left and above my list is what I accomplished and why there is a check mark on photo one. Yesterday, I was on task, calm and completely 100% creatively focused.  I was not sure exactly what I was creating. but knew that I was creating in the right direction.

That again...I am proud to say..

is FAITH in action. (go ahead, you can clap!)

Note: the "pile" WAS (keyword) a HUGE avalanching pile of 12x12 papers that I have been HOARDING for way too long because I was going to, "ut um"...use them one day. Yesterday WAS that day.  It took up a majority of the day, but I used it all...and there was A LOT!!!!

whoot..whoot!

I created an entire 7" x 9.5" binder book that I am now writing an entire 12 month BASIC, EASY NO STRESS "follow along" class about the whole enchilada..  It includes what I have learned in the past year...what I have been working on, striving for and cultivating.  Like I said, I am in the middle of writing the class curriculum so it is going to be a week or two before any more details will be available, but  I can tell you that the first six months is based on:

January - Being Honest with Yourself        

February - Surrendering Your Heart

March - Owning your Talent    

April - Random Acts of Art

May - Life IS Beautiful

June - Surrounding Yourself with Friends            

The "Part One..the first six months of 2012"online class will include a weekly journal prompt posted to the closed FB page, a monthly PDF printable calendar, a monthly PDF printable doodle to color an embellish to add to your own journal based on that months theme, a PDF of journal prompts, quotes and verses based on the monthly subject,  techniques...

One of the best parts about this class is that you can do it with the avalancing pile of paper you already have...at home, in your jammies...whenever you want, wherever you are. The supplies are basic...a small binder, page protectors that fit into the binder and your basic "scrapbooking" supplies..well and your avalanche of paper.

OH..and..just in time to put on your "Christmas List" (Download Momswishlist).....The other best part about the class is the way you can purchase it:

The First Six Months for....$32.00 

or

All Twelve Months for...$40.24  

It is AMAZING what happens when a "whirling dervish" slows down...she..no, me (and probably you, too!) can focus.

More to come...and it is gonna be wonderful!!!

PLEASE NOTE: Nothing will be physically shipped to you for this class but it is IMPERATIVE that the correct EMAIL address is provided on your order to receive all class materials.  Facebook is NOT required for this class. All prompts will be posted to group and emailed weekly.

When Life Gives You...

a "W"...just turn it upside down and use it as an "M".

Try your best to use what you have..and make the best of it.

Home Stitch Home

I hope that you enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday!  We had family over, spent hours preparing, cooking and eating...and did not take a single picture!  I am always so happy to cook and get ready and then I am always so happy to be done...and now it is onto Christmas, which by the way, we are ready for!

In-between decorating, enjoying the week off from school and getting ready for yesterday, I have been spending a few hours here and there in the ol' shead-teau trying to thin out, clean up and pack up projects for a local boutique next week (info on that soon).  I came across my very favorite stamp set ever..and was inspired to make something based on the set.

First thing this morning I made my list and I added "Figure it out and do it!"

so I grabbed my box o' scraps...got to cutting and adhering added some stitching

added a few buttons and framed it..

It is going in my boutique box...then I kept stitching, filling up my basket with little "hacky-sack-pillow-pin cushions".  We have been calling it a "Basket of Happy" because when you look at it, it makes you smile.  Don't know what exactly to do with them, but they sure make you happy...

hey, whatever it takes!

In Every Moment...

Squarefootage & Fancy Not Required

I have said it before and will always say it again...gather a group, plug in the crock pot, pull out the goods and DO SOMETHING for others..together..regardless of squarefootage or fancy. 

We have a VERY small house...therefore we use every inch of our home sweet home to live in...including the ol garage-mah-hall.  Last night, regardless of the lack of fancy or square footage, the laughter, prayers, sassy-ness and pure cracking up we had together made our time together creating so,so perfect, needed and cherished...even if ALL of the pictures came out blurry....

Can I suggest you DO SOMETHING for others...together.  MAKE the time to take some time...you will be glad you did.

^" Where two or three people meet together in my name, I am there with them."

                                                                                                                                   Matthew 18:20

Pray All The Harder

Using my life, being honest and transparent and not "glittering & embellishing" my life is how I write, well type, on this blog, and although I would love to be able to tell you that all is ALWAYS happy, creative, clean, tidy, well and fine here at our little "home sweet home", just like your home sweet home, it has its bumps...its wonderful peaks...a few valleys with overgrown trails, walls that need to be painted, rainbows made with skittles (maybe not) BUT regardless of anything else, at the end of the day...

I know..

deep down...(sometimes deeper than others)

it will all be okay...

because God says so..

and because HE made me a mom of boys (which I realized this weekend, is what MOB stands for)

With honesty and transparency, I also have to respect the peeps and keep privacy a priority, but I will tell you that at a very late hour on Friday night, I sat on the edge of my bed, not even able to squeak out a tear, wondering what many moms wonder....."How in the world to divide myself into three"..for the peeps in the house (excluding the dang dog!), knowing what to do, where to go..when to say yes...how often to say no....enter your favorite "wonder" question here :______________________________

I share this because I KNOW...I am not alone with this. 

I could not sleep, I could not laugh, I could not cry, I pretty much was like an owl, "owling" on the side of the bed..just sitting there...when Ben called my name...

"Mooooooooooooom ???????????"

Without all of the details..he could not sleep and he wanted me to lay with him.  I told him that when I can not sleep, I pray (go figure, maybe the "owl" should have taken her own advice, duh!)....so I suggested that he lay there and talk to God...

That is when he asked me if I could "say our prayers out loud"

Prayers said....and 10 minutes later...sleep found...for the both of us.

The above doodle is on my "today list" because I have a lot of things to do...I am a nurse mom again.. In case you did not see my ER posts on FB yesterday, this MOB has a boy with a broken elbow..yep, another broken bone (MOESLB=mom of extreme sports loving boys) and I have made it clear that 2012 is our summer vacation year, so all broken bones need to be done and healed by July.

Oh...and in the midst of all of this life going on, I have been trying to stitch, paint, sew and figure out what the heck (would prefer to use the other "H" word) I should be doing next...praying for clarity...for a sign...for direction...for something for the love of Pete.....and I happily, right in the middle of REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS AND STAY ON TASK..was BLESSED with a "Whole New Doodle" for 2012.

Yep, a brand new doodle style for 2012...out with the old doodle...in with the new.

Prayers answered...just need to get everything else finished first.

BREATHE..FOCUS..PRAY...

Thank you God.

Trailer Park Christmas Idea No.3

Christmastime landed at our house at about 4:00 yesterday afternoon and because we have the worlds greatest "out-of the-box-already-lit-put-it-together-and-plug-it-in" in about 5 minutes flat, we "hauled out the holly" and "decked our halls" and Trailer Park Martha pulled out her big ol' roll of furniture binding stuff and wrapped the tree....

This year our theme is...Simple (that is the "trailer park way" ya know) 

Colors: Red & Kraft (are there really any other colors??)

Honestly, I have never had a "theme" but after I wrapped the tree in the binding stuff and shoved the red berries into the branches (that I have had for just over 100 years) I came across a bag of cute little red ceramic birds that I bought after Christmas last year at Target...and they sang to me...

yep, all 15 of them, right from the bag...just sang.

and I would hate to tell you that I got these little lovebirds for $0.25 each...but I did, which made my Trailer Park Tree even better!!!!

How is your list going? Make sure to add to it today...and check off, cross, off, add on..whatever you need to do... Here is mine...more to come....