From Chaos Comes Happiness

Oh, how I love this time of year. I love when the house becomes a magical place full of twinkle lights and pine scented candles (because, you know, I don't do the real tree thing and I have to get the scent some how). I love when I've been outside in the cold and then step into our home and my glasses immediately fog up from the warmth. I love the sounds of Christmas music in the background, and whistle of wind as it rushes up against our windows. I feel like I come alive, again, during this time of year. And I love it. Usually about this time of the year, I start to reflect on the year that is about to pass and I begin to focus on my goals for the New Year. It's as if a new energy that takes over. I'm very excited for 2013, my friends. I don't know why. I just have a great feeling about it. So many goals to work towards. So many opportunities to grab hold of. But, I'm ready. I finished my consulting job this past week. Tuesday, to be exact. I...

13 days. It's been 13 days since I've written here. Yikes. That has to been the longest break I've ever taken from my blog. How could it be? Where, on earth, have I been? I've always said I'm Multi-Creatively Challenged - I have a hard time putting creative effort into multiple avenues at one time. I can work on a couple of 'like' projects at the same time, but throw something completely different into the mix, and I'm blubber. It doesn't work for me. The brain can't function. So trying to write a meaningful and well written blog post the past few weeks has been almost impossible. Because . . . I'm in holiday gift making mode. I had a table at a local Holiday Bazaar last week and had a pretty successful show (yay!) Afterwards, I decided to throw a little bit more into the mix by hosting a Holiday Open House at my house . . . TODAY (at 3pm) . . . for all my friends, family members and neighbors. There is something pretty overwhelmin...

Phil took Katie out to the bus stop this morning. He is in town this whole week, and it is amazing how calm my soul is because of that. While he'll be leaving for the office during the day, at least each night he is home with us. Yes, life is good. Today he came back into the house after seeing Kate off to school, and said that the frost was just beautiful on our rose bushes. He grabbed the camera, and snatched some photos of it. I love my husbands photos. He could be a professional photographer. Have I ever told you that before? The modern age of iPhone camera (and the convenience of it all) has often taken the place of our usual digital camera, so I feel like we've gotten a little bit away from the really skilled photos we've had in the past. But when he has the camera . . . beautiful things happen. Here is a shot of the roses this morning . . .   I played with it, a bit, in photoshop. But after taking a second look, the unedited version above (as you see i...

November.               It's November.                                Holy Cow.                                               I still don't know where April, May, June or July went.                                                              ...

Here we are, again! It's been a wonderfully crazy and busy week. I've over extended myself, yet again. Running classroom holiday parties, husband traveling, making art, new activities for the girls, oh . . . and then there is that darn job thing always getting in the way of all the fun. ;) I hope to be finished in the next week or two. Yes, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I think. I long for slower days. When I can . . . breathe. When I can . . . read. When I can . . . go to bed early and sleep in late. Maybe in January. January of 2036, perhaps. That's when my social security (God willing) kicks in. Yep, 2036. Until then . . . here's a little glimpse at my week . . . We saw Justin Bieber on Wednesday! Phil, Katie, Ellie, our neighbors Christina, Megan, Jenni and Gabriella, and me.  Phil drove all of us in our mini-van (thank goodness for our mini-van). And with the help of ear plugs, we all survived! I discovered an old love of good o...

Every time I step out of our bedroom and glance over to Katie's door, I see it. When the outdoor light shines from her bedroom windows, and it catches it just right . . . I see it. If you go up close to it and look at it from an angle . . . you can see it.  Lip gloss covered kisses, from my daughter Katie. Too many to count. Right there, on his nose. That is, Justin Bieber's nose. When I was 12 years old (way back . . . in 1984), I was in L.O.V.E. with Michael Jackson. My parents (who were more into Barbra Streisand and Johnny Mathis) didn't quite get it. My father didn't like M.J.'s choice in clothing, or dance moves (why was he always grabbing his crotch?), and my mom certainly didn't care for him. But me? I LOVED him. His dancing and his songs simply took my breath away. Loved him. I remember my dad coming home from work one day and handing me a poster rolled up in a tube. Not sure what was inside, dad explained that someone he work...

Greetings my dearest friends, and Happy Monday to you all! I hope this post finds you well rested after the weekend, and ready to take on some new adventures. I know I am . . . and let me tell you friends . . . I'm in the midst of a great adventure right now. Oh, what a craft making Diva I have been! This past weekend, I actually think I have out done all previous "Craft Diva" projects.  And oh, how I can't wait to tell you all about it! If you follow my Facebook page, you'll know that I started my most recent creative adventure this past weekend . . . making candles. It started with an idea of a new product to offer in my next Holiday Craft fair (November 10th), and you know me - when I get an idea and have a vision of what I want, I stop at nothing to make it happen. Very early in the process, I realized this was more than just an "idea". I had committed to a whole process of creating, and I learned more about myself than I ever imagined. Like most t...