Why do I do this?

on my bedside, find it here

I'm writing this, while I am a little lost in translation.  We've just come back from a week on the road to celebrate our wedding anniversary (more on this to come) and I find my energy is coming in waves as I try to acclimate to our time zone (and also try to save our garden - who knew it was going to be this hot in Toronto!)

You may have noticed on the sidebar there is a link to a course that  I have been taking.  A blogging course - BYW 2.0 with Holly Becker of Decor8 and author of the bestseller Decorate Book on design for the home.

This trip required some preplanning leading up to departure and 8 days on the road.  This meant there was a conflict with the last half of the course and I debated if I should wait for the next one when I would have more free time to devote to the homework and lessons that fill the 4 weeks of classes.  In the end,  I couldn't help myself.  I got so much from the course BYW 1.0 last fall that I just couldn't resist.

Let me tell you it was painful not to dive right into the last few lessons from Katrina Tan of Pugly Pixel and all the tips and instructions on photoshop collages, mats and general blog bling ( I can't wait until the dust settles in my brain and I can go through the lessons thoroughly)  There was also great inspiration provided by  Jeanette Lunde of Fryd Design - especially with her insights into the world of on-line magazines.  Oh how I wanted to get my feet wet right of the bat - but that will have to wait.  Nicole Balch of Making it Lovely also had great insights into the business of blogging and how she has made it work for both her own life and that of her family's in regard to income and as a balance.  Finally, Holly (and technical support from her husband Thorsten) shared experience and insight and a dizzyingly huge array of tidbits about publishing, resources and a seemingly unending wealth of ideas for blog posts.

I diligently read all my resource materials (while trying to pack and plan my trip as well as finish off the school year!) and finished my homework on time.

This leads me into the theme of today's post, as this was the final homework assignment of the course and a source of frustration as I couldn't do it while I was on my trip.  Our assignment was to discuss what blogging means to us and maybe why we do it and/or what we get from it.  I have thought alot about this while I was on the road.

Why do I blog?  Some days I hate it, some days I dread it, some days I feel stupid ... BUT more often than not the world of blogging fuels me.  It makes me feel connected to a world that inspires and motivates me.  I become a student learning about styling, design, photography and graphics.  I have a way to express my creative side and a reason to keep creating and learning.  And maybe most importantly, I have a connection to other people that feel the same way.

I have many friends that I have known since I was little, others from highschool, some from university and some from my life with my girls - school, our neighbourhood.  But most of these friends don't share  the same interest in "pinning" or crafting that my virtual friends do.  They don't follow my blog or share  their boards on great party decor.  The world of blogging has connected me to group of like-minded souls that share their interests in design and crafting and family and support my ideas on the same.

Do you have a friend that maybe you don't see that often but when you do you just feel so good after?  Maybe they just make you feel good about yourself, or validated in some way or maybe they just fuel your creative side.  After your meeting you just feel energized and ready to face anything that comes your way.  That is what a blogging does for me.  It connects me virtually and in some cases personally to a kindred spirit and that in the end, I think,  is what life is all about - learning and growing as a person and sharing what makes you feel fulfilled as an individual.

Simply put - this last year of blogging has pushed me to get out of my shell and put myself out there.  Not for anyone else but for myself.  Thank you Holly for sharing your insights and knowledge and to everyone that has ever given me support and advice through this blog.  I hope I do the same for you and that both virtually and personally we can continue to support and inspire each other.

ps.  here is a hint of what I have been up to the last week - more to follow ...

Birthday Inspiration - On the Road

1  Fabric Tassel Banner - Prudent Baby                    4   Paper Hats - A Subtle Revelry
2  Cloud straws - Lisa Storms                                    5   Cake Banner - Tuck and Bonte - Etsy
3  Tissue Cluster - Blue Eyed Yonder                       6   Paper Lanterns - Landee See, Landee Do
                                                                                                                 via Looly Jane Boutique

Helana's Birthday is coming up in the next week and I need to plan some decorations that I can take on the road.  I looked at my pinterest boards for some ideas and I think I have come up with a plan.  I couldn't find tissue clusters in the exact colour I wanted but you can see where I am going with my colour palette.  I just love that fabric tassel banner - I might make mine from crepe paper or paper napkins - we'll see what I can find in my hood.  I think I can match some scrap paper to my colour theme and have the templates for the hats and add them to existing party hats at our destination.  Adding that little cake banner to the cake we come up with is going to be adorable.  The paper lanterns are made from paper bags - how easy is that?

How easy... well we'll see.  If I can get it together I will show you my birthday travel pack later this week.

Inspiration Stone

Last year, my girlfriend and I took a course on time management and making time to realize your dreams.  Part of the process that day was to make a collage, from magazine clippings, that illustrated all the aspects of your life that were important to you or that you wanted to focus on.  This is my collage, that sits on my desk, and that provides a much needed focus on the days that I feel uninspired.

Last week, I had a very uninspiring(or so I thought) trip to a discount electronics outlet.  Helana was at volleyball games but she needed supplies for what seemed to me to be a very complicated science project.  I had a list, sort of, of components I needed to pick up from rows and rows, and boxes and boxes, of bits and pieces.  Just as I was checking out, I spied these glass stones.  They turned out to be recycled parts of magnifying glasses and they were selling them for a few dollars each!  Hmmm....

I thought it would be neat to continue that idea of encouragement in a paper weight sort of way.  A portable little stone to act as decoration ... and inspiration.

1 - I used a compass to make a circle to fit the bottom of the flat side of the stone.

2 - I went through old magazines and cut out inspiring images and words.

3 - I arranged the larger background first then added my words.

4 - I put on modgepodge onto the bottom of my stone and the top of my collage.

5 - I added the collage face up and pressed it into the bottom, pushing out air pockets.

6 - after a few hours it dries and the collage is revealed in a beautiful magnification.

After a couple of inspiration collages I decided to make a simple one with a monogram.  From left going clockwise - I started with my supplies (scissors, magazine clippings, paper scraps, compass, modgepodge and the magnifying glass pieces). I cut out a background from thicker paper so I needed to cut a slit in it so that it would fit the curve from the bottom of this particular glass piece (I found the other glass pieces were more flat on one side and did not need a slit cut for a curve).  I used a paper doily cut in pie shapes to fit the base of my collage.  After gluing all the elements you must wait for your collage to dry.  It looks very milky and, at first, I was afraid they might not work out.  But they did.

bottom of stones                                                 dried stones revealed

Matching felt was cut for the bottom of the stones.

Now when I need to corral all those papers (including volleyball schedules and electronic supplies!) ... I can still try to stay inspired!

Surrounded by inspiring images

When you arrive at my daughter's school, these are the images that greet you.  I LOVE that truck.  It is her screen saver on her phone right now.  I saw her take the picture one day when I was waiting for her in the parking lot.  The sculpture below, I call the egg beater, but it is actually entitled

"Still Dancing" by Dennis Oppenheim.  

Yes, my daughter goes to school  here. 

To say that it is an inspiring place to go to school, I think, would be an understatement.

Her older sister went here too but Ali couldn't stop herself from falling in love with this magical space, despite the fact that her older, very different sister loved it as well.

I was exercising my new instagram app and took these shots a couple of days ago.  I will file this way and return again sometime in the future.  I can't wait to see how learning and growing in this inspiring space will shape their choices and interests in the future.  Will they remember this time in their lives?...

I can't help but think they will.

Happy Friday!

Mini Prize Ribbons

I have been locked up here in one room pretty much.  Fetching water, mashed potato and apple sauce -  because of this.  I have been trying come up with an interesting way to introduce my business card to someone.  Make it fun, crafty and different.  I am trying out a mini version of my prize ribbon.  Keep you posted :)

Inspiration Desk

We (well Ali) have had tonsil surgery 24 hours ago.  That means someone needs me nearby for water, meds and companionship.  I decided to move my computer to the main floor.  I added some of my desktop inspiration and then brought in my craft inspiration.  It is usually downstairs in the craft room but I like it here right now.  It reminds me of my summer bucket list and keeps me on my crafty to do's path while maintaining that close-by feeling.

I knit this bowl from Leigh Radford's book. Instructions found here at Design*Sponge.

I have filled it with felted balls I have purchased, made from felt and knit then felted.  I love that bowl!

Here are two projects.  One, again, from Leigh Radford, adapted from the pattern found here.  And here is a bucket list mason jar painted my favorite blue.  Filled with happytape.

This linen rose in progress is adapted from a paper pattern I used for a lantern I made in Amy Power's latest on-line magazine.  Check it out here.  It is absolutely gorgeous!  The magazine I mean!

I need to put myself on stand-by at the moment.  Poor thing.  The pain seems to be overwhelming.  Today is supposed to be the worst.   So I better move from here to the couch... for now...