I'm back BABY!

Vacation was WONDERFUL! I loved spending time with some special gal pals, and the time away from hubby was good too. I love the feeling of missing him :) Quite frankly I'm ready to move! Its almost impossible to have a bad attitude about anything. The sunny blue skies, pink and yellow buildings and palm trees are so cheery. I feel re-inspired about everything in my life. I was introduced to an adorable little beach shop called the Sand Dollar. THE most adorable things you've ever seen. It reminds me a lot of anthropology, but beachy! Thanks for checking in even though I was away! Here's a piece of vaca I brought back for you.

I think I can, I think I can.....

Have you ever put off something due to fear and insecurity? Or avoided something because its outside your comfort zone? Sure you have. We all have. Whether its avoiding the dentist, praying you don't get the flu because you're afraid you might have to vomit, developing a new relationship or taking a class. There's been a time when you've avoided a situation because something about it causes you some form of anxiety. If you've never experienced such stomache twisting knots before - you might be dead, or you're just one bad a** gal.

For me lately its been the nearing spring quarter of a class I've signed up to take. You see, being an administrative assistant is great and all, but its really not what I aspire for my career. I know I need to do something about it, and that that something is getting my Masters.... MASTERS! The word alone is scary! I've never been a master of anything. I've always considered myself a "jack of all trades". I'm good at a lot of things, but not great at any one thing. Any way, I think what it comes down to is I fear failing or looking stupid. I've already vowed to never open my mouth in class, even though 25% of my grade is participation. Among my class mates are some of the brightest and most creative people that I work with. I feel like I've got something extra to prove being an "admin". I feel like people assume I don't already have a degree and that the only reason I'm an admin is because I couldn't get a job doing anything else (which is partially true, damn teaching degree does me no good!). Now don't get all mom on me. I know what you're thinking and you're yelling encouraging things at the computer screen, but these are my insecurities speaking. I know that I am a bright, positive and creative person, but its been awhile since I've had to use the left side of my brain - that is the analytical side right? This class will be a challenge for me. Even reading the syllabus was over whelming! Its been almost 5 years since I've really had to use my brain in a critical thinking sort of way.

I like this excerpt from an article on selfgrowth.com
"Fear causes great people to accept mediocrity. It also causes death and destruction to lives and dreams of most people. Where there is overwhelming procrastination, there is fear. Where there is great anger, there is fear. Where there is extreme hatred, there is fear. Where there is complacency, there is fear. Where there was failure, ultimately, fear was there."
- Myles W. Miller

I guess the point of this little blog was to get a little off my chest. To confess a little something to the world. But I hope that you'll embrace something you're afraid of. Step out of your comfort zone and grow a little today :)

Project Restoration

Anyone else getting fired up for garage sales!? This warmer weather has the smell and feel of bargain hunting season. Growing up, garage saling with my mother, aunts and sisters was something I never really looked forward to doing. Why would you want some one else's old stinky crap? Spending most of a beautiful summer Saturday rummaging through mostly junk for one or two good treasures was never my idea of fun. But as they say the apple never falls far from the tree and my sister and I now thouroughly enjoy an early hot summer morning on the road. Always keeping an eye out for just the right signage signaling us to what we hope is a land mine of treasures, right in my neighbor's garage. Last year Alaina (my sister) and I made a trip out of one fabulously long sale known as America's longest yard sale or Corridor 127 sale. It's literally in our own back yard! This sale runs an amazing 654 miles starting from West Unity, Ohio to Gadsden, Alabama, along Route 127. I first heard about this event on Rachel Ray's talk show. I know a lot of the cute stuff on her set was found and refurbished from garage and thrift store items. You'll find anything from country bumpkins on the side of the road, traditional houses with a garage full of crap (I mean that in the nicest way) to tents with antiques.


Alaina and I headed due west to Eaton, Ohio, hopped on Route 127 and went south. We of course had to round out the trip with a stop by Ikea on our way home. Let me assure you, we did not make it past Cincinnati. It could have taken DAYS! Equipped with my husbands truck, cash and an eager spirit, we did find find a few good things. Like an N'Sync CD circa 2004 and yes 'God Must have spent a little more time on you' got set on repeat. It made a great sound track for the trip. There's just something so nostalgic about all of it for me. Someday I'll drag my own children, nieces and nephews on trips just like this one.

ANY HOO! A hobby I've always had, but never really consistently stuck to (shocker I know, I stick to nothing - like an old post it note) is refurbishing things. Particularly furniture. I've got a shelf hanging in my kitchen that I picked up from a garage sale a few summers ago. Just an ordinary wood shelf - very 80's country home interiors feel to it when purchased. Jacob (hubby) sanded it for me and I added a few layers of white stain and some cute knobs from Hobby Lobby. I don't have a before pic, but I think it turned out great. I get so many compliments on it. I think all in all the shelf was $7, paint $3 and knobs $1 each...? So $15 total!




I found this mirror at the thrift store. I wasn't going to get it, but when I went back to the same thrift store a few weeks later. It was still there. I couldn't say no twice! I love the swirly details at the top of it.





I'm thinking of staining this one white again, but black or a fun pop of color could be great too. I'd like to add knobs or hooks to this one as well. I'll be sure to post new pics when its complete. I'm hoping to find a cool chair at a sale this summer. I've always wanted to refurbish one. Start planning a day with some gal pals or a loved one for a garage sale trip. Who knows what you'll find!

Inspiration

I AM SO OVER WINTER! I cannot remember a previous winter when I wanted spring to get here sooner! Today the sun is shining and if it weren't for the 100 some other people that work here with me I'd be sitting on the floor right in the middle of the hall by the windows that are so far from my desk, soaking in some vitamin D. I've been feeling a real lack of inspiration lately. The only thing driving me these days is my upcoming vacation. At this point I'm more than just excited about it, I actually need it. Blog topics have been hard to come by recently. Everything just seems so boring [yawn]. Needless to say my internal sources of inspiration are at dangerously low levels! Inspiration is like food to a creative person! I've got no energy and no desire to do anything but sleep! Dang am I depressing! Thankfully there are a ga-jillion creative people in the world and so many of them have wonderfully colorful and inspiring blogs. One of my new favorites is sfgirlbybay. She's got this great "blog mashup" going on right now, called Blog It Forward. Blog It Forward features 300 some selected blogs from February 10 through March 24. Each day a different blog is featured. When its your day, you post about what inspires you. I've been following it pretty regularly. Since my blog isn't featured there (tear) I thought I'd do my own list of inspiring things, in hopes that some where in this journey of blogging I'll find some new inspiration.

So here goes... in no particular order....

Friends and Family
especially my sister who is wildly talented at her Etsy card shop and so GREAT with design, everything she tocuhes is gold























Music - all kinds
especially folk/indie (below, my friends Ellery)
1.)















The Great outdoors
especially soothing, zen places
2.)




















Lists
especially on sticky notes
3.)















Nail Polish
especially fun and funky colors
4.)













Organization
especially with labels!
5.)





















Accessories
especially earrings, belts and shoes
















Magazines
especially Better Homes and Gardens - DIY
















Photographs/Photography
especially of people/kids and dogs














Pictures: 1.) Ellery Music 2.) BHG DIY 3.)Inadvertent Gardener 4.)Nail Polish by Kaarin 5.)Almost Bunnies

what inspires you? leave some inspiration or pictures, I'd love to know!