Dear Spring,

Hi again. It seems like we do this every year, but I was wondering if you could lay off on producing so many allergens. I am having some trouble breathing so clear nasal passages and working lungs would be a huge boost right now. Thanks!

Love, Jenn

PS I'll be back tomorrow when my allergy meds have fully kicked in. I can't wait to share some of my latest projects...super cool stuff!

Just call me 'The Bachelorette'

Jim left yesterday for a week-long trip to Florida with his best pal McGraw. They are in Florida to check out spring training...yes, that would be baseball, specifically spring training for the St. Louis Cardinals. While some people might not find such a trip particularly attractive, for Jim this is a boyhood dream come true. Spring training, baby! Who knows - maybe he will end up playing major league ball? And while he enjoys the Cardinals, his heart belongs to the New York Mets...who just happen to train right up the road from the Cardinals. It's Christmas in Jimbo-ville, folks...

So, not only an I left at home alone but also I have to wonder if he'll ever come back. Good thing, he's a prince among men. I am sure that he'll come home...but it looks to be a lonely few days around the home front. But Grand Master B will be coming for an overnight visit on Saturday and we will be taking care of Mr. Sam & Princess Izzy as well. I am really looking forward to a full house.

Since I am thinking so much of Jim, I thought I'd share one of my favorite pages celebrating the man.

Click for larger image.

Here's to you, Jimmy.

Experimenting With Home Decor

I've been mixing it up this week. I've seen other crafter's do really cool and interesting things to decorate their homes using traditional scrapbook supplies. Up to this point, I've been leery of attempting this. My initial response is fear. I guess I'm still not fully trusting my own creativity and inventiveness. I would see these really neat ideas and finished projects that other women had envisioned and immediately think "How did they every come up with that?!?" which would then be followed by "I could never do that."

Well, the time has come to end that kind of thinking. Fear is a killer of so many things, but it definitely stops creativity in its tracks. Lately, I've been actively trying to approach every area of my life with more openness and less fear. My initial thoughts when I encounter really inventive projects or ideas might be "How did they do that?" but I am working on my next thought being "I could do that, too."

In that vein, I have had this 7Gypsies Artist Printers Tray since before Christmas. I bought it on a whim thinking I might be able to do something cool with it but I really had no firm ideas. At the same time, I have been slowly working on my wedding album. I really love how it is shaping up and am so thankful we invested our money in two great photographers. There are so many gorgeous pictures and they spark vivid memories of one of the happiest days I have ever had. Showcasing them in a special keepsake album is wonderful but I also want them displayed throughout our home.


:: experiencing an eureka moment ::

Obviously, I came on the idea of using the Printers Tray as a home for a collage of wedding memories. I focused on using papers and products that evoked the joyful, carefree feeling of our beach wedding. I love how it turned out & now I get the chance to see it on my wall every day. So cool.

Hope you enjoy this project. I included an overall shot of the tray and also two close-up shots of some of my favorite aspects of the project.

 

  

  

click on any of the images to see larger

 

It's All About Hope

This year I decided to focus celebrating the life I have been given. I feel that too often we focus on what is negative or lacking in our lives. We agonize over things that are going wrong, dissecting what we don't have or can't afford. And there is certainly something to be gained from honest assessment. But as with all things, if you focus on the negative then what you see first in any given situation is the negative.

And I just don't want to do that anymore.

So this year, I'm actively trying to see the positive in life. To really focus on all the gifts that are already present, the blessings already bestowed, the good stuff. But more than this, I want to know that more good stuff is out there. I want to take the time to appreciate the beauty that is in front of me everyday. I believe that I have the power to affect the course of my life. The trick is how...

For me, it all comes down to hope. It is the energy that fills my heart. It is foundation upon which I am building my future. It is the binding between me and my family. It is the language I speak in my innermost thoughts and dreams. It is my one little word.

I hope to grow in strength, love and trust in my husband. I hope to support my son and hold his hand in his journey toward wellness. I hope for peace in this family. I hope for excellence in my work. I hope for laughter and joy every day.

What do you hope for?

So Very Out of Practice

I got to spend nearly all of today taking care of an absolutely, totally precious angel baby named Alyvia. Who happens to be 5 months old. Who is a bit unfamiliar with Auntie Jenn's house. Who completely kicked my patootie. That's correct - today I faced off with an infant. And the infant won.

Please let me explain.

I do not mean to imply that she was badly behaved or bad tempered. No, not that at all (I mean, she's only 5 months old - how bad could she be?). She was perfect. But taking care of a baby is inherently a lot of WORK, especially if one's only prior experience with this happened to occur, like, 16 years ago.

I am exhausted.

I commend every parent out there with a child (or, God forbid, children) under the age of 2. For relatively inert beings, babies are the ultimate energy suck. I don't remember doing anything particularly arduous or exertional, yet I feel like I got run over by a Mack truck. Not good...must start exercising...but that is another blog post all together friends.

I am ready to fall into bed and dream deeply. For probably the next hour or so. Did I forget to mention that Miss Alyvia is spending the night?

xoxo,
Jenn & Co

Evolution of Hair

So, I am currently taking Cathy Zielske's Design Your Life class online. I really love this class. The focus is on design theory and concepts and it is broken down into weekly lessons. Each lesson is demonstrated via video, handout and assignments. We've worked through symmetry, asymmetry, repetition, white space and unity. This week's lesson deals with contrast/emphasis. I used one of this week's assignments to create a scrappy page documenting some of the many evolutions of my hair.
I offer it here for your viewing pleasure.

 

click to view larger image

You're welcome.

Wishing I Was There

I don't know about you but I am ridiculously excited about the Olympics. I love the intensity, the national identity, the competition and the commentary. I totally wish I was living the dream in Vancouver right now.

Instead, I am obsessing at home and watching every possible event at home. I am amused at how Jim & I get so wrapped up in sports and competitors that we have never heard of prior to seeing them profiled as part of a 'very special Olympic montage'.

Once again, Grand Master B has been foiled in his attempts to return to school. The van picked him up at 8:00am and they called to say they were turning back at about 8:40am. The roads and wind made interstate travel too dangerous. He will try again tomorrow - but I am grateful for the extra time.

So tonight, I am taking a break from all things creative. I am sitting with my guys and getting entirely too involved in pairs figure skating. For some inexplicable reason, I am feeling hostile about the heir apparent gold contenders Shen & Zhao from China. I just want one of them to fall so that all those experts are proved wrong...must be my innate love for the underdog rearing its head. And I am so over the former-Japanese-now-turned-Russian chick - some people will do anything to win but you can't change who you are!

I leave you to ponder these deep thoughts. You're welcome.