Could you live in 350 square feet?

I did.

My first "big girl" apartment was about the size of one of the entrants in the "small and cool" teeny tiny division over at Apartment Therapy.

This apartment caught my eye because is was so like my first apartment layout which I dearly loved.  As I continue to declutter I keep a vision of that dear little apartment, full of sunlight, and devoid of clutter in my mind.

I once had an apartment with a kithcen whose floor dimensions from counter to counter was 2 feet very much like this one.  The stove was one of those miniature apartment sized ones.  It was like working in a doll house. I loved it - and once cooked a full Thanksgiving dinner with just a bit of planning.

Too cute kitchen...

We currently live in a 4 bedroom house.  Buuuuut - three of the bedrooms are devoted to our businesses.  My husband runs our teaching and publishing business out of two and my daylily nursery is run out of the third one. 

My question for the day is:

Where does all the "stuff" come from that we think without which our lives would be devoid of purpose and worth?

All picutes courtesy of Apartment Therapy - and we thank them.  Take a look at some of the other "small and cool" apartments.

Why garden?

Why not?

There are many reasons to garden.  Some people do it for the food they produce and others do it for flowers.  I do it because it is simply who I am.  Poking around in the dirt soil is something I've done since I was old enough to crawl about the backyard.



My Mom, being the ultimate con artist,  had me believing at about age two that pulling weeds was the bestest fun ever.  Guess what?  She was right!  I still love to weed and in Idaho that could be is a full time job.  We have more weeds per square inch than anywhere in the entire country.

One of the best reasons for gardening is what it teaches us about patience.  Put a seed in the ground, water it,  keep it safe from creepy crawlies, and soon you will see a little sprout emerge.  In a few weeks you'll have a little bit of plant and in a few more weeks, or even months, you'll have a vase full of blooms or a luscious plate of fresh tomatoes.  This is the complete antithesis of the 30 second sound bite text messaging world we inhabit.  Something doesn't do well?  Oh well - there's always next year.

Oriental Lilies, Liatris, miniature roses

Anyone can garden.  And I mean anyone!  I cringe whenever someone says, "I have a black thumb."  There is no such thing.  Do you really think that every thing I stick in the ground grows and thrives?  That would be nice if it were true, but the reality is many seeds don't germinate, an occasional bout of blossom end rot strikes, or something weird strikes a tree branch causing it to rot and die. 

With the advent of the internet learning about gardening seemed to become easier but often as not caused more confusion than help.   Have a wart on a branch and don't know what it is?  Pretty hard to find it on the internet unless you have honed your search skills.  A few good books are still the best way to learn to garden.

My all time favorite for disease identification is still the Ortho Home Gardener's Problem Solver.  Once you find your problem you can hop on the web and do more research. 

For your indoor plants the Ortho Guide to Houseplants should do the trick.

And for inspiration you can't beat Tasha Tudor

I may have to start dressing like Tasha when I garden

Feeling old?

this should help.

Meet Sarah "Paddy" Jones, 75 year old salsa dancer.



Allow me to add that people mistakenly think the man who is doing the lifts is doing the real work.  Wrong!  The person being lifted is the one doing the really hard work. I would have a hard time with a few of those lifts and Paddy has 10 years on me.



As for me?  I'll be spending some extra time at the gym today!

Make big plans. We all need to hear this from time to time...

I "borrowed" this word for word from Seth Godin's blog.

Make big plans

...that's the best way to make big things happen.

Write down your plans.

Share them with trusted colleagues.

Seek out team members and accomplices.

Shun the non-believers. They won't be easily convinced, but they can be ignored.

Is there any doubt that making big plans increases the chances that something great will happen?

Is there any doubt that we need your art and your contribution?

Why then, are you hesitating to make big plans?

Thank you, Seth...

Don't throw away those orange and grapefruit peels...

throw some in a little dish and give them a twist during the day to release the wonderful citrus aroma.  Sniffing citrus scents helps release stress and can give you a boost in the afternoon if you're feeling tired. 

Tea tree oil also works wonders for an added boost in energy but many people don't like the medicinal smell.  I love it (but then I also love the smell of oil paint and WD-40)  and will often put just a drop on my left wrist so I can have occasional whiffs during the day.

Plums, comments, magazines, and some linky-love

I am obviosly way behind on addressing all my fine comments, but I promise you I will get to it later or sooner (I like to put the most likely to happen in first place.)

We had some of the last of our plums for breakfast this morning.  I chopped them up, put a dollop of plain yogurt on top, and a sprinkle of cinnamon/sugar for appearance and a bit of zip.  Lovely and delicious.

Last weekend I picked up some beets at the Farmer's Market in Coeur d' Alene.  And lo and behold, what does Roz over at La Bella Vita post but some excellent beet recipes including Beet Salad with Avocados and Machego Cheese.  Thanks, Roz.  Even if you hate beets and, trust me, people either love them or hate them, you must see Roz's pictures.  All her pics are the best!

The "other" Adrienne at Rich Life on a Budget offers up Tasteful vs Tacky,  Fiona at How to be Chic gives some hints for Instant Chic , while Debra at Bodeci Body brings us Of Women, Wine and Weight Loss - three fine posts that compliment each other nicely.  I keep these ladies in my Google Reader section labeled Inspiration for good reason.

 Introducing:


The Parisienne Farmgirl

Spend some time perusing this lovely blog.  It's fun, elegant, and informative.  According to her profile she likes:  Family, Gardening, NASCAR, Fashion, Politics, Cooking, and Bordeaux Wine.  My favorite thing about PF is her ability to be real.  No playing Miss Perfect for this smart and very pretty lady.  She also has her very own on-line shop full of very cool things at super reasonable prices.  And do be sure and tour her garden while you're there.

Magazines

Last week I received one of those "subscribe to our magazine for really, really cheap and we'll send you this bonus whatever for free 'cause you know you really want to do this since it's only twelve cents or less per issue" offer.  It was Victoria, a mag I like anyway and have subscribed to before, so I sent in the postage paid envelope and am eagerly awaiting my first issue.  Ladies, show some patience when it comes to subscribing to mags.  Sooner or later you'll receive an offer you can't refuse. 

From their website:

Simple, soft, and elegant...

Lunch is served...

Love these glasses...

Beautiful simplicity

The garden awaits. See you later...

Learning about faith and patience from a kitty

 Erica's Story

Erica

As we came down our road one night in the spring of 2007, a little creature hopped across the road. I thought it was a rabbit and was pretty amazed, as we had never had rabbits on or around our five acres before.

It was several more days before I saw the tiny cat in our back field and realized it was the hopping creature I had seen. For many days I saw the little cat but could not get close to her. She was wearing a collar so I wasn’t too concerned. After several weeks I started to become a bit worried  because she was always on the property following me around at a distance.

Finally I decided to put out some food to see if she was hungry. Of course hubby was screeching and jumping about saying, "if you feed her she'll never go away."

"Hmmmmmmmm, hon.  She's been here for weeks without being fed and hasn't left so what do you want me to do?"

I put out some food and she couldn't get it down fast enough.  After many more days I was finally able to pet her and was shocked to discover she was a skeleton wearing a fur coat.  The first time hubby petted her he changed his tune and was very glad we had given her food. I didn't think an animal could be that thin and still be moving about.

As the weather became colder, she was given a bed in the barn. Soon the bed was put in a large computer box.  As the temperature dropped even more the box was wrapped in insulation, and shortly thereafter, my own heating pad made its way into the bed. By now she had a name; Erica.

Every day Erica sat by our back door and gazed into the house already populated with two dogs and another cat. Her face said it all, “I want to be part of this family.” One night the temperature was to drop very low and yes (you can hear it coming),  Erica was allowed to sleep in my office. And that was that!  She became an official member of the family on that evening.

Probably due to her early months, Erica remains a tiny little girl, barely weighing 6 lbs.  Even the vet marvels at how delicate and tiny she is, while still being extremely healthy.  Our pastor, who lives next door, calls her "petite."  

I’ve thought often of the faith that little scraggly cat, who grew into a beauty, demonstrated. She knew in her little animal “soul” that she would have what she desired. She was always calm and quiet as she watched through that door. Her persistence and patience paid off.


Erica taught me about patience, persistence, and most importantly, about the power of faith. How would our lives change if had just a little bit of what Erica had?  Be vigilant for you never know who or what is going to teach you a lesson.

P.S. Erica is named after the Phantom of the Opera, Erik, to whom she bears a striking resemblance.

Erica with her "friends"

Blogs of note ...

While wandering the inter-webs,  I've run across some very fun blogs.  I've even started a new category in my Google Reader and these ladies are some of my first entries.  

First up is "The Rich Life (on a budget)" by a beautiful young lady named - ta da - Adrienne, from Sonoma Valley, California.   Her motto is  "Spend Less, Live Better"

In her words:  

 "Living a rich life isn't about money. It's a mindset; a lifestyle. You can spend less without sacrificing quality. I will show you how! I live in the beautiful Sonoma Valley. Travel, books, cooking, exercise, wine, foreign flicks and a love for simplicity and sophistication is my rich life."

Adrienne has two darling Yorkies and a couple of bigger doggies, she likes Costco (and we all know how I feel about Costco!), has a handsome husband, and a little blue dress.  You'll have to go over there to find out about the little blue dress.  She is also over 6 feet tall  to my lowly 5"2", but I'm willing to overlook that 'cause she's such a nice lady. 

Here's Adrienne and her handsome hubby in France for her birthday trip...

While hanging out over at her place I noticed she follows the wonderful Diann at The Thrifty Groove, another great site.  

Next up is Fiona (don't you just love her name??) at How to be Chic.  We'll let her tell you about what she's up to:

"In real life, I don't live in a chic Paris apartment. I can make my real life more fun without having to move countries though. All I have to have is a little imagination. This is my online inspiration journal."

Pay this ladies a visit and plan to spend some time reading their delightful posts...

What I'm reading...

I'm a sucker for "self-help" type books.  The problem is that now-a-day so many of them  are nothing more than New Age clap-trap and are very dangerous to one's spiritual life.

I was not overly optimistic when I checked out "The Courage to be Brilliant", by Marta Monahan from the library.  The title sounded a bit fishy, but the price was right.  I have found it to be a very simple to read and quite inspiring book and would highly recommend it to anyone.  Check to see if they have it at your library or grab a copy from Amazon (they have used ones starting at $1.91.)

From Amazon:

Have you ever believed that you can do more, be more, or have more? Do you see flashes of your lost brilliance in the accomplishments of others? Are you hiding your truth simply to keep the peace?
If so, The Courage to be Brilliant is just for you. Marta Monahan, one of the USA's leading voices on personal achievement, shares her secrets for avoiding the dullness that comes from settling for less. Her Five Acts of Improvement begin working the moment you try them.

You will also discover:

• What holds you back and clouds your purpose
• The Three Levels of Thought and how they affect your actions
• How to develop your unique Five Acts of Improvement to alter the course of your life
• Why radical changes never work
• What to do if you cannot envision a life of brilliance

At any given time I am usually reading four of five books.  Each day I try to read something "intellectual" (usually history or politics), spiritual, self-improvement (which really can be the same as spiritual), and for fun there is always mysteries or novels.  I just started Jane Smiley's new book, "Private Lives",  and it looks like it will be as good as A Thousand Acres, for which she won a Pulitzer Prize.

Minimalism vs Excess

While I enjoy visiting what I call "girlie" blogs, I also temper it by visiting some very good "minimalist" blogs.  I do that in order to keep perspective on the important things in life.  It's really ok to have collections.  I've certainly had my fair share over the years.  It's a fun diversion and can often lead into a career or a life-long hobby.  And surrounding yourself with pretty things is ok, too. It's part of what makes us human.  It's when we become attached to the "stuff'" of life that we become a bit off-kilter.  

I remember when my Mom dropped off all her china, silver, and crystal at my house eons ago.  She said, "Here - you take care of it for awhile."  I thought she had lost her mind.  Now that I am older, her reasoning seems perfectly sound. 

One way I practice detachment  to my "stuff" is by giving it away. Yep, you heard me correctly.  If someone comes to my house and absolutely loves some little decorative item, I give it to them.  I figure if they love it that much they should "take care of it for awhile." 

Becoming Minimalist is a blog I visit everyday.  Yesterday's post how to stop letting advertisers control your life is excellent. 

[...]the goal of Madison avenue is to increase our desire – to change our attitude from “that’s extravagant” to “that would be nice” to “I really need that” and finally to “I’ve got to have it.” They are so subtle at their craft that we hardly realize we are being brainwashed.  Subconsciously, they take control of our desires, our checkbooks, and our life. read the rest

Zen garden at Dartington

Slow Down and Think

We live in such a rushed and busy world now that we seldom have time to just think.  We even do it to our kids - shuffling them from one activity after another.  We don't give them time to just lay in the grass and stare at the clouds.

That's one of the reasons I've gone back to writing "morning pages" and doing my spiritual reading as soon as I get up in the morning.  It's usually when we are quiet that the best idea's just pop into our heads - those wonderful "light bulb moments."  And that's what happened in a quiet moment last week.

We have Clematis that grow up the side of our deck on a trellis.  I pull them through the trellis and by mid-summer they cover the entire underside of the half roof on our deck.  It's wonderful to have breakfast there with the beautiful purple flowers hanging over your head.  

The problem was pulling the vines through the trellis since the holes were rather small.  And then the light bulb lit up.  Why not cut the top off the trellis making a larger opening?  Well, duh!!  That was pretty simple.  So hubby headed out with his little saw, hacked off the top of the trellis and added a board for stability.  After all the summers of dealing with that vine, I never slowed down enough to "see" the solution.  

Here is the trellis after hubby sawed off the top.  I made the hanging trellis on the ceiling  out of bamboo.

 As you can see the outside of the trellis is quite tall and I would have to get a large step stool to reach the top of the vine to push it through.  Now I will be able to reach out from the inside and just pull them in. How cool is that??  As soon as it's warmer the new board will get painted (as well as the whole house.) I love to paint!

It's hard to believe those little brown twigs you can see at the bottom of the deck will turn into a HUGE vine covered in flowers.  It got so big that we actually had to remove one of the Clematis.  It's been transplanted on the side of the little tool shed. 

This is the Clematis last year in very early June.  It is starting across the ceiling and along the whole front of the roof.  It will continue to bloom for the whole summer.

The flowers are huge - 5 -6" across and dangle over your head like big purple stars.

Do you need to slow down and think about something?

Change One Thing

No More Resolutions…

    This time of the year most of us are making lists, de-cluttering, and doing the unthinkable - making a host of New Year’s resolutions.  I don’t engage in the resolution thingy anymore because it can be very self defeating to, more often than not,  fail at some grand illusion of our new and improved life.

Take Time to Reflect…

    It makes more sense and is more productive to pick one behavior and make one change.  For instance, I have had a problem with my bathroom getting messy because I would undress in there in the evening and put on my robe which I kept hanging on the back of the door.  My discarded clothes would pile up on my cute little chair.  Meantime, for whatever reason, my closet would somehow magically become cluttered too.

You May Have to Try a Few Things… 

   I tried putting in a second small laundry hamper in the bathroom but sometimes the clothes were not ready for the hamper but needed to be hung up in the closet.  This has been going on for TEN years (ok – I’m slow to find a solution sometimes)

Success…

    Then the light bulb moment – the great aha!!  Since I dressed in my large walk-in closet, why not undress in there too?  Now in the evening I undress in the closet, either hang the clothes or put in the hamper, and slip into my robe.  In the morning when I dress my robe is hung in the closet along with my nightie. If it’s time for a clean nightie the nightie drawer is right there along with the hamper.

    And there you have it -  no more messy bathroom and the closet has also remained as neat as a pin.

What one thing could you change?

Art Journals

Art Journaling

I think art journals are so much fun. One of my inspiration journals I started years ago was really a form of art journal.  To me it was just a fun book where I could cut and  paste, decorate with colored pens or crayons, and write a few things.  Now I've come to find out it's some sort of big deal art form. That means I can now obsess whether mine is "good enough."  Aren't we silly creatures sometimes???

If you keep a notebook filled with decorating ideas and inspiration, you're already doing a form of art journaling. Some of the decorating notebooks I've run across are "works of art" (not to be too obvious!)

I think art journals would be a wonderful project to start with children.  Just think - every rainy day when the kids whine, "I'm gored bored", you can look over and say, "Let's work on our art journals." 

One of my favorite sites for inspiration is Kelly Kilmer.  Kelly is both a very accomplished artist and a busy instructor.  In addition to her blog she has her artist's website where you can check out where she may be having a workshop. 

Isn't this page beautiful?  

And if that isn't enough she also has "A Prompt a Day" online classes. I'm planning on signing up for November.  Her site is also a wealth of great links to places selling great pens at super low prices, and links to her favorite paint sources.

Check out her finished Prompt a Day Journals from January to October....Wowzaa!

Another fun and inspirational site is Aimeslee at   Paper Paisleys.  I've exchange some emails with Aismeslee and she is just delightful and full to bursting with creativity.  Aimeslee not only does art journaling but all sorts of paper projects.  I don't think she's ever met a piece of paper she didn't love.  Here's what Aimeslee says about herself:  "paper hoarder... art supply collector... paper craft hobby artist... I pretend I'm an artist and make pretty things..."

Aimeslee's  journal page from her post Bad Hair Day, Life, and Art School Update.

Now that you've seen some really gorgeous stuff  let's take a look at mine.  No laughing allowed!!!


My cover: 

This is an art book I had laying around. Did I mention my love for notebooks? I have a whole box full. It's an obsession!

This is a page that I gesso'ed (big mistake), then tried to use water color (another big mistake - I HATE working in water color- what was I thinking?)  By the time I got to the lettering, I was soooooooooooooooo out of the mood.  I also couldn't find my glue gun and on and on. But I had fun and  guess what? I know what day I harvested the lavender this year and my book smells divine!!

More on Art Journal's:



Aislings Art Journals:  How to create and keep an art journal (this site is chock full of fun stuff!)
Teesha Moore:  Teesha's Circus Teesha is another well known artist and journaler

Inspiration Wall

Since I am a visual person it is pretty hard to not meander through the world without finding inspiration everywhere I look. I like this idea of an inspiration wall and may just have to incorporate it into my office. Of course my number one inspiration comes from God and my faith.

A movable feast. String and clips make changing things easy



Hey, I just noticed that every one of these peeps used the string and clip idea. In these two pictures they used clothes pins. I LOVE clothes pins and I love hanging my laundry out to dry. Smells so good!


This one is just a bit too chaotic for a chronic straightener of pictures. It looks like they used a big piece of fabric for a bulletin board. Clever!


WhipUp.net is the brainchild of Kathreen Ricketson and I stumbled upon it while looking for cool pictures of inspiration walls.

It's a group blog and I love this series on organizing your craft area. Lots of great pictures and hints. I have cut down on my crafty stuff quite a bit since it starts to get overwhelming, particularly for someone with ADD. Pretty soon I had so many projects and so much stuff that I could no longer make a decision on what to do next. The result of that was I did nothing.

Even though I will never quilt (just too tedious for moi), I have always admired that quilters seem to be focused on quilting and not scads of different things to do.


What's your inspiration?

Update:

Well, shut my mouth and call me corn pone! Guess Mighty Mom set moi straight (again). (She's one bossy lady! I think it's a nurse thing...)


Here's what she's got to say about quilters:

MightyMom has left a new comment on your post "Inspiration Wall":

"I have always admired that quilters seem to be focused on quilting and not scads of different things to do."

Scuse me...I just squirted Dr Pepper out my nose, my mouth and my ears! My eyes are bulging from not being able to breathe....

Let me give you a glimpse into my "craft area" as well as my quilting/crafting to do list....

I'll be back once I recover with a couple links...quilters aren't focused...we're frantically trying to keep our UFO (UnFinished Object) list small enough to have a hope of finishing them all before age 100....and most quilters also do other handiwork...which means more incomplete projects waiting in the closets.......

Check out Mighty Mom's bags and unfinished projects