Wednesday, June 30, 2010

happy birthday honey!

  
we celebrated johnny's birthday 
{you can wish him a happy one here}
at our favorite spot last night, 
'our beach house' 
{our beach house is a tent pitched on a dirt space}. 
we had dinner out and by coincidence 
i met boho girl
a girl whose blog i have followed and admired for some time
i knew it was her the moment i spotted her 
{she's beautiful} with boho boy and boho baby boy.
{boho girl happened to be celebrating her husband's birthday as well at the same restaurant, imagine that}.
more about her again in a future post. such a cool girl, love her!
after dinner, alex surfed while
 we pitched our tent and took an evening walk. 
we settled in around the camp fire. 
we heard guitars softly playing around us,
 and the waves crashing loudly.
this morning we walked to get a bite to eat 
at pipe's cafe 
one of our favorite breakfast spots 
{always delicious!}.
        the boys surfed again.
{waves were small, but they had fun}.

mikaela and i walked tipper and i took photos 
while kids cruised around on skateboards and bikes.
{i saw these kids' pants this morning 
and had to snap a shot, aren't they cool?}. 

we are lucky enough to live 10 minutes from our 'beach house'
so we can visit anytime for a night, or two, or more.

today, it's back to work and our 'real' home.
quick update on sadie: she seems to be doing pretty well, 
wagging and getting up and moving around, slowly and wobbly, 
but doesn't appear to be in any pain. 
we know it won't be long, but we so appreciate the good thoughts 
and coming home today to see her happy face was the best gift of all.



Tuesday, June 29, 2010

celebrating the long life of our sweet Sadie.


14 years ago, we were driving down a busy road when we noticed a huge, pot belly-looking, black dog running down the street. We pulled over and put her in our car. I told Johnny "this dog is pregnant". He said "let's put up some lost dog signs and get her back to where she belongs". Our kids were small {8 mos. and 3 yrs.}. We weren't looking for a dog. I had my hand full. After two days, I went and took all the signs down. I could tell this dog had been abused. She would cringe every time you raised your hand above your waist. There was no way I was going to give her back. I didn't tell Johnny that I had taken the signs down, I just told him, that I wanted to keep her as no one had called {little did I know, he had placed an ad in the paper...still no one had called to claim her}. Alex, then 3, named her Sadie. A week after we found her, the day after Christmas, she delivered 8 gorgeous puppies in the kid's Little Tikes log cabin playhouse. 2 white labs, 3 black labs, 2 rottwilers/shepherds, 1 black and white spotted cattle dog mix. In a week, our whole life had changed. Unable to feed all the puppies herself, I bottle fed tiny, fluffy puppies formula and nursed, my then 8 month old, baby girl every few hours, I was as close to a farm girl as I've ever been. I scooped up puppy droppings, cuddled and loved puppies, and was in heaven with the tiny dogs and new mama dog in our lives. Alex loved the idea that you could drive down the street, find a dog, and then have 9 new pets within a week. We put leashes and dog bones in the car and he started asking us to pullover every time we saw a loose dog or a cat
{something we still do today}. Sometimes, even asking us to grab animals that obviously belonged to others. {We keep our animals indoors, so cats sitting on hoods of cars or loose dogs in their own yards are 'free' pets in his mind-still today}.

After 10 weeks of being the most popular house in our neighborhood, we eventually found homes for all the darling puppies, fixed Sadie so she wouldn't get into anymore trouble, and welcomed her into our growing family...two babies, two old cats and now, a beautiful, loyal, black dog.

Time has passed, too quickly, we eventually put the two cats down, rescued three more demanding siamese  and adopted my Tipper, a sweet Chihuahua. Our kids are teenagers {14 and 17} and our Sadie is nearing the end.

My heart breaks today as we make the painful decision today, tomorrow, this week, to let her go to Heaven now...feeling ever so grateful for that day 14 years ago, when we were lucky enough to drive down that busy road, changing our lives forever and filling our hearts with love...we love you sweet Sadie!

Monday, June 28, 2010

tweet, tweet, my sweets!


i love twitter. 
i know, some people say they don't get it
...or they're not interested, but i love twitter.
if you are a twitter lover or even if you're just curious...
get to know a little bit about these inspiring women below 
and then follow them on twitter...
their names will link you directly to their twitter accounts.
tweet, tweet, my sweets...

Giovanna: How do you promote your business? What works best? I do it through my blog and the different communities on the internet (facebook, twitter, etc.) My blog is something that's very personal for me and the good thing about it is that I can fully express my point of view as a designer and artist. I love getting inspired by people as well and I'm happy that my blog has given me the chance to met so many lovely people who inspire me in different ways. You Kerri are one of them :)

Where do you draw your inspiration from? Oh inspiration comes from anywhere,  a flower, a painting, a piece of fabric, photography, etc. It can happen at any time as well that's why it is good to carry a camera or a notebook wherever you go :) 

Lucy: How do you promote your business? What works best?
I am new to having an online shop...and still learning what works and what doesn't. Continually honing my craft and offering new items, seems to draw interest....also....working with others....I've met online. I think you can gain a lot of exposure...by having an online shop and blog...even when business is slow.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Everything...vintage cinema, poetry, literature, natural light...design,  fashion...music..dance.. I don't want to misquote...but there is a film maker (American Beauty)..that was inspired by a plastic bag being lifted by the wind...in an alley in New York, the light hitting it just so..made it incredibly beautiful to him....I would say...that is how I feel...I can be inspired by anything.

Charlotte: How do you promote your business? What works best?      Promotion… gosh all those things you’d think… Twitter, blogging, Facebook, ads. But moreover, I think it is really operating from a full and complete business standpoint, holistically, promotion from every direction. Whether it is an email or an advertisement, I think putting forward something kind, beautiful and standing by it… really completes the promotion cycle. 

Where do you draw your inspiration from? The idea of inspiration is so interesting me… the deep down feeling of what inspires me and not someone else. I suppose it is that sort of eclectic thinking that moves me. And so to be moved… gosh… it is color, especially in dreams, art, nature. Night-blooming flowers, fashion photography or just a feeling that bubbles up. I also think that I honestly inherited my Mom’s love of fabric and pattern. I have not always thought this… I often wondered curiously why she kept remnants of my brothers and my childrens clothes, of favorite outfits, of memorable things… just a basket of beautiful “pieces.” Only very recently do I understand. Interestingly, I was reading recently about traits that pass through genetically… that there are more than just physical traits. Loves, likes and dislikes can also flow through from a hereditary standpoint. I truly believe my love and my aesthetic came from my Mom…. And I’m so very, very grateful.

Sana: How do you promote your business? What works best?
Although I was hesitant to join twitter in the beginning, I have found it to be very helpful because it allows you to connect with like people that affect all aspects of your business. 

Aside from Twitter we have a lot of fun things on our site besides the shop. For example; guest design bloggers, a charity section, seasonal DIY tutorials and our weekly blog series "Meet Your Match". These have all worked well as we want Pip & Estella to be a source for inspiration and information as well as a shopping resource.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?
My inspiration is often changing as I meet new amazing people each day. Whether it be a new client I'm styling for, or an awesome person behind an online shop that blows me away with positivity and creative talent (that would include Tenthings and the other 9 women I am so lucky to be amongst!)

Susan: How do you promote your business? What works best?
Art shows help, a web site is a must, but now there's so much else: my blog, Facebook Fan Page, Twitter, regular Facebook page too.  Magazine articles & press always help also.  As far as what works best I think I'm still enjoying the learning curve of all this new technology so ask me a year.  I think being yourself & genuine in all avenues works best.  Not to mention to good old fashioned low-tech way of simply handing someone a business card after a conversation.  I love having people visit my studio too, it's lots of fun for me.

Where do you draw your inspiration from? 
The ocean, nature, relationships, music.  Love gone right, love gone bad, moments in nature that allow us to calm our minds and reflect like out in the ocean bodysurfing, swimming or surfing for sure.

Leigh: How do you promote your business? What works best?
I'm not yet at a point where I'm promoting the business I'll be launching next year. But, I do promote both of my blogs, primarily through facebook and twitter. Recently, I've done a few guest posts. I think the absolute best promotion is sincere and authentic promotion or recommendation from someone else. Be it their blog, twitter, facebook, or e-mail. Those are the people who stick with my blog(s) by following, subscribing or continuing to check back. 

Where do you draw your inspiration from? 
A tough question. Hours upon hours of scrolling my google reader. Flickr. Going out and seeing the world with my own eyes. The markets here in Cambodia. Books. I love losing myself in a good book. In visualizing and living that alternate reality for a while. Collaboration and conversation.

Wende: How do you promote your business? What works best? 
I use a facebook fan page, twitter, and my blog. But, honestly, fabulous customer service is about the BEST promotion I have for my business. I have so many repeat customers because ordering from Mireio is a wonderful experience. And while social media avenues are very helpful, I’d never underestimate the power of treating a customer like a celebrity! 
Where do you draw your inspiration from? A major voice from my previous life once said, “The world is my parish.” (John Wesley) And it’s true, really—the whole world is my inspiration. Everything has the potential to send me running into my studio to make something or to my computer to write. Opportunities to be inspired are all around us. It’s a matter of having the right “lens” to see it . For me, it’s a daily practice to see beauty and recognize the power that it has in my life. Gratitude and compassion and generosity inspire me---and I’m always trying to take those ideals into the studio or when I write.
Alex: How do you promote your business? What works best? I promote my business with social media - my blog, Twitter, & a little Facebook & flickr.
I've traded ads with other shops, have ads placed on several blogs and in an online magazine. On Etsy, http://www.etsy.com/
I really enjoy making treasuries, little curated collections. I promote other sellers, and many times they promote me! Outside on Etsy, I participate in several other juried sites.
I really should pay more attention to where my sales are coming from, but I really just do what feels right. I've been approached by sites to put up links on my blog, but I really only do so, or blog about something, because I want to.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
I draw inspiration from jewelry I've seen in fashion magazines and catalogues, as well as places where I shop. I'll see something I like, and think, "I can make something like that!"  I'll put my own twist to it and usually have to make another one to put in the shop. Lots of inspiration comes from sorting through all of the jewelry I’ve collected … “Oh, this would look great if I did this.” or “I can just move this and take that off and put this there….”

Rachel: How do you promote your business? What works best? I used to use blog banners- but I don't really do that now. I think the popularity of my blog has helped people find my shop.

Where do you draw your inspiration from? Everything! People, trees, plants, animals, plastic toys, clouds, CARNIVALS!

Tricia: How do you promote your business?  I use everything I learned from my ten years with Estee Lauder/Origins to drive my business each day. PR, marketing and growth are essential.   What works best?  I understand the incredible value of a referral and strive to make each initial customer a client for life. So that means engagement, then wedding then maternity then family portraits. Charity is a big part of my monthly business as well.  I feel I was so lucky to have started this brand, paying it forward is a must.  A portion of my my proceeds help my small rescue horse farm as well as REINS therapeutic horsemanship program for children and adults with special needs.   A great website, blog, facebook page and and Twitter are invaluable pieces of my everyday business.  

Where do you draw your inspiration from? Definitely mother nature. Flowers, nature, natural light and texture.  I love to photograph animals because they give you everythingand hold nothing back! They live in the moment are a great example of Carpe Diem! Living on a small horse farm in the country is such a gift. I am inspired by the balance of light and dark.  That is where Equinox comes from. EQUI- equine and equinox the day that there is an exact balance of light and dark.  Also growing up in Chicago I also have a grittier, grainy, black and white side that has a very vintage feel.  I love to take an over looked object like the tail light of a vintage car and shoot it in way that becomes art. 

obsession.

my so sweet and uber creative friend, alex keller
made this gorgeous treasury on etsy {she's really good at that} 
and the treasury made it to the front page of etsy {which is a big deal!}.
i'm really happy {read: stoked} as my obsession. 
photo is included with all these other stunning photos 
of absolutely beautiful things by some of my very favorite sellers on etsy. 



best of all, my beautiful friend sara of twillypop {you should really get to know her} 
showed me how to find the front page treasury as i missed it on the front page this morning. 
because of sara, i can now share it with all of you through the wonderful website craftcult's widgets.

thanks alex! thanks sara!
next time, tenthings. or a peace of cake. is on the front page, 
i'll know just what to do!
{while retrieving links for this post, i noticed that obsession made it to the front page again, twice in just a few hours...i better go buy some lottery tickets, i'm feelin' luuuuucky!}

Sunday, June 27, 2010

eight days a week.

these are the kind of girls who hang dream catchers above their beds, who eat pomegranates and read old history books for fun. these are the kind of girls who take pictures of their hands with disposable cameras and wallpaper their bathrooms with pretty roses. these girls sketch eyes and mouths and little drawings all over things, they look you right in the eye and almost through you when you speak to them.
these girls camp out in their backyards for fun, they light candles everywhere and if you visit them at home they usually have all sorts of animals. their wardrobes are filled with silk robes and bows and hats, they drink tall glasses of milk and snack on chocolate while they watch the sun rise. these are the kind of girls who ride bikes through the city to the cinema that plays old movies in the middle of the day. they watch “breakfast at tiffany’s” or “rosemary’s baby.”
these are the kind of girls who are quiet in public. they were the kind of girls who put too many marshmallows in their hot chocolate, and when the snow came down, lit the fire, and pretended to be in the north pole. they would watercolor things they couldn’t see and eat french toast for lunch. these girls were the kind of girls who always believed in unicorns, they believed in the power of love and dreams. they were the kind of girls who gazed out of windows at bigger worlds, and rain made them think of faeries and tree houses.
in the summer they read jane austen and listened to The Beatles while sipping hot tea. they told ghost stories under huge floral sheets, candles glowing below their faces. the spooky endings made them scream and laugh. they huddled together so they wouldn’t get too scared…


{source unknown}.

melody gardot.



have you heard of melody gardot?




in 2003, at the age of 19, she suffered a traumatic brain injury. 
even after 18 months of intense therapy and pain medications, 
she was still in pain, 
couldn't handle bright lights or sounds. 
she had {and still has} no short-term memory, 
she was disabled 
and completely desperate and miserable.
* * *
frustrated, she dropped a bag of many pill bottles, 
that weren't working, at her doctor's feet, 
he asked her what did she love as a child.
her answer: she loved to play the piano. 
* * *
she began to play again for therapy. 
now, 7 years later, 
* * *
music is love. music heals.


Friday, June 25, 2010

beads are my drug.






maybe i need some rehab
or maybe just need some sleep
i got a sick obsession
i'm seeing it in my dreams.

kesha.

i was singing this song today. your love, your love, your love  is my drug...
 while, after 20 years, my husband's love is 'my' drug...
so are beads, if you know what i mean...

to the sea.



{by mikaela} inspired by jack johnson.  
{who we are going to see in october. we saw him last year. 
it was an amazing concert}. anyone else going to see him?

Thursday, June 24, 2010

a peace of cake.


it's summer. it's quiet. i'm feeling super inspired. 
creating lots of new pieces for my late summer/early fall collection.

i want to change things up a bit. 
i'm thinking about a new look for tenthings.

i was fooling around in picnik a bit with photos. just for fun.
{obviously, i have a thing for pink flowers, 
making me think that i seriously need to search for some new inspiration}.

 i'd like to make some new banners for my shop, 
but have no idea how to do that. 
i love the one i have, but want something new, fresh, exciting!
can any of you creatives point me in the right direction?
i don't necessarily want to use photos, just something fresh in the way of a banner. 
something new for tenthings. and something for a peace of cake.
thinking about a simple background with a cool font. 
I've got a ton of fonts, 
but how do you get the background, 
you know something that looks like wallpaper?



update:

i played around a bit and came up with this...
still thinking about changing it,
but for now, this is my new look for tenthings.

What books have inspired you?

ten inspiring people share their favorite books...
Giovanna of Boho Spirit: "The Alchemist" inspires me as well as "The Prophet". Also my favorite book of all times "The Little Prince", I always find the most beautiful answers on those books.

Lucy of Lucy Snowe Photography on Etsy: So many books have inspired me....I remember reading the diaries of anais nin...probably my first books about the artist's creative process, that fueled my passion for arts of all kinds. I am also inspired by poetry, especially Mary Oliver and the Haiku poets, Basho and Buson.

Charlotte of Plum Pretty Sugar on Etsy: I’m a reader. My bookshelves and Kindle are full! I read all sorts of traditional business books… and some not so traditional. Magazines, catalogs… this world is so full of the written and the photographed. I have recently read several case study and somewhat biographical books about luxury brands and the business of luxury… and what some people say the demise of this category. So many amazing players and such significant business in this country and globally… LVMH, Luxury Brands group, TowerBrook etc.

Sana of Pip and Estella: Well, much of my creative inspiration for Pip & Estella has come from Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens if you haven't guessed. :) Another is "The Third Angel" by Alice Hoffman. It is a book I picked up at the Los Angeles airport on my way to England and oddly enough, without reading the synopsis, my paths crossed with places visited in the plot. It is a pretty heavy book, yet just as beautiful.

Susan of Susan Wickstrand on Etsy: "The Little Prince", "Letters to a Young Poet" by Rainer Marie Rilke, and almost any biography, I always learn something and try to read one biography a month. The last one was, "Portrait of An Artist, A Biography of Georgia O'Keefe" and the one before on Abraham Lincoln, a visionary thinker.

Leigh of An American Girl in Cambodia: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Lighthousekeeping by Jeanette Winterson. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. The Penelopiad by  Margaret Atwood. A Director Prepares: 7 Essays on Art & Theater by Anne Bogart.

Wende of Mireio on Etsy: Book of Qualities by J. Ruth Gendler, Desert Tracings by Michael A. Sells, The Holy Man by Susan Trott, Living Buddha, Living Christ Thich Nhat Hanh
Alex of Vintage by Alex Keller on Etsy: When I started making jewelry again last year, I was inspired very much by the shaman I spoke with.  I purchased a few books on prayer beads and made her some. The books have some great information on the history of prayer beads, what the stones and beads mean, and all the different varieties, including rosaries.  I’ve been meaning to make a rosary for myself. I was raised Ukrainian Catholic, and while I don't go to church every Sunday, I have a love for all of the art.
Since I had my son, I've also rediscovered children's books. My favorites are Winnie the Pooh, Alice in Wonderland, and Le Petit Prince. I love how Pooh learns things, how Alice meets all sorts of interesting people, and how the Little Prince loves sunsets and his complicated flower.

Rachel of Moonflowers on Etsy: This is a funny question. I have many tastes in literature. Hmmm... Interview with the Vampire, and Tropic of Cancer.

Tricia of Equinoxphoto on Etsy: Oh, so many!! The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho felt like it was written for me. I so feel like I am following my "personal legend"  and the universe is conspiring to help me go there.   Think and grow rich, by Napoleon Hill is such a "must read' for any entrepreneur.  "What the mind can conceive the mind can achieve"  This amazing book was written in the 1937 and inspired so many self development authors for the next 73 years!!  I am a personal development junkie and love Tony Robbins, Brian Tracy, JB Glossinger, Jack Canfield and many others!
* * *
as a self-confessed, mostly magazine and decor book reader {hey, i'm a visual girl}, i admit, i haven't read many of these, obviously, super popular books, but, i see a theme here, a 'must-read' so to speak. 

because some of the books i have read; The Secret by Rhonda Burns, Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker, The Science to Getting Rich by Wallace Wattles, Living Yoga by Christy Turlington and Everyday Italian by Giada de Laurentiis {just kidding...i have read and re-read all her cookbooks, though} have touched my life so profoundly, i've added a few of these 'popular' recommendations to my summer reading list. i'll be heading to the library today {i love the library, so many pretty books and magazines} looking for: The Alchemist, Think and Grow Rich, Portrait of An Artist, A Biography of Georgia O'Keefe, Living Buddha, Living Christ, The Little Prince and The Third Angel 
and i promise to do more than just look at the pictures, 
they do have pictures, don't they?   








Tuesday, June 22, 2010

danielle laporte helps me rock time management.



i am head over heels absorbed in danielle laporte's fire starter sessions {see links on the right}. i absolutely love it! i seriously wish each and every entrepreneurial friend i have would get a hold of this invaluable information and reap the benefits...if you have any interest in doing your own thing or growing your current business, this girl rocks for self-realization, she'll make you believe that the sky is the limit ....each day i read or re-read her amazing ideas. as a part of the spread the fire, spread the cheer, spread the inspiration roll that i am currently on, i am going to be sharing valuable excerpts from her site. starting today with this one on time management, uber important for anyone, but especially those of us who do our own thing 24/7 {because doing your own thing, as your loved ones will attest to is often 24/7 and maybe some time management is what we can all use a little bit more of}. 




Danielle: There’s so much that I want to do this lifetime: take my boys to India and Morocco; write the next bestseller; hang with people who make me laugh my ass off and make me think. So naturally, I’m interested in being both uber productive and deeply fulfilled.
I’ve tried every day timer. I’ve trained with Covey himself. My Blackberry is synced with my universe. My get-stuff-done-system is a mix of systems. But, by far the greatest booster to my productivity has been the Entrepreneurial Time Management system, created by Dan Sullivan.
I stumbled across an article last year, and it was a Eureka! moment. And now I just do it, almost religiously, simply.

WORKING THE ENTREPRENEURIAL TIME MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

FREE DAYS: LET IT ROLL 
Weekends are footloose...play, party, veg, nest. Sullivan suggests taking 100 free days a year, including your holidays and vacations. {How civilized!} I try to hold Sundays as extra sacred, which means no computer, some devotional reading, extra snuggles, phone calls to the oldies.

TWO BUFFER DAYS: NIGGLIES + PURE FUN
Monday is my “niggly buffer day.” (You can make your buffer days any day of the week.) Buffer days are for loose ends, and for preparing for “focus days.” This is when I return emails; deal with tech bugs and social media updating; I make appointments and pay bills. On my Monday buffer day, I do the stuff that feels like it’s getting in the way when I want to do the Important Stuff that makes me happy and makes me money.
On my Monday buffer day, I set myself up to rock out for the following three days. I make sure I have editorial contacts that I need, I sketch out my writing ideas. I even make sure my i-Pod is synced so I can, quite literally rock out for the rest of the week. Mondays feel great. Like the warm up number for a super musical.
Friday is my “play buffer day.” Friday is when I conduct my Fire Starter calls with clients. It’s a great way to end the week ... on a total inspirational high. In between clients I do fun research, surf, buy books, go through my pile of magazine tears and wandering sticky notes of what hopefully will be a genius insight.

FOCUS DAYS: LIKE A LASER, BABY
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are my full tilt focus days. This is when I do what I do best ... and what I do best generates my livelihood. On focus days, I write and write some more. I jam with fellow thinkers and media folk, and then I write some more. I work on content products for clients or think through speaking gigs. Think. Jam. Write.
If I get an email on a focus day that doesn’t support my focus...it waits ‘til Friday, or Monday. I push away the temptation to be all things to all people. I let the phone ring. Having three consecutive days to focus on what’s most meaningful builds momentum. And by the end of the three days, I feel satiated and assured that I am feeding my soul and my family in every way.
Uber productive. Deeply fulfilled. Highly recommended.
So tell me, what systems work for you?

Monday, June 21, 2010

mantra monday.











picsie chick: "It always works out in the end. 
If it hasn't worked out, it's not the end yet." 
Natalie: "When we dream alone, it is only a dream. 
But when we dream together, 
it is the beginning of a new reality" 
"Well done is better than well said" 
and some here from my friend, 


inspiration boards.



and some more from my inspiring friends, 
the stars of my ten people i know blog series.





Giovanna: "Believe in yourself" 
"You can make a difference in someone's life"

Lucy: Never give up!!!

Charlotte: "Karma" 
Well a view or version of karma… 
about soul and destiny, fate and the choices we and others make.

Sana: "Pay it forward." Not extremely original, but I strongly believe that helping others in ways that you can is the true recipe for happiness. I inherited this belief from my mother and grandmother. They are two of the most unselfish women I know.

Susan: "Where you sit is what you see", "if you don't ask you don't get", "never give up" or "go where the love is"....not sure which is my favorite as they change depending upon the circumstance.

Leigh: A few. "Grace under pressure" 
"Stay the course" 
"Don't give up" 
"Celebrate small victories" 
"It is better to be kind than right"


"No great task was ever accomplished with no risk"

Wende: Progress not Perfection!
Alex: In my work, my mantra is really more a question. 
"Would I wear this?"  
The answer has to always be an emphatic "yes!"
My other mantra is really one that is more directed at our home. 
"It'll do for now" 
I borrowed it from a friend, and it relates to all the projects we seem to have going on or have planned. So if I pick up a chair at a thrift store, it might sit around for a while until it gets recovered. Or if I purchase some artwork, I probably won't hang it up right away. We have furniture that needs to be replaced, some shelving I want to put in, a new bathroom, a new laundry room … all those things that home owners want and can’t do all at the same time! And since we have a little boy, certain things I have come to accept - writing on the walls and stickers in random places.


Rachel: Leap and the net will appear”


Tricia: "Stay the course" there were times when the security of the regular paycheck was very luring, but I just kept saying "stay the course" and "Carpe Diem!"