Monday Mayhem Early Tuesday Morning

Need to spring clean again.

So much more than what he seemed.

I'm adrift and must take this into serious consideration.

curiosity 

a possible background

can't say that I am :/

beauty

xoxo

Week 5: All Downhill From Here, But In a Good Way

Last week's goals:

1. Communicate only positive thoughts with others, friend, acquaintances, strangers.

2. Put $1/day toward credit card. This will increase each week.

3. Finish Dark Tower book VII aka Complete the series!!!

4. Two loads of laundry, trying to keep it simple and realistic.

5. Spend at least 20 minutes per day on any of my projects.

This week's goals were hit or miss. The first one was haaard. I think I've been in the habit of saying negative things so I'm keeping that goal on the list for this coming week. The dollar a day to the credit card happened. I did not finish the Dark Tower book BUT I did have a lot more friend time. I did FOUR loads of laundry and even saw the bottom of my hamper for a second... and most days I spent 20 minutes on a project of some sort. I slacked a bit on morning pages but I do write something every day and these things are always on my mind.

This week I am going to stick with the same topic that Danielle does on Sometimes Sweet. So this week is all about Loving Life and Having Fun. I have to admit, I get in a negative/down trap pretty easily. I've been battling that thing called depression since I was little so being happy and having fun is something really great to focus on.

Here are this week's goals:

1. Continue to communicate only positive thoughts towards others. It takes a while to break a bad habit and positivity needs practice.

2. Write down at least one positive or beautiful thing you experienced/saw each day.

3. Put $2/day toward credit card bill. Because less debt = happier me.

4. Go on two friend dates and one artist date. Always fun and makes me feel less lonely.

5. Go on two 20 minute walks. To invigorate body and mind.

6. Bake vegan pumpkin muffins. Because if I treat my taste buds I treat myself!

Have you started writing down weekly to-do/goals?

xoxo

Biological Clock and Such

Soooo, it is known by family and long time friends that in the past I was vehement about the fact that I was not going to have a baby, EVER. Seriously. I contemplated permanent surgeries and such. I wasn't as devoted as needed to be to get them though, which is good I'll admit, and in the past couple of years more and more baby things have pulled at my heart strings. I can tell you now this makes my parents very, very happy. I think my mother was almost moved to tears. 

What has been nudging my biological clock and softening my heart? Well, first was the pregnancy of Unicorn Sparkle(bottom)s. Then, when the pregnancy came to fruition, Baby Brows melted my heart so much.

Then I lived with the family and started baby sitting Baby Brows a day a week. Oh how that SHOULD have made me think I'd never have a baby, not because he was bad. No, no, he is a doll, but babies are in need all the time and learning to juggle a day, get a shower, take a nap, wake up late, read when you want to, not watch children's shows... those things use to hold the top spots of importance. Baby Brows was too cute not to put as my number one however and from there on I was a lost cause.

Lately I've found more and more baby blogs, or blogs including babies and they just kill me with their cuteness. Seriously. I almost roll over on my bed or off the couch when I see the pictures on these blogs. I've apparently been a closet baby cooer this whole time. 

In honor of this realization and looks to the (somewhat far...5 years maybe) future, I am sharing all of my favorite baby blogs.

Take a look! (Blogs are not in order of favorites, I couldn't pick if I tried!)

TART

Oh how I melt at every post. Their little family is so cute, Rowan is the sweetest name, and the "what we wore" posts are adorable.

Bluebird Vintage

I started reading this blog a good year or so ago (about the same time as A Beautiful Mess) and have been so inspired. More than just a baby blog, there are older kiddos in this family and all of their posts together are so cute! When they announced the pending new addition I was so excited for them. I get really excited by happy news even for people I don't "know" in "real life." Baby bird looks like she is full of smiles all the time. All of them are so stylish too!

Smile and Wave

This little Ruby is not quite a baby anymore but she's made my fear of the toddling years a little less great. I decided when I was watching Baby Brows that the first year would be find by the end of the first toddling year I wouldn't know what to do with the thing, yes I thought thing... then I met a little boy at the beach and knew it would be alright some day. Ruby looks to be quite a ham for the camera and I just love it! Sebastian, who is pretending to be spiderman in the last picture, is also super cute, though again, a tad out of the baby phase. :)

Sometimes Sweet

Another blogger I started reading before she announced her pregnancy. I loved Danielle's honesty and her stories about being a teacher. I also loved her tattoos and the fact that she could teach with all of those tattoos! I mean, of course, but I was surprised that schools allowed that, thank goodness! I thought it might kill my chances.  Anyway, when she announced her upcoming baby I, again, just about died.

Look at this little guy, I swear every picture she posts is of him with this huge grin. How could you not grin/squeal/roll off of the couch in happiness? She has a little of everything on her blog, posts about Henry, posts about her little family as a whole, posts about being a stay at home mom, and so, so much more. 

Adeline's Daddy

I was just introduced to this blog via Sometimes Sweet I think and oh man the cuteness of daddy blogging is so great. Daddy blogging, yes, daddy blogging. So awesome! I don't think I have anything else to say but that. Awesome and adorable.

The Daybook

Oh my goodness gosh. Very recently, like last Wednesday, Sydney announced her little bun (or lemon) in the oven and all I could do it say "I KNEW IT!" Not because I was reading between the lines but for some reason I had happened upon an old post, like months if not years old and it said something about the future when they were to have a baby and for some reason my intuition clicked and mentally said it was to be soon. I'm so excited to read along through her pregnancy and through birth and beyond. Awkward/Awesome Thursdays might just get even more awesome, or awkward. Either way, Congrats!

What baby blogs make you smile? Do you plan on having children? Were you ever against having kids?

xoxo

Addicted: Magazines

Hi, my name is Corey and I am addicted to magazines (among many other things like blankets, chocolate, thrifting, books, etc). I just can't help it, those glossy pages and short paragraphs get me every time. The celebrities I love on the covers makes me weak and I just grab and go without thinking about the price. Or there are the others, no celebrities needed just how-tos and tips for days. I'm not going to lie, I've been addicted for years. Any type of magazine can catch my eye. I will roam at a bookstore, going through the racks more than once to see if there is something I don't have yet or could justify buying with only the tiniest bit of interest in the subject matter. Seriously, I know it's a problem. My overflowing magazine holder is telling me just that. But what do I do, buy more. They are my pint of ice cream on sad days, they are my splurge on sunny days, they are on my mind every time I do into a store that might have them and I'm hooked. 

I've recently signed up for a Ready Made subscription and I've had a Bust subscription a couple years ago but I have yet to sit down, gather money and get subscriptions to other magazines I get without fail every month. In the picture above I have all that are with me, whole, right now. 

Whole? you ask. Yes, whole. When I am done reading a magazine (and sometimes even before that) I tear out the pictures that I like, the articles that I want to reread, and any other inspiration I might find. I've literally been doing this since junior high if not before. I definitely hoarded magazines for a while, I would have stacks and stacks but soon I realized that this was not a space efficient way to house the parts I wanted and so the collage-making and binder-keeping began. Yes, I have a binder...

Before I get into my current favorites I want to take a moment of silence to commemorate the magazines that are no longer with us...

These two lovely magazines kicked the bucket a while back (jump many years before jane) and I still have moments of sadness for the loss.

But onward and upward as they say...

My All Time Favorites:

Bust, Ready Made, Real Simple and Lula.

New Favorites:

Artful Blogging, Inked Girls

My grab and go's:

Self, Glamour, The Nest, Nylon

Desperate for a glossy paged fix:

Lucky, Cosmo, Elle, Vogue, Spin, AP, Nylon Guys... who am I kidding, almost anything else...

Yup... and then recently I added a couple of tattoo magazines, well that was just this one time for a collage, but seriously, I can't keep my hands off! I'm getting better about picking up the magazines in the Desperate category. My semi recent breakdowns were Cosmo with Hayley Williams on the cover and Lucky with Zooey Deschanel on the cover. Seriously two of my most favorite famous people ever. 

So there it is, my first posted addiction! Phew, I feel a little better already. I need to make a rule for myself or something. Like, no new magazines until the old ones are all read and taken apart for pieces. 

What is/are your favorite magazines?

xoxo

A list to go back to

Sometimes I feel uninspired. This should help. 

xoxo

A Call to Action

Dear lovely readers,

I am putting together a series of posts listing my favorite books through the years. They are going to end up being pages that I add to from time to time when inspiration or memory strikes.

What I would love from you is a few of your favorite books, any in the time starting from the first book you remember to the last book you read. I know my current list is lacking a bit. If you are a child of the 80's and 90's it will be even more helpful. Where I need the most help with my memory is the Junior High section.

So, comment away, let me know your favorites and if nothing else we can get a nice little discussion of books going!

xoxo,

me

Lovely Day

It was sunny again today! It's getting closer and closer to summer here, thank goodness! I had a friend date today which consisted of sandwiches from East Side Deli, sitting at Laurelhurst Park and chatting/eating them, going back to Hawthorne to walk around, buy an expensive paper and pipe cleaner flower from a boy so he can go to soccer camp, getting iced (decaf) coffee from The Fresh Pot in Powells and then chilling at M's house, writing a little bit.

While waiting for M, A and I saw some incredibly small ladies, just look at the signs for reference. So cute.

Table art at East Side Deli... I want to learn how to etch wood like that.

wagon full of rubber ducks outside of The Dollar Scholar. We went in and I found some stuff to send in a care package to Unicorn Sparkle(bottom)s and a Virgin Mary scarf that is amazing.

After The Dollar Scholar we went to House of Vintage, an awesome antique mall that I could get lost in for an hour or two.

Found these, they would make an amazing addition to my animal salt and pepper shaker collection which consists of chipmunks and siamese cats right now... I had to hold back though.

Cute fawn but it was $23, no justifying that purchase.

Then there was a photobooth, how I love photobooths!

So we took a strip of pictures and after I took a picture of being in a picture booth. How cool can I get?! 

After writing and hanging out I came home and started my two loads of laundry for the week. I borrowed The Notorious Bettie Page from M so I plan on watching it and finishing Bronson's blanket! Two goals checked off my list in one day? Maybe!

xoxo

Mayhem: Brighten My Day

cozy and comfortable

haha

adorable

inspiration

beautiful proposal

gorgeous friendship

oh rings

want to make a photobooth backdrop for my living room!

want want want

xoxo

Week 4: The halfway point

Last week's goals:

1. Finish blanket, that means connect last two strips and crochet border. : Did not finish, but close!

2. Finish film roll for Rolleiflex and develop. : DID IT!!!! All blurry but here's to learning.

3. Do 3 morning pages each day starting today. : YES! Done and done.

4. Do 3 loads of laundry : I did two, I need to do two more.

5. Make at least one thing off of this list. Take picture.  : Oh the lovely rainbow cake!

6. Blog 4 times (other than this). : Pretty sure I did that :)

7. Spring clean Facebook, Twitter, Bloglovin, etc : Did that before I posted this, cheating? Maybe haha

Wooooo I did really well this week, always had my goals in my head and laundry was the only thing I got really, really lazy about. I connected the last two strips of the blanket and did the first row of border, I just have to complete the border and I'm not sure how many rows that is going to be.

The rollei film came out completely blurry and I was a tad upset, more with the Diana film that also came out blurry, but it just means I have more to learn I guess.

Morning pages were lovely to do and of course the first day I don't have to check off I didn't do them but I went back to them again today and I'm glad I did. Sometimes they are hard to motivate myself to do.

The rainbow cake was a success with all I shared it with. 

Spring cleaning was needed, I'm also limiting what I post on facebook and twitter, bringing my thoughts back and not sharing every one.

This week:

1. Communicate only positive thoughts with others, friend, acquaintances, strangers.

2. Put $1/day toward credit card. This will increase each week.

3. Finish Dark Tower book VII aka Complete the series!!!

4. Two loads of laundry, trying to keep it simple and realistic.

5. Spend at least 20 minutes per day on any of my projects.

What's on your list this week?

xoxo

I miss classroom learning

s

I never hated school but I do miss it. I am definitely ready to go back and take more classes, this time in the art field. There are two summer classes I really want to take but the cost of both of them is about $600. Sheesh education can be expensive, and that's at a community college for one and a non-credit art course at an art school. The classes start June 22nd so I have to find a way to scrape together the extra money for them. 

Wish me luck!

xoxo

Words on blank pages

I love the moment before the photo resizes smaller on blogger, right when it comes up in your text box and it is still really bit. I like it because I see in close detail a part of the photo I never really look hard at and I find myself wondering what picture I just uploaded. Then it shrinks and I realize that it was, in fact, the same photo. 

Random bit I know, but I've thought it a lot over the past few posts and decided this time to share. 

Today was another productive and I guess you could say artistic day. I've been treating myself to artist dates every day to keep motivated with the beginning of new habits. Morning Pages are still happening, day 3... today I also went to a coffee shop with my dear friend Mandalin and we drank our beverages and wrote. I read short essays and then wrote from prompts following the essays in Julia Cameron's book The Sound of Paper. I highly recommend it. I've been wanting to write so much more now that I've taken the time to make myself put pen to page. I don't always have to repeat to myself: I am endlessly interesting. But when the hard times come, when I feel I am uninspired and the words are just crap then I just say to myself "endless" and continue with whatever might seem drivel to the snob in my brain.

I started my interest in Julia Cameron not because I went through The Artist's Way, though I did have the book and had planned on it, I found her memoir and was hooked by the end of the first page. Her writing lulls the anxious beast that lives inside me. It brings out the melancholy from time to time but the shear panic I find biting at my edges dissipates for a second and I can think a little more clearly. After her memoir I was still not ready for The Artist's Way but looked at her books once again while in Powells. I found The Sound of Paper and decided that would be a great starting point. I'm really glad I did. She has quite a few gently brilliant things to say. Things that could seem like common sense but are never acted out as common sense acts would. I appreciate that. I appreciate the simple, the big picture broken down into manageable pieces.

Before I go on too long about Julia and how I'm going to crown her my guru blah blah blah la di dah and then turn you off completely I'm just going to say I don't like the word guru very much AND that if you ever feel you want to write more, The Sound of Paper is a helpful little gem. Also, if you're not ready for tasks, reading Floor Model could calm your anxiety about how your crazy (like seemily not sane, not in the producing all over the place) creativity. 

I'm doing a lot better on my goals this week as well! More on that Sunday though.

Who's story has helped you?

xoxo

A Sun Filled Day

Today I woke up and started the day with my Morning Pages. Let's be real, they aren't done in the morning most times with me but they are done when I wake up so I'm calling them Morning Pages. Well, Julia Cameron calls them Morning Pages, I am giving credit where it's due.

After the pages of morning I hurried to dress and get myself make uped... also hair did, well bangs back and hair down. There was an obnoxious piece on the side that wouldn't uncurl but that's nothing new so off I went. No destination I just needed out of my dark apartment.

I decided soon after getting in my car, The Rose Garden was my place to go. It wasn't as busy as I expected it to be, probably because the roses have yet to bloom, at all. That's okay though, my favorite tree is still there and so I took some pictures of it. I finished my roll of film in the Rollei (yuuuus another goal close to done) and then found a bench to sit on and crochet for a bit. 

I realized after finishing a row on the blanket that I did it wrong side up and so will have to redo it. I definitely was frustrated but tried to hold on to the pleasant feeling of sewing in the park. 

After I left I thought I was going home but instead decided to meet up with friends and continue to enjoy the sun. While I want my apartment to be my palace and place of comfort I'm afraid it is just too dark and so I do everything I can on sunny days to stay out of it. 

The rest of the day was lazing around which is perfect by me and eventually when I did get home (just a couple of minutes ago) I was finally ready to pounce on the cake.

I'm going to give myself a bit more credit than I did yesterday. Not only is it delicious, but it also looks pretty cool on the inside. Not bad for a first attempt! 

How was your day?

xoxo