I've really been trying to reevaluate my blog. I have been totally too busy to do it, which is a problem in the blogging world. Because if you want to have followers, you kind of have to post. I am always thinking about blogging, however, I really have just way too many interests! It's like I can't focus!

Interior Design. I went to school for it and I do something in the way of design to my house literally every day. I used to work in the interior design world and let me tell you- slaving endless hours over a design for picky, cheap, rich women only to have them pick it apart and reject it is totally not my forte. I wish I was one of those designers that could yell at their clients and tell them, "you WILL like my design!" But that simply is not me.

I have been renovating a dilapidated shack of a house that I now call "home" for the last year, but I am way too detail oriented to actually post pics of where it is now- it just isnt quite there yet. It will happen soon though!


Crafting. I- like so many I know and love- love to craft. I get very easily inspired by other blogs and quaint little shops. I could simply dream about crafts all day every day.


Makeup Artistry. I am a makeup artist. I worked for Chanel a while back and went to their makeup artistry school. I actually do makeup for weddings on the side for a little extra income every now and then. To me makeup is so much fun and I just love giving a woman an extra boost of confidence and gaining a new friend in the process.

Jesus. He changed my life to the extent that I want nothing more than to share him with the world. My heart is ministry and just ministering to other women mainly. I could sit in coffee shops all week long chatting it up with the dear women in my life- and I actually used to do just that before I had kiddos. I miss it so much. Now I can occasionally escape, while Preson is napping, to a local cafe for lunch with friends or those in need of some lovin' and encouragement. I am a blessed woman that my husband can work from home to enable me to do that.


Cooking. I love to cook. I am presently not enjoying these many extra pounds I have added from my last pregnancy. I am in the process of purging our entire house of all things bad and replacing my fridge with only whole foods. As I cook these new vegetarian recipes, I am so tempted to take photographs of the process. All the wholesome whole grains and vegetables- paired with a beat up rustic cutting board and a nice sharp knife- there is something that is just so beautiful about cooking healthy! This is a cookbook a friend recently lent me that I am so excited about!


Preson n Penelope. My children have become my everything- I eat, drink, breathe my children. Not really, but you get the point- they are my life. I think about things to write about them all day- I dont ever want to forget a single thing as they grow up.
I feel like a blog is a journal, yet it is a diary to share with friends, family and cyber-friends (I have a lot of those)



I have thought a lot about it and dont really know which way to go with my blog. Do I do a little bit of everything? Throw out my design how to's, makeup artist tips or attempts at crafts? Cooking new recipes, my adventures in being a mom or life lessons learned in ministry? You see what I mean- I have way too many interests. So tomorrow I suppose I will write about whatever strikes my fancy. In the meantime, I think I am feeling a bit crafty tonight...

resolution, shmesolution

Is it me or is it the kiss of death to a new year's resolution to post in a blog your goals for the new year? I realized this year that a new year's resolution is just something no one really talks about in conversation the older you get. I can understand, because as one gets older, it can tend to be quite a personal topic for some. I know that I always have it in the back of my head that as I am sharing a goal for the new year with someone, I cant help but think that the person with whom I am speaking is going to remember every bit of what I said and hold onto and then will be laughing at me behind my back when I fall on my face. I know this is an absolutely absurd way to think- as if that person really cares that much right?? How narcissistic of me.

I don't ever look at a new year's resolution as something that will be actually followed through to the end of the year- sad I know. As much as I would love to be the pioneer woman of blogging, mothering, wife-ing (is that a word?), knitting, exercising, dieting and housekeeping ( I could keep going with this list), I simply know that if I attempt to master all or any of these things at once, I will fall on my face and just be too discouraged to pick myself back up to even try again- at least until the next year. The fact is, I have so many things I want to do better. I want to be improving myself throughout my life and becoming better.

Nonetheless, I do think the beginning of each new year is a great time to refocus and reevaluate one's life and just make some attempts to get back on track or try a new "something".

This year I am going to try to do it a little differently. I am not going to be simply making new goals for the whole year, but rather plan to make a couple of small, achievable goals each new month. At the beginning of each month, I will then sit down and evaluate, modify and refocus my resolutions. I will be posting a couple of things on my pantry chalkboard door each month, so I am seeing it every day. That way I am forcing myself to be faced with my goals on a daily basis. I know myself and one thing is for sure: out of sight, out of mind. I may fail miserably, but maybe that will be my first goal for January- to follow through for ONE measly month. I will keep you posted...

So here is to 2011- to a better and more balanced body (exercise and diet), mind (me time/ balance in general) and spirit (God)...and following through.

trashy treasures

Lately I have been so inspired with recycling old wooden items for new uses. My mother bought me a book last Christmas called, Recycled Home. It is chock-full of ideas on how to reuse what many would refer to as, well- trash. Old crates, wooden pallets, lath from inside the walls of a historic home- basically anything old and distressed. I highly recommend it!



In particular, I have been loving the ways I have seen wooden pallets reused. I love how industrial and rustic they look. Paired with either folksy-vintage or crisp-modern pieces, they can really make a statement in any home.







Now granted, I will admit it takes some patience with obtaining such commodities these days. They are becoming more rare, and few and far between. The key is to just be patient and be willing to get your hands dirty when scouring your local antique store or flea market. Also, you can find wooden pallets at furniture stores, marinas or industrial areas.

Here are a few more ideas I found through some of my favorite websites and blogs. Get inspired!

For you cat-lovers- a kitty litter box made of old crates. I could also see this done on a larger scale for a dog house.



Defintely not a DIY, but very cool non-the-less. A staircase made of old wood boxes.



More wooden crates hung on the wall to create some unique shelving- Love how they lined it with a pretty fabric!



Take a piece of driftwood (saw some at pottery barn the other day for $4!) or some thick branches from your yard (free!), screw some hooks into it to create a place to hang keys and coats in your entry



Hope you feel inspired to turn someone else's trash to your little treasures!