published...

One of my goals when I graduated from design school was to have my design work published.  So when a friend of mine contacted me a few weeks ago and asked me to write an interior design article for a company that she is the social media manager for, I was over the top excited!  I had about 2 weeks to write it.  My mind was flooded with ideas... it was so much fun and inspiring, and so very fun to get the creative juices flowing again.  I haven't had a lot of time to devote to my design blog lately.  When I do find the means, time and energy to devote to writing about design, this is exactly the kind of design blogger/writer I want to be.  So here's a glimpse into the future possiblities...

New Year, New Look

the crafty christmas...

As I've mentioned before, I L.O.V.E. making gifts rather than purchasing them... and this Christmas is no different.  I love making things because it keeps me busy.  No, I don't think that I'm not already busy enough chasing an almost 2 year old around, I just long for a different type of busy sometimes... the creative busy.  Creativity keeps me sane!  If I'm feeling overwhelmed, anxious, flustered-ish {yes, that is a technical term}, I break out the sketch book, the sewing machine or a gallon of Mod-Podge and my medium of choice, paper!  Making something always seems to put that spring back into my step.  One of my site faves, Pinterest, helps me keep those creative moments flowing with ideas galore!  Here are a few of the things {or a version of} I may be making for my littlest one this year.  On the must make list is the finger puppets and the quiet book... anything to keep this little boy happy at church. He's also getting a stocking full of Hot Wheels... no, he's not old enough yet {technically}for these, but he is obsessed with them, so I need to come up with a carrying case like the one below.

Which ever ideas make it under the tree this year, I do know that making that something special for my little man makes the gift giving process so much more meaningful. {awe... wasn't that a warm fuzzy moment}

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Are you a Christmas crafter too?  If you spot something fabulous, send the idea my way. :)
For more ideas, check out my Pinterest board, The Little Things in Life...

Happy Christmas Crafting!

an Attitude of Gratitude...

I L.O.V.E. November!  I don't know if it's the crispness in the air, the crunchy leaves under my feet, that one Sunday where we gain an hour of sleep, or the fact that Thanksgiving comes and Christmas is close behind.  Whatever it is exactly, this is definitely my most favorite time of the year.

This year I wanted to foster an attitude of gratitude with my family.  I feel like my kids are very grateful for all that they have, but I thought that taking time to notice those blessings was something I wanted to do with them this year.  This year we created a Thankful Tree...  I followed the idea I found here.

Kayla and I went out on a walk one afternoon to find the perfect branches for our tree... they are a rich red tone.  So perfect for our Thanksgiving~ish decor.  I love them and am so thankful we found them.

It was fun to see what the kids would come up with each day.  Here are some of the things my family is thankful for this year...

    

 

I think this is something we will continue to do every year.  I love the tree!  I think it will be fun to look back each year at the things we were all grateful for the previous year.
It truly is one of my favorite fall decorations.

To keep this perspective year round and encourage the kids to be thankful during prayer, I've posted this saying in our home...

"What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?"

Be thankful EVERYDAY for everyone and everything in your life... I know for me it changes my attitude about everything and helps me be a little more grateful for the little things {which are usually the most important things}.

~Happy November~

{the decision...}

{the struggle}
I have struggled for months with this whole blogging thing. Actually I think I've been struggling with an identity thing.  I love writing about my family and keeping track of our journey throughout the year.  I love writing about interior design and have had a really strong desire to venture back into that world via blogging.  I was feeling like I was trying to mesh the family blog with a design blog and it just wasn't feeling right.  I love sharing my love for design with anyone and everyone, but sharing my family life with anyone and everyone just isn't for me.  I love my current following of close family and friends, but strangers... no.

{the solution}
Write another blog.  Duh... so simple.  I don't know why I have been so resistant to this idea.  I had a million excuses...  I just don't have time to maintain another blog, it takes me away from my family, I'm a mama right now not a designer, no one is interested in reading it, and on and on.  So, I sat down a few days ago & the inspiration just began to flow.  It came together incredibly quick.  I was so surprised.

{introducing...}
Imperfect Perfectionist {inspired design} Why start another blog completely devoted to inspiration and design?  Because it just makes me happy. :)  I need the creative outlet... desperately!  I also believe a lot of mamas out there get so caught up in being the wife and mom that they lose their identity without even noticing it's been lost.  There is nothing wrong with doing what you love while still being what you love to be {a wife and mama}.  It's funny how writing about your passion evokes a certain happiness.  Now I get to write about both passions... family & design.

What's with the imperfect perfectionist stuff?  I feel like it describes me perfectly.  I'm not only a perfectionist when it comes to being a mom.  I also get super caught up in the little details in design.  Sometimes that can be a good thing, but more often than not, I spend a lot of time focused on stuff that truthfully doesn't matter.  Realizing that perfection isn't realistic or necessary has been my saving grace!  I feel like there are a lot of imperfect perfectionists out there in the world... we tend to be creative people, with grand ideas & good intentions, who are insanely hard on ourselves all the time... when all we want is the best for our family.  So I guess this is my way of saying it's completely okay to be perfectly imperfect.  There, did you feel that?  ...I don't know about you, but I feel a little lighter somehow.

Anyway, thanks for following along as I recreate, reorganize and venture in new directions.

to gift: {a growth chart}

Finally posting a "project/gift" that I made for a friends baby shower a year ago... yes, a year ago {that's just how caught up I am :) }!

I have a curse... I have this insane desire {need} to make gifts rather than buy them. I love it!  The entire thing is a creative process for me which is probably why I love it so much.  I know making gifts sounds nice and all, but being the overachieving perfectionist that I am, making a gift can sometimes become a huge ordeal.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE making and creating things!  And more often than not, I would rather make it and give it away than keep it for myself, but when I make something for someone else I feel like it has to be absolutely flawless.  Flawlessness can be the doom of a perfectionist like myself. Ugh.

On to the project...

A friend of mine adopted a baby girl and I wanted to make something special for this sweet little soul.  

Growth charts are all the craze these days, I love to paint, so why not make one myself {or attempt to}.

Here it is...

{baby Alexis ~ tweet}

 Maybe someday I'll get around to making a growth chart for my own child.  And, hopefully that happens well before he's grown! Until then, I hope you enjoy my little work of art...........