DIY Moss Frame
Lately, Tom and I have been feeling a little restless. Now that most of our big projects are done, we're on a hunt for a new one.... or we're trying to decide if we should permanently work remote from an RV for a year while we travel the country (I'm kind of kidding about that one). Regardless of where this restlessness sprouted from, it's caused us to tap a little deeper into that creative part of our brains.
Admittedly, I am not usually one for DIY decor. I've done enough of it to know that about a month later, I'll find exactly what I just made at Target... and it looks better and is cheaper. It's like my personal curse. It happens every time!
But amidst this funny little season, we've been having some fun. Let's just say, I discovered the way of... THE HOT GLUE GUN. Best four bucks I ever spent. Lemme show you what's up:
On a recent excursion to Michael's with Tom, I started to meander through the fake flowers while he found a good frame to mount a recently acquired print from Goodwill. 'Twas in this time that a small lightbulb grew atop my head... and the moss-covered-frame was born.
Materials
- Frame (I used this one) $6
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks $8
- Bag of moss $10
Total: $24 (though there is plenty more moss and glue for another project)
Directions
See the photos below.
Basically, just glue chunks of moss around the frame and you're done! It was actually really fun, and I'm very happy with the results. I may hang it as-is, or add a very minimal print. We're hoping to create a bit of a gallery on either side of the TV and so far we've gathered a nice start. I snagged that lovely Monet print at Goodwill for $6 as well - thrifting is the way to go, my friends!
What do you think? For about twenty minutes and minimal effort, I'm not disappointed in the least! Time to moss up everything I own... get it "moss up" ...like, "mess up"..?
When Feelings Get Hurt In Marriage
You guys know I love to lift up marriage and speak well of it. Truly, it is such an immense pleasure and privilege to be with the right person till death. I mean, come on, you get to share a bed and steal each other's fries and have a smoking hot date to things for the rest of your life. It's pretty awesome.
But of course, it has its days. It's hard work, you know, staying on the same page with someone for years and years on end. So sometimes it's hard, and sometimes hurtful things get said, or someone misinterprets. Sometimes you argue because some days it just takes a little more work to get back on that steady wave-length. It's just life keeping you on your toes.
And guess what? People get hurt feelings. Whether your brother took a joke just a step too far, your friend told you your haircut looks bad, or your spouse shows a little less tact in getting a point across... feelings get hurt. For whatever reason, it can sting especially bad when it's the person closest to you in every possible way. I mean, you share a bed with them, a fridge, money, and even a bathroom. So when you want to give them the old cold shoulder, it's hard because you need them to pass you the ketchup. You can go into another room and shut them out, but what good will that do?
Let's rewind.
When I was a kid and my siblings hurt each others' feelings, my parents did one of two things: stopped us mid-brattiness and told us to stop (fizzling out the situation and the feelings that could have gone with it) or held a little intervention to mediate and get everyone back on the same page through apologies, forgiveness, and probably a hug-it-out.
Because we're adults, and our stubborn sinful natures can get the best of us, dealing with hurt feelings and forgiveness doesn't always happen as easily. There's no one there to hush someone up or clock someone's words before it's too late. There's no one there to mediate a husband and wife through a hurtful situation.
Oh wait.
Yes there is.
A forgiving Savior.
We fail Him every day. All the time. We probably hurt His feelings a whole bunch. But when we go to Him, and admit that we're the worst, and feebly ask for forgiveness we don't deserve, He gives it.
So why is it so hard to forgive our spouses sometimes? Well, because we don’t have the grace-giving, forgiving nature of Jesus. We have to work at it. And we should work at it.
For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad…
Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.
(John 1:16-17, Acts:11:23a, Romans 5:20-21, Ephesians 4:7)
You see? Grace is a gift that abounds, brings gladness, and should be present especially where sin is found.
Sometimes I get the feeling that Christianity is viewed as a bunch of rigid rules to follow with no room for error. Though we are called to follow God’s law, the thing many people seem to miss, is that these laws actually offer a life filled with forgiveness, humility, love, and grace. Even happiness. We won’t follow them perfectly, of course, but that’s when we truly see how priceless God’s gift of grace is to us.
It's easy to pull the cold shoulder when our spouse hurts our feelings. We can let those sour feelings ruin our day or even our week. We can go without that ketchup, if it means we don't have to face up to our spouse and our hurt feelings (see: stubbornness)
Instead, why not recognize the freedom we have in choosing grace over grudging? Regardless of whether you're hurt, or did the hurting - the choice is up to you. The intervention to come to a resolution and a hug-it-out is mediated by the ultimate Mediator.
You are given grace upon grace, even though you're a crummy person a lot of the time (let's be real). You can give it to whomever you please. Let the hurt feelings fizzle out... and please... pass the ketchup.
Shopping Habits Of A Minimalist
Have you ever felt possessed by your possessions? I'm sure anyone who has made a significant move knows the feeling. You know, the one where you start packing boxes and going through drawers and storage while exclaiming under your breath, "Where did this even come from? How do I have so much stuff and not realize it?"
We all do it.
But it's a habit that can be broken and free you of the possession of possessions. For some, it may mean changing the way in which they shop - the topic I'm covering today. And what's better, it can not only free you of material excess, but of the excess found in financial burdens and excess of the heart. Minimalism has, more than anything, given me freedom.
What draws me to minimalism is the mantra of putting the simple joys in life above the things we surround ourselves with. It puts an emphasis on experiences or travel (read this) and creating an organized, manageable life (read this) so that you can give experiences or loved ones more of your time. Our things won't follow us when we pass on, but our lively natures, stories, and memories will be there for others to cherish. That's not to say that our things don't sometimes offer sentimental joys or make our lives easier by owning them... just that we should be choosy and realistic as to what is necessary, beautiful, or valuable.
As someone who used to spend a lot of my free-time shopping, this was a hard habit to break. A dress, a purse, a pair of earrings, shoe sales, hair products, a new throw blanket, decor I had no place for, and so on. I could never leave a store empty handed. Sound familiar? It was driving me into deep excess. Often times it was out social pressures. Of course when you're with your girlfriends and they tell you how amazing that dress looks on you, you've got to buy it! What's weird is that a lot of those items were hardly worn or used even once. In paring down, I've been shocked at how many items I've come across that barely saw the light of day.
When I graduated from college and was broker-than-broke, those habits came to a screeching halt. New priorities replaced them and I had to learn to manage my own finances. Somewhere along the way of living independently, getting married, and moving, we've embraced the minimalist lifestyle. Our purchases are well-thought out and always intentional.
Let me share how we shop, while still holding onto minimalism. Remember, it's not about owning nothing, it's about owning less.
1. Decide on what you want to purchase well in advance.
Leave your house with a plan or a list (and stick to it). Give yourself a price maximum and don't go above it. If you don't find the exact item you were on the hunt for, go home empty handed - it's better than hating the item two months down the road and not being able to return it. If you think you've found the right thing, maybe you need to take it home and try it for a day. Just be sure if it's wrong, you take it back ASAP.
2. The question of quality.
Will it last you a long time? Or is it made of cheap materials that will easily be ruined after short term use? This is one that personally differs to me. I tend to take very good care of even my cheapest items and they last a long time. If I like the look and price, but the quality isn't great, it's usually not enough to scare me off. However, for others, buying higher quality items may be very important.
3. Is it necessary?
Seriously. Is it? Do you need it? Will you use it once and then shove it into a dark corner? This is the main question I almost always answer 'no' to, and end up putting it back. This is also the main question that causes me to leave a store empty handed... and it feels good!
4. Is it replacing something I no longer have, or am planning to throw out?
Did you break your corkscrew and legitimately need a new one? Then go for it.
Do you have a set of old dish towels that you want to replace? If you buy a new set, remember to actually toss the old ones. Empty promises add to the cause of excess.
5. How does this add to my life or improve the life of my family?
Will it make a daily task more efficient? A new microwave, for example. Is your old one barely getting the job done? Perhaps a new one would cut down on cook times or be safer to use.
6. Do I already own a version of this that works just fine?
Like that corkscrew I mentioned before. Do you have one that works, but you like the new version better? Why would you need two working corkscrews? If you can part with the old one, then perhaps the new one will serve you better.
7. Is it decorative, functional, or needed?
Are you buying it for the sake of buying it?
ie. it's on super sale, it's really cute, it's funny, it made you think of someone, it seems unique, it might come in handy, etc...
The problem with many of those phrases is that they're justifying. Guys, we can all justify a purchase 12 times over. That doesn't mean it really will fill a decoration void, or a function, or a need. And if your purchase will financially or personally take away from the well-being of your family, I would hope you'd have the strength to say no. Simple as that.
8. Will I love this in a month, a year, ten years?
It's not super likely that you'll love the same wall art for thirty years, but if you think you'll be tired of it by the year's end, maybe it's not right. If you do tire of it, will you sell/donate it, or store it until one day you might like it again (hint: if you don't like it now, you won't like it ten years from now - toss it!)
Currently, we're looking at new bed frames. I want something I'll love forever, but the reality is, styles change. This is one reason I tend to buy very inexpensive pieces. I'm not buying it to last for decades, I'm just buying it to serve a purpose for about five to ten years. Then, I'll donate a well-cared for frame to someone who may really need it, and update my style.
9. Is it easy to clean?
Maybe this isn't for everyone, but as a clean-freak, it's a question I often raise. Dry-clean only? Probably not for me. Too many crevices to dust? Pass.
Being able to deep clean my house quickly and efficiently is important to me, and owning too many items will slow that down or make the process frustrating. If my 'stuff' is hindering my cleanliness or organization, it's time to pare down.
10. How does this simplify my life?
The biggest question of all.
If you are aiming for a minimalist home that encourages simple living, does this item add to the noise and take away from what you really find important? What's important is defined by you and your beliefs. There's not a one-size-fits-all mentality to minimalism. Give yourself a clear definition and stick to it!
Hopefully this post offered some insight into shopping like a minimalist. Some will do it differently, but to me, these questions are reminders of the purpose my 'things' should play in my life. It can be hard to stick to when living in a world where excess is praised and encouraged, but it has been one of the most rewarding challenges I have ever taken on.
Are you a minimalist? What would you add to this list?
Do you aspire to minimalism but don't know where to start? I'd love to chat with you!
Living Room Moodboard
As our final projects come to a close, I can finally begin to dive into decorating our spaces. Most of our rooms are very minimal in decor because 1) we actually do strive to live a minimalist lifestyle, so we don't gather much stuff anyway and 2) because any and all money has been going to bigger ticket items up until now.
We basically did our house in phases. This isn't that unusual, as probably a lot of people unknowingly do this, but here is a brief breakdown of our phases.
Phase 1: Basic aesthetic changes (smooth ceilings, paint walls and trim, update light fixtures, paint existing vanities)
Phase 2: Demolition and renovation
Phase 3: Decorate, fix errors in previous phases, final touches
Here is the current state of our living room:
(and can we just swoon for one minute over the hidden cords?!)
Here are some ideas of how to brighten up our space and make it "ours":
Facing the other direction:
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have noticed our DIY coffee table - so that portion is already taken care of.
We are now on the hunt for the right lamps, chair, art, and throws. The colors I'm using bring such life and dimension to our otherwise boring space. It will still look very minimal, but put-together and welcoming. The mixture of textures - wood and ratan, metal legs, plant life, woven pouf, soft pillows, and warm lighting - create a good balance.
Part of me actually wants to create a huge gallery wall up and around the TV. What do you think of that idea?
Anyways, just a short and sweet update on our work-in-progress. Check out my Living Room Pinterest board for more ideas and inspiration (below). Have a happy week, friends!
August | 2016
This is so nerve-wracking. And awkward.
Today, instead of a fully written post, I decided to try my hand at creating a video. I wanted to challenge myself to try something new and learn to edit, piece together, and transition videos into a little month-in-the-life. Unfortunately, I didn't even think of this idea until a few days ago, so I don't have a ton of actual video footage from the month, but I'm going to try for that in September!
This month, I'm filling you in on some bits and pieces... but of course, after I finished editing, I realized a bazillion things I left out.
We also got to see Tom's parents who stopped for a little visit, tried a local seafood restaurant, got a recessed light installed above our sink, found the cutest local park, met some new friends, I had brunch with my good blogging friends in the area, and we installed some floating built-ins to hold all our TV and sound related stuff. Work has been increasingly busy for both of us this month, so maybe that's where some of our spontaneous dates have come from; a desire to stop our minds from churning for just a millisecond of peace.
Between my staying up till all hours of the night trying to answer emails and come up with proposals, and Tom's bizarre bouts of waking up at ungodly early hours to the beckoning of the app he's working on, we are getting through our days in zombie-like states. We're living for those Saturday mornings and slow sips of coffee. All is well in the world, though, and there's not much we can complain about.
Anyways, I won't keep you from the glorious(ly embarrassing) video in the next scroll. Even though this is a little rough around the edges, I am looking forward to the challenge of getting better at this with time. I hope you enjoy!
current favorites
Okay, this is the last time I'll mention this book, but seriously, for ten bucks, you've got yourself a great read. Also, I've linked one of about a million throw pillow covers you can find on Amazon. I'm looking for a couple for our living room, and have yet to sift through enough to find the exact ones I want. For whatever reason, I forget that Amazon has items like this, so I was glad when a friend recently reminded me of this fact.
blogs to explore
Hey Sweet Little Thing follows a family of three and their little adventures in life and in baking. I can't seem to leave her pages because of her adorable photos and drool-worthy desserts!
Hello Rigby is a fashion blog and she's been featuring some really adorable 70's statements lately (bell bottoms!) and I'm getting serious style envy.
Rachel Lynn is just darling! Her photos always draw me in and I love the genuine happiness in her latest fashion post in the blue dress.
That's the latest from my front... how was your month?
The Proposal: A Short Story by Tom Johnson
It was a glorious day in the small town of Shorewood, Wisconsin. The birds were echoing memories of a summer soon to be gone, the trees were dancing in the calm lake breeze, and the sky sang forth in bright splendor and serenity to all who would take a moment to listen.
Four years ago today, a handsome scoundrel asked me to be his wife. It was a proposal that only a man such as my husband would dare attempt, and only the woman so in love with this man and his mischievous ways would have said yes to. It's a captivating story and what better way to tell it than through the words of the very man who did the proposing? I've shared this account before, but it's been some time since then. If you think that I'm dramatic or overly-exaggerating, you haven't seen anything yet. You may want to find some food or drink to sustain you through the following paragraphs...
And if you're deeply curious as to the character of our relationship, the story of Beatrice and Benedick from Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing sums it up: Watch This #sassyforlife
Anyways, on to the story:
It's not all that interesting of a story, but here's how it happened:
t was a glorious day in the small town of Shorewood, Wisconsin. The birds were echoing memories of a summer soon to be gone, the trees were dancing in the calm lake breeze, and the sky sang forth in bright splendor and serenity to all who would take a moment to listen.
Happiest of all creatures was I, for I knew the delight was soon to be brought to the one that I hold so dear. I joined her that morning, as is our weekly custom, to celebrate the forgiveness and redemption that is granted by the grace of God at Luther Memorial Chapel, a congregation that had welcomed us with their hearts and hearths on many a bright Sunday morning before.
After we had received forgiveness, the Holy Sacrament, and been invigorated by the preaching of the Law and Gospel, we set forth to find ourselves a place where we could enjoy each other’s company whilst satisfying our ravenous appetites. We found this feat quick to accomplish, for in the land of Shorewood are many a happy café all which tantalize the senses by whispering with their sweet aromas and tempting with goods hung in gaily-lit stoops.
We come upon a small establishment which bore a sign telling a tale of rooftop tables, a quiet garden, and peaceful separation from the busy streets. My mind's eye was filled with the tranquil scene that we would discover there and I nearly leaped with pleasure as I thought of the scene which was about to set forth in such a place. We at once hailed the cheery staff and inquired as to the seating arrangements. The knowledge soon came to us that food service would not be ready for at least another half of an hour. This news was disheartening at first and I prepared myself to leave, hat in hand, but Joy, possessing a cooler head and a calm demeanor, faced out tribulation and coaxed out the knowledge that we could stroll the rooftop garden and look upon the shining skyline of the city while we waited for one of the staff to attend to us. This news was gladly received and we headed to the aforementioned garden to await our steward.
Before I go any further, I must first speak to a plan that had been set in motion days before the events which I am describing:
I, behaving as a rapscallion, have always put on airs that I was not interested in marriage to anyone at any time and as such, led Joy to believe that she would die an old maid. Before you lay judgment upon me, know this: It was all a ruse to make her all the more shocked when the eventuality of proposal came and I had indeed thought about such an occasion many a time before.
Realizing that my clever deception was assured of success, I then decided to further dismay the lady by proposing to her with a ring that I had purchased from K-mart. This ring, a sad and fragile object, was bought with the knowledge that it was exactly what my fair Joy had determined to be the least appealing cut of stone, nay even repulsive to her countenance. She had informed me on many occasions, using her extensive cunning and suggestion, of her absolute detest for a certain style and shape of rings and precious stones. I knew at those times that the ferocity and frequency of her mentioning could only be a slight indication of her hatred for its design and therefore was thoroughly informed as to what she did not want to bear as a token of companionship till the end of her days.
However, in those rants about the ugliness of certain rings, I did also glean a good many details as to the shape and size of the ring that she longed to adorn her slender finger. With this knowledge played close to my chest, I went and purchased two rings; one containing artificial stones which would bring her unbelievable anguish, the other, to give an elation that I could not comprehend until the deed was done and still wonder at to this day.
Now you know, and we can go back to my tale
On the rooftop there was indeed a happy garden and a small path to walk about. After walking the course of it and admiring the many different plants and adornments, we decided to take a seat at one of the empty tables that sat adjoining the garden and resolved to enjoy the pleasure of each other’s company until such a time as we could order food.
After gazing into each other’s eyes for what seemed like a dozen ages of the earth and yet a flash in time, fleeting as the evening sun, my thoughts were taken from the rooftop. I began to focus, with an intensity that could be rivaled only by the beauty of the one whom I adored, on the precious ring that I had left in my car, thinking that doing so would afford me a more opportune moment later in the day. My thoughts raced around the deepest recesses of my existence and fell upon one seemingly incontrovertible assessment; waiting one more aching moment to present her with the ring would only delay our shared elation. I could not come to any reason to explain my hesitance to leave the ring’s presentation to circumstance so instead I decided to take action.
Summoning up the courage to tell a small deception to my beloved, I asked to excuse myself, weaving a tall tale of a weak bladder and strong coffee. Luckily for me, the tale fell upon unsuspecting ears, my heart pounding a drum loud enough to rouse the elephants of Hannibal’s army to face the fray, and thus I escaped with true motives hidden.
After making my shaky exit I ran through the avenues of the city, my feet churning beneath me with the vigor and fortitude of destiny. I knew that if e’er I walked those streets again, I would walk them not as a solitary being on the face of this world, but as one to whom another is forever fated to walk arm in arm with.
I came upon my humble vehicle and nearly tore the door off in apprehension. Freeing the token from the hiding place among the seats would have given a less determined man pause, but I extracted it from its former obscurity with the skill of a practiced surgeon and turned towards the homeward journey with a fire in my eyes. The return journey seemed to pass in the flash of an instant, the world blurring past my perceptions, veiled as it was in the focus on my end goal. I raced down the path, my heart ebbing and flowing with the very spirit of the city on whose arterial boulevard I now shared pulse with.
The stairs to the rooftop offered no protest, for they saw I was in no mood to give way to exhaustion of a steep ascent. Upon reflection, I would wager that even Everest in all its might would have yielded to my whims, for I was a man with purpose.
I arrived on the rooftop, immediately putting on a demure persona. Though the very depths of my soul screamed out in rapture at the sight of the girl, I knew that I could contain my emotions until the opportune moment. I must! The buildup to this moment was only felt by one party on that rooftop and I bore the truth that soon it's culmination would be shared a thousand fold in her face. But first, I must play the fool.
I must admit, I felt as though I was as transparent as a clear night sky is between the heavens and the earth, but to my delight, she gave no indication that they was something amiss in my behavior. After a moment or two, Joy excused herself to use the facilities which I had used as cover for my absence, and I had to be quick of wit when she asked me for their location. I gave a vague description of where they were, hoping that my information would not lead her too far away from the intended destination.
Once she had left, I removed the box (which still contained the fake ring) from my pocket and placed it under a large napkin on the table to wait for her return. Passing seconds tricked slowly by, each one held by my mind before given permission to depart, and I began to wonder if the direction I had given had led her so far astray that she was now wandering in a labyrinth of halls cursing the heavens in my name.
But lo! The fair lady was there with me! Her delicate rose-petaled hand e’en now hovered next to the hidden token she would carry on her finger until the end of her days. I was suddenly struck by depth of the deed I had put into motion. I was to be united to this woman… but not until she did deem it to be so.
Would she accept?!?
A denial would be my undoing!!
Anguish!
Ahhhhh, me! I was rocked to the core and frozen in place. How to ask? What to say? How could I have laid out the plans so quickly, that I neglected to decide what my next move would be? Had I more time to prepare, and been a more clever man, I would have had doves prepared to descend, a band of loot and lyre set to strike up at a word, and the very depths of the earth to shout out with me in song!
But I sat…..
I realized that the deed needed to done. Come. What. May. It must be done.
Not with a band, not with doves, not with any sounds but the gentle whisper of the breeze on the happy trees. She would see it, and her reaction would be all the symphony that I would need.
I removed the napkin.
Shock
Wide eyes met mine
I saw the tremble of her hand. The quiver of a lip. The Gasp! Oh Sweet Symphony! She was elated! She was happy! The light of a thousand suns shone on her face!
She opened the box…
Shock
Wide eyes met mine
I once again saw the tremble of her hand. The quiver of a lip. She…. was…. horrified… The ring that she loathed now sat in front of her eyes. Her mind that was a split second before blank now came flooding in with emotions.
What a scoundrel I am, ‘tis so. Heaven forgive me for putting my sweet Joy through that moment, but ohhhhh was it a thing to see! I witnessed the birth and destruction of Rome, the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, the rising of the sun and it’s setting in that instant.
But did I stop there? How could I?
I reached into my being and asked coyly,
“Do you love it?”
…......................
Some questions have a more complete answer given by the pregnant pause in preface, than by any responded thesis of a thousand pages. This was one of those questions and one of those pauses.
...She breathed out a shakily emphatic,
“Yes.”
A lie! But a sweeter one was never spoken! Did I need any more proof that this woman loved me? If she had thrown herself in front of a bullet for me the statement would have meant as much. She loved me! I knew it well before, but she was willing to suffer through her greatest fear in order not to part ways with me!
I could not make her wait longer. I had put her through enough anguish!
I liberated the ring from it's captive prison and asked,
“Well then, what am I going to do with this one?”
This time she leaped out of the chair! She rushed over to me, love pouring out of every part of her being!
She said yes!
Anyways, that’s how it happened.
Overwhelming Inspiration
We live in a world of sharing. As someone who has been coined by close friends as an open book, the world of sharing is A-okay with me. I don't mind seeing the highlight reel of the people I love, or even the strangers I share this world with. However, there's always some bad with the good, and the technological-sharing-world is a prime example. The good I see, is that it's become a place where people find commonality. Some articles validate the loneliness some may feel in the trials they face. They give them a sense of community, support, and knowledge that others have been there too. Along with the good, though, there is the bad. The online trolls, the overwhelming amount of articles based on nothing more than speculation, and the deep crevices of the constantly offended human race.
I'm not sure how many times I need to reiterate this, but as someone who has lived more than half my life, thus far, without the technology of today (believe it or not), I will always hold fast to the belief in proper balance. In stepping away and looking up. That life shouldn't be lived through a screen. I feel fiercely protective of screen-free time, and will always advocate for this... even though I am not perfect at practicing what I preach. (Read more of my thoughts on this topic)
But what I'm touching on today, is the overwhelming inspiration we face each day. Not just online, but everywhere we go.
Is it just me, or does everywhere we look seem to call out "Create! Create this or create that! See this picturesque home? Create it for yourself! See this organized closet? This handlettered card? This novel I wrote? This packing hack? This cheap way to travel the world? This 10 minute exercise? This healthy cookie? This way to get the most from your morning? These tips to healthy living? This meal I made? This item you need on your wall? This and this and this and this???"
We all add the the noise through our constant sharing and hope to inspire.
I'll raise my hand first, because I hope to inspire and encourage on this little, online space. But as I spend my time perusing local stores and scrolling through my feeds, I've begun to notice that the overwhelming inspiration is beginning to stomp out my own creative juices. If there is so much to create, why does it seem that it's all already been done?
In my pursuit for inspiration, I find my own creativity dwindling.
"Oh that's a good idea, maybe I should try that!"
But then, is it my own? Are we being inspired, or becoming copies? How do we fight against this spiral of inspiration vs. imitation?
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: limit your screen time.
Don't allow yourself to be so immersed in the creative flow of others, that you forget to have your own unique, creative voice. Love and admire the creativity of others, but do not find yourself so deep in so-called "inspiration," you come out the other side feeling limp with motivation.
Lately, I've been in a terrible writing rut. As if all the thoughts and ideas in my mind start, and suddenly stop in the wake of reading the thoughts and similar ideas of others. Maybe you can relate in terms of other life routines.
Maybe you want to try all the new recipes you see scattered across your feeds, until you realize your go-to is just faster.
Maybe you want to DIY a piece of decor, until you find an 'easy' store-bought version.
Maybe you want to try your hand at an entrepreneurial effort, until you see the saturated market.
Maybe you have something you want to say in writing, but someone else has already said it better.
Maybe you are looking to design something new, until you fall in love with the design of someone else.
Maybe you want to change the way things are done in your office, but your idea gets quieted amongst the other demands.
Maybe you are desperate to get in shape, but you realize you've spent hours looking at ways to do so, instead of just doing it.
Get out of your heads, guys. Put on your blinders to the overwhelming inspiration around you and create from the ground up. Don't live in someone else's "how-to" - go create your own. Connect with the real people around you and collaborate side-by-side. See the potential in what you have instead of the potential of what others have. How does anyone learn to create? Through confidence, practice, and learned skill. We are not all born creative, some of us are self taught. And like anything, if you don't use it, you lose it! I've begun to lose myself to the saturation of inspiration and it's time for me to kick my screen to the curb and exercise my creative muscles. Sometimes we all need that wake up call, and I hope today I can INSPIRE you to wake yourself up. Maybe I can be the small voice amidst the inspiration saturation (catchy terminology, right?) that calls you out of your rut.
Get inspiration, my friends, but don't dig so deep, that you're not actually sure how to use it.
When Are You Ready To Renovate?
Have you been eying up certain rooms or areas of your house wondering if you should tear a wall out, add more storage, or change the entire physical layout?
Well hold your horses.
Whether you're going DIY or not, I'll give you the advice others have given to me:
Give it a year.
Live in it, try it out, figure out what drives you crazy, and what you absolutely love. You may be surprised. Things you thought you'd despise may become your favorite features, or things you swore you'd change, may have a rhyme or reason to their placement. Spend your time sifting through other ideas.
There's more than one or two ways to create built-ins, for example. We could have spent a lot of time and money on the same old built-ins that everyone else does in their home. Instead, we sat on it. We looked up costs of every different idea and weighed out what look we were specifically going for... and lo and behold, we found the most cost effective and fitting solution possible.
We knew upon buying our home that we'd be renovating the kitchen. It was small, crowded, and a terrible use of the potential space. We lived in it for several months, and each month grew increasingly frustrating. We literally couldn't do tasks we had been used to doing. Like rolling out pie crust... with such minimal counter space, some things were downright impossible. We used our kitchen table as extra counter space, but when guests came over, that felt really embarrassing. I hate to say it, but it was!
Admittedly, we didn't give it quite a year, but the layout really affected our every day life, so when an IKEA kitchen sale presented itself, we jumped at it. We had spent days and weeks and hours of the previous months, talking about the logistics of the design and financial bits and pieces, so we were sure of exactly what decisions we'd be making. We had lived in it long enough to know what needed to change, and what wasn't as bad as we had thought. Some of the layout that we were sure we'd change, we actually kept with a few small tweaks. Getting advice from the right people also really helped us gauge our capabilities and sway us away from spending more than was necessary (thanks mom and dad).
I'm so glad we took (almost) a year to live in it, though. It brought up a lot of important questions that I'm going to share with you... just in case you're on the fence about starting a renovation.
1. If you'll be living in the home during the process, can you handle the chaos of things piled up in rooms temporarily as storage? Will you be able to handle the dust, no kitchen (if that's what you're renovating), not being able to walk in certain areas without shoes?
2. Do you know how much this is going to cost? All the way down to the smallest nail? Make sure you're not low-balling this, because sticker shock sucks.
3. Do you have a reputable contractor that will be timely and fair? Are you ready for the contracting team to be in your home in early morning hours or late at night? Can you trust the deadline he tells you, or the put up with constant noise?
4. If you are not staying in the home, do you have elsewhere to go? Will that cost you extra, or are you staying with family who may get tired of you being there if the project goes beyond the deadline?
5. Things will inevitably go wrong, or you'll hit a speed bump. You can't prepare for them, so I won't ask you if you're ready... but I hope you're not expecting everything to line up perfectly!
6. Can you handle the stress of the time, money, and labor commitments? Along with the costly, split second decisions you may need to make along the way?
7. Have you thought through your design and are fully aware of the workings? Like the cost of switching from gas to electric or vise versa? Or if moving some plumbing will be a small job or large? Will adding more lighting add more to your expense than you thought - or will it even be possible? Do you understand what needs to be done to stay up to code?
8. Do you realize the renovation may be the bane of your existence during its entirety?
How do your answers look? Regardless... DO YOU. I'm no pro, and I certainly can't guarantee your success, but hopefully you snagged a few ideas to get your renovation dreams going!
Have you done a reno before? What would you add?