February 22, 2016

Changes


I have been on a bit of a vacation from electronics. You may have noticed! There is a certain freedom in turning off the ringer on my phone, not scrolling Instagram several times a day and keeping the laptop closed. I've no intention of giving up this space, but I have developed some good habits that I intend to continue. One of these is, for an hour each afternoon I ignore everything with a screen and sit down with a book and a cup of tea. It's such a little, lovely thing to look forward to every day. Sometimes the little, lovely things are the most important.


I have been keeping my life small lately. Purposefully small. For some reason I have just needed that. I imagine there is a connection between the need for that and the need to quiet the electronics. If I have learned anything this past year, it is to listen to my body and to listen to my inner voice. I've been spending more time at home and using some of that time to do some fun projects. Some of which have been on my to do list for years, like our new stairway gallery wall that I will show you soon.


Recently I turned a basket into a new light for my studio so I could justify a new light, that I fell completely in love with, for that stairway. It's amazing what you can accomplish with doilies, pom poms, fabric, velvet ribbon and a good dose of gumption.


I also updated this standard scrapbook storage that I found at Michaels and made it my own with some Rifle Paper Co wrapping paper. There is something so appealing to me about taking something basic and making it more uniquely me!


I think Em is feeling a bit of spring fever. She has fallen in love with sewing and after having some minor surgery to remove ingrown toenails, she thought the best way to recuperate was by sewing a series of drawstring pouches. For her adventure pack. Very Emma of her. ;)


Her birthday is coming up soon. 15 years old. What and how? We have been brainstorming party ideas and collecting items for the party and take home gifts for her friends. I love that she takes such an interest and enjoys having a hand in the party prep now too.


We had the most fabulous spring-like weather here this past weekend. It was so nice to get out and enjoy it with my people and while I don't feel a need to wish away the last remnants of winter, I am very excitedly looking forward to what's next.


Something tells me that I'm not the only one. There is something about a change in season that has me switching up the routine a little, shaking off the rut and seeking inspiration. And adventure. Maybe it's time to open my life back up a bit. Maybe the season for small is passing. Maybe it's time for a change.



20 comments:

  1. ooh, such pretty crafty things you have been up to lately, i love it all and your afternoon ritual sounds perfect

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  2. I always enjoy visiting and seeing your wonderful talents shine. Have a great week!

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  3. I always love whatever it is you have to say...
    Brenda

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  4. I was wondering where you had been! I kept looking for a blog update from you since I love your blog so much. ;-) Good for you for taking a break from electronics...I definitely need to be more disciplined with this. I *love* the lampshade you made, as well as what you did with that gorgeous wrapping paper. Such creativity and talent! Your last paragraph, especially your last sentence has me wondering though..."time for a change"...what are you up to? :-)

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  5. Love, love, love your newly created lamp! I might adopt your idea to unplug and sit with a book and a cup of tea in the afternoon. That sounds heavenly.

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  6. So many lovely things here but the one that stopped me is that Emma is going to be 15.years.old. How is that possible??? Akkk! Our babies are growing up so fast!

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  7. Glad you are back. I missed you!

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  8. Glad you are back. I missed you!

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  9. I did the very same as your daughter this weekend - I took a little time to enjoy our hammock chair on the lower deck....with a glass of champagne! What's better than that?

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  10. Beautiful pictures. A little time to reflect is good for the mind. Hugs

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  11. Jen~~~~
    I have seriously been thinking of taking a total computer/phone break...as in blogging, emails, Instagram...everything. I want to purge everything and anything that I feel is taking up space in my mind and life. Did you feel this way? I don't have a lot of creative ideas, more some clean up/organizing of things that don't really entice me. Still, if I have something else to distract me, like electronics and social media, I will put things off. Food for thought.

    I'm so happy to see your Em sewing (I have an Emily!). This will serve her well later in life. I wish I could sew with a machine. I've tried. No tolerance for patterns and measuring! lol!

    We don't live so far away from each other so we, too, experienced the beautiful sun and warm temps. I loved airing everything out. I do that when it's freezing, too. I hate stale air with a passion.

    I hope you don't get the snow we have predicted later in the week, but if you do, remember...we are in it together!! :)

    Jane

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  12. Oh Jen, it's so lovely to see you here again! I have missed your beautiful photos but I soOo get your need to step away every so often. Taking a little electronics break can be very refreshing and a nice book accompanied by a lovely cup of tea is the best way to switch off for a little while. Your basket light is beautiful and I just LoVe LoVe LoVe it!!!
    Anna xx

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  13. I love the lamp and that quilt on the back of the white chair.

    No way is Emma turning 15! I can't wait to see what she comes up with for a party.

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  14. Love that lamp. You home looks so inviting and peaceful.

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  15. i find that at some point i need to take a break from everything that i love and enjoy doing :)! gardening is one of my passions, but by the end of summer, it's every plant for itself bc i'm done. i was born a reader, could read all day and all night...until i can't & need to pull my nose out of all of those books & socialize. then, after i've had a million dinner parties, lunches, girls' nights, book club meetings it's time to do something else :) cooking! crafting! back to social media! :). it's so hard to find a balance in life, especially now when the menu of distractions is so enticing and so huge. i really love how you have made non-guilty time in your life just to be.

    still waiting on that wise & witty book that i know you have in you!

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  16. Beautiful simple images that always draw me in. I love your blog posts. Breaks are good. I am trying to do the same thing. Back away from technology a bit. It feels good. Enjoy your free time but know that I always look forward to your posts and pix.

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  17. Hi Jen,
    I went off the grid myself too for a little while...time to reflect and regroup...it's so important to think about what is truly important in life...and for me, I am not sure if a computer is one of them!? Sometimes I feel like I was born in the wrong era! ;)
    I want to come to Em's birthday party - I love seeing your posts on all the sweet take home gifts that are given out - where were those parties when I was her age? Such amazing memories for her and her friends!
    Your basket light is just so pretty, LOVE it! And can't wait to see your gallery wall!
    Happy almost weekend, let's hope we get warm days again like they are predicting! Hugs, Kimberley

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  18. I'm new to our blog and have been browsing around it. Love all of your beautiful photos and life's musings and thoughts. I can totally understand taking a break from all the electronics out there. I'm very happy with my little plain cell phone that only makes calls! and I do use my computer to blog and have a little Etsy shop.. but don't "do" twitter or instagram or anything else. I can't see being glued to it all and having to chatter with someone every few minutes! I like the quiet and peaceful times at home without interruptions and phone noise or phone beeps like so many people have. Anyway... am loving looking around your blog and life and seeing your beautiful village and area. Small town USA is where I wish I was right now! Would love to walk everywhere... has always been my dream but haven't gotten there yet.

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  19. I meant "I'm new to YOUR blog"!!! darned computer....

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  20. Beautiful photos that look like spring! xoxo Su

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