The Delights of Anticipation

Back On Schedule

I had the best of intentions for The Inspired Room's Beautiful Life Challenge, I really did, but this summer totally got away from me.  It has gone past in a blur of sewing, sketching, packaging, spray parks, zoos, and other activities that kept me from blogging and just doing much period.  Icouldn't think of a better time than now to get back into the swing of things.  September brings a return to school and scheduled activities and is the perfect time to get back into my goals for the challenge.  I had September down as routines.  I can't think of a time of year where getting back to routines is more important.  I look forward to getting things back on track and getting things done with way more ease.

Tuesday marks the start of school here and is also the first day of Thing 1's Taekwon-do.  Thing 2's soccer began last week and baby girl begins her first dance class on Wednesday (more to come on how much joy this brings me as a former dancer).  We started back on our school year schedule of bedtime last week in preparation but I must admit, Ihave still been sleeping in whenever I can.  A girl's got a right to be tired!  It will be interesting to see how well we slip back into things next week.  I'll tell you one thing, I plan on getting a lot more done with just one kid at home;)  I look forward to exploring routines this month and would love to hear what routines you have for fall.

 

(photo courtesy Better Homes And Gardens)

Peaceful Spring

I know that today is the first of a new month but before I move on to my Beautiful Life challenge for May I wanted to take one more moment to reflect on April's theme, finding peace.  Of all months to decide to work on finding peace I unwittingly picked the month that I launched my business.  I will be completely honest, I'm not sure how much time I actually took to slow down and be peaceful.  To not choose yelling as a form of communication with my kids, to not stress out, but the small moments where I came to my blog to talk about finding peace really helped open up my thoughts and heart to finding it.  Spring is a wonderful time to take a step back and reflect.  As the temperatures rise and the sun shows it's face, it's easy to find moments of peace while taking in all of the beauty of new life and rebirth.  Each new bud on a tree branch is cause for reflection, each flutter of butterfly wings and every single bird song causes me to pause and be greatful for the very breath that I take.  Spring is a time of peace for me but also a time of excitement.  Everything is new and everything seems possible.  I know that most people resolve to do new things and make changes with the start of a new year but for me that time comes in the spring when everything is fresh and new and green with possibility.  I have so much planned for this year and it is thrilling to think of how everything will unfold.  When the journey to make it all happen causes me to stress I will look back on these Fridays in April when I sat and thought of peace.  Thanks Melissa for this beautiful challenge:)

 

 

Seeking Peace

Today marks the begining of a new month in The Inspired Room's Beautiful Living Challenge.  April, for me, is Peace.  Finding peace in my every day life by shouting less, worrying less, and taking time to be still with my family and by my self.  Each Friday I will share ways that I have found to do just that.  Today is some inspiration for finding time for yourself wich for a mom is pure peaceful bliss. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(all photos from CountryLiving.com)

Isn't that absolutely divine!  I came across these pictures and thought that the idea was genius.  I could definitely use a space like that to get away from it all, relax and find a little peace.

This week I made my quest for peace just a little bit harder.  I took the plunge and opened my own store on Etsy!  I am still working on my website(ie. I already want to change it a bit) but that is open for business too.  I was hesitant to do this right now because I had been focusing all of my energy on my Fall collection but when the opportunity came to do the fashion show I jumped at it.  The short time frame forced me to rush to get a mini collection done and becuse of that I feel that I didn't stay true to my vision for Little Lotti and the type of clothing that I wanted to create and sell.  However, after the success of the show and alot of thinking, alot, I decided to take a risk and open my shop with the mini collection anyway.  I think that it will be a good way to get my feet wet and work on building up for my 1st complete collection this Fall.  Now, I need to work on that whole thing called "marketing" that goes along with that other thing called "sales";)  Any ideas?

I need to work on getting myself a house with a little land so that I can build myself a retreat like the one in the pictures to relax in after the long days of working that I am hoping my business brings me.  That's definitely one for the vision board.

Down Time

I have been working pretty hard lately to get things finished and organized for Little Lotti and all of the plans that I have made for it but today I had to take a little break.  March, for me, in the Beautiful Life challenge is about organizing my life and my business.  As I sat here this morning watching all of the people walking their dogs and enjoying the nice weather it occured to me that time to enjoy what is around me is an inmportant part of organizing my life.  I need to schedule time to just relax, play with my kids and take time for myself.  It might not happen everyday but if I make a point to make it apart of my schedule maybe it will be easier to keep up with, because at the end of the day it is moments like these that really count.

                            

The Best Life

This week in my Beautiful Life Challenge, I am thinking more about what makes my life beautiful.  Sure there are tons of things that I want that would make my surrondings more beautiful, a big beautiful new house with a huge front porch, a comfy sofa from Shabby Chic, all of the gorgeous goodies that my shop friends have in their stores, I could go on and on.  At the end of the day, what makes my life so beautiful is the people in it.  My incredible, supportive, giving family(yes, sister, you too;), my friends that can always make me laugh, the wonderful friends that I have met in the blogging community that make it so fun to get on the computer, my loving husband who is truly my very best friend and the very reason for my every breath, my children.  They infuriate me, tire me and yet fill me with more love than I thought that one person could hold.

I'm learning to love the feeling of these under my feet,

 

and the struggle of combing through this,

 

because these three make mine the MOST beautiful life.

For The Love Of White

Month 2 of LivingA Beautiful Life is here and the theme is ambience.  I have a nasty stomach bug so this will be brief but pretty:)  Hopefully next week I will be better and can get into this even more.  To begin, I thought about what ambience is and how to create it.  For me, right now, there is no better palatte to help build beauty than in lovely shades of white. 

 

  

  

   

 

 

   

I know that the pillow is not white but it is absolutely divine!

(photo credits: 1. & 4. Layla Grayce, 2. The Blissful, 3. Wisteria, 5. & 6. Country Living, 7. Shabby Chic)

Living A Beautiful Life

                        

                              

There's something about a New Year that makes one want to evaluate their lives and try something new.  The always inspiring blog The Inspired Room has found a way to not only make the idea of new years resolutions doable but beautiful and fun.

"A Beautiful Life 12 Months Of Goals" is about setting monthly goals that help you to create the beutiful life that you want.  You choose what you want out of your life this year and break it into monthly goals.  It's not about the standard reolutions of losing 10 pounds or watching less tv.  It is a chance to focus on much broader goals like seeing the beauty in everyday and finding more peace.  It's beautiful in it's simplicity and inspiring in it's goal and I am excited to participate.  Melissa's goals are so great that I basically just re-wrote hers with a few changes just for me.  Here they are.

January: Balanced Living

February: Ambience (finding beauty every day, with photographs)

March: Organization (in life & business)

April: Peace (regular quiet times, communicating without shouting, slowing down)

May: Family

June: Healthy Living

July: Financial Freedom

August: Contentment

September: Routines

October: Hospitality

November: Gratitude

December: Giving (philanthropy)

I look forward to sharing my journey towards a life more beautiful with you all throughout the year.  I'm thinking that maybe I should do one of these for my business too.  Hmmm....that's another post;)