Home.

I flew home for the holidays and I am loving it. Being away from Colorado, my job and the absence of friends has been soooo good for me. I am sleeping a more normal number of hours (with the occasional nap) and enjoying lots of time with family and friends. I already know that I'm not going to want to leave. BUT.... there are only three weeks before I turn around and fly home again. haha So I think I can handle it.

Just wanted to check in and wish everyone a Happy Turkey Day! : )

P.S. This coming weekend is my 10 year high school reunion... how crazy is that?? I can't believe it! And no.... I am most definitely not going. I only went to that school for two years and besides... I have no desire to revisit anything related to high school. haha High school wasn't completely terrible for me but it wasn't amazing either. I'm over it. : )

Time to go! Love you people!

A list.

Things that make me happy about today:

• 3 cute and easy kids.
• 2 and a half days until I go home for Thanksgiving.
• The incredible speed at which my Netflix movies get from the blue mailbox to the Netflix receiving center.
• The fact that, as of last night, I have a place to live after this job ends in a month.
• The tasty drink that I will soon be drinking from Starbucks.

Things that displease me about today:

• The fact that I woke up every hour last night... for no apparent reason other than to torture myself.
• Venturing out in the cold this early in the Colorado morning.
• No time for a shower until late tonight.
• A project to finish for The Denver Handmade Society ... and still no idea what to make.

It's 6 am... and I'll cry if I want to. : ) I have got to figure out this whole sleep issue I'm having. I seriously can't remember the last time I slept all the way through the night. Even if I get 8 hours total I still feel tired because more than likely I woke up at least a couple time in the middle of the night. And I usually can't just go right back to sleep. I don't really know if some noise is waking me up... maybe I should try ear plugs.

I've tried reading before bed, drinking a glass of wine, laying in bed for an hour before sleep, praying and even cookies and milk. haha And still.... no straight 8 hours. Any other suggestions? Preferably not in pill form. Although pretty soon I might consider that, too.

Onward and upward friends... time is drawing to a close and I have coffee to drink before the kids arrive. : ) Hope everyone is having a good day and a pleasant sleep.

Crafty.

Had a pretty lazy day today... making cute things like this wreath and relaxing on my couch. Oh... and daydreaming about how wonderful it will be to see my family and friends in St. Louis in just 5 more days!

Tonight... more craftiness and some Blockbuster movies. I found a really cute winter-ish coat for only $20 and I am going to find a way to embellish it with some cute little accents...

I hope this week goes by fast... but I have so much to do before I leave town!

The snow here is amazing and beautiful. Last night I peeked outside around 10 pm and there was a warm glow coming off the white powder... the sky looked amazing! Days like that remind me why I moved here...

Life is strange.

"If one advances confidently in the direction of her dreams, and endeavors to live the life which she has imagined, she will meet with success unexpected in common hours." -Source unknown.

photo cred: memeo1's flickr photo stream

Today I am feeling totally overwhelmed by the future. And not just in a bad way but in a good way too. I feel like my feet aren't moving as fast as my heart though and that can be frustrating for me. It's partly because of my life right now and how busy I am... and I think it's also partly because I don't know if I can handle what's coming.

I made a decision today that this little business is more than a hobby.... it is a significant part of my life. And if that's the case then it needs to be a part of every decision I make. When I took my current job (which I have subsequently quit) a lot of people said to me,

"What about your crafts?"

They obviously knew something I didn't. That I really need this. That this really makes me happy and gives me a very real sense of fulfillment. And if something in my life is getting in the way of my passions... then that something needs to change or just be eliminated alltogether. Maybe that sounds extreme... but that's my life. And I have definitely learned that the last few months.

I know that the next job I take will allow me plenty of time to do what I love... and if I need to sacrifice in other areas then I will. Money isn't everything. Making lots of it won't make you happy. You need to find what feeds your joy and do it the rest of your life.

I've been offered some really amazing opportunities to expand and promote my business on a very large scale... and I am going to take every one. A shift is happening in my life and it feels really good.

I know my last few posts have been kind of personal but I think honesty is so important... and its therapeutic for me to share it with the world... : ) My game face is on, folks. And Im so excited to get rollin! Keep those comments coming... I really do thrive off your encouragement and input! You all mean a lot to me... I mean it.

Highlight of my day: My dearest friend Julie is coming to Denver! Ticket has been bought, plans are being made, fun will most definitely be had. Hurry up, December 29th!

Change.

Wow... she looks so happy and carefree. Look how she flawlessly juggles two young children, a baby AND a bag of groceries. Amazing. I don't think that really happens in real life. Unless there's wine in that bag.

I quit my job today.

In case you are wondering, I was working as a nanny in a nanny share. A nanny share is when multiple families hire one nanny to watch all their children.

In my case that meant:

5 families.

60 hours a week.

12 hours a day.

3 kids a day.

2 babies and 3 toddlers.

And I'm just not cut out for it. It's way too much and leaves me with no time for the things I love and am passionate about... and that is just not okay. I know there's no way I can continue in this job and be happy. So I had a sit-down with my boss and gave my notice.

Did I mention that this job came with an apartment that is off the back of their house? And now I have to move out... obviously.

So I'm really back to square one. And although this should be overwhelming, I actually feel really relieved. But I now have a lot on my plate... and I need to figure out my life. Ahhhh... I just want to be settled already.

If you're the praying kind, I'd love your prayers. Hang tight, friends... lots of change is coming and the future is bright.

And then there was one.

Well today started off nice enough... sunshine, coffee and thrifting.

And the I got a case of the home-sickies... brought on by my chronic ability to get lost and frustrated. So the day got pretty rough and I spent a considerable amount of time in tears on the highway. Good times. Needless to say... this funk has prevented me from being able to do half the things I wanted to do.

And then my camera died... and I decided this day is just better left in the past. I'm so done with today. Hopefully tomorrow will be a bit more cheery. And I will be back with more pictures to share...

But for now... here is one. Slightly blurry but it was the best I could do as the low battery signal on my camera screen kept taunting me with its incessant blinking. My new mixed-paper books made with old classic hard-back covers and an assortment of cute paper and envelopes and other goodies. I plan on taking a full set so you can get an idea of what the inside looks like, too! Like I said... tomorrow. When the sun comes out. : )

Monday, let's be friends.

I received the most lovely news this evening as I began jotting down the kids schedules for the week... no kids tomorrow! I have the entire day off and I'm free to do anything I want. I can't even begin to tell you what a blessing that was. And it came at the perfect time.

And the first thought that came to my mind.... a whole day of nothing but crafting! So that's what I am going to do. And maybe a little thrifting, too.

I have had a sudden burst of inspiration the past few days and I'm ready to bring those ideas to life. And maybe get my etsy back up and running so I can make a little extra cash on the side for the holidays. I'm soooo excited to share all the new creations with you guys... I think they are some of the best ideas I've had yet! : )

And check out the cute little clutch I

bought on etsy the other day! Yeah

too cute to pass up! And I am starting to come out of my "big bag" phase and am wanting to get back to carrying a small clutch like this one! I love it and can't wait for it to arrive!

Here is the link to LBG Studios shop... so many cute things.

Love those colors together don't you?

This week I have lots of fun posts to write and cute things to create and share! Including amazing mixed paper books made from re-purposed vintage hardbacks and holiday garland! I'm also going to be a writing a post about graffiti artists! I have been intrigued by graffiti the last few months especially, and I watched a documentary about it last night which totally inspired me. Can't wait to share and hear from you guys and gals on what you think about that particular art form.

I'm off to bed now! I love not having to set my alarm! Good night friends and I'll see you tomorrow! : )

Oh... P.S. If anyone is feeling particularly generous or looking for ideas for a Christmas present to get me... I am dying to have one of Elsie's paintings... like this one especially. I lurve it.