Blurring by.

Life is a bit hectic lately- but it doesn't seem that it is that way for any good reason. Time is just flying by, and yet again I feel a little left behind... although I'm actually caught right up to where I've been wanting to be. I'm engaged- a good step towards the future I desire. Everything else, however, seems to have been put on stand-still- even though time never stops. I'm trying so hard to savor moments, but sometimes it seems like the moments pass too quickly to remember. Well, I'm trying, and that is what is most important, I guess. I've just got to focus! I've got to focus on what I want to accomplish- a creative life, a comfortable and welcoming home, and for next year: a beautiful and memorable wedding. I've got to focus on cherishing the moments that are involved in planning a wedding- searching for that perfect dress, picking out favors to help thank my guests, asking people I love to be my attendants in a special and creative way. Life is great, I've got to treat it as such! Casey is wonderful and I am so in love- being engaged is delightful! I guess I just need to relax and slow time down on my own, because it's certainly not going to slow down for me.

Here are some more wedding inspiration boards I like from Style Me Pretty. Although I'm into using tropical colors, I love the country inspired elements of some of these boards. I think they are simple and comforting.

I really love the cobalt blue with orange in this board! It's a neat combination and incorporates not only some of my fave colors, but also some other elements I love- like the lanterns.

I'm not into purple for my wedding, but this had a great outdoor, country feel. Hmm, a repeat of that barn. :)

I really like the lanterns in this board! And also the use of various colors- it shows that you don't have to pick just one!

Wow, I am not doing very well with posting, but I have been quite absorbed by being so happily engaged and by coming up with a tangle of ideas for my wedding. The date is set, we have a wedding party chosen, but the rest is a jumble! I've got so many ideas- all linked in some way, but that need to be brought together. Fortunately, I have plenty of time to straighten things out and make it a memorable day. Below are some photos that I like and that inspire the color for my own wedding.

I really like turquoise/aqua and other tropical inspired colors. I'm thinking about using turquoise or some other blueish color like turquoise with peridot/green and orange accents. Casey and I both love the beach, so using colors inspired by a tropical vacation makes sense! The last photo is a board done for the blog called Style Me Pretty. I love the mason jar lanterns and the flowers in the various vases- especially the turquoise pitcher at the bottom! And the pink cowgirl boots under the dress! I think that is great, although I'm not going to wear boots with my dress, I was thinking of wearing white boots with jeans and a "bride" t-shirt for the reception... after all the pictures in my dress have been taken of course! It's just a thought, but we'll see if I actually decide to do it! Below are some boots I like for the idea...

Wow, what a weekend!

So, I can finally spill the beans! I have been planning for months, with the help of some family members, a surprise 25th Anniversary party for my parents, and this weekend the party all came together! I'm not sure how much of a surprise it was, but the party was great anyways! There were a lot of special people there, the cake turned out beautifully, and Mom and Dad were really happy. Annnnnd, in addition to the anniversary fun, I also got engaged! I am so excited! I've been waiting for that moment for so long, and it was just wonderful! I think I'm still in a bit of shock, but I'm sure that will wear off when I start planning the big day! So, this blog will now not only be a place for me to spill my creative thoughts about every day life, it will also likely become a place filled with inspiration for my wedding.

Yay for me, I've started already!

I posted earlier today about wanting a more creative home. Well, I came home from work and got started! I rearranged a bit the top of a dresser in my bedroom. It's not greatly creative, but I like the way it turned out... so far! I used some regular acrylic paint on the set of plastic drawers I keep jewelry in. It has an almost opaque look, but I think it looks neat. It's a good start for what I'm looking for, I think!


I also took a photo of a corner in my kitchen. I've had this set up for quite awhile and I still really enjoy the way it looks. The painting on the cupboard door is done on scrap paper and then just taped onto the door. There are a few knick-knacks on the top of the basket-like shelving unit I've collected or been given. The calendar is a Vermont calendar my sister gave me for Christmas- a daily reminder of home! The grayish mugs with flowers are some Casey's Mom gave me as a gift- they belonged to her and I had said how much I loved them and so she gave them to me. They still make me very happy! :) The little ceramic plaque hanging on the glass water bottle (which I like because of the label colors and because of drinking that brand over dinner with my Mom and sister once) says one of my favorite Scottish blessings:

Dance like no one is watching;
Sing like no one is listening;
And live like every day is your last.

All in all, I think I had an okay start on my goal to make my apartment a more creative and beautiful atmosphere. I'll continue to tweak a few things and share as I go along!

Pretty living space...

So, I am moved today, in addition to Curbside Treasure collages, by some posts at Design*Sponge. She discusses people who post photos of their homes, as well as gives us a peek into her own work-in-progress place. Having such a creative space- not just to create, but that looks creative- is something I really want! I already drive Casey crazy with my compulsive organization, pretty boxes, and what he calls clutter, but really I'm just trying to express myself and I would LOVE to have such pretty spaces as some other people have and share! My apartment is small... and we are only renting... but I still think I could do some really great things to help motivate me to be creative more often. I've tried already to make changes that will inspire me, but I just haven't hit that spot quite yet. I'm doing some creative stuff, but not to the extent that I'd like to be. I guess that's another project idea to add to my list- spiffing up my apartment so that it inspires me to be creative and make, as well as surround myself with, beautiful things!

Below is a picture of my bedroom back home. My Mom fixed it up for me like this before my last trip up there. She has the benefit of working for a luxury linen company, so that is helpful! But her creative touches are what make this area so great- such as the simple idea of putting scrapbook paper in a frame to use as art. I love this idea, actually, and have a piece of scrapbook paper I don't really want to use for a scrapbook, but think is very beautiful, that I could use in this way. The best part about this space is that it is simple. It is not fussy or frilly, it is just simple and beautiful. These are some characteristics I like and will take into account when I work on my apartment. I'll post some photos of my apartment soon with changes I've made, or things I already have, but I wanted to include some sort of photo in this post and this one fits the concept.

Calm Before The Storm.

A storm is making itself known in the area of my apartment right now. It's raining a little and thunder can be heard. Casey and I have been sitting on the balcony trying to sight some lightning, but we seem to be facing the wrong direction in relation to the storm. We've seen a few amazing streaks, but mostly it's just flickers of light behind the clouds. The wind carries the essense of the storm and the air feels the way it always feels when there is potential for lightning and thunder and rain. When a storm comes around lately, I am reminded of a particular experience. It happened last time I was home in Vermont- in early July of this year. Tana and I were at Treasure Island (a little beach on a lake) and we were about to go down in the water, us and the two kids she was babysitting, when the lifeguards announced everyone had to get out of the water because a storm was moving in. Sure enough, when we turned around and looked over the trees, there were dark clouds hovering quickly towards the sky above us. As we prepared the kids to get them to the car, there was this sudden stillness. It was a powerful stillness. We both looked up from what we were doing and said almost at the same time "Did you feel that?" It was the calm. The calm that takes hold of the air and the trees and everything just before a storm hits. I had never experienced it so bluntly before and it was amazing, a serious experience of God's power through nature. This is one of those crazy natural occurences that gets transferred to life experiences. You may go through a calm period, where everything is peaceful and right, and suddenly your world falls apart around you. Although this is a hard thing to go through, I am glad to know that the rain always ends- often taking away hurtful and bad things that you didn't even know where there, cleansing you- and lots of times this cleansing causes another of God's great creations- a rainbow, a colorful symbol of forgiveness, of purification. They say there is gold at the end of the rainbow, but maybe the rainbow is the gold.

Bliss at the Beach

What an amazing weekend! Casey and I got up very early Saturday morning and made our way to Virginia Beach for a weekend of sunshine. We hit traffic on the way, of course, but we made it down there in plenty of time to make a full day of beach fun. After parking, we headed to the beach and set up our spot. After relaxing in the sun for a bit, we decided it was time to get in the water. BRRRRR! It's so cold when you first get in, but soon we were feeling grand as the cool water enveloped us and shooed away the hot, sticky thickness of the air on the shore. We spent some time floating on the waves, relaxed and at ease with the powerfulness of the ocean. Soon we decided to go and check into our room, which looked out on the ocean and even had a jacuzzi (surprise from Casey)! After settling in our things, we headed back to the beach, where we spent some more time lounging in the sun and floating on the waves. Eventually the tide changed so that it was right for boogie boarding, which Casey and I took full advantage of. This activity is something that just over a year ago I never would have dreamed of doing! I used to be very fearful of the water, but last summer Casey helped me overcome my fear by coaxing me into the water, holding my hand so to speak, until I was brave enough to go out to the sandbar with him. He let me try out his board, and soon I was rushing out of the water to go and buy my own! I am grateful that he helped me overcome my fear and now I have an excellent activity to look forward to doing with him when we visit the beach. Sometimes I get in the water even faster than him now! :) Saturday night we had a nice dinner on the beach and enjoyed some fun at the arcade. Sunday brought another sunny day, as well as one of my favorite experiences the beach can bring- dolphins. I looked out off the balcony and thought I saw a dolphin right off shore, and sure enough, there was a school of fish fluttering around the top of the water and the dolphins were having some breakfast. I was very excited to see the dolphins so close to the shore line! I watched for a few minutes until Casey dragged me away so we could load up the car and head down to the beach. Fortunately the dolphins were still going back and forth along the beach by the time I got there. It's definitely one of my favorite things to watch in the whole world! Sunday we spent most of our time just lounging on the beach under our newly purchased umbrella. We spent a little time in the water, but mostly we just relaxed on shore... Casey even took a nap! It was wonderful to just sit there and listen to and feel the sounds of the beach- the waves crashing, children shrieking in delight as the water splashes them, the ocean breeze, a barely audible radio, sand between my toes. It is such a peaceful feeling the beach brings to me. I think that my love of the beach has been passed down to me through my Mom, who used to spend a lot of time at the beach in her childhood. It certainly is one of my favorite places and I am so grateful to be able to share it with someone I love, who loves it as much as I do!

To Nap and Play Like Kitties

"Pets live so contentedly in the present moment."~BanBreathnach

Every day I am humored by my kitties and their crazy antics. But I'm also given a sense of peace when watching them sleep. I guess it is like having children in that sense. No matter how my little ones make me feel, and I can tell you that sometimes they drive me up the wall, I am often envious of their ability to be content no matter what they are up to. Now, I don't want to contradict myself because I believe that if we are unhappy in our lives we should not try to force ourselves to be content- we should take steps to do better- but I also think that when living in the present moment and doing the best we can to live our most fulfilling lives, we need to take time to look at ourselves and say "Okay, life is good, I'm content with this." Most people will never have everything they want, but as long as we are striving for a purpose greater than our own needs, I think that we can feel pretty good about ourselves.

"The greatest use of life is doing something that will outlast it."
~ William James

While striving to serve a purpose beyond ourselves, it is also important to play, to be merry, and to have fun. My cats play with a vivacity that makes me laugh uncontrollably at times. They run around my apartment as if they had a never-ending reserve of youth and energy. Although we often become so exhausted and stressed that it is hard to be pleasant, it's important to remember that each minute we stay grumpy we lose out on precious time we could be spending doing other things- like playing, loving, and making memorable moments. So, next time you are feeling down and need a pick-me-up, look at all the good things in your life and be content with those things- love your family and let them love you back, watch your pets play, rest and rejuvenate yourself, take a nap, curl up with a book-- liive in the moment and smile!

(This post expresses some of my feelings, but it is mostly a great excuse to post pictures of my little sweethearts! Aren't they cute?!)

Over the Mountains

There are times in life when you gotta crawl,
Lose your grip, trip and fall,
When you can't lean on no one else,
That's when you find yourself,
I've been around and I've noticed that,
Walkin's easy when the road is flat,
Them dang'd old hills will get you every time,
Yeah, the good Lord gave us mountains,
So we can learn how to climb. ~Lonestar

So, I've got this plan in my mind. A plan to become a better me. A plan to serve a purpose, the purpose God created for me, whether I know what that plan is or not. Unfortunately, I sometimes go astray from this plan- an example being the first three days of this week. I feel like the time has just dragged me along through the boring work days... almost like torture... and I'm exhausted from it. Well, last night I was reading- which I do every night before I go to bed- and one of the things I read discussed the idea of feeling good and being positive and how doing so can make other positive things happen in your life. I had been trying to tell myself before reading this that I just need to change my attitude and try to be more upbeat, no matter how exhausted I am. The reading really confirmed my thoughts and gave me ideas on how to help keep myself from getting down. On the way home from work today the song "Mountains" by Lonestar came on the radio (chorus above), and while I listened to it I was confirmed even further that I need to stop being so negative, to look at all the struggles I've gone through and realize they've made me stronger, and that I need to stop being such a grump and take advantage of all the opportunties life gives me- big or small. Although it's really hard sometimes for me to be positive, I'm just naturally against myself it seems, I am glad that I am beginning to learn how to shove away those feelings and try to be positive and excited about my life. Because if you can't be excited about your life, if you can't climb the mountains as they come, then what's the point in waking up each morning to a brand new day? Nothing. So, to you and to myself I say "Be happy! Start each day with a smile and say to yourself: 'what greatness will I accomplish today? How can I make the world better and in turn myself better? Let's see what's on the other side of the mountains!'"


On the top, a negative perspective of what's over the mountain (or hills), and on the bottom a positive perspective. Which one will you choose- the sunshine or the gloom?