A Long Time Ago...
Please bear with me. I have a little bit of stage fright on here. This is really my first attempt at anything creative-like in the past 16 or so years. (And I'm extremely computer illiterate, if you haven't figured that out yet. My knowledge is very limited to-- point, click and panic when you turn on the computer and a cryptic message appears, followed by "press 'enter' to continue".)
What is there to say about me? I have two daughters, ages 5 and 16. (Let's just say we've had my oldest study abroad at her father's since last year.) I've been married for almost ten years now, to a guy who does not have a single mean bone in his body, and whom sleeps until noon like a diva, on his days off.
We've gone through a lot through the years though. Before I met my husband, I was raising my oldest as a single parent, losing my mother at the age of 23. After meeting my husband, there've been issues pertaining to health, financial, (and as stated before) teenaged antics-- on top of raising her younger sister. It's been hectic, but in the process, I've lost a lot of who I used to be while trying to make sure everyone's needs were met. (The only need I've ever had the energy to meet for myself, has been sleep. And even that hasn't worked out too well, when I wake up at the crack of dawn to a little voice next to my pillow saying "I need your help getting the milk".)
Ask me a few months ago, what I liked to do, and I would stare at you like you were speaking a different language. And it did feel that foreign. Honestly, I really couldn't remember. All I did, was laundry, dishes, shopping, cooking and cleaning. Did that count? But then again, were those things I enjoyed? Something wasn't right in my universe. I lost myself.
I've had it lately though. I too, want to know what it's like to color with crayons again! I want to go into Michaels and feel inspired, rather than overwhelmed. (And I also want to figure out how the heck to throw a background on these things, because I know it shouldn't be taking over an hour like it already has!)
So, I apologize for the squeaky start on here. Yes, I am inspired by Martha Stewart and Pottery Barn. But sadly, I don't have the hundreds of dollars that it takes to go antiquing at auctions in the country; bringing home a 200-year old refurbishing project. (However, I do have a few items in my possession that I'm currently sifting the net over, so I don't screw them up-- like I did with my mom's old wicker basket; spray painting it with high gloss espresso spray paint, instead of the intended espresso stain!) For now, I am keeping it simple; trying to streamline and orgainze my life in my 850sq feet of space that I share with my husband and 5-year old daughter. I've been rediscovering simple do-it-yourself projects and design techniques, that inspire me to be the person I once was before. And I've realized that by doing so, that I may not need all that Calgon like I thought I once did!
Sincerely,
