spring cleaning

It's that time again...you can see it everywhere you look (and no, I'm not referring to pollen, although I might as well be!) It's the annual spring cleaning event...are you prepared with your Rubbermaid bins?

Like most people with children, this is the time of year we clean out the closets, go through everything that still fits, kinda fits, and definitely does NOT fit. Pulling out shoes, socks, sweaters, dresses, pants, capris, shorts, tank tops, hoodies...the list goes on and on. With multiple piles and little hands pulling out their "favorite" [insert article of clothing here] the job becomes intense, and damn near impossible.

Aside from our girls' closets I've decided to take on some spring cleaning projects of my own. Sure, my closet is in desperate need of a makeover (along with my shoe collection), but I'm thinking bigger. I'm looking at the entire picture.

After registering Elizabeth for preschool last week it occurred to me that I only have 1 more year with her at home. Beginning in August she will be in school Monday-Friday, from 8:30am-3 (or 4, or whenever I decide to pick her up). I'm going to dedicate the emotional details of this experience to it's own blog post...but in a nutshell, I had another "ah-ha" moment.

My moment of insight allowed me to see that I am ultimately in control of what happens in my life. Sure, our parents, teachers, and mentors have been telling us this for years. Heck, I've even told my slew of people this very same thing. But it's a lot easier to dish advice out to others than take it for yourself.

Far too often I find myself running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I'm either going in one direction or another, and I rarely stop to smell the roses. Not only with my kids, but just for me. With the summer right around the corner I want to be totally prepared to take my girls to the pool or spend a day with some friends. After all, this is why I started my own business...so I could do things like this. At the end of my life I doubt the memories I have with my laptop will bring much joy to my heart.

I've decided to take the bull by the horns and do some personal spring cleaning. I've scheduled a personal workout routine, I've set office hours for myself (never thought that would happen!), and I am setting boundaries for myself. As a self proclaimed workaholic I have found that I'm my own worst enemy. So enough already. I'm done. Rubber gloves, Pledge and Windex won't hold a candle to this flame.

a shrink...without the bill

Wow. It's been almost two weeks since my last post and to be perfectly honest this is the last thing I should be doing right now. My to do list is a mile long, and my blog is certainly not an income producing activity. But this morning I just don't care. I've bumped my blog up to #1 today...not for anyone else, but for me.

My friend Kristy published a post yesterday on how her blog is like therapy for her. I totally agree, and seeing how I don't have time to see a shrink I figured the least I could do was take a small chunk of my day and do something for myself. So here it is. If I were sitting on a couch with a small water fountain trickling,  relaxing spa music in the background, and 50 minutes to kill, this is what I would have to say.

My breakup with Carbs (we'll call him Carb) was a pretty painful month, and although I managed to shed 8 pounds I decided it just wasn't worth the madness. I was dreaming about cupcakes, and for some reason that just doesn't seem normal. Needless to say I have slowly integrated a healthy relationship with my long lost pal Carb, and so far so good. I even lost another 2 pounds. Can't complain.

Our girls are doing well, and we are so tremendously thankful for good news regarding our baby Kennedy. Turns out she can hear just fine...she's just stubborn as an ox and hard headed. I have no idea where she gets this personality trait from, but frankly, I'm impressed : )

As for Elizabeth...her birthday is just around the corner and I really can't believe it. The last 4 years have flown by, and yes, I know...they only get faster as we get older. I am doing my best to cherish every moment with her. On Sunday I took her out for ice cream and we had a blast. Just sitting in the booth together, talking and giggling about silly things- I had one of those "ah ha" moments. You know, the kind when you just want everything around you to stop so you can stay like this forever? I love it when that happens.

Shortly thereafter I realized there are probably more moments like that available to me throughout the day, but I'm too busy to notice them. Either I'm on the phone, on my computer, folding laundry, cooking dinner, whatever it is. It seems there's always SOMETHING. All of those SOMETHINGS actually mean NOTHING- so I am really going to try to focus on my kids when we are together. Even if that means sending people to voice mail or not responding immediately to email. My family is worth that, and much more.

On a spiritual note, we participated in a child dedication service yesterday at our church, dedicating both of our daughters to Christ. As parents we have vowed to teach our children about the Bible and raise them in a Christian home. I feel like this is the best gift we could give them- a strong, unwavering faith to guide them as they grow. We are praying as a family for several friends and family members right now, and God has been working miracles.

Speaking of miracles, my dear friend Jennifer and her husband Jimmy have been fighting for their sweet baby girl...they received wonderful news yesterday from the cardiologist and from what it looks like everything is going to be just fine. I can't wait to meet this baby girl when she's born- she is a fighter and her parents are true warriors for Christ.

Overall life is good. I make it my goal to rejoice in daily victories, and this post is my first one of the day- whoohoo! Now it's on to everything else...let the day begin.

creating creativity

As most of you know by now I am pretty obsessed with party planning and anything that could involve some creativity. All it takes is a little inspiration to get my wheels turning, and voila! Something magical happens!

Several months ago I discovered the world of Etsy. I know, I know, I've been living under a rock...but for those of you who are STILL under the rock, Etsy is a creative person's dream come true. The website, www.etsy.com, provides an online marketplace for people who create beautiful things to sell. I don't care what it is you're looking for...chances are, you can find it on Etsy. Anything from vintage candle sticks to logo design to boutique-style children's clothing, this site has it all.

Take these monkey fondant cupcake toppers, for example from the Etsy Shop EdibleDetails...

Okay, really? How cute are these? You can literally buy fondant icing creations like this to top off your preschool classroom cupcakes...and just like that you're given the title of Martha Stewart. Jeez.Who thinks of this stuff? I'm gonna use this word again...GENIUS!

 

What fascinates me the most is the amount of pure creative energy that is out there in this world. From the sites I have surfed (most being party or child related), it appears that the majority of these sellers are amazing women. These ladies have serious talent, and best of all, they are channeling their creative juices to design products they love, and in turn, they make money. Genius!

Through further investigation I have realized that a lot of these women are intertwined by their blogs, Etsy shops, and loyal customers. They support each other through commenting and mentioning each other on their various websites, blogs and promotional materials. How awesome is that?!?

Just from visiting one blog last night I was connected with almost 5 different women, all of whom have shops on Etsy, personal blogs, and businesses to call their own. Each of them offer a variety of services and products (think photographer-event planner-graphic designer-blogger-business coach)...seriously, all in one place.

All I have to say about this is WOW. Having just recently entered the world of blogging, it appears there is much more to this so called "virtual network." I know this is just the tip of the iceberg, but I couldn't help but share my fascination. If you're new to this whole thing (and I doubt you are, but just in case...) check out Etsy.com and browse around. It takes a little getting used to but once you get the hang of it you'll be hooked!

As for me, well, I'm happy to say I have finally found people who I can outsource some creative projects to. Yippee!

it all started with a cupcake

I am a passionate person. When I believe in something I give it my whole heart- the word "slacker" does not exist in my vocabulary (except, of course, when it comes to exercise)...But that's besides the point. Every now and then I'll stumble upon something that inspires me, and when it hits me there's no turning back. It's over. Done. Might as well call it a day.

Inspiration comes to me in several different ways, but most of the time it falls in one of the following categories:
-Paper (invitations, stationery, or pretty much anything printed on paper)
-Clothing/Shoes (hence the totally amazing boots on my sidebar)
-Decorative Accessories (a vintage tea cart, for example, which has sent me into a tea party tailspin...this subject deserves it's own post-coming soon!)
-Photographs (all it takes is a gorgeous picture to spark a flame in my heart)

This weekend I was hit by the Mac Truck of inspiration. All of the aforementioned categories were smooshed together, resulting in a brainstorm of the most amazing birthday party on the planet. It all started with a cupcake.

Yes, a cupcake. Last week I designed a flier for a client that centered around a Valentine's Day Cupcake event. After browsing the internet for cupcake images I started salivating. Then it hit me. I've been living under a rock. Cupcakes are all the rage right now, and I didn't get the memo. Kinda like Bubba and Forrest Gump and the whole shrimp thing. You name it, they've got it. Cupcake towers, wedding cupcakes, cupcake parties, cupcake costumes, blogs about cupcakes, cupcake parlors, "cupcakeries", cupcake decorations...good grief I could go on and on.

This cupcake epiphany led to an intense desire to experience the madness. The answer was simple. With my daughter's 4th birthday approaching in April, I knew I was onto something. Within a few hours I had the whole event sketched in my head, planned to a T, cupcakes galore and all the fixins'.

Needless to say the past few days have been a blur. Between surfing the web for cupcake party ideas and visiting antique stores I have experienced inspiration at it's finest. I have dreamed of cupcakes and even sent my husband on a bakery run (for the kids...remember, I broke up with carbs 15 days ago...)

The spark has been lit and I'm a woman on a mission. Bring on the cupcakes.

I couldn't resist sharing a little bit of inspiration. I apologize now for publishing these images...you'll be amazed at how the craving for a cupcake will take over you almost instantly. Good luck with that :)

 

Creative Hostess inspiration board- one of many incredible parties to view!

from The Cupcake Blog  (no, I wasn't kidding!)

And check out this AMAZING Princess Tea Party from Lemiga Events:

 

If that doesn't inspire you to host a princess cupcake tea party then jeez...I don't know what would!

CAN YOU STAND IT?!?

poor guys...they just can't win

I have to admit- I'm not a huge believer in Valentine's Day. I kinda agree that it's a forced holiday in which most women sit around waiting for their [insert significant other here] to pull out all the stops. You know the drill: send flowers (and by flowers we all know I mean ROSES),  make reservations, and  perhaps even a special gift after dinner (the smaller the box the better).

Of course all of these things are nice- I love getting roses just as much as the next girl, and I would much prefer a nice dinner rather than the same old grilled chicken at Chili's. But here's the problem- we are setting ourselves up for disaster. Men really can't win on Valentine's Day- they're damned if they do and they're damned if they don't. You have the classic Jeckyll and Hyde dilemma with the wife who tells you NOT to spend $100 on roses, but then sits around with her panties in a bunch because it's 4:30pm and there has yet to be a delivery to her doorstep. OR, the wife receives the overpriced dozen of roses and proceeds to complain the next week that so much money was spent on flowers that are now dead. Best of all...a sentence that goes like this, "Hunny, you didn't have to send me flowers...you could have done something different or creative...I don't care about flowers."

Lie. Lie. Lie.

We DO care about flowers. We DO care about dinner. We DO care about presents. But here's the catch- all we really want is to feel special.

Instead of waiting for my husband to fail today (I have faith!), I decided to take matters into my own hands. If Valentine's Day is about making the person you love feel special then as far as I'm concerned I am just as responsible for this as he is. I told him to clear his lunch schedule, booked a 1:15pm lunch reservation at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, and arrived at his work with an obscene display of affection.

And by obscene I don't lie- we're talking a dozen giant helium balloons, a giant stuffed monkey the size of our 4 year old, and a gift basket put together by yours truly...filled with his favorite treats (all of which were Atkins Diet friendly). I got all dolled up, ditched the jeans for my sexy black pants, and even put on some bling. After all, he is my husband and I wanted him to feel special.

I'm pretty sure I was successful, because the look on his face when I walked through his office door was priceless. He had the sweet little smile that I see every once in a while...the smile I see when he's genuinely happy.

I'm not disappointed today, simply because I made the decision to make this Valentine's Day a good one. After all, if you want something done right, you should probably just do it yourself.

planting a seed

I can remember as a little girl watching my mom work in the garden...wondering why she spent so much time digging in the dirt for such little return. Or at least that's what I thought.

As a kid you really can't appreciate a beautiful garden. To a kid, flowers are flowers and according to kids they just grow when the weather warms up and the sun comes out. If only it were that easy. As an adult I can appreciate the blood (yes, there was blood), sweat (lots and lots of it), and tears (occasionally) that go into creating a beautiful garden. I would also venture to say that this garden, so to speak, can be applied to almost everything in life.

Throughout the course of this journey called life I have planted my share of seeds. Not only personally, but also as an entrepreneur. Several of these seeds have grown and flourished into amazing blooms. By blooms I mean relationships, partnerships, and friendships.

One of the most important lessons my mother taught me was the value of nurturing those seeds, tending to them, watering them, and sometimes even the occasional re-planting. By watching her I also learned to never give up on them. No matter what a seed have might looked like, the potential for growth was always there. She labored and pruned, sodded, watered, fertilized...the whole nine yards.

When I reflect on these so-called "blooms" in my life I realize there's a common thread, regardless of what the relationship may be. Whether it's a friend, a colleague, or a client, I am committed to making the most of each seed- and I never, ever give up on them. The result? A beautiful garden.

have I missed my calling?

If you're a regular reader of my blog then you'll remember my post a while back when I talked about wedding photography. I am definitely passionate about pictures (especially when they're amazing!), but I think I've narrowed down my passion to one simple word: parties.

Yup. It's true. And all of you who know me are nodding your heads and laughing. I am completely obsessed with parties. I don't know if I've totally missed my calling in life by not being a party planner, but really, it appears there are plenty of them out there that are doin' just fine.

My daughter will be turning 4 in April and for some reason I have become obsessed with planning her party. Because I've been so busy working and dealing with some unexpected family stress, I think this party just gives me something to look forward to. Yes, I realize she is 3 and probably won't remember it, but I will. Surely that counts for something, right?

It's amazing how my view has changed this year in regards to celebratory events. For Elizabeth's 3rd birthday party we went to the Gymnastics place (a.k.a. warehouse with horrible lighting).  I spent $50 at Party City on tacky Disney Princess decor, ordered a few pizzas and called it a day. And I absolutely refuse to discuss the party (or lack thereof) for my second daughter's 1st birthday. I cringe when I think about it. Please note: this was completely out of character for me and I really have no idea how it happened. Do know, however, that with a young baby one tends to make rash decisions under pressure (hence the plastic tablecloths and "made in china" party favors).

I'm pretty sure my party passion was subdued over the last year due to sudden loss of my Mother-in-Law and the birth of our second child (which occurred within 48 hours of each other), among other things. Excuses, excusess, call it what you want. All I know is that I'm back.

That's right. Me, the crazy passionate party lady is back and I'm in full force. My poor husband...he has no idea what he's in for. In November we hosted a football party for the UF/UGA game- I was inspired and went a little overboard...but the party was a hit! As far as I'm concerned a party is only as fabulous as it's details...and I am the QUEEN of party details.

During a baby shower planning session this weekend one of the gals looked at me with conviction and said, "You should do this for a living." I smiled, agreed, and we continued with the checklist. So perhaps I missed the boat on the whole party planning for a living thing...lucky for me I've got two little girls who have a mommy for hire. And to my darling Kennedy, I promise to make it up to you for #2.