Bless my friend, Bettye @Fashion Schlub, and the other participant friends of Where Bloggers Live for keeping my space open so I could come back today to enthrall you with “How I Do….”
How you do what, Miss Dust-and-four-month-Vacation?
Okay, it wasn’t a vacation; there were some family things happening all around. My mom had a medical issue and needed some extra help, we did some traveling to watch our youngest compete in a few final races before he graduated, ClaireBear got her first apartment and moved out 😢, and um, I fractured my wrist.
So as I try to get back In the saddle, It’s a fitting time to address this month’s WBL topic: how we blog/process/get inspired, etc.
It’s definitely a mystery…certainly one Mr D&D would love to solve, because it does look a little like a crime scene around here lately.
Back in this post, I talked about my bucket list for the year. That was my first mistake. Bucket lists are my own personal kiss of death. Several items on the list are in progress, but the list has changed a little… much like these posts do from the moment I begin them to the moment I hit “Publish.”
Sometimes that happens by inspiration, sometimes by enthusiasm. I used to pick one thing and see it through to the end like any normal person who isn’t cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. But in recent years, life keeps interrupting my flow with things that cause me to change direction. Okay, some might say it’s an attention span issue. If I had a dollar for every time that happens…hey, did I tell you I got a free pair of Crocs?
Yep, that’s how it works. So… how do I get inspired to DO things?
Two words: SHINY PENNY.
You may have encountered shiny penny people in your life…someone cruising along with commitment and purpose, and then they see a shiny penny and “Hey! What’s that?!”
Full stop. Instant left turn, no signal.
Sometimes I shiny penny because the going gets tougher than expected: like the “super easy” ottoman that I finished,…
and then took apart because I didn’t find the legs to be long-term sturdy enough for the doggos. First. I re-envisioned a new support base that no longer fits the description of “super easy”; then I collected all the new base components and attempted to cut them to the proper size until my chop saw died mid-cut; which meant I had to stop and research what I wanted in a new chop saw; then wait for it to become available; then start learning how to use it.
SO… the aforementioned easy-peasy ottoman is currently in our family room, resting on its side so our cuddly chew-monster doesn’t eat the bottom of it while it awaits second completion.
Meanwhile….
The aforementioned dog, who used to be this:
and is now this:
chewed/dug a hole in the seats of BOTH of our kitchen wing chairs. Nothing says “welcome” like chair cushions that look like toilet seats.
Couldn’t you simply BUY new chairs like a normal person?
Silly you. (Kind of answered your own question there, didn’t you?)
No. No I couldn’t. Because little Miss Ego is certain she can recover the original and beautifully made ones as she once did with another pair of chairs. She, erm, I… had always planned to recover them, but that was a lower priority because the placeholder chairs were fine…until they were eaten. So I, collected all the materials to do THAT project, then proceeded to finish stripping the fabric from the chairs (which is the hardest part of recovering them, btw)
and moved them “temporarily” to our spare room while I get my sewing and upholstery equipment set up.
I also hadn’t forgotten that it was summer, and along with regular outdoor duties, HAD forgotten that I wanted to put in a little butterfly garden along the backyard path.
Not on the list? Screeeech, left turn, no signal….
And voila! Butterfly garden:
(Let’s spend a minute appreciating that I FINISHED this project).
And if you build it, they will come:
This was a remarkable day, and a bookmark for my summer. The entire time I was working in the area, two monarchs kept visiting me and circling the area while I worked, like kids waiting for a playground to be finished. They definitely weren’t shy and danced all around while I planted. Definitely a memory I will revisit often.
Since then, I’ve also seen several swallowtails and this unique visitor:
MEANWHILE….
I also won an online auction for a new dining room buffet, a key ingredient in my planned Dining Room Makeover, It’s ALMOST EXACTLY (a grammar expert would tell me it’s either “exact” or it isn’t, so I guess it isn’t…but it will be) what I had in mind, except for
those funky recessed diamonds. Anywho, dark teal lost out and it will be black when I finish painting it.
Finish?! You didn’t, did you…?
Yes. OF COURSE I started painting it!!! It’s huge and I can’t just leave it in my foyer for months on end!!! Well, at least not anymore, because I’ve ALREADY left it in my foyer for months on end.
ALSO…
During late spring. our street snow plow guy bashed into our mailbox post. Welp, I had temporarily repaired it with bungee cords. Not so pretty, but it kept the box attached while the replacement was on backorder. You know how I LOVE me a nice mailbox! The newly created openings, cracks and crevices in the post made a fine home for some very unfriendly wasps, who buzzed “GTFO” every time I collected the mail. (No, I do NOT speak bee, but some messages are crystal clear.) But then, the bungees began begging for mercy (okay, I do speak bungee) and the mailbox was pointing toward the street, which makes it tricky to keep the contents from spilling out, especially while dodging wasp stingers…so I had to just PICK something else and install it….which I DID! However, the mailbox suddenly looked SOOOOOO plain…
WHICH……
….was an EXCELLENT reason to learn how to use the Cricut machine that my kids bought me for “Shiny Penny Mother’s Day” (which occurs like regular “Mother’s Day,” but is for mothers who are still decorating the nursery even though her kiddos are grown. Just kidding, I finished the nurseries…jeeeezzzz.)
Anywho…
I DID learn how to make my first Cricut project for the mailbox….AND I completed it without any other endeavor getting in the way…phew!
Also, yes, I was too lazy to make a demo, so that’s my actual address. Stop by if you’re in the neighborhood–but call first, then drive around the block for an hour while I simultaneously change out of my pajamas, vacuum, and draw my daily eyebrows.
After all that…
I intended to revisit all the things I started, in reverse order. But over Labor Day weekend, THIS showed up in my driveway:
and another pile to match appeared the next day….which means someone ELSE has items for my bucket list as well.
So, to recap: what is my process for blogging and the things I do?
I fly by the seat of my pants.
_____
If you’re not exhausted from reading (did anyone actually read this besides me?) please visit the patient, creative, MUCH more organized ladies of “Where Blogger’s Live,” who have likewise shared their creative process(es)…but with FAR fewer words.
Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Bettye at Fashion Schlub
Leslie at Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After
Sally at Within a World of My Own
Iris at Iris’ Original Ramblings
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Who doesn’t like to peek behind the scenes and see inside people’s homes? The second Friday of each month is when this group of six bloggers links up to share their workspaces, homes, towns… or whatever our fearless leader, the fabulous Bettye, proposes.
Make sure you visit everyone to see where the magic happens!
So much going on…I need a nap now. And a puppy because isn’t that just the sweetest face ever? I can’t decide if that shrimp-hummingbird-moth is the coolest thing or a nightmare waiting to happen or both. So glad you joined in with your fun post!
She WAS sweet! Now she’s the devil…
I can’t imagine a time without her, although I do imagine how nice it will be when she settles down a smidgeon.
See you on your site a little later. 😉
Seriously, you could blog once a year and everyone would still be waiting on baited breath for your post. Because you know how to make us laugh, and laugh, and then melt with those photos of your fur baby. I even made my husband come over to see him (no, we still don’t have one yet).
What I want to know is did all the kids get your sense of humor? I sure wish I had been brought up with that because laugher is the best medicine. Did you know my license plate says “HAH HAH”?
I do wonder about remaking everything that you do. Then again, that’s calling the kettle black when I rip out a sweater portion because the neck was too big (or something).
Anyways, we always say “Squirrel” instead of shiny penny. Did you see “Up?” And it applies to…………..my mother!!!
OXOX
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
PS. I sure hope you didn’t notice that I did the same things as Bettye. Please tell me how I can make it up to you???
Aw, you’re such “good people.” You do know that when I was here all by myself, post after post and no one ever commented, you were the ONE and only who kept me blogging. It did and still does mean so much, so thank you!
My kids are actually fairly hilarious…like all the time. When they’re together I can’t even keep up with their banter…it’s crazy. Mr and I used to love the car rides with them because they were like rapid fire, razor sharp, stomach ache from laughing funny. They have a monthly “sibling date” and I would love to watch them from across the room.
A local talk show host always says “squirrel,” too, but I never knew the origin. I have seen (and love) “Up” but never put it together. The more you know! (Also, SHOCKED that your mom is one!!!)
xoxo
Yeah. What Cathy said – A+! Your posts are always so fun, if exhausting – not the READING, but the imagining DOING ALL THE THINGS YOU DO! I can’t. I literally cannot.
Okay, the Cricut. I need to know things. Your mailbox is impeccable. A) I’ve always been fond of the bee symbol, and B) it’s so CRISP. Will it stay like that for…well, not EVER…but for a good amount of time?? Well done, Miss Em.
And your floofy baby all growed up?? Give him a hug from Aunt Bettye (I AM talkin about the dog here).
And I owe you the GIANTEST of apologies! I JUST realized I didn’t include your link on my post! I left your picture in but forgot to add your name/link back in 🙁 I’ve added it now, but please forgive me 🙁
xoxo Till next time!
OMG, I totally did the same thing and slunked back to my site to add her in. That’ll teach me from just going back to the last Where Bloggers Live and copying the names,
XOXO
Jodie
OR….you could say, “Hey… I linked you for months when you were a no show….so it serves you right!” But thank you for being you and not only NOT saying that, but for going back and adding me. 😘. I am undeserving, but grateful.
Wait, I skip four months of posts without notice and you’re apologizing to me?! Not remotely necessary, but very nice of you to add me!
Anywho….thank you for your generous letter grade. I suspect my parents will be happy to know that–after all these years–I finally got an A for something. Mr would prefer I got an A in cleaning, btw.
So the Cricut mailbox… gotta say, it took a few tries to get it right, but that was a favorite thing and I have been shamelessly proud of it…. zero humility or false modesty….the rarest home run for me. (Pretty obnoxious, I know.). The packaging for the vinyl says it should last ~3 years (or until it the plow guy drives into it again).
I have a thing for bees, too. I used to do the bee dance if one was anywhere near me…all the running and flailing. But I’ve come to appreciate now that the good ones don’t care at all about me and I work right along side them w/o fear.
(Just “bee”tween thee and me, I found little brass bees for my buffet that will fit right inside those diamonds! Woot woot!)
LOL – shiny penny – yeah, sounds about like it. I did enjoy reading your post. Loved your butterfly garden and your buffet. Remember you need to do a post when you’ve finished the buffet (I’ll try and live that long – sorry, couldn’t resist that 🙂 )
Iris
Hahaha! That’s hilarious, Iris! Well, played! Yay you! 👏🏻👏🏻. 🤣
So SO glad you are back! I have missed your posts. I read it all too. Funny, we have wasps in the newspaper box this summer. I called the bug guy, paid the hefty bill, (hey, you can’t put a price on that) and now THEY ARE BACK! Hope things settle down enough that you can resume blogging on the regular.
Music to my ears, Anne! (Not the hefty bill part, though, haha. I had to call a bug guy too. Wasps were crawling into the eaves at our back door by the dozens …and I could HEAR them scritching and scratching in the hallway. Yeeks!)
I got stung by a nasty one a few weeks ago, my arm looked like Popeye’s. Still itches!
Fingers crossed on things settling down…. last kiddo moves out in October…so it’s either projects or depression! Blogging might be the perfect diversion.
Thanks for the nice comment!
OM Gosh! I was so excited to hear about your “Shiny Penny”. You see, my hubby says this to me ALL THE TIME!! And it is true! 😉 I have projects almost finished, half-way done and just beginning. But it is only in crafts that I do this. I have an online bookkeeping business in my real life, and I have everything organized and on time, etc.–clients are all happy. Wonder what this says about me??? But I was so happy to read your story and know that I am not alone in this pursuit of “Shiny Pennies”. Keep looking for them! Glad that you’re back and hope to hear more.
Trust me, Tina! I’m just as excited to hear you’re a penny spotter, too!
I think it makes perfect sense that your penny has a second, less shiny side. I mean, first, WHO would want a disorganized bookkeeper? That’s definitely not an option, haha.
Occasionally, people have accused me of being organized, but that only happens outside the house when it HAS to…the same way I can somehow complete a task that has a hard-deadline… (Back in the day, I was a technical writer…and those deadlines were UNmissable.)
So what are you crafting these days?
EM!!!!!!
You are right!!!! You were, indeed, not the only reader – I read this post down to the very last word (…the very last drop! If I may make a centuries-old reference!!) and sighed with happiness.
Yes, I laughed aloud NUMEROUS TIMES throughout my reading of your very clever post. I felt transported from my (by comparison) quite dull living room and out into the grand world of Em and Her Various Adventures + Cute Dogs + Darling Butterflies + Funny All The Day Long. So thank you.
I was going to comment on every little thing you said which I found funny, but even I cannot attempt such a feat. I bow down, an unworthy and grateful peasant. Please do not feel apologetic for any silences of any length while blogging — especially when they are followed by so delicious and tasty a post as this one clearly was.
In short: A+
Love!
Cathy in Missouri, still alive in spite of it all – and glad you are, as well
Wow, Cathy! You are a VERY welcome guest!
I kept thinking that this post was too looooong, too chaotic and doubted anyone would make it past the third paragraph…even with the shameless puppy picture, haha. Then all of a sudden “CiM” popped up in my mailbox and I was so happy to see your name!
Grateful that you “get me” and were nice enough to take the time to tell me so.
For whatever it’s worth, your generous comments always leave me with a HUGE smile on my face. In fact, Mr is next to me as I am typing this and wants to know what I’m reading because of it. So many, many thanks from my living room to yours! xoxo