Never Underestimate the Decorating Power of Duct Tape

I purchased some discount frames at Ikea and have been thinking for weeks about how I was going to display them on the wall. I finally figured I would have to get out the level and pencil to measure and hang each one. And then somewhere out there in blog land, someone mentioned a similar project using duct tape.

So 2 hours later, one sliced finger and 15 yards of duct tape... Voila the bathroom is now blessed with art. The coolest thing, I took all the pictures during our summer vacation to Catalina Island. (for the record, it is almost impossible to take a bad picture on Catalina Island)

Two Confession...

Confession 1: My dog Macy has 100% control over me... as evidenced by that fact she gets multiple treats, every day, and sleeps under the covers by my feet. And when I do muster up the courage to say no to her... as in "No! you can not have a 10th cookie", "No you can not play with the cat's tail" and "No I will not rub your belly for an hour", this is the look she gives me...

Confession 2: I buy a lottery ticket once a week. Do I think I will actually win? I hope so , but realistically, my weekly lottery ticket is a week long license to dream without limits. As I sit in traffic, I think about what house I would buy, destinations I would travel to, good deeds I would perform and luxuries I would indulge in... My little fantasies change each week and leave me feeling indulgent and giddy at the end of my commute. A dollar well spent.

This week I would buy this house, surprise friends and family with this car and plan a weekend getaway to this destination. So here is the truly funny thing. For all my day dreaming the basic things I want always remain the same and even more startling, they really don't require Millions to achieve...

1. I want a happy home and a welcoming garden.
2. I want my friends and family to know how much I cherish them and to see them happy.
3. I want a creative life filled with inspiration, creativity and joy.
4. I want to give a little bit back to the world, that has given me so much...

does any of this require multi millions... certainly not and this realization is priceless...

My Cat is the Devil!

Okay, maybe the title of this post is a little too strong, but if you were in my shoes you might feel the same way.

Out of boredom, spite or demonic possession, my cat has taken to ripping everything off my walls and knocking everything off my shelves.

Often he does it while I am at work. I leave and everything is neat and tidy(as tidy as they get for me), I return and it looks like a massacre of craft supplies. Ribbons lay sprawled and bloody next to molested balls of yarn... and buttons, battered and abused, quiver under masses of shredded postcards. I stifle my sobs and put it all back together but the next day, the massacre is even worse and then, there are the casualties. The scrap book of inspirations photos from my 20's, the quirky shaped box destined to be a future craft project, and the robin's egg blue rug that once glistened on the floor like a soft pool of furry lake water... ALL destroyed by the killer that is Cat pee.... WHY WHY WHY... I feed him, I love him, I clean his box, I even let him do unspeakable things to my arm (that frankly a neutered cat should not do!)

Tonight, he looked right at me as he flung objects off the shelf and at my head. Cat lovers out there, please advise!!!!

I'm in LOVE!

I love Air Streams and just today, I saw the new Air Stream Base Camp. POW!!!! I am hooked it is the cutest thing and how practical to carry your own little hotel with you as you travel... Okay maybe not, but I am still in love! I would want it towed of course by my trusty VW Bug- I am not sure this is practical... but ooooh so cute. How amazing would it be to road trip across the country in this cute little trailer... sigh xoxoxo

Snapdragon

Snapdragons are lovely but a bit persnickety when it comes to frost. However, despite the winter and the recent unseasonably cold weather this week, the snapdragons in a pot pushed up snug against the house continue to bloom.

Mantra #3

The best way to predict the future is to invent it!

Eagle Spotting

Spent the afternoon in Skagit Valley spotting eagles. The snow was beautiful and the eagles were amazing!

PreSpring Relief

I am always astounded and impressed at the little tricks I use to delude myself in the name optimism. First and foremost, there are 5 seasons.

• Fall- the Hallmark commercial kind with Irish wool sweaters, walks on the beach, cake donuts and warm cider (Sept-Nov)
  
  
• Winter-the Christmas is wonderful, let's knit in front of the fire, drink cocoa and put antlers on the cat (Dec)
  
  
• Pre-Spring - the Winter is a state of mind let's ignore it, where I grow scented geraniums on my windowsill, peruse plant catalogs, fantasize about Wellies, wear pink and determine how many tomatoes to plant(Jan - Feb)
  
  
• Spring - the "this is why I live in the Pacific Northwest", where I hit every garden sale from Seattle to Tacoma, marvel at every little spec of nature, sing to myself and dance under my cherry tree as the blooms fall like snow (March-June)
  
  
• Summer - the let's leave work at 4:00pm everyday, competitive barbeque, set up the vegetable cam in my garden (so I can watch the plants grow from work), stare at the water and read in the sun (July-August)

One of my favorite Pre-Spring rituals is the NW Flower and Garden show. This year, I am making it a two day affair and taking a day off work. I attend workshops, gossip about Marigolds, shop for Wellies, ooh and ahh at the show gardens, and smile for two days straight. The picture above is from last year's show. A retro modern garden in orange.

So remember, Winter is over... this is Pre-Spring

Mantra #2

“Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful.”

-Annette Funicello-

Calling Cards

The other day we hit it off with some lovely people at a gathering. "Let's get together soon we all said", so I opened my purse to reach for my ever trusty notebook to scribble down my email address. Only to be met with several outstretched hands holding calling cards. Some had photos, the name of their studios, or imprinted monograms and all were a millions times classier and easier to read than my scribbled note.

So when did calling cards come back into fashion and why did I not get the memo? Easily remedied, this week's goal, order calling cards.

For inspiration,
http://creativebits.org/cool_business_card_designs

For free cards,
http://www.freevistaproducts.com/

For laughs,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoIvd3zzu4Y

Mantra #1

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If you have time to worry about it, you have time to do something about it.

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Happy New Year

Happy New Year!!!!!

Generally I start every year with a list of resolutions that I promptly break before the first week. The goal with this, is that if I break all my resolutions by the end of the first week, I will have plenty of time to spiral into loathing and self doubt before MLK Day. And if I am really on the ball, I can actually gain weight, grow to despise exercise and convince myself this is the worst year ever, just in time for Valentine's Day.

But this year, I am doing things different!!!!

Instead of the list of unobtainable goals, I am coming up with supportive Mantras and just seeing where they take me. Mantras have all sorts of definitions, but it is easiest to think of Mantras as words with power. Mantras are my new comfort food and I intend to use them heavily throughout the coming year.