FYI: Admittedly Deadline Driven...in case you didn't notice

We're coming into that time of year when we seem to move from one deadline to the next. I think that's part of the reason I love January 1st so much--I always have a huge sense of relief from having met all the holiday deadlines, or in some cases just let them pass! But if I am being honest I must say that I operate in deadline mode most of the time. I guess I enjoy it, or I wouldn't do it.

In my professional life I thrived on meeting deadlines. I was the type you could count on. While I often resented the pressure they imposed, the truth is deadlines forced me to up my game and I loved the idea of "pulling it off." Especially if it was a real challenge. A friend said to me once (actually about a challenge I didn't sign up for) "if we were never forced to rise to the occasion we probably wouldn't." I guess that is why I keep imposing deadlines on myself: parties with a ridiculously time-intensive handmade concepts, home improvements for the next gathering we host, new handmade clothing for the next family trip... No matter the event I seem to take a fixed date and line up a bunch of work against it.

I do it because I get more done when I am under pressure. And I like to get things done because then I can enjoy the result, and it means I am in the clear to move on to the next thing on my list. And why do I have a list? Because there are just so many things that need or want to be done! And time seems so short, doesn't it? Children grow too quickly, and seasons change before we've fully enjoyed the one we're in, and it seems I barely have time to clean up breakfast after taking the girls to school in the morning when it's time for them to come home again.

My husband has wondered aloud to me more than a few times why I complain about not having enough time and then turn around and volunteer to host a family dinner or take on some other assignment. We've often laughed about my "learning disability" of misjudging the actual time it takes me to to do something. I'm always trying to cram more in than I physically have time for. 

I figure if I aim for the ridiculous some good stuff will actually get done. And I'll feel good about accomplishing it, and others will enjoy the party, or appreciate the clothing, or be pleasantly surprised the handmade Christmas gifts.

But, deadline-driven though I am, I am tempering it a bit. Honest.  I've realized I can't always be in high-gear, nor do I want to. I end up inevitably dropping things off my list a few days before any given party. I catch myself saying, " I need to...." and correct it with, "well, I WANT to...."  I save the craziness for after the girls' bedtime (OK, sometimes during Tess's nap time too) and try to pace myself a bit more than I used to. Because as much as I love getting things done, I love the people for whom I am doing them more.  And because the people these days are my family, not my clients or coworkers, I need to remind myself that they value my time more than my accomplishments (assuming there is still something to eat for dinner!). It's a tricky transition for a workhorse but I am working on it.

What about you? Are you deadline-driven too? Or do you have a different way of getting things done?

My "FYI" posts share news or a perspective about something that's been on my mind. You can read them all here.

FYI: Easter Hosannas

We've been teased with Spring weather for the past couple weeks but shocked now and again by snow and grey so I've been anxiously looking around the garden for true signs that Spring is here. I have been eyeing the hydrangeas I planted last Fall to see if they were going to make it and I've been a bit discouraged. Looked like nothing but dead twigs sticking out of the ground. I had really wanted them to live. But, I tiptoed closer the other day and when I got nearly next to the branches I saw them! The tiniest of leaf buds in a few places. Amazing! These plants looked as dead as any I've seen, but on many of them I now see life!

Spring is so amazing that way. One day it's nothing but cold and grey and the next there is green pushing out of the ground. Can you believe what a few warm days can do in the garden?

I'm in the mood to look for signs so I am especially happy this Spring to see how nature reminds us with her renewal and rebirth. We want that too, don't we? The more I am taught by this life the more impatient I feel about the resurrection. What will be more glorious than that, the great reunion? But I don't mean to get ahead of myself. As tragic as loss can be in this life, as much as it makes me wish for the great resolution to it all, the more tragic thing I've told myself lately is not living it well! Not taking advantage of all the opportunities to do and see and love and lift and share.

There is so much beauty around us. So many little faces to love. So many great relationships to grow. I am trying to focus on those things more deliberately this Spring. My own little rebirth. If you celebrate Easter, or Passover, or if you celebrate Spring in other ways, don't you agree this time of year makes one want to shout, "Hosanna!" I hope you are loving it. Happy Easter. Happy Spring.

My "FYI" posts share news or a perspective about something that's been on my mind. You can read them all here.

FYI: My Story of Journaling

In December of last year Laura of Along for the Ride contacted me about my paper and fabric-covered composition books and invited me to share my story of journaling as part of a series she runs on her blog. Seems my every new year comes with a resolution to journal more regularly. Do yours? Well, it's a full quarter into the new year now and I'm sharing this as a way to motivate myself again, and perhaps you too! Click to read more.

FYI: This Life

I have always been taught that This Life is about gaining experience. About being proven: tested to see if I will make the right choices when the inevitable obstacles are encountered. And I have always understood that cerebrally. But, ouch, it's amazing how this life can still surprise...

As a child thinking about what I might be facing in years ahead, I imagined standing up strong in the face of earthly friction, but I saw it as temptations involving honesty (so easy!) or a matter of establishing the correct priorities (a bit more tricky). I had no idea that disappointment, loss and separation would have such a large part in it. I've realized they are the most difficult. For now anyway. Because you never really know what is coming, do you?

So we were surprised. And I have needed to take some time off from this lighter-hearted stuff. But we are ok--all of us--and I plan to be back. Thank goodness for our little ones to pull us forward.

All will be well.

My "FYI" posts share news or a perspective about something that's been on my mind. You can read them all here.

FYI: Reflections and Predictions at Sew, Mama, Sew!

Sew, Mama, Sew! is running a great series on sewing reflections and predictions for 2012 and asked me to participate. You can read the interview here. It's difficult for me to put a stake in the ground when asked questions about "best," "favorite" and "least"--there are so many fabrics, and patterns, and projects, and sewists I love--but I gave it a shot! I picked my Chevron Chenille Blanket as my favorite project of 2011, but it was hardly by a landslide.

There are some amazing people offering unqiue perspectives on the questions. You can view the other interviews here.

FYI: Time for Resolutions

I am not much of a New Year's Eve fan. I'm not sure why, maybe I should plan something sparkly for next year and see if it gets more exciting. But I am a big fan of the new year. A new day. A new undertaking. A new list of things to do. I love the idea (theoretical though it may be) of a fresh start! Such an opportunity to change and improve.

So, just like every other year, I've got a surge of energy for January and a bunch of lists in my head. I think it has to do with the feeling that we've all just cleared a huge deadline at Christmas and I usually haven't committed myself beyond that. It's easy to come up with a long list of creative things I'd like to find time for--prioritizing them is a different kind of challenge however. It's not as easy to pick a few more substantial resolutions on which to focus. Those that have to do with the way I parent and the kind of person I am: friend, sibling, wife neighbor.

It's funny because the creative list seems to be about "more" (sewing, pattern design, knit and crochet, birthday parties, etc.) but the more personal list has a lot of "less". How do I clear the way for what's really important, unclutter, lose distractions, reduce stress and friction? I need to develop an improved system for doing what counts every day and taking care of the mundane things too. Maybe part of it is embracing the mundane.

I had an epiphany of sorts a few weeks ago when I was feeling disappointed in myself for not creating more structured learning and loving time with my girlsI beyond the coop preschool and mommy-daughter classes we do. I realized that all of the small things really do add up--the meals prepared, the toys picked up, the driving to and fro, the hair combed. What counts is that I am their mother and am doing those things in love. I do genuinely appreciate that I'm able to be home with my girls full time and hope to pay more attention to the countless moments that are ours for laughing and smiling and loving and noticing the beauty in our everyday life. I suppose more will be required for this resolution too: patience.

Maybe that's it in a word for 2012. Patience. And one painting a month. no matter how small. I'm going to give it a try.

Happy new year!

P.S. Is "keeping a journal" one of your resolutions? Take a look at my post here on the subject.

 

My "FYI" posts share news or a perspective about something that's been on my mind. You can read them all here.

FYI: It's a Merry Christmas

I have always loved Christmas. I have loved it's true meaning--a baby born in Bethlehem. And I have loved all the well-meaning accompaniments too, the occassion to give generously to family and friends and to share with strangers, the music, smiling at fellow shoppers, even the hub-bub of the mall with your list and a limited time to check it all off.

It has certainly changed over the years...

FYI: Why I Love Thanksgiving

Next to Christmas, which I love for many reasons, most significantly the birth it celebrates, I love Thanksgiving. What could be better than gathering loved ones around your table for a meal and a prayer? I love the fact that the whole country pauses for one day, stops work of the productive and not-so-productive kind, and thinks about all we have to be grateful for. There is always something to appreciate...just look at nature around you.

I love what Abraham Lincoln said when he proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving during a difficult time in our nation's history:
"It has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens." October 3, 1863

Our table today is certainly full. I am so thankful for my family, immediate and extended, for our health, and that our basic needs are being met, love being the most basic of all. I know we are fortunate, so fortunate in fact that we have the ability to create a little beauty in our lives above those basic needs.

It's fitting that Thanksgiving ushers in the Christmas holiday. We have a chance to act on our gratitude by doing what we can to help those who might not have as much. There are so many opportunities great and small to make a difference.

Happy Thanksgiving! My "FYI" posts share news or a perspective about something that's been on my mind. You can read them all here.

FYI: I'm a Halloween Slacker

Happy Halloween everyone! We have been busy with lots of Halloween fun: school parades, pumpkin patch visits, neighborhood parties, a straw bale maze, and a hayride. Seems Halloween gets bigger and bigger every year. It is certainly more fun for me as my children grow older, and I love doing seasonal things with them, but in general I haven't been a huge fan of the holiday. This past Saturday, I was talking with some friends at a great kids party they throw every Halloween and confessed, "I am a Halloween slacker." They didn't believe me, and most who know my love of sewing and other creative things, don't believe it, but I promise you, it is true.

I guess it should be different, but I have never sewn a Halloween costume for my girls. I love seeing the amazing things other moms and dads do for their children, but I just can't seem to make the investment of time and money, and more importantly the trade-off of the costume instead of another project.

I thought I would turn the corner last year and make a beautiful Little Red Riding Hood costume for Audrey. I couldn't wait to make a red wool and satin lined hooded cape and dirndl style dress, and even bought a pattern, but alas, Audrey wanted to be Count Dracula. "The Count?" I asked, hoping for the Sesame Street version, and thankfully the two were a bit mixed in her mind, but even then, I was not inspired. I would just rather sew a beautiful dress or work on styling a birthday party!

I did end up making a black and purple satin lined cape for Audrey's "Count" costume last year. I'll have to blog about it sometime, because it's fun. But I lost steam after that. I should have appliqued numbers on the cape but I didn't. Just found some plastic fang teeth, put her in some black leggings and a white t-shirt and called it good.

At the party Saturday, one of my friends saw Audrey in her purchased pirate costume (looking pretty cute I thought) and said, "oh, that is just wrong!" I am still laughing at her honesty. You should see the amazing costumes she makes for her children. This year they were gnomes and toadstools. She is right of course. I could make Audrey a pirate costume, which would be much nicer and much cuter, but then I wouldn't have had time to make Tess the cute criss-cross smock. Or maybe I would have had to purchase the baby shower invitations instead of making them. Anyway, I think I've stated my position on this thing.

I did sew a white feather boa to a black witch's hat I bought at the grocery store and donned it with my (purchased) black and white spider skirt to get in the spirit. Our house is decorated, although a bit sparingly compared to some. And I love how excited Audrey and Scarlett have been to wear their costumes, even though they're off-the-shelf. They don't know the difference. Maybe when they do, and they're really excited about something, I will put in the late hours to sew some fabulous Halloween costumes. It would be fun to develop some costume concepts with them.

I did get an unexpected boost in celebrating the holiday with this flower arrangement. Now this is something I could get into--holiday arrangements. How fun. Especially if I had access to flowers as nice as these. My neighbor had a bunch of flowers leftover from doing a weeding, and about a week later they were still looking beautiful. So I accepted the offer to take some out of her garage, carried one of my favorite vases over, and came away with this! Isn't it fun?! Orange gladiolas and roses, white roses, chartreuse bells of Ireland (one of my favorite flowers!) and some orange blooms that look like a relative of the billy ball...no idea. The glads were a bit droopy so I thought I'd try them this way, arcing over the lip of the vase. It was so much fun playing around with the arrangement, and even more fun to place it on my orange Halloween tablecloth.

Well friends, maybe next year I'll pick up the speed with some handmade costumes for Halloween, but this year, I'm going to enjoy trick-or-treating with our girls, tuck them into bed on their sugar highs, and then get back to work on my "instead of" project: a baby blanket I've almost finished.

My "FYI" posts share news or a perspective about something that's been on my mind. You can read them all here.

FYI: Blog Feature on SITS

Have you heard of SITS? The SITS girls are a community dedicated to supporting women bloggers. The women behind SITS do Bloggy Boot Camp and have a blog full of good education and information, and they just spotlighted Aesthetic Nest!

You can see the feature here and check out a lot of other interesting blog spotlights and their features on women on the move.

Personal: June is my Birthday Month (Shop Coupon!)

Well, it's hard to believe it's been another year! Audrey's jaw dropped when I told her my birthday was coming up. She asked, "are we going to have a fiesta?" No, Audrey. Once a decade is probably about it!

But I'm still celebrating. I think every birthday deserves celebration. Audrey and I decided a chocolate cake is in order, from scratch of course, it's the only way in my opinion (maybe the one from this party).  And cake isn't all there is. I'm offering 20% off everything in my Etsy shop for the month of June. Just enter the coupon code: BIRTHDAY20 

It's been so creatively invigorating to be blogging and exchanging ideas with all of you. I'm looking forward to what this next year brings. Thanks and happy June!

(In addition to my birthday, June usually brings Peonies, my favorite flower. Mine are blooming just in time.)

Personal: Travelling with Little Ones

Though it's not my usual fare here (in fact it breaks the "three-word rule" I set up for myself, but oh well...) there were so many comments expressing interest in our strategies for travelling with our little ones (almost five, two-and-a-half, and eight months) that I thought I'd share a bit more about it. "Strategies" may make it sounds more systematic and left brained than it was--though I can be a bit Type A I am always emotional in my approach! In any event, here's what I learned from our spring vacation:

(Click if you're interested in more...)

Personal: Interview on Maker Mama

To celebrate Mother's Day Maker Mama is running a month of interviews with "crafty mamas" and asked me to participate.

Amy is quite the crafty mama herself! She's a mother of four who has a love for things handmade, especially if they are environmentally conscious. She writes sensitively about how to make better choices for our environment and ourselves. And she had some thought-provoking questions for me about how creating and motherhood co-exist.

I am always so flattered when someone wants to ask me some questions about my life and the things I make. I find the interview process rewarding in itself too because it gives me the opportunity to think about what motivates me and whether or not I am making the best choices as a mother and a creator. You can read my interview here.

I am looking forward to hearing from the other mamas she has lined up this month. Thanks, Amy!

Personal: Interview on DC Metro Mommy

DC Metro Mommy is a great resource for savvy moms in the District and beyond. In addition to featuring the top 10 things to do with kids in D.C., they post about health, food, classes, home services, and more. They also have a section devoted to style and design, called Design Bug, which ran a story on the closet remodels I did in my girls' rooms (who knew closets could be fabulous? It's true!).

Today they posted an interview with me. I was surprised and excited when they asked if I'd participate in their interview series. I haven't done an interview since my dot-com PR days and the subject was much different then (B2B ecommerce and other buzz words)! DC Metro Mommy asked some great questions about my design style and inspiration, how I find the time to create and my new role as a SAHM. If you're curious you can read the full interview here. The Q&A made me think I really need to get around to creating an "About" page... I'll add it to the list!

Personal: New Banner, New Title for a New Year

Since it's the start of a new year I thought I'd update my blog banner. It was fun to grab some of my more recent, favorite images, and you may notice I went with the "Tess palette," which is lavendar, linen/taupe, cream and coral. I love those colors together! It's a new era with her in the family so why not wear the colors?

It's a bit hard to say goodbye to the old banner, which was the image under which I made this blog public last spring, so I'll post it here in memoriam.

The 2010 banner included a shot of Scarlett's crib and Audrey's portrait. The 2011 version includes Scarlett's portrait, Tess's blanket, and the painting I did of the three little birds in a nest. It's fun to think of the next banner...maybe it will include a portrait of Tess and a picture of her nursery, assuming we finally create a room to house her crib. Hopefully there will be many new paintings and handmade things to choose from.

While I'm revealing the new banner I also want to review the new title. Not blog title (though there might be a few good arguments for that, including ease of spelling, but "Aesthetic Nest" still seems to encompass the wide ranging creative interests about which I post...!), but rather, personal title.

My maternity leave expired at the end of last year and I gave up my business title for the title of SAHM. It may not carry the same weight in the world that my hard-earned executive title did, and I'll miss a lot of things about the marketing position I held at McCann Erickson, but I am thrilled to have the opportunity to stay home full time. My three daughters are my absolute best creative work and I am so looking forward to being with them every day for the ordinary and the extraordinary. Much like job transitions of the past I am a bit anxious about my new gig, not about regretting it, but about doing it really well. I hope I can meet my, and my girls', expectations! Most of you would probably laugh if you heard my internal monologue about goals, standards and the balance of time! I just know I would regret it if I didn't give it a try, so please wish me luck!

Birth Announcement: Tess Augusta

I told myself I would do Tess' announcement immediately after her birth, but once again, I was busy doing other things. Seems we usually get them out about three months later. I guess Scarlett's was a bit quicker than that since hers went out with our Christmas card, but not by much. Anyway, I lean towards the formal and traditional when it comes to big life events such as a marriage or a birth so I like formal announcements. Ideally mailed in their own envelopes. But this year I am sending out this announcement with our Christmas card (again). the timing is just too close to not save a stamp and envelope (a tree or two?) and some time! It's not without a little bit of misgiving.

I love the announcement. I have a real thing for letterpress that began when I took a BookArts course in college and was lucky enough to use movable type and presses to make my own books. I'm hoping I get to do that again sometime. Audrey's and Scarlett's announcements were letterpress too and with any luck I'll use it again for their wedding invitations, but probably not so much in between as it's a bit of a splurge.

I love the fonts used on this, especially the script with all the ligatures for her name. And I love the illustration of fruits and flowers. I wanted something that felt like the warm abundance of August...  And I also LOVE the ink color (PMS 1788U). I think it is just perfect! I wanted something pink-orange-red, a good coral, on an off-white paper. Just keeping with the color palette used on her blanket and sweater and such.

We decided to pair this with one of the photos we took of Tess on her blessing day. It looks appropriately old fashioned to me and I think the creamy whites and peachy skin tones work well with the announcement colors.

I used A Printable Press (which has a pretty cool business model) to do the design work and Mercurio Brothers Printing for the printing, and despite the virtual (email/PDF/etc.) nature of the whole process for something so tactile,  it went really well (please ignore my intentional smudging in the photo)! And I'm going to mail them out in time for Christmas after all. Just barely.

Giving Thanks: A Baby, a Bonnet, a Blessing Day

Every Thanksgiving my family tops the list of things I am grateful for, and so what better way to celebrate the week of Thanksgiving than with a baby blessing? 

Tess was an unexpected blessing this year and it's impossible to imagine our family without her. It was nice to formally acknowledge her arrival by blessing her this past Sunday, surrounding her with family and close friends and invocations for a life filled with the good and important things. Doesn't every baby deserve this kind of welcome?

We served a brunch of strata, spinach salad and cinnamon rolls (on the table with the new Thanksgiving centerpiece).

 

Tess wore a bonnet I finished (just in time) to match the bootees I made. I think she looks beautiful in it and I love the old-fashioned look. I can't get enough of that old-fashioned, Puritan baby look (appropriate for Thanksgiving, no?). This bonnet reminds me of the one I knitted for Scarlett last year. I made up the pattern as I went along. It was an experiment based on the bootees and it certainly isn't perfect--it is a bit big and the shaping along the back of the neck could be improved--but it worked, and it was fun to work it out. And fun that she has a couple things made specifically for her blessing day. I love the crochet ties and plain single crochet rows framing her face.

Click to read more if you are interested in the bonnet pattern and strata recipe.

She's Here: Tess Augusta

She finally arrived! Little Tess is here.

She kept us waiting longer than her older sisters, going overdue by a few days. But she was certainly worth it. To us she is perfect. Healthy and beautiful and a sweet mix of her sisters.

Nice to finally give this little girl a name too. Her father and I were able to agree on "Tess" and "Augusta" is a family name (both Augusts and Augustas) on my side. Nice that she also happened to be born in August. We liked the idea of continuing our pattern of a first name we both loved (more difficult than it sounds) and a family name for the middle name.

Tess is doing her jobs well so far: eating and sleeping and keeping me busy diapering. She has received perfect check-ups, thank goodness. We are so blessed to have another baby. It's a miracle we went from zero to three children in a little over four years!

 

Her older sisters loved her immediately. Audrey is especially taken with her saying over and over: isn't she beautiful? Oh...look at Tess...

Tess is a good sized baby--weighing 8 lbs 1 oz and 20.5 inches long--but still seems so tiny. It's difficult to quit taking pictures. So many precious things to document. This little foot, the long fingers, the sleeping expressions, the eyes opened, the eyes closed....

 

And of course with the awe comes the humilty too. How to do her justice? How to raise Tess and her older sisters in the way they deserve?

So much responsibility with such a small bundle.

We love her.