Reverb10. Continued

Now, I know it's already mid January and #reverb10 ended in December, but gosh darn I WILL finish this.  So here we go:

Day 12:  Body Integration. This year, when did you feel the most integrated with your body? Did you have a moment where there wasn’t mind and body, but simply a cohesive YOU, alive and present?

I'm not sure there was one?  I guess I feel myself most when I am crafting, sewing, or being creative.

Day 13:  Action. When it comes to aspirations, it’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen. What’s your next step?

My next step in my career is taking an exam.  My next step(s) in my personal life is enjoying every second with my husband, nurturing my relationships with friends, and taking the time do the things I love.

Day 14:  Appreciate. What’s the one thing you have come to appreciate most in the past year? How do you express gratitude for it?

My husband :D  (typical newlywed answer, perhaps?)  In all seriousness, my husband is my rock.  He has helped me get through so many hoops this year and is always on the sideline cheering me on.  I try to show him that I love him every day and I try my hardest not to dwell on his imperfections (ahem, like his inability to use his clothes hamper and hang up towels :P)

Day 15:  5 Minutes. Imagine you will completely lose your memory of 2010 in five minutes. Set an alarm for five minutes and capture the things you most want to remember about 2010.

1) My friend C's wedding.
2) Vegas with my husband and finally meeting familiar faces
3) A wonderful birthday spent with my loved ones
4) Holding my friend H's newborn for the first time and seeing her and her husband glowing with happiness.
5) Little moments with my husband that make me laugh and smile.

Day 16:  Friendship. How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year? Was this change gradual, or a sudden burst?

I'm not sure that my perspective on the world has changed much.  I think hearing about every day events, not only in my neighborhood, but around the globe, is constantly causing me to rethink about the world and what is important. 

Day 17:  Lesson Learned. What was the best thing you learned about yourself this past year? And how will you apply that lesson going forward?

It takes a lot to break me and I somehow get through the hard stuff in life in one piece.  I think if I just remember other points in my life that I have struggled, it will help me realize that every challenge I encounter can be conquered.

Day 18:  Try. What do you want to try next year? Is there something you wanted to try in 2010? What happened when you did / didn’t go for it?

I would like to try to be more physically active.  I really want to incorporate more yoga in my weekly schedule.  I'm not sure if there was anything I really wanted to try in 2010.

Day 19:  Healing. What healed you this year? Was it sudden, or a drip-by-drip evolution? How would you like to be healed in 2011?

My friends and family healed me this year.  I would have to say it was a drip-by-drip because the parts of me that needed healing were slow in scabbing over.  I'm not sure that there is anything I need heeled this year, but I would love to help someone else heal.  Whether it's just an act of kindness or a physical contribution of money or food remains to be seen.

Day 20:  Beyond Avoidance. What should you have done this year but didn’t because you were too scared, worried, unsure, busy or otherwise deterred from doing? (Bonus: Will you do it?)

More creative projects.  I have a long list of art/sewing projects that I would like to complete/start.  My avoidance of these projects was mainly due to being busy.  I would like finish some of those projects from last year, this year.

Day 21:  Future Self. Imagine yourself five years from now. What advice would you give your current self for the year ahead? (Bonus: Write a note to yourself 10 years ago. What would you tell your younger self?)

Dear 10-years-younger self: 
Walk away from that boy you're hanging around.  He's not worth all the time, pain, and effort.  Soak up every second of your courses and don't take any of it for granted:  your FUTURE SELF will thank you.  Be picky about the friends you choose.   You deserve friends that are selfless about your relationship with them.  Pick your chin up and don't let people get you down.  You must believe in yourself!!  You will find a wonderful man who loves you, flaws and all.  It will happen, don't fret over it.  Try out sewing and flex your creative muscles... you will love it!  Stop trying to rebel so much, there's no need for it (and it's a stage, you will grow out of).  And finally, spend every moment you can spare with your parents and family.  They won't be around forever and those few moments are more precious than you can ever imagine.

Reverb10. Continued

Reverb10 #fail

If you haven't noticed, I'm a little behind on my #reverb10 posts.  What can I say, except that life seems to be flying by at an unprecedented rate.  So... I'll be posting the prompts I've missed in the next few days and hopefully finish by 1.1 :)  I feel like these are really more for me than for you, so I'll try to get my Christmas pics uploaded soon (so it's not all words and thoughts around here).

Day 7:  Community.  Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011?  

My first thought would be Weddingbee (even though I technically discovered that last year).  I feel so blessed to be part of such a great community of wonderful women.  Instead, I'll say twitter.  I know some people think that it's incredibly lame to be on twitter and see no point to it, but I feel like I've "met" some wonderful people who I would never would have connected with otherwise.  I really can't state enough how
much admiration I have for my fellow tweeters.

In 2011, I would like to find a local sewing/craft/art circle to join.  I feel like those activities are truly what I'm passionate about and I would love to find some fellow Austinites who feel the same.  I think it would motivate me to invest more time in them too, because sometimes I feel like every day life just exhausts me to the point of wanting to do nothing. 

Day 8:  Beautifully Different.  Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful.

Honestly, I really hate this question, mainly because I hate focusing on myself.  I guess if I were to ask my husband this question he would probably say either my thoughtfulness or my creativity.  I really like combining the two to create homemade items for people.  I love putting thought into gifts (whether it's birthdays or Christmas or just because).  I try my best to help my peeps out when they need it.  I love spending time with my husband, friends, and family.  I love doing things for other people to show that I, that someone, care(s).  I love learning about my family history and learning (and carrying on) family traditions.  I love seeing people smile, I love making people smile. 

Day 9:  Party. What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans.

I would have to say my friend's wedding that was back in April.  The weather was perfect, the music was great, the food was yummy, and it was great to see my friend happy, happy, happy (and look so very beautiful). 

December 10: Wisdom. What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?

This is a tough prompt too.  I can name a million wise decisions that I made in 2009, but for 2010.....  I wouldn't necessarily call this a "wise" decision per say, but one of the best decisions of 2010 was going to Vegas in April for a Weddingbee meetup.  It was so much fun seeing and talking with the women I had previously only chatted with online.  Other than that, I would have to say deciding to postpone my big exam until April was my wisest decision.  I was able to celebrate my one year wedding anniversary with my husband stress and worry free (the previous exam would have been the weekend following our anniversary) and I now have more time to study.  I guess I'll find out in April if the extra study time was really worth it :)

December 11: 11 Things. What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life?

1. Stress.  Emotionally, I tend to naturally stress about every. little. tiny. thing.  The yucky part is that affects more than just my emotions- I feel it in my bones and muscles.  I'm going to attempt to tackle this in the coming year through two methods. 1) Adequate planning.  I think by becoming better organized, I will be more able to take on tasks with less worry and anxiety.  2) Exercise.  I want to incorporate more cardio and yoga in my life in the coming year.  I really just need to create a schedule so that exercise becomes a part of my every day routine. (After you do something 5 days in a row, it becomes a habit? easier?  lets hope so...)

2.  Caffeine.  (see item 1, I'm sure caffeine and stress don't mix).  This is going to be tough because I. Love. Coffee.  I think I've finally cut down on my soda intake to a point that I'm happy with, so now I need to cut down on the coffee. The only solution I see to this is incorporating more decaf into my daily coffee intake.  I'm also hoping that by establishing a regular exercise routine, I'll have more energy/ less need for caffeine too.

3.  Eating out.  We do it, a lot.  It's expensive and not necessarily the healthiest of choices.  Husband X and I both need to do a better job of making a daily menu, taking sack lunches, and eating left overs.  I've found that I really hate grocery shopping, but I'm so picky about what veggies, etc. we buy... I have to do the shopping.  Uh, and the same goes for cooking:  I feel like I have to do it.  Call it being independent or anal, but it needs to change. 

4.  Stuff.  Husband will be the first to agree with me when I say I have a lot of it.  I really would like to go through my crafting supplies and clothing and finally get rid of the items I don't use/ wear.  They take up too much space and cause the rest of the items I do use to become disorderly and messy.  Must. Organize.

5.  Smelly dogs.  They will be getting a bath on a regular basis.  Regular as in at least every two weeks.  Good for me, not so good for them.

6.  Perception.  I happen to worry quite a bit too.  I worry about what people think of me and how I'm perceived.  It's not as bad as it used to be, and it's getting easier as I get even more comfortable in my skin.  My confidence has always been a little lacking, but I build it up a little bit each and every day. 

7.  Chapped lips & dry skin.  Burts bees wax and lotion.

8.  Dull moments.  If ever there are any, I hope that I can come up with an adventure to keep life interesting. 

9.  Plaquenil.  Really, this is an item I need for right now to treat my autoimmune disease.  It helps me not feel pain every day.  It prevents me from requiring a nap or two every day.  However, I hate that I have to take it and I would really like to cut down on my dose (not that it's really that much anyways...)  This item is definitely dependent on items 1 & 2 because I know they make my every day symptoms worse.  I think this year will be about paying better attention to my body and becoming healthier.  I really hope that I can improve on those things so that 9 can be eliminated :)

10.  Wasted time.  I want to be better organized with my time management.  Creating a set schedule will definitely help me improve in this area. 

11.  Wasted money.  I think I'm fairly good about money management, but I still feel like I need a tighter budget.  I think I can be putting more $$ towards retirement or savings, so I want to work on making that happen.  Eliminating item 3 will contribute to more $ in my bank account and I'm sure there are items that can be cut from my every day/week/month spending (ahem, starbucks....).

Many of the items I've listed are for a healthier me.  Emotionally, physically, financially.  I really want to have my ducks in a row as I near the 3-0 mark (as of now, I have 1.5 years).  And I really, really, really want to have my ducks in a row before the husband and I start seriously discussing the "b" word (and no it's not happening anytime this year or next year, thank you :P).

Reverb10 #fail

DIY Wall Clocks

Lately, I've been thinking about must-have-items for our walls.  A while back, I ordered a print from Canvas on Demand (using my groupon).  I'm still trying to find the perfect spot for it.  I'm also thinking that we need a clock somewhere in our house, since obviously the clocks on the microwave, stove, coffee pot, and my phone -um, which is on my person almost 99% of the time- still seem to have no effect on my tardiness.  oops.  Plus, I think a wall clock is sort of an adult home's staple. 

I briefly searched for a clock on two occasions:  when we were registering for wedding gifts and for our anniversary.  I really didn't find anything I really loved.  And the ones I did love were $$$$.  Who knew clocks were so expensive?!  Thus, I may end up going the DIY route....

I'm loving these:

source (w/ tutorial!)

Oddly enough, the first thing that came to mind when I saw this was that it would be an excellent way to reuse framed DIY wedding table numbers (especially if you used pictures for your table numbers - unfortunately, we did not *sad face* ). 

In other words:  Please someone do this so that I can live vicariously through you.

via Design Sponge (w/ tutorial)

via Indie Fixx

The numbers shown above were purchased from Anthro, but I think these numbers would look just as lovely:

via Papercutdiecut

Or maybe I could do a clock collage on one wall.  If I could create plate clocks, it would be a great way to display them.  And a wonderful reason to indulge in all the pretty plates I see at Anthro. 

via Fairehoure

It really seems like the options for number designations and clock hands are endless..  I think I will probably go with something similar to the first or third image just because I think they would be easier to change out the numbers if I get tired of them.  Looks like another project is getting added on to my list of DIY items...

DIY Wall Clocks

St. Nicholas Day

(A Day Late)

source

When my sister and I were growing up, our stockings hanging over the mantel would be empty on Christmas morning.  This is because we celebrated the stocking portion on 12.6.  We would hang our Christmas stockings on the outside of our bedroom doors before we went to sleep on 12.5.  In the morning, we would wake up to find them filled with an apple, an orange, some sort of nuts- usually walnuts, sweets, and usually a "stocking stuffer" item.  After reading up on St. Nicholas Day, I found out that European countries celebrate this holiday differently.  It seems that our celebration most closly resembles the German holiday (makes sense, my heritage is German).  I'm happy to say that we never found coal in our stockings :)

St. Nicholas Day

Moment Wonder Let Go Make

So, I took a short break from blogging this weekend.  Primarily because we were so busy (again)!  I decided to combine the last four #reverb10 topics into one post, and, without further adieu, here they are:

Day 3: Moment:  Pick one moment which you felt most alive this year.

Hmm, I don't think there was only one moment where I felt this way.  I think I feel most alive when I'm surrounded by my friends and family.  On nights when it's just my husband and I, and we're on the couch watching one of our shows.  My weekly visits with my papa and my in-laws.  Family get-togethers.  Meeting my girlfriends for drinks and .  When I get to see the people I love- the people who really make my life joyful.  These are the moments when I feel all my worry subside and I can just be.

Day 4:  Wonder. How did you cultivate a sense of wonder in your life this year?

Yet another hard question to answer.  I think just experiencing marriage for the first year has created wonder in my life.  Even though X and I have known each other for quite a while, marriage brings this whole new perspective to how we live day to day.  I try new things because of him and he tries new things because of me.  On the whole, we get to have many experiences we would not have had we not met. 

Day 5:  Let Go. What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why? 

In a few weeks, we will be letting go of cable.  I grew up not having 1000+ useless channels, so I don' t think that it will be too hard for me to adapt; however, I think it will be a harder transition for X to make (we'll see).  The primary reason for deciding this was $$. It seemed like a waste to be spending $120 a month on cable when we only watch a handful of channels and shows.  I think it will be good for us not to have that "crutch" to lean on when we can't think of anything else to do.  I'm looking forward to spending more time crafting, reading, exercising, or just spending quality time with my husband and pups.

Day 6:  Make. What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it?

This weekend I worked on two big craft projects.  The first was an ornament for an ornament exchange.  I used glass, glue, glitter, fabric, Modpodge (for the first time!!), paper, & ribbon.  I really liked how it turned out in the end and I think I'll be posting a tutorial on here in the near future (maybe after the recipient receives it :) ). 

The second project I worked on was creating some holiday floral arrangements to take to the cemetery for my mom & my Oma.  Both projects were relatively simple.  For my Oma, I purchased a Christmas wreath from Michael's and hot-glued some red pine cones and a bow to it.

For my mom, I found a twig spray at Hobby Lobby and hot glued pine cones, greenery, red berry branches and an angel ornament to it.

In addition to these projects, I have a long list of items on my "to-make" list.  Who knows when I'll get around to actually doing them though...

* please excuse the horrible iPhone pics...

Moment Wonder Let Go Make