I've been T-H-I-N-K-I-N-G

It's been several weeks since I last wrote. Between getting ready for Twig's first show on March 21st and just generally needing to T-H-I-N-K, I didn't feel quite capable of forming a meaningful post with complete sentences. I still may not be ready, but here goes...

First? The Show. Twig & Bloom, basically a figment of my imagination (and a mythical creature that took over our lives), participated as a vendor at the March 21st  Prairie Sisters' Kalispell show. It was quite an effort getting ready to transport everything up to Kalispell (4 hours away), not the least of which was having everything done to my satisfaction. (I had a mini-freak out the week before the show, but that's a different story.) Set-up took the full six hours allotted to vendors, the show lasted 6 hours, and breakdown - in the literal sense - was two hours. I'm pretty sure the math here is kind of fuzzy (2 hours to tear down 6 hours of work and repack the trailer?????), but we worked hard to put on a great first show and not embarrass ourselves. I think we did okay:

The 11 year old, Miss G.

The most amazing thing about the whole experience was that my kids - ages 8 and 11 - loved working the cash register. (And as a mama, I was pretty proud when a customer complimented them on their ability to do math without a calculator.) We learned a TON about doing a show including the fact that we need to dumb. it. down.  Somehow we need to learn how to build a great display that two people can set-up and tear down, rather than rely on a legion of helpers (Thanks Mom, Pat, and Becky!!) When all was said and done, the show was a success for this newcomer and a great experience for most --- if not all --- participants.

Now for the bad newzzz: Twig & Bloom is likely not a viable business/employment option for me at this time. I've been seriously debating opening a storefront for Twig since losing my job in December, but the show (and our checkbook) told a different story. While Twig is great fun and so very rewarding, the net income is not enough to keep my household afloat. So the bottomline? Twig will remain a weekend activity - doing shows and popups - and maybe in the future I can reconsider the notion of going full-time with my love of rescuing home decor and upcycling lost and lonely furniture.

Cooper. Talking up a storm.

Given the outcome of the show, I had to do some T-H-I-N-K-I-N-G and the final outcome of all that T-H-I-N-K-I-N-G is that now I WANT a job, rather than feeling like I NEED a job. It's a subtle difference, but such an important one. So now I'm back in the hunt for a professional, 8-5ish job. Which is terrifying when you consider how small this town is, how specialized my career has been, and what few jobs there are out there that vaguely apply to me. I have leads on a few choice (ha!) opportunities, but it's not up to me at this juncture. I have to wow people with my wit and professionalism at a time when I'm barely talking to people (Cooper is not much of a conversationalist), let alone adults. This stay-at-home stuff, while a nice respite, is NOT conducive to good interviewing. I find that I'm having a filter problem (as in no filter), a sentence problem (using big words hurts), and a what to wear problem (not yoga pants?). I'm sure something wonderful will come my way, but it's hard waiting for the next step in my career to reveal itself.

In summary, I'm going to keep Twig & Bloom as a side business and, until I'm gainfully employed, I'm going to try to enjoy this time off by hiking the local trails, working with Cooper (#thefelon), and being there at the end of each school day for my kids. Not a bad plan.

Stacey

Got No Book-Learnin'. (But I still know what I am doing!)

I'm a novice decorator - no formal training, no book-learnin'. What I do know is what I like and what makes me feel happy in my home. I have five philosophies that I follow:

1. Do you like it because it is beautiful or makes you laugh? Then buy it. (Or marry it as the joke goes...)
2. Mix high quality (re: expensive for you) with affordable decor. (Think thrift stores, found objects.)

Silver vase and pedestal,
foraged nest and handmade paper flowers.
And jelly beans, of course.

3. Break down your living and garden spaces to reflect the breadth of a casual glance, aka create a vignette. This helps you focus your attention and not get overwhelmed by the vastness of it all.
4. Pick a few key colors to blend the overall spaces of your home and garden. Love pink and mahogany? Add something pink and mahogany-ish  to all of the vignettes identified in #3. You will be amazed at how this brings it all together.
5. Finally, be prepared to say goodbye to objects (and favorite colors. Remember "harvest gold" of the 70's?) because they are just objects/colors after all. Your taste is allowed (encouraged) to change.

Notice the color similarities
between my home and garden? 

So, you now possess all of the grandiose philosophies that I use when decorating and curating my decor, both in my home and in my garden. It's not rocket science and any mistakes can be sent out to pasture (or the rec room). Don't be afraid of decorating your own life and garden. What you like is unique to you, as it should be. Your home and your garden are a reflection of you and how you like to live, what shapes and colors you like to see, what things make you say "ooooooh" and "awwwww" when you first seen them in a store, a craft show, or during a walk in the woods.

Take a quick moment and jot down notes to these simple questions:
1. What are your three favorite colors?
1a. Does your home/garden reflect those colors?
2. What shapes do you like (round, oblong, square, curvy)?
2a. Do you have objects that embody those shapes in every room or vignette?
Bonus Round: Are there things in your house/garden that make you laugh? (Please say "yes".)

That's it. That's all it takes to develop a sense of personal taste and style in your home. Be patient and add things over time, curating (i.e. throwing away or moving) as you go along. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither should your home be the matchy-matchy nightmare of the 80's.

Happy hunting!

Stacey

To Fall in Love Again

I love social media. Everything about Facebook and Twitter and Instagram feeds a little beast within me that wants instant feedback, continued connection, and gratuitous rewards. (I'm old. Snapchat and anything "modern" makes my head hurt.) That little hit of seratonin that zings through my brain whenever someone likes a post or retweets my profound comments (about the Kardashians) is sometimes all the drug I need in a day.

(I'm lying about the only drug I need. I groove on kid snuggles, coffee, candy, and butter. Those might all qualify as a drug given that I crave them.)

Which brings me to this: social media exposes me --- all of us -- to amazing ideas and information that would otherwise never cross my path. When this amazing New York Times post crossed my Facebook feed, I immediately clicked the link and proceeded to read* the article. I actually can't guarantee "To Fall in Love With Anyone, Do This" is amazing --- yet --- but I fully intend to fall in love (again) with my husband by asking the 36 questions that made up this study. Hell - I didn't even READ the whole post before I decided that this was our next date night extravaganza. Because you know what? We're parents with jobs and mortgages and car payments and lawns and decrepit cars - we've put each other on the back burner long enough. 

And it's time for YOU to give a damn too - about your relationship, your life, your career, you. I think these questions allow us to plumb the untidy crevasses of our psyche and reconnect with our centers. Not only do we take the time to find out someone else's answers to these questions (if we have a partner), but perhaps more importantly we have to consider our answers to the questions as well.

THE 36 QUESTIONS TO FALL IN LOVE WITH ANYONE (AGAIN)

Set I

1. Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?
2. Would you like to be famous? In what way?
3. Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say? Why?
4. What would constitute a “perfect” day for you?
5. When did you last sing to yourself? To someone else?
6. If you were able to live to the age of 90 and retain either the mind or body of a 30-year-old for the last 60 years of your life, which would you want?
7. Do you have a secret hunch about how you will die?
8. Name three things you and your partner appear to have in common.
9. For what in your life do you feel most grateful?
10. If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?
11. Take four minutes and tell your partner your life story in as much detail as possible.
12. If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?

Set II
13. If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future or anything else, what would you want to know?
14. Is there something that you’ve dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven’t you done it?
15. What is the greatest accomplishment of your life?
16. What do you value most in a friendship?
17. What is your most treasured memory?
18. What is your most terrible memory?
19. If you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are now living? Why?
20. What does friendship mean to you?
21. What roles do love and affection play in your life?
22. Alternate sharing something you consider a positive characteristic of your partner. Share a total of five items.
23. How close and warm is your family? Do you feel your childhood was happier than most other people’s?
24. How do you feel about your relationship with your mother?

Set III
25. Make three true “we” statements each. For instance, “We are both in this room feeling ... “
26. Complete this sentence: “I wish I had someone with whom I could share ... “
27. If you were going to become a close friend with your partner, please share what would be important for him or her to know.
28. Tell your partner what you like about them; be very honest this time, saying things that you might not say to someone you’ve just met.
29. Share with your partner an embarrassing moment in your life.
30. When did you last cry in front of another person? By yourself?
31. Tell your partner something that you like about them already.
32. What, if anything, is too serious to be joked about?
33. If you were to die this evening with no opportunity to communicate with anyone, what would you most regret not having told someone? Why haven’t you told them yet?
34. Your house, containing everything you own, catches fire. After saving your loved ones and pets, you have time to safely make a final dash to save any one item. What would it be? Why?
35. Of all the people in your family, whose death would you find most disturbing? Why?
36. Share a personal problem and ask your partner’s advice on how he or she might handle it. Also, ask your partner to reflect back to you how you seem to be feeling about the problem you have chosen.

Rhett Butler: Bringing sexy back since 1939.

So - I kind of dare you to do the same. Because if you can't love your lover, how can you love your life? These questions are pivotal to YOU and who YOU are - whether it is in your relationship, in your work, or in your life. Got no lover? Then just answer these questions for yourself. Take the time to fall in love with you again - your strengths, your flaws, your passion, and your quirks.

And --- lucky you --- I've helped you plan your next date night or journal entry (or 3)!

Stacey

P.S. #30. I cried in front of my mother on Thursday when I was popped with a hella expensive speeding ticket in Everett, WA. I felt sorry for myself for 30 minutes at a Starbucks (#firstworldproblems), then recovered enough to have an amazing day complete with jokes about said ticket.

P.P.S. There is the study requirement that says you need to stare into the eyes of your intended beloved for 4 minutes. (Or at least I think it says that since, as I mentioned (confessed), I only skimmed the article and don't actually have a real grasp on what I am getting us into.) Seems creepy, but what the heck. Give it a whirl. But blink. Remember to blink. That's allowed. (I think.) *** No intended beloved? Go find a mirror. Stare yourself down. Know who you are.

* Alright, alright, alright already. I STILL have not read the whole article. I just got so excited about the prospect that my brain fritzed and I needed to write this blog post. I promise** to read it before actually attempting the whioe fall-in-love-with-anyone (again) thing.

** Don't believe me. I am a notorious headline-reader.

Gimmy Some Shimmy!

It's been almost 12 hours since I participated in my first organized fitness class in over three years. I thought I would ease into it with a little Zumba - ahem, make that Zumba Gold (aka "Active Older Adults Zumba") - a class that promised to "focus on balance, range of motion and coordination. Come ready to sweat, and prepare to leave empowered and feeling strong." 

In sum: I didn't fall over, I explored a variety of motions, and I got to (was forced to?) move my hands and feet AT THE SAME TIME. And yes, I broke a sweat. That was my goal, right? To sweat and start the long road back to fitness. 

But. But. BUT. I did not leave "empowered or feeling strong". Instead, I wondered for a good portion of the class why I, a professional woman of 43, do not know how to get down with the shimmy (try to spell that after two glasses of wine...). Then, to make matters worse, while browsing the interwebs, I came across the YouTube.com video posted above and realize that a techie teacher has better shimmy moves than I (and probably most of America). It was great fun to watch, but didn't do much for my sense of accomplishment today. 

Instead I sit here with my tightening muscles and wonder where did I go wrong? Something has seriously been missing from my life's education and I think it comes down to the shimmy - those little life skillzzz that define your personal joie de vivre (cheerful enjoyment of life for you bums to lazy to click on the link). 

So what's your skill? What's that thing --- when you bust it out --- that means you are having a GREAT day and in the company of your besties? I used to think one of my skills was dancing (see above), but I think I need to consider a broader - and more physically feasible - range of options here. And while I am willing to work on my shimmy, I'm going to see what I already have in my personal arsenal of awesome and focus some attention on those skills too.

1. Setting a beautiful table:

Vintage plate, hand-stamped nappie, some twigs and blooms.

2. Finding beauty in the ordinary:

Roadside grasses. See that Spring green peeking through?

3. Growing things:

Paperwhites. So hopeful . . . 

So find your shimmy people (or your booty-shake). Life isn't a dress rehearsal and bringing your joy to the table is all you need.

Everything hurts (including my ego),

Stacey

P.S. Can't see the embedded YouTube.com videos? Head up to your browser bar, right click on the very British looking battleshield and click "load unsafe scripts". I promise it's just YouTube. 

Making Sausage (in the crafty sense)

Painting with a side of gin. Because I can.

Raw materials.

I've spent the past 8 days working many many many hours to pull together a "staged" booth that reflects the Twig & Bloom aesthetic. Why you ask? Because, by Thursday of this week, I need to submit my application --- complete with photos --- to two vintage fairs scheduled for March. These fairs require their vendors to have their poop-in-a-group and even a newbie better have a "look" that reflects their inventory. At times it was NOT pretty (somehow I deleted all the photos of me wearing safety goggles and a face mask) ---stuff was everywhere, paint and chemical fumes wafted magically from the basement to the first floor to the second floor . . . and I'm sure a few brain cells were the casualties of this craft-blitzkrieg.

A coat of paint and voila - MAGIC!

But, it all came together on Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Throughout the day, between various and sundry boothiness, I hopped on line and was reminded of what a great man Dr. King was not only for this country, but for his family. An MLK quote that rings true in my own life right now:

  "Faith is taking the first step

even when you don't see the whole staircase."

Spring vignette. 1/4 of my final boot(h)ique.

Twig & Bloom is a leap of faith. I find myself at a crossroads and, while I consider all my options, I am committed to educating myself, learning new things (Booth Staging 101), and dreaming big dreams while taking baby steps with Twig. I believe that the underlying reason behind Twig --- to bring comfort and beauty into people's homes --- is a value that needs nurturing these days. We can all buy the same ottoman, the same candlestick, and the same lamp at the box stores, but without a dash of something uniquely personal that catches your eye and makes you smile, you're not making your house a home. And I want all of you, my lovely readers (I think we are up to ten now), to relax after a busy day in a space that soothes you, reflects your personality and cultivates creativity in this mass-market world.

That Velveteen Rabbit book breaks my heart.

Finally, Dr. King has another quote that rings so very true to me right now:

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear." 

Throughout our lives people will disappoint us (and vice versa, holy mackerel vice versa...), violate our trust, and cast aside our friendship as if the love was meaningless. It is our responsibility to ourselves and to our families to find a pathway to personal forgiveness and that whole letting-go-of-the-anger thing. Now, keep in mind that the offenders MAY NOT do this on their end of the equation, but for you it is paramount to do the work, forgive, and move forward. You will lose people in your life through this process, but that's okay.

Find the love.

Live the love.

BE THE LOVE.

Yours-in-paint-fumes-and-forgiveness,

Stacey

P.S. A valentine to me from my Sweet G. She was probably 8 or 9 at the time.

Going back to high school.

When I was just a babe (aren't I still?), I loved the movie Grease. Every day after school, a friend and I would put the album on and dance, sing, and generally swoon over John Travolta. Well as I dig deeper into Twig & Bloom, this darned song keeps playing in my head:

Why? Because every day I am learning new things. How to run Quickbooks, how to start a blog, how to construct a fair booth, how to "feel" for thrifted cashmere sweaters (more on that another day), how to make these (fabric rosettes for you neophytes):

How not to make these (almost broke the stamp with the burlap): 

How to decorate for Valentine's Day

(which I NEVER did when working full-time):

There is a note in that heart from my daughter. It says I'm awesome.

Looking for less-cheesy craft birds. Make one perhaps?

Valentine's meets Easter. A twofer...

XC skied 3x more than last year. Already.

So often, as adults, we stifle and stymie (what a great word!) ourselves. Not only are we overwhelmed by our day-to-day lives as parents, spouses, and employees, but we also have limited time to explore our favorite things let alone learn new things.

Intellectually, I knew that many of the things on this list of "lookie-at-this-cool-stuff-I-did" were not complicated, but the sheer effort of gathering the supplies, finding the time, SITTING DOWN, and just doing it were enough to halt any progress I was making in my creative life.

So, I'm going back to high school. I'm going to stop being a drop out in my own life. I'm going to keep learning new things and remember to spend time on the things I already love.

And for you, my lovely readers? (I think there are seven of you.) While I can acknowledge that I have more free time than most right now, the point is the same: love the life you've built and keep adding to it over your lifetime. Don't be a dropout in your own life. We're just getting started and there are rosettes to be made, lessons to be learned (damn those burlap tags anyway), and seasons to celebrate.

Yours in don't-know-what-I'm-doing-but-I'm-doing-it-anyway,

Stacey

Shticks and staple guns. (Did you just say "shtaple" in your head???)

Smart-lady glasses, plaid, and pearls. Because I can.

Yesterday, I had a "conversation" regarding an interesting job. The whole thing was conducted electronically - first through a less-than-ideal-Skype-format and then over the phone (like normal people). I took the time to dress up, do my hair, put on lip gloss, and wear my smart-lady glasses, --- the whole shebang. Once it was over, I disrobed from my "formal" wear, put on some casual "crafty" clothes, and then --- for no apparent reason --- put on a string of pearls. I'm not sure what compelled me to glam up my plaid, but the mere fact that those pearls rested against my collarbones all day brought an awareness to my day that would have otherwise been missing. An awareness that even in my new reality, the little things matter whether they be a splash of perfume, a swipe of lip gloss, or the smooth weight of a cultured pearl. I know some crafters out there have a "shtick" - an accessory/mannerism they adopt to differentiate themselves from the masses and to add an element of their business to their personal appearance (flowery aprons, hair bow thingies, dangle-y earring bits, etc). I don't think pearls are likely to be my thing for the long haul, but for the today they were just right.

Tools (and tricks) of the trade.

And these days I definitely need something just right. When one is working from home on various projects, be they crafts or correcting one's -ahem - unemployment problem, one has a lot of time to think. Pneumatic staple gun in hand (watch out world!), I thought a LOT about my current circumstances. I realized over the hours - between the humming in my head and the hideous noise made by the air compressor - that I truly enjoy home improvement (Beth's re-upholstery project? Done.) or reclaiming a decrepit and sad piece of furniture (my Nana's deacon's bench is finally rid of the most goddawful orange color known to man). It is so much more thrilling

Chair seats ready for the mothership.

 to me personally to see a Twig & Bloom project come to fruition than it ever was to file a flawless travel claim or prepare a well-crafted budget. Not to say the work I used to do wasn't important: I was (and remain) fully committed to changing the world and improving the lives of Montanans. However, at the micro level - my personal level - this unexpected deep dive into my creativity has been revelatory.

Nana's deacon's bench. It's a keeper.

I hope that the future holds great things for me and my family. It may be a new job with a great organization or it may be a Twig & Bloom boutique, but at the very least I hope to stay in touch with this rediscovered love of home and garden and keep the Twig dream alive in some form or fashion. Everyone needs something that lights up their eyes and taps into that well of creativity that we all possess. That "something", whether it is a Twig-like project, a passion for music or an obsession with running on the trails, is what makes us special. In a world where the grind of the workday frequently (always?) collides with the responsibilities of home and family, feeling special (even if it is just to yourself. Especially if it is just to yourself) is what makes the promise of tomorrow an opportunity for joy rather than a day to dread.

So find that something for yourself. Wear the pearls if you must. Revel in your special. Bask in your awesome. ~ Stacey

Felonious Monkey-dog.

P.S. Meet Cooper. He figures prominently in my life right now as a pup of 15 months. He's a troubled soul. (He has a record with the Helena Police Department. Which is not awesome.)

P.P.S. - I am not sponsored or paid by any of the products that I may link to in my blog (yet?). I just love affordable products that make me feel pampered (Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Lip Gloss is da bomb) and if I can include a product link that might make YOU happy, then my work here is done.

Post-holiday deconstruction and winter musings. And food porn.

More deconstruction.

Deconstruction.

How is it that I've spend the past three days deconstructing Christmas and my home still looks chaotic and cluttered? Granted, I've had a few hours out on the thrifting trail since Friday and found some a-m-a-z-i-n-g items to upcycle/plant/sew, but still. . . it's a tad ridiculous that it almost looks worse than it did when I started the effort.

All of this work brings to mind the following lines by Robert Frost: 

"The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,

But I have promised to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep."

It's appropriate that the title of Frost's poem is "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." We are having what Montana NPR's weather peeps call a "High Impact Winter Storm" here in Montana. I personally love the snow and its soft beauty. The whole world becomes a wonder of white after a night of snowfall. Opportunities to ski, snowshoe, or nest are resplendent on a snowy day. And the bonus? The decision whether to swoosh down a slope or trail versus wrapping yourself in a down comforter is always right given that it is a "High Impact Winter Storm."

Anyhoo, enough about poetry and winter storms --- back to the chaos. In an effort to organize and be "smarter" about how I launch Twig & Bloom, I spent a huge portion of the day yesterday organizing the garage. (For reference: it was 3 degrees outside and the garage is unheated.) This effort, complete with the prerequisites of swearing, breaking fingernails, and general surliness resulted in T&B gaining a whopping three shelves for those items I will use to "stage" my booth (about 24 square feet). That doesn't really sound like much (nor did it LOOK like much), but clever use of bins/boxes/bags resulted in most of the T&B staging decor no longer being underfoot inside the house. Now, I'm not a religious woman, but even I can say a hallelujah to that improvement.

Now, you would think after the 3 degree temperature and the growing creativity with my cussing I would just call it a day, but no, the deep dive into Twig & Bloom organizing did not stop there. I then proceeded to tackle an 8' x 8' unplumbed bathroom in our basement and outfit it with three 6' tall shelves (all thrifted or secondhand). These shelves not only hold the growing collection of paint, primer, waxes, polys, and other painting and staining accoutrements (holy crap! I've been misspelling and mispronouncing that word my whole life), but also the bulk of the amazing items I've thrifted over the past 2 1/2 months since launching Twig. These are the items that don't need much work (hence locating them to the bathroom-room), but instead provide the pots for forcing bulbs, glass cloches and birdcages, footed pedestals . . . so many great things that really represent the foundation of my vision for Twig & Bloom. (I will confess to a few poor purchases in the early halcyon days of Twig, but let's keep that knowledge to ourselves shall we?)

This is what halcyon looks like.

After three days spent on this organizing extravaganza, I feel pretty focused and more than ready to return to work on some of my ideas this week. (Don't kid yourself with this early picture - the upstairs workroom is a disaster and definitely needs a couple of hours of my attention before I can even GET to my work table.) And, in addition to grooving on some creative energy, I have a couple of paying gigs this week as well: two dining room chairs are being reupholstered (gotta love that friend "Beth") and consulting a new client on staging her home for sale. An odd mix for a business, but it comes down to loving beautiful homes and gardens and helping people make their own homes lovely and appealing --- even if they are ready to fly to coop.

Finally, I can't leave you without a little food porn (what's a home without great food?). On Saturday morning, kidling-free thanks to sleepovers, we feasted on my husband's fantastic dutch baby --- actually Alton Brown's dutch baby . Sky (that would be my husband) has been making these for a few years now and it is one of the few sweet breakfasts that I adore. (We also had bacon. Duh.) Sky prefers the traditional powdered sugar/butter/lemon squeeze combo while I take my dutch baby with  a dollop of whatever homemade jam or jelly is available which, in this instance, was plum jelly (a gift from Sky's co-worker.)

Yummmmmmm. Isn't that a nice way to start the new year? (That and a *slightly* more organized home.)

Happy New(ish) Year!! Onward for great adventures, great food, and great friends.