Total Feng Shui

This is a picture heavy post people. You've been warned. And it's a subject near and dear to my heart, so I'm waxing a little poetic about subjects that may seem odd to you. You've been dually warned!

When we first bought our house I adapted the Better Homes and Garden mentality. You know what I mean...everything had to match, I needed the perfect color scheme, and most of all, I needed everyone who walked in to leave thinking, wow, that is the perfect home. In the meantime, I just grew to hate it. My perfectly balanced color scheme was bland to me, the matching furniture and accessories drove me crazy! Last year we redid the basement and the family room moved from the front room of the house down there, along with the kids' play stuff. The front room became mainly my room - my office, craft area, and the dining area where my friends sit and knit with me. And then the perfectly balanced scheme annoyed me even more as I tried to keep all that yarn and fiber and office stuff stowed away so as not to break the perfection. I realized that a lot of the stress and moodiness I felt when I was here was probably due to the fact that I felt like a visitor in someone else's home. I'm an eclectic and random sort of person (that's an understatement, I know) and why should the place I spend so much time in seem so foreign to that nature?

And so, last summer, I finally snapped and on a whim painted over the dark green walls with a yellow that shocked my husband a bit. Of course, that left the scheme of things a little wonky looking, and so over the last year this front room has been a work in progress. My main issue was that my obsession with fiber was taking over. And I wanted things to flow without completely matching. I rearranged, I redid, I bought a piece here and there that spoke to me, like the copper lantern from Inspiration Hardware, and pulled some out of storage, like my great grandmother's vintage books. I added little touches of inspiration that came to me. Evan gave me the shifty eye when I announced my intentions to accent with black. He told me the room would look like a bumble bee. But when the black curtains arrived and were hung, he decided it wasn't such a bad idea. And when I told him I was going to let the fiber be my decoration, he gave me a pitying look that clearly said, "You've finally lost it.". I think he still thinks it's odd, but maybe not so out of place as he imagined.

And now, after all this time, today, it is my room. My dream room. My dojo. I went a little snap happy with the camera, I admit. I had to record for posterity the exact moment it all came together. And here it is, for your viewing pleasure.

A view from the front door. Welcome.


The entry area. Tidy baskets to hold shoes and outdoor gear, a shaggy warm rug, a bench to sit, and my shelf, which I love, to pull the look together.




Just opposite the door is the Learning Wall. My kids are not in preschool, we do a form of early home school here. And I want them to know that their work is just as important to me as my own work, so I proudly display it on this piece of wall, just by the hallway to their rooms. The quote says "You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives. ~Clay P. Bedford".


This week we're learning about how seeds grow. They've learned all about germination and have planted their own little plants to see it firsthand.


Above the doorway to the kitchen is the Inspiration Wire. This holds all the things that we're loving at the moment that inspire our creativity and happiness. At the moment there are several drawings, some spring flowers we put together, and a quote, which reads "Children have to be educated, but they have also to be left to educate themselves. ~Abbé Dimnet, Art of Thinking, 1928"; it reminds me to keep it simple.


My favorite feature of this room I think. My photo wall. This is a huge collage that spans the length of the room filled with my favorite moments from the last year. I'm talking the crazy pictures people normally don't display, not the studio shots.




Why do I love this wall? This is the wall that firmly establishes my love of the fiber arts and ties it into the room and decor itself.


Look closer. Interspersed with the fond memories are some of my favorite colorways brought to me by the good ladies of HC. Those pieces of knit are more decorative and colorful to me than any painting I've seen, and I loved the idea of incorporating them as what they truly are...art.






This whole picture spoke to me, I couldn't just take the colorway, and so Ryann of Woolen Wishes is forever immortalized in this one!


On to the creative corner. This is, as they say, where the magic happens. This is where strands of fiber become colorful hanks of yarn, and where that yarn becomes knitted art. My yarn and fiber and wheel and needles are proudly on display, part of the decor and feel of the room.






In the other corner, my desk. For those who aren't familiar with the story of my desk, you can see that here.






Last, the little touches that really make it mine. The bowls and baskets of yarn and fiber throughout the room, along with their knitted counterparts in frames.


Simple pieces made by me - the magazine holder made of an old box covered in fabric, the cushion for my desk stool, a table runner and matching chair pillow from some old fabric and bias tape, the glass jar of "daffodils" made from the kids' hands one day.





And the kids' favorite part of the room, the desk where their own creativity happens. I like to think that now, in this room where I've put so much of my own creative energy, maybe theirs will be inspired just a little more.

The Stillar Home Companion

I will preface this by admitting that this post has sat in my drafts for quite some time and was finally finished only because a lovely mama off my beloved Ravelry had use for it.

A Home Management Binder can be a sanity saver when you have more than two things going on in your life at any given time, and let's face it, moms usually do. My HMB was inspired by another blogger and knitter, Little Turtle Mama. She wrote a very detailed post about her family and their HMB, and I realized it was exactly what I'd been looking for. Hence, the Stillar Home Companion was born.

It started as a typical three ring binder, doomed for a life of homework projects until I happened along that day. What sold me was the pink. Unlike it's fellows with the clear plastic covers outside, this one was beautiful hue of rosy pink. It, along with some dividers, a few folders, some paper and a handy zippered case accompanied me home, and the work began.

I started by going through my stock of scrapbooking paper until I found one that complimented the pink. It had spring sayings, interspersed with small graphics of all things spring. After cutting a small rectangle of that paper, I backed it with a heavier blue cardstock, leaving just enough peeking out for a nice border. Of that same cardstock I cut out a replica of one of the small graphics, a bird to be exact, and attached that to my faceplate. I did some scratchy outlining to anchor it and add the details, and then finished with some funky black stickers: Stillar Home Companion. A matching paper/cardstock combo finished off the spine, and then the inside work began.

I wrote a list of the areas of my life and what each might need to be kept organized. First and foremost in my binder, the first thing you see when you open it is my emergency contact information. It has everything that might be needed in a real emergency that might be forgotten in a panic. My husband's and my numbers, along with several other family members not too far away, our address and nearest cross streets, directions for the quickest route there, what color the house is, emergency type numbers like poison control and the fire and police stations, and finally, where the first aid and medicine is located in our house. Every time we leave the house in the hands of the babysitter, the binder is left open to this page on the counter.

Directly behind that is a cheat sheet for the babysitter. A tentative schedule for the kids, their likes and dislikes, what's allowed and what's not, and a space to write any special instructions for that particular day. Since all of my sheets are in sleeves, I can write in dry erase marker and keep reusing the same sheet over again. And finally, behind that and finishing off the vital info section is a page from their pediatrician's office with their numbers, website, and after hours numbers.

The next section is Home Upkeep, which has one lone sheet...my chore chart. The days of the weeks are at the top, and a list of all my weekly chores at the left. In the chart, certain chores are highlighted for certain days, with more on the days I tend to stay home, and less on days I always have other stuff going on. Every day, even if I accomplish nothing else, I do these chores so that I have a constant rotation. When I get done, it gets crossed off in dry erase. If a chore on that day doesn't need to be done, say, my kitchen floor still looks fine and doesn't need mopping that day, I cross it out on that day, and pick a day to move it to a couple of days ahead, and then outline the box on that day so I remember. Under that I have a list of chores that need to be done at least once a month, and under each month's heading, I cross them off as I do them that month. This is probably the most used and loved section for me, because as a mother of two under three, a wife, and a woman who runs a business out of her home, time can be a crunch for me and this keeps my house looking (for the most part) that I'm still on top of my house as well.

Behind that is Menu Planning, which will start getting more use this winter as I'm shut in more and need to have more structure, since a quick run to the store for something I forgot becomes an ordeal of getting two kids and myself bundled and then driving through snow and ice. My husband and I will sit down on Saturday night, the night before our weekly grocery run, and plan our week's menu. Then, list in hand, we can journey to the store with the exact ingredients for each meal. I don't have a Monday, Tuesday, etc. list, more of a series of bubbles that allow me to write in seven meals, and that I can pick at random any given night according to what we feel like.

Fourth is my Home Planning section, which holds plans, receipts and contacts for upcoming home renovations, ideas I'd like to implement, and general dreaming and scheming.

Last in this area of the binder is the Holiday section, which houses a list of every birthday of every person we know, from remote relatives to close friends. Behind that is a Christmas list chart, with all the people on our gift list and a place to write what they're getting, if it's been bought, and if it's been wrapped. Cuts down on the "I bought this sweater for Auntie Ruth but forgot about it and bought her a vase and now I've found this ugly sweater in June and I'm stuck with it" kind of ordeals.

Behind the organization section is the people section. Each family member has folder sleeve, including Bella. Notes, things to remember for that person (or dog), records, etc. is in that section. Bella's holds vet records and checkups, mine and Evan's houses medical records and appointment info, and the kids' is an assortment of drawings, appointment cards, and even a fingerprint record for each should something happen.

Behind this is three regular folders. The first houses all sorts of random contact information: phone numbers written on paper scraps, church directories, business cards - all the important stuff you always mean to transfer into an organized address book but let's face it, you won't find time to.

The second holds coupons. Gift cards, pizza flyers, special coupons for sales we can't pass up. If I need a coupon, there's no hunt for where I might have put it, because I know exactly where to find it. Note: this can become a bit of a trap if you don't clean out the expireds about once a month.

Last is the catch-all folder. This is where I put the papers that need to be filed or tucked in the binder when I don't have the time just then to do it, and then when I do find a moment, I know exactly where to look for the random bits of life that need to find a home.

In the built in pockets at the front and back of my binder are quick grab necessities. In the back are extra spreadsheets, should I need one for some other dreamed up organization or need to add to an existing one. They also work nicely as scratch paper. In the front is an assortment of blank "Thinking of you" type cards for an easy outlet when I just have to let someone know something and an email seems too modern. I like the little touches of snail mail and a handwritten something. I also put in a zippered case at the front that holds some pens, a hole punch, my dry erase marker, and some sticky notes. It's nice to have everything right where I need it. There's also a quote there, which was in the original inspiration binder that I loved which reads, "Don't let what you don't have spoil what you do have."

Throughout the binder is more scrap paper to dress it up. I find that when I add these touches, and make it pretty as well as functional, I use it more.

This binder has saved my life, and while some sections are used more than others, each is useful. Sometimes I forget in the middle of a hectic week to keep it updated, but the weeks that I do go much more smoothly and keep me a little more sane.

And that concludes your tour of the Home Companion.

*Note: Since originally writing this, I have added something to the binder. Not in the binder, but as a helper to it. It's a small notebook that I carry in my purse with a pen. It has two pockets and a handy string to keep it closed. When I'm out and about and get a business card or need to remember something that would normally go in the binder, I can put it in the little folder or jot it down, then transfer into the binder at a later date. It has a matching faceplate on it, and goes by the name "The Companion's Companion".

Sweet Holy Muffins!

Yesterday's launch of the Hyena Cart store was a raging success! We received six orders, one of those for my own custom dyed yarn to be knit into a pair of longies with a watermelon motif, have over 50 people signed up in our lotteries, and had a bunch of great comments letting us know how cute our stuff was and that they'd be back soon. I had so much fun monitoring the store yesterday - checking for mistakes, answering questions, sending out responses for custom orders, and generally just being excited to see my dream finally becoming a reality. I have nothing but high hopes that Baby Bean will continue to grow! If you want to see it, you can find it at http://www.hyenacart.com/babybeandesign.

On another good note, I painted my basement a lovely shade of dark blue. With the white trim it's a lovely contrast. Tomorrow we'll be moving our couch and entertainment center down, which means Wednesday I will be setting up my workspace up here. EEEEEEEEE!

I hope your day is as fun as my last couple have been! Tomorrow I plan on posting a picture montage of my garden, so tune in for an eyeful of veggies!

Wool in my Hands...

A phenomenon is occurring in my house at this very moment, something I can't entirely explain and that happened without a conscious effort on my part. Somewhere, in my quest of peace and a better way, I stopped thinking and the miraculous started. In the small nooks and corners of my house, as if sprouting from the surfaces they lie and finding themselves looking at home, are the projects that have been filling our days of late. They peek from behind doors, stare down from shelves, and pop out of baskets and drawers. Across from me, draped out of the basket that holds our library books is the noodle necklace Aidyn painted last week. On the couch behind me is the just started beanie I am knitting for Evan. On an end table rests a small scarf for Ely, waiting it's finishing touches. Some small beads in a glass jar sit on the table beside a newly potted tulip plant, my camera, and the small stitch markers Aidyn helped me assemble this morning out of said beads. A drawing done for Evan's birthday still graces the wall in front of the door, and I can see another peeking from a stack of bills in a letter holder. As I look around, I feel the warmth of the people who live here, the tiny touches of their love in each project. Aidyn so proud of his painting and coloring, Ely bending over my hands while to watch me put new stitches in her scarf, the joy I feel as I imagine the finished product for one I love.

When I stopped looking, my house suddenly became my home. The love is palpable, the joy an aura. The family that lives here is far from perfect, but the evidence of their repleteness is abundant. Here's wishing you a home filled with joy, love, peace and all the crafts you can handle.

New Beginnings and Old Ideas....

I know we're technically a few days into this year, but here it is, complete, my list of 2008's goals to accomplish. I don't like the word resolutions, because I think situations change, and so your goals should be flexible so they can change too. At the bottom of my actual list that will be printed out and kept in my journal, I've left a large space to add or change ideas through the year. I've also decided that I will record the dates next to these of days when that particular goal was achieved or maybe just added something to my life that made me smile. The entire list will be a journal and record of my year, full of tears and struggles and (I hope) great joy. This time next year I hope to look back and see the change in my family and life.

And so, without further ado, my plans and hopes for the year 2008:

~ 2008 ~
I commit myself to a healthier, more natural, uncluttered, and harmonious lifestyle. I will be a conscious and caring wife, a gentle, fun, and focused mom, and provide a beautiful, warm home for my family free of unnecessary junk and feelings. This year I commit myself to making my life exactly what I want it to be, and in the process, better for my family.

For My Health –
1. Box three nights a week, try to get a night or two of personal training a month.
2. Drink more water, cut out all soda.
3. Focus on eating healthier and more often.
4. Take healthy snacks and water everywhere to reduce unhealthy munching when out.
For Our Home-
1. Cut the clutter.
2. Plan out meals and buy weekly groceries accordingly.
3. Make a chore schedule and stick to it.
4. Try one new meal every two weeks.
5. Buy more houseplants.
6. Repair tiles in the hall.
7. Keep the yard neater.
8. Find a way to spruce up the older furniture (cover and pillows for the couch, etc)
9. Build a garage and fence this Spring.
10. Add homey touches that are inexpensive but beautiful.
11. Organize all paperwork into easily manageable system.
12. Keep up on laundry (washing, drying, folding, hanging).
13. Organize downstairs and closets.
14. Create space for paperwork, crafts, etc., and keep it clean.
15. Stay on top of recycling and garbage.
For Evan –
1. Let him take more naps and sleep in more without a surly attitude.
2. Make it a point to ask him how his day was.
3. Support him in his eating healthier and working out more, offer more encouragement.
4. Make sure there is money in savings every few months for him to buy his supplements.
5. Learn more about his goals and what goes into making them a reality.
6. Talk more, love more, make love more.
7. Don’t take my negative feelings out on him, instead let him help me feel better.
8. Don’t argue about things that don’t really matter, and talk out the things that do.
For Our Budget –
1. Pay off all debt except house by March.
2. Eliminate credit spending by saving instead for big purchases.
3. Give more back (tithe, Children International, other charities).
4. Cut out unnecessary spending.
5. Send all bills out on time.
For Our Kids –
1. Lay a foundation for the kids’ schooling by intentionally creating fun learning times.
2. Plan one field trip a week strictly for them.
3. Hug them more.
4. Replace some TV every day with mommy play time.
5. Lay a better spiritual foundation for them.
6. Find a better bedtime routine and stick to it.
For Our Pets –
1. Start a raw, natural diet.
2. Stick to their feeding schedule.
3. Brush, groom, etc.
4. Take Joia on walks every few days.
5. Keep up to date on shots.
For Myself –
1. Live Simply.
2. Drink more water.
3. Spend less time watching life through my computer screen and more out enjoying it.
4. Take care of what I have
5. Get a tattoo.
6. Eat fast food a max of once every three months.
7. Love my kids and husband more and myself less.
8. Send birthday cards.
9. Learn to knit and make the kids longies and soakers.
10. Stay on top of accountability meetings and homework.
11. Focus on being a better homemaker, wife, and mother.
12. Do more of what I enjoy – reading, sewing, etc.
13. Start a garden with my kids.
14. Learn from my mistakes.
15. Start a journal.
16. Blog at least four times a week.
17. Be a better friend.
18. Be willing.
19. Take time to focus.
20. Take at least one bubble bath a week.
21. Clean my car out once a week.
22. Learn patience, grace, and to say sorry.
23. Get involved in something new.
24. Try four new things before the year is over, including rock climbing.
25. Bake more.
26. Cry when I need to, don’t hold it in.
27. Drink more tea.
For Our Faith –
1. Do a devotional, then another.
2. Go to class with Evan to work our way through the Bible.
3. Start teaching SAHM Bible study.
4. Be regular about going to church.
For Baby Bean –
1. Refocus and decide on a path of action.
2. Learn about Baby Fair and decide on entering.

*I reserve the right to reword, add to, or otherwise edit this list in the future upon any whim I may have. I refuse to give up coffee or chocolate for any reason, and will not negotiate my right to a few select days a month of hormonal outbursts free of guilt.