you be my sunny day, I'll be your shade tree

Lots of stress at work equals having to shut myself into the guest room in the evenings and scrap until I feel tired.  I got 5 pages done this week/weekend. That's the most productive I've been since Sloane was an infant.  I have way too many supplies right now and sometimes that hinders my creativity.  It was a lot easier to get started by limiting myself to one of my Studio Calico kits (from when I subscribed *sob*).  Once I got a couple of layouts out of my system I opened up some more supplies.

Thankfully I can go back through my semi-monthly letters to Sloane on my blog to see what was happening around the time that the pictures of her were taken so that I can journal on the pages. Otherwise, I've learned that my memory for detail is shot.

little bald Sloane telling me "more" Mama! 

One of my favorite photos Viva la Sloane! 

Loved that fluffy yellow gingham

Title courtesy of Blake Shelton: Honey Bee

and while she looked so sad in photographs

never want to forget your little voice greeting your little cousin for the first time "hi tiny"

I got a tiny bit of time to myself last night.  I am out of practice, it's not my favorite but I wanted to get this story down.

Other memories for Sloane:  I think aunt Tay will always love you most because when we went to the hospital all of us were jammed in her room oohing and awh-ing over Ledger. When you walked in and ran to aunt Tay because you were the only one there who was only interested in HER. :)

At this point, about a year after his birth you refer to him as your "bess friend" and you both love to see each other.  

Saturday will be a whirlwind of a day at work, but I hope once that's said and done I will have a little more time to get some more of your story down on the page. I've been looking at lots of inspiration lately and am ready to follow suit.  I'd love to lift these layouts:  Ashley Horton & my personal friend Ashley  & this sketch

title courtesy of the 90's---- Nine Days: Absolutely 

art is why I get up in the morning

In all the work chaos, in all the political blathering and state of the city hubbub all I want to do is let out a little creativity.   I am getting excited about directing The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (my favorite musical) this summer, but it isn't soon enough to let out all of this pent up ART!

However, I have misplaced the power source to my scanner.  I just can't photograph a layout and have it be as sharp as a scan can. :)  But here are some recent (as in at least 90 days ago) pages I created.

I really have no excuse to not be scrapping away in the evenings after Sloane's in bed, my dad got us a great portable table for Christmas and I have been itching to spread out all my supplies.

Although I confess I have found the time sucker:  I have a horrible addiction to a trial right now (I know, I know I promised not to get  involved in watching trials again after that circus I watched last summer, and after how I cried for about a week when a jury acquitted OJ Simpson when I was in high school). But I always get sucked in (then I justify this by annoying my mom and sister until they get involved too). So by the time I catch up on testimony it's time for bed.  The defense rested yesterday, so only have rebuttal and closing arguments to go.

Hopefully order will be restored soon and I can get back to the scrap table in the evening.  Just doing these few pages makes me remember that I want to document some of the cute and interesting things Sloaney is doing right now.

So I don't completely forget.

"I want a Hoot-Hoo party and a moon" Sloane circa age 2

A page about Sloane's first phrases including "good guhl"

16 mos. photo shoot (a year ago-- *wah*). Love those chubby arms and calves

title courtesy of Out of Habit: ani difranco (I sure love her lately)

first we admit our mistakes, then we open our eyes

Dear Sloane, 

One thing I knew about myself before you were born is that I have a mouth on me. I knew that I was going to have a hard time not firing it off if someone hurt you.  One thing I didn't know before you were born (long before) was that I was going to have a non-white child.  I was going to have a child who was not born automatically with the societal white privilege I was born with.

And now you are here.  And the thought of someone hurting you with their words, actions or ideas brings a tangible ache to my heart.  But the thought of someone hurting you because you are black makes my blood boil.

Our little city has been in the news lately.  Not for a good reason.  But because one of our elected officials made many racist statements.  And since I heard what happened my blood has been on a rapid boil.

Today I did what I hope to raise you to do.  I wrote 3 letters to the three officials who can make a change to the leadership.

Dear County Commissioners Price & Duncan, 
I was so embarrassed and disappointed to hear what transpired in your discussion on April 2nd. I am from Saline county and have always been a proud Kansan. I chose to move my family back to Salina after living in Kansas City for the past few years. One point that my husband, an African-American, was concerned about was the lack of diversity and lack of acceptance for him and our daughter if we moved to Salina. I, frankly thought his idea was ludicrous. The city I call "home" was not a place that I considered lacking in respect for people of color, even if the ratio of people of color was lower than our home in Kansas City. After awhile my husband was charmed with the smaller city feel of Salina and by what he considered to be a safer place to raise our daughter. 
I am disappointed and embarrassed that an elected official in this county is trying to prove me wrong. His words and evident ideas about people are threatening that safety we felt existed for our daughter. Because you see Mr. Commissioners, crime is not the only thing that threatens safety. Ideas and attitudes can be just as threatening. 
I believe as a public citizen that language is important, but for an elected official you are held to an even higher standard, your language sirs is paramount. Mr. Gile used three terms that are offensive (one within his public apology) and shouldn't ever "slip" from someone's mouth. If those words and ideas aren't in your heart & mind they will not "slip" from your tongue. 
And even more sickening, when he clarified the term "n-rigging" he said "Afro-Americanized". And laughter was heard on the recording. Later he said he meant "jury-rigging", but if he had then why would he not clarify at the moment that is what he meant, rather than "Afro-Americanized"? 
I hope you do the right thing. The voters and the children of this community and quite frankly the nation are watching how you react to this. 
A concerned citizen, wife, mother and voter, 
Shannon (last name & address)

And tomorrow if change doesn't come, I will continue.  Not just for you, but for you in large part.

Now mama's going to try to turn it down to a simmer, she's got other work to do too...But I want to tell you something that a man far more eloquent (and even-tempered than I am) said about this kind of thing.

I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

Love you,
Mama

lyrics courtesy of Ani Difranco (mama and advocate herself) Subdivision

lie awake at night till they come back around

via

There's no cure for distraction like your dreams coming true.  For the last month I have been living my own dream as I finally found and landed a job doing what I love all day long.  It has made time FLY by.

Fortunately I work a CREATIVE job now, so I haven't gone home at 5pm everyday searching for a creative outlet (i.e. blogging, scrapbooking, crafting). Unfortunately I miss doing my own creativity and expression.  So I am hoping I can find some balance soon.  Until then, I at least want to leave some photo documentation of the last month.

Miss Sloane got her dinosaur mullet trimmed

Much better

Easter happened

She calls him "bess frien" (evah) 

She loved her blue shoes (favorite color) and wearing her hat

title courtesy of Please come to Boston; Dave Loggins

So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer!

I have to interrupt my shame files series until next week.  I am in the last two days of my previous job before I begin my new job (hooray, dreams coming true).  So I am a mother working two full time jobs, and the show I've been directing opens tomorrow.  Excuse me while I take several deep breaths.

title courtesy of that consummate theatre geek's musical movie Moulin Rougue - the Pitch

I guess I just lost my balance. (Shame files: Organization Series Week 4)

I am back at it.  Showing the whole world (or at least my limited number of readers) my shameful clutter sins.    
Today it's time to admit that the clutter had spread to my whole life.  Including my car.

I was driving around in clutter (easy to do with a contributing two year old).

And it took forever people. I mean like I am still working on it.  First I removed all the junk and sorted it into 3 different bags and then I dumped it all in front of our front door in order to make myself put it away again (this trick works great for me).

After I vacuumed, and scrubbed and scraped (eww what was that substance?) Here's how I organized my little car...

Document & maintenance file --- via

Ordered this from etsy in a cute fabric!

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And I made one of these. This image is from Pinterest.  I will upload my whole finished product when my organizer arrives!

It's honestly a breath of fresh air in my car.  It previously smelled a little bit like a toddler after a long day at the park.  Cannot wait to get my hands on my organizer and fill it up with goodies for Sloane to reach on the road.

Hope you have something to link up this week too! title courtesy of Sloane's favorite sing-along song at the moment...Taylor, I knew you were trouble

You deserve an award for the role that you played

It's the day of love. And there are few things I love more than awards season! I love the fashion & the films and (sometimes) the actors themselves. In anticipation for the Oscars (AHHHHHH!YEAH!!!!) coming soon & the Independent Spirit Awards (coming one day sooner!), I am going to show you my favorite and my worst dressed of the awards season so far and leave you with some wishes for the Academy Awards and my predictions.

My favorite of the globes...Claire can do no wrong (plus she just had a baby!)
Atelier Versace-- her kohl rimmed eyes make it, in my humble opinion

She did the Angelina Jolie leg pose!  I thought we heard the end of it.
My worst of the night (again this is Atelier Versace)

SURPISE-- a lot of people hated this.  I don't like the fishtail braid but I LOVE BALL GOWNS
And this Carolina Herrera is no exception.

Best of the SAGS...it was divine, and the Lorraine Schwartz Art Deco pendant...I die.

You know what else can go away along with Angelina inspired leg-slit poses?  Side-boob.  Yuck. Michelle Dockery in  Chado Ralph Rucci.  Michelle can stay in the post-Edwardian era.

SURPRISE-- I can't stand Marion (like at all), but I  LOVE this DIOR...LOVE

I don't usually count the Grammy's in my award season viewing, let alone fashion as I tend to prefer the classic to the outrageous.  But this year I did love a few looks.

Carrie in Cavalli = Flawless

Dear Gucci, I am a sucker for green on the red carpet...and I do not oppose cleavage (just side boob)

She's SO pretty-- but the hair is too sparse and the leg is too, well I've already told you now a few times. WORST!

Dear Solange, Ralph Russo, those pumps and that natural hair did you RIGHT.  Surprise, I love it all, head to toe!

Predictions for the Academy Awards...Best Pic- Argo, Best Actor- DDL (although Bradley Cooper had such a performance in Silver Linings!), Best Actress- Chastain (I love Wallis too).

I wanna see ball gowns ladies....  someone please wear these...

Arca Reem 2013 collection

Love the red, love the fushia

Dear Jessica, You are beautiful in sapphire!  

Miss Wallis,  you rock that puppy purse.  You are only  the youngest oscar nominee once! 

I found all the photos at the page I am addicted to each year:  RCFA!

Enjoy the show all, I can't wait!

title courtesy of lyrics of Oscar nominee herself: Madge-- Take a bow

So show me family (The Shame Files Organization Series Week 3)

If you are having a time like mine I can see why only 2 people were able to link up this week.  My little 2 year old, Sloane has been running a fever for 3 days now.  Sigh.  Not much time for organization around here.  But I still have one little thing that will help me out today.

The two of you that did link up had the greatest trash to treasure link ups.  Your projects cost you zilch!  My favorite kind of transformations!

Brooke showed us something that we can do for ourselves or make for a gift for others.

And Meg at The Coop showed us a wonderful makeover of her dry goods for kitchen canisters.  And the best part about this one for me was that I had literally bought a canister the night before, then saw her DIY and took it back.  6$ more in my pocket.

Perfect job ladies!  I hope people will have some time to organize this week and share with us.

For my quick project this week I focused on a little thing that drives me crazy.  I loathe when I get home from work, open up my clean dishwasher full of sparkling dishes, getting ready to put them away and see a rogue dirty dish.  It seems my husband feels that if there are dishes in the dishwasher they must be dirty.  I am just not that quick to put away the clean ones folks.

And when I find that dirty fork in there it's like the whole load is ruined (it isn't I know, but my tendencies toward OCD find that hard to accept).  So in order to save more water, energy and sanity.  I created a new little thing to keep my kitchen a little more sane.

Thus, this magnet was born.  I created it using left over supplies from my Christmas coaster project, some paint, ink, a emery board to sand and ModPodg to seal, and a magnet glued to the back.  Pretty simple.  Now if I can only remind myself to change the magnet and my husband to heed it's warning.

Here's a look at another project I'm working on this week.

I am finally going to try my hand at DIY laundry detergent

title courtesy of The Lumineers Ho Hey (That sweetheart song) Don't forget to link up your solutions for diminishing shame in your life. I linked up here:

It would be a deep deep blue

I have this H&M sweater that I adore and is sentimental because Mr. K bought it for me while we were in Philadelphia together, but I haven't worn it in 2 years because it has a strange unknown and unforgivable stain.

I have tried every stain solution and just can't seem to get it out. As I was speeding through the laundry section the other day trying to find the ingredients to DIY my own laundry soap (still have yet to find washing soda in stock). I saw the cache of Rit Dyes. I have a pair of jeans that are a few years old and are looking pretty acid washed lately so I thought I'd pick up a little "denim" color and try my hand at dying the jeans.

When I got home and read the RIT packaging and it said I could add up to 2 lbs of clothing per bottle. All I had was this measly pair of jeans. It seemed like a waste of time/dye. Then I thought about my old sweater (it's been living on my closet floor for so long!). I have been crushing on all things chambray & maxi skirt w/ graphic tee lately...and I thought the sweater might just turn out a lovely chambray shade. (Hello two birds, meet one stone).

Polyvore, of course 

I was super nervous because everything on people's blogs about RIT shows the difficulty of the process (granted most of these are hombre techniques and crazy cool other stuff). I chose the top loader technique (since that's what I'm working with) and frankly the stove top method terrified me. I added a cup of salt (for cotton) to the dye bath (hottest water on longest setting) and wetted my clothes in the bathtub (check out how I transported them medical personnel, I found a momentary use for the mauve hospital tub). After dying you wash on warm with detergent, then you do another load (while your dyed clothing is drying) either empty or with old rags/towels and bleach to cleanse your basin of all the dye, worked like a charm.

My jeans didn't have a dramatic effect, but they are less stone-washed.

But the sweater, the sweater I LOVE. A whole new life for it. I love how the buttons and the button threads stayed white, and the rest is that yummy chambray color. And the cardigan I found on Polyvore, it's 149 pounds, the RIT was about 3 dollars, the sweater was a gift (gratis!).  

And an option, if you can't find the perfect chambray shirt, dye a comfy white one. The stain is completely unnoticeable. I will definitely RIT dye again.

Linking up at Sugar and Dots, and Cowgirl Up link parties.

 (PS RIT doesn't even know about this post, let alone compensate me for my opinion).

title courtesy of It Would be You: Gary Allan, here's looking at you Ash! 

Honey pick the red corner shoes The ones that hardly ever get used (Shame Files Series: Week 2)

It's time for more shame purging.  I am loving that I am also purging my Pinterest boards as I go as well!

Last week was the first week and we had 7 of you link up.  I loved all the posts from last week.  Here are the highlights I found.

Meg did her spice cabinet (although in my hoarder sensibilities I thought  "I hope desperately you kept that old mustard tin and just cleaned it out, that would make a fabulous little craft someday").

Breann was brave enough to tackle under the sink.  I took one look under mine a couple days ago and thought-- no way am I ready for that yet.  Especially since Keenan has started a new face care regimen that includes oats, honey, olive oil, tea tree oil and other such things now being kept in under our bathroom sink.  Weird/gross.

via

In my dreams mine will look so nice too.  Someday.

And because I am always looking to do new things on a dime, I especially loved this organization post by Brooke of Blissful Roots (I'm a new follower!)

Check out her white bean tip for keeping your pens standing up so nice:  brilliant!

Hope you all play along this week as well.

I wanted to do something fun this week.  Among my favorite possessions in my home are my books.  Although you wouldn't know it if you saw my hallway bookcase a few days ago.

It was our hallway dumping ground.  The top shelf shows you a conglomeration of things I have yet to put away from the wedding (in October) There's a broken frame and three cookbooks to relocate to the kitchen, a pair of mittens and some washi tape on that second shelf, a nativity snow globe waiting to be put in the Christmas stuff on the third shelf...

I got myself a fabric grocery bag (to take some books to the used book store) and spent a little time on Pinterest gathering inspiration.

This one's my fave-- she has a lovely blog too! 

So I set out to do some organizing and here's what I came up with...Mind you the light in my hallway is atrocious, and of course I finished this last night...so I apologize for the photos being a little lot less than stellar.

 It looks a lot better.  It is still a work in progress though.  I am not happy with the non-fiction shelf (the second shelf from the bottom).  I also had to keep in mind that Sloane sometimes helps herself to the books on that shelf too (not just her own bottom shelf).

I plan to change the quotes up a little bit to go with the month.  I chose an MLK quote about love for February.  The chalkboard is a spray painted old tray.  The frame contains dates of when we met, moved in together and got married, and the little frame holds a domino (just thought it was cute).  Which knocked out 3 Pinterest projects for me.

I just love that second shelf.  The vintage books and the post is a table number (our anniversary day) from my brother's wedding.

The very bottom shelf I left disheveled for the littlest reader in the house, that way all of her books are within reach.

Show me what you got pretty ladies... title courtesy of Let's Make Peace Tonight: by the Indigo Girls