This WONDERfilled Life...

I struggled at the end of last year trying to decide if I would continue with the #52wonderfilledweeks challenge in 2019.  That's to say, I couldn't decide if I wanted to hold myself to a weekly timeline for completing, photographing, writing and posting projects in 2019.  I thought I might continue on that timeline until reality set in and I realized that I have so many more things in my life I want to master...it just probably isn't realistic to add that kind of stress to another year of my life. The upside to this is that I could potentially post more often as smaller projects are often completed much quicker than in a week.  I have ton of ideas for this new year but before I thrown them out at you all I want to reflect on what I learned over the course of my #52wonderfilledweekschallenge of 2018. As of January 9th, 2019 my little blog has been viewed over 80,000 times!!! What??? Let that sink in...I'm flattered that people have found something of interest and val...

I'm back! On time!! Woo hoo!!! I have such a large list of things I still want to make this year and the weeks are dwindling away...this is Week 46...which means I only have 6, SIX(!!!) weeks left in my #52wonderfilledweeks challenge.  How crazy is that? This week's project is admittedly simple, BUT, so needed.  We live in a 1920's Chicago, brick bungalow.  We love this house.  The wood accents, the plaster walls, the old skeleton keyed doors.  But when the weather changes the house shifts and some doors don't stay shut.  Well, okay, ONE door doesn't stay shut.  It's the door from our kitchen into my horn studio which is the old back door to the house.  The door doesn't actually latch anymore...and come to think of it I could probably take the old lock off and see if I could fix it...I guess I'll add that to the house list.  In the meantime we've just dealt with it.  It's not really an issue unless we have guests staying with us because ...

It is 1:07pm on Sunday (Father's Day) June 17th, 2018. I just was finally able to take pictures of my week 24 challenge and it is 101 degrees outside...ugh...This week had some wins and losses and the thing I am loving about this challenge is that is has forced me to throw more caution to the wind and try stuff. Even if it means the outcome is a fail and I "waste" materials and time...because in the end I get better every single time. It's just like playing horn. I wouldn't only pick it up for a concert. I wouldn't only take the auditions I knew would result in a win. No I pick it up everyday. I practice, I hone my skills, I work on the craft of being a musician. I play things that are fun and I challenge myself with things I don't do well because I know in the end it makes me a better musician. Maybe because there is no "physical"waste (ie trash, literally) from trial and error on my horn it's easier to throw caution to the wind bu...

A week or so ago I posted about how I knew it was going to be a good day because I woke up to one of my favorite fabric shops, Knitpop , offering these adorable hearts on the oh so soft (Lularoe buttery legging fabric) double brushed poly.  I snatched up several yards in white and black, rainbow and pink for a certain special little girl.  With Easter around the corner I knew I needed to make P a new dress (last year I made her this "Ariel" one and she wore it until her shoulders would not fit into it any more.  In an effort to dive into my pattern stash (yah I have one of those too....) I picked three different patterns and let the 4 year old choose which one she wanted.  Of course she not only choose Pattern for Pirates " Me Hearties " she was adamant that it have the sweetheart/color-blocked option.  This is a new one for me and while I was open to the challenge after the last week I was hoping for something quick.  I learned some new techniques, ...

This week...this was a week.  So many highs and lows. On one hand I am super excited for my horn and organ concert later today.  I have wanted to do this collaboration for years, since I was first introduced to the Hermann Baumann Horn and Organ CD by my teacher Rick Menaul while in undergrad.  I had Bubba 10.5 months ago and I am just so proud of myself for setting this goal (if I do say so)! On the other hand it was a heart wrenching week as a friend lost his 36 year old sister to cancer in 27 days.  TWENTY SEVEN days.  Think about it. She leaves behind a husband, 7 yo and an 8 mo boys as well as her parents and siblings.  Life just seems so unfair.  19 years ago my sister was ripped from our lived in a freak car accident.  All the emotions from my family's loss came barreling back to me.  Needless to say it was a hard week to keep my focus and I was happy to have a project to meditate on and help to quiet my mind.  Ironi...

So this week started with me finishing up a Public Safety Survey that I put together with two other active members of my community. I had to learn how to put the information together so anyone could read it...it took a lot of time but I learned a new skill and I think the information is extremely valuable for the community.  It felt really good to have that done.  I don't do well with things "hanging" over my head.  I love a nice fat check mark next to things on my list.  It felt great to not only help my community but check this off as done! Then I had some graphic design work to do for the Park Advisory Council I volunteer on.  I have been using these graphic design needs to challenge myself to do great work but in a limited amount of time. Both my husband and I can get lost in designing and while I love volunteering for my community I have started to realize I often put others first and I am trying to be more aware of that.  I've been taking advantage...