everyday beauty

 

This month in Hand to Heart we're exploring the beauty of the everyday moments and we're using our cameras to collect the evidence we find.

This focus is shifting the way I'm using my phone each day. I'm using my timer and remembering the spots where there is more natural light in my home. I'm seeking evidence of beauty even in the messiest moments (like a little one sick with hives for most of Spring Break). I'm pausing to take a few deep breaths and then snapping a photo. And I'm soaking up color even more than usual.

I love how simple prompts can re-energize us and give our creativity just the starting place it needs to blossom. And getting back into the photos (like the one above with Ellie and me chatting in bed) is so important. No it isn't the best photo of me, but it is a photo full of love as I listen to her tell me stories while she plays with her stickers. 

The love is what I always want to remember.

Yes.

Come over and connect with me on Instagram. It is my favorite favorite favorite place to be these days.

And if you want to join us in seeking beauty this month, you can join Hand to Heart at any time.

project life :: february 2014

This year, I'm working on my Project Life album one month at a time. Letting go of the weekly updates has been like taking a deep breath.

And as usual, it isn't about being perfect or hoping my albums will look like some of the true designers or really experienced scrapbookers out there. 

No.

This is about photos + words and a few little fun bits and gathering them together as evidence of this awesome, crazy, beautiful, sometimes really messy life we're living over here.

These layouts show glimpses of a month full of sick days and a snow day and three trips to IKEA and a visit from my mom and going through "stuff" and rearranging and continuing to make a home that feels like home.

Read more about my experience with Project Life + get links to some of the products I'm using right here.

getting outside.

 

Getting outside. Five deep breaths. Noticing the beauty in my corner.

These are the practices I return to again and again.

These are the practices that act like handholds...helping me find my way each day.

Last week, on a really hard and sad day, the sun was shining anyway. And seeing that blue sky pushed me to gather up my little family and go to a park near our home and soak up the beauty of just being alive.

And the beauty was there even as I sat on a log looking out at the water with grief in one hand and the real solid truth that I am still here in the other. While my husband and daughter ran back and forth across the rocks and her laughter was contagious to all who walked by, I took five deep breaths and then five more. As the space inside me grew with each breath, the beauty enveloped me like a comforting shawl. 

Yes.

*****

If you want to circle with a group of women who are exploring practices like this one, come along to Hand to Heart, my free ongoing community of women. Each month I share different ideas to add to your current self-care practice and we're here to support you even if you're just beginning the adventure of learning self-care.

Learn more and request to join right here.

project life :: january 2014

There's a reason why I haven't posted about Project Life for about a year. I stalled out last Spring. I just couldn't find a groove. But this year I'm finding my way with it again.

I'm still doing a lot of the things I shared in this post and this post. 

(And if you are completely new to Project Life, head over to Becky Higgins' site to learn more.)

All photos from this spread are from January 1st, so I added that on a label with my typewriter (arrow journal card by Pam Garrison)

A few things I'm doing differently:

1) Gathering photos + stories by month: So far I'm putting them together during the first week of the next month. I let go of each spread needing to represent one week. Doing that felt like a big sigh of relief. Whenever I'd think about catching up last year, I'd think about how I'd never be able to recreate each week. The amount of time it would take me to put the photos in the exact order they should be in felt so overwhelming. I often wondered why I didn't just gather things by month. Then when I read that Elise was doing her Project Life monthly this year, I felt the permission I needed. (And gosh I can't wait to hug that girl in person in just two weeks!)

A huge part of January was about the word of the year necklaces from my shop. Including pieces about this felt really important. 

2) Printing all my photos at home: I have the Epson PictureMate and I LOVE it! But I also have a whole lot of supplies for my little Canon Selphy left over from the photos I didn't print last year, so right now, I'm using the Selphy. I'll be switching to just the Epson for Project Life soon. (Here's the thing about the Selphy, it is super easy to use. But I have an older one and it doesn't interface with my computer, so I have to load the photos back onto my camera's memory card to print them. And the photos aren't exactly 4x6, which is okay, but I really want full size photos to fit the page protectors. I'll be using the Selphy for other projects though because I do really love it and it prints wirelessly, which is awesome for quick iPhone photos.)

Love that Ellie creates so much artwork these days. Lots of playing is happening inside her "art journals" too right now, so including photos of her artwork is also fun. 

3) Printing Instagram photos at home: I started to stall out last year when so many of the photos I wanted to include were Instagram photos and I thought I had to get them printed by a place that printed 4x4 photos.* This year I simply created a 4x6 template in Photoshop and pop the square photo in and trim it when it prints. I bet you could also do this with PicMonkey. I'm also attaching part of a journal card right to the 4x4s to fit them in the 4x6 spots. Easy and means I don't have to use an entire 4x4 page protector every time I want to include them.

4) Doing what I know: I reread my own tips in this post and started following them again. Not worrying about my handwriting. Just getting the stories down. Letting Ellie help because she LOVES to. Also, I'm not rounding the corners on everything. Maybe I will go back and do that. Not worrying about that right now.

Ellie loves to help with the stamps and letting that be imperfect is awesome and totally okay. (Stamp from Elise, but she's not selling them at this time.)

5) Studio Calico: I did it. I signed up for the monthly Project Life kit subscription. And I love it. I still use cards from both the Seafoam and Clementine kits, but having some new things to work with each month is making me happy. 

6) I'm also using more filler cards with quotes and that feels really easy and I love how they look. 

A huge part of January was also about my Five Deep Breaths practice, and photos from it are scattered throughout these January spreads. I think I'll share more about how I tell my story with Project Life in another post along with how I'm storing Project Life stuff. Stay tuned!

Other supplies I used: 

• Design G page protectors
• Design A page protectors
• Seafoam binder
• American Craft slick writer pens
• 3x4 grid cards
• And instead of making my own, I'll be ordering these 4x4 grid journal cards today! I might be late to the party on realizing these are out, but this just made my day!

And see my Project Life Ideas Pinterest board for some inspiration.

*I still LOVE getting my Instagram photos printed from Printstagram (from Social Print Studio) and PostalPix. The quality from both is awesome. I'm using some 4x4 and 3x3 and even 2x2 sized photos in a few other projects I'll be sharing soon.

Quick note: Some links are affiliates, which means I receive a small commission when you purchase from that online store.

i want to remember

I want to remember:

The sound of your laughter as we ran toward the water together.

The way you danced, singing to yourself as you picked up sand and felt the texture between your fingers.

Your excitement when we both walked ankle deep into the water in our rain boots so we could "wait for the waves."

The feel of your hands taking mine each time you were convinced "a big one is coming this time Mama."

The neverending giggles when the water went all the way down into your boots and how you were delighted that your socks were soaked.

The moment when I remembered you've been off of your heart medication for a year now.

The way you would run to Daddy and Millie to update them on how big the waves were and how funny it was when that HUGE one even got my pants wet.

The gentle kindness you showed Millie as you shared the backseat during our long drive to and from the coast.

The way you chatted during our entire picnic that we ate tucked into the back of the car, watching the waves and feeding carrots to Millie.

The truth that even in the midst of the stuff that is hard, life really is this beautiful. 

capturing this moment: around here

One of my favorite prompts is to gather photos that simply represent what we've been up to "around here" in the everyday moments. Taking the time to sift through Instagram photos and the photos I've taken with my "big camera" helps me to slow down and really see what is happening in the in-between spaces. 

Here's what I found when I looked through photos of the everyday moments from the last few weeks...

creative play (and ever-present patience)

storytelling (complete with hand motions these days)

sorting (and a mama's ability to somehow keep finding things to do)

cuddling under quilts (movie nights and naps)

throwing rocks (and lots of reminders about throwing away from living things)

listening to stories (and talking through the intense moments when needed)

pausing in the quiet (and choosing to really listen)

meals together (simple go-to favorites)

Here's what I know: It isn't about the "quality" of the photo. It isn't about capturing every moment. It isn't about getting photos "as good" as someone you admire on Instagram. It's about living.

It's about noticing the simple moments that make up your world. It's about having the camera nearby to capture what you're drawn to. It's about getting in the photo. It's about having a way to remember the moments she finally put down the paintbrush and let herself begin to paint with just her fingers. It's about reminding yourself that you did really have dinner at the table sometimes. 

It's about noticing the everyday moments of what life looks like around here.

Take some time to capture this moment through your lens today. See if you can find your senses, laughter, what it means to gather, stillness, or even just your favorite shade of blue.

***

You can find more about this prompt and other juicy being present and self-portrait prompts in my book Inner Excavation: Explore Your Self Through Photography, Poetry, and Mixed Media. I'm delighted to share that I'm selling copies again, this time at a special discounted price of $18. Read more about the book and order it from me right here. (I'll even sign it for you and include one of my poem note postcards.)

over here

we found a new to us park

and looked out on Puget Sound while she slept

we created our own board game (love Kiwi Crate!)

I've been playing with beads I've had since high school 

my new iphone cases arrived. with my own images + words. love them.

there has been a lot of coloring + fruit consumption

and adventuring wearing her new favorite hat from Grandma Fina

also four months of Project Life catch up has begun (post to come soon. OH and I love the "a beautiful mess" app. big.)

and we are finding time to notice us

A note from earlier today: I'm sitting in the family room, favorite purple afghan tucked around me, listening to Jon and Ellie chatter away as they play at the kitchen table. There is folk music on in the background, and I'm soaking up the simplicity of it all as the rain falls and I wonder what the day will hold. 

Sometimes you have to pause and really sink into the simple moments and how they make your heart feel. in this moment, I felt truly happy.

This isn't about pretending to have a perfect life. Or not standing in the thick of the tough stuff.

This is about gently pushing yourself to pay attention in the in-between spaces to find the joy, the beauty, the realness.

And for me, it's a lot about choosing love again and again.

march 31

On Sunday we were reminded of the gifts we receive each time we get out of the house and go exploring. I love living here.

Yes, the sky really was that blue. 

The first few minutes were spent navigating her way through trusting that she can believe when I say the water isn't going to get her. A desire to talk through fears is common around here right now. (I guess I hope it always will be.)

She kept saying again and again, "These rocks are just so pretty."

When she realized I was collecting seaglass (which was why I wanted to go to North Beach in Port Townsend), she started looking for it too. And she found so many tiny pieces of brown and green and even some deep blue. I couldn't stop smiling so big and wishing my mom and grandma were with us.

Yes, deep blue sea glass. We will go when you visit. (So come soon.)

Even though getting out of the house was intense (I'm never at my best trying to remember everything for everyone), we found our way to kindness and laughter and this moment right here.

I keep thinking about how we have to push ourselves to put family playdates like this one on the calendar. Life unfolds so quickly and the things that must get done do give way to the beautiful moments yet sometimes in order to really connect to yourself, to one another, you have to go someplace new, explore, and have a picnic. Outside.

We must remember to take care of our souls in this way.

Yes.