obsessed: peggy guggenheim

Ever since Ted and I visited the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, I've had a little obsession with the eccentric and stylish Peggy Guggenheim. Can you blame me? Just look at her... and her dogs!

gotta start somewhere

found

"Comparison is the thief of joy." "The worst enemy to creativity is self doubt."

Easier pinned than practiced, am I right?

I'm trying to fix that. I've been known to beat myself up for not being creative enough. It's hard when the thing you identify most with (for me, being crafty) is something that takes work. Time. Patience. Kindness to yourself. People start to expect things of you--that everything you wear must be handmade or something. It hurts to say, "No..." Because to be honest, I rarely have the time and courage to take on a big sewing project. I know I am capable of making cool things. I made a duffle bag for Ted last holiday season, for goodness sake! And I'm incredibly proud of that. However, the things I find the most joy in making are smaller, more frivolous items. Things that aren't necessary for anything other than to make someone smile or perhaps giggle. Like an avocado brooch.

Sometimes a bad joke flits across my mind when I'm feeling particularly inadequate: "Crafts are just crappy art."

It's hard to look at a beautiful minimalist charcoal drawing framed pristinely and not think my work is worthless. The truth is that COMPARISON IS THE THIEF OF JOY, PEOPLE! So you have to keep on trucking along, making your felt bits and bobs, and share your light because it's your own, and not anyone else's.

One of the reasons I started an Etsy recently was to start thinking more business-like. One day I hope to open a craft store that will house beautiful odds and ends that will inspire others to MAKE. I want them to find treasures, cozy up into a couch, and sip some tea while they dream up their next project. I want them to have a thirst for new knowledge that can only be learned with their hands. I want someone who has spent their whole life saying "I could never do that" to DO THAT. Because creating something with your own hands builds confidence. It's tangible evidence that you have learned a valuable new skill. And whether that value is as a piece of artwork or a pillowcase, it's all valuable. And hey, YOU made it. So that's cool.

I guess what I'm trying to get at is that you GOTTA START SOMEWHERE. If it's with avocado brooches and dog banners, so be it. It's a step in the right direction.

stay here: north fork 53

Before Ted left for the summer, we spent a couple of days in Nehalem, a sweet town on the Oregon Coast near Manzanita Beach. Our intent was not only to relax and enjoy each other's company in some beautiful new surroundings, but also to scope out the charming North Fork 53 Bed & Breakfast for an upcoming wedding Ted was photographing.

We have been fans of B&Bs since our first encounter with one in Castle Combe, England. There's something so sweet and romantic about staying in a B&B. Yeah, Ted and I are already old folks... That's okay, though. We embrace it!

We were absolutely smitten with the house, the food, and the grounds. Ana, the bed and breakfast manager, made us feel right at home immediately! She even had homemade treats in the fridge waiting for us. Our whole stay was just as sweet.

Our first floor room was simple and cozy. The surrounding garden and trees were a haven for lovely walks and laying in the grass. Absolutely heaven. Did I mention that the included breakfast was delicious and fresh, with roasted veggies straight from their organic garden?! Um, best deal ever!

The only minor problem we encountered was that we weren't able to figure out our private bathroom's bathtub--probably just us being clueless--but even that was an unexpected delight, because we discovered that the upstairs bathroom had a beautiful walk-in shower! It was meant to be, I guess. We enjoyed our stay there so much I'm already dreaming of our next stay.

nostalgic + ready for something old in a new way

I've been on and off the blogging train for some time now. Tonight I'm feeling a little nostalgic for the blog world, and my small corner of the internet. So here I am, again. All images from my Pinterest board Live Colorfully, an oldie by goodie!