The Ship

In 2007, I opened my first Etsy shop with my friend.  I primarily sold jewelry at that time.  I also opened a Facebook account to promote my shop.  At the time, my friends and family were still on MySpace so the only "friends" I had on Facebook were other Etsy shop owners.  The interaction was minimal.

Gradually my friends and family migrated from MySpace to Facebook (sorry, Tom!).  My attention to my Etsy shop ebbed and flowed over the years and most of those initial "friends" were deleted as I used Facebook for more of a personal use.  However, there were a few of those initial Etsy shop friends who I found interesting and kept around to see what they created.

Over the years, I started interacting more often with two ladies from that Etsy bunch.  We would comment on photos, comment on each other's statuses, etc.  I bought some photos from one of them.  An online friendship began to develop.  From there, they introduced me to other friends they had online with similar interests.  

We started to have long message threads of conversations until one day, one of my brilliant friends created a private Facebook group for us to interact regularly and privately.  It is a very personal and sacred place for me so I will only refer to it as The Ship.  Initially we had a larger group of women but life happened, cattiness happened, and some of them jumped ship.  Then there were six of us aboard The Ship.  One of them is my sister who I brought aboard to grow closer to her as well.

Over the last couple of years, I have checked in with those five ladies every day.  We know intimate details of each other's lives.  We've helped each other through difficult life changes and problems.  We've shared a lot of laughs and had a lot of ridiculous conversations.  We are located all over the United States but geography does not dictate our level of closeness.

We've texted, talked on the phone, sent notes and packages to each other, and some have actually met in person.  I'm writing this today because one of my shipmates is in town visiting her father, who just happens to live in a neighboring town to me.  She and I are going to meet face to face for the first time this afternoon and I can't wait!  We all talk about one day finding a way to all get together in person.  It's tough with geographic distance and busy schedules but it will happen.  One day.

I write all of this because these ladies and this ship have helped me to grow in ways I would not have imagined.  They are all so very different from me yet somehow we have commonalities.  I have learned how to be more open about my feelings which has helped me with other relationships in life.  I have learned to look at life differently and to be more open to experiences and people.  When I am feeling out of sorts and can't figure it out, I just type a rambling, jumbled mess and my girls help me pinpoint what is bothering me.  They inspire me to be more creative.  They make me laugh.  A lot.  They've helped me to become a better friend to my oldest and dearest friends.  Their encouragement also helped give me the confidence to make a new friend in my town last year.  When I was completely dorky and excited about this new friendship, my shipmates joined in and encouraged me.  As a result, that new friend is one of my closest friends.

The Ship has been afloat for over two years now and I think it will exist in some shape for a long time.  While I believe that we may go through times where we don't chat as much, I know if I called out with a need, those five ladies would be there in a heartbeat.  

Those who know me in person would probably be surprised that I have developed these online friendships.  My husband was skeptical at first but he has grown to know these ladies through my stories and has even become Facebook friends with some of them too.  He has seen my growth as a result of these friendships.  I think he's somewhat excited (or at least curious) to meet one of my friends today too.  It's weird to refer to it as "meeting" her when I know so much about her already.

For all their faults, technology and the Internet have definitely provided me with an opportunity I would not have had without it.  An opportunity to develop strong friendships and to grow as a person.  The Ship is a big part of my life and I wouldn't change it for anything.  Thanks, ladies (you know who you are).  

2013 Goals - May Update

I wanted to post an update regarding my goals for 2013 - particularly my goal for growing vegetables this year.  I do not have a green thumb but I tried really hard.  However, the results were less than stellar.

I started lettuce, kale, tomato, and cucumber from seed.  I babied these plants like crazy and they shot up pretty quickly.  I was feeling pretty good about myself.

They grew and grew.  I was very pleased with what seemed like a green thumb emerging!

They got to be pretty decent sized seedlings (I don't have a photo of them at their biggest and brightest).  My husband and I were just about ready to build the raised bed and put them in the ground.  That's when things went downhill.  First some of the lettuce started to struggle and die.  Then the rest of the plants went pretty quickly.  I won't bore you with the details but my expert opinion on what may have happened to the plants:

They had too much water
They had too little water
They didn't have enough light
They had too much light
They hate me

That's basically the prognosis I came up with after some Internet searching. Plants are complicated beings and seem pretty smug when I can't figure them out.

I was pretty bummed and a little embarrassed at first.  However, then it dawned on me...that was the biggest success I've ever had with plants on my own.  I usually don't even get them to seedlings.  So while I won't be eating my own homegrown veggies this summer, I will be happy with the experience and the small amount of success I had in the beginning.  It's a start.  Maybe next year I'll get even further?  Luckily I had not invested much money so there was no issue there.

I am still going to consider it a goal that was completed.  I gave it a good try, learned some things, stressed a little too much, and there is a great Farmer's Market in town where I will continue to buy kale, lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers.  Goal completed (pretty much).

I did enjoy having the plants in my home office and I enjoyed the smell of earth each morning when I went to work.  So, I decided to add some other plants to my work area.  Plants that even I can't destroy too quickly (fingers crossed)... Succulents!

My iPOD does not take the same quality photos that my DSLR camera does - my apologies!

So, that's that.  I will try again but I need a year to work up the motivation again.

One last thing before I finish this post, yesterday was Fibromyalgia Awareness Day.  I was too busy enjoying Mother's Day with my family so wasn't able to post.  Please help to spread awareness for this awful chronic illness.  I live with it and many other people do too.  I manage mine with a mix of traditional medicine and holistic approaches.  I have found ways to manage through the pain, fatigue, flu-like illness, and many, MANY other symptoms but I still have flare ups that just knock me out here and there.  I have learned a lot about myself living with this illness and I would love to see the day that we can wipe it out all together.  Thanks for reading!

The Neverending Blanket is Complete!

The Neverending Blanket is complete!  I should probably change the name of it but I like it the way it is.  It's the first large blanket I've ever made.  I started it in early 2011.  It didn't really take me 2 whole years.  It was one of those projects that I would work on furiously for a couple of weeks and then not touch it for a few months.  This cycle continued and, the larger it grew, the more I thought I would never finish it.  This project felt a bit overwhelming at times.

A few weeks ago, I took a week off of work and just stayed home with my family.  It was laid back and wonderful.  That week I took a good look at the progress I had actually made.  Initially I was going to make this blanket big enough to fit on a twin bed for one of my boys.  However, they have quilts my mother made and my husband and I made fleece tie blankets for them at Christmas too.  So I laid out the blanket as it was and really looked at it.  I hadn't done that in a while because I usually had it folded up so that I could continue working rows.  After looking at it, I realized I could be finished with it if I wanted to be.

I just needed to make that decision.  "It is good, just as it is."

Once I did, I finished the stripe I was working on and then added a darker gray border around the edge.  In one afternoon I had gone from "this will never end" to "this is finished".  My husband immediately took a nap on the couch with it.  My sons argued over who got to use it.  That night, I curled up under it's comfortable weight and warmth it provided.  It's not large enough to fit a bed but it's larger than a regular lap blanket.  It's perfect just as it is.

Are you sensing where I am going with this?  If I can decide that this mammoth project that became an uphill battle to finish is perfect just as it is, can't I decide the same about myself?  I always struggle with changes and goals that I make for myself.  Some of them are easy and attainable, but some of them seem never ending as well.  I don't view this blanket as giving up, rather I think I looked at it with new eyes and realized I was the only one keeping it from being complete and perfect, just as it is.  I'm the only one who keeps myself from seeing that I'm good, just as I am.  I can definitely strive to challenge myself and create a variety of goals but I need to accept me for me.  You should try it.  Accept you for you.

I realize this is just a blanket but it really did make me see that I put up my own road blocks.  I make things harder than they need to be for myself.  I am much too hard on myself.  Sometimes, we just need to look at ourselves with new eyes and say "I am good, just as I am."

Project Neverending Blanket complete!

Crochet to Help Others

I hesitated in writing this post at first.  It felt wrong to "brag" about doing a good deed or helping a charity.  However, then I realized that I was inspired to search out these volunteer opportunities because other people blogged about these types of things.  If my post inspires someone else to help another person, then I think that is a good thing.

I recently crocheted a couple of shawls using acrylic yarn.  I love the idea of a prayer shawl.  The basic idea is creating a shawl, and, while you are working on it, you send out love, prayers, and good thoughts to bring the person who wears it some comfort.   At first, I didn't know who I was going to give them to but I enjoyed making them.

Last week I started researching some different charities that use handmade items to help other people.  There are a bunch of groups out there.  I wanted to find something local so I could help my community and I wanted to be able to make things that inspire me so I will keep doing it.

For these shawls, I decided to donate them to the local hospice in my town.  I have had several friends in recent years who have lost loved ones and they always have wonderful things to say about hospice and the services they provide.  I wanted to do something to bring a little extra love and comfort to someone and their family in their time of need.

Last Saturday I took the shawls over and dropped them off with some wonderfully kind people.  It felt pretty good and I want to make some more soon.  I am looking into some other options to donate to and will share more on that soon.  I feel strongly led to do more for others currently and I intend to act on it.  Big or small, helping others is the right thing to do and, let's face it, we feel better about ourselves when we do it too.  We also set the example for our children, families, friends, etc. when we give back.

What charities are important to you and how do you contribute?

Bloggin' Ain't Easy

Blogging Lesson #1:  You can't grow a blog if you don't post for over 2 months.  Lesson learned.

I was doing so well at the beginning of the year with scheduling posts, taking photos, and actually blogging.  Then my day job took a lot out of me and, when I wasn't working, I was just too tired to do much of anything.  I should know better by now -- when I'm not creating and focusing on my creative dreams, I'm not the best me I can be.  It ebbs and flows though and I can't beat myself up over it.

However, I haven't completely forgotten my goals for the year.  I do have some updates regarding my goal to grow veggies and I actually finished the neverending blanket!  I guess I need to come up with another name for it.  I'll share more later on both goals.

For now, I leave you with this fine chap...Happy Friday!

February Color: Red

I haven't posted in a couple of weeks because life got in the way.  Work, illness, activities for my kids, time with family and friends, business trip, and time for rest - life.  It's ok though - I'm working on not expecting myself to be all things at all times.  So this weekend I'm taking some time to plan out my blog posts and projects for the month of February and I have a great friend who generously offered to help me with a graphic design for my blog - more to come on that.

So the color I have for this month is Red - no surprise there.  Valentine's Day, Heart Health Awareness, and the love of my life's birthday is in February so Red just makes sense.  Also, it's still pretty brown and colorless outside so I needed a pop of color.  Red also happens to be one of my Pinterest Color Boards.

So here are the Red picks that are floating my boat right now...

Link 1

Link 2

Link 3

Link 4

Link 5

Link 6

Sky's the Limit: Photo Challenge

This weekend I was craving some time spent outdoors with my camera.  I didn't want to do my usual thing though -- go to a nearby trail and photograph nature.  I love doing that, but I needed something different.  A little research on the computer and, my fellas and I drove out to the overlook at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport.  They have a great little spot overlooking a couple of runways and the Charlotte skyline is in the background.

I used my 55-250mm lens and was able to capture some pretty good shots.  I'm excited to go back to the overlook at different times of day and experiment a bit more.  This mini challenge to find something different to photograph was just the inspiration I needed.  Stretching outside of the norm is usually what helps me become re-inspired.

Have any other photo challenge ideas?  I'd love to read about them.