Day 151 | Perfect Job

Prompt: My perfect job would be...  *Download Available*

Annetta | My dream job would be an artist/photographer & designer whose tucked away on a dreamy farm in the heart of Vermont. I would explore, chase the kiddos & treasure hunt by day with my camera and be an inspired artist by night. My home would be surrounded by design, beautiful paintings and creative chats with friends. I can see myself stitching by a window on a rainy day in winter with my cup of coffee. During spring you'd find me in the garden growing all sort of flowers and veggies. In the summer months we'd go to the scenic rivers, while the kids swam I'd read and journal in my sketch books. My fall months would be spent walking the country side with my camera by my side. The perfect job would be like a poem, full of life, creative and love.

Stephanie | My perfect job would be a photographer. Its what I have always wanted to do. I need to keep working hard at improving my skills with my camera and with photoshop to get to the level I want to be at. I would also love to be able to make different items (videos, quilts, paintings, cross-stitch pieces) and sell them. Basically what I am doing now, but at a level where I can make money off it. 

Day 150 | Express Your Creativity

Prompt: How do you express your creativity? *Free Download

Annetta | I express my creativity through photography. I have a strong desire to photograph the beautiful things in life. I also express it through reading, designing, cross stitching, but photography is my main source. I also express it through Instagram. Now that I look at it, I have many ways to express my creativity! I've included the tea cup polaroid as a download.

Stephanie | I express my creativity the most through this journal project since it forces me to be creative each day. Other creative avenues I enjoy working are through cross-stitch, painting, calligraphy, gardening, sewing, and recently started home decorating and video production. I share my creativity through facebook, blogging, and Instagram.

Day 149 | A Sign Of Weakness

Prompt: What do you think about the statement 'crying is a sign of weakness'?

Stephanie | I don't think crying is a sign of weakness. I think crying is natural and just one way to share emotion. For me, crying comes when I have no other way to express my feelings. My level of sadness, anger, hurt, or frustration has no other way to escape my body than through tears. I can only take in so much before I reach my breaking point and begin crying, its not because I am weak, but because I am at capacity with my emotions and haven't been able to process through them. I do not consider myself to be a weak person or that crying weakens me. Being able to go through my emotions and release them actually makes me stronger.     

Annetta | I feel like the saying is childish! I honestly believe that tears are healing for the soul. The bible says that there's "a time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance." Holding in our tear and bottling one is helping no one, but actually damaging us. I've come to points in my life where things were so overwhelming where I would just cry, but after that one good cry the clouds cleared and the sun came shinning again. I also notice that when I haven't cried in a long time and then finally cry it just feels so good to my heart and freeing. I never take it as a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength. Only a strong person can cry and let it all go, but then walk away feeling a little lighter. 

Day 148 | Live Your Life Differently

Prompt: How would you live your life differently if you knew nobody would judge or disapprove?

Stephanie | I would feel more free to be who I am on the inside. I keep a lot of myself in. I don't feel can truly be myself all the time. Some people get to see glimpses of the whole me but I usually remain reserved, keeping my crazy/goofy/silly/over the top side bottled up. 

Annetta | Honestly, I wouldn't live life any differently. I work on being true to myself and I'm not always perfect at it, but living life without caring what others might think of me is something I try to work towards. I'm an open book, always have been and if I don't share every aspect of my life it's not because I don't want to, but because people don't always use the information given the best way. I'm a Christian also and get unfollowed, weird comments and so forth, but that doesn't change the fact that I will still let people know my beliefs. Living life under somebodies judgment of disapproval is like being bound by chains, but even I carry some of those chains around me.

Day 147 | Graduation

Prompt: Tell me about a graduation or a time when you received an achievement/award. How was the ceremony? Who attended? What did you receive? What did you wear? How did you feel? Add a cringe worthy photo. 

Stephanie | I graduated from High School in 2002.  I received my diploma with my class as a few members of my family watched me cross the stage. Being apart of the choir, we got to sing a few songs during the ceremony. After the ceremony was over, the seniors got to go on a Seniors night out that had ice skating, bouncy houses, a magician, all sorts of fun stuff to celebrate as a class, and keep up out of trouble for the night. The greatest part of the whole night was being the first woman in my family to graduate High School.

Annetta | I graduated from High school in 2002 along with Stephanie. Graduating to me, was a big deal as I was the first one in my family to do so. Both my older brothers dropped out of it and both me and my younger brother graduated. Honestly, I didn't think I could do it because of all the things the teachers said about me. Getting that diploma proved to everyone that I could do whatever it was I set my mind to. I didn't do anything after graduation other then hangout with a few of my friends who had yet to graduate. I remember that getting out of high school meant that I was finally grown up to live life as I wanted to with healthy boundaries.

Day 146 | Memorial Day

Prompt: Share your interpretation of the flag or share what Memorial Day means to you. * Free Download

 

Stephanie |  Memorial Day is about honor, respect and remembering those who gave their life for this county. Being a military wife I take this day seriously and make sure I pay my respects. This year my family and I went out with some of our other military friends and participated in the Wear Blue : Run To Remember 5K. We walked the race but we had a great time supporting each other and the community and remembering those fallen soldiers. I don't personally know anyone who lost their life so I raced in honor of all the families who have lost or who love a service member. After the race I was able to make it over to the Memorial Day service on Ft. Lewis just in time for the cannon fire. Going to the cemetery on post has become my Memorial Day tradition. I usually bring flowers to leave at the headstones but I ran out of time and was unable to do that this year. I love and am so grateful for my military family and my husband who serves our country, I am a proud military wife!

Annetta | My view of Memorial Day is different then anyone else's. In 2006 while my brother was serving our country he lost his whole family and house. Because of that alone I see Memorial Day as spending it with loved ones for so much was lost when my brother's family suffered. I make sure to spend the day with my family, to be very thankful for the time that I have with them. I do not forget all the fallen soldier that have died for a free country. I spent the whole day with my husband and son exploring Central Washington. Thank you for those people, including my brother, who have served this country!

Day 145 | Improve Your Mood

Prompt: Who or what can always improve your mood?

Stephanie | Some quiet time alone with a cup of coffee or glass of wine, a phone call with a friend who can make me laugh and puts things into perspective, and being out in the sun can help improve my mood. 

Annetta | Cross stitching while catching a movie is a guarantee to improve my mood. It's something that I do just for myself, it's my calm and productive time all in one. Sunshine also improves my mood, but the most effective thing to improve my mood is praying. There are many days when so many things go wrong and when they do I step away from it all for just a few moments to pray about it. I am most thankful for that!

Day 144 | People You Are Grateful For

Prompt: Write a list of people you are grateful for being or having had been in your life. Choose one and tell me about why you are grateful for them in more detail.

Stephanie | I am grateful for my family, friends, my girls, and my husband. I am grateful for all the people in my life, past and present. Each one brought something of value to my life and shaped me and my life along the way. 

Annetta | We decided to take a last minute trip to my uncles winery in the country. That leaves me journaling in the car on our road trip over. Please bear with me this weekend!

I've chosen my husband to be grateful in detail. He is my husband for a reason and has helped me grow in so many way! I am beyond thankful for him in so many ways!

Day 143 | May Mail Call

Share what you received from May Mail Day.
 

 

Stephanie | Annetta knows just what makes me happy. My new floral print is gorgeous, I am so in love with it and the handmade cross-stitch envelope is seriously the cutest thing ever! My new vintage lace will work perfect in my pictures and adds beauty to my home.

Annetta | I know that we say every mail day is our favorite, but I think this one is really our favorite!! Stephanie gave me her 'Life is Good' print and I am SO loving it on my new desk in my studio. I think I look at it every time I work and it's a good reminder.

Day 142 | Recent Challenge

Prompt: What did you learn from a recent challenge?

 

Stephanie | A challenge for me lately is keeping up with my photography blog. I have a hard time coming up with different ideas and topics to photograph and write about. I get stuck with the blank page and eventually give up defeated.  With the support of my wise friend, I have learned that I need to seek out inspiration and continue a list of ideas I can write about in the future. I need to immediately write an idea down when I do get one so I don't loose it during my busy days. I can hold onto bit and pieces of ideas until they manifest into a full plan. I have received a book to read about how to get the creative process moving which should help me understand this all better and make it easier for me. I also tend to over do my pages with full text and many pictures. If I don't have that I don't feel my blog is complete. I have learned that I don't necessarily need all of that to make a post. I can keep it simple and keep it consistent. Doing that will make it more manageable for me and I will be more motivated to not only continue posting regularly but it will help keep my creativity going, inspiring new ideas and topics to post about. 

Annetta | My recent challenge has been my schedule. For a while now I have felt overwhelmed with work. I would spend hours working on my projects instead of pouring my time into my family or doing both & then once I actually completed a project I would get another on my to-do list. For over a month it felt like I was on the never ending hamster wheel. Now that I have gotten out of the work wheel by catching up on my biggest deadlines without a traveling schedule on the side, I have learned  that I can take on more than I think. I still so much work to do, but compared to what it was my work is a piece of cake! I can tackle my house, being a mom, wife & daughter while still journaling, blogging, editing, cross stitching and gardening. My challenge grew me!

Day 141 | Perfect Meal

Prompt: In detail tell me about what your perfect meal would be like.

Stephanie | I couldn't pick an actual course to describe my perfect meal because my mood for food is always changing. For me, I most enjoy a meal when it is shared with friends. It doesn't matter what meal has been prepared but the company you share it with.

Annetta | I love food, good organic food. I put value on quality & taste. My perfect meal would depend on my mood, but it would be from a good organic restaurant that prides themselves in quality.

Day 140 | Home Sweet Home

Prompt: Tell me about your childhood or current home; take me on a tour in vivid detail. Even add a rough sketch of the layout.

Annetta | I used to never have a house I enjoyed being in, nor could I ever decorate it beautifully. This all changed for me the past few years when I discovered my eclectic style. I love putting things together that don't match, but a lot of pretty things that don't match. I currently love my house. It's cozy, pretty, inspiring and a place I love to call home. My mom lives with me so we just use the upstairs, which gives it that cozy apartment feeling.

Stephanie | I honestly don't like my home, its basic and builders grade. I am in the process of several home renovation projects in hopes to make my house a home, a place where I feel relaxed and inspired.