crafty fanny

friday's confession: I procrastinate

Yes, that's right: I procrastinate.

I had a thought last night, at about 11:00 pm when I was sitting in my studio tying ribbons on invitations, that went like this:

If only I had a dollar for every time I learned my lesson about waiting until the last minute...huh, I suppose I would be broke since I obviously haven't learned my lesson or I wouldn't always be waiting until the last minute...

Really profound stuff, I know. Can you believe I do this for free? ;) 

But, man, I am so bad about this! I just finished up my first custom invitation order (which was great btw, more on that later!) and it consumed my week because I waited until the last minute. To the point that I couldn't show off any of my new paintings or my pretty new dress or talk about Spring or anything. Just fuchsia glitter and pretty ribbon. All week long.

Maybe I learned my lesson this time? We shall see...

Amazing, profound things will be written on this blog next week. I can promise you that.

...And now I have 8 minutes to get ready for work. Yikes! Lesson not learned yet apparently...

Spring is here!

 

WOW! I am just so thrilled to let y'all know that I am officially the new co-host of Spring!!!!

I get to work on a project to inspire other people! I get to talk about happiness! And gratitude! And being creative! And I get to do this with awesome people like Carolyn Rubenstein, Jess Swift, and Michelle Ward!

Excited much, Fanny? YOU BET! 

You can check out my new introduction video here -- gotta love that opening screen shot! And be sure to check back throughout May to get tons of tidbits and helpful information on Time Management, our topic of the month! And we're even looking for contributors, so if you have any thoughts, be sure to let us know.

Thanks to all of you for your support!!! It really has mean so much!

Sustainable Happiness...or Why I'm changing my blog name BACK to Live Happy

Last night I attended a workshop on Sustainable Happiness at OCSC led by Rick Foster and Greg Hicks (authors of How We Choose to Be Happy) and Catherine O'Brien, a professor who teaches about Sustainable Happiness.

And wow, all I can say is wow! I came home feeling so motivated and so inspired -- and while listening to these people talk about happiness, while being in this room full of people who had all decided to spend their Sunday evening learning about happiness, I remembered: that's what I'm all about.

I'm all about The Happy!

So, I'm taking this inspiration and bringing the blog back to the beginning: to Live Happy!

A few months ago, I took Holly Becker's Blogging your Way e-course. There was part of the course where we had to break up into teams and do blog critiques (a fantastic exercise, btw) and there was one theme throughout all of the critiques I received: why isn't your blog called Live Happy? It seems like it's much more about that than you being crafty.

I think they were right! So, that's where I am: back to the old (but new!) banner, and really nothing else is going to change.

Stay tuned for some really fun stuff this week, including 3 new paintings and a pretty new dress!!! Happy Monday y'all!

friday's confession: I get distracted

Sometimes I get distracted. Actually, a lot of the times I get distracted.

It seems to be a symptom of our internet-driven lifestyles where information is instant. And gratification is instant. And, therefore, focus is split and divided.

I find, though, that when I'm able to focus on one task, things are so much clearer. For example, when I take Maggie on a walk without being on a phone call, I see things clearer. She behaves better. I actually remember to stop and smell the roses (literally!). There are so many parts in my life that could use more focus.

This is my goal for the next week: focus on the task at hand and nothing else. If I'm checking my email, I'll only check my email. I won't check my email and then be distracted by facebook and twitter and oh! the news and blahblahblah. If I'm spending the evening with Tim and Maggie, I won't check my email or twitter. It can wait. 

What a freeing thing to think: it can wait. 

PS. I'd like to note that I wrote this entire blog post without stopping to visit another website once. This focus thing is good!

decide what to be, and go be it.

We saw the Avett Brothers Saturday night (which was not when this photo was taken) and oh boy, did they rock the house!

Ever since then I've had some lyrics from their song "Head Full of Doubt, Road Full of Promise" stuck in my head:

If you’re loved by someone, you’re never rejected
Decide what to be and go be it

I LOVE that. Decide what to be and go be it. Such simple words, but really so powerful.

This line leads me to play a game of "What if..." with you (my favorite game ever!):

What if someone said that the power was all yours to decide what you wanted to be? What if all you had to do was make that decision and then work towards your goal and it would happen? What if this person said that the power behind your decision was so strong, that no matter how many times you stumbled, no matter how many roadblocks you came upon, no matter how many mistakes you made you could still be what you wanted to be?

What would you be then?

win a scholarship to life!

Happy Friday, my friends!

This week has been a complete whirlwind for me and I get to wrap it up with an Avett Brothers show tomorrow! Gah! So exciting!!!

But, I did want to let you all know about a really amazing opportunity. My very own life coach, Michelle Ward, the When I Grow Up Coach, is giving away a scholarship (folks, that means free!) for 12 coaching sessions! Can you believe it?!

Here's the thing: before I worked with Michelle, I knew that there was something out there I wanted. I knew that I wanted to create. I wanted to be an artist. But I had no idea how and I was missing focus. Michelle has helped me take my big picture idea and break it down into actual steps in a process. And now I'm creating. And being an artist. It's like magic!

I strongly encourage you to click through and check out what this scholarship is all about. Especially if you feel like you have a calling to do something different, to be creative and you can't quite put your finger on it. Especially if you go to work every day and don't feel that spark. Especially if you know you have a spark and want to feel it every day.

Working with her has been a complete game changer for me. Now you have the opportunity to change your game too...for free!

fanny needs a favor!

Hi everyone!!

My second video for the Spring Be a Co-Host Contest is up and running! Don't y'all want to hear me talk about Gratitude? And about how much I looooove my morning cup of coffee?

I would be forever grateful to ALL OF YOU if you could be so kind as to click through to check out my video and, if you like what you see, please leave a comment of support!

I am just so happy to be a part of this! Thank you, internet friends, for your support!!! 

!!!

Yesterday really was an exclamation point-y day for me!

Remember my introduction video that I made as part of the Spring Be a Co-Host Contest? I found out yesterday that I'm a semi-finalist!!!

Can we just talk for a moment about how excited I am about this? Seriously, SO EXCITED!

I'll be posting another video with them tomorrow -- on gratitude! How perfect is that? I LOVE gratitude! It's my favorite thing ever!

Stay tuned for more awesomeness!

an introduction to me!

Do y'all know about Spring? It's a website about inspiration! Featuring inspiring women! Talking about inspiring things! Spring is, in a word, awesome.

They are currently on the hunt for a new co-host and featured a be-our-new-co-host contest last week, which I entered. Whoo hoo!

Here's my entry video for the contest, an short introduction to me and what I'm all about. Fun stuff! Enjoy! 

If you listen real hard, you'll hear Maggie the wonder pup whining in the background. It's quite charming ;)

friday's confession: I'm a picky eater

I am a picky eater. Well, at least I was before I came out West.

I grew up in the South and didn't move out to California until I was almost 22. That's 21 years of eating good, down-home cooking. 21 years of not trying new things, of being in a rut, of having these stubborn thoughts of, "Oh I don't like that" without even really trying.

In California, everything is fresh! And green! And not fried! And not doused in ranch dressing!

An adjustment, my friends, it was a definite adjustment for me.

And what I've found in the last 9 years out here is that I actually do like a lot of things. Things I never thought I liked before.

Things like:

• beets (tasted like dirt)
• bbq eel (too scratchy)
• wasabi peas (too spicy...what?)
• fried eggs (too yolky)
• sour cream (too creamy)
• mustard (bleh)
• cherries (only maraschino for me, thankyouverymuch)
• olives (too briny)
• martinis (too vodka-y)
• onions (too strong)
• mushrooms (too slimy)

The list could go on and on. I will say that I now LOVE most everything on the list above. I'm still working on the mustard, but I know that I would eat my own hand if it was covered in sour cream.

What I've learned from my changing taste buds is that sometimes I get so driven about how much I don't like something, that I can't see past that perception to the wonder that is a salad with roasted beets (omg, yum!).

The metaphors abound! I used to think that I wasn't an artist because I'm not a very accurate sketcher. That I couldn't sell my paintings to the public because I wasn't one of those artsy types. That I would have to spend my life in a 9-5 desk job that I was just-okay because it was what you did, because it was the only way to get by. Because I had no other choice.

I know now that I have a choice. That there is an alternative. That there is another way. And I'm finding it for myself. Now. With an open mind.

Now if only I could get over my fear of mayonnaise, we'd be all set!