I Need A Hobby

September 28, 2015 Pamela Stephens

I read a post about having a hobby while coming back from a quick trip to Baton Rouge. (I wasn’t driving obviously.) It struck a bit of a cord with me and also explained a bit about how I’ve been working to redesign my life lately. It put some things into perspective and gave me the permission I needed to do some things differently.

The post talked about how necessary it is for everyone to have a hobby. I’m sure most people would agree with that without really thinking much about it. The post took it a bit further though. A hobby should be something we do just for fun, relaxation, or personal enjoyment. It shouldn’t be a side job or anything that’s done to enhance a resume, make more money, or accomplish any larger purpose. Talk about perspective. You see, I feel like I have to have a reason for everything. I feel like every minute of my day must be used in a way that accomplishes some goal. I often even feel guilty about having downtime. I should be working towards something.

After reading this post, I decided to cut myself some slack on that. This blog currently falls into the hobby category. I started it as a hobby and an excuse to write and if I’m not careful, it could easily turn into something much different. Right now I’m still writing and sharing posts based on what I want to write about and share with readers. However, I can so very easily switch to creating content that’s more pinnable and shareable. I can so easily feel tempted to write things for the sole purpose of adding numbers to my analytics. If I’m not careful, this blog could very easily switch from being a hobby/outlet for me to another business venture. Over the last few months I’ve felt guilty about not wanting this space to grow exponentially and be the biggest and baddest blog of all time. I’ve felt like I’m selling myself short for not carefully selecting my content and only sharing magazine-worthy photos. I’ve felt like I had to want to make this blog a business (or at least a funnel to my other businesses) and it’s just now that I realized that I don’t have to do that and I certainly don’t have to feel guilty about it. My Neck of the Woods can continue to be just a hobby for me and that is 100% ok.

I can also play tennis. At times since starting this tennis journey, I’ve felt insanely guilty about the time it occupies. There are times that I play or take lessons early in the morning, making my work day start a tad later than usual. I’ve felt guilty for that. Some days I schedule other activities around tennis and I’ve felt guilty for that too. Matthew and I have adjusted our evening routine a bit to play together in the evenings, and I’ve felt uncertain about changing our schedule around. After reading this post, I realize that the reason I’ve felt so uncertain (and slightly secretive) about this tennis adventure is because it’s not accomplishing anything. I’m not doing it with a big goal in mind or a plan of action. However, I love to learn new things, really enjoy the game of tennis, and absolutely want an active lifestyle. Tennis is purely a hobby for me and I deserve that.

My husband is one that attempts (and often abandons shortly after) many different hobbies. When he becomes interested in something, he tries it. He does this with no agenda in mind. He attempts something new and once he feels he’s explored it enough, he moves on to something else. While the details of this approach on hobbies are one of the main things that drive me crazy about him, I’m also a bit jealous of his approach. He tries new things regularly and simultaneously abandons them when he’s no longer interested. As we’ve talked about his hobbies numerous times, he’s mentioned that I should try a hobby. I thought that I had plenty of hobbies. However, I’m realizing that most of the items I considered a “hobby,” actually had some sort of hidden agenda or intention.

Since stumbling upon this post, I’ve given myself the freedom to do things without a greater purpose in mind. Not all of my activities have to propel me towards a greater goal, and I can benefit greatly from giving myself a bit more freedom. Tennis is a current hobby and so is this blog. I can and will continue to do these things just because. I don’t have to justify them to myself or to others. If you don’t have a true hobby, I encourage you to think about what sorts of things you’re interested in. Find something to do that’s not done to make money or accomplish any sort of goal. Spend some time doing something you’re interested in, just because you want to. I deserve it and so do you.

Kitchen Before and After + A Stenciled Wall

September 24, 2015 Pamela Stephens

I bit the bullet and showed a house tour showing where we are in renovations a few weeks ago. One of the rooms that I’m most happy with and seems to have shown the largest transformation is our kitchen. When we were house shopping, the natural light pouring in to this area is one of the things that sold me on the home. It wasn’t my dream kitchen, yet it was 1,000x better than the kitchen we had in our rent house. Today, I’m sharing the progress of what we’ve already done and what we hope to do later. I hope you enjoy!

The first thing we did in the home was have the popcorn ceilings scraped and every. single. thing. repainted. As you can see in the before photos, the house was done in all warm tones which is the complete opposite of what I prefer. For the kitchen, I chose a light gray for the bottom cabinets and the ceiling and white for the top cabinets and walls. (Full disclosure: when I chose the colors, I thought the countertops were primarily gray. Turns out that the primary color is tan, so I’m working to mix the colors somehow.) I painted the walls white because I really wanted to enhance the brightness of this room. It’s true that people spend a lot of their time in the kitchen, so I wanted it to be as bright and happy as possible.

At the last minute, I also asked the painters to slap a coat of paint on that tile backsplash. Most people think we replaced the tile, and we didn’t…that’s just a coat of white paint. It made a HUGE difference. We had plans to redo the backsplash, and I didn’t know exactly when that would be. It turns out that about 100 other projects were more important than a new backsplash, so I’m so glad I thought to paint it for now. The paint has held up tremendously and we’ve had no trouble with the coverup. Have an ugly tile backsplash you don’t like? I’d suggest trying some paint before spending the time and money to replace it.

One day this summer I woke up and decide to stencil a wall. I saw this wall and thought it would be perfect in my kitchen. I had been tossing around the idea of a fun wallpaper there and I decided the painted pattern would be quicker and easier to undo if we didn’t like it. The process was rather simple. I made a stencil from foam board and traced it with pencil on the wall. I do recommend tracing with pencil first because if you’re like me, a little bit of slightly off spacing would drive me insane. After I had the pattern set, I used a Liquitex pen in Neutral Gray 5 to freehand over the pencil lines. It took two pens to complete this project and I think that may have been because the first pen didn’t work quite as well as the second. Our walls are a bit bumpy (for lack of a better word) from the texture that’s on them, which made this project a bit more difficult. It’s very hard to draw a straight line over a bumpy surface. I didn’t even consider this at first, so if you’re thinking about doing something similar, you might want to consider the texture on your walls. If they are indeed textured, I wouldn’t avoid the project. Instead, just be prepared for a more organic look.

Is this wall perfect? Not at all. Are the lines straight? Hardly. Do I still love it? Yes. One of my new Instagram friends often talks about being a “recovering perfectionist.” That’s me! A previous version of myself would not have been able to live with the inconsistencies in this project. The new version can step a few feet back and agree that it looks just fine. Actually, I almost quit and painted over it after the first two lines. My lines weren’t straight and it was very hard to get a steady flow of paint from the pen because of the wall texture. However, I decided to keep going. I decided to see what the entire wall looked like before giving up, and I’m glad that I did! (Tip: If you need to erase any pencil lines, try using a Lysol wipe. It worked so much better than an actual eraser!)

After the wall, I hung those gray stripe curtains from Ikea and ordered that print from Etsy. Another change that I made to make our kitchen more functional is hanging the oven mitts there directly on the wall. They’re much easier to access there and it just works better. Now all that’s missing is an adorable Anthropologie apron! If you’re thinking of doing a similar wall, I say go for it! If you hate it, all you have to do is paint over it. No harm, no foul. If you decide to give it a whirl, tag me on Instagram. I’d love to see your projects!

For the breakfast area, Matthew was going to make a window seat and then I remembered that I had this amazing bench in storage. It fits there PERFECTLY and has a bit of a story to tell. Right after Matthew and I were officially a couple, we went on a bit of a treasure hunting trip with my mom and sister. We found this gem at an antique store and scooped it right up. The intention was to sell it at Salt & Pepper, yet I started having trouble parting with it. Finally, I moved it to my office and then brought it with me when I sold the store. I love it here in the breakfast nook and it’s a nice reminder of the beginning of our journey together. The table was handed down to us from Matthew’s grandmother and the chairs are a temporary solution from IKEA. (It turns out that it’s hard to find chairs for this height of a table.) To the side of this breakfast area is an old catalog recovered from the family business, TP Outdoors, and it holds all sorts of goodies.

Just changing the paint and floors alone, made a tremendous difference. (More about the floors here.) I honestly had forgotten how far we’d come until I looked at these photos side by side. I spent a bit of time being paralyzed by the amount of work that was needed and I’m happy to be coming out of that. I’ve recently found the courage to try some new things, even if I’m not 100% sure about them. Things feel like they’re coming together around here and I love that.

For now, what’s left in the kitchen remodel is a new light fixture, new appliances, and possibly new cabinet doors. I also still need cabinet knobs. I ordered some after the sink fiasco and they didn’t look as good as I’d hoped. Eventually we’ll have knobs. Maybe.

This is our kitchen progress in a nutshell. We’ve done a lot and it feels nice. We’ll continue to do more as time and funds allow. Maybe it’s the promise of fall creeping in or maybe it’s just the passing of time. Regardless of the reason, I’m happy to be feeling more at home here. Some of our larger projects are hopefully just around the corner too, so it’ll be even better soon!

Leave a comment Home - Our First House #mapfirsthouse - 2015 - DIY

My Favorite Tech Products…from a Non-Techy

September 21, 2015 Pamela Stephens

There’s no doubt that this is a digital age and in my line of business, technology makes a world of difference. With the exception of actually showing homes, the rest of my job can be done from practically anywhere with cell service and an Internet connection. I’m not going to talk about the actual real estate related technology that I use in this post. However, I thought it would be fun to share some of the more universal products and systems that I use. These items can be translated into almost any industry or lifestyle, and I thought it might be fun to show a bit of how I work/get things done.

The first thing that I absolutely couldn’t live without is my cell phone. I often joke that I wouldn’t have been able to sell real estate in the “old days.” Seriously…having to actually be at the office to take a phone call or driving across town to pick up a house key??! No way. In all seriousness, having the opportunity to communicate remotely makes a world of difference. I am able to take care of business from wherever I am and it saves me a ton of time. (Thinking about buying or selling a house? Text me!) I currently have an iPhone 5, and I could definitely use an update. I’ve been waiting not-so-patiently for the new release and preordered my new one this week. The struggle has been real. There are a few reasons why I love my iPhone for business. It syncs well with my devices and has apps aplenty for the various services I need. Undoubtedly, you could use a different type of phone. For now though, I’m still an Apple girl.

My next favorite item is my Surface Pro 3. (I purchased the i3 processor.) This is my only home computer and it works great for carrying along on trips or to client appointments. The main reason that I love this device is because it’s super thin and lightweight. It’s likely not going to have the capacity to operate larger, more complex systems. However, it works perfectly for a large amount of web work and navigating various files. It can be used in tablet or desktop mode and I love the flexibility it offers. I also added the Surface Pro keyboard which makes it operate much like a desktop computer. If you carry a computer with you frequently, I highly recommend the Surface Pro over a traditional laptop. (Also, I love this new case!) (Link)

This fantastic little mouse. Matthew really wanted this little guy when we were mouse shopping. (That’s a real thing, didn’t you know??) It is most definitely the most expensive mouse I’ve ever purchased. However, it’s also the coolest. My favorite thing about the Flex mouse is that it completely flattens for traveling purposes. How great!

My iPad. I entered iPad land with the original, full-sized iPad. Sometime last year I purchased an iPad mini and I’ve loved it ever since. I like the size of the mini much better for traveling and for leisure use. It also weighs a lot less which is great for sticking in my purse. I use this iPad both in a personal nature (Hello, Pinterest.), as well as for pulling up houses and handling contracts on the go.

At home, I have an Epson Workforce WF-3620 printer. The reason I chose this option for home was because it was the smaller of the versions that offered the features I needed. Primarily, I needed to be able to print on legal paper, and I wanted the option to scan items straight to my email. (I’m looking at you, real estate contracts.) Having this feature makes it much easier for me to handle business from both home and my office. I save tons of time this way.

My office computer is a Dell All-in-One and I also love it. (Although, I don’t remember exactly which one it is.) It moves quickly and I love the lack of space it requires. My office isn’t the largest room of them all, so I’m thankful that this computer takes up less space. I haven’t noticed any difference in its capabilities from a regular desktop, so I’m satisfied. Again though, most of my work is done in basic software programs and online. I can’t guarantee that either the all-in-one or the Surface Pro would work as well for larger programs. You might want to do some more research if that’s what you need it for.

The most important machine of them all is the coffee maker. Actually, it probably makes me the most productive! It doesn’t matter which kind you use, just be sure you have coffee available. Lots and lots of coffee.

These are the basic items that I use on a daily basis. They are what keep things moving along as efficiently as possible. If you’ve been researching new products, these might be a good place to start. I’ve thoroughly been pleased with all of the above.

What items do you use to be most productive? Is there something you couldn’t live without? I’d love to hear details!

Leave a comment Business 2015 - Business - real estate

Moonstone Farm

September 17, 2015 Pamela Stephens

As silly as it sounds, stopping by this little farm was one of the highlights of our trip for me. It was just behind the campground we were staying in, and Matthew’s grandmother had made friends with the owners. On our last day there, she insisted that we pop in and take a look.

At first glance, it looks just like any other small farm. There aren’t acres and acres of vegetation and an abundance of large equipment lurking about. Instead, it’s a few rows of this and that here and there. There’s a small shed right up front where the owner is working away. Turns out, she’s packing boxes for her subscription clients. Moonstone Farm offers a monthly subscription where locals can purchase a box of whatever the farm has ready at that time. The owner drives the packages into Anchorage where buyers pick up a box of fresh, home-grown goodies. I think that’s phenomenal.

Further into the property, you come across a field of the most beautiful flowers you’ve ever seen. In addition to fruits and vegetables, they also grow and sell flowers to a local flower shop. This is where I took one of my favorite photos from the trip. As I stood gazing at these gorgeous flowers nestled just beneath the Alaskan mountains, I realized something. At first, I expected this place to be a traditional farm – one raising corn or peas or beans. Not even minutes into our tour, I’d already been blown away by a subscription system and a field of flowers. In that moment, I was reminded that not everything has to fit in a nice, neat package. Even a farm can take on a million different faces, so anything else in life could too. We don’t have to firmly be one thing or another. We can be a combination of the things most suitable to us.

After hesitantly leaving the flower field, we walked on around to the chicken coop. The owners’ granddaughter excitedly pulled me further into the backyard to show me her cat and the baby chicks. She could hardly contain her excitement as she told me about them and showed me little tricks for doing this and that. I must say, watching those baby chicks line up for a photo was quite entertaining. As I sat and listened to story after story from her, I realized how important it is to let children be a part of the things we do. It was evident how much she’d learned from her grandparents and you could see that she was eager to learn more.

We stood and talked with the family for a bit longer and although I was listening, it was hard not to get swept up in my surroundings. I wanted to sit there for hours gazing out at the simplicity of this lifestyle. I could imagine myself sipping coffee on their porch, overlooking the vegetables growing out front. I imagined enjoying that view of the mountains while tending the flowers. I felt the cool breeze and envisioned what the winters must feel like. It made me long for a similar lifestyle, even though I knew it was only temporary.

Matthew and I would be returning home later that day, and that reality sank in as we walked away. I was, of course, happy to return home for many reasons. Although, I knew I’d miss this place. I’d miss the limited cell phone service and mild temperatures of the Alaskan summer. I’d miss the clean, crisp air and the beautiful views surrounding you every where you went. I’d miss a simpler life with easy going days filled with adventure. It was as we walked away from this little farm that I confirmed something I’d thought since we arrived — I want to make it a point to travel more. I want to be sure I see the world and experience all the things. I also knew that I wanted to start making some changes to my daily life back home. I wanted things to be simpler and more relaxed. It was at that point that I started making plans to ever so slightly alter the trajectory of where my life was headed.

I tell this story not to make anyone jealous of exciting Alaskan adventures or quaint little farms. Instead, I tell this story to show that we can design the life that we want to live. If something doesn’t feel quite right or if you find yourself longing for something different, go after that thing. Make little changes here and there so that you life looks how you want it to. The months since I’ve been home from Alaska have looked very different than the months before. It’s not because I made any radical changes. Instead, I altered a few things just enough to feel a difference in my life. Most likely, no one can even notice a difference from the outside. Nonetheless, sometimes the smallest of changes can make a gigantic difference.

The fact of the matter is, there’s nothing that we can’t do in this lifetime. Sometimes it’s about altering the big ideas such that they fit into our current lives, or sometimes it’s about going for that big dream to make it a reality. Whichever is better suited for you, do it! I definitely don’t have a beautiful farm back in Monroe, Louisiana. However, I do have a simpler life that gives me some of the same feelings I felt at Moonstone Farm. And I didn’t have to move mountains to accomplish that. What small thing can you do today to make you life just a little bit better? I encourage you to really think about that and see what you might can do to create a life that you love.

I’ve mentioned before that I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity to have had this Alaskan adventure. The trip to this farm made me look at my daily life a little differently and I’m just as thankful for that nudge as I am for the chance to see some different scenery. You can read the overview of our trip here.

4 Comments Travel #mapinalaska - 2015 - travel

Three Years of Blogging

September 14, 2015 Pamela Stephens

It’s somewhat hard to remember a time before this blog. Today marks exactly 3 years since my very first post, and I’ve been writing here consistently for the last year. When I think back, I can distinctly remember the nervousness I felt when creating that first post (and those terrible photos that followed.) However, I don’t really remember a time before I was writing about my life. It’s such an integral part of my life now that it feels like brushing my teeth. Or sipping yummy coffee. Plus, I’ve created stories around my experiences in my head for years before having this blog. In the midst of every experience, I’ve always envisioned myself telling someone that story. That makes it seem like I’ve been doing this for even longer.

As I was thinking back on the beginning, I remember how the blog came to be in the first place. I remember stumbling upon my first lifestyle blog from Pinterest. Prior to seeing this, I was unfamiliar with the concept of a lifestyle blog…a place where someone wrote about their experiences and interests, even if they vary. I can distinctly remember staying up way too late and exploring every nook and cranny of Smile and Wave. I spent hours going back into the archives, amazed with every varying post topic and the realness of the conversation. It was upbeat, yet honest. I was immensely blown away by the opportunity to write about whatever one was experiencing…good or bad, varied interests, and different topics. I thought blogs had to be specific. You could have a food blog. Or technology blog. Or DIY blog. Who knew the concept of a blog about your life could exists?? I was hooked. To this day, I still follow Smile and Wave and each post brings with it a bit of nostalgia as you’d feel running in to an old friend.

Shortly after finding Smile and Wave, I was exposed to A Beautiful Mess. Their perfectly executed DIY projects and beautiful photos showed me the magnitude of possibilities with a blog. Right after I started following them, their business really took off and I learned just a few of the ways in which a blog can lead to business opportunities. It was through ABM that I found, Elise. Again, I saw the lifestyle format at work. I read Elise’s posts and felt like I was chatting with an old friend. They were real with a hint of humor…music to my ears. I wrote more about Elise’s influence on my blog last week.

Honestly, I think blogging is the most fascinating and wonderful thing. There’s nothing that you can’t find on the internet. No matter what your worry, fear, or struggle is, there’s someone out there sharing their journey. No matter what you’re hoping to create or make, there’s someone showing you how. It’s an amazing place, the internet. I’m happy to have been a part of the noise for 3 years now, and I feel even more honored that YOU read along. Thanks for joining me on this ride.

Leave a comment Other Stuff 2015 - blogging

elisejoy.com

September 11, 2015 Pamela Stephens

As I approach my 3 year blogging anniversary (!!), I’ve been thinking a bit about how I got started. Today, I’d like to introduce you to one of my favorite online spaces. After all, if you like reading my posts, you’ll most likely enjoy reading the posts that I like to read too. Plus, I think we should celebrate the work of others and support one another whenever we can.

I decided to finally share one of my favorites after reading a post by Elise on San Diego. Even though I’m not planning a trip to San Diego just yet, this post opened my eyes to why I love this blog so much. The post was full of details, yet short, sweet, and to the point. (Go to these places because I think they’re cool. Eat the mashed potatoes.) Music to my ears! Much like Elise, I can write for days on things that I’m passionate about. However, I generally prefer things to be to the point. And funny. This is the foundation of why I read her blog.

Want more details on why I love this blog? Here are a few reasons, if you insist.

She tells it like it is. I’ve never felt like any of Elise’s posts were sugarcoated or fictitiously positive. If she screwed something up, she tells you. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of reading something real.
It’s funny. I like funny people, and I like to be funny. At the sake of sounding like a total fan girl, I think Elise and I could be BFF. We have such a similar sense of humor, and reading her witty posts makes my day. Tongue-in-cheek and slightly cheesy humor, it’s what my dreams are made of. Plus, Parks and Rec mentions. What more do you need??
We have a similar writing style and interests. Lots of details sprinkled with one-liners and funny stories = A+.
It’s real life. Working, being a mom and a wife, and dreaming big. There are so many of her posts that I can relate to, and the insight into her daily life makes me feel like we’re real friends. This is a goal of mine for my own blog, and I thank Elise for being such a great model to follow. She shares real life stories, but not in that awkward, over-sharing type way. This is a goal that I have for my own space…to share real-life struggles while still maintaining a positive atmosphere.

This is one of the blogs that I never miss a post from. I look forward to reading each and every post and really relate to most. Her posts on goal setting, blogging, and business always leave me wanting more. I was even captivated by her letters to sweet Ellerie, even though I’m not a mom. I loved the real, and sometimes heart-wrenching, look into what it looks like to be a new mom. I hope to do something similar with my children someday. I even look forward to her weekend links, as strange as that sounds. (Most of the link posts you see are full of useless fluff.) I tweeted once that these posts are my main source of current event info, and I’m not even joking about that.

In addition to being one of my favorite reads, I give full credit to Elise for giving me the boost I needed to start my own lifestyle blog. I had been following along with several blogs for a bit, and I knew that I wanted to write. I just couldn’t decide what type of blog I wanted. I didn’t want it to be all DIY projects. Even though I have a fashion background, I didn’t want to have a fashion-centered blog. I’m not a mom, so mommy blogging was out. I certainly didn’t want a food blog. I couldn’t commit to any of the typical blog focuses, so I kept putting off writing that first post. Then, I stumbled upon Elise’s blog.

Elise was my first introduction into the world of lifestyle blogging. Shortly after finding her site (and binge-reading years of posts in one sitting!), I knew that a lifestyle blog was the route for me. I wanted to tell stories, but not just any story. I wanted to tell my story. This means that my blog could be about all sorts of things! It could be about whatever was going on in my life, which felt so immensely right. Here I am, just shy of 3 years later, still learning about what I want this place to be like and still developing my style and skills as a blogger. I credit Elise for the encouragement and inspiration to take this leap into internet land. Thank you for that, Elise! I’d likely still be lurking the internet and dreaming of having my own forum if I hadn’t found Elise’s blog.

Go check out elisejoy.com. If you like my online space, I can guarantee that you’ll like hers! Do you have any suggestions for other blogs I should follow? Sipping a cup and coffee and reading well-written blog posts is one of my favorite activities. I’d love to hear your suggestions!

*Photo from “September: Currently.” by Elise.

Leave a comment Inspiration & Thoughts - Other Stuff blogging

Sewing Scissors

September 10, 2015 Pamela Stephens

Sometimes it’s funny what little bits and pieces of things you hang on to from your younger years. When you’re thinking back on life, there’s most likely a few specific, seemingly insignificant, memories that stand out. You might remember this one particular time at the park or that day that your Dad spilled Cheerios all over the kitchen floor. In the big scheme of things, these specific memories may not have much affect on the entire picture. For some reason though, these little pieces tend to linger in your mind.

For me, there are several memories of this sort that I could share, and maybe someday I will. For now though, I want to talk about sewing scissors. For anyone who is crafty or grew up in a home where there was even a bit of craftiness taking place, you know what sewing scissors are. You know that the absolute only thing you can use them for is fabric. There is never an instance where it’s acceptable to use them for anything else. Not paper. Not plastic. Not cardboard. If the house were burning down and you could save it by cutting one strip of tiny cardboard somewhere, you best not use the sewing scissors.

The part I find most comical about this is that for the longest time, I didn’t really know why this was the case. Honestly, it didn’t really matter if I understood the reasoning…I just better not use those scissors for anything but fabric. As I grew older, I collected bits and pieces of craft items, and even though I didn’t actually do much sewing, I had sewing scissors. When I decided to make Matthew bow ties for Christmas, I bought a fresh pair. Immediately after, I made sure the husband knew not to use those sewing scissors for anything else. They were simply sewing scissors. Months later, I realized he had been avoiding a certain pair of blue-handled scissors thinking they were the sewing ones. Poor fella.

I was reading this post on A Beautiful Mess recently and her references to sewing scissors made me think more about this. (Side note: I really, really want to make that dress.) First, I thought about how interesting is was that “sewing scissors” are somewhat of an industry term. People who’ve never been around much sewing likely don’t see the importance. Anyone who’s ever been exposed to much craftiness though, understands.

Furthermore, it made me think more about what we learn and how we’re raised and the impact it has on who we become. I was very lucky to have a Mom who created things regularly when I was a child. She was a painter, crafter, seamstress, handy-woman….you name it. I watched her create many things from nothing and saw her explore many different creative outlets. While I didn’t pick up as many of her talents as I would have liked, I was still exposed to that world. I know not to touch someone’s sewing scissors, and I’m not afraid to attempt making something. Lately, I’ve really been exploring my own creative talents a bit, and I finally feel comfortable in pushing myself creatively. I have my own sewing scissors, and I’m glad that I was shown these creative opportunities.

If you don’t have your own sewing be scissors, don’t fret. Maybe sewing isn’t your thing. Maybe crafting in general isn’t your thing. Something is though. Sometimes we have to explore our options a bit before we really find something that speaks to us. Regardless of what your “thing” is, I think it’s important to share it with someone. Allow people to see what you do. Expose your children/friends/coworkers to your talents. They’ll be thankful to have seen something new, and your demonstration may be what leads to them having their very own sewing scissors one day.

Leave a comment Projects 2015 - inspiration

Alaska in a Nutshell

September 8, 2015 Pamela Stephens

It seems like yesterday that Matthew and I returned home from our fantastic trip to Alaska. Naturally, I have a million photos and experiences to share. To start, I thought I’d give you the condensed version of what we did. I intend to share more in depth details and more photos of some of our favorites. I’m going to spoil the ending a bit though…we didn’t see even a fraction of the wildlife that I thought we’d see (not even one bear!!) AND we tried several times and didn’t even get a glimpse of Mt. McKinley. Luckily, our other experiences made up for the lack of signature Alaskan events.Day 1: Our first full day in Alaska was Thursday, June 24. This was also our longest day and we spent quite a bit of time riding in the truck and on a bus. We rode up to Denali National Park where we took an 8 hour round-trip bus ride through the mountains up to Eielson Visitor Center. Ideally, this is where you’d get the best view of Mt. McKinley. You’d also see a multitude of wildlife as you travel through the park. Didn’t happen. We did see a few caribou, ravens, and lots of ground squirrels. Not one moose or one bear. We also didn’t see Mt. McKinley. The clouds blocked it entirely. Apparently, it had only been seen three or four times so far this summer. I had no idea that it was so tricky to get to see it. Later in the week, I saw photos from someone else’s trip and they’d seen the mountain the entire time they were there. I must say, I was blown away by how large and majestic it was! After seeing the photos, I was slightly disappointed that we were unable to see it. Maybe next time.

Even though we didn’t see as much wildlife as I’d hoped or the mountain, it was still a good experience. After the bus ride, we made the 4 hour trek back to Wasilla where we were staying. If you’re counting, that’s a whopping 16+ hours riding on our first day!

Day 2: On the second day, we made the trek over to Seward, Alaska which is a quaint little fishing town. The drive down Turnagain Arm was one of my favorite experiences of the entire trip. We saw 7 swans, eagles galore, and my first moose! (It was the only one I saw with antlers and was too far in the brush for a good photo.) We hiked up to Exit Glacier and I ate my first bit of fresh, grilled fish. This day was one of my favorites!

Day 3: We stayed in Seward the previous night, so we spent a bit of time exploring the town this morning. Matthew and I went to the Alaska SeaLife Center, which was a bit smaller than I thought. I had the best time watching the sea lions though! I think I could have sat there all day watching the sea lions and seals swim. The puffin is a native Alaskan bird and we got the chance to watch them, as well. I even bought a piece of art done by painting the bottom of a puffins feet and letting them walk around on a canvas. Silly, I know. I thought it was cute, though, and I’ll always think of Alaska when I see it. On the way back to Wasilla, we stopped by a local pottery shop. This sounds like it might have been a basic experience. Not quite. We parked at a gas station, walked probably a mile down a private, winding dirt road, and showed up to a quaint little cabin in the forest. We let ourselves in, shopped a ton of handmade pottery, made our selections, and put the appropriate funds into a box. The entire process works solely on the honor system. The potter was not present, and you simply followed the directions on the signs. To me, this was commerce in the simplest form, and I longed for a studio/shop that operated this way. I was truly amazed at the simplicity of it and thankful that Matthew’s grandparent were aware of its existence. The average tourist surely wouldn’t have known about this little gem.Day 4: This was another one of my favorite experiences. We went to Hatcher Pass and climbed to the top at a whopping 4,800 feet! This was my second mountain to climb, (Click here for the first.) and I can’t even begin to describe how beautiful the view was. We had a great view from the top to the bottom, and I’ve never seen anything quite like it. After the climb, we went around the corner and explored Independence Mine, an old mining town. Hatcher Pass is absolutely one of my favorite experiences from the trip. That scenery will forever be burned into my mind, and I’m certain that I’ll long to return.Day 5: I started my morning with some reading and coffee by the fire. (Yes, a fire in June.) We went to church and then headed to Anchorage for the Anchorage Market. The market wasn’t quite as large as I’d hoped. It was still rather fun though! We ate a reindeer dog (Sorry, Rudolph.) for lunch and spent a bit of time walking around the souvenir shops downtown. I could have bought so many things!

Day 6: On day 6, we climbed to the top of Flattop Mountain. If you’re counting, that’s my third mountain to climb! I didn’t enjoy the sights quite as much at Flattop as I did on Hatcher Pass. However, Flattop brought with it my first attempt at mountain climbing! Literally, there were times where you had to use all four limbs…hands and feet…to get up the rocks. I loved it! I also got the bug to try parasailing, and ate halibut for the first time!Day 7: One day, we made yet another attempt to see Mt. McKinley that was unsuccessful. It’s hard to believe that we went to Alaska and didn’t even get a glimpse of the tallest mountain in North America. We drove up to Talkeetna, which is a quaint little tourist town. We ate on the patio at the Wildflower Café, which was delicious and lovely. The fresh salmon Caesar wrap and their french fries were amazing. After leaving Talkeetna, we drove up to the Matanuska Glacier where we saw three moose! This is where I finally got my close up photo of these furry friends. We enjoyed the Sheep Mountain Lodge for dinner where I had more fresh fish and took my funny photos with the stuffed moose. Unfortunately, these are the only photos of a moose with antlers that I got.Day 8: This was our final day in Alaska. Before heading out, we visited the Moon Stone Farm, which was just behind the campground we stayed at. They grew vegetables, flowers, chickens, and other various items. The owner packages fresh goods that can be purchased through a seasonal subscription. Subscribers pick up boxes of fresh picked goods once they’re ready. As simple as it was, visiting the farm was one of my favorite stops and it made me crave a similar lifestyle. We spent the rest of the morning driving around the valley area and seeing some of the farmland. We also drove by the reindeer and muskox farms. After returning to the campground to get our luggage, we ate delicious BLTs and played a bit of horseshoes.Matthew and I boarded the red eye home around 8:30 pm Alaskan time. We flew all night and made it back to Monroe around 10:30 the following morning. We were certainly exhausted and a bit jet lagged. However, we wouldn’t have traded the experience for anything. I’ve never seen anything quite like the Alaskan landscape and loved the crisp air and the chance to unplug. If you ever have the opportunity to visit, I highly recommend it.

If I had to make a list of my top three experiences, I’d have to say it was hiking at Hatcher Pass, the beautiful drive down Turnagain Arm, and visiting the pottery shop. Stopping by Moon Stone Farm would also be a strong contender. I am truly thankful for all of our experiences and for the chance to travel the way we did. We looked forward to this trip for so long, and it did not disappoint.

Where shall we go next??

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September Goals

September 3, 2015 Pamela Stephens

September’s page in my Get To Work Book sums up my thought process for the month entirely. Since I can remember, I’ve let 1,000 ideas hinder me from accomplishing anything. I have a ton of ideas, get overwhelmed by them, and then do nothing. Last month, I hired a new assistant and with her help, I’m looking forward to finally making some of the ideas a reality. Therefore, on the work front, my main goal for the month is implementation. We’ve made a plan and now we’ll start tackling one project at a time until we reach world domination. Just kidding…sort of.

In addition to this large work goal, I’m hoping to take on a few personal items this month too.

I want to be 100% present for girl time this month. I’m very fortunate to be looking forward to a bit of time with my cousin in Tennessee that I see hardly enough and to have a little, tiny girls trip planned for the end of the month. I get to spend so little time with these people that I love, that I really want to soak up the time that I’ll have this month.
Complete 2 or 3 house projects. After sharing the home tour this week, I found a resurgence of motivation to make my ideas for this house come to life. I know from experience that I better take advantage of this inspiration while it’s here and actually do some of the things I have in my head. I don’t intend to ever be “finished” with this house. However, I do want to be in a place where I’m making little tweaks here and there rather than having a monstrous list of big projects.
Review my 2015 goals. I abandoned most of these goals earlier this year and with good reason. However, I’d like to look back through them, think about what I’ve done so far this year, and decide if I want to pick any of them back up. After all, there are only 4 months left of this year!

All in all, my goals for September are fairly simple. I think the big idea is to just implement, both at home and at work. I’m working hard to break that habit of sitting on ideas until I have plenty of time, money, and resources…which never exists.

Looking back at August, I was pretty successful!

I did quite a bit of watercolor practice!
I played around with Periscope, even though it’s a bit nerve wracking for me. (You can follow me @pamelapetrus!)
I did make an important business decision, even if I’m not exactly sure what it’s going to look like yet.
I shared the home tour. It was at the last minute and scary, yet I did it!
I am absolutely moving more slowly in the mornings and it’s made a HUGE difference. I switched my morning routine to have my coffee before getting dressed and it’s helped me take it more slowly and enjoy the moment more. I’m expecting this to make a big difference for me over time.

August was a great month and I’m thinking September will be pretty awesome too. I took a quick look at my goals from this time last year, and it’s amazing how much has changed in a year. That post seems like ages ago and I distinctly remember that feeling of overwhelm as we were drowning in boxes. I’m happy with how far we’ve come in a year, and I’m looking forward to a strong ending for 2015. I hope you are too. Also, I do still think September is my favorite month. How could it not be??

P.S. Those filler flowers from the August post are the same ones in today’s photo! You should buy them for every room in your house because apparently they live forever.

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#mapfirsthouse- One Year Later

August 31, 2015 Pamela Stephens

These are in no way “after” photos. However, it wasn’t until I looked through the before photos that I really realized how far we’ve come. Sometimes the slow progress towards my big ideas can be a bit discouraging. It feels like we’ll never finish everything or get it to a point where I can say it’s at least somewhat done. Now that it’s been a year since we’ve owned our first home together, I thought it would be nice to look at its current condition compared to where we started.

I think that you have to take a gander through the before photos to really appreciate the current state. I certainly did. While I felt a decent amount of anxiety of showing off my home in this awkward half way done stage, I’m thankful that I did. Honestly, if I wouldn’t have set it as an August goal, I would have continued to put it off! However, I do want to remember this stage. When I’m closer to finished, I’ll enjoy looking back and remembering this portion…the time when so much had been done and yet there was still so much left to do. If nothing else, forcing myself to share these photos inspired me to keep making progress. As I mentioned last week, we’d been at a bit of a standstill. With so much traveling, Matthew changing jobs, and no money tree in the backyard, it was hard to be inspired and find the time/money for house projects. However, I’m back in the game. I’ve started working on a few projects already, and I’m making a timeline for finally turning some big ideas into a reality.

I mentioned lately that we’ve been working on a few big projects in the house. We’re in the process of turning our old guest room into a guest room/home office. We’re also FINALLY revamping my closet room to be more useful. This means you’re seeing strategic shots of my house right now. There are currently mattresses standing in the foyer until they make it to their new home. There are IKEA returns living in the corner of the dining room until we can make that 5 hour trip again. Speaking of IKEA, they were out of a portion of my new shelving system (that I’m so very excited about), so that project is only partially done too. The hallway to the bedrooms includes bags of clothes to be donated. The parts I’m showing you today certainly aren’t perfect. However, just remember you can make anything look decent from the right angle. (And with black and white photos.)

I really wanted to wait until everything was perfect to show you anything. (Shame on me.) I have to keep reminding myself that it doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful. I’m happy that I shared a progress report because it’s encouraged me to keep pushing forward. It also made me address those boxes of photos/memorabilia that were moved to the dining room from their safe little home under the guest bed (the one that’s now living in the foyer). It also reminded me how badly I want everything to have a place. I feel soooo much better when everything is tucked away nicely and neatly. I’m currently reading this book which is helping a ton with clutter…and is also the reason for the bags of donation items making a home in the hallway.

So far we’ve scraped the ceilings, painted every single surface (literally not one single thing was left unpainted), replaced all of the flooring, and did what feels like hundreds of small projects. Some of the big items still left to do are:

all new light fixtures (I salvaged one here.)
paint the fireplace brick and instal a wood header
paint a very big wall a very bold color
paint the hallway from the carport
add kitchen hardware (It’s been ordered!)
new appliances
bathroom upgrades – no more seashell sink!!
install my mirror gallery wall
all of the decorating everywhere – curtains, pillows, artwork…you name it!

As I prepared for this post, I did make several decisions on different elements that I’ve been stewing over. This means I’m ready to make some magic happen again! I’ve decided that I’ll tackle these projects one little piece at a time. Waiting until I had all the money and all the time has obviously slowed down progress. Just like unpacking, I’m going to start doing one thing at a time! Speaking of boxes, there are officially NO BOXES left in my house that are not intended to be there. Not even one little box hiding in a closet. That last box has been sent on its merry little way and that alone is something to celebrate.

That’s a wrap for now. I’ll hopefully be sharing even more progress very soon! If you’d like to read more about the journey, check out our new couch, tips for changing flooring, and why I’m thankful for a new home.

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