by Sarah | Feb 2, 2019 | All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, Crafty Me, Oola, Redefining Perfect, Yarnspiration
I may have mentioned once or twice before that I have some crafting ADHD. In the past year, my yarn-bending has come out full force (along with my pendant making, but that’s another post).
To keep tabs on myself because I’ve had several projects that are YEARS old now (seriously, like 7 years).
My big project this year, was also my big challenge for the year. I’d never taken on a project like this, and I wanted to go for it. I dove in, ordered the yarn and got myself started on the Hooked on Squares Crochet-Along.
Over the course of about six months I worked on 35 granny squares, bound them together and added on the suggested border.
It was very challenging. I had to redo a few squares because the sizing wasn’t working out to match the other squares.
I had to watch videos to understand stitches.
But I finished it, and I’m super proud.
But here’s the thing…it matches nothing in my house. I bought the colors to sort of go with the suggested colors…and because I thought they were pretty. I’d planned it all along as a challenge for myself, but now, I have to sell it. Well, I don’t HAVE to, but I am.
So, since I’m selling…I’m going to show off some pretty pictures here for you of the construction and finished process.
Enjoy!
by Sarah | Jan 28, 2019 | All About Family, All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, Pour Your Heart Out, Random, Redefining Perfect
We all know the phrase. We use it all the time when we have little ones, “It takes a village to raise a child.”
I think it goes farther than that – It takes a village…period.
We ALL need a village…or a tribe…we need people.
We need each other.
So why do we resist our village when they rise to help us?
I have a friend, a good friend, who has come to mean a lot to me in the past couple of years. Six months ago they moved many miles so her husband could take a very exciting job that suited him perfectly. After years of being self-employed, they would have regular checks coming in…and he would be doing a job that was pretty darn amazing.
He is now one of the hundreds of thousands of workers furloughed because of the shutdown over the asinine wall.
We’ve had a lot of talks over the past month as she’s grappled with the existence. I made a comment to her that she should put it out there to ask for help from those she’s helped and taught. She’s resisted, and resisted, stating they’re okay right now.
When I went to send her money for an item I’d purchased, I sent her extra.
“What did you do?” Was her response, “You’re saving for Florida!” I reassured her we’d talked about it and were fine with our decision…and she relented and we continued our discussion…and it struck me hard.
It’s long been proven in so many studies and just general truth…we are STRONGER in a community. When we rely on each other.
So why do resist?
We often are afraid to ask, or we feel like a failure or inadequate, so we are too embarrassed to ask.
It also doesn’t help that in today’s society we are full of Judgy McJudgersons ready to tell us how we should have been prepared, we should have done this, or done that…who are super eager to sit behind the anonymity of their computer screens and tell us why you should do it YOURSELF…
But you can’t. Not always.
Friendship is about love and caring and support.
The next time you see someone you know struggling…
Be their village. Not their judge and jury.
Be their village.
They’re going to resist. So stick with something small. A silly card, something you know they’ve wanted off the wall, or just sitting with them and letting them vent without commisserating (i.e. telling them your story of woe to match).
Remember, in a village, it’s not always about YOU. Sometimes it’s about them.
Be their village.
Because one day, you’re gonna need them to be yours.
by Sarah | Jan 25, 2019 | All About Erik, All About Family, All About Me, All of Us, Oola, Personal, Redefining Perfect, Story of Me
I’ve been carrying on for a while now about this Oola stuff, I know. So, I thought I would share a little about how I came to find it, what it is, and what it means to me/us.
One day about a year and a half ago I was perusing netgalley (as I love to do) and saw the cover over there <—.
I was intrigued, but saw it was self-help/non-fic and thought maybe it was too crunchy crazy for me because of the VW bus on the cover and moved on past.
About a month later one of my local friends on twitter posted something with the hashtag #oola. For some reason, the word had stuck with me from that cover and I immediately tackled her on it, asking what she knew of it. Her response is lost to the twitter gods…but it was along the lines of “It’s amazing.” I said I remembered seeing an oola book on Netgalley and I’d go see if it was still available.
It WAS! I snatched it up immediately – and then promptly forgot about it for probably five or six months.
One weekend after I’d quit the job I hated, I took a chance to run some surveys at a local movie theater. I was only to survey people coming out of a couple of particular movies. Not sure if you know this, but movie theaters run movies in chunks. So everything goes in and releases within a half hour span every couple of hours. That left a LOT of time sitting around staring at this –>.
While sitting on a bench during one of the lulls, I opened the kindle app on my phone, pondering what to read.
I’m not sure what called me to it, but as soon as I saw Oola, I downloaded and began to read.
Within an hour I was sending my husband screen captures saying “Read this! And this! and this! This is amazing!”
Whether it was the right timing, or the right words, the book spoke to me. Some of the stories didn’t speak to me, but many left me in tears. It inspired me, uplifted me, and made me look at EVERYTHING in my life differently. It changed my life.
I know, I know…I’m using the words “It was LIFE-CHANGING.” The thing is…I don’t say this lightly. I’ve read my share of self-help books that didn’t do anything for me. Again. I don’t know if it was the timing, the words, or the simple complexity of the whole theory…but it struck me. It didn’t hit my husband in the same way…at first. Now? He’s fully on board. We’ve both read an Oola book (There are currently 2 versions with a 3rd to be released soon and a 4th planned) at least twice. I’m on my third go right now.
Okay, so what is it?
From the Oola website:
oo-la (noun): That state of awesomeness. It is when your life is balanced and growing in the seven key areas of life – the 7 F’s of Oola (fitness, finance, family, field (career), faith, friends and fun).
It’s a book that guides you on how to find balance in the 7 key areas of your life. (Heads up, the authors are deeply Christian and as someone who isn’t this could have easily turned me off…but in the Faith section they admit they’re Christian and say “but you do you.” Which, for me, made them a-ok in my book).
The book leads you through every one of the key areas, talking about how you can attain Oola in each, or what it means to attain Oola in each.
They break down what are called “Oola blockers” – like Fear, Guilt, Anger, etc. Then, they talk about my favorite – the “Oola accelerators” like Gratitude, Love, and Passion.
You are given quizzes to see where you are in each area so that you might create your Oola Wheel and see what you need to work on. You’re also given steps to find three daily tasks that take you closer to your Oola goals. By working on one area of your life, the Oola spreads to other areas so you see a general lift in each area. I’ve experienced it, I’ve seen it have a huge impact on our lives. It sounds hokey, but it works.
I met the Oola guys
In June I got to head to a local Barnes & Noble to get my Oola books signed by the authors.
I even got to put my own Oola goal on the Dream bus…on the layer of stickers covering the VW. (My dream is not in this picture…it must have been before I placed it…but it was to move to Florida – weeks before we made the decision to do just that).
I kid you not, I was like a kid at Disney World when I walked around the corner and saw that bus outside. It was real, and I was adding MY dream to the bus.
I know I keep saying it, but it’s made a big change in our lives. We keep each other in check by reminding each other “Oola” when things get rough. We have open discussion about Oola Blockers and Accelerators. We’ve taken steps to better our lives using the principles and are seeing positive changes.
We stumble, sure. Of course we do. Lately, my biggest struggle has been in the fitness aspect and it’s bringing me down everywhere. So, I’ve quit smoking finally (over 2 months now), and I’ve gotten back on a healthier diet, I’ve been working on quitting pop, and am doing exercise program that worked for me in the past. My goals don’t involve a number on a scale, but a general return to the healthy level and excellent shape I was in almost 2 years ago.
We are living the #oolalife as best we can – and knocking out our Oola goals as we can.
I know, I’m one of THOSE people…never thought I would be, but I SO am.
Come on in, the water’s GREAT.
by Sarah | Jan 23, 2019 | All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, Book Reviews, I'm A Reader, Redefining Perfect, Wordy Wednesday
I thought about doing one book per recommendation post – but then changed my mind.
I’m going to recommend One, one, and one every month. The genres may change, but it lends some variety.
This week we’re going to look at One Poetry/YA, One Non-fiction, and One Graphic Novel.
All of these I read in my year of big reading, 2017, and they still stick out to me as books I’d recommend.
*~*~*
[easyazon_link identifier=”0062118765″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]One by Sarah Crossan[/easyazon_link]
This is a young adult book, but it’s so wonderfully unique. A story told through poetry that captures your heart with it’s lyrical words and deeply real characters even in their almost surreal existence.
Grace and Tippi are conjoined twins who have lived their whole lives as one. Now sixteen years old, they’ve defied odds and formed a bond like no other.
A health scare makes them make the most difficult choice of their lives…and it will change everything.
I was in tears at the end of this one.
I read it because I had a challenge to read a book of poetry – and I’m so glad I did. This was a beautiful story and I’d recommend it to anyone.
[easyazon_link identifier=”1594634726″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert[/easyazon_link]
Yes, this is written by the lady that wrote Eat, Pray, Love.
Once again, I started reading this because of those challenges I set for myself in 2017 to read things outside of my comfort zone…including Non-fiction, which I’d always tried, and failed, to read.
This had also been plastered all over my social media feed read with glowing reviews. Once I started reading, I found out why.
This book spoke to me deeply on many layers. I’d had a rough year in 2016 that left me not writing at all. Years of being in the industry left me with big doubts and second-guessing myself with every word I wrote.
This frank exploration of the fears we face in any creative endeavor shook loose many of my cobwebs and helped get me writing again. I’m about to re-read it because I feel the need for another push.
I recommend it to anyone that wants to live creatively (and I don’t mean with the arts…I mean with LIFE)
[easyazon_link identifier=”1442465964″ locale=”US” tag=”redefiperfec-20″]Through the Woods by Emily Carroll[/easyazon_link]
This is a spine-tinglingly fun graphic novel that tells five different creepy fairy-tale sort of stories.
The artwork makes bold plays between stark black/white then great swaths of color to achieve emotional impact.
This was one of my first graphic novels, and the creepy tales were right up my alley, without being too horrifying.
It’s a fun little read that gives you some feel for the way fairy tales were before we softened them up.
*~*~*
Those are my recommendations for this month! Hope you enjoyed.
What are some of your favorite books? I love adding to my TBR.
by Sarah | Jan 22, 2019 | All About Family, All About Me, All of Us, Florida Dreaming, Oola, Personal, Redefining Perfect, Story of Me
Last month I participated in this wonderful event run by an Ojibwe Medicine Woman called the 21 Day Ceremony Challenge.
The whole thing was amazing, powerful, so intense. I learned things about myself. I built up my altar with new items and offerings. It was a wonderful way to spent a few minutes every day focusing on myself.
One day, pretty early in the process, she sent us on a little guided meditation to find the spirit animal that would be guiding us on our journey.
Honestly, it took me several tries to get in the right frame of mind to truly get into it. I expected something like the fox or deer I’d recently seen.
Nope.
My spirit guide came plodding along on all fours. Green. Bumpy. Big teeth.
An alligator.
Honestly…I had to really take a few minutes to digest it. I’ve seen all sorts of spirit animals from spiders to horses to hawks and even mice.
But an alligator? What?
Then, I thought more about it – and it makes total sense.
For one, the obvious, we are planning to move to Florida. What’s crazy-prevalent in Florida? Alligators, of course.
Then there’s the fact that my middle one, Molly, has had the nickname of “Gator” since she was a baby. It’s a cute story about a onesie and an enamored daddy…but we’ll save that for another time.
Once I sat with the knowledge for a while, I took in the lessons he brought me.
His message to me was to work hard at being my authentic self, which I have always struggled with. The rest will fall into place if I continue accepting and becoming my true self. His presence with me tells me to continue my path of sticking to my guns and know that even though I’m gifted with emotional understanding, I don’t have to allow myself to be dragged into the chaos and mire of others drama.
So I’m happy to walk with the alligator, and let him be my guide…
And proudly say that I’d bet anything my spirit animal is weirder than yours. Which is just how I like it.
by Sarah | Jan 19, 2019 | 50 before 50, All About Me, All of Us, Bucket List, Oola, Personal, Redefining Perfect, Story of Me
Well, I haven’t taken a hard look at my 50X50 status since 2017…so I knew that it was time to remedy that. I need to change some things, add in some completed items and well, just tidy that thing all the way up. It’s been neglected far too long.
So join me, won’t you? Let’s see what awesomeness we have done, or I’m changing, or what is staying the same level of awesomeness.
Color Code:
Newly Done (past 2 years)
Previously Done
New
Updated
***********
50 X 50
Take a real vacation. (Not to Buffalo, not w/ the kids) (Done 4/23/12)Take my kids to Disney World. (Done, thanks to Make-A-Wish 10/28/14, and again 10/28/15, and again on our own dime 12/22/2017)See my name in print (get published, e-zine, paper-zine). (Done 6/24/12 – Sirens Call June 2012 Issue)Have a novel published. (Done 2/8/13 – Changing Tracks & 17 more times [so far] by 7/18/15)- Get my Dominion Falls books series in front of a producer.
- Complete every item on my Disney Bucket Lists (there are 3-easy, long-term, difficult).
- Take a photography class (or 2 or 3)
Perform on stage again (done 12/4/15 – Violet Grey in A Charlie Brown Christmas)- Learn to snorkel
- See Colorado
- See Yellowstone
- Go skydiving. [Yes, I feel slightly insane here]
Go to a blogger’s conference. (done 4/23/12)Sit at a book signing. (Done March 2018 at a conference in Nashville!)- Get on a regular exercise regime & stay on it for more than 3 months. (I did this in 2018, then fell off the wagon at peak of fitness. My goal is to achieve again in 2019 and stick with it)
Hand craft (knit, sew) 1 item for ME for a change. (DONE 4/1/12)- Watch the baby turtles hatching
Get some crazy color in my hair (purple, blue, pink highlites/streaks) Done 2/11/12- Read the Harry Potter series aloud to my girls. (2/3 of the way through by 8/4/17)
Sing Karaoke (Done April 2018 – much to my embarrassment.)- Get up close with the wolves & photograph them at Wolf Park. (odds of getting this done before I leave Indiana – now nil. Hoping there’s something similar in FL)
- Move to Florida.
- Pay off debt. (Making progress on this for the first time ever. Maybe it will get done!)
Get a car that is less than 2 years old (Done March 2018 – my 2017 Honda Accord Sport)Run a 5k. Done 9/22/12 Do something daring (paragliding, zipline, etc.) Done 7/14/12See the butterflies at the Indy Zoo (Done 3/19/13)- Learn sign language.
Go on a road trip with a girlfriend (Done Sept. 2018)- Go on a hot air balloon ride
See Cirque du Soleil (Done 6/27/2012)- Ride a horse – not a trail horse. A real ride on a horse.
Volunteer (Done 12/2017 at Give Kids the World & in 2018 – Became a Make A Wish Volunteer)- Stop drinking pop. (Again – sooo close in 2018. I would still have the occasional, but I was almost there and crashed. Attempting again now)
Visit Disneyland (Done 5/2/17)Get a tattoo (Done 7/16/11)- Go on a Cruise [preferably Alaskan, but I’m not picky]
Go on a wine tasting (Done 10/16/10)- Get a Henna tattoo
- Take my husband to swim with sharks
- Fly first class
- Read at least 50 of the PBS 100 Great American Reads. (In total I have read 26/50 at this point)
Have a real spa day (Done, thanks to Hubs, 7/2014)Visit a real haunted location (Done 7/16/16)- Sell a photo
- Visit Salem, MA
Visit both US based Disney Parks in one year. (Done in 2017 – Disneyland in May, Disney World in Sept & Dec)See a solar eclipse. (Done 8/21/2017)- Renew vows with a hand-fasting ceremony on the beach.
- Go through a sweat lodge ceremony.
- BONUS: Run a full Disney Marathon (I couldn’t find anything to remove, and this is a goal for me for sure)
It’s so much fun to update the list…and to learn that in the past 2 years I have crossed of EIGHT items! That’s craziness in the best of ways!!
As you can see, many of my updates have to do with our upcoming move to Florida, more geared to things I can/will do down there. I’ve also removed a few items that hadn’t seen progress in a few years, and updated some that needed to be changed (the books site I mentioned previous was different, and the PBS list seemed more attainable).
So what’s on your bucket list? Do you make an effort to knock out at least one a year?
I do…and sometimes I don’t even realize I’d done more until I look at my list!
Once you start, it’s hard to stop tackling those dreams!!
My big project this year, was also my big challenge for the year. I’d never taken on a project like this, and I wanted to go for it. I dove in, ordered the yarn and got myself started on the Hooked on Squares Crochet-Along.
But here’s the thing…it matches nothing in my house. I bought the colors to sort of go with the suggested colors…and because I thought they were pretty. I’d planned it all along as a challenge for myself, but now, I have to sell it. Well, I don’t HAVE to, but I am.
