a collection

Monday, December 3, 2012

Christmas Crafting

Anyone who REALLY knows me, knows I'm practically the human spawn of the fictional character, Mrs. Claus (Miss Claus in my case)... so when Christmas rolls around, my domestic soul gets extra excited!

So, in the spirit of Christmas and my love of crafting... here's a DIY project I completed over Thanksgiving.

Paper Tree(s)

MATERIALS
- Florist's foam or plastic foam
- Flowerpot
-Wooden skewer
- Sheet Moss
- Vintage Paper, such as book pages or sheet music

DIRECTIONS
Place the florist's form or plastic foam in the flowerpot. Insert the skewer into the middle of the foam. Cover the foam with moss.

Cut of tear the paper into approximately 20 squares (give or take 10) in eight different sizes, starting with 4 1/2-inch squares and decreasing the size by 1/2 inch at a time. Push the squares onto the skewer, graduating from the largest squares at the bottom to the smallest ones on top.

More DIY projects to come!

Monday, November 5, 2012

A Tribute: to Greta

You always remember your first(s).

The first time you rode a bike.
Your first day of school.
Your first crush.

The first time you get behind the wheel of a car.
The first time you leave home.
Maybe even the first time you tried sushi.

And for animal lovers and pet owners, you always remember your first pet.

Pet. I hate the word. It's completely not equivalent to the animal's being and importance in the owner's life. Because anyone who opens their home and hearts to an animal, knows their dog, cat, rabbit, snake, or even bird becomes so much more than just a "pet"... they become a member of your family.

Meet Greta.

Greta Dorsett was a lovable Golden Retriever. She was born on February 5, 1997 and graced the Dorsett family with her presence around April of that year. She was a gift from my parents to Brittany, Brandon and I as we patiently waited for a dog, ever since we knew what a dog was.

You see, I had a bit of a different childhood than most...

I was blessed with a talented father who played Major League Baseball and due to family travels to and from the great ballparks of America, it didn't make sense to have a dog when we were always on the go.

But being the wonderful parents, Brian and Gina Dorsett are, they promised their children that when my dad retired from baseball we would get a puppy. So in the Spring of '97 when my dad decided to hang up his cleats, we did just that... we got Greta (-:

It was apparent from the beginning, that Greta wasn't a gift to us kids, she was a gift to our whole family. She graced us with an unexplainable love in an extremely bittersweet time in our lives and we were so thankful for her. She was the joy of my youth and the first thing I've seen for the past 15 years and 9 months when I walked through the garage door to my home. There was rarely a time her tail wasn't wagging and it goes without saying she would have totally been voted Prom Queen if there was a doggy high school.

Sure, she couldn't do many tricks and her fear of storms and fireworks even cost my parents a couple home improvement projects, but boy could she love. She had a personality that could light up a room, she was a curvaceous Goddess that loved nothing more than table scraps and treats, which I shamelessly gave her too much of, but how could you turn down that face?

She wasn't a huge fan of exercise, but when she was young she would never turn down a walk with someone she loved or an opportunity to prance around the neighborhood.

She had great hair. Thick, soft and the most beautiful shade of strawberry blonde. I know this in detail because I wore it to school everyday, but I didn't care... I loved her anyway.

She was brave. She put up a great fight to ignore the storms of the Midwest, but failed miserably every time. But she tried, and that's all that mattered! She was the epitome of a first born "child", because we all know first born kids and/or dogs are the bravest in the family, right? (-;

She loved living. Despite her daily medicine intake, she somehow managed to outlive two family dogs that came after her, Princess Holly and angel pup Wrigley.

And while she was a million other things, in sum she was a priceless gift.

She was the joy of the Dorsett household, the joy of the two neighborhoods she lived in, and lastly, the joy of our hearts for nearly 16 years. We were blessed to have had her this long, and while we would have loved to see her reach another Birthday, sometimes you just know when it's time.

Today was Greta's time...

I knew it was coming, but honestly nothing can prepare you for the day it actually happens. I rest a little bit easier knowing Holly, Wrigley and her boyfriend Scoobi will be there to greet her at Heaven's gates, and I look forward to the day I hear that tail wagging and see her sweet smile again.

Greta girl, you were SO loved and will remain fondly remembered and sweetly missed.

I'll never forget you.

Monday, October 1, 2012

Year 24.

[Read to tune of my voice, it will all make more sense (o;]

I turn 25 in a few days, #woah. So, naturally, in my last few days as an "early twenty something", I started googling.

I googled lots of things. For example: "What changes when you turn 25? "Does my insurance really go down at 25?", "Does anything really cool happen when you turn 25?" And lastly, I googled, "Things To Do Before You Turn 25."

And... I found this.

I read and reread the list a couple of times, convinced myself that while I might not have completed all of the items on this particular "to-do list" (because frankly, some of which were legitimately odd)-- I did find a selection that really hit home...

Number 12: Take time to revisit the places that made you who you are: the apartment you grew up in, your middle school, your hometown. These places may or may not be here forever; you definitely won't be.

CHECK.

And touche! While I love living in Chicago and any weekend away is bittersweet, I've made it a point to get out there and visit the people and places I love. You see, I grew up in a town that is a little behind the modern scope of life. It still baffles me that Terre Haute, Indiana doesn't have a Target in 2012, but it also doesn't change my sincere love for the city. It's a joy to go home every now and then; to visit my family and friends and a few of my favorite "fine dining" establishments. Yes, I'm talking about Taco Casita and The Olive Garden, don't hate.

Number 13: Find a hobby that makes being alone feel lovely and empowering and like, something to look forward to.

CHECK.

Interior decorating has become a huge passion/hobby of mine. So much that my favorite Interior Design blog of all time showcased my apartment in a house tour! It was featured around this time last year and it was such a special feeling to see my apartment being recognized for all its charm and treasures.

Number 16: Identify your fears and instead of letting them dictate your every move, find and talk to people who have overcome them. Don't settle for experiencing .000002% of what the world has to offer because you're afraid of getting on a plane.

CHECK.

When I moved to Chicago, a lot of people kept telling me how big and unsafe it was. Sure, I had some hesitations, but I also had a million and one reasons to be excited about this new endeavor in my life! So instead of freaking out, I put one foot in front of the other and charged onward. Coincidentally, during my first month of living in Chicago, I found this precious necklace (engraved in braille) that says, 'Be Brave.' This necklace has been such a beautiful reminder, that life is too short not to skip, jump, and leap into life-- even if you're blindfolded.

Number 25: Quit that job that's making you miserable, end the relationship that makes you act like a lunatic, lose the friend whose sole purpose in life is making you feel like you're perpetually on the verge of vomiting. You're young, you're resilient, there are other jobs and relationships and friends if you're patient and open.

CHECK.

This past year, year 24, was a really life changing year for me. Yes, I know the phrase "life changing" is pretty overused, but I went through some pretty raw and humbling experiences that ultimately shaped me into a better version of myself.

You see, this time last year I was working in a job I wasn't thrilled with. I was a little lost when it came to what I thought I wanted and/or needed in the male companion and I began to find out who my true friends were.

And while I don't have it ALL figured out yet, I can say that year 24 was honestly the best year of my life. I found a company that truly values it's employees, lives by its mission and makes me want to get up in the morning. I've discovered the difference between "what I want" and "what I need" in a relationship and lastly, I am 100% confident my faith, family and my circle of friends are the biggest blessing(s) in my life.

So did I live up the cliche of "finding myself before I turned 25?" I dunno, probably not. But what's the point in "finding yourself" at 25; why not keep learning, loving and discovering yourself every day! As one of my favorite poets, Rainer Maria Rilke wrote, "Be patient towards all that is unsolved in your heart, and learn to love the questions themselves."

With that, I toast to YEAR 25 and question marks.

--ACD