Small Transformations

We are just past Spring Break and Easter but I don’t think the weather around here knows it!!!  I can see some of the trees trying to bud and blossom but my cold-natured-self says to keep my jacket on.

With some much-needed sunshine Monday, I was able to walk around in my sad garden and see a few signs of spring.  Finally, I feel the need to start looking at garden plans but that will be for another day.

The display on my back fence

The pansies are starting to perk

The bunny statue needs Spring!

Phlox is blooming --slowly

We had a nice ‘Stay-cation’ here this time for Break and I was able to piddle around and get a few things done.  Now, not a TON because my kids thought Spring Break meant Spring Chauffeur (meaning ME) to them.  So, I decided to work on a few smaller projects as I could.  I worked on my garage a few weekends ago, clearing and trying to organize the space.  It is amazing how you feel like getting other projects done when you have a cleared out space!

I launched a new adventure I call, “Pink Lizzard Designs”.  The two ‘z’s are a throwback to a garage band my hubby had in High School-but his was Black, not pink!  Anyway, it is not really a true business, just a hobby where I can create and rescue and transform old finds.  I have a sweet friend that has an antique booth at Sheffield’s in Collierville called Ella May Designs.  Stephanie is a creative doll and lets me put some of my items in her booth.  She has great taste and I love her booth!  My hubby is supportive and lends some critical opinions my way when needed.  For the most part, Mr. Lizzard tolerates my crazy creative whims quite well and is happy to leave me to do my messes.  I try to make sure my family ‘business’ stays on track even though I would love to just paint and paint all day!

I found some interesting things in my thrifting jaunts a few weeks ago.  Some things are for me to keep and I think I will send some items to the Ella May Designs.  I found this lonely horse bookend that was somewhat heavy but ugly.  Since my girls and I all have the horse fever, I knew I had to grab it.   Originally I had plans for it in their room, but I changed my mind and I think it looks nice for now in my bookshelves!

I love all things galvanized metal these days.  I don’t know what it is about it, but I sure do love it.  I found a great French Market bucket and shined it up with come cleaner and a bit of paint.  I like how it turned out and have thought of a million places to put this find!

This cute shelf grabbed my attention but someone had decoupaged fruit on the front skirt of the shelf.  It was screaming for help so I picked it up.  I decided to add a wood embellishment to the scalloped ‘skirt’.  I brushed on an antique white and a neutral gray paint.  After sanding, I waxed it well!  Major change!

I have been working on a small budget to get my family hearth room together or somewhat ‘decorated’ since the fall.  Of course I get distracted and life gets in the way, but it is getting close to the end….for now.  I hope to post the update on the finished product when I get there.  I needed something to go over my triple windows that look out into the backyard.  Since the budget is not allowing for a major item, I decided to make a rustic sign. 

For the sign, I used a board that was started in the fall for a rustic Christmas sign but never was brought to full potential.  Luckily, the colors I started with were pretty good for my room.  It may be there for a long time (knowing me and my budget constraints), so I came up with “Faith Family Friends”, but in Italian.  Don’t ask me why, I just liked it!  After fumbling around with fonts (forever—that is how I roll), I found a font I like and got to work.  I want it to look a bit old, so throws me into what I refer to as The Process.  Now, The Process has a long definition that pretty much pertains to me and how I work.  Many of you that are uber organized would probably go nuts working alongside of me and The Process.  I guess it works like this:

I start a project with an idea. Get excited with the materials and ideas and get started on said project. Stop for life. Get started again. Stop to plan another step out. Stop for life. Days pass, because there is life and kids and house, etc.  Get started on another layer, discovering a needed material at the store.  Stop for a day (yes, life again).  Get started again, more layers…you get the idea. 

Mr. Lizzard does not always understand The Process and I know it frustrates him.  He is very patient mostly and just looks the other way.  Thank goodness for Mr. Lizzard and his patience….and golf.

Back to the sign!  After days in The Process, it is finished!  I like it and it will do… for now.  I think it will add to the framing of the view.

I always seem to have a small project going, or at least some materials to begin one.  I guess it is an outlet for me and I so enjoy it!  Sometimes working on a budget makes one think outside the box.  I love this quote:

“But out of limitations comes creativity.” – Debbie Allen

So true!  And so there are small transformations that arise out of that!

Enjoy the weather, come on spring!

Joy,

Tracey

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I was featured on French Country Cottage, Feathered Nest Friday!

Decluttering – It is a Journey

If you know me well, you know I am always trying to fit in cleaning, picking up, organizing, and the like.  Now, I am not saying that I accomplish all of these or do so in a timely manner (yes, I feel my mother-in-law cringe…hang in there, Maureen), but I do my best at the attempt and the process.  That is all a long way of saying, ‘I try’.  I don’t know if I am left or right-brained and if that has anything to do with it.  I do know I have some ADHD without the hyperactivity so that puts a whole new spin on it.

In recent months, I am working on giving myself some slack in this area when needed.  I am human.  I have some gifts.  Being uber organized is not my gift.  I want to be organized, but so many things get in my way.  I won’t go into all of that here.  I also need to give myself a hard time so I can get things done.  It is a balance and I am still working on it.

 

I love this verse, but I really like this translation:

“I will give you praise, for I am strangely and delicately formed; your works are great wonders, and of this my soul is fully conscious.” –Psalm 139:14 BBE

Oh yes, I love the ‘strangely’ part!  I keep on trying to remember that God does things for a reason and I am the way I am because HE did that with intent!

I enjoy looking at all things home décor and design on the internet.  One of my favorite sites is Houzz.  I was drawn to an article last night called, ‘Decluttering—Don’t Let Fear Hold You Back’.  You can guess why I clicked on it.  I really enjoyed the article; the author seemed to struggle with letting go of her kids’ artwork.  I too, struggle with that.  The article goes on with her struggles of regret of giving stuff away (yes, I have been there), and keeping and what not to keep.  Then you find her family survives a house fire.  She loses many possessions.  What her young daughter said as the author mourns the loss of sentimental artwork was amazing:  we still have each other to remind us we are loved.  Not the stuff.

Of course I was very choked up.  I will say this article was helpful.  I may not let go of all of my kids’ crafts, drawings, notes.  I will keep this all in mind when I go through it.  I will let go of some….ok, more.  One small step for man.  One giant leap for the decluttered-kind.

With Joy,

Tracey

(see the article from Houzz on my blog…)

Insanity

We have been visiting a new church now for a while and this past Sunday really had a great sermon that hit home.  I just wanted to share some notes from the service because it is fall, school had started and we are seemingly living in “Insanity”.

Lately, my personal prayer requests have included a plea for help organizing.  Organizing my life, time, house, kids, closets—and all ‘things to do’.  It is really about priorities.  The last six months or so (who  am I kidding, it is really like the last 2 to 3 years!), this subject has been in the forefront of my mind.  I struggle daily with what comes first, keeping on track, and …oh…what did I forget now?  As a parent, we all struggle with this in some way.  We are balancing life with kids.  We are in charge of these little beings and they bring a whole set of items to the table we must address and organize.

Last Spring, I finally admitted to myself I have been doing too much in all of these places outside the home.  Now, most of my volunteer work is good stuff and contributes to the family, etc.  BUT when you take on too many of these things, you leave very little room for your core-your family, and possibly your spiritual life.  I vowed last spring it was time to back off here and there and re-focus.

This brings me back to last Sunday.  The sermon was a part of a series called, “Insanity”.  The title for Sunday was called, Help!  Not just help, but HELP ME!!!  The interesting thing Rev. Rufus Smith said that really GRABBED me was this:  Do you have enough margin-or space- for crisis? If you do not, you are too busy!  We all will face crisis.  We just will.  If you do not allow margin for this, you are setting yourself up for insanity.  So I sat there with my mouth open.  I might as well have been sitting on the front row with a giant spotlight on me.   Rufus could have just said, “And Tracey Simpson, yes you…I am talking to you.”

I have not been giving myself space.  Space for error and recovery.  Space for quiet time to catch up.  Space for organizing my life in little bits.  MORE space for my spiritual walk.  You know how when you are very active for a long time…  When you are exercising for over an hour, or you have a long day with your kids walking around, going to sports events, etc.?  If you do this over and over without recovery you set yourself up for feeling bad.  Your body is fatigued?  You may become ill.  This is what I am seeing with my busyness.

I need to take some hints from my dog - take a break...

 

I won’t go over the whole session of notes but I want to highlight a verse. 

Romans 8:26 says, “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”  Where I am weak, He is strong.  Thank goodness I am not left to deal with all of my problems by myself, nor am I alone when I pray.  Even when I don’t know what to say, He is there to help me along.  What a blessing.  It is like a second-chance when you pray.  “I don’t know what to say Lord,” or “I can’t put it into words, Lord,”—these thoughts are helped along. 

I have attached the notes from the service.  Pardon my handwriting, please!  One really neat thing to also focus on is the section on Enjoying Peace.  Love that.

Have a great week.  I hope to blog a little more frequently as I get re-focused.  I have some projects I want to put up soon!

With Joy! --Tracey