Bella Dia

N is for Night and Netflix

My favorite part of the day? Night time. I'm definitely a nightowl. I usually have a lull in my energy in the late afternoon but after that I tend to gain energy. If it weren't for social conformity I could easily be up working through the night and sleep halfway through the day. I like the quiet and the privacy of the night - no phone calls, no doorbells, no appointments or classes - and I can really focus on my projects. But, if I'm not careful of watching the clock, I'll be working until 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning and then really regret it the next day. Making sure I get to bed on time takes real effort on my part.

Many of our evenings the kids and I watch movies that we've gotten from Netflix - one of the greatest inventions of all time ;) I've listed some of the movies (and TV shows) that we've really enjoyed - just good ol' great stories full of mystery, adventure, comedy, and a smidge of romance.

Andy Griffith Show
Hogan's Heroes
Mister Ed

The Count of Monte Cristo
The Golden Voyage of Sinbad
Rear Window
Jim Henson's The Storyteller: Greek Myths
Jason and the Argonauts
The Odyssey
Arabian Nights
Pollyanna
Vertigo
The Great Train Robbery
The Secret of Roan Inish
A Home of Our Own
To Kill A Mockingbird
Spartacus

M is for Magazines

Like many of you, I've always loved magazines.  When I think back about all the magazines I've read it's funny how they represent a kind of timeline for my life.  I have a very clear memory of buying my first issue of Seventeen, feeling somewhat timid since I was only fifteen.  This was when Seventeen was the big oversize issues - like Vogue used to be too.  When the babies started coming along, I think I bought every issue of Parents, Parenting, and Child for about seven years.  I started scrapbooking right after my daughter was born (15 years ago) so Memory Makers was a wonderful resource.  Of course I remember when Living premiered and being so impressed with the quality of the pictures and beautiful layouts - it really stood out from the other magazines in it's niche.  I try not to hold onto as many magazines as I used to, so every now and then I go through my piles and pull out pages that I like and set them aside to create new collages in my inspiration book.  It's a great way to recycle and enjoy your magazines all over again.

This is not a comprehensive list by any means but here it is:

A Magazine Timeline of My Life

Young Miss
Teen
Seventeen
Glamour
Mademoiselle
Cosmopolitan
Self
Vogue
Metropolitan Home
Victoria
MSL Living
Vanity Fair
Parents
Child
Memory Makers
Family Fun
InStyle
Country Living
Home Companion
Real Simple

L is for Little Things That Make A Difference

clean sheets
a hot shower
watching a favorite movie
an afternoon nap
a drive in the country
a great find at the thrift store
window shopping
a goodnight's sleep
a walk around the block
a cup of tea
sitting by the fire
love notes from your kids

K is for Kan't Stand It

Substituting the letter K for the letter C or Q drives me crazy, yes, krazy!   I know it's intended as memorable advertising - a way to stand out from the krowd - but for me it's like nails on a chalkboard.  Koffee Korner.  Kosy Kitchen.  Kritter Kountry.  Ugh.  I feel antsy just thinking about it.  I prefer a bouquet of flowers rather than a bokay.  I like things quick but not that kwik.  And, a klassy kreation, well, that just can't be. 

For some reason this one doesn't bother me quite so much ;)

J is for Juxtaposition

juxtaposition
n. 1. an act or instance of placing close together or side by side, esp. for comparison or contrast.  2. the state of being close together

I is for Me

If I were an umbrella drink I'd be a Relaxed Rum Runner; if I were a color I'd be blue; if I were a dog I'd be a Scottish Terrier. 

Spending time online means that I have to sum up who I am in written words more than I ever have to in real life.  "Describe yourself. "  " Tell us a little about yourself."  "Write a one sentence bio."  Oh, I hate that.  As soon as I read those words my shoulders slump and my mind goes blank.  I can put down words like "I'm a single mom of three, I homeschool, I like crafting and animals and gardening,"  but it seems so generic and... I don't know, boring.  I envy people who can describe themselves briefly yet interestingly and not sound like a statistic.  I know who I am and I know what I like but it's hard to put the mixed up jumble that's me into words.

When I do hear or read someone describing me my first thought is, "Really? Is that who I am?"  I usually hear words like stable, organized, nice, good mom, creative, independent, easy going, smart -  not so bad, but those are the good words.  Luckily I'm not around people that remind me of my unpleasant qualities:  I'm a perfectionist, I over-analyze,  I worry too much, I can be very moody (ahem), lose my focus, and get easily overwhelmed.

I took a lot of quizzes over at Tickle to see what they had to say and I was kind of surprised at how consistent the results were.  My strongest sense is common sense, I'm inspired by learning new things, my best quality is that I'm stable, and I'm also motivated by stability.  Anybody looking for stability?  Over here! 

No, I'm not a party girl, don't take any risks, rarely spontaneous, and I'm not very social.  I prefer small groups over big get-togethers, I do not enjoy discussing religion, politics, or any other flammable topic, I believe in respecting other people's choices in life and expect them to treat me the same way.  I'm silly with kids and enjoy their company.  I don't take myself too seriously. I'm trying to live more in the moment instead of worrying about the future but I'm also trying to come up with some goals and a plan to live by.  If you spent an afternoon with me we'd enjoy tea or mojitos on the back porch swing and talk about our latest interests.  Read any good books lately?  Did you see that article in Real Simple?  We'd poke around in my studio and flip through some Japanese craft books oohing and aahing over their amazing attention to detail.  Dogs would be at our feet and at least several cats would be milling around - one might jump into your lap.  There would probably be Bach or Norah Jones or Jack Johnson playing in the background while we laughed and shared funny stories about our kids. 

I love basking in the sun shining through the window, the sound of raindrops and thunder, the whistling wind, and curtains blowing in the breeze. 

I guess I'm that kind of girl. 

H is for Handmade

My mother suffered a brain aneurysm about 13 years ago and was in the hospital and rehab for several long months. It was a horrible time full of stress, worry, and many many tears. One day I was at my parents house and I saw this statue that my mother had made in a sculpting class when they lived in Mexico. I had always loved it but this time I felt so drawn to it knowing my mother had shaped it with her bare hands and had put so much of herself into it; I scooped up the statue and took it home with me. It brought me more solace than anything else during that time. It made me feel closer to her while she was still in the hospital: I could touch that statue and through her work be holding her hand.

Like most people in the crafting community, I grew up doing all variety of crafts. It's always been a fun thing and so much a part of my life that I really don't notice it, like cereal for breakfast or making the bed, just something you do. But, after that experience with my mother, and at the time being a new mother myself, the idea of making something by hand took on a whole new significance. Handmade items are special. They should be cherished and valued more than anything else. They are created not just with yarn, ink, beads, or thread but with love, thought, devotion and passion. Handmade items are a tangible connection to the maker and help tie us together when life sends us scattered beyond reach.

My mother is recovered now although she was left with some impaired vision and arm weakness. The statue is no less valuable to me - it's more. Now I know the power that a handmade item can hold.

G is for Grandmothers

Nanny

weenie roasts, Big Red, feeding the cows, bluebonnets, supper, parakeets, gardenias, Reader's Digest Drama in Real Life stories, front porch swing, Dairy Queen, pickup truck, fireflies, okra, Ms. Estelle and Sugar, Ms. Marrs, Mom's high school yearbooks, cousins, forts, Papasonny's farm, blackberry picking, y'all, over yonder, homemade doughnuts, playing "spoons", three-inch deep bath water, Thorndale, begonias, visiting Catherine and Cornelia, playing with Phil, Winn's, ticks, rattlesnakes, Days of Our Lives, post office box, swing set, clothes line, preserves, jelly glasses, leftovers, Piggly Wiggly, aluminum Christmas tree, church, playing on the school yard, the library, bar-b-qued ribs, cattle auctions, rocking chairs

Polly

capris, purple, antiques, old bottles turned lavender and blue, First Monday at Canton, cut glass, red dirt, azaleas, hydrangeas, National Enquirer, Icees, Little Mexico, chocolate cake, old family photos, the Cadillac, dirt dobbers, cooking on the little stove in the woods, Antique Trader, Vogue, magnolia wallpaper, "K-k-k-katie Beautiful Katie", vinegar, red brick, make-believe, coral snakes, humidity, designing cities in the gravel driveway, ironstone dishes, glassed-in porch, Johnny Carson, Lazy Boys, scary closed off living room, getting the mail, fireworks, lizards, bottle digging, climbing the mimosa tree, white handbag, cuckoo clock, magnolia trees, oak kitchen table, wicker porch furniture, thunderstorms

F is for Flower Shop

It was the best of times it was the worst of times.   It was a flower shop that my mother, sister, and I once owned in Southern California.  Sounds fun, huh?  We thought so too.

I mean, who doesn't like flowers?  Who doesn't want a flower delivery from a loved one?  Big surprises were in store for us. 

We loved working with the flowers, going to market, making each arrangement unique and special and it smells wonderful all the time.  What we didn't expect is the human emotion that flowers can represent.  Mother's Day was just about the worst; everyone goes all out on Valentine's but when it came to celebrating mothers it was always, "What can I get for $15?"  Numerous times we had mothers that would refuse flowers from their family because, "I haven't talked to them in (fill in amount of time), I don't want any flowers from them!"  Do you know how awkward it is to call the person who ordered them and say "Sorry, but your mother wouldn't accept the flowers"?  Another awkward situation - wife calls and says she was charged on a credit card for flowers she never received.  A call to the husband - who ordered the flowers - and you find out the flowers weren't for his wife.  Hmmmm.  "You call her back - no you!"  Weddings were always real high stress too since the flowers have to be done within a day or two of the wedding and sometimes the weather would run afoul and ruin a crop of flowers that the bride had her heart set on.  I'll tell ya, it was always something.

It was still a great learning experience - but not one I'd like to repeat. 

E is for Embroidery

I love embroidery.  I love the process of making small precise stitches and deciding on which beautiful color to use next.  My doodle embroidering has been infringing on my reading time so it looks like I won't be finishing the last Harry Potter book anytime soon.  I'll probably call this design May Flowers as in "April showers bring May flowers." 


I thought I'd share my little on-the-go embroidery organizer.  This plastic case snaps closed and it easily carries my current embroidery, scissors, and floss selection.  It makes a nice flat surface to work on and is simple to take with me while I wait for the kids to finish their various activities.  I got it at Wal-Mart several years ago but I'm sure you could find it anywhere, especially now with all the school supplies in stock.