Inspiration in Words

Who doesn't need a word of encouragement from time to time?  I know I certainly do.  Nothing inspires, redirects, or picks me up like a good quote.  For example, when I was in college dealing with some rather judgmental ladies I found this quote.

I still reflect on it today.  People make mistakes, and a little kindness can make all the difference in the world.  It did for me.  Here is a small collection of quotes that I love.  

For me this is Einstein saying the best thinkers aren't afraid to think outside the box.

 Beauty, kindness, and wisdom wrapped up into one iconic woman.  

Another Einstein quote.

An excerpt from To One in Paradise by E.A. Poe

These are quotes that I have carried with me through my life.  They seem to lift me up when I think of them.  Recently, our oldest son seemed to be having a bit of an identity crisis saying that he lacked any talents of any kind.  He moped around for days.  Then I thought about the quotes that I love and decided that he should learn it too. 

I saw this little plaque on Pinterest.  I love the lettering, and the wreath around it felt like a bunch of little doodles. 

So, using a sheet of blue card stock and some souffle' gel pens I turned another Einstein quote into a plaque of my own, and hung it at the front door.  Now, everyday as we walk in and out we are reminded that curiosity can be as important as talent and that exploration can lead to innovation.  Ignore the reflection please :oP

Easy Painting

A while ago I bought some really cool decorative screen panels from The Container Store.  

http://www.containerstore.com/shop?productId=10029991&N=&Ntt=decorative+screen

I honestly didn't have anywhere in mind for hanging them.  They still haven't found a home in our little apartment.  I am thinking that eventually they will make their way into Bean's room as they are superbly fem. Then I thought...Oooooh!  I could make a set of paintings from them and hang them above my headboard.  We have a lovely king size bed and it is calling out for some art work above it.  So, I drove to Michael's and bought a 20" square canvas, two tubes of BASICS acrylic paint....one in white and one in bright aqua green....and a flat paintbrush.  I adore aqua...it's the only shade of green I really like (probably that hint of blue it contains!).  I laid one of the panels on the canvas and began lightly tracing it.  If you have curious kids who like to bump into you, I recommend taping it with some painters tape to hold it in place.  Then...I took a bowl (not a good one silly! Although acrylic paint is easily removed with hot soapy water, it may leave a stain) and squeezed two heaping amounts of white and aqua side by side.  I ran my brush right down the center of those bad boys and started painting.  

And painted.....don't start this project at 10 p.m.  You won't get any sleep.  

I finished all the aqua that night and waited for it to dry.  The next day I came back in with solid white to touch up those pencil marks, and add a little texture to the negative space.  I love the variegation in the aqua.  It was so simple to do too.  I thought I was done, but when I hung it I found the texture in the solid white areas to be nearly invisible unless you were up close.  So, after waiting to make sure all the paint was dry, I took some cheap acrylic paint in Nutmeg, a spicy brown, I had laying around and watered it down.  Then with a big natural bristle brush I bathed that sucker.  Then, I wiped the excess off with a paper towel.  

This is what I got.  

Over all, I'd say I'm happy with it.  I might do another layer of the brown wash just to make it pop a bit more, but it was cheap, easy, and entertaining.  It won't end up above our bed.  It's a little too big for the set of three I had envisioned.   So, I'm happy.  The hubs must be too, because he suggested hanging it in the ENTRYWAY for all to see.  Yea Me!

Musings

Not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I have serious attention span problems.  I try to be organized, but I just don't seem to have the attention or stamina.  It's driving me crazy.  I look around my house and think..."I could do so much better"...and yet better never seems to come.  It might help if my hubby were an organized fellow, but honestly, he is worse than me.  

In December I started a new job with a pharmaceutical manufacturer (a little closer to my ultimate Chemist job, YAY!) and the have an excellent 5S system for organizing the work space.  

You can check it out here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5S_(methodology)

After the first week of work, I ran home to tell my husband how wonderful I thought the system was.  I was giddy with delight that this system seemed to work, and suggested we try this at home.  He laughed and said "I knew you would love that, and NO."  Well, I have to say....his "NO" is officially over ruled.  Ha!  I am going to 5S my house, and the fam better get on board.  I have decided to start with the kitchen.  Of course, I did mention I have my ADD issues....so we'll see how soon and how thorough I am.  

On a brighter note...this whole 5S thing led to some ideas. I don't know why but things seem to look more tidy when placed in or on a tray, basket, etc. Especially when they are sitting on a counter.  So, I purchased a couple of trays in Targets $1 area around Easter, because I thought the blue would be perfect in my bathroom. 

 They were a little boring though.  First, I thought maybe I would paint the inside...Stripes?

Maybe a Chevron Pattern?

Polka Dots?

Or a Monogram?  I think they look so sophisticated.  

I was really leaning toward the Monogram, but I'm a perfectionist and worried about my steadiness of hand and how the brush strokes would look.  Then an up-coming art project had me thinking I would try my hand at Mod Podge.  So, my daughter and I took a trip to Jo~Ann fabric.  

That's my Bean <3 

I was looking for any decorative scrapbook paper that would work.  We looked at florals, stripes, swirls...anything with the right shade of blue, and would coordinate with our current accessories.  Which are a hodgepodge of blue & brown.  We ended up picking a paper of nearly the exact same shade of blue with chocolate brown polka dots.  Here is the result.  

I LOVE IT!

I plan on starting my 5S attempts next week after I have some repairs done to the bathroom.  We live in an apartment and have to wait for maintenance to come do the repairs.  I'll let you know how it goes...if I remember ;oD