Back online and Unpacking

It is Wednesday and Internet service has been restored. The past two days have been spent unpacking and organizing the kitchen (which still needs some attention) and yesterday finding all of my work related things to prepare for a client presentation tomorrow.

The wall elevations are done, just adding the potential fabrics to my data base and letting ideas solidify. More sketches to follow.

My own window, an eight foot sliding glass door, west exposure and open for the world to see is in desperate need of a window dressing! I plan to order a one way, hand draw drapery rod and make some very casual and informal type draperies to keep the sunlight from damaging furnishings and provide a bit of privacy....

The creative flames have been burning fiercely the past few weeks as I have been thrown into the frenzy of moving. It will be imperative to get things on the schedule to keep the fires of action alive!

Thanks for checking in, new things to report everyday, as inspiration is constant, action, still elusive.. Hoping to get to what I want to be doing soon! Painting and Sewing!

No Internet until Wednesday

Hello all. I am in the final days of moving... today and tomorrow and then tackle the big mess at the apartment... where to go with it all...

There will be a time of no distraction, Internet is not scheduled to be hooked up until Wednesday of next week... so... just putting it out there, not like you all haven't survived not hearing from me for weeks at a time anyway! heheheee..

Enjoy your weekend!

Shelly

Moving Update....

This is quite the process, moving on, and one that unless you keep the big picture in mind can suck you down a rabbit hole so fast you won't even realize it, until you find yourself deep in the labyrinth of confusion!

The little house by the river is slowly emptying itself out, one car load at a time... The apartment and garage are quickly filling up, a half a car load at a time!

In the midst of the chaos, I have managed to keep working on some projects, but the last of that was yesterday. Everything else is on hold until next Monday. Then starts the unpacking and the focus on design projects. As I look ahead to the weeks to come, it is clear that I will have to schedule very carefully to keep focus on the business activities and my personal life. A good opportunity, that I realize until now, I have focused on one or the other. Apparently, it is integration time! I am looking forward to that.

Carving out little activity areas for work on the things that need to be done. That will force me to keep things in perspective. They have easily been exaggerated in the past few weeks and some things have come out sideways, but I have also learned a great deal about the source of my beliefs about myself, some have surprised me, others not so much.

I am trying not to pack things too deeply, and unfortunately some things will have to be stored at my parents. I know my dad HATES that. On the bright side, I will be more likely to spend time out there working on things that I have been inspired by. In the light of having to discard some of those things, caused the spark of inspiration to ignite into a blazing passion for completing the vision. So,  over the summer, I plan to schedule time to be in the country, working on painting projects that I really want to do. I will have the fresh country air and the open expanse to work on them.

On the other hand, I realized, maybe my dad wants his shed to himself and doesn't want to share the space with anyone. He may want it for his own solitude and peace of mind. I will need to be mindful of sharing his space. I only want a little bit for a temporary time, until I can manage to find a space of my own.

Well, it is time to gather more for the next run later today....

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Life is Good - Right NOW! Being in the Moment.

Just taking a break from packing and moving... what a pain that is. A final last ditch of what am I going to do with THAT? Out it goes.

Finally, now that I know what I want to do when I grow up (that is just around the corner, but I am still committed to having FUN whatever I am doing, explore and create.. ) And maybe a whole other post can be about being all growed up.

Today, I am just grateful for the support I do have. Sure there are a ton of gaps and my life isn't what I want it to be right now, but I have a much more clear idea of where I want it to go. It is up to me to get there. No knight in shining armor on a white horse, no fabulous high paying job making someone else even more money... Just me.

Me, my ideas, my ability to trust (or not) and practice designing and creating my life. With as much practice and dedication as I have put into learning my trade, or design in general (specific) I should be able to master the Art of Living.

I am inspired by my friends, my family, my not friends (I don't have to spend time with someone to admire what they are up to and respect and empower them) even my enemies then, but then are they really enemies? Just because they have something I don't but want... the transformation is when I realized, no one is keeping it from me. Just me and my focus outside of me, keeps what I want at a distance that I keep wanting.

Wanting is over rated, desire, now that has a charge to it! That is the game of choosing and attracting, flirting with whatever the idea that catches my fancy. It is safer game flirting with an idea than a person. People can be so unpredictable.. and then you have to take into consideration what THEY want!

In a perfect world, there is alignment, but the real game is learning to GET in alignment... you or me and often times both...

Me, at Como Park Conservatory a few years ago

My Mom, at Como Park Conservatory a few MORE years ago!

Growing up is a process and not a destination. I am not the same person I was in the photo, neither is my mom. But we are at the core, the goals and dreams are still there, they may unknown in the photos, but the soul leads the way and it always gets what it wants.  It is the divine in all of us, we share it and it belongs to each of us individually. 

I love this picture of my mom. She looks so confident and poised. She said this is about '59?   I wonder what she thought her dreams were then and if any of them came true, or if it was better than she could ever imagine. I will ask her that... the next time we talk. I love my mom!

Moving Day... or the start of moving week......

Today we get the keys to the apartment in Roseville. It isn't far from Como Park and I am looking forward to that. Como Park Conservatory is one of my favorite places that I do not frequent nearly enough.

Como Park Conservatory-a place of inspiration

I will miss the little cottage by the river. Although, it has had its challenges. In the past 10 months, it has been home. The next place is going to be less like home than I would like and that may be challenging.. but, an apartment will be more like long term hotel. No shoveling, no lawn mowing. Just focus on me and my business plan and the implementation of it. No attachments.

Before at the Little cottage....

The little cottage living room, a cozy place to be...

The move is happening a month early, but then the whole summer isn't spent 'moving', like last summer. Move out, into storage, float for two months, move in and know it is only for 10 months... and the winter that would never end... so we really didn't enjoy the neighbor hood as much as we had hoped. Walk to the Riverview theater, stop at the coffee shop. Although in the past few weeks we have done that. It would be nice to come back to South Minneapolis and Longfellow, maybe next year, in a little bit bigger place, that can be called HOME.

Weekly Update

Life is starting to get a little more relaxed. Well, nothing has really changed, I am realizing I was allowing forces outside of myself to dictate what I focused my attention to and problems that are not mine. At this stage of the game, it isn't necessary for me to put my energy into helping someone else, when I am not doing what I need to for a stable foundation for MY dreams!

Once that realization took hold... I feel a great deal more relaxed. My dreams are big and they have emerged, are still emerging and taking shape. I am taking action, one small step at a time and feeling huge relief. Finally, it is my turn.

Everything is going to be revamped this year. Another year of living transition.. hopefully, in the apartment we have selected. It is clean and a little bigger than the upstairs of our little cottage by the river. More stuff will have to go. I am thinking to talk to my dad about space in his shed for the painted furniture. The stipulation being to set aside a weekend or two to actually get the work done and determine if I am going to keep it or make the treasures available for others by creating an etsy shop. I know what I want to do... the etsy shop sounds like it would be great fun... but I will have to be more organized and more disciplined than I have been and currently am right now.

Taking on more business and having time for my own creative endeavors is essential at this point in my life. I am no longer willing to put aside my own passions for meager pay to forward someone else's dream.

The next transition phase is about creating structures and discipline in all areas of my life.. that is exciting for me on so many levels, as that is the key for MAKING IT HAPPEN!

This blog and Shelly's Design Studio Website are key elements of that structure and discipline. Distractions are to be limited, a great deal more than they have been. I have a purpose and a goal that I intend to fulfill.

The details will follow as progress is made.. in what ever way, shape or form that takes, I welcome you to continue on the journey with me.

It has been a while and I miss the consistency of writing... and sharing with you all...

Until a day in the NEAR future, have a lovely one!
Shelly

Choosing an experience.... a principle of manifestation

These past few days have had me deep in the administrative structures of the design studio. Assessing what is working and what is not working and there is plenty not working! 

The prompt for the scrutiny comes from the looming move ahead and the desire to move into a place of my own. A place where I am the owner and I choose the level of upkeep, aesthetics and function for my lifestyle. It will be the first time as a homeowner for me. I have always rented, keeping things mobile. Not sure where I would end up or where I wanted to end up. In case... my knight in shining armor showed up on a white horse, blah, blah, blah... 

I am here now and I am ready to live my life for me. Studying the concepts and ideas of business, structure, design and the decorative arts. That is what has interested me and now it is time to really put it all together. The time for gathering has come to an end.. I have all that I need and am ready to commit to MY career. Not just something I am doing in the mean time.. la, la, la, la, la, la... 

For years I have been working with homeowners, creating beautiful environments that are expressions of who they are.. improving the function and lifestyle of their everyday lives. Now, it is time I do that for myself. I look forward to finding the perfect space to call home, and lovingly bring it to a higher standard of living. To create a beautiful space that is an expression of me is an exciting journey. To be fully self expressed in my being AND my environment, that is my desire of late... 

What about you? What have you been putting off for a lifetime? What have you longed for? When is it time to embark on your journey, rather than do what your doing to distract you?  your real desire?  What is the experience you want for you? It doesn't even have to be about your home. What is next for you... many people have achieved a result, reached a goal. Now what? Set a new goal... When you think your done... there is only one way left to go... downward. When there is always more to do, to experience, to dream, to create.. that is life!