A Little Imagination and a Pile of Junk

near perfect desert beauty escape with chickens (and peacocks)

This past week we were able to get away for a few days for a family reunion in New Mexico, just outside Santa Fe. It was just what we all needed to relax and refuel.

We've always loved New Mexico, particularly northern New Mexico, and the place where we stayed for the reunion was unbelievable. A lush little adobe village with plenty of room for the kids to roam free among goats, rams and noisy peacocks. There was a pool to splash in when the afternoon sun got a little too harsh and lots of shady nooks to sit and talk or just think and write amid the faint, ecstatic cries of "Marco! Polo!" in the distance.

The casitas with their low, wooden beamed ceilings and brick and stone floors were amazing. (Although my 6'5" husband had to duck to get through the doorways!) I particularly loved our cool and peaceful bedroom with french doors opening to a beautiful, adobe-fenced courtyard surrounded by heavy hanging fruit trees and grape vines. It didn't bother me at all to have a friendly cat or dog wander in during naptime just to have a look around since doors and windows were always kept open as a welcome for new friends or a cool breeze.

But the best part was having a safe and fun place for the kids and their cousins to run and explore freely, making their own indelible childhood memories that they will one day be laughing at and reminding each other of--much like we adults could be found doing--at some future reunion. 

girl with a thorn in her side

Haven't been spending as much time as usual in my journal, so I took some time last night to get reacquainted. To be brutally honest, I've been feeling that old familiar itch--that wandering eye--the longing to make myself a new journal. It isn't that I'm unhappy with this one, I still dearly love it, but I've been working on it for almost a year now and working on new pages alongside the struggles and memories of a year ago is less than appealing. Still, I'm determined to stick it out, mostly because I do still love this particular book (If I did make another journal, I'd make one just like it.) and also cause I am dying to know what it will look like completely filled with big, fat, colorful, rambling pages. Thankfully, I'm still behind on showing off the pages I had been working on before being so neglectful. So here you go. Maybe it'll inspire me to get busy and get that book filled.

random + color = fun

Just because I've been working mostly outside doesn't mean I've completely neglected the inside of the house. I've got lots of plans there, too. Like this random stitch blanket. I do love to knit and crochet, but I don't want to have to think too much about it, like counting stitches or following a complicated pattern, and I get bored easily. My favorite projects are the ones I can make up as I go along. So this blanket is perfect for me. I'll probably end up with 12 of them because I'm enjoying it so. One for every room. On the block.

I've had to learn a few new stitches in the process. Just to keep things interesting. I like the little bobbles and twisted stitches best.

This one I can take my own sweet time with. Because it's just plain fun to work on and because we certainly won't need any extra blankets any time soon.

Next was a project I had in mind when we first moved into this house...almost 2 years ago, but have just now gotten around to. (I've been busy.) A crochet cafe curtain for the front door to replace the generic white sheer that had been there before. With little sparkly dangly beady things for, you know, fun.

Loved that pretty shell stitch. Hmm, need to remember to work that into my random stitch blanket. Now, doesn't that look inviting?

let the sunshine in

More painting on boards. Making use of things I've had laying around forever. Thinking of all the song lyrics in my head with the word "sun" in them. Here comes the sun, ain't no sunshine, it's called the rising sun, sunshine of your love and--of course--you are my sunshine. A favorite because my grandmother used to sing it to me as a child.

Ripped this design right off the Internet. Seems like versions of it are all over Pinterest these days. Of course, I had to add my own color spin to it. Why use just one or two colors when you can use fourteen??

ain't alone anymore

Still working on yard art. Having fun playing with phrases and words. The ubiquitous "live, laugh, love" just isn't my style. I prefer song lyrics and gentle, but important, reminders.

My grandmother always used to say--before we could say goodbye she would always have to remind us--to "make happy memories". I'll never forget her words and I try to live by them like she did. Each and every day we are making memories. Better to make them good ones.