Complicated Simplicity

>barrentree creative<

*****My Etsy shop, barrentree creative, is now open for business!!! Check it out and be sure to stay tuned here for shop updates and information*****

>2010 Goals<

***don't foget to enter the giveaway ends 1/4***

I have a lot of goals for 2010. Some are simple, some are more complicated. Some are facets of another goal on the list. I've organized them by category and in my journal I have them rated as an A, B or C. A being must do 2010. B being should do 2010. C being may do 2010. :-) Just thought I'd share my list here and ask you-what are your goals/resolutions for 2010?

HEALTHY ME

• lose 100lbs (this is the year, I tell you ;-)
• eat healthy
• get proper hydration
• cut out pop (except for celebratory occasions)
• take Thyroid meds (this would require calling for a new prescription like I should have months ago)
• take daily vitamin (they make me nauseous, so I have a hard time with them, but I know it's important)
• get consistent exercise
• get adequate sleep each night
• track BBT daily (those of you who are not infertile may not know what this is, and I don't know if it will help, but it can't hurt)

BEAUTIFUL ME

• whiten teeth (they bother me so much-I really need to step up the whitening strips)
• get a hair cut (last cut was spring or summer 2008....ya, I need a cut badly and I would love to get it colored as well)
• keep nails maintained (as in, paint them a couple of times maybe_

GREENER ME

• use only reusable bags
• go berry/fruit picking
• visit the farmer's market

ARTSY ME

• keep an inspiration journal/board/wall (I would love to have a wall, but maybe a journal is a good place to start)
• scrapbook ten pages
• document a week in our life
• make ten pieces of art
• handmake gifts
• knit scarves for all family members
• make ten crafty projects
• start an Etsy shop (whadda ya know!! I already accomplished one of my goals :-)
• write 20 poems (unbeknownst to most, I love writing poetry)
• make an ACEO daily for a year (not so sure if I'm going to do this one or save it for another year)

TECHNOLOGICAL ME

• blog twice a week (or more)
• keep the computer backed up (weekly)
• create fun iTunes playlists (and I hope to share them here)
• listen to all iTunes songs (I'm on the F's already-we have over 5000!!!)
• listen to more podcasts

LOVING ME

• have weekly date nights (Paul and I already signed our pledge-click the link for more info)
• do a daily act of love
• write Paul five love letters (or more-I used to write them all the time, but time goes on...)
• fall in love with Paul over and over and over and over again
• say "yes" to Paul's requests more than "no" (the main question is "want to go play tennis?")

DAILY ME

• create a morning ritual (just a consistent routine)
• create an evening ritual (again, just a consistent routine)
• read the Bible through (Paul and I have a plan to do this together)
• spend as much time as possible outdoors (ideally a little bit of time each day)
• journal regularly (because the whole horrible month of October went undocumented and I wish more of it had been so that I could see how far I've come)

SKILLFUL ME

• learn to sew (I sewed for the first time yesterday)
• learn more guitar
• improve my Spanish (would be soooo useful)
• learn the harmonica (I just found the one I got for Christmas many years ago and I've fallen in love with it again)
• try something new weekly (I hope to share what I tried on here each week.

ADVENTUROUS ME

• go swimming twice (lakes are so preferred to pools and Lake Michigan is my top choice for both swims)
• go on two picnics
• visit Chicago twice
• get in ten bag nights (or more preferrably)
• go star gazing
• explore two new towns (any size and shape, I just want to walk around them and explore and photograph the cool things all while making some awesome memories)
• watch the sun rise (I don't know from where, but anyplace will do)
• watch the sun set (again, anywhere will do)
• visit state/national places (parks and such-as many as I can)
• go on five hikes (probably more)
• go canoeing (would love to complete the Pine this year-preferrably with two paddles :-)
• go on an adventure (of course)
• visit a museum, zoo or botanic garden (or all three would be lovely, but the Field Muesum is the first on our list this year!)
• tour Chicago architecture (also unbeknownst to many, I have a very deep love and appreciation for architecture thanks to my brother and his Architectural Digest magazines)
• eat a Superdawg
• ride the ferris wheel at Navy Pier
• get a Sun & Stars Pass at the Hancock building
• ride a 1/4 century (maybe not this year, but it's a goal I think is doable)
• drive the Illinois portion of Route 66
• spend a weekend at a bed & breakfast (my goal is to do this once every five years and the last time we went was in 2005)
• raise caterpillars to butterflies (I think this would be so cool to see)

FAMILY & ME

• send birthday and anniversary cards (and gifts when possible, I am unfortunately so bad at this)
• write a letter or card to each family member twice this year (like an actual snail mail letter)
• e-mail each family member six times this year (there are some people that I just neglect to keep in contact with-not anymore)
• send Valentines (so fun and it will be mostly unexpected I think)
• send Christmas cards (I haven't done this in two or three years, but love the tradition of it)

PHOTOGRAPHY & ME

• explore and photograph Kankakee before we move out of this area (there are so many cool buildings and places that we go and I want to document them all)
• scan in all photos (at least my mom's and mine-I have all of her photos and worry about losing them all of the time, and our wedding photos aren't backed up anywhere)
• start and finish a photography project (I was thinking a Project 365, but I'm not so sure about that...I'll think of something anyway)
• do a photo session for each family unit (this is something I want to do at least every five years or when the family changes, if not every year)
• do a photo scavenger hunt (I'm thinking the alphabet and numbers 1-whatever for this year so I can make a cool perpetual calendar and other fun things)

HOMEMAKING ME

• declutter and organize the house (including the basement and garage-this needs to be done so badly before we move and also simply to get our lives simplified)
• clean house regularly (yup, I'm guilty of not doing it regularly. It's not terrible, but it could be better. You'd think after six years of marriage I would have this down. Sadly, no.)
• cook meals regularly (another thing I'm really bad at-we don't eat out much anymore, but we tend to have a lot of frozen pizza, burritos and peanut butter and jelly with ramen. At least five actual meals a week is my goal, and seven would be better)
• try two new recipes (hoping to try more-any recipe suggestions?)
• try one new food (could be a kind of food-I really want to try the Filipino restaurant in town, or could be something I just haven't tried before-last year I tried sushi-any suggestions for a new food to try?)
• make Christmas cookies and candy (I got the flour and a few other things this year and didn't do anything with them, my mom does this every year so I hope to do it this year)

READING & ME

• read ten books (maybe finish my Stephen King collection up?)

MISC ME

• throw Paul a great graduation party (I think I finally know what to do I just have to get some quotes and figure out how to pull it off)
• get another dog (this one is a dream-a lot of things have to happen for us to get another dog, but I'm ready for another one. I imagine I feel similiar to a woman ready to have her next child :-)
• start my book of lists (and hopefully share one each week here on the blog)
• have a girls weekend (with my sisters and mom and maybe Susan if she wants, and maybe our other sister Cassie and our other mom Char. I want to do this every year)
• list traditions and do them (I have been really bad about doing holiday/everyday life traditions with Paul. I just keep waiting until we have a "family" to start, but since that may not happen I am going to start this year. any suggestions or tradition ideas?)
• take Wawa for 52 walks (okay, so it's a small number and I should take him for a walk more often, but if I can average one per week I'll be happy.)

And that's the list. A ton of things I know, but I love having goals and seeing what I can do about them (and hey-I already have one crossed off this year :-).

>2009<

**be sure to check out the previous post for a barrentree creative giveaway***

Interesting. Sad. Funny. Laughter. Tears. McDonald's. Best roadtrip EVER. Reunions. Beaver Island. Texas. Swimming. Sorrow. Grief. No baby. Excitement. Creativity. New experiences. Adventure. Skills learned. School. Art. Shopping. Painting. Playing. Learning. Sleeping. Weeping. Dancing. Cuddles. Movies. Christmas. Birthdays. Reading. Music. Games. Friendship. Family. Confusion. Growth. Faith. Challenges. Amazing. Beautiful. Wonderful. Colorful. Melancholy. Breakdowns. Fear. Hope. Dreams. Wishes. Above all, love.

Yup, pretty much sums up the year. The list could go on and on and I hope that 2010 teaches us so much more. Gives us more opportunities to grow and become who we are. Allows us plenty of family time with those we love most. Shows us what we're made of and that God is an awesome and so very dependable God. Brings more dreams and wishes than we could have imagined possible. Takes us to places we've never been. I hope that we can look back on 2010 and say we lived fully and, more importantly, loved as deeply and as many as we could. I wish the same for you.

Happy New Year to you and yours!

>barrentree creative GIVEAWAY!!!<

(the photos are now in the post below, so check out the goods)

In honor of my shop opening tomorrow, I thought I would have a little giveaway. I know that I might have two people that read my blog occasionally, but still I thought it would be fun.

The winner will get:

One 6x8 yellow "love." painting.

And one each of my Winter and Family History: Childhood Decks.

Sound good?

Here's what you need to do to be entered. Leave me a comment telling me something that you really want to do/learn/try, but have put off (until now :-).

I will put the names of all commenters in a hat and draw out one on Monday Jan 4. Good luck! :-) 
 

>barrentree creative<

The time is *almost* here for the grand opening of barrentree creative! I will begin listing items in the shop tomorrow morning.

In the meantime, I wanted to give you the first look at what will be going up. Everything  will be packaged in priority mail boxes and shipped via USPS Priority Mail.

**Paintings** I have them in three different sizes: 11x14, 9x12 and 6x8. They are all painted with acrylic paint on canvas board which is made of 100% recycled products (note that canvas board is not the same as stretched canvas).

The 11x14 paintings are black with white words. Each painting will be $45 with free shipping. They are wrapped in brown paper and packaged in a priority mail box.

   

There is one red, one yellow and one orange of the 9x12 paintings with black words. Each painting will be $40 with free shipping. They are wrapped in brown paper and packaged in a priority mail box.

  

There is one red, one yellow and one orange of the 6x8 paintings with black words. Each painting will be $30 with free shipping. They are wrapped in brown paper and packaged in a priority mail box.

  

**Scavenger Hunt Decks** I will be starting with one deck available, In The Car. Each deck contains 50 2"x3" cards printed on beautiful patterned acid and lignin free cardstock. These first sets are printed on papers from Basicgrey's Urban Prairie collection. I have about 10 decks currently in stock.

Each deck will be $15 with free shipping. They will come in a small muslin bag and packaged in a priority mail box.

   

**Prompt Decks** I have two kinds of prompt decks available to start with, Winter and Family History: Childhood. Each deck contains 50 2"x3" cards printed on beautiful patterned cardstock. I have about 13 of each currently in stock.

The Winter Deck is printed on paper from SEI's WinterSong collection, which includes glitter, varnish and textured papers. Each deck will be $15 with free shipping. They will come in a small muslin bag and packaged in a priority mail box.

   

The Family History: Childhood Deck is printed on paper from SEI's Madeline collection, which includes pearl foil and textured papers. Each deck will be $15 with free shipping. They will come in a small muslin bag and packaged in a priority mail box.

(sorry for the upside down card :-)

  
  

>Christmas 2009<

Christmas this year was excellent. I mean, really excellent. We headed to Paul's mom's on the evening of the 22nd. The next day we opened gifts with her, Paul's sister and her family. On the 23rd we ran a few errands, went to the Christmas Eve service and then had a nice dinner with Paul's mom, sister & family, aunt & uncle, cousin Ben and his family.

Christmas morning we had breakfast at Matt and Karla's (Paul's sister) and watched their family open their presents.

We headed to my parent's house in the early afternoon and had dinner with them and my sisters. The next day the females did some shopping and we just played games and spent time together (and I took a long nap on Sunday afternoon) until we left on Monday morning.

Fun and relaxing and just a great time. It was soooo nice to spend time with our families again so soon.

>Etsy sneak #3<

This is the product that started my wheels turning. It's also the one I'm most excited about.

Do you ever have trouble with journaling on a scrapbook page? Do you have trouble coming up with topics to write about in your journal or in a letter? Do you wish you could easily tell the stories of your life?

If you you answered yes to any of the above questions then you will love my Prompt Decks. Each 2"x3" deck contains 50 cards with prompts on a particular topic. The prompts may be in the form of a question or ask you to describe a particular memory. They are printed using archival quality ink on beautiful patterned heavy weight papers.

I will have two kinds of decks to start with-Winter prompts and Family History: Your Childhood. Each month two new kinds will be added to the shop.

In addition to the prompt decks, I also have a deck for children. It is a scavenger hunt deck with 50 things to find while riding in the car-a great way to keep everyone entertained and sane while on a trip. :-)

Tomorrow I am finishing up a few final things and will post photos (and a **giveaway**) on the 31st, so stay tuned!!!!!

>a very very merry christmas<

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas filled with love and joy and peace and happiness! :-)

xoxo Rachel xoxo

>Etsy sneak peek #2<

****Family, you may want to skip this post if you haven't gotten your gifts yet****

The second item going up for sale in my Etsy shop on January 1 are ACEO cards. I have been having so much fun just doodling and drawing on tiny little cards. They are all originals and are on 110lb paper. I did them with colored pencil and Sharpie (my two favorite mediums), but plan to do more experimentation with acrylic paints and other things

For $5, it's a great way to get a little piece of original art that you can frame, trade, give away or hang on the fridge. 

I'm very excited about these and am going to have a hard time giving them up. :-) Each one is signed on the back and I am (as of now) only going to have originals in my shop (no prints).

In the few days before I open my shop I will post some photos of all of the different items going up for sale. ***And, there just may be a giveaway in there too*** :-)

So stay tuned for all of that in the next week and a half.

>snowy<

It has been snowing all night. I know this because I have been awake all night. I know it's ridiculous, but I have been. I even only got four hours or so of sleep last night and still I've been awake all night. Oh well. Paul affectionately calls me his vampire. :-)

It is gorgeous out there. It's the kind of snow that falls so softly to the ground. We've probably got a couple inches now-it's totally covering the grass. Wawa is going to flip out in the morning (he loves the snow). I can't wait to get him out in it and throw snowballs at him.

It looks like it's supposed to taper off starting at 9am, which means the roads should be decent for our trip. It is, however, a good thing we decided to take an alternate route instead of hugging the shore of Lake Michigan. It tends to get really bad there (like when we went up last Christmas what should have been a 3 1/2 hour trip to my mom's turned into a seven hour trip-a seven hour trip from hell-it was bad).

Well, I guess I should head back up to bed. I've been reading the past couple of hours trying to induce some form of sleep. The good thing is I can get my sleep in before our trip if I need to (while Paul's at work).

Adios.

>so much better<

I am feeling so much better now that most of the list is done. Tonight I plan to get my blog posts ready to go up while we're gone and finish most of the packing. We're getting up at nine, getting Paul's check and heading out to do our little bit of shopping (consisting of a stop at Michaels and another one Target). When we return I will finish up the presents, load up the car and pick up the stuff around the house. At 3 I'll drop Paul off at work, Kris will come at 7:30 and we'll head to get Paul at 8 and we'll be on our way. We're going to take the turnpike since there is supposed to be snow, and Robbie's place is on the way.

I am not so overwhelmed anymore and am especially looking forward to spending the morning out and about. I just hope the roads are decent. :-) It seems to blizzard anytime we head to Michigan in the winter.

Have a great week! There will be more info on my other two Etsy items over the next week and a half as well as other little posts along the way. :-)

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!