Friday, November 19, 2010

Helpful Friends Guest Post - Privet and Holly - Small Bites

Thank you Michelle from Emerald Cove for your wonderful guest post yesterday!!!

I'm am so lucky to have friends that are not only fun, pretty, smart, and caring, but also super talented! Suzanne of Privet and Holly is another one of those friends.  She has a way with words and has created a special guest post just for LTHS entitled Small Bites...enjoy!


What a treat to be
guest posting here
at Low Tide, High Style.
Thank you, Kat!

This dreamy arts and crafts studio is also a treat.
Found it here.
I've been thinking
a lot lately about
the balance between
my job as a home-
maker mom and my
wish to express myself
through my projects.
There never seems
to be enough time
to do it all, or at 
least, to do it all
well. 


But I've discovered a secret.




Before kids {BK}, I had 
a full time career,
commuted 40 minutes each way...
yet still had time to 
garden, can, sew, craft
 and go to flea markets
in addition to the normal chores 
of a young married professional, 
like errands, cooking, cleaning
and spoiling our dog.

Phew!


Even after kids {AK},
when they were very young,
I still pursued ways to fluff the
nest despite what the experts
advise….

Sleep when the baby sleeps!

Never listened.


I learned how to 
smock clothing
make lined curtains
stencil walls
weld garden sculptures
finish unpainted furniture
flood sugar cookies
and make every single 
birthday invitation
by hand.





Then, somewhere along the way,
{probably about the time the
chauffeur’s cap came out}
all of this get up and go….
got up and went!  
{Hey, isn’t 
that a song?} 

There goes my get up and go....bye-bye!
However, since discovering
blogs such as Kat’s, 
my dormant creative 
aspirations have been 
reawakened.....

Yes, I’m still wearing my 
driver’s cap, but I realized
that I can pursue imagination,
as long as it's in
 small bites….


That's the secret.
{Okay, maybe not so secret.}

Like photography

I took this in Washington State this summer.
I always have a camera
with me!


New recipes

Goat Cheese with Pistachios and Cranberries


Fast fast fast,
but they'll never know : )
{Simply….wonderful.}
Get it here


Home improvement

{This happened in small steps over two days.}
Fun upgrade to the 
door that leads from 
our garage into the house.
Find my muse here.


Crafts

I re-purposed a trug to hold my current projects.
It's being used for Christmas cards at the moment.


I was inspired here.

And dearest to me….


writing.

{And blogging!}

All
in
small
bites.

Are you able to
have delicious
long stretches to
create, or do you
work in short
sessions, like I do?


Found this lovely work room here.
And how do you keep
your get up and go….
going??? 

I {and I'm sure, Kat} 
would both
love to know!


You must not for one
instant give up the effort
to build new lives for yourselves.
Creativity means to push open
the heavy, groaning doorway to life.   
This is not an easy struggle.
Indeed, it may be the  most difficult
task in the world, for opening.


~Dais aku Ikeda,
Buddhist philosopher and peacebuilder




[images:]
2-3, 5, 7, 12 Flickr
{click for attribution}
4, 8, 10-11 Privet & Holly
6 Martha Stewart
9 Real Simple
1, 13 noted above


To read more of Suzanne's wonderfully poetic words of wisdom stop by her beautiful blog Privet and Holly.  Thank you Suzanne, from the bottom of my heart!

34 comments:

  1. Staying engaged mentally with the world around me helps to keep my get up and go going. This morning, however, I think my get up got up and went somewhere without me.

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  2. Youa are one talented lady! Happy weekend.
    Shel from South Africa.

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  3. I don't know where mine comes from. My head gets full and I want to jump from one thing to the next and then there aren't enough hours in the day and then next thing I know it is dark again. I wish I was like the energizer bunny and could just put in some fresh batteries when I get tired.

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  4. Hi, Kat--nice to meet you! And Suzanne...loved your thoughts on creativity, my friend!

    The need to be creative is so important to me. I find that I need time to be creating each day--whether it's the long span or short spurts--it really makes a difference in my day!

    Hope you both have a most wonderful day!

    Julie

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  5. Oh Suzanne, your words ALWAYS make me stop and think. I am so glad that you take a little time to pursue your gift of writing because you are so very talented. There is something to be said for SLEEP - who knew if I actually went to bed at a reasonable hour I could feel so energized the next day! (That's for all you bloggers out there who stay up reading and blogging late into the night!)

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  6. Suzanne I love how you engage us in topics that are so relevant and on our hearts...thank you for your sensitivity.
    In these days, now that my children are grown, I find the easiest time to get the things done are on my days off. Usually the less-pleasant jobs I try to do after work on those days and save the more enjoyable ones to do on my days off...
    Now that my kids have grown, I am spending more time on home decor, photography, travel, quiet times, visiting and blogging!
    I just wish there were more hours in a day to do everything I'd like!
    Blogging has opened up an exciting and warm place to share, love and create..and I'm loving it!!!
    Good day to you Suzanne and to my new friend
    at Low Tide High Tide (Kat) !!!

    With all my heart...Deborah xoxo

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  7. Its me again..oops..I meant to write "Low Tide High Style"!
    :)

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  8. Hi you two! I do most all things in small bites. I walk two miles a day for energy:}

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  9. Enjoyed reading this. Thanks to Kat for asking you to post here. Small bites...all the way. Before Kids or Empty Nest would seem to me to be the only time where there MIGHT arise the time of life where things could be done in a quasi-long stretch. Little bit here....Little bit there.. and that's how we moms get it all done the rest of life's seasons.
    I call it "playing". That time where all that is required from sunrise to sunset is buffered with some down-time. Hugs to you Suzanne. Again you pull thoughts out of us. Thanks to both of you for the post today. Blessings! :-)

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  10. I can so relate to this! Chauffeur has been my new hat lately! I am learning how to balance life at home with the things that I want to do (all the wonderful things you mentioned above) it is certainly easier in small doses and makes life much more enjoyable when you are not rushing all over trying to finish something NOW! Thank you so much for your words of advice and encouragement!!

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  11. I am all over the place with projects. The trick, I have found, is to step away from the computer for it is a time killer :)

    Wonderful post Suzanne. Have Friday you both.

    -Rene

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  12. Oh I so agree, I do things in small bites, and then lay off for a while. We can't do it all. Great post. Hugs, Marty

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  13. Hi you two! I do all manner of things in small bites. I walk two miles a day for energy:}

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  14. I thought as I got older that I would be able to gets everything done and have lots of time to sit and read, knit, compute and do all the things I love to do. But, somehow, a lot of the things I love to do have become like chores. I get overwhelmed by it all. How did I do it all before? I think I have to consider this "small bite" idea and not try to do so much. Stop and smell the roses so to speak.

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  15. Great post...so nice to meet you :o) I gave up sleep years ago to persue all my dreams. It isn't ideal but it works! LOL
    Kristen

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  16. Always appreciate the reminder that I can get my "list" done and still have time for both big and little people in my life...Attitude girl; cultivate the right attitude!!
    Thanks! Linda

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  17. Sleep - I keep telling myself is highly over-rated! Always seem to be juggling a multitude of things. Great post! xo Cathy

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  18. Suzanne...this is so relevant right now, this topic, as we approach the holidays especially. I never realized how much is expected of me to make it a traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas for everyone. Yet if asked, they would never make the connection between Mom and traditions. So not only are we stretched thin...we might not be getting credit for it!

    I agree, small bites are the answer. We are all SO looking for a fulfilled life after kids, yet we never cease to stop mothering. Your insight is just incredible, Suzanne. And thanks, Kat, for having Suzanne over to your blog!

    XO,
    Jane

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  19. Hello dear lady.....tackling small bites is the answer....but as one ages....those small bites can become big bites (O:(O:(O: So...enjoy your time now and please.....don't fret over the small things..... LOL

    Xo

    Jo

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  20. Kat chose well when she chose you to guest post.
    I've said it before, I shall say it again:
    You're the writer I want to be when I grow up. :-)

    XO,
    Anne

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  21. When we put our creativity on hold for other things, even important things it causes us to be stale in mind and spirit. Belive me, I've been there most of my life. Prioritize and balance, but still allow God's wind to blow on us.
    xo,
    Debra

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  22. Even your small bites look quite impressive Suzanne! You always touch on such relevant subjects and I enjoyed this post as I too can relate to needing small bites to keep me going. Until you wrote about this I guess I never quite realized it as clearly as I do now. You always have the best analogies! xo ~Lili

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  23. Such sage advice on how to keep our creative self alive and not be overwhelmed...thanks Suzanne!

    Kat :)

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  24. I really enjoyed your post! It made me think of how much I used to get done 10 years ago! LOL!!! What happened? I think my "get up and go" is coming back since I started blogging! Have a great weekend all!

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  25. Good morning Kat! Suzanne is a real pal; I visited with her on Sunday last week and I had such a wonderful time with her. I am still basking in the after glow. You are so talented as well, and my heart longs to write more, but my teaching job just keeps me too busy to write good quality.

    THANK YOU FOR YOUR INSPIRATION and do visit from time to time! Anita

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  26. Ah, yes, what we used to do. It makes me tired just reading what you used to do.
    Small bites are some of the tastiest. Sometimes when I have too much time I overwork things.
    I do some of my best thinking in the car. So as I wait at school to pick up the kids I have a little journal to write down ideas. Maybe I'll just buy a camper and then I can set up the whole home studio while waiting! Heehee:)

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  27. I adore Suzanne's musings...I get her! I have never subscribed to the idea of "having it all" and I think this outlines it perfectly. I think there are periods when you need to nuture work, your family and yourself. There can be small overlaps, but rarely, do they all meld together flawlessly or without feeling like your handling spinning plates and one is about to crash!

    Thanks Kat...sending hugs your way!

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  28. It is so true that it is easy to get bogged down by life and forget to take the small bits of time to do something lasting and creative. Great post.

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  29. You put me to shame with all of your running around while being creative at the same time! I feel so blessed to have quite a bit of time to myself - and certainly take advantage of it. Sometimes I feel spoiled! lol! I continue to be in awe of gals like you! :)

    xoxo laurie

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  30. i love this post suzanne....creativity is such a blessed necessity in our busy lives....
    lovely to meet you Kat...

    melissa xxx

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  31. Kat, thank you for featuring Suzanne. She is the best at expressing what we all feel. And her postive life attitude is contagious.

    A warm hug to you both.

    ox, Mon

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  32. what a wonderful post...loved her thoughts

    thanks Kat

    xo kelley

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