Row House 14

List of Happiness

2013-05-14T17:51:00.001-04:00

Today's Blog Every Day in May topic was to think of things that make you happy. Clearly, I have failed at keeping up with this challenge, but after yesterday's announcement, it only seemed fitting that I write about things that make me happy.

1. Eating and drinking really good food and drink outside on a beautiful day.

2. Cuddling with Finn and Lilah (even if it's more like cuddling with Finn and getting squashed by Lilah).

3. Laughing so hard that I start to cry.

4. Afternoon coffee shop dates with myself.

5. Spending a perfectly good evening at a baseball game. I could never get tired of this.

6. Live music and record shops.

7. Road trips and traveling adventures.

8. The ocean.

9. Freshly baked French bread. The smell always takes me back to my childhood.

10. Getting a letter or card in the mail.

What things make you happy?

That Blog Post That I've Been Waiting to Write

2013-05-13T17:40:00.001-04:00

Ever have one of those blog posts that you dream of writing, but you have to wait until that right moment? Well, people, that post is happening today. And what is that post about? It's about how I quit my day job. Yup! You read that right. After over a year of contemplating, I finally did it!!! Woot woot!!

I have always known that I wasn't meant to be a teacher my entire life, that I'd eventually want to move on to something new. Over the past two years I started really feeling burned out and found myself much happier with my handmade business. Then there was that pivotal moment when Andrew and I went out to dinner on a Friday night in January and we just sat there talking about school and how much I hated it and how stressed out I was about it and how stifled I was feeling. We were also talking about how happy I was when I was working with my hands in my card business, how much creative energy I was able to use in my designs. Ultimately, Andrew said, "You remember when we were in college and we were dirt poor? Those were some of the most fun moments of our lives. Wouldn't you rather be poor and happy than rich and unhappy?"

It was a moment of reality-- one that made me understand just how unhappy I was with my teaching job, and a moment in which I realized Andrew's happiness was at risk because of my own unhappiness.

I decided in that instant that I would be moving on. It had been in the works for a while. I had planned on coming back for one more year of teaching, long enough for me to totally pay off my student loans to provide a little more financial stability. I couldn't imagine having to give up another year of my happiness just to pay off some loans that will be manageable anyway.

If you're unhappy, you are the only one that can change that. I was unhappy, so I decided to change that.

via NeueGraphic

I am turning 30 in September. I am not afraid of getting older. I am afraid of not living my life to its fullest potential. There are so many things that I want to do in my lifetime that I know change needs to happen now.

Before my Spring Break, I spoke with both my Principal and Assistant Principal and let them know I would be leaving at the end of the year. A couple weeks ago, I handed in my letter of resignation, and this past week I told my students that I would be leaving. While a huge weight had lifted off of me, I also had a very rough week dealing with the emotions of breaking the news to my students. Some of them wanted to know why I was leaving them, which was the toughest part of all. One of my closest students sat in the classroom with tears in his eyes. One of my basketball players made me promise her I would still come to see her games. They did not make it easy for me and I hadn't expected they would.

After sharing the news with one of my former students, I felt better. He said, "Ms. Shenk, all I want is for you to be happy. If you're happy, then I'm happy. Life isn't fun if you're not happy." Here I had spent a good three years dishing out advice to this kid and here he was dishing it back at me. Being happy. That's what life is about.

So where does life lead me next? My card business! At the end of the school year, I'll be taking a quick break and then return to work being self-employed working from home. I have a lot to be thankful for and a lot of you to thank because I know my business wouldn't be what it is today without all of you! Aside from working full time with my business, there will also be a few other crazy things to look forward to in my future! Let's just say that 30 is going to be an amazing year!

And to celebrate and thank YOU ALL, for the next few days you can use the code WOOTWOOT25 to get 25% off everything in my shop and 25% off all blog ads. I'm looking forward starting this new adventure in the coming year!

P.S. 24 school days til I peace out from Baltimore City Schools! And yes, I've been counting down. You know that's how I do! ;)

Things That Make Me Uncomfortable

2013-05-03T19:32:00.002-04:00

I skipped out on yesterday's Blog Every Day in May post because the topic was to write about something you are an expert on. Not really sure where my expertise lies, so I decided to stay away from that one. I don't really consider myself an expert at anything. I'm always learning new things and I just couldn't put a finger on anything in particular.

Today's post is much more simple for me. Writing about things that make me uncomfortable? Easy!

Conflict. I don't do well with it. I get really uncomfortable with people that like to create it or come to me with their conflicts that I am not involved in. It always makes me feel like I'm stuck in the middle which makes we feel weird and icky.

Overly aggressive personalities. Example: a lady at the dog park this past weekend insisted that a family of four leave because their children were underage for the park. Yes, she was in the right and I don't deny that. However, the way she went about it was in such an aggressive tone that it made me totally freak out about the situation. She was super bossy all out of nowhere and used the phrase, "No, you see I INSIST that you leave this park at once." Eeeeeeek. Uncomfortable. Also, the types of people that are so aggressive that you feel you can't do anything, but nod in agreement even if you don't agree-- big time uncomfortable.

Religion. I am not really religious and I don't write about my beliefs on my blog because I know if I were to do so, I would probably be attacked by others for them. On the flip side, it makes me really uncomfortable when people talk about religion as though it is truth and that if you're not believing the same thing, well then, you must be a horrible person. It makes me uncomfortable when people suddenly bust out things about Jesus and God in a way that assumes all must agree with them. It all feels a bit preachy and makes me feel like I am not in an arena where I truly have freedom of religion. The jargon freaks me out the most. I know I once told Andrew, why do you have to call your church trips "mission trips"? Just call them trips where you're helping people out! Calling it a "mission trip" makes it sounds like you're trying to convert people or something. Uggggh. Suuuuuper uncomfortable.

Talking to another introvert. All you introverts out there, have you ever been stuck in a situation where it's just you and another introvert? Eeeeeeeeek! Worst ever! So uncomfortable because neither of you want to start the conversation first or know what to say. Big time uncomfortable! This is the same reason why I often freak out if Andrew does not come with me to social situations. I need an extrovert to help me out!

Dresses. In a day when it seems dresses are the best thing ever (seriously, these days as soon as the weather is nice I'm the only girl not wearing one) I still feel extremely uncomfortable wearing one. I'm always worried that something is going to fly up or fall down. Skirts I can do. Dresses? I own them, but then don't wear them enough to justify having purchased them. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I'm so tall that finding a short length dress that covers my butt is impossible and finding a maxi dress that covers my ankles is just as impossible. Who knows. They just make me uncomfortable.

What makes you uncomfortable?

The Story of My Life in 250 Words

2013-05-01T06:00:00.000-04:00

This is probably supposed to be difficult. You know, writing about your life in 250 words. Mine's not so bad. My life hasn't been grand or fabulous. It hasn't always been easy-going either. But it has been a pretty awesome life.

I grew up in small-town Goshen, Indiana with my mom, dad, and sister. After years of the same school system, with the same people, and a city I didn't really like, I decided to apply to Syracuse University. If I got in, I'd attend. If I didn't, I'd work for a year and reassess. I got in.

I spent four years attending the university and one year living and working in a coffee shop in Syracuse. Four plus one is five. That last year? Andrew's fifth year of architecture school. I had met Andrew during our sophomore year. After he graduated, we found jobs. I entered a teacher residency program in Baltimore City-- what else was I supposed to do with an English major? I became a teacher and he got a job at a firm downtown. Two years later we got Lilah, our chocolate lab. Three years later, we bought a house. Three and half years later we got engaged. Four years later we got Finn, our orange tabby. And six years later? Well, that story will be soon to come....

And it will be amazing. I promise.

I know you all love teasers.

Now, was that my life story in 250 words? Yes, I think so. ;)

P.S. In case you wanted to know, this was Day 1 of Jenni's Blog Every Day in May.

Pen and Paper

2013-04-30T18:21:00.003-04:00

Last week I finally had some time to sit down and just draw. I felt as though I hadn't been able to do that for years. I know that's an exaggeration, but I really hadn't had much time to do anything related to design. I sort of felt as though I was finally getting back to my roots. It was like I was that four year old girl again with a brand new set of markers she got for Christmas, getting busted by her mom at 4am after she was so excited to use them she decided to climb out of bed, turn the bedroom light on, and start drawing.

Never underestimate the exhilaration a stack of blank paper and a drawing pen can generate.

On the other hand, drawing is also relaxing. That pen and paper gave me a chance to forget about my school day and do something that had no rules. After being in an institutional environment for a long week, something about playing outside those bounds is freeing.

I took all of my doodles and used them for several new card designs. Here are the end results.

I love how the baby bump cards turned out-- super simple and fun! Which is your favorite?

In other news, I'm going to try blogging more regularly again. Jenni came up with these fantastic blog post ideas for the month of May that are quite inspiring. I may not be able to follow along for the whole month, but I'm going to try!

Blogging Break and a Woot Woot!

2013-04-22T18:03:00.000-04:00

If blogger was my first job description, I would suck at life. I took some advice Gina gave me to heart recently when I realized how tired I was. I cut out blogging. The reality of the situation is that I haven't stopped in the past several weeks. Last weekend was chaotic with little sleep as I took part in my first large craft show. This past weekend my best friend from college was in town not to mention about five million other things that were going on all in one weekend. Needless to say, something had to go. Blogging was the easiest thing to take out of the equation. I still will probably not be back here on my blog as regularly as I had been until the school year comes to a close.

This weekend I got to really see how all of my hard work paid off! Urban Outfitters finally listed my card on their website.

In addition, after taking in an Orioles game with friends on Sunday afternoon, we stopped in at the Urban Outfitters in the Inner Harbor and got to see the card in their store in person!

Definitely exciting! Also exciting? The taco print is now in the shop. Booya!

Also, for those of you that love this Mother's Day card,

but wished that it was a Father's Day card, your wish has come true.

You're welcome. Now, how have you all been? I feel as though I am out of the loop!

Announcements! (And Squats. Because I Got Side-Tracked.)

2013-04-10T18:36:00.000-04:00

I don't have a lot to say today. Well, I do, but I'm going to shorten it. My brain is still on overload. Last night I thought the best way to motivate myself to do work was to work my ass off until a predetermined time and then go gorge myself on a Butterfinger Blizzard. Thankfully, Andrew also thought this was a good idea. The motivation worked, my friends, and I got about five million things finished. I am pretty sure the 100 squats I did afterward as part of joining Ashley in the squat challenge didn't burn it all off either. Oh well.

In other news, I told one of my 8th grade classes that I was doing this squat challenge. I think it was because one of my students pulled a leg muscle. I was trying to make him feel better by telling him that my leg muscles hurt too. As a result another student is now doing the squat challenge, and he is incredibly determined to do 250 squats. It's a daily discussion. Like, a serious daily discussion. Serious, serious business here. Man, oh, man, are these kids pretty much hilariously awesome.

Ok, and onward to announcements after filling you in on my awkward conversations

1. I am working my ass off because I will be at the Johns Hopkins Spring Fair this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The hours are 10am-8pm on Friday and Saturday and 10am-6pm on Sunday. If you're in the Baltimore area, feel free to stop by and say hi! I'll have lots of cards for sale with a few special deals going on as well.

2. I have had one large sponsor spot open up and still have some small sponsor spots available. If you'd like to save 20% of sponsonship, you can use the code SPRING when you check out. I'd love to have you!

3. By now most of you definitely know that Google is getting rid of their Reader. In order to keep up with my blog, I suggest migrating over to Bloglovin'. You can also subscribe via email by entering your email address in the subscription box on my left sidebar. I'd love to have you continue reading!

4. I have a winner from last week's group giveaway! It's Kristin of Skinny Jeans & a Chai Latte. Congrats Kristin! I'll soon be in touch!

That's it from me for now. And onward to bigger and better things! Time for you to meet someone I think you'll really love.

Ayla has quickly become one of my favorite fellow Esty artists and bloggers. I always feel as though I can connect with what she writes about and her energy seems contagious! In addition to blogging, she owns the shop Eyelah in which she makes the cutest clutches and pouches. I'm actually lucky enough to own one of her pouches that I received in a handmade swap. It's perfect for makeup, jewelry, and other odds and ends that I don't want floating around in my giant purse.

Pleated Paisley Pouch

Right now, I'm loving this pleated pouch, this small pouch perfect for tossing in a purse, and this beautiful clutch.

When Ayla isn't sewing, she's also blogging. She has written fantastic posts on customer service which are right down my alley as I'm dealing with customers on a daily basis. These posts on how to respond to customer requests and how to deal with negative feedback from customers are fabulous and on point. I really have enjoyed her customer service posts because they are reminders to me as well in terms of how I deal with my customers. Ayla doesn't just blog about business though. She also blogs about her life and beliefs, and most recently, one of my favorite posts, thinking back at what she wanted to grow up to be when she was a kid.

Shop // Blog // Twitter

Tired

2013-04-09T17:35:00.001-04:00

It's only Tuesday and I'm tired. Some days I feel guilty for saying I'm tired. I know that there are people out there that literally only get a few hours of sleep each night before doing their day all over again. I usually get about seven hours of sleep, but I'm still tired. Today I came home from school, got a snack, and sat down to my to do list.

Just looking at the list made me feel exhausted. There is a lot going on in my life these days and most of the time I'm not even sure how I get everything done. Actually, let's face it, I don't get everything done.

The worst part is that some days I just want to stop. I want to pretend that I don't have to do any of what is on the list. This I struggle with most because a lot of the things on the list are things I absolutely love doing since they revolve around my business. Realistically, it's not that I don't want to do them, it's just that I need a break. Where is the break though? You probably remember my superwoman post a while ago, and truly there is never a break. I work when I get home, eat dinner, and then work some more until I go to bed. On weekends, I often work eight hour days with the rest of the time being spent on running errands and attempting to do some fun things in there as well.

I think the last time I legitimately wasn't busy and could do whatever I damn well pleased was Christmas break.

That's over three months ago.

I'm tired.

This week, I'm finishing final preparations for my first big craft fair. I'm not sure how I'll finish. Probably some late nights coming up, but it will get finished.

But it doesn't stop there. It keeps going. And going. And going.

I know that there will be a time when this will all end. Eventually, I'll be able to work an eight hour day and I can stop what I'm doing and say that I'm done working for the day. I can't shut off my computer, put down a drawing pen, put the envelopes back onto their shelves, package the last card, say hi to Andrew as he walks in the door after getting home from work, and enjoy the rest of the evening just as I please.

Eventually. But for now, I'm tired.

The Anti-Bride

2013-04-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

Remember this post from forever ago? No? Figures. It took me a while to dig back into the archives and dust it off. And if you do remember the post, which part was most memorable? For me, it was the wood-fired oven and the Frank Lloyd Wright house. But if you read the little side note at the end, you'd probably find out that I also told you we got engaged. In Chicago. In the rain. In Millennium Park. It was one of those little side notes that wasn't super important, but I figured you all would love to know. And I wrote that post, oh you know, almost two years ago. No biggie. Post engagement photo? This is as exciting as it gets.

At this point, some of you are probably suddenly remembering that Oh yeah, she did get engaged. So when is the wedding? Truth? I hate weddings. I suppose I am the epitome of the anti-bride. While others have been planning their weddings since they were a little girl, I have thought absolutely nothing of it. And quite frankly, I get sick of the question, "So have you set a date yet?" followed by the maniacal laughing as if it is the funniest joke that has ever been told.

Here's my thing. I'm not a lovey dovey, gushy mushy type of person. I hate ceremonies of all kinds. I am not religious. I am a complete introvert. Getting married is about me and Andrew, not our family and friends. Yup. I just said that last bit. And I'm not afraid to say it again. It's all about us! So why should I have to have this ginormous wedding just for the sake of friends and family? Why would I want a church wedding? Why would I want to partake in a huge ceremony? And why would I want to be in front of dozens upon dozens of people proclaiming my love from now until forever?

Here's another thing. I did a little research and found this awesome site. Click the link and you'll see that on average, a wedding in Baltimore costs between $18,000 and $31,000. Ummm, excuse me? Say that again? You mean a wedding in this city would most likely cost me more than I paid for my car? I don't think so!

With that same money, I could travel around the world for several months. Or I could purchase ten round trip tickets to Sydney, Australia. And I've been dying of homesickness (even though it's not my original home) since I left Australia after living there in 2005. I think that sort of experience is much more warranted when it comes to celebrating spending the rest of your life with another person.

Speaking of spending the rest of your life with another person, why is it that it is only socially accepted that marriage is what must happen? I think I got more congratulations from our engagement than when we moved in together five years prior. We like to do things backwards-- we moved in together, we got a dog together, we bought a house together, then we got engaged a while later. However, just because getting engaged was the last of these things to happen did not mean that we had already planned on being together for the rest of our lives.

Actually, we got engaged several years prior at one of our favorite bars as we discussed that we would eventually get married. I think Andrew asked me if I'd marry him, and I'm pretty sure I said yes and told him that I should wear a twisty tie on my ring finger from here on out. All joking aside, we are partners in crime for life and always knew that. So why the formality? Well, health insurance benefits would be pretty nice I suppose if I go self-employed. And it is probably a good idea to have all of that legal stuff worked out. However, it all seems a bit of, well, a formality.

So how are we going to get married? We plan on going to the courthouse. I don't really know when-- probably sooner than later. Then, we're going to have a giant cookout with cornhole and beer and grilling and invite our closest family and friends. There. I've planned my wedding! Now for those of you that keep asking about if we've set the date-- you'll know as soon as I do! ;)

P.S. Don't forget to enter the group giveaway going on right now!

Group Giveaway!

2013-04-03T05:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Wednesday! I have a super fun post for you guys today as a mid-week refresher! I've been super lucky and have had some amazing sponsors this past month. They're teaming up today to give away some shop credit, a gift card, and some ad space to their fabulous blogs. Be sure to enter to win the prizes and say hi to each of these awesome ladies!

$15 Shop Credit

Shop // Blog // Twitter

$10 Amazon Gift Card

Blog // Twitter // Instagram

2 Months of Regular Ad Space

Blog // Twitter // Instagram

Large Ad Space

Blog // Facebook // Twitter

Use coupon code ROWHOUSE for $5 of a $20 purchase.

And if you'd like to be a part of this coming month's group giveaway, head over to my sponsor page! Giveaways usually bring the most traffic in terms of promotions on my blog and I'd love to promote you! You can use the coupon code SPRING to save 20% on all ads this month.

For now, go enter the giveaway via the Rafflecopter below and give these ladies lots of link love!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What I've Been Up To

2013-04-02T12:07:00.000-04:00

Happy end of Spring Break, guys! Or should I say, sad end of Spring Break? Today is my last day of break. And by last day, I mean that today was supposed to be a professional development day, but I needed a sick day to recoup from a very intense weekend that included the end of a visit with my sister and nephew and taking care of Andrew all Sunday while he was blowing chunks. Seriously, it was a draining last few days. Either way, the rest of the week was absolutely fabulous!

As a rundown, I finished my huge wholesale order for Urban Outfitters. My sister and nephew came to visit. We spent Thursday at the Science Center, which Jasper loved! He liked the dinosaur section the most where he spent a good half hour (at least!) brushing off the dinosaur bones and pretending to play paleontologist.

Friday afternoon, we headed to the aquarium and spent the later portion of the afternoon hanging out at my favorite coffee shop. When Andrew got home from work we spent the rest of the beautiful evening at the park.

Saturday morning, we headed down to DC. We had hoped to see the cherry blossoms blooming since my sister had never seen them before. We thought we would be lucky since many of the cherry blossoms in Baltimore are already in bloom, but alas they were not out yet. However, the weather was absolutely gorgeous-- the perfect day to be out and about on the National Mall where people were flying kites, enjoying, picnics, and Jasper got a chance to run around and play with Andrew.

After spending the day in DC, we headed to my aunt and uncle's house in nearby Hyattsville, Maryland for dinner. Sunday was a low key day hanging out in the house. Jasper loved playing with Lilah.

All around, it was a good week!

What have you been up to this past week? I feel as though I am out of the loop right now!

A Super Awesome Announcement!

2013-03-26T10:47:00.001-04:00

I've been a little out of the loop these days. If you may have had any interaction with me in the last few days, I was probably pulling my hair out or being a major stress case. There is a reason for that, my friends. I didn't want to spill the beans until I knew without a doubt that this was for real-- until someone pinched me and told me I wasn't dreaming. I'm rather superstitious and I worry about jinxing things.

Over these past few days, I've been putting the finishing touches on a ginormous wholesale order for Urban Outfitters! Probably about a month ago, Urban Outfitters got in touch with me and wanted some samples of my cards. They decided on my most popular Father's Day card, and over the next couple weeks I got my supplies in order and started cutting, printing, scoring, folding, and packaging cards. To be honest, I'm not really sure how I got it all done considering the amount of time I couldn't work because I was teaching during the day. And to be honest, hand-scoring over a thousand cards rips your hand to shreds! (Time to reconsider how I do things if there is a next time around).

Either way, the cards will soon be making an appearance in Urban Outfitters stores across the country. Send me a little Instagram (@heidishenk) if you happen to spot one in your local store! It would totally make my day! I know I'll be stalking the two stores in the Baltimore area. One of the Baltimore stores is near Andrew's architecture firm. I think I'll be making him check in on his lunches and be my personal card stalker..... he doesn't know this yet so don't tell. ;)

I'm feeling really lucky these days. I'm incredibly thankful for all of the support that you all have given me. Many evenings, late nights, and weekends of hard work have gone into my business after I come home from an already intense teaching job. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have made it as far as I have without all of the support. So, thank you, thank you, and thank you!

Letting Go

2013-03-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

It has been refreshing for me to write about things that I truly believe and experience and have others relate to me about this. This was definitely the case last week when I wrote about how I think babies are aliens and my hatred for mom blogs. I think I finally just got to the point where I said, screw it! I'm writing about what I want to write about even if some may feel offended. And you know what? It feels pretty good.

I think I finally let go. I let go of any sort of weird feelings about what I was "supposed" to be writing about. For me, letting go is one of the hardest things to do. I remember my parents constantly telling me to "just let it go" while growing up. I couldn't let go then, and I still have a hard time doing it now.

via

When talking about letting go, I think about two Christmases ago. I had finally come up with the best idea for a Christmas gift for Andrew. These sorts of ideas are few and far between and it was the best idea for a gift that I'd ever had. I was going to give him a home brew kit. He'd been talking about brewing for about a year and I knew he would never see it coming. I spent hours doing research, but simply didn't know enough to get all of the supplies he needed on my own. I decided that we could go together and pick the supplies out together. Instead, as a lead in to the ultimate gift, I gave him a super fancy schmancy bottle opener along with the explanation that it would be for opening his home brew bottles once we went to get the brewing kit.

The next day, we drove up to Cleveland to Andrew's parents' house for Christmas. We sat in the living room and exchanged gifts. The final gift was one given to Andrew. As soon as he opened it, my heart sank. His parents had given him a home brew kit. Andrew didn't say a word about my gift. He just excitedly thanked his parents. An hour later, Andrew and I were in the car driving to meet up with a college friend of ours for dinner. I told him how upset I was that my Christmas present was ruined and that I wished he would have at least said something to his parents. I couldn't blame his parents-- how were they supposed to know that they had had the same idea for a gift?

In the car, I was literally in tears over this. My gift was meant to be something that we could do together which made me even more bummed about the whole thing. I couldn't let go of the fact that Andrew didn't even mention my gift to his parents. A little over a year later, and I still have a hard time letting go of the fact that Andrew never told his parents about this. Sometimes, when he's brewing a new batch of beer, I actually tell him, "I can't believe you never told your parents about my Christmas gift." In some ways, it felt like he hadn't stuck up for me, and I just couldn't let go.

via

I know it's not healthy. It's not ok to keep bringing up something of the past or to dwell over something that is probably so trivial. But I struggle. I constantly struggle. I have a hard time letting go of the fact that Andrew never told his parents. That the resource teachers at my school often get the day off from classes when we have an early release day and I lose a planning period. That a friend made plans with me and canceled at the last minute. That I had to leave an entire grocery cart full of items at Sam's Club because their debit card machines weren't working and I didn't have cash (true story and I couldn't stop talking about it for the rest of the day, poor Andrew, and I still hate going to Sam's because of this). That the lady at the post office told me she wouldn't sell me regular forever stamps for international mail.

I can't let go. I try really, really hard, but somehow it just doesn't work. I've gotten better. Much, much better, but I still constantly struggle with this. However, I have to say that after getting all of these trivial events off of my chest I finally think that I have let go.

Do you struggle with letting go of things? What helps you cope with letting go?

Too Many Choices

2013-03-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

I have a problem here, people. And when I say I have a problem it only means one of two things. A) I have a serious addiction to something (like shoes) or B) I have a decision that I need to make and good old indecisive me can't make it. I'm not writing about shoes today, so we're going to have to default to letter B on this one.

I've been doing a little spring shopping lately and wanted to add a few more lightweight scarves to my wardrobe. However, I have a problem (as mentioned before) and I can never decide on just one. I claim that this is genetic. My mom and I are Victoria's Secret clothing shoppers. I don't mean the slutty shirts that show off your boobs or midriff. I mean the normal shirts, dresses, pants, etc. Why? They actually fit. They are good for tall people like us. I realized this weekend that I have picked up on a genetically passed down trait. I looked through the VS clothing catalog for an hour over coffee and picked out a few things. Next, I migrated to my laptop and started adding things to my online shopping cart over another cup of coffee. Finally, I looked at my shopping cart and noticed the total amounted to $668 and I gave up.

I mentally talked myself back into this online shopping by telling Andrew that he had to look at everything in my cart. Thirty minutes later and I had whittled my way down to a much, much smaller price tag and a few items for spring including a couple new bathing suits for my summer sun addiction. My indecisive nature made me take FOREVER while online shopping. This is genetic. I promise. If you could ask my dad right now he would probably tell you that he may or may not have to do the same thing I made Andrew do this weekend.

Now. I did a good job. I ordered my shirts and swimsuits from VS. I made it in and out of Gap in record time on Sunday with some great items. I have had a successful spring wardrobe update, except for my scarves. And Andrew? Andrew was no help this time. I think he seriously had overload from the whittling down of VS clothing.

So here goes nothing. I love this beautiful shop Gertie & Baxter. I can choose two scarves. Two is what I am allowed without Andrew probably making a comment. True story.

1 // 2 // 3

I think I need to at least get number 2 since it's the only one that is pink. However, I am undecided about number 1 or 3-- I love them both. I can't have both though and really two mint scarves is probably impractical.

Which would you choose?

Dog Party with a Telephone Book

2013-03-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

The title tells all, my friends. Lilah has a phone book fetish. We don't even choose to keep phone books in our house, but once or twice a year they show up on our stoop. What do we do with the phone book? Put it in with the paper recyclables. However, Lilah sniffs them out. She waits until the next day and gives that poor phone book the time of its life. Last week was no exception. When I got home from school on Thursday, a phone book was waiting for me on my stoop. When I got home from school on Friday, a phone book was waiting for me on my living room floor.

And then. Then! The criminal returned to the scene of the crime to chew on the few scraps I had not yet had a chance to clean up! The audacity!

Don't mind me, mama, I'm just chewing on some more phone book. Nothing to see here.

Oh Lilah, how difficult you make my life at times. Yet at the same time, she's a hunk-a-hunk-a-80-pounds of sweet love. Remember the time the breeder said she would take after her dad and be on the smaller side instead of taking after her mom and be on the bigger side? Whoops. Guess she was wrong.

Anyway.... just in case you don't quite believe me about how much of a fetish this truly is for Lilah, I thought I'd include this little party she had several years ago in our old apartment.

Mmmm hmmmm. That Lab sure does like her phone books.

That's my cue to stop while I'm ahead with the phone book madness and introduce you to someone you should get to know.

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Meet Brittany from Where My Soul Belongs.

Some things you should know about Brittany. First of all, she is amazing because she has passed the Bar Exam. And if that isn't enough, she is even more amazing because she just finished taking the Bar Exam AGAIN. Holy moly people! I have several friends that have taken the Bar Exam in the past few years and it is the mother of all exams. Big props there!

When Brittany isn't practicing law, she blogs about instant classics like the time she found out she was allergic to mascara. And my most recently fave? This post about $5 MP3 albums. How did I not know this people? Am I the only one that didn't know about this? Either way, I'm excited to have Brittany as a sponsor this month and would be super happy if you would go check her out. And by check her out, I mean, check out her blog.

Blog // Twitter // Instagram

Monday Music Gloom

2013-03-18T18:04:00.000-04:00

Today is one of those days. I need music to fit the mood. And the mood? Gloomy. It's March and it is currently 37 degrees outside. I don't know what city I'm living it, but it's not Baltimore. Because Baltimore would be 60 degrees right now.

I tried to play music in my classroom this morning and failed miserably. Everything that I put on was just too much. Overbearing. I just couldn't make a choice that was smart. I started with Gary Clark, Jr. which was a poor choice. It was raucous and loud and made me want to grit my teeth in my half awake stupor. I also had this strange notion to play Justin Timberlake's new single Suit and Tie. I don't even freakin' like Justin Timberlake, nor do I especially like the song. I completely blame SNL for putting that song in my head because it has not come loose from my brain for the past two weeks. Curses. And lastly I tried U2's Joshua Tree. It just was not working.

Then I stumbled upon one of my old Aussie favorites, Missy Higgins. And I suddenly remembered she had a new album out last July that I still hadn't gotten around to adding to my iPod. Downloaded. Boom. It was perfection and this song was just what I needed to break through the fogginess and cold of the day.

Do you have music that helps you get through a gloomy and cold day? Are you experiencing colder than normal temps in your neck of the woods?

Babies Are Aliens and Thoughts on Mom Blogs

2013-03-14T18:32:00.001-04:00

I realize that I haven't blogged much this week, but I'm ok with that. There are things going on in my busy life and this blog has to the be the thing that gets cut out. Either way, I figured I'd get back to my confessions series since it is Thursday. You all were fabulous last Thursday when I confessed my fear of getting my hair cut. I got lots of great recommendations (including one for a stylist in the area! Whoah! Didn't expect that, but that was pretty exciting!) and I also realized that I am definitely not alone. Either way, I learned (yet again) that I have some pretty freakin' awesome readers.

So, today. Today I confess that I think babies are aliens and that I hate mom blogs. Give me a three year old kid and I'll tell you that they're cute, but a baby? No way! Alien. I don't get those people that are like, "Awwwww. Look at that baby! It's so cute!" Gag me. Gag me now. No, babies are not cute. And yes, I get sick of baby book... aka Facebook. I saw two million pictures of your baby yesterday and I don't need to see another five million pictures of your baby today. I started facebooking my animals on the regular to counteract all of the babies. Animals are much cuter than aliens.

Alien.

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Animal.

See?

Also, mom blogs make me cringe. Most of the mom blogs that I happened across were the stay at home moms that always talk about how amazing being a mom is and that it's the hardest job ever. Ok, I get that it's probably tough and I'm not trying to win a my-life-is-so-insane-and-difficult prize, but I deal with 90 of those things you call kids a day trying to fix whatever wasn't done at home. Like the kid that never had their parent tell them no. Or the kid that was never given any boundaries. Or the kid that thinks it's acceptable to be disrespectful toward adults because their parent never taught them otherwise.

Then I go home, and I worry. I worry about students that I am teaching now and I worry about students that I taught last year and the year before and the year before that and the year before that and so on. And then said students still come back to see me at school year after year to check in and ask for help on writing a paper or for a letter of recommendation or even a letter for college applications. And then I get emails asking me to edit a paper that is due tomorrow or come to a track meet over the weekend or find out more information about summer jobs or learner's permits (those emails scare me the most... trust me! I can't handle thinking about my kiddos behind the wheel of a car!).

You get the point. I KNOW I'll get slack for this post because I don't really know what it's like to be a mom. Yet at the same time, I've done so many of those mom duties-- fed them, bought school supplies for them, made them feel better or even cleaned up after them when they were sick, counseled them, scolded them, taught them love and respect. In reality, I actually see these kids more every day than the parent does. I'm not suggesting that I am their mom (though I've had many a student tell me that I was like their second mom), but just that I do have somewhat of an idea of how tough it must be. So quite frankly, I don't feel like reading it. I don't follow mom blogs. I just can't do it.

The sneak up mom blog frustrates me as well. You know, the one that you're reading and has really great content about DIY, fashion, design, art, etc and then BAM! You get blindsided. The blogger is suddenly pregnant and now every blog post is about how their baby is the size of a grapefruit. Or every style post is of them smiling while gripping their bellies even if the bump isn't big enough to warrant the belly grip. Ugh. I can't do it. I get that you're extremely happy and excited to be having a baby, but I still wanted to read about those delicious cookies you made the other day or the renovations you made in your dining room. I didn't sign up for this!

That being said, we all have or favorite or least favorite blogs. Heck, there's probably someone out there writing about how they hate bloggers that write about their annoyances such as babies looking like aliens and mom blogs.

Am I alone here? Do babies really look like aliens or is it all in my head? Maybe I watched too many alien movies in my lifetime. Oh wait, I watched ET and Signs and that was it. Hmmmmm.

Wine. Yes, It Is Good.

2013-03-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

I like wine. I drink a lot of it. Andrew told me that if I quit my day job and did design full time that I might have to cut back on my wine consumption. I told him that I'd figure it out and that I would still enjoy my wine, thank you very much. Either way, I thought it'd be fun to share with you all what I've been drinking lately.

1 // Bonterra Cabernet Sauvigon 2009 2 // La Posta Cocina Malbec 2009 3 // D'Arenberg The Stump Jump Shiraz 2010

I'm definitely no wine expert. Ask me about aroma, tannins, legs, or all that other crap and I'll probably look at you like you're crazy. I honestly have not a clue. However, I do know that these bottles of wine are pretty damn good and will end up in my cart every time I stock up again. The Bonterra is on the pricier end for me at $15. I try to go for anything between $8 and $12. That being said, I've had a lot of bad wines at that price, but I've also had a lot of good ones and these have definitely stood the test for tasty.

The La Posta is the one I will always have on hand. When we stock up, I usually snag a few bottles in case we're headed to a friend's house and we need to bring a bottle of wine. The Stump Jump has become a new favorite that is reasonably priced-- not bad and nothing super extraordinary, but you can't really go wrong. It's a no-brainer.

Do you enjoy drinking wine? I like to grab a glass to drink while I'm cooking and then enjoy a little more with my meal. Hope you're able to find these at one of your local wine sellers. And if you do, let me know what you think!

Confessions of a Not So Perfect Blogger

2013-03-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking about a lot of stuff lately dealing with this big old world of blogging. I realized as of recently that many of the blogs I read I cannot relate to. That is not true of everyone's blog that I read, but many of them. I cannot relate to the perfect hair, skin, and makeup. My house is far from perfect-- it's certainly pretty bad ass for the most part, but if you were to see my basement you'd freak out and it is usually a total mess. And these things just scratch the surface. I want to be able to relate to people in this world of writing and yet I find it impossible to do most times because I am just simply not in any way the same as others.

Or... maybe I am and I just don't know it. Today I had the brilliant idea to write about my imperfections. Bloggers often want to paint perfection in their lives-- love stories, weddings, child-rearing, fashion, relationships. The list is endless. After a while, I began to feel as if I was not living in a reality and so I want to tell about my own experiences and perhaps provide a breath of fresh air for others. After all, isn't blogging about sharing your life?

Let's start off with a completely ridiculous photo of me. Yes, I love being ridiculous and I pretty much never take a good, natural photo. Moving on.

Now. Let's focus on the hair.

Confession: I haven't cut my hair in two years and two months.

This is true. This may be absolutely horrifying to some of you. It may be disgusting to some as well. Truth? I've had people look at me in a disgusted way if I have mentioned this before. Sorry my hair has the worst case of split ends that you have ever seen, but there is a back story there that many don't know.

After I moved to Baltimore six years ago, I needed to find a new stylist. I went to five different salons of all different price ranges within three years. Each time I left the salon, I noticed something was messed up. Usually, the problem was entire chunks of my hair that were at different lengths than the rest of my hair. Chunks. Or, one side would be significantly longer than the other. Not ok. I didn't want to waste money anymore and I was completely freaked out to be honest.

Finally, the last of these five places that I went to was very judgemental. I had to work up the courage to go because I was afraid something horrid would happen again. The stylist was awful. She made rude comments about the fact that I had waited more than six months between haircuts and that my hair was a mess and that I needed to go at least every two months, and blah blah blah. AND she did the same crap everyone else did! She left an entire chunk in the back of my hair that was longer than everything else!

After going almost two years without a cut, a close friend of ours recommended I go to the salon at which she worked reception. I loved it! The stylist did a great job, she didn't judge me for my mess of hair, and I went back for a second time. The problem? The price tag. I had found a great place to get my hair cut and to be honest, my friend gave me a discount on the price. Now said friend doesn't work there as she had found a better job opportunity, and the price tag is a whopping $75 plus tip and anything else I may want to add.

Holy shit! How do you justify spending around $100 every three to four months for a hair cut. Is this normal and I just don't know it?

Hair issue part two: My hair is a constant frizz ball. It will never look nice no matter what styling tips I try. I think I actually have some sort of problem in which I am physically incapable of making hair look nice because it is always smooth a pretty when I leave salons. However, I can't figure it out on my own. Best solution? Always put my hair up and never do anything to it.

And there you have it. Not so perfect confession #1? My hair sucks. Every day is a bad hair day. The end.

Anyone else have hair issues? Seriously. Let me know that I am not alone so that Andrew will stop acting like I am crazy every time I freak out about my hair.

Mother's Day Cards

2013-03-06T11:07:00.003-05:00

I've been working hard in the studio the past few days and have already cranked out my new Mother's Day cards. I know I'm about 2 months early here, but I like to be prepared! I have a lot on my plate these days (more on that eventually!) and wanted to be ready for the upcoming holiday. Here's a look at the collection-- you can click through the photos to see the cards in the shop.

I'm really happy with how my new designs turned out. Some are spinoffs of other designs and some are new concepts and ideas.

Are you already planning ahead of time for Mother's Day, or am I the only crazy one?

Authenticity

2013-03-01T17:12:00.000-05:00

Prompted by so many different blog posts I've read this week, I started to think about authenticity. It is becoming more and more difficult to identify who is truly authentic in what they do. Is someone writing a self-help blog post because they truly believe what they are writing will help others, or is it all for show just because others have written similar posts and it seems to be popular? Bloggers that are also shop owners offer up some of the strangest and silliest products and I wonder if people really love the products THAT much or if their oohing and aahing in the comments are simply because everyone else is oohing and aahing.

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We have a tendency in this society to build people up. Constructive criticism cannot be given without seeming offensive. I see this on a daily basis with my students. Parents tell their children that they are so smart and such awesome students even if the reality is that they really aren't. The student continues to get built up and when the teacher interjects and tries to explain that a student is struggling, the response is that it must be the teacher and not the student.

In the blogging world, I see the same thing. Readers build up the bloggers that they follow. Sometimes I read articles that are just plain common sense, yet readers respond as if whatever the blogger wrote about is ground-breaking information. It seems as though we, as individuals in this society, have been trained to want to feel important. Or it seems we do everything for gratification. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to have someone tell you that you've done well at something, but my question about authenticity comes from these thoughts-- How much of what we do is real? Is the oohing and aahing and the building people up real, or is it because everyone else is doing it? How much of it is truly sincere or is done with calculated intent? And is any of the insincere junk healthy?

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When we give up our authenticity, I think we give up a lot more. We let others mold who we are instead of being ourselves, and we falsify hope within others by being inauthentic with our words and actions. Our authenticity shows who we are and if we give that up, then who are we really? Something completely fake with absolutely no substance?

We are a society that is propelled by adulation. When is someone going to tell the poor blogger with the funky headband that no one wears those in real life and they look ridiculous? Or that we already know how to have a fulfilling relationship without the self-help guide?

For me, blogging is about sharing my experiences-- how much I truly ADORE eating tacos, how annoyed it makes me that the Baltimore City Police helicopter was spying on me while suntanning, how ridiculously excited I am to share something new from my business. It is an outlet that I have needed for a long time to escaped feeling stifled from a rather uncreative daily job. The nature of blogging is that we get up on our soapboxes (hell, I'm doing it right now!), but how long do we keep up the charade of the every-single-thing-you-do-is-amazing-because-it-is-you-who-did-it commendation?

We are not always awesome, in fact rarely awesome at best. So why with the inauthentic gestures? Life is crappy a lot of times. Life is also fantastic a lot of times and if everything is played out to be happy 100% of the time, it makes me feel as though I'm in The Truman Show itself. (I hope someone got that reference because it is Jim Carey at his best. And by best, I mean, great acting, not laughing his head off like a hyena.)

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Nothing is meant to be perfect and nothing ever will be. And it creeps me out when people pretend weird things and play weird parts in their big play that is their life instead of just living it and writing about it. So go give someone some constructive criticism! Tell them that they really shouldn't have worn those purple tights with a cobalt dress or that their card isn't that funny after all (yes, truly people, I hope you haven't been faking me out here the whole time or I would be crushed to know you can't be honest!). I. Can. Take. It. And we all need to learn to get a little thicker skin. It's the healthier solution in the end.

How I Manage to be Superwoman

2013-02-28T18:54:00.002-05:00

By now, if you read my blog, you have probably figured out that my day job happens to be teaching. And trust me, if I wasn't a teacher now, I'd be blogging about all the crazy shit that happens at our school on the regular. Usually, Andrew can't wait to hear what I have to say about my day. I text him throughout the day with little hints like, "Hey, remind me to tell you about the backpack incident when you get home." I know. You're all dying to know about the backpack incident at this point in time, and trust me, it is pretty much insane. However, for now, I'll have to save that story for later when I'm not longer teaching.

Most of you also know that I own my small business making cards and stationery. This small business has become my night job. I've had a lot of people ask me exactly how I'm able to get all of this done and quite frankly, I'm not really sure how I do it. I recently had a friend tell me that I must be superwoman. So, I decided to document one of my days just so I could realize how much I do every day. I mean obviously, I need to shove that in my face since I'm not overwhelmed or anything like that. Ever. Nope, not at all.

I have to start my day with coffee. 1) I like coffee. And by like, I mean love. 2) Coffee not only tastes good, but it keeps me awake. 3) I wish there was a such thing as a coffee IV. But then I guess I wouldn't be able to taste its delicious taste.

So, yeah. Boom. 8:00am. Coffee.

8:25am. Grab my orders from the night before to drop in the blue box around the corner.

8:30am. Get in the car and make the 6 minute drive to school. Yes. 6 minutes. I love it. When we bought our house, it cut my drive to school in half. I am obsessed. Be jealous.

8:45am. After heading to the main office to sign in, stopping to chat with the janitor for a few, and stumbling through a crowd of kids that I am not awake enough to deal with yet, I arrive at my room.

8:50am. I start working on last minute prep for the day. Thankfully, I have a planning period first thing in the morning. I finish typing up some notes for my U.S. History class and copy a political cartoon for a primary source analysis activity.

9:15am. I start grading U.S. History tests from the day before. Lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of essays.

9:45am. I have to pick my 7th graders up from gym class. Who thought it was a good idea to put a bunch of stinky teenagers in a gym class first thing in the morning and then ship their sweaty bodies to my room immediately after? I don't know, but I can think of many things I'd rather do that deal with that stench. Just sayin'.

9:50am-11:15am. I teach. Seventh grade geography.

11:20am. I've finished dropping my students off a lunch and head to the bathroom (I spared you the photo), quickly check my email, and finish screening a section of The Last of the Mohicans that I'll be using for my 8th grade U.S. History class after lunch.

11:40am. I pick my students up from lunch and I teach for 3 hours and 15 minutes straight. No break. Three classes. One seventh grade geography and two U.S. History classes. Today in U.S. History we're analyzing clips of The Last of the Mohicans in connection to what I'm teaching about the French and Indian War.

3:00pm. Planning period number two of the day. This day is different since it's the Thursday before we headed to Syracuse for our long weekend. I need to finish making sub plans for Friday. I have to make copies, staple a bunch of stuff, and then I keep working on more of that grading. I also finish my lesson plans for Monday. Planning periods = working like mad as if I'm trying to survive something insane.

4:45pm. I finally get home. Lilah wants to go outside.

4:46pm. Finn follows me around everywhere and wants cuddles.

4:49pm. I'm starved. I didn't have enough time during our 25 minute lunch to eat. That's most days. I've still not gotten used to it and I hate that there's not enough time to eat during my lunch. Leftover pizza it is.

5:03pm. I scarf down the pizza and head up to my studio to start getting work done, but I decide to catch up on a few blogs first instead. I have less work to do tonight since it I left my school work at school for the long weekend so I decide to enjoy a little blog reading.

5:26pm. I finally decide to change out of my work clothes into something more comfortable.

5:33pm. I'm still hungry. I make some coffee and get some mixed nuts to snack on.

5:46pm. It's time to start writing my blog post for the day.

6:15pm. Andrew gets home. He goes on a walk with Lilah while I finish blogging. At this point, I forgot to keep taking my photos.

After Andrew gets home, we cook and eat. Dinner is usually ready around 8. We like to eat late and always have. It's time for us to catch up and I look forward to this every day. At around 8:30, I start in on my card orders and I work until I am done. Sometimes that's only an hour with an hour to spare to relax on the couch before bed or a bit of time to design instead. Sometimes that means until 1 or 2 in the morning. On days when I haven't been able to get as much grading done at school as I'd like to, my schedule gets adjusted and I might have to kick blogging to the curb in order to get everything done.

And that, my friends is my sort of typical day. And then I go to sleep and wake up. And do it all over again. That is how I manage to be superwoman.

Phew. I'm tired.

Sponsor in March

2013-02-26T18:34:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that February is already almost over! Each year it flies by so quickly! If you're looking to grow your blog or business, I'd love to have you sponsor this month! I've made a few changes to my ads that I think will help increase exposure. I'm offering a limited number of large feature ads that will have an opportunity for a giveaway and individual feature. In addition, I have a small ad option which includes a group giveaway option. Giveaways always seem to drive the most amount of traffic, so this is an affordable ad option with a chance for extra exposure. Both options come with lots of social media love as well. Feel free to head over to my sponsor page for more info! As always, all of the ad revenue goes right back into sponsoring other blogs which in turn brings more traffic back to you full circle. I'm looking forward to another awesome month on my blog and hope that you'll join me! :)

Shop Update

2013-02-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've shared some of my new cards with you all. I have a lot of new designs that have made their way into the shop and I wanted to share some of them with you as I often do. My recent design projects have been focused on upcoming spring holidays-- Saint Patrick's Day and Easter.

I also finally added the much awaited butthead card that I wrote about a while back.

And after missing some cute butts, I decided to whip up this anniversary version.

Don't worry, I know you all missed my cute butt just as much as I did.

Ok. That was awkward. I know. But also funny.

Either way, I'm super glad to be back to designing and adding new items to the shop. It's been a lot of fun! I have a few more Saint Patrick's Day and Easter cards here in my shop if you'd like to check out the rest, and don't forget about the taco card! (You know you all love that one the most!)

What have you been up to lately in your shop-- if you have one, that is?

Weekend in Syracuse

2013-02-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

Every year we go back to Syracuse to meet up with friends, go to a basketball game, and visit old campus haunts. This year's game was especially exciting with a sold out crowd and record breaking attendance for any college basketball game in history at 35,012. We were playing Georgetown, a long time rival, and it was the last game in Syracuse between the two teams as Syracuse is leaving the Big East conference next season. In addition, Carmelo Anthony was in attendance and his jersey was retired during halftime. This event was especially awesome for us since he led Syracuse to the National Championship our freshman year.

We enjoyed pizza at Varsity, the oldest standing establishment on campus.

Walked about campus and checked out the Hall of Languages. The Hall of Languages is Syracuse University's iconic building, happened to be the building in which most of my classes were in, and is recognizable from the Addams Family.

We enjoyed walking through the Quad rather than trudging through in knee deep snow as it usually seemed to be the case while we attended.

And of course, the Dome. Dome, sweet Dome. This year we headed there a little early so that we could catch the team during their pre-game warmup.

We were even lucky enough to get our photo taken at court side during warmups, thanks to a super nice usher that was willing to let us in for a photo op.

Our seats were pretty bad and the game was pretty bad, but it was still fun to be in attendance at such a historical game for Syracuse.

Aside from the outcome of the game, the weekend was just what we needed. Catching up with friends, eating lots and lots of food, sleeping in until 9:30 two days straight, free omelets every morning at the hotel, brews and fish tacos from Empire Brewing Company, coffee from Freedom of Espresso-- all around a good time was had. Can't wait to do it all over again next year.