Scaling Back. What's inspiring me lately.

Our home.

Do you want to know the truth of being a creative person with LOTS of jobs?  My house doesn’t get the attention it needs.  And it’s embarrassing. I bit the bullet after stressing myself to death and hired a very sweet lady I just met to deep clean my house for me. 

I'm overwhelmed.  I work full time, I also teach online psychology part time. Then I paint portrait commissions, custom pieces for interior design and on the weekends I do live wedding painting.  On top of all of this I have been preserving and pressing wedding bouquets and funeral flowers for people.  My youngest child is involved in volleyball and we have a game at least once a week in the evenings.  My oldest is a busy college student.  I squeeze my marriage into there somewhere.  And we have had a two-year-long renovation project going on, on the weekends at our cabin on the river.  Church is a priority too.  It is A LOT.  But, thank God for this beautiful, busy life!

The plan for the exterior at the cabin.

I struggle with a lot of guilt over not keeping my house “company ready.”  But all that other stuff mentioned above would never happen if I was also an immaculate housekeeper.  Priorities people.  But I can’t feel really free to create “all the things” in a messy house.  Friends, we can’t do it all.  Sometimes we need to reach out for help!  And that’s okay

Just a beautiful image from the internet.

I’m really considering scaling things back.  The plan right now is to turn over the floral preservation business to my oldest daughter.  I’ve been spending time with her, teaching her all the tricks of pressing flowers and working with resin so she can continue serving that clientele.  I believe she will do well.  She’s so smart and studious, talented and responsible.  I will finish out the projects I have waiting on me now (which is a list of nine) and then I will refer all customers to her.

What's Inspiring Me Lately

John and I took a little trip to New England for our 15th anniversary. The scenery, with the changing leaves was absolutely stunning!  I cannot wait to take our family back next year. Scroll through these photos if you need a little escape.  It definitely fueled my creative tank.

What I'm Listening To

John Denver and James Taylor
I’m an old, hippie soul.  John and I listened to John Denver and James Taylor on the drive home from Atlanta Monday night.  Sweet sounds to carry us home!

---

Sierra Ferrell
I like music that is more acoustic, roots-driven.  Sierra  is an American singer-songwriter and musician from West Virginia, whose music incorporates elements of folk, bluegrass, gypsy jazz, and Latin styles such as tango and calypso music.  Her voice and style are so interesting.  Enjoy her!

---

WHO's Inspiring Me

My Artsy Friends
The Pike County Art Guild is a local group of artists who meet to share their art, inspire one another and encourage the arts in our area (Troy, AL).  Our group is diverse and on Tuesday night we met to share joint projects we have been working on.  The projects started with one artists' work and ended with the second artist's interpretation of that piece.  These pieces will be available for viewing in an upcoming art exhibit at the Johnson Center for the Arts.

Words to Inspire YOU

My heart is with the people who have been impacted by Hurricane Helene.  It is unimaginably tragic.  I pray for their healing, restoration, peace, and that God would spare as many precious lives as possible. 

2 Corinthians 1:3 
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
5 For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.
6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.
7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

Love,
Kitty