Gardening in High Heels

cultivate a beautiful life

Creative soup for the soul

I’m a fan of coloring.  When I was younger, one of my favorite things was my big-ass box of Crayons.  I still have it to this day.  My neighbor and I would start with a blank page and she would make a line, then I would make a line, then she’d add to what I did, and we’d go back and forth collaborating on this picture.

Then in high school, my best friend and I would totally color, too.  Yep, 17 years old and I broke out the ol’ coloring books.  I’m not ashamed.

Coloring has serious stress-relieving properties.

I love actually making something with my hands – making a #30Lists book* (btw, there’s totally still time to get in on the action this month!), putting together a photo album, coloring, even reorganizing a bathroom feels good to me.

The other day, I saw an article about coloring being good for the soul.  It stimulates parts of the brain related to motor skills, senses, and creativity.

And it has serious de-stressing power.  I don’t know about you, but I find it incredibly relaxing.  The other night after a long day of work and finding out some news that immediately turned me into a ball of stress, I colored.  I found an old geometric coloring book that I think I stole from my mom and sat down with my big ass box of crayons and colored.

Coloring is good for the soul and it relieves so much stress.I was so relaxed, I fell asleep right where I was.

I am realizing the importance of taking time to do things that feel good and are good for me.  I think it’s our natural tendency to say, “Other people are asking me for my time and I feel obligated to give it,” and it’s hard to say no and take care of yourself, but if I don’t take care of myself, I’m not doing anyone else any favors.

Coloring is good for the soul and it relieves so much stress.

As Britt Reints acknowledges, creative spirits need a little nurturing.  And she’s doing just that in her Creative Soul Connection Weeknight Retreat on March 26th.

The whole night is centered around nurturing our creative spirits – talking about how to overcome obstacles that get in the way of creating and the benefits of creating things on a regular basis (aside from having new Pinterest-inspired artwork).

I cannot tell you how much I’m looking forward to playing with other creatives.  I’m a huge believer that you need to change your surroundings if you’re feeling stuck and actually going somewhere and being given permission to get hands-on and messy..oh hello, I’mma be all over this.

A little recap of what the night will include:

– Emphasis on importance of Being Ernest making stuff regularly
-Hands-on art project with Little House Big Art
-Creative panel discussion – so far it includes a musician, seamstress, writer, graphic designer/art camp director
-Sponsored by Little House Big Art, Pittsburgh Glass Center, and I Made It! Market
-Heated mosaic tile floors at the Irma Freeman Center for Imagination

Coloring is good for the soul and it relieves so much stress.

A while back, I sat down and had coffee with Britt and another writer who felt stuck like myself.  She told us about artist dates that she’s trying to do regularly with herself.  She gets out of her house and does something that feels good to her: go to a museum, paint by the river, etc.  So even if you aren’t in Pittsburgh and can’t come to the CSCWR, do something for a few hours that night that feed your creative soul.

Did I convince you to come?  I sure hope so!  You can grab tickets for the Creative Soul Connection for $25 and I’m thinking it’s probably going to be the best $25 you spend all week.

[disclaim]Britt asked me to spread the creative love and in exchange offered me a free ticket to this event.  You can bet your bottom dollar I already was going to buy a ticket and go anyway![/disclaim]

[disclaim]*The 30 Days of Lists link is an affiliate link.[/disclaim]

Two word advice

Earlier this week, Emily Levenson posted in the Propelle Rock It Facebook group asking, “If you could write a note to your younger self, what would you say in only two words?”  I must have typed out and deleted them so many times because I had such a hard time finding the right two words.

What advice would you give to your younger self in two words?

Don’t stop and be yourself seemed too generic; it wasn’t specific to me.  Try harder makes it sound like I wasn’t trying my best.  Don’t be complacent and everything will be okay are more than two words.

When someone asks the advice you’d give your younger self, I always picture myself as a little kid because those are my “formative years” and there are things I wish I would have known.

I still insist that, as a kid, no one could tell me anything I’d listen to.  I thought I knew pretty much everything and no one could tell me otherwise; all the advice was well-meaning but they didn’t know what I was going through!

No, I won’t get over this crush.  Yes, it is the end of the world and the biggest thing that ever happened to me.

I know when you’re going through something, it seems like the end of the world and it just consumes you and then you can look back and be like, here’s what should have happened.

I think I would have listened to myself, though, because I could say to myself, “Hey, you, listen to you.  Here’s what’s up,” and I’d have to take that advice because I’ve been there and now I’m here on the other side.

Also, it’s specific to me  Advice never felt specific enough when I was a kid.  I wanted someone to tell me, “This is what you need to do,” instead of guiding me with well-meaning cliches.

When I think about how I was as a kid, I was quiet, pretty timid, and unless I was in my comfort zone, I didn’t venture out too much.  So that was what I thought I’d take into consideration when giving advice to tell my younger self.

Get outside.

Get outside. Savor the moment and be present to what is happening around you.

Get outside of everything.  Your comfort zone, the house, the books you read, the music you listen to, the friends you play with, the people you talk to.

Trying something new is scary and you may disappoint your parents’ expectations or get into a hairy situation with your friends, but it’s better than not doing what you want because you’re afraid of the outcome.

Try getting out of your own way, trusting your instincts, finding something new to occupy your time instead of the same old stuff.

Even in college: get outside.  Sure, study hard, but have fun.  Don’t try to pack all the fun of four years into a few weekends when you’re finally free.  Savor the moment and be present to what is happening around you.

And don’t be afraid to get a little messy.  That’s definitely good advice, but much more than two words.

What advice would you give to your younger self?  When you picture your “younger self,” where are you in your life?

Rockin’ with Rocksbox

It’s no surprise that I’m writing about Rocksbox today being the jewelry addict that I am.  (See here and here.)  I’m sure many of you are saying, “What took you so long?”  True story: I’ve photographed so many boxes and never got around to posting the goods.

Rocksbox is an awesome subscription box sending you designer jewels as often as you want!

So if you haven’t heard of Rocksbox…

Rocksbox is a subscription box service that sends three pieces of high-end, designer jewels per box.  I’m so used to “monthly” boxes that the first month I actually forgot I could exchange what’s in my box as many times as I wanted.

You get a shipment of jewels to your doorstep, wear all/none of them as much as you want, and send them back when you want more jewels.  And repeat.

Rocksbox unboxing!

First you take a style quiz so they can get a feel for the kinds of things you’re interested in and you can leave feedback about your pieces so the stylists there can pick out items that you’d be most likely to wear.  You can retake this as your style evolves.

It took a few boxes to see “results” in terms of receiving pieces that I’d actually wear, but now that they know what I go for, I usually get pretty good sets.

These pictures still aren’t my current box, they were from a box that was sent in early February.  I exchange my boxes as quickly as I can to maximize that $19 per month price tag!  This box had Gorjana earrings, a Margaret Elizabeth Necklace, and a Matterial Fix cuff bracelet.

Rocksbox subscription sends designer jewelry to your door! Rocksbox is seriously awesome. They send you designer jewelry as often as you want. Return your box when you're ready and they'll send you another round! This box has Gorjana earrings, a Margaret Elizabeth Necklace, and a Matterial Fix cuff bracelet. Gorjana earrings, Margaret Elizabeth Necklace, and Matterial Fix cuff bracelet from Rocksbox.
This cycle was the first time I’ve purchased something from Rocksbox.  I had “Shine Insider” money to spend, so I picked the cute earring pair that came in this cycle’s box.  With the $10 credit and the 20% member discount, they came to $14.  I’d say $7/pair is pretty damn good.  That’s almost like Target clearance status.

That said, there are some more expensive pieces that, while gorgeous, I would never be able to justify the purchase.

I even found out that a style of earrings that I almost purchased from Gorjana a while ago weren’t for me – not these earrings pictured, they were the Chloe studs.  The posts on the studs felt so flimsy; I’m glad I got to try them out first.  But if I did want to get them, they’d be 20% off, so either way, it’s a win.

What I like about this is that I can wear jewelry that is on-trend without having to bite the bullet and purchase it.  It’s quality jewelry with a small price tag.

The downside is that it takes time to send the box back and receive a new collection of pieces.  I’d say I cycle my boxes every week or so, though I probably lose a week out of the month due to shipping.

Insider tip: leave feedback on the website instead of the card that you mail back so the stylists can turn around and send you off a new box instead of waiting.

Have you tried Rocksbox? What do you think?

This isn’t a sponsored post.  I just really like Rocksbox and wanted to share this with you.

If you want to try Rocksbox, let me know and I’ll send a code to get your first month for free.  I only have 3 of them, so hop to it!  (If you sign up, I get $25 to shop, but if you invite friends, you can get $25 to shop, too!)

Sunday Lately, 9

I can’t believe it’s March already.  February is such a tease because I think I have more time in the month to do everything I need to do.  Grr!

Last night, I went bowling with Jonathan and my best friend and her boyfriend.  She mentioned Baby Mama and all I could think about was watching that movie.  When we were in high school, we watched this and Anchorman on repeat.  So of course I’m watching Baby Mama while writing this.  I mean, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler together?  Hello.

It's time for Sunday lately! Wat are you up to?

Updating

Like last time, I’m still updating what I’m doing here.  Right now, I have some new things to add, but I can’t figure out how to do the CSS on some of them, so I might just get a whole new theme.

Do you do your own coding on your blog (with a theme you already have / with a framework like Genesis) or did you search high and low to find a theme that suited you?  I know that Genesis is the root of most of them; maybe I’ll just

Reminding

Myself to get my damn taxes together.  I need a better organizational system next year.  It’s not like I’m unorganized, but I have receipts in hard copy and saved in a folder on my computer.  Having them on my computer is helpful to keep things quickly searchable, but it takes me forever to hunt down everything I need, print it, double-check I have everything, blah.  I need to start printing them out as I get them and keeping them with my other business-related receipts.

Needing

Cinnamon rolls!  I woke up this morning and I couldn’t figure out what I wanted for breakfast and then I decided I want cinnamon rolls.  I’d bake them, but it takes a few hours and I want them, like, now.  I know I could just fake it with Grands rolls, cinnamon, sugar, and butter (my mom and I used to make a “pie” like that when we baked at a coffee shop) but that probably isn’t the healthiest breakfast in the world.

Also today is the first day of 30 Days of Lists!  I need to do the first list today.  It’s the perfect day to stay inside and craft.  I need to print out pictures to do some scrapbooking.

Amusing

Reminding myself of how much Danielle and I loved Baby Mama.  Some of these lines are great.  “Can I just spray some Pam down there?”

I think the great thing about this movie is that Tina’s character reminds me of myself (neurotically organized, pep-talk Post Its) and Amy’s character reminds me of Danielle (free-spirited, says what she’s thinking).  And also, I mean the good parts of the characters, not the whole “I want a baby,” and “I want to run a scam with my trashy husband, Dax Shepard” things.

BeingLazy and cozy this morning.  It’s snowing again and the roads aren’t even close to being cleared yet.  It’s days like this I’m glad I can work at home if it’s dangerous to come in.  If it stays bad overnight, I don’t have to worry.So how’s your Sunday going?  What have you been doing lately?

[disclaim]The link to register for 30 Days of Lists is an affiliate link.  I participated in #30Lists in 2014 and I know you’ll love it too.  Thank you for supporting gals that support Gardening in High Heels![/disclaim]

You’re never too old to be considerate

Today’s post is brought to you by #HashtagHumpday and some genuinely annoying kids from last week.

We're ranting about consideration in today's #HashtagHumpday link up post!

So the other day I was at Starbucks with Jonathan.  There was a small child to my left with his parent and a woman to my right (by herself).  #WhoBuysTheirFiveYearOldAnythingFromStarbucks?

I went to put my cup down in between the two so I could get some milk.  I set my cup down, took the lid off, and the kid (#ClearlyNotPayingAttentionToTheWorld) bumped me so my coffee spilled all over my hand and the counter.

This is the best part.  Are you ready for it?  #WaitForIt

The father looked at the kid, looked at me, and said, “Okay, let’s go now.” #AreYouKiddingMe?!

I am so sick of this self-centric culture we are living in.  I understand that a small child my not know what he’s doing or be paying attention to the world around him, but the job of the parent is to teach your child to pay attention to the world around him.

Something similar happened later that day.  We were leaving an area where there were many kids (and parental supervisors) were putting on socks and shoes.  And the kids were just sitting in the middle of the walkway area.

Are you surprised that these people aren’t watching out for their kids?  If I tripped and hurt one of their kids, it would be my fault instead of the parents for not keeping them safely out of the way of a busy area.

Seems like they could be a little more concerned for their kids’ well being here, don’t you?  If the job of the parent in example one is to teach their child to pay attention, it seems like the lesson here is to pay attention to the safety of your kids.

I was lucky to have parents that didn’t raise me to be a self-centered brat.  If I stopped in the middle of an entryway, I was told to move.  If I bumped in to someone, I was told to excuse myself.  If I was walking in a public area, I stayed to the right rather than taking up an entire hallway.

It is absolutely mind blowing to me that some people are so passive with their children.  They are shaping minds.  Minds that we all have to live with.  It would be a much nicer place to live if we were considerate of others.  And we could teach that to the future generations.

Sure, I understand that we all have to watch out for ourselves.  If we don’t have our best interest in mind, who will?  I get that.  But there’s nothing wrong with being polite and saying excuse me.

I just can’t believe that someone would basically allow their children to spill coffee all over someone and then #WALKAWAY?!?

Maybe I’m getting older and a few years ago this wouldn’t have bothered me.  Or maybe this egotistical attitude is compounding more and more.  Whatever it is, I’m tired of it.

All I know is that this wouldn’t have been such a problem when I was younger.  It definitely wouldn’t have been a problem when my parents were younger.  Going back even further, still not a problem.  Where do you think we learned how to be polite?  #DingDinDinggg: from our parents.

I’d love to just sit down in the middle of the floor and refuse to move, but life isn’t that way.  We all have to get a long with each other, so can’t we make it a little easier on ourselves?

So that was my rant for this week.  What about you?

I’m linking up with Life With Lolo and Genuinely Lauren to air some grievances for #HashtagHumpday.

#Hashtaghumpday @ Life with Lolo

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