my sorta desk

Remember when I showed you my desk a few months ago?  Well, since we're living with my parents for the summer the scenery has changed a little, and I thought I would share what my daily surroundings look like.

As you can see, I didn't really clean for you (sorry Mom!)  In fact, I think this post is going to motivate me to really go through everything on my desk and try to simplify as much as possible.  My mom was nice enough to clear off one side of the table that serves as her desk, so when she's working at home we sit across from each other.  And I even get the desk chair!  It's not a bad deal.

What's your favorite thing about your workspace?  I love the plantation shutters and that I can see the front door from where I sit.  And working next to my mom can be pretty sweet too.

Friday Links

I'm keeping it short and sweet today, guys.  I really love teaching at this program, but boy am I beat at the end of the week.  And it's making me realize how much I love my design job- I miss it!  Sorry for the lack of posting this week- only one more week and I'll be back to my regular schedule!

What are you up to this weekend?  I'm not sure what our plans are yet, but it's supposed to be a scorcher this weekend!  Stay cool, amigos!

I just adore My Better Half- there were so many good ones this week!

I loved reading these love stories- they're very different but both really cute and fun to read!

Aren't these flowers gorgeous?

I'm dig this packaging.

My design for This is Julie.

Another installment of in this place.

My maxi dress.

The last Saturday Spotlight for a while!

Change of Plans

Isn't it funny how sometimes when you put words to something you're thinking about, the answer will suddenly present itself?  That's what happened last week after I wrote my post about simplifying my life.  I'd been stressing about work.  One of the biggest things I had on my plate was my site relaunch, which I had been planning on doing at the beginning of July.  As I was getting ready for bed that night, it occurred to me that this was largely a self-imposed deadline.  July was the earliest that I could relaunch my site, so that's when I had planned to do it.  But it didn't even really make sense to do it then.

I decided right then that I needed to push back my relaunch to the end of August.  My plans had been made out of impatience rather than strategic planning.  I immediately felt much more relaxed.

The day after I posted about simplifying, Jess of Makeunder My Life posted a list of things that she is going to cut to relieve some of her stress.  I thought this was an awesome idea, and made my own list of things that I am not going to worry about:

• Relaunch in July. It just makes more sense to do it at the end of August, and patience is a virtue.
• Swap ads in July. One of my first thoughts after deciding to delay my relaunch was "that means that I need to find swappers in July!" The stress came back almost immediately. The thing is, I don't need to. So I'm not.
• Reply to every comment. This one is hardest for me, because some of my best blogger interactions have been through email, so I really want to reply to each and every comment.  But what happens is I let comments sit in my inbox and I stress over things to say in response. The thing is, some comments just don't require a response. So I'm letting myself off the hook. If I get too behind, I'm giving myself permission to archive all those emails, and start from scratch if I have to.

There's still a lot that I need to do even without worrying about these things, but I definitely feel like my workload is more manageable.

On a lighter note, how was your weekend?  With a wedding on Saturday and Father's Day on Sunday, mine was fun but a little crazy.  I got to hang with my dad yesterday, which is always fun (I may or may not have been in a food coma, but I think he was cool with it.)  Happy Father's Day, Dad!  And today is my parents' anniversary, so Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!  I love you guys!

our space

Since business has picked up, I'm working from home 90% of the time.  It's pretty awesome.  I get to wear yoga pants every day.  I wake up when I want (within reason) and I can eat lunch, workout, or shower whenever I like.  Working from home has it's charms, but it's not perfect.

This is where I work.  As you can see, I didn't pretty this up for you.  This is real.  Including my former dead cell phone and my twenty million rolls of tape (why do I have so much tape?)  Direct quote from Brian as I was taking this picture: "Why are you photographing our squalor?"  We both got a good chuckle out of that, but you get the point.

Brian is a law student.  He doesn't have class on Mondays and he prefers to study at home.  To give you an idea of my proximity to Brian while I'm working, I took this picture while standing over his shoulder.

Obviously the camera zooms a little, but you get the picture.  It's close quarters up in here.  Again, let me remind you that I'm well aware that this set up is awesome.  This time last year we were rounding out year five of our long distance relationship, and I now couldn't be more grateful that we get to be together so much.  BUT some conflicts have come up as a result of our small working space.

Here are some examples:

• I like the curtains open.  Sunlight is important to me.  Brian doesn't like the glare on his computer screen or computer screen.
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is too loud and conflicting with the Glee Pandora station playing in my headphones.
• I absentmindedly hum along to said Pandora station. (Don't worry when Brian is in class, I'm full out belting those tunes.  Especially if Celine Dion or that song from Walk to Remember comes on.)
• Brian interrupts me while I'm coding something tell me the latest thing he's read on Cracked, or to show me things of the hilarious nature like this.
• Brian says that my typing sounds like this:

I feel like this whole post could have a great big #firstworldproblems.  Don't worry, I'll be sure to enjoy our impromptu snuggle session a little extra today.

Do any of you work at home?

snow day

Yesterday we got our first heavy snowfall of the year.  It was so beautiful to watch it build up over the course of the day.  The best part?  School was cancelled in the evening!  Even though I'm an adult now and school being cancelled means that I don't get paid to sub, I couldn't help but be excited.  I think my overwhelming amount of design work that I have to do was part of my joy.

Last night around one in the morning we hear snow plows outside our window.  I peaked out the blinds and saw the two smallest plows I've ever seen plowing the empty parking spaces in our apartment complex.  The best part?  It's supposed to be fifty degrees here today.  Great job, guys.

In other news I blogged about my 5 favorite blog design trends over on This Wonderful Life today!  Check it out!  Also, I was playing around with my menu bar a little, and I added a page for my guest posts and features, so you can find all of them in one place.

Check out photos from the balcony from other seasons.

happy friday

I have a lot of work to catch up on this weekend, so I'm afraid that pure relaxation isn't exactly in my near future.  But I love what I'm doing, so don't feel too sorry for me!  Lately I've been craving some sunshine, so maybe I'll sneak out of the apartment for a few nice long walks.  This picture is proof that winter sun can happen and can even be warm.  I took it last week at my parents' house.

Here are some links to keep you happy over the weekend!

Check out my tips for using Twitter!  And one that I forgot: follow other bloggers back!  It's just nice.

I still subscribe to several wedding blogs, but this photoshoot is just magical.

Kinga's sketchbooks are amazing!

A post about sustainable blogging from Pugly Pixel.  I couldn't agree more.

Joelle wrote a great post on being organized!

Have you seen my design inspiration posts on KBD?  There's a pretty cool collection of blogs right there.

This DIY mug is so chic!  You could give that to someone as a gift!

I kind of want to read this book.  I definitely feel like we live in excess.

balance

How was your weekend?  Mine passed in yoga pants and pajamas, but I worked most of the time.  Which is okay, because I kinda love this kind of work, but still, I think that balance is going to be a big theme is this little venture of mine.

Also happened this weekend: I came down with some sort of cold, our fire alarm went off no less than four times due to something gross in our oven, Brian made pizza, and I ate cinnamon rolls, chips and dip, sour patch kids, pizza, and icecream exclusively on Super Bowl Sunday.  Win?  I feel like I need to go on some sort of extreme cleanse today.  Ugh.

it's possible

If you've been around here for a little while you know that I started my web design business in November (and if you didn't, now you do!)  I had a few clients before 2011 was over- really the perfect amount for me to get started.  I was excited; I had hope.

Then January started.  And there was nothing.  I worked my butt off in hopes that it would result in some work.  I definitely got cranky and discouraged some days.

Source: lanaloustyle.blogspot.com via Kate on Pinterest. Artist: Letitia Buchan

Then last week, some things started coming together.  It was weird because I could almost feel that it was going to before it happened.  Like this is the week.  And it did.

I don't mean to run around blog land with my arms open shouting "I'VE MADE IT BIG, GUYS!"  Because I totally haven't.  That would be absurd.  I just have more design work than I ever have before.  I even had to tell school that no, I wasn't available to come in more than two days this week, because "I have some design work to do."  That felt good to say.

I am thrilled, grateful, excited, and... scared.  I love what I'm doing, but sometimes just the thought of knowing that you have to produce something that someone else will like in a timely fashion is stressful.  Naturally, I try not to think too much.

It felt good to write this post, friends.  I like sharing with you, and I'm not talking about food posts.  We'll have to do this more often.  Hopefully I haven't turned anyone off if you're out there and were maybe sorta thinking about hiring me.  Because I would love to work with you.  And I'm not too busy for you, I promise.

While I have your ear, hope over to Sketch and Wash today to check out my Art to Inspiration post!  You know you want to join in next month!

Also, Amy over at The Charming nominated me for the Liebster Award.  Isn't she sweet?!  Go love on her.

see ya, weekend

Another weekend gone, my friends.  Do you ever have those days where you feel like no matter how long you stare at something, it just never gets done?  Well I had two of them back to back.  I really probably should have just walked away from the computer, but I tried my hardest to stay put and accomplish things.  Let's just say that my mile-long to-do list wasn't exactly tackled.

Part of my problem was that I felt a little bit like I was losing it.  There were just too many things to do.  I was/ am totally overwhelmed.  Especially just by opening my Google Reader.  I've started following a lot of new blogs recently, and I'm starting to get them mixed up, which really makes me feel crazy.  Maybe I've reached my limit?  I don't know, but I hate feeling like I can't keep track of stuff.

Source: talesofayoungdesigner.blogspot.com via Kate on Pinterest

Today is rainy and gross.  Ugh.  Not off to the best start this week, here's to hoping it turns around!

with love

I've been a little AWOL this week because I came up to Northern VA so that I could sub a few days here and keep my sub certification active.  I'm subbing for the same second grade class for three days in a row, which in all the time I've subbed I think that is the most consecutive days I've ever been with one class.  Mostly what I've learned is that I really wish I had the energy of an eight-year-old.

Source: zeroing.tumblr.com via Kate on Pinterest

I wish I could plaster this inside my brain for tomorrow.  I'm so sleepy and a lot of times that means I am wishing the minutes away.  But really I would like to enjoy my time there as much as possible, because while the kids can act up (some more than others) there is also so much good in each of them.

Tomorrow is Friday!  I can't wait.  I'm driving home on Saturday and taking pictures at a family friend's restaurant along the way... so excited to share them once they're done!

What have you been up to this week?  If you're new around here, say hello! (or if you're a regular!) I could use a pick-me-up.

It's Ok!

I've seen this link-up several times but I've never participated before... but it seems perfect for my poorly functioning brain today!

It's okay...

... that I got 5 hours of sleep last night (winter break is over, friends!) and looked TERRIBLE at work today.  First graders don't care!

... to kinda cheat on your main New Year's resolution by making your salads not so good for you.  IT'S STILL SALAD.

... that after lunch I pretty much count down the minutes until my afternoon coffee.

... to make a beeline for my computer after school.

... that I have been terrible about exercising.  It's even nice out today and it's still not going to happen.  See above.

...  that I have been totally lame on the broader scale of blogging.  I always manage to write something up for you guys, but Sketch and Wash and KBD get the short end of the stick.  Womp.

... to decide that you want to totally redesign your blog while making minor changes.  And then spend all night on it and still not finish.

... to clean your house 90% and then quit.

... to retweet compliments on Twitter.  That's what they're for, right?

Thanks for reading!  Tomorrow is Friday, woooo hooooooo!  If you're stopping by from the link-up, say hi!  And even if you're not, you should say hi too!

what a week.

I won't be sad to wave a cheerful g'bye to this week, my friends.  Too much to do and too little time.  Also, somehow it seemed like all the things about being a grown-up that I have been blissfully avoiding decided to hit the fan of life.  Student loans, insurance companies, switching doctors... let me just say that being a grown-up sucks.  Today alone featured an unexpected half day of work (resulting in a ten minute lunch break where I inhaled some leftover pizza), failed trips to the DMV and the pharmacy, and horrendous cold and rainy weather.   That last one just made everything worse.

Source: Uploaded by user via Kate on Pinterest

Tomorrow is Brian's final final (hooray!)  On Tuesday we head north for an undetermined length of time to spend the holidays with our families and friends.  I've been trying to wrap everything up before we leave, because I don't take my files with me.  We'll see.  On Monday Brian and I are planning on having "mini Christmas," which hopefully doesn't wind up being way lamer than we initially intended.  I'll keep you posted.

What's lifting your spirits this week, friends?  I came back from Thanksgiving break so excited for the holidays but I feel like this last week or so has kind of crushed my Christmas spirit.  What's putting you in the mood for a festive weekend?

it's just another... well, you know the rest.

Whew!  I totally had to hit the ground running today.  I have a million and one things to do, little and big, and I'm trying to keep everything straight and make sure nothing slips through the cracks.



I subbed for a computer lab teacher today, which is lots of fun until the internet doesn't work.  Whomp.  It's hard to explain to second graders why the games aren't working.

Today got off to kind of a rough start.  Brian and I swapped cars this weekend, and as I walked out the door I realized that I didn't have my keys.  Turns out he just left them on the kitchen table (under a pile of stuff) but I called the school to tell them I was going to be late and then had 5 minutes of panic where I sent Brian alarming emails and contemplated walking to law school to steal his car.

I'll end this randomness now, but there's a question that I would like to throw out the blogosphere...

MY GOOGLE READER IS SICK.  A few weeks ago "Blogs I'm Following" tab just stopped adding new blogs to the tab.  Here is the weird part: every so often it will all of a sudden recognize the blogs I added after that certain point, and I'll have this influx of unread posts.  Then I'll go back to look at them, and they will have mysteriously disappeared.  I didn't notice at first, but now it is so many blogs that I can't not notice.

This upsets me because I have found so many cool blogs lately (AND that's not even all of them because I don't have a LIST! )  And I don't want to comment on posts 5 days later, I want to comment on them when they happen.

Do you know what is up with this???  I've searched.  I've checked many times.  If you know what to do, please help!

sunny saturday

This morning was the first morning in a long time that the sun streamed in our living room/ kitchen area.  It's probably because I leave for work too early for the sun to do that (I cannot wait for daylight savings this year!) but I think we've also had an obnoxious stream of cloudiness.  I love the sun.

I was supposed to drive home this morning to go to a concert late tonight with my dad and my brother, but I am a complete mess.  After feeling sick on Wednesday, I felt fine on Thursday and I think I just totally over didit by going to work on Thursday and Friday.  Yesterday I came home and passed out for two hours!  I didn't even feel like being on the computer yesterday afternoon, which really means something was wrong with me.

Brian has been so nice, he went to the store and bought be all these sick supplies, picked up pizza for us (which was my heart's desire!), and made me brownies while we watched Star Wars.  I was hoping to wake up feeling better, but no such luck.  I'm sad to not to get to see my family, but it will be nice to have a relaxing weekend since I've been away the last two.

I'll be lounging around, on the computer, maybe playing in my sketchbook, maybe finishing Harry Potter.  What are you up to this weekend?

P.S. I've already taken pictures of the rainy view from our balcony.

Halloween is coming!

As I spent the day watching children draw Halloween pictures and babble on about their costumes, I realized something.  Brian and I do not have Halloween costumes!  It seems like just yesterday that I was thinking about how we had all of October to figure it out, and now we have only 11 days.  When Brian and I talk about it, he always wants to be some video came character or Fry and Leela from Futurama, and I always want to be Disney characters or something cute.  Do you have any ideas?

It was FREEZING when I stepped out the door this morning, and it wasn't much better when I left work for the day.  Below you can see my tootsies wrapped warmly in my Restoration Hardware slippers (or "foot duvets," if you will) which I swear by.

{they come up really high, which is part of their magic.  I don't have cankles, promise!}

Thanks for all the well wishes yesterday, I'm feeling much better!  I'm excited to relax tonight and watch NBC Thursday with Brian (and maybe make the rest of those cookies from yesterday?)  Have a wonderful evening!

lost

Does it drive you nuts when you lose something?  How could it not?  I know from personal experience that some people go crazier than others, and I am on the more crazy side.  I get it from my dad, although I don't think I"m as bad as he is.  He just can't let it go until the missing object is located.  He's so successful that I realized several years ago that if I mention that something I'm looking for is lost, and that it is driving me crazy, he will eventually get on the hunt and find it.

This happened a few years ago with my iPod.  I was at college and I had just had it at home, and I couldn't run without it.  This also appealed to him as a runner, and he scoured our house until he found my iPod.  In between the pages of one of my scrapbooks.  Amongst a pile of my crap in our laundry room.  How did he find it there?

Source: etsy.com via Kate on Pinterest {funny for the topic, no?}

Well, this time the missing object is a pair of pants.  It is a pair of $30 Cherokee khaki pants that I bought at Target when I worked at Bath and Body Works in high school.  Back then they were my Work Pants.  Over the years they have morphed into Sub Pants.  They are very teacher-y and for a long time they were the only thing I ever wore as a substitute teacher.  I would swap the top and wear the pants every day to work.  I was happy because I didn't have to put too much thought into my wardrobe.

Ever since starting my subbing gig in Lexington, the pants have been missing.  Which has been fine, because the weather has been fair and my wardrobe is surprisingly adaptable to teacher clothes.  I have a ton of cardigans and cotton dresses that work just fine.

But I'm running out of options and combinations.  I've worn my riding boots one too many times when it has rained.  I need the pants.

So Dad, if you're reading, please scour the home front for me.  Believe me, I will be searching high and low for them in Lexington.

exhausted

I have worked every day this week except for Tuesday.  I know, cry me a river, but two of those days I was roused from my deep sleep before 6:30 AM and asked to come in.  I feel totally run ragged.  I really like subbing, but it's hard work.  You have to be on your toes all day.  My toes are tired.  Even though I get home at 3:00, if I didn't get enough sleep the night before I'm typically pretty useless the rest of the day.

Example: Wednesday afternoon Brian wants to go exploring on a new trail that he discovered online.  The weather is gorgeous so I'm happy to go, although I whine about having to go anywhere new (I know- I don't know how he puts up with me!)  We walk around, I complain that I think our car is going to fall down the mountain, and that there is too much construction and not enough pretty on the trail.  We have fun though, despite my whining.  The trail is a steep gravel road and after a while we turn around and come back down.  Close the bottom I take a tumble.  Humpty-Dumpty style.  It was not cute, and neither were my skinned hands and knees.  See what I mean?

Source: etsy.com via Kate on Pinterest

Today Brian and I are racing out the door as soon as I get home from school to go visit our families.  I am so excited!  I am in desperate need of some R&R and home is just the place to be!  I'm looking forward to a weekend full of catching up, a baby shower, and belated birthday dinners.

Happy Friday!

mail time

I'm pretty pathetic when it comes to the mail.  I check it and check it and check it until it comes.  Some days it never seems to, because our mailbox remains woefully empty all day.  I just wish that we would get at least one piece of measly mail a day to put me out of my misery.

Source: weheartit.com via Kate on Pinterest

Do you do anything childish like anxiously waiting for the mail?

P.S. Thanks for the love yesterday.  Job hunting yesterday was meh.  I had one good encounter, a few blah ones, and one that was my worst of all time.  It was no one's fault but my own.  I got caught off guard, stuttered and left.  Ouch.  It was a major fail.

P.P.S.  Pleeeeaaase tell me at least one of you has Blue Clues stuck in your head.  It's all I wanted.  If you ask nicely, I will sing you the song myself.  I know all the words.

wrist candy

I can't believe it's already Friday! It's been such a gray and yucky week, I'm hoping for some clear skies on the horizon!  Fall better deliver some nice weather.

I was a little busier this week because subbed four of the five days.  Today I was an elementary school PE teacher which was lots of fun.  Those little guys are so cute.

I've been looking at watches the last couple of days because I really need one when I sub.  It's just awkward to carry my phone around, I feel like I'm breaking the rules.  Plus half of the time I pull it out and it's turned off!  Today my phone must have fallen out of my pocket five times while I was playing kickball with the fifth graders.  They were judging me.

I'm thinking this pretty little guy.

Source: amazon.com via Kate on Pinterest

For $10.50, you can't go wrong!  All the little elementary schoolers are gonna be jealous.

Have a wonderful weekend!

moving on

Saturday was long and hot. I spent 8 hours on the pool deck in my bathing suit trying to scrounge up every bit of shade I could manage. I watched swimmers swim and cheered as I usually do... but it didn't feel like my last meet. It felt unbearably hot.

Then the team party was that night. I came all showered and dressed and ready to get the show on the road. I chatted and mingled and ate pot luck dinner with my parents.

Then the slideshow started, and some crucial people started to get teary.

Crap. How the heck am I going to get through this?

At the end of the slideshow was a slide thanking me and my co-coach, as both of us are leaving. This little girl who has only been on the team for one season, turns to me ever so sincerely and says, "Coach Kate, I'm going to miss you."

I almost lost it then. But I didn't. I saved it for later.

The awards went great, and overall, I have to say it was my favorite team party ever. I got more hugs than you wouldn't believe. So many of my swimmers who I have watched grow up came and gave me hugs and thanks. It was such a nice way to end my run as a swim coach.

I hugged everyone and I walked out of that club house feeling good. Sad, but good.

{Pinterest}

It's time to move on. And that's okay.