Ya got it? I want it!

I  need quite a few random things for the art studio, so I'm enlisting your help!  Some of what I'm seeking to start off is recyclable stuff, meaning you probably use it and pitch it in the bin each month, so you might as well wash it and give it to me for a new life! Some of it is a request for things you might have lying around unused, or you are going to replace soon. I'll be updating this list daily as I fulfill needs or have more, so comment if you have something to donate, or send me a message either on facebook or to info @ artfulmayhemstudio DOT (com).  Most of these items new are only $1-30 bucks each, which is pretty minimal, UNLESS you consider that you have to buy all of them at once, before you even open your doors.  That's why I'm happy to accept your hand-me-downs!


'Junk' NEEDS:
-glass jars, any size from baby food up to the giant pickle jars  (need a LOT of these, approx. 100), washed with labels removed, keep the lid if you have it!  No plastic (peanut-butter-type) jars.
-empty tin cans; ones where they have been opened with a SAFE can opener (no sharp edges).  Sizes: from tomato paste to regular 'Campbell's soup' size to the giant ones. (need: approx 30 of these).

image courtesy of :www.younghouselove.com/2009/02/waste-not-want-not/

-Wood scraps: (2x4's, 4x6's, pieces of plywood, mdf, etc.)   Thanks Dana!
-altoid tins
-child-friendly magazines for collage.  No fashion mags with risque photos, or violent images, please.
-metal tins (like those Christmas cookies or popcorn ones!).  any design.
-those plastic cups they give your kids at Chili's, etc. with cartoon characters on them!

Misc. Household item & furniture needs: 
(these can be in 'used' condition, for sure!)
Coffeepot  got it! thanks Cindy!

Small Microwave
Mini Fridge got it!  Thanks Eric!
Dishtowels/dish rags (any color, worn out is fine) thank you, Rachel!

misc. flatware!  I don't care if they match, I want 4 each of forks, spoons, and knives. bought them
Indoor small broom
dustpan
outdoor 'park' bench
washable rug for bathroom
soap dish
wall pencil sharpener
electric pencil sharpener
bookshelves  (got a few! Thanks Joycelyn! could use a few more)
table lamp or freestanding floor lamp (got one, need one more!) Thanks Dana and Venicia

storage bins (most sizes, ask if you have something!)
outdoor trash can
any books about art, or drawing, or crafting, or art history, any level
children's picture books, any condition (for kids in the 'waiting' area)
kitchen faucet (one for 3 or 4 holed sink) purchased

We can always use random art supplies you might have an excess of:
erasers
pens
pencils
labels
scissors (kids or adult)
paper (printer paper, watercolor, misc. scrapbooking or manilla or construction)
post-it notes
glue sticks
tape (scotch or painters)
chalk!
elmer's school glue
wooden clothespins
Sharpies!  any color
colored pencils (any type)
file folders


Friendly helpful items you could buy new to bless us:
anything on the lists above!
AA Batteries (rechargeable if possible)
giftcard for Target, IKEA, World Market, Home Depot, Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Ross, etc!
case of toilet paper
case of paper towels
kleenex tissues
babywipes
antibacterial hand gel
Command hooks
watercooler (like the ozarka 2-3 gallon ones)
tubes of acrylic paint
lightbulbs (energy efficient, please)

The past 48 hours...

My brain is on hyper-drive, and my heart is close behind it.  The past 48 hours have been a whirlwind; first I found what seemed to be the 'perfect' space to finally launch my public art studio, then did a ton of business research to see what it would take to open it, maintain it, etc. etc..... Finally at 1:45 yesterday, I felt enough peace and confidence that this was the right decision, and officially called the landlord and committed to the space!  A leap of faith!

Here's a mini snapshot of the building, a cute old house, converted to a business, RIGHT on 377 in Old Town Keller!  SO fun!  Sorry the image isn't great, it's a google snapshot.  I will get a better one updated soon.

Meanwhile, at that moment my hubby was in the waiting room inside at the Doctor, for what looked to be a stomach virus, and was told to go to the ER for possible appendicitis! 6 hours (and a cat scan, IV, meds, and oxygen) later, he was home, diagnosed with both a virus, and an intense stomach issue that we can treat with rest and meds at home. 

I'm sure the timing of it all isn't by chance, if I hadn't made the decision early yesterday to move forward, I worry my faith would have been shaken too much to commit.  All in all, it's confirmation that we do need to move forward, regardless of any fear or temporary circumstance.  The only thing to lose is money, and time. I think we can all agree that the first of those is really insignificant when you think of the more important aspects of life. 

I'm meeting with the landlord today to settle on terms and sign the lease.  If all goes well, I'll be opening a public art studio which will be used for creative classes (ages 3-adult), as well as occasional gallery night events, showcasing the work of talented local artists.  The plans are enormous, the to-do list is overwhelming.  I'm going to need help along the way too, but I'm confident that all will fall into place.

Thank you to each of you for your support, encouragement, and challenging questions these past few days  (on Facebook) as I contemplated this life-changing decision and wrestled with last night's hospital visit.  I take all of your interactions to heart.  You are the best!

To keep up with what is going to happen with the studio, and get first dibs on classes, find out when you can donate your misc. unused household recyclables, items, or furniture, or refer others to register, add my NEW Facebook page for the business: Artful Mayhem Studio!!!!  I will send out word through those in the coming weeks as I get to the next steps.  Grand opening, February 4th, 2012!
*Update!* check HERE for the list of donations (your used random stuff) I'm needing!

With Zeal,
Sarah

Blogging for no good reason...

So, I kind of ditched my blog a few months ago when things got busy with art shows.  I think it has just been much more rewarding (socially) to post on my Facebook, where I get quick feedback, then here where I just hear crickets....

I've resisted blogging for a few years now, honestly, I didn't really see the point of it when people have to track you down to see what you are doing.... and on Facebook (which I am obviously a big fan of) your posts just happen in among those of their friends and family.  A big part of it, too, was that I hate (well, strongly dislike)  updating my website, and this blogging thing sort of felt like the same thing.

I'm learning now, that it isn't, of course.  With the discovery of some killer blogs like Sarah of Thrifty Design Chick) , Lisa from Lil Blue Boo, and Casey from Casey Leigh (The Wiegands) I see the value in following someone that you feel a connection to, or share similar design tastes, parenting styles, sense of humor, etc.  Of course, I have some friends and family that blog too, so instead of just tracking their lives and posts, I might as well chase them down via blog as well.

Now, after a blog hiatus due to my crazy busy schedule of holiday art shows, and then 2 weeks of actual holiday madness, I now have a bit of a break before things fire up again in February for my business.  I'm planning out not only that time, but also the year... what's next with my personal relationships?  my art?  my time?  my fitness?  Time to decide, to kick it in gear.

I haven't decided if I'll blog or not, and I'm not ready to decide.  It's funny, I actually 'think' in blog posts.  I work on a project, or a recipe, and actually 'write it out' in my head.  Thing is, it doesn't make it here.  Maybe I just haven't felt the value of blogging yet?  How many people out there just type and type, hoping to influence others, and it just floats out into cyberspace, with no effect?  I see that a lot.  And I don't want that to be me.

I'm not sure if I thought starting this blog would be to help me, or to record my thoughts for posterity, or to help encourage others, or to build my business.  It was probably a slice of each of those, all thrown together.  One thing I do know, is that September, 4 months ago, launched a new season for me.  I made changes to my habits, my friendships, my time, my goals, and, most importantly, my health.  I just decided to live more as myself.  I took control of my eating habits and diet.  I started exercising.  I produced new, personal, emotional work for my first solo art exhibition.  I dyed a big chunk of my hair bright red.  I did a 6 week, intensive detox diet (and didn't cheat).  By the end of the year, as I turned 35, I feel like I launched myself both forward and backward, claiming parts of me that have sat long dormant, and defining parts of me that haven't had the chance to flourish before.  I feel so much more 'ME' than I have in 10+ years.  It's good, really good.

I think, as I type this, I want to clarify that I want this blog not to be so much of a commitment, or even a goal, but here when I need it to be.  I don't want to have something else to keep up with, or to work for.  I don't want to work to have my words be politically or grammatically correct (which, I'm sure will horrify both my cousin Joel, and friend Dana, among others).  I just want it to be reflective, more like a journal would be.  There's no auto correct, or edit/copy/delete/paste function in an old school lined paper diary.  That's how I want to roll here. From the heart.

I guess I just plan to show up when I want to, haphazardly, sometimes with a specific sentiment or project to share, sometimes just to share.  Either way, I hope to catch you along the ride.

Drink it...don't look at it...

This was surprisingly tasty, and super good for me!

4 frozen strawberries, 2 handfuls fresh spinach, 10 drops stevia, 6 ice cubes, and a cup of water. Blend it up and drink it down!

Due to the odd color, we have dubbed it the 'S.S. (strawberry spinach) swamp.

Hey, if it gets me into my size 8's, I'm in!

Cooking Lean - quick recipes under 300 calories

Ground Beef & Tomato spicy chili....
This one is first, it's my fave! Simply saute 1 lb. lean ground beef in a saucepan, until no longer pink, adding in a bit of S&P, granulated garlic and onion. Set aside to drain. Meanwhile, add 1/2 chopped onion to the pan, and saute about 8 minutes, until translucent. If you don't want to add oil, use a bit of beef broth to keep it moist. I like the Pacific organic brand. when it's mostly done cooking, add 1T. minced onion, 1t. of cumin, paprika, and chili powder. Let those spices 'toast' a bit, then add 4 chopped fresh roma tomatoes. When they are tender, add back in the ground beef, and 1c. crushed canned tomatoes. Stir every few minutes, adding more beef broth as needed for the right consistency, simmer 5-20 minutes, season to taste.
Makes 4 servings, 224 calories each.
(Add grated cheese and eat with tortillas if desired!)

Lemon grilled Chicken
& Strawberry Salad
Season 6 oz. chicken breast with lemon juice, a pinch of granulated garlic, S&P. Let it marinate, then grill! Let chill before slicing then, and drizzle on more lemon juice, salt and pepper. Fix your fave salad greens, sprinkle both with fresh lemon juice as well, then top with fresh sliced strawberries.
Approx. 200 calories (5oz chicken and 6 big strawberries)
Approx 176 calories

Spicy lettuce-wrapped tacos
Saute 1 lb. 93% lean ground beef, drain. Add back to pan with minced garlic, 4T. tomato paste (mixed with 4T. warm beef broth to mix well). Add cumin, red pepper, a bit of oregano to season, add in a bit of salsa and/or crushed red pepper for more flavor! Serve on romaine leaf lettuce with fresh, sugar free salsa and a bit of cilantro.
4 servings, Approx 188 calories each.
(Add sliced avocado, grated cheese, hot sauce (or tortillas) if desired.)

quick canned chicken spinach salad
with fat-free dressing
Whip this one up in minutes when you don't have time to cook! Rely on all white-meat canned chicken breast in your pantry. This version is simply seasoned with a fresh vinegarette:
1 cup white wine vinegar, shaken with 1T. lemon juice and 1T. water, add S&P, granulated garlic, a bit of stevia, dried basil and parsley.
Approx 180 calories as served
(Add fresh parmesan and croutons if desired.)

Shrimp Cocktail!
Start with fresh shrimp, steam to cook! (Or, use pre-cooked shrimp) Sprinkle with a bit of S&P and lemon juice, serve chilled with sugar-free cocktail sauce and some yummy fresh fruit and veggies. Easy!
Approx 180 calories as served.

Fire-grilled spicy fajita-style-chicken salad
Season chicken breast with red pepper, garlic, cumin, S&P, let it marinade a bit. Grill with a fat slice of onion and a whole pepper, then slice thinly, and serve with fresh sliced veggies over lettuce, and sugar-free salsa. Sprinkle on fresh lime juice and S&P.
Less than 200 calories as shown.
(Add crushed tortilla chips, grated cheese, sliced avocado and a bit of sour cream if desired.)

stir-fried cajun shrimp and salad
Saute 2T. minced fresh onion in pan, adding water as needed to keep it from scorching. S&P, add 6oz. shrimp, season with Cajun seasoning, cook until pink. Serve over salad, topped with Cajun seasoning as well. Approx 160 calories as shown.
(Add salad dressing/toppings as desired!)

spicy faux lime 'ceviche' with fresh basil
I used pre-cooked frozen shrimp defrosted (instead of cooking it in the citrus juice) for this, just to be on the safe side. Add fresh lime juice to 6oz. shrimp, then add one chopped roma tomato and 1/4c. diced red tomato. Season with S&P, red pepper flakes, julieenned fresh basil, and minced garlic.
Approx. 170 calories as shown.

 

 Mesquite-Grilled Chicken, oven-roasted asparagus, and couscous

Season chicken breast with minced garlic, S&P and mesquite liquid smoke. While marinating, saute fresh onion and garlic in a small pot, add just enough oil to coat.  When cooked, add 2c. water (or chicken stock), S&P, along with basil and parsley.  Bring to boil, then remove from heat and add 1c. plain couscous, along with 1T. butter.  Cover, let stand 5 minutes, fluff. Roast asparagus in the oven (on bakeware pan or foil).  Grill the chicken.  

Approx. 300 calories as shown (chicken and asparagus=195 cal.)

(add butter to asparagus or EVOO when cooking if desired, toast pine nuts to top couscous for an added nutty bonus).

Each quick recipe is for 1-4 servings as stated, prepared using fresh ingredients and spices with little-to-no oils, preservatives or sugars. Calorie count for each meal is less than 300; which is a GREAT balanced lunch. I'm a girl with a big appetite (got that one from my Dad), and each of these is satisfying for me.  The best part I have found from eating lean is NO digestive issues. Let me know if have any questions about any of these recipes, I'll be happy to answer you!

waiting...waiting...waiting...

Yesterday turned out to be rough. I had realllly counted on getting into a local show next month, and, because of that, left the weekend before and after open so I wouldn't get overwhelmed. Their application system is weird, normally these events open it up 4-6 months in advance, and let you know at least 3 months in advance, sometimes longer! This one is different, applications are opened 6 weeks before, and you find out if you got in one month before. It's really tight, and kind of strange.

Anyhow.... I'd heard good things about it, so I applied. And yesterday when the decisions were going to be posted, I hit 'refresh' on my computer at LEAST every 30 minutes, all day.

And I found out last night, I didn't make the cut. Rejection is ROUGH. Granted, most of the time I do get to participate in the events I hope to, and I guess this is only the 5th 'no' I've heard in 2 years, which isn't bad considering there are more than 40 events I DID get to do. But it still stings, ya know?

I've made SO much progress lately with my health/fitness/weight loss plan, and last night hit me hard at how my emotions get tied in with food. I seriously wanted to EAT. Bad Stuff. The Key Lime ice cream in the freezer was calling my name, and the Salt and Pepper Kettle chips in the pantry were shouting 'do it! do it!' While I knew that indulging would make me feel better temporarily, I decided I was MUCH more interested in my long-term goal, and wanted to feel good about my weigh-in this morning.

I just went to bed a bit early instead, and slept off the funk.

8:15am is now my favorite time of the day.

Kids are at school, house is quiet, tea kettle on the stove, and I get to weigh in. Almost EVERY day I see losses, some smaller, some larger. That, my friends, is what is keeping me going with this. I'm proud of myself, I haven't been this disciplined in 2 years! And then, I had yummy-tasting 'cheats' (chocolate protein shake and fruit bars!) to make it easier, plus loads of vitamins and supplements that had me amped full of energy all day! This time, it's allll me.

Discipline, Self-Control, Hard Work, Motivation, all of it.

Back to my cup of tea...and a bit of time online, then I think I'll start some muscle training with the WiiFit. Can't hurt.

Wow, what a month!

Wellll, it has been an intense month, for sure.  I took up exercising (surprise surprise!) so I took a break from the new baby blog.  A LOT has happened (so much busyness that it has been hard to get back to write about it!), so I'll give you the quick snippets from it all.

2 good friends who attended my Changes of Heart show at Avoca

1) I had 6 art events in 5 weeks.
-9/17: Solo show at Avoca with 23 themed pieces; I've sold 7 of them, but, more importantly, got some amazing encouragement and feedback from others who connected with the work.
-9/24: The Dallas Flea.  My first time at this quarterly event, and I am a big fan.  It was warm in there, but I met some great vendors and sold lots of art.  Hopefully I'll participate with it in the future.
-9/29-30- Indie Emporium, Tulsa.  This 3-day trip was cool, I loved seeing the differences in the scenery, and the city was great.  There is a great appreciation for handmade as well.  The show was unique and fresh, and I met lots of great people.
-10/8 - Arts Goggle: This is normally one of my best events, but the crazy rain that came down at 7pm scared everyone away (when it usually just started to fire up at that point!), which was disappointing.  The crew at Avoca was great though.
-10/15- Cowtown Indie Bazaar - My 3rd time with this show, and it was disappointing.  The vendor selection was top notch, the event well organized, but there just wasn't the traffic I needed.  Etsy Fort Worth did a great job on everything though.
-10/15- Artists Against Aids Charity Auction.  I donated one piece to this cause, and was delighted when it sold that night!  The event wasn't very well attended, unfortunately, so only 1 in 8 or so of the pieces sold in the initial silent auction.  The couple who purchased it are local FW collectors, and we really hit it off talking about upcycled materials, Oregon, and living in this very conservative area.

green blocks set up at Arts Goggle

2) I've been kicking butt (my own) this month with my health/lifestyle change.  Exercising, making smart eating/cooking/eating out changes, and paying attention to my cravings is really paying off.  I didn't have a reliable scale, to take initial weight or measurements, but I estimate I've lost close to 15 lbs since the end of August.
I treated myself to 9 new pairs of pants/shorts today.  Well, not 'new' per se, but new to me, they've all been collecting dust in my closet for 6-10 months.  Woot!  I'm now back into the 'goal' jeans that I got into 2 years ago, and haven't worn for almost a year.
Right now I'm one week in to my month-long metabolism 'cleanse', of being dedicated to avoiding all sugar, chemicals, bad fats, oils, and white refined stuff.  It is going great and I am feeling great!  I'm posting 'eye candy' pics of some of my meals/recipes on my personal FB page, but intend to transfer some of them over here soon in a few blog posts.

new kicks for running!

I took up running again (for the first time in 11 years) and am now enjoying it.  My goal was minimum 3 days, 20 minutes (or 1 mile) per week.  I've gotten my mile from 16 minutes down to less than 12. Booyah!  The cooler weather is definitely making it easier, now I see why people prefer to run indoors on a treadmill in the air conditioning!  lol!

3) My kids are smartypants.  We had their p/t conferences last week, and both of them scored off the charts (could be one or more grades higher).  Me is the proud.  It took my son a good 3 weeks to settle in to Kindergarten, but his teacher says he is doing great.

4) I've officially weaned myself off of (the amazing, but expensive) vitamin/energy drink I have had for 2 years.  It's a great product, but I'm much more a fan of being able to tackle my day without it, and more-than-delighted to save $15 per month by switching to green tea.

5) The weather here in Texas is working it's way into a lovely fall; we are definitely enjoying the cool evenings and easygoing days.  Time to get the kids winter PJs and sweaters out of the top of the closet.

I promise I won't let so many days go by again without checking in; I guess I was maybe initially disappointed that I had so few followers here (since I have close to 2,000 online connections if you total up my social networks), but I think it's not really about the masses, but more about the ones who actually care, right?  Let me know if you agree!