thoughts on routine, structure, organization

(my  new pink organizer. cute, no?)

those of you that have followed this blog on a regular basis (and my family + friends) have heard me grumble, almost on a constant basis for over a year, that i can't seem to get ahead of myself - that my life seems to have taken on a fast paced momentum that simply has me along for the ride. there's a whole lot of fun, stress, joy, overwhelm, and very little control. i've learned that if i can lean into the momentum and go with it, i'm all good. but the minute i try to control, stop the presses, calculate, anticipate, or expect, then it all goes out the window and i'm left feeling exhausted, a bit anxious, and wondering why can't i get this thing down? what can i change? how can i get more joy from this crazy non-structured life?  

as much as i love my life, as much as i wouldn't change a thing, as much as i am thankful for all of it, i still have this very urgent sense that i need to somehow find a successful way to insert structure into my everyday life. it's the missing anchor, and its absence is the thing that gives me anxiety on a daily basis (that feeling of floating out there, being pulled in a million directions, without any real box or dependable routine to support the craziness). over the last year or so as i've struggled on this point, i've tried creating daily schedules, weekly schedules, list making, task schedules, and on an on - all with various degrees of structure and success. nothing ever really stuck. 

then, a few weeks ago, after several more conversations with my friends (who i know must be so tired of my whining, stumbling, and endless chatter about the subject) and one very tearful breaking point, i decided to take a leap of faith and hire someone to help with my growing business - not just help with orders, emails, admin stuff, but someone who could help me get super organized and efficient with my time. i know it's no big deal, really. that every small business reaches this point where it makes sense (especially if there is shipping/fulfilment of orders in the mix). but this simple move of hiring someone has shifted my whole life. i feel more awake. more possible.  less stressed. less overwhelmed. my workload hasn't changed, but i feel like help is on the way every week and that it's worth every single penny. the woman i hired is also a master at time management/life organization and she's deeply inspired me (and is holding me accountable) to finally get this howcanigetmoreroutineinmylife thing figured out. for me, routine + daily structure + schedule = i know what to expect = less anxiety = more present = more joy. so, peeps, i'm fully committed. and i'll keep you updated.

i KNOW i'm not the only person working from home who struggles with schedules and creating structure (esp with the internet/emails/and social networking sites distracting us), so i thought i would share what i've been doing lately to get my life organized/structured/simplified/efficient. here we go:

* i've created a super realistic daily schedule, one that has me rejoicing in it's sense of balance. on the days that i commit to the schedule 100%, then i'm super productive during work hours (about 10 hrs/day) and i'm balanced with self-care and play during non-work hours. work hours are broken down to specific times for painting, internet, to-do lists, running errands and so on. i'm learning that the more specific i am on this front, the better (for me). and i'm reclaiming my weekends for non-work (unless it's painting - that doesn't feel like work :)

* i bought a brand new (larger, more detailed) daily organizer. i kid  you not, i spent a total of about 3 hours in the organizer sections at office depot, office max, and target - looking and obsessing over finding just the right system. in the end, i bought an adorably pink franklin covey organizer at target. and this insert system for daily planning from franklin covey as well. i'm like a kid at the park with this thing. all the list making and daily scheduling - totally keeping me on track with today's plans and the future's. 

* i set up a new + separate email account for all orders that someone else is managing. huge help. 

* i also bought an accordion file - a place to slip all my receipts, travel docs, contracts, etc, into instead of throwing them all on top of a box. 

* i streamlined my banking so that all of my accounts (personal + biz) are with the same bank. this is huge for online management.

* i've completely reorganized the studio so that shipping and fulfillment of orders is much more efficient/easy for my lovely new helper (we've also started an entirely new system of organizing this part of the biz). i've also bought shelving for the studio closet for organization of future product (coming soon!). 

*what else? oh yes, i've made a list of must do daily tasks, weekly tasks, and monthly tasks (related to personal and biz) and i've written them all out accordingly inside my trusty new organizer. 

i know that everyday can't be perfectly structured, that there will be other plans, and hiccups in the mix, but i'm feeling hopeful that this recent inspiration to hire someone and to overhaul my life with organized daily routine may be the trick to help release some of the anxiety that creeps in for me (more and more lately) while at the same time creating more space for me to paint and do other business growing tasks that i enjoy. i'm also hoping it will free up some heart spaces for more joy and presence for the other pieces of my life (friends + family) that deeply matter.

so much to celebrate and giveaway winners

when you do, things like this will happen. jen lemen, i am so proud of you and the shutter sisters for winning this. i can't think of a more deserving, competent, warrior of possibility to travel the world and capture hope. i am in awe. and so damn proud (and so happy to scream in your ear in celebration this morning!)

also, i wanted to thank you all so much for the support - truly, truly. the sale was a success yesterday, leaving me a bit stunned that it was all gone in 8 minutes. the truth is is that i get terribly nervous about these sales and when it all goes well, i find myself feeling incredibly blessed,  and believing more than ever in the power of art, words, and of course, possibility. the originals are gone, but lots of  new prints were added to the shop. thank you!!!! more originals on a more regular basis (i promise) coming soon :)

one more thing before i go: brene brown is hosting a giveaway today of a limited ed print i made for her wholehearted campaign. there are just 25 in the edition, and we're giving away five of them (signed, numbered, and matted) on her blog today! so honored to be a part of this! 

and finally, the winners from monday's giveaway are (please get in touch with me so i can get your goodies out to you): 

*mayberry magpie will win the beautiful necklace

*sperlygirl will win the dream big print

*juliette will win the hand care set

i LOVED all the phrases you guys left (thank you so much). it was such a spirit lifter to go and read them all...wow! 

(it reads "she always knew she was strong.")

i'm feeling a bit sassy and experimental and this is how it played out - in a painting that feels like a major departure for me, but i also really love it. i've long been a fan of faber castell pitt pens, but i've never tried doing an entire face with them, so i decided to give it a try with their fat skin tone pens/markers, and i'm so loving them! super easy to blend, both on the gesso board and the clay board. speaking of clayboard, i've never painted on it before and i'm loving that stuff, too. super smooth - the paint (and pens) go on it like butter. what else? the hair. i really loved the lines drawn in the piece that mati and i did together and wanted to pull that in a bit on this one, but still with the cute up-do that i love so much. also, still loving claudine's paints and colors. i've barely used my stash of golden paint since discovering her line. and i'm trying to incorporate a bit more handwriting these days, too. oh yes, and it was fun to play with painting flat, but i'll admit it took most of my might not to slap on a bit of collage or whip out the brayer or messy it up a bit with texture. but still, i love it. i really do. 

i'm keeping this one for myself (to go on the wall), but i'll have a couple similar ones for tomorrow's online sale (thursday, 10am PST. 19 original paintings. in my etsy shop. a sale.).

sponsor giveaways (3 winners!) and more (i need your help)

(i'm giving away this new print today...details below)

oh my. bear with me....lots going on around here. if you were to peek in on me this last week or so, you'd find me:

* enjoying a quick (but so relaxing) getaway to a snowy cottage

* celebrating 10 incredible years with john (still feeling like the luckiest girl on the planet, just as i did when we met)

* writing articles for upcoming somerset studio publications (yay!)

* making, formatting, and sending off images for upcoming new products with demdaco

* painting originals for the online sale on thursday (10am, PST) - read my newsletter for all the details :)

* basking in the seattle sunshine in my new fave boden dress (!)

* listing new prints on etsy

* sending out newsletters 

* training a dear dear woman who i've hired to help get my creative biz organized and more efficient. she is a master at time management, too, and is helping me create a daily schedule that includes work, play, exercise.

* getting over the whodoithinkiam gremlins that come with hiring someone to help my creative biz grow :)

* getting ready for inspired

*anticipating new stationery goods from brush dance (more info soon). 

* talking on the phone while i paint (one of my favorite things to do)

* shopping for a much larger daytimer/organizer because my tiny one with all the post-it notes all over it will no longer suffice. i wish someone on etsy sold cute organizers. 

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i'm really excited about today's sponsor giveaways (perfect for mother's day treats!). here's what we've got:

one lucky commenter is going to get this stunning necklace made by artist becky caldwell of the gritty bird. live inspired. totally loving the colors and message of this gorgeous necklace.

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another lucky commenter will win this Acai & Mangostein Tropical Hand Care Set by Madeline Bea Soap Co. this adorably packaged set includes a bath bar (i have one and i LOVE the natural exfoliation that comes from the poppy seeds), hand scrub, and hand + body salve. it's no wonder their products sell like hotcakes - super high quality and such a treat to our bodies. ps - from now until the end of april, madeline bea soap co is offering 15% off to you guys! just enter "kelly rae" during the etsy checkout process and they'll refund your 15% thru paypal. 

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recap: we've got three winners today! one lucky commenter will receive one of my new dream big prints (will arrive matted and ready to frame!). another commenter will win the gorgeous live inspired necklace. and another commenter will win the hand care set.  thank you, gritty bird and madeline bea soap, for your generosity...we are so lucky!

okay, giveaway rules:

* to enter the giveaway, leave a comment in this post - but there's a twist. if you wouldn't mind, i'd love it if you would help me generate phrases/words for future affirmation paintings. so here's what i'm thinking: in four words or less, tell me what words you most need/want to hear right now. it can be anything from you are enough to imagine to don't give up . i'd love to get your ideas for future paintings!  

* just one comment per person, please.

* i'll announce the winner in just a couple of days.

* go! 

*ps - please contact me if you are interested in becoming a sponsor! 

because most of what i've learned about honesty and tenderness and strength comes from not only telling my story, but by listening to the stories that swirl around out there in the world, looking for a safe place to land. we all have a story, one that not only matters, but inspires hope and change and goodness in all the lives that filter through our present and our past. but we have to tell/live/breathe/expand our stories. it's the only way we can make the shifts in our lives that are needed. and it's the only way we can inspire. 

your story matters.

tell

it.

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ps - i've listed several new prints in my etsy shop (including the one above).

pps - giveaway coming up tomorrow!

Be Present Retreat - registration is open!

(me (photo by denise andrade), andrea, liz)

hey friends,

i am deep into paint and deadlines and writing. but i wanted to pop over and mention that registration opens for the Be Present Retreat today. join me, andrea, and liz for a weekend you won't want to miss on the oregon coast in october (so soon!). i'll be teaching a full day painting class (no experience necessary!). andrea and liz are also each teaching full day classes. think breathtakingly beautiful oregon coast. think gorgeous lodging. yummy food. think nurturing, small retreat with about 20 other souls who want to grow, create, be silly, and unearth some of the best parts of themselves.

you don't want to miss it! spots are limited so be sure to sign up fast.  i so hope to see you there. the oregon coast has a very special place in my heart and i'm thrilled to be teaching at this retreat (all details can be found right here). it's going to be magic :)

xxo

more soon..

hold on

as in hold on to your hope.

your dreams.

your memories.

your faith.

your joy.

your love.

truth be told, i had a c.r.a.p.p.y. afternoon and something prompted me to stop and paint myself a little hope note. hold on, kelly rae, all is well. funny how it reminds me a bit of a mati rose inspired piece. maybe it's all the color, i dunno, but it's making me feel better. 

if you're needing a bit of encouragement, too, then head on over to my shop where i listed a couple of these (just for you :)

ps - this is what my studio looks like when i'm busy (!):

jennifer valentine is 40.

dear jennifer,

you are 40 years young today. so much to celebrate. so much life. thank you for being my older sister. for showing me the way. for never denying your creativity and for sharing it with the world, always. for being such an example of what it means to live with passion, and with heart. for singing me to sleep when i was a child, when the world around me seemed terribly big and scary. for all your womanhood/birds+bees talks with me when i was coming of age. for celebrating and supporting all the moments along the way. for all of your hilarity - you and mom share a laughter that is SO vivacious that i love to hear. for all the inside jokes, funny cards, hand written letters, poetry, and cherished creations. your spirit comes through in all that you do. and i'm just so damn proud to have you as my older sister. happy 40th, jennifer valentine. i'm so lucky to know you. to have you as my sister.

love,

kelly rae

tidbits

"so many blessings, so much love"  

i've added a couple more prints to the shop, including the one above and these latest pieces.

i'm in the studio today working on orders, articles, shipments, admin stuff,  but i wanted to point you to some inspiration:

*jen's video. so proud of her. so proud to call her a friend. 

*andrea's new bloom necklace. omg, i want it! 

*brene's seriously inspiring read along. i've been listening in today as i work. i have learned so much from brene about how i see the world, how i cope, and how i can embrace all of my imperfections with grace. and i LOVE that amazon has paired our books together. she has a language that i recognize, that feels familiar, but that challenges me in the best of ways. 

*megan's post about art + fashion. it made me remember the social work jobs i had from 1996-2006 when i wore the same banana republic pants to work everyday (in different colors) paired with a long sleeved cotton shirt from the gap (in different colors). i had no variety in my work outfits, no creativity. it was well before i discovered my quirky/artsy side, before my fashion changed, before i really knew who i was. just as in decorating, fashion, etc, etc, we express ourselves in all we do and it can be very very telling when we feel the creative whispers but our surroundings aren't quite matching up. megan just opened up her etsy shop and i'm thinking her little zipper pouches are a.d.o.r.a.b.l.e.

one more thing before i go. a silly story. yesterday, i was down at pike's place visiting with my friend liz elayne. on the way home, a total + complete stranger had to hop into the orange crush and help me get it up the steepest hill you can imagine. it was so terrifying, all the stalling out, and rolling backwards toward cars and people. and fumbling with the gears and emergency brake. that hill. omg. thank god for good samaritans who jump in cars and take care of business. it's a story i won't soon forget. a bit scary. terrifying. but silly and funny because all is well in the end. but i will NEVER take the dear old orange crush down by pike's place ever again. ever :)

thankful this week for:

(leaf heart found last week on the galer steps in seattle.)

*for all of your green couch love. it's true. following our bliss = being bold + fearless, even when it comes to silly things like choosing a couch color. thanks for reminding me.  i really do believe in the importance of showing up in our home spaces - filling our homes with treasures and furniture that best represent who we are today (not 10 years ago) so that we can recognize ourselves in our own homes, that our surroundings can evolve just as we do, that we can remember who we are in our own homes every single day. this stuff is so important. 

*speaking of couches, i'm feeling really thankful that my favorite design/decor blog featured peeks into our home today. holly, the dear dear woman behind decor8 who i have admired forever and who writes sweet emails that encourage and warm my heart, made me leap when she featured some of our photos on decor8 today (along with some questions + answers about house stuff). thank you, holly! 

*thankful for the last couple of days that have felt squarely like spring in seattle. doors open. windows open. bliss.

*thankful for the word proud.

*and for long conversations with my husband about what really matters, about how we can do better, about how we love well, about making plans to celebrate 10 years.

*thankful for old friends reaching out to reconnect

*for peanut butter + jelly sandwiches

*for tears that arrive when i listen to a friend tell me the story of belonging, of not belonging, of finding love, of losing love, of finding refuge in her work and friends and hope.

 *for friends that can relate to my laziness when it comes to computer habits and workout routine (it might be time for an intervention).

*for travel plans to sunny places. 

*for new stationery products coming soon (can't wait to show you guys!). and for all the creative business goodness coming down the pipe.

*and for a sweet youtube video about an elephant who finds and unlikely mate (thank you, jennifer, for the link).

the last home tour....a green couch + a colorful bedroom

we are finally, finally all moved in. unpacked. decorated. completely settled. our bedroom was the last to come together and i think it might be our favorite bedroom in our 10 years together. lots of light. color. and fun (hello, [fake] zebra rug!).

the painting above the bed is the one mati and i painted together. bedding was found in the clearance section over at macys.com and our globe lamp on the left was an ikea find (and so fun at nite). like the rest of our home, this room is a collection of new, vintage, art, funky, and color.

i found this vintage vanity at a garage sale years ago. i immediately took it home, painted it white, and have loved it's girlishness ever since (we all secretly want a vanity, right ladies?). it holds my porcelain hands that hold my treasures, an old beautifully aged jewelry box, and a couple other lovely tokens that make my heart warm.

this would be my side of the bed :). painting is by a portland painter whose name i can't remember (and who, i think, must have forgotten to sign the back of this particular painting). i loved the experience of finding this piece of art with john. we both saw it and loved it right away. an old wooden sewing machine case (with black doorknob feet) sits on top of a couple of vintage suitcases. and a quirky vintage shade is paired with a glass lamp - totally doesn't "go" but i love it anyway.

some of my fave necklaces....

the framed polaroid print is from friend hula's etsy shop (love all of her stuff). and the winged bottle was a creation of my mom's that i just can't live without.

and finally...last but not least:

call us crazy, but we bought a funky green couch. a leather one. omg. we've had this baby on order for weeks and weeks and it was so fun to have it delivered (finally) last week while my parents were here. i have no idea what's gotten into me, but i'm so incredibly thankful i have a partner in life who is adventurous, embraces the creative, and supports the buying of green couches. i can't help but smile wide whenever i sit on it. it's just so....risky. and quirky. and cute.

dearest blog peeps, please tell me i'm not crazy. that i will still love this couch (as much as i love it today) years and years from now. that being bold is following our bliss. that life is too short not to have a green couch. that it works. and if you don't mind, i'd love to hear about your craziest decorating judgements - the good ones. the bad ones. the funny ones. how do you express your creativity in your home? does it come thru loud and clear? is it subtle? are you feeling the heavy compromise with your partner who prefers neutrals over colors (or vice versa). are there ways you can sneak your undeniable creativity into your living spaces (because this is so important)?  i'd really love to know :)

scenes from the last week

the views from fort warden are always incredible. i love that artfest is held here. so many creative souls on such gorgeous land - it always makes for a meaningful trip. this year was the most chilled-out artfest i've ever attended. mom and i loved our time together taking classes or resting or reading or eating comfort food inside the cozy cabin we shared with two other friends. really quiet in all the best ways....

here we are in our nested visions class. our teachers, tracie lyn + marilyn huskamp, were amazing - totally vivacious and silly and patient and just very good teachers. 

here's my craft goodness from the day. i love the simplicity of this piece. we made the nests from horse hair and other scraps from nature and then created an arrangement to our liking with vintage book covers and other collage elements. it'll go inside a white shadow box, arranged with my mom's pieces from the day:

totally loving my mom's creative touches, and how quickly she works. i noticed that she works much like i do - spontaneously, fast, and without too much judgement. and this all made me smile in our similarities. her pieces will each go into their own shadow boxes...so cute! 

it was such a gorgeous day on day #2 of artfest, that i went exploring for a bit down by the water and found this old abandoned boat. i hopped inside of it and snapped a few photos. such fun. 

it seems that each year that i attend artfest, i feel a bit reflective and grateful for all the creative beginnings (the creative life started for me at artfest 2006), all the creative growth since, all the life growth, all the connection with family + friends these last three years. it's been such a wild ride, really truly. things are calming down a bit these days, but i still have a very tender spot in my heart when it comes to this retreat - the very place where my creative possibilities were fully realized and where it became clear that perhaps i had a passion. 

after artfest, and back home in seattle, the weather continued to amaze. i think spring might actually be here. this was a view from a neighborhood park yesterday. oh my. 

my mom and i did what we almost always do. we rearranged furniture and moved things around, including a new arrangement in the guest bedroom. totally loving it. 

more photos of this room can be found here.  the above painting was made by andrea during her recent visit and i'm completely loving it paired with an x and an o. so sweet and perfect for the guest room. i have several photos of the house to share in upcoming posts, including our new green couch, and a tour of our bedroom!

this photo was taken on the way to dinner on their last evening with us. my mom is tickling me and i can't contain my laughter which makes me love this photo. i noticed that i really just want to be around my parents more and more. that i enjoy their company more than ever. that i see myself in them more than ever. that i have more patience. that i appreciate them more. that i feel protective of them in ways i haven't before. i hated to see them go....we had such a good time.