Chelleter Skelter

10 things I learned from my mother

So, the hardest thing about doing a post about your mother is actually finding pictures of her, especially from your childhood. Nine times out of ten she is usually the one holding the camera. But when you look past the adorable blonde angel child (aka: me) at the bigger picture, you see events being celebrated, milestones being marked, personality showing through of not only the important person in the picture, but what is important to the person taking the picture. The ones I've featured here are mostly pictures of pictures, and they don't even begin to cover the hundreds, most likely thousands of pictures my Mom has taken of me and my sisters over the years. Here's what I have learned from looking at pictures my mom has been in or taken:

 

1. It's fun dressing up and being silly with your sisters and friends. (My mom is on the far left)

Case in point:

(L-R: Mom, Aunt Jeanne, Aunt Joyce, Me, my 2nd cousin McKenna, my seester Vanessa)

 

2. Making stuff is awesome and you should take pride in it!! My mom MADE this dress she's wearing and that's a state fair 4-H ribbon she's holding. Go, Meem!

 

3. Nurture your artistic side! I'm finger painting here, and I remember doing so many different arts and crafts type things growing up. Thanks for inspiring my creativity early, Meem!

 

4. Fashion is important! Note the rainbow brite sweatshirt/trackpants combo, and my sister's baby Nike shoes. Also, never underestimate the value of a good turtleneck ;) 

5. Family traditions are a big deal! As long as I can remember, the whole family got new jammies on Christmas Eve. We would open them that night and then sleep in them. It got to the point when we stopped growing and literally had no more room for new jammies before we stopped the Christmas Eve jammies tradition. But it will live on in glorious pictures like these:

Why, yes. That IS a Billy Ray Cyrus night gown I'm rocking. Jealous?

Easter baskets were super important as well. Mom always did a little something for almost every holiday to show she was thinking of us and that she loved us. I think she shared some of our joy in opening presents. 

 

6. Nature is awesome! The first house I ever lived in had a lake with woods surrounding it. I can remember finding a turtle shell and taking it for show-and-tell in kindergarten... Anyway, Mom has always been a huge fan of animals and nature in general and we learned to appreciate it from spending time outdoors with her. 

 

7. It's the little things. For some reason when you're a kid, every ride at every fair or park or what-have-you looks like THE BEST THING EVARRRR!!! To an adult it's just a merry-go-round or a little car on a track and it would be easy to discourage your child from wanting to go on it because it doesn't appeal to you. But Mom chose to (usually) indulge us and let us have that experience because we were little and it was cool to us. She let us be kids by letting us enjoy the little things. Like riding ALL THE RIDES!!!

8. Be resourceful- Whether it's using plastic bags to keep your kids' clothes dry while they help with dishes or straight up child labor (just kidding) Meem was great at thinking of new ways to use the things we had already. Something she undoubtedly picked up from her mother over the years.

I'm sure we were terrible painters, but were made to feel like we were helping and not just in the way or making a mess. As a kid you want to help with stuff, and when you're actually allowed to in some capacity it works out better than just being told "No, you can't do that." Mom was always really good about making us feel useful.

I'm sure whatever I'm eating here was delicious and I probably insisted on helping to make it.

9. ICE CREAM!!!!!!!!!! The best. That is all.

10. Things change. People change. Kids grow up, make decisions, start their own families,etc.  We should capture the moments when we can and never underestimate the love (even if it's sometimes unspoken or the girls won't stop fighting over the remote or teenage Chelle is alienating everyone) of a family for one another. Here we have: Awkward Phase Chelle in a lovely Garth Brooks shirt, my handsome dad in the plaid flannel, my beautiful mother in the bedazzled sweater and clip-on earrings. Let us not overlook Vanessa in a tastefully chosen turtleneck/sweater combo and Jacci in flowers and lace with the cutest little mischievious smile you've ever seen. 

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So, happy Mother's day, Meem. You're literally only a few hours away from being a Grandma!! How cool is that? There are hundreds and thousands of other things I've learned from you and I'm most certainly not done learning yet. You had an amazing example of a mother to learn from, and I am fortunate enough to say the same. I think you're going to love being Grandmeem or Meema or whatever we end up calling you, and I have no doubt you'll do a great job at it. Thank you for everything. You're beautiful, and I love you. 

Happy Mother's Day!

Bring it on down to Modern Charm... ville!

Oh, hey there! Just wanted to show ya some stuff I recently took to Modern Charm!!

What have we here, you ask? Why this is nothing other than your very own Felt Flower Brooch kit! It's got everything you need to make a fabulous brooch!!

Felt flower shapes, buttons, thread, a brooch pin attachment- all you need is a sewing needle and your imagination!

And you've got lots to choose from!!

I can't wait to see what you make!

Also for sale: Fat Stacks!!

What are they? Why they are bundles of three different vintage fabrics that you can use any which way you please! They have all been hand-picked for awesomeness and compatability by yours truly. 



So much coolness in one place, make sure you check out Modern Charm and see what it's all about!!

In which I answer 100 questions... Part three

My final instalment of questions from alexandrafranzen.com

 

ϟ Do you have any habits or quirks you wish you could ERASE? I wish I could eat vegetables. 

ϟ What was the most AGONIZING hour of your life? I'd rather not re-live it.

ϟ Have you ever dramatically changed a habit, or gotten yourself out of a rut? How’d you do it? I quit a 4-6 Diet Mountain Dew a day habit cold turkey in July of last year. Haven't had a sip of it since then.  

ϟ Would you rather be a lonely genius, or a sociable idiot? Loneliness is miserable. Maybe ignorance would be bliss. 

ϟ How would YOU fix the economy? Gay. Bridal. Registries.

ϟ What was your very first JOB?  A hostess at Bob Evans in Plainfield, Indiana. Hated it.

ϟ What brings you SHEER DELIGHT? Giving someone something I've made or giving them something that made me think of them, kisses on my cheek and a hand on my back when we walk, looking at pitures of our wedding, singing, creating anything, playing with my nephews.

ϟ Do you like to be SAVED — or do the saving? To be saved.

ϟ What’s one mistake you keep repeating (and repeating)? Waiting for someone to save me.

ϟ If you were heading out on a ROAD TRIP right this minute, what would you pack? Makeup, camera, laptop, my biggest CD case, MIO energy, and chips. Lots and lots of chips.

ϟ Do you have any irrational fears? I'm afraid there's someone hiding in the shower at other people's houses whenever I go to the bathroom. So I check. Always. 

ϟ When you see peers + competitors getting things you want, how do you react? My initial reaction is usually excited on the surface with a hint of jealousy underneath. But then I stop and try to figure out the steps they took to get there and use that knowledge to my advantage.

ϟ If you were to die three hours from now, what would you regret most? Hurting Eric.

ϟ What’s something you’ve tried, that you’ll never, ever try again? Guiness... Not a fan.

ϟ If you could enroll in a PhD program, with your tuition paid in full by a mysterious benefactor, what would you study — and why? I would study psychology. I'm fascinated by people and why they do what they do.

ϟ Have you ever questioned your FAITH — or lack thereof? Yes and no. I was raised in a church that didn't seem to make faith (which seems to me to be something that is self-disciplined and personal) their focus, it was more like blind obedience and fear of judgement, and as I grew I questioned that mentality. I am learning to redefine my faith and become comfortable with the idea of it. 

ϟ Have you ever met someone who was genuinely EVIL? Yes, and I do my best to not be like that person, as well as understand why they are how they are. 

ϟ Do you believe that everyone deserves redemption + forgiveness? More now than I ever have before.

ϟ What was the BEST KISS of your entire life? Eric and I have had some good ones, but I think the BEST one was probably our first kiss on Spring Break in Alabama. Could not stop smiling the next day and he bought me a rose at a gas station :):):) 

ϟ Do you have any physical features that you try to cloak or hide? How come? I try to keep my legs covered most of the time because people love to point out how light my skin is and it makes me feel like a freak. I need to get over it because I love my skin until the very moment someone points it out.

ϟ Ever fantasize about being in a rock band? What would your group be called? I'm already in a pretty rockin band (The Haps) but I do fantasize about being in a bigger band with Eric and touring the country with him :) We would be called Nelson and the Mandellas... or something better. 

ϟ What’s your guiltiest of guilty pleasures? Pinterest. There are so many other things I could be doing, but I cannot break away. 

ϟ When was the last time you saw an animal in the wild? I saw a groundhog at the country club last week. 

ϟ What’s the hardest thing you ever had to write — and why? I wrote both of the poems that went in the memorial program at my Mamaw and Papaw's funerals. It was emotionally exhausting but I was honored to be able to pay tribute to such amazing people that influenced my life so much. The hardest part was feeling like I was leaving so much out. 

ϟ Have you ever won an award? What was it for? I've won a couple playwriting awards and some work-related awards. 

ϟ What are you ready to set into motion, today? My hopes and dreams!!! But seriously...

 

In Which I answer 100 questions... Part two

Answering some more questions from alexandrafranzen.com !!

ϟ Have you ever been genuinely afraid for your physical safety? Once when I was alone in a house with a dog and it came at me, bro.

ϟ What are you an expert on? Is it because of training, lived experience, or both? I am an expert on myself. 

ϟ Has a teacher ever changed your life? How so? Lew Hackleman inspired me to become a theatre artist and put me on the path that led me to my husband and many of my best friends. 

ϟ Are there any household chores you secretly enjoy? Which ones — and why? I love doing laundry because it's like a free refil for your closet! It's very "point and click" if you will. Start it , walk away. Move it to the dryer, start it, walk away. Fold it. Put it away. Seeing the empty hamper  and the full closet is a victory.

ϟ How do you reign in self-critical voices? I think of the impact they have on my universe. Thoughts become things, so I try to think the good ones.

ϟ If you could custom blend a perfume or cologne, what would it include? Fresh cut lemons, the perfect margarita, delicious sugary things baking, and the smell of my hubby's neck.

ϟ What does FEAR feel like, in your body? A hot, tense face and lightning in my veins and a punch to my heart and gut.

ϟ Do you think you’re currently operating at 100% capacity? No.

ϟ What do you value most: free time, recognition, or money? Hmmm... That's a tough one. I hope to be in the position one day to have enough money that I value free time the most. 

ϟ If you could save one endangered species from extinction, which would you choose? Honeybees.  I know they're not "technically" endangered, but a large portion of them were wiped out and we really really need them to keep the circle of agricultural life up and at em!

ϟ Are there any laws or social rules that completely baffle you? I am completely baffled by some of the dating "rules" I hear about at my bar. It all sounds completely counterproductive and fake to play games with someone. Just be you. Tell people how you feel. 

ϟ Would you like to write a book? (About what?) I would love to write a book about my amazingly talented and amazingly unique husband and friends. Everyone deserves to know them as well as I do.

ϟ If you could choose your own life obstacles, would you keep the ones you have? I think so. Because every person that you think has it all together and has everything easier than you is probably thinking the same thing about you. Be kind, everyone you meet is fighting a secret battle with something.

ϟ Do you think there’s going to be an anti-technology whiplash, in our lifetime? Perhaps. It seems like the dependency is growing stronger, so if development started to cross certain moral lines like in some of the futuristic movies we've seen, I like to think that someone would stand up to stop it. 

ϟ Where + when do you get your BEST IDEAS? A lot of my best ideas have come to me out of nowhere. I can be completely distracted or thinking about nothing at all and BAM!!! There's the script I've been needing, or there's the bracelet design I've been waiting for. 

ϟ Have you ever met one of your HEROES? A lot of my friends are my heroes in one way or another, so yes I have.

ϟ What’s in your fridge, right this moment? Lots and LOTS of condiments, dressings, and dipping sauces, beer, wheat tortillas, cheese, wine, water bottles, boozes, Skyline chilli, green tea. 

ϟ Can you tell when someone is LYING? Usually. Certain people I most definitely can. 

ϟ Can you tell when someone is telling the TRUTH? Usually.

ϟ Have you ever pushed your body further than you dreamed possible? Can't say that I really have. I am hoping to do so here in a bit. 

ϟ Are you living your LIFE PURPOSE — or still searching? I am not at the moment. I feel about 60% sure of what it is, but I will continue to search for that gut feeling that tells me- THIS. This is it. 

ϟ How do you CELEBRATE your victories? With a wave of happy feelings that steers me to dance, smile, laugh and (sometimes) buy myself something.

ϟ Would you consider yourself an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert? Extrovert

ϟ Do you ever hunt for answers or omens in dreams? Dreams, no. Every day life, yes.

ϟ Do you think everyone has the capacity to be a LEADER? Yes, however I think it's just like singing. Everyone CAN sing, but not everyone can do it WELL. 

ϟ Do you think we should live like we’re dying? I think we should live to the best of our abilities. It seems to put a negative spin on it when you think about dying all the time.

In which I answer 100 questions... Part One

Well, almost 100.

So there's a beautiful person and gifted writer named Alexandra Franzen who writes over at alexandrafranzen.com (formerly known as Unicorns for Socialism... seriously!) and she's posted 100 questions to inspire rapid self discovery. I happen to dabble in and very much enjoy self discovery, so I have decided to answer a few of her questions here. Please feel free to use these yourselves!

 

ϟ What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received? When Eric asked me to marry him. That's quite a compliment. Hey, you're pretty cool. Wanna get married and junk? (I'm paraphrasing.)

ϟ What’s one thing you’re deeply proud of — but would never put on your résumé? My ability to make people laugh, especially people I think are funny- my hubs, our friends, my seesters- I love that high that comes from getting a solid laugh. 

ϟ If a mysterious benefactor wrote you a check for $5,000 and said, “Help me solve a problem — any problem!” … what would you do with him or her? I would take it to the Humane Shelter and try to solve one of their problems, whether it's food, living space for the animals or medical needs, I would want them to use it.  

ϟ What are you FREAKISHLY good at? Making stuff and figuring out how stuff is made. 

ϟ What’s one dream that you’ve tucked away, for the moment? How come? I haven't tucked it away exactly, but I'm working at it from a different angle... Taking classes, working on my debt, and learning all I can about starting my own business.

ϟ What are you STARVING for? Validation, love, comfort, purpose, peace, light, laughter, music. 

ϟ If you could have tea with one fictional character, who would it be? - I would want to have tea with Hobbes from Calvin and Hobbes. I think Hobbes and I could have a very satisfying existential discussion and then we could curl up and take a nap in front of the fireplace. Sounds delightful. 

ϟ Do you have a morning ritual? I typically snooze for at least a half hour and then stumble to the bathroom. I put on my fuzzy magenta slippers and take the dogs out one at a time. When they come back in they get treats and breakfast and I make myself an energy drink. Check e-mails/Facebook. Shower. Clothing. Hair. Makeup. Perfume. Out the door.  

ϟ Do you believe in magic? When have you felt it? I don't know that I would call what I believe in "magic." I have certainly felt the strong presence of a force greater than me at work. I have felt connected to it in prayer and also meditation, and also at other times where I have a choice to make. I'm not really ever guided to a decision, but once I make a decision that is in line with whatever force that is surrounding me, I get a powerful gut reaction letting me know all is well. 

ϟ Is there something that people consistently ask for your advice on? What is it? Being a bartender I get a lot of people opening up to me about various things. A lot of times it's about love and relationships, but each situation is different. I try to do my best and listen and try to understand the case at hand and advise them from my heart.

ϟ Have you ever fantasized about changing your first name? To what? Nope. Maybe just the spelling so that people could see it and realize it's NOT Rachel. It's Rachelle. Ruh-shell.

ϟ When was the last time you astonished yourself? I am often astonished at how tough I am with physical pain. (TMI WARNING:)  The day I got my tattoo I had just started my period. The first day is always the day of monstrous cramps for me and since my appointment was later that night, I couldn't take ANY pain killers because my blood would thin and my tattoo would be really difficult. So I sat in the chair with my arm hyper extended and cramps that were out of this world while I got a tattoo for an hour and a half. Like a BOSS. Also, I took a bad fall at home recently and got up and walked it off through blinding pain.  

ϟ What’s your personal anthem or theme song? It changes from time to time. I feel like music speaks to everyone differently depending on what you're going through at the moment. I usually tune out the music at work as much as I am able, but recently some of the lyrics  that I've heard thousands of times started lifting themselves to my ears. It's always very powerful when that happens, I think. It's a somewhat comforting feeling when you realize that you're not the only one going through something. 

ϟ Do you ever yearn for your life, before Facebook? Sometimes, but then I wouldn't know when anyone's birthday is.

ϟ What’s your definition of an ideal houseguest? Shows up with a bottle of rum and a new movie to share and a case full of CDs I can rip onto my computer. Also, folds the blankets they used before they leave :) 

ϟ If you had an extra $100 to spend on yourself every week, what would you do? iTunes, JoAnn's/Hobby Lobby, and ULTA.

ϟ If you could sit down with your 15-year old self, what would you tell him or her? I'd tell her to keep her chin up, it totally gets better. Don't stoop to their level, just keep being you. 

ϟ What are you BORED of? Honestly, I am bored of pretentiousness. When it comes to music, food, movies, wine, beer, clothing, EVERYTHING!!!  I like what I like because I like it. You like what you like because you like it. Agree to disagree and get the hell on with our lives!

ϟ What’s the best birthday cake you ever ate? Mamaw cake. Any and every Mamaw cake. 

ϟ How do you engage with panhandlers on the street? They make me uncomfortable so I typically try to avoid them. 

ϟ Do you think LOVE is chemical, intellectual, spiritual — or completely undefinable? I think it is all of the above. It may start out one way, but it can change to be other ways over time. It is something to be nurtured and appreciated for what it is. Also, it is different for every person it comes in contact with. It is undefinable and also somewhat uncontrollable. 

ϟ Have you ever dreamed about starting a business? (Or if you’ve already got one — a new business?) Uhh, yes, I have dreamed about this since I was a teenager, actually. I've been forming the skills I'll need to do it and this fall I'll be starting the classes to learn about how to go about doing it and then I'll put all that to work!

ϟ Are you afraid of flying in airplanes? (How come?) I'm nervous in them. Because I'm afraid of things I can't control. 

ϟ What’s your most urgent priority for the rest of the year? My marriage.

ϟ If you could master any instrument on earth, what would it be? Guitar.

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Gratitude

I've been keeping gratidude journals for a few years now. I notice a difference in my life and my sleep pattern when I neglect to write in it. But perhaps the greatest oversight I've had lately is to make those things I'm grateful for known... Looking back tonight on the journals of the past couple years I am grateful every single day for my husband Eric and/or something he's done or something we've experienced together... Without exception. Every. Single. Day. I haven't made those things known to him  or to the world to shine a light on him for being an amazing person and husband. I know things aren't ideal right now and we have things to work on, but I would be remiss if I didn't use this platform to make it known how much I love him and how much I appreciate him and am grateful for him.  Here are a few excerpts from the past year or so:

I AM GRATEFUL FOR:

• Being asked to teach this class and the potential to spend happy creative theatre time with Eric (the class ended up being cancelled, but we are a GREAT teaching tag-team)
• A patient hubby who waited for me to bring home food while I was talking to friends
• Seeing Eric napping with Hillshire snuggled up with him
• Watching the Voice with Eric and cheering for our favorites
• Snuggle time on the "people couch."
• Seeing Finding Nemo in 3-D with Eric brought back so many memories of seeing it the first time
• Outback dinner with the Hubs!
• A beautiful day at the Covered Bridge Festival with Eric
• Watching "The Producers" with Eric and laughing so hard 
• Eric putting up with my tendency to s-p-r-e-a-d o-u-t when I work on crafty stuff
• Eric made me the most delicious turkey sandwich I can remember!!
• Laughing with Eric. Feels so nice.
• Sexy Hubs working out ;)
• Getting to do improv with my best friend, and our best friends
• Laughing so hard it hurts with DBC. So lucky to be able to share that with Eric
• Having pretty much the same sense of humor as the funniest person I know (and happen to be married to)
• Being married to a dog person
• Seeing my pictures with Eric and how excited he was to see them
• Having a husband that doesn't say hurtful things to me
• Shirtless hubby... Rawr ;)

I'll keep it PG and stop there :) Anyway, he's given me a library full of things to be thankful for and I haven't been very good at letting him know that. I will do my best to change that from here on out.

 

The grass is always greener...

 

When I think about how often I compare myself in some way to others, whether it's someone else's body, job, car, relationship, voice, family, or whatever I'm feeling insecure about at the moment... I realize how much of my life I have wasted. 

THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO POINT IN COMPARING YOURSELF TO ANYONE BUT YOURSELF.

Everyone has their own battles they are fighting, even if their hair looks better than yours. What makes you (me) think that if you had whatever it is they have that your life would be any different?

 

Why spend another moment of your (my) life measuring it against someone else's when you (I) could be making an effort to create the absolute BEST life you can with everything you ALREADY HAVE??

I'm not saying we shouldn't strive to make changes for the better or just accept that things are as good as they are ever going to get... I am saying that we should be grateful for what we have and consider that we don't know the whole story behind other people's perceived successes and victories over us.

Taking the body comparison thing as an example- It's easy for me to look at a Victoria's Secret model and think "There is nothing wrong with her life at all. She is amazingly hot and probably has everything she has ever wanted." The truth is, I'm sure she would kill to live a day in my (slip-resistant work) shoes. I don't have to work out 3 hours a day and worry that if I add a little extra dressing to my salad (yeah right, me eating a salad) I might gain a fraction of an ounce which means I won't get that cover spot which means I'll be replaced by someone younger and thinner which means I'll struggle to get another job in this industry which is (most likely) all I know... It's an awful lot of pressure that I am not cut out for. Would I like to look like her? Abso-flippin-lutely. But there are pros and cons to any and every line of work and walk of life.

It is up to me to remove myself from the vicious cycle of comparison. It is up to me to rise above the coveting and the jealousy and worry about my own self. If I put half the time and energy into celebrating and appreciating my life and my relationships as I do into comparing them to others, I would be too happy to even notice what other people were doing, and in that case, ignorance would most definitely be bliss.  

Flower Brooch Inspiration

 

Some stitching inspiration for my Flower Brooch kits on sale at Modern Charm!!

 

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Here are some other links to amaze and inspire!!

Hand Embroidery Stitches

Can't go wrong with Wikipedia 

Textile art

Hello, Dolly! 

 

Papaw

I had the honor of writing the poem that will be in the program at my Papaw's funeral this week. I wanted to share it here along with one of my favorite pictures of him.

No Such Thing as Strangers

Heaven must be somber, and needing of a smile

So they called you to cheer them up and visit for a while

 

And Heaven must be broken, in need of some repair

So naturally, you took the job, you'll fix whatever's there

 

And Heaven must be quiet, in need of happy sound

Your silly jokes and whistles will have them rolling on the ground

 

Heaven must be lonely, with no one there to greet

But there's no such thing as strangers, cause you're friends with all you meet

 

Now your journey's finished and you're with the ones you love

I know that you're the reason joy is spreading up above

 

So Heaven must be happy now to see your smiling face

Cause everywhere you went, you always made a better place

 

Calendar Inspiration

 

For most people, a calendar is something you only have one of. Hubs and myself are not like most people. We collect calendars. Usually in February or March, the kiosk at the mall that sells overpriced glossy monstrosities hacks their prices pretty low. Sometimes they're only $1 !! Considering you get what you pay for, we've ended up with some doozies. Usually the more random the better. 

 

The calendar below, however, is one that I have hunted down for a while. It was free with my favorite crafty magazine, Mollie Makes. I think I mentioned the stylist/designer in my previous post. Selina Lake- she's living the dream. Anyway...

I decided that this shall be my crafty calendar. Its photos are colorful and vintage and whimsical and inspiring. Every time I finish a crafty something-or-other I'm going to add a little post-it to the day that I finished it. Like so:

That says "Scarf, 12 Bobby Pins, Pillowcase bag" Pretty productive day!

I don't really have a weekly or monthly goal in mind, I just want to make each month as colorful as possible. 

 

Speaking of colorful- this is (most of) my button bobby pin collection that I've made. I say most of because I'm sure there are more floating around in my car or in my purse somewhere. I love adding a touch of cute to my hair with these.

I've also made several (most likely hundreds) of these for other people over the years, and I have dozens of them for sale at Modern Charm on 7th St in Downtown Terre Haute.

 

I think they look delightful in my Mamaw's little candy dish, don't you? 

How are you being inspired in 2013?