Well. I picked out the most wonderful color ever for my accent wall in my living room. But it turns out that was the easy part… I am now on sample paint number 4 plus the one gallon of paint I originally bought for it (apparently sensible hue is not a very good expression of my style)… I am bound and determined to finish this so I am going to be forced to make a decision here…

…Then I’m going to have to think of something artsy-fartsy to do with the 5 different shades of brown paint I’ll be left with!

While I don’t think there will be any sunny beaches involved, I’m very excited to announce that I’ll be taking my first vacation in, like, forever!!

It has been over a year now that I have been taking my designing seriously and week after week after week I’ve been designing and releasing new products (over 160 new products in just over a year, isn’t that crazy awesome?!?).  I love love LOVE my “job”, I love having a creative outlet, a self directed schedule, the flexibility and the networking with a community I love.  Designing has been such a wonderful opportunity and I wouldn’t give it up for the world!

… but… I have a little confession to make: I’m tired.  Shhh! don’t tell anyone, but I’ve been a little overwhelmed as of late.  With hubby working on the book, and the dinner making and the dishes washing, and just general life, PLUS working.  I’ve been more than just a little stressed these past few weeks.  I feel like there are all these random things that I keep telling myself I’ll do when I have the time, but guess what!? I have no extra time (imagine that with 4 boys, plus one rather consuming job…).  Suddenly it occurred to me last week, as I was working on the big giant huge calendar collection I did with Lauren, I totally can make the time.  Why not head off this burn out I’m starting to feel with a BREAK! 

So, this chickie is taking a Vacation peeps!  I may not be planning an extravagant trip to the Europe or a month long cruise to some place exotic… but I’m planning something that I’m equally excited about (well, maybe not quite that excited, but I am excited), I’m going to spend some really special one on one time with my house! 

Project number one on my list is a new coat of paint in my rather lack-luster living room and my incredibly finger stained hall.  Watch out peanut butter finger prints, I’m gonna scrub the heck out of you and then rid myself of any evidence of you!  After my beautiful coat of paint, I’m hoping to be completely inspired to hang some new photos, weed out some clutter, and just give my house a big giant hug.

I’ll have to keep you posted on my progress, but only if I can squeeze you in, this momma has a to do list…. and a full month of blissful work-free, no-pressure days! 

Just because I’m such a responsible designer and such,I’m still not going to be TOTALLY MIA on the designer front. My team is going to keep my fabulous design blog running with contests/inspiration and a few freebies come to mind as well.  Also, after my beautiful big project with La,

I know you’ll need a bit of extra time to pick this baby up in my shoppe and start those calendar projects!

Off to look for color swatches!

<3 Shawna

I never thought I’d have the pleasure of a bracelet obsession with all the boys! But this latest elementary school fad is giving me a little taste of it.  The boys are all about the “bandz” lately, so they were in heaven when they earned some by doing chores.  Little did I know that 6 dollars worth = 72 bandz!

I’m just going to try to soak this little form of “cool” in while I can, because before I know it we’ll be back to pokemon cards, and other forms of crap that I just can’t enjoy or understand. Go bandz!!

Ok, I googled, this is the closest we are going to get to an actual correct spelling on this puppy!

So, I’m telling you, I think about posting on this thing every day, but it never seems to happen!  Between designing, and everyday household stuff, it seems like its hard to get a word in edgewise!  I guess it is a good thing that I haven’t been posting, I mean it means that I’m actually paying attention to my real life… But still, I want to post so much more!

This is totally not a “sorry its been so long since I’ve blogged post,” because (in all honesty) a) I hate those posts, blog  or don’t but apologizing seems silly, and b) I’m pretty positive you do not care! LOL.

So here’s the thing.  A few weeks ago, I added some fab girls to my design team that have the specific job of promotions – and part of the whole promo thing is that we set up a new blog, specifically with the intention of promoting my designs.  From the Friday Fix (no, it’s not gone, its just moved to it’s new design related home), to all sorts of other things (think, tutorials, previews, layouts, challenges, and even some free goodies), this blog is supposed to take the designing stuff off the Shawna blog.  In my brain, design posts on design blog and personal posts on personal blog = a chance to add to my personal blog more often.  Who was to know that it would actually equal zero posts on my personal blog…

Anyway, although it seems to be few and far between, I really desperately want to keep this blog more up to date.  I’ve been blogging since like 2004 and to this day I love looking over the posts from years past.  Sometimes i want to remember something like whether or not we went to the pumpkin patch in years past, and when i go looking, I end up getting sucked in to a post about one of Reecey’s silly antics, or a warm hearted moment our little family shared.  I really value having all of that, and I know that I’m going to love to read any other posts I can squeeze out over the next 16 years that I’ve got my boys at home.

I downloaded this blogging app for my phone and was thinking maybe I can take advantage of that and post on the go sometimes… anything to make it easier for me!  So, all I need from you dear readers is to just roll with it when I post some random teeny tiny little post after being silent for weeks on end!  I hope every one hasn’t gone away on me. I mean, I’m blogging for myself and my family – but uh, I’m not gonna lie, I’m blogging a little too for my readers. I like feeling like what I have to say matters atleast a little!

That is all (did I just post this massive post with out any pictures???) well, since I don’t have one for now, here are some mini previews of what i have actually been able to keep up with, one last little shout out to “designer Shawna” here on the personal bloggy:

So, yes.  Don’t forget to click on over to my design blog too!  You can check out all sorts of wonderful inspiration from the team, AND I have it on good authority that there is a little freebie to pick up there today as well!

Ok, till next time!