Fighting the Mat

My yoga mat is my my happy place (or one of my happy places). When I step on it I feel relaxed, tranquil, and happy.  When I started doing yoga many moons ago I did it mainly for exercise. But over time it has become so much more.  There is something about the rhythm and flow of a yoga practice that allows my body to melt away and my spirit to come alive.

Or at least that's how it is most of the time.  Then there are the days where I fight the mat...when it takes all my will power to step on that piece of rubber and I want to shove the mat in the closet and forget it exists. On the days I fight the mat, I know I'm butting up against something needs attention. I call it the issue de jour. The issue de jour can be big or small.  Ususally, it's something I'm not even aware of until I'm on my way to yoga and find myself start in the midst of an internal debate that goes something like this,

"So do you really want to go to yoga tonight? You could go shopping instead. Or you could go to the beach, or to dinner with friends. Or you could catch up on work.  Doesn't that sound so much more fun?"

No joke, I've had this conversation with myself in the yoga center parking lot.  There are some days that I turn off the car, head to class, and face the mat and whatever it holds in store for me.  Then there are days when I'm not up for a fight and I ditch class.  The mat will be there waiting for me when I'm ready.

There's not a wrong or right here.  But generally I find that Robert Frost was right when he said that "The best way out is always through." Eventually, you have to face the mat and the things in life that are difficult no matter how big or small, work through them, and learn from them.  They make us who we are.  It's just important that we have a productive means to do so.  My way is yoga.  And I for one feel much better once I step up to the mat.

Coat Closet Organization

I've been plotting our coat closet makeover for a while.  It's amazing how getting to even the smallest projects seem to take forever or maybe I'm just impatient.  Our entryway is small and our shoes end up sprawled all over the floor and piled on the bottom of the coat closet.  It's been crying to be organized. In addition, we are trying to encourage Marco to be independent and get himself ready for school in the morning and to put away his own things.  One of the best ways to encourage this is to make a place for his belongings (backpack, shoes, hat, etc.) and make them accessible to him.  So here is the closet before (my hubby took everything out before I had a picture in all of it's cluttered glory).

Closet Before

Here's the construction crew and the dog who was left alone the construction crew for a one minute too many.

And here it is after (or at least 95% done).  The baskets I got at Michaels for $5.99 (on sale from $29.99).  The ones on the bottom are for shoes and the one on top is for hats, scarves, etc.  There's a perfect little space for Marco's backpack. Eventually, we'll get a second coat rack for the inside of the door that will hold Marco's umbrella, coat, and backpack.  I still need to prime and paint the shelves white and attach the molding on the bottom shelf.  Eventually, I'd also like to paint the inside of the closet to match the living room. I love it!  I keep finding excuses to open the closet and oh and ahh.

Closet After

Storage Baskets for Shoes and Hats

Menu Board

A while back I painted a few treasure buckets for my little guy.  But this wasn't the reason I broke open my first ever can of chalkboard paint.  I L-O-V-E the idea of a menu board in the dining room (I think it's the Italian part of me) and decided it was a great DIY project.  So I bought a unfinished picture frame and painted it white (using semi-gloss, no-VOC paint).  Then I painted the glass with chalkboard paint.  I contemplated using wood, but it seemed like a lot of work and I'm lazy, so I painted straight onto the glass.  I tried using a foam roller, but while it made nice even coats the paint went on in a weird texture. I opted instead for a paint brush.  The paint isn't as smooth as a normal chalkboard, but it just adds to the charm.  I seasoned the chalkboard by chalking the entire board before using and then erasing it. Viola, ready to use.  The picture doesn't do the board justice. I should have taken a close up.  The frame is made of recycled pallets so it has great texture and imperfections that come throughout he paint.

I moved our little wine rack under the board and styled it with: 1) a bowl of memento wine corks that I write the date and event on (idea from Pintrest), and 2) a tray from our wedding table arrangements that I lined with wine corks. I love that it is a daily reminder of our special day.  We use it to corral our cell phones so they don't get lost between the sofa cushions or other random places (and yes my phone is ancient, but I refuse to get a new one until it goes kaput).  The key is from my grandparent's house and it's waiting for a new home once I get around to that project.

One of the may reasons I love the menu board is that it has encouraged me to make a weekly dinner menu.  Once a week my husband and I try to sit down and plan the next weeks meals. It's fun and we get to use all the wonderful cookbooks I have in my cupboard.  I've never been good at sticking to pre-planned dinner menus, but the menu board helps.  I've found that menu planning ensure that we have a diversity of well rounded meals. The best part is that we have left overs for lunch the next day, which cuts down on eating out.