{*Write! Write! Right!*}

Each morning I start the day the same way. With lists. And writing. And more lists.

I think it would be *impossible* to work from home and stay focused without lists. Even if the lists are wacky like "hey grump! smile more!". Lists keep me grounded. Lists are made of magic! Lists let you use cute pens and paper, because, DUH, we are prone to do the things on lists if the lists are cute...or we can put off doing things on the list if the list is cute and takes time to make!!!! ;)

I did a little cleaning during vacation and I found a journal that I thought I'd lost. Brand new, from anthropologie a few years ago, I literally did two jumping jacks when I found it!!!!

See! It's a little nature observation notebook!!! I love it because there is blank space for gluing things, a little space for location and time and it comes with little "specimen" bags! Perfect for me! I'm also a huge bird lover, so its a win-win situation!!!

This morning I started using it for the first time. I made notes of my favorite things about the morning, my favorite things about last night (I had a spit pea and beer bread party), and my goals of the day, which are clearly going to Target and the Post Office! See the little bee stickers? Early Valentines Day gift from Mr. McPorkchop. He knows my body!! (Reference: My group of friends say this so much..for example "I burned you this cd! YAY!" "OMG! I've wanted that for so long! Clearly, you know my body!!!")

I also added clips of fabrics that I hope to sew with today. Having a ton of fabric is amazing, but sometimes it can get overwhelming and I find that picking out little pieces and actually looking hard at them makes me realize why I love them and what I want to create with them! The ribbon is so festive, bright and cheery, its a Martha Stewart, it screams "FUN! CUTE! STICK ME TO SOMETHING GREAT!". The red fabric is from Cosmo Cricket. You know, the scrapbooking company? Well they have fabrics too! SCORE! And the bottom one is Putidepome from purl soho!

The other great thing about journaling or sketching is sometimes you *need* to create something but sometimes *can't*. During Christmas when I was sewing machine-less I got all these beautiful brand new Echino fabrics, then I was completely inspired by the workroom and her simply fantastic little pouches. I had the fabric, the frames...but no machine...

So I painted what I couldn't sew!

 

(clearly I want and need a scanner!)

I love, love, love and adore watercolor moleskines. SO MUCH!!! And, I recently started becoming addicted to Daniel Smith House Brand Watercolors, I was previously a paint snob and was using a certain French brand buttt these new ones are *phenom*. Just doodling things that I couldn't make made me feel a lot better! I watercolor grocery lists sometimes. Crazy. Yes. Fun. Yes. Having the prettiest list in Safeway? CHECK!

Mr. McPorkchop & I even spent an afternoon making a book for the month of February! I'm in *love* with February. You don't even KNOW how much its my favorite month!!! It makes me GLEEFUL! All the hearts and bursts of color during a cold month. It's *perfect*. So this Feb. we are making a book!!! To make lists and keep track of the daily great stuff we do! It's 4x4 inches and has cute little rounded corners. I used a ton of different papers, I can't wait to start!!! The best thing about the little binder clip is I can move around pages, take things out to sew on them and build each page *huge* if I want! YAY!!!

Well, I'm off to actually work on those lists ;)

Do you make lists? Do you keep an inspiration book? Let's chat!

xoxox Have a *fantastic* day!!!