Meditation

Breath in... Breath out... Okay, that's not really what I am here to talk about.

So last Monday we were sitting in a nutritional inservice. Halfway through the speaker said (which is something commonly said) meditation is good for you. So the first thing you think of when somebody says is...

Who has time for this? I know that even with out kids, with out any SERIOUS commitments, I don't have time for this. So by this point in his talk, I started to daze off. Then he made a pretty interesting comment. He said that on his 30 minute commute too and from work, he started turning off his radio. The silence is his meditation. 

Okay, so here is what I am thinking: I get enough silence. I come home from work and I usually get some peace and quiet. I don't have children, and I do most of my grading at school after school- even if it means I have to stay later. I get tones of silence. 

So that day I went home and thought about it, I was SO WRONG. Two giant dogs, wrestling, running into everything, knocking everything over, barking at each other, wrestling. Two 80 pound dogs. Not quiet. The tv, always on, not quiet. I do not allow myself any quiet time. 

The next morning I decided to drive in silence. Woah, there is nothing that can describe the feeling, emotion, silence. I actually gave myself 20 minutes of Taylor time, time to think, time to decompress, time to just be silent. 

Why and I sharing all of this? My challenge to you, dear readers, to drive at least one trip in silence. My grandmother, who has never had the radio on in her car for as long as I can remember, must have been on something. See what happens. Tell me how you feel. Comment or shoot me a message. I hope your experience is just as amazing as mine. 

On another note: Here is a new wreath that I created! The link to my etsy store is below. 

Click here for the Etsy Store

Until Next Time,

Making Wreaths is Always an Adventure

Okay, so I officially feel like I belong in the league of "somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody". I went on a roller coaster of an adventure, clearly starting the day not knowing what I was doing, and it ending with exactly what I had envisioned in the beginning. Let me begin:

My customer LOVED the spring wreath that I made yesterday. They have requested three other wreaths, including one that has a gavel and scales of justice. Oh and don't forget that they also requested a wreath for a man who has built, restored, and collected clocks for a very long time. That is, if I can actually make it. Oh and it has to be done by the 8th.

So I set out wanted clock gears, a gavel, a scale of justice, oh and an antique clock. Where do I go from here? I don't know many stores here in Dallas, but I do know that we have tones of cool antique stores. So that led me to a clock store in Plano. I walked in and kindly asked the nice lady if they had any spare clock parts that they were willing to part with (it worked before at a music store when asking for piano keys- "Hey just go around back, you can take the piano apart you can keep the keys"). I definitely got strange looks and a resounding "No, we need those parts." Sigh, okay let's keep going.

I haven't ever been to downtown Plano, but though maybe they might have some cool stores down there. So I walked into a really super cute store that had really nice things inside. Clearly I walked in and asked them for guidance, which led me to a Grandma something's antique shop. That is where I met Victor. Victor is from Poland. Victor sold me on a clock that I really hated but it was the only clock that I could find. Victor pulled a gavel from the back of his jewelry counter. Victor asked me to pay in cabbage. Victor offered to repay me in Vodka. Victor informed me that sadly he had drank all of his Vodka during New Years. Victor is now my new friend.

Okay, so now all I need is gears for clock parts. Easy right, I can totally get those at any Home Depot. WRONG. Okay, so I can get them at Auto Zone. WRONG. But I will tell you that the man at Home Depot sent me to Auto Zone, and the man at Auto Zone sent me to the Frisco Mercantile. Woah, holy awesomeness of missing Canton today. The Frisco Mercantile is AWESOME!!! Well, I didn't find any gears but I did find the clock that I was dreaming about (Sorry Victor). Even better, the clock even works! While I was checking out I asked the guy behind the counter if he knew of any place I could get gears. Not only did he refer me to a place in Denton (Shop the Barn- sounds like a great lead), but he also gave me the business card for a man named Richard. Richard opened up Relic Warehouse and is a picker from McKinney.

So on my way home (it has been over six hours now and it was getting dark) I called Richard. I explained my situation, and basically begged him to help me. He thought he might have some gears at his Airplane Hanger, but definitely in his warehouse. So I asked if their store was open on Sundays, and no. BUT he did offer to meet me there and sell me what he had! Oh My Gosh, what an amazing man to give up part of his day for a complete stranger. So we made plans to meet on Sunday.

Sunday morning rolls around, Richard calls and wakes me up. I drive out there and OH MY GOSH this is the coolest store ever. I am taking a friend out there to take pictures, I definitely need to add those to my blog. Anyway after I bought the gears, and then I stayed and talked to Richard for over an hour an a half. What a neat and interesting man.

So, anyway, long story short, I went on a really long adventure and I actually came out with the clock parts that I was envisioning. After this long story, would you, my dear readers, like to the wreath that I made?

Until Next Time, 

Story of Lux Wreaths

A few of you know, I make wreaths. This is something that I started after being on the decorations committee for Junior League of Collin County's Neath the Wreath. One day they called and said I need to come in and make wreaths, something I have never done before. Well surprise surprise, I wasn't making one wreath, it was MANY wreath. After many hours of making the same wreath over and over, I got pretty good at it.

One of the many wreaths that we made

So anyway, I went home and was INSPIRED (an incredibly scary word in this household) to make a Halloween wreath. So I went and got a christmas wreath, white deco mesh, letters, spiders, ornaments, and made a Halloween wreath. Once I brought it home, Tony looked at it and said:

"Um... Isn't that a Christmas Wreath?!?!"

My response was simple: "NO! It say's BOO... clearly it's a Halloween wreath".

So after many other wreaths that were made, I promise I will not put all the pictures up on line here, Tony convinced me to create my own company. That is how Lux Wreaths was born. I have sold two other wreaths, but what I didn't think about was that... um... people want to buy Christmas wreaths before Thanksgiving. But big plans for next year!!

This year (as in 2014) I was given a very special opportunity to work with a woman who is a realtor. Her special gift to her clients is a homemade wreath. The company she usually uses did not have any spring wreaths made and she needed one pretty soon. So her card was passed on to me and we had a very lovely chit chat.

I am currently in the process of completing an amazing spring wreath that I hope she loves. I'll attach pictures of it, simply because, well, I am so proud of this wreath!

Oh, and I made this other wreath last night as well. I have never made a grapevine wreath, and really it is not my style as much. But the trend for wreaths, and young people buying wreaths is the grapevine wreath. So, of course, I had to make at least one.

Interested in my Etsy Website, or some of my other products that are available? Check out the links below!

New Years Resolution

I am well aware that my last post informed you of my amazing accomplishments of New Year Resolutions... or lack there of. Alright so here is the honest truth (as I watch Hardcore Pawn I am making another resolution to add to the list), I haven't ever kept a resolution. I can't decide if it is due to the fact of just not giving to flips. Maybe it is because I can't ever remember what my resolution was a few months later. Whatever the reason is, resolutions to me have never been something to keep.

This year my idea of a New Year Resolution is to make small changes that will help make me, Taylor, a better person in the long run. So here are some ideas that I have:

1) No more procrastinating. Get things done. No more excuses

2) Watch how much s**t that I am eating. Eat your pizza. That's great! Just don't eat pizza every day. 

3) Establish a bed time. For some reason, going to bed at 12 will make waking up at 5 easier. What am I thinking. That just leads to a grumpy Taylor, and nobody likes that. 

4) Wake up earlier. I love Tony. The problem is, he is definitely a late sleeper"inner". This is the first year that I actually wake up at noon. I always feel like I wasted that day. Let's fix this. 

5) Actually fold my clothes when I am putting them away. Every time I open one of my drawers, it gets stuck because somebody (me) does not fold them. I get frustrated every time. Why have I not just folded them already? I don't know. That is why it is on my list. 

6) Save my money. I shop to much, and don't make that much. Stop shopping so much dummy.

7) Adventure out- more. I am not afraid to leave my comfort zone, but I definitely have an issue with getting too comfortable with my routine. Branch out, tell people, invite friends, have fun. 

8) Travel. Duh!

9) This one is for Tony- stop talking about things I don't know about. Just because I can make things up and make them sound legit, doesn't mean I need to. 

10) Get to know myself better. I know that there are areas of Taylor that I don't know. Who knew I would love to make wreaths and be pretty darn good at it. Well... now I do! Start opening up my mind even more (That is definitely a scary idea to some people who know me way to well) and get to know myself even better. 

11) I read this one online and I could not agree more: Learn to question authority. I am not one to not speak my mind, except for authority. Even when I know that they are clearly wrong, I want to cry when I even think about questioning them. It is okay. 

12) Pay it forward. But don't expect people to pay it forward to me. Stop being so selfish and give to others. 

13) Summer bodies start in the winter, not three weeks before summer. If I want that summer body, start working now. 

14) Accept the things that I can not change. Let go. I am not going to die. I can be humble. I can not change everything, even though my big brain tells me that I can. 

15) This is another one for Tony, simply because I feel like this is a broken record: Figure out what I actually want in life, and then decide how to go and get it. 

16) Make mistakes, and lots of them. Laugh at myself because of these mistakes. 

17) Read more, and stop watching stupid TV shows like the one that I am watching now. 

18) Convince my loved ones to stop texting while we are at dinner. I don't do this, and it irks me so much when the ones I love do. Pay attention to MEEEE (ha!)

19) Be a better daughter. I mean, come on, I am already perfect... psh whatever. Be a better daughter. The end. 

20) Learn something new. I am now apologizing to Tony in advance, because the apartment already looks like a pixie died in it. Glitter might or might not be involved in this something new. 

Alright so here is to the New Years. As I am typing this, and as you are reading this, let's take a sip of our drink and cheers the computer. Okay, actually don't do that because I am not responsible for what happens next. But my glass of wine is clinking your whatever in honor of a New Year.