MAD DREAM DESIGN: life

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Who Do I Want To Be?

Oh what a question...

The past year has been big for me...it may not seem that way to everyone, but that is not important, because I have been working on myself, for myself. I have failed at times, but I try to catch myself, work through it and get back at it. It has not been easy, and by no means am I even close to being done...this is a life long process, right?

I have also been focusing on this question, because as I started Mad Dream Design and I wanted it to represent me...or the person I am striving to be. I wanted it to be something that grew with me and found its place in the world like I am trying to do. Of course, the goal is the end result, but really it is all about the journey and spreading the good that only you have been given to create.

I have to remind myself of this constantly...seriously, just had to remind myself of that this past weekend! I love a good adventure, so I am definitely all in for life being the best one. Just show me the ways.

Print and Photo by Katie Swanson

This week in the 52 Lists project with Moorea Seal, we are answering just that question. Who do I want to be? Who am I? What do I want to be known for?

Week 19
the things you want to be known for.

a great listener.
a well rounded person.
an expert s'more maker.
passionate. intuitive.
a loving wife (soon).
honest. inspirational.
an ocean lover. different.
a good friend. wise.
creative. my art.
having good taste.
a family girl. a sweet daughter.
a well traveled girl.
an animal activist.
my smile. my style.
not afraid to laugh at myself.
having a sense of humor.
my jewelry. my designs.
a camper. an outdoorsy girl.
a great older sister.
an interest in the well being of others.
getting stuff done.
a good spirit. a brave soul.
an amazing mother (someday).
being true to myself.

What do you do to work on yourself? What do you want to be? What do you want to be known for? I am interested to see the similarities and the differences between our lists! Also, what do you need to work on most for yourself? Share in the comments below!

For me I need to work on not being a perfectionist, and that what I am, or doing, is enough. Perfection means the end...nothing else to discover or know...where is the fun in that? Mistakes are lessons, or an opportunity for something else, and not always a bad thing. Failure still means I was trying, so I can get up and try again, because if I didn't even start then where would I be? I am no master of this, but maybe someday I will be better at it.

xo,

Channeling My Muses

I have been working with the amazing Nicole Longstreath of The Wardrobe Code on my wardrobe for the past few weeks now and I have already found some amazing results. I can tell this is just the beginning of a very fun and successful process! I highly recommend her!!

I first heard Nicole speak at Craftcation last year and have been following her ever since. I love that she supports thrifting, being yourself, accepting your body type and not getting caught up on what is trending at this very moment. She is the perfect mentor for younger girls looking to tighten up their wardrobe/style, the artist who wants to be professional, yet creative with her wardrobe, and women of any age looking to revamp their wardrobe. She is realistic and fun...this is not TLC's What Not To Wear (although I do love that show), where you have to get rid of your whole closet and start over (Thank goodness!).

My homework for this week was to make a "My Style Muses" board on Pinterest. I was really excited about this little piece of homework because 1) I got to use Pinterest, 2) I got to have fun finding my Style Muses, and 3) it really helped me see what I am looking to channel in my own wardrobe.

You can check out Nicole's Muse board on Pinterest and this post on her blog explains how to choose style muses and what to do once you have.

I may have gotten a little carried away but, you can check out My Style Muses board here. For now here are a few of my favorites from the list...

My Blogger Style Crush
Casey Wiegand

Photos property of Casey Wiegand

Casey Wiegand blogs at The Wiegands and creates at A Little Artsy, she is truly inspiring and has amazing style to boot! She is one of my favorite bloggers to follow.

My Celebrity Style Crush
Kirsten Dunst

First of all I love her name (Kirsten was my first American Girl doll as a little girl). Second of all, I have loved her ever since seeing her in Little Women (a favorite holiday movie in our household) when I was a little girl. I love her style in almost every one of her movies and her very own casual style!

Enjoy finding your style muse!

Setting 2013 Goals

This year I want to make them into something I can really reach for in 12 months and I want to make them simple, straight forward and to the point.

Here is a great post on how to do just that on Navy Wives Unite.

Krista Wells explains that we should set three goals, one from each category.

The Categories:
1. Health
2. Wealth
3. Wise

She also explains that we need to ask ourselves, "Who do I want to become in the process of reaching these goals?" and "Why do I want them?"

I think this is a very important idea, because what is the point of setting a goal if you don't want to change, aspire, or act. We need to dig deep and find what it is we really want to accomplish (who you want to become) and how we are going to do that (which would be your specific goal) early on in goal setting.

By only picking three goals, we can really concentrate on them. We are starting small and working our way that "Who"we want to become! Whether you concentrate one one at a time, splitting up your year into three different goals, or you work gradually on all three together through out the year, I think you will see the results you are looking for.

What if you accomplish all three before the end of the year? Wells says to focus on three goals at a time and once you have reached where you want to be through those three goals, that you move onto your next three goals.

Here are my three goals for 2013!
I will report back on how these are going throughout the year or when I do actually meet them.

1. Health: Cut out most processed food. Don't buy them or bring them into the house, look at ingredients before I buy things, look for natural ingredients and alternatives to artificial ingredients.

2. Wealth: Take online business tutorials and put some jewelry in my shop. Make time to watch tutorials and to make jewelry, prepare a good business base, shop, and blog for Craftcation in March.

3. Wise: Camp more! I would like to see more places in California, so I can experience and know where I live better. I want to find all the prettiest spaces in Southern California in 2013 and enjoy them, document them, and share them.

4. I am going to add this goal because I just cannot ignore it in 2013.
Plan my wedding! :)

Share your goals, write them down, let others help keep you accountable.

Enjoy!

Being Thankful

Not all those who wander are lost. - J.R.R. Tolkien

My mind loves to wander, but it is not lost. It is exactly where it wants to be. It is in a familiar place, for it is usually somewhere in my heart with my memories and in my dreams. These are all things I know very well, but also wish I knew more.

If my heart holds all that is dear...it is the center of my thankfulness. In order to be thankful I must go to what is in my heart, respect what is in my heart, live what is in my heart and above all else guard my heart.

I am not talking about playing it safe, or acknowledging the things I am thankful for in a single moment. I am talking about going deeper, taking a leap of faith, and living the thankful life. We were all put her for a reason, a reason that only He knows, a reason that only we can find through Him. We are not in it alone, He has that plan, we have his support. This is something to be thankful for. This gift is one that we will spend our life thinking on, acting on and hoping on. This is the thankful lifestyle.

Living the thankful life is not only a promise to yourself, or a connection, but it is self care and in this you can guard whatever makes your heart warm. Let your mind wander there often, let your mind find what your heart dreams of and let those dreams become truth.

All images can be found on my Pinterest!

Come and play.

If you are a Jane Austen fan...

I recently picked up a book called A Jane Austen Education: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship, and the Things that Really Matter by William Deresiewicz. It has gotten great reviews and so far I love it. It has been a great review of some of my favorite stories, a wonderful refresher on Jane Austen's personal history and a new perspective on what Austen was really trying to tell us with all the particulars.

It is very interesting to hear about Austen and her novels from a man's point of view, and how he fell in love with Austen and her writing. The lessons and morals she teaches in her novels are closely looked at and compared to the modern every day life of Deresiewicz. It also drives home the point that her novels are timeless, because Austen wrote about everyday people and occurrences, and they, along with their lessons, will always be applicable to our own every day lives.

So if you are a Jane Austen fan, like I am, I really recommend this book. It not only sheds a new light on her stories and characters, but it also sheds a new light on your own everyday life and what really matters.

The pups of my life!

I am lucky to have a lot of dogs in my life! A had the fortunate job of house sitting for 6 and half years for a lot of my friends, and with that I made friends in their dogs. Even though I don't house sit anymore they are all characters that I am so happy to have met. From the happy-go-lucky Hunter (Golden Retriever), to the always protective and man of the house Adam (Rottweiler), to my very own intuitive Darla (Poodle/Terrier mix). These dogs changed my life forever.

Adam taught me that dog stereotypes, such as the whole "bully breed" stereotype, are ridiculous, and that no matter the breed, the owner is what makes the difference in a dog's behavior. He had some of the best owners a dog can have. Yes, Adam was protective, but in the sweetest way possible; sleeping on the ground next to the bed every night, standing strong next to you, teaching Ronnie (Mastiff mix) what he knows best, and being ever so patient with Rusty's (Maltese mix) energetic self.

Hunter taught me to stop and smell the flowers, literally! On walks we had to stop and smell every plant. :) He also taught me that dogs know who you are. He knew he was safe with me, even though I was not his Mom. He knew I would love him and care for him while she was gone. There was a loyalty and trust that came with that, that you do not get to see all the time with dogs that are not yours.

Darla. Tears come to my eyes when I think of her, still. Sweet, yet sassy. She was so perceptive to what was going on around her. She felt your emotion and she wore her own emotions on her sleeve. She was a stray before a rescue found her, and our family adopted her. She was only a year old when we got her, and she had already been through so much. I miss her most when I am upset or sick, because she would be right there to snuggle and console you. Always Nurse Darla.

Now, I have two more very special dogs in my life. One I have known for almost 7 years now and another that came into my life about 8 months ago. Little Sophie (Poodle Maltese mix), who my family adopted after Darla passed away last September, is just a little ball of sunshine. She is sweet, scrappy and has so much energy! She has taught me how sweet dogs can be. And then there is Ozzie, 7 years ago in September, I met him as a puppy. We have never lived close, but I was ever so happy to see him when I got to. I got to watch him grow up into a handsome, happy dog. He came to us in March, after Jimi's sister had two kids. Ozzie is a Border Collie, his first instinct is to keep everyone in line, to herd everything that moves. He is constantly trying to herd our cats and he has taken up weekly sheep herding with his Grammy, Cathy. He is always so happy, and excited about everything, like everything is his favorite thing. I have been trying over the past couple of months to take a lesson from him, to just be happy, or try to stay positive about every situation. Life can be simple sometimes, it doesn't always have to be so complicated, take a note from some of your favorite dogs and enjoy the things you love to do as often as you can.