Keeping it Real Monday.
April 11, 2011
Whew! What a weekend. We’ve been picking up the pieces after having a booth at the Bijou Market, and now getting ready for our booth at Quilt Market in 4 weeks. And then there have been a few hiccups like having our mini-van in the shop for 2 weeks after a terrible car crash (did you see that one on my twitter?) and oh….did I mention that my brother is getting married this week? Mix in a few colds and normal life with kids and a house and yard, and this is what the house has been looking like:
The one thing that goes first when things get crazy are the normal: dishes and laundry…and floors, and well….it all just seems a blur sometimes. So, lest you think that life behind the screen is as pretty as my blog facade, please take notice: running a full-time shop & business with freelancing books and designs while mothering 3 kids who are home most of the day isn’t always roses.
Like these clothes at the bottom of the stairs? I think they’ve been there for at least 3 days now.
And I’m not even showing you my car or laundry room!
Sometimes, I think we’re so used to seeing things with such a pretty spin on blogs these days (and for good reason–it’s important for me to focus on the positive when I blog…it keeps me motivated to see the beautiful during every day life…which is oh so needed when life is less than pretty)….it’s important for you to know that as glamourous as it sounds to be a book illustrator, blogger, fabric designer, home owner….things aren’t necessarily pretty around here! It takes a lot of focus to keep it all in check.
I still don’t have it figured out! But since I am the housekeeper AND everything else….the role of housekeeper does take a back seat when things get overly busy. I don’t like it at all. I hate a messy house! But….it’s the sacrifice you make for running an at home business and being an artist. It just is.
And it goes along perfectly with my all time favorite motto (poem):
The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
for children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.
-by Ruth Hamilton, 1958
And so there you have it. Real life today. I just went around my house clicking the camera today…no edits here.
But with that, I will say that the combination of your AMAZING responses on the survey (which ends today, FYI), and the need to make some changes around here to let this growing business suit our family a bit better, you will be seeing some changes around the shop. And soon. So stay tuned! It’s always hard to make changes, but since I’ve been in this for my family from the very beginning, changes are inevitable. I’ll talk more about that later…
Happy Monday!
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April 13th, 2011 on 12:34 am[...] thanks for all the messy house love. Nice to know I’m not [...]
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*gasp!* that’s my favourite saying too
it’s so true. a nice reminder when you’re in the thick of things.
er, well not *saying*.. quotation? yeah, that’s what i meant.
Such is the life of a homeschooling family, too!
You are so RIGHT to stay focused on the kids before the house…great advice I try to live by, too even though I HATE to see housework pile up! But I know from experience how FAST they grow up!!!!!!!! They are so precious!!
Sara.. If we lived closer I would love to give you a hand and come clean for you! as you see I’m one of those people who really enjoy it!and enjoy giving others a helping hand. I too can really only enjoy my house when it’s clean! love the poem .. it really says it all.
Thank you so very much for this post. It is easy to get caught up with how perfect everyone’s lives seem on blogs. Sometimes I think about how I just don’t measure up and I forget to see things as they really are. Thanks for this reminder. It means a lot to me. Now, I need to do MY laundry
Thank you!
You’re an inspiration and a Superwoman from real life!
Cathie: I’d have you clean my house every day!
Thanks for being real! I do read blogs and it does seem like people are “perfect.” Your priorities are in order, though! And, it’s good to see you’re like the rest of us…a normal, albeit, very talented mom. Have a wonderful Monday! We like you even more now, b/c you’re honest!
Timely post for me. I walked in the door this morning after teaching early morning seminary and just couldn’t believe how bad my house had gotten over the weekend. But I have so much to do this week that I can’t even think about the house. I will have to just throw in a load of laundry or dishes here and there and try to ignore the rest. I can’t imagine how bad it would be if I actually was employed somewhere!
thanks for keeping it real Sarah! I’ve got piles and toys scattered all over my house and the laundry room is bursting at the seams with clean laundry that needs to be folded and put away!
Sarah you are always keepin it real, I love that! Saw your adorable booth at Bijou, but sad I missed you! Tell David CONGRATULATIONS! Did you know we ended up living in the same ward two years and spending lots of time hanging out. I love that guy, so excited for him!
I love keeping it real Mondays! It is very hard to keep everything in check when you are running a business from home…yep, we have piles of laundry and my kitchen floor desperately needs to be mopped but oh well, somethings have to take a back seat!
Thanks for keeping it real. It looks pretty real around here, too. Love that poem. It’s perfect!
I swear that last pic from your kitchen was taken from my house. Thank you for sharing your home life reality; sooo relatable!
so refreshing! so true! love it.
So very refreshing to see that even you Sarah Jane have a messy house once in a while, lol
I sometimes get caught up in the everyone has a perfect life/blog/art/garden/whatever that it’s hard for me to feel like I can ever live up to what I really would like to be doing. I panic & then where do I start!?! Thanks for sharing a little piece of this part of your life with all of us.
Thank You thank you thank you for showing us that you’re normal too! Sometimes we need to be reassured!
Alessandra
I just love you.
You are so right. I keep pushing myself to keep everything in order, family, baby, job, house, and lots of hobbies, just because, well, everyone else’s house look so pretty in blogland. I know that’s not the case all the time, but I do want a perfectly organized house and I love cleaning. So, by pushing myself too hard, I ended up hurting my own health. For what? A living room with clean floor? I want to be healthy and alive for as long as possible, to watch my girl growing up. So, thank you for keeping it real.
i posted pics similar to yours on our blog! I’m sorry, who lives a perfect house when you have kids!?!! i do my best!
You so rock, Sarah Jane.
Thank you!
Wow, thank you for being real…my sister and I have been trying to get our business up and running-I am able to take time to create on a regular basis which is amazing but keeping the balance is always a challenge-this post was like a big hug right when I needed it!
Thanks!
[...] thanks for all the messy house love. Nice to know I’m not [...]
i love that photo with the light streaming into your kitchen. lovely. i love real life photos. growing up our house was always a little “lived in” and it was real. i will always remember that.
ps i love the new girl prints!
Somehow the clutter at your house looks more “artistic” than the kid clutter, dishes, paperwork, clothes on the floor at my house! It must be due to you being an artist!
Your clutter looks cute! My clutter looks messy!
I loved the little peek of those open wall book shelves for your kids! That is a terrific idea for viewing book for kids! Where to you buy those type shelves? Or do you make them?
Also, wondered when you might do another buy 2 get 1 fee art sales? I’d like to buy several of your pieces but, wondered if you might do a sale some time soon?
Thank you!
~ Ali
~ Ali
Oh, thanks for making me feel not alone! =D
many many hugs from Brazil!
loved, loved this honest look at life as a busy mom…you’re amazing and I just don’t know how you do it all! if you came over to my house right now, you’d feel better about yours…! XOXO