Which is why I’ve learned to get over my safety net response to creating art, Oh, I’m not that creative. And have started to embrace my inner Ana Mendieta (my favorite artist). Because I’ve learned that creativity? It’s an expression of my originality, which helps me to stay mindful that what I bring to the world is completely original and cannot be compared.

And that’s how I get involve in stuff like this:

When I make creating a priority – whether it be here on my blog, or in my studio upstairs playing with papers and paints – everything in my life just seems to work better.

Do you take time to create? How has art helped you? I’d love to hear how you incorporate art into your world…

But it isn’t. Ironically, in our culture, motherhood, an experience that is so completely universal, can at times, make us feel so alone. We are constantly challenged by our family, friends, co-workers…  the media, to be MOM ENOUGH. And it can leave us feeling inadequate and guilt ridden. And why is it that we mothers are probably the worst culprits of pointing fingers and saying, you’re doing it wrong?

Why do we (and I’m totally admitting guilt on my part, here) feel so comfortable judging the Jamie Lynn Grumets, the Octomoms, the Duggars, the Tiger moms… et al.? I realize that I’ve listed all the extreme cases that are used by the media to insight controversy. But when we judge them, we only make it that much easier to judge the not-so-extreme sisters in motherhood, our fellow diaper changers and swing-pushers. Our sisters in this beautiful yet simultaneously difficult journey.

Which is why this year? I’d like to reclaim Mother’s Day, make a small grammatical change, and declare it a Mothers Day!

A day where we focus on, support and celebrate each other. Let’s agree to take a moment to reach out to our fellow sisters in motherhood and tell them something encouraging and supportive, something we should tell them more often… something like, “you’re doing a great job.” Or, “you inspire me.” Or, “you have some amazing kids!” An unexpected little note of support and solidarity.

In fact, I’ll make it really easy to do… just click one of the e-cards below to send it to a mother you know and make her day!

Oh. And… Happy Mothers Day, y’all!

I didn’t even have to scour the shelves at the Goodwill location on Loop 410 and Blanco, the selection of vintage china and glass is plentiful at this location. I quickly gathered a glass candle holder ($9.99) and a very cute vintage china tea cup with saucer ($14.99). Both together put me right at my $25 budget (you’ll also need some glue – I used E-6000, which will run you about $4 at your local craft store).

First, remove all stickers and wash the tea set and the candle stick holder to remove all dust/debris. Dry with a paper towel.
Then, carefully add some glue to the top edge of the candle stick holder.

Next, flip the tea set saucer upside down on the work table, and center the candle stick holder. Let it sit for awhile so the glue can set.

After it’s done drying, you’re done – voila!

Or you can decide to glue the teacup to the top of the saucer for a different look.

Here’s what the finished product looks like on a dresser.

You can also opt to do a different version, using only the teacup and saucer.
Simply place the teacup upside down, and glue the saucer to the bottom of the teacup.

Another variation on this very idea is to use larger components, like this brass candle stick holder ($9.99) and larger vintage decorative plate ($14.99) that I found at the same location (you could even use turned over wine glass as a base).
You can use it as a jewelry holder, or even as a cake plate. If you wanted to get really fancy, you could create an entire set, so that at mom’s next dinner party, each guest could have one of these placed right in front of them with a yummy cupcake placed neatly on top! Don’t worry that they’re mix-matched. It’s the new trend!

Disclosure: I was remunerated for this post.

Good morning y’all. I’m here in Miami and this is what I got to wake up to this morning…

I’m a pretty lucky girl.

But… I’m even more excited about making a few thousand girls very lucky…

On Friday, Mom 2.0 is going to try to beat the world record (currently held by Justin Bieber fans) for Creating the Most Widespread Social Network Message in One Hour (11,001 Tweets on Friday evening, 6 to 7 pm. EST). And if we do that, then Dove will donate $15,000 to Girls Inc., an organization inspiring girls to be strong, smart and bold, since 1864.

But what’s worth saying 11,001 times?

The amazing organizers of Mom 2.0 have come up with a great idea… We’re going to be sending out a message that we all want to tell each other. Something we keep meaning to tell each other.  Something we should tell each other…

You Inspire Me.

Congratulations, commenter number five: Bry! Please email me your address so I can send your trendy coral necklace straight to you – just in time for Mother’s Day!

But what I want to write this post about is the amazingly perfect day that we had yesterday! I don’t know why it’s taken me three years to discover this place, but I’m glad we did! Check it.

That’s me – a very pregnant mama – on a paddle board! We are on Austin’s Town Lake which has some amazing views of the city & of nature (a little turtle swam right under my board and we paddled up close to two beautiful white swans). Tim and Juniper shared a two-person kayak – which was just perfect. It was little Juni’s first time on a kayak and she ATE. IT. UP!

And just how does one end a glorious day of paddling on Town Lake? Beverages and grub at one of the many al fresco dining establishments on Barton Springs Rd. We chose Shady Grove – appropriately named, as we sat amongst a grove of old oak, shaded by their thick, arthritic branches (and strategically placed umbrellas). I highly recommend this place both for its perfect al fresco atmosphere AND for its food! We ordered the green chile burger with a side of green chile cheese fries, the award-winning hippie sandwich, the PB&J with a side of fruit, and the waiter’s favorite chicken fried chicken topped with pepper jack and their famous green chile sauce with a side of mashers and grilled asparagus. We devoured it all and licked our fingers clean!

It was one of those days where you find yourself with good company, the weather is perfect, and after all of the fun-having, you sit down to some good eats and you leave feeling immensely satisfied with life.

It’s a feeling that will have to carry us for a while because Tim and I won’t see each other at all until June 15th!

If you’re in Austin/San Antonio evirons, consider renting a kayak/paddle board and take a cruise around Town Lake. It’s immensely fun and you won’t regret it. Unless it rains. But that actually might be fun, too. We rented from the Rowing Dock, and will definitely be back!

My journaling and writing have always been put on paper in random notebooks. I have a stack of them to prove it. To read them now is fairly hilarious. I was really boy crazy back then. And as I read these stories that are now so humorous and trivial, I try to remember the pain and angst that I felt while in the midst of those stories… which has taught me a very valuable lesson in life:

No matter how much you hurt now because of whatever situation that might be happening, you will survive it, and at some point in your life it will seem smaller. Much smaller.

Since my days in high school, a lot of things have changed. Especially in technology. What was once written on paper with a pen is now typed out on the computer. And in 2004, something magical happened.

I discovered the blog.

And boy was it a game changer! You mean I can write about whatever I want and people will read it? It was this writer’s dream! So I started blogging – which allowed for an all new kind of happy in my life: Attention. People were paying attention to me. (Yes, of course I’m a bit narcissistic. But aren’t we all?)

And as blogs are so wont to do, mine morphed — evolved. Even my reason for blogging evolved. As the popularity for blogging grew, and kept growing (and keeps growing), I realized that blogging is not just about gaining superficial attention. It is a platform for your voice.

Isn’t that just beautiful? Everyone has a voice on the internet. (That makes me happy!) And though I get a lot of enjoyment out of sharing humorous (and not so humorous) personal stories, reviews, and tid-bits on culture, I get even more joy out of connecting with others who are of like-mind. Reading their stories, and connecting with them.

Being connected to the world through this giant web of on-line networks – reading about people’s stories, sharing mine, pledging to advocate for causes, working with people that you’d never dreamed of collaborating with, sharing knowledge within this gigantic, global brain that is the internet – has allowed me to understand the world a little better.

In fact, blogging, journaling, writing and connecting online hasn’t just made my life more enjoyable, it has changed me for the better.

I invite you all, my friends, to join the in conversation! How does blogging, journaling, writing and connecting online help to increase your happiness? I’d love to hear what you have to say – here or on the Life Well Lived post. While you’re there, be sure to enter the Life Well Lived Sweepstakes.

]]> http://flutiemcd.com/2012/04/what-ill-be-wearing-at-mom-2-0/feed/ 0 http://flutiemcd.com/2012/04/business-cards/ http://flutiemcd.com/2012/04/business-cards/#comments Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:46:18 +0000 Kim http://flutiemcd.com/?p=1307 I tend to go through periods of idleness followed by periods of workaholic frenzy. And when I say idleness, I really mean time away from the computer, doing non-computery stuff. Like reading. And cuddling. And talking long walks. And smelling roses. It’s the way that I’ve learned to balance my life. Right now, I’m living on the intersection of the two periods – morphing out of my idle stage and back into my workaholic frenzy stage.

In just two weeks, I’ll be in Miami, Florida for Mom 2.012. I am beyond excited. This conference has been on my bloggie bucket list for several years now and I am thrilled – beyond thrilled – that I’m able to be there this year.

One of the many benefits of attending this oh-so-rad event is the pre-conference virtual learning sessions. Yup. Last week’s virtual learning session was on business cards – How to Win at Business Cards to be specific. The session was facilitated by the wise Laurie Smithwick and in a nutshell, this is what she advised:

1) They need to be relevant – it’s not just about your contact info, but should also serve as a conversation starter. Remember: People are visual.

2) Inevitably, business cards exchanged at social media events will end up in the trash. The goal is to make a memorable impression. To get that person to give your card a second look before they trash it.

3) What makes a card memorable? 1) killer design 2) unusual shapes/sizes 3) clever materials 4) savvy colors

Interestingly, I’d just re-designed my business cards a few weeks ago. So while she was going through her session, I was making mental check marks, and luckily, I think I covered all the bases. I guess I’ll find out in a couple of weeks when I rise to Laurie’s challenge and introduce myself to her with my newly designed business card. I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes. And I plan to write a post conference blog post on all the rad business cards that I collect while I’m there.

And just because stuff like what I carry my business cards in is as important to me as the business cards themselves, I splurged on one of these:

The wee one and I had an early morning check up today and every thing seems to be just fine. Indulge a pregnant mama and have a look-see for yourself:

Tim's favorite profile pic -

My favorite profile pic