Blocks of Me Time

Chaos and interruptions, a typical day for many of us. This picture says it well, as I was going to capture myself with my journal looking down, but the second the shutter opened, one of my kittens decided to jump onto my clothing rack, up goes my head which caused the photo to blur.

Getting down to the topic at hand though, I wanted to discuss scheduling me time, whatever those joyous, relaxing, learning or mindless activities that we want to fit into a day, but most the time put off to the last minute or leave no time for at all.

Over the past few years, I would hope that there would be some time left in any given day to get to, for example, studying my French, journaling on a daily basis, meditating consistently, etc, etc. But most of the time, days turn into nights, into weeks, and so forth causing frustration, and questioning why I cannot seem to accomplish a few simple blocks of time for myself each day, light bulb! Blocking out time. Just as I would schedule a phone meeting with my clients.

It's so important to have that balance as they say, but that balance can mean different things for each of us. Regardless, I hope that you can find that as best as you can, even if interruptions happen, schedule in that me time, just as a with a shower, dinner, family time, going out with friends, and so forth. Make time for those passions, those little things. I'm not perfect with it, but have noticed such an improvement in my well being overall when I make it happen.
xo

Rattled

Dropping off the girls for the first full week of school! Summer vacation is officially over, which is strange for me as I was always the one to start after Labor Day, but with the uninterrupted time now during the days it does help to get more work done and find time to do nice things for myself which after this weekend is absolutely necessary!!

I am the one to always carry water with me everywhere I go, but for some reason in the hustle of last week getting my daughter ready for back to school, work, little sleep and with also getting ready for my best friend coming into Denver, I just for some reason pushed my well being aside. It came back to bite me in a very scary situation on Saturday with fainting spells from being overheated, dehydration, and some sort of anxiety attack that landed me in the ER. That has never happened to me before, it scared me so much that I will absolutely make sure to try to never let that happen again!!
I will get to what needs to be done, but not with sacrificing my well being. Thank you a million times over to my dearest Jen for taking care of me!

Has anything like this ever happened to any of you?

xo

Bonne Année

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful time with your loved ones.

I am starting the new year with some amazing projects that will be keeping me occupied behind the scenes but have some great stuff coming up shortly as well that I will be sharing soon.

I also cannot thank you enough for your continued support, beautiful compliments and love!! My blog alone is going into its 9th year as is my business and being able to do what I love each and everyday. The passion that I have for my creativity and sharing it with you has not changed a bit since the day I started, if anything it has grown stronger. I cannot wait to see what 2015 has in store.

I also will try to keep my resolutions to a simple phrase, "do everything with love", I can apply that with everything I do and I used that last year instead of specifics and ended up with less disappointment and pressure, but strength and success in going after my goals as they came.
So with love, let's do this!

For the first post this year and it being a snowy lazy weekend, I thought I would share with you my reading picks for this month and also a few items that I am using for the start of the year to keep me organized.



- The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith ( J.K. Rowling )
- Us by David Nicholls
- Subliminal by Leonard Mlodinow

A new journal/note/everything notebook for 2015 that will go with me everywhere from Rifle Paper co




I use that along with these month by month calendars from Moleskine for the daily to do's.
Then with keeping my online and business world organized I love to grab a few calendars from Sugar.Paper that Target stocks each year.

Last but not least these adorable skinnier then normal pencils from Kate Spade keep it fun. Paper/Pencil girl I will always be.


papyrusonline

"Tender" ~ Journal Poems

© Leigh Viner 2014

*

Sleeping past silenced alarms inching towards skin rather then the safe wall of withdrawal
Content turn of virtue
Continuing in motion in content
Halted friendless due to preferred leisure
Warm ruthful breaths...
Response to ego and shift love to yours truly
A lens, nature and glistening haze of flurry
Calm duration before frost-bound
The tender now mirthful...

Self Portrait image inspired by Parc Boutique image via April & May

Darlings my poor blog! I miss it! With the shift of easier posting on my other social networks and a crazy few months that I have been working behind the scenes the blog seems to be set aside. I will try to hopefully get on to obsessing about it again, which I actually do in my head, but just need to put that all into a regular thing again. Anyhooooo.. I was updating my journal, which is my book of everything, lists, notes on culture, inspirations and my personal thoughts and once in awhile poems that find way between it all. This one I found from January of this year. It inspired me to continue to practice and add some more before years end and a new journal begins.

I hope all is well!! xo

Revisit

I put my running shoes on today for the first time in over a month, only because I have been using excuses of how hot it is, deadlines, the kids home for summer break and just too much to do! While waking up this morning though I took it upon myself to stop the excuses. Life is a balance for sure, especially with me working from home, making sure I am there for my loved ones, work and all in the same space, that can leave me feeling cooped up and forgetting about the simples things I need for my well being.

I have learned quite a bit about myself from being home for over a decade now, (wow)! I need to get out of the house to socialize at least once a week, exercise on a regular basis, and just have fun with those I love doing simple activities, like walks, visiting a park, lunch dates, dinner dates.. etc or I will end up cranky, antsy and just not myself at all.

Here are just a few simple forgotten habits that I can bring back into my days that are just as important as brushing my teeth twice a day and to feeling better all around.

- Jogging, I am going to try everyday!
- Meditate 2 times a day for 10 min.
- Turning off electronics at a certain time each day, it is endless otherwise.

How about you? What are some simple day to day things that you do for yourself that keep you in check?

Forward

The last photo taken at my old home in January before the big change.

A very long time since my last post, yikes! I have been moving from my old home to the new home for a few weeks, ok a little over a month, but as of today we are officially settled. As we closed the door for the last time it hit hard letting go of something that has been a part of my life for so long, but simultaneously the excitement of turning the page was needed and as I type this I can assure you that the past month of staying under our new roof has been nothing short of wonderful.


{ old, top, vs new living room space }

Change is the only constant, and with change comes fresh ideas and new inspirations. I will start again to bring the space of my blog that I love and miss back to life and cannot wait to share with you as I get back into that rhythm, will share the rooms as they come together along with new art, photography and many other topics that are in my pool of interests.
Thank you in the meantime for following along with me on Instagram while all was going on, it has kept my creative needs in check.

See you tomorrow for #MusicMonday

xo

Journal Poems

January 3rd 2014 Friday
Untitled:
*
A forgiving temperament of character.
Asset of virtue shadowed lightly in shift for what is now treasure.
Pay no mind to uncertainty, for ahead our own selves will mend contentment.
Embrace thy lips in sustained kisses.
From there on an outermost luminosity until cheeks ripen as a glistening apple.
May we summon up days of yore...

Paris Vogue Journal 003

© Leigh Viner 2013. Prints available here.

Another from my May Paris Vogue series, page 56 was a small photo of this adorable room that is featured from a luxury hotel in Marrakech, Morocco, El Fenn. Definitely now on my list of places to visit, an absolutely beautiful and inspiring hotel full of color and traditional decor for Morocco. Small inspirations turning into big dreams.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone. I am hoping to get to many unfinished projects around my own home and try to stay cool in the process, Denver is extremely hot this month.

Paris Vogue Journal 002

© Leigh Viner 2013

Page 38 a forward by Emmanuelle Alt speaking of Punk and the showing at the Met which I hope to see mysepf while in NYC in a few weeks.
I cannot wait but glad I have a little time still before I leave, as at this very moment this weekend dealing with a sciatic nerve issue in my lower back. I have had it on and off, here and there since my 20's, sucks.. But no matter, I am going to deal and have fun regardless, what can you do.



Hope your all having a wonderful weekend though. I will be finding inspiration the rest of the day in watching Alfred Hitchcock's Blackmail (1929). The still below is what has me curious in seeing what it is all about.

Paris Vogue Journal 001

© Leigh Viner 2013

After receiving the May issue of Paris Vogue in the mail and just so happened I stocked up on a few new art journals the same day, I was immediately inspired to use one of the sketchbooks to journal the entire issue, minus the ads... (maybe, going to go with the flow with this one). I am also learning french, for what seems forever and ever and should be fluent at this point if not for the fact I continue to put it on the back burner, but this journal will be a great way to translate the language along with my sketches and a fun way to dive back in.

Speaking of journals, I have also picked back up a daily journal for my thoughts along with making a collage type inspiration journal (below), like what I used to do when I was little. It is such a great way for me to just throw anything and everything together that is running through my mind and inspiring me at the moment. Mini mood boards and various thoughts and notes, I will try to share more of those as well.




Hope your all having a wonderful weekend. xo