Day 16: Having fun--failed

I totally failed today's Soul Coaching assignment. It was soooo easy too. But this I guess this is what happens after I write a post about fear of failure. LOL. What was it? Have fun! Today I felt sleepy and that in turn made me cranky. Oh, and I think we're backsliding from the potty training. I tried to nap while Sophia napped but after fixing and eat lunch, I crammed in about 20 minutes of fitful sleep. I didn't even have coffee this morning! Unfortunately, being so tired made me a bit cranky. Not the best of my parenting days.

The sleepiness was in part my allergies, which for some reason decided to flair up after subsiding for a couple of weeks. The other part was all my fault. I have not been taking care of myself. Late unproductive nights of Law & Order and web surfing. No sleeping in allowed with a 3 year old.

It's funny how the universe sends things your way. Yesterday I wrote about failure. I finally flipped through the October issue of Ode Magazine. (I recently rediscovered it under the mounds of papers & random toys on my desk). What is the cover story? The Upside of Down: Why Failure is Good for You. Yup. There's great stories of well known people who have failed.

Did you know that Louis L'Amour had a couple hundred stories rejected before he was published? I've never read his books, but I've seen them everywhere!

Says Winston Churchill: "Success is the ability to go from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." So I should follow my own advice to Sophia when she can't get something right, "Oops. Try again!"

What is the universe trying to tell you?

My new Moleskine sketchbook arrived today from Amazon. Woohoo! How I have missed writing and sketching on its lovely paper. I haven't journalled lately since I finished my old Moleskine.

Day 1: Breathing & decluttering

I recently turned the ripe old age of 30 last month. I thought I'd have a crisis, like many 30 year olds. Am I happy with my life? Have I accomplished what I wanted to by age 30? and so on. However I didn't. I barely took the time to reflect on what I've accomplished the past 30 years. My birthday was a whirlwind week of dinners, meetings, and a party. I guess I was just riding the wave.

So for Day 1, I took the time to reflect. Taking the time to slow down and breathe. I remember the plans I made in high school: degree in computer info systems, have a great career, and at 30, get married and start a family. I got a degree in costume design, married my college sweetheart at 23, and now have a 3 year old daughter. And I have a great career in Passion Parties. I never planned on being a stay at home mom, but I love it!

What I feel lacking is more creativity in my life. I read all of these great blogs, read great craft books and have all these fabulous ideas swirling around in my head. Then, I'm so overwhelmed, I create nothing. Sometimes when my brain is so cluttered with ideas, it keeps me awake at night. I'll have to put them to paper so my brain can rest.

Last week, while I was creating my daughter's princess dress, I felt so alive, so focused. It didn't matter that I was cutting and sewing until 6am. It was like calling a girlfriend you haven't spoken to in 6 months. Yet, as soon as you say "Hello" the conversation resumes like no time every came between us. That's how it felt with me and my sewing machine. Like putting back on leather gloves that have molded them around your hands--a perfect fit no matter how often you pull them on and off. So why don't I do it more? I don't know. I just have to get started. Once I start, I'm in the zone.

So this is where I am. Where will this Soul Coaching take me? Who knows. But this is what I've decided for the next 28 days:

I give myself permission to

• REST
• RELAX
• READ

I will treat my body the way it deserves to be treated. I will give myself permission to nap, read that frivolous book, and relax with a cup of hot tea. And breathe of course. I will remember to breathe deeply and fully.

What should you give yourself permission to do?

I'll Take an Iced Mocha Injection, Please

I just joined a great Yahoo group for art journaling. This is one of my first pages. The group was started by Rice Freeman-Zachary. I love her blog. Warning, it's not for the weak. LOL. Lots of fun F-bombs on her blog.

I had a weakness for iced mochas that I had to give up while I was pregnant. Then after that, they seemed a bit too extravagant to buy from the coffee shop. So I started making my own cold brewed coffee. It's so easy! It takes me about 5 minutes prep time, but that's only because I fresh grind my coffee beans.

Update on BurdaStyle MiniChallenge: Well, I made the muslin on Saturday and I was underwhelmed by the pattern. I knew it was going to be baggy but it looked like I was a muumuu with saggy boobs. (Sorry I was not going to take any pictures of that). Plus the dropped shoulder wasn't looking so hot. I thought about raising the shoulder a bit but decided to take a nap. I think that I'd rather make a dress that fits well and makes me feel good that to use the Anda pattern just so I can participate in the challenge.

On to the recipe. I'm not really a measure-er (is that a word?) except when I'm baking, so just eyeball it.

Cold-brewed Iced Mocha Vietnamese Style (mocha optional)

Ingredients:
Filtered or bottle water
Your favorite coffee grounds (medium coarse is preferred if you are grinding yourself. I use my good old favorite from home, Community Coffee. Mom sends it to me)
A large jar (I re-use a spaghetti sauce or applesauce jar)

The ratio to this 4 parts water to 1 part coffee. I just fill the jar with coffee until it looks like 1/4 of the jar. Fill up with filtered or bottled water. I used filtered. This is going to make a very concentrated coffee so you want better tasting water. Set in the fridge overnight. Now I've read that it can take as little as 2 hours but I forget about stuff so overnight works out great.

The next morning, you'll strain the coffee. The method that works best for me is a coffee filter in a funnel set over another jar. This can take a bit of time. So I just fill up my funnel and then come back to add more. Voila, now you have cold-brewed coffee! It will keep in your fridge for a few days because it's so yummy you'll drink it all in a few days!

This coffee is really strong. So you'll have to thin it out with water. How much water you add depends on how strong you like your coffee. You can add your sweeteners and creamers as you would normally. You can also put it in the microwave to have hot coffee too. But with this heat, iced is the way to go!

Mocha, Vietnamese Style

If you like Vietnamese coffee, you'll love my version of the mocha. Take a tall glass (I use a pint glass). Add about 2 tsp of your favorite chocolate syrup. Then, add 2-3tsp of sweetened condensed milk (this is the Vietnamese party). This will replace your creamer. Add your coffee (about 1 1/2 shot glass worth, but don't measure, just pour!). Add a little water. Stir until combined. Add more water and ice.

Stick a straw in it so you feel like you're at Starbucks. Enjoy the buzz.