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February 12, 2018

Intentions for the Week

Looking to get your head in the game? Tracy from Shutterbean makes a weekly TO DO LIST called her Intentions for the Week. Here's what this week looks like:

Happy Monday, friends!

Did you have a good weekend?

I hosted breakfast with friends on Saturday after a long week of working through my clutter at home with my stylist friend Jessica. It was quite an exhausting process but we DID IT! And my house has clear surfaces and hardly any piles! Putting energy into one place means that energy is taken out of other places. This means I have so much laundry to catch up on, but it’s cool. I’ll put on a podcast and work through the pile. I also have one last paper pile to tackle. I’ve been putting it off for far too long. Maybe we can all agree to clear out something this week.

What’s causing you the most stress in your house right now and what can you do about it???

Now that I have an intentional space to write/art/play, I feel ready and prepared to get some work done this week. What about you?

Tracy from Shutterbean.com shares her Intentions for the Week!

Intentions for the Week:

  • make valentines/finish chocolate lollipops
  • deliver valentines
  • laundry
  • call the bank
  • make banana bread
  • make coconut carrot soup
  • return at Target
  • catch up on social media stuff
  • plow through emails
  • continue working on office space/TACKLE PAPER PILE
  • ship out packages for The Handwriting Club (thank you for your orders!!)
  • backup photos on phone
  • celebrate Valentine’s Day
  • take photos of what we did last week/work on AROUND THE HOME post
  • get caught up on accounting
  • start packing up clothes to send to ThredUp
  • clean out fridge/do meal prep
  • research new Vans
  • find the charger for my iPad pen
  • carve out some time to read Modern Loss
  • make a list of things to be done around the house
  • visit the library
  • keep the house tidy!

 

Last Week’s Intentions:

  • make valentines/send out (doing today!)
  • get some exercise going on
  • clean out studio space! streamline closets
  • brush lettering class
  • finish laundry 
  • take photos for handwriting club (didn’t get a chance)
  • clean out fridge (didn’t get a chance)
  • write thank you notes (can get started now that I have a space to do it!)
  • trip to Salvation Army (have stuff to go, still compiling)
  • post a new recipe on the blog (I have an easy curry situation I’ll have to post)
  • post wilbur hot springs photos on the blog (coming soon!)
  • drink more water (this is helping)
  • send out orders for The Handwriting Club

Mantra for the Week:

Tracy from Shutterbean.com shares her Intentions for the Week!

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Thanks for reading Shutterbean!  If you’d like to check out more of my everyday life, follow me on Instagram and be sure keep in touch via Facebook, Twitter,  Bloglovin,  Pinterest, or subscribe via email to get new posts delivered to your inbox.

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February 11, 2018

My Everyday Life: Week 6

Here’s what this past week looked like- My Everyday Life Week 6

This week my Jessica flew down from Oregon to help me put my much-neglected office space back together.

I needed help finding balance in my life and she was willing to do the work. Good things happen when you ask for help!

My Everyday Life: Week 6 on Shutterbean.com

I now have a space I love to work in.

We worked super hard this week getting rid of ANYTHING that does not serve a purpose and finding a good home for things we need to keep after sorting through it all. It was a long process and exhausting but we made it through the end and I am so THANKFUL for friendship and organization!

The best part is that I don’t feel paralyzed in my workspace anymore. Having surfaces to work on that don’t have piles is GIVING ME LIFE.

I’ll share more about it soon!

My Everyday Life: Week 6 on Shutterbean.com

Taking a pause in the nursery while we had 5 minutes to pick out a plant of my dreams.

My Everyday Life: Week 6 on Shutterbean.com

In between buildings detour turned into a Hello, I love you giant plant situation. My Everyday Life: Week 6 on Shutterbean.com

I’d like to work in a place like this.

My Everyday Life: Week 6 on Shutterbean.com

Detour to make eye contact with nature.

My Everyday Life: Week 6 on Shutterbean.com

This week’s Instacart delivery from Whole Foods turned into….

My Everyday Life: Week 6 on Shutterbean.com

SHUTTERBEAN MEAL PREP!

My Everyday Life: Week 6 on Shutterbean.com

CONTINUE READING

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February 9, 2018

I LOVE LISTS

I love lists // shutterbean.com

Welcome to I LOVE LISTS. It’s FRIDAY! Here’s a list for you! 

  1. Teachers who failed at inspiring. LOL.
  2. A whole bunch of Dad jokes for you.
  3. Ummm. OOPS.
  4. The WORST photoshop fails. HAHAHA.
  5. Accidental cosplay is awesome.
  6. Funny Punny Valentine’s Day
  7. This makes me teary.
  8. Next time you want Chinese takeout, make your own.
  9. It’s been a long while since I made these…
  10. Gonna have to make this for my boys soon.
  11. Photography coincidences are RAD.
  12. Write your way to a good life.
  13. One day I will sew. And it will be something like this but longer.
  14. Should you write what you know?
  15. Books added to my collection: Oprah Cookbook / Emotional Intelligence
  16. I will buy whatever Bill Murray is selling.
  17. Four day work weeks don’t work for everyone.
  18. A Field Guide to Fake News (let me know if this is good)
  19. Frozen Niagara
  20. Can you imagine running into one of these on the beach?
  21. Whoooooa. Food artistry!
  22. Current favorite: brush pen / dry shampoo  / dry oil
  23. How smartphone cameras have improved in the last 5 years.

have a great weekend!

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February 8, 2018

Chocolate Lollipops

Tracy from Shutterbean shows how she makes Chocolate Lollipops! Heart shaped   

There were so many times my mom rushed me off the phone because she was having a chocolate making date with her friend Sandy and she needed to get her house ready. It was something they did together every year (I think?) during Valentine’s Day.  My mom was known as the “Candy Lady” to my old high school, the Godmother’s Club she belonged to and many friends and family who were the lucky recipients of her chocolate lollipops.  She spent her time and money spreading happiness throughout the year with chocolates.  She was always amazed at how much people appreciated her gesture.

Tracy from Shutterbean shows how she makes Chocolate Lollipops! Heart shaped

After my Mom’s funeral, her neighbor told me how he always looked forward to finding a chocolate lollipop in his mailbox during Valentine’s Day. I know what he meant because we’d get chocolate suckers in the mail every year from my Mom. COOPER WAS ALWAYS SO EXCITED. She’d include a card and send them off in a bubble mailer.

This is the first year we won’t get one 🙁

Tracy from Shutterbean shows how she makes Chocolate Lollipops! Heart shaped

I brought my mom’s candy making supplies home with me because I wanted to add a few in the first care package I send my niece in college. She already got the package and told me it reminded her of Nana!

I love that I can carry her magic with me by taking over some of her traditions.

There are so many little questions during the process that would have made it easier for me if I had my Mom to talk to. I’m pretty sure she would have complained how messy I was. There’s definitely a finesse to filling up a chocolate mold. But what I know most from my time in the kitchen this week is that candy making is therapy.

No wonder my Mom spent her free time doing it. When you get into a zone, things go smoothly and it’s absolutely gratifying creating a hoard of chocolate lollipops to gift people.  Not to mention that having a double boiler on the stove melting chocolate alllllll day long feels luxurious.

My mom’s house always smelled of chocolate during this time of year and now mine does.

It’s bittersweet.
CONTINUE READING

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February 5, 2018

Intentions for the Week

Looking to get your head in the game? Tracy from Shutterbean makes a weekly TO DO LIST called her Intentions for the Week. Here's what this week looks like:

Hello, MONDAY! Fancy meeting you again! This weekend was pretty fun. Went up to St. Helena and did a Sip & Paint class with my friend Helen Jane! We got to make Georgia O’Keefe paintings while we drank wine. Got home yesterday afternoon in time for the Super Bowl. My boys are pretty unhappy right now since the Pats lost 🙁  We will probably be eating our feelings this week. Definitely going to try to make this Thai Basil Beef happen and maybe a Baked Pasta situation. We’ll see!

I’m ready to get back into the swing of our routine, do some meal prep, clean out the fridge and get my head in the game. The weather is supposed to be really nice here in the Bay Area this week so I can’t wait to open the windows and let fresh air in.  One of the biggest things I’m working on this week is going through all the books in my office/studio and getting rid of all the magazines I’ve saved and never looked through. My friend Jessica is coming down from Oregon to help! I cannot wait to get my space organized enough to show you. YAY!

Let’s get our heads in the games with an Intentions for the Week list.

 Every week, Tracy Benjamin from Shutterbean.com types up her TO DO list with her Intentions for the Week post. Check out this week's post!

Intentions for the Week:

  • make valentines/send out
  • get some exercise going on
  • clean out studio space! streamline closets
  • brush lettering class
  • finish laundry
  • take photos for handwriting club
  • clean out fridge
  • write thank you notes
  • trip to Salvation Army (DONATE STUFF LIKE A MOFO)
  • post a new recipe on the blog
  • post wilbur hot springs photos on the blog
  • drink more water (this is helping)
  • send out orders for The Handwriting Club

 

Last Week’s Intentions:

Mantra this week:

intentionsfor2018-2

 

What about you? What are you up to this week? Leave your intentions and get your head in the game!

 

 

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February 4, 2018

My Everyday Life: Week 5

Here’s what this past week looked like- My Everyday Life Week 5

Making chocolate with my mom’s candy molds! 

My Everyday Life: Week 5 on Shutterbean.com

Tea at Heather’s house.

My Everyday Life: Week 5 on Shutterbean.com

Somehow convinced him to hold hands and he didn’t let go.

My Everyday Life: Week 5 on Shutterbean.com

Having a chat with a pigeon.

My Everyday Life: Week 5 on Shutterbean.com

Ella found a new spot.

My Everyday Life: Week 5 on Shutterbean.com

Working in the playroom.

My Everyday Life: Week 5 on Shutterbean.com

Working on a new zine for The Handwriting Club! 

My Everyday Life: Week 5 on Shutterbean.com

CONTINUE READING

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February 2, 2018

I LOVE LISTS

shutterbeancurrently-3

Welcome to I LOVE LISTS. It’s Friday. Here’s a list for you:

  1. The female price of male pleasure.
  2. Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers!
  3. All your mystery hotel fees explained.
  4. Preach
  5. I would like one of these for my car. Lavender & orange please!
  6. Rollercoaster photos are always good for a laugh.
  7. Minor modern day annoyances we have to deal with now.
  8. Everyone snaps the same Instagram travel photos.
  9. A recipe for two doughnuts. Thank you very much, maj.
  10. Shots of the super blue moon from around the world.
  11. This home is dreamy.
  12. Don’t love Mondays? Here’s how to change that.
  13. The lunch rush of the future.
  14. Shazam for art looks pretty cool.
  15. Valentine’s Day cards that include candy.
  16. The best/weirdest halftime shows in history.
  17. Everyone is talking about keto these days. What’s the keto diet anyways?
  18. Mustard is having a moment.
  19. The world of coincidence on NY streets. Very cool!
  20. This seems excessive.
  21. When humans are gone, this is what our homes might look like.
  22. One of my favorite things to make for Valentine’s Day
  23. I don’t have a problem starting, it’s finishing that trips me up.

have a great weekend!