Hopes for the Future

I know it's the holidays that always bring about these thoughts and feelings.  Time with family and friends, reflecting on the year passed, giving thanks, hopes and aspirations for the new year, the hustle and the bustle and the twinkling lights..... I find myself questioning my life.  What am I happy about? Where would I like to see change?  What are my dreams for the future?  I always have the same answer about the future and that answer is always followed by laughs from family and friends when I share it with them.  But people, I am for SERIOUS!!!  When I think about what I want my future to look like I see a cozy, rustic house and farm in the woods.


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Not a crop or livestock farm or anything, just a little farm with some chickens and goats and maybe a horse and lots of dogs and cats.  After living in the "city" for over 5 years this girl is ready to head back to rural Missouri just as soon as our bank account allows!  I long for a piece of land with enough room for a barn, a huge vegetable garden and a little orchard.  I want a wood burning fire place and I want to blister my hands cutting the wood for it.  I want to plant a garden and get my hands dirty.  I want to gather eggs in the morning and scramble them for breakfast.  I want to milk a goat and make amazing cheeses and soaps.  I want to hike the wilderness and explore. I want to lay on a blanket in my backyard and stare up at a sky full of stars that are not dimmed by bright city lights.  I want little children running around with faces marked with dirt.  Kids who are rough and tumble and who have more fun catching bull frogs and fireflies then watching television.  I want to sit on a porch and stare out at beauty while listening to Bon Iver and just forget the rest of the world for a bit.  I want to make things with my hands.  I want to smell the earth, I want to nurture nature.  Sounds crazy, huh?  I just feel like these are the types of things that will make my life and heart full.  Not paychecks and possessions.  Although we will need the paychecks to get there!  I feel like the world would be a better place if we all just took a little time to simplify our lives...get out and enjoy the earth a little.  Make a gift instead of buy it.  That kind of stuff.  I guess I'm just a bit old fashioned and nostalgic.  I'm just craving earthiness, simplicity and homeyness i guess. 

Animal-Friendly Taxidermy

Several months ago during a shopping trip to the local mall, my husband and I stopped in to check out the offerings at Anthropologie.  Actually, scratch that- I stopped by to check out Anthropologie and dragged my tolerant husband in with me :)  I took my sweet time checking out the beautiful dinnerware, home accents and accessories as Luke walked ahead.  I later caught up with him and found him staring at a collection of papier mache mounted animal heads.  He was intrigued with the faux taxidermy.  After studying the busts for a moment I blurted out "I could make that"  and before I knew it a challenge was thrown down.  Luke asked me to make him a faux deer head for our office.  He's wanted a real deer head for years but I have always protested-this was my chance to give him something he has wanted and have complete control over how it looks.  Plus, I had a new project and craft/art projects are what make my world go 'round. This was a win-win in my book.

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I never start a project with out doing a little research.  I had worked with papier mache before in high school art classes but it had been a while.  Papier mache is basicly bonding pieces of paper together with a paste.  I know papier mache can be subject to mold and rot so I wanted to make sure I did everything I could to keep that from happening. After reading several "how to's" on the Internet I decided to use a paste of 2 parts glue to one part water as my bonding agent.  So began the process of making the faux deer head.  I made it completely from scratch.  I formed a base from scrunching up newspaper and using masking tape to hold the shape.  After getting a good form and size I began applying the papier mache.  The key to papier mache is to allow each layer you put down to dry completely before adding the next.  Once I had the the whole thing put together and papier mached I decided to add a wrapping paper decoupage to the outside as the finishing touch.  The newspaper was alright but I really wanted this thing to "pop."

So after a few months of on and off work the faux deer head is finished!  My husband is impressed and I have to say, so am I!  Oh the things you can do when you put your mind to it!  Here are some photos of the project. 

                                               Just beginning the wrapping paper decoupage

                                                              Finished Product!  Yaaay! 

                                                                            Ta-Da!