Getting Crafty with Maps!

I don't consider myself to artistic, but I do consider myself to be creative and crafty (and clever, if I don't say so myself.)  So lately I've been getting crafty with old maps that I found while cleaning out the van. These maps had been in the side door pocket since my grandparents owned the van.  One of the maps was a 1985 map of Ohio, so I didn't really feel bad using them.  But let me back up a minute.  This all started because I wanted to make a thank you gift for the secretary at my school who has 4 sons living in 3 different states.  She is close to her children even though they are now grown and scattered all over the country.  After some thought, I came up with this idea:

 

First I had to borrow a road atlas to cut the states.  (Thanks, Sarah!)  I painted a canvas and then mod podged the three states in which her sons live.  Then on the hearts I wrote "Far apart, but close in heart."  This was so fun that it got me thinking of other things I could make (and it made me start looking for other maps!) 

 

This is a gift for my cousin.  I cut out the states from which she and her husband were born, as well as the state they met, and now the state that they live in and have had their children in.  I added "He" "She"  "Us" and "We" respectively.

And finally, I've gone a little crazy and made a ton of bookmarks from maps!  I had fun coming up with clever sayings that relate reading to taking a trip.  These are just a sample:

 

It has been so fun to be creative and I can't wait to make more.  I have a few other ideas swimming around in my head.  I'll make custom orders if people are interested!  :)  I'm loving the summer and the fact that I have time and energy to make things again!  And I love making them for others.  Hopefully this will inspire others to get crafty as well!

Possible Blog Titles

Since I'm planning to write/blog more (writing to me means fiction, where as blogging is me ranting and rambling) I thought about possible titles for this blog besides "The Waisanen Family" because, let's be honest, I'm the only one that writes here and although I'd love to have a super-awesome, organized, visually stunning blog, with pictures and activities and recipes, I'm not there yet.  In the meantime, I could change the name of the blog to better reflect what this blog is all about.  So here are some possible titles, as well as their pros and cons in no particular order:

1.  "This Blog Will Offend You"
Pros:
This is not because I think I'm an offensive person.  I don't usually swear (unless I've had a few or it's been a really bad day.)  I like this title because I will have stated upfront that I could possibly say something that you may not like or agree with.  If I want to be perfectly honest and frank about topics (mostly about parenting, but you know, other things too) I may write something that you don't like because you don't agree with me.  And that's ok.  I just wanted you to know that you may be offend.  And as long as we can still be friends, great!
Cons:
I don't like being negative.  And don't like it when people are mad at me.  I can say some really snarky things when I'm annoyed and I don't want this to become a place to complain so this title may not work. 

2.  "Two Sides of Every Coin"
Pros:
From the moment I became a parent I realized quickly that there are two sides to every decision that we make.  Breast feeding vs. bottle feeding.  Crying it out vs. co-sleeping/comforting every time the child wakes up.  Making your own baby food vs. store bought.  The list goes on and on and on.  And every parent is extremely passionate about their decision on each of these matters.  I still lie in bed trying to sort through every possible outcome in my head, worrying about if I am making the right parenting decision about something.  But, as I've realized more and more, there are two very different (often opposite) sides of each situation, but that doesn't mean that one is right and one is wrong.  They are just different.  And they probably have their own pros and cons lists to them.  So I'd like to write about both sides of the issues that I facing, because I think it's important to be open minded and understanding about other people's situations and circumstances.

Cons:
This requires me to write diligently and I'm not too great at that right now.  I also don't want this to become a forum for debate where people become heated and angry.  Again, I'm not a negative person and I don't like it when people get riled up about things.  Plus, that is not my primary purpose of the blog, so I guess this title won't work.  But, it's an interesting prompt that I could use for a few posts down the line...

3.  Emusings
Pros:  This is the combination of my name and "amusing."  I created this little gem years ago (I even played around with fonts and possibly trademarking it.)  I like this title because I think it reflection of myself.  I like to think that I have a good sense of humor.  I also like the reference to "musings" which means contemplation or reflection which is the point of the blog. (But then again, if I wanted to make that reference should it be spelled "Emmusings"?)

Cons:  I hate it when things are spelled wrong just to be funny.  (Please Kwik Trip - what the heck?)  And I have actually used "Emusing Creations" as my seller's permit name (or on the back of some cards and Shutterfly items I've made.)  So it's kind of like my "brand." 

So, we'll see actually takes.  I would like to revamp my blog with cool tabs for various categories of stuff, but again, that takes time and effort.  In the meantime, thanks for reading this (whatever it's called.)

Little Nudges, Tiny Steps, and Leaps of Faith

It's been an extremely long time since I've blogged or written anything more than e-mails to parents (which aren't that fun to write.)  But, I know that the only way to be a writer is to write. To write often.  And to write without editing oneself.  Because even as I write I'm thinking about how it should sound and how it could sound better, etc, etc, etc rather than just letting the words fall on the page like raindrops falling on the sidewalk. 

So here's what I've been thinking...  The past few weeks/months I've been pleasantly surprised by receiving royalty/consignment checks in the mail for my book.  Now, to be fair, these books have been out in bookstores for months (years) but it seems that all of a sudden, I'm getting paid.  Don't get too excited - these are not large amounts by any means.  But, I'm not going to complain about unexpected money. 

In addition to money in the mail (which is always fun) I received a letter from the Highlights Foundation about writing workshops that they hold in Honesdale, PA.  While I wasn't exactly invited to attend with all expenses paid (I wish!) it was cool that because of my experience with Highlights, I was somehow put on a list to receive this information about all of the awesome writing workshops with serious authors at a beautiful barn in Pennsylvania.  (Kind of like Walden Pond.) 

Most recently (as in, a few days ago) I received another e-mail from Highlights replying to a few ideas I submitted a long time ago (probably last summer.)  They are interested in possibly buying a few of my activities - provided I make some adjustments, corrections, and resubmissions.  Again, nothing for real yet, but they are interested and gave me positive feedback (heck - any feedback at all is great!) 

All of these things feel like tiny nudges that perhaps I should be doing something else with my career.  This year has been one of the most difficult and trying years of my professional career and personal life.  I have questioned whether I am cut out to be a teacher these days.  Things have changed so much since I was last in the classroom.  Having two kiddos is exhausting, but having a full-time job AND two kids is even more exhausting.  Compounding the problem is the fact that middle school behavior and toddler/preschool behavior are exactly the same.  The only difference between age 2 and age 12 is the number 1.  Seriously.  I deal with sassy behavior at school and then sassy behavior at home and I'm just done. 

So I look at all of these little these things that have been happening with my writing and I think, "Well, is this God's way of nudging me in this direction?"  Because I'm not that good with reading signs from God.  Little nudges are hard to decipher.  It's too bad God doesn't use gigantic signs like he used to in the Old Testament.  I couldn't miss a talking, burning bush or a giant hand writing on the wall.  I'm also not good with taking risks.  I'm just not a risk taker.  I don't like risks.  I don't like not knowing what's going to come next.  I don't like having things not planned.  Sometimes when people start whole new careers they literally quit their previous job and take a leap of faith that their new job will work out.  I don't know if I can do that. 

Perhaps I'll just start with tiny steps.  After June 11 I will no longer be employed (my teaching contract was only a one year thing.)  I will continue to look for teaching positions in the upper elementary grades, but in the meantime I plan on writing and resubmitting and applying for a scholarship for the Highlights Foundation workshop.  There's also a contest in Guideposts magazine that I'm considering.  And I plan to write.  And write.  And take small baby steps and watch out for other little nudges that God gives me.  Because even in the tiny steps and little nudges, I have faith that things will work out they way they are suppose to.