Top 3 Reasons I love Under The Sycamore

Dear Friends,

I would like you to see one of my new on-line haunts...

Meet Ashley Ann.

She blogs Under The Sycamore.

I have been spending A LOT of time there lately. She shares all my loves… crafting, mothering, photography, decorating, writing…

Well, all my loves but Mr. Loggerhead, but then we can’t all be as lucky as me, where he’s concerned.

I love Ashley’s blog for three big reasons:

1. Her ideas are great!

I’m always book-marking her pages for projects I want to try.

The instructions on Under The Sycamore are easy to read and follow and I need easy, people… too many things in life are hard enough… like making myself run again this morning.

2. Everything on Ashley’s blog is pretty.

The images are crisp, colorful and well composed.

I don’t really know anything about this, but that sounded good, didn’t it? I DO know pretty when I see it, though and Ashley’s blog certainly applies here. The pictures always make me want to try the craft-projects and her photography makes me want to try to emulate her skills with my own tutorials.

3. Ashley Ann is a real person.

This is obvious, right?

Well, actually, NO! There are a lot of blogs out there who don’t tell me a thing about the writer except, maybe, that they are hiding behind their well-written words. I like feeling connected to the writers of the blogs I read. I like knowing they are real.

Like one of my good friends said once, “If your life is like mine, I can relate… if it’s nothing like mine then it’s interesting!”

So, blogging-voice rant aside, I can see that the author of Under A Sycamore is pouring bits of herself into her work and into her blog. Her writing speaks to me.

• I hear little people’s voices all day long.
• I like some grown-up-speak now and then.

I get a fix when I visit her place.

• I clean up messes and wipe runny noses most of the time.
• I NEED to be creative some of the time.

There is inspiration to be had Under the Sycamore.

Here are two of my favorite projects from there to go with the beginning of a new year:

1. DIY {the best of my days notepad} 2011

A great way to keep track of just the very best thing about each day.

I am challenging myself, besides featuring the color of my week every Friday to take note of the top things I loved in each month (one for each day)... so instead of a stickynote collection... guess what I'll be using? Just got it printed from the Ashley's free PDF on yummy golden textured cardstock.

Like Ashley, I made one for my turkey's, Bee and T-boy. Bee's is blue- her highly proclaimed favorite color (seconded by pink, which she calls her "pretend" favorite color, "because girls are SUPPOSED to like pink")

T-boy's is cream... He says this is his favorite because "Papa put's 'tream in his 'toffee' and I 'lite' papa.

I think this will be a fun thing to remind them of their blessings each day. I anticipate a lot of, "I liked playing outside" notes from T-boy and alot of "I loved girl-time with Mommy" notes from Bee!

Those are some of my favorites for you to do too, Turkeys! 

2. diy project: vintage postcard calendar journal

--- This is a post Ashley wrote for Design*Sponge and a journal EXACTLY like this was later featured on The Today Show as a DIY Christmas gift idea... Design*Sponge nor Ashley got credit for the original idea but her readers know it was her's!

This Perpetual calendar idea is so cool. I think I've been waiting for this idea my whole life! I can totally see myself making this and taking small notes about the day that I want to remember... and what fun to run across them the following year! I have always wanted to journal... tried to journal... it's in my blood... maybe that is why I blog... But I CAN.NOT. keep up a full-fledged journal. Nope. CAN.NOT. Tried. failed. tried. failed... But I think I could do this.

Sidenote: Maybe that's why I love Under The Sycamore... Ashley's projects make me think, "I could do THAT!"

I think I will make this perpetual calendar so I can tuck little warm fuzzies (pics from my kids, special letters, notes on a special spiritual thought, etc) in a pocket for that day. Things I want to save but am not planning to scrapbook or frame or keep in my Bible or keepsake box. It would give me occasion to look at them again, read them again the following year... if they were still special, back in they could go. Not so much? Toss 'em.

At least that would be better than my current system... put it in a catch-all memorbilia box where things go and are never seen again!!!

NOTE: I would love your input on what YOU do with this kind of stuff!

Head over to Under The Sycamore.

Take a peek and prepare to be taken-in.

Love,

Hangin’ In The Shade in NE

P.S. This blog review is not sponsored by anyone or posted in relation to any giveaway of any kind. I'm pretty sure Ashley knows me only as the person who keeps leaving spaz-tas-tic comments on her blog about being inspired. Amen.