House of Style/Style of House

It's been a long time since I've typed an art blog. Thanks, pandemic for getting me back to doing some creative pursuits at home!  

I've just dabbled in a few things lately, and I actually have to think about what I want to get into since just about all of my art materials are in mini-storage now.  Currently, I'm painting a "Wash Hands" sign and next will paint a "Mask Up" sign.  Truth be told, I had ordered one from a local shop to find out that it was a photo of a regionally famous artists painting printed on a plastic signboard.  I returned it and decided to paint my own with acrylics on canvases.  

During all this extra time at home, the fam and I have been preparing for a move. The hubs' place will finally get relisted on the housing market before the end of the month.  It's been getting a facelift over the summer and looks great!  We've been starting to address repairs at my place where we live and will focus more on it once the place in Scott is officially up for sale. Once both places are listed, we can finally and seriously look for a new home.  

We will buy a house rather than another townhouse/condo.  I've been pinning room ideas and housing styles on Pinterest for a good while now, but for whatever reason, I think it's time to make a physical vision board.  Again, spending more time at home has allowed me to go through my collection of magazines from the last few years.  I'll make a collage and put the main ideas of what I want to have in our new home on the board.  Lots of windows (natural light), a fireplace (not a deal-breaker, but definitely a plus), at least 2.5 half bathrooms (master with a double sink, one for our daughter, half for guests), a kitchen at least three times of the size the tiny galley we have now, and a fenced-in backyard are the first items that come to mind.  

Many years ago when I worked in retail, I began my furniture and decor collections.  They lived in mini-storage until I bought my current abode.  When I was single, I loved the randomness of it all.  I still am not a fan of matching sets, but I do see the value of having more of a certain vibe or style happening throughout the home.  I've taken some style quizzes and don't agree with the results; however, what seems to have become a pet peeve of mine is "farmhouse".  I can't tell you why.  I even have some decor items that are exactly that style, but I want to either make them fit into a beach theme (very possible) or get rid of them altogether.  

It's refreshing to see that I'm honing in on what I really want and like as far as a floor plan and decor go.  It also seems like the hubs and I agree more and more on those things, too, which obviously is a good thing.  Here's a toast to the progress that we are slowly but surely making on this journey as a family - cheers!

Lifestyle

Happy 2014!!!  This will be an even bigger year for us than last with the impending birth of our daughter and all the lifestyle changes that accompany being parents.  While that's incredibly exciting for us, I want to talk about a different lifestyle here.

There are so many art associations and involvement type organizations for people to join all over the place both online and in person.  Local ones, such as the St. Tammany Art Association and The Arts Council of New Orleans; regional ones, like Louisiana Division of the Arts; national ones, like Freelancers Union and the National Endowment of the Arts; and selling focused types, like Etsy and Big Cartel all offer membership and benefits of varying degrees for a fee.  Freelancers Union offers health insurance benefits for any type of entrepreneur (not just artists), which is pretty cool and to my knowledge, fairly unusual.

What these organizations offer collectively is a certain lifestyle. You can be a part of one or all, and depending on how involved or active in these groups you become, they can act as your professionsl network all the way to your social life. There's a sense of belonging with your own type and profession.
 

This post was originally typed in January 2014.  It was never published until now because I never thought it was finished.  Today, I decided it was ready.