My first snail mail package has been dispatched and is on its way to my swap partner,Tif. I wish I could share the contents of that box with you all but I have to wait until she has had a chance to enjoy the surprises - hopefully we won't have to wait long for everything to arrive safely and the big reveal can take place. In the mean time I thought it might be nice to learn a bit more about the person behind the swap and Tif kindly agreed to answer a few questions.
Hi Tif, can you tell me a bit about yourself and why you decided to start your inspirational blog?
I think the questions about myself are so complicated.....
I am so many things to so many people.
First off, the obvious things- I am a wife, a mother, a dog owner, a sister, a daughter, a piano teacher, an earth preserver, a gardener, a knitter/crafter/creator....
the not so obvious- I am a survivor (cancer remission of 4 years- yippeee!), an advocate for Autism, for Open Adoption, for community involvement, and for Family Simplicity...... I am outgoing, I love to laugh, I love having friends visit, and I love my boys!
Why did I decide to start blogging?
this is an interesting question.... I actually started blogging kinda on accident...... I know, how does one start blogging on accident??? well, it had snowed quite a bit one night ( the most snow, "they said" since like 1945) and I wanted to post photos of it to my mom who is in California.....
so, I just posted it up on a blog so she could see.....
and then,
it kept snowing, and I kept posting...
and the next thing I knew I had a lot to say, and I realized I was blogging often.....
I think with all of the life experiences that have come my way in the past 38 years- I knew I had a voice, and thought maybe, just maybe, someone would want to listen....
I guess, something that I value, is shared wisdom. Everyone has something to teach us- as well as we have something to learn..... and so, my blog has become my spot for shared wisdom, as well as just a place for me to just "be me".
What gave you the idea for a Vintage Kitchen theme swap?
the vintage kitchen swap was an easy idea for me..... I spend about 90% of my life in this one area of my kitchen..... the kids joke that they can find me there if they need anything..... and I knew that you ( Miss Mousy) liked fun thrift-ed, previously loved things- so I knew a vintage kitchen theme was gonna be fun!
What three blogs do you read when you only have a few minutes to yourself?
oh this question. (only three????).....
surprisingly is hard. There are the "popular ones"... you know, the Angry Chicken, the Soule Mama, Posie gets Cosy (there are so many!) I enjoy those blogs- but the ones I actually enjoy more are the ones that I have gotten to know and become "friends with" over the course of my time on Blog-nation.....
the sweet MousyBrown, Prairie Girl~ blogs from across the miles
I know your community is very important to you, can you tell us a bit about your wonderful pledges that you made as part of 'one small change'?
The community, to me, is a burning that I have in my soul.... I truly believe that our community is (should be) an extension of our home, our family..... it is a value that I feel very strongly about... but it is a value that has gone to the wayside over the years. It saddens me often to think that one person can leave the house, open their garage, pull out their car, go to work, come home, pull into the garage and go about their lives and not speak to a neighbor for weeks.... if not EVER! I personally feel that the community connection is why we are alive, it is be a part of something... to care for and to be cared for, to love and to be loved. My one small change pledges were not only about my home ( which, was already in pursuit of sustainable actions) but about my community. I really felt that if my home could make an impact, imagine if my neighbors caught on, and we all could reduce the carbon footprint we leave behind..... At this time in my life, the biggest community impact was starting with my boys' school. So I started there...... It was weird starting out, really weird. It has been an uphill battle- but a battle that has been fun, has me (and others) thinking "out side the box"...... I think the people that have come forward and created this team of eco-minded living have really gotten our school moving towards thinking differently......
it will be interesting what the summer time will bring- but, after teaching a "garden green" after school course, and getting some other ideas off the ground..... the kids are really embracing the idea of "sustainable practices" and will continue to grow as the year moves on.
Just for fun :
Tea/Coffee? Coffee ( I live as coffee fuels me~ I know- bad, tif... but sadly I have been called a coffee snob at times when the cup is weak or foul..... I cant help it! I blame my dad.... hahahaa!)
Beach/Mountain? I grew up on the beach ( so that is done, and over with) I love the mountains (the seasons, the snow, the hikes, the trees, the wildlife.... I don't mind have a little dirt between my toes)
Morning/Evening? there was a time I was all about Mornings...but after my second son, who is Autistic, was born and he decided to never sleep.... I have come to see that I am neither a morning person or evening person.... but one who just plain needs sleep!.... but for the sake of the question- I am more mornings than evenings.... personally- I don't think I know what an evening looks like. hahahaa
Cat/Dog? DOG!!! no doubt... cats make my eyes itch.
TV/Radio? hmmm..... Radio, but I think I am an in-home movie girl at heart!
Town/country? oh, this one is hard..... I like both. City life, Country life..... I love to just explore and experience!
Neat/messy? (it depends on who you ask!) if you ask my husband, he'd say messy, but others would say I am neat.
Eat in/take away? Defiantly EAT IN!!! I love to cook. I love to hear my family marvel over the created meal and eat in delight. The biggest thing for me is to take something from our garden and create an entire meal out of our own labors.
Wow, I hope you all enjoyed that as much as I did - I felt I already knew a lot about Tif from reading her blog but there was so much more to find out! Please pop over and say hello to her at Midst and explore a few of those blog links she recommended, a great way to discover something new this weekend. We are hoping to spend some time at the beach over the next few days and if all works out as planned I should be able to show you some completed projects next week. Hope your weekend is full of sunshine and crafting too....