Do Tornadoes Get Names?

I am guessing a workshop that looks like this won't get featured in any magazines any time soon. But folks, this is where I spend about 14-18 hours of my day. Usually with some kind of giant drink (lots of water, cranberry and lime juice these days,) a dirty apron and the Loretta Lynn Pandora station playing. I love my little space, it feels worked in, lived in, and used daily. You cant see them in this photo, but there are huge windows on the opposite wall. 

I love peeking into maker's shop spaces, especially when they haven't been cleaned and primped for a  fictional magazine-esque work/life. Also, I secretly love to believe that everyone is as messy as I am. I am like a tornado covered in paint and wood dust and bright blonde hair strands everywhere I go. But it works for me. When I organize my space, I can't find anything, I get frustrated, and make an even bigger mess. It's just the nature of this beast. 

We have made so much progress this last week, and are slowly and surely shortening the turnaround time on our sunglasses, which is awesome as summer gets closer. We also have some new Heart sunglasses that I am seriously in love with... They seem so classy to me. Are heart sunglasses classy? I think so. 

You can also now get the summer club in all walnut, which is pretty cool. 

HEY! Also, did you see the amazing job Kaelah did designing my blog? Like seriously, it's the most amazing thing I have ever seen, and matches me so freaking perfectly. And, the really neat thing is that she's all caught up on orders, so she can redesign your blog too! Yeeeeeeah!

Back to work! 

xo,

Beca

kaelahbee.com

Things of late.

We are in the midst of huge, huge life changing production in our business and it's all consuming. Like our workshop is currently seeping into every other room in our house. Our back guest room has been fully converted into a photo studio, the living room floor has become a full on gluing station, and it seems like I find random places to do other work in. It is exciting, and exhausting and scary, but we are taking some huge leaps and bounds, and I'm excited to watch the roller coaster drop. 


This morning has been focused on cleaning and organizing before I get to work. Doug went to Georgia for a mini-skate trip and it's weird having the day to myself. I'm not used to it. I'm taking lots of photos for upcoming blog posts and learning a new photo editing program and cleaning this house. Having a three and a half bedroom house means a lot more work than keeping a one bedroom house clean. I am not complaining, but I am also not neat and organized, so having a full day of cleaning this house is exhausting. You can follow along with me adventures in moving in and decorating on instagram (becalewis) and twitter.


This morning, I also took a second to take a self portrait. My hair has changed recently, and I've lost (to date) 14 pounds since we moved to Tennessee. Yikes. So, it seemed about time to show y'all my face. Also, it's self portrait Saturday over on the Manzanita blog, so I thought I would join along. I used to do self portrait sunday, but of course, like everything else in my life, I didn't follow through with it. Ooooh well. I'm pretty stoked on being blonde again. It happens once every few years, and I may stick with it this time.

I have lots of neat posts this week. And a pretty awesome mother's day giveaway you don't want to miss happening HERE later today. I guess I have been a pretty terrible blogger lately, so thanks for sticking around and keeping me company when I do show up.

xo,

Beca

PS thanks from both Doug and I for all of your sweet comments on my last post. Made my heart happy!

My Grandma's Quilt

When I was born, my grandma made me a quilt. It's hand stitched, 100%, no machines used. And it's perfect. Every single detail is perfect. I have had this quilt in my possession for as long as I can remember, and it has moved with me, a lot. My mom always says that I can't keep anything. I lose it, or sell it, or destroy it. I guess that's partially true. I am not easy on my stuff. I use it. I wear the shit out of it, I don't hang things up, or box them away. I USE them.

I have used this quilt. It has been on every single bed that I have had as an adult. It has been used on picnics and it has been taken on trips and car rides. I have hung it on the back of the couch and I have even found Ollie or Charlie snuggling it from time to time. I have let guests sleep with it during cold nights, and I have even used it as backdrops for photos before.

I love this quilt because my Grandma made it for me. On Thursday, my grandma had some chest pain and was rushed to the hospital. She was about to have a heart attack but they caught it in time. She had to stay overnight and I spent most of the day crying, worrying and contemplating packing up the van and driving the 9 hours to be with her. But, all was well. She is okay, and she is back home resting and being pampered by my Aunts. All the while, I kept this blanket close by. I feel so lucky, every single day, to have all four of my grandparents still with me. I am 26 years old and I know how rare it is. I call them weekly, if not more, and visit as often as I can. Now that we live in the south again, it's easier to get to them. My Dad's parents are a bit further, but we're hoping to visit this summer. 

The other point to my post today is about using vs. preserving. I thought about putting this quilt away once, and the thought was so brief because I don't know what I would do without it. I use things. I guess I collect other peoples preserved things. That's the difference. I don't have kids to pass on my heirlooms to, so if they are going to be loved and enjoyed, then we're the ones who are going to love and enjoy them. 

This quilt, by far, is one of my most prized possessions. It means the world to me. It's tattered and it's worn, and when I die, it will probably be burned with me because nobody else will want my ratty old quilt, but for now, it's beautiful, full of love and memories and it's perfect in every way. And you better believe it gets used.

Do you have a gift from your grandma (or other family member) that you cherish? Tell me about it! 

xo,

Beca

Seeing & Believing

Doug and I took his sister and niece to the Tennessee Aquarium yesterday, and I was blown away by its beauty. It's gorgeous. I could spend all day there, wandering, sitting, and of course, knowing us, taking photos and videos. However, on this trip, I was distracted from enjoying it fully, because every corner I turned, I saw a blue screen. Or 10 blue screens.

I went to school for five years to learn to capture images, create stories and spin together visuals, audio and magic. I love taking photographs, I hoard them. I usually always have a camera on me, taking photos of everything from what i ate to what my shoes look like. I upload at least one photo a day to facebook and to twitter. I love keepsakes and photos are the best kind of keepsakes. So why was I so perturbed by the overwhelming screen blockage.

I have always felt more comfortable with a camera to hide behind. I enjoy being the photographer, I often live for it. I love blogging because I have even more reason to photograph and video everything I can think of. I get to tell a story and be an eye for the world (my little tiny world.) Something clicked at the aquarium though.

Recently, I have been craving more and more to just experience things. My memory is shot, I rely on google and GPS and apps and photos to remind me where I am going, what I ate, who I was with, what I wore and what the weather is like. But none of that will tell me how the cold glass of the tank felt against my palm. My GPS won't tell me turn left at the mountain and head straight through the trees. That tunnel vision screen cant possible feel Doug's hand in mine, or smell my strawberry shampoo, or laugh about the otters.

I can't tell you how many photos and videos I have on my computer that I may never go back to. But I can tell you that Doug and I used to go to the zoo once a week in San Diego, and only brought the camera a handful of times. I don't have a photo of us eating lunch with my grandparents but I will laugh for the rest of my life over my Grandpa telling the servers that "Applebees has the best Mexican food in town" and no amount of photos can compete.

I am not rejecting all forms of capturing moments. I think it's magical and important to use technology in all forms. But please, please take a moment to put down that blue screen and experience life. Live the moment, retell it later, pick up a leaf to press in a book or write a little love note about your day, just for keeps. But, for all that is good in the world, live it. I know I can learn a little lesson from this. Running a business from home means I am on the computer a lot, and on my phone even more. But in order to maintain sanity as we approach the busiest time of our year, I need to start enjoying life, instead of just capturing.

We are all just floating around, holding onto our memories so dearly and dreading the day our hard drive crashes, or we drop our phone in the toilet. What are you really losing if that happens? If you look a little past the screen, no amount of toilet water in the world will delete those images.

xo,

Beca

ps. Please don't drink toilet water. Not only is it gross, but it may make you lose your memory. I'm no expert.

THE A R C H E R

My parents got divorced when I was 8 years old. I lived primarily with my Mom, and visiting my Dad every other weekend. We are very similar. In more ways than I ever noticed until Doug pointed it out at my Dad's last visit. We are both anxious and deep thinkers. Worriers and dreamers. When my Dad moved us out to Arizona from Georgia, he had big plans. They may not have worked out how he thought, but he was, and is a good father. Caring and kind, sensitive and supportive.

When I think about my Dad, a few things come to mind. Our cross country trip to Michigan. Our golden retriever Honey Royal. His 67 Porsche. Archery. My Dad used to take me to the archery range every other Friday night to shoot arrows. I looked forward to it. Our walk through the red mountains of Scottsdale to the range, the stacked bales of hay, running out to grab the arrows and running back as quickly as possible. The hours of just talking to me Dad, whether it was good or bad, it was talk. Now, every time I get the bow out, I think of my dad.

Yesterday, Doug and I took an outing to The Sportsman's Warehouse so he could stock up on fly fishing gear/supplies and he picked up some practice arrows for me. Living on the mountain, we can pretty much do what we want in our backyard. I set up some targets and after such a stressful day today, spent an hour shooting arrows into the mountainside. It really turned my day around and of course, made me think of my Dad.

I know with the Hunger Games being all the rage {I can't lie, I haven't read it or seen it...} that archery is becoming more popular. Have you ever done archery? Did you love it or hate it? What do you do to relieve stress?

We're getting ready to go eat dinner and see a movie, I am excited to get out of the house and do something fun!

xo,

Beca