My Little Orange Kitchen

Thanks Before Dreaming*

My just before sleep gratitude list:

• For early bedtimes (this is good for me since I operate on a significant sleep deficit)
• For a puppy that is finally worn out and is now snoring!
• For Crock-Pots and beef vegetable soup made with no effort at all
• For state parks with both forests and beaches and the time to go see both parts in one day
• For a neighbor who told me that he could really tell that I've lost weight and to keep doing what I'm doing because it's working.

I meditated here for about 15 minutes:

Then I walked on the beach for at least an hour:

It was a nice day.

Thanks Before Dreaming*

My just before sleep Gratitude Journal:

• 30 Days of Paleo
• Going to bed before 10 p.m.
• Pens that work
• La Croix natural berry mineral water
• For the "cartwheel" galaxy shown above. It just sounds fun. If I ever do a new blog I may have to borrow the name.

Thanks Before Dreaming*

My just before sleep gratitude list:

• For a friend who saw that something was off last night and asked me about it.
• For tiny sweet wild grapes
• For strangers who become friends during CrossFit workouts
• For support when I shared a possible new life path with a friend
• For this song which makes me ache with the want for something that remains nameless in this moment:

Thanks Before Dreaming*

My just before sleep gratitude journal:

• For setting a new personal record in deadlifting at CrossFit Green Bay-245lbs!
• For a fabric bound journal of quotes my grandmother created especially for me before she died. I rediscovered it tonight just when I needed it most. Here is one of my favorites and it helps when you don't know what to do in any given moment:

"First do that which is the nearest thing and

then the next thou shall more clearly see."

Quaker saying

Thanks Before Dreaming*

My just before sleep gratitude list:

• For stumbling upon this old post and having had the experience. It was a life changer and I've had many trips since, but that one was special.
• For Kohl's coupons that netted me fingerless gloves and four bracelets for almost nothing!
• For taking a little time for myself this afternoon and giving Selkie an extra walk...it was good for both of us.
• For this version of a favorite John Prine song sung by Bonnie Raitt...love this.

Thanks Before Dreaming*

My just before sleep gratitude journal:

• For a new and talented friend who drops off unexpected treasure bags with vintage cookbook pages, the most gorgeous papers for wallets and the tiniest millefiori glass baubles you've ever seen...I can just see one on the desk of a fairy as a paperweight!!!!
• For novena candles that last for days!
• For scoring some more hairpin bases!
• For a car that never fails me

*I realized awhile ago that I need a little help saving the nice moments of my days. I tend to lose sight of them as one hectic thing after another happens and my Thanks Before Dreaming bedtime ritual helps me reconnect with things that made me happy throughout the day. Creating the list is a good way to start the sleep journey on a positive note and I hope you'll try it in a journal (or blog if you have one) or even right here.

Thanks Before Dreaming*

My just before sleep gratitude list:

• For Sulamith Wulfing. I love this print and secretly I call it Laura Light and Dark and if you've been reading awhile, you know why.
• For finishing a 5k today, my second in a month. And to Marlene who ran the last mile and half with me for her moral support and coaching.
• For my body, because even after so many years of abuse...I'm running 5ks.
• For Selkie's sweet little face and because she still loves to cuddle.

Thanks Before Dreaming*

My just before sleep gratitude list:

• For inspiring conversation with a new friend
• For an altar that feels like home (and a little background help from picnik)
• For grocery money...and knowing we're fortunate
• For yerba santa and white sage smoke cleansing the studio and me
• For Pandora

*I realized awhile ago that I need a little help saving the nice moments of my days. I tend to lose sight of them as one hectic thing after another happens and my Thanks Before Dreaming bedtime ritual helps me reconnect with things that made me happy throughout the day. Creating the list is a good way to start the sleep journey on a positive note and I hope you'll try it in a journal (or blog if you have one) or even right here.

Thanks Before Dreaming*

My pre-bedtime Gratitude List:

• Cryingly grateful for a healthy and loving little puppy after a scary day at the vet
• For grapes and apples and fresh herbs
• For friends who offer good and calm advice when I'm frazzled
• For Grant at CrossFit who talked me into doing a second workout today-I needed it

I love the lullaby playing above...here are the words:
Rest your head to sleep.. Rest your head to sleep. I'm next to you to protect you.. Like sweet precious flowers. I lay you down & you sleep. Care is like a golden key.. To sleep like a small bird.. To wake up to sweet bird songs.. If you sleep Mr North Wind.If you sleep Mr North Wind He gives you a boat full of dreams.. A trip to Sifno & Amourgo.. To help rock you to sleep with the soft ocean waves.. He'll sing a lullaby.. You'll sleep and wake.. Wake and grow.. Oh.

*I realized awhile ago that I need a little help saving the nice moments of my days. I tend to lose sight of them as one hectic thing after another happens and my Thanks Before Dreaming bedtime ritual helps me reconnect with things that made me happy throughout the day. Creating the list is a good way to start the sleep journey on a positive note and I hope you'll try it in a journal (or blog if you have one) or even right here.

Thanks Before Dreaming*

My pre-bedtime gratitude list:

• So appreciative of the tiny bag of treasures (shown above) I received in the mail from this friend.
• For a clear evening and an early bedtime
• For water in glass bottles
• A puppy that loves people-she's learning not to jump up on them!
• This blog for inspiring me with every read and for reminding me of how much I love this:
  

  *I realized awhile ago that I need a little help saving the nice moments of my days. I tend to lose sight of them as one hectic thing after another happens and my Thanks Before Dreaming bedtime ritual helps me reconnect with things that made me happy throughout the day. Creating the list is a good way to start the sleep journey on a positive note and I hope you'll try it in a journal (or blog if you have one).

Thanks Before Dreaming Gratitude List 19

This is my just before sleep gratitude list: (remember, in facebook videos won't show)

• A peaceful Easter weekend-good friends and family
• Remaining calm and not taking it personally when I discovered that my car was broken into and someone stole my GPS. On the whole, it's not worth drama. It was stolen, it's gone. Oh well. It's not like someone said, "I'm going to steal from Laura McCullough-DeLorme." It's a nice GPS, what non law abiding citizen wouldn't feel compelled to take it?
• House warming presents that rock!
• Finally getting some help-the vitamin D. Cross your fingers!
• The Carolina Chocolate Drops...thanks Jenna! I love how this sounds so Middle Eastern (I can see a slow sensuous belly dance to this) and do not mean to be disrespectful by pulling it out of its roots.  It shows how connected music is. Afterward, if you want to jam out with the fiddle and the banjo go here for more.

Thanks Before Dreaming Gratitude List 18

This is my just before sleep Gratitude List:  Symbols

• The front door key of all keys. The key to a fairy house.

• The magical threshold. Love the discussion in this piece.

• Curious George. Did you know that Curious George was written by a Jewish couple who fled France just before the Nazis arrived on bicycles pieced together from spare parts and with the illustrations of Curious George hidden in their belongings? The story is fascinating. They never had children of their own, but they joked that George was a good child because he took care of his parents in their old age...the series was lucrative to say the least.  You can listen to more about them here.

• Wisconsin Public Radio

In all fairness, a few years ago Mark told me about fun keys and asked if I wanted to look at some. I was rude and scornful, "Oh God, what's next? Now people have to have special keys? This ranks right up there with personalized checks as far as I'm concerned! We're such a shallow culture! People don't even know who the hell they are so they go putting money into crap like that to create some sort of identity for themselves! Puh-leeze! NO THANKS!" 

Last week I was a Lowes getting some spare keys made and when I saw the Tinkerbell key I screamed, "Wait!!!!! Wait!!!!! You haven't started mine have you? Oh my God! I have to have this one! It's ME! It's so ME you don't even know how much ME it is! It's ME all the way!" 

Wow. What a shallow ME Fest display that was. I'm part of the problem. Hey, maybe that's the solution. It's going to be my new blog: 

The Real Secret

"Become Part Of The Problem. It's The Best Solution."   

Agahahaahahaha!

Thanks Before Dreaming Gratitude List 17

This is my just before sleep Gratitude List: (Fyi: links don't work in facebook, so you'll have to go to the blog to see videos etc)

• For the easy feeling that seems to be gradually sliding into my life now---the new studio being the main source of life-love.
• The Flying Pig Gallery is giving me more space this season! I'm so damn pleased!
• For friendships long neglected, but still there. Sherry, I'm talking to you. Thanks.
• For this blog. I love her and I love her children. I like to think that if I had children that I'd be like her---so utterly herself, so playful and kind, but still the mom. She's honest in a non-obvious way. The light in her son's face makes me melt into a thousand drops and form a river of child longing which I thought I'd redirected a long time ago. 
• For being able to recognize that acknowledging child longing isn't a sad thing ...it's just honest. Sometimes there are doors that never get fully opened.

You know I love my Odetta, but I have to confess I'd never heard of Ernie Ford--have I lost your respect forever? I found this clip recently. How wonderful their voices compliment one another. 

Note: Angie and Emiko, I'll email you my letter to Kwik Trip-since they did step up I don't want to post it here (plus it's long and detailed which I know you find hard to believe since I'm a woman of few words!)

Thanks Before Dreaming Gratitude List 16

This is my just before sleep Gratitude List: (Fyi: links don't work in facebook, so you'll have to go to the blog to see videos etc)

• A move that went swimmingly-today
• The cutest keys you've ever seen-pics tomorrow
• Not having to get up early for the rest of the week unless I want to
• Not going to jail for being falsely accused of stealing half & half at Kwik-Trip and after a letter to corporate, receiving personal apologies from the manager and district manager...and a free cup of coffee for all my troubles (?). I was hoping for free coffee for life, but what can you do? :) Seriously though, it was something that could only happen to me, but it ended up being handled really well and I appreciated one of the most sincere customer service apologies ever.  I hold no grudges.
• And...you're only as old as you feel. I can't help it, this kind of stuff leaves me on the floor. You've gotta love The Onion.

Thanks Before Dreaming Gratitude List 15

This is my just before sleep Gratitude List: (Fyi: links don't work in facebook, so you'll have to go to the blog to see videos etc)

• Falling off the plan wagon, but getting back on. It was a pancake and coffee with cream and then it was a wonderful Chinese dinner with a friend followed by bagels, coffee and good conversation until 4 in the morning!  I don't regret it, though tomorrow needs to happen. :)
• A $2.99 vintage print found at Goodwill...I'll post a picture soon
• Sharing Mark's hilarious and classic R.N. Surfer skit with Kelly. We were on the floor (literally). 
• The lullaby in the video shown at the top

Thanks Before Dreaming Gratitude List 14

This is my just before sleep Gratitude List-except it's early---I'm going to be out late!: (Fyi: links don't work in facebook, so you'll have to go to the blog to see videos etc)

• Washing machines that handle 75 pound loads
• Making amazing stickers...amazing.
• Coffee called Love Buzz---that I call Love Bug by accident...all the time, which kind of defeats the whole point...buzz.
• Hot showers...they aren't hot baths, but they're still nice
• Another lullaby (from a beautiful movie)

Thanks Before Dreaming Gratitude List 13

This is my just before sleep Gratitude List: (Fyi: links don't work in facebook, so you'll have to go to the blog to see videos etc)

• 16 days on the plan
• More paper than I know what to do with
• New old doors: The door shown is in the new place and was salvaged from another building...Right on to resourceful eco-conscious landlords!
• Another lullaby-a little sad, but hey, it's true love.  I have all of my dad's Liam Clancy cds.  He loved this song...it was his second favorite. I can't share his first because it's just too sad and I don't even want to hear it on youtube tonight.  So sweet dreams of true love all. P.S. Bob Dylan said the following about Liam: "I've never heard a singer as good as Liam..ever. He was just the best ballad singer I ever heard in my life."

Thanks Before Dreaming Gratitude List 12

This is my just before sleep Gratitude List: (Fyi: links don't work in facebook, so you'll have to go to the blog to see videos etc)

• I'm learning to love black coffee
• New lease being signed tomorrow
• Being "friended" on facebook by people who really are/were friends and not just "friend collectors"
• Finding missing hearing aids---twice 
• This blog-recipes for amaretti, graham crackers. She's from Singapore, but lives in France. This makes for amazing insights and good recipes.
• Another lullaby(see above)

Thanks Before Dreaming Gratitude List 10

This is my just before sleep Gratitude List:

• A good day's work and for once feeling satisfied with what I got done.
• Loving the look of Paper Wallet Queen...it makes me happy.
• I have so many art supplies and can make things for years without buying new
• Tiny closets at the bottom of stairs
• Friends who hang in with me through my tendency to isolate myself
• Another Lullaby (if you are reading this on facebook, the video will not show)

Thanks Before Dreaming Gratitude List 9

This is my just before sleep Gratitude List:

• The privilege of seeing South Korean skater Yu-Na Kim skate her gold winning performance. All the skaters were lovely, but she...wow, she has something extra, I've never seen anything like it. Mao Asada broke records and was good too, but Yu-Na Kim just did me in.
• A downstairs neighbor that "gets it"...she's moving too.
• A much needed nap in the middle of the day. If three hours can count as a nap.
• Blogs and internet articles with help on how to handle storage in tiny bathrooms. The new place doesn't have a tub and is the smallest bathroom I've ever had since living on the boat.
• Good friends and their offers of help. Andrea, I hate to turn you down. :)
• More lullabies (Wasn't last night's amazing?)

Thanks Before Dreaming Gratitude List 8

This is my just before sleep Gratitude list:

• Finding a better place to live-and yes, even moving...again
• Lemons in winter
• Frozen roses (always thought that would be a good title or band name)
• Snow that melts as it hits the ground
• Lullabies and Turkish babies found in cabbage patches...I want one! Have a little look-see:

Thanks Before Dreaming Gratitude List 7

This is my just before sleeping Gratitude List:

• My new orange cell-phone!
• A week on the plan
• Lake Michigan
• Other people's thoughtfulness
• Vintage tins and coffee

Thanks Before Dreaming Gratitude List 6

This is my just before sleep Gratitude Journal (missed last night, out of town and didn't have access to a computer)

• Friends who answer a question with an honest yes even if they know you were praying for a no. Thanks Nancy.
• Clean drinking water
• Free Kindle downloads
• Coconut oil
• Kool & The Gang (Ladies Night, Get Down On It, Celebration & Too Hot...think about it. They really pulled it down). If you turn this up and don't feel compelled to move you might be missing the groove gene.

Thanks Before Dreaming Gratitude List 5

This is my just before sleep Gratitude List:

• A treasure box from a friend so loaded with thoughtful gifts that I was literally screaming like someone on Oprah when I opened it.
• Knowing that the above box came from the very friend who taught me the true meaning of heart centered gift giving 20 years ago.
• Seeing a good comedian live and laughing harder than I have in a long time
• A good hair day
• The sweetest neighbor I've ever had who made me feel appreciated.
• Mark's excellent crowd navigating skills that got us out of the venue and parking garage in minutes. 
• Day five of the plan and not one single cheat

Link Love:

Someday this honey vanilla  cake will be part of my life.

If you are not a fan of Karla, or worse, if you've never heard of her, go here at once. I've listened to her a couple times a week for the past three years. She's in my life for good.

Thanks Before Dreaming Gratitude List 4

This is my just before sleeping Gratitude list:

• Pink Lady apples
• Club soda
• That it's toasty warm in here right now
• That I didn't eat off plan today when I found the white chocolate hearts I stashed in my vintage breadbox last week.  They are no longer in the house.  Out of sight, out of mouth.
• Floating islands
• Heartfelt prayers

Link Love:

One of my favorite paper artists is having a sale through Sunday

Real crop circles of the artsy kind

Thanks Before Dreaming Gratitude List 3

This is my just before sleep gratitude list:

• Purple cabbage
• Bath salts
• Pillows
• Paper scraps
• Working everything (appliances, television, computer, camera, Kindle)
• Brown rice cakes (who knew?)
• Honest bloggers.

These are just a few:

Spider Woman Knits

Superhero Journal

Somethyme Writer

Bliss: Towards A Delicious Life (She's in her 30's and wrote a nice post about having a real Valentine for the first time in her life. More importantly, she asked for what she wanted.)

Thanks Before Dreaming Gratitude List 2

My just before sleep gratitude list:

• Another bath in the middle of the day
• Gifts from strangers
• Heat and shelter
• Fluidity
• Day 2 on The Plan
• My body's resilience (it always comes back-I'm slowly healing)
• Paying with cash

Link Love:

As usual, now that I'm not eating any sugar, dairy, grains, soy, oranges, pork, honey, agave and anything not on the "yes" list, I've taken to reading food blogs! I'm a sadist and a masochist...I torture myself and beg myself for more! :)

Edible Living--such a beautiful blog

Lottie And Doof--big time blog love, but I'm still not sure about olives in cookies. Read his responses to comments. Aww, he's the nicest guy.

Thanks Before Dreaming Gratitude List 1

This is my just before bedtime gratitude list:

• Avocados
• Brown Rice
• Candlelight
  
• Softly scented warm bathwater
• The library
• The headache that is forcing me into bed at 9 p.m. on a night I'd probably stay up too late anyway.
  

It's A Stick Up!

Good early afternoon Kitchenettes! This is day one of the plan and I happened to have an appointment with a new doctor too. The good news is that my doctor supports it (not that it would have made a difference if she didn't...It's not so wild a plan that I think it needs a physician's approval.) I feel so good about this.

When I wrote a few posts ago about my other projects, I didn't mean stickers, but since that is what I have here today, that is what I'm writing about!

Mark gave me a Xyron sticker maker for my birthday and my in-laws gave me back up adhesive rolls, so I've been having fun experimenting. I plan to make some collaged stickers in the fashion-ey wallet vein later, but today I made some simple ones from a collection of vintage newspapers. This group of stickers comes from the actual pages of two newspapers (one from 1949 and the other from 1950).

I love the lingerie advertisements and you can expect to see more photos as I sort through the entire bag, it could take weeks! The paper is old and fragile. I like seeing the grocery prices...2 boxes of Creamette's noodles for nine cents!

I know I won't win any design awards with the dorm room decor, but I must tell you the light strand on the wall coupled with the glow of the candles in a milk glass planter made for a very sweet and starry night. The odd effect of the light beams going straight and horizontal looked ladder-like and I so wished I could climb them.

I want to share this:

Isn't it amazing? If you read the article you may feel as I do about the last line---it isn't sad to me. I want these beautiful crystals to stay underwater, underground and inaccessible. I think our earth needs them as they are. Doesn't it give you great comfort to know that all over the world there are undiscovered pockets of beauty like this? Deep veins of colored gemstones and hidden caves that remain untouched by humans? I love knowing Mother Earth still has some secrets.

By the way, I'm going to start doing one picture-less post a day of things I feel grateful for. I'll do it just before bed and if anyone would like to join me on their blog or in the comments section here, please feel free. I'll start tonight.  I'm going to call each post Thanks Before Dreaming.