There’s something in the air these days.

and no, it’s not just pollen or humidity

I’m talking about the idea of stepping back, unplugging and slowing down.

I mentioned the idea of re-evaluating a few weeks ago, and the idea has been growing and growing in my mind. I need some time to think, to breathe, to make space. I need space in my house, both my physical/literal house, but also my metaphorical/sipritual house. Things are getting pretty jumbled up in there. It’s been over a year now since Natalie joined our family, and I need to take stock of how we’re living. What we’re spending our days on, how we move and grow in our home, how we take care of ourselves and each other, and seemingly less important these days (but really something I’d like to become more important again) how we make money and how we work, what we DO. Because really, how we spend our days is how we spend our lives, right? I think I read that on an inspirational magnet somewhere…. but it’s so true!

here are a few of the blog posts that resound with me lately:

Christine at Lavendar & Limes went on vacation
&
Maeg at Edison Rex went on walkabout (and won’t be back at her blog/business till September — inspiring!)

So… I’m thinking of following in their footsteps. I already closed my Etsy shop for my staycation, and I think it might have to stay closed until I either have new work to add to it, or have a new brand/business to reopen it with. I’m not making any promises or grand statements or creating any self-imposed time limits on this one. I think I’ve learned my lesson with that. But I think I will be back, and I imagine I will be looking for more accountability from y’all. This isn’t even another I’m-not-going-to-blog post, but it is something of a “get out of blogging free” card, if you catch my meaning. I’m unplugging, and we’ll see where it goes from there. I feel better already. Don’t you?

Does this idea make sense to you? Does it call to you? Then do it! Unplug! Make art! Make space! Play and create and lounge and read and do yoga and garden and cook and nap and go to bed early and stop comparing yourself with bloggers/facebook friends/famous people — just be you and enjoy your life, today. Have an average day!

Not like you wouldn’t have guessed, but I’m taking a little break from all things web-related. I’m also going to be putting my Etsy shop in vacation mode in the next day or two (meaning it’s closed to new orders, but you can still see things that have been sold, contact me, etc., and you can sign up to be notified when it re-opens), and I’m not sure if I’ll re-activate it before the baby bean is born or not. We’re in the middle of project basement right now, and my entire studio is going to be moving down there in the next week. Since I probably won’t know where anything is or have access to everything for a while, I figured it’d be best to put the shop on hold for a while.

So, if you have any shopping you’ve been meaning to do in the Laurie Coyle Designs Etsy shop, now’s the time to do it! If you order something in the next few days I’ll be sure to include a super special free gift, too! yippee!

As for this blog, I’m just going to let myself off the hook, ok? I miss you, but I also feel bad when I don’t post, and that’s just no good for either of us. So I’m here to officially say that until I get into a routine with the little one, I’ll probalby not be here much. There may be no noticeable difference from the current infrequency, but who knows. I totally love you, though, and appreciate all of your encouragement and kind words and your interest in my work (and life!). It really means a lot to me, and I’ll be sure to keep you updated on baby-progress, as well as any new work that comes out of the new studio. I’m also planning a big before-and-after reveal of the basement space, but the project is definitely not done. Not quite yet. So until then…

xoxox

Oh look at me and my fanciness!

I’ve just added a slideshow portfolio to this here website, of some of my past and current work. Yippee! Go check it out and let me know what you think. {The photo above is a screen shot from it, and also a link right to the Portfolio Page}

{{Also, just thought you’d like to know that John is making a heavenly sounding dinner right this very now, Mushroom and Cheese Strudel with FILO DOUGH. yuM. Can I just say that I feel like one of  the luckiest women in the world? }}

I love this post. So much.

From Jess Gonacha, of the abundant reality at Pecannoot.

Once upon a time I was a web designer. No, really. It was only for a short time during a summer research grant through my university, back in my other lifetime, but it was really fun. Alas, though, I got distracted by my set design and theatre education and I never really went too far with it, but today is a new day; today I went ahead and bought myself a shiny new copy of Adobe Dreamweaver (from the Adobe education store — score!). Dreamweaver is software that makes websites in a WYSIWYG style, which is great for me (FYI, WYSIWYG = What You See Is What You Get :: visual designing and not too much code, phew!) as a visual learner and do-er.

I am on my way! Not 100% sure where that is, but I am planning to design my own LaurieCoyleDesigns.com as well as a new version of BerkshireMade.org and maybe something for you?  Yippee!

If you’re interested in what all this is about you can get yourself a free 30-day trial version of Dreamweaver here, what fun! Want to learn along with me? Have any tips/ideas? Send ‘em along! I feel like I’m starting from scratch — I’ve completely forgotent how to do this, and all things webby have changed quite a bit in the past 8 years or so. For reals.

Here we go!