This is for all my Bakersfield friends! Do you know about Second Saturday? Second Saturday is Downtown Bakersfield’s monthly weekend gathering that brings the community and businesses together. The goal for Second Saturday is to provide an atmosphere of excitement for what’s good in our city. Each month downtown business owners are highlighted to curate a monthly gathering that is family friendly, fun, and inspired by the seasons.

This Saturday from 10am – 2pm I’m teaming up with the Bakersfield High School Ecology Club to host Camp Chlorophyll. This is a FREE event for kids aged 2-10. There will be fun art and Science activities at the Chlorophyll Wall.  It’s going to hands-on and lots of learning. So, bring your kiddos downtown for Second Saturday.

Come on downtown and let’s hang out. There’s really so much to see and do. Here’s a map and a list of all the businesses that are participating. For more information, you can follow Second Saturday on Facebook + Instagram.

Well, it feels good to have one more “room” done in our house. If you missed yesterday’s post, my little home office is DONE! I’m ready for the weekend. This week was tough. I felt tired, probably because it was non-stop work, but I also felt like I was getting absolutely nothing done at all. Can you relate? Anyways lots of feelings and worries come along with being exhausted and having a long list of things you just can’t seem to get done. But, I’m looking forward to the weekend, even though I’ll still be working. My parents and brother are in town. So, at least I can put them to work as well, tee hee. And it’s guaranteed that I will not have to cook and my mom will make lots of really yummy food. She’s already make 3 loaves of Caramel Apple Monkey Break and is working on a yummy pork chop and wild rice dinner for tonight. 

The weather is kind of a boring topic, but this week has been soooo lovely. It reminds me how much a love living in Bakersfield this time of year. I’m so excited for Fall. After a very hard Summer, temps in the 70s and 80s are so welcome. Granted, it’s supposed to be back up to 95 F this week again. But, I’ll take this break from the heat happily. And the best part is that we haven’t had our AC on all week long. Just for some perspective, our electricity bill last month was $600 and we don’t even turn the AC on upstairs. The kids have been camping out in the living room most of the Summer. Well, Denali actually has slept upstairs without an AC all Summer, sometimes her room is 98 F. Ya she’s a tough kid.

My brother and I will be building things this weekend. It’s a really fun local project that we are working on. He’s super talented and I always learn things when I work with him. You can follow along on IG stories for lots of behind the scenes.

Anyways, thats the update on my life lately, whether you wanted it or not. I hope you have a great weekend. And if you have a second, here’s a few things I think you should check out on the internet this weekend:

• I have had so much fun following this kitchen renovation. You guys, Mandi is AMAZING! Go follow her now.
• These necklaces are adorable! I might pick up some supplies when I’m a Home Depot today, ya they are made with hardware store supplies.
• I love this pretty collage wall art. Olivia will be totally into making this, who am I kidding, I want to make one too.
• If you are in the market for a rug, this is a great round up of beautiful neutral area rugs.
• If it’s a shade of green, I’m going to LOVE it! 

Happy Long Weekend Friends!

We are escaping the heat and heading to San Diego to spend a couple days with my brother’s family. Hoping for some beach time and a just a break from the 110 F weather of Bakersfield. It’s really quite handy to have a brother who lives so close to the beach. Can you say FREE VACAY?

In other news, I thought I should mention that I’m bringing back my newsletter. It’s a great way to get all your favorite O+P content right to your inbox. I’ll be sharing all kinds of exclusive content their, so you won’t want to miss out.

And now, here’s a few fun things I think you should check out:

• If you are looking for a fun Instagram feed to follow, I’ve got a REALLY good one for you. Pretty colors, plants, vintage, and from the Netherlands – ya, it’s a pretty great combo.
• This digital wallpaper is super timely with all the eclipse buzz of the last couple of weeks.
• Yep, totally digging this color for Fall.
• You know I love a Mocktail, and if it involves rhubarb, I’m all in. Be sure to check out this Rhubarb Collins Mocktail.
• I wear a neckercheif, scarf, or bandana at least twice a week. Just look at this rainbow of dyed bandanas. I’ve actually dyed and bleached bandanas in the past, but just didn’t share it as a DIY on the blog. Now that I see all the color options that are out there, I’m better stock up on a whole bunch more.
• This pretty workspace has be wanting to paint another half wall!

This post really is for local folks only, or anyone who would love to move to Bakersfield. You guys, I have this fantastic studio space downtown Bakersfield. It’s 650 bright, white, light-filled square feet. I’ve had folks share this space with me this last year, but some have or are moving on. So, I’m looking for a new studio mate. Who wants to share this creative space with me?

If you are interested, send me an email at oleanderandpalm@gmail.com with Studio Rental in the subject.

I try to be as honest and authentic as I can be here. Just enough, but not too much to be a totally downer all the time. Really, most of the time I love life and really am enjoying this season. But, it’s really far from perfect. I know I post pretty pictures of yummy drinks, flowers, and a clean house – but, that’s not always the case. I just don’t think folks want to see pictures of my cluttered bathroom counters and my unmade bed today. There’s nothing inspiring about that. Believe me, it sucks all the creativity out of me.

So, without sounding like someone who wants sympathy or attention, I just wanted to say that the last couple of weeks have been hard. I’ve felt drained, anxious, unmotivated and just blahhh about my job life in general. I share this here so that hopefully someone else doesn’t feel alone.

When you feel like this, creativity is GONE. I don’t know where it goes. I think I’m an idea person, I usually have a few good ideas brewing at anytime.  But, lately I’m totally tapped out. I’m not one to wait for something to happen or change in my life. I’m a door knocker, I’m knocking on all the doors and hoping someone answers and says yes. Over the last couple of weeks, I’m trying a bunch of things to try to kick start my creative juices.  So, I thought I’d share with you what is working. I’m not a self-help guru and definitely don’t have everything figured out. But, maybe some of these ideas will resonate with you and maybe help you out of a creative slump.

1. Rest – this probably seems obvious. But, if you are a do-er and go-er like I am, rest can feel like a waste of valuable time. Listening to your body and taking a nap can actually be a good place to start. For me, I had no choice, I stopped for about 10 mins a Sunday afternoon a couple weeks ago and fell sound asleep for 4 hours. For someone who naps about once a year, this is a big deal. Over the last 2 weeks, I’ve been conscience to go to bed at a reasonable time and try to give my body what it needs.
2. Make Healthy Eating Choices – I consider myself a pretty healthy eater. We cook most of our meals at home and yes, I do bake treats, but actually I rarely eat any of it. But, when I feel burnt out though, I let me guard down and I don’t pay attention to the things I’m putting into my body. So, I’ve cut back the amount of coffee I drink and I’m trying to pack as many fruits and veggies into my meals as possible. Thinking about food more as fuel always helps me. Right now I’m in the middle of a Juice Cleanse. It may feel a little drastic, but I felt like I needed to hit restart and flush my body of toxins. Whether it’s taking a simple step like making an effort to drink more water or taking on something more intense like a Juice Cleanse, a change in nutrition can help boost creativity.
3. Hunt for Inspiration – sometimes you have to seek out a creative spark. My spark was definitely gone, like a bucket of water had been dumped on it. I’m trying to make time to do the things I love, like walk through an antique mall or actually flip through the beautiful design magazines that sit on my coffee table but I never have time to read. I also have a trip to downtown LA in my sites. I need a little time in a big city from time to time. The energy of a city, the hustle and bustle, the people, the traffic, the food, the art, the mess – all help my mood. Sometimes life feelings to hectic or busy to make time for just being inspired. It can seem a frivolous, but usually stepping away can be really helpful.
4. Clean and De-clutter – clean out your purse, your car, your closet. I always feel like my home is a refection of my state of mind and schedule. If it’s messy and cluttered, usually my life is too hectic and I’m feeling stressed out. So, this week I took a whole day to just clean and put away all the junk that collects around a house with 3 busy kids. Honestly, seeing a clean space can instantly give my mind room for creativity. The mess definitely hinders me taking on a new project or idea.
5. Get Dressed – well, I do wear clothes everyday, but some days it’s just a tank top and some yoga pants. Getting dresses in something that makes you feel confident and pretty in can really change the way your day starts. For me, putting on mascara and some big earrings can boost my moral. Maybe a hair cut or getting your nails done can be a breath of fresh air.
6. Exercise – This might be the most important one for me. I need to burn off all those endorphins. Ya, I’d like to be a little skinnier, but mostly I exercise for my mental health. For the last couple of months, I have been swimming laps at my local pool. An hour of swimming back and forth gives me a lot of time to think and process my day. I’ve rediscovered how much I love swimming. Being weightless and submerged in water has a restorative power. I’ve also been riding my bike a lot. I never regret a bike ride. A bike ride always takes me back to my childhood and simpler times.
7. Make Something – even though your creativity might feel totally tapped out, sometimes the act of starting a project can spur on something new and interesting. For me taking my camera for a walk around my neighborhood can help. I use my camera almost daily for my job, but taking pictures of flowers that are in full bloom and just taking pictures for no purpose at all is fun. I also picked up my water color paints this last week and painted for 3 hours straight. And yesterday I decided I’d finally make the swings that I wanted on our porch. So, I headed to the hardware store with absolutely no plan at all. It was fun to make something with a little trial and error, not know if the outcome would be good or not.
8. A Change of Scenery – today I’m writing this post from my favorite coffee shop. but, I also editing a big batch of pictures from my front porch this week as well. Often I get stuck at my kitchen table trying to work. But, from my kitchen table, I can see my basement, which is where my laundry room is, I can also see my kitchen sink and all the dishes that need to be done or the dinner that needs to be started. Finding a new location to work can really help eliminate distractions and give you fresh eyes for the task ahead.
9. Do Something New – for me, this kind of long, wordy post is not my usual type of blog post. I tend to rely on pretty images for the foundation of my posts. So, I type this post with a little bit of fear of failure. But, it also feels good to push myself outside of my comfort zone. Sometimes you discover something that you are good at, sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think that writing is something I’m good at, but a little exploration of something different can be refreshing.
10. Get Outside – I’m an outdoors kind of girl, but I do believe there is some power in being in nature for everyone. If I can’t make it to the desert, beach or the mountains, a little time weeding in my yard can be really helpful. I walk is also always a good idea. Right now our river has a lot of water (which hasn’t had any water for 7 years), so even though it’s still in the middle of the city, it’s good to walk along the water and listen to birds and crickets. As a christian, nothing makes me feel more connected to my Creator then being in his handy work. It always brings me so much peace.

I hope this is helpful to someone out there. Obviously there are no perfect formulas or answers for getting out of a rut. But, my thought is that change isn’t going to happen unless you take the first step. So, I’m taking all kinds of steps forward and hoping that something works. Here’s to finding my creativity again.