create (a life): embrace the process

Let's talk about life's little mishaps, shall we? Such as the partially burned bowl of kettle corn that I'm currently indulging in. Kettle corn and I have a little bit of a tumultuous relationship. I'll eat it somewhere else, love it, then get a renewed passion to make it at home. Those wonderful microwave packets used to really help with this, because I could never (ok, rarely) mess it up. But since we no longer have a microwave, I've been determined to make the sugary magic happen on my stovetop. I'm failing at, however, in timing the sprinkling of sugar on my popping corn- I've been pouring it in too early resulting in burnt sugar and a smoky kitchen. Of course, among all the burnt popcorn, there are always one or two perfect pieces that convince me to try it all over again. I'm a sucker for that little piece of beauty, such as those gorgeous pictures of birthday crowns that are so popular now. I was determined to make one for Isia's 3rd birthday...

...and, just to keep life interesting, I began it the week before her party (Because hand-embroidery just really needed to be on my to-do list among everything else!). This is the crown in process, after I realized that one side had ended up larger than the other. It ended up being finished the night before her party, with my measuring her sleeping little head.

It also ended up being much too tight, although she wore it a little while to humor her Mama. So I was reminded again that it's all about the process. And that with process, with progress, come mishaps for all of us. Especially, perhaps, when we really should be sleeping instead of toiling over a birthday crown (wink).