What was once my grandmother's "sewing" room is now becoming my ultimate organizing dream-come-true: a Gift Wrapping Room (pictures forthcoming.) And, in the nick of time for the Old Saint Nick and my 2-year old's first memorable Christmas. A little 50 square foot room with a window is now filled with shelves and a desk...one 3'6" section of shelving is just for gifts (wrapped and unwrapped, hostess gifts, baby gifts, specific items bought on sale for someone's birthday, or items I buy in bulk because I get enthusiastic and "know" that everyone should have one) and a 2' section of shelves for gift wrapping supplies. Plus an array of baskets and containers, and of course, lots of labels so that everything has it's place. Besides looking all over www.pinterest.com, here is one website that was an inspiration: http://www.organizingla.com/organizingla_blog/giftwrapping_room/ All this to say, I feel very strongly that you can't be too organized, and that every woman deserves a little haven just her own. And, with all the multi-tasking I (we) do, it's nice to have a little room with the single purpose of expressing my gratitude to the people in my life.

Well, I am quite the optimist, as I started this blog over a year ago, and thought: "Blogging is easy, right? Everyone is doing it, and I can too." Never mind that I am running two businesses and parenting a toddler, so no wonder my blog entries are still in single digits. Ahem, well, it's never too late to start again... I am sad Oprah is ending. I mean, like, really sad. I tried to get tickets to her last show taping, and couldn't, and so despite my aforementioned full plate, I am taking the afternoon off next Wednesday to go home, open champagne, and watch the very last Oprah. And, so, as I was thinking this morning of creative content for a presentation I have to give today, I thought of all the Oprah-isms that kept coming to mind: "Live your best life" (redesign your house), or "An A-Ha Moment" (when you realized your house needs a makeover), or... you get the picture. I have grown up on The Oprah Show, and what I have learned from her shows over the years has really permeated into my life. Even though I work full-time and don't often watch the show anymore, it's been comforting knowing its recorded content has been there waiting on me when I wanted or needed it. And so as I (and the rest of the world) say goodbye to the show and adjust to life without it, I acknowledge the bigger lesson (a la Oprah) of how difficult change truly is. And I think the best way to deal with that is to embrace it, celebrate it, honor it and keep moving forward. I am ready to change from having a blog to actually doing a blog; I hope my clients are ready to change their environment to something they're really inspired by; I hope we are all thankful for all the positive change Oprah has brought to the world. ~jf