Your Authentic Web Identity

So this post is geared a bit toward the newer bloggers in the crowd but I'd love to see what those who have been in the blog world a while have to say about my words, too.

I was reading my September Vogue again (yes, the same magazine that led to the horrific tub overflow - it's a little wet) and a sentence caught my eye. I don't know if I'm quoting it directly, but it said something to the effect of "How much do we hide behind our web identities?"

Those of you that have read my blog for a while know that I (pretty much) an open book. I'll tell you anything that is going on in my mind, all of the bad things that I do, and those moments of absolute bliss as well. However, I'm not good at cleaning house. You are more than likely never going to see my home in House Beautiful, and I can tell you right now that you will NEVER see my bedside table or dresser. As much as I try to keep those clean, they always seem to be overflowing with Hot Wheels and magazines, unpaid bills and Incredibly Important Papers. It's not pretty. So I will be a blogger who admits it; my physical world is a little (okay, incredibly a lot) air brushed.

It does bother me when I read a newer blogger who is struggling with whether she should let all of the controversial or icky stuff that she is thinking about out there. All in all, it's her blog, but if it's something that's weighing on her mind and she needs to get it out, gosh darn it, it's her blog!! Now I will say that I have a few BIG rules that I follow when it comes to blog revelation; I Never air the family's dirty laundry, I try not to complain, I never talk about a trying or hurtful subject that has happened to someone else without first getting their permission, and I NEVER, EVER talk about the larger events in my children's social lives on my blog. I'm sorry, Perez Hilton, but gossip is never becoming of the gossiper.

So how much of ourselves do we share? I will tell you that when I am having a particularly bad depression day there won't be a post; the words swimming around in my head don't really need to be published on the blogosphere. But I'm never going to try to pretend that I'm Martha Mama when I'm really not (have you seen those Dora the Explorer cupcakes on Nick Jr? Come on. I'm doing good if the cupcakes actually get frosted!). There are ubermoms out there that I am actually in awe of (Lisa of 5 Orange Potatoes and anyone who home schools their children well come to mind).

I think what it boils down to is that a person's blog is their place of expression, and whatever that person feels comfortable expressing has a place on their blog. There are blogs that I don't read because I don't agree with the content or the posts just rub me the wrong way. But it's not my blog or my thoughts on that screen, so more power to the author.

If you are a newer blogger and you are still trying to find your voice, I urge you to take a look at a few of the following blogs. These ladies (and man), I believe, are truly authentic, artistic souls. They show it in very different ways, but at least I get the feeling that if I met these people I'd feel like I'd known them for years.

always time for tea
be yourself . . . everyone else is taken
CHAI, CINNAMON, & COUTURE
come sit by my fire
Earth Mama
Give a Girl a Fig
heartfelt and homemade
moments of perfect clarity
Practice is Perfect
Puzzling Posts: An Admission of Cluelessness

ramblins...
remedial eating
SPLITTERGEWITTER
Soul Aperture
Thst's Mrs. Mediocrity to You
The 60/40
There is a Time

And I'm going to stop here. I have so many more I could share with you. Check out my blog roll - these are the people that I wanted to be like when I started out. Be yourself. To heck with the haters. You wanna talk about hiding behind a web identity? Ms. Anonymous Commentor has that avenue covered!

Photos from We Heart It

One of Those Days

So my day started as One of Those Days. I should let you know that I have been hit with the doldrums in a big way. This morning, I woke up, promptly got peed on by Will (ah, the joys of motherhood), and decided it was time to lock myself in the bathroom with a magazine and a steamy hot bath.

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I got caught up in my magazine. It is the September Vogue - 20 gajillion pages of fashion - and before I knew it, the bathtub was overflowing. I looked at the floor and it didn't look all that wet. So I went back to reading about NYC's Fashion's Night Out.

About 10 minutes later, I am roused out of my fashion revelry by frantic knocking on the door by my husband. "I have to get in!!! Unlock the door! The basement it flooded and I have to figure out why!" SO I look at the floor again, and this time I see water all over the floor. Lots of it. And my husband it still hysterically telling me to let him in.

So in my calmest, most chastened voice, I answer, "Well, um, Tim, you see, the tub kind of overflowed, and I think that's why there's water in the basement."

"The tub overflowed and you did nothing about it?!"

"Tim," at this point, my irritation is beginning to show, "I didn't know it was that bad! If I had known it was that bad, don't you think I would have done something about it?"

"Well, all I know is that the basement is all wet and now you're telling me you overflowed the tub and you didn't even clean it up??"


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So I got out of the tub, feeling totally like a 5 year old who is being scolded by her dad, and grabbed towels and sopped up the (very wet) floor. And I opened the door and threw a towel at Tim because there was water leaking into our bedroom.

"Thanks for making me feel like a child!" I yelled, slammed the door, and got back into the tub. I'm sure Tim rolled his eyes. He rolls his eyes when he's frustrated.

I'm here to tell you that this could have been handled much better. And I'm not talking about how Tim handled it - I'm responsible for the words that come out of my mouth, not his. He was just trying to figure out why there was water filling up the basement.


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So, after I got out of the house and cooled down a bit, I went to the Bible. I needed to put some sort of positive spin on this whole experience, because, I gotta tell you, when I'm not doing well depression wise, I can turn into a pit viper. I don't like being a pit viper. I like it when people say "Oh, that Erin, she's just the nicest!" What I found had nothing to do with an overflowing bathtub, or even treating your husband with respect and treating your wife like Christ treats the church. But I love it.

Psalm 133
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 How good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in unity!

2 It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron's beard,
down upon the collar of his robes.

3 It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the LORD bestows his blessing,
even life forevermore.

David had his issues. We could start with a certain woman bathing on a roof, David getting a major jones, and sending her husband into the front lines of battle assuring his death. Yet David recognized that God's blessing is bestowed upon all of us, covering our heads, faces, and collars like anointing oil, giving us life forevermore. And through Christ, all of those rituals of the Old Testament that David had to go through to assure his atonement were washed away just by our belief and love for Him. That love for him then seeps out of us, like that pesky overflowing water, touching everyone we encounter. Our love for Christ gives us the opportunity to wash others clean.

"Awaken me from my sleep
And open up my weary eyes
Move me from my complacency
And bring my soul back to life

Won't You take this heart and mind
And help me to believe?

In the fire that ignites my bones
It's in the water that brings life to my soul
It's in the blood that washes me clean"

Shawn McDonald
Wash Me Clean


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I would be totally remiss if I didn't thank Christy for featuring my "Puff Balls" notecard on her blog Just Thinkin' in pictures. Her blog is chock full of inspiration and gorgeous photos and I'm honored to have been one of her chosen artists.

They Make Me Happy

I know I promised this yesterday, but Roadrunner decided to stop working, so I am now sitting in Starbucks while my good guy Will plays with cars and eats a chocolate mini donut (which is about all I've been able to get down him today). Also, my husband took my camera and left it at his friend's house, so some of the great pictures that I had to share with you are not in my possession right now. Nevertheless, They Make Me Happy:

:: Brown-eyed Susans
:: Those perfect blue jeans - worn in, maybe a little thread worn, and make your butt look fantastic!
:: Old gnarled jade plants (have you ever seen one in full bloom?)



:: Will running full speed toward me for a hug
:: Seeing bloggy friends in "Artful Blogging"
:: Getting "that look" from the one you love - and your knees turning to Jell-o
:: Hummingbirds flitting about the Solomon's Seal



:: Unspoiled views that you just happen upon
:: Goldendoodles. I really want one.
:: Cranking up your favorite song on the car radio and singing really LOUD.


You can buy Emma's "muriel" here

:: The crochet of Emma Lamb
:: Woolly worms
:: The magic of tiaras



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Unless otherwise noted, all photos property of Erin Wallace

Photo: Moon Rising

Will watching the moon rise from his favorite vantage point.

Here's to Good Etsy Days!

So, with this being the first day of September and it being back to posting as usual, I probably should be writing about something wonderfully deep and spiritual for my readers who have patiently waited through my August Break (which was wonderful, by the way). But I'm just having the best etsy day, I had to share my happiness!

Yesterday I wrote about my new note cards. I woke up this morning to see that I had sold two. Just overnight, just like that! I certainly wasn't expecting such a quick response!

Then I listed two of my pretty crocheted pillows that it seems I've been trying to get posted forever. The Pink Granny Crocheted Pillow and the Sunburst Granny Square Crocheted Pillow have been listed with more to come.

Last, but certainly not least (and so freakin' cool) is that Lulu Loves Gifts has listed my "Serving Lunch" photograph in her beautiful Food For Thought Etsy Treasury. Lulu wanted me to pass on to you that all Dropped Stitches readers who say they found her here will receive 20% off of her shop items. Her items are very nice, so check out her shop!

To celebrate (and cuz my birthday is coming up), I'm offering 20% off of all photos for all of my readers during the month of September. Just mention the discount and I'll give you your new price.

Promise it'll be back to usual tomorrow - going to do a "They Make Me Happy List" and am going to try to continue posting a photo a day. Hopefully I'll get a better camera for my birthday (if my mom can find a good deal!). I'm so happy to be writing again, I've missed it.