But I’m not. Clearly.

It’s not my fault, it’s Ikea’s. There, take that, Ikea. I blame you!

I love these late night hours. I find them terribly inspiring. Everyone asleep. The world around me is silent. And I am able to hear.

Get clear. Dream up the things that I want. This is where Ikea enters.

I was all set for bed. Really, I was. After having spent 30 minutes riveted to the train wreck that is TLC’s Outrageous Kid Parties, I was done at 11. Ready.

I grabbed my water, my journal, and the Ikea catalog. Full intentions of just making a few notes before sleep.

But Ikea had different plans for me. Idea and inspiration plans.

And off I went. Page by page. Color by color. My green pen in hand, making notations, jotting down my list. Picturing how fabulous everything was going to look. My functional yet modern yet chic studio.

It was so positively thrilling to me, thinking about my studio space coming to life, real life. That soon, this space would be just how I dreamed it up to be.

These thoughts and the planning and the picking and choosing and color ideas and fun design techniques to try was just too much excitement that in no time, I was wide eyed and very awake.

I still am.

I’m so thankful to have things in my life that excite me in this way, that thrill me and challenge me. It feels good … this getting back to my creative … self.