We’re moving!

Thank you for visiting www.tracestylecreatelive.com. I haven't posted for a while now, but my newer site www.traceydale.com will be filled with fresh new essays and photographs about writing, reading, cooking, and other topics including the ongoing unfolding of my mid-century(ish) home remodel. I'd love to see you there!

Finding balance in your day

I love this quote from the extraordinary Helen Keller. She died almost fifty years ago, but somehow her take on finding a good balance between getting through each day and following her passions seems perfectly relevant in 2017. In my town, we have fireworks in December, instead of July 4th. They launch from the pier that juts out into the Pacific Ocean. As I watched the pyrotechnics show Sunday night, with my mom (visiting from Australia), and my boys, I…

How’s your sleep hygiene?

Sleep is a hot health topic these days. A lot of women struggle to get a good night's sleep — especially moms and those of us aged 50 plus. I thought I had a pretty good pre-sleep routine in place, until I got back from my trip ten days ago. I've been taking naps when I can, but I still found myself falling asleep before 8:00pm, and the waking up at 2:30am! I kept expecting to get back to normal,…

Ugly Holiday Sweater Cookies

When I get home from a trip I love to do a bit of cooking, and a lot of laundry (OK, I don't love doing laundry but there's always a huge pile after unpacking, isn't there?). It kind of grounds me back in my house. My friend Lori's annual Christmas cookie party is coming up so I thought I'd try out these ugly Christmas sweater cookies. They make me laugh! The inspiration for them came from icing cake toppers I found…

A lesson in mindfulness from the Coffee Queen

I sit with my friends Ruth and Warren and our kids on low wooden plank benches. The ground beneath our feet is swept dirt between a tiny house made of mud and reeds, and an open outdoor wooden structure which we’re told is a kitchen. There is no running water, gas, or electricity. I’m lucky enough to be spending Thanksgiving in Africa with my two boys and some close friends. We are in Uganda traveling by Jeep through cities, towns, villages,…

Sidewalk Wisdom

Walking my doggy around the block in my new/old neighborhood led me to this beautiful series of chalk messages this week. What a fantastic gift for those of us walking up the hill from the beach, right at the steepest part, where I'm definitely looking down and trying not to faint. It was just what I needed to see at exactly the right time. I'm pretty sure I know who left this message waiting silently on the sidewalk. There is…

Setting A Deadline

It's so easy to put things off. Take my last two weeks. I haven't posted here, even though I fully intended to. I even had posts photographed and written. I had some great excuses — I moved house among other things. But I could come up with good excuses every day of the week. I'm quite inventive! It doesn't make me feel good, however, to kick any can down the road to be dealt with later. I hate not doing…

Starting a blog or a new business idea? Plan for success.

I recently realized that if I wanted to get serious about running my two blogs as a business, as well as find time to edit my novel, and keep all of the other balls in the air that I juggle, I needed to start a separate planner for my blogs. I wanted to be able to see my ideas on paper and figure out a color coded schedule so I can post regularly. The Erin Condren Life Planner really is…

Icebox Cake

I prepared this unusual looking cake for a recent pot luck. It's now my new favorite fancy dessert! The recipe is super easy and involves assembly rather than any actual cooking. It needs to be made a day ahead which is perfect for dinner parties at your place — you can concentrate on the main course on the day itself. When I first made this cake from a recipe card in my weekly Blue Apron order, they didn't have the…

Lift your confidence game by doing something for someone else

It's hard to feel confident all of the time. There are now scientific studies that show helping others can actually increase your own sense of confidence and reduce feelings of isolation. It can make you feel more empowered, optimistic, and positive, and remind you just how fortunate you are. 10 Facts That Prove Helping Others Is A Key To Achieving Happiness When Hurricane Harvey slammed into the gulf coast of Texas two weeks ago today, we all watched in horror…

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