This Might Take a While...

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and it's got me in a thoughtful mood.  Fortunately I was just tagged to reveal another 7 random  things about myself (by Banquet), so I have a good excuse to delve in and tell you more about me... the person behind the blog.

1)  My name.
I get a lot of inquiries about this, so here's the story (hope you're cozy, it's quite lengthy).  I was born in the 70's... and my mom (being the carefree spirit that she was at the time) decided to name me Esrael (sounds like Israel with and "E").  This was fine until around age 4-6 (when by unfortunate coincidence the Smurfs {remember the Smurfs} happened to be in their height of popularity).  Well, kids are mean... mean, mean, mean... and some brilliant little stinker noticed the similarity between Esrael and Asrael (the evil cat on the Smurfs) and from then on I was marked.  Because the teasing was so out of hand I begged my mom to let me change my name (and again being the free spirit that she was), she said "yes."  Of course I had to up my status among my peers, so I picked the most popular name of that time: "Heather!"  I had it legally changed and everything. 
Fast-forward to the early 2000's when I was attending school for fashion design.  I had since come to dislike my name (again, but for different reasons), and started going by my birth name.  Only this time I made the "s" a "z" and shortened it to "Ez."  There you have it.  My friends call me Ez and my family calls me both Heather and Ez.  You can take your pick.  Phew... that was long.  Did you make it all the way through?!

2)  Lessons I've learned through blogging:
     a.  Perseverance.  If you think you can't do it, you just have to try.  I didn't even know what a blog was when I started it (I was lured in by the free trial and now here I am almost 3 years later).
     b.  Sanity.  Blogging has helped keep me sane.  It sounds dramatic, but it's true.  When I began Creature Comforts, I was in a really dark time of my life (depression, recent divorce, etc.) and through the act of searching for things of beauty I found my voice and ability to actually see true beauty again.
     c.  Humility.  I have found myself at times (through my own insecurities... we all have those right), envying or begrudging another blogger for their brilliance... ie. they have more readers, a fancier blog, more posts, better ideas, etc... the list goes on and on.  But then I've had to take a step back and just let it go.  Setting my mind at peace about this has given me the opportunity to accept our differences and find the commonality that lies between us all.  I can not even tell you how many truly beautiful (inside and out) people I have met through blogging.  I feel blessed every day by the community that blogging has given me!
d.  Gratitude.  Every day when I wake up and turn on my computer for another day of blogging I feel so lucky.  So very lucky to have so many incredible readers.  People like YOU who support and encourage my creative vision... and give me the chance to share it with the world.  I think you are all amazing... and I love you all!!!

Now on the more "random" side of things:

3)  I have a scar on my right cheek in the shape of a bird's foot.  I have no idea when it got there or how, but I like to think that the birds claimed me as theirs at birth... lol  Maybe that's where I got my unwavering obsession with birds from.

4)  I don't like pillow fights... they scare the crap out of me.  Really!

5)  I relate completely to the character "Rickie" in American Beauty... I am the female version of him (minus the weed dealing of course).

6)  I like tragic, fragile, and awkward things.  Hummingbirds, the last fall leaf fluttering on a branch, a rose bloom past its prime... etc.

7)  I'm a little bit psychic.  Okay that sounds weird... but I definitely have a keen perceptiveness that can freak me out at times.  For example, I almost always know the phone is going to ring before it does (I'll even walk to go get it ahead of time)... I have great cop intuition (I always check my speed and then low and behold... a police car will come into view)... etc.  Handy but kind of odd.

Now I am supposed to tag 7 other people.  If you feel like playing please join right in.  Follow and then copy and paste these rules in your post:

RULES:
Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
Share 7 random and/or weird things about yourself.
Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

My 7 tagees are:
-A Field Journal
-Housemartin
-Something's Hiding in Here
-Posie Gets Cozy
-Perfect Bound
-Lisa Congdon
-Art and Ghosts

Do You Polyvore?

This post comes with a warning.  If you have a life, children, career, hobbies, etc... do not read on! 

If any of you are left, then get ready for one of the most addictive and time-zapping activities online.  Polyvore is a virtual forum where users add, share, and compile fashionable looks into sets as varied and creative as you are!  It only takes a second to get used to it all, and after that... well it's all over after that!  Have fun... and if you Polyvore, stop by my page and add me as your contact if you'd like!
xo

Some days...

...you just need a good hot cup of tea and the comfort of the familiar.  What are some of the small treasures in your home that bring you joy?

What Matters Most...

Last night my daughter and youngest sister were having a blast sliding on stockinged feet down the wooden-floored hallways at  my parents house.  The pizza had just come out of the oven (which was perfect because we were all famished) it look as though we were going to have a lovely relaxed New Years Eve celebration.  But then...

Suddenly  from around the corner there came a blood-curdling scream.  I raced over to find my daughter on the ground screaming and clutching her head.   It appeared that she had hit it on the corner of the telephone console, so when I moved her hand and found blood pouring out of her ear my heart stopped.  I was certain that she had hit her head so hard that the trauma of it had caused bleeding to come from her skull and out her ear.  Fortunately, upon closer inspection we discovered that it was actually a laceration inside her ear, (which is a huge relief when you compare it to head trauma) but because it wouldn't stop bleeding we had to take her to the emergency room (everything else was closed because of the holiday). 

What my little girl went through was just heartbreaking.  She is such a little trooper and endured receiving 3 stitches to the interior of her ear... a place (which were were only told after the fact) that is extremely difficult to numb.  She felt every single stab and poke of the needle, but didn't scream even once, even though it was clear that she was experiencing extreme pain.   I'm certain that I, in the same position, would have been wailing.

Of course I couldn't stop telling her how brave she was, and how proud of her I am... and as we were leaving she looked at me and said, "I tried my hardest not to scream Mom, because I didn't want to scare any of the little kids."  Awww... it brings tears to my eyes to think of her being so selfless even as she was experiencing the worst pain of her life.   It's moments like this that help me to see even more than ever, that amongst it all: the ups and downs... the highs and lows... she is what matters most to me.  I am so lucky!  And I am so grateful that she is going to be okay!!!

Thanks for listening to me today.  I hope your New Years Eve celebrations were eventful in all the right ways!  I promise to have a lovely post for you all tomorrow!  xo Ez

Merry * Merry

Hello again everyone!  I hope your holiday was merry and filled with all sorts of wonderful surprises!  I'm still recuperating from all the festivities (namely hosting Christmas at my house this year), but I will be back to regular posting tomorrow (sorry for the wait).  In the meantime, here are a few pictures of Christmas at my home.  xox Ez