My Driving Station

It seems like just yesterday that the school bell rang and summer was an endless meadow before me. I honestly have no idea how summer just seems to melt away before my eyes.

But it undoubtedly does. Every. Single. Year.

I now find myself caught up in the fast pace of back to school, new beginnings, new schedules, carpools, homework and change.

Life is always changing isn’t it? One of these days I will finally get it. I will learn to expect the unexpected and embrace change instead of trying to make sense of it all. Until then I will have my “driving station” to center my universe and clarify my mind.

What is a driving station you ask?

Well, it is the foundation of my daily existence. You see, I am a list maker. For a long time I had a simple white pad that I would carry clutched under my arm as if my life depended on it. One day I decided that I had had enough. I was tired of being burdened with a list that never ended and a note pad that never left my side.

I decided to designate a place on the counter in my kitchen for my own personal information station. But not just any information station. A romantic, pretty, inviting spot for me to calmly organize my day and drive everything in my life.

My driving station was born.

I decided to use an old antique silver tray as the base of my personal information station (aka driving station). The tray just seems to anchor my thoughts while making me happy knowing that I am using one of my beloved antiques.

I found a lovely note pad that was big enough to fit all of the continuous chitty-chatter that flits through my mind on a daily bases.

Which happens to be quite a lot.

I adore the floppy black grosgrain bow. It just speaks to me somehow.

I love to embellish the tray with fresh flowers from the garden during the warmer months and I find that the soothing flicker of a candle during the colder months just warms my heart.

A steamy inviting cup of coffee is always close at hand…waiting for an invigorating sip.

My favorite black (thin) felt tip pen makes my list writing a pleasure.

I am a pen girl.

Must have my black, THIN, felt tip pen.

Even Oliver is intrigued and captivated by the romance of it all.

I begin each day with a blank piece of paper that seems to find itself filled by the end of the day. But somehow the chaos is quieted with my “driving station” there to gently guide me. I love the fact that it sits patiently, all organized and pretty, just waiting for me to drop by with a thought, idea or task that must be accomplished.

I relish in the “to do’s” turning into the “have dones” as I cross off each one.

And I always try to make it a point to remember the little things that are important.

Do yourself a favor. Treat yourself to a tranquil little space that’s just for you. Make your own driving station with the things that make YOU smile.

And remember…

“Each moment is a place you’ve never been.” ~ Mark Strand

Wenderly

Wenderly

Married my soulmate. Mama of 2. Love to inspire. Can't help but to relish in all things beautiful inside & out. Join me in Savoring the Art of Living.

32 Comments

  1. Beautiful space and even a calming post. I look at my desk and see what I have to deal with and fear the only driving it is doing is in driving me nuts. I hate clutter. My desk is cluttered. I need to embrace this idea and walk away from the desk to a different space and calm my head and entertain cohesive thoughts don’t I.

    I’ll work on it. 🙂

  2. What a beautiful blog post. I love the idea of this. Your photography is wonderful. Especially love the shot with the cat in it. Found your blog through Kristen at Dine & Dish (http://dineanddish.net/).

    And you know, Hobby Lobby is full of treasures! 🙂

  3. Oh, I am in love with this idea and I think I need to gather all of these beautiful things for my daughters for Christmas! What a beautiful idea and of course I need to have one for me on my ottoman in my room. This is just the neatest, thanks so much for posting!!!

  4. Oh that’s so pretty! I am a listmaker but I make lists on old envelopes and then leave them lying all round the house :-/

  5. just lovely Wendy ~ you are so right that we need to make a space just for ourselves, a place to get quiet, a place to get anchored, a place of organization . . . beautiful

  6. I LOVE this idea!!! My lists need to be prettier and they need a calming “home”….not the counter filled with mail and clutter. (Not that I have stacks of mail and clutter around, no way, not me.) 😉

    Love these pictures, too!

  7. As a fellow list-maker, I love this idea. I have an old calendar book from 2000, that holds all my lists, reminders, birthdays, and other important data organized, but it is unsightly and chaotic (even though I find my way around the pages without too much fuss).
    I am a romantic at heart, and order and harmony feed my soul. As soon as I am back to the US, I am going to designate a space for my own little driving corner, as I already own several beautiful notepads and a dozen or so thin, felt-tipped pens – my husband loves them, and I got infected with the same love:)
    Would you believe it if I told you that my Dad brought me a very similar silver tray two years ago, that belonged to his mother?

  8. I love your name for this and how you have organized it. Mine is more *a forget-me-not* station for at my age, if I don’t write it down…it’s gone 🙂 I love pens and mechanical pencils, but only with extra-fine point tips…the finer the better 🙂

  9. what a pretty little spot! and beautiful photos too. You’re a woman after my own heart. I live by lists and pens and pretty things. I use graph moleskins for work because I like the symmetry and tracing the boxes with my blue pen when I’m thinking calms my brain and lets me focus. They’re also great for laying out design sketches! People laugh at them but I don’t care… they make me happy! As does this post!

  10. Now, if you put all of that together and auctioned it off for A Fund for Jennie, I’d be your highest bidder. I don’t know what I love more, the notepad (I’m addicted to office supplies), the transferware, the tray, the white-green flowers (the same ones in the bridesmaids’ bouquets in our wedding!), or the photographs that communicate serenity and a lovely place just for thinking. Thanks for the inspiration, Wendy! I’m going to have to set up my own driving station… although mine might have a touch more geek than pretty. 😉

  11. I just want to cuddle up in a ball in your station. It’s just lovely – thanks for the reminder that we all need a little nook in the world that only belongs to us…..I need to work on that myself.

  12. what a beautiful post!! I love that you create a pretty space for your list making, something that also stresses me out. I need to take note here and create something similar, maybe I’ll actually cross more off my list 😉

  13. That tray is beautiful. I love incorporating antiques into my routine, especially when it comes to serving food. They’re often to unique and established that it just adds a wonderful layer to something. What an inspiring post. I love this idea of a driving station.

  14. “Must have my black, THIN, felt tip pen.”
    Me too!!! Its a must!

    This is SO lovely Wendy… have I told you lately how much I adore your blog????

  15. What an elegant way to keep your lists – I might just have to try that, especially with a beautiful note pad like yours and my own favorite pen. Who knew there were pen lovers like us around?? Thanks again for brightening my day!

  16. What a great idea. I have notepads all over the place, but nothing special. Sometimes it just needs to be special to actually work well. I think I shall give it a go.

  17. Hi Wenderly! Wanted to let you know (did send a tweet) that the Driving Stations I made for my daughter’s and daughter-in-law were huge successes as gifts for Christmas! Thank you again for such a beautiful idea. I attached a note to each one telling them what it was for, and I called it “Their Own Space”. Made myself one as well, and I so love it.

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