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Keeping Calm

April 2, 2013 By Marta Darby 10 Comments

Sometimes I feel like I've said everything I need to say. And sometimes I feel like I have told my same stories a thousand times. Maybe it's because I start to tell a story and my kids stop me in mid-sentence with a resounding, "We know!"

I thought about retiring my blogging jersey (metaphorically speaking) and shut down My Big, Fat, Cuban Family. Seriously. I sometimes feel like I don't have a fresh thought in my poor, tired brain.

So, I was having guests for dinner a few weeks ago, and I woke up with my first thought being that I had a mile long to-do list, because, of course, I had procrastinated until the last minute and had to, not only cook, but clean and do all the company-is-coming preparations. (Don't judge.)

And I had promised my Homemade Pastelitos de Guayaba.(<–click on the link for the super simple recipe.)

At this point, I started doing some positive self-talk:

"You can do this."

"You've entertained hundreds of times. Don't panic!"

"Breathe."

"Keep calm."

For the record – 1) I don't always talk to myself. 2) Once I start to calm down, I tend to get distracted.

So, I'm looking at my to-do list and prioritizing what I need to do to meet my 6pm-here-come-my-dinner-guests-deadline and breathing deeply, when suddenly I had a Creative Brainstorm.

And I created this:

IMG_2203

I even decided to make it into a poster to hang in my kitchen. So, I quickly hopped onto my computer and made a high resolution poster and ordered it online from Staples. (They're quick and will do these to my specifications, but that's not important right now.) I shared it all over my social media and it quickly went viral. (At least, I think over 40,000 views is close to viral…)

Screen shot

Plus, it made me really happy. Which then gave me the energy to tackle the rest of my to-do's and cook my dinner, pastelitos and all.

I know. I know. I'm so easily amused, distracted, ________(fill in the blank).

All that to say this: apparently I do occasionally still have a fresh and creative thought in my head. So, I don't think I'll quit blogging just yet.

Also, the dinner was fabulous, my guests loved the pastelitos, and my new wall art is on its way. Win.

You might also like:

Cuban Food Posters For The Win Cuban Coffee is Everything Keeping it Together Keeping My Promise

Filed Under: Cuban food Tagged With: Cuban art, Cuban guava pastry recipe, guava pastries, keep calm and pass the pastelitos, pastelitos de guayaba, wall art

Previous Post: « Life Without Pretending
Next Post: This is Wassup… »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. DeeMattice says

    April 2, 2013 at 12:46 am

    that was fab! way to put on your creative side!

    Reply
  2. [email protected] says

    April 2, 2013 at 10:56 am

    Pleaseeee don’t stop! This is my connection to sanity,from a Cuban wife,mother,daughter,friend kind of view. Hey, I know YOU won’t judge me. =) My American husband says my mind is one of a kind. I tell him NO, look, Marta has the same brain!Besitos <3

    Reply
  3. Zelde says

    April 2, 2013 at 10:57 am

    Love it!

    Reply
  4. Natalie says

    April 4, 2013 at 6:51 am

    Marta, Would you be willing to share the file you used to create the poster? I would LOVE to make myself a poster to hang in my kitchen :)LOVE IT!

    Reply
  5. Monica says

    April 8, 2013 at 9:17 am

    Fabulous!! 🙂 I never knew Staples did signs so easy.

    Reply
  6. Marta M. Darby says

    April 25, 2013 at 11:21 am

    Cali,Thank you! I love that we share a Cuban brain. LOL!

    Reply
  7. Marta M. Darby says

    April 25, 2013 at 11:21 am

    I’m going to be making the printable available soon. Stay tuned!

    Reply
  8. Marta M. Darby says

    April 25, 2013 at 11:22 am

    Thanks, Dee!

    Reply
  9. Marta M. Darby says

    April 25, 2013 at 11:22 am

    Natalie,You have sparked a creative idea. I’ll be making it available very soon along with some other creative stuff I have up my sleeve. Stay tuned!
    Marta

    Reply
  10. Marta M. Darby says

    April 25, 2013 at 11:23 am

    It’s a fact, Jack!This is how much of my art gets on my walls.
    xoxo,
    M

    Reply

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Marta Verdes Darby is a Cuban-American food blogger in South Orange County.

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