My Little Orange Kitchen

Inspiration Treasure Boxes

I was inspired by that dream I wrote of a few weeks ago and decided that it's time to create some inspiration for the masses! I'll be bringing these little treasure boxes to the Farmer's Market on Broadway next Wednesday.

Each one is different and filled with little things like beads, gemstones, buttons, baubles, magnets, inspiring words etc. They are $5 each and I think the little matchboxes can barely contain their pride now that they've been painted and covered in vintage postage! Too sweet and the pefect little gift to keep or give away!

OK, have you visited this blog lately...too much good stuff!

Chalking It Out

I was lucky enough to score these chalk blocks for pennies at my friend's latest de-stash sale and while I haven't actually used them to draw yet, I'm inspired just by looking at them and will soon. 

I'm excited because fall is officially here and I've decided to revive my Thanks Before Dreaming evening blog post series and invite you to join me. I realized awhile ago that I need a little help saving the nice moments of my day. I tend to lose sight of them as one hectic thing after another happens and my Thanks Before Dreaming bedtime ritual helps me reconnect with things that made me happy throughout the day. Creating the list is a good way to start the sleep journey on a positive note and I hope you'll try it in a journal (or blog if you have one). 

So, see you tonight and in the meantime...have a good day!

Last week was a blur. I tried to take Selkie camping (she wasn't having it), I finished and didn't finish various work projects, I harvested my own cherry tomatoes, basil and cucumber and picked up tons more at farmer's market, I wrote lots and yesterday I decided to get to the woods (sans Selkie) and finished a good book by the campfire. I wonder how this week will go?

Selkie melting down in the tent:

Treasure boxes for everyone:

Harvest:

The second site:

 

Experimenting with one inch circle collages!

What's New

It's been awhile since I checked in. I've been busy working and trying to rustle up two things that I want to come to me for free. A balalaika and a vintage mahjong game. I posted on freecycle today...we shall see. Someone has to have these things just sitting around and I'm thinking that if you don't ask...you don't receive. I'm open to receiving.

I'm taking this free mini-course in receiving and I hope you do too. Since I started, the following material things have landed in my lap as well as numerous less tangible, but equally important gifts: a Starbucks double shot espresso, a surprise check for thirty-six dollars, a handmade hanger frame with custom stamped metal, 2 zucchini, a giant box of magazines for my work, 3 green peppers from someone Mark knows and cherry tomatoes and green peppers from someone I know.  WOW!

I took our little puppy Selkie camping last night...well, I attempted to take her...she wasn't having it. The tent? No. The two of us under the stars? No. Poor thing, she hated the tent...many of my friends don't blame her! I'll try again when she's a bit older. I brought her home without staying the night. We shall see. However, I did set up my table and while she dug a hole to China under it, I managed to get some thoughts down on paper. I love writing in the woods.

I'm so inspired lately. This blog really knocks me out:

Kerin Rose

I'd love to own all of her jewelry...it's at once solid and delicate.

The pendant above was a gift from Carolyn Brady (aren't her tangled journal pages great?) who I was fortunate enough to host in our tiny apartment for a local art retreat. She also gave me a gorgeous stitched house ornament, but I'm saving that to illustrate another post. I put the pendant on the table next to me while I was mapping out some future plans. I love planning...it's the doing I have a hard time with!

That's really all that is happening, except I recently did a 5k WALK/RUN and feel good about that.

How about you?

Are You Up To It, Mr. Keane?

I watched this movie on her suggestion and wow. It's wonderful. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. It's a movie filled with sweet surprises. Please watch it. Please?

It's streaming on Netflix now.

Here is a my favorite line:

Dance is a very powerful drug Mr. Keane. If embraced judiciously, it can exorcise demons, access deep seated emotions and color your life in joyous shades of brilliant magenta that you never knew existed. But, one must shoulder its challenges with intrepid countenance if one is ever to reap its rewards.

Are you up to it, Mr. Keane?

 

Charley Harper

I love Charley Harper and one of my finds of all finds was this book at the famous Strand Books.  I'll let the images speak for themselves. It was such great price that I picked up one for my friend Kelly who sent me a Charley Harper holiday card last year.  I love how he told Todd Oldham that when drawing birds he didn't count feathers, he counted wings when asked about his minimalist style.

I also found two juice glasses with his designs on them at Fishes Eddy  which was a fun store to browse around in. 

Textiles & The Little Orange Bus Shop

Well, I'm back from Manhattan and in spite of being knocked out with a terrible cold, I did manage to see some great things. The sad part is that my luggage is still missing (along with my laptop) and I cannot share photos with you today. Let me just say that I love Central Park. Love. Love. Love.

I had a few epiphanies on the trip and one of them was after visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art and waiting fifty minutes in line to see the Alexander McQueen exhibit. It was life changing. I can't do myself justice when I try to explain why, but let me just say that it sealed the deal on what I've known for a long time. I missed my calling and should have gotten into textile design years and years ago...but, in fairness to myself, I didn't realize it was an option for me. Why? Who knows? I just didn't.

So, after seeing the exhibit and confirming my love of patterns and colors and well, the history of fabrics and paper, I decided to set about a little self-study and learn more. I have ordered books from the library and have added a couple to my collection. That is another goal...to have one of the most extensive collections of books on fabrics and pattern design in the world. Yes, I know I just wrote...in the world. I want to know all and have all at easy access. 

I am not sure where I will take my knowledge and my own designs, but I do know that I am changed. I have little interest in fashion design, but lots of interest in fabric and paper pattern design.

One of my stops in NYC was at the famous ABC Carpet store...which is 2 buildings of housewares, gifts, imports, jewelry, vintage, and new gorgeousness...everything thing from throw pillows and bedding to jewelry and imported essential oil blends. Well, I got lucky in the vintage area. I was able to choose two vintage fabric stamps from India...the very day after deciding that I'd like to stamp my own paper for wallets. The very day. Let me tell you this...the Little Orange Bus Shop is going to be loaded with equal parts bath and body and paper goods. Throw in locally made jewelry and you have the kind of shop I'd like to walk into right now!

The book at the top of the post is now in my collection, but let me share some others...really, pouring through these pages is heaven for me. I have always joked about being someone who reads cookbooks like novels and now that I have food under control in my life, I've found another passion...reading textile books like novels! I cannot get enough and the best part is that you can't gain weight from fabric inspiration!

Note: These types of books can be pricey, so if you have any that you are thinking of getting rid of because they just sit around, please let me know and I'll pay your postage if you ship them to me!

 

Ephemera Journal

I'm always on the look-out for ways to help organize the thousands (not kidding) of small pieces of paper and ephemera I have around the studio. I saw this project in my At Home With Handmade Books and decided to give it a whirl.

Of course, I soon abandoned all of Erin Zamrzla's careful instructions, but I managed to get the job done and plan to make 20-30 and sort wallet images by color and subject.

I didn't have chipboard so I used an old puzzle board I'd been saving. 

I covered it with graph paper and cut a small top-spine from cardboard I'd also been saving (My name is Laura and I have a problem!). I left the numbers on the puzzle bare because I liked how they seemed to fit with the graph paper.

Then I decided to bind it, but was very unhappy with my awl and stitching job, so I set about hiding the mess with more graph paper and pretty pink chrysanthemums.

Erin's book is beautiful and hopefully she won't mind that readers like me go off in our own direction! I plan to make many more of these with added tabs and titles. A nice way to reuse cleaned zip-locks. You could do the same with paper bags and that would be fantastic, but I like being able to see what's inside since I need these for my work.

Have a good day all! In one week I'll be in New York! Woo-hoo!

Roots and Water

One week ago I was in the deep woods and I live just blocks from the water. 

Today I needed to be near both. 

After a rather melancholy and unproductive day spent doing a little wallet work and some light gardening, I got into the car with a cup of coffee and started driving. I wasn't sure where I was headed until I found myself on the official Rustic Road that leads to and through Point Beach State Park.

I drove through the woods (envying the many campers setting up for the night) until I reached the empty beach.  I got out and did some walking, some thinking and some inner mind clearing. I felt calm and a little less melancholy.

If you have been reading for awhile you know I grew up on a sailboat, but for awhile we lived in a house in the woods off the coast of Maine. Our house had woods on three sides and the ocean on one.  I know Lake Michigan isn't the sea, but it's water and it heals me. In some circles water represents emotion and the woods would represent grounding. I think this combination is especially soothing to me because I need to be firmly rooted while I handle my emotions or else I tend to float away for days on end.

If you read this blog, you must wonder why I always seem to be "in something"; some sort of mood, reflective period etc. I think it goes back to that fragility that I wrote about several posts ago. I don't think I'm a walking piece of china, but I'm aware of how without proper balance in my environment (lack of clutter and clear space) I get a little crazy.

I love that Mark and I downsized and I love our tiny place, but for someone like me...this smallness takes getting used to...especially since my studio has somehow become a catch-all for things we don't have room for, but don't want to store. We'll adjust and get situated...we must. We have a little extra reason to get our space ready! Nope, not for that kind of baby, but for the kind that barks (hopefully not all night!).

Her name is Selkie. Mark came up with the name.  It's perfect. Plus, she has deep brown eyes and a black coat. So sweet and pics will come soon!

Anyway, I close this with the last few lines of one of my favorite poems about a bunch of little girls who go to the beach...

may came home with a smooth round stone

as small as a world and as large as alone

for whatever we lose (like a you or a me)

it's always ourselves we find in the sea

ee cummings 

From Maggie and Millie and Molly and May

 

Mary Mehan Awake

I think this could have been written about me...it's how I feel I navigate my days:

Diana Dorsett was a woman who loved texture, the touch of things, the nap and band of fabrics, the roughness of bark, the silk of feathers and fur. She trailed through the house running her hands over the backs of the chairs, rubbing the velvet drapes at the windows, clicking her fingernails across the wires of the finche's cage, pressing her cheek against the cool windowpanes, stroking her cat.

From: Mary Mehan Awake 

Jennifer Armstrong goes on to describe Diana as a woman who cares little for shining silver and sharp ironed creases on the napkins, but who writes letters and takes long walks and who had the curious habit of picking things up and setting them down in the wrong room or losing herself in contemplation while holding a shell.

Oh, I love this writer!

I would add that I also lose time "feeling" water. I love the feeling of running water on my hands or even just dipping my hands into cool water on a hot day. Everything has texture and as I learned when I was a child...not everyone sees the texture in the air, but if you do...you know what I mean. Water, energy, fabric even uncooked rice feels so good on my hands.

I read blogs for the feelings they inspire as well...and of course, you know I've shared this one recently, but I must share it again because of her perfect summer morning.

Love. Her. Blog.

 

The Truth of My Day

Today is starting out like a day I've been dreaming of for awhile.

Balanced.

How is this a dream day?  It's a dream day because it feels normal. It feels so normal I can't believe it. I want normal. I prefer it to my crazy work crammed whirlwind days or even to exciting days where everything is high energy and perfect.

I've been tired these past few months and have read blogs where the writer offers details of an active, but no pressure day and I've been brought to tears because that's what I want and it so often eludes me.

It's happening. Slowly I'm finding a groove. I think if I read the following on another blog a few months ago I'd have been envious of what seems so simple and normal, but instead it is my own life and my own day:

The house is a little cluttered, but clean and I'm appreciating the creaky hardwood floors more than ever. Mark and I are finally over our disappointment over an issue with insurance that prevented us from adopting a shelter puppy and we're looking again. My coffee is so good and my morning journaling went well. I love insights.  I'm going to head outside to water the garden soon. I found a heap of nice veggie and herb plants at farmer's market and The Flying Pig. Chocolate mint....my favorite herb!  The temperature feels like mid-fall rather than late Spring and I'm loving it.

I'm nursing a painful wrist from yesterday's CrossFit success, but the pride of showing up and completing the month long On Ramp and my first official WOD is my own personal pain relieving balm. I like being active and feeling "sporty and strong". My weight loss is excruciatingly slow, but I can feel the new muscle and this offsets my impatience.

Mark is headed to Door County for a business meeting later and I'm tagging along.  I may read by the water when he's busy and I need to remember to pick up some peanut butter fudge for my grandmother. I've also got a work project to finish, but it's almost done. Thanks Tina...for your patience.

I'm still sleepy, but it's a nice kind of sleepy...not the shaking exhaustion I've grown used to.

Tomorrow is the Foodie potluck and I'm torn between bringing a vegan chocolate cake, brownie pudding or Thai peanut noodles. I know Grant (the coach at CrossFit) would have a conniption fit if he thought I had any of the ingredients for these things in my house. Grant, I don't!!!!  I will have to pick them up today. I got so lucky with Grant and Heather. They are my absolute exercise and body confidence soul-mates and an answer to my prayers for non-judgmental helpers.

My issue of Anthology arrived the other day and I feel inspired by all of the gorgeous pictures and art.

Ok, another cup of organic coffee and then it's out to the garden.

This is bliss. The truth of my day is bliss because more days like this are doable and they can include music and movies and naps and work with joy.

I know I posted the picture above on the studio facebook page, but I still want to share my red shelf with anyone who doesn't check in over there. This red shelf was free and salvaged from the cast-offs of previous renters in our building. Who would leave behind such a cute thing?

Love Nest

A 

My friend Kim and I are a strange duo. I can honestly say we are the most different exactly alike pair ever. So many aspects of our personalities contrast, yet it seems that we are often freakishly in-tune. Sometimes I think we wouldn't even have to have a conversation. . .words don't seem needed when you just get someone's vibe in a second or two. 

I was recently inspired by watching this and knew that Kim would be game for doing a little nature art installation of our own.

I asked her if she wanted to meet at the beach to create something like a nest and I had no idea what we'd end up with. Of course, she was all over it and she brought her daughter Molly along for the fun.

The base of the nest was made from gathered driftwood and I think it would have looked pretty all by itself, however, I was feeling so happy and dare I say, "Lovey!" that when Molly gave her final approval on the love nest idea and set about collecting red rocks for the heart in the middle...my own heart soared. I love that we took it to the next level.

Kim and I busied ourselves collecting white rocks to fill the nest and let me tell you...she's a saint because I made it very clear at a certain point that walking on sand and picking up shirt baskets filled with rocks was a workout. I may have made it clear more than once! :)

While we were working on the project, Kim and I chatted about everything from having babies and selkie stories to our struggles and positive personal realizations.

Molly eventually tired of red rock collecting, but gave me a gorgeous peice of sea pottery she found and you know this made my day! She also wandered a bit and made friends with a little girl playing nearby. The sun was shining, it was warm and we had such a nice afternoon. I just love how much Kim gives her the space she needs to explore and grow.

It was a nice time and I love that we made something impermanent, out of found materials and within a short period of time.  I hope people walking on the beach see it and get a smile.

Speaking of which...this little smiley bird in the nest was worth all the rock hauling in the world!!

Full Flower Dreamboard

Today is the full flower moon and I was inspired by Jamie Ridler to create a dreamboard. The theme is who are you when you are in full flower? My honest answer is, "I have no clue." I don't know that I've ever been in full flower, so in a way it is kind of exciting, but I don't need to rush it...I like blossoming just fine. :)

I used the book boards of a vintage atlas as my base which seemed appropriately symbolic for something that represents a part of me I haven't been to yet. I chose images that spoke to me (sprinkles, doors, keys, flowers) and phrases that seem right. Full flower me is totally comfortable being creative and goes for it...whatever it is. Full flower me has energy, lovely skin, learns by doing and is just the perfect size.

Another theme is that full flower me knows her style. I am trying to find my personal style and still so unsure.

I've been great with my exercise and in a big way...CrossFit is amazing and the improvement in just over two weeks is incredible.  Heather is doing so much for me too...my confidence is growing, though this morning I was a big crab and I actually swore at CrossFit yesterday--ALOUD-MORE THAN ONCE! Not that this is good, but I think I'm releasing some old emotions from muscle that has not been dug into in years!

I've broken down some big walls and am proud of myself. The next step is to work on the food. Exercise great...food-needs some work.

I encourage all of you to think about who you are when you are in full flower? And if you are a guy...you can be in the fullest most masculine looking flower ever...it's not just a "lady thing". :)

Sunday

I got up this morning and went for a short walk to the lake. I feel lucky to be so close to water.  It was cold and windy, but the waves were beautiful.

I planned to get a coffee or some tea at Mojo, but forgot that on Sundays it is hit or miss. I love this place and the coffee is so good!

Today is a work day, no doubt. I have been very busy getting caught up...is that becoming my most often written phrase on the blog? :)

I saw these on my walk today and fell in love.

I wanted to share something that may make some of you cringe and yell, "TMI!!!" at the top of your lungs, but I think some of you local women may be privately happy.

I am self-conscious getting some spa services like bikini waxing for example or full body mud wraps. However, about a few  years ago I decided that I needed to get over this and wrote out a Universe Request card (I just make my own) asking to find my waxing soul mate. It went into a Spirit bowl a friend made for me (out of a gourd) and I waited for the Universe to show-off and of course...it did.

Her name is Lisha and I've been seeing her for a long time.  She makes me feel 100% comfortable being naked from the waist down and in all kinds of crazy contortions that no one but someone you are intimate with should ever see you in!!! Whether you just want a little touch-up or a full on Brazilian, she's your girl. She's kind, sensitive to body image issues, funny and basically -- she's me if I happened to be an esthetician.  I really think I'd be good at making people feel relaxed and safe and so if you know me...you know her. She's the best! :) She told me she does men as well, so if you there is a man in your life who wants some help...she's his girl too!

If you've always wanted to try, but have been too self-conscious to dare...she's the one.  Please mention I referred you because I'll get a deal on future services.  She used to be at Indira in Green Bay, but now she works out of both the Neenah and Appleton Salon Aura locations. Her name is pronounced lee-shah. If you have any questions or are nervous...just message me privately.

OK, another service and a completely different one...are you relieved? :) I mentioned in my most recent post that if I get stuck on some goals that I'd consider hiring a project coach to help me move past the issue. Yes, I KNOW this could be indulgent, but I think sometimes a little boost from a non-attached someone can help you go all out on a project that you've been dragging your feet on.

Jamie Ridler now offers such help for $125.00.  It may seem like a lot, but not for the relief of getting that business plan done or getting those tracks for your new cd laid down or finally getting the much thought about etsy shop opened.  It's your project, but a little help is nice. Full disclosure, I have not used Jamie yet, but I plan to.  It's an hour on the phone and she has many many many happy clients...many of whom you probably already know through their books and blogging. I found out about her one-time sessions through her newsletter, but I see they are not on her blog yet...so I'd just message her if you are interested at [email protected] 

Well, take care and enjoy your Sunday before it all too quickly disappears!

    

You Cannot Sleepwalk Your Way Into Your Destiny

Today, let me share a brilliant man with you. David Whyte. Be still my overbeating heart. He does to poems what I long to do with fairytales...the interpretations are so profound.  You can't rush him, but who would want to. :)

I will be gone from this space for about a week, but you can always find snippets of my days here.  By the way....having a helper rocks my world. Thanks a bunch Heidi.

Marilyn: She Played Along Until She Didn't

I love Marilyn Monroe. I'm not obsessed or a collector of all things Norma Jean (though any pictures I have are of the Norma Jean side of her because I find her so much more beautiful). However, but I do find both sides of her very interesting.

When someone has unmet needs, they often, in an act of self-healing try to recreate childhood situations in an attempt to have a different outcome and I don't blame Marilyn for making some mistakes as she tried to have her childhood needs met as an adult. I've done it too (to less disasterous results).

Marilyn played the game of being who people expected her to be until she simply stopped. It wasn't easy to stop for there was very little reward for a truly empowered Marilyn as opposed to a sexually empowered by men icon. And we all know she paid a price.

The quote from her last interview shows her awareness of how she was perceived. She begged and pleaded in earnest with the reporter to end the interview with what is now a famous quote.  Note: she uses the term Negro, which at the time was not offensive and actually considered respectful compared to the alternative.

This was from her last interview.

"What I really want to say, what I believe, is that the world needs a feeling of kinship. Everybody, stars, laborers, Negroes, Jews, Arabs...we are all brothers. Please don't make me a joke...end this interview with what I believe. "

I think this is more true now than ever. I love the word kinship.

Another quote also illustrates her awareness of how she was or wasn't perceived and her self-deprating humor:

"My dramatic coach, Natasha, tells everybody that I have a great soul, but so far nobody's interested in it."[

A Little Less Conversation

Hello Kitchenettes! I am literally hopping and chirping over here with so much to share! I feel excited and like this may be one of my most important posts.

First: Heather's 30 Day Vegan class was fantastic. I just finished and lost 26 pounds eating wonderful food, connecting with women from all over, pouring over all of the delicious recipes, coloring (yes, coloring!) and all around being inspired. I cannot say enough about it. If you need a shift and some focus...this class is for you and is professionally and incredibly well done. Heather was so inspiring and I know the women in the course with me felt the same way.

I did better the first half of the course than the second...but I hung in there. I had some non-vegan meals mostly because of convenience. It's easy to be vegan, but usually you have to have some clean dishes with which to cook and last week our kitchen? Not so cool.

Second: Several months ago I began working with some inspirational cards I created about nine years ago. I had abandoned them a long time ago and what a mistake. I think I felt shame about creating such a health and body affirming card pack, but still being overweight. What I didn't realize then, that I totally get now, is that my issue is one of fear of vulnerability (more on this later) and that the cards were not meant to make me thin, but were meant to give me the clarity to make some decisions about what is best for me and the energy to take some action. I had been lost, but now I feel found. (How's that for drama!)

I signed up for Heather's class during a moment of clarity. I finally decided to tell my friend Sandi how in awe I am of her athleticism and state my need for some help in one of those guided moments we all have and often ignore.  Sandi lives in Seattle, but within one day of talking with her on facebook, I had a moment of clarity and  the next day I set up training with not one, but two personal trainers!

My neighbor Sule got me in touch with a local woman named Heather. Sandi and her pal Jake got me to look into the Crossfit box in Green Bay where I have connected with Grant.  I start in mid-April with Heather and in May with Grant. I'm so excited! 

This is a big investment for me. I am using money from my own wallet sales and couldn't be more proud. I am a little nervous, but happy.

Pop! Chirp! Hop!  Peep! That is happy and excited me!

I finally feel like I'm doing less contemplating and more taking action...and you all know me...I LOVE CONTEMPLATION!

Why two trainers? Well, one to help on the fitness side in a seriously intense way. I've got 100 pounds to lose and it's really affecting me physically now. I can't coast anymore.

The second one (Heather) is to help me develop some body confidence outside of the gym. We will be hiking and doing some boot-camp together outside. I love being outdoors, but realized that I don't trust my body on steep climbs the way I used to. Heather and I will start on the lake trail and then graduate to more rugged terrain.

OK. I'll share my cards later, but here is a mini-preview for those of you who have not seen it on Facebook.

OK...the next big step.

I have gone, for lack of a better term,"balls to the wall" on work lately. I am stressed, but finding a groove. I hired a temporary helper (wow!) and the ideas are not just pouring in...but I'm acting on them.  I made the hairpins above and they are part of a bigger project involving not only hairpins, but paper jewelry. They are water-resistant and I love them!

I also made some journals out of game pieces that will blow your mind (let me believe) because they are so little and cute (1.5 by 1 inch!).

I am starting a holiday recycling project (details later) and have some friends already on board to help me! Wait....did you read what I JUST WROTE? I wrote, "to help me". This is crazy insane because if you know me...help is something I rarely admit to needing or wanting. It's the vulnerability factor again.

I have someone helping me starting on May 2nd to get my studio painted and in order.  I also asked for and got an extension on a deadline and didn't feel like a failure. Instead I felt like I was being professionally responsible. Nice shift. Of course this puts me a little behind on some other important commitments, but I had to do it.

I will be attending a local art retreat in July and have put myself out there and offered to help if I can (usually I fear offering my help because I'm afraid I'll disappoint the person by not being helpful enough-crazy).  Here are the retreat details.  The classes are a la carte and very reasonable considering the caliber of the organizing hostess and teachers coming from all over. 

I also decided to apply for a show even though I had decided last year that shows are not for me since I get too nervous beforehand and overwhelmed. Wait...I take that back...I've applied for two shows! One is in Wisconsin and the other is in Manhattan!!!!! I said yes to an almost free trip and this show opportunity came out of nowhere. We shall see. It's a small one (about 2000 people expected), but really...this represents a huge shift for me.

Well, as is evident by this post, I can still carry on quite the conversation, but I am definitely taking some action and wow...I am loving my life now! It's not perfect...it's not easy...I'm not perfect, I'm not easy (hey!), but it's coming along. 

Before I leave you with a video, I encourage you to check out my studio facebook page and share it with your friends. I'll be doing a wallet give-away when I hit 100 likes! Like me, please, for the love of God, like me! Agahahahaha!

I dance like this at every party!

Casing The Joint

Hello Kitchenettes! I'm sorry to have been gone so long. Casing the joint is one of my favorite terms and I'm immature enough to get a kick out of the double meaning with my condom cases (I'm not proud of this, but I am giggly!). I do think it's appropriate to use it here considering that right now, around this joint, it's all about condom cases. I consider condom cases my least artsy, but most fun project. I don't collage much on the tops, so it's just a question of assembly and this means that I can whip them out fairly quickly.  Every artists/crafter needs at least one quick, easy and fun project.

This batch is headed to The Flying Pig Gallery in Algoma along with tons of collaged wallet gorgeousness on the 15th of April. I'm stocking them for the summer and truly excited about the work I'm doing.

I'm still doing the Heather's 30 Day Vegan plan. I've been doing well with a few "My body is screaming for animal protein" slips. Three to be exact. Fish once, cheese once and ground beef once. However, these slips are minor and overall I feel so much better. I plan to continue after the 30 days, but allow for some meat or cheese when I feel weak or out of balance.

I have some link love to share with you!

A new on-line magazine-foresty, fashion-ey and fairytale-ish: Motif Magazine

A blog that makes me happy: Jen Lee

A book that get me where my little inner girl lives:  Here

A song-love: Kiss of Life

My three favorite poets are ee cummings, Pablo Neruda and Hafiz:

Here is one of Pablo's, I love it because as I recently tried to explain to one of my dearest friends who has had her heart broken over and over and over, all it takes is just one person to see what others don't and it changes everything. You never think of heartbreak again and you don't curse him because he took so long to arrive on the scene and if it isn't a him (or a her), but instead a you...as in you become the one who you fills your own heart with bells and a hymn, well then all the better.  Hey J., this is for you:

La Reina (The Queen)

I have named you queen.
There are taller than you, taller.
There are purer than you, purer.
There are lovelier than you, lovelier.
But you are the queen.

When you go through the streets
No one recognizes you.
No one sees your crystal crown, no one looks
At the carpet of red gold
That you tread as you pass,
The nonexistent carpet.

And when you appear
All the rivers sound
In my body, bells
Shake the sky,
And a hymn fills the world.

Only you and I,
Only you and I, my love,
Listen to me.

One Week

I've been doing the 30 Day Vegan e-course for one week. I feel well and have only had a few cravings. Odd that none have been for meat.  The changes I've noticed have been more inside than outside, though I know that my body is letting go of lots. 

I'm realizing even more how much I'm an all or nothing person. This applies to things as simple as library books. I stay away from the library for weeks and then I'm compelled to go in and leave with more books in my arms than I could possibly read by the time they're due to be returned. I'm this way with work as well. I go into the studio and putter around doing this and that until suddenly I'm hit with the drive and I begin working on panels for hours and hours.

I have new patience and anyone who knows me will testify that never before has patience been a virtue I could lay claim to.  I realized in the library the other day that I could wait. I could read the books I had and then come back for more. They'd all be waiting for me later.  This applies to other things as well...cookies, shoes, natural creams and lotions...things I tend to avoid for awhile until suddenly...I'm all in.

When it comes to my work I've tried to accommodate my manic artist tendencies; accepting long periods of stillness and suddenly a paper scrap frenzy all around me. This week I saw more clearly how it doesn't work for me. It's not good for all of the art/writing and personal goals I have.   This includes several projects I've not only begun, but finished and have not had a chance to share.  I know (and have always known) that I have to create some structure in my working life, but then it seems life gets in the way of my time charts and lists, but more importantly, my motivation.  I often feel fragile in this way. I can be working steadily and then an interruption, a phone call, a disagreement, the lyrics of a song come along and that's it...I've lost my focus and unlike many of my friends, I can't seem to get it back right away. It's hard for me and I mean really hard. In fact, my inability to move through shifts in mood gracefully is a big obstacle to my productivity.  I know I need to look at this because when I worked for other people, this wasn't an issue. The show went on.

In the past (and if you've been reading this blog for years, you know this is true), I've stated my intentions and tried to seek balance, but always with a plan. I realized this week, that I don't have a plan and I'm OK with that. I can be patient until a new way develops naturally and that it's OK to make small changes.

For example, for the next four weeks I am up against a wall with a deadline, so there is no plan, I just have to do it. However, when this is over, I hope to develop some new routines and I realize that these routines do not have to involve rigid scheduling. 

I feel same way about small things around the house. In the past, if the laundry piled up I'd feel that it wasn't even worth doing if it couldn't be done all at once and Mark is the same way. It's a trait we share and I can't speak for him, but I'd say isn't good. We have whole days dedicated to cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, errands etc and this week I realized that I'm happier doing a little here and there.  So maybe I'll let Mark do the big cleaning once a week and I'll be in charge of maintaining, I'm not sure.

I think this new-found patience with myself and how I operate and the changes I can make is a good thing. 

I do know that I created some nice panels for wallets this week and these are two that I love especially so.

 

Soldering 101

I was lucky enough to take Kim's Soldering 101 class last Saturday and it was a blast. I suggest any class she offers and it just so happens she's teaching at The West Coast Retreat in Petaluma and at the Cloth Paper Scissors retreat in Chicago this summer. She's been published in Stampington magazines too many times to list, but let's just say I can see why. She's a fun teacher. She also has a local retreat in the works and teachers whose work you may have admired in blogs or magazines will be coming in for it...more on that soon. 

You can see my efforts above. I'm practicing with cheap solder so the pendants look a little dirty, but who cares? I also made a mini plaque to hang on a tiny patch of wall we have next to a closet. I have to say....I'm pretty impressed with myself. I plan to keep practicing even edges, trying to make them smooth and flat and then I'll graduate to a better grade of solder.

I found the doll pic in the latest Paper Source catelog. It's one of the few paper catalogs I won't give up because of all the beauty contained in the pages. Plus they offer handmade and recycled papers too.

I love this bag, but since I'm not in the market for a new grocery bag (aghahaha!), I decided to enjoy the colors in a pendant.

Well, it's day two of Heather's 30 Day Vegan e-course and I'm doing great. Today's bonus recipe was vegan chocolate cake. I decided (before taking the class) that I might not do much baking since I tend to overeat the goods, but that cake...that cake...well, if you see some pics on the blog tomorrow you know that I made it and that's that. 

In the meantime Mark and I split this vegan salad today (even the rye bread is vegan) and neither one of us was complaining.

I appreciate your comments on the Post-it window! Thank you!

A Desk With A View

When I moved into the studio at the end of the summer I was all gung-ho about getting it painted and in order. Well, we all know that didn't happen. The need to work has stood in the way of creating a great place to work. Though, now (as my friend Christine said would happen) I'm so relieved I didn't go with my original plan to do a retro black, white and pewter office theme. Now that I've been in the space for awhile I've decided to go another direction totally. Hopefully I'll get to it this summer, but in the meantime I'm glad to at least have a work table set up and a few pretty spaces. 

The picture on top is the view from the inside of my Post-It note window display...simple and pretty. The one below is how it looks at night from the outside.

And for all that my studio is or isn't yet, I am glad to have the goddesses clustered together on one of the smaller windows. My studio gets so much light it's crazy. In the summer I'm going to need to block some of it so I don't roast! Already I can work in there without turning on the heat.

My space may not be "Flickr-group" ready or soon to grace the pages of Where Women Create, but it's doing the job for now.

I just got a two week extension on a wallet order and am so relieved. I've been focused, but days like today remind me that I'm not a machine.

I'm excited to share that on March 7th I will be participating in Heather's e-course.

I like the fact that it is simply 30 days and not meant to be a lifelong program unless of course, that's what you want. I have until April 15th to finish my order and I suspect I'll need every minute of it. It's important for me to handle crunch time in a balanced way and not use peanut M & M's and coffee to get me to the finish.

I think the timing of this course couldn't be better. 

Blog-land is exploding with so much richness lately...I scarcely know where to begin, but here is my attempt at a good start:

Just Travelin' Through

and

Even though I'm not really a California girl, Mt. Shasta is one of my favorite places on earth, however, if get a chance to visit Big Sur, I'm sure I'd fall in love. 

Sunday Sunday

You can imagine it's kind of a nutty time to live in Wisconsin and be married to a Green Bay native. Even so, this Super Bowl Sunday finds us having a mellow day. No big plans, no need to run out. This is good.

We had oatmeal with organic maple sugar crystals for breakfast. I have some wild salmon thawing, butter is softening for brownie baking and I've already mixed the filling for a most non-traditional half-time treat combo...my famous won-ton, chopped radishes on ice and beer.

I am excited to share a couple of things:

Having fun making little journals from scrap paper (shown above)

I'm going to watch this on Netflix in about an hour...amazing.

I get such a kick out of well-done commercials...please click through if you want a laugh and pre-view of game day commercials and movie pre-views.

Maybe I'll be back with some brownie and journal love later.

Happy Day!

I Want This

Porcelain pendant and image by Panopoly on etsy.

Not having a working camera is interfering with my goal to post more regularly.

I think I'll share some random thoughts today. 

The picture of Anais Nin is a favorite and I just noticed how much she reminds me of Hillary Clinton in a certain way.

I love this Nin quote:

Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country.

I'm stuck right now. I'm on the beach, running circles in the sand, holding my kite, but for some reason afraid to let it go and be lifted by the breeze and into the sky. 

Do you ever have that feeling? The time is right, but somehow you don't feel you are? You look up and see so much happening, you long to be a part of it all, you long to get off the ground, but fears (named and un-named) hold you back?

I'll get there. 

This next passage is beautiful to me. Of course, if you know me, I never believe there is only one chance, but maybe I feel urgency now because this life...this artist, crafter, dreamer, writer, bee charmer life?

I want this.

I am afraid of it, but I want it.

I look at you and you occur
in this winter kitchen, random as trees or sentences,
entering me, fading like them, in time you will disappear....

I can even say it,
though only once and it won't last:
I want this. I want this.

Margaret Atwood

I've been finding myself drawn to gentle things lately. I'm learning to embroider and this time it feels real. Usually I dive into a project and give up once it seems hard. Now, I'm taking my time and learning stitches. It's nice to sit with a thrifted embroidery hoop and a torn up pillow case practicing stitches. I find it meditative.

If you read regularly you may want to visit the studio page and become an official Kitchenette. I post there daily. There's always some fun randomness going around and I'd be glad to have you over.

 

Seventeen

I remember being seventeen. It's a fragile age and no explanations are needed. If you're looking back at 17, you know why.

The new Miss America is just seventeen years old. I don't judge her in the least, though I'm not a fan of the contest. I guess I feel a little touch of sadness over the "look" of seventeen, even taking into consideration the stage make-up and the fact that not all girls are so adult looking.  Believe me, my mother didn't think my friends and I looked like teenagers in the way she and her friends did either and her mother...and on and on. It's always this way.

It's odd that these young women are presented as the grown-up ideal and yet when they reach the age that most of them look, they'll no doubt feel the pressure to look younger. I think Susan Sarandon had the right idea when she said something to the effect of, "If you don't appreciate your beauty at twenty-five then you're in for a long hard road."  It's taken years for me to understand that idea and believe me, the road between seventeen and forty-one hasn't been easy in that sense. I'm becoming more gentle with myself, but I have some regrets for not appreciating my "girl-hood" more, always pushing to look older and experience adult things. However, now I must remember that when I turn sixty, I'll be the most happy if I spent my forties appreciating myself and being present in the moments.

Songwriters seem to recognize the fragility of seventeen. There are at least five songs I can think of off the top of my head that reference a girl being seventeen.

However, other than Stevie Nick's Edge of Seventeen, this one really popped out: 

Oh Janis, if only you could have seen yourself. So beautiful.

I'll never forget seeing a clip of Johnny Carson's reaction when she answered his question about why she wrote the song. He was so saddened to look at this young woman sitting next to him and know that at any minute she'd felt so ugly, but later she said this,"To me it's never been a depressing song. It says 'ugly duckling girls like me,' and to me the ugly duckling always turns into a swan. It offers hope that there is a world out there of people who understand."

I think it's interesting to read the comments below the the video on youtube...so many people related to this song. It was a squinch (scant inch) before my time, but the first time I heard it (on that Tonight Show clip) I was hooked on Janis.

In other news, this little set is on sale and with free Priority Shipping in the shop:

Oh well, this a little melancholy for a bright Sunday morning, but that will soon change and I am preparing to have a freshly baked orange roll and Netflix is calling my name! Happy Sunday!

Recycle

My camera is on the blink, so in the spirit of recycling and re-use I thought it might be fun to do a re-post. This is a post from a few years ago on my paper collecting/assembling process. Since then, I've streamlined my process, but ultimately it looks the same.

Click here for more good times:

 

Blog Share-Let's Connect

  

I thought it might be fun to have a weekly feature where I share a blog I love. I know, just what you need, another blog to love and another reason you'll never get anything done and lose morning after morning, but I can't help it...I'm a sadist!  (If you don't like the overuse of punctuation, my blog may not be for you.)

I was going to start by sharing one of the blogs I read daily, but in this here inaugural post, I'm already breaking from tradition.

I just discovered Vivienne McMaster and I know I'll be back. I found her on another blog (also a favorite) and want you to know about her.  She is a photographer who is offering an on-line workshop called Wading In .  If you do read blogs, maybe you've envied how so many of the bloggers out here take such charming, beautiful and quirky photos of themselves. Vivienne's e-course is designed to teach us how to be comfortable with self-portraiture (you can even use your camera phone).  I'd like to feel better about photos of myself or even simply photos of parts of myself the way some bloggers post. You know the ones, the perfect shoes, legs and peep of a skirt hem draped over a chair. Well, I've tried this and I'll bet you don't rememer seeing it. Why? Because they never make it to the blog. I feel that mine look more silly and contrived than they do artsy. Do you have the same issue?

Now, if you want to be moved to your core, I hope you watch this video in one of Vivienne's posts.  It is about a remarkable and totally undiscovered in her lifetime female mid-century photographer who just may be one of the best in the world. It is a phenomenal story. Please do go over at check it out.  The story is wonderful and the photographs (most were taken of people on the streets of Chicago) will knock you out.

Maybe we can do a link thing with photos, but I haven't set it up yet, so for now, if there is a blog you love and want others to love to0, please share a link in the comments. 

And, if you have nothing to do today, you can always go here...but I warn you...it's like falling into a rabbit hole of blog extravaganza!  I don't know about you, but I love finding new music, books, pieces of inspiration and motivation in the blogs I read from women all over the world.

Not At All Fashion-ey

 

When people learn that I upcycle magazines into wallets they often tell me they have tons of magazine they could give me, but assume I only want "fashion-ey" ones. 

They couldn't be more wrong.

While I love Italian Vogue, POP, Nylon and Muse, I have plenty of room in my heart for Mother Earth News and Ladybug. You never know where pretty patterns are going to emerge. 

I recently scored big on a stack of 1970's American Art magazines for twelve cents each (They were a quarter and it was 50% off day). Not only do I love them for the art, but I love the advertisements.

The photo above is an image from the cover of one. The colors are gorgeous and I'll probably use in it a large piece so I can keep it intact.

This page will be cut into smaller pieces to make the stripes and borders on  cardholders though that center piece may find a home:

I can promise you many of these little squares will look totally different when paired up with the right focal image.

For more of my work, you can take a look at the wallet gallery or check out the shop, though my inventory is a little low.

Today is a work day and it's going to be a long one...not making wallet, but on another project.  Good thing I made a pot of this yesterday. I've never been so enchanted with a vegetarian recipe in my whole life! It's food of the Gods. I let the onions carmelize until they were a deep dark golden and used brown rice. I cannot tell you how rich it is. I'll need it later. I'm counting on Mark to find some really good and crusty rolls.

By the way, I love etsy's Quit Your Day Job posts. They're so inspiring and even though I did quit my day job a long time ago, I still use them as motivation to do better and find new ways to make it all work.  

Thrift Share

This is my overdue contribution to Selena's Thrift Share Monday post. She does this every week and it's a great chance to check out other people's finds and sometimes fall over in a dead faint from envy. Like I did when I saw the Bounty Huntress and her set of steel drawers for a mere $5.00. :)

While I'm a big fan of the muted shades of vintage linens and the dusty pinks of dried roses, I have a soft place in my heart for the avocado greens, blue/teals and oranges of the late 60's and 70's. When I saw this ice bucket at our local St. Vincent's I was in a mad swoon of "must have, please be cheap" and got very lucky. Two dollars.

Our new kitchen is in a rehabbed warehouse apartment and only 66 square feet. The one appliance that stands out the most is the avocado green refrigerator. It's something to contend with in a small kitchen that has yellow walls (haven't received permission to paint yet), but I find myself going relaxing into it and now I can see the charm. 

The ice bucket will stay in the kitchen for now, but I've considered using it as a purse or a jewelry box. The real question is, will Mark go anywhere with me if I carry an ice bucket as a purse? :)

The blue glass refrigerator boxes were a gift from Mark a few Christmases ago.

I was just in the middle of a kitchen "re-org" and stepped out to run an errand. When I came home I fully expected to walk into the disaster I'd left behind, but as I did, my perspective changed. I didn't see the mess or clutter, I just saw a tiny kitchen filled with many of my favorite thrifted things.  I've been collecting the tins that I HAVE on the stove ever since my mother gave me my first one about 12 years ago. Sometimes it pays to make a bread run.

I've been collecting the tins that I HAVE on the stove ever since my mother gave me my first one about 12 years ago.

psst...you can find more of my thrift finds here .

A Sign Of Things To Come

I'm a little closer to finishing a project I plan to share with you soon and in preparation I was playing around with some fresh flowers and look what I came up with: 

A rose petal throne for Buddha. Peachy!

I've written on facebook of how I want to start a pledge process for a "No New Wrapping Paper In 2011" holiday season.  I plan to create another page on this blog  and post regularly with thrifted or handmade alternatives to store bought new gift wrap.

I love pretty paper more than most people, but the amount of wasted wrapping paper tossed into dumpsters on December 26th depresses me.

I don't use many gift boxes, but every now and then I have a gift that calls for a box or is too easily identified without one (books and DVDs in this household).  It's early in the year, but I can't resist sharing one of my favorite types of gift boxes:

Vintage puzzle boxes.

Vintage Peter Max Puzzle by Do Not Destroy On etsy

I'm not suggesting you race out and spend a fortune on old puzzles, but keep your eyes open when thrifting.  Puzzles seem to be the last item people get excited about so it isn't unusual to find cool puzzles for under a $1.00. Though, finding vintage puzzles in clean boxes with all of the pieces can be a challenge, but in this case we don't care about having all of the pieces. 

If a rare puzzle is missing pieces I have no qualms about using the box. If you do find a puzzle in good condition with all of the pieces, you may want to price it on ebay or etsy before using it...just to be safe.  Some do sell for hundreds of dollars.

You can use the puzzle pieces in other creative projects (or as gift tags). If you know for sure that the puzzle is totally complete, but you are falling all over yourself because you really want to use the box, take a picture of it, print it on recycled paper and put the pieces in an old, but clean zip-lock or tin and donate it to a senior or community center.

Here are some examples of boxes that would make especially nice gift boxes (in my humble opinion). I use puzzle boxes to store art supplies and paper scraps and love it when someone gives me a gift in one. 

Unless the box has a unique design element I usually wrap it with recycled paper. I can't tell you how many times my friends have gotten almost as big a kick* from the gift box as they did from the gift.

I love the squirrel graphics:

I Love You More on etsy

When I see circular puzzles (usually 60's Springboc) I flip out! Be sure to price check these first...they can be valuable.

Apricot Vintage on etsy

Interesting graphics on this one:

Betty And Dot on etsy

Nick and Nessies on etsy

Don't forget old board game boxes:

Windy Lou Vintage on etsy

You can always find puzzles or games with themes your friends will be interested in. I tend to choose vintage puzzles because I like the graphics and because I do use the pieces (they're thicker and make better jewelry than newer ones). However, don't limit yourself. I was at a garage sale few years ago and the host was selling newer puzzles for ten cents each!

If you have suggestions for ways to reuse other boxes please share. I want to collect as many ideas as possible so we can get others excited about not buying new too!

* I realize that using the word "kick" to describe my friend's reactions to neat boxes dates them terribly. :)

Margot Elena Wells

 
Margot Elena is an artist/designer/perfumer who inspires me daily.  I'm over my bath and body shop days, but if I ever decided to do something on a small scale (think Little Orange Kitchen soaps as an unexpected favor on a gallery night!), I could only hope to come up with packaging one tenth as gorgeous as Margot Elena's work for her many bath lines and Tokyo Milk is my new favorite. 

Not only is she the developer behind the product, she does all of the illustration for the bottles and wraps. Sigh.

 

Couldn't you just die?

Speaking of which, every now and then I collage a panel for a wallet that I can only describe as soft, but which appeals to me on deep level. This panel makes me feel peaceful and reflective. I love the roses and their particular shade of pink is a favorite.  It's available in my etsy shop.

Happy Sunday!

Bree Harrison

Thanks to Design Sponge I've discovered artist/designer Bree Harrison. Wow.

We don't have a couch right now, but I long for one in a neutral color and believe me, if it is at all possible, it will be adorned with Bree's pillows.

In other news, I love using the Pounce feature on etsy to discover new etsyians who are still waiting for their first sale.  I like this piece by Texan Darrah Dean Gooden over at Tiny Fawn.  I think prints would do better than originals because they'd still have the look of texture, yet seem more finished, but I also think it is is just a matter of time before Darrah makes her very first etsy sale from this shop. Too sweet and made from paper which you know gets my heart beating faster!

La Befana

Yesterday I posted my Epiphany intentions and I thought I'd follow up with a few pictures of how it looked around here late last night. As per usual, my photos won't win any awards, but I'm glad I'll have them as a reminder.

This is my little Befana and her broom...given to me by someone who once called me her most magical fairy friend thus sealing the deal on a lifetime of friendship. I caught Befana taking a breather on the ficus.

I don't blame her...she's tiny and this must have been a heavy load. By the way...I have no idea why my shoes look so small next to Mark's. I wear a grand size 8-8.5 wide which is large for my 5 foot one and three quarter inch height.  Mark wears an 11 or a 12 so mine shouldn't look so little, but I'll take the winter miracle!

psst...my red heels were thrifted and only $4.00

I did as I said...burned frankincense, prayed, meditated and this morning emptied my glass of water down the drain. I decided to take the Christmas tree down last night. but kept the ficus decorated with a few year-round baubles.

Mark is going to be the epiphany sweeper today, so that's nice. I think it's good to have both of us participate in clearing the house for the new year.

Oh...something I forgot to mention.  The Magi are never actually referred to as men.  Did you realized this? I think it makes sense if you read yesterday's post. I mean, who ever heard of three men stopping to ask an old woman for directions! Agahaahahahahaha! I kill myself! Sorry to stereotype, but if the shoe fits...

:)

 

Magical Traditions

Happy Epiphany Eve! Tomorrow is Epiphany and all over the world little children (and forty somethings!) will race to check their shoes or stockings to see what La Befana or The Three Kings have left for them in the tradition of St. Nick (which many people celebrate on December 6th).

In my effort to bring a little more celebration into my life, I've decided to celebrate Epiphany tomorrow which is also known as Three Kings Day (Tres Reyes) or Holy Epiphany in other parts of the world.

I am not a religious person and am not a member of any particular faith, but I consider myself to be a deeply spiritual person.  I do pray and I do believe in spirit/God, but in my very own way that I don't often share, even with my close friends. However, my close friends do know that rituals and celebrations are right up my alley and to start the new year I am so delighted to have a little celebration over here honoring the traditions of many cultures.

In most cultures Epiphany is tied to Christianity in some way, but of course we know that most Christian holidays are rooted in earth centered celebrations that came long before Christ (Saternalia) and were moved to coincide with the new Christian calender. It is considered the twelfth day of Christmas or sometimes called Twelfth Night.

The basic pared down blog-length story is that on January 6th the Magi (The wise men or the three kings) arrived with their three gifts for Jesus.  This is where many people stop the story.

However, if you move to Italy or Russia you will hear a story of a woman named La Befana (Italy) or Baboushka (Russia) who the Magi stopped for help finding the manger and of how she was such a diligent housekeeper that she wouldn't stop sweeping long enough to offer assistance or directions.  Later, she regretted her actions and set about the land searching for them with gifts of her own. She never found the manger nor the wise men and still whisks around the lands on her broomstick leaving gifts for children every Epiphany Eve.

In Italy La Befana is revered and the children look forward to her as much as children other places look forward to Santa or St. Nick. There are regattas, parades and feasts, special breads cakes and cookies.

Other cultures have water blessings on Epiphany and in Spain it is called Fiesta de los tres Reyes Mages (Festival of the The Three Magic Kings) and when children open gifts the way many do Christmas morning. Children in Spain write letters to the three kings the way kids here write letters to Santa.

Here is a parade in Italy...note the most Nordic looking Italians I've ever seen! :)

In Greece, in addition to the blessing of the water, the Epiphany Dove will be released. To me this is so beautiful and interesting because doves were once a goddess symbol and of course became associated with Mary and Christ. Doves were later replaced with the winged cherubs so common in paintings of Mary.

At the bottom of this post I have listed many links to help further explain the many traditions and beliefs about Epiphany.  You'll see that many sources go much deeper than I do. However, now I want to share what Epiphany means to me and how I plan to celebrate. 

To me Epiphany is about renewal, changes in attitude and about giving freely of yourself and spirit. I think of Epiphany as a chance to renew my childlike energy, enthusiasm and belief. To welcome myself back into the new year with as much joy as anyone would welcome a baby that we knew to be a "Christ-Child".

I think of it as a time to appreciate our unique gifts that are not material...our talents, family, friends, life blessings etc.  I love that La Befana regretted not stopping her sweeping to help the Magi (in that particular story) and set about to give all children gifts. I love that she is most certainly the Goddess of Good Housekeeping! Some stories tell of how La Befana lost a child of her own and while I don't go into it with many new friends, my old friends know that I lost a child of my own too. I love that there are children in my life and this most recent holiday visit with my nephews really brought this home. I've often wondered if I could have done it...been a good mother and a few days ago I had an "epiphany" and realized that yes...I could have done it.  I'm so peaceful knowing that even though I didn't get the chance to raise a child, I could have done it well. 

I love this quote from Louise Erdrich, but until a few days ago it didn't mean as much. I mean, I understood it, but now I really feel honored that for whatever reason Spirit wants me to be OK and happy with my role as a precious aunt: 

"Women without children are also the best of mothers; often with the patience, interest and saving grace that the constant relationship with children cannot always sustain. I come to crave our talk and our daughters gain precious aunts. Women who are not mothering their own children have the clarity and focus to see deeply into the character of children webbed by family. A child is fortunate  who feels witnessed as a peron, outside relationships with parents by another adult."

What a gracious quote from a woman with children of her own.

Tonight I will set out our shoes with the strong faith that La Befana will visit and leave oranges, nuts and little trinkets. Three gifts to represent the three kings. 

I will take a glass of water and pray over it while burning some incense and then meditate. During my meditation I plan to (I write plan because if you've ever meditated with a specific intention you know that sometimes Spirit has other ideas) focus on my blessings and compose a thank you note for my epiphany about motherhood.  I feel that because of it, I can now mother myself in a way I haven't been able to in a long time.  Then I'll call upon the dove to take my note to the Three Kings for delivery. I have a feeling it will land where it needs to. Then I will rinse the sink with my glass of water as a symbolic blessing and bidding farewell to the old year.

There is a certain little girl in our town who just went through a scary bout of illness and while she turned a corner this morning I think a visit from a La Befana devotee is in order.  I hope she'll wake up happy tomorrow as long as her mother remembers to check the mail box! Ahem.

Tomorrow, in addition to my work, I plan to sweep the entire apartment and put away my ornaments and tree. I figure this is such a nice tribute to La Befana because she clearly values housework.  This is a nice way of sweeping out the old year and bringing in the new. And traditionally this is when old trees were burned as a blessing and you might notice that many cities schedule tree-pickup and mulching on January 6th. I am also donating to a charity and have selected three gifts to donate to St. Vincent's.

As you can see, I've interpreted Epiphany in my own way and I invite you to think about how what you feel when you think of the day. You may not feel anything and this is totally cool, I mean the whole point for me this year is to think about what these things mean to me and to share.

If you have any family traditions for epiphany, please share here or on the studo facebook page...we can all learn from them.  I know that it was originally earth centered so I wonder if there are any Native American traditions associated with with the day?

And speaking of sharing, here are a number of links for information and ideas:

Love this one!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphany_%28holiday%29

Winter Festivals

Epiphany Cake

Another Cake

Feast of Light

Befana

Tres Reyes Magos at Disney

Saturnalia

Lots of views here

Everyone skips the middle anyway.

I am not going to close out the season with a super wordy post, but I thought I'd show some pictures of the cookie/candy action around here over the last week. My mother in-law and I had it covered.  Not pictured is the pumpkin pie, flan, cassava custard (my sister in-law makes the best flan and cassava custard pie with coconut-so good) or the cupcakes!

I love my cookie dish and even if the cookies wound up on different trays when presented. I took pics on this because the blue is just so pretty.

My Christmas tree story is worth a few lines.  I have no issues with live Christmas trees.  I understand how people feel and maybe I would feel differently if the trees were not grown as crops, but these days they are and to me they are meant to be harvested. This is why I'd rather have a crop tree than just going into the woods for one. I truly believe that the dryads and tree fairies hop to another tree once the tree is ready to go.  Plus, a real tree goes back to the earth (they shred them to make mulch), but a fake one ends up in a landfill eventually. However, I know that many feel differently and get artificial trees and to each his own....

My mother in-law won't have anything to do with real trees and she gets pre-lit fake ones. The last one lasted eight years and then the middle section of lights burned out. She bought another one (very pretty) and her old one was headed to the dumpster. I couldn't bear to see it end up in a landfill simply because of burned out lights so I took the top and the bottom and put them together! It's missing a middle section and from certain angles looks a little off, but I think it looks extremely cute!

I was made fun of the night I took it by Mark and my in-laws...they thought it looked ridiculous, but honestly, does it? No. :) To me, its imperfection makes it look real! Plus, maybe it has feelings and is very happy to be with me and appreciated. :) I put my minimally decorated ficus next to it. The best of both worlds! :)

 

Living With A Joker

Very early this morning Mark asked, "Guess who died?"  I had no clue. He said, "Paul Newman". I felt sad and said, "Well, it's not a tragedy, he wasn't cut down in his prime, but I'll miss him. I always liked him." Then I went about my day. I composed a nice blog post about him in my mind and a little while ago I set about writing it.

However, something felt off because the front page of yahoo wasn't covered with stories about his death. I chalked it off to a generational thing and was pretty disgusted that a celebrity who actually deserved to be revered was getting short shrift. 

Then, I looked on wikipedia for the name of his first wife and it caught my attention that he died two years ago. Oh yeah...right. I knew that.

I called Mark and said, "Paul Newman died two years ago?????" Mark said, "I know." I was like, "But you told me he died!!!"  To which Mark laughed and replied, "Well, he did."  I hung up on his gleeful cackling and deleted my post. Jeez. 

I'm susceptible to his pranks anyway, but early in the morning? That's just dirty pool. I hadn't even had coffee or anything!

However, sometimes Mark's little jokes don't go so well. Once, when he ran across the street to get us ice cream at a convenience store I got a call from him pretending to be a guy he used to go to school with who was selling insurance. Naturally, I knew it was Mark disguising his voice and said all kinds of things only a wife would say to her husband who was holding up the ice cream delivery with jokes.  Except....it wasn't Mark playing a joke. Agahahaahaha! That poor guy.

And there's also the time I mooned the totally caught off guard cable guy while saying something suggestive and kind of gross because I thought it was Mark opening our bedroom door.  I mean, who tells the cable guy that it's OK to go on into the bedroom without letting his wife know anyway??  I screamed, "Oh my God!" as soon as I saw it wasn't Mark and the cable guy shut the door and left! Mark heard me scream, but didn't hear what I said before the scream (as I was on the bed and exposed!), but it was his turn to be embarrassed because it kind of looked liked we'd botched our attempt at adding a third party to the mix and that maybe we were the creepy people you read about in various forums! He was totally horrified and said he thought I was at my desk. Ha! It was awful, but we began laughing about it almost immediately!

Anyway, the picture above is the Paul Newman I love most. I think it's incredible.

Oh, and here's a $1.50 gift for your favorite sticker lover. She has a large selection.

Almost

Hello all! I hope everyone had a nice weekend. I did and I even managed to get some work done. I did one of the studio windows. It needs tweaking and let's not talk about my sign not fitting, but really...I'm pleased with the trees, button garland and vintage dictionary poms.

I've moved the largest tree around a bit, so excuse the way it seems to lilt-I'll fix it later.

The trees were easy to make. Basically newspaper, map and vintage dictionary pages rolled into cones and taped on a tree form (rolled cardboard, an old fake tree, chicken wire...whatever you have). My only tip is to start taping cones from the bottom up. I flattened the map cones just to see how they look. If I do this again, I don't think I would. You can use anything...sewing patterns, gift wrap, old books...anything at all.

I'd love to do one with graph or hot pink paper!

I made the poms out of vintage dictionary pages...some people clean windows and take pictures of their projects before they begin arranging...not me. That's not how I roll. :)

I'll have to share pictures of the garland another time. I used orange buttons (I scavenged, bought and dyed a batch of white ones to have enough), austrian crystals, quartz points, paper flowers and some beads. I was going to make teeny tiny paper chains too, but decided to save those for spring. 

The studio is not open to the public at this point, but since I plan to have it open by appointment or "chance" soon I need to set up a little sign with some information and also plan to make a smaller sign to hang in another window that says what I do...maybe a recycling symbol and or some bunting that says "Upcycled Art". 

We shall see.

Now, in other local new...Manitowoc was selected as one of the 10 great small towns to see art in by USA Today. Right on people! YES, we have a Picasso right down the street! 

Here is a night picture taken in the middle of hanging garland.

Pendant Giveaway & Studio Update!

 

Hello Kitchenettes--just a reminder that Gnome Angel is doing a giveaway of one of my puzzle piece pendants on her blog. The perfect holiday gift for a gnome-loving friend of any age! Just stop by her blog and leave a comment today (11/13).

I also decided that I can trust you with my before pictures of the studio as part of my new,"it doesn't have to be done before I show it" attitude adjustment. So, because this attitude is new to me, I have a few reminders:

These are before pictures and the quality isn't so hot. I plan a major paint job in the spring and will be saying goodbye to the wood wainscotting. So there. :)

It's one large room, one entire wall of windows, a bathroom, a hallway and a storage area:

This is looking out into the entrance area-there is a surprise on the left side I'll share in a minute:

The windows and old, but working radiator (love-love-love):

Looking In. Under the checkboard is 110 year old terazzo--I'll keep the checkerboard which was installed later, but the base around the entire floor is still terazzo and this will make it weird because it won't match when I paint the wainscoting--but, I can't bear to paint terazzo-it seems sacriligeous-the wainscoting will be a chalky black (but not gray) and the walls will be a light grayish putty color. I've never liked checkeboard floor in the past...it makes me kind of dizzy (like my run-on sentences may make you). Hoewever, I'm going with it and want the walls to be matte and soft since the floor is will be cleaned and shiny.

I'm going to paint all my shelving pewter and soft metallic silver and I already have a lot of vintage black metal (filing cabinet, tins etc). I want a look similar to the vintage post office that's been in my thoughts for years. My paper will provide all the color the room needs (plants too):

More of the windows-that construction trailer is gone now...praise be:

It is workable, but still a BEFORE picture.

Eeks! What a mess! Notice my dad's vintage chair and my Singer sewing machine table? It's my makeshift computer desk for now:

Now, this is interesting...I'm not showing it until it is done, but what you see above the wallets is a frame around a window on the inside of the studio. It's frosted glass and I love having a window that goes to nowhere on the inside. I think I may line it with vintage star charts and put a window box on it. A little window to another Universe right when you walk in the front door! If I still had a metaphysical shop, you know I would have made a big deal out of this. It's a fun feature. 

So, there you have it. Stay tuned for the "Afters" this summer (I know, it's ages away).

Oh, Sweet Mystery Of Life At Last I've Found You

I think of all the years spent meditating, on retreats, in therapy, journaling, in the living rooms of psychics and shaking the Magic Eight Ball and I want to cry because you were here all along and on etsy of all places.

Do I have a weakness for purses? Yes. We all know it's true. However, my search is over. Now every extra penny is going into the pig for one of these by Dazzling Lanna.

I'm in love. I'm in major swoon. I'm head over heels. Hmm. No joke. Do you know what I just wrote instead of head over heels? I swear I wrote, "head over heals".  Wow. Things are shifting for me here. In a big way. I'm in a healing crises and not feeling well (feeling awful), but like I told my good friend Christine (who hasn't blogged in months argg!) a flip got switched last week.  Something has changed. 

I haven't lost the 100 pounds, my skin is imperfect and I haven't reached any of my rigid "before I can get" goals, but last Saturday I got my nose pierced anyway. Four days later  I met my soul-purse.  Coincidence? Mystery of the Unknown? I think not.

Kitchenettes, my piercer actually told me that he didn't mean to be "a dick or nothing", but that I was way overthinking the process. This was after just a couple of questions on my part...normally I would have gone running. Instead I laughed because I knew had found the right man for the "procedure".  I do overthink...everything.  Sometimes the Universe gives you just who you need.

I also have to thank my guide Tina Tarnoff...without her lovely blog, my purse and I might have been like two ships passing in the night. I can hardly bear thinking of it!

Interestingly enough...her blog is entitled, "Thought Patterns".

A Post Of Great Importance

I consider postcards one of the best ways to treat myself to inexpensive frameable art by Indie artists all over the world. Jeez, this could be a tagline...

Inexpensive frameable art from Indie artists all over the world.

Someone should run with it! However, please don't leave before you check out these offerings from etsy. A simple search under postcards in the art category will bring you to thousands of choices. It's a cornucopia (I'm thinking Thanksgiving and harvest) of beauty, humor, color (or not) and whimsy.

Here are some samples of what's out there:

I love this one by That Kate Creates and if you didn't want to frame it you could keep it on hand to send to friends going through rough times. She titled it Book Worm and isn't that perfect?

How about this Wild Child postcard by Irene Sophia? I love how simple and clean her mixed media is. A nice reminder that sometimes less is more. 

This one by MJS Creative Studios makes me want to head straight to Paris so that my lover (?) can break up with me after buying me a macaron. I'd be totally OK with it as long as there was indeed...a macaron and a park to eat it in.  I have real life experience with this. A boyfriend once broke the news that he had a new girlfriend named Paris (So glamorous sounding next to plain old Laura) after serving me a rocky road milkshake he'd made just for me.  She was 17 to my 14 and I considered her an older woman. The sugar numbed the initial pain, but I wound up in breath-work and psychotherapy over it 20 years later. And you think I'm joking? :) Mark got the good husband award for that year, believe me.

Oh for these Pretty Dresses by Dear Machine! FYI: She's having a sale!

This one by James Keniston is from one of his prints. I love it and it would make a perfect gift for your favorite San Francisco fan.

This one by Lorelei Design would be so sweet in a bathroom or dressing room. It's a box of soaps found in a brocante (antique store) in Belgium. 

I actually bought this card by Chana Bean (Natsuo Ikegami) in Japan. It touches me in some strange way. I feel like she deserves time on my walls so that I can learn her story. I prefer shopping "Indie Artist" over exclusively shopping local when it comes to things like this.

I'm not always into abstract paintings, but this one by Hiroshi Matsumoto grabs me. I feel compelled to look at it and can see a certain friend adding it to her inspiration wall (she's an abstract artist and I own a piece of her work!).

And last, but not least this one by Yellow Handkerchief makes me wistful for some reason. I can easily imagine this as my apartment view, hardwood floors, a cotton skirt, light sweater, peach ballerina flats and very milky sweet tea. Maybe I'm writing a letter to a friend and pause with my pencil in mid-air trying to form a thought.

This is just a sampling of what's out there. I encourage anyone stuck and needing some holiday ideas to think postcards and or etsy all the way.

I'm so easily distracted these days and focus is difficult. I don't often choose affirmation cards anymore, but today was compelled to and I added it to my altar. It was perfect for me. You too?

p.s The fox bead was on a necklace that was a gift from my father. I never in a million years would dream that I'd treasure it so much. Mark thinks it's a squirrel, but really...it's a fox right?

Yes, But Would You?

I know I'm not the only person who has overheard browsers at shows comment on how they could probably make whatever it is they happen to be admiring.

To be fair, I sometimes think the same thing, but would never say it to the person who has taken the time to actually make something and put themselves on the line to go and sell it. Plus, something that appears simple is often more time consuming or complicated than you realize.

Fortunately, more often than not people are marveling at my work, but when a comment like that arrives on the scene...it stings.

Once, someone dismissivly commented to a friend that my wallets looked like they'd be a good, "rainy day project" for her children. My response? I hate you and want you dead. No, I'm just kidding! I only thought it. :)

By the way, she had five of them and they were little and looking at my wallets with Cheetos and Crackerjack covered fingers. They were excited by the Curious George cardholder and cute so I could easily overlook the fingerprints and stained streaky tablecloth (with four more hours left in the show). However, I couldn't help but feel a little insulted by the mom.  It was over in a minute or two, but I did feel defensive before I moved on.

I'm writing this post to tell on myself.

I think these gnome girls from Green Fairy Things are adorable. They make such a nice grouping and feel Waldorf inspired...the perfect little guests on a nature table. When I first saw them, I'll admit that I could see myself making a set to put on a planned nature table in our apartment. Shame on me.  Even with shipping they are under $5.00 each.

Their bodies are perfectly painted, their caps are stiched into cones, their hair has been braided (except the boy) and they have perfect eyes. Have you ever spent time putting a coat or two of paint on small pieces of wood that have curves? I'm not good with a sewing machine so forget about stiched caps that fit perfectly and stay on. I've been down the road of "even dots for eyes" before.  It's harder than you think and once you make a mistake it's all over because you can only turn the head around and do the other side so many times (like once). 

So, I didn't even try. I don't want to try. I want to admire the cuteness, support a fellow etsyian and save myself a lot of time...really, I think once you begin considering the work involved they could be fairly priced even higher. They are adorbable and and I couldn't make them for less if you included time.

Handmade gifts rock and making them is fun, but buying them supports the creative efforts of another. So, as you're thinking of holiday gifts this year I ask you to not only consider handmade, but also handmade by others. Because in some cases, maybe you could make it yourself, but would you?

p.s. The woman in my booth with the kids added insult to injury when she used the corner of my tablecloth to wipe the littlest one's mouth. Sweet.

All This Simplicity

is really complicating my life! :)

I wanted to open with a photo of the still unpacked studio, but I can't find my camera docking station (Is that what they're called?). Instead I'll share a picture of one of the upcycled dictionary heart confetti packages I recently made for a custom order. She requested Tiffany blue as the color and while the lighting in this picture is a little off, in real life I think I came very close. 

Upcycled confetti was the sleeper movie that became a blockbuster over here this summer. It was crazy! PUNCH!PUNCH!PUNCH! My thumbs are glad peak wedding season is over. It was fun though.

I used to spend a lot of time writing, but set aside my writing life to focus my art life a few years ago. However, with what was a pretty hectic and stressful summer I'm in deep need of a "hobby" that I find as relaxing as Netflix. I used to lose hours writing and making jewelry for fun.  These were things that I loved doing, so I decided to bring back the love!

I ordered some very pretty glass beads on etsy for $3.00.  It's a nice little reward because I recently got some great wallet news that will keep me busy for much of the winter.  I have a nice bead stash already and I look forward to using up some the old because I'm inspired by the new.  

I also decided to increase the love around here in November by signing up for NaNoWriMo.  No pressure, just fun. Hopefully I'll wind up with solid drafts for the twelve short stories that have been floating in and out of my mind (and occasionally my pen) for many years. 

This doesn't mean that I have days upon days to do nothing but bead and write, but it means that when I do have those moments, I want to do something meaningful and fun. Some days it means watching a good movie (honestly---it's a really good movie) other days it means making a necklace. Plus, I do better with a plan otherwise those moments get lost over here.

Our quest for simplicity is by no means a quest for showing off how much we can deprive ourselves of. I wanted to give you a very "real world" example of what I mean. Many people embarking on the minimalist path immediately get rid of cable, give away everything, cancel gym memberships and give up their car. This is great if it meets your lifestyle. For us it isn't like that.

We use our cars less because we now live in a walking neighborhood, but Mark must travel all over the county for his job so he needs his. Borrowing Mark's car will almost never be an option so I need mine for shows, trips to Chicago, getting to places to camp and frankly because I need the independence I feel when I set out on a solo road trip.  I didn't learn how to drive until I was 35. I'm still exploring. My car is important to me, but I do recognize that it costs us a lot to insure and maintain it. Plus, it's another vehicle on the road which just adds to pollution.  As a solution...I use it less. That's a start. Maybe we'll change and decide to rent one as needed, but for now that is the way it is.

We recently had a discussion about cable.  I could do without cable all together, however it's important to Mark. He doesn't want movie channels, but he wants good news, animated shows, football when he chooses etc. So, we decided to get cable when we moved here.  It comes out of our entertainment budget.

I insisted we have Netflix. Not for the dvds, because the library can provide those, but for the streaming of movies. When I'm in the studio working solidly for twelve hours a day (yeah, right) audio books and a huge selection of movies keep me sane. It's worth $9.95 a month. Mark and I don't spend much money at bars or on expensive hobbies every weekend, but we can have movies and television whenever we want. 

There was a time when I would have wondered if we were shallow and wished that I could say we let them both go, gave up a car and spent our weekends skydiving and planning our next trip to the Andes. But, for right now...that isn't us.  We've always been movie people. We even hosted a private showing in a theatre when we got engaged (Mark's mom worked there and this is what made it affordable). This decision makes sense.

Now to many people this would seem like a no brainer. Cable and Netflix? What's the big deal? Believe me, if you begin reading more blogs about simplifying, you suddenly realize that to some these are dirty words. Sometimes I leave these blogs feeling a little guilty. As if we need to cut back and scale back more...but honestly... there must be balance. My life choices are my own. Choice is a privilege we shouldn't  feel guilty for having.  It's fine if you want to join an experiment and live without heat or food to prove a point (a valid one) or make an impact, but if you don't recognize the luxury of choosing I think there is a huge disconnect...I have a hard time with people who treat these experiments as games.

We're finding a balance that works. Our new apartment is under 500 square feet. This is small, we're making it work and not missing the extra space. In fact, I think I can say we love it. We're not even unpacked and already we see how easy it's going to be to live here.  It's less than 1/3 of what our mortgage was and we will never have to make any repairs. Plus, our place came with awesome free storage-it's heated. 

We know that housing can be a good investment, but you know what? We're not great home owners. We don't like it and we resented the work involved. People, we had a condo and we still thought it was too much work.  Living here means a lot of time spent living the way we enjoy.  And we pay close attention to needs versus wants. We used to spend so much more and it wasn't good for us or fun in the long run. We talked about it, but didn't change anything. Now, I think we are doing more than talking about it. How can we best live our lives? How can we best spend (or save) our money? What do we care about?

Now my studio? I'm grateful and proud to be working the way I am and to pay the rent from my business earnings. It's very cheap (even for our area and this area is very reasonable) and includes utilities. My work tends to take over living spaces so this is a very good investment in myself.  I consider it a necessity, but I never forget that it's a luxury to have necessities. Does that make sense?

I'm also lucky that Mark's good job and support enabled me to take the time I needed to build my business four years ago so that it could support itself today.  It's modest and I'm still learning (making good and not so good decisions), but it's here. 

Now...getting into my studio? That's another story.  I think if our neighbors peek into the windows they're going to want to get Hoarders involved. It's a disaster, but like all things around here...it's coming along.

 

Traditions

Here are a few pictures representing some traditions around here....

A birthday dinner made by Mark...which may seem odd to those of you whose husbands/partners like to cook...it's Mark's least favorite activity. It was fantastic...He won't approve public photos, so I had to plead for this back shot...You will note that our kitchen is small and that Mark is tall judging from where his head is in relation to the top of the cabinets and ceiling!

The sauce looks dry, but it wasn't...it's a sweet sauce and has been in Mark's family since their good friend Rosalie gave it to them...it calls for baking soda and vinegar which I find odd, but it does the job!

     

I made strawberry meringues for dessert...just egg white, cream of tartar and agave whipped until stiff, folded on to parchment and baked at 200 for 3 hours...they got a little brown, but life goes on....they would be even better baked for another hour or two at 180 or 190.  My good friend and chef extraordinaire Sherry Fuller was the inspiration for these and hers are never brown.  

I write myself a birthday letter every year, I started in 1995 and have skipped a few years by choice, but not many. I plan on doing this year's letter in a week or two.

And of course, speaking of traditions...what would an upcoming show be without me trying to cram two months of work into eight days?  When will I ever learn?
 
Last night Mark came in the studio and looked at the cardholders...(most of them are made from magazine ads pieced together) and he told me I have a good eye.  I appreciated his observation because I have to say that I agree! :) And I love making them, so why I stall and end up cramming is beyond me...but, with each fair, I'll get a little better.

OK...a baby shower awaits and then it's back to work.

Have a nice Saturday everyone!

Finding Change

I turned 40 an hour and a half ago!

When I was about nine years old I wanted to be on The Tonight Show and on Kids Are People Too (anyone remember that one?). I remember envisioning selling my first book by the time I was ten and being a superstar writer...then I heard a little voice...it whispered that I'd have to wait until my 40's for my real self to kick in. I wasn't afraid of it, but it freaked me out a little. 

Later, at sixteen or seventeen, I was still dreaming of being a superstar writer, only now, I wanted to be on David Letterman and just knew I'd be funny and charming and the audience would love me...the little voice that I had grown used to by then whispered that I'd have to wait until my 40's for my real self to kick in. 

I found this profoundly depressing. When you're a teenager, your 40's seems so far away. 

I'm not joking or being dramatic for the sake of a blog post. I'm serious about this intuitive voice and by my late twenties, I had even negotiated with it and said that I'd love to be successful (at whatever I'm doing) in my 40's, but that it didn't mean I couldn't have success or happiness sooner...and since my definition of success and happiness hadn't been clearly defined..I figured I'd use the time between then and my 40's to help determine what "kicking in" means to me.

A reading from a very good and credible psychic confirmed (without me asking a question) that my life experiences were going to come together in my 40's and that I'd be successful---in fact, she said, "successful in the way you define it." I still wasn't sure then...how I defined success, but I knew it was more than fame and fortune.

By my late thirties, the voice still was there and because my 40's didn't seem so far away, I began to feel excited...like I had something to look forward to.

And it's not as if I've waited to "kick in" for myself...I've done lots of things I'm proud of, but I've always known this little intuitive voice that first showed up when I was nine years old was right...and I know now what it means for me to "kick in for myself". So, today, it's exciting for me. 

To me "kicking in" means that on some soul level, I'm ready to take action...having worked hard to break issues of fear and self-sabotage and nurture old hurts to heal them, I'm in alignment. I'm ready.

I'm not saying that from this point forward life is a 24 hour joy fest...but, it's spiritually significant for me. I'm finally ready...and in all the years since nine, I knew I'd arrive at this decade ready and not one moment sooner.  I just felt it. It seemed so far away then and now...it's here.

OK...you must stop reading right now if you don't believe that real magic happens every day. Really. 

Here's the story...

I was in Petal Pusher several weeks ago and noticed a gorgeous pair of earrings that popped out among all the other pretty handmade jewelry they have. They looked like crimson fall leaves...glossy pink enamel on one side and berry matte on the other.  I'm not spending money on adornments right now so I admired them, but didn't buy them. On subsequent visits I'd look at "my earrings" and comment to the staff how I loved them and then go on my merry way.

One day, a couple of weeks ago, I went in. I'd told myself that if my earrings were still there maybe I'd buy them.

Of course, they were gone.  I was heavy hearted, but I knew it was for the best. They wouldn't have been an impulse purchase (since I'd wanted them for a long time), but they wouldn't have been a timely purchase either...I'm really watching my spending.

Well, I stopped in a week ago and the staff gave me my sales check along with a beautifully wrapped and ribboned box. I went to the Simplicity Circle at the Urban Frog and then came home and opened my gift. The earrings.

I was in tears and yet laughing because I was overjoyed and appreciated them so much. After years of being an impulse buyer, I must admit there's some pleasure in wanting something so badly again...and then receiving it...in the form of a gift. I love receiving now...more than I ever used to.  Accepting gifts used to embarrass me.  

Well, I wore the earrings to the Simplicity Circle tonight. If you're local and haven't been yet, you must join us, they're a lot of fun.  When the group ended, I walked to my car and headed home. I decided to cut through the Astor Park neighborhood because it's my favorite area and for some reason, I always feel at home when I'm there. As I drove past my favorite house (on my favorite block) and approached a stop sign, I realized I was missing the left earring!

I tried to stay calm and felt around my scarf and coat as I made my way through the neighborhood. It wasn't there. I knew that I was going to turn around and then retrace every single one of my steps from the door of the Urban Frog to my parking space no matter what.  I knew the earring wasn't in the car or stuck on me...I just knew. Yet, I decided to drive to the nearby Super Value parking lot to do a slow and thorough search of the car just in case.

I told myself that it was OK...and noted that for one of the first times in my life, I was willing to do something like search the streets in negative zero weather for something that had value to me. I confess that in the past, I might have had a pang of disappointment and maybe called the Urban Frog in the morning, but I wouldn't have gone looking. Remember, I'm  the woman who lost her engagement ring two days after receiving it.

I made a few positive connections about value and gifts as I pulled in to the lot. I got out and began to feel around my car and coat even though I knew the earring wasn't in the car or on me.

Just as I was telling myself to listen to my gut and get back to the Frog, I heard a "ping".  I look around and about ten feet away I saw what looked like my earring...laying there as if it had dropped out of the sky. My heart soared! I danced over to retrieve it and when I picked it up I saw a quarter.

My earring landed right on top of a quarter.

This made me gasp because my good friend Christine had once told me how auspicious it is to find "change".  I love finding change on the street anyway, but having my earring land on the quarter at a time when not only do I have change on the mind, but I also have finances on my mind...and it is a 1984 quarter which adds to 22 and in numerology that makes it a 4 ---for forty. Plus, Christine, who is another reliable and credible psychic had just gotten a message that the next ten years are going to "zoom" for me. Remember, I danced ten feet over to retrieve my earring...one little step for each year of the next decade.  

Anyway...that part is fun and magical, but the real twist is...that earring was not on me or in my car. That earring manifested itself and announced it's arrival with the "ping". I know it sounds odd to many of you, but it's true. I did not shake my coat hard or bat things around and throw the earring out as I did...it truly de-materialized and re-materialized and on top of that quarter as a sign of change...a confirmation and a validation and to affirm my new lesson about how I'd been willing to spend all night looking for something that was valuable to me...a gift.  Which is very symbolic of the thirty one years (3+1=4 again) between nine and forty that I've spent searching for something...me. Hey, if it can happen to Carolyn Myss and the Vibhooti from Sai Baba can arrive on her doorstep, it can happen to me too...or you!

Now, the next little twist is just that...a little twist, but a fun one.

While at the Frog, Karen was excited to share of a new site she had found that sells shoes that she knew I'd love.  I exclaimed that it was funny she was bringing this up because I love shoes, but am a little afraid of them...like the shoes I love are ornate and ribboned and colorful etc and I don't feel I can carry them off. In fact, I believe I used the word ribbon in our very brief exchange. I didn't mention that I had just told a friend about a dream I had a few nights ago...a shoe dream...no details here, it's too long, but let's just say, it applies.

So, Karen just left a comment on a previous post with the site...and look at what the first word you see is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ha! I love it and.....look at the ribbons.

I'm so happy right now...I feel good about this and again, there won't be a letdown if things aren't always easy because that's not what I expect, but I know that a huge soul shift has occurred and one that has been in the making for a long time. 

So...I'm to bed now, then going to work like crazy when I get up, but Mark is making his family recipe spaghetti for me tonight and the movie is my choice.

Happy Day! Thanks for reading Kitchenettes!

p.s. The missing earring was the left one...and the left side normally symbolizes receiving/receptivity...

p.s. double s: Angela if you are reading and know the name of the local artist who made the earrings...please post her name. Barbi?

Slipping in through the back door....

I'm creeping very quietly back in...tiptoeing...hoping no one noticed I was gone...and now I'm going to act like I just woke up and was here all along...

It's been crazy busy folks. Preparing for Arti-Gras. If you're local, I hope you can make it. I'm in booth#16. I only have twelve days left to prepare. I'm more relaxed than I was last year though, not as freaked out about stock. I'll bring what I have and it will be good enough. Om.  I'll bring what I have and it will be good enough. Om. Deep breath. I'll bring what I have and it will be good enough. Om. Exhale. See? I'm not worried at all. :)

OK, from my last post it appears to be that my sense of humor is painfully subtle...I thought for sure that everyone would know I was joking based on my 153rd of an inch line! Yes, I was kidding. I love that wallet and there was no way it was going anywhere but my own purse.

OK, there's nothing like receiving blog honors, awards and tags...and it's probably in very poor form to wait weeks to acknowledge them publicly...but, hopefully those who have bestowed them upon me will forgive my tardiness.

First we have the Noblesse Oblige award from Nancy...she's always offering her readers such good advice, tips and how-tos. Plus, right now she's off in New Zealand on a Scrabble Tour!

Here are the reasons for the award:

• The Blog content inspires; it strives to encourage and offers solutions. 
• There is a clear purpose at the Blog; one that fosters a better understanding on Social, Political, Economic, the Arts, Culture and Sciences, and Beliefs.
• The Blog is refreshing and creative.
• The Blogger promotes friendship and positive thinking.
• The Blogger manifests exemplary attitude, respecting the nuances that pervade amongst different cultures and beliefs.

Here are the conditions:

• The Award Conditions must be displayed at the Post.
• Write a short article about what the Blog has thus far achieved- preferably citing one or more older post to support.
• The Blogger must present the Noblesse Oblige Award in concurrence with the Award Conditions.
• The Blogger must display the Award at any location at the Blog.

OK...I don't know that I can provide other posts to support Nancy's reasons, but I can say that I do try to live up to them. Though, let's face it...sometimes I'm not always refreshing...especially when I'm on a "when will this year end?" jag like last year, but I do try!:)

Thank you Nancy! I want to pass along this award to one blogger who doesn't post enough (in my opinion and who is a knitter like many of you...so she should!) Hopefully she'll post some more of her projects!

Then I received this nice award from Amanda Davie.  Thank you Amanda!!!

I love Amanda's work...her jewelry is gorgeous and she's here in Wisconsin. She just got an item that I've wanted for ages...and am saving for. I'm so envious!!!! I've been convinced for months that this is the thing I need! My paper scraps could be put to such good use.

This award is given to bloggers who have great attitude and gratitude. Jeez, can I live up? Before I pass it on, I want to say that I am eternally grateful for Freecycle...I hope you check it out in your area. I am doing a lot of cleaning and clearing out, so it's great to have people who really need the items come and pick them up and it saves me the gas and driving to Goodwill. 

I want to pass this award on to my new blogging friend Arlene with only one condition...that she name something she's grateful for...which shouldn't be hard for her since she's very generous of spirit. 

And then, I was tagged by Liz for six random things about me. Liz is a local artist who turns out work like you see at the top of the post regularly...I always envy people who really buckle down and work and wish I had their focus.

Here's another favorite:

Thank you Liz! Here are my six random things:

1. I just recently started drinking coffee...after years of never understanding why people like it. I received french press for Christmas and laughed about how it doesn't matter how many cups I drink since it's decaf and I can't tell the difference between decaf and regular since I'm new.  Well, let's just say that ... now, I can tell the difference.  Great, a new bad habit for the new year!
2. I have a counselor named Jay who is the bee's knees. I've been seeing him for about 2 years and last year decided to stop... coincidentally I had the worst year of my life...HA! It seems that as soon as we were getting close to a breakthrough, I decided to go off on my own and disappeared. Lovely. I'm back in and it's helping. If you're local and want a kind counselor, but one who won't let you pull any crap, he's the one. He's busy, so it may be hard to get that first appointment, but once you become regular you can schedule out.  
3. I still race around the house in my underwear despite my body image issues---the other day I ran out to get the mail and put on a coat...that only came to my waist...I forgot that I wasn't wearing pants...and worse, I had slipped on Mark's size 12 shoes since it would have been a hassle to open up the coat closet to get mine...I realized as I was outside in a short coat, underwear and giant shoes that I looked fairly ridiculous...especially since it was 2 degrees, but my neighbors are used to it.It's happened more than once.
4. I'm pretty fond of the phrase " Oh for balls sake!" when I'm exasperated.            
5. I've just begun wholesaling my first item...condom cases! They will be making their first public appearance at Arti-Gras.
6. I've been watching House and Rock of Love-one doesn't embarrass me to admit and one does.

I've love to pass this tag along to a new blogger...Erin. We met at the WI Etsian trunk show and she floored me with her metal-work. This tag is perfect timing since another blog is having a give-away of one of her pieces...stop by and check out Erin's work and then you can hop to the blog to enter the give-away.  So, Erin...whenever you are ready, just list 6 random things about yourself.

Ok...and I have to send a special shout out to Kai...This is just one of the lovely items that arrived on my doorstep...and was supposed to be saved until my birthday...but, I couldn't resist opening it... A pin-cushion cupcake...So sweet. Thank you Kai. She's also doing a give-away post.

A Keeper

Every now and then, in the middle of making a wallet, I make a horrible mistake.

When this happens and the wallet is completely ruined, I have no choice but to keep it. I can't sell total disasters can I?

That vintage button idea? Just awful...who'd want her anyway? What a mess.

And the back? it's a picture of a couch from that book of fabric samples I found in the dumpster a few months ago. Ugh..who'd want to look at it? What was I thinking?

I feel just terrible that she had a crease on the inside pocket about 1/153rd of an inch long and can't be salvaged. Oh well, I guess I'll be stuck carting her around town. It's a hard knock life.

Waiting In Vain...

I'm sorry to have taken an unannounced mini blog break. I truly didn't even realize it had been more than a couple of days since I last posted. I've been clearing and cleaning to ensure that I can finally get this place on the market in March.

I did work some today and am dropping off some new wallets at the Urban Frog tomorrow. Part of the "postcard series". 

I'll be back this weekend because I have to share that I've been tagged and received an award!

Happy Friday Night.

Baubles & Wishes

I love baubles and sparkly things. I loaded a few pictures onto Flickr in December intending to do a blog post about them the same day, but it never happened, so here they are. 

I used to make jewelry and have always collected various adornments, so over the years I've accumulate quite a stash of new and vintage beads and buttons. I've done some major organizing and clearing out around here over the past few weeks and this included doing a little de-stashing of my beads. I kept favorites and ones I know I'll use, but others are going to my favorite not quite an adult friend Caitie.  I met her when she was five and came with her aunt Nancy to take a bath salts class at my old shop...she was the star of the show.

Crystals-(quartz and glass) and vintage chandelier drops are a weakness. I love how they look all lined up in rows.  The third row from the top is mostly made up of the vintage crystal buttons I found on a string for $3.00 in a junk shop. It was love in the afternoon that day folks.

 
Then there is my favorite coat button--(half dollar sized) of Ceres (or Demeter depending on your leaning):

Odds and ends (pardon the fuzzy pics):  

 
I hope to make more jewelry this year...I enjoyed it so much over the holiday season and sometimes it's fun to make things totally not profit related...just for fun and relaxation.

Vanessa Valencia over at A Fanciful Twist has outdone herself again this year...In her New Year post, she asked her readers to leave comments stating our wishes......and when so many people wished for unselfish things, she did another post giving us permission to wish for selfish things...things we want just for ourselves.  Then, she collected all of the wishes just like she did last year, only this time, instead of putting them in a balloon and sending them off into the Universe, she made a colorful pinata, filled it to the brim, took it out to a tree and POOF! She broke it open and let our wishes, glitter and bubbles be scattered to the wind.  She's brilliant...and I love knowing my wishes and others were entrusted to someone who knew just what to do with them. 

I read through all of the comments and ached because I'd love to make both the unselfish (healthy children and uncles) and selfish come true. I can't afford to help anyone open a studio or buy them a Vita-Mix or and Anthropologie Shopping Spree...but...there was one woman who wished for more people to learn about her Etsy shop and as I read it, I thought, well, Jeez...that's easy enough!  I don't know her or anything about her, but she made a wish and now at least a few more people can find out about her shop. Here it is! Her prices are way beyond reasonable...such a good deal for the work! 

I'm going to revisit Vanessa's post throughout the year and see if there are any other tiny wishes I can help with and maybe you can do the same...even sending a prayer to some of the women who wished for things that truly need divine help.

Oh...before I forget. I usually spend time over here listening to the play-list...or here...but, my latest studio music is courtesy of Marmee Craft...I practically live on her blog listening to her play-list like the radio for hours while I work and organize. It's a real pleasure.

Oh...double before I forget. Some of you commenters should know that Typepad is doing weird things now and if you are signed in, it takes people to your profile and not your blog and there is no email to reply to a comment...Jasmine, I can't respond because I can't get to your email or blog. And for those of you with Blogger blogs...it is so helpful if you choose to offer the name/url option in your comments, it makes it easy as a breeze for those of us who use other blogging services to let you know how much we enjoyed a post by leaving a comment.    

Sweet dreams all! 

I'm Getting The Hang Of Mail

I'm finished with the prototypes for my hand cut envelopes.  They truly are hand cut...no template. I wanted to make some last year, so I went to town using a regular envelope as a template...no dice folks...I can't cut a straight line let alone little curves. Then I got professional and fancy and ordered a real envelope template kit...again, no dice...I even managed to cut the edges off the plastic template with my cutting knife.

Sigh. Well actually, more than sigh. Major frustration. Major tantrums.

Then I remembered Mark's advice when all my wallets were in the design stage and always came out crooked even though I was using a professional measuring mat.  He looked at me and said, 'Why don't you just eyeball it?"  At first, I was annoyed, I mean after all...I was trying to be all professional instead of my usual self (haphazard) and with being professional I was hoping to become mature and organized. But, after a few more crooked wallets, I decided to try just free folding and hit one out of the park on the first try.

I applied the same wisdom to the envelope problem. Why make it complicated? Now I just fold and cut by sight with no template.  Perfect.  You have to dance with them that brought you and I was brought with an inability to follow directions and patterns, but a good visual sense of line. Why fight it?

Who doesn't love a salvaged Madeline?
  
 
I love using children's books and maps. The envelopes are self-sealing and when I package them for sale they'll come with plain white labels for the sendee's address.  I'm thinking of going with the standard cigar-band closure for their display/packaging unless I come up with something more original.

I'm keeping these, since they're firsts, but am making a slew of sets for Arti-Gras next month. 

Oh...quick note. I used these totally biodegradable bags for my holiday giving this year...they were well, but do tend to tear a little easy if overstuffed.  I love cellophane, so any earth-friendly substitute is pounced upon immediately.

Sweet dreams! 

 

Shameless

OK, so I know the handmade holiday posts must be getting old, but I have to sneak a few more pictures in...I can't help it! The cake pictured above is actually recent...we celebrated my mother in-law's birthday yesterday and I made the cake...vanilla cake with pomegranate seeds and mandarin oranges and a strawberry jam filling.

I will confess I chickened out big time on giving away my home-canned jars of jam this year. I use them here, but I never feel I can trust them until I open a jar to have a look-see. You can't exactly go around giving opened jars of jam, so we're using them, jar by jar. Each time I open one and see the perfectly fine glittering red jam inside, I wish I'd given it to someone. Maybe it's because I'm new to canning, but I just don't the confidence in my ability yet to go around handing out jars. Did anyone else out there feel the same way this year? I know a lot of you are new "canners". 

Here is a spread of hostess matches...these went out in little packages...too cute, if not a little imperfect on the edges.

I think it's time to acknowledge two blogs that have become quite specialized since the last time you may have seen them.

First, Michelle over at Vanilla Icing has officially risen through the ranks of baking bloggers and needs to open her own bakery. She's buying flour in 50 pound bags now...50 pounds people! She keeps a running list of her monthly baking in her sidebar...it's incredible. 

This is what she baked in December alone!

DECEMBER BAKING

• ROSEMARY ROMANO FLAT BREAD
• BROWNIES
• BAGELS
• BUBBLE BREAD...extra sharp cheddar & oregano.
• WHOLE WHEAT WALNUT BREAD
• CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
• WEISSBROT-German White Bread
• FOCCACCIA
• CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
• CHEESCAKE BITES
• SUGAR COOKIES
• GINGERBREAD COOKIES
• PB COOKIES W/HERSHEY KISS
• SNOWBALLS
• SNICKERDOODLE PINWHEELS
• STRIPED SHORTBREAD
• CHALLAH
• TEENY LEMON CAKE
• BLACK BOTTOM PUDDING
• PRETZEL DOGS
• STRUAN
• PEPPERMINT BARK
• STRUAN
• HONEY WHEAT ENGLISH MUFFINS
• STRUAN
• STUFFED SHELLS & GARLIC TOAST
• CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
• MONSIEUR MONFORT'S FRENCH BREAD
  
• BROWN SUGAR & CINNAMON PANCAKES
• PIZZA & GARLIC BREADSTICKS
• STRUAN
• PB COOKIES DELUXE
• COFFEE CAKE MUFFINS
• RICE KRISPIE TREATS
• MARSHMALLOWS
• BROWNIES
• SANDWICH BREAD
• ORANGE CREAMSICLE COOKIES
• BREAD BOWLS
• ROSEMARY ROMANO FLAT BREAD
• BERRY FILLED VANILLA CAKE

And then we have Kai...who many of you might know from her care packages, nice comments and on-going enthusiasm and support of what any women does to make herself happy...but you might not be familiar with her book blog...she reviews all kinds of books and sometimes does book giveaways....if you're a lover of young adult books, you'll be especially interested.

I also need to mention that Boho Magazine is worth checking out at your news stand if you're addicted to the most on trend eco-fashion for your body and home...I screamed about 20 times out loud in Barnes & Noble over things I want ... like this:

I'm not a big peace sign wearing person...but this necklace knocks me out!!!! Jill Jacobson is the designer and unfortunately it is out of my price range, so I'll just covet it.

OK...have a nice Sunday everyone...I'm so excited because tonight...I'm going blog hopping and commenting...Emiko...I was over at your blog yesterday, I loved your lists. So balanced. 

Happy Second Day Of The New Year

Happy New Year All!

We had a laid back New Year's Eve and yesterday we just hung out with family. My seven year old nephew is at the stage where he makes interesting observations. For example, he made this one about my in-laws and their two cats, "Tita Laura, If the mom and dad died, the cats could get to do anything they want."  Hmm.

He's sitting in my studio quietly drawing and fairly disturbed because after about twenty five questions about what we're having to eat and even more statements about what he isn't willing to eat, I got him to promise he'll try one bite of anything I make and then I announced that stir-fried grasshopper noses will be coming up as soon as I finish this post. Aghaha! He hasn't said a word for five minutes.

I made macarons again and while they didn't have as nice a "foot" as the first batch, I think the gold dust makes up for everything.

I've named them heart chakra macarons because of the pink and green and well, the hearts.

I've reviewed the year and while it was difficult there are a few things that I think I did well. I really learned a lot from the Food Project (there is a link to these posts in my categories section). My cabinets are less full and we use more of what we have and waste a lot less. I'm also happy with my vow to buy fewer books and magazines...I did wonderfully until the end of the year...I read as much, I just didn't buy new.

I'm also pleased with my mid-year vow to dry-brush my skin, meditate and drink water daily...check.

I decided that this year, I'd do away with resolutions and goals and make this a year of being, doing and creating. You regular readers know I've written that I do not want this blog to be a weight loss blog-or an angst-y blog about weight. I don't. I want this blog to be personal, but focused on my personal and creative pursuits. However, I've felt the need to write more about my weight/food issues and so I've created a new blog which, to many of you may seem a little indulgent and perhaps a little angst-y unless you happen to have similar struggles.  I've got some exploring to do and other than mentioning that I'm starting a sugar-free year, I'll probably keep the details of that journey over there.

I feel good about this year. I'm going into it feeling upbeat, creative and mostly determined to be peaceful no matter what the year brings.

The year also brings about a change in my business. I have decided that once I use up the massive amounts of pretty patterned paper that I have, that all my work will be done solely with recycled paper...no exceptions. The Little Orange Kitchen is going green! Many of my wallets are already made with recycled paper and all of them are lined with recycled card stock, but I haven't been able to resist some of the gorgeous gift wrap that's out there. Even the new gift wrap made with recycled paper is going by the wayside...it has to be paper that is being re-used. Of course, I have tons left, but once it's gone...it's gone.

I'm also starting to make pinwheels...more on this later because there is a good story that ties in with the New Year.

On a sad note....no nabat tutorial made it to the blog-but it's not for lack or trying...last week I began to take pictures of the process and noticed that my candy thermometer was filled with bubbling liquid...I got a little paranoid about mercury leaks and dumped the batch. So, hopefully, it will come soon. I'm sorry Kitchenettes.

I also know that this will be the year our place sells, so I'm determined to enjoy it, but always excited about new places.

Thank you so much for coming back with each new post, your comments and your support. I wish you the best year of your life so far.

Happy peaceful New Year!