Words from Norman Rockwell

 “The secret to so many artists living so long is that every painting is a new adventure. So, you see, they're always looking ahead to something new and exciting. The secret is not to look back.” 

― Norman Rockwell

Yes, Norman, yes. I want to live this way in all realms, not just in a creative sense. I want each piece of writing, each project, each new collaboration to be a new adventure. My friend Anne referred to her blog as a place she needs to view as her playground. Something to look forward to, enjoy, and place where you she doesn't look back, doesn't get stuck in the muck, but explores joyfully. I think of adventure and the things I categorize as such. I list off travel, and things I've never experienced before; completely missing the subtle  things in life that can be seen as adventure, as new, as exciting, even if not appearing as such on the surface. I want to live a life where I'm looking ahead to something new and breath-taking, don't you? Too often I let the past pacify what's ahead, it traps me like a web that I can't break free of. And this isn't the way we are meant to live. I know we were meant to live with a pressing forward, a forgiving of the past, and a looking to what's to come. I want to live a life, where when I do look back, that I don't sit and dwell, being stunted--but where I can confidently say "I lived," and God can say "Well done." So yes, Norman, you speak to my heart!

DIY Ideas | For Gifting & For Yourself

I tend to make things when I can. Really, that is how this blog even began--with DIYs coming out of its ears. Then the do it yourself mode slowed a bit as I matured as a writer and cultivated my style on here. But still, I love a good hands on project. It is so very much a  part of me, as you should have figured out by now ;) 

Especially with gifting season here, and round ups of all these great DIY gifts filling other lovely blogs and Pinterest, I've been nudged to remind myself of all the fun things I've created and perhaps shared on here. Lately, along with the smell of cinnamon and crisp cold weather, our house has been sprinkled with DIY remnants and ideas overflowing as I think about things I've made, and things I still want to make--all in the midst of making what I'm currently making. Oh how I love making things while in the warmth of my home on the weekend, while sipping coffee with my toes in wool socks. "Busy hands make busy minds" was always my motto as a teacher, and I pretty much feel these words are true even for grown-ups. Can I give you a challenge this season? Turn on some holiday tunes, and get to making something by hand. Bake it, glue it, paint it, sew it. Pick your fancy. Whether its intended for a gift, or for yourself, go make something--and then tell me about it! 

Here are a few DIYs from the past year, pictured above: 

Bib Necklace

Envelopes from Scratch

Dalmatian Heart Lace Ups

Repurposed Dinnerware

Color Pop Pencil Jar

Painted Lettering

Retro Fan

Burlap Wreath

Striped Mirrors

Lace Tea Lights

Mason Jar Candles

Napkin Ring Necklace

Personalized Ampersand Art

Hand Painted Tea Towels

You can also hop on over to my Pinterest board where I'm often pinning do it yourself inspiration. PS: Today I'm over at Thoughts By Natalie sharing how to make a Burlap Wreath! Natalie also has a great post all about gifts that you could make this season--which you can check out over here.

A is for Ainsley | Calendars for a Cause

At the end of October, after finding a large growth on her cheek, three year old Ainsley was diagnosed with Embroynal Rhabdomyosarcoma. This dear little girl, too young to really understand what is happening, will be going through 22 weeks of chemo therapy at the Detroit Children’s Hospital. Detroit is located almost eight hours away from this little girl's hometown of Marquette, Michigan. Costs are accruing quickly for Ainsley's family, as you can imagine. Ainsley’s mom Patty, also fought breast cancer two years ago. 

The people in Ainsley's community, like my friend Samantha, are working together to raise money for Ainsley and her family. They are selling adorably designed calendars, sized 5 x 7, for $12.00. If you're in need of a gift for someone, this is one that keeps on giving! All the proceeds cover the cost of materials and the rest goes to Ainsley. These little calendars would be perfect for teacher gifts, stocking stuffers, co-workers, and even for yourself if you need a desk side calendar. Hop on over to Calendar for A Cause's Etsy shop for purchasing details. 

Update: So many of you have been sharing this post on Facebook. THANK YOU. You rock.

Photos taken by Samantha Elizabeth

Finally "Us"

I've never felt like the Christmas cards I send out are truly "us." And to be frank, I never truly felt delighted in ordering them, because my experience has been void or creativity. I find a template, plug in my posed photo for the year, click "order", and go on my way. Perhaps its because I come from a line of Christmas card makers (or at least, that's what I've coined my grandpa and uncle who carry on the tradition), with my grandpa hand making each and every card when Christmas arrived, and now his son, my uncle, doing just the same. I come from a family who literally makes everything they are capable of (we are one creative bunch!) Perhaps our card has never truly felt like "us" because Matt and I  are all about the process--the process that comes with doing, and making--and not just  the outcome of a product. Don't get me wrong, I completely love the cards I get from my friends and family. They are so "them", template or handmade, they fit the sender. However, when it came to "us", its never felt like a process. Its an upload and go, a disappointment in the price tag, or a last minute rush--and then that's it, its done. 

As I get older, and hopefully wiser, I'm learning that the process is what counts. And really all that our cards have been these last few years are a product, completely missing the enjoyment of slowing down, sitting around a table, and painting, cutting, glueing, and getting messy while creating our cards. What I love most about the ornaments on our Christmas tree is that each one has a story. Even more than that I love that my entire life, someone has taken the time to slow down and tell me the story behind them. They invested time in the process of Christmas traditions. For you, the process of making a card or hearing the story behind where a passed down ornament came from might not be as important, and that's okay! But for me, it is central to who I am--that's how I tick. The process that comes with making traditions and being creative is what fills the crevices of my being.

Although they might not look as put together as let's say Minted or Tiny Prints, they are "us." (Discalimer : I am by no means bashing these companies, I LOVE them!) When I sat down to make our cards this year, I really focused on the process. I focused on the process so that one day I could pull out cards past, some that we made this very Christmas, and tell our kids about them as we take them out of a dusty box, passing along story and tradition. 

This year, our cards find themselves hand painted on recycled paper and meshed with Prinstagram Mini Prints. I just ordered the Mini Prints and chose a random assortment of Instagram photos from the past year. I decided to be less stress and go with Intsta for our "family photo." Kinda fun, right? I cannot wait to assemble and mail to them off!

What about you, do you find delight in picking out or making your Christmas card? What are your traditions that you cannot wait to tell the stories of and pass along to family?

Study It, Love It, Stay Close To It

Kansas was good for me. It took an otherwise fast paced girl and put her in a slowed down state. The outdoors can do that to you, and I am forever grateful for its hold on me...

I can't stop thinking about this quote by Frank Lloyd Wright: "Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you." I love that those words come from one of the most famous architects and interior designers of his time. Not a farmer. Not a cowboy. But an architect. I think he was onto something--that true ability to hone in on one's creativity has its roots in nature. At least, it does for me. Entirely. The more I am in the great outdoors, the more I am able to see creativity indoors. Creative or not, wide open space clears the mind, sorting out all that gunk and making room to focus on what is at the core. Have you ever had a sinus infection? They are the worst. Clarity fogs, sharpness slugs, and joy dissipates in light of annoying stuffed up gunk. We get like that in life. We get stuffed up, like a sinus infection, and our joyful, sharp, clarity of mind becomes hard to grasp. We get run down. We burn out. Yet the cure? Wide open space. Time outdoors. The sky above, grass below, the wildness of nature and all her living beings. I had that clarity these past few days. And I want to hold on to it, hold on as tight as I can.

Gold Gifting // Round Up

I definitely grew a gold crush a long time ago. I think it began for me in the aisles of antique shops. More of a muted, brushed, or rusty gold, but gold none-the-less. It's just so timeless. And this time of year, the metallic hue just seems so fitting -- for home decor, personal style, and festive gifts. So I bring to you just a few of my favorites from around the web, after checking out a few sales going on today. I definitely have that lamp on my wish list. I'm needing better lighting for late night writing at our new desk, and I'm a fan of the industrial look. (It's really quite pretty in nickel and hunter green too).

The Diamond Whisp Bracelet // 31 Bits. The beads are made from recycled paper, can you believe it? This company is so great. Women in Uganda are given business opportunity through 31 bits. You can learn more about it here.

Vintage Oversize Watch // Le Mer Collections. Don't you just love this feminine combo of aqua and gold?

Laqueur Tray // West Elm. My cousins gifted this tray to me on my birthday. It is so much larger than I would have thought, and the gold is slightly muted compared to the photograph. It is where letters and papers collect on my desk.

Essie Good as Gold // Target. An affordable but fun little gift idea: nail polish ;)

Monogram Mug // Anthropologie. Who doesn't like a gold monogrammed mug?

Knitted Ear Band // Anthropologie. I really like the thickness of this head band. I own it myself, and the hints of gold are really subtle and pretty. Its perfect if needing a bit of sparkle when still trying to keep warm.

Metallic Print Glassware Set // West Elm.

Copper Cook's Tools // West Elm.

Olive You // Lindsay Letters Print. What a cute print this is, and would be perfect over a bar cart or hanging in the kitchen.

Industrial Task Table Lamp // West Elm. My dream lamp right now. And we know how nickel ages--beautifully.

Gold Knit Print iPad Case // West Elm.

Light of My Life Studio

I have always been drawn to the stark contrast of light and dark. The way light from the sun can make otherwise unnoticeable details pop and stand out so boldly, when its rays hit, revealing such beauty, yet all the while so simply. Hillary does just that, with paint. She brings the bold contrast of a photo to life on canvas, emphasizing the dark, the light, and the little details like whisps of a hair or the dimple of a cheek, that we might otherwise overlook. Light of My Life Studio is based out of Virginia, where Hillary paints out of her home. She is an artist who finds beauty in the stark contrast of the modern silhouette, transforming photographs into paintings to create unique works of art. I am absolutely in love with Hillary's work--just everything about her style is so modern yet so nostalgic. And how fun is this little fact: her degree is Italian Cultural Studies. She's like the modern female Michaelangelo ;)

Oh how her art complements a gallery wall just so! When working with Hillary, you get to be a big part of the process. Once you've sent Hillary your photograph, she then creates a black and white proof that you approve before paint touches canvas. You also choose the colors you want your painting to be, which is so perfect if you are having a custom print made for a specific place in your home, or want to go with something a bit untraditional--like metallic gold or mint (those would be my color choices…)

Hillary has a blog where she continually adds her recent work. You can visit her site here and find out more about pricing, browse her portfolio, and get to know how cute her family is. I have a few family photographs of all of my cousins when we were growing up together, and I may need to dig them out and invest in one of HIllary's paintings for our home (although, I am super tempted to have her paint our dog Shelby, how darling is that dog on the beach up top?!)