living artfully

august eats

It's full-on summer in all its glory. And maybe it's the heat, but I'm feeling sluggish and disappointed. Bummed that I haven't been soaking up my favorite parts of the season: great local produce, farmers markets, and sunny breezy days.

So I'm changing things up for August. Here are my three ground rules:

1. Less meat
2. Less alcohol
3. Walking 30 minutes a day

 
zucchini carpaccio salad

The emphasis will be whole foods, fresh produce, and feeling good. I won't be eating strictly vegetarian, but close to it. This is the kind of food that makes me sustainably happy (a lot more so than the junk I think I'll enjoy).

We have some old favorites and some new recipes on the horizon this week...
- zucchini carpaccio salad
- crema de guacamole
- fettuccine with asparagus puree
- pesto couscous
- spaghetti squash with fresh tomatoes and parmesan
- quinoa black bean salad

In my search for new recipe ideas, I'm now hopelessly addicted to a ton more food blogs. Occassionaly great recipe blogs make me lose my mind and think I should start one, too! Maybe you wouldn't mind too much if I share a food photo or recipe from time to time? :)

hugs, sharyn

one little word check-in

We're nearly a quarter of the way into 2011! Where does the time go?! My one little word for the year is simplify.

 
 Studio Calico OLW challenge by Davinie Fiero

Some of my favorite ways this word is influencing me this year? The less is more philosophy has helped us to streamline a variety of things, from our purchases to our mealplans. We found a super-useful (and free!) online system for keeping track of our budget and savings goals. And we're meal planning with easier recipes, two weeks at a time. That planning time up-front equals less grocery trips, less obsessing over what to make at the last minute, and less time spent on preparing food. Love it!

We still have other changes in mind, like cleaning out our ca-raaaazy basement. And I'd love to change up our cleaning routine with simple homemade cleaners (that are hopefully more ecofriendly, too!). And of course just continuing to think about what we're bringing into the house and what we're committing to. The "simplify" approach is helping us focus on needs vs wants, and on whether something is worth our time and/or money.

How are you doing with your one little word?

hiatus

As February comes to a close, I've been reflecting on the unannounced and unexpected hiatus around here. Just a week into January, I found out I'd be taking a promotion at work. I used to think I could pull it all off... that the demands of a new job couldn't interfere that much with my blogging and scrapbooking. Gosh, was I wrong!

It was enough to make me question if blogging is a sustainable hobby. It's something I love and I don't know if I could bear to close my blog. But on the other hand, I don't like to do a poor job of anything I do; it's the perfectionist in me. Will I have a nagging feeling of inadequacy for blogging only once or twice per week, if that? Will I be satisfied with my posts when I don't have much time for creative projects in the first place?

I'm trying to hush the inner critic. To push on with what little time I have. Because I feel more like me when I'm in a creative space. Maybe this is just a cycle, the natural ebb and flow of both time and energy.

Have you found yourself challenged before with the question of whether to keep blogging? Would love to hear what helped you find your own personal answer.

 

one little word

Happy 2011 everyone! I hope it's been an enjoyable and restful holiday season for you. I still can't get over how fast it all flies!

I'm welcoming 2011 with open arms and looking forward to all it has to bring. This year, I'm helping to organize my goals and actions with Ali Edwards' one little word idea. I like the focus of dedicating yourself to one word or one concept; and I've found it's manageable and helpful to carry the thought throughout the year. For 2011, my word will be...
 
I'm planning to simplify in multiple areas of my life. I truly believe less = more, and I don't want to be weighed down by excess.

Creatively, it doesn't mean less scrapbooking or less blogging. But I have way more supplies than I need, so I'll be focusing on reducing my stash by buying less and making more. And I plan to give better thought to which classes I participate in, so I don't find myself bogged down or uninspired when a class really isn't the answer.

Around the home, we're planning a top to bottom clean-out, with things we don't need or use going to rummage or donation. And this will be the perfect time to reorganize drawers and closets so everything is presented in a simple and easy-to-find manner.

And as you can probably guess, we love to cook and bake. Our tendency is to make lengthy complicated dishes or go out to eat. So we're simplifying our grocery shopping and starting to menu plan. If any of you have tips on meal planning or have templates you work with, please share! There will be less dinners out and more wholesome and easy-to-prepare meals at home.

I've always been intrigued by the zen habits blog, but haven't taken enough time to truly explore. As part of my approach to simplify, I'm looking forward to spending some quality reading time there. I'm so excited for my word this year and all the ways it can help shape my actions.

I'm still thinking about how I want to display my word this year. I came across this box sign by primitives by kathy.

 

I think it may be the starting inspiration for something I make on my own. I'm also thinking of scrapping my one little word, inspired by the studio calico challenge.

And in case you need a little more word inspiration, I came across this lovely poster on Tina Aszmus' blog.



It's a free download! Can't wait to print and hang it up in my scraproom.

So what's your plan for one little word for 2011? Did you choose a word? Please share!

  

happy anniversary

 

Oh how time flies when you're having fun... Happy three years, my love!!

 

minty love

 

My flavor this Christmas is mint. It's official: I'm in love! I just can't get enough of all things minty. My husband, on the other hand, has an obsession for anything eggnog flavored. As we get into the Christmas spirit, smells and treats are just another way for us to feel festive and to enjoy the season. So my minty love is showing up all over the house!


We're all stocked up on Twisted Peppermint lotion and hand soap from Bath and Body Work. It has a minty smell without being overpowering. And there's a sweetness to the scent that comes from vanilla and white sugar. If Bath and Body Works weren't so expensive, I'd probably have Twisted Peppermint three-wick candles in every room, too! 

And I'm getting my mint fix with my coffee every morning, too. With my cup at home, I'm enjoying a splash of CoffeeMate's peppermint mocha creamer. This is my first season buying this flavor; for past Christmases, I always bought the gingerbread creamer. This has been a yummy change!

 
 
And if I want to splurge, my drink of the moment at Starbucks is their peppermint mocha. Sometimes with white chocolate instead of milk chocolate :)  It's a rich drink, even without whip, so it's a nice treat to have every once in a while.

 

And for a minty treat to go with my coffee: Trader Joe's Candy Cane Joe Joe's. Seriously, they are unbelievably yummy. They look like an Oreo, but somehow manage to be so much better. If you are anywhere near a Trader Joe's, try these cookies!

 

And just a few treats, doubling as Christmas decor. Green candy canes, mint mini Hershey bars, and mint truffle Hershey kisses (which are also our advent calendar treat). The mint truffle Kisses are my favorite!

 

And verging on obsessed, even candy canes seem extra cute to me lately. And paired with the Starbucks logo = irresistable. Love drinking out of my new Christmas mug!

Okay cleary there is more than enough mint around here! And my poor husband, hardly anything eggnog flavored except actual eggnog. I fixed that by baking eggnog cupcakes... recipe to come soon!

What's your favorite flavor to enjoy this season?

 

live a better life

September is a big month for online classes! There are quite a few that I was tempted to join, like...

• Shimelle Laine's "Learn Something New Every Day"
• Elise Blaha's mini book workshop
• Cathy Zielske's "Me: The Abridged Version" at BPS
• Jessica Sprague's "This Old Photo: Restoring Vintage Snapshots" 
• Crystal Wilkerson & Kristina Proffitt's "Blog Design Basics"
• Willette's "Finding Your Joy: Capturing Your Life Thru Photos"

If only there were more hours in a day! I'm still thinking hard about "Me: The Abridged Version," but the rest I'm passing on for now. Instead, I'm using September for personal growth.

I learned about The Personal Excellence Blog through my blog friend Lee, who has a special talent for always sharing the most inspiring links in her thoughtful posts. The author of the Personal Excellence Blog, Celes, is inviting readers to join her in September for a challenge to Live a Better Life in 30 Days.

Every morning for the month of September, Celes will be sharing an activity that helps to move you toward living a better life. The activities, which take 15-45 minutes, will be posted on her blog or you can subscribe via email. I plan to keep a private journal and an open mind... depending on the activity, I may post about the challenges here, too.

I'm very excited to take this opportunity to grow a bit! Do you have any plans for classes in September?

 

creative style

In the last month, I haven't had as much time to be creative as I'm used to. I've also been feeling not quite myself. I've believed for a while now that I need time to be creative to be my best self and I can't help but think about the possible connection between my lack of creative time and my mood and energy levels.

I recently came across a quiz on creativity while reading 17 west lane. Have you thought about your relationship with your creativity? Take the quiz from Psychologies magazine to see their take on your creative style.

I wasn't surprised by my results and found the description mostly accurate. For me, creativity is a release.

For you, creativity is first and foremost a form of expression: it creates a special link between the internal and external worlds. It allows you to get a grasp of your powerful emotions, by moulding them into a physical form. In fact, the most important thing for you is to be able to release your emotions. You need to be able to touch them or look at them in concrete form, and to do that you have to find a way to make them come alive. This is how your desires and anxieties take shape. Keeping things bottled up creates a tension that can only be resolved once you have expressed how you feel. [...] Creativity is principally cathartic. It relieves a deep need, an almost primal, archaic impulse. For you, being creative is about having the power to give form to something you feel...

 

I really do believe that spending time doing creative things is cathartic to me, that it is something I need to do. I get so much joy out of scrapbooking, playing with our cameras, or testing new recipes in the kitchen.

Life is good right now, but busy. I'm going to relish every minute of creative time I get! I'd love to hear your thoughts on creativity and this quiz!

 

right now

Right now I am...

reading the omnivore's dilemma


listening to mumford and sons

starting to collect priti nail polish




celebrating his arrival one year ago this month
 

thinking about starting a recipe blog

starting to raise money for breast cancer research

preparing for my brother's wedding in October

spending way too much time at work

and generally missing all things crafty!

 

i am

After ten days unplugged in northern Wisconsin, I am...

• home!
• but kinda wishing I was still here

 

• full of creative energy
• excited to jump into love your pictures, love your pages
• not ready to go back to work on Monday
• very thankful for vacations with friends and family 

I hope to be back soon to share a few more photos of our up north adventure :)