Foodie Friday : Farmer's Markets

It's just about farmer's market time! Our local Saturday market starts at the beginning of May and runs through October or November. While I get most of my veggies from a CSA (which I highly HIGHLY recommend as a wonderful thing to do, if it is offered in your area), it is still nice to take a walk to the market each Saturday and scope out the offerings. Our market is well-known for fresh-baked donuts-- the donut line sometimes wraps all the way around the parking lot where the market is held!


Why bother shopping at a farmer's market? Well, the biggest reason for me is the quality of the food. The vendors are local, meaning your food is fresher because it comes from a shorter distance than the food you would see in the grocery store. Which also means there's less of an environmental impact because your food doesn't travel as far to get to you (I think I've read that the average meal made from typical grocery store ingredients travels ~2,000 miles to get to your plate... Insanity!). Fresher food also tastes better, and is more nutritious.




Plus, you get to support a farmer or food maker directly--your money isn't going to a big company like Dole or Kellogg's and the big-budget advertising associated with companies like that. [From this site: "Commercial farmers get only twenty-five cents of every dollar’s worth of produce sold in supermarkets. At the Farmers’ market, they get the whole dollar, then pay a small amount of rent – often only 5 percent of sales."]

It is so amazing to buy from people who are passionate about their product, because they were so involved in creating or growing it, whether it be heirloom tomatoes, artisan cheeses, fresh baked bread, local honey or pasture-raised organic chicken eggs. They are great for answering questions you may have, or offering tips or recipes (and often free samples!).

If you aren't a regular farmer's market visitor, maybe this year can be the year for you! To find a farmer's market in your area, visit the Local Harvest website (be sure to select "Farmer's Market" from the menu and type in your zip code). This site can also be used to find CSA's near you! Happy (fresh) eating. :)

Art Journal Pages

I'm feeling short on words today (and perhaps too heavy on thoughts) so I thought I'd share some more of my art journal pages for Elsie and Rachel's "Tell Your Story" class. I'm finding the class to be really good for me, as I've never made a daily practice out of journaling and I find the process to be very therapeutic. I really love how the bike page came out :) [Click on each photo to go to my Flickr if you'd like to read the words or see the details larger.]

GPOYCW

What's that, you say? Gratuitous Picture of Your Cat Wednesday! (Because apparently, GPOYW is a real thing, but I don't like pictures of myself as much as the kitty).

Meet my co-author for the day. She decided she wanted to help me write, so she came and sat on my lap--paws on the counter, eyes on the computer screen, ready to point out any edits or changes she has. Doesn't she look like she's disapproving? A bad comma placement, maybe, or perhaps she thinks I need a better opening?


I was inspired by Lillyella's post a few weeks ago profiling all the pups of Robyn of The Fancy Lamb. And I realized that I haven't given a proper introduction to my furry companion!

Name: Misfit, formerly known as Tinkerbell (blech)

Nicknames: Fit, The Fit, Fiddles, Fitter-Fat, Miss Fitty, Kitty, Skitz, Spaz, Psycho

Adoption Story: Misfit originally belonged to my husband's sister, who unfortunately named her Tinkerbell. After about a year of owning Tinkerbell, Sister-in-law rediscovered her allergies towards cats and decided she could no longer keep her. I couldn't bear to have her head to a shelter, so we took her in to our college apartment (where cats were not allowed). We promptly renamed her Misfit, which we feel suits her much better. We've had some rough patches, based entirely on what we refer to as Misfit's "defective personality," but, as big of a pain as she can be, I love her to pieces.

Age: 4 1/2 - 5 years old

Breed: 100% Domestic shorthair. 62% demon. Quite possibly part squirrel, and at times part dog.

Favorite Foods: Tuna, cheddar cheese, maple syrup, banana nut muffins, plastic bags (bad kitty!)

Favorite Activities: Yowling [She is the loudest cat I've ever heard in my life. Neighbors can hear her through the walls.] Chasing beams of light. Spazzing. Licking our dinner plates. Chewing on plastic bags. Trying to escape her indoor confines only to FREAK THE F OUT as soon as she gets outside. Pounching on feet under covers. Suckling on fuzzy blankets. Using milk rings and emery boards as toys more than as her actual toys. Chirping at squirrels and birds. "Talking back" when we scold her. Begging to be rubbed (but don't dare to ever pick her up). Staring at you until you're sure you must have a piece of spinach in your teeth or something. She's loud when I want her to be quiet, and when I have time to play with her, she usually looks like this:


She's a complete pain in the butt, but I love her. I love when she chases the cursor on the computer screen. I love that she greets me at the door when I come home, and hates it when we are gone too long. I love that she prefers it when I rub her head with my nose than if I use my hand. She's a lovebug, even if she doesn't like to admit it.

<3

All About TTV Photography

Hi friends! I hope everyone had lovely weekends! I skipped posting yesterday, because I was totally annoyed with myself. I had planned out a week's worth of Earth Day-related posts... for this week. When Earth Day was last week. BAH! I completely mixed up my weeks, so I feeling a bit grouchy with myself. BLOGGER FAIL. I suppose I could post them anyways, since everyday should be Earth Day! :) But for now, I want to talk about a fun style of photography!


I have had some people asking me about TTV photography lately. I am FAR FAR FAR from an expert--in fact, I'd definitely put myself in the beginner category--but since TTV takes a bit of research and preparation and I have done that part already, I wanted to share my sources with you all!

First off, what is TTV? TTV stands for "Through the Viewfinder." What that means is you take your regular digital SLR camera (or even a point and shoot camera) and literally take a picture down through the viewfinder of a vintage twin-lens reflex camera (TLR). This allows you to have the advantage of shooting digitally (read: no expensive film needed), but still retain the qualities of the vintage twin lens camera. The resulting images are somewhat soft and dreamy, with a characteristic dark, distressed border.

The camera on the left is a typical TLR.
Where do you buy a twin lens reflex camera? Keep an eye on thrift shops and antique stores for cheap bargains, or head to Ebay. TTV photography is getting pretty popular, so there are often bidding wars on the popular kinds of cameras. Many people like the Kodak Duaflex, although versions II-IV of this camera have a viewfinder shield that can sometimes get in the way of your photos. I personally own an Argus Super 75, a Kodak Duaflex I (which doesn't have a viewfinder shield), and an Argoflex. Right now I prefer the Argus Super 75, because it has a huge viewfinder. A comparison of several types of TLR's can be found here. When buying, you don't need to worry about whether the camera actually works, but only that you can see an image clearly through the viewfinder. It doesn't even need to be super clean-- I for one like the "personality" that the little dust specks add to the final photo.


As for your digital camera, you might want to use a macro lens for best results so that you can get as close to the viewfinder of the TLR as possible. If you don't have a macro lens (I don't...yet), you can buy a cheap set of macro filters on Amazon for about $13. I shot all these TTV photos with a nifty-50 (50mm f/1.8) which I had been advised not to use, but I don't think the photos came out too bad! If you are using a point and shoot camera, set your camera to macro mode.


Next, in order to block out light so you can get the best image captured with your digital camera, you need to make a light-blocking tube. The tube goes around the top viewfinder of the twin lens, and to take a photo, you put your digital camera in the top of the tube and focus on the viewfinder of the TLR. Wonderful instructions for making a light-blocking tube are can be found on Russ Morris' Flickr page here (including a link to downloading the tutorial).

Once you have a TLR and a light-blocking tube, you can get to shooting photos! It takes some getting used to, because you feel like you're looking into a periscope! And everything is reversed because of the TLR camera, so you have to get used to moving in the opposite direction you think you should when composing your shots. After shooting your photos, you'll need to crop the excess black out of the photo, which can be done in any photo editing software. Many people also like to use Photoshop actions on their TTV photos to make them "pop." Good sources for these actions are Pioneer Woman's action set and the Urban Acid action (Urban Acid is #69 on this page).

More resources:
- A great overview on Photojojo.
- Andrea Jenkins, aka Hula Seventy, who was my TTV teacher at Squam. She has several TTV links on her own blog here (scroll down to the post titled "about this 'through the viewfinder' thing.")
- TTV Flickr group. Be sure to check out the discussion board, where many questions can be answered.

Has anyone else tried TTV photography? What do you think of TTV images? Let me know if you have any questions!

Foodie Friday : Asparagus-ness [and a Freebie!]

Tis the season of asparagus! While I definitely don't love the smelly pee that accompanies it, asparagus is one of my favorite springtime foods. I love that it can be wonderfully delicious in its simple glory--just tossed in olive oil and salt and lightly grilled (on either a grill pan or a real grill)--or dressed up in a number of ways. Two of my recent favorite asparagus recipes have been Asparagus Pesto Pasta and Asparagus Mushroom Quiche. To spread my love of these verdant spears, I have designed some recipe cards featuring these two recipes!


To download your own copy of the recipe cards, click here. This link will take you to Google Documents preview, where you can download the PDF from the link at the top of the page. [And the Google preview might look a little fuzzy, but once you download it will all be perfectly clear - no worries!]

The size of the recipe cards in the PDF match the standard large-sized recipe cards (5.75" x 4"), so if you'd like, you can cut the printed asparagus recipes out and adhere them to a standard card for sturdiness. Just paste the picture on one side of a recipe card and the instructions on the reverse side.

Enjoy!
xoxo, Caiti

Various Updates + Thursday Things : Buy Olympia

Oh my word. I LOVE how neurotic you readers are!! I had a total blast reading through all the comments on my last post. We have a wonderfully strange group here-- some who hate wind in their face, who have very particular sleeping habits, who require perfectly parallel objects, and (I think this is my favorite) who cannot stand the sound of paper being peeled off a popsicle. This last one reminded me of another one of my own-- I HATE the sound that styrofoam and cotton balls make when you squeeze them. THE HORROR! So I thank you all for sharing your strangeness with me. So fun. [And if you haven't joined in the fun, feel free to comment now!]

In other news, I wanted to thank Carrie at Style Statement for recently featuring my "Bohemian Simplicity" profile on her blog. I really enjoy reading about other people's statements, so I loved having the chance to share my own story with Carrie's readers.

I also wanted to let you know that I have created two blog widgets (which can be seen in the left column of the blog) for those who might like to spread the love for the Caitidid Designs blog. That would be much appreciated! If you'd like to post my widget on your blog, just grab the code in the box, and add it to a sidebar on your blog. Thank you! Next up is to add a blogroll onto my site! Yay!

Now onto our regularly scheduled programming-- Thursday Things! Today I wanted to feature an online shop that I just love. I found Buy Olympia several years ago, when I was VERY nerd-ily looking for a "Reading is Sexy" t-shirt that I saw Rory Gilmore wearing on "Gilmore Girls."


A short internet search led me to Buy Olympia, which is an online shop that was started to give artists in the upper Northwest a place to sell handmade goods online. Many featured artists are quite well known in the indie community and include The Black Apple, Nikki McClure, and Jill Bliss. The goods are wonderful and quirky, and many feature my beloved Portland, Oregon, so it's no wonder I like the shop so much. Here are some Buy Olympia items on my wishlist.

This is how I roll T-shirt
Nikki McClure Mushroom Tote
Reading is Sexy Mug
Puckish 3-Way Handbag

Have a wonderful Thursday everyone!
xoxo, Caiti

I am neurotic and so are you.

While browsing in Borders one day, I came across this book, and I found it hilarious. Each page details an anonymous neurosis, illustrated with a photograph. It kind of reminds me of Post Secret, without so much sadness. Here are some examples from the book:



I probably find it so funny because I recognize that I am full of neuroses of my own. I mentioned before that I can't stand the smell of scrabbled eggs cooking and sometimes speak in a British accent unintentionally. But these are pretty tame revelations; I have loads more. So I will share some with you today, and invite you to share your neuroses in the comments!

1. I'm terrified of snowplows. I have to put my head under a pillow when I hear one drive by with it's shovel scraping the road. I was almost run over by one when I was about 9, so it's not a completely irrational fear, but sometimes I imagine them talking to me like Kevin's basement furnace in 'Home Alone.'

2. [Warning: Kind of gross] I completely panic if anyone acts like they're going pull a nail off of my fingers or toes. Like hardcore freakout. I must have been tortured by Jack Bauer in a previous life.

3. With ink pens, I will ONLY use black ink, but if it's a ball point pen, it has to be blue.

4. I REFUSE to open tubes of Pillsbury rolls because I can't handle the anticipation of the impending explosion of bursting dough. It honestly makes my heart race.

5. I eat apple pie and cheddar cheese together. Now, I think this is completely normal and even common in parts of Europe, but my husband thinks I'm disgusting. I also like chocolate chip cookies and cheese together. That is admittedly more disgusting.

6. I once organized my CD collection by how much I liked the cover design. [Hello design neurosis! I think most designers are pretty neurotic people.]

7. I am ridiculously talented at picking out celebrity voice-overs in commercials, but it makes me totally irate when I can't figure one out.

8. I have problems eating food that is only one texture, particularly of the mushy variety. I must have toast with my scrambled eggs, nuts in my oatmeal, and I will NEVER touch rice pudding. It's so... larvae-ish.

9. I have a huge problem with people other than my husband touching my face. Attempts often lead me to swatting hands and yelling NO like I'm scolding a young child.

10. Any of the most minor teeny tiny tingles in my head/brain make me think I might have a brain tumor.

Now it's your turn! What makes you neurotic?

Well Said : Via My Fortune Cookie

Foodie Friday : Adventures in Pretzel Making

My husband and I used to make it a regular weekend treat to go to the mall in our college town and get a soft pretzel from Auntie Anne's (which I think I call Aunt Annie's 90% of the time). We'd grab free samples from the food court vendors (in retrospect, EW, but give us a break, we were broke college kids!) and then head over for a buttery, salty pretzel. There's an Aunt Annie's in the train station that my husband commutes to each day, so he sometimes brings one home for me. But it just doesn't quite have the same "charm" as those mall dates had.

I decided I wanted to try my hand at making Auntie Anne's when I came across a copycat recipe (I think I found the recipe on a detour from searching for a copycat recipe of Red Lobster's cheddar biscuits). I used the recipe found HERE on Recipezaar. The only modification I made was that I used Earth Balance non-dairy butter instead of dairy butter on top.

And the results weren't bad at all, but still not quite Auntie Anne's. Mine turned out a little fatter and didn't brown quite as much. So, if you're interested in trying the recipe yourself, I'd recommend adding about 2-3 tablespoons of melted butter to the dough when you add the water/yeast mix, and I'd roll out your dough to be less than 1/2 inch thick before twisting. I'd also make sure the baking soda is completely dissolved in fairly hot water before you dip your pretzels in. This is what gives it the lovely brown outside, and I don't think I did this step quite right. But I still have half my dough left, so perhaps I will have better success with round two in terms of browning.

The fun part is the variety of toppings you can add. I went with half traditional butter and salt and half with butter and cinnamon sugar. Other options include chopped almonds, sesame seeds, garlic butter, etc. A lovely afternoon treat, if I don't say so myself. And I didn't have to go to the mall to get it!

Q&A : How about You?

I know many of you read Rachel Denbow's blog, Smile and Wave. Yesterday she posted this little meme so I thought I'd share my answers with you all. If any Indie Biz people have posted answers on your own blog, feel free to link in the comments!

1. When do you feel happiest?
I feel happiest when I'm doing something creative, or being with people I love. Pretty much anytime I'm doing an activity where I'm not thinking so darn much, which is what usually stops me from being happy.

2. How do you take care of yourself?
I eat (and LOVE) veggies and whole grains! (Seriously, I feel horrible now if I don't get enough greens per day or if I eat junk food.) I exercise at the gym occasionally, and do yoga. I start my running program on Monday. I art journal and write when I'm trying to process my thoughts. I laugh a lot.

3. Are you internally (by yourself) or externally (by others) motivated?
The insecure part of me is definitely looking for others' approval, but the confident part of me is completely internally motivated, looking for only my own peace and satisfaction.

4. What do you do for fun?
Art journal, paint, take photos, cook, blog, read, go out to eat with my husband, browse in bookstores, sit in the park with a book, go have tea and scones at a cafe, visit the farmer's market, hike, go camping, go to art fairs.

5. What intimidates you?
My future, since I have no idea what's going to happen. Worrying that I'm not going to be able to make things happen that I want to happen.

6. What is something you're proud of?
Running a mile for the first time in my life (which I talked about here), and setting the goal to do a running program.

7. Finish this sentence. I never _____________.
I never want to live in fear of the future or regret of the past. (Looking at #5, I'm already not doing so well with this!)

8. Favorite vacation spot.
Nationally: New Orleans, Louisiana and The Smokey Mountains, Tennessee.
Internationally: Tortuguero, Costa Rica and Heidelberg, Germany.

9. Today is a (rate from 1 - 10).
Eight - It's still pretty early, so I have a lot of hope for the day. My husband is off taking the biggest test of his life today and tomorrow-- his licensing exam for his profession-- so I am a bit of a ball of nerves on his behalf right now.

10. Finish this sentence. If you knew me really well you'd know _____________.
That some words I speak come out with a British accent without even trying.
That I hate the smell of scrambled eggs cooking more than anything else.
That I LONG to move to Portland, Oregon.
That I consider a new career path pretty much weekly.
That love to meet new people and make new friends but I often act really quiet and shy at first, which makes it super difficult for me.
That I regularly swing between sarcastic and witty to sensitive and introspective.
That I'm CLEARLY an INFP and an Aquarius, through and through.


Ok, that was fun! I hope to be back later today with a Foodie Friday post, provided that the clouds clear a little bit and I can get some sun to take pictures for the post!

Thursday Things : Shim and Sons

I am so happy that Jessica at Window Ledge Arts pointed me to the Etsy shop of Shim and Sons out of Portland, Oregon. [Side note: I'm constantly and totally amazed at the talent that comes out of Portland. Seriously, there must be something in the water there. It's no wonder that my hubby and I have long planned to move there!].

Shim and Sons makes beautiful office decor, like mouse pads, fabric covered thumbtacks, and pencil cups as well as some personal accessories and paper goods. I WANT. I'm even in need of a mouse pad! Now I just have to decide which one to choose...





Wonderful eye candy, isn't it?

Thoughts on: Accomplishment

I have been thinking about something since my last blog post, something that is challenging me right now. I wrote about my feelings towards my artwork, and took note of how happy I was with the way the city paintings came out. And this happiness was a legitimate surprise to me. Yes, it is quite rare that I feel proud of what I accomplish. Of course, as a creative person I love the ACT of doing and creating, but when it comes to the end product, I just kind of put it aside and start on the next thing like it's no big deal. Or I don't even get as far as an end product because I abandon projects halfway through if I don't think they're going to turn out well.

I'm sure the reasons for this are many. I know I sometimes looks to other people for external validation or recognition. I remember going through school and feeling somewhat deflated that my scholastic achievements became something to be expected in my family-- I was just the kid who got A's, so there wasn't a reason for my family to be overly praising or proud of what I had done. Many of my past jobs have also been support positions for companies, which tended to be fairly thankless jobs.

I'm now seeing how important it is for me to be my own cheerleader, my own best friend, and to not wait for anyone else to fill in those holes. I really think I need to challenge myself to sit with my accomplishments-- to finish a project or a goal and celebrate what I've done.

I noticed I was successfully able to do this recently when--don't laugh--I ran a mile non-stop for the first time IN MY LIFE. Even as a kid I couldn't do it. I was the kid coming in last during the mile-run test in grade school at probably 14 or 15 minutes. "Athletic" is probably the LAST word you'd use to describe me. But last year, I began working out and lost about 12 pounds in a few months. Then right after I was laid off from my job, I started running on the treadmill, pushing myself a little further every day. It wasn't fun, and running kind of felt like death. But it wasn't long before I ran a mile. And damn, I was proud of myself! (And that was not the "runner's high" talking; I still have yet to experience that. I personally think it's a lie ;)

So, this brings me to my big announcement. I am starting a running program, the "Couch to 5k" to be exact. Much of this has to do with my desire to feel accomplished about something. I want to do what I think I absolutely cannot do, to do something only for me, and to celebrate how far I can go, literally and figuratively.

I've created my "Run Run Rudolph" playlist. I've logged onto Mapmyrun.com. I've bought the Oprah-approved bra for girls with big "girls." :) I'm on schedule to start the program next Monday. Here goes nothing, and I'm cheering myself on.

PS- Donna Downey, who inspired my city painting, is also an incredible inspiration when it comes to getting healthy and going from a non-runner to running a half-marathon! Read her story here.

Weekend Projects

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, and that you had as pretty weather as we did in Chicagoland!

I was a busy bee this weekend and the end of last week. Hubby and I had some major spring cleaning going down, plus lots of walks outside, and delicious lunch at a local Italian restaurant. Hubby also surprised me with a yummy vegan raspberry chocolate cupcake from Bleeding Heart Bakery, which I realized I should have snapped a picture of after I had already snarfed about 2/3 of the cupcake. But take my word for it, it was beautiful. And delicious.

I also had some time to get a bit crafty. Under my messy desk, I found a canvas that I had glued some collage papers to previously, so I got my paints out and just started painting, not sure where I was going with it when I started. I ended up with the painting on the right, and it was so much fun that I wanted to keep painting city buildings so I added the smaller one. It fits in with our brightly-colored bedroom quite well. I LOVE these. GAH. I don't normally say that about my paintings, but these were just so fun!


It's a bit Donna Downey-inspired in the color palette, paint drippies and the big heart. For the buildings, I was inspired by a cityscape shower curtain I saw in the latest CB2 catalog. The words on the painting read, "Home is wherever I'm with you," which are some lyrics from a very catchy tune called "Home" from Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.

Next, I decided to art journal for the first time in months. These pages were created for the bonus lesson from the Tell Your Story online class.



And after an inspired and creative weekend, I'm feeling a little blah on this Monday. I think I might try taking a walk to perk myself up a bit. Hope you all are having a good day! xoxo.

Friday Randomness

This YouTube video is the best video in the history of videos. At least in my cat-obsessed mind. You cannot possibly have a bad day after watching this.


Doesn't this cat look awesomely formal standing up? Like he's just waiting for you to help him put his tuxedo on or something. And I love the half-wave. You know you've done it-- kind of started to wave at somebody you thought you knew, but wait, that's not them. We've all done it.

In other news, Foodie Friday will be making a comeback. I've been re-inspired to talk about my foodventures. I thought about starting a whole separate blog, but that's far too much work for as infrequently as I would be posting. So perhaps I will be back later today to share a Foodie Friday post... Perhaps I will make homemade Auntie Anne's/Aunt Annie's (I can never keep it straight) pretzels as a treat (which are vegan if you get them without the butter brushed on top!). But perhaps I'm going to be too lazy to do that. Either way, Foodie Friday will be back next week, if not today. But probably next week. :)

Rules for Being Human

Squam Lake, New Hampshire, September 2009
Yesterday, I was shuffling through my journaling supplies, gathering bits and bobs for Rachel and Elsie's upcoming "Tell Your Story" art journaling online class. I happened to come across some papers from my classes at Squam last year, and found a list called "The Rules for Being Human" that my teacher, Judy Wise, wisely passed along to us. Just wanted to share it with you dear readers, and perhaps you might find some food for thought :)

The Rules for Being Human

When you were born, you didn't come with an owner's manual; these guidelines make life work better.

1. You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it's the only thing you are sure to keep for the rest of your life.

2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called "Life on Planet Earth." Every person or incident is the Universal Teacher.

3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of experimentation. "Failures" are as much a part of the process as "success."

4. A lesson is repeated until learned. It is presented to you in various forms until you learn it - then you can go on to the next lesson.

5. If you don't learn easy lessons, they get harder. External problems are a precise reflection of your internal state. When you clear inner obstructions, your outside world changes. Pain is how the universe gets your attention.

6. You will know you've learned a lesson when your actions change. Wisdom is practice. A little of something is better than a lot of nothing.

7. "There" is no better than "here." When your "there" becomes a "here" you will simply obtain another "there" that again looks better than "here."

8. Others are only mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another unless it reflects something you love or hate in yourself.

9. Your life is up to you. Life provides the canvas; you do the painting. Take charge of your life - or someone else will.

10. You always get what you want. Your subconscious rightfully determines what energies, experiences, and people you attract - therefore, the only foolproof way to know what you want is to see what you have. There are no victims, only students.

11. There is no right or wrong, but there are consequences. Moralizing doesn't help. Judgment only holds the patterns in place. Just do your best.

12. Your answers lie inside you. Children need guidance from others; as we mature, we trust our hearts, where the Laws of Spirit are written. You know more than you have heard or read or been told. All you need to do is to look, listen and trust.

13. You will forget all this.

14. You can remember any time you wish.

(Author is listed as Unknown, but some Googling reveals it is from the book "If Life is a Game, These are the Rules" by Cherie Carter-Scott)

Indie Biz Talk : I've been Minted!

"Overcaffeinated" Men's Stationery available on Minted
I'm quite proud to share that one of my designs was selected as a Jury's Pick in the most recent Minted stationery design contest, and it is now for sale! I had been a little nervous about whether a somewhat playful design would be appropriate in the men's category, but I got a lot of great feedback on the design.

It was my goal to sell at least one piece of artwork or design outside of my freelance design work, and I'm so happy to check that off my "27 Things to Do Before I Turn 28" list! Congrats to all the other winners as well!

"Lazy Millennials" : A Bit of a Rant

Image from weheartit.
On Saturday, my husband shared an article with me that ran on the front page of MSNBC.com. It has since been removed for some reason, but the headline read, "Work ethic not defining factor for millennials - Are twentysomethings really spoiled and lazy? Survey suggests it's true."

This is far from the first time I have heard people talk about the laziness or entitlement of the generation of 20-somethings. And it really rubs me the wrong way. I hate these broad brushstrokes of an entire generation. I imagine the writer of such articles is a curmudgeonly old man who is bent out of shape because we youngin's seem to want it all without working endlessly for it.

I don't think it's laziness in any way. I really think it is a re-prioritization of values compared to our parents' and grandparents' generation which has made us carefully consider what role work plays in our lives.

Maybe it's the fact that many of us are the now-unemployed victims of the bad economy, and have realized that "strong work ethic" won't make us any more likely to be off the chopping block during the many rounds of layoffs. Jobs are not stable entities. To put so much thankless work into an institution that can (and often does) cast you aside as soon as business get rough is not worth the the unwavering loyalty and attention--which typically comes at the expense of our health, relationships, stress-level, etc. Maybe we dare to ask ourselves, what's the point of it all?

Maybe it's because we are immersed in an era of sustainability and environmental concern, where we see the errors of over-consumption and over-production.

Maybe we're learning to live with less, due to having emerged into adulthood during a recession. We're seeing how it's not the belongings and STUFF that we have that make our lives what it is. It's the people, the relationships, the way experience life, our passions. And none of those things are found inside a cubicle, in front of a computer.

Maybe it's because we are so connected online and exposed to 20-somethings who are living their dreams that it makes it seem possible for us to pursue our own dreams outside of traditional jobs--whether that be owning and running a crafty business, running online courses and self-publishing books, or running a location-independent business from anywhere in the world. These people aren't working in traditional corporate jobs, but NO ONE can argue that they don't have an INCREDIBLE and highly-motivated work ethic, dedicating hours and days and late nights to their passions. But they are using their work ethic to create a vision of their life that works for THEM, not anybody else.

So perhaps "work ethic," in the traditional sense, might not be first on my list of personal qualities, but I'll tell you what is there-- an unwavering passion to live a creative life, the commitment to be present for my family, a budding entrepreneurial spirit. I am an environmentalist, a traveler, an artist, a constant learner, a foodie, a blogger... NOT just an employee. And I don't think that's so bad. I work to live, not live to work.

Well Said : Anais Nin

My Style Statement

Last week I wrote about my favorite indie business books, and I talked a bit about "Style Statement" by Carrie McCarthy and Danielle LaPorte (which, by the way, is listed on Amazon for $3.51 right now!). In a nutshell, the book helps you create a statement of two words that represents who you are at your essence. The first word represents your 80%--your foundation or core--and the second word is your 20%, or your creative edge. Through identifying our style statement, we can have a touchstone to best represent ourselves through our work, our dress/decor, our relationships and the way we live our lives.

The book contains beautifully photographed profiles of people and their personal artifacts. Since I have recently finished up the book's exercises and determined my style statement, I was inspired to put together a depiction of my own statement. I plan on printing this out and keeping it over my desk so that I can remind myself of my strong points and aesthetic preferences. As I am starting to create a line of event invitations and personal stationery, this is a great way for me to keep my style at the core of my work.



Bohemian
Spirit: The ultimate champion and devotee of the arts, taking a stand for self-expression and creative liberty. Bohemian derives soul-deep satisfaction from generating their own creative momentum and helping others to be seen, heard, and rewarded for what they do. Bohemian adores the unconventional, quirky, avant-garde, and slightly or outrageously offbeat. Bohemian is a free spirit, free thinker, a traveler of the world and of the mind.

Look and Feel: Bohemian loves to be up-to-date with design and often combine what's current with and ecclectic collection of art, trinkets, and keepsakes. Culturally sophisticated: from high art to street punk. Wild, modern, edgy, offbeat, unconventional.

Simplicity
clear, clarity, direct, ease, elemental, honest, humble, integrity, intelligible, modest, natural, open, pure, quiet, restrained, sincere, straightforward, unity
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My dream home is: A smallish bungalow-style house in the outskirts of a city. Front porch with a swing. Three bedrooms (master, studio, guest/kids). Wood floors. Updated kitchen with an island. Possibly an attic room. Backyard with a private patio. Located walking distance to neighborhood shops/restaurants. Close to public transportation to the city. In a creative community like Portland/Seattle. Green/sustainable/eco-friendly city.

I feel out of place: Networking and making small talk. When I'm forced to be in extremely corporate environments. Anywhere I feel I have to repress my true self because people don't understand me.

Celebrity-style I resonate with: Zooey Deschanel - comfort, style, quirk, vaguely '40s style. Maggie Gyllenhaal - glamorous but unique. Amelie - quirky European vintage.

My future tattoo:A bird on a tree branch, done in a watercolor-like style. Representing freedom. On my left shoulder/back.

Favorite fabrics: Linen, knits, cotton, some silk, a little wool for texture. Soft, natural. Comfortable.

What I love most about myself is: My open-mindedness towards people and ideas. I'm proud to be someone who continuously wants to learn and expand, whether that be intellectually, creatively, through travel or through other people.

I am my best self when: I'm creating or learning. When my surroundings are clean and open/breezy. My best self is fully relaxed, peaceful, engaged, inspired and loving.

Negative qualities in people I can't handle: Close-mindedness. Overly pessimistic. Self-centered. Materialistic. Disregard for others or the environment.

Nightmare job: In finance working for a mega corporation, in a cubicle. Being a cog in a machine, trying to make big money for someone else's benefit.

Muses/Inspiration: Kelly Rae Roberts, Elsie Flannigan, Susannah Conway, Denise Andrade/Boho Girl, Leo Babauta

Works that inspire me: The films Amelie and Eternal Sunshine. The books and art of Sabrina Ward Harrison.

My tribe is: Artistic/creative, funny, open, honest, and shares deeply.

Favorite Flower: Poppies - bold and charming. Individualistic. Non-conformist.

What would you like to revolutionize? How people connect with one another. How people can and should be their most authentic and creative selves. I want to change the definition of successful. I want to live simply and fully.

Bohemian means to me: Ecclectic, widely inspired, artistic, creative, worldly, openminded, always looking for the story, traveler.

Simplicity means to me: Essential, to the point, honest, gratitude for what I have, peaceful, open, freedom.
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Has anyone else figured out their style statement words? Please do share!