November Intention Reflections

I chose the word "Give" as my Monthly Mantra for November. When I selected this word, I had grand plans of all the ways I could reach out and offer something of myself to others over the course of the month. While I had the best of intentions, I wasn't able to put into action nearly as many ideas as I had hoped.

However, I am concluding the month with an awareness of how I can regularly be in a giving mindset in my daily life. First, there are the obvious actions: giving time to serve others (such as volunteering); giving support (such as donating to an important cause); or giving goods (such as the many donations we made to Goodwill this month or contributing canned goods to a food pantry).

But, more importantly, I'm much more aware of the little movements. I'm being reminded that some of the greatest gifts we can give others are that of our attention, our love, our ears. That the intangibles of compassion, respect, and the act of being fully present for another goes much farther than physical gifts. This is an especially timely reminder as we approach the holiday season.

PS- Have you all heard about #reverb10? It's a project by Gwen Bell, Kaileen Elise and CaliGater which they describe as "online initiative to reflect on your year and manifest what’s next. The end of the year is an opportunity to reflect on what's happened, and to send out reverberations for the year ahead. With Reverb 10, we'll do both." Through daily prompts between December 1-31, participants will share blog posts, tweets, photos in a Flickr group to share their stories. Head to the website if you'd like to join in! I'm really excited to get started tomorrow!

New Favorite Place.

I'm pretty sure I have a new favorite place. This is the view from the great room of my parents' new lake house in northern Wisconsin. It's been a dream of theirs to retire to Wisconsin, and I'm so happy that they found a perfect, beautiful spot. Mark and I spent a few extremely peaceful and serene days there over Thanksgiving. I anticipate many more trips in our future, and many more hours staring out at the lake.

One of the coolest parts about the house is that it's only a few properties away from a family friend's place where my mom and step-dad took my brother and I when we were young, which was the same place where my step-dad vacationed when HE was young. I'm in love with the idea that our future kids will be able to experience vacations to the north woods like I did and that they will get to take part in a piece of my history. It warms my little heart, and makes me talk way too much about babies :)

Thankful.

First and foremost, I'm thankful for all my blog readers. I've had a crazy year, full of lots of upheaval and emotions, and I love that this blog has been a constant throughout it all. I've found some great online friends, and I hope to actually meet some more of you in real life someday!

I'm thankful for my hubby, who is my favorite person in the whole world, and the rest of my family.

I'm thankful for my new Miracle Balls (yes, the 10-year-old in me is giggling). With the ball exercises, I'm finally feeling some relief to my painful hamstring that had been preventing me from doing lots of things for months, including yoga and taking walks.

I'm thankful for my health.

I'm thankful for kitty snuggles, and living in a town where I don't need a car to get around, and for freshly baked bread, and for my cozy condo, which I've come to love.

I'm thankful for the new (and free!) Girl Talk album, which has kept me bouncing for days.

I'm thankful for my camera.

I'm thankful for the opportunities in my life. My so-called problems are incredibly insignificant when viewed from a wider perspective.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends.

Warby Parker - The Decision (...or lack thereof)

My favorite bespectacled gals! Look at them rockin' the big frames! Love love love.
Train Wrecks & Cat Fights from The Girls With Glasses on Vimeo.

Wow, what an opinionated group of readers I have! :) I thank you all for your comments and thoughts on the glasses; I truly appreciate your input! The first pair (Finn) was the definite favorite amongst those who commented.

In posting about the frames and reading the comments that followed, one of my odd personality traits became glaringly obvious-- I resist following popular opinion! I think my friend Stephanie hit the nail on the head with her comment... "I agree that #1 are the least noticeable of the lot. But I get the feeling these are your fun glasses, a little bit of a change."

That's exactly it. I think Warby Parker is all about fun and making a statement; not blending in. So even though there was love for the #1 pair, I felt it was just a little too... normal. I think my personal favorite is #3 (Japhy) followed by the #4 (Zagg), but after pondering them all, I realized the problem is that I'm not in love with them. So, although I still love the company, I'm holding off on jumping on the WP bandwagon... for now. Rumor is there might be a new collection coming out soon!

But since I really do need new glasses *right now* and I just got my prescription updated yesterday, I decided to be uber cheap and order a few $10 pairs off the website Zenni Optical. I've ordered from there in the past and been surprisingly satisfied with the frames I received--they do the job well, if you're not expecting perfect craftsmanship or personalized customer service. It's a little risky since you can't try them on, but at only $8-15 a pair, I don't mind taking the chance.

And maybe someday I'll find the perfect, quirky frames for me...

PS- If you enjoy the Girls with Glasses, check out their interview with Warby Parker!

Warby Parker Indecision

On Friday, I received a package containing my much anticipated Warby Parker frames for at-home try-on! Squee! In case you're not already in the know, Warby Parker is this amazing company that sells full sets of prescription glasses for $95 (including the lenses!). And for each pair bought, they donate a pair to someone in need. So fantastic. Plus their styles are classy and vintage and geeky--just how I like 'em!

But I have a problem--I can't make up my mind! Of course, I like some more than others, but no one jumps out as my absolute favorite. I definitely want to do something a little different than my previous pair. So for now, I'm in serious need of help from my blog friends! Do you have a favorite frame?

[Please ignore the silly faces, crazy hair, and wonky lighting; I had to take about a million self-portraits throughout the afternoon due to the reflections on the glasses, and I still couldn't get it right.]


Links to the frames: {Finn, Webb, Japhy, Zagg, Miles}

I appreciate your input, friends!

Foodie Friday : Veggie-licious Thanksgiving + Recipe

Thanksgiving is next week, my friends! Can you believe it? I had planned on talking about Thanksgiving food earlier this month but the time clearly got away from me.

Last year was my first official Thanksgiving without partaking in the turkey, and I still managed to fill my plate with potatoes, beans, rolls, sweet potatoes, cranberry relish, salad and more. And I can't forget about pie! (But not pumpkin; I'm SO not a fan!)

But sometimes, those of us who don't eat meat still want something to be the center of the Thanksgiving plate--a pièce de résistance, if you will--rather than just a bunch of sides dishes. There are some great options out there, especially this year as I have seen plant-based meals rising in popularity. Most notably, the New York Times' Well blog has been running a month-long series in which top chefs contribute vegetarian and vegan holiday dishes.

I'd also like to offer my own contribution. Mark and I made this dish about a month ago, and despite almost ruining the whole thing by dropping the roasted squash on the floor, it turned out beautifully.



BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND KALE BREAD PUDDING - Recipe modified from Bon Apetit magazine

* Everything in italics is the modifications/additions we made to the recipe!*

Ingredients
2 pounds peeled seeded butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 6 cups) {Caiti's note: we also used 1 sweet potato}
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon dried sage (or 1 tablespoon fresh sage)
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt plus additional for sprinkling {Caiti's note: it doesn't need this much salt; you'd be fine with half this amount}
7 large eggs
2 1/4 cups half and half {Caiti's note: we used half 2 percent milk and half almond milk}
6 tablespoons dry white wine
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Several pinches of black pepper
1 day-old baguette (do not remove crust), torn into 1-inch pieces (about 8-10 cups)
1 cup chopped shallots (about 4 large)
2 garlic cloves
2 bunches Tuscan kale (about 1 pound), ribs removed, kale coarsely chopped
8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated {Caiti's note: we used 4 oz. white cheddar cheese and 4 oz. Gruyere cheese}

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss squash with 1 tablespoon oil, maple syrup and sage on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt; bake until squash is tender, turning with spatula occasionally, 20 to 25 minutes.

Whisk eggs in large bowl. Add half and half (or milk), wine, mustard, cayenne, black pepper, and 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt; whisk to blend. Add baguette pieces; fold gently into egg mixture. Let soak 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté until soft, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, saute one minute more. Add kale; cover and cook 2 minutes. Uncover and stir until kale is wilted but still bright green, about 5 minutes (kale will be a bit crunchy).

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Generously butter 13x9x2-inch baking dish {Caiti's note: we found it easier to use 2 baking dishes of this size and do a single layer of the ingredients in each dish}. Using slotted spoon, transfer half of bread from egg mixture to prepared baking dish, arranging to cover most of dish. Spoon half of kale over bread. Spoon half of squash over bread and kale; sprinkle with half of cheese. Repeat with remaining bread, kale, squash, and cheese. Pour remaining egg mixture over bread pudding.

Cover bread pudding with foil. Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered until custard is set and bread feels springy to touch, about 20 minutes longer.

Preheat broiler; broil pudding until cheese browns slightly, about 2 minutes. {Caiti's note: I'm pretty sure we didn't broil ours.} Cool 5 minutes and serve.

Servings: Original recipe says 6-8, but since we used 2 pans, we got 12-14 servings out of it

This dish makes great leftovers as well!

If there are any vegans reading, here is a vegan kale bread pudding recipe that I haven't tried yet!

Reviewed : "The Vintage Table"

A few weeks ago, I happened upon this lovely book while browsing the stacks of new selections at the library. Without flipping through more than a few pages, I knew it had to come home with me so that I could give it a proper reading, accompanied by a big pot of tea.



I was quite enamored with the styling and the examples of the ways you can put together various collections of vintage goods. Some sections were a little too "flowery" for my tastes (the book was put out by the publishers of Romantic Homes magazine after all), but overall, the photos are beautiful and the sections range from useful topics like "casual breakfasts" to formal holiday celebrations. I spent quite a bit of time staring at each spread and reading through the advice in each section.

Good For: Hostesses, vintage lovers, foodies, and those who want to learn how to perk up their tables and decor.

I definitely recommend checking it out at your local library, or adding to your own book collection if you are interested in vintage goodies! But beware, you might come away from the book certain that you want to start collecting something like milk glass or picnic-basket tins!

Inspired Projects

Image via Ali Edwards
There is so much talent and brilliant ideas out there on the web! I've been greatly inspired recently by two separate projects I discovered online, and I wanted to share them here.

The first is Ali Edwards' December Daily project. It's been a while since I stopped by Ali's blog, and I forgot how jealous in awe I am of her. She can touch anything and make it pretty, and she has a wonderful way of telling the stories that make up her life through her scrapbooks. She's gearing up for another season of December Daily, where you take photos and journal each day in December and end up with a holiday mini-book by the month's end. Participants can share their pages with each other in a Flickr group.

Image via Hailey Bartholemew, You Can't Be Serious
The second project is called 365/Grateful, which I learned about a few months ago through Hannah at Seeking Equipose. It is similar to the wildly popular Project 365. But instead of just taking a photo everyday, the aim is to take a photo of something you are thankful for each day. This project is so inspiring because I think it would bring such intention to your photographs, and at the end you would have a meaningful and highly personal photographic collection. There is a Grateful Daily Flickr group, but many participants share their photos in an album on Facebook (think about how you might inspire gratitude in others through sharing on Facebook!).

My thoughts on the projects: I'm toying around with the idea of participating in either of these, but I'm a little nervous about having one more "to-do" over the holidays to add on to the inevitable stress of the season. However, I think these projects might just be a wonderful preventative measure! If I make it a priority to focus on gratitude, or simply absorb the "small moments" through writing and my camera lens, I might just be able to shift my mindset to truly enjoy the season rather than let it wear me down. I might create my own modified version of the projects... perhaps doing an abbreviated Grateful Daily for the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas, combining words, photos and illustrations of gratitude that I can combine into a mini-book.

I'll be sure to share if I decide to participate in either of these projects (or if I create my own)!

Harry Potter Love.

Today, I'm going to let my inner nerd shout loud and proud as I confess that I am a huge fan of the Harry Potter series and have been since the beginning, when I was a teen working in a toy store and watched the HP craze sweep the world first-hand. I can't say I'm as obsessed as my husband, who has read each of the books at least 4 times, but both of us have been counting down to this Friday's release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 for probably two months now. I think we've freaked out and gotten goosebumps every time the trailer comes on TV. It's going to be EPIC. :)

This weekend while we sat around watching all the movies on ABC Family (even though we own all the DVDs), I returned once again to my common fantasy of being a part of Hogwarts. The clothes, the castle, and, yes, magical powers would be pretty fantastic. Since the closest I'll ever get will be the HP theme park in Orlando-- and even that trip will have to wait until our vacation fund builds back up-- I turned to Etsy to make my Hogwarts fantasy a little more... magical.


Among Friends original mixed-media painting by Maechevrette, $200
"Decadence and Debauchery" natural perfume oil by ForStrangeWomen, $25
Black Nuno felted ruffle shawl by Vart, $138
"Crubbly" Nightmare Snatcher journal by Spiderbite, $30


Vintage wire-frame glasses by Cherylscache, $35
Waft purple cocktail dress by Aftershowershop, $42.50
{Reminds me of a more casual version of Hermione's Yule Ball gown!}
Hogwarts Crest paper cut by FinalCut, $75
The Golden Snitch necklace by birdzNbeez, $19
Three large apothecary bottles by Zinneacottage, $36



Wool capelet by ohreallybecky, $90
Evelyn print by marisolspoon, $68
Maroon and Gold felted wool sweater mittens by ChristinesMittens, $27
Leather Mini Book necklaces by MooreaSeal, $33-40


______________________________
I learned there's a lot of "cheese" to be had when it comes to crafty Harry Potter items, so I kept my selections a little more tailored. But just for fun, here are my favorite geeky HP items... And you'll have to forgive me for letting my political leanings show just a little bit ;)



Keep Calm and Conjure A Patronus Charm print by 3LambsGraphics, $30
Platform 9 3/4 fine art photograph by VeloNoir, $17
Republicans for Voldemort t-shirt by Topatoco, $17.50
Marauders t-shirt by evietees, $18


So who else is excited for the movie on Friday?? And I want to know... What magical power would you like to have? My favorite would DEFINITELY be apparition.

Fall Eats.

First of all, thank you all for the comments on yesterday's Perfectly Imperfect post! I loved hearing your input. What I love so much about Brene's movement is that it's showing that we're all in the same boat... we've all experienced similar feelings of insecurity as we put ourselves up to certain standards.

So in light of yesterday, I'm not going to worry about crafting a perfect post and instead I'm just going to share a bit of food porn with you today. We've been doing lots of cooking and baking (and loads of eating) in our house these days, and I'm finding that I've been pointing my camera at food more often than my surroundings. I can't help it; it's all just so pretty!

The last of our summer CSA share arrived with an abundance of squash, potatoes, and beets. I've been transitioning into the cozy flavors of fall, making liberal use of cinnamon, sage, pumpkin, and more--all of which makes the house smell amazing.

{From top to bottom, we have: pumpkin pancakes with apple butter syrup, butternut squash and kale bread pudding topped with Gruyere cheese, a beer flight from our date out at a local organic restaurant, pretty beets, crispy roasted potatoes, and vegan caramel sea salt brownies a la Olivia.}

Perfectly Imperfect.

I recently had some funny feelings arise on the topic of blogging. Even though it's silly, I found myself feeling quite envious towards a few bloggers--for their style and general adorable-ness, their seemingly perfect lives, their impeccable photos, their loyal following. In my mind, I couldn't help comparing these women to myself, noting the numerous areas that I fall short and driving myself crazy wondering what the magic formula is.

After this period of self-destructive, blogger-comparison behavior, I was left with a high-schoolish feeling of being the nerd left outside the group of cool kids. Feeling like my life will never be as pulled together and as "blog-worthy" as I wish it could be. {Which, I realized, is one of the big reasons why I shy away from ever posting pictures of myself... I'm trying to get over that fear with this post and the above photo--messy hair, hoodie, overly-yellow walls and all.}

And while I can sit and tell myself all day that blogs are carefully curated glimpses at people's lives and that these people aren't nearly as perfect as they seem, I really need to completely take these other blogs out of the equation. It's not about the blogs/bloggers AT ALL; these types of feelings have come up in other places in my life as well. It's about me--I want to be able to look at myself and enjoy what I see, and to accept myself as I am. It is for this reason that I am joining in to Brene Brown's Perfect Protest. I was recently gifted with her book, The Gifts of Imperfection, and DVD, The Hustle for Worthiness. I cannot wait to dive in; I have the feeling there is a reason that this book and DVD came to me when they did.

I can definitely use a lesson in embracing imperfection. Perfectionism hasn't done much for me so far in life. It's led me to try to please others rather than follow my own heart. It's led to stress, pressure and negative self-talk as I set myself up to impossible standards. It's caused me to feel small, unworthy. Perfectionism has harmed my sense of adventure.

So here I am, perfectly imperfect...

- I spend most of my days in pajamas, and never do my hair
- I have an extremely low tolerance for listening to other people's drama (and by drama, I mean the "he said, she said" kind of thing)
- I am horribly awkward and often nervous in social situations
- I love my many neuroses
- I am highly emotional, feeling both my own emotions and others' intensely
- I tend to be a quitter if I'm not immediately good at something (knitting, any kind of sports, etc.)
- I am a non-conformist in every way, yet I still care too much about what other people think of me (it's a dangerous combination sometimes)
- I can be really silly and sarcastic... when I'm not worrying about what other people think about me
- I hate exercising, save yoga and walks outside
- My inner critic is kind of an asshole
- I don't really know how to speak up for myself
- I don't trust people easily
- I try my best to eat healthy (because it makes me feel good), but I have a huge weakness for mac n cheese and mashed potatoes
- I don't have many friends, but the ones I do have are dear to me
- I can be judgmental
- I'm scared to be a mom someday
- I don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

Some of these things I have the ability to work and improve on in order to make my relationships with others and myself that much richer. But by and large, I'm standing in all my quirks and imperfections, learning to love myself as I am at this moment in time.

Would you like to join the fight against perfection? Visit Brene's blog, or feel free to comment below with your perfect protest!

Foodie Friday : Questions Answered

After last week's post in which I shared my food story, I received a few questions about how I actually *do* it. I really appreciate the questions and hope that I can share some further insight.

Laura asked: "I think the question that I would have for you is how does your husband feel about all the changes? It's hard to make the changes yourself and can be even harder trying to get someone on board with you so that they are healthier and so you don't have to make two meals every time."

This is a great question. My husband Mark is indeed an omnivore and certified bacon addict, and I'm not out to change his way of eating. Yes, he would eat more meat if I weren't around, but I know he wouldn't say he feels deprived eating the way we do (I've asked him). Mark is always willing to try any kind of food, so that does not stop with meatless meals. When we go out to eat or if he gets lunch while at work, he orders whatever he feels like.

I know that two meals work for some people, but not with this lady! As the primary cook that's just too much work, and in my opinion, not necessary if I make sure the veggie-meals are delicious and filling. Here are a couple things I've found helpful in introducing more meatless meals to my partner and family:

1. Recognize that it takes time. It has taken us years to get to this point--I've been experimenting with vegetarian cooking for more than six years now. It's been a matter of slowly trying new dishes, starting with maybe one meal a week and increasing from there. Mark definitely disliked some dishes, and I took note of what worked and what didn't. We had our rough spots (ex. switching from Jiff to natural, non-hydrogenated peanut butter!), but things are working well now.

2. Some people recommend using meat analog products (fake bacon, faux sausuage, etc.) to replace meat, but I disagree. I used them a little bit when I was first transitioning, but they won't fool anyone (Mark hates them), and they are still highly processed foods which I now try to avoid as much as possible.

4. Embrace a worldly palate! When I was using faux-meat products, I realized it was because I was trying to adapt an American-style diet to have less meat, rather than using recipes from cuisines that naturally use less meat. Most other cultures in the world use meat as only a flavor component, not the focus of the meal, so it is much easier to end up with a delicious and satisfying vegetable-based meal. Mark and I have always loved food from other countries, so this is very easy for us--we love Latin, Thai, Indian, Moroccan, Italian, Japanese/sushi, and more. And if Mark does want to add meat, he can do so with any of these meals quite easily.

5. Spice liberally. One part of international cuisine that makes it so good is the generous use of spices. Fresh herbs make a big difference as well.

6. Soups/stews are easy, filling and yummy. Especially with whole grain bread or rolls on the side.

7. Utilize a CSA/farmer's market if possible. The flavor of fresh, local vegetables FAR beats grocery store fare, which makes your veggie dishes that much more amazing. Mark and I love exploring the market together, and our CSA forced us to be super adventurous in the kitchen. When we can't get to the farmer's market, we shop at Whole Foods for produce and bulk items like beans and grains.

8. Pay attention to savory flavors. Foods like soy sauce, mushrooms, miso paste, truffles, potatoes, parmesan, etc. have a savory flavor that makes the palate react similarly to meat (sometimes called 'umami'). I've found that when I cook savory dishes, Mark tends to respond even better to them.

9. Indulge once in a while. I love beans and quinoa, but I know that this isn't the most indulgent-tasting food. Sometimes I make richer dishes such as savory squash bread pudding or mushroom stroganoff, which are much heartier meals. I tend to use olive oil generously when cooking as well for the added flavor and richness. Or if we eat a light dinner, we'll have a bit of dessert or stove-popped popcorn after dinner.

Are any of you readers in a "mixed-diet" relationship? How do you handle different eating habits? I'd love to hear!

Make It! : Dry-Erase Board {Updated!}

Like a true creative person (i.e., "half insane"), I am never, ever satisfied with my projects. Case in point-- after posting my how-to for the dry erase board yesterday, I kept thinking about how I could jazz it up some more. Specifically, I wanted to make the lettering better and more interesting.

Mark, the wonderful and brilliant man that I am married to, suggested using my dry erase marker on the front of the glass to draw my letters the "right" way, and then trace them backwards on the inside of the glass in permanent marker. Seriously, isn't he smart?? That was just what I needed to spice up the board, and Mark's idea made this a much easier process. As I mentioned yesterday, I just used a bit of Windex and Q-tips to erase what I needed to.

I fancied things up with a bit of cursive writing, and added a "Week of" title at the top. The brackets at the top are clear scrapbooking stickers. Lastly, I put a sheet of tracing paper between my decorative paper and the glass to soften the decorative paper just a wee bit.

Now I'm feeling even better about it.... at least until I decide to spray-paint the frame white, or change the font, or add a new to-do box... :)

PS- I decided to get rid of the Disqus commenting system I was using previously on the blog; I just heard far too many complaints around the interwebs, and I don't want to deter people by using that system! So I'm back to good ol' Blogger comments, which should make page loading and commenting far easier. Thank you all who do take the time to comment; each one warms my heart :)

Make It! : Custom Dry-Erase Board + Calendar

I've had a spare frame leaning against the wall in my studio for months (scratch that, years), with no real plan for it. While brainstorming ways to put it to use, I remembered seeing a few posts about people using picture frames as dry-erase boards, which I thought was a wonderful idea. However, as someone who is sorely in need of more structure to my days, I thought I'd try incorporating a weekly and daily schedule into my version.


Supplies:

- 1 picture frame with glass
- 1 sheet of decorative paper (I bought mine at Paper Source, although scrapbook paper would be a wonderful option if your frame is 12"x12" or less)
- 1 sheet of foam core for backing (only if your picture frame doesn't have a back)
- Ruler and/or measuring tape
- Pencil
- Scissors or x-acto knife
- Permanent marker
- Windex, a rag, and a few Q-tips (for any permanent marker mistakes)


First, precisely measure the back of your picture frame. Note: I measured the frame, rather than the glass, because glass is usually cut a bit smaller to fit easily inside the frame. I wanted a tight fit for my foam core and background paper, so I measured the frame's exact size.


Use a ruler or measuring tape and a pencil to lightly mark your dimensions on the decorative paper, and the foam core if using.



Cut your paper to size with scissors or an x-acto knife. For the foam core, I like to have the pencil line drawn as a guide, but I still use a ruler to ensure I cut a straight line with the x-acto knife. If you don't cut through the foam core on the first try, run your knife through again, or gently bend the foam core back and forth at the seam until it breaks.


Now comes the nerve-wracking part, drawing on the permanent lines. You are going to draw the lines on the inside of the glass using permanent marker, so that when you are using your finished dry-erase board, you won't erase your boxes/calendar. Before drawing on the glass, I stacked the glass on top of the decorative paper and foam core so I could see what I was doing easily and help make sure everything was centered. The photo above kind of looks like I'm drawing on the paper, but it's actually the glass on top of the paper.


Determine what kind of information you want on the board--a full month calendar? One week? A space designated as a grocery list? It helps to sketch out what you might want before you get started. I knew I wanted a week calendar, a space for a daily schedule and a box for notes and goals. First I drew my outside lines, and then I did a little math to determine the size of each weekday box, and then drew the vertical lines to divide the week into days.


Then comes writing backwards, whee! If you need help writing backwards, you could type your words out, flip them on the computer and print them out to trace. Another option would be to use reverse-cut vinyl letters (so that they will read properly from the inside of the glass; regular letters will be backwards). I hand-wrote my letters, but I might switch to vinyl letters at some point to make it a little neater.

Big Huge Pointer: Windex will remove permanent marker from glass. So if you make a mistake or need to reposition a line, just use some Windex on a rag, or a Q-tip if you need to make a tiny change. It makes the process a lot less scary.


Once you are satisfied with your boxes/calendars, place your glass in the frame and top it with the decorative paper and either your frame backing or foam core (if using foam core, you might need to use picture framing staples to make sure the backing stays on).

Voila! Use the front of the glass as your dry-erase board with regular dry-erase markers. Much prettier than those white boards that everyone uses in college dorms! And the total cost was about $4.00 for the whole thing. Plus, you can change out your background paper as your decor (or the season) changes.

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I might spray-paint the frame white -- what do you all think?

Note: I have since made the board even prettier, which I detail in this follow-up post.

This is Fall.

To me, fall is a season of contrasts. Fiery leaves against a bright blue sky. Crisp air and hot drinks. Even my own rhythms ebb and flow; I am finding myself both filling up pages of ideas in my journal while also spending hours curled up in fluffy white blankets doing more dreaming than planning. It's a perfect balance, really. I'm cherishing this time that fall provides, before the inevitable stress that the holidays often bring. While this season is all too fleeting, I am keeping my eyes and heart open to collect every moment, squirreling each of them away in hopes that they will keep me nourished and inspired throughout the long winter months.