Monthly Faves : February

• Am I doing minimalism as a practice or a project? How can I shift more into practice mode? {via Tara Sophia Mohr}
• The blog Archer Alert makes me laugh-- I went through a period where I was using Archer in lots of my designs. But I've definitely noticed it popping up EVERYWHERE lately. {For non-font nerds, Archer is a slab-serif typeface designed by by Hoefler & Frere-Jones that was originally for use in Martha Stewart Living magazine.}
• Need some new blog reads? Check out Say Yes to Hoboken's list of up and coming blogs.
• Q&A: Starting a Business from Eight Hour Day.
• A gorgeous contribution to The Sketchbook Project.


• Quick! Sign up for Jennifer Lee's Right-Brainers in Business Video Summit. One, it's FREE, and two, it features ten video sessions from superstars like Kimberly Wilson, Danielle LaPorte, and Chris Guillebeau. But the first webinar is later today, so jump on it.
• Dexter fans! First of all, have you seen these amazing illustrated posters created by Mattson Creative? If so, this time-lapse video of the making of the Season 5 poster is totally worth a watch.
• Love this student project for a type class: A Perfect Day


• I’m coming up dry in this category this month! Does anyone have any suggestions-- new tunes? Rockin' podcasts episodes? I could use some recommendations.
• Oh! I’ve got one-- Adele’s new album 21. LISTEN. NOW.


• Megan at Lilac Saloon continues to amaze me with her awesome ideas. I'm IN LOVE with her idea to embroider your celebrity crush! She created an amazing version with Seth Rogen for her BFF. I recommended {commanded?} she do a version of Ron Swanson from Parks & Rec! That would be gold.
• I'm nowhere near talented enough to create this rug from old sheets, but I love the idea.
• This idea for a maternity book is definitely getting filed away for any future preggo days.

Monthly Faves is a series featuring my favorite links and bits around the interwebs.

Foodie Friday : Green Smoothies

After my bout with sickness last week, I've been trying my best to get my healthy balance back. And there's no better way to start the day that with a green smoothie. I've tried a few different recipes-- some much less palatable than others. This one, adapted from Joy the Baker, is hands down the best one I've ever had. I even fed it to my husband who loved it, much to my surprise!

Green Smoothie

1 cup almond milk (OJ, soy milk or a mix of OJ and milk also works!)
1 cup kale, leaves stripped from stem and roughly chopped
1 cup spinach
1 frozen banana
1/2 pear, cored
1 T. honey
A bit of ginger, grated
1 T. protein powder, optional

Blend the kale, spinach and milk until no bits of kale are left (approximately 2-3 minutes, and if you have a crap-o blender like me, give the machine a shake-a-shake to help it out as it's mixing). It'll turn to a more vibrant green the longer you blend. Add the pear, banana, honey and ginger and blend again until smooth. Add ice cubes if you like it extra cold, and enjoy!

What's your take on green smoothies? Scary or delicious? Do you have a recipe you like to use? I'd love to hear!

Spring Fever

This morning, as I stared out the window at a grey sky and icy patches of snow still on the ground, I was hit with my yearly bout of spring fever. I'm positive that February only has 28 days because anymore of this dreary month would seem like pure torture. At least once we hit March, we know spring is just around the corner. At least I hope so.

I'm bringing back a collage I posted almost exactly one year ago because these images still represent exactly what I'm craving.

Fresh fruit. Sunshine. Wind in your hair. Blossoms. Driving with the windows down. Dresses. Green. Taking walks. Beaches. Farmer's markets. Road trips. Picnics. Blue skies. Bare feet. T-shirts. Bouquets of flowers. Long days. Clear nights. Vacations. Fireflies.


Images are all from my Flickr favorites. Image Credits: 1. Untitled, 2. malven, 3. Untitled, 4. Raspberries, 5. *Duo, 6. Summer, please return

Do share: What are you most looking forward to about the warmer months?

Mini-Project : Art Coasters

When we were gifted a set of glass photo coasters for Christmas, I initially thought they might be headed straight for the Goodwill bin, as I didn't feel I had any photos that I'd care to have on display at all times, and using candid photos seemed tacky... Why would I want to put a drink down on top of someone's face??

But as I was digging through my desk recently, I realized I have quite a collection of business cards and postcards from artists I admire. So I decided to turn the photo coasters into art coasters! Now I love that I have tiny little "prints" from my favorite artists that can live on my coffee table all the time... at least until I can afford real pieces from each of them. :)




Artwork by Marisa of Creative Thursday, Kelly Barton,
Dolan Geiman and Liz Kalloch of Athena Dreams

These coasters are just one little example of a way to infuse personality into your surroundings. Take a look at the items in your living space. Is there anything that you could creatively re-purpose to better reflect your style? Something as simple as changing out the knobs on an old cabinet can add a little sparkle and pizazz. Personally, I'm the queen of recovering pillows as my style changes! :)

Six Confessions.

Other than a lingering cough, I'm feeling much better today! I have a super long to-do list since I was pretty much incapacitated for the entirety of last week, so I'm taking the easy way out with today's blog post-- I'm nabbing Leigh Ann's Six Confessions post :)


1. I DON'T LIKE RADIOHEAD. At all. There, I said it. I feel like I ruin my indie cred everytime I admit this out loud.

2. I can't really swim. I can sort of float about and do basic strokes with my head up, but I'm not very comfortable in the water. I didn't take swim lessons until I was about 13 (and they were HORRIBLE, and hella embarrassing).

3. I still have library books from the school I went to for kindergarten. I wonder what the late fee on those puppies are now! I am still terrible at returning books, so thank goodness for email reminders from the library.

4. Despite my mostly whole foods, vegetarian diet, I still allow myself to indulge in a Five Guys cheeseburger about once a year as a special treat. It's so infrequent that I don't feel bad about it.

5. I know my credit card number by heart, but I cannot for the life of me remember my husband's social security number. I'm a terrible wife with an online shopping problem ;)

6. Whenever I find a new blogger that I completely adore, I will totally read back way into their blog archives. I try not to think about them checking their site stats because I get embarrassed that I'm totally that creeper internet stalker that shows up as having viewed 829173 pages on their site.

For more random tidbits, check out one of my favorite old posts-- "I am neurotic and so are you" from last year. The comments are GOLD.

Is there anything you'd like to fess up?? I won't tell anyone :)

Sick Days.

I've disappeared for the past few days because I've been fighting off some nasty sick bug. As sad as I am that my 3 1/2 or 4 year run without any sort of illness has ended, I'm not too sad to have a few days to be completely lazy and take care of myself. Although I could really do without all the coughing.

Aside from the sickness issues, of which I'll spare you the details {you're welcome}, my days have alternated between naps and old episodes of L.A. Ink and What Not to Wear--I have a rule that whenever I'm under the weather, my tastes in TV shows cannot be judged. I have brand new issues of Whole Living, Yoga Journal and Vegetarian Times magazines to peruse, and I finished off a food-centric chick-lit book called "Bread Alone." I also re-watched the recent "Flu Season" episode of Parks and Rec because I completely adore and identify with Rob Lowe's character in this episode when he comes down with the flu-- "Oh my god. The microchip has been compromised."

I'm still not back to 100% well, so I'm taking the rest of the week off. Hopefully, I'll be back on Monday feeling like my normal self!

{Image: WeHeartIt}

Foodie Friday : Meal Planning for Sanity's Sake (and a Freebie!)

The week that I visited the grocery store no less than four separate times was the week that I began to think that meal planning wasn't such a crazy {i.e. anal} thing to do. Since then, I've become quite the convert. As much as I love food, I've learned that I do not love being hungry and trying to figure out what to cook. And when I get hungry, I make very poor food choices, like thinking it's a good idea to down half a box of Annie's mac and cheese. With meal planning, instead of coming home to a barely stocked fridge only to look at Mark and say, "Wanna go out tonight?" I am able to easily pull together healthy, nutritious meals with minimal thinking.

I have a particular method that really works out for me. My general process is to spend about 30 minutes on Sunday planning our meals for the week. I take note of any leftovers or produce that needs to be used up and make sure to incorporate those so they don't end up in the trash.


Then on a sheet of paper, I write the days of the week down the left side and my grocery list on the right side. I'll take note of any scheduling issues on each day of the week, such as a night when Mark might be gone or if we're meeting family for dinner. Then for each day, I'll note what I plan to make for dinner {I don't worry about breakfasts or lunch, since they tend to be standard items or leftovers}. Personally, I generally try for 2-3 basic or staple recipes, 2-3 complex or new recipes, and 1 soup each week. All needed ingredients get written in the right column, grouped together into sections based on how I shop the grocery store {ex. produce/dairy/canned goods/etc}.

In addition to saving us tons of time from unneeded grocery trips, using this method has saved money because I know exactly what I need and less food goes to waste throughout the week. It's a lot more efficient that just going to the store for random ingredients and then trying to make meals from those things {although, I often maintain a large stock of frequently used items so I don't have to buy them weekly}. We're also much less tempted to go out for dinner when we've got good stuff at home.

And before this becomes the most boring blog post in history, I'd like to offer a freebie download of my meal planning worksheet to you all. Because if meal planning is a dry task, you might as well have something nice to look at while you do it!



Click here or the image above to download my meal planning worksheet. There are two versions to suit your preferences; one has the grocery list divided into sections and the other has a blank grocery list. I hope you find this useful! :)

A Plan to Make My 28th Year Grand!

My birthday was a few weeks ago, but I realized this morning {thanks to Jill} that I didn't post about my intentions for my 28th year yet. Oops! Better late than never, right? Suuuuure.

I had actually composed a whole post a while back and saved it in my drafts, but I'm scrapping that one and taking a different approach as I write today. I constantly waiver back and forth on the issue of whether specific goal lists {such as last year's 27 before 28} or general intentions {like Kyla's birthday list} would help me progress in positive directions in my life. While I think a list of goals gives specific direction to what I want to do, it can sometimes feel like I'm just collecting random life experiences and not intentionally cultivating the life I want. {Lookie, there's my One Little Word popping up again!} But at the same time, general intentions such as "be healthy" leave a lot of questions-- when will I know when I've reached that point? What does "healthy" look like?

So what's a girl to do? Take the best of both worlds, of course. Much like my life list, I've picked the areas that I want to cultivate, and come up with specific goals within each of those categories. Now I feel happy that I'm purposefully putting my attention into certain important areas, while still having the direction that individual goals provide.

So, for my 28 Before 29, I will....



1. For every new item {clothes or housewares} that comes into the house, I will get rid of one unneeded item -- ongoing process
2. Goodwill that Tiffany bowl we got as a wedding present, without any guilt, as well as anything else I don't deem useful or beautiful -- done
3. Take a break from Facebook for a month {and then assess whether it needs my mental attention at all} -- in progress
4. Give up one activity or hobby that doesn't thrill me, because I want to stop trying to be a jack-of-all-trades.
5. Narrow down my wardrobe using my Style Statement and Pinterest fashion board to eliminate pieces that don't feel like me -- in progress



6. Attend at least 6 Meetups, especially the Chicago craft group -- in progress
7. Visit two faraway friends -- visited one friend in June
8. Make two more local friends.
9. Have an adventure with Mark {whether this be traveling or some local fun.}



10. Open that dang Etsy shop, even if not everything is perfect yet -- done, 7/2011
11. Video blog {EEEEEK.}
12. Start offering blog/banner design services.
13. Connect with two more couples to design wedding invitations for.
14. Take a continuing education class.
15. Go back and finish 3 of the e-courses I took part in last year but didn't complete.
16. Do a random act of kindness for a stranger.
17. Be social at a time I don't feel like it-- thanks, Jill, I stole this one from you :) -- done, went to 1st bookclub meetup in 10/11



18. Visit the Art Institute of Chicago {take advantage of free admission days!}
19. Attend The Moth StorySLAM or GrandSLAM.
20. Attend a play or a Chicago Symphony Orchestra performance.
21. See at least one free concert in Millennium Park over the summer.
22. Donate to an arts organization.



23. Eat a vegan diet for one month. {This pretty much translates to "give up cheese for one month" as I'm already off of cow's milk, with the exception of the occasional baked goods.}
24. Do Couch to 5K as soon as the weather breaks.
25. Make a "body book" like Cathy Zielske to document my wellness journey.
26. Do 30 Day Shred actually in 30 days.
27. Do at least 3 more hikes in the 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Chicago book.
28. Attend a yoga class in another city/while traveling.

Nerd Valentine

I must be more of a computer geek than I thought, because the website Nerd Valentine sure made me smile. If you're in need of a non-traditional Valentine's Day gift for a lovable nerd in your life, pop over there for suggestions and links. :)

Travel + Type

What happens when two of my favorite things--travel and typography--come together? It's pure eye candy, I tell ya.


First up is a project spawned from designer Geof Crowl when he posted a photo on the website Dribbble with a simple question, "What state do you live in?" So far, 417 other creative and design folks have contributed their take. It's like the prettiest collection of postcards ever. I enjoy seeing all the different ways designers treat type, and I'm kind of in love with how many of the images have a vintage feel to them.




Next is a collection of videos made to advertise the EF Language Schools. Again, I can't resist the combination of travel imagery, gorgeous color/lighting and pretty type. I've watched these videos a dozen times already. I'd love to see one for Italy!

{Found via Design Work Life}

Color Story : Pantone Beeswax

Continuing with my Pantone Color Story series, I'm excited to feature Beeswax (Pantone 14-0941) today {see the first post in the series here}. It brings to mind warm sunshine and glowing jars of golden honey. I love this shade of yellow-orange because it's the perfect little punch to neutrals like gray, cream and white. It'd be a lovely accent to our winter wardrobe, and would transition perfectly into the spring and summer.

1. Kylie Messenger Bag by christystudio, $42
2. Single Bloom Hairpin by heartofflight, $20
3. Mustard Yellow Rose on Gray Pillow by bedbuggs, $23
4. Sunflower Collar by tortillagirl, $113.27 USD

Foodie Friday : In the Kitchen

Slice. Dice. Knead. Chop. Stir. Strain. Boil. Bake. Measure. Squeeze. Heat. Melt. Mix. Taste. Nourish.

I've discovered cooking is my meditation, my therapy... It's a time when the frenetic thoughts go still as calm, repetitive motions take over. I can focus solely on the task at hand and the beautiful ingredients in front of me, and think about the connection we have between the food we consume and ourselves. It's a time when I can put love and positive energy into something that nourishes my loved ones.

Have you ever found peace in an unexpected place?

Creative Questions : "How Can I Develop My Interior Design Style?"

Despite my visual design background, one area I find myself sometimes struggling with is interior design-- I blogged a bit about my so-called "Decorating ADD" here. So when I was emailing my interior design friend Jadyn recently, I asked her if she had any advice for how I could define (or refine) my interior design style. I loved her advice for me, so I asked her to guest post today and share her wisdom with you all! I think that her advice could be applied to any type of style-- whether it be fashion, artistic vision, graphic design, or interiors.


Hi everyone! I'm Jadyn and I'm excited to be here! I am an interior design student and I blog at Dutch.British.Love about interiors, my various projects around the house and about living joyfully and creatively. I live in Niagara Falls, Canada, with my sweet hubby Ben and our two cats and boisterous lab. My hope is that you'll find my post helpful if you're looking to define what your style is, no matter what area that may be in.

If you're struggling with finding a way to define what's really 'you', you might try one of these suggestions:

- Tag photos in magazines or on-line that you love and really analyze what unifies them or what it is about each photo that you like. One thing I realized when I started doing blog posts about interior inspiration was that in writing a line for each photo to express what I liked about it, it made me look at them in a different way because I had to really look at what it was that exactly spoke to me (rather than just thinking: Oh, I like that!). If you're not on Pinterest yet, it's a great tool to collect all those images that you love in one place. It can be so revealing to look at the images you collect over time and have a visual of what really speaks to you.

- On-line tests may be silly, but if you take a few of them, they can really be helpful in pointing you in the direction of what you love and can even give you the vocabulary to help you describe your style. One that I like is www.sproost.com

- Ask yourself how you want to feel when you walk into the room. Do you want to feel relaxed, energized, inspired, calm? Keep in mind how you want to feel when looking at photos of interiors and see what evokes the feeling you're looking for. Some questions you can ask yourself are: Is there a common thread in furniture style? Do you see the same pieces coming up again and again? What about patterns? Do your pictures show a more casual or formal mood? Does there seem to be a common element in how the rooms are lit? Are they bright and sunny or more dark and intimate? It may take a bit of time to develop a real feel for what feels like 'you', but asking yourself the right questions goes a long way in finding the right answers.

- Do you have any favorite memories of a place where you've been? Or do you dream of visiting a certain place? There may be elements of that which you can use. For example, I read about an interior designer who had taken a vacation to an exotic destination and loved reading in a hammock. Rather than going home and literally hanging up a hammock, she bought a long, comfortable sofa which she placed in a room where she could get away from "work areas" in her home. This way, she could get comfortable and experience that feeling that she'd had while reading in a hammock. As for myself, I loved vacationing in France when I was growing up and my husband lived in France when he was young, so we chose to have some French style in our home by buying a French provincial sofa and adding other elements that have a French feel to them.

- Above all, really listen to your heart and what makes it sing. It can be difficult to discern between what you really love to live with and what you love in a photo or because it's trendy. For example, I love mid-century modern in photos and when I see it in the store, and I even own a few pieces of mid-century modern furniture. But I realized after paying attention to how I really felt that I didn't really love that style for myself. I also love photos of white rooms, but in my house I need color. It may sound a little out there, but listening to your heart is not to be underestimated when finding your own style.

I hope these ideas will help you think about what style really expresses the essence of 'you'.

Thank you so much, Caiti, for having me here!

_______________________
Thank you, Jadyn, for guest posting and for the fantastic advice! I know it's already helping me with my decorating dilemmas.

If anyone has any questions for Jadyn, or have your own tips to share, let us know in the comments!

Chicago Snow Storm Pt. 2

1. Cars parked along Springfield Ave., Chicago
2. An abandoned CTA bus on Lake Shore Drive
3. Chicago lakefront and heavy winds
4. Some of the 300 cars stranded and abandoned on Lake Shore Drive
5. A snowy dog on the walkway over Lake Shore Drive

These are just a few photos from a Chicago Tribune slideshow that I wanted to upload to keep for my own records of the storm. That abandoned bus filled with snow looks like something out of "The Day After Tomorrow"! And I that pup totally breaks my heart. :(

It kind of goes without saying, but I'm so happy to work from home at times like this! But I'm SO ready for winter to be over...