Monthly Faves : October

After seeing that red holiday banner covered in snowflakes at the top of my posts for an entire week, I'm happy to post something more seasonally appropriate! Happy Halloween! I hope everyone had a festive weekend. I attended a costume party dressed as this (because it fit all of my "I'm not really a fan of Halloween" costume requirements: easy, cheap and minimal effort), and I was surprised at the number of people who had no idea who/what I was. Oh well.


• One of the best things I've read this month-- A Stress-free Manifesto, for those who are sometimes a wee bit skeptical of those bold calls to action to LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE, RIGHT NOW, TIME'S A-WASTING!
• Free worthwhile e-books: The Shy Photographer's Guide to Confidence {although I think it's applicable to all creatives, not just photogs!} and How To Be Beautiful, about quality online design {subscribe required}.
• Amusing: Anthroparodie. Because some of their stuff {and their styling} is just ridiculous, am I right?
• Want to know how to add the "Pin It" button to the bottom of your blog posts?
• Speaking of Pinterest, How (Not!) To Suck At Pinterest. In a nutshell: Stop pinning artists' and Etsians' original work as DIY/Make This/"So easy!" SUCH a pet peeve of mine.
• Pretty fall editions of online mags: Styled and Sweet Paul.
• A interesting extension of Occupy Wallstreet that turns dollar bills into infographics as a means to educate people.


• One Day on Earth is the coolest concept-- 24 hours of the same day captured on film in every country in the world.
• Crocheters, this documentary short of Helen Rodel's process is worth a watch.
• Oh good grief, I can't imagine my life without videos of cats and dogs on YouTube.
• Forwards Backwards through NYC.
• I think Jello is a vile substance, but this sure makes it beautiful.
• In the spirit of Halloween, check out this slideshow of haunted house goers caught on camera mid-scream. Hilarious. But also anxiety-inducing, because I HATE haunted houses.


• The single "Little Numbers" by girl-duo BOY is one seriously catchy tune.
• As is this one from Radical Face. But I'm a sucker for some hand-claps.
• Two fall playlists that are worth a listen. I especially love Lulu's, and since you can only listen to samples on iTunes, I re-created their playlist here. {The only change: I had to swap out Feist song's since they have an iron fist on sharing tunes from the new album.}
• Stereomood is an interesting music site concept that picks music for you based on the mood you select.


• I think there are more than enough DIY's from last week to fill the "Do" category: DIY gifts for Kiddos, Ladies, Gents, The Home and Foodies.
• Craftyminx is so awesome for offering Crochet School for those wanting to learn or improve their crocheting. There are lessons, videos (right and left handed), quizzes and even homework to help you along the way.
• 60 Years of Memories is such a clever and touching gift for someone, especially those who are particularly nostalgic and/or letter lovers.
• I will be making these soon: Five spice cider buttermilk pop tarts. They look like they taste like fall in pastry form.
• I'm addicted to these online games: Traveler IQ Challenge for travelbugs, and Kern Type for the design nerd.

And three bonus "anti-faves," all hailing from the media/advertising industry {which is what I studied in college-- I'm so glad to be done with that field}: 
• The latest hot demographic for marketers is the infant to three year old segment. Gross.
• Notice anything oddly similar about every single magazine cover featuring Adele? And Melissa McCarthy for that matter? {Just compare that to every other magazine covers shown in the sidebar on the blog...}
•A campaign for Skinny Water {first of all: WHAT?} that tells women, "Skinny always gets the attention."

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

Handmade Holidays : Edible and Food Gifts

In keeping with my Foodie Friday tradition, I'm ending my week of Handmade Holiday links with a selection of edible items that would be perfect for gifting. I'm telling you, wrap up any of these for your mailman or your neighbor, and your packages will magically appear quicker and your sidewalks will be cleared of snow! It's amazing what yummy treats can achieve :)

1. Melted Snowman Cookies from Crazy Domestic
2. Oven Mitt Gift Bag from The Art & Soul of Baking
3. Gingerbread Reindeer Face Cookies from Meet the Dubiens
4. Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies from Bakers Royale
5. Apple Cider Caramels from Blondie's Cakes and Things
6. Cookies Packaged in CD Sleeves from Intimate Weddings
7. Homemade Jam from Martha Stewart
8. Eggnog Pound Cake from My Recipes

I hope you enjoyed my week of DIY links! Hopefully, this helps a few of you with some fresh ideas for handmade gifts-- I know I'm going to be trying a few of these myself. Also stay tuned for the week of November 7th, where I'll share several of my own DIY projects that may or may not turn into additional gift options, depending on their outcome. Either way, I'm definitely encouraged to put more of an effort into handmade gifts. Hopefully, I won't end up with super-glued fingers and glitter in unmentionable places :)

Other Things of Note // I'm guest posting for Sarah at Sadie Designs today! If you enjoy my Monthly Faves posts, you might want to hop over there to see five of my recent favorites picked exclusively for Sarah's readers. And if you are visiting here from Sarah's blog, welcome! :)

Handmade Holidays : DIY Gifts for the Home

These houseware projects would make great gifts for moms, aunties, teachers, co-workers or anyone else who would appreciate a modern twist on some classic items. Top off the mug with a selection of your favorite teas, or the plate with a batch of cookies, and you've got a perfectly sweet gift.

1. Hand-painted Mug from Wit & Whistle {alternative: Monogram Mug from Simple Mom}
2. Zinc-style Wall Letters from Sugar and Charm
3. Felt Coasters from Martha Stewart
4. Decoupaged Lace Votive Holders from Urban Comfort
5. Knot Trivet from Design Sponge
6. Poinsettia Pillow from Spartan Living
7. Dot Painted Dishware from Under The Sycamore

Handmade Holidays : DIY Gifts for Him

When I decided to put together DIY gift ideas, I thought it was going to be impossible to find awesome items that were suitable for the dudes in our lives. I mean, have you noticed how girly Pinterest is? But after some serious searching and digging, this turned out to be my favorite {and biggest} collection of them all. I was definitely mistaken in my assumption about the lack of cool guy projects!

1. Skyline Embroidered Pillow from Just Crafty Enough
2. 8-Bit Mario Granny Square Quilt from Instructables
3. Black and Tan Brownies from Floridian Weddings
4. Plywood Wall Art from Fresh Home Ideas
5. T-Shirt Rag Rug from Xoelle
6. Cement Planter from Re-Nest
7. Geeky Power Tie from Etsy
8. Wood Doormat from Martha Stewart
9. Recycled Bottle Glasses from Apartment Therapy
10. Planetary Plates from Etsy

Handmade Holidays : DIY Fashion and Bodycare Gifts for Her

These jewelry and fashion gifts are great for ladies that appreciate one-of-a-kind items -- you won't find anything like this at Target!

1. Wrapped Bracelets from Honestly WTF
2. Crocodile Stitched Scarf from Yarn Muse
3. Ruffled Pom Pom Bib Necklace from Little Miss Momma
4. Pillowcase Tote Bag from Just Crafty Enough
5. Recycled Jewelry Display from Craftaria




I love DIY bath and bodycare items {aside from the homemade deodorant fiasco} because they are super eco-friendly and don't contain many of the chemicals and junk of store-bought brands. The ladies on your shopping list will surely enjoy pampering themselves a little bit. And if you are graphic design-inclined, don't forget to whip up some stylish and personalized labels-- or you could hire me to do it for you ;)

1. LUSH-style Bath Bombs from Skip To My Lou
2. Candy Cane Sugar Scrub from The Natural Beauty Workshop
3. Body Scrubs from The Mother Huddle
4. Bath Fizzies from Martha Stewart
5. Foaming Honey Bath Soap from Paula Deen
6. Beeswax Lip Balm from Re-Nest

Handmade Holidays : DIY Gifts for the Kiddos

Most of the time, I really dislike shopping in stores for kid's gifts. It seems like everything is plastic Made-in-China stuff that seems to be lacking in both useful lifespan and in encouraging creative play. So I love these DIY ideas for kid's gifts because they are all relatively simple to make, while still being educational and imaginative toys. I have two little nephews and I really think they'd love to get any one of these. Heck, I'd pretty much love to recieve any of these, especially those Monster Mittens! :)

1. Monster Mittens from Martha Stewart
2. Advent Calendar from Rachel at Smile and Wave
3. Monogrammed Superhero Capes from Inchmark {Sorry, no instructions--I didn't realize that until after creating the collage-- so use this tutorial or this one}
4. Bugsy Tic-Tac-Toe from JoAnn Fabrics
5. Fort Kits from Meg + Andy
6. Fabric Matching Game from The Purl Bee
7. Dinosaur Spike Sweatshirt from Ginger and George
8. Teepee from Baby Blackbird

Handmade Holidays Week {I'm Planning Ahead This Year!}

I know it's a little early to be thinking about ChristmaHanuKwanzaakah. I know. But here's the thing. Every single year I set the intention to hand-make the majority of my Christmas gifts. However, before I even know it, I'm turning the calendar page to December and wondering how it could possibly be the last month of the year, with only three weeks until Christmas... and why the H-E-double-hockey-sticks do I still not have any gifts made?? Which means that, every year, my handmade holidays plans get thrown out the window in favor of Amazon and last minute Target shopping with all the other crazy procrastinators {emphasis on the *crazy*}. And let me tell you, after one too many years, that is an experience to be avoided at all costs.

The solution: I am planning ahead! Even if that means thinking about Christmas before the trick-or-treaters even come a-knockin'. For the next week, I will be posting a collection of my favorite DIY links that would make fabulous gifts-- for kiddos, for her, for him. And you can bet your bottom dollar that these will be some tasteful and thoughtful projects. I strongly believe there is a difference between Handmade and Homemade. "Handmade" evokes care and attention to detail and a personal touch, while "Homemade" sounds to me like it involves dried macaroni and pipe cleaners. I want to give gifts that people would actually enjoy receiving, instead of having them smile at at you awkwardly while mentally determining where in the deepest, darkest corner of their basement they can shove your tchotchke.

Later, during the week of November 7th, I will be showing you some of my own DIY projects to inspire you to get busy. Hopefully, between these two weeks we can all come away with some actual handmade gifts and will be able to avoid the dreaded shopping mall! {And, if not, I'll also be featuring some ideas for handmade gifts from Etsy artists and other small businesses in early December. You know, just in case those procrastination tendencies kick in....}

Tune back in later today for my first set of DIY links!

Nigella's First Spin

First of all, I have to thank Jadyn for my Kitchenaid's new name--Nigella! I hadn't even though about Ms. Nigella Lawson when I was dreaming up names, but I do adore her and her sultry food-loving ways. When I sought out my husband's opinion, there was no question-- Nigella was the clear favorite.

I took Nigella out for her first spin this week and baked this gorgeous loaf of oatmeal bread. It's my first ever non-bread machine yeast loaf {aside from the 5-minute bread method, but I'm not really counting that}. I used Summer Harm's recipe, and while it is tasty, I'm hoping to find a version of whole wheat bread that doesn't use white flour. Does anyone have any winners? Here are my qualifiers: Whole wheat flour; suitable for sandwiches {since Mark eats a PBJ for lunch 95% of the time}; a squishy, soft crumb; and a nice crust.

The mixer made kneading the bread SO easy, and I think it's going to be a wonderful appliance to have. I'm a little scared to start venturing into cookie-making for fear that I won't be able to stop! :)

Embracing a "Yes, and" Philosophy

 Photo of Upright Citizen's Brigade by Jason Spiro via New York Mag

It's no secret that Amy Poehler and Tina Fey are some of my favorite ladies on television ever.  To make a long story short, my love for them led to me reading Bossypants and articles about their improv days, which led me to researching comedy and storytelling, which led me to the most basic lesson of Improv 101: "Yes, and..."

"Yes, and..." is a process in Improv theater where collaborators or stage mates build upon each other's previous statements. This encourages a snowball effect-- an actor offers something to the performance that the others pick up and run with.  The actors all co-create and develop the scene, so the "yes and" process prevents the performance from stalling. "No" statements block progress, and do not allow for any new direction to be taken.

As soon as I learned about the "Yes and" process for improv, I was thinking about how applicable it is to everyday life, not just improv {although one could argue that all of our lives are just one big, ongoing improv performance, but I digress}. How much could we grow if we were more willing to  say yes and then offering up more to others?

Generally speaking, I can be a cautious person with introverted tendencies. A person that likes to take time to research my options, to think things through. So, when someone suggests something new, I've often found myself saying "No because" or "Yes, BUT." If I apply this improv lesson to my life, what are my tendencies doing?  They're stalling progress, they're blocking opportunities, they're not allowing for co-creation with others. Those moments where I say "No because" or "Yes but" act as spaces where insecurity, doubt or fear can creep in and make me lose my footing. "No's" and "Yes but's" are like two steps forwards and one step back.  Or--even worse--standing still.

On the other hand, "Yes and" leaves space for deeper experiences or fresh inspiration, for collaboration, for twists and turns in our life stories, for engaging with others on a different or more meaningful level. And through all of this, others' experiences will be enriched by what we have to offer them through our own perspectives and ideas.

This philosophy can be applied to interactions with anyone-- partners, coworkers, peers, parents, friends, even in politics. I think of the times where I've felt too shy to attend a Meetup group. Or when a neighbor or my coffee shop barista has said something to me in passing that I didn't build upon. Or when I meet someone with a different worldview than my own. Or even my occasional crabbiness towards the banality of Facebook. When I look back at these examples using the "yes, and" philosophy, I realize that what I was doing was missing an offering or "yes, and" opportunity from others. It also makes me think of my experiences working in offices where there are inevitably those people who shoot down every idea that's put on the table. How much better off would we be if we could respond to a suggestion by saying, "Yes, that's a good idea, and what happens if we look at it from this angle?" Even if these ideas aren't employed in the business, the collaborative process is greatly benefited by embracing the "yes" attitude instead of stunting creative thought with "no's."

One clarification: I'm not advocating a "yes man" attitude, in which you give up your own personal authority because you feel like you have to passively accept or agree with everything that comes your way. Far from it. I think it's more about fostering an attitude of openness and a consciousness around our interactions, and noticing when offers and "yes, and" opportunities arise from others. If anything, it's just another tool to remind us to be present and think a little bit lighter and more spontaneously on our feet, which can only lead to a life full of varied experiences and connections with the people in our lives.

It's such a basic lesson, but one that is quite powerful to remember. Who knew that Amy Poehler and Tina Fey could make me reflect so much on my life?! Just another reason why they are so amazing ;)

PS - Knope 2012! I only wish I could really vote for her in 2012. I think she's better than the majority of politicians out there :)

7 Links {Blogging Down Memory Lane}

I've seen this meme floating around for several months-- I think I first saw it through Susannah Conway last year {yep, here it is!} and then again, slightly modified, by Choosing Raw {here}. I'm normally not big on memes, but I love that this one made me reflect on my writing and dig deep into my archives. I definitely learned a few things along the way that will be helpful moving forward with my blog.

1) My Most Beautiful Post

I probably had the most fun creating and writing this Road Trip Recipe post last year before heading to Charleston and Savannah. A good road trip requires solid preparation!

2) My Most Popular Post

My recent Summer Reading Pledge was probably most popular in terms of comments, interaction and blog friends' participation. Basically, it was a total blast for me! But purely by the numbers, my most popular post was my 30 Journals 30 Days interview about art journaling.

3) My Most Controversial Post

 I'm about as controversial as a golden retriever puppy, so when it comes to bringing out people's opinions, about the closest I've ever come was asking readers to help me pick my Warby Parker glasses {which I ended up getting none}. People are opinionated when it comes to nerd glasses, apparently.

4) My Most Helpful Post

According to my blog analytics, I have gotten quite a lot of linkage and pageviews from my Custom Dry-Erase Board Calendar how-to {final version here}. Which makes me happy, because I'm still using the board almost a year later! Runner-up, according to me instead of blog stats: This post on Better Practices for Pinterest.

5) A Post Whose Success Surprised Me

Sometimes when I write personal posts, I expect to be alone in my feelings or challenges. I have no idea why-- I suppose I'm just worried about being too vulnerable or misunderstood. That was the case when I wrote about being perfectly imperfect. I didn't expect to hear such great feedback from people who understood where I was coming from, and who experience insecurity or jealousy towards other bloggers. It reminds me that we are never alone in our feelings, and great things can come from sharing them.

6) A Post I Didn’t Think Got the Attention it Deserved

I wrote this post very early into my blogging days when I had only a few readers that were fellow students in the Indie Biz 2.0 e-course. This post on making an iPod cozy cracked me up to write, and I still love it even though not many people had the opportunity to read it.

One interesting thing to note is that I thought my Pantone Color Story posts had totally flopped when I first did them since there was nothing but tumbleweeds in the comments section {I actually stopped creating them since I thought they weren't being read}. But when I looked at my analytics to write this post, the Color Stories had pretty good page views. Just goes to show that the number of comments don't necessarily you an accurate portrayal of readership, especially when it comes to visually-driven posts like I sometimes do.


7) The Post I’m Most Proud Of
Aside from my very first blog post and the fact that I was starting a blog at all, I'd have to say the post I'm most proud of is when I asked for advice on goal-setting and determination. I think it's something I'm proud of because, as an insanely stubborn perfectionist, it's really hard for me to say, "hey, I'm not really good at this, and I could use some help." But I braced myself and hit publish, and I really appreciated the feedback I got from everyone--from those who shared their own challenges to those who gave me some ideas and new ways to look at my situation.

  Finish/Start by I Like

That was fun! I'd love for you to play along! It's a fun chance to get to know my fellow bloggers better-- especially those whose blogs I am newer to-- by offering a curated glimpse into your archives. Let me know in the comments if you post your own 7 links :)

Foodie Friday : Meet a New Member of My Kitchen Family

Isn't she gorgeous?! My husband got some major points for surprising me by ordering a Kitchenaid Mixer for an anniversary present. Not that I hadn't been hinting at wanting one for ages. But I never actually thought the day would come where I'd be admiring it on my own counter top! He originally tried to get me the Pistachio colored one, but when that fell through, we decided that this lovely matte charcoal called Imperial Gray would transition well into any kitchen (and any decor, as I am prone to redecorating far more than necessary).

Now I just need to pick out a name for her. (Yes, I name all my major appliances and plants. Totally normal.) I'm leaning towards Martha, named after the Queen Domestic Goddess herself. But Ina or Julia are options as well. Care to weigh in? Any other ideas for names? Any baking recipes I just have to try? I'd really like to try this whole wheat bread and these chai snickerdoodle cookies!

The Accidental Collector

In the process of cleaning up my art journaling supplies recently, I came across a giant pile of postage stamps that I had acquired through various art journaling workshops and hand-me-downs supplies from my mom. I knew I had the stamps, I've even used them before in my journal pages, but I had always just grabbed them willy-nilly out of my paper scrap box and pasted them down without a second glance. I assumed they were just your average boring postage stamps. When I happened to take a closer look at them a few days ago, I realized that I've got quite the worldly collection! There are stamps from India, Spain, Romania, Dubai, Hong Kong... you name it. And many are dated from the 1950's and 1960's.

I found the color of the stamps extremely striking, and the OCD-side of me just had to separate them out by color and snap some pictures before they are destined for my next art project. Each stamp is so intricate, and it's amazing to think about the design work and attention to detail that went into something as teeny and mundane as a postage stamp. It's kind of fascinating! Especially when you think about how we have technology today to scale and reproduce stamps with the push of a button, but how did they do it in the olden days? Hire mice with miniature paintbrushes? That's the story I'm going to go with :)

Weekending at the Lake House.

We spent a fantastic long weekend at the lake house in Wisconsin. We had the best of both worlds-- the fall foliage was a perfect mix of gold and crimson, but the Indian summer temperatures spoiled us with warm breezes and sunny days. I enjoyed trading in the noise and commotion of the city for the sound of water lapping at the shore and squirrels scattering through the crunchy leaves. My mom and I spent a perfect afternoon visiting several artist studios as a part of a fall art tour, including a stop at a mini art fair that had a gourmet s'mores table-- and all the participating artists were wearing t-shirts labeling themselves "S'morons!" We had a seafood dinner at the local lodge, and spent an evening in peals of laughter at the neighbor's animated stories of the Northwoods over homemade concord grape wine.

It was pretty much the perfect fall weekend.