Little Gifts

Dec 2, 2011 | This Life

I’ve been giving our son little gifts each day as we countdown Christmas. Just small tokens of my affection. Today, I found the little handmade butterfly he left for me on my sewing machine.

The Christmas Spirit

Dec 1, 2011 | This Life

Tiny vintage floral pick—Santa is hanging out in the packaging area of Mireio reminding me of the Christmas Spirit all year long.

December 1, 2011

It’s brisk and bright—classic late autumn weather to usher in December. A month of season changes and celebrations. An ending to a year.

How did we get to December? This year has been a whirlwind.

We are encamped in our living room—and I’m sitting in our bed (where our sofa should be) writing this and wondering, “Where in the heck am I going to put a Christmas Tree?”  No, seriously, I’m asking. The living room and the contents of my closet are now in the dining room.  To complicate matters new carpets are scheduled to be installed on the main floor right before New Years. So, I’m trying to figure out how I’m supposed to get all this put back together, put up a tree, only to take it right back down again.

I’m going to pitch the idea of a bathroom tree to the boys later today, but you know that’s not going to fly.

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Which Are You?

Nov 30, 2011 | Reading

Via Visual Complexity and Amira Skomorowska. Click the Visual Complexity link for the text… it’s so worth reading!

Beautiful.

I had a fabulous blog post planned for today—and then, it disappeared, as blog posts often do. Something about sunshine makes last night’s brilliant idea seem ridiculous. It’s the blogging walk of shame.

Anyhow, my day is jam packed with moving. Moving more of my “crap” from one space to another to make way for the plaster artists (he really is amazing, this guy  doing the walls and ceiling!) to work. On today’s list is our bedroom and my walk-in closet. Both the contents of my closet and  our King sized bed will be going down a flight of stairs and into our living room for the next three days. Camping! Without the open fire. Good times.

So, busy. But I wanted to share this graphic with you before I forgot. Because it really is amazing. I think it was originally a Mercedes ad, but I thought the text was moving.  So often, an author’s bias shows when describing either the right or left brain way of thinking. But in this case, the artist graphically captures the beauty of both ways of being.

Which begs the question. . . which are you? Team Right? Team Left? Either way, you’re beautiful.

Words That Inspire Me

Nov 27, 2011 | Sunday Sermon

Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.” ~ Mary Anne Radmacher

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What words inspire you?

Domesticate Me

Nov 19, 2011 | From the Kitchen

Together in the kitchen.

Domesticate Me

One of the ways I stayed sane living in a hotel this summer was to imagine us back in our renovated home. I kept a Pinterest board of all our design ideas because it kept me focused on the outcome, not the destruction! When the process became overwhelming, I would go pin something inspirational. Click, click, breathe, breathe.

Early in the process I found myself imagining cooking in our new kitchen. Um, yeah, you heard correctly. Me cooking. (no it’s not the 8th sign of the apocalypse, yes it’s a bit delusional) So I started a board of recipe ideas that looked both accessible to the uninitiated cook and appetizing. I labeled the board, “Domesticate Me.” And, well. . . the idea snowballed.

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Anger Management

Nov 18, 2011 | This Life

Someone needs to take some Anger Management courses.

IZ and I talking over our decor scheme over coffee:

Me: “Sigh. You realize our bedroom is the only feminine spot in the house? The entire thing is just so. . . masculine.”

IZ: “That’s not true. Besides, you’re little miss modern. It’s not like you LIKE girly country things.”

Me: “What? Your argument doesn’t hold water. Just because I don’t do calico or chintz doesn’t mean I don’t like feminine things. I adore Hollywood Regency, and that’s like the ultra fem side of modern. We don’t have any chandeliers or leopard print or mirrored furniture anywhere in this house!”

IZ: “Because we can’t afford them.”

Me: “That’s not the point, really. Our house doesn’t look like a girl lives in it. Our house screams MEN live here.”

IZ: “I think our house screams compromise.”

Me: “Uh, more like it screams BUDGET!”

Me: “Actually, our house screams ‘These two idiots were completely enamored by the charm and nostalgia of buying their first home they didn’t think about what an old house costs to fix and are now too house poor to buy real furniture.'”

I think our house might have a yelling problem. What does your house scream about you?


Perks

Nov 17, 2011 | This Life

One of the perks of working at home with your spouse. Sometimes, he brings you coffee and chocolate.

Make A Difference

Nov 16, 2011 | It's a Business Thing

Shop Local, Handmade, and Small Businesses this Holiday Season. It makes a difference.

Shopping Local, Small Business, Handmade

It’s shameless self-promotion, but I’m proud of Mireio and I highly recommend shopping there this holiday season. Gift wrap is complimentary (free! though it will say nice things about you if you want it to!) and shipping is prompt. I’ll even ship to your intended gift target if you’re late to the shopping task! Not to mention everything is handmade by me, with love and care and from the best quality supplies I can find!

But Mireio isn’t the only option out there. And I get it if you look at my store and say, “Great work, Wende, but it’s not for me.” There are dozens, if not hundreds, of local options, small businesses, and handmade artists out there who would love your support. And it makes  a difference.

It makes a difference in your local economy. That’s pretty obvious, right? It makes a difference for small businesses, like mine, who rely on those holiday dollars to provide Christmas and clothes and food and to keep those twinkle lights on. Really, our Christmas doesn’t happen without it! And while I don’t believe that a handmade gift is better than a store bought gift (come on, ipad anyone?) I do think a handmade gift makes a difference to the receiver, even if that message is subliminal. YOU are choosing to support other artists or people in your community… that says something!

I know we all compile a gift list and it’s tempting this time of year, with all our pressing responsibilities and engagements, to blitz through that list as quickly as possibly and with the least amount of financial trauma.

Oh, I get that!

But I can’t tell you what it means to independent artists and crafters to realize that you chose THEM to supply a gift. So many of us give our hearts and souls to our little businesses. We put in long hours and a bit of ourselves into everything we make, and we hope and pray that someone will come along and see the beauty we see. So when you do, it’s a great moment. Or, for me it is. Every time. It’s a little bit of validation of what I do. See, your choice makes a difference here too.

However,  I also know that  not everyone on your list is easy to shop for. Some people want electronics and gift cards and all those things that are not local, small business, or handmade. Um, I procreated one of those, so I do get it!

Which is why I’m asking that you make a difference this year buy purchasing just one gift that meets the local, small business, or handmade criteria. JUST ONE. Oh, sure, if you want to go hog wild and do all your shopping at a craft fair… YOU GO GIRL, er GUY, er PERSON! But for the rest of us, with tricky lists and busy schedules, just one will do.

It will make a difference. To so many people. Maybe even to you.

Drug Fair

Nov 13, 2011 | This Life

I’m pretty sure this belonged to the former owners of our house. And I have no idea why we still have it. Except, that every time I re-discover it, I can’t seem to stop laughing enough to toss it out. So, back in the drawer it goes. Don’t ask me why I think it’s funny, I’m clueless about that as well.

Do you keep stuff like that? Random things that make you laugh?