winter's way

the winter wags on. i find this time of year, for myself, to be very introspective and i yearn to create. maybe it is the time spent indoors or the lack of color outdoors. maybe it is the new year or the passing of another birthday for me. i see the annual trend. i feel the cocoon wrapped around me. my layered cocoon. i'm thinking, i'm dreaming, i'm searching... i have ideas. i have big ideas but my wings are only waiting to spread. and the spring will come. as fast as it can, it will come and each unique bloom will take it's turn. one after the other. while the butterfly breaks open it's cozy cocoon, makes it's way into the warm breeze and ultimately takes flight. i hope to be the butterfly.

i am working through the artist's way once again. i have a few times in the past but have never gotten through the first few chapters due to lack of discipline i believe. this time though, i am blessed to be part of a group of four women who are dedicated to this journey. we meet once a week to discuss our progress and we do a little project the second half of the meeting. i am truly enjoying it and highly recommend forming a small group if you are thinking about doing the artist's way for yourself. i got past the first 4 chapters and this week i feel as though i have turned a corner for sure! if you are not familiar with the artist's way, by julia cameron, check out this link. basically, it's a step-by-step path of discovering or rediscovering your creative self and getting "un-stuck." this process has worked wonders for many, many people. 

EVERYONE is an artist...

in the artist's way there is what you call an "artist date." once a week you are to go on an outing of sorts that inspires you. it's only for you. i have been having fun with this. my first big artist date coincided with my annual trip to the city for my birthday. during the month of january, i choose a day where i go into the city early to walk around, take it some art and design, snap some inspiring photos as my souvenirs and then i meet my mom and we go to some museum or gallery and get a yummy dinner. the fact that it is annual i now know is sad. only once a year i spend a few ours by myself to get inspired??? wow. at first i thought a once a week alone-date was pushing it but now i can see it is so necessary. anyway! once off the train, i headed to my favorite window and display inspiration - anthropologie. not only do i want to own every piece in there but i dream about being their display artist. it's like candy for me. i can't get enough of it. uber creative and always green, these displays or shall i say sculptures take on a shape and space of their own. there has been a curious amount of synchronicity going on lately in my life in many ways which i won't get into today but one small coincidence was that there was a feature in wholeliving this month highlighting two chicago based display artists who came together to call themselves indo. i came across it after i came home that day. their work is absolutely beautiful.

farmer's market cartons fused together in a vertical display with lush plants growing from the center. beautiful.

this year we headed to the american museum of natural history. dioramas galore! oh joy! speaking of diaramas, that reminds me that i have to make one tonight with eden... always fun for me, and i don't hear eden complaining about her grade!

the color and texture in the geology section was interesting as well.

a great birthday month was had. lots of celebrating with friends and family. i feel blessed to be 35! 

woo-hoo!

one gift that i received (and asked for!) was the tribest mason jar mini blender. it makes great smoothies like the magic bullet (which finally lost it's mojo, so i retired it to only grinding coarse coffee beans) but unlike the magic bullet it uses standard glass mason jars as the blending cup. mind blowing, i know. but that means bpa-free blending and storing! the things i get excited about...

 i also got a shiny happy new juicer!!! a breville - oo-la-la. i haven't been using it as much as the mini blender just yet because i am still chilly during the day and juicing tends to cool me down. for whatever reason, smoothies don't have the same effect on me. the other reason why i tend to blend in the winter is because there is a lack of fresh organic produce for juicing but for blending i use frozen organic fruit which is available all year round. anyway, i'm sure i will be juicing away in a few weeks when it starts to get warmer (hooray!) and because kris carr just came out with a brand spanking new juicing ebook, crazy sexy juices & succulent smoothies! i can't wait to give these a try.


my integrative nutrition studies have been truly amazing. i am loving the classes and material. i feel so sorry for the person who brings up nutrition or natural food around me. i never shut up! i guess that's a good sign. i have been mulling around ideas in my cocoon for my holistic health counseling business name and logo. to come...


well, as you all know, the giants won the superbowl which was such an event in my house. i have a happy husband. i still feel the effects. i kept the superbowl fare on the healthy side of course. grass fed, natural burgers with sauteed mushrooms and onions on ezekial buns anyone? bbq kale chips (using smoked paprika)? sweet potato fries? yum. 

february brings hearts and chocolate... 

Valentine Sensory Box


and the birthday of the sweet girl who is always in my heart. my edie bella turned 10! yes, i have a ten year old!?! and she is amazing and smart and talented and funny and beautiful and....well i just love her beyond measure.