A December Hiatus

 

If you're a frequent reader of this blog you may have noticed a wee hiatus that I've taken for the last month and a half.  In one of my last posts I mentioned the ways in which the pandemic has seeped into the crevices of our lives, and the emotional marathon that this whole past year has been.  To be totally truthful I hadn't intended to take a break on here— much less a month+ long hiatus, but here we are.  The holiday season often holds some challenges for me: I have

Thankfulness and Squash Egg Pie

 

So far this year has been a pretty intense year for the books.  From the virus to wildfires out west, to a major election in the US and more, we've spanned what seems like a decade's worth of major events in the course of nine months.  I don't know what's behind door #10, but I can reflect on what I've been thankful for in this wild new world we're all living in.  

I'm thankful for my wonderful husband and his unwavering strength through this troubling time, the laughs we share scrolling through memes on the couch at 1am, and that even though it's been hard to find "fun" things to do during quarantine, that that has been our only real challenge.  I'm thankful for our health and our assuredness in each other to continue taking every precaution we can in this pandemic to keep each other and ourselves safe.  I'm thankful for having an online business that requires very little in person contact save for making trips to the postal service drop off window (and I'm very thankful for our postal service!!!), and I'm very thankful that no one I know personally has had a severe case of the virus, that I know of.  I'm also very thankful for our friends and family who we've been able to keep in touch with despite the distance.  And finally, I've been so thankful for the little things — the pie pumpkins on the windowsill, the quiet stroll through the woods.  And the time to reflect.  

I already worked a great deal from home before the pandemic hit, so the shift into isolation didn't hit all at once for me.  But over the months, and through the marathon and many seasons that this pandemic has been, it's slowly seeped into all the cracks and grooves around me.  The desire so badly to be with other people again, but the overarching duty that sits in my heart that knows it's best for everyone if I just sit tight and hold on.  So I've channelled the energy in other ways — working and coming up with new directions for my little creative hive here, and doing little things like decorating the porch and making a quiche.  

We're headed into some pretty dreary days here in the Midwest — being that it's a region that I've lived in all my life, I am well acquainted with the reality of a Chicago winter.  As much as I'd love to pretend the cold days aren't coming, I know they are.  And I know that these things I'm thankful for I'll need to cling that much closer to to get through the next few months.  But I also know that before long, it will be spring again, and we'll get to see the leafy buds poking out of the dirt, and hear the birds chirping their happy songs.  I long for the first blooms and that first 50 degree day, as we head through some of the last 50 degree days of fall. 

So thank you for reading.

Stay healthy, and stay safe.

Thinking in Pictures

I'm not entirely sure when it originated, or if it's the way other people experience life, but I tend to view the world through a lens.  I process concepts visually, and am constantly going through life through a visual filter.  I see visual patterns in the world, and am always layering some mood into my current experience.

Mermaids, Selkies and Sirens

A Mermaid c. 1900, John William Waterhouse

To kick off my new habit of having a loose theme to my blog each month, I thought I'd start with diving into the differences in some of the mythical sea folk.  And all of this is as much of a learning experience for me as well as whomever may be reading!  When I started this month's research I had no clue as to the difference between mermaids, selkies and sirens, and it turns out there are some reasons behind this, because the meanings behind the words have shifted over time!

So what is the difference between mermaids, selkies and sirens?

Let's dig in!

Our Wedding Story: Flowers, Styling and Planning

   

All professional photos by Kristen Marie Parker

As we near our one year anniversary, it seems fitting that I get around to the final blog about the details from our wedding.  Looking at the world now, the world could not look more different.  Almost none of this would have been possible in the current world situation, and it makes me all the more thankful that we were able to bring all of this together a year ago and make all of these wonderful memories with family and friends that we'll hold dear forever.

My July Capsule Wardrobe

Hey there, lovelies!

It's simultaneously hard to believe it's July already, and also hard to believe that it is still 2020 at this point in the year.  But here we are in the deep of summer, hanging out on our balconies and trying to make the best of the world we're in right now.  

When I started to concept my month capsule for July, the obvious color palette seemed to be the iconic red white and blue inspired by the Fourth of July, so I decided to run with it but still try to not make it too America - centric.  Sort of Americana inspired with a vintage quirky girly twist so as to stay true to my own personal style tendencies :)  Also strawberries and bonfire attire were major influences!

Reaching Out Instead of Retreating In

Today I'd like to share with you possibly the most important thing that I've learned during this strange time in our world's history.

My June Capsule

Hello friends!

After all the fun I had with my May capsule last month, I've decided to keep going with the idea and do another capsule for June.  😊


I'm learning some things as I go about my daily fashion habits, so this routine is really helping me a lot!

Cooks vs. Bakers

Something I've come to notice as of late is the tendency for those of us foodies out there to either have a gravitation towards cooking or baking.

A lot of times, someone may love the creativity of cooking, but shy away from the rigidity of baking, or vice versa. 

Magic in the Mundane

The world has been feeling like a very strange place lately, and some days are better than others in my little corner of the world.

But I've been trying to cultivate as much creativity as I can to lift my own spirits and hopefully spread a little bit of joy to others as well.  I've been trying more and more to have some fun with adding a touch of magic to my art, not only to try to lift spirits, but because I believe that life needs a little bit of magic on a normal day!

Overcoming Discouragement

Today I want to talk about failure and discouragement.

Being an artist can come with it's challenges, some of them being creative burnout and self-confidence.

Healthy May

I have to admit, looking at the long term of my health and diet history, I don't think my habits could really be classified as "healthy".

My only exercise for most of my life was what we were forced to do in gym class in school, and I firmly practiced including sugars as a pretty hefty portion of my personal food triangle.

And for most of my life I would argue that this was 'working' for me.   I was fine, no major issues!

Pausing for a Personal Update During a Time of Crisis

Two weeks ago, if you told me that my state would be under a shelter in place order right now, I wouldn't have even known what that meant.

Two weeks ago, I was getting a hair cut, putting pink in my hair, and going about life as per the usual, dreaming up creative ideas of shoots out in the woods, and what travel plans we had upcoming this year.

Ethical vs. Affordable

Earrings from an artist on Etsy, Steady Decor

The topic of ethical fashion is paramount these days, as more and more people become aware of the state of the clothing industry and it's effects on our planet and labor force.  The business model of fast fashion has been pretty heartless in its exploitation of garment workers and the effects that cheap, rapid production and dumping of clothing has on our planet. 

The Women's Wellness Retreat

    

In today's stress-filled world, everyone needs a chance to step back and relax.  Some people go on a vacation, a stay-cation, or go on a long weekend somewhere nearby with friends, family, or on their own.  In books and a little bit in person, I've heard whisperings of another kind of life-break:  the retreat.  A chance to step back and recharge or heal from the stresses of life and reassess and relax.  I know I used to get so stressed out, the only thing that

2020 Book Haul

So I'll be the first to admit, I'm not a huge book reader.   I know and see so many people get so much out of reading and are excited to share and talk about their favorites or current ones with others.   I've always felt some sort of disconnect in this area, as I feel like I miss a lot of references to literature or even

Coats in My Cart

  

Let's talk about coats, baby!

Oh, coats.  So very necessary if you live anywhere that dips below 50 degrees, and so very frustrating for a myriad of reasons!  

2020 New Year's Resolutions

I find these end of year reflections to be so useful to me.  Instinctively, I like to be able to sum up and reflect on pockets of time, look back at what happened, how I handled things, and try to learn from life's events.  So often I worry that I may make a bunch of resolutions and then end up with zero follow through.  So making a point to look back and recognize what worked and didn't work is important to me.  

2019 Year in Review

This year has been A YEAR.

It has been a mixture of some of the best moments of my life as well as some of the hardest days I've experienced.

So much has happened this year.

On Being an Artist

"A true artist's work reflects his or her life + thoughts.  When a true artist is creating a
piece of art, there is nothing else on his or her mind; it is an escape from the real world."

— Kokil Sharma, Elite Daily

In college I majored in Fine Art.

I have two bachelor's degrees in Fine Art.

But for some reason I never thought of myself as "an artist".