Street Fashion, March

As I was out and about this weekend, I was noticing the fashion trends hitting the streets of Minneapolis. This is what I saw: Colored skinny jeans! black and white strips in dresses, tops and accessories, lots of feather prints (not sure how i feel about that), color blocking: each piece you wear is a different color- none 'matching' but all 'going', everything's belted and my favorite bright pink lip. Have you found yourself enjoying any of these fashion trends?  

In My Next Life...

I absolutely love the life I'm living, but being the chronic daydream that I am, I can't help but imagine what I want my 'next life' to be like. This is what I've got so far:
A goat (to make goat cheese obviously) and maybe a few other little animals,  babies! a whole house full, sprawling flower gardens WITH a sprinkler system, growing heirloom tomatos and selling them at a farmers market, cooking gourmet meals every evening for a loving hubby, actually doing a few DIY projects,  a really long wooden kitchen table to make memories at, ...oh, and a husband who makes lots of money so I can be a total homebody and enjoy everything mentioned above.  :o) haha...in my next life.

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my make believe life photo credit

Little People Art

Finding different ways to save and celebrate your kids art work can be a challenge. Hanging it on the fridge is an old stand by but what else can you do to show your little one that their art is special. Below are a few ideas to help you celebrate the little artist in your life.  

I discovered this company and I think they have such a great prodcut! Its called Child’s Own Studio. They bring a child's art alive by turning a picture into a plush toy. Genius! It was an idea that launched one mom's home-based craft business that has now created a few hundred personal softies, each one as unique as the child who drew it. Child’s Own Studio celebrates children’s art and their imagination with every handcrafted one-of-a-kind soft toy.

A way to display your little picasso's masterpieces is to frame them. I like the idea of mixing your kids originals in a grouping with art from other artist, keeping in the same style or color palette. You'll be amazed at the fun pop this collection will add to a space. This might be the perfect arrangement for a guest room, office space or long hallway. I love the mix mashed frames as well as all the matching frames...each have a different vibe based on your current home decor. 

I'm also loving the idea of compiling your kid-o's art, maybe from the school year, into one coffee table book. This book would be an awesome keepsake that you and your artist can look back on over the years. Theres many online resources to upload scans of the art and get book printed.    

Wishing Away Winter

The winter blues get me every year at about this time... I've got cabin fever bad and I'm dying for some sun therapy.  So my current moody, grouchy self is finding pleasure in the surprisingly sassy. Check out what is making me happy...all with what my mom would call a bad attitude.

Via CamillaCotton

via The Wilde Room 

                     

2012 protests at Virginia State Capitol on women's rights

Happy International Women's Day!

Its the year 2012 and women's rights have come along way! I feel that I am personally living the 'American Dream'  and as a young, single women who owns her own business and employs women.  It wasn't very many years ago that I wouldn't have had this opportunity and I feel extremely grateful to the women who paved the way for me to live and work the way I choose.  You can see in my post from last March, what women have inspired my journey.
On this day I celebrate how far women have come, but I also ponder the journey that is still ahead of us. As a women in business I still see the way society underestimates me. I still struggle to receive respect and value in my work. I still hear the impact that a man's voice has when he repeats my exact words to the same group of people. I felt the immediate downgrade in the social ladder when I went from a 'married women' to a 'single girl'. I felt the doubt when I choose to live alone and when I made the choose to go into business as a sole proprietor. And I still laugh when a sales putz tries to take advantage of little ole young and dumb me.  Its interesting to see that the challenges and stuggles are still all around me. But the wonderful thing about being a women faces with adversity, weather its big or small, is we have each other and together we can continue to fight for women's equality and respect.

In this last year I have thought a lot about what it means to be a women. What I want out of my life and my business...and how I've always been struggling with the concept that I can't have it all: That if I want an amazing business, I'd have to give up having an amazing social life or when i'm ready to start a family, i'll have to give up my studio.  Then I read this wonderful passage from the Bible and went digging for the rest of the story and let me just tell you; it was like a weight got lifted off my shoulders and mind and heart became clear. I could have it all! As long as I was a good women and I had the Lord.  Please read about how one God-fearing women was an amazing wife, mother, and business women and respected and loved by all. I hope you're spirt is touched by Probers 31 like I was!

Happy International Women's Day!