project life :: february 2014

This year, I'm working on my Project Life album one month at a time. Letting go of the weekly updates has been like taking a deep breath.

And as usual, it isn't about being perfect or hoping my albums will look like some of the true designers or really experienced scrapbookers out there. 

No.

This is about photos + words and a few little fun bits and gathering them together as evidence of this awesome, crazy, beautiful, sometimes really messy life we're living over here.

These layouts show glimpses of a month full of sick days and a snow day and three trips to IKEA and a visit from my mom and going through "stuff" and rearranging and continuing to make a home that feels like home.

Read more about my experience with Project Life + get links to some of the products I'm using right here.

your story 2014

photo by Kimberly Kalil

photo by Kelly Barton

photo by Kimberly Kalil

photo by Kelly Barton

photo by Hannah Low

I'm so grateful to the 21 women who gathered on the Oregon Coast last week. They showed up as themselves, tried new things, danced, laughed, and shared pieces of their stories. I'm so blessed to do this work, to create this space where all of this magic unfolds.

We wrote poems, took self-portraits, carved stamps + made books with Elise, painted with Kelly, talked about some business stuff, shared ways we stay present amidst all of it, ate delicious food prepared by my dear friend Sasha, and deeply connected in that way women can when they come to a safe space and make the choice to just keep their hearts open to how it all unfolds.

The synergy of it all...the love...helped me come back to center when I think about what I want to do next with the Be Present Retreats. One maybe even two fall retreats are in the works (you might have spotted this sneak peek of my brainstorming) and more information will be coming very very soon. To be the first to know, sign up for my newsletter right here.

Thank you for coming along on these adventures with me. Those days on the coast last week reminded me of the simple and very tangible ways a group of people can change the world. Yes yes yes.

(Kelly's words + handwriting appear in the second photo. For the last few years I've given out mugs at every retreat. You can spot a few of the ones I gave this time in the photos above. They're from The Universe Knows.)

love this :: current tools

A few favorite daily "tools" that I'm using over here:

This Decomposition Book is a new favorite notebook. I'm using it to write letters to myself, which is a recent practice I've started since working with Fabeku. It was a really beautiful support piece during last week's retreat, helping me envision how I hoped things would unfold, keeping me grounded before everyone arrived, etc. And I really love the feel of the paper in this notebook. (You can find more notebook designs here. I bought mine at the awesome Beach Books in Seaside, OR.)

These pens. Always these pens.

Blue Q pouches. We use these for so many things - from pens + a small Moleskine that I carry in my purse to Ellie's stickers + tiny Hello Kitty journal that we take to a restaurant to make-up and jewelry when I travel. I also use the larger tote bags too.

I've just begun using the Behance Action Cards (and am going to start using the Action Book this week). After I've used them for awhile, I'll report back. So far I'm loving this system! (Found via Elise.)

The Oodles of Doodles mousepad from Alisa Burke makes me smile every single day. 

Please note: A few of the above links are affiliates, which means I receive a small commission when you purchase from that online store.

the beauty of the everyday moments

In April, we'll explore the practice of finding the beauty in our every day and capture these moments through our camera lens. Along with all the other good things you receive with a membership to Hand to Heart each month, there will be a simple photography prompt to explore each day. This is one of the prompts we'll be exploring:

Last week, as the late afternoon eased into evening, we took a walk around our neighborhood. One of my favorite things to do is to take my camera along to gather evidence of how the season's are changing right where I live.

While we walk, I pause to quickly capture colors and textures and sounds with my camera.

Often I don't look through the lens, I just snap and look later, as I try to tap into my child self who isn't thinking about "how good the photo is" but is instead just looking at the world with wonder.

With the photo above, I just pointed my camera up toward that gorgeous blue sky and the forsythia blooms and snapped without looking through the viewfinder.

Sometimes I put my camera right on the ground to see what I can find at an ant's view. The photo above was taken with my camera right on the ground, me bending over just to press the shutter button. 

When I stood up, I realized I'd really just been taking a photo of a patch of grass. Who would have thought that this field was just waiting right there?

Try it today: Get outside and find the simple beauty and wonder of your world. And then come back here and tell me all about it.

*****

Hand to Heart is an invitation to stop signing up for another ecourse or two or three that will sit in your inbox. It is your invitation to start practicing what you know.

This ongoing offering is a soft space for you to land daily as you listen to the wisdom within you and practice what you know. When you join, you become a member of a community of kindred women who will be exploring a new soul care practice and theme each month. These practices will light the way as we find the YES in our beautiful, messy lives. Learn more and join in here.

the file drawer {2}

This comic by Yale Stewart all about Superman and Batman and other superheroes if they went to school together when they were kids...well, it is awesome on every level. Seriously. I am obsessed. My current favorite is the one where they pretend to be Spiderman as they walk down the hall. I think he posts two new ones each week. Again, awesome.

This article by Ron Suskind about reaching his autistic son through Disney movies is interesting and really thought-provoking.

These blue eggs pretty much take my breath away. For real.

We went to a rummage sale/craft show this weekend and I fell in love with the purses and pouches from Atlas Past. Check out Brooke's Etsy shop right here. 

Want to meet in LA for 24 hours? (I am kind of not kidding.) The Design*Sponge "24 hours in" series is brilliant.

This beaded tank from Anthropologie is pretty fantastic. Perfect with jeans but also can be dressed up. It is flattering on my curvy body and falls longer on me than the photo. It's going to be my date night top (please remind me to actually schedule date night).

And while I was at Anthro I realized my favorite glasses now come in a lot more colors. I resisted the temptation to buy more but gosh they sure are pretty. (I have one of the dark green ones.)

Social Media Manifesto by Heather Platt has me nodding. (My friend Alana sent this my way on a day when I felt really overwhelmed by Facebook and the way it sometimes feels like people share things before even digesting their own feelings about what they are sharing. That's happened to me a few times late at night. In those moments, I send an email to a friend with the subject "things I won't be tweeting..." and share with one person who will get it and reply "totally hearing you.")

I'm so grateful for the ways Meredith Winn shares her stories through her words and her photographs. This post is raw and real and gorgeous.

I've been thinking about joy lately. What it feels like inside me when I really notice it. How I can share more joy with those around me and with you. The Rumi quote above is a favorite, and I'm trying to create space to live from this place more. Yes yes yes. 

Read the other file drawer posts here. 

Note: A couple of the above links are affiliates, which means I receive a small commission when you purchase from that online store.

getting outside.

 

Getting outside. Five deep breaths. Noticing the beauty in my corner.

These are the practices I return to again and again.

These are the practices that act like handholds...helping me find my way each day.

Last week, on a really hard and sad day, the sun was shining anyway. And seeing that blue sky pushed me to gather up my little family and go to a park near our home and soak up the beauty of just being alive.

And the beauty was there even as I sat on a log looking out at the water with grief in one hand and the real solid truth that I am still here in the other. While my husband and daughter ran back and forth across the rocks and her laughter was contagious to all who walked by, I took five deep breaths and then five more. As the space inside me grew with each breath, the beauty enveloped me like a comforting shawl. 

Yes.

*****

If you want to circle with a group of women who are exploring practices like this one, come along to Hand to Heart, my free ongoing community of women. Each month I share different ideas to add to your current self-care practice and we're here to support you even if you're just beginning the adventure of learning self-care.

Learn more and request to join right here.

the extra imperfect locket sale

All of my jewelry is meant to be a bit imperfect because it is stamped by hand, but sometimes lockets can get a little "extra" imperfect. This happens because they are vintage and have scratches and dents and spots. It also happens because sometimes my stamp slips when I hammer and a letter is slightly double stamped.

I've put these "extra" imperfect lockets on sale in my shop at 40% off!

Even in their imperfections, these lockets are all beautiful and hold the mindfulness intentions and love of the full-price lockets in my shop. There are a handful left and you can find them right here. UPDATE: All extra imperfect lockets have sold out. Thank you! I'll have another sale this summer. 

And I realized that I don't think I've ever shared that all my jewelry comes with a postcard sharing the story of the Soul Mantra jewelry. It says:

Sometimes we need a traveling companion to remind us to be present to the beauty and truth that surround us. We need to be reminded to shine a light on what is real, to heal, to dance inside joy. We need to be gently pushed to find our way to laughter and fill the cracks that life creates. We need an invitation to stand tall and give ourselves permission to rest.

The Soul Mantra jewelry collection is filled with talismans to carry with you on your journey. When you feel the jewelry resting against your skin or notice it on your dresser before you put it on, give yourself permission to bring awareness to your breathing. Inhale and speak your mantra. Exhale and let whatever you need from the mantra settle over you.

I feel so blessed to be sending these talismans into the world. Thank you so much for your continued support.

Blessings,

Liz

the file drawer {1}

 

My best ideas come in the shower. Always. Something about the rhythm of the water and the time to just let my mind rest in the ritual of bathing creates just enough space for ideas to rise to the surface. Some days I'm dripping wet as I grab a dry erase marker and scribble the idea on the bathroom mirror. Other days I just keep repeating it to myself until I'm dressed and can write it in my idea journal. 

The idea of this new blog series came to me in the shower last week. Because I spend part of my day curating good things over on Pinterest, I come across some really wonderful things that I want to share with you. So often, I also want to share articles and videos and blog post and poems too. So this series will be my way of gathering these finds in one place like a file drawer of happiness, wisdom, silliness, thoughtfulness and other good things I don't want to forget. I do this already from time to time, but I'm going to try to share these lists weekly.

Several bloggers I adore do these kinds of link posts and I have to admit that I love them every single time. It is like we get to meet up for tea and say, "Hey, did you know about this?" Hope you enjoy!

Now on to the first installment:

Loving Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show. But with this one, Paul Rudd stole the show. Oh and this is now my second favorite version of "Let It Go." (My favorite part is that they are just having fun. And it isn't perfect. And that puts a big smile on my face. And gosh that girl can sing. That last 30 seconds. Wow!!)

Because some days really are a hot mess (and that is okay honey).

Mister Rogers is one of my heroes. (I actually have a lot to say about that simple sentence but will save it for a longer post soon.) I came across this article from the filmmaker who made "Mister Rogers & Me" that lists 46 things he learned while making the film. A must read.

Love that is thick. A call to action. Yes.

This sweatshirt is on my wish list.

Eight unexpected ways to use your Smartphone is full of really good ideas. A screenshot of your e-ticket might be my fave.

I keep trying to pretend this isn't true over here, but sometimes I am totally losing sleep because of my iPad. (Sigh. Working on it. Can we try to work on it together?)

My favorite owl mug from West Elm is on sale!

I really want to bake these cookies. (Well, mostly, I just really want to eat them.)

I love Wil Wheaton's blog. I've been reading it for a few weeks now. I've become a big fan.

And that quote at the top of this post had me saying a big YES when I read it. I'm already anticipating the laughter that will surround me when I gather with kindreds at my next retreat later this month. I cannot wait.

Hope your weekend is full of good things and rest and laughter. Yes.

Note: A couple of the above links are affiliates, which means I receive a small commission when you purchase from that online store.