wildness :: my word of the year

My word for 2014 is "wildness."

It arrived during a day in mid-December spent listening to poet David Whyte as he talked about stillness as its own wildness. He said something like: When in stillness we join a flow that is happening around us and become wilder within that conversation.

And in that moment, something shifted deep within me.

The idea that the stillness I practice, that I teach, that I try to find for seconds at a time each day could bring me into conversation with the wildness not only around me but within me was a new way of looking at stillness for me. And one I'm looking forward to exploring for the next year.

I'll be pairing this idea of becoming wilder in the stillness with Thoreau's idea of wildness in the quote above.

I've been longing to get outside more, to take the senses walks I used to take, to stand at the water's edge alone and just breathe, to stand outside each day in my backyard and say hello to the hummingbirds and the chickadees and the juncos. To stop working and join the conversation in the woods and water so near to where I live.

Yes.

the wild heart necklace | customizable and in the shop

So I'll be uncovering my wildness in 2014. I hope to document more in photos and words to take you along with me. And I'll be participating in Ali's One Little Word class to help keep my word front and center this year. Love how she's talking about "make your word visible," which is something I did in 2012 but not this past year. I look forward to keeping my word closer to me this year. 

I'm also carrying two more words with me: worthy and magic. I'll share more about these two this month. They aren't words of the year for me so much as words I'm holding close as practices to keep coming back to.

Owning my own "worthiness" is a practice I've been working with for a few months now. Standing tall in being worthy of the gifts that have come my way and recognizing how hard I've worked and how I can step around the assumptions of others. Worthy is one I'm wearing around my neck and putting in my pocket (which is why you see it popping up in the shop samples). And I love how many of you are claiming that word too. And magic keeps appearing on my path, and I'm listing and opening my heart up to it over here. Looking forward to experiencing that unfolding.

What word (or words) are you carrying with you? I'd love to know.

happy 2014

Eleanor Jane :: January 1, 2014 

May your year unfold
with kindess,
light,
ease,
peace,
joy,
and love love love.

Eleanor Jane :: January 1, 2013

2011 :: 2012

We continue the tradition of the New Year's Day photo of EJ in her shirt.

This year it doesn't cover her belly, and that makes me so darn happy because she is thriving!

She's decided she must wear it all day because "Woodstocky" (as we call him for "cutes") is one of her new favorite things.

And I have to share this one too. Because it just makes me smile so big.

Happy New Year to you and yours.

I really hope this year is full of kindness and love.

a word of the year :: a practice

Over here, I'm surrounded by words as I get back into my studio and begin to hammer words of the year into necklaces and bracelets.

I feel so blessed to read all the notes coming in with these words and the stories behind why certain words have been chosen. A handful of the words people have shared with me so far:

forward
self-care
open
stillness
possible
peace
nourish
bloom
faith
embrace
worthy
enough

I love how choosing a word invites us to let go of having resolutions that so often invite in guilt and "not-enoughness." This practice gently pushes me to look forward with self-kindness and think about how I most want the next year to unfold, which is a natural thing to focus on as the calendar changes. As I've mentioned before, as I choose a word, I think about all that could happen in a year, and I want my word to be a companion that brings me back to center amidst whatever beauty and uncertainty await.

If you are called to this practice and aren't sure where to begin, here's a link to a post I shared last year that might be helpful to you: A Word to Guide the Way.

Along with spending time journaling about my word each month, I'm going to follow along with Ali's One Little Word class this year. I'll be sharing more about my word for 2014, wildness, and why I've chosen it in another post this week. I'll also be sharing a bit about how my word for 2013, water, didn't really "do it for me," and how I let it go months ago and how that felt totally okay. I really continued working with my 2012 word, whole, this year and a few other words.

(It is okay to totally make up your own rules when it comes to a guiding practice for the year. Truly. It is.)

This year, I've added a new Word of the Year design to the shop (that has plenty of space for those longer words) and have added gemstone and bird charm options to the old favorites. The new pewter necklaces are also customizable and there is a pocket talisman option too.

Just send over any questions that you have as you look through the shop. I love this time of year, and it feels deeply sacred to me to create these for you.

And each order will come with this special blessing postcard that incorporates your word of the year. (If you ordered your Word of the Year necklace from my shop before Christmas and would like one, just send me an email and I will send one to you in the mail.)

And I really want you to hear me say this: Choosing a word of the year isn't for everyone. In fact, I know it makes some people feel rebellious or even overwhelmed. I'm going to write a post about some other ideas for you later this week, but I do want you to know that I've created something just for you.

This little star is for those who don't feel called to choose a word for the year (or can't choose just one), but do feel ready to stand tall in their own light as they walk into a new year. You can add a gemstone to create an intention as well. And the truth is, shining in your own light is really the best intention of all today and every day of the year.

And if you are thinking, "Oh please, somebody just give me a word," consider the "Mystery Soul Mantra" necklace. Add a sentence or two with where you are right now on your path in the "Notes to Seller" box over on Etsy, and I'll hold you in my thoughts and heart for a moment, breathe deeply, and choose one for you from my little bowl of Soul Mantras.

Thank you for the light you share. So deeply blessed to be doing this work.

Blessings,
Liz 

pinned it. did it. {with meg}

Today, Meg is sharing just about everything you need to create a very special DIY New Year's Party. Love that these ideas would work for a party for 2 or 22. Read on for Meg's post.

*****

I will admit that I am a softie for a fun New Year’s celebration. I love the idea of getting all dressed up fancy and going out to celebrate the ringing in of a new year. I also love staying in and making a fun party at home. That’s what New Year’s will look like this year with a 2.5 year old at home and myself 5 and a half months pregnant. I’ve had so many ideas pinned on my Holiday board that I’ve been excited to do. We took down our Christmas decorations and put up some New Year’s decorations all in the same day. Sometimes it feels challenging to want to decorate for one holiday when it’s so close to another. Often times our Christmas decorations are still up on New Year’s Eve. But this year they came down as soon as Christmas was over so that we could get in the spirit for a new year to come. 

 

I modified a tutorial for making sparkly stars to hang from my mantle place. I didn’t want to hassle with glue and glitter, so I purchased scrapbook paper that was glittery with both silver and gold glitter. I made a free-hand star and cut out 9 to hang across the mantle. I used a needle and thread to hang them with string and simply just taped them to the top of my mantle. The only change I would make next time around is I’d either use double-sided paper or I’d cut enough to make them sparkly on both sides. They spin with a little air movement and I think it would be fun to have them sparkly on both sides.

I used the same scrapbook paper and cut out circles (free-hand again) of varying sizes and used a tiny hole punch to be able to string them on baker’s twine. I loved the look of this circular garland and decided to fashion one for one of our very large living room windows. I made two strands and hung them at varying lengths. It adds a fun touch of sparkle to the room. 

 

Then I cut out some stars to embellish our champagne glasses and the food on the table. Some of them I attached to glassware and others I taped to toothpicks to add to brie and to some hummus. These little stars were inspired by a photo I saw for Blackberry Goat Cheese Crackers. What a yummy appetizer they would make! 

 

I also made some Spritz cookies which are a Christmas tradition in my family. This year I made them for New Year’s and used some silver sparkly sprinkles to decorate them. You can find the recipe that my family has used for generations over on my blog. 

 

And last of all, we will top off the New Year’s celebration with New Year’s Eve Popcorn. It follows the same recipe and process as the Party Popcorn that we’ve told you about in the past. But this one uses silvery sprinkles and these edible stars by Wilton. This popcorn is so incredibly festive! 

There are so many more ideas I’d love to explore for a New Year’s party. Here are a few of my favorites:

DIY Cheeky New Year’s Eve Party Favors + Printable Tags
White Chocolate Dipped Cherries
Metalic Bunting
DIY Confetti Poppers 
Drink Stir Sticks
DIY Mini Hat Headband
Midnight Kisses

Do you have fun plans for New Year’s Eve this year? I’d love to hear about your plans and parties and how you like to ring in a new year. Are you making things for a party or are you keeping it quiet this year? Share your ideas with us in the comments. Best wishes for a happy and healthy new year to you all. XO

Meg Brothers is an artist, photographer, mama, and dreamer. She loves cooking, tattoos, and sporadic dance parties in the kitchen. She prefers dark chocolate, black coffee, and flip flops when weather permits. She is a lover of Pinterest and truly believes in integrating ideas and inspiration - big or small - into normal life. Meg lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband, Dustin and son, Julian. Meg writes about photography, family, and creative inspiration at megbrothers.com. Find her on Pinterest here and on Twitter here. 

***

Note from Liz: Over here in my corner, I'm trying to "use Pinterest for good." I really see it as a community of people trying to see the beauty and possibility in their lives. I'm adding a few new features here on my blog inspired by or directly about Pinterest as a way to invite others to look for this beauty within a social media community. Connect with me on Pinterest here. Read other "Pinned it. Did it." columns here.

the view from here

Sending peace and joy to you and yours. 

xoxo,

Liz

give yourself this gift.

pinned it. did it. {with meg}

Meg is sharing about one of my favorite things: bunting! There is so much great inspiration for these kinds of flags on Pinterest and I love the variety Meg shares with us today.

*****

I may be a little obsessed with making these bunting flags. There are some easy tutorials on Pinterest but once you get the basic idea, they are easy to elaborate on and change to make personal. It’s amazing how festive a little banner can make any event or any room for decoration. They are just so cheerful. 

I made the one pictured above for my son’s bedroom. I used fabric and sewed it with bias tape. I started with a cardboard template for the flags and just measured the wall to know how many to make. I folded bias tape over the top edge and sewed along the edge. This is a nice way to make the banners with fabric and provides a nice edge. I hang it on the wall with some small push pins. 

 

I made this “Be Merry” one for our fireplace for Christmas this year (I am also a portrait photographer and used it as a photography prop in some holiday photos this year). This one used twine and burlap. I bought alphabet stencils and white paint and stenciled the words onto the burlap. I used a strong glue to glue the flag around the burlap since I didn’t want there to be any lines on the flags. These were a smaller triangle. I love how it’s festive but simple. 

Today I sat and made this mini bunting flag for a Christmas gift for my niece. It’s small enough to use as decoration with her My Generation doll (similar to an American Girl doll). For this one I used fabric flags and instead of cutting triangles, I cut diamonds. I then folded the diamonds over a piece of yarn and glued so they would be sturdy and decorative on both sides. I am so in love with the way it turned out (and those colors!) and love the touch of fun that the green pompom ribbon adds. 

Other flag inspiration ideas: 

Cake topper bunting flag
Tissue tassel banner flag
Washi tape banner flag
Chalkboard bunting banner

I have so many DIY projects lined up for my home. I’m feeling really inspired lately to adorn the walls with photos I’ve taken and art I’ve made. It’s amazing how adding a few homemade touches makes my space go from feeling good to great.

Have you been doing any fun DIY projects lately? Tell us about them! I love to hear about what you are up to these days. Share in the comments today.

Meg Brothers is an artist, photographer, mama, and dreamer. She loves cooking, tattoos, and sporadic dance parties in the kitchen. She prefers dark chocolate, black coffee, and flip flops when weather permits. She is a lover of Pinterest and truly believes in integrating ideas and inspiration - big or small - into normal life. Meg lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband, Dustin and son, Julian. Meg writes about photography, family, and creative inspiration at megbrothers.com. Find her on Pinterest here and on Twitter here. 

***

Note from Liz: Over here in my corner, I'm trying to "use Pinterest for good." I really see it as a community of people trying to see the beauty and possibility in their lives. I'm adding a few new features here on my blog inspired by or directly about Pinterest as a way to invite others to look for this beauty within a social media community. Connect with me on Pinterest here. Read other "Pinned it. Did it." columns here.

the simple moments

I’m letting the simple moments surround me right now. 

The finding half and half in the back of the fridge when you ran out of soy creamer moments. The need for vitamin C and remembering the orange in the bowl on the kitchen table moments. The still growing on the pot on the counter Thanksgiving herbs inside a “why not add prosciutto and Gouda” omelet that somehow all stayed together and looks like it was made at a Mother’s Day brunch years ago moments. The curling up with a good escapism sort of book and just leaning into rest moments. The laughter in the most unexpected stories moments. The sitting as a family and reading winter and holiday books with hot cocoa by the tree moments.

I’m letting the exhale of “yes, this” found in these moments lead me right now. 

Because inside there are moments of overwhelm when I realize I still have gifts to buy. Because inside I’m having moments of grief. Because inside there is a joy blooming each time I see my daughter’s face when she gets home from school and runs to look at the Christmas tree.

And the simple moments help me find my footing again. The daily practice of just noticing gratitude and how things went just right and the opening up toward beauty light my path even when I forget to bring a flashlight.

If you are feeling a bit lost or in the overwhelm or just needing a hug, let the simple moments...the simple pleasures...the “yes, this” moments guide you.

A prompt: Consider capturing some simple moments with your camera and tagging them with #yestothismoment so we can find one another on Instagram and Twitter (or even sharing them over on my Facebook page). We can light the path together.

***

I'm so grateful for companions on this journey and for those of you saying "yes" alongside me. This post above was part of my "adventures in creative self-care" newsletter that I sent out last, and I thought you might want to join in and pause to find the simple moments in your day. (And if you'd like to receive reminders like this in your inbox, you can sign up here.)