a certain kind of morning

It's a taking five deep breaths in the midst of the fog kind of morning.

A Hall & Oats followed by The Cars on the "Oldies" station kind of morning.

The sort of morning where you drop your daughter off at preschool and see her run up to her teacher and her friends and tell them all about her weekend and you think about how every single person in her life is shaping her in the best kinds of ways.

The sort of morning where you realize there isn't a lot of space for the guilt when you really pay attention.

The sort of morning where you make the choice to feel compassion toward the person driving a car full of bumper stickers that are everything you are not that just pulled out in front of you causing you to quickly brake.

It's that kind of morning.

The kind where you feel the blessings deep into your bones when you think about the work you get to share with the world.

Where you stand in the intersection of all that you know and all that is possible and treat yourself to a chai tea latte + chocolate croissant.

Where you know you have to pause to write it all down so you can remind yourself that these mornings exist on those days when nothing seems to go right.

Yes.

It is exactly that kind of morning.

love this :: everyday outfits (january)

In the last few years, I've begun to realize that I want to invest more in clothing and shoes that I love love love, that will last, that invite me to feel the most like me, and that really look great on me.

This has meant fewer trips to Target and Old Navy to buy five (or more) inexpensive new items a few times a year because I hope they will make me feel better about myself only to realize they don't really fit all that great after I've worn them a few times. And I've instead saved money over a few months to buy a few items that will be in my closet for a long time. I'm also doing a lot more handwashing when it comes to things like shirts from Anthropologie because the fabric usually needs that extra care. And this doesn't mean I'm not buying clothes from Old Navy and Target. I'm just being a bit pickier and looking for staples that are made well and fit great.

Today, I'm sharing one of my current daily uniforms (see past everyday outfit posts here).

1. The Ansonia Pullover from Anthropologie is soft and comfortable and comes in several colors. I usually wear one of these tanks from Target underneath.

2. The Lapis Mala of Intuition from Tiny Devotions that a friend gifted to me when she felt like it was ready to move on to a new home. (I know, I am totally lucky.) And when I wore it yesterday, the most beautiful day of listening to my gut unfolded. For real.

3. The Dreamer jeans from Old Navy. This boot cut style is super flattering with the "tummy taming" panel (their wording) in the front. I really like the slight boot cut and the regular length isn't too long on me (I'm 5'5"). And if you are reading this thinking, "I never find jeans," I dare you to go to Old Navy and try on every single style in your size and one size below and above. I'll be cheering you on. You deserve jeans that fit honey. (And if you are ready to invest in just one pair of awesome jeans, I really recommend NYDJ. They are my ultimate favorite and worth the investment. And if you go to Nordstrom, you can have someone help you with all the styles and sizes. Worth it. I should write a whole post about this.)

4. Headbands continue to make me happy. This one is from Flipside hats. Also love this one.

5. I'm usually wearing my word of the year "wildness" necklace. Love having this silver-toned option now.

6. The Ugg Grandle boot is comfortable and provides enough support as I stand in my studio hammering. And they have a shearling lining, which makes me happy. (And the buckles make me feel a wee bit badass. Yes, I just said that "out loud.")

Have you seen Kelly Rae's Wear Your Joy Project? Totally behind that practice 100%. 

Hope you have a beautiful weekend in your corner of the world! 

Quick note: Some links are affiliates, which means I receive a small commission when you purchase from that online store.

pinned it. did it. {with meg}

I'm delighted that Meg is sharing about a group of creative kindreds she gathered with over the weekend to just have some girl time. And lucky for us, she's sharing about the bread she made for the occasion. She finds the best recipe pins!

*****

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to gather with some friends who I knew/made while Jen Lee was in town touring with her documentary, Indie Kindred. These ladies, in a few short get-togethers, have become very dear to me as kindred spirits and fellow creatives. We sat and ate delicious “brunchy” foods and pulled out knitting needles and crochet hooks (most of us had to work just to remember what to do with them because it had been so long since the last time we’d picked them up). But just the act of gathering together feels so sacred and so special. We love to chat and scheme about how we are going to collaborate or plan our dream events and who we can meet along the way. Having this community is invaluable. We even scheduled our next “knitty brunch” date before we left so another one is already in the works. Magic, I tell you.

I have a whole breakfast board on Pinterest filled with decadent and delicious ideas for such a brunch. But I’d seen a pin that stuck out in my mind and knew it was the one I wanted to make to take with me to our get together. A huge perk to baking it was that it would satisfy quite a few different diet restrictions (gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free). 

This bread is delicious. And smothered in chocolate. But to warn you, it is quite rich. The use of peanut butter and chocolate chips make it perhaps more dessert-like than breakfast-like. I think you could cut way back on the chocolate chips or replace many/all of them with nuts or dried fruit for a different take on it. But I went full-force on the chocolate chips (I used these) and found it decadent and wonderful. 

The batter is very thick but it bakes up beautifully. A few tricks I learned while making this bread: 1) add a few tablespoons of water while blending to get a wetter batter, 2) let it cool completely before turning it out of the pan or it will fall apart, 3) use two small loaf pans OR one large loaf pan, and 4) have a beverage nearby when eating it. It’s a bit dense and all that peanut butter will make you thirsty!

So many good things coming from my Pinterest boards lately. Have you been doing anything from your Pinterest boards? Share about your Pinterest inspirations in the comments or leave a link for us to see. 

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.

letting it be simple

This illustration by Kristin Noelle arrived in my inbox during her Santa Pause course in December. It was a whispered gift of understanding, and I'm thankful that she is letting me share it with you today along with why it meant so much to me.

My uncle died unexpectedly before Thanksgiving. And in the days after the holiday, when family had left and the house was quiet again, I had trouble sleeping. I would wake up after about three hours and my mind would suddenly remember and my heart felt so confused in that deep grief of knowing we wouldn't ever talk again. I would think about the postcard on my studio table that I'd written him but hadn't sent. I would try to remember what we talked about when I saw him for the last time almost five years ago. And I'd tried to hear his voice inside the memories of childhood joy.

Sometimes I would stay in bed, trying to sleep. More often I would read or get up. The days that followed felt thick with sadness and exhaustion. Grief sat next to me on the couch and quietly walked behind me when I would get up to go to the studio. It would catch me unaware in the lines of a Christmas song. And it would consistently wake me up.

One night while getting ready to crawl into bed, I picked up Jeero, a stuffed animal that sits on my bedside table. He's flat and kind of like a small pillow. I got into bed, pulled the covers up to my ears, turned on my side, and cuddled him to my chest. And I slept all night.

And it worked again the next night and the one after that. I've slept with him almost every night since.

I couldn't put into words why it was working until Kristin's email came with this illustration.

It helped me see that in the confusion of grief I just needed something to hold on to. I just needed something simple that wasn't about sharing my feelings or worrying I was grieving too much or bringing up all the other stacked up complicated feelings that can happen when someone dies.

Jeero the stuffed animal just shows up. He doesn't make it about him. He's just there, like a warm hug, letting me be me. And the truth is, in hugging him, I was giving myself the gift of taking care of me and listening to what I most needed.

I'm so grateful to Kristin for putting her stories and illustrations into the world so that others can recognize themselves and feel less alone. And for giving me permission to know it is okay to be a grown-up and to just want things to be as simple as a hug from a stuffed animal sometimes. 

****

Kristin Noelle is a Los Angeles-based illustrator. She creates soulful art that fosters a worldview of trust. Find her at www.kristinnoelle.com and be sure to check out Blessings - a 10-day series of inspired, illustrated blessings. Blessings is your chance to taste, for free, the work that Kristin will be offering the world all year through themed series of illustrations - on love, relationships, grief, parenting, money, and more.

the choice to be right here

Last night she curled up in bed with me and put her cheek against mine, using my face almost like a pillow, because she said she just couldn't get close enough to me. "You're just so cuddly Mama Kitty. I love how cuddly you are."

And I made the choice to just stay right there, listening to her breathing, feeling her body snug against mine. 

She should have been sleeping. Her bed time was 90 minutes before this moment. She's in a phase of not wanting to go to bed. Each night she tries on various techniques all with the purpose of spending more time with us. Writing it out like that, it sounds so sweet. But it has been intense. And I keep trying on different ways to be a parent. And some nights I feel my patience and Jon's thin as we crave even just five minutes to ask each other "How are you?" and have the space to answer with adult words.

Last night, as I made that choice to just hold her closer as we were then nose to nose, our heads sharing a pillow, I said, "You can stay until Daddy comes to bed. Then you have to go sleep in your bed." I made the choice knowing tonight she will more than likely try to say she must cuddle with me or she won't be able to sleep and how the list of three-year-old excuses will go on.

But I did it anyway. 

Looking into her blue eyes. Watching the way they slowly began to close even though she insisted she wasn't tired. Feeling her arms come around my neck as she kept saying, "I just love how cuddly you are Mama." Soaking it up because she is usually on the move and so rarely wants to cuddle. Letting myself be right there, imprinting it inside me so the me of 15 years from now will be able to unpack it and hold it close on the days I'll most need it.

I've found that often just being right here is the best parenting move I've got.

(And no, that photo isn't connected to the story in this post. It is from a few weeks ago when we made another choice to just be right here and soak up a day without rain even though it was cold and there were lots of orders for me to work on and a house to clean before visitors and things on the to-do list. But this moment was such a gift. I so rarely remember to take my big camera with me these days. This photo is to remind me to keep doing it. And to keep getting them outside because we all need it so much.)

creative fun with EJ :: kiwi crate

Over here, Kiwi Crate is one of our favorite companies. Ellie's aunt gave her a subscription for Christmas a year ago, and we fell in love with the green boxes that come full of crafty goodness. This past December, Kiwi Crate sent over one of their holiday kits for Ellie and I to play with, and today's post is a peek inside our afternoon of fun.

First, we created some painted ornaments. Ellie loved this activity, and I'm tucking it away as one she might make as Christmas gifts later this year (hoping they might have a kit for that). 

The kits come with great instructions with illustrations, so she's able to follow along. Lots of "Okay Mommy, let's look to see what we do next."

She had a lot of fun squeezing the paint in the plastic ornament balls and then swirling the paint. (And I did too.)

We also created a cardboard gingerbread house complete with snowy roof and pompom and rickrack trim. This one was a great exercise in letting go for me and just letting her just do her thing instead of insisting snow on the roof must look a certain way. Always learning.

What I love the most about these Kiwi Crate kits is that they contain almost every single thing you need to create these crafts (sometimes, for example, you might need scissors, though a past kit actually came with some safety scissors that Ellie uses all the time).

What this means is that you don't have to have a lot of craft supplies to have a crafty day together. So if you don't have that crafty parenting move down that comes easily to some, or like me, you sometimes want to be able to just open a box and get to having fun together on a Saturday afternoon instead of preplanning it all, these kits are a perfect answer. 

And I love the thoughtfulness that is apparent in each of the kits we've enjoyed. The design and instructions are clear and fun and often there are stories included that teach all of us something. 

You can sign up for just one monthly kit or a subscription of 3, 6, or 12 months. You can see some non-holiday sample kits here to get an idea of what the monthly kits are like.

Special for my readers: If you click through using this link right here, you'll receive a special $10 off your kit purchase. Hope you enjoy!

Please note: This post isn't sponsored by Kiwi Crate, but they did gift us with the holiday kit shown in the photos. I am an affiliate for them, which means I receive a small commission when you click through to their site and buy something. However, these opinions are mine (and Ellie's). And as you can see, we are big fans so being an affiliate is an easy choice. I gifted Ellie and me a new subscription for Christmas and can't wait to open this month's box of goodies.

five (really) good things

1) I'm in love with these little wood slices from Kelly. She creates a little original painting just for you with your word of the year. Perfect for your altar, next to you bed so you see it each morning and evening, or even your kitchen windowsill. I keep mine in my studio. Order yours here (or the littler size right here). 

2) I had the best time chatting with Kelly Dahl for her ecourse Fulfill Your Year. We chatted about choosing a word of the year, why we're drawn to the practice, and give some insight into the ways it has worked and hasn't worked for each of us. I also had the chance to share about the sacredness I'm experiencing with my word of the year shop orders this year. Love being able to do video interviews about topics that are dear to my heart. There is still time to join Kelly. Learn more here.

3) Opening up the Spakona Personal Palette that Bridget Pilloud did for my word "wildness"was like unwrapping the best after-the-holidays gift ever. As Bridget explains, "Each palette is a personal intuitive experience where I tune into your word and identify the six words or phrases that round out the experience of that word. After I identify the words, I’ll go into my magic color pantry and pick the colors to match." This offering is just the right amount of grounded woo woo goodness that I needed to really feel supported as I begin this journey of inviting in wildness this year. And I can't wait to make a bracelet with the additional words + colors Bridget gave me. Love this offering. 

4) For the fourth year now, I'm over on Ali's blog reading the One Little Word list. You can read all the words and listen right here. (And this year I didn't go in alphabetical order so it would read even more like a poem of possibility.) If you are still hoping to find a word, reading through and listening to this list might help.

5) Lori Portka's calendars are my favorite favorite (just want to be clear on that). She has just a few left and they are on sale! Check them out here.

What five really good things have you found in your corner lately? I'd love to know.

i'm learning to ask and listen

Yesterday, Ellie was sitting on my lap and asked me what my necklace said. I explained it said, "Wildness" and that it is my word of the year. I talked about how I'll be inviting in more wildness in my life. 

She nodded in that way a three year old does when she's listening and thinking and taking it in.

Then I asked her, "What is your word of the year? What do you want this year to be like for you?"

And she looked me right in the eyes and said, "My life is good and calm and kind."

"Those are the things you want to invite into your life this year?"

"Yes."

"Me too."

I think wildness and good + calm + kind are going to be fantastic companions this year.

(And pairing this story with this photo this might have been the moment I decided to get back to Project Life. Yes.)