Life is a Canvas : Musings on Creativity, Good Food + Mindful Living

A Big Announcement {a.k.a., Holy #*@&, is this real life?!}

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Seriously, y'all. Is this my life??

I'm moving to Dublin, Ireland, for six months. I'm moving to Ireland. Holy. Cannoli.

How did this come about, you ask? Well, I can thank my husband for this one. He works for a company that provides professional services to other companies, and it just so happens that a new project is in Ireland. Long story short, Mark volunteered himself to be a part of the team on this project, and off we go!

I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the fact that this is happening {thus the radio silence on the blog for much of last week} but it really is wonderfully exciting. I've had that Disneyland/"I'm too excited to sleep!" feeling for days now. Traveling somewhere for an extended period of time has been on my Life List since its inception, but I had considered "extended time" to be anything more than two weeks-- I certainly wasn't expecting six months! An international trip was also on my goal worksheet for the year in the Adventure category, and-- KABLAM!-- we are getting an adventure for sure. Until now, my international travel experience has been limited to a trip to Costa Rica in 2009 and a 2-week study abroad tour during college through France, Germany, Belgium, and Austria-- and I quickly learned that two weeks for four countries was nowhere near enough time to really satisfy my wanderlust and desire to truly experience a new place.

We'll be set up with an apartment just outside of Dublin, and Mark's company seems to be working very hard to make the transition easy. And by the luck o' the Blarney Stone, the apartment *will* have internet, so get ready for far too many pictures of rolling hills, old buildings and wandering sheep :)

Weekend trips around the emerald isle and to London and Edinburgh are in the schedule. And just putting it out there: It's also on my Life List to see an Olympics game-- c'mon Universe! :) To top that off-- since we'll already be on that side of the pond-- we're planning an extended vacation at the conclusion of Mark's project to at least Spain and Germany {and Scandinavia, if at all possible. Or Italy! Or Amsterdam!}.

There are still a few details to iron out, and I've been spending hours researching extended travel visas, work permits {for Mark} and spousal requirements {for me}. It has all happened so fast-- Mark found out just a week ago and leaves this Saturday, whoa nelly. Hopefully, I'll be able to follow him there within a month. When I first received the news I was a Sad Panda because I thought I'd be at home and husband-less for four months due to 3-month maximum time limits for staying in Ireland, but I believe that will be remedied for me through Mark's Irish work permit. Fingers crossed.

I feel incredibly blessed and grateful that Mark and I get to share this experience. It will be my first time in the country {Mark and both of our parents have been there before}, and I'm excited to see a bit of my heritage. I will have to take a peek at the family tree before I go since I believe we have roots in a town north of Dublin.

Any tips, advice, or must-sees for Ireland? Anything I should remember to pack for a half-year stay in another country?

{Image Credits: Photo - Ireland by k.babineau // Typography - Yours truly}

PS- I fully intended to post the Art from the Heart journal pages and the new prompt today, but I couldn't keep this news a secret any longer! Check back on Wednesday or Thursday for an AFTH gallery post and the next prompt.

Birthday Giveaway Winner!

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Congratulations, Katie Licht! You are the winner of the birthday giveaway package! Expect an email from me soon :)

PS to all my readers - Ms. Katie has a wonderful blog and is a talented paper artist/art journaler/collager {is that a word?} so definitely check it out if you haven't already!

Art from the Heart : My Art Journaling Kit

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Last week I introduced my new art journaling series called Art from the Heart. I've already gotten some awesome submissions to the first prompt, but if you finish up a page this week, please pass it along to me to include in the gallery post!

A few of you might not be as familiar with art journaling, so I thought I'd share some basics. While I plan on discussing some tips and techniques with each of my pages in response to the prompts, here's a peek at my staple supplies. While you *absolutely* don't need more than a piece of paper, a pen and a prompt (and maybe a few scraps or magazine pages for a layered look), I like to use a few extra supplies to help achieve what I consider to be "my style."

1. Gesso: This is essentially white primer for your pages that prepare them to be painted. I think it gives a good surface for you to work on, and although it often makes my pages curl after I put down a layer of gesso, it makes the pages extra sturdy (and I can usually flatten the pages without any issue).
2. Matte gel medium: This stuff is a goopy gel that dries clear, but not shiny (thus the "matte" in the title, versus "gloss"). It is a super awesome adhesive for your bits of collage materials, and also allows you to experiment with fun techniques like image transfers. I think it's worth the extra cost (as opposed to using Mod Podge or regular glue) because it has flexibility of use.
3. Spray bottle: A basic spray bottle filled with water is a tool I use when painting my backgrounds. On the mist setting, the bottle helps make the paint easier to spread.
4. Washi tape: Good sources for this Japanese paper tape include Happy Tape and PrettyTape. I also use plain old masking tape quite often.
5. Vintage stamps and other ephemera: I love the look of old stamps on a page. Other suggestions for ephemera to collect include pages from magazines, old photographs, old book pages, sheet music, ticket stubs, tissue paper, lace/doilies, etc. You can usually find some interesting books and pieces at thrift stores and antique shops.
6. Security envelopes: The lining of many envelopes comes printed with interesting patterns, usually in blue or black ink. I love collecting the different patterns from bills and junk mail to use on my pages. I'll cut them into specific shapes, or I'll cut a 3/4" wide strip that I'll adhere to the page to give the look of washi tape.
7. Blank sketchbook or journal: The size is a personal decision-- some people like myself work in a bigger journal (mine is 9x12"), but others feel that page size is a little overwhelming, so I'd go for a 8x10" in that case. If you're interested in using paint like I do, I recommend trying to get the heaviest page weight you can find. It doesn't need to be as thick as watercolor paper, but a journal with 80 or 90 lb. paper will stand up to the paint better.
8. Fluid acrylic craft paint: I use the cheap craft paints usually found near the wood section of the craft store. Brands include Americana, Delta, Anita's, and Apple Barrel. These little bottles have fluid paint, so it's easy to spread on the page. These craft paints aren't as saturated as the art acrylic paints sold in tubes or tubs (such as Golden brand), but a less-saturated look is more my style and I'm able to buy many more colors since the bottles are so cheap (usually about $0.60-0.99 per bottle).
9. India ink: This is a super saturated black ink (although I believe you can get a few other colors) that is commonly used for calligraphy. It's perfect for titles or "headlines" on your pages, or for bold doodling.
10. Alphabet stamps: I bought a cheap children's set from Amazon recently, and I LOVE it! The one's I have are 3/4" in height, and the stamps are clear so you can see how to line up your letters as you are stamping. A larger version and lowercase sets are also available.
11. Prismacolor or other markers and pens: I also use a set of fine felt-tipped colored markers that I got at an office supply store. Most of my journaling is done with a basic black ink pen.
12. Paintbrushes: I recommend at least three brushes; one large brush (about 1") for using gesso and painting your backgrounds, one small/fine brush for using the India ink, and one medium sized junky/cheap brush to use with the gel medium, since it gets kind of gummy with the gel medium. Some people use a palette knife or something like a popsicle stick to spread their gel medium, but I prefer the flexibility of the brush tip. Note: When it comes to painting backgrounds, I often (usually?) find that my hands are the best paintbrush, especially after using the water bottle to thin out the paint.

Art journaling veterans, what's your favorite supply/tool? Those newer to art journaling, are there any specific questions you have about supplies?

PS - Don't forget to enter my creativity package giveaway! I'll be taking entries until Friday!

A Year of of Kindness (and a Giveaway!)

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Be Kind Large Format Print by thewheatfield, $22

Thank you for the birthday wishes on my last post! I had a lovely weekend full of crafting, good food and family.

The last few birthdays, I've made a "27 Before 28" and a "28 Before 29" list, full of intentions and things I wanted achieve in the year ahead. Since I'm already spending time monthly looking at my goals, I decided to do something different for my birthday this year-- something a little more outwardly focused, rather than centered around myself and what I want. The last several years have shown me that I really do want to find a way to connect with and help other people, whether that be an act of kindness towards a stranger, or making sure I'm present for the needs of my loved ones.

So, my "birthday list" is going to be made up of 29 random acts of kindness I'd like to complete over the course of the next year. I was inspired by a number of other bloggers who have shared stories about kindness, both receiving and spreading it. These stories always give me the warm fuzzies and I'd really like to put that kind of good juju out into the world and see what happens.

While I have a whole bucket full of ideas for my 29 RAOK's, I'm not going to share a list in advance. I want these acts to be random, as intended, so that the right action reaches the right person at the right time. My plan is to share what I'm actually doing throughout the year. Stay tuned for updates, and feel free to follow me on Instagram @CaitididDesigns where I'll be documenting the process with real-time photos {since I've FINALLY upgraded to an iPhone after 5 or so years with the same non-texting, old school flip phone!}.

To get my 29th year off to a good start and get into the spirit of giving for my RAOK project, I thought I'd continue the tradition of doing a giveaway on my birthday! I have an awesome package of creative goodies to give to one of my readers. Note: These are all products that I really enjoy and I have not been sponsored to do this giveaway.

Here's what the package contains:
1. Painted Pages by Sarah Ahearn Bellemare // A book about mixed-media techniques, journaling and collage that will get your creativity flowing.
2. DIY: Design It Yourself by Ellen Lupton // A book by a well-known graphic designer about how to design items for yourself, from zines to stickers to t-shirts.
3. Deer art print by Lee May Foster // This print is mounted on a deep canvas so it is ready to hang.
4. Mixed Paper Journal by Craftside // This 4x6" hard cover journal has all sorts of different recycled paper inside and would be perfect for brainstorming new crafty ideas.
5. Camera Strap by VMJess // This is a double-sided strap with a bright floral print on one side and a mod yellow and green oval pattern on the other.

To enter, please leave a comment sharing something nice-- a link to something inspiring you, a story of something kind you did for someone else (or vise versa), your favorite uplifting quote, etc. That's it! I'll draw a winner at random on Friday, January 27. The giveaway is open to anyone in the US or Canada.

UPDATE: The giveaway is now closed and a winner will be chosen and announced shortly!

Party Like It's My Brithday!

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

In honor of my 29th birthday tomorrow, I whipped up this bright and fun collage of my fantasy birthday party.

Pompoms, confetti, multiple cakes, pink champagne, puppies in bow ties? What more could a girl possibly want??

{I'm twenty-nine, going on fourteen, clearly.}

For my fantasy birthday party, I'd invite each one of you dear blog friends, and we'd have an elaborate brunch feast with too many mimosas followed by platters of cake and macarons. Perhaps we'd catch a play or shop our way across Michigan Avenue, and end the day with laughter and delectable nibbles at the Chocolate Bar at the Peninsula Hotel.

Since I don't think I'll be able to invent a time travel/apparition machine before tomorrow morning to round up all my faraway friends and blogger pals, I'll likely be woken up at 4:40 a.m. as my husband gets up to go play hockey with a recreational group, and then I'll spend the day crafting with my mom, grandma and aunts. Much less exciting, but pretty much right up my alley {except for the being woken up before dawn part}. But make no mistake-- there *will* be plenty of chocolate and cake if I can help it.

Cheers to the last year of my twenties! {Aaaand cue freak-out-- but that's a whole blog post for another day!}

Image Sources, found via Pinterest and Etsy: Pink Rainbow Cake - Call Me Cupcake // Invitations - Martha Stewart Weddings // Menu - The Glitter Guide // Cheers - Two Arms Inc. // Raspberry Lemonade - My Baking Addiction // Fabric Flowers - Pretty Swell // Pom Poms - Martha Stewart // Belina Dress - Kate Spade // Confetti Cake - Martha Stewart Weddings // Chalkboard Sign - MisterMustache // Sofia Coppola Champagne - Geekdreams // DIY Pom Poms - Honestly WTF // Striped Paper Straws - domesticcharm // Macarons - Not So Humble Pie // Pink Leather Martini Bow Tie - luxemutt // Black Honeycomb Bow Tie - SillyBuddy

I'm not at ALT. I want to be. So I'm stalking Twitter all day.

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0000

This whole morning, I've had a serious case of The Jealousies towards all the amazing bloggers who get to attend Alt Design Summit in Salt Lake City. The conference, which started today, covers a whole range of topics on blogging, design, small business and social media-- pretty much *everything* I spend 95% of my days thinking about. It is definitely a dream of mine to attend someday. Until then, I tend to mope around this week each year, wistfully reading the tweets and imagining what an amazing time it must be.

Today, I figured that if I was already obsessing over the #altsummit hashtag on Twitter all day, I might as well put my stalker tendencies to good use and share the love and wisdom with you readers who might not be on Twitter {or who aren't as crazy as I am}. I will try and share 2-3 more roundups if I can. The information that attendees are sharing over Twitter really is amazing.

Join me in wishing we were all in Salt Lake City...

{PS - If you're on a Reader, click through to view plugin. I'm using a new-to-me website to create these roundups, and it's been having a few issues this morning. If an error message appears below, just refresh the window to re-load it. Thanks!}

Keeping Focused and On Task : My Time Management Methods

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Grey 2012 Laurel Planner by laureldenise, $35
{Every time I try to use a planner pad, it lasts about 2 months, max.
But this one sure is pretty!}

Time management used to be somewhat illusive to me. As I've mentioned before, my creative nature tends to lead me in a million different directions, starting and dropping projects at whim. While this allows me to cover a lot of ground, I don't always cross that finish line-- at least not without stopping at the pond to feed the ducks, and maybe buying a pretzel from the food cart, and stopping to re-tie my shoes for the fifth time, only to get distracted by a penny on the ground. At other times, I get stuck feeling overwhelmed by the length of the journey ahead of me, leaving me unable take that first step at all.

While I believe some detours can lead to creative breakthroughs--because who wants to travel the same well-trodden path as everyone else?--I've been on the quest for methods to help me keep the momentum going, so that I don't get left behind without a map. A key part of this is my monthly check-ins and action steps to keep my goals in focus. But I've also developed some methods for the day-to-day tasks that work for me.

- My values list and yearly goals sheet: I've said it before, and I'll say it again-- my values list and goal sheet help remind me of the "why" in relation to my daily to-do's. So, when I'm feeling the lure of a Top Chef marathon, I remember my vision of running a race someday, and I'm more likely to get my booty to the gym instead of planting it on the couch {...not always, but it helps}.

Note: These methods I use are almost comically simple. As much as I'd love to try out every new app or software package, I'm pretty much a traditionalist who doesn't need a lot of bells and whistles to get the job done. But I still wanted to talk about my method in case it's of any help to others.

- {For not-yet-set-in-stone items} iCal: iCal on my MacBook is my preferred method of planning in advance for items that require flexibility. I do all my blog post scheduling and meal planning in iCal because these are primarily rough ideas that I can drag and drop onto different dates as my plans change and solidify. I typically look at a whole month when blog planning, but do my meal planning by the week.

- {For lots of little tasks that add up} TeuxDeux: When the big picture is overwhelming, I find it extremely helpful to break down my to-do list into bite-size pieces. A standard to-do list with 50 things on it isn't particularly helpful in reducing my overwhelm, so I turn to TeuxDeux for weekly snapshots. This was super helpful as I tried to plan the dinner party we hosted, since I could note what recipes to make in advance, reminders to clean the bathroom, and other bits spread throughout the week beforehand so that I wasn't scrambling on the day of the party. Yes, you can use Google Calendar's daily and weekly views, but for a look at the week, I much prefer the clean, minimal view of TeuxDeux when I have lots of little tasks to be checked off. I also appreciate how TeuxDeux pushes any unfinished/unchecked items to the next day if you don't finish them.

- {For daily focus & reminders} Google Calendar: Anything that I consider to be an appointment or a deadline goes into Google Calendar-- things like doctor's appointments, lunch dates, or deadlines for freelance projects. The main reason I use Google Calendar is for the alert system that's integrated with my email so I'm reminded of what and when I need to do something. I have one calendar for my personal dates and two shared calendars with my husband-- one with birthdays and one for events/dates that pertain to us both. On occasion, I use Google Calendar's daily view to schedule in "must-do" items-- phone calls I keep putting off, gym workouts, going to the post office. While these can theoretically go on my TeuxDeux list, I sometimes find myself avoiding the particularly annoying items. Somehow-- and this very well could be my own Crazy Brain talking-- I'm more likely to do these annoying tasks if I get an email alert. It's harder to hide from the task when my computer bosses me to do it!

- {For a reality check} Excel "Timesheet": This is particularly useful for freelancers who should keep track of their hourly time on various client projects, even if you charge by the project {perhaps especially if you charge by the project}. It's really important to know how much time goes into a specific project to ensure you are charging enough for your time. Even if you aren't a freelancer or crafter, try this experiment: Record how you spend every minute of time for a specific period, preferably at least a week. Then categorize each bit of time if necessary (client projects, blogging, blog reading, social media, eating, exercising, watching TV, etc). If you are visually motivated, whip up a few pie charts or bar graphs to show you where your time is going. I've done this exercise and it's been quite enlightening... and sort of scary when I look at all the time I spend on blogs/Twitter/email sometimes. But, we all have the same amount of time available to us in a week, 168 hours, and paying attention to how we spend them is an important step towards achieving more.

Do you have a favorite method, software or app for time management? How do you keep yourself on task and motivated?

SOPA/PIPA Strike

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +0000

Wordpress.com Goes Black for SOPA Strike

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

This past week, I have been trying to further educate myself about the SOPA {Stop Online Piracy Act} and PIPA {Protect-IP Act}, two bills that are currently heading through Congress. As a person who loves what the internet has brought to our lives-- the innovation, connection, new ideas, creativity and entrepreneurship-- I think it is important enough of an issue to talk about here and ask that everyone do their part in educating themselves.

My nutshell summary of the issue: these bills use the guise of fighting online piracy to pave the way for online censorship. The vague language makes websites liable for the content on their site-- sites can be shut down, blocked, and their funding/advertising cut off if *any* content is deemed to be suspicious of infringement (even a single link posted by a commenter unaffiliated with the site). User-driven sites like Flickr, YouTube, Etsy, etc. all run the risk of being shut down or having to severely police users to ensure that they won't be liable for content appearing on their site. Either way, the result will be a highly censored internet that will limit the innovation and entrepreneurship we have come to know.

Several sites are taking part in an internet blackout tomorrow to illustrate what it might be like if these bills go through. Here are a few links to assist anyone who may not be up on the issues; the video above gives a great summary as well. PIPA goes to vote on January 24, 2012 and SOPA has essentially been killed by the House and will not be up for a vote.

More information:
"What SOPA means for creatives" via Behance
"The Problem with SOPA (And How To Stop It)" via Copyblogger
"Where's my Wikipedia? SOPA, PIPA blackout coming" via LA Times
"SOPA opponents gaining momentum; Wikipedia, Google join protest" via MSNBC
Congressional SOPA and PIPA Maps

Read up, and then please consider contacting your Congressman or signing an online petition:
Stop American Censorship
Combat Online Piracy While Protecting an Open and Innovative Internet
Veto SOPA

Introducing : Art from the Heart

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

I'd like to introduce a new series on the Life is a Canvas blog, and my hopes are that it will become a fun and collaborative project for my creative readers as well!

Many of you know that I love art journaling, and I may have even connected with a handful of you through Elsie and Rachel's "Tell Your Story" e-course in 2010. Despite good intentions, I have fallen out of practice with journaling in the past year for reasons ranging from a lack of space to spread out my supplies to not knowing what to journal about. Both of these reasons seem more like excuses, honestly, and are hardly enough to avoid a fun, creative activity.

In order to get back into the swing of creating regularly, I've decided to start an art journaling series called Art from the Heart. How it works: Twice a month, I will offer up a thoughtful, postitive journal prompt. There will be two weeks to create a page based on the prompt, and then I will share my creation, along with tips and techniques that I've used.

I invite all of you participate as well! If you send me photos of your responses to the prompts, I'd love to showcase in a gallery-style post along with my journal page. Even if you aren't an art journaler, I'd love for you to join in-- I think many prompts could be used by scrapbookers, photographers, artists, Instagrammers, digital collagers, even Project Lifers! I might end up using Mr. Linky/linkshare or a Flickr group if I get feedback that people would prefer to post their work on their own blogs, but for now, I'm going to start with asking you to email me photos of your pages {CaitididDesigns [at] gmail [dot] com}. I hope some {or lots!} of you will participate-- I think it's a great way to try something new and to see how a prompt can be interpreted by different people!

Prompt #2 and a showcase of any contributions I receive will be posted on Monday, January 30th. Happy creating!

Foodie Friday : Food Goals for 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

One fun thing that I started last year was my list of food-related resolutions. I mean, a goal of eating, cooking, and trying new restaurants... How could that NOT be enjoyable?? I might as well call this list, "Excuses to stuff my face with deliciousness." Regardless of my motives, last year's food resolutions acted as a guide for trying new things, and I ended up having a year full of new food experiences and awesome memories. Yes, many of my memories are food related-- don't judge. I couldn't tell you what I was wearing on New Year's Eve last year, but I can surely tell you what I ate {gnocchi in a mushroom cream sauce, in case you were wondering}.

Here is my new list of food goals for 2012, followed by a review of my 2011 goals, if you're interested in reading what and how I did. If you don't care to read my extensive blathering about food, you can quietly skip this post and be thankful I don't take pictures of every meal I eat. But believe me, I've considered it.

2012 FOOD GOALS:
- Cook our way through an entire cookbook. This was my husband's idea! I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to be married to someone who enjoys cooking and loves trying new food as much as I do. We picked the One World Vegetarian Cookbook for its built-in variety {with cuisines from all around the globe} and because there are pictures of every recipe.
- Make 8 loaves of bread. I want to put my Kitchenaid to good use and learn more about bread baking.
- Host another dinner party. We're thinking about a tasting party for Chicago deep dish pizza where we compare pies from the various popular Chicago pizzerias. We've pretty much tried them all by now, but we've never compared them side-by-side and thought that would be fun to do with our friends.
- Go to the farmers market weekly. We're going to skip out on a CSA this year in favor of shopping at the farmers market, since we had a little trouble with wasting some of our produce this year (4th through 7th head of cabbage, I'm looking at you!).
- Make homemade tamales. We took a tamale making class this past year, so now we know the process, but we need to schedule a whole tamale-making day.
- Take at least 2 cooking classes at a local recreational cooking school. Luckily, our family knows us pretty well and we ended up with 3 separate gift cards for Christmas to the school!
- Eat at Art Smith's restaurant, Table Fifty-Two. This is a carry-over from last year, but I know it'll happen this year thanks to a generous gift certificate from my parents!
- Create my own cookbook. This might be a simple Blurb cookbook that we give to our families for Christmas next year, or maybe I'll create and publish an ebook full of recipes for the blog.

_______________

LAST YEAR'S GOALS AND THEIR STATUSES:
- Make at least one recipe from every cookbook I own: Nope. I used a lot of cookbooks, but I *know* I didn't cook something from each one of the 30+ I own-- probably because I didn't have a good way of keeping track of which ones I had and hadn't used.
- Subscribe to a CSA again: Done! We went with Angelic Organics this year, and appreciated how organized their whole operation was.
- Make cheese with our cheese-making kit: Nope. Just never got around to it, mainly because we didn't know how to store the cheese properly for the curing/resting period, since it is supposed to be left at 50 degrees.
- Perfect a recipe for (vegetarian) Pad Thai and Tom Yum soup: 50% done. We managed a decent Pad Thai with some tips from a native, but we tried tom yum using a mix and it was *awful,* so I still need to try a homemade version.
- Try Ethiopian food for the first time: Done! Loved it. LOVED IT. Deliciously spicy and complex, and very vegetarian friendly. I'd describe the flavor as similar to the spices used in Indian dishes combined with the citrus flavor from Thai cuisine.
- Experiment with more raw foods recipes in the summer months, and perhaps try dehydrating: 50% done. Tried some raw recipes but not dehydrating.
- Eat at Art Smith's restaurant, Table Fifty-Two and possibly Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard's Girl and the Goat: Not yet, but I got a Table Fifty-Two gift certificate for Christmas so we'll be going in 2012!
- Host a dinner party (a real, adult, sit-down dinner, not an appetizer or grilling party): Done! We threw an Iron Chef dinner party in December.

Other fun food achievements from 2011: Bought a juicer. Got a Kitchenaid mixer. Made my first loaf of bread. Got treated to a delicious meal on the house at the beautiful restaurant owned by Mark's aunt and uncle in New Mexico. Took a tamale-making class. Attended a taste-tripping party with miracle berries {totally legal and non-mind altering, despite how questionable it sounds}. Tried persimmons. Roasted a whole {organic, hormone-free, Amish-raised} chicken for the first time. Made homemade Christmas presents including pear preserves, vanilla extract, barbeque sauce, and peanut-butter dog biscuits. Made oil-free potato chips in the microwave {whaaa? SERIOUSLY}.

Do you have any food-related goals for the new year?

Staying on Track in 2012 : Goal Reminders

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Although my dreaming & scheming is complete for 2012, that hardly means the work is done. Aside from action steps and other progress markers to keep myself on track, I am a big believer in surrounding myself with inspiration and reminders of what I want to achieve. I think our goals need to be all up in our faces so they don't get pushed to the backburner.

Even before I set my specific goals for this year, I have gathered various motivational pieces into an altar area in my yoga studio/art studio/office/closet space {hey, gotta work with what space you have!}. I have a framed print that says, "Believe in yourself," a set of inspiration cards from Louise Hay, a Buddha statue with a candle and a stamp with Gandhi's quote, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." With my focused plans for 2012, I hope to incorporate a few new pieces that reflect my 2012 goals.

Here are a few ideas for physical items to help you remember your intentions throughout the year:

1. A print featuring your One Little Word, personal mission statement or a specific mantra for the year. I designed the print shown above with my personal mission statement, and it hangs above my desk. Note: Interested in having one of your own? For $5 +$2 s/h {mainly to cover printing and paper} I can create a 8x10" typographic print of your mission statement, One Little Word, or mantra with a watercolor or solid color background. Just email me at CaitididDesigns {at} gmail {dot} com if you're interested!

2. Custom Stamped Sterling Silver Rings by foxwise, $24.95. I love the idea of putting your One Little Word on a ring because it will always be in plain sight and help you remember what's important to you. It could even be a yearly tradition, and you could wear the rings stacked together with all your mantras/words. Another great option is Lisa Leonard's Word of the Year necklaces.

3. Custom Ceramic Egg from palomasnest, $28. These stamped eggs would look lovely placed somewhere special, perhaps in a nest of its own as a symbol of what you hope to be growing and cultivating this year. {PS: Thanks to Danielle, who shared this idea on her blog as part of her annual tradition.}

4. Practice Gratitude Organic Cotton Shirt from Tees for Change, $34. You have no choice but to be grateful {or mindful, or a change maker, etc.} if it's declared across your chest! I'm also a big fan of QuotableCards and all their products, and The Universe Knows goodies, especially the coffee mugs.

I have some DIY posts planned that feature projects to help you stay on track with your goals, so stay tuned for those in the future. What's your favorite inspirational item? Do you do anything special to memorialize your One Little Word or new year's resolutions?

Seeking Sponsors / Ad Swaps

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

One new feature I'm introducing to the Life is a Canvas blog for 2012 is a sponsor section! At this point in time, it will be operating on a swap basis-- meaning if you have a blog or shop that you'd like advertised on my sidebar, all you have to do in exchange is post an ad for my site on your own blog. I'll post your ad in the Sponsor section to the right along with Tenpenny Splendid, my first official sponsor. If you are interested in supporting my blog in this way, please send an email to CaitididDesigns [at] gmail [dot] com. Ads will need to be 200 pixels wide {required} and up to a maximum of 200 pixels in height. If you need help designing an ad, please let me know.

I think this is a great way to ease into blog sponsorships, since I'm not really interested in making this space super sponsor-heavy with tons giveaways and feature posts, as so many blogs are doing now. However, as I put together my Monthly Faves and Loving Lately posts, I will definitely keep my eye out for quality content to include from my sponsors! Depending on how many people seem interested, I might also do a small introductory post at the end of this month.

This is a fun way to support each others' creative blogs, and I'm looking forward to making some new blog friends!

Well Said : Mike Monteiro of .Net Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

concrete ideas by caffeineslinger

"Designers are, by definition, problem-solvers. And the world has never been so blessedly full of problems. Our infrastructure is rotting, the economy is crap, Wall Street is awash with criminals and millions of people can’t get basic medical care, food and water. We don’t need another app to rate your sandwich. We don’t need to know when we go to sleep and get up. We do not need digital farms. We need real ones. We need fresh water. We need solutions for the apocalypse.

We have more processing power, affordable tools, and combined intelligence right this very minute than at any point in the history of design. We are using it to build shit. It’s time to aim higher. Let’s find problems to solve that actually improve people’s lives. Whether it’s figuring out a better way to access medical records, figuring out how 14 year olds can stop carrying forty pounds of textbooks back and forth to school every day, or a reservation system for the communal rooftop farm in your building, there has got to be something more beneficial to society than the next Facebook clone."

~ Mike Monteiro, 10 New Year's Resolutions for Designers

______________

Whoever you are, whatever you do-- designer, architect, teacher, business owner-- I think we can all benefit from taking this advice to heart, bold as it may be. We don't have to be solving world peace or single-handedly eliminating the hunger crisis, but forcing ourselves to think bigger, bolder and more audaciously can only make our work stronger and allow ourselves to push beyond our perceived boundaries. Ask yourself, "How can I contribute? What is in my power to change?" This can even be applied to our personal lives and free-time-- watching a documentary instead of The Bachelor, or responding to someone's catty comment with positivity. Let's look for solutions instead of complaining about the way things are. It's quite an empowering sentiment, isn't it?

Color Story : Tangerine Tango

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Thank you all for the feedback on my goal setting posts last week! I loved hearing your stories and different approaches to the new year! We're all going to have a wonderful year, I can feel it.

Now, after all that thinking, planning and writing we did last week on the blog, I'm happy to take a wee break from the words some eye candy! In honor of Pantone's Color of the Year 2012, I put together this sassy collage of Etsy items that represent "Tangerine Tango." As always, it was fun for me to mix my modern sensibilities with a hefty dose of vintage, and I'm loving how happy this color makes me feel, even if it's not one that I'm typically drawn towards. Although, maybe I should, since I am trying to ignite my year after all :)

Links: Creative Minds Poster by AmandaCatherineDes, $15 // Breaking Chevrons by sfettingis, $450 // Vintage Orange Alarm Clock from TheBIG8s, $60 // Pottery Coffee Mug by piecesbyjoanna, $30 // Crochet Heart with Lavender by graceandfavourshop, $8 // Red and Orange Cityscape Sunset by kristensolecki, $15 // Tangerine Tango Coral Bead Bracelet by byjodi, $49 // Orange Cup Cozy by natalya1908, $17.50 // Vintage Manual Typewriter from AnnaLouVintage, $214.99 // Orange Eames Chair from castandcrew, $500 // 2012 Day Planner by susanholland, $20

Dreaming & Scheming 2012, Part 4: The Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Finally, we've reached the main attraction for all this dreaming, scheming and reflecting-- the goals! But I really think there's so much value in the steps that have preceded this point. A main reason that we often abandon our New Year's resolutions mid-year is because they don't come from our own heart and values. We won't be able to lose those 10 pounds if we're only doing it because we're comparing ourselves to the airbrushed models in fitness magazines, and we won't stick with a fitness routine if we're chaining ourselves to the treadmill when all your body wants to do is dance with abandon.

As I sat down to set my 2012 goals, I armed myself with my list of values and reflections on last year, my One Little Word (Ignite), and my personal mission statement. My goals format for the year is from Nicole Is Better, and I followed her steps pretty closely from Step 3 onward. I also chose to utilize her template, as shown in my photos, but I created my own version in InDesign so I could customize it a bit {mainly because I hate Microsoft Word with a passion, and will do anything to avoid using it}.

While I think you should go read about the specifics of the process on Nicole's blog, I'll give you my nutshell version: Pick the nine "life buckets" or "slices of life" that are most important to you {and, big surprise, I used my values list to help me select these areas and added a little excitement with my One Little Word}. In my case, I have Friendship, Family, Health, Marriage, Creativity, Border-Pushing, Adventure, Service, and Self Care.

Next, come up with three goals for each area that you'd like to achieve by the end of 2012. You might notice that a few of my goals are in bold text; I did that to draw attention to the areas that might require more frequent attention or more involved steps. For example, "Attend bookclub for a year" is a fairly easy and reactive goal, but "Expand my blog philosophy into an ebook" is much larger and ambitious. I want to call out those larger goals so that they can't get lost among my easier-to-achieve goals as they have in the past.

Then-- and this is a huge mega-important point-- you return to this document on the first of *every* month to create an action step for achieving each of the goals in each category. I really feel that this was the deciding factor in selecting this method of goal-setting this year. It requires regular check-ins and attention to the steps along the way. I believe it will help me keep my head out of the clouds while also making each goal much less daunting because it's broken down into one small step per month.

On Tuesday, I took myself to breakfast at a cafe and sat down to create the 27 micro-actions. I created a spreadsheet that lists the 9 categories, 27 goals and my January action step for each goal. Despite my brain racing ahead, I stopped myself from planning any farther ahead than January's step, because I'm not looking to micromanage my life down to the minute. Over-planning can be just as harmful as under-planning because it can make my yearly goals seem too much like chores and take away the sense of flow, progress and serendipity.

I really enjoyed my first action-step planning session, and I plan to keep it a special date with myself each month. I can already see the benefits-- it feels really good to scratch of those action steps. I have a nice mix of tasks; some of steps are really small and easy {i.e. Sign up for Kayak deal emails again to help with my goal to "Take an international trip or long road trip"} and have been completed already, while others will require some time {i.e. Wake up 10 minutes earlier each week to help with my goal to "Establish an at home yoga/Barre3 routine"}.

And there we have it! I will probably perform quarterly check-ins or assessments using the wheel technique I mentioned in Part 1 to make sure that I'm feeling good about the direction I'm moving in. But I'm loving the possibilities of this method-- my mission gives me purpose, my One Little Word represents the attitude I'd like to bring to my efforts, and my goals let me put my money where my mouth is.

What do you think, friends? Is this entirely too anal-retentive for you? Or do you see the value in setting regular, progressive steps towards your goals?

Dreaming & Scheming 2012, Part 3: Personal Mission Statement

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

The third part of my 2012 planning was to create a personal mission statement. This was actually something that I completed over the summer, but didn't really know how to make it useful in my life until now. Part of me thought the idea of a personal mission statement was kind of cheese-ball and too "corporate" -- probably because I've been on the marketing side of those corporate campaigns /messages and have always felt that they were a bit disingenuous and forced. But, another part of me believed that identifying a single phrase could help me hone in on my passion and purpose, and have something to refer back to when I hit those inevitable rough patches. I thought about the people I admire, and every one of them seems to have a solid and unmistakeably clear focus. I thought about Analiese's recent post where she wrote, "The idea of getting a bigger problem - one devoting your life to - is sort of an interesting proposition, isn't it? What would be worth devoting your life to?"

After some consideration, I'm now of the opinion that a personal mission statement can give context and meaning to your pursuits and keep you centered on you with your values. On good days, it can be there to inspire you and push you forward towards work that matters, and on bad days, it can be a reminder of why it is you're slogging through the dirty work. If my One Little Word is the attitude I hope to carry throughout my days in 2012, my mission statement is the road map to help guide the way.

After seeing Erin at Design for Mankind's statement in June, I was immediately inspired to write my own. I originally followed Steve Pavlina's method for discovering your life's purpose, and rounded out the process with Think Simple Now's post, "15 Questions to Discover Your Personal Mission." During both exercises, I kept my list of values that I mentioned in Part 1 at the forefront of my mind.

Here's what I came up with (at least for now). My purpose is: "To encourage peace of the body and mind through wellness, creativity and authenticity."

This is what I'm working with for the time being. It's not quite 100% perfect yet, as I feel I'm missing an element of learning/educating as well as environmental stewardship (perhaps "peace of the body and mind" will transform into "personal and planetary health"). It also feels just a bit too brief for someone who thrives on having a varied and complex creative life. But that's the thing-- it doesn't have to be perfect; personal mission statements will likely evolve and transform along with us. Until the correct words strike me, this particular sentence still rings true and I think it will serve me well in the year ahead. This mission statement definitely helped to shape my yearly goals, which I will talk about tomorrow.

Have you ever considered writing a personal mission statement? What might yours include?

Dreaming & Scheming 2012, Part 2: One Little Word

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Fire in the House by tranchris / Typography added by me

Yesterday, I talked about reflection and building a foundation for 2012, including a look at my One Little Word for 2011, "Cultivate." Today, with butterflies in my stomach, I declare my One Little Word for 2012: Ignite.

This is not a characteristic choice for me. It feels big, bold and kind of scary. Pretty much the opposite of my airy-fairy, head-in-the-clouds modus operandi. But--like a moth to a flame {HA!}--something is pulling me towards it, especially after picking a fairly inward-focused, gentle word last year.

The definition is beautiful: "To make luminous by light. To arouse passions of; excite. To begin to glow."

Three things led me to select "Ignite" as my word for the year. The first is quite embarrassing {pinky-swear you won't laugh at me}-- I was driving in my car last year and Katy Perry's "Firework" came on the radio. Now, I don't even like Katy Perry, but I found myself listening to the lyrics. "Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin / Like a house of cards, one blow from caving in?" and "Do you know that there's still a chance for you / 'Cause there's a spark in you? / You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine." ... And then I cried. To a flippin' Katy Perry song. For shame. But it resonated with me at a time when I was feeling deflated and adrift, and gave me the idea to use "ignite" or "spark" as my word for 2012. {But I'll skip out on the fireworks shooting from my boobies, thanks.}

The second instance came during Stratejoy's Create Your Magical Year while listening to the first recorded call. Molly mentions how challenges and bad things happen to every one of us, but if we don't allow ourselves to feel the full range of emotions in life (good and bad), we might end up dulling down our brightness as a way to protect ourselves from future (i.e., imagined) hurt, pain and disappointment. My own struggles with fear and self-consciousness have stemmed from past situations, and I know I'm guilty of dulling my own light because of them. "Ignite" seems like the right word choice as I hope to reconnect with my authentic self and live more vibrantly.

The third reason I selected this word has to do with this being my final year of my twenties. I'm about to turn 29 in just a few weeks, and with one year left of my twenties, I want to make the most of it. I think this is less about checking items off a list-- achieving ____ or traveling to ____ or making ____ amount of money. It's more of a general fire in my belly to embrace my values and passions with open arms. To give myself to a cause I care about. To lose myself for hours in the midst of creative projects. To connect with like-minded people who amaze me with their brilliant passions and stories. To push my boundaries and see what I'm capable of.

It sounds like a lot to live up to, and honestly, scares me a little. But I think that a word like this is just what I need at this time in my life, and I'm excited to see what lights up!

Do you have a One Little Word or theme for the year? I'd love to hear your word!

Dreaming & Scheming 2012, Part 1: Building a Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:30:00 +0000

The week between Christmas and New Year's is always one of my favorites, and that was especially true this year. The whirlwind holiday-craziness mellowed, and the slower days were perfect for reflection and introspection as we look forward to the year ahead. And, boy, I do love any and all form of planning. But with my ever-present dreamer tendencies, I have to be careful to create a plan for the year that encourages movement and regular steps towards everything I want to achieve.

I've tried several different methods for New Year's resolutions, intentions, life lists, plans, and goals in the past. While I'm always able to achieve at least a handful of my goals each year, I don't necessarily tackle the big, hairy, audacious goals and instead focus on the ones that seem within my reach. And while even the small bits can add up to big changes, I know that if I don't get my hands dirty with some of my larger goals, I will always feel like I'm falling a little bit short of my vision for myself.

This year, I've taken my planning process to a whole new level of ridiculous, and I'm going to show you all my inner Crazypants and blog my process throughout this week. Yes, it will take a whole week of posts to get through. This is not a "let it flow" kind of approach to the new year, but I feel that it's just what I need in 2012. A few things have been hanging like clouds over my head for about the past five years, and I'm ready to move from worry and inaction into movement and change. I want to throw my life in a blender, mix everything up, turn life on it's head, and see what comes out. Even if that means getting a little banged up and bruised in the process. While 2011 was mostly restorative, I'd like to shake things up a little bit from here on out.

My first step to the planning process has been building the foundation, so that I move forward with intention and compassion towards the new year. I've used a mix of the following resources as a way to reflect on the past year and start thinking about what's ahead:

1. Create Your Magical Year from Stratejoy.
This $20 program uses three recorded teleclasses, a workbook and audio interviews with other young, creative women (Kyla Roma, Jenny Blake, Nicole Antoinette, etc.) to help you reflect, dream and plan for the year ahead. The interviews are awesome, and the first telecall helped me shift my perspective from feeling like I hadn't achieved that much this year to seeing all that I have done-- creating and completing projects, traveling, changing unhappy situations, sponsoring entrepreneurs through Kiva and Kickstarter, making new friends, hosting parties, learning new things. It's really important to celebrate all that we have done and identify the areas that are already working.

2. Values and Vision Statement from Stumble and Leap, and re-assessing my values I identified through The Joy Equation
Looking at my values is a key part to my planning process for the year, prior to the goal-setting phase. We can set arbitrary goals left and right, but if they don't resonate with our deepest values, we won't likely have the motivation to achieve them, or--if we do achieve them--we'll find that they don't fulfill us in the way we thought they would. Take a look at your values list to remind yourself of what's important to you (and you alone) before you established your 2012 goals.

3. Personal Assessment Wheel from Coaches Training Institute {pretty-fied by me, as shown in the photo above} and this post from Tanya Geisler: Setting Yourself Up for Success in 2012 in 7 Easy Steps.
This assessment is wonderful for capturing where you are at a specific moment in time. I created two separate wheels-- one for general life issues (friendships, career, money, etc.) and a custom wheel that I made that reflects my 8 most important values. For the wheels, you rate each category from 1-10. Then, with the questions Tanya asks, you can identify what's working and what's not, and begin to brainstorm specific SMART goals that connect with your values. These assessment wheels are great tools for quarterly life reviews throughout a given year.

4. One Little Word 2011 Review.
In 2011, I declared my word to be "Cultivate." To me, this meant that I wanted to clear out old habits, relationships, and situations that don't serve me, and work on putting my time and effort into the areas that grow and contribute to a more fulfilling life. I was successful in many regards, and feel that I'm headed in a better, more intentional direction than I was prior to 2011. Exploring my values was a huge part of this, as was creating a list of "right now" focus areas. I came up with a small list of what topics and hobbies are of most interest to me right now, and a list of areas that-- while I still feel pulled towards them-- can go on the back-burner for a while. This frees up an incredible amount of mental space and helps me focus. On my list of 2012 priority areas: Creativity {encompassing primarily mixed media artwork, photography, crochet and blogging}, Health/Wellness {clean eating, the slow food movement, and physical activity}, and Design {both lifestyle design and graphic/web design}. This way, I can table things like quilting, illustration, writing/storytelling, personal style, etc. While every one of those things is interesting to me, and I've likely bought at least one book on each topic in the past several months, I can't do it all. It's comforting for me to know that I can always explore them in the future, but that they aren't my priorities right now. My OLW of "cultivate" has helped me to focus on depth not breadth as we head into the new year.

Bonus Resource: Unravelling The Year Ahead by Susannah Conway
This wasn't a part of my own process this year, but it looks like a great comprehensive resource that touches on many similar points as the options above in an abbreviated format.

Each of these pieces has helped me set a solid foundation for my goals. Tomorrow, I'll explore my One Little Word for 2012, and on Wednesday through Friday I'll go deeper into the specifics of my goal-setting process.

Are there any specific resources you've used to reflect on the past year?

Monthly Faves : December

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Well, friends, we made it. I, for one, am really ready to bring 2011 to a close. It's been a hell of a year, with both good bits and not-so-good bits, and I'm feeling really hopeful as I head into 2012.

Let's finish off 2011 with my 12th Monthly Faves post. I can't believe I've been doing these for a whole year! It's become one of my favorite posts to put together, and I don't think I'll be discontinuing it in the new year, although I might take a different approach on occasion. Happy New Year to all!

• The nicer, more positive version of the to-do list: The TA DA! List.
• This photo of Prince William = Priceless. ADORE it.
• LOVE this inspiring series from Salon: My Brilliant Second Career.
• This is the one of the cutest and most creative ways I've seen to feature a recipe!
• A story and a reminder about Pinterest and copyrights.
• A look inside Promise Tangeman's business evaluation and planning process.
• Creepy, intriguing, and Tim Burton-esque: Children's drawings painted realistically.
• Made me giggle uncontrollably: The 20 Unhappiest People You Meet in the Comments Section of Year End Lists {I'm definitely guilty of #1, for shame}
• Beautiful new-to-me Tumblrs: The color-licious Cubicle Refugee and the dreamy, woodsy Oh Pioneer.
• Best New Blog Find of The Month: Stumble and Leap, by far. Technically, I was introduced to this blog last month through her post on young women and career burnout, but I went back and read her archives. I love Becca's thoughtful writing, which I both identify strongly with and feel challenged by. If don't you read anything else, check out her post on goal setting and values and vision statements.

• A lovely short film about a year in New York City. Maybe it's just me, but some scenes evoked my dear Chicago.
• 25 ways to wear a scarf is embarrassingly useful for my life.
• Patagonia's Common Threads Initiative is something I can get behind.
• Two worthwhile visual lectures to watch: 23 1/2 Hours and The Surprise Truth about What Motivates Us.
• A darling look inside Miette Bakery.

• I've gotten word from hip friend in Seattle that Pickwick is a band to watch out for in the coming year.
• Kimberly's interview with Tara Gentile was one of the best Tranquility Du Jour podcast episodes to come out this year.

• Reflect: The 45 Most Powerful Images of 2011 via Buzzfeed, Top 10 of Everything in 2011 from Time Magazine, and a video of The Year in Big News 2011 from Good News. And for some humor, here's the 25 best "Damn You, Auto Correct" entries of 2011.
• Indulge: Red velvet hot chocolate with cream cheese whipped cream {OMG} or Nutella fudge with sea salt {OMGGGG}.
• Buy: This Me, at Parties print because it illustrates your {or at least my} life. Or this adorable buttonboard trivet.
• Download: Pretty iPhone wallpapers from Etsy artists, and these iPhone wallpapers from graphic designers that feature New Year's resolutions {isn't it a cool idea to put your resolution on your cell phone screen so you're bound to look at it multiple times per day? Justin Mezzell's "Drive Less, Bike More" illustration is killer.}
• Transform: Join in The Reinvention Project, a 30-day {free!} program aimed at getting unstuck hosted by health coach Paige Lysaght. Or download this cool free app called Unstuck if you're an iPad owner {be sure to check out the promo video}.
• Do the Impossible: The Impossible Manifesto and an inspiring TED talk from snowboarder Amy Purdy.

Monthly Faves is a series featuring my favorite links and bits around the interwebs.

Do you like my Monthly Faves posts? Then make sure you follow me on Twitter! I've found that I end up with more links than I can possibly share each month, so I'm going to be regularly Tweeting some of the extra finds that don't end up in my Monthly Faves posts.

Best of 2011.

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

{TV: Breaking Bad; Ritual: Blogs and tea in the morning; Trip: New Mexico family reunion; Recipe: Beet burgers; Project: Collaged monogram; Blog Post: The Life Less Bullshit Manifesto from Nicole is Better; Place: The lake house; Cookbook: Super Natural Everyday; Book: Desire to Inspire; Restaurant Meal: Demera Ethiopian in Chicago; Purchase: Merrell Barefoot shoes}

And, in honor of my blog's 2nd birthday tomorrow {Happy Birthday, little blog!}, here are a few of my favorite posts from the past year:
- Embracing a "Yes, and" Philosophy
- Exploring Values {a.k.a. Why am I wasting so much time watching TV?}
- Ten Tips for Savoring Spring and Ten Tips for Savoring Summer
- Girl Seeks Determination and Stick-to-it-ness
- Graphic Design Pet Peeves
- Creative Questions: Developing Your Interior Design Style and Commitment Phobia in Home Decor
- Foodie Friday : What's In My Kitchen
- Crediting Photos and Better Practices for Pinterest
- Foodie Friday : Meal Planning for Sanity's Sake

Thanks to each and every one of you who has continued to read along with my musings and has commented, emailed, Facebooked and Twittered with me this year! You make blogging so much fun for me and encourage me to keep creating solid, creative content. I have hopes that 2012 will be an amazing year and that I will continue to be passionate about blogging and the community that surrounds it.

{revisited} Soft Ginersnap Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

{Note: This is an updated post from 2010 that I've scheduled while I'm away.}

Have we had our fill of holiday cookies yet? What's that you say? You can never have enough cookies? Well, I'm glad we're on the same page, then :) Before we switch to salads and kale chips as we try to keep our New Year's resolutions, let's bid adieu to 2011 with a delicious treat.

One of my favorite cookie recipe finds from the past few years is this recipe for soft gingersnap cookies from Marta's blog. They are chewy and sweet, the perfect accompaniment to a hot cup of tea. The cinnamon, ginger and molasses make these cookies wonderfully warm and homey without being too much like Christmas gingerbread. And the recipe makes an abundance of dough. Like a lot. But the logs freeze really well. And in the case that you *have* had your fill of cookies already or have amazing willpower (good for you!), these cookies make wonderful belated gifts or thank-you's for neighbors and the mailman.

Soft Gingersnaps (from Marta Writes)

1 1/2 cup Shortening
2 cups Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 cup Dark Molasses
1/2 tsp. Salt
4 tsp. Baking soda
2 tsp. Baking powder
2 tsp. Cloves
2 tsp. Cinnamon
2 tsp. Ginger
4 cups Flour

Cream together all the ingredients except the flour. When dough is creamy, gradually add the flour. Form dough into small balls and roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and flatten each cookie with your thumbprint.

Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes. (The key is to under-bake them a little for truly soft cookies. If you want soft and small cookies, you'll want to only bake them for 7 minutes, so they are set but still soft when you take them out of the oven. I let them sit for a minute on the sheet and then carefully transfer them to the cooling rack for ten to fifteen minutes. Then i'll slip them into a ziplock storage bag or tight tupperware container to ensure soft cookies.)

{revisted} A Winter Walk in Oak Park

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 23:27:00 +0000

{Note: This is an updated post from 2010 that I've scheduled while I'm away.}

One of my favorite little winter traditions is to take a walk around town after the first real snowfall of the year. Since we've been lacking snowfall other than a light dusting so far this year, I'm looking back fondly at these pictures I took during last December's snowy walk. This town has so much charm when it's covered in white-- everything from the brick streets to the swags of evergreens to the Victorian homes have a pristine snowy cap and the streets grow peacefully muted. And I may be the only crazy person out strolling through the cold streets, but I love how invigorating the cold air can be when it first hits your lungs.

Happy Holidays!

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Well, friends, I'm signing off for several days for the holidays. I'm wishing you a beautiful and relaxing Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Winter Solstice, and hope that you get to spend time surrounded by all the best things in life-- family, good friends, good food, and laughter.

Since I'll be away for a few days, I have a few favorite posts from last year that I've updated and scheduled for the next week or so. I plan on doing a personal "Best of 2011" photo post sometime next week, and check back in on December 31st for my December Monthly Faves links. Then, as we head into the New Year, I'll be sharing my new One Little Word and give a look into my planning process for 2012. It's gonna be a good year, guys, I can feel it.

Blessings to you and yours!

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:30:00 +0000

Brown kraft paper is one of my favorite ways to wrap up holiday gifts because it is so versatile. Add a little bit of festive flair and you've got a cheery, simple, and eco-friendly way to wrap your gifts.

Pictured above is last year's wrap. If you want to replicate this look here's what you do:
1. Wrap your gifts in brown kraft paper, or use dismantled brown paper grocery bags.
2. Use this 5-point snowflake tutorial from How About Orange to cut several snowflakes from regular computer paper (bonus "green" points for using the blank backside of scrap paper). The five-point method makes traditional paper snowflakes look a little more fancy.
3. Using spray adhesive (you could also try a glue stick or Mod Podge, if you're careful about your application), spray the backside of the snowflake and adhere to the package.
4. For the packages with the flowers, I used this tissue paper flower tutorial and attached them to the packages with baker's twine. The white paper lace under the flowers came from a now-defunct Etsy shop, but you could use any sort of pretty ribbon in it's place.

Other ideas for kraft paper packages:
- Use silver or white paint pens and draw lines, a plaid pattern, snowflakes, geometric shapes or any other doodles you can think of
- Attach strips of washi tape, either randomly or in a stripe or plaid pattern
- Print the gift recipient's name in a large sans-serif font on white computer paper and cut out the letters. Tape/glue to package.
- Alternatively, you could use the white paper printed with the recipient's name as a template and cut their name out of fun graphic paper (other wrapping paper or scrapbook paper)
- Make colorful bows out of old magazine pages
- Tie your packages with baker's twine or yarn and attach an evergreen sprig, a tree branch or a pinecone to the top
- Use Trader Joe's or Whole Foods holiday paper grocery bags as your gift wrap, which have perfect winter-y motifs, no extra decor necessary

So many possibilities! And so cute, too-- It almost makes me not want to open the gifts when they're dressed up so pretty.... Almost :)

Snapped Snippet : Flossin'

noreply@blogger.com (Caiti) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:30:00 +0000

Here's a little insight into how Caiti's brain works. Four days ago, I blogged about my new obsession with typographic embroidery. Fast forward three days, and I find myself coming home from the craft store with 105 skeins of embroidery floss and two embroidery hoops thanks to a 50% off coupon. Huzzah! Once the creative seeds get planted, I can't get them off my mind until I give in. On a good day, these projects end up developing into new loves {art journaling, crocheting}. And on a not-so-good day, they might end up in the crafty cemetery next to misshapen pottery bowls, uneven knit scarves and a bucket of scrapbooking supplies. We'll see how this one goes for me-- but for now, I'm enjoying staring at this plate full of pretty rainbows.

Snapped Snippets is a blog series in which I share bits and pieces of my creative life that I capture on camera.