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Hi friends! When we were at Epcot center in the end of May I (of course!) picked up a bunch of paper souvenirs in the "Japan" section of the park. I grabbed this set of folded paper bookmarks...shaped to look like Japanese girls in traditional dress. Everything here is made of beautiful Japanese paper and intricately folded just so. I thought they were so sweet and I loved how artful they are...very impressive layering. Makes me want to learn origami and other folding techniques.
Our pantry is filled to the brim with food, paper-goods (you know, napkins, paper plates, etc.), canned items, paper towels, plastic baggies...the list goes on and on. When it comes time to find the toothpicks; well, it's a miracle to find the little box amongst the chaos. My husband uses toothpicks to hold together the chicken rollatini (a favorite dish he makes). Mmmmm. But I digress. When I spotted this bird toothpick holder at Black Ink, I realized that this might be the stylish solution to the toothpick search. I wouldn't mind having this sitting out in my kitchen or dining room. You can purchase it here.
I used to love the story of Pinocchio as a child. I never tired of the idea that you can wish on a star and make your dreams come true. I also loved the idea of a toy coming to life and being my friend. (not coming to life and being evil...but my fear of clown dolls is a story for another day)
I came across this charming figure and it brought me back to that innocent time.
It's called "Ciao Pinocchio" designed by Fabio Piazzesi in Italy.
What's cool about it is it's handmade with FSC-certified beech and embellished with non-toxic paint. He moves every which-way thanks to 33 jointed pieces. (I always loved pose-able figures!) The kicker is: his nose grows. Yep, there's an internationally patented hidden lever behind his hat that enables the fabled "growing liar's nose."
You can get one for yourself here.
Photo from Canoe's online shop.
Hi friends! Great news! My company and work have been featured today on Paper Crave. It's a daily read of mine and I'm so excited an honored she included me amongst her discoveries. Thanks to Kristen at Paper Crave! You can see the entry about my work here.
Hello friends! I hope you had a great weekend. Mine was spent at the Cape for a family wedding. It was such a fun time! There's nothing like having fun with family with good drinks, good food, and great music. We arrived home happy and exhausted but with an empty fridge.
In light of last week's musings about how much life is a treasure, I decided to start eating in a much more healthful way. I'm always in a hurry and constantly make food from a can or a box. My husband makes dinner every night; and his is really the only healthy meal I have. (I'm very lucky, Chris is a great unofficial chef but that's a whole other post)
I decided it is time to start putting in some more effort into breakfast and lunch...time to get in more vitamins and nutrients from nature. Usually I have a bowl of sugary oatmeal or some sort of candy crap cereal (hello yummy Lucky Charms!). Lunch is always a canned stew of some sort. And the soda...oh, the soda. It's so bad for me and I've had so much of it every single day. I cringe. Off we went to the grocery store and we picked up tons of different fruits and veges of all kinds. I avoided anything from the "pre-packaged" arena (for the most part). I decided to start eating small portions of all my favorite healthy things in order to gain more variety and vitamins. This morning's breakfast filled a small salad plate...1 half of an English Muffin with peanut butter, a tiny scoop of cottage cheese (maybe 3 forkfuls), several strawberries and several blueberries. I topped it all off with my daily glass of O.J. It took longer than my bowl of cereal to prepare, but I felt so much better! And it was just so much tastier. Lunch consisted of a small wrap...garlic hummus as a spread with diced tomatoes and seasonings and onion with lettuce and a piece of mozzarella rolled into a wheat wrap. A tiny scoop of cottage cheese on the side was tasty. Lipton green tea was the beverage (instead of the Cola I always have). Again, I felt so much better! My snack, coming soon, will likely either be some grapes or a peach (along with water to be had through the day). I just got so tired of the crappy food I consume and realized that I need to honor my body more than that. It's the only one I have, so it's been time to make a change. Plus, I'm hoping to fit back into all my jeans again...most of them I've...ahem...outgrown a bit. I'm down to one pair that still fits. I'd rather not have to go buy all new clothes! Bottom line, I'm happy to have made a start toward healthier eating habits through eating whole, natural foods (or close to it). If I fit into all my pants again, I'll be all the happier. See you tomorrow!
After reading about Alison's passing yesterday, I have been doing a lot of thinking about life and how grateful I am for each day. How grateful I am for my husband. For my family. When someone passes on, I always find myself looking around me and seeing all the life outside going on. The world still rotating. The butterfly flickers by. The grasshopper adjusts its wings and hops away. The ant carries a crumb. The birds call out in the trees. The lady on TV tells of the news of the day as if everything is the same. There is this push/pull of life and death every second of every day. We are so great, yet so small at the same time. I resolve to remember that life is here to be lived, to be enjoyed, and to love. To try and always have perspective of what matters. I sit here and feel my own lungs filling with air and I realize it is the biggest treasure I have...my life. I will not forget.
My best wishes go out to Alison's husband Tom and their entire family as they grieve the loss of this sweet and amazing person. The world weeps for this loss, but God has big plans for her.
Catch up on their stories...Read Tom's blog here and Alison's blog here. Read about their love and everyday life while they struggle with her cancer diagnosis. Reading her sunny words each day was always so uplifting. And his perspective was always so thoughtful and soft. When things took a turn for the worse for her, her husband took over her blog too ...just to keep everyone updated. She is my biggest inspiration and she will not be forgotten! Please note that I do not know them personally, but have been following their stories for the past few years leaving comments here and there. I feel like I know them and am saddened today...but am happy for Alison that she is no longer in pain.
I got an interesting comment from "anonymous" in regards to my work website. "Wow, nice site! I did think it ironic that you would have written about finding "soul" in your work when recently you posted about a negative comment you'd received. Where you were quite adamant your Soul was not put into your work, just your SMILE. You said you giggled at the thought of your soul in your work!
I see.
"but she couldn’t find the soul inside her projects."This is in reference to my write-up in the "about" section of my website. This person has an interesting point! The comment made me think: What if I really AM putting my soul into my work? The answer I must say is "no." My "about" write up was not about putting MY soul in my work. It was about FINDING soul in my work. If you aren't a graphic designer, then I ask you to imagine what it might be like working on a brochure for attic ventilation components versus a wedding invitation. Which might be more fun? Which might get you excited to work on? I'm not saying one is better than the other. For ME, I PREFER the wedding design because it is fun to work on, it is something I enjoy and something I get a charge out of. That is what I meant by finding soul there. When you've spent years working on corporate projects at companies for people other than yourself...well...it gets political. It gets frustrating. People work 10-12 hour days for that attic ventilation brochure...you lose time with your family, you lose sleep. You get stressed. You get tired. You start wishing you could be making some sort of difference for someone else in a personal way. Now, I get to participate in happy events in other people's lives. There is a meaning for me...a satisfaction with my job I'd never had before. That satisfaction is what I called a "soul." I found my meat and potatoes.
I believe many people want to find soul in their work. A reason that makes it all worthwhile. Something that makes us get out of bed in the morning with a smile. This is why I encourage, if your "day job" doesn't do that for you, to find something you enjoy doing in your spare time. Whether it's cooking, bartending, sewing, crafting, painting, writing music, writing that screenplay, birdwatching, collecting things, hiking, acting, and on and on and on....there is something out there that makes life great for all of us. Some of us will put our soul into it and others will be happy just enjoying the moment.
This isn't all to say I don't put feeling behind what I do. Of COURSE there is feeling. It comes from within me. I LOVE what I do. But what I do, much of the time, is for a client. Not me. I cannot get attached to things. Much of what I design is at the request of others. It's great. That post before (the one my commenter is pointing out) was in response to criticism that a certain card I'd done was "almost soul-less." Notecards that I design for fun...for me. But again, I draw on the point that a card with 2 hippos and a palm tree is not a statement from my psyche. It's a notecard. A bird and a cage on a card is just an interesting layout of imagery to me. But they aren't my meaning of life...I didn't have a private message I was trying to send. Nor did I labor for hours and hours after a well-formulated plan and thesis.
In summary, it's nice to try and find the meat and potatoes behind what we do...it's nice to feel a purpose. And that's what the "about" write up meant to convey. I'm sure, there are going to come times when I do work that I put my soul into. But, the card that was criticized was not one of those things.
I invite anyone else to comment on what they wish they could do for a living if they could do anything in the world they wanted. What might you enjoy that might give you a sense of purpose as well? Or, go ahead and tell us about what you really do for a living now that might be your true bliss and brings you happiness or satisfaction.
Macro photo of the inside of the Lily flower that is growing on our front porch...we will soon be planting it in our yard.
Hello again, friends! It's Monday again...the weeks go so quickly! The hot, sticky, thick air has finally lightened to a cool refreshing breeze outside. It's still hot, but in a good way. It's rained several times per day here for several weeks in a row now. Endless thunder storms! But, bright happy sunshine prevails in between and yesterday, as I drove home from my cousin's son's first birthday party, I watched a rainbow hang in the sky in front of me for the entire 2 hours. I like to think of that rainbow as a sign of things to come, not just light bouncing off the moisture in the sky.
I am now finished with my online portfolio update and find myself working on lots of quotes for potential clients between doing design work. I think I will take a nice walk in this newfound fresh air before it is gone again. Just another small way to enjoy what I have right in front of me before it slips off without my noticing. And then, it will be back to work.
Hello all! I have finally finished the update of my design samples section of my website. Click in there and you will see that each header has its own little sliding show of images. You have to have Flash Player to view it. I'm very happy with how all the pictures came out. You will also see some new work that wasn't in there before. A neat feature of the show is that if there are notes, you can put your mouse in the notes/link area (the little area just above the square thumbnails) the descriptive info will pop up into view. Not everything has a note, but you will be able to see when it does. Now, I just need to tackle the "news" section of the site. There's been a lot that's gone on since I've launched and I never gave myself a chance to update in there. Hopefully that will be remedied as soon as possible. Time for a much needed break! Happy Friday! I will be back next week with some Show & Tells and other bits. I'll be able to post a bit more now that this update is complete. Phew! Cocktails anyone?
*update* The "news" section has been updated now as well! There you can find articles and write-ups on the Megan creates business and some of the products I sell.
Hi friends! I've decided to start a Grateful Monday theme here on my blog. It's the start of the week and tends to be a bummer after the weekend...so I thought Monday is a good day to celebrate and think about the wonderful things in life. Just to try and start things off positively.
I'm overwhelmed by all the things I could write about, so I thought I would start off with this prayer a good friend sent me in the mail. I'm not trying to come off as a religious zealot here, so please know I just wanted to share some comforting words. It has universal appeal if you aren't religious or of the same beliefs as me. Most of us have heard the serenity prayer...but usually just the beginning of it. It's especially studied in 12 step programs. My dear friend trimmed this out of her church bulletin and mailed this over to me and, well, it's provided me with peace and the reminder to enjoy each moment. This will likely be the most religious post this blog will ever see; thanks for bearing with me...I just had to share in case these words help anyone else too.
God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And Wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace; taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will; So that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen.
Today I will start exploring my watercolors again. I will have fun dabbling the paint into the water and watching it spread across the paper in swirls. I will allow myself to get lost in the colors and go to that place in my mind I went to as a child...where my own world is safe, perfect, and free of judgement. Where time stands still yet moves by so fast. Where wild, bucking, knotted thoughts are still and let me alone. I encourage you, today, to do one thing...even if just for a few minutes that you used to LOVE to do as a child or even just a few years ago...but just haven't allowed yourself the time for. It's time to reconnect with that joy and that PLACE again. Just for the sake of doing it. For the sake of enjoying a moment in time. I've written myself a permission slip; may you do the same!
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
Hi friends,
I spent much of yesterday figuring out what I needed to do to try and get more professional-looking shots of my portfolio work. Note that I didn't say "professional." I'm no professional when it comes to product shots, so I can only do the best I can! I spent hours experimenting with lights and with a hand-made lightbox/studio in a box. Nothing was working.
I went out to Joanne Fabric and bought a handful of options for backdrop material and ended up favoring a light colored burlap. I put together little layouts of my invitations on paper beforehand and then once I was happy, moved them to the fabric. The planning was because I have a certain size and scale and shape the photo has to be to fit on my website correctly...so I had to design my "layouts" of the elements to fit this size and shape. I ended up getting rid of the lightbox and lights and simply just used my flash. Something I would NEVER normally do. But it was the most bright and true-to-life option without having to worry about shadows and uneven light. Who knew, after all that work?! I added some props here and there just for effect but probably didn't really need it. I've posted the shots from before (using lights and a makeshift lightbox in the beginning of this week) and the afters (the ones I just did) to show the difference. I'm happy with how they are coming out (after a little work in Photoshop) and I think I'll continue to photograph most of my portfolio in this method. I'll likely change up the background material depending on the subject. This is definitely a learning experience!
Hello friends! Today I thought I'd show you a few photos taken with my new macro lens (Canon 100mm). I've been needing something that can get in and take good detail shots of my work. This lens takes a lot of practice! You can see Maren's eye...my dog rolled in some dirt beforehand and the shot picked up the little pebbles in her fur. It's not perfectly focused...I would need a tripod and a perfectly still dog for it to have been sharper. But you get the gist. I tried out the new lens over the past few days as I took all new portfolio shots of my letterpress wedding suites...but it was all for naught as I am unhappy with how they came out. Not because of the lens, but because of my lighting. I'm struggling with getting professional looking shots. I built a "light box" but am having trouble finding lights that will do the job. I guess I'm learning a lot, so it's not all a total waste of time. I will try to redo the shots today using a giant outdoor flood light we have. It looks like it will do the trick, but I guess we'll see!
Hi friends, I'm sorry it's been so long since I have written. I've needed to take a little time to be in my own world. I turned 30 yesterday...I wasn't sure how I would feel about it...and I've decided that it's ok. I felt a little sad at how fast time flies. It feels like yesterday I was 15 and didn't yet have many cares. Life has layered on many more joys and complications since then. Yesterday was also the day my fourth pregnancy loss was confirmed. I was 6.5 weeks pregnant, but I've known it wasn't going well from practically the beginning...just by how the levels of the pregnancy hormone HCG wasn't doubling every 2 days like it should. It's been a nerve-wracking few weeks living in 2 day increments to see if the blood tests showed better results...and always feeling let down and sad. I now know for sure and it's a relief to at least know what is happening (the docs were really thinking it was another ectopic and luckily it wasn't.) My amazing husband took me on a well-planned birthday trip to Rockport, MA for a few days to do touristy things in the area and to just escape to the healing ocean. It was just what we needed to clear our heads, have some fun together, and relax a little...we had to return yesterday, July 14, for the final blood work and ultrasound that would confirm what we already had known. I'm in a good place now with the whole thing. I have a really good feeling about the next time. Fifth time will be the charm, I just know it. I have a deep feeling of peace inside and know it will all work out. I've never had that feeling before and I certainly welcome it! Some friends have asked how I can keep such a positive outlook and I just say that it takes hard work and a lot of thinking. And here's what I know: I am lucky. Very, very lucky. I have the ability to get pregnant...something many people struggle with. I need to remember to be grateful. I can keep trying. There are young women out there who are losing their battles with cancer who will never know what having a child will be like...who would trade with me in a second to have these problems. My heart aches for those families who are losing a loved one much too soon. I am grateful for what I have and thank God every day for the abundance in my life. It is easy to get caught up in a problem and it is important to pull out the lens and get the bigger picture...that we are all part of nature and the cycle of this thing called life. It is a joyous and bumpy ride and one that I choose to enjoy and cherish. I owe it to those who cannot.
I've been tagged by the lovely and wonderful Mary. She tagged me a while ago and am now finally getting around to playing. This version of tag is a little different in that there are actual questions to answer so here goes!
What were you doing 10 years ago?
Hmm. I believe it was the summer after my Sophmore year in college and I was working at the Maine Mall at a store called "Natural Wonders." It was such a fun job but I didn't quite make as much money as I needed to for my Junior year! Let's just say I ate a lot of Ramen noodles.
Five items on my to-do list:
1. Call the plumber
2. Do the dishes
3. Photograph all my newest work
4. Write my thank you notes
5. Put some listings up on my shop
Snacks I enjoy:
I like to slice an apple into little pieces and put dressing on them in a bowl. I then sprinkle lots of Parmesan and cheddar cheese on top with garlic salt as a last touch. I also love buttery popcorn, cheese and crackers, and banana with whipped cream. I don't snack much anymore though.
What would you do if you were a billionaire?
I would immediately pay off all of our debts and all the debts of my family. I would then buy everyone in my family a new home and furnish it for them. I'd also buy them all new cars. I would buy ourselves a house in our favorite places so that we could stay all over. I would donate lots and lots of money to my favorite charities (National M.S. Society and the American Cancer Society are 2 favorites) and I would give to many homeless families to get them back in the game. For fun I would travel the world and learn all about different cultures. I would also love to take new classes and learn all about the things that interest me. I would also probably volunteer at different places in our area. I'd also probably pay off the debt our church has. And I think it would be amazing to have the means to adopt several children who are trapped in the system and need loving homes. I could go on and on with this question!
Places I would live:
I would love to live in Maine again...particularly Falmouth near the water
Portland, Oregon
San Francisco, CA (if I could afford it!)
Raleigh, NC
Somewhere in coastal Florida just for a little while
Austin, TX
Jobs I have had:
My first was when I was 14...I worked giving pony rides to small children at birthday parties and fairs. I spent most of my time shoveling poop and holding kids on the pony. It sucked and I got paid virtually nothing.
My next job was at Wendy's. My usual task was to put the sandwiches together. It was very stressful since I had to work so fast for hours on end.
Other jobs:
Daycare summer teacher
Retail associate
Waitress
Cleaner
Account Executive
Graphic Designer
Stationer
Bloggers I am tagging who you will enjoy getting to know better:
Rose: (Good Thoughts)
Erin: (Adventures in Letterpress)
Nicole: (Clearframe)
Laura: (Cult of Domesticity)
Louise: (Poppy Letterpress)
{The rules of the game: Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.}
