Wholehearted.

With that wretched, Hallmark holiday right around the corner--more commercial than Christmas--I think it's appropriate to post this amazing TED talk about connection and vulnerability. My good friend Sara was sharing some insights from it last weekend and I knew I had to watch it and Brown's even more recent TED talk on shame.


Brené Brown is a researcher who's explored these ideas for more than 12 years.

One part that really resonated was when she talked about "wholehearted people," those people who have a strong sense of worth and belonging, as having three commonalities in their stories:

1. courage (This is not the same as bravery --it's being willing to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart-- the courage to be imperfect)

2. compassion (To be kind to themselves first and then to others)

3. connection (This is a result of authenticity-- being willing to let go of who they thought they should be in order to be who they were.)

And when it came to vulnerability... they fully embraced it. What made them vulnerable made them beautiful. The willingness to say I love you first. The willingness to do something where there are no guarantees. To invest in a relationship that may or may not work out.

All of this makes me look at my own life, the decisions I've made and the things I've loved and respected and inversely loathed in others.  The word authentic strikes a chord because I know that is a word I used to draw on... "being real." I'm all about "being real."

Brown talks about leaning into the discomfort and I can summon memories of conversations that have certainly done that. But for me much of that continues to be measured. What I know I can handle. It's all very interesting and I find myself there again in many aspects of my life.

My friend Jes has been exploring her spiritual and emotional journey through her running and I find myself dipping my toe into that same zen space. My friend Emma has done similar things in varying ways. Both of these women write about it in ways that challenge me and encourage me. Now Sara pointed to me and said... you are doing this. This vulnerability thing. And I guess I am. I am trying to be my most authentic self and I know it's not always comfortable and I can be plagued with self doubt, but I am also experiencing a wonderful kind of peace.

Watch the TED talk. See what you think. If you want more. Here's a link to her one on shame.http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_listening_to_shame.html

Wisdom from my Favorite Wise Ass

Read this today. It resonated. Someone needs to remind me of this frequently.

"I enjoy making lists and spreadsheets and plans of attack, but I can get a little obsessed with efficiency. When things get really bad I realize that I am not only multitasking, but mentally rerouting my actual steps to maximize my efforts (I will take the laundry downstairs and bring X and Y on the way, that will save me a trip, blah blah blah). There is no prize for doing everything correctly, you know? At the end, we’re all just dead, no matter how sensibly and rationally we complete our activities of daily living."  -- Mimi Smartypants

Alice in Wonderland

A few of my Alice in Wonderland books on display

And my new discovery -- Emily Martin does it again!

Inside the Black Apple is Miss Martin's creative blog full of inspiration and artistic endeavors. We share a lot of the same passions and have a remarkably similar appreciation for the quirky. She's capable of turning those passions into works of art. I, in turn, am here to love her art.

Here's one of my favorites from the Alice in Wonderland series!
Check out her blog and her shop for a trip through her wonderland.

Wow. I can only say wow.

Mimi Smartypants, I bow to you.

YOU know how to analyze some lyrics.

Do follow the link the discover a little 50 cent fun.

Don't Forget to Vote May 3rd!

Here are some yard signs that can't be torn down or stolen!

If you're a Grand Forks resident and have questions about the library revitalization project and the upcoming vote (on Tuesday) for a 1% sales tax increase to fund it, please check out this blog: Speak Up For Your Library

Embroidery Meets Nature

Check out the full post here.

Wordless Wednesday -- The Christmas Edition

Free printables here at Craftily Every After

Taste is a Curious Thing

I just discovered Taste Test Etsy via Swiss Miss. If you love Etsy, which I do, you might agree that it's a bit overwhelming with all its awesomeness. Tons of choices. Tons of fantastic products. Well, Taste Etsy determines your particular "taste" based on choices you make between different groupings of items.

I actually think they might be on to something because this little black polka-dotted briefcase was among the items Etsy recommended to me, based on my taste and they were right on. You can buy this for me here! :)

Does Tweeting Make me a Twit?

Despite the fact that I have managed to take a class on Twitter for Teachers and teach two workshops on social media, I remain a bit of a skeptic. I find it intriguing. I suspect there really is no fighting it. Yet, I'm not sure we really understand the way that social media is altering our reality, our literacies.

Today I was struck by a NY Times article from a few weeks ago, I Tweet, Therefore I Am. And one slice in particular:

"Back in the 1950s, the sociologist Erving Goffman famously argued that all of life is performance: we act out a role in every interaction, adapting it based on the nature of the relationship or context at hand. Twitter has extended that metaphor to include aspects of our experience that used to be considered off-set: eating pizza in bed, reading a book in the tub, thinking a thought anywhere, flossing. Effectively, it makes the greasepaint permanent, blurring the lines not only between public and private but also between the authentic and contrived self. If all the world was once a stage, it has now become a reality TV show: we mere players are not just aware of the camera; we mug for it."

And I don't think Twitter is the only target here. I'm sure this can be said for all forms of social media, this blog included. I'm not sure the realization is enough to change anything for me, but awareness is worth something, I think.

article found via Swiss Miss

Sweet Eats.

I love food blogs. I've said it before--they are my "porn." I experience a lust that I imagine is how some men view the other sort. I can feel it all through me... the appreciation for the beauty of the food. The mouthwatering. The ache. :)

I have a few favorites that do the exaggerated explicit photographic instructions on how to craft their delectable recipes. Yet, another favorite foodie is Oh Joy Eats. Joy's blog features favorite restaurants, food related products, desserts, dishes, recommendations, sweets, treats and more all styled to perfection. I enjoy her other blog too.

13 Ways of Looking at a Hamster

Oooh... please click here - Eden Kennedy of Fussy gets poetic.
And it's great fun. Well... Peanut liked it!

A Summer Treat -- Revised

S'mores Stuffed Brownies

I just saw this recipe on The Picky Palate blog and can't wait to try it. I'm forever trying to figure out how to ingest S'mores when there's no campfire to be found. Follow the link for details... Mmmmmm.....

A Balanced Diet.

I find the best things on the Swiss Miss blog. Here's her post on these handy-dandy plates-- "Wheel of Nutrition” created by Hafsteinn Juliusson, Rui Pereira and Joana Pais.

Bookish Blogs

Picture Book Report is a new blog featuring artists who are setting out to illustrate beloved books. I am so excited to see what emerges. So far the following artists and books have been introduced and they've produced a book plate for their title and explained why they chose the books they chose.

Contributors:
Andrea Kalfas -- Tarzan of the Apes
Daniel Krall -- Robin Hood
Israel Sanchez -- Where the Red Fern Grows
Jeremy Sorese -- A Wrinkle in Time
John Martz -- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Julia Sonmi Heglund -- Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Lizzy Stewart -- Ella Minnow Pea
Meg Hunt -- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
PMurphy -- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
S.britt -- The Bremen Town Musicians
Sam Bosma -- The Hobbit
Will Bryant -- Peter Pan and Wendy
Kali Ciesemier -- still to be named
Laura Park -- still to be named
Phil McAndrew -- still to be named

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I freakin' LOVE this blog--Coverspy. A team of publishing nerds hit the subways, streets, parks & bars to find out what New Yorkers are reading now.

Their posts consist of the cover art to each book spied in a day and a brief description of who was reading it and where. For example:

Chronic City, Jonathan Lethem (M, 28, beanie, blond w beard, sitting in corner 2-seat, Lethem F train car) http://bit.ly/8zHG4g

Both of these blogs are inspirational to me. I would love to be able to illustrate a favorite book. I am not sure which one I would choose. Maybe Pippi Longstocking. And I would like to become a team of one and start noting every book I see being read around town just for fun. I so love that idea.

Don't Let the Panic Decide

Yesterday, I read this blog post on Eden Kennedy's blog Fussy. (excerpt below) I get it. I appreciate her words. These words zipped through the blogosphere straight into my heart.

Don't give it what it wants
Occasionally my yoga teacher, Steve, does this thing in class where he asks us to stand slightly bent over, with our hands on our knees, and breathe. Breathe all the way in until we feel like we're going to burst, then all the way out until our lungs feel flat. We do this in-and-out thing a couple of times and then we breathe in our fullest breath and hold it. He tells us it's not a contest, to let out our breath when we need to, but when we feel that instinctive, almost panicky feeling that we can't hold it another second, hold it one more second. Then breathe. But don't let the panic decide.... Please read the rest of the article here. Epiphany to follow. Good stuff.

Fall Into Reading 2009

To feed my reading habit, I'm going to take part in a reading challenge. And YOU can join too!

Here’s a brief recap of how to be a part of Fall Into Reading 2009:

• Make a list of books you want to read (or finish reading) this fall. Your list can be as long or as short as you’d like. (Also, feel free to modify your list during the challenge if it’s not working for you.)

• Write a blog post containing your list and submit it to the original post on Callapiddar Days using the Mr. Linky at the bottom of Katrina's post.
  

• Get reading! The challenge goes from today, September 22nd, through December 20th.

• Check out other participants’ lists and add to your own to-read-someday pile!

• Write a post about your challenge experience in December, telling us all about whether you reached your goals and how Fall Into Reading went for you. But remember: this is a low-pressure challenge that should be fun. As long as you do some reading this fall (and enjoy it!), that’s good enough for me (Katrina!).

I have 377 books in my "to read" category on Goodreads. I'm overwhelmed with goodness in book-form and yet, I sometimes find myself unnecessarily bogged down in a book. I am hoping to be able to read both the books for my book clubs and also the teen books I need to read to stay current with the up and coming authors and fiction students are reading. I also have a handful of professional books that I want to dig into... In the midst of all that I still have numerous other books I'm eager to read just for pleasure. So just for kicks I aim to read the following titles between now and December 20th! We shall see if I'm up to the challenge. Certainly, other books will creep in (they always do) but I'm hoping I can still tackle these ones too.

Here's my reading challenge list:

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larson
Freedom Writer's Diary by Erin Gruwell
Paper Towns by John Green
Zuleika Dobson by Max Beerbohm
Silverfin by Charlie Higson
The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller
Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Spanking Shakespeare by Jake Wizner
The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
What Narcissism Means to Me by Tony Hoagland
Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall

**** update ****

I'll update my progress by labeling each completed title in boldface. ten down, one in progress... more to come!

Dear Cushendall...

via Cup of Jo

In April 2009, Lenka and Michael sent a personal, handwritten letter to each of the 467 households in the small Irish village of Cushendall. They hoped these unsolicited letters would prompt neighbourly discussion, spreading across the town, promoting community curiosity.

I LOVE this idea. It's so cool. You can read all the letters here.

Introducing...

I now have a Tumblr presence.

The format there allows me to post art or pics and links to crafts I'm admiring, with minimal explanation. If you've liked my "links" posts in the past you might enjoy some of the posts on This and That because those new items that strike my fancy keep ending up there.

I'd like you to meet...

Shawna Noel Photography
via Shawna Noel Photography

I've been in love with her incredible wedding photos and baby pics and well, everything she shoots for some time now. Today I saw her photos from the Sugarland Concert and well, I'm smitten all over again. Please check her out. Even if you have no photography needs, her work is a real treat!

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Miss Sweet Basil

My first buds are peeking up through the soil in my herb containers. I planted one week ago and so these are my first little darlings. I was overjoyed to see their sweet green faces. In both locations, the sweet basil is the first to make an appearance.

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My Buddy Kailas

Isn't he precious?

I've been missing my next door neighbors since they moved to Vancouver and lucky for me they were back this week so Jeremy could defend his dissertation. And I got to see my sweet pea, my honey, my little Kailas. He always seems so glad to see me. We all need a bit of that in our lives!

I Link ,Therefore I Am.

How cute is this little card table playhouse for a child?
I am in LOVE with it.
I wonder if I could make something like this myself...
Special order them here, at Imaginative Play Toys on Etsy

Secrets of Simplicty by Mary Carlomagno sounds like a book I need to read (via Decor8)

Am dying to make these yummy cupcakes via Inchmark.

I'm all about the coconut.

Awesome wedding invitations for the music lover! via Black*Eiffel

Love this from Threefold Collection via Freshly Blended.

I think the printable checklist is pretty darn cool, for a list lover like me!

Fabrics from this Etsy Store are making my mouth water.

Fat Quarter pack of two fabrics:
Jennifer Paganelli--Polly Stripe in Persimmon
Alexander Henry--Apples & Pears in Blue

Fat Quarter:
Alexander Henry--French Countryside Granville Fabric