Up High

Yes, there are enough prints with messages of hope floating around the internet these days. However, the other day I tweeted a message I needed to personally hear, 


 "Look in the mirror and give yourself a mental high five. You're awesome and you need to remember that."

Lo and behold, a print was born. 

As artists and crafters we are the 99%, but as online retailers we also rely on the credit card industry. How do we rationalize that? After an increasingly frustrating several months with my bank, I've realized how entwined I am (we are) in the system.

Any thoughts, comments, ideas solutions? Are you even remotely interested in the 99 vs 1% divide?

a quickie

And the winner is....commenter #2, Finding Words. Except there's no email, so if you're Finding Words then email me and let me know where to send the book! If I don't hear from Finding Words by Friday then I'll pick another winner so I can keep the contest momentum going! Yep, that means another book and another quick give away!


In the meantime, a new print for you to enjoy!

Slow Gardening Give Away!

Felder Rushing's Slow Gardening is a broadly informative book that echoes my personal philosophy of gardening: don't worry about perfection, just get out there and do it. The book is chock full of pictures and explains the basics in a thorough, enjoyable way.


Beyond that, the book takes a conversational approach. Rushing doesn't lay out rules, he takes a gentle, encouraging approach, telling the us to get into the dirt and explore the life around us. He guides you through the seasons with an emphasis on enjoying each and every moment rather than getting bogged down with spring preparations. Don't get caught up in trying to make sure every last detail is right, just enjoy the details for what they are! There are creative ideas for recycling and reuse in the garden, plants to grow, and plants you can usually find for free. (Just make friends with other gardeners!) 

If you need step-by-step guidance, this book isn't for you. If you want a diving board into the pool of gardening joys, this is the go-to guide you've been looking for.


I have my review copy of the book to do a quick, one-day giveaway open to residents of North America, only. (Unless you want to pay shipping, 'cause that gets too expensive for me.) How do you enter to win? Comment below--do you take a slow approach to gardening? Are you a new gardener and need a little guidance? Just tell me a little about your gardening self. I'll draw a winner tomorrow at noon!

PS Don't forget to include an email address or link in your comment so I can get in touch with you if you win!

perfect birthday

I'll admit I was dreading my birthday this year.Part of it is having a toddler: her youth and vigor remind me too often of how my own body aches just a little more than it used to. Part of it is the number: 3.4. Seems so adult, dare I say broaching middle age?


Thankfully, I eased into 34 by taking a weekend in the mountains with the Mister. M partied all weekend at Nana's. The rural pace was just what the doctor ordered. One afternoon was spent in a nearby town where we stopped in for dinner and happened upon Another Roadside Attraction playing. Finished dinner and walked a block to local wines and ciders. The next day was my actual birthday. I woke up to few reps of jogging, jumping jacks and whatever other exercises I could think of. Then got my birthday gift: a 35 pound kettle bell! We decided it was time to take advantage of the mountain beauty, so off we went on a long hike on a hard trail.

The whole weekend gave us plenty of time to read, draw {me} and photograph {C} the surroundings, find inspiration, and soak up the quiet times with each other.

My disdain for 34 melted away into the fall colors. {and Charlie's charming self helped!} It's amazing how a breath of crisp fall air can change one's perspective.