Oh, hello!

January 10, 2012 · 1 comment

in beginnings, the haps, upcoming new newness

So, I apologise for not posting regularly. I believe I’ve been away from Blogland for a little over a month…or more? Oy, life’s been pretty crazy.

Posting will continue to be light, if there’s any posting at all, until the end of this month. Between moving all of our things up to Jacksonville (a place we officially love), all the madness & shuffle of the holidays, & me still working in Orlando & having to go back & forth until that job closes down, it’s been extremely difficult to get to the computer to keep up on blog stuff. I didn’t plan it out as well as I had hoped to.

I really just wanted to hop on here & offer a little bit of explanation & apology. Not that I’ve been delivering must-read news or anything, but I love connecting with people through my blog & sharing the things I’ve been working on for the shop here.

As of right now I am spending half my time in Jacksonville & half of it in Orlando at my parents’ house (so kind of them to let me use a room there during the transition). The park where I work will be closing it’s doors forever on the 21st of this month, & seeing as I have not found employment in Jacksonville, I’ll be staying with them until the end. It’s bittersweet, I liked getting at least a tiny paycheque! So I have another couple of weeks until I am close to being settled in my new city.

Around that time, end of this month/early February, I hope to make some big shop updates. Not only add more of the things that have already been favourites, but getting all new things in there too. More vintage is a must, & there will be more artwork done by me in the form of prints & originals. I’ve been excited to see several sales over the holidays & at the beginning of the year, & hope that I can continue to make pretty things that people can enjoy.

So, while it may take a little longer for the blog to catch up to me, trust that we’ll be back in full force soon. In the meantime, you can still keep up with me on Twitter & all that.

Have a great day!

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Favourite Things: Game Night(s)

December 13, 2011 · 2 comments

in favourite things, lovely love, nerd alert

Sometimes, when you’re around someone all the time but both of you are very busy with other things, it’s tough to define “quality time.” Time where you’re interacting & just enjoying each other’s company outside of a standard routine or just finding something to laugh together over.

I guess it’s kind of one of those ruts we all fall into, the kind that aren’t serious or relationship-killing but are seriously less fun & just put a damper on things a bit.

Not to say that Joel & I were really in a rut, per se, but we both have had a lot going on lately. He’s been working really hard to get the grades in school, & I’ve been working my “normal” job while launching a.kwerk & other things. Not to mention, his switching schools & me trying to go back to school & the whole things where we are moving into our own apartment in a whole new city together. Anyway, dinner conversation was getting a little redundant.

I’m not even sure when or why we started to, but my best guess is that one night we were just staring at each other with nothing to say after eating (slight dramatisation) & someone suggested playing a board game. It was a very good idea so we checked Joel’s closet full of games & ended up playing Scrabble or something. Naturally, I kicked his butt & then we moved on to another game, & then another.

Now we often play Skip-Bo after eating (or even during dinner). He has won every single game since we started playing…up until last night, that is, when I totally killed him (FINALLY).

Joel also taught me Progressive Rummy, which I still don’t think I completely understand or like, but I did beat him pretty good when he taught me. It was a sweet victory, as I was pretty adamant about not wanting to learn because I don’t like those kind of games very much. I prefer fast-paced games like Egyptian War or word games like Scrabble & Apples to Apples, the latter being less fun with two people & one that I can’t find the original game anywhere these days anyway.

We get to joke around & be silly, there’s usually a lot of smiling on game nights. It’s one of my favourite things now because I get to be nerdy with my favourite person.

Funny how something so simple can strengthen your connection to someone you care about. I know games were a big part of my childhood: Scrabble with the whole family at Gramma’s dining room table, UNO with her & my brother up on the porch until we were delirious because it was WAY past bedtime, Life & Monopoly with my brother & parents over hot cocoa (which spilled on the play money & reminds us of German winters if we pull one out to play now).

I never thought about these things too much until Joel & I started our own little game nights. It’s become something interactive to do before we settle in & go a little brain-dead watching TV or a movie or something where the talking stops.

Do you have a game night? What little things do you do to connect with your loved one(s)?

{ 2 comments }

Stressball

December 9, 2011 · 2 comments

in self-portrait

Some people are just hard-wired for stress.

My mom blames my father.

That’s probably not completely unfounded. Seeing as my dad is even crazier than me when it comes to freaking out over things that can’t be controlled.

Then of course, there was my grandmother’s influence. I was very close to her, & good heavens was that woman full of anxiety. She worried about everything.

Come to think of it, it’s probably fairly miraculous that I’m not in a corner somewhere chewing on my hair. That miracle being the balancing influence of my mother & insanely laid-back grandfather.

I’m still this crazy little stressball, though. Ever since I was a wee little one, I can remember having panic attacks. I don’t recall a time when I didn’t have trouble sleeping at night because I would lay down & feel like the world was closing in on me.

It caused me problems in school, & everywhere else. I finally got it somewhat figured out towards the end of my college years. I started learning techniques that helped, like cutting caffeine out of my diet, & started taking medication geared towards my problem.

The medication didn’t let me feel like myself, so I quit taking it & focused on more “holistic” ways of managing my anxiety. It’s pretty fascinating what little changes to my diet & little day to day practices can help me stay fairly balanced.

With all the things going on lately, every thing seems out of my control (because it is, to a certain extent). I’ve realised how much this creates an air of panic about me. I’ve begun freaking out over things that even I look at in the aftermath & think “Wow, you are being ridiculous.”

This is me being like my dad or my grandma in the ways I’m not thrilled about.

You know what, though? This is me. Maybe it’s not the best side of me, but I think I’m handling it well considering.

Considering I have managed not to have any full-blown, crazy panic attacks this whole time. Considering I haven’t driven Joel insane right along with me. & considering I’ve been more productive than I ever was during a time of comparable stress & chaos.

I’m going to count this as a victory.

Maybe I’m not quite over the mountain that is my anxiety issues, but I’m making good progress.

{ 2 comments }

Meditate On: Guilt

December 8, 2011 · 5 comments

in meditate on it

I know it sounds crazy for me to title a post saying you should meditate on something that is pretty negative, but hear me out.

I don’t want you to think about whatever may be causing you guilt in a way that amplifies it, I want you to think about it in a way that gets to the root of where that feeling may be coming from & why it may be completely unnecessary or you may even be feeling it for a good reason & should act on it. How should I know? I don’t know why you’re guilty, maybe you should feel bad…who knows?

Here’s the thing. Usually in December I’m all about the giving. I like to go a little nuts finding the perfect gift for someone, whether I get to make it myself, find someone else that made it, or buy it from Target, if it’s exactly what will light up that person’s face I will find it & make it happen for them (within a reasonable budget, of course). Along with taking care of the people I love most, I have always tried to do something for someone I may or may not know that needs help to have a good Christmas. I’ve bought toys & clothes & things for kids that needed them & donated them to good causes, & at times have done things like helping a family in Africa in someone else’s name (which is kind of a double-whammy because if you find out the perfect gift for someone is giving to someone else who really needs it, you’ve gotten two for the price of one…not that that’s what it’s about, just saying).

I can’t do any of that this year.

I didn’t even realise how guilty it was making me feel until I was sitting down with Joel to a modest meal that I’d gotten using food stamps & a woman & her child came through holding a sign asking for help because they were homeless. I apologised for not having any money to give & that’s when I noticed the guilt I felt (I also became aware after she had gone that I had an apple sitting right there & could have at least given that to the kid, bringing more guilty feelings rushing in).

I have it better than a lot of people. I have a place to go to have a roof over my head, I have more than one outfit in my closet (even if I decide that I hate all my clothes every other day), I have an amazing family that does what they can to help me, an awesome dog & a really attractive boyfriend that knows how to build things. I am, however, struggling to make it paycheque to paycheque & able to do that because the state gives me money for food every month.

This is not a plea for sympathy or a pity party, this is just a statement of facts.

Joel told me that I shouldn’t feel bad that I can’t give, because right now I’m doing what I can to get by myself. At first, I thought that sounded like a really selfish view. But then I mulled it over & came to the realisation that my feeling guilty was coming from a place of pride, which is incredibly unproductive.

I mean, it’s not the same guilt as when I don’t do the dishes & I should have. With that guilt I just go take care of the damn dishes & then everything is okay. & that guilt is completely warranted, I should feel bad about leaving the dishes for someone else when it was my turn, if I don’t feel bad about it then I’m kind of a jerk.

With this guilt, I’ve realised I need to get over my pride. I need to tell myself that there is no reason to feel bad for not being to help others because I’m going through a time when it’s hard enough to help myself. I have to humble myself, remind myself that I’m still giving by being the best daughter, sister, girlfriend, & friend that I know how to be. I will promise myself that when I’ve gotten past this rough patch, when I’ve regained some financial stability & am not worried about where the money for rent is going to come from, I’ll be able to remember this time & help someone that’s going through something like it or worse.

The holidays can bring up a lot of guilt for a lot of different reasons, what with all the spending & pressure to give the biggest & best. Not to mention, there’s a lot of family dynamics going on this time of year, & that usually means a lot of guilt trips being bestowed on us from our crazy relatives. Maybe you don’t need to humble yourself, maybe you’ve got some guilty feelings that are really just calling for you to show some grace & give yourself a break.

Perhaps if you’ve been feeling some guilt, it’s time to sit down & meditate on finding the source. You might just need to show those feeling the door, or you may find you’ve got some dishes to do (see what I did there?).

What kind of guilt do you need to get rid of?

{ 5 comments }

A Christmas Wishlist, of Sorts

December 4, 2011 · 2 comments

in beginnings, self-portrait, Uncategorized

It’s that time of year, more than likely all the Thanksgiving leftovers have been consumed & the Christmas trees are already up. The twinkly lights are up on all the houses & letters to Santa have been written, if not sent already.

I do love Christmas, not as much as Halloween, but this time of year involves a lot of my favourite things, which include (though not limited to) baking, cooking, decorating, more baking, & gift-giving. Oh, the gift-giving! Whether I’m the giver or the getter, I love it. A certain boyfriend of mine has been joking about not having to get me a present, which is clearly unacceptable as it will actually be our first Christmas as a couple. So, obviously whether money is spent or not, we will be exchanging gifts this year (I tried to make a deal that we had to make them for each other, but he said I had an unfair advantage in that department, which is silly because he knows how to build things).

But anyway, along with the gift-giving & letter-writing to Santa that is in with the season come the wishlists. The wishlists are everywhere, everyone is making one & all the shopping websites have the option to create & manage one. I’m incredibly pro-wishlist, I really wish certain people would send me theirs so I would have some clues as to what to get or make them (ahem, Joel).

In past years, my wishlists have been incredibly long & full of silly things that I probably wouldn’t even use that much (except for shoes or certain tech, I know I’d use that regularly). This year, I’m not so worried about getting a bunch of fun stuff as I am about other things I know would mean quite a bit more to me. Not that I don’t want the fun stuff, nail polish & pretty vintage trinkets make great stocking stuffers, to be sure.

This year, my wishlist has been pared down & contains the sort of things that won’t fit under any tree you could find at Home Depot:

A pretty little house to rent in Jacksonville. Preferably with a nice fenced yard for Lola run around in, good lighting, & an extra room for me to turn into a type of office/studio.

A good job in order to pay the rent on said house. Because otherwise, you know, I will probably have to collect unemployment (don’t like the idea of that) & live with my parents for another short stint. Being un- or under- employed is stressful, scary, & demoralising, & I think getting a nice position somewhere may actually be number one on my list for Christmas.

For the shop to prosper & keep growing. I don’t need it to be a big, crazy money-maker (though, it would be cool to be a full-time creative with my own mobile or bricks-&-mortar shop one of these days), but I’d like to see it start to take off. To see people wearing or using my pieces would be the most exciting thing!

…& that’s what’s at the top of my list this year. Yes, there are plenty of other material things I could list, including puppies, iPads, & all sorts of things from Etsy, Sephora, Anthropologie, & lululemon, but those things are not going to bring any kind of relief to me right now. I think as much as things like that would make me feel thought of & blessed, & by no means would I turn them down, they would do little to ease my mind for an extended period of time.

Perhaps, that’s how I can sum up this year’s Christmas wishlist, “peace of mind.”

In the hopes that I’m not leaving this on some kind of depressing note, I should clarify that as much as the lack of these things has turned me into a giant stress-ball, I have not given up. I do what I can to stay positive & tell myself that these things are going to work out for the best. It’s tough, to be sure, but I’ve got faith & keep in mind that that glass is freaking half-full of glitter & magic & cupcakes.

What sort of “won’t fit under the tree” things does Santa need to bring you this year?

{ 2 comments }

Bad-Ass Photog-Friends of the Month

December 2, 2011 · 5 comments

in all kinds of inspiring, bad-ass ___ of the month

So, here’s my new thing: Every first Friday of the month I’m going to tell you about someone(s) that is (are) the greatest, possibly of all time. Whether I’ve met them or not, I want to share with you people that inspire me, people that I love; basically I want to tell you about people you should know about. Henceforth, first Fridays will now be “Bad-Ass (insert profession/cool thing “honouree” does here) of the Month.”

Because tomorrow is Becka’s birthday, I figured I’d start with my favourite photography duo, the Robinsons, of Studio 222.

Clearly, seeing as they are pretty famous, most of you already know who these two are. I’ve known these two crazy kids for, let’s see…we’ll just say since college since I’m really bad at pin-pointing exact years, which means it’s been a long time.

You may know that they are insanely good photographers that have rightfully earned a name for themselves in that creative industry. If you don’t know, a) Where have you been? & b) Better mosey on over to their website (after you finish reading this post, duh), Studio 222 Photography, & learn something. Becka & Nate have traveled all over & shot some amazing weddings, among other things. They are passionate about what they do, & obviously that shows in their work.

Personally, one of my favourite things is Becka’s ability to capture the tiniest details in such a gorgeous way. When she offered to help me take product photos for the shop, I didn’t hesitate to take her up on it, partly because of that one fact (never mind that the pictures I could take wouldn’t be close to the ones she would & did). It makes sense, really, because I’ve always known Becka to be a detail-oriented person in every thing she cares a great deal for.

As much as I have admired (& let’s be honest, at times been a wee bit jealous of) what I have seen these two do professionally & as artists, I really just feel glad that I can count them as two very wonderful friends. My lovely mates stay pretty busy, so perhaps I’ve not always gotten to see them as often as I’d like, but when I get to hang with them it’s pretty effortless catching up & sharing with one another.

Nate is hands-down one of my favourite people to grab a beer with, which is not because I think he’s more fun when he’s been drinking. Nate just happens to know a lot about beer so it’s like an enjoyable, tipsy learning experience because he’s not obnoxious about it the way some “connoisseurs” can be (boo on those guys). He happens to be a fantastic drinking companion in general, actually, & an all-around fun person. Not to mention, Nate is a really talented drummer & a wonderful husband to Becks.

Which brings me to the pretty one. I was never very good at having girl-friends until my college years, which is as I mentioned, around the time I met Becka. Tons has changed over the years, we’ve all been through some pretty crazy ups & downs, but she’s one of the rare women that I think I’ll always be able to get along with. Conversation is never lacking in quality with Becks, & she’s one of those girls that is genuinely fun (those are hard to find in real life, people, though remarkably easy in the internet blog-world). She’s going to be a great mama (there’s a third Robinson on the way!), seeing as she’s already doing a brilliant job of making a person right now. Becka can do a much better job showing you who she is (& a lot of the things I like about her) through her blog, Life as an Artistpreneur, than I could ever do trying to explain all the things that make her a fantastic person to have in your life.

As a team, they have somehow unlocked the formula for being just about unstoppable. I’ll work on learning their secrets, which I will then use for myself & then sell for top dollar.

I like these people, for their friendship & their inspiration, so you should too.

{ 5 comments }

Meditate On: Wisdom

December 1, 2011 · 0 comments

in meditate on it



“Wisdom begins in wonder.” – Socrates

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Favourite Things: Authentic Lo Pros

November 28, 2011 · 0 comments

in favourite things

I love shoes. I’ve always been a big fan.

As much as I adore heels of all kinds, especially snazzy platforms with all kinds of craziness going on, a girl needs a few good pairs of flats & sneakers. When you have mostly worked retail jobs, or really just jobs that keep you on your feet a lot, you definitely learn to love them. & then, when your boyfriend is only an inch or so taller than you & tries to be cool but is clearly a little bothered when you wear your heels & are then a tad taller than him…you keep that in mind when picking out shoes.

I’ve always loved Vans Authentics, & I thought I preferred them to the more “feminine” Lo Pros. The Lo Pros have a thinner profile, not quite as chunky as the regular Authentic. I don’t know why I thought the Authentic was cooler, maybe I was just rebelling against what someone else had deemed more appropriate for girls (I can get that way, I don’t consider it a flaw). Recently, I purchased my first pair of Lo Pros, because I needed a good pair of sneakers that would work with almost anything. I got the all-black ones, because clearly those were the best to start with.

Look at those! Aren't they pretty?

I love them. Why did I wait so long? They are the best shoe, I want a pair in every colour. They make my feet look small (a weird thing I need my shoes to do for me) & I can wear them with so many different things easily. I may or may not have worn them almost every day since getting them.

Imagine my reaction to seeing velvet ones in the prettiest colours. I die. Seriously.

I’m hoping Santa brings them to me for Christmas.

Got some shoes you’re in love with?

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Meditate On: Giving Thanks

November 24, 2011 · 2 comments

in meditate on it, Uncategorized

It’s relatively easy for me to fall into the trap of getting a little up in arms about Thanksgiving. I don’t necessarily understand celebrating slaughter with slaughter (yup, talking about the natives & the turkeys, I went there) & I tend to question peoples’ intentions when they only express a gratitude for someones or somethings once a year.

It could easily be a pretty frustrating holiday for me.

Truth be told, Halloween might be the only holiday that isn’t a frustrating one if you’re me. That’s just because I love it so much.

But here’s the thing, I don’t necessarily get to say “thanks” to some people in my life on a regular basis, so it’s not so bad to have an occasion to reach out & let them know it made me think of them. & it’s nice to let the people that I regularly try to show appreciation for know that at that time of year when people are turning to you to ask “What are you most thankful for?” know that I thought of them in response.

Just because gratitude should be a year-round thing doesn’t mean that we can’t take advantage of a holiday dedicated to it. As a matter of fact, I like to think that it’s akin to a birthday celebration. As in, “Happy birthday, Gratitude & Thankfulness! Let’s celebrate you!”

I have so much to celebrate today, so much to remind myself & others of my gratitude for. Despite whatever stresses & struggles I’ve got in my sights, I have a lot of things that other people don’t have.

I’m going to go count my blessings in the company of Joel & my families. While I may be crossing my fingers & praying my parents get along with Joel’s & don’t embarrass me, I’ll also be remembering to tell them that of course, I am so lucky to have them & yes, I should tell them more often. & I will be happy to spend time with the people that made Joel the man he is, a guy that has made my life more lovely than I had begun to believe possible.

I am grateful & I am glad.

Happy Thanksgiving! What are you giving thanks for in honour of gratitude today?

{ 2 comments }

Favourite Things: Square

November 21, 2011 · 5 comments

in Uncategorized

So maybe this post was supposed to have gone up almost an hour ago at the time I’m writing it. Maybe I was supposed to write it last night but my erratic sleep schedule over the weekend caught up with me & I just went to sleep instead.

Maybe. We’ll never know for sure.

It is Monday, & that means I’m bringing you some thoughts on one of my favourite things. Today that thing is Square, which I got to use Saturday for transactions at the craft show.

I’m sure a lot of you have at least seen this before if not used it for yourselves. It’s a card reader that plugs into the headphone jack of your smart phone or iPad, & using the free app you can take debit or credit card payments so simply it’s a little ridiculous. I mean, technology, am I right?

It’s really the perfect thing for food trucks, in that it makes me want to own a food truck so I can drive around & take people’s money with this thing (& give them delicious food in return, of course). Or, just get myself a rad airstream trailer to take all my a.kwerk goodies around in a little traveling shop a la Lune Vintage.

I think my absolute favourite thing about this little device is that when you text or e-mail the receipt to your customer, you have the option to add a photo of what they purchased. When I used it on Saturday it was so easy to just snap a little photo of whatever cute thing the client had just selected so they could have a visual reminder when they checked their receipt. I’m so visual that sometimes when I get a receipt I’m looking over it wondering what items they are talking about on there (yes, I read my receipts, I’m a crazy person) so I really like the option to have a clear description. You know, because a picture is worth a thousand words.

I’m not sure how often I’ll actually get to use my little Square, but it’s going to be very convenient for when I get to do other shows or set-ups. The best part is that it’s completely worth it as they will send you the device for free when you sign up for the service. There’s no catch, I looked. In addition to that, the fee for use is incredibly reasonable (2.75% per transaction) & much less than those other credit machines you see people lugging around or using in stores.

If you have your own business or shop, I highly recommend looking into using these, they are fantastic.

What kind of tech do you absolutely love for your business? Anything I should know about?

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