Studio 502

Studio 502, the name of our art studio (aka home), coined by the DH. He had this on our kitchen chalkboard when I came home from a work trip, on which I had a creative epiphany. I took the photo without a flash in low light, and thus the blurriness, but I like the effect.

I blogged recently about discovering the artist in me. I've had this idea to turn part of my living room into an art studio. And it hit me recently that it is! It's just not my working space - it's the DH's as he draws our house plans. (We are in the slow, organic process of envisioning our future SMALL house.) He's got the big table set up, and his creativity is evident.

Since the house planning is of prime importance, I don't want to interrupt his creative mess here. So instead I've made several creative stations. Here's one - my holiday card-making station, on the floor in my office.


And, on the ironing board, I'm about to begin work on a corduroy skirt.

And this doesn't include pictures of our plant nursery (one window, floor to ceiling shelves, with baby plants) or the bicycle museum (which is fluid and moving OUT into circulation in the world! I know it is, even if I can't see it at the moment).

I took a look around me and realized that I don't need to wait for the perfect space to begin projects. I'm already doing them. So I'm now choosing to see the house as a dynamic space that morphs itself into the space we need. There are times to be neat and tidy - and then there are times to be knee-deep in creative messes. We are in the latter at the moment, and instead of getting frustrated or overwhelmed, I am choosing to see it as vibrant and alive. :-) If I can have one area of our home that is under control, my refuge, I am OK. This would be our bedroom and my tea corner. The rest of the house can ebb and flow, and lead to wonderful creations.

One Kind Word...

"One kind word can warm three winter months."

-- Chinese Proverb

I read this quote last night in a magazine. The thought really stuck with me. I can recall moments in my life when someone made one kind comment that changed my view of myself for the positive.

Now that we're officially in the "holiday season," I am striving to remember this quote each day. It seems this time of year is equally filled with heartbreak and joy, with coldness and warmth. What one kind word can I offer to make a difference?

My Shadow

This is my "shadow," so to speak - a dress form, molded from my body, and made from duct tape. Some of you may remember the beginning of this adventure. Well, here's an update - the DH made a stand for me, so that it hangs at about my height. Today, we finished it out by getting it onto the stand and fully stuffed. What an alter-ego! I call her "seven"...of nine, for the Star Trek fans.

Happy Thanksgiving

To you, my blog readers. Thank you for reading and commenting. I'm grateful for this blog, a very nice means of creative expression.

Cheers!

Natural Cleaning

Today's living simply theme is natural house cleaning. The DH and I made the switch to natural cleaners over the past several years. As one thing ran out, we just didn't replace it. Now, we clean with baking soda, water, and vinegar. I have a bottle of store-bought natural wood and all-purpose cleaner that is about out, and I plan to make my own with a bit of olive oil and lemon going forward. It's a comfort to me to know that I can ingest the things I clean with.

I also stopped using synthetic air fresheners. Now, I can hardly stand their unnatural smell. Instead, I use essential oils in a diffuser. I became so aware of the badness of these synthetic fragrances from a colleague whose daughter is highly sensitive to chemicals. Think of an airport bathroom - it can certainly give me a headache with that syrupy-sweet masking scent. Unfortunately, for those with chemical sensitivities, it's much more serious. The chemicals can cause this girl's fragile body to have a seizure.

It's easy to give up the expensive and harsh chemicals and clean naturally. Here are some great resources and recipes. Do you have a favorite home-cleaning recipe? Please share!

Clean and Green: Natural Homemade House Cleaners

Eartheasy

*Image from free online image sources.

November Tea: A Virtual Tea Party

My tea cozy corner, where I sat for the virtual tea party

Take three good friends in three timezones, a leisurely afternoon, 3 good cups of tea, a treat or two or three, and season with the magic of technology. You've got the makings for a great virtual tea party! By virtual, I mean over the phone.

I enjoyed such an event last Friday evening. I had a conference call with two of my dear Western Skies friends. We each held a cup of tea and we spent the hour sipping and chatting. It was very fun and connecting. I highly recommend it! Next time, we plan to give Skype a try with some video conferencing, too! Wouldn't it be fun to SEE the mug or cup and saucer your friend is using, along with her lovely face?

Honeybush

Isn't that a great name for a "tea"? In fact, honeybush isn't truly a tea, but it is a wonderfully-scented and flavored tisane (herbal infusion). Like rooibos, honeybush grows in South Africa. It has yellow flowers that smell like honey. Tea is made from the flowers, leaves and stems of the plant.

Honeybush is naturally caffeine-free and also has antioxidants, as well as minerals.

If you're looking for a way to satisfy your sweet tooth, give honeybush a try! It's naturally sweet tasting and it may hit the mark in a non-sugared way!

Medicinally, honeybush has long been used to treat coughs.

"The traditional use of the tea for treating cough may be explained, in part, by its content of pinitol, a modified sugar that is similar to inositol. Pinitol, named for its major source, pine trees, is also found in the leaves of several legume plants; it is an expectorant." Read more here.

The next time you see honeybush, give it a try and let me know what you think!

*Image from http://www.itmonline.org/arts/honeybush.htm

Drum roll...

And the winners of my tea sample giveaways are:

Lady Katherine
and
Melanie

I had such a great response, I decided to pick two winners. I'll be in contact, ladies, and congratulations! Thanks to everyone who joined in! And here's a sneak peek at December 3rd - I'll be joining in the Sew, Mama, Sew! giveaway, too...so check back!

It's been a quiet weekend for me. It kicked off Friday evening with a virtual tea party, which I will blog about later this week. Then I spent yesterday mostly doing nothing. I didn't make it to the dance class, sigh. I just wasn't up for it. I've been fighting a cold. I also spent much of today napping in the sun, like a solar cat. As much as I wanted to take the class, I needed a quiet weekend more. Fortunately, I'm feeling better this afternoon.

Blog Roundup

Hello - Off to dance class today, but before I go, I wanted to share a few interesting blog posts I've enjoyed recently. Also, a reminder that today is the last day to enter the giveaway for three tea samples! I will announce the winner on Sunday, 11/23 (that's tomorrow!).

Denise, over at Uniquely Tea, finds the most amazing tea-related stuff! I just adored watching this video made in approximately 1941.

For a study in beautiful photography, as well as tea, visit Tea Master's blog.

Check out the trailer at The Meaning of Tea's website. I SO want this video! (Thanks, Linda at Friendship Tea, for the link!)

If you're feeling generous, mark December 3rd as "giveaway day" and participate in Sew, Mama, Sew's festivities.

Blues Dancing

I am forfeiting my self portrait today. I just didn't get around to it, as I have to be away from home most of the day. But I will make it up soon. In the mean time, the DH and I will be at a Blues Dancing workshop tomorrow. This form of dance may unfamiliar to many of you, so I wanted to take a moment to explain it.

"Like Swing dance, Blues dance originated and evolved from African rhythms and movements. However, Blues dancing was never widely practiced as a "social" or performance dance in the United States outside of the Black communities; so it developed and thrived in smoky juke joints and at Blues house parties and rent parties, giving it a more intimate feel." Read more here.

Blues dancing has a forbidden edge to it - it's sensual and evocative. It came from an era of repression - racial, social, and all kinds of other things. Even under the awful conditions of repression, thankfully the human spirit finds very inventive ways to express itself.

Here's a video clip from our instructor (the guy). Keep in mind, these folks are Pros! I can't even identify the "basic" step in this. The DH and I will NOT be looking like that after one day. So here's to some great music and loose hips! Warning: Chances are, this will get your blood pumping.

Yeba Mate

Yerba mate is a South American evergreen shrub that is used as an herb. The leaves and twigs are used to make an infusion that is consumed in several countries, including in Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil. Most mate infusions are made from green mate, but you will sometimes find a roasted variety. Sometimes people add milk and sweeteners. It's a common practice to drink mate from a hollowed gourd (sometimes covered with metal) through a metal bombilla (straw). It's a social drink often shared with friends.


Yerba mate is made with hot, not boiling water. It can be steeped for a long time without getting bitter. Even thought it is an herbal, it is unique in that it does contain caffeine and other stimulants. Many people believe that, like tea, the effects are not as jarring as coffee.

I find the flavor to be strong, different than tea, and kind of earthy. I've heard the flavor described as a cross between tea and coffee and I think that's a good assessment. I enjoy yerba mate, but it's not my go-to drink. That's as much socialization as anything, I suppose. Were I from South America, I'm sure it would be part of my beverage routine.

Have you ever tried yerba mate? What was your experience?

*Images from wikipedia and google images

Holiday Gift Giving

Today's living simply theme tackles the topic of holiday gift giving. I've made it a hard-and-fast rule this year that I am only giving gifts that feel good to me. This means:

• I'm not giving any "obligation" gifts. Yes, I will leave people off the list, even if that person gives something to me. (E.g., The co-committee chair who brings me cookies.) I will be a gracious recipient and I am letting go of the associated guilt. (This, for me, takes a lot of courage. It's easier to type than put into practice!)
• I will ask friends and family to indulge me and reduce gifts to me. For example, my brother-in-law and sister and the DH and I have decided NOT to trade gifts. In addition, two friends and I have decided to make donations to a charitable organization in lieu of gifts. That warms my heart!
• My niece is one. While I am tempted by several tea-themed gifts, I am resisting. I will give a contribution to her college fund instead. That will last a lifetime.
• I'm not giving "throwaway" gifts. Each gift I give will be something that I have made or chosen with the recipient specifically and thoughtfully in mind. No generic gifts.
• I'm not giving plastic crap. I am trying to get as much plastic as possible out of my life, so I won't give it to others.
• Where possible, I will make gifts. This provides a creative outlet (gift) for me and is a one-of-a-kind for the recipient. This is where I will spend most of my time related to gifts!
• When I purchase a gift, I will try to make that purchase from a local (non-chain) store or directly from the creator through sites like Etsy.
• I will purchase absolutely no gift-wrapping materials. I will use what I have on hand and get creative! I've seen amazing gift wrapping made from stamps and junk mail!
• Where possible, I will make donations to charitable causes. For example, each year we trade male/female gifts at my family's large Christmas Eve gathering. It's hard to make a personal gift when I don't know who will receive it. Instead, I plan to make a donation in my family's name and give that to my family member, along with some hand-made treat and/or tea.
• I will set a reasonable budget and not go over it for gift-giving. This allows me to be even more creative!

As I read this, it seems a little scrooge-ish to me. But I'm OK with that! Our world has too much excess and waste, especially this time of year. (Think of the mountain of wrapping paper thrown away on Christmas morning!) I want to minimize my contribution to this craziness.

What wisdom can you share on this topic?

Lucky Girl and Giveaway!

Thank you!

I am a very, very lucky girl! Yesterday, I won not one but TWO blog giveaways! This is really exciting and the gifters are so generous!

A special, heartfelt thanks to Marilyn at Delights of the Heart who shared this amazing fuzed glass trivet. And also to Lynn at Frivolitea for this very fun set of Crafty Girl note cards. Congratulations to both women, who are celebrating major blog milestones!

In truth, at first I felt guilty for winning two blog giveaways, and on the SAME day! But guilt is an an energy-sucking emotion. It's not productive nor where I want to spend my time. So instead, I focused on extending deep gratitude to these women, and thinking of how I could continue this theme of sharing. So I am hosting my very own blog giveaway! Between now and Saturday, leave a comment on my blog and I will enter your name in a drawing to win a sample of three fabulous teas! I will announce the winners on Sunday, Nov. 23rd. You will get to pick from several choices (including herbal, green, oolong and black).


By the way, I skipped my herbal infusion theme yesterday, but I'll get back to it on Thurs.

In gratitude,
Stephanie



*images from corbis.com

Grandma's Birthday

Happy 87th birthday, Grandma! My grandfather made the wooden jewelry box, above, for my grandmother on her 80th birthday. It is one of her most beloved possessions. Inside, the inscription says, "A labor of love."

Beauty in Lists

This gorgeous altered art journal is a gift from my very inspiring cousin (thanks, KAS!). At first, I just looked at it for inspiration, and then I finally got brave enough to write in it and fill it with dreams and plans for future creative projects.

I enjoy making lists. In my work life, lists guide me through my days and weeks. In my creative life, the lists aren't so much about what I must get done, but more about possibilities. I never expect these lists to be completely checked. Just writing them gives me a rush and a bit of confidence. If I can have the idea...I'm one step closer to actually trying it out.

I title the list "options" because that's what they are...and I include "All or None or Other" as a reminder to let go of my puritan rigidity!

Mixed-Media Tea Party

Wow - I am definitely inspired! Check out the Nov/Dec edition of cloth paper scissors for the results of the mixed-media tea party challenge! My favorite is rachel's teacups (think ta-tas). ;-)

Self Portrait 2

Yep, that's me first thing this morning. I'm doing chest-opener stretches on the exercise ball. My shoulders and chest are often tight from day-long computer work, so I do these stretches to counter. Maintaining flexibility truly is a crucial part of my body and soul. Notice my very cool teapot pajama bottoms and the oh-so-warm but not-so-sexy down-filled booties.

This activity was all about learning to use my tripod (thanks, Mom!) and the self-timer on the camera. And about seeing myself in truth, not posed, not made up, not trying to impress. This snapshot of myself is a view I've only been given through the camera lens; I've never seen myself in this pose before. I call this "offering of myself" because that's what I see.

Happy Friday!

Where Have Martha's Wrinkles Gone?

Inside this book (published in 1993) are a few photos of Martha, and I'm shocked! She has wrinkles! Somehow, in the last 5 years, she's lost them. ;-) I think it's probably the benefit of a great staff of graphic designers who airbrush her portraits. I'll give her the benefit of the doubt and not say she's had "work done."

I've enjoyed browsing through the book, especially the Afternoon Tea chapter. I tried the Apple Rosemary Tea Bread recipe. I must confess, it was so-so. I loved the Rosemary aroma and flavor, but it was a fussy recipe and the results were, in my opinion, average.

Compare that to the pumpkin bread the DH just made. Wow - that was fantastic! Especially considering that he made it extra-healthy. The recipe called for 3 cups of flour. He used 2 cups of whole wheat, 1/2 cup oatmeal and 1/2 cup flaxseed meal. Yummy, moist, heavenly and healthy!

Life Without TV

Living Simply Wednesdays

The DH (dear hubby) and I divorced our television six years ago. The honest truth is that I seldom miss it. I don't miss mainstream TV programming. And, in the spirit of full disclosure, we occasionally watch movies on the laptop and have the radio turned on much of the day.

People often ask me what I do with the time I don't spend watching TV, and it's a question that puzzles me. I'm puzzled because I never think "I'm not watching TV." I have many interests. The DH cooks from scratch. We go for walks, go to the library, read, Read, READ, work on projects, get more sleep. Time passes too quickly.

When I travel, I get caught up on the latest TV programs. Watching once every quarter is enough to keep me in the mainstream so that I'm not a total dweeb in social conversation. :-)

Life without TV, for me, is grand! I think my quality of life is better. Could you live without TV? What other convenience or entertainment items could you live without, for a better quality of life? Do you think I'm nuts? That's OK, too! Please tell me! ;-)

Sniffles Concoctions?

The season of sniffles is upon us. Do you have a home remedy (with tea or not) that soothes you? If so, please leave a comment and share your recipe with us!

I can remember my great-grandmother, a teetotaler, recommending a mix of honey, lemon and whiskey! What's your favorite cure?