Treasury feature!

A very popular feature on Etsy is the Treasury - its a member-curated gallery of 16 items, often with a common theme. Its an honour to have your item featured in a treasury - it means someone likes your work, and it means many more people will have a chance to see your shop.

I was so happy to find out today my flamingo painting (one of my favourite pieces!) was featured on a Treasury this week by Juli  entitled "Delicious Tones"  - check it out! Link

Please check out Juli's shop as well, she has some beautiful pieces of jewelry!

Tree Frog in the shop

Just added one of my favourite 9 x 12 illustrations to the shop today. I'll be kind of sad to see him go!

Less stuff in 2013

Starting to think about this year's garden

I've mentioned a number of times my goal to reduce the amount of unnecessary "stuff" in our home, and while a trip a week to Value Village and a number of kijiji listings have helped to reduce what we have, in 2013 I'd like to focus on bringing less into our home in the first place. I'd like to challenge our family to significantly limit what we buy this year, preferably purchasing only the necessities and focusing on experiences over things.

I can't take credit for this idea - it was posted on an online forum I belong to. It was just the push I needed - misery does love company after all. Except, I don't think this challenge will be miserable at all - I predict its going to help change our perspective, ignite some creativity, and free up some money (which is never a bad thing). It is nice to have a place to post our intentions, as well as our successes and challenges. The participants have goals ranging from buying nothing but the necessary, to reducing spending, to learning how to make things rather than buying them.

I'll share my own goals for this challenge:

Homemade gifts.

I really love receiving homemade gifts, particularly for the kids. There's so much meaning to a present when you know someone put their love and their time into it. Sure, I like store-bought gifts as well - it is, after all, the thought that counts - but I really cherish what's been made especially for me. So, I'd like to pass that on. I've been working on my crocheting and sewing skills and  painting up a storm for my Etsy shop these last few months. I can't wait to put those talents to use when its gift-giving time.

Making rather than buying.

Speaking of sewing and crocheting - I think these are skills that will serve me well in this challenge. I've just made myself two infinity scarves for a grand total of $16 worth of yarn. This accessory could easily have cost me twice as much for a lower quality product. Plus, I love wearing something I made myself. We need some every day cloth napkins as we've stopped using disposable napkins and paper towel - rather than go out and buy some, I'm going to find some suitable fabric in the form of thrift store clothes and sew them myself. I'm finding it kind of fun to thrift, refashion or make things myself that I otherwise would have purchased mindlessly. 

Experiences over things.

We plan to travel in 2013 - we're going to visit family in the UK, do some camping, possibly spend a weekend away with friends. In order to do so, we'll have to funnel money towards these goals that might otherwise be spent on things. By choosing to make, fix or do without something, building up the travel savings is going to be much less painful.

While buying very little for an entire year can seem quite daunting, and its certainly not a challenge everyone wishes to take on, I'm really excited to do this. I'm not going to berate myself if I slip up, and I'm not going to force Jay to do it with me - I'm simply going to do my best. Its already going well - I've talked myself out of several purchases already in the last few weeks. So wish me luck! It won't be easy, but I will try and make it fun.

2013 Intentions

These first few weeks in January are always a time of reflection, resolutions, planning, vowing to improve ourselves. This year will be better, we declare. Those bad habits? Gone! We'll be self-actualized, fit, and stylish by March! This year is the year!

And then, of course, by February we're elbow deep reality TV, having our second glass of wine for the evening, pretending we're going to hit the gym first thing in the morning.

This is why resolutions always feel so disingenuous to me - half the time I forget I even made them by the end of January's first week. I'd certainly not be hopeful for anything better this year, as my sleep-deprived self often has trouble remembering my own name these days.  This year, I choose instead to look at the coming months and make my best effort to just live my life with intention. I'm not looking to change the world, drop 20 lbs in a month (although that would be nice) or completely re-vamp my entire lifestyle. Instead, I feel drawn to the idea of slowing down a bit, being more of an observer in my own life, savouring these precious last few months of maternity leave and gradually turning my attention to rejoining the working world.

2012 was a year of huge changes - a new baby, a move, a shift in our focus towards becoming more self-sufficient as a family. With all of the busy-ness of day-to-day life, I found myself racing through the days, trying to complete all of my to-do lists yet often procrastinating because I just felt so overwhelmed. Since November, when I started painting again, my days have found a much more natural, joyful rhythm. I've realized there are certain things in my day that make me happy:

Reading 

Those quiet moments when the little one sleeps, or tucked into bed before turning out the light. I'm devouring a few books a week and lately I'm loving books that focus on real-world issues like food security and social justice.

Check this book out - what I assumed would be a how-to guide on making pickles is actually a comprehensive look at food and culture, as well as social justice and inequality. Simply amazing.

 Making things

My mom made all of her own clothes as a child and young woman. The idea that I have bought my kids' Halloween costumes so far horrifies her. Most of my family can knit the most beautiful things. A good friend of mine crochets gorgeous hats for little ones. My favourite gifts that have been given to my kids have been handmade. My generation has lost an entire set of skills, useful not just for the sake of being frugal but also for recognizing and appreciating quality. I'm trying to re-acquire some of the skills I learned in childhood - crocheting, sewing, knitting. Its great fun.

Creating

I was born to draw and paint. I could do it before I could read or write and I have no idea how - I just do it. For so long, I fought this talent of mine - it felt impractical and silly and for years I chose not to nuture it. Having children has made me realize how precious "me" time is and I don't want to waste it in front of the TV. Having my babies has also made me very much aware of who I am and I embrace all of it now, including the fact that drawing, painting, sketching - its breathing to me. Painting again has brought me such joy and even if I never sell a thing in my little Etsy shop, I take great pride in signing my name at the bottom of a piece and listing it. Its my contribution of beauty to the world. My 3 year old loves it too - he asks me each day what I painted that day and we've spent many happy hours drawing together lately.

Its important to me to cultivate these activities in my day as well as ensuring that I take care of myself and my home a little better than I have been. Throwing on a bit of lipstick in the morning makes me feel pretty and I stand a little straighter. Listening to classical music while I drink my morning coffee and the little one crawls around brings me a bit of peace. Taking an extra few minutes to straighten up, forcing myself to vacuum even though I loathe it, taking pride in this home of ours - it makes me feel like I'm taking good care of my family.

So that's what 2013 will be about for me. Slowing down and living with intention. That's all.

Pumpkin Kale Scones

One of my favourite birthday gifts this year was a cookbook I received from my mom, "The Book of Kale".  Kale is one of our all-time favourite veggies, both to grow and eat so I was really excited to try some of the recipes in this book, from Kale and Cranberry Crisps to Lavash Pizza with Kale, Mushrooms and Olives. 

The Savoury Kale Scones with Pumpkin & Cheese immediately caught the eye of my little baker though (he LOVES to make scones) and so we set out to try this recipe first. 

It. was. AMAZING.

Without a doubt, the best scones I've ever made - buttery, savoury and best of all, made with kale from our very own garden. The little guy loved going out back, cutting the kale for me and watching it become something so delicious. He made sure everyone who tried a scone knew that the kale came from "his garden".

Savoury Kale Scones with Pumpkin & Cheese 

(adapted from "The Book of Kale")

2 C kale leaves, loosely packed

2 C unbleached flour (we used whole wheat)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 T sugar ( I used a bit less)

1/2 C cold butter

1 egg

3/4 C buttermilk

1/2 C cooked pumpkin in small dice (I used canned)

3/4 C grated cheddar cheese ( I used a bit less)

• Preheat oven to 375 F with oven rack in the middle
•  Blanch kale for a minute or two then chop finely and squeeze out liquid
•  Blend flour, salt, soda, baking powder and sugar. Cut in butter with blender or fingers.
•  Beat the egg in a small bowl and add the buttermilk, continuing to beat until well combined. Add to dry ingredients with pumpkin and kale and cheese.
•  Mix with fork to just combine.
• Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment paper-covered cookie sheet.
• Bake 20 minutes.

So very delicious. The recipe makes huge scones if you follow the instructions to make 8-10. I ended up cutting them in half once cooked. 

Enjoy!

Exercising my creative muscles

I haven't been writing much this last month or so, and its for a happy reason - I've been painting again.

I've been artistic as long as I can remember and I come by it honestly - my mother is a beautiful painter and illustrator. Its often made me sad that she hasn't kept up her work, especially now that her kids are grown and out of the house. I myself have slipped out of the creative habit, having convinced myself that "there just isn't time right now" while the kids are so young.  And not to sound all mushy and sentimental and well, artsy-fartsy, but it really is a part of me and when I'm not drawing or painting I'm not really whole.

It started during one of those wonderful extra-long baby naps where the house is clean, your chores are done and you're left wondering what to do with these precious and rare free minutes. Having decided that I wanted to give as many handmade gifts as possible this year, I decided to paint something for my best friend's baby daughter. I was pleased with the results but was a bit anxious - is art too personal a choice to give as a gift? Would she feel obligated to put it up even if she didn't like it? Was it even any good?

I ran it by some friends on a parenting forum I frequent and was met with lots of lovely compliments and a few people suggesting I think about selling my art. I was more than a little relieved and really very excited about painting again. But the selling thing - that had me a bit nervous. A few years ago, I opened an Etsy shop selling illustrated cards. I got extremely positive feedback, was featured on the front page of Etsy (kind of a big thing for an Etsy seller), and really loved the work.

However, I didn't do a proper business plan, I found that people loved the cards but just didn't want to shell out what hand-made cards cost when you can get a whole box of them at Costco for $15 or thereabouts, and I had some major printing issues which took up most of my time devoted to the shop. In the end, I spent many hours stressing, planning, printing, promoting and not very much time drawing. I wasn't able to justify the cost of materials and equipment and the time spent on something that didn't seem to be viable.

So, needless to say, I've been gun-shy about trying to sell my creative work again.

But, I love to paint. And I do think my paintings and illustrations are different than alot of what's out there for kids. And I have a friend who has a nice little crochet business that she runs successfully along with raising three kids who I'm using as inspiration.

I've been painting and drawing furiously during my littlest's naps, which has made my days so, so joyful. I really do feel complete again and in fact, I have to make myself stop painting most days or I'd let the laundry pile up, the dishes go unwashed and I'd forget to shower. That's how much I love it.

In the new year, I'll start a Facebook page and list some work. Just dip my toes in the water a bit. Maybe an Etsy shop, further down the road if there's interest. A local coffee shop is interested in displaying my work, so there's promise.

I'm not interested in complicating my life - I go back to work full-time in 3.5 short months and I don't want this to take away from my family life. But if I can sell a bit of work and spend those rare free moments painting instead of surfing the net or wasting time, then I think its a win-win. We'll see!

Cutting down on screen time

I tend to thrive in a fast-paced environment; stress  actually makes me more productive and happier. When I have a lot to do, I get it done and then I make the most of my down time.  So, while I relish the opportunity to be at home with my babies for the first year of their lives, I sometimes find spending so much time at home a bit oppressive.As they say, the years are short but the days can be long.

 Its difficult to get everything done in a day, spend time with the kids, and get time to myself. I can find myself a bit paralyzed with indecision when the kids go to sleep (do I clean? shower? relax?) and I end up wasting away those precious hours of nap time.

I get a bit bored, which is silly because there's so much I can and should do with my time - being creative, getting outside, cleaning, fixing up the house, playing on the floor with the little ones.

The tendency to get bored and sort of mill about the house on a rainy day like today is something I've always had to fight with myself about. When I get up, get dressed, and get moving first thing in the morning, my day is so much better.  Technology has not made this easier. I find that I can so easily get sucked into the void of the computer or my phone first thing in the morning while drinking coffee, ostensibly to "check the news", which turns into reading blogs, Facebook, forums, Pinterest. Next thing I know, the baby's nap is done and I'm still not dressed.  In the evenings, its so easy to flop on the couch and start browsing Netflix - I'm emotionally and physically tired and I just want to wind down before bed. The problem is, half the time I'm watching something just for the sake of something to do. Its not intentional - its just lazy.

So, I've decided to limit my screen time. Much like eating Halloween candy, I find it difficult not to get carried away with time on the computer and my phone when its so very accessible. Clearly, my current routine isn't working so I'm going to shake things up. My days are going to start off with a walk with the kid(s) and the dogs, rather than lounging in front of the computer.  I'm hoping to spend evenings upstairs in the family room rather than in the basement with the TV, doing things I love - reading, crocheting, drawing. A glass of wine or a mug of tea and then upstairs to relax before bed.

I think I'm a bit tech-weary these days and its time to cut down, make my online time intentional and brief.

There's a whole real-life world to connect to.

And laundry to put away. Oh, the laundry.