Maike's Marvels

Nope, I didn’t work on the pendant descriptions I had every intention to write.  Saturday morning became frustrating as I fruitlessly searched online for findings that I know exist but apparently can only be found in 24-packs at Michael’s for now, instead of through a wholesaler.

That’s the trickery of the Internet. You think that you can find things in bulk online ‘somewhere,’ but alas, a retailer just might have exclusivity over that particular product.  So I abandoned the search and shut down the computer, to take a very frosty walk at which I certainly ‘cooled off’.

These crocuses are deceptive:

For the rest of the day I lost myself in a book.

It is surprisingly refreshing to transport yourself into another world, and immerse yourself into the lives of a group of people as they grow over 20+ years.

I forgot about what pendants to describe next for the Etsy upload, how many and what kind I want to make next week, the product photos I have yet to take, how to best determine the right field names for Bento to set up the database right the first time. Instead, I empathized with fictional characters who became so real in my head that it was hard to let them go after the last page.

Yesterday I realized Kari Chapin’s book is due soon so my morning was spent at a cafe getting close to finishing it. I really like this book a lot, and will do a roundup of business planning reads in the future.

After a frosty walk home, I certainly hope that this Robin truly is the harbinger of Spring. We’re more than ready for it up in the Midwest.

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How’s your winter thus far?

The other day I experienced a wide range of temperatures and weather. I took my car to the workshop and broke a sweat walking back to downtown in my coat. It was raining all the way, too.

Then after some indoorsy errands I picked up the car as the temperature dropped by ten degrees and the rain turned to sleet. The droplets were pretty though.

On my way from the garage (I rent a spot for winter time) the sleet turned to snow.

It was quite a day to pick to walk around town, but I am glad I avoided the huge temperature drop the next day.

The library brought some joy.

I’m excited about perusing all these books. There’s a slew of books I’ve been meaning to ‘review’ on the blog but I just never get to it.

Real Magic and The Million Dollar Secret are quite uplifting already.

Speaking of uplift, Alexandra Jaye has a great idea with this Gratitude Jar:

We had more snow a few days later, which brought out all kinds of snow removal equipment.

Seasons are fascinating to me, and I love seeing how nature responds to it.

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As the year ends and I am pondering what 2013 might hold, here are some pictures of my walk through Narnia over the past week (we got a bit more snow since the White Christmas).

This will be my only post for this week as I am processing the year close-out and also working on de-cluttering my home.

It’s a ponderous process, and as I sit and reflect and set my intentions for the coming year, I feel the need to journal on paper more and return to the computer later.

I do wish you a lovely and celebratory New Year’s Eve, and look forward to sharing more marvelous adventures with you in 2013.

See you next year!

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After a recent snowfall I was inspired by OrangeMarigold to look at the tracks that had been made. It’s such fun to see the patterns in people’s shoe soles.

Spring is on its way, but there might be a few dustings before the full bloom.

My first Crocus sighting on Sunday!

Fortunately it’s been mild temperature-wise, and the sunshine lures me out. I love the crisp blue skies of Midwest winters.

This weekend PerficalSense Studios is hosting another exhibit opening.

I look forward to perusing Bridgette Guerzon Mills‘ art work, who has me snapping pictures of branches lately.

Crystal Neubauer’s work looks intriguing too. Both artists will be hosting workshops at PerficalSense this spring, so keep an eye on their Facebook page for announcements.

Have a fabulous snow-free week!

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Last weekend I walked to PerficalSense Studio for an opening and saw these lovely icicles.

My fingers got quite frosty so the camera stayed in the bag for the rest of the evening.

You can peruse some very vibrant digital art on PerficalSense Studio’s Facebook page.

Stay warm this weekend!

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We had our first snow storm of the year yesterday.

I rode the train from an outing and enjoyed the stress-free travel while marveling at the storm.

The neighborhood transforms so nicely in snow.

Santa should come back

This Sunday is the Evanston Art Center’s Biennial Members’ Exhibit opening. Per the newsletter: “Curated by EAC faculty member, David Gista, the exhibit will feature over 80 artists.” It is also juried. I hope my Migrant Danaus fits in

Wishing you a very cozy weekend.

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…or Solstice, or reflective year-end time…

I grew up celebrating Christmas as a cultural tradition. In Germany Weihnachten was less a religious event as it was a celebration of traditions, rituals, and the gathering of family (to me at least). I like the slowing down and cozying up as a family unit to light candles, rediscover familiar stories, and celebrate life. There is something soothing about the rituals of advent, baking, and having certain meals every year.

Listening to the carols (and singing along), picking out a wreath, seeing annual performances such as the Nutcracker or Christmas Carol all provide a sense of closure to the year. A lot has been accomplished, and we can rest for a bit.

This Christmas season is quite auspicious as Solstice coincided with a lunar eclipse. I wasn’t able to see the eclipse due to an overcast sky, but enjoyed this particular quote on its astrological interpretation: “step out of time. We are free of the past, and we can consciously create the future, for ourselves, for our communities, for the earth.”

So as you peruse the goodies under the tree and the feast on the table, remember that your gift for you is the PRESENT. The past is done, and the future can be created by you. We may not have full control over all our circumstances, but our approach to these circumstances and our attitude toward change can be powerful tools in crafting the new year you want.

May your stocking be filled to the brim with joy, peace and hopefulness.

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I’ve lit the fourth Advent candle (our family tradition), and am reflecting on all the lasts I will have tomorrow. My last commute, last time in the office, the final goodbyes to colleagues. I’m pleased to report that the Flurries I created for my colleagues have been well-received.

It’s amazing how handwritten notes stand out these days in a business environment. I read a column by Ashton Kutcher in which he said something about letter-writing making one more vulnerable than a tweet or an e-mail or text message. I find the process of writing to one specific person on paper rather reflective and personal. While letters can be passed around, its distribution is more controlled than an e-mail forward or a shared Facebook status.

I look forward to more hand-writing between Christmas and New Year’s with the cards I’m preparing now. That’s the time where I review the past year, and share the highlights with my correspondence recipients. Who knows, I might share them on this blog as well.

It’s been a very lovely Advent for me, knowing I’ve already given myself the best Christmas present ever. I wish you a lovely Christmas week, with the effortless completion of any preparations for this holiday, and if you don’t celebrate it, just a restful time on these public holidays.

Safe travels if you’re visiting somewhere!

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The wind is howling around my home and rattling the windows. Snow has been falling steadily, and is expected to pile up to 6 inches tonight.

It’s been a good hibernation day (love that song by Jars of Clay). With ice on the windows, what else can you do but head for the craft room?

(Wire art by http://blog.birdfromawire.com/)

It’s ironic that the weather is the most turbulent this particular day than it has been in the past few weeks, when my brain was filled with stormy-ness. I’ve spent three months preparing and re-evaluating and self-confirming an exhilarating yet terrifying decision.

It required assessing what is important in life, how I perceive myself, how external factors aid that self-perception, and whether I dare to truly stand on my own rather than take the easy route of ‘conventionality.’ But my life has been anything but conventional, and while I perceive myself to be risk-averse, sometimes the route of (perceived) security can be harmful to one’s health.

So after 18 years of either studying nonstop, working nonstop, or both, it is time to take a sabbatical and determine how to truly follow my bliss. Ultimately this decision has been in the works since 2008 when I first started reading Barbara Brabec’s books on a crafting business. I didn’t take the plunge then, but now know that it was because I needed more preparation.

Today I am in a better place financially, emotionally, and socially. It is time. I get to seize the moment!

So I’ve been busy preparing farewell cards to some special colleagues (a girls’ gotta market, you know?), which turned out to be a lot of people!

Writing them was my favorite part.

Next up are the family cards, which I’ll write over the Christmas holiday. I look forward to a true vacation with the family, and then we’ll see what 2011 will bring!

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December 1 came with our first snow flurries.

Winter has officially arrived. The skating rinks are open and the Christmas lights are spreading in the neighborhoods. It makes me want to bake cookies and eat sweets all day long.

Instead I’m creating my own flurries with punches and UTEE. While the insides of my cards have a design, I have no idea what the front will look like yet.

If you’d like to make your own cards, here are some tutorials. For holiday decorating ideas, here are some fun trends.

Happy Advent!

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