Young House Love

I've been neglecting my own blog and keeping up with everyone elses.

Addiction:

Younghouselove.com

Why? Because it's full of amazingly-budget-friendly, mostly-DIY projects for the home. It's my go to blog.

marielotto.blogspot.com

Why? Because my friend writes it and she's amazing.

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So, just because I don't blog daily doesn't mean that I am not fully aware of all things beautiful.

Authors With Humor

When the famous children's novelist Gary Paulsen wrote "Harris and Me", I think he had the right idea in terms of "mindful design". He wrote with a purpose. He wrote with the reader in mind. He wrote to ensure I'd laugh my fanny off.

Reading about Harris and "me" fighting the pigs had to be the best single moment of reading... So vivid. So illustrative. So right-on!

Thank you Gary for writing something worth reading... and thank you to my husband who encouraged me to read it.

Amy Butler does it right

Sure, there are fabrics available at your Jo-Ann or Hobby Lobby...  then there are Amy Butler's textile designs. Wow, does she do it right. I stopped into a locally owned shop right her in Madison, Wisconsin, Stitcher's Crossing on Mineral Point and was just amazed by her stuff... and a lot of the modern-friendly designer fabrics throughout the store. Amy's AUGUST FIELDS line is a refreshing... baby blues, a whole gamut of greens, rich brown and of course rusty-orange.

Thanks for Amy Butler, I will no longer visit Jo-Ann's house-of-fabric crap.

Check out her fabric lines, products and a zillion inspirational photographs.
amybutlerdesign.com

Happy crafting.

Penny's Song

Music has a way of moving my love for the world. Priscilla Ahn is my new favorite.

Check out her stuff:
priscillaahn.com

wii hope for keeping our kids entertained?

What's the opposite of mindful? Well, mind numbing video games and the new generation of video gaming machines... If I have to hear about another 6 year old that got a wii for Christmas, I'm going to move to Europe and go on bike rides and drink wine all day... oh, and get back into my love for oil paints.

walking and breathing in goodness

More people need to realize how fulfilling it feels to walk... it's such a great way to exercise your body & mind simultaneously. Feel your tension melt away, stop making a to-do list, listen to the birds... IN OTHER WORDS, be mindful.

I prefer to walk outside with the temperature right around 70 degrees. [this dream is hardly ever the case]

On occasion, I take my ipod with me on these walks, but really, I like to just take in the fresh air and breath deep.