airplants

I love air plants but sadly have a black thumb. I figured that maybe I could keep one of these lovelies alive and found this wild gem at West Elm. Here's hoping!

Ice formations

Like I've never seen here in Chicago before! I love living near the lake. Each day I drive home from downtown I get a glimpse. I cannot help but look and admire every time. Today was no different. And what I saw were these amazing ice shelves. I rounded the bend to park, tightened my scarf and ventured out to see.

(null) Upon parking I see this amazing ice cave. I had to trudge over the icy beach to see it and wow! I have never seen anything like this before. Experiencing seasons in Chicago can be pretty amazing.

(null)

signature necklace

I have been eying the Brevity Jewelry signature necklace for a while now. I have monogram rings and necklaces, and love them ... but the signature necklace, now that's unique and personal and fabulous! I spotted is on Fab.com one day and decided I'd go for it! I signed a piece of paper and emailed it to the artist. She sent me a proof full scale so that I cold print and hold up to make sure I liked the size. And then we wait... I was SO excited when this baby showed up in the mail. It's hard to know how it's really going to look from a print proof, but I have to say I love it! Really could not be happier! brevity

MILK photobook

Photobooks are the new scrapbooks and I kinda dig 'em. Now that I shoot all digital, I love making photobooks. I have tried about every company, but when I spotted MILK + Moleskin books on Fab, I snapped those up! I didn't love the interface to make the book and I didn't love the limited page templates, but I DO love the end product! Seriously was completely wowed when I got the first book I made, the Milk Photo Book. The linen is beautiful - the box that holds the album is well constructed and the button closure super cute. The quality of the paper and images is outstanding! As good, if not better than any of my previous books. For a really special occasion, this book is superb!

watercolor map on demand

This is a seriously cool map interface. Type in a location and boom! You have a custom watercolor map image that you can download! Super cool stuff! Go make yours here! mapimage

Chicago, IL (above) Lawrence, KS (below)

Day one app

Have you heard of the Day One app? I cannot tell you how much I love it... Even more now that I can include a photo! It's a super simple journal type of app that works on iPhone and desktop, syncing beautifully between the two. I used an app called Photo 365 last year to capture my year in photos, but now that I can include them right in with my ramblings from the day I have shifted all of my efforts to Day One!

Wind Map

via hint.fm

This is soooo cool! Click on the outline of the map! See Sandy in action!

Outstanding words of wisdom

When my grandmother, Zelda, passed away a few years ago at the age of 90, she left me with a box of miscellaneous items from her house that she knew I had grown to appreciate over the years. Among these items is an old leather-bound journal that she aptly named her ‘Inspiration Journal.’
Throughout the second half of her life, she used this journal to jot down ideas, thoughts, quotes, song lyrics, and anything else that moved her. She would read excerpts from her journal to me when I was growing up, and I would listen and ask questions. I honestly credit a part of who I am now to the wisdom she bestowed on me when I was young.
Today I want to share some of these inspiring excerpts with you. I’ve done my best to sort, copyedit, and reorganize the content into twelve inspiring bullet points. Enjoy.

Breathe in the future, breathe out the past. No matter where you are or what you’re going through, always believe that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Never expect, assume, or demand. Just do your best, control the elements you can control, and then let it be. Because once you have done what you can, if it is meant to be, it will happen, or it will show you the next step that needs to be taken.

Life CAN be simple again. Just choose to focus on one thing at a time. You don’t have to do it all, and you don’t have to do it all right now. Breathe, be present, and do your best with what’s in front of you. What you put into life, life will eventually give you back many times over. Read The Power of Now.

Let others take you as you are, or not at all. Speak your truth even if your voice shakes. By being yourself, you put something beautiful into the world that was not there before. So walk your path confidently and don’t expect anyone else to understand your journey, especially if they have not been exactly where you are going.

You are not who you used to be, and that’s OK. You’ve been hurt; you’ve gone through numerous ups and downs that have made you who you are today. Over the years, so many things have happened – things that have changed your perspective, taught you lessons, and forced your spirit to grow. As time passes, nobody stays the same, but some people will still tell you that you have changed. Respond to them by saying, “Of course I’ve changed. That’s what life is all about. But I’m still the same person, just a little stronger now than I ever was before.”

Everything that happens helps you grow, even if it’s hard to see right now. Circumstances will direct you, correct you, and perfect you over time. So whatever you do, hold on to hope. The tiniest thread will twist into an unbreakable cord. Let hope anchor you in the possibility that this is not the end of your story – that the change in the tides will eventually bring you to peaceful shores.

Do not educate yourself to be rich, educate yourself to be happy. That way when you get older you’ll know the value of things, not the price. In the end, you will come to realize that the best days are the days when you don’t need anything extreme or special to happen to make you smile. You simply appreciate the moments and feel gratitude, seeking nothing else, nothing more. That is what true happiness is all about. Read Happiness Is a Serious Problem.

Be determined to be positive. Understand that the greater part of your misery or unhappiness is determined not by your circumstances, but by your attitude. So smile at those who often try to begrudge or hurt you, show them what’s missing in their life and what they can’t take away from you.

Pay close attention to those you care about. Sometimes when a loved one says, “I’m okay,” they need you to look them in the eyes, hug them tight, and reply, “I know you’re not.” And don’t be too upset if some people only seem to remember you when they need you. Feel privileged that you are like a beacon of light that comes to their minds when there is darkness in their lives.

Sometimes you have to let a person go so they can grow. Because, over the course of their lives, it is not what you do for them, but what you have taught them to do for themselves that will make them a successful human being.

Sometimes getting the results you crave means stripping yourself of people that don’t serve your best interests. This allows you to make space for those who support you in being the absolute best version of yourself. It happens gradually as you grow. You find out who you are and what you want, and then you realize that people you’ve known forever don’t see things the way you do. So you keep the wonderful memories, but find yourself moving on.

It’s better to look back on life and say, “I can’t believe I did that,” than to look back and say, “I wish I did that.” In the end, people will judge you in some way anyway. So don’t live your life trying to impress others. Instead live your life impressing yourself. Love yourself enough to never lower your standards for anyone. Read The Last Lecture.

If you’re looking for a happy ending and can’t seem to find one, maybe it’s time to start looking for a new beginning. Brush yourself off and accept that you have to fail from time to time. That’s how you learn. The strongest people out there – the ones who laugh the hardest with a genuine smile – are the same people who have fought the toughest battles. They’re smiling because they’ve decided that they’re not going to let anything hold them down, they’re moving on to a new beginning.

Photo by: Gabriele Fanelli