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! 
on the grid
I got my invitation to VSCOcam Grid today! I am going to use this as my "phoned in" blog - finally a replacement to my old Posterous blog. The only thing is that I wish I could find other "grid" users and a way to follow them. From the few that they have posted on their blog/facebook, there are some wonderfully talented people and I would love to see their work... Doesn't seem I can follow via RSS either. Hmm... Come check out my grid yffoto.vsco.co
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!
Chicago, IL (above) Lawrence, KS (below)
this is water : superb video
This is really great. I like the little reality check this guy offers in his commencement speech. So much of collegiate life is about cultivating creativity and free thinking - no barriers. But that is not reality once you enter the workforce. There are routines and rules and those things can be a big 'ol drag. But... it i all in how you look at things. It's your choice to make the most of every opportunity in your every day - even if it isn't all it unicorns and rainbows. THIS IS WATER - YouTube.
beautiful music
Loving this! Mates of State | Desire | AUDIO-FILES - YouTube.
Almond & Yogurt Waffles with Orange Honey Syrup
Almond & Yogurt Waffles with Orange Honey Syrup - Roost - Roost: A Simple Life.
This blog has the most beautiful food photos and yummy gluten-free recipes!
10 on 10 { mar 2013 }
Ten on Ten Challenge : Dose MarketSo I know I am supposed to take a photo per hour, but I thought it would be much more interesting to capture the market. I did throw in one photo of this dreary Chicago day ... rain + snow = beautiful fog!
Finally made it to Dose Market!! It's a great selection of local vendors - food, fashion and artists of all types. I bought a bunch of yummy food (mostly chocolate - oops) from Artisan Alfajores, Uptown Brownie, and Little Goat. Had a brown butter sage gnocchi sample that was delicious from a tavola - they are starting to package their gnocchi to take home and cook - can't wait for that!!
Two completely awesome vendors we found were Field & Florist - she makes the most beautiful arrangements (can't really tell from my crap iPhone photo - but trust me!) you can buy single or do one per month deal. I think it's just genius to sign up for a fresh arrangement to arrive at your front door each month! And it's all locally grown too!
And the perfect Ravinia companion - wine in a bag from winestyr.com. They partner with US wineries to get wine that is then packaged in a little bag with a spout (think boxed wine). Each bag holds two bottles of wine and shipped to your door. Perfect for wine on the go!
We loved the market. Will be back again for sure! Next time I will stay long enough to get a doodle from doodlebooth!
The 10 Best
The 10 Best Chocolatiers in the World – Intelligent Travel.
The 10 Best Chocolatiers in the World!!
I will consider myself extremely lucky... I have been to three of the ten!! Vosges Haut-Chocolate, Jacques Torres Chocolate and Puccini Bomboni! Not bad ehh? I made my friends crazy the last time I was in Amsterdam getting to Puccini - the previous visit they had been closed - so glad I did too, it was so good. Give me dark chocolate anything and I am pretty darn happy!
Wind Map
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
via marcandangel.com
With age comes wisdom. I need to read this every single day! Such great advice and a way to really live life to the fullest!