Hello my lovely readers! I have a magnificent surprise for you. I've hoodwinked Melanie of Inward Facing Girl and Genuine Mix into starting her new book tour right here with us on Pars Caeli. For those of you who haven't heard me rave about it yet, let me fill you in on the details. Melanie recently published her e-workbook, Blog with Purpose: It Takes More than Top Knots. If you're not in love just from the title (I was), you soon will be as you click through the powerful exercises and personal stories that will make you laugh out loud.

Other great news...Melanie is kicking off a new Thursday series on Pars Caeli entitled For the Love of Blogging, and she's agreed to answer all of my nitty gritty questions about what keeps her fabulous. Also, if you ever meet her in person, ask her for a hug - she gives the best. Enjoy friends!

I've been blogging since February of 2009. Actually, here's a funny story that I've never told anyone except Drew, and I only told him recently. I started an extremely short-lived blog in 2003 called "Kate in L.A." It was on Blogger and I might have written in it for a month or so (as "Kate") before I deleted it. At that time I was really into screenwriting and Hollywood and movies and I was living in L.A., so it was about local shops and the entertainment business. HA! But back to my real blog. I started that to get back into writing creatively again after leaving the entertainment world. Here's more about it, if you're interested.

Image by Sandra of Raincoast Cottage

Kate in L.A. is pretty funny. Other than that, probably the fact that I had left my name off of my About Me page for two years before I noticed it. :)

It's become such an ingrained part of my life that I can't imagine not doing it. It's like waking up and sleeping and eating. I won't say showering, because I probably blog more often than I shower. TMI? :) 

Ha...actually showering. I keep a notebook in the bathroom now to write down ideas that come to me underneath the suds. I started doing that because once I slipped down after jumping out of the shower and racing off to find a pen and paper to write something down so my poor postpartum brain would have a reminder. Being a blogger can be dangerous, kids.

Almost all of them are written by women (ALMOST) - the writing is strong, the design is good, and/or they reveal personal things as well as share cool stuff.

Wow. Everything would be different. What would I do with all that extra time?! Maybe I could start reading blogs again!  

 

I can give you a hint.

There's been such a good response to Blog with Purpose that I'm launching an online workshop in mid-April. It's a six-week interactive course all about creating content. There will be exercises, feedback, and a Facebook group for all participants. I'm even trying to work in a way to use Pinterest in one of the exercises because, you know, we like to pin stuff. 

Anything that's based in creativity makes me super excited, and this course is going to help all of us access that place in our brains where the cool stuff comes from. Let's learn how to create unique, fresh, awesome content together! If this sounds fun, be sure to sign up for my email list for more information on registration and launch dates.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Isn't she a charmer? And girlfriend knows her stuff, too. I've been working through the chapters from Blog with Purpose, and I have learned a ton. Melanie has set up a great series of practical, useful exercises that help you move your blog to the next level. I appreciated that her tone is aimed at digging deep and finding what you really want out of your blog and then helping you execute that dream.

Melanie gives you answers to all the questions you've been wanting to ask (how much should I charge? do I need a business blog?) and offers really great what-not-to-dos that have made me blush, knowing I'm a little guilty. No worries, I have a new plan already in place

I hope you'll take a look at her workbook; you can even download a free sample to get a feel for the content!

Big thanks and big hugs to Melanie. Follow Pars Caeli on Twitter to see her next stops on the Book Tour over the next two weeks or check over to get the complete line up on Inward Facing Girl.

xoxo, MJ

I've been slowly reconfiguring and reimagining our formal living room into an art space for the entire family. It's always had oversized, comfortable couches and a warm floor-to-ceiling window. It now has a piano, and our children's craft table, and my office armoire. Courtesy of Amazon, a wall hook arrived yesterday so that my husband's guitar can adorn the wall.

When I want to dream or write or clear my head, I find myself gravitating to this room. It's free of children's toys, dirty dishes, and unfolded laundry.

And I believe the intentionality of creating a space for a particular purpose has encouraged me to USE it for a particular purpose. My oldest, M, while practicing a new song on the piano, turned to me and said, "Mommy, I just love this room." I nodded in agreement.

With the neverending winter we've experienced in the Midwest, the art room has become my cozy haven. In warm weather, I typically perch myself on our back deck, underneath the blue umbrella that matches the skies I adore.

I've been reading more and more from the writers and bloggers I love, and I keep hearing them tell me to   find a space to create (or make a space where I can create). For some, it's been a local coffee shop or a library. For others, it's a park or their studio/office space at home.

So let's chat it up. Where is your inspiration spot? And if you need one, what must this space have to allow you the freedom to embrace fresh ideas?

XOXO, MJ

 PS. Wanna see my gatherings for a great office space? Check this board.

Hiya, lovely! How's it going? Exciting times around here...It's a great week of the year, the holiest one for Christians, as we gear up for Easter. My family is looking forward to all the services this week (with our oldest in the Church choir) as well as a fun egg hunt and Easter brunch with friends. What have you been up to?

Today I'm bringing you some Itty Bitty Lovelies that work with minimal supplies for maximum results. When you can create a masterful DIY with only a few items it's just that much sweeter, don't you think?

1. Tape saves the day again

Though I love art and photography, I don't have as much of it hanging on my walls or sitting on my shelves as I would like. Why? Frames are costly.

Jordan from Oh Happy Day posted this, and I just have to share it with you. Using kraft tape and some other supplies, she made these gorgeous thin frames for her home. The final look is remarkable, considering the low price of the materials. I am almost convinced that I need to buy my own matte cutter, too ($15).

Can't you imagine these in bright hues for a children's room or a classic black accent on book shelves?

2. Wall gallery for the no budget

Melissa takes us through the art that hangs in her bedroom in this lovely gallery made of simple frames she's purchased from Ikea. I adore the rhythm she's created on her bright walls. And learning the details behind each piece is delightful. It inspires me and reminds me that simplicity is more.

Head over to her blog and see what I mean. I think I'd love seeing all these frames hung really tight together as she has them in some of the photos. Have you created a wall gallery in your home? I'd love to see it!

3. Elegant bracelets for all the gals on your list

When I saw this post, I knew I wanted to savor it for Itty Bitty Lovelies. My good friend Joy from Frock Files has created the purest friendship bracelet that you could wear to the opera or the supermarket and look glamorous.

The way that she's stacked them is divine, and the closure method is genius. These are completely budget-friendly and the perfect spring accessory. Way to go, Joy. You've done it again.

My lovely for the week:

Life is better with friends. Be bold and ask someone, with whom you share common interests but not much time together, to join you for coffee. Invite that family you've been bumping into all over for a simple dinner. Arrange a Google Chat with bloggers you admire. Too often I imagine that others may not have time or an interest to get together, when the reality is, we're all just busy living our lives. A warm invitation does wonders for the spirit.

Let's make this a great week, friends. It's time to contemplate, refocus, and celebrate all that is to come.

xoxo, MJ

Dear Blog,

It's almost your one-year anniversary, and I have to break it to you - you've hit middle-age. You see, in the blogosphere, a meager nine months is the average active lifespan of a blog. After this period most blogs are left by the wayside, abandoned URLs with low click rates and limited posts. Fact is, dear blog, you're one in 385 million blogs already out in cyberspace. And more than 100,000 of you are started every. single. day.

But, stats aside, my beloved web home, you have become a living, breathing creative space. And most days I find myself refreshed by your clarity of focus, relaxed in your organized aesthetic, and warmed by the generosity of those who also come to visit this address.

Let me share with you a few things I've learned and loved about our near-year together.

Paint the walls orange with blue polka dots

Blogging is freedom. I can express myself and any old way I'm feeling or thinking. I can choose to be positive and upbeat, silly and childish, serious and heavy, or none of the above. I can post seven times a day or take a month off (sorry about that December to January stint). My blog can be exactly what I want it to be at any old time of the day or night - and really, there's nothing else in my life for which I can say this.

Get a plan, stick to the plan and stray from the plan

I've learned that an editorial calendar is essential to successful blogging. What's this, you ask? That rough sketch of an outline where the daily posts are mapped out and regular series return on the same days week after week. I have written it out and crossed it off, and I have stuck to the proposed plan with a soothing rhythm and joy. Readers come back to see what they want to see on a regularized basis. But also I've received those inspiring emails or the middle-of-the-shower brilliant ideas that make me crumple the schedule in the cupholder and try something totally different. And I can do that, and it's all good, all welcome here in this space.

Make holes in the walls

I feel like the couch would look better over on that wall. Oh, wait, it's a sleeper sofa, and I'm here by myself, and there's a staircase in the way. This n e v e r happens with the blog. Enter through the back door and move that widget over, convert from one to three column design, add an instagram feed. And then change it all next week when I want a look that reflects something fresh and new. In blogging, invigorating design is encouraged and rewarded. Let your readers know that you're thinking of them and switch your look around.

Be a pal

Mom was right on this one. Be a friend to the bloggers you meet. Blogging success like any other success in life is about making real connections. You have to be willing and engaged in visiting, chatting, commenting, liking, posting, and retweeting all the goodness see others doing. Oh, and you can't just be in it to up your own numbers. That's the fastest way to becoming a blog has-been. Through this writing adventure, I've connected with amazing ladies from around the world, and I've been inspired to be more and do more.

The more you, the better

What makes you stand out amongst the 384,999,999 others? The you-ness. Blogs are inversely lovely to mass consumption, eg: the more you can be authentically, uniquely you, the better your blog can be. Find and use your voice. Hone in on it. Craft photographs as only you would see them. Overlay that fantastic font you know says wow. The world needs your blog.

There are already 99,999 other copycats arriving by sundown.

So Pars Caeli, you might be middle-aged in blog years, but you're always fresh, rewarding, and a wee bit intoxicating to me. Hugs to you, interweb cozy. Can't wait to see what's cooking for the terrible twos.

xoxo, MJ

PS. What do you love mostest about your blog?

                

Have you been hit by a winter bug yet? We had one run its course through our house this weekend, and I'm officially saying Bon Voyage right now, so it better be on its way out. So sorry I missed you yesterday. Monday was just not as much fun without you.

Never despair, I have some Itty Bitty Lovelies to delight you.

1. Become a PMS expert

No, no, no, not that kind. Pantone Matching System, silly!! You've seen the term thrown around in all sorts of posts and pins. And who can forget that emerald is the Pantone spring hue? Well, the lovely Leonora over at Yellow Heart Art has broken down the vocab to make the whole system approachable. Check out her super informative Pantone post.

2. Rock a great handwritten font

On my life list? Create my own font(s). Have you tried the Ifontmaker app yet? Until I get around to it, I've downloaded Anna's tip top handwriting fonts. She made four different styles, and they're all free. And, if my handwriting looked like hers, I would already have a font for sure! These alphabets will look great on photos and on their own. You may even see them around these pages. Thanks, Miss Anna of Dear Friend.

3. Make lots and lots of minis

Usually I'm admiring Jillian's bravery and adventurous spirit. But now she's amazing me with this easy, beautiful craft that kids and parents will love. Jillian in Italy shows us fabrics that charm, wraps them around circular cork boards and pops them on the end of a bookcase. Check out the fabulous result that I totally want to imitate. What a cute gift for your favorite tween or a teen headed off to college.

My Itty Bitty Lovely for the week is this: you don't have to leave it all behind. I was a full-time teacher for two years. I've taught a handful of classes here and there. My career path has taken me in a different direction, but part of me still yearns to be in the classroom. This weekend my husband (also a former teacher) and I had a chance to teach together, and it felt really good to be back in the saddle.

It reminded me that even when we chose something different from where we've been, we can still carry on the goodness that remains and come back to it again and again.

What are you bringing to this week? I'm excited to dig in.

xoxo, MJ

After years of following along with the events, classes, and conferences put on by Alt Summit, I am taking a leap (in my yellow heels) and going to AltNYC. Needless to say, I am over-the-top excited about this gathering of fabulous bloggers, interesting sponsors, and experiencing Martha's HQ for the first time (I'm sure she'll invite me back).

I've been doing some behind-the-scenes research to get this party started, and I've started a fabulous list of blogs and authors who are headed to NYC on June 20.

Head over to my Pinterest page and follow the AltNYC board. I've opened it up so that you can pin your blog, and we can all get to know each other before we ever hit the big city. (And you won't be creaped out if I know your name before we meet.) Leave a comment with your email address or send me a direct message on Twitter (@parscaeli), and I'll invite you to pin. Please add the names of other bloggers you know who are attending!

I am delighted to feel all this talent in one spot! If you're not headed to AltNYC, follow along here to see what it's like to experience not only Alt, but NYC for the first time through Pars Caeli. Yikes!

xoxo, MJ

PS. Go grab the code for your badge over on the Alt love pages. I'll be looking for your yellow circles proclaiming I'm headed to AltNYC!

PPS. You can also send me an email at parscaeli@gmail.com to get access to the board!

Helllooo, lovelies! It's Monday of a new week, and we're going to rock it. I'm a little off from these wacky time changes, but I am soooooo ready for spring.

To start off these bright days, I have three high-quality DIY projects, and by that I mean that you will spend so little time on these efforts, and yet you will come out looking like a crafting rockstar. Yes. A huh.

1. Your very own wax seal design

Ever since my senior thesis, I have been in love with wax. And a good wax seal, perfection! So the brilliant Lexi over at The Proper Pinwheel has integrated the use of buttons to create unique shapes and patterns. Head over to Whimsey Box, grab a few spools and your favorite buttons, and get ready to share some loveliness.

2. A new take on Easter baskets

The beautiful Brittni from Paper & Stitch has a fresh take on the tried and true mini Easter basket. And she offers lovely options if you don't want the traditional handle. Are you hosting a great Easter brunch? These would make brilliant placecard holders or dynamite decor sitting around your home.

3. Cut out leather cuffs

These are my fave. Melissa is talented in every area, and I adore her take on jewelry. She offers a super simple leather cuff (no, really, it is simple). And with the cut outs, leather transitions so perfectly to spring and even summer. Friend, if you and I make these, everyone is going to be asking us how we afforded such amazingness. And we'll snicker.

My little lovely for this week: Go with the spontaneous. I know, we have got to plan more and get more things done and accomplish, accomplish. Oh yeah, and succeed. But, you know what? When you feel the urge to call up a friend? Do it. Treat someone you love to breakfast. Definitely. Offer a hug, even in an awkward space. It's right.

I spend a lot of time planning, but I've so appreciated moments this week when I just went with my gut. This one's for you.

Special thanks to the beautiful people who offered their words on this post.

xoxo, MJ

            

Go buy this here.

One of my favorite times of the week has arrived, friends! Let's chat it up.

Today's topic? Beauty. And not the amazing, inner light - the one that shines so bright in those who radiate beauty and whose lives reflect that brilliance.

Nope, we're talking exterior, surface today.

If you haven't heard me blab about it yet, let me share the good news (did you hear the angel choir voices), I'm heading to Alt NYC. This lovely day of fun will be hosted at Martha's HQ, and I will have the chance to chat with some of the most fabulous bloggers around the country. I can't wait to show you everything I see. This will be my very first trip to the Big Apple so any and all advice is welcome!

Honesty here: I'm already stressing about what I'll wear. Or more how I'll look.

I admit it, I'm vain, particularly when I'm meeting new people. It's not my best quality. But, it is.

I'm a gal on a limited budget so I've been trying to prioritize my look. Without saying, I would love to have those to-die-for shoes, with a killer dress, a touch of color in my newly trimmed locks, with some fresh makeup, and accessories that are more than memorable. But, that's not gonna happen.

So, let's talk surface here, friends.

Besides the confident walk, the gleam in the eye, and a dazzling smile, what do you notice first when you meet someone?

Where do you invest your money? Great make up? A signature hair style? Nails that complete a look? I'm really interested in your answers.

xoxo, MJ 

March Mondays! Welcome to them, friends. We're going to make them grand. How was your weekend? My oldest daughter had the experience of her first Reconciliation on Saturday, and she was so excited to feel "lighter" afterwards. Other than that, ours was a pretty lazy weekend with errand-running and movie-watching topping off the excitement.

We're going to fill March with warmth and charm, and I found some super easy ways to do so...

Extend the Bloom Time of Your Tulips

This amazingly simple step will keep your tulips blooming for extra days... and you likely have what you need at the bottom of your purse. Pop on over to see what the ladies over at Sweet Lulu have to teach us.

Color Twine in Your Own Kitchen

Victoria from A Subtle Revelry posted a nice tutorial on dying twine on Mint's blog, Julep. Everything we need to change inexpensive twine to something much more fabulous is sitting in our kitchen cabinets! Ack, so easy and charming, too. Pair some of this fabulous twine with kraft paper for a classic look.

Organize in Style

Kendra shares such a cute storage solution that pairs twine (yes, let's use some of the beauties we just dyed) and cotton drawstring bags. It is so darling, in fact, I consider these final product good enough to gift! Check out her simple solutions and follow along with her new organizational series over at Piece of Cake/Peace of Mind.

Here's what I'm finding really charming these days: work date nights with my hubby. Say what? Yes, really. In the last few weeks, my hubs has taken me on quite a few work dates to great local restaurants, and I've had the pleasure of seeing him through his coworker's eyes. He's incredible at what he does, and I kinda fall in love with him all over when I see him in his element. Extra bonus: all of these meals have been delectable!

Am I crazy or do you, too, enjoy seeing your loved one in work mode?

Here's to a great first week of March.

xoxo, MJ

 

Monday greetings, friends! Are you tired out from the Oscars last night? (raising hand here) I attempted to work and blog while watching. Nope, failed there. Nevertheless, I was delighted by the glamour on the red carpet (yes, Jessica Chastain) and disappointed by the hosting and wowed by the musical presentations.

I told the kiddos that the red carpet is the Super Bowl of Fashion, and my daughters got into the festivities dressing up in my college formal dresses and interviewing each other with their imaginary microphones. Really cute.

So, here we go last week of February. A something different for you today. I have a soft spot for illustrations and hand lettering. Today's Itty Bitty Lovelies are just some fun eye candy to bring you a smile to begin your week. Check the P.S. at the bottom for a super helpful and informative illustration from my girl, Paige.

MJ's Itty Bitty Lovely for the week: spend at least two minutes just looking at someone you love. This week don't talk, don't let them realize you're doing it, and gaze at your loved one. I spent some time this weekend just staring at my children, trying to memorize each wrinkle and hair - appreciating the fabulous souls they are right this moment. You don't need kids to do this - pick a coworker, BFF, spouse. 2013 needs more grateful contemplation. Let's contribute our part.

       From Poppy & Red on Society6

From RestyleShop on Etsy

From Unraveled Design on Etsy

xoxo, MJ

P.S. If you're thinking you'd love to find your way into a magazine article/feature? Check out Paige's info illustrative.

Last night was so full of blogging greatness including two wonderful meet-ups and an informative class. I love how this blog keeps me creative, and I adore all the amazing connections I've been able to make. I guess Thomas Merton summed it up pretty well for me.

Great project coming at you next week. And lots of great connections, too.

Have a bright weekend.

xoxo, MJ

Hi friends,

In case you just tuned in, I've been nursing my little hero, L, back to good health as he works his way through pneumonia. He is on the mend, and I've been crafting where I can here and there. I'm 99 and 3 quarters percent done with my latest projects involving some of my favorite patterns, and I'm excited to show you.

In the meantime I want to tell you that I have some fun plans for the evening! I get to meet up with some local bloggers tonight (yes, I'm wearing a top knot), and I'm super excited to meet up in person. I'll chat with lots of you over at the free class that Alt is offering and then off to chat with more blogger buds. Connecting with creatives from all over is really such a great side effect of blogging. I'm delighted.

So craftiness will be on its way to you later.. maybe even to greet you in the morn!

Happy day. xoxo, MJ

Heya! Thanks for joining the chat today. I'm home with my little guy and his yuck case of pneumonia. Let's get to talking to cheer me up, k? The topic: color. Specifically the colors we live with and the colors that scream, "this is my abode."

From every window in my house, a static perma-gray landscape can be seen. Living in Northern Indiana, I'm used to at least five months of monochrome. I deal with it by putting a whole lot of color in the interior. Remember the show Trading Spaces? Where they'd take over a neighbor's room and make it a new funky color or glue flowers to the walls - all in a super short period of time? Well, I used to be all about that show especially all the bright hues they'd add to any old dull space.

In the last two years, I've transitioned our main living spaces into more neutral tones to allow just bits of color to be more of the focal. Our once monarch orange kitchen (it was lovely, I promise) is now a classic khaki. And for the most part I'm happy with these more calming neutrals (my house has moved out of the 90s). But there are two rooms whose color I think I "need" to both cheer me and calm me.

Our dining room: For the last decade it's been this ladybug red color, not too bright, not too deep. To me it's the perfect shade of red lipstick and with the wood moulding to frame it in, the saturated tone whispers sit down, stay a long while, and eat, eat, eat.

Our bedroom: I've never had a green room in any house/condo/aptmt I've lived in, and I wanted to give it a try. I found a swatch called "rejuvenation", and I knew I wanted that in my sleepy, cozy, dreamy space. And I adore it. It feels fresh and warm at the same time, and I now identify this color as part of me.

So tell me what colors must you have around your living space? I'm not talking about your favorite colors necessarily, but what feels good for you to live in - that you'd take to another living space just because it's part of you?

Or am I just crazy color lady?

I'm okay with that.

xoxo, MJ

Happy day after Valentine's day, lovelies. Good things are happening all around. Are they over in your corner of the world, too? I hope so... sending some right now to you.

Just when I thought I was into the new groove and this blogging schedule thing, I'm switching it up. These Itty Bitty treats are moving. They'll now greet your week on Mondays. I'm hoping they'll inspire the simplest and most rewarding of projects and ideas as you set foot out into a new week.

Plus, I've kinda been missing our time together on Mondays. Just because.

So I'm saving some surprises for Monday. Catch ya then.

Wishing you a bright weekend.

XOXO, MJ

Amidst the super cute, heart-shaped posts and the irresistably pinnable pink and red vignettes floating around the interwebs, I'd like to offer a DIY to break you into... Lent. For those of you who may be confused, this year Lent (the season leading up to Easter) began yesterday with Ash Wednesday and will continue for the next forty days. It's a time of reflection and growth, where we reserve our Alleluias and songs of praise, and focus inward on the change within ourselves. So why not have a DIY to accompany it?

Tell me you've seen this technique on Pinterest... The one where you use a canvas painting and adhere text, like vinyl lettering over top of it, paint over the entire surface to then remove the vinyl letters and reveal the great quote constructed from the colors and strokes of the painting underneath? Yes? No?

So that one got me thinking... how about a little Lenten project?

Here's what you need (or what we used): 8 x 10 canvas, assortment of your favorite paint colors plus black, brushes, vinyl letters.

My daughters were d-lighted to be involved with this one. I asked each girl to paint one half (diagonally for interest) in five of their favorite colors. As we brushed on the brilliant and quiet tones, we talked about our blessings, many of which the girls represented in their pictures. After the paint was definitely (ack, so much patience required) dry, we added the vinyl lettering, careful to place each one squarely in place.

Before adding a black layer over the entire top surface, I used a pen to press down the letter edges to be sure no sneaky paint would leak underneath. Here's our creation, full of color and blessings.

Time to cover up the Alleluias and keep them in waiting until Easter. Check out the cool texture that's revealed.

And then it's all covered.

So.. in another 39 days, I can give you the grand reveal.

Wait, wha? Seriously? A DIY cliffhanger. Here's what we'll have on our table throughout Lent, reminding us of all that we've been given and reminding us to let our goodness shine through the darkness.

The final product will be reposted here on Easter. Happy Lent!

xoxo, MJ

Hello, lovelies!! Let me wish you a happy week and a happy Tuesday. It was so delightful to chat with some beautiful ladies last week about how we loves our magazines. So many of us are torn between digital and paper, but I think paper edged ahead. Want to add your voice to the conversation? We're even commenting on comments, and it's getting to be a second-cup-of-coffee banter for me.

Let's chat about something I've been thinking about a lot lately with the gloomy, cold, snowy weather. This time of year, in particular, brings out the flower lover in me. I adore fresh flowers all year round, but I find I "need" them Dec-April.

For nearly a decade, I spent somewhere between $6-10 a week on fresh flowers. The fragrant blooms were just as important as the eggs and butter on the list. Well, maybe even more essential in that they could bring me to positivity on bad days in a way that no configuration of butter or eggs could ever do.

When silk and paper flowers were still the rage, I could get by with faux arrangements when the weather outside was tolerant. But no matter what the season, I've always felt more productive, more creative, and capable in the presence of fresh blooms.

Now I'm a sensible (wha??) momma of three with an adorable budget-conscious hubby and that makes the $500ish a year for bouquets feel a little more frivolous than necessary. However, my husband is consistently bringing home flowers and planting blooming buds in the yard to satiate my blooming, living appetite.

So, I'm interested would you or do you spend money on a regular basis for fresh flowers? Are plants sufficient for you? Or do you not notice the difference?

How would you spend that $10/week?

I'm going to grab my mug... can't wait to chat with you soon!

xoxo, MJ

PS. My fave? Flowers in my hair - like one big bloom. Would you do it?

This is what I've been staring at the last few weeks. Lots of whites and shades of gray (no, not that one). Perhaps that's why I'm craving touches of red and Valentine's to satisfy my need for color and celebration.

What are you doing to keep the blues and grays away?

Tic, Tac, XOXOs

Jenn over on the ModCloth blog has this super simple idea of transforming simple flathead tacks with nail polish! Lovelies, we could do this in a few moments. How cute to paint some simple hearts on these and pin your love notes up for those you hold dear? I'm hoping to pull out some red polish and create Valentine goodness.

Feel the Love

You all know I can't resist an easy paper craft. Jessica over at How About Orange has a two-step process for irresistably simple three-dimensional hearts. Seriously, when you see the instructions, you'll wonder why you never thought of it. And her use of loads of little and bigs on a wall totally inspires me to fill a room with these expressions of love. Can you imagine lining them up as a pathway to a great little dinner you've planned for just the two of you? Hmmm...

Showing My True Colors

I saved the most genius for the final link. Brittany from The House That Built created a unique Valentine wrapping paper that tops the cake. That first method of cutting and folding shapes to reveal a burst of color below, to die for!! What do you need to also become the crafter extraordinaire? Two different colored papers and scissors. This method could be wonderful used for Christmas trees in December, balloons for birthdays, stars for special achievements... the wheels are turning.

My Itty Bitty this week?

Before you head out the door or start into your first task, text a few lines of love, encouragement, or just sillyness to someone on your contact list. This week, I've been sending them to the hubs, local friends, far away friends, and the responses are always immediate, grateful, and full of joy. It's better than brownies for breakfast (I had to do my own experiment, of course, to be sure).

Have a bright weekend, friends, even if the skies are gray.

XOXO, MJ

Hellloo there. Yesterday I mentioned a few things I learned while on my blogiatus (blog + hiatus). I really missed hearing from you lovely people, missed hearing your ideas and wahoos and helpful links.

So, I'm dedicating every Tuesday to chatting. You know, like if we actually lived near each other (and could coordinate childcare/work schedules) and we could sit down over a decaf mocha (or I could at least) and shoot the breeze the way we once could when one afternoon class was as demanding as it got.

Sometimes we'll dive deep into something heavy, deep, and real but mostly we'll just chat like old girlfriends over our screens and share ideas and questions... and well, life. The whole point is to add your voice so I'm really hoping you'll return Tuesday after Tuesday and click that comment link. I promise to have something to say in return! Let's keep it fair and playful, k?

So I made time over the weekend to sit with the last three months of Real Simple and Better Homes and Gardens. Typically when these periodicals show up in my mailbox, I get excited and look forward to plopping down after kids are settled with some beautiful photography and lovely styling. However, more and more, or less and less do I find myself making time to do this.

I wonder why?

One reason is definitely the fulfilling blog reading I'm up to lately. When you read and follow Nicole or Em than the need for monthly magazine inspiration is not so acute. Bloggers have stepped it up and offer amazing projects and parenting ideas that I can see new every day, and it's always at my fingertips since my laptop and I seem to be surgically attached.

Also I wonder if I'm becoming more trained to digest information when it's presented digitally. When I can click on a link and feel more powerful because I've just gone "deeper" into the matter. Do I feel more educated because I read it on the most recent, innovative gadgets I own?

And yet, just like archived objects of my past, I found myself fishing out stacks of Real Simples and Wondertime (remember that one?) and Cookie and Family Fun magazines from underneath my bed. When I hit a bookstore, I peruse the stacks of design mags... and long to let the pages of Kinfolk and Uppercase flip open in front of me. I love paper and its texture. I notice the gloss and grain of each magazine and enjoy the ads as much as the articles. But in some ways these colorful, artful pages feel like mementos to be treasured, something a bit from the past.

Where do you fall on the matter? Do you still love the feel of sitting down with a great magazine and a cup of coffee? Or would you prefer to see it all on your Ipad or Kindle?

Join the chat! XOXO, MJ

PS. I "interviewed" my 8-year old on this topic. She loves getting her Highlights magazine in the mail, but is thrilled to download the latest apps, too. Her final decision? She'd prefer digital so that she doesn't have to worry about (me nagging her to) putting the magazines away. Yeah. That too.