Happy Monday to you! We're celebrating with style here on Pars Caeli as we march through the 12 days of Christmas with the fabulous ladies of the internet. Today's star is a one-of-a-kind. Sheri Silver writes, bakes, cooks, photographs, styles, and inspires over at Donuts, Dresses and Dirt. She brings the best in gardening, baking and cooking, as well as truly great “finds”.

It's so appropriate that Sheri is our fifth day of Christmas and the classy five golden rings.

A two-part question, I think! I found blogging after almost 10 years of building a business (landscape design) that I was no longer passionate about. I wasn’t ready to give it up yet but felt a strong need to find an outlet for my other interests. A blog felt like a low-key way to “dip a toe” into something new, while I figured out my next steps.

What keeps me blogging is how much I love it! While I achieved my initial goal of establishing a platform for all of the things I love, what I didn’t expect was the incredible community that I’ve since discovered. The talented and supportive writers that I am privileged to call co-workers and friends have been a joy and a gift that I cherish each and every day.

Donuts, Dresses and Dirt is a lifestyle blog that gives “voice” to the things I’m passionate about – baking and cooking, gardening, shopping and my adventures in and around NYC both solo and with my family. Here’s where I hang out!

Blog   Facebook   Pinterest   Twitter   Instagram

(Sheri is also a fabulous contributor over at Babble - do not miss her great project over there!)

THERE GOES MY HERO:

Assuming your child goes the traditional straight-to-college-finishes-in-four-years route, you will have spent 17 of 22 years dealing with their education. That’s almost 80% of their lives. It’s a marathon, for sure, with scant time for “perspective”. For “taking a step back”. For “looking at the big picture”. Most of the time you’re spinning plates.

BIRTHDAY LAYER CAKE:

WOKE UP, IT WAS A CHELSEA MORNING

The “big” wish is that I always put the same heart and commitment into my blog as I did in the beginning. So easy to get caught up with what’s “hot” or “trending”, or to see a post that gets a lot of traffic and feel compelled to write another one “just like it”. Harder to stay true to my inner voice, but that’s when I put out the posts I’m most proud of. I hope that that voice always rings loud and clear for my readers.

Well of course I’d love to continue to see my readership grow. I’m so lucky to have a loyal and engaged audience and it would be great to expand my reach even further. And I’d love to continue to do more collaborative work with brands. I really enjoy partnering on sponsored posts that are germane to what I write about, and I hope to do more of that in the coming year. I also hope to collaborate with other bloggers as I’ve done this past year – those types of projects are pure joy, and one of the greatest benefits of being part of this lovely blogging community. Finally, I would love to be the new face of Madewell (they could use a 50+ model, don’t you think?)!

What a treat to have Sheri over today! I have been reading her inspiring words for parents and oohing over her recipes for ages. I had the true pleasure of meeting Sheri while in NYC, and she knows how to make a gal feel special - and this lovely trait comes through in her blog as well. This year Sheri became a Babble contributor as well - and it's been wonderful to see more readers enjoy her fabulous work!!

Sheri, Joy, and I will be launching a new series on Cooking with Kids in February, and I feel so lucky to join in with these all stars!!

Open up your blog reader and add SheriSilver.com to your list!! You'll come back and thank me!!

On the fifth day of Christmas, Pars Caeli gave to me Donuts, Dresses, and Dirt.

On the fourth day of Christmas, Pars Caeli gave to me Design + Life + Kids.

On the third day of Christmas, Pars Caeli gave to me Design Stitch Go.

On the second day of Christmas, Pars Caeli gave to me Trouvé Magazine.

And Lulu the Baker !

xoxo, MJ

PS. Wanna meet a mover and shaker of the interwebs? Come back tomorrow to meet a dynamo!

Happy Sunday, dears! It's delightful to be here with you on a Sunday...maybe a first! I had to pull myself away from our family gatherings to bring you this goodness. We are a quarter of the way along this festive journey on the fourth day of Christmas in the 12 Blogger Christmas.

Today we celebrate Kim of Design + Life + Kids!

Honestly, I needed to feel a little independent from being a stay-at-home mother. I love being home with my daughters and getting to experience every moment with them, but I wanted a creative outlet that was just for me. Does that sound selfish? 

Keeps me blogging?

Ironically... my kids. While not everything I write involves them, many posts do. I probably would never have started DLK if it wasn't for them! I love putting together a great collage, reading about a wonderful design and sharing our experience in the kitchen. There's a great sense of accomplishment when a post goes live.

DESIGN + LIFE + KIDS (DLK) is about looking around and really appreciating what surrounds us. Whether it's a package design, a blanket's detail or an elaborate skyscraper, someone designed it and that's awesome. They're like little dreams that have come to life and we're surrounded by them everywhere.

I'm on most social media as @designlifekids and my favorite spot to share is Instagram!

I've also opened up a new shop on Etsy. Come on over to DLKmarket.

Summer road trip to Nova Scotia. It was a memorable experience in an amazing home: 

Our DIY kitchen renovation... this one is special to me since it is our first major project that I love and get to use everyday:

My husband's favorite mac and cheese recipe... His mother used to make for him and now we share the recipe with our kids. It's so good!

Growth. I did a lot of growing this year within myself and DLK and hope I can encourage that even more this year. I will be contributing on a two great blogs soon and I'm super excited about it! I hope to work with others for contributor posts on DLK as well. I'd love to share new opinions and topics on DLK! 

Kim has a great eye for all things design and delightful! Following along with her DIY kitchen makeover has been crazy good, and I love the clean lines and modern feel she and her husband have created in their new space!! And if you don't know Maya and Senna, her daughters, you are missing out on some adorableness!!

Check in to see her latest travel, her collages on great design, her recipes!! And hop on over to the new Etsy shop, too!! Kim and I collaborated on the idea of the hypertufa pots, and hers turned out so edgy and fabulous.

On the fourth day of Christmas, Pars Caeli gave to me Design + Life + Kids.

On the third day of Christmas, Pars Caeli gave to me Design Stitch Go.

On the second day of Christmas, Pars Caeli gave to me Trouvé Magazine.

And Lulu the Baker !

Happy Sunday, friends! Let's have a great week - I have more presents starting tomorrow with one of the most charming, talented, and real bloggers. You're guaranteed to learn something stunning every time you visit.

Are the post-Christmas days getting you down? Bummed to take down the tree? Take a load off and sit back for our third day of Christmas. The lovely Louise of Design Stitch Go (formerly of Laid Off Mom) is here with us today, and she's launching a new creative venture that you will want to get behind. 

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I started blogging back in the summer of 2011 as a means of coping with my lay off. I wanted to share my creativity, my words, and bits and pieces of my life. I was always shy or modest about my creative process and my abilities and blogging gave me the confidence to come out of my shell. I've, since then, bonded w/ some amazing women (ahem...MJ being one of 'em!) and I honestly, can't imagine myself NOT blogging =)

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What keeps me blogging?

The ability to share with a community, as well as, learn from a community. There's a strong bond among bloggers, and the support and motivation I give and experience...is immense and extremely humbling.  

I feel like I've also been able to hone in on myself...what inspires me.A nd more importantly find out who I am, in a creative sense. What my style aesthetic is, and where I excel the most.  

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I never realized what a BAD ASS I was at watercolor, til I picked up a paintbrush this year. And it was even more gratifying finding out, through my blog, that other people appreciated my art pieces as well.

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I'm actually at the beginning of a new blog: Design Stitch Go but I've been blogging for 2 years at Laid Off Mom.  I've since, turned the lights out on Laid Off Mom, but I'll always think fondly of it and everything I learned from it. Design Stitch Go! is a product of an "a-ha!" moment I had this year....following my love and passion for apparel design and construction.

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And I'm always up for a laugh, a giggle or a chat on:

Instagram  Twitter  Email 

Design Stitch Go! is still in the early set up phase, there are only 2 posts right now haha...but January will bring some great content, so be sure to visit!!  But here's a few posts of apparel that I constructed from my previous blog:

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AN EVENING DRESS

CHILDREN'S COATS

SKETCHES

My only wish for my blog in 2014 is "love". To continue to LOVE what I'm doing and share it with everyone! =)

Louise is a sweetheart with talent oozing out of her little finger. From fashion to crafting to painting to interior design, this gal is on top of it. I've been blessed to have Louise on my team for most of my blogging journey - to inspire, to motivate, and to laugh alongside. I am so excited for her new adventure over at Design Stitch Go, and see where she takes the fashion world.

I love this quote from her new about page because it encompasses the ethos of Louise:

Stop by everyday to see what I’m creating or what inspires me!  Or if you need help with your own design projects, I got you girrrl!

2014 is going to be a fabulous year for Louise, so tune in and watch her grow! I hope I can keep up.

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xoxo, MJ

P.S. Tomorrow's blogger will encompass design, life, and kids all in one!! Don't miss it!

Welcome back, friends, to the 12 Blogger Christmas! I was so delighted to have Melissa of Lulu the Baker join us for the first day of Christmas!! Thank you again, Melissa.

On the second day of Christmas, I'm giving you something so much better than two calling birds (what does that mean anyway?)! Please offer a warm welcome to Emily of EmilyJeffords.com and now Trouvé magazine! It's a brand new magazine, and it is just spectacular in look and feel.

On the second day of Christmas, Pars Caeli gave to me, Emily of Trouvé!

I had a deep need for a vibrant creative community. I am an artist, mother of two, and while I have many intensely creative friends, I needed a an outlet to document and develop my own personal artistic inspiration. What I didn't realize when starting Beautiful Hello Blog, was that I would learn far more about myself and would be challenged creatively as an artist because of blogging. The community and creativity that have come because of I "put myself out there" have been incredible - far greater than I imagined.

My first blog Beautiful Hello, lead into my current creative baby: Trouvé Magazine which celebrates the creative lifestyle and the people who live it. This new magazine has already taken my breath away and inspired every aspect of my life. This is a new magazine I began with my dear friend (and crazy good designer) Amanda Marko.  

Keeps you blogging?  We featured a musician, John French, in issue one of Trouvé Magazine.  He said something that stopped me in my tracks and really resonated with me:  

"One of the largest struggles with being alive is the need to be understood by the people around you."

This is why I blog and write and paint, and mother, and sing, and cook, and CREATE.  To be understood - and to understand myself.  I do this through my artwork, painting nearly every day, and through Trouvé Magazine.  

 

Trouvé Magazine celebrates the creative lifestyle & those who live it. It is a bi-monthly digital magazine featuring makers, designers, artists, and creative recipes, gatherings, and projects. www.TrouveMag.com. You can see my personal artwork at www.EmilyJeffords.com  You can also find me (over posting?) on Instagram (@TrouveMag), Twitter (@TrouveMag), and Facebook.

The beginning of my Painting-A-Day project last summer was a very raw and scary time for me.  The community surrounded me and supported & loved my artwork was completely remarkable and beautiful. You can read about the beginning of that story here: http://beautifulhelloblog.com/2013/07/22/painting-a-day/ Spoiler alert: the blogging and creative community are wonderful, and I love them.

 

Getting to learn more about other artists and creative people is so encouraging to me (I'm - we're - not alone!  There are other people as unusual and passionate as we are!)  The interview with artist Britt Bass on Trouvé Mag is a perfect example.

 

I guess you could call this a VERRRRY love post:  The Trouvé Magazine Issue One.  Hands DOWN the most amazing thing I have had a hand in publishing online ever.  It is full of remarkable stories, creativity, and inspiration. None of this silly, overly perfect stuff - just real people, living real creative lives, and we get to share them within our pages. That is a HUGE honor and one I'm very proud of.  

We would like Trouvé to be a creative household name - a place that conjures up thoughts of inspiration, success stories, real beauty, and true creativity.  

 

To get to meet, photograph, and feature a few of my design/art heroes. It's totally going to happen.... Watch out Molly Jacques.  ;)

Emily and I had the pleasure of first meeting in New York City for AltNYC. I was her apprentice, trying to absorb all her art and city knowledge, and laughing, laughing as we roomed with the inimitable Paige of Approaching Joy. Emily is a true artist, finding beauty wherever she goes, and spreading it, too. In the year I've had following her work, I've seen a true breadth and depth in her talents. I'm a proud owner of an Emily Jeffords oil painting!!

From jewelry to collage to oils to graphic design, her creativity just bubbles over. Emily honors the makers in each one of us, too, with her generous, warm spirit. Trouvé Magazine is a gorgeous new enterprise for she and Amanda, and I spent a lovely hour perusing the stylized photography and interesting articles. If you have not yet subscribed to the new magazine, hop on over now and get on the long list!

On the second day of Christmas, Pars Caeli gave to me Trouvé Magazine.

And Lulu the Baker !

xoxo, MJ

PS. Tomorrow brings us into the world of fashion!!

 

Merry Christmas, lovelies!! I hope that your day of Christmas was filled with goodness and joy. We had a wonderful day in our pajamas, playing with presents and laughing together.

I'm so excited to enjoy another present with you! Over the next 12 days (straight through the weekend), I will be introducing you to twelve fabulous bloggers who write, design, craft, cook, make, and publish some of the most wonderful material on the internet. You'll learn what inspired them to begin, see some of their favorite work, and join in their hopes for 2014.

For those who don't blog, this series might just give you the itch to begin and at the minimum, inspire your everyday. For my fellow bloggers who create, day after day, meaningful, creative, and unbelievable content, I hope that you know how incredible you are, and what a great gift your art is to the rest of us.

Merry Christmas! And to start it off, none other than the incomparable Melissa of Lulu the Baker. You will be amazed!

 

I started my blog on a whim over 5 years ago because I wanted to participate in an online baking group called The Daring Bakers, and you needed to have a blog to participate! Just in the past couple of years, I feel like I've really discovered this amazing blogging community full of creative, intelligent people, and being part of that community is so rewarding and enriching!

My blog used to just be about cooking and baking, because until a few years ago, I had another blog for projects. But keeping up with both blogs got to be way too much work. Plus I felt like they both represented parts of me and that I needed all of that content in just 1 place instead of scattered all over the internet. Lulu the Baker was never a chore to post on, and when I thought long and hard about it, I didn't want to give that blog up, so that's the one I kept! Since then, it's evolved into more of a lifestyle blog with a focus on food and family.

I'm also guest blogging on the Better Homes & Gardens Style Spotters blog for a few months, and write monthly posts for Ciera Design and Rue Rococo.

I'm really excited about this series I started in October called The Harvest. It is proving challenging, but I love the first post and have a few others in the works right now. My "human interest" posts don't get tons of traffic, but I really love writing them and reading them over and over. Sometimes you just have to post stuff you love!

I had someone tell me (lovingly) at the beginning of the year that I needed to work on my photo styling. I've really taken that comment to heart this year! I've taken a few amazing online workshops on photo styling, and I'm really proud of the strides I've made in just a few short months. I think the photos from this post are really lovely. One of my workshop teachers even told me they were fantastic and that I was a star pupil. As an admitted nerd, that is music to my ears!

A list of my favorite posts wouldn't be complete without The Tale of the Carmelitas! I'd been blogging for a few years without much hullaballoo when I wrote this post. And I think it actually took another year for anyone to notice this recipe. But when it finally hit, it hit with a lot of force. It's still my #1 post of all time, and I'm not sure that will ever change!

I'd love for my blog's voice to really be an extension of myself--always. With all of the sponsorship opportunities and talk of numbers and traffic, it's really easy to lose sight of that. I want my blog to be a happy place that people can look forward to visiting, where they can be inspired for a few moments, and leave with yes, a recipe or project idea, but more importantly, feeling good and happy and peaceful. I feel like that's a tall order!

I've been trying for a while to write a book! I lost my way a little bit this past year; sometimes it's hard to keep yourself motivated when you have an open-ended project like that! But I've been working steadily on it again for the past few months and am really excited to be making headway. Cross your fingers for me!

I also really love collaborating with other bloggers. It's so inspiring to work with talented people. I'd love to have some fun, new blog collaborations this year.

Lastly, I've been wanting to migrate my site from Blogger to Wordpress for so long, and I'm finally going to do it, along with a redesign! I would actually love to have it done this year, but I waited too long and all of the designers I want to work with are booked through January! So keep your eyes peeled in 2014 for a new Lulu the Baker design!

Melissa is so humble and gracious - two of the many things I love about her!! She has become a force to be reckoned with in the blogging universe (she's a regular over at Better Homes and Gardens!). Her creative talents are endless - and her recipes keep me coming back season after season. She is a dedicated mom who is always finding new ways to connect with her kids, and I've been blessed to join in the Endless Summer series with her as well as the Fresh Holiday Traditions!

If you have a blog reader like Blog Lovin' or Feedly, add Lulu the Baker to your feed right now, as your first gift of Blogger Christmas!

On the first day of Christmas, Pars Caeli gave to me Lulu the Baker!

xoxo, MJ

PS. On the second day...I'm gifting one of my favorite artists...

               

Oh, gosh. I've been looking forward to giving this gift to you for about a month! Merry Christmas, readers! I have been so honored and inspired by your comments and dedication to Pars Caeli, and I wanted to get you something extra special.

And so, since I can't affored to send each and every one of you lovelies a goodie bag of cheer, I've called upon twelve of my good blogger pals to sit with you here on Pars Caeli! Over the 12 days of Christmas, the next 12 days - posting all seven days a week - I am bringing to you twelve fabulous women who fill up the internet with ideas, projects, style, and most of all warmth. Collectively they draw hundreds of thousands of readers to learn more about cooking, interior design, child development, party styling, motherhood, womanhood, and joy.

We'll be sharing inspirations, favorite posts, and big old hopes for 2014.

I know you'll enjoy these charmers, and I hope you know much I appreciate your presence here on these pages! Follow along with #12BloggersChristmas on Instagram and Twitter to catch all of the loveliness!

Merry Christmas, friends. May the Christmas season be one of true hope and joy for you and yours.

xoxo, MJ

Winter craft date? It's the perfect time of year to gather inside, in the warmth, with a coffee or cocoa and a good friend and make something awesome. My friend, Renee, and I were determined to add to our repetoire of seasonal crafts after the burlap placemat success.

We decided to go simple, or so we thought, and make the paper snowflakes.

As a little girl, I remember attempting paper snowflakes, trimming off the wrong edges instead of the right ones, and ending up with a heap of trimmed pieces of flakes. Determined not to repeat this, Renee and I made six-point snowflakes following this process:

We had a variety of papers, and I ended up using a looseleaf pack that I've had for a very long time because of the thin, durable weight to the paper. And, the white tone was just a bit softer than our other choices.

So grab a stack of paper, sharp scissors, good lighting, and a pal.

Lots of great patterns around the interwebs will surprise and delight you, like the ones we used as inspiration: Wee Birdy, these great ideas, and you can even find paper snowflake patterns based on the new movie, Frozen (pinned for my girls).

Folding the six-point pattern takes a little practice to get all the segments equal, but it it amazing the variety of snowflake you can create.

Originally Renee and I were thinking that we'd put these together in a chandelier-type arrangement. Can you imagine cascades of intricate snowflakes floating down?

Renee opted to display her snowflakes against her gorgeous red walls in the dining room. Fabulous contrasts!

Honestly, mine sat in a pile for a while, waiting for me to have time and inspiration to make something. And then I started making more and more of them of various sizes.

We have two trees in our house - our freshly cut and our (now duct-taped) artificial. The fresh tree has balls and ribbon and my favorite loose tinsel.

It needed a little something extra.

*Lightbulb.

Spread throughout the limbs now are dozens of paper snowflakes.

If you want a simple craft that will make you feel way more talented than you might be feeling on any particular day, cut some snowflakes.

They can be used in wrapping, garlands, chandeliers, and in my opinion as awesome ornaments.

Big hugs and thanks for Renee for the motivation to make these! Can't wait to see what we'll work up for spring.

Also, Kim of Design Life Kids and I will be showing off our long-distance Craft Date soon!

If you wanna make something and need a buddy, let me know. It's always more fun to do create with a pal.

Happy weekend, lovelies! I'll be writing my arm off and sending Christmas cards! Best to you and yours. 

xoxo, MJ

Is it finished yet? Please tell me some merry elves snuck into my house last night and hung that last set of lights and put away the final box of Christmas decor for us. I so enjoy decorating for the season, but, man, I am taking soooo long to get to it and through it all this year!

Nevertheless, I've managed to put up all of my favorites, and I'd thought I'd share them with you.

I loooove seeing other people's holiday decor, learning new traditions, sharing great ideas so I'm hoping that if I show you some of mine... well, you'll show me yours, too! Hence the hashtag #deckingyourhalls. Our decorations are simple and mostly homemade so this hashtag is far from showing off a glorious masterpiece display (but if you have one, share that, too!), and it's the longtime treasured objects or sweet new items that I'm hoping to highlight and reshare with all of you. So join in!! I'll be sharing photographs next Tuesday right here!

If you follow Pars Caeli on Instagram (we are friends over there, too, right? @parscaeli), you noticed that my children put up their trees this weekend, and each one reflects a different spirit and joy! My oldest daughter, M, in particular has a special story behind her Christmas tree that I'll be sharing tomorrow here and other places so stay tuned.

Here are some of the holiday delights in my home:

This simple nativity scene that my daughter, C, made at preschool when she was four. Preschool teachers, you do not get enough credit for the innovative projects you develop and complete for little hands. These terra cotta pots and bases, painted and assembled by C are a charming reminder to us of the simplicity of the season.

The Santa Pole is standing proudly in our dining room. A friend made this for us many years ago from lumber, caulking, a Santa hat, and clever painting. We turned it into our Santa Pole, and we use it every Christmas season to measure the height of each child. I love hearing them talk amongst themselves about how "little" they used to be!

Decking the halls big and small, each child adds holiday cheer to their rooms. My grandmother-in-law is a whiz with plastic canvas, and she's made us nearly 100 ornaments. We strung them into a garland for my son's firehouse decorations.

We are a house of many Nativity sets, and this year our largest is right by the front door. It fits with how we interact with the scene. I once learned from one of my fifth grade students an activity leading up to Christmas. When family members were helpful and especially kind to one another, they put a string in Jesus's manger to keep him warm and soften his rest. We began this tradition when the children were toddlers and have kept it up. Next to the Holy Family we keep a carved, heart-shaped bowl, filled with red and green string for our children to use to make a cozy manger. Sweet and simple.

More to share with you!! I hope you'll let us take a look into how you make the season bright at home. Don't forget to add #deckingyourhalls to your photos and tweets!

xoxo, MJ

Lucky, lucky me (and you), it's time for another Craft Date with my pal, Renee!!

Renee is a woman of great taste and mad skills so I've roped her into craft dating me (I mean, what else was I to do?). Do you have a friend with whom you create? I find that it makes the whole experience of crafting that much more fun...and if you're anything like me - much more likely to finish the project, too!

What does craft dating entail? Well, we began by thinking seasonal and offering up a few suggestions from one another's Pinterest boards.

For fall we created burlap placemats to add texture and some special names/thoughts to our autumn feasts. We also decided we needed to meet up at least seasonly to keep one another crafting and creating.

But where to begin with Christmas and winter projects? My Pinterest board overfloweth.

So we're tossing it up for your thoughts. Here are our top three choices:

 

1. via Totally Love It

2. via Craft Gossip

3. via Suburble

We need to keep our crafting to two hours or less - it's a school night, girlfriends! Leave your vote in the comments below. Which one should we make as our winter craft?

Which one would you make?

xoxo, MJ

Y'all know I love the blogging community with the supportive, creative, hilarious women I have come to know and appreciate. And when I find excellence I'm just no good at keeping it to myself. I've had a handful of local friends lately ask me for new - and great - blogs to dig into in their spare time. For me, this sort of question is in the same line as tell me about your kids... I could go on and on.

And actually knowing the amazing people behind these blogs makes me love them that much more. If you're looking for recipes that taste and look great, create seasonal decor to inspire, or read the latest adventures of successful, smart, and sassy women...follow one of these greats.

Easy overnight cinnamon pull aparts from Melissa at Lulu the Baker.

Mommy Coddle published by Molly with her incredible pumpkin bread.

Joy sharing family secrets with yummy apple butter over on Frock Files.

Alexandra making things fun with upcycled sweater pumpkins over on Alexandra Hedin.

Gorgeous and good for you roasted carrots from Janae at Bring Joy.

Learn the fall essentials with Amy from This HeArt of Mine.

Now go.. and learn and create... and if you visit these ladies, tell them MJ sent you. :)

Happy weekend, friends. Let's make it a bright one.

xoxo, MJ

It's my favorite day of the blog week! Time to share another Fresh Holiday Tradition with you.

This week I'm super duper pleased to share with you a homespun piece of Thanksgiving decor that you can easily transition into a Christmas garland when the time is right.

My husband and I have hosted our parents for Thanksgiving here at Pars Caeli since we were married in 2002. As a nervous newlywed, I decided to start a tradition with our guests. Mailed to them about a week before Thanksgiving were paper stars on which they were asked to write people/experiences from which they were grateful. Every person received three stars that they were to sign and date.

11 years into this tradition, I have an album of stars from all of our family members - featuring the words we thought our infants might use for their favorite objects to the wisdom of my husband's grandmother on the blessings of family and good health. Reading my father's words for "his soulmate" and my little girl at 4 writing that she was grateful for her friends...well, it gets me a little emotional every year.

We put up our tree the evening before Thanksgiving as food prep is also at its peak.

We hang only white lights and these white stars on the tree for a few days surrounding Thanksgiving, and the beauty and simplicity of the words and light is really gorgeous.

As we add our ornaments for Christmas, we keep the white stars on the tree to remind us of the real gifts we've received.

This year I'm putting some of our favorite gifts on a star garland that will hang for Thanksgiving as well as offer a foundational layer on our Christmas tree.

Have you ever made Baking Soda/Cornstarch clay? If not, you really need to carve out some time to do so. The bright white color is brilliant.

I followed this recipe from Full of Great Ideas:

• 2 cups of baking soda
• 1 cup of cornstarch
• 1.25 cups of cold water

1. Combine and mix the ingredients in a pot.

2. Continue to mix as you turn on medium heat. Stir continuously until the mixture pulls away from the side of the pot and becomes more of a ball. This took about 10 minutes for me.

3. Take out the clay and put it in a bowl. Cover the clay with a wet, cool paper towel and allow it to cool off before working with the material.

4. Once cooled, the clay will feel like stiff mashed potatoes (in my humble opinion). Roll out your desired amount to about 1/4" thickness and begin cutting with the star shape.

5. I added one gift to each star and kept the descriptions simple (eg: humor, home, my teacher). Also since I wanted to make a garland of these, I added two holes on either side of the star for stringing. Simply use a pencil, eraser end, for these. Using stamps purchased from the dollar bins at Michael's, I stamped in our gratitude, playing with the depth for each letter.

6. Set your oven to 220 F. Place all your stars on a cookie sheet. Set the timer for 45 minutes. Inspect. As the clay bakes, it will turn even whiter. When it's thoroughly white on one side, remove from the oven and turn over on the other side to bake for another 45 minutes. Be careful not to turn up the heat to speed up this process as you run the risk of burning and changing the coloration.

7. Let the stars cool. Once cool, string ribbon through the holes and find the perfect location to show off your Thanksgiving gratitude. And right after the Macy's Day Parade, take it over to your Christmas tree!

We're looking forward to another fun project next week! Until then, let us know how your holiday prep is going!!

xoxo, MJ

Check out the other posts in this series…

1. 5 Minute Gratitude Journal on Lulu the Baker
2. Pumpkin Pancakes on Classic Play

The first official lake effect snow has hit the ground. We've tossed out the pumpkins. And I'm starting to get the itch.

The Christmas bug. A switch to Christmas music, the beginnings of decorating. I want to resist and I don't.

I, like so many, dread the early onslaught of commercialized Christmas that creeps up on us before the Halloween candy is out.

I am not advocating this.

Perhaps it's my want to nest inside as the trees turn bare. I begin to simmer good scents on the stove, long for more time to cook. I spend more time at home, in my home.

So bring on Christmas!?

I enjoy the anticipation of the holiday, more than the one day of Chirstmas.

But I also adore Thanksgiving. Maybe we should develop more amazing Thanksgiving decor that I could really sink my teeth into...

Or as my daughter protested, "There are no good Thanksgiving songs." True that.

When do you begin your Christmas holidays? Post Thanksgiving? Or do you wait until closer to Christmas?

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

xoxo, MJ

Happy Halloween, my friends!! It is raining and cold here which means it must be the day I send my children out in a thinner layer than ever to run through puddles and eat sugar! Whatever the weather may be by trick or treating, we are going to live it up.

Did you go carve or no carve on the pumpkins this year? Our crew wanted carved and painted. The beauty of painting is that it can be done weeks in advance and enjoyed for a long time. Our carving happened just a few days ago, but the impact is awesome of seeing the glow through my little's designs.

As the costumes get put away and the candy remains, what will you do with all of these pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns? Likely pitch them quickly... but here's something fun for your toddlers, preschoolers, and small ones.

Play Hammer the Pumpkin, borrowed right from the lessons of great preschool teachers Grab a few golf tees, a play hammer, and a pumpkin!

We used one of the smaller decorative pumpkins that was never carved or painted, but ripened pumpkins, gourds and even cut jack-o-lanterns work really well (especially for the smallest of hands).

For the first few holes, I got my preschooler, L, ready by starting the tees. And then he got really into it and for at least 30 minutes hammered away happily.

Beware, big sisters often want to get in on the fun, too.

I loved the final look of our hole-y pumpkin. I've tucked this process in my mental file as an easy way to make a polka dot pumpkin for next year, but until then, I decided to add some pizzazz to the final drilled pumpkin. The end effect reminded me of a PUNK in...something like metal washers scattered all around.

So save those pumpkins for just a bit so that your little ones can enjoy some hammering fun!

Happy Halloween, friends, and happy fall!

xoxo, MJ

Hands down, fall is my favorite time of year. I adore the color changes, smells of leaves and pine, and preparing our home for the goodness of Thanksgiving. As we all well know, Christmas sneaks up on us so fast after turkey day that we sometimes have little time to prepare. This year, it's going to be different (I say that every year but this year it's true), and I'm bringing in some creative mamas to make it so.

Today I'm delighted to announce a new series in collaboration with some of my favorite ladies. We're teaming together (again) to bring you Fresh Holiday Traditions! Beginning tomorrow and launching every Wednesday through Christmas, we'll be sharing traditions from our homes, projects for celebrating the holidays, and always ways to get your kids involved in all the fun!

This team worked together on the Endless Summer Projects series, and these busy bloggers have been up to some good, good things since we were last together. Check out who I have the privilege to create alongside:

Melissa from Lulu the Baker is a class act with a kitchen full of amazing recipes, charming crafts, and undeniably great photography. She's also a Style Spotter for Better Homes and Gardens. You can follow her journey to build her dream house! You'll find her here every Wednesday talking holidays with us. Melissa is kicking off the series tomorrow with something extra special for Thanksgiving.

 

 Alexandra Hedin is joining the crew to bring fun to every party! You'll find her not only at her blog this holiday season but also over on Martha's, BHG, Sweet Paul, and Good Housekeeping. And now you can catch Alexandra here every Wednesday to help you turn your holidays into something extraordinary.

Jen over at Classic Play is the epitome of cool mom plus! She has her own series on PBS called Adventures in Learning that showcases unique ways to teach and hang out with your kids. Her images and illustrations will delight you over these next weeks and help you, too, add a little extra cool to the holidays.

And, for me, I'm whipping up a few of my favorite ideas for the holidays. I promise you, you'll find something new and intriguing to bring to your family celebrations.

Let's help each other and make this an extra special and extra low stress fresh holiday!

Until tomorrow. xoxo, MJ

PS. If you have some fresh holiday traditions or inspirations you want to share, tag them with #freshholidays and I'll post them up for all of us! Many, many thanks!

On Oct. 15, Martha Stewart was interviewed on Bloomberg. It was one of a zillion interviews she's done. She discussed a variety of topics. Just one topic stood out for me: her thoughts (and her tone) about bloggers.

Who are these bloggers? They're not trained editors and writers at Vogue magazine. I mean, there are bloggers writing recipes that aren't tested, that aren't necessarily very good or are copies of everything that really good editors have created and done. Bloggers create kind of a popularity. But they are not the experts and we have to understand that.

At 72, Martha Stewart is an empire, a brand, and a downright legend. I respect her for her ideas, her hard work, her ability to find talent and surround herself with it, and her seamless transition from a major life-altering event to a thriving, again-active life.

I'm not a Martha groupie; I've never subscribed to her magazine or purchased one of her books (though I was gifted with one that I love!). I will not deny her genius or her many talents. In fact I was so delighted to be at Martha Stewart's headquarters for AltNYC and to experience the environment on innovation that she creates. I completely appreciate all the accomplishments that Gabrielle points out.

I was also, however, confused by her remarks. Or maybe in my own motherly way, I was disappointed. Her comments seemed short-sighted and small. Generally, I think it's just a bad idea to trash your most supportive community.

Later that day I received a PR email. I'm on a list with millions of others, and I was sent this from "Martha."

Hello MJ,

We all start out in different places on the road to expertise.

And it takes tenacity, proficiency, education, endurance, and ambition to go the extra mile. As bloggers, we know this all too well.

I'm disheartened to hear that some of our blogger friends feel that I'm not supportive of what they do. The blogger community is a vibrant and lively place, and I enjoy watching it grow.

In the ever-evolving online community, each day is another opportunity to garner new skills through new experiences. It's like I always say: When you're through changing, you're through.

I'm thrilled to announce that in the coming days, weeks, and months, we'll be incorporating more of the people who inspire us most on the site. People like you -- bloggers and crafters and American makers -- the people who are making a change.

It's important to continue learning, growing, and working together so the world can be a more beautiful place.

Thank you for all your incredible work.

Martha

I realized what it was that was really making me itchy about this whole situation.

Experts.

Expertise.

Bloggers don't = experts or in some way Bloggers should = experts?

Blogging is a means of communication. Like journals, social media posts, works of art, dancing, music...

To be a "blogger" one must use blogging as a main form of communication (fair to say, right?). No expertise required. Just as my technique with oil paints is not evaluated at the cashier desk of Michael's to ensure I'm sufficiently skilled at painting before I can express and share my artwork, my thoughts this way.

From where I sit, the blogosphere has democratized expression. Should I want to share my best recipe for gingerbread cookies or my conversation with my mom last night or anything else, I have the opportunity to send it out into the world - the potential to share it with anyone I can coax to this blog space.

I don't need to be an expert.

In fact, people might just want to learn more BECAUSE I AM NOT an expert.

Martha for all the goodness she's thrown in the direction of handmade and homemade has spotlighted only the most perfect, refined, and pretty. And I'm not denying that she has come to set the standard high and beautiful.

Maybe, too, she's built a bit of pinorexia (see Meg's post and definition on this one) into the blogging community. That every project, recipe, craft must look fabulously styled in order to be trusted and valued...and good.

But for me - me who is far from expert on anything at all - I visit and revisit blogs to see how other-than experts create and live. I won't deny my desire for an aesthetic that appeals; my eye is intoxicated by design and color. But when needed, Google finds the experts for tasks. I find the kindred spirits with whom I want to share a journey, the experience.

These bloggers are (way more often than not) not experts, humble yet confident speakers who are themselves large enough to ride through imperfections and mistakes.

I'll continue to admire the pristeen that Martha Stewart's brand presents, but I won't be putting, expecting, or even desiring that from my favorite blogs or bloggers.

In fact, I hope none of us put perfection as our goal.

Because if we did blogs would be a whole lot less interesting.

xoxo, MJ

This month is turning out to be a month of giving and celebrations that will spill over into a November and a December that also include shopping for lots of somethings special. I've been hoarding some fabulous finds to feed your imagination for the baby showers, birthday parties, and special announcements that come your way!

1. Can't help but push those shoulders back and add a little kick to my step with this happy doormat. Furbish Studios knows how to start the day off right. Why not give it to someone with a swank new job? Or fabulous college acceptance?

2. Oh, my goodness, that is amazing!! Is it your 15th anniversary? Did you just sign your first mortgage? Get a promotion? Do this next. Head over to Emily's studio site and commission yourself a beautiful landscape painting. You can frame the color palette and the feeling you want, and everyone will be asking where that beautiful art came from?!

3. These pebble tape measures are gorgeous and practical. I thought one of these would make a super cool housewarming present. But why not a grad present? An anniversary? Because it's Thursday?

4. Friends have a new baby on the way. With the shower upcoming, I have this unique font puzzle in mind. Every prodigy needs to know her fonts, right? Why not start young? Great construction, too.

5. I love a good garland to declare, "THIS IS A PARTY!" Have you seen the array of garland choices over at Land of Nod? Every celebration is covered. With this whimsical peppermint trail, any space will be fresh and cheerful. Why not pop it in an envelope and surprise someone across the country or across the pond?

Is there anyone in particular that you're celebrating who is tough to shop for? Need any ideas?

xoxo, MJ

When the hubs and I were dating and even in our early years of marriage, smart phones and social media were not on our radar. And now we, like the rest of the world, are connected. We have the ability to check email any time of day, Instagram the latest views, and text friends who live on the other side of the planet.

All of this is wonderful. And horrible.

The ability to connect also allows the ability to tune out, to focus on things other than each other. 

Huffington Post ran a story in June about Facebook's implications for marriage. The article is part of a growing set of data that finds social media is often linked to divorce. Just last year, divorce lawyers surveyed by Divorce-Online UK said that Facebook was the third most popular reason cited for divorces in the previous year.

Does it have to be this way? We, the victims, to the massive world of communication around us? What if we used that ability to connect instantly, to connect with the people we love the most, in meaningful ways.

1. Send sweet texts during the day: We use texting to ensure that the person we want to contact gets our message right away. How about an immediate "love you always" or type a text every hour on the hour and share one thing you admire about him/her.

2. Use PDA sparingly but well: Tell the world, via Facebook or Twitter, about the man/woman who's captured your heart. Choose your shout outs with hesitation to be sure that the post is less about you and more about your love. Mark a special anniversary like the first date or first concert that lets your special someone know you are proud/excited to be a party of his/her story.

3. Share a Pinterest board: The pins can be for more than great wedding dresses and holiday recipes. Start a board together that catalogs all the places you want to travel together or intriguing books you want to read to one another... all pins based on the simple theme of spending time with one another. Dreaming together can be really powerful.

4. Read each other's photographic minds: Use Instagram to capture moments, experiences, and special meals and tag the one you love. Beauty unites us so why not make something beautiful via Instagram and send it off to let your love know you were thinking of them?

How do you use technology to create deeper connections?

xoxo, MJ

PS. If you want more ideas on how to romance for less, head on over to Joy's post that list 18 amazing ways to let someone know that you love them. And join us in two Thursdays for another something special!

Hi friends, I have a treat for you!! My buddy, Emily Jeffords, artist extraordinaire, has agreed to share her latest project with all of my lovely readers. It's a great new magazine called Trouvé. And from the looks of all the pins and photos that I've seen, it's going to knock the socks off the blogosphere.

Need a little inspiration? A burst of creativity? Let's hear what Emily and her pal, Amanda, are cooking up. I promise they'll be something amazing that will catch your fancy. Enjoy this first look at Trouvé!

What does Trouvé mean?  Trouvé means “To Find” in French.  Trouvé Magazine is designed to celebrate the making, the gathering, the wandering; the original thinkers, the creative, the bold, the brave, & the dreamers among us.

What inspired you to begin this magazine?  Amanda Marko came to me several months ago with an idea: let’s create a magazine that we actually want to read from cover-to-cover.  We are excited to offer our readers meaningful and highly creative content that will leave them feeling refreshed and excited about life.     

What will the magazine feature?  Trouvé is a creative lifestyle magazine.  We will be featuring makers, designers, creative projects, gatherings, beautiful shops, travel, recipes, events, and creative spaces. 

Will you be looking for contributors? Yes! We are thrilled to offer beautiful content within the magazine as well as on our website.  We are looking for articles featuring lovely images and meaningful content.  Creative, generous, well-designed, handmade, local, quality: these are the themes we are striving to cultivate within Trouvé.

How can people find out more?  We are excited to introduce Trouvé with an online launch party this fall!   We will be featuring hours of stunning online content, quality giveaways, a preview of the magazine in all its lovely glory, as well as our kickstarter campaign which will enable us to make Trouvé Mag into something meaningful and truly amazing.  To get in on this goodness, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and sign up for our email list. Also, join in on the conversation early by sharing your creative moments with the hashtag: #TrouveMag on Instagram!

Big thanks to Emily and Amanda for sharing this exciting creative journey! I adore great collaborations. Want to find out more? Follow these helpful links:

http://www.TrouveMag.com

https://twitter.com/TrouveMag

https://www.facebook.com/TrouveMag

http://www.pinterest.com/TrouveMag/

http://instagram.com/trouvemag

trouvemag@gmail.com

http://www.amarkodesigns.com

http://EmilyJeffords.com

Are you starting something new and/or creative in your life? Share it here so we can all celebrate!

xoxo, MJ

Please excuse that unintentional day off yesterday! We're back today, and I'm sharing one of my longtime faves for fall - CORDUROY! I've lived in Midwest climates most of my life which means that chilly temperatures are just part of the territory, and for me so is corduroy. I fell in love with its endurance as a little girl in cord jumpers and pants, and as a teenager I tried it in shirts, coats, and skirts.

These days I'm loving cord for the variety - so many colors, wales, and options for fashionable, comfortable, and cozy warm.

Here are my picks for how to wear cords this fall:

What about a cord shoe? These leopard print flats with a sassy bow are from Gap. Or cords in a hot color? Cobalt blue stretch cords featured here are super affordable over at JCPenney. The cord skirt is an easy option from Loft (and already in my closet for the season). And did you know with the right brand, cord can fit you like a glove. I'm oogling this blazer from Boden (as well as a ton of other styles in their fall line).

I embrace my inner cord lover every day with my Skooba laptop bag. I love the chocolate brown and the fun twist on a bag style with way too much black leather in its genre.

Are you with me? Do you embrace corduroy and all its goodness? Or is it a fabric whose days have gone by?

xoxo,

MJ

Hey there. Happy week to you! How's September rolling along? Fall is racing in fast and bringing her crisp air and snuggly wardrobes, and I am delighted.

I am also delighted to have a friend. A friend who will craft with me. This week, after much rescheduling and scheming, my friend, Renee and I will break open a bag of supplies and keep our hands busy crafting until we call it a day or a DIY done.

Our plan was to share some pins that have really piqued our interest as of late and decide together on which one was worthy of the craft date. Here are the three projects I suggested. Some of these have been around for a while, and I just haven't had the time to make my own versions.

Which one would you make? Or do you have another project on your mind?

Found via Cottage and Vine

Via Family Chic

Via Martha Stewart

Tune in next week to see what we crafted and just how we did. And if you're lucky enough to have a friend in your life who will craft with you, give them a hug for me. She/He is awesome!!

xoxo,

MJ

PS. If you want to make your home a warm, wonderful place to be every day of the year, follow Renee over on Pinterest.