VISIONS FOR 2016

all images are cited at my pinterest page

Planning a year. A whole year. It sounds fun for a few weeks then it sounds like the never-ending-list-making game where the slightest deviation will send things swan diving off of a cliff, a la cartoon style.

Though that cartoon splat sounds pretty exciting, it's horrifying to feel it coming! So I decided to try a new approach and put together a good ole fashioned (like I haven't made one of these in YEARS, pre-college maybe?) vision board.

Vision boards are typically seen as a way to mark milestones and can be a little 'things focused' so instead of this being filled with things I want, I filled mine with feelings I wish to embody. It isn't about having a fancy studio, or perfect yoga poses. It's more about the fulfillment I feel from art and design and cultivating strength and connectedness by practicing yoga, etc. Know what I mean?

For 2016, I am focusing on creating, connecting with others and myself, feeling strong, feeling refreshed, celebrating the simplicity and strangeness of life, getting messy and radiating joy.

Envisioning my year this way makes it feel less like a game of collecting things, and more like an expression of who I am and what I value.

I'd love to know what you used to plan for the year ahead. If you decide to make a vision board too, let me know! I'd love to see what kind of year you'll be having.

A DAY IN MY LIFE

So last week I decided to document a typical day (granted all days are different, but this is a kind of day that I encounter at least couple days a week).

Right now, I work from home. I very much enjoy this lifestyle at the moment, but this time in my life also feels very temporary so I want to pay it a little homage. I'm sure life will switch things up for me again so for now I'm savoring the days that look like this…

1. Wake up and greet the day.

2. Make the bed.

3. Yoga.

4. Morning sketches, brainstorming, etc.

5. View from my office ;)

6. Webinar, taking notes, planning, emails, general work.

7. Lunch at home (leftovers from the previous night's dinner).

8. Photo editing & blogging.

9. Off to a meeting.

10. Meeting venue.

11. Husband on an evening work call.

12. Washing up.

13. Hot tea before bed.

JANUARY UNIFORM

Minneapolis has reached very very very low temps lately. I'm talking a string of days sitting in the negative temps. These are true hibernation times. When I have left the apartment I have decked myself in the warmest and most functional pieces, which actually look quite nice together, IMHO.

JACKET
This anorak jacket has been great! The hood is perfect. I love the faux fur trim. One of my favorite features is that the lining is removable, so in the warmer months it will have a second life. 

ACCESSORIES
Hats and mittens! My favorite hat is the one I'm wearing here. The color is amazing paired with neutral coats, and best of all, the hat is fleece lined so it keeps my ears warm when I'm walking around the city. If I'm going to be out for a while wearing other hats have been a fail when the wind picks up.

BOTTOM
Smartwool socks and skinny jeans, the easiest way to wear boots comfortably.

HAIR
Down and relaxed to keep the neck warm and it is the easiest to wear with hats.

MAKE-UP
I've been trying my hardest to keep my skin and lips hydrated. I'm not using much, if any, make-up in favor of keeping my skin in shape. When I do wear something, it's a bold red lip. That is the biggest impact for minimal effort.

SCENT
Estée Lauder's Modern Muse. I got a small bottle as a gift for Christmas and I can't get enough!

FEET
These boots are quickly becoming my most worn pair of boots. They are perfect for stomping around. They are not real leather, so I don't think they'll last too long, but they were inexpensive when I got them (cuz they were on clearance) and most importantly, they're weather proof.

BAG
When I'm going to meetings or work sessions in town I only like to carry one bag. This is the one I prefer to use because it is waterproof and can easily fit my computer and other necessities like pens and paper. I also got it when I interned in Switzerland so it brings back great memories :)

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How have you been dressing during this time of the year? Do you have any wardrobe hacks that make your life easy and comfortable?

To see more photos of this look, check out the full blog post on the North Nabe!

DESKTOP POSITIVE

Hello! I hope all is well and the new year is proving to be a happy one. I just wanted to pop by and let you know that I made some digital desktop images for fellow blogger and designer, Ashley Lauren! Her blog is amazing, and if you dig what I write about here then you'll love her too :) 

I had so much fun using some of the work from my Society6 shop and bringing them to life in a different way! I even added a brand new design from a card I recently made. The theme that threads all of these pieces together is confidence, self love and living a life that is true to you.

Visit her blog to see all of the designs and feel free to download and use them.

HELPING HANDS

Since drawing much more I've noticed that my hands need more love and attention than before. Mainly in the form of stretches and a few breaks to wiggle the fingers and do an invigorating set of jazz hands. To supplement this, I've been using a few products that have helped too.

So to all those out there who use your hands a lot…

This post is for you!

CND SolarOil

I (almost) never paint my nails. I reserve it for times when I go to a wedding or reach a very rare level of boredom. It's not that I don't like color, I just don't like how quickly polish tends to chip or how many layers are required for them to not chip as fast. Also, the general feeling of having polish on makes my nails feel heavy. Anyone out there feel me on this? I have had shellac done before too, which is fine, but not the best for the nails either, which is what leads me to this product! My mom found this after she had a shellac manicure removed and gave me a tiny bottle in my Christmas stocking. My cuticles aren't in the best shape, they get pretty dry and peel a lot. So I was really excited to try it. They call it a 'nail conditioner' which basically means that it's an oil for the hands. It smells of almonds and sinks into the skin near your nails and even on the beds of the nails too. It's probably the most noticeable after you remove polish, acrylics or shellac nails, but after a long winter day, it has made a big difference to me and my digits.

Gold Bond Intensive Healing Hand Cream

This lotion is another recommendation that I originally got from my mom! She too suffers from dry, itchy winter hands. I know lotion is a very personal preference and everyone's body chemistry reacts differently to the myriad of formulas out there. So from my experience, this lotion is thick, but sinks into the skin quickly with an almost cooling sensation. My hands feel smooth and not at all sticky. As for the scent, it is very light and citrusy. I put it on my hands every night before going to bed.

Lush soap Figs and Leaves

A lot of soaps on the market can strip natural moisture away from your hands and I'm pretty sure there isn't much of a worse feeling for the hands to experience than that. I rely on very moisturizing soaps because I usually can't be bothered with putting on lotion AFTER washing the hands. Enter this soap! I'm a huge fan of LUSH anyway, but this soap is my favorite that I've used so far. It exfoliates gently, lathers a very very very little and feels more like rubbing a lotion bar on your hands. Finally, THE SCENT! 🙌 It's deep and as you could probably guess, smells like figs, which smells earthy and bright.

Wintergreen Oil

My last favorite for the hands is wintergreen oil because it is a natural muscle relaxer. It's great for days when your hands and wrists feel tense and tired. The scent is uplifting and when you work a drop into your skin it takes the edge off of any mild pain or discomfort. I use my oil from Young Living. All of their oils are great, but this one is great for muscle pain or overuse.