Some Fear (and Frustration) Embraced...

Photo by Lindsey Tran via my lovely Karey...

I’m about to state the obvious… Ready?

Ballet is hard. Really hard.

But it’s not hard in the way that I expected it to be hard -- my body isn’t crying; rather my brain is. See (for me) it’s hard in the way that the New York Times crossword puzzle is. It’s a bit of a brain tease. I can’t remember the moves I’m supposed to be doing, I can’t get my feet to do the right thing at the right time, I am furrowed in thought and concentration (and frustration) during the entire 90-minute weekly class...

The upside of the situation is all that mental angst makes me forget that I’m actually exercising, which is a bonus given my history of hate re: the exercising. I’m all about being active, I just don’t really want to be reminded that I’m being active while I’m being active, so I lean toward the family bike ride, the living room dance party…all the things you sort of get lost in and forget that you're actually (yes) exercising.

So the mental gymnastics is good for that, but for my ego, well…not so good. I’m not sure what it is about my personality that expects I’ll “get” things right away. I am frustrated easily, and then I’m not very nice to myself. Remember "the summer of self-improvement"? Yes, making a Polish chandelier is hard too. If it was easy everyone would be doing it. We’d have a glut of Polish chandeliers out there waiting to be snapped up. But it’s hard; it takes work, that's what makes it special…a good thing, yes?

my new ballet shoes...

Last Saturday at my second (!) class (and I’m not sure why I felt I should be channeling Natalie Portman in just my second attempt ever at ballet, but alas I was), during a particularly tricky series, I was quietly chanting under my breath, “I can’t, I can’t, I can’t…” I’m a real positive girl, clearly.

The incredibly lovely and graceful (and much older) woman standing next to me in class (and who is very much a beginner but somehow far more zen about the entire enterprise) leaned over and whispered, “say you can, embrace your inner-ballerina”.

Now a statement like that would have normally made me giggle and maybe even roll my eyes, but she was right, if I’m going to do this thing, I need to do it. After all, for the past year and a half, during the girlie’s classes, I’ve been watching the adult ballet class intently (albeit the advanced class) longing to be doing what all those amazingly graceful, strong people were actually doing (not thinking about doing).

So next class I’m embracing the inner-ballerina friends, full on. I’m not afraid...

Austin Love, An Utterly Beautiful Blog, Potholders and A Little Profile (AKA Some Random Bits...)

images via The Hotel San Jose

I have been seriously hankering for a little jaunt down to Austin with Bryan and the girlies of late...just a change of scenery, a couple of nights at The Hotel San Jose, sangria on their stellar patio. Heck it's been so warm the past couple of days (78 today!) a quick dip in the little pool *might* even be possible.

And my longing for an Austin fix is only increased by the fact that there's so much good stuff going on down there. First there was Miss Natalie's Canoe pop-up shop (so sad that we missed it) and next weekend, the lovely Abby is curating a pop-up event featuring local artists and artisans at West Elm (which I'm also going to miss...it's just not my month).

Man I love Austin...just so much goodness.



I'm also feeling all kinds of love for a dear friend's new blog venture, Paper Weight. It is beautiful and smart. You have to check it out...

potholder by Stacie Pighin

Ok, a couple more (this is a random post today friends, my apologies)... The lovely ladies at Prudent Baby asked me to be a judge in their very fun "Sewing Machine Double Down" contest. Christine and I were chatting yesterday about pouring through all those fantastic potholders (she was a judge too), and she noted that it made her want to start making potholders.

Me on the other hand, well it just made me want to *use* potholders (i.e. eat)...but then again, I don't really possess Christine's sewing prowess. So there's that.

And finally, a little interview over on AOL City's Best today where I share a few of my favorite spots in Dallas...It's always fun to think about what you love best about your town, don't you think?

The Zen of Calligraphy, A Wise DJ and An Outfit (aka My Alt Summit Recap)

pretty business cards gathered at Alt...

There are so many fantastic Alt Summit recaps floating around the interwebs, filled with all sorts of goodness, so rather than rehash what's already been said (and likely better than I could say it), I thought I'd just share the things I can't seem to get out of my mind since coming home:

1. Calligraphy is akin to meditation -- On the first day of the summit, I took a calligraphy class from the lovely and incredibly talented Melissa Esplin, and it was a revelation. Let me just say, no matter how easy Melissa made it seem, calligraphy is hard. It takes work, and I'm not very good at it (not surprising given my DIY track-record), but the act of working at it is quite possibly one of the most relaxing things I've done in a long time. You can't really think about anything else while you're trying to get those letters just right; it sort of puts you in a trance. Incredibly therapeutic that calligraphy... I'm hooked.
   
   (I also had the pleasure of sitting next to the totally fantastic Alexis in the class... we've been blog friends for a while, so it was the sort of surreal experience of meeting someone for the first time, but having the most natural, "I've known you forever" conversation.)
   


2. Creative geniuses know when to unplug and use their hands -- On day two I attended a session on events for the sole purpose of getting inside the brains of event super-stars Jordan, Ashley and Britney (of my rainbow cake inspiration). I wanted to know how they come up with all their brilliant ideas. I was heartened by Ashley's tales of making lots of "ugly" things along the way to coming up with the final perfect execution of an idea and her declaration that to foster creativity you have to "walk away from the computer and make things with your hands". Obvious but so often (by me) ignored.
   


3. Green hair is not stupid -- I expected a lot of things out of Alt, but one thing I didn't even remotely imagine would happen was that I would get some spot-on parenting advice from a wunderkind DJ. On day two, DJ Spooky gave the lunch keynote and was fantastic and brilliant and a little crazy (in the best possible way, as most brilliant people are).
   
   During the Q&A, an attendee asked him how his parents influenced and cultivated his desire to learn, and he shared a bit about his upbringing (his parents were academics and political activists) and how he was constantly challenged and expected to "challenge back", to form arguments, to know what he believed in and why. He also said that his mother told him, "Dye your hair green but don't ever do anything stupid"... Quite possibly the best parental line ever. It's all about putting things in perspective. Thanks DJ Spooky.
   


4. I believe in women -- I am heartened by what I saw go down last week. There was a palpable energy, an amazing sense of rooting for each other and the genuine feeling that there are more than enough opportunities available for everyone to get in on the action. It's a powerful thing when women bond together and support each other like this (and the men too...there were a few men in attendance). It reminds me of a post I wrote last summer and specifically this Michele Oka Doner quote originally found by my beloved Karey (my Alt roomie and partner in "crime.")
   
   "Evolved women have begun to form a collective awareness of how to support one another. It goes way beyond 'what dress am I wearing tonight?' I really like women. I've learned how to negotiate a world filled with intelligent and attractive women, giving everyone their due."
   

from left: danni, melanie, me, liz and amy after our panel ...


And now (as promised in the post title) a little bit of an "outfit deconstructed"... Since I forced you to take a peek into my pre-Alt packing process, I thought it only fair to show you an outfit I wore last week in its entirety.

Here's what I sported on day one...


(Note how much attention I'm paying in the calligraphy class. I really, really wanted to get it right... oh and look at how lovely that sweet Danni is in her fab yellow skirt...)


The Details:

• Striped "dress" -- Chance
• Skinny grey cords -- Gap
• Black "paperchain" necklace -- J. Crew
• Heels -- J. Crew
• Nail polish -- Chanel Particuliere

Scenes from The Weekend A Day Late (aka Millie's Party)

I have to say, Millie's festive little soiree was a pretty great way to spend the first day of 2011.

And, surprisingly, it was a pretty mellow enterprise considering the slew of sugar-fueled littles running amok... We tried to corral things with a few structured games like pin the tail on the uni-donkey (a donkey with a taped on unicorn horn, of course), clothes-pin drop and musical squares (think musical chairs with less potential for injuries).

Then there was the pinata... What it is about watching a bunch of four-year-olds trying to bust open a pinata that's so funny? Oh and it's possible (but I'm not saying for sure) that the pinata may have died at my completely overzealous hand.

Pinata smashing = major satisfaction. Just sayin.

As for the rainbow cake, all told, it turned out ok. It tasted good, and it was pretty, but man that sucker was TALL... So tall that a single slice wouldn't fit on a dessert plate, and I needed vats of frosting to hold it all together. It was pretty insane.

Let's just say we're seriously detoxing from all that sugar.

Hope you guys had a fantastic weekend! So happy to be back in the swing of things.

The Essential Thing...

lovely painted rocks via Nuno magazine...

I posted this last year at Christmas...it's a passage from an old "O" magazine article that, for me, perfectly encapsulates the magic (and complexity) of the holidays...

"For my grandparents, the essential thing about Christmas is midnight mass, and the birth of a child who shall be called Prince of Peace. For my mother, I think it’s the solstice and the fact that the days will get longer, the light will return. For my father it’s Santa Claus, the spirit of abundance and generosity. But for me, it seems to be something at once simpler and more complicated than all these things…"

So for the rest of the week, I'm unplugging a bit (i.e. no blogging or email) and focusing on the essential things...you know the reveling in each other and the UNO tournaments and the gingerbread house making and whatnot. We also have big plans to drink our weight in hot chocolate and paint rocks and sticks...truly we're livin' it up over here friends.

I am so grateful for all of you guys. Have the happiest of holidays, and whatever is the essential thing for you about this season, take time to revel in it.

Scenes from The Weekend Part II -- Audrey's French Fête

So (given the contents of my recent article) I’m going to say this in a whisper.

I *might* be completely on-board with the non at-home birthday party too.

There, I said it…we can move on now so I don’t feel like the world’s biggest hypocrite. Deal?

In all seriousness, I loved throwing this party. Loved. It. It was the perfect easing into, well letting go a bit… After six consecutive (highly planned) at-home fetes, it was nice to go “off-campus” so to speak. And given that it was the day after the Little Bean party, the timing for a new approach couldn’t have been better.

Here’s how things went down on the big day. Fifteen or so of Audrey's girlfriends to joined us at f.is for frank to make their very own pewter charms and beaded bracelets. We cranked up some French tunes, and the utterly fantastic Shannah and Casey showed the girlies all their jewelry making equipment and walked them through the process of making charms. Then each guest donned their artist’s beret and carved their masterpiece out of a little slab of clay.

Afterward we noshed on some simple vanilla cake, lemon macaroons and French lemonade (+ some bubbly for the mamas of course).

Finally they all lined up for some group snaps and voilà, we were done.

It was the easiest party I’ve ever thrown, and Audrey had a blast, which is really the most important part, non?


The Details:

• Location -- f. is for frank
• Berets -- Village Hat Shop
• “Bonjour” Bunting -- Common Threads (custom order)
• Tablecloth/Fabric -- IKEA
• Postcards -- Yellow Owl Workshop
• Striped Straws -- Fort and Field
• Book -- This is Paris (gift from our friend Annie)
• Cake, Macaroons, Lemonade, Bubbly – Central Market

The Summer of Self Improvement -- Paper Chandeliers (Or "The Patience Edition")

This is not the paper chandelier that I made...

I may have told you this before somewhere along the way, but it bears mentioning again.

I kind of (for lack of a more elegant term) suck at DIY.

The problem isn't in the ideas -- I have loads of ideas of things I want to make (oh friends I have ideas), but I tend to fail miserably in the actual execution… It vexes me. So much so, that my lack of craft skills was one of the drivers for this “summer of self-improvement” concept, as I figured there’s no better way to overcome a “fear" of DIY than to just, well, roll up your sleeves and do some DIY. Miserable execution notwithstanding.

Stepping back, I think one of the reasons I’m so challenged in this area is that I have a serious lack of patience. Despite knowing inherently that almost all great things take time to make (i.e., a beautiful room, a Hermès bag, a homemade chocolate cake), I trend toward instant gratification. This quality has resulted in some unfortunate design choices (the ugly barstools purchased in a race to finish a particular room in our house against some self-imposed deadline) and is, as you can imagine, the kiss of death for most DIY projects.

So, what does this have to do with making paper chandeliers you ask? Well these babies take time. They’re not necessarily difficult to make, but they require patience.

Of which, as noted before, I do not have.

So needless to say, this class was hard for me. And because I’m all about making things harder than they have to be, I also decided to bring Audrey along, which was great for our mother/daughter bonding, but not so much for our end product. There’s nothing like doing a craft with a six-year old to seriously test your patience issues.

Once I let go a bit (ok a lot) and embraced the idea that this one was going to be all about the journey, since we may never actually get to our destination (we didn’t), Audrey and I ended up having a blast. I walked away with the renewed resolve to be more patient and managed to acquire some mad craft skills too -- I now possess the ability to make those (life changing) cute little tissue paper flowers (hello homemade garland and barrettes and party decorations, oh my…)

So no paper chandelier, but all was not lost and that's something.

p.s. had to add a few shots that Audrey took herself (below)...a little "through her eyes" for your viewing pleasure.

beautiful sally glass work in image above on exhibit at bows and arrows...

The Summer of Self Improvement -- Batik Class Edition

a scene from the utterly fantastic bows and arrows...

Last week I meet up with my buddy Christine for a batik class at Bows and Arrows... It was the second class in my ongoing quest for creative self-improvement (last month it was flowers), and I have to say, it did not disappoint.

As always, the space and the collaboration with the other "students" was hugely inspiring -- it's amazing how something as simple as trying a new thing with a group of equally excited people can be so transformative.

For a few days after the class I walked around sporting purple ink stained hands, which actually served as a sort of reminder of how far these little adventures take me out of my everyday existence (which mainly consists of sitting in front of the computer...sad). I was reminded every time I glanced down at my grubby hands how rewarding it is to create and get messy and stretch beyond my comfort zone.

Fantastic.

So now I'm officially addicted to "printing" fabric. I've always loved tie dye and batik (it speaks to my hippie leanings), but I'd never used fabric dye before, so I was a bit intimidated. Now that I have the basics under my belt, I've been combing through books and websites for inspiration and have a few fun projects up my sleeve...I'll keep you posted.

my fabric...

the finished product...