today my work is around asking for more.

more space

more support

more abundance (i.e. more money!)

more time

more success

more family

more friends

more health

more quiet

more joy

more bliss

more love

there really is enough for everyone, isn’t there?

yours in joy,

L

The Lotus Root fabric collection is now available in the shop! Two designs are available, White Lotus on Kelly Green Linen-Cotton Canvas, and Green Lotus Outline on 100% Organic Cotton Interlock Knit; currently in stock in fat quarters, yardage is available — contact me for more information.

*Prices & Shipping*

Prices of all other products in the shop will be increasing as of May 1st, including prints, cards and calendars. I wanted you to know, so you can get anything you’ve been dreaming of owning at the current price! And just for being you, I’m giving you a coupon for free shipping, good through April 30! Just use code SHIP12 at checkout (good for free shipping in the US only). See you in the shop!

Things we’re working on this month:

*Deciding if Natalie will go to the Montessori School of the Berkshires next fall!

*Thinking about/looking for a new house — and applying for pre-approval for a new mortgage (lots of waiting!) and working on cleaning out our house, cleaning up, John paining some walls and ceilings, thinking about selling; or not. So not sure!

*Gardening. Cleaning up, planning, planting, digging. Not enough of this — must do more!

*Building my business. Planning for the future. New products and branding in the pipeline. Will show some glimpses soon!

*Working on wedding invitations and other paper wedding accouterments, both for a client and my baby brother!

*Cooking, cleaning (ok, no, not really!), shopping, attempting meal planning (did it one week, it was great. Should definitely do it again… suggestions?)

*Learning. A few coaches, a therapist (my first time!), self-help books and such. It’s a busy time for my brain and emotional life, but I think I’m growing and changing in profound and important ways. Oh snap!

*Celebrating. Easter, baby showers and wedding showers, kiddo birthdays, and a very special girl will be turning TWO very soon. Planning a little party or two.

*Planning some trips. Dreaming about some trips. Making summer vacation plans!

Mostly fun. A little bit exhausting. I find the most common question I hear myself and the ladies around me asking these days is how to balance it all. Work/life balance. A tough thing. We all try to do too much, but frankly I’m impressed when all mamas don’t have their shirts on backwards. You go, girl!

Snow days. Snow angels and snow children. Taking care of her babies. Pretending to hike (with our babies in our backpacks). Learning about types of things instead of just categories (a poodle is a type of dog, etc.). Astounding us with complete sentences. Trying new foods and rejecting old favorites (what is that about?). Planning birthday parties (2 in May! What?). Singing “Happy Birthday” to our dog Happy yesterday (she is 6!). Enjoying the company of an amazing little person.

Also a trip to the museum. Lots of birds and some fish, too. She loves making art — we play with chalk, markers, crayons, paint. I think I might love it a little more than she does, just watching her explore. So. Much. Fun. xo

For you, my lovelies — here is a valentine I whipped up just last, er, year (hahahaha!) and now I’m posting it here for your downloading-printing-pleasure. Enjoy and pay it forward, if you feel so inclined, and give something away this week, too! Or at least print a copy and give it to someone you love more than tea, as I love you. XO

Valentine_tea-printable {just click the link or ctrl+click (right click on PC) and hit “save link as” to plop it on your desktop}

Instructions for printing the Tea Love Valentine

1. Print on cardstock or your choice of foldable paper, without margins for best results.

2. Score on reverse side of paper from the print; for best results use a ruler and a bone folder (but the dull side of a butter knife will work, too — just don’t press so hard that you rip through). You will need to score once in each direction in the center of the paper; to find the center measure 4-1/4″ on the short side and 5-1/2″ on the long side.

3. Fold in half the long way, then again in half again to complete the card. The Fold should be at the top of the image.

Enjoy!

Playing with my new camera lens. Next I think I’ll be working on streamlining my photoshop actions to get my images to top-notch quality in a quick and easy way. But these un-edited versions are pretty ok, eh? I’ve always been a fan of shallow depth-of-field (that sharp foreground focus with lots of blurry background action. Loving it!) ::::swoon:::::

Congrats to Samantha (comment #6) as the winner of the 2012 Calendar!

Sounds like 2011 was a good year for many of you, and we’re all looking forward to some really awesome stuff in 2012! Let’s hear it for new beginnings! (and if you are feeling sad and really wanted a calendar, go ahead and get one for yourself using the coupon code 25in2012 and get 25% off! Good through the end of the week — January 14 12pm EST)

I’m giving away a 2012 calendar to a lucky reader this week! The calendar features 12 watercolor paintings of wild edible plants, it measures 4-1/2″ x 11″, spiral bound and ready to hang. {They are available to purchase here, there’s as printable version, too!}

Entries are open through Monday January 9 at 12 noon EST (entries are closed). Just leave a comment on this post to be entered & tell me your favorite thing about 2011 and what you’re most looking forward to in 2012.

For me, my favorite favorite most amazing thing in 2011 was beginning to have conversations with my little one. For reals, she’s a PERSON with THOUGHTS and feelings and dreams and joys and hurts and questions questions questions. It’s so amazing to finally be able to hear all about them. She’s still working on her sentence structure (”does I have a sister?” was the best question yesterday. My answer? “no, you don’t have a sister” and her reply was “no, I don’t. She’s at work.” Hah! I guess “work” is where people are when you can’t see them? Pretty good).

And what are we looking forward to in 2012? All sorts of big things. Growing my business in ways I have only dreamed of. Making real plans, accountability, scheming and ACTING on these plans! Yes, so I suppose what I’m looking forward to in 2012 is action! Last year was a looking-inward hibernating sort of year, just reveling in our little family life and developing a rhythm to that. This year we’re adding to that rhythm and it already feels really good. Yay 2012!

**update: the winner is Samantha! Congrats and thanks to all of you for playing along!**

“Let us pause in life’s pleasures, and count its many tears.”

I’m probably not the first person to post this video/song as a New Year’s Day post, but nonetheless, I’m feeling like you might just need to watch this. Natalie graciously put up with me listening to this version on repeat in the car today (well, by graciously, I mean she fell asleep to it — I think that counts). It’s on the album “Appalachian Journey“. Just. Love. It. So. Much.

And it seems so appropriate today somehow.

So here’s to the good times a-comin’. I hope 2011 was the best year of your life, but if it was sucktastic like I know it was for some of my nearest and dearest, may this bring you some solace, maybe a few tears and some hope.