February 5, 2010

1). Images above from Elena’s photostream – click here for credits

I saw these images last weekend and I knew I had to share them. When I clicked on them I paused – kind of a bit beside myself, because to me they’re all so beautiful. Then I couldn’t help but think, wow – there is no way I could ever take photos that are this wonderful.

Later in the week Jena at Modish wrote a very insightful post about how fear can hold us back from trying new things…

In the end she decided that she ought to look to overcome her fears. I think in some ways this is already the attitude I’ve decided to take on this year – but it was so great to hear someone put it into words. It doesn’t mean I’m not going to fail at any point, and that it won’t feel awful – but that’s all part of the process. Some things I’ll try again, others I’ll decide weren’t meant to be. As a result I know I’ll feel more alive and awake and that’s the best feeling I know.

So far I’ve opened an Etsy shop (I’ve been dreaming about doing this for a long time) and have plans to work on even more illustrations. I’ve allowed my blog to be more personal (a big deal for me), and I’ve started to work on becoming more skilled in photography (an area where I seem to have little to no natural talent – my world is 2-d)! So what’s next? I’m not 100% sure, but I think this year that’ll be half the fun…

What do you have planned for this year – are there things you’ve been holding yourself back from trying, but have decided that this is the year?

Category: Lifestyle | 3 Comments »
Tags: musings

January 29, 2010

Tara Gentile of Scoutie Girl blog asked a very important question this past week on her site – and got some very interesting answers. She put the call out to many artists and crafters – asking them, “What will your success look like in 2010″? So I’m asking you today, what is success in your eyes? Before you answer, I encourage you to read the posts from Tara’s blog this week (you’ll find some of my own thoughts amongst the others). I promise you’ll be inspired and you may come away from it looking at success in a new way that is more personal and that allows you to move forward with renewed energy, purpose and vision. Click here to visit the Scoutie Girl blog.

1). I’m a Successful Artist print from: Linocut Boy

Category: Lifestyle | 1 Comment »
Tags: inspiration

January 27, 2010

It’s not quite winter, it’s not quite spring – at least that’s Vancouver – when we should have much colder temperatures, daffodils and cherry blossoms are blooming – yet we haven’t seen that much sunshine (until today – hello!). The holidays are over and Valentine’s is approaching…

Are you feeling as inspired as you were in early January – as enthusiastic about the New Year? If yes – what’s helping you to stay inspired?

Personally, I had a bit of a “day” yesterday – filled with distractions and didn’t get nearly as many things ticked off my to do list as I would have liked. Got started taking photos for my shop and that alone was a gong show and made me a tad bit grumpy… I’m no photographer, let me tell you! But I feel like I’ve turned it around… I think sometimes we need to concentrate on taking things one step at a time, and accomplishing what we can – even if it’s not everything we set out to do. And take pride in the small steps we are making – interestingly, time away from a project sometimes allows me to come back to it with a fresh new perspective, which is just what’s needed. And at the end of the day it is all about thinking positively – finding the best in yourself and in others. And when you can, employing Magical Thinking, couldn’t hurt right?

1). For me For you 2). Lorena Siminovich

~Posted by: Amy

Category: Lifestyle, art | 2 Comments »
Tags: art, for me for you, inspiration, lorena siminovich

January 19, 2010

Perhaps I am writing this post and looking for these items as much for myself as for anyone who finds themselves reading it and is needing a bit of r&r too! I know with recent world events many have sprung to action to do what they can to help – and we all know selfless mothers and friends, folks who work or volunteer tirelessly for non-profits, those in the health care profession, and others whose work keeps them at the office late every day. Yet as we seek to live our best lives and to do good we’ve got to make sure to find a balance every day that we can – to rest and recharge. I love the soothing colors of the products in Dulcet’s shop – she offers bath items, paper goods, art work and much more here – just the type of items that help encourage me to get some R&R.

~Posted by: Amy

Category: Lifestyle | No Comments »
Tags: dulcet, r&r

January 13, 2010

I don’t know about you but when it’s snowy and cold or even rainy and cold I tend to eat whatever I feel like and I’m not so keen to exercise outside either! I was happy when Dr. Mubina Jiwa, a naturopathic doctor who regularly contributes here at Handmade Evolution, emailed me some tips for healthy eating after the holidays. I know that the better I eat the better I feel so I’ll be putting as much of this into practice as I can. Probably starting next week though…

Tips from Toronto Naturopathic Dr. Mubina Jiwa
Alcohol, parties, chocolate, cookies and cakes: all of these treats make it very common for people to gain between 5-10 pounds over the holidays. Fortunately, with a little discipline, you can lose those pounds quickly.

The first thing to do is to drink water. We’ve heard this over and over and yet, many people do not get enough. Factor in some extra alcohol and caffeine over the holidays, and you are sure to be a little dehydrated after the festivities end. But how much is enough? Ideally, people should aim to drink half of their body weight in ounces. This means that a 140lb woman should be drinking 70 ounces, or about 9 glasses of water, daily.

Another important thing to remember is to make sure that you don’t stop eating in order to lose weight. This can backfire leaving you hungry and craving foods that will further sabotage your efforts. Instead, focus on eating every 3 hours. Choose whole grains, lean meats, fruits, vegetables, some dairy and raw nuts. Also, try to include a source of protein with every meal. These foods and protein in particular, have lower glycemic indices, meaning that you they help to keep your blood sugar steady. By eating these foods every 3 hours, you will feeling satisfied all day and avoid the blood sugar dips that leave you craving sweets.

You also want to get moving. Exercise can help you feel better and increase your metabolism. This will help you burn more calories and lose weight. Most people focus on doing cardiovascular exercise when trying to lose weight but it is important to make sure you that you incorporate some weight training into your regimen as well. Although both cardiovascular exercise and weight training will burn calories, weight training helps you build muscle as well. This is important since, pound for pound, muscle burns more calories than fat, making your body better able to lose weight and keep it off.

For more on Dr. Jiwa’s practice, visit her website here

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Tags: healthy eating tips, Toronto Naturopathic Doctor

January 8, 2010

The Lan Su Chinese Garden honors Portland’s relationship with its sister city Suzhou and features Chinese trees and flora that you can explore as you walk down its winding mosaic paths. The cultural heritage garden opened in September 2000 and to kick off the 10-year anniversary celebration, the garden is offering free admission and special events until the 11th. This coming Monday, January 4th, check out the stenciling offered from 11-2pm and create some artwork on your lunch hour with the garden’s stencils and botanical stamps.

The garden is a gorgeous and peaceful oasis in the city and this is the perfect time for non-members to explore it for free. Visit their website for complete details of their 10 free days event in honor of the upcoming anniversary.

Winter hours:
November 1 – March 31
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Category: Lifestyle, Portland | 1 Comment »
Tags: Lan Su Chinese Garden, Portland

January 5, 2010

Our series on New Years Resolutions continues with some thoughts on taking risks.

It’s great when everything is working in life, things are ticking along at a predictable pace and everything is falling into place. You know what to expect from day to day for the most part and things are going well. Until one day you wake up and realize that you’re bored. That’s not to say we shouldn’t be thankful for everything we have in life (definitely an antidote to boredom) – but I’ve come to realize that if we don’t take enough risks in chasing our dreams and ambitions we will eventually find ourselves bored. We all need new experiences and things that challenge us to keep life fresh and full of zest.

I’ve been inspired by a number of folks who are taking their photography a bit more seriously this year, amongst them the very talented and friendly Vancouver local, Becka Brittain (you may have seen her lovely Etsy shop, Bliss in a Teacup or read her blog) – who has decided to take a photo a day for the rest of the year. I personally am not taking this on, but I know it wouldn’t hurt to try my hand at photography (again, for the 4th or 5th time) to see what progress I might make, and the images I can capture! I’ve included a couple shots above from Becka’s etsy shop as well as my favourite recent picture from her Flickr stream – it’s soo Vancouver.

What resolutions have you made, or better yet, what risks are you planning to take this year?

~ Posted by: Amy

Category: Home Decor, Lifestyle, Vancouver | No Comments »
Tags: bliss in a teacup, new years resolutions, Vancouver

December 24, 2009

I fell in love with this image when I saw it in this month’s Martha Stewart magazine – and had to share! No matter your feelings about dogs and clothes, you’ve got to admit it’s pretty adorable. We want to say Happy Holidays to all of you and hope you have an enjoyable break. We’ll be off the rest of the week enjoying time with family and friends, check back Monday as we’ll be continuing our series on Spring 2010 Runway Trends.

Posted by: Amy L.

Category: Lifestyle | 2 Comments »
Tags: Happy Holidays!

December 21, 2009

The last couple of years I’ve been – well – a bit lazy when it comes to wrapping Christmas gifts…. Most gifts from me found under the tree have been in gift bags. How quick is it to put a gift in a gift bag, artfully add some tissue paper – and voila! But I was totally inspired by the gift wrapping ideas in this month’s Real Simple magazine – perhaps it’s time to turn over a new leaf? A nicely wrapped gift is so much more fun to open. I like the idea of adding one unique object to finish the wrapping off – could even be just a simple item from around the home that was otherwise going to be thrown out, or an image from the front of a card. Better yet, if it’s a small box – how about using Christmas-y advertisements from magazines you’ve already read? Eco-friendly and inexpensive.

Posted by: Amy L.

Category: Lifestyle | No Comments »
Tags: christmas wrapping