Live and Laugh ( and be more organized! )

Thought these calendars were the perfect way to start the new year. Here's to a year filled with much laughter, joy of living each day and month, good friends and style..the creator of this clever calendar is giving them as party favors on New Years Eve!
Brilliant!

Reflections

As we take some time off this week and spend some real quality time together as a family, I keep thinking and connecting with what an amazing year 2008 has been.
In the midst of it all, I realize I spend a lot of time thinking about work stuff-the challenges of a start up,all the things I want to do better/differently, juggling everything at work and at home, and the lack of real quality time with my Dad and brother and his family.
Then, over the last few days, I am struck at different times by some other thoughts.
Thinking about everything we have, and all that we have done this year. Challenges, learnings, allowing myself to make my husband and our family the center of my life, building friendships and community, reaching out more to my Dad and Brother, reconnecting with old friends, trying to speak more from the heart, judging myself less, trying new things.
It has been an amazing year.As I watched the kids over the last week, and stepped back and looked at who we are as a family and how we were living, I was incredibly proud of who and where we all are..

-Our first year of marriage and as a family of five.
-Started working on expanding our family, went through fertility treatments and IVF ( laughed and cried a bit along the way and was amazed by the bonding that occured as we shared our story.)
-Learned a lot about the balance between work and family and true parternship in life.
-Actively participated with the kids, their teachers and friends at school.
-Continue to build our business, expand the team, opened 4 more stores, sold 80 wholesale accounts including Barneys!!
-Learned a ton about what we could do better and how to stay focused..Raised money for our third and fourth year of operations.
-Reconnected with some old friends, made some great new ones..grounded in real and authentic values.
-Embraced 2008...facebook, blogs, flickr, twitter and truly found some old and new friends along the way.
-Discovered the blog world,sources of inspiration and creativity and some new friends.
-Fell in love with Etsy, and the talented folks that share their talents with the world.
-Gave voice more often to what was in my mind and heart..and started understanding family dynamics.
-Started the search for my birth parents.

I can't wait for 2009.
Happy New Year!!

Image via Paul Costello ( thank you Joyce from Simply Lovely )

Live what you Love

As we start a New Year, one simple thought for me and for all of us to live by.

First seen in an ad, this Etsy seller, Hijirik Studio on
SF Girl by the Bay ( a weekly read ) I ordered this for a friend in Black and White, framed it and gave as a simple gift. After I got the first one, ordered 4 more, 3 as gifts and one for us...as a simple reminder everyday.

New Years Thoughts

Although New Year's Eve is often a time of resolutions ( this year we have something else planned...stay tuned..) for a few years I have tried to take the week between Christmas and New Years as a time with family and friends and a time to recharge. Since so many others are off, I don't feel the worry of being out of touch from the office, and work to dos. Of course things go through my mind, but I try and push them away and am always amazed at how much more thougthful, focused and motivated I then am when I get back to work. This year, for many reasons, no vacation, but time at home with the kids-day trips and adventures and some real down time.

This is often the time that I think back on how I am living, spending time, with whom, and taking care of self and family. A time to get some perspective.

Saw this ages ago ( and I am sorry to say, I don't remember where ) captured beautifully, in words and form a lovely way to live..
Enjoy and Live what you Love.

Sweetness

Our dear friend Abbie from Passing-Notes came by ysday to wish us Happy Holidays and bring us an amazing treat from Sketch in Berkley.
I had to share because not only do I know from past experience how fab the goodies will be, but as always the packaging and the design of the gift ( which she of course did !! ) is spectacular.

How ironic as well as we were planning our holiday menu for 14 on Christmas Day, that I had planned to make delicious salty almond sundaes with hot fudge ( or crushed candy canes and hot fudge ) for the kids ( and a few of us grownups! )

Now I must figure out as well who to gift these too...perfect for a little hostess gift or around valentines day for your little sweeties!

A Gift idea and a little self promotion

Catching up late yesterday on some blogs, was thrilled when I read Design Mom and she had not only a great holiday idea for gift giving, but also was suggesting that Santa head over to our on line sale and shop. ( Seriously, the prices are crazy !! )

So back to the idea...Gabrielle and her husband have a few simple ideas for gifts for the gifts for the kids; something to read, something to wear and something to play. At Black Eiffel this morning ( another regular read! ) the idea was lovely...Something for each in your family as follows; Want, Need, Wear, Read....

We shall now adopted these wonderful ideas as well!!


PS. Since I am clearly weaving a bit of promotion into todays post, want to also mention that we started our Semi Annual 50% off sale today in our 7 stores...Since EVERYONE is in need of spending a bit less this season, we thought it best to start a bit earlier then planned. Truly, these are some great deals....

Image and original post from Dandee a new blog to read!

Simple Holiday Decor

Greenery, Lights and Love...
Says it all...Hope you had a Happy Weekend

Slumdog Millionaire

I dont think I have actually ever posted or written about a movie before, but even though we saw Slumdog Millionaire 2 weeks ago, I can't seem to get it out of my mind.
First, I must admit, I adore India as a country, a people and for the landscape, style practice of living. I had the opportunity to travel to India twice, and can not believe I did not make a trip to this glorious country happen...I think at the time the idea of going for only a few days for work was just not enough. Now, I think about the opportunity to go for 2 weeks or more and hope that I can make that happen at some point!

This movie though touched me in so many ways...The hope, the heartbreak, the failure to become a victim of circumstance, the reality of what was, and the development of what has become in this country and finally the love that helps to overcome it all. Everything about the story, the film and the characters touched me. At this time as well, the truth of what matters most came shining through. With love in our heart, we really don't need much else at all.

Photo Courtesy of Travel and Leisure

Giving thanks

I was so excited when Joslyn from Simply Lovely and I firsted connected via her blog. I adore her sensibility, style and approach to life! When she asked me to be one of her featured bloggers this week, I was thrilled.

I continue to be amazed by the world online, the creativity, talent, intellegience, kindness and how on a daily basis ( or when ever I have a moment to have a look ) the inspiration that others most of whom I have never met bring a sense of enjoyment to my day.

Have been a bit remiss in blogging recently, and while I have a list of good reasons I miss it..knowing as I write, it gives me far more then the time it actually takes.

So as always, a huge thank you to Joslyn for welcoming me into her world in so many ways.

Much love...

Image courtesy of Absolutely Beautiful Things