Friday, January 30, 2009

The Year of the OX



Always been interested in Astrology, birth days and Chinese Zodiac signs. Not Nancy Regan style interested, but a bit of insight, some amusement and learnings about people that over the years has seemed to be accurate ( and fun to share )
A friend had the Birthday book-which was incredibly accurate-you looked up the actual day some one was born, and viola a profile for each. When I read mine, years before meeting my now husband, there were 4 soulmates listed..alas he was one.
Wouldn't that make you a believer?

So here we are now, with our kids fascinated by understanding and celebrating Chinese New Year, and with friends and colleagues doing the same. Participating in some of the traditions and wishing all a wonderful year.

Naturally I had to do a litte more investigating to find out more about this year of the OX. Here we go:

The Ox is thought to be the sign of prosperity through fortitude and hard work. This powerful sign is a born leader, being quite dependable and possessing an innate ability to achieve great things. As one might guess, such people are dependable, calm, and modest. Like their animal namesake, the Ox is unswervingly patient, tireless in their work, and capable of enduring any amount of hardship without complaint.
Ox people, according to tradition, need peace and quiet to work through their ideas, and when they have set their mind on something it is hard for them to be convinced otherwise. An Ox person has a very logical mind and is extremely systematic in whatever they do, though they have a tremendous imagination and an unparalleled appreciation for beauty. These people speak little but are extremely intelligent. When necessary, they are articulate and eloquent.
Traditionally, people born under the influence of the Ox are thought to be kind, caring souls, logical, positive, filled with common sense and with their feet firmly planted on the ground. Security is their main preoccupation in life, and they are prepared to toil long and hard in order to provide a warm, comfortable and stable nest for themselves and their families. Strong-minded, stubborn, individualistic, the majority are highly intelligent individuals who don't take kindly to being told what to do.
The Ox, it is thought, works hard, patiently, and methodically, with original intelligence and reflective thought. These people enjoy helping others. Behind this tenacious, laboring, and self-sacrificing exterior lies an active mind.
The Ox, according to tradition, is not extravagant, and a modern interpretation of this is that the thought of living off credit cards or being in debt makes them nervous. The possibility of taking a serious risk could cause the Ox sleepless nights.
Ox people are truthful and sincere, and the idea of wheeling and dealing in a competitive world is distasteful to them. They are rarely driven by the prospect of financial gain. These people are always welcome in small gatherings because of their humble composure and reverent nature towards the host. They are reputed to be the most beautiful of face in the zodiac. They have many friends, who appreciate the fact that the Ox people are wary of new trends, although every now and then they can be encouraged to try something new. People born in the year of the Ox make wonderful parents and teachers of children.
It is important to remember that the Ox people are sociable and relaxed when they feel secure, but occasionally a dark cloud looms over such people and they engage all the trials of the whole world and seek solutions for them.

Image from a fav blog ShimandSon..Check out her site, and her great book Handmade Hellos. It is a treasure!!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Inspiration


Always love an inspiration board-a giant bulletin board, tons of tear sheets or cards, photos and good old visual stuff that inspires the brain. Saw this somewhere ( sorry I can't remember ) and loved it. Why not have one of your own?

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Decorating Dreams








Starting to think about the Nursery and have been compiling a bunch of ideas. Seem to wake up in the middle of the night with this on my mind ( along with a list of less exciting business and personal to dos!. We will need to move sometime in May so I have no idea what the room or house will look like but hard not to think more about. Here we go so far..

Amazing Bedding and those adorbable elephants by Rikshaw Design...from the minute I found this boehmian bedding via Decor 8 I have been a dreaming about it.

An chalkboard reframed in a fab old vintage frame after a trip to the Alameda Flea Market early one Sunday morning, this will be the perfect project for my father in law. He is signed up for one of the fantastic oversized bulletin boards he makes so beautifully as well.

With this great Love Poster from Made by Girl resting a top an expedit Bookcase from Ikea and some other great framed artwork and photos yet to be taken we will be all set.
Piles of books already read to our three kids, jellycat stuff animals and other treasures will be a part of this fun little world.

A white oversized rocker or glider ( yet to be found at the right price ) and this cool elephant side table from twos company ( found on Amazon for less then $ 100.00 )

Lastly these simple cribs from Ikea ( yes, we need two!! )

Still on the lookout for a few things ( changing table, great rug ) and trying to keep our project within a tight budget ( have a few tricks up my sleeve ) please pass along any ideas you might have!!

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Inspiration



So proud of a new series of tee shirts we just designed and got in...So much of our vision and hope for Peek...Aren't You Curious was to really connect with parents and kids and to understand and celebrate all of the hopes and dreams that we have for our little ones. When one visits the stores, the experience of the enviornment, the music, the quotes, the photography, the childrens artwork and the playful but sophisticated nature of the stores truly comes through. With our products our goal is to design clothing that is stylish, childlike, thoughtful, interesting and that allows both a child and parent to feel like their own self comes through.

In giving thought to this incredible time in our lives;
When both we and are children look for heroes and role models,
As we are getting ready to celebrate and welcome a new leader,
When we are learning about past presidents and the meaning of country,
When we are looking to help our children become their best selves.

A series of T shirts honoring our past and future presidents and a homage to the meaningful word that they inspired us with.
Each of these honors a president and a meaningful quote from their innagural address.


Check them out...and let me know what you think!

Friday, January 16, 2009

Big News!!



We've been keeping our lips sealed for about 16 weeks, and now are thrilled to share our big news, we are expanding our amazing family and thrilled ( and a bit amazed ) that we are expecting twins in late May. After years of hoping, some months of working hard with our medical friends here we are...The last few months have been pretty amazing, an easy first few months, lots of thinking about what and how we wanted this next phase of our life to look. Sharing the news with our family, our kids, close friends, our partners and team at work..I could not be happier.
Always wanting to have children and being really fortunate to have three beautiful step children, Scott and I have talked about this for years and all of my fears sort of held me back. Finally knowing, and being with some one who helped me see that what we both wanted could be.

To love...of my husband, our kids, the babies, good friends, my new blogging connections and to truly living what you love.

( and this wonderful image and product from Palomas Nest is sure to be in the babies room )

Thursday, January 1, 2009


Over the last few days, have reflected so much on things..our life, family, work and gave some thought to how I wanted to spend 2009..sitting quietly and writing helped me to think through everything that was in my mind..bear with me!

1. Live what you Love
I saw as you know this beautiful quote a month or so ago. As I get older, there is a grace and humility in connecting with who and what you love and living accordingly. Knowing that following my heart, facing my fears, taking responsibility for my own actions instead of focusing on those of others allows me to truly be.
-Develop a stronger connection to my family
-Reconnect with old friends
-Spend time with family and friends more regularly.
-Build our company as we completely imagined it to be.
-Be realistic about what we/I can do well and focus.
-Pursue creative passions
-Speak from the heart

2. Live simply
Over the years, I have bought, coveted, aquired many things. As I spend time with my family and friends, and in my home, I realize that I have more then I could ever use and much more then we need. This year, I would like to truly enjoy the material things I have; the clothes not often worn, book not yet read, photographs still to be hung. Aside from things for the kids, my goal is to buy little to nothing. Read the piles of books, wear the closet full of clothes, play the games we have and truly appreciate the beauty that is already in our home ( and garage! )
As I get older, there is a beauty in simplicity and the things that
-Don't buy any more clothes for myself for 6 months!
-Read all of the books I have.
-Make use of what is stored in the garage/closets when we move this Spring/Summer.
-Unless it is for the kids, question the need.

3. Laugh Often
Don't really need to expand on this point!

4. Learn
Life is about learning, experiencing and growing..there are many things I would love to learn more about but think there is a beauty in picking a few and truly exploring and understanding
-A simple home based yoga and pilates practice. As I get older, I appreciate how much a daily practice of yoga or pilates can do-both mentally and physically. 20-30 minutes of focused time is all I need to begin. I would love create my own daily practice at home . The studio that I love in town is easier for me to visit on the weekends!
-How to be a better photographer

5. Practice Wellness
There are some simple things that make a world of difference in how I feel. Not sure why it seems easier ( habit? ) to fall back to other patterns, but want to incorporate these into my new routines.
-Develop some simple routines-drink water, choose foods that are nourishing, bring my lunch to work, pack a snack
take a daily walk, take a hike twice a month, practice yoga/pilates twice a week.
-Spend time with inspiring people.




This picture is from our amazing honeymoon in Belize last year. Would LOVE to go there again!
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