The Christmas Spirit...

A friend recently posted this video on her Facebook page and it inspired me to try something different this year. I'm going to make most of my holiday gifts for friends and family, or I'm going to recycle things that I already have and would love to share with others around me. In addition, I'm going to match the money I spend on gifts, supplies for making gifts, wrapping, and shipping by donating to charities that make a difference in the world.

Of course, this adventure has required me to get started early, and here's what I've already noticed:

1. I love being artistic, but it's something I often fail to make time for in my day-to-day life. Making gifts for other people has given me an amazing reason to be artistic, rather than coming home and plopping down in front of a computer game or book. So it has been a real gift to myself, too.

2. Making a promise to match my holiday spending with charitable giving is forcing me to be creative and think about every dollar I spend. I'm doing things like making my wrapping paper out of materials I already have in order to save money. And that's a good thing... because rampant consumerism is definitely NOT a good thing. (If you're not sure why I say that, check out www.storyofstuff.org)

3. For the first time in years, holiday gifts mean something to me. You see, I've already logged hours of time making gifts, and I've spent each of those hours thinking about the people I love... reminiscing about our times together... trying to envision what they would enjoy the most. That's what Christmas is really about. It's a lot more work than clicking the "buy" button at some Internet shopping site, but it's been so worth it to me.

4. I haven't had to survive the obnoxious crowds, super-sappy holiday music, long lines, and "buy, buy, buy" messages that bombard people in malls and stores these days. Which means I get to decide what Christmas is about for me, rather than letting pop culture decide for me. And I've got more time for making those gifts... do you see the cycle?

5. I get to honor my friends and family AND make a difference in the world through charitable giving. That gives me warm fuzzy feelings inside.

So if you're reading this, here's my request: take a few minutes to watch the video and decide how YOU'RE going to make a difference this year. Maybe it will be something small... that's okay. It all starts with small acts of kindness.

And please know that you'll be getting something relatively small or hand-made from me... and that I don't expect anything expensive or extravagant from you, either. Your love and friendship is enough... everything else is just a bonus!

Fancy Mac and Cheese

Here's a recipe for Rosemary-Brie Mac and Cheese that I absolutely adore! I borrowed it from a fantastic blog called Pie in the Sky and adapted it a bit to suit my own tastes and cooking skills. It's a big hit at potluck dinners, and it's great when you want good-old comfort food (but fancied up a bit, so you feel better about eating it :)



Rosemary-Brie Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

2 cups small elbow macaroni
1/2 cup panko flakes or breadcrumbs
6 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2/3 cup whole milk (may add more as needed)
7 oz. Brie, rind removed
5 oz. gruyere, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
5 oz. fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced
1 cup diced green apple (Granny Smith is best)
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

Cook macaroni in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Rinse, drain, and set aside for now.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in small saucepan; saute mushrooms a few minutes until tender and set them aside.

Melt another tablespoon butter in same small saucepan (no need to wash in between) and saute green apples until they start to get tender, then set them aside (I put them into the same bowl as the sauteed mushrooms - again, less dishes to wash).

Melt another tablespoon butter in same small saucepan (again, no need to wash). Add the panko or breadcrumbs and stir over medium heat for about a minute. Then remove from heat and set them aside, too.

Melt remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a LARGE saucepan. Add flour and whisk over medium-low heat for two minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Add rosemary and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Once boiling, whisk for two minutes longer, then reduce heat to low. Add the cheese and stir until melted.

Remove from heat and add sauteed mushrooms and apples. Add more milk as needed for thick, creamy consistency.

Preheat broiler.

Mix macaroni into sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper (I left these out completely, and it still had plenty of flavor - it's your call). Spoon into Pyrex pan and sprinkle the breadcrumbs over top.

Broil until breadcrumbs are brown, about 2 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!


*** Note: The original recipe called for fresh figs, rather than green apples. I don't like figs, though, so I swapped them out for the apples and I loved the result. The apples add a nice, tangy touch. Try it both ways and let me know what you think!

Things I'm Thankful For...

• My parents, who have always loved me and supported me despite all the crap I've put them through.
• My first love, Adam... I'll never forget what it felt like to be loved for who I am. I know I'll find that again someday.
• The children in my class - they are so small and vulnerable, yet they radiate joy and trust. They remind me of the things that really matter in life.
• The parents of the children in my class, for trusting me with their most important treasures every day.
• Megan O, my best friend and the sister I never had, for loving me through the ups and the downs. Here's to a bright future together, raising our kids and playing in the sunshine and making art and... well, you know.
• Nike, for respecting teachers and paying us accordingly.
• All my amazing friends, near and far... and the technology that helps us keep in touch, even in the midst of our busy lives.
• My dog Abby Lou... she's the best hiking buddy a girl could ever ask for and she's worth all the shoes she's chewed up over the years.
• My co-teachers and suitemates, who make it a joy to wake up and go to work every day.
• Portland, Oregon... finally a place that feels like home.
• Music... my lifeblood... when I can't find the words, I can always find a song to express how I feel.
• Barack Obama, who helped me rediscover the part of myself that cares about where our nation is headed.
• Landmark Education. I really wouldn't be who I am today without a three-day course called the Landmark Forum.
• Art... which comes in many forms, and hides inside all of us.
• The people who take the time to smile as they pass me on the sidewalk each day.
• Freedom and love and joy and celebrations and diversity and friends and family and heartache and trust and all the other things that make us human.
• I'm grateful for every day in this beautiful Universe!

What I Listen to on the Tough Days....

I don't adhere to any particular religion and I'm still bitter and frustrated with all the dogma in the world... but when it comes down to it, I know there's something more. I know we're not alone. I know it's not really about all the little things that seem to matter SOOOO much from day to day but are meaningless in the big picture. This song reminds me of that... it says it all for me. You can see Tyrone singing it here and it'll be on his new album that comes out in January.

"More" - Tyrone Wells

Sometimes I get so tired just trying to find a place to lay my head
I look up to the sky
I feel the warmest light comfort me.

I've seen the great heights reminding me I'm alive.
I don't want to die.
I don't want to waste another day or night.
I know there's something more than what we're living for.
I see it in the stars, I feel it on the shore...
I know there's something.

I think we're all afraid that we might be alone down here.
We all want to have some faith.
At least that's true in my case... to just believe.

I've seen the great heights reminding me I'm alive.
I don't want to die.
I don't want to waste another day or night.
I know there's something more than what we're living for.
I see it in the stars, I feel it on the shore...
I know there's something.

This world could crumble into the ocean.
This could all end tonight.
I undermine You, then try to find You - my only Source of light.

I'm breathing out...
and breathing...

I am alive!
I don't want to die.
I don't want to waste another day or night.
I know there's something more than what we're living for.
I see it in the stars, I feel it on the shore.

I know that I'm alive.
I don't want to die.
I don't waste another day or night.
I know there's something more than what we're living for.
I see it in the stars, I feel it on the shore.
I know there's something more.

Scrapbooking...

Tomorrow's my birthday, and to help me celebrate I'm taking a class this evening at a local scrapbook store (Scrapbook Attack in Beaverton). I'm going to be making a perpetual calendar that looks something like this:

I'm excited and intrigued and I'm looking forward to meeting new people. It's interesting to me how the "art" world and the "craft" world intersect in my life. I've always been prey to the notion that scrapbooking and crafting don't really count as art, or that they're somehow less legitimate. I sometimes find myself apologizing for my crafty side or reminding people that I'm not a real artist.

But tonight's my night to let that go, so here's my declaration: I am a person who loves to make beautiful things! Sometimes they are unique and self-invented. Sometimes they follow patterns or are taught by others. Sometimes they use the tools of the artistic trade, sometimes they use the tools of the crafting trade, and sometimes they combine the two styles into one. But they are all beautiful and I'm proud of them all!

So if you ever want a handmade perpetual calendar, now you know who to ask... look forward to lots of new variations on the theme! :)

Hair....

You know, it takes mere minutes to cut off inches and inches of hair. And it's fun... for a while. Here's the problem: when you finally decide you miss all that hair and you want it all back, it takes MONTHS to grow it out again. Why do I keep forgetting this? Why?

Oh well, at least I have a fantastic stylist friend... hopefully she can help me avoid the oh-so-awkward phases that are often inevitable while it's growing out again...

SoulCollage Party...

Last year for my birthday my best friend Megan and I took a class called SoulCollage* where we learned an amazing art technique that helps you get in touch with your own inner wisdom. This year - for my 31st birthday, which is coming up Tuesday - I'm hosting my own SoulCollage class, led by collage artist and SoulCollage facilitator Susan Marra. It will be amazing... and you're invited! Here are the details:

SoulCollage is a process that uses imagery to access your inner knowing. Through this simple process of SoulCollage, you will create one or more cards depicting an inner aspect of yourself and then using a unique questioning process to receive guidance from the images. You'll be creating beautiful art at the same time! Everyone has access to their creative inner knowing and anyone can do this fun and simple SoulCollage process.

The workshop will be led by Susan Marra. She has been a collage artist for 22 years. Discovering SoulCollage in 2007, she embraced the process as a fun and profound tool for self-exploration. She became a facilitator in 2008 and teaches classes around the Pacific Northwest.

The cost for the workshop is $30, which includes the training and all of the materials needed to make several SoulCollage cards of your own.Please feel free to invite other people - just make sure to let me know in advance who will be attending!

Date: Saturday, November 22, 2008
Time: 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: Somewhere in Beaverton - Check Back Soon!

I'm including one of my completed SoulCollage cards, as well as the journaling that goes with it, to give you an idea of how the process works. I draw a card whenever I find myself challenged or frustrated in life, or whenever I've got a big decision to make. Often times, the card I choose is a perfect reminder of some part of myself that I've lost touch with... either positive or negative. It's often just enough to get me back on track. As you read the words below the card, listen to them as if the card is speaking to you. In this instance, it is the voice of the little girl that we are hearing.

I am the one who carries Peace within myself. I am in this world, but I am not of this world.
I create my own reality in every moment.

I am the one who chooses my own focus. I do not bend to the tide of public opinion and I do not surrender myself to the fears of others. I am a force for hope and love in the world. I am a rock of safety and kindness, and the chaos washes over me without altering my view of the world or muddying my childlike innocence. I find beauty in every moment.

I am the one who looks the monsters in the eye and smiles, refusing to run or to cower in fear. I am always with you - you do not need to cower anymore, either.

I am here to remind you that life goes on. I am here to tell you that you are more powerful than you have ever imagined. Do not forget - you are the creator of your own Universe. You choose your own reactions to life's challenges... you choose whether to focus on the monsters or the flowers... you paint each moment of your reality, much like you choose the images on each of your SoulCollage cards.

Today, I am asking you to paint with colors of hope, love, beauty, and compassion.

* SoulCollage is the process, created by Seena B. Frost, of creating and “reading” a deck of collaged cards from found images – cards that are arranged in suits for the primary purpose of self-exploration and self-acceptance. SoulCollage cards are made from original purchased art (e.g., art published in magazines, calendars, books, cards, etc.) and personal materials (e.g., photos). SoulCollage cards are not to be sold, traded, or bartered and are to be reproduced only for the personal use of the maker of the card. For more information about this amazing process, check out www.soulcollage.com or www.kaleidosoul.com.

Nike Guest Passes...

As you may know, I work for Nike... which means I get to shop at the Nike Employee Store. That's right... incredible Nike gear at incredibly cheap prices.

And because you're reading this blog, you could shop there too!

I've gotten lots of extra guest passes to the employee store for the holiday season, and I'd hate to see them go to waste. They have to be used up before the end of the year.

If you or your friends are interested in checking out the store - it's located in Beaverton, and it contains all the best Nike, Converse, Cole Haan, and Hurley gear at 50% off the retail price - just let me know. I'll need to know the date you want to do your shopping and I'll put your name on the guest list. I'll give you my employee number and directions to the store and you'll be admitted with no problems!

Easy breezy... leave a comment or e-mail me if you're interested. First come, first served!