Project 20-12

Happy New Year Everyone!

Mmmmm cava...

After my champagne induced reflective post yesterday about yesteryear, I am so ready for a new year! After all, since I’m not really a fan of “resolutions,” I tend to seize new months and new years as time for new projects!

What exactly is “Project 20-12?” It’s a brainchild of mine a few days old, drawing from “try a new thing every day” months or weeks that man-go-round and I have experimented with in the past. While its been a lot of fun, it can be daunting to do a new thing EVERY day for a year.

But what about knocking off 20 different activities from 12 categories in the next year? That’s roughly 5 days a week, more or less (I didn’t crunch any actually numbers there), and flexible for all sorts of actions. Some days might have several numbers checked off, some will have none. Its a work in progress.

Here’s the categories:

  1.  Food: trying a new food together, making a recipe, visiting a restaurant
  2. Social: reaching out to long lost friends/ family, writing letters, meeting neighbors, etc.
  3. Love/ Relationship: leaving notes, doing caring things for each other
  4. Places: travel, going to a new shop, new spaces near or far
  5. Health/Body: trying new forms of exercise, going on walks
  6. Arts/Crafts/Writing: projects together, building things, writing
  7. Tech/photo/web: photo walks, blog together, create server
  8. Service: for friends, strangers, communities
  9. Spiritual: sharing and exploring the “deep stuff”
  10. Culture: New forms of media- plays, music, movies, sports performances
  11. Learning: Exploring/learning together, sharing new knowledge with each other
  12. Play! (The most important one)…dancing, making up silly songs, gaming, and laughing until we cry.

But then, what are the color codes all about? Well, in true craft nerd form, I decided I wanted to make an arts and crafts project to symbolize all of this craziness. Thus, we start with a blank canvas:

…and some multicolored scraps from magazines/ ticket stubs/ product labels/ fabrics…

…and little by little, a mosaic collage symbolizing the project will be created!

I’ll do updates periodically to show you guys what the collage is looking like, and what kinds of fun new stuff we’ve been trying. Most likely, it will become a Sunday/ weekend feature.

What kinds of projects or goals do you have set for 2012? What are you optimistic about in the upcoming New Year?

Meri

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Beers & Tears; Fears, Cheers and My Dears

As 2011 draws to a close, I feel a compelled to do a “year in review” post of some sort. Not because I think anyone cares about my year, but for myself. It’s important for me to remember and remind myself that while there were definite lows, there were many more highs and happy mediums.

Ahh, 2011…

January: Traveled to Venice, CA with man-go-round

February: An obnoxious amount of crafting, writing, cooking experiments, hibernation…

March: Visited parents in Arizona. Tackled Camelback this year (and it tackled me back).

Ouch. You win this round, Camelback. I'll be back in March...

April: Started a new part of my job, setting up social skills groups at work.

May: Man-go-round and I packed all of our things and moved to the east side to a “deluxe townhome in the sky.” We had one last party at the “treehouse.”

June: My beloved Volkswagen is FINALLY paid off! Hooray! Man-go-round and I also started our “one fun excursion a week” plan for the summer including trips to the zoo, Minnehaha Falls, Walker Open Field, the Trylon, and more.

July: Joyous to hear one of my stories would be published in Wildflower magazine!

August: Celebrated 5 years with man-go-round with a fancy schmancy trip to Oceannaire for whiskey, escargot, crudites, and baked alaska.

Where did that S car go? hehe

September: Rushed to the ER with an entangled intestine. Had emergency surgery to remove the dead intestinal tissue and spent the remainder of the month hospitalized and stuck at home. Boo. Ended the month with a family get together which kind of brought me back to life.

This beauty is six inches long
....but remembering why life is worth living...

October: Girls weekend in Chicago listening to jazz, seeing art, meeting up with cousins, and partying at Second City show.

This is me, when I'm arty (aka thinking about drinking like the men in the picture)

November: The warmest Thanksgiving I can remember- starting off a memorably warm holiday season!

ice melting in the sun

December: Our first (adult sized) Christmas tree. Celebrated the start of my 27th year with dear friends, and Christmas with dear family.

Cheers, everyone!

Despite some of the “tears” (surgery and its hideous aftermath), this really has been a great year. I’ve had “fears” about something bad happening again, or about whether I’m really going after what I want for a career and more, but mostly its been a year of celebrations (“cheers”) and realizing how lucky I am to be living the life I have. Health scares, especially when they come out of nowhere, can really show you how lovely people can be when you need it. Some of my “tears” were not of fear or pain but of joy, for all of the “Dears” in my life.

Thank you.

…and what’s on the agenda for 2012, you might ask?

I’ll tell you next year 😉

Cheers!

Meri

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Random McNally

Hi everyone.

It’s Travelin’ Thursday! Don’t think I’m crazy, I know I already did one early Travelin’ Thursday post last night… but I wanted to do two this week, so deal with it!

Why? Well, mostly just because I’ve been exploring the basic games and programs on my new bamboo tablet, and I was playing around showing man-go-round the U.S. cities I’ve been to and want to go to. Never before has my categorizing/ listing nerdery been so instantly gratified!

So in the spirit of new gadgets, here’s my map with a list of the cities (I’m including only larger or capital cities and not including cities I’ve only driven through).

Have Visited: 

  • Minneapolis/St. Paul (Duh)
  • Seattle
  • San Francisco
  • LA/Venice
  • San Diego
  • Phoenix
  • Orlando
  • Atlanta
  • Cleveland
  • Chicago
  • Madison
  • Milwaukee
  • Lincoln, NE
  • Cedar Rapids, IA
  • Fargo, ND
  • Sioux Falls, SD
  • Ann Arbor
  • Denver
  • New York City
  • Boston
  • Vancouver
  • Winnipeg

Would Like To Visit

  • Portland
  • Napa
  • Santa Barbara
  • Tucson
  • Albuquerque
  • Austin/ San Antonio
  • New Orleans
  • Nashville
  • Savannah
  • Washington D.C. 
  • Norfolk, VA
  • Philadelphia
  • Montreal

What cities aren’t on my list that I should visit? What maps would you  like to see next? Do you do more traveling within your own country or more internationally?

Meri

 

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Arizoning Out

As the New Year approaches, there is one thing that I have on my mind (other than dreaming about champagne in my PJs on New Years morning)… my annual trip to see my Mom and Pop in Arizona!

Seeing my snowbird parents has become one of my favorite ways to break up the long Minnesota winters. Even though this year has been incredibly mild so far (50 degrees the day after Christmas? in MINNESOTA??) I still can’t wait.

So for this Travelin’ Thursday, I wanted to share a few of my favorite photos of AZ from years past!

Sedona
Desert Sunset
Little Johns? I always forget the name
Lake Pleasant
Some Cactus Love
Vulture Peak
Montezuma's Well

 Are you planning a winter getaway? Where should I visit in Arizona this year? What travel sites do you use to find the cheapest ticket prices?

Meri

Posted in flowers, travel, Travelin' Thursday | Tagged , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Santa’s workshop

For the last couple of months, I’ve been a crafting fiend. Well, so most of the year I’m pretty into craft projects, but after being homebound from surgery and then getting some holiday spirit in me, I’ve been even more crafty of late!

Here’s what I’ve been up to (Christmas stuff only):

circle ornaments, potholder/ trivets, beaded ornaments, cozy coasters
initial ornaments, candy cane ornaments, group shot, fabric/ bottle cap ornaments

So now, I’m sifting through magazines, surfing pinterest, and racking my brain for the next great craft project! I scored awesomely with Michaels’ cards again this year, so the possibilities are bound only by my imagination!

I’m thinking about:

1. More paper cutting/ paper folding, more hotgluing, more magnets and bookmarks, more macrame, more recycled materials

2.Learning how to crochet, cross stitch, or similar.

3. Incorporating my new bamboo tablet into craft and graphic designs and posters! Yea!

If you’re a crafter/ project person, do you do them all year round or only certain times of year? If you’re not a crafter, what are your relaxing hobbies?

Meri

Posted in crafts, holidays | Tagged , , , , , , | 19 Comments

copycat crime

Well, Christmas has come and gone. In the midst of all of the wrapping:

wrapping done by my creative eco-warrior ma-in-law!

…unwrapping

Gah- the carnage! (but hey, there's THIRTEEN of us, okay?)

…merriment…

there's a special place in my heart for my momma's Christmas goblets!

and reflection:

get it? reflection? ha.

I had time for two last Christmas tasks. I found two adorable ideas on Pinterest (totally sucked back into that this week), and they happened to round out the last couple of days on our Advent Calendar.

First, the Snowman pancake:

 

source


so, that was obviously harder than it looks.

Next up, sleds full of treats for my favorite peeps:

source

okay, so what did I learn?

1. Copying ideas from Pinterest is harder than they make it look…

2. Both of these activities were still fun, and the recipients enjoyed them anyway!

So pin on and craft on, my brothers and sisters.

Plus, we’ve got a whole year to practice!

How was your holiday weekend? Have you tried DIY projects from Pinterest or other web or print tutorials? How did they work out?

Meri

Posted in crafts, drinks, family, holidays | Tagged , , , , , | 43 Comments

O Recappin’, My Captain…

Hi all! I’m now on holiday vacation for the next four days, and I couldn’t be happier! In all of my pre-Christmas glee, I’ve forgotten to keep my Advent Calendar posts updated! So here’s what’s been going on since we left off: 

  • Dec 12th- We put Rudolph on the the tree while watching the old school Rudolph movie and a few other weird ones on Netflix. Naturally, there were antler headbands. Naturally, there was beer.
  • Dec. 13th- We put the present symbol (my favorite of the bunch because of the houndstooth print) on the tree and wrapped up some gifts!
  • Dec. 14th- We put the hat symbol on the tree after we walked around at night looking at neighborhood lights. at 8:30 p.m. or so, it was still 40 degrees!
  • Dec. 15th- My second favorite symbol, the candy cane. We ate candy canes (how creative). I think I enjoyed some Candy Cane Lane tea too. How do I know? Cause I drink it about every day. 
  • Dec. 16th- mittens. Man-go-round and I walked part of the way to work, and he even carried my food drive items for me. It was hella cold this morning. Hence the mittens!
  • Dec. 17th- We put the holly/ mistletoe symbol up because I spent the afternoon alternating between hot gluing crap and chasing man-go-round on with a mistletoe headband. There were holiday tunes involved. 
  • Dec. 18th- We put up the wreath because I got some last minute greenery put up outside!
  • Dec. 19th- The snowflake symbolized that I taught man-go-round how to cut out a paper snowflake. We put them on the tree to decorate it. 
  • Dec. 20th- For the cross symbol, we said prayers for both family members who are having a rough time, and for our human comrades in general.
  • Dec. 21st- Breakfast coffee/ tea in our new reindeer mugs- hence the hot toddy symbol. We also “clinked mugs” with good friends later for my birthday 
  • Dec. 22nd- we’re putting up the snowman symbol because I want to make this tonight (I’ve spent all evening (okay, all week) on pinterest:  source

Okay, isn’t that the cutest? I’m sure mine won’t turn out nearly as well, but I’ll give it a shot!

What should I do with my remaining symbol (the sled) seeing as we still have no snow?! Any ideas? What fun things have you been doing in these last days before Christmas? Has the holiday cheer made you a little cuckoo too?

Meri

Posted in crafts, drinks, holidays, lists | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 26 Comments

A Very Meri Birthday Par-Tea!

No, I haven’t gone mad like the mad hatter. Tomorrow is my birthday, but toDAY is Tasty Tuesday… how can I celebrate both at once?

Let me rewind a tad. My officemates suggested we have a “tea party” to celebrate my birthday tomorrow, and the first thing that came to mind for me to bring was:

Marias! These are probably my favorite cookies. Hell, they might even be my favorite food. Even more so than animal crackers (though they are a very similar beast, just more fun to play with).

When was living in Madrid and buying/ making my own food (rather than deal with a very carnivorous country’s cuisine), I ended up eating a lot of

1. Baguettes dipped in goat cheese

2. Burrito night buffet (my roommate was also a vegetarian) with Desperados

3. Marias with Nutella.

Yes, these were not the most nutritious of times. Let’s all just give a quick thanks I didn’t end up with scurvy…

But the lesson I learned was that Marias are quite cheap and indubitably delicious! Perhaps I’ll enjoy this batch with this:

This fig and almond spread is an early birthday gift from my momma (apparently my new bamboo tablet wasn’t enough!) and I am dying to try it!

I’ll be back soon with an update about all of the delicious parts of my next year on earth, year 27. I’m looking forward to it!

Have you ever had delicious Marias? Do you go through less than nutritious junk food phases, especially during times of high studying or stress? What should I spread on them next?

Meri

 

Posted in cookies, drinks, Madrid, Tasty Tuesday, tea | Tagged , , , , , , | 30 Comments

Orna-mentality

Well, okay, so I told you all a few weeks ago that we decorated our Christmas tree. That doesn’t mean, however, that we haven’t added some items here and there.

Thus, for today’s edition of “Make my List Monday,” I thought I’d do a breakdown of the different types of Christmas ornaments, for better (sequins!) or for worse (generic glass bulbs. blech.)

Meri’s “Getting in the Orna-Mentality” Checklist:

  • Crafty Ornaments (by kids): We’re talking sleds made of popsicle sticks, Snowmen from cotton balls, and cookie cutter stars painted and tied with yarn, decoupage anything… I think we all can agree these are adorable. Grade: A- (points docked only because they don’t last forever. glue sticks aren’t immortal, you know…)  
  • Crafty Ornaments (by adults): I might be a little biased here in favor, as I’m quite the craft nerd myself. We merely up the ante from the kids’ category to crotcheted snowflakes, sequined and tasseled birds, painted and molded figurines. Grade: A (if you made up the design yourself), B- (if you copied it from a magazine or other tutorial.) 

    Yes, I made this. Yes, that means I give myself an A. You wanna make something of it?
  • Grown up ornaments: Otherwise referred to as, “look, but don’t touch,” or “that’s my faberge (insert anything)…” here we might see delicate glass icicles, crystal angels or birds, fancy metallic boots (I didn’t know this was a “thing” until yesterday. I thought we just had one weird unique boot.) Bells and nutcrackers round out the MVPs of this category. Grade: B (B for Beautiful but also for Boring…)
  • Personalized (A.K.A. “make anything an ornament and put the kids name on it.”) That might sound a bit harsh, but you might see kiosks full of these at the mall. Snowmen, stockings, whatever your heart desires, with that special child (or adult?)’s name on it. This category includes the beloved baby photo in frame and engraved metal ornaments too. Grade: A+ for my baby picture ornament at my parents’ house, D for all of the other ones. This is my list, I grade how I want.
  • Figurines: Disney characters, santa bears and coca cola bears, Snowbabies, and more. Peanuts characters, penguins, Wild players (we had one until he got accidentally decapitated… oops). Any character ever, in ornament form. Grade: D. I’m not inspired by these at all, even though I have some I absolutely adore. 

    oh gosh- I might have scary dreams about this one tonight...
  • Ornamental Food: Candy canes, popcorn and cranberry garlands, gingerbread cookies… Grade: A. I just love these, I think there’s something Victorian yet utilitarian about them. Winning!
  • Balls/ Bulbs. Okay, so these are classic and unavoidable, yet sort of tiresome. Glittery or painted, Glass or porcelain. Grade: B+. Never better, never worse. 

What are your favorite ornaments? Did I miss any categories? Do you have a fancy “grown up” tree, a “kid” tree, or a mixed tree?

Meri

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Posted in crafts, holidays, lists, Make my list Monday | Tagged , , , , , | 28 Comments