5 Reasons Marie Kondo's Tidying Method Worked for Me

Marie Kondo’s book, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, was on my radar for a few months before I decided to purchase it. I wish I could remember what I read that made me press click immediately to download it onto my iPad. Thank you, Universe. It was the Sunday after I returned to Philly from the holidays, still hazy after a long nap trying to make up for the 12 hour drive through the night from Indiana with an almost 2 year old.  I read the first half of the book in about an hour. I had to force myself to keep reading so that I could get to the part where she told me to start Tidying.

I was inspired to try her method to streamline my daily routines in order to create a better work/life balance.  It also coincides with my fascination with minimalism, and the idea of turning routines into rituals. I decided I needed to write about it instead of talking evangelically to any of my friends or coworkers who would listen. (Although many of them are also reading the book now!)

She advises you start with your clothes. I inwardly groaned at having to drag clothes from 4 different places into a huge pile just to put them all back. But I had read the book, and I trusted this strange lady, since she was adamant that it works and can change your life if you follow her steps. I listened, but I was skeptical about having to speak to my belongings. I had thought my clothes were already pared down, since I edit and donate each season. I was mistaken. Once I threw all of my clothes into a pile, it felt massive, but not overwhelming. I awkwardly held my first item in my hands and asked, “Does this spark joy?” Whether that first item passed the test or not, I don’t remember. But rather quickly, I finished the pile, made my decisions, and bagged up about 70% of my clothes. When I write that down, it sounds shocking. But it was surprisingly easy and felt different than the dozens of times I had done this before. I was giddy.

Here’s why it worked for me.

1. Sorting by category is genius. 

There is power in confronting the reasons why you have an Everest sized pile of clothes. Especially a pile of clothes that no longer fit, you don’t like, or even use anymore. The mass to sort through becomes easier and easier, since you have to pace yourself with so much to get through. Once you see 5 of the same type of item you’re ambivalent about, it gets easier to say no to all of them, or at least 4 of them. I found that I’d already gotten rid of most things over the years that didn’t fit me anymore or suit my style, yet had hung onto many random items for sentimental reasons, guilt, or “just because”.  

2. Take out the Long Criteria of Decision Making, just ask One Question – “Does it Spark Joy?”

Any other time I’ve done something like this, there are too many ways you can rationalize needing to keep something you don’t want. It’s exhausting to have to make so many decisions. “Does it spark joy? Yes or No?” is so refreshing, especially at a time when people suffer from decision paralysis just to order brunch. It’s a joy to have permission to ask yourself one question or just trust your intuition.

Here is how I interpreted “Sparks Joy”:

• Items that I immediately reach for in my closet or make me feel good
• Clothing, colors and materials that fit well and are flattering
• Clothes that feel authentic to my style and how I want to be perceived in the world
• Items with positive emotional ties that I desire to keep (like my late brother's band t-shirts that I wear)

But what about things you need but they don’t spark total joy, like an old winter coat, or a uniform you need to keep? I had a great discussion on Instagram with Dara Schneider/The Minimalist Athlete (IG @minimalistathlete about this. She’s a purist, and I’m decidedly less so. Dara is inspiring, amazing, and I love connecting with other people on this journey and seeing their perspective. Her extremeness pushes me to challenge myself more. I realized I had created my own Spark Joy – Criteria Range. Realistically and financially, I can’t replace everything I don’t love, especially right now. Plus, it’s a lifelong process. Here are the criteria I’m using for my decisions, which I’m not over thinking, but doing intuitively.

•  In order to consume less and be more intentional with what I do purchase, I can prioritize what I need to replace over time with things that spark more joy (fit better, higher quality, etc).
• Mend or tailor items to make them work better for me? If I’m not going to do it immediately, I know I didn’t like that item very much to begin with.
• Is it a seasonal item that I only use occasionally but isn’t my favorite? I’ll keep it and focus on the items I use more frequently.
• I know that my preferences (particularly related to color) change with the seasons. If I love everything else, I’m keeping it until the season arrives where that color feels right to me. I can then donate later if applicable.
• Wearing less things more frequently means I will have to replace things more often as they wear out. Clothes and belongings are not meant to last forever. Don’t expect them to.
• Clothing is just one part of the picture. If I don’t have enough clothes to get me through the week (and had to do laundry more often), other parts of my life would suffer. Efficiency and convenience is one of the reasons I’m drawn to this, especially so I can pare down my daily tasks to have more time to spend with my family and to paint.

Here are some belongings I thanked and sent back into the world. I did take pictures of some things that I really had trouble parting with, which helped me.

•  17 year old thermal pants that my Aunt bought me for a graduation snowboarding trip – just in case I got to go camping again, snowboarding, and never had access to a Target where I could buy another pair
• A bridesmaid dress in a color that didn’t flatter me when I wore it 4 years ago, but will be so exciting for whomever finds that Vera Wang bargain at The Good Will
• Jeans that aggravate my C-Section scar and aren’t in style anymore anyway
• The Letterman jacket that my parents bought you (thank you, Mom and Dad) and I wanted to badly in high school, but only got to wear occasionally since it was really hot in Florida. In fact, one of the times I wore it was while wearing a swimsuit and no pants at a Diving Meet.  I would have kept it anyway, but the manufactured leather had started deteriorating and was ruined. It had its final hurrah when I wore it for Halloween a few years ago, and noticed that everything I touched was getting streaks of sticky plastic residue
• 20 year old dress shirt that belonged to my dad, that I wore as a nightshirt in college and for years later. It has since been retired, but I could never part with it. My dad is thankfully still alive, and I can steal hundreds of other ratty shirts from him whenever I want
• A blue tweed jacket I bought for an interview 9 years ago that I felt bad about not wearing again, since I never had a place to wear it to. Also, the style was not good Coco Chanel tweedy jacket, but Working Girl 1980s looking.

3. Thank your clothes. 

Okay, so this is the part of the process that I found the weirdest, which boggles me, since I talk to my car and thank her for her service all the time (is that not the same)? I didn’t talk to any clothes until I got to the 20 year old dress shirt of my dad’s mentioned above. I knew that I wanted to let it go, but wanted to understand why I was holding on to it for so long. So I held it in my hands, looked at it, and started talking. The words just came out without me having to think. I understood that the shirt had been my connection to my dad when I was away at college and a little homesick. My dad was not a big phone talker, but I missed him very much. Wearing his shirt to sleep in was a way to connect in my own way. But I no longer needed the shirt, since I’m so lucky my father is here, and now we talk and Face Time often. My dad also emails me nearly every day now! After that incident, I talked to any clothes that needed it, or would just bow my head silently to thank it for its service if I felt inclined.

4. Hold all of your clothes. 

I get it now, Marie Kondo. Holding your belongings makes you more attuned with what you have, and makes you remember or decide whether you love them or just need to send them on their way. In a way, you’re the medium and figuring out what your clothes want to tell you. I cannot believe I just wrote that, but it feels true. (And this is why I love connecting with other KonMari Konverts because they will not think I’m crazy, but will be nodding their heads and smiling.) When you turn them in your hands, you can see that it’s your favorite red sweater’s last season due to wear, or that you need to mend a hem to your pants. Holding my clothes made it easier to decide what to keep, and encouraged me to mend or take care of what I did want to keep. I mended a button on my winter coat which took 5 minutes, and now love wearing that coat. I hemmed a pair of pants that had been bugging me for a year, and it took barely any time. perhaps now that I have less, I also want to take better care of what is left.

5. Fold your clothes and store vertically. 

I don’t think I can ever go back to before. Her way of folding is very easy, and makes everything in your drawers fit neatly. I don’t know if it’s because I edited so much of my wardrobe, or if it is the new way of folding, but I did not need any more storage than I currently have. Also, it has been 7 weeks since I folded everything neatly, and it’s still as nice as it was the first day. I found myself walking past my drawers and just opening them to look at my sushi rolls of socks, or folded pants. It’s also hard to throw your clothes back into the drawer, since it already looks so nice. You’re not knocking over stacks of clothes and messing it up again. Everything is visible and lined up. Last thing. I was feeling lazy the other day and threw off my t-shirt to change, and was going to put it in the drawer inside out. In my head, Marie Kondo’s voice asked me, “Won’t your shirt be embarrassed to be next to its friends inside out?” Don’t you know that I agreed, folded it up neatly and put it back. I hope I made Marie Kondo proud.

I am also ready to start a career being a Marie Kondo Tidying consultant, apparently she will be offering overseas training in the US! In the meantime I will just enjoying being a Marie Kondo Konvert and writing about my progress here.

Winter 2015 Capsule Wardrobe

This is my second time doing the capsule wardrobe. I didn't have enough pants last season and ripped my only pair of jeans, so I did not worry out about following the capsule exactly. After all, one of my goals for doing a capsule wardrobe was to streamline my routine in the morning to eliminate undue stress from my day. To rectify the pants issue, my ever helpful and generous Mom bought me two pairs of corduroys and new jeans when I was home in Florida last November (thanks, Mom!). She also kept my rambunctious toddler occupied while I tried on clothes (thanks even more, Mom!) I had a hard time deciding what to wear this season. If I had my druthers I would have wanted to wear all black and white this season. I have been very inspired by these muted neutrals and a limited palette.  However I wanted to be realistic and use a lot of what I have, since I didn't want to purchase too many things.

I used as much black and white as I could and inserted wintry colors (eggplant and navy). Here's what I came up with.

I have been meaning to get a couple of sweaters and finally had the chance to shop and find something today (sans toddler). They were also both on sale - score! Since I knew exactly what I needed to round out my wardrobe, it was easy to target my search and not spend money on extraneous items. I also got a free lipstick at MAC with the "empties" I had used up. Good stuff!

Goodbye, 35!

I turned 36 on November 19th. I'm happy to be here another year, and I'm happy that I can finally remember my age now - since I've consistently forgotten if I am 35 or 36 for the past several months. When you're a kid, you think of these numbers - these ages, so abstractly. You also think your parents have it all figured out, which is hilarious now. I'm sure they were all winging it just like I know I am! You assign specific milestones to them. It's funny that I don't remember assigning a milestone after 27. Perhaps it's that I figured my 30s and on would be so easy, with all the money I'd be making working and saving to go on trips, and buy "grown up" things like sofas, houses, cars and other adult necessities. Ha! Kids forget about taxes, student loans and childcare costs. And groceries.

I always thought 27 sounded like the best year. It was an odd number which I like, and an age that seemed like you had things figured out and were officially "grown up" and maybe had a kid, but not "old". 27 did make me grow up though, as it was the year I lost my brother. But, it was also a reminder to never truly "grow up", and to live my life and appreciate every age so that I could continue to bring joy, the learning of new things, and laughter into each new year - in an attempt to also bring part of my brother's spirit with me.

So before I look at 36, I want to remember a few things from 35. Thank God for the micro-blogging goodness that is Instagram, so can remember! (And I know this is long, but I have to get the word count in for my semi-annual posts these days - kidding!)

My mantra this year was "One Thing at a Time". I wanted to stay present (except for folding laundry, that requires television), keep my mind straight and stop trying to do too much at once. Whether that was at work, hanging with Henry, or taking on too many commitments or activities. I think it all worked out.

I adjusted to the new routine of my life with a one-year old little boy. I tried to stay present in the moment, and give him my full attention when I could, but also not be too hard on myself. Babies need to learn how to be their own people too, and I love that Henry is independent. I also tried not to fall into the "mom guilt" trap, and to support my other parent friends. We are all doing the best we can, and that has to be enough. Did I mention that I called my own mom and dad every single day? Thank God for those people, and thank God for FaceTime!

We got to travel to Florida for Christmas and this past Thanksgiving, Indiana in March, see my cousin from the Philippines in April, and have a Huber family reunion in July. We played a lot of cards. I love that my family loves games (excluding my Dad, who used to play but now rebels). The older I get, the more important keeping in touch with my family is.

I read books! I even let the dishes or laundry pile up sometimes in order to get some Marissa time in.

I did my first Capsule Wardrobe in November. I think that I always wear the same things anyhow, but now it's more intentional.

I donated, gave away or tossed possessions that I do not need or want. I've been reading more about minimalism and I find it addicting. The part that intrigues me is clearing up the clutter in your life to make room to focus on your passions. I also like buying less, but getting better quality items on something that will last. It doesn't have to be about having nothing, but surrounding yourself with people and things that you truly love. Except art supplies. The more the better! Ha!

We spent quality time with Henry. He is at the age where he has a full personality and makes us laugh all the time. We visited the Zoo, the Please Touch Museum, the beach, parks with our friends, we went on walks around the neighborhood, played at the water park, we smiled and waved to the sweet old ladies near our local playground, and we embraced silliness to make our boy laugh.

Henry and I religiously attended "Pizza Tuesday" all summer. Or as my friends refer to it,"Tuesday is the new Friday." We wrangle our kids at a park and order fresh Margarita pizzas and glass bottle Coca-Colas from a food truck with a wood fire oven on board. Tuesdays were one of the highlights of my summer. Sometimes we even got ice cream afterwards. Heaven.

I chopped off eight inches of my hair to donate and get some much needed style back.

Henry got bronchialitis / asthma triggered from colds (that he should hopefully outgrow), we stayed at the hospital 4 separate times. He is doing much better and his new asthma plan is working really well (knock on wood). We are so grateful that we live 2 miles away from the best Children's hospital in the country and he has received amazing care. Henry and I got to attend a garden showing under the stars of an opera that my friend was performing in at Longwood Gardens. It was a truly magical night. We spent the day exploring the gardens with my girlfriends, drank some wine, and sat under the stars on a chilly summer night. I sat in the back near the exit with my sleeping boy (in case he cried so we wouldn't disturb anyone), and it is a memory I'll always treasure.

I did some side gigs! I helped a lovely couple in Chicago with space planning and interior design for a family friendly Living, Dining and Work / Foyer area, and wrapped up some work with a local client in Philly.

After a brief hiatus, I started drawing and painting again.

Mike and I got to dress up fancy and attend  a beautiful outdoor wedding, drink champagne and stand outside barefoot in the wet grass with our friends while watching the party from afar. I think it should be a rule for every major party to sneak away for a moment and to take a quiet moment and capture the moment in your mind.

I re-worked our family budget to pay down debt and save more. This led to saving money on food and imaginative meals using the  contents of our pantry. I find our routine works better when I do some meal planning, and when I'm also realistic and put in flexibility to order pizza or have Mike pick up Wawa! (I've also found that people who are into "meal planning" are really into meal planning so you can find a lot of information - thank you, Internet!)

I finished all seasons of The Wire, and officially agree with society that it is the best television show ever made.

I read (and loved) Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg and tried to apply principles to my career. My friend and I now use the phrase WWSS for "What Would Sheryl Say?" when we need to encourage another female colleague to own her success and to make a leap, even if it is daunting.

Speaking of work, I am proud of what I did this year. I learned a lot and worked hard to improve my skills and how I provide reporting and data. I love the people I work for, and there is a ton of support. Highlights were eating lunch alfresco with friends on our roof deck, eating my weight in double chocolate or orange cranberry muffins from the cafe, and the one bike ride and one run I went on with colleagues.

We took Henry on his first amusement ride at The Boardwalk in Ocean City. He was not ready, we had to stop two rides twice before we learned this lesson. However, he was ready to dance for a crowd while we were taking shelter from a sun-shower.  They were literally around him clapping and he tried to break dance. It was amazing.

On to the next year!

Sketches and Clothes and Chicken Scratch

I had some fun today mentally recalling what I put together clothes wise for the past ten days trying to only use items in my capsule wardrobe. I felt like sketching...

Days 7 and 8 were my favorite days, since I wore a new silk scarf that a friend gave to me, and a gorgeous 100 inch strand of pearls my mom gave me one Christmas. The pearls looked especially nice against the black blouse I wore.

I'm still working through my capsule, and I already replaced a few things, but so far it's making my morning wardrobe decisions much easier. It's also encouraging me to work with the accessories I have but never end up wearing!

Fall Fashion Capsule Wardrobe

I heard about capsule wardrobes for the first time from Caroline at Un-Fancy. As someone who flirts with the idea of minimalism, wants to be more efficient in the morning (getting out of the house for work & daycare) and is looking to eliminate daily choice overload, I was hooked!

The idea is that you select a specific amount of items of clothing, accessories and shoes for the season and pack what you won't be using until the next season. Dependent upon what "rules" you follow, accessories and shoes may or may not count. I'll likely count my shoes (forgot to draw my blue suede boots) and be unlimited with my jewelry to switch things up.

Basically, it's a strategic plan for your wardrobe, so that it is edited, cohesive, and items will work well with each other. As an artist and designer, I love having limits, it helps me be more creative and forces me to use what I have. I also am more mindful of the great items that I do have.

It was great timing since Fall has just arrived. After reading a ton of posts on Un-Fancy, I also checked out Project 333 , which was also helpful (and binge worthy). I packed up clothes, put items in the donate pile, and a mend pile.

I went to my sketchbook to figure out my 33 or 37 (still a little undecided) pieces for the next three months. It sounds like such a small number, until you start writing it down, or in my case, drawing it out.

This is my preliminary Fall 2014 capsule. I think I'll buy a white tee shirt, and maybe a green military trench if I find a good deal, but I think I'm good! Side note, I love the drawing app Paper by 53, it is so much fun, though nothing will ever replace old fashioned paper, pencils and paint!

I'm one step closer to having a jumpsuit uniform!

P.S. Look at my sweet little boy drawing too! Sigh, for cuteness...

One Post Before Fall Ends

When life gets busy, something has to give. These days, it's my personal blog, but I love to have it to look back on, document my life and keep my little part of the internet. I turned 35 in November. I'm enjoying my 30s, and appreciate the chance to get another year on this planet. Better late than never, here goes a list of the things that happened at 34 that I'd like to remember:

1. I became a mama. Being a mama is pretty amazing. You get to run with glee towards a fire engine at a kid's party and people just think you're being a great mom. Ha! Impending motherhood also gave me a kick to start things going on other dreams I had before I got sucked into a vortex.

2. Case in point: I became an official small business owner with my design partner-in-crime, Ann. We started Design Move Toss, LLC, which is a virtual and in-home interior design consulting gig. The goal is to have it be a fun and creative outlet where we can help people, make some extra money, and let it grow responsibly and organically. I'll probably talk about it more, and we're in the process of getting our logo / collateral redesigned soon! However, it was great to get started and not worry about making everything perfect in the beginning. Anyone else have a tendency to suffer from perfectionism paralysis?! Oy.

3. I really made a go of my Etsy shop selling watercolors and custom home portraits, and was pleasantly surprised to exceed my expectations in sales! I want to explore some paper collage and larger scale paintings this year, but we shall see. (Again, that limited free time and day-job thing).

4. I went out of my comfort zone a few times, and as usual, was glad I did it!

5. I said "no" when needed, to make sure I wasn't spreading myself too thin, so that I can be there for my family.

6. I tried to stay present in the moments and enjoy my new baby, and was "gentle" with myself, per the wise advice of Leya (Curious Bird).

7. I read some books for fun. I laughed with friends. I watched more TV than one should, and tried not to feel too guilty. I ate lots of chocolate muffins in the afternoons with a side of coffee.

8. I got to spend lots of time with our family and friends, which is the most important thing to Mike and me. Having Henry as initiative for people to visit really helped! My heart bursts when I see how much he is loved by my amazing relatives.

9. We got to go to NYC, Washington D.C., Indiana and Florida. Not too bad for year one. (We also all got severely sick in NYC with our Indiana relatives, but have many stories to laugh about now).

10. I picked up my knitting needles again! I'm making Henry Pickles (his nickname) a Fair Isle sweater.  I'm looking forward to see what good things 35 brings!

Scenes From Our Days

This is my first attempt to blog from my phone in order to write more often! The weather in Philadelphia has been gorgeous. There's just a hint of crispness in the air, but you can still wear flip-flops with a long sleeved shirt. Driving with the windows down is a must in my opinion.I'm taking advantage of the roof deck for lunch at my work. Our office moved from downtown to the Philadelphia Navy Yard. While I miss working downtown, I'm used to my new routine (although I do miss my bicycle commute). We are making the best use of this weather right now by going for strolls to the Philadelphia Free Library after work/daycare, meeting up with friends, and walking around our neighborhood.

The new Barnes museum has a wonderful outdoor area with gravel on the ground that makes me think I'm in Paris (if only for five minutes)!

Ina Garten Inspired Summer Corn Chowder

Before Summer officially ended, I made a huge batch of Summer Corn Chowder. Using a few recipes for inspiration (the ever fabulous Ina Garten and a few others), I came up with this recipe. It is delicious, if I do say so myself. I ate it for about a week solid. I'm hoping to make it one last time before the leaves turn.

Ingredients:

Directions:

Rustic chic table setting:

Food detail drawing:

My favorite companion to soup:

I heart soup.

Fermented Sourdough Starter Hooch Juice

My father has one sister, Aunt Sissy. She is a prolific bread baker, reader, nurse, teacher, mother of four, dog-lover, and overall amazing woman. When I was going to college in Indiana, she was a 5 hour drive away in St. Louis. Their house was my home away from home when I was burnt out on being a college student (for what felt like a decade), overcoming college-angsty heartbreak or just homesick. The years I got to spend with them there (and my uncle and four cousins) are some of my most treasured memories. Whether it was taking my younger cousins to the movies, having "nights of beauty" where I'd dye my cousin Cara's hair and we'd experiment with makeup, or just reading on the couch and talking to my aunt and uncle. When she visited me in March to meet Henry, she brought a sourdough starter for me and taught us how to make her go-to no-knead sourdough recipe. The mad-scientist type process of having to feed the sourdough starter appealed to me, and the low effort for a delicious baked bread. I've made no-knead and kneading required breads before, but never with a starter. This one is delicious, and takes 5 minutes of preparation. You just need to find a starter or make one yourself!

My aunt uses a chopstick to stir the bread, and I'm a convert. Less shagginess to cling on to the utensil, and it does the job. Just plan ahead 14 - 20 hours ahead of time to allow for the rising, second rising and baking. Other than that, it is totally simple.

I follow the recipe linked above from Heather at A Real Food Lover. I just take one chopstick and mix 3-1/2 cups of bread flour, 1-1/2 cups of non-chlorinated water (I leave my Philly tap water out for 12 hours prior), 1/2 cup sourdough starter and 1-1/2 teaspoons of sea salt in a bowl. My preferred method is to stir everything vigorously and try to get all of the dough wet until it's in some semblance of a ball. However, it doesn't seem to matter. If there are dried bits of flour on the bottom though, it will mix in once your dough rises.

Cover it with plastic and let sit (room temperature) for 12 - 18 hours. Here is my dough after about 18 hours. Also note my really cute BKR water bottle that I love, but I accidentally dropped and broke (so need to purchase the glass bottle part again soon).

Take your dutch oven (oval shaped if you're lucky like me and have a pretty purple one from...you guessed it...Aunt Sissy) and spread butter all over the bottom and sides. Round would be fine too, it will just give you a different shaped bread. Sprinkle some cornmeal on the bottom and shake it so it hits the sides.

I have dumped the ball of dough into the dutch oven, or floured a surface and kneaded / folded it gently into a football shaped loaf. I had the same results both times. Either way, shape it into a loaf looking thing and center it in your dutch oven. Cover with the lid and let rise for 1-2 hours.

Heat oven to 500 degrees, and bake for 30 minutes with the lid on. After 30 minutes, take the lid off, and (very important here, folks) reduce heat to 450 degrees to get this nice crust. Do not forget this very important step and turn your loaf of homemade goodness into a burnt football. However, if you do as I did, you can scrape it off and still eat it. Might I suggest additional toasting and lots of butter?

If you do it correctly, the top will look like this. Mine doesn't spread out to fill the whole oven, but it still creates a beautiful shape. Let it cool uncovered or even taken out of the dutch oven, slice and enjoy! It is delicious warm from the oven, and also toasted with  butter. But honestly, is there anything better than toasted bread with butter? It's the perfect accompaniment to a bowl of soup or a hearty salad.

It goes fast, so plan ahead to make more! I keep mine (after it's cooled) in the same dutch oven I baked it in with the lid on. This is also the perfect excuse to keep my beautiful Le Creuset oval oven out on the countertop.

I've said it before, but there is really something magical about making bread. There's an invisible thread that connects you to the millions before who created, passed on and taught this small act of providing sustenance to your family. It's the childlike glee I get to see the chemical process that creates something delicious out of a few ingredients, patience and time. And the smell in your home before, during and after the baking process.

Thank you, Aunt Sissy, for years passed and years to come of love and support. And thank for bringing me a jar of fermented sourdough hooch juice into my life and connecting me to something big, small and outside of the intensity of new motherhood. I love you always.

P.S. Hooch is the alcohol substance that can build up over your starter. It makes me laugh for no particular reason other than it sounds funny.

Watercolors for Caitlin Wilson Textiles

Right before Henry was born, I was commissioned to paint several water colors for Caitlin Wilson Textiles, thanks to a referral by Rachel Grace. My illustration style and what she needed turned out to be a good fit, and I am so grateful to have this opportunity to work with her. Caitlin is an amazingly talented and creative designer. I had so much fun bringing her lovely pillows and interiors to life in watercolor for her portfolio and website relaunch. I always love a fellow enthusiast of bright and happy colors.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I loved being able to do something that felt "normal" in the early days of motherhood, as I was feeling tied to the sofa while feeding the baby or trying to sleep. It was a bit stressful as well definitely, but it helped me to work faster and  plan my time differently. Instead of painting a watercolor in 2 shots, I had to think of what I could accomplish in 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and be flexible as well. As sometimes my mom could hold the baby, and sometimes he needed me, as I am his food source!

This type of working means that I have to leave my studio area in progress sometimes, and avoid the common procrastination trap of thinking everything must be neat and clean before I can start working. Sometimes you just have to get it done, even if it's painting on your bed while watching TV with a cute little boy who just wants to snuggle next to you.

Caitlin could not have been sweeter or more understanding regarding working with a brand new baby, as she's a working mom herself. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to meet her in person before she relocated to Portland, but I can definitely say she is a sweetheart (via email) and a talented and hard worker who deserves great success.

Enjoy the details of these watercolors. The floral pillow with navy piping was my favorite to paint. Okay, and the bulletin board!

Drawing Houses in Philly, New Jersey + Cincinnat

It seems like the trees in my neighborhood were just shaking their pink pom-poms announcing spring, but we're already in the middle of summer thunderstorms.  It must have taken that long to start adjusting to the new rhythm of my life.

Our schedule is getting easier, or we're adapting and becoming more efficient baby wranglers. We're learning to pick and choose some nights. The kitchen remains clean, but we've left clean laundry unfolded in favor of more time with Henry, dinner out with friends and a whole book read last week. I thought about doing it tonight, but decided to check in here instead.  Every day is a choice when it comes to time, but I'm trying not to sweat it or spread myself too thin.

I'm feeling very grateful to have the need to carve out time to finish some house illustrations, and create floral garlands for photographer Anna Peterson's new logo.

This row home drawing was one of my favorites to do, mainly because it was for my friend who is a total sweetheart, and also because I loved painting the little flower boxes. I was especially happy to finally finish this, since it was part of a long overdue wedding gift I'd been meaning to send, but some baby got in the way. I told myself I technically have a year according to Emily Post, but I felt really guilty not finishing yet when she threw me a Book Club Baby Shower and cooked me a delicious chicken pot pie and Smores bars shortly after Henry was born!

This sweet portrait was a commission (and surprise gift) for the parents my friend, Rachel Grace of Raenovate. They were moving to be closer to her and her growing family, and she wanted to document their beloved home of thirty-six years.

This Cincinnati home portrait was finished just in time for Father's Day.

Alright, I'm off to delay yet one more day of folding laundry (probably).

Notes from a New Mama

When I last left off, (two whole months ago!), I was having a little too much fun acting crazy with my big belly, which is a completely fun prop before it exhausts you. Sadly, the writing waned as I was tying up loose ends at work, getting the house ready and trying to enjoy the last bit of selfish me-time for awhile by taking naps, going to the movies and just doing whatever I wanted.

Henry Andrew was born in February, and we are counting ourselves very lucky to have a happy and healthy baby boy. I think he's already a little flirt, and is making friends and charming women and men alike wherever he goes. Mike and I were so excited to finally meet him, and it's so cool to see what a sweet dad Mike is becoming. And to see someone who had never changed a diaper become a pro in a few short weeks!

I was so very lucky to have my mom stay with us for five weeks to help during this exhausting yet very special time in his life, especially since Mike didn't have much time off work. I was grateful for her support, advice, cooking, cleaning, for another set of hands to hold the baby, for hands to hold me if I was overwhelmed, and to see the magic of my mom becoming a grandparent and falling in love with this little boy.

Apart from the intense new motherhood experience, I also had the opportunity to work on some design and illustration work. A friend and I did some virtual interior design for a client in New York City, and I did some watercolor illustrations for a fabulous local designer, Caitlin Wilson. It was boot camp in terms of figuring out free time with a new baby, but it also helped me to reconnect with the part of myself that is "Marissa" and not just a source of nutrition and love for a new human. Please refer to the part where my mom was here for 5 weeks lest you think I'm pretending to be a super-mom.

Some days I felt like I never left the sofa while feeding the baby. Though I spent many hours gazing into this baby's sweet face, I also watched all three seasons of Downton Abbey. Yes. It is all it's cracked up to be, and I'm already missing it!

Mom and I baked three chocolate chip cakes in five weeks, and got hooked on no-knead sourdough bread which my Aunt brought for us with a starter.  We balanced it out by making some bright colored salads with the first of the gorgeous spring vegetables. I am so excited for Spring!

The weather has been cold but sunny in Philadelphia, and we've been taking Henry on walks in the neighborhood. We have some friends in the neighborhood who occasionally join us, and I have been treating myself to hot chocolates at our local coffee shop as an extra incentive to get outside! He loves being carried around in our Baby Bjorn and will fall asleep for entire hours it seems.

I did finish knitting a baby sweater for lil Hen before he was born. It's way too big, but he looks pretty cute wearing it at around two weeks. It's crazy how quickly they do grow and how their faces change. He already looks entirely different than in this picture. We're enjoying him and adjusting and learning every day.

I'm not sure how much I'll post about Henry or being a mom on here in the future, but wanted to show my face and introduce you to our little boy. Thanks for being my virtual friends, and  I look forward to reconnecting on this space with you all in this coming year.

xoxo, Mariss

Charlotte's Web Shawl

There are some projects and goals that lay on the wayside for the duration of time it takes to graduate from high school. Case in point, I have had these Koigu mill ends since 2008 which were always slated to become a Charlotte's Web Shawl. After I found out I was having a baby, it seemed like hundreds of strangers and friends wanted to tell me how little time I would ever have to myself, labor and delivery horror stories, advice (some good!),  more horror stories and very personal inquiries. Regarding the knitting, I took this time to finally make myself this particular shawl - before my life is over and I never have a minute to myself! I jest.

Here is the yarn. Mike helped me to put them in order for the shawl.

My illustration from four years ago was inspiration to someday knit this!

I really just wanted to knit this shawl for the fringe.

Here is the finished shawl. It's huge. It's about my height fully stretched out, so around 66 inches.

I'm really happy with how it turned out. Once I got the hang of the lace pattern, it was pretty easy, but I recommend placing a lifeline in case you mess up. I messed up and restarted it at least three times. This is not to scare you off, just to provide some realistic expectations.

This colorful detail below is one of my favorite parts of the shawl.

Well, besides the fringe of course! I held myself back from adding beads or sequins!

I don't know why I waited so long, but it was worth the wait!

2012 into 2013

For a Florida kid who spent her youth wishing for white Christmases, I definitely got my share this year while spending the holidays with Mike's family in Southern Indiana.We stayed cozy inside at my in-laws home playing poker, canasta, Cards Against Humanity, watching movies, eating ice cream sundaes (my idea!) and hanging out.

This year we each wrote a handwritten poem for our sibling & in-law gift swap. You could write about anything, and the poetry reading was hilarious! It has been added to the annual repertoire.

I wrote about the shenanigans that occurred on Christmas Eve night including too much tequila for certain family members and a kitchen plumbing incident resulting in calling Mr. Roto-Rooter at 3AM. This pregnant sober lady caught it all. Though I couldn't enjoy the cocktails, I did dance enough for myself and the baby. The belly just enhanced my moves!

Here's a semi-cheesy shot of Mike and me on Christmas Eve before the annual party and resulting craziness.

Mike's best friends are already spoiling the future baby boy. We received plenty of Indiana University baby clothes, 2 pairs of amazing shoes, and one heavy metal onesie. We couldn't be more pleased!

New Years Eve was spent in Bloomington at the Atlas Bar where Mike's best friend was bar-tending. It was a treat to spend this time with our loved ones and run into some familiar faces unexpectedly!

It's always hard to see everyone you want to, but this time we really got to squeeze everyone in. Tracy and Rob came down from Indy for brunch, Mike and I got to visit our former bosses Jane and Werner (and Matisse and Cassatt, the retired art store kitties), and I had a mini-reunion with 3 of my interior design girls.  We even got in a 15 minute visit with my best friend, Heather, who was driving through from Illinois to Maryland!

Before we knew it, it was time to return back to Philly. The drive home was thankfully uneventful and quick (for 700 miles). I was feeling comfortable and fine, and even felt like driving my 1/2 of the trip, though Mike is sweet and would have driven it all if needed.

Though I had a wonderful time, I did not dread returning to work and my routine this year. With less than a month before the baby comes, there is so much I want to get done at work and at home. Let the nesting commence!

Happy New Year, my friends!

Holiday House Portrait for the Grace Family

My adorable friend, Rachel Grace of Raenovate asked me to create a house portrait for their 2012 holiday cards. I was so touched to be asked, and hadn't realized how much I missed my watercolors and inks after a brief hiatus. In interior design school, interior and exterior renderings was always my favorite part of my projects. They have a cute Craftsman style house which was fun to draw, and Rachel and her talented hubby are always doing impressive home improvements.

I especially liked creating the holiday garland details and banners, and painting the bricks!

I loved how their house portrait turned out, and thankfully, they were pleased with the results! I also decided to add custom house portraits to my Etsy shop since they are so much fun to create.

Rachel used a local printer to scan the image and create their cards. It was such a treat to receive their cute holiday card in the mail. I think it turned out really great! Thanks for the opportunity, R+T!

Ft. Lauderdale Baby Shower

I found myself with one unexpected extra day off from work this year, so flew down to Ft. Lauderdale to spend 3 days with my Mom, Dad and friends and family. The weather was beautiful as you can see. Though I love the changing seasons, I do love being outside on a December night with no chill in the air. While I was there, my Mom, Godmother and best friend threw me a wonderful Baby Shower. It was so special, since most of the attendees have known me since I was in diapers myself. We acquired quite a stash of clothes and necessities for the baby, including lots of monkey outfits. They're adorable, and monkeys must be mandatory for 2012 baby clothes.

My mom gave me a beautiful quilted baby blanket that my Godmother made me when I was a baby. I'll take a photo of it soon! I remember laying on it as a kid, so it's very special to have it for this next generation.

Great food, family, friends, weather and health. I don't think I can think of anything else I need, and am counting myself a lucky lady.

Wenlan Chia's Lacy Chunky Throw

Earlier this summer, I used my pending baby as an excuse to finally knit Wenlan Chia's Lacy Chunky Throw. I was pleased that the 5 (free) skeins that I won in a drawing contest from Heather Ross (among other goodies) was enough to make a good-sized lap blanket. This would be great to throw on a bed later for added warmth. However, I think there are too many holes and the fiber is too fuzzy for a baby. I could barely get by without getting fiber in my own mouth, so figure it would be worse for a little guy!

Overall, I liked the pattern and think it looks lovely (once I corrected my mistakes). I'm glad it's done though, as I did not enjoy knitting on huge baseball bat-sized needles!

Besides all my complaints above though, it feels and looks like buttah, I tell you.

Turning 34 + Thanksgiving

My birthday is usually the week before Thanksgiving, but this year Turkey Day was a bit early, so it all fell into one big blur. This was a happy blur, since my parents came up North so we could all celebrate Thanksgiving in New Jersey with our extended family. Turning 34 was relaxing and uneventful in a good way! I'm happy to get another year on this planet, and think this year is going to be one of the more memorable, hectic and exciting ones, since I'll become a parent.

Our family had a fantastic time together, and I was so sad to see my parents leave after 5 days together. Maybe one day we can live closer to each other again. Or they can become reverse snowbirds!

I helped with the desserts this year. My cousin Meghan and I baked an apple pie, with a fancy top featuring an "H" for Huber and hockey sticks, since my cousin plays and most of the family is obsessed! It was a big hit. My younger cousin, Tommy and I also baked two perfect pumpkin pies, but I probably shouldn't spill his secret, since it's not "very manly"!

My aunt and uncle treated everyone to a charity hockey game called Operation Hat Trick, which raised over $500K to benefit those affected by Hurricane Sandy. A combination of the hockey lock-out, a charity event, and famous NHL hockey players on hand, it was the first time the Atlantic City Convention Center sold out since the 1930s.

Our family loves to play board games and card games. Hours were spent at the table playing Canasta, Jitters, Backgammon, Banana-grams, Cards Against Humanity, and doing a lot of smack talking. It was all in good fun, but now I'm having Canasta withdrawal sadly!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday as well, and I think we're all on the same wavelength wondering how it is already December! How did this  happen?!

Trains + Mountains

  As I mentioned before, all of my friends are having babies, buying  houses and getting married, so I've been playing catch-up on some gifts. This weekend I spent a 65 degree Fall day in Baltimore to meet my best friend Heather's newest baby, Ben. It was a bonus treat, since I also got to see her parents, and monkey around with her adorable toddler, Caleb.

Heather and her family are currently paring down things in their home, so I wanted to give her something that was not "stuff".  (Guess who is the extremely grateful recipient to many hand-me-downs including maternity clothes and baby boy items?!). I thought they'd enjoy small watercolors featuring her sons' birth stats, with references to their home in Virginia.

Ben's drawing features the skyline from Shenandoah National Park, which is a special place for her and her husband. Some of their major life events happened there, so I knew they'd enjoy the reference.

Her 15 month old, Caleb loves trucks and trains, so I thought a cute train with a red caboose was in order for his drawing.

Heather and her husband are such wonderful parents, and always find time to fit in fun and not be lunatics. They are great inspiration to Mike and me. Plus, it's always good to have friends who you can have fun with anywhere, even if it's on the side of a hill or in a parking lot at a mall in a slightly downtrodden Baltimore area!

Here's to many more years of friendship.

P.S. Yes, that is obviously not a maternity shirt I'm busting out of!

Sweater for Baby Anna

I have been quite the slacker when it comes to knitting any baby gifts for friends, but I'm not being too hard on myself. The babies grow too quickly, and unless they're a knitter themselves, I'd rather just get people what they need, and spend my free time doing the 27 other things that I always end up committing myself to.

I made an exception for my fellow knitting friend, Olivia and her new daughter, Anna. It's a good thing I went ahead and made the 12 month old size, so she can wear it in late spring or cool summer nights. Mind you, her baby was born in June, this sweater was finished in October, and I just blocked it yesterday.

The pattern is the Baby Jacket with Moss Stitch Edges from Rosie's Yarn Cellar and the yarn is Ella Rae that I loved, but never got around to using for myself.

I think this little girl will enjoy the not-too girly but fun pinks, purples and oranges. If not, she can't really talk yet, so I will never know! I jest...