Rainy Day Remix

Well, October arrived, and I'm beginning to realize what the words "wet season" really mean.

That being said, I'm devising plans for oodles of things to do when I'm confined to the indoors due to the weather. Before I get all blabby about my goings-on this past weekend, here's little overview of what's on my plate during this particularly dark and gloomy rainy day: 

Adobe Stuff!

I had to update/change my Adobe account to a UK one, so I re-subscribed to the Creative Cloud. The good (amazing) news here it that there is a new "Photography" subscription option, which includes Photoshop and Lightroom (more on that in a minute), and costs LESS than a single-app subscription! Woo! Here's to saving money AND getting new software. Whoop whoop!

That being said, I've spend -most of the morning waiting for said software & updates to download, hence why I haven't posted pics from this weekend (yet).

Lightroom

I've been bingeing on YouTube tutorials all morning. I've never used Lightroom before, but I'm excited about having the mobile version to edit pics on-the-go. If anyone else out there is a first time user, like me, I really like this guy's video tutorial series. Pretty easy to follow and covers all the basics, if you ask me.

Mixed Spice

I found this while grocery shopping yesterday - it's simply called "Mixed Spice (for baking)" over here, but it's pumpkin pie spice. The exact same thing. Yep. Heaven. I'm on my 6th cup of coffee, let's just put it that way. And I bought a pumpkin. So, stuff's going to happen in the pumpkin spice/pie department this week. 

Bagels

I have no shame over this one, particularly because it's been so damn long (2+ months) since I've indulged in a bagel. A fresh, stinky everything bagel, perfectly toasted, with Philadelphia cream cheese, onion, tomato, and black pepper: one of life's greatest pleasures. An everything bagel was literally my last meal in America. I have suffered intensely the past two months, but when I found them in Costco's bakery yesterday (!) I went berzerk and now have tons of bagels to consume. Sorry, love handles. 

Anyways, I'm playing around with Lightroom for the rest of the afternoon, and probably watching a few more tutorials in that department, so here's a little preview of this weekend: A before/after I quickly edited on my first try, featuring the greatest furniture found at a car boot sale (flea market, in American speak) this weekend, as well as the most terrifying Chuckie-esque doll. This was taken on my phone, so I'm pretty thrilled that it was so quick/easy to edit. Also loving this before/after display in Lightroom; I'm a big fan of instant gratification. Whoop Whoop!

Adventures in: Hand Lettering

I think that I am the last person anyone would expect to find involved in any sort of craft that requires patience and a steady hand.  But hand lettering has always fascinated me, and I've always wanted to give it a try, but alas, no patience. Not to mention the fact that I have a doctor's handwriting on a good day.

I spent a while browsing through the ever-helpful archives of Pinterest for lots of inspiration to help me along the way. My first attempts were so tragic; they resembled a first grader's first use of cursive writing. I almost gave up,  but I'm glad I didn't.

I stopped trying to make my handwriting pretty (which just wasn't going to happen), and instead looked at the examples I had chosen for inspiration and tried to copy them as a drawing. Once I looked at the intricate letters and decorations as art, and not writing, I was able to make a little headway. It took a lot of focus for someone like me, not gonna lie, to focus on such precise and minute detail. I eventually found it to be really therapeutic and relaxing, and was really enjoying myself towards the end of my exploratory session today.

I actually slowed down while working on this one. I think it's my favorite so far. I find it kind of funny... just writing those words helped me to really embrace its meaning in a meditative kind of way. 

I just scribbled with some watercolor pencils to make a background for this one. I was so nervous while drawing the letters, though, in case I messed up and ruined the whole page! Even though the "BE" got a little wonky and I had to change my initial plans, I think it's really cute and cheerful. 

Can't wait to give this a try again and see how I progress over time!

Attempting Ayurveda

My recent  birthday has given me a bit of a new perspective. Sometimes I affectionately refer to it as a "quarter-life crisis"; turning 25 seems like a good mile marker to look back at the past years and learn to grow and adapt from them in the next 25. My health is one of the biggest aspects of my life that I want to continue to focus and learn more about, and I was wonderfully excited and honored (after months of waiting) to be chosen as the Brooklyn ambassador for Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Foundation. I cannot wait to be a part of this organization and help to raise awareness and bring about change in my new home city, but more on that later.

The most interesting topic of health and wellness I'm exploring at the moment is the Ayurvedic diet. Basically, it is the principle of everything you ingest and do being a part of your overall well-being (which is a ridiculously simple and true concept in itself to understand and accept). Instead of a diet itself, it is a concept of balancing elements of your diet and lifestyle for the best health and physical wellness possible. If you'd like to learn more, one of my favorite starting points has been Joyful Belly - free assessments, recipes, and lots of easy-to-understand information about Ayurveda.

While scrolling through Instagram, I came across several mentions of a recipe called Kitchari, a super detoxifying and easily digestible dish of basmati rice, lentils or mungbeans, vegetables, and a wonderful variety of delicious spices and herbs that I already love to cook with. It was this recipe that initially lead me to learning more about an Ayurvedic diet, which is based on traditional Indian medicine (which is probably why the recipes taste so darn good - I'm a sucker for good Indian food).

Throughout various assessments of my Dosha, or body type, I've found that when I listen to the cravings and needs of my body, I've been drawn to the foods, herbs, and spices that would traditionally be used to treat whatever ailed me. It's making me more aware of my own body's signals and needs altogether, something that I think humans have lost over the years thanks to technology and modern comforts. 

Every day is a new adventure lately, and I know that it has been difficult to not be discouraged by concerns about money or the future (I still haven't found a full-time day job in the past 2 months). I just have to believe that I can be healthy and happy even in uncertain times, and stay positive, and learn and grow in the process. I figure that life's a gift, and I don't intend on wasting it. You never know what hand you're gonna get dealt next. You learn to take life as it comes at you...to make each day count.

Bonjour Bonsai

My Saturday morning was spent at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden... and I believe I have found my new "happy place." Acres upon acres of sprawling yet compartmentalized natural habitats, in breathtaking arrangement. Highlighting my day was a room in the Conservancy building - a winding, small exhibit with only a dozen or so plants in it... but it still grasped my attention instantly. The Bonsai Museum is so striking to me;  I have such a respect for the Japanese art of focusing such meticulous and thoughtful arrangement into both placing a plant in a pot or garden, and actually directing it how to grow. The ability to focus so intently to finding a beautiful balance between the nature of a living thing, and a precise man-made art, is incredible. I have a new found love of bonsai, and I cannot wait to get my hands on a few books to further my understanding and appreciation of it. 

My original (limited) understanding of this craft had led me to believe that only a special kind of evergreen-like tree was used for bonsai. That is all I had ever really seen, so it was all that I knew. But, as you can see in my photos of some of the trees from the exhibit, almost and plant that develops a woody stem can be grown, tended to, and manipulated into bonsai. Below are a lemon tree and a fairly common houseplant, and both have been transformed into their present twisting, cascading, and graceful shapes.

Natural Beauty

It's no secret that I love to wander. New cities, new countries, new neighborhoods... If I haven't explored it yet, I soon will. On Wednesday, I happened upon another justification for my wanderings...

On a side street bordering Little Italy and Chinatown, I passed a shop window full of stunning beads, stones, statues, and trinkets. I doubled back and stepped inside Sun Wind, Inc. 

The woman standing behind the counter wasn't simply selling jewelry. She spent a good 45 minutes explaining all of the stones I inquired about, and even reading my energies and knowing my own preferences and needs. It was enlightening and exciting. 

I've always been interested in the powers and energies (not to mention the appearance) of natural stones and natural stone jewelry. In *many* previous posts and photos, you may have noticed the jade bangle and rings I permanently wear. As the most protective stone of physical health, jade is a key component and reminder of my years of battles against various health issues, all of which have more or less been overcome. 

I can't wait to return to her shop when I have more time to spend, but below are a few beautiful things I picked up to add to my existing collection.

These natural, uncut quarts earrings pictured below were irresistible to me. 

I was immediately drawn to this ring. As the woman who owns the shop explained, it is Botswana Agate, and it believed to be a sort of Evil Eye. It protects not only against spiritual evil, but also against natural disaster. As a lover of survival, and its beautiful vintage setting and look, I just had to have it.

So many gorgeous rings. It was hard to pick just one.... (for now)

I've acquired a lot of natural stone jewelry over the years. In fact, I gravitate towards it. I love the lack of "perfection" and symmetry, and the idea that every single piece is natural and unique. 

My cat, of course, wanted to be in this photo. 

My three favorite natural stone neckaces. From left to right: 

Pyrite (fools gold): Helps the wearer tap into their creativity

Lapis Lazuli: Healing and protecting the mind, & a stone native to my sign, Sagittarius

Agate: Balances yin and yang, good for artists and students

I could rant on and on about this topic all day, but I'll exercise a shred of self control.

Do you have any favorite stones that you are drawn to?