I’m back at my studio after two weeks of travel, early school dismissals, and sinus infections. Inspite of the goodness that is family mangement/motherhood. it never ceases to amaze me how that gig can consume every last drop of time for creative pursuits.

It’s bittersweet to be here these days, knowing that I’ll have to pack it all up soon. I got a lot done here, in this room of my own. I grew as an artist and writer. I tried brave new things. But, all in all, all of my bigger goals have gone unmet. I’m still not making money as a writer, or as a minister. After much initial interest, my first book proposal is still drifting around, nearly dead in the water. People ask me to teach, then back down when they hear I charge a standard professional fee (that’s life with non-profits I suppose.) I haven’t figured out the freelancing thing. (I can’t seem to write fast enough to get out the critical mass necessary to land a few articles.) And my Etsy shop was just starting to turn a profit, but now I have to shut it down in January because of the overseas move.

I’m glad, so glad, that I’ve rented this room of my own…but sad too, that I’m still so stuck in my journey to the land of professional writers. I’m trying to embrace the small is beautiful concept that even a small start is enough, but sometimes it’s hard.

What do you do when your goals seem unachievable?

An UPDATE: Yikes! Jen just called and said they’ve had major problems with their zine files and have to abort the project of this season. (So sad!) So the prize for the Tip Rally is now two beautiful hardcover holiday cook books: Christmas: A Cook’s Tour with reciepes and tradtions from around the world, and The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast with wonderful meals for the Jewish holidays and essays on food history and the holiness of gathering around the table. Keep tipping!

Hello Small and Passionate bloggers!

Like it or lump it, the holiday season is upon us. And don’t you just hate it when you let yourselves over-book and over-buy during the holidays? It sure doesn’t leave you feeling merry and bright!

You know what we need in the midst of all the superstore craziness?

Tips.

Yes my friends, tips — ideas and suggestions for maintaining a small but beautiful holiday. It’s time for the first annual Small is Beautiful Holiday Tips Rally.

Got a short cut for the turkey? Figured out how to downsize your gift list? Learned how to make the season holy instead of harried? Let us know!

Put your tips in the comments below by November 25th. A couple of lucky tipsters will be given a copy of The Soulsister’s Guide to a Very Merry Christmas, a fabulous guide for tiny, meaningful celebrations. So good! You’ll love it!

(If you don’t pick one up in the drawing, you can still buy one by the 30th and make the Soulsister’s final ship date. But really, you should just buy one now, because even if you win another, you will definitely want to pass this little bundle of goodness on to someone you love!)

Oh, and one more thing. In addition to winning the Soulsister’s guide, drawing winners will also be featured in a Small is Beautiful Saturday post, where they can highlight their Top 5 Posts of 2007. (Good reading ahead! Yum!)

So go ahead, start submitting your tips below!

Hello Small and Passionate Bloggers!

It’s been thrilling to see how many people have joined our tiny revolution! If some of you have added our button, but not been added to the blog roll, please be patient! I’m trying to get everyone up, but I’m a little flooded by the enthusastic response! Hang in there, I’m working on it.

This week, I started going through the blog roll alphabetically, and before I’d finished the “B’s” I already had a fistful of bloggers to refer you to!

Anchors and Mast offers us this kismet moment about “facing the truth without shutting down.”

Be Present Be Here reminds us of the importance of acting, especially when it comes to asking for what we really want.

And finally, Blossoming Soul suggests that we make a list of things we are ready to give up. This is such a powerful exercise, I suggest you hope on over there right now and add your list to her comments.

Each of these women have impacted my life this week…a powerful reminder that our stories are a positive force in a complicated world. Keep on blogging!

Yours,

Magpie Girl

I know, it’s a little early to be talking about the holidays. (When spoken this early in the season I feel like I should whisper that word — like the grandmother in Sixteen Candles who would only whisper ‘cancer.’ I’m probably really dating myself right now, huh?) At any rate, the reason I bring up the gift-giving season so early is so that y’all can find lovely handmade presents from small batch makers and designers.

Seriously though, wouldn’t it be nice to avoid a trip to the mall? Here are some Small is Beautiful members who can help you:

Lady Vivienne has some beautiful photography available over at Viva Photography. These tiny things, like images of dandelion puffs or fairy-perch mushrooms, are created by taking digital photos through an antique camera. You can order any image as a glicee canvas print or as greeting cards. A steal at $20!

Christine Valters Paintner has been working her photography skills for some time now and is offering a beautiful collection of nature prints at SmugMug. (Click here to see her prints, then click on “gifts and prints” at the bottom of the page to see how Smug Mug operates.) Christine’s photography is also featured on her laminated prayer card over at her etsy shop. I could see you slipping one of these into someone’s stocking or tucking one into your holiday cards.

Our newest Small is Beautiful member, Aurora has re-purposed sweaters, art quilts, and other beaded surprises over at Borealis Beads.

Aine is offering fibery gifts for under $10 (coffee cozies anyone?) and her pal Michelle has some lovely beads over at her place.

Indigo Soul has high quality art prints from her mixed media collection, art cards with gallic blessings, and holiday cards (coming soon.) Go see ‘em at the The Happy Girl Shop.

Two of our fine artists are having sales right now. Go see Elyana at her studio, or Leonie at hers.

As always, I’d like to toot a horn for Jen Lemen and her place, where she’s now offering downloadable prints for a song. Of course she also has her inspiring gifts at her shop as well.

And finally, if you don’t mind, I’d like to sing my own praises because I’m offering a new crop of vintage coats and clothes, along with hand embroidered jackets for children.

Make your list and check it twice, then go support some other folks who are small, but beautiful.

This Saturday for Small is Beautiful, we’ll be featuring blogroll members who offer handmade items for sale. Got an etsy shop? Selling your prints on line? Did you make your art work downloadable? Have you been knitting up a storm? Let me know! I’d like to feature Small is Beautiful blog arts this week — so email me by Friday pretty please!

Yours in Tinyness,

Rachelle
moi at magpie-girl dot com

You never know what you are going to find at a Small is Beautiful blog. This week, I’ve been thinking about the bloggers who are experiementing with alternative methods of schooling, or who are just musing away about what educational route to take for their kids.

One of newest blogrollers, Mandaroo over at Second Star to the Right is into unschooling, an educational approach based in the idea that children will learn what they need when they need it. Amanda’s grooving on unschooling too over at SouleMama(she’s not official a Small is Beautiful blogger, but wouldn’t it be nice if she was?) And my own ward is doing the unschooling thing at an alternative co-op in Seattle.

Meanwhile, Elaine over at Wannabe Hippie is chewing on what to do with her hungry minds. Personally, I’m trying to figure out if my kids should be taught in English or Danish. Biggest problem: the English international schools are full.

Are you a parent pondering school for your kiddos? Have you already wadded in that pond and figured a few things out? Why not click some today and see if we can help each other out.

This week on Small is Beautiful, I’d like to introduce Elaine Eppler, keeper of three beautiful blogs. With Elaine’s help you can learn how to grow an edible balcony garden, network with some nutritionists, or just take a deep contemplative breath as you follow the seasons. (Now there’s a girl after my own heart!)

I’m sure I’ll be stopping by her place when I exchange my back yard for a window box in our European flat, and Closely Observed is already on my RSS feed. Check out Elaine’s sites and drop her a comment…we’re nice and neighborly down here in Smallville.

Yours in tinyness,

Rachelle

P.s. Interested in moving into the Small is Beautiful neighborhood? Go get a button and let me know you’re here!

Jen and I are this close to having the small is beautiful button done. I know, it’s been over a month since BlogHer ‘07, but we are mom/artists/community builders types. That is to say, we wear a lot of hats –this makes our work time, well, small. Plus, we haven’t have time to write in an uninterrupted manner since…um… what day did school get out in June?But be not afraid, our children are in school soon and things should progress a bit more quickly.

In the meantime, why don’t we all get in a circle and sing the small is beautiful theme song. What’s that? You weren’t at BlogHer and didn’t get initiated with that one? We’ll here are the lyrics, which capture ever so nicely the “why” behind Jen and I and our silly, blogging ways.

If you’re wondering why you keep doing this crazy thing you are doing (blogging, writing, painting, taking care of one wounded soul..), maybe Ani can help you remember why you started doing it in the first place.

Blessings!

“i do it for the joy it brings
because i’m a joyful girl
because the world owes me nothing
and we owe weach other the world
i do it because it’s the least i can do
i do it because i learned it from you
i do it just because i want to,
just because i want to…”

Ani di Franco, Joyful Girl

Listen to my favorite version with the dreamy-voiced Dave Matthews here (scroll down to find audio file), although this one (track four) with the orchestra is nice too.

I love illustrated journals. In fact, I have several books on my studio shelves about “how to” make illustrated journals. However, I have never actually made an illustrated journal. I find myself thinking, “Oh, I’ll make that when I learn to use acrylics properly.” Or, “I’ll start that when I know how many pages I want for each color/theme/idea.” Or, “I’ll do that when I’ve learned how to draw.”

The reality is we’ll always have something else to learn, some new idea to add to the order, or a new technique to master. If we wait until we “have it all together” before we start, we’ll never manage to get there. It’s like Lillithmother said in last week’s Small-is-Beautiful comments:

“ ….I have been struggling for a week to think small instead of big … I have creative projects in my head that I want out right away, already finished…without having to do all the small crappy stuff to get it to the point that my inner-perfectionist says it’s okay to do so. I struggle with the preparation…the practising…the research…because I now see that I’m getting so ahead of myself! I don’t have to make these projects to sell on Etsy (just yet)….I don’t have to add the frills…I can go simple….I can go small, and receive the same satisfaction…and offer the same gift of love and beauty….”

Lillith helped me remember that the small and the simple are often things of great satisfaction. We can all give each other the tiny shove that it sometimes takes to get us to lay our hand to the next small step in our unfolding worlds. For instance….

When we were on vacation last week I wanted to keep a journal to commemorate our trip. I had brought spiral bound blank books for the kids to paint and write in each night, but had neglected to get anything for myself. All I had with me was some drawing paper, my embroidery thread, and some very basic art supplies in my portable art box. (Some markers, a pencil, a stencil, and some thin-tipped sharpies.) I didn’t let my lack of the “perfect” supplies, or even my lack of a blank book keep me from making this small memory keeper:

I’m especially happy with this simple page.

I took a drawing class last year and rapidly learned that sketching is not my forte. But like Lillith’s reminder to “go simple,” my drawing teacher had a common refrain that has helped me to keep trying. His turn of phrase was, “That’s great! That’s totally recognizable!” Even though these quick pen strokes are far from being the pelicans I saw in my minds eye, they are clear enough to capture the memory. I’m glad I was brave enough to let my small attempts at drawing catch something beautiful.

What small thing have you ventured into lately that has helped you capture something beautiful?

Last weekend in the tiny world of the Pacific Northwest, two like-minded spiritual mamma’s met. Shari MacDonald Strong and I first fell in love during Paul’s PAF days where we both got all up in arms over unjust crap that was going on in our region. Since then we’ve been nurturing a soul sister romance over the internet, stalking each other’s blogs, and longing to meet each other IRL. After several aborted attempts to hook up — one which included a raging round of the stomach flu on a northwest island — we finally gathered our clans together and took all five kids out to eat at Portland’s family-friendly Old Wives’ Tale restaurant. Over two spilled glasses of water (the twins) and fifteen trips to the salad bar (our girls), Shari and her husband Craig told us about all their small but beautiful projects.

Craig has done one of those miraculous things and launched a successful small business, LensBaby, which makes specialized camera lenses for print photographers. Shari is nurturing spiritual-seeking parents over at Literary Mamawith her regular column Zen and the Art of Child Maintenance. She also has a great little self-titled blog where she writes wonderfully about editing, parenting, and recovering from evangelical Christianity (all favorite topics of my very own.) Stop by one of their sites this week and tell them thanks for believing that small is beautiful!

And now for a Small is Beautiful Update: Jen and I are still working on the art for the SIB button. We’re also continuing to collect web addresses for small sites that would like to be featured in a Small is Beautiful Saturday write up. You can put your name in the hat by emailing your website address to moi at magpie dash girl dot com. In upcoming weeks we’ll also be featuring pdf downloads of small but beautiful gifties, micro give aways, and fun collaborative projects to inspire and delight. Keep watching this site on Saturdays!

Much love,

Rachelle