I wish I was one of those people who can leap out of bed, wash their face, a sweep their hair back into a ponytail and look fantastic — like Gwyneth Paltrow going for a run, or Jennifer Gardner, yeah, like Jennifer Gardner!

Sadly this is not the case. My skin after all is nearly 40 years old and my weight is …well…let’s just say since I’ve had kids, it’s probably more than either of those pretty skinny things weighed while they were pregnant. Nevertheless, this is what I am going to do today or I’ll never ever even get out of the house.

Sometimes, I am just so lazy.

Thankfully, Samson needs more dog food and he only eats this special food which is – I kid you not – is subtitled “for fussy eaters with special digestive needs.” It must be bought at a special dog food boutique which is half way across town and at which the staff lectures you on giving your dog a tiny piece of bagel because “wheat is not good for them.” Thankfully, I have a fistful of five-dollar-off-coupons from my earth-friendly coupon book, and I plan on talking them into letting me buy a bunch of bags at once. I’m gonna lay on the “be environmentally friendly by not making me drive out here more than once” lecture. Here’s hoping!

I’m not sure how I became this urban mama, with two kids in public school, the kind of dog you can put in a satchel, a knitting addiction, and a studio –but I sure do like it!

Speaking of being an urban mom, here’s something from Eden this week:

“Momma! Our dolls are eating sushi and then we are going to take our stuffed animals to the dry cleaners!”

Yes, my children do actually have a plastic sushi set. They’re such urban babies!

Speaking of urban babies, here’s a book recommendation for the still-in-the-board-book-stage set. I think its tres adorable!

Urban Babies Wear Black

In order to stave off the midwinter duldrums, my urban babies are going to the indoor public pool this weekend. Here’s hoping your weekend is super fun too!

This Fall I heard Judith Levine when she was interviewed on National Public Radio about her latest book, Not Buying It: My Year Without ShoppingNot Buying It: My Year Without Shopping. In both the book and the interview she detailed her year in which she and her partner bought nothing but heat, water, garbage service, and the ingredients for home cooked meals. No magazines. No movies. No Gifts. No clothes. Nothing.

Ironically, I rushed out and immediately purchased a copy of Not Buying It. (In my defense I did try to get it from the library, but there were 163 people ahead of me on the library hold list.)

The book is spare and simply written, a piece of non-fiction describing a project. (Now fully worth-it in paperback!) I had to laugh a little that Levine’s “buy nothing” year did not extend to anything she needed for work, or to the remodel that they were doing on their second home in upstate New York. (Something Levine giggles at about herself as well.) Still, the woman isn’t angling for sainthood here – just some personal growth—and maybe a nice sustaining book contract.

In the end I was inspired by Levine, and by what stepping off the hamster wheel of consumerism revealed to her about herself, and by extraction what the experiment reveals to us about ourselves. I recognized myself when she quipped, “what if I discover my authentic self and my authentic self is shopper?” I agreed with her about marketing when she asserted, “almost nothing that is advertised is actually necessary.” (Except for the Swiffer. I mean, have you tried that thing?!) Most of all, I was struck when Levine observed this danger in our consumer society:

“…just as it promises to buy us love, the marketplace also frees us from relationship, releases us from needing other people. As long as you’ve got a credit card in your pocket, you can go it alone.”

(Hmmm. Methinks we’ll need to unpack that quote in a later post, n’cest pas?)

After discovering Judith, I had big plans to go the no consumer route — for 30 days. I thought I could take November as a sort of a mini-attempt, like running a 5K before training for a marathon. But Christmas loomed ever-so-near, and right about that time I moved into my studio so I could justify buying just about anything “for work.” (Bookshelves? Hand printed wrapping paper for drawer liners? Beads, buttons, bangles, a goldfish, a bag of crystallized ginger? Definitely all work related.) But it did get me thinking heady things about transformational theology; and whether we find ourselves or create ourselves; and what it means to make New Year’s resolutions or Lenten promises. And I thought, wouldn’t it be interesting to try one good deed a month (or most months) of the year? Thirty days seems imminently doable, and I might pick up a few much needed good habits. Not to mention, the generation of good writing material and possible worldwide fame. (Look what happened to the gal from the Brown Dress Project – she ended up hanging with Good Morning America!) And maybe, just maybe, I could work up to 30 days without buying anything.

So, much to my husband’s chagrin (“What have you signed me up for now?!), Habitude – The 30 Days Project was born. Here is my proposition my friends. You and I, and maybe a couple of others, we’ll take on one mildly transforming life habit a month. None of them will be too challenging, and it’s totally fine if you flub up. We’ll moan and groan to each it to each other on this website (my comments es su comments) or on your websites. And maybe, just maybe we’ll get a little more Zen in the process. (After we briefly act all bitchy and complain-y.)

Curious? Confused? Mildly intrigued? Stay tuned for the announcement of the February Habitute!

Welcome to Magpie Girl! I’ve been longing to get this page up since Jen and I went away to our cozy cabin by the sea to indulge in a non-stop week of artmaking. Here you will find various and sundry written thoughts (most of which will be half formed) recommendations of things i love, and items for sale, handmade by moi.

I’m still doing the triple-threat job of mother/artist/community hostess, so you can expect me to post here only about once a week. Do be a love and put me on your RSS reader (or whatever that thing is that tracks all your favorite blogs and lets you know when there’s something new.) I’ll still be blogging about the life of our soulcare community over at Monkfish Abbey and pop I in now and again with parenting advice over at Minti.

I want to extend a HUGE thanks to my dear husband, Paul, who spent all of last weekend and a good many afterwork hours this week getting this site up and running. Smack, to you bub!

Mmmmm….now that we’re all here in this yummy new space, why don’t you drop me a little comment as a blogwarming gift! Thanks for reading!

Rachelle