Sometimes you have to let go, to stake your claim.
Be still, to move forward. Give, to receive.
Cry, to feel the joy. Pretend, to make it real.
Fake it, before you make it.
And sometimes, oddly enough, you must first decide
to feel their love, to find it was there all along.
(Notes from the Universe)

Hello gorgeous souls. A reminder to those of you who are participating in my Good Karma Gift Swap, today is mail day! Please do your best to send all packages before the post office closes today.

Remember that your package should include 4 gifts—a treat that calms, something that comforts, a bit of celebration and a piece the promotes creativity. If you have any questions, send me an email or message on twitter.

I’ll be connecting with each of you this week via email to make sure everything goes smoothly. I’m so excited to see everyone’s blog posts about the good karma (and gifts) they receive. Thanks again for your participation. Happy swapping!

photo credit: moi – package from stephanie @ heart piercing life

Slow down and enjoy life.
It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast—
you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.
(Eddie Cantor)

Are you excited? The weekend has arrived.

I hope you’ve had a productive and sparkly week. Since my big news on Monday, I have enjoyed a few relaxing days to myself. While it’s been a lot of fun, I’m looking forward to having the mister around this weekend.

My fantastic, terrific & awesomely wonderful job starts next week—which means I will spend parts of the weekend getting ready for my first day. Horay!

Thanks to all of you who signed up for my Good Karma Gift Swap. Remember that you can still join in on the snail mail fun by leaving a comment here before midnight tonight.

I hope the following pieces of my to-do list inspire you to do something fun and creative this weekend. As always, I’d love to hear what you’re up to the next few days.

buy fresh cut flowers for fun

shop for new work clothes & simplify closet contents

cook a yummy treat for the big game

dive deeper into the artist’s way

visualize a fantastic week at work

shop on etsy for creative inspiration

sip tea, read blogs

decorate journal with inspiring images

image credit: jenniferramos

The greatest gift you will ever learn
is just to love, and be loved in return.
(Toulouse-Lautrec in Moulin Rouge)

Hello sweet souls. I hope you’re having a fantastic start to February! I simply adore this month. It’s full of chocolate, sparkles, hearts and joy—what’s not to like?

In an act of celebration, I am inviting you to join me in my first Good Karma Gift Swap.

If you heart snail mail and want to participate, please leave a comment below with a favorite way to pamper yourself.

This experience is all about sending love and getting love in return. It’s a chance to make a fellow blogger’s day. All you have to do is gather 4 unique gifts that will delight your swap buddy (nothing expensive, just pour your heart into it).

A few juicy details:

Be sure to include 4 gifts—a treat that calms, something that comforts, a bit of celebration and a piece the promotes creativity.

To participate, you must have a blog + need to be willing to ship internationally.

Registration ends Friday at midnight. Leave a comment below to join in on the fun.

Surveys will go out Saturday—please take a moment to respond over the weekend.

Swap buddy details will be emailed early next week.

With the help of your swap buddy’s survey answers, you will be able to send a completely custom and totally thoughtful Good Karma Gift Swap package.

Please mail parcels by Wednesday, February 17.

Open, enjoy and blog about your package when you receive it!

By leaving a comment below, you are agreeing to the details outlined above. If you have any questions or special requests, please send an email to hello AT kaileenelise DOT com.

Are you lovelies ready to start swapping? Let the good karma and snail mail love begin…

photo credit: williams-sonoma

Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn’t know you left open.
(John Barrymore)

Friends, I am elated to announce that another weekend is on its way. This week has been full of exciting moments and challenging times and I’m looking forward to spending the next two days enjoying creative bliss.

I have more than enough inspiring items on my to-do list for the weekend ahead. I hope the links and ideas to follow help inspire you to pick up a sketch book, sing along to a favorite tune or type out a bit of poetic prose.

Whatever your weekend holds, please share your creative plans with the rest of us!

order this organic (and inexpensive) tomato gift box

consider the possibility of an oceanside retreat

develop a morning routine renovation plan

get cozy at starbucks & check out their new healthy treats

email a friendly reminder to the future

journal about style icons

clean the apartment & get to know a few corners

make love packages for sweet friends

remember to shine brightly

forget to care about what other people might say

photo credit: aunt owwee via flickr

Laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live.

Can you believe that this little journey began just 5 months ago?

We were strangers then, but I like to think that we’re friends now. Friends who were put on this earth to connect, create and enjoy life as side-by-side companions. There may be many states or even oceans between us, but we’re soul sisters through and through.

Since we’re starting a fresh decade and new year, I thought I would share some bits of me that you might not know. I hope you enjoy a few lists of ten for twenty-ten—please feel free to indulge in some listing on your blog. Email your link to hello {at} kaileenelise {dot} com and I’ll include it below.

Things You Might Not Know
1. I don’t read books unless I like the cover.
2. Birds scare me.
3. I don’t have a tried and true favorite color.
4. I was once a nationally-ranked swimmer.
5. I’ve lived in 5 different states: CA, KS, TX, NV, CA & NC.
6. I’ve been a Mac since 2002.
7. I once played soccer with an elephant.
8. I don’t have a passport.
9. I have naturally curly hair.
10. I’ve been practicing yoga (on and off) since 1999.

Movies, Music & Books I ♥
1. The Giver by Lois Lowry
2. The Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman
3. The Secret
4. Romeo + Juliet
5. O by Damien Rice
6. Sula by Toni Morrison
7. Garden State
8. Anchorman
9. Boxer by The National
10. Drops of Jupiter by Train

The Trouble* with Kaileen is…
1. Her opinionated nature can come off as “bossy” to others.
2. She has a tendency to focus on the end result instead of enjoying the process.
3. Her eyes are way bigger than her mouth.
4. She loses out on the joys of the inbetween by being so all-or-nothing.
5. A serial procrastinator, she stresses herself by waiting for the last minute.
6. She periodically forgets about the power of the universe.
7. She wastes energy by worrying so much.
8. Her loyalty sometimes gets her hurt.
9. She should be nicer to her mister when she is crabby.
10. Her desire for perfection sometimes gets in the way of getting the job done.

Reasons Why It’s Good to Be Me
1. My mister keeps my cold feet warm.
2. Speaking of feet, I have very long toes.
3. My handwriting is neat and feminine.
4. My friends & family live all over, which means I’m loved near and far.
5. YOU—my readers & community of online lovelies—keep me going.
6. As a kid, I taught myself sign language during time out.
7. I’ve been to Disney Land more than 10 times.
8. I’m flexible & double jointed, which makes for cool party tricks.
9. My college town is a sweet vacation spot.
10. I have the incredible ability to say the alphabet faster than anyone you know.

photo credit: moi
*inspired by The Trouble with Lisa

When you get to the end of the rope, tie a knot and hang on.
(Franklin D Roosevelt)

I know I’m not the only person who has thrown her normal routines out the window since Thanksgiving. It was a wonderful holiday and the food turned out perfect, but a weekend spent knee-deep in stuffing really got me off track. Since then, I’ve been focused on Christmas gifts and wrapping materials in preparation for my weekend of holiday cheer (more details to come).

It’s fortunate you’re reading this from the comfort and safety of your own surroundings—instead of from the disastrous conditions of my apartment. There are clothes, presents and assorted craft projects strewn about these 720 square feet as if a hurricane blew through town last night.

Pressing the reset button is sometimes the best solution. If you’re living in a similar state of disaster, I welcome you to join me in reclaiming your sanity—clean, organize, go grocery shopping, cook, journal, read, breathe or bathe—do whatever it takes to grasp serenity this holiday season.

In the meantime, here’s some bits of bliss to distract you from the towels on your bathroom floor…

plan
beautiful 2010 calendar from papaya

smile
kind words from a friend

challenge
best of 2009—are you up for it?

eat
yummy oreo cookie cupcakes

greet
tips for holiday cards & invites

enjoy
36 really incredible illustrations

type
best free fonts of 2009

ponder
50 quotes to make you think

picture
gorgeous book photography

photo credit: ChromaticOrb on Flickr

No kind action ever stops with itself.
One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed.
A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions,
and the roots spring up and make new trees.
The greatest work that kindness does to others
is that it makes them kind themselves.
(Amelia Earhart)

I have connected with some amazing people through this blog and twitter community. One of those ladies is Micaela over at Dolce Vita. After a confusing series of events we quickly became email buddies—discovering a shared love for the great state of Texas and the idea of “paying it forward.”

Then one day, the most wonderful present found it’s way to my doorstep.

Her blog is an inspiring collection of love, words and images. It was no surprise that the package she sent suited my taste—down to every detail.

Micaela, thank you for sending me a little of your sparkle and for paying it forward. I will repay the favor when you least expect it.

image credit: ScarlethWhite via Flickr

You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces—
just good food from fresh ingredients.
(Julia Child)

I was delighted when I read about this gogonzola-pear pizza over at Lovely Little Things.

During my next trip to the grocery store, I eagerly gathered the ingredients to make my very own blog-inspired dinner. As I excitedly unloaded my groceries and prepared to assemble my pizza, I realized I was missing a very important component—the dough!

Like many things, a great discovery came from my mistake.

After altering the recipe slightly, I created a sweet and savory pizza for one. I’m sure the original is a treat, but it’s always nice to have options for solo-night dinners (that don’t involve frozen cardboard and a microwave).

sandwich thins, Bosc pear, walnuts, provolone cheese, Gorgonzola
crumbles, lettuce, dried cranberries, light salad dressing

provolone on sandwich thin

thinly-sliced pear on provolone

chopped walnuts & Gorgonzola crumbles on pear

toss lettuce with walnuts, pear, crumbles & cranberries
drizzle with salad dressing

enjoy dinner with a glass of sparking water!

photo credit: anthropologie via the art of making do

Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked,
in which you can walk with love and reverence.
(Henry David Thoreau)

I’m so happy the weekend is here. After a week of cold and dreary weather, I am ready for a little sunshine. This week I was really looking forward to all the fun and creative things on my to-do list, here are a few:

saturday morning yoga class
shop for trinkets at my favorite outdoor mall
sip on flavored chai tea lattes
cut beautiful images out of magazines
paint my nails a new romantically dark color
make a fun cd for a new friend
consider my gift for the ornament exchange
work on my blog, catch up on google reader & redo my twitter background
respond to emails
cook a yummy dinner
soak in the tub and really read
shop for new jeans and wintery shoes
work on a top secret project
breathe
listen to new podcasts
clean my apartment
reorganize my artist’s desk
start to think about holiday decorations
snuggle with my mister

It brings me so much joy to know my weekend plans are full of opportunities for creativity. Even though clean my apartment is on the list—there are many other fun things planned.

What creative to-dos are on your list for the weekend? If you crave a bit more inspiration for your weekend, check out this list and these two completely creative videos.

photo credit: vogue nippon via coco+kelly

We’re fools whether we dance or not,
so we might as well dance.
(Japanese Proverb)

Lately I have been enjoying singing in my car and watching So You Think You Can Dance every week. There are small, simple things we can do to bring more joy into our lives. I hope the following playlist gives you the inspiration to sing, dance and laugh (even if it’s at yourself)!

Single Ladies – Pomplamoose
Piano Song – Meiko
Hometown Glory – Adele
Somebody Fix Me – Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Koop Island Blues – Koop
Killing for Love – Jose Gonzalez
Gospel – The National
Breathe Me – Sia
Love Ridden – Fiona Apple
La Vie En Rose – Madeleine Peyroux
Where Do You Go to My Lovely – Peter Sarstedt
Road – Nick Drake
Wise Up – Aimee Mann
Love Love Love – The Mountain Goats
Unplayed Piano – Damien Rice & Lisa Hannigan
Four Leaf Clover – Badly Drawn Boy
Catarina – Joe Purdy

photo credit: Barbara L. Hanson via flickr