There is more to life than increasing its speed.
(Mahatma Gandhi)

The weekend has arrived, and with it brings a fresh to-do list. Here in the US, many will enjoy a three day weekend in honor of Labor Day. For me, it’s a 3.5-day weekend because I get to clock out at 12 pm today—oh, the sweet luxury of having a kind boss.

We are heading to the beach for this season’s last seaside hurrah. (Fingers crossed that Earl will behave while we’re there). Rain or shine, I’m looking forward to lounging in the sand and laughing with friends.

This week’s list features the creative insight of a fellow sparklista! I first met Victoria Klein on Twitter months ago, and have enjoyed getting to know her since. Her new book, 27 Things to Know About Yoga is out and full of wisdom. I recommend you take a look!

I hope this collection of creative to-do’s inspires extraordinarily joyful weekends. Please share your action items for the weekend ahead in the comments below!

listen to the sounds of nature
learn 1 new thing about yoga
cook a swanky version of a childhood dinner
play with water balloons
flip through a few september issues
try a new fruit or vegetable
dance in the moonlight

image credit: weheartit

Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day
is the rest we take between two deep breaths.
(Etty Hillesum)

Today’s been a relaxing retreat from the typical hustle and bustle of my weekly grind. After sleeping a whopping 11 hours last night, I woke up feeling refreshed and grateful to have no plans for the day. I lounged, indulged in a pumpkin spice latte and updated bits of le blog… I hope you like the new look!

Since I don’t have a batch of creative to-do’s in my back pocket, I thought I’d share a few from yesterday’s comments. I hope you’re enjoying an extraordinarily joyful weekend.

take some photos
make homemade postcards to spread happy mail cheer
enjoy a game of badminton
make a few new pieces of jewelry
create background pages for a visual journal
bake some goodies for friends

image credit: D’Arcy Norman

Anyone’s life truly lived consists of work, sunshine, exercise,
soap, plenty of fresh air, and a happy contented spirit.
(Lillie Langtry)

This week’s been a delightful start to my 32 Days of Sparkle. I’m looking forward to a restful, creative and inspiring weekend ahead. Most of all, I’m ecstatic to launch my very first giveaway! The following collection of creative to-do’s are intentions shared in hopes of inspiring extraordinarily joyful weekends. Consider this a friendly tap—or slight tug—towards exploring creative shenanigans of your own desires..

finish reading 168 hours
make a new playlist to share
sift through glossies for inspiration
daydream a little more
soak up some sun, go for a run
take a nap without setting the alarm
go see eat, pray, love
brainstorm with le mentor

And now, for the moment you’ve all been waiting for… The first ever Creative Weekend To-Do List + 32 Days of Sparkle Giveaway!!

The goodies up for grabs are pictured above—a tote from Papaya!, yummy ginger candies, instant iced tea bags, a girlie compact mirror, a gorgeous picture frame, green tea mints, a pink candle, sweet stickers and ocean-scented car air fresheners.

Each person is eligible for two entries! Leave a comment with your name, email address and a creative weekend to-do for your first entry. Spread the good word of this giveaway on Twitter or your blog for a second entry. (Just be sure to leave a new comment with a link to your mention for tracking purposes.)

The polls close on Sunday, August 15 at 8:00 pm EST—I’ll share the winner’s name and creative to-do idea on Monday!

image credit: moi

PS. If you’re interested in donating goodies for future giveaways, please email me ~ hello [at] kaileenelise [dot] com!

Don’t grow up too quickly, lest you forget how much you love the beach.
(Michelle Held)

I love going to the beach. Growing up in Northern California, I always knew the ocean was nearby. We didn’t visit often, but I felt a sense of comfort in having the big blue sea next door. After spending years in land-locked states, I am finding myself calling the other coast home now.

Last night, my mister and I jumped in a cute red car with some friends and drove to the beach. For the next two days, I’m going to enjoy a minimal ocean side to-do list.

The following collection of creative to-do’s are intended to inspire extraordinarily joyful weekends. Consider this a friendly tap—or slight tug—towards exploring creative shenanigans of your own desires. I invite you to join in!

play with abandon, splash in the waves

cuddle with my mister

sip mimosas & eat belgium waffles

take photos with the new camera

walk along the beach

collect sea shells & beachy rocks

image credit: reebs*

Happy Weekend friends! Hope you’re staying cool and refreshed in this hot summer heat. I’ve enjoyed a short work week after coming back from a long weekend at the beach on Wednesday, but am still very excited about the Saturday and Sunday ahead. It’s been a long time since I have gone away on vacation and I’ve forgotten how jarring it is to come back to a busy desk and dirty home.

Productivity is on the top of my agenda for the days ahead, but that isn’t going to stop me from enjoying some delightful creativity. The following collection of creative to-do’s are intended to inspire extraordinarily joyful weekends. Consider this a friendly tap—or slight tug—towards exploring creative shenanigans of your own desires. I invite you to join in!

take the plunge & order a filofax

research local yoga studios

dream up an ideal routine for daily bliss

drop by the office to get ready for a rockin’ week

think about living by these rules

respond to emails & blog comments

read a book by the pool

explore etsy for new wall decor

image credit: charlotte.morrall

It is important from time to time to slow down,
to go away by yourself, and simply be.
(Eileen Caddy)

Well hello there my lovely friends! I have missed you dearly. On Friday my mister and I scooted out of town without saying a proper goodbye to the interwebs.

My plan was to sneak away to a beach weekend and focus on blogging. Return to my creative passion. Journal a bit. Hide in the quiet peace of vacation and create some killer content. Discover new Twitter friends. Unearth connections and rekindle web-friendships that have wilted away.

Instead, we arrived on the doorstep of a spacious summer house with no internet and limited cell reception. I let my iPhone’s battery die and kept my laptop stashed in my bag. We played cards, drank plenty of wine and swam in the ocean.

Last night we came home with sunburns and bug bites—gentle reminders of our extended weekend away. The comfort and joy of time with family has settled deep into my heart. I’m grateful for my unintentional digital sabbatical, but I am also looking forward to catching up on my favorite blogs, podcats and tweets.

image credit: Thomas Hawk

The most important skill in staying calm is not to lose sleep over small issues.
The second most important skill is to be able to view all issues as small issues.
(Paul Wilson)

I lost my calm this weekend. Along with it, my Coach wristlet, license, credit card, camera and favorite lip gloss vanished into thin air. Some act of sheer providence saved my iPhone, which was in my hand when I realized my purse and its contents were gone.

The disappearing act took place late into the night on Saturday, proving once again that nothing good happens after 2 a.m. I’m a bit frustrated and confused that this happened because it wasn’t a crazy night. In a time when identity theft and other unsavory crimes are abundant, there’s a nakedness in losing important bits of plastic.

I’m heading to the DMV today, which will undoubtedly provide time for quiet contemplation. I’m trying to step back and see this as an opportunity to evaluate some of my standard operating procedures. It feels like there’s room for improvement:

more mindfulness. less coffee. more sleep. less pressure. more movement. less tension. more time enjoying friends. less indulgence. more calm. less chaos. more journaling. less judging. more joy. less worry. more laughter. less sass. more love.

Of course, life goes on. I’ve canceled the card and started searching for a shiny new camera. I know where to find my favorite lip gloss and Coach has some amazing writstlets for sale this season.

image credit: rolands.lakis

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]]> http://www.kaileenelise.com/2010/07/13/keeping-your-calm/feed/ 7 http://www.kaileenelise.com/2010/07/10/lazy-creative-weekend-the-not-to-do-list/ http://www.kaileenelise.com/2010/07/10/lazy-creative-weekend-the-not-to-do-list/#comments Sat, 10 Jul 2010 20:14:23 +0000 kaileenelise http://www.kaileenelise.com/?p=1683

Don’t ask what the world needs.
Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it.
Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
(Howard Thurman)

Happy Saturday my friends! I hope you’re enjoying a summery day full of joy and creativity. I’m feeling a particular brand of lazy—the kind that visits during the hottest, most humid days. With a brief (but busy) work week behind me, I feel like inviting this lazy feeling into my home with open arms.

Typically, my Creative Weekend To-Do Lists are collections of creative to-do’s that are intended to inspire extraordinarily joyful weekends. Friendly taps—or slight tugs—towards exploring creative shenanigans of your own desires. This week, I’ve listed a handful of things I promise not to do in the weekend ahead. I invite you to join in!

set the alarm to wake up early

feel guilty about watching Bethanny’s wedding again

fill the weekend with objectives and goals

stress over what to wear out tonight

cook, clean or wash my car

image credit: Edward Allen L. Lim

Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark.
In the hopeless swamp of the not quite, the not yet, and the not at all,
do not let the hero in your soul perish and leave only frustration
for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach.
The world you desire can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours.
(Ayn Rand)

Happy 4th of July, friends! I hope you are enjoying beautiful weather and patriotic celebrations. This last week has been an interesting test of stamina, patience and passion. An exciting opportunity landed on my desk and without much notice, I was pulling together a presentation for a key player at my company.

Between quarterly reviews and this surprise meeting, I found myself closely examining my strengths, areas for improvement and places to apply more focus in my work, real and online lives.

The results of said meeting revealed an interesting conundrum: I bring a lot to the table in my current role, and still have plenty of time to grow with what I’m doing now. Rather that dilute my attention by taking on another job responsibility, it is probably just best (for me & the company) that I focus on the task at hand. It wasn’t exactly the result I was pining for, but I’m happy all the same. It’s funny how life works out like that sometimes.

With an extra day of weekend and no ‘out of town’ plans, I’m looking forward to lots of relaxation, creativity and fun in the days ahead.

The following collection of creative to-do’s are intended to inspire extraordinarily joyful weekends. Consider this a friendly tap—or slight tug—towards exploring creative shenanigans of your own desires. I invite you to join in!

set intentions & goals for the next 1/2 of 2010

grill delicious kebabs on the bbq

drink plenty of water & wear lots of spf

splash around in the pool like a little kid

dive deeper into sarah susanka’s the not so big life

check out these patriotic tweets

mix up a new yummy cocktail for poolside indulgence

create a playlist that inspires spontaneous dance parties

roll out a blanket & enjoy fireworks with friends

image credit: AlphaTangoBravo / Adam Baker

We should all do what, in the long run, gives us joy,
even if it is only picking grapes or sorting the laundry.
(E.B. White)

It’s a gorgeous Saturday morning and I’m grateful the weekend has arrived! An action-packed week has me craving some solo creative time, so the mister is whooping it up with his buds at the pool. With nearly 1/2 of 2010 behind me, it only seems appropriate to sneak in a little intention-setting and creative dreaming.

The following collection of creative to-do’s are intended to inspire extraordinarily joyful weekends. Consider this a friendly tap—or slight tug—towards exploring creative shenanigans of your own desires. I invite you to join in!

evaluate the last 6 months & dream about the next 6

package up a little snail mail treat for a friend

take pictures & become a better photographer

organize closet, do laundry & set aside old items for goodwill

pay bills & assess finances with a smile

do something on this summer must-do list

schedule a massage, pedicure or tarrot card reading

compliment a stranger and see what happens

enjoy a new book while soaking in a bubble-filled tub

order customized energy bars

put together a garageband mix of yoga & tunes

image credit: seanmcgrath