A few before and after photos of the yoga studio,  There are two locations, this is the one I teach at and had the most fun making over a few weeks ago. I apologize in advance if you do not have a high speed connection, there are many photos. Here's a peek...

Before:

After:

Want to come do some yoga? My teachers, who own both Samadhi studio locations gave me free reign on this project. Can you imagine how much fun this was? They told me to do whatever I wanted, they trusted it would be great. I knew they really would be fine with however this turned out, so I felt no pressure at all. There was the fleeting moment when I wondered if my color choices would be right for the students... but I knew Anne and Matthew would be cool with the outcome. Anne quickly put my color concerns at ease, she's been there before having designed two studios herself so she knows that feeling. You really have to go with your gut and let go of the outcome. Of course! Stay true to the action and not the fruit of the action. Yoga is everywhere... even in selecting paint colors.

My intention was to create a space where people would let out a gentle sigh as they entered. I wanted it to feel special for each student, a nurturing environment with a calm, grounding energy. It feels like "us," Samadhi. This studio was purchased by Anne and Matthew I believe 1 1/2 years ago, it was already a yoga studio. Samadhi didn't quite make it their own home though until this transformation. It feels really good and makes me happy. I hope it makes everyone else happy too. 

One of my favorite things to search for while thrifting is sweaters. If I only had a dollar for every "name brand" sweater I've paid full price for only to have it become a pilly mess after 2 - 3 washings...

It seems if you want to know how a sweater will hold up, you need to buy it second hand. Right there on the rack, take a look. It's likely that it's been washed at least a dozen times, if it looks great there - it'll certainly continue to look great when you bring it home. You've recycled, and saved a ton of money. As much as I love finding a good sturdy cardigan from the 1950's, nothing beats the discovery of a handmade gem at the local goodwill.

I wonder about Liz Lusis, if she knit this for her child... who taught her to knit... was it hobby or necessity...

It's a beauty, this wooly shamrock creation. And my girl is cozy in her new favorite sweater. Which she wears constantly, which means I wash it constantly. And as I suspected, it washes like a dream.

October marks the end of flea market season around here, and this little lovely was found during the last day of market, at the last booth I stopped at. I was definitely in a "buy almost anything" mode as I knew it would be several months before I would sift my way through other peoples discarded goods, in search of my own treasure. True to most thrifted gold, this was found under a table, in the bottom of a box. I immediately put on my best thrift/poker face... casually asking how much she was asking...

... "You want that thing? Seriously? Would you give me a dollar for it?" um... for a moment I almost came to the defense of this forgotten little number, wanting to shout out it's worth in hours of labor, intention, function and design. I wanted to help this woman understand the love it was made with, the life it still had, the weight of the cotton, the perfect seams. She had no interest in any of that, she really only saw that it was over the top and in her opinion hideous. She asked me if I saw it as one of those things "that is so ugly it's cute?" "Maybe," I said, handing over my four quarters. "But I know a bunch of women who will understand." I thanked her and as I walked away I realized I would have gladly paid twenty times the amount.

Did you think it would be an article of clothing? Crazy good find, yes? No? I'm so confused. My family's reaction... Emily laughed, and continues to giggle each times she sees it. Her mother has become a walking illustration from a children's book. My husband gave me the look of bewilderment which I read as "I love you babe, but that is not hot."

Best viewed in the round. Those trees kill me.

So what do you think, so ugly it's cute or simply amazing? 

My sister called a few days after I wrote my last post to check in... she said I sounded  bummed out. I assured her I was fine, just wallowing a bit in the final dark days of winter here in the northeast. My sister lives in Florida you see, she moved there several years ago - I believe she actually packed up and hit the road during the dark, cold month of February one year.  Declaring she'd had enough, she got in her car and drove all the way to Key West, you can't get much further away than that. She set up house there for a full year, but has since moved further north a bit- something about wild chickens roaming the streets of Key West and the only option for clothes shopping being Kmart. Not just regular bad Kmart, but the nations dumping ground for all other Kmart cast-offs. The really bad Kmart.

Anyway, I've been busy. It's now March and I feel as though I made it through February relatively unscathed. How about you? I can say that in hindsight - around the 19th -  I wasn't so sure that was possible. But then I got busy with a project, redoing the yoga studio that I teach at. It's all done now, and was truly a blast. I will be sharing photos  in the next few days, this one is a sneak peek. It's definitely giving me renewed energy and  inspiration in many ways, I'm very sensitive to my environment that way. I hope it's doing the same for our students and teachers as well. Nothing like the idea of a new beginning. It's why I've always loved Mondays so much. The change of seasons too, boundless possibility.

And now spring is less than 20 days away. I do believe things will start bubbling with activity to share around here. Thank you for sticking around, emailing,  and popping in through the doldrums.  Spring is about to be sprung my friends.