Becoming Yogiraffe

A little background info...

It's been almost a year and a half since I last wrote a blog post. I guess blogging is really just some sort of romanticized ideal for me, but I'm okay with that. It's here for me when I need it, and today I'm choosing to use it to communicate some important stuff about myself, my life, my future.

As many of my close friends know, I decided to write a 30 before 30 list about five months before I turned 30. You can read about that list here. Before I knew it, I turned 30 and only 18 were complete, with just a hand few partially finished. So, I did what most (out of their mind) people would do...I wrote another list! This time...it's 13 before 31, and the first item was to finish the 12 remaining items from the first list! Seriously, though!? Anyway, I can't link to it because like I said, I hardly get on here to blog and I didn't type out the second list. Maaaaybe some day I'll come back and remedy that!

The new list got even more ambitious! In fact, I added things like...PLAN A WEDDING (which we're still in the process of doing). Actually...only three of the new list are complete as I type this...and that's why I wanted to come back and share some stuff with you! 

Side note, here are a few of our engagement photos taken by the amazing Jessica Ashley Photography! I really should do a blog post about our engagement (and the amazing photos Jessica took)...but for now here are a few images!

A little more about the lists...

When I reflect back and think about writing the lists, I realize that while my intentions were good, and the items I chose were well rounded, fun, challenging, new, sentimental, etc...the lists weren't really about the items at all. The lists were about learning and discovering during the process of going through the items. The items gave me a path to follow, and along that path I started to find out more about myself and before too long I began to apply some of this new knowledge. What happened when I began applying what I was learning was that a fork in the road appeared. One way would lead me to keep working at the lists, keep chugging through the items, each and every one of them. The other way, the way I ended up taking, is the way that started a whole new focus. 

I discovered something from a couple of the items that sparked a passion like I hadn't felt in a very long time. One that I just naturally gravitated toward, and before long I realized...I was no longer compelled to place priority on most of the items I listed. What I discovered was my love for yoga. The two items on the lists were to go to 10 yoga classes and try a mix of different types, and to do a 13 second unassisted forearm stand. These two small items completely opened up a new world for me. If I had to choose between saving for a new computer, or paying for yoga classes...the answer was indisputable. If I had to choose between setting up at new craft fair, or spending a day at an arm balancing workshop...there was just no question - I'd be loading the car with yoga mat, yoga towel, and water bottle in a heart beat.

Looking back, even though I haven't completed all the items...I am so happy I wrote the lists. I know now that they were the vehicle to help me find that passion...that something that created a spark and I feel driven towards. Of course, I'm sure I'll complete more of the items on the list...just at a leisurely pace without a deadline. They were good items, and I love the idea of seeing them through to fruition...but they aren't my purpose anymore.

The new journey...YTT!!

So if it's not the lists, then what? Well like I said, the lists helped me discover yoga. I have been consistently practicing for eight months or so, and I feel such a shift in body, mind, emotions, relationships, etc. The more consistent my practice became, the more I started to feel like the classes were great, but they were just the tip of the iceberg. If I felt my life had changed so much by going to 75 minute classes multiple times a week...I knew in order to keep seeing a shift I had to go deeper. After much thought, discussion, support, encouragement, and just stepping out on a limb...I'm happy to say I am enrolled in a Yoga Teacher Training!!

For the last few months I have been researching, reflecting, researching, reflecting, etc, etc...and I decided to go for it! I will be doing my training at Indigo Yoga. I start at the end of August, and it is an 11 month program. One weekend a month, I will spend Friday evening, all day Saturday, and all day Sunday...completely immersed in yoga. The rest of the month will be dedicated to reading the 12 books assigned, writing essays, assisting classes, and maintaining my own consistent studio hours. While I do not necessarily have an end goal to become a yoga teacher, this training develops you to do so if you want. If over the course of the next year I discover that teaching is something I also feel passionate about, I definitely would not preclude that possibility for myself. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

I am so excited to start this new journey! I want to thank all the amazing teachers that have been so knowledgeable/helpful/encouraging over the past year, and that have opened up this world to me. I want to thank my fiancee for all of his support/encouragement/love/care over the past year and this coming year...as I could not put my heart as deeply into this if it wasn't for him. And I want to thank all my friends and family that have embraced the new person I became, and am continuing to become, because of this discovery. 

If you'd like to follow along with my yoga journey, I created an Instagram account just for yoga stuff. You can find my Yogiraffe account here. I still have my PurposelyPaisley account, and like I said...I'm still going to keep this seldom used blog around for periodic posts!

Namaste,
PaisleyAnna

Mucho Matcha!

So one of my 30 before 30 items was to do 30 days of a primal diet. It started off that way...until after about three days into it I realized that I had actually naturally gravitated to a paleo diet. I really like this infographic as a quick explanation on paleo. 

I decided that I'd stick with paleo for the full 30 days...but I'd also give up my three top vices on top of it: coffee, alcohol, and dark chocolate. Most paleo peeps will say that coffee, alcohol, and a really good quality dark chocolate are all okay in moderation - but because I really wanted to test myself, and it is just 30 days (right??), I went full throttle and left them all behind. 

You know that the old adage though...when one door closes, another opens! So when the coffee door slammed shut in my face, I was thankful that the matcha green tea door welcomed me with open arms! 

Matcha green tea is a true superfood. Unlike regular tea where you steep the leaves in a tea bag then remove them, matcha leaves are ground very fine and then dissolved into your liquid, leaving you with a ton of awesome in your system. The leaves are grown in the shade, which makes them waaaay high in chlorophyl.  This liquid chlorophyl detoxes your body, gives you lots of energy, pumps you with antioxidants, and can even help you think more clearly! It's liquid gold...but it's green...it's green liquid gold!!

If you're thinking of investing in some of this green liquid gold...just be prepared for liquid gold prices. Like I said, it's shade grown...all the way in Japan, and it's a superfood. I will say though, what you get for what you pay goes a loooong way. I considered it an investment in my health and well being - cheaper than paying your deductible, and tastier too! I ordered this matcha tea set from the online shop Matcha Source. It came with everything I needed to have my own traditional Japanese matcha tea ceremony right at home. Yes ceremony...I'm a nerd like that, and really find the process to be soothing and worthwhile! So now that I've talked your ear off...or you've read your eyes out (??)...I guess I'll get to some pics!

The set came with a tin of matcha, a sifter, a bamboo tea scoop, a bamboo whisk and whisk holder, and a tea bowl.

I just love the bamboo whisk and holder!

It also came with great instructions, so you feel like a matcha pro right out the gate!

Green Liquid Gold!!

A little sift and stir to start your day off right!

The instructions also had a recipe for a matcha latte! It was very easy to whip up...just added frothed almond milk to the equation and instant matcha for me!

Yeah! Liquid chlorophyll :)

The final product...before it was devoured!

Next, I think it'd be fun to have a tea party...a matcha green tea party...where there are matcha scones, matcha cupcakes, and match caramels to accompany our matcha tea. I know that won't be paleo...but it sure would be cute!!

30 before 30

I think the title of this entry pretty much sums it up - I turn 30 this year, and I want to accomplish a specific 30 things before I depart from my 20's. There are a lot of bloggers out there who do this every year...but I was specifically inspired by my super ambitious and goal-oriented friend Val of Oh, Hopscotch! Her 30 before 30 list got me to thinking..."hey, why not!?"

I thought long and hard about the items I put on this list. I should rephrase that...it took me over a week to come up with all the ideas, and that week included a lot of conversation on the matter as well as a lot of strategizing. I am getting started late into my bday year, so hopefully all that pre-list effort will pay-off over the next 7 months.

I'm quite happy with the items I settled on - and in true list-maker fashion, I felt it was set in stone once everything was handwritten in my best penmanship. What I love about my list is it's a good mix: challenging and fun, friends required and individual feats, and most importantly - a blend of mental, physical, and emotional challenges. I want to see what I'm made of...better myself in the process, and have fun while doing it. I want to hold myself accountable, and I'm putting all of this out there so hopefully I have some support from others who will in turn hold me accountable too :)

So, here it goes...my 30 before 30, with some explanation thrown in there too:

1.) Landscape the front yard
2.) Host a fancy dinner party
3.) Volunteer somewhere new
4.) Learn to sew and make myself an article of clothing
5.) Take ten yoga sessions & try different types
6.) Donate hair to Pantene Beautiful Lengths
7.) Run an eight minute mile. While I've completed a half marathon, I've never been fast. I know 8 min won't seem fast to most, but it would be an adulthood PR for me :)
8.) Make homemade marshmallows
9.) Get craft room in working order
10.) Learn to crochet & make a hat
11.) Participate in a blind bourbon tasting (at The Century Bar)
12.) Ride a roller coaster...it's been far too long! We'll be going to Cedar Point for this one!
13.) Travel internationally
14.) Get back into music...find five new (to me) artists/bands that I love
15.) Set up at a new craft fair
16.) Read Wildwood & Under Wildwood. Every time I try to read a book I get sleepy. Colin Meloy of The Decemberists wrote these, and his wife beautifully illustrated them...if that's not enough to keep your peepers open, I don't know what is!
17.) Complete 30 days of a Primal Diet nutrition plan. I have a serious sweet tooth...so this will be interesting!
18.) Write five new blog posts
19.) Get my Etsy shop stocked and ready for sales. It's empty at the moment, but this is where it'll be.
20.) Create a signature cocktail
21.) Watch The Artist. I'm almost always "connected" and doing more than one thing at a time...so for a solid 100 minutes, no distractions allowed during this silent film :)
22.) Teach someone a new skill
23.) Re-pot houseplants that have old, grimey, icky pots
24.) Create a printed photo album or display. iPhones have put me in the bad habit of not printing the photos I love. I've noticed my home doesn't have recent snapshots to provide me with perspective of all the great things/people/and of course animals that are in my life...it's time to get back to basics!
25.) Throw someone a surprise party! Yay!
26.) Get my first Mac
27.) Spend a weekend in Athens, OH with Lonmeister. A best friend's weekend at our Alma Mater couldn't sound more refreshing! Go Bobcats!
28.) Learn to drive a stick shift
29.) Brew my own beer
30.) Get out of my comfort zone - Boudoir photo shoot! Eeeeep! With the help of my very talented photographer friend who owns her own biz, I will attempt to keep from blushing for at least a few frames ;)

So there you have it! For those of you who know me well, I'm sure you noticed that a couple of these are already complete. Yes...I retroactively put a couple of the biggies on there - because hey, I did these within the specified timeframe and they were significant achievements! Waste not, want not - right!?

I'll be back to this post to update my progress as I go. I hope you'll follow along and cheer me on - your support and involvement mean a lot!

Thank you!
~PaisleyAnna

Prescription Planters

I love my dog, Peat.

Peat, an epileptic weimaraner, goes through prescription bottles like I go through La Croix. Every time we refill his prescriptions, they seem to come in different containers...and this round delivered these pretty little squat orange bottles. Now it just so happens that I have an ever increasing interest in propigating my plants, and find myself in need of small planters quite frequently. To make it short and sweet...the moral of the story is:

When life gives you an epileptic weimaraner...turn around and make prescription planters!



Materials:
- old prescription bottles (on hand)
- assorted yarn or embroidary floss
- pretty ribbon
- twine
- felt
- hot glue gun

This little project didn't take very long, and actually would have taken less time if I decorated the bottles before I did the plantings...but I didn't want soil to get all over the decorations so I opted to carefully work with my plants already settled in.

I love my little prescription planters! They're practical, cute, and remind me of Peat-o-weim every time I look at them. That's a win-win!

Have a lovely day!
~ Anna

"You Smell Good!"

Call me silly...but I love it when I give someone a hug and they say "you smell good!"

Right now I'm completely enthralled with these brands that I came across at two of our local health food stores, Pacifica and Love and Toast. And as you might conclude by where these little gems were hiding...what's even better than the pretty packaging and delicious "flavors," is that they're natural, enviornmentally friendly, and the companies give back...that's pretty neat!

I haven't spent too much time perusing their websites...as what I've hauled home from our local shops has already put a pretty decent dent in my disposable income. However...every penny has been well worth it.

So, without further ado...here's some photos of my little stash o' joy! Oh how I do love each and every one of them...plus, I've gotten so many 'you smell goods' it's become difficult to choose a favorite!

Here's a bird's-eye view of what I've collected so far. Isn't the packaging just so pretty!? So pretty in fact...I think I'll keep it and admire it for a while.

This duo of perfume and soap is a gift for my mom :) Tibetan Mountain Temple will be just perfect for her...she's Buddhist and this set will keep her feeling calm and tranquil all through the day!Here are two of my rollerball perfumes. Mediterranean Fig and Brazilian Mango Grapefruit. The fig has an almost spicy quality...while the grapefruit is perfect for a light and sunny summer day.

I loved this Tuscan Blood Orange rollerball so much, I picked up the body butter in the same scent. So scrumptious!

This Love & Toast perfume and handcreme is just luxurious! The Honey Coconut is so wondeful...a friend told me I smelled like fresh baked cookies :)

And check out how adorable their packaging is!! When you open the handcreme...one side has the love cutout, the other the toast!! Too cute!!

So, I highly highly suggest checking out these two treasure troves of wondefullness...just consider yourself pre-warned...you will fall head-over-heels in love...and there's no turning back! :)

Smiles and Stuff :)

Fall is here...and it brought with it...Beer!!

Wahoo!! Fall is here!!

Now, I'm not one who really prefers hoppy beer. I am a lover of stouts and porters...so as you can imagine, Fall is my fave because there's lots of tasty concoctions out there for me to try.

The first of the season is Woodchuck's Private Reserve Hard Pumpkin Cider. OooooooooohWeeeeeeeee!! They only keep this Private Reserve on the production line for 2.5 hours!! Glad I got my hands on it beforfe it sold out :)

Second of the season will be The Bruery's Autum Maple Ale...brewed with YAMS, molasses, maple syrup, and spices. Again, OoooooooooooohWeeeeeeeee!!



Alright, okay, good beer, hooray :D

Le Petit Prince

Bonjour!

I've been smitten with Le Petit Prince ever since my Junior High School French teacher made the book a translation assignment. It's not just that it's so stinkin' cute, filled with whimsey, and makes me feel nostalgic...it's also that it's full of very poignant life lessons (and who couldn't use a few of those from time to time?)! Well I just discovered that there will soon be a graphic novel version of Le Petit!! C'est vrai!! I will be picking up a copy before you can say "Oui!" ♥

Au Revoir,

PaisleyAnna