My twin sister and her family are coming to stay at our cottage this summer, The McCarthy family will be reunited, 18 of us, except my brother. I’ve been thinking about him a lot, life is not the same since he died tragically at 21 years old.
“I’m so sorry your brother passed , he is no longer with us, we lost him years ago,” All words expressed at a heart wrenching time in my life.
I often wonder why people pad this experience with a lighter, less painful words? I know it hurts too much to declare they’re dead or it’s not Politically Correct to talk about death, or we’re uncomfortable with people’s pain…
And yet we know death is inevitable, not avoidable. There is no life without death. What if we didn’t sugar coat this? Instead we spoke openly about death with our children, sat with our loved one’s heartache, didn’t fix a broken heart but were ok with the uncomfortable messiness of life? Words are powerful, they tell the truth. Dead, is the literal term for no longer physically alive. What if we owned the word , if we accepted the destiny, would the journey be more graceful? I imagine yes, it has been for me.
“Book cases are a canvas to create your own painting – whether you’re Modern or Traditional fill with treasures, photos, cherished books and enjoy the view!”
Yesterday I had the thrill, once again, of being on Urban Rush, a Canadian entertainment talk show hosted by Fiona Forbes and Michael Eckford. I adore these two – welcoming, witty and smart, thanks for letting me share the set!
Also, thanks to Blue Owl for generously lending a few of their lovely pieces & thanks to fabulous Sarah for being a great schleper and assistant!
Janette is a full-time mama working on the art of living a creative life. Music industry and copy writer chica prior to motherhood.
How did you arrive at your Style Statement?
I began with reading Carrie’s book, Style Statement. Amazingly, I came to Wonder as a contender for my 20% word – Enchantment, Delight, Evocation were also possibilities. The foundation word I considered was Composed, which wasn’t sitting right with me, although there were elements of Composed I related - orchestrating a party, creating vignettes around the house. As I worked through the book, I lived in chaos, the contents of two households crammed into one. I was finding “order” and “organization” coming up in almost every category of the Lifestyle Map. But once the clutter was gone and order restored to my surroundings, the importance of organization decreased dramatically and Composed didn’t fit. I scheduled a Jump-start session with Carrie, it made all the difference.
After about five questions (I think it was, “What one outfit would you wear for the rest of your life?” that sealed the deal) Carrie said, “Yeah, I don’t think you’re Composed.” And I laughed because I realized how NOT composed I am. And when she declared Wonder was my 20% word, it felt so right, she pointed out so many ways that I had not considered applying Wonder. It felt magical. Read the rest of this entry »
Here’s a pure and simple way of to thank dad this Father’s Day: Give them a sincere, short list of words that expresses why they are a treasure to you. This small gift can infuse the busyness of a get-together with meaning this Father’s Day.
One way to present your words of thanks is to create a card and write “I am grateful for you” and list four words that convey how your dad shines in your eyes. To be grateful is to truly see.
For you Dad.
love, C
This is the front of my card for my dad, a crazy dog lover. Go ahead gather stamps, nature, old stamps and create a handmade card for your pops, like you did as a kid.
My sweet friend Patricia Larsen gave me the dog print, I’m recycling!
“The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are,” – Joseph Campbell.
I live in Vancouver with my amazing partner and our two dogs. I’m excited about a business I’m starting soon with my girlfriend. I’m a believer in freedom, kindness, respect, gratitude, and elegance.
I’m inspired by beauty, people who do extraordinary things and devote their lives to making a difference. I’m a constant traveler. Africa makes you humble, these photos speak so much of who I am….
How did you arrive at your Style Statement?
After my lovely session with Carrie, I couldn’t wait for her to call me back and share my two magic words. The I heard: “I think your style statement is Elegant Freedom.” Instantly, I knew it was me, my whole life I’ve been Elegant Freedom, I just never said it out loud. I was thrilled and excited. Totally makes sense. That’s me!!
It was ‘love at first sight’. From that moment my affair with elegance and freedom unfolded in every aspect of my life. Read the rest of this entry »
How fabulous are these bracelets? They look Bohemian, and Natural combined with a touch of Tradition. Any wardrobe that’s feeling stale, add some magic with layers of color and texture. I love the gold chain & bauble, what about you?
