Fashion Week Round Up: New York, London, Milan, Paris, Oh My!



There's something so exciting about fashion week around the world. It's the allure of travel, inspiration from remarkable creativity to experiencing the unimaginable.  Over the past month, I made it a challenge to draw (or paint every day) during fashion week in New York, London, Milan and Paris.  I wanted to hone my skills in illustration and also have a little fun.  Here's a roundup and a snapshot of my own fashion moment :) After 50 days of drawing, I was happy that I was able to complete such a task.  What do you want to practice? Give it a try, and take little steps to get there, you'll be amazed by your progress.











Happy Mid Autumn Festival


It's a time to celebrate with family this weekend as we explore one of my favorite Chinese festivals - Mid Autumn Festival or Harvest Mooncake Festival! As a kid, I remember celebrating with family and my parents sharing delicious lotus filled moon cakes will all sorts of goodies inside from egg yolks (my fav woot!) to fruits to nuts. Learn more about the historical significance of mooncakes and the history here.

I spent some time painting memories from the Mid Autumn Festival this morning from lanterns, lotus flowers, crab, bok choi, different mooncakes to a mooncake wooden mold (I've actually never seen one before!). I used watercolor and glimmering gold gouache to give the piece a bit of warmth.

So go out and gaze at the moon tonight, grab a batch of yummy mooncakes and you'll be left with a smile.

Check out my new post on They Draw and Cook (also on the front page today) - my first FEAST post! Here's to more foodie paintings :)

Get back to fun, relaxing and being a kid again: Coloring


DIOR HAUTE COUTURE SPRING-SUMMER 2015 FASHION SHOW

I'm so excited to share with you my first series of free color sheets I'd like to gift to you.  Adult coloring is a fun concept leveraging the joy of coloring as a child while bringing your own unique creativity into the mix.  I remember as a child collecting Barbie coloring books filled with Barbie adventures printed on newsprint.  My aunt was the most amazing colorist and I remember wanting to be just like her since I tended to color out of the lines and my colors just looked strange.  She would use white crayon as a highlight and other soft, beautiful colors. I later learned, there's so many methods to coloring, every way is actually perfect.

Three Reasons to Color

 1.) For relaxing

There's something relaxing about sitting on the couch, in the park, at your desk and taking out beautiful color pencils, crayons, paint -what have you- and color to your hearts content.  It's truly a practice of being in the moment and focusing on one color at a time, creating something truly beautiful and unique to your own aesthetic.  Coloring in the lines allows you to focus on the color and not necessarily worry about what to draw, how dark the lines are, yadda yadda.  You just have to put the color on the paper. Read more about how coloring can help de-stress and a tool for meditation.

2.) Bring out your inner child, be creative in your own way
There's unlimited colors and combinations out there and coloring is a chance to use your imagination the way you want to - without boundaries.  Colors can be vibrant, subdued and serene or eclectic. You decide! There's literally endless options as long as you stay open.


 3.) Creativity is limitless,  use whatever you want
Many coloring books are printed on thinner paper which may make your colors bleed depending on the medium you use:
  • Color pencils
  • Pens
  • Watercolor
  • Acrylic
Have some fun! You don't have to stick with color pencil but here are few recommendations I suggest:

Get the right paper

Ready to get started? 

1,) Print out your favorite color sheet
2.) Pick what colors and medium you'd like to color in
3.) Have fun!

Pieces of Paris

Follow more of my drawing adventures on Instagram



Make your space & Get more time


My space in progress...
A question that I seem to get over and over again from people is:

How do you have the time?

I consider time to be the ultimate luxury. You can't get it back, it's a marker of freedom and joy for me to do what I love and to be with the ones I love. This is how I do it based on having a full time, demanding job, family obligations, being a step mother to a middle schooler, and nurturing relationships in my blended family (Asian, French and African American). There's certainly many other ways, but staying open and creative is the beginning.

To me, it all starts with carving out my own space.  This use to be a nook in my room, shared office with my boyfriend (now husband) and now, my art studio in my garden.

So why your own space?

It's...
  1. A place to replenish, call your own, escape from the craziness of the day
  2. A place to be yourself free with your thoughts, habits and desires
  3. A place for stillness to organize your life, and do more of the things you love

Build it (or find an existing space)

 Here's how I did it over the past few months and most recently in my garden.

  • Pick a space: In my case, I made a trip to the trusty Tuff Shed showroom, picked out some simple specs for my 8"x10" studio and a day and a half later, the shell was built in my garden. It's all about creating comfortable boundaries that you can work around that is personal to you. It doesn't have to be expensive, but you do have to love it.
  • Get your friends and family to help (or maybe share with them your idea): Feel stuck? Not sure where or how to create your own space? Solicit your trusted friends or family members for some ideas. You may have some strong ideas but you'd be surprised by the different perspectives you can get.  My husband and father-in-law helped me with finishing my studio, shelving systems and organization based on understanding where studs where, best angles to place my shelves (so I don't hit my head), sky light placements and the list goes on.
Make a relaxing atmosphere to focus

Now how do you fill your space with a sense of calm, wonder and inspiration? It's going to vary for everyone, so give yourself permission to go wild creatively!

You may be living with roommates, have a small space, or share a space with your husband/wife/brother/sister...whatever, you can still create something amazing..

Here's 3 things to keep in mind:

  1. Music: Jeremy Passion - Lemonade I stumbled onto Bay Area native,  Jeremy from my Amazon Hawaiian playlist. It's awesome and just chill. Select your own tunes from Motown to Foo Fighters. Don't limit yourself. 
  2. Paint and Color: Ralph Lauren Metallic Paint . Go out of the lines, do the unconventional. I was going to paint a huge, colorful, floral mural but opted for a sophisticated hue of glimmering gold and black.  I wanted to bring some nature from the outside in.
  3. Be a Kid: Remember when you sat for hours coloring in coloring books as a kid? Why not color as an adult? Relax, get lost in color...heck color outside the line (my forte). For a FREE colorsheet to get your started (for those with a sweet tooth), sign up for my newsletter here.



Surround yourself with stuff you love

  • Rip up some magazines: Colors, nature, fashion and travel are ways for me to find inspiration. To create something meaningful, I decided to surround myself with colors that give me energy.  Colors and shapes that will spark some kind of idea for my projects.  So tear some magazines and tape/pin/tack/staple them on the wall so you can see it and spark your imagination.
  • Get stuff organized: I love Muji's acrylic cases.  They organized all my Mr. Sketch, Sharpies and other wonderful pens. My husband also introduced me to Bullet Journal, a simple, fun and systematic way of journalling. Organize your way and get your place in order.
  • Books: Stack or prop books so you can see them and they're accessible.  They also add some visual interest to your space. I had to buy the book It's a Small World (Includes the CD) after it brought back so many childhood memories with my family visiting LA's Disneyland. Not to mention it has beautiful illustrations inspired by the ride. Another book that helps me hone my sketching skills is Urban Water Color Sketching, Here you'll find some of the most freestyle rich examples of sketching.

Google Headquarters: Mobile First Show: @Slice cafe


I set out on a massive challenge this year after pushing myself creatively last year. I decided to create new art pieces both on different materials and sizes (Something I've been incredibly afraid of).  First, it was taking on a design challenge on Google Cardboard for a non profit benefiting homeless youth.  For that, it was about creating a world of dreams, a world outside the norm where one's imagination celebrated the surreal.  My approach was building hope and fun into a simple cardboard device.

The next challenge was showcasing my artwork at Slice cafe, located at the center of Google headquarters. This was my 3rd showing at Google after hanging back in 2012 in Crittenden and the Zurich office. I hadn't created any new designs since Christmas when I sold new holiday cards at the Youtube Bazaar.  I remember walking into Slice to scope out the space and was shocked by the massive walls.  "How the heck am I suppose to fill this with art?" I remember thinking to myself back in December when my husband, stepson and I were celebrating the last leg of our wedding (We had decided to have three wedding celebrations last year to ensure all our close family and friends could come - Half Moon Bay, Paris and Hong Kong).   I was extremely nervous since we also just bought a house in Mountain View which closed in January.  How was I going to make all new pieces I could be proud of by May?

So the madness began....

I started with the concept and somewhere read in the guidelines that art hung at Google should be 'technology related'.

Great.

My forte was not exactly inspired by technology but I decided to take a different perspective.  I asked myself the question...'How does my mission of celebrating diversity and connection through  cultural mashups, travel and lifestyle relate to technology?' Then for some reason two words came to me. 

Mobile First.

I knew Google's emphasis was on mobile technology, so I thought about my own life and how technology became a beautiful norm in my everyday interactions.  The best part during the art opening was hearing the interpretations through others and how some pieces mirrored real life from how we read books, track time, interpret beauty and so on... 

I started with wood panels and sketches ranging from 24"x24" to 24"x48" all cut, mounted and finished by hand (with the trusty help of my loving husband)

Packed and ready to go!
  Some amazing help hanging at Slice!
Let the show begin! Early excitement :)
Some support from loyal friends and family share the fun at the opening!


Couldn't have done it without the help of my art coordinator and fellow Googler, Janice. Thanks Janice!

In the end, I sought out to create juxtaposition, imperfection and something beautiful in hopes of representing technology not as something intrusive, but rather as part of this seamless experience we're all learning from together.

This project took eight full weeks with dedicated weekends to complete seven pieces.  It was a personal accomplishment and a pleasure working through the ups and downs of creating something truly special.


Here's to thinking big. Can't be there in person? See more here and follow me as my adventure continues.....

All artwork will be displayed at Google, Mountain View until August and all originals are for sale. For inquiries email natalie.woo@gmail.com


Dreams Incarnated


I was honored to participate in a recent artshow in Portland at p:ear, a nonprofit that builds positive relationships with homeless and transitional youth through education, art and play. Every year p:ear programs help almost 900 young people age 15 to 24. Thank you everyone for your support and to Instrument for the collaboration. 

This was a challenge for me to design something on a dimensional surface.

To me, this is what my art is really about - building confidence, hope and connection.

100% proceeds benefit homeless youth.

Check out the behind the scenes work in progress







Lazy Sunday R&R


Sundays are always the best to slow down, take a hot coffee or tea and well...just relax..

After a long, hard working week, this is the time to take a moment for yourself  and enjoy the space.

I like to wake up early on Sundays, when it's still quiet, and start sketching or painting...this is where I start putting all the ideas I've had over the past few weeks onto paper.  This week it's all about honoring compassion for oneself and others.  Self care is something that brings out the greatest health and love others naturally gravitate towards. I tried to capture this in this sketch.

This year has been full of blessing as I've been fortunate to share my wedding experience with family and friends around the world.  Our last soirée will be in the bustling city of Hong Kong.
On the flip side, with the celebrations come the non stop bridal magazines....The beauty from these magazines are the nuggets of wonder found not in the products themselves, but from the nuances such as color pallets, or the lush variety of floral arrangements.

How will you take care of yourself today?

Travel Curious: Russia


This week's travel takes us to Russia, inspired by my wonderful and animated friend Xenia, who I've known for years. She always travels back to Russia for a few months with her family and I was always excited to hear about her adventures or curious to see what she brought back.   Once she gave me some linden tea leaves (which are btw great for soothing your throat and for relaxation) which has been a lifesaver during my bouts with the cold, dry winter air. Or maybe it was the super cute Matryoshka tea set she had placed on display in her lovely new home (wish i could find the picture! :/) 

   Inspiration for this piece includes the colorful and whimsical St Basils Cathedral, Matryoshka dolls and the national flower, Chamomile. I've always wanted to visit Russia, especially in the winter, while snow is falling (I know brrrrrrr).  

Where should we go next week? I'm thinking somewhere warmer....hmm 

New Challenge: Travel Curious



Traveling is the secret to adventures. It opens your mind to the undiscovered and creates enduring memories.  My illustrations are inspired by travel and my next project is all about finding that next adventure. Maybe it's traveling to somewhere new...maybe it's traveling to the familiar. All I know is that there's always something to uncover. From food, beautiful architecture, hidden streets to cultural traditions, travel is one way to dream and experience something completely out of one's comfort zone.  

 Challenge: Paint a new place every week for the next 6 weeks of places I've never been

Adventures come in all packages and you don't have to have tons of money to travel.  I've found some of my favorite discoveries have been in my own backyard (literally).  

Morocco is a place I've never visited but dreamt of visiting. I've always been mesmerized by the culture, colors, scents and sounds of this amazing place without ever being there! Maybe it's the allure of the exotic or the glowing light from the iconic lanterns. I've always painted based on experience, and I've realized through painting this, that sometimes you have to paint from just being curious and pushing yourself to think differently. Stay tuned for more paintings in my 'Travel Curious' series....

Do you have a place you'd love to visit? Where should I travel?

 Follow me on Instagram to join my adventure

New Design and Stamps

photo by Twin Soul Art
I've been working on branding my artwork for the past few months and super excited with my Moo cards (below).  After running out, I decided to go with a more personalized touch by exploring rubber stamps! I sketched some concepts below, focusing on a light, elegant floral touch and collaborated with a brilliant maker: Twin Soul Art.  Check out her beautiful stamps and more....


Stay connected and 'Like' my page on Facebook 

Glimmer and Gold...A Sketching Experiment

Happiness is the only thing that is doubled when you share it

I found an old pad of black art paper - as black as coal - bought maybe 10 years ago and I decided to create a series of drawing experiments with some of my favorite items - nail polish and gold ink! There's something beautiful, glamorous and pure about those three materials.

Here's some test illustrations :)....

 Follow me on Instagram @natalie_woo_artwork to see more artwork realtime...





Fête in Paris


photo by: Timothy Wong
Paris is a city of adventure, amazement, energy and wonder.  Here's some snippets from our wedding celebration.

http://flipagram.com/f/F4d2lpfJHl


Some highlights:
  • Always celebrate with family and friends. I was fortunate enough to have my family join our wedding celebration from Hong Kong, Zurich and California. Some came for a day and en route to places like Bordeaux, Prague, Boston and London. It was a joy to celebrate my aunt and uncle's 25th anniversary as well.
  • Make the most of crazy weather. Photoshoot by Notre Dame. In sweltering 90 degree weather, Thibault, Benjamin (Thibault's brother), Tim (our photographer and friend) and I trotted ourselves up 9 flights of windy stairs to Benjamin's flat in Le Marais, across cobblestone roads, across bridges, through a sea of tourists to capture some special moments as the sun set in Paris.  We had laughs, pretended we were chased by paparazzi and walked through energetic crowds watching people pole vaulting by the Seine. Never a dull moment. A day later, came flash flooding and rain!
  • Eat, get lost, have some change and practice your French. I can go on and on about this one but it was fun practicing some French after using Duolingo for a bit. It's a great app with some fun features to motivate and reward your efforts.  Food itself was an adventure as I tried the foie gras balls at the wedding (looked like candy apples!), ate loads of banquettes with butter and finally exchanged some cash to get some travel essentials (love the scent of Lush products!)
Tonight I travel to the south of France in Rodelle to do some intensive drawing.  Stay tuned and I'll need to get some rain gear...à bientôt!


Lovely Moments

It's been a while since I wrote and a refreshing 4 months full of change, delight, adventure and more!
Over the past few months I resigned from my job, took three months off to focus on my art, hit the 'reset' button, learned how to transition into family life, traveled, found a new job and just did nothing. Time is such a precious commodity these days and to have it is to cherish those special moments small or large. Here's a few things I learned along the way..















photos by Tim Wong

Being married never felt so good...
After 6 years of dating, T and I got married on a beautiful sunny day in Half Moon Bay.  We were surrounded by our closest family and friends from every stage of our lives, childhood, college, high school.... I can't help but wonder, why didn't I get married earlier? I never knew it would feel so good..ok OK...people DID tell me to get married earlier but this was the perfect moment....and you can't rush a perfect thing right?

 I was a bit nervous since the day before was freezing and my mom literally called everyone to bring extra clothes to keep warm. We've been through so much including cultural and experiential differences that could have easily pulled us apart.  I'm now a new mom taking care of my beautiful 11 year old step son Lucas and never knew marriage could feel this fulfilling. I tell T we're still in the honeymoon period and he responded with 'We've been in the honeymoon period for 6 years!' :)...A huge highlight of the night was a surprise Lion dance from the 'Lion Dance Me' troupe (who competed on America's Got Talent).  I stumbled across their company while trying to find a special 'something' to celebrate my Chinese heritage and surprise my our parents...(Check out the video below...the first LED lion dancers).

Love is not loosely used between us and now we know that everything we've worked so hard for was truly a testament of unconditional love, resilience and compassion...nothing more..nothing less..just perfect.



Do more of what you love and take risks 
In the spirit of growth and curiosity, I really wanted to flex my artistic muscle and took a creative chance on a few things over my break.

1.) Attempt to design my wedding.  I went on a diy-spree by creating 500 coffee filter flowers, 16 tissue paper poms, painted a tryptic guestbook, made origami ceramic vases...covered my house full of glitter and paper for days....and managed to drive T crazy...but in the long run..it was worth it :) The idea was to take time, explore new artistic processes and create a vision for something deeply personal to me...my wedding. More pictures to come :)

2) Apply and exhibit for the first time at a major art fair: Renegade Indie Art and Craft Fair Austin SXSW.  I remember one day flipping through Instagram and saw 'Renegade' post a call for applications for their Austin show.  Renegade is one of the biggest indie art fairs held in Brooklyn, London, Chicago, LA, San Francisco and Austin. I said, 'What the heck' and applied...This is a curated event and a day later, to my surprise I was accepted! 3 weeks before the show I gathered as much information as I could - set up - travel - production - support - sales - permitting - you name it.  Long story short, I couldn't trick any of my friends to go but managed to have my cousin support me while she was visiting Austin, bumped into a high school friend who happened to live in Austin with his family and got a lovely city tour from a friend who's a country singer.  I went by myself, carried two huge check in suit cases filled with prints, wedding decor (I had to borrow from my stash given the tight timing) and lucky money magnets... lived off fruit, pizza and splurged the last day on Austin delights (Perla's anyone?). It was a stretch, my first show, got some great feedback..was one of the most exhausting things I've done...flew back to Cali and felt a great sense of accomplishment :) It wasn't for the money, it was for the curiosity, growth and learning opportunity.

3.) Signed up for an art bootcamp with a renowned art agent Lilla Rogers. 
I stumbled across an amazing art bootcamp from Lilla Rogers http://lillarogers.com/. She's had over 20 years of industry experience and her e-course talks through art trends in the Paper, Wall Art, Baby Apparel, Editorial, Scrapbooking, Textiles market and more.  Her class is full of joy, support and experts in the field brining real world experience and talent (e.g. interviews with Directors from Crate and Barrel to Anthropologie and more).  Her classes are intense, really push you to grow as an artist and I'm learning more and more..See more of my stuff here.

Go out there and travel. Near or Far.
Getting away was a great way for me to serendipitously meet great people, get a greater sense of renewal and simply enjoy what matters...time..space..and new experiences...






Los Cabos, Mexico
I had a burning desire to getaway for a bit before the wedding.  I didn't want to go too far so I decided to go to Los Cabos to surf.  Unfortunately it wasn't surf season but I made the most out of it and took city tours, glass boat tours, enjoyed some Mexican embroidery, read at the beach, watched movies and did nothing :).  It was whale watching season as whales migrated from Alaska to the warm Baja Peninsula. The most beautiful site was seeing whales breaching right in front of my hotel by the ocean.  The best was also having an impromptu Spanish conversation with my shuttle driver...priceless..(nothing beats communicating like you're playing charades and remembering words from my high school Spanish class).

Disneyland
Last minute road trip with my friends to the happiest place on earth...and a place of childhood memories. Need I say more? Oh and it was 'A Small Worlds' 50th anniversary :)


I'm grateful for the real luxury I had, time.  Time with Attention. Because time in itself is pointless without the attention to enjoy it. Really happy I had T, Lucas, family and friends to support me through my curious shenanigans .....Here's to more!


Scrapbooking

I'm taking an art class for 5 weeks and this week we're focusing on the scrapbooking industry.  The inspiration comes from vintage ink bottles and our task was to create a suite of vintage scrapbooking items (e.g. stickers). I've been busy doing some diy work for my upcoming wedding stay tuned for some updates :)

Enjoy!


Come visit my booth @ Renegade Craft Fair in Austin for SXSW!



I'm so excited to share my artwork at the upcoming Renegade art fair in Austin for SXSW! This is my first time at a fair, let alone in another state..here we go :)  After three weeks of prepping, learning, wrapping, gluing, packing..you name it..I'm ready..Wish me luck everyone and here's a sneak peak into the planning process. Swing by booth #8 on March 13-14-15








Take some time...





"All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make, the better "- Ralph Waldo Emerson 

If there's anything I always stress, it's 'Me' time.  It's something I emphasize to my friends and family. So this week, I've decided to honor my own 'Me' time adventuring to Los Cabos to surf for the first time. There's something about being in solitude, not worrying about obligations and just rejuvenating your mind, body and spirit. There's no guilt behind it, no judgement, just gratitude and appreciation for personal time. Thibault and I always grow individually when we carve our time for ourselves and friends. When we come back together, it's so fun to share what we've learned and in turn, we learn from each other. Growing is what it's about and sharing with the world.

I've learned a few things so far...
-Being 'skunked' since surfing is not in season right now :P
-Whale watching is breathtaking by the beach. Gray and Humpback whales migrate from Alaska to Baja to give birth
-Water conservation is huge in Los Cabos
-Fishing is one of the biggest reasons people come to Cabo, along with golfing.
-Peyote is a potent plant sought after by Europeans and in the movie 'Young Guns'
-Freeing baby turtles into the ocean from the beach is between August and Dec
-Yoga is wonderful by the beach and a sun drenched balcony
-Papaya with mint sprinkled with salt is delicious (really)
-Great time to catch up on reading, writing and just being curious
-Cactus jam and chocolate go well together 
-Lover's beach is connected to Divorce beach (One side is the Pacific, the other, the Sea of Cortez)

 I'm excited for my cultural tour tomorrow and look forward to sketching more. Here's a sketch from the beautiful landscape around Los Cabos. There's amazing shapes of cacti and indigenous plants everywhere!

Creating 'Me' time doesn't have to be complicated, it could be a walk to your favorite coffee shop.  Seek time for yourself, especially in this fast paced world....




Love is Everything


Happy Valentines Day Everyone! 
I hope everyone takes the time to appreciate and share love today. It keeps the world turning :)
Here's a little painting I did last night to practice painting blossoms...it's almost spring woohoo (well kinda).

Happy Lunar New Year Themes




LOUIS VUITTON - Chinese Lunar New Year 2014 from Mustashrik Mahbub


I'm so happy and excited for 2014! The year of the horse will be full of spirit, vibrancy and rigor.
It's been super busy with wedding planning, taking a break, celebrating Chinese New Year and cleaning....lots of cleaning...

There are several themes I'm focusing on this year to keep an abundant, happy and fulfilling life. All the themes are grounded in two concepts:

Love and curiosity.



Check it out:

Themes to focus on:

Less is more
We've heard this over and over again...though how many of us actually take action and feel the benefits of reducing our stuff/distractions?  Over the past few months, I've explored a few places where the idea of less, allows for clarity, contributing to others and productivity.

These guys take it to the max with a laid back and focused attitude.  They emphasize a meaningful life while appreciating the essentials.  Coming from high paid, fast paced corporate jobs, Ryan and Joshua talk about concepts such as 'packing parties' and living life without needing to buy a gazillion things.

I can't speak enough about Poshmark. The concept of Poshmark is selling your clothes from your closet to a community of fashionistas. The best part is you can sell your clothes from the comfort of your home. Manish, CEO, and his beautiful team has created a dynamic place where you can make some money and attend fun 'Posh Parties'. Did I tell you how amazing their team is? Ck out the fabulous Courtney and the adventures of her adorable felines :)

Papers, recipes, recipes, magazine clippings, wine labels, favorite food labels oh my!...Anything you want to remember - I save to the cloud in Evernote.  I can recycle the material clutter while saving my important (or not so important) finds. I recently took pictures of my favorite t-shirts and basketball memorabilia (ahhh the good ol' days playing high school/college basketball). I was also able to donate items to Salvation Army for others to use.

I love Cuyana's products and their 'Lean Closet' movement! The idea is cool and simple - buy quality products produced locally and get rid of stuff you don't love. They offer a donation bag for you to donate unwanted clothes with a $10 credit.  I don't know how many times I've gotten compliments for their products or been a spokesperson for their brand.

Organize and Prioritize

Thibault is an amazing source of logic and organizational prowess. I naturally love to organize and prioritize (I get it from watching my mom organize boxes, reuse containers, and more while growing up).  Maybe it's my creative nature but I tend to like the messy/chaotic type of organization (Basically I'm ok with mess at times - say clothes all over one place in one area).  Thibault however, is not.  A motivation for logical placement of snack goods with snack goods, breakfast with breakfast goods, making the bed everyday, you get the picture.  The lesson here is Thibault is the master of clean, order and everyday systems.  I hope everyone finds their own Thibault :)

Busy? And need to pay and track your bills? Or maybe you need to set financial goals? This is the place to be.  And sometimes I feel like Mint is talking to me (Apparently Mint tells me I'm paying 29% more for my auto insurance). Mint is a great place to see all your financial accounts in one place in a graphical, visual presentation.

I love to organize thoughts, notes, plans with a slew of Google docs and spreadsheets. The best part is being able to share with others, iterate on demand and export to PDFs if needed.

Just discovered this awesome uber personal organizer that gives you tips on organizing your space - from your desk, garage, kitchen, you name it.  She's a super organizer and really helps de-clutter your space with budget friendly ideas, products and systems. You can find tips here that work for you.

Quality matters

An amazing grocery delivery service that brings local groceries to your doorstep - from Bloomfield Farms (my favorite CSA boxes) to fresh baked Artisan Firebrand Breads in Oakland. Oh by the way, their customer service is exceptional!

Juicing is one of my secrets to good health.  From apples, carrots, beets, ginger, you name it...we pretty much juice it. Spud is another grocery delivery service and I love their juice options.

Here's to the new year, keepin' it simple and buying quality goods :)