more love for dogs

remember when i told you how much i love dogs and how much joy they bring me? well i want to add to those sentiments now that i'm living with Datsyuk and my parents' dog, Bettie White. Bettie came from a farm in Iowa and never had a good home until this past July. for a lot of the time she was in shelters, she missed out on a whole lotta love and support. my parents aren't necessarily "dog people,"  but they wanted a companion and some new life in their home (my step-dad is semi-retired and has the time to watch a needy puppy).

Syuky and Bettie White playing in the fresh snow

let's get one thing absolutely straight: Bettie White is totally crazy. i mean, she's CRAZY, always getting into mischief, running every which way, tearing apart toys and now that Syuky is here, terrorizing him. even though i know he is often annoyed, Datsyuk also likes the attention (he is still a full-on male, testosterone and all). imagine a teenage girl living in the same house as her handsome, older man crush. yah its like that.

Datsyuk being so gracious as my
cousins dress him up as a wizard

what else is special about Bettie is the way she loves. she is a little behind, she doesn't always behave, but she always, always wants to be loved and will love in return.  as crazy as she makes me some times, i can never be too upset, knowing that where she came from was probably much worse than our nice home in calm Northeast Minneapolis. it's hard for me to describe what its like to have my boyfriend and our dog here with me while i go to school, but if you can think of the best possible situation for yourself at this moment, you can relate. i have all the support in the world and for that i am forever grateful. Syuky and Bettie can always put a smile on my face, even when i want to smash faces after a tough day with over-pretentious grad students. their simple joy and love is contagious.

our future tiny home

last week Trevor showed me the most AMAZING website that we are now both currently obsessed with: the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company makes teeny tiny, livable houses that are built with no foundation and can be moved anywhere. yes, this is real. it's like my dream of an eco-friendly, sustainable home that requires little commitment is finally coming true! (it helps that i have the man of my dreams by my side to execute the construction of the house, and to get a truck to haul it)

we are already planning which house we will get, but from the looks of them they vary only slightly, until you get to the 'cottage'-sized homes. i know that this might not be ideal for some of you, but personally, the older i get the more i realize how little i really need to get by. now that Trevor and i are really thinking about our future and our life together, its amazing to see how it will all happen! we are fully committed to the environment and our future, more so than being concerned with having a big house and a so-called "perfect" job. we will be pursuing our dreams of self-employment and can still buy a tiny house (call it our 'starter home') without sacrificing credit and going into debt for something more typical.

it's clear to see that climate change is not knocking at the doorstep, its already inside the house and doing its damage. though we may not be able to turn it around completely, at least, if we all do a little something, we can impact the damage and lessen it for the next generation. let's protect our Earth and help keep her healthy!!

crafting is art

in the past year, my love for my own art and creativity has grown immensely. through my creativity i find an inner calm (also found through my yoga practice) and i feel accomplished for making something new.

a taste of my workspace

though i do use some new materials like chain and leather that is harder to find in large quantities recycled, i prefer to use recycled beads, pendants, pieces and parts for my jewelry. this has become popular in the past few years as we try to be more resourceful, and it's called 'upcycling.' i've posted about upcycling before, and lately i've only collected more and more pieces to use and make new again.

100% upcycled earrings made with
hoops, glass beads and chain

i'm still listing pieces on my etsy and hope to soon show my work to a larger audience through a trunk show and networking. if i can reach even a few people and share my art, that is based on making old things new again, i will be happy. check it out and spread the word! my pieces are for anyone and everyone, but mostly for us betties everywhere.

yoga is my church

as some of you know, i am a strong advocate for the practice of yoga and its physical and emotional health benefits. i've been practicing yoga for 10 years, and i started doing it at home. i had gone to a few classes here and there, and when i was living in Chicago i began my home practice. i had a tiny little TV with the built-in VCR, and i watched Rodney Yee's videos (if you don't know about Rodney Yee, Google him. he wears awesome tiny black yoga shorts that always made me giggle.). it was a great way to start my home yoga practice, in a comfortable, non-competitive environment.

when i first moved to Minneapolis in 2006, i practiced and studied yoga with my teacher Ben Vincent, from One Yoga. as i delved deeper into my practice, i learned more and more about myself and the practice of yoga itself. it is manifested in different ways for different people, and we all have different abilities. i rarely practiced at home, since the studio was a half block from my apartment. in Truckee, i became close to my friend and teacher Ann Marie Sheridan, who now owns Namaste studio and utilizes a similar teaching style to Ben. this consistency in teaching improved my practice and my understanding of yoga. as some of you read previously, i found a great spot at my most recent house in Truckee to practice, outside in the backyard among giant pine trees. it was magnificent.

Warrior 1 pose

now i am back in Minneapolis getting ready for grad school in a few weeks and my yoga practice has become grounding for me, during a time of readjustment and new beginnings. i'm living with my parents (you can laugh but its FREE) and they have an awesome Midwestern rec-room, multi-purpose basement. with a huge space sometimes used for the grandkids' playspace, i am also able to use it as a yoga space when i want to practice at home. this week i am house and dogsitting for my sister while she and the family are in Seattle, and once again i was able to find a small space to lay my mat. she has a massive walk-in closet (filled with lawyer-y clothes, amazing vintage pieces and tons of beautiful shoes) with a small wood floor space just big enough for my mat and some standing poses.

Tree pose - a practice in balance

some of you are probably thinking, "how the heck can i practice at home if i'm not that 'good' at yoga?" well first of all, there's no such thing as being 'good' or not at yoga. it is a practice and should be viewed that way. i may be able to do advanced poses, but i don't think of myself as being 'good' at it. it may be easier to begin a home practice after you become more familiar with poses and are not fearful of injuring yourself. for beginners, i recommend attending at least a few classes to gain some ideas about what their home practice could look like, and to learn proper alignment for those poses.

you may also be wondering how you can cultivate a home practice if you are not a trained teacher. how will you know which poses to do and when? for me, this is the beauty of the home practice. i generally don't start my home practice with a specific idea for the poses i'll do, but i naturally fall into a routine that i've gotten used to through different classes and teachers. if i start to feel lost as to what to do next, i take a minute to breathe deeply and check in with how my body feels. this will usually tell me what i'd like to do. sometimes i only practice for 20-30 minutes, other times i practice for an hour or more at home. without a specific agenda in mind, the home practice allows me to be fully aware of my body's needs, and to practice without any distractions.

i encourage everyone to consider a home practice of yoga and/or meditation at either a regularly scheduled time or sporadically. everyone's needs are different. for more ideas about poses and a home practice, check out these online resources:

10 tips for practicing yoga at home
Yoga for beginners at home (video)
A home practice

betty roots run deep

last week, i moved back home to Minneapolis from Truckee to get settled before i start my graduate program at the U of M. living with my parentals again as an adult will surely be a challenge, but luckily my mom and i have lots in common, primarily that we are super resourceful betties. my mom is the original; she taught Erin and i how to make the most of what we are given and to do it well. here in the midwest, gardening comes more easily than in the mountains. the other day, my mom made lunch for me, Trevor, her husband Gary and herself, using home and locally grown ingredients (primarily).

     

chilled Cucumber-Avocado soup, made with homegrown cucumbers

Tortillitas with shrimp and scallions; yellow
cherry tomatoes and cucumbers from
mom's garden

not only does my mom have a garden full of massive cucumbers and squash, but she has both curly and lacinato kale plants that are as big as small trees. having these resources readily available makes us more likely to put them to use and not waste what we already have. as a kid i was not totally excited about all of the vegetables in our garden, but now that i am older i thoroughly enjoy eating every kind of homegrown vegetable i possibly can. not only is it healthy, but eating this way is good for our environment. along with the chilled soup, my mom made tortillitas with shrimp and scallions (imagine small pancakes with savory goodies inside). to complete this perfect summer lunch, she picked yellow cherry tomatoes from the garden and served them with freshly cut cucumber slices.


now that i'm home in Minnesota i will certainly miss the mountains and the incredible friends i made in Tahoe, but i am excited to begin a new chapter with graduate school and reconnect with my Midwestern roots. soon enough i'll be back to visit Tahoe and snowboard like crazy, but until then it's family, school and work here in the Twin Cities.

the joy of dogs

my whole life, i've been a dog lover. i remember my grandma's dogs from way back when i was a little kid, and everyone in my family has had dogs that i've bonded with also. Chester, Worthy, Molly, Abby, Bailey and Sophie have been some of my favorites. when we were kids, my sister and i got a puppy from the same dog-loving grandma (Dorothy), but he was unhappy and wild and we eventually had to put Teddy down.

Syuky resting on our West Coast road trip,
April 2012

 since losing our own dog as kids, my sister and i have always been nostalgic. she and her husband adopted Oliver almost 8 years ago and he soon became my doggy nephew, who i lovingly ran with and showered with attention until Erin had the first baby 3 years ago. now, i am lucky enough to be with someone who loves dogs the way i do, and has a beautiful yellow lab named Datsyuk (named for Pavel Datsyuk, the Detroit Red Wings player and general badass. yes, Trevor has an obsession with hockey and the Red Wings).  not only did i fall in love with an incredible guy and partner, but i love Datsyuk as my own. we have even started to call him "our" dog! from the time i wake up in the morning and he stares at me with excitement with those big brown eyes until i cuddle with him for a little bit at night, Syuky brings me so much love, joy and happiness i feel sometimes like i might explode. dogs have unconditional love for the people who love them and treat them well, and that is a powerful feeling.

Trevor and Syuky walking through the
Portland Arboretum, April 2012

studies have shown that dog owners are generally happier and more fit people, and rightfully so. i try to take Syuky for a run and/or hike at least 3 times a week, and he knows when its time for that. he is so much like a cute little kid sometimes it kind of just kills me. he makes me laugh, he makes me smile and when i'm sad, he comes to comfort me. i have so much gratitude for him and having him in my life; the kind of gratitude that comes with really special people, animals and places. oh and i guess having Trevor around is good too ;).


if you don't have a dog of your own, hopefully there's a dog in your life somewhere that brings you joy and smiles.

shopping in your pretty panties

as i'm sure you already know (unless you've been living in a cave deep in a faraway jungle), this here fancy internet is a haven for online shoppers. if you read the how-to guide i wrote for vintge, thrift and consignment shopping (if you didn't - go here and follow the archives to see all 3 parts) and you are realizing you're not the type to dig through racks and racks of clothes, maybe online boutiques are more up your alley. i am willing to share a few of my prized websites for affordable and stylish clothes.

it can be hard to control your impulses when presented with the ease of the internet, but remember a few things so you don't have to live with any guilt for overspending. 

• head to the sale section first - if you find enough cute things on sale or clearance, you may be able to steer clear of regular-priced merchandise altogether. i've found AMAZING designer pieces for $100 or less, which were originally $300-500. 

• check a few different websites - often times, different sites and online boutiques carry the same or very similar items. browse a few sites and see if you can find a better deal!

• know your measurements - it can be hard to gauge the sizes of different designers and brands. with a little investigating, you can find the size charts and specifics somewhere on the site. this can save you the effort of returning anything.

my faves!

Shopbop : be sure to give yourself a LOT of time to get started on this site. based out of Madison, Wisconsin, shopbop carries a wide range of designers, price ranges and styles. if you're searching for an amazing Alexander Wang dress and can spend 6 hundo, you can find it here. great features like the Wishlist and My Designers allow you to track not only your purchases, but things you've browsed and your little heart desires. also great for sharing with friends and family around the holidays and your birthday!

a page from the 2012 Threadsence summer lookbook. cute!

Threadsence : this super-cute online shop features amazing styles for reasonable prices and inspirational lookbooks to give you ideas. i also follow threadsence on facebook and Instagram, which gives me instant access to new items and looks on the daily (follow me @sakioto). the ladies of threadsence will even run "shop or drop?" campaigns to allow us as the consumers to decide what's listed in the shop or not. it's awesome! 

Nasty Gal : another LA-based online boutique in the realm of Threadsence, with just a teensy bit more edge and punk. i also follow these gals on Instagram, where i can see behind-the-scenes shots and pics of the ladies at happy hour. personally i like seeing the faces behind the computer screen where i buy my cute stuff. there's no denying that with a name like "nasty gal," this website is  sure to fulfill some of my retail needs. 

Zappos : what started as a shoe website has grown into a massive online warehouse of high-end and bargain shoes, clothing, accessories and even beauty products. 24-hour free shipping (both ways, should you need to return anything) and an insanely friendly customer service staff makes Zappos a favorite for millions. if you go in without anything to look for, be careful: you may end up spending way more than you bargained for!

currently coveting these boots from
Zappos. under $100!

and with this, i send you off into the great wide world of online boutiques and shopping. look for good deals and check back often!! 

daydreaming

this engagement ring is beautiful!! vintage, of course. just daydreaming and browsing the interwebs...

.50 Carat Two-Tone Gold Engagement Ring - 10-1-4594 - Lang Antiques

musings on sustainability and self-reliance

this past Memorial Day weekend i spent in southern California with about 15,000 other people for a music, yoga and art festival. the experience was fantastic and a great way to open the summer festival season. every festival requires a certain amount of preparation and self-reliance, and Lightning in a Bottle was no different. in 2008 i attended my first Burning Man, a festival based on two main principles: radical self-expression and radical self-reliance. since that first time i have learned what to bring and how to enjoy my time at the festival without being burdened to worry about anyone else.

here's a photo from Burning Man that shows the harsh desert environment and a little bit of the art that can be seen out there. for more information and thoughts about the Burn and Black Rock City, check out www.burningman.org. maybe it is a lot for me to expect that everybody be self-sufficient, however i believe that any adult who is willing and able to attend a festival should be able to fend for themselves. this past weekend i learned that this is not the case and there are many festival attendees who cannot function like this. thankfully, i have been able to learn from every festival i go to, both about myself and about what is necessary to have a good experience. having been able to do this, i am able to draw on my own knowledge and resources to have a good time and be fully prepared. i believe in self-sustainability and resourcefulness, in all matters of my life. if someone is unable to do the same for themselves at a festival, i will not be that generous. we all have to learn to take care of ourselves and sometimes we have to learn that the hard way. onward to preparation for the Bounce Festival in less than 3 weeks!!

the importance of sanctuary

this is my summer to enjoy in Tahoe before heading back to grad school in August in Minnesota. that said, i am working as little as possible and doing as many fun and interesting things as i can. besides the cute bedroom i share with Trev, our new house has given me the space for another sanctuary: the Creation Station. a place to take apart things, re-design and re-assemble anything from jewelry to headdresses to tops and belts. here's what i'm talkin about:

not only do i have all my crafting and costume materials in one place (and semi-organized) but i've set up some small speakers for my iPod. this way, i get to hang out away from the world and dive completely into the task at hand and my artistic endeavors. i know how important this is to my sanity while not working, and to the encouragement of my creativity. if you can make a spot for yourself, whether an entire room or a small tabletop, i can pretty much guarantee you will see benefits, both in your creative and emotional selves (which are ultimately related). for more on the importance of creativity, sanctuary and family, check out my sister's website, chaiwolfman.com