August 2021
issue no. 7
ST O R I E S / I N S P I R AT I O N
G E N E R AT I O N MAGAZINE
stories & inspiration for the generation.
G E N E R AT I O N MAGAZINE
Editor-in-chief olivia walls @livvwalls host: https://issuu.com/generation-mag submissions: genmagpublication@gmail.com
Generation Magazine extends a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to our
CONTRIBUTORS Maria Daas Danielle Bjork Contributing photographer: Ashley Maisonet Barragan
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Table of Contents THE EDITOR’S LETTER:
Good Things Take Time
page 6
An Artist at Heart
page 10
The Mosaic of Life
page 8
ON THE COVER:
The Painted Ladies
page 19
Made With Love
page 20
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good things take time 6
T HE EDI TO R’ S L ET T E R Dear Reader, With this issue, I wanted to focus on something contrary to the lifestyle of our current culture: good things take time. It doesn’t feel natural for me to slow down and be still. Growing up, I was always moving: physically running around or running around inside my imagination. I have always been a dreamer, with plans of becoming a film actor living in the concrete jungle of New York. As cliche as it sounds, I was a small-town girl with big-city dreams— sounds like a movie, right?
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As a teenager, I began placing expectations and pressure on myself to make my dreams become a reality, living as if I was running out of time. This way of thinking is stressful, and I quickly became disappointed with who I was becoming. This is what I learned from that time: dreams are more about who you are becoming than what you are doing.
Portrait by Ashley Maisonet Barragan
At the end of the day, who I am becoming is ‘‘I can’t live out the dreams of my more important than living life in the fast lane. heart when I have never slowed down I can’t live out the dreams of my heart when enough to get to know who I am.’’ I have never slowed down enough to get to know who I am. There was more that I needed to learn to become the person God has created Often, we aren’t presently prepared for what me to be, and that takes some time. God has planned for us, and we need time to be refined. We have heard it before: it does not My dreams have changed as I’ve grown as a matter how fast we get to where we want to be person, and I’m loving where God has led me if our character can’t keep us there. Period!! thus far. At this point in my life, I’ve learned that when I allow the Holy Spirit to direct my This just might be a season to put your head steps, I am exactly where I need to be. There’s down right where you are and dig deep, no need to worry. I am looking toward the knowing there are good things underneath the future, at the same time, being content with soil. All that’s needed is some time to grow. what I am doing right here and now.
Livv
with love,
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An Artist at
Maria Daas | Glory Co. Interview by Olivia Walls Maria Daas is the owner of Glory Co. Calligraphy. As a business owner and creative, Maria intentionally finds harmony between the two mediums by staying true to who she is at heart—an artist.
Heart 9
You’ve been an artist since you were a young girl. How did you get into calligraphy specifically? Actually, in college where I got my BFA in Fine Art, one of my classes was a Book Arts class. I was doing a project and decided to include a bit of calligraphy in my assignment because I had been practicing calligraphy as a fun hobby. My professor loved it, and he started talking to me about calligraphy. He encouraged me to keep pursuing calligraphy as a hobby, but it eventually became a passion of mine!
Not only are you an artist, but you’re also a business owner. How do you sustain your creativity while also managing the day-to-day tasks of running your business? This is definitely challenging, but not impossible by any means! I am at my core, a painter. I will always love fine art and painting the most out of anything I do, however, owning a business does take up my extra time to be creative in other mediums. I actually have to put ‘‘painting and designing days’’ on my work calendar as if it is an appointment. Balancing creativity and managing a business comes from the attention you put into your craft. You take care of business first, then allow days for shutting everything else out to go back to the reason why you own that creative business in the first place. When it comes to designing wedding stationery, I’m deeply inspired by fine art and painting. For me, they go hand in hand.
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The more I keep inspiration in front of me, the more it will flow out creatively, despite the day-to-day responsibilities. When you’re an artist at heart, you won’t be able to help but keep your wellspring full; it literally flows out of you.
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u ll
When you’re truly an artist you wo n’t
; it literally flows out of you.
be
lp but keep your wellsping f e h o t e l b a
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What are your future goals for Glory Co.? My goals for Glory Co. are to expand the ways I’m able to offer unique and artful stationery to couples. I would love to be able to print more in-house rather than outsourcing to other printers. I ultimately want to learn what goes into unique printing processes such as letterpress printing and foiling invitations. As my business grows, I’d also love to give back even more to global charities. A major part of Glory Co. is giving to organizations that are changing the world and bringing the light of Jesus to peoples’ lives. In the end, I want to see how I can use stationery even further as an art form and allow my creativity to discover my unique design vision within the wedding stationery industry.
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The ancient art form of meticulously arranging hundreds of thousands of tiny, colored tiles to create patterns, shapes, or entire scenes, mosaics tell an elaborate story in which every piece is vital to the other. While an artist is in the middle of the process, you can’t tell what vision an artist has in their mind. Only an artist knows that. While we are in the middle of our lives, in the very center of our mosaics, only the Artist of our lives knows the entire picture. It takes faith and trust that the Artist is in the process of making something beautiful with what we have.
The MOSAIC of LIFE THE MAKING OF SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL
The experiences or ‘‘pieces’’ that accumulate from our journey have a purpose. Every victory, every challenge, every lesson, and heartache is a part of the story. These moments add to the beauty of our intricate mosaics. The most important part is to keep going. Keep picking up the pieces and behold them, knowing that they are full of purpose. Like with all good and beautiful things, an artist takes their time to craft a masterpiece. - Livv
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The
PAINTED Ladies
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FEATURED ON THE COVER, are the ‘‘Painted Ladies’’ of San Francisco, California. Across the street from Alamo Park, the row of Queen Anne-style homes is one of the most famous landmarks in the city. Also known as ‘‘Postcard Row’’—this is a sight you don’t want to miss the next time you’re in San Fran! Be sure to send us a postcard when you go. ;)
Photography by Angela Carabelas 19
mADE WITH LOVE Story by Olivia Walls Photography by Ashley Maisonet Barragan
Something you should know about Birchwood Coffee Co. is that the moment you step into this little shop in Apopka, Florida, you’ll instantly feel the warmth of a unique mixture: genuine southern
hospitality,
great
coffee, delectable desserts, and lots of love.
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Danielle Bjork, founder & owner of Birchwood Coffee Co. 22
A
s an avid coffee consumer myself, the smell of coffee in the morning is one of my favorite moments of the day. It’s interesting to think that a warm cup of brown liquid can be the centerpiece of vivid experiences. The kind of experiences that provoke deep connections with friends or invoke a peaceful moment all to yourself. Birchwood Coffee Co is a family-owned coffee shop serving the community of Apopka, Florida. Danielle Bjork, founder, and owner of Birchwood Coffee Co has a passion for experiences that bring people together. Upon walking into Bjork’s eclectic shop, you’ll instantly feel the love because it’s truly a family affair. For a long time, her sole focus was her family. All the while, in her heart, was a dream of one day bringing together the two things she loves most: family and coffee. In time, Danielle’s dream became a reality. 23
Birchwood features a full menu of coffee beverages with an assortment of tasty southern desserts crafted from family recipes passed down for generations. Everything is made fresh from scratch— including their flavored syrups! ‘‘What inspired me to open a coffee shop is one hundred percent my love for coffee and family’’, she says. ‘‘I’ve been drinking coffee since I was a kid. It was always the center of family gatherings, morning or evening talks, t.v. time, devotions—it was literally always there.’’ In the downtown area of Apopka, Florida, there aren’t many places to grab a cup of coffee. ‘‘I noticed that there weren’t many coffee shop options available outside of the Downtown area. So, I wanted to serve my local community.’’ While Danielle is a busy small business owner, her priorities have not shifted. Quality time with her family remains her biggest passion. When asked what has been the biggest challenge she has faced while owning a business, she responded: ‘‘Time! Balancing work and quality family time. Because this is such a passion of mine, I feel the need to always be there. I have a phenomenal team; I just need to learn to step back.’’
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As with most things in life, tough challenges often come with rewards. For Danielle, her greatest reward is having her four kids watch her live out the desires of her heart. ‘‘It’s truly amazing to be able to set an example to them of pursuing my dreams. I want them to know that they can do the same, with whatever their passions are.’’ Despite the ups and downs of owning a business, Birchwood gives generously to the farmers they source from domestically and beyond. ‘‘Their hard work is what allows us to do what we do. There are so many processes that take place before we’re ever able to enjoy one cup of coffee,’’ Danielle says. In doing so, they hope to bring awareness to the intricacies of the coffee industry from the fields to the mug.
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(Grandma) Ruth’s Cheesecake
Danielle & her mother, Pam
Birchwood Coffee Co. is rooted in family tradition but continues to grow progressively towards the future. The Apopka coffee shop is setting its sights on ultimately opening up more shops in other communities. As Danielle puts it, Birchwood is not just for the here and now. It’s the beginning of a family legacy. ‘‘My husband and I desire to leave a legacy for our children and our children’s children. We believe that this is only the beginning of what we are meant to do and leave for generations to come.’’
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