millin’air Issue 4 | Summer 2016
Fashion | Business | Wanderlust
KCM Summer
2016 Line Take Your
Business to Camp!
Destination:
Thomasville
Just Drifting Along
Gratitude’s Summer Camp Adventure! Gratitude & Company is all about supporting people to live great, full lives. Gratitude is a Muse of sorts, whose energy runs everything that we do. She personifies the things we all have inside of us: creativity, optimism, choice, self-care, love of nature, personal meaning, and connection to the miracles of every day. She enjoys sharing her adventures and spreading her message of authentic self-expression and awareness with others. Here is a sneak peek of a scrapbook page she made about one of her most recent adventures. This is just a little taste. Gratitude is excited to share the even yummier full length version: click the link below for her free gift to you. www.gratitudeandcompany.com/summer-camp-gift/ Password: summer
2
millin’air | summer 2016
Jan is a multi-media artist, writer, workshop facilitator, and creativity coach who helps people who are stuck in the muck, in a funk, or creative lull find their way back to living their Great Full Life, hugging their dreams, and embracing their journey. Gratitude is always by Jan’s side helping her to help and inspire others with a big dose of fun, play, whimsy, nature, and creativity. To learn more you can find Gratitude and Jan over at www.GratitudeandCompany.com
While you are there, be sure to sign up for more fun and announcements. You don’t want to miss hearing about how to preorder the book, Gratitude’s Journey, or miss hearing about our challenge planned for later this summer called “Have You Hugged Your Dream Today?” summer 2016 | millin’air
3
in this issue Spotlight on Jill Barnattan 17 Digging Deep for a Balanced Life Our resident herbal alchemist dishes on summer doings, her Apothecary Club, and what you can expect when working with an herbalist.
Fashion
Business
7 KCM
23 It’s Summer... Go Ahead and Float! 24 Business Summer Camp 26 Write Your Business a Love Letter 27 The Beautiful Process of Simplification
Summer Line
Wanderlust
29Destination: Thomasville, GA
On Our Cover Photo by Sheila Pai Embrace ease as a graceful swan on the lake this summer with our Business Summer Camp exercises.
4
millin’air | summer 2016
in every issue 2 6 15 21
Gift of Gratitude Letter from the Editor Pure Taste Summer Wellness Tips 34 Horoscopes 36 Final Thoughts
millin’air
Contributors
SUMMER 2016
Katherine Carey Founder, Editor-In-Chief
Jennifer Vanderbeek Art Director
Jan Blount | 02
www.GratitudeandCompany.com Artist, Writer, Creativity Coach
Carol Carey Editor
millin’air magazine was born on a mountaintop in Roquefixade, France on an August afternoon in 2015. In its pages you will find inspiration from the worlds of fashion, small business, and travel from our global community of contributors and entrepreneurs.
Heather Chapplain | 15
www.heatherchapplain.com Creator of One-of-a-Kind Apparel
Jill Barnattan | 21
vitalequilibrium.com Certified Professional Herbalist & Alchemist Vital Equilibrium
With Special Thanks to our Sponsors: Susan Miller Heather Chapplain Jill Barnattan Jan Blount Jennifer Vanderbeek
Join the journey! Receive the updates, see the new collections first, get entrepreneurial learnings along the way, inspiration, and—of course—hats! www.katherinecarey.com
Jennifer Vanderbeek | 29
www.jennifervanderbeek.com Writer, Artist, Illustrator
Laura E. West | 34
www.lauraewest.com Fortune Teller and Certified Lipsologist
Copyright © 2016 Katherine Carey All rights reserved. Use of millin’air content without the express permission of millin’air or the copyright owner is expressly prohibited. summer 2016 | millin’air
5
Sweet Summertime is Here!
Note from the
Editor
Aaah, to the floating! Yes, to the chillaxing! More to the doing of absolutely very little.
How are you honoring yourself this season? Taking a trip or just taking a walk in your own hood? Keeping things super simple is how I am honoring myself this season. With that in mind, you’ll find this issue is streamlined and focused on the lightness of life in the summertime.
find joy in doing just enough
Fashion-wise I’m showcasing hats that I call The Summer Classics, keeping you shaded and stylish all season. In Business it’s about embracing Business Summer Camp... aka The Sabbatical. Yes, it’s true, I am taking a sabbatical for the summer. I am so thrilled about this. The goal is to do very little. To find the joy in doing just enough. With that in mind I felt like with the Wanderlust portion of this issue that we could wanderlust ourselves right into our own communities. For me staying local in NYC this summer means picnics in the park, maybe some Shakespeare in The Park, free concerts, outdoor movies, rooftop parties, and some treks to the sea. I’m excited to dive into an interview with Herbalist, Jill Barnattan. Wise Jill always has so many wonderful suggestions for embracing the best of wellness for each season.
What sort of awesomeness is available in your community for Summer? How do plan to see your Summer bloom? Let’s take a leisurely stroll together…come on… it’s summer!
xoxo,
Katherine
6
millin’air | summer 2016
Fashion Katherine Carey Millinery Presents
The Summer Classics
S
eeing as The Hatter is at Business Summer Camp, here at KCM we are inspired by the best hats for summer fun: The Summer Classics! The Hudson, The Fedorable, and The Relaxed Fedora—available in crisp white or classic black—are proven summertime winners! Dress them up or down: these styles pair great with caftans, bathing suits, shorts, capris, maxi dresses, and flip flops! Be on the lookout for these at www. katherinecarey.com and in person at The Market NYC, 290 Mulberry Street, New York, corner of E Houston. summer 2016 | millin’air
7
the
Fedorable
Black Toyo with Black Grosgrain Band $140 + s/h
8
millin’air | summer 2016
the
Fedorable
White Toyo with Black Grosgrain Band $140 + s/h
summer 2016 | millin’air
9
the
Hudson
White Toyo with Black Grosgrain Band $140 + s/h
10
millin’air | summer 2016
the
Hudson
Black Toyo with Black Grosgrain Band $140 + s/h
summer 2016 | millin’air
11
the
Relaxed Fedora
Black Toyo with Black Grosgrain Band $140 + s/h
12
millin’air | summer 2016
the
Relaxed Fedora White Toyo with Black Grosgrain Band and Trim $140 + s/h
summer 2016 | millin’air
13
Retro Kitchen APRON SETS
Free Recipe Book at
HeatherChapplain.com/RecipeEbook
14
APRON SETS $65.00 millin’air | summer 2016
Pure Taste
Rhubarb Muffins INGREDIENTS Muffins
2 1/2 cups all-purpose, whole wheat, or spelt flour 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 cup buttermilk 2/3 cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1/2 tsp vanilla + 1/2 tsp almond extract) 2 cups finely chopped rhubarb
Topping
1/2 cup sugar 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (optional) flaked toasted almonds
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375° F.
Prepare a muffin tin with grease and/or paper liners.
In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients (flour through cinnamon) and stir together. In a separate bowl, combine the egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla.
Make yourself a lovely pot of tea and enjoy these Rhubarb Muffins fresh out of the oven. If you are looking for something to read, hop on over to my blog at heatherchapplain.com Ta ta for now! ~Heather
Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture just until moistened. Fold in the rhubarb.
Fill muffin cups about half full.
Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over each muffin. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until muffins test done.
summer 2016 | millin’air
15
16
millin’air | summer 2016
Spotlight
Digging Deep for a Balanced Life
M
any of you have read, enjoyed, been inspired by, and learned from Jill Barnattan’s wellness columns in past issues of Millin’Air. Jill is a soul sister of mine and we have been dear friends for going on 20 years--our birthdays are three days apart!
Jill is wise and soulful and brings these qualities into the work she does as an Herbalist. I am thrilled to bring this interview to our readers so that you can meet Jill and get a feel for the amazingness that is The Wonderful World of Healing Herbs. --Katherine Carey
MA Jill, would you describe to our readers what an Herbalist does? JB An Herbalist is a lover of plants and nature’s bounty and utilizes botanicals in many forms to assist the body and mind in becoming synergistic to achieve optimal physical and emotional well-being.
An Herbalist may grow or wild-harvest medicinal plants; brew herbal concoctions such as teas, tinctures, syrups, honeys, or creative kitchen alchemy; or work in a clinical setting, utilizing ancient diagnostic skills rooted in Western Herbalism, Traditional Chinese Medicine, or Ayurveda, to formulate a comprehensive plan of action for each client. I have been trained as a Clinical Herbalist, neither diagnosing, naming, nor treating disease, but rather work-
An interview with Jill Barnattan, Professional Planetary Herbalist
ing with clients as unique individuals by recommending herbs, dietary and lifestyle modifications, and self-reliant healing methods.
provides self-reliant tools and herbs to enable clients to move toward their own vital equilibrium.
Working with an Herbalist can be the I feel that my main job is to pay attenmost rewarding and eye-opening extion through observation and listening perience of a lifetime. People seek out to my clients’ needs, wants, and goals an Herbalist when they are ready to for their own health journey. I feel that my main job is to listen to my
clients’ needs, wants, and goals.
MA In what ways would someone be able to use an Herbalist to balance their health and well-being?
JB Are you ready to be empowered and follow a program that is designed specifically for you? This is the best question for someone to ask themselves when seeking out an herbalist. An Herbalist advocates, empowers, and
take charge of their own healing, big or small, but are in need of guidance. Positive results are found when an individual is committed to themselves, proactive, and ready to take the responsibility of following the program that is created especially for them. summer 2016 | millin’air
17
I have clients whose goals are as simple as improving their everyday diet, eating more “healthy,” or yearning to have an exercise routine to more complicated goals of needing to experience higher levels of vitality, resolving long term digestive issues, emotional imbalance, or even recurrent infections. My specialty as an Herbalist is working with women and teens with anxiety, digestive ailments, menstrual related issues, insomnia, and sensitivity to the environmental stresses of society. MA Would you share with us what one might expect in a Wellness Consultation with you?
JB Questions! I am a people person and love learning from my clients. The more questions answered truthfully by the client, the better the end results and effectiveness of the program. My sessions begin with a detailed intake form and initial 1 ½ hours conversation. I think of it as a “personal interview” where I ask questions about primary concerns, goals, family and health history, and dietary and lifestyle choices.
I utilize ancient diagnostic methods including Chinese tongue and pulse assessment and combine all my findings to identify an individual’s constitution and patterns of disharmony both acute and short term. Ultimately, I provide each client with a combination of remedies that incorporate into their lifestyle. Remedies may include a customized flower essence combination, personalized herbal tea formula, tincture, syrup, recipes, yoga postures and lifestyle modification suggestions. When you work with me, expect to be empowered and explore many options that can work for you to reach your goals. MA Do you remember what it was that got you interested in becoming an Herbalist? Was it one moment or just a trade you became passionate about?
JB In 1993 I faced a stubborn streptococcus skin infection which was successfully treated with a tincture of Echinacea and goldenseal. No antibiotics necessary! Shortly after this incident, I moved to the Mackenzie River
in Oregon and worked both landscaping at private residences and at a herb and flower nursery. I ultimately pioneered the development of a community organic farm growing garlic and a plethora of other medicinals.
I discovered my magic after my coworker, a homesteading mama and impassioned herbalist, introduced me to the world of herbs in nature. She constantly pointed out “weeds” that had uses for healing and for teas. I was immediately hooked and started wildcrafting and reading herbal books. After receiving remarkable feedback on my first wildcrafted salve, I recognized my purpose was to help people heal through alchemy and sharing my knowledge of alternative health.
In 1996, I launched Kaleidoscope Naturals. My entrepreneurial spirit and diligence led me on a journey of producing high quality potions. Organic Hemp and Herbal Healing Salve continues to be my company’s best seller with loyal customers worldwide MA And what is your favorite part of your job? JB I have a habit of empowering people, whether it be my girlfriends, family, or clients. I find great joy in witnessing an empowered client who becomes proactive on their journey toward overall wellness.
Sometimes it’s just about the little things such as making a phone call to check in with someone regarding how they are feeling while taking their herbal tea or to check in to remind them of the self-reliant tools we talked about during our sessions. People get excited when they see results in their being from taking responsibility for themselves and it is rewarding to take a small part in their journey, especially when the results are apparent and positive. 18
millin’air | summer 2016
MA Would you share with us about your wonderful Seasonal Herbal Apothecary Club? JB Kaleidoscope Naturals’ Seasonal Herbal Apothecary Club is my version of an Herbal CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Members receive a seasonally based product variety of Kaleidoscope Naturals’ Vital Equilibrium Apothecary line. In return for support of my passion for herbs & expertise in plant alchemy, members receive an exclusive kaleidoscope (ever changing) variety of herbal and seasonally inspired products at each Equinox and Solstice. These unique specialty products are hand made in small batches and geared to advocate your vital equilibrium throughout the seasons.
Each delightful self-care box contains a variety of at least 6 botanically based hand crafted herbal and spa inspired apothecary products. Members also receive a newsletter with seasonal herbal wellness information, yoga asanas, gardening tips, and descriptions of each apothecary item that is made with wildcrafted, organic, and home grown herbs. Packages will be a seasonal surprise and may include salves, creams, body bars, teas, herbal honeys, tinctures, spice fusions, elixirs, do it yourself herbal projects, and more! I love to travel and might incorporate inspirational goodness from my adventures into these bundles of love. Each treasure received is meant to support the organ systems associated with the seasons according to five element traditional Chinese medicine theory. Summer offerings will be geared to the Heart. MA Could you share any learnings along the way in your business journey? Anything that you’d say is a “for sure” for someone bringing a product to market? Anything you would avoid?
JB I am constantly following my passions. Some projects or products work and some do not. I suppose the most helpful advice I could give is to not be
Jill’s Top 3 Tips for Staying Balanced I seek healing as much as any of my clients. Striving towards balance is a never-ending lifelong practice. I am grateful for my life and the path I have chosen. Although I am experimenting with this just as every other human, here are my key tips: 1. INDULGE IN YOUR OWN SELF CARE
attached. “The only constant is change” and it is true! Trends are always changing and not everyone is going to love your wonderful idea or product. I have found that flexibility is the key. Of course, ego tends to get in the way and dealing with rejection is an ongoing practice. I try to keep moving forward being open to suggestions and stay true to my passions and goals. MA You are always coming up with new enticing wellness products. What are you cooking up for us this Summer? JB I am already overwhelmed with and grateful for summer abundance in nature! Summer is the time of the Heart and late summer is the time of the Spleen. The flavor of summer is bitter and the flavor of late summer is sweet. So, keeping a balance between the Heart and the digestive system is important.
I have just spent the morning collecting wild roses for rose-infused honey—such a delicious treat! I will also be making a summertime gomasio with Hawthorne berries, sesame seeds and sea salt. As a treat for my Seasonal Herbal Apothecary members, I will be making a yummy chocolate, coffee, and salt body scrub with Big Island, Hawaii ingredients. Order yours today!
I enjoy hot baths, quiet time, short naps, intense yoga workshops, wildcrafting herbs, gardening, walks on the beach or in the woods, and cooking healthy food to name a few. Relaxation helps us to rejuvenate and ignite inspiration! When we take care of ourselves and our own spirit, it is easier to help and give to others.
2. LEARN HOW TO RECEIVE GRACEFULLY
Receiving is much harder than giving! Furthermore, being graceful can also be difficult. I try to participate in both ends of the spectrum. It’s important to give without expecting and receive with happiness instead of worry. Never feel bad for taking time for you!
3. BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING IS EXACTLY AS IT IS MEANT TO BE
I have been working on this in alternative therapy sessions for almost a year and it is finally starting to sink in! We can dance with the universe in a less stressful way by accepting whatever is happening in business or life. Certainly, we are responsible for our actions and decisions; however, beating ourselves up over poor decision making will only lead to suffering. In my experience, acceptance and trust in the universe and ourselves is key to moving forward. summer 2016 | millin’air
19
MA Finally, summer is here; what is your favorite part about summer? This issue is all about Enjoying Summer in Your Own Backyard so, when in your area, what is your favorite thing to do? JB I love sunshine, warm weather, music festivals, and working in the garden! Enjoying summer in my backyard includes an incredible amount of garden labor and prep work with the rewarding outcome of harvesting greens, garlic, tomatoes, cucumbers, and parsley for delicious Mediterranean salads. I also love to harvest an abundance of herbs and make sun tea from Mallow, Lemon Balm, Bee Balm, and other mints. Preparing herbal oils is also a fun activity in the sun. An evening glass of wine is divine after a long, hot Northern California day (Pinot Noir is my favorite). I look forward to spending time in the rivers during the dog days of summer when the heat is unbearable. Extremely grateful for all of it! millin’air | summer 2016
Wellness
7 Tips to Maintain Summer Vital Equilibrium
S
Jill Barnattan
pring brought us renewal and self-care practices for Liver and Gallbladder meridian balance to get us ready for summer, the hottest and most Yang time of the year. Summer is about expansion, creativity, clarity and love.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, summer is ruled by the fire element and corresponds to the Heart & Small Intestine meridians, the color is red, the taste is bitter, and the emotion is joy. The heart’s job is to continuously pump blood through the body. It is related to nervous system health and houses both the mind and the shen, which is the spirit. As a fan of the sun, I love the long days, enjoy taking walks and partaking in laughter, relaxation, social time with friends, and an opportunity to see the sparkle of kindness in people’s eyes. Unfortunately, the extreme hot weather can also throw us off balance.
How do we keep cool in this time of fire?
Stay Hydrated Sip water throughout the day. Hot temperatures combined with perspiration can dry us up quickly and we can find ourselves dehydrated. This can slow our energy levels (Prana or Qi). Get fancy with lemons and cucumbers in your water or make a sun tea with mints, chamomile, lemon balm and roses. If you need an electrolyte lift, try Ionic Fizz Magnesium.
B
Eat Light All of your hard garden work in the Winter and Spring pays off with beautiful summer flowers, fruits and veggies. Summer is not the time to eat greasy foods that weigh you down.
C
Watermelons are multi-functional for both cooling and hydrating simultaneously. Indulge in picking raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and cherries. Garden greens are prolific and endive is a perfect bitter.
My favorite light meal is a Mediterranean style salad with cucumbers, parsley and celery covered with an olive oil, lemon, garlic dressing.
Roses are great medicine for healing a broken heart, calming the Shen (spirit) and for relaxing the mind. My Summer Apothecary Club subscribers will be receiving a delicious hand picked California Rose-infused honey in their packages. Spray your face with rosewater when it gets too hot or if you need a lift in spirit.
D
Find Joy by doing what you love! Take time to calmly spend time in nature, meet new friends, care for your garden plants, visit the beach, a waterfall, or a new hiking trail, and go on herbal wildcrafting adventures.
E
Protect Yourself from sun damage. Sunscreen is definitely a good idea. EWG has a wonderful database called Skin Deep to find the best product for you. You can also protect yourself with supplements such as Astaxanthin (an antioxidant) and Resveratrol (which can both be found at your local health food store).
F
Bitter is the flavor of the heart. The first herb that comes to mind is Hawthorne. Not only do these mouth watering berries protect the heart, but they also affect the digestive system. Chocolate is a bitter too. Preferably eaten with a high percentage of cacao and dark, this superfood has a multitude of benefits. I have found it works great to balance emotional stresses.
G
H
Love & Gratitude! Truly the best medicine for all ailments. summer 2016 | millin’air
21
22
millin’air | summer 2016
Business
It’s Summer...
Go Ahead and Float!
T
his is for the Makers and the Entrepreneurs, the Go-Getters and the Busy Bees. I thought it was just me (I’m all four categories) and I knew I needed to give myself permission to simplify and float along. The whole process has made me smile. Like achieving “under-achieving” is the best achievement ever (it feels like that for me). I wanted this issue of Millin’Air to be all about floating, letting go, and drifting along because it felt so important to me I wanted to whisper it from mountaintops (because shouting would be too much effort in my quest for effortlessness).
But now I see the bigger picture. I see just how many makers, entrepreneurs, and busy-bees are seeking spaciousness and the struggle seems to be within themselves and the permission to grant such a request to their precious selves. The other day I had lunch in the heart of Central Park with a cohort. Such a gorgeous day and we discussed just this very thing. Not saying “Yes” to every course, challenge, or concept out there. We thought about how we often ask ourselves “Will I miss something?”
Katherine Carey
“Is this the course that will give me the answers?” “Will I miss out by not saying yes right now?” But the truth is: we won’t miss a thing. Really. Courses will still be offered, opportunities will still present themselves to us and maybe, just maybe, by taking a time-out to process all that we have taken in thus far we might actually be able to take on the newness and have it actually offer us a positive effect over just “doing it.” So I’m here to talk Sabbatical. Business Sabbatical. Business Summer Camp! I’m here to share with you that it is not only okay to want to take a break but it is also beneficial and completely vital at times; both in our businesses and our lives.
This isn’t for everyone. For some, the busiest time of the year is summer. If you are in a tourist industry then this is your money maker time but you can always plan your sabbatical for a different season.
Myself, there’s a good chance I may take a year-long sabbatical. I’ve given myself permission to do so, however, I plan on checking in after every season to see how it’s going, hear my own voice, and feel it all out. Am I ready to step back in? Did I have any “Aha’s” during the season? Do I need more time?
Not only is it okay to take a break, it is beneficial and completely vital!
And I personally like the idea of a Business Summer Camp. It gives one the structure that we are used to. A start date, an end date; camp is fun, playful, adventurous, and there is plenty of time to lay in a hammock watching the clouds. Why not?
Because it’s Summer I’m resonating with the concept of a Business Summer Camp; taking the time to play around with ideas, taking time to picnic, walk in the park, swim in the sea. Float. Now the question is: can you offer yourself, your business, your life a Summer Camp moment? Can you offer yourself the permission to slow down if your heart is requesting such? summer 2016 | millin’air
23
Things to Pack
24
millin’air | summer 2016
◊ A Blank Book ◊ Pens ◊ Index Cards ◊ Favorite Hobby Supplies (NB: hobby, not work; for you, not for sale) ◊ Swimsuit ◊ Walking Shoes ◊ Dancing Shoes ◊ Sunglasses ◊ Hat(s) ◊ A novel (fun reading) ◊ Willingness ◊ Permission Slips (for yourself) ◊ Camera (to capture your joy)
Business
T
his is a very important part of camp! We drop ourselves off. We say “yes” to staying in camp. We settle into our zones, unpack, and get ready for camp to commence! Here’s where we leave our businesses at the door. We let them drive off until the next visit. There may be angst, even tears, or nervousness, but our businesses remind us that they will return (if we want them to) and that we are in great hands. Plus, we are gonna have FUN! It’s Business Summer Camp! Be sure to have a start and end date to honor.
B Day to day work on our busi-
nesses is on hold. There is no room in the cabin for such. So we agree and give ourselves the motto that: Doing “just enough” is totally good enough…for right now.
C We promise to stay in camp
and not run away. We might feel a whim to leave and get back to work. Here’s where making the commitment to give yourself a sweet break comes in. Also a great reason to have some
Permission Slips on hand. Be generous in your writing those to yourself. You earned this camp!
Be okay that you may not be an expert but that you aren’t stating that you are and, therefore, you are just bloody well going to enjoy yourself!
F Commit to doing a post-camp
check-in with your business. Your business will feel more asEat good food. Embrace your body. MOVE your body. Nap. Feel the sun- sured about you leaving if you do shine. Spend time with your friends. this. Commit to being so very good to precious you. G Have loads of FUN!!! It’s Summer! Why not?! Be okay with trying someE thing just for fun. summer 2016 | millin’air 25
D Commit to true Self Care.
Business
Write Your Business a What You’ll Need ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
Paper Pens Envelopes Stamps
W
Love Letter
hat to do when your business is pulling at you to come back early (and it will) but you’re not ready yet? You’re having fun at camp and summer isn’t over.
found or a piece of beach glass you discovered.
Write your business a love letter! Tell your business what you are doing with your time-off. Where you have been, what has stirred inside you, and the plans you have for your business once you return from Business Summer Camp.
Go ahead, tell your business just how much you love it and love yourself!
Or, perhaps you are homesick for your business but you know the value of a well-deserved pause.
Draw a picture, send your business some leaves or dried flowers you picked, or maybe a seashell you millin’air | summer 2016
Make it pretty and then…MAIL IT! Mail it to your office and when you are all done with camp you will have such fond memories of your summer pause reading this love letter.
Business
Simplification
THE BEAUTIFUL PROCESS OF
What You’ll Need ◊ One pack of index cards ◊ Pens (black, blue, colorful, whatever) ◊ Space to lay it all out ◊ Permission to flip over any card you wish ◊ Non-judgmental mindset (if only for this exercise)
L
ist everything you currently do. Include categories like: • Business • Home • Social • Commitments
Now dive a little deeper with these areas. For instance, what do you do for your business, what about your work if you do both?
Next start a list of things YOU WANT TO DO!!! Be frivolous in this non-judgmental zone. List out what you want!
Lay all the cards out. You might put them in rows or group them together to help you see what areas are requiring much from you and what is lacking. Take a moment to look at the cards in front of you. Are any cards there that are not serving you any more? Can you flip them over or just take them away? Are there any cards that are distracting to your vision? Do you really need to do these, or could you maybe save them for a different season? Put them in a pile for another retreat session.
What can you let go of to make room for what you want? (Physical-
ly “bump” what you want up to the top.)
The idea here is to edit and regroup so in the end you can see where you can add spaciousness, where you have a clear idea to create an exit plan, and what wants to be priority in your life for this season. And, yes, I described a similar exercise back in our Winter issue on Retreats. This is an exercise I do quarterly, however, just to keep on point. Works wonders for me. I hope it inspires you to take a pause and re-group.
Believe the carousel will still keep going round and round. You can hop back on anytime. For now… it’s Sweet Summer Time Bliss!
summer 2016 | millin’air
27
How can I help you? If your business is in need of an art rescue, I’m ready, willing, and able to help with: » Mascots & Logos » Cartoons & Caricatures » Business Cards » Invitations & Postcards » Posters » Game Design » Book Covers, Spot Illustrations, and Page Design » Magazine Design
Help your creativity
blossom and grow with Creative Mischief Kits from
Jennifer Vanderbeek Illustration and Graphic Design jennifervanderbeek.com
thecraftybranch.com
If you had a drink named after you, what would it be called? Not only can we tell you what it would be called, we’ll tell you what’s in it, and send you a readyto-frame piece of art with the recipe on it!
You deserve a little something special!
Character Cocktail
the
CURATED
Each kit contains 8-10 items, including tools that won’t be used up before your creativity is!
CREATIVE
Each kit focuses on a skill or technique to increase your creative Q!
CONVENIENT
Everything you need to learn a new skill or find a new hobby delivered right to your mailbox!
garnish for the girl who’s got everything!
charactercocktail.com
28
millin’air | summer 2016
Thomasville, Georgia | 706-530-0278
Wanderlust
Destination: Thomasville Jennifer Vanderbeek
D
eep in the southeast corner of Georgia, along a strip of Highway 319 known as Plantation Parkway, rests a city with a town and country vibe: Thomasville, Georgia. For ages we saw it as a quaint little place just north of the Florida-Georgia border, a step up from a bedroom community, until we decided to make it our home and discovered the wonderful facets of this city for ourselves. Thomasville is known for its two main celebrations: The Rose Show & Festival in April
and Victorian Christmas in December that both bring in visitors from around the country each year. Smaller community events abound, however, as free concerts ring out from downtown stages on the first Friday of the month between April and November. The Center for the Arts also hosts the FLAUNT and Plantation Wildlife Arts Festivals each September and November, respectively.
Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy the public rose gardens scattered throughout the town or a trip to
summer 2016 | millin’air
29
Wanderlust Birdsong Nature Center. On the other side of the coin, this region is known for its excellent hunting (quail and deer, primarily) and arrangements can be made during those seasons at Myrtlewood Plantation and with private guides. Fishing tours are available on nearby Lake Seminole for those who prefer water to woods. Golfers have a couple of courses to choose from as well as a disc golf course at MacIntyre Park.
Another must-see is The Big Oak, a large (huge, really) live oak at the corner of Crawford and Monroe streets. It’s over 300 years old and is just an impressive feat of nature. There’s a camera mounted across the street and instructions on where to stand and what number to call to have your picture captured with the majestic tree (which you can then download from their website).
(top) For the FLAUNT Festival, artists paint large murals that are hung on the buildings on W Jackson Street (right) People getting ready for the Rose Festival Parade (left) The 2015 Rose Court closes out the parade 30
millin’air | summer 2016
History lovers will find plenty to explore at one of our museums or by taking a tour through nearby Pebble Hill Plantation or the Lapham-Patterson House (part of the Dawson Street Historic District). Built by an eccentric (to put it mildly) couple in the 1880s who abhorred symmetry, the tour of the Victorian home includes charming and amusing anecdotes about the family and the home.
(above) Historic Downtown Thomasville (right) The Lapham-Patterson House (below) Cherokee Park, which borders the Thomasville Rose Garden
summer 2016 | millin’air
31
Wanderlust Downtown Thomasville is full of great shops to peek into—clothing boutiques, housewares, an old-fashioned drug store, and a fabulous book store to point out just a few.
Into antiques? Thomasville has you covered and then some. Our favorite haunts include Ross’s Antiques and Town & Country Antiques for the more traditional wares. For the more ecletic hunter, though, you must visit Relics, our local industrial salvage and vintage shop, behind whose doors all manner of fun finds await. Fiber fiends would be sad to miss a trip to The Fuzzy Goat for high quality yarns and notions or even a trip through Trolly’s Designer Fabrics.
Of course, you could always browse the well-stocked shelves at The Bookshelf for a good book and then head down to Grassroots Coffee Co. to dig into your new reading material and a light lunch or coffee. Their chai (iced or hot) is a particular favorite of mine.
And speaking of dining options… It’s a tough task to try and narrow down our list of local favorite eateries but I’ll do my best for the visitor who wants to hit the highlights. Fallin’s is our number one for local barbecue and you simply must try their melt-in-you-mouth brisket. For local pizza, Moonspin can’t be beat, and if you’re in the mood for seafood I will point you in the direction of George & Louie’s where you’ll find the promised seafood 32
millin’air | summer 2016
side-by-side with standard Greek fare and a spoonful of southern classics—Greek salad topped with fried oysters or fried green tomatoes, anyone? And don’t miss their hush puppies—they’re the best I’ve ever had!
I’d be remiss if I didn’t also point you towards Jonah’s Fish & Grits as another seafood option or their neighbor, Liam’s, if you want a slowfood dining experience more than worth the time and money. Sweet Grass Dairy’s menu highlights local cheeses and charcuterie along with craft cocktails. And if you’re on the hunt for a good brunch spot, SASS (Sweet & Savory Sisters) has opened up in the old train station with a Louisiana-inspired menu that this Lake Ponchatrain-native will vouch for.
(above) Crab Louie at George & Louie’s with Greek salad, cheese grits, and hush puppies (left & below) Cocktails and Cheese Plate at Sweet Grass Dairy
The Taste of Thomasville tour is another great way to experience several restaurants while also learning bits of local color and history.
To wind down from a day of shopping and sight-seeing, head down to Bacchus Wine Bar and relax in their modern front room or on their covered patio out back. If you have any room left, they have a menu of pub favorites as well as some very good sushi and Asian-influenced options. Regardless of what you choose to do or where you choose to go on a visit to Thomasville, Georgia, you will always find friendly faces and the hospitality the south is known for. And if you do find yourself in this part of the country, let me know, I’d be thrilled to show you around in person!
summer 2016 | millin’air
don’t ignore your significant other. Plan some romantic interludes.
Horoscopes
Aries –the ram (March 21 - April 19)
The summer brings a sense of patriotism and duty as we celebrate the country’s birthday and start to see politics get heated. For Rams, July brings opportunities to enjoy time at home as well as visits with family and friends.
Venus moves into Leo in August; time to play and enjoy the game of romance. By August, however, you may be ready to defend what you love and is important to you. That could spell trouble with partners, so just remember to fight fairly.
Taurus – the bull (April 20 - May 20)
Feel like a little adventure? Bulls will find plenty to do this summer.
In July, Venus, the Sun, and Mercury travel through your third house of competition (coworkers and siblings, games and strategies), to your fourth house of home and comfort in mid late July and then on to your house of education and short distance travels in August. In business, this is a good time to do some advertising and take advantage of summer sales. It’s also important that you set some new business goals and get out and make some new contacts. Speaking of sales, you will hit the jackpot on some great deals to spruce up your domestic digs. But don’t get so sucked into decorating that you forget about business. September will be here before you know it and there is a lot to do.
Gemini- the twins (May 21 - June 20)
Twins, you may feel like it’s time to address your diet from all the June social occasions and business opportunities with ladies who lunch, happy hour, party, and... Spare yourself and just supply your wardrobe with some comfortable dresses and enjoy being a little more sassy. It’s also been really hard to focus on work and organizing your time as well as 34
millin’air | summer 2016
Leo – the lion (July 23 - Aug 22)
Signs from the West Your seasonal star report from Laura E. West
deciding on what you really want to do with your life. It won’t get much better in July when you social calendar switches to family commitments that you feel obliged to attend and be part of. But by August the brain cloud clears when Mercury joins Jupiter in Virgo and you are finally able to communicate effectively what you want to do and how to do it. People better get out of your way because the muumuu is coming off and being replaced with a super-she-ro cape.
Cancer – the crab (June 21 - July 22)
July fireworks aren’t just in the sky, dear Crabs. It may seem like you can’t get those great ideas that burst in your mind down on paper fast enough or keep from spontaneously expressing an idea out loud.
However, as July progresses you are able to write and communicate a plan around getting those ideas moving into motion. You will be refining things through August and a little help from friends or siblings will be welcome. And speaking of fireworks –
Lions, you’ll be roaring with passion this summer about what you think is important and that others should pay attention to. Your charm is amplified and like magic your gift of gab will easily persuade people to follow your lead or take up your recommendations. Your idealism could get you in trouble, so remember to use your powers for good--karma does exist.
Good news for Leos: Jupiter is still hanging out in your second house of finances. But this summer he’s going to get some company. Three other planets will join him in late August and it’s a little like having four people living in an efficiency apartment: tight. So watch your finances for the last part of August through September. Mars and Saturn will square that house bringing unexpected expenses from siblings, friends, house repairs, and other bills that you might have forgotten about. Put a little aside now or plan to use that emergency fund.
Virgo – a young girl (Aug 23 - Sept 22)
Virgos, go get your day planners right now and start booking a vacation for the last week of August. By vacation I mean retreat. By retreat I mean without anyone who you have to do things for. We know how you roll. Think spa, wilderness, meditation, escape from the world kind of vacation. If you can’t afford it, then offer to house sit for someone who can. Why? Between August 23rd and 30th all major planets are getting ready to square off between your first house of self and the fourth house of home. This can be a huge time of changes in job or domestic life. Before the end of the month Venus has the good grace to move into Libra (your house of finances) and that can help too.
Libra – the scales (Sept 23 - Oct 22)
Libras, your mantra this summer needs to be “balance.” It’s going to be hard to do because July gives you good finances and fun times with family and friends and even having the luck to rub
elbows with influential people. Jupiter in Virgo has been encouraging you to be more spiritual and find like-minded people. When August comes you may decide to look into that deeper by going on a pilgrimage to a foreign land or simply taking a class or hang out with people with similar philosophies. This is an opening of you deciding to make changes for a more balanced life. Don’t expect your friends, coworkers or siblings to understand. They may argue with you or think that you are in fantasy land. Who cares? You will have a Nirvana-like peace of mind while you watch them spin and say Namaste.
Scorpio – the scorpion (Oct 23 - Nov 21)
Scorpios, you are going to have to endure the discipline of being responsible with your finances while wanting to indulge in anything that makes you feel like you escape and get out from under life’s drudgery. Mars is in your first house of self and should give you lots of energy to spare, but alas it’s in retrograde or moving backwards so it may be hard to get motivated.
Tap into some accountability partners so that you stay on track with your projects. You need someone you trust to motivate and light the fire under your tushy. It will pay off even though you secretly have your doubts. August gives opportunities of success and advancement in business or in your social position and influence.
Sagittarius – the archer (Nov 22 - Dec 21)
Saturn continues to sit in your first house of identity, dear Archers. But Mars has shifted into Scorpio and given you a burst of energy and courage to travel or do things that you had been afraid to do before. You have a window of opportunity in July to take advantage of this before Mars rejoins Saturn in August and again squares off with Jupiter in your tenth house of career. These planets have been tense and activated for most of this year and driving changes in how you identify yourself with the work you do.
As the summer continues and other planets join Jupiter in your career house, don’t be surprised if there are shifts and changes with partnerships as well. You might
find that by the end of the summer, some things that you felt so passionately about go by the wayside to make room for more healthy choices.
Capricorn – the sea goat (Dec 22 - Jan 19)
Goats, you have been enjoying taking a break and having some time to yourself, but July is going to demand that your attention be on partnerships both business and personal. It’s time to face up to what you need to do and you will have the right words to say and the charm to pull it off. Luck is on your side so hang in there and toward the end of the month you’ll work things out.
By the end of the summer you will have a whole new perspective on your life and how you want to live it. It’s time to take on a whole new philosophy and expand your wisdom especially in business matters. Let go of old patterns that may have isolated you in the past and have been too demanding. There is an easier, lighter way of doing things.
Aquarius – the water bearer (Jan 20 - Feb 18)
The start of summer may have been frustrating with trying to figure out how to either make changes in your career or start a new one. But Mars is marching forward in your tenth house of career and you will feel much more motivated to get those plans going. Rebel Aquarians will have a few get-richquick ideas. Keep researching new strategies and keep up the conversations with people who can help you. Your community will find you very convincing and admire your passion and noble speeches.
Just remember what you promise to do and don’t paint yourself into a corner just for the sake of winning an argument. Sooner or later you’ll have to pull that off. And they will be watching for that magic trick.
Pisces – the fish (Feb 19 - March 20)
Fish, you will be restless this summer and feel like something should change or that you should be doing more with your life and
making a difference in the world. By the end of the summer, you’ll get that wish (gulp!).
If you’ve been clashing with your coworkers, chant some Ohms and ride it out until August when you could actually sway them to your way of thinking. If you’re bored, channel your inner yogi and find other ways to motivate yourself with fresh ideas or learning something new. In other words, instead of getting a whole new wardrobe, maybe just freshen up what you have with new accessories. Partnerships (both business and personal) continue to be on the front burner throughout the summer and could provide some much needed travel adventures. And it gets really exciting at the end of August when all of the planets light up your house of relationships and career. Ch-ch-changes!
Laura E. West is a professional fortune teller and certified Lipsologist in Dallas, Texas. She connects with clients all over the world through the internet using Zoom or Skype.
What’s in your future? Ask Laura! www.lauraewest.com
Summer 2016 Moon Phases New Full Moon Moon July
4th
19th
August
2nd
18th
September
1st
16th
summer 2016 | millin’air
35
36
Duncan the basset hound wants to remind you to always: • Take Walks • Be Playful • Have Fun & Discover New Things Every Day!
millin’air | summer 2016