HELLO 2013!!! Oh, how I have been waiting for you.

I’m not going to write a page of reflections, nor resolutions - but I will say that I am very excited for the arrival of this new, odd year.

I can sense a lot of changes coming my way in the new year. I guess it takes a certain amount of time (ahem, 31 years) to figure out your life and how you can make the changes you WANT to make. What a beautiful concept. The thing that I have figured out is that - as long as you’re willing to do work - you can make a lot of awesome happen around you. I have work to do, but I fully expect this year to be the shit. There - I said it. I hope you’ve come to this realization too: Take control of your mind, your life and live the life that you love. Happy New Year. I hope it is the very best year of them all.

The folks over at Hover Craft were kind enough to do a little feature of PaperMichelle. Check it out! Then come visit me at the actual show!

Work-in-progress - paper cut collage from PaperMichelle

Make More Forts - Graphic Art Print by YellowHeartArt

I am a huge supporter of the notion of free play - the kind of creative, self-guided entertainment and exploration that can only come from unrestricted imagination. My parents raised me and my brother that way. We lived next to a field and a small patch of woods, so the fort building opportunities were endless. I spent my entire summer in those forts, reading books, playing hide and seek, making “cookies” from mud, catching and cataloging bugs, putting on spontaneous talent shows, selling painted rocks to my neighbors (entrepreneur!) Etc. Etc. Etc. My parents never had to entertain us - they simply said, “Go outside.” We listened and did not come back until we were filthy and tired, ushered indoors by the street lights (unless we had a killer game of night hide and seek going on.) It was a beautiful childhood, because we designed it to be exactly the way we pictured it in our imaginations. I approach my adult life in the same way - what an incredible gift my parents gave me.

Keep that in mind for yourself and your children - unplug and let yourself be free. Dig in the dirt. Have a race. Climb a tree. Sit quietly and listen to all that nature has to say. It is a right for children to experience the world through their imaginations. We shouldn’t insult them by assuming screens and flashing lights offer them more than their chosen adventures and explorations. (**Suggested Reading: Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv**)

Little Lion Costume Headband from ikahhandmade

Vintage Tiny Colored Wooden Blocks from CaityAshBadashery

Lemonade Stand Apron Skirt from SweetThreadsClothing

Vintage Children's Book - The Tree House Mystery by Carol Beach York from theoldchest

Children's Playroom Art Print - Let's Catch Fireflies by pumpkinandbutterfly

Custom Playhouse Canopy Fort from lillipopsdesigns

Imagination Celebration Poster by Maurice Sendak (1989) from SurrenderDorothy

Dear Michelle,

You were most definitely nervous when you lined up at the start this morning, but I’m sure you did fine! Regardless of the outcome, you were prepared. The thousands (literally, thousands) of miles you logged for this race were not wasted; you learned a lot about yourself this past year. You learned that you are a crazy hard worker. You learned that you are extremely committed to the things that matter to you. You learned that you can change yourself for the better through diligent effort. You convinced people around you that they can also improve themselves. This all occurred in preparation for one event that most people have never even heard of. Regardless of the outcome, you had a pretty amazing year because of the race. Success!

I think you’re the coolest, fastest, smartest chick this side of the Mississippi.

Love, You - Yesterday

UPDATE: The race went pretty well - here is the (slightly mean) article about it. I will work on being “impressive” for next year’s race - God knows I won’t be publicly humiliated twice.

UPDATE: The race turned out pretty well.