The last resolution I will unload on you: To learn an instrument. I just think it would be awesome to have the ability to make music, even at the most basic, amateur level.

I know a resolution to doodle more sounds a bit goofy, but I think it pretty much encompasses my desire to make things for the fun of it and be a bit less results-driven. Just play and enjoy the process.

This is another ongoing type of thing. But this year, I’d like to experiment more and switch teams a bit to shoot with film.

I’ve also joined up with Project 365, so this should be a well-documented year.

(my photo for the day)

This isn’t so much a goal I suppose, as a long path. More and more, I’ve tried to stay conscious of my desires and mindful of my life and the choices I make, but there is a lot of room for improvement.

I generally would like less clutter in all aspects of my life, more time, and more focus. I’d like to learn to live with less.

“Do not keep anything in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful” – William Morris

I’d like to share my new year’s resolutions with you.

Last year, I had a very long list of very concrete goals (happily I accomplished a lot of them, or am close to doing so). But I don’t feel like doing that this year, so instead I made a short and sweet list of a few things I’d like to do and some general ideas/themes I want to pursue. So here’s the first:

Grow a garden.

I have this dream of a teeny urban farm and growing at least a significant chunk of our own food. I’m realistic about the amount of work and learning this would involve, so I’m planning to start small and work up to this.

The next place we live will need to have some outdoor space. Right now, I’m making the most of the narrow strip of weedy concrete behind our building with several herbs and my darling little meyer lemon tree.

I have defended her from one pest after another, pollinated her by hand when she was indoors, and I am happy to report that today we had our first harvest of beautiful lemons. A good sign for the coming year.

I’ll be sharing my resolutions with you all soon.

I hope everyone had a good holiday. This was my favorite gift- a new Holga! Kenn gave this to me along with a tea of the month subscription.

More great stuff from The Neatherlands. I am in love with this blouse from Iefke de Roos, available at Portland-based Makool Loves You (who has their own great designs).

Like pages from a sketchbook much more elegant than mine, there’s something that feels personal and inviting about the work of Cassandre Montoriol. I have a thing for drawings that look loose and unfinished.

View more of Cassandre Montoriol’s work here.

These days, I am becoming more and more attracted to neutral colors, asymmetry and other quirky cuts, organic shapes, and sustainable, high-quality fabrics. It’s definitely a more modern and less fussy style, but still very feminine.

This Permafrost dress by Linda Loudermilk is just about perfect.

And there are a great number of other beautiful and ecologically conscious things for sale at Beklina that are worth saving up for, if you are so inclined.