Daisy Janie

seeing | a purposeful wanderer.

"Not all who wander are lost." (see full quote below)

This pretty lady and her mate were in our front yard for a very long time this past Spring. We're landlocked on a tree-lined street, with the nearest ducky waterway about a mile away. She knew exactly what she was doing though. Not lost at all.

As always, it's a matter of perspective. What seems like a person off-course to an onlooker may in fact be quite purposeful wandering - gathering, learning, absorbing information. The lost portion comes into play when we refuse to act on knowledge gained through our drifting. At some point, we have to take a step into thin air and see what happens. Fear will try to pull us back - and it will also keep us swirling in Never Never Land if we let it. At that point, purposeful wandering becomes a safety net of aimless meandering. A seemingly fine line, but not really: paralysis follows aimlessness and action follows purpose. 

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"All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring; renewed shall be blade that was broken, the crownless again shall be king."
     - Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien.

video | cultivate a better world.

Music: "The Scientist" from Coldplay, sung by Willie Nelson

Just found this "Cultivate a Better World" video from Chipotle* posted on facebook by:

• the Organic Trade Association (of which Daisy Janie is a proud member),
• Coldplay (whose music has gotten me through some very low spots, including this very song),
• Harmony Art (a good friend & pioneer in bringing pretty organic fabrics to market), and
• Pure Fabricz (a dedicated retailer of organic fabrics & Daisy Janie distributor in the Netherlands).

This stop-motion video tells a short story about a farmer who returned to sustainable farming methods once he realized the often cruel and, equally as often, the devastating effects of factory farming.

In my experience with producing organic cotton fabrics, I am constantly, constantly (it makes it more emphatic if I use the word twice in a row) reading and educating myself on the cotton industry and its effects on the farmers, their land, the workers, us and the earth. I've had many 'bubble-over-my-head' moments like this farmer does around 1:17, where the realizations of what's actually happening out there have left me dejected and motivated to do what I can. Knowledge is powerful, and it makes me evermore steadfast in how and what Daisy Janie produces. "Be the change you want to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

Truly, I don't like to be preachy or be preached at - so I will leave this thought with you:  If you aren't already, educate yourself about how the products/foods you consume get from Point A to Point B and make compassionate, thoughtful buying decisions based upon what you learn. These small, purposeful steps will cultivate a better world for you, your family and will spill-over to the rest of us. It may not be easy and it may not be cheap on the front end - but we all pay later if the cheap, easy way continues ad infinitum. [stepping off soapbox...thanks for the help down.]

*Read more about Chipotle's efforts on Food With Integrity. Kudos, Chipotle!!

quote | choose your corner.

Thank you from the very, very bottom to the tippy-tippy-top of my heart for your kind comments, tweets and emails about Tilly's first look last week! "You like her... you really like her!" :)

I have chosen my corner.
And I pick away at it carefully.
Intensely.
To the best of my ability.
WITH YOUR SUPPORT.
And in that way, WE might change the world TOGETHER.

Cheers big ears - here's to a great week!
xo
Jan

where does inspiration come from?

All sparks start with what's in your heart and soul, right now, this second.

Inspiration doesn't come from the 30 pics on your iphone, the 200 blogs you read everyday, the magazine pages tacked to your bulletin board, the art or quilt shows you visit.... you get the idea.

These things FEED what's already inside you. What you already own. They're talking to a voice deep within your SELF.

Maybe external, visual stimuli helps you define what you're feeling or gives your inner whisperings a more concrete shape. But, to be sure, your inspiration is in you, yourself and you right now. If you can't hear it, see it or find it, maybe you're looking outward too much. Look within. It's there.

Sometimes our raw & pure inspirations are squashed and choked by the barrage of imagery and words we allow in or seek out all the time. Get thee to a quiet place in nature. Settle yourself. Let your thoughts meander. Your inspiration will rise to the surface. See it. Know it. Enjoy it.

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[ 100% organic t-shirt from Ideologie ]

do what you can.

Inspirational quotes, stories, speeches, accomplishments, images, music, etc - - I'm a sap for them all. I like the deep, profound, bring-me-to-tears stuff as much as I like the light, fluffy, make-me-smile-and-nod stuff. This TED talk is on the light side, with a bonus dash of humor.

With a message that's broad and open-ended, it's a great reminder to do whatever good you can when you can...but don't wait around for it either. Having just lost a kind-hearted, selfless friend who was a volunteer firefighter, this speaker's message hit home even more. Miss ya, Pags!

seeing | the joy in front of me.

Open up. Let yourself see what abounds around you and BECAUSE of you.

There are good things there. Things to be joyful about.

Everyday, mundane, GOOD things. The people and places you love. The foods and drinks you savor. The work and hobbies you adore. Simple, regular, close-to-home things.

Sometimes there are trials and tribulations, toiling and tears. Life comes and life goes. Sometimes life seems extremely unfair. You want to lash out. You want to scream. Do it, but don't let it overtake you.

If it feels like you're going down the rabbit hole of negativity and despair, stop. Wherever you are. Stop.

Look around you. Breathe. Take stock in these very basic things, and let that be enough. Let it surround you with the goodness that it truly is and find a way to bolster yourself to get through. It might take a very intentional effort, but you'll get there.

One smile begets another. One laugh begets another. One kind gesture begets another. One happy thought begets another.

Re-build your joy stash with what's right there in front of you. Always available. Let yourself fly high.

seeing | the light through the forest through the trees.

Illuminated. That's how I always feel after a walk or run in the woods.

Today, I enjoyed the early morning calm, with only the birds chirping and the chipmunks scuttling; the splendid canopy of trees, providing an insulated privacy from the world; the moist, dewy air, heavy with honeysuckle perfume. Mmmmmmm. Breathe in peace and harmony, breathe out stress and anxiety.

Escaping time ... removing distraction ... lifting my spirit ... allowing thoughts to flow freely.

Happiest of Monday mornings to you friends!
Jan

seeing | a balloon that speaks the truth.

And you'll most likely feel really good about yourself.

Which will beget more awesomeness for the sake of awesomeness.

xo
Jan

today, things are ducky.

I tend to think of myself as a very even-keeled person - someone who is fairly laid back overall and maintains her composure in stressful situations. But, in 2011, that hasn't been the case. At. All.

I think it's a combination of age (41) and the daily stressors I experience in my business. With my age, I'd probably be more emotional (read: prone to tearing up) anyway. But since I'm experiencing the aging process in conjunction with the craziness of running my fabric company, I find myself straying far from a calm & cool exterior. I'm an outlier on my own x & y chart of life! ha.

Last week, oh at about 4pm Tuesday, I hit what I would call an emotional apex. Aside from personal tragedy, I have never been so angry, frustrated, upset or mystified in my entire life at how little was coming together as I planned. This coincided with another personal event that needed to be dealt with immediately, and I felt myself come unglued, unhinged, unable to reign myself in, thinking ugly and unsafe thoughts. And despite my state of mind, there was still a quiet voice of reason in my head who took over, made me trudge on and fix what was broken. That voice knew I had no choice, that I had to be more flexible and that everything would work out. So, today, a week and a few days later, things are ducky. I am thankful - soooo thankful!

As my business has grown, it's a necessity to hold my cards closer - cards that include hearts that break when things go awry. It's not smart business to bare-all & tell-all. However, I know I'm not the only one who experiences these ultra-ultra-low points. What worked for me was reaching deeper within myself to find pockets of hidden strength and the passion that fueled my fire in the first place. From there, it was possible to find solutions and make things happen. I kept reminding myself that I didn't go into business to become a crying, b*tchy, drama-filled mess - so I had better get my $hit straight immediately. One foot in front of the other...

For those of you out there who aspire to take your business to the next level like I did these past 2 years, it may seem like it's all blue skies & giggles - but please know that many days it's thunderstorms & tears, whether you've mapped out your path or not. That is not meant to dissuade you from going after your dream; just a dose of honesty about The Dark Side that isn't often chatted about in public. However, it's the comprehensive experience of ALL of these things - good & lovely as well as bad & rotten, that allows one to become more savvy, more creative and more capable. And the net-net of that can be just where hard work and magic come together!

Happy Friday! Hope things are ducky for you, too - and if not, that you're finding a way to get it back!

xo
Jan

nesting for fabric.

Shade of Grey organic fabric by Daisy Janie

The Shades of Grey collection arrived in Charleston, SC on March 24th, and the fabrics have not yet cleared customs. This is such a deja vu of the Geo Grand collection, and I can't even begin to tell you how nerve-wracking it is to know that this fabric is soooo close yet still so far! 

I feel like I'm nesting in much the same way I did before J was born. Typical? Probably. Does it help ease my racing heart? Absolutely. I'll find myself suddenly cleaning (which happens never), planning an entire kitchen remodel and mapping it in 3D, organizing closets, cabinets, drawers, rooms & basements, and building a new ecommerce website! It makes me feel productive, like I'm preparing for something B-I-G! Which I am, as luck would have it. It also makes me feel like I've regained a little control over my world. Otherwise, I would be sitting here drumming my fingers raw. I think it's part of the female hard-wiring to busy ourselves when we feel helpless. Like doing something - anything - will aid the situation at hand. You, too?

Send some positive juju this way that the fabrics aren't sitting in customs too awfully long! I will keep you updated! The sooner they get here, the sooner I can share the next collection with you!

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Couple of fun things coming up... remember my video post? Look for the follow-up this week!