Today is Brought to You By the Letter 'M'

If I could open a brick and mortar place, I think I would choose a venue similar to my features today. Have you heard of moomah or The Make Lounge? If not, hurry and check out their websites. Oh, the creativity is just oozing at these two wonderful places. They make the right side of my brain tingle with delight!

moomah :: A place of sweet whimsy, wonder and warmth, moomah is a creative playscape, a cozy café, a living classroom, a quiet hideaway, an art oasis, your neighborhood meeting spot. Your favorite place to be together, and a place for your child to simply be.

These words just jump out at me and beckon me to visit :: whimsy, wonder and warmth. These phrases sing to my heart and creative passion :: creative playscape, living classroom, art oasis. And as a parent, this phrase just makes me smile and is music to my ears :: a place for your child to simply be.

Located in New York City, moomah offers a variety of classes for all ages of children ranging from art to yoga - there's something for everyone! The café provides a healthy eating outlet allowing visitors to choose from a wholesome and sustainable menu and making their selection into a fun presentation. Check out their activity listing for programs for both children and adults. Next time I'm in New York City, I'm going to check this place out.

Next up is The Make Lounge in London. Again, a MUST visit place when I get to the UK.

According to their website, The Make Lounge is a stylish, welcoming space featuring short-term, project-oriented craft workshops. It also has a retail shop, featuring all manner of crafting supplies, including gorgeous fabrics, haberdashery, trimmings, craft books and magazines, stylish kits, and even lovely handmade goods.

Jennifer Pirtle, creator and founder of The Make Lounge, offers workshops for a wide range of interest and levels. Be sure to check out her parties section - how much fun would it be to do a crafting party?!? Girls' Night Out, Baby Shower, Bachelorette Party, Milestone Birthday...the possibilities are endless. They may be across the ocean for some of us, but you can sign up for their newsletter and be inspired on your own. Who knows, maybe you'll open a shop like this in your city? I know I'm thinking about it...seriously.

What types of venues do you like to explore your favorite or a new creative outlet? Please share!

(Images courtesy of moomah and The Make Lounge)

An Angel Among Us

Do you ever meet certain people you just know are positive to the core, they warm your soul and leave you with such happiness nothing could get you down? I had the pleasure of exactly this and want to share with you my experience with this Angel among us. She did the unnecessary and gave from her heart. I thank her every single day I look at her gift to me. She has true inner beauty and true selflessness...a great follow up to my previous post about 29 Gifts.

I entered a giveaway (as I do many) on this fabulous blog awhile back (one of my favorites). Shortly after leaving my comment, I received an email from this Angel stating she read my comment and her heart felt for our situation. {If you're new to my blog, long story short - hubs corporate job got cut back in July and he's still looking, so we don't have much disposable income and are living the most frugal ever - it could be worse, but it could be better.} Anyway, she sent us her beautiful photo of Greece (as I had mentioned in my giveaway comment that visiting there was on my bucket list but unattainable in the near future due to the previously mentioned circumstances) and she wanted us to put it up in our house to remind us to stay motivated and positive every day. I was so shocked, I started crying. As we all know, 'blogland' brings its good and bad characters; however, I must say, this was the most generous gesture I had personally experienced.

Her photo is a reminder of that and I thank her a million times over...as she stated in her email, "The purpose of art is to inspire and it did just that, I'm grateful that there are still people like you that keep their hearts open."

She is an Angel among us and I'm glad she decided to touch our lives that day. Thank you Mina. You lifted our spirits that day and continue to do so through the inspiration of your photograph of Greece. Please visit Mina's etsy site and experience her talent firsthand...and please support her if you can by giving a home to one of her fantastic pieces of art. Seriously, the Greece photo is just stunning in person. What's the nicest thing a stranger has done for you that was unforgettable? The world needs more of the good stuff out there...be the change.

(Image courtesy of Depuis)