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The newest addition to my new scarf line is the skinny infinity scarf.
The skinny scarves are great because you can still loop them once or twice, for all the pop and color of the full size scarves, but because they’re skinnier, there’s a little less bulk. (Perfect for less than frigid temps and smaller frames!) And the 100% organic cotton knit fabric is so soft and cozy, you’ll never want to take yours off.
Available now in my online shop.
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The other night, I was channel surfing and I came across the season premier of the Biggest Loser. I’m an on again, off again fan of the show, and I hadn’t realized the new season had started.
In the scene I caught, Jillian is working out her team and reminds them to remember their WHY.
My first thought was, I guess the fitness community has finally discovered Simon Sinek.
But my second thought turned to my own fitness habits.
Because this year, my exercise regimen has been as on again, off again as my Biggest Loser fandom. And this despite my goal to bike a century this year. (Clearly, that isn’t happening.)
My fitful relationship with exercise this year has included a brief stint riding my bike inside on the trainer (derailed by boredom), a run/walk program this spring (sidelined by a hip injury), and a few solid weeks of swimming laps (interrupted by my travel schedule.)
But this week, I made a new commitment with myself.
I am going to WALK.
Five days a week, for at least thirty minutes.
And I think this one might stick.
Why? Because, without realizing it at first (but made super clear thanks to Jillian), my walking plan is fueled by a strong WHY.
You see, I’ve decided to make walking a regular part of my routine to make it easier to do what I really love.
Which is traveling.
And more specifically, city traveling.
Making a commitment to walking isn’t about losing weight or training for a specific event.
It’s about building city stamina.
(Something that is rather difficult to maintain when you live in the country, believe it or not.)
Perhaps it’s because I’m a city mouse who lives in the country, but I’m happy whenever I’m in a city, regardless of whether it’s one I’ve been to a million times or one I’m exploring for the first time.
But I know I could be happier.
Whether it’s trucking through the airport to catch a flight, exploring a new city, browsing a museum, or just walking my favorite city, I want to have the energy and stamina to enjoy myself to the fullest.
So when my alarm goes off to remind me to go for a walk each day (yes, I set an alarm in my phone to remind me to stop walking and go for a walk) I’ll picture Manhattan. Or Paris. Or that weird tunnel at the Detroit airport that I have to walk through to make my connection.
And I’ll happily head out the door.
Because now my workout has a purpose that completely aligns with my priorities in life.
And that’s a pretty powerful motivator.
What about you? Does your workout have a WHY?
My pins tend to jump back and forth pretty consistently between fashion and interiors and I’m amazed at how often I end up with a room and an outfit that seem to share the same aesthetic.
So it shouldn’t be a surprise that as I was playing around on Polyvore, I suddenly realized I was building an outfit and a room built around the same concept.
I love a good shirt dress because it’s so versatile. Paired with riding boots (I’m obsessed with these by Frye), a cozy scarf, and some basic jewelry, it’s the perfect piece for wandering the city by day. But you could also dress it up with a great pair of heels and a statement necklace to transition into an evening out.
Reflections infinity scarf//droplet hoops//shift bracelet//Frye boots//shirt dress
I know a cream colored sofa can be scary for a lot of people, but with neutral color like this, it’s easy to change the room around as your tastes change. A sofa like this is an investment that works for years. And I just love it mixed with this more rustic bookcase – I’d love to have a few of these to push around my library to divide and change the space.
The Saturday Morning infinity scarf is incredibly easy to wear and versatile. Great for Saturday mornings at the farmer’s market, transitioning from yoga to brunch, or just cozying up with a cup of tea. The organic cotton knit is so soft, you’ll want to wear it all winter long. (Not to mention fall and spring too!)
Here are a few of my favorite ways to wear it:
The easiest way to wear this scarf might just be to toss it over your head, give it a twist, and toss it over your head again. Adjust, spin, loop tight or loose, the double loop gives you infinite variety.
The pull through is perfect for layering under your favorite fall or winter coat. With the scarf doubled, wrap it once around your neck and pull one end through the opening at the other. Quick, simple, and stylish!
For those days when it’s really cold. Start with the double loop, then pull one of the loops over your head. You’ll look cute, your ears will stay warm, and you’ll be saved from the embarrassing helmet head that comes form pulling on a knit hat!
The Saturday Morning infinity scarf is available now in my online shop!
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After weeks of sharing my process and progress, I’m excited to officially announce that my debut collection of scarves and pillows are now available in my online shop!
Each textile in my collection starts life as an original painting before being digitally printed on fabric and hand sewn into scarves and pillows designed to help you make a statement every day.
I haven’t limited quantities of everything for the initial launch, so if you’ve been coveting a scarf or pillow, don’t wait! Head over to shop.meganaumanstudios.com now to shop the collection!
Oh, and a huge thank you to everyone for your support, encouragement, and excitement on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook! I’ve loved sharing my process with you!
I’m back from Crafty Bastards (not to mention a pretty hectic travel schedule) and I’ve been hard at work getting the scarves and pillows ready for their online debut.
I’ve got several styles of scarves and pillows but limited quantities in every style. So if you’ve had your eye on something, you’ll want to stop by my online shop at 11 AM Eastern Time on Friday, because that’s when everything will go live.
If you want to be the first to know, you should follow me on Instagram or join the mailing list. (The sign-up form is in the sidebar.)
I’ve been wearing my scarves like crazy and I’m so excited to make them available to you!
Since I’ve started painting, a number of friends told me they could see my paintings as textiles.
It’s not a stretch. I’ve always been inspired and influenced by textiles, surface design, and fashion. My graduate thesis, despite being made in metal, was all about textiles, and I even designed all the repeat patterns I used in my wire sculpture.
And the truth was, I could see my paintings as textiles as well.
But I resisted. Even though I know a decent amount about textile design, I wasn’t sure I was ready for a line that needed some degree of outsourcing. (In this case, the textile printing.)
And my experiments with hand painting textiles over the summer didn’t go so well.
So when Amber mentioned turning my paintings into textiles a few weeks ago, I resisted again.
And then, last week, I couldn’t resist any longer.
I was sitting in Starbucks, reading about creativity, when it suddenly became clear.
I had to go home and design fabric.
Right now.
And so I did.
And since then, I’ve been digitizing paintings, creating repeats, and ordering fabric, with the goal of getting my first prototypes done before Crafty Bastards.
I received my first fabric samples this week and promptly made my first products:
scarves!
Why scarves? you may wonder. Because a metal necklace can’t keep you warm. (And you know I’m always cold.) Plus, a scarf is really just a big, fabric necklace!
I’m definitely still in the experimental stage when it comes to fabrics and designs, but I’m planning on debuting several scarf designs, plus pillows and maybe even some bags, at Crafty Bastards next Saturday!
If you’re in the DC area, be sure and stop by. I’ll be there Saturday the 28th in booth 71!
Can’t make it to Crafty Bastards? Make sure you sign up for the mailing list (in the sidebar) to know when my new designs launch online!
I went to college in the early 2000s, when it was totally cool to make mix CDs. (This was between the eras of mix tapes and iPod playlists.)
Most of my mix CDs were labeled simply with the date I created them. A record not of any theme, but of my likes at a brief moment of time.
I remember one such CD, dated April 2002, the month my grandfather died. It was a yellow CD, and in my head, that was what I called it. “The Yellow CD.” As if it were a real album.
In this case, yellow was the color of my sadness, and the songs reflected my grief as I processed my first real experience of the death of a loved one.
Creating mix CDs was a habit my mother and I shared. Music was always important to her, and to us growing up, but once she learned to work a CD burner, music became a powerful tool for expression. Mix CDs were used to commemorate milestones, express an opinion, or share her feelings with someone.
A few months after my mom’s death, I pulled out many of the mix CDs she had made me, opened a beer, and sat on the floor of our guest room, crying and laughing my way through these precious gifts from my mother.
Music has this incredible power to transport us back to another time and place.
I was sitting in a Starbucks the other day when “Across the Universe” started to play. Suddenly, I was transported back to my college apartment, lying on my bed, listening to The Yellow CD in the weeks following my grandfather’s death.
I could see that yellow CD, as brilliantly as if it had jumped off the yellow page (don’t you love synchronicity) that was open in the book I was reading.
But as I listened to that song, I was also transported forward. I could see a painting so clearly in my mind. Yellow as the color of my grief. A whole universe of emotion, contained on one canvas.
And so I went home and started to paint:
“Across the Universe”
Acrylic on canvas
20″ x 24″
Small paintings are fun!
They’re fun to make – they let me test out a lot of ideas quickly or let me play with extra paint when I’m working on something larger.
Small paintings are also fun to display. They are great for small spaces, easy to prop in a corner or on a shelf, and can add a much needed pop of color. They’re also fun to group together or mix with other art.
I’ve got a lot of small paintings in my studio right now, but I’d rather they were on display in your home.
You can find these small paintings (and others) in my online store.
I’ve been painting up a storm this past month and the paintings are starting to pile up! I’m so much closer to my goal of 100 paintings then is reflected here on the blog or in my shop.
Summer is my creative peak, and I’d much rather be getting my hands dirty then editing images on my computer.
I’m a little sad that its August already. August is always a tricky month for me. I want to be taking advantage of the warm weather and last of the long days, but I’ve got so many travel commitments that pull me away from the studio.
I’ll be trying to use those times away to recharge and energize (translation: lots of reading at the lake and lots of museums in New York) so that I can carry my summer momentum into September!
