Bim Willow sounds like the name of a charming character in a delightful children’s fairy tale. Instead, he’s a taskmaster of tree-limbed furniture whose not-so-whimsical workshop we attended one early Saturday morning in November. The Chicago Botanic Garden, which hosted the session, offers classes in everything from drawing to yoga to nature-walking. …
This time of year, when night falls in the late still-afternoon, we welcome bright, twinkling holiday lights. There’s an art to a holiday light display though, and in that spirit we offer mutterhood’s five unwritten rules to achieve a warm holiday glow. That extra bulb. You know the one, it’s …
Spotted: this confusing mashup of holiday icons in the window of a thrift shop.
I scurry around the house looking for the usual suspects. Bottle of wine? Candles? Coffee mug? Picture frame? Does this ornament look used? Does this book look read? I don’t have time to bake cookies. Those earrings I never wear? This fancy box of tea that I never opened? Does …
I think it’s time we talk about Santa. Because honestly, I love the guy. I love him as St. Nicholas, aka Nicholas the Wonderworker, a fourth-century Christian saint and protector of sailors, orphans, prisoners, and everyone in between, whose prayers brought about miracles and whose secret gift-giving is the origin …
It’s Giving Tuesday on Day 3 of our holiday countdown. Here’s a look at just one of the women’s arts organizations making a difference in our world. The morning light slanted through tall windows that lined the second floor of the 1903 Renaissance Revival building, spilling down the marble staircase …
Snowstorms to the east, windstorms to the west, there’s still so much turkey left and someone brought all their leftover pies to the office. If you’ve fled Holiday Day 2 reality for the online storm that is Cyber Monday, here’s a lovely photograph of a meadow in summer. Make it …
Welcome to mutterhood’s third annual holiday countdown. In the past we’ve waxed nostalgic and focused on gifts as our themes; this year we settled on make, which we kick off today with a story about how shopping local can unlock some early holiday magic. With Cyber Monday less than 24 …
Today is international Book Lovers Day, and because we fall into that category — and we know a lot of you do too — we couldn’t let it pass without a nod to the wonder of books. Today also brings to mind a funny yet heartwarming thing that happened on …
“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” ~ Helen Keller