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5 Tranquility-Infused Gift Ideas

It’s the time of the year where we search for that something special and useful to gift our loved ones. Below is an assortment of inspiring tranquility-infused gift ideas ranging from $1.99 to $50.

Over the years I’ve created a few tools or treats I was seeking and my hope is that these creations of love help spread tranquilosophy in a meaningful way. And the best part, your purchase helps support small businesses and a portion of all proceeds benefits Pigs & Pugs Project.

  1. Tranquility Tea. This beautiful and fragrant blend of green tea, rosebuds, chamomile, lavender, and vanilla essence complements mindful moments. $12. Only 10 left and it’s our last run of this blend for now. Shop tea.

2.Tranquillité parfumis bursting with notes of gardenia, jasmine, sweet musk, rose, and sandalwood and was handcrafted in a Parisian apartment. Comes in parfum oil and eau de toilette. $38-$58. Shop parfum.

3. Tranquility du Jour app. Get instant access to all Tranquility du Jour podcast interviews—learn ways to give back, create art, love animals, eat well, practice yoga and mindfulness, live with style, make meaning, and more. Available on your iOS or Android mobile device. $1.99. Shop app.

4. Pigs & Pugs Project. Contribute a tax deductible donation of $50 or more to help pig sanctuaries and pug rescues in need and we’ll send you (or your gift recipient) a darling Pigs & Pugs reusable tote. $50+. Donate.

5. Books. A collection of writings from the past 12 years available in an assortment of PDFs, Kindle, and hold-in-your-hand physical form. Tranquilista is also available in Chinese, Russian, Bulgarian, and Dutch! $19-$28. Shop books.

Tranquility du Jour #435: Calligraphy

In this week’s edition of Tranquility du Jour, I discuss the gift of calligraphy with Maybelle Imasa-Stukuls. Learn how to get started with calligraphy, what tools are helpful, and various projects that would make wonderful holiday gifts!

New to Tranquility du Jour? Learn more here.
Join me bi-weekly Love Notes and access Tranquil Treasures.

Tranquility du Jour #435: Calligraphy

Upcoming Events

New Year’s Mini Retreat in DC: December 31

New Year’s Salon in DC: January 1 {5 spots left}

TDJ Live online: January 6

Writing Salon in DC: January 12

4-Week Tranquility Salon in DC: Starts January 13 {2 spots left}

Tranquility in the Topics: February 16-23, 2019 in Costa Rica

Tranquility in Tuscany: July 13-20, 2019 {8 spots left}

Guest:

Artist and calligrapher Maybelle Imasa-Stukuls finds beauty in imperfection, a widely acclaimed and distinctly modern approach to calligraphy. With over 10 years of experience, Maybelle has been commissioned for bespoke wedding invitations, letterpress stationery, and editorial features, exhibiting her elegant and playful signature style for a range of clients. Her work has appeared in Martha Stewart Weddings, Sunset Magazine, Victoria, Better Homes and Gardens, and Brides, and has been featured on Design*Sponge, Besotted, Brooklyn Bride, Oh Happy Day, Snippet & Ink, Sunday Suppers, and Style Me Pretty.

Drawing inspiration from botanical engravings, vintage alphabet specimens, and her numerous travels abroad, Maybelle has been known to journey to Paris for just the right calligraphy nib. Her love of ephemera and faraway places inspired a collaboration with Chronicle Books: Belle Calligraphy Kit, Materials and Inspiration for Modern Script.

She developed Calligraphy in the 21st Century, a popular San Francisco workshop booked months in advance, as a way to share her passion with the creative community. This year, Maybelle offers the course in some of her favorite cities: New York City, Los Angeles, Portland, Santa Barbara, and Sydney, Australia.

Raised in Hawaii, Maybelle lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and twins.

Two project ideas:

 

Mentioned in the Podcast:

Website: may-belle.com
Book: The Gift of Calligraphy
Instagram: instagram.com/maybelleimasa

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November in Review

Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.—Edith Sitwell

Month in Review

Ah, November, you were sweet, swift, and succulent. From Paris cafes to ballet classes to sitting with clients, last month offered a variety of experiences.

En route to my own therapy appointment in the rain, I slammed on my brakes to avoid hitting the person in front of me who had stopped abruptly and my tea thermos spilled all over the Jeep console. This led to three trips to the shop, a dead battery, constant jumps because the new battery would also die, a malfunctioning electrical system, software updates (cars get updates now?!), and a parking brake that wouldn’t release so it could be towed.

It’s back to the shop and fingers crossed it’s really getting fixed this time. Funny how one brief moment can have such a ripple effect. Darn tea.

This month I finished an online Journal Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy class, met with mentoring and therapy clients, took ballet classes, wandered the streets of Paris, returned on Thanksgiving for a vegan meal with Tim, created and released the Year of Tranquility Entrepreneurship module, got lost in Paris, had another gum surgery (second side), created and reviewed a Tranquility du Jour survey (still chewing on it), released two podcasts, attended a Stargazing with Pigs event at Whispering Rise Animal Sanctuary, attended a Lady Farmer Slow Living Retreat (where I met those goats in the top photo), upset my Jeep’s electrical system, saw A Star is Born in Paris and cried (how did I not know it was sad?!), sent heaps of snail mail, and soaked in the tub daily.

As I turn my attention to the final month of the year, I’m feeling both pensive and hopeful. 2018 has offered so much—a new pug (GIZMO!), a full-time office space, Pigs & Pugs events, Year of Tranquility. I look forward to tying a bow around it this month with a combination of reflection, intention, and creation.

Wishing you a sacred and soft month. Let’s carve out space to celebrate, give and create experiences, hibernate as needed, and add a dash of lavender to our hot cocoa. As always, thanks for reading! Bisous. x

December Dreams

Take 10 yoga/ballet classes
Clarify a 2019 program offering
Solidify my vet social work program plans
Send two love notes to YOU
Release 3 podcasts
Fun weekend in NYC with friend
Host inspiring final Year of Tranquility module
Safe travels to and from West Virginia and Oklahoma
Collaborate with and support clients
Savor The Nutcracker performance and lunch date with friend
Productive Pigs & Pugs Project board meeting
Tea dates with friends
Santa pics with pups
Healed gums

Savvy Sources

15 Plant-Based Recipes to Fight Inflammation
How This Introvert Challenged Herself to Make Friends As An Adult
10 Reasons Why We Fail to Achieve Our Goals
How To Conduct Your Own Annual Review
Five Reasons Why Travel is Good for Your Mental Health
46 Ways to Give Experiences, Not Things
75 Consumable Gift Ideas
10 Books to Read—and Gift—in December
10 Ways to Give Back This Holiday Season