A couple of weeks ago, I revealed my new collaboration with the Smitten Italy & Co shop and introduced you to Heather Carlson, a fellow Italophile who became my pal on Instagram. In case you missed it, Heather interviewed me about my love for Italy on her Merry Feast Travels blog.

For the second part of our Smitten Italy series, I interviewed Heather on her love for Italy and her advice to novice Italy-travelers. 

​"It’s based on our love of Italy and is for everyone who is #smittenwithitaly.

The shop officially launched in early 2017 with a small line of clothing for adults & kids. Now the shop has expanded with tote bags, mugs, art prints & digital art. We are thrilled to be adding our first collaboration with Veni Etiam Photography in 2018."

Heather describes how she fell head over heels with not only "vacation Italy" but also Italy's daily, authentic side that she discovered over time. 

"The first time it was all the typically romantic things. The street musicians, the architecture and art. Each time I returned, I learned more and appreciated additional things like the language, the people, the light, the history, and always the food. Food is so different from region to region and also from village to village. It blows my mind
how many wonderful and unique things there are to eat in Italy that many people have never heard of!"

Read Heather's Ultimate Bucket list for Food Lovers

"While living there, I saw a completely different side to Italy - crazy and frustrating yet continuously beautiful. And while I still love “vacation Italy,” living there really enriched my love and passion for the people and the country."

"Definitely Milan. While living there for several years, I really grew to love it. And I always love returning and continue to discover new things each time. It’s an amazing spot to base yourself, just a short train ride away from many wonderful destinations like the Lake district, Parma, Modena, Bologna, the Dolomites, Torino..." 

Read Heather's articles about Milan and daytrips to nearby towns

"Rome and Umbria," it seems Heather couldn't pick just one!

​"I love them both so much and instantly feel at home whenever I return. I now lead food and wine tours in Umbria with my Italian partner who owns a cooking school and Agriturismo near Assisi. I love helping food-loving travelers plan their own delicious Italy adventures."

Heather offered 3 tips for first-time Italy travelers:

1. Slow Down. Less is more for your daily schedule and in your itinerary. Allow breathing time to really sink into a place and experience it. Don’t dash from one site to another, or one city to another. Try to imagine that you will be coming back and don’t try to pack everything in to one trip.

2. Make Dinner Reservations. Book your first night’s dinner reservations before
arriving. I started doing this early on in my travels and have never regretted it
(especially when traveling with my kids) I love the thrill of the hunt of a good place to
eat, but get very grumpy if there is no plan and everyone is tired and hungry from a
long day of travel. Having a plan before we arrive takes the pressure off, and helps us
enjoy easing into our new location.

3. Eat dinner late with the locals. After your first night, adjust your dining times. Italians eat late compared to what we are used to in America. We struggled with that our first trip to Italy, and learned quickly that if you make a reservation for 7:30 when many restaurants open for dinner, you will be the only person there! What fun is that? To truly experience a bustling trattoria, adjust your time. By showing up at 8:30-9 (or later) you will soon be surrounded by the locals, enjoying your delicious homemade tagliatelle complete with delicious Italian ambiance!

Do YOU have an Italy travel tip to share? Leave a comment below. Heather and I would love to hear from you.

Visit the Smitten Italy shop for lots of fun Italy-related gift items, clothes and of course the Veni Etiam collection of Italy prints! 

To learn more from Heather, be sure to follow Merry Feast and Smitten Italy over on Instagram. She's always adding new goodies to the blog and the shop!

From my heart to yours.

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Vous ne savez pas, car je n’en parle jamais. Pour plus de dix-huit ans, je souffre d’endométriose sévère et d’autres conditions de santé qui sont reliées. C’est une épreuve qui a changé ma vie à jamais.

Je suis écrivaine dans l’âme et j’ai écrit sur presque tous les sujets…sauf celui-ci.

Jusqu’à présent.

​J’avoue que je n’aurais jamais pensé en parler si franchement et si publiquement.  Mais après presque 20 ans de cette histoire, et surtout après avoir vu autant de femmes dans mon entourage et dans le monde affronter les mêmes épreuves, il est temps.
​
De façon inattendue, j’ai rédigé mon premier livre complet – couverture à couverture. Le sujet? Mon parcours personnel, les pensées et les émotions associées à cette épreuve de vie - un parcours qui résonnera sûrement avec beaucoup de femmes et d'hommes autour du monde.

Pourquoi? Et pourquoi maintenant?

En mars, je lancerai une nouvelle initiative inspirante appelée Alba - une nouvelle aube. Le site présentera - à travers des photographies, des mots et des produits conçus pour la cause - des femmes entrepreneures qui ont été touchées par l'endométriose, les cancers féminins, la douleur chronique et l'infertilité.

Mon objectif avec Alba est de précipiter un changement de dialogue sur la santé des femmes et de parvenir à une nouvelle aube caractérisée par des approches plus pro-actives, holistiques et systématiques pour tous, ainsi que de collecter des fonds pour la recherche.

J'ai choisi de le lancer en mars à temps pour le mois de la sensibilisation à l'endométriose (Endometriosis Awareness Month) et pour la journée de la femme (8 mars).

​En pré-commandant le livre aujourd'hui, vous le recevrez par courriel le 8 mars. Tous les profits du livre serviront à démarrer et à maintenir le projet Alba, ce qui aidera beaucoup de femmes à trouver leur voix et qui aura aussi pour but de collecter des fonds pour la recherche sur les cancers féminins et l'endométriose. Inutile de dire que vous feriez un don à une cause importante.

Si vous avez été directement touché(e) par les défis de l'endométriose et les problèmes de santé reliés (tels que la douleur chronique, les cancers féminins et l'infertilité) ou si vous êtes curieux d'en savoir plus sur cette maladie mal-compris et complexe, les passages poignants et honnêtes dans "Il est temps". sont destinés à éduquer, valoriser, inspirer et guérir.

Note: Pour l'instant le livre n'est que disponible en anglais.

SVP suivez alba.a.new.dawn sur Instagram en attendant le lancement du site et de mon livre.

Amies entrepreneures! Si vous aimeriez en savoir plus et devenir membre (raconter votre histoire et avoir votre profil avec votre boutique/service sur le site) SVP contactez-moi à alba.a.new.dawn@gmail.com et je vous expliquerai comment l'initiative fonctionnera. Toutes les opportunités seront également détaillées sur le site web lors de son lancement dans deux semaines.​

Cette publication, et toute cette mission, vient de la partie la plus vulnérable et la plus personnelle de moi. Je prends une profonde respiration et j'espère que vous me rejoindrez sur ce chemin. 

De mon cœur au vôtre,
Kristina

Version française

This is a raw, personal, heartfelt post - I hope you can read it to the end. 

Many – in fact, most – of you don’t know that for eighteen years, I have been a sufferer of severe endometriosis and other related health conditions - experiences that have changed me and my life forever.

Although I’m a writer at heart and have written about almost everything, this is something I’ve never put into words until now, not even in my own journals, and something I certainly did not imagine doing so publicly. But after nearly twenty years of this complex story, and after seeing so many other women struggling in similar ways, it is time now.

Unexpectedly and in almost one sitting, I have written my first real book – cover to cover – complete with things I’ve never written for a book, like a preface, an author’s note and acknowledgments. In it, a raw, candid, descriptive account of my personal journey - one that will surely resonate with many women and men around the world.

Why? And why now?

This March, I will be launching an inspiring new initiative called Alba – a new dawn.  The website will showcase – through photographs, words and products designed for the cause – women entrepreneurs who have been affected by endometriosis, female cancers, chronic pain and infertility.

My goal with Alba is to help us shift the dialogue on women’s health and achieve a brighter dawn with more pro-active, holistic, systematic approaches for all, as well as to raise funding for research.

​I have chosen to launch it in March in time for endometriosis awareness month and for Women's Day (March 8th).

The e-book is now available for pre-order through my Etsy shop.

By pre-ordering today, you will receive it in your inbox on its release date, March 8th. All proceeds from the book will go to starting up and maintaining the Alba project, which in turn will help many women find their voices and will collect funds for research on female cancers and endometriosis. Needless to say, you'd be donating to an important cause. 

Whether you have been directly touched by the challenges of endometriosis and related health conditions (such as chronic pain, female cancers and infertility) or whether you are curious to learn more about this misunderstood and complex illness from the outside in, the poignant and brutally honest passages in "It's Time." are intended to educate, empower, inspire and heal. 

Please follow @alba.a.new.dawn on Instagram and share this post as widely as possible, as we prepare for the launch of the initiative and the e-book!

If this resonates with you and you would like to find out about opportunities to become a member, affiliate or sponsor, please send me an e-mail to alba.a.new.dawn@gmail.com and I’ll walk you through how the initiative will work. All opportunities will also be detailed on the website when it is launched in two weeks.

This post, and this whole mission, comes from the most vulnerable, rawest part of me. I’m taking a deep breath and hoping you’ll join me on this journey. 

From my heart to yours,
Kristina

Whether you have been following me for some time or you have just stumbled upon my world, you may have noticed that Italy plays a huge part in my collection, my writings and my days. 

Why?

What's the deal with Italy? What gave rise to this "obsession"? How is Italy part of my life story? What's my favorite spot in Italy? All these questions and MORE are answered in an interview I did for the lovely Heather Carlson from "Smitten Italy" as part of our new collaboration.

Heather Carlson is a fellow italophile. We "met" in a magical place called Instagram, connected by our shared passion for Italian travel, food and culture. I stumbled upon Heather's shop of whimsical Italy-inspired goods, and later discovered that she is also behind "Merry Feast Travels", organizing culinary tours and offering travel planning services to any beginner or seasoned Italy-bound traveler. 

To find out more about why Italy is infused into my creative work, and to learn some Italy-related quirks about me that you probably did not know before, head to the Merry Feast Travels blog to read the full interview!

My mission with Veni Etiam has always been to inspire you, and help you find a piece of art that represents your own journey. 

If Italy resonates with you as it does with me, I think you'll be excited to discover the collection that is now live in the Smitten Italy shop!

Which one is your favorite? Heather and I would love to know!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this series where I will interview Heather about her story and her tips for travellers to Italy. Don't miss out on goodies: follow us!

​I love living in a place that has four seasons.

But...

By the time February rolls around, I'm ready to say arrivederci to the snow, slush and sleet. Trouble is, winter will still have us in its grasp for another three months at least (if we don't see any flurries in May like we occasionally do! I know, *gasp*, right?!).

Although I try to live in the now, I do get antsy. As a form of wishful thinking, I start to surround myself with color, as an attempt to accelerate the arrival of spring.

​

Got a favorite? Let me know in a comment!

If you're a color-loving soul like me, you'll love what awaits you in the shop. (But don't worry, there are many moody black and white options too).
​
From my heart to yours!

In a productivity-driven world, most people make to-do lists at some point or another in their routine. In this post, I share some of my top principles to making a great to-do list – one that is organized, balanced, focused and realistic, and actually motivating rather than daunting.

As an inherently anxious person, to-do lists serve as a way of navigating my nerves, getting all my competing priorities down on paper and structured, so they’re not floating around in my mind. It's not simply about writing down everything that needs to be done, but the trick really lies in balancing and structuring the list. 

It took me about a decade of juggling an ambitious academic career and other passions – among which, my business – to hone the skill of making a to-do list that helps boost productivity and diminish anxiety.
​
I've been asked a LOT about how I have time for all my different projects, and how I get organized to maximize motivation, focus, productivity and life balance. 

This may sound (and look) nutty and obsessive, but I swear it helps! Each list gives you a different overview of what needs to be done. I think this is key in reducing stress, because it allows you to practice switching perspectives and focusing. Like a camera, you have a big picture view and then you zoom in. There’s a time and a place for each task, but you have acknowledged them all, so they are not floating in your head, taxing your memory. 

Here's how:

The bigger picture: First, I make a “goal and priorities” list for a period of 1-2 months. What do I want to work on or achieve in that time, in terms of tasks and milestones? Each weekly to-do list and my daily activities should ultimately bring me closer to these precise goals.

This gives me direction - it keeps me grounded, focused and goal-driven.

I usually write these out on GIANT PINK POST-ITS on a wall in my office, as a giant reminder of what I am striving for.

Tip # 1: Throughout the month, things obviously crop up that I can’t deal with straight away, so I leave some room in a corner of the page for things I have to take care of next month. That gets them out of my head and onto paper, but still gives me some breathing room.

​Tip # 2: Given the beauty of unpredictability, I never sketch out more than 2 months at a time.

We strive to lead a balanced life. So why not make a balanced to-do list? (Seriously, am I the only one who has self-care items like sleep in, make pancakes, bake banana bread, exercise and take a bubble bath on the list?)
 
I generally like to break up my lists into 4 quadrants which are usually:
- Veni Etiam
- Science / other projects
- Around the house / self-care
- Errands / communications
 
It’s pretty straightforward what goes into what category, and it helps me balance out my priorities as well as how much time I spend at my computer vs. up and around doing other things. Being aware of how much of your time goes into each type of activity is extremely valuable. 

You can do this for your weekly list, but organize your daily list chronologically, if that makes more sense to you. 

A friend of mine and I used to laugh about putting “make a to-do list” at the top of the day’s list – easy check!

It really helps to put a mix of easy/quick items and more challenging items on the list, to ease into the day and then reward yourself after a task requiring more concentration.
 
That being said, it’s crucial to break up the more challenging projects into manageable chunks. What can you do in an hour or less? That’s what the task name should be - not a whole project name! Overwhelming items tend to get skipped! 
 
Easy items for me are returning emails, organizing files, updating documents, bookkeeping, tidying up around the house, etc. The more head-consuming items for me are scientific writing, creating blog posts, working on web design and on my Etsy shop, graphic design or any sort of content planning for social media. I make sure to alternate between easy and challenging tasks to keep my motivation up. 

​In the go-go-go rhythm of our days, it’s easy to lose ourselves, to move less, breathe less deeply and be less mindful. Adding self-care items to my to-list boosts their priority and makes me consciously aware of those needs. I like to also have a “to-be” list when I start the week or the day.

What I do I want to feel and to be? What did I dislike about my feelings last week? Maybe you want to be more patient, less of a perfectionist, complain less about petty things, be more optimistic.

​It helps make me feel more centered and clear-headed to practice this, and I find that good things come my way with less resistance. 

The art of a realistic to-do list is also not to pack it to the brim where you have no time to flow between tasks. Breaks are vital – you’ll break down sooner or later without them. If you feel guilty about taking them, by all means schedule breaks in! Use a strategy like the Pomodoro method if you like that idea (I’ve never been disciplined enough to do that; it just doesn’t work for me).

I like to stare out the window, sit on the bus without looking at my phone, or play hide-and-seek with my crazy cat if I’m working from home. I also use these short breaks to check-in with myself about how I’m feeling, and adjust from there.

I am also not afraid of tweaking the list when unexpected events occur. If I feel totally uninspired to write or create, I won’t force myself to get into the zone – I’ll switch it with a task from tomorrow’s list and move on. A few eraser marks or white-out marks are expected on to-do lists! 

Lastly, not every day should be carved out. Sometimes, I make a backwards to do list, only writing down items I do in the order I do them! It gives me a great sense of accomplishment and flexibility. It’s also much more relaxing! 

On days where you feel your to-do list was totally hijacked by unexpected tasks, it helps to make a list of what you actually did, to override your initial daily list. This chases away anxiety because it demonstrates that you were actually productive, just not the way you expected to be. And that's okay. 

Other times (albeit rarely), I make no list at all and just take the day as it comes. 

The bottom line is to be aware of what you are feeling and to work – first and foremost – in accordance with that.

I hope this post gives you some helpful strategies on boosting productivity in an organized and balanced way.

Is there a tip on here you haven’t tried, but would like to? Leave me a comment, I’d love to know.

​Share your to-do list posts with me on Instagram and Facebook by tagging me @veni.etiam.photography. You'll receive a coupon for my shop as encouragement!

From my heart to yours!

Follow on Instagram for daily inspiration! See what’s in style this spring!

As I'm writing this, IT'S STILL SNOWING. Gah. 

As Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and since we probably all need a pop of color in our wintery days, in this Monday's inspirational post I thought I'd share 10 photographs to start your week, instead of the usual five. 

Head to the shop or to Etsy to shop this post!

From my heart to yours.