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Worries
Monday morning is usually a time reserved for anxiety and too much caffeine… let F. Scott Fitzgerald put you in the right frame of mind with this gorgeous letter penned to his 11 year-old daughter Scottie in 1933. Way to hit the nail on the head…
Found via listsofnote.com
by erin 
Life and Music
A superb little video of philosopher Alan Watt’s recordings brought to life by animators Matt Parker and Trey Stone. I especially love the flying conductor and dancing ballerina who pirouettes into the last frame.
by kathryn My Manahatta
It’s so easy to get caught up in this city… in chaos, in deadlines, in parties and planning and pretty things… so when a project like this comes along, it’s that much more powerful. The Welikia Project (meaning ‘my good home’ in Lenape) aims to change the way we see New York City by transporting us back in time to 1609. Explore the interactive map for yourself – navigate block by block and learn about native animals, local topography, Lenape Indian lifestyles and all sorts of super cool stuff.
by erin 911 Memorial
It was an unusually sunny winter’s day, last wednesday when we visited the 9/11 Memorial Park. There are two fountains, both existing in the footprints of the former twin towers that cascade quietly and somberly into the ground. We felt such sadness for those whose lives have been so terribly affected by the events of 9/11, but also pride for their strength, which has been a inspiration to us all. It was both a beautiful and moving experience to stand in the middle of Manhattan and see and feel so much space around us. Afterwards we saw “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” which was such a heartfelt and touching film. We salute you New York, for your courage, support and tenacity.
by kathryn Stop and Hear the Music
Believe it or not, my turn has yet again come up for inspiration day. Where do the days go? I shared a YouTube video and Washington-Post news article entitled “Stop and Hear the Music”. Reflect on this …”If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made…How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?”
Today, I encourage you all to free yourself from the constraint of your schedule: live a little and open yourself up to the chaos and beauty in the world around you.
by julie Creativity
Today was my turn to present the weekly inspiration and I showed the gals one of my favourite lectures on Ted Talks (best website EVER) by Sir Ken Robinson, who is so likeable, witty and beautifully spoken. This particular talk is an inspiring call to action about educational reform, and about the importance of valuing creativity in all facets of life and never being afraid to ‘have a go’. There are some hilarious anecdotes thrown in there also…
by erin 
What may happen in the next hundred years?
Snippets taken from the article ‘What may happen in the next hundred years’ by John Elfreth Watkins, Jr. from ‘The Ladies Home Journal’ in December 1900
Seeing as it’s still sort of the beginning of the year, and still a time for reflection I thought I would share this with you chaps. A look back at a prediction made over a hundred years ago. It’s eerie how accurate some of Watkin’s predictions are, yet others are quite laughable. I love how certain he was that all foods would be enormous! Anyway, I don’t think that I have the foresight to guess what the world will be like a hundred years from now, except that it will be very very different!
Here’s the original article but if the text is too small, here is an html version for your viewing pleasure
by kathryn Be Inspired
Our new Feature of the Month is up! In keeping with our belief that this year is going to be the best EVER, we’ve also decided to start taking turns doing little weekly inspiration presentations in the studio. Today I inspired the girls to reflect on their past accomplishments, dream BIG in the new year and remember it is our choice to live life with a pursuit of HAPPYness. I had the girls write down their top 5 accomplishments from the 2011, and reminded them to celebrate those successes. For an added touch, we watched a little movie snippet. It’s one of those moments which perfectly sums up the feeling of achievement when you finally, finally get there.
Anyway, some food for thought… hope you enjoy the feature, the clip and the rest of your day
by julie a cup o’ kindness
We’ve all known and loved the song, but until recently I wasn’t aware of quite how lovely the lyrics were… we popped up to The Morgan Library for some carol singing a couple of weeks ago and we were quite struck by the Auld Lang Syne exhibit. You can read the story of the song here (or visit the Library yourself). If you do happen to pop by, the Charles Dickens exhibit was also wonderful.
Happy New Year!
by erin 
Hooray for the Holidays!
We’re so so lucky we have the week off so we are all hanging out with our respective family and friends in various delighfult spots around the USA.
We hope you all are enjoying the holidays too, and haven’t:
a. Eaten too much
b. Fallen out with too many family members
c. Drunk too much mulled wine
d. Sustained any snowman building injuries!
by kathryn Dreaming of lands far away…
We wish you happy and safe travels this holiday season… and lots of naps… naps are the best.
Image and quote from Laura Stoddart’s Off the Beaten Track.
by erin Creator, bien sur!
Over here at Petite Alma, we are on a mission to be THE BEST creators in the universe. Amen to that sista’!
Found this at a note on design.
by kirby 
Dear Winter…
It’s been swell… but we’re ready for some sunshine now. Please kindly leave (we shall see each other again soon enough). Sincerely, the ladies of Petite Alma.
Illustration by our very own, Kat. I love the smudged ‘t’ – accidents are so often the best bits…
by erin Enjoy today
Take Monday by the horns! Photograph by the very inspirational Max.
by erin 
