i am mai

Spring Things

2013-03-17T01:30:00.001-05:00

Currently loving all this color.

lemon drop skirt | fuschia eyelet dress | emerald pencil skirt

ks floral dress | yellow lace tee | floral top

Poppies Flowers

2013-03-01T11:31:00.001-06:00

I was browsing for website inspiration when I came across Poppies Flowers. First off, how darling is the website? They put together the most beautiful arrangements, and the styling is perfection.

Dreaming of Paris

2013-02-23T21:20:00.001-06:00

Around this time two years ago, I was studying abroad in Italy and took a long weekend trip to Paris. It is really such an amazing city--looking back at old pictures makes me so nostalgic. I cannot wait to go back someday.

the most beautiful and moving service at Notre Dame

Paint in Water

2013-02-16T15:35:00.001-06:00

TOXEL.COM is one of my favorite sites to check every now and then. They always have the most unique/creative ideas. Anything from design, technology, furniture, to artwork. How beautiful are these photographs captured by Mark Mawson?

These are a few of my favorite things / 2

2013-02-11T11:15:00.001-06:00

There are so many "green monster" recipes out there, but this is a combination I've been loving lately. I've never tried adding kale in before, but I love it more than spinach!

Inspiration Board

2013-02-07T20:31:00.001-06:00

a mood board for a new brand I'm working on. . .

Social Media: How Kate Spade Does It Right

2013-02-04T20:15:00.001-06:00

It's no secret that Kate Spade New York is one of my favorite fashion design houses. If I could afford it, my wardrobe would probably be 80% kate spade ;). I love the fashion, but I think I may love the graphic elements of the brand even more. Not only are they a strong brand, they know how to utilize social media to their advantage. Because I work in the marketing/advertising industry, I'm always interested in the latest social media trends. Social media is so relevant and important to any business because it can be really powerful if you use it the right way. Best of all, it’s free! I did a little research and looked into how Kate Spade uses each of their social media to showcase their brand.

Facebook: The best place for your company logo is in the profile square. If you look through Kate Spade’s profile picture archives, you’ll notice that their logo remains consistently the same size and in the same place. The cover photo space is used to showcase their most current line. Kate Spade keep fans engaged with a new post or two every day, which is just enough to keep people interested but not annoyed from over posting. Each post is accompanied with a very visual image that quickly grabs your attention.

Twitter: While the Kate Spade Facebook page is used mainly to promote items they sell, Twitter is used more for conversation. On Twitter, they keep followers engaged with tweets about relevant topics, as well as posts on office happenings and events. The tone is more conversational and playful, but still represents the Kate Spade brand. Hash tags are often used to promote a current line, like #artofthedot, or #livecolorfully, a key tagline. Plenty of conversation starters, check-ins, and updates give Twitter followers a little bit of fun throughout the day.

Pinterest: Kate Spade’s VP of eCommerce has mentioned that they use Pinterest for presence. They rarely pin images of their own products; instead, images that are pertinent to the brand are pinned to boards in various categories of “living colorfully”.

Instagram: Kate Spade uses Instagram to highlight merchandise, the office, events, and fun graphic details in different environments. There is a more personal feel to these images that you don’t get from the other social media channels; however, the person behind the “camera” remains anonymous, which gives a good mix of mystery and professionalism.

Blog: Blog posts are usually a combination of products and other relevant things. Outfit ideas, movies, books, and how-to’s are some of the blog content put out. Original graphic images are central to each post, which further reiterates their brand positioning

An important note to take from this is the brand continuity you see across all of Kate Spade’s social media platforms. For instance, if a new line is being promoted, the Facebook cover and Twitter background will match the what’s on the homepage. Some of these mediums might not be appropriate for your brand, but it is important to use what will work for your business and to keep it cohesive.

What is your opinion when it comes to using social media for businesses?

These are a Few of My Favorite Things / 2

2013-01-30T10:48:00.002-06:00

Lovely ampersands. Colors inspired by Design Seeds' tea tones palette.

Mai Paper Shop

2013-01-26T22:02:00.001-06:00

With Valentine's Day around the corner, right now is the best time to find the perfect card for a loved one. I'm excited to announce the launch of mai paper shop, my design shop for custom prints/cards/posters.

Feel free to contact me with any questions at: hello[at]mailestudio.com

Happy Wednesday

2013-01-23T06:25:00.001-06:00

Here's a little glitter for your day.

Dare to Wear

2013-01-19T17:41:00.002-06:00

I always enjoy browsing ban.do and checking out the latest accessories. How fun are these poms? Love how versatile they are-- you can wear them in your hair, pinned on a shirt, on a bag, etc.

How Pinteresting

2013-01-15T15:37:00.001-06:00

Kate Spade Pinterest boards are some of my favorites to follow. I especially loved these pieces with the pop of pink.

Who do you follow on Pinterest and why?

These are a Few of My Favorite Things / 1

2013-01-14T19:48:00.001-06:00

After reading about Old Navy's new activewear line on a couple blogs, I decided to go check it out for myself. There were lots of great deals, and I came out with the compression capri. Completing my running outfit is this top I picked up from Target a few months ago, and this pair of PureConnects. I love how light they are! And the obnoxiously bright color, which is so much more in your face outdoors.

Tassel Loafers

2013-01-12T12:29:00.001-06:00

Is this a trend you're on board with?

shoe via Gap

Bike Tees

2013-01-05T22:35:00.001-06:00

A couple t-shirt designs I created for a bike shop...

A Little Bit Obsessed

2012-12-28T11:38:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, I saw the movie Les Misérables. It was so incredible, I might go watch it again. I also cannot stop raving about it, haha! If you're a diehard musical fan, you'll definitely love it. Go see it. That is all.

2012 Colors

2012-12-27T21:22:00.001-06:00

Some lovely pieces in this year's color trends.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

HELLO, HI

2012-12-23T14:43:00.001-06:00

love these.

2013 Pantone Color

2012-12-09T20:46:00.001-06:00

Didya hear? Pantone has picked emerald green for 2013's color of the year. Below are some of my favorites.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Design Craft Market

2012-12-02T15:10:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, I went to AIGA Houston's Design Craft Market at Market Square Park downtown. There weren't as many vendors as I expected, but there was a lot of beautiful, unique work all around!

Art

2012-11-27T19:42:00.001-06:00

I'm loving Kate Spade's new jewelry, especially this kaleidoscope piece. It's like art!

Crossfit, 4 months later

2012-11-26T21:42:00.002-06:00

Wow, I was just about to title this "3 months later". Has it already been 4 months since I started CrossFit? It's hard to tell how much stronger I am than when I first started because I'm still usually one of the weakest in the class, still doing girl push ups and using the green band for pull ups, lol. However, I have definitely made progress. I first joined because I wanted to add strength training to my routine but did not know what I was doing in the weight room most of the time. I was hooked from the first class! There is something about the feeling of accomplishment after completing a tough WOD that keeps you coming back.

A few stats....I can't wait to look back in a few months and consider these numbers low. :D

deadlift: 115lb
front squat: 95lb
hang clean: 45lb
power clean: 65lb

Nine

2012-11-24T18:55:00.001-06:00

I've been worried about not getting enough mileage in before my half marathon December 8, and finally just buckled down on training the past 2 weeks to get in an 8-miler and then 9 miles on Wednesday! I haven't ran this far in two years, so this was very exciting for me. It was rough and slow, but I got through it! Thanks also to a vanilla GU and these Zensah compression leg sleeves for helping tremendously. My legs were SO fatigued after the 8-miler, but they felt great after I wore these sleeves for this recent run. I would recommend them to anyone who runs long distances because they are amaaazing.

Bright & Light

2012-11-23T00:46:00.001-06:00

I am currently in the process of reorganizing my desk space/putting up an inspiration wall and came across these images as I was scouring for inspiration. Loving the unorganized but designed looks!

1 | 2 | 3

Current Favorite Breakfast

2012-11-20T19:44:00.001-06:00

I like mixing the Kodiak Cakes flour with chia seeds and soy milk for pancakes, and topping with microwaved gala apple slices and almond butter drizzle.

Kodiak mix {also available at Target}

almond butter