Something Charming

{five things}

2013-05-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Who else is ready for a three day weekend? After three weeks in a row of meetings on my weekends, I am more than ready to take a break. I may have a few work things here and there, but I get to stay home and enjoy time with my husband. I even get to have breakfast with my best friend tomorrow, whom I haven't seen in far too long. Life is just too busy these days, and I'm excited for some lazy summer days, starting this weekend. It may be wedding season, but that doesn't mean I don't get to take some time for myself every once in a while.

Have you seen my feature up on Wedding Chicks this week yet? I was both bridesmaid and planner for this one!

As always, here are a few links for your weekend.

1 // Would you ever quit the internet for a year? This guy did, and he has some interesting things to say about his experience.

2 // I'm sure you've gotten a wedding invitation for the summer, so be sure to RSVP. It's more important than you think.

3 // The ladies at Bash, Please continue to amaze me with their creativity and incredible events that they put on. Could you imagine throwing a surprise carnival for your wedding guests?

4 // If you feel like crying today, have you seen the live TV interview of a tornado victim being reunited with her dog? Absolutely precious.

5 // And if you feel like crying some more, you should probably watch this video about Zach Sobiech, who died recently from cancer. I know it's been going around, but it's an incredibly inspiring story.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and that you get to enjoy your time with family and friends. It's about time we all appreciate life a little more, I think.

{summer living: strawberry ice cream}

2013-05-22T21:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm well aware that summer doesn't unofficially start until Monday, or officially start for another month, but I'm so ready. I'm daydreaming of days spent at the beach, let me tell you. A big part of my seasonal excitement always comes when I envision what I can do in my home. Though we won't be having babies any time soon (intentionally, at least), every time I make something or we go somewhere, I love to imagine that it'll become a family tradition someday; that my kids will someday go off to college, and come home, home sick for their mom's cooking or going to the farmer's market on the weekends. It's a crazy dream, I know, but I have it nonetheless.

I've always loved being home. We may live in a little apartment, but I've done what I can to make it into our oasis, our home. I want anyone who walks in through the door to feel that way. It's not stuffy here, and babies are welcome any time. We're meant to love here, to live here, and for me, that includes everything from cooking to decorating to cleaning. I want to spend my summer creating a fun space, one where we want to be, where we barbecue and sip margaritas with friends, playing board games late into the night.

I got my first itch to start these summer traditions this past weekend, when all I could think about was making some ice cream. Now, I've never actually made ice cream before, and I don't actually have an ice cream maker. I was going through Pinterest and Foodgawker on Monday, attempting to put together a collage of ice cream recipes so that I could actually justify purchasing an ice cream attachment for my Kitchenaid when I saw this recipe. And I knew it needed to happen. ASAP.

As you can see, my first attempt at strawberry cheesecake ice cream was a success, and I didn't even need to get an ice cream maker. You should try it yourself (you can find the recipe here), and let me know what you think!

Have you ever made ice cream before? What's your favorite recipe?

{featured on wedding chicks}

2013-05-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited for my fifth feature of the year, not only because it was one of my favorite weddings from last year, but because it just happens to be my dearest friend's wedding as well! I got to play both planner and bridesmaid for this one, which was both exciting and nervewracking, to say the least. But it turned out to be such a beautiful night, and I can't believe they've been married almost a year already! Time does go by quickly, that's for sure.

I also got to work with one of my very favorite photographers as well, Lavender and Twine. You can see the whole feature here, and you'll have to let me know what you think!

{happy hour: lure fish house}

2013-05-21T21:00:00.000-07:00

I'm finally starting to feel somewhat normal, so of course the first thing I had to do was go grab myself a drink. I attempted to wine taste on Saturday, but I couldn't smell anything, let alone taste the wine. The one tasting I did purchased seem like a waste then, which really just means I'm due for another trip up to wine country soon.

I've been feeling relatively uninspired on this blog lately, but I think that'll soon pass. It's just the season, and now that summer is quickly making an appearance, I have a plethora of post ideas waiting. I realized today that I want to start posting more about my town. I know I've said it in the past, but this summer, it's happening.

First things first, happy hour. I know I'm not in the minority here when I say that I love going to happy hour. What makes me different, however, is that I love going to happy hour by myself. Give me an afternoon alone, and you're more than likely going to find me sitting at a bar, drinking a glass of wine and eating calamari. Is that weird?

One of my favorite things about working for myself is creating my own schedule, and that means taking afternoons off. I love getting there early, when the restaurant is empty and I don't have to compete for the waiter's attention. Sometimes I bring my iPad to read a book, sometimes I bring a notebook to write, and sometimes I just sit there quietly, enjoying my cab (though if it's hot, I'll stick to a chardonnay).

I was going stir crazy today, after my third day inside, and made the executive decision that a solo trip was in order. I grabbed my camera, and headed downtown, to my favorite happy hour spot in all of Ventura county. If you like fish and just happen to be in the area, you have to try Lure. Their menu is spot on, the drinks are amazing, the decor is beautiful, and they have the best looking staff. Not even joking.

I also may or may not have flirted sweet talked the bartender into printing out their recipe for key lime pie for me. I'll most definitely be making that soon, and reporting back to all of you.

Do you ever go to happy hour or dinner on your own? If you don't, why not? You should try it!

{when living simply becomes complicated}

2013-05-20T21:00:00.000-07:00

I hate to call simple living a trend, but well, it's most definitely a trend. I'm seeing signs of people attempting to live a more simple life all over the internets these days (which I have to think is somewhat...paradoxical?). It's evident in even just the photos we're seeing all over Pinterest: clean lines, neutral colors, overexposed lighting. I can't help but feel that I'm somehow missing out on this amazing life that embraces simplicity and quietness.

I want to live more simply. I truly do. But am I the only one who feels like in order to do so, I need to move somewhere quiet, rent a home with lots of natural light and hardwood floors, and take up knitting? And to me, that just sounds too complicated. I don't want to read books on how live a simpler life, or get advice from anyone else. It should be what feels natural to me.

For some people, that means eating more organically. For others, it means giving up the internet or bits of technology. And one for one family, it may even mean selling their house so they can travel around the country in a trailer for a year.

I want to live more simply. I want to embrace the little things in life. For me, that means letting go of all that living simple clutter that seems to have formed on my Pinterest boards and bookmarks. I may want to see how others do, but I am going to do it my own way. I think that's how it should be, don't you?

I already live in a small apartment. I can't compost or raise chickens in my backyard. I can't grow a full vegetable garden, so for me, it means embracing my home the way it is. It means getting rid of the things I don't use, but not feeling guilty because my linen closet is full of fancy napkins and cake platters. It means planting and caring for my little herb garden that grows on my porch every summer. It means turning off the computer at a decent hour, and leaving my cell phone out of the bedroom.

It means refusing to fill up my life with anything, just because someone else tells me I should.

Have you attempted to live a more simple life? What does it mean to you?

{monday's mantra}

2013-05-19T21:00:00.000-07:00

Hope you all had a great weekend! I'm still stuck in bed with a nasty cold, even after five days. I haven't been this sick in a while, and I'm more than tired of it. Hopefully it goes away within the next few days, because I have work to do! And it's actually starting to feel like summer around here now, so I'd really like to go outside and enjoy the fresh air soon. I'm thinking a beach day might be in order, what do you think?

I gave a lot of thought to this week's mantra. It's no secret that I struggle with the comparison trap in this industry, and I often find myself judging and getting annoyed and frustrated at other vendors and people that I have to work with. Believe me, it's not something that I'm proud of, which is how I came up with today's mantra.

I don't need to rely on anyone else for my own success. If I just look in a straight line, and keep my eye on my true goals and values, I'll get there eventually. Working with people and networking is always a priority, of course, but I don't need to worry about what other people are doing. And I definitely don't need to worry about whether they are farther ahead of me, or doing something to sabotage their own success. What matters is that I am doing what I love, and I will continue to do what I love as long as I can.

What's your mantra this week?

{at the moment v.4}

2013-05-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

I'm currently sitting on my couch with a box of tissues next to me, and a cup of hot tea in my hands. Yesterday I had a photo shoot with two of my favorite vendors, and it was go go go all day long. I woke up with a sore throat, but I had to keep going. Pretty sure I downed half a bottle of DayQuil throughout the day, so I'm taking today to relax and get over whatever this sickness is before my weekend full of meetings.

So that's all. I hope you all have a better Thursday than I'm having!

{a southern crush}

2013-05-14T21:00:00.000-07:00

I love California. I love the warm weather, the beach, the food. I was born and raised here. I plan on raising my own children here. But that doesn't mean I don't have a serious nostalgia (I don't even know if that's the right word) for other places.

We have a culture here, but it isn't as strong or distinct as the culture in other areas. Or maybe the grass is just greener, you know?

I have a serious crush on the South. Like, to the point where I daydream about owning a little cottage in some Southern town, where I open a sweet little flower shop and ride my bicycle with the basket to the grocery store. I know that's a really random and somewhat stereotypical view of the South, but I just can't get it out of my head!

You know what else I can't get out of my head? Doing a Southern wedding.

{via}

Maybe it's the Southern elegance and tradition. Maybe it's the attention to detail, and the love of family. Or maybe it's just because Southern style is such a romantic notion. Whatever it is, I am dying to do a Southern wedding someday.

I mean, if you know of anyone looking for a coordinator, feel free to pass them along...

Do you have a crush on a place? Or are you from the South?

{things i'm loving}

2013-05-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've done a round up of a few things on the internets that I love, so here you go! Obviously I'll include anything that involves a bow, or mint, or gold.

sunglasses // iPhone case // flats // skirt

I'm so ready for summer right now. I mean, it definitely doesn't feel like spring over here these days! I'm ready to take advantage of the warm weather by wearing lots of maxi skirts (I bought two over the weekend) and drinking margaritas. What do you think?

P.S. I'm over at Ashley Nicole Catherine today sharing one of my favorite quotes! You should come say hi.

{monday's mantra}

2013-05-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

Oh, Monday...hope you all had a great weekend and Mother's Day! I feel like I'm constantly behind on blogging, so I want to apologize first and foremost. Hopefully I will be able to get my sh** together this week enough to get back on schedule! I guess it happens to all of us sometimes, especially since wedding season is now in full swing and I've spent the last two weekends away from home. Just part of life, I suppose!

I'm just now sitting down to blog this week's mantra, but I've known about it since last Monday when I watched this video. I know I mentioned it already on the blog, but I absolutely love Sara Bareilles and her message for women everywhere.

You can be amazing

You can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug

You can be the outcast

Or be the backlash of somebody’s lack of love

Or you can start speaking up

Nothing’s gonna hurt you the way that words do

And they settle ‘neath your skin

Kept on the inside and no sunlight

Sometimes a shadow wins

But I wonder what would happen if you

Say what you wanna say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

With what you want to say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you

I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you

I wanna see you be brave

Everybody’s been there, everybody’s been stared down

By the enemy

Fallen for the fear and done some disappearing

Bow down to the mighty

Don’t run, stop holding your tongue

Maybe there’s a way out of the cage where you live

Maybe one of these days you can let the light in

Show me how big your brave is

Say what you wanna say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

With what you want to say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

Innocence, your history of silence

Won’t do you any good

Did you think it would?

Let your words be anything but empty

Why don’t you tell them the truth?

Say what you wanna say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

With what you want to say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you

I wanna see you be brave

Happy Monday friends. What's your mantra this week?

{five things}

2013-05-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

I would say happy weekend, like I normally do on Fridays, but is anyone else just feeling...blahh these days? I just said on Twitter, maybe it's the time of the year. I am most definitely ready for hot days and BBQing and margaritas and listening to kids yell by the pool. Is it summer yet?

It's Mother's Day this weekend, which means that we'll be making the drive down to Orange County to spend the weekend with our families. I had to schedule a few meetings tomorrow though, so it'll be another long day of driving and work for me. It's fine though. That just means I get to take a day off next week!

The Nordstrom at the Brea Mall has a little flower shop right outside, and I just fell in love with the gorgeous tulips and anemones they had there. They sell by the bloom and do floral arrangements right there. What a sweet idea!

As always, here are a few links that I wanted to share with all of you on this beautiful Friday.

1 // I'm sure you've heard the controversy over Abercrombie & Fitch by now. Here's a less emotional and more analytical view of the business side of things.

2 // You know you're getting old(er) when...

3 // My calligraphy was featured in a gorgeous wedding on Once Wed this week!

4 // One of my favorite caterers (and good friends) is hoping to get some capital so they can bring their sauces to market. Will you vote?

5 // My favorite bouquet of the week.

{at the moment v.3}

2013-05-08T21:00:00.000-07:00

Notice the sign in my grandpa's kitchen. Made me laugh.

At the moment I'm...

LEARNING :: how to make pancit. My grandfather is Filipino, and this has always been one of our favorite meals in our family. It's really just a Filipino version of chow mein, but it's so delicious! We went to my grandparents' house on Sunday, and he had everything prepped and ready to go so he could teach me. It was so sweet! And now I think I'm ready to attempt it for Robert soon...

LISTENING :: to Brave. This is one of those songs that I could listen to over and over and over again. I've always known there was a reason why I love Sara Bareilles so much.

DRINKING :: whiskey sours. I don't like whiskey, so I was really surprised when Robert made one the other day and I really liked it! I'll have to share the recipe soon.

WATCHING :: the Avengers. I seriously love this movie, so much. We went and saw Iron Man the other day, and while I loved it, all I wanted to do was go home and watch the Avengers. It's one of the best super hero movies of all time, coming in second only to the Dark Knight (not the Dark Knight Rises, Kevin Holt).

What are you up to at the moment?

{what i'm reading v.5}

2013-05-07T21:00:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the month where I admit that I have questionable taste in books, and yet talk about what I've been reading anyway. I have this crazy (though it doesn't seem so crazy anymore) goal to read 52 books this year, and I'm actually still ahead of schedule! I've read 22 books toward that goal, which technically puts me at 8% ahead of schedule.

I'm pretty sure I've read more than four books in the past month, but some were sequels and other books that don't deserve to be mentioned on my list. These four were some of the best (or, at least, the most memorable) of the past few weeks.

1 // If you're into that whole dystopian future genre that's going around right now, you might like the Matched series. They are definitely marketed toward girls (or those who prefer romance, at least). They're quick and easy, and not nearly as deep or good as Divergent or the Hunger Games (in my opinion), but definitely still worth a read.

2 // If you are on Goodreads and have read any of the Fifty Shades of Grey books, there's a good chance you've heard of Gabriel's Inferno. It has a similar plot, though instead of a billionaire business man, our love interest is a Dante professor, and instead of a virgin college student, our protagonist is a virgin Master's student. You get the picture...it wouldn't be so terrible, but the writing was just painful to read at times! Totally over it.

3 // I've been putting off Wallbanger for a while now, because really? Wallbanger? Eventually I picked it up because of the description:

Caroline Reynolds has a fantastic new apartment in San Francisco, a KitchenAid mixer, and no O (and we’re not talking Oprah here, folks). She has a flourishing design career, an office overlooking the bay, a killer zucchini bread recipe, and no O. She has Clive (the best cat ever), great friends, a great rack, and no O.

I have to admit that this one was really funny! I don't know why I'm so surprised; it does have a 4.27 rating (with almost 30,000 ratings). The characters didn't actually annoy me (rare), and the plot was great. I would definitely recommend this one to anyone who loves a silly romance.

4 // And now, This Girl. If you haven't read the Slammed series, you need to get on that. Pronto. And if you're afraid of it being too explicit, don't be. The first two books of the series have no sex at all, and this one is tame (compared to what I've read, at least). The first two books were an emotional roller coaster, with plots very different than anything else you've read up until this point. This Girl is no different. If you want to cry and laugh and just have a happy heart at the end of a book, this is the one to go with. I promise you won't regret it.

{monday's mantra}

2013-05-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

Sorry this is coming a little late friends. I've had a busy weekend with a wedding on Saturday and going down to Orange County to spend Sunday with family.

A family friend of ours passed away last week. Robert and I were fortunate enough to attend her beautiful memorial service yesterday, and it was inspiring to see so many people in our church who knew and loved her. She was young; only 37 years old, and taken too early by cancer. As our pastor's daughter, however, her memorial was not defined by sadness or tears (though there was plenty of both), but by celebration. The overwhelming theme of the day was to live life to the fullest, every day, because tomorrow is never guaranteed. Life is just too short. So don't be afraid to love or laugh.

I may be popping in and out these next few days. I've made the decision that I need to take some time for myself, and for my family. I need to live my own life before I can share it with all of you here!

What's your mantra this week?

{five things}

2013-05-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a little preview of the shoot I did with Emily on Tuesday! Stationery by The First Snow.

It's Friday morning. I'm sitting here with my first cup of coffee of the day (probably of many), and I'm finalizing the prep for my first wedding of the year! We have the rehearsal this afternoon, and tomorrow is the big day. I'm really looking forward to this one; my first wedding of the year may be a little late, but it's just the start of a busy and exciting wedding season for me!

Anyway, I just wanted to pop in quickly to share a few links that you may be interested in for the week!

1 // Did you know that the FTC has changed its guidelines on disclosure for advertising? If you accept advertising or sponsorship on your blog (or on social media, for that matter), you're going to want to read this.

2 // Do you have any DIY projects planned for your wedding? You should ask yourself these three questions first.

3 // This has to be my favorite link of the week, on finding what you love, and letting it kill you.

4 // My favorite wedding of the week includes lots of bright colors and funky fascinators for the bridesmaids!

5 // I'm somewhat obsessed with this amazingly gorgeous office. Maybe someday...

Happy Friday friends! What are you all up to this weekend?

{wine chat}

2013-05-01T21:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I asked you all what you drank in the mornings. I was actually kind of surprised that more of you didn't say coffee, but I always find it interesting to know what people prefer. It got me thinking that I really just survive on coffee, wine, and water. Hopefully I'm not the only one? Or even if you don't move straight from coffee to wine during the day, I want to know what you drink!

I have this rule that everybody seems to laugh at me for, but I don't care. If it's before noon, I drink sparkling (hello mimosas), if it's before four, I drink white, and I get to drink red in the evenings. I much prefer red, but not during the day, and not when it's really hot outside. I'm lucky enough to live near enough to wine country that I get my fair share of California reds on a regular basis, and that's what I've come to love! It needs to be heavy and bold and comforting. So now I want to know, what do you drink?

{willpower}

2013-04-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

{via}

For a few weeks now, I've just been feeling...off. Like, I'm spinning in place while the rest of the world continues to move in a more linear fashion. I haven't wanted to put this on my blog, in fear of what my clients or those who know me personally would think or say. I want to assure everyone that I'm taking the necessary steps to right myself, whatever that means.

One of those steps has been joining the Council, an online forum of like-minded women who hold each other up while working on their own personal goals, whatever they may be. The program started yesterday, and I'm already seeing so much incredible love and encouragement from these women that I don't even know in real life (well I do one one of them, and I'm so thankful to have her in my support system - thanks Ashley!).

For the next twenty-one days, we've been given the assignment to work on two goals, one small and one big, and I wanted to share my thoughts with all of you on what my own goals are, and why I chose them.

1 // I haven't been closed off about the fact that I have fibromyalgia, but I don't think I've mentioned it in a while either. I was diagnosed almost two years ago, and I've been fortunate enough not to struggle with it too terribly, until recently. For the past month or so, I've been exhausted constantly, and everything is absolutely draining. While there is no cure, really, there are definitely steps I can take to get it in check. For me, that means being more active, even if in small ways. I can't go out and just run a mile, because I would be out of commission for days after, but I can take my dog on a walk every morning. She wouldn't mind that either, I don't think!

2 // One thing that I haven't talked much about on the blog is my anxiety. Honestly, it's a recent development, something that I'm just now coming to terms with. As a wedding planner, I'm great at coming up with plans A through Z, but I'm constantly terrified that something will happen that is out of my control. Not only that, but no matter how organized I am, how on top of my work I am, I'm always afraid that I'm going to miss something. But the thing is, I've never missed anything before! I don't actually have a reason to feel this way! The result is a constant fear that I'm doing it wrong, when in reality, I've received nothing but praise from my clients. This fear causes me to close up, and put off working on important things just because I'm afraid that I'm not doing it right, but then I feel guilty for putting it off. It's a terrible, terrible cycle that I really want to get under control.

So, there you go. Those are the two goals that I plan on working on for these next twenty-one days, and I so hope that I have good news to share with you in three weeks. I knew as soon as I found Molly's blog that I needed to work with her in some capacity, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to fix myself. Okay, maybe I don't need fixing, but I definitely need to change some of my habits and my mindset. Hopefully making small changes will mean a more relaxed, and much less anxious Joelle.

{monday's mantra}

2013-04-28T21:00:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to lie, it's five minutes before nine o'clock and I'm just now sitting down to post this week's mantra. I've been pretty lazy all weekend, got to hang out with friends and basically sat around all day doing nothing of importance. That being said, this week officially marks the beginning of my wedding season, and I'm 75% excited and 25% stressed. Regardless, I'm so thankful for everything, and I'm so looking forward to helping my clients with their weddings. I'm truly blessed, no matter how anxious or overwhelmed I feel at any particular moment.

If you would have told me last year that I would be where I am, there is no way that I would believe you. I feel like I've come so far, and yet I have so far to go.

This is from one of my favorite Taylor Swift songs, one of the first that I listened to and it was because of this song that I realized my love for T. She obviously holds a special place in my heart, and I want to share why. Just listen to these, in this order.

Tied Together With a Smile

Fearless

Love Story

Change

Long Live

If you love Taylor Swift as much as I do (unlikely), I have a few freebies for you.

Download the 1600 x 1200 desktop wallpaper HERE.

Download the iPhone wallpaper HERE.

What's your mantra this week?

{five things}

2013-04-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

I'm getting a late start this morning because I woke up to a text from Chase saying that there were unauthorized charges on my debit card. I looked at my account, and someone is apparently staying in Italy on my dime at the moment (must be nice). Thankfully they are really good at warning you, figuring out if it's fraud, and refunding your money ASAP. It's actually the second time in a year that this has happened, and it isn't near the nightmare it could be. So thankful!

Anyway, I'm so glad it's the weekend. It's actually the last free weekend I have for a while, so I'm taking advantage of my time off. My first wedding is next week, and after that I have meetings and more weddings for the rest of the summer. Obviously I love what I do, but we all need a break sometimes! I'm planning on cleaning a little around here, and hosting a little get together with my friends tomorrow night at our place. We may even break out the BBQ for the first time this year!

I've been meaning to blog about the status of our studio, but in the meantime you can check out Emily's post here!

As always, since it's the end of the week, I wanted to share some of the links I've found over the past few days with all of you. Enjoy!

1 // I really love this article from Entrepreneur magazine on how to be a leader online.

2 // Do you know how ethical your favorite brands are? This post from Refinery 29 might surprise you!

3 // I might be over mason jars for a lot of things, but I am most definitely trying this tutorial on creating colored glass mason jars. They're so pretty!

4 // If only I had an extra 1.8 million lying around... (P.S. I just found this blog and I'm kind of obsessed).

5 // Would you ever pack your family up and live in your (admittedly adorable) trailer? I'm excited to follow along with this family's next chapter!

Happy weekend everyone!

{comparison or a lesson}

2013-04-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

photo by Lavender & Twine // flowers by Stella Bloom Designs

One of the most popular quotes I see these days is "Comparison is the thief of joy." I agree with that sentiment whole-heartedly, but that doesn't mean I don't fall into the comparison trap every single day. It's inevitable. There's always someone who is better than I am in some way; they're prettier than I am, they have better style, they are farther along in their careers than me.

I'm constantly on Pinterest, seeing the best work from the best people, and I always get a little sad that I didn't create it. It's a terrible, terrible way to live! But I think I realized a few things recently:

1 // I just can't be the best at everything.

2 // Instead of comparing my work (or lack thereof), I need to start admiring and appreciating their work.

3 // Seeing something beautiful should be an opportunity to learn. It should be my chance to understand a little bit more about the creative process, and it should be a lesson on how I can become a more creative person.

There are so many people that are amazing graphic designers or interior designers or cooks or crafters, and I want to be amazing at it all! But obviously, that's impossible, and having that mindset really just zaps my own creative spirit. I need to take a step back, consider what I do have to offer the world, and then just appreciate the contribution of others as well.

I want to know, how do you deal with comparison? Do you have any tips for those of us in this creative industry?

{the bag fund}

2013-04-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

I'm trying something today that I've never done before, so bear with me...I see a lot of bloggers doing the whole "shop my closet" thing, and I thought I might give it a shot!

I have a few purses hanging out on the top shelf of my closet just collecting dust, and I was hoping some of you might be willing to take them off my hands. Anything I make off of these items will just go back into my bag fund, since I'm due for another purse soon. Take a look, and email me if you're interested!

This was actually the first designer bag I ever bought for myself, and I loved it so much! It's still in really good condition, and is a good size.

I don't wear much brown anymore, but I would totally keep this bag if I did. It's the perfect size for a laptop, and I used it as both a computer bag and purse for a long time.

Here are a few policies that I'm implementing for these pretty bags:

1 // I can only ship within the US, sorry! Shipping is $15 for each bag individually or both together.

2 // Payments will be made via PayPal, and I can only ship the items once payment is received.

3 // I'd be happy to send more photos of either bag, just let me know if you're interested!

I'm selling them first come, first serve, so email me ASAP if you want to snatch one (or both) up!

I have lots of other clothes and shoes and accessories that I'm looking to get rid of, so if this works out, I may start selling here rather than taking all my stuff to Buffalo Exchange. Crossing my fingers that it does work out!

{that time i got bangs}

2013-04-23T21:00:00.000-07:00

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I was more than a little excited last week when I decided to chop off my hair. Well, I didn't chop it off, per say (last time I did that, I cried), but I did take the plunge and got bangs! It's not the first time I've done it, but every time I do, I realize again how much I love having them.

blazer // lipstick in lickable

Thanks to Emily at Anna Delores Photography for indulging me any time I need/want photos taken of myself!

{get it done}

2013-04-22T21:00:00.000-07:00

One of my very favorite series on any blog is Meg's GSD posts, where she shares how other creative entrepreneurs and young women get shit done. I'm constantly looking for ways to improve my own organization and processes, and it's interested to see how other people use technology to their advantage.

I know I've shared some of the tools that I personally use to GSD, but it's been a while and I've definitely changed a few things since my last post. I thought you might be interested in learning a little bit more about what my day looks like, and how I keep myself and my work organized.

My Day

I try to wake up around seven a.m. and immediately put on a pot of coffee. Sometimes I get myself ready, sometimes I work in my pajamas, but I always try to get to my desk before eight. My first priority is always to get my inbox to zero, though it rarely happens. If I do empty out my inbox, I don't feel so terrible about ignoring it the rest of the day!

While drinking my coffee (and listening to Ryan Seacrest), I read my favorite blogs, check all of my stats and social media sites, and schedule out my day. The rest of the day is dedicated to blogging and working on client stuff and other miscellaneous projects. I try to prioritize my to do list, but it doesn't always work that way. I prefer to work on one client at a time, so I don't have to bounce back and forth.

I usually take a break from about noon to two, for naps or reading or walking the dog, and come back to the computer to work until six, or whenever Robert gets home (sometimes that isn't until nine at night!).

Once Robert is home, I get dinner on the table and work is put away for the rest of the day. I try really hard not to check my phone for at least an hour before I go to bed, so I can sleep peacefully (and not stress about all the things I didn't get done during the day). And our cell phones stay out of the bedroom.

Tools I Use

I've learned that technology can be both a blessing and a curse when it comes to keeping myself and my work organized. It's really easy to overwhelm yourself with all the tools and programs out there, but the key is to find what works for you. I always sign up for random stuff, and I'll know within ten minutes of playing around if it's for me or not. That being said, here are a few tools that I've learned are perfect for me:

Highrise // I've been using Highrise for at least a year now, and it's really the best contact and basic project management system I've found. I can create deals for my client leads, mark them as won (which is really exciting), track all of my vendor contacts, and assign tasks by project to myself or my intern. It's one of the two to do lists that I do use, since I can organize tasks by type, project, and date.

WorkFlowy // I may have just found WorkFlowy last week, but I can already tell that it's the perfect project manager for me. The outline style is great for organizing multiple projects and tasks, and it's easier to add notes this way. The only problem I have with it is that I can't add due dates to my tasks, but I can tag them as #highpriority, which is good enough for now.

Evernote // I know that everyone and their mother uses Evernote, but I'm just now admitting that the functionality is exactly what I need. I used to be stubborn, and tried to use Word documents for everything, but it's so much easier to keep track of notes in Evernote. All of my clients have their own folder, and I record all of my phone calls and meetings in different notes that are tagged. I also keep track of my processes and templates in Evernote, which is easier than trying to flush through a massive Word document.

Gmail // Labels in Gmail are my life saver. To be honest, I wish I had the ability to flag emails like you can in Outlook, but it's a small price to pay for the convenience of using a browser based email system. I use the priority inbox, but only mark wedding clients as "Important" so that I can clearly see what is and isn't project based. I also have "Follow Up" and "Task" labels that I look at every morning to see what needs to be worked on that day. All emails stay in my inbox until they are dealt with (i.e. answered, or a task is completed).

Google Docs // I use Google Docs for collaborating with people, though I rarely use it with clients. Typically, I create Google Docs for design projects and photo shoots that I need to collaborate with other vendors on.

Google Calendar // There's something glamorous and somewhat nostalgic about using a paper calendar, I get it, but these days it's just not practical. I have about a thousand calendars that I use for a variety of different things. Appointments, client payments, client deadlines, project deadlines, and even my editorial calendar are all in Google Calendar.

Google Drive // I know a lot of people use Dropbox to keep their documents and files in the cloud, but I prefer Google Drive, since it syncs with my Google account. I do use Dropbox to exchange files with other people (such as wedding pictures, etc.).

Excel // I think this might be an obvious one, but Excel is my best friend. I always have my Projects spreadsheet open, which has every wedding, calligraphy project, and miscellaneous project I've ever worked on. I have a status label for the table so I can sort by whether a project is open or closed, and I have a clear idea as to what is being worked on at the moment. I also have an editorial spreadsheet where I keep track of all of my ideas for blog posts, and all of my wedding budgets are tracked in Excel.

Microsoft Word // To keep track of the actual tasks for my clients (as in, everything that needs to be figured out for a wedding), I use Word templates. I've created my own specialized Word documents with everything I might need to coordinate for a client, and update it accordingly. About once a week I'll go through this document for each of my clients, and figure out exactly what we need to work on next.

Pocket // I like having all of the articles and posts I want to remember in one place, which is why I love Pocket so much. I have the extension installed for Chrome, so I can literally save any post or article straight from my browser.

Chrome // Please, if you haven't switched to Chrome yet, do it now. Extensions allow me to tweet or pin directly from my browser bar. I can save links via bit.ly, or view my blog's stats for the day without even having to check Google Analytics. And, I can keep everything consistent by signing into my Google account in Chrome on my computer, iPad, and iPhone. It doesn't get any better than that!

Feedly // We all know the drama surrounding Google Reader, so I've officially switched to Feedly. The only issue I'm having right now is that it doesn't recognize some of the smaller blogs that I want to follow, and it keeps adding random blogs that I used to follow via GFC. Strange.

Here are a few other apps and programs that I use:

Wow, so I don't know that I even realized how many apps and programs I use until I just wrote them all out like that. That's crazy! But looking at them all, I really have taken the time to figure out exactly what I need to use to make things work for myself. There is wedding and event planning software out there, but I much prefer keeping track of everything on my own. And there's a big difference between what I prefer to use when I'm working on something on my own, and what is easier to use when collaborating with other people. It's all about trial and error, I suppose!

So tell me, what do you use to get **it done?

{monday's mantra}

2013-04-21T21:00:00.000-07:00

Hope you all had a great weekend! We went to Malibu Wines on Saturday to celebrate my friend's birthday, and then came home to watch Tangled on TV. Seriously, that movie makes me bawl like a three year old. We worked on the office a little today (Sunday) and hopefully I'll be able to show you some updates soon! It is most definitely coming along.

I don't have too many meetings or anything this week, but I definitely have a lot of work to catch up on. Design proposals, rental worksheets, budget tracking...I'll be sitting at my desk for twelve hours a day for the next few days. Wish me luck.

As always, I wanted to give you all a little inspiration to start your week off right. I really love the band Fun. and have been listening to a lot of their songs on repeat. This one is definitely one that I can relate to, and I just love the idea behind it.

If you're lost and alone

Or you're sinking like a stone

Carry on

May your past be the sound

Of your feet upon the ground

Carry on

If you're interested, I've created this week's mantra into a desktop and an iPhone wallpaper for you all. You can download them below!

Download the 1600 x 1200 desktop wallpaper HERE.

Download the iPhone wallpaper HERE.

Have a great week everyone!

{five things}

2013-04-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Oh Friday, thank goodness you're here. It's been a trying week, that's for sure. I'm looking forward to relaxing this weekend, with only one client meeting and my good friend's birthday to celebrate tomorrow. Sunday we should be getting the studio almost ready to go, so I'll be back next week with some photos!

As always, here are five things for your week!

1 // My favorite wedding from the week! It has a flower girl, in a tutu, with wings!

2 // I finally found my perfect to do list.

3 // Five Steps to Spring Clean your Blog by IFB.

4 // An interesting post from the NYTimes on living with less (a more radical take on my mantra this week).

5 // If you have a second, would you mind voting for me for a 2013 Wedding Industry Expert Award? I would really appreciate it!

Happy weekend everyone! What are you up to this weekend?