18
May

Follow Friday: Blog Redesigns

posted by , May 18, 2012


image source: Ampersand Design Studio

In honor of my new blog home here, I thought this week’s Follow Friday should be other blogs that have gotten some facelifts lately.

Finally, a few more links to take you into this marvelous weekend. We’ll be spending our weekend rendezvousing with friends at the Better Block OKC project, attending birthday parties, and trying out new restaurants!

Don’t forget today’s the last day to enter our big huge awesome amazing giveaway!

I like watching the progress this blogger is making as they redo their new house.

Have you ever noticed this happening when you watch TV? Oddities explained!

Happy Friday!

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17
May

Mishmash

posted by , May 17, 2012

No big main post today. Just a mishmash of thoughts and things that are happening.

1. Thanks

You know, I really didn’t expect to be excited about having a FB fan page for Pencil Shavings Studio. Initially it felt repetitive and weird; I didn’t know what the place would be for it. But I’ve gotta admit, I’ve really started to like having that space over on Facebook. It puts a face to the names that I’ve gotten used to seeing here in the comments. So really, I want to say thank you. Thank you for participating, for reading, for encouraging, and for telling your own stories.

2. Get Dressed

Have you checked out Susan’s #getdressed challenge?  She’s encouraging her readers to get dressed every day. Not just yoga pants and flipflops, but real live actual clothes.  I’ve been instagramming my outfits, and posting them on the FB page, and it’s been fun to see what others are getting dressed in everyday too. I’ve always been a firm believer that it takes just as much effort to put on real pants as it does to put on yoga pants. So why not put on the real pants? Plus, if I’m wearing real clothes everyday, I’m also able to better tell if I’m gaining weight. It seems like an unfortunate side effect of yoga pants and leggings that you can pack on a few pounds and not even notice. Womp womp.

3. Fear of Summer

Can I be brutally honest? I’m a little afraid of summer now that I’m a mom because it means our regular schoolyear routine is gone. I LOVE routine in that regard because the days that Jude goes to school are the days that I get to work on Pencil Shavings Studio projects. But now, summer means that I don’t get my usual 2 days of Mother’s Day Out, which means that those 2 days that I use for work are gone. It also means that we can oh-so-easily slide into using the TV for a babysitter so I can accomplish things (blush). I’m not saying it’s right; I’m just telling it like it really truly is. It’s also the unfortunate side effect of working from home. The boundaries get easily blurred and mother guilt creeps in despite my best intentions. I’ve been working on planning out our days for summer, but I’m anxious to know what you fellow moms out there do to stave off the summer doldrums. So far we’ve got Vacation Bible School on our schedule; I’m also going to be adding swimming lessons to the mix.

4. BOYS! UGH!

My precious boy. I love him so. And he’s been a very good artist lately, drawing lovely portraits of our family. But then today I about died laughing on the inside because he brought me another drawing of me, Simon, and himself. “Mom, here’s you. And here’s me. And here’s Dad. Do you want to see where the private parts are?” So without either splitting my gut laughing or overreacting about how “WE DON’T DRAW THOSE THINGS HERE; SAVE IT FOR ART SCHOOL!” I raised an eyebrow and said thoughtfully, even perhaps contemplatively, “Hmm. You know, those things are private. It’s probably best if we keep it to ourselves and not draw private parts. Dontcha think?”  And then I held my breath while he thought for a moment. “Oh. Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

Cue the release of whooshing breath. And then furtive snickering.  The further along I get in this mothering business, the more I believe that it’s only by the grace of God that boys grow up to be well-behaved men that don’t pick their noses and act like wild animals. BOYS!

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16
May

Stationery Academy

posted by , May 16, 2012
The Stationery Academy

Eight years ago, I was working as an in-house designer for a teeny tiny apparel company (tiny! party of 3!) called Pink Sugar. I designed our website, clothing line, and any printed materials such as line sheets, etc. It was exciting and overwhelming because I was in a creative industry but frankly, we were flying by the seat of our pants. Every. Single. Day. There was no oneto turn to for advice; those in the industry that we did know were tight-lipped, backstabbing, and not interested in helping out anyone but themselves. Blogs and online communities hadn’t hit the mainstream yet and that spirit of collaboration and sharing the wealth of knowledge was nonexistent.

A year later, I left Pink Sugar and began freelancing as a graphic designer. I dabbled in stationery and made my bread & butter by doing identity projects, collateral materials, etc. It was exciting, but a lonely time. Again, lots of flying by the seat of one’s colorful pants. I think I’ve said it before, but the internet has changed the community for independent designers. The world is smaller, and we are less closed off to opportunities. Other designers are willing to share their expertise and help others along their way.

That’s why I’m excited about participating in this year’s Stationery Academy. Launched in 2011 by my friend Whitney English Kolb, the Stationery Academy is an intensive workshop experience for creative entrepreneurs who are interested in the paper industry. I first heard about it last year and I thought, “YES! That is something I want to be a part of!” So when Whitney contacted me about – gasp! – being a speaker at the Stationery Academy, I about fell out of my chair and laid in a stupor for a good 30 minutes. Uhh, where do I sign up? YES YES YES!

I’ll be speaking about launching and managing your Etsy business at this year’s Stationery Academy and I simply cannot wait. I am so excited to pass on any wisdom from my experience and to hear from other designers as we are all empowered and inspired to pursue our passion for paper. If you’re a designer who loves paper and dreams of running your own paper company, this is the conference you need to be at.

From the website:
Students will graduate from The Stationery Academy having identified clear, strategic next steps to bring authenticity to their brand, strength to their business processes and unforgettable experiences to their clients. Students will also receive:

  • Two days of interactive workshops focused on Business 101 and Branding 101: simplified, powerful business strategy and building an authentic, strong, soon-to-be nationally recognized stationery brand. See workshop topics below.
  • Beachside Cocktail Orientation and Celebration Graduation Dinner at The Grand Marlin in Pensacola Beach, Florida.
  • All meals on Friday and Saturday.
  • A personalized Stationery Academy workbook (among other special gifts!) to be used throughout the Academy to simplify, refine and strengthen goals, processes, business strategy and overall brand.
  • Access to the exclusive Stationery Academy Alumni private Facebook Group and resource center.
  • A credit for $300 worth of fulfillment printing credit.

The Stationery Academy is also offering a giveaway – a scholarship! – to one lucky recipient. You can apply for the giveaway here.

Get more info on the speakers for this year’s Stationery Academy at their Facebook page and at their website.  I hope to see you there!

 

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15
May

Let’s talk swimsuits

posted by , May 15, 2012

image source // layout by me

Girls, I waited until today to chat about this because I know none of you want to start off your Mondays thinking about swimwear. Am I right?  Because unless your name is Gisele Bundchen, shopping for swimwear is about as much fun as shopping for a doctor to do your colonoscopy.

Or at least, that’s what I think.

Hello? Hello? Is this thing on? ::tapping microphone::

I myself am a one-piece swimsuit kind of girl. But can I be honest? I really wish I was in a 2-piece. One-pieces can so so so easily sneak into the frumpy zone, can they not? So, why am I not wearing a 2-piece, you ask? A few reasons: my childbirthing size-12 hips and thighs, for one. My deeply-ingrained ideas of modesty, for another (I blame my uber-conservative high school dresscode). And finally, the rest of the fear stems from exposing the serious scars on my tummy from my two ulcerative colitis surgeries. Oh, and that c-section. Oh, and my uneven lumpy tummy that I’ve had since birth. So there. Oh, okay, and my thighs. ……   Sooooo, clearly there are a lot of body issues going on here.  In the end, it’s never a bad idea to cover up, is it? But at the same time, I don’t want to look like a nun either. So! I’m learning to love myself in my one-piece swimsuit, and I’m going to show you how to do it too.

 

Here’s what I keep in mind when I’m swimsuit shopping:

1. Step away from the boring black one-piece. Sure, we all love a little black dress, but the ubiquitous one-piece black swimsuit doesn’t have enough personality for me on its own. In short, it’s boring.  I want something with a little color to set me apart from a sea of little black onepieces.   Here are my top picks for colorful swimsuits.

A // B // C  // D // E // F // G // H // I // J // K // L

2. I personally don’t want something sporty; I want something glamorous.  No to the Speedo swimsuit; rather, think Grace Kelly in the Cote d’Azur. Think Aqualillies – do you know who the Aqualilies are? These girls are amazing – they’re the hottest new act in LA and they are making synchronized swimming cool again. They are the epitome of vintage seaside glamour without having all their goodies on display.

I keep these images above and more (there’s that mood board again!) in mind when I’m swimsuit shopping to help me stay on course.  Finally, just because I’m a mom doesn’t mean I have to choose function over form. I shouldn’t have to be frumpy mom in the  one-piece swimsuit equivalent of yoga pants just because I’m chasing Jude the Dude from diving board to slide.

3. Accessorize! Finish off your look with amazing accessories. This is especially great if you don’t want to be perpetually exposed at all times. Again, channel your inner Brigitte Bardot and reach for that glamorous straw hat and prettily patterned sarong. Choose interesting sunglasses and footwear.  Don’t wrap up in your beach towel; reach for a sarong or a button-down shirt in linen to toss on over your suit.

4. Make your hair work for you. Do something fun with your hair. Scarves, headbands, topknots, etc. are all awesome ways to complete your look for hot weather. I’m particularly interested in using scarves as headbands this year.

5. Don’t be afraid to spend a little money. But don’t be afraid to shop around, either. Maybe you love all the swimsuits at, for example, J.Crew. Order several online to try on at home – less stress & better lighting –  and then mail back the ones you don’t like. Or, send them all back and then do some hunting on eBay for the same suit. I got a new and unworn J.Crew swimsuit (that I wore here) for over 50% off; it’s in last year’s colorways, but I absolutely adore it. I knew what size worked for me in J.Crew swimwear so I was able to shop around and get a deal. This also works with practically any other brand on eBay or shopping sites such as Gilt, etc.

Finally, as I was laying on a chaise longe in Las Vegas, surveying all the bodies in near-states-of-undress around me, I realized that it is highly probable that we are all in the same boat. I can almost guarantee you that there is not one woman out by the pool who isn’t thinking, “I am such a faker out here right now compared to all these other beach babes.” But the fact is, thick or thin, tall or short, we all have our body issues. And frankly, nobody else at the pool or beach cares about your problem areas because each one of them is thinking about their own problem areas. So why don’t we all heave a collective sigh and just stop worrying about it? Let’s make a pact this summer that we are going to stop focusing on what we perceive is wrong with our bodies, and START focusing on the fun that we’re having in our swimsuit.

But first, I’m going to go apply some self-tanner, ok? Ok.

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14
May

Welcome & A Big Giveaway

posted by , May 14, 2012

Back in January when I came home from Alt Summit, the first thing on my to-do list was to contact my friend Erin about hiring her company Cooper House to redesign my blog. I wanted to get really serious about not only my business, but my blog and frankly, I needed help in the web design department. I wanted a custom site that could better link my Etsy shop and my presence there along with my blog. As any designer knows, designing for yourself is the hardest job you’ll ever receive. So it was a huge relief to pass off the project into Erin and Tim’s capable hands. Their tagline is that they provide creative services for creatives. We were a perfect fit. Plus, with some pretty awesome sites under their belt, I knew I was in capable hands.

But really, capable isn’t a powerful enough word to describe the team that is Cooper House. Working with other designers can either be amazing or it can be a nightmare, but I was constantly in awe of not only how professional, but how organized Tim & Erin are. It was the kind of experience that made me realize that I have a lot to learn when working with clients and it made me want to improve my own process.

In short? You should call them.

Also! In honor of my brand spankin’ new space, I am having the biggest Pencil Shavings Studio giveaway ever!

We’re giving away one each of our bestsellers in any pattern of your choice: 1 small lucite tray, 1 iPhone case, and one iPad case. All to one lucky reader!

How to enter:

1. Comment on this post with what pattern(s) you’d choose (pssst: you can view them here). That’s it! You’re all entered!

But! Get extra entries by tweeting about the giveaway mentioning #PencilShavingsStudio and linking to this post. Just come back and comment again letting us know that you tweeted about it. You can also like us on FB and chat about us there to get more entries too.

This fantastic giveaway is open until Friday, May 18th!

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