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Face Mask Reusable Fabric Cover - DIY

March 23, 2020 20 Comments

You probably found this page because you are searching for a tutorial on how to make face masks so that you can help out all the healthcare workers that are on the frontline, working to battle COVID-19. So thank you and welcome! I don't use this blog often (it's been over 3 years since I last posted) But crazy times called for a brief reappearance. While school, work, sports, weddings, travel and LIFE seem to be on hold, we all know one thing - the healthcare workers are doubling down and going harder than ever. WE SALUTE YOU ALL! And we want to keep you protected as best we can which is why we are here.

To start - if reading is not your forte, there are PLENTY of video tutorials on YouTube for several styles of DIY face masks. I also share the same disclaimer as others: this mask is not meant to REPLACE the surgical face mask; it is a contingency plan for when there is a shortage of masks available, and this can help extend the life of the PPE our healthcare workers have. I've had people contact me that have had to wear their masks for up to 32 hours at a time. Others whose facilities have already run out. Or who only have 1 mask allotted for 3 weeks and have to sanitize overnight between shifts. So if this can help them even the tiniest but - that is what I (and I think you) aim to do.

You know how with baking you need to make sure you are measuring exactly as the recipe says so that the final product turns out correctly? But sometimes when you're trying out a new dish for dinner, you can just throw a 'dash' of this or that in or eyeball liquid amounts? Well same goes for sewing- sometimes you need to know EXACTS but with these masks I wanted to be able to eyeball and go. So that is the tutorial you will get from me - simple, efficient, done (not) perfectly proportionate and measured to the 1/8"!

M A T E R I A L S

Now on to the quick and easy tutorial. I promise to keep this short, sweet, and to the point (which never happens in real life - I tend to go off on tangents, just ask my husband...) but this is not the time to waste time, right? The faster we can help our medical heroes keep themselves safe, the faster we can flatten the curve and put the quarantine lifestyle behind us. Oh and also, in case you aren't already - PLEASE STAY HOME.

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S T E P S

1. Iron your fabric.

2. On the two 9x5" pieces, fold over the longer edge about 1/4" and press. Then fold again and press so that the raw edge is now hidden.

3. Sew the 2 pieces along the fold, about 1/4" from edge. Set aside.

4. Lay the fabric pieces right sides together, overlapping the two smaller pieces on top of the larger.

5. Pin in place (I find 2 pins right in the middle effective.) Starting in the middle of the longer side, straight stitch almost to the first corner. Before stitching over the corner, place your elastic between the two fabrics at a 45 degree angle and then sew (backstitching a few times doesn't hurt). Then continue stitching the next side until you come to the corner - repeat with the elastic so that it is now sewn inside. (Image below for elastic placement)

6. Continue around the following two sides, placing the elastic in the opposite short side. Then stitch back to where you started.

7. Clip any threads that are hanging off and then turn right-side out. You can pull on the elastic to help flatten the corners. Iron the mask.

8. With the mask flat side up, (the open flap should go on the back - that is where the filter/PPE can be inserted) start from the bottom and make two tucks on each side - creating 3 pleats. I eyeball this -using my fingers to adjust so that they are even on both sides. Iron again so that you can hold it in place.

9. Place mask back on sewing machine and top stitch around the entire thing, making sure to keep the pleats in place. You can pin in the middle if it helps!

10. Cut any small threads left over and admire your work. Then quickly figure out where you can donate - a friend, a local healthcare facility, hospitals accepting donations, etc. @masksforheroes on instagram shares a lot of information about donations/materials/etc so follow them as well.

Let me know how it turned out if you use my tutorial. Thank you again for coming by and wanting to help - we will get through this together!

xx

McKay

My Year of Self-Care

December 31, 2017

2017 is coming to a close – and while I’m excited about the fresh start that a new year brings, I’m a little sad to see it go. It was a year of personal growth and challenges, finding out what I’m made of and what I need to work on, and the realization that I can do hard things. I apologize in advance for the long winded-ness. I’ve been sitting here the last month compelled to share and have tried rewriting this to make it short and succinct several times, to no avail. I mean, I shaved quite a bit off and it’s still a lot of babbling on, BUT I guess that’s just what I do, so here you go!

A little back story: I decided in November of 2016 that 2017 was going to be the year of ‘me’. I was turning 38, done having kids and I was just at the point where I was sick & tired of feeling less than my best, most of the time. My typical answer to anyone ever asking, "How are things going/How are you doing?" over the past few years has always been, “Oh good, just busy, you know?" Never going much deeper, not wanting to admit that a lot of the time, I feel like I’m failing at something. Name a day and it’s either my business, my parenting, my marriage or my health that’s on the chopping block. I was feeling frazzled and anxious – for no BIG reason, it was just my constant state. I knew that to stop these feelings from continually circling, or getting even worse, something had to change. What’s the saying, “Change starts with ~~you~~ me,” right? (Ugh. I really wanted to put the responsibility of changing on anyone/anything else but me.) But, that wasn’t going to work, so I made a list and wrote down what I thought I needed to do to make this happen. Below were the main components:

2017 SELF CARE LIST

Exercise : I am committing to five days a week. I want to be strong. I’m going to lift heavy weights and do yoga (bc they both scare me) and if I have a bad day and only do a 20-minute walk (or nothing at all), it’s ok. Endorphins = mood boosters, and I always feel accomplished and happier when I leave the gym, even if I’m cursing in the middle of a workout.

Sugar : I can stop eating so much, I CAN. Be quiet, brain.

Sleep : probably going to have to skip this one for now, with two kids who wake up in the night, and no more cribs to contain either of them.

Read : If I don’t fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. I miss getting lost in a good book.

Skincare : Let’s work on reverse aging…I can buy fancy creams or maybe try Botox? y/n? (I’d really be interested in anyone’s opinions on their favorite skincare - routines that take less than 2 min at night preferably) and if they do Botox…seriously.

Girls Night : make time for friends outside of the house at least once a month

Errands Alone : nothing like a mindless walk around Marshalls/Homegoods to boost my mood.

Meditate : I keep hearing about how calming your mind and learning to be still is good for you so I should try. Maybe it would help me be more patient (especially with my children)

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Hmmm, what else, what else. I mean, I guess I could stop drinking alcohol.

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Alcohol. The elephant in the room. The one thing that had been a constant in my life since becoming an ‘adult.’ What would I do to unwind? Have fun? Deal with hard days? Celebrate? Survive a long day with tantruming children? Commiserate with other moms? Mask my social anxiety when confronted with new situations. (Oh hi, 2017 – thanks for teaching me that I really am much more of an introvert than I realized) What would life be like without any alcohol whatsoever? WHAT?! WHY? HOW?! I could not fathom it.

And those thoughts, right there, were screaming in my brain saying YESSSS THIS. THIS. THIS. This is what you have to do. This is what you need to do (and what you desperately don’t want to do, because, life.) How will you deal? What will people think? Will my friends stop wanting to hang out with me? Will I be even less patient with my kids? What will I miss out on? What will I say? Will I be boring? How will I get through the long, cold winter without wine by the fire and gorgeous summer without cocktails on the patio and, and, and. You see where I’m going with this? I could’ve made a 5-page list with all the ‘cons’ I believed there were to giving it up. If you’re still with me at this point, you’re probably wondering how my ‘year of self-care’ story spun out on this tangent about giving up alcohol. But in all honesty, the self-care wouldn’t have happened if I had continued to drink.

Saying bye to booze was, hands down, the biggest gift I have ever given myself, and in turn, my loved ones. It is the reason that I consider 2017 to be a 100% success in the self-care department, even if my skincare routine is sub-par, I still have very little patience (for the love, put on your SHOES!!) annnnnnnd my sugar dragon has reared its ugly head this month and I’ve been shoveling chocolate in my mouth like a kid sneaking candy from their parents (Joey, stop judging me!) It was the year that I proved to myself that I can do really hard things. The year that I finally, finally started to see glimpses of the person I want to be, the real me. As of tonight (at midnight) I will have gone 365 days without one sip of alcohol. Not one sip. I KNOW. I can hardly believe it. I’m an adult woman; a 38-year-old mother of two, ages 2 & 6 and I don’t drink. What?!? Am I crazy? I certainly would’ve thought that about anyone else a year ago, if they said they didn’t.

I’ll say this, my drinking after having kids was different than it was before. In all honesty, it became much more frequent and much less social (more wine on the couch with Netflix by myself or with my husband v. nights out with friends). Most days it was a (large) glass or two to ‘get through’ dinner/bath/bedtime routines, other times a lot more. Almost every time though, I’d sleep terribly, wake up at 3 am with a feeling of guilt/shame/regret and vow to myself that tomorrow would be different. It rarely was.

“But you don’t have a problem,” I kept hearing. And yes, while I have no rock bottom story or some other earth-shattering event that was the catalyst for giving up alcohol - nor do I identify as an alcoholic or whatever else society deems worthy of ‘problem’ status - the fact that this was waking me up daily meant that it was a problem...for me. (whew, run on sentence much?) It was a growing realization that maybe I could be happier without alcohol. That the things I wanted to try and accomplish might be attainable if I let go of this thing that held me back. That to truly DO ‘self-care’ justice this year I needed to be real honest and work hard to rid myself of the habits that were not serving me. How I fought against this revelation – anything but the wine!

I am not writing this in judgment of anyone who does drink or doesn’t have these thoughts. There are many people out there who don’t feel this internal struggle and can easily stop drinking after having just one glass of wine (that was not me). I actually don’t know anyone personally that doesn’t drink, although my close friends and family couldn’t be more supportive of my decision. BUT, if any of you are reading this and relate at all to my story, please know you are not alone.

I realize now that alcohol in my life was a distraction. Wine was my escape, my ‘adult’ treat, something the kids couldn’t share with me and something that helped me ease into the evening transition when my brain and patience were fried. It was a band-aid to my anxious brain, a very poor quality one that kept falling off. You get what I’m saying?

Do I still get stressed out or anxious now that I don’t drink? Of course. But now I’m better equipped to work through the feelings rather than try to bandage them up and hope they go away on their own. My mind isn’t fuzzy from a little too much wine and my brain isn’t sending me the ‘guilt’ talk every morning. Just the knowledge that I don’t have to figure out if I will or will not have a glass of wine in the evening has lessened my anxiety 1000%. And no hangovers, ever? Well, that’s just icing on the cake.

I would search the internet when I first started contemplating giving up alcohol as part of my year of self-care looking for stories from women who had done this. Other moms especially, who didn’t necessarily have a rock bottom story, just a desire to stop drinking, even if it wasn’t forever. They were not easy to find. You know what was easy to find? A thousand mommy/wine memes. (Which I fully admit I have laughed along with and high fived friends about in the past) You see what you want to see, right? Then I stumbled across an Instagram account @thesoberglow. Mia was unapologetically talking about living a healthy life – minus the booze. #soberfortheHEALTHofit. YES. That’s it. Through her, I found @drybeclub, run by Aidan, a mom in her late 30’s (like me!) who was starting conversations about this ‘gray area’ of drinking, and providing a space for people to ask questions or say ‘me too’ and find support online. And from there I found more (happy to share, just email me).

Finding these was like a wall coming down. I wasn’t the only one who was wrestling with how alcohol was making them feel. How drinking had been fun until it wasn’t anymore. How you didn’t have to be an alcoholic to decide to stop. MIND BLOWN. I can do this. And, here we are, and I’ve done it. And although saying the word ‘forever’ seems so FINAL and daunting, I don’t think that I’ll drink again. Right now, in this minute, I have no desire to drink at all. It took me awhile to get here, but it feels good. I feel GOOD.

If you’re like me, you also want to know what the tangible results are. I know I’ve talked about how much better I feel now that I’m not drinking but here are some other things that happened along the way:

1. I lost 10 pounds. I did make the goal at the beginning of the year to go to the gym 5 days a week and I pretty much stuck to that, so exercise played a part, but not drinking those extra calories and then eating the bad food that comes along with it has definitely helped eliminate the ‘wine weight,' I’ll call it. And honestly, I wasn't looking to lose that much weight. I was looking to feel strong and tone my body, so that was a little bonus.

2. My workouts! Everything about them has improved – strength, flexibility, speed, etc. I’m in the best shape of my life and I’m so proud of myself. Plus, I now look forward to my exercise time and don’t think of it as a punishment. I turned my daily wine drinking habit into a gym habit, and I’m not mad about it.

3. I have fun. A lot of fun, actually. I thought life would be SO BORING if I took alcohol out of the equation. Turns out it’s not, who knew?! I still enjoy dinners out, going out with friends, relaxing on the couch with Netflix – AND I’m less likely to fall asleep during whatever movie we may be watching on the weekend. I have realized that wine was a social lubricant for me, and the only time I ever miss it has been when I’m in a situation where I have to make small talk with people I don’t know. You guys, I am awkward. It pains me to even write that but it’s true.

4. I sleep soundly (between the couple times a night that I’m woken up by the kids) One day I’ll get a full night’s sleep again, I hope. But until then, I’m comforted that at least I don’t wake up feeling ugh from the effects of alcohol. If I’m dragging at all in the morning it’s because one of the little people wasn’t sleeping, that’s it. And no more anxiety wake ups at 3 am ever. Thank you, Lord!

5. I’m happier. I feel good in my skin, I don’t wake up with regrets and I know I’m making choices to benefit my health. I think a lot about my children and what kind of example I’m setting for them. I’m showing them that you don’t need wine to unwind at the end of the day. To ‘get through’ the evening. To turn to when you have a bad day or crack open to celebrate a good one. Those little eyes are constantly watching, quietly observing our mannerisms, habits – so much of what we teach them is learned this way – not through what we say, but what we do. And while I’m sure I’m messing up in lots of ways, I’m thankful that I am not teaching them the narrative that you need alcohol to cope with life.

6. I’m present. Present for the good and bad, the awkward and uncomfortable and the oh so very wonderful. This quote from Brene Brown just hits it home for me:

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‘We cannot selectively numb emotions. Numb the dark and you numb the light.’

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I don't want to numb the joy, that I know for sure. I'll sit in the hard moments if it means I get to show up for 100% of the good.

I am just so grateful for this year. The hard work was worth it. I have gained more from giving up alcohol than anything I may have lost. And to all of you, thank you for taking the time to read this. I get uncomfortable sharing anything that is really personal, and even before I posted this I felt the start of a vulnerability hangover. But like I said in the beginning, I have been feeling compelled to write this down and share. I felt so alone when I started having these thoughts and if I can give any of you comfort that that is NOT the case, then it’s all worth it. I wish you all a wonderful 2018 and if testing out the alcohol-free lifestyle is one of your goals for the new year I hope you’ll share with me so I can be rooting for you.

Friday Five - Continental Floral Greens

November 17, 2017

Can you believe it's the Friday before Thanksgiving?! I cannot! Today we had the pleasure of interviewing Christine, with Continental Floral Greens. Is anyone else a huge fan of decorating with gorgeous greenery? I love it any time of year, but during the holidays there is nothing better than fresh garlands adorning the fireplace & a beautiful wreath hanging on the front door. And the smell of fresh pine? Get out of town!

1. Christine, thanks so much for taking time to share with us today. Can you tell us about Continental Floral Greens?

We like to call ourselves a farm to vase, or farm to front door, greens experience. We are the largest floral greens grower in the US, with farms and operations in Washington, California and Florida. We grow more than 60 varieties of floral and holiday greens and take great pride in our farms and how we harvest.

For the holidays, we produce the highest quality, handmade, all natural, Christmas wreaths and garlands with our signature High Mountain Blue Noble®. We believe in celebrating the classics while also offering unique designs - a twist on tradition - to set the stage for your holiday home.

From feathery ferns to strong salal, there’s a time and place for floral greens - always and anywhere. Often they are used to set the stage for flowers, but with all their variety in color, texture, line and fragrance, our high quality greens can truly hold their own.

2. You mentioned a signature noble, what makes this noble unique?

Our noble grows in nutrient-rich, volcanic soil near Mount St. Helens, at a higher elevation than traditional farms. The result is a stunning silver-blue hue and thicker, longer lasting needles than any other noble available. All of our Western Greens, including our High Mountain Blue Noble® , earn the highest rating for environmentally friendly cultivation.

3. What are your favorite holiday decorating ideas?

I love our striking High Mountain Blue Noble® paired with the contrast in color and texture of Southern Magnolia leaves. Magnolia is the perfect fall foliage for Thanksgiving decor and will carry, beautifully, right into the Christmas season.

Layer two garlands for maximum effect on a mantle or table - a Magnolia garland and a High Mountain Blue Noble® Mix garland. Add lights, pinecones, or a festive ribbon.

We also like using our wreaths in interesting ways - turning them into a centerpiece by adding a hurricane and candles, or stacking our European inspired three-dimensional wreaths on a front porch.

Bulk Christmas greens are a quick and easy way to add holiday cheer. Create a holiday arrangement or centerpiece in seconds - just drop into your favorite vase or basket. Or add greenery to small candle holders at each place setting. Our favorite, add some greens to your stockings - until Santa comes, of course!

You can see these holiday ideas and more on our Pinterest page.

4. Beautiful, lush greenery is everywhere these days, any thoughts on this trend?

Greenery is so versatile. From bold and bright to soft and subtle, there’s a green to fit any design style. We are seeing more and more garlands used in creative ways, and not just for weddings. Greens can be such a cost effective way to add texture to any space, any event - from formal to casual, classic to modern. Going heavy on the greens is a great way to add volume and scale to a centerpiece or arrangement- adding just a few blooms for a pop of color. Looking for fragrance - add eucalyptus.

I also see this trend continuing. It’s almost like the secret is out. Incorporating fresh elements from nature into an event, or your everyday home, really adds something special. We’re seeing beautiful and innovative uses of greenery throughout the home. Everyday use of greenery and florals are up, no longer do we need to wait for a special occasion.

5. I noticed you have a fundraising option – tell me more! And before I forget to ask, what's in your apron? :)

Yes! We offer a simple fundraising program with our exceptional holiday wreaths and garlands for schools, sports teams, youth programs, etc. To learn more, email us at info@cfgreens.com.
In our apron we keep clippers, scissors, rice lights & batteries, ribbon, floral wire and tape...and of course a granola bar or two and a pack of gum. It's usually packed full!

Thanks again for sharing with us today! I feel like I've learned so much and can't wait for my greens to arrive next week so I can decorate. As a special treat to our followers, they are offering 20% off your order at shop.cfgreens.com by using the code OatmealLaceCFG at checkout.

And always, free shipping!

For more Continental Floral Greens visit them below

Holiday Ordering & Giveaway

November 12, 2017

Next week is Thanksgiving you guys, NEXT WEEK! What in the world?!?
So, here are the guidelines for holiday ordering...you know me and my last minute instructions. SORRY.

To make up for the procrastination on my end I am going to be offering up a little something extra for those of you who take advantage of our 'early black friday' sale. We normally do not discount on digitizing and embroidery but for one day only I'll be including those when I release the coupon code Friday morning. And if you want even MORE discount love, you can sign up HERE to receive a super special code to use a day early.

There is some fine print to make sure your order will qualify for Christmas delivery which I'll outline below. This mainly pertains to custom aprons, since prepping logos for those takes the most time. Clutches & monogrammed ribbons are easier to prep so if that is what you are ordering just make sure to order by 12/1 and they will be delivered before Christmas day.
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I am only able to guantee delivery within the continental US you guys. I hate that, but I've had a few issues come up with overseas orders and I don't feel comfortable guaranteeing delivery when I can't control customs inspections.
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APRON ORDERING LOGISTICS

1. Last day to order aprons & toolkits is next Friday, 11/17.
PLEASE include your logo (a large jpg/png is fine) in an email or attached to your etsy conversation as soon as you order. If we do not receive your logo or embroidery file within 24 hours of purchase, we cannot guarantee you will receive your aprons by Christmas.

2. Your logo will be sent to our digitizer immediately after receipt and we will be back in touch within 2 business days with your quote. Approval and payment need to be made within 24 hours of receipt and then you are ready to go!

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Again, aprons/toolkits need to be purchased by 11/17, while clutches & bouquet ribbons can be purchased up until 12/1; all with guaranteed shipping dates of 12/18.

Feel free to email me with any questions and if you want to get a jump on ordering, go ahead and email me your logo NOW so that we can get you a quote. hello@oatmeallace.com
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Last but not least, we're back this year with a 12 days of Christmas giveaway starting 11/27!
This time we'll be giving away 12 things from the shop, adding in a few fun surprises that we've never offered before. There will be gifts for brides-to-be, new mamas', your favorite wedding vendors & more. Happy Holidays! :)

xx

Friday Five - West Sheridan

November 10, 2017

You guys, we are onto the 5^thconsecutive week of the Friday Five series and I am pumped! I plan to keep this as a regular feature on into the new year (as long as I have willing participants) although we will take a break over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday. I hope you all will continue to follow along, and if you have an apron and would like to be featured, email me! (seriously, I love to hear from you guys and am planning the calendar in January now)

Ok! So on to this week’s interview! I got a chance to speak with Nicole Hance, the hilarious, kind –hearted woman who’s the driving force behind West Sheridan; a hand lettering and illustration company she started on a dream and a prayer back in 2013. She’s also one of my oldest online friends and has illustrated several of our Christmas cards, hand lettered prints in my home and created the recipe and Thank You cards for Oatmeal Lace. If you’ve received a package from me, you’ve seen her work!

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself, your company, West Sheridan, and how you began exploring calligraphy?

I started this answer with my age but then deleted it - that’s not how I want to introduce myself! Ha! I’m a mom to two little kids (Ava is 6 and Drew is almost 2) and have been dating my husband for 20 years (married for 9).
West Sheridan was born in 2013, out of my fervent need to not have to work in a corporate cubicle anymore. On paper it was a perfect job - great boss and co-workers, flexibility, offered financial comfort, etc. - but I felt like I needed MORE. I needed more time with my little girl, more creativity, more purpose. I saw a blog post (I cannot remember where!) about ‘faux calligraphy’; I think if you scroll back REALLY far on my Instagram you can see my first attempts. They were really….ummmm… bad. But I practiced a lot and thought it was fun and eventually decided “Maybe I can do something with this…” So I gave it a shot with my first Etsy shop and social media. When I was expecting our second child I took West Sheridan full time and it’s been great! I have LESS of that whole ‘financial comfort’ thing but MORE of the other things I really wanted.

P.S. Fine, I’m 37. I have no problem with that, but I feel like much less of a ‘grown up’ than I should in my late thirties. :)

Um, I’m 38 and still call my mom with questions every day because CERTAINLY I can’t be that grown up?! Still blows my mind that I am responsible for the well-being of two little ones…

2. What are some of your favorite tools/supplies?

My answer has changed a lot in the past year and a half! I used to live for fresh Sharpies, Microns, a stack of bright white paper, and my Wacom tablet. I would do all my work on paper (pencil sketch then ink final copy) and then scan it into my computer. From there I would clean it up in Photoshop and then vectorize in Illustrator. But then… For my 36th birthday my overly generous parents, brother + sister-in-law gifted me with a Surface Pro and I’ve barely looked back. Now I letter + draw directly in Photoshop or Illustrator and it has been nice to skip the step of scanning in all my work. Of course there are still some times when only a piece of paper and pencil will do - but even then I can take a picture of it with my computer and skip the scanning!

Image by Channing Photography

3. What gets you up in the morning? (I hope it’s not early rising children like me!)

No, all three of us sleep through my alarm daily! But I will proudly let you know we have never missed the school bus! (yet)

I’m not sure if I should be answering this literally or figuratively, but I guess either way the answer is: Ava and Andrew. Everything is for them, from caring for them directly (feeding, dressing, bathing etc.) to showing them how to navigate the world (love others, spend your time on things that matter, pray hard, work harder, and be grateful. That’s the short list.) One day I might have a larger list of reasons but I’m OK with them consuming this season of life. I know it’s short and I’m overwhelmingly thankful.

Image by Mastin Studio

4. Any tips for newbies on how to develop their own style?

Practice, practice, practice, practice, PRACTICE. Just keep sketching, doodling, writing the same words over and over. Keep making things, even if you don’t think they’re “good enough”. One day your style will emerge and maybe it won’t be what you were originally going for, but it will be yours! And it will likely continue to evolve and improve forever.

5. What’s in your apron?

Oh my gosh, I just feel so fancy and OFFICIAL in my apron. It is my uniform for craft fairs and shows, and I keep it stocked with pens, a receipt pad, business cards, scissors, and change. I also wear it for on-site work, such as delivering + setting up wedding signs or lettering murals. For those occasions, I make sure the pockets have tape, scissors, a pencil, good eraser, tape measure, and twine.

I also have a 2nd one for my employee (just kidding, my husband) and I won’t lie, sometimes he wears his to grill when he’s off the clock. I think he keeps gum, earbuds, and matches in his.

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Thank you so much for joining me this week, Nic. I’ve loved watching you from the beginning, both your business and your life as a mom…especially since our kids are so close in age and our stories of starting our companies feel so similar. Really looking forward to meeting you in person this February!

Connect with Nicole:

Website

Instagram

Friday Five - Rodeo & Co Photography

November 03, 2017

It's the first Friday of November, what?! Cannot believe we are here already, although it certainly feels like it in Chicago. I took down all of our Halloween decorations yesterday and almost pulled out our Christmas bins (you know, since I was already in the storage room) BUT decided I should show a tiny bit of restraint...at least for another week or two, ha. I can see my husband rolling his eyes right now. :)

Excited to have Meg Hamilton, of Rodeo & Co Photography joining me today for the Friday Five series. She describes her photo style as 'honest & happy' and I have to agree. I shared a few of my favorite photos that I found of hers but there are SO MANY I could've gone on and on. Do yourself a favor and take a peek at her blog & instagram.

Thanks for taking time to chat with me today, Meg. First, can you share a little bit more about Rodeo & Co and how you got started in wedding photography? I know I’ve read that you were an arson investigator & police officer. Please don’t skimp on details. :)

I had my heart & mind set on becoming an arson investigator & really broke the glass ceiling in that field to get my position. Once I attended a conference with over 200 men, and me. It was like real-life CSI, but also very depressing work…. I was also shooting weddings part time & was thriving…. then I was laid off from my fire investigator position… I sat down and did a pro & con list…. knowing that I wanted to eventually be a mom & have flexibility in my career AND do work that gave me JOY…. 15 years ago {today!} I shot my first wedding…. now I’m honored to be named one of Martha Stewart Weddings top photographers & my husband and I have the sweetest boys in New Hampshire…. I feel so blessed each time I connect with my couples to document their days & that {almost} every night I get to make a homemade meal for my family…. These two things are what makes my heart happy.

2. What do you enjoy most about living and working in New England?

I live in an itty bitty small town- and we have backyard chickens, honey bees, make our own maple syrup. My parents live a few miles down the street where we have horses, black angus cows & together with my dad we raise Berkshire pigs. Mornings, I get to go to the barn & take care of the animals….it’s a special, quiet, peaceful way to start my day. Photographing weddings in New England is a true blessing- ferry rides to Martha’s Vineyard, the coast of Maine, in the heart of Boston, the preppy perfectness of Providence, Rhode Island...and the bulk of my work in the mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire. Each place is unique and at the same time, still New England. And, like all New Englanders, I love the seasons, the Red Sox, and Tom Brady.

3. Do you have a tip or two for couples who are looking for their perfect wedding photographer?

Make sure you love the work that your photographer shows….sounds really basic, but if you don’t love the style that your photographer shoots, they won’t be a good fit. {I’ve had people contact me looking for dark & moody portraits, and I happily refer them to my friends that shoot in this style}. Look through a few complete wedding galleries to get an idea of how they document an entire day -rather than just scrolling the instagram highlight reel.

Image by Michelle Heath

4. Who would win in a fight: Spiderman or Batman, and why? (I’d like to know Marcus & Hank’s answers as well) :)

I’m a longtime Batman fan {because, I always had a crush on Robin!}... Hank {age 6} says SPIDERMAN- because he'd shoot his webs around Batman and stick him to a wall…. Marcus {9} says it’s impossible because Marvel & D.C. are two separate entities….BUT...he would vote for Batman.
(Beckett said Batman too)

5. What’s in your apron?

Extra camera batteries, cell phone, light meter, film, memory cards, a ring box, bits of ribbon, business cards, a lighter for candles, and who knows what else!

Thank you again for sharing, Meg! You have such a unique background and the attention to detail you had to possess with the arson work definitely shines through in your photography. You can see more of Meg's work, her travels & life in New England below.
Happy Friday, guys!

Connect with Meg:

Halloween 2017, The Princess Bride

October 31, 2017 1 Comment

It's Halloween you guys!! WE LOVE IT SO MUCH! And I am super in love with our costume this year. If anyone else was a child of the 80's you ~~may also~~ should be a fan of The Princess Bride. Every sleepover I had during elementary school, we'd make the trek to the movie rental place and The Princess Bride was one of my two choices 98% of the time.

If you've never seen the movie, watch it! Seriously, I find it more entertaining now as an adult. :)

So our cast of characters, L-R:

Princess Buttercup, Dread Pirate Roberts, Fezzik & Inigo Montoya.

I hope that we can continue this family costume tradition for a few more years. Beckett, luckily, is super into it (as long as he gets to be a character that includes weapons & cool fighting abilities).
Hope you enjoy the photos and have a Happy Halloween!

Wesley/Dread Pirate Roberts

Fezzik the Giant

Inigo Montoya 'you killed my father, prepare to die...'

Princess Buttercup & Wesley

I just can't with this one. HA.

Or this one!

I love my family. Always willing to participate with a smile. Even in the FREEZING cold temperatures.

ANYBODY WANT A PEANUT?

Friday Five - Stephanie Shaul

October 27, 2017

Image by Blue Barn Photography

I can't believe we're already on to week THREE of the Friday Five series! I hope you all are enjoying learning more about some of the amazing wedding professionals that are out there (or discovering some inspiring ladies to follow in your own wedding journey!) This week I was able to interview Stephanie Shaul, of Stephanie Shaul Events. {sidenote: Stephanie got married earlier this year and her last name went from SCHOLL to SHAUL! How crazy/awesome is that?!} Anyways, I can't wait for you guys to learn more about this fun loving, joy-filled lady, so without further ado, here she is!

---

1. Tell us a little bit about Stephanie Shaul Events and who you love to serve.

Stephanie Shaul Events is a wedding planning, design, and styling company based in Raleigh, NC, planning grace-filled, elegant, joyful weddings with beautiful, meaningful details and design. I primarily focus on full planning, production, and design for my couples, and my job is certainly one of the greatest joys of my life. My business is rooted in legacy and strong marriages, kindness and gratitude, serving others wholeheartedly, intentional living, genuine community, and grace-filled love. My couples genuinely come to feel like family, and I adore working with them to create the wedding they’ve always dreamt of. I always aim to authentically make each wedding uniquely gorgeous and meaningful to my couple’s love story, and a wedding is the perfect opportunity to celebrate love and legacy, traditions, beauty, and joy that make up one’s life. Wedding planning can be a stressful and overwhelming process, and I want to take all of the worry and stress off of my couples so that they can fully enjoy their engagement and joyfully prepare for marriage. As a recent bride myself, I know firsthand how important that is and how wonderful marriage is!

Image by Jake + Heather Photography

2. How did you get started in the event industry?

I don’t think I ever pictured that I’d working in weddings until several years ago. I went to undergrad at UNC Chapel Hill and graduated with a double major in psychology and sociology, and I had planned on going to graduate school in my late twenties to get my master’s in social work. I did plan national conferences for the US Department of Education for several years at my first job in Washington, DC, right out of college. That knowledge has definitely come in handy, and I have long had a gift for organization and logistics.

I have always read lots of wedding magazines and blogs, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that I really grew to love weddings—and I’ve always just loved love and celebrating life and joy. I figured that starting a blog that focused on weddings (and lifestyle) would be a good way to get even more connected to the wedding industry. I followed a lot of wedding blogs and social media accounts and I realized over time how much I really loved every aspect of weddings. In my early-mid twenties, I also attended roughly thirty weddings in a three-year window of time (I am from the South, after all!). I had ten weddings, nine bridal showers, eight bachelorette parties, and six engagement parties in a six month window, which was crazy with tons of traveling, but it was so fun! I never once was annoyed or overwhelmed with the amount of wedding-related festivities in my life, and I threw so many of those showers and helped in little ways at the weddings. It was around then that friends and family—everyone I knew, essentially—kept telling me how talented and skilled at this I was, and why wasn’t I planning weddings yet? It truly was the constant support and encouragement from my family and friends that got me to even consider planning weddings.

I had a few close friends who were either recently engaged or knew they’d be getting married soon, and they assured me that they really wanted me to plan and design their weddings. I’m forever grateful to those close friends who let me plan and design their weddings with zero actual experience besides being a bridesmaid and a wedding guest dozens of times, having a good design eye, loving weddings, and being incredibly organized. Their trust and confidence in me meant the world and that’s how I got started - coming up on four years ago now! I have worked for myself full-time for 2.5 years now, and my business moved from Washington, DC to Raleigh, NC when I went full-time. This city and its surrounding area have been so sweet to my business, and it’s been a dream come true (with a lot of hard work, for sure)!

I LOVE THIS SO MUCH! What wonderful friends, giving you the gift of following your passion and navigating those first few steps into wedding planning with the knowledge that you have their full trust and support.

Image by Ally & Bobby

3. What was the last gift you gave someone?

My husband’s birthday wasn’t too long ago, and I gifted him a date night together (with his favorite activities and foods), a new board game (we’re a sucker for playing games at night and hosting game nights), and a craft beer brewing kit. We have some home brewed beer coming up!

Image by Nancy Ray Photography

4. How would your best friend describe you?

Loving, loyal, encouraging, and definitely goofy! This is hard to answer, but I’ve continually been told that I’m optimistic, friendly, determined, and always up for something fun. I love life and people, and I think my personality reflects that. I am wildly passionate about genuine, deep friendships and cultivating those relationships!

5. What’s in your apron?

Everything - ha! I like to think my apron holds as much as Mary Poppins’ limitless magic carpet bag. I always have my timeline, floor plans/layouts, pens (including a nice one) and a Sharpie, floral pins, safety pins, my phone, a portable phone charger, a lighter (for all of those candles and sparklers), scissors (one can never have enough), tissues, and somehow, I almost always end up with a set of someone’s car keys by the end of the night!

Images by Blue Barn Photography / Sara Logan Photography

Stephanie, thank you so much for taking the time to share with me today. Such a pleasure! I so enjoyed learning more about you, especially the steps leading up to you pursuing this career. Wishing you all the best in the future.

Connect with Stephanie:

Friday Five - Southern Sparkle

October 20, 2017

{Kelly Ginn Photography}

On to week two of the Friday Five Series! This week I had the pleasure of interviewing Krisy Parker Thomas, of Southern Sparkle. She is one of the sweetest ladies I've worked with and

I'm so excited to introduce her to you all (if you aren't already familiar with her work.)

1. Tell us a little bit about Southern Sparkle & who you love to serve.

Southern Sparkle is an award winning wedding planning team with locations in Nashville, Jackson & Memphis, Tennessee, with dreams of having additional locations all over the Southeast. Our team consists of Certified Wedding Planners certified through The Bridal Society. We plan all kinds of events from birthday parties to baby showers but wedding planning is where we thrive and what we really love doing. We were also recently named one of The Best Event Planners in Nashville by The Nashville Scene!

2. How did you get started in the wedding industry?

I was in the banking industry right out of college and, although I was good at my job, I just wasn’t happy. For about a year my mom encouraged me to try wedding planning. She did her research and found The Bridal Society. She offered to pay for me to attend the conference but I counter offered and said I would pay for myself if she came and got certified as well. After attending the conference, I took everything we were taught to heart and hit the ground running. 1 year later I was able to quit my full-time job at the bank and put everything I could into Southern Sparkle. By year two I had to bring in additional team members and that allowed us to have Southern Sparkle all over the state of Tennessee and in year three I was named Wedding Planner of the Year by The Bridal Society.

3. What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently?

I have a two year old son, Cortland, and he is the funniest person I know. So my son and I both love wrestling. Well, let’s be honest here, I love wrestling and I have basically forced this love to him as well. Our favorite wrestler is The Rock and we watch videos of him every morning as part of our morning ritual. Brush your teeth, eat your breakfast, watch The Rock…just a normal morning for us. The Rock has a catch phrase where he says “if you smell what The Rock is cooking” and tilts his head to the side and lifts his head up. Well one morning during our morning ritual, my son did this signature move while sniffing the air like he was literally trying to smell what The Rock was cooking. Luckily I caught it on my phone and can replay it over and over when I am having a bad day.

Love that you got that on video! Capturing the silly little moments with our kids is the best and I can totally relate to replaying them when I'm having a bad day (or am feeling frustrated with them in general). :)

4. What keeps you inspired?

My amazing Sparkle Brides keep me inspired. When I think of how they are trusting me with one of the most important days of their life, I feel so humbled and honored. That trust makes me want to work even harder for them and keeps me going to try and be the best planner I can be for them.

5. What’s in your apron?

People are always amazed when I start pulling out items from my apron. They hold so much!

• Cell phone

• Ink Pen

• Snack (usually a little pack of almonds)

• Scissors

• Walkie Talkie clipped on the apron

• Small pack of kleenex (always needed right as the family is about to walk down the aisle)

• Pins pinned on my apron

• Small bottle of water

• Business cards

• Keys

It was such a pleasure talking to you, Krisy. Thank you so much agreeing to participate in the new series and for sharing with our readers. I hope to meet you in person someday soon!

Connect with Krisy & the Southern Sparkle team:

Friday Five - Jacin Fitzgerald

October 13, 2017

I'm so excited to start this new series, you guys. The plan is that every Friday (or every other, depending on whether or not I can get people to participate) :) I'll be sharing with you a lovely person I've had the pleasure of working with since we started offering our vendor aprons in the shop.

First up is the insanely talented Jacin Fitzgerald. You guys can all thank her for the creation of our apron line since she was the first person to ask if we could make her a custom apron with her logo embroidered. You're welcome. :) Jacin was also one of the first people I connected with in this online world, through the #TWIPS group on Twitter, way back in 2010. Feel honored to call her one of my best 'real life' friends now too.

{L: original apron, R: version 2}

SO without further ado, heeeeeere's Jacin:

Tell us a little bit about Jacin Fitzgerald and the evolution of your business - from where it started to where it is now.

For the past 14+ years, I have worked and traveled my way across the United States and abroad – I’m a big “you only live once” kind of person and take every opportunity I can to travel and gain new experiences. I grew up working for my family’s hardware store (but my favorite part was designing the front window displays seasonally) and that instilled a strong work ethic in me from a young age. Watching other family members manage their own businesses was always really inspiring to me as well, and helped me to learn the importance of a healthy work/life balance. I landed my first official job in the events industry straight out of college in 2003 assisting with weddings and large-scale festivals for an oceanside venue in Newport, Rhode Island and from there I continued on my path in events management, from coordinating a national regatta series for Sailing World Magazine to functions for a private school in Sydney, Australia, to strategically-placed marketing events of all kinds across the United States for a pharmaceutical agency. Through all of my work and travels, though, I felt like something was missing and realized it was the creativity and personalization that went into the weddings that I started out with in the very beginning. I went on to open my company (initially called lovely little details) in 2009 and have not stopped working since then in order to build the reputable and seasoned wedding planning company that it has become today. An eternal optimist at heart, I’ve always been a “glass half full” type of gal and take this view into every event – I really and truly love my job and will never stop feeling thankful for each client who trusts me to join them on their journey to “I do”.

Let’s talk about your floral design skills (incredible). Have flowers always been a part of your life? Do you have an all time favorite arrangement you’ve designed?

I feel like this is the most cliche answer ever but as a kid, my grandmother (Mimi) had the most incredible garden. It was full of wildflowers and it was always so beautiful. I remember going out to the garden with her to help with the watering or weeding and just really enjoying that time together. My family on my dad’s side has always been really into gardening and I guess I’ve just always been around flowers. When I started my company in late 2009 I was only doing the planning/design side of things but I always gravitated towards the blooms. I started attending flower workshops and (we lived in San Francisco at the time) would head to the flower mart 3-4 mornings a week at 4:00am to walk the market and see what was in season, how much flowers cost, etc. I wanted to learn anything and everything I could about the flowers before I started offering floral design to my clients. I had one client trust me with their wedding flowers and from there all of my clients started asking me to include this as an add-on service and basically haven’t looked back from there! As for a favorite…. I don’t think I do - they are all so different and special based on the client we were working with, but I can say my favorite kind of arrangement is the one where the client trusts me 100% to do my thing - I love to use foraged vegetables / fruit whenever I can because I really feel like it adds interest and life to the centerpiece.

If you could redesign the food pyramid without any dire health consequences how would it look?

I’m probably a bad person to ask because my version of “whole” 30 is the “half” 30 - so I eat healthy during the week and enjoy my favorite foods on the weekends (or Thursdays… or Wednesdays…). I love love love to cook - my favorite magazines are Bon Appetit over Us Weekly so that kind of translates into my eating habits, I guess :).

What is your favorite 90’s jam? (Sorry if I just dated you)

You didn’t date me haha - it’s just impossible to choose! Let’s put it this way - 90s song most likely to show up on a playlist? “It Was A Good Day” - Ice Cube - ha! :)

What’s in your apron?

Pens (including a nice one in case the client forgets it for her sign-in book), safety pins, bouquet ribbon pins pinned to the outer pocket, a timeline, backup cell phone charger, and a little tape measure. Depending on the day of course.

Thanks so much for kicking off our 'Friday Five' series, Jacin. Looking forward to sharing more of my favorites with you in the coming weeks. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Connect with Jacin:

Friday Five - Jacin Fitzgerald

October 13, 2017

I'm so excited to start this new series, you guys. The plan is that every Friday (or every other, depending on whether or not I can get people to participate) :) I'll be sharing with you a lovely person I've had the pleasure of working with since we started offering our vendor aprons in the shop.

First up is the insanely talented Jacin Fitzgerald. You guys can all thank her for the creation of our apron line since she was the first person to ask if we could make her a custom apron with her logo embroidered. You're welcome. :) Jacin was also one of the first people I connected with in this online world, through the #TWIPS group on Twitter, way back in 2010. Feel honored to call her one of my best 'real life' friends now too.

{L: original apron, R: version 2}

SO without further ado, heeeeeere's Jacin:

Tell us a little bit about Jacin Fitzgerald and the evolution of your business - from where it started to where it is now.

For the past 14+ years, I have worked and traveled my way across the United States and abroad – I’m a big “you only live once” kind of person and take every opportunity I can to travel and gain new experiences. I grew up working for my family’s hardware store (but my favorite part was designing the front window displays seasonally) and that instilled a strong work ethic in me from a young age. Watching other family members manage their own businesses was always really inspiring to me as well, and helped me to learn the importance of a healthy work/life balance. I landed my first official job in the events industry straight out of college in 2003 assisting with weddings and large-scale festivals for an oceanside venue in Newport, Rhode Island and from there I continued on my path in events management, from coordinating a national regatta series for Sailing World Magazine to functions for a private school in Sydney, Australia, to strategically-placed marketing events of all kinds across the United States for a pharmaceutical agency. Through all of my work and travels, though, I felt like something was missing and realized it was the creativity and personalization that went into the weddings that I started out with in the very beginning. I went on to open my company (initially called lovely little details) in 2009 and have not stopped working since then in order to build the reputable and seasoned wedding planning company that it has become today. An eternal optimist at heart, I’ve always been a “glass half full” type of gal and take this view into every event – I really and truly love my job and will never stop feeling thankful for each client who trusts me to join them on their journey to “I do”.

Let’s talk about your floral design skills (incredible). Have flowers always been a part of your life? Do you have an all time favorite arrangement you’ve designed?

I feel like this is the most cliche answer ever but as a kid, my grandmother (Mimi) had the most incredible garden. It was full of wildflowers and it was always so beautiful. I remember going out to the garden with her to help with the watering or weeding and just really enjoying that time together. My family on my dad’s side has always been really into gardening and I guess I’ve just always been around flowers. When I started my company in late 2009 I was only doing the planning/design side of things but I always gravitated towards the blooms. I started attending flower workshops and (we lived in San Francisco at the time) would head to the flower mart 3-4 mornings a week at 4:00am to walk the market and see what was in season, how much flowers cost, etc. I wanted to learn anything and everything I could about the flowers before I started offering floral design to my clients. I had one client trust me with their wedding flowers and from there all of my clients started asking me to include this as an add-on service and basically haven’t looked back from there! As for a favorite…. I don’t think I do - they are all so different and special based on the client we were working with, but I can say my favorite kind of arrangement is the one where the client trusts me 100% to do my thing - I love to use foraged vegetables / fruit whenever I can because I really feel like it adds interest and life to the centerpiece.

If you could redesign the food pyramid without any dire health consequences how would it look?

I’m probably a bad person to ask because my version of “whole” 30 is the “half” 30 - so I eat healthy during the week and enjoy my favorite foods on the weekends (or Thursdays… or Wednesdays…). I love love love to cook - my favorite magazines are Bon Appetit over Us Weekly so that kind of translates into my eating habits, I guess :).

What is your favorite 90’s jam? (Sorry if I just dated you)

You didn’t date me haha - it’s just impossible to choose! Let’s put it this way - 90s song most likely to show up on a playlist? “It Was A Good Day” - Ice Cube - ha! :)

What’s in your apron?

Pens (including a nice one in case the client forgets it for her sign-in book), safety pins, bouquet ribbon pins pinned to the outer pocket, a timeline, backup cell phone charger, and a little tape measure. Depending on the day of course.

Thanks so much for kicking off our 'Friday Five' series, Jacin. Looking forward to sharing more of my favorites with you in the coming weeks. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Connect with Jacin:

12 Days of Christmas Gift Guide & Giveaway!

November 24, 2016

YOU GUYS! I am so excited right now. What started out as a 'I want to give something away from my shop for the holidays' turned into a little something bigger when I decided to reach out to some of my favorite small businesses and see if they would like to gift something to you all as well. Right now you are looking at my first annual (yes, I am definitely going to do this again next year!) 12 Days of Christmas gift guide & giveaway! There is truly something for everyone on your list. Mom, grandma, sister, friend, teacher, mailman, neighbor, favorite nephew, etc...Did I mention I'm excited about this?! Honestly I want to win them all myself, haha! Giveaways start next Monday, 11/28 and will be running daily through 12/9. I HOPE YOU WIN!!!!

....a few of my favorite things....

1. Emily Ley: Simplified Planner

2. Nic Hance Lettering : Custom Address Stamp

3. Ellie & Nel : Women's T Shirt

4. The Silver Wren : Custom Gold Bar Necklace

5. Continental Floral : Mountain Fresh Wreath

6. The Caramel Jar : 1/2 lb Handmade Caramels

7. Little Activists : Children's T Shirt

8. A Family Print Shop : Classic Silhouette

9. Bumbelou Shop : Children's Bow Set

10. The Oil Press : Essential Oil & Diffuser Bracelet Set

11. Marigold & Grey : Merry & Bright Gift Box

12. Oatmeal Lace : Monogrammed Marshall Clutch

oh and ps- our black friday weekend sale starts NOW and runs through monday at midnight. 30% off all purchases (excluding digitizing/embroidery) in the shop using code YAYBF2016

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