ON BEING A MOM WITH IN HONOR OF DESIGN

Hi, Maiedae readers! So grateful to be a guest here, especially on such a special occasion! I thought I would share some quick advice on what I finally learned the third time around after having my son Max.

There aren't really words to describe that first week of life of a child. Despite the post labor pains, sleepless nights, and adjustments at home, there is an unprecedented joy and peace that takes over my heart to have this tiny being in existence. There are only a few precious months when their innocence and dependence on you is so pure and simple.

With each child I have grown more aware of just how fleeting the time is, and so I have learned that it is really okay to ignore the laundry and the growing pile of dishes, and just hold my baby a little longer. Everything else in life will come and go, but the time we have with our children is irreplaceable and irreversible.

So my advice for new mothers is to give yourself time to get back into a groove, give yourself time to rest and find balance, and especially give yourself time to hold that new baby. And also, let your husband in. He is probably more than cautious, learning his new role as a protector and provider for a new life, and how to love you best in your new role. Give them lots of reassurance and in return they might change a few diapers and maybe give you that massage you really need. ;) 

Congratulations, Savannah, on precious little Soren! So very happy for your family!

ANNA'S FAVORITE MOMMY PICKS
1// Beoudreaux's Butt Paste - This wonder cream has saved us time and again with any diaper rash problems. Within 24 hours you see improvement and happy baby returns!

2// Lily Jade Bag - I carry around large totes to keep everything in one place when I am on the go with my three little ones. Unfortunately, most bags only have one large pocket for you to spend hours of your life rummaging to find that one pacifier. Lily Jade came to the rescue when Max was born and I now recommend it for all baby registries! Pocket heaven with enough room to fit everything you need. Versatile backpack straps for long days on your feet, and canvas inserts for easy cleaning. I can't say enough good things about it. It's all disguised in a stylish leather tote form. :)

3// Mom N Mia Natural Teethers - These have been Max's favorite thing to chew on and play with. :)

4// Life Factory Glass Bottles - Easy for the baby to hold, safe for their health, and so far, the only bottle Max will drink out of!

5// Wren and Rumor Swaddle Blankets - Softer than soft, the perfect size for swaddling, and a very fun selection of modern prints. Max likes to cuddle with this blanket now. :)

Find Anna Here: Blog | Instagram | Pinterest

Anna of In Honor of Design is such a sweet friend that I had the pleasure of meeting and working with recently. She has been my ultimate inspiration for being a great mama and running a killer business. She is a go-getter and I'm so honored to know her personally. Thank you Anna for sharing such special advice with my readers! 

ON BEING A MOM WITH SOMETIMES SWEET

Dani is such an inspirational mom. I've loved reading her blog, Sometimes Sweet, over the past couple years. Dani and her husband have two adorable little boys and I always look forward to her posts about family! :) Thank you so much, Dani, for sharing about your family and mommy-hood!

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Greatest Challenge as a Mom

It's so hard to pick just one thing, but I'd have to say that my biggest challenge is letting go. To me this is the hardest part of being a parent- because really, that's such a huge part of being a parent; letting go just a little more everyday. As much as I love watching my kids grow and evolve, there's always a tiny little part of my heart that feels sad that it's all going by so quickly. It's still shocking to me that my three-year old is THREE and my new baby boy is already close to 6 months old! How and when did that happen? So my big challenge, every single day, is really being in the now and appreciating every stage for what it is, instead of feeling sad that time is ticking on by.

Greatest Joy
My greatest joys are the simple things - Charlie's morning smiles in his crib, Henry's messy bedhead and the way he rubs his eyes when he walks out of his bedroom. It's the bedtime stories and the special lunches and the long strolls to the duck pond. The happy laughter and the silly jokes and the way it feels to hear "I love you." It's so much more than that, but the greatest joys for me are all of the everyday things.

Favorite Memory Being a Mom
A recent one would have to be when Henry met Charlie for the first time at the hospital, right after I gave birth. It was amazing. We had anticipated that moment for so long but nothing had prepared me for what it would feel like to see my oldest son holding my youngest. I'd say it was one of the most beautiful memories of my life, so far.

A Word of Advice
For new moms, do what works best for you and your family. Everyone has an opinion, and everyone thinks their way is the best way, because it's the way that works for them. So read the books, check out the blogs…but in the end listen to your own instincts and do what is best for you.

5 Resources You LOVE as a Mom
1// As far as blogs go, here are a couple: We Seek Joy, which is my friend N'Tima's space all about her life and her new baby girl. Her writing is great and she inspires me daily to see the beauty in the little things. I also love Small Fry Blog, which is a blog geared for parents and is chock full of fabulous content, ideas, and inspiration.

2// The Snuza. This is a little device that clips to your baby's diaper and sounds an alarm if he stops breathing. Invaluable. We used this with Henry and use it now with Charlie. Best baby product ever. I wrote more about it in a Hello Giggles column, if you'd like more info.

3// Mom's One Line a Day Journal. This is such a fun little book and so easy to use, because you just have to write down one line a day. This is a great keepsake, and such a fun place to record all of the little things (funny quotes, random stories) that might otherwise be forgotten.

4// Solly Baby Wrap. This was my favorite thing during those first newborn months. Nothing is better than wearing your baby, and having them so close all day, and the Solly Wrap is by far the lightest, best, and easiest to use. I can't recommend it enough.

5// Timer Cam App. Seems like a silly thing, but I love using this app on my iPhone to take photos of the boys and me during the day. It's so important for me to actually be in the photos too (as the main picture-taker of the family I have to make a conscious effort to do this), so the timer app is a great way to capture moments when my husband is at work. And this one is my favorite.

Find Dani here: Site | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

ON BEING A MOM WITH CUPCAKE MAG

Casi is such an inspirational mommy with 5 beautiful children! She's the founder of CupcakeMAG and is an overall super-mom. Casi and I recently connected and I immediately loved her sweet and positive personality! Thank you for sharing some mommy knowledge with me and my readers!  

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Greatest Challenge as a Mom

As a Mom of 5, my biggest challenge continues to be creating that perfect balance from work and family. Being a work-at-home mom - I have many hats as founder of cupcakeMAG, as a publicist, as a writer, but most importantly as a mom. It's a fine line that I continue to tweak each day in hopes that it eventually won't be a challenge. It can be so hard to switch hats especially when working from home. But if this is my greatest challenge, I will take it, because I feel so lucky to be able to do it.

Greatest Joy
The greatest joy is the unconditional love a child gives you. No matter what kind of day I am having, their smiles make it THAT much better.

Favorite Memory Being a Mom
The kisses. All of the kisses! Grayson, my 15-month-old gives some mean sloppy kisses and they always make me laugh. Just watching their personalities shine each day as they continue to grow creates a beautiful memory I always will cherish.

A Word of Advice
Follow your heart. Forget all of the advice and do what you think is best for your family. Whether it's bottle feeding, breast feeding, co-sleeping -- you have to do what is best for you regardless of what the baby books say.

5 Resources You LOVE as a Mom
1// Pinterest of course is the never-ending website of inspiration. While sometimes it makes me feel like I need to step-up my game at the next 1st grade party, it always gives me such great ideas.

2// I can't leave without notebooks. I currently have at least 5 that I am using on my desks because I am constantly making lists after lists to stay organized. Currently I am obsessing over this one from Sugar and Type.

3// Of course, Babble is one of my favorite parenting sites I love to cruise. You can check out my posts there too! I love reading all of the fun posts on Babble.

4// I absolutely love Stokke. I don't know how I pushed any other stroller. I am obsessed and in-love with all of their amazing products.

5// Freshly Picked moccasins. Need I say more? They are the best baby shoes on the planet. Check them out!

Find Casi here: Site | Instagram | Pinterest

ON BEING A MOM WITH JEN LOVES KEV

I first met Jen in Austin at a conference and just loved her sweet spirit! She has a beautiful site, Jen Loves Kev, filled with posts on being a momma, lifestyle, fashion, and super creative DIY projects. I'm planning on doing her printed family t-shirt DIY soon! Her two little ladies are just the cutest! Thank you so much Jen for sharing!! 

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Greatest Challenge as a Mom

My greatest challenge as a new mom was learning to trust myself. Everyone has something to say about parenting. Even people who aren't parents have something to say about parenting. It can be sooo political. It's hard to not let the "mommy guilt" take over when you think you aren't doing it as well as someone else. The truth is we are all doing our best. We know our little ones better than anyone! So we when learn to trust our own instincts and believe we are making the best decisions for our babes, motherhood is a whole lot sweeter. Everyone should give themselves a pat on the back! Or a piece of chocolate.

Greatest Joy
Oh my goodness! Doing anything for the first time with your baby is like the best thing ever. First christmas, first time to the beach, first time to the zoo, etc... I usually choke up over everything. It's just the sweetest to see them experience something new. Everything is magical, even for you as the parent. We are always out on adventures with our kids.

Favorite Memory Being a Mom
Oh boy! This sure changes a lot. I keep thinking "this has to be the sweetest moment" then the next week something else happens and I think "now this is the sweetest". Ha! Lately though, I have been so in love with watching my girls play together. My daughter Finley just turned one and she is finally starting to be at an age where she can really play with her sister. My older daughter, Rowan, makes her laugh like no one else. It just melts my heart.

A Word of Advice
That being a mom is enough! As women, I feel like the world (and ourselves) puts so much pressure on us to be perfect at so many things. That being "just" a mom isn't good enough. What a lie! We need to know that raising children is such an act of selflessness. Something that should be valued and respected. We are teaching them, loving them, caring for them, and showing them how to grow into this world. It truly is one of the greatest blessings.

5 Resources You LOVE as a Mom 
1// Aden and Anais Swaddles: Our most used baby product. We use them for EVERYTHING!

2// Kelly Mom: Tips for all things nursing. So helpful!

3// Little Hip Squeaks: Our favorite baby accessories.

4// Haba: Our favorite brand of baby/toddler toys.

5// Beaba Babycook: I am slightly obsessed with making baby food. It is so fun!

Find Jen here: Site | Instagram | Pinterest

ON BEING A MOM WITH LUNE VINTAGE

Jill is the creator of Lune Vintage where she writes and sells beautiful pieces in her vintage shop. She lives with her beautiful family, including her two children in Canada. Jill is such a beautiful, free-spirited person and I'm so thankful that she was willing to share a little snippet of her life and wisdom about being a mom. Thank you, Jill! 

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Greatest Challenge as a Mom

Having a family hasn't slowed us down when it comes to going out, spending time in our city, and enjoying traveling. In fact, since we became parents we have really stepped it up in the traveling, camping, and exploration departments. However, I sometimes miss the days of being able to just pick up spontaneously and spend a night out. I realize now that I never fully appreciated those quick dates with my husband. These days when we are able to arrange childcare, it feels like a mini vacation. On the flip side, I suppose I really do value a rare restaurant meal where all the cutlery and condiments don't need to be piled on my side of the table, and no drinks are spilled in my lap.

Greatest Joy
My greatest joy in becoming a mother is how much my understanding of "love" has grown. When you are a child, you understand love as it applies to your caregivers, friends, and (hopefully) yourself. As a young adult you suddenly understand an overwhelming new romantic love, and its discovery changes your life forever. When you become a parent, you are blessed with a brand new and incredibly consuming type of love that belongs between a mother and their child. Again, it changes who you are beyond measure. Like many parents, I had a faint worry in the back of my mind that I couldn't possibly have enough love in me to give another child, but when our daughter was born, that concern vanished into thin air. Being a mom had expanded my capacity to love and transformed me more than I could have ever hoped for. More than I even knew I desired to change.

Favorite Memory Being a Mom
This summer (2013) we took a road trip together to Banff & Jasper, AB. It was the perfect family trip. Everyone got along so well despite two weeks of staying in single hotel rooms and traveling for long hours in a tiny car. We got a ridiculous amount of fresh air and learned so much together, from close encounters with the bones of many towering dinosaurs, to touring a century old coal mine, walking among mountain goats, climbing up an ancient glacial ice field, hiking and boating, and marveling at thundering waterfalls, to towering above the world on Sulphur Mountain. Seeing my kids (and husband) so fascinated and absorbed in the wonder of every day that vacation made my heart sing. I'm looking forward to so many more adventures together.

A Word of Advice
There is no doubt that becoming a parent is a huge, life changing decision. It's so frightening passing that threshold even when you are certain it is what you want, because you know there is really no way of going back. Your life as you once knew it will never be exactly the same again. Things will be harder in some ways. You'll find yourself waking up earlier and earlier, and having less time to relax or some days even to take a deep breath. But what you do have a say in will be how you choose to value yourself as an individual. Continue to make something that nourishes you as a person a priority. You might have to take a little break from it for the first 3 months or so, but I promise, it always gets easier. You provide your children with a valuable example by showing them that sometimes it's necessary to wait for what they want, and that they are not the centre of the universe (although they secretly are the centre of yours). A healthy and satisfied spirit means you'll be a happy mom who has so much to give to her kids.

5 Resources You LOVE as a Mom 
1// Our favourite Apps are Endless Alphabet and Endless Reader by Originator Inc - $0.99. They are excellent for young kids. My daughter is two and a half and already knows most of her letter sounds and I have a feeling that the colorful, silly animations this app offers has a lot to do with it.

2// Palmers Cocoa Butter Stick has smoothed my babies' cheeks and rough spots for 8 years. It's wonderful.

3// I wish I would have known what a wonder baby wipes are before I had kids! They remove makeup in a flash, and are perfect for hair dye cleanup! I use them to clean up spills and remove marker from little hands. I plan on always having some in the house, even though we are pretty much done with diapers.

4// We have cold winters here in the Canadian Prairies, so warm boots are a necessity for 6 months of the year. It's a challenge to keep boots on a baby or toddler's feet - but a BC company called Stonz as a great solution for warm, waterproof, drawstring, soft booties that reach up to toddler sizes. They almost look like bags for your kids feet - but are so easy and useful. Eve wears a pair and they have held up very well. I would suggest this brand to any new parent.

5// Two words : Frozen Grapes. During Luke's second summer, my sister in law met us at a wading pool with a bag of snacks. It was a real scorcher of an afternoon. She pulled out a baggie of frozen grapes and I discovered that they are completely delicious! They stay frozen but aren't hard like ice, but rather slightly slushy and chewy. It's hard to describe, but if you haven't tried it, it's the perfect hot day snack to cool everyone off. Half them if your child is young enough to choke on a whole grape, it works just as well.

Find Jill here: Site | Instagram | Pinterest

FALL IN AUSTRALIA

Hi there, lovely Maiedae readers. I'm Shell and I blog over at Kitty & Buck. I'm a graphic designer, musician, ballerina, and cat wrangler. I currently live in Sydney, Australia, but I dream of traveling anywhere and everywhere. I've visited many parts of Australia, Japan, the U.K, France, Ireland, and over 22 states in the USA, but I'm always hungry for more! Today I'm celebrating fall with you, because even though I'm enjoying spring right now, I am feeling super envious of your snuggly clothes and beautiful foliage. I've designed some lettering around an Albert Camus quote to set the mood, and then there's some photos from my fall, back in May. I hope you enjoy them.

Thank you so much for having me, Savannah! I'm honoured to be here on your beautiful blog today. If anyone would like to say hello, you can always find me over at Kitty & Buck, I'd love to meet you :)

Thank you for sharing your autumn with us! Shell is one of Maiedae's featured sponsors for the month of October! If you would like to sponsor Maiedae during the holidays, visit my advertisement page here. :) Be back later with some more Halloween themed inspiration! 

DIY: "THE BIRDS" INSPIRED PILLBOX HAT

Hi, my name is Maddie Flanigan and I am the blogger behind Madalynne, the cool pattern making and sewing blog. If Steve McQueen was the "King of Cool", then Madalynne is the "Queen of Cool." Three to four times a week, I post about a myriad of subjects - tutorials on how to draft a sloper to interviews of independent pattern makers//designers and what projects I'm currently working on. For the past two and a half years, my day job has been in the technical design department for a very large fashion company in Philadelphia. A couple of months ago, this company took note of my personal blog and asked me to start and Intranet blog that would create a cohesive voice for all their brands. Cool, right? I consider myself one lucky gal to be able to do what I love both day and night (blog and sew), not to mention I receive a stellar discount off some really fancy clothes!

Enough about me though, let's talk Halloween! The holidays are my favorite time of year. Seriously, I kid you not. From early September to late January, I'm all about pumpkins, nutmeg, cinnamon, spice, evergreen, apples, red and green, and black and orange. All my senses - taste, touch, smell, sight, and sound - gobble up anything and everything holiday related. The first holiday, Halloween, is my least favorite of the holidays - I usually don't dress up - but I didn't want that to be the case this year. To get gung ho about October 31st, this sewing and pattern making geek did what she does best – make something… a Halloween costume.

Along with sewing and pattern making  old movies are another love of mine. If you're an old movie lover like me, then you are aware that Citizen Kane was recently knocked out of the number one spot for Vertigo. Vertigo is an Alfred Hitchcock movie. Rear Window, North By Northwest, and Strangers On A Train are all Alfred Hitchcock movies. Another one of his movies, and the inspiration for my Halloween costume is, The Birds. Starring Tippi Hedren, the movie chronicles a shi-shi San Francisco socialite who pursues a man to a small town that slowly takes a turn for the weird and bizarre when birds suddenly begin to attack people. The movie is not one of my favorites, but Tippi Hedren is and that's what I decided to be for Halloween.

Below, I show you how I created my Tippi Hedren costume. Surprisingly, it was very easy and quick - total assembly was less than two hours. Even a busy gal can carve out some time to make this number.

S U P P L I E S
* Hat ---> First, you will need a pillbox-type hat. Coincidentally, I owned one that I used for my costume. If you don’t own one, Etsy.com has many options.

* Tulle ---> I bought 1 yard of tulle and cut it into rectangular squares of varying shapes (see tutorial below). The color of the tulle should match the color of hat (if you want to mix it up though, go ahead and use a different color!)

* Needle & Thread ---> Depending on the thickness of your hat will determine what size needle needed (For me, a thinner needle is easier to sew through thick plys of any kind of fabric). Also, any type of thread – cotton or polyester – is okay. Just make sure the color of the thread matches the color of the hat and tulle (again, if you want to jazz it up, go ahead and use a different color!)

* Birds ---> I bought my birds at the dollar store. What was great about these birds was that wires were attached to the bottom of their feet, which meant attaching the birds to the hat was a cinch. If the birds you find don’t have wire attached to the feet, you will need to buy wire separately – you could use paper clips – or glue the birds to the hat. Etsy.com and any craft store will have birds. Cake toppers that are birds is also another option.

S T E P  B Y  S T E P
1// Attach birds to hat using glue or wire. I suggest trying on the hat beforehand to determine the placement of the birds

2// Begin sewing tulle to hat. Like I said before, I cut my tulle into rectangles of varying sizes. There was no rhyme or reason to the size I chose. Stitch once to secure and then start folding tulle in varying ways to create pleats that stick OUT and UP

3// Sew more pieces of tulle onto the hat, folding and pleating as desired and sewing one layer on top of each other, until the desired volume, size, and shape is achieved

4// Trim outer edges of tulle as needed to create desired volume, size, and shape

5// Ta-da! You’re finished!

Thank you, Maddie, for putting together this fantastic DIY! I LOVE the look of your hat and I can't wait to see pictures of your entire costume at the end of the month! 

FALL DAYDREAMS WITH ROOTS & FEATHERS

Hi, Maiedae readers! It's Laura from Roots and Feathers. I'm happy to be here in Savannah's little corner of the web world while she is taking a break. She is always so inspiring to me, as I'm sure she is to you guys as well, so it's an honor! Today, I'm sharing some Fall Daydream items. If I close my eyes and picture a perfect little fall day, this is what it would like...

Photo Source: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Thank you, Laura, for sharing your Fall Daydream with us!!! I always admire and love your sense of style. These photos make me crave autumn. I'm so thankful for this time of year. :) 

THE WONDER LIST'S GUIDE TO AUTUMN

Four times a year, we have a fresh beginning. Something new is in the air and it revives our spirits in a miraculous way. You find peace in the season’s traditions, encouragement in new experiences, and a refreshed wardrobe gets pulled from your winter storage bins. Just when you thought the hot summer days would last forever, the winds change and Old Man Winter gets nudged from slumber. It’s the most beautiful season of all, autumn.

The Wonder List suggests a few "musts" to take part in this season. These will bring the pumpkin spice latte cheer to you. From simple to extravagant, come and see that this season is good, very good.

Wonderlisters: Allie & Emily

1// Take a Bike Tour of your City ---> Wake up early on a Saturday and bike to your favorite coffee joint. Sailing down the roads with little traffic and the crisp air of the morning sun hitting your face… simply brilliant.

2// Buy a Pumpkin ---> Pumpkins = great investment for the season. Whether for your front stoop or to assist in a batch of roasted pumpkin seeds, this is a smart spend. Seeing a plump jack-o’-lantern brings back sentiments of autumns gone by.

3// Discover your Favorite Hot Drink ---> As the weather cools, we all crave something warm and tasty to sip on. Make a point to find the drink recipe that you love. Mix and match syrups, foams, and espressos to find the perfect cold-weather concoction and don’t be ashamed to order in bulk this season.

4// Put a Cozy Spin on your Home ---> Don’t just buy the typical cinnamon spice candle. Go a bit further and make your home a welcomed, warm place for the temperature. Purchase a new blanket, soft couch pillows, and fall wreath for your door. Check this off with a one stop-shopping trip at Target, highly suggested for the nine-to-five Wonderlister.

5// Frolic in the Leaves ---> They only fall once, so jump on the opportunity for some little-kid fun. Go with friends and enjoy a local park, making sure not to sprain an ankle from skewed leaf pile depth perception.

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Whatever you do this autumn, be sure to devise a plan of action in your mind. What do you love about this season? Enjoy special things that bring you joy, all while keeping traditions and taking new adventures.

- Emily & Allie

Thank you, sweet friends, for giving us a fantastic guide to autumn! Be sure to visit Emily and Allie on their blog The Wonder List for more inspiration!! 

5 Things with Elise Blaha

I'm Elise Blaha Cripe, though on the internet, I am mostly just known as Elise Blaha (this is the trouble with getting married after establishing an online presence.) :) I have been blogging for almost six years. I started in college because I wanted to share thoughts on trying to find a job I loved and talk about my adventures. Since then, my blog has grown and now I still talk a bit about adventures, but also share recipes, craft tutorials, and talk about running a small business. Through my blog, I was able launch my online shop and teach online workshops. I live in Southern California and am anxiously waiting for my husband to get home from Afghanistan. Here are two of my favorite posts about working from home : on self-employment and on motivation.

1. Write about what you know and like. ---> If you stay true to your interests, style, and self, your blog will always be authentic and real. Authenticity is attractive and readers will respect it. Plus-- it will be easy to stand behind what you say.

2. Interact with your readers. ---> I don't respond to every comment, but I do read and appreciate each and every one. I am careful to answer all questions as quickly as possible.

3. Focus on just one topic in each post. ---> Early on, I blogged about anything and everything each day. There wasn't much reason for it. But that was okay; I was growing as a writer and my readership was growing. Now, there are so many venues to share good blog posts (twitter, facebook, pinterest, etc.) and I think it's important that each post has a single topic. It makes it easy for your great ideas to be shared and linked and re-shared. If you have a fun craft tutorial and a great recipe, those should be two separate posts.

4. Try to establish a schedule. ---> I do my best to have a post ready to go live at 5am PST every Monday-Friday. I read a ton of blogs and I appreciate the ones that post consistently. Because of this, I try to provide the same for my readers. You don't have to post daily, but be sure to make time for writing and set a goal to get a few posts up a week.

5. Like everything else, inspiration comes and goes. ---> Some months, I feel like I have too much good stuff to say. My brain feels packed. My camera is full. My blog is bursting at the margins with good content. Other months, I agonize over what to write. I have realized that the key to getting through it is to keep writing. Always keep writing. Creativity is a muscle and the more you use it, the more you'll find. Don't get discouraged when you feel like all your ideas are used up; they will most certainly be back.

Find Elise Here: Blog  |  Shop  |  Pinterest  |  Twitter

This is great advice, Elise! I am definitely agreeing with you about #4: it's so important to schedule out your time, plan ahead, and get yourself on a routine. It makes for better quality posts AND a sense of peace about your time. :) -- AND if you haven't checked out Elise's shop, you should...it's a-maze-ing! 

5 Things with A is for Ampersand

Hello, all of you pretty MaieDae readers! My name is Amy, and I run a silly little blog called A is for Ampersand. By day, I'm a graphic designer for a local Apple specialist, as well as the blog outreach coordinator for Blowfish Shoes. But by night, I like to blog about thrifty adventures and pretend I'm a career thrifter and vintage connoisseur. I love cats and music far more than is socially acceptable and spend most of my days galavanting in our 1984 Westfalia Vanagon.

When Savannah asked me to guest post here about staying inspired, I realized it was exactly what I needed as I was having trouble with it myself. I recently made the big switch from full time, at my graphic design job, to part time so I could focus on my other endeavors--Blowfish, my shop, freelancing, living life. It was all very exciting but very hard to find the all-important life balance. I still firmly believe that life is too short to waste away doing things you despise, so I worked hard to balance it all out and find ways to stay inspired so I could excel in each aspect of my professional life. While none of these tips are anything special, they are what help me time after time to refresh my creative side and stay productive and inspired.

1. Write it ALL down ---> This is something a lot of bloggers write about and there's a good reason-- writing clears the mind. Whether it's writing down your to-do list, things that inspire you, or ideas for future blog posts//products, WRITE IT DOWN. I can't stay inspired when my mind is cluttered, so when my mind won't stop running, I take the time to write it all down, get it out, and refocus. And if you're an avid writer, you might want to check out 750 words--a site based on the book The Artist's Way. You can learn more about it there, but it's a fantastic daily exercise to keep a clear head. In fact, if you're really interested in experiencing a creative revolution, I HIGHLY recommend trying out The Artist's Way. It's pretty intensive and hippy dippy, but it works and I'm a huge fan.

2. Get in your zone with music you love ---> I can't work without music--it just won't happen. As a music junkie, I try to remember that not everyone is as motivated by music as I am, but music can be a powerful inspirational tool. It might seem silly, but when I find myself in a designer rut, I have my go-to bands that always somehow make working in Illustrator that much easier and magic ensues. (Radiohead, Deerhunter, CocoRosie, Arcade Fire, Animal Collective.) Spotify is a great app for finding new music and making playlists to get you going.


3. Take time for your hobbies ---> I learned this the hard way-- take time for the things you love! I can't express to you the importance of setting time apart for doing things that mean something to you. When you own your own business, it is so easy to fall into the guilt trap of working constantly because your computer and phone are right there--don't do it. Set apart time each day//week for free time to do the things that interest you on a personal level. Doing so will only rejuvenate you and refresh you for the work ahead. Nobody can work forever!

4. Try a new form of inspiration ---> As much as I love Pinterest, and as good as I think it is for inspiration, it's far too easy to fall into the comparison game. Spending too much time on these sites can easily lead to feelings of inadequacy--it's exhausting to see so many perfect things in one place! Trust me. Rather than relying on the internet, try finding inspiration elsewhere-- nature, art museums, drives, music, fashion, thrifting, whatever. Take some time away from the screen to be in the moment and remember that there is life past work and the internet. Look at things differently and see how you can apply what you see to you work.


5. Become an autodidact ---> One of the greatest things about the internet is that we can learn virtually whatever we want to do. I am a self-taught designer--I started doing it almost 10 years ago and have constantly pushed to learn more. If there's an aspect of your small business that you feel needs improving, take it upon yourself to get out there and learn it--google it, get some books from the library, and teach yourself. The beauty of being an autodidact is you have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain. And I find that the more skills I learn, the more inspired I am in every aspect of my career. New skills lead to new ideas, which all leads to feeling empowered and continually inspired.

Whew. Lengthy post! But I sincerely believe in all of those things and have learned the hard way with many of them. Staying inspired always helps me live in the moment, and that's something I find so incredibly important in this day and age where workaholics are the norm and everything runs at a frenzied pace. Thank you so much to all of you for sticking with me and joining in on the quest to stay fulfilled and inspired. You can always come and visit me on my blog or join me on Twitter. I'd love to visit with you! What are your tips for staying inspired?

Find Amy Here: Blog  |  Shop  |  Twitter

Thank you so much Amy!! I love the new resources you suggested, I can't wait to take a look at Spotify and The Artist's Way!

5 Things with Tea Talk

Hello everyone! My name is Chelsea and I run the Tea Talk blog! I am a personal style and lifestyle blogger, girlfriend, Grad school student, freelance journalist, and local business supporter. Amazing coffee and the hope of a beautiful day gets me out of bed every day!

My blog focuses on fashion, as it applies to my family, which can be seen through my daily outfit posts, and also about the places I go and things I do in the Phoenix Metropolitan area. I chose the topic of blogging to share with you today because it's what I feel I know best. I've been blogging since junior high (over ten years ago), and see blogging as such a large, and important part of my life. I hope my tips on blogging can be beneficial and that you can take away something (big or small) from reading them. Happy blogging!

1. Stay true to yourself! ---> Trust me, if you're not acting like who you really are on your blog, readers will see right through you. It always pays off to be open and honest!

2. Be friendly! ---> Readers and other bloggers love it when you leave sweet comments on their blog posts. A nice comment can turn someone's whole day around!

3. Stay connected! ---> A huge part of blogging is networking with other bloggers, readers, and companies you might want to work with. Stay connected by blogging often, tweeting with your peers, replying to emails, and leaving comments on other blogs!

4. Be consistent! ---> Readers love knowing that every weekday they can find a new blog post up or know exactly what they can expect to find on your blog (outfits, stories of your daily life, recipes, etc.). Being consistent is one of the best ways you can stay in touch with your readers, and is so important to the life of your blog.

5.  Have fun! ---> Blogging is all about sharing your own creative ideas. If you're not having fun with your posts, you won't enjoy blogging as much and might see it as a chore. Only blog about what you're comfortable with and keep it fun! Readers love to read about fun things going on in your life, or what your newest obsession is! Keep it fun!

Find Chelsea Here: Blog   |   Twitter   |   Chictopia   |   Bloglovin

Thanks so much, Chelsea! This is great advice and a fantastic way to kick off our "5 Things" post series! Be back tomorrow with another great post about staying inspired!