Whatever Is Lovely: A Book Review

In case you've missed it, adult coloring books are all the rage lately. For someone who has never stopped coloring regardless of age, via doodling, crafting, or downright busting out old coloring books, this trend is one that I'm glad to see sticking around.

Whatever Is Lovely: An Adult Coloring Book for Reflection and Worship, is a beautifully designed option for those who want to bust out their crayons or colored pencils. That being said, it offers a few extra bonuses that many others do not.

First, it offers you some alone time with the Gospel and God. I don't know about you, but my hectic life is basically begging for some extra alone time with God. Sometimes it's hard to carve that time out, but it's extra alluring to do so by using this book. The scripture and words bring about a sense of peace, especially while coloring and looking at the same loving words over and over.

Secondly, it's a curated collection filled with various artists, quotes, and scripture. So it's not just one viewpoint or story line or even the same types of pictures over and over. The variety makes it extra special. Each time you turn a page feels like a surprise, and honestly each one is so detailed and stunning.

Whether it's early morning, or late at night, "Whatever is Lovely" will bring you joy.

This book was provided to me via Blogging for Books, and the review reflects my honest opinion.

Book Review: Why Not Me? by Mindy Kailing

Let's be clear about one thing: I am obsessed with this book. Mindy Kailing's "Why Not Me?" is the perfect read for every young entrepreneur, actress, or human being. Scratch that, it's the perfect read for anyone of any age who needs a great laugh or has big dreams.

Mindy's writing style is candid, blunt, witty, dry, and hilarious. She tells stories so well that it feels like you're listening to your best friend catch you up on the latest in her love life and career. She has a great way of not taking herself or the business seriously, and as a young actress who works closely with a lot of other artists, it's so refreshing and a great reminder to be the same way.

She also speaks volumes to women, encouraging them to adopt the lifestyle and thinking of "why not me?", instead of holding themselves back or worrying their dreams won't come to pass. For someone so successful, she's easily able to relate to, and really does stir up a feeling of knowing that I can live out my dreams, too. I definitely had a point where I felt "wait a second, why not me? I can totally do this!" which is empowering and awesome. I particularly love the section where she talks about her tv show being cancelled. Any other human would have been knocked down a bit or felt defeated, and instead she simply decided something amazing would happen and The Mindy Project would stay in production. And it did! Almost immediately. As a reader, you learn so much about her mindset, consistent positive thinking, and her spirit that simply can't be defeated. Mindy Kailing is surely someone to look up to.

If you love celebrity news or insider info as to the on-goings of Hollywood or the behind-the-scenes of a TV show, this book is for you. She certainly doesn't gossip, but tells great stories about the people and experiences she's found herself working with. Stand out stories include visits to the White House, and what it's like in the writers room of The Mindy Project.

I love Mindy Kailing, and admire her even more after reading "Why Not Me?". If you read it, let me know what you think!

This review is part of Bloggers for Books, and the book "Why Not Me?" was given to me in exchange for my honest review.

remember: mustard seed coaching has moved here: www.lovemustardseedco.com 

Everyday Detox: Why I'm Obsessed with this Book

I'm obsessed with this book. Let's be clear here: I'm not a person you'll find cooking in the kitchen on a daily basis. I'd like to be but haven't quite gotten there yet. Upon learning that I need to give up a few more food categories, this time finally sucumbing to releasing my beloved gluten and sugar, I saw this book and immediately requested a copy. My love for sugar and bread and pasta runs deep, friends. Deep. But my love for being healthy ends up inching past as the winner in the end. Enter in this delicious book.

Aside from being gluten free, sugar free, and caffeine free (I'm failing at this, let's just be real), I'm also vegan. This makes me weary of cookbooks in general as most don't support alternative eating habits, like being vegan, unless the cover boldly states VEGAN is large, usually cool, letters. Megan easily and seamlessly incorporates options for all sorts of eaters by having simple "add this and ditch that to make it vegan" or "this simple swap out will make it great for dairy free friends", and so on (these are not direct quotes, mind you, but a generalization of her inclusion). This not only makes me excited to read each recipe but gives me a sense of belonging, which many cookbooks do not.

If the recipes don't grab you, her easy explanation of a healthy approach to eating will absolutely pull you in. The simple system is not a diet at all, but a smart way to let your body process foods easier and better than it currently can. As someone who firmly believes that what we put into our bodies affects not only our health but our moods, productivity, complexion and so on, I love the simplistic approach and her helpful lists. And if that doesn't pull you in, the pictures surely will. You may want to lick the pages (I did not), or find yourself staring with love and admiration (I absolutely did).

My first up to try are the Cauliflower Pizza Crust and the Vegan Mac N Cheese, along with any of her healthy juices. Don't be intimidated by eating healthy or natural foods. Let Megan and her fabulous book guide you on the journey.

___
Please note I received this book from Blogging for Books for free, in exchange for my honest review.
photos via detoxinista.com

Better Than Before: A Book Review

A friendly reminder that my website is now www.lovemustardseedco.com, where you can find all the info on coaching, workshops, products, and more!

And now, for a book review!
____
Something so many of us are unaware of is our habits and how they are shaping our lives. In "Better Than Before", Gretchen Rubin challenges us to identify our habits, and alter the ones that are not helping us live our best lives.




As someone who is obsessed with personal growth, and with challenging myself to remove and restructure anything that isn't helping me become the person I know I was born to be, this book lit my eyes up like a firework on the fourth of July. Habits? Change? Growth? Living better?! I was so in.

Ms. Rubin calls us first to identify ourselves as one of four "types" she lays out as Upholders, Questioners, Obligers, and Rebels (for the record, I'm a blend of Rebel and Questioner). Using this information, she helps us understand how we work and how to begin making new choices, having new conversations (both in our heads and with others), and living fuller, happier lives. She also uses the tactic of "me too" by sharing personal struggles and triumphs, along with anecdotal stories that help examples come alive.

While I loved this book, and was strongly drawn to the design, I had the same experience with this as I did with her first book, The Happiness Project. I found myself getting a little distracted and feeling like sections were slightly being stretched out, and putting both books down for awhile before picking that up again. That being said, I ultimately went back to both and am glad I did.

Anytime someone wants to grow and change for the better, it should be applauded and supported. In this book, Gretchen Rubin does both, along with providing strategies to make those changes and create better habits to be, well, better than before.

I was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions!

Mustard Seed Reads: "To You; Love God"

I absolutely love "To You; Love, God". Not only is the cover and layout simple and beautiful, the message is heartfelt and clear. This book provides a daily inspirational paragraph to set the tone for your day (and I find it's best enjoyed with a cup of coffee or tea). The best part is that it's set out by date but not by year so you can come back year after year to view and re-read the messages.

There are sections for each month such as "Do" and "Love" that neatly package the messages in accordance with the monthly theme. If you feel you need motivational calls to action, hop to a section that is more active. If you need some comfort and kindness, find a section that matches.

This book can be shared with anyone, regardless of age, and would make a great book to read out loud to little ones at the start or end of a day. It's a great gift, again, really for anyone, and will surely be appreciated by all. I would absolutely buy this as a gift for friends or family. In a world that seems overwhelmed with chaos, pain, confusion, and frustration, being able to give someone a bit of peace and love and kindness is a true blessing.

Check out  To You; Love, God: A Year of Daily Guidance and Inspiration Straight from the Source and let me know how you like it!

**I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I never post anything other than what I honestly believe. Thanks for your support of this content so I can continue to provide you with exciting new books to read!

Time to Rise & Shine

Morning is my absolute favorite time of day. While I don't do it often, I love waking up early and using the time to refresh, check in on how I'm feeling and where I'm at, and set the standards for the day to come.

Morning routines are a quick and easy way to set the tone for your day, and make very big life changes with small steps. My morning routine starts with a 20-minute meditation. Well, no, back it up. My morning routine starts with feeling some puppy eyes staring at me waiting for me to wake up. Henry is the first one up and he can hardly contain himself with enthusiasm for the day. As soon as he sees my eyes open, he rolls onto his back to get his morning belly rub and we play a few rounds of "catch mommy's hand", which is a fan favorite around here. After Hen and I have our time together, Layla slowly makes her way from sleeping to sitting up to flopping over to me where she keeps her eyes shut and a big smile on her face while I scratch her ears until she falls back asleep.

As I write this, I realize even my dogs have a morning routine! Even more motivation for you to set one up.

Up next comes teeth brushing, my meditation, morning prayers and reading a chapter in my current 40-day devotional and by then the dogs have run downstairs to pee on their pee-pads and start eating breakfast, and have run back up to see what the heck is taking me so long.

This is when I first check my phone, and at the most I'll look at instagram. That's it. No email, no facebook, no internet, nothing else. Waking up without your technology in your face is crucial to the start of your day. You know what is usually in my emails? People needing things. If I haven't taken care of myself yet, how can I start to give to others? If you hop right on facebook then the very first thing you're doing is seeing what other people are up to (hello comparison), reading upsetting news going on in the world, or taking in other people's frustrations (don't act like you don't have friends who use facebook as their platform to complain about every traffic jam, burnt bagel, and bad dream). We don't need that first thing in the morning - or really, ever, so go on ahead and delete those constant complainers.

Next up is brewing a cup of tea or hitting the button on my bff Mr. Keurig for some delicious coffee, finding some breakfast, and playing fetch for a few minutes with Hen, who by now is basically leaping around, pushing his toys toward me. If I've got the time, this is also when I stretch.

This point is where my days veer off. I might throw on workout clothes and take the dogs out, I might hop right in the shower to get to auditions or callbacks, or I might be getting on skype and start coaching clients (which, yes, I often do with that tea or coffee in my hand, pjs still on). However, the beauty of my morning routine means even though every single day is different, with so many uncertainties, I've created stability and structure for myself before I jump into anything else. If you have a ton of structure and a day job you go to daily, you can create a morning routine to fulfill your other wants outside of your job. Maybe this is when you journal, paint, or write that best selling novel. Maybe it's when you get to the gym. Need more ideas? Here's a list of suggestions for you on how to rock out your morning routine:

• pray
• journal
• meditate
• stretch
• make tea or coffee
• cook a real breakfast that takes longer than grabbing a protein bar or donut
• spend time with your partner, kids, parents, pets, or whoever else makes you smile
• read a newspaper, magazine, book, or daily inspiration/devotional
• take a long shower
• go for a run, do a dvd/youtube workout, or hit the gym early
• write a blog post
• pursue your creative passions or dreams
• write out three goals for the day
• make a clear intention statement for your day

What does your morning look like? I'd love to hear your routines either here in the comments or over on instagram. Remember: YOU are in charge of your day. Not your facebook friends, family, co-workers, weather, or whatever else we can choose to blame. Shape your day how you want it, and start with the morning :)

love, mustard seed co

Doggie Gift Round-Up; Or, Things I Want for H & L

Sometimes when I really need to zone out, I play a game called "look at dog related things". I have another version for baby/toddler clothing, and that addiction is really out of hand but definitely pays off when in need of a baby gift. I digress. So after a round of looking at things I want for me or my (fur) kids, I thought I'd share for anyone else obsessed with their furry little man or lady.
 
1. This necklace from Tamed & Awesome.

2. One of these bowties for Sir Henry Elliot the Great. This shop donates to National Mill Dog Rescue, too!

3. And this art print (customized with a Henry and a Layla, of course) because are you kidding me?

4. This lady bug collar/flower set, which is ever so delightful for a little Layla Ladybugger.

5. And two of these nose-print necklaces, thank you very much.

Okay, doggie mamas, what say you? What's the best pet present you've gotten or given?

Worth It; Or, Another Lesson from Layla June

 

print found here

I posted an instagram the other day about Miss Layla June's tendency to throw middle of the night one-pup parties. She's the organizer of the event, and the only one who knows about it ahead of time. She rests up all day so that somewhere around 2 am she decides it's time to play. She crawls on my head, plays with my hair, sneezes and hacks up furballs, fluffs the blankets, bothers Henry, and jumps on and off the bed several times.

Layla June is not what I expected that sunshiney Saturday in Hollywood when we first met. My sweet, gentle darling was a ninja in secret, waiting until I signed the adoption papers to really get comfortable. That being said, she is a blessing and a gift to me in countless ways. Every time she drives me crazy or does something naughty, it really doesn't matter in the end. Her love outweighs her frustrating qualities. It's hard, but she's worth it.

That got me thinking: isn't everything great in this world part of that category? The things we never expected to be so hard, or take so long, or be so challenging, very often tend to be even better than we expected and totally worth it. I asked on instagram and got answers like:

• "My 3 month old daughter! She's not at all what I expected and neither is motherhood! It's harder than I could have imagined and yet it's totally worth it, like you said!"
• "Marriage! Even the second time around. We have to be careful of the fairytales that tell us at the end of the live story we live happily ever after. We have to work on the in between."
• "Recovering from brain surgery. I thought I'd be done by now and instead, I'm still in the thick of it. I had convinced myself that it was all about attitude but evidently my body disagrees."  
• "Madison. Madison is harder than I ever assumed and she's only a dog." 

That last one is from a fellow dog mama and made me laugh quite a bit.  But LOOK at these answers. These are hard things. Marriage, raising another human, recovering from brain surgery for goodness sake. Hard things that are so much more worth it than we imagined.

In our insta-everything world, we very often want what we want when we want it, like, right now. Now! Immediately! How great would it be if babies came potty trained, or we all instinctively knew how to do the things we want to pursue, or degrees were able to be picked off trees? Great, yes, but also kind of sad. It's in the earning, the navigating of these struggles, that we find the deeper joy in what we want.

Pursuing an acting career is one of the hardest things I've ever done. Luckily. But it is so much harder and more complicated than I thought it would be. For years (yeaaarrrss) I have wanted to be a part of Pilot Season, the time when all new tv shows are pitched and a pilot is made to determine if it will be a new show on a network. This year is the first year I am auditioning for pilots. Guess what? It's not at all what my conceptual idea of it was. I dreamed of pilot season as a time where I'd be in LA, driving from studio to studio, glamorous, looking great, and it being so simple. The reality of it is an insane amount of work and memorizing pages of lines very quickly, rushing from audition to audition, putting myself on tape nonstop to be sent to LA production teams. Last week, I even hid when I saw another audition come in. And yet, it's totally worth it.

Then there's Love. The conceptual idea of love is ever so delightful, right? Raising two rescue dogs out of their fears and behaviors continues to be incredibly challenging, and yet - so much love. Unconditional love. So worth the frustrations. Loving other people is not always an easy piece of cake but we know that's it's worth it in the end. A friend once told me he wanted to be wealthy, or at least set financially, before meeting anyone to be in a relationship with. I noted how much more it might mean to build up a life together, to grow side by side into success and wealth, that he didn't have to be "perfect" before allowing love into his heart. You'd have thought I just explained the meaning of life, his eyes got so wide. And yet, how often do we see folks in their 20's and 30's pushing off serious relationships until they get their lives "together", or have more money, or a higher title in the office, or some kind of success. In the meantime, they give up on people who they really care about and are missing the experience of something that, yes, can be really hard, yet is really incredible and worth navigating. Our expectations of relationships and what they're "supposed" to look like crush the chance of real love before we're even out of the gate. We can't control the order in which we are given things in our lives. But we can embrace each one with it's unique struggles and triumphs. Walking away from the hard things guarantees missing out on lessons and love carved out just for you.

It can seem tempting to give up on your dreams, your loved ones, your monetary goals, that crazy idea you have in the back of your head, but don't. If it's really hard, it's definitely worth it. And when you get those little glimpses of the light at the end of the tunnel, it makes it easier to keep going. Let each blessing hidden in your struggle turn into a stepping stone to launch you to the next step along the journey.

Okay, you tell me: what's something that has been unexpectedly hard in your life but is totally worth it? And if you have any hints on getting a Chihuahua-Ninja to sleep through the night, I'll take those, too ;) 

Vegan Holiday Deliciousness (for non-vegans, too!)

For any vegan, the holidays can be stressful and result in eating lots of random side dishes. Most traditional holiday meals include meats, fish, and dairy products in sides, such as milk in mashed potatoes, a cheese filled pasta dish, or creamed vegetables. This can cause quite a dilemma when filling up one's plate.

Enter the Vegan Holiday Cooking from Candle Cafe cookbook. This book is filled with beautiful images that will make your mouth water and recipes that are easy to follow and exciting to make for your next get-together. More over, they cover all sorts of holidays. Upon seeing the title of the book, I assumed there would only be recipes for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah, and perhaps a Birthday celebration. Vegan Holiday Cooking from Candle Cafe covers every holiday from Super Bowl celebrations to Passover Sedar to Cinco de Mayo. The authors, and owners of the Candle Cafe restaurants, clearly put a lot of thought and time into creating the book and considering all varieties of vegans. For each holiday category, there's at least one beverage, appetizer, main dishes, and deserts.

The common belief about vegans is that we eat "rabbit food" like lettuce, carrots, and vegetables. It's simply not true! Vegans love everything that non-vegans like to eat, only we prefer ours with non-animal based ingredients. With all the options available to vegans, we can enjoy things like ice cream sandwiches and pizza and meatball subs, all without any ingredients that either don't work with our bodies, allergies, or moral opinions. Some of the recipes that really stood out to me in this yummy book are French Toast Coffee Cake, Pecan Pie with Cinnamon Ice Cream, Wheat Ball Heros, and Sweet Potato Latkes. Yum!

The only reason I gave this book 4.5 stars is because some of the recipes are a little tricky to make, and/or require equipment or products that I didn't have or couldn't find. However, I do feel with a little extra effort or a more stocked kitchen than an apartment of a 20-something year old, the recipes would be easy to make in all aspects.




As a New Yorker that loves to go to the Candle Cafe restaurants whenever possible, I can't wait to try every single recipe in this book! If you're a vegan, or love a vegan, definitely check it out! Happy Celebrating and get to cooking!

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Choosing the Tea (and other important choices)

 

We have a Keurig in our house now. Do you know the joy that a Keurig brings? With the quick push of a button, you have yourself a hot beverage. In the morning, when it's cold, and you still don't have your contacts in, this is the kind of invention that makes you know for certain God loves you. Naturally, I decided now was a great time to start drinking coffee (well, start again, after drinking it most of my childhood, but that's a story for another day). It was so easy and so delicious and within days, I found myself feeling like making tea in the kettle was too much of a hassle.

I'm going to write that one more time: I found myself feeling like making tea was too much of a hassle. Uh, what now? Tea? The thing that involves water and a few minutes? Hm.

Just now, I went downstairs to make some chamomile tea before bed, and found my eyes instantly wandering to the Keurig and the hot chocolate K-cups sitting next to it. And this was when I realized I had a choice: do what I know is best for me and for my body, even though it would take a few extra minutes, or do the faster, not so good for me option.

I chose the tea.

I've found myself interested in paying attention to my choices and habits lately. What are the things that I frequently do that don't serve me? What do I purposefully choose to do that keeps me from living my best life? Why am I making those choices? And how can I easily fix them? Let's look at a few (and this is some real talk, friends):

1. I choose to go to sleep very late at night and therefore sleep in very late in the morning.
I'm a morning person. If you know me in real life, you're probably crying from laughter, as nearly every day, I sleep until whenever I want to. Without a set schedule, unless I have an early morning audition or coaching, I can wake up as late as 11 without blinking an eye. Since I'm choosing to stay up super late at night, I'm making it so I'm too tired to get up early. It's easy to let netflix keep playing episode after episode. It's easy to distract myself by scrolling on instagram for hours. It's easy to declare I'm most productive after midnight. You know what takes a little work? Getting to bed earlier. Turning off the computer. Putting the phone down. Not eating sugary snacks or drinking anything caffeinated later in the day. Choosing to get a good night's rest so I can wake up ready to take on the world. That's a little harder, choosing what's best for me.

2. I choose to eat poorly, quickly, or not at all. It's so darn easy to microwave something, and if it says vegan on the front it can totally make you think you're eating something healthy. It's easy to pick up take out, especially in New York City where whatever you want is at your fingertips. It's a little harder to take the time to plan meals in advance, go grocery shopping, and prepare a healthy dinner for yourself. And if we're talking breakfast (aka I'm late, I have to run out the door, oh this doughnut looks great) or lunch (sitting at a desk, more take out, skipping it entirely, a diet coke counts right, etc), well we can just forget it. You know how great you feel when you're eating whole foods, making fresh juices or herbal teas, and generally not eating anything that comes in a cardboard box? Yeah, me too. It's awesome. And we can feel like that all the time. It's about making the choice to.

3. I choose to put things off. Another favorite habit is "I'll just do that later". The laundry is ready to be folded? I'll just do that later. There's 46 new emails in my inbox? I'll just do that later. The dogs would probably really like to go romp in the park a little? I'll just do that later with a side of guilt please. I have things that I've been saying I'll do later from, like, October. And from last summer. And some from 2007. It's easy to say we'll take care of something later on or tomorrow, but the truth is we're just choosing to be lazy. I love lazy. If there was a Queen crowned of laziness it would be me. But you know what feels even better than laying on a comfy couch? Actively taking care of the things in your life. My newest rule is if it would take me less time to just do the darn thing than it would to stand there and debate if I should do it now or later, just do it. When my coat is thrown over a chair and needs to be hung up, that will take like 8 seconds total. Getting the mail? Maybe a minute, plus Henry loves to get the mail. Which leads me to taking the dogs on a walk. If I don't take the dogs out (they're potty pad trained so it's always an option, plus Layla doesn't do cold, rain, or snow), I will literally feel bad the entire rest of the day. Have you ever seen the World's Most Handsome Dog staring out the window longingly? Of course you haven't because then you would be in my house and that would be creepy, but let me tell you, it will break your heart. I've spent hours trying to explain storms to Henry to no avail ("stoooooorm. make boom-boom-boom noises. it's wet. weTTTT. no walk in thunderstorm. do you understand what mommy is saying?"). If I just get up off my Queen Lazy butt and take them out for 10 minutes, we're all incredibly happier.

These are just three examples, but I'll bet they resonate. Why do we do this? I've been writing and analyzing on this for about a week now and I keep ending up at the same place: we're scared to live our best lives. We're scared to hold ourselves accountable to really living. We're scared to not have anything to complain about. We're also not so sure we're good enough or worth so much effort. After all, we're messy, flawed, mistake-making humans. Why should we be good to ourselves when most days we're mad at ourselves? Because we deserve it. You and I deserve our best lives. It is really scary to get what you want. It's really scary to change and grow beyond our current limit. We grow past people, and that's scary. We grow out of jobs, and that's scary. We grow so much we find ourselves in new cities, new homes, new relationships, new careers. And it's so scary. But the alternate, the staying stuck, the "this is okay, I guess" feeling, is so much worse. And so very permanent.

This week I'm challenging myself to make very small changes that will potentially produce big results. I'm planning to go to bed by 11, no computer, phone, or social media at all, and am challenging myself to hit a list of daily tasks that I mostly always do but sometimes skip, such as meditating twice a day, stretching, taking the dogs out twice, and some other things. Will it work? We'll find out. Take a look around at your own habits this week. What do you do to stop yourself from living your best life? Why are you doing it? Is it easily fixable? Let's talk here or on instagram, and start making better choices together.

Mustard Seed Sessions: Britt Douglas

I'm so excited to be sharing this interview with you! Britt is a hard-working, inspiring, beautiful woman who is the voice behind Gallery No. Eight. Hailing from Toronto, she creates and designs websites, prints, and the girl can seriously do her nails. Check out her instagram and make sure to follow along as she and I are hosting a fun giveaway to go along with this interview!

 

MSCo: What's a day in your life like?

BD: I usually try and wake up between 6:30-7, have a little quiet time, then breakfast, and then get my bum over to my desk usually between 8-9am. Lunch is usually around noon, and after that I'll work again until around 3-4pm. I like to step away from my computer in the evenings, but after dinner I will occasionally pop back over just to finish up a few things. Every day is different in terms of what I'm working on, but it's always a mix of client work, blog work & so many emails!

MSCo: What prompted you to start your business?

BD: After starting my blog, I started playing around with it's design & found I really enjoyed it. Design has always been a love of mine, and blog design was the perfect mix of art & 'science' for me. I helped a friend out with her blog, and it grew from there. I now offer branding in addition to web design, and am thinking of opening up a little print shop in 2015 :)

MSCo: Is your business your full time job? If not, what else do you do? If yes, how long were you doing it before it became full time?

BD: Yes, I work for myself full time. When I graduated university, I'd already been working at this for a few months. I did apply to other jobs & even internships, but never heard back from any of them. I took that as a sign to continue doing what I was already doing & just grew it from there.

MSCo: What would you tell your 20-year old self? 

BD: To work hard at what I want, and to take more chances. I remember discovering the youtube beauty scene in 2009, and was thisclose to starting a channel. I'm still kicking myself for not!

MSCo: What's the worst job you've ever had?

BD: I can't say that I've had too many bad jobs in my life (so far!), and even the ones I didn't enjoy I definitely learned from, so I try & look at it from that perspective. (Boring answer I know!)

MSCo: What's the best piece of advice you've ever gotten?

BD: This quote: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/309485-nobody-tells-this-to-people-who-are-beginners-i-wish

MSCo: What's the hardest part about pursuing a "non-traditional" career? The best part?

BD: I think the initial reaction from family & friends was the toughest - they just didn't see it as a 'job' and didn't understand what I did. And that frustrated me for a while, but I started 'inviting' them into my process more, and talking about my work & what was going well, what wasn't, etc, and I think they slowly began to 'get it' :) The best part is definitely my work environment. I work by myself, in a nice quiet space, and that is absolutely my best working condition. I know that isn't the case for everyone (and some just won't understand! To those I suggest reading 'Quiet' by Susan Cain :) ), but I really do my best work alone, in a quiet space.

 

 

 

 

MSCo: What or who inspires you?

BD: Gosh - tough question! I think people who constantly explore and push and discover new methods and ideas and designs - that's incredibly inspiring. And I think genuine authenticity is beautiful - not hiding behind perfectly styled shots (although I must admit to be guilty of that!), but people who are so able to open up their hearts & share, that always gets me.

 

Thanks so much, Britt! Make sure to check out her blog, and join us on Instagram to enter to win one of her gorgeous Love Deeply or Psalm 23 Prints!

And Then 24 Hours Later.

// Let me tell you about this day.

It was so chaotic. An early start, freezing cold weather, my phone going off seemingly nonstop. I was trying to answer every single text and call, my hands shaking with frustration, my head ready to explode. A ton of subway rides uptown and back downtown. So much to do, so much pressure. An audition where I was recording take after take after take convinced I was sucking so hard. A meeting where I was convinced I worse than suck, I'm boring, and ugly, and all sorts of painful thoughts. Even more texts and calls. Walking home, tears falling out of my eyes, the phone glued to my ear, and words tumbling out like "it's too much, I'm so overwhelmed, I'm so frustrated".

It was an ordeal.


// Let me tell you about this day.

It was filled with lots of awesome. An early start, chilly weather meant lots of layers, and my phone going off nonstop. I responded briefly with boundaries and non-negotiable sentences. I did what I could and ignored the rest because they could wait. A ton of subway rides up and down town, thinking about how cool it is that just two stops apart can feel like a whole other world, and how different the financial district feels from uptown. So much to do, so much excitement. An audition where I recorded take after take after take thinking that they really like me, enjoying the variety and getting to play with text. A meeting where I felt light and easy and made the other person laugh, enjoying their company and conversation. Being authentic to who I am and asking questions that matter. Walking home, hot chocolate in hand, laughing over how cold I am and praying for the people and animals stuck outdoors tonight, thanking God I had a home to go to.

It was an adventure.


Day 1 was yesterday. Day 2 was today. No difference other than a state of mind. I had an audition and a meeting on both days. I had certain other identical tasks on both days. You get to choose every day which route to go, ordeal or adventure. It's not based on the circumstances or the other people. Other people and lots of circumstances can suck, they just do. It doesn't mean you have to let them take you down.

Lately, more and more I hate the phrase "choose to be happy". Fuck that shit, most people have no idea how to actively choose to be happy. Moreover, I think it's insulting and frustrating to people who honestly cannot choose happiness, making them feel like less of a person because they think others can wake up and simply say "and today I'll be happy!", when they are fighting a war daily just to get out of bed. But here's what I fully support: choose to learn how to choose happiness. Learn how to navigate your state of mind, and know the navigation tools are different for everyone. Some people need a learned practice, some people need prayer, some people need exercise, some need all three, some need none of the above. Find out what you need and learn how to utilize it to your advantage so you can make the choice to have the adventure every day, so you can choose this day, so you can choose yourself, so you can then choose happiness. Fight like hell to learn what you need so that you can go from day 1 above to day 2 above in less than a handful of hours. Fight like hell for your right to be happy. The ordeal is bullshit, the adventure is real.

You're A Sponge (Soak Carefully)

I woke up this morning kind of blah. Not sad, nothing was wrong, I had gotten plenty of sleep, but just blah. I spent a bit of time figuring out what happened and within minutes I got it.

1. I saw a musical last night that was sort of emotionally overwhelming. It was a lot of sad situations and a lot of talking about wondering about the 'what-ifs' in life.
2. The last conversations I had last night and the first this morning were of negative context. Not anything bad just the regular eye-rolling type of stuff.
3. I had a phone call to make that made me a little nervous. Again, nothing serious, something great actually, but the fear of the unknown was there.

1 + 1 + 1 = oh no, let's go back to bed!

We MUST be careful with what we take in. We have to be (bonus points if you hear Tom Hanks in You've Got Mail saying "she has to be! she has to be!"). You are your own advocate for your life. What you read, watch, say, think, talk about, hear, and absorb directly affect you.

It's often easy to forget that the people we encounter daily affect us the most. It's definitely easy to forget that griping or complaining or finding common things to sigh over, is not acceptable. And here's why that's tricky: the general consensus of society is that it IS acceptable! And you better join in! No. No, no, no. If the people you deal with are bringing you down, do something about it. If they're super important people so you can't just peace out on them (you know, family, friends, loved ones, etc), then start changing the way you speak and allow to be spoken to. If the agreement you have going is that you both listen to each other talk about all the harrddd things in your liiiiffe, make a new agreement. Shoot, you don't even have to tell them. Just start talking about different things, be positive, give compliments, share what you're excited about. They'll step up. You are a sponge. What you soak up, gets in. Soak carefully.

You were not put on this planet to be upset. You were not given this gift of a new day to complain or feel bad for yourself. Figure out what's causing your wah-wahs, do something about it, and choose to make today amazing. Okay, ready? Go!

Words That Matter

Some recent testimonials from clients. Every time an email like this shows up in my inbox, I'm blown away. We're in this together, friends. Spread kindness, help where you can, use your gifts, believe in each other, let's go, let's go, let's go.

Dogs In Church

When I got to church yesterday, there was a massive St. Bernard pup sprawled out on the floor leading up the aisle I tend to sit off of. If you know me, you know this made. my. whole. day. I wanted to curl up on the floor with him (or her), but I felt like the owners might not be into it so I sat a few rows up.

It reminded me of something I wrote last summer, which I am copying and pasting below. Also it gives me an excuse to post photos of my babies ;)

Lastly, make sure to enter my current giveaway with Instead of Ashes! Girl is super talented so enter to win her beautiful art.

Without further adieu, I present to you A Black Lab Teaches Me Everything In Church:





I slid into the pew about ten minutes after mass had started. I'm a late person. I just am. When I left the apartment almost at the time church started, I figured I'd be much later than just ten minutes, so actually I was delighted with myself.

There was a homeless person in the pew in front of me, laying down, asleep, so there was a massive amount of seating open in that area. An invisible bubble of nonsense protection from whatever it is that people think they'll get from homeless people. For the latecomer here, this was great news, because it meant that I got a seat.

When I sat, I saw it; the flash of a long black tail whip up and around underneath the pew. And then my ears heard a familiar jingle of collar tags knocking into each other. And then out slid one paw, followed by the other, and bang, she was licking my feet. A beautiful black lab hanging out under the pew while her family took in the service. My kind of people. Her mom apologized profusely, but I shook her off. The only thing I could possibly think of to make a relaxing Sunday morning at church better, would be if there were dogs in every pew.

Every time she let out a little whimper, or thumped her head by accident, or jangled, or did one of the many other things that pups do, various people turned their heads, trying to place what the noise was. Add to this, the various screaming children who are either very upset, or are praising god in a way that adults somehow forget after age six. Parents who are shushing and hushing and rocking and reasoning. And then add the many other shuffles and sounds that come with a large amount of humans - jittery, cell phone having, busybusybusynewyorkers - all gathered in one quiet place. And I noticed something: the heads turning, the comments made, the stares and eye rolls and judgements. One couple got me, in particular. They were the first to whip their heads around when the sweet dog made a noise, every time. Yet they maintained a conversation between the two of them the entire mass. And this got me thinking.

Why were they here? To fulfill an obligation? Or because they wanted to be? Were they just punching in and out each week in order to earn enough star stickers to win extra good karma? And then ever further: Why do we do the things we do? Why do I do the things I do? What's the impulse? Reasoning?

I was speaking with a friend last night who mentioned they were considering making a decision based on filling their savings account. Now, you don't have to tell me about money. I'm an artist, for pete's sake. There are many moments where I'm like 'shoot I would be down to do that just to make the money'. Anyway, my answer to this was 'What do you want your life to look like? if you want to be in new york city, then be in new york city. If you want to feel secure knowing you have this check coming in and money being saved, then do that. If you want to move to, like, Atlanta, then move to Atlanta.' If she wants to make money right now, then she should absolutely do that. It's not for me to understand, it is only for her to do. Actively choose and do, based on what she wants for her life. Now, if the answer actually is that she wants to become a deep sea diver off the coast of some island but she's just too scared to pursue it.. well, that's a whole other thing. But if there's no fear, just an actual decision, then boom. There you go, do that.

I think this is one of the biggest blessings and curses of modern day living and freedom. We can literally choose anything that we want for our lives and then make it happen. Sure some choices come with a lot of hard work, a lot of money needed, a huge change, etc, but it's up to us. And there are so many choices, it can be overwhelming and much easier to stay where we're at, doing what we're doing, exactly as we are.

I'm rambling. I do this. I guess what I mean to say is: why are you doing the things you're doing? What do you want your life to look like? What would it look like if you took out a notebook and wrote out everything you want for your life, how you want it to look, where you want to be, heck even what sights and sounds and smells you want (or don't want) - what would it look like? And are you checking in with those ideas?

As for me, I've got a puppy friend here, and a blank notebook, and I believe it's high time to go sit by the water and check in with what I want, what I'm doing, and why I'm doing it. And then mayhaps enjoy an iced treat because holymoly it's hot.

Happy Sunday, friends.


Originally posted here.

Mustard Seed Sessions: LAUREN of INSTEAD OF ASHES

Up next in my interview series is Lauren, the founder of Instead of Ashes! First, let's start with her beautiful tag line: "Bringing beauty to the world through paper". How awesome is that?

Here's the thing about Lauren: you can feel her heart in everything she does. The way she describes parts of her life, her instagram feed, her thoughtful emails, and of course, her beautiful handmade items. In the short time I've gotten to know her, I can tell that she puts her heart into everything she does and has a kind and gentle spirit. I definitely encourage you to check out her shop, or get to know her through her instagram feed or facebook page.

Now, on to the interview! (Make sure you get to the bottom as there's an exciting giveaway waiting for you!)

MSC: What's a day in your life like?

IOA: Right now, a day in my life looks different than it ever has at other points in my life. My husband Seth and I got married about 4 months ago, and moved 6 1/2 hours away from Atlanta, GA to Durham, NC so that he could attend Duke for Law School. Since then, I have been setting up our first home, exploring the Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill area. We had the blessing to have a summer where I did not have to immediately find a job, so I had some more time to dream, plan, and create for Instead of Ashes.

Generally, I will start by checking my business email, especially if I am working on a custom project for anyone. I have not advertised much for custom projects, it mostly started with friends asking me to make something. If someone asks, and I have the time, I will take on a custom job though. After that, I will check stats for my shop and see how the traffic has been doing. If it is early in the week, I may set up advertisements via HootSuite. Orders usually get shipped out on Tuesdays and Fridays. But other than those few things, every day is pretty different. I will focus on different products for a while, and then move on to another.

Some days, I will work on creating new products, like the prints that I just listed in the shop, or the bunting that is coming soon! I may restock items that sell well- usually the card sets. That means printing, folding, and packaging, sometimes accompanied by Netflix or an Anthropologie playlist on Spotify. Recently I have been working a bit more on stocking up holiday items like Christmas cards and gift tags. I am hoping to attend a craft fair or two before Christmas this year, so I want to get a head start on having product ready.

All that to say, each day really is different!

What prompted you to start your shop?

I started a different Etsy shop in college, Laurkon Designs. I made "Printables" which, if you don't know, is basically just a design file that you download and print on your own. It was great to have during college, because I would make a design, and I just had to email the file to the buyer. Since then, Etsy has actually made selling digital items even easier, giving the buyer the ability to immediately download from Etsy.

It was fun, but I started to want to make actual, touchable, physical things. I don't remember exactly what drew me to paper goods then, but I have always loved making cards. I have no idea how many handmade cards I have made over my lifetime. Whenever a cousin or family friend was having a birthday, my Mom would be in my room at some point asking me to make a card to send them (very often the night before!). When I was little, I would play dollhouse, or would create a little world with Playmobil and Littlest Pet Shop bunnies with my sisters and friends that we affectionately called "Bunnyville". Among the little pieces of our world, there was a desk with a computer on it. If someone else hadn't beaten me to it, I would have this computer in my house, and my bunny would have the job of a Hallmark Card Maker. I thought that would be the perfect job then... and I'm doing something very similar now!

I had the idea for the shop for a long time before opening it. I wanted to write Bible verses and quotes in beautiful and fun lettering,  and put it on cards and prints. Then, I started spending some time in Isaiah 61. Then I saw it mentioned on Instagram, in my devotional, and at church. That is one of the ways I have discovered that God speaks to me. Through repetition. Through different people and places, but repeating the same thing. The phrase "beauty instead of ashes" stuck out to me for a while. Then one night, after a girls gathering at church where, surprise surprise, someone had read Isaiah 61, I walked back to the car with a friend of mine and told her my idea for my new Etsy shop. She was the very first person I shared this idea with and I couldn't have picked a better person- she was so encouraging and thought it was an amazing idea. So I went for it.

Is your business/shop your full time job? If not, what else do you do? If yes, how long were you doing it before it became full time?

Instead of Ashes is not my full time job, but I hope it can be someday! I work as a Design Assistant at Design Lines in Raleigh, NC.

What would you tell your 20-year old self? 

Well, I am currently 24, so my 20 year old self was only a few years ago. I would encourage myself to do more of what I love and not just what I think I am supposed to do.

What's the best piece of advice you've ever gotten?

I'm not sure if this exactly counts, but in the early days of my sophomore year of college, I saw a pretty picture on Pinterest. It was simple and aesthetically pleasing. It said "Do what you love." I was starting to embrace the fact then that I wanted to do something with my life that I enjoyed, and was beneficial to society, while also maybe paying my bills! That would be a great plan. While this might not exactly qualify as the "best advice I've ever gotten", it was definitely a launching point for my creative identity.

What's the hardest part about pursuing a "non-traditional" career? The best part?

Right now, I find the hardest part being that it has to be accompanied by another job. Don't get me wrong, I am excited to have an Interior Design job using the degree that I worked hard for and do enjoy, but balancing that while creating this non traditional job as a side project that I want to get bigger  is hard because it takes a lot of time.

The best part is getting to make whatever I want!

What inspires you?

I think I am inspired by places I like to be. I love how Anthropologie smells delightful and just has a beautiful eclectic atmosphere. A recent discovery I have made is the Sarah P. Duke Gardens. There are a few different garden styles represented here- it's a lovely place to walk around and relax in. I also dream of getting to go back to London and Edinburgh- the architecture, the streets, the weather, the shops, the colors, the sounds, the museums, the people, the tea :) I feel the adventure rushing over me just thinking about it.

I am also inspired by people and their love. I love being around people who truly love others and want to brighten their day, see them succeed, and see them grow. I love being in the homes of families who truly love each other, and who really welcome you to be a part of it. I am so inspired by people who so extravagantly love other people.

Thank you so much, Lauren, for your beautiful answers! Not only has Lauren been kind enough to grace us with her words, but she's also put together a fun giveaway! Head over to instagram and follow the instructions on the giveaway post (it's super simple to enter). You'll be entered to win the three beautiful items you see in the photo above!

Keep your eyes on her shop for more of her beautiful work!