Monthly Archives: May 2016

Mel’s Modern Caillgraphy

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I first met Mel when she came aboard at our school as a second grade teacher. Like many teachers she is multifaceted and crazy talented. It only took knowing her for a short while to realize this. As the school year started I saw her classroom come together beautifully. I could not help but notice all the unique hand lettering  and calligraphy. Of course I went to ask where she had found such cool things for her room and her response was, “I made them”. My mind was pretty blown at that point. I later found out that she held a job while she attended college that allowed her to create cool custom stationary that helped her to nourish her creativity.

Not long ago Mel decided it was time for her to start her own business and named it “Three M Designs” (Melodie Marie Musgrove). She later changed the name to a much sweeter one to avoid any confusion with other companies with similar names. Her design company is now called “Maggie Elaine Designs” after her beloved weimaraner Maggie and her favorite character from the tv show Seinfield.

When Mel invited me to her home to take these photos I was even smitten with her living and work space. It is so vibrant and indicative of her talent as well as her artistic abilities. Every element and piece is carefully selected and in its right place. Her dining/work table is covered in butcher paper to protect it from craft materials and one small chalk board at the entry way allowed me to feel welcome and ready to create as soon as I walked in. The two stars of Mel’s home include a custom 5’by 6′ canvas piece hung carefully on the wall that says ” If you love what you have, you have everything you need ” and an original 1970’s sofa gifted to her by her grand parents. The sofa is adorned with bright floral prints and is built to last just like the special bond she shares with her family.

When I asked Mel what the future holds for Maggie Elaine Designs she said, “To continue to give her customers special stationary made from the heart”. As she continues on her path as an educator and future principal she will continue to design one of a kind creations. Check out Maggie Elaine Designs on Etsy for custom graphic lettering and stationary. Nourish your creativity. Enjoy!

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Union & Fifth | San Francisco OOTD #3

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Saturday of our San Francisco trip involved lots of commuting and even more walking than the previous days so I put together a no fuss, easy peasy OOTD that is comfortable and classic. You can not go wrong with a timeless button down and broken in denim. With the exception of my converse, this entire outfit is from Old Navy. I could literally just move into Old Navy because I feel like so much of my wardrobe comes from there. Even with all of the hustle and bustle of the day I was comfortable the entire time.

Day 3 was spent hanging around 4 amazing women! Saturday was all about doing good! My sister and I hooked up with the fabulous Union & Fifth team for a fun filled photo shoot. Christine, Kat, Christena and her mom made it such a wonderful experience.

Union & Fifth raises money for non-profits by selling donated gently worn designer clothing on www.unionandfifth.com. Imagine getting a HUGE discount on like new designer clothing and shopping for a good cause at the same time. The U&F office is wonderfully organized and neat. There is a room for just about everything and let me just tell you how hard it was to leave the purse and shoe rooms.

My favorite parts about shooting with Union and Fifth was having a relaxed set with positive vibes all around and getting to shoot with my sister for the first time. I feel like it went by too fast and I really didn’t want it to be over. My sister is not a super fan of being on the spot. She’s a photographer and would rather be taking the shots. That was an experience that I won’t soon forget and I thank the entire Union & Fifth team for giving us that experience. Be sure to check out the photos for some behind the scenes exclusives from the shoot! We ended the day with amazing Chinese food and a shower. As our trip was coming to a close, all I could think about is…there wasn’t enough time to eat all the yummy food! Lol Enjoy!

BKR Visit & Tote Challenge OOTD #2

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Day 2 in San Francisco was super busy! We did tons of sight seeing but not before we went  to visit the BKR office. You may ask what is BKR? BKR is the luxe water bottle that will change the way you hydrate forever!

Founders Kate and Tal met and became friends in law school. They had successful careers as lawyers but decided to recreate their lives when they saw a need in the most basic element of the beauty industry, HYDRATION! Being hydrated is so important when it comes to beauty because it shows from the inside out. Here were two fabulous, healthy, beautiful, successful women who felt like every time they went to drink water, they were drinking from trash. They wanted to create something more healthy, sustainable and fashion forward for the woman that is cultured and wants it all. Everything in your life can  be beautiful, even your water bottle.

My sister and I were greeted by BKR’s social media director Max. He welcomed us and made us feel at home right away. The BKR office is a very beautiful, bright space with tons of natural light coming through all of the large windows. From the lunch area to the conference room, every area is a dedicated space. I got to say hello to the team and I even met a BKR team member from Louisiana. It was so cool to get an inside look at all the awesome things going on behind the scenes and view some exclusive silicone sleeve colors. I honestly could have wandered around and hung out there forever.

Over the past year I’ve been adapting my shopping habits to say no to a “disposable” lifestyle when it comes to fashion trends. I don’t need to have a bunch of things and follow every trend. I just need quality items that I love. From the clothing I choose to purchase to my water bottle, having the essentials and only acquiring pieces that I adore has proved to be so rewarding. Now that I have added BKR to the equation I feel a sense of completion.

I can not thank Kate, Tal and Max enough for welcoming me into their beautiful work space! It was great to see the team behind the beauty essential BKR.

 

 

Let’s talk OOTD. On day 2 I chose my horizontal striped dress/tunic and paired it with black leggings. Of course white chucks and my green cargo jacket were there too! Oh yeah, lets talk a bout the orange scarf! It was windy in SF and I didn’t bring a scarf so I thrifted this Banana Republic scarf in the Mission District. Great find right?!


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After we left the BKR office we stopped by Marlowe for some mouth watering lunch. Next up was Lombard to check out San Francisco’s “crookedest” street. It was beautiful to witness and we even made the trek up to the top to see the amazing view!

We attempted to ride a trolly but the line was so long that we didn’t want to wait. Instead we went back to Fisherman’s Wharf for the views, fresh seafood and more freshly baked donuts from Trish’s. Join me tomorrow for another OOTD and day 3 in San Francisco, Enjoy! 

  


1 Tote, 10 Pieces, 4 days! | OOTD #1

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For my most recent visit to San Francisco, California I wanted to pack super light and keep my wardrobe simple for the four days I would be there. I challenged myself to pack all I needed in my tote and to only take along 10 pieces. Those 10 pieces included 1 pair of shoes, 1 jacket, 1 pair of jeans, 2 pairs of leggings, 4 tops, and 1 dress. By doing this I didn’t have to check a bag which saved me some time and frustration in the airport.

This OOTD is the first day of my trip which happened to be on Cinco de Mayo. Luckily I was thrifting a few weeks prior and came across this cute top that resembles some traditional Mexican garments. I wore that floral top, with dark denim jeans, white chucks, and my green cargo jacket to the airport on day one of my trip.

Day one was full of adventure! My fabulous sister met me in San Francisco so we hit the ground running. We immediately started sight seeing as soon as we touched down and checked into our hostel The Green Tortoise. Our first stop was Taqueria Zorro for tortas, fries, beer, and Mexican fruit punch. Afterwards, we roamed around on foot and got lost a few times (it’s our tradition). We went to check out China town, Fisherman’s Wharf, ate donuts at Trish’s on the board walk, had fajitas at Puerto Alegre for dinner and checked out some shops in The Mission area. By the end of the night all we could do is uber to the hostel and crash.

The first day of a trip tends to be low key and relaxed but ours was action packed. We had so much we wanted to see and only 4 days to see it all. We didn’t see everything on our list but we came pretty dang close. Come back to the blog tomorrow to see OOTD for day 2 and see our happenings, Enjoy!

Top- Thrifted

Jeans & Jacket – Old Navy

Shoes- Converse


Cool in Culottes

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Culottes are like when a pair of pants, shorts and a skirt get together and have a baby! Ha ha! They are loose and cool but not stuffy like a traditional pair of pants. They don’t leave you feeling exposed like skirts can sometimes. Finding the right pair can be tricky but once you do, they will be a spring and summer favorite.

I styled these white culottes with a bright red orange top that I picked up from a thrift shop for $4 bucks about two years ago. What style experts say about timeless pieces is true. The shirt is from the 90’s but is 100% silk and is in great condition. Red orange is definitely a spring and summer trend this year so I was glad to already have it.

Lastly, I added a leopard print belt (LOVE leopard prints!!!!) and my fancy bow pumps. My belt and shoes make an other wise forgettable outfit stand out and memorable. When you keep pieces simple you can go crazy with the little things that matter! The purses that you see here are from Milan Blocks and you can mix and match them easily with a simple outfit. They are so fun that you will want them to be the center of attention when you go out! What interesting things do you like to add to simple outfits to make it stand out? Leave me comment and let me know, Enjoy!

Top-Thrift store

Culottes-Forever 21

Shoes-DSW

Belt-Target

Purses- Milan Blocks