…to the Duchess of Cambridge, named Hat Person of the Year by The Headwear Association last week. Whether colorful or fancy or demure, the Duchess always manages to look stunning in her toppers. Me? I personally have never thought I could pull off a hat. But this tidbit of news did inspire me to see what hats are currently out there. And it should come as no surprise that the Duchess’s accessory of choice seems to have made its way stateside:

1. The Hat Shop, NYC | 2. Jessica Simpson Bow Cloche, $30 | 3. The Hat Shop, NYC | 4. Cara ‘I Heart Flower’ Fascinator Headband, $58 | 5. French Connection Bow Net Fascinator, $40 | 6. Cara ‘Absolutely Fascinating’ Fascinator, $48 | 7. Glint ‘Double Band’ Cloche, $48 | 8. Nordstrom Wide Brim Floppy Wide Hat, $68 | 9. Nordstrom Side Bow Cloche, $28 | 10. & 11. The Hat Shop, NYC

Psst!! I’m also super stoked to be over on Mimi+Meg today, sharing my Valentine’s Day gift picks for me and for Joe. I met Meg at Alt, and she’s as adorable and awesome as you would imagine from her lovely blog. Hop on over and check it out!

{Image Credit: Reuters for International Business Times via William & Catherine Tumblr}

Business website | Business Twitter | Business Facebook | Business Tumblr | Personal blog

I run an online business called The Phone Unlockers – we unlock mobile phones (which is legal!) I started it 6 years ago at University. I also run a project called the Female Entrepreneur Association, where I published stories about the journeys of female entrepreneurs to help inspire and encourage others.

The opportunity to start a phone unlocking business was very random! I’ll try not to bore you… but basically there was some open source code available online and my friend was very techie and so we built the system and we each set up our own businesses using the system. I had no clue what I was doing when I started off! I was seriously winging it. I put a terrible website together and set up an Adwords account with a spending limit of £30 and that was the start of my business.

I made it work for me by systemizing everything! There is a process and system for everything – how people find us, how people buy from us, the follow up process, the support process etc. The business now runs itself without any help from me.

I started FEA because I felt so lonely running my online business. After I graduated from university, all of my friends moved to London and had cool jobs and I was stuck in Birmingham (where I went to university) working from home, by myself. I started to think that there must be other women out there who were in a similar situation to me. So, I went on a mission to find them!

There are so many inspiring stories, but one of my favourites is by Emma Reynolds. She built a successful business over three years – she had an office in London and lots of employees and then the financial crisis hit and she lost everything. Not only did she have to make everyone redundant, she also faced bankruptcy. After crying herself to sleep for 3 months, she went and got a job and started saving her money. At the same time she started to research business opportunities and spotted one in Hong Kong and so got on a plane, by herself, and started her business again over there from scratch. It’s going really well!

When I read her story I was amazed and inspired. She deserves every bit of success that she gets. I think her story goes to show what’s possible when you keep on going.

I love running my online business because it gives me so much freedom – in 2010 I went travelling around Australia for 3 months and worked from my laptop, it was amazing.

I would say the most challenging thing is feeling alone. Some days I wake up and wonder what on earth I’m doing! I also find it difficult to switch off, even when I’m on holiday, which can be annoying (especially for my friends!).

Believe in yourself, get clear on what you want to achieve, take action and never give up! And remember what Audrey Hepburn said, “Nothing is impossible. The word itself says I’m Possible.”

Turning The Phone Unlockers from an idea into a global company, which reached 100,000 people each month and unlocked thousands of phones every month.

At the moment FEA keeps me inspired – not only the stories, which I publish, but also the possibility to create something that helps to inspire women all over the world. I love the internet and the what it enables people to do – the very fact that I’m based 6000 miles away from San Francisco, yet I’m writing this for you now amazes and inspires me. I stay creative by constantly thinking of new ideas and trying new things and reading lots of books!

Style to Inspire is a monthly column on vmac+cheese that let’s us get to know amazing women who are running their own small businesses. You can see previous Style to Inspire ladies here.

Happy Friday, friends! Before we dive in to this week’s links, I wanted to take a second to say hi and welcome to all the new vmac+cheese readers who are here because of referrals from Mini-Alt Week or Alt itself! Thanks for stopping by!

I have to be honest with you: this week was a total doozy. You come back from something like Alt and your mind is swirling with so many thoughts, ideas, and questions. I’ve also had lots going on in my personal life (engagement yes, and some other particularly juicy points of interest that I’ll discuss soon, promise) that have made things a little crazy around these parts. I’m so happy to see the weekend and hopefully sleep in as much as possible. Do you ever find that when you’re extra busy, you can’t sleep in because your mental to-do list wakes you up? Dear brain, let’s try and shut it down this weekend, mmkay?

If you’re new to vmac+cheese, each Friday I like to post a list of my favorite links from the week. Be sure to check these out if you find yourself with some quiet time and a cup of tea!

+ The food posts from the last few weeks were out of control good! First, check out Jaclyn’s homemade oreo cookies. So pretty and a million times less processed than the store bought version.
+ Similarly, Lara attempted my favorite Girl Scout cookie of all time, the caramel delite, also known as the Samoa in virtually every part of the country except for Texas.
+ Sarah shared her gorgeous photos from homemade chocolate and sea salt peanut butter cups. PS, they’re vegan!
+ So now that you’ve indulged in all the sweets, did you notice your skin flared up? Yeah, it’s not a coincidence. Dairy, refined carbs, and zinc deficiency are often the culprit, and I personally have noticed a difference when I cut these things out. I’m glad The Beauty Department is reporting on this too!
+ On to my first ever mentions of wedding planning. Or lack thereof. I really have done nothing, you guys. But I was happy to meet Sara at Alt, and to subscribe to her wedding blog Marry This! I need to balance all of the pretty, aspirational wedding goodness that’s out there with the more realistic yet equally as inspiring.
+ Similarly, if and when we ever put up a wedding website, I hope our guest book is 1/10th as hilarious as Bridget and Chris’s, friends of fellow Texan Jenn. I mean, a honey badger reference? These people are awesome.
+ I totally enjoyed Erica’s article on the value of LinkedIn. Not on it? Maybe think about it.
+ Rachel, from the blog Southern Exposure, is one of those people that always finds amazing fixer pieces, with final results that are nothing short of fantastic. Her latest is no exception!
+ Finally, wondering who else went to Alt Summit? Need a few new blogs to check out? Don’t miss Meg’s roundup of Alt-goers. Links for days, people. And if you look close in the photo, you might even see a little business card from yours truly. Enjoy!

{Image Credit: Nastia Vesna via Margaret Jacobson Pinterest}

We were in the car the other day and Joe was letting me ramble on about decorating ideas I have, including those that could be accomplished in a rented space. I mentioned how I wished it was easier to replace light fixtures in a rental, then wondered aloud whether a great light fixture had the biggest impact on taking a room from okay to WOW.

Joe patiently listened and said “Uh huh” in all the right places, but when I thought about it a little more (welcome to the inner wanderings of my mind), I realized that I should stop worrying about lighting because honestly? I think rugs have the biggest design impact.

Take the above. I adore the living room on the right. I mean, the floors are gorgeous. It feels fresh, clean, and oh-so-simple. But the room on the left has a similar aesthetic and color scheme, but with the use of (two!) rugs, the feel of the space is totally different. Cozy. Warm. Textured.

Then there are these two photos, which Naomi posted a while back but which illustrate the point perfectly:

Room on the top — no rug. Exact same room WITH rug below. Crazy, right?

Are you with me? Do you think rugs are the quickest way to impact the design of the room? Paint is obviously up there too — though it’s not so quick or easy! What are your tips for making a room feel totally different when you’re on a budget or in a rental?

{Image Credits: French by Design via Savvy Home, photograph by Jean Marc Palisse; Flourish Design + Style via This is Glamorous; Laura Resen Photography via Design Manifest}

…with a bit of yellow! I’ve always heard that listening to certain songs, smelling certain aromas, and seeing particular colors can help lift you up and brighten your mood. In case you’re stuck in the midst of the Thursday doldrums (and let’s assume with limited access to your favorite song, or a delicious smell — whatever leftovers your co-workers will microwave notwithstanding), here’s hoping this dash of yellow will cheer you up. It’s almost Friday, after all!

Satchel, Cambridge Satchel Co. | Sweater, J.Crew | Tote, Balenciaga | Shoes, Christian Louboutin | Trench, Old Navy | Tee, Anthropologie | Lamp, Jan Showers | Sweater, Anthropologie

{Image Credits: Lemon Bars created and photographed by Treats, Street Style via Easy Fashion, Bike ride via Olivia Compulsive Disorder (originally in Vogue China)}

Jess Constable, 27

Chicago

(photo credits, Paris,  Rome, London, Australia, and Thailand)

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (again), Bossypants, The Four Hour Workweek, a portion of A Course in Miracles

(photo credits, ring, San Fran, kitchen)

I’d like to be married, living near San Francisco, and have a home with white marble in the kitchen.

The first intention I have is to spend more time reflecting and practicing my spirituality. To do this, my goal is to get out of bed each morning and spend time on the small loveseat in my bedroom (below) and reflect, read, or write each weekday morning.

The second intention is to read more after work. For this, I want to get Bossypants to start getting in the habit of reading with something that I think I’ll really enjoy.

(photo credit, Emily Anderson for Rue)

Having my own home with my husband – though that involves getting engaged, married, and saving for a house!

The blog got it’s name from the idea that in order to be the best version of ourselves, we don’t need to makeover our lives, but to makeunder them. By peeling back the layers of “stuff” that is hiding this best self, we can become who we’ve wanted to be all along.

I am inspired by Oprah Winfrey and her impact on women and people across the world. I’m also inspired by spiritual and business leaders like Joyce Meyer, Ben Franklin, and Gary Vaynerchuk. They all have done tremendous things while staying completely unique.

(photo credit, Danielle Moss)

I’m proud of the fact that I launched my business full-time right out of college and have made it not only succeed, but to use it to help others design a life with intention as well.

My bed! Other than that, “Fluffy Cloud Island,” which is my couch topped with a giant goose down feather comforter is pretty great too.

January 19th, 2009. It helps me fulfill my purpose: to help people design lives with intention.

Alt was full of inspiring bloggers, to be sure. But you can’t IMAGINE how many unbelievably talented artists you’ll come across while you’re there. Lucky for us, most all of them offer gorgeous products that you can call your own. I love supporting these savvy, creative business people, so be sure to check out the following:

1. Sycamore Street Press. I got to meet Eva during an intimate Wednesday night dinner at Lugano. She is sweet as pie and her letterpress cards are adorable. So adorable, in fact, that I’ve seen them in my local Paper Source!

2. The Lugano dinner was sponsored by Joel and Greg from Visual Supply Co. VSCO film is a new software that allows you to give digital photos that highly coveted “shot with film” look. For not a lot of money, you can one-click your way to stunning, Pinterest worthy photos. See what all the fuss is about here.

3. I was delighted to meet Meg Biram from the blog Mimi+Meg. Have you guys ever checked out her artwork? Girlfriend’s got talent! I’m loving the colors she uses — they’d brighten up any room!

4. Via Tobe, I was lucky enough to meet the Kansas City ladies behind Ampersand Design Studio. Check out this bright pink ampersand print. I’m pretty sure you’re digging it.

5. On Thursday, Cargoh sponsored our lunch and was kind enough to work with their sellers to leave a little gift on every single seat in the banquet hall. Each gift was different. Mine was from Meeralee Illustration & Design, and I couldn’t have been happier. Meera Lee even hand wrote notes to go into all her gift boxes. Love it.

6. Friday evening before I flew back home, I met Jessica, the jewelry designer behind the gorgeous pieces at Dahlia Lynn. You’re going to be hearing more about this girl for SURE.

7. Also at Lugano, I met Karina, an artist and the founder of Cluster, an online resource that allows you to group your favorite pieces of art together into a single, unique piece. You can use patterns and graphics from Cluster’s gallery, or upload your own photos.

8. These hand painted beauties are the work of Courtney Khail, who I ran into over and over again throughout the conference! Based out of Georgia, Courtney spent hours handpainting hundreds of her gorgeous cards to be included in the Alt welcome boxes. A true labor of love — and it shows!

PS — Today I’m filling in for Irene over on designstILes, while she galavants about Central and South America. Pop on over to see what travel essentials I can’t fly without!

You asked for it, so here it is! A snapshot from my whirlwind few days at the Altitude Design Summit.

It’s honestly kind of hard to describe the experience. Maybe it’s better to describe what it’s like after the conference. I’ve been dubbing it my “Alt hangover.” Symptoms include fatigue, feelings of excitement, a to-do list that’s a mile long, pining for blogging friends, wishing I still had room service and a steam shower, and more than anything, being unable to sleep because I have so many ideas floating around in my head. Fellow Alt-goers: sound familiar?

Beyond all the learning, my favorite part was getting to spend time with ladies that I’d previously only known online. My roommates Molly and Chelsea? Insta-connection. These girls were so fun, so sweet, and the best roommates I could’ve ever asked for. I honestly don’t know what I would’ve done without them! Chelsea even bought me a bridal magazine when she got to the airport, before flying in to Salt Lake. I mean, how cute is that? We had a blast getting ready for all the events and staying up late gabbing about our lives. Hello, multi-day sleepover.

Melissa | Megan | Jeanne | Erin | Visual Supply Co.

The sessions I attended included The Business of Blogging, Building Relationships With Ad Networks and Sponsors, From Blog to Book, Growing a Readership, and How to Make Yourself Press Worthy (you can see what all the sessions were here). Also of note was Ben Silberman’s keynote talk. Who’s Ben Silberman? Oh, you know. Just the co-founder of this little thing called Pinterest. Here are some notes I took that I thought you mind find useful (after the jump).

THE BUSINESS OF BLOGGING

Molly | Chelsea | Erin Loechner

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH AD NETWORKS AND SPONSORS

+ Stop showing desperation in posts to make minimal amounts of money. Consider how much you’re actually making from a post with affiliate links before you spend hours on it. Is it worth it? People will come to you with absurd offers. Develop something that is organic to your site. Be picky. Build something that makes sense for your site. If you need to do so when you’re first starting out, give away ads to brands you really love. Guesstimate your rates. You’re going to get them wrong. Redo them! Provide a service to your community. Everyone is a consumer.

+ Know your brand and your value. Build your community first, make sure it’s passion driven, THEN you can collaborate with brands. Having something that you think is super valuable puts you in a position of power.

+ If you want to take someone’s money, make sure it’s going to be a good partnership. Be invested in your sponsors.

+ If you want to dive into the sea of sponsorship, you have to test the waters. Your moral compass WILL come into play. You’ll find a good fit eventually. If they don’t come to you, then you go to them!

+ Pitch it! Always always ask for what you want. Be very proactive. The more outlandish the better. Brands want to remember you. BE MEMORABLE.

+ If you get a crazy pitch, don’t say no. Say, “no, but.” See if you can re-pitch them an idea that might stick, and will work for YOU.

+ Consider your complete online presence. Don’t forget your Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook followers. Think about other bloggers that you know that you could collectively get together and exponentially grow your readership with just a single pitch.

+ Be upfront about what makes your blog special.

+ Big: Consider legal obligations. It’s so important to be upfront and professional. If you’re bartering for product or if you get gifted a product that is $600 or more, a W-9 is going to have to take place. It’s the law.

+Follow up with a sponsor. What worked, what didn’t? Should you discuss a future campaign? If you have time, put together a follow up infographic that explains what you did for them. Send a thank you note.

+ Solve problems. Find out what a brands’ business goals are and what they want to accomplish. Then, when you pitch them, you can show them how you can partner with them to get them where they want to be. Turn it into something that helps them versus something that just helps you.

+ Don’t be that person who will do anything and write about anything and promote anything just to make money. Your readers will know it, and other brands will too. Perception matters!

+ Be aware of when non-compete clauses will come into play. If you work with one particular brand, will it mean you can’t work with others you might REALLY want to work with?

+ These days, CPM (cost per thousand pageviews) range anywhere from $.25 to $10, depending on the thousands of  impressions you get. Be sure you differentiate whether you’re being paid on a CPM basis or a Cost Per Click (CPC) basis.

+ And the best thing I heard: Women are constantly undervaluing themselves. When you ask someone for money, it should make your stomach hurt a little bit. If it doesn’t, ask for more. You’re a business. It’s expected that you’ll negotiate!

QUOTES FROM PINTEREST CO-FOUNDER BEN SILBERMAN

+ Make one thing perfectly.

+ Discovering things about the world helps you discover things about who you are.

+ A lot of blogs talk about startups as if they were fated to be that way. But a lot of people are successful because they don’t stop.

+ There are so many things that are just good enough. Why not pick the one that’s most beautiful?

+ My favorite and something that has been resonating with me ever since: If you don’t bet on yourself, nobody else will.

One session I didn’t mention above was a round table called Legal Concerns and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Guidelines for bloggers. This was probably the most informative session I attended during the entire conference. I put together a HUGE email yesterday with notes on everything I learned at this roundtable; if you’re interested in receiving it, please let me know by leaving a comment below. It covers everything from copyright, trademarking, legality of giveaways, and more — way too much to type here!

Later today I’ll be back with a roundup of some very talented folks whose work I was lucky enough to come across at Alt. Get your wallets ready! There’s some goodness you’re definitely going to want for yourself.

{Image Credits: Alt Summit Flickr Feed}

A few other little things to tell you about and loose ends to tie up:

+ With Mini-Alt Week and everything else, I never got to announce the winner of the Andalou Naturals giveaway! Congratulations are in order to #61, Tabitha. I’ll be emailing you shortly.
+ Speaking of Mini-Alt Week, I’m so, so, SO happy you guys enjoyed it so much. I won’t lie to you — about 4pm last Monday, while worrying that I hadn’t done laundry or packed or taken care of a myriad of other things, I was up to my eyeballs in Photoshop layouts and stressing, big time. But hearing how much it helped you all made it 110% worth it. Thank you.
+ Now, after getting home from the real Alt, I do have some new things I’ve learned. Are you interested in me sharing them on the blog? Or are you Alt-ed out? Please let me know in the comments! I don’t want to bore you guys with more blogging talk than is necessary. I can also email you notes too. Seriously, tell me what you prefer.
+ So YES I’m engaged. Craziness. As of right now, I do have a date in mind, but I’m keeping it a bit mum (well, I can’t keep my big mouth shut so a few people know). However, we have NO idea what kind of wedding we’re going to be doing. I’m still up in the air as to whether I’ll do any wedding related posts, but if I do, I promise to put a unique spin on them. I’m brainstorming. Is there anything you would want to hear about?

Tomorrow, I promise promise promise we’ll be back to regular posts. Though furniture and shoes aren’t NEARLY as exciting as the last week and a half has been!

{Image Credit: Siera Josephine Photography, via Bippity Boppity Boo. So cute, I couldn’t not share.}

There’s a winery just outside the small town of Yountville in Napa called Domaine Chandon. You’ve probably heard of it, if only because you can find their sparkling wines all over the country. Unsurprisingly, their tasting room is always packed, filled with visitors seeking to enjoy a glass of bubbly while seated on a patio shaded by a beautiful oak tree that’s probably a century old. Even more surprising, however, is that this particular winery is one of Joe’s and my favorite places to visit when we’re in the area. Because if you walk just beyond that patio filled with the birthday and bachelorette parties, up a small hill, and over a crest, you’re greeted to a green lawn that’s dotted with large boulders and a gorgeous prospect: the valley’s mountains in the distance; the property’s vines just below.

Over the years, one boulder in particular has become “our rock.” We escape the hoards in the tasting room and perch ourselves on this rock, which has always seemed like it was made and placed just so to fit the two of us. With countless bottles of wine, we’d sit and talk about our dreams for the future, our goals, our fears, our hopes, but above all, how all of these things involved the other person. Two Saturdays ago, on January 14, I was pleased as punch to sit atop our rock and discuss our future as a married couple. You see, the day before, Joe had proposed.

Years earlier, before we were even able to legally purchase a bottle of Domaine Chandon wine, Joe and I met while walking to a college football game. It was Labor Day weekend, 2002, and we had both started college just a few weeks prior. I won’t lie: it was not immediately apparent that this would be my future husband. But after seeing each other around the dorm which we both lived in, sitting next to each other in business classes, and eventually, going on our first date in November of that year (lunch, and it was at a Subway), we were smitten.

Nine years, two months, and nine days later, he asked me to marry him, at home, in our sun-filled living room, with no one else around. It was private, and perfect. Simple. Heartfelt. He’d spent the last month working with a Manhattan-based jeweler to personally design my engagement ring. I don’t think I can really describe how much this means to me.

Immediately after he proposed and I dried my eyes and we made a few phone calls, he whisked me off to Yountville, to beautiful dinners and champagne breakfasts, to lots of wine and walks down memory lane, and to our rock.

Which is perfect, because he is mine.

BLOGGERS:
Jeanne, Shop Sweet Things | Bradley, Luella & June | Alex, Things That Sparkle | Gabrielle, Savvy Home | Liz, So Much to Smile About | Lara, Simply Irresistible | Alyson, The Average Girls Guide | Amber, Amber Interiors | Grace, Stripes and Sequins | Julie, Julip Made | Irene, designstILes | Liz, Sequins and Stripes | Lauren, L.A. in the Bay | Christine, Bijou and Boheme | Molly + Sally, A PIECE OF TOAST |

RESOURCES THESE BLOGGERS RECOMMEND YOU CHECK OUT:
Blogging Bliss eBook
Blogging Your Way to the Front Row
Independent Fashion Bloggers
This post on Blogging Resolutions from Grace
Blogging Your Way
The Blog Stylist

So…what did you guys think of Mini-Alt Week? I’m guessing by the comments that you liked it, you really liked it!, and I can’t tell you how happy that makes me. I hope you’ll be able to refer back to this series of posts early and often, and that it not only helps you and inspires you, but that perhaps you’ll be able to make a connection with one of these bloggers too. For your reference, I created a category for all these posts, so they’ll all live at this URL. Bookmark it!

I’m back from Alt very late tonight, and will see you back here on Monday, when regular non-how-to-blog posting will re-commence. A lot of you heard about some very personal, exciting news that happened last Friday, and your patience will pay off — the full story will be told Monday.

{Image Credits: Les Composantes, Pocahontes Tumblr, Out of Sight Out of Mind}

BLOGGERS:

Christine, Bijou and Boheme | Alyson, The Average Girls Guide | Molly + Sally, A PIECE OF TOAST | Lauren, L.A. in the Bay | Tamra, Walks With Bella; Ever Swoon | Alex, Things That Sparkle | Gabrielle, Savvy Home | Liz,So Much to Smile About | Grace, Stripes and Sequins | Irene,designstILes | Rebecca, Young Sophisticates | Liz, Sequins and Stripes

RESOURCES:

Blogging Your Way to the Front Row
RewardStyle
Lucky Style Collective
ProBlogger: Make Money Blogging
Amazon Associates

***BIG UPDATE ON GIVEAWAYS: Live from The Altitude Summit, I learned today that doing giveaways on your blog is actually rife with legal complications. In that, doing it for free, or having people follow/like you on another platform, may not be legal or may bring about all kinds of issues that you should address with the brand before ever giving anything away on your blog. This is a relatively new issue in the blogosphere, and apparently one that the FTC is starting to monitor and crack down on. I am gathering more information on this and will report back to you all!

{Image Credits: The Sartorialist, Dottie Angel Flickr, A Gadabout Tumblr Bardot Database,  Garance Dore}

Filed under: Mini Alt Week ]]> http://vmacandcheese.com/2012/01/19/mini-alt-week-collaboration-sponsorships-and-giveaways/feed/ 29 vmacandcheese collab http://vmacandcheese.com/2012/01/18/behind-the-scenes-with-buckets-and-bunches/ http://vmacandcheese.com/2012/01/18/behind-the-scenes-with-buckets-and-bunches/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:00:41 +0000 vmacandcheese http://vmacandcheese.com/?p=13603 ]]> We interrupt this week’s Mini-Alt programming for some, well, regularly scheduled programming. It wouldn’t be Wednesday without BTS, am I right? This week’s BTS girl is someone I have the pleasure of meeting…today! Chelsea, from the blog Buckets and Bunches, is one of my roommates at Alt. I thought it was perfect timing to feature her here! Chelsea is finishing up wedding planning, so her blog is filled with great ideas for the big day, as well as non-nuptial related posts on design, art, interiors, style and more. She’s also just a super sweet girl. I’m so glad that as of today, I can call her a real life friend!

Oh, I love to travel. I would move to Europe (Italy or Switzerland) in a heartbeat. Five places I haven’t been that I would love to go are (1) Japan, (2) Turkey, (3) Israel, (4) Egypt, (5) the Maldives. I actually have been to Istanbul, but I am dying to go to Cappadocia, an ancient rock city in Turkey.

The Lazarus Project by Aleksandar Hemon (ok, I am actually about a third of the way into it now and loving it), Gay Men Don’t Get Fat by Simon Doonan, Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (yeah, I know it is young adult, so what?).

(1) Michelle and I are planning on turning Buckets and Bunches into a business in the near future. I am so excited and passionate about this project. I love fashion and styling, Michelle loves design and interiors and we dabble in a million creative arenas. Buckets and Bunches will be a styling company for your life.
(2) Babies! David and I are getting married in less than two months so in five years I would love to have started a family.
(3) The suitcase in that image represents a couple of things for me. Travel, for one. Relocating from Houston is another dream. I have made amazing friends here, but I need seasons and a change. I get itchy feet pretty quickly.

(1) Our wedding! It is March 3, 2012 and I am just trying to keep organized. All of the major things are taken care of, so now I am working on the little details to personalize the event. It is SO much fun. Seriously. The best challenge.
(2) I already mentioned it, but building Buckets and Bunches into a business. To get there we are working on all of the little details, registering the business, learning the ins and outs. We are also dreaming about turning my spare room into an office and one of my favorite parts, branding! Hopefully after goal 1, the wedding, is over I will have a lot more time to devote to the biz.

Hosting. We have a house…after living here for almost eight months it is coming together. Yeah, it takes a while. But now that it is presentable I want to have friends over, cook more, arrange fresh flowers, learn how to mix cocktails, organize regular game nights or tv show viewings. That’s right, I am getting domestic!

My friend Lissy always says “love you buckets and bunches.” The blog is all about fashion, beauty, design, people and events that I love. While brainstorming blog names, I found myself stumped trying to find an all encompassing title. Lissy served up the perfect inspiration for my new adventure on the internet.

I am not going to lie, glossies cover about every surface of my house; Vogue, Elle, In Style, House Beautiful…You name it. I read online shelter magazines too, I am loving Rue and Matchbook right now. I actually read Esquire as well, I love the innovative way they have brought their magazine online. Their iPad app is amazing. Aside from my magazine addiction, I find inspiration from my friend and partner, Michelle who just looks at things differently than I do. The back and forth we have drives me to be more creative and think outside my norm. Last, but not least, my mom is incredibly fashionable and follows that up with an incredible house she designed and decorated on her own. I have always borrowed her clothes, jewelry, and style. She also taught me to think globally about design and fashion, which I am so grateful for.

Honestly, my proudest achievement to date is being in recovery from depression, anxiety and an eating disorder. I really didn’t plan on getting down and personal with you, but I want to contribute to eliminating the stigma attached to mental illness and be honest. On top of that, maintaining a loving and caring relationship with my man since I was 18 is pretty awesome in my mind.

Ooh, that is tough. I am going to with lounging on my couch with my computer on my lap and a pup conked out on either side. We call it “the puppy couch.”

I actually started blogging in the summer of 2010. It was fairly short lived for many reasons. But I missed the outlet, the community, and the opportunities so I began blogging again this past July. I stick with blogging because of the people. I love receiving feedback and inspiration from the blogging community, and I also just need the outlet to make sure the creative part of my brain isn’t going stagnant.

Here’s where I’m going to take over with some basic text, because wordy as this is, it’s simply easier to type it all out here than to put this into a graphic. First and foremost, in order to learn a program like Elements or Photoshop or Illustrator, you need two things: practice and patience. I am not formally trained in graphic design or Photoshop; everything on my blog is self taught. I’ve experimented a lot, made notes of what I like on other blogs, and yep, made plenty of (very ugly) mistakes. It’s okay! It’s how you learn. One quote I didn’t incorporate here but which is so true is this one, from Julie:

When are you first learning the Adobe Creative Suite, you can’t expect to create graphics like someone who does that for a living. When you first start, really, just focus on making simple graphics the best you can with clean lines, great color palettes, and basic design elements. You can always learn shortcuts and “flare” as you go along. Sometimes, figuring out one shortcut the first time can take 20 minutes, but then the next time, it will speed up your work ten-fold.

It’s so true. Practice, practice, practice. If you don’t know how to do something, but have seen it done on a layout on another blog, email that blogger and ask them how they did it. Or, you can always Google it! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve googled, “How to do ____ in Photoshop Elements.” There are so many great videos and tutorials out there these days that you can easily find the answer with 5 minutes of research.

With all that being said, here are some screengrabs I put together that show a few of my favorite menus and tips. Ironically, because this is screengrabbed based, it’s not especially pretty:

BLOGGERS

Jeanne, Shop Sweet Things | Shannon, I Love Your Crazy | Gabrielle, Savvy Home | Liz,So Much to Smile About | Julie, Julip Made | Christine, Bijou and Boheme | Mackenzie, Design Darling

RESOURCES
Polyvore
Big Huge Labs
Da Font
Picnik
Don’t Fear the Internet videos (recommended by Grace, Stripes and Sequins)
Washi Tape clip art
Vintage Postcard Ephemera Brushes for Photoshop
Vintage Frame Brushes for Photoshop
Tons more downloadable brushes and images for Photoshop (all free!)
The Pioneer Woman Photoshop Action Sets (I LOVE these!)
Gadabout

PRODUCTS
Adobe Photoshop Elements
Adobe Creative Suite 5

{Image Credits: Remodelista, MadeByGirl, Apartment Therapy}

This is a big topic. Read more questions and answers after the jump!

BLOGGERS
Jeanne, Shop Sweet Things | Bradley, Luella & June | Shannon, I Love Your Crazy | Tamra, Walks With Bella; Ever Swoon | Alex, Things That Sparkle | Gabrielle, Savvy Home | Liz,So Much to Smile About | Lara, Simply Irresistible | Alyson, The Average Girls Guide | Amber,Amber Interiors | Grace, Stripes and Sequins | Julie, Julip Made | Irene,designstILes | Rebecca, Young Sophisticates | Liz, Sequins and Stripes | Lauren, L.A. in the Bay | Christine, Bijou and Boheme | Sarah, A House in the Hills | Molly + Sally, A PIECE OF TOAST |

{Image Credits: The Alternative Wife, The Glitter Guide, A House in the Hills, Poppies and Posies, Lonny, Rue}

BLOGGERS:
Christine, Bijou and Boheme | Alyson, The Average Girls Guide | Julie, Julip Made | Sarah, A House in the Hills | Molly + Sally, A PIECE OF TOAST | Danielle, Breakfast at Toast, The Everygirl | Lauren, L.A. in the Bay

RESOURCES:

+ Vegan YumYum: Food Photography for Bloggers
+ Pioneer Woman: What the Heck is Aperture? Part I, II, III, IV
+ The Daybook: Photography and Post Processing
+ IFB: How to Take Your Own Outfit Photo
+ Gary Voth Photography: Why You Should Ditch That Zoom for a Classic 50mm “Normal” Lens

GEAR:
Great Starter Cameras:
Canon Rebel XS DSLR
Nikon D3100

Canon 50mm lens
Nikon 50mm lens

Got additional photography tips? Have a question you want answered? Share it below!

{Image Credits: The Sartorialist, Doo3 Flickr, The Sartorialist, See Jane}

BLOGGERS
Tamra, Walks With Bella; Ever Swoon | Alex, Things That Sparkle | Gabrielle, Savvy Home | Liz, So Much to Smile About | Lara, Simply Irresistible | Alyson, The Average Girls Guide | Amber, Amber Interiors | Grace, Stripes and Sequins | Julie, Julip Made | Erika, [shop talk] | Irene, designstILes | Rebecca, Young Sophisticates | Liz, Sequins and Stripes | Lauren, L.A. in the Bay

RESOURCES
Lucky FABB
Independent Fashion Bloggers (IFB)
Capital Area Fashion & Beauty Bloggers (CapFABB)
Chicago Blogger Network

Live in an area near one of these bloggers and want to get involved in a local blogger network? Contact any of them! I’m sure they’ll be happy to get you involved. Or, if you know of a great blogger network in your own city, be sure to list it in the comments so others can get connected.

What additional tips do you have to grow your blog community, or meet other bloggers in your area? Share your triumphs (and any struggles, too) in the comments!

{Image Credits: Citydrowns, Home of Pia Jane Bijkerk via Other Peoples’ Houses, Freunde vonFreunden, La Dolce Vita, Three Potato Four, From Me to You, Wish Wish Wish}

This week, I am so happy to be bringing you a plethora of blogging tips and tricks from some of my favorite bloggers around! Whether you’re a new blogger or a seasoned pro, I guarantee you’re going to learn something. I know I did, just reading the emails from my wonderful contributors. The variety of responses was amazing, and it was interesting to see how all of these women approach blogging differently.

And if you don’t currently blog, I think these posts will still be interesting for you, as you’ll gain insight into how some of your favorite sites put together content day in and day out, and what it’s like to write a blog. Maybe this will even encourage you to start your own!

Here’s how the topics for the week are going to shake out. Get excited:

Today: Growing your community and Photography
Tuesday: Content and Design
Wednesday: Behind the Scenes, of course!
Thursday: Collaboration (think guest posts!) and Sponsorships
Friday: Miscellaneous items — find out what everyone thinks is the best and worst part about blogging, plus lots more.

At the end of each post, you’ll find links to the bloggers who participated in that topic. Please be sure to visit their blogs! Where applicable, I’m also including a list of resources with each post, which will hopefully give you lots of great info to bookmark.

Stay tuned, the first post on growing a blog community will be up very soon.

{Image Credit: Better Homes and Gardens}

Happy Happy Friday! Boy, what a week. Between the apartment drama and also getting geared up for what is sure to be an unbelievable few days in Salt Lake City next week, I am happy to see the weekend (and a three day one, at that!). I like to think of the last few days as just water under the bridge (hence the lovely image above, from Sarah Tucker). I’m ready for what this next week will bring!

To give you all a heads up and get you excited: next week, I have a very special set of posts coming. As you know, I’ll be attending the Altitude Design Summit from Wednesday through Friday, and can’t wait to get back and share what I learned with you (along with lots of photos, natch! After all, I’ll be hanging out with Tobe, Molly, Chelsea, Erin, Katie, Amanda, Kait, and local friends Jeanne and Melissa there). However, I figured, “Why let the Alt-goers have all the fun?” For those of you reading along who also have blogs, you’re in for a real treat: a series of posts sharing best practices, tips and tricks from lots of amazing bloggers who have been kind enough to spill their secrets! And if you don’t have a blog, consider this a rare behind the scenes look into what goes into creating your favorite sites. I think you’ll still enjoy it! And perhaps it’ll give you some inspiration to start your own blog (if you do, make sure you let me know!).

Until then, some links for your viewing pleasure:

+ Lotts and Lots shared a great DIY on what are dubbed as Prada-esque earrings. Looks pretty good given the small shopping list, don’t you think?
+ Keeping in the DIY vein, Amber had a great round up of DIYs you should check out right this second. I’m especially impressed with the fish scale wall, the IKEA desk hack (also discussed over here), and the confetti system garland !
+ Did you hear the big news from my girl Mackenzie? Get ready for Design Darling: The Boutique!! I have a feeling this is going to be fabulous.
+ Chelsea shared her gorgeous envelope liner for her wedding invitations. They’re fabric. And hand cut by her. Lovely, aren’t they?
+ I’m totally intrigued by this recipe from Jacquelyn: a beef noodle soup that uses bourbon. Something different (and delicious).
+ I always love learning about new artists, and was happy to hear about Jennifer Ament, which Sarah shared on her blog Chevrons & Stripes.
+ Don’t miss this summary of a new article in Architectural Digest which looks at the Dumfries House in Scotland, recently purchased by Prince Charles.
+ Madewell (of all blogs) shared a great how-to on making your own jam. It really is easy!

Do you have next Monday off? What are your plans for the three day weekend? Wherever you are, I hope you enjoy!

{Image Credit: Sarah Tucker Travel Photography}

Absolutely fell in love with this photoshoot from the über talented Jamie Beck and Kelly Framel, and just had to re-post. Though it had been dubbed ‘Shipwrecked,’ I liked the idea of a mermaid singing her siren song even better.

PS — Fret not, Friday Link Love will be up in a bit!

{Credits: Images from Jamie Beck’s posts Awakening Beauty and Back to the Sea; poem from William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream}