7.10.14

Sometimes you just need to take a week off from blogging and reading blogs in order to get excited and get back to it! I’ll be back with a few fantastic interviews and features next week but here are some must read articles to catch up on this weekend.

HDH Basics!
I’m so stoked for Lisa’s new collection – it has been so much fun to watch it come together over the last few months at The Comn. These everyday, always available pieces will be the perfect addition to any wardrobe… though mine is slowly becoming very HDH heavy.

Five Questions: Kate Arends
My amazing friend (and another studio-mate!) is a tastemaker in this month’s Martha Stewart magazine. Check out the article for some of her favorite items and for her thoughts on party planning, Minneapolis, social media, and American made.

Do Less = Do More. The Art of Being Creative + Productive.
Yesterday I deleted everything in my information/organization apps and am attempting to start over. I get so overwhelmed with tasks and information and the-need-to-save-everything-in-case-I-ever-want-slash-need-to-come-back-to-it that I’m struggling to feel like I ever actually accomplish anything. I think I may give this schedule a try next week… anyone want to join me?! Also- please share how you organize your life! I’ve got email down, but todoist, evernote, pocket, etc. are big opportunities for me…

What Are We Doing to Strengthen Our Circles?
Per usual, Erin’s take on the circles of people we surround ourselves with and the fact that we need to nurture the relationships that make up our foundation is spot on. I shared this last week but was reminded of it again this week while I sat down to dinner with an amazing group of friends and people that I trust and believe in. Build your circle (of women AND men, in my case) and be good to it (and to yourself).

Another Reason to Love Birkenstocks.
I have always been a fan of the jolie laide (ugly beautiful) and also of anything comfortable – so clearly I’m happily sporting my birks these days. I appreciated that they were made in Germany (a high wage country) but am even happier to wear mine after reading Ana’s article… what a great company.

Conscious Consumption.
Often, I don’t write things because I don’t know how to frame my thoughts nicely (I wish I filtered what came out of my mouth this way!). My amazing friend Heidi Merrick perfectly articulated my thoughts on the cost of consumption last week… we are all responsible.

and last… I’m working on some updates to this site (hard to believe it’s almost been a year since TAE launched!) and I would LOVE your feedback… What do you like? What can I change? (the font will get bigger, finally!) What can I do better? What do you want to see more or less of? I’d love any and all input and suggestions! feel free to comment below, via social media, or by email! THANK YOU!

Have an awesome weekend! xx

Independence Day

Happy 4th of July, friends!

America happens to share a birthday with someone very important to me (and a birthday week with me!), so on this holiday I often feel extra thankful – for my family and my friends, for my health, and for the life I am free to live in this amazing country of opportunity. My parents moved here almost 40 years ago to pursue the American Dream and build a better life for their future family and despite the setbacks and hurdles, that is what they did.

Although I’ve always been proud to be an American, I never considered myself to be incredibly patriotic – it honestly just wasn’t something I thought about. I didn’t get into this business because of some deep-seated love, respect for, or obligation to America, but because of my belief in the amazing makers and entrepreneurs and creatives I’d met over the years. But the more I dive into this adventure, the more I realize that that is America – the enduring optimism and risk taking and creativity of our citizens. And I love that. And I believe in it. And I am proud to be a patriot. This week and all weeks, I am thankful to live somewhere that considers Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness to be my unalienable rights.

I was honored to work on American made product round ups for TWO of my favorite shops this week… please check them out!

Barneys New York

Shop Mille

Happy, Happy 4th! Be safe. Have fun. Eat some s’mores.

collage via artifact uprising. images from left to right: top row – @maxwanger @rachccouch bottom row – @littlecoal @leacicerarophoto

Weekly Reads

Hello! After a few crazy weeks, we’re escaping to one of my very favorite places for a quick getaway. I’m so excited to lay on the beach and read and just play.

This 50 Things project celebrating the launch of COS in the States is pretty rad.

Rebecca is starting to talk about transparency and responsible production – so awesome. I love when makers drive the conversation and am so excited for her upcoming posts.

Erin shared her favorite Midwestern Designers – such an incredible list that includes so many of my amazing, talented friends!

My friend and studio partner Lisa of Hackwith Design House partnered with Indigo and Snow to create an amazing shibori collection – I wonder where the Rita top came from?! 😉

Braid Creative takes on the topic of a day job that is also a dream job. We glamorize self employment. In some ways it’s awesome, in some ways it’s not.

The WSJ on finding the perfect tee shirt – a topic I happen to be fairly passionate about. My favorites are Current/Elliott (a splurge – but the cost per wear is totally worth it; I wear this tee embarrassingly often.) and Everlane.

You have a few more days to enter Katy Skelton’s incredible 4th of July giveaway – I don’t really want to tell you about this one because it decreases my chances, but it’s the right thing to do!

Have an amazing weekend!

image 1 | image 2

Individual Medley : Makers Video

I’m a little bit obsessed with this makers video made by Wade Koch (who is incredible and helped film our wedding!) and Individual Medley… Wade and shop owners Monica & Justin brought their makers together – many meeting for the first time! – in the Sharkpig Studio and filmed this video where the makers get to show off their products… I love seeing so many of my favorites all in one place, but I’m far more curious about the conversations and (and ideation!) that took place off camera!

I love it when creatives get together and make something new. And different. And I can’t believe I have spent so much time in LA and haven’t made it to Individual Medley yet!

Individual Medley from Wade! on Vimeo.

a few more weekend reads…

How to Travel the World & Get Companies to Pay for It. (Don’t Get Excited – It Doesn’t Work Like That.)
Casey Neistat (of Ludlow Traveler fame) on creating opportunities, doing the work, proving your value, and learning and building as you go. We all wonder and talk about how (so & so) got there – but instead let’s think about how we can take our unique experiences and use them to get to a place that we want to be.

Behind the Scenes with Emily Henderson Designs
This post by Emily’s newest designer is hysterical – I had the opportunity to help my friend Melissa shoot a project for Emily Henderson & Curbly last fall and I was amazed – and exhausted – by all that goes into styling a home. This is a great overview – and a reminder that nothing is as glamorous as it seems! (For example, even though we did not buy one new thing, or really even rearrange anything other than accent pieces, it took us an entire day to shoot our house for Design*Sponge – had I not seen gone through the EH shoot, I would have never survived!)

The Road Ahead was Supposed to be Clear & Filled with Light
Felicia Sullivan on learning what you are meant to do (vs. what you are good at) and on creating a structured, unstructured life. There was a lot of interest on my Antifragile post last week – but I know that my circumstances are incredibly unusual. Felicia proves you can make it happen regardless of your situation.

Build Your Own Gin & Tonic Bar
Kate created this deliciousness for our studio launch party last week and now I’m reconsidering my summer devotion to rosé.

Girls of a Certain Age and This is 50
I’m turning 30 in one month. I’ve been accidentally telling people I was 30 for almost two years, so I’m ready for it. Girls of a Certain Age has always been one of my favorite blogs and Erin introduced me to This is 50 earlier this week. Maybe I’ll be telling people I’m 50 soon!

Follow along for more TAE: