What It’s Like To Live With Anxiety

I’ve got an essay to write today on my journey with depression and anxiety, so how fitting is that I’d come across these illustrations? Catherine Lepage perfectly captured the reality of living with anxiety in her new book Thin Slices of Anxiety: Observations and Advice to Ease a Worried Mind, which is filled with beautiful illustrations I think we all can relate to at some point in our lives…

I’d love to hear your tips, friends! How do you combat anxiety? How do you stop it before it takes over? Exercise? Meditate? Get together with friends? Obviously, writing about it always helps me, so if you’ll excuse me, I hear an essay calling my name… xoxo

Sponsor Spotlight: Chaotic & Collected Stationery Launches New Site

When I heard that creative extraordinaire Jess Downey was re-launching Chaotic & Collected Stationery, I knew I had to chat with her about all the excitement! The new site is still stocked with her trademark cards, party decor and party kits, but she’s turned the volume up a notch and really kicked things into high gear! I mean, just check out that pretty logo! Read on for all the scoop straight from the source! xoxo


Keep in touch…
Official Web site: Chaotic & Collected Stationery
Become a fan on Facebook
Follow on Twitter
Follow on Instagram
Get inspired on Pinterest

Congrats on the launch of the new site! What made you decide to relaunch it?
Thank you! I am so excited about it. For a while, I’ve been thinking about ways to streamline my process. I’m only one little person and running a blog, a stationery store website and an Etsy store became a really big job. I also found that people weren’t really understanding my brand and who I am/what I do — people who knew about the shop didn’t know about the blog and vice versa. So in an effort to make things easy-peasy, I decided to do a little redesign. Make things easier for me and all of my readers/followers. Plus, any reason to make something pretty is good, right?

What was the most exciting part of working on the new site? The most stressful?
The most exciting part was making all of the new images and discovering exactly what I want my online presence to be. There are so many things you can do and places you can go! The most stressful was making the actual site. I used a theme and I’m pretty comfortable with the basics of code and all that tech stuff, but there’s things I don’t know and in the middle of designing, I broke my site. I thought I knew how to fix it, but I broke it more and I lost everything. I managed to restore it, but then some stuff still wasn’t working. It was quite the challenge, but it gave me a chance to really start fresh, so I guess it’s also a good thing.

What is new and cool about the new site?
I have a fun new bio that’s in a Q&A form. And now you can find everything — blog, shop, ME — all in one place. There’s also a spot to sign up for my newsletter, which I didn’t really have before. I’m being more active with newsletters. Subscribers get advanced notice for sales, plus deals, DIYs, recipes and many other things that aren’t available anywhere else.

What do you have in store for the future, in terms of new product launches, specials, events, etc.?
I’ve been working on adding some home décor items to my shop. It all started with a welcome mat, and now I’ve started to add other things (more welcome mats, signs) and other things are in the works. I plan on making lots more fun and unique items (including some things for Shark Week!).

What is most rewarding about running Chaotic & Collected?
So many things! I love seeing the things that I create out there in the world. I love writing a post that might inspire someone in some way or that others can relate to. And I just love being a part of something that I created.

What’s surprised you the most over the years?
Honestly, I think the amount of support I’ve received from people I don’t even know. Other bloggers and small biz owners that I’ve connected with through social media. It’s kind of amazing.

Is there anything else you think I should know?
I’ve started a new post every Friday called Happy Fridays. It’s basically just a post about things that made me happy that week. It started because one of my goals for this year was to remember to appreciate all of the things in life that make me happy — no matter how big or small. I’d love to get more people involved in it.

NASA Retro-Style Travel Posters

How neat are these retro-style travel posters from NASA? Released by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the posters invite you to “envision a day when the creativity of scientists and engineers will allow us to do things we can only dream of now.” The best part? You can even download the posters for free! Who knows…with all the progress scientists have made on Mars, a trip in a rocket to a distant planet might not be such an “alien” notion one day! Which one is your favorite, friends? xoxo

Sponsor Spotlight: IDoBliss

They say that presentation is key, and that’s never been more true than when it comes to invitations. Gone are the days of boring, plain and simple invitations. It’s time to say hello to a new generation of ones that pop, fun and unbelievably eye-catching. Perhaps no one knows that better than Laura from IDoBliss, an Etsy shop full of all sorts of invitations for every occasion — everything from weddings to bridal showers to baby showers to save-the-dates; there are also a variety of gorgeous stationery sets to choose from! All the invitations are handmade, and Laura describes her shop as a place “where creativity with paper prevails!” Read on for the scoop on what led Laura to open her shop, her love of stationery and her tips for the perfect invitation! xoxo

Keep in touch…
Official Web site: IDoBliss
Become a fan on Facebook
Follow on Twitter
Follow on Instagram
Get inspired on Pinterest

Tell me about IDoBliss. What’s the inspiration behind its launch?
I have always been a creative person and especially in regards to paper, crafts and scrapbooking. I began creating designs for many family and friends’ events and special occasions even as a teen. I worked as a microbiologist for a medical device company for many years, but was looking for a change. My goal switched to a career in forensics, so I began seeking out a new career path. In 2005, I chose to strike out on my own and start a custom design business, and at the same time, my dream forensics job came calling. I became a wife, a forensic scientist, an entrepreneur and a mom all within a few years. I have since then mastered juggling all these exciting facets of my life. I am still solving crimes with fingerprint analysis, and creating invitations for brides around the world.

When did you become interested in stationery and design, particularly in wedding stationery?
In 2003, I decided to create my own wedding invitations and the obsession began. I really enjoy using different papers, ribbons and embellishments to create something unique and unlike any other type of card available to brides. My handmade pieces are truly pieces of art, and each item is hand assembled by my hands — and so I take great pride in my items and work.

Why do you think the perfect piece of stationery/invitation is so important?
Setting the tone for your wedding is crucial. I believe that people still enjoy receiving mail in general, and when a wedding invitation shows up, in between the ads and bills, there is a level of excitement that still exists. With all the technology in today’s world, receiving an actual physical invitation is still important and necessary. I don’t think we should give this up quite yet for the ease of simplicity or cost. Especially when we are celebrating one of the most special events in a lifetime, a wedding invitation should capture the romance, love and anticipation of the upcoming day — and emanate that to their loved ones.

What are you top 3 tips for the perfect invite?
1. Have a budget and a specific color palate
2. Use a variety of textures and paper sheens
3. Adding embellishments such as ribbons, shells, crystals or feathers will help the invitation stand out from the rest

What is your favorite piece in your shop and why?
I have a lot of favorites, but right now, my favorite piece is the Gatsby wedding invitation. I just adore the bright color combination of blues and purples, and it literally makes my brain want to get up and start swing dancing! This invitation has a touch of glitter gold, which is a new color through my supplier, Envelopments. The peacock feather adds that touch of class, and I like the fonts and layout as they are not ordinary.

The Introvert’s Life Explained In Charts

We introverts typically get a bad rap. We’re seen as cold, too shy and — maybe worst of all — leading lives that are more boring than watching paint dry. Well, as you can probably already imagine, I don’t agree with any of that nonsense, which is why my heart did a great big happy dance when I discovered Anna Borges’s cheat sheets to the introvert’s life. The BuzzFeed assistant health editor’s charts are spot-on, so listen up, people!

This is life, Introvert-Style. Do you agree, friends? Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Does it run in your family? Are you the opposite of your family and friends? xoxo

P.S. Introverts vs. Extroverts and 10 Things You Don’t Owe Anyone.

[Via My Modern Met]