Life Adventures

A Note on Success

1 · May 17, 2019 ·

We’ve moved towns twice in the past 3 years. That means both our family and my business. It means getting the word out, hoping success will follow, networking, rebranding and letting a new area know who I am. It’s not easy. And doubt has been creeping in… how do I make it all work?

There’s a message that keeps getting pushed in my face. It’s a message telling me that I’m not enough. As a mom and business owner, I don’t know if this is hitting home a little too much and I’m so much more in tune to this message or if it’s just hitting everyone smack in the face right now and is what the world wants everyone and their brother to hear.

Photography: Hetler Photography

It seems like every “successful” business man or woman has a story to tell – a book, a podcast, workshop or webinar – something to sell you on how they became the amazingly awesome person that they are. They seemingly know it all and even have a way of belittling us into believe that we aren’t enough, we can be doing more, doing better, working harder, etc etc etc. I’m not disregarding their successes in life by any stretch of the imagination. However, in this age of over information, it’s so hard to know whose truths to hold onto.

For example here’s some of the good advice that’s been shared lately:

“You’re brand is about you, but not for you.”

However, you should show off work that you love and want to recreate – showing who you are and your vibe will attract your tribe. Just do what you love.

You should use the word “I” in all your marketing because it makes it more personal, as if you were having a direct conversation with your customer.

But “we” gives a sense of teamwork and makes your business seem less self-centered. If people think your business/team is too small they won’t take you seriously.

“Fake it until you make it”.

But be real.

Make sure you marketing and Instagram and photography is professional and cohesive. We work in a visual field, so make sure you’re only showing the very best of the best of your portfolio.

However people want to see the real life and know that everything isn’t staged. It’s all about authenticity.

Business moves done in fear and desperation won’t end well.

But sometimes being in a desperate place is just the kick in the pants that you need.

Emotion has no place in business.

But how many times have you just had to go with a gut reaction, something that has no real explanation?

Done is better than perfect.

However don’t put anything out into the world that isn’t 100% complete and ready. Once it’s online, you can’t retract it.

It could carry on this list of contradictions all day long. But I think the biggest one that’s in my mind right now is this idea that we’re powerful women, boss babes who should able to conquer anything. And if we’re not, then we’re not working hard enough, our selling tactics aren’t clever enough and we need to be doing more. More more more. Contentment should be non-existent. (But be thankful for everything that we have #blessed).

I’ve had several colleagues lately who have been celebrating victories big and small. Some of them have been in business less time than me. In truth, it’s hard to watch. I’m left with one thought in my mind. I’m not good enough.

By the grace of God, I had an epiphany. The answer is so obvious I’m embarrassed. I can pound the pavement all day long. I can give away free flowers, shove business cards in people’s faces and work my tail off – just as I suspect so many other successful business women before me have done. But if that’s not God’s plan, if it’s not what he has written in the stars for me, no amount of work will make me any more or less successful. God has gifted those other people with success. Do I deserve it any more than them? Humble yourself Shelby.

Success doesn’t belong to me. They’re His successes, it’s His victories and shame on me for my thoughtlessness. I recognize that my talents were created and gifted to me. An entrepreneur whom I very much look up to once said not to use God to sell your business. But if everything I have is His, isn’t it then His business as well? I’m not exactly putting Him on my marketing agenda but there needs to be a mental shift from washing your face and putting on your big girl pants and celebrating your successes, to celebrating the success that God has given you. We need to continue to work hard but remember that without His blessing and say so, no amount of hard work will make me a successful wife, business women or mom. It’s all Him. And in His perfect timing. That’s the truth I need to hold onto.

Words

0 · Mar 7, 2019 ·

Words. They’re powerful tools. I have pages of journals, notebooks, computer documents, paragraphs jotted my phone, post it notes and scraps of paper full of ideas, thoughts and verbiage that will never see the light of day. I have shared words with paper that eyes will never see. I have captions that I will never post and sentiments that I will never share. I love the expression of words and the feeling of a pencil on paper, almost as much as I love creating with flowers.

Did you know that we’re held responsible for every word that’s left our lips?

“I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak” Matthew 12:36

The impact is a little word can be huge. Think back to some of the significant speeches, sayings and phrases that have been turning points in your life. They can hurt or they can build up. I remember being new in the floral world, feeling like I finally found my direction and where I needed to be heading and almost instantly, some offhand comment by an unknowing sender crushed me. They criticized my work and brought me instantly to my knees, ultimately surfacing all of my newbie fears and slowing the progress of my business for the next 1 ½ years until I realized they were in the wrong, not me. It doesn’t do much good at this point to look back, but I do wonder how my journey might have changed.

“The soothing tongue is the tree of life, but the perverse tongue crushes the spirit.” Proverbs 15:4

This week, I saw my words on someone else’s website. It’s a phenomena that I know many creatives experience. And part of me loves that I’m inspiring someone else’s work. But the other part of me feels robbed. It’s like they took a little piece of my soul, a little part of my journey that I’ve worked so hard on and claimed it as their own.

I will never call this person out. I will never tell who this person is. They know who they are. Maybe there are others out there that I simply haven’t stumbled across. I can’t truly take credit for my talents, whether it be writing poetic expressions or creating elaborate works of floral art. My talents come from our Creator. They’re truly his gifts. So perhaps my feelings are out of line. Perhaps I should just give this person a hug and send some creative vibes their way. I could hurt them with more words. But if they’re not words of love, then they probably should just be kept to yourself.

It’s Just You and Me

0 · Feb 26, 2019 ·

I found this picture as I was digging through wedding galleries last week. It’s a soft and sweet sentiment for a wedding day and I love the idea that regardless of how anything else shakes out, it’s the two of us – husband and wife – together forever, two against the world.

Photography: Samantha James Photography

However it’s not really been until recently I’ve really began to reflect on how important that is. Coworkers, friends, life scenarios, they all come and go. But marriage is forever, regardless of what’s going on in the world around you. So you better pick someone amazing to be by your side, right?

I’ve really felt the impact of this lately. I have different parenting philosophies, thoughts on love, political ideals and general ways of living life that many of those around me. Not to say that my way or someone else’s way is better or worse, just different. Everyone doesn’t see eye to eye and some days I feel like I’m constantly having to justify my reasoning to _________ (insert nearly anyone’s name here) for EVERY LITTLE DESCION I MAKE. Having a spouse that gets you, whose line of thinking (for the most part) aligns with my own is so helpful. There are enough battles in the world, I don’t need to add ones with my spouse to the list.

Even more so, is the realization that we’ve moved again. My best friend is now 3 hours away. Other friends are nearly as far. Family is scattered throughout the state. Phone calls and social media are great for connecting, but there’s an emptiness that they can’t fill. There’s nothing quite like real human connections, an in person connection. And if we’re being completely honest here, making friends as an adult is hard. It never came easy to me a kid either, but if anyone had told me how much harder it would get with age, perhaps I’d have tried a littler harder back then? Probably not, but it’s a thought. I have my family around me day in and day out. We have a busy little life so most days I don’t notice the lack of socialization. But when I stop to think about it, I realize how crazy we were to move to a town I’d only ever heard about, an area that I had very little knowledge of and where we have zero friends and family nearby. Plus working from home, it means that forced coworker acquaintances that could potentially turn into more, are nonexistent.

This isn’t a cry for help or someone to come and be my friend. But rather, a reminder to hold onto the relationships you have. It’s a note of gratitude for my husband and having someone constant by my side. We may have chosen to move and leave some people that we love, but if we hadn’t left, that doesn’t mean that another circumstance in our life may not have changed. There are so many moving pieces and variables in our lives that can vary in an instant. This a note to encourage you to build a strong marriage, work and it and don’t rely on those around you for your happiness. Create that happiness in your own home. Every season of life isn’t the same, but right now it’s just me and my family doing life together. And the battles that came in the earlier years have proven to strengthen the relationship we have right now, so that it can be just the two of us and the joy that doing life together brings.

14 Ways to Celebrate Valentines Day (and those we love)

0 · Feb 1, 2019 ·

We made it to February! January was a really great month, until all the snow storms and cold hit – shutting down what seemed like the entire Midwest. The latter part of the month dragged and while I know that winter isn’t over, there is some relief in knowing that we’ve survived the polar vortex of 2019 and hopefully there are warmer days ahead.

Days filled with love.

I work in the wedding and floral businesses. So Valentine’s Day, it’s pretty huge. I’m not doing any valentine’s florals this year (but maybe next? We’ll see how the year plays out). Regardless, I think we all should celebrate. However, that doesn’t mean I think we should all fall into the commercialized trap of Hallmark cards, overpriced chocolates and lacy little nighties – unless of course that’s what you want to do (there’s certainly nothing wrong with that!). What I am saying, is we should always take time out of our schedule to celebrate love. To savor it and to appreciate the love that we all have in our lives. That might mean a spouse or significant other, but also the little loves that bring our homes to life. We should honor each other’s love languages and create a day, or even month, reminding them just how loved and special they really are.

With that being said, I’m sharing 14 ideas to celebrate. Whether you’re actually celebrating the holiday or need to just take a day (or 2) to focus on the people who are important to you.

1. At home date night

Valentine’s Day is in the middle of the week. We all have work, kids, schedules, etc. and finding a baby sitting can be both difficult and expensive. When it comes to date night, my husband and I rarely leave the house. We spend the early evening with our girls, make them dinner and tuck them into be a couple minutes early (the advantage of having young children that can’t tell time yet) and then at 8:00pm our date night starts. We’ll make up a charcuterie board for dinner, have a glass or two of wine and sneak off to our bedroom to watch a movie, play a board game and just enjoy a meal and time together.

2. Love notes

Leave a love note for your spouse somewhere in the house. Have a note tucked in their bag/briefcase/coat pocket to find while their out in the world. Have it waiting next to their toothbrush when they get up in the morning. Wherever the placement, surprise them with a sweet note sharing how much you care and reminding them that even when their out in the world on their own, they will also come back to you.

Photography: K. R. Moreno | Calligraphy: Ciarra Claire Fine Art | Florals: Shelby of The Day’s Design

3. A note a day

This takes the idea above and stretches it out a little. In this idea, for the two weeks up to Valentine’s Day, you leave a one line note every day sharing something that you love about your spouse. By the time Valentine’s Day rolls around, they’ll know 14 (if you start today) little things that you love about them and start to feel really special. This is a really significant idea if your spouses’ love language is words of affirmation.

4. Mini gifts

Last year, my husband and I decided that instead of doing a large valentine’s gift or exchanging cards and chocolates, we were going to do 14 mini gifts – one a day for the first 14 days of February. They were small thoughtful gifts that didn’t cost much but were easy ways to say “I pay attention” and “I care.” Some examples, a package of my favorite pens, some clothes pins (along with the promise to hang a new clothesline for me once the weather turned nice), chap stick, new earbuds – we chose practical things that we recognized would make our spouses’ lives just a little better and again, it was an easy way to show how much we really do pay attention to each other’s needs. While it was fun giving and receiving something each day, it was almost more fun having something to look forward to each evening, knowing that we were carving a few extra minutes of out of our day for each other to do something just a little special.

5. Home cooked meal

Make your family’s favorite meal. It might sound like such a simple gesture, but something that’s cooked with love is going to show them love. It’s also a way to involve you children as well, giving everyone a taste of one of their favorite treats, making each person in your home feel loved.

6. Wine tasting date

We live in an area where wineries are very prevalent. However, taking the time to actually explore them is not something that we often take time out of our schedule to do. Going wine (or even beer tasting) is a relaxed and easy way to get out of the house and try something new, creating an experience together.

7. Let your spouse sleep in

Don’t we all wish for just a little more sleep? Valentine’s falls on a week day this year, so maybe on that particular day it might not be possible, but what about gifting the promise of a quiet Saturday morning, staying in bed until noon. It doesn’t get more inexpensive than that and it such a treat! You could even top it off with serving a little breakfast in bed.

8. Get dressed up

I’ve come to the point in my life where I’m constantly in my “mom uniform”. Jeans and/or leggings, big heavy winter sweaters and clothing that’s just practical for life. We rarely leave the house as just the two of us and as much as I do try to do my hair and makeup and keep myself “presentable”, it’s certainly not the extent of getting dolled up like when we were first together. So even if you’re not leaving the house, put a dress on, wear something nice and spend a little extra time to “wow” your spouse, reminding them of the of the girl they fell in love with.

8 1/2. Get More Dressed Up

We all know that lingerie and similar items are being highly promoted right now. Something new is always a fun way to grab your spouses attention. Or if you’re feeling a bit more daring, boudior photography is a gift that will knock his socks off. I’ve done it and it was a very well recieved gift. However, my piece of advice is find a photographer who’s work you love, you feel comfortable with and will make you feel like a godness. It can be so tasteful and beautifully done as a work of art. (You can read more about a boudior session I styled previously here.)

Photography: Kelly Sweet Photography

9. Wine and cheese party

While spending a quiet night alone is the usual go-to idea for Valentine’s Day, it doesn’t have to be that way. It’s a day about love and maybe there are more people in your life that you’d like to share that love with. So why not host a party? Invite some close friends over, have a little wine and cheese spread, ask everyone to bring their favorite rosé or bubbly and enjoy great conversation. This is also a great way to include those single friends in your life who may often feel a little “unloved” on this day of the year – we’ve all been there.

10. Make breakfast

We talked about Valentine’s Day being on a week day this year. Which means a normal day of work and school for most of us. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t start the day off right with a big breakfast treat. My husband usually sneaks out the door with a cup of coffee and a granola bar or banana, if he’s lucky. Wouldn’t it be a pleasant surprise to have breakfast ready and waiting when he got out of bed that morning?

11. Light a candle

It’s that simple. Candles smell good and instantly add a relaxing, romantic glow to any room. What you do next is up to you 😉

12. Make heart shaped pizza

I have come to realize how many of these ideas revolve around food but what’s that saying – the way to a man’s heart is through is stomach?? – or something like that. Making little heart shaped pizzas is festive for him and for the little ones in your life, plus, who doesn’t love pizza?

Or try heart cookies, homemade poptarts, muffins, cakes or any other food that you could turn into a heart (I even saw a post on how to cook heart shaped bacon!)

13. Do something around the house that your spouse finds a chore

Stay with me here – this is designed around the idea of preforming an act of service for your spouse. Maybe cleaning the bathroom or taking out the trash is at the top of their list of hated household chores – so clean it for them. Perhaps there’s some nagging happening about new wallpaper or lighting fixtures that need to be hung. Can you imagine if you walked into your house after a long day away and it was perfectly cleaned from top to bottom? I’d fall over with glee – what a great gift. Can you reverse that and clean his car/garage/man cave? Think of other little gestures that might be outside of your normal scope of duties but would make a big impact on their day.

Photography: K. R. Moreno | Calligraphy: Ciarra Claire Fine Art | Florals: Shelby of The Day’s Design

14. I still do

Those 3 little words are huge. It means time and time again, I would choose my husband, regardless of what the last 8 years of marriage have held. Kel and Mel have an entire moment, with products designed to celebrate those little words. Words that at times are so much stronger than saying “I love you” because we all know people who have walked about from other’s that they love, but these words bring us together over and over again. Their website if full of sweet and thoughtful gift ideas.

Regardless of how you choose to celebrate or even if you prefer not to acknowledge this holiday, I encourage you to remember love and keep it at the forefront of your mind in all that you do.

“Can I Help You?”

0 · Jan 25, 2019 ·

This post was originally drafted last week. But in the wake of things happening in New York, around the world and the general state of disgust that I feel for the attitudes of the world – I feel that it’s necessary to pull the moral of the story and the punch line to my little tale right here to the top. I want it not to be missed, even if you decide not to continue reading on.

We are responsible for teaching our children how to live. It’s our responsibility to share the messages of truth and show the difference between right and wrong. We must lead by example and it’s more important than ever to show them how to spread love and kindness, leading by example and creating community/town/world where we all want to live.

The Christmas tree was taken down last week.

I’d like to say that I waited so long to take it down because I like to prolong the spirit of Christmas. But that’s only a partial truth. The rest of the story is that I really dislike the task. Removing each ornament, carefully wrapped and packing them away, unwinding the lights and taking care that they don’t end up tangled for next year and then the slew of needles that follow behind all of the these things, staying in your house and socks until July. None of it is nearly as fun as putting the tree up on a cozy winter’s night.

But I decided it was time to stop putting off the inevitable. And as I slowly started pulling each bauble off of the tree, my girls jumped in and said “can we help?”

I always encourage them to be “helpers” but its been awhile since I’ve seen this eager spirit of giving come through. So the three of us tackled this task in record time, leaving the final part to dad – removing the sadly undecorated fir from our cozy home and into the cold winter air.

The day got me thinking about being a helper. When was the last time you helped someone without being asked? Family excluded (because I hope we’re helping our kids, our spouses, etc without giving it a second thought). However, I realized I can’t remember the last time I helped a complete stranger. I sincerely hope that I’m doing it subconsciously, small acts of kindness that are second nature and I just have failed to notice. But what if that isn’t the case? What if my girls don’t have the “helper attitude” because I’m not setting the right example? That would break my heart.

Your kids learn what you teach them. It’s our responsibility to teach them the right and wrong and they watch you. I can’t change the laws. My little voice isn’t going to stop people from hating, not cherishing life or thinking that they know more than our Creator. But in my house, I can be both seen and heard. So it’s more cruitial than ever to lead by example and show them how things should be done, even if that’s not necessarily the message that the world is telling them at the moment.

Autumn Pictures in December

0 · Dec 22, 2018 ·

Dear Shelby,

December is swirling by much too quickly, don’t forget to savor the season, cherish each moment with your family and remember the reason for the season. Not only during this sacred time, but the whole year through.

In high school, before each formal dance all of my friends, acquaintances and anyone else who happened to be invited along, would gather together at someone’s house and take pictures of us all dressed up. There were usually 15 to 30 kids all attempting to look their very best, competing to have the most dazzling dresses, the most impeccably manicured nails, the most memorable hair-dos and the most perfectly coordinated dates. We’d all line up, our parents or some other poor adult, would pull out our disposable cameras and the photo sessions would begin. It was never less than an hour worth of primping and posing, making sure each group shot was flawless and we were photographed with anyone and everyone. Then we’d skip off to the dance, while our parents were tasked with dropping off our cameras to the overpriced 1 hour photo lab because it was imperative that we had the photographic results by the next school day. If, however, you waited the full 2 or 3 days or whatever standard film developing time was back then, by the time you got your photos back, it would be old news. We’d already seen everyone else’s pictures and we didn’t care to flip through your photo book a week later.

I think this might have been the start of it all. In as little as one hour you could get your low quality film scans back from the drug store. It lead to digital photography, being able to see the pictures the instant you took them and eventually social media which allowed not only you to see them instantly but now your friends to also see them within minutes. You no longer needed to be in the same room as another person for them to see the results of your fun night out. Printing at all became optional.

The world keeps moving faster and faster. We’re expected to do more. We expect ourselves to do more. And pressure builds.

This fall, I was forced to slow down – a little. We moved and unpacking and projects have been unending. That portion of the fall held no rest. However, I had a list 3 miles long of content for this space. I had autumn tours, Halloween projects, fall diy’s and then Thanksgiving tablescapes, etc etc to share. But I didn’t. Our new house didn’t come with the internet capabilities to do these things. So I even put off uploading and editing the photos, because if I wasn’t going to share them, then what difference did it make if they just sat on my SD card?

Now there’s snow on the ground, so I can’t share anything from the autumn. I can’t share how pretty our house looked with the sun twinkling through the golden leaves or the scenic views from our new town. I can’t share the cute little school house I stumbled across or my kids’ Halloween costumes. It seems that sharing now would be against the rules. But who made these rules??

With deadlines and Christmas projects and all the holiday life on the horizon, it starts to feel a bit daunting. I know there’s an underlying importance to each of these agenda items, but what about the other parts of life? I want to work to live, not the other way around. Why do we feel like everything has to happen so instantly? What happened to taking a day of rest? I don’t think I can any longer fault my 3 year olds’ neediness and impatience when I myself am enforcing the same guidelines. Its as if we don’t share it this moment, it might as well have never happened.

I’m done with these rules. I’m going to share spring flowers in the fall and if I want to share a photo now (in December – gasp!) that has autumn leaves in it, so be it. It doesn’t make it any less desirable to look at or these words on my pages have any less meaning. A personal project of mine for the new year, I want to get back into film photography, which I gave up on because I didn’t get my pictures back fast enough. Patience. Everything will happen in time. If instead I spend more time fluffing a bow on my mother’s Christmas present or sitting with my girls watching a holiday movie, rather than sharing my Christmas décor here, I think we’re still going to be okay.

I think we all need to give ourselves a break. Just slow down for minute. Take in the scenes and soak up as much family as possible. Remember the gift of Christmas and why we celebrate. It’s okay if you don’t post pictures of your kids opening their Christmas presents until New Year’s Day (or maybe you forgo social media all together). Live in the moment with them. We can stop rushing so much as December is swirling by. Don’t feel like you need to be buried in your phone or have your face hidden behind a camera waiting for the perfect shot. In doing so, you might just miss out on the perfect day.

A Classic Christmas List for Good Little Girls & Boys

2 · Dec 17, 2018 ·

I catch a lot of grief from others when I ask them not to by my girls more toys, I voice my particularities about the clothing they wear and really any object that is introduced into my girls lives. I’ve been accused of not being fun, being too uptight and even ruining Christmas. I’m not going to say that those comments don’t sting, however we have a way that we’ve chosen to raise our children, to protect their innocence and childhood, to keep them little as long as possible and let their imaginations run free. I don’t believe you need battery operated toys to learn. I don’t think you need bright flashy plastic colors to keep their interest. And I don’t believe their toy boxes need to be overflowing, refreshing the clutter each holiday season. It’s okay to live a simple life full of creativity.

As I type this, girls are playing with blocks on the floor. They’ve sitting there for the last hour or more, building vacuums, towers and counting. Just counting. Before that, they found enjoyment from a brown paper bag. So simple.

I was trying to put into exact words my philosophy when it comes to spoiling my children, how I choose toys and treats and have really been struggling. I try to share the message of appreciating what they have, wanting them to learn to take care of what they’re given because I’m not going to just by them something new if they don’t take care of the previous item. But when they’re gifted cheap plastic toys and items that aren’t really built to last, it’s somewhat hard to get that message across. And then my anxiety arises about the mess and the clutter and storage issues and I can’t help but wonder if in the long run any of these items are actually bringing any joy or just feeding our greedy consumer habits?

Someone summed it up for me, how I feel about it all, and unfortunately I cannot remember who I saw post this so I’m unable to give them credit – but the quote was this “Maybe if I give them heirloom quality toys I won’t mind the mess so much.” Kindred spirits right there. I seek classic items and simplicity, I don’t need frills I just was innocent toys that are meant to last. Do you think anyone will find today’s toys in an antique shop 50 years from how? I think the landfill is more likely. I know it sounds dramatic but there is a sweetness and something that soothes me by thinking this way. I’ve heard stories of how girls were given dolls just to practice being a mom, learning how to care for her little one, sewing clothes, etc. Yes, that’s old fashioned but it was purposeful play and created healthy habits. If you agree with all of those above who would rather give me grief and think I’m a little off my rocker, so be it. Regardless of your view, we’re all just trying to do the best for each of our families.

Never the less, here are a few of my favorite things I’ve either seen this holiday season or have purchased in years past to keep them little, let their imagination thrive and have fun being a girl (or boy – there’s fun on this list for them too!).

Outdoor Play:

There’s nothing better in the summertime than soaking up the sunshine and discovering nature. Skinned knees, tan lines and big bites are the sign of a summer well spent.

1 Radio Flyer Tri-Cycle. Santa brought this pastel pink treasure to use a few years back and now it’s been passed down to daughter number 2. It’s a classic and still fits my almost 4 year old great. But if you’re looking for something slightly more mature, I heard that Santa might be upgrading to this classic little cruiser this year.

2 & 3 Winter Wagon & Tandam Pull Sled. Of course I love a classic wooden number over the more modern plastic ones. These are both from LL Bean and I wish I would have seen them before I finished my Christmas shopping. I was just thinking how nice it would have been when we were out doing our holiday open houses downtown with the girls.

4 Retro Scooter. I think this little number is a little pricy but so cute. I love the classic clean look and the sweetness that I picture with a little girl perched on top.

5 Moulin Roty Botanist Kit. Let your little once be a scientist! While we don’t have this kit, we have a couple other Moulin Roty pieces and I love them. They’re so classic and fun. This one screams “get outside & explore!”

Jammies

Do you remember getting clothing as a kid? There were some people I dreaded opening presents from because I just knew it was going to be clothes. Gradually I outgrew that, I remember the year I got my first pair of stirrup pants from my grandma. I think that was the turning point for it all.

Jammies I feel like are the exception. My girls love pajamas. By 5:00pm on school nights they’re both asking if they can change into their pa’namas (as my 3 year old calls them).

6 7 & 8 Plaid Nightgown, Fair Isle Pajamas & Clara Christmas Gown. I love these three options because they’re classic Christmas that extends into the entire winter season. I don’t like to gift things that will be out of season by the time you gift them. The plaid nightgown also has a long pant option as well as a matching boys set, which is super cute if you like the matching jammie look. The Fair Isle ones are gender neutral which makes them perfect for mix and match or hand me downs from cousins and big sisters. Sizes are limited and selling fast, so multiple options are necessary.

9 Cozy Critter Robe. We have one of these and just purchased a second. It’s a fun way to let your kids’ personality shine while still keeping them subtle. Options are kitties, unicorn or a shark hood.

10-13 If you don’t live in a freezing climate or are just wanting to get ready for spring, I love these options. I’m always a fan of floral patterns and my girls are too. Big Dreams Navy Floral PJ Set. Ruffle Floral PJ Dress. Ruffle Short PJ Set. Blue Gingham PJ Set.

Fun Toy for Nice Girls & Boys

14 Moulin Roty Doctor Kit. This kit is ridiculously cute. Wooden instruments and a picturesque carrying case. My girls love this case but it would be perfect for a boy as well.

15 Oskar & Ellen Tea Set. Willa received this quilted set a couple years ago for Christmas and it was the first thing she opened, I secretly wished it would be her last. She immediately love it and 2 years later it is still so loved. We have a couple other pieces from this line as well and each one is as cute as the last.

16 Lincoln Logs. The most timeless gift. I usually hate gifts that have a million little pieces but I feel like these would change my tune.

17 Kitchen Utensils. Nothing screams imaginative play like kitchenware. My girls love having pieces that look like mommy’s. There are so many fun options out there, Pottery Barn, Kidkraft, adorable aprons and more.

18 Maileg Mice. Have you seen these matchbox mice? I think they’re adorable. My girls have so much, so I’ve resisted purchasing but with all the option, I’m not sure how long I can resist. Look at this little ballerina one!

19 Kids Concept Cash Register. My girls wanted a cash register last year and so I bought a really cute wooden one from Crate & Kids. However, this year I stumbled across this one which is even cuter – look at that little card reader! Kids Concept has some adorable little wooden toys.

20 Elsa Inspired Dress. Disclaimer, I have not actually ever ordered anything from this website but I’m sure that will change soon. My girls are obsessed with Elsa and Ana. The amount of dress up clothes they have is getting a little out of hand but that doesn’t seem to stop one little 6 year old from dreaming. And she dreams of being Elsa. I on the other hand, am having an issue with all the customs and their faux sequins looking like they belong on something other than a 6 year old. This one, however, may change my mind. Elsa dreams while still looking like my sweet baby girl and this Rapunzal one is the cutest ever.

I hope this helps you holiday shopping but remember – its not about the present but more imporantly, your presence (so cliche, but so true). Also, these are not affiliate links, just items that I’ve stumbled across in my shopping or pieces that we have and love.

As far as holiday shipping, just a reminder that Christmas Eve is one week from today! So hurry up and finish your shopping! Alex and Alexa (the Kids Concept toys) says today is the last day to order for guarenteed Christmas delivery. Maisonette (the Moulin Roty Botanist Kit) will no longer guarentee delivery before Christmas (but that doesn’t mean it won’t arrive). You have a couple days left on the other items but make haste, items sell out fast.

Planning Marriage

1 · Dec 4, 2018 ·

Working in the wedding industry means I’m surrounded by weddings and marriage all the time. I devote my weekends in the summer to celebrating with couples and those long winter days to helping them decorate and plan. But those days are devoted to the wedding, not the marriage. We often use those words together, understanding how closely the two are related and sometimes even wrongly interchanging them, but they’re not the same, not even close.

Even doing what I do for a living, I wouldn’t call myself an expert in either of these areas, marriage or weddings. There’s always more work to be done. Always something more to learn. Always an area for improvement. Planning either of them is not easy.

7 years ago when I began writing in this little corner of the internet, I wanted to talk about the topic of marriage. But my courage waivered. I was barely more than a newlywed myself and what did I know? The ironic part of that is I would write about wedding planning as if I knew something, and yet I knew so little, being in the baby stages of my planning business as well.

I still don’t think it’s an easy topic to chat about. It’s much easier to write about changing leaves, decorating a new house or what flowers are in season on your wedding day. It’s not nearly as superficial as these topics that I easily post about. I’ve been quiet here because, well life is busy, but also because of the fight against what needs to be said. Because it is a fight. Each and every day, a fight to the death to keep your marriage alive.

When you’re first engaged, and are unsure of the first steps of planning a wedding, where do you turn? One might ask their mom, their best friend or hire a professional. There’s no shame in being uncertain of the steps needed to plan a wedding. There are articles after article posted online and hundreds of magazines and similar publications dedicated to helping people plan this one day. But it’s ONE day.

Who’s helping plan the marriage? A marriage that is FOREVER? Where are the exposés at the checkout lane promoting couples staying together, loving one another and never giving up? It’s easier to degrade your spouse then lift them up. It’s hard to admit that we don’t naturally know the secret to a successful marriage. Loving one another isn’t quite as easy as it seems because we’re all selfish people and marriage is an act of selflessness, completely giving yourself to another person. The idea of turning to an expert for help isn’t quite as socially acceptable. So we all struggle. Have days of failure. And so many couples in the end, find it much easier just to give up.

I am one teeny tiny voice in a world of so many. I have had good days of marriage and bad. But I have a voice that understands the struggle and can sympathize with the battle that is before you. So if you’ve ever read one of my articles about wedding planning, decorating a bedroom or setting a holiday table, I urge you to read up on marriage. How can I claim to be a lifestyle blogger if I won’t talk about this most important of topics? What have you done for your marriage today?

Photography: Cory Weber Photography

I wrote part of a series on our own marriage study early this year which you can read here. For more reading I recommend starting 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman, Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas and watching Ashely with Arrows & Bow’s Instagram highlights – Marriage Talk because YES to cherishing our husbands!

Travel & Inspired Places

0 · Oct 23, 2018 ·

It happened again today. I drove up over the hill on my simple little drive to pick up Gretta from school and I was awestruck. There, just above the shades of amber and orange that are adorning the tops of the trees, was a glittering view of Little Traverse Bay. The road was perfectly framed with the dancing gilded leaves, on one side reflecting the sun’s magnificent beams and on the other, matching the turmoil of the grey sky above. The bay itself unsure of what color to reflect and shining in its own deep and smoky turquoise splendor.

Have you ever been lucky enough to live in a place that’s so beautiful, you actually gasp every time you turn a corner or drive up a hilltop?

I always thought I wanted to live in Leelanau County (Michigan’s pinky finger for those of you less familiar with Michigan’s geography). I have ties to the area and it’s been a dream of mine since I was a teenage (you can read more about that here). This past spring we were presented with an opportunity to relocate into Northern Michigan, but it wasn’t exactly where I had envisioned us being. It wasn’t my beloved Leelanau. I said no.

If you’ve been following along, you know that that “no” wasn’t the end of the story. Summer rolled around and the opportunity hadn’t gone away. Long story short, we moved to Northern Michigan, a placed filled with so much beauty and brilliance I cannot even believe how lucky we are to call this place home.

I always fantasized of adding a segment to my journal called “Life in Leelanau” because it’s always been such an inspiring place which we spend so much time in. With this turn of events, that doesn’t seem appropriate. However, since we do live in such a highly traveled tourist destination, I do still hope to share more about the places around us that inspire. The sparkling aqua waters, the golden sunsets, the food and outdoor adventures to be had, the rows and rows of charming summer homes – inspiration will not be lacking. I sometimes feel guilty for not sharing more and kick myself daily for failing to throw my camera in my car. With that being said, you can expect to see more of these types of features as I play tourist myself, learning about our new home town and the coveted areas that surround it. I cannot keep this town to myself and I believe this is the final piece of motivation I need to figure out how to make my camera really work. And there might still be a little trip or two to Leelanau that pop us as well.

Trusting & Waiting

0 · Sep 12, 2018 ·

If you follow along on Instagram, you probably know that we’re moving. If you’re a regular reader of this journal, then you probably know that we’re moving (or at least have noticed a long stint of silence). If I’ve talked to you in person at all in the past two months, then you probably know that we’re moving. The move and the pending rush of August’s busy wedding season have been the all-consuming thoughts on my mind. Traveling, packing and flowering have been all I could focus on for the last few weeks. We’ve been north, we’ve been south, we’ve been east and we’ve been west cutting a path throughout Michigan in a constant state of busyness. I couldn’t tear my mind away from this stressful excitement and have thought about little else. It’s gotten to the point that I have just stopped talking, because I worry that I’m boring people with the same details over and over again. I resorted to silence.

But what you might not know is that we’re moving to a new house, in a new town, in a new school district and we were supposed to have moved last week. And yet, here we are, still in what has been our home for the past 2 ½ years. August’s rush is behind me and yet it’s still as though we’re sitting here on a sticky pause button.

If you’ve ever bought a house, then you may understand the stress of getting finances in order, having inspections, appraisals and the difficulties of working with underwriters. If you have not, I’ll just sum it up to you buy saying that there’s so much more that goes into the process of selling a purchasing a house then simply finding someone who’s willing to pay the price that you’re willing to accept. There’s more to it than finding a house that you love, in your price range, in an area where you want to live and then simply packing your bags and moving in. There’s more. I can’t say I understand it all, but there’s about 6 weeks of paper work that takes place between “I want to buy this house” and “Sold’.

Right now we’re sitting in week 7 and our hands are tied. There’s absolutely nothing we can do to move forward with both our selling and purchasing agreements. We are completely out of control of this matter.

Deep breaths.

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,

For I have put my trust in You.

Show me the way that I should go,

For to You I entrust my life.”

– Psalms 143:8

Where there’s literally nothing at left that one can do, just trust. We’ll wait and see what the end of week 7 shall bring.

Behind the Scenes with a Floral Designer

0 · Aug 29, 2018 ·

6 years ago I started a wedding planning business. It was a scary leap born out of near necessity and while I was very familiar with the wedding industry, I can’t say I really knew what exactly I was doing. I had a plan but at the same time, I was plan-less.

Nature took it’s course and as most things do, my business evolved. It grew. It began to change and slowly I determined my own styles, drives, passions and things that I really wanted to create, which was more than just the industry trends.

And along with way I fell in love with flowers.

I fell in love with flowers so much so that they became a key competent to my business, they became part of my brand and identity and what drew clients to me. Today, I plan very few wedding but rather focus my energies into the design. Flowers are the main part of that, but there’s also more. I assist with color schemes, finding local flowers, fruits and design options, linens, textures, table layouts, candlelight and ambiance, and all the little details that set the mood for the event. Its much like designing home, I want it to be warm and inviting and comfortable or maybe more elegant. I want it to feel like the couple that the night will be celebrating and pulling together the pieces of the puzzle can be a challenge all within itself. The space will also be photographed like crazy, so every detail must be perfect.

I get a lot of questions about my job. From people who don’t understand why my job is a job, from those who are genuinely curious and from others who think that I must have the most amazingly fun profession ever (and they might just be right!) Step into my studio with me and let’s take a closer look, answering a few of my most frequently asked questions…

Do you have a storefront?

Right now, no. Someday? Maybe. I actually looked into purchasing the cutest little flower shop that was for sale last spring but things just didn’t fall into place. Currently, I’ve converted my basement into a studio space and it meets pretty much all of my needs. When we move next month, I’m going to have a building all of my own on our property, which will be really awesome (you can read more about our coming move here).

Do you only design flowers for weddings?

Yes and no. Since I do not have a storefront, I don’t keep flowers stocked in my studio all the time. With wholesalers having order minimums for shipping and the nearest wholesale supplier is over an hour drive, so logistically it makes since for me to order large amounts of flowers at a time and weddings seem to be the biggest market for volume orders of flowers. Of course I’m happy to accommodate large parties, anniversaries and other celebrations. I’ve definitely toyed with the idea of having flowers on hand on a more consistent basis but haven’t really figured out the best way to do this. Once in awhile, I even design a little something for myself.

You must have flowers in your house all the time?

Once in awhile I may design something for myself, but the reality is I have flowers in my home no more than anyone else. Another florist posed this question and shared the her reality was a few dying blooms in a drinking glass. That pretty much sums it up. Although I’m trying to improve this situation because flowers equal happiness and I want a happy home.

Why do you travel so much for weddings?

When I started my business, I was living in Grand Rapids, Michigan. There’s a pretty large wedding market in the city and surrounding areas. But even so, I was finding that my designs seemed to appeal to those getting married in less traditional places, taking me to the lake shore, towards unique barns and unconvential venues and into Northern Michigan. 2 1/2 year ago we moved to Big Rapids, which is about an hour north and there’s no wedding industry here. I mean, I’m sure there are people who live here that are getting married, but I’ve been part of very few of their celebrations. There just seem to be a lack of venues, amoungst other challenges. So I continued to drive to Grand Rapids and surrounding areas and still north. Sometimes I get an air bnb and design remotely or sometimes it means I get up early and am on the road to deliver flowers across the state, it simply depends on the flowers being used and the logistics of the day.

What inspires you?

Isn’t this a loaded question? Design, nature, history, nostalgia, having a story to tell – just to touch on a few.

Why The Day’s Design and TownLine Journal?

6 years ago when I started The Day’s Design, I also started blogging. I wanted to write about the little journey my business was on and also provide helpful articles and tips for my clients. I called it The Day’s Dream, which was The Day’s Design’s blog. Over time, my vision and mission has evolved. The previous question about what inspires me took hold of my heart and while I love The Day’s Design, it was time for this space to become more personal and break free from the umbrella of being a wedding blog, because I’m inspired by so much more. I wrote more on this topic awhile back, which you can read here.

I also created new social media, one Facebook page and Instagram for The Day’s Design where it’s strictly wedding and flowers. Then another for TownLine Journal, which is more about the person behind the blooms, aka, me (the Facebook and Instagram handles are linked). The story that inspires life and my personal journey through it all – motherhood, business ownership, being a wife, interior design, country living and the balancing act of it all.

What’s next? When do you move? How’s wedding season going?

I’m putting these all together into one jumbled question because that’s how I feel right now. Jumbled. I found myself walking around Meijer today without the slightest clue why I was there, receiving 3 phone calls, 4 texts and 2 emails while in the store and walking out without my wine or dill pickle relish. I’m currently in the busiest stretch of my season, school is starting for Gretta and we move next week. I also have big plans for both The Day’s Design and TownLine Journal but need a quick minute to capture my breathe before I can take action on any of it.

Up the road ahead will be a new farmhouse to decorate, a new studio to design and many new clients that I will have the honor of working with. There will be a little more temporary silence in this space but big things are on the horizon.

Photography: Helter Photography

Do you have more questions about design, weddings, anything? Ask away, I’d love to help however I can! Send an email to hello@eventsbythedaysdesign.com or leave a comment below.

Farmhouse Dreams

0 · Jul 16, 2018 ·

Anyone who knows me knows my love of all things vintage, shabby, cottagy, classic and old. I’ve come to adore living in the country and while I had dreams when we moved to Big Rapids of finding a distressed little old farm house that just needed a little love, that was not in the cards. I never found my diamond in the rough and as antique of a house that I could find (that wasn’t in town or that was within our budget) was a little 1950s ranch. We’ve lived here 2 1/2 years and have made this house our home. We love the property and I’ve gotten over the fact that we have modern espresso cabinets and an electric fireplace, redecorating and making this place our own.

Sometimes we have to wait for the things we pray for. While there are instances where dreams may never come a reality, I’m hoping that this is not one of them. We have purchased a little farmhouse! I could possibly be jinxing all of this by sharing my exciting new before we close but it’s really out of my hands anyway. I’m choosing to have faith that this is where we’re supposed to be and if we truly are headed in the wrong direction, then the doors will be closed to us.

White Farm House | TownLine Journal

Right now I’m basking in the joy of a longtime dream come true. If all goes well, we’ll soon be living in an early 20th century little home, perfectly white with charming little shutters, the orginal wood floors, a darling screened in porch and my very own (seperate!) floral studio right on the property. I cannot wait to share more about this little dream of ours soon. Until then, I need to get back to cleaning our existing house because it will soon be on the market.

Something to Hold Onto

2 · Jun 7, 2018 ·

I have a confession. I never dreamt of being a mother. Now don’t take that wrong, I love my girls and wouldn’t trade them for anything, but it was never a lifelong ambition of mine to become a mother. I had other thoughts and goals for the future and while I thought I wanted to get married and have a family, there was a point where I thought I might just rather live on my own.

Sometimes I think it’s better not have things all figured out. While it’s great to have goals and dreams, achievements to strive for, I also think that flexibility is huge. When things don’t go my way, I will admit, I get a little bent out of shape. So perhaps it’s good that I didn’t have that chapter of my life all drafted out.

I also never thought I’d find myself living in Big Rapids. I had never considered having blonde babies or a little girl with blue eyes. Never in my wildest dreams did I consider being a work from home mom, I thought I was too much a of busy body for that. Yet all these things came true and I have a happy life.

So when you think your life is heading the wrong direction, things aren’t going according to plan or if you can’t even come up with a plan, it’s okay. It’s alright not to know what the future will hold. The most important things to hold onto are one another.

All pictures from our mommy & me session last month with Kellie of Hetler Photography. If you’re never don’t a photos session with your girls, do it. I love photos of my entire family but there’s something special about a mommy and her little girls.

Leelanau Lake House

0 · May 11, 2018 ·

In 1985 my grandparents bought a tiny cottage on lake Leelanau (you can read about their spontaneous adventure here), which coincidentally was the same year I was born. That was the start of my forever ties to Leelanau.

Time as moved forward, as it so often does. They have since left this world, leaving behind a place of nostalgia. A home that has been filled with laughter, joy, uncountable family gatherings, bonfires by the water, unfruitful fishing trips, sandy toes, wet beach towels, winter blizzards, root beer floats, raspberry bushes, and a whole slew of other memories. This list could go on for hours. When my grandparents passed, I thought those memories would leave as well. I thought that summer might just cease to exist. It was more than just a peninsula and region that I loved visiting, it was home. While I could certainly pack my bags and stay at a hotel for a little summer get away, it just wouldn’t be the same.

Photography: Samantha James Photography

Fortunately, my parents were able to keep the dream alive. They are now living in my grandparents dream cottage. But along with it came the outdated burgundy and blue wallpaper, the tacky laminate floors, the original 1970s paneling, years of additions onto the original home which left for an inconsistent flow and a bathroom that was once a closet. Yes, this place is anyone’s dream house. Classy.

It’s become a labor of love. And while I, myself, haven’t exactly been the one laboring, I have been extremely involved in the overall design of the improvements to the space. The master bedroom has been completely redone with hardwood flooring, a walk in closet and a full bathroom with laundry. The guest bath has also received an unrecognizable face lift. The guest room proudly boasts fresh white paint, a gorgeous chandelier and beautiful hardwoods as well. And the icing on the cake is the brand new kitchen, which is about 85% finished and I get to see for the first time this weekend. I haven’t been there since they unveiled the original gold linoleum floors and toile(ish) paneling that were buried beneath piles of ‘improvements” through the years.

I’d love the think that this home will be our family for generations to come, but who really knows what the future really holds? Either way, we’re going to love it while we have it.

PS – I will share some pictures soon and I know it’s annoying that there aren’t any in this post, but I just don’t have them yet. However, you can follow along on Instagram and I just created a highlight in my stories catching you up on all the goodness. Stay tuned!

Grace Not Perfection

0 · May 4, 2018 ·

Grace not perfection. It’s been on my mind and in my heart lately. But that’s scary. I’m a perfectionist, I want everything to be just so, so how I can possibly shift this point of few?

I first heard this phrase from Emily Ley, I used to follow her social media religiously. She’s very inspiring and while I don’t keep as close tabs on her current happenings as I used to, this is one thing she’s preached over and over again and I have held onto.

Photography: Hetler Photography

Currently, I have a long list of wants (but we’ll limit it to a few):

I want my home to be clean (and stay clean) and to be styled perfectly.

I want to lose some extra weight that just keeps hanging on and has been a constant source of insecurity.

I want my floral studio to be 100% complete and ready for the summer season.

I want to rid myself of this feeling of uncertainty as we’re in a season of change, and I feel as though my mind is being tossed around on a rollercoaster whose carts are headed in twelve different directions.

I want my garden and yard to be majorly improved over last year.

I want to have an amazing summer and am so glad that warmer weather is finally here.

And one huge thing that I’ve been obsessing over lately is this space. This journal right here. The idea to relaunch as TownLine Journal was on my mind for quite some time before I actually pulled the trigger and decided to open up my world a little more. I plotted and schemed and planned and since I’m such a planner in nature, I can often fall into a trap of planning, planning and then doing a little more planning, to the point that I’m too exhausted to actually take action. Not only do I normally look before I leap, but I also analyze, calculate and study all possible outcomes before I even think about jumping.

I was trying to go against my own nature, and so I updated my website and went live before it was 100% perfect. I figured I could do a little tweaking along the way. I was asking for grace as I waited for perfection (while full and well knowing that it would never really be perfect, but that’s what I was going to strive for).

It’s been over a month since the relaunch and I’ve found myself posting less and less, ignoring my editorial calendar and schedules because I’m embarrassed that I’ve yet to fix the shortcomings of this journal. It will as some point separate my wedding posts from my lifestyle posts and all links will function properly, along with the new domain. But I need help and the person I’ve hired to do this is not working in the same time schedule as I am. Of course no one knows this and I’m sitting here feeling judged and inadequate when in reality the situation is completely out of my control and I highly doubt that any of my readers are as annoyed by the poor organization of the space as I am. I should probably focus my energies onto the issues I actually do have control of, which is a huge portion of the list above.

My main point is this, I think it’s really easy for us to get bent out of shape about the imperfections in our lives, but overlook these same obstacles in others. We feel like we’re alone in the struggle and we’re not. Not only do we need to be kind and show grace to one another, but we also need to remember to give yourself some grace, cut yourself some slack and live life – as messy and imperfect as it is – because it’s the only one you have.

Window Peeking at Point Oneida

1 · Apr 16, 2018 ·

Old houses make me weak in the knees. One of my biggest dreams is to live in a historic home. I want to fix one up, make it beautiful again and as if time hasn’t touch the place. Modern day houses just don’t get me excited the way old ones do. And when I say old, I really mean anything built in the 1930s and earlier. We cut too many corners now, nothing is made by hand and I don’t believe that newer is better.

Old businesses and buildings, they make me feel the same way. I have an unexplainable fascination and there’s something about the history and wanting to preserve time that gets me all tingly inside.

Last spring, I read an article about one of the old buildings in the Port Oneida historic area. Port Oneida is part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes and while Leelanau is practically my second home, I really didn’t know much about this particular area and all of its history. So naturally I was entranced by this article, especially as it detailed one building in particular that has sat empty since the 1970s and is just looking for someone to come and restore her. The Sleep Bear Inn. Built in 1857 and now it just sits there, completely underappreciated. Project estimates are around $1.4 million, and real costs would probably be even higher to do it right – keeping all the original goodness in place and not destroying to integrity of the space with modern upgrades (which would totally break my heart!)

After reading the article, I had to go snoop around this property for myself. Not that I have $1.4 million or anything but I still have a curious mind and needed to see the building. We started doing a little window peeking. My husband – who is naturally inquisitive and could strike up a conversation with a wall – found a random park ranger and started up a little conversation. One thing lead to another and we were offered a private tour of the building.

I cannot even put into words what it was like entering this space. I have no idea how someone can just leave a magnificent building like this to just sit in despair. It was like taking a step back in time.

The kitchen is breathtaking. There are so many windows with full views of Lake Michigan. Long country style sinks and butcher block countertops. In the 1960s, the health department said they needed have a dishwasher to stay up to code – but it was never actually installed, it was just sitting there in the room so they could say that had one.

Moving on to the dining room, there is grand two sided fireplace that kept diners toasty as the enjoyed their meal, with the other side gracing the front entrance, warming guests as the entered from the cold Lake Michigan air. Layers of peeling wallpaper reveal a rich history.

In the 1920s, the porch was enclosed to create more gathering areas. The original hardwood floors are intact throughout and bead board is abundant.

For some reason I didn’t take any pictures of the upstairs, but it is just as charming. Quaint little rooms welcomed travelers with leaver doors and miniature sinks in each room. The rooms are about half the size of one of our current bedrooms and yet sailors and lumberjacks frequented the “lower class” rooms, often staying 3-4 guests per room. With a literal step up, the north side of the upper level was where the more predominate citizens of the day would stay, with the room size being larger and the accommodations having nicer furnishings. While none of the original fixtures still exist in the space, I still have a hard time imaging staying in such a small area. I find it hard to believe that anything more than a single bed ever fit into any of the rooms, except the owner’s suite, which is more comparable to a modern day bedroom in size.

Since 2013, the National Park Service has been accepting proposals on reuse opportunities. All I know is that as of last summer, none had been accepted and the space is still vacant, just waiting for someone to love it again.

Our Real Easter

0 · Apr 3, 2018 ·

I’m still soaking in the weekend vibes. It know its Tuesday already, but Gretta doesn’t have school on Mondays which makes it all too easy to make it a weekend bonus day. Today feels like my Monday, but in a really good way. I think it’s so cliché when people say my “heart is so full” but honestly right now I can’t think of another way to put it. Easter has always been a really important holiday in my world, but this year it just hit me differently – the magnitude of what we’re really celebrating, how lucky I am to have the family I have in my life and again back to the fact that if Easter didn’t exist, nothing in this life would really matter. We’d be hopeless.

When talking about missions, I once had a pastor who shared the importance of kindness and serving others, planning mission trips and helping the needy, etc. But he said if we’re not also sharing the word of God, then we’re just sending them to hell with a full stomach.

As much as I love entertaining and decorating my life, if I’m not sharing the mission and heart behind it, perhaps I’m just sending people to hell with a bouquet of pretty blooms in their hands – figuratively speaking of course. Perhaps dramatic, it’s a thought that I circle back to every now and then as his words seem to echo back to me from time to time.

Last week I shared a table inspiration that I put together for the Easter holiday. On Sunday, there were 11 of us gathered in our space. While it was a relatively small gathering, 11 people can’t always sit around one table and I always wonder what other designers “real” life tables really look like. Its easy to stage a space but how does that actually translate into real life? There are kids spilling, jelly bean stains mismatched chairs and extra card tables all around my house. We were frantically trying to get primped and curled Sunday morning, hustling out the door and barely pausing the snap a quick picture. Upon return home, there were dinners to prepare and Easter eggs to hunt for. You can’t possibly make this all glamorous, right?

It may not be glamorous, but it’s real. This is life and it’s the same for all of us. There’s no such thing as perfection, to achive it, one must shift their point of view, making all the perfectly imperfect moments perfection.

You know what’s not pictured around this table? The people. The people and the smiles and the love that sat around this table. I didn’t pull out my camera as we cut into our homemade cinnamon rolls or as my dad ate his 7^th deviled egg because sometimes you just need to live in the moment and soak it all in.

Welcome to TownLine Journal

3 · Mar 27, 2018 ·

When I was in high school, I dreamt of becoming a writer. I scratched down poems, rewrote song lyrics, and started stories, imagined plot lines and scripts for screenplays and novels – all with no audience in mind. I wrote in a journal almost daily, exploring the best way to convey thoughts and emotions and the pen became a form of comfort and therapy for me.

However, I never let anyone read any of my work. It was too personal. Too close to my heart. And in hindsight, I suppose I was afraid that someone else might critique it, say it was bad and crush my little dream. Even in my creative writing and English courses, I never let anyone besides my teachers read my writings. I hated having to do peer reviews, or when one of my pieces were selected to read aloud, it was like one of my biggest nightmares was coming true. My thoughts were being exposed to the world.

I started The Day’s Dream Journal five years ago. It’s become my space to share wedding planning ideas, advice topics and sometimes little snippets of what’s on my heart. It’s been an extension of my wedding portfolio and a part of my business that I have very much enjoyed. But I’ve felt as though I had artistic limitations – mostly self-imposed limitations – but limitations just the same. My creative realm and interest extend far beyond just my wedding and floral work and often I want to share more. The Day’s Dream was born of wedding hopes and the dream of what I hoped The Day’s Design might become, but it’s not a space were I felt I could fully express all of our country adventures, share my thoughts on marriage or decorate beyond a wedding venue. I desire to be more than just pretty pictures and empty imagery.

The fear of criticism has been all too real for this space as well. Oddly enough, my very first comment on my blog was a very negative one, completely ripping apart the post. It was spam, auto generated by a mean computer program, but at the time I was crushed and didn’t realize it’s faults, as I was excited to read my first piece of “fan mail”. Today, I’m not longer seeking fans, but rather seeking to be source of inspiration, praise, cheer and support to others.

With that, I am announcing the end of The Day’s Dream and introduce you to TownLine Journal.

This will be a space filled with purpose. There’s a mission that’s been laid on my heart and I introduce this new site with the following aim in mind-
• To be the voice of calm in the chaos
• To encourage others (in marriage, motherhood, business and life)
• To show hospitality to others
• Provide a guide to purposeful wedding planning
• Extend love beyond the wedding day
• Find beauty in the everyday trials of life

Photography: Hetler Photography

I have a friend who has shared with me that her love language is quality time. She repeatedly faces the obstacle of her husband working long hours as seasons of life are spent apart from one another. She believes God gave her this challenge in life to be an encouragement to others. I whole heartedly believe this, as she’s already provided reassurance to me. I have experienced blessing from her struggle and the wisdom it’s provided. She’s become an inspiration to me, and I feel that we all can learn from one other, gather together in fellowship and create strong families and relationships.

Welcome to the TownLine Journal.

PS – a new domain and a few other updates are coming soon!

The Story of my Lousy, Rotton, Good for Nothing and all Around just really Bad Day (and what it Taught Me)

0 · Feb 23, 2018 ·

The beginning of this post was drafted in a Culver’s dining room, which is where we sat for about 1 1/2 hours on Wednesday afternoon. It certainly wasn’t because their service took that long or that I couldn’t stop gorging myself on their butter burgers. It wasn’t because we didn’t have anything better to do on a Wednesday afternoon, when in fact, as of late my to-do list is just never ending. It’s definitely not one of my more frequented spots in town, we rarely even eat fast food and I can’t remember the last time I ordered a burger. No, the reason lies in the fact that I seem to be in a bit of a downward rut, stuck in a sticky place in Mom life and having a streak of really bad, rotten and lousy, seemingly good for nothing days.

Life is difficult. I’m going to start there because I feel like very few people will argue with that statement. It’s not that anything truly awful has happened to us in recent history. We’re healthy, financially secure and business is good. Hubs is settling into his new job, Gretta is doing well in school and winter is almost over. But I still feel at a loss some days, between toddler tantrums, misbehaving dogs, the stepping on toys, finding your favorite vintage dresses covered in kitty stickers, the “accidents” on the rug, the crying and whining and the constant chorus of “no’s”, the battles to get out the door in the morning and into bed at night – it all wears on a person after a while. Making me, myself guilty of being the biggest whiner in the entire scenario.

Tuesday was an especially trying day in Momland. It’s naturally an extra busy day of the week and the trials really added up. By midafternoon the struggle was winning, I went to bed early and was determined to make Wednesday a better day. Life had another idea though.

It all started when I dropped my Aldi quarter. Anyone who frequents Aldi will understand the importance of the quarter and how it is almost impossible to complete your grocery trip without one, especially with a toddler and preschooler in tow. I probably should have given up and gone home when it slipped into the abyss between my Jeep seats, never to be seen again. But I pressed onward, determined to grab the essentials. Because it’s only almost impossible. Gretta carried the bananas and bread, I juggled keeping track of Willa June while balancing the chicken, eggs, milk, Goldfish crackers and a few other items on a box top. It was tricky but we survived. Onward to our next stop.

I visit our local Lowes store almost as much as the grocery store. I knew exactly where I was headed and needed just one thing. It was meant to be a very quick stop. But after I found my needed hardware, I decided to go look at some antique brass baskets and since I was in that aisle anyway, I thought I might as well pick up the totes that I need for my studio storage, I’ll save myself a trip at a later date. To the checkout. I quickly paid, and gather my things. But before I walked out the door, I wanted to dig out my keys. My keys. Where are my keys? I emptied my purse. I emptied my pockets. I retraced my steps. I searched the parking lot. I looked in the girls coats and hoods. I looked shelves and on the floor. I re-emptied my purse. All to no avail. Eventually there were 3 other gracious Lowe’s employees assisting my with my scavenger hunt. Despite the extra sets of eyes, my keys were just gone. And the extra set were a 15 minute DRIVE away and my husband was working over an hour away. Things were not looking good.

This brings us to Culver’s, the nearest restaurant as it was already past lunch time at this point. Trying to explain that we’re walking across the busy road and through the maze of sidewalks and strip malls to a 5 year old was an interesting conversation. She didn’t like it at first, but I explained that God gave us all strong and healthy legs and that little walk wasn’t going to hurt us. As God’s child, I’m sure he get’s tired of my grumbling, whining and not taking care of my “things”. And here’s what this day taught me:

There’s Always Something to be Thankful for

It would have been really easy to be bitter and angry during this time. It was cold out. For some reason I had only worn an oversized sweater and opted to not put on a coat. Willa had to be carried the entire walk because I do not trust her, or the drivers on the busy road, to stay walking and driving in the appropriate places and to also stop where they should. My arms hurt. And I wasn’t sure how long it would be before we were able to be home and warm again.

But guess what, we have a warm house that I knew, without doubt, that we would return to. I have two little girls that I am lucky enough to be able to hold. We had the money the buy lunch, even if it wasn’t the healthiest option or what I had originally planned on doing for the day. We later passed an elderly man pushing a grocery cart, hunched over and also using a cane and it looked so challenging. I was reminded again to be thankful that we had the health and ability to use our legs. The girls were both in a really good mood during the entire ordeal, singing and happily telling everyone that “we can’t go home because we don’t have any keys.”

One Can Never to Too Prepared

I had a friend growing up whose mom always told her to wear clean underwear, because you never know when you might be in a car accident and end up in the hospital. While that’s not the only reason I think one should wear clean underwear, and if I were in a car accident that might not be the first thing on my mind – we often joked that not only do we wear clean underwear daily, but also ones that match our outfits because you just never know who might end up seeing them.

I overthink every situation. I’m usually overdressed, have extra snacks, never leave the house without the girls in matching undies, pants, coats, shoes, hats, pink hairbows – the package is always complete, whether we’re just running to Meijer real quick or headed to a fancy party. Wednesday was the ONE DAY probably all year that I didn’t properly comb Willa’s hair and was too lazy to dig out a hairbow. I was too tired to make Gretta put on her warm snow boots after preschool, because the ground was dry and it wasn’t snowing – it seemed a little unnecessary. I also did not have an extra set of mittens in the car. All of those things would have been nice and warm and convenient. And much of it is for vanity’s sake, but it’s like running into your ex while wearing sweatpants and without makeup on and you sort of want to hide in the corner so he doesn’t see you. There’s a reason that I take the time to pack snacks and do what I do. Instead I felt like we were on display for over 4 hours. Keep a coat and hats and mittens in your car (even though in this case I couldn’t have gotten to them because my car was locked, and my keys were missing). I will continue to always be prepared, reminding myself of the lessons of this day and no longer feeling foolish for what might seem like crazy, ocd tendancies.

Always Extend Grace

I am that person who is entirely guilty of making fun of those who wear pajamas in public and often find myself wondering if people bothered to look in a mirror before they left the house. But if you read point 2, then you know that we weren’t exactly looking our prime, especially with our red noses and the wind whipping us about. It’s a little thing, but I really think I need to stop judging people. I don’t know what their day held, what trials are going on in their lives and where their priorities for the day lie.

Grace /grās/ noun

courteous goodwill
(in Christian belief) the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.

Doesn’t that sound like something we could all use – both definitions?

I’m not trying to make the mundane if life sound funny or more important than it is. I know there are people out there will real struggles – hunger, poverty, infertility, job loss – the list could go on for hours. And I often feel guilty when I find myself grumpy, in a bad mood or claiming to have had a “bad day” just because a series of unfortunate and less than pleasant events took place, which really makes me feel even worse. Just extend grace and find gratitude, regardless of the situation.

Choose Grace | The Day's Dream | Hetler Photography

Photography: Hetler Photography

For those of you hoping that I’ll finish my story. The happy ending is the lessons I learned. The end of the story is that after 4 1/2 hours my husband was able to come and pick us up (we killed some time walking around Meijer after our extended Culver’s visit – they share a parking lot, thank goodness!) He dropped us off at home, went back to work and the dog went outside and rolled in some poop. So instead of unloading groceries and catching up on missed emails for the day, I gave the dog a bath. It’s two days later now and my keys are still gone.

I Still Do

0 · Feb 19, 2018 ·

Last week my husband and I celebrated Valentine ’s Day all week – you could say it was our week of love. Each day, we had to give each other a small but thoughtful gift, 5 gifts in total. I don’t know what it was like in the beginning of your relationships, but I remember lots of romantic gestures in the beginning. Thoughtful gifts without reason, dates beginning with bouquets of flowers and extravagant dinners. 10 years later, the scene has changed a little. That doesn’t mean romance is gone, it’s just shifted.

I think the best part of it was realizing that even through the un-fun parts of life, through the moves, job changes, children and general chaos that often fills our lives – I don’t want time to turn back. It’s fun to reminisce about the beginning but there was a lot of un-fun there too. There’s no such things as a perfect relationship and as with any good thing, it takes work.

The best part of right now is knowing that we’ll always be there for one another, no matter what life brings. It’s the comfort in the commitment. I hold the knowledge that given the choice, we would both do it all over again.

And to prove it, Josh re-proposed to me over the Christmas holiday.

I Still Do | Christmas Proposal | Cory Weber Photography

For the past two years, I have been unable to wear my engagement/wedding ring set. The reason why is an entirely different story of not being properly educated by your jeweler and trying to save a few pennies. I’ve been wearing a random piece of jewelry on that finger, switching it out depending on the day and simply imagining what wearing a ring on that figure is supposed to represent.

My old ring had lots of sentimental value and while I wanted something wearable, I was struggling with the idea of giving it up. I remember the day he first proposed, the day a wedding band was added and while I know I shouldn’t be so attached to “things” – I am definitely a person that associates items with memories and this one held a lot of memories.

Knowing all of this, my husband had it reset. He used the same stone and worked with a local jeweler to simplify a design that I could wear for years to come. He also purchased an estate wedding band to pair with my “engagement ring”. Then a couple days before Christmas, he asked me out on a date. We took a walk to see a really pretty Christmas tree that my mom had mentioned was in the venue that we happened to host our wedding reception at (and we’ve often visited from time to time). Once inside, he got down on one knee with my new ring and asked me to stay his wife – all with Cory Weber hiding nearby capturing the entire thing. He (Cory) then stuck around for a few more photos and we had the engagement session that we’d never had years earlier.

Photography: Cory Weber Photography | Proposal Venue: The Old Art Building in Leland, Michigan

“A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” – Mignon McLaughlin

Valentine’s Sugar Cookies

0 · Feb 15, 2018 ·

I started putting this cookie post together last week. I foolishly thought it would go live Tuesday or Wednesday this week, a perfect little pop of pink and sweetness for the Valentine’s holiday. I suppose sometimes I forget that I’m a wife, a mom, a busy floral designer in the height of her booking season, a preschool room mom… and sometimes I even want a minute to myself in the day.

Working from home blesses me with a flexible schedule. I can make cookies in the middle of the day and grocery shop when the 9-5ers are at work. But it also takes an extra dose of organization. It’s easy to get focused on one task and forget the rest of it. It’s easy to get so busy in playing housewife that I forget my client proposals – or even worse, when I focus too much on my clients and forget my duties at home.

That balance topic is a rising again, it’s a constant struggle. But I really don’t want to talk about that today. What I do want to think about is cookies. Really really yummy sugar cookies. I’ve been making these with my aunt practically since I was born. They’re so good filled with just the right amount of doughy, chewiness.

Fun fact, my husband is a trained chef. He just recently left his head chef position for another food related job, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t still love good food. In fact, that’s one of the biggest complaints that we have about living in our area, the lack of quality dining establishments. The reason I bring this up is because even though he’s a trained chef who has worked in numerous high end restaurants – I do most of the cooking at home. It keeps it a little healthier (except when I’m making treats like these sugar cookies!) and that’s one of our ways to keep balance. However, with his extensive food background and my every growing cooking experiences, I’ve rarely shared any of it in this space. I’m not sure recipe development is my thing and he rarely writes anything down. Our girls though, are being raised with a very refined pallet, learning to love things like Brussel sprouts!

Back to the cookies, I always remember baking with my aunt. She had an old plastic tablecloth that she would pull out just for us to roll out cookie dough on along with countless of cookie cutters. She’d let us eat as much dough as we wanted and once the cookies were baked, we always ate the first one without frosting. Frosting the cookies however, always took FOREVER! I remember thinking that the pile of cookies would never end. She always used cream cheese frosting which is delicious with these, but I’ve been opting to top them with royal icing lately, just because I prefer a smoother finish. Either way, this recipe does not disappoint.

A couple of recipe notes – the actual recipe is typed, by a typewriter on a notecard that looks almost identical to this. The only thing missing is a little butter and flour on the index card. Secondly, I use butter even though the orginal recipe calls for shortening. The butter makes them slighty more dense, the shortening makes them slightly more airy. To make the substitution, use the same amount of unsalted butter. I’ve also used half butter and half shortening with yummy results. This recipe is old, in my current oven, I only have to cook each batch for 5-6 minutes, depending upon how thick I roll out my cookies. And like I said, lately I’ve been using royal icing (this recipe) or cream cheese frosting is really yummy too, it just doesn’t harden as well for stacking/storage and decorating. Clearly I’m not a pro decorator but as long as they taste good, no one complains!

Enjoy!!

Three Wishes Inspired by Venues

0 · Feb 7, 2018 ·

I’m still holding firm that if you put good wishes out into the world, good things will come your way. Or at least it can’t hurt.

I had starting this three wishes series as a way for me to get inspired and share those inspirations with you. I have lots of wishes, most of which will never come true, and that’s perfectly alright. It’s still fun to dream. Lately, however, I’ve felt completely uninspired. I’m not sure if it’s winter that seems to be bearing down on us or the fact that I haven’t made a bridal bouquet since October. Sometimes I think it’s really hard to stay inspired when we’re all just hunkered down on the sofa, wrapped in blankets and simply hoping that I won’t have to leave the house today. This is the time that I begin to dream of faraway places…

….and places that are a little less distant, where I might really like to work and design events.

Greencrest Manor

This French Normandy style mansion, with it’s trailing ivy and extensive gardens has captured my imagination. I had the opportunity to be a part of the Bloom Workshop hosted there last September and am hoping that someone gives me the chance to return.

This venue really hits all of my favorite marks. It has a grand staircase that’s enough to take one’s breathe away. It’s overflowing with early 20^th century woodwork, tile and charms. The gardens and the architecture look like something from the European countryside and I’m in disbelief that such a place actually exists here in my own state. It was such a brief time spent at this venue, I’m just hoping I have the good fortune soon to go back and bring with my buckets of flowers galore.

From Bloom the Workshop | Photography by Stephanie Abbitt Photography | Floral Design: The Day’s Design

The Old Art Building

On a slightly less grand scale is the Old Art Building. If you’ve been reading this journal for any length of time at all, then you probably already know why my heart is drawn to this quaint little spot on the Carp River. From the outside, it’s manicured lawn and cottage charm are enough to stop right there. But then, you step in the door and feel the rush of decades of artists pouring their souls into the place. the scaling windows and stone fireplace add just the perfect blend of ambiance and natural light. The softly whitewashed walls splattered with old paint, each spill telling a tale of it’s own, this might just be my favorite part.

My own wedding reception took place in the space. I couldn’t imagine and more perfect location. However, I have yet to have the occasion to work another event there. I have stopped in and even hosted a editorial styled shoot in the space, all while yearning to design another real wedding in this space.

Foreign Destinations

There are so many places outside of my home state to explore, and I am eager to embrace them all. I’ve traveled with buckets and blooms in tow before and would love to do it again. I’m seeking adventure and know there are so many places that I have yet to experience. From the mountains of the Carolinas to the old world charms of Europe, I’d love to plan an event at a Southern plantation or travel half way around the world to explore the flower markets of France.

If you’re planning a destination wedding, hiring a local florist can be a great benefit – they know the area, what’s available and most likely have their routine down pat. However, bringing in a fresh set of eyes, someone whose style you know and trust, can bring a fresh new life to the space. It can give you a peace of mind and a comfort from home. I was recently chatting with a bride who reminded me of such a great point, a point that I know but sometimes as you’re in the flow of business and chugging along you forget some of your ‘selling points’. She says (I’m paraphrasing a little here), she doesn’t want to hire a florist for her wedding that was sort of close to her style and ask them to step outside of their norm, creating something they were uncomfortable with but what more fitting with her vision. She’d rather hire someone from an outside area, that she’s 100% confident in their style and work. Makes sense, right?

Not every designer out there has the itch to travel or will work outside of a certain range of their studio space. But many will, myself included.

Photography: Kelly Sweet Photography

What venues are you dreaming of? Where do you want to travel to? And how is your wedding planning coming along? I still have openings for 2018 and am starting to book 2019 dates as well. Let’s chat.

Marriage Study :: 5 Stages of Love

0 · Jan 22, 2018 ·

I recently learned that one of my brides is getting divorced. I my first reaction was very judgmental, I felt like they must have just given up. They were only married for 2 years, how could they possibly think that was long enough to even try to give their marriage a fair try?

Of course I don’t know the day to day happenings in their lives, what arguments or situations may have lead them to this point. It is certainly wrong of me to judge. I’m not living in their shoes. But I was raised and stand by the belief that divorce simply is not an option. However, persistence is.

If you Google the 5 Stages of Love – you’ll find article after article detailing the 5 phases that relationships cycle through. These certainly aren’t original thoughts of mine but I can’t help but wonder if others knew more about these stages and knew what to expect as their live together merge, that maybe this would help as trouble is certain to arise.

Falling in Love

This seems easy. Everything is bliss and butterflies and seems like the most exciting part of a relationship. Everything is new and fresh and we aren’t annoyed by quirky habits. There’s a hormonal rush and passion is alive. It’s a feeling that we’re sure will last forever and we cannot imagine living without the other person.

I can still remember the night that I first realized I loved my husband. It was a night spent at my apartment, just the two of us talking about our hopes and dreams and what we wanted out of life. We had been dating for a few months and it was like a scene from a romantic movie – the moment that two characters look deeply into each other’s eyes and they just know. The reason we watch those types of movies is because sometimes they’re true or at least we hope they are. I spent years searching for this moment. Life can really be a fairytale, right?

Becoming a Couple

Most people wed during the falling in love stage, so it’s during the first couple years of marriage that they truly become a couple. Lives are merged and two truly become one.

Other couples date a little longer and might “become a couple” might actually take place prior to the wedding. When exactly this phase of love happens isn’t important, what is important is the trust and comfort that’s found in this relationship. There’s security and a deeper sense of who each other is.

After two years of dating, we got married. We purchased and home and moved in together. We began blending everything. Our collage décor, mismatched dishes, routines and schedules. There’s much that happens during this time. And I blissfully thought that this was going to be amazing. I finally had a house of we could call home, after 7 years of living on my own, moving from boring apartment to apartment, now we’d have something that we could remodel and make ours. I thought this would be a great bonding experience and something we’d be proud of, because it would be ours.

Disillusionment

This stage was unexpected for me. I have a feeling it might hit a few others as a surprise as well. In fact, when I Googled the 5 Stages of Love caption after caption appeared about couples getting stuck on Stage 3. I can absolutely see this happening.

Apparently this is when it all comes crashing down. One might start questioning everything, does he love me? Did I marry the right man? Why isn’t he talking to me? What did I do? These feelings might slowly start creeping in or perhaps a switch just flips in your relationship.

For us, this was about year 4-5 in marriage. I don’t really remember why it started or what made me start to question everything about my marriage. What I do remember is the numbness and so many tears. I remember feeling as though I simply had a roommate. I felt underappreciated and stuck. While we fought some, sometimes it was more of a lack of communication that drained me. We would only say what absolutely had to be communicated and nothing more. We now had a daughter, and there was talk of having another but I was terrified. We were now a family, shouldn’t we be happy? I never really thought that quitting was an option, but I was exhausted and desperately wanted to feel better. I thought the rest of my life might be summed up by simply tolerating each other rather than actually feeling love.

5 Stages of Love | The Day's Dream Journal | Cory Weber Photography

Photography: Cory Weber Photography

Real Love

Keep pushing on. That’s what we did. One day we connected, and a switch flipped in our relationship. Suddenly, we felt really connected and dare I say, happy? For us, I can literally pin point 1 day in July when the disillusionment ended and I felt love again. That’s not to say that I still don’t have days when I’m less than enchanted by my husband, but there’s a peace that’s within me knowing that we can make it through anything.

Sometimes I’m saddened by the fact that I know I’ll never feel the excitement of a new relationship again. But having a real love is totally worth never feeling those flutters again. And that’s not to say that I don’t still get excited by my husband, there’s still fun, surprises and excitement – sometimes it just takes a little extra work to keep things new.

Commited Love that Changes the World

I can’t comment much on this stage, I don’t think we’re here. I would say our relationship is comfortably sitting in stage 4 right now. However using your love to change the world sounds like a pretty amazing idea. Not that I think we can change the entire world, but perhaps we should think on a smaller, more local scale. How can we help our community? How can we work together for the greater good?

Here’s what I don’t know. I don’t know what’s on the road ahead for us. Part of me feels like we’ve got a lot of married life ahead of us. While I think we’ve finally figured out how to work together and we’re in a really good place, I think there could possibly be another dose of stage 3 that creeps in. But I know we can work through it and come out stronger on the other side. I certainly don’t expect it to be smooth sailing from this point on. I’m realistic enough to know that we’re two separate people with two separate identities trying to do life together, so at some point there’s bound to be conflict.

My words of caution – know that stage 3 WILL come and be prepared. But you CAN preserve. Of course it’s scary, not knowing when or where it will start or how it will end. But we need to build each other up and encourage one another. Have a good support system and be committed to working through your struggles knowing that a love even better waits on the other side.

for more reading, some here are some of my sources for this article – menalive, david wolfe and this one outlines the stages slightly different, yet the main point is still the same love at first fight

2017’s Top Nine

0 · Jan 4, 2018 ·

If you follow The Day’s Design on Instagram, then you may have seen me share 2017’s best of nine. These are my nine most loved posts from the year by my followers. As I was looking through those 9 little squares, I was actually pretty facinated by the results. There were posts and moments from the year that I had completely forgotten about. Then I started thinking about what my nine favorite moments would have been from the year. Maybe they would be things that I’ve shared publically or maybe some that I’ve kept to myself. Perhaps a camera might not adequately capture the special essense of a particular moment or maybe the picture is more than words could really even say. What if the results weren’t based on my audience’s favorites but rather my own? How would the results change?

Thinking back, these are 9 things that stood out in my mind this year. I numbered them, but try not to get too hung up on the order (except for maybe number 1 &2, I think they need to stay near the top). These were moments of victory, overcoming doubt, joy and serving myself, my family and my clients well. 2018 will certainly be a contiued journey, full of growth and adventure and lots of love.

9. Jessica’s Wedding

I don’t think I’ve ever had a bride that I didn’t love working with. Each and every celebration is special in it’s own way. But this one, it had an extra dose of celebration because, Jessica. She’s freelanced with me for the past 3 wedding seasons and even become a friend. So clearly that makes this day amazing because 1. weddings + friends are the best and 2. she loves flowers as much as I do and I got to pick some of the best products March has to offer (I mean, look at those blush ranunculus!).

Photography: Katie Grace Photography

8. Cadillac’s Ceiling Installation

Tents provide a blank canvas. Sometimes white space and the open air is a really good thing, but sometimes, especially if the venue has a permanent tent, it can feel too big and empty because sizing isn’t always 100% correct for the number of items going into the tent, which calls for a little extra finess. This was my first ceiling installation in a tent and I loved how it turned out. My husband helped me build a structure, which we then hung over the head table making it the centerpiece of the room. We adorned it with greenery and hops, which was extra perfect because the groom is a beer blogger! More fun installations for 2018 please!

Photography: Ashley Slater Photography

7. Sarah’s Smile

I loved this wedding for many reasons. The flowers came together perfectly, the colors, the venue, the seersucker bridesmaids dresses, the list really could go on. But my number one favorite piece of this day was Sarah’s smile. Smiles like these are the reasons I do what I do and this wedding was just a thankful reminder of why I love my job. There was so much joy and thankfulness present on this day and it was contagious. I had never met Sarah in person until the wedding day, and she treated me like a long lost firend. She is joy. I can’t pick a favorite moment or try to perfectly depict it one little square on Instagram but just know it was an amazing day.

Photography: Samantha James Photography

6. Racheal’s Escort Card Display

One of my goals for 2017 was to think outside of the box more. I wanted to take designs beyond just centerpieces and bouquets, and the most commonly thought of wedding pieces. This escort sign which I was able to bring to life with Ciarra of Silver Fox Calligraphy, did just that. We purchased linen fabric in the same hue as the table cloths, Ciarra used white calligraphy on acrylic squares and we fashioned it all together, of course adding florals around the edges. The behind the scenes construction of this was one of my top nine Instagram posts for the year and for good reason, this display was one of my favorites ever.

Photography: Cory Weber Photography

5. Tinge Workshop

I have been a long time fan of Tinge Floral. There are lots of florist who’s work I admire, but she’s definately near the top of my list. It was about this time last year that I was debating whether or not I should attend her workshop, there was one seat left. I wanted to so badly but travel with kids is hard, its expensive and I wasn’t sure it made sense. But my husband said, go. So with shaky hands I typed my credit card numbers in and that was that. I went. Attending the Color Theory workshop was the right decision. I came home inspired, ready to create and vamped up my workflow as I lost a piece of the self doubt that I didn’t even realize I was holding on to.

Photography: Ciara Richardson Photography

4. Backyard Photo Shoot

This was just a little dream of mine. I love nature and our country home and will show off this space whenever possible. I often dream of dinner parties at our home and when I began thinking about this photo shoot, I knew this was the space to host it. Someday, I want to see the seats at this table filled with laughter and smiling faces, but for now I’ll share the scene that waits for friends to come.

Photography: Kelly Sweet Photography

3. My Sister’s Wedding featured in The Knot

My sister got married back in 2016, but her wedding was featured in The Knot Michigan ins 2017. This definately goes on my highlight reel, for a whole lot of reasons. (You can see part one of her wedding day here, I know know, part 2 is soon to come!)

2. Anniversary Photos

Always look for a reason to celebrate. This year, we celebrated 7 years of marriage. That sounds like such a long time and yet no time at all. Our wedding photos have become dated and it’s getting harder and harder to find time for just the two of us. But we took a night and parked the occassion because part of key to a sucessful 7 years of celebrating the milestones and making time for one another.

Photography: Samantha James Photography

1.I Still Do

This is a moment that I’ve kept pretty quiet about. It was a special moment that I’ve just let soak in. I don’t have any pictures (yet!) so I suppose no one really could have possibly voted it as part of my best 9. After 10 years together and 7 years of marriage, we still do. My husband chose me all over again and re-proposed in the same location that we hosted our wedding reception. He had my ring reset (it’s been unwearable for the past 2+ years) and got down on one knee in front of a giant Christmas tree. Cory Weber was hiding in the background and captured the whole thing!

Just a little 2010 wedding day flashback for you from Shannon Scott Photography until I get a few pictures from that December night back!

2018 is going to be a good year, I can feel it. I’ve got some projects and ideas up my sleeves, I’ve got some dreams that I’d like to make realities and I do still have some openings for floral and wedding planning clients, so inquiries are welcome. And in case you’re wondering about my best of nine 9 chosen by The Day’s Design’s Instagram followers, here you go:

Happy New Year!

Life Adventures

“I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak” Matthew 12:36

“The soothing tongue is the tree of life, but the perverse tongue crushes the spirit.” Proverbs 15:4

1. At home date night

2. Love notes

3. A note a day

4. Mini gifts

5. Home cooked meal

6. Wine tasting date

7. Let your spouse sleep in

8. Get dressed up

8 1/2. Get More Dressed Up

9. Wine and cheese party

10. Make breakfast

11. Light a candle

12. Make heart shaped pizza

13. Do something around the house that your spouse finds a chore

14. I still do

Outdoor Play:

Jammies

Fun Toy for Nice Girls & Boys

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,

For I have put my trust in You.

Show me the way that I should go,

For to You I entrust my life.”

– Psalms 143:8

Do you have a storefront?

Do you only design flowers for weddings?

You must have flowers in your house all the time?

Why do you travel so much for weddings?

What inspires you?

Why The Day’s Design and TownLine Journal?

What’s next? When do you move? How’s wedding season going?

There’s Always Something to be Thankful for

One Can Never to Too Prepared

Always Extend Grace

Greencrest Manor

The Old Art Building

Foreign Destinations

Falling in Love

Becoming a Couple

Disillusionment

Real Love

Commited Love that Changes the World

9. Jessica’s Wedding

8. Cadillac’s Ceiling Installation

7. Sarah’s Smile

6. Racheal’s Escort Card Display

5. Tinge Workshop

4. Backyard Photo Shoot

3. My Sister’s Wedding featured in The Knot

2. Anniversary Photos

1.I Still Do

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