Sweet Sugar Beet x Brave Girl Spirit Collab

Remember the Bloom Workshop I went to back in June? Not only did I learn a ton of ways to improve this little space of mine, but I also met some amazingly talented women. One of them being Haley Baur, the owner of Sweet Sugar Beet, who I connected with immediately over a lack of sleep & sugar beets. Long story short, Haley grew up on a sugar beet farm & I grew up next to the factory that turns them into sugar. We ate lunch together & chatted about the direction we'd like to take our businesses in with renewed energy.

Then I discovered quickly how absolutely talented—& modest!—Haley is. The craftsmanship & style of her handmade bags & accessories is impeccable. I haven't stopped using my ColorBlock Clutch since the workshop.

Together, we've designed & crafted an original Brave Girl Clutch in the name of chasing your dreams while remembering your roots. There's nothing wrong with a gentle reminder every once in a while, right?

Haley really thinks through what women will be using her bags for so she includes options to use one bag multiple ways with just about every piece. We did the same with our clutch so I've styled it in two ways to give you an idea of its flexibility.

The dog days of summer are upon us (at least, they're trying to be here in Michigan!) making the color block side of the clutch great for bright & sandy beach days. The neutral tones of the canvas & gold fabric compliment intricate textures like a summer straw hat while the coral pattern aptly named "Optical in Watermelon" pops warmly against soft fabric from a bathing suit cover-up or towel. Plus, we all need a place to keep our phone sand-free in anticipation of those ideal Instagram beach pictures.

For when the conditions aren't ideal, say, on a Monday morning when you're back to the grind again (womp, womp) let the "Folk Birds in Summer" pattern remind you to step to your own tune. And seriously, you should step because sitting for as long as most of us do in our studios & cubicles these days is bad for our health. Guilty. So guilty.

I use my ColorBlock Clutch this way for coffee chats & farmer's market runs when I do get to steppin'. It's good on the go! It's for these reasons Haley & I want to share this clutch with you. We all need a little pick-me-up once in a while & we've noticed it's easier to do so when you're carrying it right with you. We're snail-mailing a Brave Girl ColorBlock Clutch to one of you fearless readers who answer this question in the comments section: My courage comes from…sitting on the shore & looking out at the water in silence.

I get called to courage when I listen for the gentle nudge to "keep going". Where does your courage come from?  We want to hear from you! Speak your truth in the comment section & I'll announce one lucky reader as the new owner of the Brave Girl Clutch this Friday, August 1 at 6pm.

Eeek, I can't wait to see your courage unfold! xo brave ones, Em.