Freelance Design Behind the Scenes
Freelance Design Behind the Scenes
Last week I did a poll on Instagram asking if you'd like to hear more behind the scenes of freelance design. It was a unanimous 100% response to share more about it out of 30 responses from a mix of graphic designers, photographers, and bloggers. Woah! I'm excited to share more behind the scenes in hopes it'll help you on your creative journey. At the very least I want you to know you're not alone in your pursuits and there definitely isn't a perfect route on the unpaved path. At least there hasn't been for me in the last 5 years!
Creative Business Chats: Behind the scenes of Freelance Design, photo by Leigh Ann Cobb Photography | Brave Girl Design
Quick back story
I'm a freelance graphic designer (see my work here) and blogger. I kept these 2 sides of me separate for years – 2 different websites, not talking about my freelance work on Instagram, not talking about my blog with clients, etc. – until recently I became tired of being split in 2. Especially because my work drives my blog and my blog drives my work. They're so intertwined for me and I want to show up WHOLE in my life as best I can.
Ok, so! I'm excited about this conversation with you guys, are you with me?! We never do it alone, do we? Even in freelance isolation when we're asking our dog to GIVE ME ALL OF LIFE’S ANSWERS ALREADY.
Creative Business Chats: Behind the scenes of Freelance Design, quote via designlovefest | Brave Girl Design
Initial freelance/business topics planned are:
My biggest hurdles when starting freelancing (uncertainty, fear, stress, finances)
Why I started freelancing as an Introvert (+ a fun personality test I love!)
Business definitions and what they mean for you (DBA, LLC, & tax returns, to name a few!)
Freelancer vs. Business Owner, why and where do you want to start?
Creative Business Chats: Behind the scenes of Freelance Design, photo by Leigh Ann Cobb Photography | Brave Girl Design
Creative Business Chats: Behind the scenes of Freelance Design, photo by Leigh Ann Cobb Photography | Brave Girl Design
Please use these conversations as a forum, as guidance, or to prompt your own reflections on where you're at in your own journey. I don't have all the answers but I'm going to share my story in hopes it can help you on your own journey. I want this to be a platform where we can build each other up and ask questions together. As if we're meeting for coffee and chatting about our dreams, our learnings, and what to do next.
Ideally, I'd like us to continue the conversation in the comments below each post. What questions do you have? Or a reflection we can build upon? Let me know below!
Creative Business Chats foster conversation and community amongst creatives seeking tips for getting started. Includes behind the scenes of freelance/business ownership. See all chats here.
Photos by Leigh Ann Cobb Photography
November Frost Moon
Life lately in tune with the monthly full moon cycle.
October Harvest Moon – November Frost Moon
Hello! The November Frost Moon is the 4th post in Full Moon Monthly, a new series on Brave Girl that recaps life lately and what's on the horizon. The Frost Moon is also known as the Beaver Moon because Algonquin tribes would set beaver traps before the swamps froze to have enough warmth supply for the winter (source). We had snow here in the Midwest just this week! Since the Harvest Moon last month, there's been loss, solitude, and inward change.
November Frost Moon
Artist in Residence at Soul Sister Studio
That's right! I'm heading to my hometown for some work time in my mom's studio this month. I don't think I've ever shared it here but my Mom is a super talented potter and artist (I have to tell you this because she won't). I credit most of my foundational creativity to her because she's always fostered an environment in our home for my brother and me to create freely. I'm excited to spend time in her pottery studio and visit with her and my dad this month.
Related posts: Not Our Mothers' Pantsuit
Design Chat at Grand Valley State University
Design students, comin' at ya! I'll be at GVSU speaking with soon-to-be design graduates about how to become successful freelance designers after college. I'm excited to share what I've learned in the last 10 years in hopes it will help design lovers get started in their ventures. Comment below questions you have. Let's chat if you're freelance or want to start but you're not sure how to.
Related posts: 3 tips for your first interview / Networking tips
Girls Hiking Trip in Kentucky
Some of my girlfriends decided we needed to get to the mountains for some fresh air. We have a few trails planned out to hike and are staying in a refurbished shipping container near the mountains. Some days I imagine it being a dreamy girl’s trip to reconnect with each other and to nature. Other days my imagination runs wild from the handful of scary movies I've seen. haha. I'm excited for some girl time nonetheless!
Related posts: Thoughts on sisterhood / Weekender bags roundup / Mountain moodboard
Shut Down Line 5 at Rockford Brewery
I donated a hand-lettered Lake print to my friend's effort to raise money to Shut Down Line 5. Line 5 is an old pipeline spanning the bottom of Lake Michigan west of the Mackinac Bridge into Canada. It's owned by a Canadian oil company that has a bad rap in oil spills and who delivers 23 million gallons of oil EVERY DAY through these old pipelines. There's serious concern an oil spill can happen if the issue isn't acknowledged properly. As a Michigander who relies on & loves our Lakes, you can bet I'm doing what I can! Local readers, there's a donation event at Rockford Brewery on November 16 to purchase a print, a pint, and listen to music to donate to this important cause.
Related posts: Official Line 5 shutdown website
October Harvest Moon
Growth
The Harvest Moon this year ended up being a doozy. Life just throws you shit, usually unexpectedly, and it sucks. BUT. BUT, we are still here so there's joy in that. The shit is a reminder of how human we really are. This month was a real breakthrough in my understanding and accepting myself for who I am.
“The tiny seed knew that in order to grow, it needed to be dropped in dirt, covered in darkness, struggle to reach the light.”
Yoga, continued
After my 2-week trial, I got a month unlimited of yoga! This was big for me as my workout habits have been inconsistent since college. Happy to report I stopped cheating on my plank and was able to do the crow pose for a few seconds by the end of the month. My membership is over so now I want to try something more challenging to keep increasing my strength. Comment below: what's your workout and where do you go?!
Options I'm considering: AM Yoga / FlexCity Fitness (thanks Tieka!)
Halloween with Witches
So my Halloween with friend’s plans changed to Halloween with Witches Brew, white chicken chili, and Hocus Pocus on repeat. We did some super lame dressing up from the couch as a voodoo tarot reader and sugar skull, with Tiger as his annual Official Treat Inspector handkerchief, and that was about it. It was nice to stay in and be warm though!
Staying In
Out of everything I was the MOST consistent with staying in this month, haha. I'm such a homebody and the chilly temperatures make me hunker down even more. We caught up on a lot of shows – Nashville, Jane the Virgin, Saved by the Bell, This is Us. Apparently, we need to be watching Stranger Things like the rest of the country...should we?! What are your favorite shows?
Full Moon Monthly recaps life lately and what’s on the horizon. See all moons here.
Anthropologie Style: Not Our Mothers' Pantsuit
Not Our Mothers' Pantsuit | Anthropologie #anthrostyle | Brave Girl Design + Blog
Not Our Mothers' Pantsuit | Anthropologie #anthrostyle | Brave Girl Design + Blog
Not Our Mothers' Pantsuit | Anthropologie #anthrostyle | Brave Girl Design + Blog
Not Our Mothers' Pantsuit | Anthropologie #anthrostyle | Brave Girl Design + Blog
Anthropologie Style: A work outfit with a story
I grew up playing with my mother's old briefcase. Digging for the treasures of her success as she rushed to the office in her black pantsuit and short hair styled modestly. Her old driver’s license and credit cards in an overworked wallet. Receipts scattered about the pockets from hurried lunches. A tattered BlackBerry, the end-of-a-century revolution. Bits of personal in the crevices – bobby pins, hand sanitizer, Trident gum wrappers. My play developed what work looked like to me for the modern woman:
Pantsuit: a rebellion
Black: serious
Haircut: practical
I emulated my mother, as daughters do. Then denied anyone who said I looked like her, as daughters do that too. The world expanded as I grew and we all shifted with the evolution. Everything looks fresh after a few rinse cycles.
My play turned into purpose as the modern woman's uniform evolved:
Pantsuit: a nation
Black: a closet staple
Haircut: a sign of change
The work outfit evolves with the work itself. There is a myriad of ways to have a career, a family, a life and so too are there outfits for it – an outward reflection of the internal grind.
Not Our Mothers' Pantsuit | Anthropologie #anthrostyle | Brave Girl Design + Blog
Not Our Mothers' Pantsuit | Anthropologie #anthrostyle | Brave Girl Design + Blog
My uniform these days? A layering of both play and purpose:
White tee: to begin work swiftly (and may the coffee not spill).
Blazer cardigan: for professional ease to flex vision midstream.
Textured trousers: the expression of personal boundaries, and meaning it.
Wispy earrings: a reminder that serious is a bit too serious.
We often overlook the history behind the evolution (did you know women weren't permitted to wear pantsuits – or pants of any kind – on the United States Senate floor until 1993?) but it's good when we slow down to learn it. That way we know where to look when seeking the treasures of success (a beginner's tip: dig to the bottom).
I found them in my mother's old briefcase. A memento to remind me who I am and what I strive for. Lunch receipts scattered after friendly conversations and new opportunities. A pocket-sized way to connect to the world. Bits of personal in the crevices – because the work will always be personal.
And to my Mother: Merci.
For being the modern woman in a black pantsuit who raised her daughter to be worthy of the rose velvet trousers she wears today.
Outfit details c/o Anthropologie Michigan & Iris Boutique
Styled by Liv Styled & Kelsey Hettinga
Photos by Ashley Wierenga & Kristin Jones
Rural to Urban: What we like and what we don't
It's been six months since moving from a small lake town to a more urban area in an apartment in Grand Rapids. We're about halfway through our year-long visit and we've been learning a lot about ourselves, each other, and what we like and don't like about living in the city.
Urban life: Likes
1 | Convenience
Everything I need is within walking distance. Whether it's groceries, going to the farmer's market, walking Tiger in the park, the coffee shop to plug in and work, our favorite brewery, or getting my yoga in – it's all right here and opens during realistic hours (vs. everything closing at 7pm on the lakeshore or closed for the winter). It's a homebody's haven because you don't really have to go anywhere.
2 | Connection
Meeting up with friends more often has been easier because it doesn't take planning a week ahead and the long commute to make it happen. I feel way more connected and like I've found my tribe of freelancers and creatives to hang out with. It's energizing and uplifting, to say the least!
3 | Kitchen
I like knowing I only have 3 bowls to store leftovers – small, medium, large. We've removed or replaced a lot of plastic items and because we have fewer items there isn't a bunch of mismatched tops to bowls taking up space (a big pet peeve of mine). I like the "one of everything" rule that the size of our apartment keeps us to.
Urban life: Dislikes
1 | Small space
I thought I could do it, you guys. I thought I could live a minimal lifestyle with a small footprint. While I like being intentional by room, like the kitchen, I'm not enjoying it from a home standpoint. My studio has gone from a spare bedroom to the leftover cabinet in the kitchen. I also like decorating seasonally and it's limiting to do in a space where I fear putting a nail in the wall. I prefer OPEN SPACE, and so do Joel and Tiger.
2 | No house projects
It's been good for my design business that I dedicate more time to work but it's limiting Joel and me with house projects we like to do. We enjoy dreaming about the next project to build, make, and fix. I grew up in old houses with little quirks and personalities and Joel comes from a long lineage of builders. It's in our blood to create resourcefully but this place is already done (not that we don't think it's beautiful, because it is). I don't know how many times we've looked at each other on a weekend, sitting on the couch, and asked, "now what?"
3 | Noise
The noise outside makes it so that the windows are closed. And the windows being closed creates stagnant air. I hear sirens multiple times a day and every time I say a prayer for the people they're rushing to. I'm praying a lot. And I don't think the tenants above us are aware we can hear their every move. Especially at midnight. While I'm happy they lead a healthy sex life, I'm not happy for me who is trying to fall asleep.
What's next for us?
We're still not sure. We've reflected on a few options but are really just doing our best to keep the faith that "what's next" will present itself when the time is right (and praying time will be right before our lease is up). Otherwise, we may be forced into a different direction. Equally encouraging, I suppose. Until then, we're hopping around to our favorite breweries like Harmony Brewing and Brewery Vivant, discovering hiking trails north of town, and balancing this season of work with things like yoga, disc golfing, and walking Tiger so he doesn't give us a 'tude.
Now I want to hear about you...what do you like and dislike about the place you live?
When the World Sleeps
When the world sleeps, I dream. Not of what you're thinking; A better world. Peace.
No, I am human. Not hero. Not Saint.
When the world sleeps, I dream of losing all I own down a river. In this dream, I make sure they see I am scared to lose these trinkets; The tools to create. The "essentials". The items defining success.
When their focus is on the items floating out of my grasp, I smile. I am relieved the current has decided what I intentionally could not. I feel the cool blue through my fingertips.
Chaos ensues because, well, what will we do without what we've always known?
I know nothing more than the way the water makes me feel.
Ordinary Dreams
"You guys, doesn't that look like Terrance's mom?!" he asked mid-catch.
"Hey guys, doesn't that look like our teacher?!" he repeated.
It took me a moment to realize one of the boys playing football across the street was talking about me. School-aged kids with their outdoor voices after being inside all day, unaware their subject is within earshot.
I was on a walk with Tiger enjoying an afternoon of crisp air, sunshine, and fall colors. I acted as if I couldn't hear them but as I walked the next block ahead it hit me; I'm the age of those boys' mothers and teachers.
Once I got over my surprise at that reality (didn't I just leave home for college?), I liked his vision. A student of mine recognizing me walking my dog in the neighborhood after school. A young child seeing his friend's mother in me.
A reminder that ordinary days to one are dreams to another.
October Harvest Moon
Life lately in tune with the monthly full moon cycle.
September Corn Moon – October Harvest Moon
Hello! The October Harvest Moon is the 3rd post in Full Moon Monthly, a new series that recaps life lately and what's on the horizon. The October moon is interesting because it's the Harvest Moon this year. It's often called the Hunter's Moon because it's the time hunters seek their fall meal here in the Midwest. The Harvest moon switches between September and October each year because the Harvest Moon is defined as whatever day is closest to the Autumnal Equinox (September 22) so this year October 5th's full moon is the Harvest Moon. Since the Corn Moon last month, there's been rest, healing, and a new workout routine.
October Harvest Moon
Cloth + Cabin Fall Event
One of the stockists that carry my prints, Cloth + Cabin is having a pop-up shop at a beautiful space in Grand Rapids I'm excited for. They're the epitome of modern farmhouse style in the area and at really great prices. Join me? Cloth + Cabin Fall Pop-Up
Halloween with friends
Ok, this is not me (obviously?). But it's my Halloween costume idea for this year! A mermaid/siren. I'm dressing up as a mermaid with some other friends and we're going to have a weekend of decorating and crafting our costumes with Halloween movies, music, and mimosas. I haven't been into Halloween much the last couple of years so I'm looking forward to being in the spirit this year!
Staying In
Still holding true to sticking close to home this season. Yoga, coffee dates, and client meetings in town are as far as I want to venture this moon. There are so many changes and transitions going on in our life right now that the obsessive planning bone in my body is being put to rest and hopefully not to return in the way it has been. I think planning is good until it starts to control my life and tricking me into thinking I actually have control in this world. Slow weekends and nights for me.
September Corn Moon
Two weeks of yoga
Two weeks of yoga at Funky Buddha was exactly what I needed! The more I talk about yoga the more I realize it isn't for everyone. Some people don't need this pace or meditation but I really do. It's easier for me to not do anything at all but making yoga a daily priority makes me feel strong and energized again. I seem to say hello to myself on the mat in the way I need to hear it.
My favorite yoga places: Funky Buddha / AM Yoga / my friend Tori Lee Yoga
Local Events
Woowee, this full moon showed me the importance of community. I've always longed for it and never felt it quite the way I felt it this month. There are some KICK ASS creatives, bloggers, and entrepreneurs in this town and I'm so happy I've been able to meet them. I was quite the social butterfly and am now recovering, haha. I'm an extroverted introvert so while I'm energized at events, I tend to get drained by it easily and need some recoup days.
Related posts: Tieka's Runway off Wealthy recap / Kherington's fall style / Meet Cute Community
Our 1 year marriage anniversary!
We didn't go to a beer festival as planned. In fact, we originally planned on celebrating our 1-year anniversary in Maine. Then convinced ourselves Traverse City was the best way to celebrate. Ultimately we found ourselves more simply – basking in the sun on the dune where Joel proposed to me 2 years ago. We thought it needed to be extravagant but all we needed was Him. Me. Open space. and Tiger. It was the perfect lesson in marriage – things, places, finances – isn't Love. Remember why you're in love. The sand, water, and sky will remind you.
Related posts: Our First Dance / His Neck
Wine Club
Wine Club #40 did not disappoint. The host this month lived only a few blocks away and I loved not having the long drive back home as I have in the past! The consensus on New Zealand wines was poor, none of us really liked them. But the conversations we had with a more intimate group this month soothed the soul and made me feel grateful for these women I get to hang out with each month.
Joel's 29th birthday
Since Joel's birthday was on a weeknight we celebrated a bit more laidback than usual. I woke up early to set out some gifts on the kitchen counter, made coffee, and then made him dinner of his choice when he got home from work. We cuddled with the fur babies and caught up on some of his favorite series like Suits and Nashville. He has started to implement birthday month as I do with mine so we've continued to do fun things of his choosing on the weekends!
Full Moon Monthly recaps life lately and what’s on the horizon. See all moons here.
Seasonal Edit | Moody Tones & Staying Home
Seasonal Edit: Fall
This seasonal edit focuses on darker hues (still neutrals, you know me), soft fabrics, and the art of slowing down. I have a special place in my heart for fall. It's a great time to reflect, relax, and enjoy the harvest after a long season of hard work and challenges. Even though it feels we're going through an Indian Summer right now, I'm loving the first day of fall. The Autumn Equinox, a day where the amount of daylight and darkness are equal. The best teacher of balance is the nature we live in, yes?
Oyster
Indian summer days call for lighter fabrics that can be easily layered for morning and night. I love this light beige hue because it reminds me of the ocean grays of the Northeast coast. I like layering similar shades with different textures so adding a little sparkle with the necklace is enough to make this basic outfit have a bit of bling.
Shop the look: tank (similar) / shorts / hat
Seafoam
I'm anxiously awaiting bonfire nights. A soft sweater, jeans, and a baseball cap are my go-to. Do you love the bonfire smell that lingers or do you hate it? I love having the scent of a great bonfire linger the next day. So much I even got a candle called Campfire because I miss our bonfire pit so much.
Shop the look: sweater (similar) / Madewell jeans / Lake Day hat / moccasins (similar) / camo jacket (thrifted)
Cinnamon
I've worn this burnt orange slip dress a couple of times and love it as a fall transition piece for weddings or outdoor events with a jacket. Gold details make it feel warm like the Fall golden hour that I love and make me think of my mom and friend who got the bangles for me.
Shop the look: slip dress (similar) / wedges (similar) / Brave bracelet
Books & Letters
Fall essentials for me are all about slowing down. It's crazy how challenging it is to slow down lately, isn't it? Scrolling through your phone on the couch doesn't count by the way. I'm definitely guilty of it and feel like I have to be intentional about slowing down for overall mental wellness. I'm trying to incorporate more solitary acts of slowing down this season. Books will always be a part of this for me.
I'm going to try writing more snail mail (thanks for sharing how you do this Ginger!). I don't know how many times I've said I feel like I'm in such a busy season of life right now but it isn't getting any slower. I hope more reading on the balcony and writing letters on Sunday helps calm my mind.
Tea
Totally bought this for the design but the tea is really good too. Hot. Cinnamon. Sunset. What a beautiful name for the fall. If you like sweeter tea with cinnamon and clove flavors, you're going to love this. Hot tea with a book and a cozy blanket is what my fall dreams are made of. I hope the weather will let this vision come true this season. Also got a great recommendation from a friend to reuse the tin as a succulent pot when I'm done with it and had to share. Such a good idea to keep the beauty of this tin around!
Staying Home
We've had a lot of full summer weekends so I'm looking forward to staying home more this season. And not staying in our small apartment only – we'd drive each other mad – but I more mean enjoying the town we live in instead of traveling elsewhere.
"What do you wanna do?"
"I don't know what do you wanna do?"
"I don't know, what do YOU wanna do?"
We've had some of the best times after asking each other this question, haha. I think it's ok to be bored, healthy even because then the day naturally becomes something fun. I suppose it's another act in presence I'm always seeking.
Shop the essentials: 10% Happier book / tea / Our Nest pillow (similar)
What are some fun fall plans you have?!
Seasonal Edit is a curated list of lifestyle essentials and well-designed products inspired by the seasons of the Midwest. See all edits here.
A Letter to My Husband on Our First Anniversary
The origin of our first dance.
It was Spring Break a few months after we met. You convinced me I must go with you despite my excuses that I couldn't (money, study, homebody). You even drew a little picture of us to really bring your point home – stick figures in front of a sunset. I was the one with the long hair.
People said this trip could break us. They said we knew too little about one another. A week is too long so early on, they warned. Are you sure you should really be going with him?
I went.
We laughed. We fought. We had 10 too many drinks. We survived.
On the way home I rested my head on your lap. Listened to What You Thought You Need as the everglades blurred outside the window. You had your hand on my arm. It took me a moment to realize you were sending a message – tracing letters on my skin, just for me.
I.
Well, I can't give you everything you want. But I can give you what you thought you need.
LOVE.
A map to keep beneath your seat you'll read to me in time I'll get you there.
U.
But fold it up so we don't find our way back soon Nobody knows we're here.
My skin told on me. Goosebumps. You didn't think I knew the message you traced on me that day. Thought I was too wrapped up in my headphones to feel your letters. And I didn't tell you that I read each one in anticipation they would line up with the three words I had saved inside of me, for you.
Our first dance.
7 years later and we're near water again. We're listening to What You Thought You Need as the northern pines blur outside the window. Your hands are around my waist. You're looking at me with the promise of those three letters from long ago – the ones you've saved, just for me.
I.
Can't take back things already gone but I could give you promises for keeps.
LOVE.
And I would only take them back if they become your own and you give them to me.
U.
We could make this into anything, we could make this into more than words can speak.
You spin me around and I trust you'll hold me in this space as you do. The space I've saved, just for you. The unspoken words speaking volumes. Two souls finding each other on the open road without care to get to the destination.
And it's all for the sake of arriving with you.
Photos by Leigh Ann Cobb Photography, Music by Jack Johnson
September Corn Moon
Life lately in tune with the monthly full moon cycle.
August Sturgeon Moon – September Corn Moon
Hello! The September Corn Moon is the 2nd post in Full Moon Monthly, a new blog series that recaps life lately and what's on the horizon. The September moon is interesting this year because it IS NOT the Harvest Moon like it was last year. The Harvest Moon is the moon closest to the Autumnal Equinox (September 22) so this year October 5th's full moon will be the Harvest Moon. Since the Sturgeon Moon last month, there have been birthday celebrations, job changes, and a lot of internal reflection.
September Corn Moon
Two weeks of yoga
The last time I was consistently involved in yoga was when my hair was long and partly red. AKA 3 years ago! There is a multitude of ways to find inner peace and I seem to find it on the mat. I don't know why the things that are good for us get put last but I'm attempting to get back into it this month with two weeks of yoga at Funky Buddha.
Local Events
There are a few local events this moon I'm really looking forward to like an Anthropologie Denim event, Women in Leadership Town Hall with Ladies Get Paid Grand Rapids, Runway off Wealthy, and Creative Risk Tasking at The Rising Tide's monthly meetup. Oh, and Artprize, an annual national art competition that happens in Grand Rapids will begin! Surrounded by art, swoon.
Our 1 year marriage anniversary!
What a year it's been! I've already started reflecting so much about what our marriage means to me, our life together, our dreams, and how much life has changed since our Harvest Moon wedding last year. Sometimes I really need to pinch myself! We're hoping to celebrate the way we do best – at a craft beer festival close to home. Oh yeah!
Wine Club
I haven't been to Wine Club since moving. I'm really excited to catch up with everyone I haven't seen in awhile. Tieka of Selective Potential has a great post on how to start your own wine club. This month is Wine Club #40 for the Grand Rapids ladies and we're celebrating with New Zealand wines!
Joel's birthday
I won't tell you which birthday he's celebrating...let's just say he's close to the big 3-0. I'm so excited to celebrate Joel! He's so compassionate, humorous, and giving to me. Now it's my turn to wait on him and oogle over him all day (his favorite, haha). We treat birthdays big around here as you can see from what he did for my birthday below. Hmm, I have some brainstorming to do!
August Sturgeon Moon
My 27th birthday
I didn't end up seeing the annual Perseid Meteor Shower as I hoped because it was too cloudy but I had an AMAZING day. Joel treated me like a Queen with rosé at Rose's, homemade dinner with fresh veggies from the Fulton Street Farmer's Market, a Whitecaps baseball game with fireworks (he won me a shirt!), and live music at Founders to end the night. It was so relaxing and energizing at the same time.
Freelance designer and writer
The first few weeks are under my belt and I'm loving it so far. A lot of things people think are perks to being a freelancer really aren't the reality of working freelance. It's a big responsibility and sometimes feels like free-falling. But I'm enjoying setting my own routine and being more present daily.
See the summer round-up of my design work or shop my prints.
Coffee and lunch dates
I really enjoyed the multiple coffees and lunch dates I had last month. I'm not a foodie so what I enjoy most is connecting with new and old friends. Joel and I also went on a coffee date and it reminded me how important it is to prioritize each other. It's easy to take each other for granted when we're with each other everyday and life gets busy. I'm grateful we did something about being off-balance. I mean, just look at him! I'll sit across the table from him at a coffee shop for the rest of my life.
Visit home
I don't get to see my parents as much as I'd like so when we spend a weekend together, I usually don't stop talking or smiling. Our visit last month was no different. We talked about the world on the Peace Porch, saw my Dad's new Jeep, my Mom's renovated pottery studio, took a long bike ride along the river, and had some of the best margaritas by the bonfire. I was already anticipating the next time I'll get to be with them before we even pulled out of the driveway.
Labor Day Weekend at the Lodge
Relaxing with no plans (& no cell service!) was better than I even imagined it would be. We went to a friend's family lodge that used to be an old ski resort. A pond, beach volleyball, sunbathing, Beer Olympics, and the most beautiful view of the rolling hills...it all felt good for the soul, just what I needed. 2 days later and Tiger is still sleeping, ha!
Full Moon Monthly recaps life lately and what’s on the horizon. See all moons here.
Seasonal Edit | Classic, Simple, & Wild
Seasonal Edit: Summer
Summer is my absolute favorite for her warmth, sunshine, and relaxed vibes all season long. This seasonal edit is full of textures, wildness, and simplicity. Or at the very least, an intentional effort to try and keep things simple amongst the chaos. Truthfully, this summer has been more challenging than I expected.
Since the Spring we've moved to an apartment in the city, gotten new jobs, and I've felt a shift within I'm still trying to work through. I've had 5 different haircuts in under a year, a clear indication there's a lot of change going on!
Summer Edit: Classic, Simple, & Wild | Polka dot dress from Target and straw hat | Brave Girl Design + Blog
Black and white textures
The majority of outfits I wore this summer were some version of a black and white pattern, white tee, and splash of denim. Whether it was a summer dress in a classic pattern or a pair of patterned shorts, black and white was the palette. Usually, I lean towards color and lightweight fabrics for the summer but I think going between air conditioning and heat multiple times a day, instead of the beach vibes I was used to living by the lake, had something to do with it.
Shop the textures: shorts / summer dress (similar) / denim jacket / hat
Summer Edit: Classic, Simple, & Wild | Sunflower bouquet | Brave Girl Design + Blog
Wildflowers, Wild Woman
It's been the best living near the farmers market because of fresh flowers ALL. SUMMER. LONG. Sunflowers are my favorite for how they depend on the sun for their happiness. It seems emotional. When the sun went down my sunflower heads would droop on the counter and come to life again in the morning sun. I can relate which is why I like them so much. More wildness came through in the books I read this summer. I re-read The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, always have Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes on my nightstand, and started a new one The Dance of the Dissident Daughter by Sue Monk Kidd. Having a Sue Monk Kidd moment I guess.
Recommended books: The Secret Life of Bees / Women Who Run With the Wolves / The Dance of the Dissident Daughter
Summer Edit: Classic, Simple, & Wild | Farmer's Market haul | Brave Girl Design + Blog
Summer Simplicity
I kept finding myself craving the open country roads this season. Rolling down the windows to feel the heat that brings good memories from childhood. Listening to grasshoppers making music in the ditches. Watching the cornfields blow in the lazy breeze. I needed to know calm still existed amidst all the change this season. Even if it's out there somewhere far away right now. I needed to remember what my soul enjoyed. Needed to stop chasing external ideals and feeling the pressure of others’ expectations for me and my own pressure of what I should be doing at this point in my life. In the open space, amongst the wildflowers and bees buzzing, all that dialogue vanished. I found ME again & you know what she loves?
Soul music. Open spaces. Nowhere to be. Just enjoying the view.
The journey within will always be discovery and I'm guessing some chaos (has been so far). With that comes the importance of wellness – mentally, physically, spiritually. I'm always trying to keep that the priority. This season was about trying some new things and sticking with tried-and-true ingredients.
Summer Edit: Classic, Simple, & Wild | Care/Of Vitamins, monthly vitamin subscription service | Brave Girl Design + Blog
Care/Of Daily Vitamins
Care/Of is a new thing I'm trying. They're a subscription-based and customized way to take daily vitamins. It takes you through a quick and thorough quiz and gives you a detailed recommendation list of vitamins. I've selected energy-boosting and stress-free vitamins for the last two months and can really tell the difference in my overall well-being in these areas. Their customer service is also AMAZING and the boxes are cute enough to keep on your kitchen counter to remind you of your daily dose.
Use my code "TYRWB" at checkout for an entire FREE month of vitamins to try it out.
Summer Edit: Classic, Simple, & Wild | Lake Effect Apiaries Honey | Brave Girl Design + Blog
Local honey
There are a lot of benefits to honey, even if it's just a teaspoon daily in the morning to help with allergies. The most beneficial is getting honey from your local farmer's market. The bees are pollinating from the very plants giving you the sniffles so it's important to get honey close to home and from local beekeepers. Not the grocery store stuff, too much unnatural sugar.
Summer Edit: Classic, Simple, & Wild | Raw Coconut + Mango Hand Wash from Target | Brave Girl Design + Blog
Coconut + Mango Hand Wash
I was never a coconut fan but then my Mom gifted me this coconut face mist. It feels so summery and refreshing like I'm on a paradise island somewhere with no worries mahn (thanks Mom!). Since then, I started using this hand wash to keep the good vibes going for the bathroom.
Shop the essentials: Care/Of Vitamins / Local honey / Coconut + Mango Hand Wash
Seasonal Edit is a curated list of lifestyle essentials and well-designed products inspired by the seasons of the Midwest. See all edits here.
Design Quarterly: Summer 2017 New Handlettered Artwork
Friends! I want to share with you what I've been making this summer. If you saw my hand lettering post a few months back, then you know my goal was to make more art prints and I'm happy to report I did. Thank you for sending your quotes and sharing what you look for in wall decor. I enjoy creating words that speak to your heart each day. Scroll down for my Summer 2017 new hand-lettered artwork.
Summer 2017 New Handlettered Artwork | Love Her by Atticus art print | Brave Girl Design
Love Her Wild art print
This 8x10 art print is the catalyst to the rest of the work that follows. I wholeheartedly believe in this saying by Atticus for myself and all women. I've gifted it for bachelorette parties and bridal showers. One of my customers is putting it up in her newborn's nursery and another got it as a gift for his soon-to-be-wife.
PS: These words are written in my own hand lettering, not a computerized font.
Shop it: 6.25 Paper Studio in Grand Rapids / Harless + Hugh Flea in Bay City / Not in Michigan? Order from my shop
Summer 2017 New Handlettered Artwork | Summertime by Ella Fitzgerald art print | Brave Girl Design
Summertime art print
I love this song by Ella Fitzgerald. Her vibe inspired me to style this print with lemon, greenery, and a little bit of blush and stripes for an old-time summer feel. I've gifted this to my sister-in-law for her new cottage and to friends for their housewarming party. It's also been featured in the Modern Farmhouse collection at Cloth + Cabin. This print will be a good reminder Summer does in fact exist in Michigan once the winter comes. Ha.
Shop it: End of summer sale at Cloth + Cabin
Summer 2017 New Handlettered Artwork | Marriage Vision wall decor | Brave Girl Design
Marriage vision
A piece for my best friend's wedding. I hand-lettered their marriage vision on painted pine (thanks Joel!). More details on my inspiration for the piece here and behind the scenes of my process here.
Interested in having your love letters bigger and bolder for your home? Email me and let's make something pretty for your wall!
Summer 2017 New Handlettered Artwork | August Sturgeon Moon illustration | Brave Girl Design
Full Moon Illustration calendar series
This is a personal project I'm building month by month. It started with my favorite, the August Sturgeon Moon. There will be 11 more of these bad chicas by August 2018. Keep an eye out for next month's full moon illustration on September 6th.
Read about why I started the Full Moon monthly series and see the first one, the August Sturgeon Moon.
Coming Fall 2017
The Harvest Moon post mentioned above, a print donation to a non-profit I really believe in (hint: it involves the Lake), an online store collaboration, and finishing up some commissions for a friend's kitchen and a mentor's gift. I'm also trying to get a few new prints to the Brave Girl shop. As always, send me your quotes and they might make it to the shop!
I just want to thank each and every one of you who have supported this journey of mine hand lettering quotes and creating wall decor for your homes. I love cheering you on as you create your own works of art. Whether that be designing pretty things, challenging others to see new perspectives, capturing these moments in life, making babes, and growing families, I see you and I'm so happy for you!
THANK YOU, friends, for letting me be part of your journey. xo, EM
Why I Love this Blogging Community
August has been a whirlwind of changes I've never known before. There was a lot of moon reading, astrology seeking, book discovering, and prayer making I've been doing as my life depended on it.
Because, well, my life depended on it.
They say your hormones change every 7 years from the year you get your period. I received my blessing in disguise when I was 13. I am now 27. So, based on this, I'm on evolution number 3, and chica, am I. The foods I eat are no longer sustaining. The nights I make are more sensitive to what the next morning brings. The career I inhabit is very much driven by the lifestyle I envision (not the other way around).
It's scary to recognize, yes? Scarier to honor it when the voices of the world tell you it's all ok just the way it is (PS: it isn't). I thought I was alone in this. This month I felt so alone in the changing, in the chaos, in the uncertainty of what's to come.
Then I read this from a woman I admire.
And this from another woman I admire.
And I felt less alone. This is why I love the blogging community. More often than not, there seems to be a theme among us. It isn't a reason to tense up and think the other woman is doing better than you. It isn't a reason for doubt or insecurity that they're somehow better than you. It isn't a reason not to join because you think you have nothing to add. PS: You do, please share it with all of us.
No, it's a reason to CELEBRATE that you're not alone. It's a reason to HONOR your stillness, your reflection state, or your sadness.
May you honor what you need at this moment, and know you're not alone in it.
27
You won't know any more about your purpose at 27 than you did at 24. Get ok with that.
Sunflowers are still your favorite.
More than learning things, you are unlearning things. It is hard, messy work.
Goal-setting gets dry. When you reach one of your goals, are you happy? If not, goal-setting is not the solution.
Be kind to yourself. This isn't an age thing, it's a life one.
Regret is the shadow that stops you from finding the lesson.
You don't have to "fake it 'til you make it". Be honest and up front.
It might not be them. It might be you. Accept your imperfections.
You thought you were being humble, my dear. You weren't. That's ok. You will now.
Jeans. White tee. Red lipstick.
Your Momma is always your Momma.
A wrinkle at the crook of your arm. A new freckle. This is not age, this is the constellation map of your experiences.
When you dig within, you understand without.
You still enjoy beer, wine, and late nights out. I thought you'd be over that by now. You're not. Cheers!
There are things worth knowing before this time in your life; filling your tires with air. Business tax. That Love IS always the answer.
You thought you'd know more by now.
Boredom is good. Stop avoiding yourself.
There is a time for anger.
Rose-colored glasses are not naivety. They are an intentional choice. They are the harder choice.
NOT following your heart leads to more negativity.
You can't know what you don't know. Lighten up.
The protective barrier you place around yourself keeps all the good stuff out too.
This isn't one of your finer years and now you're getting somewhere.
You're part of the bigger picture (you aren't THEE bigger picture. ;))
There is something in holding babies that makes you understand something deeply that you've never felt before.
Your left hand has become the symbol of constant change. And here you thought it'd be boring!
You're not sure what to do right now. You're not sure who you are. But there is a feeling inside you where words can't touch telling you all of this is exactly how it's meant to be.
I love you, Brave Girl.
August Sturgeon Moon
Life lately in tune with the monthly full moon cycle.
July Thunder Moon – August Sturgeon Moon
As I mentioned in my last post, Full Moon Monthly is a new blog series that recaps life lately and what's on the horizon. I hope to honor Grandmother Moon and the Native Americans who named each moon of the year, as well. I think it'll be fun and hope it will be for you too! The August Sturgeon Moon is the first because August is my personal new year.
August Sturgeon Moon
My 27th birthday
I'm hoping to see the annual Perseid Meteor Shower. We'll have to get up at 4 am and go away from the city a bit to see it. I try every year but usually miss it due to cloudy weather or wanting my comfy bed more. We'll see!
Freelance designer and writer
Next week I'll be a full-time freelance graphic designer and writer. I'll explain more details and my career goals in an upcoming post but for now, just know I'm excited for what's to come.
See my latest design and lettering work or shop my prints.
Coffee and lunch dates
It's important to step away from the workload and listen to others' dreams, beliefs, and challenges. My next meeting is over ice cream (fun!) and we'll be chatting all about how to start a blog. If you want to start a passion project or blog but don't know where to start, ask me here.
Labor Day Weekend Up North
I'm looking forward to time up north with friends. I'm most excited about Tiger actually. haha. Apartment life can be a drag for him so I can't wait for a long weekend in nature. Relaxing with no plans, ahhh.
July Thunder Moon
One of my best friends got married!
We celebrated in Royal Oak with old friends and new ones. I planned her Bachelorette Party (honeybee and lavender-themed) and hand-lettered their Marriage Vision for their new home.
Joel started a new job
Some of you may know my husband is a recruiter and AMAZING with people. He has a way of setting people at ease, especially in stressful and uncertain situations, like finding your next job. I'm so happy for him, he's really enjoying it so far! See his Guest Post on The Power of Influence.
Went to a Kalamazoo Growlers baseball game
One of my favorite summertime activities is watching baseball on a summer night. It was a great time catching up with friends and drinks at Hopcat afterward. You have to stop by when in Kalamazoo! There's a patio with outdoor yard games and a taco food truck from an Airstream.
GRNow App Launch party
Kherington of Currently Kherington invited Joel and me to The Sovengard to celebrate the GRNow event app for the Grand Rapids area. Another beautiful summer night getting to know new friends like Ashley and Kristin and their hubbies better. My favorite app feature is the map to find events based on location.
Cloth + Cabin Launch party
More celebrating! This time for one of my wholesalers, Cloth + Cabin. They're an online store of curated wantables for your closet and home. My prints are featured in the Modern Farmhouse collection. Summer print (on sale!) and Leave Her Wild print are available. The launch party was in THE CUTEST barn east of town and the details, oh my, they truly thought of everything. It was like a little taste of Magnolia. And I hung out with Kherington again. It was great getting to know her better! I love her recap of the event.
Full Moon Monthly recaps life lately and what’s on the horizon. See all moons here.
Full Moon Monthly | Yearly Calendar Series
Life lately in tune with the monthly full moon cycle.
I used to make calendars at the beginning of August when I was a little girl because my birthday is in August. It feels like my personal new year. I made a calendar each summer filled with quotes and pictures of family and friends. It became a scrapbook of trinkets from the previous year that I would celebrate while bringing in the next one.
Full Moon Monthly is a new blog series to bring this back to my life. I'll share what's going on in my life between one moon cycle and the next and here's why: The rhythms of the Moon are inherent to all of us, and most strongly within women. Our natural menstrual cycle is around 28 days. The cycle of the Moon is the same. This is not a coincidence. I've started to acknowledge this cycle more in my life and this is another way to do so. I also really enjoy doing summaries of what just happened (gratitude) and what's coming next (excitement). So here's what you can expect!
What to expect from Full Moon Monthly
Each Moon will be associated with its month on the Gregorian calendar.
Each Moon will have the name Native Americans of the Great Lakes have named it.
A link to the Mystic Mamma Full Moon reading for each Moon. Friends interested in how the Moon affects you each month, this is for you.
A recap of life lately and what's coming up. Maybe this will inspire you to start your own gratitude tracking. I get so caught up in where I want TO BE that I don't acknowledge all the good in where I am RIGHT NOW.
Read my first full moon monthly: August 2017
Dead Flowers
My sunflowers have wilted in their simple bouquet on the kitchen counter. The water has gone brown. There's a faint smell of dying in it, filling the air with a thin veil of burnout. I haven't taken the sunflowers out of their vase yet. I haven't put them in the dirt to become part of the soil that grows new flowers.
Bees and Petals | Brave Girl Spirit
I've watched the petals fall one by one. Can't seem to look away. Can't seem to avoid the metaphor that these sunflowers – usually so full of life and energy, always looking towards the sun – look a lot like me. Heads bowed in exhaustion. Sadness. The color from their leaves fading. Unhealthy. And the life force, their water, gone brown with decay. Stagnant.
Sometimes it's good to call it what it is. Most times. All the time, really. Because when you acknowledge that the water is brown, that the color is fading, that the petals are falling, the real change can begin.
What I learned at the Yellow Conference in Los Angeles
I learned so much about myself at The Yellow Conference. I'd been following the Yellow mission online for a couple of years and wrote a few articles for their blog (here and here) so it was very exciting when I had the opportunity to attend! It was my first solo business trip. After a full day of work, I flew into LAX at 11 pm then drove to my Airbnb in Echo Park.
I got so turned around at first but found my little bungalow for the week after a midnight call to my host. Her husband greeted me with a local beer and shared he grew up in Rochester Hills, Michigan. I go all the way to California and the first person I meet is from Michigan. It was comforting after a long travel day.
I woke up to this view and immediately started singing Hotel California. I've done that every time I've visited so far, haha.
Favorite designers: Elle Luna and Jessica Hische
I got to hear from Elle Luna and Jessica Hische, my 2 favorite artists/designers. Elle talked about her book The Crossroads of Should and Must and Jessica talked about juggling motherhood with a freelance career. Both of them cried saying there was something about the powerful feminine support in the room that felt like an ocean of understanding and comfort to them. I was honored to be part of it.
I actually saw Jessica Hische by a taco truck during lunch and completely fan-girled but didn't say a word to her. What would I have said? "I've followed your work since I was a sophomore in design school and have wished to be you ever since?" No, I let her eat her taco in peace.
In between sessions, I went to lunch with an amazing group of women. I was proud of myself for resisting the comfortable feeling to eat alone and write in my journal and instead connect with women who I'd met an hour before. I was in the midst of women doing amazing things for our world and enjoyed my seat at the table.
Brave Girls in L.A.
I even left a little Brave Girl note for women like me who showed up to this conference with their questions and interest in learning more about how they can make the world a better place.
Personal milestone and clarity before big change
As I mentioned I went on this trip solo. It felt like a personal milestone 2 weeks before Joel & I would be married. Up to this point, life was moving so fast. I needed time to myself to seek clarity on the big change ahead. I found it at an old firehouse-turned-restaurant a few blocks away from my bungalow on the last night. A beer, mac and cheese, and some journal writing as I overheard locals gossip and make weekend plans was just what I needed.
There is totally a different vibe in L.A. A lot of pomp and circumstance. I felt like a nice little Midwestern girl so I enjoyed being surrounded by women who didn't care about that shit and got on with sharing how they felt. I took some of that home with me. I took home some foliage installation inspiration with me, as well!
Overall, it was an enlightening trip and helped me understand myself as a creative and how I want to be of service with my skillset to my community and my career. L.A. may not be my favorite place but I do hope to visit California again soon. San Francisco is definitely on my list.
Where are your favorite Cali places?!
Reader Survey and a name change?
You guys, my head has been spinning this week. If you've been reading BG for a while, you know I can be a perfectionist to a fault. I can also be too hard on myself and let doubt get the best of me. I feel like I've gotten caught up in wanting to make an impact and have my own business. So much that I have gotten lost in the shuffle. I've kind of confused myself between who Emily Bode is and who Brave Girl is. I thought we were one and the same but then a few things happened:
I'm not always brave and it's not always my main focus.
I'm also other things like...playful, serious, assertive, focused, witty, thoughtful, a hot mess who doesn't shower every day.
It's gotten to the point where I go to start a post and I think, "how is this brave?", "Is this really a courageous topic?", "I don't feel brave today so I guess I shouldn't write anything". DOUBTS. PRESSURE to always show up the same way.
I'm also not a girl anymore (but not yet a woman...I know you know these lyrics.) But for real, I am a WOMAN. So girl feels a little...not where I'm at in my life anymore. Which is awesome! I don't know how long I've wondered and pined for feeling like a woman and here I am. There are days I still honor the little girl inside of me but I'm also growing into another phase of my life and I want to honor her too.
What does all this mean? I honestly don't know but I read the quote above from Eileen Fisher in this book the other day and I can't stop thinking about it now. Another thing Eileen said is that she wished she would've put herself at the center of her world earlier on in life instead of making everything solely about the business. Hollah Eileen, for real.
Reader survey: Brave Girl or Emily Bode?
Brave Girl Survey Because of this and a lot of other reflections I've been doing about my life, my relationships, my career – what do you guys think, should I change my blog from Brave Girl to simply my name, Emily Bode? I have a few other questions in this survey I'd love your input on because I want to talk about the things we have in common. I'm not the only woman more lost now than I was at the beginning of my 20's. Or am I?! Shit. haha.
If you're in a similar season, please fill out this survey and let's tackle it together. I'm so grateful to each and every one of you for joining me on this journey. I hope to connect with you and provide insight on what's happening in my life RIGHT NOW. With my career, marriage, creativity and our shared obsession for all things Target.
I truly believe supporting each other and being open about our struggles is what helps us get through them, or at least feel less alone in them. We're all in this together and I love so much that this space has brought me to each of you. Here's to not knowing what's next but walking it together. xx, EM
Rural to Urban: A moving update & where we are
An update on moving from rural to urban life and how we're transitioning in Grand Rapids, Michigan. #becomingthebodes
It's been 3 months since moving from our first house in a rural lake neighborhood to a one-bedroom apartment in the city. Like most transitions, it's been messy, overwhelming, and not easy. Of course, we could've made it easier on ourselves. We didn't need to have the new Moon Lodge renters move in the same day we were moving out. Or schedule an afternoon flight to Texas for a week-long vacation the same day. Definitely didn't need to do ALL OF THAT at once, ha. But we did do it that way and survived with minor injury.
I want to share with you why we moved, how we prepared for it, and what's next for us.
Why did we move?
We moved from our cozy cottage to a bustling city to see if we could do it, quite simply. I considered moving to Chicago after college. Joel's often entertained the idea of city living. After we got married last fall, I thought it might mean we'd be settling into one kind of life and I didn't like the feeling we'd never try something we've always wanted to (why I attached that to marriage, I don't know. Always been a thing). Joel responded to my concern with a, "Let's do it" and so here we are in Grand Rapids.
Of course, it wasn't that simple. We prepared for a year to transition to this new lifestyle. Everything didn't go the way we thought it would. We learned a lot about faith, hope, and flexibility because of it though.
How did we prepare?
We started by listening to each other's differing concerns. We lived in a small lake town for 4 years before moving so there was a lot to dig through. I was most concerned with how our fur babies, Tiger and Belle, might handle the transition with a smaller place and no yard. Joel was concerned with the long-term financial aspect of moving to an expensive city and the challenges that might bring.
Our concerns led us to solutions; We'll walk Tiger each morning and night and stop by during lunch. We'll be able to keep a closer eye on Belle with her age-related health issues. I set up our budget with the Everydollar app so we can track our expenses and "move" our money into new pockets easily. We knew the gas & oil budget would decrease and the restaurants & entertainment budget would increase in the city. I honestly enjoy this kind of organization, haha, and it allowed us to see this just might work. Asking ourselves these kinds of questions let us see this move could be a reality.
From there, we started looking for a place to live. We found a brand new, 700 sq. ft., one-bedroom apartment in the city and chose our move-in date (this is where faith and gratitude came in!). We set it for a couple of months later and got to work finding renters. Renters we trusted were found soon after (more faith and gratitude!) and we became landlords as well as renters in the city within the same month. I thought renting out the Moon Lodge would make it so we had one less thing to worry about. I quickly discovered it's another responsibility altogether. However, we're good with it. It's allowing the lodge to be a new experience for our renters as we have a new experience with apartment living. Win-win.
I had to become unattached to material things in order to go from a 1,000 sq. ft. cottage with a basement and yard to a 700 sq. ft. apartment with 2 closets and a balcony. We donated most unused items to Goodwill, gave some away to family and friends, and sold valuable items we couldn't take with us. There was clarity and freedom to all the purging and one of my favorite results from the move.
We have 8 drinking glasses, 6 coffee mugs, and 4 bowls now. Joel has 112 clothing items and I have 120, including bags, shoes, and accessories. I haven't felt the need for more since we've been here.
What's next for us?
It's difficult to say. Both of us have never felt more uncertain in our lives and I think that's the hardest part. Not that the move prompted all this uncertainty. We were uncertain already. Moving to the city is a way we're trying to find the answer.
One of our favorite ways to discover things about ourselves and the world is traveling. I like to think of our new city life as a little pit stop on our travels. We essentially are in an Airbnb for one year, now what will we make of it?
So far, we've discovered new restaurants and cafes. This one and this one being our favorites. I've found a guacamole and margarita combo that alone could convince me to stay here longer. We've walked at least 100 times already to a beautiful park around the corner from us. Tiger's practically a celebrity there. Joel has a favorite running route around a nearby lake and brewery. He continues to discover new corners of this city for us to explore. We do this thing where we drink wine and watch Netflix almost every night as the sunsets. Not our lake routine, but a routine in togetherness I enjoy for the time being.
I've opened the digital doors to Brave Girl Designs, my shop with courage-based art prints for purchase. I would've never had the courage to sell prints had we not moved here. Being immersed in an inspiring creative community with kind people has made all the difference. There's an openness to collaborate instead of competing that's hard to find on the outskirts. I don't know if we'll be here forever, but we are here for now.
For that, I'm grateful. xx, EM
Answer one of these questions in the comments below:
Do you have any tips for living in the city with pets?
If you could move anywhere, where would it be?
What's your dream vacation?
Our couple photos courtesy of Sincerely Ashley