Real Life > Blog Life

 

If I could spend my nights do anything, this would be it.

After many busy weeks, and weekends, I'm ready for this on repeat for the next three weeks, but seriously, staying at home and sitting by the fire. Seriously nothing sounds better.

When feeling guilt about blogging (and lack there of), I have to remember to keep things in perspective.  Real life > Blog life.  And as much as I enjoy using this as a resource, outlet, and crowd curating space, nothing quite tops the day to day moments that I think make my life so special.

So yup, the past few weeks of content may have been poor, I still struggle with the dichotomy of blogging, and finding a good balance.  But that's okay, because I've been overwhelmed by real life anyways.

Sometimes I guess you just can't do every last thing you want to do. You have choose to do the things that bring the most joy to you, and share the joy you have made and found with those around you.

It's so important to realize and remember that it's not about the followers, sponsorships, or number of comments, it's about what you get from it. And while I know you'll only get what you put into it, you can't miss the moments that might mean the most long term.

I'm still a work in progress. 

This space is still a work in progress.

Someday (soon?) I'll figure it all out.

5 Things You're Cool Enough For That I'm Not

If this isn't the truth in life, then I'll quit blogging now.

via

I pretended was actually cool for a hot second this weekend with when I went to the blogger brunch that featured Nordstrom beauty because Mira made invited me. I would be WAYYY to scared to go alone. But I totally enjoyed myself, was out of my comfort zone, and affirmed that bloggers (even big ones) are actually totally down to Earth people, which is hard to remember sometimes in blogland.

What I will say, is this event made three things very clear.
ONE// Being a 'blogger' is fun.
TWO/ I need a bloggy business card...suggestions anyone?
THREE// I'm just not that cool.

I digress. Every. Single. Last blogger in that room was bringin' it, and rockin' it.  And this is when I discovered I'm not as cool as I thought. Because in a room of less than thirty woman there were five (plus) trends I noted that are so 'in' right now that I could NEVER in a ZILLION years pull off.  And here we go...

1. Dark, dark lips
The lady who was helping us at the Jo Malone sample counter (side note:currently thinking this one might need to come home with me) was reppin' a deep purple lip, like these. And it was stunning.  I was looking at her lips like most people looked at Bubba's in Forrest Gump, not because they were that big, but they were that eye catching. I totally wish I had the balls or the female equivalent to try it.

2. Faux leather leggings
They are so in, but these athletic legs are not long, lean, or in any shape (pun intended) ready to be squeezed into a legging that is going to draw attention to them.  We (myself and I that is) work hard not to show just how trunk like the two things attached to the hips are. But dayum they look sassy, classy, and frassy (in all honesty I just needed another rhyming word) on every one else. Keep rockin' 'em ladies.

3. Wedged Sneakers
Although I am firm believer that no one will ever rock these as well as Gwynn Stefani, I will say most everyone I see wearing them, pulls them off. I would look like an elephant in a moon suit. Not literally, but the idea is I would look plain silly in them. But secretly I admire them and any person with enough courage to wear them.

4. Bangs
Every fall I toy with the idea (key word here idea) of getting bangs. I never pull the trigger because us thin hair gals, have to use all the hair we go to make it look full. But there is something about the cooler weather (if we ever get it) that encourages the dawning of hats, hipster glasses, and loose sweaters, all of which look way more 'fierce' for lack of better descriptor, with bangs.

5. Track Pants
I'm still not certain this is a style that I will ever think is cute on anyone.  So seeing as how I don't like it on anyone, I certainly wouldn't like it on myself. Anyone with me on this?

Until next time cool bloggers, I'll be at the other table.
Or my desk, because it's Monday.

All Bloggers were Sorority Girls in a Past Life

We're all sorority girls at heart. Okay so that may be a lie, but there are some odd similarities between sorority life and blogging life, and don't you dare deny it.

Even if you weren't a matching tee shirt wearing, picture squatting, and jean skirt (are those a thing anymore) wearing sorority girl, you're probably more like them 'sorority girls' then you think. 

Cringe, don't shoot me for sayin' that.
I digress....

via
You randomly stumble upon a blog through Pinterest or while searching for a recipe, and you are captured. You spend a half hour two hours reading the blog, and next thing you know you've read every.single.post. And you are just wondering...what is a blog anyways? A forum for your life?

#thatsweird

And that's exactly it is, weird. But most new things are weird.  The phrase, "Don't knock it 'til you try it," comes to mind. Remember your first time trying sushi, yeah that was weird. 

  So you start a blog and you open yourself up to girls you've never met, because you have this crazy idea that we need and want to be part of something bigger than you are. Which is the same as going greek and experiencing recruitment, those of you have been trough it know what I mean. Starting a blog and sorority recruitment feel exactly like this.

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Then you pay to sponsor blogs, you network, you tweet, you instagram, and you work to gain exposure and expand your blog. And that's what you do when you join a sorority, you pay to be part of an organization that you work to better, and expand, and then you rock your letters and symbol EVERYWHERE. I mean I couldn't tell you how anchor tees, or sailor waves I've made in college. (Yes those are homemade anchor tees)

  And then suddenly one day, a day that you won't even notice, it happens.

Those weird girls you just met, and those bloggers you used to read, they're your friend, 

and the outsiders don't get it. 

I didn't 'get' sorority life before I joined, nor did I understand blogging before I started,

but both are awesome!!!

How To Make a Button With Pages

I'm no blogging expert, but I am a Pages expert. 

If you have a Mac and don't have iWorks, you are missing out.

It's so easy to make cool things for the blog on it!!!

 

I have had success making buttons through pages, and I wanted to teach you all how as well.

Open a new pages document.

You want a Page Layout document not a Word Processing document.

 Insert the picture you want to use for your button/blog (using 'choose').

It's helpful if you crop the picture using picmonkey before.

 Move the picture to the corner of the document.

The very corner.

 Add whatever detail you want.

Using rectangle option is very easy and adds cute detail, but you can add any shape you want.

 All shapes will default with some sort of fill color, you want it to be no fill.

  You can choose the color of the border.

 Now that your have your border, you can edit your picture and adjust all the color settings.

 Then insert your wording using Insert Text Box (the name of your blog).

 Highlight the words to change the font.

There are many good fonts you can download on dafont.com.

 This is font is Brain Flower

 Once you have your font where you want it, etc. 

You need to crop the page you've made to be the exact size of the image.

You will go to Page Set Up.

 Select Manage Custom Sizes so you can set the page to the EXACT size of the image.

Type in the exact sizes of the image in the width and height.

 Click okay when you are done, there should be no white around your image.

The pages document will be JUST the picture.

Now you want to get it as a JPEG.

Here is how to do that:

Export your pages document to your desktop using the Export function

It will give you options, select PDF.

Don't worry it will end up as a JPEG.

Save it as a PDF in whatever file name you want.

It will appear on your desktop.

Left click and Select open with Preview

 It will open.

Then under file select Save As..

 The Save As will default to PDF

 But scroll up to JPEG

 Click Save.

Now you have an AWESOME image with all you want as a JPEG.

That looks like this:

Email me with any questions.

It's way easier than it looks.

If I can do it, you can it. 

I promise!

The Dichotomy of Blogging

Sometimes even us new bloggers have a love hate relationship with blogging.

 I don't know about you but when I try something - I give it my all.
Everything I've got.
 I have a need, a desire, and irrational obsession with being successful.

But who am I kidding, that describes all of us crazy ladies who spend our 'off work' hours and hard earned dollars to be part of a twenty first century culture that is still developing.

Since I've been blogging for just over a year, I am clearly an expert in all things blog, cough, cough.
#maybesomeday

But what I have realized is the dichotomy of feelings I have about it, blogging that is.

I love sharing my life with you all, I love getting to know all of you, I love learning new things, and I love the culture and network I have grown to be a part of. 

 It's a whole new network that I didn't have before.

But part of me is scared to share aspects of my life, hesitant to jump right in, and reserved in some ways.  Part of me just wants my life to be mine, all wrapped in my little world.

As I continue to develop and find my writing style, my voice, and the great purpose of this blog,
I am sure I will find clarity in balance in what I share, and what stays with me as 'mine'. 
I am sure this will be a forever changing things, as SBSL continues to evolve.

And that's when I think to myself are these thoughts normal?
 I know all of you super successful bloggers, look at bloggers like me, and think,
'Girlfriend, you've got a lot to learn.'
And you'd be right, I do.

But does learning about myself and others get easier?
Will this love hate relationship go away?

Will I always have moments of frustrations, moments that make me smile, and moments that make me realize just why I got involved in this whole culture to begin with???

Constantly creating valuable content for you guys.
Trying to grow my little space over here.
Get more followers, sponsors blogs, guest post, and give aways.
Sometimes even when I am not involved in any of them, I feel overwhelmed.
#icanttweetfastenough
 Sometimes I am not sure when to look, or how to figure out where to go next, what I should do.
And that's when I realize, I'm the only one who has the answers,
the only one who knows what I want to share, discover, and learn from this space
And what I want to hold on to as 'mine'.

like this little girl
I feel like as long as I find a good mix, I can continue to make it work.

But help me help you guys.

What helps you shape your blogging direction???

I'd love to hear what you have to say!!!!

WIW: Becuase It's Hard to Quit

Hey all you California gals, remember that terrible windstorm last week?

Yeah that's when these pictures were taken.

Can you tell???

I'm not sure 'wind blown' is really my look.

Anyways, yesterday I was CONVINCED I was going to quit blogging.

It's time consuming, I'm feeling frustrated, I haven't found 'my voice' if you will.

My blogs not exactly WHAT I want it to be and it's not nearly WHERE I hoped it would be.

But then I ate a good dinner, did some reading, watched the fake bitches I love The Real Housewives of OC, and came back to reality- it's hard to quit!

Shirt//Nordstrom Rack 

Sweater// J Crew (hand me down)

Skirt//Target

Sandals//Steve Madden via Marshalls

Belt//Target

Linking up with all those outfit post people who put together flawless outfits on a day to day basis.

Thanks for continuing to inspire me.

So I am going to keep bloggin' it out.

I want my blog to sound like the emails I sent to my best friends, but I am scared because I feel like you guys don't know me, and you might think I'm weird if I did write like that.  Plus those emails are full of typos, terrible grammar, and made up words, but so are most of my blog posts, so maybe I'm on the right track.

Any advice on how to find your voice?

I've been reading some books, and blogs about to, but maybe those of you who

 'know me' can help me. 

A Bloggin' Birthday

So exactly one year ago today I started this blog.

Without having read a single blog, EVER.

(Thanks to this girl, who had just started her own)

She said you should start one, you'd be good at it, cough a year later, cough...

Seriously who does this???

I mean there is serious blogging etiqquete.

And this new kid (me) walks in thinkin' she can do it.

#sowrong

Taken at my sister-in-laws baby shower this weekend, more pictures to follow

Well I thought I could...
And now I am thinking maybe I can't...

I feel like I am doggy paddling through the blog world.

There are days I feel like quitting.  I questions whether I really enjoy it, or if I just continue doing it because I know eventually I will be successful, and it will give back to me as much as I give to it.

I don't mean monetarily people, I just mean that I know I will get to a point that it will all come easy, the feelings of uncertainty will ease, and it will be exactly the place on the web that I want my space at SBSL to be.

When you come it blind to something it's kind of a learn as you go, 

excerise of the imagination type of deal.

So this is what you guys have gotten from me for the past 365 days.

You guys have learned I am a local gal, who loves to travel, sent her doggies to bootcamp,  that met her boyfriend at a bar.  You have seen my obsession with colored skinny jeans and jeggings, you figured I out I love skiing, and that I always makes a fool of myself at weddings.

But we just skimmed the surface.

This year I promise to give you loyal readers more of everything.

I will give you posts with better content,  I will give you inspiration, and  I will give you more interaction. 

I want to dive into the blogging world, 

because I finally feel like I have a grasp on what it has to offer. 

I know it can learn from it, grow from it, and be challenged by it,

 but most of all I know I can enjoy it.

Get ready for some fun changes this year.

And please, please, please keep reading.

I promise you'll love me you won't regret it.

And if you feel so inclined recruit some of your blogging friends to stop by so they can love me too!!!

Thanks for all your love, support, help, advice, and fun!

But you should really thank this gal for talking me into it.

P.S.

Yay for starting birthdays over at 1.

I am going to be so young in twenty years.
I love it!!!

Band Wagon Effect

 

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This is happening.

Necessity in the mother of invention right???

Sometimes and Always #1

So I know that I copy this blog a lot, but when your best friend calls and says, "I'm starting a blog," and she lives what feels to be 4, 487, 145, 980 miles away, you do the same, so it feels like you are doing things 'together'.   It's ALMOST like you're hanging out.  But 

When I told my Dad I was starting a blog because Nadine did, he said, "Why don't you just email?" Clearly he doesn't get it.  So here we go with another copy cat post.  But her post today put me in tears, only because I feel the same way, so I felt it was justified.  Plus she got the idea from Mackey Madness, and copying is the best form of flattery.  Thanks for linking :)

Sometimes: I think I can stay awake to watch a movie during a week night, even when my boyfriend reminds me this has happened once in the past year.

Always: I fall asleep 20 minutes in.

Sometimes: I wonder if I am where I am supposed to be, on the right track, shall we say.

Always: I remember how lucky and blessed I am to be surrounded by family and friends who love and support me.   Yes, I am in the right place.

Sometimes: I wish my Grandpa were still here to tell me stories, judge my life, lay it out straight and narrow for me, and keep my Grandma company.  She's lonely without him, even though she has two kids in the immediate area.

Always: I remember how many great years they were married, how much advice he was able to share with me, and how he helped shaped our family.

Sometimes: I am convinced I have everything I need for the day, before leaving for work.

Always: I run back inside to grab the missing item (i.e. Phone, Purse, Wallet, Computer, Jacket, etc.)

Sometimes: I think I call my parents too much.

Always: I remember, never too much.  They are just so helpful, supportive, inspiring, and understanding.