Workshops. Retreats. Mood lighting. #weekinphotos

The artistic collaboration with Alexander marches on. Read all about it!

Workshopping with my girlfriends.

Emma Lou Thayne is the namesake and board ex officio for the organization I manage. I was fortunate to spend time with her in her family cabin at our annual board retreat. #rareselfie

She was so surprised and delighted by the camera's reversed selfie mode she could barely stand it. #anevenrarerselfie

The history and the stories in the Thayne family cabin...it's staggering.

Thanks to my girlfriend who lent her boyfriend to me...I have a cute new addition in my condo.

How I have managed to live here three years without a crystal chandelier is just beyond me.

This situation calls for a thunderstorm and a good make out. Yes, sir, it does. 

Follow my adventures in real time on Instagram @fourthirtyam. You can also join me on Flickr.

Love and luxurious lighting,
me

Fabric flowers with Bagsy Blue Co.

Artist Ashley Gammill prepares for her workshop at West Elm

Another month, another Craft Lake City workshop at West Elm. This time we created fabric flowers with local artist Ashley Gammill of Bagsy Blue Co. When asked why this is her craft of choice, she said that the long winters were getting her down, but flowers make her happy -- "So now, I make them every day and share them with people." I love that thought. Something makes me happy, so that's what I do every day. Cheers to that.

Tiny pink glue guns. I mean, come on. How can this not be an awesome night?!

Fabric was donated by Riley Blake Designs.

With one small circle flat as the center of the flower, you then fold the remaining circles into little funnel shapes. Put the folded end at the bottom and fan out petal by petal, small in the center to large outside. 

I mixed and matched the fabric we were given. Why not?

Love,
me

Follow my creative adventures on Instagram @fourthirtyam.

Alt Summit: Creative Overload

Whew. That was amazing. My brain is full of creative juices and they're flowing like crazy. I decided to switch venues from my Friday roost and spent all day Sarturday attending classes online and watching the world go by out my front window. I was also closer to the string cheese this way. 

Cozy spaces make me happy.

I haven't had a spare moment to process all the awesomeness, but I hope to soon. Well, soon-ish. I fly out tomorrow morning on a business trip. Since Alt ended on Saturday evening I've...

...been to dinner...

...and the ballet with my friend John.

Today I hosted brunch for 7 of my amazing friends.

Then this afternoon there was a situation appointment involving all sorts of wax and all sorts of pain and we don't need to discuss it. I'm now packed, mostly. My stack of Apple products are adequately charged. My cab is coming super early to shuttle me away. I'm anxious to review my notes and set a game plan, but perhaps the plane ride will give me time to reflect on Alt and everything I absorbed. 

My initial thoughts are:

{ Pinterest }

It was repeated by multiple speakers that you need to pick a couple social media platforms and invest time to build a community there, versus a shallow community everywhere. I have that on Instagram, I'm trying to build that more on this blog, but I've decided I need to pay more attention to Pinterest. I love everything about it, and I know I can curate boards people will want to see and share, it just overwhelms me. There's too much awesome. Managing the awesome can be a part time job, but I want to give it more attention. So, Pinterest. 

{ Organize }

I need an editorial calendar for this blog. I've known that for a while, but I'm finally going to do it. 

{ Photographs }

I need to put down my iPhone and get back to high(er)-quality photos. Many people at Alt talked about how challenging it is for them to take photos for their blog. I felt fortunate that I have the passion, skills, and equipment to do that; but then I felt lazy for only re-posting grainy Instagram photos on here. I'll do better from now on and be more intentional about professional photographs. 

{ Graphic Design }

I should've got a degree in graphic design. I can take free classes at the college where I work and I think I'm finally going to do it. I'm not going to do it a degree-seeking way, I'm content with my BA and MA as they are, but I am going to develop those skills. 

{ Overhaul }

It's inevitable that I will overhaul the entire design of this site, with or without the graphic design classes. Also, I may switch platforms (opinions, anyone?). Also also, I'm considering a logo. 

That's it for now. Stayed tuned for more Alt insights (and changes) in the coming weeks. 

xo, 

me

Pop-up Shop(ping)

Welcome.

Craft Lake City sponsored an adorable little pop-up shop a couple weeks ago. There were a handful of local artists and DIY craft vendors in a space no bigger than a living room. It was cramped and cute and flooded with sunlight and smelled like waffles.

S to the L to the C. Or something. No one actually says that. 

Excuse me, I moustache you a question...how many waffles is too many waffles for a Saturday morning?

Festive.

No idea what you'd do with them, but they sure are cute.

I wasn't sure what I'd find at this tiny market, but I did acquire a few treasures (no surprise there). I discovered Darlybird and learned she is opening a store front in an old pioneer house in Provo, Utah. I feel comforted knowing I have such cute jewelry options within 45 miles of my SLC home. A south-bound field trip is in my future.

Darlybird. Seriously, I could've walked out of there with every pair.

A bit fuzzy on the focus, but the awesomeness is still evident. 

My favorite find of the day was Michelle Christensen's shop my little bellville. She is an illustrator who grew up in China as the daughter of a diplomat. You can definitely see the Asian influences in her work. I find it really whimsical and delicate.

Check her out on etsy!

The artiste herself.

my little bellville illustrations. 

I decided on a sweet boy/girl plate set. 

Flea Fabulousness @ Vintage Whites Market

I'm behind on life. Like, far behind. Every year, like clockwork, March and April are the peak of chaos and stress at work. It's all I can do to just hang on and get through to the next day. May always has a bit of residual madness, but soon life will go back to being just very busy instead of incomprehensibly busy. 

Blahblahblah, all of that to say I've wanted to blog photos of the Vintage Whites Market since I went in March, but I haven't had a spare five minutes since then. Pics may have posted instantly on Instagram, but stuff doesn't feel wrapped up until it's blogged. Better late than never. 

Welcome...

They held the market in the Grand Building at the Utah State Fair Grounds. I think I maybe have been there once before, possibly. At any rate, I've never seen it all decked out like this. It was beautiful and girly and antiqued to the max. 

Bunting for days. Also, I have a chandelier fetish.

It was adorable booth after adorable booth. I mean, seriously. The cuteness. 

A Pinterest wet dream: #globe #tufting #typewriter #distressedtable #yellow

Those little golden spines bring back so many memories. 

Don't sew, or do whatever you do with yarn, but still played with it forever. Gorgeous colors.

Awash with light. Can I just move into this booth?

I have a weakness for handmade soap. I've never found any that compares to Timber Mountain Soap Co. in Idaho.

Who doesn't love granny glass?

Oh, meta trends: Instagraming a photo booth hipster moustache profile photo at a vintage flea market.
Hashtag cliche.

Two of my fave finds: metallic jewel-toned globe and complete set of 1963 Golden Book Encyclopedias.

Final thought, people do this for a living. They do this. This happens. It's a thing. So while I was grinding away 60 hour weeks for the past couple months, without five minutes to blog, there were people who made a living thrifting and exploring dusty treasures. This is cause to re-evaluate my entire life. I'm not kidding. How rad would that be?

Style Statement | My featured guest post

My friend Miranda hosts a weekly guest feature on her blog, Friday Favorites. She asked me to contribute and my post is live on her site today. I decided to write about interior design, Style Statement, and tuning into what moves you. 

My home sweet home

Her blog is beautiful, her writing is engaging, and we share so many interests and hobbies. I encourage you to not only read my guest post, but also check out the rest of her site.