New RCL Columns | Sit a Spell & Woman Inspired

In an effort to complete my January Goals, here I am with a rather late in the day post! I just wanted to introduce the two new columns I'll be adding into the mix here at Road Called Life! First up, is something I like to call Sit a Spell.

Current header image for all Sit a Spell posts.

What does Sit a Spell mean, you ask? It means to sit down a while and spend some time talking. Let's hang out and shoot the breeze! You get the idea, no? For the time being these posts will just be a chance for me to share about myself. Whether it's in regard to my business, my family/friends, my faith, etc. - whatever it is I want to share a little more about myself. After all, this is my blog! :) Eventually, I think it might be fun to share some of my favorite, fellow bloggers, but we'll just have to see how this little thing evolves!

The next column I'll be adding is Woman Inspired. There are so many amazing, motivating, and inspiring women out there and I want to give them the credit they deserve. I already have four amazing women in mind for this column and can't wait to share about their journeys.

Current header image for all Woman Inspired posts.

The first woman I'm going to be featuring is no longer with us and she's not even someone I was lucky enough to meet - but she is inspiring nonetheless. Mother Theresa touched (and continues to touch) so many lives with her wisdom and acts of kindness. The world would be a much, much better place if we all took a few more ques from her. This column is just what I need to continue to remind myself that I can and should be doing more for others. It's not all about us - and the women I will be sharing, have figured that out.

So stay tuned!! Hopefully both will be in action by next week! :)

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Weekly Wrap Up | Happy Girl

Another work week is over! I am headed to Ohio tonight to spend time with friends and family. My niece Isabella turns one tomorrow! I can't believe it and I'm so excited to celebrate her birthday with family! Tomorrow night, I'm going with a group of girlfriends to a casino in Indiana. We went a few months ago and had the. best. time. We danced the night away and I can't wait to do the same again! We will be happy girls! :)

It was a slow week on the blog but just in case you missed anything:

I hared the Mickey/Minnie Invites that continue to do so well! Thank you! Oh BTW, I added printable cupcake toppers to the shop! I gave my top 9 tips for being productive while working from home and I shared my progress on my 26 before 26! 

And that's it! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and I'll see you on Monday, or sometime next week! ;)

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26 Before 26 | Update No. 3

Checking in with a little update of my 26 tasks to complete before my 26th birthday. I figure one good way to make sure I stay on top of it and complete everything on my list is to check in once a month until my deadline. So here we are, exactly two months later and I thought I'd share my progress with you! :)

01. Send a card just because.

02. Start doing a Bible study! Anyone have a suggestion of a good one?

03. Lose 15 pounds.

04. Upload my 2011 Christmas card designs to Etsy.

05. Do a 7 day detox.

06. Go to the dentist.

07. Go to a show at the Grand Ole Opry.

08. Make more fabric flower necklaces.

10. Finish my DIY window project.

11. Go to the beach.

12. Finish the re-branding for Paisley Card Co.

13. Re-do the wording for Button Baby's Etsy listings.

14. Finish my photo wall in my living room.

15. Get my hair highlighted.

16. Add more designs to Etsy.

17. Give more handmade Christmas gifts than store bought.

18. Make button art.

19. Make crock pot apples.

20. Make my own laundry detergent.

21. Make 5 recipes from my yum yums board. (1 down, 4 to go)

22. Go see Wicked.

23. Raise money to support a friend's adoption process!

24. Settle on a church here in TN and continue to go regularly.

25. Spend more time with my little sister Katie.

26. Be happy!

Only two months until my 26th birthday and I'm making pretty good progress on my list! I now have a Bible study to start (thanks Mama), I just need to actually start it! That's next! Anyway, if you haven't noticed yet, I'm a list maker! I love lists and this is the best way for me to hold my self accountable for things I want to do and accomplish! I'll keep you posted! :)

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10 Tips for Working From Your Home Studio

I have a full-time gig that I work everyday, but once I come home, there is still plenty of work to be done. Eventually I would like to work for myself full-time and not have other obligations but for now this is my situation. Working from home can be great, but there are other distractions that get in your way. It's important whether you work out of your home full-time or only two hours a day, that you set a list of boundaries and guidelines. These are the top 10 I have found to be most helpful.

01 | CREATE A WORKSPACE.

This is oh so very important. Especially for me, someone who is very visual. If you are working from home either part-time or full-time be sure to create a space that is specially yours. It can be an entire room, a nook in the kitchen, or a desk in the family room. Whatever it is make the space yours, and only yours. Use colors and patterns that inspire you, get fresh flowers regularly for your desk, have an inspiration board. Do whatever you can to create a welcoming and creative space for yourself so you can get down to business when the time comes.

02 | GET DRESSED.

This isn't typically a problem for me because when I work from home, it's after typical business hours and I am already dressed from my day job. I don't know about y'all, but when I look good, I feel good. You don't have to spend an hour getting ready each day, but for Heaven's sake, get out of your PJs. Pajamas say, let's be lazy and stay under the covers. Dressing yourself will help to get in the mindset needed to be productive. 

03 | REMOVE DISTRACTIONS.

Turn the TV off. I know that your favorite Real Housewives may be on, but DVR that smut. Just the background noise can make your mind wander and help you to lose focus. Instead, choose a genre of music that really gets the inspiration flowing. Also, be sure to make your family and friends aware of your office hours (more on this below). It can be kind of hard to draw the line when working from home, especially for you mompreneurs out there, but it's important to your productivity.

04 | SET OFFICE HOURS.

Setting office hours may help a little with drawing the line I was talking about in No. 3. If you set a certain amount of hours at the same time each day then friends and family will know you are working and will hopefully respect your home work hours the way you do their at-work work hours. This is also good for yourself since when you're at home its easy to keep pushing through until your finished. During your set office hours, push through that to-do list. When your office hours are over, shut down the computer and concentrate on the other life responsibilities you have.

05 | MAKE A LIST OF SET GOALS TO ACCOMPLISH.

Having a list of set goals you want to accomplish each day will extremely help your productivity. If you know exactly what you want to accomplish, you can stay focused and keep hustling until you are able to mark off each one of those tasks. I don't know about you, but I sincerely enjoy checking off things from my to-do lists! It's the little things!

06 | STAY ORGANIZED.

Ha. I am giggling to myself as I type this, but I really do mean it. I am not the most organized person. In fact I am terribly unorganized - to the untrained eye, that is. I myself like to call it organized chaos! :) But in all seriousness, if piles of junk and clutter invade my workspace, I find that I am easily distracted. I can't seem to stay focused on the task at hand and instead find myself thinking about everything but. 

07 | SWITCH IT UP.

Don't be afraid to head to your local coffee shop or Panera Bread. In college, I used to head to Panera or the library to get my work done. I found that when I was outside of the comfort of my couch, I stayed focused, mostly because I wanted to get it done and go home to hang out with my roommates. I still find that to be true today. If I am up for a deadline and I just can't seem to stay focused, I will leave the house. Sometimes all you need is another environment to get you back on track.

08 | TAKE BREAKS.

When you are working from home it can be easy to just grab a quick snack for lunch or dinner and head right back to your computer. If you were working in an office for someone else, you would take a full hour for your lunch or 15 minutes for a break. It's important to do the same when working for yourself. It's crucial to give your brain the break it needs in order to return refreshed, focused, and ready to complete work.

09 | KNOW WHEN TO STEP AWAY.

As I said before, set office hours, and when your day is over, be done. Use your work hours for work-related items and the rest of your time for personal tasks, such as making the bed, running to the grocery, taking a shower, or spending time with friends and family.

10 | SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS.

Be sure to keep plenty of stamps and stationery around. You never know when you will need to mail a bill or send a thank you note. Keeping the proper supplies around can save you a lot of time as well as make life easier. Also, take the time at the end of the day to prepare for the next. Get all of those 'to-do's' floating around in your head down onto paper. By creating a game plan you will be able to get right to work without much thought and without fear of forgetting something from the day before.

There ya have it! My list - mostly compiled by trial and error - for creating a productive work-from-home environment. You will find things that work for you and things that don't, but it's important to pay attention and know what environment you work best in. Just because you work from home, doesn't mean you can't be productive.

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Birthday Invitations | Mickey Mouse & Minnie Mouse

Back in March of last year, I designed a Mickey Mouse birthday invitation for my nephew Nathan's 2nd birthday. A few months ago, I decided to add the Mickey Mouse invite to my shop. It was a hit, so I decided to create it's counterpart, the Minnie Mouse invite. So far, they are my highest selling product in my shop in 2012. I have been working on adding some coordinating pieces, such as Thank you Cards (Mickey | Minnie) and cupcake toppers. I am going back and forth between offering printable cupcake toppers or actually selling the real deal (leaning more towards the real deal) and hope to offer some in my shop shortly (to hopefully catch everyone who has already ordered the invites!).

So thank you to everyone who has ordered these little guys! I'm so glad something I created for my little big boy nephew has hit it off so well with so many of you! :)

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Desires of Your Heart

I just love this verse and the past couple of weeks I have been working towards doing just this. I have been trying to make a conscious effort to pray more and be thankful for my blessings - because even though I forget from time to time - I am so blessed, beyond measure. Here is my Facebook status from yesterday:

My mom has told me more than once that she feels the devil is trying to steal my joy. I am constantly having to learn "life's little lessons" in the hardest way I can find. Today, for the first time in what seems like forever, I feel like I am beating him. Not only beating him, but so JOYously celebrating in my circumstances of today! :)

The past two days have been so fabulously wonderful. I felt, for the first time in a long time, that I was being very productive, and instead of taking two steps back or marching in place, I was moving forward. Getting somewhere - my efforts are starting to pay off. And let me tell you, it feels great. I know there will always be highs and lows, but one thing is for certain, you are never alone.

And, just in case you missed anything happening over here this week:

I finally introduced my newest niece, Evelyn Joy & shared a birth announcement I designed for her.

I shared part of the baby boom happening with the Jacksonville Jaguars here and here.

I decided to shift away from the 101 in 1001 approach & instead started focusing on monthly goals.

I hope you all have a fantastic, productive weekend filled with love! :)

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Monthly Goals | January 2012

Earlier today, I shared how I am shifting away from the 101 in 1001 approach and said I'd be back to share my goals for January. So, here I am! I have so many (big and little) things I want to accomplish. Every day I make lists (and more lists) of things to get done or work towards. I am a self proclaimed, big dreamer, and I hope that never changes. I hope I am always striving for more. In my work, in my relationships - not only with loved ones but with my relationship with my Heavenly Father. I hope I  always continue to dream big, but beyond that, I hope I learn to step out of my comfort zone and do.

1. Finish the mini facelifts I have planned for Stephanie Creekmur Design, Road Called Life, Button Baby, and The Southern Bees. They are lots of small/easy tasks that I just need to sit down and knock out within an hour. Things like: update blog button, blog headers, shop information (policies, faq, etc.), look into advertising, Facebook and Twitter photos/backgrounds, etc.
2. Complete the revisions for the My Animal Alphabet book I collaborated on with my aunt. I am so, so, so excited about this. I illustrated a My Animal Alphabet poster print that I sell in my shop. My aunt was inspired by my characters (and has always wanted to write children's books) and wrote a rhyme to go along with each of them. It is a labor of love and I am so proud of it so far. I still have some revisions I'd like to make with my illustrations but we are on the right track, pushing forward towards our goal. I can't wait to share the journey with you!
3. Mail my sister her birthday card and gift on time! Which means, I need to get myself to the post office tomorrow! Her birthday is Sunday! I can't even remember a time in her life where I haven't been around on her birthday (she is 22 months younger than I am!). Now, we are both living in different places - she in Texas and me here in Nashville. I miss her more than I ever thought I could miss her so I want to make sure she has something special from her big sister on her special 24th year of birth day!
4. Design 5 wedding logos for my shop.  Back in 2009 and early 2010, I did some  custom wedding logos for clients. I have always intended to offer a line of customizable logos and just have never sat down and designed the collection.
5. Introduce new columns to Road Called Life. For awhile now I have been wanting to add more regular/weekly posts to my blog (I blog about my favorites in typography from time to time) and now is as good a time as any. I will give introductions and explanations very soon, but the two that I will be adding into the mix are, Sit a Spell and Woman Inspired and I am so excited about them!
6. Get up to speed sharing my recent design projects. With the hustle and bustle of the holidays, I kind of got out of the habit of sharing my recent work. I've already began to catch up and share, but I want to get caught up and make sure I keep up with it. I think it's important for the clients I have worked with as well as for future and potential clients. It's nice to have a place to share about my work and a behind the scenes view on it.
7. Continue drinking the suggested amount of water (34 oz) each day and continue to add healthier elements into my diet. So far I have lost 7 lbs by watching what I eat, portion control, and lots of water. I am not on a diet. I can't diet - I quit every time. I need this to be a lifestyle change. I don't eat perfect every day. I don't workout every day (actually, I haven't worked out once this week) but I do continue to make an effort. If I fall off the wagon, the goal is to get back on. Not torture myself because I have failed. Just keep going.

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101 in 1001 | Day Zero Updates

Back in October of 2010, I started the project, Day Zero. Day Zero is supposed to inspire you to set and achieve your personal goals in life no matter how big or how small. The challenge is to complete 101 tasks, that you write for yourself, in a period of 1001 days. That's approximately 2.75 years. I always have a work in progress Life Goal List (or Bucket List) but those tasks tend to be long term or things for my future. This project is different because it can be tasks as simple as updating my About page - which I just did last night! I liked this project because you set a clear deadline that makes it very attainable to achieve everything on your list. 

I have made a few 101 in 1001 update posts, but for the most part, I forget about this little list of mine. The section of my blog dedicated to it gets neglected and I either don't mark things off that I have completed or I forget I wanted to complete them in the first place. Or even worse, they are expired goals - things I either can't achieve because time has passed, or I don't even want to complete it. 

The key to achieving your goals is to be specific and practical. You can't just say I want to lose weight. It has to go deeper than that. Like for me, one of my new year's resolutions was to add healthier elements into my diet, daily, and to drink the appropriate amount of water each day. So far, I have been eating a couple of fruits and vegetables each day and drinking 66 oz of water. I know I'm probably not quite getting the amount of fruits/veggies I need but I am making a conscious effort to eat them every day. That goal is very attainable.

So in an effort to live a productive and intentional life, I am going to choose goals each month that I want to achieve or things I want to work on. Narrowing down my selection, and focusing on a few (very specific) goals, is a sure way for me to get down to business and mark those suckers off.

My original list looked like this:

1. Finish reading Pride & Prejudice.
2. Stop watching so much reality TV.
3. Move out of my parents house.
4. Finish Avery's baby blanket.
5. Start tithing 10% at church.
6. Buy a new car.
7. Take care of my dot com issues for La Bella Vita Designs.
8. Open my etsy shop for La Bella Vita Designs.
9. Create 5 Christmas cards for La Bella Vita Designs.
10. Make 2 friends from the blogging world.
11. Lose 40 lbs.
12. Go through my computer and get rid of unnecessary files.
13. Organize my desktop.
14. Make photo books from 2007-Present.
15. Go back to Haiti.
16. Start a savings account.
17. Donate blood.
18. Write a letter to myself to open in 10 years.
19. Go camping.
20. Answer the "50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind".
21. Get a massage.
22. Go on a road trip.
23. Play in the rain.
24. No fast food for 2 months.
25. Identify 100 things that makes me happy.
26. Go on a picnic.
27. Buy a lottery ticket.
28. Go on a cruise.
29. Influence someone to make a day zero list.
30. Go ice skating.
31. Finish writing my book.
32. Record a Christmas CD to raise money for Haiti.
33. Make a birthday cake for someone.
34. Send someone a card just because.
35. Host a dinner party.
36. Not log into Facebook for a whole week.
37. Sing karaoke at a bar.
38. Visit Jenny & Matt in Japan.
39. Visit Drew & Erin in Indiana.
40. Visit Haley & Brock in Florida.
41. Make a wish at 11:11 on November 11, 2011.
42. Refresh my brain on the Italian I learned in college.
43. Fall in love.
44. Buy a pair of navy and gray converse.
45. Start doing a bible study.
46. Crochet a scarf.
47. Help raise money for Ovarian cancer.
48. Pay off my credit card debt.
49. Put bows in Bella's hair.
50. Make Lindsay's dental hygiene calling cards.
51. Make a photo/journal book of my trips to Haiti.
52. Celebrate NYE in another country.
53. Buy new running shoes.
54. Start running again.
55. Go to a Browns Game.
56. Go watch the Buckeyes.
57. Buy a "Script Ohio" T-Shirt.
58. Go watch my sister Katie perform at halftime.
59. Finish getting my winter clothes out and in the closet.
60. Become an egg donor.
61. Get a job.
62. Get a pedicure.
63. Make something for my dad using our Halloween pictures from when I was a kid.
64. Get my teeth whitened.
65. Go to the dentist.
66. Go on a date.
67. Carve a pumpkin.
68. Eat at The Melting Pot.
69. Share the love of Jesus with someone.
70. Repaint my mirror.
71. Make upholstered headboard.
72. Figure out what I'm going to be for Halloween.
73. Start giving Paul $100 a month.
74. Get ring fixed that grandma gave me.
75. Start paying myself 5% of my paycheck each time for savings.
76. Start paying myself 5% of my paycheck each time for a house.
77. Make a pillow out of the yo-yo's Grandma Shirley made.
78. Do a 7 day detox.
79. Work on my graphic design portfolio.
80. Print business cards for La Bella Vita Designs.
81. Make a round light out of coffee filters. 

I didn't quite make it to 101 tasks - but pretty close!

Then I got a little more specific and seperated my goals into categories! Here is how my 101 in 1001 list looks today, categorized and incomplete:

01 - Pray for someone for a month straight.

02 - Raise money for Prosper, Haiti.

03 - Send out 5 handwritten letters by snail mail.

04 - Raise money for ovarian cancer.

05 - Donate blood.

06 - Bake a birthday cake for someone.

07 - Send a card, just because.

08 - Become an egg donor.

09 - Send Jenny a care package. (October 2010)

10 - Go back to Haiti and work at the Haiti House of Blessings Orphanage.

11 - Host an ApParent Project jewelry party.

12 - Share the love of Jesus with someone.

13 - Start giving Paul $100 a month.

14 - Move out of my parents house post college. (June 2011)

15 - Start tithing 10% at church.

16 - Organize my desktop. (February 2011)

17 - Get rid of unnecessary files on my computer. (February 2011)

18 - Make photo books from 2007-Present.

19 - Write a letter to myself to open in 10 years.

20 - Get a massage.

21 - Answer the "50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind". (October 2010)

22 - Identify 100 things that makes me happy.

23 - Not log into Facebook for a whole week. (December 2010)

24 - Start doing a bible study.

25 - Buy a lottery ticket. (June 2011)

26 - Make photo/journal books of my trips to Haiti.

27 - Buy a "Script Ohio" T-Shirt. (March 2010)

28 - Get my teeth whitened.

29 - Get a mani/pedi. (Summer 2011)

30 - Get deposit back from landlord in Columbus.

31 - Finish reading Pride & Prejudice.

32 - Cut down to only 2 reality television shows. (Summer 2011)

33 - Lose 40 lbs.

34 - No fast food for 2 months.

35 - Buy new running shoes. (March 2010)

36 - Start running again.

37 - Go to the dentist.

38 - Do a 7 day detox.

39 - Go the the eye doctor. (December 2010)

40 - Make a calendar for the Creekmur Christmas.

41 - Make something for my dad using our old Halloween pictures.

42 - Go on a date.

43 - Fall in love.

44 - Make a pillow out of the yo-yo's Grandma Shirley made for North gift exchange. (December 2010)

45 - Go on vacation with my girls.

46 - Finish writing my book.

47 - Refresh my brain on the Italian I learned in college.

48 - Finish Avery's baby blanket. (October 2010)

49 - Crochet a scarf.

50 - Make a round light out of coffee filters.

51 - Make myself a pillow using the yo-yos Grandma Shirley made.

52 - Make upholstered headboard.

53 - Repaint my mirror.

54 - Make Jenny a new blog design. (April 2011)

55 - Work on my graphic design portfolio.

56 - Attract more readers for Road Called Life.

57 - Get sponsors for my blog.

58 - Learn how to play the guitar.

59 - Create a wreath from recycled book pages.

60 - Make 2 friends from the blogging world.

61 -

62 -

63 -

64 -

65 -

66 - Go on a cruise.

67 - Go ice skating.

68 - Host a dinner party.

69 - Sing karaoke. (November 2010)

70 - Visit Jenny & Matt in Okinawa, Japan.

71 - Visit Drew & Erin in Indiana.

72 - Visit Haley & Brock in Jacksonville, Florida. (November 2010)

73 - Celebrate NYE in another country. (NYE 2010 - Haiti)

74 - Go to a Browns game. (November 2010)

75 - Go watch the Buckeyes.

76 - Eat at the Melting Pot.

77 -Go back to Haiti. (Dec. 29, 2010-Jan. 5, 2011)

78 - Go camping.

79 - Go on a road trip.

80 - Play in the rain.

81 - Go on a picnic.

82 - Go see Casey's new house.

83 -

84 -

85 -

86 - Buy a new car. (April 2011)

87 - Take care of my dot com issues for Paisley Card Company. (January 2011)

88 - Open my Etsyshop for Paisley Card Co. (October 2010)

89 - Create an online shop for PCC. (December 2010)

90 - Create 5 Christmas cards for PCC. (November 2010) 

91 - Start a savings account. (October 2010) 

92 - Pay off my credit card debt. 

93 - Make Lindsay's dental hygiene calling cards. (November 2010)

94 - Get a job. (October 2010 - Leppla Associates)

95 - Advertise for Paisley Card Co.

96 - Design 10 calling cards for PCC.
97 - Hire an intern for PCC.
98 - Design 5 stationery sets.
99 - Design 2 wedding invitation sets for PCC.
100 - Have a PCC product shoot.

101 - Get credit score up.

102 - Design & print business cards for Paisley Card Company. (June 2011)

103 - Start paying myself 5% of my paycheck each time for a house. 

104 - Start paying myself 5% of my paycheck each time for savings.
105 - Sell 5 bibs for Button Baby. (April 2011)

Here's a BONUS. For every task I do NOT complete within the 1001 days, I have to donate $5 to a charity of my choice. Sounds like a win-win kind of deal! Won't you please make your own 101 in 1001 list? :)

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Now, I don't expect you to have read all of those tasks, but did you notice that I don't even technically have 101 -  I don't think anyway. My numbers are messed up and the list ends at 105, but there are gaps along the way! Regardless, I am going to select a few goals each month to focus on. I want to be successful, productive, and live an intentional life. I say this a lot, a lot (so get used to it) - I have big, big dreams and although I want to enjoy the benefits of hard work in the future, I want to focus on doing the hard work now. Joy costs pain and I know the best is yet to come.

Hopefully, I'll be back later today with my goals to focus on the rest of January! :)

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Birth Announcement | Kashton Xavier

I'm back with another birth announcement I did back in the fall! As I said yesterday, there must be a baby boom in Jacksonville because this too is another Jaguar baby - and yet again, photos by the amazing Jaiden Photography. Kashton's mommy, Kristen, was so easy to work with as well. She knew exactly what she wanted and was so sweet. I also did their family Christmas cards! Which I will hopefully be sharing soon, since ya know, Christmas was almost a month ago! ;)

Project Details

Custom Birth Announcements

Coordinating Mailing Labels

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In the Studio | Birth Announcement for Jacob Taylor

In an effort to share more of the work I've been doing, here is a birth announcement I did back in the fall! Better late than never, no? Melissa was referred to me through a mutual friend of ours. She was so sweet and easy to work with. The process went pretty quickly. 

The Scobee family had their pictures take by Jaiden Photography (I've said it before, and I'll say it again - if you are in the Jacksonville, FL area and in need of some baby photography, look her up. She has an amazing gift). Beautiful pictures make my job so easy!

Jacob's daddy is the kicker for the Jacksoville Jaguars so I love the football and helmet pictures. So sweet. And there apparently is a baby boom happening in Jacksonville because I have done a total of 4 birth announcements for Jaguar babies. So fun!

Project Details

Custom Birth Announcements

Coordinating Mailing Labels 

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Today, many websites/blogs (including Google and Wikipedia) are blacking out in an effort to protest SOPA and although I have chosen not to go that route I do not support the Stop Online Piracy Act, as it could affect several aspects of the web I enjoy. Including my very own blog. End Piracy, Not Liberty.

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Birth Announcement | My Niece Evelyn Joy

I can't believe I am just now sharing this, but here is a birth announcement I did for my newest niece, Evelyn Joy. It's actually the second one I have done - the first was a Christmas theme since she came in December. I want to print some of these off and I think they would look adorable paired with Kraft envelopes - my fave!

We call her Evie and she is perfect! She came early and before Christmas so she was for sure the best Christmas gift. It's hard to be away from her and I can't wait to make a visit to Ohio at the end of the month so I can see her again! They change so much when they're this young! :)

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Remembering Haiti Two Years Later

I know I have shared this video before, but today marks two years since the devastating earthquake, that lasted 35 seconds, hit Haiti. When I heard the news in January of 2010, my heart was heavy. So many lives lost, so many families broken apart, so many lost under the rubble. I was sad, said a little prayer, and quickly went on with my comfy little life. Just 8 months later I found myself actually going to Haiti to help. Looking back, it all happened so fast. When asked how I did it or why I decided to go I can only say, "It was a God thing". At the time I was recently graduated from college, had no job, and absolutely no money to fly myself to Port au Prince but things just seemed to fall into place the only way God can make them happen and I was on my way to a life changing week. I've been blessed enough to go on two mission trips to Haiti and my hometown church is planning a third. I could not be more excited. I think about it practically every day. Never in a million years did I think it would have such an affect on me.

Earlier this week, I was watching Rock Center and they had a segment about a family from Nashville, who had adopted two little girls from Haiti. I of course cried through the entire thing. It was so awesome to see other people who have shared similar experiences as I have and who have the same love for the Haitians as I do. In closing, Brian Williams made a comment, "If you've ever been to Haiti, you care about Haiti for the rest of your life". That statement couldn't be more true. The country and it's people just get a hold of you and have a piece of your heart that you will never get back.

I still struggle with the fact that you can't help everyone. When you realize how many people out there who are worse off than you, it feels overwhelming. The sad part is, that I have yet to really do anything with what I have to help the people I can, so that is a big goal of mine this year - start giving back.

So, while you're in your warm, cozy houses with your loved ones tonight, just say a little prayer for all of those who were affected by the earthquake two years ago.

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In the Studio | Kingdom Knits

With the hustle and bustle of the holidays and trying to get SC Design up and running, I had kind of gotten out of the habit of sharing some of my design projects. So today I'm happy to be sharing my most recent project, Kingdom Knits. This was so special for me to work on. Melissa is a friend I met on my second trip to Haiti. She has started an awesome company that, get this, gives back 100%. She does not pocket any of it. It is all to "further the Kingdom's work". She gives back locally to Gateway Helping Hands and internationally to the New Life Orphanage in Ghana, Africa.People like this are so inspiring!

For Melissa, I designed a custom logo and a custom, double-sided business card! I love how the logo turned out. I came up with the idea pretty quickly - the double K's made it super easy. I love how they resemble a crown and the colors Melissa chose are really fun.

*Normally I change the contact information of my design clients but just in case you are interested in purchasing one of Melissa's beautiful scarfs or supporting this wonderful cause, I wanted you to be able to get in touch with her!

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In the Studio | Stephanie Creekmur Design

I'm excited to finally share what I have been working on in secret for quite some time. Even before I had completely decided to use my name for my business I began working on the site. Just to see how it fit, if it felt right, and if it was something I was actually going to follow through with, despite the concerns I had. Well, the answer is I'm doing it. I will now work under Stephanie Creekmur and I couldn't be happier. I felt limited in what I could offer in my shop going by the name Paisley Card Co. Maybe that's silly, but I'm trying to think big, and long term. I want to be able to branch out into whatever I want under one brand. And so here I am today:

I'm really excited to finalize all of my packaging (kraft boxes, bags with lace handles, twine, and burlap - SWOON!). I really want to be focused on my client's buying experience and I want them to be super excited about opening up one of my products! So stay tuned for all of that! :)

I still have some kinks to work out with the website but for the most part I am satisfied where it's at!

But you can check out the real deal here: www.stephaniecreekmur.com

Also, please be friends over at my new Facebook page! And if you're not already, follow along on Twitter!

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2012 | The Best is Yet to Come.

Here it is the second week of 2012 and I am just now getting around to this post. The resolutions goals post. To be honest, I have been avoiding it. At the end of December I was all pumped up and ready to start a new year off right. By January 1, 2012 I hit a wall. As if just sleeping through that New Years Eve night made everything change. I did begin a workout routine and start watching what I eat that very Sunday, the first of the year, (I'll go in to more details about my goals in a minute) but when it came to my business and my blog, I hit a wall. For the first time I felt a little, wait - who am I kidding, a lot of fear and I began to feel overwhelmed. This isn't exactly what I expected to happen. I was feeling renewed and motivated to move forward. Not scared with the urgency to stand still. 

You see, I started my little design venture in February of 2009 while I was still in college at The Ohio State University. I was teaching myself how to work with all sorts of fun programs (Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, etc.) and decided to start designing birth announcements and invitations as a side gig. It was a lot of fun and slowly word began to spread and I now have clients who I love designing the stationery for their life's biggest moments. But this year, I want to do more than I did in college. I still haven't moved past the "side gig" and I want to put more energy, effort, and myself into it. This is something I love to do and I want to have a business that can support myself, by myself, for years to come.

Here is where the fear comes in. By saying I want to take my business to the next level and I want to be in this for the long haul, I am setting myself up for the possibility of failure. What if I'm not good enough? What if no one likes my work? What if nothing sells? I'm not exactly sure when I lost confidence in my ability to succeed, but somewhere along the way, it left. 

I've seen a few others who instead of setting some goals for the new year, have chosen a word. Well, in addition to the list of goals I have for myself, I have also chosen a word. My word for 2012 is:

This year I want to constantly remind myself to believe in myself and to not compare myself to others. Everyday we are given a chance to grow. Everyday is a gift, and an opportunity to become who we are meant to be. I do not want to let my insecurities or the fear of failing hold me back.

As far as the goals I have set for myself I will only share a little bit here (since I have already written a book!).

1. Have a deeper relationship with the Lord. I'm pretty confident that my feelings of never being satisfied or the sense of searching I have, stem from the lack of a deep relationship with Jesus. I am a Christian and have been since I was very young. I was brought up in a Christian home and went to church every Sunday. I love Jesus and I want to be a strong Christian, I just have never gotten there. I have trouble getting myself to read the Bible or to pray regularly (which I know these are key components). This year I really want to dig deeper and hopefully fill the void I feel.

2. Be healthy. I don't want to start a diet and lose a bunch of weight and then 6 months down the road get off the diet and gain all of the lost weight back. I want to make a lifestyle change. Make good eating choices a part of my daily routine. Starting on the 1st I began working out and watching what I eat. Portion control and adding better foods to my diet have paid off so far. I am down 6lbs! I'm sure that if I continue the way I have for the past 9 days I will see more weight come off and will continue to feel great!

3. Grow my business. I have been working on some big changes to my business for a few months now. I have decided to change my name (yes, again and again). February 2010, I became La Bella Vita Designs. November 2010, I became Paisley Card Co. If this doesn't exhibit my indecisiveness or lack of satisfactions I don't know what does. I was too impatient and got hooked on names that limited me. I am thinking BIG (read Martha Stewart, Rachel Ray, etc.). At this point, I already offer far more than just cards as Paisley Card Co. suggests. Who knows where my interests and passions will lie in the future? Back in August, I took a few steps towards staying true to myself and I'm ready to continue down that path. I will now go by, you guessed it, my name. Stephanie Creekmur. Currently there is only one division of my brand, design, but in the future I hope it grows into something beautiful, helpful, inspirational, and fruitful. I know not everyone will agree with my decision to change my name again, but it's something that I have seriously thought about for months. This time I sat on my decision for awhile and only discussed it with maybe 2 people? I feel like this is the right decision towards taking my business to the next level and I can't wait to see where things go. Of course I am working on a new website and have already begun making changes to my shop. There's lots of clean up and transition but better now then down the road!

Ok, that's enough writing for one post! If you're still with me, thank you for taking the time to read! It's kind of hard to put your feelings down on paper (ha!) but it's rewarding at the same time! Thanks for your support! I love you all! ;)

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