there was this one time...

Inspired Retreat Fall 2016

 I met Amber Housley at CHA with Studio Calico last year and began following her journey online. I followed along as she hosted The Inspired Retreat and saw all the pretty pictures and read how many wonderful things people said about the retreat. I hadn't been to a retreat since High School! Immediately, I thought, this wouldn't be for me and I tucked it in the back of my mind. That was her spring retreat. (photo by Kristy Hogan)Fall retreat announcements started popping up and again, I made excuses why I shouldn't go. It's too expensive, I couldn't leave the kids and Chris. It's indulgent. You know, because I am not one to spend money like that on myself. I tried to put it in the back of my mind again, but it kept finding it's way to my heart. 

 (photo by Kristy Hogan)Before I knew it, I booked my spot and found myself to this beautiful corner of the world. Tennessee.  As soon as I stepped foot on to the property (Evins Mill)  I knew it was going to be a special few days. Los Angeles slowly drained away from my body and I was in the south and completely immersed in southern hospitality. Not only was Amber herself completely available to the attendees, so were all the speakers. We were all in this together. Being tucked away at this venue made all the difference in the world. I wish we had something like this in LA that I could escape to. 

We had received these little motivation cards from Lara Casey and I followed the advice. Being the introvert that I am, I took the leap and soaked in every minute. I attended each session, attended each delicious meal, every activity. Gave myself just a few 15 minute breaks to recharge on the hidden hammocks I found on the property to record some of my thoughts and feelings.     Every meal was a special treat. I'm the chef in the family, so to have so many meals prepared for me was honestly such a treat. And I'm a sucker for good details so all the flowers and extra touches were noticed and appreciated. My first time having real southern BBQ, favorite of the whole trip. Just amazing!
  (photo by Kristy Hogan) I was so touched to meet so many genuine women who have a passion for the business and family. It's always been my struggle to figure out that balance. I've been a stay at home mom for 21 years. Now that the kids are basically out the door, I feel like it's the right time to make some changes. I was encouraged and inspired by these women who do it daily. (photo by Kristy Hogan)   
This is when I knew I definitely wasn't in Los Angeles anymore. I mean, look at this stunning waterfall! I wish I could say I was brave enough to strip down and dive in, but I wasn't. :) One step at a time here for me! :) (photo by Kristy Hogan) I am so excited to follow these women on their journeys and have their support as well. Thank you so much, Amber for bringing us together, for inspiring us, for spoiling us, for being you!   When I arrived back at home, it took me a good week to mentally unpack all that I learned. It wasn't just the sessions and the advice and the steps that need to be taken. It was the stories. It was the lives that touched me. It's the way I live now and how I want to live from here on out. My heart is so full and I will forever be grateful. Today, a month later, I still miss this perfect corner of the world.   But as I face each day and each new challenge I remind myself: 
I hear that Amber is announcing Spring dates shortly. I highly recommend The Inspired Retreat. I came for clarification, ideas and plans. I left with all of that and more. I was fed in ways I didn't know I needed. I am so grateful. 

the roosevelt hotel

For our Christmas presents this past year (2015), Chris and I chose to prebook a few mini trips and dates that we could look forward to throughout 2016. This was just a one night stay away and it was only about 14 miles from our house! We stayed at The Roosevelt Hotel. 

We were impressed at how cool this hotel is!

Because we had no agenda, we roamed the surprisingly massive grounds at The Roosevelt and ventured outside where the tourists congregate for just a brief moment.

A few of my essentials for poolside creating while Chris braved the cold water! I finished that book First & Then and I LOVED IT! It's a YA book, but didn't read too much like one. 

Obligatory self timer shot so that we can be included in my books too! :) 

We found a little coffee shop a few feet away and spent our morning sketching and reading. Our favorite getaways- ones where we explore our neighborhood, find new places for dates and have nothing on our agendas. 

Portland Weekend Getaway

Last weekend, Chris and I had the opportunity to make a quick trip to Portland to explore the city and visit with his sister and her family. It was a lovely break from the heat of Southern California. We ate and drank so much coffee, roamed around Powells and just had the most delightful time! Here are pictures galore! Brought the Midori along with me to try and record the trip. Most times I was good about it, sometimes I forgot. :)  

We stayed at the Ace Hotel, which was conveniently located right next to Stumptown, our favorite!  The lovely Multnomah Falls. Little bit of drizzle but still lots of people! 

 Ahhh it's been over 100 degrees here in So Cal, just looking at these pics brings me relief :)

 

 As per usual with Chris and traveling, lots of roaming around and walks before 9 am. Perfect. 

  Bollywood Theatre, yummy food and amazing decor.     So many pieces of wall art I just loved.  The one thing that Elsie requests when we go somewhere is a tee shirt of the place we visited. We found this cute shop that sells many local artists. Perfect! Tender Loving Empire. 

 Powells we love you and could spend days upon days there! 
Unexpected rain means a new set of Docs. Haven't owned them in about 20 years!   Loved this little book shop that had a little reading art gallery in the back! Reading Frenzy.  And alas, the sun came out for the last few hours we were in Portland. So pretty and perfect temperature! 
 Had the infamous Por Que No tacos for our last meal in Portland. SO GOOD! The decor, I melt. SO CUTE. 
 
Last stop, Voodoo to bring back for the kids. I thought they were yummy but Elsie's verdict: "They taste like any other donut I've had." The girl has eaten a lot of donuts and we have some pretty good shops here in LA. :)  We loved our visit cannot wait to get back next year with the whole family! 

goodbye summer 2015

With everyone's busy schedules this summer, we opted to stay somewhat close to home and escape the heat of Southern California. We stayed at an airbnb and drove between San Luis Obispo and Big Sur. Here we managed to spot some whales along the coast. We wish we were closer but we felt fortunate to see them at all! Such a treat. The beaches in Northern Cal are different than the ones we are used to in So Cal and Hawaii. But we did get a chance to see some seals, dolphins, whales and the boys went kayaking. We were spoiled by some amazing sunsets! 

View from the Nepenthe Restaurant in Big Sur. We were there early so the fog hadn't burned off, seemed a bit more magical that way, though. Also had the best pizzas of our lives at Big Sur Bakery later that day. Must go back! Sometimes traveling with 6 opinions, thoughts, expectations and feelings can be a bit tough. It seems like there's always someone who had something else in mind, a different agenda, a different meal. It's hard to please everyone. I've accepted that not everyone will be happy all the time which helps alleviate the pressure for me. This time together is rare and precious. I realize it won't be long til family trips with all 6 may dwindle to perhaps 4 or 5 of us. I tried to just take it one day at a time, storing little pockets of happiness in my heart, as I knew summer would quickly be coming to an end, and the routine of school and life would be knocking at our door. Thank you for the memories, Big Sur. 

crafty packing to go!

When I found out we were staying at a little cabin, I knew I wanted to be able to take a little pack of crafty supplies! This mini book class from Tina was just starting so I gathered a bunch of supplies that were close by and threw them in a basket. 

 

Though I didn't really delve into my book as much as I would have liked, I did jot down this little page of memories. I didn't even make that watercolor background though, I snagged it from Elsie's leftover scrap of paper. She was using it as her paper to wipe off her colors so essentially it was going to be trash, but of course, it looked so beautiful to me! 

Glad I got those little tidbits down :) 

I've been missing my DSLR

This is going to be a photo heavy post. I haven't taken my big girl camera on a personal outing in a very long time. I have been getting by with my phone for convenience. Sometimes I get good enough phone prints and I'm glad. This last big round of photos I ordered I was heavily disappointed. Disappointed in the quality and just bummed that I missed out on really having a good print of that moment. This trip, I knew I was going to take my big camera, and I am soooo glad. I got so many little gems I am sure I would have missed.   Ate a delicious dinner at Industrial Eats.   So proud of our little fire :)  Top of our 6 mile hike overlooking gorgeous Santa Barbara County.   Caleb got this one. Sigh! One last day at El Capitan Beach.  Spring Break 2015. :)Though I got some really good photos with my phone (see post below) and I will continue to use my phone for picture taking, I'm going to try and be mindful of grabbing my 5d more often. I never regret it!

el capitan canyon

We went glamping last week for Spring Break. Kira was still in school so she wasn't able to join us. Which I think was okay as she's not really a camper :) Neither am I, but this was about as close as I can get to camping, which makes it the perfect compromise as Chris loves camping! :) We didn't stay in a yurt but I had to get a pic of it!  I Iove the idea of the yurt but unlike the cabin we stayed in, you don't get your own bathroom. That's a little too rough for me! :) There was a queen bed and then the 3 kids were in the loft above.  Some of the cabins were in more populated areas, we weren't in this specific area but off to a side that was more secluded. I liked that a bit more. This seemed a little too much out of that period in the LOST TV series where there was that creepy community existed in the middle of nowhere. 
 El Capitan Beach just around the corner. 

 Hills on the other side of us. Family bike ride. They had the adult bikes there for use and we just brought Elsie's bike with us. So proud of her riding down this downhill! Very Miyazaki to me. Love it. 
Dinner out in town. The market offered barbecue kits that came with everything you needed to cook what sounded like a tasty meal! But I just didn't have faith in our "meat being cooked enough in the dark" skills so we didn't risk it. We did make smores though. Yay us! 
Very Sound of Music to me. Love it. Top of the 6 mile hike! That view! Hike hair. 

 

Walking to the canyon market to you know, get coffee and cinnamon rolls. Roughin it. 
Last morning of the trip. Thanks for the memories, El Capitan! These were all taken on my iphone. I have a whole other post on pics with my Canon 5d and why I chose to bring it along and why I am so happy I did! 

creative handbook

Yesterday was a holiday and after a weekend of not doing a whole lot around the house, I decided we should go to the beach! We live in a warm area, not too far from the ocean, why don't we go there more often?! We got lucky. Not a lot of people and perfect weather! I brought along a little stash of goodies to play with on the beach. 

Have you seen the new Amy Tangerine website? Go check it out and while you're there, grab your free, downloadable, printable copy of the Creative Handbook! Amy and I teamed together to make this guide to help you break out of creative ruts. It's been really fun to see how people around the world are using it. Hashtag #amytangerinehandbook on Instagram, we'd love to check your pages out too! :)

commuting through downtown LA via iphone

I've been working with Amy Tangerine for about 4 months now and sometimes I get some nice commute pics on my iphone. No worries, I'm always stopped at a light or stuck in traffic when I take them. :) I've posted them on my instagram and I think they're looking so cool all together, they may just need their own hashtag!

I'm new to this commuting thing, if you know me, I've been a stay at home mom for nearly 19 years. Just now that the kids are all in school full time, I ventured out to get a part time job and there Amy and I connected. She was looking for someone to come to the studio part time and it was perfect. It's a great balance as I still have some days at home to volunteer and do house stuff. I love it.

I also use the Waze app. So every commute is different. Taking me through different parts of LA that I've never seen before. It's eye opening and somewhat of a race to beat my previous drive's time :)

I'm digging this series. I think it'll make for a cute 2 page spread!

lorde thanks to instagram

A few weeks ago, I came home from work and plopped on the couch to catch up on instagram. I follow gwynethmademedoit and happened upon her post where she had a few extra tickets to the Lorde concert at the SB bowl. We live in LA. Not super close to SB but not too far either. I quickly snatch up the tix and then call Chris to make sure he can make it home earlier from work. Thanks to WAZE, we make it in record time to watch an amazing show, in the pit, even! Love that we scored some spontaneous date points, always important after 16 years of marriage ;) WE LOVE YOU LORDE!