Wadmalaw Island

My parents came to visit recently and we went to the Charleston Tea Plantation. For those that are keeping track that is the second time that I have been there since I moved here. But I didn't mind at all.

Growing up in Florida I'm used to tourist attractions being swamped and the fact that this one usually has a good group of visitors but isn't exactly Disney World makes it really enjoyable even if it is your second trip and you know all the tour guides jokes already :)




We also visited Angel Tree which probably isn't technically on Wadmalaw Island but its close enough for me to include it.





The list of things that I love about Charleston is miles long at this point. But one of the things that I really love about it is how there are many areas where modern expansion hasn't taken over and you have some great natural beauty that is left to shine all on its own. Back in Florida real estate is always prime and buildings are always built one on top of the other. In St. Louis it seemed like at least 40% of the buildings you saw were desolate and abandoned. It's so nice to see people letting Mother Nature do what we all know she does so well.

Couch to 5K

Have you heard about the Couch to 5 K?

(Source)

The idea of the program is to start with small steps to help you increase your endurance (and not burn out your interest) to becoming a runner and ultimately be able to run in a race if you so desire.

Looks like I'm going to learn to be best friends with these guys.

When I was in college (many many moons ago) my roommate and I tried running together. That didn't last very long. We both decided that the only good reason to run was 1. If fire was involved 2. If bodily harm would come to you if you didn't run. I guess those two points kind of go together. I haven't had too many occasions arise where that criteria was met and so I just don't run.

My goal in doing this program is to be one of those people that actually likes to run. Which might actually be a much more difficult goal then being able to compete in a 5k.

Running has just never been my exercise of choice. I'm so envious of those people that just pop awake extra early in the morning, tie on their running shoes and can speed around and look like they really are enjoying themselves. I pretty much have nothing in common with those people right now since I usually wake up at a time most people would never consider to be really early and I spend a lot more time in these shoes in shoes with laces.

So now that I have put this plan out on the internet it means I have to stick to it.

So are there any runners or new runners out there with some tips to help me succeed at this?

A Southern Home: The Nook

It's no secret how much I love living in the South. I'm just tickled to be in a place that I love and feel so connected to. I also really love our new place and am going to share so bits and pieces of it that I feel have that Southern charm in a series of posts called A Southern Home.

First up, The Nook:


One of the elements in our new place that I LOVE is the built in nook in our living room. I love the fact that its white and the edge detail at the top. It just works so well to display some of our most treasured items like our picture frames, cook books and my tea collection.



What kind of Southern home would it be if we didn't have a Southern Living cook book?


Does your home have a nook or built in shelving system that you love?

Pintrest

I'm a very visual person. I can get inspired by seeing a unique photo or by flipping through a magazine. Normally I would take a screen shot and hoard the images away for inspiration on my desktop or maybe bookmark them. And then I found Pintrest.

Pintrest is now my favorite way to waste a little time. Even though I like to think that it isn't time wasted, its time spent looking for inspiration in one form or another.

Source: etsy.com via Wonderland on Pinterest

Source: modishblog.com via Wonderland on Pinterest

Source: flourishdesignandstyle.blogspot.com via Wonderland on Pinterest

Source: polyvore.com via Wonderland on Pinterest

Source: iloveswmag.com via Wonderland on Pinterest

Source: imgfave.lg1x8z.simplecdn.net via Wonderland on Pinterest

Source: chroniclebooks.com via Wonderland on Pinterest

Are you on Pintrest? Do you collect inspirational photos?

You Know You Are In A Southern Home When....

You know you are in a Southern home when....


The bulk of the shoes by the door are flip flops and "boat" shoes.



There are signs declaring their allegiance to being a Parrotthead.


There is hydrangea on the dinner table.



There are decorations up in anticipation for college football season, specifically SEC football season.


You know you are in a Southern home when they have a sign professing their love for all things Southern.

Two Years And Counting

I've had my Etsy shop, Wonderland Papers, for two years now.

It all started when I was given the opportunity to create the invitation suite for my brother and his soon to be wife. Along with designing their invitation I created a wedding map for them:

And then Wonderland Papers was born.

They say that necessity is the mother of invention. And that was the case for me when I first started my shop. We had just moved to St. Louis and the job market was (and still is) less then accommodating.


And then I got my first "real" client


I really enjoy being able to create art "old school" style, with a paper and pencil, and then being able to use the modern technology and design skills that I have to spice things up and make it functional.

I have had a variety of clients with stories to tell in a variety of locations. I've had clients in Canada, Ireland, Washington D.C. (the most popular location so far) Texas, California and New York. I love helping my clients to tell their story. Or to tell the story of someone that they love and are giving to them as a gift.

Like the memory map that I made for my parents for their 31 anniversary:



Or when I have couples that have interesting history and cultural backgrounds:




Or clients that live in a really cool city:


Or a great destination wedding :


Or a wedding in a gorgeous location:


My business is still growing and I put a lot of time and effort to make it mine. I had a long history of starting things and not finishing them before I started my Etsy shop. Ice skating lessons, dance lessons, baton twirling lessons and numerous ideas that I started but never really saw through. Coming up with an idea is the EASY part. Sustaining that idea and learning how to let it grow is the hard part. It's also the constant part that you have to re evaluate over and over again. The reward to the hard work comes when I hear about how I was able to create what my client was visualizing, when I surpass their expectations and when a couple has a part of their wedding planning complete with one of my designs.

I'm always trying to do more, be more with my design business and I look forward to the next anniversary and every new idea and spark that comes along the way.

Thanks for coming along for the ride with me :)

"Everybody draws, I just never stopped when the teachers told me to." - Tim Burton

Show Us Your (Home) Office

I love when blogs post pictures of the contents of their purse. I know, I know, it seems probably kinda strange but I think that you get an idea about a woman by the stuff that she carries around in her purse. It's a peek at her personality. My purse tends to always have tons and tons of receipts in it. Not sure what that says about my personality besides that I don't clean my purse out often enough.

Along with getting a peek at what you carry around with you all the time I love seeing pics of work spaces, home offices, places where people get creative and get work done.

I'm a little nomadic when it comes to my work space. I work sitting on the couch, I work sitting at the dinner table (the picture above) and then I have a true formal desk.


I guess I also like having distractions on my desk to entertain me


I like seeing what inspires other people to get creative and where they make the creative magic happen.

Do you have a space to get creative? Do you find checking out other people's home offices and creative work spaces creative too?