Lilac Saloon

How I Feel Today

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Today is my last day of work before we make the move to Iowa for us to start our new life as students and entrepreneurs!  It's such a refreshing feeling.

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Our days are going to feel so open and unstructured.  Much more unpredictable and mold-able.  

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I am going to have to work my butt off but in a whole new way.  The difference is that I'll be doing it because I tell myself to do it.  I'll be in control.  I like it that way.

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We move officially on May 9th which is a week from this Sunday.  We will be driving 11 hours to Des Moines, Iowa and then on Monday will make the 4 hour drive to Estherville.  I actually really loved Ohio.  I will have to do a tribute to Ohio post later.

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From this day forward, I promise to: 

try new things

explore my surroundings

be wildly creative

work like mad

breathe deeply

keep in touch

be open

take risks

be authentic

be generous with love

exude positivity

encourage others

succeed

 

Fate and Friends

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I've heard before that there are different categories of friends.  Some friends are in your life for just a moment.  Some stay through a phase.  Some, forever.  All are good and equally acceptable.  We all need each other for different reasons and those reasons come and go.

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It's so cool when someone comes into your life at what seems like JUST the right time!  This just happened to me lately and I'm so excited about it.  I think of it as something like, a soul sister... as in, we just GET each other.  And we've never ACTUALLY MET.

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A fellow blogger and aspiring independent artist contacted me through my blog and mentioned that we were in a similar life situation/transition and it would be nice to go through it together.  As it turns out, we are in almost exactly the same situation in our lives right now and so we've decided to "hold hands" and support each other through this exciting time of change and growth!  I believe that the push we will give each other will be truly beneficial to our future businesses.

(source - this cute girl is her!)

She's talented, creative and SO friendly!!  Her name is Rachael of Hello Earth!  Visit her blog, her Flickr and her Etsy shop and get to know her.  We will both be traveling the path from corporate jobs to independent business owners - together.

Thank you - Rachael - for reaching out to me!  It's going to be an amazing journey...

 

 

Three Years of Reflection

We've been in a packing and goodbye-saying frenzy lately.  It's such a strange feeling.  This past three + years of my life have been very impactful upon who I am.  We moved here so I could start my first "real job" after college.  This job instantly and forcefully overtook my life in my ways.  More than I've ever known anything else to.  I arrived at this place as a starry-eyed, enthusiastic and naively optimistic 22 year old.  I'm leaving here a bit jaded, hardened, tired and stressed out almost 26 year old ready to have her old self back.  The amount I've learned in the past three years is incredible.  I've learned SO much.  Changed so much.  I know I still have more learning and growing to do but honestly that part never ends.  

This turning point in our lives is pretty big.  I feel it's going to start to define who we are as individuals and as a couple.  We're going to find our place in the world and that is pretty exciting.  Just because the past few years of my career weren't "my place" in the world, doesn't mean that it didn't help get me there.

That job taught me who I am and who I am not.
It taught me what I want and what I do not.
It taught me about relationships with others and about the one with myself.
It gave me a new outlook on money, and "things" and "stuff"...and how much of all that I actually want or need.
It taught me how to push through difficulty, frustration and exhaustion.
It taught me about my limits and when to stop once I've pushed past them.
It taught me when to follow my brain and when to follow my HEART.

I'm excited about this change because I'm making the rare decision to follow, not my brain, but my heart.  Taking a leap of faith takes a lot.  We're going to prove to ourselves that it's not impossible to take dreams and turn them into reality.

Hipstamatic

I have heard about this iPhone app from a few different bloggers. When I saw their results, I was instantly interested! Maybe it's just because our eyes are so used to looking at neat and clean pictures that it makes these so cool and refreshing.

Gaga For Less

Really want to pull off that Lady Gaga look but don't know where to start and don't have much to spend?  I've stumbled upon the perfect starter accessory for your Gaga inspired look!

Get your butt to the eye doctor and get yourself an exam.  These bad boys are free with the exam!  Even Optometrists are Gaga fans!  Can you believe they let me have these for free?  My eye doctor is the best!

She said they were to help with the brightness outside after getting the crazy pupil dilating drops in my eyes but I know better.  She knew I could work the look.  Thanks, Dr. Riccio!

Stay tuned for more ideas on Gaga For Less!!

iPhone Camera

I took these photos with my iphone on Saturday. I don't even have the newest phone, I have the original. For a phone, it sometimes amazes me how great the pictures can look! I love these so much!

Fields of Gold

This new change in our life is such an inspiring thing.
I'm feeling so fresh and new and motivated by what is ahead.  The images I have in my mind of our future look something like this:

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I'm going to do everything in my power to love every moment of our adventure and make the best memories possible!  I want this to be the time in our lives that we look back on and say... "I'm SO glad we did that!".

Less Stuff: Day 10!!

 

1. Shopping Bags
I keep these on hand after shopping just to use to hold/transport stuff easily.  They technically come in handy all the time but whatever.  They're trash and they're going.

2. Travel Toiletries Set
Don't need!

3. TV Stand
My little bedroom TV used to sit on this but I find that it's just as good without it and it takes up less space to have it off of the dresser.

4. Dead Animal / Hood Faux Fur Trim
The hood to my winter coat comes with this dead animal faux fur trim.  It makes me look like a danged Lion with a giant mane.

5. Fold Out Book Thing
Peter gave this to me because he didn't want it and what do you know?  Neither do I!  No offense to him of course.  It's just.  Little "things" are getting in my way now that I've been into this project for...omg 10 days.  It's ok I gave it to Megan my 1st grade teacher BFF and she'll do something cool with it!

6. Old Free Sheets
As stated before, too many sheets are useless.

7. First Sheets Purchased For Myself
These didn't last long.  They must have been cheap although when I bought then I didn't think they were cheap.

8. Fashion Illustration Textbook
Still a good book and in perfect condition!!!  It's just... I have another one that I like even more, so I don't need both!  Who wants to learn fashion sketching??  Freeee book!

9. Sewing Textbook
I have two of these too.  Two versions.  This is the older version and I just gave it away to my awesome, previously mentioned creative 1st grade teacher friend, Megan.  Check out her Etsy shop!

10. Old Towels
Too many rags just take up space in my life.

And that, my friends, is how you get rid of 100+ things, pain free!!
Can you believe I did it?  I sorta can't.  I think, really, I could even keep going.  I probably will but just not as full force per day and no need to photograph.  I'm going to try to incorporate this thinking into my lifestyle - to continue to only surround myself with things that I use and love.  The rest is just cluttering up my mind that needs to be clear and open!

Grand Total:
 Bathrobe
Purse
Shoe Holder
Shoes x3
Dress
Magazines x40
Locker Lock
Jewelry x20
Texas Poker Set
Vases x2
Sleeves x2
Candles x4
Jeans x2
Placemats x2
Shirts x20
Plastic Wheels x4
Glass Plates x2 
   Apron
Puzzle
CD Organizers x3
Christmas Bulbs
Scarves x3
Stools x3
Sewing Basket
Kitchen Decor
Pipe Cleaners
Books x3
Hair Dryer
Insence Burner
Giant Martini Glass
DVD's x6
Digital Camera
Mail Organizer
Watch
Coffee Thermos
Glass Bottle
Headband
Egg Pan
Serving Unensils x5
Playing Cards
Mugs x2
Cat Bed
Check Books x3
Pedicure Set
Lotion x2
Perfume x2
Face Wash
Whitening Strips
    Make-Up x4
Tabbed Binder Sheets
Sheets x2
Sewing Catalogs x5
Textiles Binder
Face Paint/Blood
Hair Spray
Tiara
...................
166 GRAND TOTAL things out of my life! 

Less is great.  Less is more.  Try it!

Less Stuff: Day 9

 

1. Page Separators
I've been holding onto these "in case I need them for something" but it has been so long now.  I'd rather not have to put them somewhere.  If I need binder tabs in the future I'll just MAKE THEM and make the cuter!

2. Magazines
This is the last of the magazines!  Well... that's a fib.  I still have more in the garage.  But I'm sooo going to get rid of those too after the project is over.  Staying strong.

3. Old Sheets
We have two sets for our bed so we can rotate them.  We don't need four.  These are old and were given to us.  Ugh.  Bye.

4. Sewing Catalogs
Came with the sewing machine but I don't need them for anything.  They're not that inspiring.

5. Textiles Binder
This is from my first Textiles class in college.  It's full of samples of tons of types of fabric and their content and qualities.  I thought it would be great to keep it for reference but I have yet to actually USE it for that purpose.

6. Face Paint/Fake blood
From Halloween.  Would be nice to keep it so we don't need to buy more next time we want to be bloody.  But next time we do, there's no telling whether or not that blood will even still be good or not!  Some things you just shouldn't hold onto.

7. Gold Spray for Hair
Speaking of "things you shouldn't hold onto".  Geez.  I'm embarrassed.  Did I truly buy this... and for WHY?

8. Tiara
Wore this in my Dad and Step-Mom's wedding ceremony for their 10 year vow renewal.  They're since divorced.  Maybe I should let it go.

9. Make-Up
More old make-up.  Gross.

10. Jewelry
More old jewelry!!  Blahh!!

Okay only one more day left.  Who's proud??
=)

Dramatic Sky

I found a really great Lightroom Preset today on the profiPhotos site.
It's a free download (HERE) and also features a 9 minute tutorial video.  I didn't think that I needed a tutorial just for a preset but YES I did!  I watched it and learned so much!  This is more complex than a simple preset, as it comes built with many different filters that can be adjusted.

I tried it out and wanted to share my results!

BEFORE:

 

AFTER:

I love the feeling that it gives the picture.
 
 If you use Lightroom - download this preset and try it out!  It's fun to play with the colors.
I will be offering some Presets of my own pretty soon and hopefully some of you will be able to help me by being my official testers :).

Less Stuff: Day 8

1. Cat Bed
This thing looks gross because it's oddly covered in kitten hair.  The reason I say odd is because the cats hate it and never sleep in it!  You try to put either one of them in and they just go springing out of it.

2. Tank Tops
I don't ever wear these and need to be honest with myself.  Hah.

3. Magazines
I'm not tearing out anything from them out of impatience.  I'm so proud.

4. Old Check Books
These are literally from over 5 years ago.  Whyyy do I have them!?

5. Pedicure Set
I don't really use this.  I'm pretty low maintenance and a little polish is all I really make time for.

6. Lotions
I'm way too pale to use this "tanning lotion" and once again I need to be honest with myself that I will not and SHOULD NOT use this.

7. Face Wash
It was free.  I don't like it though.

8. Perfumes
I never wear these.  Evan doesn't even like the way they smell so what's the point?

9. Make-Up
Old, neglected makeup that I've outgrown.

10. Whitening Strips
Bought these after I got my braces off in college.  They hurt my teeth so badly that I only tried them the one time.  Got a more professional kind since then and now these are really expired.

Check me out: 80+ things!!!

BIG News!!

Can you guess the news from the picture above?

Big big life changing events are happening around here!!

1.) We are quitting our jobs.  Yes.  Quitting our jobs!

2.) We are moving to Iowa.  Yes.  I said Iowa!  Estherville, to be exact.

3.) Evan is going to start school!  Yes!  Wind Energy and Turbine Technology.

Which means that I will have a wide open schedule to start working on my own business!
It is truly, finally and ACTUALLY happening.

He starts school in May so we have to pack up and get out there!  We have lived in Columbus for over three years now so this will feel so new and different to us.  We are so excited.

I can't wait to be only a four hour drive from my MOM!  OMG!
And I can't wait to find my place in this cute little town and call it home.

I'm not going to have much time to update the blog until I get there and settle in and figure out an internet situation!  Wish us luck - it's a 14 hour drive through a LOT of corn fields....

Less Stuff: Day 7

 
 This one isn't completely "on project" accurate.  Obviously it's not 10 things.  The good thing is that it's more than 10 and not less than 10!!  I just got rid of a handful of clothes I don't wear and it happened to be more than 10!  Yay!

Grand total is 70+ unneeded items!

Finding The Final Edit

I have been using Lightroom 3 Beta 2 to edit my photos for the past few months.  I really really like using it and am positive that I'm going to purchase the real version once it's finally available this summer.  After having and loving the Beta version, I can't imagine not using it once the Beta term is up.

I love how easy it is to create and save my own Presets (like Actions, in Photoshop) and I find I'm making them constantly to give a group of images a cohesive "feeling".

Sometimes, though, I find it hard to choose a final look because I love how the photo looks in many different ways!

For example:

      

Do you have a favorite?  I think I like #4 best because I'm always a sucker for blue/green photos. 

If I could figure out how to share/offer free Lightroom Presets that I've made - would anyone be interested?

Less Stuff: Day 6

1. Mail Holder
Bought it to stay organized.  What happens is the mail either sits on the table until we sort through it or we stick it in that "organizer" and it sits in there indefinitely.  Not a fan.

2. Watch
Broken.

3. Magazines
Continuing to get rid of unneeded magazines.  I've given up even looking through them and tearing stuff out.  I just want them gone!  This is good therapy.  I'm showing true progress.

4. Coffee Mug
 Never use it.  I don't drink coffee much.

5. Glass Bottle
This was alcohol of some kind.  The bottle was so cool that we had to get it.  But for what?  Decoration?  Yeah...don't need it sitting around collecting dust.

6. Headband
I think it's the kind for keeping hair out of your face while you wash your face at night and stuff.  I have way too much hair and it does nothing.  Only a hair tie can tame my wild mane.

7. Egg Pan
This thing is awesome.  It perfectly fries one egg.  It's a bit scratched up on the bottom now which is probably unhealthy.  Trash.

8. Kitchen Utensils
These are all old and doubles of newer ones we also have.

9. Mugs
We have more mugs than we use so I got rid of a couple.

10. Playing Cards
We have more cards than we use so I got rid of one.

Beautiful Blogger Award

Thank you so much to Sal of Love Quirky! for the Beautiful Blogger Award!!  I must say, she is quite the beautiful blogger, herself!  Visit her blog, because she's awesome.

......

7 Megan V Facts:

I'm 25 years old and am still driving my "first car"!

I could eat ice cream every day if I allowed myself to do so.

I married my High School Sweetheart.

I stare at the computer screen for 10 hours a day, oww.

I've lived in 23 places so far in my life.  That sounds excessive, considering I'm 25.

I can't get enough throw blankets.  The more, the better.

I spent part of a summer studying Fashion Illustration in Milan, Italy.

.....

I'd like to pass this award onto:

.Lost In Reverie.

Garage Sale Girly

Love, Chelsea Lauren

Lost & Fawned

My Girl Thursday

Nicole Ioma

Camp Smartypants

JerkCake

The Drifter & The Gypsy

Urban Farm Designs

MiniMak Makings

What Yaya Likes

.....

If you choose to accept the award you must:

- Thank the person who nominated you and link to their blog.

- Copy the award and paste it to your blog.

- Tell us seven interesting facts about yourself.

- Pass this award on to 15 fantastic bloggers you have discovered.

- Contact your nominations and let them know they’ve won.

Pass on the love!

The Lovely Blogger List

Lovely Clusters has started an amazing list of creative bloggers that is organized by location.  I really love seeing them organized and edited this way and wanted to get involved!  It looks like a great way to network with some other inspiring bloggers!

Here's my entry to the list:

Hi!!  My name is Megan and I'm a Designer (Print & Pattern) in the Fashion Industry by day, and in the few hours that are left, I'm a photographer, crafter, blogger, seamstress, experimenter, painter, designer, collector, thrifter, embroiderer, baker, cat brusher and wife!  Any "down time" that I have is compulsively filled with creative projects.  Not using that time for creativity always feels like a waste to me and so... I'm always doing something!

I am usually always creating something different.  Due to the nature of my work, I'm exposed to so many different interesting techniques, projects and ideas that I find it hard to create something over and over and instead like to "graze" through many different projects.  Aside from photography, which I'm definitely getting much more heavily into these days.  I love making felt and fabric flowers, fabric manipulation art, aprons, hand embroidering on everything and dabbling in chain mail.

  
 
       I'm inspired daily!  Pouring through blogs, flickr and other photo sharing sites proves to be an endless supply of creative inspiration.  Photographers continue to inspire me not only for photography purposes but even just new ways to LOOK at things!  Amazing, right?  I'm inspired by exploring different cultures.  Even tiny subcultures that we may not even consider "other cultures"...but they truly are.  Walking and exploring the streets of a tiny river-side midwestern town can open up a whole new world of discovery and I LOVE that process.  Of course, I'm always inspired by other designers, especially my beloved hero Alexander McQueen.  Other favorite inspiration sources are trips to thrift shops, fabric stores, the library and sifting through foreign fashion magazines at the bookstore.  I highly recommend that!

I love the blogging world because of the great connections we can make to others with like interests and I think that we can all benefit each other by trading skills and supporting and encouraging each other!  I'd be happy to connect with you!

You can find me on the web in these places:

Facebook

Flickr

Twitter

We Heart It

Chictopia

Etsy (coming soon!)

Keep on inspiring others and being inspired by them!

xo

 

Girls Allowed

I'm not the girliest of girls.  I think I'm sort of 50/50 of liking feminine details/colors with more muted or edgy styles.  Once in a while though, I come across something so stinkin' girly YET so awesome.

I found this photo shoot in British Vogue and find it so beautiful and inspiring!

          

Beautiful, right??  I am so in love with the colors.  Soft - but there are some richer colors mixed within that really pop.  I also love the use of tulle in the photos and want to do something similar in a future photo shoot!!

Less Stuff: Day 5

 

1.) Mossimo Sweater Vest
I never wear this and haven't in a few years so it's time to go!

2.) Delia*s Sleeveless Sweater
I never wear this one either!

3.) Vogue Magazines
I keep a lot of magazines.  I guess because I'm so inspired by them I feel that I need them around me and can't throw them out.  I took just one stack of them and quickly flipped through each one - tearing out anything that I just loved.  As it turns out - I only ripped one or two things out of each magazine!!  Why keep them all?!  From now on, I'm always going to just save what I love the most and chuck the rest.

4.) Real Simple Magazines
I did the same technique with these.  Save the good stuff - chuck the rest.

5.) Giant Martini Glass
This was part of the Vegas themed gift that I talked about yesterday.  It's big and there's nowhere good to keep it.  Plus, I get wayyy too drunk with a martini that big.  ;)

6.) Markers and Pens
I have a little drawer holding just markers and pens.  I assumed that a good handful of them probably didn't even work anymore.  I was right.

7.) Stack of DVD's
Don't absolutely love these movies, or they're scratched, so they're going!

8.) Astronomy Text Book
Evan wanted me to save this book from school.  He thought it would be cool to look through.  He hasn't looked through it and it's been sitting on the shelf for four years.

9.) Fujifilm Digital Camera
This was my first digital camera.  It's got a whopping 4.1 megapixels!  I have two other digital cameras that are newer and better and I was just keeping this one for... memories I guess?  Not anymore :).

10.) GAP Sandals
I got these at the sample sale at work.  I didn't notice until I got home that they are TWO LEFT SHOES.  Great.

I'm halfway there!  Would you believe that my apartment already looks more organized and less cluttered?  While searching for things to get rid of - it's easy to tidy up a bit here and there.  Suddenly after 5 days - it makes a big difference.  I'm loving this process.

I was informed by a friend that a friend of hers lost EVERYTHING she owns in a fire.  I'm going to be going through the things I'm getting rid of and sending her as many things as I can that I think she needs.  Keeping this in mind, it will be easier for me to find things to get rid of in order to give to her!!

Less Stuff: Day 4

 

1.) Stools
My dad gave us some stools among other furniture when we moved to Columbus.  We don't need stools because we don't have anywhere to put them!

2.) Real Simple Magazines
I have a giant stack of these.  I'm getting rid of them four at a time so that I can flip through and pull out the inspiring things first.

3.) Sewing Basket
My step mom gave this to me when I was younger.  I used it for years for my little sewing projects.  YEARS.  I have multiple sewing baskets now that are larger and more easily stackable.  It's time for this one to find a new home!

4.) Kitchen Container
This came with a couple others.  This one has some water damage and has lived it's full life.

5.) Pipe Cleaners
Why do I even have these?

6.) Las Vegas Guide
My coworkers cave this to me before I got married because we were thinking of going to Vegas for our honeymoon.  We didn't end up going and probably won't be going there in the near future so we don't need this.

7.) Cocktails for Dummies
This came with the Vegas book.  It's probably a really good book with lots of cool drink ideas - but - I really don't drink!  If anything, I'll have a glass of wine.  Someone else will love this book.

8.) Hair Dryer
I have a new hair dryer so I don't need this one.

9.) Antiques Papers
I got these while on my Brimfield vintage shopping trip.  Why do I still have them?

10.) Incense Burner
I like candles better than incense so we don't use this anymore.

Wow guys - 40 things - out of my apartment!!