Have you thought about starting a morning routine?

I have always liked mornings, which I realize could put my in the slightly unbearable category of people. BUT Coming back from time off over the holidays, the struggle has been real. I need something to do immediately after the alarm goes off, or all bets are off. Covers are pulled back up and I'll doze for as long as possible.

I found that if I have a set routine, waking up is a lot easier. This is my current morning routine:

Wake up
Roll from bed to couch
Aquire coffee along the way
Write in my journal
Look over the list for the day
Spend some time talking with Dusty and maybe make lunches
Get showered and/or ready for the day
Take Murphy for his walk
Off to work

It may be the January talking, but I also want to work in a little exercise time. 

How do you go about setting up a new routine? Any secret morning tricks?

P.S. Local entrepreneurs, One Million Cups is coming to Woodstock!!

P.S.S. I love this, but not sure I could do that with a book!

It's Saturday and very cold!

We made it to our very first 2018 weekend, friends. I have such high hopes for this year. 2017 was such a year of growth. I learned so much. I started new habits. Broke old ones. Forgot things. Learned things. Added some wonderful people to my life, and said bye to a few too. 2017 was filled with good, bad, difficulty, joy, tears, laughter, strength, jealousy, and unbridled thankfulness. 

I am happy with you, 2017. We did our best.

It's so cold! Possibly the most popular conversation starter of 2018! Ha. I started thinking about my spring collection this morning. There's such a gentle softness to spring. That warming sunlight. Trees budding out. I'm imagining a gentle color palette. Soft pinks, greens and pastel blues. Lavenders and creams. I'd love to create a kid's line (of something), personalized announcement for new homes, new babes, and things like that. Perhaps some more desk accessories for you, too? Let me know what you're after! I'm taking notes!

One thing on my mind lately is how to balance graphic design with my art. I love the challenge of design. I love the clients, running a business, planning out projects, and working on strategy. Yet, I feel myself pulling away from the actual sitting-down-at-the-computer design. I'm not sure what that's about. Is it really about design as a career? Or is it burnout that can be soothed by a more mindful schedule? A different client mix? It requires more thought for sure. I'm working on an illustration project right now and loving every minute. Dusty had some great insight. I'm always so impressed at how well he knows me. Thankful for that dude. (I will share more on this when I get my thoughts more organized.)

Made any resolutions? I think I'd like to pay off student loans, take a trip or three, and work on our home. As far as work, I'd like to keep a better schedule, take better care of my stockists, and work on getting a few wholesale accounts. For relationships, I want to plan fun surprise dates with Dusty and make sure I see my friends more often. I have dreams and dreams of things I want to make and do. We will see how far I get! What are you planning for the year?

I hope your weekend and new year are off to a great start!
xo Mads

P.S. I found this home tour / interview with an illustrator and loved it! You might like it too!

Things in Boxes: tips and tricks for moving?

I think the most exhausting thing about packing up is making all the decisions. It's an endless series of questions.

Is this item loved/used/new/happy enough to be packed in a box and hauled across town? Is this item part of a set? Do I just put it in this box or hold out until I find its family? Will I need this sometime in two weeks? What if I need this for work?  AH!

I am hitting that mid packing worry-fest. 

It's a lot and it's overwhelming and I've way over-googled tips on what to do about it. Ha. (This was the best article!) And this has been packing music of choice.

On top of everything #emotional, the house we are moving from is the house I grew up in. I'm excited for the new house, but also a little part of me is sad to let this one go. So much has happened here. My brother and sister and I playing with Beanie Babies and climbing trees and skinning our knees in the driveway. Planting a garden with mom and sitting on the back deck with my dad. There's a lot of history here. Each room is it's own archaeological dig. Dusty is handling my nostalgia really well. Sweet man!

Change is tough and exciting.

Change is actually one of the things that brings me joy. It's why I love design. And why I like to make art. It's why I'm always wanting to start new businesses. I love transformation and possibility and potential. So trying to reframe this big change as just that - a new layer on the canvas.  

Got any tips or tricks for moving?

5 Things (I want) to Do this Summer

Summer! I can barely wait. I mean - I should be better at waiting for summer. Most of summer in Georgia is near sweltering. Despite the incoming, face-melting heat, there are a few things I'm really looking forward to this summer!

Plywood Presents

This is my birthday treat each year. It's an awesome conference of change makers and inspiring people. This was the very first "community" I became a part of as an adult. It's hard to find your people when you are out of school. I was lucky to find them through my first job, and even got my boss to pay for my ticket that first year. #goodboss. I think this year would be my fourth year (?) and Dusty is coming too for the first time! It should be a really fun. I like the opportunity to get out of the office and think. Check it out here. :) 

Six Flags Season Passes

We sprang for these last year after having my first successful roller coaster experience. Our passes also include White Water, which for some is not a selling point - but for me it was! I hope to take more days here and there for fun like this over the summer.

Woodstock's Bluegrass Concert Series

This is one of our all time favorite things to do in the summer. Our awesome little city puts on a bluegrass concert each month. It's the perfect opportunity to pack a cooler and picnic in the park. My dad always joins Dusty and I and it's one of our favorite things ever. Get more info here. Let us know if you're going!!

Getting Product Ready for Fall Markets and Launches

This has been sitting on my list for a while. I have so many product ideas and I want to make all of them happen. It's tough to carve out time for this, but I'm planning on it this summer. I will be dedicating some time to think it over. I have so many things "in the works." It's time to order samples and work on production! So fun! Do you know of any markets I should be a part of this fall? :)

Ride My Bike Around Town

I love to ride my bike and I recently found that ^ picture to prove I've been riding bikes in overalls since at least 1998. Good times! Our city has a trail system called Green Prints and it's the perfect shady place to ride bikes and take a stroll. Can't wait!!!

How often do you feel defeated?

I missed a deadline today.

I spent the last month making a series of paintings from a place of joy and freedom. I gave myself permission to work on it when I felt like I could produce the best results. This isn’t really an option with a lot of my work. My design and wholesale clients have schedules, and waiting around for my desire to work isn’t really on the timeline. Hehe. I wanted to approach this series of paintings differently. It was an experiment.

While I wait to hear back from the gallery on an alternate install day, I'm thinking on the idea of hustle and flow. 

Recently, I listened to this podcast on why we may not have to work as hard as we think. Jess Lively does an awesome job connecting quantum mechanics principles to the spiritual side of life. The coolest bit from the podcast:

Our emotional frequency does more to create the outcomes in our lives than the intensity of action.

Frequency outweighs intensity.

I'm traditionally an intensity person. I want to work harder than anyone else and achieve all the things. All the things. However, when I've leaned into flow, and frequency, and my daily practice - I see small gems and beautiful lasting results. When I think of the times I've leaned into pure intensity, I see good results too. And I also see struggle, sadness and paths I'm no longer following. 

While working on this series of paintings, I spent a lot of time smiling. My design projects seemed to flow. I felt better in backbends and heart openers in yoga classes. I found myself taking the time to dress well instead of throwing on my usual leggings + tee. I felt more connected and energized. This could be a coincidence, but my gut tells me there is something to this idea of frequency over intensity. I think I'll continue testing it out!

What do you think? Does this resonate with you? 

On My Mind Lately: Reflection

Our first week back went so smoothly. So much flow. I am tempted to make so many resolutions at the start of every year. I see friends with their awesome plans for the year and I feel the urge to start wildly planning. Instead of that, I decided that I will make one or two personal resolutions per season.

Winter is slow for me, or rather I move more slowly in winter. I discovered this last year. I was striving to make all the things work mid January. Work projects, personal projects, creative projects. In the midst of the struggle, I heard from a yoga teacher about how we’re not really meant to get a lot done in the winter months. Longer nights, shorter days, a quiet earth, cold weather. It’s a low energy season and perfect for rest, reflection and quiet. That resonated with me. I put all my plans in a google doc and put rest and mental health at the top of my list. Once spring started showing up, I re-started planning and preparing for the seasons of high energy. I feel I can get so much done in the spring and summer. It’s the perfect time to work on personal/creative projects alongside all the work projects.

So, in honor of the season of reflection, here are some things about last year:

01.

We served so many great clients through Mad & Dusty. We made the mental transitions from freelancers to owning a company. It challenged me in so many ways and I realized I enjoy that so much. We focused as a company. We worked with a business coach. We found support in our community and worked hard to create purposeful work. Now we have over 6 months of work to add to our portfolio! (Eek!)

02.

I "launched" my line of cards and art and now have stockists. (What?!) This painting started as a way for me to come face to face with depression and anxiety. I would wake up every morning and paint and think. Or paint and not think. It was and is my meditation. Every time I get an inventory sheet I get to see which pieces went to new homes. It is so heartwarming and encouraging. I got to meet so many great people face to face at the markets I was a part of last year. 

03.

I don’t know if this is the right way to say it, but Dusty and I found more of our rhythm in being adults. We became more consistent at making weekly meal plans, grocery shopping, and meeting monthly to go over our budget. I think we learned more about what we need, what stresses us out, and what brings us closer together.

04.

Learning is fun. Learning is for fun. I came out of college as a generalist. I graduated with a degree in art marketing. Which was wonderful. I had (and believe I still have) the skills and capacity to learn and do so many different things. Learning is one of my main drivers, so it’s easy for me to learn a new skill and immediately think of ways to monetize it. What I learned is that - it’s a trap! You can simply learn things, and then use them for fun. Or not use them and let them float around in your brain. You don’t have to add it to your offerings list or create a package around it. You can learn for fun. (You probably already knew this!)

05.

I heard and listened to the not yet. I was mulling over doing yoga teacher training. It was with one of my favorite teachers and lots of things seemed to be lining up to make it a good choice. Often I would think about it and hear this small not yet. I heard the not yet about many other things, and I listened. I think this is the thing I am most proud of. My not yet became an encouraging way to say no to things I loved or was excited for. It was a no in the spirit of having a life with more ease and less struggle. It wasn’t a NO!, it was a not yet. It took the pressure off. Not yets are pretty great.

Have you had the chance to reflect on your 2016? It was a big one, wasn't it? 

On My Mind Lately: NYE Edition

The New Year starts tomorrow and my brain is full to the tippy top. Dusty and I took a week off from work and I’m feeling refreshed. Perhaps this is a byproduct of working from home, but I swear it takes the first three days of any stay-cation for me to adjust. It’s so unlike me to not have a list for the day.

I don’t have that problem if we’re headed out of town. In those cases, the second we hit the freeway I’ve peaced out. Christmas break is special because a lot of it centers around family. Also, heads up: Christmas with a little niece and nephews is so fun. They get really fun presents and are adorable when trying to open them.

Here's a few things on my mind lately.

Kombucha

I started my first batch of kombucha! My mother in law gave me a starter kit for Christmas and I cracked it open the next day. Dusty got me a giant book about brewing the bubbly stuff, and I keep reading it and finding things I've missed. It’s like science, having a pet, cooking and growing plants combined. I’ve never been great at growing plants, but those first three I am pretty good at. It’s been fun to track the brew’s progress and dreaming up flavor combinations for bottling time.

Tests

My mom gave me a box of Christmas decorations and tucked inside was one of those career tests you take in school! (8th Grade!) I was put in the “applied visual arts” sector and “working with ideas.” I remember hearing that when in doubt, go back to what you loved as a kid. Which is great advice, but what you really loved as a kid can be hard to remember sometimes. That little test was so affirming and encouraging. A sweet reminder to stumble upon. Thanks mom!! :)

Loops

We started and finished Westworld over the break. SO CRAZY. I won’t spoil it, but if you want to talk about it let me know. I can't stop thinking about which loops I'm caught in. And how and why I'm making decisions. I need to watch the whole season over again and catch all the things I missed.

A Show

I’m starting a series of work for a show opening at the end of January! It’s kind of intimidating to create work for a show. I haven’t really submitted work for show since school, and that was over 5 years ago. I have had a few ideas rolling around so when the invite came in, I thought this might be a good opportunity to work through them ideas. Dusty and I picked up canvases and panels last night, so now I have no excuses. Still scared though. :)

Money

At the end of the year, Dusty and I take a look at our spending. We use Mint and a good ole fashioned spreadsheet to track our budget throughout the year. Our cost of living is overall pretty low. In 2016 our biggest expense was housing with health insurance right behind. Dining / groceries came in third. There’s not much we can do about the first two, though we did choose a slightly cheaper insurance plan for 2017. We can definitely find ways to lower our cost of eating. :) So that’s our plan for 2017. We’ve also set a goal to pay off the student loans this year, so apologies in advance if we are even more boring than usual.

NYE Plans

Tonight is the big night. Dusty and I are celebrating with Overcooked Holiday Edition, champagne and maybe tacos. 

What’s on your mind, friend? Got anything planned for the new year?

My Most Favorite Pens for Illustrating & Hand Lettering

If you’ve ever drawn anything in your life, you have a good idea about how much your drawing tools can impact your work. On good days, they can act as an extension of your imagination. On bad days, they can leave you shaking your head and wondering why you even bother calling yourself an artist… or is that just me? ;)

I started drawing with a few tools and over time have had the chance to try out a bunch of great pens. There are a few I keep coming back to and some I keep in my bag at all times. Here’s six of my favorite pens so far:

01
Pentel Fude Touch Sign Pen

I discovered this pen through Ali Nelson at a Plywood People Retreat. It quickly became one of my favorites. It has just enough give and allows for different line thicknesses. I have heavy hand pressure and the Fude is strong enough to resist my hulk smash grip. Love this lil pen! Uhm plus it's sparkly.

02
Tombow Calligraphy Pen

The Tombow was the first lettering pen I ever used! Dusty gifted me the set with both the hard and soft tip pens for Christmas. I spent the rest of break scribbling and drawing. I love these to start on because they aren’t so expensive. You can get a good idea of what your hand pressure is like and base your future purchases on this!

03
Marvy Deco Color Extra Fine Paint Marker

My father-in-law gave me a box of these and I have been using them for all my circle paintings. The paint in the pen is xylene based. It has a little bit slower dry time, and damn, it is permanent. The Deco Color allows for a very solid, smooth, and shiny monoline look.

04
Molotow Acrylic Paint Marker

My friend Carrie Keesling-Getz recommended the Molotow pen family. SO GOOD! They are like the Deco Colors in that they give a nice solid line. They dry pretty fast and are safe to use on mirrors and glass. They are refillable which just makes me heart flutter with happiness!

05
Papermate Flair

I have used these pens before but only recently for design and lettering applications. They are, again, not so expensive. If you lose one, you’ll recover. :) The Flair comes in such a good variety of colors. They don’t give too much and allow for a solid monoline look. They do smear, but I’m finding I can work with that. I have been able to create some cool looks by intentionally smearing or wetting the paper.

06
Sakura Pigma Brush Pen

I had used the Microns by this same brand and not been super impressed. The nibs are just a little too hard (even for my iron grip) and only seem to give even color on smooth paper or if you're holding the pen exactly perpendicular to the paper. BUT, recently I discovered the brush pen version. So amazing! It has move give then the Pentel Fude and Tombow Calligraphy, but the short tip gives enough stability to get some really controlled lines.

What pens have you been into lately? What should I try next? Also have you heard of pen parade? If not please check it out and prepare to laugh and possibly fall in love!

hugs!
mads

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Top photo of my pencil note card and fude pen by Angie Webb.