Scribbles & Scrawls

There are certain things I love about a routine. A daily routine is really a healthy obsession. Sometimes I get a little disgusted with newfound habits like checking Instagram before getting out of bed. I miss blogging every day. Running too. And the discipline that came with those regimens. Breaking from a routine never makes me feel free, only guilty. But life is just a series of routine changes.

A couple of months ago I broke up my routine and headed to Long Beach with Virginia to see our friend John and his new project, The Written Word, Long Beach's first traveling bookstore. If you're like me and love the smell of an old book more than any scent, you must check it out. John tirelessly scours for books and resells them. He keeps that old routine of turning an actual page alive.

In part collaboration, in part inspired by his store, Virginia organized the Fullerton Artwork in September around books. It was called Scribbles and Scrawls and it featured writing activities, famous authors as works of art, zines, and even paper decor. I know I am late in writing this and perhaps even later to tell my friends, but the whole experience reminded me of the days when reading and writing were all I did and all I had time for. It seems so much has gotten in the way since then.

A good routine should be like an old friend. Always make time for it. Never neglect it completely. Nurture those familiar things that tug at your memory, those habits that die hard. Sometimes a routine isn't just a repetitive motion, it's part of who you are. That's why I am scrawling this here tonight. 

So Me!

When you find something you love be it jewelry, shoes, clothes, or even a house or a car, odds are you love it because you think it's very "you." How many times have you heard someone exclaim "That is so me!"? I know I'm guilty, and I use that phrasing when shopping for others too ("That is so insert friend's name here"). I consider myself something of a shopping psychologist (believe me, I've done the research) so I know that people love things they believe were especially made for them. However, a good retailer can make more than one of something but make it so well that it feels personal, and that's all that anyone wants: to feel special.

I am beyond blessed to say that my friends have made me feel most special. A lot of my best friendships came out of working at a place that made people feel like dirt. But the more we struggled with where we worked, the more we bonded with each other. True friends are people who will always lift you up; they will always support you and are happy to remind you that you deserve better. Friends are honest and committed to each other's cause. I learned all this and more from my first group of friends in the "real world," at my first "real job." These weren't the people I went to high school with; we were all different ages and came from different places, but they're the people I want to stay friends with for life. They're the people I already feel like I have known forever. 

After leaving that place of work, I have managed to stay close with this group of people. Now that they don't have the negativity of that workspace surrounding them, every single one of them has gone on to do amazing creative things. My friend Michelle, who has always been a fabulous photographer, recently took up sewing and came up with the idea of So:Me, an upscale plush line. If you love fabric, jewelry, and color like I do, then this line will definitely appeal to you. But more so than the eye-catching patterns and bling, these pieces make you feel something. Maybe it's nostalgia for that favorite childhood toy; maybe it's love for the person who gifts you with one; or maybe it's the inspiration to take a chance on making your dreams a reality. When I look at all that Michelle is doing I think about where we both came from and where we are now, and I'm so excited for the future. 

The pictures above are a few of my personal favorite designs. For now there are Frenchies, pigs, and elephants, with more animals to come. She even has an Audrey Hepburn-inspired line called Audrey's Pearls. I wrote this blog post because I really do believe in supporting my friends and their creative endeavors. They have always supported me. If you're interested in supporting Michelle and So:Me Plush, make sure you check out her site and sign up for her mailing list so that you are aware of her Kickstarter campaign and are entered to win a plush. She is giving out two every week for the next month! Also, she is giving away a gorgeous nail polish kit TOMORROW so make sure you are following on all of her social networks to win:

Instagram: @so_me_plush

Facebook: facebook.com/someplush

Twitter: @SoMe_Plush

Pinterest: pinterest.com/someplush

Good luck!

This is 30

When I was a kid I couldn't imagine turning 30. It seemed like it would never happen; like I would never live that long. Sometimes I think I haven't really "lived" and it's that thought that scares me most. So to really embrace 30 and not runaway from it or dwell on what I haven't accomplished yet, I decided to throw a big party. The soiree was everything I hoped it would be. I was surrounded by the people I am closest to from the past and present. We sipped champagne and caught up, which is all I could have asked for during this busy holiday season. 

I have been afraid to picture my life at 30, because I worried expectations would not align with reality. But what actually transpired was that I enjoyed myself, made memories, and got to be with the people who have become a part of my story. When I was younger I had a very concrete definition of family. Over the years that has really changed. I am so blessed to have friends who are like family to me, who I hope to know for the next 30 years. Thanks to them I am starting to be able to picture the future. 

Love Letter to Arizona

I skipped tonight's run because I needed to write. I feel recharged after a too-quick vacation to Arizona last weekend. Confession: Arizona has never been at the top of my list of places to go. I had done the Grand Canyon thing years ago and every year my dad goes to watch baseball spring training there while I politely refuse. All I think of are red rocks and the sun beating down on your brow.

But I am so glad I made this trip after all. Sometimes the places we remember from our childhood changes so drastically when we visit them again as adults. It's like reading a favorite book over again in that you find things that you missed the first time around.

I am not one for scenery usually (I'm more for malls and wineries), but the Grand Canyon and Sedona were breathtaking. I actually climbed out onto a ledge with my friends -- something I never would have done before. But I braved it because they were all out there to meet me and all of them held their hands out, making me feel safe. It was nice to literally sit on top of what I felt like could be the world, with no fear of falling or failing. When you look out at the vastness of the crags and the sky it is a freeing feeling.

Since coming home I haven't really felt the same. I'm a bit lovesick actually. The sun doesn't set on majestic rises of earth here. There are no cabins in the woods to retreat to. My friends have all since gone their separate ways until we meet again sometime in the near future (probably at the usual food/drink place). I wonder if I return to Arizona again if it will take on a whole other meaning and if my memories will layer over each other like rocks, and I would have to dig deep to unearth those genuine feelings of seeing something for the first time -- and falling in love.

When packing to leave I always bring a lot of baggage, and it's funny because going home I try to bring the least amount possible. I feel like I left a lot in Arizona, and yet I feel like I am carrying a boulder on my shoulders still. I used to dream of traveling to other countries constantly. And here I am barely with the money to afford a trip to the state next door; my passport is about to expire, and I feel more and more like my time is running up.

On the long drive home we all talked about our next trip. And suddenly the road ahead didn't look so straight and narrow, ending somewhere far off. I realize now that the actual journey is far from over. The rocks, sunsets, and eateries will all still exist in other far off places, waiting for me to discover them one day. I just hope it's with the people I love.

We saw the World's End our first night in Arizona. The film reminds me now of how I can get nostalgic about places and friendships. I like to think we conquered the world a bit last weekend. When you hold out your hand for another person and are willing to let go of the things weighing you down, you realize the end isn't near, and you may in fact be standing at the beginning of something. I'm so glad I got another chance to experience this place, and I vow to never cross anything off my list prematurely again. You never know what you might find in the place you never thought to look.

I hope everyone had a wonderful summer!