tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30708003942295604602024-03-13T20:44:40.236-05:00Loops & Belles BlogElizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.comBlogger337125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-77897525030410789412015-07-29T02:00:00.000-05:002015-07-29T02:00:08.342-05:00A Happy HeartWhen I started <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/LoopsAndBelles" target="_blank">Loops & Belles</a>, my vision for what it would be was as simple as, "I love stationery, and I want to make cards that make people laugh and feel loved."<br />
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Then, after the new year, I had the desire to expand the business and create something that would do "more." <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2015/05/announcing-im-so-crazy-excited.html" target="_blank">You might remember this post</a> when I launched our 8x10 prints. <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/LoopsAndBelles?section_id=16442045&ref=shopsection_leftnav_2" target="_blank">You can view the full collection here.</a><br />
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<img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsz0brxIL8szgmPea-KMUfwykoT9dD2l-h8UnEamtMPRg0GRahFHo3QarQmh1YBGUYiKGWaQW8H5LeHGVRbaekQBjVKVY3xMKnfcWQUoKMh066GYjuhqFDwNgRVyfNBb6T710Q8JN3s0c/s640/IMG_0018.JPG" width="640" /></div>
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- A picture from the proofing process - I had a very happy dining room table for about a week! - </div>
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When I was in college, I kept a note card posted on my bathroom mirror with Philippians 4:6 written on it so that I could start and end every day with those words. Even now, five years post-college, you'll still find sticky notes around my desk with verses and quotes to keep me inspired and encouraged.<br />
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It has been so wonderful for me to see customers react to prints as they look through them at shows. The joy that I feel when they're drawn to a certain phrase that means a lot to me... well, it's pretty indescribable.<br />
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(Yes, I'm being pretty mushy and sentimental in this post.)<br />
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Well, you can guess how much my heart exploded when I saw pictures of Madison's dorm room at Clemson University.<br />
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First, there on her shelf was our "Do not be anxious about anything" print.<br />
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<img border="0" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqoq4OcycMV1LUFb_csngf3Hgy0E-IQxvK4WF5EpvDnOyzZwof73rwFsDkDalgX4rzPBas5l22UJz7RwfQWdkvvDP2-aruDc_4P31m75lbkzlM3vBs6eXiZRMBZb-oFliJiNnllWUuuzI/s640/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Then, I noticed that her mirror has handwritten notes with verses and inspirational quotes -- the very thing that inspired me to make our <a href="https://instagram.com/loopsandbelles/" target="_blank">Loops & Belles</a> line of prints!</div>
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I just had to ask if she'd be willing to let me share these pictures of her (adorable!) dorm room. Seriously, doesn't it make you want to go back to college?<br />
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I'm also really excited to announce that we'll be releasing a few new prints in about a month. Stay tuned for more details about our next "launch day!" </div>
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xoxo, E</div>
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-60209498626569155482015-07-28T02:00:00.000-05:002015-12-31T10:17:29.495-06:00Behind the Scenes - 12 Days of SummerWell, that's a wrap! Thank you to everyone who took advantage of our Christmas in July promotion!<br />
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In case you <a href="https://instagram.com/loopsandbelles/" target="_blank">missed any of the fun</a>, here's a little recap of our 12 Days of Summer... plus some pretty great "behind the scenes" and blooper pics!<br />
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Feel free to sing along. It's hard not to!<br />
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For the <b>12 Days of Summer</b>, Loops & Belles gave to me: <b>Twelve </b>Pink Flamingos, <b>Eleven </b>Flags a Waving, <b>Ten </b>Sandy Toes, <b>Nine </b>Watermelon Slices, <b>Eight </b>Burgers Grilling, <b>Seven </b>Books for Reading, <b>Six </b>Poolside Popsicles, <b>Five </b>Summer Dresses, <b>Four </b>Cups of Froyo, <b>Three </b>Prickly Pineapples, <b>Two </b>Donut Pool Floats, <b>and a free print with every purchase</b>!</div>
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It's always so exciting when a project turns out the way I hoped it would! </div>
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There were a few speed bumps along the way - mostly due to my perfectionist nature - but more than anything, there were SO. MANY. LAUGHS.</div>
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Seriously, I couldn't have done this without the treasured friends who helped with the photos and shared the promotion on social media!<br />
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Side note: Y'all - my mom. She's such a rockstar. I'm going to have to promote her from intern to paid employee here soon. She's spreading the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/LoopsAndBelles" target="_blank">Loops & Belles</a> love!</div>
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I'd be remiss if I didn't share some of the awesome outtakes from the process of creating the 12 Days of Summer...</div>
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My dear friend Brandi let us bring two GIANT donut pool floats over to her mama's house one Sunday evening so that we could capture the shot for Day 2. </div>
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Naturally, the bloopers were my absolute favorite - and with her permission, it's my joy & pleasure to share them!</div>
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In an attempt to get me to have a natural smile in the Day 5 pictures, the Mister would make jokes and throw out random prompts to keep me from over-thinking. So here we have: "Lady Liberty," "Be Surprised," (which apparently had me putting my hands in the pockets of my dress) and "Hooray! We got the shot!"</div>
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Not pictured: "Titanic," "I'll never let go Jack," and my impression of the Rockettes during the reindeer dance. #SoRandom</div>
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The Mister snapped this pic while I was mid-frustration-stabbing the legs into the flamingos. When I sent it to my mom she exclaimed, "You had to put them together?!" Oh yes. And I cut my hand in the process. Creativity can be painful folks.</div>
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Oh, and just one more funny about the flamingos -- I feel like I should mention that this was the shot that I thought would be the easiest to capture. WRONG. One flamingo's beak kept falling off (insert crying laughing emoticon here) so I had run over, reattach his beak, run back, try to focus the camera and snap before it fell onto the ground again. I don't even want to think about how many times I did this routine.</div>
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I thought it'd be funny to make one of the flamingos a Rudolph impersonator -- seeing as how we were celebrating Christmas in July -- but clearly the flamingo had other ideas. (Beakless flamingo was cropped out in order to lessen the tragedy of this photo)</div>
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And that's all folks!!</div>
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I had an absolute blast with our 12 Days of Summer fun. </div>
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I'm putting my mailman to work and getting these special packages on their way.</div>
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(Apparently, Santa is in the Caribbean this time of year...) </div>
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xoxo, E</div>
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-35746031720386607332015-07-14T02:00:00.000-05:002015-07-14T02:00:05.571-05:0012 Days of Summer<div style="text-align: left;">
It's officially time for the Loops & Belles "Christmas in July" promotion! </div>
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Over the next 12 days, we're taking a holiday classic and making it our own with "The 12 Days of Summer."</div>
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I'm all about having some fun - but it wouldn't be Christmas without a little surprise right?! </div>
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Take 25% off your online order with the code: SUMMER25. <b>PLUS</b> we're giving away a free print with every purchase! Just tell us in the note at checkout which print you'd like to receive from our Summer Santa! </div>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/LoopsAndBelles" target="_blank">Visit our online store</a> to take full advantage of this promotion!</div>
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Make sure you're following us on <a href="https://instagram.com/loopsandbelles/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/loopsandbelles" target="_blank">Facebook</a> to see what we have up our sleeve for the 12 Days of Summer!</div>
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-84240153095227135982015-06-17T02:00:00.000-05:002015-06-17T02:00:03.086-05:00Ft. Worth RedoI don't know about you, but I love the opportunity for a redo.<br />
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When I was little, I would work on "specialty jumps" off the diving board and my mom would give me notes to improve - things like "point your toes," "straighten your knees," etc. I loved when the pool wasn't busy and I had endless chances to try over and over again to get it right.<br />
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When I didn't do as well as I liked on a timed test in school, I loved the chance for a retake.<br />
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When 3M brand came out with the removable wall hanger, well it was like a dream come true! I had chance after chance after chance (if needed) to rehang pictures in different arrangements - or more likely, to move a picture up a 1/4" inch to make it level with the picture next to it. (I'm a fan of the gallery wall)<br />
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I love a good redo.<br />
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So, when Memorial Day weekend rolled around, it seemed like the perfect time to do a Ft. Worth redo.<br />
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You might remember the <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2015/01/exploring-ft-worth.html" target="_blank">Ft. Worth adventure back in January that didn't quite turn out as planned</a>.<br />
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Well, this go round, the weather forecast was rain, and lots of it... However, I was armed with a positive attitude and a "who cares?!" mentality, so off we went to Ft. Worth!<br />
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Our first stop was going to be the Water Gardens. We didn't have a single drop of rain until the moment I-35 splits for Dallas/Ft. Worth. We rolled our eyes at the irony and laughed a bit, but decided to press on. After all, "maybe it'll be a quick rain and pass."<br />
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Then... it started pouring.<br />
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Onward we drove. As we neared the exit where we had to decide Water Gardens or "forget it and let's get ice cream," the rain eased up and we decided to attempt the garden visit.<br />
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And boy, I am glad we did!<br />
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I was admittedly <i>terrified</i> to walk down the slick steps to the bottom of the 38ft. deep "active pool." It didn't help that there wasn't a railing along the steps for me to hold onto, that I had on sandals, and that every child under the age of 13 was running up and down these (death) stairs like it was no big deal.<br />
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Don't mind me kids... just a 27-year-old who's petrified this may be her demise.<br />
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Once I made it to the bottom, I pretended like my legs weren't still shaking, and I was able to appreciate just how beautiful the attraction was.<br />
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Also, it begs to be said that going up the stairs was far less terrifying than going down.<br />
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We wandered over to the meditation pool, which was much more my speed. It was surrounded by tall trees and was perfectly still - right in the middle of downtown Ft. Worth!!<br />
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As we were leaving the Water Gardens, it started to rain again. Perfect timing! It was time to head to <a href="http://melticecreams.com/" target="_blank">Melt </a>and get some ice cream.<br />
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Social media is great, isn't it? It opens your eyes to adventures and places you never would have known about otherwise.<br />
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<a href="https://instagram.com/melticecreams/" target="_blank">Melt </a>is a business that I've been following on Instagram since they opened in Ft. Worth, and I've been dying to try it. Tell me <a href="https://instagram.com/melticecreams/" target="_blank">their Instagram feed</a> isn't one of the prettiest things you've ever seen!<br />
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And there's nothing better than cold ice cream on a hot, humid day when your once straight hair is starting to curl up. (Where did all the bobby pins that I keep in my purse disappear to?!)<br />
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Once we finished our ice cream, we jaunted over to Dallas so that I could visit the <a href="http://www.readbetweenthelines.com/" target="_blank">Read Between the Lines</a> shop. As a #paperperson, I couldn't be that close to a new paper boutique and not visit!<br />
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It was even better than I'd imagined. I want this nook in my next house. And if the next house could be loft style with a gorgeous exposed brick wall, I wouldn't complain.<br />
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We won't talk about the torrential downpour that awaited us 60 minutes south of OKC - and the flash flooding that occurred later that evening. Nope. We'll just talk about the amazing Ft. Worth "redo" where there was no horrible traffic, no horse parades, no hangry moments... just so much the fun!<br />
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xoxo, E<br />
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-4007018987489279142015-06-16T02:00:00.000-05:002015-06-16T02:00:08.593-05:00Rock the Boat, BabyI have found that with every show I do for <a href="http://www.loopsandbelles.com/" target="_blank">Loops & Belles</a>, I learn so many things about myself.<br />
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<a href="http://downtownokc.com/rocktheboat" target="_blank">Rock the Boat</a> was my first outdoor event for L&B and I was anxious about the weather. (Which, let's be honest, is a common concern in Oklahoma.)<br />
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I was worried that it might rain. I was worried that it'd be unbearably hot. I was worried that the wind would knock over my lightweight products throughout the 6-hour event. </div>
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I. Was. Worried.</div>
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But, as per usual, my mom encouraged me to do the event anyway and simply said, "We'll figure it out!"</div>
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The forecast called for sunny skies, 90 degree temps, and 10mph winds. Ok... we can do this.</div>
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Thank goodness Momma was here to be my booth buddy again! She came up with a system right out of the gate that would keep my prints and cards securely in their place. Poof, there went my anxiety!!<br />
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I was so happy to see sweet Moxie - and her mama - when they stopped by the booth for a bit! Mox also spent some time wowing us with her reading skills. The girl's got game!</div>
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Another show is in the books! And we have perfected the quick and efficient setup/tear down. It was so fun to be a part of Rock the Boat in Bricktown.</div>
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(It was also really fun to see the event play out from a different role. Bonus fact: this was an <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2014/06/my-new-best-day.html" target="_blank">event that I'd planned</a> the last 2 years at my old job. So, it was fun to see some of my old co-workers as well!!)</div>
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I'm excited to spend the next few weeks working on some new designs for <a href="http://www.loopsandbelles.com/" target="_blank">Loops & Belles</a>. If only I could find a pool to dip my toes in to spur the creativity... wink wink. </div>
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Oh! Make sure you're following the Loops & Belles social media accounts to see all the fun I have planned for our <b>"Christmas in July"</b> promotion!! <a href="https://instagram.com/loopsandbelles/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/loopsandbelles" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/loopsandbelles" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div>
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xoxo, E</div>
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-60532864304591126832015-05-20T02:00:00.000-05:002015-05-20T02:00:01.961-05:00Indie Trunk Show: The RecapWell, the first <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/LoopsAndBelles" target="_blank">Loops & Belles</a> show of 2015 has come and gone. Over the weekend, I participated in the Indie Trunk Show at the State Fairgrounds.<br />
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With it being May in Oklahoma, weather is always a concerning factor - especially for a Carolina girl who gets crazy nervous whenever "severe weather" is mentioned. Luckily, I'm a "plan ahead" Carolina girl and had my car packed and ready to go before the thunderstorms rolled in the evening before our load-in day!<br />
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My mom flew in from North Carolina to help me with the show, and you guys, I couldn't have done it without her. Being so close to my product, it's hard for me to be able to stand back and be objective - and while I'm usually a pretty decent problem solver, when it comes to my own solution creation, I'm at a loss.<br />
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Can I just tell you how awesome it is to be able to stand in my booth - or in the middle of Michael's (you'll read about that in a minute) - and say, "Moooooom, I just don't knooooow what to doooooo! What do you think?!"<br />
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And then... the ever calm Millie knocks it out of the park and comes to the rescue!<br />
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[Sidnote: Please notice that she is serving as a helper in my booth, playing Fairway on her iPad, <i>and</i> texting my dad about one of her students who had just won the state championship game in baseball. She's not <i>just </i>their tutor, she's an integral player in these kids' lives. #ProudDaughter #Multitasker]</div>
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The two shows that I've done each had a "crisis situation" for Momma to solve.<br />
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1. Deluxe Winter Market: <a href="https://instagram.com/p/v_b5Nqo2Z6/?taken-by=loopsandbelles" target="_blank">the mailbox garland</a> that almost got scrapped, because, well, I couldn't get it to look exactly how I wanted. Enter Millie with her patient persistence - and boom, it was perfect.<br />
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2. Indie Trunk Show: the three <a href="http://www.loopsandbelles.com/prints/" target="_blank">prints </a>that almost didn't make their debut. I was in a pickle with how to display the prints so they'd be readable and fit on the display rack that I was using. Long story short, three of the prints almost didn't make the cut because I couldn't figure out how to elevate the row 2 inches. After an hour spent walking the aisles in Michael's to brainstorm a solution, Millie had it all figured out. Thank goodness for wooden slats and white Duck Tape. (It really <i>does</i> fix anything!)<br />
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This was my first time doing a 10x10 booth - <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-best-first.html" target="_blank">my booth at Deluxe Winter Market</a> was half the size - and I'm really happy with how it turned out! Naturally, as I was sitting there, I had about 5 ideas pop into my head of how I want to change things up for next time. But that's one of the best parts of doing these shows and growing this business, it's a constant opportunity to think creatively!<br />
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This show was also particularly fun because I got to see my friend <a href="https://instagram.com/frameworthydesigns/" target="_blank">Tara </a>and meet the lovely Natalie from <a href="https://instagram.com/natalieannspencer/" target="_blank">Freckles Creative Studio</a>, as well.<br />
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The next <a href="http://www.loopsandbelles.com/" target="_blank">Loops & Belles</a> show will be on June 6th in Bricktown at <a href="http://downtownokc.com/RockTheBoat" target="_blank">Rock the Boat</a>. Put on that sunscreen and come out and see me!<br />
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xoxo, E<br />
<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-91423520856810544662015-05-14T02:00:00.000-05:002015-05-14T02:00:03.398-05:00Announcing... (I'm so crazy excited!)I have been so (insanely) eager to make this announcement for the last few weeks - and the time is finally here!!<br />
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It was my plan to wait until this weekend at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/950761771635672/" target="_blank">Indie Trunk Show</a> to do the grand reveal, but I'm just too giddy and impatient. So here we go...<br />
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::drum roll::<br />
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I'm excited to unveil and share with you all the new line of 8x10 prints from <a href="http://www.loopsandbelles.com/prints" target="_blank">Loops & Belles</a>!<br />
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When I was in college, I kept a note card posted on my bathroom mirror with Philippians 4:6 written on it so that I could start and end every day with those words. Even now, five years post-college, you'll still find sticky notes around my desk with verses and quotes to keep me inspired and encouraged. (And what do you know, that verse is now one of our prints!)<br />
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<a href="http://www.loopsandbelles.com/prints" target="_blank">Visit our website to see the full line of Loops & Belles prints</a>.</div>
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These prints are designed to add some color to your space and affirmation for your heart. The watercolor backgrounds are a collaboration with one of my very best friends and created specifically for this project.<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/LoopsAndBelles" target="_blank">And they are now available for purchase online!</a><br />
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I hope that these words will find a home in your dorm room, on your office wall, or even your bathroom mirror to inspire and empower you to go out into the world and pursue your purpose!<br />
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xoxo, E<br />
<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-62327169602110040742015-05-05T02:00:00.000-05:002015-05-05T02:00:11.926-05:00Stories Behind the Cards, Part I<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The "About" page on my website was one of the most difficult - and painstaking - parts of starting my business. Oh yes, that's right. Writing 3 paragraphs was harder than learning how to use Illustrator and working up the courage to ask my family and friends for design feedback.</div>
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I really struggled to eloquently summarize why I started <a href="http://www.loopsandbelles.com/" target="_blank">Loops & Belles</a>. </div>
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What I <i>wanted</i> to write was: I'm super duper passionate about snail mail - like I for-real squeal when I get good mail, not bills. And I love greeting cards - I feel like they are tiny representations of all kinds of big love and monumental celebrations!! And my cards are funny - I really think you're going to love them!!</div>
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::Buzzer:: Fail.</div>
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So, here's why I love Loops & Belles -- my cards are inspired by real life. They are the things we really want to say - true sentiments. There are stories behind these cards, and I've decided to start sharing them with you!</div>
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Introducing: "Stories Behind the Cards, Part I"</div>
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<img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvrvfiBp7tGZPFgKybpxZFgepu_KYxWAkyEXd46pbgW7ScgqN81102fqwDb349zahTlHS2jOwhGdS019f9UwklT7fQYAkEXdp9Ei4z-jG0oJrCSgWuDq-4YFBEtYBT4AIMN09e5FlM_gY/s640/potty+alone+card.png" width="632" /></div>
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When I was in the "dreaming" phase of <a href="http://www.loopsandbelles.com/" target="_blank">Loops & Belles</a>, I would keep a list in my phone of card ideas and add to the list whenever inspiration struck. I had one baby card in the line at the time, and it was 1000% based off yours truly. (<a href="https://instagram.com/p/u-5OsLI2bG/?taken-by=loopsandbelles" target="_blank">You can see it here.</a>)</div>
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So, when I booked a baby store as the first retail location to carry <a href="http://www.loopsandbelles.com/" target="_blank">Loops & Belles</a>, it was time to add to the collection. My mom was a huge help here - and I also polled all my friends who had little ones and asked for some common parenting "problems." </div>
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Enter Miss Cameron Claire. </div>
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<img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjBikZS1hfhxeWgysnq15JDgx4-onEFoMmcnsMdSYKXVqgNraS_tlzK8Pdmgyhq1EP7Bmm_htPXHkFNHbuL2yiGSo-xyxIMStvS9p_OJaMslgNdt1aVOlfFWdHrwIm5m8nIxcmWr6tZ2w/s640/Cameron+3.png" width="624" /></div>
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She is the beautiful inspiration behind our "Going Potty Alone" card. Her mom shared a few stories with me about Cam that had me rolling on the floor. Let me tell you, it was then and there that I started appreciating the fact that I get to go potty alone... </div>
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And then the card was born!</div>
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This little girl packs some serious sass and is my favorite zoo buddy!</div>
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Thank you Cam - and Bobbie - for being the story behind one of our best selling baby cards!</div>
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xoxo, E</div>
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-46784010036404103882015-04-30T02:00:00.000-05:002015-04-30T02:00:02.467-05:00Confessions of a Girl Boss[Note added after post was written: This is a long one, buckle up!]<br />
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I was late to jump on the <a href="http://www.nastygal.com/accessories/girlboss-book" target="_blank">#GIRLBOSS</a> train. I feel like everyone in my Instagram and Twitter feed was reading this book long before me. I finally bit the bullet and started reading it a week-and-a-half ago.<br />
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I'll be honest - I judged the book by its cover. By sheer appearance, Sophia reminded me of a Devil Wears Prada type, and I'm not into uppity-ness just to be uppity. I imagined the book would be full of "we are woman, hear us roar." And while I'm incredibly thankful for the women's suffrage movement, I honestly don't give much thought to the idea that I have obstacles to overcome simply because I'm a woman. I think of obstacles that I have to overcome because I'm a human, operating in a world of other insanely talented humans.<br />
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I cringe as I type that, for fear that I might offend, yet I couldn't help but giggle when Sophia addressed this exact point in her book.<br />
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"#GIRLBOSS is a feminist book, and Nasty Gal is a feminist company in the sense that I encourage you, as a girl, to be who you want and do what you want. But I'm not here calling us 'womyn' and blaming men for any of my struggles along the way. I have never once in my life thought that being a girl was something that I had to overcome... I know generations of women fought for the rights that I take for granted... I believe the best way to honor the past and future of women's rights is by getting [stuff] done."<br />
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So needless to say, by page 14, I was hardcore girl crushing and hanging on Sophia's every word. So <i>this</i> is why they say, "Don't judge a book by it's cover."<br />
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I couldn't stop turning the page, and the thing that usually puts me to sleep [I've never been a big reader] was now the thing that was keeping me up late at night. The woman was laying down some seriously awesome, applicable, real-world, #GIRLBOSSing advice. And I was eating it up with a spoon!<br />
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Can I confess something to you all?<br />
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I've never really had to work<i> that hard</i> for the things I want.<br />
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<li>I was fortunate enough that school came easy to me. I would tell my mom I was going to study for a test and come back downstairs 15 minutes later saying that I was done. I am an auditory learner, so the teaching in the classroom had prepared me for the test.</li>
<li>While I wasn't the most technically-skilled jazz or tap dancer at my studio, my stage presence and confidence got me cast in roles and placed in the front line of the routine.</li>
<li>I did well on the SAT and got into the schools I applied to.</li>
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The first time that I ever had to <i>work really hard</i> for something was when I trained for my first half marathon last year. That's one of the reasons that the threat of a stress fracture in my foot 3 days before the race was so heartbreaking, why the answer-to-prayer good news that it wasn't a fracture and I could still run was so exhilarating, and why the victory of crossing the finish line was tear-inducing. </div>
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I had worked my booty off to accomplish that goal, and I'd done it! I had proven to myself that I could do something I never thought I'd be able to do. It was a pretty crazy moment for me.</div>
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The thing is, once you learn how much you <i>can </i>do - way more than you ever thought possible - you start looking for other things to try that have scared you.</div>
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So, I started <a href="http://www.loopsandbelles.com/" target="_blank">Loops & Belles</a>. </div>
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I think I've talked about this before, but I didn't know what I was doing. All I knew was I loved greeting cards and I had some ideas that I thought were pretty good. So, it was time to start working hard and pushing myself. </div>
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I learned how to use Illustrator. I learned about printing processes and the various costs associated with ordering small (safe) vs. large (risky) quantities. </div>
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But more than that, I found my voice. </div>
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<li>I discovered that if the presentation of my packaging is important to me then it's something to spend time and energy on. </li>
<li>I learned how to respectfully stand up for the quality of my product and ask for things to be reprinted if it didn't match my standard. </li>
<li>I started watching episodes of Shark Tank and reading books to learn from the successes and failures of other entrepreneurs. </li>
<li>I started looking at my parents as resources rather than just as my support system. My dad has taught me how to use QuickBooks and my mom has been a salesperson, delivery driver, pep-talker, and "Yes, you can make the phone call to [insert retail store name here] and tell them exactly why they should carry Loops & Belles." cheerleader! (Cold calls are torture for me.</li>
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I have put myself - and my product - out there to be judged by others, and it's been the most rewarding and terrifying experience ever. </div>
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Can I make another confession?</div>
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Being an entrepreneur is hard. </div>
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<li>It means working my full-time "day job," then coming home to work on my passion project for a few more hours in the evening. </li>
<li>It's using my lunch break to run to retail stores and make sales calls. </li>
<li>It means investing my extra money into building my business. </li>
<li>It means listening to a podcast while grocery shopping.</li>
<li>It's giving up sleep to design one more card or write one more blog post... now that I'm blogging again. (I was picking sleep for a few weeks!)</li>
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And some nights... all I want to do is sit on my couch with a bowl of cereal and watch way too many episodes of Parenthood. (I'm finally on the last season.)</div>
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So, naturally, the very first page of #GIRLBOSS hit me like a ton of bricks.</div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3DhAwGhgYkgQbnT8vhpu7fID9PBlFlt4zM_A4K1xYyFCgia6YXjMbqNE13yOlnna7DoA_9UPnKBgzTdfJgX6h-gmS3J1pZcDIWJi4rBb6363OzZ2RBysoUKD4_KpMMZ_dv0HToOgCdm0/s1600/GIRLBOSS.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></div>
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I would never, ever consider myself lazy. But I had to decide what I wanted to prioritize. I still have the occasional "no work" night, but now it involves one or two episodes of TV and then early to bed. And on my work nights, I sometimes allow myself endless episodes of "Friends" on Netflix while I work at my dining room table. </div>
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It's a balance, but I want to know that I've done every single thing I can to make this business a success... to use the gifts and talents that God has given me. </div>
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So, this post ended up being so much longer than I'd intended. But as it turns out, I'm pretty passionate about this business I'm building, and I have a lot to say about it! </div>
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Thank you to all of the wonderful #GIRLBOSSes who have written books, recorded podcasts, given me advice, and just been generally awesome examples of what creative entrepreneurs can accomplish.</div>
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And thank you to all of you for sticking with me through this lengthy post!</div>
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xoxo, E</div>
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-45013221441598170352015-04-29T02:00:00.000-05:002015-04-29T02:00:03.715-05:00Ill PreparedI am a planner.<br />
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<li>I plan for any number of outcomes to a scenario.</li>
<li>I (at times) agonize over the various ways to accomplish a project.</li>
<li>And then, I practice, practice, practice and rehearse and prepare. </li>
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Back in the days when I had to do a speech or presentation for school, I would undoubtedly have the whole thing memorized - even if it wasn't required - simply because I would practice over and over again. (This skill came in handy during my acting days.)<br />
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Even though I'm almost always over-prepared, I still have three recurring dreams that creep in during times of stress:<br />
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1. I'm back in high school and I don't know my class schedule. The anxiety that I feel over not knowing where I'm supposed to go is paralyzing. Not to mention the fact that the "ladies in the office" are always too busy to print out another copy of my schedule for me!<br />
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2. I'm in a Shakespeare show and I don't know my lines. I frantically flip through the script backstage and try to cram as much as I can. (There's no way to ad lib Shakespeare!) I always either miss my cue to go on stage, or I stand on stage knowing it's my turn to speak, but I've got nothing.<br />
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3. I'm in high school and I have skipped one class a lot. (Basically what I <i>actually </i>did my senior year for a class that shall remain nameless, but let's not go there.) In the dream, I miss a very important test and have to make it up in order to graduate, but I have no idea what material will be on the test.<br />
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What's the deal with my subconscious?! Give yourself a break!<br />
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Also, it's clear my brain has zero desire to return to high school.<br />
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My first half marathon was one of those times when preparation met opportunity, and I found success!<br />
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The Oklahoma summer months were pretty brutal so I did fewer training runs for my second half marathon, and surprisingly, my time improved.<br />
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Then came winter, so I did even fewer training runs for my third half marathon.<br />
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During that time, I started a business and the winter got even colder in Oklahoma, so the training runs for my 4th half marathon were pretty much non-existent.<br />
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I mean, I ran 10 miles the weekend before the half, but prior to that, I'd only run 11 times since the new year. Erm, I was supposed to be running 4 times a week for 12 weeks.<br />
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Whoops.<br />
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I'm not sure I've ever been less prepared for something than I was for my half marathon this past weekend.<br />
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Yet, I'd argue it was my best half ever!!<br />
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The weather was perfect; I saw so many friends along the route; the course was enjoyable with various parks and entertainment along the way; I dominated the Walnut Street bridge (and two other hills) without feeling like I was going to pass out at the top; spectators had great signs that made me laugh; my best friend was running beside me telling stories and jokes and encouraging me with Philippians 4:13; and best of all, my Momma was at the finish line cheering!<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8QMgimVwuyVgL9kOOkZxX9rEtZ5dz63AdbdZlFUXMb9aftCvDXSw_k-DwWXOso1R1R310nK66XVRRLOwnPICVApN7RIIURbJlhin15YRC4mctyrETu06BCm6PrlCBuIWYEbw9X79HOtA/s1600/IMG_9751.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></div>
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My time was slower than all of my other halfs, but I had the most fun!<br />
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Lesson? Sometimes preparation takes all the joy out of an adventure!<br />
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(Kidding. I don't think that's the real lesson here.)<br />
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I love this quote from the "congratulations" email from our running group: "In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that." - Fred Lebow<br />
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xoxo, E<br />
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-28118802569317908252015-04-28T02:00:00.000-05:002015-04-28T02:00:03.800-05:00Final Days of 26w26Well, my birthday has come and gone... which means the end of the window to complete my <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2014/05/26-while-26.html" target="_blank">26 while 26</a> list.<br />
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Unlike last year's list, this one did not have a happy ending. Basically, I just didn't get it all done. And rather than be disappointed in myself - ok, I'm like 7% disappointed - I'm sitting here reflecting over all that I <i>did</i> accomplish in my 26th year of life!<br />
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But before I walk down memory lane, here are a few of the final updates to the list...<br />
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#2 Read an entire book in one weekend.<br />
Over Easter, I read Lara Casey's "Make it Happen." You guys, it was a game-changer. I love her writing style and the way she is a cheerleader for the reader throughout the whole book. It is always so interesting to me to read about the struggles and successes of others and see that God really does work all things out for good - big and small. Anyway, if you haven't read "Make it Happen," I highly suggest you pick it up!<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLaDLQvhvwUncWg-iow4JrLyLKp_zIDR3udpnVuFTid8oDWiLrmfyMDcII3fhw2Lk3Ur-LSIvwkaKXvbvETmxCJ7ynPGD2jZv5exSs9bSPphjeGfZ2VhXJKLFBW6IwLvLKlPXmlAEhXb0/s1600/IMG_7784.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></div>
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#9 Finally do a "Places I've Traveled" map.<br />
This one didn't quite pan out the way I intended, but I'm in love with the result. I'd planned on getting a large world map for this project, but I had so many other prints that I wanted to use on the wall of my bedroom that I decided to go with this smaller U.S. map. The pins are obviously just of my domestic travels, but my mom actually found a world map that'll be perfect for this project. So, one day soon there will be an update to include my international travels as well!<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUH5nE2cxn0AgxEDY5VWBk2FS6e4LBd1roUkwAtclHqhyDlQfMDPNVtwoLH71Vo0l5OWq5RILSOWz5UmjxL98Cm0ExTyPgXHlgHUy4a-nmdel9mE5msC1mmrpcCJugPAZmXjqg73LpLCI/s1600/IMG_8141.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></div>
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And now, for the goals I didn't complete...</div>
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- Spend Time in Five New Cities. I did three. (This might be the one that bums me out the hardest.)</div>
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- Try 26 New Tastes. I did twenty, so not too bad!</div>
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- Go Bowling</div>
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- Go Kayaking</div>
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- Go to a Hockey Game</div>
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- Take a Cooking Class</div>
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- Unplug for 48 Hours (No one is surprised this one failed to happen. Man, I love Instagram!)</div>
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Here's the thing. When I made this list, I had zero idea that I'd finally take the leap to start my own business. </div>
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So, I'm going to blame those 7 "failed" list items on the success-to-date of Loops & Belles. </div>
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Now, the short list above is still on my list of weekend adventure ideas, but the pressure is off. That's right, there won't be a 27 while 27 list. </div>
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However, there is <i>quite </i>a list of dreams and ways that I hope to see <a href="http://www.loopsandbelles.com/" target="_blank">Loops & Belles</a> grow over the next year. Speaking of which, we've expanded our social life beyond just <a href="https://instagram.com/loopsandbelles/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, so if you're on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/loopsandbelles" target="_blank">Facebook </a>and <a href="https://twitter.com/loopsandbelles" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, give Loops & Belles a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/loopsandbelles/notifications/" target="_blank">like </a>and a <a href="https://twitter.com/loopsandbelles" target="_blank">follow</a>! </div>
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Starting this brand has been such a wonderful experience thus far, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how it continues to grow and evolve.</div>
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You can bet I'll be going back through Lara Casey's book with a notepad to plan out how to stop striving for perfection and live on purpose! </div>
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I just went back to read my post from the start of 2015. If you remember, I dubbed my word for the year to be "intention." I have truly seen a big change in myself over the last 4 months, and I'm excited to see what God has in-store for me. </div>
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This is still my goal for 2015: <span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">I want to be intentional in my faith, intentional in my business, intentional in my relationships, and intentional in how I love, how I care for, and how I serve others. </span></div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivuM3DPTqTfe6iAtyfFvKHWa9f-t0mO62xdCLCOovLhxu6IVWs8TEKP23qW1ucRjuf8bORRPccBJ_Q2Sc6Eia4m3f5mBLNb6DM2-ogA6tGxrnjGhP0Sm7rEtc66IXTgIZw3rEJec80Pwc/s1600/IMG_9638.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">I'll leave you with this -- with my own personal mission statement for the year -- plus it's a teaser for a new product line for </span><a href="http://www.loopsandbelles.com/" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;" target="_blank">Loops & Belles</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">. I can't wait to share more with you soon!!</span></div>
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xoxo, E</div>
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-49583155755876365382015-03-10T02:00:00.000-05:002015-03-10T02:00:01.120-05:00New Cards Available!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I am really excited to share the new cards that have just been added to the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/LoopsAndBelles" target="_blank">Loops & Belles online store</a>! I started this business because I wanted to make cards that express sentiments that many of us <i>really</i> think and say.</div>
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Take this first card for example... I love a good wedding as much as the next gal, but my favorite part? The cake!</div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnWVQNm9nqolyI8pkZ32ow9r6ho9yy83u23WTmfwx2D6XO5q3BEaUaRY1qlvHp7PND5Rw6uAPlx7jOhf8a3Nles9Bg2rCrBHYK1yxsRlzc7PJfC9RMlSeMZnfDDMHdtHITlQ93r8dAGsc/s1600/Photo+Feb+21,+6+00+26+PM+(1).jpg" height="640" width="640" /></div>
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Winter was pretty brutal to us here in OKC last week, but this week is a different story. Warmer temps remind me that spring is right around the corner, and with spring comes wedding season, graduation, and Mother's Day! </div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiedwnikaoakBT5gkHVjRDNTq6TgSsDBkX1QXv9MeOHXIbsI6e1KV3J2Yl2jv_zFpj3ZB1vwfC7969Cx-o8KpmKvHtQDiTQn-X5baY3Kr_Cr1yqaAGTGgOXP6O5J3Z4Cf2u1ULQFDlI_G8/s1600/Photo+Feb+21,+5+57+20+PM.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3pRbPIHmdq3prDyQmuZrlITz9QJrMjD3PrckX7fT2kMs9u8WJRWwZ2w2cfJTZYvS4VFfkETttWStaxDgZyqQ5bOyFhoWuGI_9vmklRCKYRg7DsjRmCOe0E0cHLXMSjIPTiw6B0L_Nq5c/s1600/Photo+Feb+19,+6+55+31+PM+(1).jpg" height="640" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdpCgJe7pvDO23Ir5g-J9zyLVlyI5swNk4K-3aIxsFT0Xjbnth2vPC0aJ1ankjDOI5mf_bDTAQ9Ct3KAX6RDXgs-TA-I9fhBwHx9a4TTkmfMLEdRPTZMCvUYvGafTtLSMax_rjCZNt5UE/s1600/Photo+Nov+02,+3+26+46+PM.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcf3RhbsK9VR927zTX4SrAKzqr6V9tB1Icd1K-zQ41Vf_S1nWvvLS-QiP-u6zNtzxnuSVUqtUzBl-m-tB1VwJFBJBQF2H1k6MpQ7oWEf7sPQljdQmCmpJYkplJ7z3thrmkvfJnqLPdNSY/s1600/Photo+Feb+21,+5+54+50+PM.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></div>
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I'm also really excited to share the Father's Day cards that we've been cooking up here in the next few weeks!<br />
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xoxo, E<br />
<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-83222882811059965452015-03-09T03:00:00.000-05:002015-03-09T03:00:16.284-05:00New Retailers Announcement<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It's been a little quiet here on the blog due to some big things happening for <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/LoopsAndBelles" target="_blank">Loops & Belles</a>!</div>
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First up - we have two new retailers! </div>
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<a href="https://instagram.com/shopbowandarrow/" target="_blank">Bow & Arrow</a> is a boutique in downtown Oklahoma City, and I'm absolutely thrilled with how Courtney has the cards displayed in the shop.</div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRwZkf9IBAZj0IqQjxjHnwfbepiIVr8ypCYFc80uDX_5EKcCNFRyKn4W2msj9HcmhTJK9ZCoWtYrSPOSnF5s_Up8wnwS1c24FF5boUox2_XPK5-aEa8adpDxuPb1xv-lFaIuzGAB0GuPY/s1600/Photo+Feb+12,+1+00+08+PM.jpg" height="638" width="640" /></div>
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Surroundings is the newest Loops & Belles retailer, and they'll be carrying 15 of the designs starting next week. They're also the first North Carolina retailer for L&B! </div>
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Even more exciting -- my mom got to be a part of this milestone on her birthday! She's my biggest cheerleader, so it was really special to have her there.</div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOSuP38pynQbBYVnUwze_Evj5mwWUOSH0ONJeI4CzprnYMdcBCPj4tzLfF9qXVvRDu_MjkomeiNe-5YPIy8f6GfCNBE_insuc2DTlWI8qlyKjwxQbgjie1PO0q-j-OLGfq82oYqJCwlQU/s1600/Photo+Feb+27,+12+47+43+PM.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></div>
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Tomorrow I'll be sharing a few of newest additions to the <a href="https://instagram.com/loopsandbelles/" target="_blank">Loops & Belles</a> collection!!</div>
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xoxo, E</div>
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P.S. There's no jumping picture in front of Surroundings due to a minor wardrobe malfunction... but here are two bloopers for you!<br />
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1. Pre-Jump - check out that plié!<br />
2. Practicing our jump picture-taking skills at home and showing Nanny how a photo burst works.<br />
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-13860649259703735932015-02-18T02:00:00.000-06:002015-02-18T02:00:12.375-06:00Skating on Thin IceIce skating is my favorite sport to watch during the Winter Olympics. I love the grace and athleticism.<br />
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I don't remember going ice skating as a kid. In my adult life, I've skated only once - and it was for work. (If you call going around the outdoor rink twice with my right hand glued to the wall "skating.")<br />
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So, the idea of going to a year-round indoor rink and trying my hand at ice skating seemed like a good task for my <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2014/05/26-while-26.html" target="_blank">26 while 26</a> list.<br />
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I had Monday off from work due to President's Day - and after waking up to ice and snow on the ground - it seemed like a good day to go skate on the ice <i>inside</i>.<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">I was highly skeptical that I would have any fun (this was mostly my fear talking because I didn't want to fall and embarrass myself and be bad at skating) but by golly I was going to skate because it was on my list of things to do.</span><br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwqfOhyqwyV7Frw-TMrKgjlTDfEQRGrk8wt3fBM8Ji9_2bSO1NPy0q8dntwYs2ht8ICFd_kNZoFRtt8bdaHUYnrVnxPd0_G16OgM0wfllJBJaSSFjX-HWFgrjryHV6E_MspEFt5He0nmc/s1600/Photo+Feb+16,+1+01+08+PM.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></div>
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After two times around the rink - tentatively resting my hand on the wall - I finally had to let go and skate around a young girl in front of me who was doing the same.<br />
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Suddenly, skating became a lot more fun!<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8ouG5ZRsoCtANFUxXBksYsO44BGvCSLbgGpEQfc5sSPPNOSWYb_Aa4d3x37DNkLitqJRWwNWximNbLqucB5TTSq987qooEQCbKRtiDIU8m06Tg-RmheAJbOdY6HJBonDxYObNW0ujd0/s1600/Photo+Feb+16,+1+22+51+PM.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></div>
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(This is my "I really hope I don't fall right now while the picture is being taken" face)</div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0k2W-Z7SSh6KyuzraefbnqEOMVwoX-ZD1YBZJlxREcWMCIQCphaT669ol_MwG1nbZujj694Zkr3FhKLBSNZ9-7UZ1Sij8aE27X7lFHRm3aLwXztfp5Cl0Dvtg6WPm22kXUkg8xrqQi2I/s1600/Photo+Feb+16,+1+13+27+PM.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></div>
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The best thing about creating my <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2014/05/26-while-26.html" target="_blank">26 while 26</a> list is the new experiences I "force" myself into. Turns out I have a lot more fun when I get out of my routine! (Blurry photo due to the fact that I'm now a speed skater, obvs)<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerqgyd6SlR5Sq8xHYrOmP6W-zmyUpkXYuDULlt3ARPz7ttUCC70yrZdSG4cgFQyLdPTXMhD_RXNeHWCIyQ8HUaeKGqJWACdBTGEl98Ot2sZXJfArxNJ1avxVtRrbgR_a7AsfhQZ97Af4/s1600/Photo+Feb+16,+5+26+18+PM.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></div>
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(Clearly, I'm ready to go pro with this stellar technique... on dry land!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vryRELGnP4oatqoj0hXPAnmGRazt8y794SI-jQiI4sBnFCOr13BOVgPIXsbWhgqdKewUaxj-lfri8nwDnNJ0jQ0f_7hX7SDpgOffGdmNG8IRhlQ97hBFINuoMc_uu9rCwtByfTjNH4I/s1600/Photo+Feb+16,+1+26+25+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vryRELGnP4oatqoj0hXPAnmGRazt8y794SI-jQiI4sBnFCOr13BOVgPIXsbWhgqdKewUaxj-lfri8nwDnNJ0jQ0f_7hX7SDpgOffGdmNG8IRhlQ97hBFINuoMc_uu9rCwtByfTjNH4I/s1600/Photo+Feb+16,+1+26+25+PM.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></a></div>
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I might not be the next Michele Kwan - but I'm no longer the kid who's glued to the wall. I'd call that an ice skating success!</div>
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xoxo, E</div>
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-3690221632206392112015-02-17T02:00:00.000-06:002015-02-17T02:00:13.301-06:00Adventures In SkydivingI'm a scaredy cat.<br />
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I think it's only fair to start this post that way.<br />
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I am really confident in the things that I'm good at... and really scared when it comes to trying new things.<br />
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I'll never forget the time I gave myself a bloody lip in the 6th grade at our annual camp retreat. I was literally frozen in fear - and apparently biting my lip - as I stood trying to muster the courage to jump off the ledge and onto "<a href="http://stthomas.younglife.org/Windy%20Gap%202009/Highest%20Blob%20of%20the%20Week.JPG" target="_blank">the blob</a>" in the lake. I didn't do it that day -- and I didn't even come close to trying again during the next 6 years of going to Windy Gap.<br />
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When I was making my <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2014/05/26-while-26.html" target="_blank">26 while 26</a> list, I included a few things that sounded super fun and exciting, without even considering that I might be terrified to try them when the time actually came.<br />
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For instance, the <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2014/08/feels-like-its-been-27-days.html" target="_blank">zip line adventure</a>.<br />
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I. Was. Terrified.<br />
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There were tears - my neck got red and splotchy from the stress - and my legs were shaking. (Let me tell you, I looked cute!)<br />
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Up next, this month's indoor skydiving feat...<br />
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This was a goal that I knew I wanted to accomplish ever since my mom went a few years ago with her friends, so it seemed like a natural fit for the <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2014/05/26-while-26.html" target="_blank">26 while 26</a> list. I also knew that I wanted to have this experience with my mom.<br />
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So, when I went home to North Carolina 2 weeks ago, she made an appointment for us to go fly!<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMvOZEUadaK3kPSpLPo8BTO68bgMNlRkzHhPkhEnU9narF7ie4bqaru3_QZ2OS805MnLIA2MADlEl8prcdl2CJzayLNv5HZyiwsWEW0uGggJJYTkV6e-S9o7PPDYPCN15wEU5_9d-o6iU/s1600/Photo+Feb+06,+2+18+45+PM.jpg" height="640" width="638" /></div>
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I was so excited to go indoor skydiving. And my excitement was pretty steady until we took the elevator up to the third floor of the building and I heard exactly what 150mph wind sounds like.<br />
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::Gulp:: "Ummmm, I'm not sure I can do this."<br />
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My mom is a born encourager. With a huge, reassuring smile on her face she said, "Yes you can honey! I've done it. It's totally safe. You'll have so much fun!"<br />
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::Gulp:: "I definitely don't think I can do this."<br />
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Enter, Dustin. (The same instructor that my mom had on her first flying adventure)<br />
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Dustin took us down to the classroom and gave a quick overview on how the tunnel works, the proper posture to have in the tunnel, what the different hand signals mean for when we're in there and he's guiding us, as well as some things to remember to be safe in there.<br />
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::deep breath:: "Okay, maybe I can do this."<br />
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As I started making self-deprecating jokes about how nervous I was, I noticed that my legs were shaking. No time to think about that... we were off to get suited up.<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE-ZNuoNFxVal6-8DpBPd-4Ue86Hf7jVmgSunKXm9WRvL4Za8RXaAXulhkgiqLHP_C8ilpfViXTxqhTSk-BeNNXzrRr7LD3ul3rgOiIMR77xZmYnH4dluOaEz5m-Y3ydDG0OTzAaST_Ms/s1600/Photo+Feb+06,+2+59+08+PM.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></div>
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By this time, a few "expert flyers" had arrived for their time in the tunnel. Dustin told them he was going to take us in first, then they could go.<br />
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Awesome. Now if I cry or chicken out, I'll be making a fool of myself in front of these guys who think this is no big deal.<br />
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Fabulous.<br />
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Momma and I stood in the waiting area and they ramped up the speed in the wind tunnel. You guys, I'm not even kidding, my whole body started to vibrate under the force.<br />
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"Yep, there's no way I'm doing this."<br />
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Naturally, Momma offered to go first -- and of course, she rocked it!<br />
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How is she so photogenic in 100mph winds?! Also, in that last photo, she is 50ft. up in the air. Go Momma!</div>
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Once she came out of the tunnel, I froze in panic...<br />
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Dustin was saying "Come on girl! Let's do this!" and I tearfully admitted to my mom, "I can't do this. Seriously. I can't do it."<br />
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Again, Momma is a phenomenal cheerleader and I found a way to step towards the entrance to the tunnel. I love it that the photographer happened to capture the moment after I found the courage to try.<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSyJmnRGXnM_c_OPnCMGCO6Qwy6-AkyigYN3XGB2D23ubl565qBxxU3H7mOE1OCFu8Xntp6nht3QMriZTsrwA6dhMwExiTRowWwHhIxn1uOBf_vTwWCdbDSp8M7LndJdKoCQk9O5qcPGQ/s1600/Photo+Feb+06,+8+25+53+PM.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></div>
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As it turns out, it was so much fun!<br />
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This is (yet another) one of those times when I'm so glad that I didn't let fear control me and I stepped up to the plate -- or the 100mph winds.<br />
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And just for fun, here are a few photos of those expert flyers!<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMVg11RFdyIY0pLapoUV5nMiS0sjW_txmdJuaDa5YHedwC16OaLzIUVd_snk7UsYEgCC9c7C6eVCZoybWfC8SH6czqQDETZlK86JUkQgy_fvuMsNuOkTnAYRK0MXOkStg3WjkwvTtoko0/s1600/Photo+Feb+06,+3+29+24+PM.jpg" height="638" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAzXtYlP2jF7f02pj0WArMnUUBm3tbCDchzbc2qQme_3fw3k0Q-zwMbSgcsG9wNKu4pHzTg2sQd-lnXQHv82OPUBAuF4Xg9l-jWzWsCf4DIXOmQW3h2AlE4eeRRBdF1qVtc_nDG6-pIk/s1600/Photo+Feb+06,+3+29+20+PM.jpg" height="638" width="640" /></div>
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Consider this item checked off my <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2014/05/26-while-26.html" target="_blank">26 while 26</a> list!<br />
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xoxo, E<br />
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-71773066579372060642015-02-04T02:00:00.000-06:002015-02-04T02:00:03.185-06:00Passing It DownI'm really excited to share a custom project that I worked on for a client who wants to teach her granddaughters the value and importance of writing thank you notes.<br />
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The client said that one of the girls is super girlie and loves pink & flowers - the other is a bit more of a tomboy who loves science & robots and the color purple.<br />
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I am absolutely in love with how the girl robot turned out. I'm trying to find ways to include her in other pieces too. She just makes me smile!<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMe4aGpofSgNMDgfSii_Z8Tli1hEGZPhQcS8veTzYwhAX0PTAjp2yL_MD0nDghyphenhyphenWHZ2Sr6vH6IbA5ILq32qOBljIGupOuEZFg2gFXOvuYIXS3Fq_Le128OcuUn0aQPNBqhEQkah5UmVY8/s1600/Photo+Jan+21,+6+17+17+PM.jpg" height="640" width="640" /> </div>
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It was so much fun to work on these cards and create something specifically designed for each girl!<br />
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xoxo, E<br />
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-18769719788195313522015-02-03T02:00:00.000-06:002015-02-03T02:00:17.211-06:00Bragging on a FriendI feel unbelievably blessed to call Kelly my friend. You might remember me bragging on her <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2013/10/vip-part-3.html" target="_blank">here</a>, but today I'm going to UBER brag!<br />
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Kelly is a seriously talented artist, like unbelievably so. (If you follow her on <a href="http://instagram.com/morekelly" target="_blank">Instagram</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kellymorrisonart" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, you already know just how true this statement is.)<br />
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Last year, she started her business - <a href="http://www.kellymorrisonart.com/gallery/" target="_blank">Pet Portraits by Kelly</a>. She has the ability to capture the personality of people's pets from a photo and create a beautifully hand-drawn piece of art.<br />
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I love it that Kelly shows the process of working on the drawings. It's so fun to see how they come together!<br />
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There's no denying this girl's talent - especially when she does a side-by-side of the pet photo and her drawing.<br />
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I mean, right?!<br />
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Kelly has tried to convince me, on multiple occasions, that I need to get a puppy. However, I'm pretty sure my allergies and my desire to keep my furniture in its current condition will prohibit this purchase. In the meantime, I'll just continue to ooh and aah over her work.<br />
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I've shared a few of my favorites below, but I strongly suggest you <a href="http://www.kellymorrisonart.com/gallery/" target="_blank">scroll through her site</a> and see the rest.<br />
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Kelly has been such a huge source of support for me as I've developed and launched <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/LoopsAndBelles" target="_blank">Loops & Belles</a>. It's so wonderful to have such great community, and I couldn't be prouder of all that she has accomplished!<br />
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Here's to a 2015 filled with more beautiful <a href="http://www.kellymorrisonart.com/" target="_blank">Pet Portraits by Kelly</a>!<br />
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xoxo, EElizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-36608226578341659022015-02-02T02:00:00.000-06:002015-02-02T02:00:03.316-06:00Guthrie AdventuresIf I can help it, I like to have something planned every weekend.<br />
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Don't get me wrong, I love a Saturday spent watching too many episodes on Netflix. (I'm getting caught up on Parenthood!) But most weekends, I like to have a few things planned to occupy my time.<br />
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Confession: I spent some time on Friday planning quite a few of my weekends throughout 2015. It's no wonder that my professional life involves so much planning - it's a big part of who I am.<br />
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However, I'm just going to chalk Friday night's behavior up to my goal of being more intentional in 2015.<br />
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So, this past weekend... the plan was Guthrie. And that had been the plan for well over a month. The fact that the forecast was calling for cold and rainy (after two days of 70+ and sunny) did not deter us from this mission.<br />
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Aside from going to Guthrie when I was in college to see a friend in a show at The Pollard Theatre, I'd never ventured the 30 minutes north to visit the original state capital of Oklahoma. I figured it'd be a pretty good place for my <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2014/05/26-while-26.html">26 while 26</a> goal of spending time in 5 new cities.<br />
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The cold weather was actually perfect for the first stop on the adventure: Hoboken Coffee Roasters.<br />
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Armed with a warm beverage, it was time to start exploring the historic downtown area.<br />
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This was one of those times that I was actually dressed appropriately for the weather to be walking around. (Let's not talk about the number of times that I've worn uncomfortable shoes or left my coat at home.)<br />
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There are so many great old buildings, brick walkways, and beautiful ghost signs on the sides of the buildings in Guthrie. This Coca-Cola one got me tickled!<br />
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It was so funny to notice how many of the doors had a "1/2" as a part of their address. Made me think of Harry Potter. Oooh, that might be my next binge-watch on Netflix.<br />
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I'm such a sucker for an exposed brick wall. When I peeked through the window of the door above, there was a beautiful brick wall and an old stairwell with a funny little message, "Don't spit on the stairs." I'd say that's a good life lesson for all of us, no?<br />
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The plan was to hit up Union Tacos for lunch. Sadly, we were met with an empty storefront and no sign that UT had ever been there... so, I'm guessing they're closed? Bummer.<br />
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We ended up heading south to Norman to have lunch at Chuy's, and I was able to add the 10th and final "new restaurant" to my <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2014/05/26-while-26.html">26 while 26</a> list. Victory!!<br />
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I feel like I've made a lot of progress on my list in the last month, and I'll make even more this weekend when I go indoor skydiving with Momma in North Carolina!<br />
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Happy Monday! Here's to a great week.<br />
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xoxo, E<br />
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-9469362741734320102015-01-28T02:00:00.000-06:002015-01-28T02:00:08.744-06:00Between Light and DarkOne of the recently checked-off items on my <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2014/05/26-while-26.html">26 while 26</a> list is "take a photography class."<br />
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When I came up with this item for the list, I had absolutely no idea where I'd take the class... I was just hopeful that I'd figure it out over the next 364 days. Needless to say, I was super excited to see that <a href="http://instagram.com/elyfair">Ely Fair</a> was going to be teaching a class!<br />
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I signed up for the class in early November, so my anticipation was building for over two months. The class totally delivered!<br />
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Elyse was so kind and brought a little gift for each of us in the class. She "teased" us with this photo on Instagram -- I immediately took a screenshot, sent it to my mom and said, "That's me!"<br />
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I'm sure you're dying to know... "What's in the box?!"</div>
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Well, I'll tell you! </div>
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In the box I found: A darling notebook, pencil, photography principles notecards for classroom note-taking, and a lens cleaning cloth that also serves as a cheat sheet!</div>
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Man, the girl is thoughtful AND creative -- plus she's uber talented. She takes seriously awesome photos. (<a href="http://instagram.com/p/u0n2rfC0JX/?modal=true">this one might be my favorite</a>)</div>
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After learning where to find the shutter speed, aperature, and ISO adjustments on my camera, it was time to start playing and practicing!<br />
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The next hour became all about finding that place between too light and too dark.<br />
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... and realizing that I have to pay attention to where my focal point is -- otherwise the brownie muffin in the background will be crystal clear and the foreground will look like my morning vision before I put my contacts in.<br />
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Thanks for the class, Elyse!<br />
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It was such a beautiful afternoon to be at Kitchen No. 324 and learn all about how to intelligently use my camera.<br />
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xoxo, E<br />
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-44171966085663327182015-01-27T02:00:00.000-06:002015-01-27T02:00:02.176-06:00Big Dreams, Dumbfounded MomentsYou might have seen on Facebook (or on <a href="http://instagram.com/loopsandbelles">Loops & Belles' Instagram</a>) that I had a pretty big announcement to make last Friday. Yes, I keep having "big announcements," but to be fair, big things <i>keep</i> happening!<br />
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I am absolutely over the moon to say that <a href="http://instagram.com/chirpsandcheers">Chirps & Cheers</a> is now carrying <a href="http://www.loopsandbelles.com/">Loops & Belles</a>.</div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwUCED9OBDYjYPte7JhdVbA307cDHE8u3dKpYfxvQuTpbQHvKSny2A5LJAydYy8NC2dWFtpbwfchzucqXra296pvANYZzNablaO0RSxRpVww4VJ2Gm5Wic5OEVTlKgZIhYFUkMmMUjDoU/s1600/Photo+Jan+22,+12+35+03+PM.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></div>
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But let me back up a few steps...</div>
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I was in the store shopping after the New Year and Susan asked me how things were going with the cards. I updated her on the <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-6th-best.html">Green Bambino news</a> and said that I had some new designs to release over the next few weeks. </div>
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Susan then said, "Well, I want to talk to you about having your cards in the store."</div>
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You guys. I was dumbfounded.</div>
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I had told someone a few months prior that while some people dream of having their products in Target (and don't get me wrong, I'm one of those people), one of my big dreams is to have my cards in Chirps & Cheers. </div>
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The store is heaven for any paper person and has fostered my love of snail mail over the years.</div>
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And you guys, <a href="http://www.loopsandbelles.com/">Loops & Belles</a> is on their shelves!!!</div>
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So much excitement. So much joy. So much gratitude. I still can't believe it!!</div>
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I think I may be squealing over this for the next few months. I have fallen in love with so many products and designers because of this shop, and now my cards are among them. </div>
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SQUEAL!!!</div>
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I know that I'm gushing, but I just can't help myself!! </div>
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Allow me to compose myself to say this: Susan has been so supportive, encouraging and offered such great advise as I've worked to build my business. It is such a privilege to know her, and it means the world to me that Loops & Belles is in her store. </div>
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I can't believe that January is almost over. 2015 has been so wonderful to me thus far! In honor of how speedy January has been - and how quickly February 14 will be here - I want to give you all a little Valentine's gift...</div>
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Through Saturday, receive a FREE card of your choice with any <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/LoopsAndBelles">Loops & Belles purchase</a>. Just include which card you'd like in the notes section at checkout! </div>
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xoxo, E</div>
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-72117971015589448982015-01-23T02:00:00.000-06:002015-01-23T02:00:03.296-06:00A Little More Progress - 26 while 26In case I haven't said it enough, the weather this past weekend was absolutely astounding! In addition to going to Ft. Worth and the zoo, I knocked two more <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2014/05/26-while-26.html">26 while 26</a> items off my list!<br />
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First up - I had a few friends over to play card games on Sunday afternoon. We laughed and shared stories for three hours straight. How great are these minion playing cards that Erick picked up in the dollar section of Target?!</div>
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"Kings in the Corner" was followed by a few rounds of "Cards Against Humanity." I'm not ashamed to admit that I laughed harder than I have in a very long time, for about 5 minutes straight, to the point of tears streaming down my face at the thought of a Biblical plague of boogers. (Yes, it was the card I played, but still! Can you imagine boogers raining down from Heaven?!)</div>
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Anyway. We had such a blast, and I think this is going to be a regular thing!</div>
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Second - I had the day off from work on Monday, so I decided to tackle my "spend some time at the driving range" goal. </div>
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Please disregard my terrible form - and then my <i>even worse</i> form. The last time I took a golf lesson was like 15 years ago. I also do not plan on returning to golf unless it's simply to drive the cart. </div>
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Whew, glad that item is checked off the list! I'm not someone who enjoys doing things that I'm not good at, so I'm excited to move on to some of the more fun goals on my list! </div>
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Like the photography class I'm taking tomorrow :)</div>
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I've also got some more big news for <a href="http://www.loopsandbelles.com/">Loops & Belles</a> to share next week. I'm so very excited!!</div>
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xoxo, E</div>
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-47476561325599531082015-01-22T02:00:00.000-06:002015-01-22T02:00:08.348-06:00Let's Go to the Zoo!No. 12 on my <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2014/05/26-while-26.html">26 while 26</a> list is "Go to the Zoo to See the New Baby Elephant."<br />
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I took full advantage of the unseasonably warm weather this past weekend and went to the zoo with my favorite little lady -- and a few of my favorite adults too!<br />
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I can't help but turn into a kid whenever I'm at the zoo.<br />
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Exploring the zoo with Miss Cam is one of my favorite things to do. It's funny to see the animals through her eyes and hear her little comments. She wanted me to carry her for a good deal of this visit, so I got to hear even more of her little comments in my ear as we walked.</div>
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As per usual, we looked for all of the bronze statues and took pictures with most. </div>
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"Why?" was asked by the little three year old a lot on this trip. "Why is that gorilla eating a leaf? Why is he scratching his arm? Why is he sleeping?" </div>
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As we approached the [real] gorillas, I mentioned something about looking for the baby like we did last time, but noted that he might be more of a toddler now. </div>
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"Why?" </div>
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"Well, he might have grown up like you have. You're not a baby anymore, so he might not be either." </div>
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"That's right! And one day I'm going to be a big girl, just like you!" </div>
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Oh sweet Cam girl, you melt my heart. </div>
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I took off running as we approached the elephant exhibit. I seriously love these creatures an insane amount!</div>
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Once we got to the top of the ramp, we noticed that the baby elephant (Achara) was fast asleep on a bed of hay. It was hilarious to watch her mom eat the hay around her and then finally start nudging Achara with her trunk. Finally, the baby woke up from her nap and popped up to her feet faster than any 350 pound animal should be able to move. I was impressed!</div>
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It was adorable to watch her little trunk move and swing all over the place while she walked and attempted to pick up some hay. She's just so cute!!!</div>
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After the elephants, someone was getting a little hungry - not me this time! - but we made a quick stop to see the sea otters. As you can see, Miss Cam was excited for this stop. </div>
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"Hey Buddy! Come here Mr. Otter. Over here buddy!"</div>
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I'm so glad I put a trip to the zoo on my <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2014/05/26-while-26.html">26 while 26 </a>list. And I'm even happier that I got to share this outing with some of my favorite humans!<br />
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Even MORE <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2014/05/26-while-26.html">26 while 26</a> progress coming up tomorrow!<br />
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xoxo, E<br />
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-348577033468453202015-01-20T02:00:00.000-06:002015-01-20T02:00:06.433-06:00Exploring Ft. WorthThis week on the blog is dedicated to <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2014/05/26-while-26.html">26 while 26</a>! Over the 3-day weekend, I made some <i>serious</i> progress on the list.<br />
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First up: A day adventuring in Ft. Worth -- and a life lesson learned.<br />
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I have been making my Ft. Worth "wish list" for a few months, and I was armed with grand expectations and excitement to venture down on Saturday!<br />
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The weather was absolutely gorgeous on the drive down -- then this little devil passed us on the highway and the drive got even better... I squealed SO loud!!<br />
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[Apologies for dirty car windows!]</div>
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And then the daring duo road off into the sunset together... </div>
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[Notice the dog bone break light on the back of the sidecar? Someone loves his dog!]</div>
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The goal was to be in the Stockyards by 11a.m. to see the cattle drive through the street. We got down there a little early and walked around to explore the area.</div>
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Then, after some safety instructions, we heard the crackling sound of a bull whip and the drive began!</div>
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After the drive, there was an opportunity to saddle up on a Longhorn. Naturally, I took full advantage of this experience!</div>
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After the Stockyards, we walked over to Billy Bob's to see the famous hand prints and the concert venue. I got so tickled - and a bit icked out - when I saw all the lipstick on Johnny Cash's square.</div>
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This is the point in the trip when the life lesson learning started... It was after Billy Bob's that we decided we wanted to head to Joe T. Garcia's and have some lunch on their famous patio. Once we got there, we found a pretty long line, so we decided to grab a snack and come back for a late lunch. </div>
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In the meantime, we decided to venture down to Sundance Square. However, our route was redirected due to <i>quite</i> the horse parade. You guys, the traffic. It's as if everyone in Ft. Worth was trying to use this same route. Ugh, the traffic.</div>
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We finally made it to Sundance Square and walked around for a few minutes. Unfortunately, my feet were hurting quite a bit by this point, so my walk was more of a hobble. Such a beautiful area though!</div>
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By this time, I wasn't exactly at the point of hangry, but I was getting pretty close. After sitting in EVEN WORSE traffic for about 20 minutes, the [horrific] thought occurred to me, "What if the line at Joe T.'s is even worse now that the horse parade is over?"<br />
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A few frustrated-sighs-due-to-traffic later we arrived and... You. Guys. The line was UNRULY!<br />
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Out of stubbornness to keep to "the original plan," we got in line. After only moving two feet in 15 minutes - with probably another 100 feet of line to go - we scrapped our plan and got back in the car.<br />
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And then sat in more traffic...<br />
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You guys.<br />
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After a hunger-and-traffic-related "drama queen" moment, I decided that I just wanted to go home!<br />
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Life lesson: Things don't always go as planned. Rather than cutting your trip short, pack goldfish and be a little more laid-back next time!<br />
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So, I've still got a few Ft. Worth items left on my wish list, but I had a fantastic morning exploring. I'm still counting it as a city explored for <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2014/05/26-while-26.html">26 while 26</a>!<br />
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Oh, one more silver lining: during the horse parade, these tiny little ponies pranced by. So cute!!<br />
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The rest of the long weekend was just the bees knees. I can't wait to share how I took full advantage of the beautiful weather weekend!!<br />
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xoxo, E<br />
<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-87192869017244237572015-01-15T02:00:00.000-06:002015-01-15T02:00:10.563-06:00Inaugural Stationery CrawlWhen you have five days off from work at the start of the New Year like I did, well, those days beg for adventure!<br />
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I watched movies and too many episodes of Seinfeld. I worked on <a href="http://www.loopsandbelles.com/" target="_blank">Loops & Belles</a>. I ate breakfast for dinner. I got a massage. I had tacos with friends. It was a blast!<br />
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But the highlight of the weekend was, without a doubt, the inaugural Stationery Crawl. If you <a href="http://instagram.com/loopsandbelles" target="_blank">follow Loops & Belles on Instagram</a>, you are already familiar with this adventure.<br />
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The goal of the day was to visit many of the locally owned stores in OKC that feature and sell paper products. You guys, basically it was a heavenly day of pursuit.<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiafV73ArQW_x7SLhN2EtBu_m_o6Q9ynz9lfPJ1qxRLV1QW88ZZuGDytzfvrIFuFBSy8VoJwjcPZtlLunWlns4uGrgSiK0tSUL5NSYIsI9pWBOoHWedIv3xL5F89pNW1ECo5ag7U0en4pk/s1600/Photo+Jan+03,+11+47+22+AM.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></div>
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Ever since I started my business, the joy that I get from supporting other paper people has grown exponentially.<br />
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[Cue <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbrbUfYSt0E" target="_blank">"We're All in this Together"</a> from High School Musical]<br />
Side note: I didn't remember the lip-syncing being that horrible. Apologies.<br />
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I definitely scored some snail mail gold during the Stationery Crawl. I've listed the stores below in case you're interested in visiting them.<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvawJAHiOtbZzzpdduQyR4_Xu1QBnF3NKTKjcWWAm986_5qiAcEV18q4DQkxHAuMeSv2PVIewht2A7Agjp65fKWcOxN2wWYoHlHlU-YxsxO0sW-GK0T7afR2VCEdlPRGq8LuDep9Pna1s/s1600/Photo+Jan+04,+1+02+15+PM.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></div>
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Paper 'N More - 7600 North May Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma<br />
No Regrets - 9219 North Pennsylvania Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma <br />
A Date with Iris - 4201 North Western Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma<br />
Occasions - 2001 W Main St # 119, Norman, Oklahoma<br />
The Social Club - 209 East Main Street, Norman, Oklahoma<br />
Collected Thread - 1705 Northwest 16th Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma<br />
DNA Galleries - 1709 Northwest 16th Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma<br />
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Of course there are more great stores in the OKC area, but these are just the ones that I visited during the Crawl! (Other favorites include: Chirps & Cheers, Plenty Mercantile, Ratio, and Dutch)<br />
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I had so much fun! I think this will be something that I continue when I travel to new cities. Oooh - imagine all the shops that I could visit on the road trip to North Carolina! Party!!<br />
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Is anyone else super pumped for the holiday weekend? I have big plans to help check a few more items off my <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2014/05/26-while-26.html" target="_blank">26 while 26 </a>list.<br />
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xoxo, E<br />
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3070800394229560460.post-81974120435115291252015-01-14T02:00:00.000-06:002015-01-14T22:28:09.553-06:00Bullseye Baby! When I went home to North Carolina this past weekend, my mom surprised me with an outing to check another item off my <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2014/05/26-while-26.html" target="_blank">26 while 26</a> list.<br />
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Ladies and gentlemen, it's official. I've shot a gun. Just call me Jack Bauer.<br />
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Side note: Does anyone else miss 24?!<br />
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I took a private lesson at Carolina Sporting Arms to learn all about the safe & responsible way to handle & shoot a gun. Don, my instructor, drew these helpful little cheat lines on my hands to make sure that my form was correct.<br />
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Don't let my big ol' cheesy grin fool you... I was pretty darn nervous to take my first shot. Things got real when I held the gun in my hand, knowing that it was fully loaded. Eek!!<br />
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Another side note: Can we talk about just how cute my Momma is in her pink protective ear wear?! I mean, is there any look the woman can't pull off?<br />
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Remember how I mentioned Jack Bauer earlier? Well, naturally my first experience with a gun called for a silencer. If it's good enough for Jack, it's good enough for me!<br />
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Then the craziest thing happened... I hit a bullseye on my first shot!!</div>
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I love that Momma captured this moment between Don and I. After I took the shot and saw where it landed, I immediately set the gun down, looked at Don, and started giggling. </div>
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"Wait. What?! How did I do that? Wait. Did I really do that?!"</div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiquAK-JmtyU04_7MKhG1nbXXphIksbxzjsErAtneqyRQb0seBzm5mV8RqH-dg1Ldz_5bD9VD4EUaV1CoWaPas6Oer2td5LP3j986c81VFK25aVOz_OGK80bKO50aSaRhQM7TCdFgR9Sa8/s1600/Photo+Jan+09,+3+58+07+PM.jpg" height="638" width="640" /></div>
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Oh yeah. I really did that!</div>
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So, all of my shots weren't as good as the first, but I think we can all agree that I got the job done!!</div>
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Here's the real question though... how the heck am I going to remember the proper way to hold my hands on the gun now that the lines have washed off?! I guess we'll find out!<br />
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Note: The lines are completely gone now. This photo was from later that day.</div>
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I'm really starting to make some headway on my <a href="http://loopsandbelles.blogspot.com/2014/05/26-while-26.html" target="_blank">26 while 26</a> list -- there's nothing like a deadline of 3 months and 5 days to kick my booty into high gear. </div>
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But as for now, #22 is officially checked off the list!</div>
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xoxo, E</div>
<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08681939755183587078noreply@blogger.com0