I just love free printables, don't you? Each month, I'll create a little something for you to download, if you so wish. Hooray! I'll try to keep it saucy & switch it up from month to month--offering prints, gift tags, labels, stationery embellishments, etc. You just never know when you might need one of these things, ya know? So, for this favorite month of June, & in honor of my attending Alt Summit NYC this week, I thought it was appropriate to work up some inspiration accordingly (keep in mind, these could make nice little gifts, too!).

Enjoy, & if you have any questions about downloading, printing, etc., just leave a comment & I'll help you out!

Click here to download

The past few weeks have been nothing short of moving & going fast, & little room for rest. A week ago, I packed up & moved out of my apartment in Philly, planning on making big moves & changes back to Ohio, yet finishing out some projects & loose ends here in Philly. It's like I have one foot in Ohio & the other here in Philly. Some new things have come about that make me question which side to put my weight. If you know me at all, you know I've been dwelling, praying, pondering, wandering, discovering, asking, worrying, & staring at the wall trying to figure out which road to take. I feel like the past month has been like boarding a high speed train with my view on the horizon; it's there, a little blurry, a little clear, not settling, slow moving, yet going too fast, watching out for every discovery along the way to help my route along. I will miss Philly. I miss Ohio. I will miss being close to Boston & my sister & family there. I will miss the opportunities I've come to know here in Philly, but deeply miss my familiar home in Ohio.

This is where the "double p's" come into play, I suppose: patience & prayer. I think whenever we face new roads, backtracking to roads we should have been walking, or keep pressing forward to where we're meant to be, it's stressful & worrisome, yet exciting & new. I need to remember to be patient to see clear signs & feel true gut feelings to know the right path to take. What are some "stress-relieving/get a grip on reality" remedies you have found helpful when dealing with new chapters in your life? 

Let's "cheers" to new beginnings, whatever they may be (& perhaps, a little sanity)!

Here is a new desktop calendar for you to download for the lovely month of June.

Sizes to download:

1280 x 1024

1680 x 1050

1920 x 1080

Enjoy! 

Hop on over to my shop to see some new "inspiring travel" prints (yellow ombre, mint ombre, & auburn)! I'm taking a stab at some new writing styles, so I hope you enjoy! 

Every street, alley, & walkway in Philly seems to hold some hidden treasure--it's the most eclectic, subtly beautiful city I think I've ever seen. One moment, you think you're walking along a rough block, & you look up to see a gorgeous mural reminding you there's beauty to be seen in even the most unlikely places. That's one of the reasons Philly has grown on me over the past 2 years. I was so stuck on Boston; living there, loving it, wanting to surround myself with it's overpowering quaintness. Then, I end up living in Philly, & find that beauty & hidden treasures are much more appreciated here. & that makes me thankful for it. So, based on the lessons Philly has taught me, be sure to open your eyes to your surroundings, & pay attention to the small things that make your home, your walks, your drives, more worthy to be appreciated.

As something else to "celebrate," I've spruced some things up around here within my blog house! As my blog & shop grow bit by bit, I'm wanting to update & simplify some things so they can make even more sense together. I've also been going through some soon-to-be big changes, & I don't know about you, but whenever I deal with change, I have to reorganize some things to help clear my mind, direction, & thought process; or else, I may go slightly insane & end up sitting on my couch staring at the wall with a million thoughts clouding my view. Does that sound familiar to anyone? I surely hope so. Or else I'll need to reevaluate the severity of my obsessive organizing problem! I'm moving out of my apartment in 2 weeks & have reorganized a few times & cleaned it spick-&-span this past weekend just so I can thoroughly enjoy it in it's lasting days. Such a sentimental chap, I am. Should I find some new hobbies?

Once I have definite plans, I'll share some of these new changes coming about! It's been a lot of up-in-the-air, half making plans, half waiting around for answers to decide on finishing making the other half of plans sort of thing. I believe subconsciously, these uncertainties have played a part in a massive creative block I've been dealing with over the past few months, so I'll be very relieved & happy when it's all settled down.

Which, leads me to a question for any of you willing to answer, how do you deal with creative blocks when trying to maintain a blog/business, to any capacity? If you've experienced similar things, what sorts of things have you tried that have proven to help force you over those creative blocks; such as life getting in the way, being worn out, too many projects that keep you busy, etc.?

I hope you like the new look & layout here!

Can you believe Spring has come, & will soon be gone in a month? I think it's the fastest-acting season, don't you think? With Springtime comes many reasons for celebrations from weddings, graduations, confirmations, Mother's Day, Father's Day, (new blog designs), etc. This is about the time of year when I receive requests for custom map illustrations to be made, especially for newly weds wanting a unique & special map made of their honeymoon. If this is an gift idea that you may be interested in, hop on over to my shop for more details or ask me any questions you may have! 

Happy Monday!

A couple of weeks ago, I went to Boston to see my sister, & make sure all was well from the Boston Marathon happenings. Aside from the leftover, strange feelings of what had just happened, I must say it was a drop-down gorgeous weekend to spend in the city. I think I've finally found when is the best time to visit Boston: April-May, & late September through early October. I'll share some more of the fun side of my trip another time--I wanted to focus this post on remaining helpful to those in need from what happened in Boston... 

Too often, a tragedy happens, we all immediately find ways to help as we sympthacize with those effected, then time happens & we go on with our own lives. We don't necessarily forget, we just unintentionally disconnect & move forward. I am guilty of this, too. Until it happens a little closer to home for you. Luckily, my sister wasn't at the finish line, but she was on her way to it. Luckily, she & her friends were all okay. But they could have not been okay. They were just a little too close to it all. & with it being in a city I love dearly, I feel a sort of hurt for what happened, too. I think we all do.

So, in an effort to remind us that there is still help needed, I thought I'd pass along the link to donate, or find other ways to help those who have surgeries to pay for, or therapy to go through, or spirits to be lifted, as their lives begin to change tremendously. Even sending a fun, goofy card, note, or letter to someone who's going through some tough changes could be enough to help them get through it all. 

Here are some links that may interest you if you feel the push to reach out!

Donate

Help Adrianne

The White Family 

Many other sites within this article are connected to more specific people effected.

Or, one of my favorite ways to help, Buy a cop or first responder a cup of coffee!

Have a nice & thankful weekend, everyone!

Mother's Day Gift "Preview"--Flower Recipe Book from Lindsey Buck on Vimeo.

For Mother's Day, since my sister & I couldn't be in Ohio with our Mom, we bought her a Flower Recipe Book from the ladies of Studio Choo. So, in an attempt to make her opening her gift more fun, I tried to make my first still motion video of the gift we wanted her to have (please excuse the choppy end to the song, I'm still practicing this video-making business!). 

Happy (belated) Mother's Day!

When I was on the train to Boston last week, I thankfully grabbed myself a copy of the new Wayfare magazine for the trip. I loved every page & story, but this story resonated with me the most by Leigh Beisch. Her words are beautiful & describe the true travel spirit--taking in & genuinely, deeply appreciating every moment, visual, feeling, connection to history that you experience & holding onto them. Her descriptions of Rome make me yearn to go back--I'd love to see that church she describes that's so ancient that it still depicts Christ as a living prophet rather than on the cross. How amazing would that be to see something so Holy & ancient? If you've ever been to Rome, I'm sure you understand her interpretation of how special of a role light plays in revealing the city.

I wonder what each city's "subject matter" would be when we visit them?