Pep Talks + Printables

I've been really struggling lately. Like for the last several weeks. Not because of one particular thing. Just lots of things. It's hard when you say you want to "spread your sunshine" to show any emotion other than happiness. And that is hard. To seem happy all the time. 

I had a different post planned for today, but I changed my mind last night. I decided that I chose to blog for a reason. I do want to spread my sunshine. And I realized that it doesn't mean that I have to have it all together all the time or be happy all the time. It means that I try my best to make you feel good. To make you feel like you aren't alone. To be sure if you feel like you're a mess, I let you know that you're a hot mess. 

After the kids went to bed last night, I got to work. I chose three things that I thought someone may need to hear and I gave hand lettering a college try. And what I have for you today are some pep talk printables. There are three designs to choose from as a card or a print. Note: prints are all 8 in x 10 in + these cards fit perfectly in an A2 envelope.

you are great: card + print | you got this: card + print | hot mama: card + print

What I want you to do is download them, print them, and give them to someone. Anyone really. Someone that you think needs a little boost. Someone that you just want to know that you think they are awesome and doing a great job. Maybe that's your mom. Maybe that's your best friend. Or your hairdresser. Or your neighbor.

Go ahead. Help me spread a little sunshine! xo Britt

Anti-Resolution

As each passing year nears the end I start realizing how I haven't stuck with any of my resolutions and how much I have failed myself during the year. It is really depressing to think about actually. My resolutions usually are a list of things that I want to fix about myself. Most of which have been the same things from year to year. Work out. Eat healthier. Get more organized. Blah. Blah. Blah.

This year was different. Something about being a momma of two changed my perspective immensely. This year I am not making a resolution. Not one. I am however making one goal for myself. This will be the year that I cut myself some slack. The year that I am not so hard on myself.

I am a planner. I am a perfectionist. I set very high standards for myself and I don't do well with failure. I have found that I can sometimes almost cripple myself out of just the mere thought of failure. There are so many things that I have wanted to do for so long that I never even started because it may not turn out perfect. And I am tired of being stuck and scared.

Since becoming a mom, especially of two under two, I know that life is messy. Things don't always turn out how you expect them to. Basically never actually. And as I have learned to accept that for others, I have realized that I need to accept that for myself. This year may not turn out how I plan or how I expect, but that's ok.

I want to look back on my year next January and be proud of myself for the risks that I took and the mistakes that I made. Knowing that I was finally brave enough to let myself take the chances to be the best me possible.

Are you with me? What will be your anti-resolution?

xo, Britt

Noah's Room Plans

Am I a little sad that the only two rooms that are finished in the house are going to get redone? Well maybe a little, but I am so excited to get started on Noah's new room! And then once we find out what baby #2 is, get started on the nursery. The plan is that the office will move into the rec room, Skylar will move to the office, Noah will move to Skylar's room, and the nursery will remain the nursery. 

As I shared a week or so ago, I have been really starting to introduce Noah to Montessori learning. I plan to use many of those new learned principles in Noah's new room. I plan to make it where Noah can be as independent as possible. I am having my father-in-law help me build a little platform for Noah's bed, enabling him to get in and out of bed on his own. 

I also want to set up all of his stuff at his level so he can play and do activities on his own. This will take some very good baby-proofing, so I plan on only allowing things in his room that he cannot hurt himself on. Nothing that he can fit in his mouth either. I know that would be the first place he would put it. :) 

So I just thought I would share a few inspirations that I have found lately. I am trying to make up my mind and then here soon get started. (All of the photos link to the original sources)

Happy Wednesday! xo, Britt

The Struggle is Real

I don't normally share like this but I have been struggling lately and I decided that I was going to be brave and open up a little. I decided that other girls/women/moms/creatives may be going through the same thing and my post could help someone else out. Or at least make them feel like they are not alone. 

I will start out by saying starting this post was a struggle. I sat and contemplated for a long time whether or not to write it. But then I decided to buck up and go for it. So to name it ... ahhh ... so hard and I haven't even started yet. Here were a few of my alternate names for this post: I've Got 99 Problems + Here are a Few, To Be Honest, Struggle City. Ha! I have issues :) anyway back to the real reason I am even writing this post.  

So I have been struggling lately. I mean really struggling. My 45 minute drive home from work at night and of course my repeating Taylor Swift album have been sufficient up until about a week ago. And now not even Blank Space can make me feel better. 

Lately I have found that I have been getting down on myself because I don't feel like I am doing enough. I could be doing better at being a good mom. I could be doing more for the blog. I should have an online design portfolio. But worst of all I have been playing the comparison game. I am comparing my blog and number of followers to others. I have been comparing my design work to other people that I see online. I do it all of the time. With literally everything. Its so dangerous to do that. It causes so much anxiety in me. 

The problem with comparing yourself to others is that we are all different. We are all at different stages and levels in the things that we do. I realized that I have been comparing my blog, that's not even a year old, with blogs that have been around 5 to 7 years. I am comparing my time I get to spend with Noah with other moms that stay home with their kids full time. I have been comparing my designs with people who have been doing longer and have more training. I could go on and on. 

When I realize that I am playing this game with myself, I try to think back to a series I watched from The Alison Show. One of the parts of the series is called The Comparison Trap. And she says "And it just CLICKED. That's exactly what comparison is!!! It's A TRAP!!!" So anytime I feel it coming on I try to watch her video and put things back in to perspective. It's hard. And I don't know if it is going to get easier any time soon. But I just try my best and that's all that matters.

I just wanted to let you know that if you are struggling with this too, you are not alone. So if you are feeling this way I just want you to know that you are doing your best. It's ok to not have as many followers as your favorite blog, it's ok to not have as many pieces in your portfolio, it's ok to not make dinner from scratch, it's ok to have dirty dishes in your sink, it's ok.  

I just hope that this helps at least one person and I will be happy. xo, Britt

Free Inspirational Printables

What kind of inspirational week would it be if we didn't have something that you could print and look at everyday for a reminder? So of course we decided to give you two to choose from ... or both.

Print them, frame them and put them somewhere that you will see them daily. They are also perfect to give as a gift to someone who could use a little inspiration.  

Download the Be the Reason print here.

Download the Beauty Begins print here.

We hope that you download and use these as a little inspiration for yourself or someone you know that could use them. Make sure to show us where you put your prints by following us and tagging us on Facebook, Twitter, + Instagram.

Tomorrow is the last day of our inspiration week and we cannot wait to show you what we have up our sleeve. :) Make sure you come back sometime tomorrow to check it out. 

xoxo

Britt + Sky