Portland, Oregon

Hello from Portland! I spur of the moment bought a plane ticket to join my family on their Spring Break trip. My first trip to the city has been wonderful, here is a recap from some of my favorite places we visited over a long weekend:

Letters Are Lovely | Portland
Letters Are Lovely | Portland
Letters Are Lovely | Portland
Letters Are Lovely | Portland
Letters Are Lovely | Portland
Letters Are Lovely | Portland

  • CARIOCA BOWLS — I've been wanting to try one of these bowls forever, and it definitely lived up to the hype. So delicious! I would love to make one at home.

  • Drive to MOUNT HOOD — Beautiful views & lots of snow!)

  • Dinner at HUBERS CAFE with family friends

  • VooDoo DOUGHNUTS — Also worth visiting, quirky and delicious.

  • The PORTLAND JAPANESE GARDEN — Stunning! We got very lucky with our weather, and I can imagine it would be even more spectacular when everything is in full bloom.

  • The PITTOCK MANSION — Great view of the city.

  • DIVISION ST. FOOD TRUCKS // MENAGERIE SHOP — There are so many different food truck locations in the city it was hard to decide where to sop, but the ones at Division St. were wonderful. I tried Smakken Waffles. Lots of options, and a very cute seating area in the middle. Also visit Menagerie, it's a lovely little shop.

  • Drivee to CANNON BEACH — One of my favorite parts of the trip. You could easily spend more time in the park around the beach.

Letters Are Lovely | Portland
Letters Are Lovely | Portland
Letters Are Lovely | Portland
Letters Are Lovely | Portland
Letters Are Lovely | Portland
Letters Are Lovely | Portland
Letters Are Lovely | Portland

  • MULTNOMAH FALLS — Breathtaking waterfall, only about 30 minutes from the city.

  • PAADEE — Lunch stop for some Thai Food

  • ARTEMISIA COLLAGE WITH NATURE — Lovely store filled with plants and terrariums.

  • INK & PEAT — Home and lifestyle shop we stopped by.

  • WITCHES CASTLE — Forest Park is beautiful for hiking.

  • For our last meal we enjoyed French food at PETITE PROVENCE and we couldn't help but brave the one for SALT & STRAW for dessert. Worth it! (I tried the Salted Caramel Cupcake, Honey Lavender, Lemon Amaretto Sour Sherbet & Strawberry Honey Balsamic with Black Pepper. I choose the last two in a waffle cone!)

Until next time, Portland! 

The Bloom Academy

Last Tuesday my mom and I attended our very first Bloom Academy workshop in KC! We learned how to create beautiful flower arrangements using floral from, and I couldn't be more obsessed with the vase. The ladies from The Hair Parlour were also there hosting a braid bar. We had such a great time, I can't wait to attend another workshop in the future! (Just Keep Going Print featured below by Ampersand Design Studio)

Letters Are Lovely | The Bloom Academy
Letters Are Lovely | The Bloom Academy
Letters Are Lovely | The Bloom Academy
Letters Are Lovely | The Bloom Academy
Letters Are Lovely | The Bloom Academy

Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?

I just finished reading Seth Godin's book Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? I don't remember the last time I took so many notes while reading, and I wanted to be sure to document my main takeaways. It won't surprise me at all if I end up re-reading this book in the future. 

Artists are indispensable linchpins. Art is scarce; scarcity creates value. Gifts make tribes stronger. Organizations will always strive to replace replaceable elements with cheaper substitutes. But generous artists aren't easily replaceable. So artists are different.
—Seth Godin, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? 

In this book Seth defines artists as linchpins, but this isn't a limiting factor for he believes that anyone can be an artist. Linchpins make things happen (build and most importantly ship), they are generous, they provide emotional labor, and they see the world as it actually is. One of my favorite sections talked about how being surprised is a result of doing your job properly. He urges you to not ever believe you have it all figured out, and that you don't necessarily need to wait for someone else to tell you what to do next. You do not need to ask permission to do your job better. 

Letters Are Lovely | Linchpin by Seth Godin

It is difficult to summarize all the tidbits Seth shares in this book. I will say it has helped me rethink how I approach my job, and I truly recommend it to anyone who wishes to become indispensable at work.

Every successful organization is built around people. People who do art. People who interact with other people. Men and women who don't merely shuffle money, but interact, give gifts, and connect...The result of this art, these risks, the gifts, and the humanity coming together is both wonderful and ironic. The result of getting back in touch with our pre-commercial selves will actually create a post-commercial world that feeds us, enriches us, and gives us the stability we've been seeking for so long. 
—Seth Godin, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? 

February Around The Web

February is one of my favorite months of the year because I get to celebrate Valentine's Day and my birthday in the same week! This month also was full of wonderful inspiration around the web, and I loved    A Beautiful Mess's Palm Springs Kitty Scratch House DIY. I need to make one for my kitty, Otto.

This month at Hallmark my team was busy working on Valentine's Day cards for NEXT year. I loved seeing all the heart day inspiration floating around the internet this month, as well as all the beautiful cards in stores. I also had the opportunity to visit KU and help Hallmark recruit interns for next summer! My internship sometimes seems like it was a long time ago, and other times I feel like I was just an intern –     but I loved being back on campus and in the design building.

Personally, my wonderful family and friends made this one of my best birthdays ever. I enjoyed dinner at Lydia's in KC with my whole extended family, and a fun weekend in STL with friends. I also loved getting together with friends to watch the Oscars. Now here are a few of my favorite links:

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week!

Polaroids

I love bringing my polaroid camera along to celebrations, and 2016 has already been full of such occasions. Here are a few snapshots from New Year's and my birthday. I hope you all have had a relaxing weekend! (Also if you find yourself in St. Louis and in the mood for a fancy drink head on over to Olio!)

Letters Are Lovely | Polaroids