Wednesday, March 30, 2016

StyleBook App



Warning: Major nerd out coming your way!

You all know how much I love shopping and clothes and fashion and all of that… well, as much as I love all of these things, I’ve never once felt organized. My type A personality just can’t simply have a clean closet and clothes hung based on genre. Oh no! A couple of months ago, at Wine Club, I was introduced to the StyleBook app for virtual closet organization. I was immediately intrigued and vowed to take the time the following weekend to document my clothes (yes I took a picture of every article of clothing I own!). It was a long process, but totally worth it in the sense that I was able to touch, feel and hold all of my clothes in order to decide which I wanted to donate and which to keep.

 I’ve been religiously using the app now for about 6 weeks and I’M OBSESSED! I make sure to keep it up to date (remove clothing I get rid of and add new stuff) and log the outfits I wear everyday... sometimes I’ll even pick out multiple days’ worth of outfits to be ready for the week! I loved this app from the very start because I would always recognize the clothing I really didn’t wear…I scroll through my “closet” on the app so much I realize what I don’t like anymore or what no longer speaks to my style. Once these articles of clothing were identified, I would thank it for everything it has done for me (per the KonMari method) and then down in the goodwill pile it goes. This exercise is really starting to provide a vision of what my wardrobe is and a true sense of my own personal (adult) style.


The app can do so much that I haven’t even tapped into yet (creating “looks”, loading price and packing lists for individual trips to name a few). I LOVE IT and can’t wait to use it to its full potential.  

I recommend to anyone who's had the virtual closet dream ever since seeing Clueless as a youngster. Enjoy!





Sunday, March 27, 2016

Easter 2016


This past weekend we celebrated Easter the only way I’ve known since marriage… we went to the country! We ventured down to Dowagiac Saturday afternoon to have lunch at Final Gravity and go bow fishing on Lake of the Woods, a local lake in Decatur. Now, let’s get one thing clear, I did NOT bow fish. I was simply there to watch the entertainment, drink champagne, and see what the boys think is so great about this nighttime sport. I was not impressed, but was told “next time would be better”… verdict is still out on that one.


Sunday my parents came down and we had an awesome time with family, friends, food, bubbly, Easter egg hunts and confetti. I always love the big family gathering for holiday functions. It’s fun to engage in conversation with people you don’t see very many times throughout the year. Plus the plethora of sweets makes for a fun sugar coma ride home… cheers to Spring!!





  







Friday, March 25, 2016

Friday Five!

{Bell’s celebrating MJ’s 30th!}
___________________________________________

I feel like I blinked and it’s the weekend again! I spent half of this week on the road and the other half vigorously playing catch up. Food show season… Gotta love it!! All last weekend was spent de-cluttering (using my variation of the KonMarie Method), and I must say it’s done wonders for my mood this week. Not only in the morning when I’m hurrying to pick out my clothes, but even in the evenings when I’m relaxing in our home, or even at work when I sit at my desk knowing that everything is in order. De-cluttering is truly a liberating experience and I can’t wait to continue the project this weekend.

Happy Easter lovelies!!


Friday Forte:





{Before I Die by Candy Chang… proud to say I own the hard cover as well as the kindle version so this inspiration is always with me}

{Rosie likes decluttering with Marie Kondo as well!}


{tower of yummy at Carlucci’s in Rosemont}


{sweetwaters birthday cake}

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Links… Lately XIV



Awesome space! I’ll never stop daydreaming about Chicago lofts


There is nothing about this house I don’t like!

This is sooooo true!

Quite an interesting read! I got “The Protagonist” or “ENFJ Personality. What are you?

Let’s all stop complaining!

Women’s Foodservice Forum - Dallas, Texas

I mentioned in my last couple of Friday Five’s that I would be attending the Women’s Foodservice Forum Annual Leadership Development Conference in Dallas, Texas. The trip was even more amazing than I thought it would be. I’m not going to bore you with TOO many details about the seminars themselves.  Let’s just say it was an incredible uplifting experience for me personally as well as for my career. I could only be so lucky to attend again next year…

Some key call-outs:

The opening session had speakers such as AnnCompton and Candy Chang (I was EXTREMELY inspired by Candy Chang’s presentation as the founder of the Before I Die” project). I’m looking into starting this wall here in Grand Rapids… stay tuned J Other general keynote speakers included (but were not limited to) Ann Maria Chavez (CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA), Nely Galan (Independent Producer), Dr.Elizabeth Lombardo (author and celebrity psychologist) and Arianna Huffington (author and co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post).

In addition, these are the breakout seminars I attended (in case you’re interested):
  •       Keys to Successfully Building your Network with Chris Helder
  •       Go Big or Go Home: Breakout Success Strategies for Gutsy Women with Kate White
  •       Leading with Purpose: Becoming an Influential Leader with Eric Boles
  •       Humor That Works: How to be More Productive, Less Stressed with Andrew Tarvin
  •       Just Say It! Make Any Conversation Easy with Shari Harley
  •       Thriving in the Age of Distraction with Curt Steinhorst
  •       3 Distinct Challenges of Living in an Information Rich World with Curt Steinhorst


















Friday, March 18, 2016

Friday Five! - WFF Edition

{one message from my Humor That Works seminar}
_____________________________________________

This week was awesome, exhilarating, liberating, fulfilling, motivating… and exhausting! I participated in 3 seminars a day (plus 3 group meals per day) and networking at night. Dallas is crazy cool! It’s been on my Wanderlust bucket list for years and can’t wait to visit again (in a different capacity)! The conference was lots of work but definitely lots of play as well! It was an unbelievable experience and I can only hope that I have the opportunity to participate in years to come! I’ve never been this excited to grow my own personal brand and see how it translates into the other buckets of my life J

Besides that yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day! One of my very favorite holidays of the YEAR! 


Friday Forte:





{organic margarita & pretty outdoor lights closing out night 2}


{got my sweat on with a view…. LOVED EVERY burning second of it!}


{Women’s Conference = Plants in Urinals}

{my mugshot… because that’s awesome J}

Friday, March 11, 2016

Friday Five!

{birthday aftermath}
______________________________________________

Short week! Max turned half way to 58 yesterday so we took today to hang out before I leave Sunday for a conference down in Dallas! I’ll miss my Rosie Lu but am really excited to get out there and really give everything I got to this leadership conference! I’m taking the week off from blogging but will be back next Friday with my Friday Five!

Have a good week ya’ll!!

Friday Forte: 




{my carry-on essentials for Texas}


{Rosie’s first vet appointment.! she was a hit and passed all tests with flying colors!}


{lunchtime sushi date at a new spot}


{birthday dinner at Firerock Grille}