In case you missed it on social media, I could not be more overjoyed to tell you about a passion project that has finally come to life.

Nicole, one of my oldest and dearest friends, and I created this desktop calendar called “Women Who Changed The World.” I did all of the lettering by hand, and she did all of the other illustrations by hand, plus composition and layout (and she patiently listened to me talk about timelines for months).

I should also mention that Nicole lives in NYC and I live in Chicago–so we’re long distance BFFs and now long distance business partners! I honestly can’t believe we pulled this off with that factor.

Soooo… why’d we do this? We’ve been talking about this project for over a year now–we both needed something creative outside of work to do (other than my blog of course), and we wanted to do it together. We also wanted to make an impact of some kind… so donating to charity with every sale was an easy decision to make (more on that below).

And featuring women? Well, that was a no brainer. This calendar is created by women, it’s for women, and the proceeds go to women. #thefutureisfemale

Each month features a quote from a famous historical woman who made an impact on the world.

I’m not going to give away all of the pages (you’ll have to be surprised!), but I can tell you the amazing women who are featured:

January – Eleanor Roosevelt
February – Rosa Parks
March – Anne Frank
April – Nora Ephron
May – Susan B. Anthony
June – Harriet Beecher Stowe
July – Frida Kahlo
August – Julia Child
September – Amelia Earhart
October – Fannie Lou Hamer
November – Lucille Ball
December – Helen Keller

Arguably the best part of this project is that 10% of sales (sales, not proceeds) go to She Should Run, a national network committed to advancing women and girls in public leadership. See what they’re about here.

I would LOVE your support–if you don’t want to buy a calendar (no hard feelings!), pass this on to someone who would like it!

xo

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If you’re anything like me, you have 8+ weddings per year lined up. I guess that’s just what being in your late 20’s looks like… right? When it comes to gifting, I typically like to pick something off of registries that the wedding couple will remember me for. I don’t want to just pick out some towels… I want to get the couple something that, when they use it, they’ll say “oh, remember Audrey got us this!” Is that narcissistic? Maybe. We’ll circle back on that one.

One gift that I’ve been drawn to a few times actually kills two birds with one stone; it’s not only a gorgeous keepsake, but it crosses one thing off the couples’ massive to-do list. This is truly a unique wedding gift–any guesses?

Their wedding guest book.

Gifting your friends their wedding guest book is the perfect present for numerous reasons:

1. It provides a reason to print their gorgeous engagement photos. Otherwise they might be doomed to live on a hard drive/Facebook forever, and who wants that? (P.S. there’s a whole new post on this aspect of it coming soon – stay tuned)
2. It takes some stress off the couple’s plate. With all the planning that a wedding takes, the guest book is likely the last thing on their mind – and they will love you for crossing something off of their list.
3. It’s a keepsake that they will cherish forever. Plus, it’s beautiful and could (should) grace their coffee table for years to come.

When it comes to printing companies, I am completely brand loyal to Artifact Uprising. If you haven’t heard of them, they’re an indie book printer (wayyyy better than Shutterfly or Walgreens in my opinion). I adore them for a few reasons:

1. Their products feel professional. They are really well made, and are the perfect keepsakes.
2. The company has gorgeous branding overall and they tug at my design-lover heartstrings.
3. They are always innovating. I swear, every time I check their site they’ve come up with a new way to preserve memories — whether that’s with prints, photo books, framed photos, calendars, baby books… the list really goes on.
4. They’re environmentally friendly.
5. Their products are minimalistic and made with purpose.
6. Their website is easy to navigate and it’s not difficult at all to make photo books!

I can’t wait to give this particular book to my friend Addi for her wedding – I just know she will love such a unique wedding gift! Making the book itself was easy – I imported all of her engagement photos to Artifact Uprising’s website, the clicked and dragged the photos into the book.

I was able to change the layout of each page, and I was also able to crop the photos, zoom in/out as needed, flip the photos horizontally if they made sense at a different angle… the options seemed unlimited! I was also able to view the entire book all together to make sure it was seamless.

These guest books start at $139. You pick the fabric, the foil, the layout, the album size, and the paper that goes into it (all of this might alter the price depending on what you choose). Check out the guest book options here! Oh, and they recommend these pens for writing in guest books. And if you want some gift wrapping ideas, click here!

Love Always, Audrey readers get 10% off this unique wedding gift now through Friday, September 22nd! Use code AUDREY10 at checkout. 

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If you live in Arizona and love her engagement photos as much as I do, her photographer is linked here.

Artifact Uprising did hook it up with some site credit in exchange for this post, but I promise that all opinions are my own and this is a company I truly use and love.

If you liked this post, you may like this one, and this one.

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source // source // source // the rest are from Pinterest

kindle or tablet cover // arrow cookies // bouquet wrap // cheeky plant holders // floral bath salts

one // two // three // four // five // six // seven // eight // nine

Get this playlist on Spotify

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Do you have any fun plans for Valentine’s Day?

Also, last year’s Galentine’s Day Brunch and this year’s DIY Valentine project.

The post All The Valentine’s Day Things appeared first on love always, audrey.

At the start of the year, my amazing boyfriend got me a Cricut Explore Air 2 for my birthday, and I haven’t seen the light of day since (sort of kidding). I loooove making new projects with my machine! For this Valentine’s Day, I decided to make mugs that can (and should!) be filled with tasty treats! I put together a tutorial for you, complete with free SVG cut files if you have a cutting machine (SVG downloads at the bottom of the post). Enjoy!

First off, you need a Cricut. This one’s mine–ain’t she a beaut?

1. In Cricut Design Space, set “mugs” as your canvas. This will help you figure out what size to make your graphic! I always size mine to be a liiiittle bigger than the image they show.

2. Upload your SVG file in the “upload images” tab, then insert that image into the project.

3. Once the image is uploaded, right click on it and “ungroup.” This will make every piece of your graphic a different layer, but don’t worry–we’re going to re group them in a sec!

4. For everything you want to be different colors, select those layers and “attach” them. For this one, I wanted my text to be pink and my hearts to be gold, so I grouped all the text together. I then did the same for the hearts, so I had 2 layers: text, and hearts.

5. Change the hearts to be a different color than the text. The color you choose doesn’t have to be the same as what you’re printing–it just needs to be a different color so that the Cricut machine knows that they need to be cut separately.

6. When you’re ready to cut, hit “Go!” Be sure to select “mirror image,” since we’re using an iron-on.

See what I mean about the different colors printing separately? You can see the two layers on the left.

7. Since I was cutting out my letters first, I put the pink vinyl down to start. Make sure to put your vinyl shiny side down, or follow the instructions on the package.

8. Once your vinyl is cut, it’s time to start peeling! Slowly peel away the excess vinyl so you see only the graphic you printed out.

9. Now it’s time for weeding! This is a tedious but very necessary task. I have a special weeding tool that I use for this, but you can also use a bobby pin or anything small and sharp that will help you get out the spaces between O’s, K’s, E’s… all of those little guys.

10. Once you’re done weeding, apply the vinyl to your mug! Make sure it lines up well (it should slightly stick to your mug, but not so much that you can’t adjust its position). P.S. I buy these mugs from Amazon all the time, and they’re perfect for this project!

11. Put a towel or cloth between your iron and the mug (so the vinyl doesn’t burn), and get to ironing! You’ll need to apply a bit of pressure and hold the iron down for a minute or so on each spot. This mug probably took 4 full minutes of ironing to make everything stick.

12. Peel off the plastic, and voila! Now it’s time to put on the hearts. Line them up the best you can according to the design (remember you can adjust as needed before ironing down). Once the hearts are ironed on, you’re done!

The thing I love about these mugs is that the pink goes so perfectly with Strawberry-flavored Pocky! I also mixed in Cookies & Cream because hey, I’m crazy like that. How great would this mug’o’treats look on your BFF’s desk? She’ll love you forever.

I also added in pom poms because I think they just look so festive! And they’re super cheap–I think a big bag of these was $4 at Michaels.

Okay, that’s settled… Pocky looks cute in every single situation here.

Supplies:
Pocky (and lots of it!!)
Cricut Iron On (Pink)
Cricut Iron On (Gold)
Plain Ceramic Mugs
Cricut Weeding Tool
Cricut Explore Air 2
An iron

SVG Downloads (FREE!):
Hubba Hubba
To All The Ladies In The Place
You Make Everything Groovy

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This post was sponsored by Pocky, a treat I love to indulge in. All comments and opinions are that of my own. Thanks for supporting the partners that keep Love Always, Audrey running!

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Recently, I had the chance to meet one of my favorite artists, Paige Poppe. I’d been following Paige for quite some time on Instagram, and with each post I fell more and more in love with her watercolor work. Paige beautifully captures everything I love about my home state of Arizona, from the cacti to the vibrant and numerous colors of the desert.

After months and months of Instagram stalking, I finally met Paige at the Phx Flea in November (and bought my new favorite wall art). She’s so sweet and talented, and I knew I had to interview her for the blog.

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How did you get started in watercolor painting? Did you go to school for art?

I first started watercolor painting when I was 12 and fell in love with a little portable watercolor kit that I loved to travel with. I fell out of practice with the medium, but during architecture school, I reconnected with it through two watercolor classes. First, while, I was studying abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, and my friend convinced me to take a watercolor class with her. To think I needed convincing, ha! I had a wonderful teacher that semester who taught me a very refined and architectural style of watercolor. This class got me hooked, and you could always find me hanging out in the gardens of the city and painting after that.

Then during my final year in architecture school, I took another watercolor class from an architecture professor. His style was much more loose and suggestive, but has influenced me immensely. I feel that I have joined these opposite styles into the art I create today. So to answer your question, no I did not go to art school, but I am so grateful I had the opportunity to take these classes during my time in architecture school!

Are there any other artists in your family?

There are not any other artists in my family, but my aunt is a very talented interior decorator that I look up to!

What’s your favorite project you’ve ever done?

This is so freaking hard to choose! Painting larger in general brought me a lot of joy in 2016, but was also something I was scared to do. Looking back, all of my large-scale works are some of my favorite pieces I’ve ever made. It’s very exciting to go into 2017 with a new confidence, and that fear of painting big dissolved. I feel like I haven’t even dreamt up the large pieces that will come to life this year yet!

What advice would you have given yourself 5 years ago?

Five years ago I was still in architecture school, and I was pretty content with where I was at. I had started selling a few art pieces on Etsy, but it was mostly so I could buy art supplies and create more art. I don’t know if I would tell myself anything too drastic, because I think the skills I learned in architecture school and the patience I had to build my business were invaluable.

One thing I can think of is that 2012 was the year I started my YouTube channel. I only uploaded a couple videos about fashion (I was fashion blogging at the time for fun) and I wish I had stayed consistent with this platform back then, because I didn’t really ramp up my channel with weekly videos again until 2015.

What’s your goal for 2017, both personally and in your business?

As for my business 2016 was my year of creating all of the time and sharing all of my ideas and collections. In 2017 I hope to have the same creative energy and a large body of work, but I would like it to all run a touch smoother. I learned so much about my business in 2016, and implemented many systems to help me do this in the new year. I am excited to put them all to use in the coming months!

As for a personal goal, I would love to cook better meals at home. Grocery shopping + cooking are admittedly not my favorite activities, but I prefer eating healthy meals at home rather than eating out. This week I planned out my meals and grocery list in advance, and I am already enjoying the process! And as an added bonus, by planning ahead we are wasting less food and putting it all to use. Also, my crock pot will be my best friend in 2017 ;)

What supplies would you recommend for someone looking to get into watercolor? Do you have any online classes that you recommend for someone not near an art school?

When it comes to watercolor, I believe that the brush and paper quality matter the most, and you can be more experimental with the paints. I recommend watercolor brushes by Winsor & Newton, Princeton, or anything made from sable hair. As for paper I use a mixture of Canson and Strathmore brands. For the paint, you can definitely use student grade paint tubes or pans and see how you like them. If they’re not performing how you’d like, buy a couple higher-end brands like Holbein or Winsor & Newton and see if this makes a difference. You can purchase a tube or two at a time, without having to buy a whole set, which is a good way to try a bunch of brands at once.

As for online classes, I have never taken these classes myself but I know Brit + Co. offers watercolor classes, and Skillshare does as well from a variety of teachers. Many art stores also offer art classes taught by individual artists. These are usually posted by the front counter, or you can ask if any are coming up in your area.

Who/what do you draw inspiration from?

Besides the artists that I’ve mentioned below, I find a lot of inspiration in nature, of course, and also at the antique store. I typically pick up an old copy of “Arizona Highways” magazine for the beautiful desert photos and retro fonts. The dishware I’ve been browsing has been a new inspiration point for me as well that I didn’t expect. I recently bought my boyfriend and I a dish set from the 70’s, and now I find myself browsing dish patterns on Etsy in my free time. I am looking forward to exploring this new obsession of mine through my art in 2017.

What do you do when you get artists block?

Luckily my business as an artist involves creating the art, but also managing my business, so there is usually something I can pick up to keep me busy. So if I’m having artists block, I can edit a video for my blog or catch up on emails.

If I’m experiencing a period of artists block that lasts more than an afternoon, I have found that simply establishing a new color palette really gets my brain rolling with ideas. It sounds trivial, but I think colors reference so many different plants and decades, that I can usually come up with a new idea once I play around with the colors a bit!

Who are some other artists that you admire?

I have always loved painter Peter Max for his insanely bold and colorful work. Georgia O’Keefe and Frida Kahlo are classics that I have admired since grade school. In high school I was obsessed with beat poet Allen Ginsberg’s work. As of late one of my biggest inspirations is Kat Von D. Our styles are very different, but I don’t think anyone has branded herself or included her artwork into everything they do as well as she has. From her books to her makeup palettes, every single piece is so obviously “Kat Von D” which I find awesome.

Where is your favorite place to go in Arizona?

Growing up I lived near Papago Park, and still do in my new place! I love riding my bike there and taking in the scenery. I find that it offers the perfect setting for a variety of activities. I have been there to walk, hike, run, take photos, sketch, strength train, mountain bike, and have even had meetings there! It’s a really diverse and beautiful spot.

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You can follow Paige and her amazing art on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. In fact, I highly recommend it! Also, check out Paige’s online shop here. She is available for commissions, logos and branding, wedding + event suites, and personal creative coaching.

P.S. There will be a giveaway happening on my Instagram page from Sunday, 1/8 around 9pm CST to Sunday, 1/15 at 11:59pm CST for a $25 gift card to Paige’s online shop!

The post An Interview with Paige Poppe appeared first on love always, audrey.

My darling friend from high school, Danielle, is getting hitched this December! We decided to throw her a Beach Bachelorette Party over the summer, when we could enjoy the sunshine (not that California is lacking it…), and all the fun accessories that come with the season.

We got the party started at the house, where we decorated for drinks and snacks, and gave all the ladies their presents!

I DIY’ed the hats; here’s the tutorial!

These gift bags were absolutely perfect for the occasion.

This pineapple is a bit narcissistic, don’t you think? ;)

These leaves were part of a garland set, but we decided to put them on the wall instead.

The MOH designed these shirts! Isn’t she talented?

The bride actually made these cups! She got the plain cups from Etsy and then used a Cricut machine to cut out the “Bride Tribe” vinyl stickers. So creative!

We rented a Duffy Boat from Davey’s Locker on Balboa Pier… so much fun! We loved boating right through the sunset.

Here’s (almost) everything we used for the party!

Shop this post here:

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Thank you to Paper Source for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are my own, and I only promote products that I use and love.

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When was the first time you went abroad?
My first time abroad was when I studied in College at Indiana. I studied in Florence, Italy. We stopped in London and then Siena, Italy for 3 weeks. We arrived in January; it was cold and the city was small. At first I didn’t like Siena but one day we climbed the tower overlooking the city and at that moment I fell in love with travel. It was this trip of exploring Europe that I knew I wanted to do something with my life with traveling the world because I didn’t want to stop!

What’s your favorite season in Paris?
My favorite season in Paris is tough; I have experienced them all! The snow in Paris is amazing and is not often but it’s unbelievably magical. Spring is probably my favorite because the cafes start opening terraces on the streets and the entire city is in bloom. After this last trip I noticed the spring goes in stages and different colors bloom throughout the season. It’s lovely to watch the transition in the city.

What’s your favorite place to visit in the U.S.?
In the U.S. my favorite city is NYC. It’s so full of life and there’s a lot to explore. My aunt and uncle live there and they are foodies so when I visit we are always going for the best meals. There is also a good francophile community there which is a good feeling.

How long have you lived in Chicago; what keeps bringing you back here?
I lived in Chicago for 8 years before packing up my belongings to move to Paris. I wanted a change of pace and I needed to change my life. Living in Paris and traveling for 3 years will do that to you. This week I have moved back to Chicago to make it my home base. It’s been a good city to me and I need to live somewhere where there is a lot going on and I can hop a plane to anywhere in the world pretty quickly!

Do you prefer the dark room, or digital?
I love the process of the darkroom. I started in high school and it was the action of the print meeting the developer and watching the image appear that got me hooked. I spent 4 years in the dark room all throughout high school and loved it. Digital is great and I can shoot so much more and know if something worked or it didn’t. That’s a huge help to know instantly. I am not a big fan of computer manipulation when it comes to digital. I believe that that photo should come out the way it does when you shoot it. Post processing is a little like cheating!

If you had to describe your photography style in five words, what would they be?
My photography has changed so much over the years so this is a challenge. Romantic, colorful, warm, detail oriented, french.

What’s your best-selling print?
My best seller changes so much but I guess the one that is most popular over all these years is the Hall of Mirrors from my Paris trip in 2010.

What cameras do you shoot with?
I started my business after getting laid off in 2008 and I didn’t have a lot of money. My first camera was a rebel which I absolutely loved and it worked well. I highly recommend it if you are just starting out. I now shoot with a 70D which is much heavier than my first camera. I lug it around Paris with a few different lenses. I love the 35mm and the 50mm lenses best.

What’s your best advice for someone who wants to travel on a budget?
Traveling on a budget. I highly recommend renting an apartment vs a hotel room. If you can research the area you are staying in you can cut your costs in half by renting an apartment. I have rented through Airbnb and it has worked out well. Visit the local grocery stores and markets and eat breakfast at the apartment if you can. Lunch picnics are great. In Paris there are a ton of restaurants that do lunch prefix menus that are a great value. Try to avoid the high season if you want to save money. Traveling in the winter is fantastic you can get great deals and the tourists are gone so you can experience the city as a local!

Are there any hidden gems in Chicago that photographers should know about?
I wish I knew of hidden gems in Chicago. After being gone for a few years I look forward to rediscovering the city myself!

Have more questions for Rebecca? Comment below! 

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