Lately

At the beginning of this year, I knew I'd have to make some radical changes. Last year was one filled with trials, lots of tears, and worst of all, a prevailing attitude of complacency.  I remember saying on January 1st, "2015 is my year!" I was right, in a sense. It was "my year" to be beaten senseless by my own irrationality. My year to embrace my own mortality. (Three funerals in six months will make you do that.) My year to lose out on sleep, opportunities and precious family time because of my career. It was a rough one. I started out this year with the same ill attitude until I snapped. Didn't take long. Maybe the second week in January? I quit my job, did some serious soul searching, and honestly, I've been better than I've been in a very long time. I've been sort of absent from this blog so I figured I'd take some time to tell you all what's been going on in my life since then.

Hello, 2016

THANK. GOODNESS. There are only a few hours left in 2015 and I couldn't possibly be more stoked about that. I recall saying I had "a good feeling" about this past year before it even began. Boy, was I wrong. It wasn't horrible (actually, yeah it kinda was.) but in 2016, I can do better. I'm stepping up my goal game. It's time to get real.

#SUMMERGOALS

So... it's almost August, folks. I've spent the bulk of this summer living between houses/out of my car and wishing away the humidity. Now that July is halfway over, I think I should stop complaining and appreciate the once-in-a-year dreamlike event that is "SUMMER." Alright, let's be real for a second here though. I've never been one of those girls who can't wait to hit the beach with her "biddies" for some tan time. There is nary a "hot dogs or legs" photo to be found on any of my social media platforms and wine coolers are just plain nasty. Pools are also kind of gross. It's like taking a slightly refreshing chemical bath. No thank you. There are some summer joys I can indulge in though: my once-yearly pre-sunrise trek to the beach to watch the pink and gold light peek over the horizon. Going to restaurants and enjoying dinner outside on the sidewalk or, even better, on the patio or garden. Crop tops. (So. Many. Crop tops.) Iced Americanos, Bomb Pops, and driving with the windows down. Philly's Spruce Street Harbor Park. These little things make summer bearable and the humidity kind of worth it. I'm trying to enjoy it more though, which is why I've thought of a few things to try before my beloved autumn arrives.

Hello, 2015

Some people don't like New Year's resolutions. If you're one of those people, stop reading this, take the stick out of your butt, and go make yourself a list of goals. I love resolutions. New year, blank calendar, wide open spaces on which to begin drafting the next chapter of your life. 365 days isn't really all that much. I, for one, would much rather look back on this day one year from now and relish in the goals I've accomplished. After all, where there is no vision, we kinda start to suck at everything. 

1. Take more pictures: iPhone, real camera, film, Instax, doesn't matter. The older I get, the less likely I am to pause and capture a moment.

2. Appreciate moments without capturing them: I know, this kind of goes against my last point. There are some things that need to just be though, ya know? This is especially true for when I'm out with B. I'd rather focus on just being with him instead of trying to Instagram my cup of coffee or some other insignificant detail. 

3. Practice love: I can be quite the curmudgeon. Whether it be the fury I feel towards the passive-aggression of everyday newsroom life or the condescending hatred I feel towards grown women who use the word "curate" and get excited way too excited about things like Taylor Swift, I need to curb that rage and channel it into love. We're all human beings. I can't frown down upon our species for being so divided if I do nothing to contribute. Love, compassion, and grace do not come easily to me but I genuinely want to work on these things. 

4. Advance in my career: I don't exactly know what this means yet. It could mean moving to another city. It could mean moving up in my current workplace. It could mean a completely different career path altogether. I've sort of "given up" trying to control every little thing about my work life and the next time is to let things be. Obviously I can't not follow up on resumé emails or not actively pursue the next step but I can't worry about it. What will happen will happen. I am sure of this. What'll worrying do? The answer is that it would make me crazy while not helping out at all. 

5. Read: I never want to stop learning and reading is one way to make that happen. I've been reading a lot lately but I want to kick it up a notch. Do you have any suggestions for me? I would love to hear them! 

6. Be Content: Fashion blogging can be a materialistic nightmare sometimes. I had to physically remove myself from my computer a few days ago because I was coveting Chanel Boy Bags on Pinterest. I can be somewhat envious of the bloggers who can afford to buy these like candy. (Or just don't mind running up that Amex bill.) I want to stretch myself not only to stop buying so much but to be creative with what I have. I've decided that if I am going to spend money on clothes this year, the clothes are going to be more timeless and high-quality than quick and trendy. I saved up for a MINUTE for my Speedy and I cherish all of the hard work I put in for it every time I look at it. I need more of that, less "I gotta be hip NOW!" 

What are some of your goals and dreams for this next twelve months? 

xo,

e.m.

it's time.

After a longer-than-necessary time of setting up a Kickstarter, it's finally up! I'm a little nervous but still completely confident that we'll make (and exceed) my $2,000.00 goal. HERE IT IS! We have 29 days. Let's go! (Also, if you have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about, peep this post.)

xo,

e.m.

300

Oh how time flies! Next month, we'll be celebrating lark&lace's first birthday. For now though, can you believe that this is my 300th post? I certainly can't. I want to do something different and instead of sharing my favorite entries in these first 300, I want to hear what some of your favorites have been! Think of it as partially survey, partially happily reminiscing. I was going through some old entries earlier and I can honestly say that I never expected the blog to grow this much in its first year. I'll spare you all of the sappy nostalgia because I'm saving it for next month's first blog birthday but I will say that I'm so thankful for you guys. I couldn't do it without y'all! Here's to many, many more!

xo,

e.m.

4 for 13

I'm not usually one for resolutions. I think they're really overdone. However, I do have some goals for this year. I started running last year and I want to keep up with it and my goal is to be able to run a marathon. Maybe even the New York marathon? Who knows! My second goal is to visit a new country. I'm currently in China but this one doesn't count because I've been here before. I'm thinking maybe Iceland? Maybe I'll even book a wedding abroad? The third goal that I have for myself this year is a little more basic but will probably be the most difficult. Now that my work load has been increasing, I need to learn how to cherish my "me" time and use it wisely. I want to not be too wasteful but to be able to relax also and not feel the need to be constantly productive. My last goal is for my business. I want to book at least 12 weddings for next year, at least one for every month. It's been amazing to watch my business grow in the past year and I can't wait to watch it grow in 2013. How about y'all? Any goals or resolutions?

xo,

e.m.

settling in

Things are finally getting settled in after a few long months of craziness around here. I never realized how much I took familiarity and comfort for granted until today when I looked back on all of the changes over the past month or so. Now that this new house is finally becoming a home, I can focus on my goals, of which there are many. Here are a few things that I'm working on:

 Beautifying everyday life: It's so much easier to stay inspired when you're in an organized space that's full of things that you love. I've been striving to create a world around me consisting of things that please my eye and that will make me want to create even more. Once I get in a creative mood, there is no stopping me! However, it's getting to that point that's the hard part.

Running: As you may or may not know, my New Years resolution this year was to look and feel as great as I can be. I went vegan at the beginning of the year and I've been slowly losing weight since May. I'm 20 down! I have about 15 more to go but I'm in no rush to lose it. I'm more interested in being able to run a marathon and to be in shape for the upcoming soccer season. Let me tell you, for someone like me (bad asthma and general out-of-shape'ness), it is NOT easy, but it is a great release! I can't wait to get better.

Reading: I've always been a big reader but I want to get even more into it. I tend to find myself surfing the web and such in my down time when I should be doing something to keep my mind sharp and my imagination on the top of its game. I have this lovely wall of shelves full of a lot of reading, that seems like a good place to start, right?

Discovering new music: There was a time in my life when I was constantly exploring and finding new music to know and love. Somewhere between now and then, my life got busy and I got a little complacent. I don't want to spend too much time on this but if I can find a new band or artist once a week or so, it would help to drive out that complacency that tends to spread to all other aspects of life.

Spending more time with my sister: Jenna is the coolest 14-year-old that I know. We were never super close until recently when the move brought us together. We're like peanut butter and jelly, which is good because we're planning on being business partners someday!

xo, e.m.