If you run your own business, and especially if you're in the world of social selling, chances are you want to do it well. And you're always striving to do it better. 

Four years ago, I took a total leap of faith and started a social selling business. I'll be 100% honest with you and tell you I never saw myself doing direct sales - not because I had preconceived notions or prejudices toward the industry (I know some do). But, my background was in English and education. My master's degree is in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in journalism. 

I'd never taken a business class in my life. And the closest I ever got to being a salesperson was my first ever job at our local Martin's Supermarket where I was a cashier. Not a whole lot of sales technique needed there! 

So I jumped into this world not because I had a passion for sales but because I have an insane passion for storytelling, and I knew this was a way I could help tell stories from home while my kiddos napped. 

I honestly didn't have a clue what I was doing. I didn't know a thing about branding, marketing, analytics, or customer relations. NONE of that was in my wheelhouse. But I love learning, and I'm a good student, so I knew I could learn. I jumped into every call, webinar, training, and resource provided by our Home Office (and seriously, y'all, KEEP Collective is INSANELY GOOD with training and resources!). I watched what successful leaders in my company and the industry as a whole were doing, and I took bits and pieces that I could apply to my business. I started reading more books on professional and personal development and started reading a little less fiction. And I spent time figuring out who I was as a designer (or consultant or salesperson or representative or ambassador or whatever you're called in your company). Who was I, and what made me, me? 

And there are lots of nuggets of wisdom I could unload here. And I do - weekly - on my team's Facebook page - because when we all share those nuggets, we ALL benefit. I'm so damn lucky to do this among INCREDIBLE teammates and other designers who are always lifting each other up. 

But today, I'm sharing the biggest nugget with you. Because sharing is caring, y'all, and we're all in this together. 

The BEST piece of advice I can ever give you: Get consistent. 

I realize that probably sounds really simplistic, right? 

But consistency in your business solves SO FREAKING MANY PROBLEMS you might face. Let's break it down, okay? 

Posting on social media
Twenty years ago, the world of direct sales looked INSANELY different. Why? Because social media was just a baby (or in most cases, non-existent), and it has VASTLY changed how people share. We no longer call Aunt Agnes to tell her the latest things the kids are up to. Instead, we post our pictures and stories on Facebook and she sees it all there. We no longer have to rely on the postal service to get catalogs and information across the country. We just share a link, and poof, the information is there! 

So why does consistency matter on Social Media? Because you and your business aren't people's priority. While your best friends and family members may know what it is you do, the vast majority probably does NOT. It's important to let people know who you are and what you have to offer. 

Now, that DOESN'T mean you post 17 times a day about your business (or 17 times a day, period). But what it does mean is that you find your cadence and you commit to doing it. Maybe you share on your personal page when you have new products that launch, and you share more frequently in a group or on a business page where people make the choice to follow you. But find a rhythm that works for you and your type of business, and commit to doing it. 

Casual conversations with new people
For the first three or so years that I was designing at KEEP Collective, every single time someone asked me what I did, I'd say that I was a stay-at-home-mom. Which, true. BUT, I also work from home, and I freaking LOVE that I get the balance of both. So now when people ask what it is that I do, I tell them that I get to work from home with an incredible storytelling and jewelry business while raising my babes. It's the best of all the worlds and the perfect fit for our family. 

Sharing what you do is important, and so are those casual conversations. When you meet new people, don't be afraid to share what it is you do when it comes up! If they ask more about it, AWESOME. If they don't, that's awesome too. But keep talking about it - when applicable. 

Putting in the time 
Your business is flexible, but it's not optional. And we ALL have stuff going on. But if you're going to make your business thrive, you have to put in the time. You have to make it or find it. Getting up 20 minutes earlier. Setting aside an evening or two a week. Committing to 30 minutes on a weekend morning. Skipping an hour of Netflix here and there. It doesn't matter when or how, but the effort has to be there. And this really has to be what works best for YOU. For some people, it's really structured time the same days of the week. For others, it's fitting it in during the small crevices of the day (this is how I operate, but I know it doesn't work for everyone!). It doesn't matter how. It matters that you DO. 

There will be ebbs and flows - as in all things. And flexibility and adaptability are key. But consistency HAS to be a part of that. 

If you own your own business or are in social selling, I'd love to know, what's YOUR best piece of advice? What would you tell others? 

Getting it done: The one minute solution

On Saturday, I got up early (after a crummy night's sleep, mind you!) and headed to barre class. It's such a good way to kick off my weekend, and it puts me in the mindset to really make the most of our family time together. And sometimes, it's the little nuggets I take away from the classes that make the biggest changes - and far more than physical ones. 

This weekend, our instructor and my friend Sam talked about how at her day job, she helps people develop healthy habits in their lives. One of her clients kept telling her that she couldn't fit exercise into her daily life. It was too hard to think about working out for 30 minutes a day three days a week. So Sam suggested that on November 1, she start with one minute of exercise a day. And then on the 2nd, two minutes a day, and so on and so forth until November 30 when she'll have worked up to 30 minutes a day. 

And it totally resonated with me. There's SO much I want to do in our new house - but by evening, when I actually have time to do it, I just can't fathom it. BUT, there's something to be said for biting it off in small, manageable chunks and working up to what you want to achieve. Because I actually did the math on this one, that would give me almost eight hours of work time in the house if I matched every day to the minute. That's HUGE, you guys! 

Imagine if you did use this method for exercise - almost eight extra hours of working out a month! If you're already working out regularly, those eightish hours could be the game changer to bust through a plateau or give you the time you need to really amp up what you're already doing. 

Or what if you applied it to work (especially those of us who work from home)?! What would an extra seven hours and 45 minutes do to your business each month? For me, I feel like that could be huge! 

The point is this. Some times those giant tasks can be SO damn overwhelming that it's hard to know where to start. But if you can start small and make it a short, succinct, daily habit, it might just end up becoming a daily habit you don't need to think about. 

I'll be giving this a try in November with settling into our house. Will you join me?! What would you apply your minutes to? 

Valentine’s gifting for guys, gals, and little pals

Valentine's Day is such a special day in our family's world. Not because it's Valentine's Day, but because of the day before. See, in 2012, Dan and I exchanged our first tentative messages on Match.com, and six years later, it still makes me smile when I think about those first few sentences (spoiler alert: we talked about cheese!)! And in 2015, our sweet, independent, loving little man was born (although his due date was actually Valentine's Day!). So, this time of year is always a fun one for us. 

But it's also one of those days where I often struggle with gifting. I love showing our boys how loved they are, and I want to get them special gifts, but it's hard to know what to get everyone. And I'm 99% sure my husband would say the same about me (he's probably waiting until February 14 to snag that gift). So this year, I've compiled some of my favorite items to gift (most are under $50!) in hopes that you'll love them just as much as I do! 

For the Men
Subscription Box from Bespoke Post
A few years ago, I was on the hunt for a birthday gift for my husband, and friend of mine recommended Bespoke Post. This is a subscription box service, but it's super easy to skip months where you don't want a shipment. You can also pay a little more and choose not to use the subscription portion. Anyway, I LOVE these boxes because they're truly so unique. From super cool drink sets to wallet and watch sets to gym sets, this site has a little of everything. The inventory is always rotating, and I love that the gift has pieces that all work well together. A box will run you $45, and you can choose which set to get. Word on the street is that there will be women's boxes launching soon too! 

Beer Soap
So, after you've been together for awhile, you sort of start to run out of great ideas when it comes to gifting. A few years ago, we were making our grocery list close to Dan's birthday, and the two requests he had to put on it were beer and soap. So, naturally I thought, someone should make beer soap! Enter Etsy! There's a whole HOST of beer soaps on there, so I found a store I loved with great reviews, snagged him some awesome "flavors," and he was a happy man (note: we also DID pick up beer at the store, so the list was still completed). The shop I purchase from is currently on a hiatus, but there are several other shops you can find just by searching! 

Cookie Bouquet
In my past life as a high school English teacher, I remember one particular discussion I had with my newspaper staffers regarding gift deliveries. One of the boys made a case that girls are super lucky because they can get things delivered to them at their jobs or school (flowers, balloons, gifts) and that there really wasn't a market for this for guys. So, we went hunting and found these Corso's Cookie Bouquets! The perfect gift for a dude - a bouquet of delicious treats to eat at work! And while there are definitely more feminine options, I also spotted footballs (hello, Superbowl!) and beer mugs, so everyone is covered! 


For the Ladies: 
KEEP engraveable and ring options
What do women want? More than anything? To know they were thought about. Period. It doesn't even really matter the gift as long as it's heartfelt and took a little planning. Enter the engraveable line from KEEP Collective! This line is PERFECT for Valentine's Day! Engrave your anniversary date, the coordinates to where you met, a song lyric from the first dance at your wedding, or anything else special to you! The engraveable bracelets start at just $29, and the necklace is $39. Flowers die, y'all. Get her something she can wear every day and know that you think about her! 

Mug and other "daily" items
Think about all the things the lady in your life does every day. What new thing could she use to complement that life? Is she a coffee drinker? She needs this mug. Does she always have a million things with her? She NEEDS a Four Things Tote Bag! (Seriously, this is eternally on my to-buy list!) Think of her favorite things, and then elevate it. Fancy coffee. A new water cup. Something for her home gym (but only if she's a fitness buff. Because otherwise that's offensive.). 

Date coupons
Wanting to go the homemade route? YES! Homemade gifts rock! And my absolute favorite homemade gifts are date coupons. Because what's better than putting on paper that you're going to spend time together. Can't think of your own? Snag some of these.


For the Littles: 
Little Explorers Subscription Box
If you're new to the blog, you should probably know that I'm a HUGE fan of subscription boxes. Because seriously, don't we all need more happy in the mail. So I'm SUPER excited to order the Little Passports box for our little explorer this year! Each month, you'll get a sweet box filled with educational topics around the globe. For littles, it's large concepts like oceans and weather, and for older kiddos, it's more specific items like countries and tourist destinations. I LOVE the idea of having fun adventures each month! 

Mommy and Me anything
Having only boys, I worried I might not be able to find any cute mommy and me sets out there. But behold! There are LOADS of options in the clothing department! I'm currently crushing on this set from Etsy because it's so sweet! For girl mommas, I'm crushing hard on KEEP's Rose Quartz engraveable bracelet! Rose Quartz represents love, and you can engrave nicknames, a fun phrase, or whatever you'd like on them. I also have a major crush on the new ring since you can add whatever charm you'd like! How sweet would it be to split the BFF heart?

A special date 
Par for the course, my favorite thing to do with our toddler is a special date - something that makes us a fun memory. This year for the eldest, we'll be tackling our first movie in the theaters, our first mini golf game (once the weather breaks, of course), and special dates to the trampoline park, ice cream, and other various adventures. The little guy is still pretty little, but we're looking forward to lots of special outings with him too - just on a smaller scale. 

So there you have it! What sorts of goodies are YOU gifting this year? I'd love to hear! 

Flexible entrepreneurship: Choosing the right Direct Sales company for you

When I was teaching, I loved my work hours. I loved going in early (hello, I'm a morning person!), I loved getting home before 5 p.m. I loved having two weeks off at the holidays. And let's be honest, I loved having time off in the summers to recharge. 

But when I had our son, I knew that this schedule wasn't one I wanted while trying to spend time with H. Those early evenings after work were great... but they were often spent grading until my eyeballs fell out. Weekends too. And summers could easily be spent revamping lesson plans, attending professional development, and rearranging the classroom for hours or days. So that schedule wasn't ideal for my image of mom life for me. 

I really didn't intend to work while I was home, but when our son was five months old, I got the itch. I needed something that made me feel productive. I needed something that was just for me. 

I needed something flexible. Something I could do from home. Something that would add a little income but on my terms and my hours. And I wanted something I truly believed in. I'm not a saleswoman, and I didn't want to sell. I wanted to share something I loved with people I love. 

Find a company with a mission you believe in. 
When I set out looking for a company, I knew I wanted one that primarily focused on women. I was looking for a company that related to my passions: people, family, reading, writing, story telling, or working out. And I wanted something that I hadn't seen 100 other people selling. 

If you ever get the chance to hear Jessica Herrin speak, you need to listen. I don't care if she's reading you her grocery list. There's a chance she's throwing in nuggets of wisdom sandwiched between her spinach and her bread. Her mission - to help women design their one-of-a-kind lives - is maybe my favorite ever. KEEP was a no brainer for me. Find the company that's a no brainer for you! 

Make sure it's a product you love. 
I have mad love for all sorts of products. Peanut butter. Shoes. Carbs. Facebook. 

But I wouldn't go broke trying to keep up my supply of those things. The second I saw my company, I knew I kind of NEEDED it all. It took me a week to place my first order because I couldn't trim my list. And the more I learned about it, the bigger my list grew. Financially, it TOTALLY made sense for me to join! If you love the product, you'll never have to sell a day in your life. Choose something you love. 

Think about the initial investment (not just of money, but time and energy too). 
I've never sold a thing in my life. I majored in English. I spent ten years in the classroom. The thought of owning my own business?! That was a scary one. What if I couldn't sell anything? I was invested emotionally, but I was scared to invest a lot of money into something that I didn't even know if I could do. For me, it made sense to go with a company that didn't require a huge start up. On the flip side, I know a lot of people who liked having a larger investment in their company because they felt like it would push them to be more successful. Whether I spent $149 or $10,000, I knew I'd make a push to make it succeed. 

Decide how much you're willing to invest. And then stick to that. Direct sales companies range from a super low start up to thousands and thousands of dollars. Make the right choice for you based on finding a company you love. 

Take into account how much space you'll need for inventory. 
Ya'll. Let me tell you a story. For MONTHS now, I've been trying to find a place in our house to put a desk. We used to have an office. But then we had a baby. And our workout room became a work out room/office. Only, we can't fit two desks in there. Alas, our house is FULL, friends. 

So when I was starting a business, I knew I needed something that didn't take a ton of space. I couldn't devote an entire office to paper products and inventory. And futhermore, I really didn't want to be with a company that I had to hold inventory for! I liked the idea of customers receiving their products directly from the company. I chose a company where the space needed is nothing more than the top of my jewelry case and my inventory is my own personal collection - my inventory! I don't ever have to worry about having inventory for customers because the company does it for me (and super flipping fast, might I add!)! 

Know what resources are available through your home office. 
Knowing nothing about business prior to starting with KEEP, I wanted a company with a ton of support, not only from my mentor and upline, but from my home office too. I wanted a company that had written resources that I could access whenever I needed them (especially because I was up a lot to nurse at night and had time to look!). I knew I needed resources I could look at when I had the time to look - and I loved that they'd be there for me. 

Ultimately, pick a company where you see happiness. 
There are so, so many direct sales companies to pick from. But ultimately, you're going to want to be somewhere that makes you happy. Do your research. Ask other consultants about their experiences. But in the end, pick the place that makes you happiest. Happiness wins - every single time. And if you're happy, your business is going to thrive. 

Fall favorite things: A natural deodorant that works, my favorite color combo, and a new Stitch Fix model coming soon!

I'm not a real big believer in New Year's Resolutions... mostly because I rarely stick to mine. And I've decided as of late that I really can't (and shouldn't!) wait for a reason to start something new or drop a bad habit. I've missed my regular blogging so much, so one of my goals this fall is to get back to it. And what better way to kick it off today than with a post about my favorite things this fall!?

Holly's Keeping It Real natural deodorant

Confession time. I've been on the hunt for a natural deodorant ever since Henry was born. While I was nursing, I grew super aware of not only what I was putting in my body but ON my body too, and I was hoping to find something more natural. That set me out on a quest to find a natural deodorant that worked for me. Because, you see, I am a sweater. And not just when I'm working out. I sweat, like, frequently. So most of the other natural deodorants I tried just weren't standing a chance. 

Enter Holly's Keeping It Real natural deodorant! Holly and I are in a fit mom's group together on Facebook, and when I was having some arthritis issues, she and I got to talking about the products we use. She told me she'd started selling her deodorant in small quantities, and I jumped at the chance to try it! I selected the Sweet Orange scent, and a gorgeous little jar arrived in just a few days! 

Full disclosure. It took me a solid two weeks before I really felt it was working. But, that's because my research showed that it takes awhile for your body to adjust to not having the normal deodorant chemicals hanging around. So if you can tough it out for two weeks, your body will thank you. I'm LOVING this deodorant! 

Coffeemate's Salted Caramel Mocha creamer
Yeah, yeah, I get it. It's fall. Everyone is on the pumpkin spice latte (PSL for those in the know) bandwagon. And I get that it's charming and tastes like fall. But, you guys, it's not for me. I'm just not a fan. Ever since the first tasty sip of my Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha a few years ago, I've been hooked. But while I LOVE my Starbucks SCM (I don't know that anyone else would know this acronym, but I know it, so let's go with it!), I don't love the $5 price tag on a daily basis. 

Enter Coffeemate's Salted Caramel Mocha. It sort of makes my coffee taste like heaven. A warm tasty bit of heaven that I reheat around four times a morning, but heaven nonetheless. Get your hands on some! Actually, stock up, and give me your extra! 

Burgundy/Mustard/Navy

Essentially everything I wear this season will fall in to this color family, and for good reason. They're GORGEOUS together and separately, and it's a no brainer to me that I need to wear all these things all the time! And what do you know? These colors happen to pair perfectly with my favorite Burgundy and Midnight Python Keeper! Pop some rose gold on there, and I'm pretty much in love! I even think I love it with leopard... and I am SO not a leopard person! 

Stitch Fix for MEN! 
My husband and I are very different when it comes to shopping. I LOVE shopping. I love trying things on and walking around aimlessly with an armful of clothing until I can make up my mind on what I really want. This was pre-kids though, when I had time and free hands to do said shopping. Now, it's just not that easy to get out to a store, try things on, actually REALLY look in a mirror to see how they look, and pay before a meltdown happens. 

Dan, on the other hand, doesn't so much love all the shopping. Whenever we go to the mall, I'll ask him if he needs new clothes. The answer is almost always yes. Yet, when it comes time to actually look and choose and try on, he doesn't know where to start. Full disclosure, my husband is the first to admit that he used to be SUPER fashionable and put a lot of thought into his clothes. But, alas, adulting and work and son happened, and he just doesn't have the time anymore. 

So we were both REALLY excited when we saw that Stitch Fix is launching a men's collection! I may or may not have been stalking the Stitch Fix page for updates, and when I saw that they would be available on September 21, we got Dan signed up for a Fix to arrive on the 22! This is by far my favorite thing to get in the mail (and really the only thing I've consistently blogged since Henry was born!), so I can't wait to have my male model to blog about too! You can check out my past Fixes here! And you can sign your guy (or yourself!) up for Fixes here (<--referral link - Stitch Fix has an AMAZING referral program!)!

What are you loving for this season? Weigh in below! 

Cheers to a year!: What I've learned in my first year of Direct Sales

One year ago this very day, I was a ball of nerves. I had a lot of questions, a lot of excitement, and a lot of fear. One year ago today, I was planning to join a Direct Sales company - something I really never saw myself doing -  I loved the products, and I loved my baby, and I loved my sanity, and I loved the idea of working at home. But, I need to back up a bit. 

In February of 2015, I gave birth to the most beautiful boy on the planet. Yes, I'm completely biased. I'd spent almost ten years as a high school English and Journalism teacher, and it's a GIANT understatement to say I loved my job. I loved having conversations with my students about writing and reading and life. I loved seeing the light bulbs go off when a concept suddenly made sense or a student remembered something we'd talked about previously. I loved the connections I made as a teacher - the connections I made with students, the connections students made to the material, the connections I had with my coworkers. I loved teaching. I still love teaching. 

But I held that sweet baby in my arms, and I just knew I wasn't ready to go back to teaching. I wasn't ready to go in early or stay late. I wasn't ready to bring home 110 research papers to grade. I wasn't ready to lesson plan into the wee hours of the night and morning. I wasn't ready to leave our son. And so my husband and I made the decision that I would stay home with our little man. And I felt very at peace with that. 

But when he was around five-months-old, I started to get the itch. I missed working. I missed accomplishing goals. I missed feeling productive. I missed talking to other human adults (or teenagers, or just people who could talk back to me). So, I started looking at my options. 

I'd been introduced to KEEP Collective just before our son was born. I went to an online Social my friend was having, and I fell in love with some of the pieces because they were a part of me. There was a mom Key (charm) that I knew I wanted to have. And there was a heart shaped padlock - part of how my husband proposed, and an integral part of our wedding - and once I saw that, I fell hook, line, and sinker for this collection. I'd always shied away from hostessing Direct Sales parties, but this line was too gorgeous and my wish list was too long, so about a week before I had our son, we had a Social (me, on my couch with my computer, one hand in the potato chip bag, one hand taking occasional bites of ice cream). I kept in touch with the fabulous designer from the party, bought a few more pieces over the following months, and never really considered being a designer...

...until I did consider it. I started to think about what I loved about teaching, and it was helping people tell their stories. And that's what KEEP does - it helps people show off what they love - whether that's something incredibly meaningful, something fun, or something really pretty. KEEP could help me still tell stories while allowing me to be at home with our boy! So I took a GIANT leap of faith and decided to do it! 

A year ago today, I had NO idea what to expect. I was a giant ball of nerves as I started to prepare for my business venture. I was worried about so much - epic, giant failure being at the top of the list. But I knew that if it I was going down, I would go down fighting because I believe so strongly in KEEP's mission - to give women the chance to design their one-of-a-kind lives through flexible entrepreneurship. Whether it failed or it flew, I would make the most of this business. 

And business... it soared! My friends and family were incredibly supportive (and integral!) in helping me to get my business off the ground! And through them, I've met the most amazing customers, many of whom I now call friends. Yep, that's right - running a business has brought me some AMAZING friendships. 

So here's the short list of what I've learned in my first year of doing Direct Sales. But truly, there's so, so much more. <3

1. Having the flexibility to work from home has changed my life. And I'm a better mom because of it. 

I'm not one to feed into the mommy wars of what's better for children. Whether you're a working mom, a stay-at-home-mom, or an in between mom, I firmly believe we're all doing the best we can. But I know that for me, being able to work from home has made me a better mom. I love being with my son. But I also really love working. And so having the chance to do both has made me more patient, more conscious of how I spend my time, and more invigorated with my life. And in turn, all of those things are passed on to my son. I'm truly living my best life because of this opportunity. And that makes me incredibly grateful. 

2. Direct Sales aren't bad. They're kind of awesome. 

There's been some negative press and posts lately about people who do Direct Sales. People think DS consultants are pushy. Or don't care about them. Or only want to sell a product. Or only want to talk about their products. That couldn't be further from the truth. While there are probably some bad apples of consultants out there, you'll find that in any field. The Direct Sales people I know are inspired. They love their products. They love what their products can do. And they want to share that others! And I kind of love it. Whether you're ever a customer of mine or not, I still love you... which leads me to my next point. 

3. Not everyone will love what you sell, and that's okay. 

Do I think KEEP rocks? Umm, yes. Do I think there's a piece out there that I can design to make every single person happy? Umm, yes. Does that mean every person is going to be as jazzed about these products as I am? Umm, no. And that's okay. I fully accept that some people don't like my product, just as I probably don't like things about their businesses. That's okay! It doesn't make me love someone less if they don't like what I sell. 

4. The relationships and friendships I've formed through this business sustain me in so many ways. 

I am so blessed to have built a team within KEEP, a team that inspires and motivates and encourages one another. I'm also so blessed to be on a larger team within KEEP - a community that supports, loves, and motivates one another. I've "met" amazing women through KEEP - and I say "met" because so many I've never even had the chance to meet face-to-face. But I've nurtured friendships and mentorships and met some of the most amazing soul sisters I've ever known. NONE of that would have happened without this company, and I pray that someday I get the chance to meet each and every one of these women so that I can give them real, in-person hugs! 

5. The pieces I design make me cry... in the very best way. 

It has been a privilege, and I mean that, to work on pieces with my customers. Whether they're wanting to represent being a sister, friend, daughter, mother, believer of God, yogi, or something else entirely, it's a joy to work with people to design things they love or things that mean something to them. 

There are so many stories that come to mind this year - a mom who fought infertility for years and finally had a rainbow baby to represent. Another mom who at 24 weeks pregnant, suffered from brain trauma, fell into a coma, delivered her son, and had to work her way back to doing, well, everything, again (mom is totally fine, and that sweet baby boy is NINE now!)! But the story that touches my heart the most is one I want to share with you. 

A former coworker of mine retired and moved to Florida, but she and I have remained in touch on Facebook. Tragically, her son was murdered in a robbery gone tragically wrong in Portland. Their family suffered an incredible loss, so when she reached out to me about a Keeper, I wanted to make sure we made the perfect one for her. The saying adopted by her son and his friends was Hug Life. All of her son's friends got tattoos, but mom wasn't quite ready for one yet, so instead, we put together a gorgeous Keeper that she can wear daily to keep her youngest son close at hand. 

That's why I love this "job." This is what makes me excited about what's to come in the future of this business. It's not just that I get to work from home. It's not just that I get flexible working hours. It's not just that I get a paycheck for doing this (and sometimes, I really can't believe I get paid to do it!). It's not even the amazing trips, incentives, or people. 

It's that there are so many stories to be told, and I get to help tell them. And I can only imagine what stories are to come in the future. Cheers to year one, cheers to all of you who helped make it such an incredible year, and a bigger cheers to all the years left to come with KEEP Collective!

Inconsistent blogging AKA there's not enough coffee

I was lamenting recently to my husband how much I miss blogging. I used to blog, like, a lot. Like a lot a lot, especially when I was training for my first half marathon (which, fun fact, was the original intent for this blog!). But since becoming a mom, priorities changed and shifted and the hours in the day somehow grew shorter. And blogging has largely taken a backseat. 

But I miss it. I miss coming up with original ideas and content and sharing it with all of you. I miss your feedback from the things we discuss. I miss all of the wonderful moments in life when something would happen, and I would immediately thing, I need to blog about this! 

Now, I mostly just think about how there's not enough coffee. Or time. Or energy. 

I've been reading Find Your Extraordinary: Dream Bigger, Live Happier, and Achieve Success on Your own Terms by KEEP Collective and Stella & Dot CEO Jessica Herrin. I was fortunate enough to hear Jessica speak when I went to our KEEP Director's Summit in January, and while I already respected her and her mission before that session, I think I fell in love with her a little bit during and afterward! She just - gets it! And it's incredibly refreshing to work with a CEO who encourages you to work your business your way. While this book is incredible for anyone in direct sales, I think there are SO many bigger life lessons here to takeaway... and I'll share one with you now. 

Jessica (look at me, acting all like I'm on a first name basis with her!) spends a lot of time talking about, well, time. How there are simply aren't enough hours in the day to "do it all" with any shred of sanity left intact. And therefore, you have to prioritize. This, perhaps, isn't a novel concept, but her following bit of advice is - you have to get real with yourself about what you will and won't make the time for. It's not that you don't have time - it's that you're CHOOSING to do something else. So, when I tell myself I don't have time to blog, that's not really the case. It's that I've instead made the choice to do something else. Like spend time with my son and husband. Or work on my business. Or sit on the couch and binge watch something on Netflix. Those are choices I make - bad or good - that keep me away from doing other things - some of which I love. 

Seriously, read this book. It's so, so inspiring, and I feel so incredibly blessed that I get to see Jessica again NEXT WEEK at KEEP Hoopla, our annual convention!!! 

So, this is me making a dedicated effort to get back to blogging more. 

With or without the extra coffee. 

Stitch Fix #19: Shoes, shirts, skirt and a shift dress!

Oh my word, guys, this Stitch Fix might be my most favorite to date! How is that possible?! But wait! I'm getting ahead of myself! Let's talk about the past few weeks, shall we?! 

It has been a whirlwind of a month, and I don't know how we're sitting here at almost the end of May! We've started our Summer of the Home focus, and we've been doing a LOT of yard work. Okay... my husband has been doing most of the yard work, and I've been doing a lot of standing around idly not-so-secretly hoping there's nothing I can help with. But I digress. 

We've cleaned up our guest room (guests welcome!), and we've started to tackle our storage area. So, as the month went on, I felt like it was time for a little treat! 

Enter Stitch Fix. 

If you don't know about Stitch Fix (<--Referral link!), let me give you a little rundown. Stitch Fix is a clothing subscription service, and you decide how frequently, or infrequently, you'd like a shipment. You'll fill out a detailed style profile about your sizes, style preferences, and budget (and it's super fun to fill out the profile to see what your style preferences are!). 

Then, you decide when you'd like to receive a shipment! Stitch Fix will send you five clothing items or accessories to try on in your own home (they have SHOES now!!!)! This is perfect for seeing if the pieces you receive will work with the pieces you already have. Your Fix also arrives with detailed styling cards to give you ideas of how to wear each item. Each Fix costs $20, but the fee is credited toward anything you decide to keep. When you've decided what you don't want, you simply check out online and mail the items back in the prepaid mailing envelope. If you keep everything, you score a 25% discount! I love that I can work with my current wardrobe to see what will work best with what I already have. 

And, if someone signs up through your referral link, you get a $25 credit to use toward your next purchase! 

You can see my previous Fixes here:
Stitch Fix #1
Stitch Fix #2
Stitch Fix #3
Stitch Fix #4
Stitch Fix #5
Stitch Fix #6
Stitch Fix #7
Stitch Fix #8
Stitch Fix #9
Stitch Fix #10
Stitch Fix #11
Stitch Fix #12
Stitch Fix #13
Stitch Fix #14
Stitch Fix #15
Stitch Fix #16 
Stitch Fix #17
Stitch Fix #18

This Fix was once again styled by my main girl, Serena. She just... gets me. Her note this time said she wanted to help push me just slightly outside my comfort zone, and so she chose the pieces according to that. I'll admit, at first, I was mildly concerned about that. But then I saw her selections, and, oh my heart, they were wonderful! Let's get to it! (And, side note, sometimes your photos are taken quickly... like really quickly with a camera and timer function stacked up on two upside down laundry baskets...)

1. FFC New York Brooke Two-Tone Flats, $39

2. Unpublished Jordanna Pleated Aline Skirt, $58

3. Loveappella Stazi Lace Shoulder Knit Top, $48

Ever since becoming a momma, ballet flats are my go to! They're so easy to throw on but they give a polished look (so, you know, it looks like I tried that day!)! I was THRILLED to see I'd gotten a pair of shoes this time around, and I put them on first. And they're ADORABLE! I love the two-tone look, and the pop of coral is so on trend for summer! My one caveat - they're just a wee bit snug, but I'm also sort of wondering if I could stretch them out a bit over time! 

My first thought upon taking this skirt out of the box was, "It's white. And I have a little boy." While I normally would have gravitated toward this in the past, all I could think of was that sweet little peanut butter and grape jelly face flying toward me for a big leg hug! But, I decided to set my penchant for all things dark colored aside and give it a whirl! Serena suggested I pair it with the Stazi Lace Shoulder Knit Top, and although I wasn't sure how I felt about a pattern with a pattern, I reminded myself that she hasn't steered me wrong yet! And I actually kind of love the look together! It's casual but chic, cute, and summery. I REALLY love the top, and I've been thinking recently about how I need more cute, casual pieces like this now that I'm not getting dressed for work 5/7's of the week. So this might be a real keeper! 

4. Skies are Blue Bowes Button Down Top, $58

True talk: I might be the only woman on the planet who doesn't own a Chambray shirt. I know what you're thinking. How is that even possible?! And the real truth is, I don't know! So this was exciting to see! BUT, it was even more exciting to FEEL! This is literally the softest piece of clothing I've ever touched. Dare I say... it's softer than LuLaRoe leggings! It's SO darn comfy, and I love that it's slightly longer in the back. The picture seriously does it no justice, because it's pretty darn cute. I feel like this has to happen, right? Mostly because I can't stop feeling it! 

5. Skies are Blue Mariette Dress, $68

Okay, haaaaaaalp! I really need your opinions on this one, because I honestly don't know what to do here! I want to like this dress, I really do! I think it would be cute for our KEEP Collective convention later this summer, but, I sort of feel like it does nothing for my shape. It just sort of hangs... and maybe not in a good way. So what do you think? Keep it? Send it back? 

Okay, clearly I desperately need your help, so weigh in here (or on Facebook, Facebook friends!)!  

Make someone's day: Sponsor a Chemo Care Pouch!

Today is my 33rd birthday. 33! 33 years of growing, loving, laughing, crying, and learning. I have been so incredibly blessed in my lifetime, and this year in particular, I feel the need to give back. 

Nine months ago, I took a leap of faith and joined KEEP Collective. I knew this business would be a game changer for our family. It's allowed me to stay at home with our sweet son while still having a creative outlet (and fabulous income!) for myself. I've been blessed and honored to help women (and men!) tell their stories and represent what they hold closest to them. KEEP has been so good to me, and deep down, I had a huge itch to give back. 

So when another designer posted her idea to create and donate Chemo Care Pouches this month, I knew it was something I wanted to be involved in too! 

The premise is simple: Customers purchase/sponsor a pouch. They can choose to donate a plain pouch, or, they can add Keys (aka charms!) to their pouch to personalize it a little more (awareness ribbons, a message of believe or faith, a cute little ice cream cone or butterfly charm for kids, etc.). The pouch itself is $29, and the charms range from $7-19, depending on what each person chooses. Once the pouch is purchased, it gets shipped to me. 

Then, I take all of my commissions on the pouches (and more, if necessary) and fill the pouches with things that patients going through chemotherapy might like - coloring books, crossword puzzles, hard candies, chapsticks, scarves, hand sanitizer, hot tea packets, iTunes gift cards... you name it!)! The pouch will have a tag with the name of the sponsor on it, or, it can be an in memory of or in honor of card too! 

At the end of April, I'll be donating these pouches to Memorial Hospital in South Bend. I spoke with the patient care coordinator earlier this month, and she was over the moon excited to know they would be receiving these gifts! I can't wait to deliver them! 

I know these pouches might seem small in the grand scheme of cancer. But if for one minute, we can make someone smile or feel better or know that a total stranger took time out of her day to think about them, that makes it oh so worth it to me! 

So what do you do if you'd like to help? Contact me at AngelaPuttDesigner@gmail.com, or, visit my KEEP website (there's an option to email me through there too!)! We'll choose the items you love most and put them together in a cart. It's really that easy! 

To date, 30 pouches have been sponsored, but my goal is to sponsor 50 or more, and I would LOVE to have your help to get there! 

The day I resigned from teaching

March 18, 2016 was perhaps the most bittersweet day of my entire life. Because that was the day that I officially resigned from my job as a high school English and journalism teacher. To be fair, I've been on maternity leave since February 2015, and while my husband and I made this decision a while ago, I wanted time to process before we made it officially official. But now, it's officially official, and I won't be going back to teaching next year. 

I am ecstatic that I get to continue being a stay-at-home-mom to Henry and working my KEEP Collective business. Knowing that I'll get to spend each day with Henry makes me smile more than anything. But I am utterly crushed about not teaching my amazing students anymore. 

People often think high school teachers are crazy. I willingly walked in to a school of thousands of high schoolers every day?! On purpose?! Yes. Because they are incredible human beings. They can teach you about kindness, trust, love, faith, and dreams. They can teach you about never giving up, overcoming obstacles, and incredible perseverance. And they'll make you smile. A lot. 

I can't even begin to recount all my stories from ten years of teaching (one year in middle school, nine years in high school!)! I've had students flip desks in anger, laugh until they cried, confess serious secrets, gleefully tell me about college acceptance letters, lift each other up when things were really, really sad, and hug it out after they thought they'd never patch up a rift. I've gone to more talent shows, concerts, proms, graduations, plays, sporting events, and showcases than I could ever count. I've had really hard days that made me cry (and drink wine) and really amazing days that made me feel like I was doing exactly what I was meant to do. I wouldn't trade a single moment or a single memory for anything. 

To my students: Thank you for teaching me more than I could have ever taught you. Thank you for reminding me to be open and loving and patient. I feel like I'll be the most excellent mom of teenagers because of you. You have been the greatest joy to me. And if you walked away from my classroom with anything, I hope it's that you knew you were safe and heard and loved in that room. English teaching aside, I hope you know how much I care about each and every one of you. If you took away some English and journalism lessons, that's just icing on the cake to me. 

To my coworkers: Thank you for being my friends and work family. Nine years of working alongside of all of you daily has made me a better person. I truly believe LPHS has some of the most amazing, loving, talented, incredible teachers I've ever known. Keep fighting the good fight! Those kids need you. 

There's honestly so much more I want to say, but I just don't even think I have the words yet. They'll come, slowly, I'm sure, as time passes. And when they do, I'll write them here and in emails and letters to the people who need to hear them. I will miss teaching with every fiber of my being. But teaching will still be there three, five, or ten years from now, and I take comfort in knowing this break is just that - a break. 

Because part of my heart will always be in room 4.19.