Stella & Dot Annual Convention: HOOPLA Recap 2015

1. Meeting my up line for the first time; the fabulous Allison!
2. Attending the Directors Meetings with our CEO Jessica Herrin
3. Meeting Jessica for the first time. Basically I couldn't talk. I just kind of shook her hand and stood there smiling. Real cool Tegan.
4. On stage at Directors Day receiving my Heart of Leadership Star Award
5. Kicking off Hoopla with my team of Chic Executive Officers (the CEOs)
6. Walking the fashion show stage at HOOPLA as an Associate Director
7. Meeting our head of design, Blythe Harris, who has the best style ever!
8. Heading to the Directors Cocktail Party with my fellow directors on our team

So what is HOOPLA? HOOPLA is the annual convention for Stella & Dot Stylists. We receive training, the most amazing life coaching, attend a fashion show to see the new line of product, and dance our hearts out at the best events. This was my first year attending, since last year I was stuck in a three day training for my day job, and let me tell you it was absolutely amazing!

As a die hard academic, I was totally ready to rock my educational process at this conference with a fresh notebook, and arsenal of pens, and plenty of potassium/bananas in case my hand started to cramp up from all the writing. I was prepared for the training specific to my business; how to identify future stylists, how to train them to be successful, how to talk to people about their style (which often times is very wrapped up in how they feel about themselves in general and can be very emotional), and more. What I wasn't prepared for was the wealth of knowledge I gained about how to live a successful and happy life. I work by day in the STEM fields, and we have lots of trainings. Those trainings, however, are entirely technical. I have never once been to a training that focused on how to create a happier life for myself as part of my JOB. At HOOPLA, I received so much training on how to create goals for my life, how to go out and get what I want, how to see the positive in situations, and how to continue to grow as a person and business leader.

I wrote down lots of amazing things that have stuck with me since attending, but what I want to share with you now are some of my favorite takeaways from HOOPLA. And to be honest, none of these are really specific to my business. They are just wonderful nuggets that I hope will help you in your life as they have in mine.

What you focus on is what you create
 There is a lot of truth to how visualization and other exercises can help you achieve success. Actually creating an image of you reaching that goal and watching it play over and over in your mind really does help you get there. But the opposite of this is true as well; if you focus on the negative things you wish to avoid you will find more of them in your life. As someone who tends to be a bit of a worrier, this was HUGE for me. I need to spend less time focusing on all the things that can go wrong, and focus on all the things that can go right instead.

You will always have naysayers, but you CHOOSE if they sit in the front seat
Our CEO said this very powerful statement during one of her presentations. We've all got people in our lives who think our goals are crazy. "What is this thing you are doing now? You are selling jewelry? Why would you want to do that? Don't you have a degree and a job in engineering? Can't you do something with that?" Ummmm... why would I NOT want to do this? I had a moment when I first signed on to be a stylist where all I was hearing were the naysayers. In fact, I almost gave up that first month because I felt so beat down by it. But you know what, this was something I wanted to do for ME. I needed that time for myself to do something purely because I enjoyed it. It didn't have to make sense to anyone else but me, because it wasn't for any of them. I controlled where those naysayers sat and I took them from the front row and moved them all the way to the back row cheap seats.

 Things aren't going to happen when you choose
Ain't that the truth. Something I hear all the time is "now just isn't really a good time for me to do X". Well one thing I have learned over the past year or so is that the universe doesn't provide things at the ideal moment. In fact, I'm trying to think of any time in my life where something has just plopped into my lap and I've been like "oh, that's perfect timing". I signed up to be a stylist when I was overworked and out of energy at my previous day job. I then switched day jobs to a new, fabulous one when I was in labor. Like I was doing the job application when I went to the hospital to have my baby. And then I interviewed for the position (and got it) two weeks after giving birth. Was that the idea moment in time to be doing any of that? Absolutely not. But was it the most perfect job opportunity and am I beyond happy that I pulled my ish together and went for it? You betcha! Things don't happen on our schedule. You have to be ready to just bust out your lady balls and make things happen when the opportunity shows up.

True leaders don't create more followers, they create more leaders
I've worked with several kinds of people in my life, and by far the better of the group are the ones that actually want you to surpass them. They are happy and proud to teach you everything they know so that you can go on to soar and create something beautiful and successful in your own life. They aren't threatened by your success but instead proud of it! The best leaders in the industry are those that rather than ask you to follow them, will give you the tools and training to become your own leader.

Be open to learning something new
The most successful leaders I have seen are the ones that are constantly working to learn. They read books in their spare time to improve their craft. They ask for feedback so they can continue to improve their business processes and approaches. The worst thing you can do in any type of business or industry is remain stagnant and repeat something because it has "always worked before". It is so important to be flexible and willing to try new ideas so that you can continue to grow as business leaders.

HOOPLA was such an amazing experience for me. I learned a lot about myself and the person I want to be when I grow up (because I refuse to consider myself any version of "old" or "adult"). I also got to meet so many wonderful people in person (finally!) who have impacted my life from afar. I am already looking forward to all the amazing experiences I will have next year. And I can truly say that the experience has made me a better version of myself.

It Takes a Village

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I know what you are thinking, and no, this post has nothing to do with raising children. What it does have to do with is finding the perfect watch. I mean THE. PERFECT. WATCH.

So I have been on the hunt for the perfect watch for over a year now. I am VERY particular about these things. I have what I call "baby wrists" which means that most watches and bracelets won't fit me. So there is this issue I have with the size of the face of a watch. THEN, I wear bracelets almost every day, and when I say bracelets, as in plural, I mean I have on at least three. So it is essential that any watch I own go well with a good arm party.

I haven't worn a watch in about 10 years (gosh I am old). I use to wear them back in the day, but then I got my cell phone and I was like, why do I need a watch? I can just check my phone? Well let me tell you why I need a watch. Now that I am a 'big kid' with a full time job, I don't walk around the office with my phone on me. And my office does not have a clock in every room, so I am constantly stressed I am going to be late to my next meeting. And if I am being honest (hangs head in shame) I am late more than I'd like to admit just because I don't know what time it is. Therefore, the solution is an awesome watch so I can be on time to places.

So why is this the perfect watch?

1. It has a rectangular face, which makes it easier to layer with jewelry

2. Its rose gold, which allows me to wear it with rose gold, gold, and/or silver jewelry. Trust me, I put A LOT OF TIME into analyzing this because I wanted one I can wear with any type of metal. Rose gold looks epic with all combinations of arm parties

3. It has pave crystals on the face - SQUEE!!

So how did I come to find this watch? Well I was cruising through Pinterest pictures and found the photo above. I had no idea what this watch was called because the Pin links back to the Stella & Dot web page, so the only thing I had to go off was that I knew it was Michael Kors (insert panic because those tend to be expensive right??). So I did what any normal girl my age would do, I posted it to Facebook with an SOS asking my friends to help me find it. Fifteen minutes later and I had two friends who had found it on amazon and ebay, which meant I now had a style number. YAY!!!

So turns out this watch is 'retired' which means you can't find it ANYWHERE. That's the bad news. The good news was that instead of being a $300 watch, it's a $118 watch since it's retired (whoop!!). So now I just had to find it. I found one on Amazon, but call me crazy - I don't really like to order on there from people who aren't actually 'Amazon' selling. I have NO IDEA what I am getting. Is it new? Is it broken? Is it a hack??? Too much uncertainty. So I called my local Michael Kors store, read them the style number, and sent them on an epic man hunt. An hour later my new best friend at Michael Kors had located them in Rhode Island. Since I live in Oregon this is REALLY FAR AWAY - but they are shipping it to me for free, so that's good. Also, one of my BFFs fell in love with it too so I ended up ordering one for her as well. She was going to order it herself, but we figured this was just easier since I had my new BFF on the phone who had two of them in his sights and was ready to place my order!!

So all that said - I AM SO EXCITED TO GET MY NEW WATCH!!! Who knew one Pinterest post could spark this level of crazy obsession.

Have you ever seen something online that you HAD TO HAVE so you went on a wild chase to hunt it down??

Thanksgiving

I'm sitting on my couch right now, with my feet up and it feels fabulous. I've spent the last few days reflecting on gratitude and all the things in my life to be thankful about. I have so many blessings in my life! Here are my top ten favorites:

1. My Husband. He will always be my number one. He has always been such a source of support in our marriage, but it has been even more amplified in the last few months of our pregnancy. He has been at EVERY doctors appointment, held my hand every time I have had my blood drawn (which sure seems like a lot these days!), helped comfort me when I've had an emotional moment about the size of my booty, my lack of clothing, that I can't reach my feet, or that I get out of breath every time I go up the stairs. He truly is the most amazing gift I have ever been received.

2. My Family and Friends. They say it takes a village, and I totally plan on putting that to the test. So far I've received countless offerings of support from friend and family to help us out as we balance three jobs, broken furnaces, and more. Whether it be a cooked meal, watching our Precious Baby Wilbur when we are stuck late at work, or even picking me up when I had to abandon my car because I couldn't drive (hello leg pain). Thank you all so much.

3. Baby Girl. We haven't officially met, but I can already tell you are going to be a riot. You already have such a little personality in there! Husband and I are looking forward to all the adventures we will have and watching you grow. We love you so, so very much.

4. Precious Baby Wilbur. Oh my sweet, sweet Precious Baby Wilbur. Sometimes you are a barky little butt-head, but we love you so very much. Thank you for all the hugs (yes, dogs can give hugs, even with tiny short legs), the puppy kisses, the snuggles, and the many laughs. We are so happy to have you as our firstborn.

5. Our Jobs. I am so thankful for the jobs we have. For Husband's job which he finds so much joy in, which helps support us, and covers our healthcare needs. Oh healthcare, what would I do without you! I am thankful for my day job which provides me the opportunity to work with great friends and learn new things. I am also thankful for my Stella & Dot career, which has provided so much growth for me as a person and a friend. And has provided extra income that helps us pay for unexpected expenses (eh hem... new furnace) and will provide extra money for us so I can take maternity leave when Baby Girl arrives.

6. Our Home. I bought our home many moons ago, as a single woman, looking for a place to hang my hat at night. Since then, we've painted and improved and really made this place feel like our own. I may have been slightly cursing this house when the furnace finally broke, but at the end of the day I am so, so grateful that we have a roof over our head, a place that is "ours", and somewhere we can grow our family, spend time with friends, and play outside. Having a sense of "home" is so important, because it grounds us and gives us a peaceful home base.

7. Creativity. For the first part of my business career (or essentially when I got out of school) I spent all my time at a desk, nose to the grindstone, working away for crazy hours. In the past few years I have focused on making more time in my life (albeit not quite as much as I would like) to just be creative. You can define creative in many different ways. For me, I choose to express mine creativity through this blog, photography, decorating our home, and fashion. Doing so has made me feel so much more whole. Like a complete version of myself.

8. Health. Oh my word, I've never been so focused on my health as I have been the last few months. Growing another human, having countless tests done, and visiting the doctors every month REALLY makes you conscious on what your body is doing and how it is handling change. I am so thankful that our family is healthy. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

9. Events. So this one may seem a bit weird, but I am so happy to have a life full of events and opportunities to see friends, meet new people, and be social. Whether its a book club (okay, I haven't 100% launched this one yet but it's in the works), my ladies Bunko Nights (hey!!), the Stella & Dot shows I do where fabulous women invite me to their home and share their BFF's with me, gatherings with friends, etc. it's so important for me to have these venues to get out and be social. And knowing that we are expecting our little one in a few months, I feel like these events are going to become even more crucial to my sanity!

10. My Customers. Thank you to every person who has bought a bracelet, a necklaces, a bag, a gift, or a little something for themselves whatever it may be from me in the past year. Having the opportunity to help you all define your style and gift gorgeous jewelry has been SO MUCH FUN! I appreciate every transaction, big or small,  and every time you opened your home and friends to me so we could all hang out! Thank you for giving me this great career and for all the fun and joyous moments that come along with it.

The Chic Executive Officers (CEOs) - My New Friends

Photos by Owls Eye Photography

Later today my house will be taken over fabulous women decked out in jewels. And when I say women, as in plural, what I really mean is there are going to be like thirty of us, in my little house, eating snackies, laughing over champagne (except me) and cake, and having a grand old time.

One of the reasons I joined Stella & Dot (if not a primary reason) was to make more time to see friends. And then also to make more friends period. I think back when I was in school or college it was easier to find time to see people and to meet new people. In high school you see them all the time in classes, or at football games, or social events. In college you are constantly meeting new folks as you bounce from one class to another. And you form your study groups and you grab lunch and its great. And then you graduate and you start working. And for most of us, this becomes all consuming. You spend at least eight hours at the office, plus your commute time, and then time at the gym, time cleaning your house, time running errands.... its easy to become a hermit and 1) not make any new friends and 2) never see the ones you do have.

When I signed up I figured it would give me more of an excuse to my friends. I'd have them over for parties, hook them up with free jewelry by hosting, and even meet some new ladies. I could make some new acquaintances at the monthly team meetings, and maybe make a new friend or two. But oh my gosh I SO underestimated how this would work. Every lovely, smiling face you see in these photos are ladies I would deem as "new friends". A few of them are people I knew before, but had lost touch with over the years; not someone I would text all the time and see each month (like I do now!). And a few of them are people I never would have met without S&D. And this isn't even ALL of them. This is like maybe 1/5th of the team I belong to and the one I am growing with the support of these pictured ladies.

If I were to summarize how this experience has helped me meet new people and grow as a person, I would say the following:

1) I am SO MUCH MORE outgoing about asking people to hang out. I do it all the time now! I offer to do shows for them, invite them to shows, or just plain say - hey, let's get together and do something! Before, this was really scary to me. I was fearful of rejection; in someways trying to ask a new person to be your friend and hang out reminds me of asking a cute boy in high school to go on a date. Oh the vulnerability of it all! What if they say no?! And you look like a LOSER!

2) I can host a party at the drop of a hat. I am always stressing to people that having friends over doesn't have to feel like a big event. You don't need to spend hours cooking, you don't need to go crazy with the decorations. Prior to starting S&D I was always stressed about having people over. I felt like everything had to be PERFECT. Now, I am like - have 30 people over on Monday? Sure! No big deal! Let me just vacuum real quick and throw out some artichoke dip! The real emphasis of entertaining isn't in your space. It's in having a good time with people when they get there!

3) I connect with people more. I stay in touch. I invite them over. I email, text, etc. to see how their lives are going. I realize how important it is to have a group of friends you can rely on and turn to and celebrate life with!

The team I lead is called the Chic Executive Officers, or CEOs. I came up with this name because I wanted something that reflected how each of us is in charge of our own business, our own happiness, and our success. I feel so grateful to have found these lovely women, and for all the new members of our team that continue to join us each day. We are growing strong, and we are all fabulous and fun ladies. I can't wait to see them later this evening as we celebrate the month of October with cake, a Photo Booth (I mean, obviously!), and good times! I am so fortunate to have so many great new friends!

The Look for Less

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I spent some time on YouTube this weekend watching my favorite beauty bloggers, and I saw the beloved Celine Mini Luggage Tote in red (first picture above). Be still my heart. It is gorgeous. I mean, I am just going to be real and start out by saying there is no way I could ever spend that much on a bag. I didn't even need to look up the price to know this, but of course I did anyways. After much googling I couldn't find one listed on line. I found the bag everywhere, but not the price listed at any of the normal spots (Nordstrom, Saks, Bergdorf), which is never a good sign. I did find it on ebay, and they have it for around $2,000 - $3,000. YIKES.

But luckily, I am obsessed with Stella & Dot and I found a reasonable swap. The Stella & Dot option is saffiano leather (the same they use on LV bags), has a similar shape and color, and it is only $158. Ya, that's much better. As a S&D Stylist I pretty much own one of everything (#stylistprobs). I have this bag already in the black and white stripe option and use it EVERYDAY to haul my stuff to and from work. I throw my laptop, lunch, wallet, etc. in there. Sooo... if I am being honest... I probably don't NEED said bag in red, but gosh darn it now I WANT IT. I do use the other one everyday, so it would be a good investment, yes?

Okay, if I still want it end of next week I get to buy it. I am glad we had this chat. You agree that is reasonable right? I will tell my hubby you all talked me into it.

Oh HI! Plus I am Pregnant

I know, I know. I am the worlds worst blogger. I have been MIA for what, seven months? Something obscene like that. I don't really have any excuse, but what I will say is life has been crazy busy. My Stella & Dot business has been growing, my day job is advancing, I'm still going a mile a minute with all my volunteer activities, and I just haven't made time to sit down and blog. To be honest, maybe I lost my blogging way a bit. I wasn't sure what my message was, or why I was writing. But I think I have found it. My message is to be me. And to say HI. And to make new friends. So I am going to be better about posting updates, because I actually REALLY MISS this space of mine. And chatting with you all!

So here is my current news - I am pregnant! I am six months along, and currently seeking advice. CALLING ALL MOMMIES!! HALP! What do I need to know about surviving the last three months?

Side note: Yes, I have heels on in this picture. I wore them for AN HOUR and my feet were KILLING ME. Like I had to soak my feet the minute I got home. I pretty much roll in flats these days. Poor feet...

Insta-Life and Updates

Life has been a little chaotic lately. I've had so many wonderful things happening (such a hardship right?!) that I haven't had nearly the time I'd like to stop by this creative space of mine. So what has been going on? Let me catch you up to speed!

I've been a Stylist with Stella & Dot for seven months. I didn't know much about the organizational structure when I joined, but I was so excited about all the jewelry that it didn't really matter to me at that point. I just wanted something fun to do when I wasn't at my day job that got me spending more time with my friends, meeting new people, and wearing fabulous jewels. Mission accomplished; that has totally happened. I've met so many wonderful people, and have developed several new, close friendships. And as for the jewelry? I think these pictures speak for themselves. I've included a list of what I am wearing below in case you are curious. 

Over the past few weeks my career with Stella & Dot has really taken off. I hate saying that, because I feel like it doesn't sound humble. And I really am completely humbled by this experience. It has been such a wonderful opportunity, and I am so thankful for every customer, hostess, and stylist that has joined my team since I first started! I feel comfortable saying it has taken off though because this last month I promoted to a Star Stylist with Stella & Dot. To do this in a six month time frame from signing up is considered extremely fast. In order to qualify as a Star Stylist, you need to have developed a team of a certain number of active Stylists and reach group (team) and personal (individual) sales thresholds each month. 

The perks of being a Star Stylist make it one of the most desirable levels within our company. Star Stylists have the highest pay return of any position while being able to maintain the position at a "part-time" status. What this means is that the hours needed to do your duties are minimal enough that you could work another full-time job if you wanted. Once you hit Director (the next promotion level), it becomes more of a time commitment and it is trickier to do both. You also receive a promotion bonus (yay!), invitations to exclusive events and retreats with our CEO Jessica Herrin, and access to secrets of upcoming product releases and proprietary information. In summary - it's WAY cool! 

Above all of those perks though is the excitement of building a team. When I started looking at promotions within our company, I was most excited about leading and building a team. I have a strong desire to nurture and mentor other professionals. I completely dork out on it and spend my free time reading trainings on how to motivate, provide feedback, and grow your team. I have gained so many wonderful experiences from this company, and it has provided me with so much. It truly makes me so excited to be sharing this opportunity with others. 

So that's what has been happening lately! So many fun and exciting changes happening, and so much going on! I can't wait to see what life brings us next!!

If you have any questions about what it's like to be a Stylist or how Stella & Dot works, feel free to leave a comment or email me! 

Jewelry List

Renegade Bracelet (I am wearing all three colors above - Gold, Silver, and Rose Gold)

Foundation Bracelet

Love Bracelet

Somervell Necklace

Devon Necklace

Arrow Bangle

Nugget Wrap

Radiance Coil

Phoebe Bracelet

Neeya Bracelet

Christina Link Bracelet

Eden Bangle

Is it the Weekend Yet?

Necklace: On the Mark, Bracelets: Renegade, Amelie, Eden

Oh my gosh you guys. I am so glad it is Thursday night. Seriously. One more day until the weekend, and chic needs a rest! I feel like each week I just find a new way to cram more into my existing schedule, which leaves me feeling like I need a nice hot bath with Epsom salts and a book. I am oddly excited about it right now. I can't wait to bust out my Clairsonic, clean off my face from the day (I was caught in a down pour outside all day), use my toner, shape my brows, maybe do a mask, I mean clearly I just need to do some pampering. OH! And maybe a pedicure. Yes, that sounds nice.

I am super excited for this weekend. I ordered my Stella & Dot Summer Collection samples yesterday and had them overnight because I just could not stand to wait any longer for them. You guys, I got this purse that is TO DIE FOR. It is khaki colored with this amazing neon orange Aztec print. And a tassel. I swoon. Plus, I'm going to wear it with my new leather wrist wrap and bone inspired pendant. It sounds weird, but it is oddly so right. I will show you more later. Just rest assured that I got a box full of new goodies and I am one happy camper.

Also, do we like my hair? Totally inspired by this youtube video. Love her!

Checking off my Wish List and Buying Big!

Necklace: Elodie, Bracelet: Amelie, Earrings: Cleopatra (I wear these daily!), Clutch: Tia Cross Body

I am beyond excited. Less than five minutes ago I placed my order for my very first apple computer EVER. I have always been a Dell girl, mostly because they are half the price. But seriously, I have had horrible luck with every one I have ever owned. My laptop in college had to get a new mother board within the first year. If you aren't a computer tech type person (which I am not), this is equivalent to open heart surgery for a computer. They literally had every single piece of my computer's insides spread all over my kitchen table as they replaced the main board on the inside and then popped everything back in. I also use Dell for my work computers, and I have killed two of them. At my last job it took less than a year before my computer showed me the blue screen of death. They then got me a new Dell laptop, but it didn't work quite right either. I ended up with two computers that one their own didn't quite work right, but together they sort of passed off as one whole computer. So I actually had TWO laptops that I would use depending on which program I needed to access while they tried to sort everything out. Needless to say, I have not been impressed.

Now that I am FINALLY getting my first apple computer, I have been dreaming big for months. I've been holding off on getting PhotoShop because I knew my current computer wouldn't be able to handle it. Now I can finally get it, and I am so excited to see what I will be able to do with the image editing features. My friend actually referred me to a place that lets you lease PhotoShop for $9.99 a month, rather than buying your own license. I think I may check that out. I like that it automatically updates your software anytime Adobe releases a new PhotoShop version. I'm also excited to use the video editing features that my new computer will have. I've been wanting to post a video on here FOREVER! But again, my current computer wouldn't be able to handle it. I can't wait to say HI to you all!

So what did I get? I ordered the MacBook Pro with 8GB of memory and a little over 250GB of storage. The memory should be enough that my computer doesn't bog down when I try and work with videos, and the storage should be enough I can keep lots of photos on it. I can always archive to an external drive if I need to, but I think I'll have plenty of space for a while. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to run to the store and pick up my new computer.... OMG I AM SO EXCITED!

PS - Can I get a heck ya for purple lipstick?? I am obsessed. More on this later...

Ode to Direct Sales: My Life as a Stylist

Jeans/Cardigan/Boots: Old Navy, Shirt: LOFT, 

Necklaces: Stella & Dot Rebel and Trinity, Bracelets: Stella & Dot Christina and Eden

When I stumbled upon Stella & Dot, I really didn't know what I was getting into. To be honest, I just wanted this bracelet. Like I wanted it bad. I'd been cyber stalking it on Pinterest and other fashion blogs for a year and I REALLY wanted it. I know you've seen it before. It's everywhere.

So basically I wanted to get this bracelet. I had a friend who use to be a Stella & Dot Stylist, but her life got a little crazy busy and she was no longer active. This left me with no one to buy the bracelet from. Okay - not a big deal. I can just order it online right? Okay but so here is the thing... I of course found like three other things I wanted. Pretty soon I was looking at $150 in jewelry I was about to buy, and then I saw the stylist opportunity. Sign up for $199 and get $350 in jewelry. Huh...so if I spend $49 more (on jewelry I already want) than I was about to already spend anyways...you  mean I get like double the jewelry? Okay, I am a smart enough business woman to realize this makes sense. I'll sign up. You got me. I'm gonna get my jewelry and then if I never sell anything that's okay. No big deal. No need to put a bunch of pressure on myself.

From there I kind of just fell into the business. They make everything really easy. You are coached to do your first four shows with different circles of people so you meet new people at each one, and if you follow those steps you should make your investment back in the first month. After that, anything extra is additional income you wouldn't have had before.

When I first started, I nervous that selling jewelry might be difficult. I was worried my friends might not love it as much as I do, or that meeting new people would be hard. But the truth is - other women love jewelry, fashion, and an excuse to get together just as much as I do! And once people feel the jewels, unzip the wallets, layer on a scarf, or load their belongings into one of our bags they are totally sold. You can feel the quality. The weight of the jewelry is amazing. And it is durable, and backed by our delight guarantee so if you ever experience a problem with it, Stella & Dot will make it right. You really can't beat that.

I work a full time day job, so I don't have time during the day to work on it at all. I take a few minutes before I get to work to post a picture to facebook, respond to some emails, etc. And then I come home and hang out with Husband and Wilbur. I typically do my shows on the weekend, and occasionally a week night. I get together with fabulous groups of women, help them pick out their favorite pieces, and I make new friends. Actually a ton of new friends! It has really helped me get out of my shell and improved my public speaking. It's also made me more social in general. I am hosting so many get togethers at my house in the next few months with my friends whereas before I was always so nervous to have people over, thinking my house had to be PERFECT or I couldn't possibly do it! I've earned thousands (yes, thousands) of dollars in free jewelry, I've made thousands (yes, again thousands) of dollars in commissions. And I am really loving every minute of it.

This post isn't about convincing you to join Stella & Dot (although if you are interested I would love to have you on my team), but telling you sometimes it's good to just say yes to an opportunity. Even if it seems totally crazy at the time. You never know what could be waiting on the other side. It could be something that really helps you grow and discover a new part of yourself. And if you haven't ever run your own business, there is something so liberating and exciting about directing your own career. I highly recommend it.

At the center of all this happiness and success is a wonderful group of women. These are the ladies of Stella & Dot who welcomed me and ushered me into this great community, my friends and family who let me gab about jewelry all the time and who are willing to wear whatever handful of jewels I thrust at them because I just KNOW it's going to look amazing on them, all the amazing friends who have joined my growing team, and all the wonderful new women I have met that are my loving and loyal customers. My cup runneth over! Thank you all so much for supporting me in this amazing new adventure!

PS I think this is my longest post EVER. Did you make it to the end?

FLASH SALE: Stella & Dot

Just popping in real fast to let you know that Stella & Dot is doing a FLASH SALE for the next 48 hours off some of our most popular prints! These prices ar insane. I still can't get over the pouf for under $10 or the scarf for $23.60. It's a perfect time to pick up a birthday gift for someone or get an early start on Mother's Day! Let me know if you have any questions! Happy shopping!

Spring Cleaning

Shirt: F21, Jeans: Old Navy, Jewelry/Clutch: Stella & Dot

I've been in the mood for some serious spring cleaning lately. More of a reorganization if you will. I don't know how I got into this habit, but I tend to leave things the way they are, maaaayyyybbbeee a little on the cluttered side, and then I wake up one morning and I have to fix it. Like right then. Right now!

About two weeks ago I decided my blog needed a revamp. It's been something I've always tweaked as a hobby and way to learn my own HTML coding. But to be honest, I wasn't that great at working with the layouts, and I would lovingly gaze upon other blogs in all their beauty and wish mine looked as clean. I wanted something more streamline and simple. Something that featured the photos more and the content. So I woke up one morning and thought - I am going to hire someone.

I decided to go with Andrea because of the gorgeous job she did over on Rachel's blog. I had no idea how long it would take to revamp my space, but man was she ever fast! I seriously think it took less than a week. And I LOVE IT. Normally I would now ask what your thoughts are, but gosh darnit I think it is perfect! And that is what matters :) I was seriously impressed with her, so if you ever need some help on your blog she is your lady!

The spring cleaning didn't stop there though. I completely turned our house inside out this weekend. As in I cleaned out our spare room (also known as the room of crap where I throw things I don't want to deal with finding a place for), I cleaned our whole downstairs, all the bathrooms - I even mopped! And when Husband wasn't looking I bought a new decorative pillow for our bed from Target. Gosh I love Target. I may have also bought a ton of stuff from the Oh Joy collection for precious baby Wilbur's first birthday party I am throwing next month. More on that later...

Anyhow it feels so good to have a clean and organized space online and at home. It just makes me feel so calm and peaceful. #happiness

My Big Debut

Blazer: thrifted, Skirt: JCrew, Top: LOFT, Necklace: Stella & Dot

Today is kind of a big day for me! A few days ago I received an email from Stella & Dot headquarters asking me if I would be willing to participate in a national training call for upcoming leaders within the company. Here is the kicker though, they don't want me to call in and listen - they want me to present! 

A few weeks back I attended the Brighten Your Life training in Seattle with the amazing Danielle Redner who is the VP of Training for our company. I applied for a special personal coaching session with her for upcoming leaders and was accepted! I was so excited when I got the email! I couldn't believe it. I had been working so hard on growing my business and I really felt like things had been going well, but there is something so validating about the leaders of your company looking at you and saying 'we agree - you are doing awesome!'. 

As part of the training we were asked to introduce ourselves by giving some background on our business. I talked about how things were going and what I was working on. Danielle was so excited about what I have planned for the next few months that she nominated me participate in this call to train other upcoming leaders in the company on how to grow their business.

This morning I will be speaking on a call with hundreds of Stella & Dot Stylists giving them all my best tid bits and lessons learned. I'm not one to think I have things all figured out, and to be honest I had a bit of 'imposter syndrome' when I first got the email asking me to present (that is that phenomenon women experience where they think there must be some mistake when people tell them they are awesome - if you haven't ready Lean In you must go do that now!). That said, I am so excited to talk with these girls and offer any bit of advice I can that might help them get to their next step in their business. 

Wish me luck all! 

XO

PS - oh ya, this is what I wore this week for St. Patrick's Day! Gotta let that green shine!