one afternoon.

I had a really fun shoot with Kristen, who is in High School.  We had so much fun doing all kinds of things that Kristen loves to do...Katie is her best friend so she came and joined us...

more to come soon...

quiet. LIFE.

workflow board.

I'm a very visual person when it comes to knowing and remembering what I need to do.  If I can't see it...I'll forget about it.

For a long time when I was first in business I tried to keep track of things in my head or random papers here and there.  I would make lists of what needed to be done (which I still do...just a little more organized about it now...that should be another LOVE. LIFE. TIP.)  The lists were good but I needed to be able to see at a glance what was going on.

The thing about this whole idea was that it couldn't look too corporate for my studio or for my taste.  I want it to look cool, fit my colors, and look nice in my studio.  I tried white boards and a bunch of other things and they were just never what I really loved.  When I hired a team I also knew I wanted to be able to have them know who they were talking to on the phone.  That meant pictures of my clients needed to be part of the workflow board also.  We also wanted to see at a glance when their event or wedding was and their names.

I also wanted to have it be something that was fun to work with.  Sometimes lists or long projects seem so intimidating or you dread doing them.  I didn't want my board to have that kind of a feel to it.  I wanted it to look like everything on the board was FUN to do.

So, I didn't want much, did I?! :)

So these were the specifications for my workflow board:

It had to look good in my studio

I needed to be able to see quickly where every client was at in the process

Pictures of my clients needed to be on the board

The client info about their event and their names needed to be seen at a glance

It had to be functional enough for me to actually use it

It had to have a fun feel to it

I wanted to enjoy using it and looking at it

It had to be easy to work with

It had to look good

did I mention...it had to look good?

I ended up making one myself because I couldn't find what I really wanted in the market or industry.  So...this is a one of kind that I made by making a trip to the craft store, finding papers that I loved, and printing images of my clients with their info.  I love the way it looks and it keeps me organized. 

If this seems like a project that you don't want to jump into, my friend Millie is creating a workflow board that you can put your logo on.  Very cool.

This is what I came up with...

organized. LIFE.

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spring break.

I love spring break.  I love having the kids home.  I love the fun we have.  The late nights. Sleeping in every morning. Going on day trips. Long weekend trips. I love it all...except that we completely are out of our normal routine....

The one where I exercise every day.  The one where I don't over eat at every meal.  The one where I don't have two desserts every day because we're on vacation.  The one where I try to have some self-control around brownies.

That normal routine.

The rest of it, I'll take.

So today's the day to get back to normal.   Eat less.  Exercise my 20 minutes.  Only eat my Dove piece of chocolate.

That's what today is.

This past week reminds me, though, that I need to look ahead to summer.  Summer is the epitome of no normal routine...for THREE months!  Talk about a recipe for disaster in the eating right department and getting exercise.

If I don't get a plan I'll sleep in every day with the kids, have ice cream and snow cones every chance I get, eat 1 or 10 s'mores around the campfire, skip my 20 minutes for a day and then realize it's been three months since I last did my 20 minute walk...it will take me by surprise.  I'll wonder, "where did this 20 pounds come from?????....I'm showing this at the POOL?!"

So, spring break was my little reminder that I need to have a plan for those weeks of blissful summer when I'll have no normal routine...

What do you do to stick with it in the summer?  Please DO TELL in the comments!  I need all the help I can get...

I'm feeling like Superman around kryptonite.

ETA:  This month's winner will get either one of my kits OR $75 to Home Depot (or Lowe's) whichever one you like best.  It is spring...and I know I've been itching to buy flowers for my new yard!

vacation. LIFE.

*tell a friend*