Cool Creative Chicks - Mareen

Welcome to the fourth interview in my monthly series (to be featured on the last Wed of the month) – Cool Creative Chicks. I am fortunate to know so many CCCs & wanted to share these gems with you & foster community. That’s why we’re all online right? So hopefully, you will connect with one another & make new friends or even just take away something from each interview

Today's guest Mareen is very special to me, as she was the very first person to comment on my blog (even before M got a chance) & make me feel welcome. We've been friends ever since & I am so delighted that she accepted my interview request. I adore her blog & get so much inspiration from her many creative endeavors. I've also made several of her recipes for German breakfasts & can attest to their yumminess! 

Hi, I am Mareen and I blog on eeny‘s universe (eenysuniverse.blogspot.com). I was born and raised in the beautiful south of Germany but I also call the US east coast home as I lost a part of my heart there during being an Au Pair for the most wonderful family for one year. 

Right now I am working hard on finishing my last huge papers for university in order to finally graduate in summer. Plus I am still deciding in with direction to go after graduation - which is actually the harder part. I am looking forward to a new chapter in my life. Hope it‘ll be a good one =)

You can also find me on Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram - look for eenysuniverse. 

-Your blog is so diverse & creative. I'm a huge fan of your Sunday Breakfast posts, digital collages, gorgeous photos, the recipes you share & your X-mas Workshops. Could you share with us how long you've been blogging, why you started & how you incorporate your creative pursuits into it?

I was reading other blogs for a long time and one day in September 2009 I decided to start my own little blog. I just thought I wanted to be part of blogworld, connect to other bloggers and share a bit of my world. I have always liked to create things, cook and bake for family and friends, collected quotes and so on, so why not share it with others and maybe inspire others to be creative as well. And I have to say, I am really happy I joined blogworld. I made a couple wonderful new friends and really enjoy blogging a lot. 

-How do you keep organized & find balance between working full-time, being a student, blogging & having a personal life? How do you carve out time in your very busy schedule to create?

That‘s kind of a hard question as I don‘t consider myself as being organized. Not at all. I would rather describe myself as chaotic and very easily distracted. 

Being creative is actually what keeps me balanced. After a long day studying, researching, or working I just need to do something for me. So I get out my paper, washi tape and twine and make a card to send to a dear friend or I search the web for new cupcake recipes to bake on the weekend or knit a cute hat or cook something for my family and friends. So it is not really like carving out time to create I just add this time to my daily life even if it means I will be up until 3 am. 

Same with blogging time. My key actually is, to blog about things that I do anyway and not to do things souly for the purpose to blog about them. If I cooked or baked something I think is worth sharing, I just snap a picture and post the recipe whenever I come around to do so. Same with crafts and DIYs - I create things because I want to give them away or want them for myself. I just keep my camera or iPhone around to snap pictures along the process. 

So blogging is actually something that just happens besides or better said within my life. I just document what happens along the way and if there isn‘t anything happening worth documenting, I just don‘t post anything. I want to keep eeny‘s universe something »pressure free« and don‘t want to feel like as if I have to come up with a new post every day. 

Actually in the beginning of my blogging life I thought about making a blog schedule for daily posts but I stripped away from it faster than I actually made up a schedule. The only thing really stable on my blog is my Sunday breakfasts - well, they just happen every Sunday and snapping a picture with my iPhone is the easiest thing to do, right? 

Having to do things makes me not enjoy it anymore and I want to enjoy blogging and keep eeny‘s universe my happy place that is part of my personal life and not leading my life.

-Describe your creative process & how you combat creative ruts/blocks.

My creative process is different for every creative project I work on. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and have this idea for something and I just jot it down in my notebook on my nightstand so I won‘t forget about it. Sometimes ideas come popping up in my head during a conversation with someone. Sometimes I just see a picture of something cute and think »oh, that‘s an awesome idea but I would tweak it a bit here and there« Than I start creating and along the way I change up little details, come up with new ideas and sometimes it looks totally different as the idea started at the beginning. 

I usually have a couple projects that I work on at the same time. There are so many different things I love doing: paper crafting, painting, drawing, knitting, writing, decorating/restyling, sewing... this list goes on and on.
So if I am stuck within a project and don‘t know how to take the next step, I just switch to another. 

If I have real creative blocks, I usually start baking. Baking is like therapy for me. I just love whipping up some cupcake batter or knead some pie or yeast dough, bake it, decorate it and share with family and friends. That makes me happy and when I am happy I am more creative. There is hardly anything a baking day can‘t fix =)

-What/who inspires you?

I am inspired by every day things - things I see on other blogs, Pinterest, in catalogs/magazines, books, movies, music, window displays or it just happens to pop up in my head. There are so many inspirational people out there but there is no single one in particular. My inspiration usually comes from a combination of multiple sources. 

-What are some of your future goals? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 

I was afraid this question would come up. It is a really hard one for me. As at the moment I am thinking a whole lot about it as soon there will begin a new chapter in my life and like I said above I am not sure about what will happen next. Right now I am not thinking further ahead than half a year because that time span seems to be the most important for me in my life right now. I have to focus on that.  After that I can plan further and think about a 5 year plan. 

My main future goals are to find a job that I love, keep on being creative, maybe have my own little family - be happy! 

For fun:

Oh this is going to be tough. I always have a thousand favorites.

Favorite beverage: mango smoothie

Fav dessert/snack/food: panna cotta, vanilla cupcakes and sushi

Fav music band at the moment (I know its hard to pick just one): Not hard at all to pick just one - Angels & Airwaves

Fav book: My MacBook - just kidding. The Solitaire Mystery by Jostein Gaarder

Fav movie: I have two - it‘s a tie. Can‘t pick just one. Alice in Wonderland and The Pursuit of Happyness (yes, it is spelled with a Y =)

Fav boy celebrity crush: Jared Leto 

Fav celebrity girl crush: Zooey Deschanel  

Thanks so much for having me, Danielle. I feel very honored. Thank you.

xo.

Cool Creative Chicks - Heather/Shop Embo

Welcome to the third interview in my new monthly series (to be featured on the last Wed of the month) – Cool Creative Chicks. I am fortunate to know so many CCCs & wanted to share these gems with you & foster community. That’s why we’re all online right? So hopefully, you will connect with one another & make new friends or even just take away something from each interview

Today’s guest is Heather George, the owner of the fabulous eco-friendly store EmBo. Heather & I became close friends our senior year of high school & unfortunately lost touch over the years as happens sometimes. We just recently connected on Facebook & I can’t say enough how grateful I am to have her back in my life. She is amazingly talented, supportive, smart & not to mention gorgeous (all the boys were in love with her in high school).

Bio: 

East coast transplant loving the Midwest. Undecided between country girl and city girl. Likes to be herself and follow her passion. Doting mom of 2 pups. On a search to fulfill her soul. Oh yeah, and small business owner since 2011. :)

You can find Heather: Web, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram: shopembo

Those cute pups

You chose to leave your successful job in the finance industry in order to chase your dream of opening a brick & mortar boutique. This must have been somewhat terrifying, though exciting of course. Can you describe why you made this decision & the steps you took in becoming an entrepreneur?

It was terrifying, and some days it still is. For as long as I was old enough to think about it, I have always known that I would work for myself “some day”. And everyone around me knew it too. It is just part of who I am. I can analyze a million different things to identify why that is, but my assessment leads me to believe that it basically comes down to a few characteristics: 

Confidence: the unwavering belief in yourself that you are smart enough to learn anything and that you truly can do anything if you want it badly enough. Part of this is innate (thank you Mom & Dad!) and part of this gets reinforced through life experiences.

Over-the-top Work Ethic: I don’t have any idea where this comes from. I suspect it’s part of my family’s ancestral genealogy. I guess that’s a fancy way of saying that perhaps it is genetic. It seems that everyone in my family has some of this. It comes from both my Mom’s and my Dad’s families. It’s a natural drive to do what it takes to not only get the job done, but to do it to the best of your ability. I say that very seriously. It has to be your best. You have to want that. And the reality is that it often means that other areas of your life can get neglected, but I just know that I don’t know any other way to be.

Open-mindedness: What I mean here is that you have to be able to put your ego in check. You have to be able to downright push it aside. You need a natural willingness to learn from others and believe that you can and should grow as a person. This means that you readily ask for help and feedback when you need it. It means that you really listen to other’s opinions and ideas and you actually ponder them and take them into consideration. Believing in yourself doesn’t mean that you believe that your natural inclinations are the only ones or are always the best ones.

Owning a store devoted to eco-friendly fashion requires major creativity. Can you share your process of how you designed your store concept/decor/layout & how & why you choose the pieces of clothing, jewelry, handbags, shoes, etc..that you feature.

What I do know is that there is no magic formula. What I aim to do is to create a space that I feel is beautiful and magical and offer things that people can love and feel good about. I once described it as a place where I want people to feel at home and feel like they can be themselves. Where they feel like they can be open and true to their choices and desires. If everyone that leaves my shop could have the same joy that you get from petting an adorable puppy, then I will be happy! I work towards that every day. How people feel in my shop is very important to me. That said, there is a ton of work that goes into it.

Designing EmBo.’s retail space - this was tricky. I only used vintage, antique, repurposed and pre-loved furnishings and fixtures as much as possible. This takes time. Time to search for things. Time to create things. Time to flush out the design process. But what I did all along is trust my gut and use things that I think are special and beautiful. Eventually it comes together.

Regarding merchandising the store - this is even trickier. Search and network is the only way to do that. I hand select every item I sell. It has to be environmentally friendly and from a company that I believe in. I have to understand their mission and trust in their ethics and social responsibility. The hardest part is finding items and designers that are a good fit for EmBo. I can’t carry an item just because it’s cute and I think people will buy it. I have to ask myself: Is this item produced in an eco

You described a portion of your creative process above. Now, we’d like to know how you combat creative ruts/blocks.

When I am in a rut, I feel like I have a few choices. First I can get quiet with my thoughts and let ideas flow. This is also a reason that I always carry a small notebook (yes, pen and paper!). I jot down anything that comes to me for the business whenever it comes. And you never know when that will be. Second, I look to others for inspiration. The web is a wonderful tool for this. People share their work, their vision, their creative efforts online. Blogs, articles, websites… all of this inspires me. Generally, however, I try not to create a pressured environment. If I don’t feel inspired today, it’s okay. It will come to me tomorrow. :)

How do you keep organized & find balance between work & your personal life? How do you carve out time to create?  Also do you have any words of wisdom for inspiring entrepreneurs?

I wish I were a more positive role model in this department. Remember the work ethic I described above? What I do make time for is enjoying time with others. Enjoy the company of strangers and new acquaintances, of friends and loved ones. Talk to them. Spending time with them. It is good for the soul and good for the creative piggy bank. Share your ideas with others. Ask for suggestions and opinions. You never know what you’ll walk away with if your heart and mind are open. Let others help and inspire you!

 

What/who inspires you?

So many people everyday inspire me. I don’t have a single role model or hero. I am inspired when I share experiences and ideas with others. I am inspired to grow as an individual, friend, family member and partner.

What are some of your future goals? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I will always be on the path and the journey to be happy. To experience happiness now and follow my heart and soul to happiness in the future. I am open to the universe to evolve. In 5 years hopefully I am still following my heart wherever it may lead me!

For fun (you know how had this is for a girl that doesn’t like to declare favorites :) ):

Favorite beverage: My ole faithful is Diet Mountain Dew, but we are trying to break up right now.

Fav dessert/snack/food: Cheez-Its (salty) and Double Chocolate Klondike Bars (sweet).

Fav music band at the moment (I know its hard to pick just one): While I always enjoy discovering new artists, my favorites will always be classic. I am a die-hard Bruce Springsteen fan.

Fav book: Oh my… my reading interests are so diverse. I always have a dozen “in progress” at any given time. But I have loved anything by Kahlil Gribran since I was 14.

Fav movie: Baraka (an earth peace film from the 90s)

Fav boy celebrity crush: Jude Law

Fav celebrity girl crush: Charlize Theron


Hope you enjoyed this interview & thanks so much Heather - you are the quintessential cool creative chick. XO my friend! . 
*All pics used are property of Heather/Embo.

Cool Creative Chicks - Caiti

Welcome to the second interview in my new monthly series (to be featured on the last Wed of the month) – Cool Creative Chicks. I am fortunate to know so many CCCs & wanted to share these gems with you & foster community. That’s why we’re all online right? So hopefully, you will connect with one another & make new friends or even just take away something from each interview.

Today’s guest is fellow blogger Caiti. I have been following her blog for over a year now & what I love the most about her is that she promotes creativity as an everyday action. Also, she's got a great sense of humor.

Image is property of Caiti

My name is Caiti, and I blog over at Life is a Canvas: Musings on Creativity, Good Food & Mindful Living. I am a designer, a writer, a wife, a dreamer and a healthy food-loving chef. I am committed to the notion that we are the artists for our lives, and I know that I want to create a life full of color, vibrancy, passion, exploration, and authenticity.  I believe in always surrounding yourself with inspiring people and beautiful objects, and in expressing the authentic YOU. Aside from my blog, you can find me hanging out on Twitter @CaitididDesigns, or on Etsy, Flickr and Pinterest.

Your blog focuses on cultivating & celebrating everyday creativity – cooking, careers, daily interactions, shopping with intention, in addition to “artistic” pursuits.  Could you please explain that concept in more detail, as I think that there is a huge misconception that being creative means traditional artistic activities like drawing, painting, sewing, etc.

When people hear the word "creative," I think they automatically think of artistic or crafty activities. Many think of "being creative" as an output-- a crocheted scarf, a scrapbook, a painting. I'm all about bringing creativity back to the root of the word: the verb "create." Creating is something that we are all doing, everyday. Every action, every decision that we make is creating our life. I think it's a really empowering sentiment because it gives us the power to shape our experience through our intentions, actions and openness. 

What kind of life do you want to create?  Asking yourself this question forces you to examine your intentions. It identifies areas that you may need to let go of if they aren't serving your vision, and focus more deeply on what matters.  These thoughts are all summed up in my blog title, "Life is a Canvas." Cheesy as it might be, our own lives are the biggest work of art we will ever create, and I think it's worth putting the time and thought into the "materials" (our careers, our health, our friendships and relationships, our hobbies, etc.) as well as the overall story we want to tell.

How do you keep organized & find balance between working full-time, being a blogger & an entrepreneur? How do you carve out time in your very busy schedule to create both for Caitidid Designs & for pleasure? Also do you have any words of wisdom for inspiring entrepreneurs?

 I don't know that there's such thing as balance, I think that it's just a matter of priorities. You have to ask yourself what's important to you in this moment, and go do those things. Sometimes this has meant days where I spend 12 hours on the computer, or times when I let my blog posting slide because it's important to me to spend more time with my husband and my family. It comes back to intention again and again. On a pretty regular basis, I take the time to think about what's important to me, both in general terms and a few specific ideas for ways I can fulfill those desires. And then I see what I can do to achieve or incorporate these things. There's a constant ebb and flow in every area rather than an even-keel sense of balance. 

My advice for entrepreneurs would be to channel Nike and "Just Do It." At least for me, it's so easy to get stuck in the planning and research phase. This is something that can be (and IS) very useful, but be careful that you aren't using research/planning as a security blanket and a way to procrastinate on your entrepreneurial goals. You learn so much as you go that it's worth it to dive in and work from there. You will always have the time and opportunity to grow and evolve once you put your ideas out into the world. You won't grow nearly as much if your ideas only exist inside your head.

Describe your creative process & how you combat creative ruts/blocks?

My creative process almost always starts with words-- I think this comes from my background in journalism; I love to write! I'm a crazy list-maker/note-taker, so I have a big blank sketchbook where I constantly jot down ideas for blog posts, projects or designs. Later, I do some rough sketches or thumbnails before turning to the computer. More recently, I've turned to visual inspiration much more frequently through Pinterest and Etsy treasuries. I find that it is a great tool to identify themes and color schemes I'm drawn to, but I have to be careful that I don't over-do it with the online inspiration or my work starts to look a little too much like the images I'm viewing, and my brain starts to fry from inspiration-overload. 

My way of combating creative ruts almost always includes a break. I take lots of breaks for tea throughout the day, and I also have multiple projects going on at the same time so that I often just switch to something else for a while when I get stuck. I also embrace my variety of hobbies including yoga, cooking, crocheting and reading because they let my creative brain take a rest for a little while.

What/who inspires you?

I'm inspired by so many women I've been exposed to through this crazy online/social media world who have created their own unique life that works for them-- women like Elsie of A Beautiful Mess, Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks, Kyla Roma, Kris Carr, Elise Blaha, Sarah Von of Yes and Yes. I'm inspired by their determination, focus, style and creativity. 

Other inspirations include: browsing through people's Flickr favorites, Pinterest, taking photos, taking e-courses, long walks outside, the sound and smell of nature, people's stories and the art of storytelling, podcasts, college campuses, browsing bookstores, Squam Art Workshops, trying new restaurants.

What are some of your future goals? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I hope my husband and I can relocate to another city, preferably Portland or Seattle . I hope that my family will have grown to include a little one. I hope that I will still be blogging. I hope to be living authentically, challenging myself, and growing.

For fun:

Favorite beverage: Water and tea {the only two beverages I drink!}

Fav dessert/snack/food: Mac and cheese or mashed potatoes {carbs are my guilty pleasure!}. My favorite healthy treat is veggie sushi with brown rice

Fav music band *at the moment* (I know it’s hard to pick just one): Florence and the Machine's new album Ceremonials

Fav book: A tie between The Time Traveler's Wife and The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Fav movie: Amelie

Fav celebrity boy crush: Scott Speedman. I'm rewatching "Felicity" on Netflix right now, and I'm reminded of how firmly rooted on Team Ben I was back in the day.

Fav celebrity girl crush: Amy Poehler. Or more accurately, Leslie Knope.

Hope you enjoyed getting to know Caiti. And a big thanks Caiti for taking the time in your busy schedule to do this interview!