It’s all about the layering in Minnesota. It’s really the only way to stay warm.. well besides being 8 months pregnant!

I’m wearing…

Blazer: Target
Shirt: Urban Renewal
Leggings: Motherhood Maternity
Boots: Bakers Knit
Scarf: Forever 21

Happy Friday!

Oh boy, do I feel huge haha. It’s getting a lot harder to move around. Last night I was sitting on the couch and my drink was on the coffee table in front of me and I decided it was too much work to lean over and grab it. Wow. I also watched a little of A Baby Story and that was a bad idea because that made me SCARED. Really scared. The moaning that was coming from those women was just too much to watch. I’m definitely not ruling out an epidural before I experience birth because the saying the pain looks terrible is an understatement. When God said he was going to make child birth painful for women, I guess he wasn’t kidding around. The silver lining though is that after it, I will have a little baby to hold. I’m going to try to picture that as much as I can while going through labor. And yeah I’m probably going to keep the television off of A Baby Story for now ;)

This post comes directly from my inbox :). I get asked some of the same questions through email so I thought it may be time to do a Frequently Asked Questions post. Also here’s your chance to ask me other questions in the comment section and I’ll try my best to answer them! Here goes…

What kind of camera do you use? I use a Canon Rebel T1i. It’s a great camera for beginners and has served me well over the past 3 years!

What’s your favorite lens? Hands down, the 50mm 1.8. It was only $100 bucks and helps me achieve that shallow depth of field I love so much. I almost always shoot wide open at 1.8. I’m actually using it in the photo above :)

Who takes your fashion friday photos? Most of the time, I do with a tripod and remote. Occasionally my sister or my husband will but usually you can tell because if I’m doing it, you won’t be able to see one of my hands since I’m holding the remote! haha

Where did you go to school and what at did you major in? I went to the University of Wisconsin – Stout and got a BFA in Multimedia Design. Stout is a great school for Fine Arts and offer degrees in everything from Packaging Design to Apparel Design. Multimedia Design focused on Interface/Web Design, 3D Modeling and Animation, and a strong emphasis on Graphic Design. I was also required to take studio classes like drawing, painting, sculpture, etc.

What are your top three favorite sites for design inspiration? Pinterest (of course), FFFFound, and Nubby Twiglet. But there’s so many good ones – it really depends on what I’m looking to get inspired by! Sometimes I just wander around Anthropologie or take a walk outside for inspiration.

Who do you use for printing? I work with a local printer that now knows me by name :). I have found it helpful to my business and clients to build relationships with vendors. I get better results in a faster time frame and they save all my designs and give out my name as a reference.

What software do you use when designing? I use Illustrator for logos and illustrations and Photoshop for design layout.

When is your baby due? March 21, 2012 :)

Can I just tell you how crazy this fashion friday is?? I braved the 5 degree weather in 3 inch heels with my tripod and remote in order to get these photos. I really couldn’t help myself though because the lighting was so amazing. I love sunny winter days. I don’t so much love feeling my hands and face freeze while running back and forth in 4 inches of snow to my tripod to see if at least one of the photos turned out to be a keeper. Yesterday I was pretty proud of myself but today I realized the idiotic-ness of it. haha Anyway please enjoy… at least because you can get a laugh at imagining me getting these photos!

I’m wearing…

Sweater: Urban Outfitters
Tank: Target
Leggings: Motherhood Maternity
Boots: H&M
Scarf: Lillian’s
Necklace: Forever 21

p.s. My midwife also thought I was a lunatic when I showed up at my centering class wearing these boots. Yes Kelly, it’s time to retire them for awhile!

I have been meaning to blog this wedding invitation suite for some time – as you can tell from the dates! But I figured it’s still winter and the cold temps this morning (below 9!) made it pretty relevant :).

Courtney and Luke already had great ideas for their invitations when they came to me to design them. They got engaged right underneath a tree on the campus they went to school (the same campus they would get married on) and carved their initials in the tree. Since this tree was of significant importance, they wanted to use it on the invites. I loved the idea so I incorporated a hand-drawn illustration of the tree. I also designed a monogram representing their carved initials which they etched on champagne glasses at the wedding. I love personalizing details into the invitations that can be used in elsewhere at the wedding!

This was a really fun suite to design and a happy departure from spring and summer flowers. I think winter weddings can be so magical. I’d love to hear what you think!

Congrats Luke and Courtney!

I drew this recently for a special project I’m working on. I love incorporating customized illustrations in my designs :) Stay tuned for the full project!

Somehow I thought I brought the Arizona heat with me and Minnesota wasn’t going to get any snow this winter. It was feeling like the beginning of spring until a couple days ago when I overheard crowds of people squealing in excitement of the outside flurries. That’s great for you that you’re so excited. I mean, who wants to go on walks outside without turning into an icicle?

At least snow is pretty photogenic. Today I’m wearing…

Jacket: Free People
Tee: Target:
Jeggings: Forever 21
Boots: Bakers
Scarf: Lillian’s
Earrings: The Hangout

Is it real that in 10 weeks or less I will be holding a baby? ahh so surreal. These past 2 weeks I think I got a lot bigger. D keeps saying “wow it IS big” – meaning my bump. haha Some of my maternity shirts are not even fitting now. Boo The other day I thought about how I would design a maternity line… Lots of long tanks in all different patterns, some striped, some floral, big chunky knit open-front sweaters, leggings in every neutral color possible, and scarfs.. lots of lots of scarfs. Too bad I can’t sew very well :P

I’m pretty much finished with registering (I think!). I decided to register at Target and Amazon after a bunch of people told me about bad experiences with Babies ‘R’ Us. Anyone have anything I MUST register for?? I would love the suggestions! I need to get going on designing my baby shower invitations which I really wanted to do myself. I’m thinking a woodland theme :) Hopefully I’ll share that soon!

Slowly, verrry slowly, I have been collecting a few things here and there for Baby. Every time I get something, I feel all the more excited for his arrival. Here’s some of the stuff I have for him, although if I’m being honest, a lot of this stuff is for me :).

1) His first puffy vest. Every Minnesota kid needs one.
2) Sophie the Giraffe. Isn’t this a must-have for every baby??
3) Delta Biltmore Crib. I got ours at ShopKo on sale woo-hoo!
4) Eddie Bauer Diaper Bag. You have no idea how much I wanted this or this but then the practical side of me won and I bought this one for $34.99. D said he won’t mind carrying it around too.
5) Elephant Painting. I painted this a couple weeks ago for his nursery. I found a similar painting on pinterest that I loved and then reproduced it with my own touch ;)
6) Twilight Constellation Night Light. My sister showed these turtles to me and I fell in love so I was thrilled when I found it wrapped under the tree!
7) Wing Back Rocker. I searched high and low for the perfect rocker and landed on this one. It has a high enough back that I can rest my head. I can’t wait to rock him to sleep in this!

Yeah that’s a question up there ^^. On Wednesday I swear my bump grew at least a couple feet. I confirmed this when I walked into the coffee shop with my sister today and all eyes where glued to my stomach. That’s fun. I guess I better get used to it. 2 and a half more months of that! I swear I become less and less fashionable the more pregnant I get…

I’m wearing (what else, stretch pants!)…

Tank: Target
Sweater: Pac Sun
Leggings: Motherhood Maternity
Flats: Target

Props to all those fashionable soon-to-be mamas out there!