Entre Nous.

Descending the Summit

So I'm almost a week out from the last day of Alt Summit. It was a whirlwind of back TO back lectures, socializing, networking, and engaging. Alt was draining in the most delightful of ways. My priority since my return home was to diligently visit the blogs and social media of all the talented ladies I rubbed shoulders with.

This was my third Alt Summit, my Junior year, if you will. Last year's conference was all about making connections, while this year was all about deepening those connections and having FUN.

Highlights from the conference

• The opening night dinner hosted by Minted at Taqueria 27
• Lisa Congdon's opening keynote
• Allison of THE Allison Show
• Dallas Clayton's closing keynote
• Getting my hair "did" in the Freshly Picked lounge
• The mini parties, which are far from mini

Key takeaways

Lisa Congdon

• Push boundaries rather than regurgitating trends
• Show up and do the work
• Be kind, polite, professional, and have humility
• It's your humanity that makes connections

The Allison Show

• Make your life a party you can't miss
• Search for your awesome
• Be YOURSELF
• A brand consists of two things: 1. A strong visual style. 2. A strong tone or voice (find your language).
• Oh and last but not least, the swell dance move I took away

l All photographs by Justin Hackworth l

I'll also throw out the common refrain I heard again and again, which is the importance of self care. More than anything you cannot excel without it. If you don't do it now, you won't do it later.

I Sweat Glitter

The Color Run has been on my "must do" list for the last several years. Unfortunately though the closest venue has been Seattle (90 minutes away from the island on which I reside), and it always seems to fall on my Birthday weekend (not ideal). So the stars never seemed to align for me to get my Color Run on. 2015 must be my year for crossing items off the must do list; because not only has the Color Run also morphed into the Shine Tour (did someone say glitter?!), but it's also taking place practically in my back yard. The date is also pretty ideal, a weekend in August.

So it looks as though the training is about to commence. I have a goal to strive towards, which is always helpful on the motivation front. And the end result of said training, is that I'm covered head to toe in colorful glitter. A win-win.

The only other run I've participated in was the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure about 5 years ago. Now even though that was a nobler run, I certainly wasn't as motivated to run the entire time. It was more of a walk/jog affair.

I'm throwing this out there in this public forum, that by August I plan to at least jog the entire 5k. Oh the pressure.

#malachitemonday

In case you aren't in the know, I wanted to showcase a hashtag my dear friend Amy, of the blog Commona My House, started on Instagram. Because we share an adoration of malachite, I started chiming in on her malachitemonday hashtag. I should clarify that we don't only adore malachite, we're kind of obSESSED. Hence our board on Pinterest, Malachite, which also fuels our addiction. 

When I was in SLC last week for Alt Summit, I managed to find not one but two malachite baubles to fawn over. The first was $10 cocktail ring at the vintage store Decades. Though now I could kick myself for not purchasing the second similar ring they were showcasing. Conveniently next door to Decades happens to be a gem of a store called Bohem. I died and went to heaven when I walked through Bohem's hallowed doors. There I spied the most STUNNING malachite cuff. Though the $130 price tag unfortunately gave me pause. If it's still there in May (my Birthday month), I'm so treating myself. I just couldn't justify the purchase at the moment.  

                         

So all this to say, please do chime in with your own #malachitemonday photographs on Instagram. We'd love to have you!

Gaining Altitude

 

In a mere two days I'll be in Salt Lake City for my third Alt Summit, a conference for designers and bloggers. My junior year the keynote speakers include: artist extraordinaire Lisa Congdon, author Dallas Clayton, Jess Lee of Polyvore, and Susan Peterson of Freshly Picked.

The first night of the conference I'm attending an intimate dinner hosted by Minted at Taqueria 27 (think fancy tacos and fine tequilas). Minted's company philosophy aligns with my own and their products are top notch. From business cards to customized wrapping paper, I've been beyond thrilled with their customer service and finished product. 

Alt is known for their parties and this year doesn't disappoint. Their Thursday night soiree was given a Downton Abbey theme. Being a superfan of the show, this theme thrilled me to no end. And then the anxiety set in about securing the perfect attire. The saving grace is that the theme isn't meant to be taken too literally, no head to toe 20's attire expected. I was able to track down a dress that seemed apropos, but as always I'll add my own twist to the decade. Oh, and I may or may not have gotten a manicure to match my business cards.

                             

There's always all sorts of last minute prep that takes place leading up to Alt. In addition to securing the appropriate attire, I created a flower crown to sport at Minted's "floral" themed dinner. I'm absolutely smitten with flower crowns and the excuse to create one for the Minted dinner was thrilling. In lieu of designing new business cards for this years conference I decided to go the up-cycle route. I thought I'd tackle the task of "gilding" the edges of my business cards with gold spray paint. This wasn't as easy as Pinterest leads one to believe. There were quite a few casualties where the spray paint bled onto the cards. Overall though the gold edge elevated the cards to coincide with my ultimate vision.

                             

At last years conference I managed to walk away with a "tribe" of gal pals with whom I formed genuine friendships. This year my hope is to put myself out there to discuss potential partnerships and collaborations with fellow bloggers and brands. But above all else I want to have FUN.

Within the next several months you can expect new features, content, and collaborations on Entre Nous. It's a new year and there are exciting things on the horizon.

Behind the Scenes

January's installment of 'Behind the Scenes' highlights Kathy of the blog Krafty Kath. Kathy and I bonded over our shared love of crafts (naturally) at Alt Summit last January. She's an uber talented graphic designer in her 9 to 5 life, but her other passion is her splendid blog, which features an array of clever crafts.

Collects  From the age of five I have been a collector of elephants. Over the years my tastes have changed from stuffed animals to more sophisticated elephants like Jonathan Adler ceramic elephants.

 

Admires  Mom and Dad. My Mom was the most selfless and the happiest person I have known...and my Dad is a truly dedicated husband.

 

Daydreams  Starting my own craft business. I just have to take the jump!

 

Guilty Pleasures  I'm a pop music junkie. And even though I'm 40, I still love me some boy bands. I know I'm old, but I can't get over being a child of the MTV era.

 

Weekend Pursuits  I am always trying to obtain zero dirty clothes in my house. Never seems to work...so in the meantime I work on my blog.

 

Libation of Choice  A good Washington wine. Some of my latest faves are Darby Winery, Owen Roe, and Damsel Cellars.

 

Coffee or Tea  I know I live in the coffee capital of Seattle...but I can't stand it. I'm a tea person all the way.

 

Blooms of Choice  Peonies. I love their ruffled edges. They remind me of tutus.

 

Favorite Book  The Color of Water by James McBride. It's a beautiful story of love, faith, and acceptance.

 

Where I’d Rather Be  On a beach digging my toes into the warm sand.

 

Lipstick or Gloss of the Moment  Trish McEvoy gloss in "Brightening Pink"

 

Nail Polish Du Jour  Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in gray. It was an impromptu purchase at Bartell's of all places, and has yielded the most compliments on nail polish I've ever had! 

 

Scent  Trish McEvoy N° 9 Blackberry & Vanilla Musk

 

Style Icon  My friend Cristy. :) She is my go-to fashion guru, advice giver, and approver!

 

Can’t Leave the House Without  My phone

 

Pending Vacations  Alt Summit in Salt Lake City at the end of January. After that, Spring Training in Arizona is on the table.

 

Social Media of Choice  Instagram

 

Crushing On  Louis Vuitton Pallas Handbag in black. When I reach my goal weight...this will be mine!

 

There you have it. See why she's a gem?