Making A Mess (and then cleaning it up)

(This title has nothing to do with this post, but it could have!)

This past week was pretty busy. I didn’t realize how busy until I looked back at photos I took and was sure the events didn’t all happen last week, but they did.

Oh, and it was Thanksgiving! So, we also had a day trip to Jeremy’s family’s in Maryland on Thursday to eat turkey and fish.

I had some much needed friend time with some of my friends and some of Jeremy’s friends. Almost too much social time! I also hosted two airbnb workshops, block printing and shopping in in the LES. Both were enjoyable as my guests were great and I loved doing the shopping experience for the first time!!!

A student and I made pink for her block printing project

I also had a Google Hangout with a friend and it was fun. Oh, and I had an advisory board meeting geez it was a busy week!!!!

I also finish a prototype for this new NYC Hanging I’ll be teaching in a new airbnb experience in my Dumbo studio. I already booked two students for this upcoming week!

And I found a vision board I made before I decided to move to NYC and start this crazy chapter of my life. I think it’s pretty accurate. I don’t have a ring yet though ;). We’ll be doing a vision board workshop in NYC soon and in DC in January! Sign up for the January vision board workshop in DC here.

I also worked in my store (Eche Verde) for Black Friday. Three people came inside while I was there. It was very depressing. I hate retail.

But I love shopping! I had an awesome first shopping airbnb experience and I’m pretty sure my guest did too. Sadly, I didn’t get any photos of us together. I always feel weird asking.

Oh, and while at the store I prepped a bunch of plastic bags for a new weaving I’ll be working on soon.

And here’s a picture of a pretty bike stand one of Jeremy’s friends’ friends’ had in his apartment. I was a little jealous of their well-designed house, but I’ll get there.

Ok, I gotta go. I’m tired and forcing myself to just write a studio update!

-Stephanie

Eche Verde and Distill Creative updates

I've been working on a new store concept with my partner called Eche Verde. It's a mixed-use retail space that includes offices, retail, and workshop studio. I work out of Eche Verde to run Distill Creative and my boyfriend works out the space to run JPG Legal. We have a shop in front of the space where we sell books, arts and crafts materials, home decor and stationery, and a studio space in the back where I do R&D for Distill Creative and run craft workshops. 

It's been really fun getting the space together, but requires a ton of time and focus (obviously) so I haven't been able to blog much here and from now on I will be focused on blogging at the Distill Creative blog and running Eche Verde's store, instagram, and events. Ahh! All the things! 

So if you are looking for me, that's where I am -- at our shop. Sign up for my mailing list to get updates Distill Creative. 

Magic Moments

Alright, my posts have not been as consistent as I had intended. Sorry. Things have been really busy. Besides the store and running my own business, we also were out of town and had some visitors the past few weeks.

But, that only means many magic moments! NYC magic moments! The weather -- at least some days -- has finally become bearable and some days being outside is marvelous. 

Like today. 

Some highlights of the past few weeks include: dancing in Marchesa Notte gown (snagged it at RTR sample sale) at my boyfriend's friend's wedding, brunch with a friend at Veselka, drinks with many friends at our new favorite neighborhood speak easy, being a Facilitator for the Go Between art project at Essex Street Market, setting up shop at our shop, and working on some giant paper flowers I'm making for our next window install. 

I still have a million things on my to do list, but I'm slowly getting more realistic about what I can actually do in a day. And making time to work out and, some special days, just chill. 

I cannot believe it is almost May. So much has happened this year already, yet it still seems crazy we are almost midway through it! Eeekkekekekek.

-Stephanie

When you're sick...

you don't want to sleep but you have to

you get tired of watching movies

you think of all these ideas you can't do because it hurts too much to lift your head

you aren't hungry... but when you are you're too weak to make any food... so then you pretend you aren't hungry

you feel blurry

you can't write

you're clammy all the time

when you finally can lift your head, you work too hard and then have to lay down again

you want to be alone but are sad when no one wants to come over 

I've been sick all weekend and am still getting over it. I should be thankful as I haven't been sick in a while, but it still is awful. My sister has been gone all weekend (she still is not home) so I've been by myself and I hate it! Cabin fever x 100,000,000. 

So that's all for now. Editing photos from my sister's graduation party that I'll put up on Thursday. And then I'm off to Florida for a little island getaway and my company's annual meeting -- see why I need to get better?!

Hope you are having a great non-sick week!!

Life hacks for busy creatives

I have a busy lifestyle and while I can't really complain (I'm single and have no dependents, so it's really not that hard) I do try to maximize my free time so I can spend more time on what I love. Here's what I use:

Laundry

If you don't have a washer and dryer in your house you know that doing laundry is just that much more annoying. I just tried Washio for the first time and it worked out pretty well. I packed up my laundry and they came to pick it up during pre-selected hours. They asked my preferences and provided some sturdy bags for wash and fold and dry cleaning. I scheduled when I wanted them to return the clean laundry and voilá, laundry was done. Is it expensive? Yes. But if you factor in time gained and hassle lost, it may be worth it for you. Use this referral code (echeveste99453dy61) for $10 off your first order if you want to try it out!  

Grocery Shopping

I'd love to try Blue Apron, but it's just not worth the cost for me. It would make sense if I knew my sister and I were going to eat all the meals, but our schedules are so full that sometimes neither of us are home for dinner for days. I wish there was a one meal option, but there's not! 

Instead, I use Relay Foods, which allows me to schedule a pickup of the groceries I want. They even have meal plans with recipes that focus on fresh, local veggies. You can pick a recipe and add all the ingredients to your cart with one button. We've been doing this for weeks now and it is amazing. Try out Relay Foods for yourself!

Clothes Shopping

I tried Stitch Fix once and hated it. I know others have had better experiences, but it just wasn't for me. I signed up for Daily Look's Elite Box and LOVE it. I'll have to post about my next box to share what I get next. Until then, try it out for yourself: use this link for a two-month free trial of Elite Box! 

what do you use to save time? are these services worth the cost for you?

My Weekly Goals #7

I was out in Austin all last week for work reporting from SXSWedu. I had a blast and learned a ton. There are so many amazing educators and entrepreneurs (and edupreneurs) doing innovative work to help improve education for everyone. It was super inspiring and caused me to do a little soul searching about my own life path and what I do. 

Related... I just found out about some exciting changes in my work. This evening, after celebrating with my sister over a glass of wine and catching up on GIRLS, we talked about what we both want to accomplish this year and I begged her for help on what I want to do in my outside-of-work time. She reminded me most people just go to work and then go home. But I'm not most people (and you shouldn't be either!). 

The real question I've been struggling with is why I do what I do (blog, write, make things, take photos...). I know even the people that look like they've got it all figured out may not even know why they are working so hard or what their real reason for doing it is. I'm not interested in fame or even money, I just want to wake up everyday and feel inspired, and hopefully inspire others. I know what I love to do: build relationships, create, travel, and write. In my new job I'll be able to do most of these things, but I still think I need an outlet (this blog!) to share projects I do on the side. And I've decided they are just projects -- this year is about creating for the sake of creating and seeing where it takes me. 

I decided a while ago I don't want to make things just to sell them with no greater meaning or contribution to the world. (it's totally fine if you do this, but it's just not for me). And on the blogger front, I'm more into creating than consuming...critically thinking about things instead of just trying to sell ad space or talking about an outfit created out of various brands. This might not be business savvy - but it's much more true to myself.

For the forseeable future I'm going to focus on learning and creating. As my mom has alway said, I process things by writing and getting lost in my work. I get lost in my work during the day at work, which is awesome, and for some reason I still have to have another creative outlet to be lost in my work at home. Like, making chalkboards with my sister today. It does beg a bigger question - why make just to make? But then, that's my stress relief...and somethings are bigger projects that you can build on, like working on a longer essay or painting (I don't paint, but if I did!). I'm still a little bit scattered in those projects, but I do feel a good sense of what I like to do and what I spend my time on, which is a start. 

What's awesome is there are so many things you can make. You can make a sweater out of reclaimed fabric or a visually-compelling blog post. You can make a beautiful meal or a social campaign. I'm lucky I get to make all these things -- at work and at home -- and I'll be sharing some of them here! My sister and I will be attempting to make one thing (or work on part of a thing) everyday for the next month and share on instagram using the hashtag #etxemade. 

MY GOALS LAST LAST WEEK

1. Get furniture for my new house. We spent all day at Ikea the Saturday before last, but in the end we accomplished this goal. Unfortunately the locally-made dining table we've been waiting for was made the wrong size, so I'm still eating my breakfast standing up in the kitchen.

2. Practice German. I could have practiced more, but I'm using this awesome app called Memrise. Wunderbar!

3. Set up home studio. I did it! I took me all last weekend to make my table, hang my corkboard and make a dresser in my room so my clothes had a place to go, but it's done. Now time to create!

MY GOALS THIS WEEK

1. Make something everyday. Or work on the making of something. Things I make at work count. 

2. Go on a run. I now live across the street from the park AND it's not snowing anymore. Woohoo!

3. Wrap up my SXSWedu coverage. I'm working on a project for work that I'm really excited about but it is kind of hard and new and scary for me. I'm figuring it out. 

 What are your goals for this week? How do you manage your life/passions/goals?