Current Obsession: Handwritten Everything!

Growing up my mom was seriously all about education. I’m pretty sure, okay, well I’m 100% positive that it’s because of her background. She grew up in a small town outside of Mazatlan, Mexico and unfortunately didn’t have the luxury of attending extra classes and lessons.  Needless to say, my mother was determined that her three girls would have access to everything she didn’t. That included piano lessons, dance lessons, and yes… even calligraphy lessons! That’s right! Every summer, while all the other kids were at camp or whatever it is kids do in the summer… I’d be sitting in “College for Kids” at the local junior college working on my penmanship.

I suppose the hours and hours of getting my handwriting professionally critiqued at the age of 9 instilled a love for penmanship. Which would explain my current obsession with handwritten designs. From invitations, to logos, to displays and magazine covers– I’m loving the fact that people are using their unique handwriting! After all, that’s how everything started right?

After seeing these– maybe handwriting will be your new obsession too!

via Unknown

You have to agree- this is an amazing window display! It’s eye catching, right?

via Lindsay Letters

Okay, if you are in need of invites or anything calligraphic– look at Lindsay’s website! She’s brilliant.

via Unknown

I often ask myself– why I can’t have this penmanship! Seriously. After seeing this image I sent it to my dear Megan  a fellow lover of creativity and together we questioned why the good Lord didn’t grace us with this skill.

via Baca Creative

via Sierra Massey Instagram

via Invisible Children Instagram

via Austin Kleon

I’m pretty sure Austin Kleon’s handwriting is perfection. I’m in love and wishing that my penmanship was this precise. I’m told that my handwriting looks more like Arabic. Minor details.

via Unknown

This is a magazine cover. Yes and Yes! I definitely would pick it up and read it just because of this cover!

via Dana Tanamachi

Please please! You must watch the video of Dana creating this! It’s absolutely incredible and a true art!

View Video: http://vimeo.com/41519310

via Dana Tanamachi

Honestly, I love this quote! Such a good reminder to use our hands. There are so many beautiful font choices out there these days- I have a full list of my favorites, but let’s try using our hands- shall we? And create something uniquely beautiful.

xoxo

Two Wings

About a month or so ago, I was asked to come on board of a project for Two Wings, a California non-profit working with survivors of sex trafficking. Naturally, I jumped on board with a big “yes”. As a fairly new non-profit and wanting to brand themselves- I started from scratch. The goal was this: Strong but gentle, Clean yet whimsical, Bold with a bit of femininity. Ultimately, the logo and branding were to be a symbol of a fresh start.

Here’s a sneak peek!

1 of the 2 variations of the logo.

Inside of the brochure.

Front of the Giving Card

Front of the brochure & Back of the giving card.

It was an absolute pleasure being a part of this project and working with people who are going to change the lives of women around the world.

If you haven’t heard of Two Wings, go on and take a look at their website. They are doing some absolutely amazing things. Using education, mentoring, and life-coaching their goal is to empower at risk girls and survivors of sex trafficking to achieve their dreams.

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A Reminder for Self

Saturday afternoon I went on a little afternoon outing with my pops. After our coffee date I convinced him that we ought to stop by one of my favorite places: the bookstore. Without much thought, I headed straight to the “Self-Help” section of the store where I always find a treasure. This day was no exception. After browsing the shelves for something that stuck out, I found a little black book entitled “Steal Like An Artist” by Austin Kleon. As I was flipping through the black and white pages I was certain that this book had to become a part of my personal library.

Whether you are an artist, a student, a business person, or a stay at home parent– do yourself a favor and go buy this book. It’s a book about creativity that will inspire and challenge you to take life to the next level.

In his book, Kleon writes: “Take time to mess around. Get Lost. Wander. You never know where it might lead you.” I fell in love with this quote. It’s something that I need to remind myself of every now and then. I am a lover of creativity and thrive off it, however, at the same time I am the queen of to-do-lists. It’s easy to get caught up crossing things off the lists. Every couple of months I get in this place I like to call “The Funk”, where I feel completely uninspired and drained from work. When I take time to actually look up from my little computer screen and little black book of to-do-lists I realize that I’ve given myself no room to be inspired because I’ve been working to cross things off list and not allowing myself to get lost and explore. It’s all about balance. Structure is good and it’s needed to get things accomplished. However, I’m noticing that if I wanna stay out of getting in “funks” then I better be taking time to get lost along the way of my structured schedule.

I’ve always been taught to write things down and put them where you can see them to remind you of things. So, I decided that this quote ought to be no exception. I created a little poster to hang in my room to remind myself to allow exploring to become a priority in life.

So here it is.

Let it serve as a challenge to you as well.

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Display Your World

So, I recently made a big move! Well, okay, not that big of a move. To be honest, it was just moving down the hall at my office. None the less, every move requires a bit of redecorating. Spending at least 8 hours of my day in my office, I’ve come to find it’s like a little home to me. I realized the other day thought that I have never brought one photo that displays my world to my office. Shocking, I know, since I perhaps could be nominated as the queen of photos. I decided that with the move, it was time to display my world on the walls. Naturally, I wanted to display my photos creatively. So with a little bit of “research” I came across a few ideas to fall in love with…

Ready to see?

via The Blog is Found

Such a simple idea, but insanely cute. White canvases from any art store, with photos of all shapes and sizes. Classy.

via Trend Home

Okay, I’m seriously in love with this idea! I think I’m going to redecorate my living room in the upcoming months- and when I do… You’ll be seeing this!!

via The Stir

Simple white rounded frames. What’s not to love?

via The Stir

One word: Brilliant! I absolutely am in love with this. Photos arranged by color. It’s perfect (at least for me). My closet can attest to this since it’s color coded. I can imagine having a New York loft work space with a wall like this.

via The Stir

When I’m married with a house full of kids, I’m going to do this. Seriously, what a statement wall!

via  100 Layer Cake

There is something about taking something old and re-using it to display beauty. If you were to walk into my Third Story Apartment, you’d understand why I love this. The Third Story Apartment is full of old pieces have been refurbished. My dear friend Megan and I saw this idea and fell in love. Megan fell so much in love that she actually created something like this for her little office space.

I’m not going to lie, I have a little obsession with wooden hangers. Which is why this is one of my favorite photo displays. I contemplated replicating this in my little HR office, however, I came to the conclusion that hangers were probably a little too “artsy” for my corporate office. Mark my words though, one day I’ll display photos like this.

via The Stir

Taaaa da! So, after “researching” I found several examples of the clipboard display. Naturally, I came to the conclusion that this would be the perfect way to display photos in my office. After all, clipboards are technically office supplies. It’s perfect. Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to post photos once my office decor is complete. Including photos of my clipboard display.

Simple and Classy. The idea of having shelves like this with a multitude of framed photos is simply wonderful. If I ever did this idea- I think I’d spray paint my frames and have some “pop” colors.

Alright, so now that you’ve seen ways to display your world- what do you think? Here’s the challenge for the day: Wherever you spend your time-  do something to display your world. I promise it will make that environment more vibrant and inviting to whoever comes your way.

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HR-ologie

One of the most frequently asked questions in the life of Lindsey Eryn is: “Are you still in college?” I always chuckle to myself when I get asked this question– cause the response that follows is this: “No, I actually work at a college.”

As a college graduate I was very ambitious– I had a whole plan of what was going to happen. That plan included moving across the world to the nation of Zambia with my dear friend Erica. While it may seem completely random to some- it made complete sense to my 22 year old self. I was determined to start a rescue home for girls who were enslaved. However, as it tends to happen in life, my plans got switched up. I somehow found myself moving from Tulsa to San Diego and then back to Tulsa. To be honest, I was somewhat disappointed in myself for not making it very far from my “launching pad”. However, I was determined to make the most of life. In 2009 I teamed up with Go International as a Public Relations intern. The plan was to intern in Tulsa for one year then high tail it out of here to the east coast, Boston to be exact. Yet once again, my grand plan got delayed.

So there I was. One year out of college, still in my college town in the middle of somewhere Oklahoma, and working at a non-profit. Well at this point in the story, Mother and Father Clark decided that it was time for me to start “riding the bike of life by myself”. Translation: To be become financially independent. Mind you, they decided this without me. So with no desire to join the corporate world, I thought I’d get a head start preparing for motherhood and become a nanny. The plan was genius. I nannied in the morning, worked for the non profit in the afternoons, the nannied til the wee hours of the night. I was living the life- the dream.

Two years later, I realized that my nanny salary was not funding my “extravagant” life style of traveling the world and the outdoor malls of California. Not to mention, that I started feeling like a part-time mother at the age of 24 with no benefits (aka social life or husband). My realization pushed me out of my comfort zone and on a trek to find “the perfect job”. The search was on and quiet frankly it was difficult. Why? Typical Lindsey: I had strict standards of what kind of job I wanted. After countless job interviews and several trips to Sephora (Sidenote: I purchase make up when I’m having a “tough” day), I finally found a company or rather a college that I fell in love with.

I woke up a few days later and found myself with a stack of business cards and a doorplate that read: “Lindsey Clark, BS Human Resources Assistant”. (Sidenote: BS stands for Bachelors of Science– however- I’m not gonna lie, when I ordered my transcript from my Alma Mater, I discovered that I have a Bachelors of Arts. Who would have thought! Minor details, right?) I was in the cooperate world and in love.

So here I am. Eight months later. I’m a Human Resources Assistant (among many other titles) at a college in Tulsa the middle of somewhere Oklahoma. (This wasn’t the “vision”, but all good stories have a few unexpected twists and turns.) With a newfound love for all things HR-I’ve come to the conclusion to start a little blog as my “corporate outlet”. The title: HR-ologie.

I’ve been working on a couple design pieces for the blog and I thought that it was only fitting to share with none other than you.

I have another new theory: I think that Human Resources is more than just for the corporate world. I think that we ought to implement Human Resources into our daily lives.

Don’t worry, I’ll expand on that thought later.

For now,

Be Inspired + Create

Come Alive

Ready for a question: One. Two. Three.

What makes you come alive?

Quick.

What’s your answer?

I was sifting through old photos a couple days ago, and came across this one from my travels in Cambodia Summer 2011. My heart races when I look at this photo. Why? Because nothing makes me feel more alive than traveling and working with villagers, orphans, and victims of sex trafficking. I know, not your typical answer from an 20 something HR girl, but that’s my answer.

Before the sun even rises, I’m at work. Around dinner time, I leave the office, only to do more work at home. The result: I work probably 50+ hours a week. Yet all the while, I feel so alive. I know that working in the corporate world is making it possible for me to live out my dream to travel and help the oppressed, the down-and-outters.

My day job as an HR girl allows me to see and hear a lot. Over the past couple months I’ve notice that people in our world are seemingly “burnt-out” they lack that passion in their eyes. They’ve worked so hard for the American Dream, they go to their 8-5 job, go home to wine and dine, then catch a few hours of beauty sleep only to do it all over again. It’s a cycle. In the process of trying to achieve their American Dream, they’ve lost it all. They’ve lost the purpose and meaning of life.

I have a new theory (as always). We have to have a passion, something that makes us come alive, if we want to live life to the fullest. We all need something that makes us come alive. The American Dream isn’t going to be our answer.

Why? If we don’t, we’ll go through the routine of life mundanely, bored, and on the verge of being burnt out. And let’s be honest, that’s no way to live.

So again – here’s my question: What makes you come alive?

Go after it.

Find your passion and purpose and move with courage.

Kampong Thom, Cambodia // Summer 2011

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Johannesburg

There are certain moments in life that I miss.
This is one of them: Traveling across the world with some of my dearest friends &
playing games in abandoned fields with village kids.

Take me back to South Africa.
My feet are longing to be on foreign soil.

Johannesburg, South Africa

Be Inspired + Create

Small Beginnings

Take me to Barnes & Noble and beyond a shadow of a doubt you can guarantee that within seconds I’ll be in my favorite section: The Self -Help section. That’s right. Don’t ask me why, my only guess is that it’s due to the fact that my degree is a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. My last trip to B&N I stumbled upon a book full of wisdom. I read that successful people write down their accomplishments and put them where they can see them.

My thought: Brilliant.

Naturally, I decided that I too must write down my accomplishments.

Weeks ago I had bought a huge piece of plywood with no rhyme or reason for it. Luckily for the plywood it finally found purpose: It’d be my board of accomplishments. A couple of coats of chalk paint later and it was transformed into a blank canvas waiting to hold the things that I was proud of.

As I started sifting through my memories trying to think of my accomplishments throughout life I realized why people who write down their accomplishments are successful. They are motivated by the fact that they have already have accomplishments on their record to be proud of, knowing that there is still a whole life in front of them waiting for them to accomplish things far greater than what they’ve already done.

On the verge of turning twenty-five I have a whole to do list for my life of things that I want to accomplish. I’ll be honest, some days it’s a little overwhelming and the thought crosses through my head “Am I really ever going do this?”

I mean my list has some pretty big things on it including:
Start a magazine.
Own a coffee shop.
Write a book (or two).
Throw a benefit concert in the middle of Central Park.
Host a national conference.
Start a non-profit that rescues women out of sex trafficking.

The list continues.

After filling my blank canvas with some of my accomplishments, I suddenly felt empowered. I’ve lived a quarter of life and I have quite a few things I can say I’m proud of.

I’ve learned to play the piano. I got my real estate license. I threw my first benefit concert in college and raised $500 for the She Rescue Home. I learned Photoshop. I planned Orphan for a Night a nation wide event that raised thousands of dollars for orphan projects. I’ve graduated from college with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. The list goes on.

My mother always says, “The best is yet to come.” So, with that said, the things on our list of accomplishments is only the beginning. The best is still on its ways because we are constantly growing and changing. As we get older: we obtain more wisdom, add and sharpen our skill sets, fail a time or two and learn from our mistakes, overcome obstacles and gain strength, and gain experience.

Whoever you are: you’re human. [Genius statement: I know.] Which means this: You have dreams, goals, and visions. And if you are normal, you have a desire to be successful.

So let me break down my new theory for you:
Instead of getting overwhelmed by the vagueness of the future, find confidence in the fact that you’ve already accomplished great things [whether big or small].

Life, take it one day at time, one step at a time. You still have your whole life a head of you to cross things off your life to do list.

My dad always tells me: “Lindsey, don’t despise small beginnings.” Small beginnings is how we get to greatness.

I leave you with this: Take time to recognize your accomplishments. Write them down. Be motivated and encourage by what you’ve done, knowing that those accomplishments are the ones that are going to propel you to do bigger and greater things in the future.

Believe in yourself. Remember your accomplishments. [And] Dream on.

Be confident in this: That he who began a good work in you will carry it on to the completion. [Philippians 1.6]

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Two 99 Pushpins

Gifts. I feel like the older you get the more gifts become a way of life. Between all the bridal showers, bachelorette parties, baby showers, and birthdays – there is always a gift looming around the corner waiting to be given. With that said, I wanted to start getting a little creative in my gift giving this year. So naturally, I came to the conclusion to start making some gifts.

My beautiful friend Tara turned 23 this year. I wish that all of you could meet her because she has the most inspiring and beautiful story. I wanted to give her something that had meaning to it. So after a quick meeting with Megan via g-chat (Sidenote: Megan is my dear friend who adores putting creativity to work) – we decided to get some pushpins, string, and plywood and create a masterpiece.

After rummaging through my apartment for spare plywood (And yes, I really do have spare plywood lying around in my third story apartment) and a quick Walmart run- we were ready for a midnight project.

The supplies:
Plywood, Chalkpaint, Projector, Pencil, Pushpins, String, and a hammer for those of you like Megan who like to be quick and efficient. Oh yes, and also, add to the list: M&M’s and Chris Brown Music.

After a few coats of chalk paint my plywood was ready to be transformed into a little masterpiece. I found a beautiful font that I loved and projected the word COURAGEOUS onto the plywood. After that, the Chris Brown music got turned up and the tracing began.

Sidenote: Megan and I chose this word because we felt like it described Tara perfectly. In the past few months especially, Tara has truly exemplified what it means to live courageously.  I’m quite sure that if you sat down with her over a cup of coffee you’d think the same thing.

Next was putting pushpins to plywood.

Two Hundred Ninety Nine pushpins later…

After the “manual labor” portion of the project- it was all about wrapping the string around the pushpins… 12 times.

A special thank you to Chris Brown + JoJo for the musical entertainment and of course Luke [Megan’s hilarious husband] for all the comedy during this process.

4 hours, a bag of M&M’s, a few popsicles, a ball of string, and 299 pushpins later…. Viola’!

The finished product thanks to all the help of my girls: Megan and Mine’ [That’s pronounced: Me-nay. She’s Turkish!]

Happy Birthday my sweet Tara Baby.

Be Inspired + Create.

Rhyme + Reason

The Third Story Apartment is a believer in the fact that not everything needs to have a Rhyme or Reason..
With that said- here are some things for you to enjoy- they have no rhyme or reason.

Sidenote: I could live in a field of flowers…

I think once we realize that inspiration is everywhere- we will become better creators.

Speaking of simple: If you haven’t checked out Bon Iver’s new album yet- you must. It’s divine.

I LOVE this color scheme. Something about it is just captivating.

Be Inspired + Create