Hello, December!

As the month kicks into high gear, I’m trying to set good habits and stick to routines while knocking out as much work before 2018 hits. Like a lot of you, this year has felt very off-kilter for me, mostly because of the state of the world and politics (honestly, this post pretty much summed up everything I’d been feeling during most of 2017) while my creativity, self-care and any sense of balance got thrown onto the back burner.

Finally, I’ve gotten some basics under control. Little things. Settling into being vegan. Committing to a new skincare routine. Researching new systems for Branch. Making sure to drink more water. What I’ve realized is that tiny shifts can start to add up and I’m feeling happier (and much less frazzled) because of them.

THE MONTH(S)

The last few months have looked like this:

• SAYING YES BUT ALSO SAYING NO: I freaked out a bit when a 3 week trip I’d committed to ages ago finally crept up. I was nowhere close to caught up with work but I packed my bags and got on the plane for 2 weeks in Italy and a week in Morocco. Did I have waves of panic when I realized how behind I was? Totally. But I still lived it up! Walking miles every way while bundled up in my favorite leather jacket and taking hundreds of photos? PURE HEAVEN.

I am really excited about some big changes in 2018. And to make room to facilitate those big changes I’m saying no to some things, even when it makes my stomach drop and I’m afraid of the outcome.

• NEW YEAR, NEW LOOK: The thing I’m most excited about is the new Branch website, photos, media kit, client guides, processes, EVERYTHING. It’s been such a long time coming. This has been taking up most of my bandwidth when I’m not working on client projects or traveling which is why I’ve been quieter over here but finally, finally, things are coming together.

When I launched Branch over 4 years ago, getting a site live was a necessity and perfection was not. The studio grew fast, I moved into an office space and though I was never happy with the way the site looked, focusing on client work was my priority. Finally, I knew it was time to show my own brand some love. I did a shoot in Washington, D.C. over the summer, handed off our new site for development and on nights and weekends, I’ve been working on all the other bits and pieces. When we go live in January, I’ll do a post here about what I learned during the process.

• PARTING WITH TIKI: Did you see my post about Tiki, our newest rescue squirrel? That was a hard one to write and I still miss her all the time. It’s been a big adjustment to not have her running around the house but she seems really, really happy with her new family. Awww.

• THE BIG RENOVATION: I feel like my entire life is a renovation right now! LOL! When we moved into our house 8 years ago, we didn’t have a budget for changes beyond the basics like paint so there was a lot that still needed some TLC. While I was away in Italy, my brother and Joey teamed up to begin remodeling our kitchen.

Goodbye 80s-era baby blue countertops, stained floral linoleum and non-functional trash compactor! Hello, floor-to-ceiling white subway tile, big gold faucet, new dishwasher, herringbone-tiled countertops, marbled flooring and non-broken cupboards! It’s so amazing to finally have a fully functional kitchen! I’ll take photos soon….but right now there are still tools, grout and boxes of tile everywhere. Haha.

• SETTING GOALS: Is anyone else as excited for 2018 as I am? I know that the new year, new start mentality is such a cliché but I can’t help it! The winding down of a year, spending holidays with family, wrapping up loose ends and setting fresh goals feels so good.

This year I fell short in a lot of ways but in others, threw out the pressure of expectations and just lived life. And that’s the truth — life isn’t a perfectly curated Instagram feed. It’s messy, unexpected, sometimes boring and up and down and everything in-between. There’s so much beauty in that.

Here’s to a wonderful December and I hope yours is off to a good start! —Shauna

THE LINKS

• Alex Franzen has such a magical way with words. One of my favorite posts she’s ever written is The Internet Pledge.

• In the 13 years since The New York Times Modern Love column began, over 80,000 submissions have rolled in. For a good laugh: My ex-boyfriend hangs from hooks!

• How do you feel about trading your services?

• Productivity is really about what you don’t do. I’m still learning this mindset (and failing all the time!)

• Wait, what?! Some people listen to podcasts at 3 times the regular speed.

• Getting ‘motivated’ does not equal doing the work.

• If you prefer that matchmaking apps help you find your next professional connection instead a one-night-stand, Bizz (by the founders of Bumble) is for you!

• Um, these pies are too beautiful to eat.

• The 8 types of friends you need to be happy in life.

• If you’ve heard about the fight for Net Neutrality but aren’t sure what it’s all about, The New York Times explains.

• I love the AfroArt photo series!

• The best books of 2017.

• What would it feel like to delete all your social media apps and give yourself permission to live without their constant pull?

Happy October!

While September is my favorite month of the year, it always feels like it flies by in the blink of an eye. Between my birthday, Joey’s birthday, our anniversary AND Branch’s anniversary, not to mention a bunch of close friends’ birthdays, there’s a lot to look forward to and celebrate.

I’m back in the office and getting settled after spending the last few days in Palm Springs on vacation. I’ll be honest, though — it was hard to focus on the beauty around me and the relaxation that usually comes with time spent away from the daily grind when I saw the Vegas tragedy pop up on my phone.

There’s so much darkness and pain swirling around these days between natural disasters and senseless tragedies. It’s hard to make sense of it all and go about things as normal when it feels like the world around us is being constantly turned upside down.

In more uplifting news, my friend Ellen just sent out a newsletter focused on the topic of kindness and my friend Alex just released a book called You’re Going To Survive, all about pulling through difficult times and it makes my heart full knowing that there’s so much goodness still out there — honest, well-meaning people willing to speak up and help others along the way.

THE MONTH

Here’s a little roundup of what I’ve been up to over the last month….

1. Tiki the squirrel is thriving!

Remember my post about Tiki? Well, he is doing great. Really, so much better than we could have ever expected. He has a strong appetite and is still on formula but he’s moving onto solids slowly but surely. His favorite food of the moment is avocado. Seeing a squirrel munching on a slice of avocado IS pretty funny. Chubs is slowly coming around to having a baby brother but I wouldn’t call them buddies just yet. I’m hoping they eventually bond…but we’ll see!

2. The Branch shoot was awesome!

2 weeks ago, I did a big studio shoot for Branch. As my four year business anniversary neared, I wanted to do something special and having a more cohesive visual image was at the top of my wish list. It was a big undertaking sourcing props, pulling together a succinct shot list and thinking about where the images would be used. It definitely forced me to get really clear on where I want my business to go and how I want it to be perceived. I’m hoping to roll out the new look by early next year along with sharing a backlog of 30+ unseen projects…*gulp*.

3. Palm Springs getaway!

Ah, Palm Springs. My happy place! After our condo deal fell through in the late Spring, I was feeling pretty down and it took a few months to regroup and decide what path we wanted to take. After doing a lot of searching and gaining some much needed clarity, we flew down this week to view some more places and found some solid options. Here’s hoping one finally works out! It’s tough judging places on their listing photos alone when you don’t live locally in the area you’re trying to buy in but I know things will work out as they should when the time is right.

4. Getting down to business.

Over the last few months, I’ve dramatically cut back on the amount of time I spend online and on social media. I realized I was slipping into spending a lot of time watching what other people were doing only to realize that my to-do list would be far from complete at the end of each day. It was frustrating and after paying more attention to my habits, I became more aware of the time I was spending procrastinating instead of doing the work…which is much harder! I sometimes feel a bit down about not sharing content as often but the trade-off is that I’m now getting more of my work done. How do you feel about this – are you good about getting work done or do you fall into the never-ending scroll / procrastination trap?

P.S. For all you pumpkin spice addicts, the Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte from Coffee Bean is AWESOME.

Photos: 1. My view yesterday in Palm Springs. Joey hates having his photo taken but funny enough, I caught him in the reflection. Haha! 2. When I’m feeling stressed or out of sorts, I make desktop flatlays. 3. This morning at Norma’s, my favorite breakfast place in Palm Springs. 4. Inside The Parker lobby. I’ve had this dress for ages and just rediscovered it. It’s so nice to wear some color for a change! 5. A photo from my weekend sipping coffee and flipping through magazines. 6. The nook off the back of our kitchen is one of my favorite spots in our house.

THE LINKS

• Looking for ways to help the shooting victims in Vegas? Bustle has compiled a list.

• So many people are struggling right now, all around us. Some, very visibly. Some…not so vsibly. I read this post and it reminded me of how we often think that someone else has already reached out to a friend or loved one during a tough time. But often, they haven’t. Take the time to do it because frankly, you might be the only one.

• I love how obsessed Oprah is with her garden. YES!

• Looking for interview tips that are actually helpful? A former HR specialist spills the beans.

• I just learned that Spotify makes a Time Capsule playlist for each of its users with songs that take you back to your teenage years! Marilyn Manson, here I come.

• The evolution of women in stock photos is fascinating.

• Apartment Therapy put together a step-by-step guide on how to buy your first home.

• We know what you do for a living…but how do you define yourself within your business?

• I am obsessed with Linda Rodin’s style. She’s so chic and timeless.

• Made me smile: Brand logos drawn from memory by 150 people!

• Chromatin is an animated photo project which celebrates women’s hair styles in Nigeria. Super cool!

• Ready to read some good news for a change? Check out the Goodnewspaper!

• Feeling unprepared and paralyzed by perfectionist tendencies? Read this…and start exactly where you are with what you have. End of story.

• Book dedications can he heartfelt but also super random and hilarious. Here are 10 of the most creative!

• What happens when household items are purposely designed to be uncomfortable? This series by Katerina Kamprani will make you do a double-take.

• These 7 pieces of wisdom will change the way you work.

Thanks for reading and I hope you have an inspiring, productive October. Much love! xo -Shauna

I feel like this time of year is packed with a lot of transitions — how about you?

As we head into the last few months of 2017, life is shifting into high gear and it’s been a challenge to stay focused and productive with so many changes happening at once.

Let’s dig in…

The Month

1. 10 Year Blog Anniversary

Just writing this makes me a bit sentimental! In August, I celebrated 10 years of blogging in this spot. Crazy, huh?! Thinking back to 10 years ago, I was 25 years old and just starting my graphic design degree after taking a year off from college. I worked at a shoe store and had a lot of roommates. I also ate plenty of ramen. #collegelife

Things were chaotic but exciting and there were way more unknowns than knowns. Like most people in their mid-20s, I was still trying to figure out who I was and where I fit in. I didn’t have any professional design experience, I wasn’t married, I didn’t own a house or run my own business.

Looking back, this blog gave me an outlet to share during the many ups and downs and also provided me a with foundation to later launch my design studio — and I am forever grateful for that. This place will always be home. I love you guys!

2. Finally Going Vegan

I say “finally” for a reason…I’ve fluctuated between being vegetarian and pescatarian since 2004 but always held off on going vegan because I was afraid that I wouldn’t have the willpower to stick with it. The thing is, Joey has been vegan for 25 years (that’s not a typo!) and does all our grocery shopping and cooking. A month ago, I had the realization that I was eating vegan about 75% of the time without trying and with a handful of adjustments, I could make the change.

Now that I’ve been at it for a few weeks, it’s become easier — if I want a treat, my local coffee shop has vegan banana bread. Daiya makes an awesome vegan yogurt (I’m actually eating one now!) And, let’s talk about pizza (because life without pizza isn’t worth living, right?) Baby Doll makes the best vegan pizza around.

Diet is such a personal thing and everyone has to make a decision about what’s right for them but I’m so glad I made the switch.

3. Slowing Down and Speeding Up

Summers are usually slower for me — my small business clients are on vacation with their kids, traveling and taking time away from the daily grind to live it up. For some reason this year, that didn’t happen. Projects got stacked on top of more projects and a few great opportunities came up that I didn’t want to pass on. That meant less sharing here and less time online in general. Instead of feeling guilty, I gave myself a blogging break and focused on getting the work done.

September always feels like the perfect time to jump back into routines — it’s that infectious back-to-school energy and shift to cooler weather, not to mention my birthday, Joey’s birthday AND our anniversary! It’s a time of renewal, reflection and an opportunity to re-set and make the most of the rest of the year. I’ll be 36 in a few weeks and the old cliché I used to roll my eyes at as a kid is so true — as you get older, it really does feel like time speeds up.

4. Big Branch Shoot

At the end of September, Branch will be celebrating 4 years in business! I still remember how scary it was stepping away from the safety net of working for other design studios. For the first year, my only goal was to bring in enough business to not have to go back to a day job. Every day brought new challenges but I never regretted the change.

As we’ve grown, I’ve decided that it’s time to step up and book a full-on creative studio shoot. I’m flying to the east coast in mid-September with a bundle of props and a shot list to finally make this dream come true. It’s definitely anxiety-inducing but instead of sitting at my desk and fearing the unknown, it’s time to put my trust in a creative team and see what unfolds.

5. Saying Yes to New Opportunities

One of the things I’ve been working on this year is being more spontaneous and open to opportunities. Instead of overthinking it, I’m practicing saying yes. My friend Sarah asked me to help her with a workshop in Washington, D.C. a few weeks back and even though we’d only ever talked over Skype and email, I flew across the country and spent 3 days with her. It was AWESOME!

I made friends with an amazing group of women, shared a bunch of still life styling and social media tips during our day in the photo studio and we spent our nights exploring Old Town Alexandria — so colonial, so cute! Yes, I was nervous, yes, I questioned what I was doing as I boarded the flight, and yes, I AM SO GLAD I did it! Say yes…and see where it takes you!

6. Mini Summer Vacation

Last week, I took a few days off to fly to New York and visit Gala. We made the most of our time together, cramming in her rooftop event at The Wing, a goddess-themed birthday party where we were hand-fed grapes, apartment tours, plenty of good food, a massive closet clean-out (and two trips to trade it all in at Buffalo Exchange!), late night living room dance parties, hotel room chat sessions with Alexandra at Public, long walks along the river and plenty of cuddles with her dog Cleo.

As I get older, I’m reminded of how important friendships are. We live on opposite sides of the country yet we always make the most of the time we do have together.

7. More Ch-ch-changes

Ah, man. There’s even more to share with you but the biggest change of all involves its own post because it’s too special to just tack onto the end of this list. Tune in Tuesday for the big news!

The Links

• Hurricane Harvey is on everyone’s minds here in the U.S. this week. Here’s a list of how to help. Brené Brown is bringing up something we often forget about in the midst of donating: underwear.

• Ugh. Supposedly 6 hours of sleep is as bad as none at all!

• With some strategy and style, you can do a surprising amount with a 300 square foot living space.

• I love this advice so much: Leap when you’re almost ready.

• The 3 types of bullshit feedback…and what to do about it!

• Did you see the IKEA x HAY design collaboration? So good!

• An honest cover letter is so painfully accurate! #guilty

• It would be amazing if Adobe integrated the Playful Palette into its programs.

• These freelance achievement stickers are so true…and so funny.

• When should you buy your plane ticket to get the best pricing? This is something I’ve always wondered about!

• Timeless advice: It’s never too late. There’s only one finish line in life!

• As a creative, it’s important to be aware of the 12 stages of burnout.

• What’s it like to work for your hero? Pretty cool…and full of surprises.

• I love this concept! Try Studio is a platform that lets its users take one-on-one private lessons in all things creative!

• If you’re interested in looking at your career prospects in a new way, check out Ellen’s monthly column called Career Forecast which combines practical advice with astrology and key dates.

Thanks for reading and I hope you have an inspiring, productive September! -Shauna

Photos: 1. Loving all white manicures these days. New book from Bluestockings and tray from the Fred Segal x CB2 collection. 2. Iced chais at The Wing. 3. Summer vacation snapshot in New York. 4. Chubs loves climbing the curtains! 5. More cute views at The Wing.

THE MONTH

Oh, April. You were a wildly unpredictable one. I felt like this month ticked by at a frustratingly slow pace some days — client feedback on a few projects barely trickled in. I got hit with plenty of creative blocks. And truthfully, everything just felt a bit off.

But then, the flow kicked back into high gear during the last week. I went to Palm Springs with Joey for a much needed vacation. A few projects that I’d felt stuck on picked up steam and finally wrapped up. And just when I was wondering what was next, a job I’m super excited about fell into my lap at just the right time.

While April felt full of uncertainty, tension and the technical mishaps that often get lumped with Mercury Retrograde, May feels like the fresh start I’ve been hoping for. As I look outside today, I’m feeling thankful for the little things: the weather is nice, the office is clean and my desktop feels the most organized it’s been in ages.

This weekend is being blocked out to finish the new client services guide and internal documents for Branch that I’ve been putting off redesigning for a solid year and a half. Better late than never, right?! It’s time to kick any leftover feelings of uncertainty and comparisons to the curb and step up to bigger and better things.

I hope you have a great weekend — and I’ll be back next week with a few Palm Springs themed posts.

THE LINKS

• Megan touches upon the problems that come along with running your blog as a business so eloquently.

• If Joey and I were getting married all over again (and not running off to Vegas!) you can bet there would definitely be llamas at our wedding. How cute are these photos?!

• I’d never heard of Lotion P50 until Anna’s post but now, I’m oddly fascinated. It basically sounds like a magic burning potion for your face! Have you tried it?

• I love this photo series! See what people looked like as young adults and at 100 years old.

• Sarah reminds us that we would be a lot happier if we tracked our efforts, not our accomplishments.

• Living at the office sounds like a nightmare….unless it looks like this!

• I love Ellen’s new interview series called How Did You Do That? which focuses on people with unique professions. If you’ve ever wondered how people end up in the careers they’re in, this series is for you!

• Check out this black double triangle house in the forest. So beautiful!

• Constantly seeking validation with what you do can be hugely limiting. Here’s how to break free.

• Loving yourself and loving your job are deeply intertwined. What happens when you burn out? James Greig talks about self-care for the creative soul.

• Are your excuses holding you back from following through with a big project? Paul Jarvis gets to the bottom of it in a way that’s relatable.

• Should airports have circular runways?

• Dieticians are finally speaking out about beauty YouTubers dishing out diet advice.

• I love this chart of grammar rules!

• Editorial calendars can help you stay accountable….but they can also make content feel forced. Bre explains why she gave hers up.

• More people are opening up to the idea of taking a social media break. How about you? Have you given it a try?

• That moment when your neighbors want to get revenge…and do so by painting their townhouse with red and white stripes! Truthfully, I love it.

• Good to know: how to secure your online accounts by revoking access from third-party apps.

• I never gave much thought to this but online shopping may mean that we’re tricked into paying more depending on where we live and when we buy!

• The New York Times dives into how to make the most of your workday.

• What does it mean to set an intention versus setting a goal?

Photos: Scenes from my Portland office, Palm Springs and Beverly Hills during April 2017.