Intentionality Spotlight: Blog Love: Crystal Whitlow

Today for Intentionality Spotlight, we talk to Crystal Whitlow about starting a business, resources she uses, and how she stays motivated and preserves balance in her life!

First some easy stuff: Tell us a bit about yourself. What is your work, passions and interests?

Thank you so much for featuring me on your blog! I’m so happy to be here and talk about my life as a graphic designer and creative entrepreneur.

I currently call Kansas City my home and have grown fond of the Midwest culture.

During the day I work for Champion, the collegiate clothing company, and at night I spend my hours building up my creative profile through my online blog CW Design, Etsy shop, and Spoonflower store. I’m excited to turn my side hustle into a full-time adventure in the next few weeks.

I love being a graphic designer. I think of it as my super power! I see how good design as the power to motivate people to buy goods and build organizations. I enjoy studying marketing and how I can help grow my own business and help other businesses with my knowledge.

Outside of business ventures, I love paper crafting. I have a Silhouette Cameo machine that I absolutely love. A Silhouette Cameo is a machine that can read illustration files and cut them out of paper. It saves a bunch of time so that I can make many fun crafts for parties, Sabbath School, holidays and home decor.

Until now I have only made cut files for myself. Starting in June 2018, my mom and I will be opening an Etsy shop together to sell craft files.  It is our goal to inspire other people to flex their creative muscles to make their own projects. 

You are a talented graphic designer and crafter. Were these always interests of yours and did you always want to go the entrepreneur route? How did you decide to start CW Design?

I definitely feel that I was born to be a creative entrepreneur. I have always enjoyed my art classes more than any other subject, and it’s a skill set that I have always felt more confident in.

I was the type of kid who would sell my holiday candy to my classmates in elementary school... until my dad found out and told me to stop. So, I have always been entrepreneurial minded. I love the thought of having control over my work schedule and finding my own opportunities to grow in my career.  I believe that I will feel more satisfaction through running my own business than working for someone else.

As an entrepreneur, I imagine you have to be quite disciplined in certain areas. How do you stay organized and motivated? What are some resources that have helped you with this?

Having discipline is easier some weeks than others. I often struggle with feeling burnt out, and that I’m not achieving enough. What helps me the most is to take my goals and break them down into smaller goals, so I  feel like I am moving in the right direction.

For example, when I start freelancing, I will obviously need clients. So, I take the goal of finding clients who would benefit from hiring a graphic designer on a monthly retainer and try to find networking opportunities in my area. I can search on Meetup.com, Chamber of Commerce events, and co-working/office rental buildings. By physically showing up and making connections will lead to this goal. I can use Facebook Groups for Entrepreneurs and Upwork.com for online referrals.

I think giving myself permission, not to overwork is healthy too. It’s easy to get so wrapped into working on tasks and projects that it takes discipline to walk away from it too. I think it’s safe to say that overworking will lead to burn out too.

Most of all I focus on my main goal - Successfully running my own design studio and designing a lifestyle that financially provides for my family and creates new opportunities.  Naturally, I’m pretty driven toward making this goal happen.

Tools I use that make my life easier are:

• Tailwind for maintaining my Instagram and Pinterest profile
• MailChimp for emailing and automated emails
• Facebook Groups for learning and networking
• Dreamhost for hosting my website -their customer service is the BEST!
• Wordpress for the back end of my website
• My iPad Pro so I can work remotely - with the Apple Pencil for drawing
• Printful to sell my pattern designs on products
• Etsy to sell other goods such as my Hand-Lettering Workbook with my Free Workshop

I have a pretty cheap budget, so I keep things pretty simple. I would like to invest in Skillshare to learn new skills and other training workshops for small businesses. However, I feel that there is enough free information already available to learn new skills without having to pay for them. I really enjoy spending time in libraries vs paying for an online course.

What is one other specific area in your life you find that intentionality is absolutely critical? How do you exercise mindfulness in it?

Balance. There is a time to work, time to rest, and time to reflect. I think having another hobby that isn’t design related is healthy for my mind. I love fitness, so I enjoy starting off my day with weight training and running in the evening. (On an ideal day.) I recently just signed up for my first half marathon, so that helps me to get moving from my stationary career.

After my morning workout, I love to take a few minutes to write in my prayer journal. Writing my prayers helps me organize all my wandering thoughts, and gives me peace in how I feel and what is going on in my life.

Mindfulness to me is being aware of how I feel physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It’s impossible to be mindful when running around trying to accomplish the next goal. Within all the noise in my head reminding me of the tasks I need to do and new ideas I should try, I remember that God said in Psalms 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.” Therefore, I don’t think that the term “mindfulness” only applied to yogis and Eastern Religions. I believe that God calls everyone to be still. Whether that be in meditation, prayer/ prayer journaling, stretching or nature walks etc., God knows that we need a balance of work and rest for a healthy life.

It’s not always easy, but with God’s grace, I can try my best for Him.

If you could give one piece of advice about [this area of intentionality] to someone who struggles with it, what would you tell them?

My advice for someone who is struggling with intentionality is to find a way they enjoy helping others. When someone understands how they can help someone it gives them a sense of purpose and passion. Everyone has their own skill set that can be used to bless others and be beneficial. If someone doesn’t know what their skill set is, I suggest trying new classes, figure out what you enjoy doing for fun, and think how you can take the joy to help someone else.

For example, I really enjoy hand lettering, but more so, I enjoyed encouraging other people to be creative too. So, I began teaching hand lettering workshops with the focus that, honestly, anyone can hand letter, even if you have bad handwriting!

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You can find Crystal at her blog, CW Design, and on Instagram!

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Essentials for Your Plant-Based Kitchen

Everyone has their kitchen staples, and I'm often asked about mine. Today, I am going to share with you 11 things that I could not live without in my kitchen - the things that get used pretty much every single day. On a slight side note: it's really important to make sure you have quality basics in the kitchen. Don't be like me and cheap out on a $30 blender when you absolutely need it every day for smoothies and sauces! It will start flashing lights and smoking, and blenders are not supposed to do that. True story.

This post contains affiliate links

1. Pyrex 6pc. Round Set 2. Salton Ceramic Electric Kettle 3. Ceramic Utensil Holder 4. Stainless Steel Straws 5. Bamboo Utensil Set 6. Vitamix A3500 7. Stainless Steel Colander 8. Bread Box 9. Mixing Bowls 

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Glass Containers

I love these glass containers. I pack up my lunch (leftovers, anyone?) in these babies and the next day, I'm ready to go! I like them especially because they are made of glass, and I don't have to worry about the grade of plastic and the possible effect on my food. 

Ceramic Electric Kettle

I love my ceramic electric kettle (Get one from Amazon) and use it every single day! The ceramic is just a really nice touch and it saves a bit when it comes to utilities - I had been using a stovetop kettle for a few years, but since I got this guy, I've never looked back!

Fun Utensil Holder and Bamboo Utensils

I like to keep my bamboo close since I use it constantly. It helps to have a nice utensil holder home right on hand. I'm very picky about what goes into it - only my bamboo!

Related: Organizational Products That Will Keep Your Home in Order

High-Speed Blender and Reusable Straws

Daily smoothies would not be possible without our awesome blender. It gets daily use - and multiple times sometimes! Sauces, soups and smoothies wouldn't be possible without it. We also got these stainless steel straws and we love them - even though they get pretty cold with our smoothies. We've gotten used to it. They come with a brush for easy cleaning!

Mixing Bowls and Colander

These mixing bowls are my favourite. They're cute AND useful. I caved and got these stainless steel ones because my ceramic bowls were getting a little heavy for some of the recipes I was whipping up. They have this awesome grip at the bottom which keeps it from sliding around. This colander is a life saver too - vegetables don't get cleaned otherwise (and pasta doesn't get drained). 

Bread Box

I love this bread box! Ours is used every day too - and there's homemade bread in there 90% of the time. Bread for breakfast is a true staple over here, so having it easily accessible is a bonus. Besides, it's pretty!

10. Garlic Rocker 11. Three-Piece Stainless Steel Whisk Set

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Garlic Rocker

This garlic rocker has literally changed my life. No more annoying and messy garlic press. This one is easy to clean and is sturdy! I've been using it for four years now and I keep telling everyone that it is easily the best money I've ever spent (I got mine from Amazon). 

Whisk Set

These whisks are a must-have for all of the sauces and dressings I mix up.  

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What are some of your kitchen essentials?

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Mother's Day - Best Advice from Moms!

I know that Mother's Day is coming up this weekend and it is always so touching to see Mother's Day posts from friends who pay tribute to their mothers every year. I debated putting together a post, and in the end, since I think all mothers should be celebrated all year long, I finally decided to put up this post to start off the festivities.

I know that Mother's Day is hard for some, so I wanted to keep it simple this year and just share ten pieces of advice a few of my friends sent to me! 

"When you are facing a fork in the road, can't make up your mind and both paths are good then just follow your heart. You are not going to pick the wrong one" Beth Mayberry

"Pray first and ask for God's help and guidance. Prayer should not be our last resort." Jacquelyn Van Sant

"Always wear a hat. Your baby face + skin will thank you when you're 40." Aubry Lybbert

"Be all you can be!" Hanha Hobson

"A couple weeks after my wedding I was going over the things I would’ve done differently or thought out more thoroughly. My mom stopped me, mid-sentence, and said “Would you change who you married? Cause that’s all that matters.” I lost my mom not two months later and that thought has stuck with me ever since." Caley Gonyea

"The best time to look for a job is when you have one." Candice

"One of my favorite pieces of advice from my mom (and there are many) is financial. When I first went out on my own, my mom told me to choose a dollar amount (e.g. $100, $250 or $500) and make that my "zero" in my checking account. That way, if I ever had an emergency, I would always have that buffer, that safety net." Jacquelyn Van Sant

"My mother was a woman of God that inspired and challenged me to pursue him as well. She leaves behind pages from her bibles with notes of biblically sound truths. Looking through her bibles, I often think she was one of the original "bible journalers" out there. I often reflect on her words of wisdom each week since she [passed away] in November 2017. I've learned many lessons from her one of which is to fully trust God instead of worrying. I'm a person that can sometimes be full of worry instead of basking in the fullness of God's peace and assurance. My mother pointed me to many scriptures to get me back on track when I would tell her all the things that troubled or stressed me. Stress does nothing for us and my mom reminded me of this all the time. She would sometimes say "Danielle, don't you know that God is up there?" I'm reminded of Romans 8:28 when I think of her encouragement, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." This Mother's Day I remember her for her strength to raise me and opening up our home to several foster children. She and my dad who is also no longer on earth had a big heart for children. God blessed me to have them as they adopted me at birth. While it's heartbreaking that they are gone, I'm thankful for the wisdom that I've gained from my mom for 30 years and my dad for 15 years. My mom's wisdom inspires me to continue to grow and teach other young women in the same way." Danielle Wallace

"A good [peice of advice she gave me] is wear your coat!" 5th grader

"The best advice my mom gave me is if somebody is fighting with you just walk away." 5th grader

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What is the best advice your mother ever gave you?

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Tips for Starting Your Morning Right + A Slow Morning Playlist

Confession: I was not always a morning person. In fact, everyone knew me as a night owl. In high school, I don't even remember many nights I went to bed before midnight! It eventually changed when I realized the life-changing habit that is enjoying the morning by going to bed early and waking up early. It turns out that old saying my parents always so annoyingly quoted was right: "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." I always added a "da" so it sounded like my name...

Now that I have a long commute, waking up early is a habit that I am glad that I have cultivated. Sure, I sleep in when I can on a Sunday, but even on a Sunday I like to get up early and start the day as soon as possible. 

Today, I am going to share with you some tips on how to start your morning right- even if you aren't a morning person. Mornings don't have to be dreadful!

Wake Up Earlier than usual

There is nothing like the calm of the morning before the rest of the world wakes up. It's a special peace that isn't found at any other time, and unless you've experienced it, it's hard to understand. But trust me. Nothing will make your day better than a slow morning. Waking up late and rushing creates stress, but setting your alarm earlier will change your day completely. 

Put Your Phone on Hold - Call Jesus Instead

Before reading anyone else's words, read words from Jesus. This is advice I've decided to follow and it has changed my life. When the first words influence the rest of your day, wouldn't you rather hear from your Creator? So instead of checking my texts or Instagram notifications as soon as I wake up, I intentionally choose to pray and read my Bible. I leave my phone in a different room so I don't get tempted or distracted.

Exercise

I love to exercise in the morning because by the time it gets to the end of the day, I don’t much feel like getting my exercise in. My favorite thing to do in the morning is a good 10-30 minute session of Pilates!

Take a Refreshing Shower

Taking a shower really gets your day going. Wash off the gunk and tiredness from the night before and feel (and smell) like a new (and clean!) person when you emerge.

Drink a Glass of Water

Our bodies need water and studies show that drinking water first thing in the morning is actually good for us! It helps me feel more awake as well, so I'm glad to do it. 

Eat Breakfast

Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day. I usually have something quick on hand - whether it's simple like homemade granola or bread, or something a little more involved like homemade biscuit or pancake mix (the latter 2 are reserved for Sunday, usually). The freezer is always stocked with frozen fruit and greens for smoothies. It does take a bit of planning to prep it, but once you get into a flow, it's easy, and you'll always have a good breakfast at hand. The extra minutes from waking up early will serve you very well once you experience the joy of sitting down for breakfast instead of gulping something down, taking it to eat in the car (I'm way too clumsy for this!), or skipping breakfast altogether. Your body will thank you too.

Keep Things Tidy

If I leave my surroundings untidy when I leave, I think about it all day. There is nothing worse for me than coming home at the end of the day to a mess. Use the extra seconds in your morning to pick up last night's pyjamas off the floor (or avoid putting them there in the first place!). Air out and make your bed. Clean up your breakfast dishes. You'll be grateful you did so later.

Choose Your Soundtrack

My mornings at home end when I get into the car for my long commute to work. I'll listen to audiobooks or podcasts, or even an uplifting radio station, but if I'm home, I like to make some tea, read a bit and listen to some calming tunes. Sometimes I choose energizing ones - like when I worked selling knives one summer during college, I had my pep music going first thing to get me into the hype of sales. I think it worked. Anyway, music is a big thing for me. It depends on the morning and my upcoming tasks whether I choose my slow morning playlist (find it below!) or my go-getter playlist.

“Start your morning right - even if you aren’t a morning person!”

TWEET IT!!

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Are you a morning person? What kinds of morning routines do you have? Do you have a preferred playlist?

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Intentionality Spotlight: Blog Love: Madeline Hall

Today we continue with Intentionality Spotlight! Similar to Women of Intention, different bloggers will be featured in an interview style. Unlike Women of Intention, the focus will be more on their blogs themselves, as well as an area of intentionality in their life.

I am excited to invite Madeline Hall to talk with us today. I've been following her beautiful blog for over a year and am always inspired by her!

First some easy stuff: Tell us a bit about yourself. What is your work, passions and interests?

Right now I am pursuing photography and blogging full time! It is actually really scary, but exciting at the same time! Things that I love include my two dogs, coffee, being outdoors, Tex-Mex, and of course, creating in my kitchen.

You have a beautiful blog filled with so many inspiring photos, stories and food! What made you begin your website and what was your initial goal with it? How has that focus shifted over time, if at all?

Aw thank you!!!! That is so kind! Let’s see - I started my blog about three years ago when I lived in NYC. I was working my first job out of college as a marketing assistant and needed a creative outlet outside of my 9 - 5. Initially, it began as a way to practice my love for photography as well as connect back home with our family and friends in Texas, but it evolved into an obsession with food. I think now that my focus is more on food and developing unique flavor combinations and recipes! Food brings people together unlike anything else. Plus, we all have to eat!

What is one other specific area in your life you find that intentionality is absolutely critical? How do you exercise mindfulness in it?

I think it’s super important to exercise the creative side of your brain, every day if possible. This is why I love cooking so much. I love going into my pantry or refrigerator, and making a meal out of what is available. It is relaxing and freeing!

If you could give one piece of advice about exercising your brain to someone who struggles with it, what would you tell them?

Whatever makes you feel alive, pursue it! We all have a creative side and I truly believe it is so important to exercise that as an outlet for self-expression. It can be scary sometimes trying new things or putting yourself out there. The only thing holding you back is yourself. Try something new and go for it!

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Find Madeline at her website, on Instagram, and on Facebook

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