FEATURED DESIGN ON JENNY HIGHSMITH'S BLOG

My lovely designer Jenny Highsmith made mention to my blog on her blog (entitled Jenny Highsmith) today.  She is so sweet.  Her words are so kind.  Check out the feature here.  Also if you are looking to redesign your blog please visit Maiedae.  I highly recommend them as their design and professionalism is perfection!

A Lesson in Redesigning Your Blog

It is with excitement, love, and inspiration that I introduce to you the new The Mess in Messenger. Over the past two or some odd months I have been working with an amazing designer (Jenny Highsmith) to create a new clean, feminine and tattoo inspired The Mess in Messenger. The beginning was only difficult because my vision wasn't clear. I was throwing out too many competing ideas. Jenny just wanted me to be happy and ultimately we ended up scrapping the majority of my ideas and going with the amazingness you see now.

SOME NEW THINGS YOU WILL NOTICE ABOUT THE MESS:

* Less Mess
* Easy Navigation & Simplicity
* Tattoo, bicycle, and feminine inspired
* Streamlined Feed
* Links to my Instagram, Etsy, Pinterest and Facebook (These will all be uploaded and in the works soon so please subscribe to all)
* You can pin and share my posts (YEAH!!)
* Popular Posts
* My Instagram feed is streaming all the time
* Perfection

IN THE COMING MONTHS LOOK FORWARD TO:

* More Updates, Pictures, Fun and CONTESTS!
* Tat.Tues. inspiration
* AN ETSY Shop and portraiture
* Vlogging (fingers crossed)
* Style posts that will hopefully be taken with a new camera that I am hoping to afford
* DIYs
* A greater look into my world and the Mess

HERE IS THE PROCESS:

1// FIND A DESIGNER.  I spent approximately 6 months compiling a list of blogs I liked and their designers.  The blogging world is neat because you have the opportunity to follow sidebars and posts to other amazing bloggers.  And that was the case with Jenny.  Through the blogging grapevine I found her.  Check out portfolios if you are unsure.  Look for a designer with the aesthetic you are looking for. What I liked about Jenny and Savannah also, is that there could be 100 edits.  But until you are satisfied, they continue to work, to realize your vision.

2// COMMIT.  Having someone remotely design your blog, for some, is a daunting prospect because you are entrusting another person to take your visions and personality and bring it to life.  It is also a financial and contractual commitment.  My designer is a professional so expect to pay.  It is not a huge leap of faith if you find an amazing designer.  But to commit to the change in your blog and the process is a must.  Also be committed to tell your designer everything your want.

3// CONTACT.  Can you believe that this entire blog was designed over email collaboration?  Once I was determined to begin my journey I contacted Jenny.  Her portfolio is amazing and her style similar to what I wanted my blog to be.  She is a blogger with Savannah from Maidae. I loved Savannah's style of blog and knew I wanted something similar. I was super stoked to be paired with Jenny.

4// QUESTIONNAIRE.  Jenny asked me to fill in a questionnaire about all the elements I wanted in my blog (colours, alignment, descriptive words, fonts, style, love of other blogs).  After that was submitted the fun began...

5// COLLABORATION.  This is an arduous process but one that shouldn't be taken lightly.  Jenny was great.  She listened to all my ideas, when I didn't like the product she worked hard to change it, and she gave me her honest opinion.  (Her idea ended up being the best...LESSON - Trust your designer!!) I threw her ideas, she designed from them, and then we'd go  back and forth, tweaking.  Sometimes I asked her to start from scratch, even though all designs she presented were sweet.

6// FINAL DECISION.  At some point you will get what you envisioned, be overjoyed and say "Stop the Designing!  It is amazing!"

7// THE LAUNCH.  It is with so much excitement that I launch the blog.  Yes there will be some tweaks technically speaking, but visually this blog speaks to me and hopefully to you guys too.

STAY TUNED THE NEXT WEEK!!!  TO SAY THANK YOU I AM HAVING A SPECIAL CONTEST OPEN TO ALL MY PRESENT AND NEW READERS.  THERE WILL BE A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.

(the above image was borrowed from Jenny's site so I could thank her and promote her)

This Little Blog of Mine...I'm Gonna Let it Shine

The upcoming week, I feel, will be an epic sort of rebirth for me and the blog.  For some people, this little space may seem so insignificant.  I "write" about the happenings of my babes and random thoughts.  Sporadically I post about those cute crafty things that ignite my being.  I didn't create them.  But someone did and they make me happy.  It is an egocentric place where I indulge in things that some may call fluffy.  Occasionally, I draw attention to that which makes me righteous.  But that has subsided and the aesthetically pleasing content prevails.

It may seem quirky, nonsensical and unimportant...but you see, it makes me HAPPY!!  This little space started as a place to share about the joys of motherhood.  But it has transformed into a place that is mine.  It is a part of my identity and some may call it ridiculous.  Who am I to share that which I hold close with those I don't (excluding those people whom I love dearly)?  Truth is.  I'm not really anyone important.  At least in the grand scheme of things, universally speaking.

But to three little Babes...I AM THE UNIVERSE.  Their universe is full of love from a mama with unwavering encouragement and trust in their little curiosities.  Their Mama is full of happiness because I am able to express that happiness in my little corner of the universe.

My blog is a place for me to be me: reflect, nurture, love, imagine, virtually dance, compose, piece together fragmented thoughts.  It has become my space.  My happy place.

And...a happy place is all I need to be that which is me:  MAMA.

xoxo

The Mama

My Top Blogs

Since starting my blogging hobby 4 years ago, I have admittedly become blog obsessed.  Each day I return to the blogosphere and explore blogs that I find amazing, cool, inspiring.  They are all written by amazing strong women and their posts have been begging for more.  So without further adieu my fave blogs...

Mama Blogs

Sometimes Sweet:  I was initially drawn to this blog because of her Tattoo Tuesdays.  I now continue to follow Danielle and her little family.  Her post Literate & Stylish introduces me to intelligent, well-read women and their blogs.

Kelli Murray, Artist:  Kelli is great!  When planning my wedding I came upon Kelli's invitations on Style Me Pretty.  I began following her and watched as she got married and pregnant.  We are online buds.  I think she is a beautiful, amazing woman and mother.  Her style is cool, her illustrations stellar, her daughter, Rylee - the cutest!.  She has now become a contributor to A Beautiful Mess and has been crafting more.  Please support this amazing artist.

Bleubird Vintage:  No DIYs.  Just a Mama sharing her love of family.  She also homeschools and creates amazing curriculums.  As she describes:

"a girl named James, married to a boy named Aubrey, together we are raising our 4 kids in the big city, dreaming of a simple life in texas hill country and learning each day that less is more"

Skunkboy

Speedtrials:  I need a big space to write about the lovely Marlene.  But in short:  She is an intelligent, artistic, hardworking, biking, bilingual Mama who is a dear friend  and her hubby is my hubby's messenger comrade from back in the day.  She is a DIYer and knitter and runner.  And her French is mesmerizing.  xoxox

General Interest Blogs

A Beautiful Mess

Dainty Squid

Verve Evolving:  Last but definitely not least.  Christine is a high school friend.  Although we didn't hang a lot there was always a kindredness to our spirits.  She is absolutely amazing.  Each day I head over to her blissed out blog.  It inspires me to find balance in my life.  Her posts are soulful, explorative, insightful and lovely, just as she is.  She is a beautiful soul and if you are looking for uplifting, visit.

GOOD.IS August Back to School Challenge: Days 1 & 2

I'm not sure which homepage people have but for a while there the Papa and I were opening our internet to the news, never happy or awe-inspiring in a positive way.  Just plain dreadful descriptions about the world we live in and the people who inhabit it.  It was weighing on this Mama who definitely tries to show the most positive of things in people and the world to her Babes.

So I found a social media platform that both celebrated and encouraged GOOD.  What a difference it makes!!

I will leave my readers to explore GOOD.IS for themselves but this month I subscribed to the August Month of Learning.  Each day you are emailed new things to try.  I am a total nerd and love learning new things so I jumped on board to the interesting project.

DAY 1:  Start a New Book


Not too difficult considering the Babes and I spend at least 3 days a week at our local library.  For this challenge I will be starting Your Brain on Nature.  Our world is so amazing and I feel that it strongly influences our beings and mentality.

DAY 2:  Learn to Say Thank You in 10 Languages


In French    =  Merci
In Arabic    =  Shukran
In Spanish  =  Gracias
In German  =  Danke
In Japanese =  Arigato
In Portugese = Obrigado
In Russian   =  Spasiba
In Italian      =  Grazie
In Filipino   = Salamat (my niece and nephew are part Filipino)
In Dutch     =  Dank U  

Blogger Gift Exchange!

 This year I decided to participate in a 2012 Blogger Gift Exchange.  Now I have done this before with sad results.  I participated in a cookie exchange online.  After spending a whopping amount of time and money for shipping, I received no package in return.  Just a sad email saying "oh, I thought I sent it but forgot" two months after the fact.  So with hesitation, I signed on for a 2012 New Year gift exchange and was partnered with Stephanie Caruso, new blogger, at Pop Goes my Culture.

photo via stephaniecaruso.com

Although, we have never met face to face, I can honestly say that I would really like this girl.  She is in to fashion, videography, blogging and pop culture - all things I adore!  Her blog is so catchy visually.  I love it.  Right now, she is a documentary filmmaker working on her M.F.A. in Documentary Studies and Production in New York.  Makes me wonder what the heck I've been doing all my life!  Ha!

So onto the gift exchange...

 

So by email we were paired randomly.  The goal was to get to know each other and then find a gift for the blogger.  I sent her a handmade lace necklace.  It was from my line.  I figured that working on a Masters and having a love for fashion that maybe she would enjoy something special for herself.  You can find her post of my exchange here.

As for me, Stephanie hit the nail on the head.  Recognizing my love of mustaches...she sent me these cute little mustache straw clips.  They are going to be endless party fun!

So Thanks Stephanie!

CARLY KMYTA'S BEAUTY PROJECT

This past week I participated in Carly Kmyta's "Beauty Project".  Carly asked women to submit a picture and note which physical feature they love the most (and why) and a non-physical feature.  Check out my post here.

Carly was inspired after being on Pinterest and noticing that women were pinning pictures of what they aspired to look like.  She didn't understand the tendency to want to change oneself.  While it is obvious that our culture (media and otherwise) creates a climate where women are to look anything but real and impressionable young women fall easily to this manufactured beauty, it was welcoming and freshening that she embarked on such a project.  Her goal, is to inspire others to love themselves by showing her followers the depth of beauty.