Kelli Murray's Blog » MY LIFE

NEW BEGINNINGS

kelli — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:19:58 +0000

Ok all of you blog readers….I am need of some help. A bit of advice from one blogger to another! I realized my post yesterday made it seam like I had ground breaking news….but no all of you who asked….I am not pregnant again! haha. I’ve just been thinking A LOT about this blog over the past few weeks. What am I doing and why I post what I do. Is it relevant to you guys or is there something more I should be focusing on? What do you enjoy most and why? I began this blog as just a small stem of my website. A website that is currently getting a major overhaul. Yes, it has been a long time coming. Hence all the lost content on my gallery and design pages. I promise, the new and improved (and modernized) kellimurray.com will be much more….well, ME. Anyway, I’ve never been the best writer, so I will do my best to articulate my thoughts, and if you have an opinion or some advice, please….I am all ears. Like I was saying, this blog came as a result of me wanting to share my art projects and freelance work. I only posted ever so often and it always involved the art I was working on at the moment. Over time, this blog became far more personal. I posted on things going on in my life, personal struggles and accomplishments, and incorporated much more of my own personal style into my blog. I didn’t intend for it to turn into a “fashion” blog, but as I became more and more busy designing at work, it left me with little to no time to work on my own personal art….which was the sole reason I started this blog to begin with. As a way to keep this going, I decided to share my own style and fashion finds on the “in between”. But soon, that aspect seemed to dominate over the art. I was frustrated that I was not able to “do it all”. I wanted to excel at work, but I also wanted to do all the things I personally was inspired to do : paint, draw, design invitations and paper goods. Because those things in fact are my PASSION, but just do not pay the bills. Time just wasn’t on my side. I was stressed and unhappy in a lot of ways because I just did not feel fully invested in anything. I had a million creative ideas that I wanted to work on on my “off time”, but there just was no off time. Have you ever felt that way? I wished so often that my body only needed to sleep every OTHER day, because then, maybe THEN, I could do everything I wanted to. Well, I had to face the facts and realize that no, I can’t do it all. I entered a season where I tried to learn how to better manage my time, prioritize my workload, and do as much as I could while still maintaining my happiness (and sanity). I know this is something we ALL strive for. Balance is the key to life right? I believe it is something I will continue to work on for the rest of my life. The important thing I guess is that I consider it a priority, and remember every day that my HAPPINESS should take the front seat to any extra money in my pocket or portfolio addition. And in the midst of this soul searching season….I was smacked in the face with a surprise pregnancy!

Last year was a major life change for me. I knew that having a baby would change my life forever, I just wasn’t sure how it would really factor in to my work life. Needless to say, it factored in A LOT. Working moms….you rule. Seriously though, it’s the biggest challenge I have yet to face in life. I was a ~~borderline~~ full blown work-a-holic for ohhhh… 7 straight years or so. What does a work-a-holic do with a baby!!?? Well, they change is what they do. With Rylee’s arrival came a whole shift in my outlook on life. I honestly think she is the best thing that could have happened to me. While experimenting with working part time for a few months after her birth, I realized that the best thing for me would be to shift into becoming a full time freelancer. It would allow me to be at home with Rylee and complete my projects on my own time. It was a hard decision for me because I am the type of person that loves to get out of the house and be in an office with other creatives and feel productive. I loved my job and the people I worked with. Changing to be a freelancer took some, but not all of that away. A big portion of my freelance work still comes from Jedidiah….and I still am lucky enough to have an office space there that I can go to when I really need to focus…and when Grandma can babysit! But in the spirit of this whole new shift into freelance, I realized the importance of THIS…..blogging, branding and representing myself. It seems that if you are going to “make it” these days as an artist, having an online presence is imperative. But don’t get me started on twitter….I think I need to get one of those “for dummies” books on the topic! ugh. I guess i’ve never really considered branding myself a priority because I had such limited time to invest in other projects anyway. In fact, I couldn’t even take on half of the commission requests I received as it was. I am hoping this year things will be different. I want to rebrand ME! I want to work on projects that inspire and excite me. I want to get my spark back! And I want to pursue the things I have been dreaming about for years (there are a few!) So here is where I need your help! I’ve picked the brains of a few close friends….but really I am still processing all of it myself. (I am kicking myself for not attending Altitude Summit this year….because I am sure I would have walked away with a swift kick in the butt to get my act together! SO many inspiring speakers!) Anyway, here are the big “undertermines” right now as I am thinking this all over. I know it’s quite transparent, but I would love to hear if you have some ideas or opinions on the matter. And if you happen to have a lot to say….email me! I’d love to hear from you!

A NAME

Does my blog need a name?? EVERYONE has a name. But mine is…well, just my ACTUAL name. Ha…I guess not even my actual name. My name as of two years ago is Kelli Larson, but my “art” name, as people know it, has always been Kelli Murray. So I kept it. Poor Sam. But really, a name. Almost every blog I read is NOT the person’s name….it’s some cute title or phrase that represents them and what they do or who they are. There are a few illustrators out there that I know of that just use their own name for their blog, but those are far and few between. If I were to start fresh today, I would probably choose a name (there have been hundreds running through my brain lately). But I think I may be too late in the game to turn around now? Most people just call my blog “Kelli Murray Blog”. And others have mistaken it’s title for “All Things Inspiring”…which is an easy mistake to be made since that is the header I have had since it’s beginning. Regardless, I’m stumped on what to do. No matter what, my URL will stay kellimurray.com….it’s just what to do about my blog (in the sense of it’s title). What do you think?? Is it time I finally solidified a name for my blog since I am in the midst of a total re-brand? Or is it safe to keep what has been working so far?

APOLIS + ALOHA SUNDAY MARKET BAG

kelli — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:53:54 +0000

This bag is just cool. Almost as cool as the cool kids who made it. A few friends of mine, Kahana Kalama and Billy Wickens, opened the retail shop ALOHA SUNDAY in May of 2011. It’s located in the heart of Northpark and houses a collection of surf-inspired clothing and craft…some old, some new. The name stemmed from the commonly used Hawaiian phrase “Aloha Friday” which is basically a celebration of the end of the workweek. As a play on this concept Aloha Sunday was born… a challenge and encouragement to live passionately and in a way that celebrates the start of the week. Good, right!? So proud of these guys for making their dream a reality. If you live in San Diego and have yet to check out the space….do yourself a favor. Or check them out online here:

SHOP / BLOG / TWITTER / FACEBOOK

Aloha Sunday recently partnered with Apolis Activism to create this limited edition Market Bag. Perfect for trips to the farmer’s market or getaways to the coast. So glad I got my mitts on one! Limited to only 50 pieces.

5 MONTHS

kelli — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:25:36 +0000

Baby girl is 5 months old today! My how time flies! I was just going through all of the pictures I have taken of her! It’s so cool to see how much she has grown and changed in such a short time. I have already filled two whole photo albums and am on to my third! eek…it may be safe to say I take too many pictures! But I just want to capture every stage of her life. (And photograph her in every cute outfit she has before she grows out of it! ha!) Sometimes I miss how that tiny little newborn body felt in my arms! Now, Rylee can sit on my hip and hold herself up all on her own. I can’t leave her for too long because she is rolling like crazy now. I set her on a blanket on one side of the room, and before I know it, she is on the other! I swear, she is going to be an early crawler! She is already trying to nudge her knees under her tummy and scoot! As much as I love her now, I am looking forward to the day when we can talk and interact with each other. When she can give me bear hugs and we can laugh together at cartoons! She makes my world a happier place!

But the last few days have been not so happy. I’ve been sick with the stomach flu, or so I think (I haven’t been to the doctor). It’s the first time I’ve been sick since I had Rylee. I knew the day would come….but it has been harder than I thought taking care of a baby while also trying to take care of myself. I think Rylee knew I needed some extra rest because last night she slept from 7pm to 7am! Seriously, crazy right?! It was the longest span she and I have slept since she was born. I am just hoping I don’t pass along whatever it is I have, to her. Luckily Grandma is coming over today to help me! What would we do without Grandma’s?! xoxo.

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

kelli — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 18:41:27 +0000

Hello, I”m back! This week has been a much needed break for Sam and I. I can’t remember the last time I have been away from my computer more than I have this week! It’s felt pretty good. I don’t even realize how much I rely on my computer until I purposefully try and stay away from it. It’s crazy what a digital world we live in now, isn’t it? As great as that is in some senses, it does have a way of making life increasingly impersonal. Anyway, my goal for this week was to get away from that. And what better time than Christmas to focus on relationships and family? Sam and I both have been off work this entire week, enjoying the super warm December weather and spending lots of time with our little lady. Despite the hot weather, I just had to get some use out of the red pom hat I bought for Rylee a few months back. I die over that thing on her. Our Christmas was great. A little different feeling this year because we did not have extended family in town like we usually do. But it was small and intimate….and ALL about Rylee. Ha! She got more presents than all of us combined. I put together this little video of Rylee’s first Christmas and the few days surrounding it….all with my very limited knowledge in imovie. I certainly don’t pride myself on my video skills, seeing as I have only made 2 now. Really, it’s all for memories sake. Hopefully Rylee can watch this one day and smile. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday! xo.

Christmas 2011 from Kelli Larson on Vimeo.

DECK THE HALLS

kelli — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 06:54:37 +0000

2 days til Christmas!! I can’t believe how fast it has gone! I feel like I just put up all of my decorations….and now they will soon have to come down. But trust me, my halls will be decked until new year! These are just a few pics of our Christmas-y house. Bam was quite the pest with the lights. He just wouldn’t stop batting them around and getting all tangled up in them. That cat…I still can’t help but love him! I had a field day at West Elm a few weeks ago. I went there looking for drapes and out I go with a bag full of holiday loot. That store always gets me. My favorites were these little Papier Mache Reindeer and Felt Ball Wreaths. I’ve had a slight obsession with anything felt the past few months, and well, Christmas couldn’t be any different. I’m sad they can’t stay year around! But I guess that would take the fun out of putting them UP if they never came down!

Tomorrow we head to my parent house for our “Family Christmas”. Since my sisters will be with their husbands families on Christmas day, we decided to make Christmas Eve “OUR” Christmas. Holidays have gotten tricky now with all of us married. Gone are the days of all of us going to bed early together so we can wake up to the smell of dad’s bacon and eggs and run to the fireplace to open our stockings. I just love my sisters. Now we are lucky if we all are together on Christmas. But that’s just how it goes. It’s a blessing we all have men to love and family to visit, right!? I am excited to be celebrating this year for the first time with Rylee. It makes me happy to think about Sam and I creating Christmas traditions of our own….memories for Rylee to have as she grows. I REALLY wanted a “Babies First Christmas” ornament to add to the tree, but I just couldn’t find one for the life of me. Maybe I will find one after the new year on sale somewhere! Ha! I still really want one….(if you’ve ever seen a cute one online somewhere, I’d love to hear where!) We are taking Rylee to a Christmas Eve service tomorrow night and I have her dress and hair bow all ready to go! It will be her first time attending church. Kind of a big deal! Anyway…I hope you all have an amazing Christmas with the people you love! Thanks for reading my blog and for all your sweet comments, always!

So thankful this year!

ANOTHER YEAR DOWN

kelli — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:17:41 +0000

Sweater - CausewayMall / Boots – Steve Madden / Hat – Forever21 / Leggings – French Connection

It’s true….the dreaded 27 has finally come. December 19th marked my 27th birthday and my baby girl’s 4 month birthday. I’m not sure why but 27 has always scared me…..it just sounds so much older than 26 in my mind.. I am now categorized into the upper 20′s! Whew…I never saw that coming. Ha! (I apologize for those of you who are older and rolling your eyes at my silly comments). I suppose I’ve got to face the facts and embrace my age, because 27 is…..well, right where I’m supposed to be. Growing up I always had this plan for where I would be at each age in life. I would be married at 21, own my own card/stationary company by 25, have 3 kids before 30, and live in a small house by the ocean and wake up to the waves crashing outside of my window every day. While not all of those things happened exactly according to plan….my life as I know it has been pretty good to me. I think about this last year and all the changes that have come to me and my family. Things that once seemed scary and unpredictable, all turned out for the best. The biggest blessing of this year, as I am sure you can guess, has been Rylee. She was once one of those “unplanned events” for Sam and I…and yet we can’t imagine it any other way. She has brought a new joy to our lives that we never knew possible. And when I thought I could never love my husband more than the day I married him, Rylee has somehow allowed us to love each other even greater than we did before. So much so that I think I am ready for another one! (just kidding…kind of).

It was a good birthday. We sat together with Rylee overlooking the ocean. Even in the middle of winter, the skies were blue and the sun warmed our faces. I dreamed about next year and wondered what God had in store for me on my 27th year of life. I can’t be sure….but I loved this quote I came across that read…

“turn your cant’s into can’s and your dreams into plans”

Starting now.

DAYS TURN INTO MONTHS

kelli — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 16:36:43 +0000

Her days have officially turned into months. 3 to be exact….but these photos take her back to 1. They were shot by my good friend and uber talented photographer, miss SARAH SHREVES

It’s funny how one day I am a kid, and the next I am a mother…..and how quick that transition from childhood to adulthood really feels. I remember my childhood so vividly, it’s amazing to think how long it has really been since those playground days. I can still picture my mom at that time….playing with my sisters and I, reading us stories and teaching us all about the world. Now it’s my turn. Seeing Rylee grow makes me think so much about life….it’s fragility…..and really, it’s wonder. How intricately and thoughtfully we were created and how amazing the human body is. It blows my mind every time I look at Rylee’s itty bitty hands and feet, knowing they will one day grow to be as big as my own. And it makes me so incredibly thankful for my own mom and the part she has played in my life. She has taught me what it means to love unconditionally and to give sacrificially. I have realized there is nothing bigger than the love a mother has for her children. I had heard that many times before, but I don’t think it’s something I fully grasped until I became a mother myself.

We hoped to capture Rylee with a few of those sweet sleeping baby photos I love so much, but she wasn’t having it. She was wide eyed and alert the whole time, so we just went with it. A few old suitcases, a sheepskin rug and a my favorite ivory blanket from Scotland (gifted from Dear Darling) made the perfect props! Ohhh…if only baby knew how hard we worked to get a few good photos of her! ha. Thankful to have these marking her one month birthday.

You can find this hand knit diaper cover and others similar over at etsy shop, Titch.

A CAVE MAN KIND OF HALLOWEEN

kelli — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:26:18 +0000

I was soooo looking forward to this Halloween! I think more than any other before. Duh…I had a tiny little baby to dress up! I searched high and low for a Halloween costume to buy Rylee, but I was just not satisfied with the selection. Everything looked the same and nothing was little enough to fit my itty bitty 10 pounder. So out came the sewing machine! I found this animal print spandex and “spider web-like” black lace at the fabric store down the street. It made for the perfect cave baby outfit. Complete with a one shouldered onsie (with snaps!), a layered lace and leopard zig zag skirt, and a mini cross bones headband. (I think I just might ebay this thing) And yes, I went a little nuts and made Sam and I costumes too. Although much less effort went into those! I know it’s all kind of silly, but well, I couldn’t help myself. Rylee posed so sweetly for the paparazzi! Such a little model baby!

Halloween night our cave man family headed to my parents house and met up with my sister and her kids for some trick or treating. Her boys were the cutest cowboys ever (age 1 and 3). We feasted on chili and cornbread and all fell into a sugar coma after all the pumpkin pie, ice cream and buckets of candy. One night…it’s allowed. Right? Nights like this make me so thankful for the love of family….and for my baby girl that makes my life just that much sweeter! I hope you all had a great Halloween as well! I am going to blog bounce a bit to check out all of your costumes! xoxo.

PUMPKIN PATCHING

kelli — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 07:28:33 +0000

What’s October without a visit to the pumpkin patch? Last weekend was our official Fall kickoff. We bundled up and headed to Julian to visit the pumpkin patch and get some apple pie. It”s kind of tradition with our family, and I want to keep it going. There is something about the “countryside” that I think is just beautiful. The expanse of green and the rolling hills….no big buildings blocking the view or smog clouding our way. Looking out the window on the car ride up is half the fun (unless you are my mom and those winding roads make you sick). When we got to the pumpkin patch the temperature had risen to 90 degrees! So much for our scarves and beanies! The weather report was just slightly off predicting low 60′s. Oh well. We were a little warm but at least we looked cute. Ha! Rylee was such a trooper. It’s fun capturing life with her now a part of it. Everything is just better with a little one to share it with. Every week comes new “firsts”….and I don’t want to miss a thing. Monday will be her first Halloween, then will come her first Thanksgiving, and then her first Christmas!! I’ve never been more excited for the holidays! I’m already wanting to make Rylee a custom stocking with her name stitched on. Am I crazy? Maybe a little.

I stumbled upon this drawing by one of my favorite artists, Julianna Swaney of Oh My Cavalier. I thought it fitting for this post. Just perfect. You can see more of her incredible work HERE. Browsing her site I was more inspired than ever to pick up my sketch pad and get to drawing again. I have missed creating art just to create it. With no purpose other than to draw for the love of it. Time is a funny thing with a baby in the mix….but I do know I want to find a way to fit in more time for my personal art than I have been allowing. Life is a game of balance isn’t it? I’m not sure I will ever get it just RIGHT…..but I know it can get BETTER!

POOL DAY

kelli — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 06:32:58 +0000

Ha! That last photo kills me! So last week a heat wave came through San Diego and I thought I’d better bust out Rylee’s itty bitty bathing suit and take her to the pool before the Fall cold really set in. We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day. Rylee loved dipping her toes in the water. I think she is going to be a water baby just like my sisters and I were growing up. My mom taught us all how to swim about the same time we learned to walk. I think i’ll do the same with Ry if she takes a liking to it. I really can’t get enough of that round little belly in a swimming suit. She is turning into quite the little chunker! I’m looking forward to next summer when she and I can go down to the beach, play in the waves and watch dad surf!