On Growing

Maybe it's because Mother's Day was on Sunday. Or perhaps it's the near-daily arrival of nursery items and baby gear. Maybe it's the increasing activity, kicks and flips and turns, happening in my belly. Or the beautiful weather that means leaving the house without a jacket, my baby bump on full display.

I feel the change, the growth. Just as the baby is growing, so am I. And it's more than just a physical change. It's a bond that is already formed, a peace and a sense of strength, an excitement and a healthy dose of uncertainty.

Scott and my family surprised me with a beautiful bouquet and a bunch of notes on Mother's Day. And his family gave me some lovely little gifts. I still have three months until I officially become a mother. But maybe in a way, I already am one. I've nurtured and loved this baby for six months, even if it's different than how I'll care for him or her after he or she is born.

We've started to receive gifts from friends and family. It's amazing to think about actually using these things once the baby is here. He or she is already so loved.

I have a few small updates on the nursery front. We're making some progress—with plenty more to come.

My mom has been hunting down different-sized baskets for the changing table. I ordered some fabric from Carousel Designs, which one of my friend's moms will be using to make basket liners. I picked a couple of navy and white patterns—stripes and polka dots. And I also ordered three swatches of turquoise fabrics since that color is always tricky to match. The one I ended up choosing is pictured... and a yard of that fabric should be here any day. (If you're looking for cute baby bedding or fabric for any type of project, you should check out Carousel Designs!)

And I finally used a credit from Christmas toward a gorgeous throw from Design Darling. It goes perfectly with the rug. Scott joked about the baby destroying it. I'm thinking about draping it over the back of the glider/rocker (once we get one) for a little extra color and coziness.

For now, I'm feeling great and moving into the third trimester. Hard to believe we'll get to meet this little guy or gal in three short months!

27 weeks!

Book Club: Room: A Novel

Well, it's been almost three weeks since our last book club meeting. At the time of the meeting, I hadn't actually finished the book, but I finally reached the end last week, so here's the delayed post!

I hosted this past month and went with a "breakfast for dinner" theme. I love brunch foods, and they are easy to prep ahead and then bake or cook right before guests arrive. Plus, even if I couldn't drink mimosas, I was happy to serve them!

Used my mom's recipe... though I think she usually adds more gooey topping than the recipe calls for :)

Pecan Rolls / Monkey Bread
1 cup chopped pecans (I left these out this time around)

1/2 package of frozen Rhodes dinner rolls

1 package instant butterscotch pudding

1/4 c margarine or butter

1/2 c brown sugar

Spray a Bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with 3/4 c chopped pecans. Place rolls around.  Add dry pudding. Combine melted margarine/butter and brown sugar. Drizzle over rolls and sprinkle with remaining nuts. 

Place in a cold oven overnight. Remove and heat oven to 325 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes. Let rolls sit for 2 minutes and serve inverted on plate.

Get the recipe here! So easy and good.

We discussed Plague Tales this time around. This book moved back and forth between two different times and places, each with its own set of conflicts surrounding an outbreak of the plague. Some of us enjoyed the sections dedicated to the "past" and some to the "future" (though technically the book was written in 1997 so the "future" section took place in 2005). Though some of the language was a bit cheesy and plot twists were a bit convenient at times, the group felt the overall story was entertaining and easy to read.

I especially liked the last hundred pages or so, mainly because the action moves more quickly in that part of the book and the chapters are shorter so the shifts between times come more often. It felt like the plot moves forward a lot more at that point, while earlier in the book, it sometimes dragged for me. In the end, though there isn't a huge revelation, the connection between the two time periods also becomes more clear. This pick was definitely more plot-driven than other books we've read, which made for a fun read.

For next month (meaning this month—ha!), we'll be reading Room by Emma Donoghue.

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Amazon.com Review:
Amazon Best of the Month, September 2010: In many ways, Jack is a typical 5-year-old. He likes to read books, watch TV, and play games with his Ma. But Jack is different in a big way--he has lived his entire life in a single room, sharing the tiny space with only his mother and an unnerving nighttime visitor known as Old Nick. For Jack, Room is the only world he knows, but for Ma, it is a prison in which she has tried to craft a normal life for her son. When their insular world suddenly expands beyond the confines of their four walls, the consequences are piercing and extraordinary. Despite its profoundly disturbing premise, Emma Donoghue's Room is rife with moments of hope and beauty, and the dogged determination to live, even in the most desolate circumstances. A stunning and original novel of survival in captivity, readers who enter Room will leave staggered, as though, like Jack, they are seeing the world for the very first time.

Is Being Kind Bad for Business?

A couple of days ago, Sarah and I were chatting about this week's newsletter topic (arriving in inboxes tomorrow!)—email etiquette—and we both shared instances of communication breakdown. It happens all too often, not only via email or in business-related situations, but also in conversations and everyday life.

I know people are busy. We are all busy, but that shouldn't be an excuse for not responding or for not being kind... right? There are plenty of busy people who have created systems to make sure their communications are timely and courteous.

But this isn't really about email. The bigger topic that's been on my mind lately is the relationship between business and kindness.

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Do being kind and being successful have to be mutually exclusive? I don't think so. In fact, I think kindness is often the key to building relationships—and in turn, building a business.

These thoughts first started when I read Megan's interview on Viva Bang Bang. In the post, she says, "Be nice. It gets you further than you think." That quote jumped out to me because I've found that some of my most successful business relationships have been built on a genuine sense of respect and kindness. (I mean, who has the time or energy to be a "mean girl"? Is it worth it?)

On the other hand, I'm often cautioned about being "too nice." This week's Design*Sponge Biz Ladies post addressed the debate "How Nice is Too Nice?" As a business owner, I know it's important to be firm and not give my services away, but those communications can still be kind.

Yes, it's business, not personal. But when you're a small business, that line gets blurry sometimes. You are who you are, and yet, you also represent your company and brand. Good customer (or client or collaborator) service goes a long way.

To me, being kind is about being respectful, keeping an open mind, thinking of others' perspectives, finding solutions, collaborating, and going above and beyond. And I don't think that's bad for business.

What do you all think? How important is being kind in the business realm?

Consider Your Audience

Whenever I work with clients, I ask about their intended audience. It might be the ideal client, the target audience, the typical reader.

What's funny about online content is we often don't know exactly who is reading. We don't always know who they are and what they want to know.

Though you may choose to write for a specific type of person in hopes of attracting their business or interaction, considering your audience is a crucial step in the writing process.

Find out who they are, what they do, what they like, what they need.

Writing for your audience means you'll make a connection, encourage engagement, and—over time—create a relationship.

This past week's Create.Compose.Communicate newsletter included a link to a survey. Sarah and I asked our subscribers to tell us a bit about themselves, what they enjoy about the newsletter, and what they'd like to learn about in the future.

As a part of that, we've deemed May to be our "Readers' Choice" month. Each week, we'll tackle one of the writing topics suggested by our subscribers. We're also mapping out the next few months' themes and incorporating more ideas based off the survey responses.

If you haven't signed up, you can do so here. The first newsletter of the month goes out tomorrow (Thursday) morning. We'll be including the subscriber survey link again in this week's email, so here's your chance to tell us what topics you'd like us to cover in upcoming newsletters!

Hop on over to Sarah's blog for a few thoughts from her on this month's theme.

The Brink of Change and the Momentum of Life

I have a lot of writing to do this afternoon, but before I dive into work, I feel the need to sort out my thoughts. Lately, my mind has been going, going, going. Talking or writing things out always helps me find some clarity and peace.

I'm feeling this sense of urgency. Each day goes by and I feel like I could have accomplished more. The to-do list never ends, no matter how many items I check off. Perhaps that's just how life goes, but I'd like to get a handle on it.

I can see that many of the things on my mind are good and exciting and fun. Our calendar this spring is full of events, trips, and time with family and friends. I think I'm worried that it's going to make time fly even faster, that all of a sudden August will be here, I'll go into labor, and I won't feel ready.

Last week's picture (while it was still daylight!): 24 weeks.
The belt really accentuates the bump... ha!

I know you're never truly ready, but I want some time to take a breath, to drink in what's happening, to think about this baby and our life and how it's changing already. Sometimes I walk by the nursery and I pop in there, just to take a look at the crib and the way the sun shines through on the rug.

It feels like my business is gaining some momentum too, which is so exciting. New opportunities, new clients, new projects. People are reaching out to me and it's wonderful. It gives me reassurance that I'm doing what I'm supposed to do. There are times when I think about what might have been, where I'd be if I had stayed on the career path I was on, and sometimes that path feels safer. But I can't undo the past and everything I've gone through has brought me to this point. I'm growing, my business is growing, and yes, it takes time and work and so many ups and downs. I'm making progress and the reward is great.

Someday, I'll look back and see that each step I am taking now led to more good things. Scott and I were talking about that—how it will be nice to reflect and understand and feel confident in the choices we've made and are making. Hindsight is such a great thing, isn't it?

I think about different points in my life when I felt unsettled, uncertain, on the brink of change, and now I see how everything worked out for the best. We're going to my sister's college graduation soon, so I'll be returning to my alma mater. I don't remember all of the feelings I had when I graduated, but in the midst of the fun of senior week, the accomplishment of completing college, and the excitement of moving to Chicago and starting a new job, I know those bittersweet, topsy-turvy thoughts were there.

Life is good, but it's changing and it's moving so fast.

Introducing... Content Consultations

I just enjoyed a wonderful long weekend back in Kansas, spending time with my family and attending the wedding of a friend from grade school and high school. Since returning to Chicago on Monday night, it's been a whirlwind of playing catch-up... but it's all good things!

There are a few new opportunities in the works as far as my business goes. And I'm so excited to see them come to life.

Today, I want to share a new service I'm offering—the content consultation.

It's made for the blogger or business owner who is looking for some direction and inspiration in creating quality content.

Though the mindset seems to be changing, I see so many people get caught up in the design of their blogs and business websites—without giving much thought to the actual written content. No argument here, design is important. But the content is what tells your story, shares what you have to offer, and ultimately engages your ideal audience.

The easiest way to get the details: hop over to my website! You'll find out exactly how a consultation works and what you'll get out of it.

As a part of this (soft) launch, I offered up complimentary content consultations to Jess Lively's Business with Intention workshop attendees this past weekend in San Francisco.

Photo via jesslively.com

I loved working with Megan Ibarra of Little Yellow Leaf, who designed, printed, and constructed the beautiful cards that outlined my offer and were included in the workshop goody bags (see below). I highly recommend Little Yellow Leaf if you're looking to create handmade or custom business materials! (I also had a chance to grab coffee with Megan while I was in Kansas—so fun!)

What's inside?

Front of the card

Back of the card

I'll have a few more business-related updates over the coming weeks. Can't wait to share more about the growth of Melrose Street Custom Content with you!

Nursery Update: The Crib!

The crib, mattress, and changing table arrived last week, so Scott and I put everything together on Friday night.

The changing table will eventually go where my desk currently is, so its spot by the window is only temporary. If we had more space, I'd probably have chosen a dresser instead of an open-style changing table, but this one will work well and leave room to put a hamper and diaper pail next to it.

We also picked up a Mamaroo off Craigslist from a very nice couple here in the city—for $100 (half the retail price!).

My vision is slowly coming together... This room just makes me happy.

And in light of Monday's events at the Boston Marathon, I feel like I should simply add that I'm praying for those affected. I'm not a runner, but I've gone to marathons as a spectator—to cheer on my husband, my sister, and friends. In fact, the Chicago Marathon runs right down the street outside our condo building. The energy, dedication, and ultimate sense of accomplishment are truly touching. To think that those positive feelings and experiences were taken away from so many on Monday is heart-breaking. It makes me once again remember to live life fully, spread joy, and say "I love you" more often.