life lately – Holly Whittlef

May 17, 2015 — Comments are off for this post.

LIFE LATELY / 05

There's something I love about rainy days. It's feels like an excuse to drop whatever pressing matters are at hand and cozy up on the couch to relax instead. It's silly because we, of course, have the option to do this whenever we want. But it seems easier and more well-deserved when those water droplets are falling heavy outside. It's raining as I type this. Huge, roaring downpours are alternating between brief reliefs of quiet, and it's been the perfect excuse to stop working, enjoy an extra cup of coffee and write this post.

Over the past few weeks, I've been to Minnesota to see my new nephew, then back home to shoot some freelance projects, letterpress print wedding invitations for some dear friends and enjoy the summery weather that's slowly encroaching. So yes, this rainy day was needed. A slight reprieve in an over-scheduled life ( <- working on this ) to remind me to slow the eff down. Here's some good web finds from the past few weeks. Enjoy, my friends.

The pillow of my dreams.

If I hadn't committed to that whole not shopping thing ( still going strong! ), I would've bought a pair of these lemon yellow beauties by now.

Oh, and this necklace + this swimsuit too.

I found this list of iconic Friends episodes, and now my work days are far less productive. Thanks a lot, Buzzfeed + Netflix.

This 5-minute green sauce is, indeed, magic.

Loved this post with advice from female entrepreneurs. The best advice was from the ladies of Food52—I'm so guilty of using the word "just" in email and conversations about my work.

A new discovery, this blog is just so lovely. Bonus, she's a Wisconsin gal.

Amy Schumer is killing it in her new season. Funny, smart + on-point. I want to be her friend.

After paying for a rather large tax bill + unexpected medical expenses, I'm dreaming of a trip that I cannot afford to here.

I love you, John Oliver.

Published by Holly Whittlef in life lately, Random

September 2, 2014 — Comments are off for this post.

LIFE LATELY / 4

Oh August, you were good to me.

Even though you were gone in just one blink of the eye, I really tried to savor every last minute of your fleeting existence. You had lots of favorites. My favorite meal had to be those grilled veggies, corn on the cob + grilled cheese sandwiches eaten on my patio and washed down with cheap Trader Joe's beer. And my favorite concert was definitely PHOX. That Monica Martin sure knows how to sing. Picking a favorite wine is always tough, so let's just say much rosé was consumed.

You saw me work a lot, watch a lot of Orange Is The New Black and travel a lot. Perhaps best of all, you helped me get my portfolio started. Check it out --> here <-- my friends, because graduation is exactly three months and one day from today, and I'm going to need all the help I can get.

01. A weekend of camping at Blue Mound State Park
02. Pizza, Farmer John's gouda sandwiches + molasses cookies at The Hazelnut Café
03. A gorgeous sunset family photo sesh with goofy, hilarious Evan
04. Exploring downtown St. Paul ( just as good, if not better than its Minneapolis counterpart )
05. The BEST chocolate chip cookie ever at The Buttered Tin
06. A special family photo sesh with my BFF Megan + her son Wes ( those cheeks! )
07. Girls weekend in San Diego with my other BFF Ashley
08. High-kicking on the beach to burn off the In-N'-Out burger I had just consumed

More photos on Insta: @hollisanne

Published by alphablossom in hand-lettering, life lately

May 16, 2014 — Comments are off for this post.

LIFE LATELY / 3

Life lately has been sorta kinda totally and insanely nuts.

This week alone, I arrived back home after a bachelorette party weekend away in sunny California, got food poisoning, had four final projects due for school + two freelance deadlines—not including another two I am late on. I don't tell you all this to brag about my busyness, because in the midst of all that, I still rationalized binge watching six episodes of The Newsroom in one night because I was "cleaning my apartment" at the same time. I do tell you this because I am really telling myself that I need to slow the eff down. This girl is burnt out.

Life doesn't always allow us restful periods to pause in gratitude of the miraculous fact we are—indeed!—alive. But I know that within the busyness—the traveling to Colorado to see your sissy graduate, end-of-semester school projects, work that pays the rent + inevitable fuck-ups of work that cause even more work—I still need to find restful pauses to reflect on the awesomeness of life. That's been my goal as of late. To just stop what I'm doing every once in awhile, take a big, lung-busting breath, and say thank you. It's the attitude of gratitude. And it works.

Because all my hard work is paying off! And working this hard only confirms that I don't want to work this hard the rest of my life. That's made me a whole lot smarter financial-wise ( who da thunk? ), more appreciative of the fact I don't have kids ( mothers, I don't know how you do it ), and incredibly excited to see where life takes me when I graduate in December.

Yeah, so life may be nuts...but it's oh so good.

Published by alphablossom in life lately, Photography