2016 Pantone Color(s) of the Year

It's that time of year again!!! 

Pantone has announced their 2016 Color of the Year, or should we say "colors" , because for the first time they've selected TWO as representatives for the year; ROSE QUARTZ and SERENITY. 

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So why two colors this year? 
Pantone Color Institute Executive Director, Leatrice Eiseman best sums it up as so:

"Joined together Rose Quartz and Serenity demonstrate an inherent balance 

between a warmer embracing rose tone and the cooler tranquil blue, 

reflecting connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace."  

source: www.pantone.com

At first glance, the only thing this color duo brought to mind is a baby's nursery. I wasn't very impressed, considering the past bright and vibrant colors of 2015, 2014, and 2013. But also like years past, my first impression began to shift after digging deeper and seeing each color in action. Pastels have been such a huge trend lately, and I think Rose Quartz and Serenity will be fuel for the fire. 

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If only I could pull off pastel hair...oh baby I'd be a mermaid in an instant! A lot or a little, this light pink is sophisticated, but at the same time super soft and feminine. 

For me personally, Serenity may take a little longer to warm up to. I could see it being a big hit this Spring for wedding colors, but the grey-ish tone this blue has could easily lead itself successfully all winter as well. 

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So maybe it is time we toned it down a notch. Not every color-of-the-year has to be loud and scream "OMG LOOK AT ME!" Sometimes subtlety is key. 

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Whatever side you're on, team Rose Quartz or team Serenity, be prepared to see these colors popping up everywhere. And if you're having a baby soon, you no longer have to decide what shade to paint the nursery! 

What are your thoughts on Pantone's 2016 choices?

Bella Board Wisdom

For a little over a year now, I've been the designated beautifier of the Bella Board at Bella Forza Fitness. Each week I find a special phrase/quote on Etsy or Pinterest, and save it to my phone. The only requirement is it must be bursting with inspiration and good vibes. I then get out my hand-dandy chalk, and draw a mini piece of art to share with my fellow Bella Beasts! 

This is something I have absolutely LOVED getting to do, and wanted to share some of my creations with YOU! 

As a graphic designer by trade, drawing and hand lettering are two of my favorite hobbies. The Bella Board gives me another reason to sharpen my skills, and each week never fails to provide a new challenge. If you follow me on Instagram, you've probably already seen most of the pics below. But if not, scroll your little heart out and help yourself to some #BellaBoardWisdom! 

Be sure to stop by Bella Forza Fitness, get your fit on, and see our beloved Bella Board in person! 

Off The Scale Victories

If you're a long-time reader of my blog, you'll notice that about once a year I visit the topic of personal success. 

You can read the original post HERE, and when I discussed it again HERE. 

Everyone needs a little reminder now and then of how important their individual journey is, and that’s why this has become a recurring subject. The theme of the Strong is Our Sexy blog this month is Body Image. Immediately I thought of my “Off the Scale Victories” lists I created last year, and how much they helped me keep my personal growth and triumph in perspective.

"Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength." 

Want to make lists of your own??? Visit Strong is Our Sexy to read my article, and find the links for FREE DOWNLOADS! 

Everyone needs to celebrate a little more in their life. Whether it's the giant hurdles, or the smallest of leaps. Take time to give yourself the self love you deserve!

Your Presence is Requested

For most people "wedding season" is winding down with the end of Summer quickly approaching...that is NOT the case for us this year. Eric and I only had one wedding over the summer, but have SIX to go to before next Spring. 

The plus side is  I LOVE weddings!!! I love getting all dolled up, admiring the bride in her incredible gown, "oooh-ing" and "awww-ing" over the decorations, checking out the bridesmaid dresses, not to mention the free meal and reception!  Hooorah! 

As a graphic designer, another detail I look forward to is the invitation! Not just because I'm obsessed with beautiful paper and stationary goodies, but I always feel like the invitation is a little glimpse into the couple's personality. You can check out the  post I wrote about my friend's invitations here, and see the invitations I created for MY OWN wedding here!

An invitation that we've recently received is for a coworker of mine, and you guys, this thing is GORGEOUS. Gold lined envelopes, embossed monogram, foil stamping, be still my beating heart! 

I am currently OBSESSED with how the gold paper and foil stamping gives off such an incredible glow in these photographs. My inner paper-nerd is completely turned on right now.
All I can say is, if the invitation is any indication as to how beautiful the wedding is going to be, I absolutely cannot wait to go!

Package Design: Rivet & Sway

This is not a sponsored post for Rivet & Sway, all opinions are my own. 

Last week I came across the designer glasses brand Rivet & Sway. First off their logo is ADORABLE, cute little ampersand turned glasses, just perfect. Anyhow, they have this deal where you can have 5 different frames sent to your house for you to try, for 5 days, at absolutely no cost to you. I'm hoping to upgrade my own glasses this summer, and thought "why not!?". A few easy clicks on their site, a couple days later, and this little beauty arrived at my house. 

I opened up the box, excited to see the frames I'd picked out, but what I got was much MUCH more than just glasses. 

Just let your eyeballs gaze at that beautiful packaging! Gold foil details, watercolor graphics, clean lines, I hadn't even placed a single frame on my face yet and I was already sold. 

I'll just let you enjoy the pictures I IMMEDIATELY started snapping once I opened the lid. 

Seriously, it is going to KILL me to have to send this box back to Rivet & Sway. I may keep that little card with the gold foil geometric shapes, it would be perfect in a little frame somewhere.
Along with letting you test out 5 frames at home, they also have fit and styling advice as well as a blog you can follow on their website. 

Unfortunately none of the frames look totally fabulous on me, so I'll keep searching, but it was fun to try on some different styles and get an idea of what I want! 

This Post Is Off The Scale

Exactly one year ago, I published THIS POST about developing your strength through your struggles. 

"Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength."

I've been thinking a lot lately about that quote, and the fact that I posted it a year to the day is a bit freaky. In the mentioned post I talked about my frustration with the numbers I was seeing on the scale. To keep things real and honest, I am still in that same old rut I found myself in last March. Nothing I do seems to be helping me get closer to my goal weight. Yes I complain, and yes I know I need to be grateful and proud of what I've accomplished so far. But when your progress is determined by a number, it's hard to feel like you're succeeding when it hasn't changed in a year and a half. 

THAT my friend is the problem. 

I have been focusing entirely TOO HARD on those little digital numbers that flash up at me every week. 

Lent started Wednesday, and I've decided that instead of giving up chocolate or wine, I am going to find one Off the Scale Victory every week to go along with my weigh-in. These OSV's can be anything from "I didn't snack on the ingredients while cooking", "ran an extra 5 minutes on the treadmill", to "totally caught that guy checking me out!". Anything that boosts my spirits, makes me feel GOOD about myself, and deserves an inner high-five!

And being the designer that I am, I've created a little list to keep with me to record each of my Off the Scale Victories.

One is designed for the weeks of Lent, and the other is just to use whenever!

So if you also need to focus on those Off the Scale Victories like me, you can download these lists by following the links below! 

"My Off The Scale Victories" List

7 Week "My Off The Scale Victories" List

Everyone needs to celebrate a little more in their life. Whether it's the giant hurdles, or the smallest of leaps. Take the time to give yourself that inner high-five you deserve!

Fresh Inspiration

As an designer I'm constantly looking for inspiration that I can use for new and fresh ideas. My main go-to's when I need to spark some creativity are books, magazines, and the Internet. 

But what I find myself missing, after throwing aside my fifth book and getting frustrated, is that fantastic design is not just on my bookshelves. 

GREAT DESIGN IS EVERYWHERE!!! 

Take Whole Foods for example. 

Have you ever looked at the products on their shelves and wanted to buy something just because it looked cool? I sure have. This store carries so many brands that have INCREDIBLE package design that I could spend $500 just by buying things based on their looks. Who cares if it tastes good, it looks fabulous! 

Take these candy bars for example. 

Beautiful hand drawn leaf images mixed with a bold sun in a florescent bright color. The organic style font choice matches the fact that it's organic chocolate, and everything just pops on a clean white wrapper. 

Doesn't this salsa just look like fun packed inside a jar?! The illustrations on the label look like they're having a party, and those bold colors just scream fiesta! 

I could look at beer labels for hours. The coolers are a great place for some quirky ideas that are always interesting. 

I really like this guy, looks handmade! I actually went to Dogfish Head brewery in Delaware a few summers back when a bunch of us were visiting some friends there. It's actually a very small brewery but their branding is to die for! 

HOB NOB wines. Creating one set look and then altering the color slightly is a great way to keep a brand looking like they belong together, but not super matchy matchy. 

Hi-Ball Energy! The polka dot pattern makes your eyes dance a little...kind of like you're buzzing from too much caffeine! 

Oh the glory of well designed brands and beautiful packaging. I could walk around Whole Foods all day just looking at the different labels, and nibbling on some free samples of course! 

So the next time you're at the grocery store, spend some extra time among the shelves, and take in all of the great design that is just waiting for you place into your cart. 

Inspiration is everywhere!