Timeless Design

Walt Whitman Quote

2010-10-19T12:43:00.000-07:00

Here is the test of wisdom;
Wisdom is not finally tested in schools;
Wisdom cannot be pass’d from one having it, to another not having it;
Wisdom is of the Soul, is not susceptible of proof, is its own proof,	80
Applies to all stages and objects and qualities, and is content,
Is the certainty of the reality and immortality of things, and the excellence of things;
Something there is in the float of the sight of things that provokes it out of the Soul.

Kate Beck Events

2010-10-14T06:32:00.000-07:00

My best friend Kate Beck of Kate Beck events posted this awesome post about my wedding! Thanks Kate!

Wedding Planner as Guest

My BFF tied the knot in June, and I must admit: I loved, loved, loved being a guest. While of course I also love designing, planning, coordinating, and executing wedding days for clients - it was just so much fun enjoying the celebration without a clipboard in hand! Based on my referral, Lauren hired fellow Wilmington, DE native, and multi-talented Kristen Nichols to design her invitations as well as photograph her special day. I knew Lauren would fall in love with Kristen's style and as you will see, it's easy to do. The nuptials and merriment were held at the Hotel Tabard Inn. If you haven't been there - go. The location, food and ambiance is simply perfect. And the lovely flowers were designed by the similarly multi-talented Sidra Forman. Professional note: if you are planning an intimate affair in the DC area, you must check out the aforementioned vendors. Personal note: it was a stunningly beautiful wedding, and a tremendous joy to witness. Congratulations Lar and Dre! xo, Kate

Our Wedding Invitation

2010-10-07T06:33:00.001-07:00

Kristen Hudson-Nichols created a beautiful invitation out of one of my Grandmother's pieces of art work for us to use as our invitation. We LOVED it!!

2010-10-06T07:30:00.001-07:00

Eckhart on Unemployment

Question: For those of us who are unemployed and seeking employment, how do you stay connected to the Source, and to your own sense of divinity, and still deal with the reality and the drama and the pain of trying to find a job?

ET: It’s challenging. Challenges are good, potentially – they can either wake you up, or they can pull you into more reactivity, unconsciousness and suffering. Every challenge that comes into your life can go either this way, or that way. Potentially the challenge is very helpful. Challenge means limitation in one form or another. I’m certainly grateful for the challenges that came into my life. I wouldn’t be here, and many of you realize that without the challenges in your life, you wouldn’t be here either.

This is something I have a little bit of personal experience with also. Or maybe even quite a lot of personal experience – because for a large part of my adult life I was actually not employed, as such. For a large part I lived on relatively little, for quite a few years, even in my thirties, below the poverty line. At that time I read the paper, and it mentioned the income level for a single person, for what was considered to be below the poverty line, and I thought “I’m much below that!” But I didn’t realize I was “poor”. I realized that there were things I couldn’t afford to buy. I could buy tomato sauce but I couldn’t buy spaghetti sauce. Tomato sauce is cheaper, much cheaper. That stayed with me for many years. Even as recently as four years ago, I still find myself getting tomato sauce instead of spaghetti sauce because it’s cheaper.

There are practical things that you need to re-adjust and deal with. There’s some action you need to take, in order to adjust to the new situation; all that is in the practical realm. Then there is the mental realm. In the mental realm is where the suffering could arise, not in the practical realm. There’s no suffering in eating spaghetti with a thin tomato sauce – this is just one little example here, that stands for many things – rather than a nice, specially prepared sauce for pasta. But if, suddenly thought arises, and you think “this is what it has come to”, or “I have to eat this watery sauce, the cheapest food there is”, or “I’ve failed” or “I probably won’t find another job, because billions of people are now looking for jobs and it’s pointless” or “I’ll have to eat the same thing tomorrow” – and [these thoughts] are where the suffering comes from.

The suffering also comes from the diminished sense of self-worth, now where is that? Of course that’s in your head. “I’m useless”, or “I’m too old and nobody will employ me anymore” or “I should have had a better education”, whatever the thoughts are – it creates a diminished sense of self-worth. That is because your self-worth before was derived from your function in this world – which is a very normal thing. But it wasn’t really derived from your function, it was derived from what your mind told you about your function in this world. You derived your sense of self-worth from certain thoughts in your head, and you got perhaps some feedback from others who also told you that you were useful – you were part of all that interaction that people have when they have a job. You have a boss, the boss might tell you that you’re doing well, you’re getting a promotion, the clients love you, and so on - and you’ve built up your sense of self from your thoughts and the thoughts of others.

The opportunity now, when you have a diminished sense of self-worth, is to go to a deeper place where a sense of self-worth has nothing to do with what you are doing in this world. Nothing to do with what anybody tells you about yourself. It is a sense of self-worth or value that has nothing to do with the structure of thinking. You can use this challenge to see if you can find something – a deeper place in you – where there is something far greater than anything that could be derived from thinking about yourself.

When you lose your job, the self-image can be damaged. And that is where the suffering comes from. The self-image is made up of thinking. The damaged self-image can lead to more suffering, and it will just go on and on – and it can pull you deeper. And perhaps they will even say “yes, you’re right”. Or, you step out of deriving your sense of who you are – ultimately – from thinking. You go into the aliveness of Being, of Presence. And you realize that who you actually are is much more vitally there than anything you can think about.

The ideas in your head – the thoughts that tell you something about who you are and what you are worth – are ultimately illusory. It is illusory both when the thoughts are good, and when the thoughts are negative. The illusory nature can perhaps be more easily recognized when the thoughts become negative and cause suffering. Suffering can be an awakener.

Use that opportunity of a diminished sense of self-worth and self-image, and step beyond. Then, perhaps, you’ll find a job – but your sense of worth no longer depends on what you do there, or what you don’t do, or achieve or don’t achieve. You will find some transcendence, and you can bring that transcendence into your next job. The clinging to mental images is not there anymore. You’ll be surprised how well you’ll do, in your next job, when the clinging to images isn’t there anymore.

The success that you are more likely to encounter in that state of consciousness will not be the cause of your feeling of fulfillment because the fulfillment has already been found directly – in the present moment, in the depth of who you are. You no longer look to external situations to fulfill you. When you no longer look to external situations to fulfill you, the miracle is that external situations become quite fulfilling. That is where you can use this challenge as part of your awakening.

There is no suffering in the practical things. For a while I didn’t even have a home and I would just drift around. Fortunately, I had already stepped out of identification with money. If I had still been stuck in the mental box, it would have been a time of great suffering, because my mind would have told me certain things about myself, which I would have completely believed. “I have failed”, “I have thrown away all these opportunities that life has given me”, “I was a graduate student at a great university”, “I could have done great things”, “I’ve thrown it all away”, “Why did this happen to me”, “I’m useless”, “Nobody’s going to employ me” – that’s suffering.

Fortunately, I had already stepped out of that, so there was no suffering, just the situation of this moment. There was actually beauty and aliveness in it. Self-worth was no longer dependent on what I was doing in this world.

Any challenge, whether it’s that kind of challenge, or a physical challenge, whatever it may be – it can be used as the fire that burns up unconsciousness.

Virginia Johnson

2010-09-30T08:27:00.001-07:00

I am a little bit obsessed with Virginia Johnson right now. Received her website via Daily Candy today and was totally jealous of her entire business/art/life. She creates fabrics from watercolors. Everything is screen printed in Canada or India. Ends up with super cool organic shapes etc. Loves her!! This is her Aegean Blue pillow which seems appropriate since we just got back from the Greek Islands. Gorgeous!

2009-03-13T13:10:00.000-07:00

I haven't been blogging in a bit. Laziness because of the never ending cloudy weather took over. On the plus side I had time to check out a local meditation group. My friend Molly and I decided it was time to try one of these meditation groups and last night was the night. After driving back and forth on Rt. 50 for about 20 minutes, and passing at least 20 churches (I am not exaggerating at all) we finally found the place. By this time we were really late and we could see everyone sitting peacefully inside. We stood outside sort of nervously pacing and debating about whether we would be kicked out of class for coming in late and disturbing everyone.

Finally we decided to enter and I am so glad we did. Molly really gets the credit because I probably would have wimped out and gone home. We brought along our own sitting cushions and quietly plopped down in the back of the room. It was about 30 people all sitting in chairs or on the floors with Jonathan Foust leading the meditation. We sat in silence and then Jonathan added little bits of advice about how to improve your experience. After the meditation he gave a talk about being comfortable with the impermanence of things. All in all - I loved it and will definately be back. Check out the International Meditation Center of Washington website for more information.

Peace & Quiet

2008-11-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

I had a frustrating day yesterday and was trying to avoid a glass of wine and turn to a more productive method of self care. I had not meditated in a few weeks at least and it was almost as if I had forgotten the amazing benefits of meditation. I sat down with my Buddha lamp, vision board and candles and put on my favorite meditation track and was pleased to find instant stress reduction. I'm not saying that it was easy, especially after my long hiatus, but meditating is truly the only way for me to feel 100% and I'm still feeling the effects 24 hours later. Drug/alcohol free my friends.

A lot of people have asked me how I meditate. I have taken meditation classes before but, have always felt like I knew what to do. I do have a special place where I sit. I've created a vision board and find it powerful to meditate right in front of this board. I also have a little altar with photos that are special to me, books I love as well as other meaningful trinkets. I always use my Kelly Howell mediation cd and have done so for the almost 10 years that I have meditated.

After sitting down I try to take very deep breaths. I was taught in my meditation class that it is important to only breath through your nose. My mother always taught me "in through the nose out through the mouth" when I was upset as a kid so I sort of jump back and forth between the two. Your mind will immediately begin to quiet down when the track begins playing. Then I try to look at the backs of my eyelids. Sounds weird but, when you try it things sort of start to open up. I follow the shapes, movement & color that I see with my eyes closed. Thoughts will come into your mind but, try to let them come and go. It can take a long time to have a really powerful meditative experience. I have had great experiences meditating for over an hour without much thought at all.

It's a meaningful part of my life and how I feel connected to God, other people & the planet. I find my whole life to be easier, happier & more meaningful when meditation is part of it. To summarize:

Lauren's Meditation Tips:

1. Create peaceful sanctuary; even if it's a corner of your bedroom.

2. Put on comfortable clothes & light candles

3. Use sound track to get started; can find these on itunes, in Target etc. Kelly Howell is my favorite.

4. Try to focus on your breathing and don't get frustrated if thoughts come into your head. You could end up sitting and thinking the first few times you meditate.

5. Create consistency but, not time requirements. I try to meditate as often as possible even if it is only for 2 minutes. I think that when you start requiring that you meditate for at least 30 minutes or so you are less likely to stick with it.

6. Enjoy this quiet time and keep a journal that records how meditation has affected other parts of your life.

Let me know how it goes!!

Trunk Show at Caramel

2008-11-25T05:02:00.000-08:00

Lisa and I will be displaying our new Holiday Line at Caramel Boutique on U Street. The event will take place from 1-5 pm on December 13th. We are so excited to have the bags in Caramel and can't wait to see everyone there. We will be selling the newly designed Kris Clutch in addition to the Olson Portfolio & Olson Pouch. All of these bags make great gifts at fantastic price points.

Caramel & Bailey Trunk Show
1603 U Street, NW | Washington, DC
December 13th from 1-5 PM

2008-11-16T16:53:00.000-08:00

Lisa and I were lucky enough to be asked to write an article for Handbag Designer 101 last week. We decided to write about eco-chic fashions in DC. Of course because it was for Handbag Designer 101, we stuck with bags and found some fantastic options in the city. You can check out our first article as Handbag Correspondents for HBD101 here!! Enjoy!

Tranquil Space Trunk Show

2008-11-16T16:48:00.000-08:00

We are excited to be participating in the Tranquil Space trunk show again this year! I have done this trunk show twice and always have a wonderful time. It's great to be able to show our bags in a yoga studio of all places. Another great way to help promote our passion for health & wellness. I hope that you can all make it to the event!

The Economy's Effect on Fashion

2008-11-12T05:28:00.000-08:00

Infomat is consistently one of my favorite websites when I am looking for specific research about the fashion industry. Whether I need to search for showrooms or sales reps or am looking to see what the trends are for the coming season, Infomat always delivers. Today I had several great articles come through my email. The first article is about the state of our economy and it's effect on the fashion industry. We are probably all feeling the need to think a little more about what we are purchasing, even if money isn't tight for you now, you may feel like hanging onto a little more than usual just in case.

There was also a second article about the recent Japanese textile show and it's focus on eco-labeling. There are so many ways to create an "eco-friendly" product (or unfortunatley create the illusion of doing so) that it's important that consumers are able to easily determine how exactly what they are purcahsing is eco-friendly. This article is a little wacky but, at least it's getting the idea out there. Enjoy!

Handbag Designer 101

2008-10-29T09:22:00.000-07:00

Our dear friends at Handbag Designer 101 have posted a new article about handbags & the recession. They selected 3 hanbags that are a great buy and worth purchasing even when times are tough and Bailey was #1! Please read the article and click on our designer profile, read more and leave a comment! Thanks Emily!

Booties Booties Booties!

2008-10-27T13:54:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to share my new favorite shoes. They are super comfy and look cute with shirts & pants. I've worn them practically every day since buying. Hint - buy 1/2 size larger than you usually wear. Visit Nordstroms.com to buy!

Wine, Women & Wise Buys

2008-10-16T12:59:00.000-07:00

We are so excited to be participating the Wine, Women & Wise Buys on October 23rd from 6-9pm. The event is hosted by Mary Ellen Rotondo and will be held at her home in Alexandria. The vendors include Bailey Handbags, Dolce Collection Jewels & Gifts J. McLaughlin, Arbonne, In the Pink, Grace Edward Designs, Paperworks & Mary Ellen's Very Own Gifts! Please view the Evite for more information about the event. All are welcomed and we hope to see you there!

Vitamins!!

2008-10-13T11:57:00.000-07:00

I have struggled with fatigue for a long time and have found a few things that really seem to help. Exercise of course increases my energy level tremendously. In addition to that, and the first step in supplements, is taking a great multi-vitamin. I love the pre-natal (good for everybody, even if you're not planning on having a child) vitamins from the Healthway Stores in Virginia. They have their own brand that I have taken for several years. It's less expensive than New Chapter and prevents me from feeling like I'm going to fall asleep at my desk in the afternoons.

I stole this from Oprah

2008-10-08T04:54:00.000-07:00

I have thought about this topic a lot and I think it's put really well in the following quote pulled from Oprah's website. She has a newsletter based on the book 'A Course in Miracles'.

Whatever your talent or abilities, He can use them. Our ministry becomes a joyous experience for ourselves and others as we let a mysterious force direct us. We simply follow instructions. We are allowing God's spirit to move through us, using our gifts and resources however He sees fit, to do His work in the world. This is the key to a successful career.

—Excerpted from A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles

Recycle Denim Maniacs

2008-10-07T18:41:00.000-07:00

Lisa and I attended the Recycle Denim Maniacs event at the House of Sweden last Friday and had a fantastic time. The event began on the rooftop, overlooking Arlington and the Kennedy Center. We had the honor of viewing all of the art work that was created for a line of Nudie Jeans T-shirts benefiting Amnesty International. Each piece of art represents a human rights violation. The art work was amazing and I was extremely excited to find that everyone got a T-shirt in their gift bag!!

After the cocktail hour upstairs we were escorted down to the lower level of the House of Sweden for the Recycle Denim Maniacs fashion show. This was put together by Swedish designers and used denim in order to create avante garde looks. Clever Swedes.

Clothing & Conscience

2008-10-06T18:27:00.001-07:00

I'm going to start out by writing a little bit about the truly important part of the two day event at the Swedish Embassy called Clothing & Conscience. I showed up really interested to learn about eco-friendly fashion and ended up learning so much more. A panel of 5 speakers discussed topics ranging from dying jeans with natural indigo to the social injustices that workers in the clothing industry face around the world. I found myself thinking about how easy it is to disconnect yourself from what may or may not be happening around the world in order to provide you with affordable clothing. It's not the first thing you think of when you go to buy a new pair of jeans. But, if you're consuming something that has caused human/animal/environmental suffering on the other end aren't you responsible?

There was a lot of talk about responsibility and I think this was the most enlightening part for me. I think that I, like most people (maybe it's just American's) believe that the government or other large organizations are responsible for making large changes in terms of protecting people and the planet. The speakers disagreed and spoke about the importance of individual activism (when awareness and responsibility merge) and it's importance in change. I thought about my own life and the ways that I could make a difference. Because, if you think about it, major change is made up of many small individual efforts.

I have finally selected a gorgeous eco-friendly faux leather for our Spring '08 line. Now that human rights are on my mind, I'm working on getting some concrete information about the people who make the materials and their working conditions. Hopefully I'll have good things to report.

Eco-Iconic

2008-10-01T08:47:00.000-07:00

Here's a really interesting article about environmental concern as a trend and how it's ended up in so many different aspects of our culture.

http://www.trendwatching.com/trends/ecoiconic.htm

Olson Portfolio

2008-09-30T04:52:00.000-07:00

Here it is. The Olson Portfolio. We will have the large size featured here as well as a smaller size measuring about 7"x11". The bags will be available at Treat by the beginning of November!!

Re-do

2008-09-28T16:20:00.001-07:00

I have taken some serious time away from my business and I'm finally at the point where I think I can say it's been a good thing. I started a new job a year and a half ago and haven't had a whole lot of time, or energy (mostly energy) to pursue my handbag dreams. It wasn't until recently that I felt the urge to get moving again and have been taking it slow.

I spent a lot of time over the summer working through The Artist's Way with a group at Convergence in Alexandria. That book, the people I met through the group and the time I spent taking care of myself has made a huge difference and has also made me think that I may want to pursue my dream of owning a successful (by my definition) handbag company again. I was really amazed at the transformation. Who knew that writing in a journal for about thirty minutes a day could make such a profound difference in one's life. It's taught me to go for what I want but take care of myself first and foremost. Something I've struggled with for a long time.

So, I'm taking baby steps and considering sharing the steps I take on my blog. I thought an interesting newspaper piece would be following a small business as it gets started. Learning about the people, the struggles involved and the excitement as the vision begins to take form. So, instead of waiting for a publication to decide to write about my little business I'm going to do it myself.

Currently I am adding two new bags to the line. The first is a great portfolio that can hold a lap top or all of your files & paperwork so you show up at meetings looking chic and organized. The second is the small pouch. It's essentially the same as the large portfolio but much smaller and can be carried inside a larger bag or as a clutch. So excited and can't wait to see how everyone responds to the new bags!

Are you going out with the girls again?! Science says you should!

2007-11-25T10:40:00.000-08:00

My Grandmother forwarded this to me a few weeks ago and I just got around to reading the article. No wonder I feel so much better after a chat with the ladies.

UCLA Study of Friendship Among Women
by Gale Berkowitz

A landmark UCLA study suggests friendships between women are
special. They shape who we are and who we are yet to be. They
soothe our tumultuous inner world, fill the emotional gaps in our
marriage, and help us remember who we really are. By the way, they
may do even more. Scientists now suspect that hanging out with our
friends can actually counteract the kind of stomach-quivering
stress most of us experience on a daily basis. A landmark UCLA
study suggests that women respond to stress with a cascade of brain
chemicals that cause us to make and maintain friendships with other
women. It's a stunning find that has turned five decades of stress
research, most of it on men, upside down. Until this study was
published, scientists generally believed that when people
experience stress, they trigger a hormonal cascade that revs the
body to either stand and fight or flee as fast as possible,
explains Laura Cousin Klein, Ph.D., now an Assistant Professor of
Biobehavioral Health at Penn State University and one of the
study's authors. It's an ancient survival mechanism left over from
the time we were chased across the planet by saber-toothed tigers.
Now the researchers suspect that women have a larger behavioral
repertoire than just fight or flight. In fact, says Dr. Klein, it
seems that when the hormone oxytocin is released as part of the
stress responses in a woman, it buffers the fight or flight
response and encourages her to tend children and gather with other
women instead. When she actually engages in this tending or
befriending, studies suggest that more oxytocin is released, which
further counters stress and produces a calming effect. This calming
response does not occur in men, says Dr. Klein, because
testosterone, which men produce in high levels when they're under
stress, seems to reduce the effects of oxytocin. Estrogen; she
adds, seems to enhance it.

The discovery that women respond to stress differently than men was
made in a classic "aha" moment shared by two women scientists who
were talking one day in a lab at UCLA. There was this joke that
when the women who worked in the lab were stressed, they came in,
cleaned the lab, had coffee, and bonded, says Dr. Klein. When the
men were stressed, they holed up somewhere on their own. I
commented one day to fellow researcher Shelley Taylor that nearly
90% of the stress research is on males. I showed her the data from
my lab, and the two of us knew instantly that we were onto
something. The women cleared their schedules and started meeting
with one scientist after another from various research specialties.
Very quickly, Drs. Klein and Taylor discovered that by not
including women in stress research, scientists had made a huge
mistake: The fact that women respond to stress differently than men
has significant implications for our health. It may take some time
for new studies to reveal all the ways that oxytocin encourages us
to care for children and hang out with other women, but the "tend
and befriend" notion developed by Drs. Klein and Taylor may explain
why women consistently outlive men. Study after study has found
that social ties reduce our risk of disease by lowering blood
pressure, heart rate, and cholesterol. There's no doubt, says Dr.
Klein, that friends are helping us live longer. In one study, for
example, researchers found that people who had no friends increased
their risk of death over a 6-month period. In another study, those
who had the most friends over a 9-year period cut their risk of
death by more than 60%. Friends are also helping us live better.
The famed Nurses' Health Study from Harvard Medical School found
that the more friends women had, the less likely they were to
develop physical impairments as they aged, and the more likely they
were to be leading a joyful life. In fact, the results were so
significant, the researchers concluded, that not having close
friends or confidants was as detrimental to your health as smoking
or carrying extra weight! And that's not all! When the researchers
looked at how well the women functioned after the death of their
spouse, they found that even in the face of this biggest stressor
of all, those women who had a close friend and confidante were more
likely to survive the experience without any new physical
impairments or permanent loss of vitality. Those without friends
were not always so fortunate. Yet if friends counter the stress
that seems to swallow up so much of our life these days, if they
keep us healthy and even add years to our life, why is it so hard
to find time to be with them? That's a question that also troubles
researcher Ruthellen Josselson, Ph.D., co-author of Best Friends:
The Pleasures and Perils of Girls' and Women's Friendships (Three
Rivers Press, 1998). Every time we get overly busy with work and
family, the first thing we do is let go of friendships with other
women, explains Dr. Josselson. We push them right to the back
burner. That's really a mistake because women are such a source of
strength to each other. We nurture one another. And we need to have
unpressured space in which we can do the special kind of talk that
women do when they're with other women. It's a very healing
experience.

Source: Taylor, S. E., Klein, L.C., Lewis, B. P., Gruenewald, T.
L., Gurung, R. A. R., & Updegraff, J. A. (2000). Female Responses
to Stress: Tend and Befriend, Not Fight or Flight" Psychological
Review, 107(3),41-429.

Finding Peace on Plane

2007-11-14T18:02:00.001-08:00

As I leave my mid-twenties and soar towards thirty at the speed of light, the number of weddings I attend each year continues to grow. My boyfriend and I have attended some really amazing weddings this year and traveled to places we would have never visited otherwise.

It was during our last trip to Carmel California for a friend's wedding that I felt I had finally learned how to take a balanced vacation. Attempting to divide my time between working VERY hard and playing VERY hard had become unhealthy. I would spend my weeks working hard on my business and feeling guilty taking time out for myself. When on vacation on the other hand I would drink, eat and sleep way too much returning to feel unrested and really unfulfilled.

I was half way through Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat Pray Love on the way to Carmel and had balance and thoughtfulness on my mind. When I arrived in CA I felt extremely relaxed (after actually meditating on the flight) and did not have the urge to fulfill every unmet need I have had for the past six months...including guzzling down bottles of wine and avoiding vegetables at all costs. I wanted a healthy, happy and enjoyable vacation.

The following tips are how I actually felt like I had been on vacation when I returned:

1. Spend time meditating or journaling on your trip. It does not have to be your normal routine but, if you can fit in 10-20 minutes here and there (either while traveling or first thing in the morning) you will feel more connected all day long.

2. Try to break a sweat. Exercise is usually the last thing on my mind when I'm out of town but, learning about the town on foot while taking a brisk walk or jogging gets those endorphins going.

3. Enjoy the local cuisine in moderation. On the Fisherman's Wharf I had clam chowder and shrimp salad but got the soup/salad combo to avoid eating too much. Order appetizers or soups & salads as meals because ordering a full restaurant meal 3 times a day tends to be way too much food.

4. Don't spend outside your means. If possible start putting away money for your trip months and months in advance so avoid feeling guilty on your trip. Take advantage of the continental breakfasts and only buy those things that you really LOVE!!

5. Stay Present - Take a few deep breaths now and then and make sure you can feel your feet on the ground. Soak in th scenery and take time to really observe your surroundings.

Happy travels this holiday season!

Hi my name is Lauren and I'm a Type A/Slacker

2007-11-11T11:06:00.000-08:00

It's so much harder than I imagined to start writing a blog. I have told all of my friends that I'm starting a blog only to receive reactions like: "You? What are you going to write about?" and my favorite--"I hate blogs." Thanks for all the support everybody!! Well, I'm doing it anyway and will hopefully find something interesting (at least to me) to write about along the way.

I hope this can be a forum where people can look up different ways that I have found to be helpful in creating a really well rounded and balanced life. The reason I became interested in this in the first place is because I am terrible at creating a well rounded and balanced life. I am an odd combination of type A personality mixed with slacker. It's confusing to say the least. So I've spent a long time experimenting on myself; trying to find the right cocktail that will create balance and a sense of wellness for me and those around me. I'll get into my long search for balance later but, first should introduce my baby: The Bailey Bag.

The idea was hatched many years ago and has sort of become like a relationship for me....sometimes good, sometimes bad but for some reason we can't break up. Anyone who has started their own business can relate to this. The idea is to fuse together two things that I love very deeply: The search for wellness and great design. Handbags seemed a great way to get started and thus the Bailey bag was born. All of the bags are designed with 'timeless' and 'wellness' as a mantra. The brand is intended to be something that remains beautiful as trends come and go. We also hope to create a product that produces a sense of wellness through the incorporation of therapeutic magnets. I'll post lots of great articles about the topic in the coming weeks.

So if this seems like the perfect combination of self deprecating humor and useful information, I hope you'll return to read more. Until then I'll be quietly obsessing about what to write next......