This week I had the opportunity to step outside my box, my comfort zone. Twice. I highly recommend you jump on experiences in life when you can.
Divalani Style
Fellow blogger, Portia Smith of Obsessed by Portia, provided my first foray into fashion. I will be honest that I am not a fashionista. I live in leggings, jeans and athletic clothes. My favorite shoes are Converse and bare feet. Before kids I was a professional woman who dressed the part. Then I became a mom. We occasionally went out where I dressed up, but I’ve never been a girly girl.
Last Sunday I joined Portia and friends for her Sip and Shop at Divalani Style in Bellevue, Washington. The team at Divalani made me feel so special! I worked with stylist, Tannya Bernadette, who helped me find items that worked for me, Kathy. We looked at sizes, shapes, colors. Casual, semi casual and dressy. I learned a lot about fashion and how to put together pieces for different looks. And I had fun doing it!
I went home with a pair of Mavi jeans. I absolutely adore these jeans! You know how frustrating it is to try on 10 pairs of jeans and not find a single pair that fits you? I’m not talking just fit, but that are amazing on you and are styled for the “look” you are going for? How many times have you looked in the mirror and thought, “damn, is that me??” Um, like never. Most of us settle for, “Eeh, these will work.” Well, these were those, “damn, I need these jeans!”
Tannya brought in a Sundry striped sweater and I was set. I paired these two pieces with a Mossimo jean jacket I had already, a simple gold and pearl short necklace from my jewelry box and black Cole Haan boots that have been sitting in the closet waiting for the perfect look to show them off. Do I sound like a fashionista yet?
Creative Live
Last night I stepped out in Seattle with my new look to CreativeLive‘s “The Creative Plate: Food Photography Instameet with Andrew Scrivani”. I had seen the event on Facebook when friend and fellow blogger, Carleeh Mulholland of Mamarazza On a Mission, checked “Going”. I was intrigued.
From their website, “CreativeLive empowers you to unleash your potential by bringing the world’s greatest experts directly to you, live. Featuring workshops in photography, video, design, business, audio, music, crafting, and software training, CreativeLive unlocks previously closed doors by making dynamic education accessible to everyone.”
In partnership with Instagramers Seattle they opened up their studio and set up food stations ready for us to play. We also enjoyed a Q&A session with New York times food photographer, Andrew Scrivani. Being new to the blogging scene this was a first chance to interact with other bloggers, professional photographers and foodies. My camera and phone were ready! Let the creative side of me explore!
I attended the event with Portia Smith of Obsessed by Portia, Carleeh Mulholland of Mamarazza On a Mission and Georgina Shaffer of Azul Sup & Yoga. I walked into the Creative Live studio and just itched to snap away!
As the workshop began, I was able to mix, mingle, observe and interact with some absolutely amazingly creative people. I will never reach their abilities, but I definitely came away from the experience wanting to do more. More than just snap a quick photo. It may not be a photo of food like the focus of tonight’s event, but I will definitely look though my lens differently now.
I thoroughly enjoyed meeting bloggers from the greater Seattle area and loved that Snohomish County represented well with a large group of women bloggers from our area. If you attended the event and we didn’t get a chance to meet, I can’t wait for the next Instameet!
Thank you Creative Live! I will be looking at new ways to expand my creative side and can’t wait to attend some of your classes. If I can’t get there from here, I will definitely do so online. Thank you Andrew Scrivani for your insights and inspiration!
In the End
I was definitely stepping outside my box this week. I am hoping to do this more and more throughout the year. It is a new goal that I have set for myself. Last night’s event really opened my eyes to the possibilities out there for me. There are amazing people everywhere. I look forward to meeting them all! Join me sometime!
Look for more photos of the event on my Facebook page, Before and After My Empty Nest.
