Vintage Feed Shack

Vibrant & Colorful Fruit Wedding Inspiration

2017-08-10T09:24:00.000-07:00

You may know that in addition to my interior design business, I also am the co-founder of The Bloom Workshop. We travel the country equipping women in creative industries! I wanted to let you know about an upcoming workshop in Michigan + show you last year's workshop that was just like it. Hopefully you find some styling, color, and event inspiration!

We are currently gearing up for our September workshop, The Styled Wedding Shoot workshop. We thought since this is coming up quick, we'd show you our styled shoots from LAST year's styled shoot workshop. Styled inspiration photo shoots are a wonderful tool to use to hone your photography and design skills, as well as creating something beautiful to add to your portfolio, in order to attract your ideal client. If you want to spend a day focused on honing your photography and styling skills, this workshop is for you! We have special teaching sessions on how to create and execute a styled shoot, photography tips, shot list guides, how to get published + what editors look for in publications, plus a few breakout sessions on client experience, flat lay styling and a portfolio review. We set aside an hour and a half for our styled shoot portion of the workshop, which will feature 3 separate styled vignettes, each with their own models, paper goods, tablescapes, and other beautiful details like blooms, rings, and gorgeous gowns!

Check out the details on Bloom's website, but first...feast your eyes on this beautiful vignette from last year's workshop at The Felt Mansion. I still can't get over the gorgeous florals, vibrant colors and insane dessert bar.

Photography: Ashley Slater Photography, Florals: BLOOM Floral Design, Invitation Suite: Sable & Gray, Furniture Vignette: The Found Cottage with arches by Feather & Birch, Bar: West Michigan Rental Company, Venue: Felt Mansion, Ribbon for styling: Adorn Company, Ring Box: The Mrs. Box, Bridal Ring: Susie Saltzman, Bridal Gown and Jewelry: Spring Sweet, Cakes & Desserts: Holland Cakery

We always love collaborating with such talented artists for our shoots. Creating beauty together is one of our biggest joys and reasons we love The Bloom Workshop. This colorful vignette will hopefully give you, as a bride, courage to go in a more colorful direction if that's what you love. The results are always stunning! As a photographer or event planner, or even interior designer, we hope you can see our styled shoots and gather inspiration to create your very own! If you don't know how to do that, we'd love to meet you at The Styled Wedding Shoot where we'll teach you everything you need to know.
Have a wonderful day! xoxo

interior design website / services / portfolio

Client Reveal: Neutral & Bright Living Room

2017-08-09T03:00:00.000-07:00

I'm so very excited to finally show you a client living room reveal. I've been waiting to share this home reveal with you until I got my new website and blog design up. We finished this project last year, so it's been a long time coming to show you the final design! I shared peeks throughout the process on the blog, so if you've been following along, you might remember we completely gutted the main floor of this family home. We redid the living room, kitchen, dining, sunroom and mudroom & laundry room. I'll be showing them all over the next few weeks, but first up is the living room!

And now a walk down memory lane, because everyone loves a good before and after. I always think of the old proactive commercials when I see before and after photos. The before pictures have bad lighting, the people aren't smiling and of course, they have blemishes. Same with the interior photos! The before makes the after look even better. Take a peek...

No curtains, a medium/dark wall color, oak trim, oak mantle, older furniture, and carpet...

Now for the after! Lighter paint color (revere pewter), fresh white trim, curtains, white mantle, new furniture, gorgeous hardwood with a plush rug on top and so much more...

How cute is my sweet client + her pup, Burton?! :)

Just for some perspective, below is a BEFORE of this long wall with a small opening that leads to the entry of the house. The opening was just so small and didn't create that more grand entrance into the home that we were going for.

This is that same wall AFTER the reno, and as you can see, the homeowner had the idea of opening up that wall to reveal the staircase and I couldn't have agreed more with this choice. She chose some beautiful spindles, so these changes made the front door entry way a real statement. The curtains frame both of the windows and offer SO much height to the living room. Can you tell how much higher the ceilings look now with the addition of the curtains? We hung them much higher than right above the window, which makes such a difference! Anytime you can do this, do it!

Ashley Slater PhotographyA few sources: pair of chairs / main light fixture / gray bar with marble top: vintage find from Reimagined Just for You / white curtains /

Isn't the transformation beautiful?! I just love how it came out, but love even more how happy my clients are with it. One of the reasons I loved working with this homeowner so much is because she already has such a keen eye for design. She knows what she likes and has incredible style and ideas, so working with her to bring the space together was extra fun. It's always a joy when a space is a collaborative effort between me + the client.

Hope you enjoyed this client tour!xoxoMichaelainterior design website / services / portfolio

August Goals

2017-08-08T03:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday! We're still in California, so things have been a little quieter around the blog. I just can't believe how quickly this year is flying by. It's August already! A big month for my immediate family, as my parents' 30th wedding anniversary is today + it's my younger brother's 24th birthday! Quite the anniversary present ;)

Since we're in a new month (a week in, at that!) I'm sharing my monthly goals below, but first a look back at last month...

- Well, we got a sweet puppy~~, so my goal is to take him to Puppy 101 class and get him trained really well. He already knows come, sit and down!~~ We went to his first class and it was hilarious. All the puppies were so distracted by other dogs + grass (Lincoln's favorite thing ever!) Hopefully he gets better in coming weeks!

- Enjoy Bloom Bash Chicago ~~workshop on Tuesday and Wednesday. I'm SO excited for this workshop!~~ This workshop went off without a hitch! So much fun!

- Go to the local crepe place ~~with my husband for a Saturday morning date.~~ The best crepes I've ever had!! Can't wait to go back.

- Also enjoy appetizers at the wine bar down town. We didn't do this yet, but we want to do it this month with some new neighbors of ours!

~~- Have some friends over to swim and hang out by the pool during these warm evenings.~~ Did this once, but want to do it more! Gotta soak up summer.

~~- Go on a walk every evening with my hubby and our pup, Lincoln! (unless it's storming, of course!)~~ Did it! So good for the soul and the legs ;)

~~- Go to the beach~~ We went a few times and each was glorious. I was made for summer!

~~- Take family pictures with Lincoln!~~ Did this last night! Sneak peek on Instagram.

~~- Hopefully book our tickets to California for August! Yes, the pup is coming too :)~~ We're still in CA on our trip and we're SO glad we did this! Traveling with the puppy was a breeze. We had the best time introducing Link to my family.

~~- Get a few married couples together from our church and start a weekly bible study. Really looking forward to this!~~ This is going to start in September...can't wait.

~~- Launch my new blog design-- hooray! It's coming along so well...can't wait to share it + some super fun giveaways!~~ As you can see, this is done! I hope you love it as much as I do!

- This may seem silly, but I want to focus on not checking my instagram stats in July. Comparison is the worst, so I want to focus on being authentic and genuine instead of focusing on what others are doing. I'm really proud of myself in this area! I didn't check my stats all month and don't plan to in the coming months either. It's amazing what this does for your heart and mind.

~~- Start with some really exciting new client projects!~~ I'm so excited about a few big projects in the works. One kitchen remodel, one new-build that's coming together, and one new home renovation...stay tuned!

- Start a new book. Or finish one I haven't yet ;) I need to finish How We Love. I also have a few others I want to dive into. Any chick flick novels you recommend for poolside reading?

- Movie night with a sweet friend who is getting married in a few weeks. We're going to watch some girly wedding movies. Top of my list: Father of the Bride, Runaway Bride, 27 Dresses... what are some others?!

- I'm designing and coordinating the above friends' wedding on the 26th in Michigan. Can't wait for these two to be husband and wife!

- Work out 3 times a week (I've fallen off the train...) and do 50 crunches every night before bed. My husband says he's going to join me in this challenge.

- While home in California, my mom taught me a lot about what vitamins we need to be taking + how to make vegetables taste really good, so I'm going to start implementing these things in our home. I REALLY want to help our family (though just the two of us now) down a healthy and responsible path. We're going to start having spinach salad 3 times a week to get tons of greens. I don't eat fish or seafood, and that contains a lot of omega 3's that are vital for your body, so I'm going to start taking flaxseed oil to get some of that vitamin.

- Plan a night away for our one year anniversary in September!

- I'm not going to buy a single thing in August. No clothes, no home decor, no shoes, nail polish (always gets me in the store! ha), no plants for outside...nothing. You get the picture. I want to focus on being content and not focus on stuff. Who wants to join me?!

- Show you a recent client project reveal...starting tomorrow on the blog!

What are your goals this month?!xoxo
interior design website / services / portfolio
PS. Check out the Rent the Runway Clearance Sale! Things are up to 80% off to BUY! Just had to mention, since I love rent the runway for all my special occasions!

9 Reasons An Interior Designer Will Benefit You

2017-08-02T03:00:00.000-07:00

Interior design is a luxury service. It's not for everyone and I understand that. That's part of the risk involved when you own your own service-based creative business! A risk I'm willing to take, because serving people and families through interior design fills me with such joy.
I never want to convince someone to hire me by being pushy! I want them to really want to work with me and be excited about all the benefits an interior designer will bring them. Serving my clients well is my top priority. Though it's a service that not everyone necessarily needs, I came up with 9 reason why hiring an interior designer will benefit you!

So, in no particular order, here we go...
1. Resale value.Designers should be helping you make choices that are beautiful and functional for years to come, which should help maintain or increase your homes' resale value.
2. Saves you money, because things get done right the first time.This is especially true if you hire a designer to help you at the beginning of a renovation or new build, as sometimes contractors do things the easy way, but not the most functional way or that is most aesthetically pleasing (a favorite example is where builders place lighting!). A number of things can go wrong or unforeseen, so the help of a designer during a renovation can ensure you do things right the first time, thus saving you money. A new client of mine and I just did a walkthrough of her new build house. While walking through, after the electrician came and wired the house, we noticed there was no outlet above the fireplace for the TV. It cost extra money for him to come back and install the necessary things, tearing down drywall in the process. If I had come on before the electrician, we would have been able to avoid this and make the decision together that, yes, the TV above the fireplace is the best solution to the room layout.
3. New ideas and a fresh set of eyes.This is an obvious reason to hire a designer! You want your space to be reimagined and have new life. Your designer should definitely be able to do this!
4. Contacts & resources.Your interior designer should have contacts to refer you to (ie. painters, window coverings, tile stores, contractors, etc.) They should also have a number of resources at their disposal, including designer accounts with stores so they can get you better prices on retail items.
5. Create spaces that feel like YOU!Sometimes my design clients come to me with inspiration and pieces they know they love, but they don't know how to put it all together to create a room that feels like them. Designers (in all areas, not just interiors) should be able to take information on what a client likes, glean their style, and then design a space that embodies their lifestyle and personality. That's what I try to do in all my client spaces!
6. Save time.We source (the designer term for "shop" and "put together") so you don't have to. We place orders, run errands, and style your space so you are saving time left and right!
7. Save stress.Going hand-in-hand with the above, additionally, you're saving yourself a whole bunch of stress in not having to do all of those things and ensuring your room will turn out beautifully, with the end vision in mind.
8. Things will actually fit to the scale of your room.A good designer should be measuring your space and the pieces they are going to fill that space with, to be sure everything fits. This avoids hassle, returns, or loosing money when items aren't allowed to be returned. I use CAD for my client floor plans and draw everything in before we order. This also comes in handy as I can show my clients what the layout of their room will look like with an 8x10 rug versus a 6x9 rug. I can help them make educated buying decisions by showing them their rooms mocked up to scale.
9. You’ll (hopefully!) learn about design and why things work along the way, for future projects.While designing, I really try to educate my clients on WHY I chose something or why this item works over this item. I definitely aim to share my knowledge on design as we work on the house!

If you're a designer, what did I miss?! What has your experience been working with a designer? I'd love to hear!
xoxoMichaela

interior design website / services / portfolio

Summer Updates Around Our Home

2017-08-01T03:00:00.000-07:00

Today I'm taking you inside our apartment for a little summer update tour. It's not much, as our apartment is small, but it's something!

First, I added a Magnolia wreath to the front door. I've been looking for one for FOREVER (I tried homegoods, target, hobby lobby every time I was in the store and nothing! There was no way I was dropping close to $100 for the Magnolia Market wreath ;) so I was thrilled when I finally found Graced Designs. Malia makes the most beautiful wreaths. I tell you, these leaves look SO real! All I did to finish it off was find some gingham ribbon to tie it up with. To hang it, I stuck a Command strip on the door, then tied the ribbon around the wreath and knotted it. Then I looped the knot around the command strip. Finally, I tied a bow around the knot to complete the look. You can see what I mean in the picture below.

That's our little entry porch! I think the wreath was just thing I needed to give it some personality. We have a neighbor who changes our her door decor ever month, so I felt like I had to do SOMETHING haha!

Moving inside, I restyled our bookcase. Mostly because Lincoln was biting the things on the bottom of the shelf so we needed a new solution. The things on the bottom shelf happened to be my husband's records, which are the most precious things to him. There was no way we could let the pup bite those! So I found a basket large enough to house the records, with room to spare, and put them in there. Now Lincoln just goes after the basket, which is better ;)

When I style my bookcase, I always think of things in 3's or in odd numbers. For example, the middle shelf has 3 vignettes. The green vases and the succulent, the stack of books and the birdcage, and the candle sticks and third candle. (Ignore our Nest Thermostat, which my husband insisted in installing when we moved in...what can I say? He's an engineer...) The bottom shelf is okay to have one thing, because it's substantial enough to hold its own and ground the rest of the bookshelf. If it was a small basket, just one of them wouldn't work and I would suggest getting two.

Just a peek at the other side of the apartment, the living room, which you might have seen in last week's post.

Hopefully this gives you a feeling of how the room is set up:

Yep, he's biting the actual shelf now. Thankfully I got some bitter apple spray and now the biting all the things is getting a lot better!

I just love this candle I picked up from Petite Petal Company last time I was in California. Not only does it smell so good, but the lid is gorgeous.

This frame was my souvenir from the last trip I took to Magnolia Market. Taking into account that it's marble, I was surprised at how affordable it was! It came with this line drawing in it. I don't think it was meant to stay in the frame, but I love it.

A peek at our pretty new pillows!

If you're a dog parent and don't want to sacrifice style for the practical needs of your dog, then you might like these next few pictures. That was me for sure! My husband could care less what dog bowls looked like, but I didn't want something that was an eye sore (I'm crazy, I know!) so I was overly excited when I found these ceramic dog bowls with the bone shape on the front. They're just so cute! I could choose either silver or gold writing, and I went with gold because we have some other gold touches in our apartment. We tried the bowls without a mat for a few days, but turns out a puppy who loves water + a puppy with a beard (seriously) doesn't mix well. I pulled out a pretty placemat my grandma made us for our wedding and we're using that. Lincoln sure loves his bowls (better than the little bowl from my cupboard we were using for the first week ha!)

See...we tried with no mat here...

Aren't they adorable?! You can personalize the labels with your pet's name or a paw print, but we went with Food and Water.

Alright, I'm done. One last picture of him for good measure. I swear this blog won't become a dog blog ;)

Have you made any updates to your home for summer? Tag me on Instagram @michaelanoelledesigns and I'd love to see!

Happy Tuesday!

xoxo

Michaela

** a few of these items were c/o the shop owners. All opinions are my own & 100% honest. We only work with companies we love! Thanks for supporting companies MND believes in!

New Website Launch!

2017-07-31T03:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday! How was your weekend? Good, I hope! We're flying to California today with Lincoln (wish us luck!). I'm hoping it all goes smoothly and he doesn't mind being in his little carrier under the seat ;) Also hoping for some super nice flight attendants who will let us take him out of the carrier for a little bit.
Today I'm really excited about showing you my new interior design website. The blog obviously got a makeover, but it was actually my website that first got the revamp, which then inspired the blog redesign! Now they flow seamlessly with one another in all the colors used, fonts, etc.
My friend Lauren, of Elle & Company, designed my website and I just love it! It really does pay off to have a professional design your online home, because they pay close attention to detail, are super skilled at their own craft, have done this many times before, know how to use your website platform way better that yourself, etc. The best thing about having Lauren design my website, though, was that she was coming to it with a fresh set of eyes. I told her my vision and she ran with it. Just like interior design clients do with me, I wanted Lauren to develop my vision into something beautiful and functional. I love how it turned out! I'd love for you to take peek!

Here's the homepage:

A favorite element of the website is my new logo, designed by my other friend Jenny Sanders, of Graceline Art & Illustration. Jenny designed our wedding invitation suite and I have the pillows she created on our sofa! Don't you love when you find someone who gets your style and is a kind creative entrepreneur?! I sure do! I love the flowing, yet simple nature of my logo. The deep eggplant purple color is a perfect accent, since as you know purple is my favorite color. I didn't want to use it overwhelmingly, though!

We included a Process page on the website so that potential clients can see a general outline of how we will work together:

On the About Me page I included a few of my favorite things, so my potential clients can get to know me even better. You can click on the images and be taken to blog posts about those topics! Of course Fixer Upper is in the mix ;)

My favorite page might be my Portfolio. It's always nice to see all your work in one place.

Lots of my favorite client rooms are are in my portfolio. You'll soon be able to click on the room title and visit the blog post where I explain the room and design decisions in depth! I'm really excited to be sharing a recent client project (her entire main floor!) on the blog over the next few weeks. The before and afters are INSANE, in the best way, of course.

I hope you like the new website! And if you happen to poke around it, let me know what you think or if you catch something that's not quite right. I so appreciate your feedback and support!

Have a great week!
Michaela

interior design website / services / portfolio

Friday Finds: Favorite Posts Around the Web

2017-07-28T03:00:00.000-07:00

Hey friends! It's Friday! We have a busy weekend ahead, as we're leaving for California on Monday to visit my family. We need to pack for us + the puppy and will be trying to spend some time in the sunshine this weekend, too!
I thought I'd try something new this week with Friday Finds. I know a lot of you love the fashion posts on Friday, but this week I've just been feeling overwhelmed with stuff. Like, material things. I'm sure you're done hearing about the Nordstrom sale (sheesh, so am I!) and I never want you to think that to be happy to have to buy STUFF. Yes, I want to be a resource for my lovely readers on home decor and my favorite wardrobe finds, but I don't want to overdo it. So I thought every few weeks for Friday Finds, I would share some blog friends' posts that I loved, beautiful home tours, or anything else that catches my eye. Do you like this idea?! If so, read on! ;)
- My friend Anna is doing a summer capsule wardrobe and I just love the concept of this, especially this week as I've been really convicted of consumerism in my own life. See week two of her outfits in this post!

- My friends at The Inspired Room shared 5 navy & white bathrooms and I, for one, am SMITTEN with all 5!

- Emily Henderson blogged about the difference grout color and tiles can have on your room. This is something I always go over with design clients who are doing a kitchen or bath, so it was fun to see a lot of my same thoughts formulated by Emily herself ;) My parents are going to be redoing their bathroom tiling in both the hall and master bath soon. I'm hoping to share that transformation here on the blog! In the hall bath, I think we're doing white subways, but laid in a herringbone pattern. I'm pretty sure we're going with white grout, as we don't want the eye to go right to the grout, but instead, the tile.

- I have a serious thing for cucumbers this summer. I was thrilled that Natalie blogged this delicious recipe! I can't wait to try it.

- Did you see that Chip & Joanna made over a new property and turned it into another rental for vacations in Waco?! It's SO stunning. One of my favorites yet! And guess what?! You can enter to win a stay there. You know this girl entered! Check out the house and enter here.

- Last but not least, do you feel like you need a little reminder to give yourself grace? Or a reminder that God has offered you His grace? You can enter to win this beautiful mug by my friend Kristin on my Instagram today! Don't forget to enter all of the giveaways on my instagram this week-- there was one each day.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend! Wish me luck traveling with a dog on Monday ;)

What are you doing this weekend?

xoxo

Michaela

Fashion: Black Floral Dress, Booties, & Rose Lipsense

2017-07-26T06:57:00.000-07:00

Happy middle of the week! I always love Wednesday's, what about you? Last night was Lincoln's first puppy training class and it was SO hilarious to see all the dogs trying the new exercises. Lincoln could barely focus because class was outside and he loves grass like something fierce...ha! Hopefully in 6 weeks we'll have a perfectly trained puppy on our hands ;)

Anyways, I'm super excited to show you a product that's semi-new to me. I've been using Lipsense for a few months now and decided not to show it off in a full post until I knew I really loved it. I don't like to show you things I don't actually use regularly or would buy again, so when I do share things, you can trust I really like it. Have you heard of Lipsense?! If you haven't, it's a lip color that stays on for 4-18 hours. Yes, it lasts up to 18 hours!!

Alright, here's the scoop. There are 3 steps in applying Lipsense. You'll need the Oops Remover, the actual color and the gloss that seals the color and provides moisturizer. Before you read on, just know these pictures are funny and it's okay to laugh at me. My husband was dying while we were taking them. When applying Lipsense, you can't let your two lips touch one another, or the color will peel off before applying the gloss. So that's why I'm keeping my lips so far apart from each other ;)

1. I always start by cleaning my lips with the remover to be sure there isn't anything left on them. You need clean, dry lips to apply.

2. Shake the bottle of color really well!

I just ordered Aussie Rose last week, so I was super excited to try it out yesterday! I have tried this color on before, because I bought it for my sister in law. It's the perfect shade of pink/red. It's really is a nice rose color!

3. After you shake the bottle, be sure to wipe the wand on the side of the bottle to get the excess off. You don't put this on like a normal lipgloss. You need to apply in thin, even coats of color.

4. You will apply 3 layers of color, putting each on in THIN coats. I try to swipe from left to right, not going over the color once it's applied. Until it's dry, you don't want to go back over with more color because it will ball up and come off. After coat one, let it dry for 30 seconds. Do coat two. Let it dry again for 30 seconds. Coat three (make sure you get the corners of the lips and your waterline!) then let it dry again. If your lips tingle a little, don't worry. It just means your lips are dry. After you start wearing Lipsense more, this will mostly stop!

4. The final step is applying the gloss. You can't wear lipsense without the gloss, because it's what seals it. If you want a matte look, you can apply the gloss, then let it wear off or blot it off. But you do need the gloss initially. It also provides great moisture, since when you first put the color on, you might feel like your lips are really dry. Don't be alarmed at that! Just apply the gloss and you'll be good.

I love the color so much! It's not too red and not too pink. It's sort of a nice coral rose color. And just so you know, it DOES in fact, last a really long time. I've never worn it for 18 hours, because I don't want to sleep in it. But I wear Lipsense anytime I'm teaching a workshop and it lasts all day, which is about 10-12 hours. It's so nice to not have to think about reapplying lipstick! Don't get me wrong, I still use other products on days where it doesn't matter (I still love my MAC lipsticks ;)) but also love Lipsense. Aussie Rose is my third color. I also have Bombshell (super light champagne color, apparently Jennifer Aniston wears this one all the time!) and Rose Ice (this one is not my favorite-- it's too frosty for me, but I like mixing it with other colors).

In keeping things transparent around here, my friend Marci sent me my first color to try out for free and I liked the product so much that I've since bought my next two colors. So I really do like the quality and the colors are so fun! I'd love to know if you have tried / liked Lipsense!

I didn't buy a ton of stuff at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (because hey, we're newlyweds on a budget!) so I tried to find a few staple pieces. I got a pair of jeans and two pairs of booties-- one for fall, which I'm wearing below, and a pair of waterproof booties for our snowy winter. The last thing I got was this fun black floral dress, because I thought it was great for fall and I could wear it in winter with tights or leggings and a pair of tall boots. It's also under $30, so it didn't break the bank! I used my "fall wardrobe" budget early since the sale is in summer, so I won't be buying much come fall time. Maybe a sweater or two, but that's it! I'm trying to keep things simple and planning on donating a bunch of clothes I don't wear anymore. Less is more.

Here's my new, cheap dress :)

My husband cracking jokes while he takes my pictures ;)

It's a really light weight material. I loved the billowy sleeves because they are airy, but not too large or bulky. At first I thought it'd be a little see-through, but I'm happy to report it's not at all. I even tested it in the sun!

Speaking of staple items, these earrings are one of those for me. I recently got them and I just love the shape, the size (not too big or heavy) and the gold color. They're under $50. Kendra Scott jewelry will always have my heart.

Cute zipper detail on the back of the booties...

These are my fall booties. I haven't bought new booties for two years, so I thought I could this year! I highly suggest sizing down 1/2 size!! I'm usually an 8 and so that's what I ordered, and as soon as they arrived, I quickly discovered I needed a 7.5. These are the 7.5 and they fit great. I would probably be able to wear a no-show little sock with them, too. If you're thinking of ordering them, I'd buy both sizes to try out, along with the little socks, and see what you think. Nordstrom has free returns, so it's no problem to send them back!

Another favorite detail of the dress is the top lace up. I don't like to wear too revealing of clothes, so I assure you this isn't a very deep v. It's just right for a little extra something.

Dress / Vince Camuto Booties (order 1/2 down) / Kendra Scott Earrings / Lipsense: Lips by Marci- join her Facebook page and then you can message her to get your discount!In case you wanted to pick up a few fall staples, here are just a couple favorites that are still in stock (hopefully...they go out so quickly!)And now the exciting part of the post! I'm giving away a lipsense starter kit, which includes the remover, gloss and a color of your choice on Instagram today! I'll be posting it around 12pm EST, so head over there to enter. ALSO! If you order lipsense from my friend Marci, mention me and you'll get 10% off + free shipping. My posts are so long this week...I'm not sure if that's good or bad ;) Have a great day! Thanks for reading!

xoxoMichaela

New Pillows for Our Sofa + Caitlin Wilson Textiles Giveaway!

2017-07-25T03:00:00.000-07:00

I thought it was about time to show you some summer touches in our home, seeing as we are halfway through summer now! Where does the time go?! I'm super excited to show you some our new pillows for our sofa for a few reasons!

First, pillows are one of the easiest ways to update your space on a budget. They also do WONDERS for adding texture, color, and pattern to your space. I can never understand why people don't have pillows on their couch ;) My husband is one who throws all the pillows off the couch, except for the one he's using, when he plops down...and that's fine with me, but during the day while I'm working, you can bet the sofa looks just like this. Karate chopped pillows are my jam. They just make this little apartment of ours look more put together than it actually is! Mess on one side, perfectly chopped pillows on the other...that sounds about right ;)

The other thing pillows do is make a living space feel inviting and homey. And I'm all about creating a warm and inviting environment for us + our guests. I loved the pillows we had before, and will be keeping them to change out every now and again, but these watercolor floral pillows have me swooning big time. They have just the right softness, while still providing a pattern that mixes well with our lattice print curtains and work well with the seaglass colored accent pillows.

Lincoln insisted he get in on the photo action ;)

The final reason I'm over the moon with these gorgeous pillows is because this watercolor pattern was designed by my sweet friend Jenny of Graceline, who designed our wedding floral pattern, envelope liners, and did all of our calligraphy!! How special is this, that now her work is also on our sofa?! Jenny did this GORGEOUS collection of floral pillows for Caitlin Wilson Textiles, my favorite textile designer, and the result is stunning. Gold zippers, linen fabric, perfect attention to detail. I would expect nothing less of these ladies!

Our wedding invitation suite (see more here):

Our pillows:

I love how recognizable Jenny's beautiful art and illustration is! I can tell something is her work from a mile a way.

DETAILS | similar coffee table / sofa with a chaise-- thank God it's slipcovered because we may need to order a new slipcover after Lincoln's puppy stage / wood sign -- custom piece, they take custom orders! / curtains -- on sale now! / similar garden stool -- under $30 / gold moroccan pouf / rug

I can't even handle this last picture. The hairs in front of his eyes kill me!! Look at that blurry tail wagging!

Okay, want to know the REALLY exciting part about this post?! Not only does my couch look really pretty with these pillows, but one of yours will look equally as beautiful with the Graceline Collection for Caitlin Wilson Textiles soon! That's right, the next giveaway are these gorg pillows!

One lucky winner will get to choose 3 pillows (either in blush, gray or navy) for their own home. You can enter the giveaway on my Instagram. It will start around 12pm EST.

blush / gray / navy

Do you like the pillow combo in our living as much as I do? Hopefully this sparked some inspiration for minor updates in your home that bring you joy!

Happy Tuesday,

Michaela

Summer Lovin' Essentials + Beach Towel Giveaway

2017-07-24T03:00:00.000-07:00

Hi friends! I hope enjoyed your weekend! This weekend we had gray skies and lots of humidity, so we stayed inside mostly, playing with the puppy and then went to the mall + out to dinner on Saturday evening. It was enjoyable and relaxing! I also started watching Mad Men on Netflix. My husband has seen it all the way through, but I never had, so since I love the 50's, I thought I'd like it. So far, I really like the show but I want to whack the men!!! Not cool. I'm hoping there is some character growth ;)
ANYWAYS...
This week marks my 7th year of blogging-- holy cow! That time has flown by. If you had told me I'd STILL be blogging 7 years ago, I wouldn't have believed you. I love, love, love this little blog because it means I get to take all of my passion God has given me for design, the home, people, style, entertaining and hosting, community and more, and bottle it up in little posts here for others to see and hopefully enjoy. If you're interested in starting a blog or have a small creative business where you think you should start a blog to support that business, I say go for it! That's what we teach at The Bloom Workshop, as I believe it's so vital to your business. I thought I'd link to a few posts over the years about blogging, incase you're interested in getting some tips:
- You Know You're a Blogger If...- Why I Started Blogging (An Interview with my Favorite Bloggers)- Blogging Tips- Opportunities Through Blogging

{danielle poff photo}
But now for the really exciting part of the post, in order to celebrate this blog and say THANK YOU to you for reading, I'm hosting a new giveaway each day this week! I truly wouldn't have continued on if it weren't for my incredible readers. I've loved getting to know you through comments and emails over the years. Thank you for supporting me and this little blog of mine. It means the world! So these giveaways are for YOU :)
First up is one of my very favorite things -- well ALL of the things I'm giving away are my favorite things. But we're kicking off the week with a Beach Bum Towel Co. giveaway! These beach towels are made by one of my sweet friends, Erin. I just love her to pieces and used to work for her wedding planning company when I lived in San Francisco. She's SO creative and talented, so that creativity spilled right into developing her own towel design.
The Beach Bum Towels are incredibly soft, thick (a huge plus for me!), and long (a huge plus for my 6'3" husband!) and are really cute. The boho vibe is so fun for summer. A lucky winner will get to pick one beach bum towel (either mint or coral). You can enter on my Instagram today!

We took the mint one on our honeymoon in Maui...that's where our first ring shot of both of our rings below was taken :)

All this beach towel talk has me so thankful it's summer! As a born and raised California girl and now living in Michigan with frequent trips to the lake, this is the weather I live for. I rounded up some outdoor beach and patio finds + some cute suits and coverups on sale. Nearly everything here is on sale...hooray!

SHOP:

So today we're celebrating summer and cute towels and you for sticking with me through this blogging journey! Now head to my instagram to enter the Beach Bum Towel Co. Giveaway. It'll be up around 12pm EST.

Good luck + Happy Monday,Michaela

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Public Access Open!

2017-07-21T07:05:00.000-07:00

TGIF! Thank God it's Friday is right...it's been a long week over here! Between all my interior design client projects and taking care of / training our 12 week old puppy, I'm one tired puppy mama ;)

The good news is (besides the fact that it's Friday) that the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is open to the public now! I scoured the women's shop and put together a few outfits for you that are still in stock. You can shop the looks below each graphic.

1. This one is a little dressier with a fun blouse with bows on the sleeves! These booties are one of the top sellers in the sale and come in black too. These black pants might have to come home to me, because they are insanely amazing reviews! I also still can't get over that these Kendra Scott earrings are on sale for $35.

Details:

2. This look is chic and feminine, just my style! My favorite AG Jeans in this look should be arriving at my door step today (I was told to order a size down!), so I'll share them on Instagram with you asap. You know I love a ruffle detail, so this top is a winner! These flats are also really cute. They come in a few different colors, but I think this nude color is my favorite because they're so versatile.

3. Last, but not least, because life is busy and we need casual looks in our wardrobe! A simple tee with a raw hem (so cute), distressed denim jeans on the cheap, and some sneakers. PLUS, how could you talk about an easy casual outfit without mentioned one of my favorite dry shampoos and other hair products are on sale. Have you been to The Dry Bar? If not, their products smell amazing! I threw in my favorite MAC lipstick and gloss and some sunnies.

Details:

I couldn't leave my girls out who like dresses best, so here are a few stand-outs!

If you need a bit of help building an outfit, use this inspiration I created for you! Start with jeans (the cuts and washes are labeled), then choose a top (either dressy or casual), next pick out a shoe and finish it off with an accessory or two. Just click on the actual image on the graphic to shop it!

Lastly in this epic post, let's talk about the guys! If your man needs a good pair of jeans that will last for years, this is it. My dad only buys AG jeans now, because of the incredible softness and quality.

My husband has a few pairs of these shorts and he loves them. Great fit and WRINKLE FREE!

He also has these from last year's sale...they're great work pants!

FINALLY, these Sperry's are on sale for $66...instead of the original $100 price tag. Prices go back up on August 7th, so hurry! I got these for McCann last year for his bday :)

If you made it to the end of this post, congratulations! You can go enter the $50 to Nordstrom giveaway I'm hosting on Instagram as a thank you for reading ;))

Okay, that's it! Happy shopping + happy weekend! SO MANY fun things coming to the blog next week in celebration of my blogging anniversary (read: lots of giveaways!)

xoxo

Bridal Inspiration

2017-07-20T06:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Thursday, friends! You might notice things look a little different around here. I'm so excited to show you the new look, designed by my friend and super talented graphic designer, Lindsey! You can now find the topics and categories you're most interested in by hovering over the drop down menus at the top up there. Just click on the category and then you'll pull up the posts with that topic! Hopefully it's super easy to navigate for you and more reader-friendly :)

Stay tuned for next week, as I'm going to be hosting some super fun giveaways on the blog to celebrate my 7 years of blogging + the new blog and website design! I can't wait to show you more.

Today I had to share this fun styled bridal shoot I did for my friend Ashley while at Holman Ranch (my wedding venue!) a few months ago teaching The Bloom Workshop. After we set up for the workshop, I slipped into this stunning gown and got to hold some gorgeoussss florals by Christine Cater while Ashley worked her magic. Sort of fun to be in front of the camera, especially at this magical place :)

Photos: Ashley Slater Photography / Florals: Christine Cater / Venue: Holman Ranch / Gown: Kinsley James Bridal / Rings: Susie Saltzman /

Isn't this just the most romantic setting?! I still can't believe we got married there.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway to win $50 to Nordstrom here! It ends tomorrow night.

interior design website / services / portfolio

Nordstrom Gift Card Giveaway + 5 Under $50

2017-07-19T06:59:00.000-07:00

Hey friends! Hope you're having a great day so far! Hopefully this post will make your day a little sweeter :) The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale public access open on Friday, so in order to celebrate (and thank you for reading the blog + following along!), I'm giving away a $50 Nordstrom gift card on Instagram!

All you have to do to enter is the following:
1. Follow me (@michaelanoelledesigns) on Instagram
2. Like the above picture
3. Comment tagging a friend who might also want to know about the giveaway!
4. For an extra entry, you can repost the picture tagging me in the caption

The giveaway will go live around noon EST and end on Friday at midnight PST. I'll contact the winner on Saturday so you can get to shopping before things sell out! It's open to anyone who can receive packages from Nordstrom, as it'll be an e-gift card.

Sooo, you might be wondering what $50 at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale can buy you! Here are just a few of my favorites under $50. And I'm talking wayyy under $50!

1. My favorite home decor pick is my Dash & Albert Herringbone Rug. It's only $27 in the kitchen rug size! It's washable (I've washed ours a bunch!), reversible (which I'll be doing when the pup is out of his biting stage...), and it's really cute + comes in lots of colors! We have this blue color:

2. This tie back blousy dress! Seriously, ladies, wait until you see the back! It's so feminine and flirty. Throw a denim jacket over it + some boots and you've got yourself a fall look, too. It's $29, but goes up to $45 after the sale.

3. Give me a ruffle and a bell sleeve and I'm all heart eyes! This top is going to be a winner for fall! You could style it with a skirt or pants...throw a leather jacket over it and you're good to go! It comes in a few colors and patterns; these are my favorite. Which do you like best? It's $31 now.

I think I like this floral so much because it reminds me of one of my favorite Arts & Crafts style designers, William Morris!

The black is so classic...

This is so feminine, too! Can't decide, clearly ;)

4. I love Mac lipsticks. Besides lipsense, it's all I wear! I'm also a pink lipstick girl, so this set for only $26 caught my eye!

5. A favorite sweater, perfect for fall and winter! And another bell sleeve ;) #cantstopwontstop I love it in gray and maroon the best, but it comes in a few other colors also. It's $39 now, going back up to $59 after the sale.

Andddd a bonus, because I couldn't narrow it down to 5! ;)

This faux leather tote with braided handles caught my attention! This screamed fall to me! I keep a lot of stuff in my purse, so I have a feeling this would be a winner. It looks so much more expensive than $35!! I could see this bag paired with my favorite pair of jeans, a basic pocket tee, and booties.

Alright...tell me, if you were to win the gift card, what would you purchase?!
Good luck!!

xoxo
Michaela

interior design website / services / portfolio

Finds For Your Home From the Nordstrom Sale

2017-07-18T08:12:00.000-07:00

If you have internet access, you know what's happening right now-- it's the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale! This sale goes until August 7th, but the good deals and best pieces are already flying off the shelves. I can't believe how many things are already sold out! I went to buy a sweater I put in my cart earlier in the day and sure enough, it was gone. Ugh! I sure hope they restock before Friday, which is when public access to the sale opens! For clothing, I think I'm most excited for my new AG Jeans to arrive. I'm also contemplating this adorable sweater with a hoodie.

Yesterday I was scouring the home decor shop of the sale to see if I could suggest any products to my current clients. Of course I found a bunch of awesome finds. Check out my picks below! You can actually click on the image in the collage that you want to check out and it'll take you to that item.
Note: click the item directly on the collage to shop it!

A few stand out items:

- I have that recipe box but in a different color and I love it so much! It's such a cute addition to our kitchen countertop.

- I also have the navy herringbone rug in our kitchen, but ours is in the seaglass / turquoise color. It's so great for a kitchen or dining area, because you can toss it in the washing machine and it comes out looking great! It's also reversible, so if one side gets a nasty stain, you have another chance on the flip side :)

- I'm a big fan of white and blue bedding, so those were my top two bedding choices!

- Is that not the funniest painting of the succulent you've ever seen? I loved it!

- If we could fit a bar cart in our apartment, I'd buy that gold one in a heartbeat. I sent this to a client, so I hope she goes for it!

- The gray and white storage basket is SO perfect. I love the muted, neutral colors. I also love the other more tote-bag-looking basket. I think it'd hold magazines really well to the side of your sofa.

- Looking ahead to fall, that cozy fur blanket will add so much texture to your couch or bed!

- Those are MARBLE coasters rimmed in copper. Two of my favorite things!!

Here are a few more sale items I couldn't fit on the board ;)

Are you looking for any home decor? If so, browse the home section at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale-- I bet you'll find what you're looking for! I couldn't believe how many pages of sale items there were. I think I scouted some of the best stuff for you...Phew!

Let me know what you snag for your house!
xoxo
Michaela

interior design website / services / portfolio

Life Ramblings & Happenings

2017-07-17T03:00:00.000-07:00

I hope you all enjoyed your weekends! We sure did. We took a trip to the beach where I got totally sunburned, but it was worth it! Anyways, I thought I'd share a few things on my mind in a bit more of a personal post! I used to do these a lot, and I miss them, so here we go!

1. Our new puppy, Lincoln, sleeps in the funniest and cutest positions! I can't get over it. When he's sleeping I should be working and getting things done, but sometimes I just stare. I seriously feel like I have a newborn ;) We had to put this stool here on the end of the rug (covered in a blanket in care of accidents) or else he nips at the rug. My house is a hot MESS!!

2. I ran out of vases the other day, after a surplus of blooms after teaching our workshop in Chicago, so I used our copper mug. Turns out I love it and will probably use it again even when other vases ARE available!

3. Speaking of our workshop, this cake for our styled photo shoot was EVERYTHING dreams are made of. Can you even handle it?! All those flowers are made of sugar. Absolutely incredible!! Made by Root Cakes.

4. I cannot wait for these perfect-for-fall booties to arrive! I'll let you know how I like them when they get here (hopefully this week!) I can't believe they're under $100!

5. I love the cut of this dress so much!! Which color do you like better? Thinking of ordering it!

6. It was my mom's birthday on Saturday! I'm so thankful for her and everything she means to me, has done for me, and all of the valuable things she has taught me. I love you, mama!

7. We are taking Lincoln to California to visit my parents with us in a few weeks. We tried out his airplane carrier yesterday on the trip to the beach and he didn't mind it at all! Any travel advice with puppies is welcomed! He'll be sitting with us under the seat in front of me.

8. Just a few pictures from our time at the beach this weekend, because I can't resist. Lincoln really enjoyed the beach-- maybe too much. He ate a bunch of sand (WHY?!), found some sticks and even dipped his paws in the water. Definitely didn't know what to think of the lake's crashing waves though!

Other adorable romper cover ups, because mine is old:

This picture makes me laugh!

Sorry most of these things were about our pup...or am I?! ;) He's a big part of life right now, that's for sure!

What's on your mind on this Monday?!
xoxo

Michaela

interior design website / services / portfolio

Friday Finds: Nordstrom Sale Picks

2017-07-14T06:11:00.000-07:00

As you know from yesterday's post, it's the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale! And if you've never shopped this sale before, this is the year to start. You can gear up your wardrobe for fall and have everything you need, come September and October. There are so many adorable things that are on super sale. The sale only lasts 3 weeks, so hurry! To get access today, be sure to sign up for a Nordstrom card so you can shop the early access week. Otherwise, the sale opens to the public next Friday. Sharing a few of my obsessions with you today:

The guys are often forgot about, so I'm starting with them! If you have an anniversary or your guys' birthday is coming up, check out these picks. I'm probably getting my hubby the non-iron button up, because let's face it...he isn't gonna iron it anyways!

The cologne my husband wore on our wedding day is on sale. This is by far my favorite scent for him :)

Next up is the ladies! I showed you a few faves yesterday, but I did some more scouring and here's what I found. First of all, this sweatshirt is in my cart. Anything with a ruffle gets me these days!

This bootie is waterproof, which is huge if you live somewhere like me (Michigan!) These are definitely coming home with me!! It's also under $100!

This blue and white floral dress caught my eye. I love how effortless it is! Pair with sandals for now or boots or booties with tights in the fall and winter.

Chunky knits like this long cardi are my best friend in the fall and winter months around here. Love this blue color!

Dresses & Pants:

Tops:

Sweaters & Outer Wear:

Accessories:

Loungewear:

Shoes & Beauty:

Next up are Nordstrom home sale finds! First off, LOVING this gold, sunburst mirror. It's 15" and under $32! WOW!

More favorites (that shower curtain though!!):

Hope you have a wonderful, relaxing and fun weekend! Let me know if you pick up anything from the sale! Back next week with a few fun posts :)

xoxo

interior design website / services / portfolio

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Early Access Favorites

2017-07-13T08:50:00.000-07:00

It's finally here! The biggest and best sale (in my opinion!) of the year! The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Early Access is open today. What's the hype about the sale, you might ask?! All the new must-haves for Fall are on major sale + some brands that never have sales are also on sale! It's big, trust me :) Early Access goes for one week, and then anybody can shop beginning next Friday on Public Access day, but Early Access Week usually wipes out a ton of the best pieces, so be sure to sign up for a Nordstrom Rewards card, debit or credit card (I have a debit card) to shop the sale early! You can do that here for instant access.

Since it's the first day of early access, I'm going to share a few of my favorite items. I've already got a bunch in my cart and can't wait to show you my Nordstrom-haul when they arrive!

First up is this ADORABLE cardigan that you can wear multiple ways. Perfect with jeans, a tee and these Converse on sale for $35, or a dress! It comes in lots of colors, perfect for the breezy fall days. I think I'm going with this oatmeal or gray color! Which one is your favorite?

Lightweight Rib Stitch Cardi -- $32 now, $50 after the sale. This sweater is going to go FAST!

So far I have two favorite tops from the sale (I'm doing more scouring for you and will report back with more faves soon!) The first is this off the shoulder plaid blouse. It's under $60 now, but will go back to $90 after the sale!

The next one is this lace top. No surprise here, as lace is one of my favorite materials! So feminine and sweet. You know I love a good white top, too. This neckline is perfection to me. With a pair of jeans (below!) and booties, I say this outfit is a date night or girls night out winner, especially at under $50!

If you're in need of jeans, let me introduce you to my FAVORITE brand of jeans ever. AG jeans are made from recycled material, which makes them SO soft. Jeans are one thing I think is important to invest in. I have a few pairs of AG jeans-- two that I've had for about 5 years-- still in perfect condition!! That's quality. Anyways, AG jeans never go on sale, so this is a treat! I'm definitely ordering this pair, which will transition really well into fall and winter with boots! This plaid button up would be perfect with the denim.

AG: The Legging Raw Hem Ankle Skinny Jeans -- $150 now, $225 after the sale. $75 off!!

Something else I'm really forward to adding to my fall wardrobe is another pair of booties. I'm thinking a low heeled pair. But I've also got my eye on these...possibly the most beautiful open toed booties I've ever seen:

Here are some other booties are on sale:

The last thing I want to share today is that my favorite jewelry designer, Kendra Scott, also has some pieces in the sale!!

xoxo

interior design website / services / portfolio

Color Palette: Citrus for Summer

2017-07-12T03:00:00.000-07:00

Is it just me, or does anyone else CRAVE fruit in the summer? I can't drink water without lemon or strawberries or something fruity in my water bottle! It just makes it so much better. I'm bringing back my color palette posts (yay!) so the first one in the series for summer had to be citrus fruit colors. When I found this image of them below, it sealed the deal. As I sit here scouring the web for yellow, orange, pink, red, and green inspo, I'm sipping on a lemon-strawberry-basil infused water. Yum!

via

Yellow:

Orange & Pink:

Green:

Are you as obsessed with this bright, fresh citrus palette for summer?! PS. Any great fruit infused water recipes I need to know about?

Also wanted to remind you that tomorrow is the first day of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale!! Some must haves for Fall will be on sale, along with a lot of other designers who don't usually go on sale. Things go SO fast, so be sure you're a cardholder so that you can get early access, which opens tomorrow! Check out the catalogue to get a little preview.

Happy Wednesday!
xoxo

interior design website / services / portfolio

July Goals

2017-07-10T05:28:00.000-07:00

Happy JULY! I always love this month...it's finally really warm and sunny here in Michigan and the June gloom has worn off. Sometimes we get thunder storms (like this week) but the warmth in the evenings is so nice. I love it! Between my husband's family and mine, we have about 10 celebrations and birthdays this month. It's kind of crazy!

I'm sharing some goals for July below, but first a look back at June.

~~- Send some friends who live out of state encouraging notes.~~ Did this last weekend!

- Pick my dad out a Father's Day & birthday gift then ship it off to California! I wrote about some Father's Day gift ideas here. We also want to Facetime with my parents on either of these celebrations. We got him a Tommy Bahama's gift card since my parents are going to Hawaii in a few weeks!

- ~~Help my brother and sister-in-law create a gallery wall of wedding photos in their dining room.~~ It turned out SO cute!

- ~~Try some new recipes on the grill since the weather will be nice.~~ I tried a Hawaiian chicken marinade which was delicious!

- ~~Have a wonderful time at our Bloom Workshop next week in Traverse City, Michigan!~~ I feel like I say this every time, but truly this was one of my favorite workshops!

- Get into a routine of working out 3 times a week. This is going to be hard for me because I just hate working out...I wish I was kidding ;) But the gym is in our complex, so it's ridiculous if I can't make it there! I had been doing really well on this until I got a stomach virus a few weeks ago! Trying to get back into it now.

- ~~Make meals for 3 couples who had babies at our church.~~ Yay for friends with babies!

- ~~Celebrate my husband's birthday!!! (First married birthday for him-- so fun!)~~ I want to bake a homemade SOMETHING for him...please send me recipe suggestions! I didn't end up baking anything because it was SUCH a busy week, but we did celebrate it by going to a local brewery with friends!

- ~~Spruce up our patio for summer.~~ Yes! We added the cutest magnolia wreath! I still want to add a few more things, but for now, it's looking better!

~~- Follow along with the Romans bible study on She Reads Truth.~~ It's been really good!

- Well, we got a sweet puppy, so my goal is to take him to Puppy 101 class and get him trained really well. He already knows come, sit and down!

- Enjoy Bloom Bash Chicago workshop on Tuesday and Wednesday. I'm SO excited for this workshop!

- Go to the local crepe place with my husband for a Saturday morning date.

- Also enjoy appetizers at the wine bar down town.

- Have some friends over to swim and hang out by the pool during these warm evenings.

- Go on a walk every evening with my hubby and our pup, Lincoln! (unless it's storming, of course!)

- Go to the beach

- Take family pictures with Lincoln!

- Hopefully book our tickets to California for August! Yes, the pup is coming too :)

- Get a few married couples together from our church and start a weekly bible study. Really looking forward to this!

- Launch my new blog design-- hooray! It's coming along so well...can't wait to share it + some super fun giveaways!

- This may seem silly, but I want to focus on not checking my instagram stats in July. Comparison is the worst, so I want to focus on being authentic and genuine instead of focusing on what others are doing.

- Start with some really exciting new client projects!

What are some of YOUR goals for July?!
xoxo

interior design website / services / portfolio

Weekend Shopping Under $50

2017-07-08T09:29:00.000-07:00

This week has been a bit crazy partially due to our new puppy, but also due to the fact that I'm teaching a workshop on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week in Chicago. I can't wait! So this post is going up on a Saturday instead of my normal Friday Finds post.

1. Lots of fun finds from Nordstrom, all under $50!

I created a few mix and match outfits below with some of my favorite pieces! That black maxi is under $40 and you can style it so many ways!

GET THE LOOK:

Just a reminder that the Nordstrom Anniversary sale (the biggest and best sale of the year!) is open for early access on July 13th-- next week! I can't wait to snag some things for the fall season. Learn how to get $20 to spend during the sale + get early access HERE. It's worth it, guys! Cause look at these Anniversary Sale Sneak Peeks from the catalogue, but they won't be shoppable until the 13th:

2. Anthropologie's Summer Tag Sale is still going! Get 30% off sale at checkout!

3. LOFT is offering 40% off hot weather styles. Some of my favorites below:

That's all for this weekend! Have a great day!
xoxo

interior design website / services / portfolio

Favorite Posts Over the Past 7 Years of Blogging

2017-07-06T03:00:00.000-07:00

I've been working behind the scenes over the past few weeks to get my blog designer everything she needs to create a beautiful, easy to navigate new blog design for MND! I think you're all going to love it a lot. While doing some back-end things to make the navigation easier for you, I came across some of my very favorite blog posts I've written over the past 7 years. I can't believe I've been blogging for 7 years! WHERE has the time gone. I used to think it was hard to come up with post ideas, but the more you blog, the more easily they come to you. Sharing my favorite posts with you was a no brainer after digging them all up, so enjoy them below! (PS. It's okay to laugh at the ones written so many years ago!)

1. Almost No Heat Curls. Back in college, I did this hair tutorial that seriously blew up. This post has been viewed almost half a million times, thanks to Pinterest! Going back to find this post made me want to try it again!

2. Bundle of Hope. Introducing my family's English Cream Golden Retriever to the world!

3. Our Proposal Story. What a fun and sentimental post to look back on!

4. Of course all of our wedding posts! Happiest day of my life!

5. You Can Stand Under my Umbrella. A funny post I wrote while in college in Seattle. I cracked myself up writing this ;) Some of my earlier blog posts were silly and I love looking back on those.

6. Preppy Home Office. My first interior design project revealed on the blog! Still love how this office came out.

7. Shadowing Emily Henderson. Yep, that happened and it was awesome.

8. DIY chevron dresser reveal. I was living in an ugly college house and somehow I drew the short end of the stick and ended up living in the dining room of the home, which was advertised as a bedroom. Awesome ;) I remember being really upset at first, but then design ideas started coming to me. This dresser was one of the first things I did to spruce up the room and make it feel more "me". Though I don't like chevron anymore, it will always hold a special place in my heart!

9. The time I met Mary McDonald. What I apparently didn't write in this blog post was the fact that I actually rode the elevator up with Mary-- just the two of us-- to the event! In the elevator she told me I look like Denise Richards (I get that often) and we chatted for about 50 seconds. It was so fun!

10. The Lace Vase. This was one of my first blog posts to go viral. I think it had somewhere around 100,500 views! Crazy, because it was such a simple DIY!

11. Design Do's and Don'ts from Your Favorite Bloggers. This was a fun one to prepare because we got so much input from my favorite bloggers and designers!

12. Day on the Lake. One of my favorite days with my family ever. So fun and in one of my favorite places in the world!

13. My Story. In this series of 4 posts, I shared bits of my life that led to where I am now.

14. A Story of Grace & Call to Fully Live. This is the story of a traumatic event that happened in my college dorm room + how God performed a miracle in front of my very eyes.

15. Meet Lincoln! Of course, our new puppy's introduction had to be included!

Hope you enjoyed this little blast from the past! If you've been with me for all these years, THANK YOU. I couldn't have continued sharing for so long with my sweet readers. I hope to blog for many more years to come!

xoxo

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Meet Lincoln, our Australian Labradoodle!

2017-07-05T03:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday, friends! We had a pretty exciting weekend over here, as we picked up the new addition to our little family. You may have already met him over on instagram, but I just had to show you some of my favorite pictures of Lincoln from the past few days. I'm also answering a few questions I've gotten a lot since getting him!

What type of dog is he?

He's an Australian Labradoodle, which is made up of a soft wheaten terrier, lab, poodle and cocker spaniel. This breed was originally started in Australia, hence the name, and were created to breed a non-shedding therapy dog. That's why they have such an adaptable, low-key personality!

Does he shed?
NOPE! One of the reasons we love this breed so much is because of this very fact! Especially in a small apartment, we couldn't have a dog shedding all over the place!

How big will he get?
He's a medium size labradoodle, so about 30-35lbs. The perfect size for this stage in our life, I think!

His ADORABLE copper name tag is by Jenna Scifres on Etsy!

Hiding out in his bed ;)

Where'd you get Lincoln and how'd you find the breeder?

A few Saturday's ago I was at a parade in downtown Rockford, MI with a friend. Two adorable puppies and their owners walked by us and I thought to myself that I needed to pet them, but it was so crowded, I couldn't get to them in time. 30 minutes later, they came walking by us again and this time I made sure to get to them! (If you know me, you know I am obsessed with dogs and can't NOT pet them!) Upon meting them I asked the owners 1. what type of dogs these were and 2. where did they get them?! They proceeded to tell me they were breeders! I couldn't believe it. They were the nicest people ever and I could already tell they cared for their dogs SO well. So the next night, after exchanging numbers, we went to visit their home and meet the puppies. At the time they were 6 weeks old and they had 4 boys available. It didn't take much convincing of my husband, as he was pretty in love as soon as he held them!

Our breeders are Bainbridge Labradoodles in Rockford, MI (but Janet will fly a dog anywhere in the US). They're awesome and will be expecting a fall litter if you want to get a little buddy for yourself :) One thing I love about our breeders are how open they are. We were able to visit Lincoln multiple times before we picked him up, can text her with questions whenever we want, and they really start the training process from day 3 of their lives! He is incredibly well mannered and hasn't had any bathroom accidents in our house. #winning She also hosts pool parties in the summer for any past puppies to come get together at her house and play! I love that he'll get to see his brothers and sisters again.

Another sweet name tag for when he gets a little bigger by Jenna Scifres.

Of course we have a rug, a bed and his crate with his blanket, but back behind the crate is his favorite spot to lay ;) Or under the couch!

How's he been doing so far?

SO GOOD! Because the breeders have already been working with the puppies so much, he's been so easy. He only whined one or two times at night before going to sleep and didn't wake up at all through the night to go potty. So far we've just had to take him out at 6am each morning. I count that as a success! He is also really chill, but loves to play. He naps hard and has the sweetest personality! We're trying to get him socialized by having friends come over and by taking him out a few places.

He already totally understands and responds to his name, is close to being able to sit, and we're training him to ring a bell when he needs to go outside. Yay for a smart puppy!

Lincoln Loves:
- his bacon bone

- sleeping under the couch

- his parents :)

- cheese treats

- napping

- chewing anything!

- playing outside in the bushes and bark.

Lincoln Doesn't Love:

- wind (it's so funny!!)

- his collar (keeps itching it haha)

Lincoln's Parent's Love:

- his soft ears

- his light eyes (hoping they stay light or go blue!)

- his playful spirit

- all his adorable napping positions

This face is my favorite!!

That's our little guy! I'll do a post about him once a month or so in case anyone is interested in his growth! If you have any questions, just let me know.

xoxo

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4th of July Tables, Recipes & Porches

2017-07-03T07:05:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Happy 4th of July weekend! We had a pretty busy (and cute) weekend :) Check out my Instagram to see why! I'll be sharing more about our new addition on Wednesday.

Today I wanted to share some 4th of July inspiration with you, in case you're hosting tomorrow!!

TABLESCAPES:

via

A bit more elegant table:

via

via

Easy and cute! Have any blue bottles? Use them as your centerpiece vessels and fill with red and white flowers. If you don't have them, spray paint some old beer and wine bottles blue!

via

FOOD:

Paleo american pie

Fruit Tart-- this is my grandma's recipe; so tasty!

Frozen Sangria

PORCHES & DECOR:

I could live on this porch :)

via

via

Some sales you might want to know about!

Anthropologie: 30% off sale items for the Summer Tag Sale event!
Banana Republic: 50% off sale!
Old Navy: Entire store up to 60% off!
LOFT: 60% off sale styles, other summer items are also on sale here!
The Mason Jar: 20% off!

Pottery Barn: Buy More, Save More event! Up to 70% off.
West Elm: 20% off in stock furniture + more savings!
World Market: 50% off outdoor furniture

Hope you have an amazing 4th! So thankful for this wonderful country we live in!!

xoxo

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4th of July Weekend Sales

2017-06-30T05:31:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! It's a long weekend ahead...hooray! We're going to be BUSY this weekend because something really special is happening. You have to follow along on instagram to find out :)

WARDROBE:

Anthropologie // Summer tag sale-- additional 30% off!

H&M // Summer Sale is up to 70% off, save big with our 4th of July $4 deals with code EXTRA40

Lucky Brand // Up to 60% Off + 40% off summer essentials

Sole Society // 6/28 – 6/29: Up to 50% off select styles

DATE: 6/29 – 7/4: Things are heating up at the 4th of July sale!

Urban Outfitters // Take 30% off ALL sale items online

LOFT // 50% off everything with code SPARKLER

HOME:

Serena & Lily // 20% off site wide with code HAPPY4th

Anthropologie // Summer tag sale-- additional 30% off!

Lulu & Georgia // Warehouse sale with things up to 70% off!

PS! The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (the biggest sale of the year!) is coming up in mid-July. You're going to want to sign up for a Nordstrom debit or credit card (we have a debit card!) so that you can get an automatic $20 Nordstrom Note (aka free money, thank you very much) to spend at the sale...or anytime. You can also get $10 Nordstrom Note if you sign up for a Nordy's Rewards account. This sale is always epic, so why not get yourself a little extra $ to spend there?! Click here for details. Here are some of my favorite sale finds this weekend, all red, white and blue!

Have a GREAT weekend! I'll be back on Monday with some 4th inspiration! Thanks for bearing with me this week as I was sick :( As always, thanks for your sweet emails, comments and support! They mean so much to me!
xoxo

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The Bloom Workshop Carmel Recap

2017-06-28T06:38:00.000-07:00

Hi friends! I'm finally back to normal after a few days of being down and out on account of the stomach flu. I am irrationally afraid of getting sick (specifically with a stomach virus) so this was quite a traumatic experience as I haven't been sick in probably 7 years. What a record! ;)

Anyways, enough about that ;) I wanted to show you a peek into my business, The Bloom Workshop. My friend Ashley and I host workshops all over the country, teaching women in small businesses about blogging, branding, social media, photography, design and more! Here's the recap of our latest workshop:

Back in April we hosted 30 women for Bloom Bash Carmel Valley at Holman Ranch. As my wedding venue in September of 2016, this workshop was extra special! With dreamy oak trees, the most killer view (seen in the above photo), and charming details around every corner, we knew Holman would inspire these creative business women during our two days together. We're giving you an inside peek at the workshop, so read on for fun details and beautiful pictures by Ragi & Amanda.

Most workshops start with Ashley and I greeting each guest as they walk in with a mimosa and a gift, to ensure our gals feel extra special and welcomed from the get-go. Loving our attendees well is something we really focus on at Bloom. We LOVE learning about our guests, getting to know their businesses and stories and personalities. It's such a blessing to get to meet all these creative souls! By the end of the two day workshop, we both know all of our attendees by name and can tell you about their businesses. It's so important to us to really connect and give our ALL to the women who come through Bloom.

As the ladies check in and find their table, they are immediately greeted with a sweet gift box of goodies, put together by Box + Bow. It's such a treat to curate these boxes and intentionally choosing gifts from talented artists and makers who are running their own small creative businesses. The morning of Bloom is meant for networking and meeting new friends, grabbing some yummy bites for breakfast, sipping on coffee, and getting settled. We also had a special surprise in store for the ladies! Read on :)

Inside the carriage house at Holman Ranch we had our breakfast + mug station with pretty mugs by Ella Jay Designs. All of this sat in front of the amazing paper flower wall our friend Angie of Flores De Papel lovingly made! It is a show-stopper!

We were over-the-moon to have the Kendra Scott team here treating our guests to build their own piece of jewelry at the pop up Color Bar! If you don't own a piece of Kendra Scott jewelry, you really should! Her pieces are timeless, gorgeous, and her story is oh-so-inspiring! As a woman with just $500 in her pocket and some jewelry making + marketing skills, Kendra took her business from a tiny room in her home, to a billion dollar company. Not only is it fun to spoil our attendees with this jewelry, it's also the perfect inspiration to start off our day!

Once all of the morning festivities are over and all the guests have gone around to introduce themselves, we dive into blogging. We absolutely believe you should be doing this for your business, so we tell you WHY and give you the HOW's, too! We teach you about the importance of branding and walk our guests through creating your mission statement, ideal client profile and many more helpful things for your business. With lots of interaction with your table mates and Ashley and I, it's a really fruitful time of brainstorming.

After our first few sessions, we enjoy lunch, then jump into learning brush calligraphy with Jenny Sanders of Graceline Art + Illustration. Jenny is one of our absolute favorite artists (she did my wedding calligraphy!) AND people. She's so sweet and talented. The gals loved learning from her in this fun and relaxing calligraphy class. We intentionally sprinkle creative hands-on courses into our workshop so that guests are always moving, being creatively stimulated, and because we feel it's essential to step outside your OWN specialty to try your hand at something else. This is one of our biggest tips in avoiding burnout!

Next up is learning how to shoot in manual on our cameras. Ashley makes it easy to understand and we have lots of time to practice the new skills!

I (Michaela) then teach on some design and styling principals, as well as go over how to design and execute a styled shoot. Everyone attends both of these sessions, because we think it's important to be a well-rounded creative entrepreneur!

Day One of Bloom Bash ends with dessert and a Q&A session, complete with some local creative professionals joining us to answer all our guests' burning questions. This is always a favorite time for everyone, including me! Getting time to ask questions of people who might have had more time or experience on the road you're traveling is so important. And then to hear from a few different people is always so interesting, because everyone is unique and different methods work for different people!

Our dessert on Day One was equally delicious as it was cute. Almost too cute :) Our logo on a sugar cookie sure is adorable! Thanks, AP Sugar Co.!

Day Two is all about getting our hands dirty and playing with new things; putting all of our new (or old, yet refined) skills into action!

The day starts with what we call "Table Talk". The gals huddle up in their table groups and answer specific questions we give them. This really helps them get to know each other, but also voice their goals, get inspired from others and motivate themselves in their business.

Next, we dive into the world of social media and how you can use each form of the major social media players to not only grow, but sustain and capture your ideal clients!

After another delicious lunch catered by Holman Ranch Tavern (SO good, if you ever get the chance to go!) we headed outside for our floral arranging class with Katie of Ponderosa & Thyme. A super talented, heartfelt teacher, Katie had the girls up out of the seats having fun in no time! After she demonstrated an arrangement (to music, might we add...it was very therapeutic!) the guests got to choose their own flowers for their arrangement from the flower bar.

Next up we have our specialized break out sessions. The first is for photographers who want to further learn and chat with Ashley about how to serve their client's well in the client experience. The second was with Katie, our amazing florist, where florists could watch her make a bridal bouquet and adorn the desserts with florals. And finally, the third was a hands-on flat lay styling class with Michaela and Lauren + tons of paper goods and other items to style with.

One of the most anticipated times of our workshop is the styled inspiration shoot. We set up a gorgeous shoot, complete with bride and groom models, beautiful tablescapes, a dessert table, invitation suite details and so many other hidden treasures. You can read more about our upcoming shoot for Bloom Bash Chicago here!

A little sneak peek of the styled shoot :)

We close our workshop, just like the first day, with a Q&A panel of more experts from the area. We get a lot of feedback from attendees that say this is their favorite part of the day!

We just loved meeting all these ladies!!

Thanks to all of our talented artists who made our styled shoot possible:

Venue: Holman Ranch / @holmanranch

Florals: Ponderosa & Thyme / @ponderosa_and_thyme

Invitation Suite & Signage: Graceline / @jenny_Sanders_

Wedding Dress: Kinsley James Couture Bridal / @kinsleyjamescouturebridal

Rings: Susie Saltzman / @susiesaltzman

Rentals: One True Love Vintage Rentals / otlvintage

Cake: Just Bakecause / @justbakecause

Hair & Makeup: The Hair + Makeup Company / @thehairandmakeupco

Event Concept + Design: Michaela Noelle Designs & Ashley Slater Photography

It was one of my favorite workshops, for sure! Probably because it was surreal to be back at my wedding venue :) Hopefully I'll meet some of YOU at one of our future Bloom Workshops really soon!

Have a great Wednesday!
xoxo

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