Amy Tangerine's Blog, page 12

5 Reasons To Read You Are A Badass

Jen Sincero’s book is a New York Times Bestseller— so it should come as no surprise that it spoke to me and the million others who purchased it. It can be a challenge to approach life with confidence and eliminate doubt. But You Are A Badass gives concrete examples, strategies, and ideas to do just that. It spoke to me on a personal and professional level because it is chock full of great ideas. I came up with a list of 5 reasons I think you should read the book and see for yourself! 

1. It promotes self-exploration. Jen discusses how we come to be and what forms us as human beings. She writes that, “our thoughts become our words, our words become our beliefs, our beliefs become our actions, our actions become our habits, and our habits become our realities.” This spoke to me not just because it’s true, but because it helped me think more about the impact my attitude has on my words and actions. It can be easy to float through life without asking yourself the "why?" behind your thoughts and feelings. 

2. It advocates for inclusivity. A fulfilling life isn't reserved for some people. She writes that, “…every single person is born with unique and valuable gifts to share with the world…Living a life on purpose is available to everyone.”  This spoke to me because it falls in line with what I have always believed— we all have different and beautiful ways to express ourselves and our talents. 

3. It encourages people to be grateful, mindful, and to live in the present moment. There are distinct advantages to living this way. Contentment allows you to fully enjoy what you have. Mindfulness, on the other hand, allows you to understand yourself. Living in the moment gives you the chance to see all of your opportunities and your obstacles as a chance to grow and change. “This is where really being present in the moment becomes handy… you are surrounded by unthinkable miracles and opportunities. Lean back, relax and be grateful that you’re living on purpose…”

4. The book gives strategies for getting stuff done. It's easy to say you'll eat healthy, save money, start that business you've thought about — someday. But "someday" might never come and actually accomplishing those goals, whatever they may be, requires skill and effort. Often, taking the necessary baby steps is unpleasant and reaching the end goal feels insurmountable. Jen's advice is simple and straightforward: “Set honest goals that are just outside your comfort zone and build from there.” 

5. It’s honest and persuasive. Jen doesn't scold or sugar coat. In fact, the book is written in a no-nonsense tone that will make you want to give the author's ideas a chance. You Are A Badass is never over-complicated and the language makes it accessible and easy to understand for everyone. 

So... have you read You Are A Badass? What did you think? Will you give it a try after seeing my five reasons? Let me know in the comments below. 

Flower Crown Fun

What better way to celebrate my favorite season than with a beautiful flower crown craft? I invited Carly Cylinder, author of Flower Chef, into the studio as our guide to modern flower decorating and crafty floral projects. I’ve been wanting to do a new series on my YouTube channel called Studio Sessions. I envision Studio Sessions to be where I invite a fellow creative to come craft with me in the studio and to share their expertise on a project together. Hopefully it will feel as though you’re right here getting creative and having fun with us. Carly’s work is gorgeous, so it was no surprise to me that this collaboration came together as beautifully as the flower crowns we created. It was simple, enjoyable, and flowed wonderfully. An added bonus was that it reminded me of my trip to Maui, which I vlogged about on my youtube channel. I really enjoyed the process and wanted to give you all a chance to see how to make one.

Materials:

Bind Wire (you can purchase it in green or beige)

Cutters

Bouquet of Flowers (Pick the types and colors that make you happy! But also be sure you have flowers that will last well out of water. If you have any flowers– like lilies– that won’t last well out of water, just set them aside in a vase. You’ll have the crown and a mini bouquet.)

Grapevine Wire (also called Rustic Wire)

Steps:

Measure your head using the rustic wire to make sure the crown will fit you comfortably. It’s okay to make it a little big because you can always tighten it later.

Trim your flower stems to about 3-4 inches long.

You’re going to wrap the stems around the grapevine wire using the thinner bind wire. Let your creativity loose here. You pick the size, color and number of flowers that you want in the order that you want.

You don’t have to attach them to the base one by one, either. Group the flowers in little bunches (of 2-3) and wrap the thinner wire around them and the crown.

Don’t be afraid to try it on as you go along to see if the shape and size is going to work well for you.

After some experimenting with the size and shape of the crown, I was so pleased and happy with the way it looked when I wore it. We had to do a photoshoot after to capture the colorful creations we’d just made! It was the perfect, sunshiney Spring-time activity.

Here’s the full video - enjoy! How are you going to celebrate Spring? If you make any flower crowns, be sure to tag me and Carly on social media. I’d love to see your beautiful creations!

Everything You Need for a Creativity Session in One Colorful Package

I always say it’s important to infuse at least 10 minutes of creativity into your daily routine. Lately, I’ve considered upping that quota for myself. When I recommend this daily dose of creativity, I get a lot of questions. Where should I start? Do I need a lot of expensive supplies? What if I don’t have any ideas? If you have these questions or you’re a beginner and you want to ease into it, I have good news. A good starting place for your creative practice is as close to you as the nearest Target or a few clicks away at Target.com.

I’m talking about the 20 minute Studio kits from Faber-Castell. Each kit focuses on a different art medium and provides easy-to-use inspiration and supplies to get your creative juices flowing! I especially loved the watercolor kit because painting takes me to my happy place, but if that isn’t necessarily your cup of tea– don’t worry. There are a number of awesome options to choose from in addition to watercolors including marbling art, card making, and abstract art.

There’s a kit for everyone! If you aren’t already sold, here are 5 reasons to use these kits and integrate them into your daily (or weekly or monthly) creative practice:

1. Thrifty. These aren’t single-use kits. They come with supplies you can work with over and over as you grow and learn in your creative practice. They retail for $12.99 and include high-quality items you can continue to use again and again.

2. Minimal. If you have limited space or just like to keep things simple and easy to find instead of buried under a pile of colorful supplies, these kits make it incredibly easy. Everything fits into the box or is easily stored in a small container, which means your creative practice can stay short and sweet whenever you engage with it in a mess-free, hassle-free way.

3. Accessible. If you don’t live near a local craft store – never fear. The kits are available at Target online and in-store, which means you will most likely be able to get one (or all of them) in your area.

4. Inspirational. These kits are full of tips, tricks, tools and general inspiration. So often I hear from people who feel that their lives aren’t sources of creativity and these kits offer so many amazing prompts, projects, and ideas to get you started. If you’re feeling a little unsure or blocked creatively, these kits are perfect for you!

5. Customizable. If you’re feeling creatively inspired, you can still make use of these kits. Various kits are packed with stencils, paint brushes, watercolor pencils, lots of paper, cards and so much more.

Do you feel inspired to give the kits a try? When do you feel most excited to work on creative projects?

Target | Watercolor Art | Marble Art | Card-making

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Faber-Castell ®, but all opinions and experiences I mentioned are my own. My creative partners and I really appreciate your continued support!

Violeta’s Journal Folders!

Hello! I am Violeta Scrap and I am very happy to be here in Amy’s blog to show you one of my new projects.

This time I want to show you how to make some folders for the new Journal Studio products in a very practical and easy way.

To make these journals what we are going to do is to take one of the papers of Amy Tangerine’s collections and we will cut a piece of 8.5x9 inches. Once you have this piece we bend it in half and with the rest of the piece of paper we will do two extra pieces of 4.5 inches width.

We will take out a piece of paper from these two extra pieces in a diagonal way and we will glue them inside the folders so we create some pockets.

As you can see, it is very easy to make pockets for your scrapbook journals. When we have our folders ready, what we will do is to decorate the cover of both folders.

You can combine different elements to decorate the folders. I have used different die cuts and some decorative elements of different collections of Amy Tangerine to create different titles.

That way the project is finished. As I commented it is a very easy project to make and you can use different papers for them, and they are very practical as you can keep there pictures, things of a travel and other kind of elements.

I hope you liked this project and that you practice making some folders for your journals.

See you soon!

Violeta Scrap Blog| Instagram| Twitter| Facebook| YouTube

Supplies:

Shine On - 12x12 Double Sided Paper - Gold Foil on Vellum (348245), Sunshine & Good Times - 12x12 Double Sided Paper - Shine Bright (345697), Sunshine & Good Times - 12x12 Double Sided Paper - Sweetness (345693), Thickers - LOL (378746),Sunshine & Good Times- Watercolor resist cards and tags (345718), Sunshine & Good Times- DieCut Shapes (345709), Sticker Book (344862)

Thanks so much for sharing this layout with us, Violeta! Shop JOURNAL STUDIO now! Check your local retailers!

Planning Your Tomorrow

This post is sponsored advertising content by State Farm®

Keep thinking about your dreams. Picture them! Draw them out! Whatever works best for you to keep an image in your mind and hold onto that dream. Often, my dreams for the future are based on fun memories from my past.

Take this spread of my family at the pool. We had an amazing time in Palm Springs and a big part of that was family swim time. Now, my husband and I are thinking about how much we’d love to add a pool of our own to the backyard. It’s definitely a dream in the far-off future and would most likely take place in the summer of 2020. Seeing this scrapbook page will definitely help me remember how awesome it will be to have one between now and then.

Honestly, that’s how dreams are most of the time. They are big and far off. Sometimes, a dream is so big it can’t be reached unless it’s divided up into super small steps. Those steps might seem so tiny that to an outsider they may seem insignificant. When you make up your mind to reach those achievements, it means you’ll be willing to take as many tiny steps as you need to get there. One of the most helpful things to do is make a snapshot or a mental note of what that goal looks like to you. I’m a visual person and it helps me feel close to my goals when I draw or create a spread to remind me of what I would like to achieve.

Of course, dreams aren’t always as big as a pool. Even if I reach something “small” and inspire just one person to unleash their inner creative, I can go to sleep happy because I’ve made progress. At the end of the day, whatever you want to do is possible as long as you’re strategic. One sure-fire strategy to help you get set up for success is to start by gaining control of your finances and developing a plan for your future. You’ll also want to hone in on your priorities so you can focus on achieving your dreams.

Honing in on your priorities can be challenging. After all, there’s so much in life that can divide your focus and attention. After years of considering, changing, and adapting, I’ve come to the conclusion that I have three areas in my life that are my top priorities where growth and stability are absolutely necessary: family, finances, and dreams. But identifying my priorities was only the first step. I knew that in order for me to stay focused on achieving my dreams, I also needed to identify things I could do each day to help maximize harmony across my priorities. State Farm® offers a ton of great tips and resources that helped me a lot as I went through this process.

One thing I really about State Farm is that they offer a variety of excellent resources for people in all stages of life– from college kids to brand new home owners to retirees and everyone in between. And while most people know State Farm for offering car insurance, that’s not the only product they offer. Did you know that State Farm also offers life insurance too? In fact, State Farm was just rated #1 in Customer Satisfaction among Life Insurance Providers for the 5th year in row by J.D. Power*!

I’ve been a loyal State Farm customer since I was 15 years old, but I’ll be honest, I didn’t know that they had so many great products and resources available. But now that I do, I find myself visiting their site more often for overall general life planning. If you’re looking for a place to start, I recommend checking out their site www.letsstarttoday.com where you’ll find a ton of helpful budgeting tips and resources to kick-start your financial goals. The more time you take to plan and prepare, the more achievable your dreams will become.

Plans change, and life can be full of unexpected twists and turns, but I feel good knowing I’m prepared, and have a sense of well-being now that I’m intentional about doing something each and every day to bring happiness and harmony to my life.

Family– Plan for (and with) the people you love. One of my little family’s core values is sharing the love of travel together. My husband and I have been all over the world and our five-year-old son has been on 89 flights. In fact, those of you who have followed me for a while know that I’m a huge advocate of traveling and I’m firm believer in venturing out into the world in search of adventure. That’s one reason I think building up your savings is so important. I want to be able to take great vacations with my family and experience life together in a grand way! Whether it’s a local SoCal staycation or flying halfway around the world, we need to make sure we can cover the costs. Between the airfare, the hotels, the restaurants and all of the activities - it can really add up! When you save a little bit every week... that great voyage gets closer every day. Saving money can sometimes be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be as long as you’re smart about spending. Here are some great tips for how to become a frugal superstar!

Finances – Prioritize the future over the present. It isn’t often you’ll hear me advocate for thinking outside of the present moment. In fact, so much of my work is about encouraging others to enjoy right now. However, there’s an exception to every rule and when it comes to finances, the future should take priority. I’m definitely “a saver” and have been for most of my life. My family and I are all about future planning. You wouldn’t go on a long road trip without a map, right? The same concept can be applied to building a life. Take the time to identify some goals, create a budget, and come up with a detailed plan for your future. This a great way to make sure you’re taking all the necessary steps toward the retirement you’ve always wanted. For example, one of our goals is to save for a new home that we can use to bring in rental income. It’ll be a fun place to create memories, but also a solid investment. Now, that’s what I call a win-win! If you haven’t yet identified some goals and set up a budget to reach those goals, not to worry, today is a good day to start your financial plan!

Dreams – Break down big goals into small steps. I have both short term and long-term plans, but my dream is to grow my company so that it can have a lasting impact on people and encourage them to live their best creative lives. Of course, all of that can be incredibly overwhelming. So, how do I chase after this dream? I stay focused and remind myself of the important things that I can do today. What small actions can I start taking in the direction of my dreams? Once I figure those out, I make it a point to carve out time each day to get me closer. Creating your own brand and business can be a huge financial investment, but the results are so gratifying! Mapping out the path ahead and charting your progress is a great motivator and can keep you inspired. Whether your dream is to one day start your own small business, or if you already have one and you’re looking to grow it, State Farm has some great articles to help with your small business needs.

This post has covered a lot of ground in these three very different but wildly important categories. As you approach your own goals, be sure to go slowly, while having the big picture in mind. You don’t have to do it all at once or do it perfectly. When we give in to the idea that happiness is just around the corner, it takes away our power to be happy with the life that is ours right here, right now. Our thoughts and energy become too focused on the future. Bring your wishes, plans, and hopes to the front and center. Focus in on those dreams and turn them into reality one tiny step at a time. Instead of thinking about what you can’t change, hone in on the things you can actually influence and control. Start trying to cultivate a present state of happiness that lives within today, not tomorrow. Get creative. Make a vision board if you need to. Or commemorate the good moments like I did with my scrapbook page. Do what works for you. And don’t forget to put a savings plan in place so you’re financially prepared to reach your goals. Check out these budgeting tips to help find the best way that works for you so you can get your dreams in motion!

This post was sponsored advertising content by State Farm - Here to help life go right.®

*State Farm received the highest score in the J.D. Power 2014-2018 U.S. Life Insurance Study of customers’ satisfaction with their life insurance provider. For J.D. Power 2018 award information, visit jdpower.com/awards.

Stamping Fun + Teaching in TX!

There’s a first for everything and in this case, I’m so excited to announce my first ever workshop in Texas!! Just in case you didn’t know, I update the sidebar ———————-> with the latest workshops and appearances.

This is a workshop perfect for stamp beginners, experts and anyone in between. The best part? Well, it’s actually hard to pinpoint the very best, so instead I want to share a list of the top 3 reasons to attend the workshop:

It’s at the Erin Condren Flagship Store in Austin. (You may remember my little visit in this video from last year.) Not only will you have a chance to spend time learning and creating with me, you’ll also get to experience the store (it’s epic!), customize your planner, and shop for more colorful craft supplies.

The workshop is only $85 and you will receive $38 worth of swag including items from the Erin Condren x Amy Tangerine Collection: Amy Tangerine Petite Journal, Small Designer Clear Stamping Block, Designer Clear Stamp Sheet, Erin Condren Well Kept Wipes, Designer Dual-Tip Marker. If you’re a novice when it comes to stamping, you’ll walk away with the know-how and the supplies to get a healthy stamping obsession started.

Meet new friends who also have a passion for creating crafty things. One of the things that first attracted me to the crafting community was just that – the community of amazing women who were so welcoming, inspiring, and friendly. The best place to meet awesome people who could become lifelong friends is at events like these!

Sign up here - spaces are limited and I would love to see you there! Will you sign up and learn the secrets to becoming a successful stamp aficionado? If you already stamp, what’s your favorite way to use them? Be sure to let me know in the comments! Check out this video, which just launched on YouTube where I stamp in a planner and an Erin Condren Petite Journal.

Oh Darling!

The best thing about attending the Darling Magazine retreat with Alaska Airlines in Maui wasn’t the incredible weather or gorgeous scenery. Those things were definitely worthwhile, too, but it was actually the amazing sense of community I experienced while I was there that took my breath away. All the women were focused on being present and mindful in the moment, which made teaching a little workshop even more special. As always, watching people get creative and crafty while in paradise. I love seeing what people do with different products and how they choose to express themselves creatively. We used a mix of my Shine On Collection and Sunshine & Good Times. We also used the Instax Share Printer so everyone had images to include in their traveler’s notebooks. All the attendees were given a copy of Craft a Life You Love in their gift bags.

One of the most memorable moments happened after the workshop was winding down. As I was cleaning up, a gentleman came to me and thanked me for asking everyone to close their eyes and go through the mindfulness meditation. He works at the Four Seasons and thought it was wonderful to watch and witness, since he so often sees people rushing around or on their phones constantly and being distracted instead of enjoying the world around them. 

Photos by Paper Antler

Supplies: Instax Share Printer | Shine On Collection | Sunshine & Good Times Collection | Altenew Watercolors | Tombow Dual Brush Markers | Tombow Mono Adhesive

Here’s the full video of the Maui trip on my YouTube channel:

Stay Sweet!

Sometimes, the sweetest gift you can give yourself is a little extra love

Let's Start Today

This post is sponsored advertising content by State Farm®.

There’s no time like the present to set intentions and begin living the life you’ve always wanted. Sure, most people waited until the beginning of the year to make resolutions that will likely have already gone to the wayside by now. And if you’re one of those people, that is totally ok. We have all been through that. I used to make grand changes at the start of a birthday or new year as well, only to be left feeling discouraged and disappointed. Changing my outlook and the way I set my goals has allowed me to not only achieve them, but to also create a meaningful life with less stress and more hope for the future.

Looking back on the habits and practices that have helped me along a path to aligning my visions to create my best life, I have witnessed a through line that has become evident and clear. When I dove deep years ago to uncover my purpose and calling, to make the world a better place by doing what I love and embracing my creativity, I didn’t think I was quite ready to take on the huge task of immediately living on those terms because it felt like an uncharted path. It was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time... In times of introspection and through journaling, I was able to bring clarity to specific areas of my life that were truly important. I began with those areas and asked myself to honestly answer the questions that helped give direction to my creative journey. I even shared my personal and professional struggles in my self published book, Craft a Life You Love, which then got picked up by a major publisher. I developed exercises for self-care, positive mindset and the simple ability to make things happen and the evidence was shown that big goals are achievable when you put the work in.

Throughout my life, I have found that there are three areas where I need both stability and freedom to grow: 1) My family 2) My finances 3) My dreams. As long as those three things are in order, I know I’ll be able to tackle any challenges or changes that come my way. Finding harmony more-so than balance has become a priority. While all three of these categories are important, finances can be particularly tricky because everyone’s journey with money is a little different and it can be difficult to know exactly where to start. Thankfully, there are a number of awesome resources available. No matter where you are financially, it’s never too late to start setting smart, attainable goals for yourself. I recommend that you take some time to write down your dreams, plans or goals—no matter what they are—and then focus in on key areas where you need the most growth. Maybe all of this seems completely overwhelming.

I recommend looking at LetsStartToday.com for a wide variety of resources that can help you along your journey. Perhaps start with one of classes provided by State Farm, especially “Budgeting 101” if you really don’t know where to start. In the course, a State Farm agent and financial coaches even talk about how goal setting is one of the most important things you can do to get your money matters in order. You could even begin by writing down one little thing you can do to get you closer to where you would like to be.

Plans change and life can be full of unexpected twists and turns, so having these key areas in focus, and being intentional about doing something each and every day to bring happiness and harmony, gives me a sense of well-being.

I’ll dive deeper into each of these areas and share the key questions I ask myself in a blog post next month. 

This post was sponsored advertising content by State Farm - Here to help life go right.®

Very Exciting Collaboration Announcement with Erin Condren!

I’ve got nothing but love for this amazing and inspiring lady. And I am beyond thrilled to let you in on the secret we have been keeping for some time. We’ve collaborated to launch a fresh and fun debut collection of clear stamps! EEEK! Check out this little video. We cannot wait to see what you create.