So to tide you over until I can get to the many many many photos I have to share from Iceland, here are some iPhone snaps.
Just a few of my favorites.
(Of course if you follow me on Instagram a few of these will be repeats... Sorry!)
They're sorta-kinda-mostly in chronological order.
Because sometimes when you're shooting a wedding you need to test out that golden hour light.
And because you just have really gorgeous friends.
xo
Came across this post recently, and realized I'd been making similar ones again so I decided to share some.
Because I can't stop making them. And they should at least be good enough for some sort of amusement other than my own.
Talents I Want To Acquire
Running more than 3 miles
Running 3 miles without feeling like I'm dying
(^I wrote that before I ran the 10k in March. So we can cross this off. Although, maybe not the feeling like I'm dying part. Still actually kinda working on that.)
Picking better things to add to my Netflix cue
Picking out good bath mats
Being able to tell someone it's going to be okay without discrediting their feelings or situation
Loving people more unconditionally
Unicycling
Be able to pack more efficiently/completely in a carry on
The ability to cook chicken
Packing for a trip not 4 hours before I have to leave for it
Talents I Have Acquired
Being able to laugh at myself
Buying plane tickets for a good deal
Being somewhere once and being able to get back to it from memory
Sticking up for myself and not taking peoples shennanigans
Making really good fried eggs
Screen shotting maps and navigating accordingly
Liking Mushrooms
Being unaplogetically myself
The ability to consistently drink coffee black
Disregarding no trespassing signs.
Things I Wish I Liked But Don't Really Until I'm Actually Doing Them
Talking on the phone
Keeping up with my accounting
Cooking
Showering
Facebook
Listening to
Weird Things I Do In Public/Things I Do That Are Maybe Not Really Socially Acceptable
Grocery shopping with my head phones in and dancing in the produce section
Lying in the grass in random places
Talk to myself
Wear overalls
Skip
Walk around barefoot
Say mean things to cats
Ignore 98% of my Facebook friend requests
Dancing spontaneously when there's not music playing
Dancing spontaneously when there's music playing
Things I Kind of Don't Really Care About
Being able to taste the difference between a $4 bottle of wine and a $30 bottle of wine
Viral youtube videos
Spending more than 10 minutes on my hair
Chocolate
Nice cars
Starbucks
Keeping up with the Kardashians
Things I Want To Make More Time For
Playing ukulele
Learning french
Reading non online things
Watching 90s shows
Spontaneous coffee dates
Sleeping
*these lists are also subject to change
My favorite house in Reykjavik via Instagram
Iceland.
A land full of myths and mystery and wonder. Oh how my heart almost burst at the thrill of being in that magical country.
It's so bittersweet to be home, as is always the case after any venture of mine.
But I feel especially so after this one. Iceland captured my heart in a way that it hasn't been captured before and I'm not sure it's ever going to fully be freed.
I told more than one person that if it weren't for the people I loved waiting at home for me, I just might have stayed and not come back.
I'm sitting here at home on this dreary and gray Monday (weather I actually am quite fond of and something I missed while in Iceland, as we didn't see much of it during our stay) and listening to some of the Icelandic music I picked up during my trip. It feels so crazy that I was in such a different environment and space just a day or two ago. I always have a little bit of culture shock, if you will, when I return home from my travels. It's a little jarring to all of a sudden be back home and pushed back into your normal day to day after being in such a different time and place (jet lag aside), experiencing otherworldly things so outside of your norm mere hours before. I sometimes wonder though if that's just the affect of 21st century travel. The ability to be on the other side of the world, in a place completely different than your normal surroundings, is possible within just a few hours by hopping on a plane and flying there. I wonder if, back in the day, when you had to travel by ship or train or even horse and buggy, if your culture shock was lessened by the gradual transition back into your normal surroundings. The switch from cultures and experiences not as drastic in their slow reversal.
Maybe that's a rabbit trail for a different day...
Anyway.
The dream of visiting Iceland being realized gave me nothing short of that pinch-me-is-this-really-happening feeling pretty much the whole time I was there. I frequently found myself setting aside my phone, or my camera and just taking in my surroundings and trying to experience them as fully as I could without the help of technology or any documentation.
It took me off guard in so many wonderful ways. The varying landscapes, the people, the food, the language, the wool...
I filled up about 70gbs of memory cards documenting my wonder and adoration (I mean I didn't set my camera aside the whole time). So there will be lots of photos coming your way as well as a video (if I can get my act together to edit the footage).
However, in the meantime, I have some work to catch up on.
But I'm surrounded by lots of new Icelandic wool, some pretty magazine and newspaper clippings and post cards on my walls, a few snacks still left from Bonus, photos awaiting editing on my desk top, and some new music to fill my ears.
So going back to my normal routine and work day today isn't quite so bad after all.
I very much feel as if I'm achieving this dream currently actually.
And so I feel pretty content right now.
My lovely and dear friend Ashley of Rosewood Clothing Co. is being featured over on State x State today! As am I, as it so happens, with my photos of her as well as having The Traveling Scarf being featured in her gift guide!
She's the bees knees though and deserves the spotlight for sure.
So go head on over and read Ashley's Q&A, her top recommendations for RVA and her Gift Guide which also features a few other Richmond makers.
If you live in Richmond or are coming to visit anytime soon, go say hi to her at the shop located on 16 W Broad and open Monday-Friday 12-7 and Saturday-Sunday 11-6.
Tell her I sent you.
xo
I thought that this place, while it's not the most recent I've ventured to but definitely my favorite urbexed location thus far, would be the perfect post to kick off a new series I'm introducing on the blog.
The Urbexing Diaries.
What in the world is Urbexing? Essentially it stands for urban exploring. Primarily of places and buildings that are abandoned and have been left behind and long forgotten.
A while back, in an attempt to collectively document all of my instagram posts of my urbexing adventures, I came up with the hashtag: #theurbexingdiaries
But I haven't just been taking *iphone snaps of these escapades and so I decided to start a series here on the blog for all of my digital images as well.
I'll probably have a more in depth post at some point about urbexing and how it works/why I do it, but for now...
This breathtaking plantation home will always be my favorite place that I've urbexed I think.
Even though it's popularity is growing and the magic and mystery of it somewhat diminishes with each new photograph taken and published of it, it's still an incredibly beautiful and striking place that you just can't help but fall in love with and want to be able to capture.
Even despite it's foreboding and almost haunting existence.
When I first saw it in real life, after having seen so many photos of it, it gave my heart a little jump start to be in the presence of it.
The photos truly do not do it justice.
Meagan, my adventure soulmate, also has her post up on her blog from this day as well which you can see here.
Oh and Eleanor? That's what we named it.
Because we name all of our abandoned places.
So as to ensure and commemorate their place in our hearts and protection of their whereabouts.
And because, as is always the urbexing code, we take nothing but photographs and leave nothing but footprints.
*There are also iphone snaps of Eleanor here
Disclaimer: You are about to see more photos of the Golden Gate Bridge then you maybe ever wanted to see.
While this post summed up most of my sentiment in visiting this auspicious west coast city, I wanted to do a bit more of an in depth post on it to go along with the photos I'm finally getting around to sharing.
San Francisco was a trip that involved quite a bit of self discovery for me. It was the first overnight trip that I've taken where I was alone, truly alone. I wasn't going to meet up with anyone I knew, I wasn't staying with anyone I knew, I wasn't traveling with anyone I knew.
It was just me.
This left for a lot of time for self reflection and time to think about various things going on in my life, something I very much needed at the time.
In fact a piece from this post by Kylie over at The Flybird has stuck with me ever since reading it and reflected my feelings about this trip quite accurately. She asked her friend Kate what she liked about being alone and she responded by saying:
"I like that it makes me feel independent and strong. I become super alert and observant, and all my senses are heightened."
I love that.
That is exactly how I feel when I'm alone sometimes, but most definitely when I'm traveling.
A sense of heightened-ness.
I think that when you travel alone you're more open to adventures and people and experiences that you would otherwise miss and be distracted from if you were with another person.
That thought is essentially why I love traveling by myself more often than not.
Anyway, I'd been to California before this trip, but I didn't get to see San Francisco and vowed that the next time I went I wouldn't miss out on visiting the revered city. And so, despite the fact that my initial first stop in Laguna Beach was about half a day away, I was determined to make it happen.
So I threw some bare essentials (namely underwear and extra film and camera batteries) into my Madewell Transport Tote (which I got during my first trip to California and which I've used pretty much every day ever since), grabbed The Adventure Hat, got dropped off at the station by these lovely people and took a bus/train/bus combo that made the scenic journey up the coast to the city I'd been wanting to see for so long.
I was going to use Air BnB (If you don't know what it is, sign up and use it! It's a traveller's best friend. And if you go through my link you'll get $25 off your first stay somewhere!) but then a friend of a friend let me stay in her apartment while she was away (you rock Rebecca!)
People blow me away with their generosity sometimes I swear.
After dropping off some of my things (all of which I'd managed to pack in my Madewell tote I might add. I'm a chronic over packer so I was pretty proud of myself for accomplishing this) and taking some screen shots of some maps so as to conserve battery life on my phone, I headed out to walk to the Golden Gate Bridge.
I unknowingly ended up on the California Coastal Trail which made my 10 mile round trip trek so so enjoyable. I mean, I love walking anyway, but the overlooks and scenery on this trail were amazing. I highly recommend it if you ever plan to visit San Fran.
Side note: Birkenstocks are literally the most comfortable shoes my feet have ever met. And, broken toe aside, (which I didn't know was broken at the time... run in with a rock in the pacific ocean earlier in the week...) my feet didn't blister or even feel all that sore despite my walking over 20 miles that weekend.
That first sight of the Golden Gate Bridge (which is depicted in the very first photo of it below) caught me off guard as I rounded the corner as I wasn't expecting it. It was amazing. And because I was mostly alone on the trail for the better part of the day, it was a small little experience that seemed like it was made just for me. It was well worth the wait and build up of dreaming about seeing it for so long.
I listened to my favorite songs as I walked across the bridge (yes, I walked all the way across. Of course), stopped for a break to knit and rest my toe, and took photos in the meager attempt to capture the feelings and emotions of wonder I felt at being on such a beautiful piece of US history.
I reached the other side at sunset, so I didn't have time to venture much farther as I didn't want to walk all the way back home in the dark and get back to where I was staying too late.
I ended the night with Pizza (which wasn't the best pizza I'd ever had or anything, but definitely a fun and enjoyable experience) donuts at All Star Donuts and then a stop into this irish pub (of which I didn't get a photo of until the next day), which led me to meet quite a few entertaining irishmen (and women).
All in all it was a day I knew I would remember for a very very long time. And while seemingly simple and nothing too extraordinary, it was a day that encompassed a lot of importance for me.
I guess it all goes back to that sentiment of overall feeling heightened.
Part two coming soon...
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Places Pictured
California Coastal Trail
Lobos Creek Valley
Pacific Overlook
The Golden Gate Bridge
Lone Sailor Memorial
The Abbey Tavern
Pizza Orgasmica & Brewing Co
Dreamers & Makers Are My Favorite People. Saw this on my friend Siobhan's blog the other day and I loved watching it. I love it's sentiment and message and on top of that, the sounds of Iron and Wine hold special memories for me. Of being in New Mexico a handful of years ago and the small beginnings of big dreams and plans.
It's a lovely video, give it a watch.
This chart and post about Creative Routines is fascinating. It also makes you think about how exactly you spend your day, something I've been doing quite a lot of lately (more on that in a future post).
This outfit
Things That Scare Me. I actually really loved the idea behind this post. To be open and vulnerable is a hard thing in this day and age with our constant obsession with looking like we have it all together.
This podcast episode of Woolful. Woolful is one of my favorite podcasts and a must listen for any fiber obsessed creative. I've been a little behind in keeping up with it, but I so loved listening to this episode earlier this week and it left me so motivated and inspired. Especially after the segment with Mary Ann Moodie because I've been dappling in weaving a bit here and there since the summer and I really want to get back into it again.
This room and this one too
But mostly these words
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See more Friday Favorites posts here
Photo Cred: Meagan Abell
I read this post last week on worthiness vs. busyness and it spurred some thoughts I had on the subject of separating your business and personal life and unplugging from time to time. Primarily in regards to your email inbox.
While I would love to be able to remove my email from my phone, as Nicole talks about, I really can't afford to. I'm away from the computer/traveling so much and I frequently have to be able to check it and communicate with clients or reference info on a shop order etc. while I'm on the go.
However, I don't have it notify me every time I get an email.
That would literally drive me insane... I don't understand how some people can live like that! I understand for certain important emails, but for every time you get an email...? The same applies for Instagram/Facebook/Twitter notifications. If I were notified every time something happened on any of my social media... my gosh I would never not be attached to my phone, it's bad enough as it is!
Although after reading the post, I did move my email app from the prominant bottom placement on the home screen of my phone, to the very last page. So now it is a little more out of site/out of mind and it's not so easy to just unlock my phone and tap it. Now it takes a little more invovlement and makes me think about it and check myself, so I'm not just mindlessly checking and refreshing email when I should be focusing on other tasks.
Emails and keeping up with them, as a whole, has been a lot more manageable and less stressful ever since rebranding though I have to say. This is largely due to the fact that I got a new business email as well as a nice and organized way for people to contact me.
I used to have my old business emails just forward to my personal/main gmail account, but now I have it as a seperate account completely so that I am better able to seperate business vs. personal life.
Turning off and relaxing and taking a break from work when I need to is something I struggle with. Mainly because I primarily work from home and so work is, literally, around me all the time. But now when I'm checking my personal email at 11pm at night for that correspondence I have with a far away friend (or, let's be honest, the thread with my brother that's all about Taylor Swift youtube videos) I won't see the custom order inquiries and photography questions and other business related emails.
Because I'm incapable of reading those without going on long rabbit trails of work that, don't get me wrong, I love, but I have to end the work day sometime... Otherwise I will be up until 3am trying to answer emails that can wait until the next morning.
For similar reasons I actually don't have the Facebook Messenger app on my phone.
In a world where we are constantly plugged in, connected, on, and going going going, you have to create as many boundaries as you can get!
You also have to remember that your email isn't your to do list, it's everyone else's.
So prioritize times for checking and attending to it, but don't waste your time by checking it all day every day. Because you can waste so much time doing that!
^This is still something I have a hard time doing myself, but I'm working on it.
I also recently discovered the wonders of actually utilizing the archive feature on Gmail.
My inbox has never looked better!
Now I can actually see the emails I need to attend to vs. the piles and piles of stagnant ones that aren't neccessarily active, but ones I can't delete.
Phew. That was a long tangent, but you get the idea!
What works for you in regards to keeping up with your emails?
Any tips/tricks?
I'd love to hear!
Calling all creatives/makers/designers/business owners!
I'm going to be taking some different artist's pieces with me to Iceland to photograph and promote and do some styled shoots with while I'm on my travels!
I'll be giving some Instagram shout outs and you'll be included in some blog posts when I return. Plus, you'll be able to use the photos as you like afterwards (and, I mean... you'll be able to say your work has been to Iceland ;) )!
If you'd like to collaborate, shoot me an email: agirlnamedleney@gmail.com
I'll be taking submissions and inquires until the 27th because I'll be leaving the 29th!
xo
