A Change for the Better...My New Career

It's official...today marks the beginning of a brand new chapter in my life. Today was the day I was supposed to return to work after 11 weeks of maternity leave. But, believe it or not, today is the day I have a new role...with the title of Stay at Home Mom.
weighing the pros and cons of each scenario and deciding what was ultimately best for our family... I thought about what would make us happy and it all came back to me being home with Caroline. I bit the bullet my friends, I took the plunge, and I am not looking back.
Don't get me wrong, I have questioned my decision, "is this what I really want?" but I know in my heart there is no job more important or more fulfilling than this role I am taking on.

I was dreading calling my manager to tell her I was putting in my resignation, but when I talked to her, she let me know she not only supported my decision, but she thought I made the right choice. She had been in my situation when her children were little, and funny enough she did the same thing...she quit her job and put her career on hold to stay at home and she said it was the best thing she ever did. That was God's way of giving me confirmation and reassurance and letting me know I was doing the right thing.
The funny thing is that during my pregnancy and shortly after Caroline was born, people would ask if I wanted to stay at home to which I would say a quick "heck no!", but now that this precious angel is here, I can't fathom the idea of having someone else be with her day in and day out. Even more, I am thankful that we are at a place in our lives where I can stay at home and we can make it work. Sure, we will be going out to far less extravagant dinner dates and someone's {yes I am talking about me} shopping habits are going to change quite a bit, but these little details mean nothing in comparison to what I am going to get out of being with my baby girl everyday.
When I think about walking away from the corporate world, leaving behind my life in marketing, and saying goodbye to whirlwind deadlines and crazy stress, I am elated at the thought that my new boss is someone that depends solely on me, that smiles when I walk into the room, and that gives me more joy than I have ever known. It also means I get to wear yoga pants to "work", I get to decide our daily schedules, and I get to do the things I never had time to do before.
It means I get to take calligraphy orders again, I get to work on my business plans, I get to cook dinner more often, and I get to be a lady who lunches with friends {at baby friendly establishments of course}.

But, in staying true to myself, I have made a promise not to wear mom jeans, to take time for myself, to know there are going to be a fair share of "bad days", and that I will never ever turn into one of those crazy moms {you know the ones I am talking about, right?}. Although yes, at some point I hope to be able to volunteer at Caroline's school and be the "room mom"and get involved in the PTA. ;)
So cheers to a new endeavor, a new chapter in life, and to my days filled with this adorable ray of sunshine...

So tell me, all you other SAHMs, what advice, tips, and tricks can you give me for making this an easy transition? I obviously need ALL the help I can get!!

The Recent Stuff...

Hey there friends, and happy Wednesday! So much going on this week that I barely have time to keep up with everything, but here goes nothing...

My boss called me Monday morning to give me some fantastic news! My promotion had been approved and so I am now a Marketing Coordinator III {fancy, huh?}...so excited and thankful that I have a boss that constantly watches over our marketing team and always tries to take care of us! Working my way up the corporate ladder, slowly but surely. Now here's to hoping I can talk Jeff into letting me get a little "celebratory gift".

I got crafty the other night and painted our pumpkins finally! Paired with our fall mums, I think our front door is quite welcoming for a Happy Fall Yall ;).  And here is the inside of our formal living room...the mantle all decked out for Halloween! {yes, I used candy corn as filler for our candles, and I may have snuck a few pieces for myself--no judgment}

Bell Buckle was so much fun last weekend...we had a blast walking around, partaking in lots of tasty food, and I even managed to snag a few good bargains--2 new scarves for my already overflowing stash, homemade banana nut bread, and I bought my first Christmas present of the year for Jeff--I think it's safe to call that a successful day!

Gorgeous weather...Mom and Me

Best parents

As for the rest of this week, I have been up in arms trying to get everything in order for the party this weekend--last night, I finished food signs/labels and worked on party favors, and tonight I'll start my seemingly endless food prep for the festivities...so much to tackle before friends and family join us on Saturday.

Hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday...Igoing to get lots accomplished today so I can give into my favorite guilty pleasure tonight...Revenge! Take that, and pair it with hot chocolate and you have a perfect fall evening ;)

Mumbo Jumbo from Yours Truly

This is a post filled with a jumbo heap of mess so I apologize in advance...

1. Readers/Friends who are into all things beauty: Recently, I have noticed my hair is really dry--assuming due to the change in weather which is strange becaused it used to be oily, but now I am on the hunt for a DEEP conditioning treatment to help my locks get repaired and stay healthy... any go-to products that you've tried that are musts? I'm seeking your guidance on this one please!

2. Taylor's Top 2 Tuesday today is "Your Favorite Jobs"... well, considering I have only had a total of 5 jobs my entire life, that makes this an easy one and they're both positions I held while in college...

a) Sales Lead at the Limited--granted, I made zero dollars because I spent way more than my paycheck, but I loved playing dress up with clients and customers and working retail can really be fun, especially when you had a lively bunch like we did

b) Manager at Hot Spot Tanning--you all know my former love of tanning, and this was no exception... I got this job so that I could tan for free. It was right across from our sorority dorms so it was mostly college gals, but don't worry, we had our fair share of creepy visitors, too--gives me the willies just thinking about some of the issues we had to deal with, not to mention we practically worked for free--is that sad this was my fav job?? =)

3. Dear Verizon, please hurry up and get the iPhone. My BlackBerry needs to be retired as its seen its finer days and I am getting anxious over here to download all these unnecessary apps everyone keeps telling me about!

4. The Christmas decor is officially out for display in the house...yes, I know, I am a tad bit early, but if you saw my calendar for these next 2 weeks you'd know why. Plus, what better reason than to enjoy it for more than a month, right? Dont mind if I do. I thoroughly enjoyed my Monday night, listening to Sounds of the Season via Comcast Music and decorating the first of our trees--pictures to come soon!

5. This week, I get to live out my dream of being a baker/chef by cooking for so many events... Thanksgiving at work Friday, Candice's bday treats for Friday night, breakfast for guests on Saturday, and tailgating/football food Saturday night. Oh full recipes to follow I promise!

Until we meet again... I'm off working away in the dreary and cold rain--yucko!

Wishful Wednesday... A New Career

1) I am thankful for my wonderful job {in marketing} working with incredible people

2) Sometimes, I get so crazy-busy at work I think I may explode because I get stressed out and reach max capacity and think I might burst because my job has a tendency to be completely overwhelming

3) Isn't it nice to be able to sit and day dream about a potential new career?? Thanks Kelsey

Today's Wishful Wednesday topic:

'I wish' .... I had the opportunity to change careers and it would be to become an editor at a fashion magazine!

Yes, I am thinking along the lines of Nina Garcia or the infamous Annw Wintour

These women scream fashionista and I would kill to have the chance to walk a day in their shoes... crazy and insane at times--I can only imagine--but what an incredible career that would be to work at the likes of Vogue or Elle! And of course, I would have to live in NYC again and that would be just terrible ;)

Wishful Wednesday... Throwing it Away

This week's topic at Kelsey's blog really made me sick back and think...especially with it being so early in the morning, I am not in top form because I have yet to have my morning ritual of coffee---ahhh!

'I wish' .... I hadn't thrown away my chance
to live and work in New York City!!

I know this isn't a physical thing--persay--that I actually "tossed to the side", yet I can't help but wonder 'what if?' During my senior year of college, I had a summer internship with Young and Rubicam (Y&R to the ad world) in Manhattan--I worked on Madison Avenue in Midtown {think right around the block from Times Square, the NY Public Library/Bryant Park, etc} and lived in a cute little apartment the size of a shoe box in Brooklyn Heights--a friendly neighborhood with lots of celebrities and their families. I was an Account Management intern and then once I graduated, their VP of HR offered me the opportunity of a lifetime... to move to NYC and work as an Account Executive for one of their brands. At the time, I was involved with in a relationship and couldn't bear the thought of leaving my friends and family so I thanked them for the offer and walked away...if I have one regret in life, that's it.

BUT--on the other hand--everything happens for a reason, and if it weren't for me deciding to stay in Nashville, I may not have my wonderful fiance and our perfect 1st home and I probably would've missed out on some other pretty exciting events... friends' weddings, vacations, my job now, etc. At least I have Jeff who knows just how much I love the NY
way-of-life and promises to take me there as much as possible to get my "fix" =)

In My Former Life...

I wanted to be an interior designer... ahhhh wouldn't that have been wonderful??? Although upon entering college at UT, I was told that I'd have to take loads of architecture classes and well as advanced calculus, etc. which meant advertising seemed much more up my alley, yet still allowed me to be creative.

Now that we are in the midst of decorating our home, I am constantly looking at Southern Living, Better Homes and Gardens, Architectural Digest, and countless other websites and magazines for ideas and room inspiration. I found this article this morning on Woman's Day and I thought it was ideal for decorating on a budget:

"15 Inexpensive Home Decorating Tips"

With a bit of imagination and just a little cash, you can upgrade the look of any space in your home. Try a few of these punchy, practical ideas and brighten your rooms in no time.

1. Take a mattress on a metal frame to the next level with a new faux headboard. Paint and stencils will do the trick. Crafty tip: Pouncing (a dabbing motion used to apply stencil paint) prevents smears under the edges.

2. Create bold artwork worthy of a modern museum: Just wrap a large artist’s canvas with a patterned sheet or an eye-catching fabric remnant. Pull it tight and staple to the back of the frame.
3. Keep things versatile by covering major pieces—the couch, an armchair—in a neutral shade or plain white. Then you can add color and verve by changing out pillows and accessories rather than doing a total overhaul.
4. Find chic, unique pieces at flea markets, tag sales or surplus sales. Never been? Pros know to go early; the best pieces are sometimes gone even before the sale officially starts. This is cash and carry, so bring plenty of small bills and a strong back or cart. Have a measuring tape with you so you don’t have to pass on a great deal because you weren’t quite sure if it would fit in your space.
5. Paint a cabinet door or part of a wall with chalkboard paint to create a family message center.
6. Give old pressboard bookshelves (the kind with that fake wood-grain look that never fooled anyone), a fresh look. Cover them in self-stick paper in funky patterns or a quick coat of bright paint and add mod wall appliqués.
7. Turn a funny-looking lamp base or an odd vase into a conversation piece with a coat of flat black paint or high-gloss white paint. The look is hip, and draws attention to the piece’s shape rather than flaws like an atrocious pattern or color. Group several vases for a display with high impact and low cost.
8. Perk up a plain lamp shade with overlapping stencils in notice-me hues. DIY tip: Smaller stencil motifs are easier to hold down on a curved shade.
9. Pep up that tired chair from Grandma’s attic with a simple slipcover. Upholstered monstrosities transform into the comfiest seat in the house with large drape-and-tuck slipcovers. Hardback chairs feel dressier with new seat covers trimmed with wide grosgrain ribbons.
10. Don’t limit paint to the walls. A few quarts can give your floor a serious color boost and a touch of charm. Use a chalk line and a T-square to get perfect grids. Check a crafts store for thousands of stencils you can snag for a few bucks. Be sure to seal the deal with a protective coat of polyurethane.
11. Two words: throw rugs. Three more words: colorful, easy, cheap.
12. A small ceiling fan adds a pleasing element to a living area or bedroom. If you’re handy with a few electrical basics (or know someone who is), you can make this upgrade for under $100.
13. Puny windows are a perennial problem. Solve it with an old decorator’s trick: Hang stationary fabric panels on rods wider than the actual window frame to give the illusion of a much larger window.
14. Fill a large glass vessel (punch bowl, tall slender vase or squat pillar-candle chamber) with stones for a spa-inspired accent. Pick up pretty ones at a crafts store for less than $3 a bag, or take a walk by a lake or in the woods and pick some up for nothing.
15. Gather an armload of fallen leafy tree branches and make an instant arrangement in a sturdy vase or pitcher.

And pictures I am drooling over:

Ok really, I've got to stop googling and internet stalking all day--back to work =(

Mail Makes Me Happy

So what arrived in my mailbox at work this morning you ask??? My new customized business cards from Katherine Clark at Hello Harbor... now that I am a bride-to-be, I have had the opportunity to meet with a lot of local Nashville wedding vendors and somehow {shameless publicity aside} it has come up in conversation that I do calligraphy--with a new home office coming my way sooner than later, I am hoping to ramp up my orders so I ordered my own business cards to help get the word out.

I have already have booked 3 orders for this summer so I best be getting my desk setup so I have lots of room to work--many thanks to friends for all their support!!

Take a look at my pretty cards... oh how I love them =)

What a Day!

Wow, talk about a good Monday... I just found out not only am I getting a really good raise at work for my performance in 2009, but I am also getting a promotion!!! Neither of these were expected since my company has stressed the "economy" and all things that took a toll on everyone's pay this past year and the promotion--completely unaware that was even in the works--so I am very blessed that my boss and colleagues are rewarding me for all those long hours and busy days =)

Very exciting day in the life of Natasha- wahoo!!!

God definitely has a way of showing you everything happens on HIS time, and I am more than humbled by that. Now, back to more work--unfortunately! Hope everyone has a GREAT day

{Wishful Wednesday... Entrepreneur}

Another Wednesday means another installment of Kelsey's now infamous

Wishful Wednesday...what a fun topic this week!

'I wish' .... I had the startup funds to build that company I have always dreamt about, and it would be an

Invitation, Stationery, and Custom Gift Boutique!

I've said it repeatedly I'm sure, but this is my passion- I'm obsessed with all things paper which is why I started doing calligraphy. I stalk invitation websites on a weekly basis for topics on my other blog, Southern Paperie. I agree with Caroline about the excitement I get when I check the mail and get to open cute invitations and personalized notes {indeed a little goes a long way}. Maybe one day I will be able to pursue my dream, own a Gocco of my very own, and get to put my soon-to-be-office in the new house to work, but until then, I'll have my head in the clouds in La La Land...

{training day}

for my faithful readers out there, just wanted to let you know i am out of pocket the first half of this week in training... my wonderful company decided to send us marketing coordinators to indesign school, which i am VERY thankful for!! not only is this is the program we are switching to for our proposals, but i have a good feeling this will be used for my personal life, too! {invitations, notecard templates, labels...YAY!!}

can't wait to explore all the fun stuff-- promise to have some fun posts once i get back!!

happy tuesday! =)

{Dream BIG}

today marked my very first post on my very new blog!! what's been a big work-in-progress for me over the past month or so has finally taken on a life of it's own... i never knew that starting a side business was so time consuming so kudos to my blogging friends who have ventured out before me to try something new. i know i am going to have to be patient and pray about what is to come, but this is something i love to do and am happy i have found another creative outlet {to consume my already sparce free time}.

if any of you have the need for personalized items or calligraphy, please don't hesitate to let me know--you can contact me directly at southernpaperie{at}gmail{dot}com. i am going to take things very slowly so i don't overwhelm myself too much at first, but i am proud to say i already have my very first order (thanks Courtney!!) anyways, please feel free to check out my new {and very cute i think} blog:

http://southernpaperie.blogspot.com/

{Wishful Wednesday- Job}

this week is one of my favorites... lately, i have been extremely stressed out because of my hectic career. not one to complain--too much at least--i have just tried to suck it up and work as hard as i can to get my projects complete on time and hoping for the best. it's hard to complain when i have so much flexibility, fabulous co-workers that have turned into friends, and i get to work on some pretty exciting proposals, but everyone still has that ONE job they wish they could've pursued.

'I wish' .... I got paid $1 million a year to
run my own event planning and design firm!

now wouldn't that be a dream come true?? ahh to be able to be surrounded by invitations and paper and everything involving weddings, parties, and corporate events... that would be the life for me! maybe ONE DAY i can make it happen and just throw myself out there. by now i'm sure you all know i am obsessed with blogging and i have to admit that decor, party planning, and wedding blogs are my vice and i am addicted to blog-stalking them on a daily basis. at least i am working on my new calligraphy blog as we speak- i have the cutest design and can't wait to reveal it so i can start taking orders- YAY! stay tuned =)

have a great wednesday friends

{Do What You Love}

have you ever felt like you were missing out on something you knew you wanted to do? i am usually the type of person who sticks herself out there and has enough courage to conquer--what i think is almost anything--but i figure now is as good a time as any. i have been wanting to pursue my own part time hobby/job for some time now and just kept putting it off...either i was too busy focusing on other things, or too lazy to take the initiative to step up and make it happen. i don't know what has gotten into me all of a sudden, but i am taking the plunge and i couldn't be more thrilled.

for anyone that knows me, you have to understand that i am obsessed [and yes this is taking it lightly] with everything personalized... in school growing up, i was the girl who had doodles all over her notebook and changed her handwriting frequently just because i needed a "change". i was the sorority sister in college who decorated and paint-penned all of her friend's little sis gifts during reveal week when we surprised them with handmade goodies. and now i seem to have transformed into the young woman who started doing calligraphy for each of her friends as they embark on new and exciting adventures in their life... whether it be for weddings and parties, or events for babies and children.

i am starting my own Etsy shop and am in the beginning stages of designing my brand new blog to display all my work... i hope you'll continue to read as i continue to blog about "a day in my life", and stay tuned for more fun as i change direction a bit and follow my heart!

Series Post No. 5 {Work Hard, Play Hard}

We are habitually--and unfortunately--stuck in the mundane routine of an 8 to 5 work schedule (wait: I thought it was supposed to be 9 to 5-- when did they make the rule we had to work longer- hmmmm) Monday through Friday, so why not make the best of it, right?

Another post of some of my favorite quotes dealing with the career-oriented lifestyle... it may not always be glamorous, but some days I actually get to work on creative assignments and I shouldn't complain. I am blessed with a fantastic position, fantastic women who keep me sane and entertained, and a boss in Denver that is extremely supportive =)

Happy Wednesday Friends!!

{My Home Away from Home}

While perusing some of my favorite blogs, I noticed a lot of people post about their offices, where they work, etc. and so I had myself a little photoshoot the other day so you could see where I spend the majority of my day...

Welcome!! I am very lucky to have an actual
office, unlike most corporate offices nowadays
(FYI: Sorry for the bad lighting)

My Favorite Wall-- can you tell how proud I am of my degree?? GO VOLS!

How I Stay Organized! **Notice the Countdown =)

My Neatly Organized Desk

Nothing too special I assume, but pictures of my family and friends and personal touches here and there make coming to work a lot easier somedays... well, that and the coffee!!

Enjoy the weekend and hope yours is going to be just as relaxing as mine =)