Blog of the Month: Ruby Tuesday Matthews

I love following some of my favorite bloggers not only on their blogs and Instagram, but also on their Snapchat accounts. You get an entirely new insight on their daily lives and what they are really like. Ruby of Ruby Tuesday Matthews is one of those people. We are obsessed with her style, gorgeous photography, effortless fashion sense, and when watching her on Snapchat, you can't help but think we should all just be best friends IRL! ;)
Ruby is an Australian blogger and mother to an adorable son named Rocket (how cute is that name?!). Between her Aussie accent, her bubbly personality, and watching her juggle all aspects of her life, you can't help wanting to see more of her. She keeps it super real and talks all about motherhood on her snap, which we love. 
Check out a few of our favorite photos from her blog below:

Who are some of your favorite bloggers? Any Snapchat accounts we should be following that you can't live without? 

Blog of the Month: Angela Marie Made

We recently stumbled upon Angela's blog, and although she doesn't post regularly, we are loving her home decor and DIY ideas! Her projects are easy to follow and it's got us drooling over her shabby chic style. I kid you not when I say, I pretty much want everything she has blogged about in my home. She really has a great eye!
Angela describes herself as "pretty much addicted to learning new creative skills" which we can totally relate to and respect. She also has her own Etsy shop where you can pick up home decor and printable art downloads. I spy a few prints I'll be picking up!

What blogs do you read for home decor and DIY inspo? 

Blog of the Month

Sometimes you just come across one of those bloggers who you know you would instantly bond with in real life. The fact that "crazy dog lady" is used to describe her personality is enough in itself but add in the gorgeous outfit posts, fun DIY's and colorful imagery and you can't help but think, this is squad goals. 
Hannah of Champagne Lifestyle is our latest #WCW because her photos always feel fresh and playful, making her blog and IG posts a don't miss in our regular scrolling :) Not only does she have great style but she proves you don't have to break the bank to live a full life in either of her worlds, whether it's the fashion side or the colorful one of interior design. 
Here are just a few examples of why Hannah's content always makes us smile:

Seriously, how much fun is her style? When one person can expertly channel boho chic, retro mod and contemporary trends, it's impressive and inspirational. Contrary to many other aspects of life (career, status, politics), fashion doesn't require you to claim a style or era when it comes to your clothes...we are free to be chameleons and change it up as often as we'd like which is sort of the best part. 

And P.S. we envy anyone who can pull of side swept bangs like this. Effortless and flirty, we love!

Fellow girl bosses - Which bloggers are part of your daily reading?  What makes them stand out?

Blog of the Month: Holl & Lane Magazine

We started following Sarah a few years back when she was pursuing similar passions of sharing fashion and lifestyle content. Not to mention, she had a great closet on Because I Shop Too Much that we were often perusing (and we thank her for that support!) 

Fast forward a few years and she has made a transition from blogger to magazine editor which has been fun for us to watch and you can tell she has carried over a lot of the skills she gained through blogging. With that said, our September blogger of the month feature is a bit unique but focused on a person and idea we think you'll really enjoy...

Holl & Lane is a digital magazine focused on bringing you the stories that make up our lives. With topics ranging from style, interior design, business, family, travel, and life tales, the magazine encompasses all facets of life. Aspirational, approachable, and real, Holl & Lane desires to make your stories heard, while feeling like you are talking to your best friend.

We recently chatted with Sarah about her new venture...Here's what she had to say:

 1) Why did you decide to leave the world of fashion blogging?

Once I had my son, the focus of my blog shifted from fashion to lifestyle. And that's not to say that I didn't love fashion anymore or that I was suddenly dressing in sweatpants all the time. I still love clothes and love to dress nicely. I just didn't have time to do outfit photos anymore- or actually, I didn't want to spend my time doing them is the more honest answer. I work full time and during the week I only get a couple of hours to spend with my son in between getting home from work/daycare and him going to bed. So I wanted to spend those hours with him, not focused on getting a perfect outfit shot. I also never quite liked being in front of the camera.  I'd much rather be behind the scenes snapping photos (as evidenced by my Instagram).

2) What would you say that is the biggest challenge of blogging?

Trying to be consistent when you are feeling overwhelmed.  It seems the key to "making it big" as a blogger is always consistency so that your readers know what to expect. Over time, it can begin to feel like a chore if you're not careful. I truly love to write, but there are days where I don't have anything to say or where I have too much going on to sit down and write. And other days I just don't want to share anything more about my life. So on those days, I felt pressured to put up a post so that my readers would have something new. I came to realize that my loyal readers didn't care if I blogged five days a week, or two. They'd still be around.

3) Where did you come up with the idea for Holl & Lane? What inspired you?

I've wanted to work at a magazine since the time I was very, very young. As I mentioned, I love to write so I initially went to college for journalism but quickly changed my major to fashion when I got scared.  didn't want to move to NYC and work the hours that most do at a publication. So, it got put on the back burner. And then a few years ago, the thought entered my mind of beginning my own magazine but because I had no idea how to do that, it kept getting put off.  

This year I decided to finally do something about it. I had an idea of what I wanted the magazine to be, and I figured everything else I'd learn along the way. The heart of Holl & Lane are stories. The most frequent comment I received through blogging has always been that people appreciate my honesty and that I'm willing to talk about things that others don't. I wanted to bring that to H&L in a bigger way. I wanted to give people a chance to see that they're not alone. But I always wanted to invoke fun and adventure into the magazine with the other features- such as style and beauty, interiors, and travel.  

4) How has your blogging experience helped you with your new venture?

The biggest way blogging has helped is through the network of people I "know".  Each member of the Holl & Lane team, except one, I had gotten to know through blogging and when they volunteered to work on the magazine I knew I could count on them because of that. It's also opened up a world of contributors because of the relationships I've developed. Plus, the blogging family I've connected with is also willing to help me promote the magazine which is completely invaluable.

5) What do you hope people take away from Holl & Lane? What is your message? 

I hope that people realize that they're not alone, no matter what they're going through. I hope that they read a story that connects to their heart and think that they'll too get through whatever situation they're in. We've had stories on PTSD, being a teen mom, life as a military wife, postpartum depression, cultural identity, a mother's disappearance, and weight loss surgery. Coming up next year we have stories on miscarriages, being a single mom of four, addiction and eating disorders, life after breast cancer, divorce at age 30 and so much more. I'm so proud of our stories and I'm so humbled that women are allowing me to tell them.  These are brave women who are opening up and sharing some of the hardest times of their lives and so I hope others will recognize that, appreciate it, and be a little more open about their own struggles. Each time we open up, we help someone else and that's the message I want to get across.

6) What is your greatest achievement outside of the magazine?

This may sound cliche, but in my personal life, it's my son.  He is a truly amazing tiny human and to see how healthy, happy and pleasant he is... makes me feel like I'm doing something right in my life. In my professional life, I'm most proud of how I've managed to balance being a mom and wife with working full time, running the magazine, being a blogger and doing freelance graphic design. My life is never dull and is often overwhelming but I'm doing so many things I love that I've never been happier.

Do you read any digital magazines on a daily basis? 

What bloggers/writers inspire you?

Blog of the Month

Our June blogger of the month is slightly out of the box from our regular selections - instead of spending time shooting her own outfits and lifestyle content, she dedicates her time to capturing the beauty of others. Whether it's portraits, weddings, recipes or her dog who wins the cutest ever award (just pretend you didn't hear that, Fitz), Cassandra's photography captures our eye on a daily basis so we felt compelled to further share her talent with the world.

Here is a taste of her beautiful work...clearly we had to start out with the pooch, he's too much!

Did you go to school to study photography? How did you get started?

I didn't, actually! It sort of just fell into my lap, if you will. I was living in Colorado back in 2010, and was feeling a little bored with my corporate job. I had always had an interest in photography, and was encouraged by my parents at a young age to keep playing around with it. So, being the impulsive person that I am ;) I went out and bought myself a nice DSLR and taught myself anything and everything about the subject. I even forced my friends to model for me so I could practice beyond landscapes.  Fast forward almost a year later - I quit my corporate job, moved back to Chicago, set up an LLC, registered for a Tax ID number and built myself a website. So crazy how life works out. 

What is your favorite and least favorite part of your job?

My least favorite part of my job is by far the nitty gritty of small business taxes (estimated quarterly taxes are just the pits), the pressure that us entrepreneurs put on ourselves to be perfect, and mastering the work/life balance. It's near impossible for me, and it's something I'm constantly working on. 

My favorite part is the flexibility. There is truly nothing like being able to create your own schedule. I always say that I will forever be grateful for the ability to have been able to take care of my dad the last 2 years of his life, and to have been able to be there with him for the week before he passed. Had I worked in corporate, I just don't know if I would have had that opportunity. It's not lost on me how lucky I am. Also - clients who turn into friends. It really sweetens the deal when that happens ;)

Any secret photography hacks you can share for us always aspiring to take better photos?

Follow your gut.  Photograph what YOU see, not what you think others want to see.  The only way you can stand apart from others and really make your photography something to look at, is if it's from your point of view.  Look for the beauty in everything. It's there. 

Who is the #1 person dead or alive you would love to photograph? Bucket list talk, here.

Ohhh! This question is hard! I really admire and love Olivia Wilde, so I may have to say her. She has such beautiful, unique features, and I'd LOVE to be able to pick her brain during our session. Such a smart, strong woman. Oh, and remember when I said that sometimes clients turn into friends...? Yeah, that would be the end goal ;) 

You’re definitely a #GIRLBOSS in our eyes…

Do you have any advice for future entrepreneurs?

What an honor. #girlboss has such a lovely ring to it! 

My advice for future entrepreneurs is to dive ALL in. There is never going to be a "perfect" moment to take this scary leap, but I promise you, even through the financial struggles, the "no thank you's" and the failures (because those will all present themselves) you are doing something really BRAVE and AMAZING that not a lot of people have the guts to do.  Keep going.  If you truly love what you do, failure is just a building block for really beautiful things to come.  One life, babes. One life. Make it worth living. 

Who are your favorite bloggers or entrepreneurs? 

Let us know who we should add to our list! ;)