I found the most beautiful tree a few days ago on the way into the office. It was a must for me to stop and get a few snaps. I spent the past few years rushing from one thing to the next and completely overloading my schedule. When you are a full time mother, employee and spend time with your family, you realize how little time you actually get to yourself. I love being a mother so much and definitely wouldn't trade it for the world, but as I get more mature in my parenting I realize it's important to take 5 minutes to regroup sometimes. Whether it's a bath after you put your little one to bed, or getting up 15 minutes early to do some spiritual reading or reflection before spending time with your family - a little goes a long way.

One of the reasons I started a blog was because I've always needed a creative outlet. Whether it's sewing a coat (yep, before having a kiddo - I spent an entire weekend making a cream colored coat), or painting with acrylics - I've enjoyed taking the time to write, craft, sew and create. Blogging is a lot like those tasks. It really pushes me to write content, edit photographs, play with styling and get into that creative mindset. The biggest thing I've learned from blogging is to just get started. There is something really uplifting about being a part of a process over time. As much as I think there is a ton of room for improvement (and I'm constantly learning), it's rewarding to see an idea come to life and be able to share it with the rest of the world.

A few things I've found helpful about getting your blog together include:

Platform - Find a platform that is easy for you to upload pictures, create content, edit and style. I went through several platforms to include Tumblr, Blogger, and finally landed on Square Space. I like this one the best, because it's easy to import from your previous sites and easy to manipulate since it's a module system.
Photographs - People like pictures. Many people are visual. A picture is worth a thousand words. When you are working on your photographs, I've found two things to be key to a good picture: lighting and aperture. There is a ton of content on the web and Pinterest on these two topics, but they are the difference in my average pictures or horrible pictures and my really eye catching ones.
Content - Write from your heart. When it's real, people actually relate to it. This is my favorite part about blogging. I love to write and this allows me to share ideas, values and experiences in a unique way. Start small with a paragraph or two and just build it over time.

My biggest tip of all is to just get started! You'll learn so much over time and it really does take trial and error to see what works best for you. I look to some of the pro bloggers for a lot of my inspiration, but at the end of the day it's about the message I want to put out to the world. I take time every week to put my ideas down on a notebook and then come up with ways to share it. Sometimes, it involves fun outings with my number one priority - my daughter. In fact, many of our activity ideas spurred from a bucket list for the blog. This site isn't just about which outfits I wear, it's so much deeper than that. It's about creating memories and experiences that make up a lifetime. I truly hope that you guys find it inspiring, fun and real. Thank you so much for following along on this journey - it means the most to me!

Now, let's chat about this look for today. Since I'm in Texas, cold weather really doesn't happen till later this year and into the early parts of next year. I'm trying as much as I can to embrace Fall-ish looks and plaid is such a great pattern for this time of year. I love the cooler months when I can pull out my favorite Burberry scarf that was given to me over a decade ago! It is truly a classic piece. I wore it with a beautiful vintage skirt, classic cap toes and a structured bag. The deep wine colored hat is really a color that's been all over the fashion runway this year. I usually don't wear this particular shade of red, but found that it played nicely with the pattern on my skirt and scarf. Don't be afraid to mix patterns! It's a fun way to add a twist to a classic look. I've found several items below like scarves for under $20 and satchels for under $100. Hope you enjoy!

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Mad for Plaid