Our Style Stories

Jayme and Allie are co-owners of Yeti and the Beast and housemates in the coolest arts and crafts home (did you see their Style Story?). They blew me away with their insights when we sat down to record today's podcast. To summarize, we touched on business partnerships and how to make the most of them, honesty and flexibility in regards to your work, the creative process, #anthrowindows, stress as a type of creative rut (and how to work your way out of it), inspiration and why you shouldn't be looking to fellow creatives in your industry, "kid temp" and oh so much more!

Here are a few quotes from our chat:

On style...

Jayme, "I don't feel the same everyday so I don't dress the same and I don't style the same everyday."

Allie, "I'm not a 'set' person. I don't think I have two things that match!"

On creative work...

Allie, "Coming from design school, we've learned not to fall in love with our own work... It's better to be flexible and open to suggestions."

Jayme, "There's always a chance for things to be made better!"

Allie, "We have to be honest with ourselves. We're still figuring that out too... playing to our strengths and really taking advantage of the differences between [us]."

Podcast references:

• Micah Player
• Land of Nod
• Charley Harper
• Jessica Hische
• #anthrowindows
• Bonnee Sharp of Studio Bon Textiles
• Madewell
• Paige Denim
• Beltracchi on Netflix
• What Happened, Miss Simone? on Netflix
• A Chef's Life on PBS
• The Other Side of Style blog series

And be sure to check out Jayme and Allie's portfolio of work at Yetiandthebeast.com and on Instagram @yetiandthebeast.

Ok, who's ready for a little style Q & A?

Today, I published the second episode of my new Style Questions series. In it, I'm riffing on a few design questions that some of you submitted (don't forget, you can send me questions too using the prompt on the right side of this page). Hopefully I've presented some creative solutions to your design dilemmas.

SHOW NOTES

Question #1:

from Mary Evelyn - How do you keep a home looking fresh and stylish without investing in large purchases or home projects?

REFERENCE -

Plant Baskets - HomeGoods

Curtains - Target, World Market, Urban Outfitters

Wall Decals - Walls Need Love

Question #2:

from Lacey - Rugs! Any tips here, I always struggle with shape, color, size, etc.

REFERENCE -

Large Rug Examples - 1, 2, 3

Small Rug Examples - 1, 2, 3, 4

Question #3:

from Anastasia - What do you recommend in terms of arranging multiple smaller area rugs in one given space?

REFERENCE -

Layered Rug Examples - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Today's conversation comes as a perfect follow-up to my Conscious Gifting Guide from last week. It's becoming a well-known fact that "fast fashion" has a tragically negative affect on the people that are employed to produce the items. Carly is tackling this problem head on with her fashion company Tribe Alive by adopting a socially responsible business model. In her opinion, doing business in such a manner is nothing extraordinary, or at least she feels it shouldn't be. Rather, it's just the right thing to do.

In the course of our conversation, Carly and I discussed everything from her morning routine to her style icons and creative influences and her journey from visual designer at J. Crew to becoming the founder of a company that's, if not extraordinary, truly inspiring and significant!

Today's post has been a looong time coming. Since it's inception, the podcast has always played second fiddle to the blog for a variety of reasons but primarily because audio is not my area of expertise. But now that I've established a fairly solid rhythm on the blog, I'm finally ready to step up my game on the podcast. And today is the day!

As part of my improvement of the podcast, I asked for your style questions and today I'm answering the first few of them. Below, you'll find the four questions I answered in the show and the links I referenced in response to each question.

As an added bonus, you can find me on the Style Matters podcast today. Karen June and Zandra interviewed for what is quickly becoming one of my favorite shows all about style.

Question #1:

Do my shoes and purse have to match? My shoes and belt too?

REFERENCE -

My Pinterest board on "Fashion".

Question #2:

How do you make nursery decor grown-up-friendly for a master bedroom/nursery combo?

REFERENCE -

Reading My Tea Leaves

Mother Mag

Question #3:

When decorating a the kitchen, how do you make it stylish yet still functional?

REFERENCE -

World Market

Question #3:

Any tips on fashion flats for businesswomen? It’s hard not to feel frumpy especially when you’re on the shorter side!

REFERENCE -

Asos

Everlane

And don't forget to send me YOUR questions!!

Kelly Christine Sutton is a photographer, film-maker, plant whisperer and rainbow decorator. In her words, her style is colorful and spontaneous. If you've seen her Style Story, I'm sure you're dying to hear the rest of her story! Today we're chatting about her creative impulses and stylish preferences.

I've changed up my usual questions for some new, more style focused inquiries. You'll learn about Kelly's personal style from all angles... fashion, home, morning rituals, creative career, travel, music, dining and more!

Podcast reference links:

• VeeCaravan (& Christine's Style Story!)
• Kelly Christine Photo
• Kelly Christine Films
• First Monday Canton
• Karen Musgraves
• El Come
• Cane Rosso
• Brett Dennen

Kelly sells prints of her photographs online and we've arranged A SPECIAL GIVEAWAY for Our Style Stories' readers - your choice of an 8 x 12 print from Kelly's collection!! Her photos are so wonderfully interesting and colorful. To enter, hop over to our Instagram accounts HERE and HERE where you'll find entry instructions. (Basically, follow both of our accounts and then leave a comment confirming your entry.)

The entry period will close on Saturday, Oct. 10th, at 12:00am and a winner will be announced on Monday, Oct. 12th.

In addition to her shop, Kelly is offering limited time Family Small Shoot sessions in Dallas, Houston and Nashville for very reasonable rates! She'll come to your home and capture such sweet, precious moments with you and your family. For dates, rates and details, visit HERE.

Brooke Fish, the co-founder and crafter behind the baby product company Fresh Bib, takes me through her journey from fashion student to corporate employee, stay-at-home mother and finally product designer and entrepreneur. She shares some of the struggles and lessons that she and her husband Adam have learned along the way as well as her favorite four letter word and how to make a lot out of a little by shopping second hand.

As a special gift for all Our Style Stories listeners, Brooke is offering a giveaway for one month's subscription to their monthly Fresh Box, which will be curated for September in a vintage theme by Brooke herself!

Visit OurStyleStories.com/freshbibgiveaway for details on how to enter.

Take away quote:

"You have to be careful not to compare your insides with everybody else's outsides."

Podcast reference links:

• Todd Oldham
• Todd Oldham for Target
• Kid Made Modern
• Fossil
• Tandy Leather
• Pure and Noble
• Bloesem Blogs
• Fresh Bib
• Foot Cardigan
• Melanie and Dalton's podcast interview
• Colleen Whitver's Style Story
• Sherlock
• George Gently
• Downton Abbey
• Nordstrom Rack

Visit www.ourstylestories.com to see a tour of Fresh Bib's studio space.

Jane Cheek is a mother of many talents. She is an artist and teacher by trade, a mother to three (now) and a crafty home decorator to boot. You saw her lively home in last week's Style Story, right?

In today's podcast episode, I sit down with Jane in her Dallas studio and discuss just she how manages it all... family, kiddos, studio time and homemaking. To my surprise, Jane has gone to some unusual ends to simplify parts of her life. At the end of our conversation, she describes a new approach to simplifing her morning routine by eliminating all color from her wardrobe. Yes, I know... sounds crazy! But I think she might be onto something. (And you know that means a lot, coming from me.)

Podcast reference links:

• Batik
• Resist painting technique

Closing note: Our Style Stories podcast is very much in the growing phase of things and you can help it grow more! Leave a review in iTunes and help make this show that much more visible to new listeners in the process. Simply follow THIS LINK to leave your review.

At long last, Melanie and Dalton get their turn on the podcast. If you saw their Style Story, then you know that in addition to their day jobs as commercial photographer and still life stylist, they enjoy a delightful variety of hobbies. Vegetable gardening, beer home brewing, group running and bath salt mixing. It's all on the table, my friends. This is officially your Summer guide to having a cool hobby, courtesy of the Tarvers.

Listen below or on your smart phone in iTunes to hear our conversation.

Podcast reference links:

• J. Hilburn

• Neiman Marcus

• Fossil

• Allison Vieger

• Laura Busby's Style Story

• IA Agency

• DoTerra essential oils

• Silicon Valley

• Brew Dogs

• Brew Masters

• A Cup of Jo

• Thrasher Magazine

• Xeriscaping

Closing note: Our Style Stories podcast is very much in the growing phase of things and you can help it grow more! Leave a review in iTunes and help make this show that much more visible to new listeners in the process. Simply follow THIS LINK to leave your review.

Earlier last week, I shared Heylee Heep's Style Story on the blog and today - after traveling to Salt Lake City and back for the Alt Summit conference - I'm back with a her podcast interview. Get ready for some serious design savvy. Heylee is a master of editing and in today's episode she's going to share a few pro tips on how to edit your own space and wardrobe plus reasons why you should consider working with a neutral color palette and what it was like to launch her styling business.

Podcast reference links:

• White Elephant Antiques
• Lula B's
• Give and Take
• Oil and Cotton
• Design*Sponge
• Remodelista
• 'Illustrator' on Nicole's Classes
• Furbish Studio
• High Street Market
• Zara
• J. Crew
• Madewell

Closing note: Our Style Stories podcast is very much in the growing phase of things but you can help it grow! Leave a review in iTunes and help make this show that much more visible to new listeners in the process. Simply follow THIS LINK to leave your review.

Not long ago, I shared a peek inside the home of Robbie and Adam's inviting family home but now it's time to dig a little deeper into the story behind all those cool art pieces and charming decor. Robbie is a baker and owner of Stir Crazy Baked Goods and her husband Adam is an art educator and visual artist. Along with their children Amaris, Paige, and Asher they've followed an adventurous and creatively motivated life together. In today's podcast, Robbie and Adam share some of those highlights. For instance, how they got through the early and quite challenging years of school, marriage, and first-time parenthood. As well as the process behind opening the bakery and forging a new career path.

Podcast reference links:

• Stir Crazy Baked Goods
• Fort Worth South
• "Stuck" by Oliver Jeffers
• Author and illustrator Peter Reynolds
• "Little Owl Lost" by Chris Haughton