Hello hello from LA!

So far, I must report, so great.

I'm truly loving it here. Specially our 1-block-away-from-da-beach loft in Marina del Rey + the Vegetariano Rustico wrap I devoured at a little cafe by Venice Beach + the vegan carrot cupcake I indulged at The Real Food Daily. Two weeks might not be enough. For sure.

Some stuff has been tougher to digest. Like the fact that my baby sister will not be coming back with us. She's really going to college. I thought that would never happen.

I've cried twice already + we've just been here for 2 days.

I think there will be more of that coming soon.

Oh well.

OK, so before my 30 minutes of "connecting time" expires, let me share what will be happening at the blog while I'm away:

- I have 2 oh so awesome DIY projects lined up for you. My fave so far.

- I'll be posting some vacations shots. That way you'll get to see my 84-year-old granny in action + a glimpse of what The Adam Family, pardon me The Carles Family really looks like. It should be fun.

- The one + only April Bowles from Blacksburg Belles is hoping over to talk about branding + pricing. Great stuff. Can't wait to share.

- Friday Video Time is in place. Did you think I was gonna leave you hanging? Oh no no no. Rain or shine, I'm here for ya'. Every week.

- And some surprises I just can't spill just yet!

In the meantime, I want to leave you with these beautifully silkscreened maps made by hand by the folks of These Are Things. I have their Aqua World Map + can only say amazing things about it. You really gotta check out the rest of the shop here.

Bye bye for now, bike riding time is awating,

xo,

Mayi Carles

If you are, I don't blame you. It's warm + comfy inside, isn't it? And it feels really nice, doesn't it?

The problem comes, when you stay in there longer than it's needed.

Now, how do you know if this is even happening to you?

Piece of cupcake.

You just gotta ask yourself the really ulcer provoking existential questions. You know, the kind that make your stomach feel like the day after Thanksgiving? Exactly, like acid reflect crap!

Questions like, "Is there anything that's keeping you from shining" or "What are you holding onto?".

Too aerial right? Okay, let me bring it down a notch.

Do your products look exactly the same as they did 5 years ago?

Do you chat with the same people on twitter all the time?

Do you play small because you're afraid of pissing people off?

Do you follow trends because setting them makes you pee in your pajamas?

Does your copy make you fall a sleep?

Do you follow word per word all the rules inside a Creative Entrepreneurs for Dummies?

If you answered yes to one or more of the above, Huston, we have a problem.

You're life is looking too similar to the Mickey + Minnie Mouse Crystal Ball I have in my living room. Pretty, for a souvenir that is. Ugly, if you're the porcelain mouse inside. Or even worse a human behaving like a porcelain mouse.

To live + I mean REALLY live, is to be alive + present in each moment. To take risks + take leaps of faith even when there's no couch on the other end to land harmoniously.

That's what separates the robots from the humans + the armies from the captains + the leading ballerinas from the dancers holding the flower arches in the background + yes, it's also what distinguishes the starving artists from the creative entrepreneurs make 5 + 6 + even 7 figures a month.

Don't wait to be chosen, like Seth Godin would tell ya'.

Don't wait until you feel ready, like Marie Forleo would advice.

Don't wait until it's the right time, my dad would say.

The right time is now. You are ready now! I believe so.

Jump!

And be prepared for either the triumphant celebration or the Master Yoda transcendental teaching.

A win win situation whichever way you look at it.

And then, before you get yourself too comfortable, get ready to take flight once more.

That's the key to epic. And so my grandma' says.

Or, you can stay safely guarded within the bounds of your crystal ball glittery gel + miss everything.

Your choice.

xo,

Mayi Carles

Hi there! I'm Iveth Morales from the blog Mademoiselle Cranky Pants and I welcome you to my Treasure Chest!

For my picks this week I played a bit with contrast. The black and white combo is always a winner, but when mixed with brown, pale pink or gold, the result is just amazing.

All the beautiful handmade and vintage things from my Shapes and patterns treasury immediately demanded my attention to them and I felt like I wanted to know more about them and the person who made/found them! I hope they have the same effect on you, links bellow ;)

- Lady and her fox, print by Dan-Ha Kim

- Vintage Praktica SLR camera from The Vintage Apartment

- Arrow ring by Miju

- Wooden curio cabinet from Pine and Main

- Equus ferus caballus by Handy Maiden

- Geometric weekender tote bag by Made By Nanna

- Sterling silver ring recycle by Ligia Rocha

- Leather bangles with silver tubes by Leather Wraps

I hope you enjoyed my picks and thanks so much for checking out my Treasure Chest!

Iveth Morales

Iveth Morales is a blogger, an avid Etsy treasury maker and the mind and hands behing The Angry Weather jewelry. On her blog Mademoiselle Cranky Pants she writes about what inspires her to design/create and of the awesome things she finds while exploring the vast expanse of the internet. You can also find her on twitter @MlleCrankyPants.

In just a few days I'm going to head over to Los Angeles to take my little sister to college + buy my wedding dress. Talk about bitter sweetness. Oh my!

In preparation for departure, I feel as if the Mayi Carles headquarters are about to explode, which is precisely why I've had to pay extra attention to my energy mood swings. And nothing says power boost in my little black book more than a deliciously hearty home cooked (or uncooked) meal.

And no, I'm not talking about Mac n' Cheese or microwavable Lean Cuisine boxes. I'm thinking more along the lines of my special Hummus recipe or this Sea Bass with Tomatoes + Pine Nut Sauce creation.

Mmmmm… yummy! 

It's true. When I'm the busiest + the studio is the craziest, I find that I have to be smarter about the stuff that I put into my body at all times. Does this happen to you too?

So to keep me motivated + in check (because ya' know saying no to cupcakes is usually a reason for getting really cranky + whipping out my oh so famous Grumpy pj), I've designed this Weekly Meal Planner.

This planner has helped me tons already to save money on groceries + lower my sugar tantrums (yeah I have those, sometimes) + boost my productivity. And that makes me happy + happy + happy!

And then I thought, "This is too awesome for me to keep all to myself". And so, his post was born. And now you can print your very own Weekly Meal Planner too. My treat.

And we all lived happily ever after.

The End.

Did you like this story? Then, please share.

xo,

Mayi Carles

You know, Mister Miyagi?

Well, in case you haven't watched the Karate Kid movies + you're like "What the heck is Mayi talking about now", let me tell you what this is all about.

Today I'm talking about the necessary backbones to success. Ya' know, all the training that's necessary prior to battle. All the behind the scenes pre-action work that goes on before something great.

It's the 10 guest posts you've worked your butt off to write.

It's the 3 magazine features you put your heart + soul to get into.

It's the labor intensive work of art your crafted with love.

It's the social media course you took to master your marketing skills.

It's the hours upon hours of photo editing that you've invested to master your product photos.

It's the 10 craft show booths you've got under your belt.

It's the insulting e-mail you received that you worked hard not to let it stop you. 

It's the discipline to write 3 blog posts a week even when you think no one's listening, yet.

See where I'm going with this?

Well things take time to cook. Dough takes time to rise. The sun takes time to set. Everything you do. Everything you say. Everything matters.

It takes time + sometimes many years to develop a vision + learn how to craft your very own pixie dust. Wherever you are now, it's precisely where you should be. Don't rush the learning process. The more time you spend developing your skills + style, the better. Keep hustling!

Hang in there. Wax off + wax on. Strengthen those muscles baby. Success is coming + you wanna be ready when it hits you!

For the full karate moves + Mister Miyagi approved transcendental lessons, hit play!

xo,

Mayi Carles

Psst… if you know someone how really needs to hear this right now, please pass on the good word for me will ya'? Thanks a million!

I'm so excited to kick start this wedding planning series + show you all the behind the scenes action that's going on before the big day, November 26th, 2011.

With the wedding date being so close + all, I quickly + somewhat painfully had to step down of my DIAY (Do It All Yourself) wagon + start searching for help.

The first task at hand was the "bridesmaids" - all 20 of them. I know, I know… my mom already told me there are too many of them, but I like it, so it's staying that way.

Now, about the dresses, I knew what I didn't want. I didn't want the dresses to be commercial in any shape or form or made in China by underaged children. I knew what I wanted also. I wanted a beautiful pattern that went with the look + feel of the venue (click here to see details + pictures) + a girly dress made with love by a beating heart. That's precisely what lead me to Lana + Kat Stepul, mamma + daughter design team.

Here are two beautiful design mock ups that Lana + Kat whipped out for my little sister, my oh so wonderful maid of honor:

Lana has been in the fashion business her entire life working alongside some of the most talented American designers. From time to time she would design and make clothes for her daughter, filling her closet with impeccably made stylish frocks + skirts + blouses + a glitzy heap of accessories.

When Kat finally understood that keeping all of her mom's wonderful creations to herself is unfair to the rest of the world the idea of an Etsy shop was hatched. So lucky for me + the rest of us. Amen.

Lana is the blazing creative force behind the Lana Stepul brand, while Kat is its cheerful partisan taking care of day-to-day dealings.

The two are as sweet + kind + professional as it gets. I feel truly blessed + honored to to be working with them. So much so, that the entire wedding decor will be inspired by their design. That's how much I adore them.

Now, are you ready to see the dress I picked for my bridesmaids at the end? Well, after drooling over many styles + color swatches, this model won my heart by a grand slam + I'm happy to announce it's The One:

Pretty right? I can't wait to see them in full action.

That's for for now. Promise to pop in soon with other wedding madness sneak previews.

xo,

Mayi Carles

Sun Kissed Hydrangea Fascinator

In the midst of running around like a crazy person (notice that I'm not calling myself a bridezilla just yet LOL + I'm so proud of myself + I'm sure David is too), I wanted to pop in to show you the new goodies I have in stock at the Mayi Carles Boutique.

Pick Your Color Twist Bows

Now, don't feel bad if you're drooling all over your computer keyboard. That's the expected side effect when Valeria Springs from The Red Balloon Photography is holding the camera + taking care of my lookbook. She is truly a goddess isn't she?

Gelateria Bownanza Fascinator

And because my heart is in the mood for making your oh so super happy, I'll be adding a little suprise goodie with every purchase now through August 15th, just add the coupon code HEARTMADE in the note to seller so I know you were here. This special offer only applies for physical products. Yayyyy!

xo,

Mayi Carles

That is the question.

Is this you? You hear everyone around the websphere recommending that you get a newsletter, yet you find yourself perplexed, asking questions like, "Do I even need a newsletter?", "What the heck would I write about?".

Ring a bell?

Well in case it makes you feel any better, you're not alone my friend.

Many + I mean many before you have asked this question over + over again. So if you're confused, worry no longer, because today I've decided to spill the beans publicly to break this riddle once in for all.

Just hit play to get the scoop, plus two in-house examples, because using my own brand as a show + tell guinea pig feels good.

Catch you in the comments for more creative business aerobics!

be merri

You know you wanna, so click here to make it happen. Don't know what the heck I'm talking about? Well, I guess you'll have to watch the video then (wink).

xo,

Mayi Carles

Hi there! I'm Iveth Morales from the blog Mademoiselle Cranky Pants and I welcome you to my Treasure Chest!

You may have noticed I have been pretty much m.i.a. around here lately, and I wanted to tell you I've been so busy with my Etsy shop as I was picked to be a featured seller a month ago. As you can imagine, things went a bit crazy over here! It was amazing, and I want to thank dear Mayi, for her infinite support during this busy weeks!

Well, I'm back! and today's treasure chest is all about sweet, cute and lovely things. Can you feel the romantic mood in my picks? It's all about love, baby!

- I like you postcard by Tabletopmade

- Anniversary-3-D glasses by Withandwhistle

- Cloud mobile by The Butter Flying

- Vintage pink ruffled skirt from AmprisLoves

- Blue druse ring by Carrie Bilbo

- Small pouch wallet by Rennes

- Fabric flower garland by Pretty Swell

- Original LOVE collage by Essimar

If you liked my picks, you should come check my entire Sweet Treasury!

Thank you and have a great day!

Iveth Morales

Iveth Morales is a blogger, an avid Etsy treasury maker and the mind and hands behing The Angry Weather jewelry. On her blog Mademoiselle Cranky Pants she writes about what inspires her to design/create and of the awesome things she finds while exploring the vast expanse of the internet. You can also find her on twitter @MlleCrankyPants.

I've been busy like a bee these past few days, working around the clock on some custom illustrations for some terrific clients + of course planning everything for the wedding + attempting not to DIY it all LOL. But in the midst of all this madness, a girl can always find time for a fun crafty project.

Today I found the perfect tutorial. It's fast, super simple to do + so versatile. This DIY Tic Tac Toc Chalkboard can adorn any little corner of the house + distract little ones + adults alike during any occasion. It's also portable, so David + I could even bring it on our road trips + play on the go. Love it!

materials

If you want to give this project a try, here's what you'll need:

- square wood board

- thick painting brush

- thin painting brush

- white acrylic paint (I got mine from DecoArt)

- chalkboard paint (I got mine from DecoArt)

- chalk

step by step

After gathering your materials...

Step 1: Using the thick paint brush, paint the entire board surface, including the edges with the chalkboard paint.

Step 2: Let dry. It's hard. I know, but it's crucial to resist the urge to keep going.

Step 3: Add a second coat of chalkboard paint to make sure the surface is well covered.

Step 4: Add the Tic Tac Toc lines with the thin painting brush + white acrylic paint.

Step 5: Let dry. Again. Practice your Yoga poses while you're at it.

Step 6: Whip out your chalks + start playing. The winner gets a Red Velvet cupcake (wink).

Sweet right? I hope this got you in the mood to get crafty.

If you have any questions about this tutorial or need further details about how things were made, please feel free to contact me. I'm always available to help you make things you love.

Not the crafty type? Hakuna Matata! I can make something special just for you if you wish, so bring on the custom orders, they're my fave!

xo,

Mayi Carles