Hanakapi'ai Trail & Waterfall // Kauai, Hawaii

If you're following along with the Scripture Memory / Dwell Richly printable, here's the verse for week 27: 

The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. Habakkuk 3:19 (NIV)

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*Like many hikes we post about, bring lots and lots of water for this one!!

If you're on Kauai and looking for a must-see waterfall - this is it! We finally made it to the Hanakapi'ai Trail after spending most of the morning at Queen's Bath. It's quite a trek (eight miles round trip) but it's totally worth it. The trail is filled with whimsy (like the Dr. Seuss-looking tree below) and the views are extraordinary along the way. You can hike the first two miles to get to a beautiful beach (also one of the deadliest beaches because of the waves) or keep trekking two more miles to get to the falls. Obviously, we forewent the beach and kept heading towards the falls. If you take the trail, just keep in mind that there are a few dangerous places with river crossings (shoe recommendations at the bottom of the post).

It took us about 2.5 hours to hike to the falls. We found a boulder under a few trees beside the pond and picnicked there with our pre-made wraps from the ABC store. We seriously cannot stress enough that you should bring lots of water on this hike. Forty-eight ounces between the two of us did not suffice. Swim out to the falls and enjoy some time behind them. (But also be aware of Hawaii's freshwater flesh-eating bacteria - this was the only waterfall I was brave enough to swim in. However, JD swam in all of them and he's fine so just know that I'm 99.9% more paranoid about things than he is. ) Pictures cannot capture this glorious waterfall! 

(Side note: does the above photo remind anyone else of the dwell richly verse for this week? He enables me to go on the heights? Yes. Absolutely.) 

The hike back was brutal. It's mostly uphill after the beach with very little shade. We walked back between 2:30 - 4:30 when the sun was blazing. Our words of advice: Be careful, stay hydrated, wear sunscreen and enjoy the adventure!!

Other notes:

• JD planned our meals / snacks perfectly. Eat protein-packed breakfast before the hike > snack on a mid-morning protein bar > grilled chicken wrap for lunch > afternoon snack of a juicy fruit and almonds. 
• Lather on the sunscreen throughout the hike. Don't hold back on the SPF. 
• Shoe of Choice: JD preferred hiking this trail in his Keens but I loved hiking in my New Balance Minimus shoes instead of my Keens. They felt like water shoes (which came in handy during the river crossings) and are flexible so my feet were basically hugging rocks. Great traction and not clunky like my Keens. 

Kauai, Hawaii // Detour : Queen's Bath

We set out pretty early to embark on our hike to the Hanakapi'ai Trail on a Saturday morning (which is on the other side of the island). It took about an hour to drive there (the speed limit on most of the island is around 25 mph). We were already a little behind schedule when we drove up to a road block about 20 minutes out from the trailhead.

The super polite police officer came to our window and said, "Sorry but we've got a marathon going on this morning. It'll be about another hour before we open the roads back up."

It's a small island. It's not like we could find another road to get to the trailhead. So we had to change our plans. JD searched on his phone for a tourist hot spot and drove us to Queen's Bath in Princeville. After you hike down the trail, people typically take a left at the waterfall... But we're rebels and went to the right. 

Prepare yourselves, friends, because this is what we saw: An absolute masterpiece of powerful waves, amazing contrast in every shade of blue you can think of, and a pattern of tide that will both mesmerize you and blow your mind. 

*Disclaimer: If you go to this side of the waterfall, please be careful. Any of those waves could've taken us out real quick. JD is a pretty good judge of the tides so we were able to dodge the incoming waves. But just be careful, okay? Promise?

This photo was taken on JD's iPhone using the panoramic setting. We realize that the photo is a little distorted but I didn't even want to touch this amazing photo with Photoshop. With fierce pride, I say, "My husband took this photo in all of its perfection, untouched by any editing program."

Oddly enough, none of these photos are actually of Queen's Bath. One thing about JD and me: We're not huge on snorkeling. It's cool but we'd rather take photos of giant powerful waves crashing against rocks than look at fish through goggles. And to be totally honest with you: My breathing patterns aren't exactly 'patterns' when I snorkel (I kind of freak out and have trouble breathing through that little tube). However, our friends snorkeled around in Queen's Bath later that afternoon and absolutely loved it. So it you're out there and enjoy snorkeling, go for it!! But don't miss the intense wave action happening on the other side of the waterfall. 

We're Back!! // A Quick Recap of Kauai, Hawaii

Aloha, friends! We just spent the month of June on the beautiful island of Kauai. "Magical" just does not even do this place justice. It was amazing and fantastic and beautiful. Basically, any good word you can think of, that word would express how wonderful Kauai is. 

We left the day after our 5-year anniversary and only had a few days to actually explore the island, but we like to think that we made the most of it! Here's a small photographic recap of our favorite adventures for now but I promise to write more soon. 

Jurassic Falls Helicopter Tour with Island Helicopters // Kauai, Hawaii

If there is only one thing you do in Kauai, take the Jurassic Falls flight with Island Helicopters! It is the best way to see the whole island and SO worth the money. 

Island Helicopters is right beside the airport (pictured to the right). We took the earliest flight that day and the weather was nearly perfect. The entire staff was incredibly helpful and friendly. 

You'll check in then hop on a scale to check your weight. They do this to comply with FAA regulations and (I'm pretty sure) to also balance the helicopter evenly. You'll hang out at the building until all of the passengers arrive then head over to get the rundown of the flight. You'll also get little white slipper booties that you'll wear to walk around the property of Jurassic Falls.

There are two rows of seating in the helicopter. We had the thrill of riding in the front! I was seated in between the pilot and JD then a family of four sat in the row behind us. We recommend requesting sitting in the front when you reserve your flight. 

We took photos with our Canon EOS Rebel T5 and videos with JD's iPhone. We wish that we'd purchased a GoPro before this trip!! 

Our pilot, Gary (pictured to the right), was the best!! Definitely request him if you're able! He created a playlist for the tour so (not to ruin any surprises) as we took off, the theme song for Mission Impossible began to play in our headset. It was the coolest thing!! Call me lame for saying this, but we felt like secret agents. Haha! As we began flying over the river leading up to Jurassic Falls, the Jurassic Park theme song began to play. I'm not embarrassed to say that we both started to shed a few tears. As soon as the crescendo hit, the Falls were in sight. It was one of the most breathtaking experiences in either of our lives. 

We landed for some photos, gawked in amazement, then boarded the helicopter to continue the tour. As soon as we took off, it began to drizzle a bit but we were still able to see the views perfectly. Waterfall after waterfall after waterfall, including the Mt. Wai'ale'ale (the second wettest spot on Earth).

We just happened to hike the Canyon Trail the day before so when we flew into the Canyon, we were able to see the places we hiked the day before. It was so neat being able to see the views from standing at the top of the Canyon as well as flying through the middle of it!

We continued the tour over the Na Pali Coast with exhilarating views of the landscape and ocean (scroll through the photos below). It was also around this time when motion sickness hit me pretty hard. Fortunately, there was a stack of bags sitting in front of us in case that happened. JD looked over at me, checked to make sure I was okay then took the camera from around my neck lovingly and kept taking photos while I peered over my bag, still in sheer excitement. True love at its finest. Sickness wasn't going to stop me from enjoying the ride!! Side note: I recommend picking up a tin of "For the Weary Traveler" tea from Island Soap and Candle Works in Old Koloa Town and drinking a cup before flying. Unfortunately, we didn't know about this tea until after the flight but it's helped in several other instances! 

Even with the sickness part, this was absolutely the most exhilarating thing we've done on our  travels!! We hope you'll have the chance to enjoy it too! Feel free to ask any questions or tell us about your experience in the comments below or contact us here. 

Bloom of Hope // A New Surface Pattern Design!

If you're following along with the Scripture Memory / Dwell Richly printable, here's the verse for week 26 (which also happens to be the inspiration for this project): 

I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. Isaiah 41:18 (ESV)

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I've been taking Skillshare classes from Elizabeth Olwen and Bonnie Christine. If you haven't heard of Skillshare or looked into, go now. It is my, hands-down, most favorite learning site. If you click this link, you can get a free month membership. 

A S S I G N M E N T

Via Elizabeth Olwen: Your assignment is concept, illustrate, and design a repeat pattern. Surface design skills are applicable to countless projects, and whether you're a designer, illustrator, or simply looking for a fun and inspiring project, you'll love creating something that you can use at any size, on any project that means the most to you. Plus, it's always enjoyable to work on a project inspired by the things you love. So: pick motifs that have meaning for you (flowers, your favorite hobby, a special season), work them into a seamless repeat, and immerse yourself in the surface design process.

Upload your final repeat pattern. A completed project should include both the block both (1) on its own and (2) in a 3x5 repeating grid.

C L A S S   P R O J E C T

Pattern: Bloom of Hope

Mood Board: There are several different pieces of inspiration I'm compiling for this pattern. I started with the words 'bloom' and 'hope' which were originally inspired from Isaiah 41:18: "I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water." I'd like for my pattern to express a refreshing growth with lots of vines, fresh blooms and budding florals. The floral photos are from our garden, which we lovlingly refer to as "the Todd Nest." I'd like to incorporate feathers because of the organic feel that they have. They just seem to add a sweet motion to a pattern when shaped well. Finally, I'd like to integrate large vintage blooms with a modern flair, inspired by the vintage hankies my great-grandmother passed down to me. My husband and I had a 'vintage hankie tree' at our wedding as one of the wedding favors for our female guests (pictured below). Side note: These were hankies we collected; not the ones my great-grandmother left me - those are all nestled in a special place in my studio. :) That was one of my favorite elements of our wedding and the designs on each hankie was unqiuely splendid. My final piece of inspiration is the song "Bloom" by Mae, which I can basically guarantee I'll be listening to on repeat as I design this pattern. :)

Color Palette: I'm really loving the colors below. They're a totally different direction from the bright colors on my mood board but they seem to offer a beautiful balance of light and dark. I like to think of these as my "desert collection" palette. 

Illustrations: Many of the illustrations and sketches have been inspired by the lovely details on the vintage hankies my great-grandmother passed down to me. The other ones were inspired by a crochet and sewing book from the 70's. I was super excited when Elizabeth suggested looking in old pattern books because I have several laying around in my studio as decor - I didn't even think about using them for illustration inspiration! 

I went ahead and made a secondary print as well - because I just. can't. stop!!

As much as I love this color palette for the desert collection, I've really been obsessing over pastels so I decided to do these as an alternate color way as well! 

I also decided to do my first official mockups!! Process: I created these journals with the pen tool (traced over an image of a journal). As the Fill, I used my pattern swatches then Effect > Drop Shadow. Then I added a slim band (Effect > Drop Shadow) to act as the band around the journal. 

For the pillows, I probably took the long way around but I'm pleased with how they turned out! Live Trace two pillow forms > change Fill Color to pattern swatch of choice > Save as transparent .png > Open in Photoshop > Effects: Add drop shadow and inner shadow > Save as transparent .png > Open in Illustrator and place them on artboard. 

I loved, loved, loved this course!!! Elizabeth Olwen is such an inspiration! I recommend many Skillshare classes but Elizabeth's is certainly one of my top favorites! 

Mentorship Session with Wedding Photographer, Erin Lindsey

"Okay!! Now let me get a picture of you walking in!!" Erin swung through the door frame with a HUGE smile and amazingly lively reception to my arrival. I mean, I was super excited about this day but meeting Erin for the first time was like - instant bff's.
{Side note: I feel weird about the first photo of this post being of me, by myself, but the story behind it describes Erin's personality so well! I wish I had gotten a photo of her when I first walked in!}

A little background on Erin: She's amazing. Seriously. This lady is a Dr. Pepper (one of a kind). She's a phenom photographer with a specialty / focus on wedding photography. This lady knows how to tell a story with a camera. She loves exclamation marks (kindred spirits) and strives for the best relationships possible with her clients. She loves her husband and loves Jesus. 

A little background on the giveaway: Erin hosted a mentorship session giveaway on Encourage Huntsville's Instagram. Before I even knew who she was (keep reading), I immediately entered the giveaway by sending Erin an email / novel about Jitney's (the mission, the vision and a few details about the new direction we're hoping to go in), my life and Jesus. Aside from the Kind Farewell // Fresh Beginning letter I sent out a couple of months ago, I haven't really discussed our feelings with Jitney's on the blog. Basically, we've prayed a lot over it and have come to the conclusion that the Lord is carrying us into a new season of Jitney's. A beautiful season with lots of exciting new products and focus of creativity. But it's just that - focus.  I was in dire need of sitting across from another professional creative, one who could hash out the tough and lovely details. A fresh perspective. 

Erin was exactly the person I needed. And the Lord was so faithful in proving that He was the one orchestrating all of the details, from the giveaway to the winner to the time we sat there encouraging one another and bouncing ideas off one another. We talked about our love stories and our Love stories. We talked about dreams, goals and how to make it happen. When I walked into Belle Faire, she had a sweet little setup waiting for me. (I didn't get a great photo so I tried to take one on our back porch.) Complete with a Rifle Paper Co. journal, the book Make It Happen by Lara Casey (which is currently wrecking my world), a wonderfully motivating print by Salt + Paperie, a lovely candle and a super fun pencil! Christmas in May. She totally spoiled me. She also had a bottle of Fiji water waiting for me. Fiji. It's the little things in life. 

(Fun Story of God's Orchestrating: So JD, myself and some of our friends started going to a new campus for our church. As I started scrolling through her IG feed after entering the giveaway, I realized that her husband is the worship leader for the campus we've been going to!! Spoiler alert: It was obvious that God intended for us to be friends.)

At the announcement of the mentorship giveaway, Erin wrote a deeply honest blog post about how she felt inadequate of such a title - but let me tell you right now, that is a lie from the enemy. She encompasses everything a mentor is: honest, an encourager, a challenger, an open book of intellectual property,  relatable, reliable, and a prayer warrior (she ends every email with, "How can I pray for you?").  As I told her our story and the crossroads we're at now for Jitney's, she nodded and replied, "Yes! I was there about a year ago. I was spread so thin and finally, I just had to narrow my focus. And it has been incredibly healthy!" [deep sigh of relief] Even though I realize tons of people have been at this crossroads themselves, it's reassuring to actually know someone who experienced it and who is thriving in her new season. Everything about the day was absolute perfection. I left there with a notebook spilling with ideas and a motivation that could not be stopped. Seriously, Erin, you're a Rockstar Mentor. 

In all honesty, I have so many fears going into this new season of Jitney's but Erin (along with JD and so many other friends) have really helped me to face those fears and keep moving forward.  I don't know what I would do without all of you. 

Final note: Erin announced her first digital photography basics workshop that she'll be teaching as a part of Encourage Huntsville this weekend!!! It filled up super quickly (not surprising - because it will be awesome!) but I'm sure she'll be teaching more classes soon! Keep up to date with Erin Lindsey Images at the following links:
B L O G  //  I N S T A G R A M  //  F A C E B O O K //  T W I T T E R

We've Been Minted!! // Boat & Buoy Print Up for Sale now

If you're following along with the Scripture Memory / Dwell Richly printable, here's the verse for week 23: 

It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:8b (NIV)

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Y'all. Earlier this year, I entered a few designs into the Three Cheers! Minted x West Elm's 3rd Art Challenge. It was my first time submitting any work into Minted but my good friend, Ashley Ottinger, suggested I take the leap and submit a few things. I entered a couple of art pieces, a few handlettered designs and a number of photographs from our travels. 

By the time the deadline hit, there were 5,220 submissions. [Read that number again if you must.] My immediate thought: Well, there goes that. At least I tried. 'A' for effort and 'A' for putting myself out there. Self-doubt, at its finest, my friends. 

A couple of months went by and the email popped up in my inbox. "Challenge Winners."

[Panic Attack]

I started scrolling down then just took the non-anxious way out and hit "ctrl > F > Whitney" (i.e. I searched for my name so that I didn't have to tax myself with not being able to find each entry). And there it was. TWICE!!! 

You have no. idea. how stinkin' excited I was when I saw that TWO of my entries won Minted Editors' Picks. Out of 5,220 submissions!!!! [insert dancing around the house, a mixture of full-blown belly laughter and screaming at the top of my lungs and sore arms from 'raising the roof' way too hard.]  

Full disclosure: I obviously cannot take full credit for these awards. These are absolutely considered Jitney photos. They were both taken during our travels, during adventures that JD and I were able to share. He probably took the same photos on his iPhone but from a different angle. ;) We seriously need to get that man a camera. He'd win all of the challenges. 

One of the entries "Boat & Buoy" was officially launched last night. The other entry "Tidal Pools & Crashing Waves" will launch later this fall. You can purchase the Boat & Buoy print with a frame (take your pick from the lovely ones offered) or unframed from a size of 5" x 7" to 44" x 60". 

Story behind the print: JD and I were driving through the Swiss Alps on an autumn evening in 2012. The sun had set and the rain subsided, only the fog remained. We saw this lone sailboat with a buoy bobbing attached to it and couldn't resist stopping along the road to capture the serenity and mystery of this truly picturesque scene. It's a special piece from our 'Jitney World Exploration Collection', one that is close to our hearts and will forever be engrained in our memory.

P.S. Please know that it took a lot of coercion for me to post about these awards. Thank you to all of my friends who remind me that posting news like this is all about celebrating and that we shouldn't hide the exciting things that God is doing through us and our business! In the words of John F. Kennedy (and echoed to me by Lauren McCaul), "Rising tides lift all boats." 

Jitney Jams // Year Five

Have no idea what we're talking about with the Jitney Jams? Read the history behind the Jitney CD here!

Last year we worked incredibly hard on preparing the playlist for the Jitney Album / Year Four. So hard, in fact, that we couldn't decide on which cover design or which songs to shuck from the playlist. Instead, we decided to wait until Christmas. "Let's just do a Christmas edition!! That'll be fun!" So we went to Japan. I took a class on handlettering. I designed a cover that JD is obsessed with... (I tell you this not to brag on myself, but to inform you that he seriously brings it up in conversation anytime we talk about the CD - he speaks to my heart when he affirms my creativity. He speaks my language, people. It's just another way that he loves me well. It may end up being on our Christmas card this year so I can't ruin the surprise.) but once again, we couldn't narrow down the playlist, address all of the envelopes, travel back to America, and see all of our family in time before Christmas. It just wasn't going to happen. 

So, as my friend Julie says, Year Four just didn't happen. Kidding. Obviously, our fourth year of marriage did happen and it was sheer bliss. But the album didn't happen. 

We [hopefully] made up for it this year though! We sent out the envelopes and albums to our wedding party early last week. Only a couple of people have told us they received it [or shared us some social media love (thanks Chase!)] but according to USPS, they arrived in time for our anniversary! This is a first in five years (sans our actual wedding day). 

Behind the Cover Design: 
We wanted to keep it simple. White, dark gray and red. We wanted it to have a theme of travel, foreign languages and love. JD actually visualized the design, I just made it happen. #teamwork

We translated the word 'love' for every country we've visited (by we translated, I mean 'Google translated') then created the shape of the English word 'love' using those translations. Flip over the cover and you'll see Jitney's Journeys spelled out in red as the song list goes down (also JD's ingenuity). It's minimalist, but I'd say it's my favorite from the past five years. 

Behind the Playlist: 
Per the usual, all of the songs are songs we love. They either explicitly sing the word love, talk about great love stories, are related to TV shows that we love, represent our love for travel, worship the Ultimate Love or are simply bands that we love. Normally we would like to write specifics about every song but they're all pretty self-explanatory and awesome. However, we do feel like we need to explain one of the songs.

Disclaimer for Run & Go: This (see Mickey to the left) is what we think of and who / what JD imitates when the song starts playing. Many of you will probably never see this super cute side of JD (which I'm okay with, because I love wrapping these moments up, all for myself) but he really knows how to throw his shoulders back, rear back his head and start whistling a happy tune with fists swaying side to side. His favorite song to whistle is the Robin Hood theme song. Please note that neither of us have killed a man or are on the run and go. 

[P.S. Thank you KidsPlayColor.com for this wonderful image of Mickey whistling.]

Notes about the rest of the playlist: You'll hear the words "Ain't cuttin' my hair till the good Lord comes" when the playlist starts (because JD's hair is that perfect and I never want him to cut his hair short again - unless Jesus tells him to, of course.) and you'll hear a few song cameos from our favorite TV shows that went off air this year (if only we had a song from The Mindy Project on there). You'll hear slow songs, fast songs, songs that will bring you to tears (either from reminiscing or because you're laughing so hard) and songs that will make you want to walk around the house whistling.  

Are you hooked and curious? Never fear! We've made most of the playlist public on Spotify. Also, this is probably a good note to tell you that we'll be doing Spotify playlists for the next few years (maybe we'll send out a tangible 10th edition; and we've even considered a cassette tape version for our 50th. You know, true vintage 'mixed tape' and all).

Five Years of the Journey

Five. Years. It blows my mind even thinking about it. When I would hear couples say they've been married for five years, I would think, "That's a long time." I know it's nowhere near twenty-five or fifty, or really even that close to ten, but five years is kind of like that time where it seems like life as a married couple is finally getting settled in. It's that mark where you realize you know each other's habits on a deeper level, you can sit in silence and still be totally comfortable, you have "the looks" and "the signals" when you're out in public, and you've developed a bit of a secret language. You've lived a lot of life together and you're excitedly awaiting the many, many years of life and marriage ahead of you.

Okay - so maybe this isn't what everyone else experiences at the five year mark, but we have. I'll be the first to tell you... Five years is, in fact, not a long time. It has flown by. We often reflect on where we started and how far the Lord has carried us. We're still young. We still have so, so much to learn. And we still have an overflow of love to give. But we're here at five years. And we're thankful. What a sweet, sweet five years it has been!

I asked JD this morning at breakfast what his favorite moment of the past five years has been. His response, "It's not so much of a moment, but I've loved building a home with you." 

Yeah. Be still my heart. Hold back the waterworks. This man knows me. The Lord has led us around the world, He has entrusted us with a wonderful house to build into our nest, He has encircled us with an amazing community, He has allowed us to develop a sweet business where we can lift His name high. All of this - This is our home. This is our life. This is our journey. And we get to live it together, regardless of where we are, what we're doing or who we're with.

To my Lovey: I cannot express how thankful I am to walk this life with you. You're my absolute favorite. You lead me well. You are kind and you are gracious. You inspire and encourage everyone around you, especially me. Thank you for making me feel so deeply loved, wanted and appreciated. Thank you for constantly directing me to our Savior and always allowing the Gospel to infiltrate your conversations with me and with others. You rock my world on a daily basis and have stolen my heart. I've loved spending the past five years with you and highly anticipate spending the next 50 years and the next 50 years after that dancing, singing, cooking, traveling, laughing and loving with you. I love you forever. ∞xoxo∞ (This may sound familiar to many of you. I had to steal a little from his proposal because it all fits so well.)

To our friends and family: Thank you. You guys have encouraged us and loved us well. You have given us sound, biblical wisdom and for that, we are deeply grateful for you. Thank you for helping us walk in the light of the Lord and for setting such beautiful examples of marriage. Thank you for allowing the Holy Spirit to use you and helping us stay on course when we miss it. Thank you for walking beside us in the glorious, the rocky and the fun! We love you.

The Story Behind Encourage Huntsville with Jacki Gil of Salt + Paperie

If you've been reading our blog for a while, you know that community is deeply important to us here at Jitney's. We are ecstatic any time we see community developing and transitioning. We love seeing people connect, build relationships and grow together. It's everywhere and yet, we still can't get enough of it.

Knowing this, you can only imagine how thrilled I was when Jacki Gil of Salt + Paperie started Encourage Huntsville. And dang, has she started it!!

Here's her story:

I’ve always felt like Huntsville and me were like a round peg in a square hole. I loved this town so much, and my family was here that I never really had a desire to move anywhere with the “big city” creativity or even somewhere artsy like Chattanooga. I wanted to be here, even if that meant not having the easiest road to finding my creative “dream job." I did a series of design jobs that varied from love to hate, until a year ago I took the leap of faith into the journey we will call “entrepreneur!” By the grace of God, and a catchy name, that still no one can seem to pronounce with confidence (salt + PAPER-E… lol) we have had a first year that exceeded all expectations. 

Somewhere along that year journey, people began coming to me looking for advice, brain-picking and business advice. All the while, I’m thinking… I do NOT have this figured out in the LEAST. I’m not even a year in (yet! I celebrated my workaversary May 1st!). But, I enjoyed talking to people about their journey into small business ownership, even if I was literally just confirming their awesome ideas and giving no advice, it seemed to help them have the “courage” to take whatever next step they needed, even if it was just heading down to the courthouse for a business license. 

One day, I’m not kidding you… it was like a lightbulb… entrepreneur + courage = encourage! OMG! ding ding ding. So, the “big picture” of Encourage Huntsville is to help small businesses grow or gain confidence through what will eventually be seminars directed and lead by what I call the best of the best in small business ownership, so much so that they might not even be considered small anymore! We will cover topics from taxes to families, and I could not be more excited.

The other half of Encourage is to just to help the average Huntsvillian connect to their creative side. Even the engineer in town needs a creative outlet. Or should I say ESPECIALLY the engineer. A lot of people have already confessed to me that they haven’t signed up because “they aren’t creative”, but that is exactly the opposite of what the point is! Creativity “can’t be used up, the more you use it, the more you have” (Maya Angelou). It’s simply a place to connect with friends and others around Huntsville to try something new that you just might love! 

I seriously hope that this passion project of mine can fuel a creative fire in Huntsville. I definitely want to be just the curator of talent for Encourage Huntsville, but the #handletterhuntsville and monthly lettering challenge was my way of testing the waters to see how much interest their was in the whole idea. I could teach that and get a feel for if this was really something people wanted to do… and, much to our surprise, it was a bigger hit than we could have ever imagined. So much so, we were scrambling to kind of ride the coat tails of the first class straight into Encourage. Now we are getting tons of other classes besides handlettering lined up, and I can’t WAIT to announce them! EEEEKK!!

—THE END

Above: A few of Jacki Gil's (from Encourage Huntsville // Salt + Paperie) most lovely handlettered Instagram posts! 

Michelle Odom from Just Crumbs Cake Design will be teaching a Fondant Basics Workshop soon!! You do not want to miss this! Encourage Huntsville is giving away a free seat to the class on May 29th!  

F O L L O W
Encourage Huntsville on Instagram
Encourage Huntsville on Facebook
Salt + Paperie on Instagram
Salt + Paprier on Facebook
Just Crumbs Cake Design on Instagram
Just Crumbs Cake Design on Facebook