Out with the old, in with the new!

Today is a momentous day in this blog's history. If you're here, you obviously know what it is---a completely NEW design---and I couldn't have done it without Meg- momma and blogger extraordinaire!

When I first started this blog, I had a stock template and then I tried to make my own header (which was so not good)…case in point:  

Then, I had my blog redesigned by a student who did a pretty great job and my template hasn’t changed again until now.

So what prompted the change? Truthfully, I felt my old design was a little…young looking.  A little juvenile almost. I loved it for a long time but I was ready for a look that was cleaner and more modern but that still had the feminine touches I love---like bows!

I am so thrilled with the final design---I really think it captures my aesthetic. From the very start Meg was incredibly responsive and totally got what I was looking for.  We did several rounds of edits and after many many rounds of tweaks (Meg is a sucker for detail just like I am!) we finally agreed it was just perfect!

In honor of my new blog layout, I wanted to interview the designer herself to tell you a little more about her blog and also to comment on the design process. Meg is also giving away a blog design to one lucky winner---more details on that below!

Why did you start your blog?    
My blog, O. is Me, was started about three years ago to catalog a lot of my wedding details. I started out as a "newlywed blogger" and then it slowly progressed into more of a lifestyle blog. I mostly write about beauty, food, pregnancy and now new motherhood. I have let my blog evolve with my life and it is so very me. I love to do beauty tutorials and also tackle issues associated with pregnancy and motherhood.

What has been the most rewarding part of motherhood?
I'm only about six months into motherhood, but it has been the most challenging and rewarding experience. I love that I actually created a human - a beautiful girl that has forever changed my life and priorities for the better. Life now is all about what really matters and not to get caught up in the minutia of society. Things that would normally bother me just don't anymore, simply because it's not worth my time. I'd rather focus that energy on my beautiful family!

What surprised you most about motherhood?
I was most surprised at how natural it felt to be a mother. As soon as Kennedy arrived, I immediately knew what I needed to do to meet her needs. I've always heard people talk about "mother's intuition" and it is a real phenomenon.

Tell us where you love to shop
I love classic style with trendy pops. I try to infuse my wardrobe with classic pieces and bargain shop for trends. I love getting classic pieces at Banana Republic, J. Crew and LOFT, and bargain shop at places like Marshalls, Old Navy, and Target. I will say, though - fashion and I are currently having a love-hate relationship. I gained close to fifty pounds while pregnant with Kennedy, and I am still working that weight off. I am thirteen pounds away from my pre-pregnancy weight, which is an accomplishment in itself, but I still can't wear about 80% of my wardrobe and 95% of my pants. It does get frustrating to walk into my closet and feel like all of those pre-pregnancy clothes, particularly my jeans, are staring at me. It doesn't make much sense to go out and buy a new wardrobe 2 sizes bigger, so I have been holding myself over with flowy dresses and buying a few bottoms at bargain prices. I can't wait to donate those clothes to charity. All new moms are different, though. My advice is to not worry if you are not back to your size immediately. Just make do and be patient. You'll get there!

Where do you love to shop for Kennedy?
I received so many clothes as soon as we found out we were having a girl. Let's face it, girl clothes are just way cuter! I have from Gerber to Baby Gap and Stuart Weitzman maryjanes! This girl's wardrobe is already pretty fabulous. For daily use, I have a lot of Carter's and Circo (Target) brand stuff that she plays in at home or with her babysitter. I love scouring the racks at Marshalls and TJ Maxx because they have a lot of super cute stuff (lots of Ralph Lauren) that is cheap. I love her little Ralph Lauren dresses and rompers I got from there. I also like Baby Gap. She still has plenty of clothes that we received as gifts, so I haven't had to do much shopping for her! I know that will change soon. You'll have to keep me away from Janie and Jack. I just adore that store, although I do not adore their prices.

What are some of your hobbies?    
When I am not busy teaching, directing theatre, or being a mommy, I love music. I have sung with the Houston Symphony Chorus for a while, although I had to take a break to be a mom. I am classically trained in vocal performance, and I also play the piano. I enjoy all things makeup and beauty - my makeup collection is one of my prized possessions. I also enjoy shopping, froyo, and trying as many cupcake places in Houston that I possibly can. I am a bit of a purist and love Sprinkles cupcakes the best.

You are a fulltime momma and teacher---how do you make the time to design blogs? Very carefully! The bulk of my design work takes place in the summer when I have more free time. My prime time design hours are the wee hours of the night. I am a night owl by nature. Luckily, I have a baby who is pretty good about sleeping and this can be accomplished. I do not design for many at a time, as well. I will announce when I have openings and I'll take about 3-5 people in a month. If I can do more, I do more. I don't want to overwhelm myself

What do you love about designing blog templates?
I love to be able to take one person's vision and make it a reality with my creative control. I may not be the most skilled at graphic design, I'm not formally trained, but I have a passion and a vision. I am self-taught, and if I don't know how to do something, I figure it out. Each time I design a blog I learn something new. I like visiting blogs I design and seeing a little creation that I was a part of. It's like what I do as a high school theatre director. I spend 2-3 months in rehearsal, putting together a play and infusing it with my vision. I place actors, I drill them, I evoke the emotional core, I set the tone, I oversee all the technical elements, and I sit back on opening night and marvel at my creation. Yeah, that's kind of what blog designing is like, too.

What do you love least about it?    
That it really does take much time and effort to perfect the look I want and what the blog owner wants. I am a stinking perfectionist by nature and I WILL. NOT. STOP. until it is perfect. There have been many a nights where I meticulously work on one stupid line in the code and all of a sudden it's 4 a.m. Whoops.

Do you find it easier to design a blog when someone has a specific look in mind or when you are more open to do whatever comes to mind?    
I can dig either way. On one hand, I like being given complete artistic control. I create art 187 days out of the year in my day job, so it's a no brainer for me. However, I do like being given specifics. I like picky people. I think they get my picky and perfectionist nature. Who wants to guess what Veronika was like to design for? I'll give you a hint - we're birds of a feather.

How can bloggers best communicate with designers to explain what they want?
I like bloggers to send me links of blogs that they like and tell me what exactly they like about them. The more examples I get, the better feel I have for what I need to accomplish. I also like setting a color palette pretty early on. Pinterest is a great place to look at color palettes. In fact, you can check out my color palette board to see how I get color inspiration. A lot of times the color palette evolves as the design gets to its final stages.

How do you come up with all of your ideas?    
I get inspired, firstly, through other blogs. When I design, I get inspired through trial and error. I get in Photoshop and just go until I find my inspiration. I'm not sure if that makes much sense, but it works for me.

Thank you Meg! Loved reading your answers! 

Meg is pretty booked as far as June goes, but do not despair! Today, she is giving away a complete blog makeover at her blog for one lucky winner! Go visit Meg’s blog and enter!

What do you think of my new design!?  I took a lot of your suggestions---I created a favorites page so that I could post all of my most-loved products, I’ve added new left sidebar tabs that were requested (like product reviews, fitness and home tour) and I’ve added ALL of my social media icons at the upper right corner. I’ve also updated my blog roll and changed the way my archive section looks.   

So maybe I did a little more shopping...

In Toronto, a Saturday is always best spent walking around and exploring--- you can shop, eat, people watch and overall just take in the energy of the city.

That's exactly what we did that sunny Saturday. We walked to Queen street, the Eaton's Center and ate lunch at a restaurant across from the new Trump Hotel.

The night before, my friend Heather and I were in my friends Ashley's kitchen and we marveled at the fact that ten years ago...did we ever imagine we would be standing in Ashley's kitchen and looking over at our husbands hanging out before a night out...? It seemed natural and yet surreal at the same time. It was just one of those moments...(guess you had to be there).

Here's what I wore for our downtown excursion:

Shirt- Aritzia
Necklace- Banana Republic
Shorts- Buckle
Sandals- Steve Madden
Watch/Bracelet- Michael Kors/J.Crew
Bag- GAP

xoxo,

Veronika.

29.

Today is my 29th birthday. It's an age that has always made me feel nervous because when you're younger, 30 tends to be the age you assess all of the expectations you had in your twenties and contemplate whether or not they were met. You hope to accomplish certain goals by then---and 29 is the age where you sort of start panicking about what you have and haven't accomplished.


As I sit here at 29 and reflect on the last few decades of my life, I am reminded of how lucky and blessed I am...and all of those worries about 30 being just around the corner are fading as I think about where I am today.


When I was younger, I never thought I would have the kind of life that I have now. It’s no secret that I didn’t have a storybook childhood---but looking back, I don’t know that I would have changed it because it made me the woman I am today and I think that going through what I have has actually made a more compassionate and loving person.
I never dreamed that at 29, I’d be married, live in a beautiful house, have a job that is incredibly fulfilling and people in my life that I know I can count on for the rest of it, whatever it may bring.

Most importantly, my life now has really forced me to think about the power of gratefulness. In my 2012 resolutions post, I said that one of my goals was to be more grateful for all I have. It’s so easy nowadays to get caught up in comparison and thinking about who is where in life and what they have that you don’t (a better job, a smaller waist, a bigger house, anything really). We all struggle with that at times and taking the time to thank God for what you have instead of asking for what you don’t has really proved to me that being grateful is not only the key to happiness---but the key to becoming both a better person and closer to God. When you acknowledge all that is good in your life---you are setting yourself up for more and more blessings to come your way. Of course, I still pray in times of struggle---but every prayer first begins with what I’m thankful for.

I also never dreamed that I would have this blog---and all of the incredible people who read it, in my life. I don’t think I ever express enough just how much each and every one of you impacts me. From your comments to your emails to meeting some of you in person, I am just blown away by the kind and supportive women who visit this blog.
When I moved to Houston at 24 years old for love, I literally came here with two suitcases, the clothes on my back and my dear, sweet Lulu. I was very lonely that first year I was here. I yearned to connect with women who were like my friends back home and though planning our wedding was a fun distraction and I eventually met Candice (who is absolutely amazing) I still loved the idea of surrounding myself with a community of women who all shared the same interests.

Enter my blog, and nearly three years later I truly feel like I have made a lot of genuine connections with so many of you. Whether you leave comments and interact with me or you just check out my blog every once in a while, I want to thank you for creating this special community with me and allowing me into your lives as many of you have through email exchanges and on Facebook and Twitter.

It is truly incredible how much your life can change in just a few years and I know my life has changed (for the better) because of so many things---but also because of this blog and because of all of you. I have many, many things to be grateful for and today, on my 29th birthday, I want to say thank you to all of you for what you bring to my life.

(Random photo I love, taken last week on our trip to Toronto)

xoxo,


Veronika.

Shocking Pink, Toronto Edition

As much as I'm sad that I'm no longer in Toronto with my family and friends, I can't help but be excited to get back into blogging. I've missed you all!

First things first, if you'd like to learn about my favorite ways to get a summer glow (sans the actual sun, of course)---please visit Joan's blog The Baloney Bug where I've written a guest post on just that topic (self tanners and bronzers galore!)

I've decided to break up my Toronto trip into multiple posts that range from outfits to purchases to fun with friends.  I also plan to film my Canada haul video on Saturday and I'll post the link on my Facebook page as soon as the video goes live---or you can subscribe to my channel on YouTube for video notifications.

The first day of our trip was Wednesday. In true Veronika fashion, we picked up our rental car and headed straight to Yorkdale mall to meet my friend Jamie for lunch at Pickle Barrel and do some shopping. I wanted to get shopping out of the way on that first day so that we could focus on spending quality time with family and friends for the rest of the trip.

The day after my shopping spree, I wore one of my new acquisitions, a neon pink dress from H&M (by the way Houstonians, the new H&M opens here at Baybrook Mall [yes, really,] on May 31st).

So, what does a girl wear with a neon pink cotton dress? I paired mine with nude sandals, a bright green blazer and a spray tan that made me about 7 shades darker than my natural skin tone. Love.

Blazer- Zara
Dress- H&M
Necklace- Banana Republic
Sandals- Steve Madden

Sunglasses- Chanel
On my toes: OPI "Lincoln Park After Dark"
Watch/Bracelet- Michael Kors/J.Crew

More to come soon and thank you for your patience as I was traveling!

xoxo,

Veronika.


Motivation Mondays: Meet Alicia, Triathlete & Founder of Endurance Shield Sunscreen

I am thrilled to share with you today’s Motivation Monday---Alicia is a high school friend and a professional triathlete.  She is also co-founder (along with her triathlete husband) of a new sunscreen line called Endurance Shield.

Alicia and her husband Jarrod spend a lot of time in the sun and they realized that there wasn’t a sunscreen product on the market that truly met their needs as athletes who were passionate about sun protection but wanted a product with natural ingredients and one that could withstand their strenuous outdoor training.

Together, they developed a sunblock with great ingredients that was waterproof, sweat proof, moisturizing, safe for sensitive skin, non-comedogenic and that protected against UVA & UVB.

I asked Alicia to participate in Motivation Mondays to tell us more about her training regimen and her sunscreen line.  Since summer is just around the corner, there is no better time than the present to talk about sun protection and the fact that melanoma is on the rise, especially in younger women.

Here is what Alicia had to say:

When we were friends in high school, I remember coming to one of your triathlons and being absolutely amazed at what you were doing out there (like seriously, blown away!) tell us about how you got started doing triathlons.
I grew up as one of four children and my brothers were super athletic. Three of us decided to do a triathlon when I was 12 in Clarington, Ontario. I crashed on the bike, but got back up and finished 4th. I fell in love with the sport and it progressed super quickly from there. I started racing professionally at 14 and was on my first worlds team at the age of 15. I've always been obsessed with the Olympics and being an Olympian and I really felt that triathlon was my ticket.

Tell us about your current career in triathlons
2011 represented a year of big changes and successes for me. Formally an athlete focused on ITU (International Triathlon Union) racing, I transitioned into olympic distance non draft triathlon. I lead the Lifetime Series and 51.50 series (the two biggest non draft Olympic distance circuits in the country) for much of the 2011 season. My 2012 season will be focused on qualifying for Hy Vee (largest prize money Olympic distance race in the world) and racing the Lifetime Series with a few domestic ITU events. Putting all the technical jargon aside the transition from ITU racing to Olympic Distance non draft meant that I let go of trying to make the Olympic team. It was difficult for me, but I was consistently falling short of the standards I needed to achieve to make the Olympic team and rewards weren't enough to keep me motivated. I'm much happier now and loving the sport more than ever.

As an athlete, you spend a lot of time in the sun and I understand that's what prompted you to create your skincare and sun care line--tell us what finally drove you to pursue this endeavor
I have super sensitive skin and both sides of my family comes from Wales so I really don't have skin made for the sun. I had a skin cancer screening at a wellness fair and I was shocked. I had done MAJOR damage to my skin in my teen years. I became more diligent about using sunscreen during the summer months but I hated wearing sunscreen. It made my skin feel chalky and I felt like my skin couldn't breathe. When we moved down to Florida my frustration with sunblock hit a boiling point and my husband and I began searching for a better sunblock. It had to be sweat proof, waterproof, moisturizing (what aren't ALL sunblocks moisturizing?!), non comedogenic, clean feeling/ non greasy, safe for sensitive skin and made from incredible ingredients. In the process of developing the sunscreen we decided to make it anti aging:)

How involved is your husband in the business?
He's as equally passionate about sunblock as I am. Jarrod was a beach life guard for 5 years in NJ and he definitely understands the importance of sunblock. Our job as professional triathletes requires us to be in the sun every day and it's hot so we can't just cover up with clothing. He wasn't wearing sunblock very often because he felt like most products were actually clogging his pores and preventing him from sweating. He sees our sunblock as a performance enhancer because it allows his pours to breathe while protecting his skin. His body doesn't have to work as hard to keep him cool or repair his skin that would be getting damaged without sun protection. He's the CEO of the company:) He has an incredible vision for what Endurance Shield can become and he's very passionate about our product and letting people know that sunblock doesn't have to suck:)

Tell us more about the products in the line---which ones are your favorites, what different skincare needs do they address?
Right now we offer 4 different products, our cornerstone product is definitely our sunblock but we wanted to create a few other products that are inspired by triathlon but are for the entire family. My favorite product is our sunblock because there is absolutely nothing like it on the market and it exactly addressed all the issues that I had with sunblock and does more than I ever thought a moisturizing sunblock could! Here's a little info on each of our products.

Sunblock- Our sunblock is for health conscious individuals who want a sunscreen that’s good for them, that will endure the elements, and has a short ingredient list so they can feel good about themselves and their loved ones. It will provide you with superior protection from both UVA (aging) and UVB (burning) rays. It combines the powerful protection of microionized zinc to block the full spectrum of rays up to 400 nm. Our product is waterproof, sweat proof and is a moisturizer as well, so it won’t dry out your skin. Plus it’s PABA free, making it safe for sensitive skin. Non-comedogenic means it won’t clog your pours! Antioxidants help combat free radical damage, which can cause premature aging. Moms, you can feel good about putting this on the little ones. Ladies, you can feel great about using this as a daily sunblock and moisturizer under your make up.

Lip Protectant- It's the perfect partner for our unblock. It's enriched with vitamins B5, C, and E and super moisturizers jojoba oil and squalane.

Chamois Crème- Our chamois crème blends Azulene, Echinacea, Calendula, and nature's own anti bacterial agent, Tea Tree Oil. This soothing blend calms pain, encourages healing and prevents friction. Our ingredient list is short and packed full of ingredients from nature that you can feel good about putting on your most delicate areas. Try our chamois crème on dry, cracked or chaffed skin. It’s a great healing lotion!

Muscle Relief and Repair cream- Endurance Shield Muscle Relief and Repair cream provides effective relief of bodily aches and pains and is beneficial in relieving tension in sore or achy muscles. It's fortified with botanicals to enrich and nourish the skin. The cream relieve symptoms relating to headaches, TMJ syndrome, sore muscles and stiff and aching joints. Use it yourself or bring it to your next massage or spa treatment - you'll be glad you did. We don't add anything that creates warming or cooling sensations, so enjoy relief without all the uncomfortable tingling, numbness and burning.

Tell us a little bit about your beauty routine---I can imagine as an athlete you stick to a simple routine---which products do you love?
My big issues that I face daily with my skin are the sun and environmental/ chlorine damage and I have dry sensitive skin. My sport requires me to be outside all the time and on top of that I'm in the pool daily (which is also outdoors). I have to moisturize and protect my skin like crazy and then detoxify or exfoliate to get rid of any damaged skin and toxins. I start my day by applying our sunblock generously all over my face and any other places that might be exposed to the sun. After each workout I shower to remove all products. I use a gentle cleanser (Prana- Cleanse) to clean my face and then reapply our sunblock before my next workout. This repeats itself 2-3 times in a day. At the end of the day I completely exfoliate my entire body (Clear Choice- Body Polish) with products that are detoxifying and incorporate natural ingredients (Prana- Purify). I moisturize my face with a facial moisturizer and then moisturize my entire body with our Muscle R&R. I also use our chamois crème as a healing lotion for any damaged skin like blisters or chaffing.

Summer is just around the corner and a lot of women hate to wear sunscreen---tell us why it's so important.
Ladies, I understand why you don't like to wear sunblock- it's sticky, chalky, greasy, causes breakouts, and forget about putting it under make up comfortably. However, no one can deny it's importance. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than 3.5 million skin cancers in over two million people are diagnosed annually, while 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in a lifetime. If a fatal disease is not enough to motivate you, up to 90 percent of the visible changes commonly attributed to aging are caused by the sun. Contrary to popular belief, 80 percent of a person's lifetime sun exposure is not acquired before age 18; only about 23% of lifetime exposure occurs by age 18. About every 20 years a person accumulates an additional 25% of accumulated exposure (based on a 78 year lifespan). You're never too young or too old to start slowing down the aging process and reducing the amount of accumulated sun exposure.

*** All of these facts were quoted from the Skin Cancer Foundation website.

What is different about Endurance Shield products?
Hands down our ingredients. My passion for good ingredients started with food, but I started looking at everything I was putting in or on my body. When I looked at what was in my sunblock I couldn't pronounce the ingredients, nor did I know what they were. We also wanted to make products that did more. Our sunblock isn't just a sunblock, it's also moisturizing, anti aging and safe for ALL skin types- even babies:) Our lip protectant has SPF 18 but it also contains some of natures best moisturizing ingredients. Our chamois crème provides a chafe free environment for sensitive skin, but it's also anti bacterial and contains ingredients that sooth pain and nourish damaged skin. Our Muscle R&R Cream not only soothes achy and tired muscles but also nourishes your skin. We wanted to make products that were multitasking and made from incredible ingredients.

What are some of your long term goals?
I hope to continue to race professionally as a triathlete for as long as my body and passion allows me to. My husband and I would love to start a family some day and if I can continue to race/ train while being a great mom I'd like to try and combine the two. I hope to have get a book published that I've been working on for the last 4 years. I hope Endurance Shield will be setting the standard for sun protection and skin care for the entire family. We hope to raise consumers standards for what sunblock and skincare should be.

Besides training, do you have any other workouts you like to do to stay in shape?
I do strength training in my home 2x a week. I use a BOSU ball, swiss ball, TRX and stretch cords to do my strength workout from the comfort of my living room. In my off season I like to do other sports like rock climbing, yoga, and cyclocross.

Who most inspires you?
I love it when I see friends/ family (even strangers!) toughing through a workout. When I see anyone putting in a great deal of effort into a workout it makes me want to first give them a huge high five and I think of their effort in my next workout. It's especially inspiring when that person is a loved one and you watch them change their standards for health. Seeing them set best times, or call you with the news of a new dress size or finishing something they never realized they could achieve makes me smile for weeks. Seeing health become a lifestyle is so inspiring and motivating to me.

Thank you Alicia for motivating us this Monday!  You can check out Endurance Shield sunscreen products on the official website.

Before I go, I just want to say that Alicia sent me the sunscreen, lip balm and chamois crème to try out and they are all phenomenal. The sunscreen smells so amazing (so does the chamois crème!) You can truly tell it is packed full of natural, moisturizing ingredients and the sunscreen wears really well under makeup (which for me, is hugely important).

I highly recommend this sunscreen line and I encourage you to try it for yourself, especially if you have sensitive and acne-prone skin like I do and want to use a product with natural ingredients.

xoxo,

Veronika.