Branding: Some Logo Work

So, I run a little photography thing on the side - I don't do much with it, but I would like to.  I've been super busy and wasn't sure where to start, but then I thought BRANDING.  I did a little research and came up with my words and then spent the past week fooling around in photoshop to get this stuff below.  

It took a lot of trial and error, time in front of the computer and some frustration.  Also, a lot of me yelling to Brian, "What about this one? Come look at this one!"  Haha!  It was worth it though, because I am happy with the result and I rewarded Brian's thoughts with some homemade enchiladas and pumpkin cookies.  :)

LISTEN // Lorde

You’ve heard about Lorde, right? Gah, so amazing! In case you aren’t convinced…

10 Reasons Why You Should Love Lorde

1. She is only 16! Which could turn some people off, I was kind of confused-shocked when I first found out, but I decided it was awesome, because her voice is amazing and definitely does not sound like a teenager’s voice.

2. She is from New Zealand and her real name is Ella Yelich-O’Connor. What a name, amirite?!

3. She says shit like this, “It feels like a combination of my birthday, Christmas and washing my hair after a month of not doing so.”

4. While on topic...omg, THAT HAIR!

5. She is super cool and put out her EP for free because she wanted people her age to be able to listen even if they didn’t have a credit card. She said, “I think that’s bulls**t that you need to have one in order to buy songs.”

6. This song and video. 

7. Did you know that she signed a record deal when she was THIRTEEN??

8. She is also the youngest singer to reach No. 1 on the U.S. charts since Tiffany in 1987 with "I Think We're Alone Now."

9. She’s so obviously a total badass.

10. THIS VIDEO. So strange. So beautiful. So mesmerizing.

BONUS: This album artwork is badass.

ETSY LOVE // the object enthusiast

My Etsy Love this week is going out to the object enthusiast! The shop owner, Emily, first got into ceramics in college. She states that, “I create one of a kind ceramic vessels using wheel thrown, slip cast and hand built methods.” I think her pieces are gorgeous and I love that each one is unique! You should probably go check out her shop now. For real.

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[all photos from the object enthusiast]

ETSY // Shameless Self Promotion...

Okay, time for some shameless self-promotion. Hey, it was bound to happen sooner or later! You’ll be happy to know that I plan on promoting other Etsy shops in the weeks to come, promise!

If you are part of the blogging world, than you most definitely have heard of Etsy...and probably have purchased something from a seller there. Even if you aren’t a blogger you’ve probably heard of it...and if not, now you have! Etsy is a fantastic website! It allows small time business owners -just some creative person with an idea- to sell their products. Which in turn creates a shopping paradise of unique gifts for the rest of the world - I. Love. Etsy.

Truth.

Awhile ago, I opened my own shop. I don’t tend to it as often as I should/could, but I only have so much time each day and I have to prioritize. Since I have a full time job and don’t rely on Etsy for my main source of income, I can allow other things to top my priority list. There are of course many sellers for whom Etsy is a main source of income AND I think that is straight up awesome! Anyway, here are some favorite products from my shop! 

 Plus, since you are awesome - use this discount code for 15% off! → BLOGLOVE

(it expires Oct. 6, 2013 - so use it soon!)

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Thanks for visiting!

xo, kass

PHOTO // Keep Running

I had a really fun photoshoot this week with a good friend of mine. Her friend, Mindy, is a yoga instructor living in South Korea who has recently started an online magazine. I had the opportunity of meeting her (and attending an awesome yoga class she led) last month and actually tooks some photos for her then. For the magazine's next issue our mutual friend, Missy, wrote an article on running and she needed some photos to go along with it. So, of course, they thought of me (yay!) and now I get to have my photographs in a South Korean magazine! :D I think it comes out next week sometimes and I have no idea which photos she will end up using, but here are some of my favorites from the shoot!

[Check out all the cool shit Mindy is doing! Kaizen // I Write Light // You.IMPROVED]

So, I ran a 5k...

...on Sunday morning and it went really well! I ran the 5k portion of the Quad City Marathon, there was also a Half Marathon, Marathon and Relay. I had ran one 5k before this, it was a Color Run and if you’ve ever been to one you know that it’s more walkers than runners. Which is totally fine, it was fun, but I was excited to try a more serious race. My boyfriend was kind enough to run with me (with zero training!) and he definitely helped keep my pace up, soooo I ended up with a PR! My time was 33:37, so my pace was 10:51. I was so excited! The fastest I’d ever ran a 5k (in my training) was about 36 minutes, so woot for me!

I’m going to use this great feeling to propel me into the next phase of my training. I friend of my has offered to create a training program for me that will help with my speed, so I’m excited to get started on that. I’ve signed up for a Turkey Trot 5 mile run over Thanksgiving, so that will be a good goal - then I’m going to have to work really hard to stay focused over the winter months. Gah, it’s just so hard once the weather turns to shit...I’m not a huge fan of treadmill work, but oh well.

Are you of you runners out there? Any tips? :)

LISTEN // Walk Off the Earth

Have you heard of this band yet? If not, please google them immediately. Wait, no, stop. Let me make it super easy for you.

CLICK HERE

Don’t worry, that’s nothing bad - just a link to their you tube page! :)

So, this a a crew out of Ontario, Canada and they gained popularity making cover videos for YouTube. Lemme tell ya, their covers are fn amazing. AMAZING. More recently, they have put out an album of originals (and one cover) called R.E.V.O. This is equally amazing and you’ve probably heard the single Red Hands on the radio. I’m guessing you’ve also see their 5 Peeps 1 Guitar video that is a cover of “Somebody That I used to Know” by Goyte. If I’m being honest, I’m not a fan of that original song, but I love it sang by WOTE. The video is badass, so in case you haven’t seen it (and didn’t click the link above) here ya go...

Oh and I did I mention every one of them not only plays instruments, but also sings? Seriously, right? I think that’s one thing that really draws me to them - their album is cohesive, but each song is unique. I like the variety of the difference voices and that they all meld really well together.

Anyway, here are a few more videos of my favorite songs. Enjoy! :)

I LOVE this original song and I LOVE this one. Plus, all these videos are so awesome that you actually want to sit an watch them, not just listen. :)

Just one more original...enjoy!