THIS BLOG HAS MOVED!

I’ve been talking about it for weeks and the day is finally here. My beloved BT&B blog is officially transferring over to a new, simple, clean & perfectly SCOUT. blog. After much contemplation and hours and hours of design conversations with my dear friend Amy, I made the decision to start up a new blog (new domain too! www.ablognamedscout.com).

I made the leap for many reasons, but the most pressing reason was that I wanted a place where I could really feel free to blog about ANYTHING I wanted. Because of the name of Bow Tie & Bustle I always felt that everything had to revert back to a “wedding” focus and to be honest it was kinda making my creative energy for blogging go down the gutter. Even in just the past couple days of getting the new blog ready for its launch I felt my “blogging love” come back in full force and I couldn’t wait to wake up each morning to blog, blog, blog! It feels a bit like an end-of-an-era scenerio but I really believe the transition to the new blog is the best decision for me and my business at this time.

Thanks to everyone who has followed me here at BT&B for the past couple of years. I hope you’ll continue to follow my new adventures and inspirations over at SCOUT.. LOTS of Europe travel posts coming in the next couple weeks…don’t miss it!

photo cred : {moi iPhone via instagram}

lucky.

I might just be the luckiest person in the world right now. I’m hopping on a flight this morning (again, I know!) but this trip is SUPER DUPER special. I get to spend 3 WHOLE days with this guy :

Yep. That’s my nephew Emryk a.k.a. Mr E. He’s 6 month’s old and already one of the nicest people I know. He is always smiling (yep just like that!) and I can’t even begin to say how excited I am to be getting 100% auntie time! My sister and bro-in-law won a trip on a cruise (amazing right?!) so I get to snuggle with this little bundle while their gone. Should be some pretty hard-core mommy prep too now that I think about it. Wish me luck friends!

photo cred : {sarah elliott – mommy of Mr. E}

happy happy friday.

Wow. Friday is here. This week has been one of my busiest yet with such high highs and some pretty annoying lows. The cruddiest low? 2 – yes 2 $50 parking tickets. One for me. One for Adam. Let’s just say – not.so.fun. Biggest highs? A Kinfolk Magazine shoot (my favorite mag on the entire planet) and my 1st full-flegged solo styling project for the gals of Blog Brunch. It feels so freaking amazing to really be doing it. When I was younger I secretly wanted to be a stylist, but didn’t really know how the heck to make it happen. I thought you had to be able to draw to be artistic and I’ve learned an incredible bit about was it really means and takes to be creative or an artist : hard work + passion. Styling is my passion (yes! finally found it!) and I’m so excited to see where this passion leads me. This week has really been the cherry on top of 16 months of a complete life overhaul. I’m leaving in a little less than 2 weeks for the trip of  lifetime to Europe with my little sis Coli and the break will be an awesome opportunity to do some reflecting while being flooded with inspiration. Cannot wait.

Happy weekend dear friends!

photo cred : 1 {my iPhone via instagram} 2 {julie harmsen photography}

apt therapy design night!

A couple weeks ago, I had the pleasure of speaking at an Apartment Therapy design meeting and it was SUCH a blast! I will fully admit that I was super nervous to public speak leading up to the night, but once I got talking I couldn’t stop! I shared a bit about how I got into the creative world, some thoughts on where I see my biz going in the future, and some design tips for adding vintage decor into your space.

It was so exciting seeing so many creative peeps interested in hearing about scout. and pumped to learn about estate sales & seeking out vintage things. I had so much fun meeting everyone who came out for the night and was thrilled to see some of my close buddies there as well!

Thanks to my hubby for taking pics, to Andie & Emily for such a warm welcome in their adorable studio Assemble and to Manuela of Apt Therapy for allowing me to share my story! For more pics and details of the night head on over to Apartment Therapy here!

photo cred: {adam blake via apartment therapy}

travel day.

I took a much needed day off today to plan my upcoming trip to Europe. I’ll be taking off the month of May & most of June, and as exciting as this trip is, I’ve had a tough time lately setting aside time to actually focus on things other than work. I knew unless I dedicated a day on my calendar to actually planning out my trip, I’d probably NEVER make it happen!

So, as much as I feel guilty for taking a “monday” off, I can’t even begin to tell you how ecstatic I am to finally be sitting down to map it all out. My biggest plans? Source some new pieces for scout; stuff my face full of banana + nutella crepes; bask in the sun on the beaches of Mykonos; and take in every last drop of sister bonding time I possibly can!

As of today planning is in FULL force and if anyone has any advice at all – places to see, things to do, grub to eat – I’d LOVE to hear it! I’ve never been to Switzerland, Greece or the Czech Republic so I’m in need of lots & lots of advice!

photo cred: {kristina gill via design sponge}

a week in instagram.

Wow – is it Friday already?!! I thought I’d share a peek into my week through my instagram feed – if you don’t have instagram and you have an iPhone – get on board!! I absolutely love capturing all kinds of random stuff using this fun app and I really can’t imagine life without it – it’s so entertaining! Plus you can keep up with what all your buddies are doing through their own feeds! If you’re ever interested in following me I’m currently snapping away under: bowtieandbustle.

a week with an instagram summary:

1: chocolate milk – i’m officially addicted. that + a current exercise restriction = a recipe for disaster. 2: ikea – ehh. i despise that place on the weekends but sometimes it’s a necessary evil. 3: bailie decided this week that my face was  an appropriate resting place for her head. funny thing is – i didn’t really mind. 4: the littlest of peeks into an editorial shoot i worked my tail off on this week – pretty bentwood chairs are the best! 5: new glasses! finally! i was lazy for a really long time and didn’t want to go in for my eye exam. i finally bit the bullet this week and got myself some new specs. 6: i’m really into patterned socks lately, which is funny because i remember thinking as a kid how horrible they were. wow how things change… 7: restore – my favorite place to rummage around. always something fab hiding in a really dirty corner. 8: those chairs stole my heart this week! i wanted to take them home with me so bad! 9: the price of gas is about to send me over the edge. the beast i drive around for scout. deliveries is certainly not helping the situation. 10: i absolutely love my sidesaddle kitchen tee – its so comfy and i’ve been wearing it everywhere. my dear friend laura has this kick ass vegan pastry venture that i can’t stop drooling over. she is so stinkin’ talented and insanely adorable to boot! check out her yummies over here. 11: one of my newest additions to the scout. collection. i about fell over when my eye caught the color of this desk. it would be such a perfect piece for a mini dessert bar. i’m in love! 12: ended up on my favorite corner of cap hill this week and couldn’t help but admire my favorite wall. the street art is just so gorgeous.

Along with hours & hours of sourcing for the shoot and lots of random biz stuff, i found some great new vintage finds, had some fantastic nights out with friends & family who came in from outta town and took a MUCH needed day off on Thursday. I kinda forgot what it feels like not to work. I’m also taking tomorrow off too (wooohoo!!) and heading outta town with Adam for a quick trip down to Portland to visit some of our buddies! I’m absolutely ecstatic, although the sun is finally out in Seattle and I can’t help but wonder if it’s shining a few hours south as well. Cross your fingers for us!

Some not so fun things going on? Found out yesterday that my hip definitely needs surgery. I have a torn labrum (the cartilage around my right hip socket) which has made it difficult for me to walk/stand/sit let alone exercise or deliver scout goodies. I got a steroid shot about a month and a half ago hoping that would be a long-term pain reliever but that hasn’t been the case. I’ve been a bit defeated by the entire thing because it’s never fun to realize that your body isn’t as healthy as you hope for it to be and as 30 slowly creeps towards me I honestly feel like I’m going on 80. After discussions with my doc I realized it won’t make sense to have the surgery before my trip to Europe as the recovery period is at least 6 weeks ZERO activity!!! It’s gonna be quite the challenge to find the time to take care of my ol’ hip – but I’m hopeful this summer or late winter will lend some time to taking care of it. It’d be so so great to be able to deliver a settee without feeling like my leg might fall off!

Adam and I have also been talking lots about some fun trips this year since we have free standby airline travel for the entire year! I know, I know – we are super spoiled. We are hoping to get to see some of our long lost friends that we haven’t seen since we got married & spend some quality time together later this year after the wedding season. I keep telling him it would be SO fun to go to Australia but with Adam’s limited vacation schedule – that might not work. A girl can dream though right?!

I hope you all had a great week and your weekend is filled with spring weather & loved ones.

*JB

photo cred: {moi iPhone + instagram}

sunday dreaming / 42.

dreaming of…

less distance between someone i love.

I did something kinda crazy this weekend. After a super long and busy work week I decided to hop on a VERY last minute red eye flight to Chicago to surprise my best friend Vanessa. It’s been over 9 months since I’ve seen V in person and she just announced a bit ago that she and Dr. T are expecting a little baby girl in August! How freaking exciting is that?!!!

I couldn’t wait even a second longer to get my hands on her baby bump, so I had Adam drive me out to the airport late Friday night to see if I could make a standby flight. After being given a ticket by the gate agent, having my ticket taken back and then being given a ticket again, I took the very very last seat out of Seattle and arrived on Vanessa’s front door step early Saturday morning without her knowing I was coming. It’s the BEST feeling in the world surprising someone you love especially when you get to see the reaction on their face in person and give them a BIG gigantic hug!

We spent all day yesterday and today catching up on life, eating yummy food, watching scary movies and talking all things baby. I even got to help V pick out patterns and fabric for her baby nursery! Let’s just say the last 48 hours have been some of the best EVER! I hope you all had an amazing weekend!

photo cred: {moi iPhone}

sunday dreaming / 40.

dreaming of…

a new pair of specs.

Yep, the time has come. I cannot wait any longer.

It’s time for a new pair of glasses.

After getting lost at least 10 times yesterday simply due to the fact that I couldn’t read the street signs (yikes!) I realized that I cannot possibly hold off any longer.

So this Sunday as I wait for the Oscars to start, I dream of a new pair of frames.

photo cred: {warby parker}

friday find : the channel back + exciting stuff.

Wowza! What a whirlwind couple of weeks this has been! Although things don’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon, I’m getting a little downtime tonight to take a break and reflect on all the good fortune I’ve been afforded over the past month or so.

Just a few of the things I’ve been up to:

– lots of scoutin’. searching for some new pretty pieces to add to the scout. collection. found the above channel back chair at 2nd saturdayz a couple weeks ago and couldn’t resist it’s blush colored charm. got it’s debut this week at skillet’s tasting – YES!

– followed up with my doc this week related to my hip pain. my torn labrum is responding well to the steroid shot, but i’m on 4 more weeks of exercise restriction. BOO! all i really really wanna do is go for a run & break a mad sweat. upside? 4 more weeks of watching movies on the green couch totally guilt free.

– a rue shoot (TOTAL dream come true!) with cassandra lavalle, sarah rhoads and the uber talented gals of hens & chicks collective. can’t wait to see the next issue of rue mag and so honored to have worked alongside these creatives!! had such a blast!

– my first venue walk through with ellen. she & paul will be getting married in august at the beautiful laurel creek manor and i feel super privileged to play a role in their big day!

– LOTS of inquiries for our goods. so excited that the word is really starting to spread about scout.

– started massage therapy this week. in one word? AWESOME. in three words? best decision ever!

– some super exciting conversations & mtgs are happening between myself and miss amy moore. amy is the brilliant designer behind my scout. re-branding and someone i greatly admire. i’m BEYOND stoked to collaborate with her in the future!

– adam treated me to a super special day last saturday where i got to pick out all my fav foods down at pike place market and we had a little picnic in the back of our car at gas works park (it was too chilly to be outside). sounds kinda ridiculous to lay out a picnic blanket in the car BUT it was the BEST day i’ve had in a REALLY long time. i can’t thank my lucky stars enough for such a supportive partner.

– blogshop. blogshop. blogshop. i can’t say enough good things about how much i learned during my own time at blogshop in berkeley, so it was a total thrill & a half to provide some scout loot to angela & bri’s class here in seattle this month.

– i’m currently prepping for a super exciting shoot next month that has my creative juices in overdrive. so ecstatic to collaborate with some wedding peeps that i’ve never had the opportunity to work with before.

– adam bought me a new printer!!! not a big deal you say? TRUST ME. BIG deal! the amount of stress that has been relieved just to know that when i hit “print” something will actually come out of my printer with ink on it. uhhh-huh. HUGE deal.

– planning my upcoming europe trip. dublin & paris are all set (coli and i will be staying in this teeny tiny little gem for 12 glorious days in May) and my pure excited joy for some dedicated sister time with coli is becoming SUPER real…it’s gonna happen! we’re now on the hunt for places in rome, athens, zurich, prague, and a few other spots. any suggestions/tips are welcome!!

– a trophy party! jennifer and her team were nice enough to throw a “curator party” as a thank you for the window design & decor i created for their u-village & bravern shops. it was so much fun to have my closest buddies munch on cupcakes for the night and celebrate with confetti & bubbly!

– a SUPER DUPER fun filled and inspirational night with skillet this week. i was granted the opportunity to collaborate with noah of skillet for their spring tasting this week at melrose market studios. i unleashed practically my entire scout collection on the space and had a ton of fun styling it up alongside noah! looking forward to many more collaborations with skillet in the future!

I’m off to a colorblocking + gold b-day party this weekend for my buddy Julie, a birthday celebration for my dear sweet Hadley and a MUCH needed brunch with my nurse besties: Barb, Apple & Em. Also LOTS of work catch up. I hope you all have an amazing weekend!

***p.s. lots of pics coming soon of all the exciting things going on with BT&B and scout! check back!

alt summit!

Phew! What a last 24 hours this has been! I woke up yesterday morning with plans to leisurely pack for my upcoming trip to ALT, blog a bunch of posts for the week (yesterday included!), clean house, eat healthy meals and actually go to the gym (woah!).

And then….DUN DUN DUN! I looked at the weather report. And then Southwest Airlines sent me a text message.  And then the twitter messages started flying and before I knew it I was hopping on a flight a whole day sooner than expected.

Uh yeah… Can you say total and utter madness?! Yes – I turned into the crazy packing lady with clothes flying everywhere, my house in total chaos (so much for that clean house goal), my poor husband being barked orders about which pair of tights should go and which ones should stay and my poor puppy dog crouching in the corner, ears down, wondering if the world was actually coming to an end.

BUT after what felt like absolute travel insanity, I made it to Salt Lake City late last night in one piece and revved up for what is sure to be one super AMAZING week! I’m so excited to actually be attending ALT (a super fantabulous blogging conference!) and so pumped to finally meet some of my fav design bloggers in person!!! I can’t wait to see what the next few days hold and I’m crossing my fingers for those buddies who are stuck in Seattle with delayed or cancelled flights….get here soon ladies! xoxo!

photo cred: {murray mitchell}

when i grow up.

A couple month’s ago I received the most amazing email.

Michelle Ward of When I Grow Up is a career coach for creatives…in other words: she’s this super kind, caring and hilariously funny gal who supports, guides and inspires others to pursue their own creative dreams. My dear friend Maggie referred me to Michelle for her “grown-up gig” series and I was flabbergasted when Michelle said she was interested in featuring my journey.

I feel so crazy honored to be sharing my story on Michelle’s blog today, and was even more excited to see my vintage pieces gettin’ some blogging love. Thanks so much for the feature Michelle!

photo cred: {screen shot via when i grow up}

happy october {fest}!

Holy macaroni! It’s October already?!? How did that happen! Well, let’s just say I’m not complaining. October is one of my favorite months of the year…I drown myself in pumpkin pie from now until January and I just LOVE watching the season change. The leaves are always so pretty right about now – they’ve always got that gorgeous red hue to them and everything just seems so crisp! I don’t even necessarily mind the darker evenings…it makes me wanna light up the fireplace and snuggle with my hubs complete with hot chocolate and my bulldog snoring at my lap.

Adam and I are spending the weekend with friends in Leavenworth soaking in the mountain air and appreciating the beauty of the PNW. Leavenworth is this super adorable little Bavarian town that is just bursting at the seams with charm and fall festivities. I’m so excited to have a carefree night of beer steins, lederhosen (better believe it!) and good company.

Hope you all are enjoying this October weekend!

P.S. Pics of Sarah’s baby shower coming next week. SO many pics to share!

photo cred: {moi iPhone}

a year gone by.

I cried when I realized it this morning.

I cried from exhaustion. Joy. Remorse. Excitement. Relief. Complete astonishment.

Today marks a year. 365 days ago today I said goodbye to the only career I had ever known. I spent 6 years in school to become a registered nurse and a year ago today I walked away. The decision has not been an easy one, and there isn’t a day that goes by when I’m not really scared and frightened by that decision. I left stability. Colleagues. Security. A routine. But for a really really long time I knew that nursing, although incredibly rewarding, was just not where I wanted to exist. Was I happy? Kind of. Was I satisfied on more days than not. Sure. Was I comfortable. Pretty much. But was I the real, true me? Absolutely not. And THAT didn’t sit well with me.

On the day I left nursing I honestly had no idea what the future held for me. I knew I needed something different, but I didn’t really know what that might look like. I knew that my creative ambitions were screaming from my insides but translating that into something successful and just as rewarding seemed like the impossible. 2 weeks after I made the decision to not settle until I found that certain something that fed my soul in an honest and truthful way I took a trip. I packed up a crazy large backpack, said goodbye to my husband and puppy dog and left for 7 weeks. At the time the decision felt really selfish, greedy…maybe even wrong. But my intention was simple: find me. Find what really makes me happy. Find out why for so many years I’d felt hopeless, sad and lost. I set out to open my ears and my eyes to all the things my heart had been saying for so long, to really listen. To really see. And this I felt was a selfless decision, because in my gut I knew it would make me a better person not only for myself but for those who loved me.

I slept in. I watched French music videos to the point of verbal and choreographic memorization. I ate an amazing amount of pastries. I stared at art. I walked and walked and walked. I teared up at the beauty that is Europe. I sang. I grocery shopped. I rode trains. I drank yummy wine. I explored. I laughed with friends and family who visited me. I spent money. I wrote a travel blog. I practiced my French. But mostly I took pictures and wrote. I used my camera to open my eyes to all the things that really inspired me. The things that made me feel alive. And I wrote to hear what my own voice had to say.

Writing and photography never were as important as they were during those 7 weeks. I honestly and miraculously found myself while looking through my camera lens and while writing til’ the wee hours of the morning. I had found the answer I’d always been searching for for so long, and although it scared the crap out of me, I came home and pursued that answer. I started my own business and leapt into the craziness of being an entrepreneur. For the first time in my ENTIRE life, I listened to what MY heart was telling me. Not what anyone or anything else was telling me. And today, I celebrate that. I celebrate being me and for the first time really living.

Thank you to everyone who has supported, pushed, and loved me during this past year. Thank you for not calling me crazy to my face, or telling me to run back to a career that seemed a lot more logical. Thank you for loving me enough to wish the very best for me and for my future. Thank you for cheering me on and for hugging me during those moments when I was really scared. Thank you for being proud of me – this life alteration would not have happened without your support. Thanks for celebrating with me today!

P.S. How crazy fitting is it to have Vanessa & Tony’s wedding featured on SMP today to mark the occasion?!?! So proud of where this past year has led me!

P.S.S. If you’re interested in following the travels the helped me find my way start by clicking here.

year gone by photo captions:

september: moonlighting with paper. realizing that i was suffocating without a creative outlet. jb papier was born.

october: my trip to europe began. i snapped pictures of everything i could. big ben was one of my fav shots.

november: being alive in paris.

december: when i really started carving out my new business. took the leap of faith and admitted that i was ready to start a new journey.

january: bow tie & bustle was born. participated in my very first styled shoot. bun in the oven concept.

february: gathered an amazing team of wedding creatives for montmartre shoot i dreamed up while in france.

march: very first big time feature for my lil’ business on green wedding shoes.

april: vanessa & tony’s wedding in cabo san lucas. my first BIG design and first international destination wedding all wrapped in one.

may: drove a farm table from denver to seattle. started thinking about launching a vintage rental company. scout. was officially launched on august 6th.

june: headed to beverly hills to get my learn on at coordinator confab.

july: felt like a full fledged blogger after attending blogshop in the bay area.

august: one of MANY projects in august: ann & jon’s wedding day.

photo cred: {personal pics and mo hines photography}

celebrating love with burritos & bikes.

I woke up this morning realizing how little I’ve shared in the past couple of weeks about my day to day life on the good ‘ol blog. As I mentioned a couple days ago, I’m in the midst of launching a new personal blog (details coming soon!) and I think in the mean time I’ve just kinda put the personal posts on hold. But WHY? Life is happening and I love capturing it, so why not chat about it?

So as a means of sharing some personal stuff, I thought I’d share pics and details from our amazing anniversary trip to Fort Collins last month. Adam and I got married 2 years ago in the adorableness that is LaPorte, CO and stayed at the gorgeous Armstrong Hotel. So now, it’s kinda our thing. Yep, EVERY year we plan to head back to CO to ride bikes, eat yummy food and stay at the Armstrong – cause it’s just FUN!

I think it’s SO IMPORTANT to celebrate the love in life, and I’m so excited to know that no matter how crazy life may get, Adam and I will always prioritize us around August 30th.

P.S. Debuting the new red do’. I’m kinda loving the red!

Riding bikes while in downtown Fort is such a blast…minus when you’re getting yelled at for riding in dismount zones and when you can’t find anyone to snap a decent pic of ya. What do you do? Get creative.

Wedding Cake. Champagne. The Armstrong. It doesn’t get better. I was SO excited and quite honestly flabbergasted when Adam surprised me by remembering to order our anniversary cake. I was teary eyed when he told me cause it meant so much that he remembered. In the midst of all the wedding craziness in August…it totally slipped my mind. Oh, how I love this guy. AND almond poppy seed cake with raspberry filling.

One of the things that Adam and I miss the most about CO is the burritos. NO JOKE. Colorado has the BEST burritos EVER! Our fav breakfast burrito place of all time is Burritos & Co. in Denver (58th and I-25 for my CO peeps), but for lunch or dinner or anytime in between it’s: BIG CITY BURRITO. Their potato burrito on jalepeno cheddar is the best thing that has ever happened to me…no honestly – I hit up that place so many times in college I’m surprised it didn’t turn into one big burrito! They are best!  Oh, and it doesn’t hurt that they provide a million and a half hot sauces to drizzle on top of your burrito. It’s all about the details folks…the details.

And then as if to say “welcome home Seattleites!” it rained. Not a ton, but enough to make you fall in love with the smell all over again. Colorado rainstorms are by far the best I’ve ever experienced. They smell amazing, they actually make noise, and they fulfill their purpose & then go on their merry way vs. the Seattle lingering drizzle which is just total BS.

And what better to do in the rain but shop?! One of my fav stores in the world is on College Ave. called EsScentuals – very Parisian inspired, with tons of gorgeously wrapped soaps and dainty bottles surrounded by perfectly enticing vintage props. I found myself gawking at an Eiffel Tower looking stand only to be told it wasn’t for sale…bums! But I found some super adorable letters and got my french fix…yes! I also love finding cute gifts and souvies at White Balcony next door. It’s just one of those places where you can get lost for ours. Gotta love that!

Mama Said Sew is also a must see if you are the crafty type. They are filled floor to ceiling with the most gorgeous vintage fabrics and buttons you could EVER imagine. I have the hardest time leaving the place whenever I visit, and I couldn’t help snap a shot of my adorable boy waiting patiently outside while I browsed.

Did I mention we eat while traveling? Yeah. We. Do…A LOT! And one of my most favorite places to stop while in CO is Snooze. Snooze is absolutely the BEST breakfast I’ve ever had…this time we chomped on their breakfast pot pie, the pancake flight including a peach cobbler, sweet potato AND buttermilk pancake. YUMMMMMMMMM. My hot chocolate was also super duper tasty!

As a last minute anniversary gift I got Adam his very first big boy shave at a real barber shop. So much fun! The pic of him lookin’ like a mummy is my favorite of the trip. Oh and you just have to make a stop at BeauJo’s for yummy pizza…it’s kinda a no brainer.

Old town Fort is currently littered with these ADORABLE piano’s painted with pops of color and cute little illustrations. I begged Adam to play me a song at each and every last one, and lucky enough for me he agreed. Getting serenaded by your man is the best!

We wrapped up the trip with a quick stop at our wedding venue to snag a peek at our brick that lines the path to the ceremony site. Totally cheesy, but totally awesome all at the same time. I love knowing that a piece of Adam and I will always be in Colorado.

The entire visit made me miss those good ol’ rockies and the feelings of home. We had SUCH a good time and I can’t wait to go back next year!

photo cred: {jenn elliott blake}

birthday guy.

Today my favorite guy in the entire world is turning 30.

Happy birthday my love.

photo cred: {where monsters meet}