I worked today. Not long. Maybe 4 hours. But it was the 4th of July, and while most people were having backyard bbqs and beers with friends, I was waxing, putting D-rings on, and stamping pieces that either need to be photographed or shipped. At some point, it occurred to me that it was a holiday and that I could probably be relaxing in front of the TV or taking a nap. There was a time when I probably would have gone down the self pity route. But instead of thinking “Why me?”, I felt grateful.  I can’t say that I always feel that way, and I would be lying if I said I felt that way last week. Truth...

I’m gonna get right to the point today, folks: Thanks to y’all, we (in partnership with Miller Imaging & Digital Solutions) were able to donate $5,358.66 to I Live Here I Give Here’s Amplify: Disaster Relief Fund to help Central Texans affected by the recent winter storm.  Because of your generosity, we sold 134 of the Texas Strong wall hangings (in one week!) that we designed in collaboration with Miller IDS. 100% of the proceeds from those sales went directly to help Texans affected by the storm.  We want to thank those who purchased the Texas Strong wall hangings, those of you who took the time to share with friends and family on your social media, and we want to thank...

"Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise." - Victor Hugo, Les Misérables As lifelong Texans, we simply aren’t used to extended periods of sub-freezing conditions, snow, or ice. It takes little more than a light dusting of snow or a bit of freezing precipitation to shut down entire regions of the state. Usually, everyone treats it as a kind of free day. The kids are happy to miss a day of school and the adults get a day off—or at least a day to work from home.  The winter weather that hit Texas this last week was different, though. Many people were without electricity and water for extended periods of time, creating an uncomfortable situation for...

“Stay in your lane. Comparison kills creativity and joy". - Brene Brown  For years I've been telling myself that "Comparison is the thief of joy", yet Kris has always pointed out that it's just another empty platitude if you don’t actually put it into practice. I'm still guilty of it; I still scroll through the endless feed of pictures and posts and compare myself or our business to everyone else's. You know what it does? It kills my joy. Every. Single. Time. Kris is really good about staying in his own lane and not caring what everyone else is doing, what they're creating, or how successful they seem to be on social media. He keeps his head down and stays...