Tuesday, June 9, 2009

So...say YES to hoboken

I read many blogs daily.
Probably too many.
I am finding, though not surprising, that there are so many incredible people out there sharing their ideas, tips, recipes, projects, thoughts, etc. etc. and I LOVE it. I am inspired daily by all of these wonderful people that take the time to share and I'm so glad that they do take the time.
That is what my INSPIRATIONS series is all about. Taking a moment to feature and honor some of the people that inspire me for different reasons whether by their blog design, content, their fashion sense, craft ideas, etc. Sometimes they inspire me just for being who they are! Regardless of the reason, INSPIRATIONS is dedicate to those people who inspire me!
I am THRILLED about my first INSPIRATION:

I met Liz about 8 years ago at BYU. We played lacrosse together for that one year, and coached high lacrosse together for a bit. I was so excited a couple months ago when I found her blog from a friend of mine who shared a bagel recipe that Liz posted on her blog. What a small blogging world it is! I have been following Liz's blog ever since. say YES to hoboken is full of fabulous DIY projects, sales, and many many pretty things.
It is definitely one to add to your list of subscriptions!

> How long have you been blogging and what inspired you to start?
I've been blogging for three years. I was inspired by my sister in law, Jordan Ferney, of Oh Happy Day (www.jordanferney.blogspot.com). There are so many beautiful things to find on the internet (both productsand projects) and I wanted to collect them in some way. It also started as a great way to connect with friends and family (this was before facebook of course!)

> Talk a little about Baby Hank Vintage. How long have you been selling on etsy? Do you have any advice for those thinking about starting an etsy business?
Baby Hank Vintage is a brand new venture. I started it in March and have been really pleased with its success. Plus, it is SO MUCH FUN. I love shopping. I love thrifting. I love vintage baby clothes. I'm doing all these things anyway, why not start to make a little money from it? I honestly have to stop myself from going out searching everyday. I love it! My advice for those wanting to sell is, be genuine. Do something you already are doing and love right now. It means you're good at it and you enjoy it. So it'll be a success.

> Do you make the clothes for Baby Hank Vintage yourself or are they all fabulous finds? Where do all those adorable items come from?
I don't make the clothes, but I often find items that are handmade by someone else. Without revealing my secret spots, they are all at different thrift stores in Utah.

> You always are working on amazing DIY projects. What is your best resource for DIY ideas? Do you come up with them on your own?
I'm someone that loves and needs to be busy. After I had my son a year and a half ago it was hard trying to feel productive and creative and projects were the logical answer. My best resource is the internet.There are so many amazingly creative people out there, I have a huge blogroll and read a number of inspirational blogs on a regular basis. I find a lot of inspiration thrifting. I see something and immediately start thinking of possibilities for reinventing it. I also find a lot of inspiration from things I see in some of my favorite clothing shops (like a flower belt at J.Crew that inspired me to create my own:http://www.sayyestohoboken.com/2009/06/diy-flower-belt.html) and on etsy. Etsy is a goldmine for all things crafty and creative.

> What is your latest and greatest DIY project?
I made a magnetic chalkboard a couple months ago from a beautiful mirror that I found thrifting. It was really rewarding and I love decorating it on a regular basis. http://www.sayyestohoboken.com/2009/02/magnetic-chalkboard-done.html
I also recently completely redid our dining room in a more modern style for under $400 which was such a rewarding project (I'm sad toleave it!)http://www.sayyestohoboken.com/2009/04/dining-room-makeover-under-400.html

> You have a very distinct, very classic, elegant style. Where is your favorite place to shop?! (I’ve been dying to ask you this one)
What a nice compliment, thank you! I would say J.Crew is my favorite but it often feels too stuffy and sophisticated for me and I like mixing in some edgier/hip items too from stores like Urban Outfitters. Surprisingly though, I don't have a lot of clothing from either of these stores. I get inspiration from them and then shop around at less expensive stores (like TJ Maxx or Forever21 or thrift stores) to create a similar looking outfit. More expensive stores like J.Crew are perfect for getting inspiration for putting together outfits and how to wear accessories like this post about belts:http://www.sayyestohoboken.com/2008/10/belting-inspiration.html . They spend so much money on styling, that's what you're paying for when you buy a $89 cardigan. I often look through designer clothing lines just to get inspiration.

> What are you looking forward to the most about your move to San Francisco?
Oh my goodness. Everything. I'll be so excited to be back in a big city. So much going on and so much to discover plus the best of everything is there. I've only been there like three times, but when I have gone I end up walking around thinking “Now, WHY don't I live here?”. It's the perfect city in my 'i've only been there three times'opinion. We love the outdoors but my husband also wants a really competitive job market in advertising and San Francisco is the perfect combination. We've lived in Manhattan but you literally have to drive two hours to get away from a congested city. I'm from New York and was used to the lifestyle there but it was really hard for my husband. Jared's sister lives in SF and it'll be great to have her around to show us the ropes.

> What is a daily “must read” blog of yours?
I don't know if I can list just one. Some newer ones to me are www.loveitalot.com, www.youaremyfav.com and www.inchmark.squarespace.com. My two sister in laws have huge blogs that are always awesome www.designmom.com and Oh Happy Day www.jordanferney.blogspot.com.

> Do you have anything new and/or exciting coming up on your blog that you want us to know about?
Well we are 'this close' (it's not officialy yet) to renting a really cool loft space in downtown San Francisco that I'm super excited aboutand I'll probably have some fun projects in decorating it.

> And I have to ask…do you miss lacrosse?
Yes! I coached out in NJ when we lived out there and have helped out a couple friends here that have teams. I hope to keep it up here and there. It's so much fun :)


Thanks LIZ!!! It was so fun to reconnect and learn a little more about you. And thanks for inspiring me with your blog!

(Stay tuned for some other great bloggers on INSPIRATIONS)

2 comments:

debbie said...

loooove say yes to hoboken. what a great interview!

E and J said...

Sooo fun! Great idea. I'm so inspired by her blog! You are also one of those amazing people. I wish you could interview yourself.