Weekly Quote

Friends Friday: Andrea Celada

Name: Andrea Celada

Age: 21 

Location: Irvine, CA

Occupation: Full Time Student

How did you get into design and drawing?

I always loved coloring and drawing as a little girl, so in some ways I got into it because it's just what I was naturally drawn to. Instagram played a large part in it recently because it allowed an entire space for me to post things I designed and drew. On top of that, it gets shared so quickly with so many people so that has really allowed me to hear from others that design is something I could pursue. People say the nicest things on there!

How old were you when you got into design?

The stuff that I design mostly involves bible verses, and I had never even read the Bible until 4 years ago so I was around 17. I loved that the verses and stories were full of pictures and that really opened tons of possibilities for me to design things that went along with verses.

What does your average day look like? 

Because I'm a full time college student much of my time still revolves around a school schedule (but not for much longer, only 2 months till graduation!) So on an average day I would spend some time alone on campus (usually at Starbucks), catch up on homework or doodle, go to class, work, and then hang out with room mates or friends at the end of the day. And a lot of the hanging out with friends with room mates and friends involves going out to eat, which is always fun. 

What is your favorite thing to design? (logos, cards, etc)

I definitely love making cards, I think a part of the reason it's my favorite is because they're small enough to put anywhere. I usually keep cards in my folder for school, but I like that they can be framed or given away for something special. I'm a big fan of writing notes and letters so cards are perfect for that! 

Where is your dream vacation?

I recently went on a trip with my best friends from High School and it was so much fun, so a dream vacation would have to include them. They're silly and super easy going so I'd love to be with them on a vacation again. I think it would be fun if we went somewhere out of the country so we could experience tons of new stuff together. So I guess with all that being said, I would say Ireland! I don't know exactly which part or what we'd do there but I think I'd love it. I've heard only good things from people who have been there. 

Current obsessions?

My current obsession, and my continuous obsession, is YouTube! I hate to admit it sometimes but I seriously love browsing around at all the live music. I usually start at a band or a person I know but it eventually leads me to new music, which I love. If I'm not doing that on YouTube, I'm watching all the singing competition videos. There's so much talent out there!

How do you think your parents, siblings, and friends impacted your passion for design?

My family and friends are the sweetest when it comes to me designing things, they are always encouraging me to do more which really helps me move forward. And I also think that because my parents are pretty creative people that it carried down into who I am. My dad loves doing wood work and he draws every once and a while (he should really draw more though, he's good) and my mom is a seamstress and knows so much about fabrics and colors. So even though those things aren't specifically the type of design I'm into, they definitely passed on a creative eye to me.

What is your favorite thing you’ve designed/made?

This is probably my favorite piece and it's because of all the meaning that the verse carries for me. It was based off of Psalm 143:8, that says "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life." The verse helped me so much two summers ago, and it was something that really grew my relationship with God.

Where do you want to take your passion? What is your dream job?

With college coming to an end, I feel like I've thought so much about what my dream job would be and how my passion for design would be involved with that. I think I've come to an answer - I'd love to use my passion for design as a way to raise support to do ministry. I'm going to be doing full time collegiate ministry my first year (and hopefully second year too) out of college with a non-profit Christian organization. That involves raising thousands and thousands of dollars, so my dream is to be able to sell cards I've designed to get there. I think it'll be amazing to get to share God through art to people I may not even know and to share God through my own story on a college campus.

Any advice for aspiring designers/artists?

If I were to give any advice it would be to be okay with not feeling creative all the time. I sometimes get so frustrated when I want to sit and draw but I can't think of anything to draw or when I don't like anything I am drawing. I've learned to just let it go and get back to it when I have the inspiration for something. In the end, some of the greatest things come out when you didn't even mean to sit and draw that day.

1,000 Gifts-300

201. Vintage
202. Talking about graduating soon
203. Picking little flowers
204. Figuring out license plates
205. Radio towers by our house
206. Deserted lanes
207. Tree Farms
208.
209. Getting to wear tshirts again
210. Advice from dad
211. Bible time in the quiet
212. Anything peppermint
213.
214. When the Starbucks barista knows my order (I've been there too much)
215. Puppy sleeping next to me
216. Babies!
217. Rounding up for CHKD
218. Floral patterns
219. Farm houses
220. When work is boring
221. Finding a check I forgot to cash
222. Stickers
223. Quotes
224. The banjo
225. Funny bumper stickers (Ride a draft: they make your butt look smaller)
226. Customer telling you you're a real blessing
227. Craigslist adds that make you laugh
228. Highlighters
229. Tommy being cute
230. Attempting to go Vegetarian
231. Parents helping
232. How much he appreciates me
233. A clean room
234. Reminiscing over how we met and got to know each other (I'm sure this will be a future post)
235. Dad's mechanic skills
236. II Peter
237. Taking pictures over-top the interstate
238. Talking to aunt and uncle on the phone
239. Uncle getting to go back to work after injury
240. Medicine for anemia-keeping me from bleeding to death and such
241. Working on badges with Emily
242. Danger for perfect pictures
243. Long, hidden lanes
244. Blog planning (for you guys!)
245. Sunday mornings
246. Writing reminders on my arms
247. Chickfila owner giving me free coupons because I knew his horse
248. Dog rolling in grass
249. Insurance
250. Hours spent on the phone with him
251. Birds singing
252. Windows open in the house
253. Taking the long way home to enjoy scenery
254. Basking in sun (plus sunscreen)
255.
256. Zoo
257. Meerkats
258. Him getting me coffe
259.
260.
261. Easter 
262. Christ's triumph
263.
264.
265. Making logos
266. Photography with Emily
267. Alexandra²
268. Advertising
269. Him in that camo sweatshirt
270.
271.
272.
273. Let it go from Frozen
274.
275. Blog ideas
276. Mood boards
277. Silly faces with him
278. Random Peacocks on the side of the road...
279. Blue Heron sounds
280. Natural eggs
281. Essential oils
282. Coral (the color)
283.
284. Funny cards
285. Art show
286. Ampersands
287.
288. Sweet tea
289.
290. Chocolate!
291. Days long once again
292. Birds through binoculars
293. Designing ads
294. Ideas other people love too
295. Scars-healed wounds
296. OtterBox
297. Golden hour
298. Taking pictures of random cute old people
299. Cookies
300. Movies in class

Weekly Quote

Sometimes I have to remind myself of this concept because I tend to compare myself: my writing, my photography, etc. Great bloggers, great photographers, they don't bloom over night. They practice, and practiced, and practiced, and they felt the same way I do at times-not good enough. It involves persistence and dedication. So, even when I write something and it isn't the best thing ever, it's still working towards getting better and you guys do a great job of bearing with me while I learn. Thank YOU for that!

1,000 Gifts-200

101. sand between the toes
102. running from freezing waves
103. lighthouses
104. open-minded-ness
105. having the Navy search your car-felt like a criminal
106. saving a ladybug on the beach
107. budding leaves signaling spring
108.
109.
110. big camera
111. capturing moments
112. encouragement from fellow photographers
113. listening to mom read aloud
114. doing WIC checks at work
115. God's great faithfulness
116. Daniel and I holding each other as we both cry saying goodbye
117. quiet house
118. spring break
119.
120. toys everywhere-signaling childhood play
121. customers actually asking how you're doing
122. dog cozy in crate
123. pressing flowers
124. express lane-my favorite
125. the sound of cars on wet pavement
126. Emily calling a camel a "canamel"
127. watercolor paintings
128. baking with Emily
129. him calling to tell me goodnight
130. our ivy mailbox
131. Kinfolk magazine
132. Chase and mom watching Bananza
133. rain splattering against the house at night
134. keys jingling
135. elevators dinging
136. maps-revealing a vast earth by an even vaster Creator
137. penis fencing (look it up on Youtube, we learned about it in biology...it's flatworms, I swear I'm not that weird)
138. blue checkered button up
139. "Frogs in your hair. Frogs in your soup. Frogs all over everywhere!" -The Jesus Bible Storybook
140. white mocha
141. $28 filling up my gas tank
142. painting nails
143. Tommy kissing both cheeks
144. ringing phone
145. ohhh Pinterest-the things thee doth teach me
146. history taught by Mrs. Harris
147. fog and its slow-moving mist
148. clothes warm out of the dryer
149.
150. Tommy always ringing the doorbell
151. being told him and I are someone's favorite couple
152. mismatched socks
153. strums on guitar strings
154. hair in a bun-up and out of my face
155. cold toes taking refuge in socks
156. nights too late
157. complex creatures learned in bio
158. "Hun, I don't want a birthday present. I like spending my lunch with you. You can't spend time with people when you're dead."
159. gorgeous piano solos-obsessed with Say Something and Human
160. empty store
161. decorating envelopes for him
162. photographer meetings
163. babies
164. love/hate relationships with final projects because it implies being finished, but it also means having to do it
165.
166. Pa-paw making brake sounds
167. potting plants
168. Penelope (my car)'s blue smoke (seriously, it's normal)
169. baking birthday cookies
170. lunch with Pa-paw
171. cocoanut water
172. people's friendly days
173. Taco Bell
174. half coffee/half half&half
175. monogrammed mug
176. beautiful pots
177. polaroid wall in my room
178. coloring books
179. every color crayons
180. and their smell
181. the chicken and barley wallpaper in the kitchen
182. Emily's My Little Pony obession
183. praying with him
184. 5 months since I met him
185.
186. home alone
187. tulip trees-my favorite
188.
189. freshly shaved legs
190. snooze
191. infinity
192. dad falling asleep on the couch, even though he says he's not
193. warm blankets
194. warm, finally spring-like days
195. breezes that mess up your hair
196. playgrounds
197. budding trees
198. interviewing people for the blog
199. meeting my instagram buddies
200. greyhounds 

Weekly Quote

Exactly.

Friends Friday: Kelsey Bethune

Name: Kelsey Bethune 

Age: 25

Location: Norfolk, VA 

Occupation: Event Planner by day, blogging machine by night & photographer on the weekends ;)

How did you start doing what you do? 

The event planning as a career came about halfway through college - I was working for my church and realized that I really enjoyed planning large scale events from beginning to end. A lot of doors opened via internships and wedding gigs, and I'm now in the throes of starting my own company.

Blogging is really just a result of me having way too much to say and obsessively trying to capture memories to keep forever. I've always had some form of journal (written &/or online), and when we got married, I realized that these are The Days. The ones I'll want to bottle up & keep forever, because time is just going to keep flying! I tried a few blogs that never stuck, but Sitting In Our Tree feels like a little online home.

What does your average day look like?

My day doesn't start until there is coffee in my hand! Jared, being the wonderful creature he is, brings me coffee every morning. I work as a secretary part time right now, so I usually spend the first half of my morning at work. After work, I come home to respond to emails, write a blog post and work on the current wedding gigs I have on the books, followed by my workout session. Afternoons are usually freed up for photoshoots or meetings...and on a quiet day, I am blessed to consider pinning pretty things on Pinterest "work!" Jared and I love to cook together, so almost every evening is spent crafting up a dinner & sometimes dessert. We're just coming out of the winter months, in which most of our evenings were spent either watching Frasier or Doctor Who on Netflix. LAME, I know, but it gives both of us some time to wrap up work stuff, edit photos & sloooow down after our long days!

How did you meet your man, I mean, Jared?

Well! We lived about 10 minutes away from each other most of our lives, were both homeschooled and shared a lot of the same friends... But somehow never met until our Senior prom (homeschool prom, true story!). My best friend had known Jared years before, and introduced us when she saw him at prom. We didn't think much of it at the time, but over the next couple of weeks, we saw each other a couple more times, then ended up on the phone one night for 8 (EIGHT!) hours. Two weeks later, right before we graduated, we officially started dating. The rest is glorious history.

What do you like to do with your spare time? (read, knit, jog, etc)

I'm usually crafting at least one project for the blog in my downtime, reading a new book or (let's be honest) binge-watching something on Netflix. If Jared is home, we spend a lot of time walking around our neighborhood and visiting local shops/restaurants in our fair city. Of course, I'm also always up to hang out with my 1 yr. old niece, because she thinks I'm hilarious.

Where do you find inspiration? 

I pick up a lot of tangible inspiration from the people around me - Whether that's real life friends or artists on Instagram or an outfit on Pinterest. Every day, I can be inspired by florists, bakers, makeup artists, farmers or that blogger visiting China this week. Social media is great like that! I also have a mentor from my college internship and I basically want to be her "when I grow up." Having that idea pushing me through the day or week is inspiration to get up a little earlier or try a little harder tomorrow.

If you had to pick one meal, what is your favorite? 

Tacos. Tacos for days. Tacos forever.

Where do you imagine yourself five years from now? 

My biggest dream for five-years-from-now is to be in our forever city, with a dog, being paid to write. The "where" is still a big question mark, but the "who" is good looking and the "what" is definitely promising!

Favorite blogs that you follow?

Kendi Everyday is my go-to style blog, Spoon Fork Bacon is my go-to recipe blog & DesignLoveFest is my go-to inspiration blog!

What is your advice for aspiring photographers and bloggers?

Aspiring bloggers: Don't ever let your hobby become a chore! It is so important for me to constantly check myself that I'm not blogging out of obligation or keeping up with the Joneses. That being said, consistency is key to creating a little place in the internet world - Challenge yourself by finding writing prompts online or giving yourself a few once-a-month posts to share!
Aspiring photographers: Everything you need to know about using your camera is online (and there are certainly valuable resources!) but practice truly makes perfect. The more you use your camera, the more second nature using it will become. Challenge yourself to learn to shoot manual - You will never look back!

You can check out Kelsey's blog: Sitting in Our Tree , Instagram, and Pinterest.