Holiday Monogram

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Everyone has a different way of decorating their home for the holidays. Your choice of a green tree or a white tree is a personal expression of the celebration of the season. A great way to make your decorating even more personal is to use monograms.

My last name is Evjen, so the letter 'E' has a lot of significance in our home. It's also the first letter of our daughter Elle's name. I found this metal E that was once part of a neon sign at a vintage market. It has been sitting in my closet for almost a whole year collecting dust. This year I thought I would use it to attempt a Pinterest inspired DIY I saw a ways back. It was a letter filled with succulents, and I thought it was the coolest thing.

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With the help of my friend Malori from Hoot and Holler we schemed up an idea to put holly berries and pine into this metal E. It turned out great. All you need is your metal letter, floral foam, and your choice of greens. Rosemary and herbs would smell and look amazing too. I like the pop of red the berries bring, but you could choose white berries if you don't use red too much in your home.

1| Cut the foam blocks to size so that they fit snuggly in the letter

2| Wet the foam

3| Start placing your stems of greens tightly packed together into the foam

4| Fill until you are happy with it.

Photos by Melissa Jill, Florals by Hoot and Holler, Art Direction by A.V.E. Styles

Bright Florals

If you peeked inside my closet you would see a bunch of solid colored pieces with a sprinkle of pattern here and there. I generally stick to a fall color palette since those complement my skin well, but this season I have ventured out of my comfort zone by wearing pastels and brights. I would like to say this experiment with brights was completely my idea, but it was actually the Alt Summit garden party that forced my hand to choose this floral dress from Lulu*s. You see, Alt Summit plans fabulous parties around themes, and this year's was a garden party where every person was encouraged to wear a floral print. I didn't have a single floral dress in my closet, but I didn't really have a budget to buy new clothes. Thankfully, I had some clothing credit left at Lulu*s, so I searched and searched on their site for the dress that I thought would suit my style the best and I came up with this brightly colored, shift dress.

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It actually reminds me of a recent Ted Baker print. I love that the neckline was modest, but that it gave me a chance to show off my newly toned legs thanks the past two months of workouts at Mountainside Fitness. It was a lady like frock with a loud color palette - the perfect balance of edge and sophistication. I also wore my strappy black shoes from Lulu*s. They definitely gave my calves a workout!

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I just happened to have a florescent orange Cambridge Satchel that Glamour Magazine gifted me last year. It surprisingly goes with a lot of things. Paired with my loud orange red nails and chunky rings, it was the first time I really felt like my accessories truly added to the outfit. The best accessory of all was this beautiful beaded statement necklace that Frances Vintage lent me just for this special occasion. They are THE best!

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While at the garden party an amazing photographer and expert Instagrammer, Sarah Deragon, captured my ensemble like a pro. She is SO talented and I wish she lived in Phoenix. She noticed the details in my accessories right away and really appreciated all of the fashion people showcased at the event. If you are looking to learn more about building your IG following, go check out her recap here.

Thanks Alt Summit for pushing me out of my comfort zone, thanks Lulu*s and Frances Vintage for being such wonderful places to shop. and thank you, Sarah, for capturing my outfit so well.

Photos by Sarah Deragon

Styling & Art Direction for The Motion Workshop

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14 professional photographers in one room all learning and wanting to add motion to their skill set - that's why they came to Ale Vidal's Motion Workshop. When Ale asked me to style four different shoots for them to capture I thought, "14 photographers!? This HAS to be good!" Then I thought, "Wouldn't it be SO great to get some clothing brands involved? They would be getting all of this content for their social outlets!"

Years ago my mind wouldn't have gone to brand partnerships it just would have focused on how to execute the shoot well. What I have realized, however, is that executing these shoots well means partnering with brands. Access to clothing is the hardest part for a stylist, so if you can add value to the brands that you want to work with by providing quality content and social sharing then it's a win, win for all parties involved.

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So, before I approached brands to be a part of these shoots, Ale identified two high school senior themes, a bridal style and an engaged couple based on the background of her attendees. From there I started using secret Pinterest boards to solidify the mood, the style and the scenes with Ale. Then I was able to start dreaming about what brands would be a good fit for the different styles.

View More: http://imaginale.pass.us/themotionworkshop

Lulu*s sent us wardrobe for both high school senior shoots - a soft, natural prairie girl and a loud, bold, music lovin' girl. Lulu*s market is very young so they were a perfect match. Just one outfit was needed for both girls.

For the prairie girl we wanted a pastel palette, a dress that felt ultra feminine and innocent. We chose a blonde model with light eyes - Kacey from Agency AZ was amazing. Braids are a youthful hairstyle, as well as minimal makeup. Miriam Kenly and Stephanie are pros at bringing visions to life. For the scene, we thought about a basket of flowers for her to play with. I loved the idea of a clothes line with fabrics that would blow in the wind. Hilary Kram, a wonderful florist and creative, added some beautiful greens and floral to the clothes line to create more interest.

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For the music lovin' high school senior we wanted to portray a girl that loved NYLON magazine. I chose a bold color palette and stuck with the current fashion trends such as mini skirts and muscle tees. The bright lipstick Stephanie Neiheisel created from a MAC pigment was genius. It matched her skirt perfectly. We decided to keep her hair down so that it would move well for the camera as she jumped on the bed and whipped it back and forth. Teens love to listen to music and these gold Frends headphones were the perfect fashion accessory. There's nothing that reminds me of being a teenager more than flipping through magazine and filling out quizzes. Because our model, Emily of Agency AZ, was being put in a studio setting Ale loved the idea of having some cool floral elements to make it a bit more interesting. Hilary did a an amazing job with stringing some carnations. It was simple, but a powerful set element.

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We also had a young couple in their 20's who were pretending to be engaged who embodied a laid back, L.A. style. Lulus*s also outfitted the bride-to-be. Katherine Thornhill was our model and she is actually a wedding planner that helps brides prepare for their engagement shoots a lot. She and her boyfriend, Chris, were a real couple that could emote and express love on camera. I chose a maxi dress for her and layered a ton of jewelry on her hands to create interest for the camera. A center part with her long locks further ensured the boho vibe of their style. For Chris, we actually worked with a small budget and his wardrobe to come up with a simple, somewhat 'hipster' outfit. Simply peg rolling his pants and rolling his sleeves was a detail that took an easily preppy look to a more casual, west coast vibe. For the set we layered oriental carpets and pillows of different textures and colors. We also used a hammock that swung back and forth for motion purposes.

View More: http://imaginale.pass.us/themotionworkshop

For our sensual, moody, haunting bride we started looking at bridal boutique partnerships, but nothing seemed to fit the high fashion quality that was needed to make this bride different from the rest. I had recently done some Pinterest consulting for Fame & Partners and remembered that they make custom dresses. After falling in love with a black dress, I asked if they could design it in white...and they did! The silk chiffon material was PERFECT for movement. For the set, we chose to pose her by ivy and a beautiful water fountain filled with roses. The movement of the water was great for motion!

Check out the film Ale made here and to hear from Ale about why she held the motion workshop, visit her blog here.

All of this production wouldn't have been possible without a stellar team and wonderful brand partnerships. Please go follow all of these people and brands!

Event // www.themotionworkshop.com

Photos by Ale Vidal  & Mary Claire Photography // www.imaginaledesign.com // www. maryclaire-photography.com Styling and Art Direction by AVE Styles // www.avestyles.com

Bride: Madeleine Alexandra // alexandrafashionco.blogspot.com High school seniors // Kacey & Emily // www.theagencyaz.com Engaged couple // Katherine & Chris // www.luckyandinlove.com Make-up: SN Makeup // www.snmakeupartist.com Hair: Miriam Kenly // instagram.com/mirmaidkenl Florals: Hilary Lamb // hilarylambphoto.blogspot.com Wedding dress by Fame and Partners // www.fameandpartners.com Clothes by Lulu*s // www.lulus.com

Florals & Brunch

Brunch is my favorite meal, and the weekends are the perfect time to enjoy it. This past weekend I had the chance to enjoy yummy food at Ncounter in downtown Tempe while meeting a new friend, Liz Evans. Every time I visit Tempe I'm taken back to my days at ASU. I spent so many hours on Mill Avenue studying in coffee shops and shopping at Urban Outfitters. Ncounter definitely wasn't there when I was in school, but now if I am ever in downtown Tempe I will eat there. They have everything from yummy smoothies to pancakes to sandwiches. Liz and I were both in the mood for breakfast. I chose a gorgonzola breakfast sandwich and she got a tasty omlette.

Liz and I spent our time talking about photography and styled shoots. She just relocated to the area from California, and I'm so glad that she did. She is incredibly talented! She brought her camera along with her and photographed my Saturday brunch outfit.

I'm so inspired by the spring blooms all around me right now. I recently bought this silk top from Off Saks Fifth Avenue for only $25. I paired it with my Madewell skinnies, Old Navy cardigan and Old Navy flats.

Are you a brunch fan? If so, what's your favorite local hangout?

Clothes Speak First

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Saying "hello" to someone is usually how we start our conversations. Although, my toddler prefers to yell "Mama" when she has something to say. But, in all actuality, our clothes usually get the first "word" in. So, I love the idea of wearing a tee that simply says, "Hello," like this one from Frances Vintage. In my head it seems like it would start any conversation off on the right foot and give the appearance that you're a welcoming person.

This tee can be found at Frances Vintage and is locally made by Hello Apparel. I love the floral pattern on the letters. If you're a print minimalist, this is the perfect way to incorporate the spring floral trend. Not to mention, the shirt is 100% cotton, which means I can throw it in the washing machine and it's incredibly comfortable.

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I styled the t-shirt with a pleated maxi skirt and glitter belt to add a feminine flair. However, there's nothing more classic than jeans and a t-shirt.

Photo by Kym Ventola.

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