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3 Ways to Improve Your Flat Lay Photos

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It took me a long time to get good at flat lay photos. I have some doozies on my Instagram from back in the day. I've just recently started to get good at it... probably because I only just recently started really, you know, trying. Mainly, I started spending a lot of time looking at flat lay photos that I like (you can view a collection of them on my Pinterest) and really figuring out how to do it. 

A few notes: 

  • I really believe in having your own "style." A lot of flat lays seem to follow a similar formula: white or marble background, gold or rose gold accents, truly random props. I'm not into that. I use two plaid scarves as my backgrounds because that feels a little more "my style" for Fall and Winter. Come Spring, I'll figure something out. 
  • Don't feel the need to take flat lay photos if you just don't like them! I like them: they're simple, they're pretty, and the more you practice, the easier they are to take. 
  • It doesn't have to be perfect. You don't need a DSLR. I use my iPhone. 

Ok, let's talk tips now. 

1. Have the right apps 

I use my iPhone to take all my flat lay photos. Here's why: It's easier. I can take one really quickly while Forrest is halfway destroying my kitchen, then get back to business. I take photos with my iPhone camera. I have the grid option turned on--you can turn this on in settings--because it helps center things and make sure you're getting a good angle. Then, I edit using A Color Story from A Beautiful Mess. You can use a variety of filters (and buy some extras), but I use the same filters every time: Magic Hour (25%), Ginger Tea (25%), Disco Ball (50%), then either Everyday (50%), Lite Bright (50%), or Ruby Haze (50% or less). If you feel your photo wasn't taken in the best light and has that slightly "yellow" look, you can adjust the white balance in A Color Story as well. 

2. Take photos near a window. 

Point blank: the best light is indirect sunlight. I take photos in my bedroom, with the curtains open, on my bed. So set up your photo station near a window and snap away. If I miss daylight hours (which I often do), it's a bust: I'll never be able to edit photos taken at night, under artificial lights, to look as good as I want them to. Sometimes, I still post them anyway, but only when desperate. 

3. Crop accordingly. 

I think the number one mistake that I continue to make is feeling like I should't "crop" a photo. But sometimes photos look better when you crop out extra space. Prime example: When I post flat lays of books (like this one or this one), I end up cropping out a lot of "extra space" so you can focus on the cover. Don't be afraid to crop and that means, maybe cropping something partly out of the photo (like I cropped out my Kindle partially in this photo). 

Most importantly, don't be afraid of being perfectly imperfect. Like if your nail polish is looking rough. Or it's something you don't want to, um, put down on the ground. Or if you son decides he wants the book you're trying to take a photo of. It's ok. It doesn't have to be perfect. It's just Instagram! 

5 Gift Ideas for New Moms

One of the most common questions my non-mom friends ask me is, "What should I get so-and-so for a gift? Once she has her baby?" It's sometimes hard to know what exactly to give someone when they've just had a baby--and you don't really want to bug the new parents by asking what, exactly, they'd like. I thought I'd share a few ideas. 

1. Food. 

When in doubt, give food: gift cards for their closest pizza place, meals to shove in the freezer, groceries that make easy meals, or pre-made snacks. One thing that I ate pretty much non-stop when Forrest was a newborn was turkey sandwiches. So if you really don't know what to do, make some food, buy some groceries, or pick up a few gift cards so they can pick up take out. 

2. Gift cards

Again, gift cards are one of the best gifts you can give, either for food or groceries, or, alternatively, places they would need to pick up something quick. I basically fell in love with everyone who sent me a Target or Wal-Mart gift card in the newborn days; my husband and I ended up going to Target at least once a day for the first two weeks to get things we just hadn't thought of (more diaper cream, Vaseline, diapers, a head support for the car seat). A few ideas include Target, Babies'r'Us, Wal-Mart, WalGreens, their local grocery store, or Amazon. 

3. A clean house. 

People really underestimate how nice it is to have a clean house. I remember feeling like I would never have order again when we brought Forrest home; I'd been in the hospital for over a week and a half, I hadn't seen my house in days, there was mail and stuff and boxes everywhere from people sending us things, bringing us things, and trying to organize without me being there. Plus, we had all this baby furniture moved around. So here's my piece of advice: hire a cleaning service for your new mom friend OR go and vacuum, pick up, and clean for her. 

4. Time.

When Forrest was around 3 weeks old, my mom came over one afternoon so that I could take my first shower in like 8 or 9 days. It was the best 40 minutes of my life. If you have a new mom friend, sanitize your hands and body incredibly well, make sure you don't even have an inkling of a cough, and ask if she'd like you to hold the baby while she showers, or pays bills, or lies in bed. Holding a newborn is pretty great tbh.  

5. A necklace. 

All of these gifts are great. But some people really, really want to get moms something more... substantial than just useful. If you're this kind of person (which is awesome), I highly recommend something commemorative. It doesn't have to be super expensive. I have a bracelet with a little blue bead that my mother-in-law gave me after Forrest was born and I love it. A necklace or simple bracelet is a great idea. I like this simple stone necklace. This personalized Tree of Life necklace is gorgeous. This simple ring is perfect for a mom who doesn't wear a ton of jewelry. Confession, I'm actually thinking of ordering this super cool necklace for myself. 

None of these gifts tickle your fancy? Most importantly, you know your friend better than anyone else. Give something from the heart, whether that means a gift card, a big hug, or a pizza. One note I'd like to include is please don't get new moms anything "feeding specific": if your friend is struggling with breastfeeding, it can feel like a lot of pressure to review a breastfeeding pillow, breast milk bags, or a breastfeeding shawl. 

5 Polyvore Sets for Valentine’s Day Inspiration

Valentine’s Day is almost here. Here’s the thing: I love Valentine’s Day. I love the color scheme. I love the kitschy vibe. I love the candy. 

I don’t care if you think it is commercialized as hell. (I mean, you’re totally right.) I enjoy it regardless. Me and my closest thousands of friends. If you need more information regarding this, please see this tweet.

Alright, now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk what we’re going to wear. I picked 5 Polyvore sets to help us get in the mood for Valentine’s Day fashion. Let’s check it out! 

1. If you love sticking to the theme

Classic Valentine’s Day theme: red and white everything. I’ve seen some super cute graphic print tops and sweaters lately (like this one from the GAP or this one from Torrid), as well as some white hot red skirts (like this one from Forever 21). Add some cute red shoes & Valentine’s Day-themed accessories and you’ve got one super Instagrammable outfit. Seriously, take a photo. 

2. If You Hate Red

“Valentine’s Day is great. Except I hate red.” Sound familiar? That’s you. Or maybe you just love this outfit as much as I do. Ok, it’s not Valentine-y in the slightly. But it’s cute. It’s comfortable. And you’ll stay warm in it. (Is it as cold where you are as it is here in Oregon? Brrr!) Pair a classic preppy striped sweater with your favorite jeans, some cute loafers, and a killer coat for a Valentine’s Day outfit that says, “Fall in love with me because I’m always chic.” 

3. If you’re a little vintage 

You think outside the box. That’s for sure. Pair a cute, classic floral print dress (I love this one with a Peter Pan collar or this one) with an interesting, structured jacket, cute loafers, and fun accessories. You’ll be anything by boring. 

4. If you work from home

“But I don’t leave the house! Most of the time…” you think, as you scroll through these outfits. Hey, fellow bloggers, this outfit is for you. You’ll notice it’s also definitely not stereotypically Valentine-y either. But I think it’s plenty romantic. Pair your favorite jeans with a romantic sweater (the one picture is sold out, but I like this one from Nordstrom Rack too) and a comfy scarf, as well as some super cute booties. You’ll look perfectly romantic & perfectly put together—without being too frilly for getting everything done. 

5. If you love pink 

 

Pink isn’t everyone’s favorite color. But I’m betting it is yours. This outfit is for the girl who loves pink. A pink dress is a pretty standard wardrobe staple (and you can wear them hundreds of ways). I like this ribbed knit dress from Forever 21 and this peach number from Lulu’s for a fancier evening. Pair with flats and a cute jacket (I love this floral print bomber jacket) for a day out with friends… or just another day at the office. 

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How to Pitch a Story

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If you follow me on Twitter, you know I was recently published on IFB. I made it one of my goals in February to start pitching stories to larger publications and getting published more and more. They published my article on writing a content marketing plan for your blog. I have a few pieces at a few other websites that will go live in March. 

If you've ever had a genius idea for a post that just didn't really, well, fit with your blog, you might have thought that meant that the idea should just... go away. Wrong! Pitch that story to a larger website, like IFB or HelloGiggles. Not sure how to go about it? Here are some steps. 

1. Review the websites contributor policy. 

Most larger blogs that accept submissions have a policy for contributors. It's usually in the footer links of the website. This is HelloGiggles, as an example. This policy gives you instructions of how to submit a pitch, what they need, and what they want from any submissions. 

2. Have an idea. 

It's easy to just send out a bunch of emails saying, "Hey, I want to write something!" But before you hit send, make sure you're sending an actual, concrete idea. Even better, have part of an article written before you do anything. 

3. Write the email. 

Make sure that the subject line meets standards. (As an example, Rookie accepts submissions, but you have to use the correct subject line. Again, read those policies!) Introduce yourself and then write a brief paragraph outlining your idea. Why do you think it would be good for that website? How would it help readers? Be sure to include a link to your blog and any writing samples you have available. Double (and maybe triple) check your email for mistakes before you hit send. 

4. Play the waiting game. 

Waiting to hear back is the hardest part. I had the quickest turn around from IFB, but for others, it can take weeks. 

5. Get published... or not. 

Boom! Your pitch gets accepted. What now? Time to write! Sit down and write the post you promised. Send it in the format they asked for (most publications are OK with Word doc format). Make sure to include a brief bio at the end! And again, play the waiting game. They'll usually let you know of an approximate publish date. 

But wait, what if they pass on the pitch? Well, that sucks. But don't take it too hard. Move on and send the pitch somewhere else. So it wasn't right for one website... maybe there is another one it would be perfect for. Do some research and find it a home. A professor in college always said that if she ever got a rejection letter, she immediately submitted either the same piece or another piece to a different magazine because it kept the momentum going. No matter what: keep the momentum going! 

3 Ways Pregnancy Changes Your Body

I had heard the horror stories, trust me. I knew what pregnancy would do to my body. It’s impossible to go through a nearly 40 week process where one of your organs multiplies to 500 times its normal size (and effectively moves everything in your body to a new position), where you grow an entirely new organ as well as a very small human being, brain and all, without feeling some shock waves. 

But I was not entirely prepared for the scope and breadth of just how my body would change. What am I talking about? Well, let’s address 3 major changes that literally no one told me about. 

1. I became allergic to contacts. 

At a certain point in pregnancy, you have so much extra fluid that your vision can become blurry. It’s incredibly common. What else is common? Becoming allergic to contacts after you give birth. Thanks, Forrest! 

I’ve worn contacts since I was 14. I almost never wore my glasses out in public. And yet, after I had Forrest, every time I put in my contacts, my eyes burned, my vision blurred, and I felt generally miserable. After a few eye doctor visits, I found out the truth: my eyes were rejecting contacts. It’s all glasses all the time for me now. 

2. Some pregnancy symptoms become semi-permanent.

I developed really severe carpal tunnel when I was pregnant. This is because, again, you have so much extra fluid in your body that it puts pressure on all of your joints (this is also why your ankles and knees and hips and just about everything else hurts). My carpal tunnel was so bad towards the end of my pregnancy that my hands would go numb and I wouldn’t be able to move them until I held them up for several minutes. Cool!

For about 8 months after I had Forrest, I had pretty several wrist pain. I couldn’t pick up anything heavy with my left hand or put any pressure on that wrist. It was the worst when it came to my carpal tunnel, so it made sense. It wasn’t until a few months ago that I realized I also now have a gigantic bone spur on my left wrist; it is so sharp you can see it through the skin. Cool! I also have near permanent carpal tunnel; some mornings, my left hand is still numb. 

3. Everything you thought you knew about your cycle is now wrong. 

So, I bet you thought that once you were 28 and a mom, you’d have the whole menstrual cycle thing down pat. Well, guess what? WRONG. Pregnancy does this super fun thing to your body where it basically changes everything you ever thought you knew about your cycle. Never used to get cramps? Surprise! Cramp town! Used to be incredibly regular? Psych! Never had cravings? Boom, welcome to chocolate-covered-pretzel-town! You’ll look back in fondness at those pre-pregnancy days of having at least a moderate understanding of your cycle. For the lucky few, maybe things haven’t changed that much. For the rest of us, wave goodbye. 

Hey! This isn’t to say that everything about pregnancy is bad. All these things happen—the terrible skin, the cowboy walk (yikes), the saggy boobs—but you also get a baby. And that’s pretty great.

4 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day at Home

Danny and I are not what I would call date people. If we can stay home, we will choose staying home every time. (It really doesn’t help that our toddler has a strict 5:30pm bedtime!) 

We have consistently celebrated Valentine’s Day at home—if at all. I wanted to share a few ways you can celebrate at home, either with your partner or on your own. 

1. Make dinner together (or make your favorite dinner) 

Listen, cooking can be fun. Really! Choose something fun to make that you’ve never done before or make your absolute favorite. Light some candles; play your favorite music or podcast; drink wine; and most importantly, have fun. 

2. Play a game

Danny and I love to play video games together. I have only a middling interest in most video games, but every once and I while, we will play where we trade off every 10 minutes or so. It’s so much fun! If you aren’t a fan of traditional Valentine’s Day activities, playing a video game together (or even a good ol’ fashioned board game) is a way to bond and have fun. 

3. Have some alone time. 

Ok, it’s Valentine’s Day. But also, it’s just any other day. If you’re flying solo this year, do some self-care: take a bubble bath, deep clean your kitchen until it is sparkling, or read your favorite book. Even if you’re not on your own this year, take some time for yourself: let your partner do what makes him or her happy and treat yourself to something fun. Personally, I’ll most likely take a bubble bath and read by myself in bed on Valentine’s Day. Because that’s what I wanna do. 

4. Watch your favorite movie. 

This is such an obvious one. But here’s something fun: buy your absolute favorite snacks (mega butter popcorn and M&Ms!?), rent your favorite movie (or, uh, grab it off a shelf), and settle onto the couch. Don’t move until the snacks are gone and the movie is over. Don’t touch your phone for that 2 hours. How relaxing is that!? 

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How to Test Out Festival Style Trends as a Grown Up*

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I know it’s only February, but it’s that time of year where we all (or maybe just me?) start dreaming of Spring and Summer. And every year, like clockwork, we all start getting emails about festival trends. 

If you’re like me (that is, over 25, working a full time job, and perhaps even taking care of a very small human), you feel a little left behind by all the denim cutoffs and crop tops. I’m not 18 anymore; are these festival trends something I can pull off—or even just try? 

It’s a struggle, for sure. But as we’re dreaming of warmer weather, I got the opportunity to poke around Splash’s website to check out their latest collection. I wanted to share a few pieces that definitely fit that festival trend, but are a little easier to wear. 

(Note: Yes, this is a sponsored post. However, all ideas & writing is my own. For more information, please see my disclosure policy!) 

1. Mix up your classic sweater & jeans. 

I am totally obsessed with these Scallywag jeans from Birds of Paradise. That pretty embroidery combined with a high waist and roll up cuffs? Perfect for those chillier spring days, especially topped with this Yacht sweater from Lovers + Friends. You’ll get that festival vibe without having to go whole hog for denim cuff offs and midriff exposure. 

2. Try it at work. 

“Uh, I’m pretty sure festival trends can never be work appropriate.” Wrong! Ok, maybe right—it depends on what kind of office you work in. But this Elsa shirt in Olive from Stillwater would look great with skinny jeans or a pencil skirt in the office. Add these Libby heels in Black from Raye and you’ve got a festival-focused office outfit.

3. Try off-the-shoulder dresses. 

Off-the-shoulder dresses are one of the biggest trends of the last few years. (Remember when every single fashion blogger was wearing that same chambray, off-the-shoulder dress?) They’re super summery and very cute—plus they give a very late-1970s, festival vibe. I love these two dresses from Faithfull the Brand. The Milos dress in Beshka Print would look cute paired with some simple gladiator sandals and a wide-brimmed hat. The Mali dress in Amber Stripe is super similar, except that it has a really subtle stripe pattern (which means it can be paired with just about anything!) Add some cute boots (like these Free People ones) for a very retro vibe or some cute sunglasses and gold sandals for a simple look. 

Want more inspiration? Be sure to check out Splash! 

My February Goals

Tell me I'm not alone: it felt like January went on forever, right? Every week, I thought, next week has to be the last week of January. We're still not done yet! Longest. Month. Ever. This is the January Slump in full effect. 

Since January is almost over, I wanted to share my February goals with you. As you probably remember, when it comes to setting goals, I made myself promise to set baby step goals: I can't do everything at once. 

How did January go? Mid-way through January, I decided to reassess my "health" goals. I reset my FitBit goal to be 6,000 steps instead of 10,000. Why? Because I wasn't getting anywhere close to 10,000 steps a day, it made me depressed, and it made it harder to get motivated. As time passes, I'll increase my step goal accordingly. 

My other goals (like letting myself relax and working on blog promotion) went really well. I set up G Suite for my blog (uh, three years after the fact?) so now you can email me at michelle@writingbetweenpauses.com. Fancy, right? I'm also 8% completed with my Goodreads 2017 goal. So that's exciting! I've also written over 30,000 words in January, not including work and blog posts. That's huge! 

OK, enough checking in! Here are my goals for February. 

  1. Promote more bloggers on social media. I want to start sharing 3-4 articles by other bloggers on Twitter. Why? It's kind! It helps them! I love the blogging community and contributing to a positive atmosphere is more important than anything else. 
  2. Start taking 1 day off a month to deep clean my house. In December, I took a week off to clean my house and it was amazing. I realized yesterday that I would feel a lot better if I took the time, without Forrest following me around, to deep clean my house one day a month. 
  3. Continue going walking in the afternoons. Speaking of FitBit step goals, for the past week, I've taken Forrest walking every afternoon, if the weather permitted. Or we walked up and down the driveway with him in the Ergo. This helped me meet my reduced step count goal every single day. I want to keep it up because I feel better about myself when I hit this goal and can take Forrest somewhere fun. 

What are your goals for February?