Getting Ready for SNAP (Business Cards, Bangs, Boxes, and a Bag)

I’m so excited to be attending SNAP next week. It will be my first blog conference, and one of my first times to meet other bloggers in real life.

Business Cards

My friend Lauren from The Thinking Closet helped me take some head shots for my business cards a couple of weeks ago. We had a fun day shopping and taking pictures, and I was pretty happy with how this one turned out. (Although I keep making this weird face in a lot of photos where I’m trying to hold my eyes open and smile, and I end out looking like a crazy person.) Lauren is much more natural behind the camera than I am 🙂

I got my business cards printed at moo.com, and I am SO HAPPY with how they turned out. One of the fun things about MOO.com is that you can upload up to 50 different designs for one of the sides in a set. It was actually hard for me to finish these, because I had so many different fun ideas rolling around in my head, it was difficult to choose just 1 and stick with it. I uploaded my own complete design, but moo.com has a GREAT selection of business card designs. If I wasn’t such a DIY addict, I might have just used one of them!

One of the things I like about this design is how I condensed the social media. Fortunately, all of my links and usernames are the same for everything. I also designed Jamie’s business cards from C.R.A.F.T. and loved how they turned out. Jamie had a really great idea and vision for the front sides, and I was able to use her current blog design, colors, and fonts for the back side. I especially like the little Texas shaped icon next to her location.

I also printed some mini-cards at MOO.com. They are a lot thicker and better quality paper than I was expecting, and they look great. I love how simple they are, and how conveniently I could keep a few in my purse all the time. Instead of uploading my own design for this one, I used one of the moo.com designs of the watercolor brush strokes that were so beautiful. The idea and colors of this set fit well with my overall design and the bright colors I love to use in a lot of my projects. All of the MOO business cards are high quality, and come in the cutest little boxes and packaging.

Bangs



I had also been growing out my hair, because it’s so fun to have long hair to braid and pull back, but after looking through these pictures, I decided to go with a new look… shorter and with bangs. So far I’m really happy with how it turned out, and excited for the fun change. (BTW, do you follow me on Instagram @linesacross?)

A Bag


I realized that I didn’t have a good laptop bag or briefcase to take with me to SNAP, so I ordered this beautiful one from Staples.com. It’s a part of a line called Women in Business, and it’s perfect for what I need. (Plus it’s super cute!)

The laptop case is a little bit darker and more ivory than the white in the picture, but I think I prefer it that way. The inside is a beautiful blue. There are two convenient pockets on the front, where I will keep my cell phone handy on one side, and my business cards on another.

There is one narrow compartment perfect for notebooks, folders, and any papers and schedules I’ll be carrying around. It would also be great for a tablet or iPad.

I love this protected laptop section that snaps shut. There is also plenty of room for my charger, pens and pencils, and my computer mouse.

Boxes

My husband, Grant is going to be watching our 2 year old (Lyla) and our 3 year old (Benjamin) by himself the whole time I’m gone. I’m so thankful that he is so willing to support me and this trip, so I wanted to do something special for them while I’m gone. I’ve gathered little gifts for each of them, from little things like coloring books and markers, to bigger things like books and DVDs. I even got my husband an XBOX game to enjoy in the evenings while I’m gone (let’s hope he isn’t reading this far down this post, haha). I’m going to wrap the presents so that there is one for each of them to open each morning while I’m gone, sort of like an advent calendar. I love using white paper and doodling on the fronts. These monster letters are for my son, Benjamin.

I got Benjamin the book, Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site
, and this cool Take-a-part Airplane
with an electric screwdriver. I got Lyla this cute purse for $1.50 at the mall, this Dora DVD (Dora Saves the Mermaids), and I got both kids puzzles, stickers, and coloring books at the Dollar Store. I know they’re going to enjoy opening a new gift and using it each day and hopefully it will help the days go more smoothly for Grant.