Month: May 2018

a look at my craft room.

okaytobeshay

there are many reasons that i fell in love with the home we decided to purchase last summer, but when my husband said those sweet, glorious words “if we buy this one, you can have your own craft room”, i knew that this one was the winner.

i thought i’d share a quick craft room ‘tour’ with you guys, along with the links of where i purchased most of the items pictured.

 

IMG_5236

the room isn’t that large, but its the perfect size for what i had in mind for it. and the cherry on top is that is has a large, attached walk-in closet to hide all the eye sores or things i don’t feel like organizing.

i had a few teal organization pieces already, so i decided to keep that color scheme along with adding bits of pink and white to help keep the room looking light and large.

 
IMG_5239when you walk into the room on the right wall is where i currently have my stamp and ephemera towers.  these are probably the things that i get the most questions about.

i currently use a clear acrylic 7-drawer organizer to store my ephemera and die cuts.  i bought it from homegoods last year on a whim, and so far,  its been perfect!

i purchased the teal tower from ross and it houses a majority of my stamps.  it’s very convenient to keep them in there because anytime i need to use stamps, i just wheel my chair over and flip through to find the ones that i want to use.  right now the tower is full of my favorites from mommy lhey designs and the sassy club.

 

IMG_5316

on the back wall, i bought a long slim table from amazon to keep my sticker bins and wire basket organizer.

the wire basket organizer i purchased from target and it stores all my washi tape that are just tossed in; its a hot mess, but it works for me!

the bins full of stickers are organized by alphas, sticker books, and loose miscellaneous sheets. it helps keep the chaos of stickers a little tamed.

 

 
IMG_5074the biggest furniture piece in my craft room is my large, white desk that i bought from amazon.  its my absolute favorite!

i wanted something that had a lot of storage, but without drawers, and still had a whole lot of desk space.

i use it primarily as a space to stack all my planners because i think they look super gorgeous there.  i like having them spread out every day as a reminder of what i have and can switch to if i’m feeling bored with the one i’m currently using.

i usually have two chairs pulled up to my desk so my little ladies can craft right alongside me.  my favorite is the teal/mint green one that i picked up from ross.

hope you all enjoyed the little ‘tour’ of my craft room.  till next time!

if we were having coffee.

okaytobeshay

605cd8b76583892964318dd50e6eb353_brain-vomit-coffee-tumblr-drawing_753-469

ready for some coffee and conversation?

if  we were having coffee, i would tell you how my dieting has been going. and that is nowhere. what i lack in motivation i make up for with my love of food. seriously. i enjoy my nightly half-bowl of popcorn too much.

if we were having coffee, i would tell you to never buy your child a trampoline. it will take you 6+ hours and the instructions aren’t worth a dime. and  and if you’re brave enough to buy one, don’t put it up when the sun is directly on you and its 5,823 degrees outside.

if we were having coffee, i would ask you what good shows you have seen or are watching?  i’m currently finishing up scandal and will be needing to find something new to watch soon during my nightly couch hangs.

if we were having coffee, i would tell you about  my upcoming trip to virginia.  it will be my second time seeing the ocean and my girls first. i’m not sure if i’m more excited about lounging on the beach most of the time we are there, or watching my girl’s expressions when they see how gorgeous the sea can be.

if we were having coffee, i would probably let you do the most of the talking for fear of being awkward. i get nervous around people that i don’t know and start stumbling my words. it’s just easier to be the shy girl.

 

29 things i’ve learned in my 29 years.

okaytobeshay

twenty-nine-cover-packaging-02-

i’ve made it another year!

today i turned 29 and throughout my 29 years, i’ve experienced a good amount that i’ve learned from. in fact, i’ve compiled a list of 29 things that reflect where i’ve been and to help where i’m going.

a list. in no particular order.

  1. you can learn a lot about your own life just by watching your children.
  2. if a person doesn’t add any value to your life, cut them out of it.
  3. never be too proud to apologize.
  4. confidence is sexy.
  5. you can’t change people.
  6. some things DO taste better than skinny feels. eat the damn ice cream.
  7. take pictures. you’ll love looking through those memories later.
  8. who you surround yourself with will determine your happiness.
  9. say yes to trying new things.
  10. stop worrying about things that are out of your control.
  11. laundry days suck.
  12. go outside. the sunshine will make any mood better.
  13. manners never go out of style.
  14. listen. people always have stories to tell.
  15. trust your gut.
  16. popcorn is a perfectly acceptable meal.
  17. everyone has a different story.
  18. music makes everything a little better.
  19. if you let your kids stay up past their bed time, you WILL regret it in the morning.
  20. date your spouse.
  21. get lost in a good book every once in a while.
  22. find something to be passionate about.
  23. write. put your thoughts down on paper.
  24. spend as much time as you can at wrigley field. you’re guaranteed a good time.
  25. work where you feel valued.
  26. chipotle is way better than qdoba. don’t let anyone tell you different.
  27. don’t take your husband craft shopping.
  28. drinking wine can be therapeutic.
  29. i’m so not ready for my 30’s.

Dainty Kay Plans

okaytobeshay

I stumbled upon Tammy’s Instagram page when a friend tagged me in one of her bow giveaway’s that she was hosting. Cheers to that friend that tagged me because I won! She gave away one her gorgeous pink and gold bows, and its been all over since!

This month I was selected to be apart of her design team and as soon as I opened the box of happy mails she sent, I knew I had to share with you guys.

IMG_6362 IMG_6374

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tammy has been super generous and provided me with a code to share with you guys… enter DKP15SHAYLA for a discount when you visit her shop here.

IMG_6370

where you work matters.

okaytobeshay

where you work matters; not just with regards to what’s best for your family and your finances, but for your mental health.

now, i’m not going to go name-blasting anyone here, but where i used to previously worked sucked.  and i mean, SUCKED.  i didn’t mind the actual work that i did, but it was so hard to try and stay positive in a place that was always so negative.

i was always so angry. i came home so frustrated from dealing with the constant negativity that it began to effect my home life. i couldn’t take it and i knew that something had to change.

then began the job searching. i applied, i waited, and then i applied some more.  a few weeks passed and i was given a job offer from a company that i was very familiar with and heard only great things about.  with no hesitation, i accepted and was given a start date.

i’ve been at my new employer for a few months and without a doubt, know that i made the right decision. my life has changed because of it.

don’t be afraid to remove something  from your life that makes you unhappy. take those chances.

IMG_5414

the girl behind the blog.

okaytobeshay

Hi there, I’m Shayla and the face behind Okay To Be Shay!  I’m based out of a small town in the Midwest, born and raised. I’m in love with my best friend and together we have four kiddos, three spunky girls and the most handsome little boy.  And adding to the chaos and love within our home, our two fur kids – Mazi Lou and Maci Bo. 

There’s no doubts that I’m a girly girl with a love for clothes and makeup shopping. I have a huge passion for crafting, lettering, and making my house a home. I spend more than my fair share of daydreaming, wandering the aisles of Target, and scrolling through Instagram.

Okay To Be Shay began as an outlet for my creative expression.  Creativity is a part of who I am and inspiring creativity in others is what I hoped to do through this blog. Writing is a huge hobby of mine and I began to venture to writing about other things as well as crafting, recipes, raising our kids, and the adventures of my life. I’m so glad that you stumbled upon my blog and sure hope you enjoy it as much as I do!