Kelli Trontel

It’s been a super busy month for our little family. Reed spent a week in Philadelphia [right when hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast- so scary!], Ezra and I spent a weekend in Bozeman as I photographed a Skull Church event and last week we were all together in Portland, Oregon! Whew!

I had never been to Portland, but I had been begging Reed to drive me there for the past year! This city girl needs a city fix every so often and Portland was a place that I wanted to experience.

Well, business ultimately called us to Portland, but we did get to squeeze in a little shopping & dining [yes, even food carts!] here and there. We serve Stumptown Coffee at our cafe and we were invited out to the Stumptown Coffee Roasting Headquarters for a private one-on-one training and it was the best time ever! It was so refreshing to be among people that love what they do and are passionate about the art of coffee from the beginning of the process to the end. Stumptown is so legit and I am stoked more than ever to be partnered with them.

Stumptown had just moved into their new facility and it is gorgeous! So many interesting details…

Here are a few snap shots from our week in training….

I am super excited about this new E-course that my friend Elsie of A Beautiful Mess just released last week: Blog (Design) Love! I have taken a few of her other courses over the last few years- Style School, Indie Business & Blog Love.

If you are a blogger…or a soon to be blogger….and want to learn some photoshop tips and ways to design your own blog- this course is for you! Elsie is a wonderful teacher- she holds nothing back- and is so honest in her approach to business and design. She’s my favorite! She’s the real deal.

I plan on taking this ecourse as well- if you decide to take this- let me know!

I am thrilled to present to you the NOVEMBER desktop download, which just so happens to be the 6th consecutive month that Ashley and I have collaborated on this together.

I’ve truly enjoyed this project….it’s been wonderful to hear from so many of you who have been encouraged by this monthly series and from a creative standpoint- I’ve loved dreaming up ideas and executing them every month!

November represents so many things to me. It’s a time for gathering with friends and family. A time of reflection. A reminder to be thankful….in all things.

It’s the “In All Things” that can be hard sometimes. Sure, it’s easy to be thankful for the things that we have asked and hoped for. But what about the things that happen in life that we didn’t welcome or even see coming? We have all experienced some sort of pain and loss…and for me, my loss was losing my little sister 2 years ago this month, which has drastically changed the way I view November and the Thanksgiving season.

I choose thankfulness. I choose thankfulness because God is good. I choose thankfulness because I never walked through that valley alone. I choose thankfulness because of the HOPE that anchors my heart.

Ashley and I decided to not include a quote on this months desktop, instead….we encourage you to write your own quote everyday for the next 30 days. We have started the sentence for you: “I am thankful for…” Whether this be family, friends, health ect….WRITE IT DOWN! Lets all embrace thankfulness this month!

If you’re on INSTAGRAM [twitter or facebook too!]….join us in a PHOTO A DAY with a hashtag of #ichoosethankfulness

Hope you enjoy this months download!
xo

DESKTOP DOWNLOAD // right click and “use as desktop picture”

iPhone DOWNLOAD

Fall has always been a favorite time of year for me. I love the transition into sweater weather and the beauty in the brightly colored trees and the falling leaves! Oh and warm drinks in “for here” mugs…and gathering wood for cozy fires at night.

Last year I was inspired by a creative pumpkin DIY at Athropologie and so I created a few of my own for our shop. This year I collaborated with my friend, Carrie of Cue the Confetti and we painted pumpkins to place above the fireplace at the shop! I love how these turned out…and I love how simple this was to do, without much of a mess.

My mom is coming into town at the end of this week- and she is SO great at decorating….so my goal is pull out my Fall decor and decorate my house, while she holds baby Ezra! Yes, I know. It’s crazy that we are quickly approaching the end of October already….I’m still determined to get my house a little festive!

Here’s a peek inside our shop and how I used the pumpkins above the fireplace!

HELLO friends!

It’s officially Fall…and it’s beginning to feel like it here in Montana! I really do love the Fall season- the colors of the leaves, warm coffee drinks, sweaters, pumpkins, cool evenings ect…It’s also a season of reflection, which I really try and take the time to do.

Ashley and I have collaborated once again on a new Desktop // iPhone download. I’m loving this months quote::

“before the reward there must be labor. you plant before you harvest.”

 

How true is this?! Whether this is looked at through the lens of your FAMILY, CAREER, ART….there is a cost to anything worth pursuing. This quote just inspired me…especially when I think of my family and the priceless opportunity that I have right now to stay at home and raise my sweet little boy.

Everything we put our hands to matters….make it count!

Hope you enjoy this months collaboration! Be encouraged! Be inspired!

xoxo

DESKTOP DOWNLOAD // right click and “use as desktop picture”

iPhone DOWNLOAD