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June 26, 2014
Good morning from my couch!!!!! + Engagement party Deets

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Yep, that’s right I am sick today

but kind of enjoying it! If you know me, you know that I have been non-stop and all sorts of crazy go-go-go over the last 3 months!

It finally has caught up with me and I am enjoying the little bit of down time. Luckily enough I can run my whole business from the comforts of my beautiful pink couch (alright that’s not what my couch looks like but a girl can dream right!). I lost my voice, and have a cold…. Not too bad considering the stress and constant action I have recently put my body through.

Now that I had one of THE BEST WEEKENDS OF MY LIFE, our Engagement party – and now that that’s over I have time to chill out a bit.

I am doing yoga before breakfast and ice cream for lunch (coconut ice cream that is dairy free – for my throat of course!).  I think I took the first bath of the year, and I LOVE baths. I started to crack back open the book I was reading and I feel like I have a fresh slate to plan my next adventure.

Yeah kind of loving this cold! Thanks for the “me” time / reflective / planning time.  Thoroughly enjoying it.

I am still on a high from our Engagement party, which was like I said one of the best days of my life. It was like a mini wedding.  Family flew in from all different states, all my bridesmaids (minus 2) were together in the same place, there was a DJ, balloons, gluten free – dairy free cake from Baby Cakes NYC , bouquets of hydrangeas dyed to my wedding color lilac, cute and sparkly little decorations from Etsy, our Save the Date invitations that I designed and night club style sunglasses with our date and name straight from the vendors of LIV from the Fontainebleau Miami (our wedding venue!!!!!) and not to mention an amazing photographer John Chan – I can’t WAIT to see the professional pictures!

There were speeches from people we love and lots and lots of hugs and kisses (hence why I am probably sick but it was well worth it). I even got to spend all day sister time with my sister who lives in Chicago on Sunday with her boyfriend and my fiancé. We walked the highline, went on multiple foodie adventures, made no plans and giggled the night away. BEST. WEEKEND. EVER.

I am still obsessed with my outfit and my fiancés outfit and every single other detail of the event.

Our families got to meet, every one was beaming and I felt so loved, so supported and so happy!!! I am SOOOOOOO extremely grateful!!!

All the stressing and planning that went into it was totally worth it because it came out exactly as I imagined and couldn’t have been more perfect.  It was even held in the same place my family met my fiancé for the first time.

So now, its time to relax, revel in the glory of all of our hard work, soak in the glow of all this happiness and abundance and slow it down a bit until the next big thing!!!!! Which for now is wedding planning next month in MIAMI at our venue!!!!!

I feel so blessed and excited about everything that is to come and I am soooo grateful.

Life comes in seasons, the ups, the downs, the planning, the anticipation, the high and the lows, the recovery periods and the times to reflect.

Take time to notice where you are now. Enjoy the process that is life and don’t ever get down on yourself for where you are because that is exactly where you are supposed to be.

Lots of love and hope that inspires you!
xoxo
Emily

Follow me on Instagram @EmilyBrickel and my new account for all things fashion illustration@EmilyBrickelillustration

Here’s some pictures from our engagement party!!!!!













March 20, 2014
Spring Equinox – a time of new beginnings.

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So it is officially that TIME,

that day that we wish for all winter long – The spring equinox.  I could not be more excited (visualize me jumping up and down). Many things about spring are exciting.

First on my list is the emergence of the Cadbury egg readily available at every drugstore checkout aisle.  I wait for that baby all year round, and no it’s definitely not on my diet of gluten free and dairy free, but I make an exception every year – you only live once!

And second, well SPRING obviously. Warmer weather, spring shopping, brights and pastels flocking the fashion racks and a lightheartedness in the air. Springtime always reminds me of this song:

{Warning: These songs are circa 1994-6 …. When me and my sister Rachel would blast our “boom box” through our bedroom window opening the windows for the first times since winter and wear shiny polyester floral printed blouses and denim skirts, probably with a flower clip in our hair….. I was 8 and my sister about 5  … proceed with caution to be transported into a time warp…}

Any Ace of Base song from their album Happy Nation especially this one “The Sign” , “All that She wants”  , “Don’t Turn around”,

and from their album The Bridge “It’s a Beautiful Life”  which especially has a lot of meaning to me.

This song is practically my life’s anthem and every time I hear it, it makes me really grateful of my journey.  I remember doing a dance to this song a few years later with my elementary school best friend Juliana (I used to call her Julie) on stage at the annual talent show, right after my dad passed away.  I remember seeing my mom from the audience tear up because this song really moved her, seeing her daughter dancing and celebrating life, remembering that life goes on, even right after my dad died.  “It’s a Beautiful Life” really reminds me why I started this blog, why it is my PASSION and life goal to live my dreams, to be grateful for everyday and to inspire myself and others as best I can.

Spring is such a rebirth of all things physical and energetic.  Time to get out of the hibernation mode and bloom like the flower you are! Cheesy, yes – True, absolutely.  Songs like this remind me of these things. It reminds me to live every day like it’s your last and to never give up in what you believe. That is why I am so strong in my conviction to this.

This new season is a time of new beginnings, a time to reenergize your passions, drive and life.  If shit hits the fan, take a breath and realize now that with the coming of spring, we all have a chance to start a new.

So go on, pick up some new bright floral frocks, some pastel shoes or some of the cutest neon bags.. ahm Valentino…. and get ready to be reinvigorated!

Hope that inspires you,
Xoxo
Emily

May 9, 2013
Everything you need for an inspiring Mothers day

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So it’s Mother’s day this Sunday and what better way to celebrate your Mom than to do something special and inspiring!

Moms are the people who inspire us when we are growing up to be the best that we can be and they are the ones that are the wind beneath our wings.  Celebrate Mother’s day this year and especially cherish all that your mom, and all the mother figures in your life have done for you!

When I was little my sister and I used to create treasure huts for my mom and hide clues sprinkled throughout the house.  We’d always start in the same room and always end in the same room because we wanted to keep some kind of order to the madness of our clues.  It was soo much fun for both my sister and I and for our mom as well.  We know she loved the creative touch we used to put on her special day (and sometimes we even did this for her birthday).

Now that my sister and I have both moved out of the house, those treasure hunts would not be the easiest thing to pull off.

Doing something from the heart is way better than buying a gift (any mom will tell you that), even though I’m sure your mom would love anything you got her.

Here are a few inspiring ideas (if you are bored of the usual dinners or lunches out) to do something really special for mom and the ladies that raised you!

1) If your mom: Loves to cook and host friends and family then…

Host a brunch or lunch in her honor! Take the time to set up a nice little gathering at your place, let your mom attend a get-together so she can revel in the fun of it, instead of doing all the leg work. This is what I will be doing on this mother’s day for my mom, grandma and my boyfriend’s mom!

2) If your mom: Is very visual, loves photos and/or especially cherishes memories then…

Make a collage or scrapbook.  Time flies by so fast and by taking the time to get out the glue, scissors and perhaps the glitter, your mom will be totally taken aback and appreciative of the hours you spent on this meaningful gift.  Added bonus: you will be able to spend some EXTRA precious moments reminiscing through your creation and being reminded of your great times together!

3) If your mom: Loves to catch up one-on-one to chat then…

Do a Mani-Pedi spa day. Make an RSVP at a fabulous day spa, book an in-spa-lunch between treatments, (some places will happily set this up for you) then relax and socialize together. What a fun way to spend the day!

4) If your mom: Works really hard and just wants to relax then…

Offer to do something nice for your mom that only you know she really likes, or offer to do something for your mom that you know she hates doing.

Here are some ideas:

-Offer to plant some flowers for her if she wants to do it herself but hasn’t gotten around to it.

-Treat her to a house cleaning so she can relax. Either a hire professional or do it yourself.

-Hire her a handy man and give them a list of all the things she has been meaning to get fixed and surprise her with it being done.

Be creative. Only you know what would mean something to your mom so find sweet and thoughtful ways to make her happy on her day!

5) If you are: going to your Mom’s house or out to dinner on Mother’s day…

Treat her to bath salts, body scrubs or at home beauty treatments. Buy something for your mom you know she wouldn’t buy for herself but that she would love to get as a gift.

Flowers are always a nice touch but make sure to write a meaningful and beautiful card to go along with it!

Obviously any gift would work just as well as long as you get to spend some quality time with your mom or mother figures in your life.

So go on and get inspired. Remember all the ways she was there for you when you needed her, let yourself get teary eyed (hehe), get creative and do something to show her your love on this Mother’s day!

Hope that inspires you!

Xoxo

Emily

November 26, 2011
Giving Thanks

This time of year is so magical, its what the holidays are about.  Realizing that after your full work week, your daily cup  o’joe (or green juice) after the worries and the details of your day have come and gone – all you really have and need is family, love and the relationships that will always be there for you.  I heard Latham Thomas of http://tendershootswellness.com speak at Gabrielle Bernstein’s Spirit Junkie 11/11/11 lecture and something she said really resonated with me.  She spoke about how she let her young son make up his own prayers over his food to give thanks.  What he made up was probably one of the most sweet, insightful and grateful prayers for our food I have ever heard.  I was honored to repeat it at our thanksgiving dinner.

It went something along the lines of this:

Thank you to the farmers who grew this food, thank you to the land that nourished and supported this food to grow, (thank you for the Turkey who gave its life), thank you to the field workers for picking this food, thank you to the merchants who bought these crops, thank you to the supermarket workers and owners for preparing this food so that we can purchase it, thank you for our jobs so we can buy this food, thank you for (my mom) our families who prepared this food and thank you God (or whom ever you pray to or believe in) for letting us enjoy this food to nourish our bodies.

So much goes into your thanksgiving dinner, and the daily food we eat. I am so grateful to live in a country where we don’t have to worry about how we will get our food.  I am grateful for all of the systems we have in place to make our lives easier and give us the ability to nourish, feed, take care and clothe ourselves. I am most of all thankful for all of the love, friends and family I have that surround me and for the ability to welcome in abundance when I put my mind and efforts towards it!

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

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