Monday, January 23, 2012

ALT Design Summit

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The last week has been a whirlwind that started out as a thought but then made a reality after the gracious Caitlin Creer offered to host me at her home as we ventured to ALT Design Summit. Scrambling, I phoned for a plane ticket and made arrangements for my little minis...not always an easy feat. Good thing for nice sisters (Hi Liza and Whitney). Anyway I have to note that every single time I walked into the above space I felt welcomed and so happy to be in such clean, pretty and well thought out space. Caitlin has mad designing skills.

Overall I feel very satisfied about making the decision to go to ALT because I made some very nice friends and felt inpspired. In fact as I sat in the plane to go home I messaged one of those new friends that really should have been an old friend. Text as follows:

"Mara it was really was so great to connect like we did with such ease. I like you mucho. Pls. stay in touch.

Do you still feel good about all of your thrifty purchases? I'm about to board my plane and I can't stop thinking about flight attendants gone bad...I'm holding on tight to all of my electronics."

Yes there is a story to the above text. In fact, that Mara girl has many life stories that you may want to follow along with over on A Blog About Love. Anyway the thing that I loved most most about ALT was connecting with other people. Sure there was some real treats when it came to people watching and sure there was inspiration and things to learn but the best was just observing that everyone has a story. I even got to learn about a few of them. We all are kind of in this together and we all have so much to share. Of course one of the stories that everyone fell in love with was that of Ben Silbermann, the founder of Pinterest. I think it is safe to say that his passion was inspiring.

ALT was a great and uplifting event to be involved in and I'd go again.

A few notables:

Imitate your spiritual master (Gretchen Rubin).

My heel broke off within the first hour. I had to faux walk so that I'd look like my normal self. Good thing for extra long pants.

Lots of buns, red lips and sequins.

A fun thrift tour with Jaimee, Sarah and Samantha in my car. At the end the most magical snowflakes erupted. There was some great treasures found.

Was reminded that one of the keys to happiness was to get enough sleep. Funny thing though I was most happy sitting up with friends at wee hours of the morning.

Some of the most fashionable girls at ALT told me they loved my squash blossom necklace and that made me feel good.

The reactions people gave when I told them I have five kids...twins and triplets in 2.5 years.

Jenny said 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.

Sitting in the corner of the loud Gibson Girl Lounge with Jenny and Mara but feeling like we were the only ones in there because we were so wrapped up into our conversation.

Thinking I was sure glad I didn't have to speak on a certain panel after the spirited and passionate Jasmine Star. She was inspiring.

I need to become a little more technologically savvy. Note to self: Learn more about videography.

One of the best ways to be happy is to serve others (Gretchen Rubin)

There is lots of great blogging stock that comes from Arizona. I had no idea until ALT.

Discovering Caitlin's beautiful Salt Lake City neighborhood. Had a great dinner at Trio.

I was really excited to meet the very kind Rachel from Black Eiffel and Jen from Rambling Renovators. Well actually there were many more that I should add to that list but I'm afraid I might miss somebody.

Stop talking about it and just do it. (Ben Silbermann)

If you are interested in more recaps of Alt then go here for the links.
More pictures of the events can be found here.

{Below photo credits go to Justin Hackworth, b.a.d. photography & Moss & Isaac}

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19 comments:

  1. Oh, her house looks lovely. My heel broke at Alt too! During the mini parties. I was a hobbling fool. xo

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  2. sounds pretty frickin awesome. Maybe I'll make it one of these years.

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  3. Wow, that sounds and looks so inspiring! I'm not a design blogger, or really anything much, but I think that looks like a blast. Lovely pictures, and you look so chic and fabulous as always!

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  4. Wow her house looks awesome and I'm loving that couch. Sounds like a really awesome event!! How do you always look so perfectly put together?!? Love mom's that still stay stylish :)

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  5. how FUN! I bet it was so inspiring!

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  6. it was so lovely to meet you (ever so briefly)! quite jealous of the thrifting you got to do after! hope we get to see what you might have brought home with you ~ox

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  7. I loved seeing you in one of those pics in someone's else blog (Jenny's I think) These are the moments I wish I wasnt that far, seems and sounds incredible!

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  8. looks like it was a blast, so glad you got to have fun! (and have a little break from the kiddos!)

    Jenna

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  9. I was so excited and jealous to see that you had gone. Glad it was a fun experience, next year I'll join you!

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  10. Looks so fun! So awesome you got to go. One of these years I'll make plans to go too :-)

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  12. i just knew it! i had a feeling you might of been there. lucky them.

    how exciting to be able to mix & mingle with all those peeps. i'm sure you were as graceful as cinderella when she lost her shoe & of course the belle of the ball.

    ;)

    i tried to read all those tweets coming through the conf. amazing stuff.

    xo
    kellie

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  13. Super glad we met!! You are the sweetest and I'll say it again, you have impeccable taste!

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  14. It was so wonderful to meet you Christina. You are stylish and sweet, and in person, have a calmness about you that I recognize in your blog now as well.

    Great pic of you, Jenny, and Mara. I didn't realize you three were new friends - you looked like you had known each other forever! That's a great thing.

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  15. how fun that you were able to go! can't wait to hear more about it in person sometime. and that house looks beautiful.

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  16. Can you please tell me who the first girl is in the leopard coat and WHERE she got it? Love it! And love the blog..always.
    xx Ali

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  17. Can you please tell me who the first girl is in the leopard coat and WHERE she got it? Love it! And love the blog..always.
    xx Ali

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  18. Yea! So happy you made it there! There were sequins? Girl, you were meant to be there. :) Lost a heel? I thought that only happened in movies...but great excuse to buy another pair of shoes, right?

    Thank you for sharing the highlights!

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  19. i hate that i missed this! (and meeting yOU!!) my parents and my mother in law were in town for my little mans big day, so it was great to have a very good excuse to miss out. maybe next year! it sounds like you had a blast.

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