Marilyn Meets Blog

I'm not sure if I talked about this before, but as a kid I had sticker commitment issues. I loved stickers, don't get me wrong, I just didn't want to use them. What if I didn't want them in the spot I put them in forever?! Sticker books helped and I filled plenty! I am sure I still have them all somewhere, along with probably tons of unused sheets. It's funny that as adults we still love stickers! Whether we put them on our cars, water bottles, laptops, and notebooks, we will buy them. Currently I have a stack of them that don't have a committed spot to go on yet. What am I waiting for?!  Regardless, with my Cricut, I am now able to make my own, which is dangerous.  Before I had that easy access though, my best friend requested a Mario themed sticker (3 years ago, no joke) and I just got to it a month or so ago. I wasn't confident enough of doing it justice when she first asked. Over the years I have been able to push myself and learn new techniques so I ask...

  THREE YEARS - THEN AND NOW. ______________ Human development is a lifelong process of physical, behavioral, cognitive, and emotional growth and change. Even though I have not grown in height in decades, there are so many other ways I have and I am proud of. Nothing like an anniversary to do some reflecting. I was gifted a book at the beginning of 2020 by a dear friend called, "Things To Do Before You're 30" and one of them was to start a blog and here we are! What better time to start than in a pandemic when you can't go outside or be within 6 ft of others. I was able to share my thoughts, and most importantly my design projects, on this platform rather than the usual social media feeds. I have not been posting as consistently as I had originally intended to, but that's okay. As long as I keep it up in some way, shape or form. Just looking back at the entries I made 3 years ago shows how much I have grown simply in my writing, as well as designing. It's funn...

When I turned 25, I was sooo afraid of turning 30. It just sounded so scary even though it’s just a number. Funny to think about how afraid we are to get older when it’s truly a privilege. Some don’t make it to their next birthday or milestone.  As time got closer I started to realize how exciting 30 would be. A new decade full of adventures and possibilities! I was ready to leave my 20s behind because they were TOUGH. From graduating college and transitioning into the real world, to job hunting, heartbreak, tears - so many tears - making friends, losing friends, losing family… most of the time it just felt like there was a dark rain cloud constantly over my head.  I didn’t truly love myself either. I just desperately wanted to be wanted and loved by others. I’m still not 100% there, but I’m soooo close. Closer than ever.  “30 flirty and thriving” may just be a popular movie quote, but I believe in this energy. 2023 started with me claiming it as MY year. Having a J...

When I was 25, I decided to make a mood board and focus on 5 things I wanted to happen that year. I gathered old unwanted magazines and cut out words, phrases, and pictures that stood out and manifested with me. I collaged them on a poster board and hung it up in my room so I could constantly see it. Funny enough, by the end of the year, 4 of the 5 things actually happened! I hadn’t even noticed in each moment that they were things I had been manifesting. Just one day I looked and realized all the things that came true. It was pretty incredible, and I still have the poster hung up as inspiration.   Now here we are, 5 years later. I am in such a different and better place mentally than I was back then. I still wanted to create another mood board of sorts, but without the cutting of magazines. Instead, I decided to find pictures, phrases, poems, anything already saved in my phone, or ones I newly found, that resonated with me. It's comforting to see there are people out there who fee...