kls collective

June Updates

June 21, 2017June 21, 2017 KLScollective

I’m somehow always caught off guard when I realize time is flying by. Trying to get into a new summer break routine has been impossible with everything going on. I’m trying to take one day at a time and trust that a semi-set schedule will eventually unfold.

In the mean time, here’s the latest on all my endeavors:

The Pin Cushion: My apprenticeship is in full swing. July will be even more intense as I work to check off all the piercings needed. Kimberly and I have set my ending date for the middle of August which I know will be here before I know it. I was also promoted to shop manager which was an unexpected and extremely exciting surprise. I am so thankful I found this incredible team to work for!
You Will Never Be Him: I think this may the first time I’ve shared the full title of the novel I’m working on! My manuscript is currently with my editor (ah!) and so far feedback has been great. Being my first experience writing, I have to say I am super nervous for whats to come next.
Personal Life: the kids and I actually managed to get away for a mini “vacation”, I surprised my husband with a belated birthday party, and one of my best friends is getting married this week.

In other news: I haven’t been able to work on my website at all….I haven’t been able to blog at all….I have fallen off the workout wagon (again!)….I have gotten horribly lazy with my cooking and food choices….*sigh*

Clearly I still have lots to work on, but life is still heading in the right direction. Hopefully it won’t be another month before you hear from me again.

Kick Off, Personal

What I Have Gained By Losing My Set Income

February 28, 2017February 28, 2017 KLScollective

Diving head first into the unknown has never been a forte of mine. I like to carefully think things out and have a set plan before moving forward. So when I decided to leave my full time position for a part time one without an exact plan in place I thought I might have lost my mind. I have been working since I was 15 years old with very little time off; it finally caught up to me.

I realized that despite loving the line of work I was in, I am not physically or mentally made to do the same thing over and over again. I need variety, freedom, and space to create. I have found all of that by moving to an irregular, unpredictable income. While it is internally terrifying, I haven’t felt this good in a long time!

Here’s a look at my past 8 weeks:

I have taken my kids to the park more times than I did all of last year combined

I have had time to sit, play, read, and color with them

I have been able to take them to play dates with their friends they have missed

I have been a better mother.

I have been able to do a Bible study with my husband

We have had more time to parent together

We have enjoyed dinner with each other without feeling rushed to prepare for the next day

I have been a better wife

I have been able to tend to the yard that has sat neglected for over a year.

I have kept my home clean (well as clean as it can be with two small children).

I have spent more time with our family dogs

I have been a better steward of the possessions I have been blessed with.

I have gone out for coffee with friends I haven’t seen in years

I have been able to attend a Mom’s Night Out

I have been able to engage in meaningful conversation with others online and in person

I have been a better friend.

I have recovered from major surgery

I have begun working out for the first time in years

I have been able to go to sleep on time

I have become a healthier me.

I have accomplished all of this while still:

Working part time for the birth center
Building two websites and maintaining a third
Writing a combined twenty blog posts for all of my business and personal sites (twenty one if you count this post)
Relaunching / promoting my doula business and networking with local professionals
Writing forty pages (and counting!) of my childbirth curriculum
Attending one birth
Capturing and editing well over one hundred photographs
Managing or co-managing the social media for 3 Facebook business pages
Writing 25,000 words for my novel

I am a hard worker and a fierce believer in the fact that my dedication will pay off.

This will work!

KLScollective Perspective, Services, website design

KLScollective Perspective: Website Layout

February 27, 2017February 27, 2017 KLScollective

Your website can say a lot about you and your business. Until recently, a company’s main asset in communicating with potential clients was their website. While social media has taken the top spot, it doesn’t mean your website should be pushed to the sidelines. A home website is still a close second when it comes to showcasing your services and should be utilized to its fullest potential. Unless you have a product or service only benefiting the younger generations, you must take into account the wide age range that will be looking for your information. Also consider that many people take time to unplug from social media but will still use the internet to find what they’re looking for.

If you hire KLS Collective to assist you with your website design or revamp, here are some key features you can expect to be focused on no matter your business:

Connection to Social Media:

As stated above, having both a website and social media presence is a win/win. Your social media links can connect people to your site boosting your stats and your site can link people to your social media boosting your “Likes” or “Followers”. If you’re a newly formed business it will be important to figure out what social platforms to focus on (another post about that coming soon). You don’t want to over whelm your website with 8 different news feeds all repeating the same information.

Easy to Navigate Menus:

You come across a site, you fall in love with the services offered, you decide you want to hire said site owner, and…..you can’t find the “Contact” section. I would say it’s rare I come across a website where their menus are so hidden or layered that it’s difficult to find what I’m looking for but it does happen. Don’t let this simple mistake cost you clients! Focusing on user friendly interfacing is vital is your websites success.

Color Scheme:

Does your website give your clients a headache if they look at the neon writing too long? Do you have too many flashing and scrolling plugins they don’t know where to click? Choosing a layout that is functional and beautiful can make a huge difference in your websites overall feel. There is nothing wrong with bright colors; they just have to be used properly. Many people go for colors themes and layouts that THEY like instead of thinking about client interpretation. There is a lot of research behind colors in advertising and design; use it!

Photography, Services

Texture

February 22, 2017February 22, 2017 KLScollective

Texture is my favorite thing to focus on in still life photography; little minute details that can tell a story in such a small space.

Still Life and Nature

Many of my images were lost several years ago on a crashed hard drive, and I never thought I’d get back into photography so I hadn’t backed them up (lesson learned!). As I begin to rebuild my portfolio I am hoping to find many unique details to feature. If you are in need of still life or nature photos for backgrounds, print, website headers, etc please contact me for commissioned work!