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Live Life Colorfully

You guys, I know so many of you are over it. You’ve already forgotten about it. It was just another day, and Anthony Bourdain’s death helped to normalize it. But, I can’t get over it yet. I am struggling.


If Kate Spade was just your handbag designer, your china creator, your interior design inspiration, then you wouldn’t get it. I know many of you will find this so silly given the other dramas in our world like immigrant separation and the US withdrawing from the UN Human Rights, etc. But I am legitimately mourning Kate Spade’s death.


Kate Spade was more than a designer, she was a symbol of joy. Her little tokens, these symbols, the phrases are inspiring. I am pretty vibe sensitive. The symbol means a lot to me. It changes my attitude, my thoughts. My perfume is called “Truly Daring.” I feel a little more Daring when I wear it. My day is a little bit brighter when I drink from my “Eat Cake For Breakfast” mug. I’m bolder when I wear my Kate Spade flats. I feel just a little more fancy when I wear my Kate Spade watch. Of course, she was quick and witty and talented and creative, but she was so much more. Take a look at the these quotes.













Or my personal favorite
Y’all. If these quotes do not elicit pure joy in your soul, then something is missing. These words inspire hope. They inspire joy. The make you pay attention to the moment. Moments matter. Life doesn’t happen when you’re drifting from one big thing to the next big thing. Life is the cake for breakfast. Life is the confetti in your hair. Life is leaving your sparkle each day all day.


Kate Spade is a philosophy. A way of life. It is MY way of life. I guess her death is harder for because these are also the things that I preach. Live boldly. Eat the cake. Enjoy the moments. Live colorfully. I feel like I lost someone who really "got it." The world lost someone who really got it. So much beauty, creativity, and influence.
I’m going to be honest, I freaking hate the term “mental illness.” Don’t even get me started. Anxiety, depression, worry, stress, anger, hopelessness. These are not illnesses. This is your mental health. If you don’t think you have ever, ever struggled with mental health, then you aren’t a human my friend. You experience pain just like you do joy. You experience anger just like you do happiness. You experience stress just like you do excitement. In the words of Brene Brown, you simply can’t feel one without the other. You also can’t numb one without numbing the others. I am sad because Kate Spade was conscious of the moments. She ignited hope. She elicited joy. Yet, she was struggling. Just like we all struggle.


Live Life Colorfully was one of her many taglines. It’s my favorite one. It’s so jam packed. In a world that values Joanna Gaines so so much with all of her white, neutrals, greys and beige. Kate Spade said “Whoa whoa whoa, add this Kelly Green or Hot Pink or Crazy Metallic, I’ll get the champagne.”


My last house was slightly bold. I chose crazy prints but mostly earth tones. You know what? I was slightly happy with it. This go round, I’m getting another chance. I’m going bold. Pink doors. Chartreuse walls, bold floral prints. Life is short and it’s just a wall. Live life colorfully.


A few years ago when I registered for my wedding, I chose Kate Spade Hopscotch as my dinnerware pattern. I decided to forego the china. China is like once a year. Dinnerware, now that’s joy you can have every single day. I was so excited about. I will never forget, I posted it to Facebook and someone said “oh wow, you are going to get so tired of that.” It was kind of a buzzkill ha. After 5 years, I still eat off of that very bright, multi-colored dinnerware every single day. Every time I pull out a plate, I am as joyful as the day I got it.
In the event that you need a visual.

Some people are overwhelmed and stressed out by lots of colors. I get it, because I feel that way about gray. It’s an ongoing joke with my friends, but gray makes me sad. It’s such a downer color like stormy skies or Eeyore. I feel no joy. Kate Spade encouraged me to forget the mainstream and all the Fixer Upper peer pressure and just do me.


Speaking of just doing me. Living Colorfully is an invitation for you to do you too. Sometimes, I drink a little too much rose on a Thursday. I splurge and have 2 donuts instead of just one. I put Bailey’s in my coffee before church. I speak the truth. In the words of my bestie, “no one can roast you like you can roast yourself.” I tell all my embarrassing stories first. I laugh a lot. I wear all the brightest colors. I live life colorfully. Just be you. Do you. Who cares if you fit into your neighborhood or your friends or your family or your church.


Life is short. Live life colorfully. Find joy. Inspire hope. Leave a sparkle. Enjoy glitter. Eat the cake. Be happy. And more than anything, love everyone and be kind. Everyone needs a little more love and little more kindness. I bet that would’ve made all the difference for my girl, Kate.


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