Oh Joy!

wise words... 17 Jul 2012

A few weeks ago, I attended the Mom, Inc. book party here in LA. The authors Cat Seto and Meg Ilasco {along with guest Bonnie Tsang} had a Q&A about the juggle/balance of having your own business and being a mom. I found the talk to be honest, intimate, and so inspiring...and I couldn't help but think so many of the messages apply even if you're not a mom but simply pursuing a new career, a new business, or something for yourself {outside of your family} to feel passionate about. So, I love these quotes pulled from the book...just some great little words of wisdom I hope you're all appreciate too...a couple more below... — Joy

oh joy for winter water factory... 18 Jun 2012

When I dress Ruby, I tend to gravitate towards mixing and matching modern and bold prints and patterns rather than things that seem too precious and baby-like. And, I tend to love things that are feminine, yet with a playful and sophisticated mix. So, I wanted to turn one of my most popular patterns into a couple pieces that would would be fun for baby too! I'm excited to share my newest line of products with you...a little limited edition capsule collection of Oh Joy baby clothing for Winter Water Factory!

Featuring my signature Petal Pusher pattern {which you may have seen in my wallpaper}, the styles are available in baby dresses and rompers starting from 3-6 months and up to 18-24 months. They're so fun for summer and great for layering during the cooler months too. You can see and purchase them all at Winter Water Factory! — Joy

{Lifestyle photos by Bonnie Tsang for Oh Joy, product photos by Winter Water Factory. All outfits worn by Ruby above are Oh Joy for Winter Water Factory accessorized with bloomers by Nature Baby and yellow flower pin by Stellina B.}

happy friday + secret's out... 15 Jun 2012

Happy Friday guys! Last week I posted a sneak peek of my new book, and a few days later, it became available for pre-order on Amazon! Secret's out. My newest book is called Blog, Inc., and it gives the 411 on how to create and grow a successful blog. I've given hundreds of consulting sessions and dozens workshops on the topic, and this book summarizes everything about blogging that I get asked the most...from coming up with a name and concept, to creating unique content to monetizing, and more. It's also filled with interviews from more than 15 of my favorite fashion, craft, design, and personal bloggers as well as from companies who work with bloggers. I'm really proud of my first solo book, and I can't wait to share more with you guys this fall when it's out. It will be officially released in September, but you can pre-order right here! Have a great weekend all! — Joy

ps. Stay tuned for a new "little" collection of Oh Joy products debuting Monday!

{photo by Oh Joy}

happy friday + a little peek... 8 Jun 2012

A couple months ago, I announced I'd be going on my next book tour later this year, and I just got advanced copies of the new book! I can't tell you the title, yet. But soon, I promise...

I've narrowed down my book tour cities to New York, LA, San Francisco, and Chicago as definites. And now we're trying to decide between Philly, Austin, or Portland for the additional one or two stops I'll be making in October and November. While I would love to come to even more cities, traveling and being away from the baby is tough, so I'll do the best I can to get to at least five this year. We're working on some fun virtual stuff during the book launch, too, for those of you I don't get to see in person. Hope you all have a great weekend full of some exciting new projects and little adventures!  — Joy

{photo by Oh Joy}

oh joy for microsoft... 22 May 2012

I've always wanted to bring some of my patterns into the tech world and soften up gadgets with a little pattern and prettiness. So, I'm excited to share my first foray into the tech world with this Artist Series mouse I designed for Microsoft.

In true Oh Joy style, a flutter of florals sprinkle onto the top in matte metallics of silver and gold. I've been using this mouse with my laptop and love how it stores flat when not in use...which is perfect for traveling. You can see more details about my Oh Joy mouse right here! — Joy

{photos by Oh Joy}

mom, inc... 10 May 2012

Until I became a mom myself, I never realized how hard it is to take care of another human while also working or having your own business. Both things are a ton of work in themselves, so to mix the two takes a lot of planning, organization, delegating, multi-tasking, and a whole bunch of other things that I have yet to figure out myself. My friend {and co-author of Creative, Inc.}, Meg Mateo Ilasco just released her third book in the Inc. series which she co-wrote with Cat Seto called Mom, Inc. I loved Meg's post the other day on Design*Sponge about motherhood and business...it's so honest and so true. And, I'm thrilled to share the news of their new book!

To me, it's a must for any mom, business owner, or anyone who eventually wants to be a mom and business owner. Mom, Inc. is full of interviews from other moms in the creative world and covers various types of businesses including: freelancing, having a shop, starting a blog, and more. Also, how cute is Cat in their book trailer above? If you're in LA or NY, you can see details on their next book signing right here... — Joy

a little pool party at kate spade... 25 Apr 2012

A couple weeks ago, I had the pleasure of hosting a little summer "pool party" at the Kate Spade store at the Americana at Brand here in LA as part of a summer style blogger series. It was a fun way to kick off the summer season, support one of my favorite brands, and to meet some of my awesome readers. Thanks so much to everyone who came out! It was so fun meeting in person! And you can see a post about the event from one of our guests right here, a fun bit on Instagram, and Kate Spade's post right here! — Joy

{photos by Bonnie Tsang. My outfit: Hana Dress, Rosewood Dot Necklace, Isabel Heels}

gettin' bloggy with it... 23 Apr 2012

During my Oh Joy Rx consultations, whenever a client wants to discuss how to make their blog better, more unique, and increase their readership, one of the things we discuss is how important it is for your blog to look good. With so many out there these days, those who have a bit of technical know-how with creating and designing layouts tend to have a bit of an advantage in capturing new readers. So, I always recommend Blog Shop for those who want to learn more about how to create posts and layouts for their blog. Bri and Angela are a super talented duo and amazing teachers who put together such a fun and informational weekend for both newbie and established bloggers alike {and how cute is this video}? See more about Blog Shop here and see available classes and cities right here! — Joy

a little rx... 8 Mar 2012

Over the past two years, I've worked with over 300 small business owners, freelancers, designers, bloggers, and other creative types to give guidance and feedback on their businesses, blogs, products, pricing, you name it. Now that I'm back to working a bit more post-baby, I've got some available spots coming up and booking Oh Joy Rx consultations for April and May. I won't be holding any workshops this year due to my book tour in the fall, but I'm still offering a limited number one-on-one phone consultations through the summer. So if you need advice, feedback, and a push in the right direction, you see more right here or email me at hello(at)ohjoy.com! — Joy

{oh joy book tour} fall 2012... 14 Feb 2012

This fall, my second book {my first solo book!} will be coming out. I can't tell you the title just yet, but it's part of the "Inc" series that includes my first book Creative, Inc. that I co-wrote with Meg Ilasco. I'm super excited about it as the topic is something I'm really passionate about and guide people on most often in my Oh Joy Rx consultations and workshops. As I prep for the tour in October, I'm hoping to visit 4 or 5 cities this time. Last time, we could only make it to 3, and I'd love to include a couple cities we missed in 2010. So, dear readers, I'd love to hear your preference on what city you'd like to see on my book tour as well as the times you're most likely to come out for a little book party. Click here for my short 2-question survey! Thanks in advance, and I'll be sure to keep you posted with cities and dates as it gets closer! — Joy

{photos by Karen Wise}