News

Turning the Page to Spring

Okay, for a good portion of the country this has been a brutal winter.

But on Saturday night we get to push the clocks forward an hour (which most of us universally celebrate, except for moms of young children whose sleep gets all messed up for at least a week!).

And in 14 more days at least the calendar says it'll officially be Spring. Whew! I can almost see the light.

With Spring upon us I start to dream of lazy days at the pool or beach, planning meals that my husband can make on the grill, and leaving comfort food behind for the farmer's market bounty (anyone else notice two out of my three dreams involve food?!?).

However, I don't know about you but I've got some spring maintenance that I need to start working on before that first sundress gets slipped on! This is my time to take a seasonal pause and take stock of what I've been neglecting and determine where to put my focus so I am primed to enjoy Spring and Summer - my favorite seasons!

To kick it all off, here's a good Women's Health article that takes a more holistic approach to Spring renewal so we all can be ready. Hello Spring!

Visual cues that help busy women stay on top of their game

I don't know if you're like me but I am juggling so many things in any given day or week that I rely on reminders - electronic, visual, physical - to keep me on track. My iPhone "Reminders" list is the difference between keeping most of the balls in the air at any given time and utter chaos. I shudder to think what would happen if I lost my "Reminders" list - birthday gifts wouldn't get bought, bills would be paid late, soccer snacks would be non-existent.

I set up visual reminders for myself too - the grocery bags next to my purse so they go back in the car, workout clothes on the bathroom vanity, school forms in the back seat ready for drop off, vitamins out on the counter, on my desk or in my bag so I don't forget to take them. For me if something is staring at me and slightly out of place then it's harder for me to forget it or conveniently ignore doing it. That's what works for me and keeps me somewhat on track day to day.

That's also why I, and I think many like me, appreciate things that keep them on track but also fit into their busy lives - with style and function. That's why people appreciate the Style Rx pill box case - it keeps up with them throughout their day. It can be that visual reminder next to the coffee maker in the morning, in your purse as you grab your phone to meet friends for a quick lunch or the drink holder in your car on the way to drop off that helps you make sure you take your vitamins or medications daily. And as a plus, you're not embarrassed for someone else to see it because it looks great too!

Finally, here's a great post from The Reformed Idealist Mom on 5 Ways for Busy Moms to Create a New Habit. Good news - creating visual cues is one of them!

Kicking off the lunar new year in style

While the West tries to understand if 2015 is the Year of the Ram, Sheep or Goat, the East is focused on how to get the lunar new year off to a positive start.

Curious how your style can affect your start to the new lunar year? Avoid wearing black and make sure to wear red. Oh, and refrain from showering! Here's a few more style choices to help you "ward off bad fortune in the coming year."

Still looking for other ways to hit the refresh button? Check out this list of lunar new year rituals - including releasing the old and worn (clothes that don't fit, anything broken), and creating a new image for yourself (new haircut, stylish accessory updates - may we suggest a Style Rx?).

Wishing you gung hay fat choy! (Translation: Congratulations, happiness and fortune).

Valentine's Inspiration

"Oh continue to love me - never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved.
Ever thine. Ever mine. Ever ours." -- Beethoven

Wishing you an inspired day with your beloved.
Happy Valentine's Day from Inspired by Dawn

Thinking out of the box

Earlier this week I convinced myself to push away from my desk and laptop and actually go and network with a business group in town. Funny how obviously beneficial this can be but hard to do sometimes!

While there I met a younger woman (guessing in her mid-20s) who came up to me and told me how much she loved the Style Rx (a friend had recently told her about it) and that she needed to get one for her mom. I of course thanked her for the compliment and agreed that it would likely make a great gift for her mom. However, I also suggested that it's often great for anyone who takes a daily vitamin or medication no matter what their age. She quickly admitted to me that she takes a daily medication while at work but always feels self conscious about it. She realized that the Style Rx would keep her out of the office rumor mill and help her stay on track with taking her medicine - all in a pretty box. Win, win!

I've been thinking about how to quickly summarize all of this because almost always people hear pill box and they think old / grandma. Maybe I should start saying "this isn't your grandma's pill box!" The Style Rx is designed for the modern, active woman of any age or stage - from pregnancy to parenthood and beyond. Psst - pass it along!

See who's carrying the Style Rx now...

We're thrilled that two more fabulous shops are now carrying the Style Rx designer pill box case.

Schiller's Pharmacy, a Pittsburgh institution located in the Shadyside neighborhood, has been serving the community since 1903! They now have the Style Rx on their shelves. Find them at 811 S. Aiken Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 412.621.5900

Tucked away in the Cincinnati suburb of Loveland, Pizazz Studio is a whimsical gift shop specializing in unique and personalized gifts, and as the name suggests includes a studio in the back for events. Visit them at 122 W. Loveland Ave. in Loveland, OH, 513.683.3333

See where else you can find the Style Rx near you.

Getting Off to a Great Start

 

The great thing about a new year is that it gives us all a chance to step back, evaluate what's working or not and try a few new things to hopefully make life just a little bit easier - something near and dear to the Inspired by Dawn brand.

That's why when I stumbled upon this article from The Today Show a few months ago I bookmarked it for myself, and to share here, around the new year. It's a few years old but it has some really practical ideas for busy moms of all ages trying to juggle it all.

The key take-away for me is planning and organizing ahead of time so you can enjoy the little things. In particular, #4 Stockpile Gear in Important Places is one tip I subscribe too, even if I don't have everything all in one neat little bin. (It's in the vicinity!) I keep a stash of essentials in the car, and in my purse, that will keep me and my little one on task most of the day (snacks, books, vitamins, first aid kit, baby wipes) and avoid unnecessary side trips.

Now I just need to work on the getting up an hour before your child and plan to be everywhere 30 minutes early. Those will take some serious planning and will power on my part! Guess I know what I need to focus on.

Celebrating National Clean Off Your Desk Day

It's been 13 days since we last had something to celebrate (welcome 2015!) so why not celebrate National Clean Off Your Desk Day? Did you know that this special day was actually yesterday? Did you take part? Did you take a few minutes (or few hours) and clear through the clutter? Congrats if you did. Hopefully, you can still find everything you need!

Next up - National Nothing Day coming up this Friday. How will you mark it?

Resolving to Care for Yourself in 2015?

Wow it's 2015! It's finally here. Happy new year! 

Did you resolve to take better care of yourself this year? If so, congrats on this intention. This is the first step - setting a goal for yourself. But how do you give yourself a shot at making that goal a reality? For me it's about making something a habit. Incorporating reminders into my day to make sure I'm reminded of the small, daily step I need to form a new positive habit.

For example, five years ago now (wow time does fly!) I was pregnant with my little girl and I like most pregnant mommas wanted to take a daily prenatal vitamin, along with a couple other supplements my doctors suggested, to help ensure a healthy pregnancy and baby. But like so many of us I was also super busy - commuting 30+ minutes to work, crazy busy days with back-to-back meetings and extremely tight deadlines, 10+ hour days, etc., etc. - and my brain was full. The health of my baby-to-be was critical to me but I knew with such a busy day-to-day that if I didn't give myself some kind of daily reminder I would miss more doses than I'd like.

That's why I looked for a weekly pill box that I could load once a week, place on my desk at work (after all that's where I spent the vast majority of my time!) or toss in my purse on my way to a meeting, and always have a daily reminder to take my dose and an easy way to know if I had forgotten. However, the options available were less than desirable - especially when surrounded by super hip fashion colleagues! That's when I knew there was an opportunity to fill this need for women like myself, and the Style Rx was born a few short years later.

So give yourself a chance to realize that resolution by identifying that one small step that can help you establish the habit you need to develop. You never know where it may lead! Good luck and happy 2015!

Last Minute New Year's Eve Inspiration

New Year's Eve party tomorrow night and no idea what to wear? Check out our Pinterest board for party styles that'll have you looking great well into the new year!

Now raise a glass to looking fabulous!