A few things:

I just made a big announcement as I took on my first team member! Meghan is here part-time to help with upcoming projects. You should probably email Meghan because she’s all kinds of awesome and we like you. Let’s work together.

For an indepth look at me take a peak at my About Me page. From there you’ll learn everything there is to know about me (and then some, I’m sure.) but if I still haven’t answered your questions you should email me. I love talking. Via email.

Quick Ways to Connect:

• Find me on Facebook

• Find me on Google +

• Find me on Twitter

• Find me on LinkedIn

• Find me on Pinterest

• See what’s catching fire on Pinterest

• Send me an Email or package

Leave a comment with where I can get in touch with you and hopefully we’ll bump into each other this weekend!

A few interesting things: I was recently diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (it was a difficult diagnosis), I have two awesome kids (girl and boy, 7 and 3 respectively), I’m married going on 9 years, we’re a debt free family currently renting and hoping to buy soon. I also write for My Turnstone and Curvy Girl Guide. I’m writing a book! I take A. Lot. of photos and I’m always in the kitchen.

Jodi Trivia:

Born in Africa. Has a Life List. Always wanted to be a mom. Has had many jobs including, but not limited to, Creative Memories Consultant, Real Estate Agent, bus-girl at Country Club, maid staff for hotel, Bank Customer Service Rep and more. Been sky-diving. Has five tattoos. Loves to read and dance.

Now you!

I’ve struggled with growing pains for a very long time (in all areas of my life) and it’s something I’m pretty open about. Growing as a mother, as a wife, growing as a family, as a writer, a dreamer, a do-er and a wanter of amazing things and experiences. Growing as a friend, painfully growing as an individual.

I write down goals and dreams often and at the beginning of this year I made no exceptions. I’ve been pretty vocal about what’s going on in some parts of my life and in others, I’ve shut down completely, not allowing anyone but the closest to me see the pain and anguish, the careful dance of when reality and expectations don’t measure up to equal a whole.

Part of the current growth for this space, online, is so that I can live out what my vision and passion for this really is: to inspire you, and me. To take you along for the amazing ride ahead. To go somewhere, together. I have something to say and I’m learning how to say it.

I want to bring opportunities to you. I want to keep this very raw and open place for me to write and live out-loud, but I also want to take what I have to say and tell my story where ever I go. It’s not about money or growth (in business) for me. It’s about being naked on paper. It’s about being real and honest, high and low. It’s about getting out of my own way so I can finally succeed.

So, guys: Thank you! I don’t think you all know how much you’re a part of this with me. And in the event that you do not; You are all a vein connected directly to the heart of this space and it’s from my deepest gratitude that I say Thanks for being such a vibrant, beating pulse.

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For the recipe and more photos: Click here.

I leave tomorrow for Blissdom and today I’m nursing the last of this cold that thought it was going to win (hint, it isn’t winning) and packing, doing laundry and making lists. It’s been a long time since I was an attendee at a large conference (2009 BlogHer) so I’m excited to do it again but nervous, too. Here goes nothin! For those of you NOT going to Blissdom, pardon the next few days and posts – they’ll be “nice to meet ya” heavy as I introduce myself to anyone who might stumble on the blog while I’m there.

A quick search online for some of the most creative office environments, such as Etsy.com and Facebook, show laid back, hipped out, collaborative spaces where your imagination is more important than your punch card.

Etsy Offices:

Source

Facebook Offices:

Source

Compared to a Cubical Farm, or what many Corporate Offices with technology based jobs have looked like in the past:

Cubical Farm:

Source

I’d say that the changing trends are welcomed ones. Click here to read more over at My Turnstone.

I brought on a new team member!

Yes. Jodimichelle.com now has a Project Manager. Guys, meet Meghan!

Meghan’s going to introduce herself:

Hi everyone! My name is Meghan and I am the newest member of jodimichelle.com! I’m pretty excited to be working with Jodi and am looking forward to getting to know all of you!! My role is a Project Manager so I’ll get to interact with a lot of you behind the scenes as we take jodimichelle.com to the next level.

With that being said, I thought you might want to know a little about me and since I am a type-A, list-maker…

- I have been married to my husband for 2 ½ years and have a seven-month old baby girl who we think is the most precious thing in this world.

- Two weeks before our wedding we moved from Grand Rapids, MI to Pittsburgh, PA, which is where we live now.

- We have a loveable mutt named Moose.

- We’re in the process of completely renovating a house from 1938 that only two other families have owned. (Saying that my husband is handy would be an understatement. The man can do anything.)

- Before beginning my “career” as a stay-at-home-mom, I worked for a slew of different start-ups: ArtPrize, Spout, Lockerz and Pikimal.

- I dabble in photography and take way too many pictures of my baby (and dog).

- I just opened a new Etsy shop: ready.set.eat! Do you want to start meal planning? Then go check it out!

- I road trip back to Michigan about once a month because I love it and miss it dearly. And I love freshly manicured toenails, yoga pants, Sarah Jessica Parker’s Lovely perfume, the smell of fall, making my baby laugh, being on the lakes of Michigan, laughing really hard and of course my dear friends and family.

If there’s anything else you’d like to know about me, feel free to ask!

There will be some noticeable changes around here in the next few days as I revamp the Contact/About pages to include this information etc. I’m also heading to Blissdom later this week and this announcement couldn’t have come at a better time.

You guys!! I am so excited! Say hi to Meghan, make her feel at home, and I cannot wait for what’s in store.

And now we’re hunkering down for the rest of the night, reluctantly missing parties and small group, to stay healthy for a crazy week ahead.

How was your weekend?

Storage is an essential part of your office ecosystem and Turnstone has some pretty great options if I do say so myself. As someone who moves around often in my office setting I need my must-haves accessible easily.

In a previous article I showed you what I need for great work flow. In my lap top bag, I keep my current work files with me as well as my photo editing equipment and an extra external hard drive.

Click here to read more

Other related articles

How to be trendy but original: Office Art.

How to make Cork Terrariums.

How to create a sacred work zone.

Working every angle of a home office redo.

Hey guys, I’m gonna put a few things out there and then I want to work together to make it happen, k? I want to make a few dreams come true this year, mine and yours – so after I tell you mine, please tell me yours.

Deal?

I’ll be making some exciting announcements soon for this space and I can’t wait: in the mean time I’d like work with you more. Your companies, your small businesses. You. The talented folks who make up this community: I’m asking for your help and direction.

This means: we might be seeing some different kinds of advertising here. I’m open to it.

I’d like to get paid to write more and do awesome things. Live out my Life List, have adventures. I want my book published (still writing it) …

I’m of the opinion that I’m not the best speaker, but I’d like to speak to you. If that means Cooking Classes or Conferences, I’m willing to try.

I love collaborating, so lets!

A few larger picture dreams: I want to go to Spain with my husband, soon. Very soon. I want to photograph the details. I want to own another home, but mostly I want to own a barn. And garden again.

Now you … because none of this means anything unless your dreams are coming true, too.

The one before that? I still haven’t photographed. It’s not finished, just the beginning of something bigger – in so many ways. I wish I was the kind of person who could easily tell-all in person. You guys are super curious about my tattoos (as I am about anyone’s I see, too) and it’s just hard for me to be as open in person as I am in writing.

This is probably the most surprising thing about me, if we haven’t met yet: I am very shy. I am always raw, but very shy. And I do know how to let it go and have fun, but mostly I’m inside myself and thinking.

I’m really good at silence – terrible at being still. I’m a beautiful mess, mostly, and I find it odd (?) that I have a disease that literally requires structure and routine. Getting on with it after the diagnosis is going well. I stayed at the feet of that word for a good 24 hours, raking it over me and worrying. And now I’m kneeling there; asphalt digging in my knees, crushing dandelions as I wait … and soon I’m going to get up and move forward.

The finality of this diagnosis is this: I should not have more children. I *can’t* have more children, I *won’t* have more children. And although we were well on our way to that decision, we were still hoping and maybe dreaming about some day.

Shit is hitting the fan all around me – in almost every part of my life. I am growing and making decisions to take better care of myself and then decisions are being made for me, for my health, and I’m wading my way through this structure of a life.

Still being quiet but refusing to stand still. Instead I’m dancing wildly in circles, splattering paint all over my body, and bleeding every single day. I’m learning that the mess I’m making isn’t wrong, it’s the deepest part of me trying to come forward and carry me through.

Every once in a while I need a permanent marker to make me believe it, too.

But before we dine together, I made you something. Or rather I made the little people in your lives something – print these babies out (boy or girl) and hand out a little fun on Valentines tomorrow.

Jessica’s Girl Valentines:

(Yes, snapshot – I know we technically spelled “Rockin” incorrectly. But that’s what all the seven year olds are doing these days. Red mis-spell line will not appear on download.)

Oliver’s Boy Valentines:

I made these, too:

I Spy: Underwater
I Spy: Fairies
I Spy: On a Walk