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I didn't know what to expect when I got assigned a work trip to Kalispell, Montana. It would be the furthest west I had ever been! As many would probably agree, my first trip to Montana was full of awe and wonder. There is nothing more majestic than experiencing the mountain ranges for yourself. While I didn't get to go to any of the well-known sites like Glacier National Park - these smaller visits I'll be sharing with you this month are well worth the visit if you are in the area. Watch the adventure unfold in my vlog below and keep reading for more sights and tips.

My first stop was the closest park I could catch a Lyft to. Lone Pine State Park is not too far out from downtown Kalispell making it a perfect afternoon stop. The various winding trails which were taken by hikers and bikers alike have a variety of lengths to suit every adventurer. I was blown away before I even left the immediate parking lot area. Walking up the hill towards the visitor center led to an opening in the trees that revealed an overlook to the town of Kalispell in the valley.

As my first experience hiking alone, I am happy to report all went well. I enjoyed the extreme quiet among the noises of nature to ponder thoughts and take in the views. One thing that comes with hiking alone is capturing the sights to show others when you get home from the trip! This is where selfies and self-timer features on your phone or camera come in handy.

We sometimes often forget to capture the full experience nature gives us. We forget to look down where we stand or up at our full surroundings. I feel like I have never seen grass as green or a sky as blue as I did in Montana. As memory keepers, we try to capture things not only the way we see them but also with intention of how they make us feel.

For example, the photo of my feet on the trail could just be showing off my kicks, but instead, it shows the smooth trail ahead. Paired with the photo of the winding trail through the trees, we have a fuller story about the experience of hiking alone and the ease and beauty of the trails.

Some more tips while hiking alone - keep your eyes peeled! You never know just what type of woodland creatures you'll be able to approach by yourself when walking the trails. I got to meet a few deer, but only captured the one beauty on camera. Look up and down often to find even more beauty surrounding you.

I hope you enjoyed this brief exploration of Kalispell, Montana with me as we took a stroll through Lone Pine State Park! Stay tuned in the coming weeks for how I will be capturing these memories and photos in my traveler's notebook!

Hello, long time no blog. Welcome to my newly designed little corner of the internet!

It's been quite a bit of time since I've been in the blogging sphere, but I am back and better than ever! For all of you who love reading blogs, this space is built for you. I hope you enjoy the posts popping up in your email every week. Be sure to sign up here for the weekly recap emails! I filmed a whole video summing up my thoughts about being gone from content creation, taking a break, and reinventing my brand which you can check out below. But if you are looking for the whole scoop, you've come to the right place.

The Break

As mentioned in the video, nothing terrible caused my break. I disappeared shortly after the start of April, sort of on a whim. Those who keep up with me on my personal social accounts or are part of my Patreon group know that I had a very exciting event coming up. Life has been on pause for so many of us for well over a year. As vaccinations started rolling out, my dad was in one of the earlier eligible groups in New York. He was able to get vaccinated and come visit me for two weeks! After not seeing him for over 14 months, it was a well-needed catch-up visit. I didn't want to miss a single second of it, so I decided to take two weeks off.

Those of you who have been here since my Gray Florals rebrand in 2014, I rarely take a break. I've even posted on Christmas for multiple years. I take my YouTube Channel and delivering the content you guys want very seriously. I like to keep the promises I made for having videos three times a week. I think if the pandemic taught us any, it is how lucky so many of us are. Life isn't always about work, but about enjoying the moments we've worked hard to have. I'm so grateful that we were able to get vaccinations quickly and then see each other as soon as it was safe for us to be reunited.

I took those two weeks with my dad and we went on numerous adventures. I filmed and photographed all of the beautiful places we got to visit. I wasn't letting another memory slip by without remembering it and capturing it in its entirety. While capturing these moments was originally for my normal Patreon weekly vlogs, I knew that I wanted to do more.

The Rebrand

That's when my brain started cooking up some ideas. I have had a rebrand in progress for my website and blog for years, to redesign my logo and create an updated cohesive look. I logged back into that account and felt inspired to reinvent my online brand. Gray Florals has always been an incredible thing to watch grow. And I have all of you who are reading this to thank for that. There is no way I would be doing this without the kindness, encouragement, and support from all of YOU!

I was grasping to hold onto these new memories desperately. I look back on the video clips a lot whether filmed on my iPhone or my Canon. Between this new desperation for holding on to memories tightly and my lingering idea to rebrand - an idea formed. I wanted to elevate my storytelling and I wanted to share it all with you.

Capturing life on camera and paper.

The idea was born. Bringing a duality to my storytelling. Capturing it in the moment on video through fun adventurous vlogs and then following up those memories by bringing the photos to paper and into my scrapbooks and journals. This idea took weeks to fully flesh out and to sell myself on. It wasn't instantaneously something I was passionate about, but the idea grew and grew on me until it took up a majority of my thoughts. There was a lot of new groundwork to lay to bring you guys along for this ride.

The Comeback

I wouldn't be anywhere if it weren't for all of my supporters. A huge thank you to my Patrons who not only gave me honest feedback but also were so supportive throughout the process as I went from posting written updates about delays to evolving into more behind-the-scenes vlogs of my new setup and new ideas. They made the ramp-up for my come back so much more exciting and lively.

There were several long to-do lists involved with planning a full relaunch. From the social posts about the relaunch to building the new website (check it out here) to planning a content structure and calendar - phew, it was a lot of work! I think this idea reinvigorated my passion for content creation in a way I couldn't have imagined. Whenever I would ask what type of content you all wanted to see from me, a lot of you would say, "whatever you want to make" and I didn't get to know what I wanted to make until now. So, I hope you enjoy it!

Capturing life on camera and paper brings the parts I love about my life together. I love going on adventures and capturing them and also doing creative arts with my paper and stamps. I wanted my website, blog, and channel to represent me fully and not just a small part of my interests. And that's where we are now!

What's Next?

A ton of fun. I have several vlogs and adventures to bring you! I'm also excited to revamp some of my amazing crafting series with some special guests! There's a lot of great things on the horizon and I have some big plans for both my channel and website. Make sure you keep up with me on my socials and via email so you don't miss out on a thing. As I go on this storytelling journey, I hope you all are inspired to live in the moment, capture the memories, and craft your heart out!

And that's the story! I know I have been gone a while, but I hope you are happy to see me back. If you have any comments or questions let me know below!

Documenting Montana - My Homemade Traveler's Notebook Kit!

Exploring Kalispell, Montana - Lone Pine State Park

I'm Back!