Day 2: Meaning behind your blog name.

well, in short the name of my blog is the name of one of my two businesses... Joie de Vie Jewelry, Accessories, & Paperie.  now if you want the "Blair" version of the reason i named my business Joie de Vie keep reading....

in high school i chose to take french classes rather than the ever so popular spanish classes, it was a way to bump my way up on the list of students who had applied to my high school, since there was a long waiting list of people wanting to attend.  they figured living in so cal, most people would want to take spanish, however, since my mom and brother had both taken french i fancied the idea of speaking french like them... i always loved how fancy french expressions sounded, especially one in particular: "Joie de vivre".... here's what wikipedia say's about it:

Joie de vivre (from the French joie, "joy"; de, "of"; vivre, "to live, living"; "the joy of living") is a term sometimes imported into English to express a cheerful enjoyment of life; an exultation of spirit. Joie de vivre

"can be a joy of conversation, joy of eating, joy of anything one might do… And joie de vivre may be seen as a joy of everything, a comprehensive joy, a philosophy of life, a Weltanschauung. Robert's Dictionnaire says joie is sentiment exaltant ressenti par toute la conscience, that is, involves one's whole being."^[1]

In English common usage, the phrase is sometimes corrupted to joie de vie. ^[2] This would translate to "joy of life" or "zest for life," rather than the more affirmative "joy of living." Joie de vive is another common spelling error.

i believe that living life to the fullest is the only way to live it! so, this quickly became one of my favorite french expressions... however, when it came time to name my business, the domain "joiedevivre.com" was taken by some darn San Fran hotel chain {and they took JDV.com too} but that company deserves it because their hotels are pretty great! so i decided to be one of those "english speakers who corrupted it to Joie de Vie." =)  my goal in my business was to create and do things that would help bring joie or joy to my client's lives!  and that's how and why Joie de Vie was picked for my business and blog name!

oh and if you are wondering how the heck you pronounce it...  sound it out: Jwah-duh-vee =) bet you didn't think you'd get a french lesson out of this post!

Day 1:Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts.

introduction eh?

well, my name is blair britt, it used to be blair schron when i started this blog... funny thing is my older brother's name is britt schron, it was totally normal when i was blair schron... then i married a man with the last name BRITT... creating an ongoing joke in my family about me being "blair schron britt" and my brother being "britt schron"... and on facebook it's even more confusing.... ok enough with confusing you about my name =)

justus and i at a friend's wedding in september

i'm blair britt, i married my husband justus over 2 years ago and we live in orange county, where i was born and raised, and hope to live for a long time to come! we have a circus {as we like to call it} that consists of 3 animals: Sparky the handicapped goldfish who has been in our care, for better of worse, for more than 6 years now.... there's Chi Chi the chinchilla that i acquired a year after Sparky, thinking a chinchilla would be the PERFECT pet while i was still in college, needless to say, she's really fluffy and soft, but not like having a dog or cat.  Third and finally we have Misty our ragdoll, fluffball, and totally gorgeous cat.  she is so spunky, acts like a dog half the time and is our little buddy, she gets the royal treatment and yes she is the favorite of the three, sorry Sparky & Chi Chi!

my 15 "interesting facts" + 1 

no. 1 - in case you haven't noticed, i don't like to capitalize unless i'm trying to make a point, i'm not the best proof-reader of my own work {hence typos occasionally}, also i'm not the greatest with punctuation, but i still write regardless.

no. 2 - if you asked J, he'd tell you i'm a busy body, if you ask me, i'd say i have creative A.D.D

no. 3 -  i own two small business:  Joie de Vie Jewelry, Accessorries, & Paperie  and  Blair Britt Events

no. 4 - i started my college career at Long Beach State as a graphic design major, and i ended up graduating from the University of Southern California with a degree in sociology {which now i wish had been graphic design} oh if only i knew then what i know now.... =)

no. 5 - i'm missing both of my upper lateral teeth and have had two fake teeth on a bridge for 10 years now

no. 6 - i'm the youngest of 3 kids, my older brother Chris is 40, Britt the next oldest is 36, and i'm 27 - quite the generational gap {and yes i was planned}

no. 7 - i love the idea of reading books, but i always ruin them by reading the last page when i'm about 3 chapters in, i always want to know how it ends... i guess to determine if i should keep reading

no. 8 - i have 5 nephews, so the pressure's on for us to have a girl when we start a family

*    *    *    * are we having fun yet?? *    *    *    *

no. 9 - i used to do extra work in college - you can see me in the movie Dare Devil, the OC, the first episode of CSI Miami, and the short lived show American Bandstand.

no. 10 - i'm right handed but i shoot a basketball better lefty

no. 11 - i am VERY random, just ask my friend's about the voicemail i leave them

no. 12 - i am a realtor, just not working in that industry anymore

no. 13 - if i could live in another generation it'd be in the 1950's - post war, everyone living the good life, cute fashion - c'mon the poodle skirts and saddle shoes, suburban life, great music!

no. 14 - i am an insomniac yet i love sleep, i never can get enough of it, but maybe that's because i stay up all hours of the night....

no. 15 - i'm looking forward to being the kind of mom mine is to me {love her}

plus one - 

i love to create.  the reason i said earlier that i have creative A.D.D. is that not a day goes by that i don't have a new creative project on my mind.  i'm constantly thinking about, planning or dreaming up ways to create something i've seen or an idea i have mapped out in my head and it's just waiting to be brought to life.  i'm the kind of person that if i think i can make it rather than buy it, i will... and i mean that in the most humble way =)  i believe that God gives everyone gifts, sometimes it takes us longer than others to know what those gifts are... and i believe i was given the gift of creativity.  i love to create beautiful things, whether it be a necklace to adorn a bride on her very special wedding day, or the paper goods to announce the arrival of a couples' most precious first born child, or it could even be creating and producing an elaborate design theme for my clients' wedding day - i take great pleasure in them all!  i have such a passion for using my creativity to make people's lives more enriched and joyful, and if i can succeed in serving others in this way, then my mission in life is being accomplished.

see you tomorrow!

30 day blog challenge

in an attempt to become a better blogger and to help my readers get to know me a little better, i'm joining the party... the 30 day blog challenge party! ok, well maybe it's not a party... but it can be if you'd like to join me! i visited a friend's blog this week and thought "wow, she's on top of it, explaining the name of her blog, things about her, really fun stuff...." then i scrolled down to find the reason behind her well written and well thought out posts... she's doing the following 30 day challenge... and i've decided i would like to do the same {thanks Ash for the inspiration}!  to all my blogging friends, i invite you to join in the challenge or the party, whichever you'd like to think of it as.... if you decide to do it, let me know because i'd love to follow along!


i'll be back tomorrow with my first post of the challenge!


If you do want to follow along and do the Challenge, too, here are the topics:

30 Day Blog Challenge

Day 1:Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts.
Day 2: Meaning behind your blog name.
Day 3: Your first love.
Day 4: Your parents.
Day 5: Your siblings.
Day 6: A picture of something that makes you happy.
Day 7: Favorite movies.
Day 8: A place where you've traveled.
Day 9: A picture of your friends.
Day 10: Something of which you are afraid.
Day 11: Favorite T.V. shows.
Day 12: What you believe.
Day 13: Goals.
Day 14: A picture you love.
Day 15: Life motto/inspirational quote.
Day 16: Dream house.
Day 17: Something you're looking forward to.
Day 18: Something you regret.
Day 19: Something you miss.
Day 20: Nicknames.
Day 21: Picture of yourself.
Day 22: Favorite city. 
Day 23: Favorite vacation.
Day 24: Something you've learned.
Day 25: Put your iTunes on shuffle; name the first ten songs.
Day 26: Picture of your family.
Day 27: Pets.
Day 28: Something that stresses you out.
Day 29: Three wishes.
Day 30: A closing picture and something of which you are proud.