If you happened to be one of the 140+ who watched the AMBER HOUSLEY Inspired Tampa video recap on Wednesday, then you already caught wind of my next big announcement…

I’m really, really excited to welcome another 20 wonderful creative women to my now adopted “hometown” of Nashville, Tennessee! My first workshop held here in March and even brought gals as far away as New York and Arizona. They all really loved our little big city with it’s warm and friendly demeanor. I hope you will join us as we come back full circle this year on what has been an exciting journey for me. I have really loved my last two workshops and all the friendships that have been made. I love giving everything I know to other women who are ready and willing to take the information and run with it for their business!

I had such an amazing response to my next city “where do you want to see AH Inspired” survey, that it was a hard decision to really narrow down where we went next. While AH Inspired is a huge love of mine, I have many other things in my business to make happen in the next 6 months – including dozens of amazing wedding and design clients, some upcoming travel – including speaking at Stationery Academy (so excited!), and not to mention, some well overdue fun family vacations coming up! August was just about the last free month for the rest of the year.

I certainly hope you will consider joining us in August in Nashville so you can act now on making some great changes for your business. Register now to reserve your seat!

I’d also like to announce an extra special scholarship announcement for our “second” Nashville workshop. In honor of that, I’m giving away TWO scholarships this round. Here are the full details:

1. Scholarship Video Entry – One winner will be chosen from video entries to receive a full complimentary registration to AH Inspired Nashville

- Create a 2-3 minute video explaining why you want and need to be at AH Inspired Nashville as well as answer the following questions: What is your business today or what business do you dream of? What areas are you looking for improvement on? What are your big dreams for your creative business?
- Upload and post to YouTube, Vimeo or other video sharing site and include “Amber Housley Inspired Nashville” somewhere in the title
- Copy & Paste URL to your video in the comments area below
- This doesn’t have to be any sort of fancy video production, you can use your camera phone! Entries will be judged on content, not on video production quality. :)

2. Written Entry – One winner will be chose from entries to receive $200 off registration to AH Inspired Nashville

-  In the comments area below, explain why you want and need to be at AH Inspired Nashville as well as answer the following questions: What is your business today or what business do you want to start? What areas of your business are you looking for improvement on? What are your big dreams for your creative business?

BONUS POINTS FOR YOUR VIDEO OR WRITTEN ENTRY – share the news about Amber Housley Inspired! Tweet, Facebook or Pin on Pinterest (the main image in this blog post) a message about AH Inspired no more than three times per day during the contest.

Maybe something like…

I’m ready to inspire myself and my business at #AHInspired http://bit.ly/AHNashville
OR
I’m ready to win a scholarship seat to #AHInspired http://bit.ly/AHNashville

…or come up with something entirely more creative for your news spreading message! The rule is it needs to have the #AHInspired hashtag and a link back to this post using this link: http://bit.ly/AHNashville

DETAILS & WINNERS:

Entries are due 5pm CST on July 8, 2012 with the winner announced via the Amber Housley blog on or before July 10, 2012. You may register before the scholarship winner announcement to ensure you have a reserved seat since we do expect to sell out! If the scholarship winners are already registered, full or partial registration fees will be refunded. No purchase is necessary to win. Scholarships are non-transferable. Winners are responsible for any travel or other fees outside of workshop registration. Entries are judged by myself, Amber Housley.

WHY VIDEO ENTRY THIS TIME AROUND?

Video has proved to be a very powerful vehicle since I launched Amber Housley Inspired. I believe it is because video offers the opportunity to truly connect with your audience in a more dynamic way than just written word. If you’ve watched any of my AH Inspired videos, as 900+ have (!!!), you’ll find that I really do care about helping other women and their creative business than I could have just sitting here writing you and telling you that I do. Looking for others to tell you how inspired they were? Check out just a sampling of the feedback received to date here. 

So….are you ready to be inspired?! READY, SET, GO!!

Well, the AMBER HOUSLEY Inspired workshop here in Nashville this past weekend was a success! It fulfilled such a dream of mine and my heart was so full as I left that room that day.

I was exhausted. I walked through the door that evening, and literally curled up on the couch.

I had given it my ALL.

And the ladies that day gave so much more back to me. I’m so excited and thrilled to see the changes they are going to make in their businesses and their lives. I’m so happy that each of them took a little piece of each other home that day and they have 20+ ladies in their corners now cheering them on. It is the beginning of such great things for each of them!

All of my friends who were there by my side to support me that day, and those who sent in goodies for the bags from afar, thank you from the very bottom of my heart!

I’m about to leave on a jet plane to New York City for the Martha Stewart Dreamers Into Doers event. It seems like the minute I tackle one big dream, I’m off working on another. ;)

A few photos from this weekend, with a full post coming again very soon next week.

Some posts from those at the event (more to be added as they come in):

A Day To Be Inspired

Sara Rose: AH Inspired

Things are in high gear around here as I kick off the very first AMBER HOUSLEY Inspired workshop in Nashville this Saturday. My to-do list is a little lengthy, but somehow I just feel inside it will get done. And if it doesn’t, that’s okay too. It’s nice to feel so calm, collected and just genuinely happy about the new friends to make this weekend. This sense of calm may be due to the fact that I tried not to focus too much on making the workshop about style and decor, but more about inspiring and tactical content. I have SO MUCH I want to share and I love speaking about things that are near and dear to my heart. Of course, I’m also game for whatever unplanned topics come up and feeling excited about generating some good conversation.

Speaking of unexpected delights, these beauties arrived this week from a dear friend to wish me well on this very big week. I’m so grateful for the friendships and opportunities that have come from every workshop, conference or other event I’ve been to. They have developed into such encouraging and supportive relationships that I can turn to for anything (laughs, advice, shoulder to cry on, celebrations…). These ‘industry’ friends are so important to have in your life. While my husband is so amazing and supportive, he’s definitely perfected the blank stare look when I approach him about wedding or business related items. I’m so excited for the gals this weekend and the new cheerleading squads they now have in their corner. Not to mention, I can’t wait to have some many wonderful creative ladies in one room!

I had the pleasure of joining all the other wonderful StudioWed Nashville vendors in a wonderful, intimate bridal event at Houston Station in January. I designed two tablescapes for the attendees, each with its own unique color scheme and style. While both received positive feedback, the soft and romantic vintage table garnered a lot of happy ooh’s and ahh’s. Brides just loved the mercury glass and the centerpiece I arranged that featured peonies, freesia, hydrengea and cabbage. They also could not stop touching the beautiful soft burlap table linen! Special thank you to Southern Events for the linens, vintage china, flatware and julep cups.

So tell me, which is your favorite table design?

Twelve weeks later and I’m still on the post-Amber Housley brand launch high! Between the whirlwind of the launch and launch party, then the holidays and ending of 2011, and now all of the wonderful clients I’ve been working with, I haven’t had time to sit down and share all the lovely details from the party.

When I first thought of doing a little launch party, I honestly have to say I was a little bit scared no one would show up! In the end, as long as my closest friends and family could be there to toast to new exciting adventures ahead, I would be happy enough. It warmed my heart to have 50+ guests stop by that evening (yes, I was a little shocked too!). Industry friends new and old came by to say hello and enjoy some of the sips and sweets on hand.

One of the best parts of throwing your own party? Decorating it in your favorite colors and style, of course! Enjoy some of the sweet delights from the evening…

Super cute tags were added to one of my favorite soda pop and were in the guest’s goodie bags along with a few other treats. The invitations were sent out to local wedding friend-ors and family. Inside, below the main message, featured a little mini envelope (adorable, right?!) that contained a little card with special access code to an online media kit with all the details of the new Amber Housley brand. Everything was contained in one of my favorite Envelopments envelopes, Magnolia, which is pretty shade of cream and has a wonderful fabric-like texture to it. Topping it off was the custom label wrap with pink pinstripe pattern. I have to say, I was really proud of these invites!

My long-time friend and supporter, Jay Qualls, made me the most unbelievably adorable strawberry filling cake! It was pink and white when you sliced into it. Of course, I was so sad to cut into it because the amazing detailed piping he did on the top of it. He completely hand matched the Amber Housley pattern detail! Goodie bags for the guests featured little mini yellow paper poms and labels. Beautiful flowers by my good friend Hillary of Brocade Design Arts included lots of peonies, tulips, roses and rannunculus in shades of pinks and yellows. They were perfect in every way.

At the drink station, there were a few of my favorite sips: The Sweet Life Party Punch which was a cranberry-raspberry flavored cocktail, Lynchburg Lemonade which is a long-time favorite and was served at our wedding, various Cupcake wines, and of course Sweet Tea! We hand tied little fabric strips around 50+ mason jars that were accented with cute pink striped straws. For those that ventured outside to the fire pit, rolled up fleeces were on hand to keep you warm.

The lovely ladies of the Sugar Wagon made their Nashville weddings debut at the launch party. There they gave out samples of their amazingly DELICIOUS frozen treats. I think everyone ate a good half dozen each of the salted carmel ice cream sandwiches!

I am so incredibly thankful to so many friends who came out that night to support the new launch! Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and especially to these wonderful sponsors of the party who long time friends and colleagues. All are amazing in their own respective specialties:

Kristyn Hogan Photography
Hillary Yeager of Brocade Design Arts
Jay Qualls
Alison of Classic Party Rentals
Blake, Misty + Team of Nashville Event Lighting
Tracy + Jane of The Sugar Wagon
Brent of Cosmo Creations