xo
]]>Have you been staying creative?
xo
]]>Do you have any trips planned for this summer?
xo
]]>Hi Ayanna, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
I am inspired by so many things! If I had to name two things that inspire me I would say nature + travel. Nature is one of the things I am most inspired by. The colors of leaves, the sound of a grassy field blowing in the wind, the many colors of a sunset or sunrise. All of these things are inspiring to me because they give me a feeling. I then take that feeling and use it to guide my designs. Travel is another big inspiration for me. I have a constant case of wanderlust and am always looking to change my surroundings. I love to visit new places, see how people dress, what they are eating, what their habits and customs are, that is inspiring to me as well, because it often gives me ideas of ways to do things differently.
Head on over to Shout Out LA to read the full article.
xo
]]>This past week I was featured in an article on NBCnews.com along with some amazing Black, female entrepreneurs. Featured in the article with me are clockwise from above top left:
1. Grace Eleyae of Grace Eleyae; stylish satin lined hair coverings https://www.graceeleyae.com/
2. Erin Carpenter of Nude Barre; Flesh toned intimates and hosiery. https://nudebarre.com/
3. Neumi Anekhe of Oma the Label; Quality, affordable jewelry for women https://www.omathelabel.com/
4. Rebecca Allen NYC; Nude colored footwear to compliment different skintones. https://www.rebecca-allen.com/
5. Utenzi Miller of Elegant Eyes; Stylish fames + specs. https://utenzimiller.com/
For more information, please check out the full article here. Thank you to stylist and fashion writer, Monica Barnette for including me in this lovely piece.
Stay stylish, friends!
xo
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I've always had a restless spirit. I do not like to be in one place for too long of a time. I like to have the option to get up and go, travel to new places, see new things and immerse myself in different surroundings + aesthetics. That very spirit is what inspired my new collection.
Perhaps the restrictions placed on us by Covid have heightened my desire to roam. Lately, the spirit of wanderlust has been ever-present, along with the contradictory desire to nest at home. It's funny how both desires can co-exist.
The desire for functionality and beauty to coexist influenced the idea behind all of the items in this collection being able to attach to each other making them able to be worn in different ways 🖤.
xo -ayanna
]]>I've always had pieces of vintage indigo around that have been used either as decor in my home or as wraps when the weather chills. There is just something about indigo that I find comforting. Much like a favorite pair of well worn jeans. I love the imperfect nature of this textile, and the fact that every piece is unique.
If you are not familiar with vintage indigo, it is a hand dyed cloth from Mali that is fashioned from hand woven strips of cotton that are sewn together to make a whole cloth. Once sewn together, the cloth is then dyed with indigo, a natural dye, originally extracted from the leaves of plants.
A few weeks ago my friend Nikki and I took a trip to Malibu to shoot some of the new indigo pieces for the site. It was such a beautiful day and it felt so good to spend time oceanside doing something I love.
I hope you enjoyed this little peek behind the scenes. Click here to visit the vintage indigo collection. I hope you find something you love!
blessings + hugs,
ayanna
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Currently inspired by:
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It's back now -thank God, but it was gone for many months before the whole covid/quarantine situation took over. I had no desire to create. No desire to keep my business going and not even the slightest desire to try.
Wanna know the beautiful thing about all of this? The answer only came with time and experience, but this is where the beauty lies: this has happened to me numerous times before. I find it beautiful becuase I've learned that this creative energy comes in waves for me. Sometimes I am full, really full .... like bursting at the seams full of ideas, inspiration and the desire or raw need to create. Then there will be periods of . . . well . . . nothing!! No ideas, no desire, no clear direction of where to go or how to get there. that's a really uncomfortable place for me to be in. But I've learned that typically these are the times when God is asking me to be still. I'm pretty good at being still when I want to, but it's a whole different story when I don't want to :/ Even though I've been through this process before, it hasn't necessarily made it any easier to go through in subsequent times. Partially because the world is always telling us we should be doing something. But honestly, the only way I could have gotten here, to this point of "doing," is by NOT doing.
When Covid first hit, I painted for weeks. I hadn't picked up a paint brush or tube of paint in years, and suddenly, it was all I could bring myself to do. It was totally different from what I had been doing and became my coping mechanism. God used it to speak desire into my heart again, and eventually, the ideas began to flow. The funny thing is, they were old ideas! Things I had been wanting to create for years. Well, apparently the time to birth them has come.
Anyway, this long post is just a peek into the journey I've been on for the last 11 months or so. I hope it will serve as a reminder to lean into the flow of life, and not to fight it. There is a time, place and space for everything, and sometimes you can't "do" your way into your appointed time and place. Sometimes you just have to stop, sit, pivot and reset ♥︎.
xo,
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blessings + wellness.
xo,
Hey guys, How are you holding up? I just want to say, I am so thankful for all of the first responders, nurses, doctors, grocery store checkers, store employees and people who are out there daily doing their jobs, working hard during these crazy times.
I feel blessed that there has not been much upheaval in our normal routines yet. It helps that I am homebody as well. Home is my happy place and the quarantine has given me a weird kind of “permission” to do some things that I typically don’t allow myself to do or feel guilty about doing when I do. In between the low motivation and high levels of creativity, I have been sorting through some of my phone photos and they really have been giving me joy. Especially since I can’t get out and do a road trip like I want to. I have to find ways to satiate the part of me that so often needs a change of scenery. Right now I’m getting that through photos, books + movies.
Many of you know how much I love photographing places + things. I decided to put a lot the photos that are just sitting on my phone somewhere I can just go look at them when I want to. So I started a new instagram. It’s mostly for personal inspiration, but if you’d like to join me, my handle is @vision_runner. I’ll also be documenting #quarantinelife here and there. I’m not good about promoting myself, which is probably why I haven’t told anyone about it except my mom, LOL. But I’d love to have you come along for the journey!
So this is different! A nationwide pandemic and lockdown . . . . I hope you and your loved ones are all well. The last week has been . . . in a word, different . . . seeing as none of us have ever experienced anything like this before I thought I would check in with you.
I do want to let you know that your health and safety are important to me. As the current Covid-19 situation continues to change, I want you to know that I’m following the updates regarding safety recommendations and will continue to follow recommendations from the World Health Organization as well.
So you are aware, all AYANNA LISTENBEE COLLECTION products are processed, packaged and shipped by me, personally. I will continue to employ the highest levels of disinfecting standards relative to hands and surfaces at all times to ensure your orders are shipped safely.
The next few months will be an interesting time for us all. It’s just as important to protect our mental health + mindset as well as our physical health. I thought I would share a few ways I’m working on keeping a healthy mindset that may work for you as well.
Below are 5 ways you can do that::
1. Take the necessary precautions, but limit your news intake, and rely on sources you trust.
2. Focus on things you do have control over. Are there any projects or health goals you can work on during this time?
3. Take an online class or finish an online class you’ve previously purchased. (I just finished an online art journaling course. It was so much fun!!) Mindful Art Studio has some fun doodling prompts here.
4. If you are a creative, create! There’s nothing like getting lost in a project while doing something you love. Since the beginning of the year I’ve had a lot of creative energy and paint has been calling me. I’ve already started painting again and it feels great.
5. Read/Write/Netflix and Chill. Utilize your downtime to relax. If the opportunity arises, take advantage of downtime with your family. Finding a good book or movie to dive into never hurt anyone .. . . . just beware of the never-ending black hole of binge watching… I’m currently coming out of one… just finishing up the final season of Sneaky Pete. ;) Btw, Universal is offering some of it’s new movies that are currently in theaters now for online rental. Read more here.
I’m thankful for your continued support as we all continue to navigate these ever changing times. Rest assured, I will continue to keep your safety at the forefront of my business practices. Be safe + well, friends.
Ok, so the last time I wrote a blog post was January . . . and now it’s February . . . I really gotta get back into the groove with this blogging thing! I hope you are all well. I’ve been feeling super creative lately, but simultaneously unmotivated in my business. Not sure why or what that means. It’s definitely not the first time it’s happened, but this time feels different. Just taking it one day at a time at this point and doing a lot of journaling. Have you ever been stuck in a rut with your business or projects? How did you handle it?
Hey There! Happy 2020!!
Considering that I’ve been locked out of my blog for the last 6+ months, I’d say welcome back to you and me!! How has life been treating you? It’s a whole new decade and I’m excited about it. The other day my daughter insisted on “Family Drawing Time.” She wanted us all to get together around the table and draw. There were no rules, we could draw whatever we wished. I realized just how much I enjoyed it + missed it! It’s been ages since I sat down to draw for fun at my leisure. Over the last few years my drawings have consisted of quick sketches and details for my designs. It got me thinking, and I decided that one thing I’d like to incorporate more of this year is more time dedicated to hobbies. Do you have hobbies? If not, what are some things you’d like to do more of for fun this year? How will you intentionally set aside time for those things in the coming months?
Think about it and then DO IT!!