Will write and/or edit for money

Posted on April 20, 2012 by carlieblissirwin

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

That’s how I like to sum up my career right now.

For a long time, I’ve been thinking that I’d like to eventually transition to freelance copywriting and publishing work so I can have a more flexible schedule, occasionally work from home and take on a wider variety of projects.

Last week, the stars aligned and the opportunity to shift my career in this direction practically fell into my lap!

This is code speak for I got laid off, along with most of my co-workers. But no worries, we knew for several months that it was probably going to happen. It was no surprise. Such is life in advertising!

While I will miss some aspects of agency life and all of the fun, creative people I worked with, I’m so ready to dive head-first into freelancing.

On Monday, I start a contract copywriting job at another agency that will last for a couple months. But in addition to that, I’m also taking on freelance copywriting, editing and publishing projects. And I’ll just see where it all goes from there!

So all of this is leading up to the fact that this post is just one big shameless plug.

Have an article or website that needs some editing attention? Some manuscript that needs to be processed? Some copy that annoyingly will not write itself?

If so, I’m your girl!

I’m available for copywriting, editing and any developmental publishing/content development work. I’m working on creating a website portfolio of sorts, but until that’s up, check me out on LinkedIn.

So hire me! You won’t regret it. I’ve been told by several clients that I’m the most creative, talented and driven person they’ve ever worked with.*

*They never actually said that. But I could totally tell they were thinking it.

Hit me up at carbirwin@gmail.com.

Image via

What do you do when you don’t have to work on a beautiful weekday afternoon?

Posted on April 18, 2012 by carlieblissirwin

You grab a book and head to the park. That’s what.

And you take a bunch of photos. Because, after all, you are a blogger.

Baby party

Posted on April 4, 2012 by carlieblissirwin

Last weekend, my friend Liz and I hosted a baby party for our friends Serena and Ben who are expecting a little boy in May.

And I’m not calling it a “shower” on purpose. The party was co-ed, involved beer and catering from Chipotle and there were absolutely NO annoying shower games. So it was pretty much just a party! (At least that’s what I had to tell Will to get him to come. And I don’t think he regrets it.)

There were several details that were especially awesome about this party. The red velvet cake was from Magnolia Bakery (of NYC fame) and was delicious! Serena’s mom sent over fun Good News! candy bars from Hawaii (where Serena is from), and the beer was lovingly brewed by Ben and Serena themselves.

As you can see, a good time was had by all, and we can’t wait to welcome a cute baby boy into the world next month!

Sidenote: This week has been crazy busy, so please excuse my lack of posts and also the fact that I wrote this one in about five minutes…

A little piece of heaven

Posted on March 29, 2012 by carlieblissirwin

A quiet table in the sun at Starbucks on a day that’s warm enough to get a cold drink instead of a hot one. Google Reader on my phone and excellent 4G service. Motown playing in the background. The smell of fresh coffee. Also, I was having a good hair day.

Ahhhhh…

St. Patrick’s Day

Posted on March 21, 2012 by carlieblissirwin

Guys, I’m not in my twenties anymore.

So instead of doing shots at 9 am, bar hopping and contributing to the general debauchery on St. Patrick’s Day (I once saw a girl pee. In a garbage can. In the middle of a bar.), we decided to celebrate like the classy old people we have now become.

In the afternoon, we had some friends over to drink mimosas in our back courtyard, then went to a Second City show (hilarious!), and had a nice meal under the stars at Orso’s italian restaurant.

But even though we did not partake in Irish car bombs or keg stands or beer bongs, we definitely heard all of this going on around us. Since it was such a nice day, our neighborhood was basically host to a huge block party – there were slutty, green, drunk people running around everywhere!

And of course, we managed to get a pitcher of green beer at Second City. Because it’s just not St. Patrick’s Day if your teeth don’t turn green.

Just another summer day in March

Posted on March 15, 2012 by carlieblissirwin

I’m short on things to post about right now, so how about some more sunny photos from the past couple days?

I took the first one on my walk home from work yesterday. The lakefront was full of warm-weather revelers. People were wearing bikinis. And swimming. In the lake!

The rest are from lunch today. I decided to go sit by the river and catch up on some blog reading on my phone.

Like my new watch? After waffling back and forth between these two, completely changing my mind, and then spending half an hour in front of the full-length mirror at Nordstrom debating the pros and cons of gold vs. silver with two sales women, I finally decided which one to get.

Fact: I am indecisive and lack spontaneity.

More important fact: I love my new watch.

So whatever!

You know you’re a yuppie when…

Posted on March 10, 2012 by carlieblissirwin

You spent Friday night sitting on your Crate & Barrel couch with your husband on the near north side of Chicago in yoga pants drinking a glass of red wine while watching Portlandia and snuggling with your tiny lap dog who is wearing a gingham bow tie.

Other yuppie-ish activities planned for this weekend include attending a baby shower, meeting friends for brunch and walking our tiny dog in the park.

How are you spending your weekend? 🙂

February Photo a Day: Money

Posted on February 28, 2012 by carlieblissirwin

Thanks to a fortunate turn of events, I’ve managed to combine yesterday’s topic (something you ate) with today’s topic (money), resulting in one glorious photo.

The ten dollar bill you see here is the money I saved by being the lucky recipient of a free lunch at Chipotle today!

This particular location (Grand & State) is always crazy-busy, and apparently the nice people who work there like to challenge themselves (or maybe they’re just bored). Anyway, they randomly picked me at the end of the line and said that if I made it to the counter in less than 7 minutes, my food would be free. It was like winning the lottery!

Unfortunately, it took 8 minutes for me to get to the counter. But… they gave me a free lunch anyway! Love those guys!

By the way, I know my burrito bowl looks all green and gross in the picture, but I assure you – it was delicious. I just love me some guac.

Celebration station

Posted on February 27, 2012 by carlieblissirwin

Last Friday, we met up with some friends at Old Town Social after work because we had not one, not two, but THREE reasons to celebrate:

1. My 30th birthday!! Reason enough, I’d say. But also…

2. Our friend Emily got a new job!!

3. Will got a new job!!

And what’s a celebration without sparkling wine? (Answer: Not a celebration.)

We even ended the night playing giant Jenga at River Shannon. Perfection!

I was having so much fun that I kind of forgot to take pictures for this blog post. So these three are all you get.

Side note: It looks kind of weird in the pictures, but that brooch I’m wearing with my necklace actually belonged to my grandma way back when. I found it at my parents’ house a couple months ago. Vintage costume jewelry score! (Thanks, Grandma!)

February Photo a Day: Bathroom edition

Posted on February 25, 2012 by carlieblissirwin

Once again, I’m playing catch-up with this photo challenge. Lucky for you (or not), both photos I’m posting today take place in my bathroom!

Yesterday’s photo: Inside your bathroom cabinet

Ok fine, this is not my bathroom cabinet. I thought I would spare you because my bathroom cabinet is gross. And it’s not the stuff in it that’s gross, it the actual cabinet. I think it’s from around 1972. Let’s just say that with this apartment, we’re paying for the location (which is great!).

Today’s photo: Green