You can often get a nice scoop of inspiration and eye-candy window shopping at ebay and other cute shops online. One of my favorite past-times is window shopping both American and Japanese auction sites with friends looking for the cutest stuff. Shops on both auction and craft or indie sites, such as Refuse to be Usual and Bang Bang Crash, tend to have a low stock of items so you can be sure that everyone’s not wearing your outfit.
I love falling in love with the world again and again and tumblr always seems to help make that happen. When feeling low or uninspired I take a stroll through my recents there and I’m feeling fine again (as directed by my best friend). Sometimes all we need is a little eye-candy you see.. and for you this is just the place to get it.
.. and yes I’m a little addicted to candy-colorful hair. Aren’t you?
~ Touchwriter for iPad
Who doesn’t get stressed? With the busy and bustling world we live in it becomes harder and harder to leave work behind.
I tend to keep piling appointments, projects and more right on top of each other until I can no longer breathe which is why stress management is so important to me. Stress is harmful to both your emotional and physical well-being so don’t let stress overwhelm you. Take control.
1. Involve your senses.
2. Live one day at a time.
3. Set aside time for yoga and/or exercise everyday.
4. Inhale deeply through your nose and release the breath from your mouth. Try this a few times.
5. Brew and slowly enjoy some chamomile or caffeine free tea.
6. Pet and groom your pet.
7. Get enough sleep. Try to get about 8 hours each night.
8. Voluntarily change your current activity.
9. Discuss it with a friend.
10. Write in your journal.
11. Do something for someone else. Help someone out.
12. Don’t procrastinate, start doing.
13. Don’t think about the past. Forget about it.
14. Don’t think about the future, think about now.
15. Live in the moment.
16. Relax your standards.
17. Ask questions. A lot of questions.
18. Organize your home.
19. Simplify your life.
20. Avoid hanging around friends that are chronic worriers.
21. Eliminate caffeine from your diet.
22. Eliminate or seriously lower sweets and sugars in your diet.
23. Do something you love to do everyday.
24. Eliminate destructive self-talk.
25. Do one thing at a time.
26. Improve your appearance in someway (even if you just paint your toenails!).
27. Delegate responsibility to others.
28. Be more flexible and patient.
29. Be prepared.
30. Count your blessings. Especially when something goes wrong.
31. Learn to say no.
Every time I start to write a post lately I psych myself out of it. Like one single post is a huge, uncompletable task. My medication seems to make me feel calm and completely, utterly uninspired. I’m very close to konking myself on the head just to knock something loose from my pre-medicated, crazy and endlessly inspired days. I couldn’t be sure I was going to make it through the day but I sure did produce content like no one’s business.
However content can be anything really.. it can be a diary post, a tutorial, a recipe, images, a collection of links, an article, etc. What is your favorite type of content?
If you’re reading this blog you’ve probably already found lots of ways to include more whimsy into your lifestyle but here are a whole lot more. Most importantly you should enjoy every single day because every day is special. Find ways to make your days special and you have a key for more happiness.
1. Sprinkle your cocoa froth with stars sprinkles.
2. Hide sweet fortunes (found in cookies) in boxes, cabinets and drawers to be found throughout the day.
3. Adorn your walls in whimsical prints from Etsy and local art gatherings.
4. Use cherry icing as chap-stick.
5. Burn a fruity candle and a dessert candle at the same time but different areas of your living room. Feel free to include fizzypop fragrance oil in one room and vanilla in the other. Walk through your home and enjoy the candy aroumas, imagine you’re in a candy store or soda pop shop!
6. Purchase frames, paint them your favorite colors with acrylic and hang them on your walls filled with art and favorite posters and clippings.
7. Dip your finger into a container of cool whip and then stick it into your mouth. Yum!
8. Purchase some sand and a sunlamp.. place the sand in a container large enough for your feet and heat it with the lamp overhead. Feel the warm sand with your hands and stick your toes in it as well!
9. Don’t toss the sand! Add a bit of water and build a sand castle.
10. Tea party! Bake cupcakes, make small sandwiches cut-out with cookie cutters and brew your favorite tea. It doesn’t matter if no one else is able to come, enjoy your tea party! Have daily tea parties.
11. Take a bubble bath with candles and tea. Read in the bath. Relax.
12. Listen to Rockabye Baby Lullaby renditions of your favorite songs while you relax for a nap.
13. Sketch out ideas and images that cheer you up. Add color with pencils or paint. Start going with it and see where you end up.
14. Top your pancakes with ice-cream syrup topping and sprinkles for a cute and sweet dessert.
15. Turn your toast into fairy bread (see below).
I saw this in Kera magazine and thought it was so cute I just had to feature it. This tutorial also teaches you to create the perfect bow which can be used for just about anything!
Have an ordinary hoodie you want to transform from boring into cute couture?
I see these hoodies all the time at department stores for inexpensive prices and wish they had a little something more, why not just DIY?
Tie the end of your ribbon to the end of your hoodie’s string after you cut the knot off and pull through.
… because I can never get enough of Sanrio shopping in Japan and I’m hoping you feel the same! 😉
In a cupcake making mood? I definitely am after seeing all of the adorable cupcake decorations on Disney’s Family Fun website here. I joined a few kiddie websites for fun inspiration and I cannot wait for Colette to be old enough to enjoy them! There are so many cute recipes here for kids and adults to enjoy together. If you haven’t seen the magazine yet it’s also filled with adorable recipes and crafts! I highly recommend it.
Have you been living a whimsical life? Turning your inspirations into new and wonderful creations? I’ve been making some things lately for our Etsy store and it relieves my stress so much! If you haven’t taken time out for crafting and diy lately now’s a great time to do it. Always improve your world. <3
I'm going to be making some new resolutions to follow. Things I know I can do if I just challenge myself to do them. Who says New Years Day is the only time we can create resolutions?
1. Take more photos and include many more photos/images in posts.
2. Start a few new features and maintain some old favorites.
3. Have more fun.
4. Create more.
5. Start journaling again.
6. Lose weight and get fit.
7. Create digital scrapbook pages by year for Colette.
8. Organize organize organize and do a major Spring Clean.
What are some resolutions you’d like to stick to?