Spending the day thrifting is sometimes just what the doctor ordered, especially at the Midland Arts Antique Mall in Downtown Indianapolis. The scenes reminisce old Hollywood glamour and deliciously kitschy goodness.
.. and there’s no better way to thrift shop than with a camera and a friend in tow!
Yikes! I’ve missed you so much lately and getting to be creative in both work and play. This past week was entirely draining but I left it feeling much more enlightened (..and slow ..and tired .. and pregnant).
I have never experienced happiness like this, absolute fulfillment.. Colette opened a new book of endless inspiration and motivation to create the world we want.
Did I tell you she’s kicking now?
So anyway, as of recently I’ve been getting back into keeping my sketch/idea book up to date and I’ve found out that still the craft of art journaling is still so fun and addicting. I decided to share it with you and inspire you to do your own journal, letters or scrapbooks! Big plans for these so if you’re interested in contributing please let me know!
So I’ve written you a little letter..
As for inspiration.. hit up your local thrift store and flip through the vintage magazines. When I feel uninspired I take a break with my magazine collection and then I imagine ways to translate home decor into web design and graphic art. It’s even great for inspiration to just relax and read as I’ve said before. Remember, a 20 minute break can help tremendously!
Until later, stay sweet, inspired and colorful.
You don’t have to have a reason to add some cute relaxation into your day! There are millions of reasons to celebrate each and every day.
My dear friend and I were missing the magic of childhood days so we hid eggs from each other and drew things that make us happy on the sidewalk. These are just a couple of very easy ways to relax, smile and remember why life is so great.
Spend your day with more color and creativity for the smiles that follow!
Well my wonderful visitors that is my little belly dweller’s name. We found out that she indeed is a girl and were able to give her the name we had held in our hearts for so long. We’re still so indecisive about the middle name though, feel free to make any suggestions! We’re being slow and picky! Little Colette will be making her appearance around July 12th ~ we can’t wait.
Amy Doan is an absolute sweetie with a look to make your eyes cry for candy. So that’s just what she did, she created Sugarpill Cosmetics so I can coat my eyes in all of the candy I want to. With colors like Absynthe (my favorite- a candy green), Decora (a GLITTERY pink — best color ever), Royal Sugar (shimmery blue with blue glitter, as to die for) and more more more it’s easy to see why I can’t get enough.
The makeup itself blends GREAT, I added some of my eyeshadow base and it went on like a dream and stayed on to boot. I can’t stand eyeshadows that fade during the day! When I went to sleep late that night my eyeshadow was still smiling back at me like a green fairy.
All of the goodies she sent were immediately added to my makeup case along with my favorite Darla Makeup glittery shadows, I’m really starting to feel excited living in such a wonderful world that talented girls are making their dreams happen everywhere. Keep it up!
SUGARPILL: OFFICIAL MAKEUP BRAND FOR HELLO KITTY 35TH ANNIVERSARY
Sugarpill is proud to be the official makeup brand for Sanrio’s Hello Kitty 35th Anniversary Celebration. The grand 3-week event took place at Royal/T Cafe in Culver City, California. Models lit up the catwalk wearing colorful Sugarpill makeup to compliment their Hello Kitty themed outfits.
It’s spring and sunny here in Victoria, so what better time to have a tea party, and I invite you to host your own! If you are much like me and don’t have a fantastic matching bone china set, no worries you can always pick some très chic mismatching ones from thrift shops and any store where you find these items.
Offer the basic black orange pekoe, earl grey, and herbal teas. Have sugar lemon slices and cream available.
All of which you find anywhere that sells house wares, and vintage and thrift stores.
a cute centerpiece, table linens
Tea sandwiches, scones, cookies, because what’s a tea party without scones? Clotted Cream or Devon crème pairs well with the scone and tea.
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, rinsed, spun dry, and chopped fine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons cream cheese
6 slices of white
3-inch length of seedless cucumber, cut into thin slices
In a small bowl combine the mint, the butter, and the cream cheese and stir the mixture until it is combined well. Spread the bread slices with the butter mixture, top 3 of them with the cucumber, distributing the cucumber evenly and seasoning it with salt, and top the cucumber with the remaining bread slices. Cut off the crusts, and do the basic rectangles or use cute cookie cutters
Have fun!
I *love* Lovely Lovely — you may even recognize seeing some of their goods in my apartment feature — I had to have quite a few of their pop art cute, neon sugar clad brand. Years later, they’re still my favorite plates.
If your taste is anything like mine, the retro revival food (check out the rosy gelatin mould!) and cake-inspired palettes are enough to make your eyes gleam with eye candy overload.
The wonderful thing about the blog-o-sphere is the amazing amount of creative dames that publish posts full of eye candy and insight.
These are in no particular order.
1. LOLITA – She displays inspirations from a style I adore so I can’t help but inhale all of the eye candy.
2. notebookdoodles – Cute and refreshing in the many blogs that reuse images from other websites. Adorable.
3. Fleur Avenue – Blog and jewelry shop ran by a very sweet and inspired girl. Her style feels reminiscent to me of a zakka magazine and I love it.
4. Oh, Hello Friend. – The sweet style of this blog makes me feel warm inside, positive people make the world go round.
5. NubbyTwiglet – A delicious design blog, old friend and favorite and was reminded to us by a sweet visitor.
6. SHRINKLE – Watch what color and creativity do when they rule your life and your business. Amy conquers everything she takes on with cuteness.
7. Creature Comforts – Soft and comfortable, this blog is full of cute decor and style.
8. The Paris Apartment – A decadent and delicious blog reminiscent of Marie Antoinette and vintage France. On top of it all she’s sweet, very inspired and a dear friend.
9. Modish – A very cute lifestyle blog.
10. Black Eiffel – A design and lifestyle blog with delicious and clean color.
11. Pimp and Pomme – My crafty friend in France’s little jewelry and style blog that is absolutely adorable.
12. Bored and Beautiful – Lots of delicious fashion and backstage art and fashion shows.
13. Hidden in France – French inspired design and frilly decor.
14. MerMag – Lifestyle and DIY blog with delicious personal photos and a peek into the life of a sweet family.
15. Print & Pattern – A really inspiring log of cute and colorful patterns and illustrations.
16. Poppytalk – Delicious, minimal, modern design and lifestyle blog.
17. Sanctuary – A sweet inspiration blog filled with decor ideas and personality.
18. Design Milk – Modern design for your home that is destined to make you drool.
19. Delish – Cute and clean inspiration blog filled with delish-iousness!
20. Design*Sponge – A very inspiring home decor and DIY interior design blog. My absolute favorite.
Want us to look at your blog? Be sure to leave your url when you comment.
When I found out about sfgirlbybay‘s project Blog it Foward, I was so excited to be involved. Seeing all the amazing entries has me finding tons of new blog friends to connect with — design is a common language we speak.
What’s most inspiring to me and the work I do is life experiences, love, loss, emotion. There are also some silly things like vintage magazines and Japanese toys I cannot seem to stop collecting. Everything I have in my home inspires me to some deal.. I’m constantly inspired to alter, change and recreate. I’m also inspired by 60s and 70s psychedelic artwork, of course.. sometimes my work is overly colorful but I feel it’s right. If I tried to be less like myself and more like others it would be a boring world.. people inspire me, how different and yet how alike we all are.
Most of all you inspire me, you who visits and encourages me to continue strongly at my dream. With every visit, comment, email I float to the moon and sail through the stars.
Another thing that has always made my life better — has saved me in so many instances I couldn’t imagine, inspired me endlessly and soothed me to sleep when I felt no comfort…
Yay! Wear the World! What a great idea for new content, actually forcing me to use new goodies by artists and items I’ve been stashing in my closet for a fun day.
OOPS. One problem. I’m pregnant. My panda pants wont fit.
I guess it gave me an excuse to FINALLY create this elusive shirt we’ve been chatting about for so long? <3 The shirts are custom, one of a kind especially made for you. They come in the sweetest package and smell like a bakery. These are limited edition shirts. They're made to order and uniquely you.
Too often to count relationships encounter a trip in the circuit, and things go awry. After the relationship gets a few years under it’s belt, it can be easy to let things fall in a style of communication, that at the moment feels comfortable, but not always for the best of the relationship. Lack of proper communication and lead to partners feeling unheard or often taken for granted, and even overwhelmed.
Last year I gave birth to two wonderful fraternal twin boys, and as you can imagine my life is not quite the same. My husband has been amazing through this transition, however we have been trying to adjust to still having our mojo that made us the self-proclaimed perfect mates for each other. Here are some tips that might help you encounter your relationship from other angles, and be overall more generous and open when talking to your lovebird.
Make your lovebird someone you really trust and confide in. Many of us turn to others such as family, friends, and work friends for support & advice, because they are around us the most during the day. Don’t leave your lovebird in the dark, he or she should know what is going on in your life, and how it is that you truly feel.
Treat your lovebird with the same respect that you do your best friend. Too often we tend to overlook our friends faults, even if they drive us crazy. We know that no matter what we need to be there and not judge them, and be the support system they need. Doesn’t our lovebird deserve the same?
Remember that you and your lovebird are not the same person, and do not always have the same views on everything. Sometimes it’s hard to be the adult and recognize this, however embrace the differences and help your lovebird be the absolute best that they can be. Trying to edit someone to your desire, or quash his or her ideas is doleful affair that helps no one in the end.
When things get heated remember that your lovebird is often acting in what they think is best and are good intentions, trust in them and remain calm and open.
Recognize that when in conflict much our resentments, and defensiveness comes from out own insecurities rather then something that is wrong with our lovebird. Breathe and take a mental step back for a minute think before you speak, before things escalate to a level that no one wants to be in. If a break is need go for a walk and regroup with the best intentions for you both or the situation
After the conflict has occurred come back to them and acknowledge what has occurred. Though apologies aren’t always required, but a moment of kindness and a mutual agreement to move on without resentment is best.
Accept that life is a series of phases and life passes you by much too quickly. The relationship changes like everything else, and although it’s not the butterflies in your tummy and sweaty palms like it was in the early days. You can let it evolve into a fantastic intimate love that young lovers dream of.
