Angela

La Jolla, San Diego, CA

March 3, 2014 by Angela

When was the last time I didn’t blog for an entire week? I’ve planned on posting these photos from a weekend getaway in San Diego last month for a week now, but I took three hundred pictures, so I needed to find the energy to go through all of them. I had never been to La Jolla Cove before, but I’d heard all the hype about it since before I moved to LA, so it was first on the list. We only stayed in San Diego for a day, so pretty much every adventure was sped up and squeezed into a Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. An hour at the beach is never enough, but we made the most of it!

The water at La Jolla is truly unlike so many of the beaches of southern California that we’ve explored over the past year. There are several different ecosystems coinhabiting one small marine reserve, which I think has a lot (everything?) to do with it. From a moody teal to bright turquoise, the tones of the surface shifted with every wave. Even on an overcast day, this place doesn’t lose its paradise-like appeal:

Normally after each of my found: adventures, my camera on overdrive, I go home weed & through the mess of snaps from the day and find a few images I really love. Last night’s editing sesh was NOT like this… each photo reflected the waves or the rocks differently, and there wasn’t much of a need for editing… the Pacific was just like this on that day. I’m really happy I had the chance to spend the perfect weekend visiting a friend, exploring The Jewel, wandering around downtown San Diego with Kevin, and exploring another beach (photos to come) on Sunday. A week after this, our big LA storm hit (what’s a rainy weekend in Seattle is a storm in LA, but the beaches were intense–I will give them that), and I stayed inside with Charity setting up a DIY photo studio and shooting vintage, spent an unfortunate amount of time on the train–which was okay because I met a lot of really nice people–and relaxed at home while the kitties watched the water pool on the street below through our sliding glass door. Monday’s here, and it’s sunny again.

Inspiration is a funny thing

February 24, 2014 by Angela

Last night I had this conversation with my dad about starting a business. He used to own a business and we talked about the freedom + frustrations that come along with that. About organization and preparation, but also being able to just do what you want. His situation is very different from mine — he’s at a point where he’s deciding what he wants to do for the next few years. All inspired, he turned the spare bedroom into an office, like it used to be years ago. 1200 miles away, I’m thinking of what I want to do. Inspiration hits me the same way, even though it’s about art and crafting and writing. But freedom + frustration comes along the same way. The funny thing about inspiration is that once you have it, it can motivate you through to the next chapter — it’s kind of a breeze if you’re running entirely on inspiration too — but it usually fades when the harder things come along, that don’t take so much creativity, but just have to be done. The business of things.

I put together a quick collage of inspiring things because when I need creative energy, it helps to envision my space — whether it has elements of the now or is just future dreaming. Mint + lavender with hints of gray + pink is very calming. What kind of space inspires you?

DIY confetti monogram wall art

February 19, 2014 by Angela

This year I’m happy to announce that I am contributing DIY posts to a few new sites! One of those is the lovely blog Bright, Bold & Beautiful, which is dedicated to home design, entertaining, and inspiration. My first post is this DIY confetti monogram wall art I made from tiny hole punch circles. Head over to BB&B to see the how-to, and let me know if you are inspired by this print to make your own!

Spring crochet

February 17, 2014 by Angela

Happy Monday! Lately I’ve had nothing but spring on the mind, so I’ve been crocheting with bright colors and ribbons and soft wool yarn. New hair clips and headbands are coming to the shop, too. What are you doing to get ready for spring?

How to get thrifty with your craft supplies

February 12, 2014 by Angela

Last week I wrote about my art wall and the 4 places I always go for art prints. One of those places is a thrift store and one of those prints is a 18×12″ map of the USA. When I headed to the the thrift store one afternoon, I knew I wanted a new book to reuse and a 1940s atlas was just the thing. Here’s the latest from my vintage maps, and a few tips on getting thrifty with your craft supplies:

1. Save all Scraps. You may think you’re doing this now–but you’re probably not. Just because you save large pieces of paper or a few yards of yarn doesn’t mean you’re doing all you can. Sure, when your friends come over you’ll probably have to explain your borderline hoarder lifestyle (or just learn how to organize craft supplies), but saving TINY pieces of scrap paper–like a fraction of business card size–and cut up scraps of fabrics not only save you major $$, but they force you to really get creative with your crafts.

Did you know that there are some pieces of paper too small to recycle? There goes years of filling up bags of unwanted scrap paper just for the recycle–that’s one reason I reuse it if I can.

2. The “misc.” section of your local thrift shop. When looking for beads, buttons, sewing supplies, paper or yarn, it’s usually tucked away in an obscure (and probably creepy) section of your local thrift store. Last summer, I entered the twilight zone of thrift shops–a literal hole in the wall in Reseda that had a dark, dimly lit upstairs lined with tall bookshelves. While I was pretty afraid to march up those creaky steps, I knew I couldn’t leave a thrift store without combing the whole place. It turned out there was a whole library of books priced $1-5 (sure, a bunch of them read L.A. County Library) for me to choose from. One book = many months of paper for crafting.

3. Go in with a list, then forget it. I always write lists when I’m going to the thrift store. If I don’t, I’ll forget the treasures I am on the hunt for–like vintage lace for a headband or a field guide for a photography backdrop. But a thrift store is a thrift store so by the end of my trip I usually have more to ADD than to cross off. That’s okay, but it’s good to keep in mind what you went in for, because you’ll probably still need it. If you don’t find it after searching a few shops, it’s probably time to head to the craft store.

4.Look in unlikely places. The cardstock in my gift tags is from an adorable paper pack I got for $1 at TJ Maxx. Don’t rule out discount stores, gift shops, or even hardware and specialty stores in your hunt for new supplies–you just might find something unique on the cheap.

I made these gift tags from just a couple pages of vintage maps and a pack of scrapbook paper, with left over yarn and lace trim. I also saved the confetti-sized circles from my hole punch and used it in a home décor project. I really do save everything, and it means far less trips to the store (as fun as that is).

Where do you find your craft supplies?

Quick DIY Valentine’s Day heart centerpiece

February 5, 2014 by Angela

Valentine’s Day is such a fun holiday to me because it’s sweet, simple, and all about spreading love. I don’t think about it as necessarily a way to be romantic or get gifts from your s/o but a really great excuse to tell someone you care, appreciate their friendship, or just wear glittery pink hearts in your hair! I picked up these cute Valentine’s themed pipe cleaners at Joann fabrics after Christmas and couldn’t wait to think of a project for them. The other night I remembered I had ’em and was feeling crafty but impatient, and yet another Quickie DIY was born.

For this impossibly quick centerpiece, all you need are the pipe cleaners and a vase. I chose a skinny glass vase that I had painted gold around the rim–which I suggest you try if you love gold because it’s been my go-to for centerpieces in every season!

Just twist the tops of the pipe cleaners into a loop and form it into a heart. Repeat with different colors and different sized hearts. And you’re finished in under 5 minutes. A record, yes? I may just keep these handy little pipe cleaners in my kitchen drawers if I ever have company and no time for a cute tablescape!