conscious living

Introducing The Blog Market

January 26, 2015 by Angela

This post is a long time comin’ but I thought it’d be best to really get going before doing a full feature on a project I’ve been working on, The Blog Market. TBM is a website dedicated to providing resources for creative + productive blogging. It was founded by Jennifer of Earl Grey, who loves sharing her passion for design + websites. Here’s a little background on her inspiration behind The Blog Market…

I always meet people who are interested in blogging but don’t know where to start. Blogging involves a lot of steps (design, networking, content development) and while there are endless resources out there, sometimes it’s hard to know where to look. The Blog Market stemmed from a desire to make those resources accessible to everybody. I’m hoping that through our content, we’ll be able to show others that designing and maintaining a blog is more fun than it is stressful.

Once Jenn told me about her lovely idea, I was happy to get involved. Like I’ve mentioned before, I think writing and creating is a process, and a lot of that process gets lost online. Since December, we’ve posted on a bunch of topics from CSS tutorials (that would be all Jenn, btw!) to Etsy tips. Click the photos below to go to some of our faves so far…

(Her CSS Basics series is v-i-t-a-l.)

We’ve received a ton of great feedback about The Blog Market so far and I’m really excited for the year. Be sure to find my weekly posts on the blog + sign up for the forums to join the community.

Oh, and we’re also on twitter + Instagram!

Minimal vs. Clearing the clutter

January 22, 2015 by Angela

Minimalism was a buzzword in 2014 and it’s gaining real traction for the new year. Somewhere along the way, it went from being more of an arts and design term to something that encompasses an entire lifestyle. There are so many reasons to be drawn to a minimalist lifestyle, like streamlining your wardrobe (thus spending a lot less on clothing!) and making room for the important things. At the same time, there are things in my life that are decidedly not minimal, ranging from the way I hoard scraps of paper to use in craft projects to several to-dos/goals/plans/manifestos going at once, in a handful of different notebooks, my phone, my mind, and mistitled Word documents.
2015 is the year that I streamline and clear away the clutter. But it isn’t the year I become a minimalist. There will likely always be a glittery mess of handmade gift tags scattered across my desk, but I can live without the stack of junk mail buried underneath the rarely worn clothes in one of our dresser drawers. Life is messy; I accept this. I want to create, and when you create, there’s always more of something. Then again, I’ve never been one for DIYs I don’t need in my life—I prefer to spend time on a project that will serve a purpose in some way, large or small. [Read more…] about Minimal vs. Clearing the clutter

4 Questions to Ask Before Buying a Product

January 20, 2015 by Angela

For years now I’ve been working toward making my own purchases (clothing, crafts, beauty, food… basically everything), more ethical and sustainable. It’s something I think a lot more people would pay attention to if they only had the resources. More and more I’m finding that they’re out there, they just take a little digging! So, I’m bringing the resources front and center for anyone else who’s considered the impact of their purchases.

Alex of alexandra em stationery + design

January 7, 2015 by Angela

When I set out to redesign my blog, I only knew one thing for sure: a handwritten header was in order. I even tried to create one myself (so for all you wondering, it isn’t easy to become a calligrapher or watercolor artist in an hour, regardless of what you may think!). Around the time I realized I wanted something polished, pretty, and not done by me, I saw Alexandra’s work on Instagram. We’d been following each other for a little while and I’d bought a few cards from her Etsy shop. Thankfully, she was up for the challenge of designing my logo on a very tight deadline. I had a lovely experience working with Alex and she’s graciously agreed to share a bit of her design + biz background today, so I hope you’ll read this long post!

To start, Alex quickly sent me a survey regarding what I’d like to see from the design. I loved that because I was very certain of how I wanted my f’s to be 🙂 . Then she came back with several mockups that were all beautiful, but I knew I wanted this one right away. She even worked with me for another round of examples, this time including more watercolor. But in the end I kept it sweet and simple.

Alex on her Etsy shop: When I first started my Etsy shop in 2009, I didn’t actually sell anything. I had always planned on creating and selling cards, but life got in the way for a couple of years and nothing came of it. Finally, in 2011, I got my first few cards up—they were actually all flat note cards at the time—and I’ve been adding new designs and improving my processes ever since. I still remember my first sale and being surprised and excited all at the same time. It seemed so surreal that people would actually pay me to do something I enjoyed so much. I still feel that way with each sale, and I’m so grateful for that because it inspires me every day.

Her designs all involved beautiful use of white space, modern typography, and pops of color. Aside from the fun cards in her Etsy shop, she’s done custom work like small business logos, art prints, and my header. She’s also recently started a wedding project, including signs + invites.

It’s always such an amazing feeling to be a part of something special in someone’s life, even if it’s just a little something behind the scenes. They’re trusting you to create something extraordinary, and it really motivates me to be more creative, try new things, and push myself to do the best work possible.

^I snagged this knowing it might come in handy one day with Kevin… And it sure did.

What’s to come in 2015?

First and foremost is to really expand my calligraphy work. I want to keep doing custom prints and expand further into logos and wedding stationery. I also want to start growing my blog. I started that this year, and while I have a million ideas for it, I’ve been a little short on time. I’m really looking forward to spending more time on it and sharing my art and my travels.

Mid-winter essentials

January 6, 2015 by Angela

Two things: One—I know it’s a stretch to say it’s mid-winter. But December always feels like winter though it’s really not, and California does winter differently anyway. Two—It may or may not be 80 degrees in Los Angeles as I type this. After a chilly few days it suddenly got warm and my apartment didn’t get the memo. I’m currently cozied up in a warm blanket and long sleeve, hoping that opening the door will heat my livingroom up a bit!

Herringbone Scarf, Check Tunic, Handmade Grey Preppy Shoes, Pin Dot Socks, Notebooks, Lip Balms

So yes, my essentials this time of year may be a little different than they’d be in the Pacific Northwest. I don’t need rainboots or a wool coat, but a thick dress and circle scarf is appropriate for most climates, I think. Investing in a good pair of close-toed shoes would be a smart move, especially those of us who wear flats + sandals whenever possible. I also added in a notebook, because who can survive January without one? I have this set from Scout & Catalogue and it’s the perfect size for tossing in any of my bags. Resolutions, goals, plans… So much to jot down. A couple of lip balms from Spirit Beauty Lounge (while my favorite Etsy shop is on vacation), and tall, but not too thick, socks make for a cozy day in or out around town.

This roundup (and all of my roundups) features exclusively indie + ethically created + handmade products. Click the links above to explore the different shops and designers!

What goes with you everywhere in January?

Etsy craft supply haul

December 22, 2014 by Angela

I’ve wanted to start a craft supply series on if found, make. for awhile now. Beauty bloggers have their makeup hauls, shouldn’t DIY bloggers show off their embellishments and ribbons and stickers I say yes. I went on a little shopping spree at Thatch & Thistle‘s Etsy shop last month, and it was all so pretty I had to snap some photos.

I was so excited to get all these festive goodies in the mail…

T&T is a lovely shop for finding little bits and pieces to put in Etsy packages or thank you notes. I added a little tinsel for good measure, too.

Thatch & Thistle also includes a few little samples with each purchase, like these two velvet ribbons. Can’t wait to create some projects around these pieces.