Four of Our Favorite Blogs You Should Be Reading

I have to admit--I'm not the most avid blog reader. It's not that I don't LOVE them, but running this little business takes a lot of time and energy, plus add in the necessary quality time with certain chihuahuas, husbands and books, and my day is spent! However, there are a few that I make it a point to read every single day. See below for our recommendations:


1. A Blog Named Scout: This lifestyle blog by stylist and creative extraordinaire, Jenn Blake, is a treat for the eyes. If you're in the mood for gorgeous photos, intelligent design and thoughtful posts, definitely check this one out. As an avid traveler, Jenn takes you on adventures from Greece to Australia, and back again to Seattle, where she shows her readers how to find beauty in the simplest objects.

2. Inward Facing Girl: Another Seattelite, this blog is a delight to your entrepreneurial senses. Full of brilliant small-business and blogger tips (she just published a great e-book called Blog With Purpose: It Takes More Than Just Top Knots in conjunction with her consulting company, Genuine Mix), art she "hearts," and other intriguing delights, plus fun quips by her toddler son, in the great series, "Nathaniel Said."

3. Elephantine: Elephantine, curated and written by Rachel Ball, is like a breath of crisp, fresh air. A lovely hodgepodge of fashion, recipes, jewelry and fiction, this blog reads like a delicate magazine published for creatives. See the feature Rachel wrote about us here.

4. I Art U: Last, but certainly not least, I Art U is a Los Angeles-based blog by lifestyle photographer, Jennifer Young. The photos arranged on this blog most assuredly take the visual cake, and we're in love with the tiny worlds she creates in the most beautiful of places. She even took a few shots of our Greenwood space, a post that we will always treasure. Look, there's Julianna Swaney's work on the walls!

Images via Jenn Blake by Michael Newstead, Melanie Biehle by Sandra Harris, Rachel Ball, and Jennifer Young by Ben Blood.

Those Girls: Are you Behind Your Friends?

I decided to address this question not as a accusation of malice, but as a reminder of forgetfulness. In the creative world, awesome people are everywhere, and are usually very busy. What a Catch-22, right? With so many creative, unique people, it's easy to get caught up in the projects with new people you are working on and put old friends on the back burner. That's human nature--there are only 24 hours in the day!

On the other side of the coin, it's easy to become resentful of our busy and successful friends when they are absent. However, when we really examine the true feelings behind that resentment, is it because we miss them? Or is it because we are envious of their success? I love this quote from Oscar Wilde:


Anybody can sympathise with the sufferings of a friend, but it requires a very fine nature to sympathise with a friend's success. -Oscar Wilde

Do you see any part of yourself in this quote? It's difficult to turn a mirror around on our faults, but I definitely can name a few instances of the green monster rearing its ugly head in my reflection. In moments like this, it's our responsibility to be accountable for our feelings and support our friends, regardless of our own dreams and struggles.

Everyone's lives and careers are mapped out in peaks and valleys. When we are in a peak, it's easy to get caught up in the celebration of our own successes and lose touch with the people that love us. When we are in a valley, it's easy to glare up at those on a peak.

I have homework for each perspective (and I'm not going to tell you which one I'm doing!)

For those who feel they are on a peak: Reach out to someone that you love that you know isn't doing as well as you are. Whether personally or professionally, someone you know (and care about) is bound to not be doing so well. Make sure they know you think they are great. Give a great reference for their company to someone you are working with, take them out to coffee with a great connection you have, or even just write them a quick note. There is no need to apologize for being busy and successful--but remembering who was there for you when you weren't, is what's important.

For those who feel they are in a valley: Create a journal--it could be pocket-sized, or part of your regular work notebook--and designate a small area each day to write that day's successes and joys. It could be something as simple as "I didn't look at Facebook at all while I was working today," or something like, "I got an email from a potential client." This area is just for you, and when you're feeling hopeless, you can go back and remind yourself of the great things you actually have. Remember, there is ALWAYS someone who is happy with less than what you have.

handwriting by Andie Powers

Last Minute Gift Guide for Your Favorite DIYer

I feel like these gift guides always spark some ideas when I read them on other blogs. Regardless of whether you're able to pick up these exact products, they might help you if you're stuck on what to get someone special that just happens to love DIY project. It's the 19th, which means that TOMORROW is the last day to mail packages USPS Priority and have them reach friends and family before Christmas. Hurry, hurry, busy bees! Here are our ideas for a quick, great gift:


1. One of our crafting kits of course! Shameless plug, but we think they're pretty great. Let us know if it's a gift and we'll wrap it up! This one is the Needle Felting Breakfast Kit for $30.

2. Another great kit (even if we didn't make it!) is this Modern Cross-stitch Bamboo Necklace Kit from Red Gate Stitchery, $14. How cute is that chevron pattern? Check out their other kits on Etsy too.

3. From one of our favorite local designers, Slide Sideways, this sweet little pencil case is perfect for artists, crafters, sewers and more. They can keep all their tools and goodies inside! $15 in our shop.

4. This one is for you if you feel like spending a pretty penny on a good friend. The Portrait & Cameo Silhouette Studio® cutting machines are the coolest crafter's tools I've heard of in a while. These little guys can cut a wide variety of materials including paper, vinyl, cardstock, fabric, heat transfer material, etc. Now, if only there was one that cut wood at this price... $199-$299.

5. Last but not least, for the kitchen DIYers, a sweet cake pop kit by Bakerella, $19.95. I've never tried to make cake pops but I've heard they are very difficult. Maybe this kit is something I need?!

We'd love to hear your DIY gift suggestions too!