whimsy blue

Strawberry Lavender Vanilla Cupcakes

2010-09-26T13:56:00.000-07:00

Today I made my well known cupcakes. Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Lavender Frosting. I had a couple people ask me for the recipe, so I decided I would post it on my blog.

The cake recipe is very nostalgic for me. As a child my mother would always be baking, and one of her signatures was a homemade white cake. Every time I taste it, it brings back really amazing memories of my childhood and time with my late mother. I always want to bake more especially because this time of year reminds me of her the most.

Silver White Cake Recipe

(Out of my late mothers 1976 Betty Crocker Cookbook)

2 1/4 cups cake flour or 2 cups all purpose flour. (I like the cake flour better)

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick of softened butter

1 cup milk (1%, 2% or whole)

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 egg whites (1/2 cup)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease pan if not using cupcake liners. Measure flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, milk and vanilla. Blend 1/2 minute on low speed scraping bowl constantly. Beat 2 minutes high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Add egg whites, beat 2 minutes high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into cupcake liners. Bake for 16-20 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

(One tip my mom always said is that if you can smell the cake, they are done. And don't forget they do continue to cook in the pan for a few more minutes after pulling them.)

FROSTING

1/2 cup frozen strawberries

1 cup ( 2 sticks) unsalted butter

pinch of salt

3 1/2 cup of powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon of dried lavender

(be careful to put just the right amount if not the lavender overpowers the strawberry)

Place strawberries and lavender in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and stiff.

Top off with fresh organic halved strawberries tossed in sugar and voila! You have an amazing cupcake!

And so it begins..

2010-09-15T15:27:00.000-07:00

Well life has officially gone from 0 to 90 in the last couple weeks. I started school on September 2nd. I am going to Academy of Art University Online to complete my Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design. I feel some days like I am on a ten year plan to complete a Bachelor's degree, but the beauty is I have found a school and a program, that inspire me in every way in school and outside of school.

Inspired is the word I would use to describe this month so far. I have only had two class sessions for each class, but each class covers so much. It will touch on certain artists that peak my interest. Then I learn more from the class then the class even gives me.

I have found that life is taking me in a million different directions. I would describe myself as a taffy pull, pulled in all different directions, but if not left taught will collapse, I believe that I thrive off of this kind of living. So my life from this day forward will be all about creating, expanding improving my knowledge of the industry, I am working in and the projects I am working on. I thought that I will post some of my favorite work on here. So you can see where I am going in my studies, and making this another outlet for all areas of my life.

This now not just about my business, but my life and what continues, to create inspiration in my life. I hope that the inspiration I have will grip some of you in the future.

Here are two sketches that I had to do for my sketchbook

This second one is of my garden. I really like how the leaves of the green bean vines really take on their own life.

Speaking of gardens, I never ever let anyone know the progress of my garden. I ended up growing broccoli, tons and tons of lettuce from seed, collard greens, green beans and tomatoes. Am still waiting on my pumpkin and squash to show me some love.

Here is a picture of my real garden area. The sketch above references the sketch I did.

And last but not least, is a piece of garden art I created from an old window out of the house I grew up in when I was a child. My grandma had it and gave it back to my sister and I so figured why not take something drab and make it fab. I love the brightness it adds to the grey days here in Portland.

Struck by lightning

2010-08-30T20:20:00.000-07:00

So I have been on an interesting path these last few months. I have been consistently searching for full time work or a guarantee of a certain amount of hours. Which has been kind of a challenge to find. I had two interviews this last month and both doors were shut in my face, when I believed I was well over qualified for the positions.

I said to my sister yesterday.

"I am going to get struck by lightning before I get a full time job." This is literally how I have been feeling as of late. I have not been feeling discouraged, well let's be honest that is a lie,, and sometimes a little hopeless. I sometimes think that when you constantly are getting doors shut in your face it is up to you to find that open window, and climb through and see where the universe may lead you.

I called my friend Jalissa yesterday, who is moving here in a month and a half. She says to me, "You don't sound as happy and inspired as you were after Lady Gaga. Dude you gotta be creative."

I said back to her, "maybe the universe is trying to push me in a direction that I am pushing against. I just need to no longer be fearful of failure and let go and see where this endeavor takes me."

She says back, "Duh. That is what I have been telling you."

The thing is that multiple people have been telling me that I need to create my own business. And people from all over the spectrum. Sometimes you gotta know that when all signs point to go, you gotta go for it and this is what I gotta do. It will be a means to an end of insanity and will make me feel a bit more fulfilled knowing that I am doing something that is 100% me.

On that note, I am going to spin in a different direction. Here are some things that I love, admire, want or are inspired by. My taste is so all over the place, I don't even know what you would really call it.

My sister is in the process of trying to sell her car, and with Jalissa's arrival soon here. I want to be able to save up some money to get a van. Not just any van one that I could paint murals on and be creative with. I don't like cookie cutter, have never really fit in a mold, and feel that if I own something I want it to have my mark on it, because that makes it more special.

This is an inspiration of the van, I want. I know I am totally becoming a hippie and if you would of asked me a year ago, I would of thought this was hideous. I just want to be able to find my van easily, if I am in a large parking lot and I know that will not be a problem, with something like this.

The next piece is something I want in my wardrobe. This is an amazing basic I found on etsy for an amazing price. $29.95. Something budget conscious and fashionable for men??? I am in heaven. Here is their etsy shop where you can find more fun stuff. Oh and Christmas is right around the corner...so a great gift idea! (I am a size L)

Talk about eclectic, I love the photo of this room below, and once I become a retiree, I think I shall have this in my home. The print is amazing. See I told you I was eclectic and a little unique with my taste. Maybe I am a refined bohemian artist?

This is basically just the most amazing, office chair I have ever seen and best part is that it was 100 percent refurbished. From trash to treasure. I think I need pillows like this for Jalissa's fort bedroom.

And last but not least Alice in Wonderland, you are amazing. I want a house built form the ground up inspired by your work one day. I found this on etsy also. I think it would be wonderful in a photo montage in a bathroom.
The whole point of this blog is that, I will be creating and it starts tomorrow. This weekend I will be selling some of my furniture. They will most likely go on craigslist. So it is time to create, to be free and see where my mind will take me. I believe it is time to quit fighting against the current and float through the river of creativity and see where it takes me.

Lady Gaga

2010-08-23T20:36:00.000-07:00

For awhile now, well let's face it close to five months now, I have felt very stunted in growth with my creativity. I have honestly doubted my creative ability and if I truly was an artist worth pursuing a business of my own. I honestly have come to a lull in my creative potential, and that has been because me, myself and I. That is what it all boils down to.

Creativity is an ultimate expression of the internal. It to me is the most personal form of expression because it is something that only you have been able to judge its worth inside your mind. When it is created and shown amongst many, fear, excitement, nervousness all of these are encompassed inside your belly as if you were a balloon that could fly away at any moment if let go.

I then came across all these quotes that changed my mind a little bit about creativity:

"The imagination imitates. It is the critical spirit that creates." - Oscar Wilde

“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.” - George Bernard Shaw

This quote below explains where I am exactly.

“Sometimes you've got to let everything go - purge yourself. If you are unhappy with anything . . . whatever is bringing you down, get rid of it. Because you'll find that when you're free, your true creativity, your true self comes out.” - Tina Turner

If I am unhappy with anything and purge certain things my true creativity can shine because it is not bogged down with piles of junk that just take up space. I guess it is time to learn and be whatever I am supposed to be and learn everyday to draw inspiration from life. This is the direction I am headed.

Sometimes I think that my interests are too broad, but doesn't that make you well rounded as an artist? I feel as an artist I never would be satisfied working 9 to 5 unless in design. I think I would always do more, learn more and seek more to do and knowledge to acquire. This could be my downfall or possibly my strength still seeking guidance on that one.

Long ago, (it sounds like I am beginning a story. Once upon a time..) I acquired tickets to Lady Gaga and thought that I had to make an outfit for her concert and show my creativity for 20,000 people to see. I had no idea how much it would actually be in all honesty.

I thought about the look for a very long time and finished the last seam just four hours before the concert. It seems sometimes the best things come out of times of pressure, at least for me. I am not the best planner and if you know me, or know how I work that is not my strength, but something that is definitely in the works.

I knew that I was going to create a jumpsuit, because let's face it for whatever reason I have an obsession with jumpsuits. I researched the makeup online and thought it would be absolutely fabulous.

Here is the video. I modified my look a little I used blue and white tones instead.

How to create a dramatic Lady Gaga look

This was my makeup which I did myself all of it from eyes, to false eyelashes and beyond.

I gained inspiration from multiple Lady Gaga looks and wanted to tie them all together.

Here are some looks that inspired me.

People will ask why dress up? Why do you like her? Well from the moment I heard her interview with Barbara Walters I knew I was a fan. She speaks of being a voice for those that felt like a freak and not normal. That spoke to me in a lot of ways and from that moment I knew that her music was relatable to me.

I wanted to the outfit I created for Lady Gaga, to first of all be editorial. I didn't want it to look cheesy or not well put together, and I knew I had more of a challenge being a male. I didn't want to showcase a blond wig and sunglasses. Though I love that look it just isn't me. I wanted to be inspired by her fashion, but still truly being myself at her concert.

The jumpsuit was created out of an old firemans jumpsuit I found at the goodwill outlets also known as the bins, where you can buy stuff you find by the pound. I deconstructed it, tore it apart and used it as a template. I was struggling with fabric choice just two days before the show, when I found an old fabulous, black and white tablecloth in our closet, that had no purpose before. Clearly it was there to be used for this occassion.

I had a pair of tuxedo shoes, that I originally spray painted silver but didn't like the look of them, so I decided I would decoupage the shoes. With what fabric was still to be determined.

The headpiece was created by melting old records in the oven and super gluing them together with industrial strength glue. Lets just say don't put it on your head while the glue is still wet it may get in your hair. The end result will quite probably be a shaved head. ;)

Did I mention that the records were found on the street next to a garbage can on Mississippi St here in Portland, yes no money was spent on this fabulous what would be headpiece.

The only thing I ended up purchasing for the whole outfit, was lace fabric which I used on the collar, a crow from the dollar tree and the makeup. All equaling out to just under $20. (Thank you coupons and Target)

The morning of the concert, I was sewing the jumpsuit together and it 10 minutes time, created and put on the lace collar.

I was done with my whole look an hour ahead of schedule, which meant needless amounts of pacing and nervousness at how people would respond. I thought people would think I was a freak, but in the end I got quite the opposite reaction.

I walked on the Max after going to happy hour, and people waved at me. Were shouting Lady Gaga out the windows of cars. I was starting to feel just great accomplishment in my creation and it was much the same if not more at the concert.

People were taking pictures with camera phones, asking to take pics, asking about my outfit. Were dazed when I told them I made it all! This was what I needed to feel recognized for my creative ability. This made me feel inspired, and ready to take on the world.

There was a line at the show of a photographer taking little monsters photographs. She had me on a chair originally but decided she wanted me to show off the shoes that were decoupaged so I did a yoga inspired pose.

All I can say is that the concert was amazing! And I am thankful that I had the opportunity to show off my creativity, and get a photo that expressed my perspective. I hope you like!

Well hello there it has been awhile...

2010-05-04T17:52:00.000-07:00

DIY extravaganza

2010-03-19T20:55:00.001-07:00

Life has been so interesting as of late it seems like when it rains it pours and all that I can say is that I am so thankful for the times that it pours. Those dry spells are not fun, especially when it comes to your finances. I think the best thing for me to do was keep a positive outlook and believe that something will sprout up, beyond my expectations.

I have become what I have always wanted to be an artist. I am not starving but have been before, and think that when it comes down to it if I had to I would to be able to do what I ultimately love...which is everyday that I get to wake up and create and not just create, but create whatever inspires me.

I have had a few moments as of late where things feel as if I am finally doing what I was meant to do all along. I am not searching for a place to inspire me to create, and looking to leave to find somewhere to fill that creative void. I am finding it right here, in my home. A place I thought I was so different from what I wanted to be, but in reality was everything I needed, to bring out the best of who I am supposed to be.

I have been creating a lot lately and doing a lot of thrifting, garage sale-ing, etc. I look for objects that the normal eye would not see as beautiful and seek to restore them to a beauty that is relevant to today, and adds value to something that would have been seen as outdated and irrelevant.

Here are some of my photos of my recent work, I hope you find these things as fun and intriguing, as I have felt when creating them. This is only the tip of the iceberg and there are definitely more to come in the near distant future.

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My sister and I have been finding a lot of places that have literally been giving away stuff for free, so we look at the items and see what inspires us and go from there. The chair below was missing a joint and so not easily fixable but definitely perfect for a planter to sit on outside. I would define it as, shabby chic. (This is a decorating reference I never thought I would be a part of but I really do love it!)

before

after

I am not sure if you remember this stool that I bought that I was going to reupholster, but here is the before pic. I found it at a estate sale for a bargain and knew that all it needed was a little life.

before

after

I love the way the stool turned out because of how much more modern it now looks! I want to keep it but there is no room for it. So this is definitely an item I will be selling in the near distant future.

Did I mention that I may have taken a fancy to decoupage? I know...I know..I am becoming far more mature then my years for what crafting projects I have taken on. Remember those children's journals that are being sold on my etsy shop? Well I thought it would be a wonderful idea to decoupage the lampshades in the pages since, I wanted to use them for another project and this what I came up with. I think my favorite part is when they light up you can see the overlapping of the pages which to me is such a cool addition.

This little gem is an owl candle holder, it was original a very sad brown and black but with a little help from my friends at Krylon. The color I chose to spray paint this little owl is called, Ocean Blue and by far my favorite little gem.

The last thing I am going to show you, is my favorite furniture pieces. I used doilies and lace panels to create the effect shown below. These tables were really troublesome for awhile only because I learned that you should not paint when it is below 40 degrees and in our garage there is no installation so it feels as if you are outside.

So a lot of these items my sister and I will be selling at what we would call a showcase sale. A sale for us to showcase our work in person and let you all know what it is exactly that we are doing.

That's all for now...TTFN! :)

What I've Been Up To

2010-03-13T20:47:00.000-08:00

Okay..so you all know what Ben has been up to, but I figured I'd give you all a little sneek peak into our home, where the magic happens. So far, I have pictures of my room, the bathroom, the living room, and the master at work in our garage, which was recently cleaned up.

In my room, I decided to make a picture gallery wall of random pictures I had..take a look and see what you think... I have taken a kind of Scandinavian approach to the decor of this room, and my pictures on the gallery wall are from all over the place. I have always wanted a wall filled with random things. The pictures are purposely off-angled, and I broke up the ones that are part of a set. I think it makes it much more interesting. And, I really love all of these pictures. I make a rule never to put anything up I don't love. I also have a cuckoo clock from Germany and a water-color painting from Sicily in my room. The bookcase was made by my father, and I also have a hope chest passed to me from my mom.

In the bathroom I took a slightly different decorative approach, definitley French, with the black, white and red decor. I have thrown in a bit of apple green, just for a different effect. I also have a smaller gallery of pictures that I have collected from random places. I just love them all! One thing I love that I don't have a picture of is a mirrored vanity tray, hung on the wall. I love to be surrounded with things that make me happy!

The last room of the tour is the living area. This is definitely more contemporary, but to off-set the coldness of the leather and the monochromatic colors, I add spots of color, and many pillows and blankets crafted of warm fabrics. The picture of Paris is by far my favorite, but I love the cowhide too. All of my furniture here is super-light, so I can move it myself. My favorite thing about the ottoman is that it has four cubbies to hide all sorts of things, and the tops flip over for trays to eat on. Perfect! I have two sitting areas in the front room, and Ben sleeps on a daybed out there too, but we will not photograph that for privacy sake. I hope you have enjoyed my little tour.

Oh, and one last picture of Ben in the garage, making his magic.

Colorful projects

2010-03-13T16:24:00.000-08:00

So last night I decided it was time to take some of my projects and get crack-a-lackin on them. After purchasing enough paint to give the majority of things needed a facelift....it was time to start. Let me tell you I am not afraid of color either. I love bright bold interiors.

I have this theory that each item in your wardrobe should stand out or speak to you in some way so that when you put all the pieces together the end up being something amazing. Well I feel that same way with your home. If you do not love it or put your own personal touch on it then it becomes more cookie cutter and less personal.

This is why I love giving old beat up pieces new life, and add a bit of whimsy to them.

First project:

THE CHAIR

-BEFORE-

So when I saw this chair I knew that it needed some love great frame, great structure and I love the harp. When I saw this I knew that the harp had to be accented with a mettalic and the seat and frame would have to be in the purple family. Here is the result.

AFTER

My next project was this massive 1 1/2 ft tall candlestick that I found walking home one day. It was sitting on the sidewalk for free that is one of my favorite things about living in Portland, all the little treasures you find.

BEFORE

Bright was the best option to make this dingy candlestick come to life, and come to life did it!

AFTER

Those are all the project photos I have for you now but just wait there will definitely be more up tomorrow. In the meantime check out some pics from my garden project.

My first lettuce seedling!!! So excited!

And some flowers in my garden area!

Inspired by this..

2010-03-08T19:23:00.000-08:00

This week has been another crazy week, my sister and I keep happening to come across stuff that we could take and upcycle or recombinate into something wonderful. I now have a dozen chairs to refinish. A dozen+ pillows to create. Two tables to refinish. A nigh stand to repaint. Ten more journals to finish. 8 candlesticks to redo etc.

On top of that I always am creating a Van Gogh reproduction for my brother and sis-in-law which I will post pics of as I go along.

I think my favorite thing is that when I have so much to do you can either to choose to get overwhelmed or you can just dive right in and see what you can do with all these amazing finds.

Well it is time to start diving because I got a lot of work to take care of.

Apart from that I have been feeling very inspired this week, so here are a few of the things that inspire me.

Gardening

I have always been scared in the past that I wouldn't succeed at gardening, creating a garden, etc. But there are no successes without failures, right? So I decided that I would grow tomatoes, mesculin and romaine lettuce, broccoli, strawberries, asparagus, potatoes, onions and dill. I will happy to see how they turn out, and if they do the beauty is how much money you save just from creating your own garden.

BOOKS

Another ingenious way to use books to create an amazing floating bookshelf. I am so going to create one of these once I get my 800 other projects finished.

CRAFT SPACES

This is the kind of creative area I hope to have at some point so colorful and inspiring. It makes me so excited...don't get me wrong, I love what I have now just everything could always be improved upon.

On a side note I would like to thank Dolce & Gabbana for showing that long johns are acceptable to wear as pants and to confirm that I was ahead of the trend.

My Version:

That is all for now but stay tuned for more great posts on the way I will try and post more regularly now that things have slowed down, and I have umpteen million projects to do.

Thanks for reading my blamblings (blog ramblings) and time to take a break from Matrix backbends and do more crafting!

TTFN! :)

Table Project

2010-03-04T21:29:00.000-08:00

So I have not posted in over a week, was trying to get the hang of posting every couple of days. I got a little busy with weddings and people visiting. So now I am back in action and ready to get back on my crafting, upcycling etc.

The thing about artists, I feel like sometimes we get a creative block, for writers it is writers block, but for artists it is definitely creative block.

So thinking of a lot of new ideas and coming up with some new concepts, as many of you know I have been making journals, which I have about ten more to make in total. I have sold a few through my etsy shop which has been really awesome. I have quite a few pieces of furniture out there that I need to redo and upcycle as well!

So here is a later piece I create but wanted to show what I created.

This was just an ugly old round table before I began on this baby btw!

Yes it is all paint if you were wondering btw! :)

Treasure Hunt

2010-02-24T12:47:00.000-08:00

This weekend a couple of my friends and I went estate sale shopping. I know, I know big surprise. I woke up at 7am to go which is definitely not something I would usually do. The beauty is that we found some amazing things. I always go into every home with no expectations because you never know what you will end up finding.

The first sale we went to my sister and I found this amazing stool. Well not amazing right now but definitely has the potential to be amazing!

I am going to spray paint the base silver and recover it in an amazing purple hounds tooth fabric. (That is one of my projects for the end of the week!)

We went all over the metro area, past Oregon City, Beaverton, NW, NE and SE. Thankfully my friend Janice had a list of all the places that were having sales.

I found an amazing box of vintage thread, for a ridiculously cheap amount that I just could not pass up. Especially since thread is now $2-6 a piece. I love all the colors especially. So excited because I have so many different colors to work with now!

I also found some amazing vintage jewelry that I really wanted to keep but I have enough already. Here are the pics, you can also find them at my Whimsy blue shop at etsy!

Bag day

2010-02-23T19:10:00.000-08:00

Do you have a place where you stash all your plastic bags, say a drawer a holder, etc? Well everyday I walk past ours as they sit there, and I say to myself what can I use those for?

Not only are they bad for the environment but they are not very pretty either. And how do you create something that doesn't look like it was a plastic bag?

I may have found a solution. I found this video on etsy (below) about using an iron to fuse/melt the plastic bags together to create a new textile.

After watching the tutorial, I went and ventured out on my own to see what I could make. I was trying to think of something, I have not seen on any other websites and what came to mind? Well I did need to mail a etsy sale out...and have yet to buy a packing envelope...so that is what I decided to created.

I first fused all the bags together and then used a paper cutter to take off all raw edges. After I finished my plastic squares, I sewed them all together.

The best part about my sewing machine is that it has a bunch of different stitches, so I experimented with the stitches to come up with a design.

In the tutorial, it tells you that you need to turn the bag inside out to keep the ink from bleeding, so I decided that maybe I would use a sharp on the inside as well and draw out some random quick sketches.

Keep in mind this is all experimental.

I stitched all the patches together and this is what I came out with. I think it is a fun and earth friendly way to pack something, plus it is free and all it requires is a little experimentation and time.

Book photo shoot for etsy update

2010-02-18T23:10:00.000-08:00

Wow! It is just been over a month since I started blogging and I really feel like I am starting to get more and more addicted everyday. I find myself daydreaming about things I want to do, create and be and seems like Spring is fast arriving look what I found today.

First and foremost, I want to say Thank You! To all of my blog followers. I feel blessed that anyone would want to read my thought process because for most of you that know me I am all over the place.

I made a couple more sales on etsy this week. As with everything I make and create now, I take photos so here are couple for you to enjoy.

(Don't forget to keep strolling down, my sister and I went out on an adventure, and not thrifting)

First off how do you package a ring in something other than a box....this took some creativity....so I took some of my old journal page remnant rolled them up and put the ring on it.

Next I sewed the yellow paper on to this card stock. Tied on my signature etsy Thank You Card, and then tied the ring onto the card as well. I think it came out so darling!

This is one of my journals I sent out today. I try and make everything I send out a little different and unique.

Speaking of journals. I decided today that the photos of my remaining journals were...well to be a little blunt...they were sad :(

So in turn decided to take my journals for a photoshoot into the park nearest my house and here are some of my favorites. If you want to see more check out my etsy shop.

The faves

This last photo is so bizarre to me, because it looks edited, when all I did was hang it over a tree branch and lay down on the ground to photograph it. I love how it turned out though!

So check out my new journal photos, and maybe one of these journals will speak to you.

New adventures

2010-02-18T01:27:00.000-08:00

It looks like new adventures are on the horizon for me, at least that is the dream.

I have come to a spot where I don't have any excuse not to be a fulltime crafter, because....

I work very part time and my mac just crashed, so I have more time on my hands so that I am not distracted by facebook or the internet, although most of the time I truly am using it for research. ;)

I grew up thrifting with my mom and grandma, before it was ever cool. We ate organic, bought in bulk, I always immersed myself in my art to create a world to escape to.

I have come to the conclusion that life is a masterpiece that we all paint. We can create something beautiful around us, or get overwhelmed with the troubles and things that can bog us down.

I think I heard a quote once that said, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." For me this has helped take the pressure off myself. I want to do something in the world, something big, not for fame or celebrity. But to affect in my lifetime something.

I think the change I want to bring is through my art.

If I can bring a journal into someone's life that causes that person to write down their innermost feelings, thoughts, experiences and document them... then I have affected change.

If I can redo a piece of furniture, that makes a monochromatic home feel alive.. I can affect change.

If I create a piece of art, that makes someone smile...I can affect change.

If I give and put love into every piece I create or find, then that person will feel that love.

My friend Courtney said, "How a photographer sees you is how the picture will turn out." I believe that as an artist the emotion that you are connecting with what you are making is evoked.

Okay I just had to get that all that out there....it's late and thoughts swirling in my head like a carousel...

I decided to be a better artist, designer, creator, etc that there are a few things that I need to tackle.

First and foremost.

I am deathly afraid of zippers, have never known how to put one in correctly every time I have they came out bad. So that is a goal this year is to learn how to put one in. I think I may even have to create this amazing zipper flower I found.

I want to do three photo shoots a year, not wanting to model necessarily but create the setting and all the objects within the photoshoot.

Here is one of my past shoots, in another blog, you may have seen.

I absolutely know that I need to learn to screen print. I want to create my own textiles.

For now I am focusing, on working on creating, seeking and gathering things to make my etsy shop all that I hope it could be.

Here are some more fun finds:

Oh yes I am also working on creating my official logo right now, with my fabulous friend Courtney Jade. That should be finished by next week.

But for now check out some more packaging for the items I sell.

Vintage Jewels

2010-02-16T00:57:00.000-08:00

So my sister (Jenna),and I decided collectively that maybe it would be a good idea to go to Michael's Craft store when they were having a giant sale....and on top of the sale we had a 20% coupon for our entire purchase. (Of course) We walk in and think that we will only be there for a half hour...low and behold they are locking the doors and my sister and I quickly dash out with our purchases.

(Here is what happened in between) We walk in and decide that after we get was on our list we will check out if there are any other sales or crafting objects.

Ribbon (check)

Thank You Stamp (check)

Polyfill (check)

Glue (Check)

Spray Paint (check)

I am pretty sure that is all we needed completing this in a pretty quick amount of time. We then go to the jewel making isle, where I personally have never ventured. I am not a beader, but I start seeing pendants, that caught my eye. ( I may have drooled a bit) Then my sister came over and just as we usually do. We started comparing ideas...figuring this could go with that...and almost walking out of there with another $50 dollars worth of stuff.

Long story short...we will be making jewelery in the near and decent future...my sister actually bought a pendant. She made a necklace tonight.

To keep with the topic of jewelery check out some of our finds from this weekend of estate sales. There are some really to die for things.

Girls get all the fun....check out my etsy shop to see all the pics, if they haven't sold yet.

Preliminary Whimsy Blue branding

2010-02-10T13:43:00.000-08:00

I have so far sold a couple items in my etsy shop. If you have not checked it out yet, we just added some vintage housewares and will be adding more very soon! Especially after yesterdays adventure.

Anyways, back to the topic of the day. (I am an artist, so I get a little bit scattered at times...my mind is like a merry go round of ideas, the solution for this is to always have a sketchbook, pad of paper, napkin or journal)

Upon making my first sale, I had an idea of what to do with the remains of my vintage books that I used for the journals. This was all experimental as well. I really had no idea if this would work. So I took six pages from the journals original binding and sewed them together with some fun blue thread.

I then was deciding to wrap the book, and cut the edges so that the book provided a little peekaboo at the end. I found some stamps to create the words in what other then blue ink. (Soon we will have our own logo stamp!!!! So exciting!)) I then grabbed the dainty, blue ribbon that we have, and had my sister tie the ribbon because for whatever reason I have no idea how to do so!!

Here are some of the end result photos, I hope you all like. Maybe I will put a little DIY post documenting how I did it all for you!!! Let me know what you think!

Some of my favorite finds..thrifting!

2010-02-10T10:45:00.001-08:00

Who knew thrifting could be so fun??? Seriously! Ben and I like to do it pretty frequently, and come up with some pretty cool stuff. I found one pair of awesome boots...black, knee-high equestrian boots by Donald J Pliner..his boots normally go for anywhere from $200-$500. My favorite part is that the stamp inside the boot says "made by the sea in Italy". The boots were at Stars Antique Mall in West Moreland. If you have never been, you should check it out! Amazing find at only $25!!! Because I don't wear heels anymore, I have decided to get the most awesome boot collection ever..I have a pretty good start on it so far :)

And, I found this ultra-cool brown "leather" jacket at Value Village..it comes from Madrid, so anything from Europe is automatically way-cooler than anything here..just under $20!!!! I have never seen anything like it, and I can even zip it up! Now, that is a plus!

Onto the housewares..I found these little nifties at the bins...the more proper name is the Goodwill outlet in Milwaukie, just off McLoughlin. I came upon a little casserole

baker, otherwise known as a Dutch oven, in this really cool orange-red color..on the bottom, "made in Belgium", and numbered. I also found this cool little butcher block. Now, I'm picky about what I get at the bins..but, if you can deal, they

have some amazing finds! Ben showcased his stuff he found on his post yesterday. The cool thing about the bins..you pay per pound, except for furniture, or other items as

marked. So, my Dutch oven cost me about $6..I checked online after I got home, and it turns out it is Descoware, a brand of enamel cookware made in Belgium until

about the 70's...pretty sweet! These little babies go for anywhere from $40-$75 online..I just had to share, because it's just so fun, and like treasure-hunting every day!

Adventures in thrifting. Again?

2010-02-09T19:56:00.000-08:00

Today my sister and I looked out at the beautiful weather and decided that it was the perfect day to go thrifting. We stopped at two places, both of which had really great treasures. Some of which I will list on etsy, others which I will upcycle and recombinate to make a bit more modern.

Here is what we found at the first thrift store:

I couldn't say no to this amazing, intact book from the 1970's with an array of paper dolls and the outfits from the celebrities in the movies.

I know, I know everyone is probably like "owls are everywhere", but this one was so adorable I had to get it. It has so much character and vintage charm.

Teacups, teacups. Tea party? Hmmm...maybe, but I might have a crafty project in mind for these teacups. They are everywhere and have so much potential to be practical!

We moved on from the first thrift store and low and behold we ended up close to our home. I stumbled upon this small leather lunchbox....or at least what I thought was a lunchbox?

When I opened it I realized that it was a vintage 8 track carrier!!!! Amazing! I am going to stencil this object at a later date!

I found an amazing vintage print that I will upcycle for a pillow project. It is going to be fierce.

And last but not least...

I found more books, that I could make into journals!!!!! I was so stoked to stumble upon these amazing hardback children's books. I could in no way resist their charm.

In short I have a love for thrifting because to me it is like a fabulous treasure hunt. Or like a box of chocolates you never know what you gonna get.

Thrift me a deal!

2010-02-07T01:40:00.000-08:00

(I love cheesy titles to my blogs that is all I have to say. Who wants a blog, that when dealing with the topic, it is just named the Subject, boring. I am not writing an essay, this is real life and not so formal)

Okay....so I got on a bit of a tangent.

Earlier this week my sister and I, decided that it would be a good time to go thrifting. Just woke up to the amazing sunshine outside, decided that this was our day to find a find. I think the best way to go thrifting, is to walk in without any expectations of finding something. The reason I say this...in my experience, (and I would say I would be rated platinum member, on the thrifting status.) it is a treasure hunt, so walking in with an open mind and editing eye. (Editing eye- go through all your potential purchases and ask yourself, are you buying this cus it's cheap? Or are you really going to use/wear it?)

Well I walked into the local Value Village, and look what I found!!!!

Only the most amazing pants ever. They were in the women's section of course, the reason being is that I always find more fun things on the women's side.

Think golf shoes, newsie cap with pom pom, sweater vest and polo.

The beauty is that I also found some tapestries and a couple of wonderful fabrics that will be used for future projects.

I think my favorite thing that I found this weekend though, was a, 1950's Light Pink Hostess Ice Crusher. My sister and I stared at the object at first and were confused as to what it was. We thought to ourselves this has to be wonderful relic from the past, so we snatched that up and went on our merry way.

Here are some pics of the ice cruser, hope you like them.

I love thrifting. I wish I could tell you the reasons. The biggest reason is that things are affordable, and the merchandise is always changing so you never get board of the same thing. As a creative person, I can look at something that appears lifeless and see what can be done or improved upon it to create something beautiful.

Finished ten more journals today, here is a sneak peek at one of my faves.

What I love about it is the inside.

You will be able to find this and more on my etsy shop.

Birthday Gift.

2010-02-06T00:53:00.000-08:00

What to do you give someone as a birthday present when you have no money to spend? So first of all, I am going to be honest I am really terrible about giving people gifts for their birthdays. Even writing a card is something that is hard for me to do. So my New Year's Resolution was to be a better gift giver for people's birthdays.

My sister-in-law, Kelly, was the first birthday this year. I was racking my brain and finally realized that since I am already on a kick of bookbinding. Then why don't I create a book for her. (I personally love gifts that are handmade, I especially love cards from people when they write something meaningful inside...hmmpphh...my birthday is in two months...hint, hint)

As I was stating earlier, I wanted to create a book for Kelly that would be special and meaningful, I decided that maybe a little violin sheet music bound in a book could be a wonderful gift idea. So I ran with that idea and found some wonderful new ideas along the way. My favorite being thread sketching. I found this wonderful idea on another fellow bloggers, site. The concept behind it is you use a sewing machine to create a sketch, and the end result looks wonderful.

I ended up doing a small amount of thread sketching on the cover, binding the book violin sheet music and lining the inside with some of my own block print which I created. I loved the end result and just wanted to share with you.

Hope you like!

What is whimsy blue?

2010-02-02T10:52:00.000-08:00

Some of you may be asking yourself, What is whimsy blue? Or maybe you haven't even asked that question. My sister and I have been talking for a long time about how we wanted to start our own business based on etsy. A business that includes housewares, textiles and fashion. We figured with our sophisticated taste and knack for being ahead of the trends, that we could create a company that not only brings life to things that may seem old and outdated, but how to take things and create them into something that are handmade and one-of-a-kind.

You may still be asking yourself well what is whimsy blue. My sister and I for quite some time have decided that we wanted to somehow create a name, that was representative of our mother in some way. Two words and an image that somehow could embody a little bit of her favorite things and what she brought to the world.

We knew from the beginning that a bluebird would be the centerpiece of this whole home business, but we wanted to give it a name that was not so literal, and a little more fun.

To recap on the bluebird, it has a little bit of special meaning in my families lives. My mother always said that whenever she saw a bluebird that something good was going to happen. The beauty is lately I have seen quite a few which has lead me to believe that something amazing and beautiful was on its way. I even got it tattooed on myself a few years back because it had such special meaning.

We racked our brains and it was not until my sister and I went out to dinner with my best friend Courtney Jade, (Who just so you know is an outstanding and incredibly talented photographer and model) threw out the idea, why not whimsy blue??? She was right because her favorite color was blue, and she brought a little whimsy to everyone's life. Hence the name whimsy blue became a reality.

That is the story in short. I am excited to see where this endeavor will take my sister and I. I know great things are in the future.

Posted below is a picture of my late mother. I had a dream about her this morning which made me really want to honor her for not only spreading whimsy to everyones life but love and I hope that I can do the same as she has done.

This is a formal description from our Etsy Shop:

WhimsyBlueShop is a brother and sister team based in Portland, Oregon. Our mission is to upcycle cast-off vintage items, using recombinant design techniques to bring new life to what would otherwise be discarded, with a little bit of fun and whimsy thrown in. Our items are always different, and no two are alike. We pick what we think is the best of the best, never putting anything up that we would not include in our own homes, or use ourselves. We allow for each piece to speak to us, and see potential where others may not. Our ideas come from a life-time of thrifting (even before it was fashionable) and a true desire to breathe modernity into relics from the past, as well as backgrounds in design, retail and business. Our shop was born out of a hobby, and now has become something of a passion of ours. Explore WhimsyBlueShop and see what whimsy comes your way!

Children's books turned into journals/sketchbooks!!!

2010-01-31T21:59:00.000-08:00

So as you all know the other day I received a box of 51 books that I am going to make into journals.

I took the guts of the book out, and the inside cover of each of the journals has an image on the front and back cover of the original book. Don't worry I am using the insides of the books for another project here at the end of the month.

I completed a full five which I am very proud of. I almost want to keep them because I love them so much!!! There are are about 15 more that are ready to be bound. These should be done by Saturday.

Anyways here are some of the example of my work so far let me know what you think!

Here is the front of The Peacock Lane Journal.

The first cover page, using some of the original pages in the book.

The inside of the journal. The journal is combined with a few poems from the original book.

The end of the journal also uses some original images from the book. This is by far my favorite journal that I have created.

Book Binding

2010-01-27T19:03:00.000-08:00

I have been trying to post at least every couple days on here, showing all of you what it is that I am currently doing. I have an obsession with books, no not reading books but using books to be reused in a way that gives them new life. Let's face it book reading is an art form that is losing ground quickly and being replaced by everything digital.

What inspired me to have these thoughts. Well I was searching on a magical website called Ebay. I hope you are all familiar. ;) I found a lot of 51 children's books for a reasonal price. I watched it and watched it and finally, I called my sister and we agreed that it would be a great idea to purchase these books and see what we can do.

So today I come home and find the box, I have been waiting for it all week!!! Thinking. Brainstorming. What do I do with all these vintage children's books with beautiful covers. Well how about I learn a new technique called Bookbinding and create some journals or sketchbooks.

I decided that all books I create must have blank paper only!!!! As a creative person it is hard for me to be linear and if you know me, I definitely have never stayed on the straight and narrow.

Well here is my first journal that I created. The pics are a bit blurry but you get the idea of what I am doing at least there will be more to come soon!

How much would you spend on an upcycled journal that you knew was handmade???

Let me know your thoughts I am coming up with price points for the 50 books that I have to do. Leave it in the comments segment below!!! Look forward to your feedback!!!

Quote of the Week

2010-01-23T16:27:00.000-08:00

"There are painters who transform the sun into a yellow spot, but there are others who, thanks to their art and intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun."

Pablo Picasso

T2ways Photoshoot

2010-01-23T15:51:00.000-08:00

So in January of last year, I started taking online classes to finish up my Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design. I had an amazing class which I absolutely loved and learned so much from. It was Intro to Fashion Editorials. We spent a lot of time analyzing fashion shoots and reviewing movies, but we had to photoshoots that we had to put together. My teacher told us that we needed to create a photoshoot using the basic t-shirt in two completely different ways.

I decided that the two contrasting inspirations would be a classic beauty vs. a hard edged 80's girl. I am very proud of the end result. I got to work with the bestie Courtney Jade again and she was an amazing model truly brought my vision to life.

Here are the results am super happy with the end result. I think the part I loved the most was the research you need to create the shoot it truly is like shopping for a new house. You have a concept in your head and the thing you want to do is create a fantasy through clothing and props to bring this world to life. Thankfully this is what I got to do!

I am so proud of these, I know a lot of you have seen them, but can't help but post them again!

The first serious of pictures were shot in front of church we found just two blocks from my home. I wanted to create a innocent yet prideful character in the shoot, with a bit of sensuality hiding underneath the classic and conservative dress.

THIS PIC RIGHT HERE IS BY FAR MY FAVORITE PHOTO OF THE WHOLE SHOOT!!!

In the 2nd photoshoot I wanted to combine Sin City, Cyndi Lauper and Madonna all into one character. With a strong yet seductive character. I definitely created a contrasting photoshoot with this pic and I am very happy with it!!!

Here is my favorite photo from the second shoot. I love this picture because of the amount of emotion that is put in it! It is almost like you can feel the force of the box!!!

One thing I did not mention was that, not only was Courtney Jade the model but she also was the editor of these photos and she gave the exact look that I was going for during each shoot!!! Thanks bestie for all your help!!!

When in inspired...

2010-01-23T15:27:00.000-08:00

So this week has been a really wonderful week. For one I am back home in Portland sitting next to the windows of a beautiful coffee shop overlooking Brooklyn Park in SE, and it is clear blue skys and warm enough for a light jacket. Is it really January??? I have been finding that every week I am inspired by a collective group of things, or things are going on in my head, that need to be created, changed or brought to life.

Here's to Inspiration and posititve change! CHEERS!

I have a small obsession with old books, most of which are falling apart, water damaged or just a little to dry for most of us to understand. There is so much beauty in them, I have been thinking I want to create a photoshoot using books in some way as the only material in the background. I feel that there is so much beauty in old books. Let's face the facts who has time nowadays to read old books. It takes a lot of time, and in todays world we dont have a lot of time.

I am obsessed with book art, what you can do with old books etc!! Here are some of my favorites!!

SALVATION MOUNTAIN

2010-01-21T18:30:00.000-08:00

My friend Jalissa, Amanda and I decided that during my vacation to California that we wanted to take a road trip to Salvation Mountain. I had never even heard of this place, before they brought it up but after doing some research I thought that this could be a life changing experience.

We drove 200 miles, 3 1/2 hours to the middle of the desert. We were close to Slab City, CA the only place in the US where you can camp for free on/around these former army slabs. There are all types of people there, hippies with rv's, people vacationing from the winter up north and a lot of artists selling whatever creations they come up with. This place is the simplest form of life I have ever seen in the US.

We drove around the Saltan Sea to get to this amazing installation sculpture. The salton sea is an amazing 376 sq mile Salt Sea that is home to over 400 species of birds. Here is a picture of the sunset forming over the Salton Sea on the drive home.

You begin to see Salvation Mountain about a quarter mile away. My eyes got big and I was filled with creative energy, with the hope that this would be a place that inspires me! It did more than that it changed me and made me want to live to do art, be creative and with every breathe that I take create something beautiful!

I felt like I was on another planet. A world where lollipops, rainbows and unicorns could truly exist. A place that could only exist in my dreams. I felt like I was in Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, Big Fish and Alice in Wonderland. I was in the closest thing to heaven that I could ever imagine, with the clear blue endless sky canvassing me in this colorful and frosted world.

STILL CANNOT BELIEVE THIS PLACE EXISTS!!! THIS HAS CHANGED ME COMPLETELY AND RECOMMEND EVERYONE GO SEE IT!! AND TALK TO THE MAN WHO CREATED THIS PLACE HIS STORY IS AMAZING!!

HERE IS A VIDEO TOUR OF SALVATION MOUNTAIN I FOUND ON YOUTUBE. PICTURES CANNOT EVEN DO THIS PLACE JUSTICE!!!

Venice Beach California

2010-01-21T17:01:00.000-08:00

It has been over one week since I have posted on my blog, and the reason being is that I had the pleasure of visiting some of my friends in Venice Beach, California.It was an inspiring visit and it reminded me a lot of Sellwood here in Portland, if only there were palm trees and a beach.

I spent a lot of my time just walking around being inspired. The thing that inspired me the most was the amazing graffiti art that is so prevalent all throughout Venice. Yes there are palm trees and the beach, but the beauty in the graffitti is undeniable and I highly recommend visiting if you are looking for a hippie/hipster/artsy person's oasis. This will definitely give you something to think about!

Leaving on a jet plane

2010-01-13T19:31:00.001-08:00

Well, tomorrow I fly off to Los Angeles to see some of my most amazing friends that I have seen in over a year. I guarantee I will have some amazing thrift store finds down there. Will keep you posted, but for now I must continue packing because soon I will be in LaLa Land!!!

This is salvation mountain one of the amazing places that I will be visiting! I have never been, so I am very excited to see this beautiful place!!! Will be posting next in LaLa Land! See you through the looking glass!

Inspired

2010-01-12T14:39:00.000-08:00

I decided that each week I will pick a bunch of different images that inspire me. I want to do this to show you, how images when processed come out and can be used to create and inspire anything you can do! This week there are a lot so be prepared.

For me every piece of art, every fashion, print, layout, etc. starts with an inspiration a reference in time whether it be the past or something that you see today, it all can help you to be more creative.

But first the person that I would have to say inspired me to even start a blog was my best friend Courtney Jade. She is an amazing natural light portrait photographer, and whenever I feel tired, or stuck her work inspires me because she is truly doing what she loves, and that is exactly what I hope to accomplish. Her website linked above is amazing so check it out and if you are looking to get your pics done by one of the best, she is definitely the right person!

Here are some images that inspire me:

Can I please live in this all I would want would be my computer and a coffe machine and I would be a happy camper!!!

This is an amazing collaboration between Pendleton Wool and opening ceremony click on the pic for the link. I want all of it!!!!

This is an absolutely inscredible image!!!!!!!!

You have got to be kidding me!! Red Bull London has a slide that goes between floors. This is my childhood dream to have in my workspace!!!

Work it!!! Work it!! That is all!

Side Table Chic

2010-01-11T19:22:00.001-08:00

Here comes another posting, this table I created today. Unfortunately I became so inspired by the project that I forgot to take a before pic. It wasn't pretty let's just say that...okayy. Anyways I was originally going to paint the whole table black but after sanding the legs, I loved the modern/rustic/french look it gave. Once again it's the recombination thing that I love so much.

I am working on two more dining room tables currently, those will be finished closer to the end of the week. I must remind myself of one thing to wear a dust mask, because I finally understand why people who start cleaning and use chemicals can keep going for hours. They have inhaled so much, that their heart races and they are unable to slow down.

First Lesson learned: Always wear a dust mask.
Second Lesson: Always sand before painting.
Third Lesson: Do not start painting furniture until you have listened to Lady Gaga remixed.

And ACTION!!!

2010-01-11T19:03:00.000-08:00

Well it is official, my first blog posting. I have been putting this off for quite sometime because I wanted to ensure that I created something that represented me and what I am hoping to achieve in the best way possible.

This whole thing began because I have an obsession with thrifting. If you are unsure as to what thrifting is, well I would say that it going to consignment shops, garage sales and thrift stores and look for fashions and home goods that can be modified to fit into todays world without looking old or outdated.

I have a sense of being able to see something and look at the silhouette or the fabric, and see the potential that lies within it. It takes a bit of vision, and definitely quite a lot of elbow grease and trial and error to make something old look new. That is the beauty in the whole process. Of course I love how something looks when I am finished, but the best part of the whole thing for me is the transformation.

Here is my first official piece, pictured below. I found this at a thrift store and knew that with a fresh coat of paint and a little work this would be a treasure.

before

after

I decided it would be fun to try a great little treatment on the top as well, I want to create something that I would call a combination of French and Modern. Here was the result.