Society6

“magic is something you make.” | Anonymous

Society6 is my new bestfriend.

This website allows designers/artists and doodlers of the like to create and sell designs which are submitted to the site and applied to phone cases, t-shirts, laptop cases and canvases.  This site has opened the flood gates for people like me who spend free time designing graphics as a creative outlet.

Society also allows you to customize your own ‘shop’.  I just finished a banner/logo for my Etsy Shop (in the works) so I will be using that .

The ability to use the same name and logo on Society as I will be using on Etsy and hopefully on my own website give the ability for me to develop the brand which I hope will some day blossom!  So far Society6 is nothing but awesome, although there is not much room for profit (10% to the designer for each sale), I am still so excited about the opportunity to have my designs out there for people to see!

Here are some of my designs for sale thus far. (click on the photo to be directed to the posting on Society 6)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

| Newport Prep|

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

| Mountain HD |

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

| Imperfection|

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

|Alpine|

{Do yourself a favor and waste some time on Society6}

 

Filament(ous)

“If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves. “

|Thomas Edison|

This post is an Ode to Thomas Edison.  This all started when I was in West Elm and saw a glass-globe light of glorious-ness!  (picture below)

I was in a design frenzy over stimulated and resisting the urge to act like a vacuum and grab everything in sight, when I saw this beautiful glass pendant floating ever so gently from the warehouse-esque ceiling above.  I literally stood there staring at it…trying to figure out why it was so awesome and why its awesomeness had distracted me enough to stop me from committing a debt causing crime (purchasing unneeded items on my credit card).

Then as I stared longer (and started creepily taking pictures with my I-phone). I realized it was the exposure of the filaments that was so uniquely eye-catching.  The seemingly flawless glass globe was allowing the light source to be seen, something that is quite unusual in a light fixture.

I have seen this trend emerging.  The exposure of technology within.  Why would we want to cover up one of the most incredible inventions of modern time?  The miracle of light.  These filaments looked like living beings buzzing with electrical currents.  Pure light from the source!  I then stared at it longer, decided that  I did in fact love it…while also acknowledging that there was nowhere in my 23 old life that it would fit-and moved on.

I then continued on with the my day..not thinking too much back to the light.  The next afternoon we went out to lunch in Cambridge and as I approached the alley door entrance what did I see?  Filament exposed light fixtures bouncing overhead!  (clearly Thomas Edison was feeling neglected and was somehow trying to remind me not to take advantage of my ability to see after the sun has sunk into the night sky.)  SO, I surrendered to the urge and took some more photos and later went home and did some research on Mr. Edison.  Not only did I find out more information then necessary about his inventions but I also discovered a PLETHORA of inspiring quotes.

One I found particularly intriguing.

“We are like tenant farmers chopping down the fence around our house for fuel when we should be using Nature’s inexhaustible sources of energy — sun, wind and tide. … I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that.”

This quote came from a conversation Edison had with Henry Ford in 1931.  I would say he was a few steps ahead of his time.  Too bad he was so right.

Here are some more photos from my light bulb obsession journey as well as some work from others.

(First four photos left were taken in the brick alley entrance to the ‘Russel House’ (delicious lunch, great beer selection.  I would definitely recommend it if you are in town)

Black Pendant Light (Black Palm)| Workerman

Candy Apple Bright | Casa Sugar

Cluster Light | West Elm

Jean Pelle’s  Bubble Chandeliers| Etsy

Workstead Industrial Chandelier

Here’s to the crazy ones…

I must take responsibility for my lack of blogging lately…I always think of things and say..I am going to blog about that later!  And then the next thing I know, it is a week later.  I will be making a conscious effort to stop procrastinating…but until then I thought I would leave you with a quote I came across on Pinterest today.

promises for 2012

“Cheers to a new year and for another chance for us to get it right!” | Oprah

Below I have created a mash up of quotes and promises to keep and inspire me through the next 365 days of life.

What are your New Years resolutions?  365 days is a pretty long time so be ambitious!

Into the wild

“Trees are our best antiques” | Alexander Smith

Sometimes you don’t need to go across the country or the world to have a retreat from everyday life!

I have taken a week off of work for the holidays and have decided make it a low-key relaxing vacation in my home town. Today I visited ‘Kent Falls’, a beautiful little spot at the edge of Western Connecticut.  I felt like I was in a different world hiking along the rushing water.  There were muscled, wrinkled, sprawling roots crawling with fuzzy, green, brilliantly colored moss.  The water was rushing harder than I have ever seen it in a result of the down pour we had yesterday.  It was so refreshing and wonderful, I completely forgot that I was a mere 20 minutes from home!

Home for the holidays

All photos above courtesy of my new iPhone addicted already!

I hope everyone had a fabulous christmas.

Let there be Light!

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a sing candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” | Guatama Siddharta-Founder of Buddism

I decided this holiday season that I wanted to make candles as gifts.  I myself know how much I love candles so I thought it would be awesome to learn how to make them.  It turned out it was very simple!  I went to my local craft store, bought the wax and wicks, bedazzled some Mason Jars and I was on my way! My candle making journey has been illustrated below.

The wick is glued to the bottom of the glass before the wax is poured in.  When the wax is poured the wick becomes very weak and it is difficult to keep it straight and centered.  It is important to make sure that the wick is centered while the wax is setting that way it will be in the correct location when the candle is finished!

There is a particular tool for this purpose but I did not have it. A plastic fork and a hair clip worked just fine for me!

I used Soy Wax for these candles making for a cloudier finished appearance.

 

Finished Product!

Seeing RED

“Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin. That, or a kick-ass red lipstick.” | Gwyneth Paltrow

I recently purchased a vibrant red wool coat from Old Navy ($35!) and it has become my favorite accessory.  I have never been a red person, in fact my new coat may be the only piece of red in my closet! Needless to say, it has given me a new appreciation for the color. I have noticed it everywhere this season (it helps that it’s Christmas time). A  brilliant orangy-red seems to give that perfect amount of juicy punch to any outfit, complexion, accessory, exterior or interior!

(click on images below for the source)

(The jacket that inspired this post! My little cousins scarf fits well )

I hope you are having a good week.  T|H|I| T (thank god its Thursday!)

The weekend is in sight!

‘pick me up poetry’ for ‘one of those days’

“Don’t sweat the small stuff” | Richard Carlson

Do you ever have one of those day’s where something small just puts you in a negative mood and you can’t seem to get out of it?  That’s how I am feeling today, so I have decided that I needed some ‘pick me up poetry’ myself.

Hopefully this will leave me (and you) feeling like we should on a friday!

TGIF!

| all of the above photos were sourced from Pinterest |

words of wisdom for a post holiday pick me up.

I saw these on Pinterest and they changed my mood and how I felt about the day.  Sometimes a little inspiration can change my whole week!