Wall Space

So sorry about my silence this week. I intended to be sharing several DIYs with you all this week, but I haven't gotten the chance to get to AC Moore and pick up a few things I needed. So, to fill time, I thought I'd share a few of the ways I fill wall space in my bedroom!

I have a pretty big room, which means lots of empty wall space to fill. In my eyes, empty walls are sad walls, so I'm in the process of fixing them up!

This is my little desk nook. The bookshelf is nestled in the corner, and on the adjacent wall a window lets in lots of extra light. My desk divides up my room so the floors don't look so empty, and is not fully pictured here because it's currently covered in a plethora of craft supplies, journals and lists.

Anyway, the birds adorning my walls are vinyl stick on wall art decorations found at this website. I have another wall-art to be put up above my couch, a white dandelion blowing in the breeze! In the upper left hand corner you'll see some watercolour artwork of mine, and directly in the middle is my calendar and bulletin board, where I've actually been keeping surprisingly organized and planning out my life. 

For anyone who was wondering, this is the quote I painted on my wall! Designed and hand-painted by myself. It was such a fun, fulfilling project to accomplish. I chose this quote because I knew it would inspire me every day with the reminder that nothing is impossible and I have to keep working at my dreams.

A very simple way to hang artwork: clothespins and glue dots! Glue dots can be found at your local craft store: simply stick one onto the back of the clothespin and put it up on the wall! I was getting sick of waiting around to frame and hang my work, so I just grabbed the available supplies and put it all up. I actually quite like this technique, though.

My nightstand is also a bit of a trainwreck right now (I'm in the process of redecorating and organizing my room), but the space above it is worth sharing! Another bit of watercolour artwork hung with a clothespin, and my headphones resting on a thumbtack stuck in my wall. I'm a bit impatient, and I have a very specific vision for my room, so when it takes too long to get something done, I use the next best thing and do it myself.

P.S. Who likes my little keychain Totoro? He's hanging around my lamp, keeping me safe at night. Pete gave him to me for our one-year anniversary. Isn't he sweet?

This is an old shelf right beside my door. When I was young, I kept all my stuffed animals in it, but now I have cameras and my tripod on the bottom shelf, hairbands and other such supplies on the top shelf, and jewelry and perfume on the top of the whole thing. The box on the left was given to me by a close family friend who serves in the military, and got it for me in Afghanistan. And of course, my picture frame/branch necklace hanger is hung up on the wall! That was also a fun project to make.

I hope you enjoyed that little wall tour and perhaps got some ideas for your own spaces! :)

5 Ways To Take Great Product Photos

Hello, all! Today I bring you five handy tips to taking great product photos. These apply to almost any photos you're taking, actually!

1. Create a simple background! I used a lace dress of mine draped over my computer as a backdrop. Make sure it's not distracting and covers the whole background of your frame!

2. Back up and use your camera's zoom. This will ensure a clearer focus and less obstruction of natural light on your subject!

 3. Shoot near a window or door! Even if the sun isn't shining, natural light still beats artificial light or flash any day.

4. Add a pop of contrast to make sure you can see the subject clearly! This white bunny spirit camouflaged right in with my dress, blurring all his edges and making the viewer strain their eyes to see what the picture was actually of. So, I took a red plastic egg and placed it behind him, creating a sharp contrast and a better visual.

5. One of the most misleading things about product photos is, I find, the lack of scale. Especially with a close-up shot, it's difficult to tell how big something actually is. So, make sure to include one picture comparing the size to your hand, your body, or a commonplace object such as a tennis ball. Your potential buyer will then know exactly what they're getting!

I hope you found these photography tips helpful! They're great rules of thumb for anything, not just product photography. Happy shooting!

5 Things I've Learned in 2012

As I may have previously mentioned, I've watched myself grow more drastically and rapidly in 2012 than I ever have in my life -- and in a positive way! I've begun to look at the world through a whole new lens, and I thought I'd share a few pearls of wisdom. Perhaps I'll concoct (wow, that is a weird word to look at) a few more of these as the year progresses!

1. Everyone has something to teach you. This is a prime example of why one should never be close-minded to new opinions, people, and ideas. We are constantly learning, and by closing ourselves off to all the variety this diverse world has to offer, we are restricting our knowledge and overall happiness. No matter how young or old a person is, I promise that you can learn something from them. Small children speak as many words of wisdom as the elderly. Teenagers often have as viable opinions as adults. You could meet a person from any walk of life and I am one hundred and ten percent sure that they can teach you something you never knew or considered before. The more you expose yourself to culture and education, the wiser a person you become. In any case, if you can't find a seed of inspiration of how to act or who to be, you can always learn from example what not to do!

2. This is going to sound like the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard, but all you really need to do to be happy is choose happiness. And I'm not some blessed spoiled kid with a perfect life. Far from it. I've battled depression for four years. Two Novembers ago I was suicidal, and this past November I came pretty close again. I've struggled with self-harm, eating disorders, anxiety attacks, and a tangled web of complexes. I'm still, technically, manic-depressive; I can't change my DNA. But what I could change is my attitude. So, on the first day of this new year, I put my foot down. I said to myself, I refuse to let misery control my life any longer. And you know what? It hasn't. I've stopped all but one anxiety attack this entire year. I haven't spent one single day lying in bed for hours staring at the ceiling and mourning all the things I should be doing. I reconnected with my passions, I got in touch with old friends, I made new friends! I dared myself to step out of my comfort zone. I started trying again, really trying to be happy. I've gone to bed exhausted every night this year, but it's not the I-want-to-die depression lethargy anymore. It's an I'm-wiped-but-today-was-awesome kind of tiredness. And I bet a lot of people have it worse than me and happiness seems like an impossibility, but I promise you, if you refuse to let life run you down, you are invincible. Let me illustrate this concept with a picture you may have seen before:

Yes, it's really that simple.

3. When the world turns its back on you, you turn your back on the world politely smile at the world and move around to face it.  I could this modified statement various ways, but my main point is that sometimes, you have to play society's silly game if you ever want to win it. As much as I love to learn, I honestly feel that today education system is doing me no justice. I firmly believe that I could be moving mountains if I didn't have to spend so much time on school and homework. But I can't just drop out of high school; I have my future to consider. I'd like to get my cosmetology degree before I graduate high school, and then go on to college and take classes with a focus on fashion, business, and perhaps photography. Without those skills, I could probably open up my own store for Repurpose, but, let's face it, if I have the opportunity for higher-level education, why do without? My parents are dedicated to making sure I have the best education possible, so it would be a bit stupid to say "oh, screw college, I'll be alright." Unfortunately, I have to complete high school to get into college, so I might as well use these bright brains I've been granted while I'm stuck here. That's the way life works; often we have to do something we may not particularly enjoy or go through a rough phase of life before the heavens open up and we're able to fully and completely do what we love. It may be hard, and it's sure unfair, but you just have to grit your teeth and bear it -- and, most importantly, don't resent it. Put your full heart into whatever it is you're doing, even if it's not your idea of what you'd like to do. As previously stated, you can learn from everyone and everything. Keep your eyes and ears open and plug on. You'll probably be the better because of it.

4. Learn to accept things the way they are. Sad as it is, the sun doesn't rise in the morning just to make your day bright. Every day, I see people griping and grumbling and stressing about things they can't control. If I look at my news feed right now, Facebook statuses include "I f***in hate this town", "The weather sucks, hurry up spring" "No Glee concert this year... oh look there's my heart shattered on the floor" and "Ugghhh Mr._____ is a b****** im gonna bomb this test!". Well, I'm sorry, but you can't control this town, the weather, whether or not Glee tours, or the workload your teacher assigns. So what is the point in getting upset about it? Complaining about the weather won't make summer come any sooner, so honey I suggest you put on a sweater, make yourself some soup and get over it. Life isn't easy and it isn't fair, but that doesn't mean life isn't good. It really is exactly what you make it. I, for one, don't plan to waste any more of my precious time worrying and groaning about the bad things. It's okay to let yourself have a pity party every once in a while, but after you wipe your tears you need to get up and do something about it. If you can change your situation, great. But if you can't, you're going to have to find a way to deal, because being sad isn't going to get anybody anywhere. I wasted so much of my life being miserable because I was depressed, always thinking that if I was put on meds, or if the weather got nicer, or if I didn't take such challenging classes I would be happier. Wrong. Once I accepted the difficult reality of life, I was much better prepared to take control of my own happiness -- and take control of it I have!

5. You really, really, really need to live in the moment. I don't know if you have a time machine, but I don't, which means every second I've been alive is a second I will never get back. People are always saying "I need more time" or "I don't have the time." Well, what are you doing with all the time you do have? Are you watching TV or wasting time on the internet? Busy, working people who want to get in shape often say they don't any time to go to the gym. Well, maybe that's true, but eating a healthy diet doesn't take any more time than eating a poor one. Doing a one-minute yoga stretch in the morning is not going to make you late for the rest of your day. So, prioritize and commit. I promise you, if you really want something badly enough, you will make time for it. To live an inspired lifestyle is to make the most of every moment. Laugh more often. Call that old friend you've been meaning to call. Multitask. Buy a planner and schedule your day, and then actually stick to it as much as possible. Write in a journal before you go to sleep. Never put anything off until tomorrow, because tomorrow isn't garunteed. If you want to be happy, you have to live today. Time is the most precious thing we have. So don't waste it. In the wise words of Ferris Bueller, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

And also, print out pictures more often. Looking at some photos from 2011 just now really made me smile. I'll share a few...

A conceptual photoshoot my dear friend Bayley and I had over the summer. Top left: me attempting a kid-like airplane stance on the swing and looking more like a corpse. Top right: Candid of Bayley being the adorable and beautiful person she is. Bottom left: "I'm a moose." Enough said. Bottom right: I just thought this was super cute. It was also the last picture taken before my camera Phillip sporadically fell off his tripod and broke, sending him to the shop for quite a while. :(

I love my friends to death. Top left: my friends Joe and Ricky with my darling Pete in the middle. We were going for a walk and I snapped a few candid shots when we were milling about in my backyard. This was the day I got my pixie haircut! Top right: Probably the best shot ever of my friends Ricky and Julia, creepily waiting for the pizza man to arrive at my house. I promise you we were sober, too. Bottom left: I was taking a picture of the beautiful Jaclyn when Joe walked by and made a face. I still think it's the best picture of him I've ever taken. Bottom right: Me, days before I cut my hair, and Ricky. He's the cutest thing. 

There are countless more, of course, that I'd love to share, but I don't feel like making a zillion more collages, so enjoy that glimpse into my 2011 for now! I laughed so much looking at old pictures. Just another reason to make the most of every moment. :)

I've noticed how I end every single post with a sentence beginning in "I hope," so I'm going to twist it up and say that I do quite wish you've all been well and you've enjoyed my rambling, preachy kernels of wisdom! Cheers! x

5 Ways To Sap Stress Out Of Your Life

Ello there! I'm introducing a new feature: 5 Ways. Every now and then I'll make a post similar to this, in which I discuss five different methods or techniques to do something. The topics could range anywhere from life advice, like this one, to recipe ideas involving a certain ingredient, to fashion designs and inspiration. Who knows what I'll think up? Anyway, enjoy the first 5 Ways!

5 Ways To Sap Stress

1. Unplug. We all fall captive of technology's clutches now and then. A two-minute excursion onto the internet to look up a definition can morph into and hour and a half of wasted time right under our noses. Often, the best thing to do when you need a stress detox or are falling into a creative rut is to power off those electronics! I know, I know, you've almost got a high score on Temple Run, and your BFF Jill just tweeted you something urgent, and omg, the new episode of Pretty Little Liars is totally on tonight, but trust me, it's really not that important. Let the texts and emails and  Facebook messages you're receiving go. Throw open a window, I don't care what the weather is like. Read a book. Catch up on chores. Take a bubble bath. Do something that doesn't require electricity. As much as modern technology benefits the world, we all tend to get lost in cyberspace and forget the things that are really important. So tell your friends you'll talk to them later, and take a few hours to unplug.

2. Start your day right. One fine day I stumbled upon this excellent list of morning activities that will leave you feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the oncoming day. I suggest choosing a few you like and trying to do at least one every day! If, like me, you're not exactly a morning person, I find that setting your alarm about half an hour before you actually need to wake up helps to ease the usual rush. After snoozing a few times, pulling myself out of bed and stumbling my way through the routine, I feel a lot more capable by the time I'm out the door than on days where I'm unable to snooze at all.

3. Don't sweat the small stuff. We often mutate little issue into complete catastrophes in our minds purely because we think too much. The solutions to this problem is, well, don't think too much. Everything is a lot simpler than it seems. Stressing and complaining about an issue isn't going to solve it. My advice is to try to catch your anxieties before they develop into something more sinister. You're having company over and the house isn't clear? Don't panic. Stuff your clutter in that hall closet and wash those dirty dishes. Your guests probably don't care if how meticulously vacuumed your floor is, anyway. You're feeling bitter because your friend is mad at you? Incinerate that trash-talk before it escapes your lips. Revenge is not the answer. Talk it out. Attempt to see their point of view and try to spot any misunderstandings that may have incurred this argument. Before you get too upset about anything, remember that humans are flawed beings. No one is asking you to be perfect, so for the love of all things good in the world, never expect perfection from yourself. I personally think a person's "flaws" are their most enticing and defining character traits.

Life is crazy. Things will go wrong. But take a deep breath. Mess-ups only become mistakes if you let them. It's all in your head. Your past will only define you if you focus on it. Don't allow the bad things in life to consume you! There's so much more to be happy for.

4. Prioritize. Sit down with some paper and pen and decide what's important to you. What are your ideals? What are you dreams? Now, break these things down into small pieces, because the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and all the rest of those clichés. The point is, setting small goals each month, week, and day will help you to work productively towards your dreams.

At the start of a new week, decide your agenda for the next seven days. Ask yourself what you need to do and what you want to have accomplished by this time next week. Been meaning to clean the bathroom? Write it down. Made dinner plans with a friend on Friday? Put it on paper. Promised your mother you'd call? Schedule it in. Hang this week's list somewhere that will be clearly visible when you  first wake up. Write this week's small goal on top. Each day, when you rouse from your slumber, decide what you can do today to achieve this week's goal. If you want to make a difference in someone's life, perhaps today is a great day to compliment everyone you meet. If your goal for this year is to lead a healthy life, then get up, get dressed, and take a brisk walk! Remember that nothing happens instantly. Life moves in baby steps, and the best day to start is today. Don't let yourself become discouraged. To remind myself of my own potential, I painted a quote on my wall that gives me the courage to pursue my passion and keep plodding on, no matter how tough it seems.

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." - Walt Disney

5. If all else fails, take a break. It's always a good time for a nap. Eat some chocolate. Count your blessings. Curl up with a good book, good music, or a good friend. Take a walk. Play a board game. Talk to an old friend. Treat yourself to some ice cream or decadent coffee -- you deserve it! Paint something, even if you're not an artist. In fact, finger paint something. Go on an adventure. Try something new. Life doesn't look so scary from the depths of a warm bath. Tomorrow doesn't seem so impossible when you let someone dry your tears. Often, we're so caught up in our sadness that we don't let ourselves have a happy moment when one passes by. I promise you, if you hold onto that silver lining, the clouds will melt away. Laugh. Laugh like you've never been hurt before. Life is hectic and wild, but it's undeniably beautiful. The road ahead may be seem like it's studded with mountains instead of pebbles, but take it from someone who's been suicidal and managed to pull through. Life isn't as hard as you think it is. Take a deep breath and let it all out. Relax. Isn't it so lovely just to be alive?

Stay happy, my friends.