Camp Smartypants

Gipsyland

2012-02-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

I am in love with these images from Eclectic Gipsyland. I wish my entire house could look like this!

Found via Eclectic Gipsyland. Also check out her blog.

Free Spirit Friday

2012-02-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

Sources clockwise: thefeatherjunkie, partytights, regardintemporel

Link Love:

• I want to do this DIY.

• So glad I found RevolutionizeHer.

Have a great weekend! xo Rachel

Artist Love: Jessica Singh

2012-02-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

I recently discovered the amazing work of Jessica Singh via Design Work Life. The bright colors, themes, and patterns she creates in her illustrations are just breath taking!

Sheroes: Pearl Buck

2012-02-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

SHERO: Pearl Buck, Writer

LIFE: June 26, 1892 – March 6, 1973

FAME: The first American woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature

Pearl Buck was an American writer who lived and wrote about China. Born in 1892 in Hillsboro, West Virginia, she grew up in Chinkiang, China where her parents were stationed as missionaries. During her time in China (a total of 40 years residency) she experienced life in poor rural areas, and survived the Boxer Rebellion and civil war.

She began writing in her twenties and published her first novel, East Wind, West Wind, in 1930. In 1931 she published The Good Earth, her best-selling novel about the emergence of modern China. The book won her the Pulitzer Prize in 1932. In 1938, she became the first American woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature "for her rich and truly epic descriptions of peasant life in China and for her biographical masterpieces." (source)

DID YOU KNOW? The second American woman to receive the Nobel Prize was Toni Morrison in 1993 (61 years later!).

In 1934 Pearl Buck returned to America where she focused on humanitarian efforts, campaigning for minority and women's rights. She spoke out against Japanese-American internment camps during World War II and was a target for surveillance by Senator Joseph McCarthy and the FBI. In 1949 she founded Welcome House, the first international, interracial adoption agency in the world. She also helped to open America's mind and attitude toward mental disabilities by writing The Child Who Never Grew Up about her daughter Carol in 1950.

DID YOU KNOW? In her lifetime, Pearl Buck published over 70 books including fiction, nonfiction and children's books. (Why weren't more of her life and works taught in school?)

Sources: nobelprize.org, gradesaver.com, hrc.utexas.edu, wikipedia.org,

Remarkable American Women, Life Magazine, 1976.

Sunny Sunday

2012-02-05T12:36:00.000-08:00

It's been bright and sunny here in Portland these last few days. It's such a nice change from our normal grey rain. I am just recovering from food poisoning (I was in bed for 3 days). Dinah and magazines kept me company, but I mostly slept and played a dumb iPhone game, Pocket Potions while I waited for the poison to leave my system so my stomach could heal.

Yesterday was the first day I felt well enough to venture out of my house. I made a trip to my favorite thrift store, Rerun and picked up some goodies...

I've been eyeing this piece of art for a few weeks now and decided to go for it. I just love the retro style of Daniel and the Lions- so adorable! On the back is written 1974 Israel. Now I just need to find a good home on my wall for it to hang.

I found this issue of Wimmen's Comix, an all-female underground comic from 1974.

In the evening, James and I took a walk through the neighborhood as the sun went down. I love walking through the neighborhoods of Portland, seeing all the different houses and people's yards. Makes me dream of having my own house some day. Afterwards we drove to Movie Madness on SE Belmont to find a weird movie to watch. I chose Times Square, which I had read about on Rookie Mag. I highly recommend it if you haven't seen it. It's an 1980's movie about two misfit teenage girls who run away together to form a punk band in New York.

Today I'm enjoying the sunshine from my window, catching up on work and my blog posts for next week. Hope you all are having a relaxing Sunday afternoon!

xo Rachel

Free Spirit Friday

2012-02-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

Sources clockwise: aminuteofperfection, misswallflower, lovemydress.net

Hope you all have a lovely weekend! ♥ Rachel

Sweetheart Cupcakes + Free Printables!

2012-02-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

February is here and that means Valentine's Day is right around the corner! My favorite things about Valentine's Day are the color pink, candy, hearts and showing my friends and family how much I love them. This year I decided to whip up these pretty Sweetheart Cupcakes!

They turned out so cute I knew I had to share the recipe along with some fun free printables I made just for the occasion. You can download them here and make your own cupcake toppers!

Sweetheart Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from Cheese and Chocolate
Makes 18-21 cupcakes

• White cake batter (If using a store bought mix, follow the directions on the box to make your batter. I used this recipe for Lemon Buttermilk cake batter)
• Red food coloring
• Vanilla or other white or pink frosting (I used buttercream frosting)
• Red and pink sprinkles (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (or as instructed on the box). Line 2 muffin tins with about 20 cupcake liners.

Prepare your cake batter per your chosen recipe’s instructions. Fill each cupcake liner about 1/3 full with white batter. Then set aside. Add a few drops of red food coloring to the remaining batter (I added in about 3 drops to make a light pink color). Pour 1/3 of the pink batter into a pastry or ziploc bag and set aside.

Add more red food coloring drops to the remainder of the pink batter until you get a nice dark pink or red color. Pour the red batter into another pastry or ziploc bag.

Cut the tip of the red bag batter off and stick the open tip into the middle of each cup of white batter. Squeeze a few tablespoons of the red batter into each cup. Repeat this process with the pink batter- cut the tip of the bag off and stick the tip into the middle of the red batter, squeezing in a few tablespoons of batter into each cup.

Bake cupcakes for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Transfer the cupcakes to cooling racks and let cool completely.

Next make your frosting. If you want to make your own, use your favorite recipe for vanilla or buttercream frosting. If you’re like me and lost steam after making all the cupcakes, you can use a store bought jar. Add in a few drops of red food coloring to make your frosting pretty n’ pink. Frost each cupcake and top with red and pink sprinkles.

For extra cuteness, download these free printables and make your own toppers! Cut out each heart and attach them to wooden skewers or toothpicks (I used small pieces of tape). Poke them into the top of each cupcake and you're done!

January Recap

2012-01-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

January is almost over! That mean's we're one month closer to spring. The cold, grey weather here in Portland has taken its toll and I can't wait for warmer weather and sunshine. Here a few photos I took (with my iphone) this month.

My roommate and I hosted a breakfast + cartoon party with friends. We all wore our pajamas and watched all our favorite cartoons from when we were little.

My friend, Cynthia showed me her amazing vintage poodle collection.

My friend Zerrin hosted nail art parties.. Check out her amazing skills!

We also had fun making shell art! Best dollar store craft EVER!

This is one of my favorite quilts made by my Gramma.

Other fun things I did this month:

• Painted 4 portraits of amazing women (1+2, 3, 4).

• Shared my Lisa Frank collection.

• Added new Valentine Cards to my shop.

Free Spirit Friday

2012-01-27T07:00:00.000-08:00

Sources clockwise: bornbeforethewind, bonfaires, ravenwillowmoon

This is what January feels like...

This weekend I am helping my mom host my sister's going away party (she is moving to the east coast to work as a nurse in the US Navy), making art, and playing music with friends. Have a great weekend!

Fashion ♥

2012-01-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

I am absolutely smitten with Sessun's Spring 2012 Lookbook! The bold colors & retro style are just gorgeous!

By Sessun. Found via Miss Moss

Sheroes: Janis Joplin

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

SHERO: Janis Joplin
LIFE: January 19, 1943 – October 4, 1970
FAME: Dubbed the first Queen of Rock and Roll.

GROWING UP: Janis grew up listening to blues musicians such as Bessie Smith, Odetta, and Big Mama Thornton in Port Arthur, Texas. She sang in the church choir and was also a painter. Growing up in Texas was a real struggle for her, as she didn't conform to the mold of a typical young woman of the 1950's.

DID YOU KNOW? In 1950 Janis joined Bluebirds, junior Girl Scouts.

(source)

LIFE AS A MUSICIAN: In 1966 Janis Joplin moved to San Francisco where she joined the band, Big Brother and the Holding Company. During the summer of 1967- the summer of love- the group had a breakthrough performance in at the Monterey Pop Festival, where Janis belted a version of Big Mama Thornton's, "Ball and Chain" while the world watched in awe.

"Playing is just about feeling. It isn't necessarily about misery, it isn't about happiness. It's just about letting yourself feel all those things you already have inside of you but are trying to push aside because they don't make for polite conversation or something. But if you just get up there — that's the only reason I can sing. Because I get up there and just let all those things come out." - Janis Joplin

Like most musicians during that time, Janis was a heavy drinker and experimented a lot with drugs. While recording her last album, "Pearl" in October of 1970, she overdosed on heroin in a motel in Los Angeles at the age of 27.

DID YOU KNOW? Pearl was her nickname known amongst her friends.

LIFE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Janis paved the way for women in Rock and Roll. In the 1960's, women struggled to fit into the counterculture as many doubted they could play with the boys like Jimi Hendrix, Jerry Garcia, and Santana. Janis Joplin's voice was considered a force of nature.

(source)

AWARDS: Janis Joplin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and was given a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005.

Resources: janisjoplin.com, wikipedia.org, npr.org, janisjoplin.net

Free Spirit Friday

2012-01-20T13:48:00.000-08:00

Sources clockwise: thedrifterandthegypsy, packagedsmiles, misswallflower

♥ Link Love

• I've always been a fan of Jessica Hische's work. I just love that she's posted her high school art portfolio online!

• I need to start saving up for a this fancy watercolor set.

• I recently discovered the blog of my favorite comic book artist, Lynda Barry. Check out The Near-Sighted Monkey.

Happy Friday everyone!

♥ Rachel

Shop Update! New Valentine Cards ♥

2012-01-20T11:27:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday! Today I'm excited to announce that my new Valentine cards have just been added to my Etsy shop! These are a smaller A2 size card and are perfect for sending to friends and family. I had a lot of fun creating these designs, so I hope you love them as much as I do!

Be Mine ($3.00 each)

Let's Be Valentines ($3.00 each)

Sheroes: Lillian Gilbreth

2012-01-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

Lillian Gilbreth (b. 1878 d. 1972) known as the Mother of Modern Management, was an American psychologist, an industrial engineer and one of the first working female engineers to hold a Ph.D. Both she and her husband, Frank, were industrial engineers and partners who specialized in time-and-motion studies and pioneered industrial management techniques such as job standardization and incentive wage-plans. Lillian combined her perspectives of an engineer, a psychologist, a wife, and a mother to show her field the importance of the psychological dimensions of work.

In addition having their own careers and business, Lillian and her husband had 12 children together. They applied their rules for production-line efficiency to the way they ran their home and family. The book, Cheaper by the Dozen was written by two of their children about their experiences growing up in such a large family.

After Frank's death in 1924, Lillian became head of the business as well as the family. She was a pioneer in streamlining kitchen design, contributing such innovations as foot-pedal trash cans and storage shelves on refrigerator doors. She was also a college professor and an internationally known management consultant until her death in 1972. Her life and work totally contradicts the conventional notion that a woman cannot combine raising children with a successful career.

Resources: csupomona.edu, sdsc.edu, Remarkable American Women, Life Magazine, 1976.

Young At Heart: Lisa Frank

2012-01-16T09:38:00.000-08:00

Some of you may remember my Young At Heart feature from last year (I did two posts, one on Figment the purple dragon and another on Rainbow Brite). For those of you who are new readers, Young At Heart is a feature where I share a favorite toy from my childhood. My mom and grandma save everything, so I still have all my favorite toy collections from when I was little.

Today I wanted to share my Lisa Frank collection. Ask any girl and she will know all about Lisa Frank's products. Her art is bright and colorful and features rainbows, puppies, unicorns, lipstick, ballerina bunnies, and tons more colorful cuteness. I remember having a massive sticker collection in grade school and would always choose the Lisa Frank notebooks when my mom took me shopping for school supplies.

As an adult, I still love Lisa Frank and even still buy her products (they've become a guilty pleasure of mine). For Christmas, my lovely sister got me two vintage Lisa Frank poster books full of all her earliest art from the 1980's.

You can find these poster books at www.lisafrankstore.com

Free Spirit Friday

2012-01-13T06:57:00.000-08:00

Sources clockwise: bornbeforethewind, whisperingwindx, d-h-a-h

• Girl Scout Cookie flavored lip balm! Yes please!

• Jon Huck photographs people with their breakfast and it's SO interesting!

• Tattly is making some cool designy tattoos.

Happy Friday the 13th!

♥ Rachel

Life lessons from a former Girl Scout

2012-01-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

Recently I've been thinking a lot about how my experience in Girl Scouts has helped shape who I am today. Above all, I think Girl Scouts taught me to have confidence in who I am and what I do. It helped me believe that I can achieve anything if I put my mind to it. I thought it would be fun to share my top 5 Girl Scout lessons that I learned in grade school and continue to use as an adult.

#1 Be Prepared.

This is the official Girl Scout motto and an extremely valuable lesson to learn. Being prepared requires you to really think about what you are about to do and plan ahead. Whether I am vending at a craft show or going out dancing, I always try to 'be prepared' and think about the things I may need while I'm out. That way I don't get stuck feeling too cold or too hot, out of cash or wearing the wrong shoes.

#2 Do A Good Turn Daily.

The official Girl Scout slogan, Do A Good Turn Daily means do something nice for someone else every day. Getting in the habit of thinking about the needs of others is, of course, a necessary and much appreciated skill. My mom was my Girl Scout leader growing up and I remember she always stressed that we should do something helpful or nice for people without being asked. If you see a dirty kitchen floor, grab a broom and sweep it up. If you have a friend who's struggling with something in their life, offer to help! Having the ability to anticipate the needs of others and offer to help is something I try to aspire to.

#3 Be A Sister To Every Girl Scout.

This is a big one; a lesson that I think is probably the most valuable. Be A Sister To Every Girl Scout means sharing, trust and friendship among women. Learning this lesson as a young girl is what I think helped my sister and I get along. Don't get me wrong, we still had our normal sibling fights, but growing up we shared everything and did everything together. I don't remember ever feeling threatened by us doing (and even wearing) the same things. In our society, I think women are more often encouraged to compete against one another, especially in our world of the internet and reality television. But friendship and cooperation among women is an extremely powerful thing. Together, I believe us girls have the ability to create magic, inspire others and even change the world!

#4 Use Resources Wisely.

Use Resources Wisely means to be conscious of what and how much you consume or throw out. As a human and citizen in our world, I think it is very important to consider our environment and do our part to keep our planet clean and beautiful. This means getting in the habit of recycling, not littering or taking more than you actually need. Above all this lesson taught me to love and respect our our Mother Earth and truly appreciate the beauty of nature.

#5 Make The World A Better Place.

Making an impact on our world can seem like an impossibly huge task, but I believe it's the little things that really make the difference. Just taking the time to reflect and think about what you do before you do it, is an invaluable skill. I'm a big believer in 'thinking before acting'. If you are able to step back and consider how your actions will affect those around you, you are more able to make good decisions that can help and inspire others to do the same.

Sheroes

2012-01-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

Some of you may remember the two Sheroes posts I wrote last year about Amelia Earhart and Lucille Ball. Well I've been wanting to continue writing more posts about inspiring women in history and have finally felt motivated to start again!

I found an amazing issue of LIFE magazine at my grandma's house a few months ago. The entire issue is devoted to remarkable American women from 1776-1976. I've been pouring over it, reading about the amazing lives of many women I've never even heard of before. Discovering that magazine is what really inspired me to continue featuring Sheroes on my blog! To add a creative element, I am also painting a portrait to pair with a short history lesson of each noteworthy woman.

When deciding who to paint first, I went back to Amelia Earhart (You can read about her history here. ) I haven't done much watercolor painting in a long time and haven't drawn people since I was in college, so this is definitely a challenging, fun new project!

For my next featured woman, I chose Julia Ward Howe:

Born in 1819, the daughter of a well-to-do banker from New York City. At that time, the education of women was very limited. As a child she taught herself, reading from the library her brother sent from Europe during his travels. In 1843 she married Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe, a physician and reformer who founded the Perkins School for the Blind in Boston, Massachusetts. He frowned upon Julia's literary ambitions and forbade her from working outside of the home or being anything more than a traditional housewife. After 20 years of marriage, Julia confided in her diary: "I have never known my husband to approve any act of mine which I myself valued."

Despite her husband's rigid opinions, Julia became one of the most celebrated women in America. In 1861, she was inspired to write, "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" after she and her husband visited Washington D.C. While watching Union troops singing the song, "John Brown's Body" a friend urged her to write new words for the old tune. Her new song, Battle Hymn of the Republic lifted the hearts of many and transformed her into a permanent symbol of patriotism.

After the war, Julia focused her activities on pacifism and women's suffrage. In 1870, she was the first to proclaim Mother's Day. She was also a co-editor and writer for The Women's Journal, which lobbied for suffrage and human rights. After her husband's death in 1876, she founded the Association of American Women, a group which advocated for women's education. In addition to her reform work, she also wrote travel books, children's fiction and music.

Resources: Wikipedia, JuliaWardHowe.org, Remarkable American Women, Life Magazine, 1976.

I love reading stories of women who are strong enough to stay true to themselves despite living in a society where their efforts are strongly discouraged. The courage to rise up above the norm, accomplish great things that spark change in our world is in my opinion, inspiring.

Free Spirit Friday

2012-01-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

Sources clockwise: natalieaber, thecollectivecollage, missresurreccion

Free Spirit Friday is back! I've been debating whether or not to continue this feature in 2012, but decided pairing three found images together is a lot of fun! I like choosing images that together create a mood or even suggest a story.

Just to switch things up a bit, this year I'll be pairing FFF with some of my favorite links and other things I discover throughout the week. Starting things off..

• Girl Scouts has declared 2012 the Year of the Girl: a celebration of girls, recognition of their leadership potential, and a commitment to creating a coalition of like-minded organizations and individuals in support of balanced leadership in the workplace and in communities across the country.

As a Girl Scout Alumni, I'm excited to see what the organization can accomplish on their 100 year anniversary! It's got me thinking a lot about what Girl Scouts taught me and how the experience has shaped who I am today (I'll be posting more on this soon....)

• I've signed up for this class and am excited to learn more about creating repeating patterns.

• I'm reading a lot of Rookie Mag these days. I may not be a teenage girl anymore but find myself still interested in teenage-girl-stuff :)

Have a great weekend!

♥ Rachel

Shop Talk: My First Year As A Freelance Designer

2011-12-29T09:50:00.000-08:00

With 2011 coming to an end, I've spent a lot of time reflecting on the year and making plans for 2012. At the beginning of this year, I quit my restaurant job (which had been my bread & butter) and jumped into freelance design work full-time. It was an interesting year to say the least consisting of break throughs as well as break downs. But overall I made it! The simple fact that I managed to find consistent work for a full year and was able to stay out of debt, pay my bills on time and still have some fun is definitely an accomplishment! Here are some of my struggles and lessons learned from my first year as a freelance graphic designer:

Struggle #1: Was I making a big mistake? Jumping into full-time freelancing brought up a ton of insecurities in myself, my work, and my own abilities. I struggled a lot with self doubt and my decision to work freelance rather than full-time. I knew freelance was a better fit for me and the life I wanted to live, but did I have enough work experience to be successful? Was my portfolio good enough? Was I worth what I wanted to charge my clients?

Being on my own felt extremely vulnerable and I was terrified of failure. I wanted the path I had chosen for myself to be justified. I wanted someone to tell me I was making the right decision. Most often I was told the exact opposite. I was literally told by a recruiter to "suck it up and grow up. A full-time, 9-5 job is the only way to be considered successful and the only way to have a legitimate career." I practically lost my mind when I was told that! For me, the idea of working the same job, doing the same thing, 40-hours a week seemed like a prison! Luckily, I have some great friends that supported me and my "non-traditional" career choice and even referred me to new clients!

Lesson Learned: Stay true to myself. Surround myself with people who support my decision to work freelance and tune the rest out.

Struggle #2: Finding interesting work and gaining new clients. At first, I took on any work I could get. I had no idea of what type of work I actually wanted to be doing and ended up feeling unhappy about the low-budget, low-creative projects I was accepting from clients. It wasn't until September that I actually realized who my ideal client was and the type of work I'd be most excited about doing! Once I figured that out, I redesigned my portfolio to reflect that and within one week, won a project with my dream client, Lisa Frank! (Project TBA in 2012).

Lesson Learned: Identify my ideal client. Knowing exactly what type of work I wanted to do inspired me to rebrand myself to appeal to that specific market. And once I did that, it paid off almost instantly- Hurray!

Struggle #3: Financial planning, running a business + work flow. Money was a definite worry. How do I make a budget? How much money do I need to make to get by? I have to pay my own taxes? What? One month I was overloaded with projects, the next I was twiddling my thumbs. I experienced some drastic changes in my workload and it freaked me out! Then I realized- this is the life of a freelancer. It's ok that I don't have any big projects right now and it's actually a good thing! For example, December was a slow month for freelance work. At first I was worried about not having enough income to make it through the month, but the money I had made in the busy months previous helped me through and I was able to focus on other things! I was a vendor at Crafty Wonderland, I visited friends in Seattle, did some reading and even started planning for 2012.

Lesson Learned: The ebbs and flows of freelance life is what makes being my own boss worth it! When I'm not fully booked with freelance projects I can change my focus to personal projects, reorganizing, and planning. I still have A LOT to learn about running my own business. One of my goals for 2012 is to design an easy system for keeping track of financial stuff and filing quarterly taxes.

Pretty Discoveries

2011-11-30T16:13:00.001-08:00

I know it's been ages since I've done a Pretty Discoveries post. My blog has sorta fallen off the face of the earth these past few months. But I want to revive it! I miss sharing my latest inspirations, wishlists, creative projects, and adventures. I plan to start a new blog schedule in 2012 with regular weekly posts. Till then, I hope to pop in with random things to share.

This holiday season I've been drawn toward pretty retro pinks. Hope you enjoy this bit of holiday inspiration ♥

Catalina

2011-11-22T10:05:00.001-08:00

Hello! I just got back from a little vacation in Catalina, CA and thought I'd share some photos! We had a blast attending the Catalina Swing Dance Festival. We learned some great new moves!

It was so nice to escape the Portland rain!

The big round building on the left is the Casino Ballroom, where we danced.

We took some great workshops during the day and danced to live music at night.

After hours dancing took place at a local restaurant called, Antonios.

James and I had so much fun dancing and relaxing on the island, we didn't want to leave!

Halloween Costume!

2011-10-31T13:38:00.000-07:00

Hi! I thought I'd share photos of my halloween costume! It was super fun to wear and now I am obsessed with the color red! I could wear that cape EVERY day!

This was the first time I've ever tried styling a 1940's hairstyle. I followed this tutorial. My mom ended up helping me with it. I think it turned out great!

Dress- reconstructed vintage

Cape- vintage

Shoes- Nordstrom Rack

Basket- vintage

See the inspiration for this costume here.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween! Hope you have a spoooooky Monday :)

Free Spirit Friday

2011-10-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Sources clockwise: wearetheweavers, now0rriesss, rivers-and-roads,

Free Spirit Friday

2011-10-21T05:30:00.000-07:00

Sources clockwise: ravenwillowmoon, sabino, 100philosophers

Pretty Discoveries: Red Riding Hood Style

2011-10-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hello again...

2011-10-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Fall is in full swing and I feel busier than ever. I thought I'd share with you my current to-do list:

- Finish redesigning my online portfolio (I swear designing for myself is harder than designing for a client!)
- Finish my holiday card designs
- Have a pumpkin carving party
- Make lots of homemade soup
- Buy a new winter coat
- *Finish making my halloween costume

Speaking of halloween costumes, my boyfriend James and I have decided to do a couples costume of Red Riding Hood and the Wolf! Except we're not going to be the typical fairytale characters, rather we are going as Tex Avery's cartoon, Red Hot Riding Hood!

I hate the slutty costumes most girls wear on halloween, so I found a classy sexy vintage reconstructed red dress at the Portland Design Collective yesterday. I plan to alter it a bit more and then make a matching red cape! (I'll be sure to post photos soon!)

What are your plans for Halloween this year?

Red Riding Hood

2011-10-16T12:11:00.001-07:00

Check out this Red Riding Hood treasury I made on Etsy!

Free Spirit Friday

2011-10-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

Sources clockwise: wearetheweavers, mabonmoon, partytights

DIY Candy-Filled Pumpkin Tutorial!

2011-10-07T13:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday everyone! I recently created this fun tutorial for the My Own Ideas blog and thought it was so cute, I'd share it on my own blog as well! Enjoy!

I originally got the idea from Martha Stewart’s Cherry Bomb Wedding Favor How-To. But instead of a cherry, I decided to make pumpkins for Halloween favors. Martha’s how-to says these are “a cinch to make” but it took a little practice for me to get the hang of it. After making 4 duds, I came up with these beauties!

Tools & Supplies:
• Orange tissue paper
• Scissors
• Candy (I used Reese’s Pieces)
• Covered floral wire
• Floral Tape

Directions:
1. Stack two layers of tissue paper. Using a small plate (6-8 inches in diameter is a good size), trace a circle. Cut out, cutting through both layers.

2. Place about 30 pieces of candy (fewer depending on the size of candy you use) in the center of the circle.

3. Gather the edges of the tissue up over the candy and twist together at the middle to create the stem of your pumpkin. You’ll want your ’stem’ to be about 3/4″-1″ long. Set aside.

4. Cut a piece of covered wire about 6″ long and bend one end at a 90 degree angle that is the same length as your tissue stem.

5. Wrap the long end of the wire around a pen or pencil to create the pumpkin’s twisty vine.

6. Place the straight end of your wire at the base of your tissue stem with the twist pointing downwards (toward the ‘pumpkin’). Using floral tape, wrap tightly around the wire and all the way up the tissue stem. If you want you can add a small piece of tape at the very top of the stem (to cover the top). Keep wrapping the tape around the stem until it is completely covered (remember floral tape isn’t like normal tape. It only sticks to itself, so wrap tightly and be sure to overlap it to ensure it holds together well).

(I added a small diamond gift tag from myownlabels.com to make it more personalized, but that is totally optional!)

PS. For anyone interested in personalized labels and tags, we are hosting a giveaway on the My Own Ideas blog for a $50 gift certificate from myownlabels.com!

Enter here >>

Camp Isabella

2011-10-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hi! I know it's been pretty quiet around here lately. I've been overwhelmingly busy this past month! I've been juggling a bunch of freelance design projects, developing new fall/winter items for my shop, visiting friends in Seattle, and working on revamping my design portfolio.

One of my most recent projects was designing these super cute CUSTOM Scout Badges. They are for a little girl's 8th birthday party. I designed a special button, "Camp Isabella" just for the birthday girl and then created her own Scout Badge collection in her favorite colors, orange and magenta!

I think they turned out SO cute! This is definitely the most fun custom request I've received on Etsy so far :)

Free Spirit Friday

2011-09-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

Sources Clockwise: misswallflower, rivers-and-roads, eyesaglow

Hope you all have a lovely weekend! Peace, Rachel

Not exactly pretty discoveries...

2011-09-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been feeling like this...

bornbeforethewind

(me too)

carousel-eyes

I want to live here!

eclecticsoup

I LOVE her hair! Want want!

eyesaglow

Thinking about this...

suninhereyes

I would DIE to wear this!

ravenwillowmoon

You probably noticed this isn't a typical Pretty Discoveries post. I felt in the mood to change things up! Hope you enjoy...

Art Journal

2011-09-12T10:53:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I spent time working in my art journal. I use a vintage book called, Just Be Yourself by Mary Bard. I found it at a used bookstore years ago and have slowly been filling its pages with watercolors, collage, etc. I have many sketchbooks that I use. This journal is reserved for times when I need to slow down and really ruminate on what it means to be me. Here are some fairly recent pages...

(photos taken with Instagram)

Virgo

2011-09-09T13:16:00.000-07:00

I recently finished my newest zodiac illustration! I hope all you virgo's out there will enjoy this one!

Grab the button!

Free Spirit Friday

2011-09-09T11:18:00.000-07:00

Sources clockwise: wearetheweavers, cradletograve, luadasfadasolivro

I ♥ Vintage Kitties

2011-09-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

tammy17tummy

wildwastedyouth

cosmosonic

forties-fifties-sixties-love

Free Spirit Friday

2011-09-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sources Clockwise: ravenwillowmoon, kaleidoscopicmindz, bobowoodlake

Falling For Purple + Shop Update!

2011-09-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

I can't believe today is September 1st. Where did the summer go? The tomatoes in my garden are just beginning to turn red and I'm already brainstorming halloween costume ideas! Haha!

With the end of summer approaching, I've found myself drawn to the color purple. Its deep and soothing and one of my favorite accent colors for this fall! With that said, I've added some new purple items to my Etsy shop! And I'm even offering a special discount on everything purple! Enter the coupon code: crazy4purple and receive 20% off any purple colored item!

I love these new purple tie-dye leggings! They are super comfortable and fun to wear with dresses and skirts.

I've added some new tie-dye scarves to my shop! This purple arrow scarf is my favorite!

God's Eye Necklaces are a BRAND NEW addition to my shop! They make a super cute splash of color to any outfit.

Thank you to Lindsay for spending a morning taking photos with me. I'm the worst model! I swear I can't help but blink every time a shot is taken :)

Pretty Discoveries ♥

2011-08-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

Free Spirit Friday!

2011-08-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sources clockwise: sabino, ravenwillowmoon, bornbeforethewind

Style Crush

2011-08-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'm loving the new fall collection of Australian-based label, Gorman. Bold patterns and bright color socks? Yes please! ♥

Pretty Discoveries ♥

2011-08-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Free Spirit Friday

2011-08-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sources clockwise: corrupted-fashion, wetbehindthears, freshvibes

Pretty Discoveries ♥

2011-08-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Art Love: Eugene Andolsek

2011-08-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I've done an Art Love post. I came across the work of Eugene Andolsek a few weeks ago and have been mesmerized by his kaleidoscopic drawings ever since. Eugene was born in 1921 and began to draw in 1953. He created his drawings using graph paper and a straight edge. His works were never displayed for anyone. Once he finished a drawing, it was tucked away in a closet. He didn't even consider himself an artist!

"His drawings gave him a means to cope with his insecurities and dislike for his job as a stenographer for the Rock Island Railroad. Concentrating on the intricacies of each drawing would release him from worries and make his humble surroundings disappear as he withdrew into his self made world of dazzling colors and the space he created on graph paper."

I hope you enjoy his works as much as I have. Check out more here.

Free Spirit Friday

2011-08-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sources clockwise: forties-fifties-sixties-love, bornbeforethewind, inspcollection

Pretty Discoveries ♥

2011-08-10T09:54:00.000-07:00

Free Spirit Friday

2011-08-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sources clockwise: thebridescafe, eyesaglow, cattyfox

Smartypants Style #2 by Le Sweet Tooth

2011-08-04T10:11:00.000-07:00

Hello Sunshine! I'm excited to share this awesome fashion guide inspired by one of my new card designs. Cari of Le Sweet Tooth has put together some great finds perfect for those of us savoring the the (near) end of summer. Enjoy!

1. Sprout coffee mug ( Cittadesign.com ) 2. Marc Friendship bracelet ( couture.zappos.com ) 3. Hello Sunshine card (Camp Smartypants) 4. Vitamin D Bikini Bottom and Top ( anthropologie.com ) 5. Essie Nail polish in Braziliant ( Essie.com ) 6. Vintage Rotary Phone ( anthropologie.com ) 7. Orange Navigator Sunglasses ( topshop.com ) 8. Assorted Mechanical Pencils ( Kikkerland.com )

More to check out:
• Smartypants Style Guide #1
• Le Sweet Tooth Blog- for your daily dose of fashion, food & design.

Leo

2011-08-03T12:10:00.000-07:00

(July 23- August 22)

I finally finished my Leo illustration! Leo is a masculine, fire sign ruled by the sun. Leo is enthusiastic, powerful, expansive and creative, generous and extravagant, dogmatic and fixed in opinion. Marvelously affectionate and cheerful, you have genuine joie de vivre. The Sun is your ruler, and you always bring some sunshine into the lives of others.

Grab a badge fellow Leos!

Luau Birthday

2011-08-03T08:00:00.001-07:00

Hello! With today being my 'official' birthday (I've been celebrating for a few weeks now!), I thought I'd share some photos from my Luau I hosted last Sunday. The weather was perfect, the backyard was beautiful, and the food and drinks turned out delicious!

Here is James and I kicking off the party, relaxing and sipping on mai tai's ♥

James set up a bar outside and made everyone cocktails!

With the help of my mom and sister, we served some delicious pupu's

(recipes from this book)

Jalapeno Cheese Balls & Crab Rangoon. Yum!

I love sipping cocktails from tiki mugs! So fun!

Hula girl decoration (a goodwill find!)

No party is complete without a craft activity. We had fun making our own tiki masks!

Even our cat JoJo was enjoying the party ;)

All-in-all I'd say turning 27 has been the most fun ever!

Free Spirit Friday

2011-07-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sources clockwise: schwefelgelb, carousel-eyes, xoxowildchild

Pretty Discoveries: Tiki Style

2011-07-27T10:50:00.000-07:00

This week I am getting ready to host a luau-themed birthday party (for myself)! My boyfriend James and I have recently become interested in tiki kitsch culture. We even attended a local tiki event a few weeks ago! I have to say my favorite things about tiki are the retro, bright floral dresses/hawaiian shirts, the 1960's women's hairstyles, the mugs carved into tiki gods, and of course the fruity umbrella cocktails.

In preparation for my party, I've been collecting vintage tiki-theme images and thought I'd share them with you here...

bornbeforethewind

forties-fifties-sixties-love

tikipop

forties-fifties-sixties-love

Dream Bedroom

2011-07-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

You may remember my bedroom theme Pretty Discoveries post last week. Well I'm still dreaming of prettying up my bedroom and I'm loving these items from Urban Outfitters...

www.urbanoutfitters.com

Birthday Wishlist

2011-07-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

With my birthday coming up, I've been trying to resist the urge to go shopping for myself. I've been hating my wardrobe lately and realized the other day that it's been *cough*a few years!*cough* since I've actually gone clothes shopping. I'll admit that while I dream of having pretty clothes, I hate having to go shopping. I'm generally picky and nine times out of ten, the one item that I love is conveniently the most expensive item in the store. And with my part time/ freelance job, I never have that much extra spending money.

I'm excited for my birthday this year, because my mom and I are planning a shopping date together. I love going shopping with my mom because she is really good at finding things that I would normally overlook or not think to consider trying on. I've been doing a lot of window shopping online and thought I'd share some of my 'birthday wishlist' favorites.

modcloth.com

shopruche.com

freepeople.com

Free Spirit Friday

2011-07-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sources clockwise: vintage-hippie, misswallflower, tomb-and-temple

I Spy Camp Smartypants Leggings!

2011-07-21T15:06:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd share this photo I snapped the other day while I was having lunch on NE Mississippi Street. This girl is wearing a pair of my tie-dye leggings! And I love how she wore them! The boots and tiger tank look rockin! This is the first time I've ever been out and about and seen a stranger wearing something I made! So exciting!

FYI- This legging style is currently unavailable in my shop, but I will be adding more soon! Sign up for my mailing list (see right hand sidebar of my blog) to be the first to know when they are back in my Etsy shop!

New Cards in the Shop!

2011-07-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

I've been working away on some new card designs lately and I'm so excited to finally get to share them with you!

You may recognize the last one. My Red Peace Bird Card now has a friend in blue! Head on over to my Etsy shop to snatch up your favorite card...

Pretty Discoveries ♥

2011-07-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

I've been daydreaming of magical bedrooms lately...

Some Vintage Summer Fun...

2011-07-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend I was flipping through my vintage craft magazines and found these amazing crochet summer fashions in a 1972 issue of Needle & Craft.

Camp Smartypants at Wanderlust!

2011-07-18T10:20:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to announce that fellow Portlander and crafter, Vanessa from Wanderlust will be selling my products in her mobile shop! If you're ever find yourself on NE Alberta Street on the weekends, be sure to stop by her cute vintage trailer and check out all the pretty vintage and handmade items she has for sale.

Find Wanderlust at: The Fashion and Food Cart Pod on 21st and Alberta!

Saturdays 12-7 and Sundays 12-5 and the Last Thursday every month.

wanderlustmobileshop.com

Free Spirit Friday!

2011-07-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sources clockwise: packagedsmiles, failinginlove, mariianna

♥ Pretty Discoveries

2011-07-13T08:00:00.001-07:00

Free Spirit Friday!

2011-07-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sources clockwise: vintage-hippie, misswallflower, bohemianpunk

This Saturday

2011-07-07T11:44:00.000-07:00

This Saturday I will be vending at the 10th Annual Mississippi Street Fair! If you are in the area, stop by my booth and say hello! It will be a fun day of live music, local craft vendors, food carts and more!

www.mississippiave.com

♥ Pretty Discoveries

2011-07-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

xoxowildchild

ocelott

fashionplatesanddirtydishes.com

I ♥ Summer

2011-07-05T10:51:00.000-07:00

Hope you all had a sunny and relaxing holiday weekend! I spent mine lounging in the sun and doing some just-for-fun crafts.

My grandpa collects feathers for me while he's out on the golf course. I have so many bags of feathers now! I've been trying to think of ways I can use them. One idea I had was painting them. I finally gave the idea a whirl and this is how they turned out...

What do you think? Even after painting them, I still don't know what to do with them. For now they sit on a shelf in my room. I may try using the big one as a bookmark.

I've been having fun painting other objects lately too. Here are two mushrooms I painted from champagne corks. I love them!

That's all for now. Have a great week!

Free Spirit Friday!

2011-07-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sources clockwise: missmossblog, bornbeforethewind, ravenwillowmoon

♥

2011-06-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

Zodiac: Cancer

2011-06-27T12:07:00.000-07:00

(June 21- July 22) Cancer is a feminine, water sign, ruled by the Moon. Cancerian's most likable trait is loyalty. A water element, ruled by the Moon- Cancer can be likened to the shifting tides of the oceans. Like the tides, Cancer is the sign of powerful forces moving under the surface.

Here's a Badge for all of you, Moon Children...

Weekend Fun

2011-06-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

This was the first weekend in a while that I was able to put down my work and have some fun! Saturday, James and I went out for happy hour and swing dancing. Here is what I wore...

I had fun trying out this new hairdo! I used some vintage ric-rac and these tutorials.

We had homemade breakfast pizza in the morning!

Fancy cocktails complete with a blue monkey!

Fresh picked strawberries ♥

What adventures did you have this weekend?

Free Spirit Friday!

2011-06-23T23:26:00.000-07:00

Sources clockwise: eyesaglow, eyesaglow, vintage-hippie

Craft Night!

2011-06-23T09:25:00.000-07:00

I swear I've been insanely busy this past month. Working from home, I've discovered I'm not very good at is giving myself actual time off. It has felt like forever since I've done some "just for fun" crafts (not Camp Smartypants product related). So last night I decided to go to my friend Denise's house for her crochet/knit craft night. I dug out some old yarn I bought years ago and made this pretty granny square! I love it! I probably haven't made a granny square since high school, but this burst of color just might have me hooked on making some more!

(These photos were taken from my new iPhone using Hipstamatic!)

♥

2011-06-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Home Again...

2011-06-20T11:10:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! I'm home from the Fremont Fair in Seattle and wanted to share this little video James' mom made. The Fair was so much fun despite the rainy weather...

Happy Friday!

2011-06-17T10:03:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! I just wanted to let you all know that I didn't have time to create my usual Free Spirit Friday this week. I've been soo busy getting ready for the Fremont Fair in Seattle this weekend! We are getting ready to pack up and drive as we speak. I wish you all a beautiful weekend! Peace, Rachel

♥

2011-06-15T12:11:00.000-07:00

threenailsphotography

theswingingsixties

misswallflower

xoxowildchild

Fremont Fair Next Weekend!

2011-06-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to be a vendor at the 2011 Fremont Fair! It takes place next weekend in Seattle, Washington to celebrate the summer solstice. The event draws more than 100,000 people every year! This will be my biggest show yet! If you're in the area, I hope to see you! My booth is located on N 34th Street, in the Burke Section.

The event is next Saturday, 10am-8pm and Sunday, 11am-6pm. Here are some great photos of past years of the festival..

I can't wait!

Visit: http://www.fremontfair.org/

Free Spirit Friday!

2011-06-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sources clockwise: papertissue, wearetheweavers, moon-eyed

♥

2011-06-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Shop Update! Tie-Dye Racerback Tanks!

2011-06-06T10:42:00.000-07:00

Good morning! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. We had beautiful warm weather here in Portland and I spent the weekend setting up my first ever garden space! I still have the actual planting to do, but I've got my planter boxes built and filled up with dirt! Whoo!

In other news, I was finally able to add some new items to my shop! Check out these pretty new racerback tank tops! They are available in women's sizes S/M/L.

campsmartypants.etsy.com

Free Spirit Friday!

2011-06-03T11:13:00.000-07:00

Sources Clockwise: forties-fifties-sixties-love, The Dainty Squid, eyesaglow

♥

2011-06-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

Free Spirit Friday

2011-05-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sources Clockwise: xoxowildchild, xoxowildchild, kaleidosc0pe

Hope you all have a great Memorial Day weekend! James and I are headed up to Seattle for Camp Jitterbug. We won't be home until Tuesday, so I'll see you next on Wednesday with my latest Pretty Discoveries.

Peace,
Rachel

Gemini

2011-05-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

I finally finished my Gemini illustration (May 21- June 20). I had a lot of fun with this one. I hope you enjoy it!

Gemini is an air symbol ruled by the planet Mercury. People born under this sign are many sided, quick in thought and action, clever with words, skillful at handling others, brimful of new ideas.

Famous Gemini:

Jacques Cousteau

Arthur Conan Doyle

Albrecht Dürer

Bob Dylan

Clint Eastwood

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Judy Garland

Benny Goodman

JFK

Paul McCartney

Marilyn Monroe

Maurice Sendak

Donald Trump

Frank Lloyd Wright

Here's the widget for those of you Gemini...

♥

2011-05-25T11:27:00.000-07:00

(forties-fifties-sixties-love)

(xoxowildchild)

(cosmicamerican)

(xoxowildchild)

Camp Smartypants at Local Goods!

2011-05-24T18:24:00.000-07:00

Hi! I just wanted to let you all know that Camp Smartypants products are now for sale at Local Goods on NE 22nd & Burnside, in Portland. If you're in the area, stop in and say hello to store owner, Polly. She carries locally made, sustainable goods, household products, toiletries, gifts, accessories and more!

••• Featuring the Indie Free Spirits!

2011-05-24T10:44:00.000-07:00

Please excuse my absence yesterday! Today I thought I'd share my latest Etsy favorites from the Indie Free Spirits team! Enjoy ♥

By Luluxo

By Jenny Hoople

By Tree Talker

By Tuckoo and Moo Cow

By Wild and Free Jewelry

By Rachel Loves Peace

By Dirdy Birdy

By Sleepy King

Free Spirit Friday

2011-05-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sources clockwise: razzmatazzvintage, queenofsouls, wildwastedyouth

Blue ♥

2011-05-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Double Rainbow Rainbow

2011-05-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

I so wish I lived in Toronto and could go to this show at the Show & Tell Gallery: Double Rainbow Rainbow. It's a collaboration of two of my favorite artists, Maya Hayuk and Jen Stark. Check out the gallery's website for more details about the show!

Free Spirit Friday

2011-05-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sources Clockwise: wildwastedyouth, bornbeforethewind, partytights

♥

2011-05-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Blog Schedule

2011-05-09T10:17:00.000-07:00

It's Monday and I have a seemingly unending list of work to do. It's been difficult for me to keep up with posting here every day. This month I am working on rebranding my freelance business and launching a brand new portfolio website. I also have a new business plan to write, schedules and goals to make, and lots of reorganizing to do. So to prevent that overwhelming feeling I get when I'm too busy, I've decided to change my blogging schedule for the month of May. I will be posting every Monday, Wednesday and Friday this month. I hope to be able to sneak in more posts when I have time. But for now, you'll see me on Monday with my latest Art Love or Handmade Heaven post. On Wednesday I'll post my Pretty Discoveries and of course, I'll be posting my Free Spirit Friday.

Thank you so much to all of you who visit me here. I truly do appreciate your support and love receiving your comments! I'm hoping a little break this month will inspire new projects I can share with you here. And I plan to be back on schedule (M-F) by June 1st.

Peace,
Rachel

Free Spirit Friday

2011-05-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sources clockwise:wildwastedyouth, nice-shrubbery, thedaintysquid

Papernstitich Daily Pick!

2011-05-05T09:19:00.000-07:00

Good morning! I just wanted to let you know that my tie-dye braid is a daily pick over at Papernstitch! Check out my store along with tons more great handmade vendors ♥

papernstitch.com

Pretty Discoveries

2011-05-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

Art Love

2011-05-03T10:54:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been dreaming about expanding my card illustrations to art pieces and prints. Yesterday I spent some time looking through my "illustration" folder in my google reader and finding my favorite artists/illustrators. Instead of featuring one artist today, I thought I'd share these...