SMOKEY FOG

Last month I spent a weekend with Tim and some of his old coworker friends in the Great Smokey Mountains. We stayed in the most luxurious cabin I've ever seen with a stunning view of the mountains. I just wanted to share some of these photos I took while we were up there. The fog was incredible!

LITTLE PARTIES

Over the weekend I hosted a little Friendsgiving party. I love hosting little parties, but I don't get a lot of chances to do so. I tried my best to make this party really special with decorations and even a special little cocktail! I wish I had gotten a picture of it! It was a whiskey sour made with honey simple syrup and lemon soda.

I also made the turkey and stuffing and my friends brought everything else you can think of. We we really had a great time.


P.S. I'm going to try and come back here more often. Being back in school really has been taking a toll on me. Also expect some long time coming posts. I have old things to share!

BIRTHDAY WISHES

Well my birthday is this week so I thought I'd put together a birthday wishlist of sorts, though I have no expectations of anyone getting me these things. haha. These are just some things I've been eyeing for a little while that I'll probably save for. I don't ever ask for gifts and if people even ask what I'd like, I have no idea what to say. I can't imagine people spending money on my birthday. I'm more into sharing experiences, like going to my favorite restaurant with my friends. That's good enough for me! But for all you libras out there, you might want to keep this for your list too!

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 (but in oatmeal!)

COMING TOGETHER

You would have thought that after this year I would have this place more put together. Well I feel like I'm almost there. Finally got the guts to share some real pictures of my apartment - not just little vague snapshots from instagram. There's still a lot more I would like to do. (like more plants!) And maybe one day I'll have a couch that I won't have to drape with blankets because the cats loveeeee it. haha

And yes, I am a sudoku master, if you were wondering.

NEW PATHS

For over two years I've been working at a local company that sells indoor gardening and hydroponic equipment. I work in their in-house design and marketing department that manages their 6+ websites and e-commerce. I have designed ads, styled and photographed products and developed a standard for their products. Though this wasn't a career that I deeply loved, it was a job that created my foundation and gave me confidence to stand on my own. I try to always be grateful for what has brought me to the present.

I've been wanting to share with you what's next, and it's been killing me to wait! Remember this identity work by Alvin Diec I posted about? For the last two weeks I've been interning for him and another designer, Travis Ekmark. I've known them for a while and always loved their work. It's been a dream to work by their side on incredible projects and ideas. I plan on sharing some moodboards I've been working on lately.

But that's not all! I am now the newest member of the Smilebooth team!! I'm working directly with Ashley Meaders as a graphic designer for the company. I couldn't be more excited. Smilebooth is one of those companies that I've cherished for a long time. I love their ingenuity and fun vibes and take incredibly great pride in that they are an Atlanta company. Did I mention that I get to work at home? Dream come true!

Thank you for letting me share this crazy journey with you, friends. This has been one awesome year of taking my blog and my work seriously. I've come a long way, but I couldn't have done it without all of your support. Here's a toast to the end of one path and the beginning of others!


photo taken last november during my internship with blogshop/feet first

FROM MY DESK

Hi friends! Several weeks ago I discovered the blog Pinegate Road, the love child of Kelsey Cronkhite, a graphic designer in the MFA program at SCAD in Savannah, Georgia. It's always great getting to know other talented designer here in the south. Kelsey is especially sweet and invited me to be in her series, from the desk of. Please check it out and get to know a little bit more about what inspires me, my thoughts on design, and what my studio looks like. Thanks again, Kelsey!


P.S. If you use an rss reader, flip over to my site, the blog has had some structure fixins'! Tell me what you think!

DON'T STOP FIGHTING

A few days ago on Twitter I mentioned a personal anthem that keeps me going in hard times: Never stop until you've reached your goal. It is certainly easier to say it than it is to actually believe it and execute it.

This past week was a hard one for me. A huge next step in my journey as a graphic design student crumbled and I was left wondering what I could possibly do next. What can you do when things out of your control come and take something you are looking forward to? Do you wait for it to get better?

I am a pretty self-motivated person, but I always need something to hope towards - something I can reach to. Sometimes it's just a warm cozy home, and other times it is achieving a degree and a career. But in any sense, I think that hope and goals are essential. How can you enjoy life if you have nothing to hope for?

A while back I posted about my school situation. I ended up choosing plan #2 first, which was to go to a 2 year design school and try to finish up quickly. I got accepted to the school I chose (woot!) and was set to start classes in two weeks. And for reasons I can't really control, I'm unable to go. What a blow to the gut. I'm back to the drawing board, but I'm certainly not giving up.

During a phone call with my grandmother she said, "Maybe this didn't work out because that wasn't the right path for you and something better is coming." It was hard for me to hear that because I really was set on that path, but you know, sometimes it's true. So as a fighter, I'm picking myself back up, dusting myself off and putting on the hiking boots. If one route doesn't work, there is always another. Never give up, don't stop fighting.


image by me

Siesta Time: COLLECTING

I wanted to start talking about something that we all deal with - stress - and how to deal with it. I don't talk about this very often, but for the last six or so years I've dealt with a lot of anxiety based stomach troubles on and off, and it has become important for me to know how to handle my diet and stress. This week has been full of deadlines, so while I've been decompressing, I thought I might share some of my secrets.

I don't know about you, but I think in categories. I fixate on one category in my life (like decorating) and don't move on until that category is "complete" or another category becomes more important. That probably explains why when I shop, I choose one item and go nuts trying to find the one I like best.

In the same way, categorizing it is kind of like collecting. Collecting stray thoughts, ideas, or tangible items in a place with others of the same likeness. Is anyone else soothed by collecting?

I love collecting twines, plants, and especially vintage matchbooks. There is something exciting and fulfilling about hunting for something specific and being able to bring it home to a group you already love.

So get out there and start collecting things you love. I've seen very interesting collections like antique shaving razors, medical equipment, keys, etc. Maybe it's just me, but I always feel more relaxed after tending to my collections.


Side note: the top image is a painting by Carly Waito. That's right, I said PAINTING. You probably know her for the mineral paintings she does. Well in any regards, she should be known as the extreme collector.


sources: 1 // 2

TO THE BAY

Well, the weekend was a few days ago already, but I still feel like I'm on a vacation - in the very least, it's still a mental vacation. My parent's 25th anniversary is actually tomorrow, but over the weekend Tim accompanied me to Tampa where we stayed with them and celebrated. It was a very short stay at just over a day, but it was nice to get away for a moment and see the beach. Even though I grew up in Tampa, it's become so exciting to see an open body of water. Atlanta has barely any water whatsoever, so even rain is exciting.

Early Sunday morning we got up at seven and drove to my favorite beach of all time, Anna Maria Island. The water was still cool, but as the sun came through the clouds, it was perfect.



My parents took us to this Indian restaurant called Tandoor, that was amazing. If you live in the Tampa/Brandon/Valrico area, definitely stop by this place. It reminds me of a good restaurant here in Atlanta, Panahar. It hurts my heart to know that I had to leave my leftovers with my parents. I don't think it would have lasted a 7 hour drive.

After the dinner, my good friend Ryan came by and we paddled a canoe out on the Tampa Bay. My parents live just off the bay, so it was a nice little surprise boat trip. The only downside was that the mosquitoes took that opportunity to eat the hell out of us. I still have 30+ itchy reminders of that fun night. ;)

I hope you had a lovely Memorial Day weekend too. I know a lot of people traveled.. so where did you go?


instagram photos by me! follow me @ciarasames

SNIPPETS NO.4

1. Filly Designs has a beautiful Spring 2012 line, including a delectable lookbook.

2. You can always count on Obama's design team to have stunning work for his campaign. They never disappoint. The Life of Julia is not only an example of fine design craftsmanship, but it explains the differences a woman's life will experience with Obama in office vs. Mitt Romney.

3. En Pointe is a short film documenting ballerinas and their process to break in their pointe shoes. I never knew how much actually went into breaking in their shoes. I also learned later that their shoes can only be worn once after all the tear and breaking of the shoe just so they can wear it. Can you imagine wearing a new pair of shoes everyday?

4. There has been a new wind sweeping the blogger prairies called "Things I'm Afraid To Tell You". It was originally started by Jess Constable as a way to be more honest with her readers. Then Ez turned it into a viral campaign, challenging herself and others to address the transparency, fear, and anxiety that sometimes comes with being the blogger behind the curtain. Several bloggers have participated and it is really wonderful to see the honestly floating around. I have to agree, it is easy to be concealed behind beautiful images. It's so much easier to put up something attractive than talk about a bad day. I don't always want to talk about it - this space is my happy place, and also, I don't like being overly personal here. But I will say this: I don't live as glamorously as some of the photos I post. But I do live an exciting life in a beautiful, charming city. I am not always cheerful, but I am happy and I am grateful for what I do have.

I hope all of you have a great weekend!

On The Look Out

So I'm looking for a tote bag these days. It's concert season and it's also almost summer - which means I'm going to be outdoors walking and standing a lot more than I did in the winter. That also means I need something a little bit different and possibly BRIGHT! to add to my wardrobe. My dream tote bag is actually #4, but sadly, I just can't spend that much, realistically. So the other top contesters are #2 and #8. I'm really looking for a rounded bottom tote with leather handles for durability. Which one do you like?

As a side note, the more I blog these little roundups of things that have been on my mind, the more I realize that I shop in a compartmentalized way. Let me explain that. I often see other bloggers doing roundups based on an idea or a mood. I love that! But honestly, I hunt the internet for certain things - not by color, but by specifically. Hense the reason I am posting all on tote bags with leather handles. And it also reflects the way I use Pinterest. One week it is ceramic pots, another it is tropical plants, and this week it could be tote bags. Is anyone else out there like that? ha.

Totes: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8
Images: girl // pattern

Weekend: ASHEVILLE

Happy Monday, friends! I had a lovely weekend, did you? Tim and I took a day trip to Asheville on Saturday. I had never been, and he wanted to take me there. And as our one year anniversary just passed, it was a good reason to take a road trip! We spent a lot of time walking around the city and looking at all the funny, cool, or just downright unusual things. There are so many hippies! I've never seen so many dreadlocks all in one place. It was so beautiful to be surrounded by mountains, I loved it. For our fancy dinner we went to an Indian restaurant called Mela, and it was incredible. I had Chicken Tikka Masala and Tim had the Saag Paneer. Yum! But sad news, we left the leftovers in Asheville. I kick myself every time I think about it. But, besides that, the trip was perfect. We stopped a lot of detours and shops on the way back, including the Smoky Mountain Parkway with a breathtaking ridge view of the mountains. The next few months will have similar mini trips to other places. May is a trip to Florida to see my parents for their 25th anniversary, and June is a trip to St. Louis to see Tim's family (and the Cardinals).

Does this summer have an promising destinations for you?

(p.s. check out all the red white and blue in those photos. funny, especially because all my travel tweet had #america in them)

Plant Time: CLONING DIY

Have you ever gone to your friend or mother's house and fell in love with one of their plants? Did you find out later that the plant was hard to find or expensive? Or, do you have a plant that your friends are just ooohing over? I wanted to share with you a process that you can use (if you have the permission, of course) to "clone" a larger plant called Air Layering. This process works by wounding or scarring a plant's branch and guiding to make roots while still on the plant, then removing that branch to be potted. This may sound like a hard DIY, but honestly, it's pretty simple!



What You'll Need:
+ 2-3 drops of concentrated plant nutrient (I used this one, but I recommend this one too)
+ sterile razor blade
+ sphagnum moss (I found mine at a local garden department)
+ plastic wrap
+ mixing container
+ rubber band



Steps:
+ Fill your container with roughly 2 cups of water
+ Drop about 2-3 drops of the plant nutrient into the water
+ Put a handful or two of sphagnum moss in the liquid until most of it is absorbed by the moss



+ With your razor blade, cut and scrape into the branch, taking off the first few layers of the branch
+ Continue scraping the branch around the circumference of the branch
+ Apply a handful of the sphagnum moss around the branch so it covers a larger area around the wounds



+ Wrap the sphagnum moss snugly with plastic wrap
+ Cut a rubber band in half and tie the ends (around the sphagnum moss) tightly

About once a week you will want to check on your branch. Use a syringe or even a straw to insert a small amount of the nutrient mixture to make sure the moss is still moist. Depending on the plant, it could start rooting within 2-3 weeks. When you start seeing roots inside the plastic wrap, remove the wrap and moss and make a clean cut of the branch just below the roots. Once you plant it, you're done!

I know for a first tutorial, this might sound a little complicated, but it's not so bad. If you can follow a food recipe, you can do this! And if you're wondering, I used a rubber tree for this project. Using this method, they root very quickly.

Good luck and feel free to ask me questions if you have any problems!

top image by kate miss, all others by me.

HOME UPDATE & FINDS

When I moved into this apartment, I didn't really have much. I had books, clothes, and the essentials, but nothing very decorative. In the last few weeks I've been pinning pillows, throws, and decorative items to try and round the apartment out and bring some life into the place I love. It's taken a long time, but I think after this weekend, there are only a few things on my wish list left and I'm very happy with it. So this isn't the big apartment tour, just more revealing than last time, and mostly just showing what I came home with this weekend. And firstly, check out those matchbooks! 25¢ each!



It took me long enough, but I put the coffee machine in the cabinet, as I don't make coffee everyday. This little vignette took its place, which is a lot more charming than a coffee maker. Notice the door to the left. It is a door I can't open - or don't have a key for. It goes to a back entrance of the apartment which leads to... nowhere? No one in the building has access to these doors. Strange.



I have always loved pennants. There is something great about vintage sports equipment. I'm planning on pairing the pennant with the tennis rackets and starting a vintage sports wall in the bedroom. (sorry, I had to throw in a cat. Come on! Look at that adorable pose.)



Here are some works in progress. My Secret Holiday & Co Affirmation Banner came in! Wooo! I am actually only hanging it by a piece of tape (sad, I know) only because I don't want to commit to a nail quite yet. I'm trying to work a deal with a friend to have a live edge table built for that tiny space. Otherwise, I might just throw up some coat hooks and a nice woven basket on the floor. Also notice, more doors. The more photos I show from the apartment, you're start to see how many doors there really are. Something in the neighborhood of 8 or 9 doors.

One of my other projects has been plant collecting. I went to a local plant nursery (which was like heaven!) and came home with that lovely dracaena and the tiny snake plant. I'm still on the hunt for a modern white planter for the dracaena. Have any suggestions?

Sometime this week I will be cloning a rubber tree from work. The process is very interesting as it involves wounding the plant's branch and then wrapping it in saran wrap until roots grow from that area. I look forward to sharing that process with you soon!

BACK FOR (SERIOUS) BUSINESS

I guess I wasn't joking when I said I needed a break! The blogging haitus last week was completely unplanned, but I guess in a sense it was. I really needed a good break to refresh and get some motivation again. I feel like a brand new person and I'm running like a steam engine. Look out! Also, I'm feeling like my own person again, which feels great. We all have quirks and that is what makes us all different and brings us together. Embrace the quirkiness!

I mapped out what I did on the days I didn't blog, but I figured that I'd spare you all the unnecessary details. Some days I was busy, others not so much. But I will clue you in that a lot of that is just eating, grabbing drinks, and refreshing with some of my great pals. I hope you've been having a great week too!

TAKING DOWN NOTES

Last week I went home early from work due to these crazy allergies I have. I never used to have any type of allergy, but maybe because I'm always around plants and soil (and dust?), I think it's gotten the best of me. So I managed to take a nice relaxing nap (you could also call it passing out from Benadryl) and drank some mint tea. It was actually nice to take a little unexpected break. That previous weekend I had gone thrifting with my friend Jessie, and I never showed you what I came home with. Two tennis rackets! (They were $1.30 each!!!)



I haven't decided where to put them yet, but that's okay. I've worked out the main furniture layouts in my apartment, but there is still more I want to do. So after pinning a bunch of ideas, I decided the best way to really put down my thoughts would be to sketch it out. So I took a few corners of the apartment that need work, and did a before and after. I drew out what I had been envisioning, and wrote down the list of all the things I'd need for each room. If I have a clear vision of what I want to do, it is so much easier for me to actually get it down. I'm feeling good about this!

INSTAWEEKEND

Sorry for the late weekend update. I know today is Tuesday, but it's more of a Monday to me. I took yesterday off from work to handle some school stuff and so I had a long weekend. Saturday Tim was sick after some bad food poisoning, and Sunday was also low key, but yesterday was way more active! After my school appointment I met up with my friend Jessie for some drives through town and thrifting. I came home with two vintage tennis rackets. Woo!

If you're wondering about that cute little foxy fellow, that's a knit doll from Blabla Kids. It was my first time to the store yesterday and I completely fell in love. If you have a kid, get them one now. Trust me.

photos by me on instagram. follow me!

NOT YOUR TYPICAL VALENTINE'S DAY MIX

Tim Lampe is a writer for I'm A Bear! Etc. who appreciates Valentine's Day but thinks it's better known as "National Reeses Appreciation Day".

I have a mix for you this week that I think you're going to really like. It's both a mix for Ciara herself as it is for all her readers. Since it's Valentine's Day, I wanted to make a mix but didn't want it to be full of cliched songs that you've heard over and over. It's a mix that includes a lot of old songs, but a collection of well-worn songs for me. You might wonder why it starts with Guess Who's "These Eyes" because it's not necessarily a love song. It's a simple answer; I find more joy in belting out that song in public than what the subject matter is. You might also remember a famous movie scene from Superbad involving Michael Cera singing it too, but I digress.

I love every track on this playlist, and a lot of them are slower than previous playlists, but I think you'll really enjoy it. Midway through is GAYNGS (a band compiled of Bon Iver's Justin Vernon and over 20 other collaborators) doing a cover of SADE's "By Your Side". I don't have scientific proof, but I'm pretty sure this track is the sexiest songs ever put down on record. Just listen for yourself. And any great Valentines playlist wouldn't be complete without ending it with Mew's "Comforting Sounds". That track means a lot to Ciara and myself.

-Tim



1. These Eyes // The Guess Who
2. Anthems For a Seventeen Year Old Girl // Broken Social Scene
3. VCR // The XX
4. Summer Holiday // Wild Nothing
5. Slow Show // The National
6. By Your Side // Gayngs
7. Strange Things Will Happen // The Radio Dept.
8. Bookshop Casanova // The Clientele
9. Vittorio E. // Spoon
10. Comforting Sounds // Mew


If you'd like to listen to the playlist in Spotify, put this link in your search bar: spotify:user:bearetc:playlist:2OPTWQwbTZnRrigtoo6kad

GET YOUR LOVIN' ON!

WEEKEND PIE

And by Misfits, I mean the most amazing British TV show. I'm all caught up now, as I clearly did hardly anything else all weekend.