A Few Things : Black, White + Tan

1 : Black cat patterned paper.

2 : A simple + sturdy leather clutch to hold sketchbooks and iPads.

3 : DIY painted feathers.

4 : A pretty mug filled with hot breakfast tea warm my hands + helps start my morning.

5 : The most beautiful storage / shelving ever.

6 : A elegant + simple watch for me / my man. Or for you + yours!

7 : Bacon, caramelized onion + jalapeno jack cheese cornbread. Yeup, I just got hungry too.

8 : Less whine, more wine.  We all needed that reminder.

Good Together / Leafy + Green

*sigh* I am not going anywhere for spring break. I'm watching a dog whose people are enjoying two weeks of Pacific Ocean bliss in the Galapagos Islands. *envy*

Ohio, I love you, but even I'm getting pale at this point. And cranky. I'm no doctor, but I think it's safe to say 4.69 out of 5 of my friends are experiencing some sort of serious SAD symptoms. The cold, grey weather is getting mighty old and I've got the tropics on my mind, dammit! In lieu of self-imposed exile to the Bahamas or year-long sabbatical to Costa Rica (both of which I keep unrealistically threatening to do) here's a little dose of that lovely, lush, jungle green!

botanical print /russian amazonite necklace / malachite placemants / essie nail laquer / woven wristlett

one-piece bathing suit / men's face soap / iphone case

How about some "neat" facts about green? Sure sure sure, here you go:

- green is the 2nd most favorite color, coming in after blue.
- green is a soothing color that alleviates anxiety and depression and offers a sense of renewal and harmony.
- Libya's flag is solid green and currently the only national flag of a single color.
- green is the single color used in night vision goggles because the human eye able to discern the most shades of it versus any other color. (green facts found here.)

Interesting... So, you learned a few things.  Not bad for a Wednesday afternoon :)

Good Stuff / Animals with Sharp Teeth

I've mentioned this before, but I love cute animals with sharp teeth.  Don't you? So, it only makes sense that I'd be lovin these animalistic finds.  Plus, I needed a reason to show you that black cat tote. #catlady

skark fin ring - fox earrings - tiger glasses case - wolf tee - bear print - black cat tote - kiddo wolf suit

M O O D B O A R D Monday / The Ocean

Mood board Mondays.  Because I like doing these little mash ups and I hope you like looking.  Soon to actually come on Monday's!

BTW how good is Frank Ocean's, "Swim Good?"  I'm still kind of obsessed.

Frank Ocean / defy the odds / glass lamp / shark earrings / ring / circle scarf / tie / shark socks / kitchen cart / nautical poster / painting / leather bag / glass bottle / waves photograph

Internet Round Up / 002

[I say: Why not inundate your brain with more pretty/cool/neat/fascinating stuffs from our very own internet.  I got fancy and made it easy for you... Now all you have to do is click on the images to see more!]

01.  Tattly for the best temp tattoos ever.
02.  I'm in love with the #fromelmosback series via thethriftstorecowboy on Instagram.
03.  VISTA makes the most colorful, knotted, rope + hardware jewelry.

04.  I've been obsessed with Brussels sprouts since I was a babe. If cooked right (ie. not too long), they are absolutely DELICIOUS.  They also last longer in the fridge then your average green stuff.  This shredded version is easy, crunchy, healthy and so satisfying.  And it mixes well with anything... bacon + eggs, toasted almond slivers, parmesan + pine nuts, pasta... pretty much whatever your heart desires.

05.  My new favorite quote -- Be the tiger.
06.  A home tour of twins, Kathryn and Lizzie -- Owners, designers and makers of Lizzie Fortunato Jewelry.
07.  A sweet, sweatshirt applique DIY.
08.  Super-cute, *free*, printable wrapping paper.
09.  The Design Guide : A series of awesome design and branding tips.

Other thoughts:  My heart goes out to those affect by #Sandy these past few days and the days/weeks/months ahead.  If you'd like to help out an donate to the rescue and aid those most affected, you can do so here.

Also, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!  This was the first year since I was a freshman in college that I didn't dress up or make myself sick with bite-size candy.  Honestly, I don't think I missed much, although I see an extravagant costume come this time, 2013.

Collection 007 / black + white + gold

[A collection of class, simplicity and contrast, inspired by that fine-looking specimen of a black cat wearing a gold collar.]

1 / classy cat  2 / golden bangles, top: another feather, mid: forever21 and bottom: on the lookout 

3 / sneakers to die for, adidas  4 / some big bling for your man  5 / Biggie lyrics are always relevant  

6 / FOCUS.  7 / gilded bowls  8 / watercolor duvet set  9 / semi-circle print tray

10 / b&w decor + cat print  11 / the always fab, Janelle Monae 

1 / classy cat  2 / golden bangles, top: another feather, mid: forever21 and bottom: on the lookout 

3 / sneakers to die for, adidas  4 / some big bling for your man  5 / Biggie lyrics are always relevant  

6 / FOCUS.  7 / gilded bowls  8 / watercolor duvet set  9 / semi-circle print tray

10 / b&w decor + cat print  11 / the always fab, Janelle Monae 

See past OTL collections right here >!

collection 006 / luminous + light

[I'm loving all of these bright and beautiful days we've been having in the CLE lately.  Days where partly cloudy and brightly back lit, overcast skies seem to make color just radiate from the source.   Except for in my apartment, where the lack of windows / blah wall color just ain't cuttin it.  But that's what things like Photoshop and exposure and fancy instrgram filters are for right?]

A few things I love that are lit perfectly in airy, crisp, luminous light.  Next week, I'm going to be all crazy for dark and muddled.  You know, just cause I like to switch it up like that.

ombre necklace / 

lightening bolt studs / 

ceramic bowl (via jessica comingore) / 

interior 1 (via miss moss) /

interior 2 /

brass ring by young frankk/

a pretty face /

Japanese floral tape / 

collection 005

[Cool stuff found on these here Internets.]

1// Best bang and bun combo ever. (While you're at it, check out the other photos from this Aussie wedding.  So damn dreamy.)
2// These stripped shoes.
3// A little, leather pouch in the perfect, rosebud hue.
4// DIY, washi tape, elk head. via joelledesign.
5// Hand-dyed, chevron necklace. via Simple Hands.
6// Ohh, this CLEVELAND weather.  Time to get out and enjoy the great outdoors, eh?

(And so it goes, white, black, gold, aqua and pink are still my favorite colors.  Here's to consistency!)

otl Branding // Mood Board & Logo Design

I see a lot of graphic designers throwing up mood boards, like and this and this, to help with them with design projects and branding, so I thought I might just do one for the onthelookout as well! #fakeittilyoumakeit.

Coming up with a logo and overall feel for this brand is something that I've been wanting to take on for a while, but haven't necessarily thought I was ready to do.  There are just so many options out there!  Color schemes, fonts, packaging, mission statements, etc etc.  When you have complete creative freedom, it can be hard to narrow down just what you like, no?  Pinterest has been a great resource for helping me compile all of the visually inspiring stuff out there, so I used that to pull together this first mood board.  I gave myself 10 minutes to look through and select all of the pins that reminded me of my vision for onthelookout.  I think the time limit was helpful, lest I spend hours on something that is supposed to be pretty quick and organic.  I hope that studies like this will help me narrow down the goods and edits out the "unnecessaries."  Plus, I am dying to get a some business cards and a custom stamp made for packaging.  At the very least, it was fun to do!

Colors and shapes are pretty consistent here: Pink, blue-grey, black, and gold appear everywhere on my Pinterest boards and in the colors around my house.  Oh and I love me some triangles and geometric, deco-inspired shapes.  However, I'm still on the fence about the logo... I can't decide if I like the blocky text or hand-written script look.  Thoughts?

I'd love to see any mood boards that you've done!

Collection: Wood You Rather?

[...a collection of wooden finds.  And a terrible, nonsensical pun, but yeah, I went there.]

As soon as I saw Alicia's pictures from her kitchen renovation, I instantly fell in love with their expansive, butcher-block counter. Dang, it looks so warm and pretty!

That got me thinking about one of my favorite materials to work with: wood.  Wood, people.  With all of its antiquated charm, wonderful scents, general abundance and raw unwillingness to be anything other than what it is -- Ever try to stain something exactly the color you want it, to only get a better (or worse) turn out?  You know what I mean.  

So, I put together a few of my favorite wooden finds right here for you!

one - Handcrafted, reclaimed wood headboard by Ariele Alasko, recently featured on The Makers Project.
two - Hand carved, oak rope swing.
three - DIY painted wooden platter.
four - Pretty, painted wooden bowl set.
five - Wooden handled bread spoons (Each spoon measures out the exact amount of each ingredient to make homemade bread.  Awesome.)
six - A handy guide for the practical folks.
seven - Mora tree branch wooden sling shot (I may or may not have climbed trees in my youth and shot acorns and rocks out of a device such as this. #dennisthemenacewannabe)
eight - Handcrafted, natural wood chest.
nine - Wooden nugget necklace.
ten - The stacked wedges of my dreams.

(Someday, I will have a wood shop in my studio/home - right across from the metal fabrication area and laser cutter.  And I'll play with the likes of power tools and hammers, tool belt slug around my waist and nails in hangin' out of my mouth.  I'll bang around, measure twice, cut once, get lots of splinters and rescue wooden pieces and parts to turn what was once waterlogged and damp/ dry and brittle/ trashed and forgotten into pretty pieces to be loved again.  #dreamvivid)

Friday Five - On a Wednesday

[Fun internet finds for your Friday -- on a Wednesday.  Because patience is a virtue I have yet to master.]

1// Got berries in your fridge that are just on the cusp of going bad?  No worries, turn those babies into some homemade, all-natural fabric dye.  (Hey, blueberries, hiding waaay in the back of the fridge, you're gonna make a lovely purple hue this weekend!)

2// Pompoms are the cutest, little, decorative knick-knacks and are are super easy to make.  I love this pompom garland by Jenny of Wiksten.

3// I stumbled upon Andrew Tomayko's photography randomly through Instagram and I've been enamored ever since - free-spirited and wanderlusty moments in time.

4// Earlier this week, the pinterest gods lead me to Refinery29's Holiday 2011 DIY Gift Guide, with three awesome crafts to make on a budget.  Considering I'm a sucker for pink/neon/flowers/plants/everything in between, this DIY Neon Hanging Planter definitely caught my eye as a must-do!  Now, to find the time...

5// This is probably the most beautiful, world map I've ever laid eyes on.  You can purchase it with a magnetic layer underneath, which would be perfect to put little magnetic markers on of all of the places you've been and all of the places you'll go.

I hope the sun is shining as brightly where you are as it is here.  Happy Wednesday!

on the lookout for: GREY

[Otherwise known as the go-to-neutral that matches so well with everything.]

1. Mountain Poster 2. Snake Ring 3. Stone Earrings 4. Ice Cream 5. Watch 6. Necklace 7. Backpack

8. Pencils 9. Tote 10. Wallpaper 11. Kicks 12. iPhone Cover

otl Spring 2012

Thinking about inspirations for Spring...

Phenom Fridays // Textiles + Funky Prints Collection

[From quilts, to towels, to shirts and skirts, a piece of fabric with a healthy does of color and a rhythmic print can do no wrong.]

1. I had a dream last night that I broke out my bitty sewing machine and made some leg warmers.  Let's just throw this simple skirt (with an AMAZING fabric) on the to-make list (!!!)
2. Knitted/patterned/color combo PERFECTION, by Donna Wilson.
3. I had to limit myself to only picking four items to feature here, lest, I recreate the entire HAY website on this blog.
4. Hand embroidered CMYK lettering by Evelin Kaskov.  And there goes yet another fun to-make to add to the list (!!!)
5. Neon, geometric, patterned and practical: The Happy Neon Store Tote 5 by LAUKaccessories.
6. Bags and clutches with a punches of colorful prints by Missibaba.

Happy Friday!

onthelookout for: Red, orange and yellow

Hi Sun, light of my life... Where have you been?

I'm not complaining (OK, maybe a little), but it is SO gloomy and dark around these parts.  I usually love muted tones like grey and dark blue, but this is probably due to the fact that they contrast so nicely with warm, sunny yellows, juicy oranges and sultry reds.  Hence, the insatiable desire for some bright pops of warmth as seen above...

1. HA. Cute, funny, COMFY and sexy, a winning combination.
2. My favorite Nike sneakers (court forces) with a pop of red.
3. W.O.M bag.  Never mind that it costs major $$ and I can't find it anywhere.  I WANT!
4. Warm tones from a super cute animal print.
5. onthelookout Tri Necklace 001, with the most orangey-red, bright beads ever.
6. Feathers, feathers, feathers...
7. Hand-knitted socks scream LUX and FUN.
8. Hand-dyed hair ties, so girly and pretty.
9. Sunny, little bowls.
10. Cutie, winter hat for the impending 6-month long, Ohio blizzard season.

onthelookout Winter Collection 2011

[...or an excuse to be the star of your own lookbook.]

This is just a teaser, more pictures and new necklaces/earrings/bracelets coming soon!

Phenom Fridays

[I'm really feeling things that are soft, light and cozy right now, like the way you feel when you wake up from the best night of sleep on a crisp, luminous Fall morning; Where the world is at your finger tips, cuddled up in fluffy linens that you don't yet want to abandon, but giddy with excitement for the day ahead. (Can you tell I didn't want to get out of bed this morning?) So, we'll go with that...]

image via BellJar.

All items via my etsy faves, svpply and pinterest.

Phenom Fridays

{Phenomenal finds for your awesome life.}

1// 2a// 2b// 3//  4// 5// 6// 7// 8// 9// 10// 11

1// 2a// 2b// 3//  4// 5// 6// 7// 8// 9// 10// 11

And just like that, it's the weekend.  I've got visual design class and a short road trip to look forward to,  yip!  Have a good one!

Ghosts, Goblins and Unibrows

...scary.  Happy Halloween!

Phenom Fridays : General Awesomeness

Please excuse the fact that this weeks picks for Friday aren't trending towards anything specific, but instead just had me do a little triple take as my eyes ingested their awesome-factor.

1/ Sexy, cross-back dress.  HOT.
2/ Glossy boots in the best color in the world. via Pinterest.
3/ ...Said boots, cozied up with some handmade goodness.
4/ Lux meets simplicity with the pouches and bags by Rennes.  This is one seriously talented lady.
5/ I've been playing around with clay lately, the available colors are fantastic and the shapes you can make are only limited by your imagination.  This is some great inspiration for the more organic, rocky forms I'd love to create and have dangling from a long chain.
6/ This has been going round and round the blogshpere lately and I am pumped to have found out in just enough time to join!  More on that later.  via Modish.
7/ The waytooexpensive factor is canceled out by the awesome factor of this plush little sweater for your laptop.  And yes, that is mathematically correct.
8/ Wishing it was time for a new watch!  Pun intended.
9/ No matter what, this you must always remember to be.
10/ Hehe.  Oh, English Language.  You and your rules.
11/ Minimal make up with perfect, eyeliner application.  Might have to get all fancied up this weekend and try this.
12/ Magenta origami deer head wall decor?  Yes yes yes.

That's all she wrote!  Have a great weekend!