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.

Sundays with Kittles

[Somecat spent a lot of time watching rain drops hit the window and people around the neighborhood scurry about in the god-awful-hello-fall-lets-get-cozy weather.  Our apartment is warm and quiet, so it was a relaxing day for the cat and I.  We shot some new stuff for the shop, listened to music, sauntered around in sweatpants and wool socks, maybe drank a bit too much midday wine, napped and pulled it together for dinner, football and a movie, from the comfort of a big couch.  A perfect, lazy Sunday.]

Hope you guys had a great weekend!

Want it: Micaela Greg Knitwear

[It's supposed to be a lot getting colder out... eventually.  I think.  So, in order to divert any cold-weather complaints (sadly, for which I am known) I'll be using the impending chill as an excuse to stock pile some handmade, layering pieces to my otherwise barren, fall wardrobe.  The Micaela Greg A/W 2012 Collection has just the right amount of geometric patterning and neutral knits to empty my already-almost-empty) wallet quite quickly.

Sisters Marie and Karen Protesta and have an extensive/life-long background in fashion and design and use their know-how to create 'visually bold knitwear, both with an artful quality and boyishly cool aesthetic.'  I'm loving every little bit!  See the rest of the collection here.]

via Blog Milk.

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 >!

California Keeps Calling

[...this time in the form of beautiful photos from the OLD BRAND NEW blog.  See more of dabito's LA life through the lens on instagram.  I'm a fan.  And now I want to vaca to Cali more than ever.]

HBD MJ

I hope the King of Pop has found peace way up there.

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 / 

Something For You // iPhone Wallpapers

Claire, from one of my favorite blogs, fellowfellow, always gets me inspired to draw, create and build. Her blog is a beautiful assortment of  photographs from the most interesting locations (she lives in Singapore!!), simple and well-done DIYs and a peak into her lovely life. She's got some killer graphic design skills and shares them with her readers in the form of {Freebies!}, which are her designs on pretty, printable gift tags, iPhone wallpapers, etc. Did I mention you can get these FO FREE?  Check them out, they are rad!

I've downloaded a few of her wallpapers images and I decided I wanted to make some of my own too, as a way to share with yous guys and to thank you for coming all the way over to this here blog.  So, here you go, round 1 of some FREE stuffs for your phone :)

[iPhone Instructions] Get one of the wallpapers on your phone by:

1 / First navigating to this blog post on your phone.

2 / Then hold your finger over the image you like until a menu pops up.

3 / Press "Save Image" the image to your camera roll.

4 / Then, go to your camera roll press the little arrow in a box button in the bottom left corner.  This will give you a bunch of options, one of which is to "Use as Wallpaper."  And, boom, DONE.

*You can probably also select a image to use for a wallpaper or homescreen somewhere in your settings, if you happen to use an Andriod phone or something else.  I'm not sure, I'm an iPhone elitist, so I don't concern myself with such things too often (HA, I kid.)

Enjoy!

From the Weekend

I spent a lot of time playing with a big girl camera (read : Nikon DSLR) this weekend, in hopes that with a bit of patience, practice and a 300-page manual, I may be able to figure how to take a decent looking photograph with something other than my iPhone.

What I got was frustrated, because I basically wanted to turn the camera on and immediately channel some sort of Ansel-Adams-protege-photography-savant-geniusness.  That did not happen and so frustration set in in about 4 minutes.  Here's what I got instead:

An out-of-focus kitty, who thinks he's my shadow, a basket of cherry tomatoes from Patterson Farm and some ugly rocks I painted.  So I'm a weird-o, rock hording, cat lady who likes little fruits.  File that in your "Things I Never Cared About, But Now Know" memory bin.  Based on this image, I can only get better, right?

Yeah, ok, things started to get a little much better.  Here are some product shoots from the Fall collection that will be in the shop soon! (Barely even retouched in Photoshop! Expensive cameras are are so good.)

Happy Monday!

Re-branding.

[aka the slippery slope I like to call "excessive re-branding."  And while it may be impractical to change your logo / color scheme / fonts / blog layout every few months, this what I love most about this little business of mine, so that is how it shall be.]

Biznass cards. Oh, the possibilities:

So, it's been a lot dead over here on the blog and that's a little bad, but mostly good.  Things like recovering, relaxing and restocking after my first show have been at the top of the list and I am slowly, but surely, making my way back to this little corner of the internet I love so much.  I cannot even begin to explain how amazing the show at Art in the Petit Parc was and I want to send out a much belated THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone involved :) I really had the time of my life and have not stopped smiling since!

One of the small, nit picky, misses I had for my show (and lucky for me, I really had none) was that I didn't order enough biznass cards to go along with all of the sales.  I knew this might be a problem before hand, so tried to create some cards at Kinko's on the quick and cheap, which resulted in a lackluster performance: hand-cut, flimsy, pieces of paper, with a blurry and off-color logo and image. I'd show proof, but I tossed them shortly after, to erase all traces of my sub-par planning and design.  Just trust me, they were horrible.  You may have gotten one and not even noticed how ragged the edges were.  But I did.  Details.  Anyway, I am a mere month away from my next show -- Tremont Art Walk at Banyan Tree, Friday 09/14 -- so I wanted to get a head start on new cards.

Above are a few ideas for new business cards.  I may regret asking this, but, your thoughts, please?  If you could so kindly leave a comment, it would mean the world to me!

Art in the Parc // Preview of the Goods

[Craft fair madness has fully taken over my apt, life, waking and dreaming thoughts...]

I'm so pumped to participate in Art in the Parc in just NINE days, so I thought I'd share some of the Summer/Fall 2012 collection that I've been working on in order to woo you into checking out the shop --which is on SUPER SALE-- or coming to visit me at the event!

Don't ask me why, but for some reason I was highly inspired by this native/warrior/jungle theme.  This 2nd collection is a bit edgier and more experimental in use of materials (ie. ombre thread and semi-precious, gemstones) and color (saturated blues, greens and even red!).  Still rocking lots of beads and brass, but it's kind of nice to see some evolution in what you do.  Change is good, eh?  Yep yep, I do believe it is.

I'm not sure if having just one show under my belt will be some sort of game changer for this hobby-turned-to-obsession ... that's trying to become a business.  But, it certainly feels like the wheels are finally picking up some speed!

All images taken with my iphone on Instagram (on_the_lookout)! 

Sneakers + Dresses

[My ultimate, summer uni for this hothothot-assed, glorious, Ohio weather.]

via (1)(2) via onthelookout on pinterest; (3) anarchy street blog; (4)(5) Sincerely Jules.

Some Damn Fine Type & Inspiring Words

[ T minus 22 days until the Art in the Petit Parc Craft Show. (Breathe, Erica, breathe...)  At this point, workin' hard is an understatement... mostly because I am trying to keep any first-timer, freak outs at bay.

Some nights, my eyes get weary, hands get a little shaky and that eerie, late-night silence gets a bit unnerving.  These words are my up-til-3am-crafting cheerleaders. Go get it girl. ]

(aka go the EFF to bed.)

So far, I am thoroughly enjoying this journey that is taking the biz to the next level :)  All images via my pinterest typography and quotes board.

Photograph // Cat Love

[Just because a kitty photobombing what would be a super cute picture is totally typical.  Love it.]

From here and via Miss Moss.

Big News!

[GIGANTIC things are starting to happen around here...]

It's been a while since I've been doing the regular blogger thing and I wanted to apologize and say that better posing behavior is on the way.  But, I've had good reason, as something super exciting (eeek!!) and fun is happening, this July 20th...

You see, on the lookout was invited to participate in it's FIRST CRAFT SHOW EVER!  I got the news last week and have been so insanely excited, I almost haven't known what to do.  Literally, my mind is spinning on where. to. start...  I foresee tons of work and some stressful moments on the horizon.  BUT, such is life eh?  Craft ON!  And if you are of the local Cleveland variety, why not pencil in Art in the Petit Parc Craft Chow on your list of to do's for next month? :)

The show will be thrown by Chatreuse, a graphic design company run by three, pretty ladies on the West Side of Cleveland.  It will feature local artists, many of whose work I have seen and purchased before.  I am SO fortunate to get to share some craft fair space with these creative folk!  The city of Cleveland gets a lot of crap from those on the outside, but it really is one of those places where the community is super tight-knit and supportive.  The perfect sort of city to throw caution to the wind in and start your own jewelry business in...

My first step to tackle this crafty event is to list out everything that must be done by the end of this week.  I've divvied up this project into 5 parts: Planning, Product, Marketing, Display and Set up.  That way I can have an actual plan of attack for each very different stage of the process.  Planning begun last week and consisted of sourcing all needed supplies - beads, findings, chain, leather cord, ribbon, brass, gemstones. Mega beading loot.  While that stuff is on it's way to my mailbox, I'll be using the transit time to create product.  After that, getting the word out will be the most important.  Once there's a little buzz, I figure I can retreat a little to create a custom display for said jewelry.  So, you see, there is a little bit of method emerging!  And as always, any tips would be much much appreciated!

OK, onward.  A messy studio needs to be cleaned and manyMANY lists need to be made...

(Just a quick shout out: Much thanks to fellow Cleveland crafter and blogger, Alicia, for passing along the info for the show!  She'll be selling hand made accessories at the even as well!)

Wear // Mara Hoffman Resort 2012

[Giving me the major WANTS.  And hell YES to bright, purple lipstick!]

See it all and more here.

Birthday Lilies

[When your place smells like a bouquet of lilies that you can literally hear blooming (I swear I could hear these babies open up), there's no reason not to be happy.]

(Psst, I'm obsessed with on Instagram > on_the_lookout)

Crave // FALCONWRIGHT

[Hey cute clutch, HEY.]

all images via falconwright.

The handmade accessory line, FALCONWRIGHT epitomizes everything I love about the whole creative and crafty movement that is booming right now: Fun, artistic collabs with friends; adorable, quality goods; little peeks at the handmade process; and faces to go along with the things you buy and love.  I'm a big fan of what these ladies do, both together and on their own (here and here).  Plus, they have me jonesing for a weekend trip to Toronto ASAP, a fine (close-ish) city that somehow never really got any blips on my radar previously.

I'm pumped that they've seen so much success and still turn out a fabulous collection of goodies that are literally flying off the internet.  And since I just got my first ever, official on-the-lookout business cards done, I better snatch up a cute, patterned card holder before everything is sold out!  Shop the newest additions to their store and check out the FALCONWRIGHT blog for some laughs and serious, screen printing know-how.

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!)

Photograph: Jung Lee

Gorgeous and atmospheric photographs of Korean landscapes with ghostly overlaid text or neon signage nestled within, by Jung Lee.

When you look at the mountains and the trees and the landscapes before you, what else do you see?

swiped from Raneytown.