Campfire Chic

Tips to Keep in Mind When Searching for Advertising Space - A Collective Response

2012-02-27T05:02:00.000-08:00

One question that keeps popping up in the 'Ask Kam' Form is about 'shopping around' for sponsor spots. The questions usually ask how the how, why, and when. How to find the spots, why I would select one website over another, and when to start looking. Instead of one answer, why not get a few answers? I passed along the question to the Campfire Chic sponsors and asked around the Twitterverse and this is what they said:

Hi Campfire Chic Readers! I'm so excited to be a blog friend to Kam, and I love her posts, don't you? Her tips for blogging, technology reviews, and fun finds to try on or with your blog keep me in the know about new ways to reach readers. I try to find blogs or web sites that support the same interests or hobbies that I do, but I don't sell myself short by ruling them out if they don't.

Most of the time, I advertise or swap buttons with blog friends. It's been great getting to know these ladies, even through email and posting, and they tend to be long term friendships. In addition, I also search for blogs that host flea market and thrift find link ups, paper craft related posts, or those that generally support all of the blog world with great posts for keeping up and being noticed.

When I'm looking for a place to advertise, first I go to the blogs I really look forward to reading. I do this for two reasons. First, I hope that readers who like the same blogs as I do will enjoy mine, since we must have similar taste! I also choose particular blogs because if I really enjoy them, I want to support them so they can keep on being awesome. I also make sure that the blogs I sponsor aren't all of the same type. I blog about a lot of different things (and sell handwritten fonts) and hope to attract a variety of readers, so I don't want to exclusively sponsor fashion blogs or tech blogs. A good mix of advertising locations exposes your brand to a broader audience.

The number one thing I look for in sponsoring a blog is whether or not I read the blog and enjoy the content. I try to think about it like the patronage system from the 15th or 16th centuries when the Medicis commissioned Michelangelo's which allowed him to continue creating... So, yes, I think about sponsoring Kam like sponsoring Michelangelo :) . My support (small that it is) allows these bloggers to do more of what they do and more of what I love.

The second consideration when looking for a blog to sponsor is one that will allow me to craft my own featured post. The goal when sponsoring blogs is always to raise awareness of my own and drive traffic for specific posts/products (like my ebooks). When a blogger lets me write my own post that can both connect to their readers in my own voice and promote the posts or products of my choice I find that the sponsoring relationship is much more mutually beneficial.

I am currently looking for new blogs to sponsor for next month so this topic is quite fresh in my mind. Price is a large factor for me but like most things in life, you get what you pay for, so I watch for that too. If the blogger is charging more than $10 I expect something a little more than just an ad that might get lost on the side bar. On that note a clean design is very important. If I am associating my brand with another I need to love it. Really believe that what they are doing is worth supporting. I also love any opportunities to promote my little etsy store through sponsorship too.

And from the Twitterverse:

I will be answering this question and addressing other concerns first time advertisers may have in an upcoming ebook! Subscribe to the Campfire Chic newsletter for updates and an exclusive discount for the ebook.

Week 8: 2012 in Photos

2012-02-25T07:42:00.000-08:00

OC Mart Mix // Dim Sum // Shrimp Taco Salad

Contracts // Blogger Style? // Reused Flags

Highlighters // Custom Order // Layers

In other news: I've decided to change up the blogging schedule here on Campfire Chic. After some deliberation, I think some change is good and will be for the best. You may not notice many changes, but this weekly post will also include a wrap up of the posts from the week. I think it will be easier to digest than the really long post at the end of the month...even though I like re-visiting the posts. Easy digestion is better, right? Let me know if you have any questions or concerns about this! I'm all ears.

Also, if you read Campfire Chic via email or other RSS feed other than the main blog, I want to mention that I did a bit of design/layout overhaul this past week and wonder if everything is looking a-ok on your web browser...I checked at work and on my computer and things seem to be alright, but please let me know if you notice something is broken!

Etsy Seller Interview - Eva of Tilla Garden (Air Plants)

2012-02-24T05:29:00.001-08:00

After posting about hanging my air plant on the wall, I got a few questions about air plants...like, what they heck are they? I contacted an air plant seller on Etsy to get some more information. I found Eva, who lives in Southern California, and did a quick interview with her:

Urchin Air Plant on Tilla Garden

Hi Eva, thanks for taking the time to do this interview. In edition to living in beautiful Huntington Beach, California (Surf City, to some!), what can you tell us about yourself?

I am from Czech Republic, a small country in the middle of Europe. A met my husband there, and moved to Huntington Beach, where I am already almost 6 years. We have twin daughters, who just celebrated their 4th birthday.. I am a creative individual, love to learn new things and take on new interesting challenges

I guess the second question is kind of obvious...what the heck are air plants?

Air plants are tropical plants that live from the moisture in the air, They exist primarily in rain forest area[s], but are found in other places with considerable air humidity. They attach themselves with [a] root system and a lot of them are even found hanging.

Terrarium on Tilla Garden

How did you discover air plants? When did you decide to sell your arrangements?

I did not know much about these “air plants” before coming here, my mom in Czech had one miniature plant in a sea shell, occasionally dunked it in water and the plant once even bloomed. As soon as I visited my in-laws, it sparked my interest. They have a vertical garden made almost exclusively from Tillandsias and other types of “air plants", literally hundreds of them. I discovered that there are many species of them, different shapes, sizes and colors.

They are the perfect plant for me, for I tend to forget to water, and these are not so sensitive. Some of them were around my husband’s garden before we married. His were tossed around in hanging baskets with Epiphyllums and he never really took any care of them. They are perfectly happy with HB’s moist ocean air.

You opened Tilla Garden in late 2011, what goals/plans do you have for your

shop for 2012?

My personal plan for 2012 is to...expand my Tilla business with new and more interesting combinations of plants and holders. For the summer, I will have to take a break, for I run a B&B seasonal business in Czech Republic, so I travel to stay there for close to 4 months.

Eva of Tilla Garden

If you could try any new art/craft/skill this year, what would it be and why?

I’d love to try anything manual. I love creating new designs, shapes and things with my hands. My husband and I signed up for two semesters of pottery course, many pieces are functional and within the family and friends. I would love to learn how to make soap, candles or even jewelry. For now, I continue to improve my crocheting and knitting skills, trying new patters, but my time is limited, primarily because I have to be a mom to my two beautiful daughters.

To learn more about Air Plants or to purchase one of your own, visit Tilla Garden on Etsy.

Essential Reading - 8 Articles to Start Your Day

2012-02-23T05:43:00.000-08:00

Elise celebrated her birthday yesterday! She posted her 26 favorite things last week and I couldn't agree more with many of the things on her list.
Jen's second round of Storybook Vacations has me wanting to visit New Zealand due to the audiobook I'm currently enjoying.
One of my 12 Projects in 2012 is to make a welcome mat. My original idea was a little more durable and boring, so I may just go with this friendship bracelet welcome mat tutorial for my project.
Moe blogged about catching (or in this case, pinning) inspiration and still being original, I think this post is really interesting and a great read.
Photos of America's lost National Parks.
Neil wrote a Marketer's Guide to Pinterest that is particularly interesting because it covers the basics of Pinterest, tools to use to find 'pinnable' images, 9 reasons to use Pinterest for marketing, brands who are doing well on Pinterest and those who are not, and much more. It's the type of article you read when you have time to sit down with a cup of tea.
As an avid Twitter user is focuses on conversions, I found this article about a recent study on Twitter users really cool...gives both new and old users some insight on what this microblogging platform is all about.
This has very little to do with blogging/Campfire Chic other than the fact that it awesome. Photos of dogs underwater as they chase a ball? Genius.

What are the types of posts drawing your eye lately?

How do you subscribe to/read your favorite blogs?

Iced Tea Obsession - Your Suggestions Needed!

2012-02-22T04:58:00.000-08:00

I only recently began enjoying iced tea. I think it is partially due to my desire to cut back on the amount of soda I drink (or could potentially drink) on a daily basis.

I’ll tell you this: I don’t like coffee and I don’t really like hot tea.

The only iced tea I ever tried was some offbrand from a soda machine. Gross. My stomach is turning at the thought of it…So here I am drinking my Passion tea lemonades with only 1 pump of classic sweetener, or ordering lemonade-less tea without any sweetener. I’m digging it. I tried to brew some tea at home and it was terrible.

So I need your help.

Give me suggested flavors, brands, tips for brewing, anything!

I like: black teas, lightly flavored white tea

I don’t like: too much perfume-like flavor. It freaks me out for some reason and I start to gag.

I’m not sure about: green tea. You’d think I would be down with it since I’m hapa, but I just can’t get into it. Maybe I’m doing it wrong…

So please, give me any tips you can! Links are appreciated, as well.

How to Prepare for the Upcoming Changes to Google Friend Connect (GFC)

2012-02-21T04:54:00.001-08:00

According to the Official Google Blog, Google Friend Connect (GFC) and other Google products will be either eliminated or supplanted by Google+. In the case of GFC, widgets for non-Blogger websites will not be supported come March 1, 2012. You can read the article here.

What is GFC? Why was it created?

Google Friend Connect is a bit of code that allows webmasters to connect subscribers. You can create a newsletter, take polls, and a few more options using the tool, but in my experience, most bloggers I know use it as a simple way for readers to subscribe...not to mention it is a visual indicator of just how many people subscribe to said blog (even though it does not reflect the actual number of subscribers).

In light of Google shutting down Picnik and moving

things to Google+, I fear that removing GFC altogether

may be on the master plan as well. Only time will tell.

So what are we to do?

Plan ahead, of course!

Here are some ways for non-Blogger bloggers to prepare and for those of us using Blogger to prepare for the inevitable.

Start Early

Start now, even. If you are on a non-Blogger site, you should’ve started yesterday with getting your readers to subscribe in another way in case subscriptions are not saved in Google Reader or other RSS feed reader.

Let your readers know of the upcoming change and possibly plan some sort of blog post around the change the days leading up to March 1st.

Start making your ‘subscribe here’ buttons and posting them on your blog, I would encourage you to consider having a subscribe button for both your general feed as well as Bloglovin’. That service is popular, don’t make it more difficult for somebody to subscribe to your blog.

Which brings me to my next point...

Search for Alternatives

Feedburner, Bloglovin are two options in my network. I know several avid blog readers elect to subscribe to their favorite blogs via email, as well. Others rely on social media updates to know when a post is available.

The point is, there are other ways to subscribe to a favorite read other than through Google Friend Connect. Heck, one can subscribe directly through his/her Google Reader for crying out loud!

Educate your readers

Poll your audience to see what networks they use currently and feature some of their responses in a blog post! Your readers want to share ideas with you, so be sure to ask!

Other things your audience should know:

How to subscribe to a blog without using GFC
The different RSS feed readers available and how to access them
A blogger’s readership is not solely reflected in the GFC numbers

And, please, please, please stop the emphasis on GFC in giveaways. As you know, your readers are subscribing to you through various means, if you'd like to keep the giveaway for subscribers only, say so, but don't require a specific way...you're eliminating portions of your readership that would love the opportunity to win.

So let’s start now

I've given you several ideas for blog posts for you to use for the rest of this month. Get them on your blogging calendar and start drafting the posts now. Do your research and share your findings with others. And don't forget to subscribe to your favorite non-Blogger blogs in a non-GFC fashion before the start of the month so you don't miss out on awesome posts.

How else can bloggers and blog readers prepare for this change?

Already using Bloglovin'? Be sure to subscribe to Campfire Chic.

Looking for a way to integrate a Google+ widget into your design? Rachele of The Nearsighted Owl shows you how in this post.

A Photographic Sojourn to Aspen - Part II

2012-02-20T04:56:00.000-08:00

Today's post is brought to you by Jen of A Tale of 2 Monkeys. In October, Jen took a trip from Colorado Springs to Aspen, Colorado. She rented a fancy lens to try out on her trip and was able to capture some beautiful photographs of the landscape.

-----

Hey guys, it's Jen from A Tale of 2 Monkeys. This is actually the second part of a series on my photographic sojourn to Aspen. Here's Part I, The Journey.

First up, the campsite review! There are a few small campgrounds on the road out to Maroon Lake, and they fill up really quickly. so you have to plan ahead. I stayed at Silver Bell for one night of fitful sleep. Completely paranoid that I was going to sleep through the sunrise, I tossed and turned and woke up at frequent intervals throughout the (very short) night.

This should be no reflection on the campground, which had really nice sites with fire pits and tables, and clean bathrooms. My only complaint is that my site was right across from the bathrooms and the safety light shines all night (as it should). As a result, it shone right into my tent and I didn't have the rainfly on. My reasoning for that was that I wanted to see the stars, but then I took off my glasses to sleep and they became white blurs so... yeah, I felt a bit dumb about that. In any case, position your tent away from the lights, and put your rainfly on, like a smart person.

The campground was beautiful, especially in the fall. These pics are all taken from my site. It had a beautiful view. I would have loved to stay longer.

They are closed for the winter (and most likely buried in some snow at this point), but if you want to go this summer, here's the link for reservations. If you do stay there, don't forget an extra $5 for the pass at the welcome center, and to print your reservations to show the guide there. There is no host at the campground itself, you just clip the permit from the welcome center on post at your campsite. The road to Maroon Lake (Maroon Creek Road) is open all day to those staying in the campground, but if you're not staying there, the hours are restricted during certain times of the year, and you would have to take a shuttle. For more information, check this site.

Here's the thing about Maroon Bells, especially in the autumn when I was there, the photographers line up to get a great shooting angle. I was there on a Monday morning, I arrived hours before sunrise, and I was about the 15th person on the beach. It was completely full in a few hours. Hundreds of photographers. It was slightly cold, but I got to chat with some other photogs, and I got some cool pictures out of it.

Just so you know, it is really hard to find the trail in the dark in the morning. I was too exhausted from driving to go scout it out the night before, so I just asked some people when I got there and followed them over. If you go, I would recommend checking it out in the daylight first. Dress in layers and wear gloves and a hat because it can be chilly before dawn, but you're going to want to have clothes you can take off as the sun comes up. I wore long johns, jeans, a wool sweater, a hoodie, and a shell, and just shed all the layers, one by one, as the day went on. Also, bring a headlamp with white and red lights, white to find the trail, red to change your camera settings without completely messing up someone's shot.

This place is so beautiful, that I started shooting well before dawn, and got some interesting night exposures.

I took these using a long exposure, a stable tripod, and a remote to keep from jostling the camera.

I shot several (hundred) more pictures throughout the morning, as the sun came up and started lighting up the Bells. In order to get the money shot (full sun, full reflection, no wind on the water), you pretty much have to stay until the afternoon. It is a long day, so I recommend that you bring food, water, and entertainment with you. An extra camera battery would also not be amiss. I brought an audiobook and headphones and kept one earbud in so I could hear other photogs if they came to talk to me (overwhelmingly men, come on ladies, let's represent!).

Some photographer etiquette to observe:

Don't set up in someone else's shot, and if you think you're going to, talk to them about it and get in and get out. The people with the prime spots have been there since before five, so be considerate
Walk around and talk to people about their equipment and stuff, but don't get in front of the cameras
People are pretty nice (considering some photographers can be egotistical jerks) so bring extra snacks and coffee and stuff to share. You might learn something! and
Before dawn, use a red light to change your camera settings, rather than a flashlight.

And here's my favorite shot of the day, worth the hours of standing out there.

What photographic adventures have you gone on lately?

Interested in seeing more of Colorado from Jen's perspective? Check out her virtual tour of Rocky Mountain National Park. Jen is quite the traveler, she shares her 10 reasons to take a solo road trip h ere. Also, Jen shares what is in her camera bag in this post.

Essential Reading + February Sponsored Giveaway

2012-02-19T09:47:00.000-08:00

This post is brought to you by the Campfire Chic sponsors. Each of the sponsors listed below supplied three great posts you should read/bookmark/share with others. Also, scroll to the bottom of the post to enter to win a giveaway for a pair of earrings and a free font!

Amy T Schubert blogs tips and inspiration for creatives on Lemon and Raspberry. She is a writer and a photographer offering tips and inspiration for small business owners and bloggers - helping etsy sellers to improve their product images, helping teachers to improve their sales copy, helping bloggers to grow their audience. For more tips on making your life awesome, check out SELF LOVE, The Finishing Manifesto or SHIFT - all ebooks currently available. For more from Lemon and Raspberry, follow Amy on Twitter or subscribe to the L&R Newsletter.

How to start email marketing

How to make an easy portrait studio at home

What is holding you back?

Dom is a self confessed craft addict from Sydney, Australia. She writes Crafted blog and created a little e-mag all about getting crafty, Crafted Magazine! Hop on over and follow Craftedblog.com and share in her obsession

How to: Newspaper canvas artwork

How to: Earring hanger

How to: Felt flower fascinator

Use CAMP20 and get 20% off your purchase at the Crafted Shop.

cb is the lady behind the words and pictures of city birds nest. she loves to ride her bike in style, design tattoo's, create for her shop, citybirds & go on adventures with her husband & best friend. when they aren't riding or surfing you can find them treasure hunting at their local thrift shops!

The Gold Rush Collection

Bike Outfits

DIY Lace Earrings

Melinda is the enthusiastic new blogger at a place she calls Life Sans Serif. A lifelong fascination with words and letters (coupled with obnoxiously neat handwriting) compelled her to begin designing and creating her own handwritten fonts. She is a hyper-organized scatterbrain who enjoys everything from high-tech to handmade, and loves to meet new people. Be sure to stop by Life Sans Serif and say hello!

Organizational Basics

Recipe: Delicious Bacon & Dijon Macaroni Salad

New Fonts & What Inspired Them

Use CAMPFIRE25 for 25% off your purchase at the Life Sans Serif Font Shop

Kendra is a twenty something blogger, artist, photographer, blog designer, writer, dreamer and first time mama-to-be of a little boy! At Like a Bird, she blogs about life, art and her inspirations, with a focus on being honest and truthful on her journey of self discovery. As a goal to be a resource and friend to other artists and those struggling with mental illnesses, Kendra has started a guest post series to encourage others to be truthful with themselves and explore who they are. Check out the past posts and contact Kendra to contribute.

Personal Truths and Reflections: On Being a Blogger

Handmade Onesie Tutorial

Peace in 2012

Trina writes about vintage and life at Feed the Birdies. A self-proclaimed vintage paper collector, or hoarder, if you must say, she loves the thrill of the hunt that estate sales and thrift shops provide. Always dig, always open boxes, and don't be afraid to ask for a deal! She's following along with #30Lists again, so check her blog, follow her on Twitter, or like her on Facebook to keep up with her pages!

Estate Sale Finds

DIY: Mailbox to Bathroom Storage

Relay of Friendship

Campfire Chic readers will receive one free vintage cookbook/idea book with any purchase over $20 from the Feed the Birdies Etsy Shop! These will be chosen at random and included with your package. Please reference Campfire Chic Free Cookbook in the notes section of your transaction.

Jen is the primary monkey of A Tale of 2 Monkeys. She's the one that, you know, blogs. She loves creativity, geekery, books, photography, and the outdoors. Follow her on twitter and read her blog to know more!

Storybook Vacation

It's a Cult Phenomenon: Comic-Con 2011 overview

Why I love Top Gear even though I don't love cars

February Sponsored Giveaway

Dom of Crafted is giving away a pair of her handmade fabric earrings!

Aren't they darling?

I have a beautiful pair, myself, and I am really excited that Dom decided to give a pair away to one lucky Campfire Chic reader.

Melinda of Life Sans Serif is giving away a free font from her font shop! One lucky winner will receive one free font of his or her choice, how cool is that?

Melinda's fonts are handwritten and really unique, perfect for anybody looking for a break from May Queen or Lobster.

To Enter:

This giveaway is open to all Campfire Chic subscribers. Please take the time to subscribe prior to entering this giveaway.

Leave a comment below with your name, location, your

email address, and answer the question:

What types of posts would you like to see on Campfire Chic this year? (1 entry)

Additional Entries:

Tweet about this giveaway, include a link, and @CampfireChic in your message. Leave a link to your tweet in the comments section below. (1 entry per day)
Visit the Crafted Shop and leave a comment below with your favorite item in Dom's shop and why (1 entry)
Visit Melinda's Font Shop and leave a comment below with the name of your favorite font and why (1 entry)

Are you interested in advertising on Campfire Chic in March? Contact me or learn more about my sponsorship program here.

This giveaway is open to both domestic and international entries 18 years and over. Void where prohibited. Winner(s) must contact webhost no later than 14 days after the winner is announced. Giveaway ends February 24, 2012 at 10 p.m. Pacific Time. Winner(s) will be announced no later than March 1, 2012. Winner(s) are responsible for additional fees, service charges, customs, etc. associated with claiming winnings.

Advertise on Campfire Chic for March 2012

2012-02-18T13:05:00.000-08:00

If you are interested in advertising on Campfire Chic, please contact me.

March.

Probably one of my favorite months of the year.

In like a lion, out like a lamb.

Probably a good week of rain.

And my birthday!

This year I’ll be turning 26, visiting one of my favorite places in the world, catching Hunger Games on the big screen, and doing my first mud run. Oh, and 30 Days of Lists will be in full force!

This is going to be a fun month, and I hope you join me as sponsor/advertiser on Campfire Chic.

My spaces are reasonably priced for indie business owners and I welcome blogs, online shops, and projects to advertise in my sidebar. I enjoy working with my sponsors and use the money to sustain Campire Chic and to advertise on other sites.

For more information, please visit the Advertise page.

Week 7: 2012 in Photos

2012-02-18T06:21:00.000-08:00

Alex at lunch // Boss is away // Organized desk

Post Office // Donuts // Water cooler

Lunch // Sleeping in my car // Waiting for my carpool

The last time I posted about waiting for my carpool, somebody asked if I was still carpooling with the same guy as last summer. Nope, we are still carpool-divorced (which has helped dispel rumors about us at work, thankfully). I now carpool on Thursdays with another young lady in my building who lives a few blocks away. Sometimes we drive to the train station and get picked up by her cube-neighbor and he'll drive us in or it's just the two of us. I did finally accrue enough points to get a day off of work! I'll probably be using it for our trip to Rocky Mountain National Park this summer! After next month, I should have enough points for another day off...then it is back to square one.

Do you have a question you'd like to ask?

I have this little form that collects questions you'd like me to address in a blog post.

Fairytales and Cancer Don't Mix - Meet Olivia

2012-02-17T05:56:00.000-08:00

This month's featured sponsor is somebody I've known for a little while now...her name is Olivia.

Olivia and I were pen pals for the better portion of a year and she still sends awesome handmade cards every so often...I, on the other hand, am a pen pal bum.

Olivia is a describes herself as:

I'm a 20 something.

Wife. Daughter. Sister.

Cancer fighter. UGA Graduate.

Elementary School Teacher.

Gamme Phi. Junior Leaguer.

Shopping Enthusiast.

Cupcake Lover.

Daily Nail Color Changer.

Silly Face Maker. Guitar Pickin'.

Blogger of THIS blog!

I sent Olivia some questions so Campfire Chic readers can get to know her better. She is a genuine person with a big heart who has been through more than I will probably ever know, and she is a fantastic pen pal.

What can new readers expect when they come to your blog for the first time? Where should they start?

Readers can expect me to be random and not really have a main focus on any one topic. I try to talk about a little of everything. When they first come onto my site I would say clicking on the About me, and then starting at the very beginning is my advice. You will get to see the woman I was before cancer and then you get to meet the woman I am because of cancer. It is an amazing transition, and to me a beautiful human example of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly.

You recently changed the name for your blog, how did you come to the decision to change it up?

I changed my blog name because the blog needed to change as I had. Cancer came swiftly into my life, and while I love Simply Sunshine and Daisies it did not fit me anymore. Making sure people understood the person they were meeting through my blog seemed most important to me, and Fairy Tales and Cancer don’t MIX was born.

What three pieces of advice would you give to newlyweds where one partner is in the armed services?

Oh goodness being married to or hell even dating someone in the military is tough. People don’t realize that at times the spouse has the horrible end of the stick. I would say

#1 ALWAYS know you are important, too. Without you “Operation Home” would not function. Living out of plastic and paper would work, and be encouraged… making a “real” boy out of the tin soldier is hard work and very important.
#2 Don’t get discouraged about the small blunders of starting out. Getting things switched over from insurance to your identification card is going to be a bit of a roller coaster, and you might have to try multiple times but don’t get discouraged because it happens to everyone.
#3 Stay connected. The first little bit of time the lord only knows what his job is going to make him do so keep the romance alive and allow that “honeymoon” phase to last. Make every dinner a date, and make sure he knows what he has to look forward to each time he walks through the door.

I have quite a few handmade cards from you, when did you start creating cards and what are your favorite brands to use?

Oh goodness.. I do make a lot of homemade cards, and I LOVE it. I use a lot of stampin’ up products but to be fair and economical you can find the same things at Michaels or Hobby Lobby for a lot less. Just pick up cardstock, scrapbook paper, colored pens and pencils, stamps (mounted or not), ink pads, glue, and glitter … search online for a cute card before you go shopping, and try to replicate it using the materials you have purchased. Remember that you can do a great job using affordable products as you can with expensive ones.

If Campfire Chic readers want to connect with you, how can they do so?

I have a lot of networking tools and would be delighted to see new faces. I have twitter, facebook, pinterest, and a few others I probably cannot remember.

Interested in learning more about Olivia? Visit Fairytales and Cancer Don't Mix.

Home Tour: Our Gallery Wall

2012-02-16T04:53:00.000-08:00

Over the past few years, Alex and I have been collecting prints that mean something to us. But before we moved into our apartment, we didn't really have a space to hang said prints.

Until now.

Our gallery wall started out slowly, frames are really expensive!

I recently went to Aaron’s Brothers to partake in the Buy One Get One for a Penny sale, so now our wall is filling in nicely!

One thing you should know about us…sometimes we plan ahead very well, and other times we really don’t care how something looks, we just want it done.

I feel like our wall is the middle portion of the Venn Diagram of those two sides of us. We knew what prints were going up but didn’t really plan how we were going to hang them up.

I think there is something charming about how not-perfectly spaced out things are on this wall. It’s a totally different story on another one of our walls, but that’s neither here nor there.

Moving from left to right, top to bottom....

Boneyard Delight by Joey Chou, ChooChoo Clan
Iceberg by Joey Chou, Choo Choo Clan
General Sherman Sequoia National Park Poster. We bought this one in the park at the Information Center and I can't find it online but I believe it is by Paul Lanquist.
The Boy Who Lived by Nan Lawson Illustration
Yosemite and See America postcards from Anderson Design Group via a Fab.com* sale alongside a postcard of Mount Rainier from a souvenir shop.
Crescent Meadow Sequoia National Park Poster. Same as above.
Thor's Hammer and Bryce Canyon Retro Ranger notecards from Bryce Canyon National Park Information Center.
Man standing outside a coffee shop print. Goodwill.
Arabic alphabet from Waafia via Etsy
Wild Life - The National Parks Preserve All Life poster from PrintCollection via a Fab.com* Sale

We have more prints that need to go up, be we're taking it slow. We want this wall to be mostly non-photographs. We have another wall slowly becoming our well-thought out and well-planned gallery wall with photos we've taken from our trips and two photos by Erin Sunday.

How do you decorate your walls?

Are you interested in seeing any other areas of our little abode?

See more peeks into our apartment.

*Affiliate Links

9 Alternatives to Picnik for Mac and Windows Users

2012-02-15T05:05:00.000-08:00

As you may already know, Google is shutting down Picnik, a beloved web-based photo editing program. I'm a big fan of Picnik, and am very sad to see a quasi-version of it be placed under Google+. As somebody who relies heavily on the program (I am/was a Premium member) and is not a current fan of Google+, I would rather find a whole new-to-me system to use.

With change comes opportunity.

The opportunity for us Picnik-ers to search out alternatives to Picnik that will suit our needs and possible do even more with our photos and images.

So I scoured the interwebs for both web-based and download-only options for both Mac and Windows users. While this is not a comprehensive list, I feel it will cover most, if not all, of us looking for an alternative before mid-April.

Picasa

Picasa is a download from Google for Windows XP/Vista/7. You can edit, tag, and share your photos easily using Picasa. I downloaded Picasa a few years ago so I could easily organize my photos and do some basic edits. I also like that if I have Picasa open and I take a screenshot, it automatically saves the image for me. While you can use more fonts with Picasa (whatever fonts you have on your computer), I don't think you can make things like circles or rectangles on your images like on Picnik.

Aviary

So Aviary is a whole suite of editors, and the image editor is called Phoenix. It is a web-based photo/image editor that runs like a desktop product. When you open the program, it looks an awful lot like Photoshop. Pretty neat. I expect a bit of a learning curve if you've only used Picnik or Picasa (like me), but there are plenty of tutorials and whatnot. You can share your creations with popular photo hosting sites, too. The Aviary suite includes other tools for music, color swatches, vectors, and screen captures. I'm really looking forward to diving into Aviary a bit more.

Splashup and Splashup Lite

Splashup works on all web browsers while Splashup Lite is a download for those looking for a more basic product. The toolbars look just like Photoshop and most other editors. If you're familiar with one, you'll probably get this one right away. Splashup (web-based) is more powerful than the Lite version (download only), but each have their own pros and cons.

Photoshop Express

This free version of Adobe Photoshop is free and can also be found in mobile form for both iOS and Android. Your account comes with 2GB of space for storage (really nice!) and some really basic clip-art-esque 'decorations' to use after using the editing tools. Remember, you get what you pay for, so don't expect anything fancy in the embellishment section of Photoshop Express or much more than a basic editor.

Pixelmator

Pixelmator was one of 2011 Apps of the Year and for a good reason. This app is for Mac only and costs $29.99. Paying that much for an app may sound appaling to some, but compare it to the cost of Photoshop Elements or full Photoshop and you're sitting pretty. Pixelmator is not only a powerful tool, but it also has auto save, keeps previous versions of your project available just in case you need to go back, and it is just so darn pretty. You can easily share your images and photos to popular photo-sharing websites. As a Windows user, I can tell you now that I'll be commandeering Alex's macbook pro to give Pixelmator a full test run in a matter of days.

GIMP

GIMP is a free download program for image manipulation for Linux/GNU, OS X, Windows, and a few other systems. Kind of like Wordpress, GIMP is designed to be customized. There are plenty of plugins and a customizeable interface that is nice for the novice and expert alike. If you like to be able to have more control on your workspace, GIMP is for you. Once again, you'll recognize a lot of the images in the toolbar, which helps cut down on the learning curve.

Get Paint

Get Paint is a free Windows-only download. Created by students looking to replace the default Paint program that comes with Windows, this program is much more than a paintbrush and a text toolbar. This program is similar to other photo-editing programs that allow multiple layers but it comes with a familiar Microsoft Office Suite interface. There is an active community dedicated to Get Paint and it automatically updates so you won't need to worry about going back to the website to search for an update every few months.

Inkscape

Inkscape is more about vector work, but I didn't want to leave it out of this list for some reason. I first tried Inkscape in 2010 and it hit me square in the face. I had no idea what I was doing, but that's neither here nor there. Inkscape is a lot like Adobe Illustrator. If you're creating logos, you'll want to go this route. Inkscape is different than Photoshop and other image editing programs but can be used in conjunction with them. You can check out the Inkscape Flickr group to get a better idea of what you can do with this program.

http://photofiltre.en.softonic.com/

I suggest checking out each program to see what

works best for you and what will fit your needs.

Be sure to download your files from Picnik of you have not already done so. You won’t want to lose the edited images you created months ago!

Are you currently using any of these programs?

How are you preparing for the end of Picnik?

Pin It

30 Days of Lists - March 2012 Edition Pre-Registration Closes Tomorrow!

2012-02-14T05:27:00.000-08:00

Pre-registration ends tomorrow, so I suggest you don't delay!

If you would like to receive two extra exclusive tutorials AND be entered to win an INSTAX Mini plus Film, you better sign up right now.

Have no fear, that does not mean you cannont register for 30 Days of Lists after today…in fact, you will have a very long time to register for 30 Days of Lists!

After February 15th, will be able to register for 30 Days of Lists – March 2012 Edition for the same low price. The only difference is that you will not receive the two exclusive DIY projects or be automatically entered to win an INSTAX Mini plus Film.

As one of the #30Lists Team members, I really hope you’ll join us for this third round of lists.

Everything is new! New lists, new tutorials, new giveaways, and new friends!

Speaking of new, I have a new set of mixed-paper albums specifically designed for 30 Days of Lists up in my Etsy shop. There are only a handful left, so if you've been eyeing one, I suggest picking it up today. I'll be doing my best to ship it as quickly as possible so you'll have it in time for March 1st.

Also, I have a question for you…

Because I trust your judgment…

Do you think a live chat would be fun for #30Lists? Amy and I are both really busy and have schedules that do not match up at all, so it would most likely only be one of us hosting it (probably me!!!!), but would that be something you’re into? Or would you be more into a Twitter chat where we use the #30Lists hashtag to connect?

Instagram – Hashtags, Searching, and the Double-Tap

2012-02-13T05:09:00.000-08:00

Source: instagr.am

Instagram.

What can I say that hasn’t already been covered? I'll start at the beginning.

What is Instagram? A mobile-based social network where users upload a photo, add filters, and publish for their followers to see. Think Twitter in photos.

Speaking of Twitter, Instagram uses hashtags just like it's more verbose cousin to categorize photos by subject or theme. While hashtags can #getoutofhand from time to time, the intent is to make it easy for users to search for a keyword and find related photos. All you need to do is click on a hashtag and a new window will open and you can see all of the other public photos using the same hashtag. #febphotoaday #instagood #nofilter are common hashtags you probably see when scrolling through your feed.

What do the hashtags look like?

As you can see, the hashtags look just like the ones used on Twitter. The top two screenshots show two users using several hashtags to categorize and organize their photos. The bottom two screenshots show how I went back to an old photo, added two hashtags (including #TOMS) and then what happens when I tapped on #TOMS. Looks like quite a few users are taking photos of their shoes!

Speaking of connecting updates using a hashtag, on Twitter, it can be used like a global chatroom at times, which is fantastic! How does that translate on Instagram? This can go beyond photos of shoes...a simple hashtag can show a collection of photos from the same event or project!

Cool, right?

How do I search for something on Instagram?

Search #30Lists on twitter and then search #30Lists on Instagram…no RTs to muddle through, less spam (if any) to roll your eyes at…just photos from people with a common interest working on a common project. Maybe this is something you'll consider using for your next project! Can you think of any common projects people are documenting via Instagram right now?

Why bother with using hashtags?

Like any other social media tool, Instagram users like to be 'rewarded' for their efforts. Extra 'likes' and new followers are examples of rewards. On a more personal level, if you use a unique hashtag for certain photos, you'll be able to go back later to look at those easily organized photos (which is a great way to better curate the photos you select for this collage tutorial posted last week)

So I did an experiment. I started using hashtags on some of my instagram photos.

What happened?

I didn’t notice a huge increase in followers, necessarily, but there was a fair jump in ‘likes’. And the people liking my photos tended to like more than one and not necessarily recent ones...if my Instagram was a website, that would really help out my bounce rate! (nerd talk for: that's a good thing).

I also noticed myself liking photos like a madwoman and following more people I don’t know personally (or through the blogosphere) because they have awesome photos...exactly what Instagram is all about!

See that? That’s a little something called a full circle.

As for the double-tap portion of the title of this post, it simple refers to double tapping a photo to like or unlike it instead of hitting the actual like button.

Do you use hashtags? What are some of your favorites to use?

In what ways do you think using hashtags on your photos would be beneficial?

Love instagram? Did you know you can make an Instagram collage for your iphone without fancy apps? Click here for the tutorial.

30 Days of Lists Giveaway Winner

2012-02-12T23:29:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to announce the winner of the free registration to 30 Days of Lists - March 2012 edition giveaway.

The randomly selected winner is Suzanne who wrote that

she'll be finishing some lists, reading at least 2 chapters of

her book, and taking down her Chrismtas tree this weekend.

Didn't win? There is still time to pre-register for 30 Days of Lists - March 2012 edition and get in on the INSTAX MINI giveaway (and the UPPERCASE Magazine Subscription if we get 300 people to register!) and bonus material for $8.

Related: There are three 30 Days of Lists mixed-paper albums left in my Etsy shop waiting for homes. Feel free to use the coupon code LETSGO for 10% off your order. I'll be making extra trips to the post office this week as these are sold, so get on it! Each album comes with a bonus pack STUFFED with embellishments and ephemera that will give you a good starting point for #30Lists.

This Week on Campfire Chic

2012-02-12T05:16:00.000-08:00

This week I hope to share with you:

9 Alternatives to Picnik
Some ways to get more out of Instagram
An interview with Liv, this month's featured sponsor and one of my pen pals
Some peeks into my apartment

Offline: Valentine's Day, 5 day work week, closing pre-registration for 30 Days of Lists, hopefully getting my new phone case, planning some late spring/early summer trips, payday, wearing my new Northface mini-trench.

What are your plans for the week?

A Day in the Life: 2/10/12

2012-02-11T10:05:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my bi-weekly day off from work and I had quite a busy day planned. I enjoy seeing how other people record their everyday so I decided to attempt to do the same with some simple photos in between my Pomodoros (more about this productivity technique later this month) and while I was out running errands.

Top to bottom, left to right: Waiting for my sandwich to be made at the Sprout's deli // Said sandwich, eaten // Dusting and organizing // Plenty of driving // Iron and stone ant waiting to surprise Alex // Shopping cart with all the necessary items to make Alex's Valentine's Day gift // Our current reads // Evidence of the 5 loads of laundry I ran yesterday

Not pictured: I gave the entire apartment a deep clean yesterday as I waited for Maintenance to show up for a semi-annual preventative maintenance inspection. Listening to several hours worth of Paperclipping Roundtable while I cleaned. I worked on my 2012 album a wee bit (more later this month, hopefully) and started packaging some 30 Days of Lists album orders. The mess I made while planting/making Alex's gift of a new trellis-friendly Star Jasmine plant for our deck/balcony -- it adds a bit of privacy. All the driving we did last night picking up and dropping people off all over creation.

Does anybody have any recommendations for alternatives to those clear produce bags?

Photos taken and edited using the Camera+ app for iPhone. Grids created via the Dipic app for iPhone. Learn more about both apps here.

Week 6: 2012 in Photos

2012-02-10T14:41:00.000-08:00

Closet Hangout // Cuties // Lunch with the Trio

Wu+Curly Hair // Ordering Supplies // Left Behind

Naturally // Veggie Roll // Friday View

Here's the thing, I started this weekly grid post in anticipation of creating some sort of mini-album at the end of the year with the 52 grids I'll (hopefully) end up creating without worrying about the whole photo-a-day business of Project 365/366. A formal challenge has too much pressure. With my phone and Instagram, I find myself taking more photos of 'the everyday' and I love that. A scrapbooker at heart, I love any sort of memory keeping, so Instagram really speaks to that part of me...

You can see weeks 1 through 5 here.

Are you doing a similar post each week?

Leave a link below to share your 'week 6'!

PostalPix Review

2012-02-09T04:51:00.000-08:00

I only recently started using an iphone and with the advances in the phones on our cameras and the bonus of not needing to carry around a big ol’ camera I knew I needed to find some sort of easily easy way to get my photos printed.

Now, I was familiar with a few sites known to work well with Instagram and Hipstamatic prints, but I wanted an easy-to-use app directly on my phone that had a clean user interface and possibly a user experience that wasn’t a nightmare.

Enter Postal Pix.

App Name: PostalPix
Cost: Free
Ease: Super easy to use

Needless to say, I plan on using this app many more times! I already started filling my cart with photos from late January and early February, the cost is so low that I can’t just let my photos sit on my phone any longer! I plan on adding 4x6 photos to this order to see how a non-instagram photo looks when printed, as well.

I ordered square 4x4 photos for the 2012 album I am working on and to possibly include in some 12x12 scrapbook layouts.

There are options for other sizes and for mousepads of your photos, too. Pretty neat.

The app makes it really simple to add numerous photos from your photo roll and your camera roll, just two clicks and you’re in business. The shipping did not take long at all. The prints were fantastic, which was nice because I printed photos from Instagram and the Hipstamatic Disposable apps and a photo with words on it (created using apps from this post).

Have you used PostalPix?

Do you use another, similar, service?

I was not asked to write this review or compensated in any way to do so. When I find a product I truly like, I want to share it with you. In this case, I really like PostalPix and I hope you check it out.

Giveaway: Registration to 30 Days of Lists - March 2012 Edition

2012-02-08T05:30:00.000-08:00

Pre-Registration for 30 Days of Lists opened on Sunday and I'm really excited so many people are joining this challenge!

In celebration of the third time we've hosted 30 Days of Lists, I want to give away registration to one lucky Lister!

All you have to do is leave a comment below with:

Your Name

Your Email Address

List three things you hope to do this coming weekend

That's it!

Now, if you want to have additional entries to this giveaway, you can:

Tweet about the giveaway and include #30Lists in your tweet. Leave a comment here with a link to your tweet
Blog about this giveaway (and 30 Days of Lists in general) and leave a comment here with a link to your post

To find out more about 30 Days of Lists, check out these posts or visit the main 30 Days of Lists website.

You can also purchase a 30 Days of Lists notebook made by me from the Campfire Chic shop so you are set to list once March 1st rolls around.

No purchase necessary. This giveaway is open to all Campfire Chic subscribers. This giveaway will end Saturday, February 11, 2012, at 10 p.m. Pacific Time. One winner will be randomly selected, announced no later than February 29, 2012, and contacted by me via email. Odds are based on the number of entrants.

How to Create an Instagram Collage for Your iPhone Background

2012-02-07T05:23:00.000-08:00

Today's post is brought to you by Dom of Crafted.

Hello! Dom from Crafted here.

I'm going to show you a super simple way to make an Instagram collage for your iPhone background.

When you read this you will have one of those ahhh... why didn't I think of that?! moments.

I know I did when I worked it out!

1 Open Instagram.

2 Go into your profile and select your photos.

3 Scroll down the page to the point where you have the photos you like most on the screen. Take a screen shot.

4 Open the screen shot as if you were looking at a photo.

5 Now we need to crop the image and get rid of the instagram buttons and header. To do this you simply zoom in on the image and take another screen shot.

6 apply it as your background and TA DA! Pretty cool huh, and as you can see it only takes 3 minutes. :)

Well Dom, that all sounds great but how do I take a screen shot?!

Well my friend you have been missing out! To take a screen shot you simply hold down the center button and press the lock button at the same time. This will capture what ever is on the screen and add it to your camera roll.

Hope you found this quick little tutorial helpful. :)

Dom is a super crafty lady who lives in Sydney, Australia. She is a self confessed craft addict, so much so she has a blog where she gets to further her addiction by posting interviews with handmade sellers, tutorials and much more! She is also currently addicted to Instagram. If you are on Instagram you should follow her pics! Username: CraftedDom

What I Made: Zigzag Garden Pot

2012-02-06T05:04:00.000-08:00

Is it a chevron?

Is it a zigzag?

Call it what you will, that zigzag/chevron pattern seems to have a hold on all of us at the moment. I think it is the simplicity of it that strikes my fancy.

I had some leftover paint from another project (if you pre-register for 30 Days of Lists, you'll see what the project is!) and decided to use some of it to spruce up a way-too-pink-for-me pot I had waiting for the perfect plants!

Now I just need to find the time to actually put the plants in the pot...but that's another story.

You’ll need:

Painter’s Tape – Or Washi tape!
Paint – I used a Metallic interior paint from Martha Stewart in Thundercloud
A paintbrush – if you’re like me and forget things while at the store, fingers work just as well
Newspaper or some sort of drop cloth

Steps:

Use the painter’s tape to mark off the design you wish to use. I was trying to beat the sun and didn’t have enough time to plan out more than one zigzag pattern, you can totally always make some sort of brick pattern, vertical or horizontal stripes, whatever pattern you want!

Apply the paint using the tape as your guide. Be sure to make even strokes and put enough paint on to cover the paint of the pot.

Let dry, remove the tape and you have a painted pot!

A quick and easy project you can complete this weekend for your indoor plants, latest slew of succulents, or some bulbs that need to be planted. I'll probably end up putting some succulents in this baby, pretty typical of me at the moment :)

What did you make this weekend?

Pre-registration for 30 Days of Lists is NOW OPEN

2012-02-05T04:17:00.000-08:00

That's right!

Amy and I are back with the THIRD installment of 30 Days of Lists.

What is 30 Days of Lists?

30 Days of Lists is our encouragement and challenge to you that you CAN do something creative every day – even something as small as a list.

Every day through the month of March we will be posting a list prompt – anything from weekend goals to celebrity crushes. At the end of the 30 days you’ll have a collection of entries creating a small snapshot of your life right now.

Only 5-10 minutes per day are really needed. While you’re waiting for someone, or when you’re the passenger in the car. You can even download the list topics ahead of time to get a jump start!

That’s all.

Just write.

There’s no wrong way to do this and if you don’t like a prompt on a certain day, just change it!

Pretty neat, right?

There will be plenty of giveaways involved, don't hesitate to register, some of the giveaways are based on the number of registrations we get! Hurry!

You know what else is neat?

Due to the popularity of the mixed-paper albums I made for the September Edition of 30 Days of Lists, I created a whole new set of 6x6 albums!

I've been holding onto some of these papers for far too long. Each piece has a story, I can tell you when and where I purchase each item, and how bittersweet it is to be putting these up for 'adoption'. Let's just say that I'm really looking forward to these albums getting a good home :)

Click here to buy an official 30 Days of Lists notebook.

You can find out more about the March 2012 Edition of 30 Days of Lists here, or you can pre-register now.

Have you pre-registered for 30 Days of Lists?

Pin It

Week 5: 2012 in Photos

2012-02-04T06:27:00.000-08:00

Cuties // Layers // Date Night

Girl Scout Cookie // Wall // Blog Planning

Salad // Outfit // Album Paper

I highly suggest that you subscribe to the 30 Days of Lists newsletter if you are

considering joining the next round...you'll be glad you did *wink wink nudge nudge*

6 Ways to Survive Your Day Job

2012-02-02T05:25:00.000-08:00

Day job. Zombie job. Pays the Bills Job. Whatever you want to call it, this is the job you are thankful to have when the paycheck comes in and when sitting in the emergency but fantasize about leaving each time you are elbow deep in the copier trying to pull out a stray paperclip.

You've been there.

You've done that.

Or maybe you're there now and wishing you had a nickle for every time somebody told you to be thankful for having a job...at least then you'd be able to pay rent on time! Have no fear, I'm here to help.

For those of us in the rat race, here are some ways to survive your day job:

1. Make a Survival Kit

Mine includes a gift card to the local coffee shop, a stress ball, a small nerf gun, a ramen cup, some mini-wrestling figures, and a Nutella-to-go. Oh, and tissues for those days that I just go mental and have a quick breakdown.

Save some space in your desk or have a box in your locker to hold a few things that would make little to no sense to somebody else, but means the difference between you throwing your non-ergonomic keyboard over your cubewall and quietly going about your business.

No locker or space in your desk? Make a digital survival kit using your phone...bookmark videos that would make Scrooge crack up, save some photos that are just too silly, upload some awesome podcasts to listen to while you work on that spreadsheet, and download Temple Run for those quick moments you have to yourself

2. Wake up earlier

This sounds horrendous, especially for somebody like me who starts work at 7 a.m., but trust me, this totally works.

I started doing this in graduate school on Alex’s request: Simply wake up earlier than you normally would to do something for yourself. I chose to wake up an hour earlier than needed to watch an episode of Gilmore Girls or West Wing and crochet a granny square. It made it so my day wasn’t wake up, go to work, go to class, study, come home, dread work, sleep it became wake up, do my thang, go to work, go to class, study, come home, look forward to tomorrow’s project, sleep.

Work became just another part of my day instead of the main reason I had to get out of bed at a certain time.

3. Something to come home to

This is easy to some, but for those without a family/significant other/cat to come home to, this may be difficult. Heck, even with those things at home, I’m sure somebody may see it more as coming home to a pile of laundry, a sink full of dishes, and a litter box to empty out.

Add something to your evening that is just for you, some sort of glimmering hope that you can hold onto when the last hour of your 9 hour shift arrives. I add Tweets and blog posts to Instapaper throughout the day to read when I get home. That promise of 10 minutes of me-time at the end of the day is so nice…even if I’m reading them while waiting for the deep conditioner to set. I also save a podcast for the end of the day to listen to while I cook dinner or clean the kitchen.

4. “Excuse me while I go fart in drawers”

Sometimes, with those extra tough days, you just need to vent. I suggest plotting the silliest ways to ‘stick it to the man’…like farting in drawers. This may seem super petty, but imagining the chaos that will ensue if I were to unplug the photocopy machines leaves me in stitches. I wouldn’t do it, but just the thought of something so silly and childish puts a grin on my face.

I also like to check the #cubiclelife tweets to see who else is at work and loving their 9-5 life.

5. Make some friends

This is super important.

While having people you actually like at a workplace may make leaving even more difficult, you need some friendly faces in the trenches. I’m sure you can find at least one other person to befriend in your building. While you may not be able to socialize very much, you’ll feel better knowing that somebody else is there to grab the print out of a coupon you sent to the wrong printer and that a Snickers bar will magically show up on your desk during one of those days.

Having a comrade will also make those mandatory staff meetings or off-site ‘retreats’ less awkward. Maybe s/he will also send some leads your way or act as a reference for future job opportunities!

6. Challenge yourself

Use this time to build your resume and make yourself more marketable. Some workplaces offer education incentives, others may offer in-house training for programs like Microsoft Access, take them up on this challenge!

It may not have a lot to do with your current day-to-day work, but think about the opportunity to go back to school for free (or at least a lower cost) and all of those job listings you ignored because you were missing one or two important skill sets. You will find that your new skills will transfer over into your current job (yay!) and will help you land your next job (double yay!)

Why did I write this?

I work full time outside of Campfire Chic. I don't go into detail about my job, but I do share that it is a job, not my career...there is a huge difference. There is a butts-in-seats culture and socializing so frowned upon that I've considered learning ASL just to communicate with others. As the main office specialist for my division, I spend my days putting out fires, fixing the photocopier, and unwillingly playing mother/counselor/punching bag/voice of reason. And while I fully expect several, "you should be grateful to have a job" comments, let me tell you this: the CEO tells us this on a regular basis. I know, now where is my nickle? Consider this a cathartic post that starts out tongue-in-cheek and ends up being not just reflective, but subjectively helpful.

What tips would you include?

Looking for more tips? This past weekend's 85*F weather really got me thinking about how challenging it is to survive a winter in Southern California.

Pin It

February is for...

2012-02-01T04:56:00.000-08:00

Celebrating things we love
Pre-registration for 30 Days of Lists starts on February 5th
I'll be listing some mixed-paper albums in my Etsy shop for 30 Days of Lists again!
We'll be talking about alternatives to Picnik
Sharing some ways to prepare for the changes to Google Friend Connect
The first update to my Monthly Album
A little talk about my One Little Word that I think you'll like very much

Offline

Longer days
Making plans for birthday trips
Planning for our backpacking trips this year
Hopefully visiting Disneyland on the 29th because they are open for 24 hours
Going up to Big Bear yet again

What are your plans for February?

January In Review

2012-01-31T05:02:00.000-08:00

Project 3: Framed Air Plant

2012-01-30T04:59:00.000-08:00

One of the projects I wanted to complete this year involved doing something, anything, with an air plant.

Anything.

I looked up where to find an air plant in Orange County.

I had a frame sitting around that needed a project.

And this is what happened...

What is an air plant? An air plant grows in tropical areas and doesn't need to put its roots into the ground...they can survive just hanging out pretty much wherever they want! I've seen quite a few vendors at the craft marketplaces selling them and people on Pinterest seem to dig them. All you need to do to keep an air plant alive is mist it every two weeks and keep it in indirect sunlight.

When I purchased the giant frame that we ended up using for our paint chip display, Alex managed to get the guy to throw in some shabby chic frame that I didn't particularly care for for a mere $5. He told me that he was sure I could figure out something to do with it and that if I really wasn't happy with the style, I could always paint it (blogger swoon).

So here is what we did:

Purchased an air plant at tiny place in Costa Mesa, CA. It is a few blocks south of South Coast Plaza (where Marissa steals a watch in The O.C.) and is actually an airstream parked at a small hipster-riffic center called The Camp. If you're in the area, here is the Yelp page. ($15)
I attached some hardware to the back of the frame. If you are buying secondhand frames, take a peek at the back to see if there is hardware, if not, be sure to pick some up at the store. It's pretty inexpensive.
We screwed a piece of eyelet hardware in the wall above our television.
There was already some wire attached to our air plant (it was attached to some driftwood at the shop, which was not for sale) so all we needed to do was secure the wire to the eyelet...
And then re-read the directions from the shop and let the plant roots soak overnight before getting back to business...
So the next morning we hung the frame on the wall around the plant -- be careful to not squish your plant as you do this part!

We love that the plant looks like it is growing out of the wall and actually kind of blends into the paint color so in-your-face as you sit down in our living room.

If you would like to do a similar air plant project you'll need:

An air plant
1 eyelet hardware (it looks like a circle on one side and a screw on the other)
A frame or vinyl to go around the plant
A bit of wire, if it does not already come with it
Hammer

What do you think of air plants?

Do you have any indoor plants?

-----

This is the third project in my quest to complete twelve new-to-me projects this year. My goal is to try different ways to be creative that are not for profit but will benefit me in some way. 12 Projects. 1 Year.

Project 1: Paint Chip Display
Project 2: Hanging Succulent Basket

Week 4: 2012 in Photos

2012-01-28T01:59:00.000-08:00

Sunrise // Shoes // Prep

Cocoa // Creative Mess // Drink Break

Sewing // Finished // Greenery

Essential Weekend Reading

2012-01-27T02:15:00.000-08:00

Sunrise as I wait for my Thursday carpool

Tracy posted about Cabin Porn (safe for work)
One lesson people need to learn: Stop working for free
Holly shared her photo wall, see if you recognize anything up there
Speaking of charging for your work, maybe you should get people excited about it
Jen posted about our quick meetup at Disneyland
Grab a tissue and read about this yard sale
I'm utilizing the Twitter Favorites function more and more...I think I'm addicted.

What are some of your favorite posts from the past week or so?

2 a.m. thoughts: 30 Days of Lists is coming back this March, you'll see quite a bit of chatter on my end about it coming up. I hope you join the fun. I really need to get my oil changed. I answered some interview questions yesterday about happiness for a feature on another blog, I'm looking forward to sharing my responses with you all. I have the strange feeling I have a slice of bread in my purse (wrapped in a napkin) but I'm too afraid that I'm right to go and check it out. I've been sick for about a week now, and I'm looking forward to feeling well. Patagonia is having a sale. And finally...I updated my 'blog posts to write' list on Evernote yesterday and I'm really looking forward to writing them up. It's just a matter of timing.

A Displaced California Girl Shares the Must-Visit Places in Southern California

2012-01-26T04:55:00.000-08:00

Today's post is brought to you by Holly of So Dang Brilliant.

My parents still live in the same house in Redlands, California that I was born in. If you didn't know where Redlands was, you might think that it could be found near the majestic Redwood forest. And you'd be wrong.

I am a Southern California girl through and through. Except for the part where I have been living in Utah for the last seven years. I'm a wayward soul living in the cold mountains instead of at sea level—gosh dang you, higher education and true love!

I miss all of my old haunts like whoa, and I hope you'll

join me while I point out some must-visit places for the

next time you become a California girl (or boy).

El Burrito

Southern California is known for its fresh and delicious Mexican food, but I have literally cried over the food at El Burrito. This take-out restaurant is near a freeway underpass, provides only aluminum picnic table seating, and boasts the "Garbage" burrito as its feature entree. But dang if it isn't packed from open to close. My usual order is the rolled chicken taco and a bean & cheese burrito.

Disneyland

If you are a fan of Kam's, you know she has a love thang for Disneyland. Let me just say—seconded. Every school trip, every important birthday, almost every childhood memory of mine has been at Disneyland. People, even my honeymoon was Disney-fied.

Corona Del Mar tide pools

This attraction is for every kid who wanted to be a marine biologist when they grew up, but discovered that it's hard work and possibly involves dead dolphins. Corona Del Mar is my beach of choice on the Californian coast and features tide pools with creatures of every size. Well, not like blue whale-sized creatures, but sea anenomes and sand crabs galore. I have been during every season—don't let a visit during the winter months scare you away from a visit to this beach.

D'elias

My dad grew up in Riverside, a few towns west of my hometown. When it was his turn to choose a restaurant, we would all pile into our green Chevy van and drive to get some D'elia's Grinders. Like a sub sandwich, a grinder is filled to the brim with meat, cheese, and veggies; but, a grinder is made with a crusty bread that has a fluffy center. D'elias serves all of your favorite sandwiches, but makes the special barbecue beef sandwich on certain days of the week. My favorite part of the visit is always the strawberry soda they have on tap.

Exposition Park

Are you a museum geek? Maybe you like the Olympics? Exposition Park is an area in Los Angeles that is comprised of the California Science Center, the Natural History Museum, the LA Memorial Coliseum, and much more. All of these places are within walking distance from each other, so you can flit about from site to site. The California Science Center is a great place to learn about earthquakes, if you are afraid of those fun natural roller coasters. And did you know that in D2: The Mighty Ducks, they used the Coliseum as a backdrop for an international hockey tournament?

Oak Glen

If the fast-paced speed of Hollywood isn't really your cup of tea, you should head to Oak Glen. This small town is made up of apple orchards and countrified fun. Every fall, my family would head to Oak Glen to pick our own apples, partake in the endless apple desserts, and run around the one-room schoolhouse. I loved choosing the perfect jug of apple cider to take home, as well as exploring the pioneer set-up. In my box of childhood treasures, I still have a candle that I hand-dipped at Oak Glen.

I cannot recommend southern California enough. As I look out my window and see it snowing, I definitely can't think of a place I would rather be than southern California. If you end up there, you are more than welcome to stop by my parents' place—my mom will treat you like royalty and my dad will offer to get El Burrito for dinner

What are your favorite places in Southern California?

Where would you like to visit, if you were to come to the West Coast?

Holly F. writes about staying smart, staying sharp, and staying at home at So Dang Brilliant. If she were to get to know you, she'd no longer be afraid of strangers; or at least, you would no longer be a stranger and she wouldn't be afraid of you.

What Are Your Trend Predictions for 2012?

2012-01-25T05:24:00.000-08:00

Now that 2012 is underway and we've all seen the plethora of recap posts for 2011 and goal/resolution posts for this year, I think now is the perfect time to make some trend predictions for 2012!

I asked this month's advertisers and posted the same question to Twitter...What are your trend predictions for 2012?

Simple, right?

So I'll go first...

This year, I predict...

Pinterest will be an even bigger part of marketing - While I was confused by pinners pinning their own photos/images, I think there is a nice trend starting where it is moving to tactful rather than tacky. How so? The use of a 'My Work' board! I see these boards popping up more and more which helps add to the Pinterest community rather than...well...looking like you're pinning a photo of yourself hoping it goes viral. I've also noticed more bloggers taking a more active role in making sure posts are 'pinnable' by adding text to main images that promote repins! I predict things will only get better and more streamlined.
Personal challenges to branch out - The first two weeks of this month seem to be full of bloggers setting personal challenges to try new projects. Of course I'm in love with this, I'm doing my own 12 Projects in 2012 challenge. I think what I like the most about these personal challenges is that they seem to be solid goals rather than 'be more creative', which usually tops the lists of resolutions in a creative community.
More collaborative projects between bloggers - I love seeing collaborative projects that are well organized by more than one blogger. It may be a blogger meetup, monthly challenge, ecourse, craft night, or swap. They are becoming more common and really well executed. I think it is a big check in the pro column in favor of friendships starting online.
Less "what camera do you use?" and more "what filter/app are you using?" - All I have to say is that with the vast improvements of cameras on our smart phones and the apps available, most of the photos we all take on a daily basis are done with our phones. While lugging around our DSLRs is still going to be a big part of what makes us bloggers, the quick 'everyday' photos are largely taken with our phones. With the boom in Instagram users and the ease of posting photos to several social networks, I predict more questions about apps and filters rather than the type of camera (digital or analog) we're using to document our journeys.
Trendy health foods like quinoa, agave nectar, and vegan baked goods will become less scary - Not that these should be scary to begin with, but sometimes trendy foods that are also healthy and maybe not readily available at a big box store (which, I did find agave nectar at Target the other day, woohoo!). Hopefully with the impact Pinterest has on our 'pinned it, made it' mentality lately, these foods will be less of a trend and more of an average addition to diets.

Here are some more predictions:

I think the trend this year will be centered around being thrifty! I think a lot of people love saving money and sharing money saving tricks!- Justine, A New Beginning

2012 is going to be awesome. I think that a big trend in pop culture will be a return to my favorite type of music—R&B! Boyz II Men forever.

In fashion, I am praying for glittery neon colors to dominate the runways.

And can President Obama be a trend, still? Yes we can!- Holly, So Dang Brilliant

I think 2012 is going to be where the statement 'less is more' is going to shine through. I think with all of the hype of 2012, people are going to be more self-focused (Is that even a word?!!) and self-reliant. I think that homemade, thrift, and indie business are going to thrive! Very excited for 2012! - Krystal, Girl Who Scraps

Here are some additional responses from Twitter:

What are your trend predictions for 2012?

DIY: How to Make a Wood Grain Stamp

2012-01-24T04:58:00.000-08:00

Today's post is brought to you by Dom of Crafted.

Hello campers!

Dom here from Crafted. I am super exited to bring you this tutorial! I am just so happy with how it turned out and I'm sure it's a projects that a lot of you will find useful. :) In this tutorial I will show you how to make a woodgrain stamp.

You will need

nice sharp knife
rubber printing block. The one I used is called Ezy Carve.
pen
stamp pad
roller (optional)

Step 1: Sketch out your design. If you are not super confident about drawing a wood grain free-hand you can trace one from a picture. I thought it would be tricky to draw but it really is just a bunch of wobbely lines. :) Give it a go on a piece of paper, I think you will impress yourself with your woodgrain drawing ability. :)

Step 2: Once you have finished drawing your design you can start cutting.

BE CAREFUL! Cut along either side of the pen line you have drawn keeping the knife at a very slight angle to you are cutting under the line.

Keep going. :) This part does take quite a while. If you feel yourself trying to rush it take a break. With such fine detail in this piece, if you cut to fast you will probably cut sections you don't want to cut!

Step 3: Cover your stamp in ink. This Memento pad is AMAZING! With such fine detail I was not able to cut very deep into the rubber because I didn't want to risk cutting away sections I wanted to keep. You just want to make sure you don't get to much ink into the sections you have cut.

Step 4: Place the stamp facedown onto your paper. Use a roller to press the stamp into the paper to get an even impression. If you don't have a roller you can just use your hand but try to make it as even as possible.

YAY!

Try it on different papers. From here you can use the prints in any kind of paper craft!

This design is quite diverse too! If you used black ink and white paper it could look like zebra stripes, or if you used blue ink it could look like water. I am going to print black onto orange and use it to embellish a scrapbooking layout from when I played with baby tigers in Thailand. :)

This was so much fun and I was so happy with the result I am itching to make more stamps now!

Thanks for having me for another awesome month Kam! :)

Dom is one super crafty gal. One might even say she is obsessed with making things, talking about making things and talking to other people about the things they make. So much so that she writes a blog that enables her to further this crafty addiction. Pop on over to Craftedblog.com and say hi.

Recipe: Super Easy Meatless Lasagna

2012-01-23T07:15:00.000-08:00

Lasagna is one of those dishes that is infamous for taking a long time to make.

This super easy recipe will have you looking for more ways to switch up this basic recipe in no time at all. As a domestically-challenged little lady, I can tell you this recipe is a must-add for anybody's cookbook. I'm salivating at the thought of making more lasagna right now!

My recipes rarely have finite measurements. Just go with the flow on this one, and use your best judgement. Most of the ingredients below were purchased at Target, so you'll know the size I'm talking about when you go shopping next.

Ingredients:

Bag of Baby Spinach
No Bake Lasagna Noodles
2 Jars of Spicy Pepper Pasta Sauce
1 Container of Part Skim Ricotta
Plenty of Minced Garlic
1/2 Package of Mushrooms
1 Package of Shredded Mozzarella
Olive Oil

Optional Additions: Shredded carrot, baby broccoli, zucchini, onion, squash.

Why 'no bake' lasagna noodles?

Because this recipe is labeled as 'easy' not 'easy until you have to boil the noodles and get them out of the boiling water without burning yourself'. Also, you'll need about 2 jars of sauce (or more, depending on the number of layers you create) in order to fully cover the noodles...the secret behind the 'no bake' is that the sauce pretty much bakes the noodles of you, so you need plenty of it!

To Make:

Pre-heat your oven to 375*F, or according to the noodle box
Lightly oil the bottom and sides of your glass casserole dish to prevent sticking
Wash and dry the mushrooms and baby spinach
Saute the mushrooms in an oiled skillet, add the baby spinach, and finally the garlic
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese and sauteed vegetables, mixing thoroughly. Feel free to add a bit of the mozzarella cheese to the mix, if you'd like

Scoop a layer of pasta sauce into the glass casserole dish
Lay a single layer of lasagna noodles side-by-side on top of the sauce
Add another layer of sauce
Layer some of your vegetable/cheese filling onto the saucy noodles
Add a bit more sauce and another layer of noodles
Continue these steps until the layers reach just below the lip of the casserole dish or when you reach your last layer's worth of lasagna noodles
After your last lasagna noodles are added to the dish, scoop one last healthy layer of pasta sauce on top
Generously sprinkle with mozzarella cheese
Cover the casserole dish with foil and place in the oven
Set the timer for 50-60 minutes, or according to the noodle box

Once the timer goes off, take the lasagna out of the oven and let it rest for a few minutes. It'll be hot, so be careful!

Enjoy your easy lasagna with a side salad or some yummy garlic bread.

Bonus: This recipe is easy to do the night before you plan on eating your lasagna. Leave a note for your loved one or babysitter to simply take it out of the refrigerator and bake it in the oven!

What would you add to your lasagna?

Have you tried the 'no bake' noodles before?

What are your favorite meatless dishes?

Craft Marathon - FREE 10 Week Craft Challenge

2012-01-22T05:35:00.000-08:00

Today's post is brought to you by Katie of Punk Projects.

Have you about the Craft Marathon hosted by Punk Projects? It's a free 10 week craft challenge with a marathon theme. It will be hosted on a blog of it's own, not punk projects.

I'm so excited about this challenge, I've been planning it out for a while now and I think you are going to love it! Here are a few more details--

Each of the 10 weeks will have a different challenge
based on a color, for example: Week 1 is called "miles 1 & 2" and the
challenge is to use the color apple green in your project.

It doesn't matter what type of projects you do!
It can be painting, sewing, knitting, crocheting, scrapbooking, etc!
The only requirement is that it has to use the color of the week.

There will be a flickr gallery where participants can
upload their project each week.

This is a challenge not a contest. At the end of thechallenge there are going to be
LOTS of giveaways for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places, as well as other awards.

The prizes are based on how many of the challenges you participate in, for example:

If you do all of the challenges you get entered into the 1st place drawing.
5 or more, you get entered into 2nd place drawing. and less than 5, 3rd place drawing.

If you don't have the time to do ALL of the challenges, that's perfectly okay!

I will also be posting alot of free downloads!

The challenge is going to run from Feb 5th to April 15th.

Sign ups are open until Feb 4th!!

To sign up, just email me!

Giveaway: $20 Shop Credit and Advertising Space on Campfire Chic

2012-01-21T08:28:00.000-08:00

Time for a quick giveaway!

Today you can enter to win:

$20 shop credit to the Whimsical Poppysmic Etsy Shop

AND

1 small ad space on the Campfire Chic blog for February 2012

To enter:

You must be a subscriber of the Campfire Chic blog.
Leave a comment below with a project idea for me to try our for my 12 Projects in 2012 (obviously something that is not on the list), your name, email address, and general location!

Additional entries:

Tweet about this giveaway and leave a link to your tweet (be sure to include @CampfireChic for a retweet -- 1 entry per day)
Visit Whimsical Poppysmic's shop and leave a comment with your favorite item currently in stock (1 entry)
Subscribe to the Campfire Chic newsletter and leave a comment letting me know you subscribed and your email address for verification (new subscribers only -- 1 entry)

This is a quick giveaway -- You have until January 23, 2012 at 10p.m. Pacific Time to enter.

No purchase necessary. Open to both domestic and international readers. Many will enter, one will win. Winner will be randomly selected on January 23, 2012 and announced no later than January 31, 2012.

Week 3: 2012 in Photos

2012-01-21T07:53:00.000-08:00

Curly hair // Fanboy // Emergency

Progress // Annual passholders // Not delivery

Getting ready // RAW // Crafty cat

Meet Justine of A New Beginning

2012-01-19T05:32:00.000-08:00

Justine is this month's featured sponsor here on Campfire Chic, and I really enjoy getting to know each featured sponsor more through an interview-style post!

Now, if you've been reading Campfire Chic for a while, you know that I already know quite a bit about this little lady! We worked on two rounds of 30 Days of Lists together, have met up a few times for some quality time, text one another, and invaded Amy's house for an entire day last year. I wish she lived closer so we could hang out more often, but that's what the internet is for, right?

Well, without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to Justine of A New Beginning:

Justine, you're so multi-faceted, how would you describe yourself if you were limited to 140 characters?

I go by Steen, I love Disneyland and singing really loud. I use sound effects instead of words and I love conversations about nerdy things.

What does a fun-loving Southern Californian like you do for fun?

For fun I love to explore So-Cal! The other day I found an arcade that has nickel machines! I like to go on adventures and hang out with my best friends

What can new readers expect when visiting A New Beginning for the first time?

From what I have been told, new readers love to hit up my tutorial section. I love love love posting about how to better your blog when it comes to design, because really that is what people look at first. So it's a HUGE deal!

You have quite a few blogging/design-related tutorials on A New Beginning, how did you first get into html and designing blog layouts?

Around 3 years ago I switched over from Live journal and was introduced to blogger and this crazy intertwined blog world that we all live in. I loved it so much! I wanted to be apart of it! So, I contacted big name bloggers for their design rates and when I was seeing the prices coming in I knew there was no way I could afford it.

So, I set out to divide and conquer in a way. I read a lot about design from tutorials, books and I took a few classes at my college. Luckily I had been a design editor for my high school yearbook which made me proficient in the Adobe programs. I love writing up tutorials, the most popular ones on my blog are: How to Get Rid of the Blogger NavBar, How to Widen your Post Area, and How to Have Three Columns!

January is a big goal-setting month and you recently reached some pretty big goals, how do you go about deciding on your goals and following through with them?

Well, I am a chronic burn out-er. And I am the first to admit this. If things get tough, I want to crawl in bed and come out in a week.

So, this past summer I did try to start changing my life. I was sick of disappointing myself and others. So, for one I stopped with things that weren't at the top of my list. For example I didn't blog during the fall because I was focused on losing weight and passing my classes. So I just set some priorities, and tried not to overwhelm myself. I have to learn how to say no to a lot of things so I can succeed at other things.

You seem to subscribe to some fabulous blogs, what are three blogs you're currently loving?

Well, I always love Elise Blaha's blog, Kaelah is always a fun read, and Emma is great when I am hungry!

Do you have any questions for Justine?

Are you interested in advertising on Campfire Chic for February? Email Kam today.

Grid-It Giveaway Winner

2012-01-18T23:03:00.000-08:00

Thank you to those of you who entered to win the Grid-It system I had up for grabs earlier this month! I was really excited to be able to give something away to Campfire Chic readers that is something a truly believe in.

And so...

Laura is the lady behind First Class Outdoors, the story of a indoor girl re-learning to love the outdoors...I think she's totally made it! I started reading about Laura's adventures last year and love that she's outdoorsy and a working professional in the field in which I got my Masters degree...needless to say, I saw a lot of myself in Laura's story, even if I'm not currently working in Student Affairs. If you're hoping to become more outdoorsy, or just want to read about Laura's adventures, I suggest heading over to First Class Outdoors and poking around a bit.

Battling Jealousy: 22 Ways to Lift Your Mood

2012-01-18T05:10:00.000-08:00

I’ve just been stricken by the green-eyed monster.

I mean, I will acknowledge I kind of have an awesome life. …. My husband is the best ever (not just my opinion), we’re in the process of buying a house in sunny Southern California, and I am lucky enough to be able to fill my free time with activities I enjoy (reading, TV show marathons, photography, blogging, and more).

But it’s not enough. Obviously.

I’m jealous of my brother who is starting college this month and has the luxury of not working in order to have time to study. I’m jealous of pretty much every guest of Rick Steves’ radio show, all of whom have some travel book to promote that they got to A) travel for and B) spend a year or so writing. I’m jealous of the jobs of both my mother-in-law (a stay-at-home mom) and my mom (who helps small non-profits with marketing). I’m jealous of my husband who is working in an industry he loves. I’m jealous of Malcolm Gladwell and Seth Godin who seem to be geniuses to me. I’m jealous of every celebrity whose life seems so easy with their money to hire nannies and their flying all over the world.

... and it's right at about this point is when I start to see myself objectively and realize I’m being ridiculous.

Everyone had down weeks like this. Days that seem hopeless and frustrating, slowed momentum, depressing lack of progress, little to no enthusiasm.

You know what I mean.

That’s been me, recently.

And, I figure I have 2 possible responses. I can

give in and wallow. Stay in bed as long as possible. Not answer the phone or email and indulge in entire quarts of ice cream by myself…. or
push past it. Take actions that I don’t *feel* like taking and really take the steps to cheer myself up and make my heart happy.

I do wallow, a little. A day or maybe 2.

But then I put on my big girl pants and push past it.

‘Fake it til you make it’ is an appropriate sentiment here, I think. A lot of pushing past rough days has to do with doing something even if you don’t feel like it.

But what to do?

I like to have an arsenal of activities that are my go-to. These are things that I can go through the motions and FORCE myself to do, knowing that they WILL help lift my mood.

Songs that I know make me want to dance, books that I know certain passages make me smile, locations near my home that I know will calm my heart.

That’s the thing about rituals and association – even if your heart is not in it, your brain and body will still be affected.

My whole arsenal of make-my-heart-happy activities have just been released in my new ebook SELF LOVE: 22 ways to make your heart happy. All 22 ways are low- or no-cost activities. Watch the trailer for a little glimpse (and a fun, upbeat song)

This ebooks stems from my deep commitment to my own mental health and well-being …. and my hope that all of you have a similar dedication.

I know that not everything goes right all the time. I know that the blog-world has a tendency to make life look happy and shiny. I know that bad days WILL come ….

So having a handy list of ways to boost your mood and make your heart happy is your best defense against the inevitable….

SELF LOVE: 22 ways to make your heart happy is a sweet little ebook full of all the ways that I try to keep my mood uplifted.

Sure, sometimes I whine and complain (ask my husband) …. but that doesn’t do any one any good, does it?

Much better to do things like buy yourself a mini-luxury at the grocery store, or have a solo dance party and make your heart happy…

My favorite part of this ebook is how PRACTICAL it is …. virtually ANY of the 22 tips in this book you could implement today. This afternoon. As soon as you download the ebook!

For 25% off of the SELF LOVE ebook,

I have a special promo code just for you all: CAMPFIRELOVE

Amy T Schubert blogs tips and inspiration for creatives on Lemon and Raspberry. For more tips on self-improvement, check out SELF LOVE, The Finishing Manifesto or SHIFT - all ebooks currently available. For more from Lemon and Raspberry, follow Amy on Twitter or subscribe to the L&R Newsletter.

Recipe: Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini Boats

2012-01-17T05:35:00.000-08:00

Alex has been a vegetarian for about four years now...it seems like just yesterday he came home from work to tell me that he will no longer eat meat (he's a lacto-ovo-vegetarian, if you're keen on the specifics). My diet has changed significantly due to his choice (some would call me a flexitarian, but I think I eat meat more often than this definition would allow), and I'm always on the hunt for new recipes to try to make sure we're getting enough protein and all of the other vitamins and nutrients necessary for a proper diet.

Surprisingly, Pinterest has been a big help finding new ways to make dinner each night! While I salivate over the amazing recipes for baked goods and carbs-o-plenty available, the different ways to work with quinoa is probably the most helpful to me.

Alex and I decided to take this stuffed zucchini recipe and make it our own.

Ingredients:

Three regular-sized zucchinis
1 cup of quinoa (it makes way too much, but we used the rest of it to make a salad, you'll find something to do with the excess, trust me)
Shredded carrots
1/2 yellow onion, diced
Diced garlic

Optional:
Shredded cheese, diced onion, cilantro, lime, Tapatio, anything else to add some flavor

To Make:

Pre-heat oven to 400*F
Scrub the zucchini and slice in half 'hot dog style'
Scoop out the insides, making zucchini boats. Keep the insides, you'll want them!
Cook quinoa on the stove according to directions (if you're wanting more taste and aren't worried about this being a vegetarian dish, use chicken broth instead of water to make your quinoa)
Sautee the carrots, onion, and the insides of the zucchini in a nice pan with good olive oil
Add the garlic to the pan when the other goodies are almost totally sauteed
When the quinoa is done, put it into a large mixing bowl, add the sauteed veggies and mix
Place the zucchini boats into a lightly oiled (or spray it with Pam) casserole dish
Scoop the veggie/quinoa mix into each boat. Be generous!
If you'd like, sprinkle with some shredded cheese
Bake for 20 minutes!

They were surprisingly good! We both added a smidge of salt and red pepper flakes to our boats. My boats were sprinkled with cheese, but Alex didn't want any on his (but I threw some on, just to spite him).

I think for the next time we'll add spinach, jalepenos, and maybe red bell pepper for color! I'm also thinking that some Italian bread crumbs wouldn't hurt, either. The original recipe calls for sour cream, curry, and bacon...three things we don't have.

Want to see what other tasty treats I pin? Follow my 'Yummy' board and see what sweet treats, carbs of various varieties I have pinned. Yes, there are a few ways I've tricked myself into eating quinoa...

What would you stuff into your zucchini boats?

How do you feel about quinoa? Fad food or awesome life addition?

Have you whipped up any of the recipes you found on Pinterest?

Project 2: Hanging Succulent Basket

2012-01-16T04:55:00.000-08:00

It is still fairly warm in Southern California, which means I didn't have to wait to put this project together.

Supplies

Hanging basket (this one purchases from M and M Nursery in Orange, CA)
Succulents of all shapes and sizes (mostly purchased from M and M Nursery, some were liberated from the mall parking lot)
Soil that is designed for drought tolerant plants (think cacti)
Rocks or pebbles if your basket is line and doesn't allow for proper drainage (like ours)
Accessories (in our case, a zen from from the San Diego Zoo)

Admittedly, Alex and I were too excited to put this project together so we planted it in the middle of our living room...without newspaper or any sort of proper planning. That's what a vacuum is for!

Succulents are an excellent option because they require very little care/attention. If you're too busy to look after something like an African Violet, purchase some succulents instead. These bad boys don't require much water, and when we get our two weeks of rain this Spring, I'll move the basket away from the awning so they don't drown.

Tips

When purchasing or propagating succulents, look for ones that will literally hang from the basket. What is the fun of creating one of these if you can't see the plants growing inside? I have less of a view than Alex does, being only a smidge over five feet tall, so I wanted to make sure we had some plants in the middle of the basket that will 'grow up' and plenty of plants on the side that will 'grow down'.

You may buy your plants in small containers or large containers, the difference is going to obviously be size and price. Consider buying the plants that you expect to hang over the edge of your basket in a larger size so you can split the plant up into more than one plant! Succulents are super hearty and will be able to take the abuse, I promise. In the photo above, you can see the plant that is kind of going all over the place? He is from a 6 inch pot and I split him into four sections to place him around the edge of the basket. The plant that looks like a bunch of peas was split in half (the other half cannot be seen in this photo), and it, too, will hang over the edge of the basket once it grows some more. Why buy small plants, too? Because they'll grow as well and they cost less.

Total Cost: $15

I am having a fantastic time completing these projects, and really think this series is helping me with my One Little Word for the year: Focus. Can't get enough of succulents? Check out my green thumb board on Pinterest.

What projects are you working on these days?

Do you like to garden?

Have you created a hanging basket?

-----

This is the second project in my quest to complete twelve new-to-me projects this year. See project 1.

The night I met Jen of A Tale of Two Monkeys

2012-01-15T07:28:00.000-08:00

I've written about my feelings toward blog friends and developing friendships through the internet. I've met a few local bloggers 'in real life' over the past year, and I hope to continue meeting more!

At 4:53 p.m. on Wednesday, I ran to the ladies room to change out of my work clothes and into proper Disneyland-going attire and made it back to my desk before anybody noticed...except somebody from Human Resources saw me running like a madwoman in jeans and red TOMS...I'm sure he thinks I'm an intern, so it's just like nobody saw me...

But I digress.

I battled some surface street traffic and made it into the park in record time! Jen and I found each other in Tomorrowland and did one of those classic yell-and-run-into-a-big-hug thing that girls do for some reason...where did we learn to do that, by the way?

We walked onto Star Tours, tried taking photos by the castle, and then headed over to ride the Little Mermaid ride because I haven't had the opportunity to ride it yet.

Yes, I truly am that awkward in photos.

It was a brief meeting, but I had a great time! We were supposed to meet at Comic-Con this past July, but my phone died before we could finalize our plans. I hope we're both able to get passes this year and able to spend more time together :)

Have you had the opportunity to meet your internet friends?

Anybody in Southern California interested in a blogger meetup on a larger scale?

Jen is a geektastic lady living in Colorado with her husband. She enjoys reading, catching movies, and exploring the natural wonders of her state. Jen sells nerdy shirts, photographs of her adventures, and has a blog where she documents her life as a geeky girl with a sense of adventure and a whole lot of cameras. She's written for Campfire Chic on topics such as: baking, cameras, road trips, camping, and national parks.

8 Bloggers for You to Meet

2012-01-14T07:09:00.000-08:00

It is now mid-January and I'm sure you're already itching for more inspiration...

new hobbies to adopt

new blogs to read

new shops to love

and new friends to make!

You're in the right place.

Hi, I'm Rachele! I am the shop owner and artist of The Nearsighted Owl! I live in Oregon with my mister and 3 cats in a small house filled with color and the many pickings of our thrifting trips. When I am not working at my day job, I am blogging and dreaming up new doodles and drawings. I also create one of a kind custom portraits and could be drawing you next!

Use coupon code CAMPFIRE for 10% off in Rachele's shop

//Website //Etsy //Twitter

I am a writer and a photographer offering tips and inspiration for small business owners and bloggers. I want etsy sellers to improve their product images, I want teachers to improve their sales copy, I want bloggers to grow their audience. Any thing I can do to help you achieve your dream with your blog or small creative business, I am happy to help you with.

At LandR, I blog tips and inspiration for creative people – including photography resources, blogging resources, and photos of my messy workspace. I want to encourage everyone to do their best work and accomplish their goals. I believe everyone has big things to accomplish and I want to help them break out of their daily rut and do it!

I really want to do GREAT WORK and help others do the same

//Twitter //FREE ebook //Blog

I'm Jamie, and I've started up my blog Scissors & Steam to keep track of my hobby of collecting hobbies. You'll find everything there in the days to come! Tutorials, crochet, papercraft, bookbinding, healthful living, writing, painting, calligraphy, etcetera! I also cook and garden. And spend tons of time outdoors with my man and my dogs just being alive! Either way, I'm never bored and always have my fingers in something, so stop by and peek into my weird and happy life!

//Blog //Pinterest //Bloglovin'

I'm Holly, and I can't help myself from keeping it real about motherhood, womanhood, and personhood at So Dang Brilliant. The blog chronicles my adventures in pop culture, personal nostalgia, mothering, and self-betterment. My interests include being my best self, Elvis Presley, and admiring all things handmade. And boys! And ice cream! And TV! And boys again! I am also your biggest fan.

//Blog //Twitter

My name is Krystal, and I blog at Girl Who Scraps. I'm an engaged 26 year old preschool teacher living in the middle of the Redwoods in Northern California. I’m a lover of many things, but mostly paper, photos, and my pets. As a new blogger, I’ve began documenting my many adventures one post at a time. I would love for you to join me! Please, stop by and leave a comment or feel free to send me an e-mail.

//Blog //Twitter //Bloglovin'

More discounts:

Dom from Crafted is offering Campfire Chic readers 20% off in her Etsy shop with the coupon code CAMP20.

Chrissy from Whimsical Poppysmic is offering 15% off Etsy orders with coupon code CAMPFIRE15.

Hope you enjoy getting to know more about these fantastic women. Have a fantastic weekend, and be sure to check back next week for more fun and exciting posts here on Campfire Chic.

Week 2: 2012 in Photos

2012-01-13T16:22:00.000-08:00

Sunrise // Meeting Jen // Hippo

Afghan // Dessert Time // Tea

More Tea // Zucchini // Tea Bags

I think that first tea photo may be the same one from last week...yep...almost positive...

5 Questions from a New Blogger

2012-01-12T05:13:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in Wednesday's post, it's been one of those weeks. It could be worse, but wow, can it be over yet?

Example:

Which was brought about by some fantastic blog comments on this week's posts and an email from Lindsey.

Who is Lindsey?

She is a new blogger who wasn't afraid to send an email with some questions for me to answer. Needless to say, this flattered camper asked Lindsey if I could post her email (with my answers) here on Campfire Chic.

But first, more about Lindsey:

Hi! I'm Lindsey from hellohydrangea. I am an advertising/visual art major who loves every type of craft imaginable. My blog started a few months ago when I noticed that there is always a story behind our idea's origins. Hellohydrangea is a way to share the artists, websites or media movements that inspire my one-of-a-kind projects.

5 Questions from a New Blogger

Dear Kam,
I absolutely love your blog. It is adorable and inspiring – such a great example for new bloggers such as myself!

I’m Lindsey from hellohydrangea.blogspot.com. I just started craft blogging a few months ago and I love it. Could I ask you for some advice to make my blog better? I only have 5 questions…

1. What is your best tip for getting members? You have 625 - that is amazing!

Thanks!

My best tip for attracting readers to your blog is to do your own thing. Readers are looking to know more about you and what you are about, so following trends that don’t fit into what you are about may not be the way to go. You are the best version of yourself, why try to be somebody else?

I also like to interact with my readers through the comments section of each post, and through Twitter.

2. How do you find etsy shops and other places to help you with giveaways or discounts for their shop?

The majority of shops and blogs that offer discounts and giveaway items on Campfire Chic are advertisers. I do try and interview one non-advertising Etsian a month, who may decide to host a giveaway or offer some sort of discount, but I leave them up to the interviewee. For those types of interviews, I send a message to a shop owner to see if s/he would be interested in being interviewed and sending a link to past interviews to give an example. In fact, I did a mini-feature on some of the women I interviewed during the first year of Campfire Chic! I am still in touch with them and feel like the interview really helped me get to know them as more than just their wares.

I strongly believe in the phrase, “it never hurts to ask”. You may be surprised at the response!

3. I’m sure you have a lot of page views per day… how do you get lots of views?

Well, 'lots' is pretty subjective. I may not have what others would consider lots of views, but my views are consistent, which is more important to me than huge spikes. In my opinion, pageviews is about creating content that people enjoy reading, creating a community, and marketing. I suggest writing about what you know best. If you know knitting or decoupage really well, write about that. If a topic is popular in the blogosphere but you aren’t interested in it (for me, that would be fashion posts), then don’t write about it. Your readers will know if you are not genuinely interested in a topic. Another aspect of pageviews is marketing. Instead of posting a fantastic article and seeing what happens, take a few minutes to post it to some social media sites you enjoy, submit it to StumbleUpon, or include it in your next newsletter.

4. What keeps you blogging and how do you find time?
The short semi-related answer:

The long answer:
Time can’t be found, it’s just there. There are 24 hours in a day. So there’s that.

As for time, I work full time outside of Campfire Chic so planning ahead and doing work in large batches really helps me out. I am, admittedly, over-connected in terms of how many hours a day my eyeballs are looking at my inboxes, Twitter feed, RSS feeds, etc. But I love it. I plan out my blog posts for the week/month early and start working right away. I write most of my blog posts on Sunday night while watching TV with my boyfriend. I suggest finding a phone app you like or carry around a cute notebook to write down your blog post ideas. If you can list 10 blog post ideas in one sitting, I bet you could write down 50 blog post ideas. You’d be surprised what your readers find interesting.

One of the biggest reasons I keep blogging is for my own pleasure. I have a day job I don’t particularly enjoy or feel appreciated at, but I enjoy and feel appreciated through Campfire Chic. I like to have an outlet to talk about things like user experience, customer service, hiking, and other things that have no business in my office. Also, I strongly believe that if I host paid advertising on my website/blog, I need to drive traffic to my blog to get views for those ads.

5. Is there any advice to help a dedicated hopeful about a turning point when your blog really took off?

I feel like my blog ‘really took off’ when I started posting about what I find super interesting…analytics, metrics, social media, and organization. The top Campfire Chic posts deal with those types of things. While many bloggers have a general knowledge of search engine optimization, I can sit down and tell you what needs to be changed on your blog and in your shop to rank higher in search engines. I enjoy the puzzle that is search engine optimization and my readers could tell. I found my niche and there was an audience for it.

Guest posting on other blogs really helps, as well, especially if you take the time to create great content. I appreciate the slow growth of Campfire Chic for a scalability reason...I respond to 80% of the comments left on Campfire Chic and if one day I was to receive 100s of comments on each post, I don’t know if I could keep up!

I know you probably get a lot of emails and requests, but if you took the time to answer my questions, it would make my day!

Thank you so much,
Lindsey

What advice would you give Lindsey?

Would you like me to answer more questions?

Leave them below or submit them through this form.

Start Planning Now: 10 Weekend Projects

2012-01-11T04:55:00.000-08:00

I know it is only Wednesday, but I swear I woke up yesterday morning thinking it was already Thursday...it's already been one of those weeks.

How do I keep afloat when people and things want to bring me down throughout the week?

I keep my eye on the prize: the weekend.

While some may say the weekend is for relaxing, I like to pack in as much fun as possible...even if that means marathon laundry sessions between my bites of nutella wontons.

Maybe you're the same way?

Here are 10 weekend projects for you to start planning out now:

You may not think it needs it, but why not organize your entryway?
Make some mini-deep dish pizzas to eat while watching whatever sport is on television this weekend.
Create your own mounted succulent garden...after a windy day?
The wind mussing up your hair? Make this easy lacy headband and look extra stylish in that storm.
Humans weren't meant to sit for as long as we do. Make your own standing desk for $40 this weekend.
Display those photos you recently developed around your home with this creative display guide.
It takes a little more than 5 minutes like I was lead to believe, but this artisan bread doesn't take long at all to make!
My teeny closet could really use some of these tips for keeping an uncluttered closet.
Your new camera could use a nice handmade camera cozy...one of the most popular posts on Campfire Chic!
And finally, take some time this weekend to crack open that new notebook and start art journaling.

Are you already working working for the weekend?

How do you keep those mid-week blues away?

iPhoneography - 12 Apps to Get You Started

2012-01-10T05:15:00.000-08:00

Remember back in the day when having a 'camera phone' was a big deal? Those 2MP cameras attached to our flip phones a big step toward the work of iPhoneography--digital photography with your iPhone. Now, if you've been reading Campfire Chic for a while, you know I was a Droid owner not too long ago. I feel my first generation Droid had a fantastic camera attached to it, but I never really took any interest in any camera apps other than Vignette Demo.

Today I want to share the 12 camera apps shown above. Some are paid, some are free, and there are two that are on sale right now.

PicFrame

Cost: $0.99

Description: Combine multiple photos into a fancy frame. Like a collage or grid. You can adjust the background color of the frame, round corners, and some other basic effects.

So Far: I like it. Nice and easy to use. There aren't 100s of options, which is nice when you just want to put a grid together.

Disposable from Hipstamatic

Cost: $0.00

Description: Remember when Hipstamatic first hit the scenes and everybody fell in love with analog? Well, Hipstamatic is now playing with our nostalgia for disposable cameras and the excitement associated with not knowing what your photos are going to look like until you complete an entire roll of film. Here's how it works: you get a 'disposable camera' and there are 24 shots on the camera. You need to finish the 'roll of film' before the app will let you see the photos. Neat, right? There are three types of cameras available for free. You can kind of personalize each camera, too. There are some colors you can choose from and you can name each camera.

So Far: I think it's really cute! It's also nice that the photos are already filtered so you don't need to sit there trying to decide what filter to use. I did find myself taking photos of random things to use all 24 shots to see what it would look like, which was kind of dumb of me.

Diptic

Cost: $0.99

Description: This app is similar to PicFrame, but I feel like there is more editing options available. Honestly, I bought this app first and didn't realize there were MORE options than what was on the first page! That's the biggest reason why I purchased PicFrame...being dumb and not reading things/swipeing around a bit. Dumb.

So Far: I like this one, too. Similar layouts to PicFrame but more edition options, like I said. I would probably select this app over PicFrame had I not been in such a hurry.

Labelbox

Cost: $0.00

Description: I found Labelbox through Photojojo on Instagram. After you add your filters (or don't) you can open your photo in Labelbox and add...well, labels! I really like the instruction page, the doodles are adorable. The labels are actually really nice looking and there are several to chose from.

So Far: I say this is a winner. I think it would be a great edition to photos posted online.

100 Cameras

Cost: $1.99, there is also a free version

Description: There are literally 100 different effects in this puppy. They have funny names and are organized in different areas that have equally funny titles. What is nice is that you can send your photos to your SmugMug or Dropbox accounts, which isn't too common with these types of apps. There is also music and tones with this app, which can be annoying if you're editing while in a meeting but I find the music relaxing.

So Far: Seriously overwhelming, but gives more options than the filters on Hipstamatic or Instagram.

PostalPix

Cost: $0.00

Description: This isn't about taking photos...it's about ordering them! I've heard great things about this service, and as you can see, my cart is slowly filling up with photos I'd like to print out. There are different sizes available, and the user interface is nice and basic.

So Far: The app is really easy to use, which is cool. I can't really comment on the service quite yet...that will be another post.

Frametastic

Cost: $0.00 for a limited time, you can purchase extra frames, if you'd like.

Description: Another app recommended by Photojojo. It's free for a limited time, so if you're an app hoarder, you better get on it. While it looks just like Diptic or PicFrame, this one is different. How so? This one lets you select backgrounds for your photos! It's a bit silly and different. You can upload it to your favorite social media sites, and I have to say one of the big reasons I love this app is because the user interface is so nice when you're about to share the photo.

So Far: It's sleek and fun, I don't know, download it and see for yourself. Like I said, it's free for a limited time.

GIF SHOP

Cost: $0.99

Description: My cousin was the one to introduce this app to me. It is silly and fun, and I think it is a fun idea if you like GIFs on your tumblr, on message boards, or anywhere else. While it is pretty easy to use, I still can't wrap my head around saving it because I guess it doesn't save to the app/my phone?

So Far: It's fun to have at a party or when there are kids around, but like I said, I'm still working on it.

Camera

Cost: $0.00

Description: This is the native camera on the iPhone. Nice and basic, can do some impressive things considering it is attached to a phone. The front facing feature is really nice when there isn't a mirror around.

So Far: Good backup.

Photos

Cost: $0.00

Description: This is the native 'photo gallery' on the iPhone.

So Far: I wish there was a way to send multiple photos via email, like you can on a Droid, but there's no going back now.

Instagram

Cost: $0.00

Description: Think twitter with photos. Now, add some filters that play to the collective nostalgia (faux or real) for analog photography. That's Instagram. Stars use it, major brands use it, and I'm sure you've noticed several of your favorite bloggers use it. I'm betting you use it, too! Don't worry, Droid users, it is coming your way in no time. Soon you'll be liking photos and wondering what algorithm is used to get on the Popular page.

So Far: Addicted.

Camera+

Cost: $0.99 on sale right now. Usually $1.99.

Description: This app replaced the native camera app on my main screen. It is easy to take a bunch of photos in a short amount of time, which is important to me when we're climbing or doing some other sort of adventure. This app seriously blows the native app out of the water, you won't be sorry with this one. There is also built-in editing system, which is actually fairly impressive for the price. You can crop, do basic edits, add filters and boarders, set a timer, enable the burst, zoom, turn on the continuous flash, and upload to several social networks.

So Far: Obsessed.

What apps are you using?

Droid users, what recommendations do you have for apps?

Project 1: Paint Chip Display

2012-01-09T05:55:00.000-08:00

I mentioned last week that I wanted to take on 12 projects this year that are not related to what I normally do and that are not for profit.

So here is the first project for this year!

Project 1 is inspired by Rachel's Paint Chip Modern Wall Art originally posted on A Beautiful Mess. We had a giant frame sitting around ($5 from the Long Beach Swap Meet/Antique Show) and picked up two pieces of white foam core from the craft store. It is hard to tell, but we selected 6 colors for this project. Did you notice that they're pretty much the 'Campfire Chic' colors of gray and burnt orange? Pretty much a coincidence, but honestly, it's very 'us'.

We started it in early December but one thing led to another and it started gathering dust. My One Little Word for the year is focus, so I felt it was the perfect time to sit down and finish this project.

It didn't take long for us to get the paint chips onto the board, but we did have to tale out some nails and staples from the back of the frame and add fasteners of our own before hanging it. It is currently next to our couch and above our heater.

We had a few friends over (finally) to the apartment last night and they really liked the piece. They aren't into blogging, per se, so they were really impressed with it! I like that our apartment is still coming along and that it isn't overly girly like I feared it would be. I'm not an overly girly type of gal, but I guess I assumed it was just one of those things that happens when a blogger gets her own space. Expect more gray and burnt orange in the future.

Spoiler alert! You can see the beginning of another project in the photo above...can you see it? It isn't finished yet, I need to go to a local nursery that specializes in pixie gardens to get some more plants/ornaments. That will be for another post.

Have you completed any tutorials you've seen online or pinned lately?

I feel like my 'Tutorials' board on Pinterest should really be titled 'Things I would like to try making if I had the time/energy/money/resources'. I have all of these cool tutorials pinned and I keep hitting 'repin' and thinking, 'I can totally make that' but it doesn't seem to ever happen. That's going to change with my 12 Projects in 2012.

Week 1: 2012 in Photos

2012-01-07T05:42:00.000-08:00

Aeonium // Taste test // Desk buddies // Coffee table

Zipper cactus // On // $5 lunch // Bobbin // Iced Tea

Friday Reads

2012-01-06T05:23:00.000-08:00

There is still time to enter this giveaway on The Nearsighted Owl. Rachele made this month's giveaway fun with a 'guess that sponsor' portion...you will know which one is me right away--easy!
Elise finished her holiday book. She is such an inspiration, I'm really happy Justine kept telling me to check out her blog.
Stop getting distracted by certain time-wasting websites. Go cold turkey when working on a project.
This terrarium necklace doesn't need an introduction.
7 steps for making a New Year's resolution and keeping it.
Avoid these 7 blogging blunders this year.

Have a fantastic Friday

One Little Word: FOCUS

2012-01-05T04:51:00.000-08:00

You may have seen a few blog posts or twitter updates regarding something called One Little Word (OLW), a project started by Ali Edwards, one of my favorite bloggers/inspirations. She is also behind December Daily, a project I just completed for the first time.

Essentially, you select a word that is going to guide your year.

It is going to be your mantra, your driving force.

You can also take the Big Picture Class, which describes OLW as:

A single word can be a powerful thing. It can be the ripple in the pond that changes everything. It can be sharp and biting or rich and soft and slow. From my own personal experience, it can be a catalyst for enriching your life.

In 2006, I began a tradition of choosing one word for myself each January - a word that I can focus on, meditate on, and reflect upon as I go about my daily life. My words have included play, peace, vitality, nurture, light, and story. These words have each become a part of my life in one way or another. They've been imbedded into who I am, and into who I'm becoming. They've been what I've needed (and didn't know I needed). They've helped me to breathe deeper, to see clearer, and to grow.

I remember when Ali started OLW in 2006, but I couldn't think of a good word at the time. Several years have come and gone, and I never really took the time to sit down and mentally prepare for this project.

2012 is going to be different.

I'm already off to a good start! I have my word selected and already finished how I'm going to document the year and my one little word.

This year, I selected the word FOCUS.

I wanted to select a word that is action-oriented and really encompasses what I need to do this year.

This year I need to:

Finish unfinished projects
Stop skipping from book to book and just read one at a time
Less multitasking, more productivity
Be in the moment

I'll be documenting how my OWL changes how I do things this year in the mini-album I created for Amy's blog party. You can see the tutorial here.

Also...Alex (yes, that's my boyfriend's name...it's shorter to type out than Boyfriend, so I'm going to finally use it) decided he was going to select a word this year. His is LEARN. He has several goals that involve learning different programs/techniques/hobbies so we felt it was the best word for his 2012. He will be updating our mini-album, too...so he says.

I'm hoping to post an update at the end of each month to keep us up on this project!

What is your One Little Word?

How will you be documenting your OLW?

Giveaway - Grid-It >> Compact Organization for Everyday Life

2012-01-04T05:00:00.000-08:00

Was one of your New Years Resolutions/Goals to be more organized in 2012?

Do you find yourself wishing for an easy system that is not only customizable, but visually appealing?

I decided to start the new year off

with a giveaway for Campfire Chic readers!

What is a Grid-It?

It is an organization system that uses rubberized elastic bands to firmly hold things in place. This simple idea is seriously amazing and surprisingly versatile.Grid-Its come in multiple sizes and colors, there is a size/color combination for whatever you need.

I am obsessed with the Grid-It system! We have several in use throughout the house and have plans to purchase a few more before we start traveling again this year.

We use our Grid-Its for our gadgets and their accoutrements. Having several types of wires and plugs and SD cards floating around is a headache. Enter to win this blush pink and gray Grid-It to start the new year off right with a more organized life!

To Enter:

You must be a Campfire Chic subscriber. You may do this via GFC, Bloglovin', email, or other RSS feed.

Leave a comment below with two goals/resolutions/plans

you have for 2012, your name, email, and location.

Additional entries:

Tweet about this giveaway, include a link to this post and @CampfireChic so I can see it :) Leave a comment below with a link to your tweet. (1 entry per day)
Blog about this giveaway! Include a link to this post in the blog post and be sure to leave a comment below with a link to the post. (1 entry)
Subscribe to the Campfire Chic newsletter! Leave a comment below letting me know you subscribed and the email you used when subscribing. (1 entry)

The giveaway will be open until 10:00 Pacific Time on January, 9, 2012.

No purchase necessary. Open to both domestic and international readers. Many will enter, one will win. Winner will be randomly selected on January 9, 2012 and announced no later than January 12, 2012.

12 Projects for 2012

2012-01-03T06:32:00.000-08:00

This year I decided to forgo resolutions and instead set my sights on completing 12 creative projects.

While 12 may not seem like a big number to some, I think it is a good number to get me started.

I was creative in small ways last year but I want to focus on completing projects in 2012.

My Projects for 2012

A terrarium
Hanging basket for our balcony
Patchwork quilt
Air plant project
Paint chip display
Throw pillow for our couch
Monthly album update
Headphone wrap
Welcome mat
_______________
_______________
_______________

I need your suggestions for 10-12!

I was scouring Pinterest for some inspiration, but I think I'd like to hear your suggestions instead.

I will be posting my updates on my projects here on Campfire Chic but also decided that I may make one or two of these projects available to newsletter subscribers before I publish it here. Just another reason to subscribe now.

Justine posted her project list for 2012, too!

What projects do you hope to complete this year?

January is for...

2012-01-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

Starting the One Little Word project
A giveaway to help you stay organized
The release of my ebook
Setting goals
Completing unfinished projects
30 Days of Lists prep

Offline: The return of Jersey Shore, the Rose Bowl Flea Market, one month closer to Hunger Games, my annual review at work, planning trips for the year, taking down decorations, making more dinners at home, bringing lunch to work more often, and hopefully finishing the book I stopped reading months ago

What does your January have in store?

New Year's Blog Party!

2012-01-01T04:06:00.000-08:00

Amy of Lemon and Raspberry is hosting her second annual blog party today!

Last year's blog party was really great and I know this year's part will be even better...

...how do I know?

Because I wrote a post for it!

Biased, I know.

Anyway, in addition to the discounts, tutorials, and other goodies Amy has in store for you today, I want you to take a look at my contribution:

2012 Mini-Album

I share the items I used to make this mini-album, why I decided to create this album early, and some ideas for how to set yourself up for success with this project.

You can look forward to ….

a 30% discount on ALL of Amy's ebooks and consulting spots!
4 guest posts from some of Amy's favorite people
fun DIYs and how-to posts
AND … her new ebook will be released!

Be sure to come back and let me know what you think of the tutorial! I plan on using this album throughout the year as part of the One Little Word project. I haven't finalized my word yet, but I have a good idea of where this is going to go. 2012 is going to be amazing, and I'm glad you'll be here to share it with me.

Check out the Lemon & Raspberry blog party.

P.S. I also recently participated in my good friend Sonya's winter-themed blog party. My article was titled: How to Survive a Southern California Winter. If you are looking for a good laugh, another reason to want to move out to LaLa Land, or just want to check out the post, you can do so here.

December Daily - Days 16-25

2011-12-31T06:18:00.000-08:00

My December Daily album is a part of the December Daily project from Ali Edwards. This is my first year participating in the project, and I am so glad I did. This December was full of interesting ideas and putting together this mini-album with an instax photo a day really helped me look for the good in each day...or at least what I could photograph each day!

While my album is bursting at the seams -- meaning I need to order/find larger rings -- I only documented 25 days of December. I wanted to have the opportunity to decompress after Christmas and be able to finish putting the pages together before New Years Eve.

You can see the posts about my foundation pages, days 1-9, and days 10-15 if you would like.

This post covers days 16-25 and final look at all the pages in the album.

And finally:

Did you participate in December Daily?

Missed this project?

Does March work better for you?

Check out a BIG update on 30 Days of Lists on 30DaysofLists.com

You can see all the photos above in my December Daily Flickr Set.

December Sponsored Giveaway - Winners

2011-12-30T23:46:00.000-08:00

I want to thank this month's sponsors for hosting a fantastic giveaway! I am glad I was able to share their story with Campfire Chic readers. I hope you take the time to visit each blog/shop in the sidebar for some amazing reads and new things to add to your wishlist.

Congratulations to the following four winners!

Please contact me before January 7, 2011, to claim your prize.

One print from Jen's shop: Krystal, Northern California

$30 in shop credit to Paper, Lace & Confetti Handmade: Polly, United Kingdom

Nebraska Notebook from Stuff Kara Made: Elli, Rural Nebraska

Ad space on The Curious Pug: Amanda - Pittsburg, TX

2011 In Review - Top Posts of the Year - July through December

2011-12-29T05:39:00.000-08:00

To see the posts selected from January-June, see yesterday's post.

I spent an early morning at the beach, and later posted what I have in my beach bag
My boyfriend, brother, and I went to Comic Con in San Diego
I made my parents go with me to Renegade Craft Fair
I shared some scrapbooking tips along with two recent pages
We chatted about using Google Analytics data when scheduling blog posts
Campfire Chic sponsors and tweethearts answered, "How do you stay organized?"

I started going to the rock climbing gym
I shared my Week in the Life post
We adopted a new member into our family. His name is Henry
One of my favorite summertime traditions is the So Cal Shop Hop

I shared some photos/stories of our backpacking trip in Yosemite National Park
I thought it would be a good idea to host a blog party...the weekend we moved into our apartment. I also shared some tips on planning and hosting your own blog party
There are 10 things I need to have at my workspace when I'm being creative, and there are some other things I keep in my desk at work to keep my sanity
We chatted a bit about dealing with negative feedback
I showed you how to see if your images are being pinned on Pinterest

I shared my finished 30 Days of Lists album
The story of how we met
We hit two national parks in one long weekend! Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park. I shared some of the hikes we did over the weekend, too. Weeping Rock and Hidden Canyon
I posted 5 quick tips for preparing your online shop for the holidays
There was a fantastic tutorial on how to make a patchwork pincushion
And then there was the time I dressed up like Jessie from Toy Story at work

Some tips on preparing your blog for the holidays
We talked about collaborating with others, how I feel about collaborations, and some ways to stay organized if you decide to collaborate on a project
I sold at my first craft sale (at work) and started a new hobby
I finally shared some photos of our apartment
And I started working on my December Daily album

The debut of the Campfire Chic newsletter
I posted a guide to attending a craft show
There was more talk of friendship via social media
I posted my first crafty tutorial in a while -- a fabric wreath!
There was a post that included links to 13 articles on Campfire Chic to help you though the holiday season
And finally, we chatted about our favorite memories from 2011

Thank you for being a part of Campfire Chic, I'm really looking forward to building on the work we did in 2011 to make 2012 even better! Like I mentioned yesterday, if you are interested in learning more about any of the topics covered over the past year, or would like to make a request for a blog post or ebook, please let me know :)

2011 In Review - Top Posts of the Year - January through June

2011-12-28T05:12:00.000-08:00

The new year is less than four days away, and I wanted to take the time to review the past year on Campfire Chic. I cannot believe how many posts were published this year, the features that went down, the number of giveaways hosted, and how much things have changed since January 1, 2011.

When I started this post, I didn't expect it to be so...fun! I decided to break this post into two separate posts, so today I am going to focus on the first half of the year.

My resolutions. While I tried to keep it simple, several of them eluded me
Two guest posts: Prepare your travel journal and create a crafty planner
I launched my 'ask me' form, where readers could pose questions I then answer in a blog post
My boyfriend and I went to Joshua Tree National Park; I also posted about my National Parks Passport
The first hint of 30 Days of Lists involved a kitty

The photo above was taken while we were snowshoeing in Big Bear
I posted about creating customized landing pages--perfect for email signatures and business cards
We took the first step in our attempt to hike Mt. Whitney. Part of our 'Road to Whitney' included a vlog with a quick gear update
I announced the first round of 30 Days of Lists!
I shared some ways I stay organized
I came out with my love for WWE Monday Night RAW and explained why we spent Valentine's Day at a live show

March 1st was the first day of 30 Days of Lists!
You all helped me celebrate my birthday with a blog party! It was the first time I hosted a blog party, and it was a ton of fun :)
I shared my first 'in my bag' post
I posted a few more scrapbook pages. The page about Molly was so unlike me but I'm still in love with it

I had the opportunity to meet Justine and Cassandra (aka CaL) in late March, but wasn't able to post our Regional Dialect Meme until April. We're silly. Later in the month, my boyfriend and I went camping with Cal in Joshua Tree National Park in hopes of seeing a meteor shower
I met Amy for the first time in an IKEA parking lot. Justine was there, too! It was our first official 30 Days of lists meeting...after the first round of 30 Days of Lists
Boyfriend and I also went camping in Malibu Creek State Park in April. Very different from the camping we're used to!
There were some fun guest blog posts about photographing your outings, road trip essentials, and sprucing up your About page
This month, I posted tutorials on hosting your own photos, creating a supply holder from a drink carrier, and was featured on Picnik's website for my tutorial on making a cohesive looking photo collage using very different photos
We got our permits for Mt. Whitney!

Amy, Justine, and I announced the return of 30 Days of Lists
I participated in a Tacky Souvenir Swap and shared some cool things I recieved
I joined Pinterest
Despite some rainy weather, I spent one weekend doing the Relay for Life and then another Saturday hiking Mt. Baldy
Tutorials this month included: a screen cast about creating and managing email labels in Gmail, a felt tree hair clip, and ways to display photos

I shared some of the items I carry in my regular hiking bag
There was too much snow on Mt. Whitney for us to make it to the top, but we spent the weekend in the Whitney Portal (and in Mammoth Lakes!)
Speaking of adventure, Jen shared a virtual tour of Rocky Mountain National Park
In honor of the one year anniversary of Campfire Chic, there were several blogging-related posts:

How do deal with a blogging rut
You know you're a blogger when...
Self-hosted Wordpress vs. Blogger
10 tips for interviewing bloggers/sellers
And I re-interviewed four indie-business owners I still enjoy promoting/talking to in a series of 'where are they now?' type posts

Come back tomorrow for a review of the second half of the year.

What were your favorite Campfire Chic posts from this past year?

Do you want to see more posts like the ones listed here?

Let me know in the comments below.

Meet Rachele of The Nearsighted Owl

2011-12-27T05:36:00.000-08:00

Today's interview is with Rachele of The Nearsighted Owl

Earlier this month, I introduced you to the Campfire Chic sponsors. Now I would like to introduce you to Rachele of The Nearsighted Owl, this month's featured sponsor.

Rachele is a wonderful artist, blogger, and small business owner. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to share more about Rachele with each of you, and I hope you take a moment to learn more about her.

Thanks, Kam for inviting me to be interviewed on your blog! I really admire your organization and inspiration that I can find daily on Campfire Chic. It has been lovely getting to know you and I hope my interview will help your readers get to know me too.

Rachele, after reading The Nearsighted Owl for a few months now, I know you are a talented, tattooed, pescatarian, who lives with her husband and three kitties. In an effort to know the real you, how do you think your cats would describe you, if given the chance?

This is such a cute question and something that I have never really thought about! My cats would say: She is that warm pillow in bed that sometimes snores. She is often loud and sings to us, which we like. But then sometimes she tries to take tons of photos of us or squeeze us when we have better things to do.

The Nearsighted Owl was featured as Blogger's Blog of Note recently! How did you react when you found out, and what is one piece of advice you would give to other bloggers looking to share their story/brand?

It is really funny because Blogger doesn't tell you when you've been picked. They don't send you any sort of email or notification, which is a little weird!

But anyway, I was at work in meetings and my phone kept getting tons of emails that I had new followers and comments. I didn't know what was going on! A quick check on my stats and I found the link that was driving all the traffic to my blog. I was really excited! But also shocked and in disbelief that Blogger had somehow came across my blog and picked me as the Blog of Note.

I was all smiles that day!

Then shortly after I started to feel overwhelmed that so many more people were reading than before and I wasn't quite ready for the pressures that came with it. But I kept blogging and being myself. Whether I posted about my artwork, outfits, cats, owls, music, movies or adventures with the mister.

Every blog and person is different but my best advice is to let your blog be a window into your life and not an open door. Every once in a while I blog about something serious but for the most part, I talk about the small things. All the glimpses and tidbits about you will paint a picture for your readers about who you are without showing them the whole picture at once.

You and I have talked about prejudice regarding body size in the workplace on several occasions. How would you describe the fat acceptance movement?

The fat acceptance movement has had a profound influence in my life and something I think about every day. I am plus sized and also a fat acceptance activist, even if it is in a small way. By the clothes I wear and the confidence I carry, I am sending a message that goes against what popular opinion says - that you can determine someone's worth or health based on their size.

The fat acceptance movement is about breaking that stereotype and giving everyone, regardless of their weight, the opportunity to love their bodies and be treated with respect. Kate Harding says it best in her article, " Don't You Realize Fat is Unhealthy?". I have a separate blog that I use to discuss more in depth the politics of the movement but you may find it mentioned on The Nearsighted Owl too.

How did you decide to focus your designs on animals in 'people clothes'?

I participated in the Daily Animal Doodles project in June with Paper Sparrow and decided to make each of my animals whimsical and unique. I love anthropomorphic artwork (Google it!) and had fun drawing little characters every day. I am not sure where my artwork is going to take me next but I still have some prints available from the project in my Etsy.

When did you start your obsession (is that the right word?) with owls? I'm assuming owls had a rather mighty part the development of your blog name.

I started collecting ceramic owls a couple years ago and just loved the way they looked all together on a shelf. I also really adore 70's decor and owls (especially from that era) have a kitschy feel. I guess you can say I jumped on the owl bandwagon! Collecting them on our thrifting trips became an obsession and I think I have over 200 owls now. Eeks! But I love them even if they scare some people when they visit our house. Because I love owls and am very nearsighted I decided to name my blog The Nearsighted Owl. Owls are actually very farsighted!

Obviously you enjoy drawing, but what other hobbies (creative or otherwise) do you have? Any hobbies you are hoping to try in the new year?

I enjoying cooking, crocheting, taking photos, reading, watching movies and thrifting. I am working on brainstorming some ideas for a craft or project that the mister and I can do together. Right now I am teaching him to crochet. He just started making a scarf and I am so proud of him!

As for myself, I am not sure if I will be picking up anymore hobbies next year but you never know. I do all my artwork digitally with a tablet. I want to experiment more with the different medias that are available to create digital drawings.

I have to ask...did you ever play Oregon trail while growing up?

Oh my goodness, all the time. We had "computer time" in elementary school and it was my favorite game. I can't remember winning much but I certainly died of dysentery a lot.

What plans/goals do you have for The Nearsighted Owl for 2012? Anything we should keep an eye out for?

I am going to be sharing a lot more of my outfits and will be working with an exciting new sponsor. I have started to vlog more and want to continue with that next year. I will also still be sharing my drawings and hopefully a new project with my mister soon. My goal next year is to develop my artistic style more and to continue blogging daily. I have met a lot of wonderful people through my blog and I hope to get to know those people even more!

You can connect with Rachele in many ways:

//BLOG //TWITTER //FACEBOOK //ETSY //TUMBLR

What is your favorite memory of 2011?

2011-12-26T06:47:00.000-08:00

Each month on Campfire Chic, I ask the sponsors to answer a question. It may be silly, it may be informative, or just plain reflective. It gives you, the reader, the opportunity to learn more about each sponsor apart from the introduction posts! I have a blast putting this post together, and I hope you enjoy reading it.

What better way to end this year than with this month's sponsors sharing their favorite memories of the past year?

My favorite memory from 2011 was rescuing our dog Monty and watching him learn to love life and people. He helped us through a very hard time in our lives and I feel a unique connection with him that I think you can only feel with a rescue dog. Click here to read his adoption story.

Our favorite memory from 2011 would have to be Candice’s second wedding in Sydney in late January and our company’s official launch night. They were both within a week of each other so it was a crazy time of planning, late, late nights and a lot of celebrating! Both went off superbly (if we do say so ourselves!) and kicked off what’s been an exciting and busy year for both of us, personally and professionally! We’re excited to see what the new year has in store now...

My favorite memory from 2011 has got to be all the traveling I got to do with family! My husband and I went to Alaska with his mother and sister, and then he and I went to Scotland with my family. I've really loved making/recording in my travel journals for these trips. And then on top of that, we've really been trying to do fun weekends away to areas nearby like San Francisco, Phoenix, Santa Barbara and more. I will always remember 2011 as special just because of that traveling!

Why stop there? I posed this question to my tweethearts, as well!

Check out the fun responses below.

As for me, I'm going to have to say that my favorite memory from 2011 is my trip to Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park. It was my first time in Utah for more than just a layover, and my boyfriend and I were able to knock out two national parks in one long weekend. It was incredibly beautiful in both parks, we were able to make plans for future visits, and we were able to be disconnected for a full weekend. Did I mention I was also able to eat at a Cracker Barrel for the first time??

What is your favorite memory from 2011?

Want to be featured next month? Be sure to 'follow' @CampfireChic on Twitter, or inquire about advertising opportunities.

He sees you while you're sleeping...

2011-12-24T07:53:00.000-08:00

Happy Christmas to you and yours.

Be back soon!

How To: Rethink Gift Wrap

2011-12-23T05:14:00.000-08:00

Hello Campfire Chic readers. I’m Abby from the blog indigo 26, and one of Kam’s sponsors this month.

Earlier this month, I presented a challenge to my readers to rethink the gift wrap. So much of what we give during the holidays ends up being thrown away in the form of used gift wrap.

In an effort to limit the amount of trash we create I want to show you how to use things you already have around the house and turn them into beautiful gift bags. This project is as easy or hard as you would like to make it.

Supplies

Shopping bags with handles: Anthropologie, West Elm, and Gap are a few of my favorites
Old/used holiday cards or holiday magazines
Art supplies such as washi tape, glue, ribbons, stamps, or paints that you would like to decorate your bag.

I receive a lot of beautiful cards this time of year, and when the season is over, I hate to recycle them.

By cutting off the personal message the face of the card can be used to cover the name of the retailer on the bag, such as the West Elm bag above. I glued the card on the bag and added the decorative tape on the side.

Other embellishments might include a ribbon that could be looped through the top by using a hole punch in order to seal the bag or painting white snowflakes on the bag.

With this bag, I used a page from the winter Anthropologie magazine that has a holiday sentiment. I glued the page to one of their bags with a red handle. I added a label made from a used Christmas card and fastened it with a safety pin.

Not only are you not purchasing any bags, you are reusing a shopping bag and adding a personalized touch.

Happy gifting.

How do you plan to reuse wrapping paper/cards this year?

Abby describes herself as an urban naturalist. A teacher by nature, she shares her knowledge with others on her blog about how to live a wild, indigo life the simple way. You can find her on twitter, or updating the 4(for) green acres project. Are you taking the challenge?

My 3 Favorite iPhone Apps

2011-12-22T05:22:00.000-08:00

I've been an iPhone owner for less than a month, and I'm in love.

True, I liked the options a Droid had for me, the marketplace, and the qwerty keyboard, but I was having some serious issues with a phone that was less than two years old.

So now I'm here with my shiny new phone and wanting to share some of my favorite apps with you.

1. Flipboard

Let's just say that this app is so popular, that the day it became available for iPhones, the website had a few traffic-related hiccups. That popular. Flipboard is like my own personal online magazine that moves like...well, a flip board! I swipe the pages up and down to find articles, tweets, and news stories in the areas I selected, and then when I want to read the article, I send it to my Instapaper...Insta-what?

2. Instapaper

I use instapaper to collect articles I want to read at a later time that are not a part of my RSS feed. I haven't finished putting it onto my laptop yet, but when I do, you better beleive this puppy will get even more use! I'll be using it to schedule tweets to interesting articles I think my "Twitter followers" will be interested in reading. Bonus: the app automatically changes to "night mode" at night, making the screen easier on my eyes.

3. Instagram

I know. This is a given. Why should I even be talking about it? Because, quite frankly, I love this app for the user interface (UI) and the overall user experience (UE). Having a totally mobile social media campaign (like 4square) can be hard to pull off, but Instagram has obviously done that. While Hipstamatic captured the hearts of millions, Instagram connected those lovers through social media.

What are your favorite apps?

How to Make Your Own Fabric Wreath

2011-12-21T05:29:00.000-08:00

Hi campers! I am here today to show you how to make a fabric wreath that will last several holiday seasons.

The story behind this wreath: Before heading to Kindergarten and my school’s daycare system, I would go to my babysitter’s house during the week. I vividly remember my babysitter being really crafty and around this time of the year, we (the other kids and I) would eat lunch in the living room because she would have the dining room table covered in projects. The projects I remember the most…and have wanted to replicate ever since…are her fabric wreaths. They were beautiful, came in so many different colors and sizes, and just seemed so magical to me. I would wander into the dining room and spy wreaths in various stages of completeness and try to see if it was easy enough for a four-year-old to re-create.

Here I am at 25, finally re-creating the fabric wreaths.

What you’ll need:

Fabric in your chosen colors…if you are making a more traditional Christmas wreath, that will probably be greens and reds. I hope to make a fall wreath for next year with golds, oranges, and reds. For this project, I used 4 1/2 fat quarters to fill the wreath. TIP: Look for fabric with color on both sides. Only one of my FQs did, so I’m trying to convince myself that the faded pieces that show give the wreath a ‘flocked’ look

Wreath form – I don’t know how foam will stand up to this project, so go with the straw-filled kind. Mine is thrifted.

Package of straight pins (at least 300)

Pinking shears or rotary blade with the pinking blade set up

Straight edge (like a ruler)

The motivation to finish. This is a daunting project and can get a bit boring as you put the fabric onto the wreath form…get your instant queue ready to go, or grab some friends and have a wreath making evening

Steps:

Cut all of the fabric into 2x2 squares

Using one pin per 2x2 square, begin attaching the

fabric to the wreath form. The pin goes into the

dead center of a fabric square.

If you are using different fabrics of the same color family

(like I did), be sure to space out where you place the fabric

squares, this will help keep the wreath even looking in the end.

You want enough squares on the wreath form so

the fabric is forced to ‘stand up’ rather than lay flat.

Once complete, hang and enjoy!

Be sure to store your wreath in a wreath box to prevent the fabric from becoming squished (it’s a technical term), or place in a plastic bag if you can safely store it. Also, hang your wreath someplace where friends and neighbors are bound to see it and be sure to show it off to those who miss it ;)

What colors would you use for this type of wreath?

Have you done a similar project?

What decorations are you working on this season?

December Daily Update - Days 10 - 15

2011-12-20T05:31:00.000-08:00

I am loving this project.

December Daily is designed to help you capture the magic of the season. Obviously other participants go all out and have full on pages with journaling and what-not, but I wanted to keep it simple, just like my 30 Days of Lists albums.

You can see my foundation pages, and days 1-9, if you'd like.

How are your pages going?

Are you doing a long-term project?