Simpli Spiritu

DIY Pretty Painted Pots

2014-09-11T12:54:00.000-07:00

Would you believe me if I told you I made these cute little pots in less than five minutes? No?! Well I dare you to prove me wrong. This is one of the fastest DIYs I've done to date. I hope you enjoy and share with your friends!

Here's what you'll need: 1. Acrylic paint / 2. Water / 3. Little pot / 4. Paintbrushes

Paint the entire bottom half of the pot first and let dry. I alternated between using white paint and different colors, but feel free to do what you think is best :) It's your project so just have fun with it!

I went as far as to paint the inside of the pot too, just because soil rarely fills a pot all the way to the top.

Next, take your paint bottle and slowly drip paint down the side of your pot.

I tried to keep the globs of paint as skinny as possible, it'll make it easier for you when you go back and clean up the running paint with your paintbrush.

Dip your paintbrush into the running paint and use it to create the same drip effect.
Saturate the brush and gently run it down the pot to achieve this effect. Repeat until the pot is covered.

Once it dries it should look something like this!
Feel free to comment below if you have any questions, I'd love to answer them :)

Words of Wisdom #763

2013-11-21T16:38:00.000-08:00

image via Raych Urquhart

DIY Inspirational Quote Jar

2013-11-20T12:15:00.000-08:00

I'm still on my inspirational kick! When I was a kid I used to keep all of my fortunes from the fortune cookies I ate. I'd put them in this cute little box and pick out different ones all the time. It was fun to read them and see if they applied to the question I asked, or the way I was feeling. This DIY is a more modern version of that idea.

You may also want a book of quotes, New Year's resolutions, or a list of goals you're wanting to accomplish.

1. Tie the ribbon in a bow around the mason jar.

2. Cut the excess ribbon at an angle.

3. Take the colored paper strips, and make sure they're about the width of your thumb.

4. Write inspirational quotes, or goals on each strip of paper. Then fold them up.

Boom! You're done! Whenever you're feeling down you can always reach into your jar for a little pick-me-up. My quotes in the picture above say:

"Never give up until you've given out your very best. It's better to fail trying than wondering what could have happened if you tried."

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain."

"All of our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."

Meet Christine Mayrina of Gypsy/Hunter

2013-10-24T00:27:00.003-07:00

I had the chance to interview Christine Mayrina of Gypsy/Hunter for DISfunkshion Magazine. Christine has an amazing spirit and is a true advocate for life on the open road and living your life to it's absolute fullest. It's hard not to be drawn to her free spirit and her vast knowledge of Native American jewelry and the cultures that produced it.

How did you get started with collecting? I know you said that you get obsessive about things once you become interested in them, but what really set you on this path?

I feel that this path is one I’ve always been on, it was just a matter of putting the pieces together and letting go of my fears of truly committing to this journey. My job is more than a job or career to me - it is a vocation, it’s in my bones. Once I stopped trying to make a life out of what I thought would be a successful, conventional path, everything fell into place. But I always say there are three vastly influential elements that really showed me that this is what I want to be doing.

As a child, I was obsessed with Frida Kahlo. I’ve always been incredibly drawn to her as a person firstly, and secondly as an artist. She truly created the world she lived in. She loved her man, she lived her dreams, and she loved her country. She lived with so much passion and had such a distinct personality- everywhere she went, she was noticed. I think it’s because she was so adamant about being exactly who she was at all times - there was never a compromise. I’ve always felt very connected to that. I remember seeing photos of her with all of her jewelry on and thinking she looked so interesting - that she had a lot of life and passion in her and that it showed in every little thing about her- from her statement necklaces to the rings on every finger. Her jewelry never spoke for her or stole the show, rather it accentuated who she was. I absolutely adore that.

When I was in college, my boyfriend at the time was a vintage buyer for a large retailer. We had such fun collecting amazing vintage, I felt like I while I was going to school for sociology, I was really getting an education in the vintage apparel industry. He and I would go on these long roadtrips, sometimes two months at a time and stay with his family in the Southwest and even in little towns throughout Mexico. We would explore all the little corners of the border towns in New Mexico and down in Chihuahua. We’d thrift every single place in Flagstaff, Albuquerque and everywhere in between. We’d get lost on reservations and buy frye bread with fresh wildflower honey and talk to everyone about all the art and vintage. It was incredible. I’ll never forget those times - especially the first time I saw the red mesas rising out of the desert on our way to New Mexico. It was breathtaking and I’ve been going back and forth from Los Angeles ever since. The jewelry to me is a reflection of the beauty of the natural landscapes in our American Southwest. Every time I look down at my hands, flanked with huge pieces of turquoise, I think of the incredible desert sky…little pieces of heaven on earth.

Lastly, the final push that helped me to jump totally into the antique jewelry business was a woman I met years ago. She is a beautiful, independent passionate turquoise jewelry dealer who is known to have the very best stuff this side of the Mississippi. She inspires me so much. She is probably in her late 60s and works harder than anyone I know - and yet she is always in such great spirits - because she is truly living her dream. She is free and she is her own woman. She truly holds the reigns to her life. She’s taught me a lot about what it means to be a woman who makes and stands by her own choice to be in control and to live by what you love. I see a lot of who I want to become in her. I am so staunchly committed to feeling like I am living my life the way I decide to and when I saw that I could make a life for myself with this, I was all in.

How would you describe your process of finding these pieces? What do you look for when you select a piece? Where do typically go hunting for finds? Do you base a pieces value based on its antiques or its quality?

My process for hunting is not any formula - I wake up between 4 and 5 am, sometimes earlier - and get moving! Sometimes that means I drive an hour, sometimes it means I set off on a little excursion. The early bird gets the worm! Half the process is just showing up at every single place you can think of that may have the goods. Talking to people and gathering details is a big part of it, no matter where I am- I’m like a detective. I put the picture together and then set off for the hunt.

I always base a piece’s value on antiquity, craftsmanship, quality of material and rarity. I try to buy pieces as old as possible- nothing after the 1970s. My favorite eras of jewelry production are the 1900s, 1930s, 1950s and 1970s. I love a good patina! I always buy sterling silver and try to find the highest grade turquoise I can find - the more matrix in the stone, the better! I love finding pieces that are made with stones from turquoise mines that have been cleaned out of production long ago - the rarity is so special to me. You can tell when a piece has been masterfully and lovingly made, it totally shows in the detail of the silverwork and stonework. They just don’t make em like they used to!

I don’t think there is a “typical” place that I go hunting- my ears and eyes are always open to a good find. Everywhere I go, I talk to people about jewelry, listen for any tips and follow any leads. Obviously the American Southwest is a hotspot for the kinds of pieces I buy but I try not to buy typical pieces - I love a good dig - if you could see how deep I dig for a find, you’d be amazed - I’m talking literally middle of nowhere in seemingly abandoned sheds with cobwebs and overgrown weeds everywhere (with permission of course!). Those kinds of places are a goldmine for me. I always talk to elders. They have the most incredible stories and pieces. Sometimes I am lucky and they are willing to work with me. I am basically on a never ending treasure hunt with no map - I go into every corner I can get into. The good stuff is always what I’m after, even if it means getting over a lot of hurdles to get to. It’s a ton of work but I couldn’t see myself doing anything else!

What do you hope to accomplish with Gypsy/Hunter? What are your goals or dreams?

I hope to take Gypsy/Hunter as far as it can go. I’ve never set a limit or said “this is exactly how it’s going to be run” because I want for the business to grow organically and authentically. I’ll always find amazing old pieces, but the natural progression of things is to start creating my own collections. I’ll take what I learned from the old and incorporate it into my own pieces. They will be an extension of the eye I have when buying vintage- big, bold and beautiful. I’ll never quit the vintage, though. My dream (that I am actively working toward) is to have an amazing studio full of American heritage vintage and also my own collections. Big things in the future!

Who is your target audience when it comes to buyers?

I don’t have a target audience! My client is anyone from a young, wanderlusty woman to a lifelong collector with beautiful white hair and anywhere in between. My pieces speak for themselves. I think I’ve curated a bold collection, and whomever they draw in is exactly whom they are meant for. I don’t need for Gypsy/Hunter to be something for everyone- rather, I love that G/H draws in people with a shared commitment to beauty, age and craftsmanship. These pieces are not fashion, they are American heirlooms and they just so happen to make very fashionable statements!

Quotes to live by, or what is your mission statement?

I don’t have an official mission statement. If you look on my website, the Manifesto that I wrote out is what I try to live by every single day. I am fully committed to finding and creating the best pieces and work that I feel proud to stand by. Besides all that, I just want to live life on my terms and appreciate every last bit of it.

Be sure to check out her store and follow along her open road adventures via Instagram! Images via Christine Mayrina

Tourner La Page

2013-10-21T23:56:00.000-07:00

While I was in Cannes I was exposed to different cultures, music and food. It was one of the most exhilarating and liberating experiences and I can't wait to go back. I first heard Zaho on the radio and I was immediately hooked.

Not only is this a visually stunning video, but the lyrics are so deep and heartfelt. Zaho is an extremely talented Algerian R&B singer. The video is absolutely breathtaking and I hope you feel both uplifted and inspired just by watching it. The song is entirely in French, but if you want the complete translation go ahead and click here.

Words of Wisdom #89

2013-10-12T22:34:00.000-07:00

image via Raych Urquhart

Mini Public Library Project

2013-10-11T12:09:00.000-07:00

John Locke is an artistic genius. He's not the infamous philosopher you're probably thinking of, but he comes pretty close. He's found an ingenious way to reinvent phone booths. Not that many people use phone booths, they've become almost obsolete with cell phone's being so affordable, but he's converted many of them to serve a dual purpose. He's managed to turn these "relics" into min public libraries. He installed his first one in New York City around 96th street. All of the books in the booth were donated by local residents. Within six hours of the first booth being set up, all of the books were gone!

The project is a part of John Locke's Department of Urban Betterment program. The goal is to improve urban spaces and encourage sharing. You take a book, you bring a book back. He hopes to challenge people to engage with their street surroundings. To open your eyes and look around, instead of looking down or meandering mindlessly without seeing what's right in front of you.

Hopefully the project can catch on and spread to more cities. In my opinion there can never be too much human interaction, or too many libraries! Technology will always evolve and its up to us to make sure that our surroundings don't become victims to our neglect. Just because phone booths are considered to be "obsolete" doesn't mean that there is no other purpose for them. Upcycling - the concept of taking something old and turning it into something new - is something we should all try to incorporate more often.

images via Graceful Spoon

Words of Wisdom #98

2013-09-02T17:26:00.000-07:00

Fresh Minted Limeade

2013-08-22T15:55:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Danille Kartes, here is the recipe for her absolutely perfect limeade. The blend of juicy limes, cane sugar, pure water, and fresh mint makes this a refreshing and incredibly simple treat for late summer!

Ingredients:

2 cups cane sugar

1 cup hot water

2 cups freshly squeezed lime juice

1 gallon cold water

1 lime, sliced (for garnish)

Mint sprigs (for garnish)

Blueberries (for garnish)

Directions:

In a 1 gallon sized container mix cane sugar and the hot water, stir until sugar dissolves.

Add lime juice and the cold gallon of water.

Stir until well mixed.

Pour limeade over glasses of ice.

Garnish with sprig of mint, lime slice or blueberries.

Enjoy!

image via Danielle Kartes

Buttermilk Vanilla Pound Cake

2013-07-04T10:31:00.000-07:00

image via Danielle Kartes

Just in time for the fourth this wonderful lady has done it again! Danielle Kartes has come up with a delicious recipe for pound cake. It's light and delicious so it's perfect for this holiday! Hopefully you have the opportunity to share it with your friends and family. I'm off to a little get together with some co-workers. Happy Fourth!

Ingredients:

¾ cup canola or light olive oil
½ cup melted butter
1 ½ Cups Sugar or evaporated cane juice
5 eggs
¾ tsp. Sea salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp. pure vanilla
2 ¼ cups All Purpose flour
2 tbsp. baking powder

Directions:

Pre Heat oven to 350 F

Mix all wet ingredients until they just come together. Slowly add the
flour, salt and baking powder until the mixture just comes together,
don’t over mix.

Bake in a buttered and floured Bundt or Loaf pan for 45-55 minutes
or until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean when
inserted in the deepest part of the cake.

Serve with fresh cream and berries.

Enjoy!

My first article for DISfunkshion!

2013-07-02T01:00:00.000-07:00

I recently started writing for DISfunkshion Magazine! I was initially attracted to them because of the publications free spirited vibes. They really support innovative individuals and their site has nothing but inspiring content. Each one of their articles make me want to sing to the world about these indie designers and businesses. They're all doing so many amazing things!

The first article I wrote was about the super amazing company called Karen Jess. I'll post the interview I did with them later, but for now check out my kick ass article by clicking here!

Words of Wisdom #67

2013-04-21T22:37:00.000-07:00

Words of Wisdom #50

2013-04-14T11:15:00.000-07:00

There is a very fine line between freedom and happiness. Naturally, I feel the most happy when I am free but sometimes I feel like I'm stuck in limbo, somewhere between the two. Obviously the goal in life is to do something you love, it's beyond heartbreaking to see my dad so down because of work or employee's. Often times I feel that he truly hates his job. He was going to quit a while back, and start up a restaurant of his own but somewhere along the way he ended up just giving up.

My sister and I encouraged him to keep it going but he settled on something else. He decided to acquire some property of his own and cultivate the land on it. He seems content, building a pond and whatnot, but I can't help but think what would have happened if he followed his dream of the restaurant. I suppose now we'll never know, but just because my father chose to forgo his dreams doesn't mean that he's a coward, or that I'm doomed to follow in his footsteps. I know in my heart that I am never going to forgo mine. I have this fiery determination within me, one that cannot be extinguished. We all have it within us, never forget that all the power to accomplish your goals lies within yourself.

Create Your Own Before I Die Wall

2013-03-07T15:45:00.000-08:00

If you remember my post about the Before I Die wall? In case you don't it's an extremely passionate project that is bringing together communities and inspiring individuals all over the world. The coolest part is that the creators of the project have come up with a toolkit so people can make a wall of their own. The kit includes a title stencil, guide, metal chalk holders, gloves and chalk. The best part is, you can also download these files anytime if you want to create a stencil of your own. Be sure to visit the project website for more info.

Meet the Artist: Boris Bally

2013-03-05T10:48:00.000-08:00

After sifting through the interwebs for a couple hours today I stumbled across designer Boris Bally and the amazing furniture that he creates from old street signs, weapon parts and other found objects. His work is so witty and innovative, and I find it to be reminiscent of work Dan Phillips does! But that's besides the point. Bally hails from the small state of Rhode Island and he has gone through hoops and hurdles to create his piece "The Broadway Armchair". He makes sure that each traffic sign that he finds, works together perfectly with his next piece of art. And nothing goes to waste! Ever. Any leftover material or scraps are saved so that they can be used in another one of his works of art.

In one year alone Bally can produce hundreds of these arm chairs, keeping tons of discarded traffic signs out of landfills. Bally is great because he hopes to inspire others to look beyond the "intended" purpose of the objects around them. Which isn't hard to do when you think outside of the box a little bit. I like to make pieces out of found objects as well. Something about upcycling just speaks to me! What about you? Are you feeling inspired?

images via desginboom

The Cutest Lunches

2013-03-04T15:18:00.000-08:00

images via Susan Yuen

Okay, I'm not going to say that my parents didn't love me, but damn! Have you seen these lunches?? I stumbled across Susan Yuen's blog the other day and she painstakingly makes one of these lunches for her children every single day. When I was a child I remember getting sandwiches and a little juice box, but apparently that just doesn't cut it anymore!

I did a little more sleuthing of my own and discovered that it's a pretty big deal for Japanese parents to create these amazing bento box lunches for their children. In fact, Mother's can even take classes on how to create these innovative lunches. Parent's have to devote quite a lot of their time in order to makes one of these boxes every day. One lunch alone can take close to two hours to make!

If I ever have kids in the future, I don't know if they can count on me to create these kind of lunches for them. I'll probably just teach them how to make simple stuff instead haha. Do you think you'd make a bento box for your child?

Before I Die Project

2013-02-26T16:39:00.000-08:00

Candy Chang is an artist and designer based in New Orleans, she's created countless projects but this one is one of the most inspiring. One day she just took over an abandoned house in her community. She painted the side of it in chalkboard paint and stenciled in the sentence:
“Before I die I want to _______.”

The beauty of this project is that it allows you to get to know your community members in addition to functioning as a piece of public art. The project has spread to other countries all over the world. It's been replicated in 30 countries, including Kazakhstan, Portugal, Japan, Denmark, Australia, and South Africa. Every person, no matter their location, comes together to share your dreams. Chang's hope is to better communities and give people from all over the chance to be heard. It's so easy to get caught up in our day-to-day lives and forget what really matters. This project encourages all of us to reflect and remember the dreams we once had, in hopes of reigniting the passion that was once within.

"At their greatest, our public spaces can nourish our

well-being and help us see that we’re not alone as we

try to make sense of our lives. Each passerby is

another person full of longing, anxiety, fear, and

wonder. With more ways to share in public space,

the people around us can not only help us make

better places, they can help us become our best selves."

Candy Chang

Meet the Artist: Guido Daniele

2013-02-03T12:15:00.000-08:00

images via Guido Daniele

Guido Daniele is a seriously talented artist based in Milan, Italy. He uses hands as his canvas and created a series of paintings called "Handimals". One hand can take up to ten hours! It's truly amazing how he manipulates his canvas to make such life like animals. His work has been all over sites like Tumblr and was even nominated for the Hero of the Year award by Animal Planet. I can't lie. I love each and every one of his works. Which painting is your favorite?

Bike Picnic Baskets

2013-01-27T13:11:00.000-08:00

As if the Free People bike inspiration wasn't enough. How rad is this?? Now your bike can carry your lunch/dinner too. Complete with your food, cups, dishes, and eating utensils.

This wonderful idea is brought to you by creative Dutch designer Jeriël Bobbe. He created the pannier that will double as a compact picnic table, with two cushioned seats (see image below).

The one above, fits a wooden bar, dual speakers and a fold-out tray table, all tucked away neatly into the diamond frame of a bicycle. Now that's what I call picnicking in style! Is it too late to go ahead and add this amazing contraption to my Christmas list??

images via Velojoy

Children With Swag

2013-01-17T09:04:00.002-08:00

I stumbled across Children With Swag the other day and upon seeing the first few pictures I was hooked! I ended up clicking through this tumblr for hours! These little tykes are dressed to the nines and all of them are extremely cute. So basically if you need some entertainment in your life and want to drool over some adorbale kiddos this is literally the perfect time waster :]

images via tumblr.

Tasty Tortilla Soup!

2013-01-15T09:56:00.001-08:00

Just a quick recipe on how to make tortilla soup! I love this recipe because it involves hardly any cooking! Just chop up the veggies, add the broth, and viola! Instant soup.

Ingredients:

1 can of corn
2 Jalapeño Peppers
Red Chili Powder
1 can of Blackbeans
3 cans of Rotel (hot and mild)
Vegetable Broth
1 bussel of Cilantro
1 White Onion
3 Limes
4 Serrano Peppers
1 clove of Garlic

Directions:

Put the vegetable broth in a pot and turn on the heat to simmer.
Chop up all the vegetables.
Put the onions and peppers into the pot first.
Once they're tender start adding the other stuff.
Make sure you drain the corn and the beans before you add it to the pot, but keep the juice from the canned Rotel for flavor!
Add the chopped up cilantro and garlic.
Stir all the vegetables and raise the heat to boiling point.
Let the pot cook for 7 minutes or so, or until the onions are cooked to desired level of crunchiness
Add four or five sprinkles of red chili powder, and squeeze in the lime juice.
Stir.
Let cook for one minute and then your food is ready!
Feel free to garnish with extra cilantro or cheese.

Enjoy!

Words of Wisdom #124

2013-01-06T16:30:00.001-08:00

image via tumblr.

5 Minute DIY: Making Flowers Out of Paper Towel Rolls

2013-01-04T12:56:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post on how to make these flowers. They're all over the wall in our apartment and a friend of mine asked me to do a quick tutorial over how to make them. It'll take you five minutes.

You'll need: paper towel rolls, scissors, a stapler & some push pins.

Cut the roll into sections. I made mine kind of skinny, but you can make yours bigger if you like.

When you've finished cutting the roll it will look something like this.

Lay out the rolls so you can kind of see the flower pattern.
I think it looks best when you use five or six pieces.

Grab your two pieces and hold them.

Staple the two pieces together.
Try and get the staple close to the end of the roll.

Repeat the process until it looks something like this.

Then staple the last two pieces together.

Your flower is now ready to hang!

Meaningful Lives: Changing Reality Through Meditation

2012-12-29T22:41:00.002-08:00

The lecture tonight was really amazing. I got to meet a bunch of new people from all over the country and even Latin America. I'll go more in depth with all that happened tomorrow. I'm wicked tired.

Meet the Landscape Artist: Richard Shilling

2012-12-20T10:30:00.000-08:00

images via Richard Shilling

Richard Shilling is an accidental artist who stumbled across an Andy Goldsworthy sculpture in the middle of nowhere a few years ago. He was so intrigued that he asked around, did some research and discovered that the work was indeed Andy Goldsworthy's. He was so inspired by his land art that after learning all that he could about his work he went out and started to make his own. The further he delved into the world of Goldsworthy he became extremely passionate about land art. It inspired him and led him to connect deeply with nature and the world around him.

Shilling explains land art as a simple process that involves wandering around somewhere in nature without any preconceived ideas. Once he see's a shapely rock, or a breathtaking leaf this will inspire him to create something with these items.

He has some advice for those that want to create land art:

1. Go somewhere and open your eyes.
2. Look at what is out there. See the colors, shapes and forms.
3. Select the materials that appeal to you because of their shape or color.
4. Collect as many of these items as you can.
5. Make a pattern, swirl, circle, or anything that you like with what you have found.

This will lead to a better connection and appreciation of nature, while sparking your inner creativity too! So get out there and try to make some land art of your own! I know I will as soon as I find some time, and I'll make sure to post whatever I create.