September 2012 Favorites

This past month has been completely insane, so I'm a few days behind on my September recap post. But better late than never, right? A quick little update: I added blog buttons to the Help a Heart page in case you want to help spread the word! Also, a few awesome bloggers are hosting giveaways to bring some exposure to Help a Heart, so I'll keep you updated on those. Aizzing of Icing and Write posted the first giveaway today so head over to her blog if you want a chance to win a Kelsea Echo gift certificate.

Now for my favorites!

My favorite posts in September

I shared my pictures of birds and reptiles from a trip to the San Diego Zoo back in May! I am in love with those gorgeous snakes!

I made Jacob a homemade cookies 'n' cream ice cream cake for his birthday this year. And you can make one too! Provided you have a lot of time and dedication. =D

Started a mini-series about an awesome day trip to three paper stores. The first was Papyrus.

Then Paper Source!

I tried out the It's Paper Dear subscription box for the first time and loved it! 

A bit of a more serious post on getting through depression.

And on a happier note, my mom celebrated her birthday on the 16th, and my brother, Corbin, celebrated his on the 21st. I shared Corbin's story about heart disease, which was the kick off to the Help a Heart campaign I'm currently running.

I interviewed Lauren Rudeck of LaRu, the very first Seattle-based artist to appear on the blog. Can't wait to attend her shop's grand opening event later this month!

Blogs I enjoyed reading this month

Yes and Yes by Sarah - The concept of Sarah's blog is so cool. She shares posts from people who have experienced all sorts of things or work in interesting professions - someone who had heart surgery, an aerialist, an egg donor... and so much more. It's all about learning a little of what it's like to be someone else and to encourage you to go out and do something adventurous. Love it!

The Cookie Button by Sammy - I knew as soon as I read the name of Sammy's blog that it would be a favorite! Isn't it brilliant? Sammy's artistic, generous, and all around awesome... plus, she's always sharing beautiful things on her blog. Excited to read about her adventures with learning about textiles!

Bodacious Thought by Dorien - I've read so many times that one of many bloggers' favorite things about blogging is building a community and (virtually) meeting great people. Even though my blog is just a few months old, I can already say the same, and people like Dorien are the reason why! She's one of the kindest, most generous, and completely genuine bloggers I've come across. It's been so much fun reading about her adventures (especially her recent trip to London) and I look forward to lots more of it!

Caked Vintage by Jessa - Another incredible blogger. If you haven't visited Jessa's blog, it is an absolute must. I was initially drawn by the pretty pastel rainbow colors, but I quickly found that her content is even cooler. I promise you'll be stunned too by Jessa's brilliant photography, her purple-tinted hair, and her lovely writing style.

P.S. If you're new to Pink Wonderland, check out my previous monthly recaps!

August 2012 Recap and Favorites

I can't believe it's almost September already! This year has flown by. August was a fun (and artsy!) month, with the introduction of two weekly features - Art Journaling and Thoughts & Things Thursday. I am hoping to post a little more frequently in September - despite moving to a new house in less than a week, I think it's doable. Guess we'll see!

My favorite posts in August:
Started art journaling once a week, following along with Jenny and Aaron's classes.

Shared my creative space... before the big move next week.

Finally got my zombie unicorn dress! Zombies were a recurring theme this month, with my Zombie Edition Thoughts and Things Thursday.

Interviewed the August Artist of the Month, Jen Kiddo, and posted some of her amazing artwork.

Blogs I enjoyed reading this month:
Even Sweeter Dreams by Susie - Not only is Susie one of the sweetest bloggers you'll meet, she has great taste! Her blog is full of beautiful inspiration. Plus, she redid her design this month and I've said before (but I'll say it again) - I am in love with her new banner. Susie and I have a fun exchange coming up... you'll hear about that soon!

Cute in Korea by Elle/Liz - I've followed Cute in Korea right from the beginning, as it is written by Liz Lorini, one of my all-time favorite artists/illustrators! You can see her work here. Liz lived and worked in San Francisco for a while, but last year she moved to Korea to be with Nara, her Korean fiancee (who also happens to be a brilliant artist). Cute in Korea is all about her adventures discovering, well, the cuteness all around her new (for now) country.

Little Chief Honeybee by Kaelah - Anyone who has been in the blogging world for more than a few weeks has probably discovered LCH, but seriously, how amazing is Kaelah's blog? Her own description states that she "dresses like every day is a tea party." Her frequent outfit posts definitely live up to that.

Mermaidens by Kailey - So much pastel prettiness. Can you tell I'm still on a pastel kick? Ever since the Locketship x Miss Kika Sparkling Sea collection came out, I think everything mermaid is awesome. Plus, Pistachio, her amazingly cute zine named after the delicious ice cream flavor, is both dreamy, gorgeous, and free.

P.S. If you're new to Pink Wonderland, check out my July and June recaps!

July 2012 Recap and Favorites

July was another busy month. It has now been two months since the blog launch!

My favorite posts in July:

I shared the project I made for a friend, binding and decorating Gala Darling's eBook, Love and Sequins.

Love & Sequins project time

I wrote about turning 25 and shared my list of "fun goals" for before I turn 26, wore red, white, and blue for Independence Day, and baked mini donuts for the first time ever. They were delicious!

Mini donuts FTW!

The wonderful team at Newbreed Girl sent me a birthday t-shirt after seeing my wish list post in June, and I wore my comfy new RARR monster shirt on vacation. I attended Urban Craft Uprising, the major Seattle craft fair with my friends Thamires and Carolyn. We discovered tons of awesome independent artists and bought some new handmade goodies! I also shared some of the sillier pictures from my balloon blog launch photoshoot with Zoe.

Ridiculous photoshoot pics!

A group of us went to see Florence and the Machine in concert to celebrate my friend Olivia's 25th birthday, and I shared a few articles I've read lately. I commissioned a super cute portrait by the talented Daisy of BouxWho, which is now my profile picture. My first NatureBox arrived and I reviewed the snacks in it. Finally, my absolute favorite post for the month was my Artist of the Month interview with Jenny Holiday!

Interview with Jenny Holiday

In addition to the blogs I shared in my June recap and favorites post, which I still read and adore, I have a few more favorites to share for this month.

Blogs I enjoyed reading this month:

Macarons & Stilettos by Aubree - I am always excited when Aubree has a new post - she has such an eye for finding cute, kawaii goods and inspirational photos. I am always a little afraid for my wallet when I read her blog, though! =) Her recent post about Totoro Graffiti embodies two of my favorite things!

Pajamie by Jamie - As soon as I landed on Jamie's page, I knew I had struck gold (or pastel rainbows, which I argue is even better). I have been completely enamored by pastels as of late, and I don't think that is going away. Totally digging Jamie's cute, kitschy, and colorful but not overdone style - I have a serious case of decor envy. Plus, her response to my comment on her Sea Foam Holiday post made me crack up... in an "I'm a terrible person because I think murderous hermit crabs are funny" kinda way.

Dreams are Necessary by Claire - First off, great name - something we all need to remember. And I love Claire's Monday Etsy Loves posts - she has introduced me to plenty of awesome indie shops. I also bought an adorable pin from her shop - it arrived today and I couldn't be happier with it. You'll see that in a future outfit post sometime!

Scathingly Brilliant by Kate Gabrielle - Kate's posts are typically short and sweet, almost always involving cute outfits. She always puts together the cutest looks, favoring dresses, pastels, and scallop collars. Plus, her writing style and sense of humor (with frequent references to awkwardness) make me smile.

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All in all, July was a busy but great month! I also may have some fun news to share soon... =)

June 2012 Recap and Favorites

June was a crazy month. At the beginning of the month, Pink Wonderland launched!

My favorite posts in June:
There are a lot, I know! It was hard to cut down.

I dressed up in a crazy Betsey Johnson dress and Zoe took photos of me around Portland for my launch post.

I posted my goodbye tribute to Betsey Johnson and shared my red, black, and bubbles outfit.

Jacob, Olivia, and I hiked Little Si. I shared pictures of my cactus windowsill garden, which is still (amazingly) alive, by the way!

We discovered some incredible booths and new (to us) artists at the Unique LA Spring 2012 Show and visited Tokidoki and Tarina Tarantino while we were in LA. I shared my 10 for $10 or Less gift guide and my birthday wish list... both full of products from awesome indie artists.

I made grilled cheese bites and tomato soup fondue for the first time, shared my mom's shrimp orzo recipe, and tried some delicious restaurants in Portland.

I also interviewed one of my favorite artists, Hannah Lynn, for the June 2012 Artist of the Month feature.

Blogs I enjoyed reading this month:

There are too many blogs I love to list them all here, so I'll just share a few at a time! Don't worry, more next month!

Everyday is a Holiday by Jenny Holiday - Jenny is so positive; I love reading her posts. Plus, she has the best style and somehow always manages to find the coolest things. Her Pinterest boards are among my favorites to browse, and I love her artwork. Pink, aqua, desserts, and amazing. Yes, please!

Icing and Write, by Aizzing - Pretty, funny, inspiring, and down-to-earth posts. Also, she has the cutest name ever (it's pronounced "Icing")! Aizzing is awesome and her blog makes me smile.

The Dainty Squid by Kaylah - I am amused by Kaylah's mushroom hunting posts and the cool things she comes across. Seriously, I bought shark potholders after seeing them on her blog. Oops! Hehe. Plus, she has the coolest hair!

Twinkie Chan - I love Twinkie's colorful crochet goodies and her blog is also super cool! After her recent redesign, it is full of sprinkles and pink. I'm on board with that! I love her style and her posts amuse me to no end.

Sprinkle Bakes by Heather Baird - Okay, I will be the first to admit that there is about a 1% chance that I will ever have the time and patience to make any of the delicious recipes on her blog... and an even smaller chance that they would turn out as pretty. But I love reading her blog and seeing some of the amazing things she comes up with. Her book would be a great gift for someone who enjoys baking!

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I haven't had a chance to post about it yet, but the launch photo shoot for my upcoming jewelry website launch was at the end of June. I also got rainbow hair. I promise you will hear plenty more about those soon! July is going to be so much fun. =)