Sep 29, 2013 | Blogging
Today, in the midst of strong thunderstorms, high gusts of wind, and a record-setting amount of rainfall this weekend, I ventured out to attend the Portland Bloggers September Meetup: Back to School with Portland Bloggers.
We took over Studio Space in SW Portland for the 2-and-a-half hour presentation on Making Money Blogging (#makemoneyblogging, which you might have seen mentioned on @PDXBloggers Twitter feed throughout đ      
With drinks sponsored by Black Rock Coffee Bar and yummy snacks, we were treated to presentations from Jenni, the founder of Portland Bloggers (from AWellCraftedParty.com), Suzannah (AdventuresinDressmaking.com) and Bee (TheSpicyBee.com). We also had the pleasure of hosting CPA Jackie Wheatley from Rainbow Tax & Accounting who offered up some great advice about accounting for bloggers, Kim from Todays Creative Blog who shared her own story of success in becoming a full-time professional blogger, and Tarun and Pepper from Recomonk who introduced Recomonk as a way to help consolidate affiliate links and recommended products into a single interface. (I jotted down a ton of great info to implement on my blog!)
There was so much useful information, “class photos” taken which will be turned into a “yearbook” online (and available for download soon from the Portland Bloggers website), free patterned notebooks, pencils, and M&M packs, delicious snacks (YUMM prosciutto and provolone rolls and dark chocolate almond bark!) and valuable time networking with other fellow bloggers (over 30 in all!). Overall it was a huge success as an event – and hopefully something we can repeat again later in the year for those who weren’t able to make it this time around.
What I wore to the event…outfit deets coming soon!
Check out PDXBloggers.com/blog for the Powerpoint slides from the event in case you missed it (will be uploaded soon!) – or would like the information to have at your fingertips to review and keep on hand.
So glad to meet up with my fellow bloggers and Portland creatives – and hope to see you all again at the next event!
xo
Carly
I volunteer with Portland Bloggers to do their graphic design, website design/maintenance, and video work, as well as attend events when they mesh with my schedule. Have any questions about blog-related branding/graphics/visual stuff?
Send them my way and they can be addressed on the Portland Bloggers blog or in a future video tutorial!
Sep 28, 2013 | Fashion
So the finale episode of AMC’s hit show Breaking Bad is airing this Sunday – how excited is everyone for it??! I confess I only got into watching the show this last Spring, and although I did binge-watch it on Netflix in marathons, at times I had to take a long breather from watching because I was finding it too much. It psychologically insinuated itself into my life, where the storylines would stay with me, the characters’ motives and acting still thrilled upon reflection, and the visuals would flash before my eyes at random moments. (Okay, a little not good for daily life.)
But of course I was dying to find out what happened next! So after taking a 3-month hiatus from the show, I finally dived back in – just in time too, so I can celebrate the final episode this Sunday with an intimate gathering.
And I couldn’t resist getting crazy and crafty and whipping up some Breaking Bad-themed stick puppets – totally silly, I know – but they work great as decorations for the food table, or for everyone to grab their favorite character from the show while watching. (I admit I only thought of this yesterday at 11:30 AM, and figured “somebody must have already made some Breaking Bad puppets,” but Googled it and found nothing.) 
So even though it’s at the eleventh hour, here are the patterns and instructions for some of the main characters from the groundbreaking TV series: (more…)
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Sep 27, 2013 | Fashion
image by Yanzhou Bao, source
Wow, another week 2 weeks have gone by already! Getting into the swing of things is taking longer than I anticipated. đ The air is getting cooler here in Portland, and Fall is definitely getting going. Are you excited? I am! Fall is hands-down my favorite season!! Here are some links I’ve been perusing this week:
Dream It: Inspiration & Creativity
How You’re Holding Yourself Back: Obstacles to Success can help alert you to ways you may be inadvertently sabotaging yourself and your dreams. Check it out for ways to reform and regain that initiative! (Oprah.com)
In How To Get Unstuck And Unleash Your Creativity Today, Accidental Creative founder Todd Henry talks about why people delay their work, why you shouldnât be comfortable in what you currently do and always challenge yourself, how to prevent boredom and more. (Forbes.com)
I love this TED talk by artist Alexa Meade: such an inspiring insight into her process and artistic goals! (She paints on people, the background, and the objects in the vicinity: an amalgam of traditional painting, live-sculpture/performance art, and photography. So breathtaking!)
Buy It: Shopping Picks
Modcloth has just received a huge shipment of Fall-ready styles, and I love their black-and-white gingham cape. Soooo chic – especially for work!
This gorgeous flowery tote from Ted Baker could indeed pass for a painting – but at $65 it would be the most affordable painting you own. Plus it’s able to fit just about everything you own – or want to tote around with you – when out and about.
This photo-print autumnal Tree of Life sweatshirt has the most breathtaking colors….just where I want to be right now. Beautiful paired with ripped jeans and a blazer!
Make It: DIY
A collection of 30 Adorable and Unexpected DIY Stamp Projects may surprise you with some projects using some unexpected items for stamping. (Buzzfeed)
Craftsy is offering a great new course: Metalsmithing at Home, that teaches you the basics of metalsmithing with just some basic supplies (no soldering torch required!) I can’t wait to watch!
With Instagram square photos have probably flooded everyone’s cameras – but it’s pretty difficult to find ways to display them outside of the phone environment. Enter 10 Ideas for Square Photos, which gives you some great ideas to decorate with them. Love! (ABeautifulMess)
Live It: Lifestyle
Sustainable Business Oregon interviews the producer and host of the radio show Destination DIY about the importance of reusing, creatively making things, and local DIY-centric Portland businesses.
The recent Portland Fashion Week was a valiant effort, but ultimately a re-incarnation of the old classic that fell flat and seemed superfluous. Here’s why. (The Portland Mercury)
Life just gotten too complex? Simplify Your Life with these great tips from WikiHow, and breathe in more zen every day.
Get your FILL every Friday!
xo
Carly
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Sep 26, 2013 | Fashion
Welcome to the latest installment of One Piece, Three Girls – where I feature a single article of clothing, jewelry, or an accessory from a local boutique, styled into 3 different looks for 3 different ladies. (See my feature with Portland’s Mabel & Zora boutique here!)
For this post, I had the opportunity to work with Flutter in the North Mississippi district of Portland. If you’ve never been to Flutter, you really must go next time you’re in town – because it is a treasure trove of amazing vintage, handmade pieces, eclectic ephemera, candles, papers, ribbons, books, masks, succulents, soaps, and home decor oh my! 
They operate their website on Flutterclutter.com and it is indeed a clutter….of spectacular finds! (more…)
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Sep 23, 2013 | Fashion
EMODA (pronounced eh-moda) was founded in 2010 under MARK STYLER, Inc. (a huge fashion conglomerate housing 15 other Japanese fashion brands). Growing exponentially in only a short time, the brand offers fashion-forward styles ranging from $24 for a basic tee, up to around $170 for a pair of luxe leather boots. In their own words,
We are a trendsetter for all women who enjoys fashion and deliver high-fashion clothing for everyday through our new stylings, matarials, and shapes. Our concept is expressing femininity in womenâs strength by adding colors, patterns, and textures in monochromatic themes. Futhermore, we are introducing the fashion with music, art, and culture to create neo fashion form.
Produced by Ena Matsumoto, a darling of fashion magazines in Japan, EMODA has launched an Autumn/Winter Collection playing on textured androgyny and a Victor/Victoria dichotomy.
There is a large closet at home for the chic and stylish couple. Their style has no gender boundary, which is mixture of mode, simple, and casual tastes. They are different unique individuals, âBUDDY COUPLE,â who have perfect chemistry. We introduce its mannish and coquettish, BUDDY-COUPLE-like style that brings out your personality.
(more…)
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