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We go behind the scenes of The Cards We Drew to tour Abbey's inspiring craft space in Columbus, Ohio.

"I love the bright colors and that I have a place to store all of my craft supplies. But my FAVORITE thing about the room is the chair that I refinished to put in there. When I first started blogging and crafting and didn't have a space yet it was starting to get ridiculous seeing the piles of supplies around my house. So I knew I had to find a place to store them and what better than to create a unique space in ridiculously bright and random colors?!"



Tell us about your space?
We live in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio and have been here in this specific house for four years now. My craft room is in the basement. When we bought our house the previous owner had finished the basement and had created a little room off the stairs complete with a built in corner desk. When we first moved it we just used it for storage, but I finally decided to move the storage to another part of the basement and designate that room as the craft room. It's a small room, but it's PERFECTLY sized for what I need it for. It's only a craft room and it's all mine!! It can be a work space, but typically I like to bring myself upstairs so I can be available to my kids and family while I'm crafting. Plus, since I blog about my crafts it's a bit difficult to photograph steps without the natural light that a basement room obviously can't provide. I like most to create wreathes for my front door! 

What have you done to make your space cosy, beautiful or inspiring?
I have tried to bring in printables and quotes for the walls that make me happy or inspire me. I've purchased a collection of craft books for the space that I display proudly for those times when I'm needing some ideas or inspiration. I also tried to put my own personal touch on items throughout the room like the pretty chair and the stenciled desk. 

How do you keep organized?
Whew...I don't? If you saw my room today you may be a little appalled. The supplies I have gained since I originally started have come in and are overflowing. I initially used craft room labeling tags created by DimplePrints to label all the drawers and bins...those are all still labeled, but I'm running out of room in many or most of them. I need to add some more paint storage areas, as well as places to hang things on the walls for storage. 

Any tips & tricks for organising supplies?
Do what makes sense to you. I try to organize things in groups such as party supplies (striped straws, favor bags, hanging lanterns, garlands, etc.), fabric, yarn, paint, "doo-dads" as I call them, paints, ribbons, etc. all separated out. My biggest tip is to not let yourself get too disorganized because once you get there it's way longer to get back!

Which are your favourite possessions and are there any of your own creations on display?
I have a lot of older crafts stored down there, but I plan to sell them soon. I created a series of canvases with lyrics to a song that reminded me of my son that hang in the room and always make me smile. :)

How do you organise your inspiration and ideas?
I use an Erin Condren Day planner where I write down monthly craft ideas and keep my blogging schedule. 

Where do you look for inspiration?
I don't really look anywhere, I just spend a lot of time thinking about things I functionally need for my house (whether food ideas, home decor, organization, holiday, etc.) and try to cater my ideas to things I already need. I don't like creating without a purpose. 

If you had three wishes, what would you do to make it the dream space?
I would wish for an organizer to come and reorganize the space and find places for all the things I don't know where to put stuff, I would add a photo staging area to the room with a lighting setup (and plan to one day), and finally I would put it on the first floor where I could craft AND be with my family at the same time.

This week Olivia recreates the rockstar style of Amy Lee from the band Evanescence.

A rock star with a bold and edgy look, Amy Lee expresses herself through her unique fashion sense. To show off her confidence on stage, she wears striking outfits with dramatic accessories that really set her style apart. In addition to being a talented singer, Amy Lee also designs a lot of her own clothing. Some of her creations have even been featured in Evanescence's music videos and album covers!



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We stopped at Black Oak Coffee Roasters while we were road-tripping through California and were blown away by their lavender lattes. This week they're teaching us how to brew their delicious Lovers Lane Latte.



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Outfit details:
  • Black velvet dress - thrifted/vintage
  • Marc Jacobs black velvet blazer - thrifted
  • Tights - thrifted
  • Hat - ASOS
  • Neckace - DIY'd
  • Jeffrey Campbell Litas - eBay

DIY Salty Foot Scrub:

Keep your hands and feet soft with Indy's Salty Foot Scrub tutorial:


How would you describe your style?

My style is pretty dynamic. It's hard to categorize since it changes so often but I think 'eclectic' is a good word to describe it.

What's your favourite piece in your wardrobe?

My favorite piece in my wardrobe is my black hat. I love hats and I wear them all the time, but I wear this one the most, almost with every outfit. It's definitely the thing that gets the most compliments when I'm out and about, too.

Who are your style icons?

I don't know if I have any particular icon. I'm influenced by many things, not just one individual. I like to peruse Pinterest for ideas, and I really love browsing through old photos of my mom and dad for some *real* vintage inspiration.

Do you have any favourite designers?

Runway fashion is not really my thing, and I don't seek out designer pieces specifically because I think it's really a person's style that is most important, not whether or not they are wearing designer clothes.

Where are your favourite places to shop for new clothes?

I don't really buy new clothing that often because I usually find what I want at vintage, thrift, and antique stores. I'd have to say that H&M would be my favorite store to find new things in, but I definitely try to stick to the sale rack! I also really like finding handmade items on Etsy. They're always unique and well made, and it's good to support businesses that offer that kind of product, even if they are more expensive.

Do you make or customise your outfits?

I haven't ever made a whole outfit, but I do like making over things I find at second hand stores. Lately I've been customizing a lot of my shirts with a bleach pen!

Do you have any great tips for mixing up and personalising an outfit?

Be yourself! I think people who know how to express themselves through their outfits and makeup tend to be the happiest and look the best because they're not trying to please anyone else. Forget all the "rules" about what you should wear based on your body type. If you like something, wear it. Life is too short to follow ridiculous rules. Wearing what you like will, in turn, make your more confident, and that is what makes you look good. Remember that people are going to stare no matter what, so you might as well make it worth their while (I think Harry Winston said that). 

Which other fashion blogs do you love to read?

My favorite blogs are The Clothes Horse, Delightfully Tacky, The Dainty Squid, and Jag Lever.

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I'm Angel Szafranko and I'm an animator and artist living in Toronto. I've been drawing and doing artsy stuff since I was little. I've always been into crafts too. Right now I animate on a toddler show by day and draw and paint by night!

My artwork has been described as; weird, colourful, strange, bright and fun. I love art and I love creating artwork. I am very inspired by everyday life, nature, animals, dreams and fashion.


Great Yarmouth, England, GB •

Without a doubt, the best thing about Great Yarmouth is the Seafront. Look no further for a trip down memory lane with its immense history in the buildings and features but also modern attractions like an enormous swimming pool, Sealife Centre and mini Theme Parks. (but even they are getting old!) So many things for tourists to do here its hard to choose what to do first.



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We head to the small town of Ascoli Piceno, Italy to explore artist lOll3's adorable studio in her bedroom.

"The thing about my room that I love the most is surely my loft bed. As cats do, I love to sleep in high places, and this was the best refuge to dream or read a book in total serenity…"



Tell us about your space?
My old House has a pretty strange structure: there is a spooky long hallway with many rooms on the sides…mine is one of these rooms… a little pink cube of 16 m². I've equipped my room with a big working table with all the tools for painting, or drawing, making plushies, tees, cloths etc… 

What have you done to make your space cosy, beautiful or inspiring?
I designed the blueprint for my room when I was about 21 years old and my dad, who is really good at DIY, built what I drew…like the loft bed, the desk, the shelfs. I painted the pink walls by myself and my mom (who is a good seamstress) sewed the pillows, the awning and the blankets. I've tried to fill up my room with all the stuff that I love the most like books, fairytales, my old toys, my new toys, my dolls, barbies, illustration books, comic books, plushies, posters and all the stuff for painting, creating, and making amazing stuff. 

How do you keep organized?
I'm the most messy person in the world, so I've a personal idea of the organization of a room… but I've helped myself with a lot of boxes, containers, drawers etc. 

Any tips & tricks for organising supplies?
I'm not the right person for giving this type of tip… I can say just one word: boxes boxes boxes! 

Which are your favourite possessions and are there any of your own creations on display?
I think that my favorite possession are my childhood toys, like my beloved doll camilla, my polly pockets, and my barbies… but I'm particularly attached to my self-made plushies, like the sparkling bear, the pink totoro and even my funny bats.

How do you organise your inspiration and ideas?
I take inspiration from everything that surround me, like people, magazines, books, movies, internet, tv etc… I've a folder in my pc where I save all the inspiration pics that I find … and I also use pinterest to share the things that inspire my art… I also have a small collection of illustrations and art books with my fav artist.

Where do you look for inspiration?
Mostly on the internet, it's a big window for peeking at the world and taking ideas, incitements and inspiration!

If you had three wishes, what would you do to make it the dream space?
I have nearly moved in a new apartment with my boyfriend so this is not my room anymore… in the new home there is not enough space, so I'm working on my dinner table =?='' i don't have three wishes, but only one: to one day have  a studio for just me, a little place where i can keep all that is necessary to do all the things that I love the most, like drawing, painting, making plushies, and dreaming! ^_^
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This week Chloe from Of North recreates the look of the classic silver screen starlet Ginger Rogers:

Ginger Rogers generally wore close fitting dresses and gowns, rather than full skirts, however these ensembles were embellished with whimsical hats and accessories. Fred Astaire nicknamed Ginger "Feathers" after the extravagant dress she wore for the "Cheek to Cheek" number in Top Hat (1935). When dressing more casual, Ginger can be seen sporting boy-ish numbers, such as wide legged pants or tap shorts with collared blouses or scarves tied gaily around her neck. Her clothes were never too constricting, as she needed to be able to move freely without them moving around too much. Ginger wore her hair in waves and pinned close to her head to keep it in place while she danced. Perfect red lips were a given. Ginger abstained from alcohol and kept her bar stocked with ice cream instead! Her favorite drink was an ice cream soda, though ice cream in any form did the trick!



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Outfit details:

  • Dress - Vintage
  • Headband - Little Kate Designs
  • Shoes - Vintage Whites Market

DIY Vintage Shift:

Recreate the look with Tiffany's vintage shift tutorial:


How would you describe your style?

My style is very eclectic & comfortable. I do wear jeans daily & you will rarely ever find me not in heels. I love vintage pieces. I don't have one style. I am me. My style often evokes my mood. Texture, cut, color & tone are very important to me when choosing what I buy. I also feel like I'm never totally put together. Ever! :) C'est la vie. 

What's your favourite piece in your wardrobe?

My two favorite pieces in my wardrobe -at this moment- This amazing scarf that was a lucky snag at Target. -I really need to grocery shop somewhere else- The second is the Pasha Woven Weekender bag from Anthropologie.

Who are your style icons?

I think true style comes from within and is enhanced and inspired by others. I have alway loved black and white films. I would say Audrey Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, Katherine Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly are people who I have alway found to have flawless style & taste. I love Ali MacGraws, Natalie Wood & style. I do LOVE Marion Cotillard, Jessica Parker, Angelina Jolie, Keira Knightly & Nicole Richie. For men Carry Grant, James Dean, Young hot Elvis, Paul Newman, Ryan O'neal, James Marsden, Clark Gable, Rock Hudson, Hugh Jackman, Frank Sinatra, Gregory Peck, Timothy Dalton, Michael Fassbender, I could really go on but this seems to be turning into a great list of hot guys. lol!

Do you have any favourite designers?

Favorite Designers.. Yes! Where do I start. I love Vera Wang, Coco Chanel, Dior, Alexander Mcqueen and many, many designers who are not known at all. I love new designers, small shops & people who recycle clothing. 

Do you make or customise your outfits?

I have made a robe for my husband. A few things here & there. Nothing serious. I customize a lot of vintage pieces I find but would LOVE to make my own.

Do you have any great tips for mixing up and personalising an outfit?

I think personalizing outfits starts with knowing & being confident in who you are. How we dress is an expression of how we feel. In short be yourself & if you feel lost try what you like to look at. 

Which other fashion blogs do you love to read?

Garance Dore

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Jason Little is the author of the Xeric-winning Jack's Luck Runs Out, the double-Ignatz-winning Shutterbug Follies, and Eisner-finalist Motel Art Improvement Service. In 2015 Uncivilized Books will publish Borb, the slapstick misfortunes of a severely alcoholic homeless man. When not at the drawing board, Jason teaches cartooning at the School of Visual Arts.

(drawing of Jason Little by T. Motley)


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