Finding Inspiration
Sometimes, it's not very easy to remain inspired. We hit blocks at one point or another whether that be creatively or in other aspects of our life. Here are some of the ways I remain creatively inspired.
- Music. I don't think anything inspires me quite like music does. The majority of my videos (the more cinematic ones) are inspired by music. Sometimes it doesn't even have to have lyrics, I will listen to a song and create a video out of it, most of the time I have the song I am going to use in a video before I even planned on filming that particular video.
- Videos, movies, shows, documentaries. The reason I started creating videos in the first place is because of the way they can make you feel something. They can move you in a way that pictures cannot. I can take a piece of my mind, translate it into a video and literally show it to you.. it lets me let you inside of my head, in a sense. Sometimes when I hit creative blocks I watch cinematic videos or documentaries. I will also watch a movie, even if I've seen it a million times, I will watch It again if I know it inspires me. Shows are also great, I'm currently watching Mr. Robot and love the way they shoot their scenes. Documentaries related to relevant topics also really help get my creative juices flowing.
- Magazines. Don't get me wrong, I love social media and digital inspiration but there is nothing like holding something in your hands and feeling the pages. I absolutely love to collect beautiful magazines and I often flip through them, even years after purchasing them, for inspiration.
- Pinterest. This is a no-brainer. If you don't own a Pinterest please open up a new tab or window and quickly make yourself one because this is seriously one of the best sources of inspiration for pretty much anything you need.
- Tumblr. Will forever hold a place in my heart. I've had it for about 9 years and I still use it very regularly. I honestly like the content on there more than Pinterest sometimes.
- Walking outside. I don't do this as often as I would like but sometimes removing myself from anything digital for a little while actually helps me. I will look at a flower, a tree, I will look up, smell something... anything and it will actually help inspire me.
- Open a sketch book or a bullet journal. I draw a lot whenever I feel both inspired and uninspired. Sometimes when you keep a sketch book or a bullet journal all you have to do is flip back a couple of pages and look back at something you wrote or drew a couple of months ago when you were inspired and that, in itself, helps a ton.
- Quotes. I've always loved quotes, a lot of the time I find great ones on Pinterest but when I'm looking for something in particular I love Goodreads and Brainy Quote.
- Instagram. You were probably wondering when I was going to mention IG since I practically live on that damn app but yes, even though I don't really get the majority of my inspiration from there, there are seriously some very talented people on Instagram. Take time to follow some accounts that you really enjoy that post regularly, there is nothing wrong with gaining inspiration from other content creators, so long as you stay true to your own style, and don't blatantly copy anyone.
- Create an environment that inspires you. Whether it be your home, your room or your apartment, make sure that you wake up everyday and truly love your space. This is the place you are going to spend most of your time in, make sure you create a space that you love and inspires you. Not only will this help you creatively but it will help you mentally, physically & emotionally. Part of the reason I love interior design so much is not just because of aesthetic... it is because of the way it can literally alter the way you feel, your productivity, your mood, pretty much everything. Our spaces dictate so many aspects of our lives, you want to make sure you are happy in it.
Favorite Dainty Rings
It is no surprise that I have a little bit of a ring obsession. I don't really own a lot of jewelry but I have noticed that I have a bit of a ring collection going on so I wanted to share some of my favorite rings with you.
When it comes to jewelry, or pretty much anything for that matter, I like simplicity and versatility. I want my rings to be able to go with everything and even though I like to wear a lot of rings all at once, I don't want it to look like I'm wearing brass knuckles. With that said, I am very happy with the collection I have so far. Here are some of my favorite/most worn pieces.
1. This is one of my newest rings and it has already become one of my absolute favorites. It is a signet ring with a G engraved on it and I wear it on my pinky.
2. One of my favorite stones are opal stones so I really love this dual ring which has a white opal stone and a black diamond on top, I love how unique it is.
3. I love evil eye jewelry but sometimes I feel like they could be a little over the top so I love how subtle this evil eye ring is compared to others I've seen.
4. Love the black diamonds on this ring. I actually got this one here but I don't see it on the site anymore but mejuri makes something almost identical.
5. I feel like everyone needs a dainty white diamond ring and this one is perfect by itself or stacked with others.
6. I've been obsessed with circular jewelry/accessories lately so I had to have this 360 ring in my collection, it is so simple yet makes such a statement.
7. Everyone needs the perfect stacking rings and I have these from mejuri. I have a smaller size for my pinky and a larger size for my other fingers.
8. This is my only midi ring and I love how I can adjust it to fit almost all of my fingers.
9.This is another one of my favorite stacking rings but I also love wearing this one on my thumb or by itself.
As far as quality, It comes down to how long you want your jewelry to last. I have dabbled in inexpensive jewelry purchases here and there and time after time the jewelry goes bad within months ( just my experience) so to me it is worth spending a little more on jewelry that is going to last. As long as you know that it is a classic piece that will not go out of style anytime soon or ever, I think it is worth spending a bit more.
Friday Five
1. If it's one thing I love in jewelry, (or anything, really) aside from simplicity in design, it's innovation. Coordinates Collection makes custom jewelry with whatever coordinates you want on them. The idea is quite simple but I absolutely love how they got something as simple as dainty jewelry and turned it into something more meaningful.
From the coordinates of the place you fell in love or got engaged, to your favorite place in the world, the options are endless. I absolutely love this idea and I think it's the perfect gift for anyone.. or even yourself.
On mine I have the coordinates of Venice, Italy. So far my favorite city I've ever visited. Every time I wear this bracelet I think back to the best wine and coffee I've ever tasted and those maze-like walks in search of gelato.
Very happy to be collaborating with this company, they were kind enough to offer you guys 15% off their website with the code GEMARY15
2. Tried this tofu stir-fry recipe out this week and my boyfriend & I absolutely love it. Seriously takes me less than 30 minutes to prepare and cook and it tastes soooo good. Definitely recommend for those of you that are looking for good sources of protein with no cholesterol and a low amount of carbs in plant-based diets or in any diet really .
Aside from protein, it's a great source of iron, calcium, a bit of magnesium & small amounts of a ton of other vitamins & minerals that keep many problems such as aging & hair loss at bay. Studies show that soy, which is the main ingredient in tofu, reduces the risk of several diseases such as diabetes, breast & prostate cancer. The benefit list just goes on.
3. I think most of us don't realize how big of an influence aesthetic has on our lives. The way something looks can persuade you, it can make you feel something or do something. When you buy a cute gym outfit you're more inclined to go to the gym because you want to wear your new gear. When you buy a pretty journal you want to write in it, even if you have nothing to write you just want to. Same goes for when you have a cool looking water bottle lol... what? you didn't see that one coming?
I don't know about you but despite me preaching about how important it is to drink water all of the time I sometimes have a difficult time drinking enough of it throughout the day myself. I've found that, for one, I need to have a water bottle filled with water at all times so that it's easily accessible to me and secondly, it needs to look good. This sounds stupid, I know, but it really does work for me.
I got this water bottle on amazon after searching for a vacuum, sweat-proof bottle for a ridiculous amount of time... (I have issues) & so far I'm in love with it. It keeps my water cold through the night, it's freaking huge and doesn't condensate on my tables, win/win/win... it also comes with a sports cap for easier drinking. Now as far as "aesthetic" that is totally relative lol. It kind of looks like a torpedo on my vanity now that I look at it but I think it looks pretty cool & I'm drinking much more water soooo it gets the job done 😂
BTW none of this is sponsored lmao
4. Got this palette earlier this week and so far I'm really loving it. At first glance the color of the blush looks a bit scary (in person) and definitely not something I gravitate towards but on the cheeks it is absolutely beautiful and shows up very well. The bronzer is also gorgeous! I am pretty picky when it comes to bronzer shades because most of them show up pretty orange on my skin but this one is the perfect color. The highlight is also so beautiful! Everything is very pigmented and translates gorgeously on the skin. Obsessed.
5.
Don't confuse those who live a little simpler to lack ambition. Sometimes those who live simpler lives live happier lives than people who have so much more than them materialistically. The difference between these two types of people is not their ambition or determination, the difference lies in how high up materialistic things sit in their list of priorities.
I remember being younger and wanting all of the wrong things, it wasn't till I became an adult and realized that the people who I aspired to be like were actually miserable because they had this false notion that having more was everything. This isn't to say that having a lot will make you unhappy, there is just a difference between having a lot because you worked for it and NEEDING or OBSESSING over having a lot and making materialistic things or money your number one priority.
Once you learn how to separate these two and shift your priorities a bit, you will surely see the world a little differently.
See you all next week. xx
Button Culottes
Here is a little twist to the regular culotte. I absolutely adore the button detail on these and how high up on the waist they sit. The buttons can be manipulated to however you'd like to wear them.
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I prefer opening a couple of buttons for a more casual, laid-back look and I really love how the pants flow a little more with some of the button undone.
I paired it with a white button-down, which I tied up for a more cropped look, my boater hat and my suede double-strap sandals.
OUTFIT DETAILS: Button Down Shirt | Metal Button Pants | Steven Madden Sandals (similar) | Boater hat