Follow Me this Way...

I've decided to make a change in the way I blog.  I hope you'll follow me to my new home.

Hester & Pearl Update

I recently wrote this blog post about the new line of totes, wristlets, etc. that I've been making for Hester & Pearl.  You can read (and comment!) here.

Putting Pen to Paper

One of my resolutions for 2013 is to be more consistent with my blogging.  In her post about finding a balance between life and blogging, Sally Mavin of Queenie and the Dew said that she likes to brainstorm during her commute to and from work.

That got me thinking: I have a four-hour round trip commute each day.  The first two hours, on the way to work, I sleep.  But on the way home?  I can't seem to focus on a book.  I usually end up either wasting time by playing on my phone, or a stare out the window and go stir crazy.

Lately, I've had a lot of ideas.  Ideas for Hester & Pearl, ideas for my blog.  I had started writing these ideas down in my Moleskine pocket notebook.  Just last week, I started writing entire drafts for blog posts in a larger notebook.  Sure, I could just draft the post in the blogger app on my phone, but there's something about putting pen to paper that I really enjoy.

Friday Finds, Vol. 4: Shannybeebo

Reclaimed Wood

Reclaimed Wood

I've mentioned in many posts that I'm trying to put more on the walls in my room.  A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about the art I recently hung above my bed and dresser, but there's still a lot of empty space, and not the good kind.  My mom suggested I buy a piece of sculptural art.  Off to Etsy I went, scouring the categories for something to hang in my room.  I didn't find anything the piqued my interest, but the other day I had an idea: a clock.  I eventually discovered Shannybeebo's shop of unique, handmade clocks.

Retro Clock

What do you think?  I love the clocks made from reclaimed wood.  When I have a little extra cash, I'm definitely going to buy one of these.

My Beef with Facebook (Why I've Been Using Google+)

I'm about to say something that I think might disgust a lot of social media experts and enthusiasts: I like Google+.  I started poking around in it a couple of days ago when one of my coworkers told me that a lot of her friends were using it again.  After spending some time with it, I decided that I like it a lot, and here's why:

1. It's pretty.  Isn't that a reason to like anything? :)  I really like Google's new look, and I feel this new design is indicative of the stylistic trends that I've noticed have become popular on the Internet.  It's clean, to the point, and not cluttered.

2. It's ad-free.  Speaking of that clutter, how about those Facebook ads?  They even appear in the iPhone app news feed now, and they couldn't be more obnoxious.

They're downright intrusive.  I didn't mind much when they were contained in the right sidebar within the desktop version, but now they're everywhere.  In fact, I refuse to buy Facebook ads for my Etsy businesses, The Jewelry Sheller and Hester & Pearl, because I know how invasive they are.  Some might call me a fool, say that's just the way it is, blah blah.  My feeling is that there has to be a better way to advertise within your social network.

3. Control.  With the Circles feature, I can choose exactly where I want to share the material I post.  Circles are awesome.  I can arrange my friends/family/acquaintances into categories, and when I share something, I can control who sees it down to specific, individual people.

Sure, Facebook has a similar feature, but Google+'s version of this is much more user-friendly and clear. It's as simple as that. The Facebook Groups feature is tucked away, and I never remember it's there.  I'd be curious to hear from people who actually use it.

4. The mobile app is great.  It has almost full functionality compared to the desktop version.  The only thing I wish it had was the ability to post from, or utilize business pages.  If it's there, then I haven't found it yet.  My re-entry into G+ was a Hangout (which is another really cool feature) with some friends from college, and I was able to participate from my iPhone. 

5. Communities.  This is, I think, a relatively new feature.  With Communities, users can find people with the same interests as them and share links, have discussions, etc.  Some of the groups are free to join, and some require users to "request to join."

If you'd like to read up more on G+'s features, this is a great infographic I found from Mashable.  How do you feel about Facebook?  Is it getting on your nerves?  Would you consider a switch to Google+?  I'd love to gear your thoughts.

The Hobbit

On Friday night,  I finally went to see The Hobbit with Tom.  We had been trying to see it since it came out, but between our opposite work schedules and the film's ridiculous length, it was difficult to coordinate a time that worked.

Let me explain something to you all: I love all things The Lord of the Rings.  When The Fellowship came out in 2001, I was obsessed.  I fell madly in love with Elijah Wood and I even tried to teach myself elvish.  There was no hope for me.  Eventually my craze died down, but to this day I still hold LOTR in a very special place in my heart.

So for me to see The Hobbit ten years after the release of the last LOTR movie...it was wonderful.  I had a complete fangirl moment.  Peter Jackson added a lot of supplemental material, but I don't think it took away from the original story.  What he added was history and backstory, the kind of information that you'd have to go digging around for if you cared that much.  I had read an article in Rolling Stone that he pulled from the appendices in The Return of the King.  I still very much enjoyed the movie despite the artistic licensing.

The above video is something I found from TheOneRing.Net's facebook page.  When I was in college, I wrote a paper about the differences between the original British series of The Office and the American remake.  If you've seen the original series, you'll love this spoof on The Hobbit.  The Jim character is played by Martin Freeman, the same actor who plays Bilbo Baggins.

Enjoy!

Friday Finds, Vol. 3: Pinterest

I've been really into Pinterest lately, especially with my new interest in sewing.  Pinterest is a great place to find sewing patterns, recipes, workout regimens, etc. Here are a few of my recent pins:

Source: itsfitnessbaby.com via Emily on Pinterest

I did this workout last night, and while it looks crazy, it actually wasn't that bad.  Part of my problem with going to the gym is that I don't have a plan.  I get kind of scatterbrained, I don't know what to do next, and I feel like I'm not getting the most out of my workout.  Finding these pins are really helpful for keeping me on track.

Source: pink-parsley.com via Emily on Pinterest

Tom and I made these little pizzas on New Year's Eve and they were fabulous.  The recipe called for hummus, and I'm a little picky when it comes to store-bought hummus, so I decided to make some myself.  I threw a can of chick peas, some extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor, and I had some delicious hummus in about three minutes. We didn't add the tzatziki sauce because I didn't have time to go buy any, but the pizzas were still ridiculously good.

Source: skiptomylou.org via Emily on Pinterest

I've used this pattern for a couple of tote bags and it's insanely easy.  I especially love the boxy corners.

Source: retailpackaging.com via Emily on Pinterest

Now that I will soon have new products to sell, I have to figure out how to display them in a craft fair booth. I created a board to store away some ideas for my booths in the summer.

Source: jadorejcrew.tumblr.com via Emily on Pinterest

How cute is this outfit? It's perfect for work.