I’ve got sleep on the mind you guys… or shall I say, lack of sleep? Before diving into my pillow-talk, can we please admire PER-TIM?? They are a Melbourne-based label specializing in graphic loungewear, sleepwear and bedding. Do you guys enjoy changing into your “I’m at home and ready to veg” clothes as much as I do? I mean, it’s literally the 1st thing I do. They are definitely not as cute as these pieces ( cue my grey drawstrings and tank top ) but maybe some day!

So my pillow talk… without getting all “omg listen to all my issues” on you, I’ll just say that I am a horrible sleeper. I bring this up because I would love to hear about other people’s experiences. I’m trying to work through my sleep stuff without being too dramatic and running to the doctor. Are you the type that goes to bed and doesn’t move a single inch until your alarm goes off? Or do you toss and turn, dream a lot, drool, what’s your thing??

Me personally?? I have always thought I was just a really tired person that loved to sleep… I would proudly clock 13-14 hours in high school ( on the weekends of course ). In college, I was so busy that my schedule couldn’t handle such long sleep-filled nights. I would have to survive on 4/5/6 hours and that was just miserable. I hated going to sleep because I knew how hard it would be for me to wake up… I’m now 26 and still feeling unsatisfied every morning and a constant exhaustion throughout the day. What to do?

Tests!! That is what you do… How many hours do I need to sleep before I reach my sweet spot? Meaning, I wake up on my own feeling super rested and ready to go right? The result = 9/10 hours. ( I also borrowed my boyfriend’s FitBit for a week to track how restless I am – this was so insightful. On an average night, he probably turns over 5-10 times maximum where I log about 20-30 turns, eek. ) In the end, I have no idea why I feel the way I do. It could be stress, it could be sleep apnea, I could just dream really hard? My fix? I’m going to try and not look at the computer a few hours before bed ( …as I write this blog post at 11:56pm, haha ), drink some sleepy-time tea ( thanks Jessica ), breath rhythmically, get one of those face masks you wear at night ( oh gosh please no! ) Who knows… Sigh of frustration… Wish me luck.

Photos from: Per Tim & The Design Files

Introducing… the seriously talented Lisa Hackwith of Hackwith Design House. I first found Lisa through Instagram but quickly started spotting her all over the web!! Her designs are simply breathtaking and completely deserving of all the recognition they get! She has her way with silhouettes – let me tell ya. I plan to invest in one of her pieces this year – I just haven’t decided which one! Her jumpers are pretty perfect.

…a bit from her:
“I own Hackwith Design House, a small clothing company based out of Minneapolis that specializes in making small limited edition runs of clothing. Because I release new items every week, I am constantly designing – which I love because I never get bored and I’m always working on a new project. I also work with boutiques to create a collaborative piece for them that represents both Hackwith Design House and their own style. I love the challenge of coming up with something that’s equally mine and theirs and arriving at a design that I would never have arrived at myself.”

…and now her favorite piece and why:
“My favorite piece is the Hackwith Design House Dusk Kimono because even though I made it only a moth ago, I’ve already worn it a half dozen times. I love that it is a more simple shape that’s super easy wear but it has all these details like the double stitched line around the bottom of the kimono, the slight v shape that appears at the back of the neck, and the fun side slits that are open when you move – all the the little details are what makes a piece a favorite for me!”

Check out her: Instagram | Blog
Photos by: Canary Grey Photography

Spent the morning diving into other people’s accounts that truly inspire me! I thought I’d share a few of them :) I love realizing how different all of our lives are from day to day – down to what we put into our bodies to how we recharge in the evenings + It inspires me to question how I do things and if change would be good?

01. Taylor Hoff – A San Fran based Visual Merchandiser at Apple, Inc.
02. Mija – A Munich based Art Director & Blogger
03. Bettan Belen – A Stockholm based Yoga Instructor & Stylist
04. Hannahmas – Ever heard of The General Store ?

Every once in a while my jaw drops when I find a product that I truly connect with. These bags by Sonia Scarr of Love-Dart?? It 100% happened – my jaw was on the floor!! Like the majority of the stuff I discover, I was perusing Instagram when her Banjo Bag caught my eye. The color of the leather, the simplicity, the shape – Ugh!! The same thing goes for basically everything in her shop.

It’s time to share my amazingly chunky WATG sweater! It literally feels like I am walking around with a blanket on, so cozy. I made this bad boy from one of their knit-kits & truly enjoyed the experience. Everything from the packaging to the pattern itself is flawless! I love how bold the brand is. ( note: I did change the pattern a tiny bit – I wanted the sleeves to fall differently, wink* )

If you’re not familiar with Wool and The Gang, you must go see what they’re all about – especially as of late! They just collaborated with Giles for London Fashion Week and have some great process photos on their blog! It’s so fun to see the craft being embraced on the runway.

ALSO – we partnered up to host a little giveaway for you guys! You have the chance to win a knit kit of your choice/colour and 1 copy of Knitting By Design. To enter: Go here and fill out the entry form! You have until March 1st: Good-luck & happy knitting.

Photos by: Marissa Maharaj

Introducing Amy Tremper of Stitch and Hammer!

…a bit from her: “I recently moved back to Colorado from Oakland, CA and have since delved into a handful of projects. One of my main projects is Stitch & Hammer, a handmade accessories line I launched in 2011. I am also working on the Colorado Makers, an endeavor I co-founded with my husband Ben. The project highlights the efforts of artists, craft makers, small business and entrepreneurs here in the state of Colorado through in-depth photo and written storytelling. Furthermore, the site promotes the ongoing events we plan including, harvest parties, craft markets, happy hours and factory tours. Our website will be launching in the next couple of weeks and can’t wait to share it with everyone. In addition to Stitch & Hammer and Colorado Makers, I am a freelance designer and work on both branding and interaction design projects.”

“When I am not working, you can most likely find me out on the trail. I love to spend time in nature hiking, biking, camping, cooking outside, and fly fishing. I am very much inspired by my landscape and one of the main reasons for returning to Colorado was the mountains. Anyone who knows me well can attest to my love of the Rocky Mountain West.”

…and now her favorite item and why:
“I grew up in the high desert town of Santa Fe, and my style is mainly informed by the western visual culture of the Southwest. I love denim and cowboy boots. And, I love my hat from Ranchlands mercantile. Can I choose three?”

Follow her: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Photos by: Ali Vagnini

I have a new favorite treat – Rhubarb Tea from Art In The Age! Ashlae from Oh, Ladycakes sent me a bottle a while back and I’m just now getting around to trying it. I was a bit nervous because I had never tried anything made with rhubarb. I always thought it sounded super gross, haha! BUT, turns out when you mix it with alcohol and tonic water and yummy herbs, it’s great!!

Art in the Age has an illustrated video that shares the “Story of Rhubarb Tea” – it’s super educational in case you’re wanting to brush up on your rhubarb history! They also provide a ton of recipes using their spirits. MMmmm!! I chose a drink called: Tiller’s Tonic – check it out.

Tiller’s Tonic -

Ingredients:
Rhubard Tea
Spring Herbs ( mint, thyme, or lavender )
Dash of bitters
Tonic water
Lemon slices

Assemble:
In a highball glass, muddle the leaves of a couple sprigs of herbs with ice ( I used lemon thyme and mint ). Add Rhubarb Tea and a splash of bitters. Top with tonic water and a slice of lemon!

You can see more drink recipes here!
Enjoy +

My favorite color right now is overwhelmingly light grey – mixed in with some black & white! I don’t know when or why it happened but it’s hilarious. The other night, I arrived home from work & transitioned into my i’m-home-&-tired-clothes & I literally was wearing light grey everything – undies, pants, top, bra, everything – what!?? I am most comfortable when my outfits fall under the greyscale umbrella so I naturally started drooling when I stumbled upon this & this! I’ve always loved neutrals and have definitely tried to fight it – thinking it was boring or lazy. It’s time to stop that nonsense and just embrace the fact that color ain’t my thang, most of the time!

01. Shades | 02. Dress | 03. Boat Neck Sweater | 04. I-D | 05. Heeled Boot | 06. RGB Polish

Introducing Bri Scarff – A lot of you may know her via me gushing about how cute she is on Instagram ( like here & here ) but I swear she does other things besides inspire me to be cuter & do cool things like skateboard. She is a talented freelance graphic designer and the star of countless animated GIFs ← She’s in like 90% of those :) wink*

Bri is: “Currently designing patterns for a line of new mens shirts at Marine Layer here in San Francisco. Up next: Art direction + shooting a film for the San Francisco based company, Farmgirl Flowers – a business that focuses on sustainable flowers – burlap-wrapped bouquets delivered on bike and moped! I’m also excited to soon get into some crafts: Can the internet teach me to cross-stitch?”

…and now her favorite piece & why:
“I love these high tops so much that I had them re-soled when the bottoms busted thru. Gotta make them last!” ( This is Emma speaking now: I’m going to throw this in here – she lined the bottom of her skate deck with vintage floral wallpaper – that’s MY favorite piece and you know I don’t need to explain why – so awesome… )

Check out her: Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest

I went to a little party at Oakland Surf Club this weekend and fell in love with the brand, Objects Without Meaning. Ari and Max, the owners of OSC, are huge fans of their stuff and picked out a great selection of pieces. I may or may not have drooled a little bit.

The OM look-book is breaking my heart with these colors… the palette is perfectly dreamy. The Neve Jumpsuit is what I’m eyeing. I think I might be too short for it though. I’ll have to try it on to find out, eh eh!!