Texture Samples | Signs of Spring



It's been raining constantly and fiercely for quite a few days. When I didn't wake up to the pounding sound of rain on the roof this morning, I knew I had to get out first thing and hit the trails with Pip. We've been itching to go hiking for days, seeing as it is or regular morning routine to do so. I love the rain, but it is a bit of a bummer when it keeps you from your daily walk through the hills. Mudslides are kind of a thing, haha. This morning was lovely, to say the least. We went an extra long route to give our legs the stretch they needed. It was rather cold and windy (I was bundled up in a hat and down coat), but I rarely noticed. Spring is starting to take life in these hills and it is wonderful.

If you ask me, the best time to go out on the trails (well, besides, you know, everyday...) is the day after it's been storming. There is hardly anyone out there, except maybe a few trail crew teams filling up holes left by the rain. You may even see some deer! And there are lots of treasures to find all over the place from the plant life having been blown about. I collected some pretty pieces to hang inside. Pippin wasn't too fond of the treasures, he got tumbleweed stuck to his face on several separate occasions, haha. He also didn't quiet understand my picture taking and decided to munch on all the grass I tried to photograph. Whatever, jokes on you Pippin — it totally enhances the image :)

See the first post in the Texture Sample series: The Foothills Near Our Home in Late February

xx Emorie

Learning Happy & Healthy | Practicing Self Care



If you are a frequent reader, I am sure you remember me announcing the start of a new series, Learning Happy & Healthy. Many of you were excited about this new feature, and so it was frustrating for me when I didn't have time for awhile to pursue it. But life happens and moving happens and tiring job hunting happens and I know you all understand that. And I, well, I couldn't bring myself to start this series — full of such meaningful topics — until I could devout my full attention to it. This series means so much to me, so you can imagine I am very excited to share the first installment with you today; I felt it only natural to start with what I feel is the most important topic in this entire series. Let's talk about self care and ways you can better show yourself a little love, because you deserve it.

One of the best pieces of advice I have ever received was, "Take care of yourself as you would take care of your daughter." Now, that may take some imagining for many of us (myself included), but you don't have to have a daughter of your own to understand the way in which you would want to care for her. I'm not saying you should see yourself as a child, but rather you should give yourself that extra attention and care that you would most certainly give a child of your own. I don't want children of my own, but I still know how I would want a daughter of mine (if she were to ever exist) to feel about herself. She would be as healthy as I had control over. She would always, always feel safe. She would never feel that there are unreasonable expectations she must live up to. She would be confident in herself and her talents; she wouldn't hesitate to pursue her passions. She would never, ever hear bad things spoken about her body. She would always have consent over her body; she would express herself freely and by choice — in clothes, conversation, sex. She would never be afraid of her ideas or to ask questions. She would know, without a doubt that I love her.

The exercise I would encourage is pretty simple: use the examples I've listed above or create your own list about your own daughter and change all the pronouns to fit yourself.... I should be as healthy as I have control over. I should always, always feel safe. I should never feel that there are unreasonable expectations I should live up to. I should be confident in myself and my talents; I shouldn't hesitate to pursue my passions. I should never, ever hear bad things spoken about my body. I should always have consent over my body; I should express myself freely and by choice — in clothes, conversation, sex. I should never be afraid of my ideas or to ask questions. I should know, without a doubt that I love me.

I know it is easier said than done. Completing an exercise like this is helpful to discover areas in which you need to pay more attention to self-love and care, yes. But, it will not make you instantly kinder to yourself. Self care is something you should constantly work on and constantly be aware of. A hard fact we all have to learn is that no one else is going to do the work for you. Yes, relationships can be fulfilling and wonderful and I fully encourage healthy ones. But relationships themselves are work too. They can be means of support and love, but they are a balancing act and take equal effort from both sides to be successful. You simply cannot rely on another person for your happiness. When you realize that your happiness relies on you alone, drastic measures must be taken. As someone who deals with cyclical depression and battles anxiety daily, I know that happiness is an effort. Fighting for happiness requires that I accept that my life (for the most part) is in my control. That doesn't mean that I can get everything I want, it means that I get to decide how things affect me. It means I can decide the type of person I want to be. I want to be a happy and healthy person — I hope you do too.

For me, self-care is a lot of work. Like most women, I've learned quite a few bad habits over the years. I am constantly self monitoring. I silence myself and my ideas often. I care about my appearance and the way my body looks to others. I tell myself lies about myself. In addition, I have some unique bad habits. For instance, I sometimes find myself focusing on bad things and exaggerating them. These habits can be hard to break but it can be done with some consistency and effort. The most important thing is to remind yourself regularly that you deserve success and happiness, however you choose to define that.

Self-care is a constant part of my everyday because it must be. If I am not proactively encouraging myself, choosing healthy activities, focusing on positive moments, and making time for the things I enjoy, then I fail. I fail because when I don't have control over my life I loose my happiness. Failing is inevitable, from time to time — and it is okay. But taking care of yourself should always be first priority. Don't let anyone ever tell you you are being selfish for taking care of yourself. You do you; no one knows you better.



MY SELF CARE TIPS                                                

+ ESTABLISH A ROUTINE

Regularity creates a lot of peace in my everyday life. I enjoy change and embrace it when it comes, but having an everyday routine when possible helps my anxiety tremendously. Just as completing big projects can bring a sense of purpose and accomplishment, having things to get done everyday can be rather rewarding. It doesn't have to be much to be productive. I enjoy waking up early, packing lunch for Will before he leaves, having a slow breakfast while catching up on news and blogs, then taking Pippin out for a walk or hike all before starting any "work" for the day. I also have little tasks to complete by certain times throughout the day, like straightening up a bit before Will gets home (mostly the kitchen so it isn't a mess for dinner making) and getting posts out by certain times. Routines create rhythm and meaning.

+ DOCUMENT HAPPINESS/TAKE SELFIES

This is something I have been really enjoying lately. I use to keep a small journal where I'd jot down happy moments at the end of every week. I use this blog to document some everyday moments on occasion. I recently jumped on the #100happydays bandwagon and couldn't be happier (hah!) about it. It is the perfect way for me to capture and encourage moments of happiness. Find a way that you enjoy and that works with your lifestyle to document happiness; doing so will encourage you to find and seek out and create more happiness all around you in your life. I also highly encourage selfies, because you look good and you should share it!

+ MAKE TIME FOR WHAT YOU ENJOY

When you have the choice, don't commit your time to things that do not benefit you. End toxic relationships and avoid situations that you aren't comfortable with. Try to build your life around the people and things that make you feel good and that you enjoy. You deserve success, happiness, and health. Find out what works for you to achieve those things. I recently moved into a new place with Will, and while there were cheaper housing options none of them would have made us a happy as this place does. We are near the trails, near job opportunities, and we have a happy, creative, positive environment to live in and enjoy. Choosing this place over others means that we sacrificed flexibility in our budget but we chose happiness. It is easy for me here to make time for the things I enjoy — from crafting to hours of hiking, I am constantly satisfied.

+ CREATE A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT

We can't all live in our dream home or apartment, but we can all make improvements in the environments we are in currently. This can be applied to home, work, school, relationships, etc. You should be spending your time in environments that uplift you and make you feel safe. For me, having a home where I feel free to create is important. This means I keep order, but I let messes happen too, for the sake of crafting. It means I keep things open, airy, and fresh. Something as simple as straightening your work area can be loads of improvement to your overall happiness (and productivity!).

+ REWARD YOURSELF

REWARD YOURSELF. I had to write that in all caps again. For reasons. It's that treat yourself mentality, right? When you accomplish something, big or small, find ways to reward yourself for the work. I've been job hunting like mad, and while I have yet to land a position anywhere I have to reward myself for small accomplishments. On Monday I had a frustrating interview. I was very excited and prepared for it, but my interviewer wasn't. This has never happened to me before. He was disinterested, frantically searching through my application and resume the entire time to ask me questions. I was, rightfully upset after and mad because I felt he had wasted my time. I let that negative experience eat at me for awhile, then suddenly realized I didn't have to let it affect me! I went for a walk to clear my head instead and to reward myself for being prepared for the interview (hey, the bad interview wasn't my fault, dude) and for choosing not to be bummed about it anymore. I like to reward myself with hikes, painting my nails, baths, watching my favorite tv shows, reading, and ice cream.

+ LISTEN TO YOUR BODY AND MIND

Learn to be intuitive with your body. Assess it's needs and give them to it. Being healthy is so important, guys, and it's silly to not take care of yourself if you want to be healthy. If you need to take a personal day and have the luxury of doing so, please do. Or, just call in sick to work — I won't tattle on you. Learn what foods make you feel good and enjoy them regularly. Find activities you enjoy, too. You deserve to be pampered so do it often.

These are all things that work well for me and encourage my happiness. They may not work for everyone. I encourage you to take sometime to get to know yourself better and discover ways in which you can better take care of yourself.

Love yourselves, darlings.
xx Emorie

Rainy Day Blues



Don't be confused, the title of this post is only called Rainy Day Blues because of the color I am wearing today. The sky may be moody, but I am not. I absolutely adore rainy days, in the spring particularly when everything is saturated with color. Pippin and I went out for a walk in the wet this morning and we matched in our blue. Yes, he has a blue rain coat. Yes, it is adorable. I have a blue rain coat too! I don't mind mine as much as Pippin minds his.

I was drawn to this cardigan of my mine today and decided to try for a slight monochrome style. This cardigan is one of my favorites with such a vibrant color,  soft comfy cable-knit, and pretty buttons. But for some reason, I don't find myself wearing it very often. It certainly fit my my needs today — I am all about the comfy. I've spent the majority of my day curled up with this book; I picked it up this morning and am having trouble stopping! It is the perfect story to read next to a rainy, stormy window. Thanks, sister, for letting me borrow it (among others). It is rather enjoyable. I might add that I did not match my book on purpose. It was sitting near as I was taking these pictures and when I realized we were color-coordinated, well, I couldn't resist.

OUTFIT DETAILS                                                   

+ Cardigan: Target, Merona brand, years ago
+ Shirt: Zumiez, billabong brand, years ago
+ Skirt: Hand-me-down
+ Beanie: Gift, my brother purchased it here
+ Socks: Tabbisocks via ModCloth
+ Lips: Baby Lips, Strike A Rose

Please excuse the tiny level of fuzz in these pictures. It is due to using the front-facing camera on my iPhone, which is much easier to use (because you can see yourself) when you're using a self-timer on your phone to take outfit pictures. Oh front cam fuzz. I'm thinking I may need to invest in a remote. Hmph.

Here, have a picture of Pippin in a raincoat. What a ham.



xx Emorie

Inspired Branch Banner DIY



There is quite a story behind this simple banner. Let's begin with the branch; it was once a lovely, large pussy willow. It sat in my sister's bedroom in my very first apartment that I shared with her and one other roommate. The next year, when her and I shared a basement apartment, it filled up an empty corner in our living room. When she moved out she told me to keep it. I took that pretty branch with me when Will and I moved in together for the first time. Again, it filled up a hole in a room (behind our sofa) perfectly for us. When we moved down to Boise together, when only took with us what we could fit in the back of the 4 Runner and in the tiniest and cheapest U-Haul trailer we rented. My heart sunk a bit when the few things we had left that wouldn't fit included the pussy willow, as it had been such a dutiful decorative piece. Well, Will took one last minute to strap it on top of our cooler (that was strapped between the trailer and the car) and we agreed to just see if it would make it. I spent the 6 hour drive watching that branch bend under the wind pressure and loose all it's fuzz. I refused to throw it away and it sat in my parents garage the last two years.

When we moved here I found it again and pledged to use it in some way. At first, I simply broke off a few of the smaller pieces and placed them in a jar —along with some birch pieces— for our coffee table. Then, of course, the poor bare branch sat in a corner beside my craft table for weeks. I then decided I wanted to use it to hang some sort of decorative piece on our wall. Then I saw this No-Sew Resolution Banner and couldn't get it out of my head. Although I decided to do a different style and technique for my banner (mine is sewn). I couldn't get that phrase out of my head. It seemed perfect for me, for us, and for our place. It fits it's place on our wall perfectly, hinting at the beautiful hillside right out the window it hangs beside. And I chose orange, to balance out the orange stucco outer walls of our apartment with the orange in the pair of chairs in our living room.

I'm absolutely smitten with the result. See how I completely created this banner below.



BRANCH BANNER DIY

Supplies Needed               

+ Printed fabric for the banner
+ (Coordinating) Solid fabric for the text
+ Sewing machine, and needle and thread
+ Scissors
+ Pen or marker and long ruler
+ Pins
+ Fabric glue
+ A branch
+ Thick hemp or thin rope
+ Power drill and drill bit (optional)

Instructions                       

1. Determine the length and width you would like for the banner. Mine ended up being 18 inches wide by 13 inches long, with a 7 inch tall triangle on the bottom. Cut two rectangles large enough to accommodate this desired size, plus room for seam. For example, my rectangles were around 19 inches by 21 inches.

2. Place the cut rectangles on top of one another, the right side (the side of the fabric you want showing) towards each other. So the insides should be on the outside. Using the ruler, draw a straight line across (horizontally) where the bottom of the banner should be before the triangle part begins. This will help you know how far down to sew the sides. Pin the two pieces together and sew up the long sides (sewing the two pieces together) to where you marked.

3. Fold the now sewn together fabric in half to determine where the middle is (shown in second picture). using your ruler, to insure straight lines, mark slanted lines toward the center of your fabric with a pen. Cut along these lines; this will create the triangle shape on the bottom of the banner. Pin in place (shown in third picture) and sew the two pieces of fabric together here too. You should have a giant triangle pocket after this step.

4. Using some scraps, create the straps for hanging your banner. I chose to use two straps instead of sliding the branch through a sleeve, so that the branch is exposed and visible. Cut two rectangles twice as long as you would like your straps to hang and twice as wide as you would like them to be. Fold in half lengthwise, so the backside of the fabric is showing. Pin and sew closed. Turn the tube right side out when done and iron them to lay flat.

5. We will now sew up the top of the banner (the pocket, open-end). Place the straps (now turned right-side out!) inside the two sides of the banner (shown in fifth picture). Push them up against the seam, so that the will be straight. Pin the two sides together, with both straps in place on either side.

6. Sew the top closed. Leave about a hands-width in the middle so that you can turn it all right side out! Turn the banner right-side out and push all the seams and corners flat and straight, use a pencil to help with the corners if needed. Use a blind stitch to close the gap you left. Use your iron again to get all the seams to lie flat and eliminate any wrinkles.



Instructions Continued        
7. You can skip these next three steps if you'd like to free-hand your font. You may want to consider making a drawing, to scale, of your banner on paper and then creating a mini grid within it. Accommodate for all the letters you are using and make a grid space for each one See an example here. This will help determine the size font to use. I ended up using a 225 font size, making my letters around 1 inch wide and 2 inches long. Print your chosen phrase out on printer paper and cut out around each one.

8. Pin each letter to your second fabric. I used an old cotton t-shirt the same color as the secondary color in my print. Felt would be much easier to warm with. Carefully cut out each one.

9. Position the text how you would like; you can see that I changed my mind with how I wanted to arrange them, deciding on a separate line for each word. Glue each letter to the banner using fabric glue. And hey, Mod Podge works pretty well too - just saying. Add on some accents too, if desired.

10. You can skip these last three steps if you'd rather simply tie your hemp or rope around the branch to hang. Prepare your branch to drill by placing it on a safe surface. You will likely be able to tell right away when you go through the other side, but just incase I recommend doing this on the floor. I place a thick piece of cork under me topped with a piece of craft paper to catch the sawdust.

11. Drill, baby, drill. Make sure to use a drill bit no larger than 1/3 the width of your branch, always go smaller if unsure — you can always easily widen it. Clean up the hole when satisfied with it's size.

12. Thread your banner onto your branch first. Then, thread your hemp or rope through and tie a knot on either side of each hole. Cut the extra hemp/rope off and you are ready to hang!



Doesn't it fill up that empty, awkward wall space — next to my birch branch — perfectly? I think so. I'm now considering putting a different phrase on the other side so I can switch it up from time the time. Any phrase suggestions? And remember,  if your wanting a simpler, quicker DIY check out my inspiration for this project the No Sew Resolution Banner.

xx Emorie

Lemon Ginger Fancy Bath

I'm not usually one to indulge in baths. I prefer to get in and out of the shower quickly 99% of the time. And I really rather dislike being too hot (ugh, summer), so soaking in a steaming tub does not normally appeal to me. But there are times when I do enjoy them — when I'm sick with fever, when I have really sore muscles, or when I've been stressed for days and desperately need a good a pampering to recuperate.

Because they are so rare for me, when I bathe, I tend to go all out. I consider them an indulgence, after all, and cooking up a nice soothing concoction to dip yourself in will make you feel all fancy as you sit naked, surrounded by various bottles, in your bathtub. I don't know, maybe you'll even kick it up a notch and transfer those shower products to the bathroom counter before you slip in to soak. Replace them with candles! Ambiance, babe. You deserve it.



LEMON GINGER SOOTHING BATH | yield: one bath

Ingredients                                                                         

1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup baking soda
4 tablespoons coconut oil
2 lemon ginger tea bags
1 green tea bag
2 tablespoons ginger
1 lemon sliced (optional)

Supplies                                                                              

+ coffee filters
+ string/twine
+ wooden spoon
+ a bathtub, of course

Method                                                                               

Measure out the oats and scoop them into coffee filters — I used two, but you may be able to squeeze it into one if your filters are larger than mine. Tie the bags off tightly with twine. Start your bath, using the hottest water you can bare. I always turn the faucet heat up completely and just let it sit a few minutes before getting in. When you start the water, immediately place the oats and tea bags into the tub (so they have plenty of time to steep). Dump in the measured baking soda and ginger, under the faucet. Lastly, stir in the spoonfuls of coconut oil. Use a big wooden spoon to evenly distribute the oil throughout the bath. Once the tub is full, and it is to a temperate you can bare, slip in for a soak!



I'll soak in this particular bath anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes. The lemon ginger tea is what gives this bath it's scent, and it is a rather soothing, relaxing one. Green tea is great and healthy for the skin, and oats and coconut oil will leave your skin super soft, nourished, and moisturized. I like to end my bath by breaking open one of the coffee filter pouches full of oats. Having soaked in the hot bath, the oats will be an extra creamy paste. I like to massage this all over my skin right before draining the water, then rinse off quickly under a cool shower. If rubbing mushing oats on your body is off-putting, I'll forgive you if you skip this step :) but do know it is extra moisturizing and nourishing.

A word of caution: This bath will likely make you sweat. A lot. That would be thanks to the hot temperature and the addition of ginger. Ginger helps stimulate blood flow. But don't worry, it's really good for you; sweat those gross things out of your body! The ginger and baking soda act as a simple mini detox, leaving you feeling very fresh and calm. Just, please, be sure to drink plenty of water before, during, and after. If you start to feel sick (lightheaded and/or nauseous), simply sit up out of the water.

Enjoy your indulgence!
xx Emorie

Horse Feathers



Ready for a confession? Will and I tend to be pretty huge home bodies on the weekends. Every Saturday and Sunday is usually spent hanging around the house with each other and getting ready for the next week ahead. We'll enjoy hikes, time with family, and fun activities around town on occasion, but normally we keep to ourselves and we like it that way. But when my favorite band comes to town, you bet your ass I'll be there dancing.

I had had the pleasure of seeing Horse Feathers perform twice already, years ago, both times at the Bell Tower ( a pretty, old, repurposed church) in Pullman, Washington (minutes away from Moscow, Idaho where I use to live). Horse Feathers was the first band I introduced Will too when we met — we both have excellent taste, what can I say — and he quickly fell equally in love, as I am, with their sound. Bon Iver, Horse Feathers, and Sucre are kind of our go-to's when listening to music together — for sentimental reasons and simply because they are always good. I prefer to listen to Horse Feathers when we are road-tripping or when experiencing a lot of creative energy. This is perfect crafting music, guys.

Well, it has been long discussed that we wanted to see Horse Feathers perform together. We love shows, especially together, so one of our favorite bands is a must. Plus, I felt guilty for having seen them twice already without Will (but hey, it was before we met). So when I saw that Horse Feathers was on the schedule for this year's Treefort Music Fest (Boise's music festival, in it's third year), I was instantly excited and then depressed. Because I knew I couldn't afford a weekend pass. But! We later found out that you could pay to get into individual shows, so we made a quick walk into downtown late Friday night to catch their set.

They played at Pengilly's Saloon at midnight on Friday night and it was perfect. The bar scene was a little different experience then seeing them previously in that pretty old church in Pullman, but boy was it just as enjoyable. They kept things more upbeat, and I was certainly dancing along. If only everyone in that bar could have been as mesmerized by their music as I was (jeez, bars are noisy). So, excuse the background noise in the video below.



Hope your weekend was equally as care-free.
xx Emorie

Reader Appreciation Giveaway (Closed)



While I celebrate one year of Oh Whimsical Me, it is only natural to also celebrate my readers! As a huge thank you, I've put together a giveaway for all of you lovelies. I have met so many wonderful people and heard countless stories from you. Thank you for sharing with me as I've shared bits of my life with you. If you haven't introduced yourself to me yet, please do so. I simply wouldn't still be up to this blogging thing without your continued support. You are my number one inspiration, friends! 

This giveaway features two unique prizes, and each will have it's own winner. Enter to win both, or just the one you would prefer — it's up to you!

— PACKAGE ONE —



Custom Blog Design Services to include, but not limited to:
+ brand working
+ logo design
+ custom header, sidebar, footer, buttons, favicon, etc.
+ step-by-step, one-on-one collaboration 
+ installation of new template and design
+ continued communication and support after installation

As I work toward opening a design services shop, in conjunction with this blog, I am working to build my portfolio and gain experience working with clients. I'd love for you to be a part of it! 

— PACKAGE TWO —



Homemade/handmade goodies from me! 
+ notebook/notepad
+ custom embroidery art
+ custom hand-cut, hand-painted cork coasters
+ woodland animal pillow
+ a surprise gift!

Please note: All items in package two (with the exception of the notepad) will be different than what is pictured. Unless you absolutely want an item pictured, I want to custom make your giveaway prizes to suit your taste! This means you may chose your quote and color scheme for the embroidery art. A selection of up to four colors will be used for the cork coasters, and you may choose between square or circular coasters. The handmade pillow can be either an owl, deer, or rabbit. I'll throw in a surprise, too! This prize package is open to US and Canada readers only. 

HOW TO ENTER :
  1. Follow Oh Whimsical Me on Bloglovin, then simply leave me a comment below stating that you do so. Also, tell me what your favorite Oh Whimsical Me post has been so far!
  2. At the end of your comment, please state if you would like to enter to win PACKAGE ONE, PACKAGE TWO, or BOTH. Make sure I have a way of contacting you as well.
  3. I will randomly select a winner for both prizes and contact the winners via email. Giveaway is open for one week starting today, and closes Friday March 28 at 5:00 PM MST.
  4. Prize PACKAGE TWO is open to US and Canada residents only. Sorry, international readers! Shipping is expensive. Anyone, anywhere may enter to win the custom design services, though!
  5. ADDITIONAL ENTRIES: 
    • For each additional entry, reply to your original comment and tell me how else you follow Oh Whimsical Me. Leave a separate reply comment for each example. You have up to 4 additional entry opportunities — meaning your name can be entered into the drawing up to 4 more times, per prize package (you have a better chance of winning!). See additional entry qualifications below. 
Good Luck! Thank you for reading and sticking around this past year. I really like you.
xx Emorie

Congratulations to CJ for winning Package One and Dus for winning Package Two!