Inspired By Nature...

It is a foggy morning here in Portland. As I sit facing the window, I can easily daydream myself into a forest with thick mist clinging to the tree branches. Momentarily I am a bird perched with my beak tucked securely under one wing...delightful. So let's see what the Design Style Guide can do for my fantasy...


The brilliant blues of this "What A Hoot" pillow cover from Sun2Create add a retro touch to my reverie. Measures 12x16" / priced at $14



A refinished chair from Vintage Renewal - a beautiful combo of crisp white linen and a vintage floral pattern with appliqued birds up the back. Perfect for daydreaming and priced at $480.



Speaking of fantasy - a digital collage from Blame The Moon, combines original illustration, photography and digital painting. Print measures 8x10" / priced at $18


How about a Fancy Scrolled Tree With Birds vinyl wall decal from Chuck E Byrd Wall Art - no need to tuck under a wing in the warmth of your own living room! Measures 12x20" / priced at $24.95


This "Tattoo-Bluebird Sphere" vase from One-off Pottery and Modern Ceramics can come to roost easily just about anywhere in your home. Measures 3.4" tall / priced at $50


Ah, here I am, full circle, back outside in the chilly morning mist. At least I have some company in this original acrylic painting titled "Waiting In Moonlight" from Snapdragon Studios. Measures 24x30" / priced at $450

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Fine Art Photography

I graduated from college more than 10 years ago with my degree in photography. I never wanted to photograph weddings or do portraiture and I was too timid to pursue photography as a fine art - so I turned to a life of clockmaking. Every now and then I feel a little wistful about my decision and I go back through all of my accumulated prints and slides. Today, instead of turning to my past to revisit my love of fine art photography, I decided to look through the Design Style Guide group's photography and find a few pieces that I most imagined decorating with. So, humor me, and take this little tour through the fine photography offered by some of the Design Style Guide's most inspired photographers. Delight in the range of composition, style and technique. Feel the emotional tug that can only be experienced when viewing something real and natural through another person's eyes.

From Ashton Photography + Design, a gorgeous low angle view of a wooden windmill with cherry blossoms in the foreground.


From Madrin Photography, an inspiring macro shot of a transformative insect on a pine bough.

How beautiful is this? Macro cactus shot from Thrive Style photography, a stunning lotus design courtesy of mother nature.

I love this technique from Linda Plaisted of Manymuses Studio. She uses it masterfully to place her subjects in the land of dreams.

I couldn't resist the jellies from Mystiqueisland. I imagine that having this on my wall would be a little like having my own private aquarium (minus the maintenance)!

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What's White?

The holidays are just around the corner, and it seems there's always someone on your shopping list who is hard to shop for. I am always wacking my brain trying to figure out what to get them. Something they will really like and don't already have. Something unique, something you yourself wouldn't mind having. Look no further! You can find any kind of gift to go with any kind of decor on etsy. I did a search for interiordesignteam white, and here are just a few irresistable items I found.

Jakey BB Uniquely Handcrafted Luxury Doggie Beds by jakeybb

For the dog lover, this one of a kind piece of furniture is called 'Funny Faces'. Not only is it a unique and lovely dog bed, but makes a great accent piece for the home.

Grace -- 8x8 Mixed Media FINE ART PRINT by octoberphotography

This beautiful fine art print is from an original mixed media collage. What can I say? I couldn't resist adding it to this grouping.

Soy Candle - Handcrafted Ceramic - Milk and Honey Scented by Madhatterspottery

This delightful candle would look great not just around the holidays, but all year round. Each candle is unique in design.

Secret Garden Cup - handcarved porcelain vessel by Dovecotedesign

Made of porcelain, this fabulous cup was carved with love over a long period of time. The artist did not have a sketched out design to follow, but let the spirit move her whenever she felt inspired.

Shabby White Ceiling Tin with Vintage Pink Rose China Tile by hillspeak

What a gorgeous and unique find. I have seen ceiling tins before, but the added design gives it that special touch.

Stained Glass ACEO Stand-white by Nonnie60

I think this hand made aceo stand is really cool. It never occured to me that someone would create and sell these here. I will definately have to keep this in mind in the future.

Envy Photograph Fine Art Print MadrinPhotography

This would make a wonderful addition to someones wall.

Sophisticated yet sweet. I can just about smell the sweetness

from this flower.

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where sparrows may be found

In an Etsy shop overflowing with treasurable images, littlesparrowsnest presents stills of rural life that form a kind of reverie visitors may experience vicariously. Episodic and wistful, the photography of littlesparrowsnest is carefree and positively unassuming. It is as though, in each delicate square of wood block photography, she has managed to distill a single moment into a keepsake, a memento to share. Perhaps the warmth of her photography is due to her generous nature, for, like a number of other Etsy sellers, littlesparrowsnest donates a portion of her profits to charities like Farm Sanctuary and United Way of the Black Hills. Or perhaps the gentle quality of her images is a result of her veganism, which, in an interview with Vegan Etsy, littlesparrowsnest explains is motivated by a combination of humanism, environmental consciousness, and spirituality. Maybe it is simply the landscape of her home, the whispering prairie, that manifests placidity in her photography. Whatever the source, a certain sweetness in littlesparrowsnest’s work does indeed convey the “optimistic hopes and intentions” she speaks of in her Etsy profile, with lovely and (in the opinion of this blogger, at least) inspirational results.

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Opening Doors

I was GOING to write about cabinet drawer construction this month. However, when I started my etsy search, I stumbled upon something entirely different. That's the beauty of etsy. You never know what you might find!

I am a huge fan of wrought iron. Here are a few wrought iron etsy finds to tickle your fancy on this fine Thursday:

Door to Somewhere 5" x 5" giclee on archival paper

by DeborahVoizin.

Handwrought door knocker

by heideckerironworks.

Open Me - 5x7 Fine Art Photograph Print

by Ara133photography.

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Wildlife For the Home

If you like the exotic wildlife look, here are some items you need to check out. Whether its a warm summers day, or a cold winters evening, these pieces would make anyone feel spoiled.

Animal Print Breakfast Tray by PoshReCreations

What a fun and beautiful way to serve breakfast. Can also be used as a wall hanging, or a stunning piece to set on the table.

I love the touch of maroon trim with the zebra stripes.

Songha Tiger by CarlaKurtArt

What a gorgeous print to have hanging on your wall. You can just about feel the thickness of his fur.

Safari Dreams Quilt by QuiltsWithHeart

This is a beautiful One-of-a-Kind African animal themed quilt.

Perfect for a twin bed or to cover up on a cold winter evening sitting by the fire, reading a good book.

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OUR INTERVIEW WITH RACHEL

ANN ARBOR AMERICAN GRAFFITI

THERE IS A FANTASTIC ALLEYWAY IN ANN ARBOR THAT IS BASICALLY A DESIGNATED AREA FOR GRAFFITI. IT'S UNREAL! THE WAY THE LIGHT HITS THE ART IS BREATH-TAKING. THERE IS A GUM SECTION OF THE WALL THAT IS QUITE POSSIBLY IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DISPLAY OF CHEWED GUM I HAVE EVER WITNESSED. MORE TO COME FROM THIS SET...

Who are you?

that's one loaded question!
i'm a 27 year-old girl on the verge of 28 with an intensely strong desire to create! i think i'm supossed to put my name here.... it's rachel.

Where are you located?

then: born and raised in the suburbs of DETROIT, MICHIGAN- 25 years
now: vero beach, florida- 3 years and still kickin'

What do you create?

saying that i take photographs just seems to easy of an answer but if i need to be technical and give a simple answer then i create PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS for people's walls

Where do you sell your creations?

ETSY- what a wonderful world it is in there!!!! www.secrethistory.ETSY.com

PART 2 TUNNELING 48 DEGREES

Where do you create?

ANYWHERE on this good green earth! wherever my legs will take me- I'LL WALK & wherever a car will drive me- I'M GAME! abandoned houses call out to me in my sleep- there is always a story to tell inside. i must admit that sometimes i have the most fun shooting random objects on my back porch with my music blaring.

What inspires you?

my childhood- in a BIG way, MUSIC, the problem of pain, LIFE, children, quality movies, MOVEMENT,my siblings, books/authors- anything by these guys: c.s. lewis, j.d. salinger and dave eggars.

this quote sums up how i feel about the photos i shoot
"it helps me remember... and I NEED to remember... Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in."
-RICKY FITTS- (American Beauty)

YOUR BOOKS AFTER THE STORM

Is your Etsy shop a full-time job, part-time job, or hobby?

part to full-time.

What type of marketing is the most effective for you?

word of mouth. i've got GREAT support and people who help to spread the word!

Optional Interview Questions (Pick as many as you like):

What do you do when you are not creating?

"my head's a carousel of pictures, the spinning nver stops"
-BRIGHT EYES-

i don't think there is ever a time when i'm NOT creating. my brain never seems to shut off. i'm constantly coming up with ideas. i think it's pretty typical for the creative types to be insomniacs. maybe not but i am one and i think it's due to the never-ending ideas. i've been this way since birth.

What role does creativity play in your marketing methods?

hmmmmm.... you've got to get creative to make people look your way.

What are your goals?

to keep on doing what i love. to create art that people connect with. to make a photograph more than just an image you frame and slap on your wall. i want my photos to tell stories but also leave room for personal interpretation. i want to help people to see the beauty in things we pass by everyday and miss because of the chaos. we all move too fast these days and before we know it those days are gone.

AT THE BOTTOM OF EVERYTHING

How do you envision your creations being used by your customers?

i like the idea of using some of my more colorful work in a child's playroom or bedroom. i envision other pieces being used in in an office/craft room or music room. i like shooting sets of pictures that work well together- like a set of 3 from an abandoned house. when you frame them side by side they almost become narratives. i love making stories from photographs.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

my 25 year-old brother has been such an unbelievable encouragment. he keeps me going when i'm down, he's been one of my biggest fans from the beginning. when i asked him to help me with this interview he wrote a little something. it's a view of me from his eyes. just reading it reminds me why i do what i do and why i adore it. so here is a quote from the great Geoffrey James- my inspiration, my best friend, one of the most amazing people i've ever met, someone who knows me sometimes better than i know myself

" Rachel loves to take pictures of seemingly normal situations or at plain, simple locations, but she's got the ability to make you pull emotion out of her photographs. Looking at a finished print, you can actually take something away from it. If it's a beach or a building, you feel like you've been there. Or if it's a child, you feel like you've met the little one. She really puts life on paper in a surreal way. It's brilliant."

What is your other job?

i'm a freelance candid children's photograper too and it rocks my world! i love getting photos of kids being who THEY are- not some fake cheesy smile with a carpet-block backdrop. the inspiration to start my business was driven from my severe loathing for those yearly school pictures of myself and my siblings we had taken growing up. i would look back at them and think- "where's our personality?!?!". i strive to bring other people's children into their element- to get them being real and then i fire away.

GREEN GOTHIC MYSTERY

For more information please visit:

Online store: www.secrethistory.etsy.com
Website: www.rdemsickphotography.com
Blog: I need to get this in order- currently it's a messsssss!
Other: http://flickr.com/photos/rmdemsick/sets/

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