etsy – The Big Hair Diaries

Pink Rose of California

Published on January 28, 2018 by hellosamanthadear10 Comments

Do you have certain things you just feel you must do? If you don’t, something feels off?

Example: I begin and end my week with getting an iced mocha at Yellow Mug coffee before going to work in the morning. I’m a huge Starbucks person, trust me, but I have to change it up now and then! The rest of the week, I’m fully dedicated to Starbucks. 😉

So Monday and Friday mornings, this is how I seal my week. If I don’t, something feels off in the universe. Isn’t that a pretty iced mocha, pictured above?

That was Friday – now let’s get into how the weekend went, fashion-wise and otherwise!

You can see these new super-bright, crocheted roses are a new fashion accessory I’ve added! I purchased these off of Etsy, as I was looking for some crocheted flowers to add to my outfits. You can check out the shop here! These were well worth the wait in the mail, as they came all the way from Bulgaria to California. I glued alligator clips to the back so I can easily pin them onto my tops.

My sister crochets, and she offered to make me some red rose crocheted flowers with leaves. I went to Barnes & Noble last night and read through some knitting and crochet magazines…I ended up really confused, haha. I will just let her make some for me.

Have you guys ever noticed the ever-present dent on that water drainage pipe thing that winds up in most of my photos? There on the far lower right?

Let’s address that.

Months and months ago, I totally clipped it when I was pulling into the driveway. I had the music up in my car, all happily oblivious and I pulled in and BLAM!!! Did I do that…? *Steve Urkel voice*

Forget the drainage pipe – how was Jude? (My Dodge Challenger). I had a scrape on it and managed to get it out on my own, fortunately. But yes, this is why I park very far away from other cars. Challengers have a very loooong front end, okay?!

Like the new shoes? They go really well with my tights! They’re from Forever21. ❤

New items in my Etsy shop!!! I’ve been on a roll making new, in-your-face statement rings. I love how these turned out!

Last but not least, you never know when you’ll come across some beautiful artwork! I was seriously craving falafel on Friday night, so I got takeout. It was about twenty minutes before closing, so no one else was in there. I asked the guy working if I could take a photo, and he said sure. 🙂

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend!

‘Til next time! See ya! ❤

It’s a Colorful Life…

Published on January 13, 2018January 13, 2018 by hellosamanthadear7 Comments

etsy-cheese copy

Fasten your seatbelts.

*click*

Alright, it’s not that adrenaline-fueled, but I do have some exciting news! I know I mentioned in my last post that I sold my first greeting card. It’s heading to Texas and as you can see from the above picture, I was all smiles about it and had to capture my glee on camera.

Apart from that, I’ve successfully made some new rings that I’m super excited to share!

rings

The one on the left is my absolute favorite EVER. The one on the right is one I made for Valentine’s Day and both rings are in my Etsy shop as of now! Also, I added international shipping to my shop, finally. ❤

Can you tell I’m a little in love with this one? It’s definitely not for the faint of heart and calling it a statement ring almost seems like an understatement (haha). Nevertheless, I can’t get enough of it!

This is actually the original one I made for myself. I was able to go about my work day and type like normal, much to the astonishment of my co-workers…

Let’s throw in today’s outfit while we’re at it! I wore my favorite sweater dress.

beige-sweater-dress

It was a good week with a lot of creativity flowing. ❤ I always love when I get new ideas and jot them down on paper. That’s why I always keep a small notebook in my purse.

How was everyone’s week? I hope it was good for you all. 🙂

See ya! ❤

Super Exciting News!

Published on August 10, 2017 by hellosamanthadear4 Comments

So hard to control my excitement right now!!!

Quick recap: My Etsy shop, PinkBopp, is a jewelry-centered shop where I make statement rings and necklaces. However, as of today, I’ve officially expanded my shop to include coffee mugs and – soon – greeting cards featuring my artwork!

I’m ridiculously happy about this because I’m finally getting my artwork out there! I’ve always wanted to showcase my art in a unique way, I just never really sat down to figure out how. I have my BFA in Graphic Design/Illustration, and I feel like I’m finally utilizing it to its true creative potential in my own little way!

IMG_7319 copy

Watermark not included on the actual mug! 😉

back-of-mug

I love the fact that it’s two-toned! Pink is definitely the color I use most in my work, so I’m happy it was an option.

I’d like to take a moment to make a shout-out to Zazzle! If you’ve ever wanted to print your own custom mugs, greeting cards, business cards, clothing, accessories, you name it, for a very decent price, then Zazzle is your place to go! It’s seriously my new best friend, haha! It’s a very user-friendly website and makes it simple to get your artwork out there, or to print anything custom. I seriously am so thankful I discovered the website and now have them as a production partner on Etsy!

Can you tell how excited I am? LOL!

Have a Fantastic Thursday! ❤

Bow Tie

Published on June 15, 2017 by hellosamanthadear3 Comments

This is another lovely purchase I made from Tracy at The Tote Trove! I’m donning lots of red today, so I thought this outfit would work perfectly with this adorable, felt collar necklace with a sequin bow in the middle. You can find other lovely necklaces in her Etsy shop!

I feel like this necklace makes my entire outfit. I’m just wearing a plain cotton T-shirt dress, and it totally jazzes it up and gives it such a quirky vibe!

necklace

I paired it with this cameo ring I made, but I can only take credit for gluing a ring-back on it! It’s a very antique brooch that was given to me from a family friend in Maine, but I never wear brooches, so I turned it into a ring. 🙂

That’s it for today! Enjoying the outdoors, sitting on a patio outside Starbucks now while typing up this blog post and soaking up the beautiful weather before it turns to 109 degrees this weekend! I wish I was kidding, but that’s the actual expected temperature! Ugh!

Happy Thursday!

The Bolder, the Better!

Published on June 8, 2017 by hellosamanthadear4 Comments

IMG_6435 (1)

Happy Thursday, people! ❤

I’m in a super good mood today, and my outfit seems to convey my upbeat attitude. I’m wearing some bright colors that completely offset the otherwise cloudy, dismal skies in the Central Valley of California today. I like this kind of weather though, so it’s perfect!

blogpic2 2

Cameo ring, made by yours truly. I loved how it turned out so much that I kept it for myself, rather than putting it on Etsy. LOL! Maybe I’ll make a similar one to sell.

I’d like to take a moment to talk about this lovely belt, which is actually just a plain black belt, but I attached the cutest pin in the world to it! It’s made out of felt and clips very easily and securely to it. I’ve already gotten at least two compliments on it when I was out and about! This is also a pin you could easily wear in your hair, too. I bought it from Tracy, who owns The Tote Trove on Etsy, and all of her stuff is super adorable and colorful! Check out her blog, as well! I also bought a necklace from her, which I’ll wear in another outfit post. 🙂

Feeling goooood! I’ve been in a good mood this week anyway, but today is just one of those days when I feel like I’m shooting out joy beams anywhere I go. It’s funny how when you radiate happiness, other people tend to feel it too and it spreads the joy. So get out there and smile and be happy! ❤

Butterfly

Published on May 27, 2017 by hellosamanthadear2 Comments

tumblr_mxnn56M53I1s24m5zo1_400

I’ve always loved butterflies, and as you can see from my outfit, I really incorporated my love for butterflies into my ensemble…

I’m technically wearing bugs. I randomly went to Barnes & Noble later that night, read through some artsy magazines and got ideas for jewelry-making…it was a fun and relaxing way to spend the evening! I’m so wild, aren’t I? I’ve been in a more-than-usual creative mood, so I needed some fresh, out-of-the-box ideas…

necklace

…which led to THIS!!! I kept my seashell-fascination going and made a necklace this time. It was really fun staying up late to make this thing; there’s something I love about late-night, spur-of-the-moment craft projects. I wasn’t sure where it was going at first, but I kept at it and ultimately loved the outcome! ❤ I’ll be putting this one up in my Etsy shop on Monday.

FullSizeRender 2

FullSizeRender3 2

Back to my outfit now: simple two-toned green ensemble. I really love green in general, and I feel it’s a color that flatters my complexion. 🙂

So far, it’s been a relaxing weekend and I’ve been going for evening walks and listening to music. Socializing too, of course…all that jazz. Enjoy your weekend!!! ❤

Motivation!

Published on February 22, 2017February 22, 2017 by hellosamanthadear3 Comments

16839770_10211887593446255_1895539634_n-copy

After doing a line of Spring-themed rings for my Etsy shop, I started thinking about the importance of motivation. Just thinking back on how much has changed in the past year really made me feel good about where I am in life!

It took me a long time to finally decide to start an Etsy shop. I felt nervous, insecure, and the thought of doom hovering over my head was: “What if it doesn’t sell?”

Then, finally, in the great words of Shia LaBeouf himself, I told myself…

maxresdefault

All joking aside, I really did reach a point where I told myself: who cares if it doesn’t sell? The point is to try and put yourself out there, and share your passion with others! 🙂

So think of whatever you truly are passionate about, whether it be music, art, craftsmanship…if you feel the need to share it with the world, just do it. There is no failure! To try is to succeed in itself.

screen-shot-2017-02-22-at-1-15-19-pm

screen-shot-2017-02-22-at-1-15-51-pm

Believing in yourself is the hardest challenge, but it brings with it so many rewards. It’s good to stay motivated and create new dreams and goals, however small. You don’t need to make it big to be successful…success is measured by you, and you alone.

So smile big, and smile often! Be happy and have a heart full of gratitude. Find your passion or whatever makes you happy and go for it. Happiness comes from within and can shine out of us like sun beams. 🙂