Learn a new word...

People often ask me for advice regarding inspiration.

I receive many touching messages asking me how I maintain a positive outlook, 

how I pick myself up when I’ve fallen down.

Life is full of much woe, but also full of beauty.

Moments to be treasured, people to love, things to learn.

If a day has seemed pointless, if you’ve been feeling down, sick, tired, upset, angry, fearful...

my suggestion is to learn a new word.

Take 10 minutes before you lay down to bed, and find one new word, just one, and learn it. 

Now you’ve done something with that day. 

You’ve added that word to your vocabulary, and a new sound to your vocal palette. 

You’ve enriched the stories you tell and the secrets you share. 

You’ve taken a few short minutes and you’ve changed your life just a little bit. 

Just with one word.

I know that may seem silly. It may seem pointless, but it truly isn’t.

Imagine every word you’ve ever learned. Imagine your first word.

How since then you’ve learned and learned, without even meaning to.

You spell them, say them, you know them by heart, and without thinking you’ve told stories, 

you’ve expressed your feelings.

You’ve said kind things, maybe hurtful things, poignant things, embarrassing things.

We forget to challenge ourselves in our spoken language.

Better yet, choose a different language and learn one word a day.

Make it a part of your daily routine, and feel proud that no matter what the day has held, 

you’ve learned something, 

and you made sure of it.

FEATURED ARTIST: Brigitte May

After graduating High School, Brigitte spent a couple of years exploring the world. 

She then returned home to Sydney to study fashion design at Whitehouse.

She hadn’t had much experience with art before then, 

but quickly fell in love with pencil and pastels, her chosen medium. 

Her artwork reflects her fondness of nature. 

She says she “enjoys sneaking (her) favorite little creatures into (her) work.”

She went on to say something quite lovely: 

“ I find animals the most precious things in the whole world and I hope to capture their beauty alongside that of people, so everyone can see the parallels between our spirits.”

Her illustrations are beautiful and whimsical.

Electric Raspberry illustrated by Brigitte May

Browse her gallery, shop her pieces, and check out here Instagram here:

Instagram: brigitte_may

https://www.etsy.com/shop/BrigitteMayArt

https://www.facebook.com/BrigitteMayGallery

Featured Artist: Wishcandy

 Last year I featured a series of female artists from around the world
 in celebration of their lovely and diverse work.

A last minute addition was made, and it has taken me far too long to shuffle through e-mails 

and finally post her interview and collaboration piece.

Sashiko Yuen (Wishcandy) is an artist currently located in Los Angeles, but originates from New Jersey and Maryland. She is inspired by adventure, literature, good food, horror films, street style, and retro culture.

More recently her work has featured simple lines, pencil, and watercolor.

But she also enjoys working with paint 

and says she’s been wanting to produce more work in that medium soon.

She submitted this beautiful illustration entitled “In the Stars” and described her inspiration behind it: 

“ What I see in Electric Raspberry is a deep longing for comfort, travel, and fun! 

I decided to blend the contemplative nature of space with retro glamour 

and a bit of our Lisa Frank obsessed childhoods. “

Admire her work here:

http://wishcandyart.blogspot.com/

Shop her pieces here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/wishcandy

How to Spend the Weekend in Bed...

Everyone needs some R&R once in a while.

Though it's fun to go out on the weekends, 

sometimes it's nice to take pleasure in doing absolutely nothing.

Here's a guide for a weekend in bed done right:

 What to Wear (Wildfox Style):

What to Do:

Enjoy picnic-style meals all day long.

A tray with assorted berries, whipped cream, French toast.

Strawberry Poptarts, cucumber tea sandwiches, limeade,

A porcelain bowl of pesto pasta, sparkling cider.

and, of course...

Top the evening off with an ice cream buffet.

A tray of your favorite flavors, vanilla bean, Dutch chocolate, fresh strawberry...

Cups of rainbow sprinkles, edible glitter, maraschino cherries, and gooey caramel sauce.

If you own an espresso machine, practice your affogato skills.

Or better yet, BEGIN your morning that way!

Begin some new pinboards!

These three boards are from my account itsraspberry

Catch up on your "films-to-watch" list

-Ditch the makeup & wear a clean face.

-Read a classic novel- Pride & Prejudice, Emma, Little Women, The Great Gatsby...

-Write a short story.

-Doodle in your notebook.

-Finally text your crush (you know you want to).

-Rip through your old magazines and tear out inspiration.

-Take advantage of that Netflix account and watch a cartoon from your childhood!

-Bookmark recipes you'd like to test out.

-Research the lands you dream of traveling to.

-Daydream.

Life Lately: According to Instagram

For daily updates, be sure to follow my Instagram: amandalynnxo

Teenage Dream

I really enjoy making collages and happy lists.

Both are especially fun when they accompany one another!

A Guide to Valentine's Day Self-Love

Valentine’s Day sometimes gets a bad rep for being a holiday designed solely for those with a significant other. But VDay has a lot more to offer than candlelit dinners for two.

February 14th is a day to celebrate love, 
and what better way to celebrate your single status than to gift yourself! 
February is one of my all-time favorite months for scoring goodies online and in stores. 
Specialty items in rose red and pastel pink are sold in spades, 
and everyday items are revamped into heart shapes and dusted with a healthy dose of glitter. 
So, here is a gift guide and a fun list for those of you without another half on Valentine’s Day. Grab a girlfriend, or snuggle up with your kitten, because this year the 14th is all about self love!

10 THINGS TO GIFT YOURSELF WITH:
1. Wildfox Couture Red Heart Necklace, $45- Wildfox
2. Wildfox Couture Baby Love Charlie Tank, $58- Wildfox

3. Heart to Heart Spatula, $10- Fred Flare

4. Measure Your Love Cups, $15- Fred Flare

5. Heart Soap Dispenser, $12- Urban Outfitters

6. Cinnamon Dulce Heart Cookies, $10- Terrain

7. Fun Stuff Hearts iphone 4/4s Case, $16- Urban Outfitters

8. Wildfox Couture Sequin Heart V-Neck Sweater, $178- Wildfox

9. Etched Love Water Bottle, $24- Terrain

10. Hearts for Two Heart Headphone Splitter, $11.99- Amazon.com
10 ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO CELEBRATE VDAY:
1. Spend the day in the middle of your bed. You’re single! Take advantage of the space and stretch out on your fluffy comforter. Read a book, watch some girl-power flicks, and don’t panic if a few sugar sprinkles fall off those cookies and onto the sheets. No one is going to yell at you. That nest is all yours!

2. Write a love letter to your ultimate celebrity crush. Got a thing for the Bieb’s? Write the fan letter you’d never mail out. Pink stationary paper, silver gel pen, a spritz of Chanel. Cover the envelope in Lisa Frank stickers and stash your secret note away. Years from now it will make for a fun find!

3. Enjoy an at-home spa day. Find DIY recipes for face masks and body scrubs on Pinterest. Light vanilla or lavender scented candles. Give yourself a manicure and Pedicure. Style your hair, even if you’re spending the evening just lounging around your house. Take the time to feel good about yourself.

4. Make an extremely girly playlist or mix CD. No boy is going to judge you for it, so be sure to include the hits you loved in the 90s and early 2000s! Britney Spears, Mandy Moore, Destiny’s Child...

5. Host a tea party for your other single girlfriends! Make tiny tea sandwiches- peanut butter and strawberry preserves, cucumber and gruyere. Serve French macarons and pink lemonade. Have everyone bring a list of their past loves and crushes. Laugh at how your taste has changed over the years.

6. Take a trip to the movies, solo. Wear comfy old sweats, a messy ballerina bun, and those huge Mary-Kate sunglasses you purchased back in 2007. Stand apart from the herds of couples and buy a ticket for the obnoxious frat-boy comedy, or the gory new horror flick. Don’t forget to stock up at the concession stand. Sour patch kids, a cherry slushy, maybe you even go for the ridiculously large popcorn (you know, the one that entire families split)

7. If you have some spare cash, head over to the mall and hunt down a dream outfit. Perhaps you covet one of Cher’s ensembles in Clueless, or you’ve always wanted to perfect Corey Mason’s 90s grunge girl getup from Empire Records. Print out a photo and track down the pieces!

8. Call up some friends and orchestrate your own photoshoot. Pick a fun theme like “Bond Babes” or “My So Called Life”. Style some outfits and help eachother with hair and makeup.

9. Stop by your favorite diner or restaurant and order just desserts--a strawberry milkshake, a slice of cheesecake, or a hot fudge sundae. Bask in the glory as you celebrate the experience. You don’t have to share! Lick the plate...no one is watching.

10. Take the time to call someone you love that isn’t a significant other. Your mom, your dad, your Nana, your sibling. Let them know how much you care about them, and brighten their day a little. It only takes a few minutes, but it makes a big difference.