fieldguide: 3 Essential Oils for Breakouts, Stress, & Energy

To preface this post, I am by no means an organic, all-natural product guru. In fact, I fell into essential oils quite by accident. But with a little fieldguide to introduce you to the wonders of essential oils, you'll be swearing by them in your beauty & wellness routine within a month. Here are my 3 essential essential oils...

ex libris bookplates

I have to confess, I hoard books...especially when it comes to pretty ones. But one problem with having a little library is that it's hard to keep track of loaned books. I didn't want to just write my name haphazardly in each book, so to solve this problem (in the most artful way possible) I made a custom bookplate stamp! Have you heard of these beauties?

Bookplates were once used by affluent people who could afford the luxury of personal libraries. Long before cheap paperbacks and eReaders, books were a valuable commodity. These bookplates allowed owners to identify their books upon loaning them out.

Originating in Germany during 16th century by Christian monks, the use of bookplates spread across Europe and the Americas often using identifying designs like family crests and Latin mottoes. Eventually the designs took on more of a personal significance. However by the 1950s bookplates grew obsolete.

Now in 2015, we're bringing it bookplates back! (Or at least I am.) I've gifted several of these to the bookworms in my life. Here are some of my favorites from Etsy:

Kelsey Pike hand carves each stamp with designs ranging from the Golden Ratio to Moby-Dick! (NERDING OUT.)

Make this timeless writing utensil stamp all your own.

And lastly this bookplate stamp can be found on the flyleaf of all my books! It beckoned my name as soon as I saw it.

If you're crafty, try carving your own for a truly personal design. Do you find yourself forgetting about borrowed books? What do you think about bookplates for your library? I'd love to hear!

xo from catie

vintage bow ties on etsy

I found the most dapper bunch of vintage clip-on bow ties from a yard sale last weekend! The patterns are so fun, but not too overwhelming, making them perfect for any occasion. I wish I had a man so he could wear them all, but alas I don't! Fortunately for you that's why I've listed them in my Etsy shop, so you can have them and enjoy their awesomeness. :) Check the listings out here, before they're gone!

xo from catie

headspace: the benefits of meditation

Whenever I'm anxious I literally feel knots building up in the back of my neck and between my shoulders. I was getting so uncomfortable and on top of that I was making myself more stressed out about the fact that I was stressed. That's when I discovered this seriously magical app called Headspace...

Andi Puddicombe, a former Buddhist monk, teaches you step by step how to meditate and guides you along the whole process. Slowly increasing the length of time and each day there is a new meditation for the whole year. Here are the major benefits I've noticed so far:

1. It reduces my stress + anxiety
Not only does taking 15-20 minutes out of my day relieve my anxiety but it actually makes me more mindful of the times when I notice stress starting to build up. I can cope with it!

2. I'm better focused + calmer thoughts
Meditation has given me a clearer, calmer mind when approaching negative situations and a stronger focus on positive energy in all my interactions and relationships. (I really don't mean to sound all hippy-dippy but it's just so true!)

3. I'm happier!
I empathize more and take a little time each day to acknowledge the things I am grateful for. Life is so good :)

There are 1,440 minutes each day and taking just 10 minutes to quietly sit with yourself (even if it's at lunch in the corner with your headphones in) is worth it for the benefit of yourself and those around you. Try it here! Those ten minutes each day will be revolutionary! :D

xo from catie

actually erasable pens by frixion pilot

I'm currently obsessed with these frixion erasable pens that are actually erasable. Not only are they colorful and clickable, but most importantly they're erasable for when plans change, which they inevitably tend to do! (And by erasable I'm not talking about those gimmicky ones with the eraser cap. :) Keeping my messy life organized has never been more fun!

xo from catie

friday fieldnotes

I've been at home doing some serious soul-searching these past few weeks, so I apologize that the blogging has been slow. I'm headed going to NYC to visit one of my best friends from college so be on the lookout for posts from my trip next week. In the mean time here are my Friday fieldnotes, my observations from around the interwebz...

A song to start your dreamy summer weekend.

Why it's prudent to wear sunscreen to protect your skin!

45 words to use instead of very.

I can't wait to see this intriguing documentary about a kid who breaks into music festivals.

This op-ed encapsulates my ALS Ice Bucket Challenge sentiments perfectly.

Also, I signed up for my first Fantasy Football league!! The draft is in a few days, so any pointers from some pros would be a great help. :)

xo from catie

puffin in bloom by anna rifle bond

I'm giddy with excitement over the new Puffin In Bloom series featuring beautiful floral cover art by Anna Rifle Bond of Rifle Paper Co. fame. Her artwork is simply magical and reminds me of one of my all-time favorite Disney artists, Mary Blair.

I've already pre-ordered a copy of each from Amazon, which release August 28th. And since they are classics they are all under $12! (Links at bottom.) Commence happy dancing!!!

I know, I know—I probably shouldn't hoard all four, considering I have many beautifully bound books already. Perhaps I'll justify the purchase by gifting a few. Wouldn't you love to receive one of these treasures? I would! Get your copy here:

A Little Princess | Anne of Green Gables | Heidi | Little Women

xo from catie

{ photos by Anna Rifle Bond }

friday fieldnotes

I'm excited to be sharing with you my recent road trip throughout next week! Here's some links in the meantime...

Are your tweets smarter than a 5th graders?

Client feedback on the Creation of Earth.

Why you shouldn't fear getting your white pants dirty.

Minimalist movie posters of paper—genius!

Have you heard of rainbows at night??

Hope your weekend is filled with new adventures, have a good one!

xo from catie

{ photo by anna lindtjorn }

the simple secret to unleashing your creative genius

Take a shower! (No really, it's that easy.) And if you don't believe me, here's the science behind it.

xo from catie

friday fieldnotes

What are your plans for the weekend? If you don't have any yet and still want something fun to do, you should try indoor camping! It makes a great staycation. Here are my Friday fieldnotes, observations from around the web:

Did you notice? Google changed it's logo by a few pixels.

Interesting insights from a North Korean defector.

Ryan Lewis asks Macklemore fans what they know about Ryan Lewis. (He's also my current celebrity crush. :)

#YesAllMen

Hope you have an adventurous weekend!

xo from catie

friday fieldnotes

This weekend I'm taking the time to really examine what I want to do with this blog, its purpose and my purpose. Hope to share a new mission with you soon. In the meantime, here are a few of my weekly observations from around the web...

Take a look at your Internet selfie.

Forbes released its list of 30 most influential techies under 30, amazing what you can accomplish with your life in that time! I aspire to be more like them.

Is printable makeup the next big thing?

An oldie, but goodie. The crossroads of should & must.

#nofilter or #filterfaker?

A gallery of GIANT paper flowers in San Francisco.

Plus a few fieldnotes from catie posts you may have missed:
Southwestern meets Scandinavian in this living room inspiration.
A piku (pi haiku).
On beauty and the books.


Happy weekend!

xo from catie

{ via Youli }

southwestern scandinavian living room

I find that living with roommates makes it somewhat difficult to furnish shared spaces, like the living room. Since the furniture is used by all of us (+ guests), it makes it difficult to find reason to shell out the big bucks on nice pieces. Plus, my roommates and I are recent grads sharing the expenses of our communal furniture, so nobody wants to invest $1000 in a couch. (Commence Ikea and Craigslist furniture search.) However, I've been finding the coolest stuff I wish I could have so I put together a mood board that would totally encapsulate my wildest living room dreams. It seems I have a tendency for Scandinavian, mid-century pieces with a cozy yet playful Southwestern twist. Now I just need my own big house so I can install that awesome trapeze! :D

xo from catie

pillow // light // side table // antlers // throw // loveseat // planters // lamp // vase // rug // trapeze // console

beauty and the books

There's a certain je ne sais quoi about the physicality of reading through a book. The swish of the pages, the perfectly thought out type treatment, the beautiful cover and binding that made you want to pick it up in the first place. It's wonderful that classic literature is so affordable since many of their copyrights have expired. This way publishing companies can just charge you for the printing costs, new designs, and whatever margin of mark-up they add. You can own some great works of art (both writing and design-wise) at a great value. Here are some gorgeous books I've found that make you want to pick up a book and read!

Jessica Hische's designs for Barnes and Noble's hardcover classics series are all beautiful works of her typography. They are sold exclusively at B&N and Pride & Prejudice was only $13, such a steal.

These puffins children's books jackets are absolutely whimsical! I especially love that turquoise they used for The Wind in the Willows. Plus they ship free if you have Amazon Prime, which makes it especially hard to resist that one-click order.

And lastly, Mr. Boddington's Penguin classics for Anthropologie add a touch of beauty to your book shelf. At $18 it's a tad bit more expensive than the others but one can hardly resist.

As much as I love technology, there is beauty in books that I just can't seem to find in those e-readers.

xo from catie

ode to songza

Have you heard of Songza? If not, you need to check it out. To put it simply, it's a music app/site with perfectly curated playlists for your every experience. Emphasis on perfect.

Heading up the PCH to go camping in Big Sur? There's a playlist for that, Pacific Coast Highway Drive. Getting ready to go out? Vodka Escapades: Ladies be Pre-gaming. Feeling like a mellow night wrapped in a blanket sipping hot chocolate with Bailey's? Cool air, warm heart.

I'm obsessed. The best part about it is that it's (mostly) ad-free. Each playlist allows for 6 skips, but I have rarely reached that limit because every song is spot on. So, go. Check it out. Right now! It will make your day infinitely better. :)

xo from catie

p.s. To whoever created the Handclapping & Footstomping playlist, I want to be your friend. It makes me so happy.

5 inspiring documentaries

To be honest, I'm not one for regular television shows and I rarely go to the movies. There's something about them that I can never really get into. It's a bit ironic because I'm the one that desperately wanted the TV and insisted on cable...which now I am trying to cancel. (Verizon makes it much harder to cancel than to sign up!)

However, the one thing that I always enjoy is a good documentary. Documentaries discover, inspire, and reveal things, but not just made up things, real stuff. Real problems, real stories. I don't know if it's just me, but I find it so much easier to relate to them!

Here are 5 documentaries (all available on Netflix :) that I highly recommend: