5 creatives you need to be following on Instagram right now

Hello creatives.

Happy Monday!  I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  If Mondays are tough and just a bit soul-crushing for you, I'm here to help.  Or, if you're like me and Mondays don't mean anything to you because you just work all the time, then I hope this will inject some inspiration into your day and fuel your creativity.

Instagram is an vehicle for people from all walks of life to spread their creativity out into the world, and who better to follow along with than creatives themselves?  Here are five creatives who's Instagram accounts you must start following immediately.

1.  Bookhou

Bookhou is a multi-disciplinary studio based in Toronto and consists of John Booth and Arounna Khounnoraj.  They emphasize natural hand materials and small production pieces - and their work is absolutely gorgeous.  Warning, their Instagram page will have you yearning for their stuff.    

2.  Paper Fashion

Paper Fashion is a website owned and operated by New York-based watercolour artist, Katie Rodgers.  Katie's incredible talent has led her to be commissioned by some pretty huge names, like Cartier, Kate Spade, Valentino, Coach, and more.  Her Instagram page is drenched in inspiration and lets you follow Kate through her life of uber-success in the art world. 

3.  The Merriweather Council

The Merriweather Council is founded and solely run by stich-wizard Danielle Spurge, based in Norfolk, Virginia.  Danielle creates embroidered hoops and initial necklaces and her work has been featured in numerous national publications.  Her Instagram page is filled with refreshing colour and pattern, and will keep you coming back for more.

4. Heart Meets Paper

Heart Meets Paper is owned and operated by stationary wonder and interior designer, Lisa Anderson.  Her work is simplistic and gorgeous.  She is based out of Ottawa and her Instagram page chronicles not just her work but also her life, which will make you want to be her BFF.

5.  Yuliya

Yuliya is a Norway-based wool artist who creates garments, scarfs, handknit accessories, felted jewelry, and more.  You can find her work in her Etsy shop and it's really very lovely.  Yuliya's Instagram page features snaps from her European surroundings and let me tell you - if you weren't already dying to go to Europe, you will be after this.  

Have a suggestion for an Instagram page we should check out?  Leave it in the comments!

Happy creating!

- Amy  xo

Colour palette: Cabbage Hues

Now I know at first sight, "cabbage hues" does not seem that appealing.  But if you think about it, cabbage colours are actually quite beautiful.  From vibrant greens to deep purple, it's a rich and perfectly complimentary colour palette.  And I love it!

I hope this week's colour palette from Design Seeds pick inspires you to create something beautiful.  And if you do, please share it with me!

Happy creating!

- Amy   xo

Amy is a full-time photographer based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  You can check out her work here and here.

Choose your Palette: Safari Summer

Hello creatives.

I am IN LOVE with this week's colour palette from Design Seeds.  It's so rich and vibrant, with such a cool play on hues, especially for something with "Safari" in the name.  And I mean, come on.  Zebras?  Could it get any cooler?

What do these colours inspire you to do?  I would so design my office space in these colours.

Happy creating!

- Amy  xo


Amy is a full-time photographer based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  You can check out her work here and here.

Feature: doree's habit

Hello creatives!

Today's post is our very first feature here at the Creative Wild, and I'm excited.  I'm excited because the feature is of one of my favourite creatives, Brodie O'Connor of doree's habit.  Doree's habit is an awesome little clothing boutique, located in Almonte and Merrickville (Ontario, Canada), and soon will be available on-line as well (don't worry, I'll keep you posted on that).  The owner of doree's habit, Brodie, is SUPER creative herself.  Not only does she curate a gorgeous collection of clothing (much of which is handmade in North America), but she co-designs a line of her own, Blondie Apparel.  The second you walk into one of the locations, it just oozes with creativity.  From the window displays to the fantastic chalkboard art (which Brodie does herself), the place is just packed full of fabulousness.  

On my last trip to doree's habit's Almonte location I took a few snaps.  Take a tour through this sweet little shop and see what I'm talking about.

I love the wood floors, wood checkout counter, and exposed brick wall with huge black and white canvases of Brodie's family.  

Racks upon racks of cute dresses, tops, skirts, jeans, and more.

A display on the checkout counter includes a vintage fan, a vintage book entitled "The Principles of Clothing Selection", gerber daisies (in doree's signature orange colour of course), and a photo of Brodie's grandmother, Doree, who was a fashionista and inspired Brodie's clothing shop venture.

Oh look, there's that doree's orange I was just talking about.  Along with a cute dress, uber crafty window displays (more on those to come), and petunia planters.  Oh, and a chalkboard that says "I wish I could illegally download clothes."  Yes.  Yes I do.

 Cutest. Window. Displays. Ever.  Very pretty, springy, and handmade by Brodie herself.

Colourful scrapbook raindrops?  Amazing.  I'm inspired.

Build-your-own bracelet?  Ok!  Last fall, after shooting a really awesome fashion editorial with Brodie (you can see it here), I treated myself to a brown leather wrap-around bracelet with a "let it be" metal accent (I love the Beatles).

Pretty dresses.

 And loads of scarves. I can't even tell you how many scarves I've bought at this place.  I may have a problem, actually.  All of these scarves are from Brodie's design and her Blondie Apparel collaboration.  I have one of the heart ones, and am just realizing that I don't have one of the ones in the front (which is made of bamboo, is reversible, and convertible into a cowl).  I must have one.

Heart tanks from the doree's habit label.  I have a navy on with white, grey, and lime green hearts.  I've already worn it this summer more than is even appropriate.

TOMS!  One of my faves.  I love love love TOMS.  I actually did a shoot with Brodie and some of her staff to celebrate the unboxing of a huge TOMS shipment last summer.  You can see it here.

Awesome little decor details really set of the vibe of the place.

Don't all these details make you want to visit doree's habit (if you haven't already)?  I highly encourage you to go there.  And buy lots.  And for the love of the all that is good and pure, follow doree's habit on Facebook.  She frequently posts sweet deals and runs contest (like the 40% off Schwiing clothing contests she has going on this week).

I hope you've found the feature on doree's habit to be an inspiring one!  It's inspired me to go buy one of those scarves.

Happy creating!

- Amy   xo

Amy is a full-time photographer based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  You can check out her work here and here. 

Free Desktop Wallpaper!

Hey creatives!

I'm a few days into this new blog venture and I've been overwhelmed by the positive response.  You all give me the warm and fuzzies.  So I want to give back!

Because I'm willing to bet you've had the same stagnant desktop wallpaper for the past year (2 years? Since you got your computer?), I'm here to spice up your virtual home front with a new (and free!) wallpaper.  It's got pretty colours and has an awesome quote by the great Picasso himself that I hope will inspire you keep on creating.  Enjoy!

Click here to download your new desktop wallpaper!

Happy creating!

- Amy   xo

Quirky & addictive ~ Bored Panda

Hi creatives!  To those of you working a Monday - Friday job, congrats!  You've survived halfway to the weekend.  For the rest of us, weekends mean nothing because we usually work on the weekends.

It's not been that long since I sat in a cubicle staring at a computer screen while a voice in my screamed GET THE $#@% OUT OF THIS PLACE!  I know what it's like, friends.  This post today is meant to save you from the insanity and give you a reprieve from the monotony.  For those of us who aren't hanging out in a cubicle today, I give you your next excuse for procrastination.  Bored Panda.

boredpanda.org

Show of hands who have already discover this fabulous opportunity to be inspired/waste time?  Okay, show of hands who've heard of Reddit?  If you haven't heard of Reddit you might just want to consider moving out from underneath that rock you've been living under, but anyway.  Bored Panda is kind of like Reddit for creatives.  There is article after article featuring incredible artistry, inspired ideas, and genius creations.  Like this article about a Montreal-based photographer who organized a breathtaking photo shoot 25 metres underwater in a shipwreck off the coast of Bali.  I mean c'mon... That's the kind of stuff that makes me feel like a real underachiever at my job as a photographer.  Users can also make submissions, like this article about a guy who uses crayon as an art medium (and they're incredible by the way).  Just to make this an even more exceptional opportunity to waste time, there are also cute posts about animals like this one, funny stories like this one, and cool videos like this one.

You're welcome!  Off you go now, get procrastinating.

Happy creating,

- Amy  xo

Choose Your Palette Wisely

Happy Tuesday creatives!

I'm going to start your morning off right with something fresh and pretty.  I'm not sure who here has heard of Design Seeds (www.design-seeds.com), but it's a little bit my addiction.  Design Seeds is basically a blog that regularly posts different colour palettes inspired by photographs.  It's a killer place to get inspired when you're painting (room or art), picking out an outfit or designing clothing, graphic designing, styling a photo shoot, picking out wedding colours, etc.  I looooooove Design Seeds.  Here is my latest pick for a fresh colour palette that I hope will inspire you today.  Bonus points that the photo is of a succulent and I love succulents.

Am I right?  So pretty.  

Enjoy your new addiction, friends. You're welcome. :)

- Amy  xo

Best of Pinterest DIY Roundup

Hola creatives.

Today I'm bringing to you some of the coolest DIY ideas that Pinterest has to offer this week.  Not sure about you guys, but I spend an unreasonable amount of time on Pinterest.  If I were to calculate the ratio of time spent pinning things versus time spent actually doing any of things I've pinned, it would be downright embarrassing.  But I still do it.  And in all seriousness, I do hope to actually some of the things I've more now that I have the freedom of being a full-time creative.  In fact, I may even do some of these and post about it.  Ok now, let's not get carried away.

With no further adieu, my top 5 Pinterest DIY picks for this week.

1.  Lavender & rosemary wreaths:
Pin it:  www.pinterest.com/pin/25895766581519520/
Original:  www.sarahthearchitect.com/2012/11/rosemary-wreath/

2.  Cute & colourful animal key chains:
Pin it: www.pinterest.com/pin/25895766582201286/
Photo only.  Pretty self-explanatory.

3.  Lemon sugar scrub
Pin it:  www.pinterest.com/pin/25895766581719327/
Original:  www.theidearoom.net/2012/04/lemon-sugar-scrub.html

4.  Natural room fragrances:
Pint it:  www.pinterest.com/pin/25895766582201278/
Original:  www.sowelustudio.com/2012/09/10/monday-mini-project-diy-natural-room-scents/

5.  Vertical Plant Hanger:
Pin it:  www.pinterest.com/pin/25895766582208645/
Original:  www.iheartnaptime.net/diy-vertical-plant-hanger/

Which one is your fave? I'm loving those rosemary and lavender wreaths.

Alright now everyone, let's go try some these and report back. :)

- Amy xo