A portfolio is crucial for artists. It's also one of the hardest things to put together. How do you represent everything you've done in a handful of pages? What defines your art and how do you show that to someone? To me, making a portfolio is less about gathering bits of who you are and more about getting rid of everything you're not. The process of cutting work that doesn't fit add to your vision is a process of getting to the core of your artistry. When I was approached by Blurb to build a mini portfolio of my work, I was both excited and nervous to go through this process of getting to my core. You constantly have to ask yourself: what's my perspective?

The first part of the process in building the book was deciding what type of portfolio I wanted to create. I ultimately went with a "mini portfolio" to show a select collection of my work rather than the entire range of my art. Through editing some unpublished pictures of my travels and creating some new studio work, I built a small photo book that gives a reader a quick glimpse into what the world looks like in my head. It's meant to be a conversation starter, rather than the whole conversation.

DIY | Mother's Day Pink Cafe

Alright, who doesn't love a pink table?! With spring in the air, I especially enjoy working on projects that get me outside a bit more and up-cycling my backyard furniture with a new paint job definitely hit the spot. With Mother's Day just around the corner, I wanted to give her something we could both enjoy as an experience. Given that we both love cafes, chai tea lattes, and the color pink, I decided to create my own little pink cafe for her right in my backyard! It requires going outside to get your hands a bit dirty and your clothes a bit paint stained, but it's entirely worth it. Plus, you never have to change out of your pajamas to get that cute Instagram shot everyone takes at cafes! This project was inspired by the Pink Grapefruit hand wash by Method, which I'm so glad I had on hand (you'll see!). Keep reading below for a quick and easy way to update your backyard furniture and build a pink cafe for Mother's Day!

DIY | Floral Coasters

There's nothing I love more than combining flowers with...well, just about anything. Now that spring is just around the corner, I'm going to go a little floral crazy over here. First up, these cute and fun floral drink coasters that are great for adding a little unexpected pop to your table next time you're hosting a get-together. They could also make great, handmade gifts for someone's housewarming party! Overall, they're colorful, simple, and easy...just the way I like it! Read more to learn how to make these floral delights... 

How to Be a Tourist at Home | The Mindset

    

    In this series, we share local adventures and help you find ways 

to be a tourist in your own hometown

I am guilty of silent tourist shaming. When you watch someone try to maneuver an unfamiliar place...well, let's just say it's quite amusing. There are the confused faces, the camera faces, the awestruck faces when they stare up at a monument you rush past every day. Tourists are very easy to spot, but how come? Perhaps it's their mannerisms or dress -- I mean, who wears ankle socks in the middle of summer?! But that's not quite it. Tourists are easy to spot because they're simply paying attention - to everything. Sounds, signs, storefronts, street art, statues...everything from magical to mundane is worth a few more seconds to think about, look at, listen to, or capture. They are in a constant state of trying to put together as many pieces as possible despite knowing they may never see the entire picture. They are, simply, in a different mindset.

Tourism, done well, has little to do with distance. You could travel to the opposite side of the world and be considered a "bad" tourist. Because, at its core, tourism is all about learning and curiosity driven discovery. And that can happen every single day, right outside your door. I never really thought this was possible until I tried it for myself and it's completely changed how I view my city. So, I'm excited to start this new series that will showcase ways you can capitalize on what your city has to offer. To start, I've gathered a few tips below on how to get your mindset ready to travel like a tourist in your hometown...

RECIPE | Happy Macarons

It's a plane...no, it's a star...no, it's a MIRACLE! After more than a year of failed attempts and discouraging oven battles, I have successfully baked a batch of french macarons. For some of you, this may seem trivial. But for those of you who know me well, it's a pretty big deal. Mostly because they've been first-hand witness to the near crazy I've become over perfecting these cookies. I'm not sure what has me so hooked about them. The variety of pastel colors, perhaps? Or the amount of patience required to bake them? Possibly, but not likely. It's probably all driven by my inner, wannabe member of the "Gossip Girl" clique and eat famous Laduree macarons delivered fresh from Paris to my New York estate. Yup, I'm pretty sure that's it. But, I digress.

After so many trials, I've been able to learn a thing or two about these tiny treats. Naturally, I'd love to share them with you all so you don't drive yourselves near crazy like I did. So instead of a flavored macaron recipe, these are just called "happy macarons" because I'm just so darn happy they finally turned out okay. Keep reading after the jump for my tips and tricks to making your own perfect batch of macarons!