Archives for January 2016

Instagram Crush – Jonna Jinton

January 31, 2016

Just randomly stumbled across this instagram account over the weekend and I instantly fell in LOVE. So I visited the website and trust me, it was like a breath of fresh air. Some of the pictures actually made me gasp! Meet Jonna Jinton, a Swedish photographer, artist and blogger. I was totally inspired by her work and her story. She lives in the woods in a small village north of Sweden. Her blog and pictures were so refreshing that I had to share some of my favorites with you.

I started my blog almost towards the end of 2014 and since then instagram has played a huge part in terms of creative inspiration and connecting with fellow bloggers. I started following a lot of accounts which were similar to what I was doing (diy, recipes, art, lifestyle) and so on. However, these days I’m following a lot of random people. Creative accounts from all genres like pacific northwest photographers, abstract artists, graphic designers, modern art, mainly anything that is inspiring and catches my attention. Like Jonna’s work for example, there’s something that is so original in her thought process.

It’s a nice change to mix up your feed every now and then and break the monotony. I think it very important for a creative person to do that in order to think differently and create something new and original. I have said this before too and I will say it again, that sometimes we keep looking at different versions of the same thing and don’t even realize it. Internet can get pretty saturated specially if you are looking at similar stuff. That’s why I’m making a conscious effort to follow different accounts, see different work, even if it’s not my style. And I would love to see how this would affect my blog posts in the future.

Would love to know some of your favorite accounts too!
Have a wonderful weekend!

There’s something about Green Wall Color

January 28, 2016

Well, when it comes to choosing a paint color for your interiors, I doubt if green would be the first choice on anyone’s mind. At least it will definitely not be on mine. However, there’s something about green wall color that evokes a feeling of nostalgia within me and I seem to be drawn towards it. A couple of days ago, I shared a post on why I love rooms with all white walls. And I still do but some of these pictures I’ve come across are making me feel, I might have another favorite.
Would I paint the whole house in green? I don’t think so. However, I would definitely consider a small room or a vignette somewhere. I am more inclined to the darker and rusty shades of green like sage, olives, greenish grays, bottle green as opposed to the brighter and lighter shades.

I love the character it is giving to this particular corner. Feels like the room is telling some sort of story.

As soon as I saw this pic I thought it would be perfect for a photo shoot. The tall ceiling is creating a lovely backdrop. I would do a flower photo-shoot with pink and white peonies or some kind of clothing style shoot that involved a lot of lace and tulle.

Love the vintage look of this one. It almost feels like the walls have grown moss over the period of time due to moisture and is taking me back in time.

Everything about this is just perfect specially that bright orange wall art.

The combination of the purple couch with the light pink juju hat on that green wall is just incredible. (I would take a juju hat in every color btw)

There is so much drama created in this 1950’s designed room. Love the warm pops of color with the dark green walls.

This green is just so soothing to look at and instantly calms me down. The grey linen sheets are adding to the effect.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Explore Edmonton / Visit To The Zoo

January 27, 2016

Last weekend the weather here in Edmonton was just fantastic. It was about 25°F, but trust me, after spending weeks in temperatures like -2°F to -4°F, 25 with bright sunshine and crisp air sure felt like a treat. I’m amazed at how soon I’ve adjusted to temperatures here specially coming from Houston. I seriously never thought I would. But it hasn’t been that bad except for very bad chilly days. So, we thought of getting out and exploring the city and decided to pay a visit to the zoo.
I have been documenting and blogging about our travel to Canada and the brief time that we are spending here in Edmonton (See the previous posts here and here).

Even as a kid, I remember how excited I used to be to go to the zoo. My fav memory being visiting the lions cage, feeding the elephants and eating cotton candy the whole time. Although a few sections of the valley zoo were closed for winter, most of it was open. We saw animals and birds which are mainly found in cold temperatures like the Siberian tiger and the Arctic Wolf (one of my fav. I loved the thick white fur and how it camouflaged with the snow).

Apart from these we also saw zebras, reindeers, bisons, foxes and more. There was a temperature controlled section where you could see rare breeds from all around the world.

As the name suggests, the zoo is located in a river valley and so you can beautiful landscapes all around. Our trip was followed by a nice lunch at an Indian restaurant. All in all, a day well spent.

Keep following for more travel posts. Canada is truly beautiful and I can’t wait for spring to get here so we can explore this scenic country even more.

Dresses On Trend

January 26, 2016

Wearing dresses during winters can be tricky. Most of the times, I decide to wear one and pair it with stockings or leggings and then just end up wearing pants instead. But here are a few dresses on trend right now. Just found them while surfing and thought I would share with you guys. I would love to pair them up with some high boots and a trendy coat for cooler temperatures.
We still have some time for spring to kick in and to bring out those floral prints. For now I’m just digging the simple structures and solid colors of these dresses. Valentine’s day is just coming up and you could pair one these with your favorite accessories. I feel like the 70’s and 80’s trends are coming back. Shift dresses, neon, velvets, fringes, flares are popping everywhere. And what I’m loving the most is that even though the colors, graphics and styles are retro, they are blended with the simple and contemporary silhouettes on trend today.

The above dresses are from Forever21, Asos, Reformation

Style Shoot – Lucid Lifestyle Store

January 20, 2016

Whenever I travel to a new city, which I have never been to before, I love exploring the streets and randomly checking out shops and places to eat without ‘googling’. A lot of times local joints can get skipped out unless you have someone local who is travelling with you. This time however, I have moved to Edmonton for a couple of months and got some time to explore the city on my own. Apparently, Edmonton had the world’s largest mall until 2005. However, this city also has a LOT of small business, artist and designers showcasing their talent in small outlets and boutiques.
Lucid Lifestyle is one such charming little clothing store on Whyte Avenue in the old strathcona district of the city. I got talking with the owner and we decided to do a fun style shoot to showcase the variety and styles they carry. Katryna Rae, a fellow blogger and friend, whom I met after coming here, agreed to model for us.

Somehow I end up wearing or keeping the pieces that I buy in boutiques more than the ones I buy from branded outlet chains. Maybe because they are one of a kind and feel like they have a personal touch.

The collection is eclectic, light hearted, stylish and contemporary. You could find pieces for almost every occasion here. Whether it is smart work wear or outfit for a fun night out with friends, casual looks for a weekend brunch or a picnic with friends. There are tons of options to choose from, which you mix and match. They carry some fun accessories too. How cute is the orange bag in the pic above?

Had fun making this huge bright colored floral backdrop!

I am in love with their sweater collection and bright colored clothes. They also carry an extremely smart athletic wear.

Shop online or definitely visit the store if you are in the city. Whyte Avenue also has a lot of restaurants and pubs and other shopping avenues worth checking out.

Styling & Photography : Varsha (designforsoul)
Model: Katryna Rae (boots and cats)
Clothing: Lucid Lifetsyle

To New Beginnings !

January 19, 2016

Hey there! It’s been a while since I connected with you guys. If you were following along the previous posts, y’all know that I am right now in Edmonton, Canada and have been exploring the city for about three months now. I had to break away from my set routine and that has affected my blogging too. This new environment has definitely been a challenge to continue with my DIY & ART blog posts. I don’t have access to all the stores I had, you know like when you have a set rapport with certain people and certain places, you kind of are lost when you have to move away from your comfort zone.

However, I am taking this in a positive way. It’s also given me time to think on a new perspective for the blog. I completely took time off for about two months. I am adapting to the new city, the weather (hate the cold though), the people and the surroundings. I will admit that these past few months have made me think a lot about life in general. What I really want from it, where I see myself a couple of years from now, is it okay to venture into a lot of things creatively, weather I should think about starting my own business, will I be able to pull it off, where I want to live in future, what are the things that really matter to me as a creative person, these are just a few questions I’m trying to find answers for.
Meanwhile, I did get a chance to write blogs for an organization called the Old Strathcona Business Association which is basically an organization that looks after, promotes and maintains all the businesses of the old starthcona district (one of the oldest) parts of Edmonton. This definitely gave me an opportunity to explore around the city and write about whatever I found interesting.

I hope to be back with a fresh new perspective and have decided that I ‘am going to write about everything that I like and everything that excites me. I used to think a lot about blog posts before. A lot of people say “you won’t be successful if you do not have a specific direction or focus for the blog” (no offense to those who do have focused blogs and who know exactly what they are doing. Kudos to them! This is just for people like me who find it difficult to wrap their heads around one particular interest). Keeping that in mind I think I started restricting my thought process. Like for example, does it fit in the category of diy or fashion or interior or food? I wanted the blog to be a lifestyle blog, which centered on these main categories. Sometimes some blogs, which you love and read regularly, or some websites and tumblr sites, which you follow, can create a certain bias in your mind along with the inspiration they are giving you. You can get caught up in the ‘internet trend’ so to say.
And so I think it is important for any creatives to time and again distance themselves from the routine, take a step back and evaluate their work. I will be writing about the above mentioned categories however I will ALSO be writing about random inspirations, thoughts, doodles, photography, images basically anything that strikes an emotion with me. After all, I have to be true to the title of the blog ‘designforsoul’ and never forget the reason why I started it in the first place.

Thank you so much for reading and following along!

love,
varsha