Sometimes we shop a little late in the day, when feet are larger, and end up with shoes a little too big for morning-feet. Sometimes, against better judgement, we buy shoes just a bit too big in the store. No matter how they ended up in your closet- we all have them: Adorable flats or…
How to Splice an Extension Cord onto a Hardwired Chandelier
This post updated: One of the most read posts at Hawk Hill is our tutorial on how to convert a light fixture to a plug-in style lamp, but for some of the applications where a portable-chandelier lamp comes in handy, it can be easier and safer to use a different method than the one described…
Rainy Seattle – How To Enjoy Rainy Days Visiting Seattle
If you are planning a trip to Seattle, you might find your plans interrupted by unexpected rainfall- but don’t worry, Seattle knows just how to make the most of rainy days and in this post we’ll review some of the best ways to ENJOY what rain brings to the city. It’s important to remember that…
How to Care for a Leather or Wood Cell Phone Case
I’ve always been partial to phone cases with the highest impact resistance, with style as a secondary consideration, but recently a new wave of phone cases seem to combine the benefits of a high-tech case with more natural elements such as wood or leather. As I prepared for recent international travel, I decided to up…
How to Clean, Condition, and Care for Blundstone Boots
Blundstone is an Australian company that makes a line of books originally marketed as equestrian boots, but now in style as popular, multifunction boots. With a $250+ price tag, Blundstones are an investment. In this post I’m going to show you how to care for your boot investment and keep them looking great for years.…
Tips for Cooking in an Ultra-Small Tiny House Kitchen
When people imagine living in a tiny house, often the initial vision of the experience skips over the minutia of day-to-day living and how an ultra-small space makes many things- like cooking- a little more complicated. In this article, I wanted to talk a little bit about tips and methods I use when cooking…
7 Unique Ways to Organize Art Supplies
With the exception of professional artists with dedicated out-of-home studios and hobbyists with the luxury of dedicated studio space, art supplies storage never turns out looking quite as good as the uber-organized craft rooms depicted in magazines. Instead, art supplies tend to spill into common spaces, especially for those of us who paint at the…
Most Instagrammable Spots at Pike Place Market (and How to Find Them!)
Pike Place is one of the most instagrammable places in the world, and a it’s great place to re-create your version of iconic shots. As a resident of the Pike Place neighborhood for four years, and weekly visitor to the Market (at least, in the less crowded off-season) I learned the in’s and out’s of…
How To Host a Bob Ross Paint-Along Theme Party
In my time as facilitator of the art group at The Seattle School, one of the most successful events that I ever hosted was a Paint-Along-with-Bob-Ross night. Although my events were gatherings for artists at the school, it was well attended by non-artists and one of the beauties of Bob Ross’s work is that the…
The 5 Best Study and Work Spots in Seattle, Washington
Sometimes I need to break up my routine and switch up my study or work spaces. A change of scenery and a little bit of background noise often helps me focus- and getting out of my tiny studio is never a bad idea. In this post I’ll be introducing you to some of my favorite…
How To Create a Rental Friendly Accent Wall: 8 Damage-Free Ideas
1. Get Permission to Paint an Accent Wall Some property managers will give a green-light to requests to repaint a room or a single wall, but in many cases- painting is not allowed. Despite this, painting an accent wall can often still be negotiated. Even if you can’t get “permission” to paint you can still paint- …
Side by Side Comparison of Digital Drawing on the Surface Pro vs the iPad Pro 2018
For about a year, I’ve been trying to take my art digital, and learn to create digital illustrations via a drawing app on a tablet. Initially, I purchased and learned on a Surface Pro 4 using an app called Sketchable. Through my trial and error learning, I even created a post of tips and tricks for drawing…
How to Fill and Patch a Vintage Cast Iron Sink or Tub
Living in Seattle on a grad school budget means having to sometimes settle for a lifestyle very different from the one I lived in Missouri only a few years ago. With Seattle’s booming tech industry, housing on a grad school budget usually implies lots of roommates or ultra-tiny studios (some of my fellow students even…
How to Study – A Sketchnote on 5 New Research Backed Study Techniques
When it comes to studying, most of us probably think we’ve got it down, but modern research is challenging some of the longest-held beliefs about studying. In some cases, these researchers report, counterintuitive study methods work better than traditional study methods. In this sketchnote review, I’ll doodle a few of the top study methods. A…
Adding Reach-Through Nesting Boxes to a Vintage Chicken Coop
Nesting boxes are a recent addition to my vintage 1920’s era chicken coop. Tired of retrieving eggs from plastic-totes-turned-nesting-boxes (that had a tendency to migrate across the floor of the coop!), I mounted permanent nesting boxes that could be accessed without climbing into the coop. Along the way, I used a few cheats to make installation and…
How to Create Geode-Like Resin Encased Gold Blooms
Resin pouring projects (such as my water-splash resin sculptures) often results in excess resin left over after my primary project is complete. I love experimenting with this leftover resin and one of these side-project-experiments recently resulted in a method for creating the geode-like metallic blooms, shown below. Developed to create a shiny and ultra durable…
4 Tips for Digital Drawing and Illustration on a Surface Pro 4 and 6
As an artist accustomed to trying and sketching on paper, adapting to a digital format has been a challenge. Though a good fit for my lifestyle because it is also my primary computer, the Surface Pro 4 (and later Surface Pro 6) initially proved a bit of a disadvantage in a market saturated with apps…