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Travel

High/Low Resort Strategy- Railay Beach Thailand

thailand, krabi, railay beach resorts at any budget www.trialbyinspiration.com

ko phi phi krabi thailand resort hotel www.trialbyinspiration.com

So much planning went into our trip (over a year ago now!) to Railay Beach in the Krabi region of Thailand. Our three city trip clocked in at ten days, so it was a necessity to balance global luxury and quirky must-haves (i.e., budget friendly and Instagram enviable). Luckily, with its constant flow of wander lusting backpackers, Thailand, and Krabi in particular, have accommodations at all price points.  We spent three nights in a mosquito net draped, textile rich, beachside treehouse and the next two in a meandering luxury resort. Read on for all the details.

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Local Love•Made

Spiced Cherry Cola Cocktail & Mocktail Recipe

Our Hometown Hero Cocktail/mocktail recipe www.trialbyinspiration.com

It’s Friday, and down here in Dallas it’s a hot one! According to iPhone, we’re topping out at 102, but with my car claiming 105 and my plants jumping ship, I knew we needed to end the week with a sweating glass of a summertime classic. Last week I escaped to the air-conditioned inspiration of the rock store, today I’m beating the heat with frosty cocktails! This spiced cherry cola cocktail, our “Hometown Hero,” is an homage to our original hometown hero, Dr. Pepper. Though Dr. Pepper was created in Waco, Tx (and you can read all about it here), it moved to Dallas in the 1920’s and is headquartered here today. In the 1940’s my grandmother lead tours at HQ, always ending with a frosted glass of this unique soda.

Though Dr. Pepper did inspire this icy, rum-optional treat, I did not crack their top-secret formula, and super fans should not be disappointed when their first sip is not 100% duplication. Wacoites, to preserve the peace, you may also consider this your hometown hero, so crack open the rum and let’s start cooking!

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Inspiration

Creator Crush Interview: Nadia Nizamudin

Embroidered Collage by Nadia Nizamudin Instagram Crush www.trialbyinspiration.com

I just love a crazy full, infinite Instagram feed, so I follow a lot of accounts, but there are a few stand-out Instagram accounts that I check in on a few times a week to make sure I haven’t missed a single post. @nadianizamudin is one of those accounts, I stumbled upon her work one evening and then had to browse her entire back history. I love her use of color, embroidered embellishment, and playful collage. In this new monthly feature, “Instagram Crush,” I had the privilege of asking this inspiring artist and Instagram creative about her work, process, and thoughts on marketing, balancing a day job with her creative passion and her advice on how to find the Muse when you’re stuck. She was so generous and thoughtful with her answers, I hope you’re as motivated by her devotion to keeping up with her artistic process even as she commutes between three cities, travels for a high-pressure job and spends time with her family! Read on for the interview and more images from her breathtaking Instagram account!

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Made

A Whole Lot of Look – DIY Statement Necklaces

DIY Statement Necklaces beads, coral, clay, porcelain and serpentine www.trialbyinspiration.com

When I ventured out to The Rock Barrell last weekend, I was stoked to see some gorgeous mineral specimens and escape the heat (hello 100 degree days Dallas!). What I didn’t expect was to find was bold, eclectic jewelry components that make this local Dallas shop a cut above the average bead store. What I found most inspiring about The Rock Barrell’s selection was that it had an undiscovered, self-unaware, quirky vibe; I find that now that the craft stores are fully immersed in the Pinterest culture, unexpected DIY ingredients are hard to find! Read on to see what I selected to make my oversized, “a lot of look,” DIY statement necklaces!

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Local Love

Treasure Hunting at the Rock Barrell

amethyst crystals at the rock store www.trialbyinspiration.com

I grew up visiting rock stores with my dad; we would walk the aisles, hands clasped behind our backs, peering into each box of polished stones. I don’t remember any of the rocks we brought home, the pleasure was in the collection itself and seeing all of those saturated colors and varied textures en masse. That said, I’d never been to our local shop, Richardson’s the Rock Barrell, so Saturday I made the trek. Read on for inspiration to visit your local rock shop-

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Made

Monday Mood Board – Sun, Sand & Sequins

Monday Mermaid Mood Board, Sun, Sand & Sequins www.trialbyinspiration.com

I experienced the perfect storm of FOMO this weekend after viewing and liking all my friend’s surf spray Instas and then stumbling across this cerulean dream of a vintage postcard at Lula B’s West. Whyyy didn’t we plan a beach vacation this summer?? The sad answer is, we’re saving it for the new year when we can hop down to Belize for our first long, no kids allowed vacay. So mood board I must, and, after pilfering my collections for inspiration, I found the perfect theme, Sun, Sand, and Sequins!

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Made

Tiki Cocktail & Mocktail Recipe

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Put the Lime in the Coconut Cocktail and Mocktail Tiki drink Recipe

Hello, Friday, where ya been? After this week, we need a drink straight out of the coconut, and cocktail or mocktail, I’ve got you covered. After all my talk about piña coladas and cabana boys, I knew this weekend needed welcoming with a tiki drink. My trip to the Asian Grocery last weekend yielded two coconuts and a can of mango juice, and since it’s Friday, I’ll put it to good use (with rum). Put the lime in the coconut and jump to the cocktail recipe!

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found

Tapas Table Setting for Under $50 From the Asian Grocery

Hosting, Party, Homewares, Dishes, Table Setting, Ceramics

A month ago seeking out Dragon Fruit for a styling project I was working on brought me to two amazing Asian groceries in Dallas, H Mart and Hiep Thai. H Mart is so expansive it’s overwhelming to go without a set list, Hiep Thai is smaller and has a more neighborhood store vibe, but both, I discovered, have a fabulous selection of housewares. It’s a bit of a treasure hunt (if you follow the Instagram then you remember this), but what’s more fun than poking around stacks of painted bowls or discovering circular slab cutting boards for a mere $15 (!)? I decided to build myself an eclectic collection for serving casual tapas for four, all for under $50! Want to see what I found?

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Local Love

Dallas’s Record Setting Frida Fest

Tonight, in honor of what would have been Frida Kahlo’s 110th birthday, the Dallas Museum of Art  set the World Record for most “Fridas” in one location. With evening temperatures in the 90’s and humidity at a truly gross level, all we could do was dab gently at our unibrows while taking in the fabulous and varied interpretations of this Mexican Master Painter.

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Made

Monday Mood Board

Mood Board inspired by Chihuly's collection of trade blankets www.trialbyinspiration.com

A quickie collection inspired by Chihuly’s personal (epic!) collection of American trade blankets that kicks off his fantastic, long-term exhibition in Seattle. If you have a chance to visit the show or one of the traveling exhibits, please treat yourself to a ticket. The glass sculptures are arranged by theme and period, in two-story, blackest black rooms, and the impact is epic. Of course, the color, scale, and technological logistics of his works are what Chihuly is known for, but what stuck with me was the narrative it painted by pairing the artist’s collections of pottery and trade blankets with his iconic glass works to convey both process and realization.

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loving the photoshop mask mode on these florals ❤️
In case you missed it 6:29 a.m. 🌅 We’ve been In case you missed it 6:29 a.m. 🌅
We’ve been up soooo early lately, I remember when I was a teenager, seeing the sunrise quarterly at best, and now I see it every.day. with the kids. We’ve been up since 5:15 (our alarm is for 5:30 😑) wondering how springing forward will change our schedules around here… trying out #procreate for my #procreatesunrise
I had to take the day off to have a procedure done I had to take the day off to have a procedure done (not interesting at all, everything is fine) but I got to squeeze in an hour of Zoom figure drawing with @therenaissanceworkshop before hand- what a dream!!
Just found this one from last week, pretty storm t Just found this one from last week, pretty storm tossed shell against that beautiful brown Gulf water 🤎🤩
🧡🤍🤎💚 🧡🤍🤎💚
I think you're going to LOVE my conversation with I think you're going to LOVE my conversation with fashion illustrator @gambrell_ in today's post. 👆Link in bio,  he discusses the importance of prolific sketchbooks, how he handles commissions, and how to get creatively unstuck .
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#creativelifehappylife #illustratorsoninstagram #artistinterview #artistinterviews #fashionillustration #fashionillustrator #dailyinspiration #tbinspireme #chrisgambrell
Super quick cloud study with torn paper and sharpi Super quick cloud study with torn paper and sharpie set to the shrill sounds on DanielTiger. Bring on the coffee.

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#creativelifehappylife #cloudporn #showyourwork #sketchbookart #illustratorsoninstagram #illustratorsofinstagram #makeart2021 #landscapes #landscape_lovers #mondayvibes
Did anyone else see that moon this morning? Showst Did anyone else see that moon this morning? Showstopper 🌝 I tried to memorize this cloud/sky color and rush into the office to recreate before diving into my emails. I've been trying to find more time for even a quick affair with creativity, still a challenge. Now to finish my coffee!

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#creativelifehappylife #illustratorsoninstagram #moonlovers #abmlifeisbeautiful #abmlifeiscolorful #illustratorsofinstagram #sketchbookdrawing
So as you can see, I'm completely addicted to remo So as you can see, I'm completely addicted to remote figure drawing @michelle_gibson_model 

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#creativelifehappylife #sketchbookdrawing #zoomfiguredrawing #remotelifedrawing #illustratorsoninstagram #figuredrawing #figuredrawingandchill
Looking forward to a Zoom figure drawing + take ou Looking forward to a Zoom figure drawing + take out date-night tonight. Here's 🔥@theartache from last weekend's sess

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#creativelifehappylife #illustratorsoninstagram #zoomfiguredrawing #figuredrawings #remotelifedrawing #pinupinspired #pinupillustration
🌞I wrote my 2021 creative wellness resolutions 🌞I wrote my 2021 creative wellness resolutions last night 🌟 I haven't written any since 2018 but I’m ready to set new intentions to maintain my creativity in the new year! (link in bio if you want to see what I have planned) 🤞 

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#creativelifehappylife #abmlifeiscolorful #abmlifeisbeautiful #acolorstory #artistsoninstagram #artistsofinstagram #artistresolutions2021 #creativityfound #creativityeveryday #staycreative #patternobserver
Check out my interview with one of our absolute fa Check out my interview with one of our absolute fav author/illustrators @mattforsythe in the blog today! He has so many wonderful insights into being a working artist, for me it was so motivating to here his take! Enjoy! 🌞
🐘Progress on my @melissaanddougtoys @ad_magazin 🐘Progress on my @melissaanddougtoys @ad_magazine trompe l’oeill house. This has to be my all time favorite, slowest, most meditative craft project ever. The kids are starting to notice when new decor goes in, but are not nearly as impressed as I am 🤷🏻‍♀️🤩 edited with @acolorstory
Lunch Break! I rounded up our fav kid’s books ab Lunch Break! I rounded up our fav kid’s books about Feelings today, since our house is currently the double toddler feelings zone Check out the link in bio👆👆👆👆 

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#kidsbooks #kidsbookstagram #kidsbookswelove #kidsbookshelf #picturebooksofinstagram #booksforkids #booksforchildren #feelingsbooks
🤯 Thinking about my 2021 creative wellness goal 🤯 Thinking about my 2021 creative wellness goals while listening to back episodes of Big Magic podcast @elizabeth_gilbert_writer .
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#creativelifehappylife #livecolorfully #creativeinspiration #creativewellness #livecreatively
🤩🤩The shirts are live!! 🤩🤩 link in bio 🤩🤩The shirts are live!! 🤩🤩 link in bio 🎉 a portion of your purchase will go to @thelovelandfoundation
more! more! more! Follow me

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All photos and content are the property of Trial by Inspiration and its author, Berry Thomas.