Trial by Inspiration - Polished, unpolished, and always on the look-out!
  • Interviews
  • Books
  • Travel
  • Made
  • Local Love
  • ABOUT
Travel

Redeeming a French Class Drop-Out (Moi)

Hate me if you must, but I travel to Paris once or twice a year for work and for pleasure every so often, when I can swing it. The shopping, the light, the food, museums, the architecture, blah blah blah, everyone likes Paris, but for me, there is one unpleasant facet to every trip- not knowing French. Yes, I took five years in school, yes, I have been visiting for years, but yes, I cringe and grimace my way through every interaction. Having struggled through my junior high and high school French classes (once my teacher asked jokingly in French if I was on drugs and I promptly answered “Oui!”) I have never considered myself to have an aptitude for languages, but the awkward entitlement of repeatedly visiting a country without more than “merci” haunted every trip. So, when my friend Emily (does everyone have that friend who always has the freshest ideas leaving you wondering both, why didn’t I think of that? and why don’t we start a company together?) told me how much she was loving the Pimsleur Method, I hoarded my audible credits, purchased French Level 1 (30 lessons!) and got started.

Continue reading
Inspiration•Travel

Parisian Apartment Essentials: What I Learned From Airbnb

Interior must-haves for a Parisian apartment www.trialbyinspiration.com

As I rounded hour-two of my deep dive into apartment research for our upcoming vacation, I realized: this is the fifth Milo Baughman style table I’ve seen on Airbnb Paris! Though the site provides a wide variety of different home sensibilities, prices, and arrondissement, I began playing a game at spotting the common threads.  Sate your wanderlust with these seven must-have Parisian apartment essentials.

From left to right: Built-in Plywood Bed, Gallery Wall and Puddled Drapes, Linen Dream, Attic Library, Beams and Plants, Seriously Stunning Entry, The Aforementioned Table, A Well Crafted Collection, Chic Shelfie

Continue reading
Travel

Airbnb Round-Up: Paris

We’re planning a quick stop in Paris on our way to Amsterdam this Fall, and after staying in some amazing Airbnb homes on our trip to the San Juan Islands and Seattle last year, we decided to book an apartment and live like les locals. Even if you’re not thinking about Paris for your next vacation, I highly recommend browsing the apartment rentals for interior design inspiration, (it will certainly lend a little très chic to your next Le Netflix binge).

Continue reading
Travel

Thailand Travel- My Hindsight Advice

Grand Palace Bangkok Thailand Travel www.trialbyinspiration.com

This week I have been planning our last minute getaway to Napa Valley, so much planning goes into each of our trips, but none more than last year’s trip to Thailand.  As I wrote in last week’s post reviewing our two beachside resorts, one budget, and one luxe, my mind kept wandering to the shoulda-woulda-coulda of our vacation.

Continue reading
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.

Continue reading
Travel

Peaceful Pelindaba (Lavender Farm)

We arrived at Pelindaba Lavender Farm about three weeks before “peak purple”, but instead of mourning missing the intense grape-y glow I’ve seen in oh-so-many Instagram posts, we were able to wander the property virtually alone.

Continue reading
Travel

Hello from Seattle

more, more, more to follow!

About Me

Let’s chat!

trialbyinspiration@gmail.com

  • instagram
  • bloglovin
  • pinterest
  • rss
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 .
.
.
.
.
#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.

.
.
.
.
.
#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!

.
.
.
.
.
#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 

.
.
.
.
.
#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

.
.
.
.
.
#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) 🤞 

.
.
.
.
.
#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👆👆👆👆 

.
.
.
.
.
#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 .
.
.
.
.
.
#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

Categories

  • Books
  • found
  • Inspiration
  • Local Love
  • Made
  • Travel

Archives

  • March 2021
  • January 2021
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017

If you'd like to feature any content, please link back to the original post- thanks!
All photos and content are the property of Trial by Inspiration and its author, Berry Thomas.