Liz Morrow 4/20/13 Liz Morrow 4/20/13

skyline nail art diy from of corgis and cocktails

Hi everyone! I hope you're having a lovely Saturday! Today I'm here to share with you my featured sponsor this month, the amazing Katherine who runs Of Corgis and Cocktails. Corgis and Cocktails? Two of my favorite things! Seriously though, I'm super jealous of Katherine's adorable Corgi, Teemo. Katherine is clearly a girl after my own heart, not only does she love Corgi's and Cocktails, she also loves remixing and is a big believer that style is about expressing your creative self in a visual way on the daily through clothing. Booyah. She's also great with DIY projects and the like, so she's here today to bring you guys something fun that you can do yourself... a fun nail art DIY! My nails are tiny little things that don't get to grow out to a length that's worthy of painting due to rock climbing, so I don't get to do fun nail art, but I always see fun nail art on Pinterest that makes me wish I could! I hope you guys enjoy Katherine's nail art DIY! Katherine? Take it away!

Well hello readers of Delightfully Tacky! My name is Katherine, and I am the girl behind Of Corgis & Cocktails, a fun blog about a lot of things. You'll find me traveling the east coast in cute dresses, photographing my two adorable pups, and crafting yummy recipes over there. This post focuses on something I really love to do - nail art. Growing up, I began drawing on my nails and other neighborhood girls - everything from little fishes to bears. Thirteen years after, I'm still drawing scenes and graphics on them. I wanted to share something that didn't necessarily require a steady hand and a toothpick, so I decided this skyline at dusk idea would be the perfect starter.

You'll need to gather a few things : a pale blue nail polish(Essie in boxer shorts), a royal blue nail polish (Essie in in the cab-ana), a pure black nail polish, a clear top coat, scissors, masking or painter's tape, and a foam sponge of some sort. I use foam brushes from the craft store I pick up with coupons whenever I can. Optionally, you can use a pale cream or yellow to add on lights to the buildings at the end.

You only need a bit of your sponge - so cut off just enough to cover your largest nail (presumably the thumb).

1 - Paint your nail with the pale blue nail polish. Use two coats. Allow to dry. I often paint this shade a day before.

2 - Paint the sponge 1/3rd of the way with the pale blue nail polish. Paint the rest with the royal blue.

3 - With the pale blue part of the sponge at the top of your nail, lightly press down the sponge on the nail for the ombre effect. The first nail press very lightly, but by the end, you will use more pressure. I generally only refill my sponge with paint once. Allow to dry.

4 - Take a stretch of tape and begin cutting small blocks and building shapes into it. I simply made them up as I went along. Then, cut your tape to fit each nail.

5 - Place a piece of tape onto each nail. If using masking tape, you may want to press the tape against your skin or a piece of fabric first to help it not stick to the nail. Press the tape firmly onto each nail so there are no gaps. Paint over the nail - as sloppy as you want! You can always clean up your nails with nail polish remover and a q-tip afterwards! Or, usually the extra nail polish comes off in the shower the next morning if you are feeling a bit lazy ;)

6 - Once the black is dry, use a paint pen or toothpick dipped in yellow / cream nail polish to add small windows to your skyline. This is totally optional. Paint with a clear coat and allow to dry.

This was a huge hit with my friends and perfect for sipping local beers while overlooking my hometown's lovely skyline. That's a lot of steps, I know, but I promise the techniques are easy! If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed, try just doing the ombre effect by following steps 1-3 or simply the skyline effect by following steps 1 then 4-7. If you are interested in more nail art tutorials from my blog - you can click here to see them!

Liz Morrow 4/19/13 Liz Morrow 4/19/13

Q + A // what's your post processing routine?

I don't do a ton of post processing on my photos. I like my photos to have a pretty natural look. In the past I've tended towards more vintage-y feeling processing, but these days I like to make my photos look as natural as possible. As far as software goes, I currently use Photoshop CS5 along with some Totally Rad actions* for most of my post processing, but I just got Lightroom and I want to start playing around with VSCO presets and figure out that crazy animal. I've been using Photoshop pretty exclusively for about a decade, with some Illustrator and InDesign thrown in there for various jobs and projects, but I've never used Lightroom, so I'm excited to dive in. I hear it's amazing so I'm looking forward to seeing how it works. Images on the blog are taken with a Canon 6D with a 50mm f/1.4 lens, and images taken before March 2013 were taken with a Canon T2i with the same lens.

I begin by transferring my photos from the camera to the computer and then proceed to cull out all the ones that I know I won't be using- blurry shots, out of focus shots, shots where I have a stupid look on my face, etc. Once I've cut out all the ones I know I won't be using, I go back through and look for the ones that really stand out and I start dragging those into photoshop. I like to limit my outfit photos to about 5-7 photos per post, simply because I don't feel like you guys need 15 photos of me in the same outfit. 5-7 gives me enough photos to show different poses, do detail shots, and get some variety in there. For food posts I usually do 4-6.

As far as what I actually do to photos in photoshop, I like to keep it as minimal as possible. I want my photos to look like they came straight out of the camera, and on a good day I only have to resize my photos and save them and I'm good to go! But usually I have to do some tweaking to get my photos to where I'd like them to be. Sometimes this means doing some color correction. I shoot with auto white balance, and usually the camera is good at figuring out what white balance to use, but occasionally it's a bit off, so I'll correct for that. I usually like to kick up the contrast and brightness a bit. I like to use Totally Rad's Punch Out and/or Clarify actions for my photos if they need a bit of a boost, and I usually dial them back a lot. The nice thing about actions is that you can go in and edit how strongly each element acts, so I usually play around and get it looking just right. Sometimes I give my photos a bit of a touch of a matte look, because, you know... it's like "in" these days. Haha. No I like how it looks, but not always. It depends on the photo set and how I want it to look.

I personally find too much post processing to be a bit distracting. I prefer clean, crisp photos that don't look like they've been ran through 5 instagram filters. When it comes to post processing, my philosophy is to try and get it as right as possible straight out of the camera, and then if I need to make a couple tweaks to color or contrast to make the photo look its best, then I'll do it. The less time I have to edit my photos in post, the more time I have to write and come up with other fun stuff to share on the blog.

Do I think post processing is necessary to create beautiful images? No. But it can definitely help, especially if you're a beginner and still figuring out how to make all the settings on your camera work (which can be daunting). You can fix exposure errors, white balance errors, and even photoshop out trash cans in the background if you want! Ultimately a photographer's goal should be to do as much in camera as possible to create the perfect image, but the beauty of digital is that we do have the option of editing in photoshop.

*an "action" is basically a set of filters you apply to a photo. So when you apply a specific action, it takes adds a set of filters and/or edits to your photo automatically, and you can then go in and edit how much of those filters you want to show. So the Clarify action I use frequently ups the brightness and contrast a certain amount, which I can then adjust manually to suit the photo. For more info on actions, click here.

Want more photography help? Check out these photography related posts: My Cameras (I've since acquired a Canon 6D which I'm hoping to review after using it a bit more), Should I invest in a great camera body, or great lenses?, and Tips for taking your own outfit photos.

Liz Morrow 4/18/13 Liz Morrow 4/18/13

going for a spin

Lately we've been having some good stretches of sun, which has meant lots of work on the house, but has also meant I'm itching to get my bikes in shape for riding! Yes, bikes. After our bikes were stolen, I got this red bike out of storage, but then I found a cute vintage bike at Goodwill and couldn't resist it. It needed a bit of work, but it looked great and was the perfect little bike. I'll miss riding fixed gear, since both of these are geared bikes, but I'm so looking forward to just riding again! And now our bikes will be safer inside a locked garage, rather than having to keep them tied up on the porch. It was so disappointing having our bikes stolen just a week and a half before moving to a house with a garage, but so it goes. Hopefully by this weekend my bikes will be good to go!

dress/courtesy of modcloth :: cardigan/thrifted :: shoes/minnetonka

Liz Morrow 4/17/13 Liz Morrow 4/17/13

FASHUN

When I was doing the photos for my last Remixology post, I had Dan tag along so I wasn't alone while I was changing behind the car, and while I was changing, he started playing around with the camera. This guy. Clearly, he's a natural. I like him.

Liz Morrow 4/16/13 Liz Morrow 4/16/13

bertha's kitchen // skillet italian chicken

I've been working on transitioning to a more local, plant based diet, but I still have some frozen chicken in my freezer I'm trying to use up. On my two trips up to Juneau to spend time with my grandparents I got a lot of traditional grandma home-cooking, which meant lots of "square meals" with meat and veggies, bread and pasta. One of the meals she cooked was this one! I liked it a lot and she mentioned that she thought she'd put the recipe it in my recipe box, and when I got home I found it! My grandma has dozens of recipe books and files. I took one home from my last trip, called "Out of Alaska's Kitchens" which looks like it's from the 50's. Thousands of recipes were sent in from Alaskans and compiled into the recipe book. I love how some recipes and foods can be so regional. It's so obvious when you think about Italian or French or Chinese food. And in less obvious ways, here in the US we have smaller regional menus like Southern, New England, etc.

I love that food can be a way to hold on to home. How a certain dish can remind you of a person or place. I mentioned a long time ago on the blog that I wanted to start making more "Alaskan" dishes, and I'm excited to explore this little cookbook! The blueberry recipes remind me of picking blueberries in Denali, the Salmon recipes remind me of landing on Prince William Sound with my dad in his float plane upon spotting a friend's boat on the water and being gifted a fresh King Salmon to take home, the Crab recipes remind me of the time my dad and I bought the most delicious King Crab legs out of the back of a pickup truck in the parking lot of the Sullivan Arena after an Aces game.

Ingredients:
4 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1 (14 oz) can Italian stewed tomatoes
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 12 oz package pasta
parmesan cheese, grated
sliced black olives

1. In a skillet, heat olive oil. Add chicken breasts and saute 3 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned.
2. Add onion, peppers, tomatoes and lemon juice. Cover and simmer 25-30 minutes.
3. Cook pasta according to directions on package.
4. Serve chicken over pasta and sprinkle cheese and olives on top.

Goes great with a nice red wine and garlic bread, mmmm!

Hi, I’m Liz

I'm an artist, writer, designer, DIY renovator, and … well basically I like to do all the things. If it’s creative I’m probably doing it. I’ve spent over 30 years voraciously pursuing a life steeped in creativity and I wholeheartedly believe creativity and joy are inextricably linked.
Read more…

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Featured

Women's Work Wayzgoose 2026 Steamroller Print

$350.00

Lino relief print created during the 2026 Wayzgoose Steamroller Print event in Tacoma. Each print was pressed using a 1.5 ton steamroller. See the entire process here!

The Wayzgoose theme this year was Tacoma Works, a celebration of the labor history of Tacoma, labor solidarity, Tacoma industry, and what work in Tacoma looks like.

As I thought about the theme, I realized I wanted to highlight the unpaid labor that women do, all the work that doesn't get acknowledged as “real work" and goes uncompensated but quietly forms the backbone of society. Care work, cooking and cleaning, household management, pregnancy and child rearing, carrying the emotional and mental load, etc.

I wanted to use the imagery of a quilt because this devaluing of "women's work" has extended into the art world by deeming mediums historically associated with women as merely "craft" - lots of fiber art, quilting, embroidery: highly skilled and artistically incredible work that wasn't considered "fine art."

Women's work is the thread that stitches everything together. It's the thread that goes unnoticed and under appreciated, but without it, everything would fall apart.

When I say “women’s work” I don’t mean that only women engage in these types of work, but historically these types of unpaid labor have fallen vastly upon women. I also don’t mean that women don’t or haven’t engaged in paid labor and industry throughout Tacoma’s history, they obviously have. To me, “women’s work” is the phrase that embodies how we devalue certain types of labor typically associated with women, and can extend into forms of paid labor— why is it that teachers are so underpaid in our society? Could it have anything to do with teaching having been a workforce of primarily women historically?

So when we talk about women’s work we’re talking about things like care work, elder care, feeding a family, procuring groceries, household management, keeping a home clean and stocked, rearing children, pregnancy, birthing and breastfeeding, emotional labor, mental load, community building and organizing. Without these forms of “women’s work” our society would unravel.

Women's work is work. The labor and industry history in Tacoma could not have happened without the women in the background supporting it all with the work they did that wasn't considered real work.

Tacoma Works because Women Work.

—

Due to the nature of printing outdoors, on the ground, with a steam roller, there are variations and slight imperfections from print to print.

Prints ship rolled in a cardboard tube.
Local pickup is in Central Tacoma.

Paper size: 30.5 x 44 in
Print size: 24 x 36 in

Sold out

Mutual Relief Print

$65.00

Hand-pressed original linoleum block print.

When we live mutually we support one another, live in community, love one another.

—

✸ Handprinted on an etching press with archival inks
✸ Linoleum Relief Print
✸ 12×18"
✸ Signed, edition of 15
✸ Ships flat

Due to the handmade nature of these prints, there is some slight variation between each individual print.

Sold out

Talix̂tas Relief Print

$70.00

Hand-pressed original linoleum block print.

Unangax̂ dancing has seen a beautiful revitalization in the past few decades, and this piece is dedicated to the dancers who spent their lives reawakening Unangax̂ dancing, and to the dancers in the coming generations who will carry it forward.

50% of the proceeds of this print go towards disaster relief for the devastation Western Alaska is experiencing from the impact of typhoon Halong.

—

✸ Handprinted on an etching press with archival inks on Arnhem Warm White 245gsm (100% Cotton Rag, Acid Free)
✸ Linoleum Relief Print
✸ 14×20"
✸ Signed, edition of 50
✸ Ships flat

Due to the handmade nature of these prints, there is some slight variation between each individual print.

Sold out

Flock Together Relief Print

$70.00

Hand-pressed original linoleum block print.

On the last day of my artist residency in Sitka, my kiddo’s homesickness hit its peak. We’d been away from home for almost a month and they didn’t want me to leave that morning to go to the museum. So I invited them to come with me and told them I’d draw them a goose— sometimes I call them “goose” which I think was initially a shortening of “silly goose” but now I just use Goose.

This print came out of that drawing. Two hugging geese— mom and child, lovers, friends. For me, this is a depiction of me and Jack, but for you? Who is your goose who needs a hug that feels like home?

—

✸ Handprinted on an etching press with archival inks
✸ Linoleum Relief Print
✸ 12×18"
✸ Signed, edition of 25
✸ Ships flat

Due to the handmade nature of these prints, there is some slight variation between each individual print.

Sold out

Fucus Distichus Relief Print

$30.00

Hand pressed original linoleum block print.

Inspired by the beautiful seaweed teeming on the shores of Sitka Sound.

✸ Handprinted on a lever press with archival inks on Arnhem Stonehenge Warm White 245gsm (100% Cotton Rag, Acid Free)
✸ Linoleum Relief Print
✸ 6×8"
✸ Signed, edition of 50
✸ Ships flat

Due to the handmade nature of these prints, there is some slight variation between each individual print.

Sold out

Kith Relief Print

$65.00

Hand-pressed original linoleum block print.

We are not separate from nature, we are a part of it, despite the capitalist and religious values that have convinced many that we are set on earth to dominate, extract, and conquer her. We are one part of the circle.

—

✸ Handprinted on an etching press with archival inks on Arnhem Warm White 245gsm (100% Cotton Rag, Acid Free)
✸ Linoleum Relief Print
✸ 16×16"
✸ Signed, edition of 20
✸ Ships flat

Due to the handmade nature of these prints, there is some slight variation between each individual print.

Sold out

Sea Kin Giclée Print

from $17.00

Giclée print reproduction of the original linoleum relief print. This is not an original relief print. Because size and pricing can be prohibitive on a larger print such as the original print, I wanted to offer a reproduction giclée version in a couple sizes slightly smaller than the original.

You can see the original steamroller print here.

—

This print was inspired by a dream I had shortly before leaving for Sitka. In the dream I swam all the way from Tacoma to Sitka, then upon arriving in Sitka I was out on a spit of land across the water from town and a huge tsunami wave tossed me into the sea. I was tumbling underwater, the ocean was opaque from the wave kicking up silt, and I realized I couldn’t tell up from down to find the surface and was going to drown, alone beneath the waves. I woke up in a start— it was one of those almost-too-real dreams that had you wake with your heart racing. Later that day I was ruminating on the dream and realized that while I felt alone underwater because I couldn’t see anything, I wasn’t actually alone. I was surrounded by kin: Salmon guiding me to the headwaters of a stream, kelp growing towards upwards to guide me to the surface, seals who could pull me along.

I spent the first week of my residency carving the linoleum, then we got our steamroller rental delivered and printed! The steamroller was a little smaller than the ones we use for Wayzgoose so I wasn’t sure if it would be heavy enough, but it worked perfectly and we ended up with nine prints. So many people came out to watch and it was such a blast getting to do another steamroller print!

—

Prints ship rolled in a cardboard tube.

Sizes available:

12×18 and 16x24 in.

What is a giclée print?

Giclée printing (pronounced zhee-clay) is a type of inkjet printing, but not all inkjet prints are giclée prints. The intention of giclée printing is to produce a product at a higher quality and with a longer lifespan than a standard desktop inkjet printer. For a giclée print, the paper must be of archival quality. The biggest difference between a standard inkjet print and a giclee print is that giclées are printed using pigment-based inks rather than dye-based inks that are found in lower-cost inkjets. Pigment-based inks have a longer lifespan: they can last anywhere from 100 - 200 years without significant fading.

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Sitka Swirls Relief Print

$45.00

Hand pressed original linoleum block print.

Inspired by the beautiful kelp teeming in the waters of Sitka Sound.

✸ Handprinted on a lever press with archival inks on Arnhem Stonehenge Warm White 245gsm (100% Cotton Rag, Acid Free)
✸ Linoleum Relief Print
✸ 8×10"
✸ Signed, edition of 100
✸ Ships flat

Due to the handmade nature of these prints, there is some slight variation between each individual print.

Sold out

Haanux̂ Lessons Relief Print

$55.00

Hand-pressed original linoleum block print.

The sockeye salmon—Haanux̂—is the ubiquitous presence in the Alaska Native subsistence life. My family has spent generations harvesting haanux̂ from the icy waters of Bristol Bay, and wrote this poem while reflecting on the wisdom of a salmon’s instincts. A salmon lesson.

I know when to swim
upstream
pushing through
the current
called by an invisible
siren
home

and I know
when to let my body
be carried by the waves
weightless
and effortlessly
gliding

—

✸ Handprinted on an etching press with archival inks on Legion Stonehenge White 250gsm (100% Cotton Rag, Acid Free)
✸ Linoleum Relief Print
✸ 11×14"
✸ Signed, open edition
✸ Ships flat

Due to the handmade nature of these prints, there is some slight variation between each individual print.

Sold out

Qanglaaĝix̂ Relief Print

$55.00

Hand-pressed original linoleum block print.

The raven is a creature of myth and magic, mischief and majesty. These talkative and playful corvids punctuate my time spent in Alaska, croaking to one another as I pad through moss-filled ancient forests. This print connects the Raven to her habitat— Kelp strewn on rocky southeast beaches, salmonberries and ferns tangled beneath pines, and the punctuation of bright fuchsia fireweed against grey skies. They talk to me and I talk back. Qanglaaĝix̂— Raven.

✸ Handprinted on an etching press with archival inks on Legion Stonehenge White 250gsm (100% Cotton Rag, Acid Free)
✸ Linoleum Relief Print
✸ 11×14"
✸ Signed, open edition
✸ Ships flat

Due to the handmade nature of these prints, there is some slight variation between each individual print.

Sold out

Raven Sticker

$4.00

Matte Die Cut Sticker

Dimensions: 2.2" x 3"

Vinyl stickers are the OG multipurpose sticker. This material is strong, reliable, and versatile, perfect for indoor or outdoor use. Stickers made on our vinyl material will withstand any kind of weather, will hang on through the dishwasher, and are UV protected so they will stay shiny and vibrant for up to 4 years.

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Home Sweet Tacoma Relief Print- Small Version

$55.00

Hand pressed original linoleum block print.

This ode to the salty and sweet city we call home is a small version of my 2024 Wayzgoose steamroller print, which will be pressed live on May 4th at the Wayzgoose event at Moore Library here in Tacoma! Grab this small version, and come check out the 2ft x 3ft version get printed with a steamroller at the event!

Want a sticker version? Grab a sticker too!

✸ Handprinted on an etching press with archival inks on Legion Stonehenge White 250gsm (100% Cotton Rag, Acid Free)
✸ Linoleum Relief Print
✸ 11×14"
✸ Signed, open edition
✸ Ships flat

Due to the handmade nature of these prints, there is some slight variation between each individual print.

Sold out

LIMITED EDITION: Halfway Somewhere Screen Print

$40.00

6 color hand pulled original screen print, including shimmery gold ink on the sun which catches the light beautifully.

Size:
11 1/4 x 14 in

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ORIGINAL You'll Like Tacoma Wayzgoose 2025 Steamroller Print

$300.00

Lino relief print created during the 2025 Wayzgoose Steamroller Print event in Tacoma. Each print was pressed using a 1.5 ton steamroller. See the entire process here!

The Wayzgoose theme this year was Make Some Noise, a celebration of the music of Tacoma, bands from Tacoma, songs about Tacoma, and music venues in Tacoma. It was so fun seeing all the different interpretations of the theme. Here’s mine:

“Where’s that confounded bridge?” Led Zeppelin’s The Crunge’s final lyrics ask. What is a song’s bridge? A musical change of pace, intended to provide contrast to the rest of the composition. Here in the Northwest we’re the bridge. We’re not the fancy metropolitan city of Seattle, we’re not a densely wooded small town or coastal hamlet, and we aren’t rolling fields of agricultural land. We’re something different. Something gritty and creative. We’ve got a little bit of funk to us, and I’m not just talking about the aroma. We strut to the beat of our own rhythm. Blue collar, grunge, and art all steeped together under the watchful eye of our namesake peak.

And then there’s the bridge, or should I say bridges. We’re perched on our peninsula jutting out into the Puget sound, anchored on west and east by bridges— Tacoma Narrows, Murray Morgan, and the E 21st St bridge.

In this piece I wanted to share a poem about the music of Tacoma, it’s people, it’s land, the interweaving of everything we hear when we close our eyes in the middle of the city. Tacoma has birthed many amazing artists, some nationally known, like Neko Case, some with cult Tacoma followings, like Girl Trouble— but I like to think we are all a part of the song of Tacoma, being sung throughout the ages as we build our lives between bridges in this little gritty city, “a dusty old jewel on the south Puget Sound.”

—

Due to the nature of printing outdoors, on the ground, with a steam roller, there are variations and slight imperfections from print to print.

Prints ship rolled in a cardboard tube.
Local pickup is in Central Tacoma.

Paper size: 30.5 x 44 in
Print size: 24 x 36 in

Sold out

ORIGINAL Home Sweet Tacoma Wayzgoose 2024 Steamroller Print

from $275.00

Lino relief prints created during the 2024 Wayzgoose Steamroller Print event in Tacoma. Each print was pressed using a 1.5 ton steamroller. See the entire process here!

The Wayzgoose theme this year was Sweet and Salty. There are so many ways in which Tacoma is both Sweet and Salty. Her people are the salt of the earth. She's nestled within the salty waters of the Puget Sound. Folks here feel a little salty about Tacoma changing— "Keep Tacoma Feared" is the refrain to maintain a Tacoma that’s an underdog, a sweet secret that only her residents could truly appreciate.

For those of us who call Tacoma "home," it's a sweet place filled with a vibrant creative community, balanced against the contrast of a salt-of-the-earth blue collar community often symbolized by our bustling seaport.

That's what this piece represents. Gritty Tacoma, sweet and salty, arts and labor, a little rough around the edges, but a sweet treasure we call home.

—

Due to the nature of printing outdoors, on the ground, with a steam roller, there are variations and slight imperfections from print to print. Prints 2 and 3 have some slight smudging (shown in the images).

Prints ship rolled in a cardboard tube.

Paper size: 30.5 x 44 in
Print size: 24 x 36 in

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