Does anyone else remember this shirt?

This past weekend, I went to both Berkeley and San Francisco with my friends Chris and Kristy. In one of the thrift shops, I noticed this shirt as we entered and I totally had this same Santa print as a middle schooler. Yep, I did the whole embellished t-shirt thing back in the day. I think I used gold Scribbles paint on mine and I'm pretty sure I put a little bell on there somewhere (I think on the dog bow) so that it could jingle jangle while I walked. I don't know if this print was Daisy Kingdom or not, but I'm pretty sure it was purchased in the Wal-mart fabric section. Oh, the good ol' Wonder Under/Scribbles Paint sweatshirt days. I posted about another one of my creations a few months back...you can check that out here.

BTW, I totally rocked this look with a giant jingle bell on a satin cord and gingerbread men that slid onto hoops.

Well, I've had a long weekend and promise to post more in the week ahead. If you want to see some more pics of my trip, check them out in my Flickr set. I'll be adding more as I edit them.

Hope everyone had a great Turkey day!!!

Until next time Swellions!

Alexa

Howdy Swellions!

My peeps are here all the way from Lexington and Louisiana (Chris & Kristy) so I'm keeping this short and sweet tonight. Did come upon this super swell type above by BjornStar that I just love. I totally dig cool typography. I'm ok at a few doodles here or there, but when it comes to really cool lettering, I missed that boat somehow. I admire people who can do crazy fonts and hand lettering so naturally. It's a beautiful and amazing skill.

Don't know if I'll be posting with the holiday weekend and all, but I did want to wish everyone a super awesome Thanksgiving! I hope you get to spend it with family and friends near and far!

Until next time Swellions!

Alexa

The 12 days of Christmas

Check it out! I have a really cool new (to me) set of glasses that I wanted to share. These glasses actually belonged to my Grandmother and I never recall seeing them once, but aren't they incredibly cool? I love them so much. Who knew that my grandmother had these stashed away? I'm glad my mom found them and thought that I would appreciate them. They are so neat that I don't even know if I want to drink from them. I want to display them.

Here's a closeup of the lovely illustrations on day 1, 2, and 3.



On a somewhat related note, I had to learn this song for a piano recital back in the day. It is really hard to remember how many times you have to play the different verses! My piano recitals back in the day were not a fancy affair...they were at a local nursing home. My piano teachers father lived there, so I guess she was using it as a way to entertain those folks. It was kinda distracting though, cause as I would play, there was a lot of talking and a few people yelling. Yikes. Not the most sophisticated of places, but I guess the residents did enjoy it and it was something for them to look forward too.

By the way, I played piano for several years, but I never really took to it all that well. I think there are those folks that just "click" with music, a sport, or a hobby. I would practice a lot, but I was lacking passion. It's still fun to sit down and play (I did this last week with my friend Pattie Wack while taking my ceramics training) every now and then, but it's not something I do very often. What am I best at playing? Actually, I have a few church hymns up my sleeve (I used to play on the days the pianist wasn't there). I also have "The Entertainer", "I Swear", and both the "Bridal Chorus" and "Wedding March" pretty much memorized. I played for my sis's wedding when I was 12. Maybe one of these days I'll record a little ditty for you and post it. Ha. Back in the day, I used to tape myself on my little tape recorder and give away tapes to my teachers as Christmas gifts. Admittedly, I think that was a pretty sweet and clever gift for a 13 year old to give instead of something apple related.

Anyway, gotta get to bed. Have a great Tuesday.

Until next time Swellions!

Alexa

A special holiday gift

Got this pillow in the mail yesterday and it made me very happy. My mom always gives us a gift around Thanksgiving time so that we can enjoy it during the holiday season. Well, this gift is super special because it is a pillow made from my grandmother's old holiday sweatshirt. My grandmother passed away this past July. She always wore this shirt at Christmas time. It's just a simple mouse design fused on there outlined with dimensional paint. I gave it a little hug. It's like hugging my grandmother. I hope that doesn't sound weird...after all, it wouldn't be like I was hugging on this kind of pillow.

Anyway, just wanted to share this special gift. I'm still not totally into the holiday spirit just yet, but this is a little boost. :)

Until next time Swellions!

Alexa

Inspiring Video and other fun stuff :)

Saw this video on television tonight and I found it to be super sweet. I guess it should make me want to buy the Amazon Kindle, but honestly I don't read that many books. I go through phases where I do from time to time, but most of my reading is in the form or magazines and craft books.

Five other things that inspired me tonight:


These cake pedestals found here


Also love this clown inspired dress Katie Holmes is wearing.


These Smores kits are adorable via Twig & Thistle. What a great holiday gift idea!


I really want a camera necklace (photo found here)


And I love, love this prize ribbon tote!

Gotta get to bed! Until next time Swellions!

Alexa

Fun with Photo Booth

So, before I got my new Mac, I saw these pictures all over Flickr and I had no clue how they were done! Well, I know now. Basically, when you get a new iMac, a little camera comes installed in the computer. This camera records still photos and videos. There's a little program called "Photo Booth" that you play with to get silly and goofy pictures. A child (or in my case an adult...but this is questionable sometimes) can play with this feature for hours. Here's some of the silly photos I took.


Light Tunnel


Mirror


Pop Art


Squeeze


Comic Book


X-Ray


Stretch

I had fun with it. Definitely, if you are on the fence about getting a Mac, this cool photo booth feature may be something that might just tip your decision. I love it!

Until next time Swellions!

Alexa

New cool feature at iLoveToCreate.com!

In addition to my Swell Life blog, I also am the main contributor to the social media sites of iLoveToCreate.com! What does this mean? Well, while I am a graphic designer for iLovetoCreate, I'm also hard at work finding cool things to showcase on the iLoveToCreate various social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and the iLoveToCreate blog. I'm always in search of projects that people out in the "real world" are doing and how they are using our products! I also help promote the many cool features and projects on iLoveToCreate.com! So I guess you could say that I wear a few different hats!

One of the new things going on with our site is the new "Project of the Day" calendar that our web team has compiled showcasing the many wonderful designs that our Craft Decorating Department (made up of my multi-talented friends Pattie Wack, Cheryl Ball, Allee Marderosian, Suzie Shinseki and crafty superstar Kathy Cano-Murillo)! This is going to be a great resource for anyone stumped for a project idea or wanting to discover a new technique! There's a little something for everyone throughout the year! I think this will be a fun one you'll want to bookmark and go back to if you are always on the lookout for a clever and seasonal project ideas!!

Anyway, I just wanted to share! I'm always on the lookout for project ideas and even if I don't do that exact project, I'm often inspired by something I see and I want to modify it slightly and make it my own. I think that it is important to do that to keep things fresh and find your own creative style and what you like!

Until next time Swellions!

Alexa

My first Shrinky Dink!

No joke! I've never made Shrinky Dinks before tonight. While over at Silvia's tonight, we decided to craft and she suggested Shrinky Dinks, to which she received a resounding yes from me!

I actually own two packages of Shrinky Dinks...the regular kind and the digital inkjet kind. I've just never gotten them out and played, though I've always intended to. There are a lot of crafts like this that I always say I'm going to try, yet never do. I don't know, sometimes I just lack the motivation.

So, tonight, there were no excuses! I doodled to my heart's content, then Silvia slid them in the oven to shrink. After she got them out, she pressed them between two glossy paperbacks. And even after that, we layered them on top of each other and fused them together even more in the oven. The result is almost a fused glass look (there are instructions for this in the packet).

I really enjoyed making them and could see why people get so addicted to them! I may just have to drag out those packs and give a go on my own!

Until next time Swellions!

Alexa

Look Ma, I cleaned!

So, I spent a huge chunk of my day today cleaning my closet. Admittedly, my place is a wreck and I had to start somewhere. I have purchased some new clothes recently that I want to play up and it's really hard to do when your clothes are organized! So I went to it...I did several loads of laundry as well and tomorrow I plan on continuing with the task. I even bought some fancy (yeah, right) infomercial clothes hanger organizers. They do a nice job and can be lowered if you need to make more room in your closet.



I decided to hang up my belts, hats, and a few of my bags. Will make them much easier to get to! The pink bag with my nephews and niece on it was made by my mom. I did the silhouettes in Illustrator, then she digitized it and put them on the bag she sewed. Cool, huh?

I'm having company over Thanksgiving in the next couple of weeks, so I want to get my place in order before they come visit. So I'm going to do areas in my house one at a time. It's the only way I can do it. I have a lot of cleaning in the next few days to do!

Cleaning out my closet (and my bedroom, too) yielded some good blog topics and stories. I think a lot of times that people think they have to have this outstanding topic or huge event to blog about, but I think what people like reading about are the little things that happen in our daily lives that they can relate to. So, I might just be bringing you some fun stories from my cleaning adventures this week.

Well, it's late and work is going to be here in a few short hours. I hope you guys have a great week!

Until next time Swellions!

Alexa

The Thankful Pumpkin (Repeat)

Here's a repeat project from last year that I made. It's quick and simple...yeah, that's me. And if you don't want to use paint, you could use a silver or gold pen too!

The Thankful Pumpkin

Supplies:
– medium or large pumpkin
– Copper Pearl paint
– thin drafting tape (I used Rainbow Tape)
– newspaper
– damp cloth

Instructions:
1. Wipe off any dirty spots of pumpkin with cloth.
2. Spiral tape around pumpkin as a guideline for your writing.

3. Lay down newspaper, and using writer, write "I'm thankful for..." and then list things you are thankful for. You may need to do it in sections at a time, so not to smear your paint. Let dry.

Oh, and enjoy your pumpkin with family and friends!

Until next time Swellions,

Alexa

32 Things about Me

1. Where is your cell phone: charging in my bedroom.

2. Your hair: is in dire need of a cut right now. Also, I used to hate it, but I've grown into it.



3. Your mother: Is one of the most talented ladies I know.



4. Your father: Is very honest, true to his word and amazingly gifted at fixing ANYTHING.



5. Your favorite food: Don't know that I can pinpoint just one, but in no particular order...ice cream, salted peanuts in the shell, black bean soup, Stove top stuffing, and the cookies my sis makes at Christmas!

6. Your dream from last night: I can't remember, but I dream quite often. Last week, Cindy Crawford was in my dream. Random!



7. Your favorite drink: Diet coke with lemon from Sonic, Dr. Pepper when I'm being bad. Oh, and coffee. I love coffee (but not super strong!).



8. Your dream/goal: I have lots, big and small. Would like to eventually have my own published craft book, see more cool places, find love, and live life to the fullest

9. What room are you in: Dining room/computer nook



10. What is your hobby: Doing all things creative...crafting, taking photos, blogging, jewelrymaking, whatever strikes my fancy.

11. What is your fear: I really hate snakes.



12. What did you do last night? Went to Panera with Katie and walked around Sierra Vista mall...afterward fell asleep early then woke to do a blog post.

13. Something you are not: Quiet.

14. Muffins: Love me some lemon poppy seed and pumpkin/chocolate chip. But any will really do!



15. Wish list items: gumball machine, laptop (yes, even though I just got a desktop computer, I still want my own laptop), a housekeeper.

16. Where did you grow up: In this house:



17. Last thing you did: Unsuccessfully attempted a blog post of some cool things I like...I failed and went back to finish this list.

18. What are you wearing: Jeans, blue and black striped shirt, my glasses (of course)...pretty much what is in this photo (I show off this photo way too much, but I love it).



19. Your TV: Not on. Not usually on on a Wednesday night (except during American Idol season)

20. Your pets: Pixie, she's super skiddish.



21. Your friends: Are spread all over the place and very near and dear to my heart. Admittedly, I need to keep in better touch!

22. Your life: is something new every day.

23. Your mood: Honestly, a little drained.

24. Missing someone: My Grandmother (she passed away this past July).



25. Vehicle: Toyota Corolla (little things have been falling off of it lately like the clearcoat on my spoiler and a plastic insert on the front panel...urgh!)



26. Something you’re not wearing: shoes or makeup.

27. Your favorite color: Brights like orange and red.



28. When’s the last time you laughed: Today, of course. I admittedly laugh at my own jokes.

29. When’s the last time you cried: Hmm, I guess feeling overwhelmed last week, but only briefly. I don't get down for too long!

30. One place you go over and over: Panera Bread. I go like once a week. I can't help it.



31. One person who emails me regularly: My mom.

32. Favorite store: Target (it has the best of everything I like)



Hope you enjoyed this little factoid list. Post it on your blog and share some things about yourself as well. These are always fun to do!

Until next time Swellions!

Alexa

Not ready quite yet

Tonight, my friend Katie and I went to Panera and then to Powell's Candy Shop in the Sierra Vista Mall. At Powell's, they had a full out holiday display filled with lotsa holiday candies and goodies. Katie was so excited and said she was totally in the holiday spirit. Me, not so much.

See, I really don't get into the holiday spirit till the day after Thanksgiving. I take my holidays one at a time. I guess this goes back to childhood...in fact, most times, we didn't get our tree up till sometimes 10 days before Christmas. This year, I'll prob. get mine up a week after Thanksgiving.

It still alarms me walking into stores and hear the blaring holiday songs and shoppers scurrying about. I don't know, I'm just not feeling it yet. Is this just me? Are you totally ready for the holidays?

Actually, the only thing I have out right now remotely Christmasy is this holiday mug that my old boss gave me last year. I have to take it in baby steps...baby steps I say!



Don't you like how I'm now using this hat as my random go to for a bad hair day?

Until next time Swellions!

Alexa

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it!

I finally got my new Mac and I'm so excited about it and I just can't hide it! I got to play with a few of the features including the Photobooth application and the iMovie application and I made what you see above and below (my 365 photo...yes, I know I look crazed in it). I think my video turned out really cute. I'm excited about it and the possibilities I have with iMovie.



It was a beautiful thing seeing the screen below come up! I had a G4 tower that was 9+ years old. It just wasn't cutting it here lately I'm so grateful to have a brand new machine to work on, blog on, and communicate on. Tonight I Skyped with both my mom and da and Kathy! It was fun and what a great way to stay in touch.



So, hopefully things will be a lot easier for me to do graphically, photographically, and blog-wise. I'm super excited, did I say that yet??

A beautiful fall wedding

This past weekend, I attended the wedding of my friends Katie and Kyle. It was beautiful. Katie is very, very crafty and her little touches were all over. She's a big sucker for details, so entire thing had touches of both her and Kyle's sensibilities. Here's some pics I shot of the day...


The happy couple


The main color was green (as seen in her sister Lauren's dress), but fall leaves and florals abounded.


I loved Katie's hairpiece. Her sis wore a peacock feather one.


They were married under the trees at Fresno's Woodward Park.


They rode to the reception in classic style.


Katie made their adorable wedding topper that looks like them!


Katie also made mini Moo-like cards (from engagement photos I took of them) to go on the favors. She roasted cinnamon pumpkin seeds (she actually dug all of the seeds out of 30 mini pumpkins). She wanted it to have a personal & handmade touch.

They are such a great couple and are destined for a lifetime of happiness!

Until next time Swellions!

Alexa