Make it Work!

So as a designer and avid card/letter writer, I love my desk. I love having a place where I can spread out and have everything in front of me looking at the month seeing what bills I have to pay and what trips are coming up. I like to stay organized. Over the past week I've reorganized and spring cleaned my room. Now while I did not take before and after pictures I did make one big transformation to my room, my work space.

Before the transformation I had a simple corner desk, a little dresser and a plastic thing full of fabric (yes I have an addiction to fabric). And now I have the first two solely for the office and supplies and a new table I am using for sewing. While making this transformation I realized some easy and tips that might be helpful for you in redoing your work space this spring. 

1. Purge your room - Do you use it? No? Trash it, goodwill it, get it out of your space. I had this plastic double letter tray I'd used since middle school and it collected more dust than anything, gone. I found a bunch of old magazines, one of them being a high school musical edition of People, GONE along with that phase of my life. If you haven't used it in 6 months, get rid of it, unless it's something great like a label maker that is always good to have on hand and as a theater tech I could never live without. 

2. Organize, Organize, Organize! - I turned my little dresser that had only been used for clothing with the top drawer for the junk office drawer and now I have the top drawer for all my office supplies, the middle for all my art supplies, and the bottom for my cards and letters. While cleaning, I realized, had I organized like this sooner I would have noticed I had duplicates of a lot of art supplies and watercolor pallets.  

3. Invest in actual organizing tools - I have an letter tray and a little blue bucket on my desk as my only organizers. The little blue bucket holds all my frequently used items from paintbrushes to pencils. The letter tray has my stamps and other things I like to have on hand without opening a drawer. 

My revamped work space. Still need to get all the cords tamed going to the power strip. 

4. A Cork board - Pin up receipts, save the dates, wedding invites, ticket stubs or whatever you need it for. It's great to utilize for things you don't want getting lost in a drawer. I have a couple save the dates, my strips on a string, my steampunk necklace and just things I don't wanna lose on my board. When I'm shopping and designing a show I always have a bunch of receipts pinned to remind me to reconcile them. 

5. Inspiration - This is my biggest thing I need in a work space. When I got my first office last year I went and immediately printed photos of the people who are a huge impact on my life and great memories. It's great when you're stressed and look over and see your family or your best friends and know they're proud of you and the work you're doing. I also have this awesome design board from a film in the 1950's that I got for Christmas and it's just something that makes me happy. 

I hope this gives you some inspiration when cleaning this spring and makes your work space your happy place. A clean and organized desk is a happy desk. 

Until next time, blessings to you all. 

Revamping!

So first things first, I haven't blogged in 20-some days. Whelp here's to help you get up to speed!

First, I went to see my good friends in The Rivals at my alma mater, Liberty University. Then after that I had the first rehearsal for the show I'm currently designing in Richmond. Life is a touch crazy. I've been job hunting, not my most favorite thing in the world but things are looking up!

Most importantly the reason I've been so busy is....

I launched an Etsy Store! 

I have been dreaming of doing this for the longest time! Those of you who know me personally know how much care and attention to detail that I give to every stitch that goes into a garment, but more importantly my bowties! It's been a long time coming and a lot of planning and designing for a small business venture to start. I'm very excited to see where it all leads even if it's just to help me pay for gas, it'll be a success in my heart. 

I've mapped out the next couple of months with the store and am going to be updating here from time to time about the happenings and new lines. I'd love to share with you all about the things I make and do and still keep my "In the kitchen" and "My favorite films" a weekly digest. 

This pic of my first line, to your right and my left, just kidding, I hope you get my humor. It is what I've been so focused on as of late. If you'd like to check out the shop and the Sunday Brunch collection. The link will be at the bottom of this post. 

Anyways, All that aside I really just want to encourage all of you today and let you know you're wonderful. One, for reading my blog and two, for just being you! I know it sounds very cheesy but on a serious note I want to let you know that I am becoming very aware of how hard quality and life long are to keep. You really have to work at them. So be you to the people who love you and appreciate every moment! Life is full of great things, go find them, especially since the weather is getting warmer. 

Well, until next time, blessings to you all. 

My Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TieCarltonDesigns

My first quilt!

So friends,

The few of you that keep up probably noticed I forgot to blog Friday. I'm already bad at keeping up but here's what I did do this weekend...

Finished my first quilt. So basically I have always wanted, and by always I mean since I started sewing in 2010, to make a quilt. So I was on Pinterest and found this awesome tutorial modified it to what I wanted and made the quilt. I got quilt materials in the form of a Christmas gift card in 2012, bought the materials in January 2013, and 14 months later, it is done. Now granted I didn't work on it that whole time. There was a whole period of 2013 where I had no personal projects at all due to my job.

But never the less I finally finished it and here's what it looks like. I'm really happy with it and think it's an amazing beginner quilt if anyone is looking to make their first! The tutorial's link is below. Hope you all had great weekends I know mine was pretty awesome finishing a big project!


Triangle Quilt Tutorial - http://www.happytogethercreates.com/2012/06/how-i-made-triangle-quilt.html

In the Kitchen: Blueberry Muffins

Today started March and with the start of the month comes checking your bills and planning/budgeting the next four weeks of your life and so on. Well today after doing all the responsible adult things on my to do list I was able to relax this afternoon by making a new recipe for me, my mom's: blueberry muffins. She's made ever since I can remember. It's kind of funny how when you make recipes the first time and they're such cherished memories that they really become yours and you own them. Well before I have a flashback segment to the 90's in the house I grew up here's the recipe for these delicious muffins that make a perfect recipe for you repertoire.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 3/4 Cups of All-Purpose Flour
- 2/3 Cup of Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
- 3/4 Teaspoon of Salt
- 6 Tablespoons of Butter
- 1 egg
- 1/2 Cup of Milk
- 1 tsp Lemon Zest
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 Cup of Fresh or Frozen Blueberries



1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease six 3" by 1 1/2" muffin pan cups. In bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

2. With pastry blender or 2 knives used in a scissor fashion (I used a pastry blender), cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs.

3. In a small bowl , beat egg, milk, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until blended.

4. Stir in egg mixture into flour mixture just until flour is moistened (batter will be lumpy). Fold blueberries into the batter. Spoon the batter into the muffin-pan cups. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden and toothpick inserted in center and comes out clean. Remove muffins and serve warm for best results. Muffins will keep for up to a week when wrapped in cellophane and stored in an air tight container. I suggest you reheat this delicious muffin for full enjoyment.

Let me know if you make them! I'd love to hear back from you all. mine are here to the right. I think besides a tea they are a perfect on the go breakfast and like all my recipes best paired with good friends and conversation. Until the next time I'm hanging my apron up, blessings to you all.