Inspiration & Where I've Been

So April, you have defeated me.

I was really going to be on the ball this month with blogging but I've been so busy. So here's a synopsis of what life is like.

I opened and closed my first Richmond show! I could not have asked for a better company to work for! I seriously cannot wait to work for the producer again. Here's a picture of the production and yes it was experimental theater.

Picture courtesy of K Dance, Inc.

It was extremely fun to do something new and create something a little more avant garde to one of my favorite Shel Silverstein poems. Something I learned from the process is that designing for dance, well modern dance, the costumes are more emotional and evoking than realistic or symbolic. When I was asked to make dancing garbage bags I thought, "What?" The last thing I designed were dresses for private clients, this isn't my element but then I realized, hey idiot take a chance and do something fun for once in your life. So I did.

Now why am I telling you this story, you ask. To inspire you to think outside of the four walls of your training in whatever you do. It's not just applicable for the arts, it's applicable for everything. You sit here and think, "That's not really my area" while you should be thinking, "hey I'll give it a try!" I just want to encourage you to be the best you can be! Do something unconventional!

Anyways, this post is not meant to be a brag post, it's meant to inspire you.

Inspiration comes in all forms from the way a tree blossoms to an abandoned building. Inspiration is all around us.

I hope to keep up better in May!

Snail Mail!

When I was in the third grade we had this assignment to pick out a couple from a book of missionaries and use their address to begin a pen pal. It would teach us to write and to correspond but most of all learn about other cultures. I think mine was in Japan or China but I honestly can't remember which. I do remember every time I opened the mailbox and saw that long envelope with the airmail stamp and blue, white, and red boarder I got so excited and couldn't wait to read what the my friends had written me. We talked about what I was learning and how I would always have adventures at the public library. Side note, I still love the library and wish I lived closer to my favorite one downtown because it's just a place that I feel home.

Some Pixar and Harry Potter Stamps to make that mailbox
delivery extra special.

I get overjoyed every time I open the mailbox and there is a card for me. So yes my birthday week is my favorite week with the trickling of letters coming in to wish me happy birthday and the handwritten notes and memories. Nowadays I find myself as the writer to friends, not as a pen pal but just as something special to do.

I was a wardrobe manager for the majority of the time in college and really loved writing letters to my cast and fellow crew members for opening night because let me tell you that there is something absolutely magical about opening a show on a Friday night after a long tech week and hearing the audience come to a hush as lights went down and the music began. Well that's another post for another time. The whole thing is I still write those friends every opening and just encourage them and let them know how much I can't wait to come see their show.

The stack of letters to take with me to see opening night of
Mary Poppins on April 11th!

I spent last evening writing notes to my friends for April 11th. I always love the canvas that is a blank card. The fact that you can just create happiness with paper and ink. I'm excited this time around because instead of waiting around on the mail and a secret deliverer friend, I am actually attending an opening night. So I'll get to drop them off and make sure I get them there in time. It's also super amazing of my friends to deliver them for me in lieu of my absence on opening nights. I love delivering letters at stations but I even love stamps and mailing even more.

It is becoming difficult to mail everyone in my life but, SOLUTION: I just send out a massive message on facebook from time to time and get a complied list of addresses. From time to time I'll just look at the list and write someone. I like to try and be creative with my letters and design. I think I'm addicted to stamps. You can buy fun ones online if your Post Office like mine only has the boring forever stamps. Well this post seems a little scatter brained but basically I'm just encouraging you to drop a letter instead of sending a facebook message from time to time. It's just so satisfying. Do it!

Until next time, blessings to you all.

Happy April Fools Day!

A quote on fools

-

"I hope she’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool."

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald 

Just a goofy shot of me and Randi before a wedding. I'm no good at pranks.
Photo by: Analogy Photography  

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.