pattern freebie!

As you know, I've been taking a bazillion Skillshare classes. I took a couple of courses on pattern design and got a lot of great tips and tricks to use in Illustrator. I made a pattern and it's funky and abstract, which I am super into right now, and of course features some of my favorite colors.

This pattern is a little wonky but I think it adds a little fun to the abstract-ness of it. I always get nervous about posting and sharing the things I make, but I'll never get better if I don't put myself out there. Plus, everyone has to start somewhere. So, I'm starting!

I'm offering this pattern as a free download! (links below) It's just a pattern tile, meaning you can pick this photo for your desktop and choose 'tile' under the drop down menu in your contol panelr. As the photo download alone it's not large enough to cover most backgrounds, so you will have make it tile manually under your settings. If anyone would like this in a particular dimension, for say a phone or tablet, I can certainly throw some more options up here.

pink // mint 

YAY!
〰 mariah

 **\\ UPDATE \\**

I made a couple of wallpapers for your desktop or mobile device. Somehow I lost/didn't save the mint correctly so I don't have that in these dimensions but you're welcome to download the original up above and make one yourself!

have fun!

desktop // 1920 x 1200
mobile // 320 x 480

yes please // shoes

 

Beautiful, simple, neutral, streamlined shoes, YES PLEASE! There are several things I will spend frivolously on with absolutely no remorse: food, crafty supplies, and shoes. I especially love shoes like the ones pictured above,  super minimalistic and gorgeous specimens- understated and amazing. Just how I like 'em.

I'm obsessed with all of the shoes in this post, but the pair in top right corner have my heart. I've been lusting after them for almost three years now. But at almost $300 I've made it my mission to find a much cheaper alternative. So far, I've found a pair at f21 that look somewhat similar but they're not slip ons like I want. I have faith that I'll find them soon though because I've been seeing these shoes pop far more often around the web. So people are catching on, they'll be mine in no time!

Here in New England, the winter has left us covered in a lovely sparkling snow blanket. And as much as I love cold weather, I can't help but fantasize about wearing cute little flats without fear of losing my ankles to frostbite.

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vector girl

I DIGITIZED MY LETTERING FOR THE FIRST TIME! I apologize for the CAPS, but it's just that exciting to me! I've been taking all of the Skillshare classes and watching all of the YouTube videos on Illustrator, Photoshop, and even after effects. I just really love learning new software and expanding my knowledge and really the internet is so limitless, the entire world is at your fingertips! 

Anyway, I digress... kinda- LETTERING! I used a quote that I got from a sermon I was watching online and decided that I would sketch it out and give digitizing a try. A billion iterations later I had my design and I was finally able to scan it in and get to work. Illustrator wasn't too bad but it was definitely made easier by Molly Suber Thrope's Skillshare Class. Within a couple of hours I had this little piece. NOW- it's not perfect by any means, and as I look at it now I can find a zillion things I would change if I were to do it over again. But I guess that's the beauty of starting new at something. You do really awful work and as you progress you get better and hopefully are able to look back on your earlier work and have a good laugh.

I highly recommend you check out Molly's class and all of the other amazing classes on Skillshare. You can learn anything from photography, to interior design, to pickling! I have a premium membership but you can sign up for a free trial just to check it out. Have at it!

-m.

as of late no. 001

// first row //
sipping on delicious hot apple cider while watching illustrator tutorials on youtube, sooooo many paper crafting goodies i hope to use for project life, and some details from a work outfit.

\\ second row \\
full work outfit without my coat and scarf, my beautiful kitties actually sitting next to each other -- it was a true miracle, and some supplies for a diy paper ladder i plan on making very soon and sharing on here!

follow me on instagram if you want to keep up with my antics!

have a lovely day!
m.

tell me it's not just me.

is it just me, or is the internet totally completely and extremely overwhelming at times. it's a curse and a blessing, like so many things in life, but tonight it's really getting to me. i mean, on one hand i can search and find ANYTHING. i find countless blogs, and people that i find interesting and lovely. and tons of things i want to buy and do. while on the other hand running into all of these people and things can turn into one big depressive manhunt on yourself. like, my intentions of looking for that mug i saw on instagram quickly turned into a full fledged self hate session.

maybe i'm just overly sensitive. well, i know i am. either way, i can't be alone in my thinking.

tell me it's not just me.

handmade halloween - the extra late version

Hey hey there. Halloween has come and gone and I actually missed it this year because I was in the hospital for my surgery, but I still want to share the snail mail cards I made and sent out to my dear friends.

I was up super late crafting up these cards like a crazy woman. I've never made cards or sent any stationery out in the mail for friends or family - how wild is that?! But I had so much fun, I'm looking forward for every single upcoming holiday. All OF THE BEAUTIFUL CARD POSSIBILITIES!!I used washi tape to make the festive backgrounds and I stamped the creepy images and cute them out and attached them to dimensional adhesive so the card wasn't too flat.

I included hand warmers and cute tiny little bat erasers in a larger mailer. I'm so oblivious to stamps and how much it should cost to send mail out, I'm more than positive that $13 was way too much to send out two cards with a couple hand warmers and erasers stuffed inside.. Oh well it was totally worth it. I really like the the black circle stickers I added to the back of the envelopes with white gel pen.

I had the grand idea of giving handmade gifts to everyone this year which I think is a marvelous, exciting, and fun thing to do, except for the fact that I've done NADA. I really need to get a move on so I won't end up ripping all of my hair out haha.

Until next time!

new craft supplies!

I'm a craft supply hoarder, I fully and happily admit that. In fact, my favorite part of starting a new hobby is searching for and purchasing new supplies. I've always loved office supplies, stationery, notepads, journals, art supplies, etc. I could go on forever. So, needless to say, I picked up a few thangsssss. After a recent doctors appointment in the city, I took the opportunity to visit my favorite craft and stationery stores-- first Essex Corner in Chinatown then Artist & Craftsman and Blick Art Materials in Cambridge. I also got a couple of things from Target and A.C. Moore on another random shopping day.
My first stop was at Essex Corner, this was actually my first time in this adorable shop and it quickly became a favorite. Ever since one of my favorite Asian stationery stores closed I've been on the lookout for a new one. I don't think Boston will ever have another store as fully stocked as my old place but Essex Corner will do for now. I found a really cute chopstick rest (the blue and white floral ceramic thing) to use as a rest for my calligraphy pens. It's so dainty and completely my style and was only around $2! The first three pens on the left side of the photo were also purchased there. The first is a Miffy multi-pen. I've been researching and lusting after a specific multi pen called the Pilot Hi-Tec C Coleto pens, but I came across this cutie in the store and thought it will hold me over until I get a Coleto. It has 4 different ink colors in orange, black, blue, and green- all sized at 0.5mm. Next to the multi pen is actually a 0.5mm Miffy pencil. I think Miffy is so cute and I only write with 0.5mm pencils so I snatched it up. The last pen from Essex Corner is the little Seaman Clothes guy. He moves and wiggles while you're writing and every time I see "seaman clothes" on the length of the barrel I can't help but laugh. Dirty mind, I know.
Next, I went over to Artist & Craftsman, my absolute FAVORITE art supply store in the city. Their prices are the best around in my opinion and they have a wide variety of products. I picked up four Tombow markers that I intend on using for highlighting. I was lusting after the Zebra Mildliner Double-Sided Highlighter because they come in these amazing muted pastel-like colors, which I adore. So, I found some simliar colors in the Tombows, and BOOM- highlighter problem solved. Keeping with markers- I bought my first Copic marker in YR09 'Chinese Orange' there. I've wanted one for ages but there are so many colors I didn't know where to start. So, I swatched a bunch of colors and picked the one that stuck out to me, I thought I would get the most use out of a beautiful, vibrant orange. I really don't know though, I surprise myself with the things I end up using. I also picked up that super cute cat washi tape, they got me at the checkout, I couldn't pass up kitty cat washi tape!! I mean, C'MON!
That teeny tiny paint brush is from Michael's and it's a Princeton Round Petite 20/0. I plan on using it to practice brush script. I also got the rest of the washi tape in the photo, they came in a three pack for around $4 I believe. At Target I walked in and made a beeline to the dollar section, aka my home away from home. I'm obsessed with the dollar stationery and basically all of the other gadgets in that section. I found those gel pens in a pack for a buck! They work alright so far, I haven't used them extensively, but I'm pretty impressed.

nyx butter glosses + lipstick = love

I can't say I have always been the most daring with my lip colors, but I have always appreciated a good statement lip. I discovered a couple of new favorite lip combinations - SPECIFICALLY with my treasured NYX butter glosses. Oh boy are they wonderful. They're so wearable and incredibly NOT sticky. Not to mention how great the color payoff is on my already very pigmented lips. I paired my favorite butter glosses with some of my lipsticks that happened to fall to the wayside because I thought they weren't wearable, but that was of course before I did my late night experimenting. I threw those magical glosses on top - et voila! Now I have some new go to combos!

1 // Kiss Me Coral by Revlon + Cherry Cheesecake by NYX: This combo is by far my favorite of the three. I love orange lips and I think they’re the most flattering on my complexion. This particular Revlon lipstick is a creme formula and it’s part of their super lustrous line so it’s super creamy, just how I like ‘em. I have extremely dry lips, so I almost always go for creamy/moisturizing formulas as opposed to matte/dry formulas - but don’t get me wrong, I love a nice beautiful matte lip every now and then. I just have to prepare my lips like there’s no tomorrow!

This orangey lipstick on it’s own is pretty, but to me it wasn’t vibrant enough and it was just missing that little extra something something if you know what I mean. I put Cherry Cheesecake on top and suddenly it all came together! Something about the butter glosses just makes a lip look a bit more cohesive and solid. I’m planning on pairing this new find with really glowy cheeks and eyes for the fall, can’t wait!

2 // Break Away by Bare Escentuals + Sugar Cookie by NYX: Unlike the first lipstick, this neutral pinky color by Bare Escentuals is gorgeous on it’s own! I remember when I first put this on in the store and I was immediately sold because I had finally found an everyday lipstick that I thought was wearable for me. BUT with Sugar Cookie gloss on top - BAH BAM, in love! It just gives it that extra subtle boost that it needs. My dry lips are ever so thankful for this combo, we’ve got a winner for the winter months here!

3 // Rebel by MAC Cosmetics + Raspberry Tart by NYX: Last but not least this dark, plummy, beauty. Something that I’m not used to wearing, but I’m trying to dip outside of my comfort-zone. Rebel on it’s own is a little iffy on me. I found it to be patchy and it fell into the creases of my lips and I can’t stand that (but who can?)! I was determined to make it work because I had already envisioned myself wearing it with a very clean makeup look, neutral eyes and cheeks, lots of mascara and that gorgeous vampy lip while strutting through tree-lined streets in the fall. Once I got Raspberry Tart on there it was like magic! It smoothed out those creepy patches and gave it a little bit of shine which in turn made my lips look that much more moisturized. Now, that’s what I’m talking about, my autumn makeup dreams are coming true!

What lip combos are you loving right now? Do you have any lip glosses that magically make any lip work for you? Leave a comment below, I'm always looking for new products to drool over and I'll never pass up a conversation about makeup!

-m

summer sadness... more like summer, see yah!

i hate summer. yes i said it, i hate summer. i've never liked it, i'm sure many think i'm crazy but i do have my reasons.

for one, i have no idea how to dress when it's hot out. i think shorts are awkward and i'm not a huge fan of sandals. i'd much rather throw on a scarf, jeans, a sweater and i'm good to go! another thing i dislike about summer is the fact that i can't love on my candles like i do during the cooler months. don't get me wrong, i still find a way to spend ridiculous amounts at bath and body works and yankee candle, but there's just something about lighting a candle in the middle of summer that is so stuffy and repulsive and it makes me really sad. but i have to say, the hands down, worst part of summer is sweating. i can't even go on about it because it makes me cringe!!

moving away from all of my negativity, let us talk about the magnificent days ahead of us -- AUTUMN. oh boy, i get so giddy thinking about it. autumn is my absolute favorite time of year. i wish i could live in a world that was autumn all year long, how wonderful would that be?! many people get that summer sadness the coolness rolls in and they have to put away their flip flops (barfff!) and take out their parkas (yay!). but i feel quite the opposite of those depressed folks, i feel rejuvenated and optimistic, like this is my chance for a new start. so in the spirit of all things beautiful and chilly i thought i'd post some things on my autumn wish list!



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