Crafty Cooler

I made this cooler for my boyfriend for a formal-never thought I would be able to do something like this! Most people spend hours and hours painting...but I thought it would be cool to do a collage of pictures on the top.  (My creative mind at work!)

Making this cooler still took a lot of time, but I found myself actually enjoying cutting out pictures and gluing them onto the cooler itself.  After I was finished with the outside, I got a bunch of goodies to put inside! 

Creativity is...

Just found this quote that I loved on Pinterest.  It definitely embodies all of the characteristics about creativity that my professor taught our class this semester.  Make sure to follow- You never know when it'll come in handy! GO FOR IT! 

For me, I will continue to take risks and have fun...and maybe break some rules along the way!

Workout/Study FLOW!

After learning about "flow" in class on Friday, I became more aware of when I was actually in this state.  Who knew that I could find this flow when I was working out and studying at the same time- I was untouchable! 

Action Shot!

Fro Yo Sunday!

Cake Batter + Rainbow Sprinkles= A Happy Sunday!

Happy Oatmeal

Night Vision

Just took this photo and thought it turned out pretty cool....who would've thought taking a picture of a stone vase could look so awesome?

Wave on Wave

Just thought I would share a picture of a piece I did last year in my Studio Art class.  In this piece, I used charcoal and made a bunch of copies and enlargements using a copying machine. I chose to assemble the different copies into a wave and a sun.  Enjoy!

Doodle Day: "Pray More. Worry Less."

Creativity and MY Life

Creativity will always be a part of my life.  Ever since I was young, I have loved to paint, take pictures and draw.  It simply took my Creativity class to spark my creativity again.  I am definitely more aware of the creativity that I am surrounded by, especially in Meadows (a building several of my classes are in).  Though outwardly I may not appear extremely creative or "artsy," I am going to try to allow my "inner artsy" to come out! Especially since I hope to be in the fashion world someday, I know that the creative skills I learned in my Creativity class will come in handy. 

I found this quote on Pinterest and I thought it was the perfect quote to end this post about creativity and fashion...true isn't it?

Ashley Anderson Memorial Fashion Show

Well...I finally completed my final project for my Creativity class! For my "Tombstone" I decided to make a memorial fashion show.  At this show, guests will receive a "Look Book" full of sketches and designs that I drew in my lifetime.  The show would feature local designers and the money would be given to a Christian charity.  In addition, the garments that I made in my lifetime have a bible verse written on the tags.

Here are a few photos of the look book that will be given to every guest at the annual show!

ENJOY! 

K. Jacques-Only The Best!

Looking for that perfect sandal to wear out and about with your friends?  Well, K. Jacques are the sandals for you.  These simple and classic shoes are a must have for your spring wardrobe.

 Pair these chic (and comfortable!) sandals with white jean shorts and a flowy blouse and you are ready for anything. 

Though these sandals are not cheap, the quality and chic look are too incredible to pass up.  And a bonus?  These sandals are handmade in St. Tropez, France… a place many of us have fantasized about visiting. 

So splurge a little…you never know the next time you’ll be jet setting off to France.  

Favorite Boutique: Original Octane!

The rising temperatures in Dallas have left everyone on a frantic search for spring clothing.  First stop?  Original Octane.  

Original Octane, an upbeat and fashion-forward boutique that offers clothing for both men and women, opened in 2011.  Its quaint and homey atmosphere provides the perfect setting to shop till you drop.

The store’s Knox-Henderson location is known for its local jewelry, furniture and sunglasses.  Features designers include Amanda Uprichard, Rory Beca, Equipment and Current Elliott—all of my favorites!

A 1960s vintage sewing machine is used for everyday alterations in store…not something you’ll find in many boutiques nowadays.

So the next time you’re walking on the Katy Trail and you need a short break, walk over to Original Octane- you won’t be disappointed!

 

Exit Through the Gift Shop

What an interesting and thought-provoking documentary.  This film really opened my eyes to the art world.  Prior to seeing this, I did not know much about street art and graffiti.  That definitely changed once I saw this.

I really enjoyed hearing Banksy and what he thought about Thierry...a character that many of us (in the creativity class) did not really like at the end of the film.  I personally believe that Thierry used many people in order to receive fame.  First, he used all of the street artists that he began filming.  He used some of their ideas, and he was a little misleading to the first street artists because his intentions at that point were merely to film what they were doing.  I was also shocked when Thierry decided that he wanted to start doing his own street art...it was not something I thought he would do.

The most important question this film asked was "What is Art?" something we also discussed in class.

What is art to you?

"Assistance"- An SMU Play

Just saw the play, "Assistance" at SMU- very fun!  The scenery was awesome, and I really enjoyed all of the characters.  This play is about working in New York...something that I had considered (prior to this play)!  All of the characters work in one office.  The boss is never seen, but only heard when he calls the office- which is often!

This is kind of how I pictured in my head of the office to look like in reality....but on a much larger scale!

This play was really eye opening for me because it made me realize what I want in my life and what I don't want.  I want to have an awesome job where I can be around designers and clothes (a few of my passions).  I don't want to dread work.. I want to be able to enjoy it!

What do you want to do with your life after college?!

Unusual Image

Just thought I'd share my attendance drawing that I did.  The assignment was to draw your hand and then make something out of it!

What do you think it looks like?

Italian Ready...Part 2

As you already know, I attended an Italian cooking class on Friday.  The class was titled, "Date Night: Romance in Italy." So of course my sister and I brought along our boyfriends.  I loved creating and coming up with adaptations to the recipes they gave us... it made the night way more fun. 

We started off the evening making pecorino peppercorn biscotti-so delicious.  

Next, we started on the prosciutto-wrapped chicken breast, which had a lemon sage cream sauce.  

We then cooked broccoli that was sauteed in wine and garlic. 

And last but not least.. dessert:  Honey ricotta cheesecakes...so light and fluffy! 

My Mission Statement

I want to share my passion for fashion with the world 

while being

 a loving and devoted servant of God! 

From Dallas to Designer: Levi Palmer

Levi Palmer is a very well-known designer throughout the fashion world.  Palmer visited with a few students on Tuesday, and I was one of the lucky students who go to hear him speak!  Jan Strimple also spoke about her past in modeling and current career as a fashion event host.  I absolutely loved hearing from these two people because I hope one day to have accomplished what they have.  

Levi Palmer (left) and Jan Strimple (right) 

Levi Palmer and his partner Matthew Harding came up with a way to change something from ordinary to extraordinary: the Tshirt.  The two created their own brand called palmer//harding. 

The designs are simple yet chic....just the look every fashionista wants to try! 

Time For..... A Eulogy

Just thought this might be interesting to share! It is a piece of my final creativity project, which ultimately is to design a tombstone.  I found it really hard to write a eulogy about myself (from another's perspective) because I had to imagine all of the things I will (or hopefully will) accomplish in my life.  However, I finally did end up writing a eulogy from my sister's perspective.  Here it is!

Coco Chanel once stated, “I don't do fashion, I AM fashion.”  Simply hearing these words brings my sister back to life.  I can picture Ashley perfectly, back when she was in college, talking about her Chanel boots or Vince sweater like they were the most important things she owned.  And to her, they were.  These items of clothing were not just pieces of fabric; these garments were priceless pieces that inspired and brought passion to Ashley’s life, and ultimately led to her passionate career in the fashion world.  Her long-lasting career in fashion, where she worked with the many fashion designers she admired throughout her teens and twenties, inspired her.

Family- not fashion- was able to steal the limelight from fashion.  Ashley’s children, my nieces and nephews, would always get the biggest smiles on their faces just at the mention of their mother’s name.  I will never forget the time I baby-sat the kids and they were went into Ashley’s closet and tried on all of her favorite clothes because they wanted to be just like her.  “When I grow up, I want to be just like mommy,” she said.  I laughed to myself when I heard her say that- because I could tell that her daughter had the same passion for fashion as Ashley did.

            Though my sister valued and loved fashion with all of her heart, she valued even more her relationship with her friends and family- and of course, God.  She always put her family and her relationship with God before anything in the world.  Though she loved fashion and everything the fashion world had in store for her, she always knew the real importance of life and the fleeting things the world tempt us all with.  Ashley lived day by day with the knowledge that today might be the last day on this earth; however, it did not phase her one bit.  She kept on loving, living and dressing like it was the last day to dress.

            Ashley Kay Anderson- my best friend and sister- will forever be remembered as the queen of fashion and servant of God.  I love you Ashley.

 

Coco Chanel 

Italian Ready!

I've been up all morning searching "Yummy Italian Food" food on Pinterest, and wondering just what delicious food I will be cooking tonight at the cooking class I signed up for!  This will be my second cooking class, and I am eager to learn more about cooking...something that definitely does not come naturally to me!  

I'm hoping we will make some kind of pasta, garlic bread or even chicken at the class tonight.  

Guess we will have to wait and see- Ciao! 

Wine and Dine!

Well... Here it is! A common object in an uncommon way.  Who could ever imagine this situation actually happening? I certainly can't.  Wine might be held in an ice chiller, but definitely not in a blender where the glass can break!  I thought this scenario was very interesting and thought provoking- and I actually did try to imagine a scenario in which it could happen.  First, a blender might be used to hold the ice to chill the wine?  Someone might have jokingly put the wine bottle in a blender as a prank to a friend? Who knows! Whatever the scenario, it is a rare one!

The Good Life!

I absolutely love this quote- it is so true!  It makes me really appreciate all that I have in my life and also to take chances in life... BE CREATIVE! Creativity is definitely a way to dream big- so get started!

L'incredibile Esplosione Moda (The Amazing Fashion Explosion)

What a day! Well.. I just finished creating my creative hat- what a process! The hardest part for me was coming up with the idea of what I wanted my hat to look like.  I knew that I wanted it to do something with fashion, but wasn't sure how to actually execute it!  After searching on Pinterest for hours, I finally came up with the idea to use cut up magazine pages as a base for my hat.  I think it turned out pretty awesome-what do you think?! 

I chose to title my hat "L'incredibile Esplosione Moda," which is "The Amazing Fashion Explosion" in Italian, because it looks just like a volcano.  The feathers that are bursting out of the top look just like lava, so I thought the name fit perfect! 

Create your own creative hat- you will be surprised how creative you can really get!

Interrogation Time!

Glenn Cole of 72andSunny isn't shy when it comes to dealing with his creative process.

Cole focuses on "challenging assumptions and asking the right questions"- something that meshes well with my personality.  I constantly ask questions.  I always challenge.  I always (sometimes) am right--or so I tell myself! The way Cole described his creative process really interested me and made me think of creativity in a completely new way.  It finally seems like creativity is something that I can combine with my everyday life.  I can ask questions, I can challenge problems, and I certainly can ask questions.

The creative director also said, "I question the brief, I question my own solution, I question our presentation, I question schedules...I question all of it."

My main takeaway from Glenn Cole's statement: QUESTION EVERYTHING! So, from now on, I am going to take in everything I hear and question it.  Who knows what will come out of it?

Ladybug Galore

Since it is now officially spring....the Ladybug's are out to play!

STYLE

Adorable Trends For 2013

Lucky Ladybugs!

This little creature somehow managed to land on me this afternoon- I feel so lucky now! 

Thought this poem was fitting for my day:


Little ladybug on my arm

you wear a heart as part of your charm

You joined me on this sunny day

just for a moment then you flew away.

~Author Unknown

(Credit:http://www.quotegarden.com/ladybugs.html) 

Mouth-Watering Monkey Bread

Can't stop thinking about the monkey bread that my mom and aunt always make...wish I could have a slice of this delicious breakfast treat right now!

Scarves, Scarves, Scarves

One of my absolute favorite staples for spring is the classic look of a scarf.  Patterned scarves can dress up any plain shirt and complete the outfit, while solid colored scarves simply add to an already fabulous outfit.  Designers from DVF to Emilio Pucci have designed incredible pieces-don't be afraid to wear a bold scarf!

Emilio Pucci Scarf

DVF Patterned Scarf

Orange Scarf

Which is your favorite?

Rachel Zoe- She's Bananas!

I absolutely love Rachel Zoe! Just found out that the next season of The Rachel Zoe Project starts March 6th-can't wait!

A Brunch Favorite: Popovers!

Just saw this easy cooking tutorial for popovers- my absolute favorite! I definitely want to try this new recipe soon... it seems so simple and easy. 

Now get cookin'! 

The Monogram Frenzy

Monograms have always been popular-but maybe not as popular as they are today.  It seems that everyone has at least one item that is monogrammed with their initials...and why not? It is adorable! Here are a few of my favorites that I found on Pinterest!

My mom got me this plastic monogram that I now have on my desk- I absolutely love it!

Photograph by Ashley Anderson