DENVER!

Ya hi Thanksgiving! I can't believe I haven't blogged in so long. To say my life has been a bit crazy is an understatement.  First things first ,I finally moved to Denver!!!!! Cody applied for a job on a Monday got hired by Thursday and within 2 weekends boom here we are!  I have wanted to move to Denver for seriously as long as I can remember.... here is a pattern I made in college titled what else "Denver Dreamin."

A big chunk of my time has been to devoted to my new love Moxley.  The BF and I have been talking about getting a dog for a long time but it was always a huge debate when we wanted one. We didn't want to get one and have it end up alone all the time.  Well Cody came across these pictures of these adorable puppies for adoption and for some reason Cody had to go see them. Of course I agreed, I'm a girl I'm not going to turn down seeing puppies! And then I found him! The puppy we had come to see was being adopted by a family and this other little white yetti creature was running around by himself. When I held him I knew I had to have this dog. He also really needed a bath.

 I also have been working on a lot of random side projects. Such as a lot of stuff trying to get my mom's etsy account going pictures, logo, the works! I also finally finished log book 2.0 which will get its very own post dedicated to it. 
Gosh I have to much random ish to talk about! I really want to write a full on critique about how terrible Kristen Stewart is in the twlight movies or about this amazing pie I baked,  but I'll spare you for now... until the Log Book Post... tootles
-Al

Some like it hot!!!

Bordobello was Friday night and it was a blasty blast!! I went with some of my girlfriends for a fun night on the town and was pleasantly surprised to find my board had made it on the high bid wall! Last year mine was by the kids wall.... seriously no joke. I was soooo happy! Who knew something as simple as a sriracha bottle (which I still can't spell) would be such a hit. Thanks to Basic Kneads in Denver for buying my board... Next time I'm in the area I'm tracking down your delicious smelling pizza truck.

Titled "I go good on everything"

One of the guys who purchased my board! Thank you again!

Me by my board ... with bangs... still have mixed feelings about those.

My blog is soon going to get a make over!  Both the guts and the decoration. It might take a month or two but it will get there! After I finish helping Rho Rho (You will know who she is soon enough because of her amaze balls (literally balls) creations!!! I've also been working on a set of new patterns.... SO many things!!
-AL

Oh Hi!

Oh hi long lost blog! For some reason August/September are always the busiest two months out of the year for me. I have no idea why things just get crazy. So with out anymore excuses of why I haven't updated you to my life I will give a "Amanda's Life Update" because I know you all are dying to know.

1) I have been busy re-doing my website and have spent more time on the phone with go-daddy then I have some of my own relatives and friends.  Ugh! I am so thankful those people are patient with me because the convo usually starts out with "So I went to upload a thing on a thing and lost the thing somewhere on another thing can you help?" And somehow they always know what I mean. Thanks Go Daddy. However it is coming along and is live as I work on it which can be a good and bad thing.  It is very much a work in progress right now. Feel free to check it out and give me feed back :) www.amandalesh.com

2) Work has been super SUPER busy!

3) I turned 24! On labor day I celebrated my 24th birthday. For my 24th birthday Cody and my parents got me a whole new office setup! I love it! I have a drawing desk a sweet new chair and a lot more storage space. My office is starting to become inspiring. (See before and after).

4) Finally I have been painting my board for bordobello and that needs a lot of attention and love right now. Pictures will be coming.

That is it for now! Hopefully everybody had a great labor day!!!

Before

After

Screen Printing 101

This weekend I finally had set some aside some free time to try out my new screen printing kit. I received this kit as a gift for being Facebook official with my boyfriend for three yup THREE years. I have spent almost 3 weeks thinking and wondering what am I going to print first, setting up and watching educational videos from a guy who seemed to have a slight stutter, maybe he was nervous, either way it was hard to get through. I digress... so this weekend it was time and boy did I run into some challenges and I learned some valuable screen printing lessons.
1. If you buy a 30 dollar printer/scanner except it to be a complete piece of (insert cuss word here)! I bought it mostly because I needed a scanner and didn't have a lot of extra cash. When I printed my transparency it came out all striped and half of it was missing. My abstract truck became even more abstract. I knew this wouldn't work because too much light  would come through so I hand painted the rest of it.  Another fyi 4 year old paint smells like butt...

Checking for light to come through

Hand painted transparency and butt paint

2. So once I finally got it painted  it was time to burn the screen. The actual burning itself went very well however the cleaning out the emulsion didn't go so hot.  I did this late last night because it was dark and the garage was cool enough  to actually be in. Our hose has great pressure so I thought that this would be perfect to rinse off my screen. I walk to the front of my house and my neighbors are blaring Journey which was awesome yet strange. So I go to rinse off my screen and I'm jamming and singing along and I spray my screen and it makes this loud water on screen noise. And I noticed that my neighbors are sitting outside smoking and watching me. I realize how strange this must have looked  so I decided to take my screen into the shower to wash it out.  Judging by their confusing whispers they think I'm insane. Well who sits outside smokes in the dark and blares Journey?

Burning the screen

My finished abstract truck wife beater

3. After finally getting all of this washed out and getting my neighbors totally confused I was ready to print a shirt. I go to set up the printing press and after some minor fussing with the wrenches, screws and cuss words  I finally got it working! And my first screen printed wife beater shirt was born.

This one shirt took me pretty much all weekend! However now that I know what I'm doing I'm going to start making a lot more projects and I can't wait! So after this long weekend I went to the drugstore and saw a mellow yellow and decided to indulge. Now for those of you not from CO, mello yello is not usually found in the pop section. So this weekend I figured out how to screen print on my own and lost my mello yello virginity which I have to say I've had better....

My First Mello Yello

A

Amazeballs!

So I was browsing through some blogs like I normally do and decided this would bring me out of my blogging slump because these are amazeballs. Seriously I want to buy one!
Sorry I have been absent I really haven't had anything to exciting to blog about recently. I am currently in a creative limbo with my blog there are so many directions to take it yet it remains sad, lonely and blank.  Until next time home skillets.... enjoy!

Day what?

So I totally fell off the wagon on the 30 days of creativity. In my defense I really had no idea I would find a place on Sunday and be moved in a week later... so its been a little crazy. There was so much I needed to do this weekend and I decided to take a break and make something. So I choose these turtle cookies.  I call them "Amanda's Love Turtle Cookies" How is that for creative. Sadly they look better then they taste... they taste like shortbread... a blah shortbread :) Oh well... They still look cute.

A

Day 4,5, and 6!

Ok so I am being lame and combing day 4,5,6 for multiple reasons. So here are my excuses...
1) I try to avoid my computer on the weekends... we spend to much together during the week.
2) I am finally moving out of my parents basement !!! As sad as I am to not have free rent and some good down home cookin I'm super pumped to have my own place again. One misses such freedoms of being able to leave dirty laundry around in peace.
So yes I am being a slight lazy ass and combing all 3 days into one crude little drawing. All this week will probably be this way seeing I forgot how much crap I have collected over the last year that I don't really need. :) Plus I have to do some serious decorating YEA!!!!

Day 3 Chrome?

Ummm.... what? Chrome? When I think of chrome I think of that terrible Montgomery Gentry song and I also think of every ex boyfriend I have adding chrome to their trucks. So I have some awesome inspiration to to work with!  Since its Friday and my brain is already on the weekend I did the most cliche thing with chrome and made a car pattern instead :) Hope everybody has a great weekend!!!!

Happy Friday!

Day 2 Ice Cream....

Day 2 of my 30 days of Creativity is here and the inspiration today is ice cream! At first I made a paper sculpture of a banana split and let me tell you it didn't look like a banana split. Lets just say it looked inappropriate... so that was scrapped. OH and a word of wisdom to those who are involved with the creativity month, let me just warn you, glitter is the herpes of art supplies. Meaning that if you get that stuff on you its not coming off... so be careful. Last night I looked like I just left  a very sparkly strip club.

Anywho back to Ice Cream. I love textures/textiles so I decided to make an ice cream display of different textures around my house. I even created the flavors!  So enjoy... I'm off to try and get some more glitter out of my hair and to track down the ice cream man.

-A

Textile Ice Cream Shop

Day 1! Bikes!

Day 1 of 30 days of creativity is here and bicycles was the inspiration for the day. So I busted out the crayons, markers and some water colors. For some reason I have a ton of crayons. I feel like every birthday and christmas somebody gets me crayons.  I really have no idea why? Random FYI.
 So I did two drawings. The first is my crayon drawing. The second is an illustration on how to assemble a bike. Right now Cody is fixing up my bike so it is literally in pieces. Enjoy day 1! Happy June as well!
A

Crayon Drawing of a bike... looks like my art from fourth grade! Yes

My antique bike is getting a makeover! It needs it... bad!

Instructions for Cody

30 days of Creativity Challenge!

As a designer I am "creative" for a living. People often think that since I am an artist that I can be creative on the spot and produce amazing results always. As much as I'm striving for that it  just isn't true...yet. With my job I have to create solutions as quickly as possible for time and money's sake. As many artist know some days you just don't have it. Your brain is on a mental vacation and forgot to inform you that you are on your own for that day. Then other days anything and everything is inspiring, and there just isn't enough time in the day to get all of your ideas down before they are forgotten. Last week I was having one of "those" days where, to be blunt, I couldn't get my sh*t together. My eyes hurt from staring at my screen, I couldn't come up with anything good, and my allergies were flaring. When I noticed on my twitter a 30 days of creativity challenge. Their logo was sweet so I was intrigued instantly and signed up! And so the purpose of this rant is to announce that my blog is about to get a lot more exciting because June is going to be the month of creativity. What does this mean? Well by definition "30 Days of Creativity is a social initiative encouraging people to create stuff (anything) every day for 30 days in June."


So for the next thirty days (Starting June 1st) I am going to push myself to try new mediums, expand the ones I already know and just have some fun.  I can't think of a better way to start my summer off.


Also be looking out for my pininterst that I'm going to get up and running! 


-A

Have a great Weekend!

Yea for the three day weekend ahead of us. I thought I'd share a little present I made for my bf's mom for Christmas! I might have already posted this but I will again. Enjoy!

Have a great weekend

AL

Olten James

Introducing my first nephew born on April 9, 2011. I was so happy I got to take some pictures of him :)

I miss him already!

A

T-Shirt Love

For those of you know who know me know that I love Johnny Cupcakes. In my boring accounting class I was half ass listening when my teacher started blabbing about some guy who was coming to speak at CSU who started his own company called Johnny Cupcakes and that we all should attend because it would be "fascinating." Ok anything my accounting teacher said was fascinating probably was as interesting as her class ( no offensive accountants math just bores me). Anywho back to my story she had some flyers and saw this logo with a cupcake and cross bones, GENIUS! I was instantly hooked and contacted everybody  at my work to take my shift that night so I could hear this guy talk. Sadly no such luck and I missed him speaking. My Cupcake quest didn't end there though, I did some internet research and became borderline obsessed.  My car is probably the only car around that has a big Cupcake and cross bone sticker on it, except when shanaynay hits up  E-Town

 Anyway this all got started because I was on his site and found this super cute new shirt!  I just wanted to share some Johnny Cupcake love.

Happy Easter!

Hope everybody has a fun, happy Easter Weekend. I've already bought a box of Cadbury eggs for myself to enjoy and am really hoping for a pillow pet in my easter basket. Happy Easter!
-A

50 Reason Not to Date a Graphic Designer

My friend Shanaynay sent this to me and it's hilarious! If you are a graphic designer or know one its amazing how so many of these are true. Enjoy!50 Reasons NOT to Date a Graphic Designer

Fun at the Office

On a quest for a birthday present I found some nifty fun things that would improve the workspace and add some fun, retro to the everyday grind. Thanks ModCloth and Urban Outfitters. SO I promise promise promise some of my newest work is coming soon things have been crazy. Super busy with work , making cake balls ( Made two batches Sunday... there is two left) and I'm an Aunt. Strange... I don't feel that old! 

Love A

AHHHH SORRY

To my Four followers I am sorry I have been a terrible blogger. I have been busier then you know what.  However I re-did my "office" aka my old high school bedroom and I'm posting pics soon... more to come. I promise. Right now I am so busy I am literally addicted to my job. I love it!  Job and Love haven't been in the same sentence since my lifeguarding days. Go me :)
Love
-A

Thanks Bakerella

Last night I got a little bored and decided to shut down the computer and try something new, exciting and tasty. Which lead me to making cake balls. I couldn't believe how incredibly easy these were to make thanks to Bakerella. I stumbled across Bakerella on another blog and saw her cute little cake balls and she made it sound so easy that even I, a known disaster in the kitchen, could make them.  They turned out fantastic!!!!! And she wasn't lying on how easy they were! I have to say I'm pretty proud of my round, sprinklie, creations:)  I warn you though this is a very messy undertaking. My kitchen (aka my mom's kitchen) was a disaster of red velvet cake, chocolate and sprinkles. 

Enjoy

-a

My Long Lost Blog

It has been a long time since  I've blogged. To say I've been busy is an understatement. That is until now. I have narrowed my jobs from two to one. I couldn't have asked for a better job at 23. I love my job! I design T-Shirts which has been a dream of mine since I got into this industry 5 years ago.  For a young designer wanting to be a t-shirt designer is almost cliche, but its something that I've always wanted to do.  Designing apparel brings a whole new life to design. Its not just something you hold and look at it but something that you wear, something you "live your life in" as quoted on The Devil wears Prada. Knowing that my work is being worn is a super exciting feeling.

So out with the old and in with the new and with the new comes better blogging from me. Now that I will have some free time I can try and actually make my blog better. So I have some things lined up some before and after projects, some cooking projects and some random other things that I feel like I need to share. 

So begins Chapter 2 of my Adult life. Chapter 1 is done. I had a great learning experience and am thankful for the opportunity.  So long Scuba Steve... so long

You're welcome for this little Gem

So for those of you who know me I have a weird obsession with cupcakes and mustaches (not together I take that back sometimes they got together) but I love all things cupcakes. Decor and to eat... I came across this posting and I am super inspired! Every body knows what i'll be doing this weekend :) Enjoy!

Not your Grandma's Valentines Day Card

So this year...Cody(boyfriend) and I  are POOR! Super Poor! So poor in fact that I've officially cancelled valentines day, well I postponed it tell May 14th. Regardless I had to make him a little something so I decided a nice card to really say how I feel about him. Thats the beauty of being a designer I can design things my way, the way I want to say them.  I'll give you a little extra meaning behind this card. One of my greatest flaws (depending on who you talk to ) is I cuss like a sailor. Its especially bad when I'm driving. Cody is always telling me "You shouldn't cuss so much you don't sound lady like" My response was "Oh relax its not like I say the eff word in front of your mom" That very night I was conversing with Sandy (Cody's Mom)  about a subject that I'm very passionate about and out the word came and I didn't even skip a beat until I realized what I had said. I apologized, we all laughed and I told her I had a cussing problem. Cody's response was a lame ass "I told you so" response, the worst kind to hear really. So for this Valentines day I knew that making a card like this, Cody would know that it truly is from my heart, and worded like my heart would speak. So enjoy feel free to print it off and share the love...

The inside of the card says "See Front" to really emphasis that I really do "cuss word" love him. Hope everybody has a great Valentine's Day or May 14th for me :) 

I'm sorry about the lack of blogging as well..... that is going to change soon, if that damn show "Cupcake wars" wasn't so addicting.

-a

New Calendar!

I came across this great new calendar! Its more of a reflection of your day as oppose to planning your day! I LOVE it!!!!!!!!! These great calendars can be found here. Thanks Brigada Creativa.

.

Combat boots... oh yes!

I have been on a quest for a while for some good warm boots that are super cute and comfy. When searching I finally found what I had been looking for.... Combat boots!! Love love love them! Here are some fun new ideas for my combat boots :) Thanks Forever 21

Jessica Hische.... You couldn't be more right!

My BFF Shanna McNear Sent me this and I have to say it is a Gem! I love Jessica Hische's work and this is not only hilarious but so true.
Click Here to see!

Snowed in....

I am so ready for 2011 I bought a new moleskin day planner, downloaded the "evernote" app and a little motivation and I'm ready to go! Except I'm snowed in. While bored at my house and watching all the tv I could stand before my A.D.D kicked in I decided  to wander around my house and look for something cool... and by my house I mean my parents cause thats where I'm currently residing, which is another blog post. But anywho my parents a couple years ago decided to go "green" and stop buying paper napkins. I applaud this effort especially because my mom has some sweet ass vintages napkins.  One of them especially caught my eye because there was a signature on it signed "Vera" with a lady bug. Low and behold my mom owns some Vera Neumann napkins.  I can't believe I've been wiping my face with this for at least 5 months and haven't realized that it was Vera Neumann. So thank you snow day for the boredom to take time and look at inspiration literally right in front of my face. Please excuse the picture my other camera's battery's are charging:) I'm sure there are plenty of other hidden treasurers that Rho-Rho has hidden somewhere :)

Cheers to 2011

So this year for Cody and I decided to make adjective resolutions instead of particular things. I, like most people, don't keep my resolutions. So this year I wanted to mix it up and try something new and something that doesn't just improve one aspect of my life but rather an overall improvement. I decided to stick to 3 adjectives that I'm going to aim for.
1) Calm- I am a spaz. Its true I'm self diagnosed with A.D.D. My mind is going a thousand miles a minute and sometimes I just need to relax and take a deep breath. I need to think about whats in front of my sometimes instead of the the next thing. Thats always been a trent in my life I'm always looking ahead and sometimes forget about the present.
2) Caring- When I choose the word caring I was thinking more caring about  slowing down and taking my time and putting the love into things that need love. That goes far beyond just design....
3) Focus- 2011 is my year to focus. Cut the fat off the meat so to speak. This year I really need to focus on whats important and what I really want to do with my life, and hopefully this will also help me not be such a spaz :)

So those are my new resolutions adjectives. Something that I might actually stick too!

I also wanted to share probably one of the best presents that I've ever made. Cody, his sister Staci, and I complied, copied and edited their home videos for their mom for Christmas and it turned out great! I was so excited to give it to her. So here it is, hope you enjoy.

Happy 2011!
A