First of all... HAPPY NEW YEAR!

  In the spirit of new, this post is about trying new things. Take my Sakura Gelly Roll pens-to-planner cover experiment as example number one! I've used their classic white gel pen for years (no, gel pens never went out of style- lol), but recently got pens from the metallic and the souffle lines and was waiting to try them out on something fun. What better place to test them than on a plain and boring 2017 planner cover? Only a few days in and I'm already on the mission of adding color and pazazz to year 2017. As you can see [from the photos in the gallery below], the souffle ink is transparent while it's being applied and has a solid, vibrant 3D pop once dry. I am happy with my doodle results and now love using my cute, new weekly-yearly planner. The only thing I noticed after applying on the plastic surface was scratching of the souffle ink and smearing of the metallic ink. To avoid this, I suggest covering with an archival laminate or adhere some sort of adhesive to protect your newly decorated surface!

  On to example number two! I also tried my hand at sewing apparel (by request) to start off the year. The red, brown, and yellow tank top shown in the slideshow of photos belongs to my mother. It is one of her favorite summer tops, so she wanted me to make her another one... using the bottom fabric of a dress she wasn't as crazy about. "OK, sure..." I agreed, but was terrified by the thought of completely messing it up. I did it anyway, and though I made some errors, they were either very minor or easy to undo and fix. The only way to improve your skills and build cofidence with something like this is to practice and you have to try and start somewhere in order to do that! There are several ways to sew apparel: with a pattern/kit, with a completed piece/mock up as a guide, make your own pattern design from scratch with measurements, or just freely make something on the whim/drape and pin. Easy for me, I was able to use the already made tank top as a guide. This is one of the easier methods and I show photos of my step-by-step process below.

  December 17, 2016 was a day full of ugly holiday sweaterness. See Why Designs and TYPE USA ran a third Canvas Creations at the 4020 Lounge at the Saucy Crab Restaurant in the afternoon (HUGE THANKS to everybody for coming) and by night, I was ready for my friend JaNell's (of J. Cardinal Events) '80s-themed murder mystery party.

​  The invitation to the party was the spark of motivation I needed to create the imagined demo painting for our event, which then turned into the inspiration for my ugly sweater design for the party. See the photos in the slideshow below on how I created this look, suggestions on how to make your own, and some party pictures!