Confessions of a Graphic Design Student

Is it really March?

2012-03-01T06:00:00.045-07:00

I cannot believe another month has already gone by, can you?

I guess I can't complain... March is a good month. It's tax return season (woot!), spring is just around the corner, plus my mom and niece's birthdays are coming up :)

St. Patrick's Day is fun I guess... maybe this will be the year we actually go out and drink green beer... who's comin with me?!

For all those who are new here, on the first of the month I'm always going to have two lovely treats for you... one being a new showcase of pretty sponsors on my sidebar, and two being a new desktop calendar download made by yours truly!

Click here to download JPG image

I made up a couple different options for you this time... let me know which one you like! Both are for widescreen resolutions (hopefully you won't have to warp it too much). Just click on the link in the caption and it should bring you to another tab where you can right click and save it as your desktop image. Enjoy!

What are you looking forward to this month? Do you have any St. Patrick Day traditions? Let's hear it!

P.S. Please tell me you've entered my big group giveaway? If you already have, head on over for daily tweet entries... if you haven't, you best be getting your hot buns over there! Ends Saturday at midnight!

A Delightful Discovery...

2012-02-29T10:00:00.002-07:00

I have to let you all in on one of most recent discoveries in the Etsy world...

My Belle Boutique!

When I first met Kayla from My Belle Boutique, I went to her shop to check out the goods, thinking it would be similar to a lot of other handmade jewelry shops, but I was wrong...

She was uber original, and I was totally tempted... and now here I am sporting one of her sterling silver necklaces! It has a cute little engraved heart and pearl charm attached, see?

So adorbs. And yet so simple! I feel a little bit more connected to my style when I'm wearing it, because it matches not only my clothes but my personality as well.

What's funny is I'm usually a fan of big, chunky, almost costume jewelry looking accessories, and Kayla's got me heading in the other direction.

Her creations are simple and elegant with just enough boldness to still get noticed. In addition to necklaces she also makes earrings, bracelets, and keychains in lots of different style options.

What sets My Belle Boutique apart from other jewelry makers is that most of her items can be personalized! You can add your own style to an existing design with engraved sayings, a variety of darling charms, and even Swarovski birthstone crystals!

Or, if you want something completely original you can request a custom order and she will help you design your own! #genius

These truly are the perfect gift... handmade, pretty, and personal. It's not just another store bought present; you actually get to have a hand in deciding what it will look like!

Mother's Day is coming up and I know my Mom and Mom-In-Law would absolutely love one of these... even my cute little niece would feel so special getting one of these for her 5th birthday next month! (I'm pretty sure I spotted a Hello Kitty charm with her name on it... literally!)

I can tell Kayla is passionate about what she does. It's really inspiring to me to see a stay at home mommy doing what she loves and doing it well!

She has a 100% positive feedback rating and a super quick turnaround. Plus she won't break the bank because her prices are extremely affordable and shipping costs are minimal, even when you ship international.

And just because she rocks, Kayla wanted to offer you guys a little something special...

use CONFESSIONS20 when you checkout,

and receive 20% off your ENTIRE order!

(Thank you Kayla!)

If you can't afford anything right now, do not worry. Instead, become a fan of her Facebook page. This generous lady does loads of giveaways, sales, and contests... it's no wonder she has over 7,000 fans!

I'm so glad I discovered Kayla's shop in the midst of this giant blog world! One day I hope to be at her level of success running my own design business and doing what I love.

I really think that's the secret to life... discovering what it is that you truly love to do, then doing it. Don't you?

Check out My Belle Boutique here:

SHOP | BLOG | FACEBOOK

P.S. You must go check out these charms... my favorites are the keys!

Which ones do you like?

*GIVEAWAY WINNER*
Congratulations to Rachel Marie who won the Aunie Sauce Large Ad Space Giveaway!
Thanks to everyone who participated! Check out other advertising options with Aunie here!

I Heart Weiners

2012-02-28T06:00:00.005-07:00

(I was talking about the dogs... what were you thinking? ;)

I can see myself hoarding dachshunds and one day being featured on TV because of it. I just can't get enough of them... here's why:

image via

I love my little weenies!!

Music Mondays: One Hit Wonders!

2012-02-27T06:00:00.001-07:00

Happy Monday and WELCOME to my new readers! How was everyone's weekend?

This is the FIFTH round of Music Mondays and I hope you're all having as much fun as I am! I personally listen to every playlist that's added and everyone is picking out some great songs... love it!

This week I thought it would be fun to pick out our favorite

ONE HIT WONDERS!

Honestly, I think it might be nice to be a one hit wonder... make some big bucks, mark my name in history, and still be able to live life like a normal person without paparazzi up in my grill all the time. Sounds like a good deal to me!

I narrowed mine down to five this week, even though I could have gone on and on... enjoy!

One Hit Wonders by Kristen Roberts on Grooveshark

"What's Up" by Four Non-Blondes
Me and this song go wayyy back! Me and my old bff would belt this out every time it came on. I still think of her every time I hear it!

"How Bizarre" by OMC
This song is just the best. I remember my dad singing to this song in the car trying to mimic the way they say "Bizzah" ...haha good times.

"Mouth" by Merril Bainbridge
This song reminds me of my sisters and I... I'm not sure what our fascination with it is, but I have to share it every time I'm reminded of its existence.

"Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats
Y-E-S. It's not possible to listen without wanting to bust a move!

"Come on Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners
Such a classic and one of my all time favs... I couldn't believe I found them on the one hit wonder list!

* * * * *

If you'd like to participate be sure to grab this button, display it on your post, then link up and listen to everyone's playlists!

Next week's theme...

I thought it would be interesting to hear 5 picks from your favorite genre! Whether you love rock, country, hip hop or techno, show us what your taste in music is all about! I would also love to hear any suggestions for future topics; please leave yours in the comments! :)

And please note the theme is a guideline only and is not necessary to link up. Feel free to dance to the beat of your own drum!

After you start listening, be sure to go check out these TWO amazing giveaways:

Enter to win a Large Ad Space from Aunie Sauce!

Enter to win $100+ in prizes from my February Sponsor Group Giveaway!

Hope you all have a fabulous start to your week!

February Group Giveaway!! :)

2012-02-26T00:01:00.012-07:00

IT'S TIME FOR A GROUP GIVEAWAY!

Get ready to be so excited you pee on people like my dog Sam...

I have six of my amazing February sponsors giving away over $100 worth of prizes! Scroll down, check out their links, and eye out the goods...

one winner takes all!

(Enter through RAFFLECOPTER after the jump!)

BLOG | SHOP | TWITTER

BLOG | SHOP | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST

BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

BLOG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

BLOG | SHOP | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

BLOG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

...is it wrong of me to want to participate too? :)

GOOD LUCK!!! :D

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FF: A Vintage Inspired Night at The Oscars!

2012-02-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday beautiful people! I cannot believe I made it in one piece after the week we've been through... ay, caramba! You think you want to know more, but I promise, you don't..

I had one of those blogger moments this week where I wasn't sure if I should hit publish. I usually always do despite any nervous feeling beforehand. I had sat down and written a really deep, kinda depressing, super personal poem ready to go for Wednesday's post. It explained exactly how I felt at the time and I wanted to share it, but I decided to save it in draft.

I later shared it with Josh and I'm glad I kept it between us. It served its purpose as a special communication between the two of us. Sometimes you just got to keep things in the personal files, know what I'm sayin'?

Totally off topic, but hey, that's me. Scatter brained and unorganized as usual!

You know what got me out of my funk this week? When AV at {long distance loving} invited me to dress up for Friday's Fancies Oscars night! I got excited when I thought about all the fancy evening gowns I could choose from my imaginary closet, but then I felt totally out of my element since I'm pretty sure the last time I wore a "gown" was senior prom...

I know whenever I decide to dress up I always like to add a classic touch in the hair and makeup department. This time I went looking for a dress with a vintage vibe and flattering silhouette. I ended up finding the most perfect combination designed by the brilliant mind Oscar de la Renta... that genius man!

I'm going to toot my own horn on this one. I likey. A lot.

And I want that freaking gown in my closet even if all I ever do is stare at it!

...think I could catch a few glances from Ryan Gosling wearing this? eh?? ;)

Now I'm curious..

What's your favorite vintage style element?

When's the last time you wore a gown?

And will you be watching the Oscars?

Before you go be sure to enter Aunie's giveaway here.

And while you're at it, why not consider linking up with me for Music Mondays?

Whatever you're up to this weekend, have fun and make it last as long as possible! xo

Get to know AUNIE!

2012-02-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

HERRO friends of Kristen.

I am Annelise. Annelise THE GREAT, that is.

I am the mastermind behind Aunie Sauce.

If you read Confessions of a GDS often,

you will know that Kristen is basically obsessed with me

and my awesomeness.

Um... did I just say that?

YOU BETCHA.

I'm saucy, I'm quirky, and sometimes I'm just downright weird.

I blog about style (or my lack thereof), beauty, my own poems

and all of life's little details.

If you come visit me at Aunie Sauce, you get 2 thumbs up.

If you like Aunie Sauce, I may give you a cookie.

If you want to be my friend, I'll love you to the moon and back.

So see you soon my swanky ladies (and possibly gents).

Kristen asks...
If you could change one thing about this world, what would it be?

Easy question. I would get rid of the fighting and war. I don't mean that the world needs to be all about lemondrops and gumdrops, but I'm just so tired of countries being at each other's necks.

What's your favorite song right now?

At this very moment? Lights by Ellie Goulding.

If there were no consequences for your actions, what is one thing you would do, even if it's illegal?

Well, this definitely isn't illegal. I would choose to eat EVERYTHING I wanted. I'm basically a food addict. Sushi, ice cream, french fries, pizza... GET IN MY BELLY.

You get to trade shoes with anyone for a week; who do you choose?

Hermione Granger. Yep. A fictional character. I would fly on broomsticks, cast spells, and drink plenty of butterbeer.

If there was an "Aunie Sauce" award, how would one earn it?

Well, I always think of awards like competitions. You would have to do one of my super-hard workouts with my personal trainer and I, singing the whole time like I do (yes, I'm a nerd), and then out-do me on a plank. Yep... it's a physical challenge.

If you could have a conversation with the you from 5 years ago, what would you tell her?

Annelise, listen, this may sound crazy, but do not settle. If you want that storybook romance, find it. Make it happen. Believe in yourself, in your values, in what you want, and just do it. In a few years, your life will change. It will be crazy and there will be moments when you don't even realize the person you've become. Walk away from that change. Walk away, keep your shoulders held high. You will rise above it.

I hear you are one of the up and coming style blogs! Where do you get your style inspiration?

Kristen, where are you hearing these silly rumors? But... pretending it's true, I actually get my inspiration from The Rack. No, not Nordstroms. The real-deal clothing rack. Go shopping. Find a statement piece. And then rock it. I try not to base my sense of style on that of others. If I am comfortable in it, I will wear it.

Your eyelashes are pretty amazing... what's your go-to mascara?

Wow, that's an incredible compliment considering they're my biggest insecurity, so thank you. I love Maybelline's The Falsies. If it didn't flake, it would be THE HOLY GRAIL of mascaras.

I see your nails are never naked... what advice do you have for a serial nail biter like myself?

Paint paint paint!!! I am a nail biter too, believe it or not. I started my nail blog about a year and a half ago and I've come so far since then. If my nails are painted and all dolled up, I won't touch them. The second they start chipping, I'm a biting fanatic. So paint them bad boys and keep them looking good, no matter how short!

What's one piece of advice you would give to new bloggers?

I still feel like I'm a new blogger (really, I am), and I think my biggest struggle is trying not to compare myself to big, amazing bloggers. Just be you and write what you want to. Readers will find you in time... but if you're not blogging for you, it's not worth it.

* * * * *

Now that you know all about the lovely Aunie (whom I am most definitely obsessed with) wouldn't you absolutely LOVE to make an appearance on her sidebar? Well, you're in luck, because she was kind enough to give away a Large 200x200 Ad Space for March! YAY!

Ad space includes participation in group giveway, social media shout outs, and a monthly sponsor shout out group feature.

What are you waiting for? Enter using Rafflecopter below (may be after the jump)! Good luck! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Dose of Design

2012-02-21T08:00:00.022-07:00

Hey errbody! I hope your week has had a better start than mine... I won't go into details, but damn. Life can throw some pretty sharp curves and right now I'm holding on to the "oh-shit" bar!

Anyway, I was thinking it's been a while since I've shared some of my design projects. Let's check some out, shall we?

First up is my concert poster design done in Photoshop:

I had a lot of fun with this assignment! I'm really loving that sunburst effect and playing with all the different blending modes. I'm working on a series of retro-inspired photo illustration album covers next. It's gonna be sah-weeeet!

Oh and remember my Vintage Color Splash Photoshop Tutorial?

This was the final look complete with Anne Taintor inspired text:

(thanks to Sarah from Life on Walnut Street for the phrase idea!)

Oh, and here's a little Flash assignment... it's a quiz about me!

Click through and see how much you really know...

How'd you do?

I must confess, Flash is not my favorite... I've threatened to hurt it several times. I'll be glad when I never have to mess with it again.

Also, I must address an interesting little tidbit about my Advanced Flash class... it's currently, um, non existent. Yeah. My instructor just bailed and stopped showing up to class. Soooo, I basically have to take the class over next term. Oh goody :)

I was excited because we were going to put together an interactive resume. I built my layout in Photoshop (see below). So cute right? Maybe one of these days I'll have enough instruction to get it working...

That's all I got right now, ladies and gents. Feel free to critique in the comments!

Music Mondays: Tribute Songs

2012-02-20T08:00:00.003-07:00

Morning, friends! Are you having a "case of the Mundays?" Make it memorable with today's Music Monday tribute theme...

I've had artists of the past on my mind as we said goodbye to some amazing musical talent this last year. When I did my research for this playlist, I was shocked at how young some died and wondered what they would have produced if only they lived longer. Although it's tragic, we can always remember them by keeping their music alive and paying tribute.

I chose some of my personal favorites from the talents of Patsy Cline, Jim Croce, Michael Jackson, Amy Winehouse, Etta James, and Whitney Houston.

Tribute Playlist by Kristen Roberts on Grooveshark

I'm really looking forward to seeing which artists you chose this week! Be sure to link up below, listen to each other's playlists, and spread the word by displaying this button in your post:

Next week's theme? ONE HIT WONDERS! Maybe the band broke up and they work in retail now, but that's no reason not to celebrate their 15 minutes of fame! Go do some Googling and have fun with this one!

As always- never feel pressured to use the theme. Post as few or as many songs as you'd like- the point is to discover and be inspired by the music :)

Turn up your speakers, press play, and have a lovely start to your week!

Fly away with me!

2012-02-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

image via

Whoa, what a week! I can't believe it's Friday already... before I get to the flying, allow me to recap this week's adventures...

I officially started my new job on Monday... phew! I'm starting to get the hang of it even though some parts are hazy. What I really don't understand is how some of you can blog full time, work full time, take care of babies, and cook healthy homemade meals, all while cleaning, thrifting, crafting, looking fabulous, and still managing to have a sex and/or social life. What exactly is the secret here... insomnia? Someone clue me in.

School is going swell. My Advanced Photoshop and Web Animation courses are finishing up next week so I've got a whoooole lot of projects to tackle over the weekend.... which means I will soon have some fun design projects to share next week! Can you believe I'll have my degree in July? :)

On Wednesday I got Josh's Valentine's gift in the mail... my start up kit with Bare Minerals (along with a plush teddy and chocolates... hehe)!!! He knows I've been wanting some good quality foundation for so long. I have yet to try it out- I'm so excited! Does anyone else use it? Lurve or loathe?

Thursday I tried out no-heat curls... maybe you've heard? You can check out the video tutorial here. I got amazing results! Literally- I was amazed. I wasn't sure it would work with my thick, untrimmed-for-4-months mane, but it did! You know me though, I had to poof it a bit...

Today is Friday which means it's obvi Friday's Fancies, but it's also Josh's night off- yay! Can't wait to have a whole evening with him to myself. Then, it's chore city until this house stops looking like someone robbed us.

What I really truly need is a vacation... somewhere far away where I can eat loads of pasta, drink pitchers of wine, and sip on enough espresso to sight see for a thousand miles. Where the cities breathe art... where living for pleasure is encouraged... where the Tuscan sun awaits... I want to go to Italy... come fly away with me?

image created with polyvore

When AV at {long distance loving} assigned some travel inspiration last week, sure, Hawaii came to mind a couple times, but in my heart I know if I ever had the chance the first destination I would pick is Italy.

It's always been a dream of mine to visit the land connected to my heritage. I played off their flag colors while imagining myself strolling down cobblestone roads in comfy casual attire. When I get there I'm going to order a croissant and espresso at that exact bistro table!

Where would you go if you could fly away?

P.S. Don't forget to link up your playlist for Music Mondays! Happy Weekend! :)

Large Sponsor Lovelies

2012-02-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Good morning my dears! Is it the weekend yet? No?

Well then you're in luck, because while you're trying to act busy at work you can occupy yourself with some fresh new blogs! My large sponsors this month are all so amazing, innovative, and creative people... go stalk a bit and make some new friends!

BLOG | SHOP | FACEBOOK

Hi! I am Gina from Contemplating Beauty, and I'm a bit new to the blog world. I have a lifestyle blog that I write about faith, family and anything else that might be in my head from week to week, you will also find my dog Nells on my blog a lot too! When I'm not blogging you can find me journaling, organizing my teenage daughter's hectic schedule, pigging out on Neapolitan style pizza and drinking latte's!

Question from Kristen: "What goals do you have for 2012?"

My daughter is going to be a Senior in the Fall, and I am fully aware of the expense for all that comes with that, so I'd like to get organized and start planning ahead for that. I would also like to re-design my blog! And I want to start cooking one night a week for homeless teens.

BLOG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST

Hello! I am Amy from the Charming. I blog about life & love; love of the world & all of its charm. I'm a Georgia peach with big dreams, one too many mugs for a tea or coffee fix, & a Nikon camera with several lenses "just in case" (though it's also my weekend job). Hop on over for fashion, art, recipes, wellness tips, and just my little ole spin on life!

Question from Kristen: "What do you do when you procrastinate?"

It really depends on what I am avoiding doing. If I'm avoiding studying (within a reasonable time frame before the exam), I will clean. If I am avoiding doing a school assignment, I will read blogs or surf the Internet. But, no worries! I am always ahead of schedule anyways & I never procrastinate on work (photo jobs).

BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

This Mama's Coop was started while I was pregnant as a way to document and share with family and friends my progress and how I was feeling. It turned out to be a lot of fun and now I continue to share my story with my newborn baby Cameron.

Question from Kristen: "Where is your happy place?"

Any place with animals. I work with dogs and although at times it can be a challenge, overall my days are pretty great. Also, I love being in an art studio. I used to go to school for art and would love to go back to those days; I had a lot of fun!

BLOG | SHOP | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST

Hey yall! I'm Skye, but over on my little slice of the internet I am known as Rindercella. My blog is a place where I chronicle my journey of daily life as a full-time 9-5er with dreams of working from home one day. I love all things handmade, panda bears, sticky and Jesus is my homeboy. I'd love to meet you - come on over and say hi!

Question from Kristen: "Do you love or loathe Valentine's Day?"

I don’t loathe Valentine’s day but my husband and I don’t celebrate it. we try to find a way to celebrate our love every day in little things – he does the dishes for me before I get home and I fold his underwear. I know – aren’t we just so romantic?

BLOG | SHOP | TWITTER | PINTEREST | TUMBLR

Hi, I'm Jen and I blog over at Living the Creative Life! I also have a shop full of handmade knit hats and accessories. I'm fairly quiet and introverted in real life, but enjoy blogging very much! Photography, writing, and graphic design are merging interests of mine that transform themselves into what you see on my blog!

Question from Kristen: "What advice would you give to new bloggers?"
Be yourself. Don't try to make your blog be something that doesn't feel authentic to you; it will only end up burning you out. Also, do yourself a favor and spruce up your blog template a little! That's the single easiest way to make a new reader feel welcome and help them get to know you.

Waking up from a dream

2012-02-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

image via

You know those dreams you desperately try to hold onto in the morning as they drift from your mind? And when you realize no matter how much you try to bring it back, it's gone... and you'll be lucky if it's reoccurring? That's kinda how I've been feeling lately.

Because I started my new job this week.

Don't get me wrong; I feel good about it. It's a decent job. It keeps me nice and busy. And it will bring in good money. But at the same time, I kinda miss being a full-time blogger... aka, being unemployed... aka, living for pleasure, not profit.

image via

I miss waking up with relaxation and contentment... no alarm clock demanding me to move. I miss strolling to the kitchen and making some coffee, only to have it get cold sitting on my end table while I spent hours feeding off my natural creative energy.

For the first time in a long time, I wasn't worried about what I looked like during business hours. I got to wear whatever I wanted, never worried about my hair or makeup, and barely had to keep up with laundry because I just kept recycling the same sweatpants and t-shirts. Sounds gross but I was comfortable... I was happy... I had a taste of my dream job.

I didn't like, however, being on unemployment. Having the government dictate how many jobs to apply for each week and telling me to accept any "good opportunity on paper" that got thrown my way... well, it kind of upset me.

I guess for me, I'm not always worrying about what's going to pay out the biggest buck or have the sweetest benefits... I'm more concerned about seeing if it's a good fit, picking up on the vibes I get from the manager, sensing comfort in the office atmosphere... and most of all, the happiness factor. Is this the kind of job I will be excited to go to in the morning?

I know- it's a job- it's reality- you gotta hustle and get that paper- but... when you think about it, you are spending a pretty big chunk of your life working, sometimes day and night and during holidays. I just don't see how people can go about life wasting that precious amount of time doing something that doesn't truly fulfill them... even if they benefit from the money... what price did they have to pay?

I'm rambling, I know. I guess I've just been feeling melancholy... disappointed... and being dramatic as usual.

But, all disappointment aside, it's really not all that bad. I really am grateful to have the opportunity, and I know it's just going to take some getting used to. I'm sure my attitude will improve over the next couple weeks.

Besides, now I have work humor to look forward to! Whenever I have a crappy day I'll always have this video to help me laugh off my work woes...

(Warning: blunt, cynical, and possibly offensive material awaits after hitting play- enjoy :)

Favorite line... "They came for the cake... they care about the cake."

Does anyone else feel this way about their job?

Like it's not their final destination, just a temporary pit stop along the way?

How do you keep your dreams alive while the 9-5 routine seems to be eating up all your time?

Celebrating with Sweetness

2012-02-14T08:00:00.010-07:00

Happy Valentine's my lovely, lovey, lovers!

Josh had to work last night, and also tonight, hence the reason why we celebrated over the weekend. He mentioned something abou a package on its way... so I'm still waiting in suspense!

I thought I'd be sugary sweet this year:

icing cookies is A LOT harder than it looks!

Awwww...

Yes, I channeled Betty Crocker and made those for Joshy.

....I would be lying if I said I didn't make them for me too :D

I also cooked up some amazing sweet Italian sausage and peppers over penne pasta ~~and definitely didn't almost burn the house down.~~ It was quite delicious paired with our favorite wine. Recipe can be found here.

Anyway, I'm keeping it short and sweet today. I hope you had or are having a happy Valentines... and if I don't say it enough,

I heart you guys... truly♥

P.S. If your craving some sappy love songs today, go tune in to the latest Music Mondays post and feel the love!

Music Monday: Love Songs!

2012-02-13T06:00:00.003-07:00

image via

Alright, I have to start off this post with an apology...

It was wrong of me to limit you to five songs. I found myself thinking up all of my favorites, had them lined up in a queue, and after hours of deliberation... I couldn't do it. There were certain songs that I just couldn't let go!

So I cheated... I decided to do 14 songs to celebrate February 14th. Feel free to add to your list, and I sincerely apologize for putting you through such tough decisions!

And now without further ado, I present to you my
14 Favorite Love Songs:

Favorite Love Songs by Kristen Roberts on Grooveshark

I feel the need to explain a little bit behind each song...

1. "La Vie En Rose" by Louie Armstrong
Is there anything more romantic than this old time classic?

2. "First Day of My Life" by Bright Eyes
I just love the sweet lyrics, like a letter to his soulmate, confessing his love vulnerably and with an open heart. The video is the best part... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwFS69nA-1w

3. "Crazy" by Aerosmith
I remember hearing this belt your heart out song while seeing Alicia Silverstone and Liv Tyler in the video. It's one of those classics that reminds me of being young, flirting with boys and acting crazy with my girlfriends!

4. "Make You Feel My Love" by Adele
Adele is quickly becoming one of the greats, so I had to pay my respect to her amazing rendition of this classic love song.

5. "You & Me" by Dave Matthews Band
When I hear this song I think of me and Josh getting married so young and taking on the world, knowing that with each other we can do anything.

6. "Hazy" by Rosi Golan feat. William Fitzsimmons
Every couple has their ups and downs. During one of our downs, this song brought us closer together and reminded us that without each other our world goes hazy.

7. "Whole Wide World" by Wreckless Eric
After having Josh review my choices, he reminded me not to forget about this song off one of our favorite movie soundtracks, "Stranger Than Fiction."

8. "Head Over Feet" by Alanis Morisette
Her voice, guitar, and harmonic sounds come together to bring me back to that familiar, innocent, middle school love.

9. "Don't Worry Baby" by The Beach Boys
I had a wide range of favorite genres by 6th grade. When everyone else was obsessing over The Backstreet Boys, I picked up CD's from The Righteous Brothers and The Beach Boys. It's also from that sappy scene at the end of Never Been Kissed... I always cry as soon as I hear the opening drums.

10. "Wild Horses" by The Sundays
I love The Rolling Stones, but I like this cover rendition better. Something about her voice belting "Wild, wild, horses couldn't drag me away," brings such passionate and beautiful imagery to mind.

11. "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin" by Journey
I just HAD to include Journey! It's one of me and Josh's favorite bands. Our first song was, "Faithfully" but since we've heard it so many times, I had to choose this other favorite... the beat makes me want to start putting those verbs into action! hehe

12. "I Would Walk 500 Miles" by The Proclaimers
Ooo I love this one... and it's important you sing along in their accent. It's not your typical love song, but if anyone's going to walk that far for love they deserve a spot on my list.

13. "Somebody to Love" by Queen
If you don't like Queen, I don't like you. This has got to be one of their best... I can't help but sing along with a dramatic performance as Queen would want me to.

14. "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney
No last name needed. One of the best voices to ever grace our listening ears.... rest in peace.

* * * * *

I'm SO looking forward to seeing what you all came up with this week! Be sure to link up below, listen to other participant's playlists, and spread the word by displaying this button in your post:

Next week's theme?

With the news of some of Hollywood's recent deaths (Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse and Etta James to name a few), I thought it would be nice to do a tribute playlist. Put together 5 of your favorite songs from an artist or multiple artists that are no longer with us. This is a big door to open; Google to find some inspiration and feature the ones you really connected with.

Side Note: Never feel bad to do more or less than five songs; even post a single YouTube video if you'd like. Don't let the week's theme deter you from participating; this link up is all about YOU and your personal music inspiration. Have fun with it!

FF + A Valentines Day Rant :)

2012-02-10T08:00:00.028-07:00

I suppose most of you will be celebrating Valentines this weekend, eh? What does one wear out on V-day? I don't own any pink or red... (I know- am I even female?) so I'm a little lost. I found this super cute dress though and had some fun with the accessories, you like?

(I just had to post the lingerie... sorry, Dad).

I'm actually not a huge fan of Valentine's...

(CAUTION: Rant Ahead)

I get what it's going for and everything, but a day dedicated to show your "love" for someone? I dunno. Seems to me you should be showing love every day of the year, that should be what counts... but no, oh no...

Let's invent a day to put pressure on everyone and see how much money they will spend on useless crap like teddy bears and nasty heart candies just because it's expected (seriously with the teddy bears? What the fugg am i supposed to do with that?).

Maybe I'm scarred for life after working at a floral shop taking orders over the phone during Valentines season (yet another job I used to work!). It was pure chaos!

"What do you MEAN you're OUT of long stem ROSES!!!!!"

"Well sir, maybe you shouldn't have waited until the day of... jus' sayin."

My opinion- it shouldn't matter how long stem the roses are, what brand of chocolates you bought, or how shiny the jewelry is... it should be about what's inside, what's real. THAT is what's important at the end of the day. Not some cheap imitation of what someone thought symbolized love. Screw their symbols- what's YOUR symbol? (am I going too deep here?)

Truth is, I really am a sappy lovebird at heart...

I believe in morning cuddle sessions and breakfast in bed.

I believe in just because kisses and unlimited "I love you's" throughout the day.

I believe in doing something just to see them smile.

I believe in long "I'm home, I missed you" embraces.

I believe in real, can't live without you, always and forever love.

Nothing makes me more happy than Josh taking the time to think of me and do something special. He does this all the time, so I guess I don't really care that it's Valentine's Day, it's just another night I get to spend with my hunny and remember how much we love each other.

What does Valentine's mean to you?

Medium Sponsor Spotlight!

2012-02-09T08:00:00.002-07:00

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A look at my ridiculous resume...

2012-02-08T08:00:00.006-07:00

So, I've been on the job hunt lately... sending resumes, going to interviews, and just trying to figure out where I would be a good fit. It's an interesting transitional phase, that's for sure. Possibilities and opportunities seem endless right now. I can't help but wonder where this next job will take me...

I've got a few offers on the table and I'm weighing my options, but this is when my weakness kicks in: INDECISIVENESS! I'm starting on my list of pros and cons and hopefully will make the right decision for me.

blazer & top: charlotte rousse | earrings: forever 21 | pants: ross | heels: justfab.com

Before I considered myself a career woman I dabbled in all sorts of industries. If you're a close friend of mine, you've probably heard me say, "I used to work there!" at least a handful of times. What can I say, I've got some experience! ;)

So I thought it would be fun to look back on some of my most fun and dreadful jobs from the past!

Let's review my ridiculous resume, shall we?

BABYSITTER

image via

Pros: Great hours- paid in cash- really loved being best friends with the kids!

Cons: I was tired all the time from attending early morning seminary, so I was probably boring and lazy.

Memorable Moment: I remember one time I got caught taking a nap... they woke me up when they got home at 5:00 PM. Oops. She never asked me back after that :/

RIDE ATTENDENT AT THEME PARK

image via

Pros: My best friend worked with me. We would sometimes ride the roller coasters after the park closed!

Cons: Worst. Uniform. EVER. I'll never forget... I had to wear a baggy hunter green polo tucked into waist-high knee-length shorts, plus wear a fugly visor... *shivers*. It was ridiculously hot all the time and I had to clean up puke once... ew.

Memorable Moment: I remember realizing I let 3 people in a 2 person ride once... nothing happened, but I was always afraid of something going wrong and being responsible for it. After one season I was pretty much over it.

CASHIER AT QUIZNO'S

image via

Pros: Yessss. The QUIZ! Good times. A lot of my high school friends worked with me here. I enjoyed it until I had to leave for college.

Cons: The owner was a little psychotic and I still had to wear a visor. I would come home smelling like gross old sandwiches. I even had to stand out on a busy road and hold up a "Mmmm... Toasty!" sign. *smh*

Memorable Moment: One time we served chicken noodle soup that had gone bad. The mom called yelling at me that their family was vomiting because of our mistake. Ooooops! Sowie :/

Random Side Gig...

image via

Dressing up as Baby Bop for a little girl's birthday party... true story.

When I moved out to Utah I had a nice little streak bouncing in and out of short term jobs over a year's time...

image via

First at a Call Center soliciting the locals about gym memberships...

I moved on to Famous Footwear where I ended up walking out without notice...

Then I started at Hollywood Video checking out people's movie rentals...

Two months later I moved on to Jenny Craig where I was stocking food in the back dressed in a $300 suit.

I TOLD YOU IT WAS RIDICULOUS!

I finally found solid work after that, but it's still been a rough road as I've grown to understand the ins and outs of company politics and climbing the corporate ladder. I've always just followed my heart and trusted it will lead me to where I need to be.

image via

Where did you get your first job?

Any memorable moments?

LET'S HEAR IT!

Photoshop Tutorial: "Make It Vintage!"

2012-02-07T08:00:00.001-07:00

How are you guys liking this Tutorial Tuesday trend I got goin' on? I hope you've been enjoying learning something new every week :)

Today I thought I would go over the tricks behind making your photos look VINTAGE!

This is such an on-trend look; fashionistas, photographers, and designers are all paying homage to the way things used to be. Something about the vintage style is familiar, authentic, and real... which is why I wanted to let you in on the secret!

So how do you get the look? Well, it's not just a simple filter somewhere... it's actually a little complicated, but if you do it a few times to different photos you're going to be a vintage photo pro!

You ready Freddy?

Click "Read More" to start the tutorial!

1. Open up the photo you would like to use. I'm using one I stole off my Mom's Facebook page... (thanks Momma!)

2. Duplicate the layer (always do this first so you aren't making permanent changes to your original!)

3. Then go to: Image>Adjustments>Desaturate... all color be gone!

4. Next, go to Filter>Blur>Surface Blur (Radius can be around 15 and Threshold 3... you can change this up if you'd like). This is just blending out some of those finer details while keeping the image clear.

5. Now we want to introduce that pretty sepia tone... go to Image>Adjustments>Photo Filter>Warming Filter (81), then adjust the density anywhere between 30-45%.

6. Now we're going to adjust the levels a bit... go to Image>Adjustments>Levels. Move the outer buttons in a little bit on each side until you are satisfied with the preview. Then hit OK.

7. This next step will pump up the brightness/contrast in a balanced way... go to Image>Adjustments>Curves. Click and drag each side of the line so it makes a slight S shape out of that line until you are satisfied with the preview. Hit OK.

8. Use the Elliptical Marquee tool to draw a circle/oval over center of image. While the ants are marching, go into Select>Modify>Feather and set to around 80px.

9. Now we want to go to Select>Inverse and blur the edges by going to Filter>Blur>Lens Blur. Follow the settings below, or feel free to use your own.

10. Now to really up the old factor, go into Filter>Noise>Add Noise. Use settings below if you'd like:

11. Duplicate the layer you've been working on, then go to Filter>Texture>Grain. Follow the settings you see below, or adjust to your own liking.

12. It's a little much, eh? So choose the "Overlay" blending mode and reduce to 50% opacity. Better?

13. Scratch that. Literally. We're adding texture people, and you're going to need a scratchy looking image to use. Click the following link to download the same image I did or search for "scratched metal" to find a different one.

Scratched Metal Texture

14. Make a new layer and place the scratched metal texture. Resize to cover your entire image. Choose "Soft Light" blending mode and reduce to 80% opacity. Looking good right?

15. Merge all layers (except background). You may need to crop to size if your texture image extended over the edges of your canvas.

16. Old vintage photos have those rounded corners which I've come to love. Let's get out our Shape tool and choose the Rounded Rectangle (you can adjust the radius at the top to compliment the size of your image). Draw the rounded rectangle over your image making sure it's lined up to the edges. Don't worry if it has a fill color.

17. Click and drag your shape layer directly below your merged layer. Right click on the merged layer and click "Create Clipping Mask". Your photo should now have rounded corners!

18. There's one last step which has 2 options for you to decide. On shape layer, right click and go into your blending options. Check and go into the "Inner Glow" settings. You can either have a ghosted glow or a vignette. It's up to you- I think both look cool.

For the ghosted glow: Choose an off white color. Use the "Screen" blending mode, 75%-100% opacity, size 250, range 80.

Here's one I did with the ghosted glow:

For the vignette: Choose black as your color. Use the "Multiply" blending mode, 50%-75% opacity, size 250, range 80.

I used the vignette in my final image:

Annnnd you're DONE! Just save your image and have fun showing it off :)

What are you going to do with your new skills? Same thing I did...

Start going vintage CRAY-CRAY!!!

Music Mondays: Birth Year Beats!

2012-02-06T00:00:00.001-07:00

Good morning sunshines!

It's Monday again, and that means another Music Monday link up! I was surprised to have as many entries as I did last week, so thank you SO much to those of you who participated. I listened to every playlist that was posted and got introduced to some of your favorite bands... it was fun to hear what everyone's tastes were while I got caught up on my blog reading. I hope this continues to be a link up you can have fun with and look forward to :)

So onto this week's theme...

Top 5 favorites from your birth year!

Oh, the 80's... what a decade!

I don't know about you guys, but I had a blast listening to all my choices from the list of chart toppers! I had a hard time but I narrowed it down to five... get ready for a totally awesome dose of musical radness circa 1987 :P

Enjoy!!

Favorites from 1987 by Kristen Roberts on Grooveshark

If you want to link up I just ask you do the following:

1. Add your post URL to the linky below

2. Add this button somewhere in your post
3. Visit the other links and make some new friends!

I'm DYING to see what you guys came up with this week!
Next week...You guessed it! We're gonna get all romantic in honor of Valentine's Day, so be prepared to link up 5 of your all time favorite LOVE songs!
Please know the weekly theme is only for inspiration- feel free to let the music inspire your own theme!

Oh and before you go I have a very important service announcement!
I'm being featured on Tricia aka Mama Marchand's blog today! I'm giving away some Large Ad Space for March- so go enter if you want to see your pretty ad on my sidebar next month! :)

Vlogging Q&A: Where the babies at?!

2012-02-04T11:47:00.000-07:00

Happy Weekend! :)

It's the first day I got to sleep in all week! I hate seeing the clock read anything before 9:30 AM. Which, to go with the theme of this post, is one of the many perks I'm not yet willing to give up to start a family.

I thought I would share another vlog today, just for "kicks & giggles" as Emma would say (love that hehe). I thought I would continue with a Q&A type theme- so if you'd like to see me vlog more just leave a comment with your curious question and I'll address it in the next one.

Before you watch just an FYI, when I uploaded the video to YouTube the audio got delayed and now it's all jacked up, and I have no idea how to fix it, so... yeah. Sorry bout that!

(can you believe this was the best thumbnail shot they had? dear lordy...)

I'm curious... what are your thoughts on couples waiting to have kids?

Friday's Fancies + FREE February Calendar!

2012-02-03T08:00:00.006-07:00

Hey friends! Can you believe it's already the weekend? It flew by so fast for me!

Speaking of flying by, I have a Valentine's gift for you all...

It's another FREE desktop calendar download!

(apologies for being 3 days late...)

As I'm continually learning more about design, I find myself getting sick of my old designs pretty quick. I would have posted the February calendar I already made last year with all the typography and such, but frankly, I thought it was kinda ugly :/

So, I decided to do a whole different design... I hope you like! (just click on the caption link, it will bring you to a new tab where you can right click and save). Feel free to pin it and share with your friends :)

1280x800

Click here to download

1024x768

Click here to download

Now that you all have a new fab calendar, let me share my spring-spiration!

This week Alison from {long distance loving} wanted to spread the spring fever! I know it's still winter and the groundhog saw his shadow, which apparently means 6 more weeks of winter, but I'm pretty sure these crazy apocalyptic weather patterns aren't going to listen to some insignificant rodent named Punxsutawney...

I live in Utah, and we are having the mildest winter I've ever experienced, while places like Arizona got pummeled! What's going on dudes?! (I'm going to go ahead and state that I believe the Mayans are on to something. Only time will tell... dun dun dun....)

Anyway, enough end of the world talk. Let's get back to more important things... like spring fashion!

I didn't go as crazy as I could with all of the spring color inspiration out there. Using blush, canary, lavender, or chartreuse came to mind, but I found myself more inspired by that pretty sky blue, floral accents, and some warm pieces for the cool transition.

Spring is probably one of my most favorite seasons. The first day I smell it in the air I get this overwhelming feeling of happiness; birds are chirping, sun is shining, grass is growing, flowers are sprouting... everything comes back to life! What's not to love about that?

What's your favorite part about spring?

Get Crafty with Emma! {a guest tutorial}

2012-02-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Oh ma gosh guys- I'm so excited to introduce to you this lovely chick right here:

Emma from Smile Me Pretty!

Haven't you heard? She's pretty awesome- especially with her insane photography, art and design skills. She is a fellow graphic design student, getting ready to study abroad, and has a strange fear of pickles. I'm especially drawn to her collage work... and you're about to find out why!

* * * * *

Once upon a time, I decided to make a box pretty.

ohhh awwww

wanna know how I did it? Great cause I'm going to show you anyways

I've become a mod podge machine.

so this is what materials I used:

box, scissors, old credit card thingy, mod podge

I got a new set of scriptures (for those of you who are mormon/know mormons you know that means it was a thick set). Well it comes in a box and it was ugly and thats why it's upside down in this picture...baha.

I just had to fix it.

Does that mean I have a prejudice against ugly things? ~~probably~~. yes, definitely.

I read somewhere that sanding down your surface helps the mod podge
stick better, I don't think it was completely necessary here... but I
did sand down the cover of my my laptop case when I mod podged it, and it worked well so I figured better safe than sorry.

so then I traced the paper I wanted on each side, leaving enough extra space on the sides to be able to fold it over,

I put some handy dandy magical mod podge on both the box and the paper,

to keep the top smooth, use that old credit card to flatten down the bubbles

rinse and repeat

I added some excitement to the sides for kicks and giggles. and some other random things I thought would be cool on the box.

okay after I was satisfied with what I put on the box, I covered it in a few more coats of mod podge.

and Voila! all done!

You like?

* * * * *

Well, I'm not going to act like I'm not impressed!

(I told you she was amazing!)

Craving more pretty crafts?
Go show Emma your bloggy love!
BLOG | FACEBOOK

Outfit Post: Date Night!

2012-02-01T08:00:00.001-07:00

I'm really not trying to be a fashion/style blog, but I do have a sweet spot for dressing up; especially when the hubby decides to take me out for date night :)

cardigan, tank, jeggings, earrings: forever 21 | boots: target | necklace: lia sophia

Last weekend Josh took me out to Chili's. It was a half hour wait. We decided to sit and play the waiting game next to this couple that had already been twiddling their thumbs for what seemed like a while.

Then, ten minutes later our thinga-ma-jig was lighting up signaling that our table was ready. I was a little surprised, and so was the impatient couple sitting next to us, who quickly became pissed that we were called before them. I didn't blame her...

I asked Josh how we got seated so fast? He said he had his ways... (he asked the hostess to see what she could do about the wait time; I swear he has magic charm powers!).

We enjoyed some amazing chips and guacamole dip, I got the honey chipotle chicken crispers, and he got the classic bacon burger. To top it off? A take home dessert to share at home :)

QUOTE OF THE EVENING

(after commenting on a lady's choice to wear ridiculously tight clothes)

Kristen: "Am I a judgmental bitch?"

Josh: "Ya, but it's OK cuz I love ya."

#truelove

P.S. My new favorite drink?

Their Platinum Presidente Margarita, complete with a shaker full of 2 extra refills. Ah... heaven.

P.P.S. I'm growing my hair out because I want Zooey Deschanel's luscious locks. As you can see, I can finally put it in a ponytail! Well... more like a nubbytail. Progress, right?!

A little lesson in Typography...

2012-01-31T08:00:00.009-07:00

I have a confession to make... I'm a Typoholic.

In other words... I LOVE TYPOGRAPHY!

It's historic, complex, detail oriented, and a perfectionist's dream.

One thing I notice right away is a designer's attention to type. It's not the fonts so much that bother me; it's the careless eye that overlooks some of the most common, easily fixable issues that arise while dealing with type.

A basic understanding of the "No-No's" is all you need to steer clear of committing a Typography fail... so I thought today I would teach a quick lesson on the Character palette in Photoshop, show you some bad examples, and fix them with my favorite character tools :)

Here we go!

You may now be asking, "WHAT THE CRAP DO THESE TERMS MEAN?"

Read on, my fellow typography lovers... read on.

KEARNING

"the space between each individual letter; typically adjusted in headings"

BEFORE... too much spacing after the capitals and in between words:

AFTER... decreasing the kearning fixes odd spaces and increases the visual flow:

TRACKING

"the spacing between letters in a general section of type; adjusted for readability/spacing issues"

BEFORE... too close together, hard on the eyes for reading big sections of text:

AFTER... more white space for easy readability:

LEADING

"the vertical space between each line of text; adjusted for readability/spacing issues"

BEFORE... space between lines too close together- hard to read:

AFTER... lines are evenly spaced out- easy to read:

BASELINE SHIFT

"lets you adjust where your letter's baseline will sit; either higher or lower"

BEFORE... capitals' baselines are sitting lower than the rest of the letters:

AFTER... capitals' baselines have been shifted to match the others:

* * * * *

A couple other rules I like to follow...

1. Never stretch your text vertical or horizontal- yuck! I hate when I see this. It's obvious and totally ruins the typeface. Increase the font size or adjust the tracking to solve spacing issues. If you are warping it too much it's probably time to choose a different font.

2. Stop centering everything! I can sometimes fall into this pattern when I'm writing blog posts and I have to stop myself. Centering seems nice at first- but it ends up making your post look messy with all those hanging sentences lingering into the next line and the jagged edges of the paragraph shape. Left justify- it's better that way.

2. Choose a basic font for your page text. Page text is not the time to play with those fun fonts- leave those for headings. Keep it simple and your readers will thank you!

Am I missing anything?

"...Bueller?"

Music Mondays (new link up!)

2012-01-30T08:00:00.004-07:00

Good morning my lovelies, and a HUGE welcome to my new readers this last month!

I'm so stoked because I have so much in store for you this week...

One of my recent ideas was to start my own linky party. If you've been reading for a while you know I love my music... especially when I'm on an all night design binge or I just need to turn my brain into a bust-it-out machine. Music has that effect where I can just let go, focus, and get creative... you too huh? :)

Mondays are those heinous 24 hours when we typically have an assload of tasks to accomplish, so I figured, why not do "Music Monday"- a place where we can all link up our favorite playlists and hop around to see what everyone else is listening to?

Now, I'm sure there may be other linky parties with this same idea (I'm sorry if I've stolen it) but I'm just doing it for fun on my own blog; I hope you join me!

So here's how it's gonna work... every week I'll post a playlist of 5 different songs coinciding with the week's theme. I'll give you a heads up what the next week's theme will be each week. The theme is only for inspiration- you are welcome to post whatever songs you wish! I've found the best way to share your playlist is with Grooveshark (click the link on my widget below).

So I've decided this week's theme to be:

"Your top 5 favorite songs from a single artist or band"

Personally, I've been obsessing over AWOLNATION lately- they have this creepy/hot sound and I'm in love with the singer's voice! So... you ready? Listen up!

AWOLNATION playlist by Kristen Roberts on Grooveshark

*NEXT WEEK'S THEME: 5 favorite songs from your birth year!*

If you'd like to participate:

1. Add your post URL to the linky below

2. Add this button somewhere in your post por favor
3. Visit the other links and make some new friends!

Thanks guys- hope you have a very musical Monday!