SWEATshirt DRESSshirt

I Moved!

2015-10-23T23:17:00.001-07:00

As many of you know, I recently started on a new endeavor: The Fancy Cat Studio! Please visit me at www.thefancycatstudio.com. See you there!

Fall Workshops at Fresh Tangerine!

2015-09-05T09:49:00.003-07:00

I've teamed up with Fresh Tangerine once again to bring you two calligraphy workshops in October! There will be two nights; the first is dedicated to learning beginner skills, and simply getting a taste of calligraphy. The following night will be for learning intermediate skills.

For more information, and to register, visit Fresh Tangerine's website here. Hope to see you all at a future class!

Calligraphy 101 Workshop Recap

2015-03-29T16:34:00.002-07:00

I recently had the opportunity to teach a calligraphy 101 workshop at the Fresh Tangerine showroom in beautiful Pioneer Square. Check out these pictures to get a glimpse of what the day looked like!

For more information about workshops, visit http://thefancycatstudio.weebly.com/

La Vie En Rose

2015-03-01T20:25:00.001-08:00

"Life through rose-colored glasses."

DIY Greeting Cards

2015-02-22T19:33:00.000-08:00

Here are some cards I recently made for a friend's silent auction + trivia night. If you're interested in attending, it'll be held at BalMar Cocktail Lounge in Seattle on March 5th at 7PM. $10 will get you in the door, and all proceeds benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!

Calligraphy Class with Fresh Tangerine

2015-02-22T19:30:00.001-08:00

If you missed my last calligraphy workshop with Seattle Bloggers Unite, I'll be teaching again at the beautiful Fresh Tangerine showroom on March 14th. Click here for details, and to reserve your spot. I hope to see you all there!

I've been MIA!

2015-02-22T17:21:00.003-08:00

Hi Everyone!

As you can tell, I've been MIA on this blog, and that's an understatement. With work, and side projects, it's been difficult to find time to make good posts. I'm not trying to make excuses, though! The good news is, I'm working my way towards posting on here again. In the mean time, if you're interested in seeing what I've been up to, follow me on Instagram at @sweatshirtdressshirt. I'd love to chat with you on there!

Thanks for sticking with me,
Crystal

Seattle Area Calligraphy Class

2014-12-21T21:24:00.000-08:00

Interested in learning calligraphy? Come join me at the next Seattle Bloggers Unite meetup, where I'll be teaching the basics of this skill! There will also be snacks from Luna Bar, and tons of networking. If you're in the Seattle area, I'd love to see you there!

Meetup will take place at Revel Creative in Kirkland, WA on January 29th, 2014, from 9:30-11:30AM. Find more details, and reserve your ticket here.

Thanks to Lyndsey Wells, founder of SBU, for putting all this together!

'Tis the Season

2014-12-21T21:11:00.003-08:00

photo by me //text by my BFF, B via Overgram

Happy Birthday, Taylor!

2014-12-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

photo taken 9/7/11 in Tacoma, WA //Speak Now Tour
Happy Birthday to my idol, Taylor Swift. I can't thank you enough for all that you have done for me through your music. I can't wait to see you in concert next August. Until then, cheers to another amazing year!

Belly Scratches for Days

2014-12-12T17:24:00.004-08:00

DIY Essential Oils Packaging

2014-12-12T12:09:00.002-08:00

This week, one of my lovely co-workers, Sondra, and I tag-teamed on a DIY gift for one of our other co-workers, who will be retiring at the end of this month. Sondra created these two amazing essential oils at home (I'll have to get the recipe from her later), while I put together the packaging.

The labels were inspired by this post from Bri of Designlovefest. The rest, was, well... inspired by the holidays, of course! The tinsel tree branch and gold glitter ornament were both from Hobby Lobby, while the cello bag was from Michael's, and the calligraphy was done with a Zebra G nib + Sumi Ink, on mixed media paper.

Let's Get Technical //26

2014-12-07T20:46:00.000-08:00

After many tries, I finally learned how to scan my calligraphy. I decided to incorporate the end result into this week's featured wallpaper. To download it, simply save the image above. Enjoy!

Seattle Bloggers Unite Presents: A Calligraphy Class

2014-12-02T07:45:00.000-08:00

I'm excited to announce two things:
1. The launch of my freelance business, The Fancy Cat Studio! It's been in the making for a while now... I just now finally got the guts to make it official.
2. My first calligraphy class happening in January 2015! The class will include basic lowercase calligraphy instruction, time for practicing and asking questions, and of course, snacks and mingling! If you'll be in the Seattle area, come on by. I'd love to meet you!
Special thanks to Lyndsey, of Seattle Bloggers Unite, for putting this event together, Luna Bar for providing snacks, and Revel Creative for providing the space.
Click here to reserve your spot!Thanks for all your support. I wouldn't be where I am without it!

Let the Feastivities Begin

2014-11-24T11:12:00.000-08:00

I've been a cat person for as long as I can remember. I was raised around them, and have owned two, myself. There is just something about their elegance, independence, and gentle nature that really appeal to me. Some of you may be familiar with my cat, Oliver. He's an Exotic Shorthair, and also... the light and love of my life. Next month, we'll be celebrating our 3rd Christmas together!

This year, Fancy Feast will be bringing back their annual holiday campaign, Feastivities. When they asked me if I wanted to support it, I didn't hesitate. The campaign celebrates modern cat owners, and the way cats inspire us every day in art, self-care, fashion (like in this post), and more.

Whether you'll be celebrating the holidays this year with your cat, or from a distance, be sure to check out Fancy Feast's carefully curated collection of gifts, made just for cat lovers, here.

sweater: H&M //skirt (actually a dress): H&M //necklace: F21 //booties: Tildon via Nordstrom //nail polish: 'Rekha' by Zoya // sunglasses: Moorea Seal //rings: Fresh Tangerine, Salty Kisses Hawaii, and gifted

To learn more about the campaign, or to simply keep up with cat-related news, be sure to check out Fancy Feast's links: Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

This post is brought to you by Fancy Feast. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that help me create original content for you!

Let's Get Technical //25

2014-11-17T07:30:00.000-08:00

Lately, I've been obsessed with replicating neon signage in Photoshop. There are a dozen different fonts you can use to do this, but one of my favorites is Kabel which can be found here, for free! Fun fact: it's the exact font Taylor Swift uses for the jacket of her new album, '1989'. You're welcome.

Interested in downloading this graphic as a phone wallpaper? Simply save the image above.

Be sure to check out previously featured wallpapers here.

DIY Mini Terrariums

2014-11-16T20:00:00.001-08:00

If you're looking for an easy, last-minute DIY gift, I'd highly recommend terrariums. They're aesthetically pleasing, affordable, and... who doesn't love plants? To make one, all you'll need is:

- Succulents and cacti. I found mine at Home Depot for $3-$4 each.
- A cute glass container. I found mine at Hobby Lobby for $10 each.
- Potting soil. You can find this at your local gardening supply store for $5-$10.

Remove the succulents and cacti from their respective containers, and simply re-pot them in your terrarium. If you're having trouble getting the soil to lay flat, add a few drops of water, and press down using a plastic spoon.

Taylor Swift: Blank Space Inspired Fashion Part I

2014-11-10T13:34:00.004-08:00

Mondays don't have to be the worst day in the week, especially when Yahoo! decides to accidentally release Taylor Swift's newest music video for 'Blank Space', a day early.

In the video, you'll see over 10 different outfit changes, all inspired by elements from two of the most fashion-forward eras: the 1920s and 1960s. From the 20s, Taylor borrows glamour + Art Deco, and from the 60s, bright pastels + color blocking. Definitely swoon-worthy, right?

Stay tuned for my next post with more 'Blank Space' outfit inspiration!

1. Beaded Jumpsuit via H&M $129
2. Art Deco Hair Pins via ModCloth $7.99
3. Rhinestone Cocktail Ring via Forever 21 $4.90
4. Drop Earrings via Givenchy at Nordstrom $48
5. 'Dubonnet' Lipstick via MAC at Nordstrom $16
6. Long Lace Dress via H&M $50
7. Sparkling Stiletto Sandal via COACH at Nordstrom $248
8. 'Valentine' Nail Polish via Revlon at Ulta $4.99

Let's Get Technical //24

2014-10-27T21:39:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the recent release of Taylor's latest album, 1989, I decided to combine her album theme, with the call of one of her favorite animals (and mine), cats, to make one sweet wallpaper! I had a lot of fun researching and learning how to replicate neon signage in Photoshop. For those curious, the font is called "Kable", and it's the exact script used inside the 1989 album sleeve. Enjoy!

To download this week's free wallpaper, simply save the image above.

Polaroid photo via Taylor Swift, 1989

1989: A New Era

2014-10-26T20:45:00.001-07:00

It's that time again. Taylor Swift has released another album! It's called 1989, and it's about life. It's about changing, and staying the same. It's about "coming alive".
For those of you who have been reading my blog since the beginning, you'll know that I'm a pretty big Taylor fan... and that's a very modest way of putting it. If any of you get a chance to listen to 1989, I'd love to talk about what your favorite song is, and your overall thoughts. So far, I really love "Clean", "Wildest Dreams" and "Out of the Woods".
Let the fangirling begin!
image via Taylor Swift, 1989

How Do You Like Meow?

2014-10-18T15:56:00.004-07:00

DIY Faux Cacti Place Cards

2014-09-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

I'm guest posting over on A Fabulous Fete today! Check it out here.

'Tart Deco' by Essie

2014-08-26T19:36:00.001-07:00

Table for One

2014-08-22T07:30:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I came up with the idea of starting a series on my blog called "Table for One", where I would feature different place setting ideas for parties. I went ahead and put together a post that could potentially be the first installment in the series. Realistically, I wouldn't be able to keep up with something like this on a regular basis, but it was fun to play stylist for a day.

Let's Get Technical //23

2014-08-21T07:30:00.000-07:00

This week's free wallpaper was inspired by my love for bold colors, and newfound love for a font called Nevis.

Download the wallpaper by saving the image above, or by clicking here.

View the previously featured wallpapers here.