Wonderland Design Update!

Well hello there! It’s been a little bit, hasn’t it?

I’ve been a little AWOL from the blog lately, and part of that is just the craziness of life, but the other part is a lot of fun design side projects I’ve been working on! I’ve been having so much fun using my summer free time to play with words, images, and Photoshop in general, so I thought it would be fun to share some of the things I’ve been working hard on with you!

First of all, I have some super-duper fun and exciting news—one of my designs is going to be made into a patch for the Crybaby Club online store! The “UGH, so many feelings” design you see above scored second place in their patch design contest, and I can’t begin to express how happy this made me! Even seeing it as a finalist felt like such amazing validation for my ever-growing love of design, and I can barely wait until I get those patches in person. I’ll be sure to let you know when they are for sale, so you can express your overwhelming feelings too! And by the way, The Crybaby Club blog and Instagram is one to follow if you have a lot of feelings but are still a badass (aka you are human).

Next up, you may have noticed that I added a little flair to this blog’s layout with a new header, bio picture border, social media icons, and quick content links. All the elements have either a doodle or watercolor theme, which takes my original blog design plan and, in my humble opinion, elevates it a little bit. I also love how much using content tags and those new labels in the sidebar cleans up my blog’s appearance. These little additions were so much simpler than my huge html layout edit earlier this year, but arguably make a much bigger difference in your first impression of my blog! From here, site design wise, I plan to update all my bio photos with some that are better branded to Wonderland, so stay tuned for a silly photoshoot behind-the-scenes!

Another project that is still in the works but already looking great is a set of phone cases designed by me through Casetify! I was contacted by a partnerships rep about joining their “Artist’s Collection” and have been having a blast getting creative with designs I sure hope people will love to proudly display on their phones. As soon as I stop agonizing over the details, I will upload even more of these custom designs to their website to my own phone case “store,” from which I earn a small incentive for every case purchased. The program is open for other designers too, so if you are interested, check out their website and shoot them an email! You can hop on over to my Casetify collection right now, but I have a few more designs to add before it gets its own post!

Brandon's YouTube Channel // Rey's YouTube Channel

In addition to all this, I’ve designed a couple of logos for friends lately, which is an entirely new and exciting design challenge for me. I obviously have a lot of creative area to explore regarding logo designs, but it’s an interesting exercise to combine another person’s style and brand aesthetic with their brand name! In addition, since both these logos were designed for YouTube channels, this gave me a chance to play around with Premiere Elements a little bit to animate the logos! (Of course, now I’m dying to get an Adobe Cloud subscription so that I may uncover the world of Adobe After Effects, but time will tell what silly things I choose to spend my money on!) Speaking of, I’ve been considering creating a YouTube channel for myself and my blog—any thoughts or recommendations on videos you might like to see?

Last, but definitely not least, as a part of Aggie Fish Camp, I’ve turned into my camp’s token Photoshop gal! This “design” role involves generating designs that are projected onto bed sheets then painted as banners to decorate our camp room. The banner designs I created and included here are definitely a composite of various artists’ work, mostly thanks to the magic wand tool, but I consider this to be an exercise in composition and color more than anything. (These are totally non-commercial creations, or otherwise I would never dare use the work of another artist in my designs!) Working on these banner designs has also been a great tool for me to learn the ropes of Photoshop, as I work with layers, distortions, and fonts to imitate iconic logos and images with our own camp name.

Phew! When I write it all out, I have been having quite a time with creating this summer! Design is primarily a hobby at this point, but if you happen to love the type of things I am making, leave me a comment or send me an email and maybe I can look at making something for your website, YouTube channel, or brand! ! I am quickly falling more and more in love with creating of this type, and can’t wait to see the possibilities this hobby of mine presents.

Do you have a creative hobby that you are currently passionate about? I’d love to see what you are making!

Stay lovely,

Liebster Award!

Hello everyone! I don’t do many “chatting about me” type of posts, but I was recently nominated for the Liebster Award! I’ve done a post similar to this with the Versatile Blogger Award, and though they are a little out of my comfort zone, posts like this are a great way to meet and interact with new bloggers! Think of it like speed dating, except I’m answering these questions for the whole internet! We can still see if we have anything in common though, right guys?

So if you haven’t heard of the Liebster award, the rules I was provided with go like this:

-Mention the person who nominated you

-Answer the eleven questions this person gave you

-Come up with eleven new questions yourself

-Nominate eleven bloggers

-Let them know about the nomination

So for starters, I am more than happy to shout out to the lovely Katie who nominated me! She is adorable and sweet and has been so supportive of my blog, and if you haven’t stopped by her blog, you totally should! I think I actually online-met her the last time I did a post like this, so maybe I’ll make some new pals this time around too!

Okay so, yes, the questions:

1.  What's the one place you really want to travel to?

One thing you may not know about me is that I am a geek for the great outdoors. I grew up taking little camping trips with my family, and so I would be cool with traveling just about anywhere with good hiking trails and beautiful scenery!

Within the states, I’d probably say Oregon, mostly because of Alisa Burke’s beautiful snapshots of it, but internationally, Austria or Brazil would be hella cool. (See, I’m so excited that I am trying to use slang to express it!)

2. What’s your favorite book you’ve read?

Sadly, nowadays I mostly only read books if I have to for school (ie: textbooks), simply because of time and my Netflix addiction! However, my senior year of high school I read Beloved by Toni Morrison, and it was one of the most beautifully written and deeply moving books I’ve opened. It’s by no means an easy or light read, but the author’s storytelling, with everything from her movement of the plot to the words she uses, is just so incredibly enchanting. It gives a heartbreaking look into the mental toll of slavery, and the love of a mother for her children, and I am running out of words to describe this book.

Throughout high school, I really got into books with beautiful command of language rather than a fluffy teen storyline. (No offense to some of my old favorites, I promise!) I am currently working on reading (very slowly) Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert—I will let you all know how it goes! So far it is beautiful!

3. What’s your favorite blog post that you’ve written?

The very first one I published—it was my very first Monday in Wonderland!! Whenever I read it, it reminds me exactly why I started blogging, and I still love the art I put together to go along with it. I also chatted a little about my very best friend in there, and reading it again makes me both miss her and remember how lucky I am to have her as my friend. AND, she’s in town for this weekend! *Starts humming “Reunited”*

4. Do people ever mistake you for being younger or older than you actually are?

This one is kind of funny for me, because I actually get both. Typically, people think I am younger if they just see me, but once they interact with me, they assume I’m older. I guess I look pretty young but act mature. What’s even funnier is that I have both an older and younger sister, and have been asked if I’m twins with each of them several times, despite the fact that I am 3 years apart from each of them!

5. What is your biggest pet peeve?

I don’t wanna get all ranty on you guys, so I am going to go with disorganized PowerPoints and advertisements, especially when they feature misspelling and poor grammar! I guess it’s my inner designer speaking, but there are so many things in this world that could be so much more aesthetically pleasing with just a little education, effort, and a watchful eye. I just want the world to be more beautiful is all!

6. What is your go-to outfit at the moment?

The second it starts warming up outside, I pretty much live in high-waisted shorts! They are really one of my closet staples to be honest. During the winter, I’ll wear them with tights, and now that it’s already 80° F (thanks, Texas), they get to shine all on their own once again!

I have also been loving quirky “ringer tees” lately, like this patriotic one or this unicorn top I just purchased. I’ve always been a little over-the-top with my outfit choices, but newer, simple, 90’s-inspired pieces and college itself have been having a big influence on my style. I love that I get to bring a little color and weirdness to my outfits with simple tops that I can get dressed in super quickly. (I’m not gonna lie, sometimes I wear PJs up until the 15 minutes before I walk out the door!)

TLDR (Too long, didn’t read): High-waisted shorts and vintage-inspired tees.

7. Share with us a blogger you've recently discovered and are really liking?

Although my posts are never really without color, some of my recent blog obsessions are far more minimalist! I am in love with Me and Orla, written by the gorgeous (inside and out) Sara Tasker, and cannot get enough of Shayla Lillian’s glowing photography over at Golden Years. Love from Berlin also has some amazing posts on conscious living, which is something entirely new and interesting to me. Never fear though—the obnoxious quantities of pastel color will not be leaving my Wonderland any time soon!

8. Coffee or Tea?

I actually try to avoid both, because caffeine does not have the best effect on me. However, after really late nights, I usually opt for milk and sugar with a little coffee mixed in there. What can I say, I’m just not one for super strong flavors! In fact, even when I drink southern-style sweet iced tea, I mix it half with unsweet tea or else its too overpowering for me!

9. Are you more of a morning or evening person?

This semester, most of my classes fall in the afternoon, so I’ve adopted the terrible habit of becoming a little bit nocturnal! I do my best work after 8pm for some crazy reason, and have been known to favor a midnight, mid-study snack. Netflix also tends to get started late at night, so that tells you a bit about my time management.

10. If you could meet anyone and spend a day with them, who would it be?

Nerdy/practical answer: The blogging crew behind Studio DIY or A Beautiful Mess. I adore both of those blogs, and would absolutely love to see what a day behind the scenes for them is like. Although I’m currently going through an “I DON’T KNOW WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH MY LIFE” kind of stage, (sorry, no more nursing school ahead) I admire bloggers such as those guys for making their dreams of creative business a reality!

Silly answer: James Corden’s proposed #squadgoals for Adele, from carpool karaoke. This squad would feature Adele herself, Beyonce, Jennifer Lawrence, Amy Schumer, and Emma Stone. And that would probably be the most hilarious day of my life.

11. What's your favorite song at the moment? (Sorry, I couldn’t pick just one!)

-I really love Stressed Out by twenty one pilots because it is so #relatable.

-I frequently jam to Love Yourself by Justin Beiber.

-Death of a Bachelor by Panic! At the Disco gets blasted in my car almost every day. Really, the entirety of Panic’s recent album is unstoppable.

-Okay, last one: Aquaman by Walk the Moon. I’ve loved this song for months, and it just makes me so happy to listen to!

So that’s a lot of drawn-out nonsense about me. Think of it as Tina Fey and Amy Poehler’s hysterical pre-award banter, ok?! I mean, I know I’ll never be near as hilarious as them, but I’d like to think that maybe you weren’t totally bored reading that… Now, the nominations are:

Beka Ellen

Angelina (Angelina Is)

Alona (Gentle Confusion)

Heather Maisie

Anne (Anne Smiles)

Laura (Artfully Wired)

Regan Gearhart

Jennifer (Make, Create, and Appreciate)

Kim (Silently Free)

Francesca (Bella Momento)

Jen (Amusings and Beauty) (technically this is a YouTube channel but I love this girl, so let me be, ok?)

And your questions, my dear nominees?

1.What is your favorite quote at the moment?

2. Name an album/artist or two that you dance to like no one is watching.

3. What is one the one TV series that you tell all your friends they should watch?

4. Tell us one thing about yourself that not many people know!

5. What’s the last thing you made with your own two hands?

6. Do you even lift… cookies to your mouth? (What’s your favorite flavor of cookie?)

7. Awkward turtle or social butterfly?

8. Come up with (or find online) a nerdy pick-up line that could potentially actually work on you.*

9. Describe 3 things that you absolutely love about yourself!

10. Include a picture that represents you in a unique way! (No, it cannot be a selfie with a weird snapchat filter.)

11. Who is your spirit Disney character and why?

*My favorite pickup line is: Are you my appendix? Because I don’t understand how you work, but this feeling in my stomach makes me want to take you out.

So, will I be making any new friends in this round of blabbing about myself? Let me know if we have anything in common, and leave a link so I can find future nominees! (I’m only kind of trying to buy your friendship...)

Stay lovely,

Versatile Blogger Award

Hello friends! (Or acquaintances/enemies/random internet people whom I love.) There are exciting things happening here in Wonderland!

Last week I was nominated for the versatile blogger award! I’m brand new to all this but so excited that my baby blog (it’s almost 2 months old!) is getting some love! Actually, this whole award is an awesome opportunity to spread a little internet love around, and give credit to some other fabulous bloggers! Also, I’ve been meaning to share some nonsense about myself and this is an awesome opportunity to do that!

So let me explain le rules:

1) Thank the person(s) who nominated you.

2) Include a link to their blog(s).

3) Write seven facts about yourself.

4) Nominate up to fifteen bloggers to pass the award along to.

First of all, I was nominated by the lovely namesake of Courtney’s Little Things! This girl really seems to have her life together and shares some awesome posts about blog organization, journaling and college/life survival in general. And of course some just for fun stuff too, like a DIY popcorn bar! Yes please! (Although I would argue that organizing is a bit of a personal party for myself.) Thank you so very, very much Courtney, and not because I have to say that. (Psssst, say thanks for me by checking out her blog.)

And now for the facts! Hmmm…

1) I prefer skirts and dresses over pants!

I’m not totally sure why, but if I could wear a dress every day I probably would, especially in cold weather! There’s something about putting on a pretty, twirly skirt on that makes any day a little better.

2) I’m a middle child.

I am in a sister sandwich. And yes the older one raises the bar really high and the little one is the most spoiled. But I love them so much—I can’t complain all that much about these beautiful girls!

3) I was a band geek for seven years and miss it a lot.

I played the trumpet from sixth grade through senior year and recently gave it up to make room for college nonsense! So I’ve decided to become a concert band groupie (the coolest kind of band groupie) and go to all their concerts! Hopefully that’ll work or I might just have to start playing again…

4) I’m an Aggie!

Now before you freak out, worried that I’m going to go all “red-ass” on you, know that I am not territorial over my college football or anything like that. There are so many good colleges in Texas and I happened to fall in love with this one! As I said though, I do love it here! If you have any questions about this school (or fiery accusations perhaps), I would be happy to tell you more about my new home!

5) Currently, my dream job is a pediatric, neo-natal, or labor and delivery nurse.

I am known for “mom-ing” people (especially my trumpet babies) and am really excited to hopefully learn how to do it right! I also adore kiddos and the beauty of new life!

6) I love me some Jesus music.

Nothing calms me down when I’m freaked quite like some Praise and Worship music. My all-time favorite songs and Oceans by Hillsong and Alabaster by Rend Collective! (By the way, are any of y’all interested in a playlist of this genre?! Future Saturday playlist perhaps?)

7) Rom-com anime is a common date night plan for me.

I never watched anime until I started dating my current boy and I honestly love it! We usually watch cheesy ones where people fall in love (because I’m a cheeseball) but there’s action, magic, food, and other fun stuff, so not to worry! Clannad forever has my heart and I just finished Charlotte—so good! (My heart is weeping in the best kind of way.)

Now that you know some more about me, it’s time to introduce you to some other bloggers!

I nominate:

Delanie from Dallas to Dixie

Destinee Nicole from The Girl in Sequins

Darby from The Blogueuse

Jess from Following Lightning

Madison of Minnie Muse and Standout Girl

And the lovely trio behind Style Lyfe Blog

As I said, we are all about spreading the love with this thing, so click through their blogs as well if you have a moment!

And about those facts—any coinkidinks?! (That’s coincidences if you didn’t get that!) Let me know in the comments what the foundations of our new friendship will be!

Stay lovely,