Textile Playtime I

Just started my Spring 2010 classes at Parsons and in Textiles, we have to try manipulating fabric every week.  I have been "dying" to try out this Liquetex ink and here it is!  Very fun.  I definitely want to try it on some different fabrics...I'll try to post more photos when I do!  GO DO!

G'night!

~ Alex

Secret Life?

What is it with this show?  I can't seem to stop watching...it's a terrible show, but I really like it!

"Falling in love, is such an easy thing to do..."

Oh gosh, these awful, awkward conversations.  Did I ever have these as a teenager?  How old are these actors anyway?

I...lost my thought and I'm still hooked.

Happy 2010!

(Taking a walk in the snow in 2009.)

Dear Friends and Family,

It’s about time for our late Holiday Card again…or maybe we should be more optimistic and say that we are just always going to send a New Years Card.  So, HAPPY 2010!

James and I cannot believe how quickly this year has gone by.  We finally feel settled in to our new home and we are really having fun decorating it.  (Although we have yet to paint a single room!)  The cats; Leo and Tank, have really started to feel settled as well, and actually seem to enjoy their car trips up to Connecticut to visit my parent’s house.  (My mother now lovingly calls herself Grandma…and I’m still trying to get used to it.)  [Thank you to my Mom and Dad who have been amazing this year by taking care of our cats when we had to suddenly leave and because they always let us take them to visit CT and play in their house and cottage - their favorite place on Earth!]

James has moved offices again now from Fairfield to Montville and won an award as a part of the Bayer Team for Best International Trial at the Clinical Exit Awards (an Industry event in London).  It seems his position will include more travel in the New Year and I’m hoping I’ll be able to tag along every once and awhile.  We shall see.  He has also been enjoying playing both soccer and cricket and practicing yoga with work colleagues…along with picking-up a guitar and rocking out in our home at sporadic moments (I love it!).

I’ve started my official course of study at Parsons this fall and am going towards an AAS degree in Fashion Design while continuing to work full-time at The New School.  80% of the AAS program participants already have a BA/BS, so it’s filled with people who know this is what they want to do with their lives – truly inspiring – and are also working other jobs outside of fashion.  I love it and it’s great to feel passionate about art again.  I took Fashion Drawing I and Construction I: Sewing.  My final projects were a 10-piece fashion illustration portfolio and a “please-be-perfectly-sewn” dress.  (So much better than a paper or exam, in my mind!)  I’ve also recently taken-up horseback riding again.  I’ve just started learning how to jump for the first time and it is truly exhilarating!

In the New Year I will be continuing classes (by loading myself with four in the spring, including Italian!) and horseback riding as well as doing an Internship in Visual Display at Anthropologie in the summer!  I will also continue to design and hand-sew jewelry for ChelCNYC.com as well as work on my Etsy Sites and Blog.  Oh, and I crazily signed-up for a mini triathlon in September 2010 with Laura; one of James’ good friends from the UK who also happens to live in NJ.  James is hoping to take some music lessons (most likely guitar) in Manhattan and getting back in to climbing and swimming again.  He is also considering a Masters Program and is just beginning to look at his options.

We are both very excited for what 2010 may bring (besides our three year anniversary) and feel bittersweet about 2009 passing us by.  We were very saddened by the loss of James’ brilliant father Rodney this year.  His smile and great hugs will be deeply missed. On the other hand, we are thrilled by the welcoming of our nephew Harry James Whatton to James’ brother Mark and his wife Maria on May 18, 2009.  (Sharing my own father’s birthday!)  He is tall and thin and shows a tinge of red in his hair, which is of course adorable!  James and I instantly fell in love with him this past year.  And Mark and Maria are doing their best to train us in all things children (but we’re not ready yet!)!  We think we may be making more than one trip to the UK from now on! ;)

My brother Eric and his wife Kelly Dean joined us for Thanksgiving this year in CT at our parent’s house and we had a brilliant time.  We wish we could see more of them and we are hoping to plan a trip to Colorado to visit in the beginning of 2010.  (Especially for some skiing and snowboarding!)

Please keep us in mind if you are traveling by or through Northern New Jersey and have a WONDERFUL NEW YEARS EVE CELEBRATION!  (And please pass this on to anyone whom you think may want to read it!)

Sincerely (and with much love), Alex and James (Bill)

Happy Halloween!

The view from my back door - this flowers are beautiful!  I'm thrilled with this burst of color - especially with all the dreary rain days we've had lately.  (One photo of the mums is for sale on my MarthaHaskins Etsy site - click here.)  Both Leo and Tank are enjoying this lazy Saturday morning as well, although little do they know that we will be sewing and painting and gluing in just a bit to get ready for tonight!  Oh, wait, now they are wrestling....I love weekends.  Here's another one of these crazy photos I took the other day (a few are posted on facebook).  I thought it was appropriate for today.  Happy Halloween!

~ Alex

Hello Sunday Morning

Ahh, Sunday Morning - cup of coffee, watching my favorite show and enjoying the rainy day.

If you don't know what show I'm referring to - you are truly missing out. CBS Sunday Morning is the one show I loathe to miss each week. Charles Osgood is fantastic. (Link here.) Right now, they are discussing nerds and how the "lines are blurring." YAY! THE BIG BANG THEORY! Perfect. Definitely cooler than being "hip and vapid." Ha!

See - no matter what, it's all about confidence.

I also went to Lucky Cheng's last night and Kush Lounge. (Click the names for links and addresses in NYC.) What a blast. Happy birthday Ness! Wish I could have stayed later, but we'll definitely do it again.

Speaking of which, just spoke with my hubby in England, and we are ready for ski season and a trip North (or West!)! Scared for my little nephew having a cold in the hospital right now, but holding strong for him. He's a fighter.

Now it's Where The Wild Things are - must watch.

Fight little nephew, fight.

Love to all and everyone - hug those around you today. (Even those kitties!)

~ Alex

PS:

Twitter Obsessed

I am pathetically in love with Twitter. Did you know Governor Schwarzenegger tweets?! It's fantastic, especially since right now he is angry because his wife Maria was caught talking on her cell phone while driving - twice (thanks TMZ) - and he signed a bill making it illegal!

Oh Twitter, you amaze me with your information.

~ Alex

Ruminating

Homework on a friday night and a holiday weekend. I wish I were shopping, can't stand these stupid emails I have to deal with, and want to be home in bed. When oh when will you figure out that I'm not going to take this crap from you? I can't even believe this is how you deal with people. I've never felt so affronted in my life and it's the first time I've met you...ever. Who are you? Or better yet, who do you think you are? You definitely don't know me at all, so please stop making assumptions and wise-up. We won't take it anymore.

Now to make myself happy by sewing the night away with some good friends. Have a great weekend people!

~ Alex

Leo & Tank Part II

Leo & Tank Part I

Michael Kors Spring 2010 Model Mantra!

Trying to apply this to myself today...and every day forth!

~ Alex

Gareth Pugh Fashion Week Public Installation!

Gareth Pugh will have an OPEN-TO-THE-PUBLIC Installation in NYC this weekend! Get to see part of Fashion Week with his new media presentation at Milk Studios!

Gareth Pugh Installation

Sunday, September 13 from 10pm-12am
Simply line up at 449 West 14th Street to gain access
(Read more about it on the MAC Cosmetics Facebook page.)

~ Alex

Artsplace Fall '09 Class Schedule

Hi again!

(I know! Two posts in one day! I'm going somewhere! ;)

Artsplace in Cheshire, CT has uploaded it's Fall 2009 class schedule:
http://cpfa-artsplace.org/pdf/Fall_2009.pdf

~ Alex

Fashions Night Out - NYC Success!

Hi all!

Fashions Night Out filled the streets all over NYC last night! I can't wait to hear the effect it had and I hope it was enough to do it again in the future.

My Twitter: http://twitter.com/AlexWhatton
(Search FNOnyc OR #FNO09 to read all about it!)

Happy Friday Folks!
~ Alex

The Elephant's Trunk

In hindsight, I'm so sorry that I didn't take a photo...but here goes:

Yesterday morning, James and my Mom and two of our good friends Donna and Jessie got up bright and early to go to the Elephant's Trunk; a flea market in New Milford, CT. (Click HERE for more information.) I hadn't been in nearly 10 years or more and I remember loving it when I was a kid.

It was still the same, actually even better now that I have a house to decorate! We arrived around 8:45 am and searched and wandered for about four hours!

I ended-up buying this (all iron piece) for $20!

Near the end of the day, James and I bought some Stromboli (ham, prosciutto, and cheese) from a guy who called me "baby" when we walked up...and against all better judgement. Now when we think back we remember that we had seen this Stromboli sitting out all day (since we arrived that morning). It had meat in it, there was no refrigeration, and we didn't know the guy. What a bad idea that was!

On the way back to New Jersey, we made a couple of stops - but I wasn't worried about it for some reason. When we got home James and I were both starving and I put some of the Stromboli in to the oven to warm it up for lunch. James cut up some apples and some cheddar and I put the Stromboli on to our plates and then ran downstairs to get a sweatshirt.

That's when I heard James scream "OH MY GOD!" (Which, I have to admit, is not something he normally says.) I ran in to the kitchen and he was pointing at his plate. TINY MAGGOTS WERE CRAWLING OUT OF HIS SANDWICH! How gross! Unfortunately, much to my mothers disappointment, we did not think to take a picture in the moment...and immediately wrapped-up all of the nasty, infested Stromboli and threw it in the garbage, which was then double wrapped and brought to the big garbage can. (This is where my mom will say "you can still go take a picture!")

The best part is, that when I was cutting the sandwiches off, I ate some of the meat that fell out before putting it in the oven...

HAVE A GREAT LABOR DAY EVERYONE!

Fashions Night Out NYC - 9 Days!

Get ready for Fashion Week - the best time of the year!

Click on your favorite Designer, Vintage Shop, or Department Store to see what they'll be doing in their shop on Thursday, September 10, 2009 from 6 - 11 p.m. all across New York City! (I'm working on my itinerary now...and I purchased my shirts!!!)

Happy shopping and benefiting (40% of each t-shirt purchased, plus whatever each store decides, is donated to the National September 11 Memorial)!
~ Alex