Emerging from Hibernation.

What does one say after a long hiatus? I could say nothing at all, but a few things led to my personal hibernation from Bella Vogue:

A skier jumps during Fur Rendezvous Festival in downtown Anchorage.

I have immensely enjoyed being unattached to the Internet, and have been actively participating in all things Anchorage. One of my favorite events this year (so far) has been Fur Rendezvous Festival. The annual event took place near the end of February.

Known as "Fur Rondy" to locals, the week-long winter carnival may be the best in the United States. Fur Rondy offers a variety of activities, from dog-sled races to a chance to run with reindeer. My sister happened to be in town during this year's winter carnival, and we made it a point to visit the Snow Sculpture Competition. 

A "Log" Cabin snow sculpture. The competition at Fur Rondy was sponsored by GCI.

Something else that has kept me on my toes?

I changed jobs, as well as companies. I am now working for Pandora, the Danish jewelry company that specializes in sterling silver, 14k gold, and two-tone charm bracelets. Other product categories include necklaces, pendants, and earrings. I love working for Pandora, as I have always enjoyed helping people find things that make them (or loved ones) happy. Charms are a great way to share one's triumphs in life. I should note that as a Pandora employee, I am not required to post anything about them. If I happen to, it's because I want to.

Speaking of things I do because I want to...my current obsession is photographing Alaskan sunsets. I take the bulk of my sunset shots from the roof of the 5th Avenue Mall Parking Garage, as I walk from my car after work.

Looking to Mount Susitna, the sky takes my breath away as the days gain more and more light. Mount Susitna is known as the "Sleeping Woman," and legend says she is dreaming of her fallen warrior's return.

Can you make out the shape of the Sleeping Woman from this blurred shot? 

Urban Wilderness: someday I shall paint the Anchorage skyline.
Until then, I will litter my Instagram feed with its stark contrast of color and concrete.

Painting is currently the most relaxing activity I partake in. .

I named the above piece "Alaska in Winter," for I was going to fix the letters in order to make the piece a tad more legible. Then I realized that would be like the state of Alaska fixing the road service markers. I get anxiety from trying to tell which lane of traffic I'm supposed to be in on a wintry day. Painting helps. 

So does blogging. As I emerge from my self-induced hibernation, I look forward to sharing my adventures--fashionable or not--once again. 

She's Crafty: Paint With Stickers Tutorial!

I don't know if many of you know this, but I love to paint! I'm not that great at creating portraits or landscapes, so I try to keep things fun with abstract projects. A year or two ago, I came across a little painting project on Pinterest that I am going to show you today.

All you need for this DIY creation is:

• Canvas or paper suitable for painting. Be aware that there are different types of each, and what you use depends on your choice of paint.
• Paint & Paintbrushes! I like to use acrylics in primary colors, as well as white. 
• Alphabet Stickers. I bought my puffy stickers at Michael's. 

1. Come up with something snappy to put on your canvas! I chose a song lyric. Also, think of how you want to lay out your stickers before you stick them down completely. Do you want them to be straight, or do you want there to be movement between letters?

2. I suggest painting over the stickers first; I did this because I wanted my letters to have specific coloring. If you're using puffy letters like I did, you may need to hold them down to do this. Either way, make sure your stickers are thoroughly painted over, otherwise the final effect will not be as spectacular. 

3. Finish the rest of your painting.
4. Let the paint dry.
5. Remove your stickers! Because my stickers were puffy, they were easy to remove. If you're using flat stickers, keep an X-acto knife handy, as those tend to leave behind unwanted residue.

Voilà! Lyrics from John Lennon's "Instant Karma."

An alternative to this process? Paint your canvas first, place stickers, then paint over your design in its entirety with a single color. Then peel stickers! The letters will then have a neat design on a plain-looking canvas.

What do you think, readers? Do you like to paint? What kind of DIY projects do you like to do?