Tunes & Spoooooky.

The Dead Milkman - If you love somebody, set them on fire.

Lydia Lunch - Spooky. This isn't the best sounding version but please... take a moment, or the whole 2:52 minutes watching this video until you become really uncomfortable watching it after about 45 seconds of laughing. 

I apologize in advanced for putting you through that video. I am now about to adventure out to where ever my friends are going to take me. I hear I'm partnering with a certain Nikki Sixx this year. I wonder who our third wheel is going to be. I obviously, am a baby elephant dressed in 70's inspired clothing, with a black bob on. I sort of look like a groupie that is celebrating Halloween, but with gothic makeup. I guess this makeup could pass as glam though...

Greetings from your favorite creepy elephant.

Happy Halloween weekend my little bunnies. I hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend that involves a lot of candy and pumpkins. I have the tendency to break pumpkins, so keep those away from me and just give me tons of candy. Please and thank you. Tonight, I'm going to a co-workers themed party. James and I have to part ways tonight since I work early tomorrow morning. After work tomorrow, we're going to see some of his family in the outskirts of Chicago... more cornfields for this lady! I plan on being an elephant all weekend. No matter where I go. Gotta keep the spirits up. Halloween is the best!

Today, I share with you... myself, as the cutest little creepy elephant, and a little pumpkin that James carved for my porch after we devoured all of the seeds we picked from it. Viola!

xox, Alexz

Lately, In Pictures.

That is my roommate Nina. I call her NEIN. We like bugs, gross things, doing girly things, and anything pumpkin. Doesn't Ty look like such a sausage link? I think he's the cutest big muscle man on this planet. I'm here to show you a few random pictures because I feel like sharing - and they're filling up my Flickr account. 

Other than that, things have been doing really good here lately. I've had to pick up more shifts at the salon, so my creative time has been cut sort of drastically. On top of shorter free time, I've been spending a lot of time with James and we do a lot of out door things. We used to live with each other last year, but with him living further this year, we tend to do a lot of hang outs outside the apartment when we're with each other. Oh well, things will come back together soon. I'm working on a lot of dyed fabrics & custom orders, so you'll be seeing those popping up here and there.

That is all! I hope you enjoyed my little random post. I will kind of promise to be back later on this week, or maybe even in a few days! I need TO show you my new hair!

xo, Alexz

Chicago Botanical Gardens

I turned 25 years of age almost two weeks ago. On my day of birth, we rented a Zipcar Mini Cooper that was named Meryl. Meryl was a convertible. We rented Meryl for a few hours to enjoy the beautiful - quite rather hot - day at the Chicago Botanical Gardens. We spent a few hours there kicking around and having fun. It was fun being able to run around there while telling each other stories. I didn't plan for much party time on my birthday because it landed on a Wednesday, so really, this was perfect. We ended it at the local bar with my roommate, Max - who happens to be a friend of 10 years - and a couple beers each.

Here are some of my favorite photo captures. I'll have to share the other half in another post because there's a handful.

More next time!

Work in the Studio :: Recently

Recently, I've been working on a lot of freelance seamstress work and custom orders (a real cool wallet!). This month has been fairly busy with the Free Bird Collection, the opening of my new vintage Etsy shop, Nostalgia of a Bird, and tons of plans to gather with friends and families... not to mention birthdays - mine being tomorrow! I have been wanting to spend more time on the rug bags though and I finally had the chance to finish these two guys that have been doodled into my sketch book. I especially wanted to finish the rug satchel design, but more details later on why I was anticipating that one sometime in the future.

Unfortunately for you (besides two of you), these particular satchel and small zipper pouch are gifts for some blog buddies of mine that wont be up for sale. I will make ones similar to these in the next batch  though. If you'd like to inquire on reserving one or placing a Made to Order, please email me at Alexz {at!} BirdTrouble {dotcom} for turn-around times.

After I post this, I will take change my state of mind and take advantage of my need to take a day off tomorrow from Bird Trouble to enjoy my birthday. I'll be turning 25 years old, which I think is crazy because I swear I was just twenty-one. This year is going to be a good one though. As for my plans, they are a little unknown and off the record so I'll just update you on what happens in a few days once I return!

As always, thanks for reading!

Alexz 

Happy Birthday, Love of Mine

Happy Birthday to the handsome love of mine, James.

He'll probably be weirded out that I posted his pictures on here but hey, whatever, you're stuck in this. We've been through a lot, and it's only made us tougher. I'm fortunate to have a friend like you in my life, and to have someone who cares for me like you do. You're an amazing person who never fails to give me the best memories. There's only more to come. 

High five, we rule.

Alexz

The past few days.

[photos from the Bird Trouble studio. new bags hanging. Photobooth to the right of my work desk to remind me of all the silly, and awesome, people I enjoy. a drawing from a friend that tickles my satanic kitten lovin' heart.]

Lo siento on being MIA on the blog for the past few days. I've been having some really busy and fun days. It feels good to be sitting in my studio watching Girl, Interrupted and focusing on new blog posts and photo editing. 

Saturday, I had the day off from the salon, so I decided to have a sidewalk sale to try to get rid of some vintage clothing, trinkets, new & vintage home decor.

Sunday, I took the Bird Trouble bags to Sheffield's Market Days at Sheffields. It was my first time in their beer garden, and it sure was pretty. The customers came mainly for the local food or for brunch, but I had a great time. I was able to eat Bleeding Heart Bakery for breakfast since they sat across from me, and I came home with local eggs and locally grown corn.

Monday was a short and sweet work at the hair salon, then I came home to a custom project I've been working on. I made a rickshaw cover for a friend's boyfriend. It was pretty wild and I'm pretty impressed by my sewing machine, and the fact that I even made that. James and I finished off the night with dinner outside and had ourselves a basketball game and a nearby court.

Tuesday I worked at the salon early in the day. I had to run to International Camera downtown (super awesome with down to earth employees) and then we enjoyed a walk around the Cultural Center, helped ourselves to a tour to the top floor of some hotel, came home with a 6 pack of Tecate, and headed straight to the Wilson Dog Beach with Ty. We ended up having an amazing conversation and time with a mom and her 10 year old son for 2 hours. It was pretty adorable.

So yeah, it's been pretty busy! I'm going to slow down for a while and get some studio time in. This week, I'm working on some new bags that will be releasing in a few weeks. I'll be introducing a few shots of them to the blog tomorrow. The collection is called Free Bird... I hope to be able to release more than one collection all together, but more on that later.

Also, I'm not sure who has me in their contacts via email... but I changed my email address. I haven't deleted the old one, but I will soon enough deactivate it and move permanently over to alexz [at!} birdtrouble [dot] com. 

UNTIL NEXT TIME.

Alexz

[What if I start going by Alexandra? I might think it's too weird.]

My Womanifesto

HELLO! Hello. I’m really excited to return to blogging tonight because I just had the most thought provoking inspiration come to me on my commute home from work. I don’t even remember really being on the bus or the train because I was so deep inside my brain. It was awesome and seriously, it's so good to remember who I am. So, while I’m full of energy (which is very surprising considering I just came home from an almost 12 hour commute/work day), I wanted to share with you my thoughts and some new personal endeavors.

Earlier as I was walking to the bus to start my commute home, to my delight, my bus was only one stop away from me. Buses being only a minute away really put me in a good mood. After sitting, I opened up my Bloglovin’ and first read “My Womanifesto” by Amy Morby. I came across Amy's blog a while back through mutual blog buds and instantly decided This girl rules. I have to be honest, I’m not really a blog reader because most of the time, I don't want to be around technology. I’d love to be more of a blog reader than I currently am, and I’ve been working on reading posts on balanced down time from people who drive me. I am glad I did today because Amy Morby nearly gave me a shot of adrenaline as my will to want to be like "ME TOO AMY, ME TOO! YEAH!!"

In my mind, I was standing up on the bus applauding the hell out of her and her muse inspiration to the post : Jes's Womanifesto. 

I came home, took Ty straight to the gated park instead of our typical walk around the block so I could have a moment to take out my new pen (another thing that I get excited about easily – new pens) and write down // or to spill out // everything I was thinking. It felt great. I always forget how much dead weight comes off of my shoulders after writing. Which makes me think, boy I’m silly. This is why I have a blog. This is why I've had a blog since my high school Livejournal in the early 2000's. Why am I neglecting such a great space? I started to help me document my life as I grew. To write. To express. Not just to show you what I’m making, or what I’m wearing, but who I am and what I’m passionate about. What I'm thinking about.

So, here is my spill from what I wrote on my paper // My Womanifesto. This is why I’m here on this earth. This is me.

I’ve been on a search, or compulsively thinking about, the different parts of myself that I’ve never noticed, or that I’m just learning. I’m slowly trying to get over OVER-analyzing the shit out of myself and everything around me because it’s tiring me the hell out. Why do I have to pick out every reason from my past to tell me why I am what I am today? I don't. I don't regret anything. It's rather exhausting to keep fighting with myself. Honestly, I’ve always been a really care-free person. Maybe almost too care-free. I’ve always been the one to do something different, or completely random, or to do something not planned. I also know that I’ve always been up for anything. I’ve never thought so much about who, where, why, what, when, or how I am and I don’t know why all of a sudden I’m trying to rationalize, or control who I become. 

I am being myself... plain & simple. 

Here’s my ode. 

I am Alexz Sandoval. I'm going to always stick to my guns. Always go with the flow. Always stay passionate.

Always direct myself to be a more, and more, of a creative person. Always find inspiration, care, and art in everything.

Embrace my sick love for sticking myself alone in my studio room for the entire day, and enjoy the fact that my brain never wants to stop thinking about creating or making myself into something I can be proud of and love.

I'm going to tell that little part of me that tells me to “Grow Up.” To “NEVER grow up.”

To stand proud and always loud. To love my Chicago "lady-like" sailor mouth.

This isn’t my teenage angst anymore. This is the real me. I'm about to turn 25 years old. I'm an opinionated woman. The, sometimes, hard headed, most of the time, stubborn lady in me that I’m growing up to be. I know I will never stray me wrong - that all my choices up to now that taken me to where I am today. 

This is the me I need to trust. This is the me who never wanted to impress anyone but myself, never wanted to conform to some popularity contest or some I'm-really-self-loathing or narcissistic media do-this-&-that’s, the one who always wanted to educate myself in what interests ME – not anyone else. I am my own person, my own body- though it may be tiny. I'm my own mind- that in truth, scares me most of the time, but it’s mine. It’s time to get over that fear of fearing myself. I'm done sheltering and putting paranoia in my mind. 

I love my attraction to those who really inspire and drive me, and my lack of attention to those who do opposite or slow me down. It’s strength and I’m proud of what I’m able to block out and take in. I know what I want – right now - & I trust myself for knowing what I will want in a month, a year, a decade, or 45 years from now. No one else will ever change that. That being said though, I’m always going to stay open and free, but I will soak in any direction or motivation from my close muses. Never do I want to shelter anyone, an idea, or any thing out – as long as it’s always worth my time.

I'm going to always stay strong, in motion, breathing, feeling, kicking, learning, loving, and going. I will never let a day of mine go to waste. I'm Alexz Sandoval. I'm always going to do what I feel like doing - because that's who I am.

Thank you Amy for the original inspiration, and thank you Jes for inspiring this to start. You should write your own Womanifesto. Even if you don't have a blog - write it in a journal. It feels damn good.

Around Chicago : Water Taxi Boat!

We recently went on a $10 ($5 each) one-way water taxi ride to Chinatown from downtown. We actually didn't know there was such a, basically, dirt cheap water taxi before finding out that day. It was gorgeous that day too. I felt really lucky to be on the water for the first time. Oh, and to all in Chicago, I'd like to let you know that it smelled fine.

I saw some amazing sunset views of some buildings I have never noticed before. The vines on that building is my favorite. I've always loved any building that is being taken over by vines. The way the clouds looked that evening, and the sun starting to slightly set, only added to all these new views.

Talk about detail on the Civic Opera Building!

I'm looking forward to riding it again! Chicago's Chinatown isn't too exciting (not anything that I have found. Please share if you do know of some fun there!), but eating food and drinking sake is always fun. So that's what we ended up doing. We took the Red line home and were glowing from our last minute fun adventure. I've been recommending it to everyone!

Around Chicago : Beaches in Wilmette

When we went to Wilmette last weekend, we also stopped at the beach to lay out. It was so nice! The beaches in Chicago are fine and I'm not one to complain about them (unlike other Chicagoans), but these were crazy empty!! Though it was also a Monday, the beaches in Chicago are never just empty in the summer. The sand looked super clean and you were even able to see your feet through the water! I'm not used to that when I go to the beach shores by my apartment, haha.

Given that the beaches are kept a lot better, and that the neighborhood is a wealthier neighborhood (walking through rich neighborhoods is always fun!), the beach had to cost a few bucks. We thought it was lame. Not gunna lie about that. But the kids working the booth gave us a little discount because it was quiet that day, and since it looked so nice and we took the trip down there, we thought it was worth it. Shortly after grinding our teeth while walking into the freezing water, we laid in the sand with no towels, and took a little nap while soaking up a little sun.

I love beach days.

Around Chicago : Baha'i Temple in Wilmette, IL

Hey guys! I had a few favorites from a batch of photos that I took when we went on a few adventures right outside of Chicago this past weekend. I'll be sharing them with you in the next few posts because summer in - and right outside! - Chicago is the best ever. I sold my car a few weeks ago so I could save a lot of dough and pay off some debt, so we took the train to all these places because it's so easy to get around Chicago and find fun cheap things to do by just using our public transportation.

We took the CTA Red Line toward Howard and took it all the way to the last stop. We then hopped on the free transfer to the Purple Line and took that to the very last stop of the line too, which eventually stops at Linden. The Linden stop is stationed in downtown Evanston, and in a super short walk, we ended up in Wilmette. We knew we wanted to walk toward Wilmette because they have their own beach that is supposed to be cleaner than the beaches in Chicago. While walking to the beach, we saw this huge building in the distance. Once we got closer, we stopped in amazement at the architecture of the Baha'i Temple.

The Baha'i Temple is open to visitor walk-ins and they also have a welcome center that tells you about the history. Since it is a place of worship, you're unable to take pictures from inside, but if you look closely at the pictures above, you'll see all the small detailed cut outs in the buildings. I'm a super curious person and I love details, so naturally, I love looking at architecture. I made it a point to go inside and enjoy what other people use to worship. 

Image yourself inside of the temple, looking up above, and looking through all those small detailed cuts straight to the blue sky. It's quiet. So quiet that your foot steps are a little alarming, and you tip toe to the nearest chair, while walking in aw at the wording and building's design. Instantly you feel calm, and a peaceful feeling after you sit down. You're able to hear the birds chirping from outside as you look up at the cut out pieces of the sky. 

I must say, it was wild and beautiful. I'd never seen anything like it! If you'd like to skip imagining what it looks like and take a peak for yourself, you can visit the Baha'i Temple website and check out their visual tour. Walking in the temple is free, but the train cost $2.25 and a little bit of your time to walk. 

Over all, a $2.25 adventure to see something new and to learn a little bit of history? Totally worth it.

YOLO.

Well, I had a bit of too much fun in this weekend. Let's see... here are a few things that I did : Saw Against Me! at the Congress Theater and I sang my guts out to Pints of Guinness, completely overslept like a complete jerk for work on Saturday, Jeanna was in town!, birthday BBQs, lots of puppies, a 4 month old American Bull dog, sleepovers with that 4 month of American bull dog, losing my apartment keys (guh), and grilling steak for cheesesteak subs.

There was just so much awesome stuff happening, and I spent time with people I haven't seen in a while, but now that it's over... I've honestly been feeling pretty crappy haha! Of course. I feel like coffee doesn't even make me feel better (woah). I'm anticipating getting in some Bird Trouble work, getting my head on straight, and get to sewin' to some oldies music so I could feel leveled and normal again.

I painted these chalk square and finished the last coat last week, and it's a great way for me to stay organized for the week! Plus it's nice to have it RIGHT in front of my face. I need to nail a little wooden ledge underneath it so I could place my chalk there, and I also think they need a border. Any suggestions?