what i've been up to...

doodling.

and panicking about my chosen profession.

and working a whole lot.

I also, for the first time in my life, bought a pair of shoes twice. I bought the first pair of sandals in March at Target and by last week, I had worn completely through the soles and rocks were stabbing my feet. Needless to say, I loved these sandals, enough to destroy them in a few short months. So when I was at Target the other day, I saw one pair, in my size, on clearance and I bought them all over again. I'm like those old ladies who stock up on Revlon Red #6 lipstick in case they ever cancel the color.

doom and gloom

Because life and career are so very doom and gloom, I treated myself to a honeycomb necklace very similar to this one from Stone and Honey

Also, I would like to note that I have cried watching the Olympics on multiple occasions now, I hope to marry Michael Phelps, I adore Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, and I think "Nastia" is the most fun name to say out loud ever.

if i had a lot of money...

I would commission a fleet of these handmade ships from Ann Wood
And then when I got married, I'd hang them from the trees.
And then when I had children, I'd hang them from the ceiling.
And then when they grew up, I'd let them take one.
And so on and so on.

life's little pleasures

Cures to summertime blues:
A) Crepes
B) Farmer's market flowers: phlox, Queen Anne's lace, lavendar and more
C) New vase from Space in Staunton; it looks like a dinosaur egg when it's empty, with pink high gloss paint inside white ceramic.
D) Splurge for August! Shoes from Design at Nine.

art fool

So I am very slowly teaching myself Photoshop and today I drew this portrait of Sean. I did not draw this freehand; I drew over his face and then deleted it. I'm going to assume that's how most people create realistic portraits in Photoshop, but I'm sure there is someone out there who does it the hard way. I'm a cheater.

color me pumped

That has to be one of the most badass trailers I have seen in years. SO pumped. And, apparently, Lil Voldemort is played by Ralph Fiennes' nephew.

and you may ask yourself, how do i work this?

Thank you to everyone who voted about my future! It looks like most of you agree that I should go back to some form of school and get some form of graphic design education. I'm pondering this very seriously, but taking in many very difficult variables:
A) FINANCES!
B) Location
C) Potential career track damages (if I get off the train, will it be hard to get back on?)
D) What type of degree to get (associates, masters, certification or — God, I hope not — another B.A. or B.F.A)

I think doing it could really broaden my horizons and make me as versatile as I could hope to be. I would have training in writing, editing, designing, printing processes, typography — pretty much all of my interests. Plus, I'd make a lot more money.

So we'll see. This could be wayyyy off in the distant future or maybe next fall, for all I know. In the meantime, I'm teaching myself at home, doing the chapters in my Photoshop book and teaching myself parts of Illustrator. I'm beginning to understand the printing process a lot better, but much of it is still a mystery to me.

In other news, I'm going to Florida at the end of next week and I haven't flown in two years, so I'm freaking myself out about what to pack, how to avoid provoking the ire of security guards and how to keep my hard-earned $15 and not check my bag. Any advice, oh frequent fliers? I could use it.

you're my only hope

Well, it's been about a week since I posted the poll and only three people have voted. Thank you for your votes, friends, but it's locked in a dead tie between me becoming a teacher, designer or wedding planner (which I wasn't entirely serious about, lol). So, I implore you, scroll down, find the poll and cast a tie-breaking vote! Otherwise my career choices hang in the balance!

In other news, I've been staying up late teaching myself Photoshop and Illustrator and I'm starting to feel really fired up and I really, really miss painting, so maybe I'll get my artsy on soon.

Also, that stupid Moonbeam clock hasn't rung once since I've owned it. It lights up, yes, but never, ever rings. Not good.

new careers all over!

In the spirit of my previous post (which by the way, please vote so that I know what to do. Right now it's 50/50 to become a teacher or wedding planner!), we need to find a new career for Sean.

poll by twiigs.com

incognito

I totally bought this print from Ashley G. on etsy today. It's the first time I ever paid for original art! That sounds untrue, but it is. It cost 20 whole dollars. lol.
It's like it's me, but in a print.