Family Portraits

Alright, this is a very bad photo of the drawing, but I will have a better one posted soon.  This is a portrait--both self and non--was done about a month ago.  I've never finished it, but I thought I should post it anyway.  Unfortunately my motivation fled and has never returned for this particular project, but maybe another time.

Anyway, this is Sienna and myself (very poor drawing of myself), unfinished but still here.

35mm SLR - first photos

I was FINALLY able to take some photos with the 35mm SLR that Craig lent me!  I took them to CVS to get them developed.  After failing twice, I was thankful to find that there were actually photos on my film!   Unfortunately I discovered that the film had been damaged while it was going back into the canister (or whatever it's called).  So when I went back to pickup my photos, my coworker Amy talked to me about the damaged film and we decided to try running it through the machine anyway.

Thankfully the machine took the film even though the edges were almost completely torn off.  A lot of my photos didn't turn out, but here are some of the best ones--but I will post more soon.  I am hoping that after seeing these photos, I will be able to modify the way I am using the camera in order to get the effect that I am after.

We'll see how it goes, I obviously have some work to do--but keep in mind that the scanned photos are not as good as the original photo anyway.

Again, the photos posted are a few of the ones that actually turned out the way I wanted - in one way or another.  (although a few of them still have issues that I'm looking into)

19 Going On 12

Hair cut and braces removed (finally!)

My braces came off last week and that was a relief--my teeth have looked pretty much the same since november and I wasn't about to go back to school with them on if I could get away with it. I did end up finding a way and now they're off! At last, my days of being mistaken for a 12 year old were over!

Or so I though.

But then I decided to get my hair cut. The ends were not very happy with me and it just needed to be done. So I told Tina, my hairstylist, that I wanted it shorter and, well, she gave me what I asked for! It's shoulder length, something I have not tackled since 4th grade when I looked like a huge triangle! We'll see how it goes, the way she dried it makes the ends flip out so I look like a kindergartner--all I need is a doll, jumper and matching headband to complete the look.

Thus I made the unfortunate return to middle school, and will doubtless be mistaken for a 12 year old once again.

And the above photo is not what my hair looks like right now, but that is me back when I was about 2.5 years old =)

Blank and Blushing

I was hoping to have some new photos up from the 35mm SLR that I've been using.  And I was excited about the opportunity I had (from CVS) to develop the film myself (just running it through the machine), rather than having someone else develop it.  To be honest, I was a little embarrassed to have my coworkers see my photos--I'm sure that it would be no big deal, but I still didn't like the idea.  On top of it all, I wasn't sure how many of the photos would actually turn out.

Yesterday (Sunday) was my first day as Photo Tech.  I was nervous because the company kinda just throws you into that position without any real training and you have to learn your first day on the job (panicking the whole time, while on the phone with an experienced coworker).  That didn't go too bad, and I only had one roll of film to develop the entire evening.  So about halfway through I thought I would develop my own as another practice.

I prepped my film and developed it in one of our foreign machines.  After my break I excitedly looked over the film to get a sneak peak at my photos.  *GASP*  The entire strip was completely BLANK!  Empty!  Gone!  The photos were never there at all!  I had done something wrong when I had loaded the film and had waisted the entire roll.  Devastated, confused, and frustrated, I was relieved that I had developed the film myself rather than having my blunder discovered by others!

As soon as I experienced this relief, I turned to a coworker who was at the register and told him about it.  Stupid, but oh well.  I made light of it, laughed, and was able to moved on.

I also bought more film so that I'll be able to try again! haha

Hopefully I will have some actual photos up soon...

Oh, and the photo is from Mississippi a year ago.

Camera

Craig lent me his 35mm SLR!  I need one for my photo class this fall and I was hoping to find one that I could buy or rent for fairly cheap, but thankfully I was able to talk to Craig and he said I could use his for free!

I'm really excited!  I've been carrying it around with me EVERYWHERE! haha, I feel like such a kid.

I can take totally different photos with this camera than with my digital.  Hopefully the photos that I've taken will turn out.  I would be bummed if none of them turned out.  And absolutely clueless as to how to continue--but I guess that is what my class is for!

Hopefully some photos will be posted soon!

Oh Hush

Once again, I have experienced the importance of putting myself on the back-burner and listening to someone who just needs an ear.  Not only have I personally felt the benefit of someone taking the time to let me talk their ear off, but over the past few years I have learned that God can use me to relieve some of the emotional turmoil that those around me are experiencing.

God wired us to be relational--and it can mean a whole lot for someone to just pay attention to us once in a while.  To set aside their own agenda and put someone else first.  

Is it really that hard to keep our mouths shut for half an hour?

Sorry about the lecture, but sometimes I'm surprised about how out of shape our ears can be while our mouths run marathons daily.

I'm Completely Captivated

I've been reading, Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul, this week.  I am REALLY enjoying it!  Just knowing that the longings and desires that I have had ever since I was a little girl are God planted is an encouragement.  Like most girls, I dreamed of a knight in shinning armor coming to my rescue--saving me from the evil that was holds me captive. (I still get excited at the idea)  Someone who will delight in me, and love me.

I've found the Prince that I've longed to know, love, and adore.  Jesus: my Prince, my King, my God.  He doesn't only love me like as daughter (like I've always thought of it), but as a lover too.  I am someone He longs to be with and to rescue (and He has rescued me)!  Who could ask for more?  I don't need (or even want) another at this point. Who could love me like He does???  

This is just a brief summary of a single chapter - I have been on cloud 9 ever since reading it though!  I am able to re-visit areas in life that I have grown numb too.  The beauty that I find all around me is an example of God's love for me.  He sends me "notes" and "hugs" through the little things that He knows I love: like color, light, textures, sounds, etc. -- I went for a walk this morning and just enjoyed His presence and creation! (photo)

While I've known some of this for a long time, a switch has really gone off in my head.  I needed this, and I LOVE knowing that God loves me so much!

"Artists Are Among Us"

I recently entered an art competition for the County residents who are over 18 years of age (or 18, like me!).  This exhibit is entitled Artists Are Among Us.  Artists can only submit two pieces but may use any media they want.  The pieces must also have been made within the past two years.  Anyway, the deadline was yesterday an I will find out if I got either of my pieces (pictured) into the show on the 31st.  If I did get my pieces in then I will have to deliver them--framed and matted--to the Padzieksi Art Gallery on the 8th of September.  The show will then open 2 days later and then close on the 17th--I will be at the Arborshire for the entire time and will not be able to see the show. 

I was required to make both of my pieces available for sale.  That was a little hard, I did not really want to do that.  THe chances of any of my pieces being selected for purchase is slim-to-none, but the idea still gets to me.  I work hard on my art and don't always want to give it away--or even sell it!  I priced African Safari at $75.  I don't think anyone is crazy enough to want that thing, but it did take a lot of time and effort.  My Glass Bottles (bad title but it was last minute) I put for $600.  I really don't want that one to go--I love it and spent over 24 hours on it!  But it's not THAT good, so I think it's safe at $600! haha

...I should have put a higher price tag on it...

I will update this post when I find out if either of my pieces made it or not

Updated: July 29, 2009

My Glass Bottles piece made it into the show!  I'm so excited!  Not surprised that my other piece didn't make it but I still would have liked to have both in. HURRAY!

Hi. I'm New and Clueless

My tale commences before work, when I was politely informing my mother that I was not looking forward to working the register on Saturday.  AT ALL. Because I have had this awful feeling that my manager is going to throw me in front of the horrid foreign object and say: "if you mess up, you're FIRED!" But thankfully I don't have to worry about that until Saturday, right?

Wrongo!

I walked in today and my manager calmly enlightens me on my unexpected, and inevitable doom. Basically a CVS down the road was short a cashier and because the other members of our store did not want to go, I was obliged to rescue the sister store with my lack of experience. I was already brainstorming my final words to the living when he assured me that he was not going to send me off until I had practiced the register.  I had 1 hour to perfect the alien machine before driving to the #1 store in our area, hoping to provide some sort of "help".

If only I had been granted the promised hour!!! After about 30 minutes, my manager returned and informed me that it was time for me to leave (WHAT???).  I’m pretty sure that I had an uncontrollable twitch by this time, however I was not about to say “no” to my new boss.
So after receiving the location of my final resting place, I headed toward my car. As soon as I start the car--after unlocking it and buckling up of course--I call my mom in a panic, and to give her my last testament.

THANKFULLY!  Right as I was pulling out of the parking lot, my manager called my cell phone (that I was trying to call my mom with) and shows mercy on me.  The manager at the #1 store had found a replacement and I was off the hook!  I pulled a hasty U-turn and almost flew back into my store.  After that I was able to successfully avoid the cash register--that is, until tomorrow...

ps.

The picture is from my first month at the Arborshire.  I was avoiding homework and eating chocolate--the usual.  Unfortunately, as an art student I am not physically able to eat M&Ms like a normal human being--but it's more fun the way I do it!

Craziness That Really Isn't

Family camp was this week--fun and crazy like always =)
I wasn't able to be there for very long because of work but while I was there I had a good time. It was great to see some friends from school and to hang out with the church family again!
Work has been keeping me pretty busy--while it's only a part time job, there are a lot of hoops to jump through (like two full days of training that didn't teach me a thing!) and I'm also working for June twice a week. At least work is getting me out of the house, and providing the all important pay check! Oh the things I do for school--I find myself wearing my Arborshire T-shirts to motivate myself, haha
While I am not busy working I've found time to spend with my crazy siblings and parents. Sienna and I play volleyball and soccer together a lot (photo), Hunter and I are going mini-golfing this week, and Connor and I... we just do any weird thing we can find. Nothing new there =)
Anywho, I was kinda stuck in a rut for a while a few weeks ago. I started to feel a little depressed, which is not something that I suffer from very often. Thankfully mom came to my rescue and found a gallery that is open to entries for adults (18+ years) within my county! I can submit 2 pieces and have to pay a fee but I think it would be worth it to get a piece (or both) in! To top it off there are 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes chosen among the pieces that make it into the show!
I hope I'll be able to do it--the deadline is really sneaking up on me and one of the pieces that I wanted to enter is not as quite what I was hoping for (see below).

Safari Drawing - First Reveal

Okay, so this is my unfinished drawing of the safari that I was talking about before. I ended up running out of room and can't add as many animals as I planned/wanted. I've spent somewhere around 36 hours on this thing and unfortunately I hate the thing. I've just become really frustrated with it and I'm not sure if I will ever be able to "finish" it to my satisfaction. (but Da Vinci did say that art was never truly finished, it was simply abandoned--not that that makes me feel any better) I like the elephants but that's about it at this point. Hopefully a more complete copy will appear in future posts--I'm going to try working on it again this afternoon.

Animal friends

We've had a few interesting run-ins with the animals around the neighborhood this week. The first is this chipmunk - a white one! We figured we'd never see him again, but we have seen him run around since I took this picture.
The second run-in was also a chipmunk. But this one was dead. The neighbor cat killed and left a half-eaten carcass on our driveway. I found it when I almost stepped on it. Screaming and jumping followed this discovery.
And yesterday it was raining so hard that a squirrel took refuge on our porch (first picture). Normally when animals do that, they hide under a chair - but this particular squirrel jumped up on our couch--right in front of the window! He surprised us a bit--and came back every time the rain grew heavy (which happened most of the day).