Losing is a kind of winning... right?

So this week I got my first "Your story sucks but thanks for participating" consolation email from the Writer's Digest Short Short Story Competition. The top 25 stories get printed in an annual and you get exposure and such. Suffice it to say my story "Grounded" about two unconventional superheroes is still, well, grounded. But this past week, after a night of staying up late, too much dark chocolate, and some divine inspiration I hit the ground running on expanding the story into a novel. This rejection is further fuel for me and I intend to burn it. Though inspiration is 1% of a novel, the other 99% involves Mondays at work where you feel absolutely useless, leg cramps and tension headaches from sitting for hours as you try to find the perfect adjective for your characters eyes, and a lonely pet rabbit that starts thumping loudly in his cage until you come pet him and appease him with carrots. But it's all worth it when you read something and say, wow, I wrote that? Then you read the line that follows, and you're like yikes, I wrote that too, no one's going to read this. It's like pride and humility are always in a fistfight. So, where or when do you get your inspiration???

Pinterest Projects and Hopeful Words

So I work for Blick Art Materials and guess what happens to be one of my tasks, I get to come up with Pinterest projects!!! This is one of my favorite parts of the job, our page with all of our staff's projects just went live and these are my Cupid's Arrow Valentines! they were really fun to make, and I'm sure I'll be handing them out to people around the office. If you want to see what we've been making click here. Also it's been a long winter this year, but hope is in the air, I went to a friend's house last night for a group Bible study on Hope, and it was reassuring and makes all the little things that we complain about seem so trivial. In fact we have so many blessings that we take for granted that we really have no excuse for losing hope. So next time I start to get frustrated or irritated I'm going to picture myself shooting one of these arrows at my attitude, step over it's vanquished form and move toward hope :)

Project Revamp: Stage Three Hand Dying

 

So I'm trying my hand at hand dying, the satin from the wedding dress was still slightly yellowed so I picked up some iDye Poly dye for synthetics from Blick Art Materials. But be forewarned, if you want pastels only put like a 1/2 tsp in a big pot of hot water. Also if you leave it in for a long time the color gets way more intense. I tried just a sleeve piece first and really had to dilute it. I did the pinkish hue first and then made a blue gray mixture that I dipped the edges in and it turned lilac. Once the fabric is properly rinsed and ironed I will post some design sketches. 

NerdBlock is like Christmas every month

 

Sorry I got behind on posting my January NerdBlock, it did not disappoint! I got an Admiral Ackbar Bobblehead, how can you not smile at him!! I also received a Katniss figure from the Hunger Games, a My Little Pony, a Ninja Turtles Splat Ball and drumroll please....

 

This kick-butt Batman t-shirt that says "Ninja of Justice" in Japanese. How cool is that?! What did you get in your NerdBlock this month?

March for Life 2014

This was my second go round on the March, it was a different experience but a good experience. I was a chaperone with our parish priest and we were charged with keeping our little group of high spirited teens amongst the larger together. I love these kids, a few are almost ready to go off to college and it was a great opportunity to see them get out of our small town for a spell and focus our energies on a cause larger than ourselves. 

 

It's overwhelming being amongst half a million people but exhilarating, even though it was 19 degrees and it felt like the shuffle for life as we linked arms and tried to keep warm, it was a joyous crowd. This year's theme was Adoption, which was very fitting. Three of my cousins are adopted and they have been such a big part of our family.  

 

I believe every life matters, and it was a joy to stand up and be counted with so many people that I would severely miss if they weren't a part of my life :)

 

Also in the freezing cold and falling snow we saw the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It was a poignant moment as we read the tomb and it said "Here rests in honored glory, an American soldier known but to God." And it just made me think of all the children who are known but to God.

Art, Ipsy, and a Bowl Full of Cherries

I've been working on catalog covers this week and playing with the delicious Blick Studio Acrylics, they dry super fast but the colors are really vibrant. Couldn't you just eat them. But seriously don't. I will post some of the ombre art I've been finessing soon. 

 

This week has been busy as I've been preparing for a pilgrimage for the March for Life, but I was super excited to get my first Ipsy bag! Ipsy is a subscription service and I'm all about a bargain. For $10 a month you can't beat it. I got healthysexyhair leave in conditioner, an Elizabeth Mott eye shadow pencil, Mica Beauty lip tint, Apothederm skin serum, and pomegranate makeup removing cloths, + you get a cute little bag too. I'm definitely going to keep this one up as I like trying new things and I don't have time to get out and shop much. ( check it out! http://www.ipsy.com/r/3xts)

On a side note, some friends and family of mine have been going through some tough and trying times. Please keep your loved ones in your prayers because even though they wear a smile they may be hurting underneath. So life often isn't a bowl of cherries, but you can still buy them frozen at the supermarket throw some sugar on top and count the many blessings that you do have.

Hot Air Balloons and Dancing Sketches

My friend from grade school, yes I'm still friends with people from grade school, that's how we roll-- we form tight bonds in the Midwest, is having her first baby and is going with a hot air balloon theme for the nursery. They haven't announced the sex yet so I tried to keep the colors simply fun! I did this pair of acrylics yesterday, or technically this morning because I'm basically nocturnal on the weekends. 

Also on the weekends I'm lazy when it comes to cooking and I have a lot of projects going so I do things like dress up my Ramen, which is absolutely delicious by the way. After cooking the noodles and adding the seasoning packet, I add chopping cilantro, green onion, and shredded cooked chicken. Perfect on a cold but productive winter day!

 Some of my sketches were featured in a Strathmore ad in the Blick Catalog, it's one of the perks of my job! Thanks Mom and Dad! I'm using my degree!!