Here Behind the Looking Glass

jack sparrow goes to the art museum

2009-10-13T21:37:00.006-04:00

My friend Maria and I took the metro down to the capitol to go to the National Gallery of Art. We took Jack Sparrow with us. Soooo great. See, for my art history course I needed to go to a museum and do a report on a work of art...still not sure which? Any ideas would be helpful! :)
peace.

Autumn Leaves

2009-09-22T14:57:00.003-04:00

This is a poem I wrote and thought it would be relevant, considering today is the first day of autumn. Also included are some totally irrelevant pictures...Hope everyone has a great day!

How can death be so beautiful
Flames of color
bursting in brilliance
and then flickering and falling
to ashes beneath the trees
victims of time
They'll be arrayed again
in spring
reincarnated
in green
My past plays out
in my mind
I want to say
I can be like a tree
I can let go of my memories and
start anew
but they are always there
God give me hope for spring

peace.

do hard things...!

2009-09-20T16:38:00.005-04:00

Hello, all! I can't believe it's been a month since I last posted - I feel horrible!

Yesterday, my family, a bunch of friends and I went down to Washington, DC for a youth conference led by Alex and Brett Harris, writers of the book "Do Hard Things." (Check out their website at http://www.dohardthings.com/) They are also the creators of the "Rebelution." You're thinking: huh? Well, the rebelution is a rebellion against rebellion, or as they put it, a teenage rebellion against low expectations.
Have you ever thought about how low expectations for teenagers are? We're expected to be ignorant, sassy, independent losers who run free doing drugs and getting drunk and stuff.

The purpose of the rebelution is not to, like, start an actual war, but merely to do things that will make our culture respect teenagers, to do hard things.

Oh, and thank you to LookingGlassGirl for this cute award! I love your blog, especially since our blog names are so alike. ♥

The band Reilly was at the conference and performed their song "Limited Time" at the beginning of one of the sessions. Pretty cool...By the way, I just finished Mary Poppins yesterday...it was...interesting. Actually, weird. Have any of you ever read it? Did you know there are EIGHT M.P. books? I wanted to read it because I've been reading a lot of serious books for fun lately. Halfway through All Quiet on the Western Front, I was like, man I need to read something lighter!
Well, lots of hugs. See you in blogland. : )

flying around, had to come down sometime

2009-08-19T08:25:00.011-04:00

Argh! Sorry I've been gone so long. I finally told myself I have to blog today because tomorrow I'm leaving to visit my grandparents in New York and will be gone about half a week. So.
July was very busy. First, my sister and I and some others from our church (including Maria from ofteacupsandtoadstools) went up to Toronto, Canada on a service trip. We helped a church there with leading a peace-themed day camp. On our last day there we went to the Royal Ontario Museum and got to see the Dead Sea Scrolls! Very amazing.
The week after that, my sister, my mom and I drove out to see some colleges in the midwest (aaaah! college is lurking around the corner!). There was one I particularly liked, but I'm not sure how costs will work out (it was extremely $$$).
This month, as well as working on some over-the-summer school assignments,I'm taking a college art history course.
Also, thank you thank you thank you all who added me to their tags, but I don't have the time right now. :( I really love tags though, they are so much fun to read and do.
If you are an avid follower of Adela (pinkchampagnefashion) then you probably know she already started school. Well on their first day of school we - Adela, Maria, J, and me - dressed up like hippy-ish bums and had a little picnic on the local parking garage roof. Below I'm including pictures from that and the Toronto trip.

This is the building the church met in.

I love this picture - so cute!

Sharpie tats!
We helped to paint the pastor's fence around his backyard. It was a lot of fun.

One of the younger childrens' classes.

This guy got clever and attached all the markers together!

I guess black squirrels are common in Toronto, but where we're from it's unheard of! We were like, "Look! A black squirrel!" and those who lived there were like, "Yeeaahh..."
I wasn't allowed to bring my camera in, but this is the museum where we saw the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The CN Tower!
We stopped by an art festival that was going on - this was our last day in Toronto and since the peace camp was over we toured - I love this artist's work, unfortunately I forgot to get his name!
There was a garbage strike going on that week...

The Eaton Center.

Niagra Falls!
Hmm...Canadian trip and parking garage trip. Not sure if there's a comparison...

(Stopped by a cake shop)

(And a used bookstore)

peace.

drumming song

2009-08-03T13:39:00.001-04:00

YAY! Florence and the Machine's new single is coming out soon and here's the video. By the way, sorry I haven't been blogging in over a month - July was extremely busy. I'll post back soon! x

Florence + The Machine - Drumming Song

Happy Birthday, Blog!

2009-07-01T20:43:00.005-04:00

I don't remember quite when in July I started this blog, but I guess I'll celebrate it the 1st. Um...YAY!

Well, some friends from a different state came to visit today and it was a lot of fun to spend time with them after not seeing them for so long. Especially my friend C.

Also, as you will see below, are two pots I found while cleaning out my closet. I mod-podged scraps from old teenvogue magazines onto them, then planting grass (I don't have a green thumb, so I don't want to waste money on cool plants...lame excuse, I know).

Also, I'm finally getting around to accepting the awards given to me from Adela at Pink Champagne Fashion. Thank you, friend! I'm not sure of the specifics for the awards, so I'm just copying what Adela did for them.

LIKES:

1. The music video for Glósóli, by Sigur Ros. I'm obsessed!

2. Curling up with my cat.

3. Henna tatts. So much fun.

4. Blue eyes (I wish...).

5. Saris.

DISLIKES:

1. Fake tans.

2. When friends text other friends when they're hanging out with YOU!

3. Ronald McDonald.

4. Fishing.

5. Thigh-high boots.

I pass these on to Jessica from A Sunlit Day. :)

And for the Kawaii award, here's 10 more things about me...

The rules are:

1. Each blogger must post this rules
2. Each blogger starts with ten random facts / habits about themselves.
3. Blogger that are tagged need write about their own blog their ten things and post these rules.
4. Don't forget to leave them comment telling them they've been tagged and to read your blog.

*I don't own a pair of Converse, but would like to.

*I am related to the guy who started a famous chocolate company (Milton Hershey).

*I once almost got run over by a car in front of a funeral parlor.

*I used to work at a meats and ice store (in the deli section - would NEVER be able to work with the meat - yuck)

*My favorite food is fruit.

*I own a guitar from the late '70s.

*I used to collect stamps from different countries.

*I have a doll from Egypt that looks like bin Laden.

*I've never been out of North America but would like to travel someday.

*I don't like pepperoni.

I pass this on to Maria from of teacups and toadstools, because her blog BURBLES (it has potential, dear, just keep writing!) and Catherine from Silhouette Girl, because her blog is lovely and her style amazing.

We went to an ice cream shop nearby...drippy.

I gave C a sharpie tat on her ankle.

Here are the pots of grass...

Went to a used bookstore yesterday and got six books for $4.50! I was very excited.
Well take care, readers.
peace.

art opening

2009-06-27T21:55:00.004-04:00

went to an art exhibit at the time bomb with adela, maria (from ofteacupsandtoadstools.blogspot.com), and j. The theme of the art, which was mostly portraits of people and fish, was identity and isolation. some of the portraits were done on squares of cardboard, which i thought was an inventive way to do it.

Adela wants to use this last picture in one of the Style Watch for the newspaper. very cute outfit.

peace.

I may be climbing rainbows, but baby, here goes

2009-06-15T13:55:00.012-04:00

The photoshoot was inspired by the book The Virgin Suicides, Alice in Wonderland, and Florence and the Machine's music video Rabbit Heart (shown below - much thanks to sprinkle for showing me how to embed a video!! [actually, not sure if I did it right so here's the link anyway.])

peace.

Please read this post - yes you!

2009-06-13T23:09:00.002-04:00

Sorry I haven't been on in about three weeks - it's not (completely) because I've been busy, but I've been unsure of what to blog about! Running out of ideas is so tragic! So two things to address in this post; please comment if you have any suggestions.

1. How do you imbed a video (i.e. youtube) onto your blog instead of pasting a link? If you know how, please explain step by step as I am horrible with computer-related things.

2. Is there anything you would like me to post about in particular - more of something I've posted about in the past, for instance, that you'd like me to do more of? I am almost totally drained of inspiration.

Thank you bunches!!!

peace.

To A Young Girl

2009-05-25T22:09:00.005-04:00

My dear, my dear, I know
More than another
What makes your heart beat so;
Not even your own mother
Can know it as I know,
Who broke my heart for her
When the wild thought,
That she denies
And has forgot,
Set all her blood astir
And glittered in her eyes.

- William Butler Yeats

♥

morning..sunrise..open my eyes..

2009-05-19T19:07:00.005-04:00

(so begins Priscilla Ahn's song "Good Day")

Went outside with my sister to sit and read. I brought along raspberry sherbet and the book The Peacemaker. Sitting there in the evening sunlight, I had just a taste of summer...I can't wait!! I have about a week and a half left.

Music to enjoy: Bitter Heart - Zee Avi
peace!

pleasant surprises

2009-05-09T09:39:00.002-04:00

Went for a walk and found this portrait grafittied on a bridge. It looks like it was stenciled, but it's still amazing.

I got Fahrenheit 451 from the library yesterday and read it all in one sitting. It was AWESOME! One of my favorite books now - I totally recommend it. Though it was written in the 50s, it's an acurrate depiction of what's happening today (it's set in "the future"); how our society is degrading, getting more simple-minded because we want to avoid conflict with everyone. Everything is fluff.

If you need some good music to listen to: Vitamin String Quartet

a tree of floral snowflakes

2009-05-03T21:52:00.004-04:00

I wrote this poem maybe a year ago...

Memories
are bottled inside of me
burning my mind
I can’t forget
I can’t let go
Or can I
There are two lights
at both ends of the tunnel
I can only decide which
I will follow

peace.

a taste of summer

2009-05-01T16:10:00.007-04:00

These pictures are actually from last Saturday when I went to Adela's house, but I'm posting them now because over the weekend (er, week..) I decided to take a break from all blog-related things for the sake of the pain in my arms. As it turns out, I went to an orthopedic surgeon today and he said it probably isn't tendonitis (whoo-hoo!) and thinks I've just overworked my arms...which is more than likely true. Gah, but even typing this there's a tingling. Hopefully it will leave soon so I can get back to my art - if I don't blog as regularly as I usually do, now you know the reason.

This is their pet turtle, Huss.
Hmm...vintage clothes, dramatic pose... it couldn't be Adela, could it?

Yours truly.
Heart's-ease.

They have a baby's-breath bush in their backyard!
peace.

Adela, Adela, Adela!

2009-04-23T21:13:00.005-04:00

Tonight, local fashion shops came together for a fashion show at a fancy Italian restaurant. For Miss Ruth's Time Bomb, Adela was chosen to open and close the show! Sorry for the horrible quality - it was bad lighting and my camera apparently doesn't catch movement well.
These are Adela's sisters; we had the privilege of sitting in a little alcove where we could talk more privately and spy on the other guests who actually bought meals at the restaraunt before the show started.

Yum!

Adela modeled two vintage dresses.
This is one of the store owners, Sarah.
Adela again, as the Prom Queen at the end.

The whole thing was exciting and pretty fun to watch. Must get on with some homework now, see you!

tag - I'm it!

2009-04-22T18:18:00.004-04:00

I was tagged by frenchie jane...
Directions:1. Respond and rework. Answer the questions on your blog, replace one question you dislike with a question of your own invention; add a question of your own.2. Tag eight other un-tagged people.

What is your current obsession? I'm not really obsessed with anything right now...no wait: summer.

Good coffee place? Starbucks (of course).

Do you nap alot? Nope.

What is the last thing you ate? A glass of milk (love it).

What was the last thing you bought? Oh wow, I haven't bought anything in a while.

What are you listening to right now? Flora's Secret -- Enya.

What is your favorite weather? When it's warm and almost too hot, but there's a breeze.

What is on your bedside table? Lots of little stuff: a notebook, a book, a Tazo bottle that I fill up with change, a chapstick, a small tray for all my pendants, probably a pencil...

Say something to the person who tagged you- I adore the photoshoot you did "forget me not."

If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world where would it be? Maybe I'd just stick it out in PA.

Guiltiest pleasure you're willing to admit here? Dunno...hmm, I never really do anything consistently that I feel guiltily pleasured about...

Name the things you can't live without? My contact lenses, my denim shorts, milk.

What would you like to have in your hands right now? A letter from a friend.

What is your favorite tea flavor? Sugar Plum Spice, by Celestial Seasonings. With a little honey, it's WONDERFUL. and tazo chai; it's so strong.

are you happy with yourself? I am content being who I am, that's the way God made me.

What's your favorite brand of jeans? American Eagle. great fit.

What style trend is the hardest for you to adopt? I think this might be more of a fad: stirrup tights. Yeuck.

If you could go anywhere in the world in the next hour where would you go? I'd like to see India.

What is your favorite scent? The after-rain smell outdoors, citrus, chai tea.

Who is your fashion icon? I'm not as in to fashion as some, so I don't have a style icon.

Tell me your dreams -I want to do art. Painting, drawing, creating, on and on, forever and ever...sigh.

I tag:

Adela

Emy Augustus

Elisa

Frock around the clock

Btw, Happy Earth Day!!

the [library] adventures of benedict the egg

2009-04-20T20:43:00.006-04:00

Well. This should have been posted on Saturday, but for various reasons, I couldn't upload the pics until now. Let me explain first, before you get strange ideas in your heads. In my bible class, we are doing a unit on relationship, marriage, parenthood, etc. In lou (?) to the parenthood part, we have to carry an egg around for a week to symbolize a child. I think some schools might use baby dolls? Anyway, no, it's not hardboiled, and I have already cracked him (rolled out of his basket while in the car, but he's okay). His name is Benedict.

This is my sister; I really love how this photo turned out with the stained glass window in the background.
This is my goofy friend, currently calling herself "Elmo" or "the demented chicken who can't fly," currently lying on the library floor. Don't worry, it was way back in the adult fiction section, so no one saw us. At least, very few did. :P
Me 'n my little baby.

That's my goofy friend's hand in the back there.

Ugh, it's Monday again. Ah well. Hang in there everyone, summer is in sight!!!

argh! I can't think of a good title for this post

2009-04-14T11:41:00.004-04:00

First off, I'm sick...again. Last night I had the chills and a fever, now I just feel drained. It's weird, because I'm the kind of person who gets a brief cold once a year -- not real sickness. *sigh* I hope this doesn't go on as long as the last time about two months ago (four weeks of being sick!). Well, anyway...

Yesterday my friend and I walked downtown to the library (yeah, I know, not the most ideally fun thing to do on an Easter break) and sat in one of the back isles reading.

As you can see, we have different tastes in literature... :-)
The sharpie-ed shoes I'm wearing are really fun to walk in, because they sound like dull tap shoes when they're on a hard surface.
There's this lovely old purple door downtown that I've always loved. Well, it appears that someone kicked part of it in. Needless to say, I am not happy about it.
Does anyone know the name of this flower? I can't remember.

Have a good rest of the week, ya'll!

a bright bright Easter day

2009-04-12T13:51:00.003-04:00

Happy Easter!

I awoke at the ridiculously early hour of 7:00 (for a weekend anyway) and journeyed over to my neighbors' yard to have a photoshoot with their forsythia bush (there isn't one in our yard -- don't worry, I asked ahead of time. :)). The lighting was perfect because the sun was just rising.

Last night our neighbors (yes, the same ones) were gone on a trip and asked us to babysit their dog. WELL. Kitty-Diddy wasn't too happy about that. It was funny watching them confront each other; they'd stand and stare for minutes, and then the dog would yap at her. He's back at his home now, but Kitty is still searching the house for him.

Argh, I've had the song Macavity from "Cats" stuck in my head for three days now...

"Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is so good, and by raising Jesus from death, he has given us new life and a hope that lives on." ~1 Peter 1.3

peace.

little stars dancing in the sunshine

2009-04-07T16:03:00.003-04:00

Yes, I wrote the poem.

We go through life
Searching for our soulmate
A perfect being
An angel of our imagination
What we find
is an imperfect human
Only then do we come to realize
That what we have
now
Is what we were looking for
all along

(photo from weheartit.com)

peace.

i really hate the phrase "think pink"

2009-04-05T14:58:00.004-04:00

It's so cheesy, like it's trying to be funny in rhyming but it's really just...not. Okay, sorry for that mini rant.

Yesterday my friend and I went walking downtown and just talked. Like, for hours. It was great, because I've been needing to have a good old heart-to-heart with someone, but for various reasons, I hadn't.

We stopped by a craft show to see Adela and her younger sister and their stand. Adela was selling jewelry and decorative fairies, and her sister was selling little cross-stitch nick-nacks and homemade greeting cards. Then we walked around some more and I took some photos of these gorgeous blossoming trees.

Adela setting up her stuff...(pictured above)

One of her sister's cross-stitch things.

Some fairies...

An example of her jewelry...
Adela's little sister looking kinda freaky...

My outfit today was pink... (below..sorry, I'm still trying to decide if I like to put the photos info above or below the photo; any input?)

Psst, I have to share this really amazing recipe with you. My cousin came up with it and let me in on it. You know the flavored steamed milk you can get at a cafe? It tasted like that, and there's even the foam on top afterward.

You heat up one cup of milk (I used skim milk in a mug in the microwave for 1 minute), then add 2 TBSP brown sugar (at least, that's what the recipe said, but I found 1 TBSP sufficient) and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract. 'Tis yummy.

ugh...Sunday evenings are the worst time of the week for me, at least during the schoolyear, because you look into your future and see a whole other week ahead of you.

lots of hugs!

a random essay i felt like writing

2009-04-02T21:30:00.003-04:00

Okay, this isn't really an essay, it's more of a rant, but it's something that's been coming up again and again in my mind and I feel like writing about it. So if you are not interested in art nouveau/ women's roles in the art nouveau movement, don't read this.
Because art nouveau ("new art": circa the turn of the 20th century) was an offspring of the arts and crafts movement a few decades before, its style is very decorative. It was all about design. Works often had a very organic feel to them -- floral, plant and animal designs were incorporated into art, but sometimes even just swirls and curly shapes were sufficient. Women were also a popular subject: slender maidens with impossibly lengthy hair and barely-there flowy gowns. These figures adorned everything from candlestick holders to doorframes to posters (sidetrack: typography became more of an art form during this period than ever before).

Alphonse Mucha (I don't remember the source).

This topic is kinda tricky. Art nouveau artists have sometimes been criticized for their portrayal of women as mere decorations instead of soulful beings. My belief, though, is that it was more to demonstrate woman's beauty in association with nature than treating her as an object. Artists sought to show the organic relationship between women and the natural world: trees, flowers, animals, sunsets, etc. Women were a glorious inspiration for this time in art -- females in general, but also particular individuals such as Sarah Bernhardt and Loie Fuller (sidetrack: Loie Fuller's unique form of dance paved the way for modern dance as it is today).

In addition to frivolous beauty there was a sense of eroticism and mystery to the artists' creations. A few examples below...
Death and Life. Gustav Klimt. Though most of the faces in this picture are obscure and only partly visible, the viewer can still see the tense passion of the people as death approaches.
The Peacock Skirt. Aubrey Beardsley. Wavy shapes and intricate patterns add drama to this picture.
The Kiss. August Rodin. This is one of my favorite sculptures because of how much emotion Rodin was able to capture in marble. Look at how she is gripping her arm around his neck, and how her right foot is pressing her body forward. Likewise, his hand is resting on her thigh gently and firmly at the same time (how did Rodin do that?!). The unfinished look to the marble slab gives the appearance of the lovers growing out of it, or to put it a different way, bonded by it; there is an enormous sense of unity and one-ness in this sculpture.

This was probably a boring post to some of you, I know, and it is a definite switch from what I usually write, but I just finished a book on art nouveau and these thoughts had been circulating in my brain so long I had to get them out in words.

If you made it this far, thanks for reading. I realize I sort of left the end hanging; this was more just getting my ideas down than actually constructing an essay. So if you have any constructive criticism/comments, please go ahead!

I can't belief it's Thursday already. This week has been going so fast for me!

i look like a bruise. the daffodils are pretty tho.

2009-03-30T18:00:00.005-04:00

Spring. Ah. After a long dreary season of snow and ice and grey, spring comes -- the harbinger of summer. It's the season when we hold our breath in giddy anticipation of the next season.

It was grey all over

The sky

like a murky watercolor

dripped sorrow onto me

It soaked through me

I didn't remember what color was

Only the grey

But something made me look up

There

peeking indignantly through the clouds

was a patch of blue

What was it doing there

spoiling the endless grey

I squinted in its awkward brilliance

watching as the clouds

slowly

drifted apart

The blue filled the heavens

spilling beautifully over everything

seeping into my soul

Color

I cried

This is an outfit I put together; it's a black dress with a navy blue sweater -- you can't really tell because of the lighting. Black and blue...ha.

I went out and took some pictures of the daffodils in our front yard.

Hope you all have a great week!
peace.

fishies and cupcakes...hmm

2009-03-26T22:14:00.006-04:00

Believe it or not, I'm still sick! Well, it's not as serious as it was before (it's just a cold/cough now), but tomorrow it will make four weeks. I guess my body is just in-immune to illnesses right now (haha, say "in-immune" five times fast!).

Here are some fishies I made in art class when we were working with printmaking. Our goal was to incorporate the human hand into the shape of the fish when we carved it out (you can vaguely see the outlines of fingers...). They're not the best quality, I know, but it was actually my first time with printmaking.
Which is your favorite?
This is my favorite, even though the fish don't have faces...It's different from what everyone else in my class did (two fish swimming together instead of just one printed on). I also like how they overlap.
I also made some mini cupcakes for my mom's birthday. Now I'm not sure which I like better - mini ones or regular sized. These are so cute!
In response to Alice X's question about inspiration boards, here are some photos of mine...

peace.

Second day of spring da dum

2009-03-21T13:40:00.006-04:00

You know that expensive vintage clothing boutique I posted about earlier? Well, today they had a spring opening that my friend Adela and my other friend went to. It was okay, we just wandered around the shop and tried on a few things (and snacked on fruit and donuts!), but it was an excuse to get dressed up and go somewhere.
Adela.
Her sister (my friend).

Me! The wedges were actually Adela's - aren't they great? The dress was 70s vintage; it has a cool V-neck, but you can't see because of my hair.

peace.

icees or liquid starbursts?

2009-03-20T22:35:00.004-04:00

Happy Happy First Day of Spring! I went to Rita's with some friends to get free icees; I got a mango one and it tasted like starburst candy (don't know if that's a good thing or not...).
I'm hoping the weekend is enjoyable; I've been such a homebody recently (not purposely. i've jsut been super-duper busy). I haven't even been to Walmart in like a month. Heh, not like that's a big deal anyway.
Isn't that oak leaf bud adorable? I really love this picture.

Kitty-Diddy. On a log.

My friend and I are joining Script Frenzy for April. If you are the more creative writer kind of person, look into it. The point of it is to write (individually or with a partner) a 100 page script in a month (April). The script can be anything from screenplay to radio to comic books. We might not reach 100 pages, but we'll sure try!

it's finally over

2009-03-14T12:27:00.007-04:00

Well, I was sick for a week; first a fever, then a cold. I did practically nothing until yesterday afternoon when I went to a vintage store with a friend. Check out the website here: Miss Ruth's Time Bomb.

I really love this gold dress, but it was a little too expensive. Ah well. Sorry that I really don't have anything to write...

♥

sicky.

2009-03-07T09:52:00.003-05:00

yesterday at school I felt a little sick, but thought I could endure till the end of the day. well, I couldn't, so I went home early with a 102.3 fever. I slept for like seventeen hours, and I haven't eaten since Friday morning - just been drinking grape juice and gingerale. There goes my weekend. :(

peace.

birds on bikes

2009-03-05T17:50:00.003-05:00

woo-hoo! there they go! these didn't take long to make, and now I have a cute window decoration...

I am currently in love with:

Sanuk! I've been wanting a pair of slip-ons for a while now, but haven't found any I really liked (I'm a little bit of a picky shopper). The only downside is that they're a little too pricey for me (but you know, i'm not really big on spending money on anything over ten bucks...). Well, I'll think about it...I do need a good all-round pair of shoes for summer...

I can't wait till we turn our clocks forward! Longer days..yeah!

no wisdom teeth...hurray!

2009-03-04T21:11:00.004-05:00

I went to the dentist's today (ugh, I know) and they were like, "have you had your wisdom out yet?" "No," said I, in a timid voice. "Well, we'll have to do an x-ray on your mouth to see if you have any coming in; if you do, we'll have to pull some teeth." (me, thinking to myself: *yipes. God help!*) well, they took the x-ray, and after ten minutes of torturous waiting, they declared it was my lucky day and I do not have any wisdom teeth coming in. Weirdly enough, all of my other relatives on both my parents' sides have had them...hmm...i guess i'm just special. ;)

There's a planet out these nights, I think it's Venus. can anyone verify that? (haha...yeah, from these fuzzy poor-quality pics...)

PS. I went for a walk tonight with my sister and we had been talking about bicycles and then the subject topic drifted to birds. somehow the idea of birds on bikes came up and i've been pondering it ever since. Wouldn't that be utterly adorable?! a little bluebird or robin pedaling along down the road...oh so cute! I promise my next post will be of a picture of a bike-riding bird.

hugs!!

PPS. thank-you sweeties for all your comments on my last post! you're the best!

i need advice, please

2009-03-01T21:35:00.004-05:00

okay...before I get to the meat of the post, here are some pics...this is what it looked like out my bedroom window this morning. weirdly tho, the snow melted completely by the afternoon.

got this dress at a vintage store downtown.
lol...my feet look really funny in this picture...

okay, so there's this guy and I only see him once or twice a week. yes, i like him. but i've been wondering for a while if he likes me back. there have been times when we've got very close, like, he comes and sits next to me and we talk like we're great friends. or once we even went on a walk together and shared secrets and stuff. but then the next time i see him he doesn't even acknowledge my existence! or if he does, it's just a glance or smile in my direction. I don't get it. i'm really tired and very confused, cuz i just got that im-ignoring-you treatment tonight...ugh. is this just an example of how weird/bad guys are at communicating? or is it me being too over-analyzing or something...?

*yawn* i'm too tired to think. if you have advice, please comment.

thanks.

p.s. I realize i didn't give much details...if you need any, ask.

pretty disappointing day

2009-02-28T16:43:00.005-05:00

today has been pretty blah. I have tendonitis in both arms but it only acts up sometimes. well, I've been working on weaving a basket for art class and it's acted up again. So painful! I think I'll ask my teacher if i can opt out of this project; maybe she'll let me do something else.

I just sat around all day. The most excitement was going to starbucks with my sister and then getting a lavender-vanilla candle at Yankee Candle for my mom's birthday coming up. so nothing that productive, fun, or interesting to write about. :/

a few of my cousins are here, but they're all boys and like twelve and younger. They're downstairs playing with my brother.

I found this awesome quote on the bella vita blog; I'm copying it here because I think everyone should read it.

"It makes sense that if a plant is separated from the sun, it dies, and that if people are separated from God, they die. And so now it feels as if we live on a planet where there is just a little bit of water left, poisoned as it is, and we all are trying to get it and drink it so we can stay alive. But what we really need is God. What we really need is somebody who loves us so much we don't worry about death, about our hair thinning, about other drivers pulling in front of us on the road, about whether people are poor or rich, good-looking or ugly, about whether we feel lonely or about whether or not we are wearing clothes. We need this; we need this so we can love other people purely and not for selfish gain, we need this so we can see everybody as equals, we need this so our relationships can be sincere, we need this so we can stop kicking ourselves around, we need this so we can lose all self-awareness and find ourselves for the first time, not by realizing some dream, but by being told who we are by the only Being who has the authority to know, by that I mean the Creator."
-Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller

Actually, I did do something semi-productive this morning. I hadn't sketched in a while, so i sat down and drew a picture of my sister making a funny face (copied off of a photo I took of her last month). sorry the photo below is sorta grey and fuzzy...
peace.

apple-y goodness ^_^

2009-02-27T19:31:00.004-05:00

I noticed we had a basket full of apples in our kitchen, so I put one to use and baked it. First, mix a ton (okay, a decent amount...use your judgment) of honey, raisins and cinnamon in a bowl.
Core an apple. If you don't have a core-er (?) you can use a vegetable peeler to dig into it, or just a knife.

Place the apple on a square of aluminum foil. Load it up. Fold the aluminum foil over (you may want to double-wrap it; I've had it leak before) and place it in the oven at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. I've always done this time amount because I like the apple with a little crunchiness still in it, but I suppose you could put it in for longer.

Cut it up and enjoy! This is one of my favorite things to make in the winter. You can't really tell from the pic, but there's a puddle of honey in the bottom there; the honey also soaks through the apple...it's great. and so simple.

Well, see you in blogland. ♥

sigh summer...

2009-02-25T21:13:00.006-05:00

Enya - Lazy Days http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNGp22Z_iy0

Right now I am really missing my friend summer. Three more months of school seems like an eternity. I miss
*picking strawberries from the field.
*the grass when it's green and lush..walking barefoot through it.
*my hair all tousled in the breeze.
*shorts and ankle bracelets and tank tops.
*sharing an ice cream with a friend. especially when it gets all drippy and messy.
*the vivacity of the world after winter..nature pulsating with energy.
*birds singing on the dogwood tree outside my window.
*trees in a state of greenness and the sun sifting through the leaves. ah.
*jumping in cold water on a hot day.
*lying around watching the clouds.
*talking about things other than school.
*fruits! blueberries, raspberries, aforementioned strawberries, mangoes, pomegranates, oranges, grapefruits, pineapple, melons, watermelons, plums, peaches...

ah well, all I can really do is be patient and it will come..three more months, three more months...
peace.

la dee dah...my room

2009-02-21T12:41:00.000-05:00

I haven't written in about a week! I'm surprised with myself, though I haven't really had anything to write about. I'm taking you on a tour of my room...

A collage I made a while ago (and vintage tea cups, yay!!)

my closet door.

my new watch.

found this vintage Louis Sherry chocolate tin for $5 at an antique store; can you believe it?! It's kinda dirty on the top, but is otherwise in excellent condition.

more vintage-y knick-knacks.

my desk. I use this for storing everything but desk-related items.

sorry for this slightly boring entry... :/

have a great week!

fun with SHARPIES

2009-02-15T16:26:00.000-05:00

found these boring white canvas shoes; they were cheap tho so I bought a pair and stayed up late last night drawing all over them with sharpies. My head is still kinda weird-feeling from all the fumes, but it was worth it. They are currently my favorite article of clothing that i own.♥

okay, so these aren't really good pics of the shoes, but they're perty cool, right?

yay! spring is near!! I spotted these little guys in my front yard..I will be keeping my eye on them and marking their progress as they bloom (i'm thinking they're crocuses but I can't remember from last spring...)

hugs! xx

I remember we were walking to strawberry swing...

2009-02-14T13:58:00.000-05:00

ooo...the weekend has been lovely.
I slept over last night at the house of my vintage friend, Adel. We looked at Erte fashion plates and balanced apples on our heads. later we went to an art exhibit that was aqua-themed, where we critiqued a photograph of a water fountain and ate chocolate covered strawberries. today i finally iced the heart-shaped cookies so now they're pink and sparkly and happy. ^_^
She loves hedgehogs...

this is the wallpaper in her bathroom. isn't it adorable?! imagine living in a wallpaper house...

♥♥happy happy valentine's day! xoxo

misty morning wrap me in your embrace

2009-02-13T10:54:00.000-05:00

Misty morning

wrap me in your embrace

It seems so long sing I've seen his face

The sunlight sifts through the hazy veil

warming my face, lighting my heart

But the clouds close the sun -

leave the world pale

My body is cold and my hope falls apart

Through the mist I see him walking

I try to follow but I keep on stumbling

He fades away

gone

I wrote this poem in study hall. And also yesterday in school my friend penned that adorable star on my pinky. Last night my Scottish friend spent the night and we watched Some Like It Hot (one of the funniest movies ever!) and ate animal crackers.

I was looking through my old copy of Shakespeare plays and to my delight and surprise I discovered rose petals pressed between the pages of Merchant of Venice and Macbeth. I had pressed them last summer; must have forgot about them up till now.

♥♥Happy Day Before Valentine's Day! ♥♥

i can tell it's gonna be a good day...

2009-02-11T17:13:00.000-05:00

Today was lovely weather. I adore the outdoor smell when it's wettish on the ground. went for a walk and enjoyed the breeze and the birds singing "pretty pretty day in February!"

I love wearing tights and shorts. I'm so glad the weather was nice today so I could get away with and outfit like this and not get wierd looks like "it's too cold...wear pants!!" haha, the stray sock just had to get in the picture...

peace.

kitty-diddy, fuzzy pictures, & dirt-cheapness

2009-02-10T22:45:00.000-05:00

we are going to have a four day weekend because of President's Day...I can't wait for it! I have to make this brief tho, cuz i still have literature homework (a two-page essay on a selected scene from Pride and Prejudice)...

I got these betsey johnson tights for two crazy bucks at TJMaxx; it's two pairs: one fishnets and one hot pink. I'm not really into fishnets so I'll probably just rip 'em up and use them for some artsy project. The orange-y reddish ipod case I got for seventy cents. I already have a homemade case, but hey, for seventy cents...?!

heheh...kitty-diddy is fascinated by the wristband thing on my camera. look how big her eyes are as she mischievously reaches for it..

argh. the snow is all melted, but there's rumored weather reports that it'll come back. as much as i despise the cold depressingness of winter, i;m wishing it'll snow again so my sis and I can do that shoot in our backyard... we'll see.

peace.

busy busy but fun

2009-02-07T20:36:00.000-05:00

Friday a bunch of friends and me went to a ski resort, but I didn't ski. I stayed back in the lodge with a friend who wasn't feeling well. We had tons of fun though, playing cards, Apples to Apples, Mad Gab, talking, exploring the lodge, and just hanging out.

Today my sis, and one of my LFs (little friends) went walking downtown.

my friend got me this vintage pin for Christmas. the eyes roll around..so cute!
yummy strawberry cupcake from a cute little bakery.

woohoo! spoon rings are the best!

i'm drinking a london fog tea from starbucks. interesting quote on the cup:

The Way I See It #284: You can't lead the people, if you don't love the people. You can't save the people, if you don't serve the people. -- Cornel West, University professor, Princeton University.

peace ♥

stripety socks

2009-02-03T21:46:00.000-05:00

i got these homemade socks from my friend for my birthday last month. aren't they beauteeful? this is my second time wearing them. another friend gave me the dress/shirt thing, which has awesome enormous sleeves.

My sister and I are planning a photoshoot involving the christmas lights that are still draped over the bushes in our front yard, my old ballet costumes (maybe), and snow.

I cannot wait for Valentine's day! ♥♥♥♥ I've been thinking lately about real love and how much love and giving are intertwined. with a new (at least better)perspective on selflessness, I've been finding the desire to give to people to express my love, whether it be little pretty things that i made, a hug, a note, or just the time they want to talk with me. Love is not thinking "now what can I get out of this? what does this profit me?" It's "what can I do for this person?"

Happy Hump Day!!! hump days are wednesdays; the middle of the week. once you get over the hump day, it's easy coasting down to the weekend. :)

I'm afraid my blog is a day behind. If anyone knows how to fix it, please let me know...

la dee dah

2009-02-02T07:15:00.001-05:00

'Tis Tuesday. I wish people other than me still said "tis." Much more fun that "it's." Well, today was school. homework. having my cat follow me around. going to a friend's house to watch an old Julie Andrews movie. drawing in my sketchbook. sharing an apple chai from starbucks with my sis. wearing a banana on my head. hopefully tomorrow will bring exciting-er adventures!
adios.

why does the top of this post say it's monday? cuz it's not...hmm...

My attire

2009-01-31T15:34:00.000-05:00

I got new tights yesterday for three bucks; I tried them out with my favorite LBD and a thrifted jacket. The beautiful shoes are H&M and they KILL my feet.

*sigh* photography is so much fun.

♥

kitties and a poem

2009-01-31T09:30:00.000-05:00

here is a picture and a video of my adorable kitty-diddy. Ogden Nash wrote a poem once:

The trouble with a kitten is THAT

Eventually it becomes a CAT.

It's a cute poem, but falls apart when I think of my own pet. I never knew her as a kitten, but we've been great friends just the same. well, here they are. Happy Saturday, all!

katrina relief service trip

2009-01-30T07:09:00.000-05:00

i should have put this up weeks ago, but I totally forgot until last night. So here are some pics from a service trip I went on in the middle of January, down to Mississippi. It's unbelievable that people are still affected by the Hurrican Katrina that hit four years ago. People told stories of how the forty-foot wave came; the real devastation was when the water pulled everything back with it into the gulf.
Jobs that the various volunteer teams did during the week included home-building, cleaning, cooking, helping out in the distribution center, and ministry work. It was so great being with cheerful people who wanted to be working, to be helping the people who Katrina hit the hardest. One man described it this way: "faith with it's sleeves rolled up."
Check out arbcainlakeshore2009.wordpress.com for more information on the trip.

there was a full moon our first night there. stunning.

this is my BFF, trying to sleep through the annoyance of me snapping pictures of her. :)
me.

breakfast.

these were the huts the volunteers slept in; there were other buildings in the back as well.

some girls on the beach of the Gulf of Mexico.

this little gumbi toy survived the hurricane. our motto was "semper gumbi": always flexible.
me.
guys working on building a porch.
this is the storage tent for the distribution center. we organized it and cleaned it up.
some customers in the distribution center .
an invitation.

a house in the making.

signs like this were everywhere; signs like "Mold removal: call this number," or "This number for new roofing."

try and figure this one out...

this is a brown recluse we found while cleaning out a storage shed. it was the size of a half dollar.

one of the girls on the kitchen crew liked to get creative with the food that was served. She made ordinary things like lunchmeat and donut holes look beautiful.

this is the porch again; coming along well.

at the end of the week we went shopping for food for the distribution center. we filled up six or seven carts.

there was a casino along the shore. it was one of the first things built after the hurricane. Hmm...what was that parable about the house built on sand?

Well, that's all I have for now.

peace.

birthday blessings

2009-01-29T21:35:00.000-05:00

last week was my birthday. it feels weird that one day a year who you are and part of your identity changes. i'd like to say i feel more grown-up, but i don't. As i look at the years ahead of me, it's easy to realize how young I still am, and how much I have yet to grow.
on a happier note, I'm so thankful for the friendships I have made over my few years so far on earth, and I have a stronger sense of the many blessings God's showered on me. A year ago I'd never imagine I'd be the person I am today today (lol, if that makes any sense).
below is a pic of the pink champagne cake my friend surprised me with. The candle holders are incredibly adorable; she bought them at a little downtown antique shop. I think they're German...

anyway, that's all i got for now.

peace ♥

happy new year!

2009-01-01T19:02:00.000-05:00

Here's a verse that I think is appropriate for the new year, and also a recipe for Viennese hot chocolate...:)

"For I know the thoughts that i think toward you," says the LORD, "thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

To make Viennese hot chocolate, heat up water in a mug (in the microwave...). Add about two large spoonfuls of hot chocolate mix and about a tablespoon of instant coffee granules (more or less, depending on if you like coffee). Add a couple dashes of cinnamon and stir. You can americanize it by topping it with mini marshmallows.

new year's eve...

2008-12-31T16:22:00.000-05:00

I can't believe 2008 is already over. It's gone by so fast! i'm excited for the new year, but i'm still a little naustalgic for all the good times i've had this year, especially the summer. so i'm ending '08 with a Happy New Year everyone and a reflective poem by William Butler Yeats...

The Wheel

THROUGH winter-time we call on spring,

And through the spring on summer call,

And when abounding hedges ring

Declare that winter's best of all;

And after that there s nothing good

Because the spring-time has not come -

Nor know that what disturbs our blood

Is but its longing for the tomb.

I'm back...

2008-12-27T16:49:00.000-05:00

I haven't been blogging here for months, but I'm going to make it a new year's resolution to be more consistent in my blogging. I deleted a bunch of old entries too...anyway, Happy New Year everyone!

Peter Rabbit Bracelet

2008-08-06T18:37:00.001-04:00

Found the charms at a local antique store; my friend made the bracelet for me.

Here Behind the Looking Glass

jack sparrow goes to the art museum

Autumn Leaves

do hard things...!

flying around, had to come down sometime

drumming song

Happy Birthday, Blog!

art opening

I may be climbing rainbows, but baby, here goes

Please read this post - yes you!

To A Young Girl

morning..sunrise..open my eyes..

pleasant surprises

a tree of floral snowflakes

a taste of summer

Adela, Adela, Adela!

tag - I'm it!

the [library] adventures of benedict the egg

argh! I can't think of a good title for this post

a bright bright Easter day

little stars dancing in the sunshine

i really hate the phrase "think pink"

a random essay i felt like writing

i look like a bruise. the daffodils are pretty tho.

fishies and cupcakes...hmm

Second day of spring da dum

icees or liquid starbursts?

it's finally over

sicky.

birds on bikes

no wisdom teeth...hurray!

i need advice, please

pretty disappointing day

apple-y goodness ^_^

*sigh* summer...

la dee dah...my room

fun with SHARPIES

I remember we were walking to strawberry swing...

misty morning wrap me in your embrace

i can tell it's gonna be a good day...

kitty-diddy, fuzzy pictures, & dirt-cheapness

busy busy but fun

stripety socks

la dee dah

My attire

kitties and a poem

katrina relief service trip

birthday blessings

happy new year!

new year's eve...

I'm back...

Peter Rabbit Bracelet

sigh summer...