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Friday, November 30, 2012

HAPPY WEEKEND

























































San Antonio was joking with me this morning as I ran around in this glorious fog, and I was hoping that it would stay for the entire day. The sun is peeking out of the clouds as I'm typing this, but that doesn't mean I won't be sporting my Christmas lights littering the house. Nothing like rearranging the living room to make room for the tiny lit tree while dancing around to MGMT with a buggy-eyed dog bouncing in your arms (yes, that's what I did last night).

This year, I'm SO in the holiday spirit, which usually isn't what happens before December even shows itself. It's so much more fun enjoying the mood instead of waiting until the very last minute, anyway.
























































































Know what I mean?? Sorry I don't have a short story + illustration to share with you this Friday. Still behind on getting everything together, and I'm all tangled up in the lights.

Have the best weekend, loves!

Thursday, November 29, 2012

TAKING ADVICE TO HEART





















































You guys already know how in love I am with Garance, and yesterday I read her short (but great!) advice on how to become an illustrator. Even if you don't have the urge to become an illustrator, this is still valuable advice on how to become successful in fashion and design-related fields. I need to take it all to heart.

Meanwhile, this is the middle stage of an illustration that Wendy was so kind to allow me to create. Isn't she beautiful? I actually have the original sitting next to me with added watercolor, but I'm not sure how I feel about it...maybe I should go ahead and add digital color instead. Hmm.

Do you like the digital coloring or the watercolor more? Maybe I'll just do both versions, ha!

Oh! I'm working on adding connection icons to the site, but if you want to see an earlier stage of this illustration, it's over on my twitter if you'd like to peek. You can also check the halfway-finished watercolor version on twitter and see what you think!

Happy Thursday! Is it sad that I forgot that it's almost the end to the week?! Oh my gosh, I have to get my act together and catch up on everything, seeing as we have family coming in for the weekend!

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

HITHER!

I don't even know why I'm using words like "hither." Blame it on me feeling much better, I guess! Anyway. Have you ever heard of a sweet interior designer named Michaela with a blog called Michaela Noelle Designs? Gasp, you haven't?! I think you'll fall in love with it as well as Michaela. Plus, I have a little guest post over there waiting for you. It's based on everything I'm loving and not-so-much loving this week, ranging from art things, winter, travel, snoring, beds, and beverages. I know...it doesn't make sense to me either at first glance. Guess you'll have to look for yourself. :) Here's a small sneaky just for enticement:







































































Photos taken by me in Denver, Colorado | 1, 2, 3, 4 

Head over here to see the full post in its glory. Make sure to say hi to Michaela! :)

P.S. Just in case you were wondering (I can see it in your eyes), you guys are totally on my love list. xoxo

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

WELL, HI THERE!

How was your Thanksgiving holiday? Mine was great, minus lying sick in bed 50% of the time. Despite that fact, it was still amazing to see family and be back home for a short while. I feel so much better today, and I even ran outside all wrapped up in my sweater in excitement over the changing season in Texas. We're catching up, finally! :)






























































Pretty, huh? I loved spring and summer, but fall is just as welcome.






































How is it in your parts?

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

SEE YOU SOON!

We're celebrating Thanksgiving here in the states this coming Thursday, and I'll be taking off until next week to spend some much needed time with family and hopefully some old friends from back home. Here's a little card from me to you!









































My husband and I will be soaking in this spectacular view of of the countryside on the drive home. Maybe he'll pull over so his oh-my-gosh!-we-need-to-capture-this-moment wife can snap a few pretty shots to show you all?? :) There are so many things I'm thankful for, and among them, I'm incredibly thankful to be able to share my thoughts and hopes with all of you! You guys are absolutely amazing with your support and encouragement, and I can't thank you enough. Cheers to YOU!!

See you guys very soon! xoxo

Friday, November 16, 2012

FLIGHT

Song to listen to with this story: "Hummed Low" by Odessa Rose











































They ran through the sun-lit blades of grass, she swinging the golden cap belonging to the washed makeshift firefly-catching jar that once use to house sticky grape jelly, and he grasping the glass jar with both hands, holding it in a horizontal position in order to have a better chance of collecting the fiery creatures.

This was Adeline and Mitchell’s newfound interest, and they had been diligently meeting at dusk to go on the hunt every day now for two entire weeks. For nine-year-olds, this was absolute eternity.

“Mitchell, it’s not a stupid idea! Don’t you get it?? We’re gonna be rich if we can catch even a jar-full of fireflies!” 

These were the stubborn words Mitchell had heard two weeks prior from the determined Adeline, who happened to live across the country road from his family’s small wood-planked home. Mitchell had no idea what his strong commitment to Adeline meant, but he ended up following along with his stubborn friend like he always did.

As they ran through the grassy pasture barefoot, dodging the sheep and occasional cow, Mitchell and Adeline tirelessly tried to capture the fireflies in futile efforts. As the sky darkened with the diminishing rays of the sun, they knew it was nearing the time to head home for dinner.

Adeline reached her small arms up into the air, curling her tiny fingers in frustration. “We’re NEVER gonna catch them, Mitchell!”

Mitchell, knowing that Adeline wasn’t one to usually give up, tried to think of something to comfort his aggravated adventurer.

“…Maybe we can catch the rest of the sun, Adie?” he asked hopefully. “I heard you can save it forever, and it keeps you from getting sad.”

Adeline looked at Mitchell, puzzled at first by his offer.

“Er…okay. Guess so…well, hurry! We don’t have much time!!”

Once again invigorated by the thought of a plan that would actually work, Adeline ran ahead of Mitchell, swinging the cap of the jar and yelling and pointing out spots where Mitchell needed to capture the last rays of the sun touching the grass.

The beautiful fireflies circled in flight around Adeline and Mitchell, who were no longer interested in hunting them.

More than fifteen years later, Mitchell looks at the sun-filled jar on the shelf above his dresser, always thinking of Adeline. Adeline, always quick to live life how she pleased, was in Croatia at the moment, enjoying the sights, couch-surfing with new acquaintances, and painting the breathtaking views around her each day. Mitchell, always the logical one, preferred not to take risks like quitting his well-paying job to travel the world like a gypsy. However, since Adeline had reluctantly left after trying to convince him to come with her, Mitchell was growing weary of missing her.

What Adeline didn’t know was that Mitchell would soon be on the 6:50 AM flight headed in her direction. He had quit his job only a few days prior, taking part of a risk in order to confess his undying love for her, and he was ready to jump into the adventure of Adeline’s love-filled life.

This day, Mitchell was sitting in the leather seat at the airport, awaiting the boarding of the plane. He had only one well-cared-for leather carry on for the adventure ahead of him, in addition to the glass jar that he clutched between both hands. This time, the jar was safely sitting vertically in his lap, containing both the sunshine he and Adeline had caught years ago, along with the rare sea foam green diamond ring passed down from his great grandmother inside.

In less than a moment, it was time for the flight’s departure, and Mitchell was on his way.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

A SMALL DINNER PARTY

You all may or may not know that I'm not much of a chef (I'm not), but oh my gosh, did Ree Drummond, a.k.a. The Pioneer Woman, make cooking much more enjoyable and tastier for me! Seems like every time we plan any type of dinner party, Ree's Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta recipe is my go-to for the night:
































































You can find the full recipe with directions here. :)

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

IS SUMMER GOING, GOING...

...gone?












































































I was so excited about the cooler weather with November, but after coming in from the rain and the wind, I got back to flipping through shots from the summer heat missing days like these. I think I must be in need of a piece of pumpkin bread, tea, a crackling fireplace, and a book.

Friday, November 9, 2012

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!


























Even if you get stuck in traffic, hope you feel like you're "galloping" off into the sunset this weekend. :)

See you guys on the other side!

Thursday, November 8, 2012

NEW INSPIRATION

Hi! Have you ever found yourself talking to a complete stranger and losing track of time? I mean for hours. I found myself in that situation a couple of days ago at a little Starbucks about 15 minutes from our house. It's my top choice because it's filled with floor-to-ceiling windows, sweet baristas, and good lattes (obviously). It's incredible to have the chance to work from home, but I constantly find myself craving time around people, even if we're all just buried in our on work. It's just comforting to see movement in my surroundings and hear the sounds of voices every now and then. You know what I mean?

Anyway, after I talked with my new friend for entirely too long, I decided that it would be the greatest ideate have her come home for dinner the same night. While I was driving home and she was running across town to vote, I started to think that maaaybe it was a little creepy that I invited her to come eat after having only known her for a few hours. Totally ok, because the creepy level turned out to be non-existent.

Anyway, this is a photo of her mom from the 60's:








































Wouldn't the photo make such a pretty painting in this style? Thoughts?

Oh, and as a side note, I'm about to head to Austin to go to the Blog, Inc. book launch for Joy Cho of Oh Joy!. Super excited! If you're in the area, you should come! You can RSVP here

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

LEAN

As promised, I have the final version of the sketch from yesterday. :) I decided to call it "Lean." Straight-forward and to the point.

















































On a semi-related note, I woke up with a jolt this morning, both late and scared. I had a few dreams during the night, and the last one I remember went like this: I was driving late at night, following my husband on the highways in San Antonio. My husband was leading the way, and there were only about five cars around us. It's strange to see the roads so empty.

I noticed my husband didn't have his lights on, so I flashed my brights to get him to turn on his own lights. He noticed, and flipped them on. I didn't realize that my brights stuck in the "on" position, and I accidentally left them there for only a few seconds.

I guess my brights must have temporarily blinded a man driving in the small car diagonally to my right front, because all of a sudden, his car started wildly spinning around and around in circles, crossing multiple lanes and out of control. This is the part I probably should have realized it was a dream, because my husband stuck his hand out of his car, grabbed the rolled-down window of the man's spinning car, and completely stopped the spinning.

The man drove straight ahead within the lines afterwards, just as if nothing happened. The next moment I looked around me, I was completely surrounded by heavy traffic.

What a weird and short dream...maybe it has something to do with my mind being all over the place and attempting to figure out which direction I should take in certain areas of my life. Like I was saying yesterday, I must be dealing with leaning one way and then the other. Who knows?

Am I the only one, or have you also been dreaming lately?

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

ELECTION DAY & THOUGHTS

The beginning of fall has been unreal, with everything ranging from Hurricane Sandy to the elections. I know we get so divided on political issues, but it sure is amazing to see everyone ban together and take care of one another in times of crisis.

Would you agree?

















































This unfinished sketch of Gabriele from Wolf Fashion (stay tuned for the final version tomorrow) reminds me of how we all lean back and forth with our opinions and actions; they're ever-changing. And you know what? I don't think that's a bad thing. We always need the opportunity to grow and learn.

What's amazing is to see people immerse themselves in an atmosphere of growth while treating others with love and respect. I always have a big list of goals scribbled on scraps of paper and hanging around in my thoughts, but this should be very close to the top of the list.

Monday, November 5, 2012

CALIFORNIA TRIP: PART 8

Um...I realized that I didn't finish showing you the end of our trip to San Francisco! Still interested? Here you are:

















































This day happened to be a little bit warmer than the bulk of our days, so this was the perfect time to wander all over the place on foot. The sight of the sun was warming all the tree-lined streets was beautiful, in my opinion.

We looked around at the homes, and I especially loved the ones with those big balconies. Wouldn't that be so nice to enjoy your breakfast up there? And dinner, of course! Well...pretty much every meal/snack.




















We had planned on driving down Lombard Street, but since I already suffered from a small heart attack, we just viewed the steep streets while balancing on the soles of our own two feet.

























































Ooooh, I can't describe to you how much I love the sight of the water. Only problem is, it was WAY too cold to even dip your toes in. Look at the green home's roof terrace! Lucky ducks.



















































As always, I had to stop and snap photos of plants. These homeowners are doing an especially good job of keeping their greenery alive and well. That's a skill I'm trying to earn...and just fyi, our plants are now HUGE!! I'm talking up-to-my-shoulders height. The bell peppers got so rambunctiously tall that it sadly snapped under its own weight. Our zucchini and squash didn't fare so well, but the rest of our party seems to be doing alright. :)

Now back to what I was saying about that view. Would you fancy a close up??





















































Oh, San Francisco. How I wish you were warmer. You're a beauty, though.






































I'm serious about that.

One more post left about our trip to California! It's probably my favorite, so stay tuned...

And by the way, if you've missed the other parts of the California trip, they're all here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Hope you've had a great start to your week!

Friday, November 2, 2012

SAND AND SEA







































What a pity. They’re both so beautiful together, but infamously volatile.

One of my fondest childhood memories of the two of them was when I was a young child, barely able to walk and form complete sentences. What I could do (almost expertly) was quickly waves my two legs back and forth, back and forth, as fast as my little muscles would allow, and Mama would dip them in the cool waves, toes first, until the water was up to my shins.

“Mama, good!” I would say, indicating that shin-deep was the farthest I would allow the water to reach on my small body.

After paddling around for less than five minutes, which was all I could handle in the waves, Mama would carry me to the shore, place me down on the soft grains gently, and help me squish my hands in the compact surface.

I could spend hours making imprints of my tiny hands in the white sands, every so often hollering to ask Mama to dip my legs in the water once again.

Back then, my biggest fears of the sand and sea were accidentally tasting the salty waters and the occasional grain of sand flying into my eye. I would always vigorously rub my eyes to get the miniscule grain out, only making the burning sensation worse.

“Baby, no…noooo,” Mama would say, kneeling down in the sand next to me to rescue me from my temporary pain.

Years ago, I moved to the city to experience life in the corporate world. I now quickly move around, catching meetings, calling out orders, and I constantly run as if I’m in a marathon in my four-inch heels. My family, on the other hand, who decided to stay here, wears no shoes during the day don’t see the need for stress caused by business affairs. Here, everyone is kind and genuine, and you don’t have to worry that people will take advantage of you. That’s our small-town way of a career.

In my early twenties, I couldn’t stop wondering why my parents didn’t want to leave and experience a busier life. One that’s exhilarating and fast-paced. Plus, the hurricanes and dangerous storms always swept through, constantly threatening our safety.

Now, on a quick trip back home to visit my family as I do only a few times a year, my thoughts have changed. I stand one leg in the swirling waters, lifting the other leg to dip it in the water, toes first. I could do this all day if only my legs wouldn’t get so tired. The sand indicates to me that even when I grow tired in the water, it is there to provide me with rest; I can sit in its soft surface, squishing my hands and feet into the miniscule grains. Maybe I’ll holler to Mama to come out from the kitchen and join me in the sand. Shouldn’t there always be a break for that?

I understand why my family couldn’t leave. This is home, after all. 
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