Category: life

My First “Personal Style” Blog Post Attempt: Cropped Collared Shirts

Post author By Jess Ross Creative
Post date July 21, 2014
No Comments on My First “Personal Style” Blog Post Attempt: Cropped Collared Shirts

I have been feeling super inspired lately by style blogs. (Courtesy of the themomedit.com )

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And on a personal note, it’s a relief for me to feel those much-missed stirrings of inspiration and avidity for life…it’s been a LONG time coming but I am starting to think this is the year that I get my groove back. (I know…it’s cheesy but feels true to me).

So, this is my first attempt at trying out a “personal style” blog post, it was only recently that I learned about the world of personal style blogging (I know I’m behind the times). I don’t know if my style is any good, I used to not care at all and just wore what I wanted and kind of still do – but also I am trying to be more aware of my body type and my age- as much as it kills me, I am not a teenager anymore, or even in my 20’s. (WAAAAAAH). But still I can’t help but be drawn to bright colors, patterns, form fitting clothing items. But, on my budget let’s just say, I am VERY limited on options. (It’s embarrassing where I shop, and I’m not sure I’m ready yet to embarrass myself anymore than I already am in this post).

My Theme: Collared Crop Tops & Skirts

(ps I have no idea how to pose..it’s way harder than I thought)

Why? Because I love this blue shirt (and a coral version too), and try to incorporate it into my every day outfit. Plus it’s been super hot lately.

This was the first outfit I liked, although I didn’t feel 100% comfortable in it, the skirt was too tight and short, so I felt like I had to constantly pull it down and adjust over the potbelly. lol.

Second Outfit

This is the second outfit, and the one I chose to wear to a wonderful friend’s bridal shower. This was the best picture because I was running behind on time before the shower and didn’t get a good full length mirror glance at the final product and this skirt is PRETTY tight and my ba-dunk-a-dunk was kind of out of control. (Sorry Aly and Aly’s mom, grandma, ext).

oh and the shoes are my favorite heels of this summer…they are Dolce Vita brand and I got them at Nordstrom Rack. (Thanks dad for giving me the gift card!)

So, thank you guys for reading…what do you think? I would love to hear any comments, suggestions, advice, tips, your personal preferences…HIT ME WITH IT!).

Happy Summer Hazey days!

Jess

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Feeling blurry.

Self portrait.

Summer flowers.

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i swear we were infinite.

Post author By Jess Ross Creative
Post date January 29, 2013
No Comments on i swear we were infinite.

For as long as I can remember, I have been a huge book nerd. I think partly because I’ve always had trouble sleeping, even as a kid, and without a T.V. in my bedroom, I lost myself in books. Also, I have an extremely short attention span and I liked that I could read a few pages, put it down when I got distracted and pick it right back up. The Boxcar Children, The Babysitters’ Club, Little House on the Prairie…I read through all of them eventually.
As I have gotten older books have continued to play an important role in my life. I’ve always had trouble “switching off” and “winding down” at the end of the day. I just can’t turn my brain off, thinking about everything I need to do, should have done, SHOULDN’T have done…ect. and reading before bed has been the most effective way for me to de-stress.
I’ll admit it, in college, I was a huge book snob. I felt that anything I read had to be a classic, a prize winner and challenging. While I read some of my favorite books during this time including: The Brothers Karamazov by Dosteovesky, One Hundred Years of Solitude by Marquez and Anna Karenina by Tolstoy…

I was halfway through Swann’s Way by Proust (and had almost no clue what was happening in the book) that I started to realize that I no longer was enjoying reading!

So, it was at this point that I decided..gosh darnit! I was going to read whatever I wanted and never looked back! Anyways, that was bit of a rant but there is a reason behind it I swear…about 6 months ago I picked up a book entitled Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. I was heading to NYC for a quick getaway and wanted a book that I could carry in my bag….I admit I picked it up because it was a thin book and I liked the bright cover (okay, not the best reasons for picking a book but sadly I pick books based on their covers more often than I should). Needless to say, I started reading it on the plane and couldn’t put it down. I finished it that night in the hotel. I don’t like trying to summarize or explain what it’s about because I always do a lousy job and if I tried then you might not want to read it. So, I will refrain, except to say “YOU SHOULD READ IT NOW!”

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Turtleback Scho Edition) by Chbosky, (Google Affiliate Ad)

For Christmas, I bought 6 copies of Perks of Being a Wallflower and gave it out to close friends and families. Some of these recipients might be classified still as “book snobs” (Sorry guys if you’re reading this but it’s true). I asked one friend if he had started reading it and he said he tried but writing style was too simple and thus, he said, he didn’t think the author was a very good writer. The book is written from the perspective of a freshman in high school named Charlie and he has a unique and fresh perspective on the world around him that is profoundly simple. Please, do yourself (And me) a favor and read this book. And then you can email me and we can talk about how awesome it was.

Anyways, it didn’t take me long to find that I wasn’t the only one who was so moved by the book. I find lots of lovely body art and artwork inspired by the book and I am including them here:

http://literarytattoos.livejournal.com/990589.html

http://tanyaknguyen88.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/perks-of-being-a-wallflower-charlie.jpg

http://thisisrexxie23.tumblr.com/

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a mirthful minute.

Just getting back into the swing of things…ready to start up art classes again.

One of my students said something that made me laugh the other day. We were discussing writing topics, specifically, writing a funny story about someone you knew. Most of the students started offering up suggestions like their little brothers or their grandpa’s. One student raised their hand and said they could write a funny store about Mrs. Sheffield. When asked why they thought they could write a story about me the student replied, “because she makes really funny faces.” Well, at least they are entertained!

Here are some pictures I have found that have entertained me lately:

One of my favorite books, this is the face I make when I read it too!

sleepy!

“Help me baby Jesus!” hahaha

sharing is good!

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art lately.

I am going through difficult times right now in my personal life. I am gravitating towards creating art that is uplifting and positive and bright.

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my art lately.

Just what I’ve been up to lately…

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Mirthful minute pt.2

I just had to post this pic of my poor little dog Henri! I found his old Halloween costume and made him
Wear it around for a little while. He was so miserable. It was shortly after pulling this sad face that I managed to capture on camera, that I decided he had enough torture for one day! It’s the little things in life right now that are helping me get through more difficult times.

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Love my job!

This is a student’s drawing I came across and had to bite my lip to stifle a laugh. I had to ask him to draw something appropriate for school but secretly thought it was funny. These are the little things that make me smile and make my day better.

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journal art

I’ve been doing a lot of journaling lately….I used to do it all the time, and have had a diary or journal since I was old enough to write. But, in the last few years, my journals have gotten less and less inspiring. They are usually filled with To Do Lists, important info, and work data. I wanted to get back to when I used to actually enjoy writing and creating art in my journal. And while, the circumstances for my delve back into my enthusiastic journaling were not exactly positive, I have remember just how much of a calming effect and a release of tension they are for me:

Does anyone else like to journal? Does it have the same effective on you? Send me pics and I will post them on my blog (one day, someone will actually answer me and it will be awesome!)

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tattoos: I want them, I GOT one.

Post author By Jess Ross Creative
Post date April 2, 2012
No Comments on tattoos: I want them, I GOT one.

Okay, I have to expain what the design means because that was an important part to to me. The half circles and small vertical lines or dashes form the Native American symbol for rain. (I found that info here: http://horsehints.org/IndianSymbols.htm) and looks like this:

or this…..

and it stands for: change, renewal, and fertility (not so sure about that part yet).

Underneath the lines are what look like the letter “V” sideways. But, it is the Runes’ language symbol “kenaz” which literally translates to “beacon.” It stands for: vision, revalation, knowledge, creativity, and inspiration. (I found that info here:http://www.sunnyway.com/runes/meanings.html).

These meanings are all very representative of what I am experiencing in life now and I have always wanted to get this tattoo on my forearm so that I have a constant reminder of the important things in my life. Also, I guess my personal life is in the shit-er right now and drastic times call for drastic measures right??

Butch drawing the design on with markers first

Butch’s drawing of my design.

I went to Certified Customs http://www.certifiedcustoms.net/ in Denver Colorado and my Tattoo artist’s name was Butch. He was awesome. They closed at 12am but he said he would tattoo me after his last client (usually, they are appointment only–but I was desperate)

Everyone there was really nice and pretty friendly for it being 2am on a Friday night, and them being tattoo artists.

Can you tell its starting to hurt now? Yeah, it was. But, it was good pain.

my best friend Cassie on the left and my new friend Blair in the red.

woo hoo! Finally done! Both of us looking worse for the wear.

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my life list pt. 1

Due to certain recent depressing and drastic circumstances in my life over the last few days(which I wont even bring up here in my happy place…but if you want to feel better about your life…go here: http://www.blessedrthecracked.blogspot.com) I have decided come up with an ever growing list of things i want to do…I wouldn’t call it a bucket list, b.c they aren’t all things I want to do before i die; they are all things I want to do to live a happier and fulfilling life. This is what i was up working on all night since I cant sleep (due to those depressing and drastic circumstances mentioned earlier): the first page of my little “life list”:

(although I am trying to think of a better name for it) I thought my artist friends might enjoy this…Does anyone else have a “bucket list” or a life list of things they want to do soon? I would love to hear them! (and not only b.c. I can add them to my list).

If I was more organized (That day will never come) I would love to do artistic journaling- but my life and my (lack of) organization skills tends to make my most recent journal entries scribbled words and to do lists. Not so inspiring.

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tattoos: i want them, i need them.

Post author By Jess Ross Creative
Post date September 1, 2011
3 Comments on tattoos: i want them, i need them.

Lately, the urge to get another tattoo has been gnawing away at me. I have two at the moment:

a small dove on my foot, that both of my best child hood friends have as well in the same spots (which I got when I was…19 or 20?)

And three peacock feathers on my back between my shoulder blades that I got when I was 21 and going to school in L.A.

I told myself after the peacock feathers that I would wait 5 years (plus, I’m terrified of needles and had to go back to the Tattoo Parlor at least 4 times because each time I came, I would pass out). I’m 27 now and so much has happened since then. I’ve gotten my Masters degree, got married, got a job I love and feel much more stable and solid than I was 8 years ago.

Also I’ve lost two important people in the last 2 years: one of my best childhood friends (not one of the ones who got matching tattoos with me) past away from an aggressive cancer, leaving behind a beautiful 5 year old daughter and my grandma who was so beautiful and also happened to be my favorite person and passed away after suffering with Alzheimers’ disease for 16 long years.

grandma in all her 90’s glory (in the silk blue suit)

about 5 years into her disease, after a stroke (around 1999)

right before she passed

Before I lost these two people, I was very very lucky to not have to face death and deal with the sense of loss, anger, confusion, and the infuriating feelings of guilt for leaving things unsaid and undone.

Anyways, these things have made me want to get a tattoo in honor of my grandma and friend. A close friend of mine, who has had a difficult life and has suffered so much more loss than I, has these beautiful and simple plain black bands on his forearms. Some of them are thick (an inch or more), others very thin.

my friend’s arm

I had an idea of what I thought the bands might symbolize and knew that he treated each tattooed band with stoic reverence. I finally asked him to tell me about them and what they meant to him. Ever the philosophical fellow, he replied with:

“Humans, like trees, grow rings of memories.”

Which I loved because I have always loved trees (such a silly statement to make, I mean, who doesn‘t like trees??). I love how they look, how they smell and what they have symbolized throughout man’s existence (life, death, wisdom, nourishment, hope, growth, security, family).

Anywho, I am thinking of getting two thin bands on my left forearm, one in honor of my grandma and one in honor of my childhood friend.

Although, my friend also warned me of getting a tattoo that symbolizes the loss of someone you love in a place that you have to look at all the time. He said that every time he looks at his tattoos it only reminds him of those he has lost and makes him sad.

I thought about this and realized that I think the reason I want them in such a visible spot is to remind me to make the most of the time I have with my loved ones and to act in such a way when I am with them, that on that very distant day in the future when I have no more time with them, I will be left with no regrets.

But, I will continue to evaluate the real reasons I want this tattoo, where it should go, and what it will represent to me.

In the meantime, here are some badass tattoos that I find to be lovely and inspiring (via this cool website I just stumbled on: http://fyeahtattoos.com/:

by artist: Dan DiMattia

Illustration from my favorite book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein Tattoo Artist unknown

not sure who did this one but it is so lovely.

http://caseyjordan.tumblr.com/

I LOVE this Joy Division album artwork, and apparently so do many people. I have found about a dozen tattoos with this artwork tattooed somewhere on them. I think the forearm one is my favorite.

one of my favorite paintings by one of my favorite artists! (The Kiss by Gustav Klimt) Tattoo artist unknown

loverly.