Today, the birds were chirping and the sun was out and the snow is melting into muddy lakes, but if that means spring is on it’s way…I’ll take it.
Some much needed refreshing of my studio walls and work space. I’d like to try and change my art wall at least once a month but we’ll see how that goes!
This one day of sunny weather has got me feeling all sorts of alive again.
Hallelujah! Finally, a shoe trend I can really get behind. Comfy? check. Stylish? Check. Versatile? Check. Fun? Check.
I’m a sucker for all things colorful and loud (It’s a problem I’m working on). so while scrolling through Free Peoples’ amazing online shoe collection, I stumbled across these bad boys:
The New Balance Classics Women’s Precious Metals Classic Sneaker
and got about as excited as a guniea pig getting a special carrot treat:
So, I guess you could I got pretty excited. And because there was no way I was letting those suckers get away, I added them to my little shopping cart and kept scrolling and immediately saw these Asics trainers (also on free people):
It’s like they were made for me..kind of tacky and bright blue. So you can imagine how excited I was at this point:
happy otter level of excitement.
I figured since I found two pair of sneakers I loved by just looking at Free People, there were probably more I might love even more available to me on the world wide web….
Fast forward to about 4 hours later where I had roughly 20 different sneakers in 10 different shopping carts. Here are some of my favorites I found:
Nike Women’s Internationalist Mid in Metallic Silver/Black-Hyper Jade, available for pre-order on Nike’s website for $110.00
These New Balance Women’s Elite 90s Running 530 Classics Running Shoe
These Nike Women’s Air Pegasus ’83 Trainers
and also another color version of the Nike Women’s Air Pegasus 83
These New Balance 620 Light Grey Sneaker
And one more brightly colored pair of nike womens air pegasus 83/30 running trainers
After my evening of scouring the internet for the best and the brightest sneakers, I had to narrow down my options. I told myself I would only get one pair but my materialistic impulses won out in the end and I got two pairs and Interestingly enough, I ended up buying the first two pairs I saw on Free People. I really like idea of pairing white jeans with the Asics but of course it snowed the day I got them in the mail and the the ground was covered in over 6 inches of fresh snow, but not one to give up easy, I jumped!
And although I found dry ground when I was trying out my OTHER new pair, I liked how the first picture turned out so I jumped again!
But here’s to hoping this trend sticks around for a bit so I can justify getting another pair…maybe purple? Or Turquoise?? The possibilities are endless.
it’s that time of the year when I begin to feel even more crazy than usual.I like winter but, a Midwest winter is a different kind of beast. There has been snow on the ground basically since Thanksgiving and by Mid-February the temperatures average below freezing and that doesn’t even include the windchill.
Going outside means putting on every single warm-ish item I can find in my closet and looking like Joey from the Friends episode where he puts on all of Chandler’s clothes: 
and then on top of that, there’s the robber face masks, scarves, gloves and beanies to cover any exposed extremities, like kitty:
I like hunkering down and having an excuse to do nothing, and a snow storm is the ultimate laziness excuse but even that is has gotten old by now and I’ve developed a serious case of cabin fever, going nuts, shuffling around the house, pacing in circles, starting out at the snow for long periods of time, and murmuring unhappily to myself (even more than usual). My boyfriend took a picture of me while I was peeking in on him just yesterday:
har. har.
all that just to say that my already questionable fashion taste is even more questionable than usual, given the previously stated circumstances. But, this led me to mixing prints and layering in a way that I otherwise wouldn’t have out of boredom, coldness, or craziness….
Details: Floral Print Lace Slip from Dailylook.com, $22.95, Ryan Crewneck Pullover from Free People, $98.00, Stripped Long Sleeve Top, Forever21, $14.90, Bettye by Bettye Zap Booties, Nordstroms, $141.95
oh and here it is with jeans:
Floral Print Lace Slip from Dailylook.com, $22.95:
Ryan Crewneck Pullover in Cranberry from Free People, $98.00:
Stripped Long Sleeve Top, Forever21, $14.90:
Bettye by Bettye Zap Booties, Nordstroms, $141.95:
I’ve really struggled this month with staying positive and I’ve been feeling discouraged by a slight relapse into negative thinking patterns. I’ve also been saddened by the sudden lost a friend this week, who was a genuinely good person and had a kind authentic soul. But the other day I came across the following quote:
and later on I found this: 
These quotes helped to re-frame how I’ve been thinking lately and spurred the following thoughts I jotted down in my journal last night:
“I am just realizing I have been stuck inside my head these last few weeks and started to really believe that the negative thoughts I have about myself are the truth of who I am. I need to remind myself that I don’t have to live a life where I am unhappy and dislike myself.
I am responsible for my own happiness and for creating my own reality. I want to create a life built on love- love for myself and for others- a life where I find and focus on joy and happiness in every moment instead of choosing to focus on the negative. 
I want to get back to the basics of life, an honest, authentic and unselfishness life invested in the happiness of the people around me- a life where I truly believe I am enough and worthy of love, worthy of happiness…A life where I choose to forgive myself for the mistakes I’ve made and the hurt I’ve done to myself and where I choose forgiveness towards others that I feel have wronged me instead of holding onto anger and resentment.
I can have that life. anyone can have that life.
I just have to continually remind myself of this especially when I start to feel I am sliding into the false world I created for myself based on negative thinking and behavioral patterns.
I am more than my thoughts & there is more to life outside my head and self-obsession.
I choose to make a life of love and joy- and I choose to continue to fight for that life for as long as it takes.”
This is my mantra and affirmation for the month of January 2015.
p.s. (I’m not even sure if anyone else struggles to remember these things, but you aren’t alone if you do. )
p.p.s. sorry for the self-absorbed focus, but I guess that’s what a blog is aye?
2014 was the year of the reawakening of my soul; the slow stirring of my spirit, once cold, buried and hidden sleeping, my hearted flamed to life again (finally, re-igniting) and shining light in long forgotten corners, exposing raw, hidden, painful emotions I’ve ignored for far too long. It was the year of rediscovering the passion for life.
I want 2015 to be the year of forgiveness, of letting go, and of personal growth. It’s time for me to move on from the place of being angry and hurt and blaming other people for the issues in my own life. And the willingness to accept my own fault and to finally take the responsibility for myself solely on my shoulders…I want 2015 to be a year of self-love and self-forgiveness in the name of personal growth and freedom.
ls
I don’t wear white often because of a few reasons (like being unable to go more than 10 minutes without spilling something) but the after Labor Day rule isn’t one of them . But, I’ve seen a lot of cool styling this winter with white denim or trousers and I don’t know if it’s becoming more fashionably acceptable to wear white after the designated time. I kind of think wearing white is perfect in the winter, especially when I am getting sick of all the black I wear in mourning for the summer.
so here are three different ways to casually style white denim jeans for winter wear….
How do you guys feel about white denim during winter? Yay or nay??
I swear I really do have good intentions to try and make myself into a serious artist, or at least more respectable. I try pushing myself to learn and incorporate new artistic techniques I usually start off very “civilized,” with only my charcoal pencils and eraser on my desk, intent on sketching. But without fail, every time, I end up sprawled on the floor with every color and every paint bottle I own opened and mixed together on what will ultimately end up in the “unfinished artwork” pile. I don’t know how to do subtle and classy (in art and in life) and I am jealous of creative professionals such as artists, designers and architects, who create organic, sleek, and timeless designs that say more using a few simple lines then any loud, rainbow I poop out because “I like these colors.” Mostly I envy Frank Lloyd Wright and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe brains work: , or at least my perceived idea of how one must fun must have functioned in order to create what they did
that is to say, works the completely opposite from the continual free for all going on in my head.
Off track again,
This abstract art project first started forming when I was teaching art to 2nd-4th graders after school at the elementary school I worked at. I was coming up with art lessons that incorporated the different concepts the students were learning in math, reading and science, specifically, learning the names of shapes and polygons. Instead of drawing out the shapes or numbering the sides of shapes on worksheets I had the kids take some of their leftover art scraps from a previous watercolor project and made it in to a game, because kids love games and so do I.
All you need is the following:
1) scissors and glue sticks
2) dice
3) a ruler or straight edge
4) pencil to trace lines of shapes
5) heavy weight white colored paper
6) abstract painted scraps or colored construction paper works just as well if you don’t want to or don’t have time to make some watercolor painted art scraps.
okay, so there’s a super simple way you can do this or way that is more involved if you are using this in an organized classroom setting…
the simpler, less involved way for older students, and inspiring artists. I like to do this activity for myself when I am stuck in a rut and thinking about it to much.when I need to refresh and restart and try something that I might not otherwise do…
the kid friendly way:
1. Break students up into groups of two, (or students can also play the game without a partner just as easily.) Each student needs their own scissors, pencil and ruler to trace and cut out the different shapes. Each group will need a dice.
2. Depending on the age range of kids and their knowledge of shapes, have students trace and cut out at least 6 of each shape that they know (triangles, hexagons, squares, rectangles…circles even) You can also make a group of 6 or so random shapes to add for fun.
3) Have them take turns rolling the dice to see how many of each shape they individually get. For example one student may roll a 4 for Triangles, so chooses 4 triangles from his/her triangle pile and the other student may get 6 Triangles…ect…it adds to the spontaneity of the game and teaches an important lesson about making abstract art…that most anything goes 🙂 I make myself roll the dice when I do this activity for myself so I always end up with uniquely different art pieces each time.
The above picture is an example of what you could end up with..it’s my group from the last time i tried this..and you can always do this with whatever shapes you can come up with…I think the more different shapes you can come up with the more interesting things turn out.
4) For the kid’s game version, what I did in the past was simply explain that each student has to take turns putting a shape on the paper, and the only rule is that at least one side of each shape is touching another shape. Encourage students to work quickly, and to choose each shape and place it on the paper. Once the shape is down on the paper, they can’t pick it back up or hesitate..its all about going with your gut and learn to collaborate with peers to create something. Some of my personal favorite finished pieces are the ones where I went at lightening speed and didn’t spend time making sure each shape went perfectly with the other…this way you force yourself to try things you might not do otherwise!
5) After everyone has run out of shapes from their pile…tell them they get to roll the dice one more time and what ever number you roll is the amount of “adjustments” you can make to the finished product.
abstract art DIY project ideas
Greetings from Arizona! I am not used to this warm, winter weather but I am definitely making the most of it. It’s nice to see the sun and to remember there is such a thing as summer….
Top: H&M Short Jersey Top $9.95, Shorts: Forever21 High Waisted Plaid Shorts $16.50, Tights: TopShop US Glitter Tights, $18.00,Cardigan: Zara Wrap Around Cardigan $39.00, Booties: Nordstroms, Tom’s ‘Desert’ Wedge Bootie $89.99, Bag: Rebecca Minkoff ‘Moto’ Hobo Bag $325.00, Necklace: Tiffany & Co Elsa Peretti Silver Pendant Full Heart, $150.00
Here are a few similiar/different options of the same outfit:
Stripe Rib Crop Top by TopShop, $30.00
Plaid Wool Trouser Shorts, Gap $39.99
Hue Over The Knee Chunky Stitched Ribbed Socks, Nordstroms $8.00
Via Spiga Booties-Fabienne, Bloomingdales $168.00
Cardigan Jacket, Zara $79.99
Leather Bucket Bag, Zara $119.90
I’m trying out something different and just going to post more simple, short OOTD (outfit of the day) posts with the outfit details…bc sometimes I can’t think of anything really interesting to write about the outfit…unless you guys think of something.
outfit details and prices:
skirt: ZARA knit tube skirt, blush color, $79.90,
cardigan: Zara TWO-TONED wrap jacket, $79.95,
Socks: Commando Up All Night Thigh High Socks, $34.00, Nordstroms
Tights: Nordstrom’s ‘Love’ Sweater Tights, charcoal color, $28.00
or these American Apparel Above the Knee Socks available on Amazon for only $13.00
Boots: Madden Girl “Mistley” Combat Boots $34.99 available on 6PM.com
I put together a little Holiday Themed Art Journal Idea List, some of the ideas are a bit simple but fun.
I always find myself journaling and sketching a lot over the Christmas and New Years breaks. I think it’s my way of reflecting on everything that happened over the past year as well as gearing up for the new year ahead (also because I usually like to start the new new calendar year off with a fresh journal so I try to fill up the remaining pages in the old one). Also, I am one of those people who religiously comes up with New Years Resolutions every year…The older I get, the more it’s becoming a bucket list and a reminder for me that life is moving fast. I am a big list person too…I just feel better about my lack of organizational skills when I can cross off even the most mundane tasks.
I also rounded up some of my favorite journal pages from this year….they are nothing like some of the pages I see of other artists on pinterest or tumblr…but they make me happy 🙂 Some of them can fit as examples for the Winter themed list so Ill note them if they do…
e e cummings mixed media art journal collage page
One of my favorite things to do is write down inspiring quotes, passages, poems r song lyrics I come across and then create some sort of art around it.
(all 6 dresses available on asos top left: ASOS RED CARPET Premium Embellished Midi Dress With Plunge Front $227.40, top middle: Asos Midi Wiggle Dress in Paisley Print $113.17, top right: ASOS Baroque Embellished Midi Shift Dress $161.08, bottom left: Self Portrait Lucille Midi Dress $473.75, bottom middle: ASOS Petite Wiggle Dress with Wrap Back $85.28, bottom right: ASOS Gray Floral Drape Back Midi $94.75)
I really, really love the midi dress look and I emphasis the word look because the way a midi dress looks on a model (stunning) is not how a midi LOOKS on me. The models’ curves (or lack of them) are perfectly highlighted in the form fitting style of a midi and the length accentuates their slim legs. I don’t know if I really thought that I would look the same as the 100 pound 5ft 9 model did in the same midi.
Here is the midi dress I purchased:
but…SURPRISE! I didn’t look anything like the model. It accentuated my curves alright, every friggin nook and cranny was on display. It probably didn’t help that the midi I bought was thin jersey fabric, which is probably one of the least forgiving fabrics there is. So I buried the dress in the back of my closet and tried to forget I ever thought I could pull the look off.
The thing is…I’ve never liked my body, but I also think most women in America have struggled with loving and accepting their bodies at some point. I’ve been working up to writing about the journey I am on to loving myself and it’s been a long, bloody battle for me but….(and I swear all this has to it has to do with the midi dress!)
But since I turning 30 this year, it really hit me how much of life I have wasted and how many experiences I missed out on because I’ve been to busy disliking myself and caring to much what people think.Doing these self-absorbed, materialistic Personal Style posts was a coconscious decision of mine to do what makes me happy and to (try) not to worry about whether or not people like it. Also, it’s nice to actually start caring about myself again 🙂
So, when cleaning up my closet, I stumbling on the crumpled up midi dress of disappointment and gave it another go (outfitted in my spanx body armor) and decided to give it another try and I came up with a few different ways to wear a form fitting midi with more confidence.
#1 Oversized Cardigans like this one from Revolve Clothing, are your friends.
Wearing a big, drapey cardigan helps me feel like I have a layer of protection and it keeps all my lumpy areas that I am self-conscious about covered. But the open front still shows off the cute length and style of the midi.
#2 Wearing shoes with heels (booties are my favorite for winter) add much needed length to your frame.
Here are a few pair of booties that give me the warm fuzzies and that I think would look good with a a casual style midi dress:
above: Joe’s ‘Abby’ Cutout Leather Booties available at Nordstroms for $119.37 (40% off from original price of $198.95) 
Above: Circus by Sam Edelman “Talon” Booties available on sale at Nordstroms for $87.06 (originally $129.95)
Above: Naughty Monkey ‘Angle Tangle’ Toe Wedge Bootie also at Nordstroms for $129.95
For a dressier look here are a few heels I am currently drooling over:
above: Gucci’ ‘Coline’ T-Strap Cap Toe Heels at Nordstroms for $398.98
above: Joe’s ‘Ali’ Ankle Strap Pump, on sale at Nordstroms for $72.95
above: Louise et Cie ‘Sarmienta’ Pump at Nordstroms for only $79.95 (50% off)
Most midis cut off at around calf-level (depending on height) which I love but also has the tendency to make legs look shorter and bulkier.
#3 Layer it up to create different looks.
A midi is fun to play around with different looks and is a versatile dress that can be simple and classic or fun and trendy. Adding colorful layers, like my favorite crazy plaid pants, creates lines, and helps to “distract” the eye from those worry areas.
A split sided basic top is perfect to throw over a midi because it covers my least favorite areas (my tummy and the booty) and I like the look it creates.
#4: Spanx is also your friend.
Good ole trusty spanx, instilling confidence into the self-conscious since the dawning of time.
jessbobess 
