Creative Juices

Growing up, my grandmother had some cloth dolls around her house she had made -- only one or two that I could play with, but I was always asking for her to get them down for me.

When I was around the age 11, my grandma decided to make every one of her grandchildren a quilt. I knew my turn was coming up, so naturally, I asked for a doll.

Attacked by Snakes

I'm currently working on a drawing for my experimental drawing class that is based off of "the Creation" in Genesis i.e. Adam and Eve. The drawing started as just Eve, but after a critique from my class, it has evolved to include several different elements from the story...you'll have to wait to see it though.

Anywho, after our critiques on Tuesday, our teacher, David, gave us a homework assignment: a 30-minute drawing based on the same topic as our current work but with un-traditional mediums.

So I busted out my giant makeup kit.

 And I learned I have a lot of different shades of green eyeshadow.

Fat

So between all my fashion stories about trends in summer swimwear or springtime footwear, I'm working on a story for the paper about hCG diet supplements.

What is hCG, you ask?

Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin aka hCG is a hormone found in pregnant woman. When you pee on a stick, the little stick is looking for hCG in your urine. If you have a certain level of hCG -- you're pregnant.

And what does that have to do with diet supplements?

Well, I'm still trying to figure that one out. The theory (or one of the theories) is that the hormone found in pregnant woman works to preserve a woman's fat stores. So if said pregnant woman doesn't take in enough calories for the ever-growing baby, the baby will eat off of the fat that already exists. I think the idea is that if you aren't pregnant and you take the hormone, your body will eat your stored fat, instead of the calories you do or do not put into yours system.

Camp?

For whatever reason, someone decided to trust me with their teenage daughters.

Yesterday, I got called as my ward's girls camp director.*

My first reaction: Yeah!

After I heard my name called over the pulpit, my bishop asking the ward to sustain me as the camp director, I heard several people gasp. Yes, gasp. And one sister in front of me grabbed my hand and said something along the lines of, "how great."

My second reaction: Really? Are you sure? Me?

Published

My articles were published. And not just in the school's newspaper or for my class' website -- for a real newspaper, with a real-life, adult readership.

I guess that kind of, sort of makes me a real-life, bonafide journalist. Just pretend like I got paid to write these, okay?

Check it out:

Second-graders at All Saints Episcopal School learn about leaders firsthand

Valentine's Day all about blankets and soup for one stylist

Always,

Angels Across the Street

Last Thursday I pulled out of the garage and was driving down the street when my phone rang. It was my cousin, Kourtney, who is living with us right now. When I answered the phone, I could hear a loud surging noise in the background.

K: "There's water pouring out all over the kitchen floor."

H: "Uh...I'll turn around."

When the garage door came up again, Kourtney was already standing in the doorway with a face that said "oh my gosh," and that noise I had heard before was louder than I had anticipated.

Lover's Day

Baby Ethan

I just love this little guy. What can I say? ♥

Rhymes with Mephew

World, meet Ethan. The cutest nephew ever. Today is his birthday.

 

Love his squishy face.

Mary the Methodist

Words of wisdom from an interview yesterday...

"Satan can steal your goods, but he can't steal your joy."

Awesome, right?

Always,

Mail Delivery

I've been meaning to blog about this for a while but just keep forgetting. What's the deal with the mail service in West Texas?

 A Christmas letter we got from Nathaniel's brother and sister-in-law...completely torn open. We were surprised to see a gift card fall out of it! The question is...whose fault is this? The mail service for handling things so roughly, or the sender for not putting a single card in a heavy-duty box?

Better than Sliced Bread

I discovered the coolest thing since pencils for the art nerd today.


Google Art Project is the coolest thing ever. The website says: Explore museums from around the world, discover and view hundreds of artworks at incredible zoom levels, and even create and share your own collection of masterpieces.

Officially Not Sucky

Today was cold. Like really, really cold. Like a windchill of 18 below. Awful. But I still drove to work in my old diesel Mercedes. I was a little worried it wouldn't start up again -- and for good reason -- it took a good long while to get it started after work! Naturally, the heating in my car doesn't work. So I drove bundled up in layer after layer, including my ear-flap hat.

Cold snow. And my sweet hat...cause I'm cool.

Broke

When I was younger, my list of needs was extensive. My list of wants, of course, was abbreviated. It wasn't until I got to college that I realized my list of needs should actually be a lot shorter. Then after I got married I learned it's the needs list that's abbreviated, and the wants list that's extensive.

As a married, college student, money is not exactly in great abundance. Typically, that's something to complain about. To throw pity parties and cry "woe is me for my great lack of money!" But lately, I've been feeling quite the opposite.