Long Story, Short

An excellent reminder from one of my best friends

2010-12-12T22:47:00.000-08:00

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself.

Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of God. Whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt His plans are unfolding as they should. (A quick apology to Mr. Max Ehrmann, I took the liberty of changing his wording in this paragraph and the next as I am a firm believer that we are children of God and not just of the universe)

Therefore be at peace with God. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Nothing is more practical....

2010-03-16T15:57:00.000-07:00

than finding God, that is,
than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
... It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning,
what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend your weekends, what you read,
who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.

Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.

attributed to Pedro Arrupe, S.J.

Listening to....

2010-02-28T20:50:00.000-08:00

Brandon Heath and making new necklaces today. I will post pictures soon.

Love is not proud... love does not boast
Love after all... matters the most

Love does not run... love does not hide
Love does not keep... locked inside

Love is the river that flows through... love never fails you

Love will sustain... love will provide
Love will not cease at the end of time

Love will protect... love always hopes
Love still believes... when you don’t

Love is the arms that are holding you... love never fails you

When my heart won’t make a sound...when I can’t turn back around
When the sky is falling down... nothing is greater than this
...greater than this

Love is right here
Love is alive
Love is the way
The truth the life

Love is the river than flows through... love is the arms that are holding you
Love is the place you will fly to... love never fails you

It's been a while...

2010-02-15T21:46:00.000-08:00

... since I've posted anything. Things have changed a lot since November.
I finally graduated from Bethel University in December, and despite taking 18 credits, I actually managed to make the Dean's List. In January I was hired to work for a wedding boutique in St. Paul. I love seeing the beautiful bridal designs everyday and getting to hear the romantic, funny and crazy engagement stories of the many Minnesotan brides that stop in. The ladies I get to work with are a lot of fun and make the time I spend at the shoppe fly by.

Things that are still the same...
I am still dating the most wonderful guy in the world, Matt and I have been dating for just over a year now. He has been such a blessing in my life over these past 12 months. I still can't believe that we've been together for that long, it seems like just the other day that we were going to get coffee 'as just friends'. I am still living in the garage loft on the lake and I still enjoy my almost daily morning runs. I have been making and selling more necklaces lately and plan to post some pictures soon.

I want to live here....

2009-11-04T09:25:00.000-08:00

French Catalonia right next to the Mediterranean

cute little dog

Vera Wang 2009

2009-06-12T22:55:00.000-07:00

Vera Wang Spring 2009 (Holy-moly... gorgeous!)
i saw these images at averybleu and was stunned by these beautiful spring designs

Crazy Love....

2009-05-30T11:07:00.000-07:00

a book by Francis Chan...

I received this book as a gift and it is amazing.... I was told that it would totally change the way that I think about my faith but if anything so far I have just really found that it reaffirms everything I believe to be true about God. I really enjoyed the way that Chan expresses the the messages presented in this book through quoting scripture.

Linguistics...

2009-05-15T11:36:00.000-07:00

It is so funny that while I was in the process of taking linguistics I could not stand it but now that I am done with it I have such an interest in it. I find the study of language quite intriguing and I am fascinated by the number of languages that exist around the world. I think that being able to speak french has been quite beneficial and is something that I love doing so I am setting a summer goal for myself: to learn the basics of a few languages.
Here is a list of languages that I am currently interested in learning...

1. Italian ( it is such a beautiful language, also I have heard that it is similar

to french but so far that doesn't seem to be proving true )

2. Polish ( I am Polish, so therefore I feel like I should

learn the language, plus Poland is absolutely beautiful)

3. Spanish ( I would love to visit Mexico or Spain someday,

Matt's already helping me learn this one,

but hopefully I will be able to study the language more

seriously over the summer )

I've heard that learning a language after you've already learned a second language is pretty simple... I guess I will find out if that is indeed true.

Mother's Day Weekend

2009-05-11T06:18:00.000-07:00

This weekend was really fun...
Saturday I had to gallery sit at the 9th Street Entry Gallery and then...
I went shopping with my mom (she helped me pick out some sweet sunglasses: an early birthday present) and then..
I went to Matt's house and baked some chocolate chunk and white-chocolate macadamia nut cookies and then... Matt and I drove to Nancy's house in Eden Prairie for Amanda and Stephen's Engagement party : ) and then...
Matt came home to Burnsville with me for the night to hang out with my parents and to see Bria and Abby ( I am amazed that she likes him... she never likes anyone) and then...
Sunday Matt and I went to Bethlehem Baptist at the Burnsville campus. John Piper continued an amazing sermon that he started last week! I recommend that anyone reading this check out his podcast and then...
My grandma Jones, Aunt Barb, My uncle Larry and aunt Deb and cousin Nick and Greg's family all came over for brunch. They all got to meet matt for the first time... my Grandma thinks "he's so handsome!" and then...
To celebrate Mother's Day, Jena and I got our mom tickets to see "Caroline" at the Guthrie. We spent the evening hanging out in Minneapolis. I LOVE THIS CITY!

It was a great weekend... but now I have oh-so-much homework :/

Almost done... (two weeks left)

2009-05-11T06:14:00.000-07:00

(9th Street Entry Gallery: Senior Thesis Show)

Senior Thesis Show...

2009-05-04T09:13:00.001-07:00

"The Rossmor: 9th Street Entry"

"Memento Mori: Pride"

"Memento Mori: Arrogance"

"Memento Mori: Conceit"

Lightening up (literally)...

2009-04-27T09:15:00.000-07:00

yes, once again my hair is blonde (this time I did it right though, and I am glad to say that my hair is not orange - or yellow like it was last summer... YIKES! that was a learning experience for sure!)

I realize that there was a long time period where I was unable to post anything so I'm going to take this small break in my day to summarize some of the big and subtle changes that have been taking place in my life.

...I am still leading youth group with Andy, Jon, and Cathy for Breck (a private christian school in Edina)

...I am currently living in a 2-bedroom townhouse in New Brighton with 4 girls! But I am planning on moving out in June (i will post about this later this week, I will find out tonight whether or not my new living situation will be possible)... I am going to miss my room mates but I excited to have some space of my own.(this is kind of what it looks like, I will post an actual picture if it works out! The garage I would be living above is more barn-shaped and not so triangular, and the two-car garage doors are wood)

...I am dating the most wonderful guy in the world, his name is Matthew Anders Fuglestad. He goes to Bethel too and is pretty much a genious. (He is a pred-med major and somehow manages to get A's in physics... Holy Hector!)(Matt and I, in the painting studio! He came to visit me while I was TAing)

...I still go to Bethlehem Baptist (whoo hoo John Piper!) and am planning on taking the membership classes at the end of May (Matt is going to too!). The church has finally started it's construction project, which is exciting to watch and see the progress every week.
...I had to quit the Bethel lacrosse team (HUGE bummer) School has taken over my life... almost. The team is doing great and I am so pumped for the girls to kick butt in play-offs!
...I still love to go running and am still looking into running a half-marathon (I am excited for summer so I can run more often).

...I had 3 art shows this semester and one last semester (lots of art has been made this year, I will post some photos soon)(Here is one image from the co-show that I did with Maddy)

...I am looking for a nannying job for the summer and then after next semester will begin looking for a position as a flight attendant.
...My poor car, is hanging by a thread. I will be amazed if it survives the summer. So I have also been trying to save up some money so I can try to get a replacement in the fall

...I went home and got to see my puppy BRia this weekend! She is so BIG! but is really wel behaved and snuggly(it's hard to remember her ever being this small!)

...I have 2 weddings to go to this summer, at one I will be doing hair and make-up for the girls in the wedding (i love weddings! I am really excited).

A great Sunday so far : )

2009-04-26T18:22:00.000-07:00

here i bring my stains and crowns
gentle river wash me now
Your love is deeper than i know
Your ways higher than i can go...

lead me in Your holiness
i will follow, i confess
glory is the song i sing
Your life is living me...

and where would i be
without you, without you
where would i be
without you...

i will bow before the cross
Cherish my Redeemer's cost
there is nothing i can do
but only stand amazed by you

mercy new with every day
wrapped up in Your arms of grace
nothing more, You're all i need
Your life is living me

and where would i be
without you, without you
where would i be
without you

like a waterfall
You fill my heart and overflow
like a candle flame, You light my way
and lead me as i go
and lead me as i go...
- Chris Tomlin

"A reason to Stay"

2009-04-26T07:55:00.000-07:00

I love this song so much! Scatteredtrees blows my mind! Some of their songs actually make me tear up a tiny bit (i know... i know... i'm such a girl sometimes). Watch this video and then go download some of their songs.
(They didn't have a video of my favorite ones... boo)

"I will say this twice"

2009-04-26T07:45:00.000-07:00

this one is phenomenal as well...

L'église...

2009-04-21T10:23:00.000-07:00

I love this image of the church.

These are the homes of some of the folks living in McDowell County

Appalachia, West Virginia...

2009-04-21T10:18:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos from my trip

My goodness!

2009-04-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

I just realized that I have not posted on here in such a long time... goes to show how busy school has been keeping me I suppose. I just finally got over having the flu and now will be spending the week getting all caught up on homework and art projects. It's so crazy to look back on my posts from last fall and to see how different my life is even though only a few months have gone by.

I am currently wrapping up my first semester as a senior at Bethel University and just last week registered for my classes for the upcoming fall. So far it looks like it will be a pretty busy semester, 18 credits again
Drawing II [i am most excited for this class]
Printmaking
Painting II [i am pretty excited for this class as well! it will be an independent study with Dale Johnson]
Aesthetics:What is Art?,
and a course on Social Justice

I am still working in the Bethel library but will be starting a new job [to be determined] this summer. I am still a leader for Wyldlife, a junior high youth group that meets in Edina. I love the kids that are in our group, they are all so fun and keep me laughing. I am excited to see all of the ways that God is going to be at work in the lives of the students I meet with.

I can't believe that Spring break has already come and gone and that I have been back from Appalachia now for almost a month. It was honestly one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I've learned to start noticing God in a new way, I see him working in the world around me and in my life daily. I think one of the biggest things that I learned while I was on my trip is to just trust, not worry, I learned the importance of relying on him and to letting him have the control. It is so amazing to see the way God opens doors in situations where things seem so hopeless. I still am convinced that when we are in the midst of a struggle, if we look to God, He can use the situation we are in to strenthen and refine us.

I still don't know what I am going to do once I am done with school. I am currently looking into how to become a flight attendant. I am planning on trying it out for a couple of years and looking for a job related to my major in the mean time. I want to travel, I want to meet all kinds of strangers, I want to paint and sketch in places that I have never been and I want to serve the Lord.

après midi

2009-04-01T12:54:00.000-07:00

les bottes...

2009-03-12T12:33:00.000-07:00

et quelques tasses...

Watercolours...

2009-03-10T11:32:00.000-07:00

my newfound love for watercolours

Materialism... the pleasures of the first world

2009-03-03T11:04:00.000-08:00

This is my latest sculpture project dealing with ideas addressing materialism

(galvanized washers, washers, nuts, galvanized nuts, embroidery floss, metal mesh, and metal from a vegetable strainer)

My favorite way to start my day...

2009-02-25T07:06:00.000-08:00

It's quiet. It's early. My coffee is hot.
The sky is still black. The world is asleep. The day is coming.

In a few moments the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met.
For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day's demands. It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I'm free to choose. And so I choose...

I choose love...
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.
I choose joy...
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to e cynical... the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.
I choose peace...
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live
I choose patience...
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I'll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.
I choose kindness...
I will be kind to the poor for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.
I choose goodness...
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.
I choose faithfulness...
Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My companion will not question my love. And my family will never fear that I won't return home.
I choose gentleness...
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it only be in praise. If I clench my fist, may it only be in prayer. If I make a demand, may it only be of myself.
I choose self-control
I am a spiritual being... After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control.

LOVE, joy, PEACE, patience, KINDNESS, goodness, FAITHFULNESS, gentleness, and SELF-CONTROL... to these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek his grace. And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.

-Max Lucado
(this book helped me survive New York and
still serves as a daily reminder of God's grace)

Jim Jarmusch...

2009-02-04T09:56:00.000-08:00

Everything Starts Where It Ends...

2009-02-03T09:53:00.000-08:00

J-term (a.k.a Interim) here at Bethel is finally over! While I loved the two classes that I chose to take for the month of January, it is so nice to have a new schedule again. I am really excited about the classes I signed up for this semester, especially because I will finally be getting to take classes within my major now that I have most of my generals wrapped up : )

...Here's my schedule in a nut shell...
Monday-Wednesday-Friday
Urbanism (I am really excited about this class, we are going to be learning about several aspects of poverty, I think this will be a really great class for me to take as I'm preparing to leave for Appalachia in March).
Sculpture II (I'm a little nervous about this class... I need to start brainstorming some ideas)

Tuesday-Thursday
Drawing (The class I am MOST excited about!!)
Making of Minnesota ( I feel like this class might be kind of lame... but it fills a required "L-course" so hopefully it's not too bad!
Senior Seminar ( I am extremely nervous about this class... yikes!)

"It's like there's a gun to your head... but you just kind of have to pretend it's not there."
- Dale Johnson, in regards to Senior Seminar

Another thing that I am really excited about for this semester is my new job as a teacher's assistant for the Painting course (No more Radisson!). I get to work for Dale Johnson, probably one of the nicest/funniest professors I have ever met. He makes the most incredible paintings!!!!! I really hope that I can learn a lot about painting from him this spring while hanging out in the studio! And hopefully I can get some of his advice for my projects for Senior Sem this semester. I'm starting to appreciate being able to work on campus and not having to drive to work everyday anymore, it's nice to be done with class and to be able to just walk to the library or art department : )

Why I love Interim :)

2009-01-20T05:53:00.000-08:00

... I've finally had some time to pick up my guitar again and learn some new songs :)

One of which is one of my favorite songs by Iron and Wine
I posted the video below because I think it's pretty cute

also because I have finally had some time to kick back, spend some time with my friends... read more of the "good book"...catch up on some sleep.... and to go running :)
It's also been nice to be able to take a break from making art. Its been nice to have the time to brainstorm without having to make anything. I am excited/nervous about Senior Sem this spring. My emphasis is going to be in sculpture (I'm going to be taking the advanced sculpture course alongside Senior Seminar, should be interesting)

I found this article...

2009-01-15T11:30:00.000-08:00

...and thought it was pretty humorous/informative...

"How To Use Self Defense Methods To Overcome Your Fears" (in my case ... fish of all kinds!)

While it is far more likely to be killed by a stray dog, few animals evoke sheer terror in the way that walleyes do. Fortunately, freshwater fish only very rarely attack people... and while most species are considered harmless to humans, even medium-size northerns are MORE than capable of inflicting serious injuries. While it is very important to learn how to prevent a fish attack, it is also very important that you know what to do in the event of an actual attack.

Exhibit A: large fish caught just north of Mille Lacs Lake

...in the event of an attack remember to follow these important steps

1. Stay Calm!

While you should get out of the water quickly if a fish appears, it is important to remember that you cannot outrun a fish in the water, (simply trying to sprint to safety may not be your best option). It's important to keep your wits about you. Sunfish are highly instinctual, (like dogs in a way). They have "fear" sonar and can sense panic- even if you are not displaying it overtly - if they can sense that you are afraid, your fear will stimulate their instinct to attack.

2. Keep your eye on the fish at all times...

fish may retreat temporarily and then try to sneak up on you. Don't let this happen! Never turn your back on a fish!

3. Get into a defensive position

If you can't get out of the water, reduce the fish's possible angles of attack. In open water, get back-to-back with another swimmer so that you can see, and defend against an attack from any direction. Gradually make your way back to the boat or shore.

4. If you are still feeling threatened... prepare to fight
(playing dead won't deter an aggressive muskie)

Your best bet if attacked is to make the fish see you as a strong, credible threat. Usually, a hard blow to the gills, eyes, or to the tip of the nose will cause a large fish to retreat. If you have a speargun or pole, use it! If you don't have a weapon, improvise! (extra points for creativity)

5. Get out of the water!

You are not truly safe until you are out of the water! Your goal should always be to get back to the shore or back in the boat.

An Exciting Opportunity...

2009-01-12T09:09:00.000-08:00

I wrote previously about the mission trip that I am planning on going on over spring break this year to Appalachia, West Virginia... this past week I got an e-mail from Bethel Campus Ministries asking if I would be interested in being the leader for the trip. I was a little caught off guard because while I have been a youth group leader in the past and am currently a leader for Wyldlife, I've never been a leader for a group my own age. After meeting with the trip coordinator and discussing what the position entails, and after hearing his reasons for picking me for the position, I told him that I would pray about it and get to back to him as soon as I felt confident that it was something God wanted me to do.

I've spent the week considering the postion and praying about it and I think I am going to accept the offer. I think that over the past several months I have really been growing in my faith, I feel like God has been changing and shaping me. I think this would be an amazing opportunity to serve God, I feel like He is really calling me to share my faith and to be a loving support and ecouragement to the others in the group.

If you read this and think of it, I would really appreciate prayer for our group and prayer about the decision that I am in the process of making.

What's a "Full Nelson"....

2009-01-08T23:10:00.000-08:00

haha, that was my first question after looking at the syllabus for my self defense class. So far this class is ranking high among my favorite courses offered by Bethel (now if only I had taken it before I went to New York...) We start every class with an intense warm-up of either dodgeball, or king pin... it's just like being back in phy-ed class!

After our fun warm-ups we get down to business!

So far we have learned the following...

handshake releases (how to get Creepy to let go of your hand)

the "defensive stance" (also known as "how not to get knocked over")

the "evasive sidestep" (a.k.a. "how to dodge pretty much anything")

general punches (how to inflict pain on the enemy)

general blocks (protect yo face!)

shin scrapes and foot stomps

the Pop-eye (how to pop someone's eye balls right out of their head!)

Sick!

Next week we going to learn....

non-secured and secured choke holds

walking punches and kick-punch combos (look out Chuck Norris)

the "Hammer Fist" (I'm excited for this one!)

the Crab position! (not quite sure how this one will come in handy...)

wrestling and ground defense

BEAR hugs (from behind and from the front)

double person attacks (heeeee Ya!)

and last... but not least... "THE FULL-NELSON" (what on earth is that?!?!?!)

bad news bears...

2009-01-06T17:48:00.000-08:00

So... because the economy isn't doing too well right now... the hotel has decided to cut back on hours once again meaning that because I am a "new hire" (technically the last GSR hired) I got taken off of the schedule for this week and all of next week (possibly indefinately). Because my position at the front desk is a union position, union dues are taken out of every paycheck regardless of if I work or not... meaning that if I stay an employee there I will end up owing the hotel money! (POWER LAME!)...

I have to admit I was pretty upset with my boss when I found out but after thinking about it for a while, I realized that this might actually be a great thing. I feel like maybe I'm supposed to be spending my time doing something else, and when one door closes another usually opens... (on top of things at the hotel, my hours in the av are minimal for the month of January because when I switched from snowboarding to self-defense my work schedule got thrown off...yikes!). While I feel a little panicked about rent, I think this will be a good opportunity for me to work on being patient and to trust that God will open the right door at the right time. (I have to admit, I am pretty excited to have my weekends and friday nights back! haha and it'll will be nice to not have to stand in place, in heels, for 8 hour shifts anymore)
maybe this post shouldn't be titled "bad news bears" after all...

A Seriously Cool Woman...

2009-01-03T10:55:00.000-08:00

In the past couple of months my aunt has been trying to go through and clean out her mother-in-laws home (her mother-in-law, Edna, recently joined her husband living in an assited living home) so that my cousin, Michael, can move in. My mom and I drove down yesterday to help, and in the process found some seriously cool things! I never knew how creative and artsy Edna was! She made pretty much everything she owned! She was a seamstress, knitter, painter, ceramicist, and made the majority of her own jewelry! She also painted all of her own fine china (several sets!) .... my aunt told me she never sold any of the stuff she made because she didn't think her painting skills were good enough!! ... her paintings are incredible!

Among some of the things my Aunt gave me yesterday were:
... some hand-sewn, pretty dresses of Edna's (they actually fit me!)
... Edna's wedding dress!!! (I was really surprised that my aunt didn't want it!)
... Several strands of faux-pearls and beads, painted pendants, earings and vintage rings
... Some brass lockets and an old pocket watch
... about 8 old already-stretched painting canvases and acrylic paint sets
... Edna's old painting technique books : ) and brushes
... Two boxes of yarn for knitting and crocheting
... 5 seriously cool vintage hats from around the 40's and 50's
... about 20-30 sweet vintage scarves

... and two huge bags full of ribbon (in every color imaginable) and yards and yards of lace!Dressing up : )

I seriously never had any idea that Edna was such a creative lady! I wish I would have known that she was a painter and that she was such an amazing seamstress! I bet I could've learned a lot from her!

... I will add some more pictures soon

New Year Resolutions!

2008-12-30T15:51:00.000-08:00

(I've never really made a new years resolution before...but this year I might give it a try). This year I would really like to....
1. Look for more ways to help others whether it be through volunteering, or missions, or spending time with people that are sick or lonely... I think this is something I really need to start doing more often
2. Spend more time with the people that I love and less time at work
3. Run more! I want to run at least a half marathon this summer
4. I want to start eating better (definately need to start eating more greens :/ )
5. I want to finish reading the new testament and read the whole old testament by next January
6. I want to conquer my fear of fish : )

... I'm sure I will think of more things that I want to work on... but this seems to be a pretty good chunk of things to start out with.

I wish I could paint like this!

2008-12-20T18:08:00.000-08:00

These painting are among my favorites from the

"Student Work" collection of the New York Academy of Art

They are selected paintings from the Cafe Gallery

Ali Banisadr

Richard Scott and Jee Lew

(painting from the MFA Exhibition 2006)
I love this painting... one because it is identical to the room I stayed in while I was in New York and two... i love the way the carpet is painted (Jee must have lived... or known someone who lived in the St. George)

"Je ne suis pas sûr..."

2008-12-17T10:57:00.000-08:00

presque fait...

Christmas Break! 3 days away!

2008-12-14T15:39:00.000-08:00

I am so excited for 4:00 Wednesday afternoon to roll around. That is when this semester will finally come to a close for me. (No more art history or linguistics ever again! whoo hoo!) My last final happens to be "Sleep, Surrender, and Sabbath"... which unluckily for me falls into the very last time-slot for finals :/
I am really looking forward to packing my bags, and driving home to spend the remainder of the week in Savage with my family and friends! I am really really looking forward to the day after my finals, when I finally was able to schedule an appointment for the hour-long massage my mom gave me for my birthday! (It's my motivation for studying hard and getting through this week!) I don't really know how many late night/all-nighters I can handle at this point... my sleep schedule is so thrown off right now (yesterday I accidentally slept in til 3 pm!!!!... i think that's a new record for me)

I tried to take off as much time from work over break as possible... so I could relax a bit before J-term starts up (I'm kind of excited to take Forensics and Self Defense) ... but it looks like I'm still going to be driving back and forth a bit between Roseville and Burnsville to cover some shifts at the hotel. (the nice part will be that my shifts all seem to fall on the weekends... that way I can just stay at my place over the weekends.

I can't wait to go home and snuggle with Bria! I wish she was still this little!

making some changes..

2008-12-12T08:42:00.000-08:00

this painting is going to be my final project for this semester's painting class
... adding some blurring strokes and more dark tones

song that I love (jon foreman)

2008-12-11T07:14:00.000-08:00

Heavenly Father, you always amaze me...
let your kingdom come in my world and in my life
give me the food I need to live through today...
and forgive me as I forgive the people that wrong me
lead me far from temptation... deliver me from the evil one
I look out the window, the birds are composing
not a note is out of tune or out of place
I walk to the meadow and stare at the flowers
better dressed than any girl on her wedding day
so why do I worry? ... why do I freak out?
God knows what I need ...You know what I need

Your love is... Your love is
Your love is strong
Your love is... Your love is
Your love is strong
Your love is... Your love is
Your love is strong

the kingdom of heaven is now advancing...
invade my heart, invade this broken town
the kingdom of the Heavens is buried treasure...
would you sell yourself to buy the one you've found?
two things you told me... that You are strong
and You love me....yes, you love me

Your love is... Your love is
Your love is strong
Your love is... Your love is
Your love is strong
Your love is... Your love is
Your love is strong

our God in heaven
hallowed be thy name
above all names
Your kingdom come
Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven
Give us today our daily bread
forgive us weary sinners
keep us far away from our vices
and deliver us from these prisons.

Some good news and some weight off my shoulders!

2008-12-08T22:15:00.001-08:00

So.... I got my exegesis paper today and.... I got an "A" on it! Whoot whoot! I'm glad that working my buns off trying to research it and write it paid off :) While it was a lot of work, I actually really enjoyed doing the research! I feel like I have a much better undertanding of the book of Psalms and about the different styles of poetry used by the authors. I chose to write my paper on Psalm 46 and since then I've kinda been "camping out" in that book. I really enjoy reading through the Psalms, there are a lot of really encouraging and inspiring passages. Now.... if only I could keep on track with my goal to finish reading the old testament... I've been really slow about making my way through it (but according to the tortoise and the hare fable... being slow isn't always a terrible thing... it's the consistancy that I really think I need to focus on)

Also in regards to relief and reduced stress! I also had my last critique of the semester for my sculpture class today and it went really well! My professor seems to like the materials I am working with and says he is excited to see what I will come up with in the Sculpture II class andSenior Sem class that I am taking from him this spring.

I also just finished writing my 2nd to last really big paper of the semester! One left to go! I am so excited for Christmas break! I am really just focusing on getting everything taken care of one day at a time until then ... It is going to be so nice to sleep in! to see my family and to cut back on work for bit!

fabric or metal...

2008-12-08T03:31:00.000-08:00

... new sculpture I am working of for this week's critique

sculpture is held together by: pop rivets, welding, plasma-cut holes, wiring and stick pins

scultpure materials: cupcake pans, stainless steel bowls, cake pans,
a cookie sheet, a strainer, vegetable steamers, glass jars,
antique platters, aluminum, parafin wax, silver, candle stick holders,
and a wine glass, mesh/netting fabric, sheer oranza fabric

a little bit closer... sculpture is approximately 3ft x 4ft

Adventures in welding....

2008-12-07T12:03:00.000-08:00

... and using the plasma cutter

Today I spent the afternoon using the plasma cutter and trying to figure out how to weld... (So far I still have all of my fingers... and toes) Check back later this week if you would like to see photos of the scultpure I'm working on...
I love these sweet goggles.. haha

Some good news

2008-12-06T10:30:00.000-08:00

... in order of occurence

Friday night was my first night as a WyldLife Leader for Breck students, my good friend Jon Abrahamson is another leader with my old youth group pastor Andy Swanda, the other female leader is Cathy .... I don't know her very well yet, but I love her sense of humor so far : )
The group seems great, the kids were fun and seemed to be excited to be there. We only meet once or twice a month (which means it will take a while to really get to know any of the kids, but is nice because then it's not too overwhelming of a time-commitment with school)

(This isn't where I nanny... just an example of one of the really cute houses in Edina)

the second piece of good news is.....

I had my first day nannying for a family living in Edina. I spent the whole morning with their cute little 10-month old girl! (she's so cute and really funny). They have the coolest house I've ever seen and a maid! I actually am going back again later tonight on my way back up to school to watch all 4 kids... im pretty excited!

(one of Monique L'huillier's designs)

and last but not least...

After nannying today, I stopped by the Monique L'Huillier salon off of France and talked a little with one of the women that work there. She seemed really nice, she gave me some contact information for some of the higher-ups and told me I should bring in my resumé sometime before Christmas. She also said she would have the general manager give me a call sometime this week to talk about a potential internship.... kinda of exciting... but I'm nervous about the phone call (haha... it's not even that great of news because nothing really happened, but I'm just pretty excited about talking to anyone that works there.)

Trying out an idea....

2008-12-04T10:41:00.000-08:00

kind of a different spin on painting for me...
this one was fun to make ....
... i just kind of poured the paint on and then used my hands to move it around and overlap the colors... It started out as just red and black but when the colors mixed ... and after adding some water to thin out some areas... the red started to pull some really nice purple tones out of the black which was kind of surprising...
(I ended up with a spectrum of tones from blackish maroon to bitter violet )

I want to come back and add more layers to see if I can give it some more depth... but for now this is what it looks like... I think the most successful part is the texture but I think the painting itself needs more balance

Painting Something Bigger Than Myself....

2008-12-02T19:02:00.000-08:00

... takes a really loooooooong time
Here's what I have so far
this canvas is approximately 4ft x 6ft

... a step further.... (size comparison with everything else in my studio)

Done for the night.... taking a break!

Black Friday....

2008-11-28T09:09:00.000-08:00

this picture makes me feel clausterphobic...

yes... I was one of those crazy people who woke up this morning around 3 am to go shopping! (it's tradition) My mom, my sister, her best friend Lindsey and her sister Kristen and myself all piled in the white Sedan this morning and headed to our first destination (Kohls... one of my least favorite stores ever.. with the exception of their Simply Vera line). I always get such a kick out of watching other crazy women standing in line outside with their "game-faces" on just waiting for the doors to open... I prefer to wait in the car until the mad stampede has disappeared into the store before I head in.

These people are CRAZY!
... Despite the lack of sleep and the fact that no coffee shops opened until about 6 am... I was surprised that everyone in our car seemed to be pretty cheery. However, after traveling from Kohls (where there was an abundance of elbowing and shoving and standing in line... jeepers people can't we shop and BE POLITE?!?)... to Herbergers (where I made my first purchase of the day... just a strand of faux-monet pearls and a pair of earings) ... and then back to Kohls (where I was sent in to retrieve my mom and to serve as a "runner" while everyone else waited in the car)... I could sense some bickering coming on...

*definition of "runner" = the person who runs from the check-out to various locations in the store getting things the person who is actually checking out forgot to grab...

-LUCKILY- at this point it was about 5:45.... so we headed to the nearest Starbucks (where I'm pretty sure all of us ordered "venti" somethings)... following this pit-stop we proceeded on to Target (where I was really GLAD to replace my Izaac Mizrahi laptop bag that broke for a new Black leather Converse tote) and to the Burnsville Center, where we ventured into Macy's, Express and the Gap... and then visited my uncle who was working at my aunt's new boutique!

I'm pretty proud of myself... I tried to limit myself today and I'm glad that I only ended up buying 3 things...

When we got home this morning my dad looked pretty surprised at how much stuff there was to carry in... (..not mine, let's keep in mind!)... the bulk of what was squished into my mom's trunk mainly consisted of the HUGE featherbeds that my sister and Lindsey bought, my mom's new boots and the comforters that she bought for the beds up at our cabin... I'M JEALOUS because after all the shopping everyone got to go home to take naps except for me... I had to jump in the car and drive up to Roseville where I am now standing at the front desk of a very vacant hotel listening to Chrismas music and watching the maintenance crew decorate the lobby : )

Painting

2008-11-25T20:29:00.000-08:00

Painting that I'm working on currentlyHere is a Close-up

My Favorite Things...

2008-11-23T11:55:00.000-08:00

the following is list of all the things about winter that make me smile...

1. Chistmas Lights!! (for sure at the top of my list)

2. Home-made Hot Chocolate with too many marshmallows! or whip cream! and sprinkles!

3. Having an excuse to stay inside (wearing my knit slippers) and sitting by the fireplace!

(I've never had a fireplace before... it makes doing homework seem not so terrible)

4. Christmas music! (I made a mix yesterday)
5. EGGNOG! YUMM!

6. The Holidazzle and the Macy's 9th Floor Display!

7. Ice-skating! (I want to go to centennial park this winter and skate on the pond)

8. Furry Hoods, Mittens, Warm Scarves!, and Knit Hats!

9. Going to see the Winter Carnival Ice Sculptures! and going snowboarding!

10. Making Christmas Cookies!!!!! and Making Paper Snowflakes!

11. Putting up Christmas Decorations! (look out roomies... its about to look like christmas!)

12. Wrapping Presents!!!! ( I really enjoy wrapping presents! I like adding/curling ribbons!)

13. Going sledding and making snowmen/igloos!

"giroflée"

2008-11-22T21:46:00.000-08:00

I spent the night in the sculpture studio tonight working on this project for Monday
Here are some photos
(I think I'm happy with the shadows so far...
but I'm planning on coming in and adding more tomorrow)

.. more of a close up
materials: strainer, deconstructed vegetable steamer,
organza/mesh faric, shards of glass, nuts, paraffin wax, lace,
kitsch candle stick holders, and kitsch crystal dishes

le soleil brille sur tout....

2008-11-13T20:07:00.000-08:00

.... the sun shines on everything

remembrance of things present

2008-11-13T13:02:00.000-08:00

I love this painting from the Greg Lindquist exhibition.Some art students from Bethel got to help paint it!
(Kristen, Kyle, Beth, and Caylon)
to see how this piece was created and to find our more about artist Greg Lindquist... check out his blog at
http://www.greglindquist.blogspot.com/

i love the designs of Monique Lhuillier

2008-11-09T16:47:00.000-08:00

I would love to work for this company someday...

LA-based designer Monique Lhuillier and husband, Tom Bugbee, founded this bridal company in 1996. The bridal line has been extremely well received and can be viewed at department stores and specialty boutiques throughout the US, Canada, Mexico and Japan. Her trademark style is feminine glamour.

The contemporary Edina boutique is one of Monique Lhuillier's two U.S. stores devoted to showcasing her full ready-to-wear line, as well as the gorgeous upscale bridal collection that launched her career as a designer.

for more info check out:

http://www.moniquelhuillier.com

I am a front desk agent. I do all things...

2008-11-07T19:39:00.000-08:00

... I am a front desk agent (at a hotel that I will leave anonymous)
... I have advanced degrees in accounting, public relations, marketing, business, computer science, and civil engineering. Of course, I have the reservation that you booked three years ago. Even though you don't have the confirmation number and you think that it was made under a name that starts with "X".
... It is not a problem for me to give you seven connecting, nonsmoking poolside suites with two king beds in each... four rollaways (not a problem... or a fire safety hazard), and yes I can install a wet bar. I know it is my fault that we do not have a helicopter landing pad.
... I am a front desk agent. I am expected to speak all languages. It is obvious to me that when you booked your reservation for Friday that you really meant Saturday. My company has entrusted me with all financial information and decisions, and yes, I can tell you why your bill from March 2002, contained a 75 cent phone charge because obviously you never pay for phone charges.
... I understand that (company I will leave nameless) is a vast empire and will make or break our hotel. Yes, I am lying to you when I say we have no rooms available. It is not a problem for me to quickly construct several more guest rooms. This time I will not forget the helicopter landing pad.
... I am a front desk agent. I am quite capable of checking three people in, two people out, taking five reservations, answering fifteen incoming calls, and plunging the toilet in 421... all at the same time
... I always know where to find the best vegetarian, kosher, mongolian, barbeque restaurants. I know exactly what to see and do in this city in fifteen minutes without spending a dime. I take personal responsibilty for the lack of airline food, traffic jams, rental car's flat tires, and the national economy. I realize that you meant to book your reseration here. Dont worry, people often confuse us with the Galaxy Delight Motel of Antarctica. Of course I can "fit you in" and yes, you may have the special ten dollar rate because you are affiliated with the Hoboken Bagel Clubs.
... I am expected to smile, empathize, sympathize, console, upsell, downsell, (and know when to do which), perform, sing, dance, and fix the printer.
...I am a front desk agent. I do all things...

Bom Dia and Bolthouse

2008-11-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

This is my plug for Bolthouse Farms... I am addicted, they are SO good! Especially the "Green Goodness" juice and the "Bom Dia Açai Berry w/ Pomegranate". Similar to that of Naked Juices but I would say even better! I think they're amazing because they have so many healthy things in them that normally I would never ever eat. For example... the Green Goodness has wheat grass, spirulina, spinach and blue-green algae (SICK) with apples, kiwis, mangos, bananas (YUMM!), pineapples and dragon fruit making it a good source of iron and Vitamin B6, naturally rich in Vitamin A, C, and B12... they're kind of expensive but if you think about it.. it's a lot cheaper to buy the juice than it is to buy all of the ingredients seperately.

To find out more check out these sites:
http://www.bolthouse.com
http://www.bomdia.com

November?

2008-11-04T05:53:00.001-08:00

First of all... I am in such a good mood! Who would've thought that it'd still be 70 degrees in November in Minnesota! To celebrate it being so warm out I went on one of the longest runs of my life yesterday (from bethel... around lake Johanna over to Northwestern... back to Bethel... around the campus... and then around Lake Valentine)
view of Lake Valentine at sunset

Needless to say, my legs hurt today but it was worth it... I'm sure we will have snow here soon and then I will be stuck running inside again until next April

Swing...

2008-11-01T16:11:00.000-07:00

I tried something new this week and LOVED it! ... my lovely room mate, Kylie, and I went to a swing dance class and worked on learning the version of swing known as the lindy hop.
If your not sure what that is, you should watch the video below...

... although I'm sure those dancers might be a little bit better than us. We had so much fun that I think we're going to try to start going to the class every week. I strongly recommend that if you ever have the opportunity to learn how to swing dance... that you do it!

Appalachia, West Virginia

2008-10-30T07:59:00.000-07:00

I went to the meeting this past Tuesday to find out more information about the trip to London and France... At first I was really EXCITED about the possibility of going but the more and more I think about it... the less and less I feel like going.
Although I think the trip would be a lot of fun, I feel like there are such better ways that I could be putting my money to use right now.
image borrowed from appalachian ministries
1 John 3:17-18 says...
"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."
image borrowed from appalachian ministries
This verse is something I have really been thinking about a lot lately.
I think I'm going to go on a mission trip to Appalachia, West Virginia this spring and put off going to Europe. I've been researching it a bit and after learning more about the poverty and struggles that the people of this region deal with everyday I feel feel like this is where I am maybe supposed to be going. It's something I've been considering over the past month and has been something I've been praying about. I grabbed an application this morning and feel like if this is where God wants me to go, things will fall into place.

If you're interested in learning about the living conditions of the people in this region, I found this site pretty informative
http://www.ikewhitsonministries.org/index.php?p=1_3_Appalachia

little somethings from my grandma...

2008-10-27T20:19:00.000-07:00

I started working on a new series of necklaces for my sculpture class last week. The pearls, lace doilies and gold/brass buttons came from my grandma's collection.
The necklace looks light... but it's really pretty heavy.

......
Here is an image with a little more detail.

les fleurs...

2008-10-22T11:29:00.001-07:00

For some bizarre and unknown reason... everytime I try to do a painting lately... no matter what i'm looking at or what colors I use... it starts to look like flowers to me... and then that's what it becomes...

Crossing My Fingers...

2008-10-20T08:59:00.001-07:00

So I'm pretty excited right now... I just got an e-mail from my junior high french teacher (who now teachs at the junior high and high school) and she told me that they are planning a trip to London and France this summer! She said they are still looking for chaperones for the trip and that if I'm interested, I should come to the information meeting next week!! Im not a hundred percent sure on all the details yet... so I will know more about whether or not i'm going after next week. The trip would be from June 18th to June 27! ( so only about a week and a half) Here is a photo from the river Seines in France

Here is a photo of London

Not finished.... but it's something

2008-10-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

spent the afternoon in the painting studio with Nancy...

Something From The Summer (part II)

2008-10-11T15:45:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting in my apartment sick, so I've finally gotten a chance to upload some of the photos from the show I participated in earlier this fall.

(above are five, selected from the series, submitted in the show)

Here are some close-up photos with more detail...

If I were little... I would wear...

2008-10-03T06:15:00.000-07:00

These sweet Parisian-inspired clothes from Bonpoint! ... Holy Cow, these designers really seem to know what's up! I just love these little outfits, especially the dresses and jumpers paired with the opaque leggings and sophisticated chasseurs!

The first Bonpoint boutique was created in France but the boutiques have spread world-wide. In the United States they can be found in Beverly Hills, Boston, New York, and Palm Beach.

But Since I'm not... I would...

2008-10-03T05:52:00.000-07:00

Check out the sweet designs by G-Star Raw, a company developed in the Netherlands! (p.s. for anyone currently living in New York City, I guess they have posted availability for interns in their P.R. department at their flagship store location...)

"G Star Raw Denim was created in 1989 and has been known for its innovative and cutting edge style in the world of denim. They also produce jackets, shirts, and accessories for men and women. 'Just the product' has always been G-Star's philosophy and market approach (innovation and perfection of the product are imperitive)."

G-Star Raw now shows their collection at New York Fashion Week, which is on of the biggest in the world!

.....
Here's picture of the jeans that I now own! Thank you EBAY! : )

I love these paintings...

2008-09-29T11:50:00.001-07:00

English Romantic Lanscape Painter, Joseph Mallord William Turner, whose style is said to have laid the foundation for Impressionism is one of my favorite painters of all time. He has been descibed as the artist who could "most stirringly and truthfully measure the moods of Nature." Turner was inspired by shipwrecks, fires, natural catastrophes, and natural phenomena (sunlight, storms, rain, and fog) he was most fascinated by the violent power of the sea.

"Turner placed human beings in many of his paintings to indicate his affection for humanity, but its vulnerability and vulgarity amid the 'sublime' nature of the world. (sublime in this context meaning, awes-inspiring, display of savage grandeur, a natural world unmastered by man.... evidence of the power of God....) The significance of light was to Turner the emanation of God's spirit, concentrating on the play of light on water, and the radiance of skies and fires often leaving out solid objects and details. Turner was striving for expression of spirituality in the world, rather than responding primarily to optical phenomena."

("Peace - Burial At Sea")

Something From The Summer

2008-09-17T07:40:00.000-07:00

This fall I had the to opportunity to participate in a show at Bethel College called "Something From The Summer". This show is a compilation of various types of artwork created by Bethel's graduating art majors.

I chose to submit a series of my artwork that I began working on in my studio last spring, while studying in New York. Over the summer I made improvements and adjustments while expanding the series. There are now over six different designs in the collection which remains "untitled". I will post images from the show later this week, but in the meantime, here is an image of two of my previous designs (hanging in my studio space in Manhattan)

created April 2008

the start of something new...

2008-09-07T22:01:00.000-07:00

It feels nice to be sitting in the living room of my new home in New Brighton. I moved in last week and finally have all of my belongings unpacked. My new home is a townhouse that I share with four other girls! The five of us share two bedrooms, one bathroom, a living room and a kitchen! It's small but cozy... and we love it!

On top of the moving in I also started working at my new job at the hotel, and had my first week of class at Bethel (18 credits! yikes) where I also work in the library. I am excited to start working on projects for my art courses this semester (sculpture and painting) and to learn more about current working artists.

Right now I am in love with the designs of Tara Donovan. I first learned about her artwork while taking a 3-dimensional design course and then this past spring was lucky enough to see some of her work displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The image above doesn't capture the piece in it's entirety (which spread across all four rooms of the gallery). This work consists of silver mylar tape. (google Tara Donovan to see more images)

(here is a close up image of the mylar tape)

the start of something new...

2008-09-07T21:19:00.000-07:00

Right now I am in love with the designs of Tara Donovan. I first learned about her artwork while taking a 3-dimensional design course and then this past spring was lucky enough to see some of work displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The photo below doesn't capture the piece as a whole (which spread across all four rooms of the gallery). This work consists of silver mylar tape. (google Tara Donovan to see more images)