oh hello, it's been a while!

So, life has been happening and it's crazy. I'm in my final semester of high school, and have already been accepted into some colleges. I've been job hunting. I've been working my butt off to get great grades. I've tried new things! I've had sushi and went to a Steampunk Gala and am getting back into art. I have lots of ideas for posts here, too!

my steampunk costume from the gala, jan 26th

tea time!

 I got some yummy new loose-leaf teas today from the local tea shoppe, so I'm very happy! I've only tried the raspberry so far, but it's lovely.

slumber party!

silliness and pizza and disney movies. an amazing time! (also crazy faces....)

2012

While this year wasn't spectacular or new or groundbreaking, I have to say that it was pretty good. I got a new camera to practice photography, read a lot of good books, and drank an embarrassing amount of wine over the summer. I made a new friend, I watched a lot of movies in the theater. I explored different parts of my province. I got a puppy! My drawing skills improved, my hair has grown. I've learned a lot of new and interesting stuff and I like to think I'm a better person than I was.

In 2013, a lot of new and scary things are going to happen. I'm going to finish high school. I'm going to move out of the house into a completely different city. I'm going to university. It's new and scary and I can't wait for it all to happen.

I hope everyone had an amazing 2013, and will have an even better 2013!

presents!

I had a good Christmas in the terms of giving and getting gifts. I'm not really a brag-y kind of person, but I'm really excited about what I received and wanted to share! What did you get for Christmas? I'd love to know!

not pictured: desktop easel, captain america earrings, lego set.

holidays!

It's been a really busy month over here, so apologies for not posting! I've had an amazing December, though: lots of traveling and family and food and fun. There's some stress about uni applications and portfolios, and I have two essays and a presentation due when I get back to school in January. However - that will not stop my amazing holiday mood. We had a snowstorm yesterday, so we're all snowed in and it's lovely.

I hope everyone had amazing and snowy Christmas, and a happy holidays!

december.

The holiday season is actually my favorite time of the year: snow, presents, family, fun, and snow! Too bad it looks and feels like October weather so far, though. December is always a really big month for me, with family and traveling and a crazy amount of schoolwork. The house is decorated and we're all getting into the Christmas spirit, though! All in all, December is the best. I'm looking forward to all the happenings this month and to planning things in the new year. What are you planning for December? I hope everyone has an amazing month!

live theatre is crazy (in the best way)

Working behind the scenes for a theater production is so much work, but it's also fun! This past weekend my local theatre had their Christmas production, and I was lucky enough to be an assistant stage manager. There was a whole bunch of sound cues and making sure actors were in place and the like that I had to do, but it was easy because everyone else was doing an amazing job. It was a lot of work and super tiring, but the entire cast and crew were so much fun to work with and it was ridiculously rewarding to hear the audience laugh and clap, and to see them give standing ovations. All in all, it was a great learning experience and I would do it again without hesitation!

foggy nights at the theatre.

The first ever showing of the Christmas play at my local theater is tonight. I'm the assistant stage manager, and there's a lot of work to be done. I love it though: it's busy and loud and every is really excited. It starts early and runs late, and there's such a marvelous crowd of people that have been working on the production. I have another post about this prepared for most likely Monday, after the show ends. Have a great weekend!

schoolwork and smiles.

Yes, I've got a ridiculous amount of schoolwork to do, but I don't actually mind. I love having things to do! In fact, when I procrastinate on doing something, I usually end up doing something creative instead. While it's still a bad habit, I get stuff done, and I kinda love it. Right now it's a two thousand word essay, and later I'm working on a twenty minute documentary-presentation. Let's get work done!

good morning, mister snow.

There is actually nothing better than waking up to snow outside. Even though we've only got a little bit of snow so far, I love it! As well, this was my puppy's first time ever seeing snow, so it was so much fun to watch. She was wary at first, but then was running and playing and trying to eat it. Winter is here, everybody, and I couldn't be more happy!

Life upate!

Life's been pretty good over here, actually. The weather has been cold and rainy, but that's ok - I'm so excited for it to snow! There weren't many people out on Halloween this year, so we got more candy than usual. Halloween has also been my all-time favorite holiday because of free candy and costumes, of course. I'm also doing NaNoWriMo, (x) and that's off to a good start, so I'll make a post about that later! My adorable cousins came up on Sunday, I'm reading Frankenstein for a school project, and just got a new set of acrylic paints. How have you been doing?

 Part of my Halloween costume - I'll post the rest soon!

Halloween candy bowl skull turned perfume holder. Cool, eh?

Hair fancy that I picked up, isn't it pretty?

birthday girl!

Yesterday was my seventeenth birthday, and it was absolutely phenomenal. Everything added up to make the most perfect day ever - the weather was mid twenties and sunny, and I had the day off school! In the evening, I went out to the best Chinese restaurant near the waterfront with my family and best friend, then took a walk on the pier at sunset. We took a tour of the new art gallery and stopped off at the comic books shop before heading home for coffee + cake (and presents!). It was a gorgeous, happy day and lemme tell you - being seventeen is pretty sweet!

This little guy is amazing! I'm already reading Frankenstein, and I love it. 

 One of my favourite books + the best perfume. (in honour of Annabelle?)

 Red velvet Doctor Who cake courtesy of my mom. It was yummy!

 A (blurry) view of the US - it's actually much, much closer than it looks.

Flowers from my grandparents!

thanksgiving.

I lovelovelove Thanksgiving! I love the family and the turkey and the goofy stories and the pumpkin pie. It's amazing! This year, we were all at my grandparent's house for the day. We played games, carved pumpkins and made flower arrangements, ate a huge dinner, talked and laughed and then ate pie. It was a busy, fun-filled day. I'm very thankful for my family (and pie!).

cat-urday. (get it?)

My family is having a snuggle down, fight off a cold, and drink soup kinda day. Which is great! We've got blankets and tea and soup and television. I mean, it would be better if people weren't actually feeling sick. But, the weather is finally cooling down and we're all stocked up on firewood. I've got delicious hard candies and a cuddly cat and a English paper to write. Have a good weekend, everyone!

one week of senior year down..

How many to go? Too many to count, obviously. But... that's okay! I've got a great lineup of classes and even though it will require a scandalous amount of after school studying, I'm happy. Taking it one day at a time seems crucial for me, I know that I can and will get all my work done (and well). I can spend my morning class that I have off at home chatting and drinking tea, or in the school library reading. I can use my after school hours to nap or watch television and do homework. Everything is well-rounded and is going to turn out wonderful. I feel beautiful and am ready to completely conquer my final year of hell highschool.

As well, I'm getting a new drawing tablet soon: expect an insane amount of doodles!

this summer was a great summer.

I mean, like all things, there were highs and lows. Luckily, I'm able to look at it with a positive aspect and now I'm seeing all the great things that happened. It was an adventure. I like adventures.
I went to Stratford to see a play. I went camping, I had a few trips to the beach. I went swimming and shopping and had lunch in an Italian restaurant. I broke my camera and got a new one. I got caught in the rain, went shopping for clothes and read a dozen books. Now that summer is over and I start senior year tomorrow, I can look back at the great summer I had. I Skyped with Annabelle for the first time, and started this blog. There were some things that I was reluctant to do but did anyways, just to find out that it was amazing. Learning to overcome fears was a big thing this summer, and I like to think I made a dent in that, and I'm proud! There's still a long way to go, but there's still next summer and a hundred after that.
I love you all!

 I hope you all had amazing summers, too!

Doctor Who day!

To celebrate my favourite show coming back for a seventh season, I dressed up to watch the new episode! I didn't have anyone who wanted to dress up with me, but that was alright. I got to drink tea out of my TARDIS mug and fangirl like crazy about the new episode. There's not really much else to say, except that I adored dressing up Doctor Who-like and that the new episode? It was phenomenal.

 

finding inspiration.

If several years of art classes in school and at local galleries, along with independent projects, have taught me anything (besides art of course), it's this: when creating, you can't just sit around and wait for a strike of inspiration to hit you. Sure, you will occasionally get sudden inspiration, but when actually working and doing projects, you can't rely on that. It's hard, I know, it can be very difficult to be able to get your creative juices flowing right away. So, I've found some ways that can be used all the time to help jump-start your creativity. Cool, right?

1. Have a folder on your computer or phone or even in an actual folder of images you like. Paintings and photographs and drawings, things that you like for whatever reason. You can draw on these images based on themes or colour schemes or shape, what ever you need. This is similar to when art teachers hang up work around the room, except it's personalised.

2. Music. Over time, you'll find music that you listen to more often when you're creating. Listen to it, and work like that. I've found that movie soundtracks and other plain instrumentals work very well for me.

3. Experiment with colour. Just take your pencil crayons and draw. Look at what colours match and what colours don't, and go from there.

4. Wait. Just sit for a few moments, close your eyes and envision what you might want to do.

I know that these might not work for everyone and might sound kind of ridiculous. I've gone through long periods where I haven't created anything, and that was a pretty bad feeling. I've been slowly working and searching for ways to improve my creativity and productivity. The best part? I'm still a student! I have all the time in the world to improve, and I'm starting now.

the little things in life.

Sometimes life moves so very fast. First, you're stressing about starting high school, then you're fifteen, sixteen, searching for a summer job, looking at universities. It's hard to realize that it's not just you in the world, that there's more than these overwhelming troubles. I've always had a hard time looking at small details. I have to admit, I've been narrow-minded in the past, seeing blacks and whites but no other shades.

Recently, though, I'm proud to say that I've been opening my eyes - slowly but surely. The world is huge and amazing and there is so much more. There is coffee and new books and your favourite songs and campfires and walks in the evening and lipstick and all these little details that are so easy to overlook.
I don't really have a point here, but I just wanted to let you know that there is more and it's wonderful. That's why I like having a blog, it lets me slow down and think and just be who I am. And I like who I am. (I also like her, who is a huge inspiration to me.)

Slow down, appreciate life. It's worth it.