My First Love

One of my earliest memories, besides playing with my giant Optimus Prime transformer, is having a crayon in my hand pretty much all the time. It was like an extension of my hand or fingers. Even as I got older, when ever I was bored or feeling a bit twitchy, I would pick up a pencil or marker and start drawing. After struggling to find my niche - I could never really get the realistic groove going - in manga and comic style, I became even more attached to the art form. I spent several years learning to translate my love of drawing into the digital world and became quite awesome ;) with photoshop and using a pen tablet.

After writing my first Graphic Obsession post, I was asked to show some of my art, so here it is kids!



a character I was working on for a comic that never came to be





two separate characters for comics I would like to do sometime...maybe...

I have a lot more scattered around, but these are my favs and some of my best work. I can only hope to get better and maybe someday, I will be lucky enough to have someone ogle my work. And, yes, I like chics with guns. Dunno why...

30-something

Last week I turned 30. I can say, whole-heartedly, that I was not looking forward to this particular birthday. I would no longer be the 20-something girl. I was now going to be the 30-something woman. For some reason, I felt like everything would start to sag and wrinkle and age immediately and I could no longer do some of the things I truly enjoy doing - watching south park, the simpsons, and family guy. Or buying ridiculously brightly colored eye shadow and were it with confidence, or anything like that. I was slightly terrified of turning into a boring adult.

During this first week of being 30, two things happened.

One, a wonderful friend (who is about to be 31, so very wise, and cool as hell) remarked about the dreaded age..."Whatever, being thirty is awesome. People actually take you serious now."

Second, we were invited to my sister-in-law's 21st birthday at some local hipster coffee shop. C asked if I wanted to go, and my reply "Heck no! There is no way, I wanna spend the evening with some stupid 20 year old kids..." Immediately following that I groaned and replied "Crap. I am thirty." and hung my head in shame.

I think I am ok with my new age. I spent a lot of my 20's looking for something, making mistakes, and eventually finding my niche. I learned a lot about myself and who I want to be. Now I feel comfortable with my life and where it is going.

Especially since it includes these people.

Birthdays and Crafty Love

July 1st, 2008 at 8:05 pm, I gave birth to an 8lb wrinkled crying little baby girl. Ever since then, being a mom has completely changed my life and I am a better person because of it. Yesterday, we celebrated M's 2nd birthday with the Austin family. It was a long, exhausting, wonderful day, and I am a little sad to see my baby quickly growing up. But being me, and having some fantastic inspiration from my Craft Academy classes, I made some really great things to make her party extra special!


One of the classes was a special 4th of July party pack that had some wonderful crafty ideas to throw a great summer party. One project in particular was Cupcake Ice Cream Cones. I can't think of anything better for a little girl's birthday!




I used a white cake recipe and gel food coloring to tint the batter bright rainbow colors. The rest...well, it's confidential. ;}

I decided to be sneaky and top the cupcake cones with actual ice cream, cause you can't have cake without ice cream! It also served as a great candle holder!



Another class was how to make a fabric banner. I customized mine with ribbon and some pretty cherry fabric.



It turned out so freakin' cute and was deffinately a hi-lite of the party.

I hope every year I can do something special for my baby. Because, well, how could i not want to make a wonderful birth day for this cutie?!?

There's No Place Like Home

When I was 15, I came to Austin for Debate Camp and spent a wonderful two weeks here. I instantly fell in love. Never had I experienced such a place; so alive with creativity. I swore to myself that I would someday leave my small suburban hometown and move to this magical city.

12 years later I was finally able to move. On my own and free, I packed up my car with the few things I had and left the only home I had ever known.

That was three years ago, (June 3rd to be exact). It's incredible and amazing and little scary how one decision can effect your life so drastically. Because of my decision to move to Austin (basically, with nothing), I reconnected with the most amazing man I have ever met, and started a life with him. I got pregnant and had our wonderful daughter, who truly made my life whole and filled my heart with so much love. We bought our first house, and have settled into a great neighborhood. I have met some awesome and inspiring people, that have pushed me to find and use the creativity that I knew was buried deep inside.

If I knew how much everything would change by simply moving to a place I fell in love with so long ago, I would have done it a lot sooner. But I can say with the utmost sincerity, that I am the happiest I have ever been and it's all because I took a chance and followed my heart.

Summer Stylin'

I'm not really a fan of the summer season...mainly because Texas gets h.o.t. Like 106* hot. Like icing melting off cupcakes I spent 5 hrs making for M's 1st birthday hot. But luckily, I live in a place that is covered with natural springs and lovely refreshing watering holes to cool off during the summer months. There is one thing that makes me long for summer, despite the yucky weather....

Shoes.

Cute, strappy, summery, shoes.



Old Navy and








Target, respectively.





New shoes always makes me feel good. What can I say, I'm a girl. Shoes are like crack to female gender. Even the not so girly girls can revel in the afterglow of an awesome shoe purchase.

And I am already eyeing another pair...


Note: I apologize for the serious paleness of my legs. I do not tan, and am cursed to remain pasty white.