Rediscovering.

I've been listening to Bon Iver non-stop, over and over. I'm just that kind of person who will listen to one cd on loop until they have just about soaked up every good feeling it has to offer. It's horrible I know, but I digress. I recently found a cover he did of Bonnie Raitt's I Can't Make You Love Me, and it made me realize what an emotional and stirring song it is. I would hear it all the time when I was younger, but I could never really empathize like I can now. I think that may be a big part of it. I love that I've only become more of a fan of music now that I'm older. It's one of my favorite things in the whole world.

Post Overhaul!

I've been away for too long and have lots to feature in this post. I missed Satisfaction Sunday of course, and posting about my adventures. Not to mention something that I am unbelievably so excited about. If you are a super Coheed & Cambria fan, you will understand.



Here is also an instagram collage of everything I did over the weekend up to yesterday.

 
  
  
  
  
  

I've been having a pretty calm summer. I've been to the beach two times so far, and hope to go for a third. Not half as much as I'd hoped to go, but a lot better than previous years where the count had been zero. Sadly hiking and backpacking has been at that number. Oh the irony. I'm crossing my fingers that I get to go backpacking for at least a night before September rolls around. Saving up for Japan is not helping that cause, but I'm so much more eager to go to Japan! So much to do, so little time.

Satisfaction Sunday!

I decided it would be more appropriate to do a Satisfaction Sunday rather than Saturday. It's a better way to start off a new week. So onto my favorites!

1. Artist Audrey Kawasaki has an Instagram account dedicated to stickers and miniatures called audsticks. I love the things she finds, and it definitely satisfies my appetite for cute sticker lovin'. A tiny anatomical study of a skeleton!

( via audsticks )

2. This locket is beautiful!

( via  emmagemshop )

3. I love Leslie Hall, and so in turn, I think this artwork of Mother Gem is phenomenal!

( via Julia Vickerman )

4. This original Kenner with her little rainbow hearts dress gives me even more desire to have a Kenner of my own.

( via londoncalling2001 )

5. I have two lives, one that loves cute, sweet things, and the other that loves horror and scary stuff. This has successfully merged the two and I absolutely love it!

( via bao )

6. I've been playing Final Fantasy XI on and off since it came out in 2002, and I finally got all of my Red Mage Artifact Armor. Ten years later!

Last night was my mom's 50th birthday party. Her birthday was in May, but there was a lot of other events going on so she planned it for June. She hoped to have a music setup for my aunt (her sister) and my brother and whoever else wanted to play songs. She urged me to play at her party, but I was reluctant as always. However, I knew I had to do it sometime. So I played one of my songs I wrote in front of a crowd of people after TONS of coaxing from my cousin. I was so nervous I was shaking, but I did it and it was well received. I will be doing it again.

More music by me.

I made a cover of Lisa Hannigan's Little Bird. Please listen! Thank you if you do. :)

Sounds of January.

I started the spring semester this past Tuesday, and I must say I'm pretty excited to be an art major. Phew, I chose correctly, and I'm pretty much dead sure about that. Took me a 5 year break to be certain, but onward now! I wanted to get completed as quickly as possible, so I'm looking into either adding another class to my schedule, or taking on an internship and taking classes in the summer. This means I'm looking to keep myself busy with life stuff leaving doll stuff by the road side. Just some doll stuff, not everything. My goal for the next two years is to have a car, job, and move the heck out and into my own place. Preferably with my friend Dayna. Wish me luck!

I've been submersing myself in music. I found some new stuff, and rediscovered some songs I forgot about. I'd like to share them with you! Enjoy.

Hey freckle face!

Did I mention how much I love doing freckles on dolls? I think it gives a doll deep character just by adding them. It also makes me miss my freckled faced NaNuRi Ashley. I want a doll with freckles again. Hmm... Should Prise have freckles? That might just work!

I started knitting a scarf late and right in the midst of winter like I usually do. I end up realizing that it's cold and I need a scarf. Yet I'm stubborn enough to not buy one because I know I can make one. Then I start it and never finish it and all the sudden it's summer. I wanted to try making my own simple drop stitch pattern. It took a few tries to get right, but I'm pretty pleased where this one is going.

Lastly, two things, I will be changing my site around to make the blog the main page, and also... Dan Auerbach is my hero.

How does it grow?

It's been an hour or so since I got home, and I am in a strange head space right now. I'm like mentally floating in a cloud of calm, warmth and security. Y'know, that whole, "everything's going to be ok" feeling. I suppose David Bazan will do that to you.

I don't think I can describe at all how this experience has affected me, not even close, but I'm going to try. In a short sentence, it was so fucking beautiful! Now in longer sentences... It was a very intimate show. Only 60 people (about half showed) were to attend, and it was held at a house in a heavily wooded area in south NJ. All the fear I felt going down there/having to travel back home all vanished when he walked in and (what seem like instantaneously) started to play. I was 95 miles away from home, and on my own, by the way.
Before I could even brace myself his voice boomed and vibrated so smoothly throughout the small living room area, and right then I became rooted to the floor. I felt my chest swell. I was blindsided by something so wonderful, so unexpected, that I felt like a new piece of printer paper being crinkled into a ball in his hands! It made me feel like something/one different in one single occurrence. It was so calm outside too. The only noise you could hear were crickets chirping. It was intensely romantic. I don't think I will ever forget this. It reminded me on how much I love music and art, because it's totally free. You can do whatever you want, be whoever you want, and you will find love in it somewhere.

I got to ask him a question in which the answer I received from him made me so relieved. I asked him what his method was for lyric and music writing; whether he did one before the other. His answer was exactly what I go through, and that writing lyrics is fucking hard. Haha. He writes amazing things, and it's good to know it's because he struggles and works hard at it, it's not something that just flies out of him for the most part. In other words, writing is a mixture of randomness, pure feeling, and hard work. Perfect. I'm so inspired. I will hold this experience with me forever, and I hope it really launches me into becoming a better musician. That's at least how I feel right now.

As I mentioned before, on my way there I was really nervous. I was nervous for practically the whole day leading up to it really. I was going to do something alone, that was apparently a pretty big deal for me. I fear simple things, please bare with me. I've never driven far to a place I've never been, all by myself. I felt like a super hero driving home. I accomplished something on my own, and to top it off it was such an amazing thing to do! It's funny because I'm actually really happy I went by myself. This memory is all mine, and there was no one else there to taint it! Again, it was perfect.

Time for this cheesy person to go to sleep. I have a class and a vet appointment tomorrow... Not for me, my dog!

Music covers.

I was just thinking the other day that I don't think I blogged about the cover I put up on youtube. So, I shall post it now! It's me doing a guitar/singing cover of Coheed & Cambria's "The Light and the Glass". I hope to cover Adele's "Melt My Heart To Stone" and Mazzy Star's "Fade Into You" next.

Hard to be

I'm excited today. Yes you heard correct! I'm taking a big step and doing something on my own for once. It's kind of empowering. Just what I needed. I heard of Pedro the Lion when I was 15, and I loved his music so much. Well, now David Bazan is helping me with life once again. Haha. I purchased my ticket today to go see him on his "living room" tour. I have to drive pretty far, but I believe I will manage. I hope everything goes as smoothly as it is in my mind!

Tomorrow I may go hiking with a friend, that's if it doesn't rain. Then a trip to the Catskills with the family is in order, right before school starts. I'm realizing how either severely luck I am, or how I've grown to look at the bright side more effectively, but any which way I am glad that I have something to pick me up right now. So happy to the point of tears. I also have to thank all the people, who I've never met personally giving me, such kind messages. I will never stop working on dolls. : )

Ironically finding myself with nothing to do!!

Now that school is almost over, and the commission list is practically completed, I'm finding myself having nothing to do!! This is mental because there is stuff for me to do! I feel very unorganized today.

The SHOP is opening up in 9 days! I'm excited! I scheduled myself well. I will get the 2 commission I have left finished before the new commissions come in! Hurray! Concerning the future SHOP, I believe I will have the quantity of items as follows; Basic = 3, Special #1 = 2, Special #2 = 1, and Special #3 = 1. If you do not have a clue what I'm talking about please visit the SHOP!

With the free time I'm going to be having an ample amount of I should really be studying Japanese and maybe playing some music. So I decided I should really get on that letter to my pen pal. I am also trying to learn Boy With A Coin by Iron & Wine. I may put some videos of me playing online...maybe.

Two negative things I realized today; I'm eating horribly-- too much candy and not many vegetables, and I cannot ever keep my room clean for more than a few weeks! Ò A Ó


Commission~~

Day of History.

I have not stopped being involved in receiving new information and feelings for the past 12 hours. Don't get me wrong, I understand that what I have stated happens constantly throughout your life, however, today it's been happening at a rather strong intensity. Having to write two history papers has a lot to do with it. So, in turn, I'm having all these crazy philosophical thoughts. It's quite funny. Comes with the territory of being 20 something right? I can't help but feel a naive and kind of cliché though.. Haha, but whatever, dude.

Wanna know what I've learned today? No? Oh.... Hmmm. Wanna know what I'm listening too? ...TOO BAD! YOU'RE GONNA KNOW! I've had these vinyls, which I got from my friend's dad, that have been sitting downstairs for about 2 years now. My parents are redecorating, so I thought now'd be a good time to............LOL THE RECORD IS SKIPPING RIGHT NOW! Wow, that was my first experience with that, and it was pretty entertaining to me, anyway, I digress. So I thought I should bring them upstairs, and perhaps listen to some of them. Well, I was just listening to Heart's Dreamboat Anne record. As soon as the needle hit the record and Magic Man started, it was like I was instantly connected with the past. It(60s-70s music) was pretty revolutionary stuff! Now this is very much part of what I was talking about before, I'm high on knowledge man... But in all seriousness, going back to the past through means that are still around is a great thing. It keeps us in touch with where we came from, and I'm diggin' it. I'm not diggin' how scratched this record is...

You know I took out a book from the library that was published in the 50s? Ok, that's not really antique or anything, but it is a 50 year old book! Some people don't even survive for that long!

Guys....

I.....

.........

Sleep sound.

I'm about to go to sleep. I bought a ukulele and I have a lovely video on facebook that I have to learn how to download and save. Then I can put it on here. I'm almost finished with keepithushhush on DoA's commission. Crazyness. Alright. Oyasumi.