More commissions and Mitsuwa.

I think I've been to Mitsuwa about 3 times in the past week. That's a lot. It that a bad thing? No not really. Does it remind me that I barely studied Japanese, and that I really want to be able to go in January. Yep. I only have about one more week until classes start. I'm a bit nervous.



I am still excited about going to Japan. I really want to try authentic ramen, sushi, and natto. I really enjoy natto. I'm not excited to be around so much seafood though. This is my nightmare. Yes, you read correctly. I do want to try sushi, but dislike seafood. It's an inner conflict I deal with daily. Ah, but natto. Natto is always good. I even bought some to take home from Mitsuwa. I did feel like having ramen today so I reminded myself to purchase some from the grocery. There were so many different brands to choose from, so I finally decided to go for the one that gave me the most assurance... (advertisers are genius!). I will most likely try it out tomorrow morning. I'm eager to see how it is packaged instead of served from Santouka. Doesn't it look so appetizing?!



I was at Mitsuwa today to drop off a commission and I'm glad to say I got even more commissions finished. I am working on the next two now. Everything is still moving along nicely.

Doctor, do you like green apples?

It is very grey and rainy outside. What a wonderful day to walk around NYC with paper valuables! My inner fan girl is starting to break through, hard. I'm purchasing things I shouldn't because I'm trying to save for Japan. However, if you were a Doctor Who fan, could you turn down a TARDIS tin/lunchbox? I don't think you could! If you're a fan of Sinestro and Green Lantern, would you be able to turn down variant covers of a comic issue you already have because it featured awesome art of Sinestro? I. Don't. Think. You. Could!

I'm not going near a comic book store for the rest of the year! There was something else that I bought that was not so threatening to my wallet, and boy was I lucky to catch it! Jo-Ann's had patterns on sale for $1! $20+ patterns = $1! Not too shabby. So I found some vintage patterns and pranced and skipped to the register. I can't wait to make some of these dresses. I have yet to choose fabric for them.

I hope everyone has a great Friday, and an awesome weekend!

Thrifty Finds.

On an unexpectedly rainy morning I walked to my local thrift shop to see what they had to offer. I love dresses because of how easy they are to just throw on and yet still look adorable. I was hoping to find some cheap adorable treasures, and luckily I did! I was so happy to find these two beautiful dresses, and as a bonus, some brown lace up oxfords that fit! The dresses are 4 sizes too small for me to wear now, so they are motivation for me to keep going on my mission to be fitter and healthier. I can't wait for the day to come when I can wear them.

Stocking up: Backpacking goods.

This past Tuesday I headed to REI to get some backpacking items while they had their sale to celebrate Memorial Day. I'm slowly building up my supplies for when we go backpacking this summer. It feels great to   check these items off on my list. 

I bought these socks previously and absolutely loved them. The light cushion socks aren't as bulky but still ridiculously comfortable. Wool socks are the way to go when hiking or backpacking. Gotta love lots of cushion!

TICKS! They are all over the place here and carry Lyme's disease. Lyme's Disease is actually one of the biggest threats you'll experience on the Appalachian Trail. I've been anxious to get one of these tick keys that easily remove ticks without squeezing them or leaving parts of them in your skin. Gross right? Exactly why I was very quick to add this to my list.

My two most favorite purchases were my new boots and backpacker's cooking set. I already bought my pocket stove, and needed a pot and bowl to go with it. I love these minimalist backpacking items because of how smartly packed they are. I can't wait to try it out! My new boots by Vasque I will be trying out these weekend as we hike another small section of the Appalachian Trail. I took them for a stroll around the park, and they were really comfortable. I will have to wait to get a real opinion when I put them to the test on the trail.

I will be leaving on Friday and going up to the campgrounds with my friends and their family for a weekend long vacation. I will be back on Tuesday. I hope my weekend is full of hikes, swimming, and fireworks. Hope you all have a great weekend as well!

Roller Coasters

Before I start I'd like to say something;
For the past few weeks I have gotten pushed down into a depression that was not in my control. It has made me doubt my ability as an artist, and is one of the reasons for a halt in commissions (apart from the constant rain). Right now, I'm not inspired, my head feels like it's in a complete fog, and I feel like I'm letting a lot of people down. I sincerely apologize to everyone on my list for the inexcusable wait. I'm very, very sorry. I am trying my hardest to pick myself and return to a confident and happy state. Please forgive me! I am hoping creating this blog post will cheer me (and everyone I "debbie downed") up. Haha. Let's begin!

Things I buy..
About 3 weeks ago I ordered some wonderful low-priced items that are very wonderful indeed!

First off, I found out about this great journal through The Dainty Squid. It's a 5 year journal that gives you a question to answer everyday. I thought it was a cool and extremely easily way to track your life. It's also a nice thing look back on. I decided to just jump into August, instead of wait for January, and I'm pretty much addicted to answering the questions.

I'm constantly wanting to update my photo equipment, especially my lens collection, but it's way too expensive for me at the moment. So boy was I happy when I found these add-on macro lens filters. They are amazing and so cheap! The package comes with four different filters of +1, +2, +4, and +10. So, so much fun! They seem to boost quality a teeny bit as well. I'm using them on my Canon Rebel Xti (400D) with the 

EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 stock lens. They are wonderful little things!

Lastly, I've been really into toy or "build your own" cameras. This beauty, called the Split-Cam by Accoutrements, uses a mixture of double exposure and dodging mechanisms to make photos that are split in two. It's a great way to experiment and have fun. I can't wait try this baby out!

And that is all for now. I must head out to do some important things!

Spotlight : Vade Mecum (Etsy)

I've caught the Golden Snitch!

 Today I received my awesome Golden Snitch inspired necklace made by VadeMecum1984. Her shop, Vade Mecum (meaning "go with me" in Latin), I found while searching specifically for "snitch" jewelry. It was the first one in a sea of others that caught my eye, and I immediately thought it was perfect!

After following the link to her shop I was blown away with what else she had available! Many of her pieces have a rustic Victorian theme, but with an edge; yet not exclusively steampunk. They are all one of a kind, hand-made pieces featuring skulls, skeleton keys, gears, and plenty of graceful winged pendants. Many of them are aged by her and include brass, gunmetal, and silver metals, as well as beautiful aged copper pieces with wonderful turquoise color. Her work is gorgeous and I highly encourage others to take a look at her jewelry! You can visit her shop or follow her work on Facebook!