Recent broodings

Just a few random thoughts for tonight.
1. I need to start knitting again before I forget how.
2. I love Thanksgiving and how entirely jazzed about Christmas it gets me.
3. Rereading the Chronicles of Narnia has been the most delightful experience. C.S. Lewis had such a beautiful understanding of Christ and I love reading his portrayal of our Savior through Aslan and the reminder it serves me of how perfect he is. I could not ask for a better God.
4. I have a direction for my autobiographical stop motion video for my design class, and I hope I can execute as great as it is in my head. I can't wait until it's done at least so I can post it for the world to see.
5. I want people to purchase things from my Etsy store so I can justify not having a job.
6. I want to study abroad next year in Sweden. Especially after making a Swedish friend.
7. Life is good.

Here's a little something to enjoy.


(disclaimer: my video will be nothing like this seeing as how I do not have the time nor the energy to pull something as magnificent as this off.)

Validate my busy fingers!

So I have finally made myself an Etsy account like I've been planning for ages. Etsy is the fantastic little site where people buy and sell handmade goods, and if I had all the money in the world I would probably only shop there. So I've been making these decorative headbands and decided to make some money off of them. So please check out my shop and tell your friends.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaigeValera

p.s. I have every intention of posting plenty more so keep your eyes peeled for new stuff.

Ophelia

Look at my cat. Is she not the most adorable little thing. I had to take a thousand pictures of her for this design project and was reminded of how cute she is. I just love that sweet, cuddly, little face. I can't wait until she's my full-time cat and I don't have to do this long distance thing anymore.

relief

This is basically a follow up post to my last one full of confusion and doubt. I have officially decided to be a painting major. I have every intention of getting my undergrad in painting, then continue growing as an artist through grad school, and through some connection or another become a college professor. It was not an easy decision. I talked the ear off my good friend Korey for ages about it, and then got some wonderful advice from my parents, but ultimately I know this is what I need to be doing. I had been praying about it for weeks and weeks, and finally, I had the impression to write a pro-con list for both of my options. So I did and realized how much better for my family taking the painting route would be. So here I am, a little lost and scared for this new adventure, but oh so excited. I know this is what I'm supposed to do and I'm ready to work. I know it'll be hard. It's a different hard from most things, but I'm ready.


(relief, get it?)

Could I have one time warp please with a side of motivation

So I am terrible at making use of the time that I have. I always have been. So in school the past few years I have loaded up my schedule since when I'm busy I tend to get more done than if I have nothing to do. Which is wonderful, only this week I'm tired of being busy. Lately I have wanted to paint. I just want to go into my imaginary studio and paint something, to continue the series I started last semester and promised myself I would work on. but I have no time. Between classes, seeing my friends so I don't feel like a hermit, family, and my practicum (36 hours of observing an art teacher before Thanksgiving), I just don't have time. and right at this moment I feel frustrated. Why am I going to be an art teacher when all I want to do is get married, have a bunch of babies and paint on the side for the rest of my life. Going to grad school for painting is already in the plan, but I wonder if I should be looking so forward to that. I decided in high school that I wanted to teach, and I do. I love teenagers and I enjoy my practicum. The teacher I observe is literally the sweetest lady on the earth and a great teacher who truly cares about her students. The kids are fantastic. I have had opportunities to really help and guide them through the conceptual and even the technicalities of projects and its been fun. At least with the older kids it is. In the Art I classes it's a different story. The kids take advantage of Ms. Ellis and are unbelievably immature even for teenagers. It's like baby sitting. I know I can do it. I just don't know if I want to anymore. What if I'm really just meant to be teaching someone else. Teaching college sounds appealing right now, and it's intimidating to think about all I have to learn about painting and the art of it before I would even feel comfortable teaching someone how to paint. But the idea of studying it sounds so much more exciting to me than thinking about my education classes. So the question is, do I just suck it up and finish the education degree as a backup and then just throw myself into painting later, and hope I'll find time to paint in the next two years, or just quit and paint now.
As previously mentioned I am terribly indecisive. Though this isn't a decision I intend on making quickly or cavalierly. This'll be one to ponder and pray about. I think it might be a little more serious than my Halloween costume.


(I just thought this was a clever little illustration)

Final Results

Halloween was yesterday, and as previously decided I went as Aang, the last Airbender. It was an absolute blast. The costume was the easy part to make compared with the hassle of putting on a bald wig. It will probably be a few years before I would ever attempt a bald wig again (it would have to be a sufficient amount of time for me to forget what a pain in the rear it was), but for this it was well worth it.
So here is me as Aang,



And as you can see my nephew Max was a Jedi youngling, and my good friend Jeremy went as my flying bison, Appa. Actually at the dance we went to, me and Jeremy won a prize for the most authentic costume for the Avatar crew. We're a little proud. At least I am, I kind of tell everyone I meet.