This quote about happiness from the always wise William Shakespeare has really resonated with me lately. I’m one of those people that is always looking for “the next big thing” to happen to me in [...]]]>

“But, O! how bitter a thing it is to look into happiness through another man’s eyes.” – William Shakespeare

This quote about happiness from the always wise William Shakespeare has really resonated with me lately. I’m one of those people that is always looking for “the next big thing” to happen to me in my life. Perhaps you’ve noticed my absence over the past month. I was having some serious technical difficulties with the blog which is the main reason why I haven’t been blogging. In addition, however, I’ve also started a new job and am beginning the wedding planning process (!!!). With all this going on, one would think that it would be easy for me to feel genuinely happy.

But, the truth is, I’m always comparing myself to so-and-so. I think Facebook is one of the best/worst things that there is because I’m constantly feeling as though I’m missing something. I have this feeling that I’m not living enough. I live in a bolstering city full of new things to experience, but I often find myself sitting in my living room snuggled with a book instead of out there living. I mean, come on. I am living a wonderful life. I am blessed beyond measure. I have a job, a wonderful fiancé (!!), a caring family, and good friends. So, then why is it so hard for me to just admit that and be happy? I want to be happy. Truly and without restraint.

This year is the year of me reaching that goal. Honestly, I think it begins within myself. Not with material things. Not what other people can give to me. But, what I can give to myself. This is the year where I stop feeling sorry for myself and learn to be happy. I don’t have a plan mapped out as to how I am going to do this. Is happiness even definable? It seems pretty intangible and as though it varies from person to person. Perhaps happiness will come to me when I forget to try to be happy. Perhaps happiness will come to me when I stop being so selfish. Perhaps I’ll wake up one morning and realize that I’ve got a pretty damn sweet life and I’ll let out a sigh of relief and everything will be right with the world. Perhaps.

On another completely different note, I don’t know what direction this blog is going to take in 2013. I don’t know if I’m going to do more personal posts such as this or if I’m going to keep it more design-oriented. But, you know what? I’m okay with that. If you want to continue reading for updates about my pursuit of happiness (in whatever form that pursuit might take), I’d appreciate it. I’m going to make 2013 the year of discovering who I truly am and what my passions truly are. I can’t promise you it won’t be messy or painful to watch at times. But, I guess that’s part of being human. Who’s with me?

I was first introduced to the lovely Jessica Robinette months ago when she sent me a friendly message asking for information about my hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio. She was planning on moving here from Kansas City, Missouri to pursue her MFA at the University of Cincinnati — which just so happened to be my [...]]]>

I was first introduced to the lovely Jessica Robinette months ago when she sent me a friendly message asking for information about my hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio. She was planning on moving here from Kansas City, Missouri to pursue her MFA at the University of Cincinnati — which just so happened to be my Alma Mater! I could tell right from the start that Jessica was a genuinely kind and creative soul. Although we haven’t gotten a chance to meet in person yet, I know we will get along wonderfully when we finally do! As for her work, it’s simply beautiful. It is delicate and thoughtful and has this warmth to it that makes you really stop and take notice.

Jessica was gracious enough to sit down and answer some questions for me about her photography and her plans for the future. For more information, check out her portfolio website or visit her blog to see her latest work. I hope you enjoy!

Tell me a little bit about yourself. (Where are you from? Where are you currently living? What did/are you going to school for?)

Until recently, I lived in (beautiful!) Kansas City, Missouri. I received a BA in 2010 and recently got married. My husband and I just moved to Cincinnati because I’m beginning an MFA program here in the fall.

How did you become interested in being an artist? What inspired you to pursue this career path?

I credit a lot of my path to good mentors. Back in high school I was lucky enough to have an art teacher who sort of let me have free reign and she encouraged me to continue with art. I knew that it made me happier than anything else, and that was enough for me. In college I had a professor who clarified everything for me. As silly as it sounds, I looked up to her and wanted the life (of an artist) that she had. I have never looked back and I’m grateful that I’ve always felt deeply and honestly that this is the path for me.

What material(s) do you use to create your pieces? Why do you choose this medium?

In school I mostly took photographs, but I was careful to learn what I could about printmaking, drawing and painting because I knew that I wanted my future in art to be interdisciplinary. My recent work is still rooted in photography but most pieces get manipulated with string, ink, paint and/or additional paper.

I use photos because I’m interested in their realism and also the romanticism that photographs can evoke. The photos show what it is that I see…but I also like the work to be abstracted and sometimes the photographs are “too real” so I take it back a little with the abstraction. I also like the additional process that the sewing, collaging and painting takes. Sometimes a photograph lacks process.

Describe your artwork.

I’m very interested in human emotion and relationships. For years I have been making work about personal places (specifically the home) and how people connect with their most private and treasured spaces.

My work is often suggestive but not specific. I want the pieces to feel like a memory, a familiar place the viewer has been before. It’s all about the emotional connection and stimulating some sort of comfortable feeling.

What inspires you?

Other people’s work spaces, random and simple connections with strangers, and watching people do what they’re passionate about.

What are some other things you enjoy doing in your free time (aside from art, of course)?

Lately I’ve been exploring Cincinnati and trying to find those hidden gems that every city has. I love going to farmer’s markets, traveling, reading and lately I’ve become interested in baking…mostly because I’m interested in eating.

Who are some of your favorite artists right now?  

I spend a lot of time looking at photographs by Uta Barth and Laura Letinsky. I can’t get enough of Cy Twombly’s paintings. For things on the more conceptual side, I love Harrell Fletcher and Miranda July.

What’s your favorite thing about being an artist? What’s the most difficult thing?

Since I’m still in the early stages of my career, I haven’t had the opportunity to make art full time– until now. I’m just so excited to begin the MFA process and make art my full time job.

There are definitely times art making seems harder than it should. As an artist, I essentially run my own small business. I have to be the publicist, bookkeeper, secretary and the artist.

Where would you like to see yourself in 10 years?

I hope to have the time, space and money to make art. I also want to be teaching art to college students and raising a family.

If you had an entire day to do as you pleased, how would you spend it?  

I would sleep in, eat Thai food for lunch, maybe visit a museum or a park and then have friends over for dinner and cocktails on our balcony.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about yourself/your work that you think we should know?

I just want to thank you and your readers for taking the time to learn about my work! I’m always interested in connecting/collaborating with other artists and creative types—feel free to shoot me an email!

After reading all of the astoundingly positive reviews for John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, I eagerly bought it for my Nook to read on our long road trip to Baltimore. Now, I must let you know that I rarely ever actually buy books for my Nook. I usually just wait and [...]]]>

After reading all of the astoundingly positive reviews for John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, I eagerly bought it for my Nook to read on our long road trip to Baltimore. Now, I must let you know that I rarely ever actually buy books for my Nook. I usually just wait and download them for free from my public library (which is awesome, by the way). However, I thought that this book was going to be important enough to spend a little money on. And, well, I was right.

This is not the type of book that you think it’s going to be from its plot description. When I tried describing it to Kevin, I said something like, “It’s about two teenagers who have cancer and fall in love”. The premise makes it sound so unimaginative and dull which could not be further from the truth.

It’s about so much more than just that. This book is about loss, hope, anger, humor, courage, acceptance, beauty, as well as all the normal complications that go along with being a teenager and in love. John Green somehow manages to make you emotionally invested in his characters in an impressively small period of time. By the end of the first chapter, I was ferociously rooting for the star-crossed Hazel and Augustus. Certainly, as a high school teacher, there were some moments in the novel where it was hard for me to imagine such articulate and brilliant teenagers; but then again, Augustus and Hazel weren’t supposed to be your average teenagers. So, it worked.

As I mentioned, I read this book on a road trip with Kevin. I was so engrossed, I forgot that it was well-past my turn to take the wheel. I think he could tell how crucial it was for me to finish this book. He didn’t say a word. Maybe it was the intermittent crying and exclamatory “Oh my God’s” that convinced him to keep quiet. Oh, and don’t even get me started on the beautiful writing in this book. This thing is full of quotable passages that are begging to be highlighted.

In short, you must read this book. It will be slightly painful and hard for you to get over, but I promise you it will be worth it. If you do read it (or already have), tell me your thoughts on it!

(Download: Life is Sweet” by Creature Comforts)

I love changing my desktop wallpaper to match the seasons (or my mood)! I try to change mine at least once a month; it’s a small and simple way to feel fresh and inspired. With that in mind, I’ve rounded [...]]]>

(Download: Life is Sweet” by Creature Comforts)

I love changing my desktop wallpaper to match the seasons (or my mood)! I try to change mine at least once a month; it’s a small and simple way to feel fresh and inspired. With that in mind, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite free summer desktop wallpapers for you with the hopes of making you feel a little more inspired. I’m currently using the “Life is Sweet” one myself. I hope that you enjoy them!

(Download “July” by Llew Mejia)

(Download: “Flow Forward” by Solefield)

(Download “Mini Strawberry Print” by Cath Kidston)

(Download: “Summer Patterns” by Alma Loveland)

(Download: “Macaroons for my love” by 5inthemornin)

(Download: “Cloud” by Helena Bello)

You know all those crazy fancy nail tutorials you constantly see all over Pinterest & the blog world? Well, I decided to finally try one instead of simply staring at them in open-mouthed amazement. I used Keiko Lynn’s “Moon River Manicure” tutorial & I’m beyond pleased with the results! The secret to the [...]]]>

You know all those crazy fancy nail tutorials you constantly see all over Pinterest & the blog world? Well, I decided to finally try one instead of simply staring at them in open-mouthed amazement. I used Keiko Lynn’s “Moon River Manicure” tutorial & I’m beyond pleased with the results! The secret to the clean lines are those round reinforcement labels that I don’t think anybody really ever uses (except for sweet manicures, of course). You can buy them  anywhere office supplies are sold. I’m not going to go through a long tutorial because Keiko Lynn’s is already amazing & needs no improvements.

Here are few tips I’m going to keep in mind the next time, though:

• A base coat & a top coat are essential to getting your nails looking much more polished & finished at the end.
• Make sure the first coat is completely dry before putting the reinforcement labels on them or else it gets messy.
• Make sure to peel off the labels before the polish dries– which means doing them one at time (it really doesn’t take very long).

Let me know if you try this tutorial yourself! Seriously, if I can do it & make it look half decent, anyone can!

{EDIT: Looking at this picture of my little ampersand tattoo made me realize how badly it needs touched up. So, please ignore how wonky it looks in this picture. Perhaps this is just the motivation I need to actually grow a pair & get the retouch done! Alright, carry on.}

One of my favorite things about our apartment is our lovely patio overlooking downtown. Yeah, it’s probably seen better days & needs a little work (ahem! landlord, if you’re reading this, I’m looking at you). But, I still love it to pieces. It’s our tiny slice of the outdoors in the heart of the [...]]]>

One of my favorite things about our apartment is our lovely patio overlooking downtown. Yeah, it’s probably seen better days & needs a little work (ahem! landlord, if you’re reading this, I’m looking at you). But, I still love it to pieces. It’s our tiny slice of the outdoors in the heart of the city. It’s no yard, but we’re doing the best with what we’ve got. So, we finally got around to buying a proper (albeit inexpensive) patio set & have been trying our hand at gardening this summer!

Our first attempt was a bit of a failure. We didn’t do our research and ended up buying the wrong  kind of flowers for the amount of sunlight we get. The issue is that our patio gets full sun basically all day long. So, our poor little flowers fried. This time around, we decided to ditch the flowers. Instead, we bought some herbs and a couple tomato plants! I’m eager to see how they do on our patio. I’ll definitely keep you posted!

Do any of you with a green thumb have any tips on patio gardening? Any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated!

I saw this amazing blog project originally on Erin Loechner’s blog. I followed the link & read Ez’s blog on Creature Comforts. I immediately felt humbled & inspired by how brave all of these individuals were. I’m not very good at writing about my feelings. My boyfriend would find this ironic because I always [...]]]>

I saw this amazing blog project originally on Erin Loechner’s blog. I followed the link & read Ez’s blog on Creature Comforts. I immediately felt humbled & inspired by how brave all of these individuals were. I’m not very good at writing about my feelings. My boyfriend would find this ironic because I always like talking to him about my deepest thoughts (he’s such a patient guy). But, my fears are private & generally heard only by my closest confidants. The internet seems like such a scary place to expose yourself. However, with the staggering number of individuals who were willing to respond, I thought I’d like to share as well. Better late than never, right?

So, here are some things I’m afraid to tell you:

1. I was brought up in a fairly conservative home. My family went to church every Sunday & are still deeply saturated in their faith. But, I always felt like a sort of black sheep. They didn’t treat me differently. I adore my family & have never felt as though they labeled me the “black sheep”. It was something within myself; something I couldn’t put my finger on. I never quite fit in at church. I just never felt comfortable when I was there. Now, I’m not going to church. I know it hurts my family & I know they worry about me. I will say that I still believe in God, but I don’t know if that means I have to go to church every Sunday to a place that makes me feel really, really awful inside. Basically, I just am admitting that I don’t know. And, not knowing scares me.

 2. On a work-related note, I often fear that my students will be woefully unprepared for life after they graduate from high school. Certainly, as their English teacher, I know that I am not solely responsible for their success once they go out into the real world. However, I can’t help but fear that I haven’t done enough. It’s something I worry about quite a lot actually.

3. I have body image issues. I’ve never been able to look in the mirror & feel good. I am an average size & have never rocked a two-piece swimsuit in public. When I go places, I see woman larger than me wearing two-pieces & looking just fine! But, I know I could never do it. It’s something inside my head that keeps telling me I’m too big & that everyone will stare. I fear that I’ll never be able to accept my body as it is & celebrate being a woman. I fear that I’ll try my whole life to get to a certain weight & never be satisfied.

4. I fear failure. More than mostly anything else. I fear not accomplishing anything noteworthy in my life. I want to write a book.  I’ve always wanted to. However, I haven’t really done anything toward this goal & I don’t think I will accomplish it. Honestly, I’m too afraid to try because, if I fail, then what? I have to admit to myself I’m not good enough? That’s freaking terrifying. I’d rather not try than fail.

5. I often look around my apartment & feel disgusted. Honestly, I’ve done pretty well with my income. I have a nice flat-screen TV, cable, internet, decent furniture, & I’ve decorated it fairly well. But, I’m often not satisfied. When I look around my apartment, I see the clutter, the pet hair, & the laundry that is very rarely put where it should be. I feel shallow because I worry so much about what my place looks like. I want it to look like the magazines & the blog photos. I know it never will. I wonder if anyone’s home actually looks like that.

Wow. That was extremely cathartic. I am very tempted to just delete this entire post. Pushing the “publish” button is much harder than I expected. I also realize that, compared to some of the other posts I’ve read, my “fears” might seem shallow. But, that’s alright. I’m hoping you won’t judge me too harshly. If you want to join in, leave a link to your post below.

I literally stumbled upon Yum! Cupcakes today while I was out running some errands & I knew I had to stop in for a cupcake. I mean, how can you pass up such an adorable looking place? So, in the summer spirit of exploring new places, I promptly turned my car around, parked, [...]]]>

I literally stumbled upon Yum! Cupcakes today while I was out running some errands & I knew I had to stop in for a cupcake. I mean, how can you pass up such an adorable looking place? So, in the summer spirit of exploring new places, I promptly turned my car around, parked, & went inside.

I am so glad that I did! I was a little too shy to take any pictures inside, but it was such a cute place. The friendly woman at the counter explained all the different flavors, but I already eyed out my perfect cupcake. It was one of their special flavors for the day– a Red Velvet Cupcake with a candy raspberry lovingly placed on top. UM. YES, PLEASE. The woman told me that, if I wasn’t going to eat it right away, I should refrigerate it. I smiled & said okay. Little did she know, it wouldn’t even make it out of their parking lot! Unfortunately, it looks a little messy in the picture above because I accidentally flipped the box upside down before opening it. Silly me. But, let me assure you, it was still absolutely DELICIOUS. Check out their website for all their delightful creations. It’s definitely worth of stop if you’re in the Cincinnati area! They’re also only $2 which (although I’m no cupcake expect) I think is pretty fairly priced.

When was the last time you were surprised by a hidden gem in your own city? Isn’t is just the best?

I have been wearing basically an alternating version of this outfit all summer. Stripe t-shirts & tank tops have always been a staple of my wardrobe. I just can’t get enough! A pair of basic flat sandals, my favorite tote bag, & a cute necklace seem to polish off any outfit! I’m also [...]]]>

I have been wearing basically an alternating version of this outfit all summer. Stripe t-shirts & tank tops have always been a staple of my wardrobe. I just can’t get enough! A pair of basic flat sandals, my favorite tote bag, & a cute necklace seem to polish off any outfit! I’m also loving all the colorful shorts there are this season. I’ve never been one to be afraid of color. I’m glad everyone else is finally catching on!  What is your summer uniform?