I need a lil less caffeine right now

I don’t know if it’s the amount of coffee I have drank today, which was only 2 cups, or that I ate a few sugar cubes through out the day, or that I started taking green tea supplements again, but I have an insane amount of energy right now and it is going on 2AM!!!! I promise, I am not on anything besides caffeine, but for some reason since the moment I woke up today, I have been in my art room just pumping out work. I love days like this! I can only hope that I can keep up this productivity.

Last weekend, I wanted to share with you a few pics from a NATO festival the family and I went to, where Jermie dressed up as a live bush! Sounds weird, but it was pretty awesome. Check out this quick video I filmed and see if you cant get a chuckle out.

They had tents set up from each country and they all handed out pamphlets, maps, flags, yummy snacks and all sorts of free goodies to promote travel to their countries and to learn more about each country. It made me want to take a vacation right then and there! If only I had the Tardis, we could all go. hahaha

 

I cant believe it is already MAY! wowzers! This month, I have tons of facepaint gigs, tattoo drawings and even a few sewing and backdrop projects, and not to mention I’ll be participating in a flash mob. Im super excited!

I worked on two custom drawings, which I will post when they are finalized, but I am really proud of myself for pushing through and focusing on my art. I feel it is really starting to pay off.

I may have already posted this video, but I have been watching it over and over because I feel really inspired by Sara Fabel and I love the videos she posts. She just is a real down to earth girl.

 

I took some tips from her in this video in regards to my artwork. I like to draw my artwork big, only because I love the details in it. She also kinda opened my eyes to using photoshop to help edit your work and to make it much more crisp and sharp and making it easier to design sleeves of bigger pieces that have more designs in it. It makes it easier to scan in your work and then it is easy to arrange them in how the client will want them. So, I practiced with this piece:

This was hand-drawn, nothing traced, I drew them separately, uploaded them to photoshop and then separated them and arranged them to look like this:

 

I am still trying to figure out photoshop and learn how to make the lines better, but this is a start. I am starting to put together my portfolio in a professional way instead of a binder or loose paper. I checked out some of these online from my favorite art supply store, Jerry Artorama: (way cheaper than AC MOORE, or Micheals)

 

 

I rearranged my studio as well, so I think that also has me moving around more, I have more space to get things done. I practiced again on an orange just because I was feeling a lil restless and wanted to practice my color with a 5mag shader….I have a slight issue when I was squeezing the blue into an ink cap, the tip busted open and blue ink went EVERYWHERE! hahaha Luckily, I had a medical sheet laid out, so it was an easy clean up- otherwise my white desk would be a blueberry blue right now. hahaha

I really cant wait to get an apprenticeship, but for now as I build up my portfolio, Ill stick to this for right now

 

I still have a ways to go!

Well, I think my brain is starting to shut down a bit as my eyelids are getting droopy and this dubstep music that was once waking me up has now turned into a lullaby. Goodnight my creative friends! See ya tomorrow!

Hot Rod Beach Weekend

The weather this past weekend was so nice! A lil hot but it felt good to feel the sun on my skin! I need a lil bit of vitamin D! Im too pasty for my taste! hahaha The fam and I headed down to the beach before all the tourists come stalking our beaches! We ended up catching a car show, which made hubby practically jump out of his skin in excitement! Matthias and Jermie bonded over all the muscle cars (Jermie is the kids stepdad) so I was so happy that we could all be together!

This was my fav out of all of them! I loved the pinstriping!

Cars were lined up the entire boardwalk. Cars came from mainly up and down the east coast. Matthias's favorite was this souped up camry that had a computer and a playstation 3 in it! It looked so awesome at night!

We went to Dairy Queen and pigged out on icecream! It has sort of become a tradition to go down to the beach on a summer day/evening and lay on the grass overlooking the boardwalk and eat our icecream blizzards fast before they melt into milkshakes.

We even rented one of those bikes that a family can bike together in. I gotta say its been a while since I even rode a bike let alone a bigger bike like this! But I have always wanted to ride one and be a tourist in my own city! The kids rode up front and Jermie and I peddled our hearts out trying to beat all the other people on the bike path.

The kids love coming to the beach and looking up at the big Neptune statue! They always throw their socks and shoes off and go running to the beach to dip their feet in the water and throw sand at  the waves!

Burying our toes! Matti looks so mad, he didnt want me to take pictures

Once the sun went down, we went to one of the carnivals that is set up at the beach. The kiddos won a few prizes and Jermie tried his hardest to climb this rockwall to win $100. He didnt get it, but it was funny to watch him try to climb the wall like Spiderman.

"In truth a family is what you make it. It is made strong, not by number of heads counted at the dinner table, but by the rituals you help family members create, by the memories you share, by the commitment of time, caring, and love you show to one another, and by the hopes for the future you have as individuals and as a unit." Marge Kennedy

Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas to everyone of you that came to visit me here! My Christmas was awesome, I am so thankful for my family, my husband and our children. A couple years ago, I spent Christmas renting a room in a basement in Colorado and wishing I was back home. Last year, I came back and felt so blessed to be home. This year is the same, except that my mom is still in Korea. I had to take her place as the host, I mean the Hostess.

Last year, Snow paid us a surprise visit..luckily no Snow this year... I hate snow

Everyone came over last night for Christmas Eve, all my cousins and Aunts, and even invited a few friends over that didnt have families in the area. I made lumpia, fried rice, a crumbcake, set up a chocolate fondue for yummy dipping chocolate fun. Then everyone brought something, usually appetizers on Christmas Eve. There was Asian Spicy chicken wings, monkey meat ( just a funny name for beef teriyaki), chicken enchiladas, and I honestly dont remember what else. hahaha

I was so busy cooking and running around, I didnt even have time to put on makeup.

The kids stayed busy coloring while I ran around the house. Drawing gingerbreadmen in my various sketchbooks.

We all exchanged presents among the family, then after cleaning, kiddos went to bed. And woke up really early of course, and tore into presents, and it was over in 6 minutes. I have a video I am editing today and will post inthe next day or two of the kiddos and what we all got in case anyone wants to see :)

Matti with all his christmas card money and chore money...he said "I'm riccchhhh!"

coloring one of Bella's presents! I had more fun doing it than her

Bella and her lifesize paper dolls and Panda Pillow pet and scarf She loved it

Matti with his uncle jeffrey

We just finished eating some ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn and rolls. yum!!!!!!!  Here are a few photos of the kiddos from today! I hope yall had a blessed holiday and thanks for stopping by!!!

Merry christmas!

"Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect."

 Oren Arnold quotes

Surrender to Your Inner Artist

Jungle Fever

Last night, we all went down to the beach for some good ol' fashioned miniature golf fun! Its been a while since any of us have gone and its the first time all of us have gone together! Before heading out to play, we grabbed dinner at None other than "Five Guys and Fries" (which I talk about alot). A new location has just been opened a week ago in the Hilltop area (if youre familiar with Virginia Beach Area)
And they are about to open one not too far away from where I live (in walking distance)

Then after downing delish burgers and fries, went to Jungle Golf where we all channeled our inner pro golfer for Hole in Ones...Matti got two hole in ones back to back!!!!! I was so happy for him and he was proud of himself too! I didnt do too bad withtwo hole in ones myself and Jermie got one. We even had time to play some videos games in the arcade. Matti wanted to do racing cars and motorcycle games so me and him got to ride off together on some fast courses....lol

Now, off to write another blog of what we did today!

Burgers and golf balls, Sweet Surrender

Do what you love and the money will follow.

The Greatest Show on Earth!

The circus came to town and me, the hubby and the kiddos made our way to see "The Greatest Show on Earth" on saturday night! We were all pretty excited to go, since I havent been since Arabella was born in 2004 and Jermie hasnt gone since he was a kid and the kids have never been! So, we wanted to start the family tradition of going to the circus!

Our seats were not that bad, I do not want to complain since we got the tickets at a good price: Kids were only $10 each and adult tickets were only $12 each.

They loved it! Arabella mainly wanted to see the Tigers ..which her and I share a love for White Tigers! And Matthias was more interested in the motorcycle toy we bought him during Intermission and eating food! He is such a boy!

On the tight rope...watching this made me so nervous

We all loved it and had a great time!  Me and Matthias got snow cones in cute circus cups.....I got a white tiger cup and he got a circus cup that lights up on the bottom! Then of course, they got toys..because whats the circus without buying toys....(geez) Matti got a motorcycle, Bella got A baby white tiger that came in a purse, and Jermie got a necklace that lights up!

I think the circus comes once or twice a year, but next time, take your family and kids out for a good old fashioned fun time!


Do what you love and the money will follow.

Thankful for Family

Christmas 2010 is over, its the day after Christmas and since we got snowed in (freak snow and basically the whole city shut down), I stayed at my parents house and just chilled. Looking back on the year 2010, so much has happened. A year ago, my husband and I were in Colorado, and we would have never imagined we would be home with family and friends. I dont even think Jermie and I even celebrated the holidays last year, all we remember is riding the bus in the snow in Colorado. lol   But it just goes to show, that with hard work and patience and prayers...you have the power to change your life.

With what I have been through the past 10 years, from serving 4 years in the army, 2 deployments, having children and moving like a billion times, a divorce, getting married again, and so much more i do not even like to talk about, it is such a relief that all my sweat and tears and everything I worked for and all that I have struggled through finally paid off. All I wanted last year was to come home to Virginia. I have been home for about 6 months and everything is falling into place.

Christmas was awesome, it almost didnt feel like it was christmas. My husband and I were in shock, but we pulled it through. Shopping and wrapping presents for everyone was so much fun and I enjoyed watching all my cousins and my children run around the house, all my aunts and my mom and friends of the family all piled in the kitchen, cooking, wrapping and eating lumpias.....I loved it.

Christmas morning was amazing, although I was sick (which I am feeling so much better), and I got alot of great presents from everyone. I am just grateful that I was able to be with my family. I know I say that all the time, but I am so humbled I cant help but to write about it. Well, that is all I am gonna say for now, just wanted to write and wish everyone a happy christmas!


Do what you love and the money will follow.