Uggghhh.

Wow, I feel terrible.

I know that after not posting for so long, that isn't the most encoraging line, but it's so true. I went to New York ComicCon on Saturday and I ate something that has absolutely destroyed my digestive system. Right now, I'm surviving on coffee and a prayer because for some unknown reason, my finicky stomach seems to have a weakness for hot, caffinated beverages. Go figure.

Although, with the exception of this crippling food poisoning, the Con was amazing.
I met Andrew Bell.
Seriously.
Andrew Bell.
(for those of you who live under a rock, click here so you can understand my obsession.)

He is literally my favorite illustrator, and there he was behind the Dead Zebra booth just chillin and moving some Oh No Sushi around like he wasn't a monster-creating god.

"i'm not talking to you right now.."

I mean, c'mon, just look at that! Andrew Bell is amazing and it took everything I had not to just hug him and cry like a baby.. it was a rather embarrassing urge really, but, I think, totally justified.

Also, I got tons of free books, a subscription to Bust magazine for a year for $10, and I bought an adorably creepy tote bag made by Glamour Kills.

[As a side note, I probably shouldn't have started browsing the rest of the website because now I also want this:

::sigh::]

Anyway, it really was the best fucking day ever. (Erm.. well.. with the exception of the fact that I now feel as if my internal organs are trying to escape through my throat, of course.)

Unfortunately, while I'd love to continue to sit here and type about my life, I have a feeling I'm going to start to get a little too personal. I have some decisions to make.. thankfully I have some great sounding boards that don't involve the internet. Hopefully everything will be sorted out soon.. I hate waiting.

Music and a reality check.

I really should be working right now...

Instead, I'm sitting here watching Juno and downloading tons 'o music courtesy of my friend Dave's suggestions. I really really really should be working. ::sigh::

It's an uncomplicated decision though; to work or not to work, to allow myself to be distracted or to buckle down and get some shit done. If only every decision were that simple. If only. I suppose I just live a complicated life.

This morning was decidedly uncomplicated though, as anything with my Boo, Paul, usually is. I got an adorable new t-shirt and a mustard colored (shocking, I know) scarf as we wandered around the crappy mall enjoying each other's company for the first time in weeks. My new philosophy of only surrounding myself with non-crappy people seems to be really working out, thankfully.

Anyway, work is calling me and I suppose I should answer. Maybe lettering and Greek costumes will be more distracting than the Mystery Jets, although I doubt it.

P.S. I want this bag. Badly. Seriously. Look at it. You know you want it too.

The Adventures of Kate and Nikki (and why today totally rocked!)

So, in case you couldn't tell by the title because you're either a moron or blind, in which case I can't imagine how you'd be reading this anyway but whatevs - today totally rocked.

I mean, I knew it was going to be pretty amazing since I was going to lunch with the super-duper, completely amazing Kate, but it got epic fast. We ate at On the Border and indulged in dessert; afterwards we decided to head to Michaels. I thought Kate needed to pick something up for class.. it turns out she just wanted to tempt me with more adorable silly bandz.

Yeah, I said silly bandz. Deal with it.

Anyway, she had given me this adorable opaque yellow sheep at the restaurant and at Michaels we ended up buying a dessert pack, a dino pack, and a farm animal pack. Yeah, we went a little nuts. I ended up going from no silly bandz to this:

.....an awesome collection of uber-cute dinosaurs, sweet treats, and fluffy animals! This is the effect Kate has on me. She seriously takes my cuteness to the next level.

Michaels also had some fab stuff on sale including some mustard colored gardening gloves, a rubber band ball, this eraser...

and this California Condor...

(No, it's not a vulture.. don't even ask.)

So, by the time I dropped Kate off at her class, I was beyond eccstatic. What I didn't know was that things were about to get even better! (I know you're asking how could they, but I'm serious here, they do)

This bag was waiting for me when I got home. Seriously. It was waiting for me in all of its gorgeousness.

Inside were these two adorable little boxes filled with (what else?) cupcakes!

I am telling you right now that Crumbs cupcakes are my one true vice. They’re like uncut cocaine, pure and perfect. I swear their frosting is like God’s gift to mankind – this is why there’s war and famine, something had to balance out all that frosting-y goodness. And damn were they good. I mean, DAMN.

Oh, and apparently, according to this menu at least, they make cupcakes the size of your head.
I may have just died and gone to heaven.
::squee::

And then (oh yes, there's more) I got a package in the mail from a wonderful friend of mine..

She made me a hat. A georgeous, perfect, adorable hat that fits me perfectly and that I never ever want to take off. Tomorrow I'm going to text her and tell her how wonderful she is. :)

So kids, the moral of the story is that I know some truly unique, truly amazing people who make my life so rich and so worth it. I know I couldn't get through a day without them and I wouldn't want to try. I love you guys.

Tomorrow and Saturday should be just as epic... again, I'll keep you posted.

Reasons I'm a dork... and a little sick in the head.

Now that I'm back in school and I require constant inspiration/distraction/motivation, it seems I'm more inclined to let my inner nut-job take over. I'm reading nerdy Lord of the Rings fanfiction, I'm watching Murder, She Wrote and Golden Girl marathons, and all I can think about are fluffy plushies and frosting. I mean, here I am, 20 years old watching High School Musical 2 and giggling like a 12 year old school girl. Not to mention the fact that this amazing movie experience was preceeded by two episodes of Phineus and Ferb and a trashy romance novel (and I still want that damn Perry the Platypus plush!).


I'm beginning to think I'm almost too odd for my own good....

Or that art school is making me even more of a freak than I was before....

God, I shudder to think.. I was practically unlovable before, but now with my super-duper freak flag flying, I have a feeling I'm going to be scaring people away left and right with my obnoxious need to share everything and my lack of consideration for social mores and the feelings of others. Oh well, bring it on. Can't say I ever really liked people anyway. Besides, there are so many nerdy things to do, and so little time to do them!


Plus, according to Stuff No One Told Me (aka my bible):
Seems like everything will work out just fine... after all, this is pretty much the story of my life.

Work work work.

Yikes, I have a lot to do. Drafting and sketching and painting and.. well, I should stop listing everything before my brain explodes. I'm jacked up on iced coffee and I'm currently in a holding pattern waiting for my frozen pizza to be done bubbling and oozing in the oven. I'm tired and awake, frustrated and excited, achey and determined all at the same time....

I have a feeling it's going to be a late night.

To keep myself going I've been plushie-hunting on the internet..

I've decided this needs to be my next conquest:

I mean, c'mon.. how could I possibly resist Perry the Platypus' googlie eyes!

And then perhaps I'll spring for this little guy:

Because a plush spleen is exactly what every girl dreams about..... right?
Okay, maybe it's just what I dream about, but it's still completely adorable!

In addition to plushies and iced coffee, I've decided that if I'm going to make it, some things definitely need to change. Bottom line: I need to clean house... Out with the annoying in with the helpful. People, I mean..

I'll let you know how it goes.

Sometimes it's all about Peanut Butter.

It's tough juggling a huge workload and a messy family. It tends to leave one drained, frustrated, and otherwise useless.. a state not entirely conducive to creativity. And considering I go to an art school, that poses a serious problem. Which is why I've decided to deem today a "Mental Health Day" and pop open a brand new jar of Jif. I have season 4 of Boston Legal all cued up and some drafting homework in front of me and I just finished some meditating and yoga. It's time to get some shit back on track.


I can't control my workload, only when I can get things done. I can't control the amount of pressure they're going to put on me, only how I respond to it. I can't control the actions or reactions of others, only how I much of it I choose to ignore. It seems all about choices these days. Choices to be more productive and less distracted, more confident and less stifled, more creative and less stressed; choices that are going to leave me happier and at peace.


But I can't make all of those choices today. Rome, or so I've been told, wasn't built in a day, and neither can the new, less-"I'm going to chuck you out a window" me. Today, however, I can decide to enjoy this jar of peanut butter and this spectacular season of Boston Legal. Today I can laugh and cry with Alan and Denny and comandeer a jar of peanut buttery sandwich spread and feel decadent and rediculous all at the same time. Today I can think about James Spader in a Coast Guard uniform and giggle when I picture him trying to do my lettering homework (still in uniform, of course). Today I can decide that those things are important, that those are the things that matter, and I can find joy in them.


Because, really, that's all life's about, right?
Living big and laughing often.

Green with... well.. Pinocchio.

So here I am, only the third week of school and already I want to bury my head in a pillow and my sorrows in copious amounts of cookies. The workload is rediculous, as are the hours, and sometimes the density of people makes me want to physically assault them, but other than those things, it's good to be back.

Unfortunately, the only problem seems to be that most of my classes are Designer-oriented, while I'm studying to be a Costume Tech. Every day seems to be filled with comment after comment along the lines of "It seems to me that you're just not thinking like a designer."

Huh. Wonder why that could be?

To combat all of that horribleness, the first thing I did when I walked in the door this afternoon was make a batch of these new Resees No-Bake peanut butter & chocolate bars.

They. Are. MAGNIFICENT!

And while using this brilliant green spatula to help stir them, I started thinking of other green things... and then other adorable things.... and then...

The fabled Pinocchio plushie!

I oogled this little guy for sometime before finally getting him on sale a few weeks ago... here he is traveling around my apartment.

Surveying the landscape from the ficus tree in the living room just like a real scout.

Aww! He's communing with the local wildlife! (Although, I don't think he realizes it's just plastic)

His attempt to infultrate the fridge was rather unsuccessful... He's not very stealthy.

I made him settle for some kettle cooked chips and control of the remote instead of the peanut butter & chocolate goodies... healthier? probably not. But the dessert simply wasn't ready yet!

Speaking of dessert, here's a sneak peak at my latest project... It's both sweet and adorable! I can't wait to finish.
I have so many new patterns I want to post in the shop, but honestly, the whole shop needs a serious re-boot. New pictures, new banner, new marketing campaign.. ::sigh:: It's a lot of work I have no time for, so until I can make some time, the shop is going to continue to be on hiatus.

Also, as a side note, I'm thinking of taking up silkscreening......