Guilty Pleasures.

I am so ashamed of this but I don't even care. Here are a few things I enjoy, but kinda wish I didn't:

1. American Idol.
2. Dancing with the Stars.
3. Karaoke songs.

Yes, I download karaoke songs and sway to the old school beats (as I am doing right now). So classic. How can people not enjoy them? This, I do not know. I am probably shaming my cool music savvy friends. Sorry.

Transferring Neglect (from School to Art).

So...I had disappeared from the blogosphere for a while. This was a result of a much needed introduction that went something like this:

Evalynn, school. School, Evalynn.
Me: Nice to meet you.

Yes, I had to focus on school for a while. I had been somewhat putting it aside for my art, which I admit, I should never have done. Art is just so addicting though. I realized I had a problem and am now taking the steps to solve it. Pat on the back for me.

Now I am patching up the neglected blog with a post. Hooray.

Since I have been studying and such (studying techniques are all coming back to me now, ha), I have been unable to stencil/spray paint it up. A shame, really. BUT I did try my hand at ACEOs (Art Cards Editions & Originals or Artist Trading Card, respectively) 2 nights ago since it is much less time consuming than my usual art pieces.

I had never attempted such a thing before. I actually had never heard of an ACEO until about 2 months ago on Etsy. Just thought I'd get that out of the way to excuse myself for the ACEOs to follow. Yeah...found out it isn't really my thing. I felt kind of awkward making them, to be honest. But that's okay. At least now I know.

Perception.


Story Time.

I think I am going to stick with spray paint and stencils. Yup. Also, I got my statistics quiz back today and received a 29.5 out of 30 (a BIG change from the quizzes of the past 3 weeks). Apparently I am doing something right.

Productivity? What's that?

Im Just Weird, note cards set. TheTimeIsNow.


I could not have said it better myself.

I have been feeling a little blah lately. I have armfuls of work to do, but have yet to do anything about it. Yup. Just one of those days. Except for me it's been, oh, a couple of weeks.

On the upside, I made 2 sales today. Yay.

I love Mother Romano.

My mother never ceases to surprise me.

Last night, my mother and I watched some television. Okay, it was a Hallmark movie. She loves those. It was pretty much quality mother and daughter time.

Being the awkward kid that I am, I grabbed for the nearest pen and started drawing a small face on my pointer finger. I write on my hands a lot. It is a bad habit. I showed my mother and expected the look that I always get from others when I do things like this. It is usually a: "You are one strange kid" disapproving look. You get used to it.

My mother did not give me this look. Instead, she found it pretty humorous. She took the pen from me and doodled a little face on her own pointer finger. Wow. I was pretty shocked. My mom's not one to draw on her hand. She's not the type of person to do such a thing.

I ran to my camera. No time for stealthiness. I apologize for the horrible quality pictures, but excitement tends to create an unsteady hand for me.

In the beginning. Look at the concentration involved.

Aw. Look at how proud she looks. I never got this look growing up. Ha.

The final product. She wrapped it in a small piece of paper towel to make it baby-looking. Oh mother Romano.

I couldn't help but chuckle as I was preparing this post for all to see. I hadn't actually really seen the final product until now. I was too much in the moment to truly notice its facial features.

This made my day.

Freshy's: Homemade Brigade.

The Homemade Brigade is a craft/art sale that occurs once a month at a local coffee shop called Freshy's. I participated in the very first one that happened in February. The rare glowing sun was out mingling with the happy Seattlites. This equaled a packed coffee shop of potential customers. However, I was in a corner where it took leaps and motivation to reach me. No sales resulted for Margins. I suppose no one was particularly motivated that day.

Today, was the Homemade Brigade of April. I snagged a quality spot this time around.


The weather was not so much quality though. It snowed off and on, rained off and on, and the sun would make quick appearances every now and then. A little bit of everything. Barely any potential customers were around in the 4 hour period of the brigade. Boredom resulted in Big Brother:


My doodle started out as merely bullseyes but then I saw a loving relationship between the two formed creatures. I pondered: mother and child maybe? Then the bullseyes started to resemble human eyes and I immediately thought: Big brother! Yes...it was that kind of day.

The shop owner is super nice and offered to showcase my work on her wall at no charge. She shows off artwork from a few different artists instead of just one around her shop, which I think is quite refreshing. My first coffee shop wall (my apologies for the lack of photography skills):


I sold one art piece today - Biggest Fan.


I am quite thankful.

Kinko's. Kinko's. Kinko's.

I have had pretty bad experiences at Kinko's. (Pardon. FedEx Kinko's.)

Many of my most classic procrastination moments have taken place at a Kinko's. These situations bring me to the doorstep of the nearest Kinko's with my Mac in hand and anxiety within.

Anxiety not only due to the possibility of a late paper, but also due to figuring out how to print the thing out. Technology dislikes me. We don't click, which is sad because I thought that I was supposed to be among the generation of technology savvy individuals. Apparently, I did not make the cut.

I went to Kinko's today. I actually shuddered when I decided that I had to go. I wanted to create (greeting) cards of my art work because I heard it was a good thing. So I did and...I don't know. They are alright I suppose (I just say that to protect my self-esteem). I actually don't like them much. Maybe the paper just didn't do it for me. I get really picky about paper issues.

I was handed the sad looking greeting cards and walked over to the paper cutter, as they needed some trimming. Oh, the paper cutter. We haven't gotten along until my late high school years and even now our relationship's a little shaky. I can't seem to use it correctly, so the cards are awkwardly different sizes.

Luckily, there was a pleasant looking old woman at the next table keeping me and my loud, squeaky paper cutter company. I cringed with every swift of the cutter.

I was welcomed with Seattle's droplet showers as I walked out of the Kinko's. My squeaky windshield wipers did not help the situation.

The Dalai Lama.

"True compassion is not just an emotional response but a firm commitment founded on reason."

- His Holiness The Dalai Lama

Yesterday, I received the rare opportunity to witness the Dalai Lama speak at the University of Washington, the school of which I attend. It was nothing short of amazing. As I expected, his words were very much inspirational. He spoke of the importance of inner peace that, once is achieved, would be able to spread outward. The significance of compassion is the main message that he tries to communicate.

He is actually a very funny man. At one point, he pointed to a balding young man in the crowd and mentioned that they had the same hair. He would let out kind-hearted laughs at such comments. His smiles and laughs are quite contagious.

At the end, we all attempted to swarm out of the arena in one large crowd. However, we were halted by the security men. As we stood there, waiting patiently to get on with our daily lives, Cheryl remarks: "If we didn't just listen to a talk on peace and compassion..." Ha. She's right. There probably would be pushing and shoving involved in a different situation.

The message was nice and peaceful, despite the mass of protesters chanting outside the arena with signs in hand. It was a joy and truly refreshing to hear the Dalai Lama's words echo in the same vicinity that I was seated in.

Off to find my inner peace.