Art VS Leaves. Winner: Art.

A blog? What blog? Yes. I am sure that is what you are thinking at this very moment, but indeed I still have this thing. Though it has been awhile dear friend, I am back for a minute.

Ah. Boulder Boulder Boulder. You are a true gem tucked away in the mountains. However, your awesome-ness has not been in my presence for roughly 4 weeks, the studio has taken that away from me. I wish I had made time to truly experience the changing leaves...but alas, art making took over. Boo. 

I say boo but I don't know if I really mean that. Yes, nature is awesome. But there is something wonderful about taking raw materials (whether it be dirt, fabric or wood) and all of a sudden I have art! And that art came in the form of a midterm. I must say, I'm pretty happy with it. 

All my hard work, all the time I wasn't riding my bicycle down a leaf covered street in a cute outfit, I created "Pathways of Memory". To see more go here.

While I feel this piece was successful in many ways, today I had an overwhelming sense of failure. Blah. It is simply the worst. But now that I have dried my eyes, convinced myself that yes, I wanted my make up to look smudgy, the 'ah-ha' moment has presented itself. Though feeling like a disappointment is on the same level as killing a puppy, it does come with some ups. This reality that, 'I am human. I am a girl. I am a girl that has emotional moments' is a refreshing one. Allowing myself to be that cry baby for a bit is nice. And seriously, who doesn't love a good cry? To quote Joni Mitchell and my mother "laughing and crying, it's the same release." 

"Failure" is one of those feelings that comes like a bolt of lightening...it lingers...and then it's gone. Heres to the emotions that hit us quick, and flee just as fast. So maybe I don't hate it as much as I thought I would. {is anyone else wondering why I'm just not realizing this now...at 23? Yah. I am too. I have no explanation for it...maybe it's because I have an abnormal sense of self and confidence...? Thanks for that Mom!} 

Conclusion: Not so great moments happen, but they do fade away.

Post Script: I made donuts. How cute are they?? Ah. Stop it. 

Past Moments I Hold Dear.

This post is for my dear friend Abby who has been politely asking me to write about The Six Family trip to Telluride this past summer. Here's to you Abby, for keeping me semi-updated on my blog. You're a peach if I've ever met one!  

 Telluride might be, in fact, the coolest place in the United States. No jokes here people. Real cool things happening there! We ventured into Mountain Time Zone to see my cousins amazing band, Run Boy Run, play on the main stage at the bluegrass festival and they rocked it like no other! Along with hanging out with RBR {and feeling superior to everyone because we got to say the ever cool "we're with the band."} we also saw some other incredible artists! Now I will list & link the greatest we discovered! 

Run Boy Run 

The Devil Makes Three

Della Mae

Punch Brothers 

Greensky Bluegrass

Cheers to good music, a great family and adventures with all of them!

I Love Boulder...I Think It Feels The Same About Me.

Because I think about relationships constantly, I consider my move to the Mountain Time Zone as a new friend I'm getting acquainted with. I wish I could play camp-style 'get to know you' games with the city...odd? Yup. Is it obvious that that was always my favorite day of camp...? Learning what peoples favorite colors, candies, boy bands and soups are. Gah. Just the best. 

Well, here are some fun little factoids I've discovered about Boulder:

• Boulder is very friendly, except on the roads. People get in a motorized vehicle here and go full blown crazy.
• The farmers market every Wednesday and Saturday is my favorite time to spend with the city. 
• Altitude is a big thing here. Which means I am in a constant process of applying chap stick and drinking a bottle of water.  

Between getting to know Boulder and settling in, I have had this almost dramatic feeling of hope everywhere I turn. Again, I think about relationships most of the time, so whenever I see a fun looking person I automatically think, "Oh my. They could be my new best friend!" Do I actually meet any of these folks...? Nope. But I might someday! 

There is some much wonder in a new place, an extreme sense of excitement, nervousness and possibilities. I think that is what fuels me every day to venture out of my (adorable) apartment to go wander. I want to know this place, I want to meet these people, I want them to become a part of my life I couldn't imagine being without. 

Cheers to this new place where I will undoubtably leave a bit of my heart. 

Mountains.

   Photo by Me, via www.juliasix.com 

     Today I've been so aware of things that teach us lessons. It may be the pain of moving on from a relationship, a life moment that needs patience or just a lonely day. While I was thinking about how these moments are just plain shitty...I realized that it is in these rough times that we learn so much about ourselves and others. 

    Don't get me wrong, a happy celebration teaches us how precious this life is that God has given us, but I'm pretty sure that all of the 'wisdom' I have gained is from the rough life lessons. {I put wisdom in quotes because I don't claim to have much of it...but I will say that I do know a lot about a couple of things.} I don't think I have had many true-lesson-learning moments that started with a positive. There is some clique quote that says something to the effect of 'if it wasn't for the bad times, we wouldn't appreciate the good ones.' I guess there is a reason phrases become cliques...they are right. 

    So tonight I'm remembering the times that seemed like a mountain to over come, but once I reached the first step down that huge problem, I felt so much better and could see the lesson God wanted me to learn. As I am soon to embark on a new mountain {moving to a city and state where I know no one} I have to keep telling myself that I will survive that hike. I will become a better person because of it. I will know myself more after I fight to get to the top. I guess what it's all about tonight is faith. Faith that I am going to become the person I am meant to be, I am going where I am needed, and I am going to make the very best of it.

Art + Chick Flicks

Two things I realized tonight:
1. I love chick flicks. (this is not a new 'awe ha' moment.) What I love about these movies is that I can escape to a world that it is entirely possible to fall in love with someone in a matter of 3 days. What a magical thing that must be. Completely not likely but gah, so great.
2. I am 1 in a million artist. Not in the 'I'm a 1 in a million special' kind of way. I mean I am seriously 1 of the MILLIONS of artist out there. That my friend, is terrifying. I realized this while I was uploaded some of my work to Society6. As I look at the 1000s of art on this site, I'm wondering how in the world do I become an Andy, Cindy, or Sally? (None art buffs, these people are amazing, and famous. Andy Warhol, Cindy Sherman, Sally Mann) I never want to be famous in the Andy way...but I would like to be known ya know? It's a scary world this Art Land that I've chosen to be in. I could have a been a fabulous weather woman {I took a Weather and Climate class a couple semesters ago and I really loved it...} but I chose to be an artist. I get the whole 'starving artist' thing now. Who can keep up with all the creators in the world...I can't even do it.

To sum up, chick flicks are a great way to distract myself from the world that I'm in. And sometimes I need a false reality to enter. So today I'm breaking. And it is fabulous. Cheers!

Hopeful Thinking.

     One of my Favorites gave me a vintage Rolodex the other day. I couldn't figure out what exactly I wanted to do with it. I'm sure he was hoping I'd make some super cool art with it (which I still might do...) but what I decided on for now is just too adorable in my opinion to not share.

     Now the question is: do I cook enough to use this fun little guy? No. HOWEVER, in my mind I will start cooking more once I move to Boulder. I'm not really sure why I think I will...maybe because that seems like the healthy, 'green' thing to do. And in my head, that is two words that describe Boulder. So here's to new habits I hope to make. 

    Here is the extended list of things I hope to start in New Life Moment that is Boulder:

• Ride my bike everywhere. {The hills in B are less extreme than Huntsville, Thank God.}
• Garden {I'll be living in an apartment but a collection of cute, vintage tin containers has already started to form.}
• Daily Exercising {I've actually already started this but it will be more consistent}
• Dressing To Impress {I'm done with undergrad...maybe I should start looking like the put-together person I am.}
• Blog {you will know more about whats going on in my life...promise.}