2013 Goals Update

I have been horrible about keeping up with some of my goals lately.  To set me on the right track again, I'm doing an update.  I hope this helps motivate me to refocus on those goals I am still lagging behind on (or have forgotten about alltogether).

• blog 4 times a week
• complete my 365 Days of iPhone Photos project 
• complete one photo-an-hour post for each month Okay, I keep starting these the last few months and forgetting half way through the day, or going to a movie, or something else I can't photograph.  But what can I say, most likely that day there was ihop, thrifting, a movie, and some kind of beer.  I'm cool like that.
• save my pennies and purchase a new laptop to replace the 8 year old glorified paperweight 
• take a trip  Guess who booked A WEEK IN PARIS for this October?!?! I am insanely excited.  I just found out yesterday that Montmartre, where Eph and I will be staying, is holding their annual wine festival over the first few days we will be there.  Concerts and fireworks at the Sacre Coeur! 
• create more, and consume less Netflix (or knit while I watch!) hahaha! Well, I did paint some super sweet costume designs.  And to be fair, Civilization V has been preying upon my free time worse than Netflix, these days.  
• read 6 books (this makes me sad.  how did it come to this?!) I read The Walking Dead compendium 1+2 over the last couple months (devouring each in a matter of days, to be clear).  They're over 1000 pages, containing 8 volumes each, so I am hesitant to call them each one book, or each of them two.  Let's say between the two, I have covered three books, okay?  I have 4 other books on the go right now.  I keep putting things down for too long that I get disinterested.  Slap me on the wrist.
• create an online portfolio No, but I did redo my hard-copy portfolio over the weekend.  Then went to an Anthropologie store that was looking for a new display coordinator and sat on a couch until their visual manager would see me.  Too bad they were already in process of hiring someone else, but I think I made a good impression. 
• look into continuing education After significant research, I decided the program for me is Yale's masters in visual design.  Now, I just need to get a truly impressive portfolio together, because no way can I go to Yale without a significant scholarship. 
• take my camera with me more (and invest in a serious camera bag) I did indeed pick up a sweet camera/laptop bag for my birthday, and more recently, invested in a new camera as well! I made the upgrade to full frame, and I am so glad I did, even if my own father said it was ridiculous.  I've been loving the shots I'm getting with my new camera, the fact that it has video capability, and the learning process of moving beyond and entry level camera.  Growth!
• invest more time and effort into friendships, old and new I'm trying.  I need to move back home.  
• send 6 pieces of snail mail 3/6.  I need to write some letters.  I know a certain lady in a small town in Alberta I miss like the dickens who I seriously owe some correspondence. 
• build a small business I honestly didn't think this one through enough.  I started a side business when I didn't have the time and energy to properly devote to it.  I've got saved up stock and other pieces midway through being produced, and I will reopen when I have my head on straight. 
• exercise twice a week  I was doing so well, then I got sick and very busy with The Lover, missed a few weeks, and somehow psyched myself out of going back.  I'm working on it, and doing some reading on weight lifting while I'm still chicken shit.  
• take life drawing classes Classes are sadly not offered during the summers here.  The ONE TIME we wouldn't need a space heater and warming lamps to keep our model from freezing in the art centre.  *Sigh*
• get a car

Neil Hilborn's "OCD" : A view from the other side

If you've had a pulse and been on the internet in the last week, you've almost certainly seen, or heard about, Neil Hilborn's heart-wrenching poem "OCD".  If not, here it is to get you up to speed (or refresh your memory if you've seen it).

I reacted very strongly to Hilborn's poem when I first saw it, and the several times I have watched it since then.  Perhaps more jolting for me than the poem, however, is the immense reaction I have seen to the poem; and the - jokingly or not - demonizing of the woman Hilborn is talking about in the piece.  We do know that the work is based on real life, as Hilborn hosted an impromptu Ask Me Anything on Reddit when his poem suddenly went viral (after having been performed for over 3 years).  Indeed, the tics in the performance reflect Hilborn's own tics from when his disorder was at its worst, when he was a teenager.  

As someone who dated a man with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder for over a year, I was shocked to see people react to this performance and say things like "how could she leave him?!" or how lucky she was to be "loved so much" and was foolish to give that up.   The thing is, most relationships that end, do so blindsiding one member. Often we break the hearts of someone who loves us fiercely.  Hilborn himself acknowledged that while OCD played a part in the breakup, that the pair broke up for the normal reason: they just couldn't make each other happy anymore. 

I find myself thinking that people who condemn someone for getting out of a relationship that wasn't working for them, have never been in a similar situation - or simply aren't thinking about the situation as being not really so different from any other relationship that doesn't work out.   I remember so vividly the difficulties that dating someone with a severe anxiety disorder brought not only to the relationship, but to my own life outside of it.  I have to think that these people who would speak against this woman, they just don't know what they're saying.  They don't know what it's like to know that you will always be asleep long before your partner makes it to bed, because all of the doors, windows and ovens in the house must be checked three times before they can go to sleep.  They don't know how frustrating it is to have to circle the block every time we hit a pothole, to check and be sure that we hadn't hit a person (never mind that I would be SCREAMING if we had hit someone).  They don't know how it feels to beg someone to see their therapist because you see them slipping, and it somehow seems that you want them to be well more than they want themselves to be.  They don't know how helpless it feels to know that you cannot help someone you love; that you cannot make them feel at ease, you cannot give them the peace that they need.  That you cannot make them happy anymore.  That they need something that you just can't give them.  

Like Neil Hilborn and the unnamed lady, my relationship broke apart for many reasons. In all honesty,  when it came down to it, I couldn't really imagine those quirks becoming part of my every day life.  I, like the woman in the poem, told my partner that these things didn't bother me, but over time, I suppose that we both just lost our tolerance to them.  At some point there was a shift, and those quirks seemed so much bigger than they every had been before.  Even now, years later, the word quirk just seems too mild, complication too severe, annoyance too hurtful.  It's a terribly conflicting way to feel about your partner.  Just like any other reason to end a relationship, it isn't really for others to condemn or condone.  We all live with what we can, and we don't with what we can't.  When we have the freedom to make the choice, we should make the one that makes us happier.  I'd hate to think that because of the circumstances of that relationship, that anyone would think less of me. But then, he wasn't a(n internet) famous poet.

--Erin

...Just Let Me Catch My Breath...

My god, the last month has been a BIT insane.  I'd like to say that I've come out the other side, but truth be told, things are still crazy as I have another deadline looming only a week away... eek! Lately it seems like there is never enough time in the day, and I'm fighting hard to keep my stress levels in check.  

The last month has seen: A whole WHACK of sewing.  If you follow me on instagram, you saw many pieces from The Lover in various stages of completeness! I'm hoping to compile those images for a more in depth post here, soon.  As much sewing as I did for other people, I have been itching to make myself a little something for the car show this coming weekend.  Hmm.. maybe I'll cut out the pattern tonight! Guess it's time to see how much overworking the last month has paid off in terms of work ethic and "enjoying" the process of sewing (let's be real, it's all fun and games until something doesn't line up, or you snip the wrong bit, or something else goes wrong!).  

On that note, this month has also seen The Lover open AND close in Toronto! It was a great short run, and I got all dressed up for opening night and had a great time.  It is always a pleasure to work with talented people.  I took the production photos, and I'll be posting a mess of them later this week.

Boy, everything seems to lead so nicely into the next point! Speaking of photos, I took the plunge and upgraded camera bodies last week.  It was a move I had been contemplating for a long time, and I am so glad I moved up to a full frame camera with the Nikon D600.  I purchased my camera from the Henry's Outlet Store, which sells exclusively used merchandise.  My camera was "open box", and in factory new condition with every bit of plastic sleeve and paper you could wish for.  They can't tell you the history of the camera, but my guess is somebody bought it and took it right back! I hunted around a lot, and I am really happy with my "used" purchase - and the loads of money it saved me.  Looks like I can go in for some reflectors with that money I saved, and look into shooting some portraits for a little money to save up for my next piece of kit.

It hasn't all been work work work (mostly, though, it has) and I headed up North to Ephraim's parents' house for a couple days.  I was terribly useless while there, and ate all of the things and slept a lot and drank tea basically constantly.  It was awesome.  I am definitely bringing Ephraim's parents something nice when we head back up in October though, because I certainly could have been more helpful!  When I wasn't eating or chatting or owning everybody in "Clue", I was vying for world domination in Civ V.  Yes, I played video games in cottage country, and no, I am NOT sorry!  I tell you what I DID do up north though, is take a lot of pictures.

I even dragged my ass out of bed at 5:40 am to photograph the sunrise.  I know, I couldn't believe it either, but I have the photos to prove it happened.  Some big ol' rainclouds moved in and ruined the beautiful light, but I did manage to capture some moody skies to share with y'all.  And I'll leave you with that.

I may not be in the clear just yet, but I'm feeling recharged.  Typing a bit about all the good things this month has brought makes this next week feel a lot more doable. 

--Erin

How Sewing Changed the Way I Approach Problems

I'm in a business where the acquisition of skills is paramount.  A lot of my education therefore was spent learning how to do things, even if our aim was not in the technical production front, but in designing, like mine.  From building my own light circuit complete with switch and light bulb out of loose wires and a bit of plywood, to a picture frame I would later paint and gift to my Mum, to sewing and drafting my own patterns, I spent countless hours in various shops learning the skills it takes to make theatre; skills that transfer awfully well to real life and non-theatre workplaces. 

Through it all, sewing has been my favourite.  It has given me the most opportunities, and the largest sense of self confidence.  Above all, it has given me some awesome clothes.  

My life as a seamstress (I guess?) began when I was 16.  My parents and grandparents teamed up and bought me a sewing machine for Chanukah, the same machine I use today (and desperately need to take in for a tune-up.  The 1 step button-holer has become "13 steps to Hulk-smashing".  Maintenance is still a low point for me), a basic Janome I named Johnny 5.  The first thing I ever sewed was a red satin and black lace purse for my best friend Caroline.  I sewed the entire thing with no previous experience or knowledge whatsoever, and sewed with the pressure foot raised the whole time.  I thought that this sewing thing was really, really hard, and I gave up on it for a few months.  Had I read the instruction manual (another fault of mine), I would have known that the pressure foot is really integral, and that the machine would then feed the fabric through so you wouldn't have to.  I was young, and stupid, and proud enough to give that P.O.S bag as a birthday present, and Caroline loved me enough to use it.  It's a lovely and tragic thought.  That thing was hideous.

I was prompted to pick back up the needle and thread a few months later, when I began to get more into Japanese street fashion, gothic and lolita in particular.  I picked up some Japanese sewing magazines, and worked off their patterns for the next two years.  I took Japanese classes so that I would be able to understand the patterns, and went on to make several garish and ill-fitting pieces.  I am, shocking as it may be, not the ideal body type for Japanese drafted patterns.  However, through this time, I learned what pattern pieces looked like, the order to put them together, and how to sew a straight line.  That last one may sound silly, but straight lines are really all sewing boils down to.  Through the purring of my sewing machine, I was able to explore my personal style in ways that had been barred from me previously, either through cost or sizing.  The ability to make my own clothes was so freeing, and served as a real turning point for the way I saw fashion, personal style, and even my own career path.  Every new garment was a learning opportunity, and even those that turned out badly served a greater purpose: sacrificial offerings to the gods of experience. 

The most significant improvement of my skills took place over my 4 years at university.  Through my costume construction classes, I learned about historical and modern couture construction techniques, and most importantly, how to draft my own patterns from measurements.  Now, I am a person who quite enjoys math.  Maybe not the really deep theoretical stuff, but I find practical math to be pretty cool in general.  The idea of breaking down numbers into lines, in order to build 3D shapes, was just the biggest thrill for me.  Pattern drafting continues to be one of the most fun of all mind-fucks I have ever experienced.  This is an area in which the concept of sewing being all about straight lines really hits home for me: every curve on your body has to be translated into a straight line, in order to be sewn.  Now, that isn't to say that it may LOOK like a straight line on paper, but there is some way of holding those pieces that will result in a straight line.  Really, I have found this concept to be the most freeing when it comes to my sewing.  I approach each new challenge fearlessly: it's all straight lines when you really break it down, so how hard could it really be? I mean, at least I don't have to sew it all by hand like folks used to!

That fearlessness is the most important thing I have learned through sewing.  To look at complex problems and break them down until they seem perfectly reasonable.  To approach everything with the understanding that while successful projects may be the most satisfying, the failed projects are arguably the most valuable.  To understand that the limits of availability are only limits if you don't intend to create what you want in the world.  To realize that you are capable of achieving most anything you want, and that what you do not know, you can learn.

And that, my friends, is the long rant behind why I tell everyone that sewing is the best thing I ever learned how to do. 

--Erin

Designing a Debaucherous Duo: Harold Pinter's The Lover (Part 4)

Drum roll, please....

Aww yiss, it's finals time! All my finals were completed for a final design meeting last weekend, at which time they were all completely approved.  And let me tell you: feels good, man!  These renderings were all done in gouache, which if you're unfamiliar with it is a paint that is like if acrylic and watercolour paints came together to produce a perfect, freaky-deaky hybrid.  It can create solid colour (in a matte finish! unlike acrylic, which is quite shiny) and watery transparent washes, and is very often used by illustrators.  My brother bought me a set of gouache for the holidays (thanks Joe!) and this was my first big project with them.  I'm glad I didn't totally botch it! Details were added onto the paintings with pencil crayons (also got gifted some sweet Prismacolours for my birthday!), and the labels were printed onto the finished renderings.  You know what's more stressful than running a finished piece of art through a printer? Nothing. That part sucked.  But damn, do they look fancy! 

See if you can spot the (many!) changes between the prelims and the finished renderings.  That's why I stressed that prelims are quick: they're a way for you to communicate your idea to the director, and you can bet that they are going to have ideas to communicate right back.  Depending on your time constraints, you may go back and forth quite a bit.  As we only had 1 week between prelims and finals (yeah, these renderings are brought to you by Oreos and red wine) I had to take that information and make compromises and hope that I hit the money.  I did.  Now I just have to find everything I drew, and that is an entirely different battle!

Butcher Scanner wrecks white balance to the extreme.  This is as close to the originals as I could get them! The paper is grey-blue :)

Max is played by the same actor as Richard (and is, in fact, Richard in disguise!)

I've already been hitting the thrift stores hard this week to make our tiny budget stretch as much as possible, and I am so excited to get this show put together!  There are going to be some really fun and challenging sewing projects in my (near) future, and I'll be sure to share them with you guys here!  

 

--Erin

Designing a Debaucherous Duo: Harold Pinter's The Lover (Part 3)

Oh boy, finally getting back into the swing of things, and all I'm doing is bombarding you with all this design bunk, huh? Well too bad, because this show is the only thing on my mind right now!! Also all my sketches are currently on my work computer, which is imminently being replaced, so I need to write these posts and empty out my personal files.

Today's topic: Prelim Designs, or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My Ugly Sketches.

So, you've talked to the director, you have some kind of psychologically driven concept for the show, you have this huge stack of research, and now what? Prelims.  Now it's time to take all that research and turn it into loose quick sketches for each costume.  Everyone's approach to this is a little different.  Some people may want to create sort of "mood boards" (oooo) of colours and textures for each character, to help keep a consistent thread and track the visual development of the character throughout the story.  Some people may do a similar thing with a giant list of words.  Other people still don't write any of this shit down, and just internalize it.  I'm more of the latter party.  "I've read this one act play 6 times, if I don't get it now, I am never going to".  

You know who the characters are, what their individual experience of the story is, and have some idea how that needs to translate to their "look" in the show.  Now, pick up a pencil, and draw.  The key to prelims is don't be too precious about them, and don't let them take a long time.  You may even draw multiple versions of one look, if you think you and your director have different visions, or you're still working some details out in your head.  Just draw a bunch, and then select the sketches you're going to show your director which you feel best represents your vision for the show.  Your sketches may eb beautiful, or they may look like (to borrow a beloved phrase) hammered-ass, like mine.  Doesn't matter, just as long as the ideas get out there, I mean the director is going to ask you to change things anyway!

Here are my prelims for The Lover.  Please, try to stifle your laughter.  I should not be putting these on the internet and claiming to have any artistic ability, but I promise you these sketches are a tool, and are as quick and dirty as I get.  Deadlines, y'all.

Sarah, look 1

Sarah, look 2

Sarah, look 3

Richard, look 1

Richard, look 2

Max

John, The Milkman

Next time, I'll be sharing my final designs for The Lover.  I promise, they are way prettier.  You won't believe all the things that changed!! Prelims really are a tool of communication, as all artwork for theatre is.  It may be beautiful, or it may be sloppy, it may be realistic or it may be abstract; the renderings a designer does need only do one thing really well: show the people responsible for making the show what it is that they want.  But more on that next time!

--Erin

Designing a Debaucherous Duo: Harold Pinter's The Lover (Part 1)

Sex, sex, sex, and the Milkman.  Such is the daily normal life for British married couple Richard and Sarah.  But let's be clear: the sex isn't being had between the two of them.  Well, not exactly, anyhow.  

As we are introduced to the central figures in Harold Pinter's The Lover  they speak very frankly about their extra-marital sex lives.  Housewife Sarah has a lover who comes by many afternoons a week, and businessman Richard has a "lady of the night" he frequents on his way home.  The audience is shocked and amused and a little uncomfortable about how open the couple is about their regular infidelity.  But hey, different strokes, right?  When the milkman arrives mid-morning to deliver some cream (cue heavy bass and synthesizer... bow chica bow-wow) we're relieved with a bit of humour.  I mean, it's so cliche for it to be the milkman!! But he really has only come to deliver some cream, and Sarah doesn't want any - she's waiting for her lover, and he doesn't work for a Dairy.  

Sarah's lover is her husband, roleplaying in costume as the man "Max", and Richard's whore is Sarah dressed up and playing for him.  So how do you show a couple who play at infidelity without any infidelity at all? A couple who have begun to waver in their enjoyment of the other's fantasies, wishing the other didn't need them, but still wholly excited by their own?  A couple who don't have sex as man and wife, but as strangers and customers?

Originally created for television, Harold Pinter's The Lover was written in 1963, the same year that the production by 3 Peasants Productions (for which I am designing costumes) is being set.  We just had our first design meeting this past weekend, and I have dived into my process head first since then.  As my final designs are due in 1.5 weeks (I may have set myself a very tight deadline, eep! But sourcing costumes for a period show on a budget is going to take time, and the earlier I get approval from my Director, the sooner I can begin scouring thrift stores), I am well into the research stage of the design process.  I thought it would be fun to show you guys a peek into how I design a show at several stages in the process, from concept to creation.  So, let's see where it all begins!

I always look to the social climate of the time period the play is being set in, as well as the years leading up to it to get a real sense of what parts of the play resonate with the ongoing issues of the time.  1963 is a fabulous time to set this play, not only because it is the year it was written!  In late 1962, the "Profumo Affair" came ot light, a major scandal in British politics.  Secretary State of War, John Profumo, had an affair with Christine Keeler, reputed mistress of an alleged Soviet spy, leading to Profumo's resignation, and seriously damaging the reputation of Prime Minister Harold Macmillan's government.  In 1960, oral contraceptives ("The Pill") was made available for all married women, when it had previously only been prescribed for women with reproductive problems, as hormonal birth control treats a wide range of issues in addition to being a contraceptive.  This is a key issue with this play, where a married couple has sex several times a week and has never had children.  This is certainly something that would have occurred to the play's original audience, and is something that I'd really like to keep in mind as I work on this production: sexuality, especially in women was beginning to blossom, and those "swinging sixties" when free love reigned supreme, are just around the corner.  

In 1962-63, we're sitting just in the shift between the prevalence of the housewife (itself a backlash from WW2, as men returned home and reentered thew workforce) to the presence of the working woman, though the work roles women took were often limited at this time.  Sex, solely for pleasure and not for creating the average 2.5 children per household was on the rise with increasingly inexpensive contraceptives, and women were able to take more power in their own reproductive health.  

Through these social changes, fashion took a significant turn for women as well (realistically, though men's fashion does change over the years, the differences are much less marked, so we're going to focus on women here).  Hairstyles were shorter, fuller, and the youthful style of curls was replaced by upturned ends, waves and (later) sleek bobs.  Pants and flat shoes for women came into vogue, especially for the housewife: the days of vacuuming in heels and pearls were over, with more utilitarian clothing being preferred.  "Wash and Wear" fabrics and synthetics start popping up on the market, simplifying the home laundry routine, and bringing in brighter, bolder colours, and "fast fashion" - clothes made with arguably inferior materials and construction methods, making them inexpensive and resulting in fashion fads that changed frequently as clothing was viewed as more of a disposable item.  The strict rationing of materials like wool and nylon from the war was waning or lifted by this point, and the result was rampant consumerism.  Things became colourful, verging on garish, and trends in fashion and interior decorating were rapidly changing and evolving.  Also, The Beatles happened, and that shit was just cray.  So were teenage girls.  The two together were more explosive than napalm.

And we're looking at marriage in this time.  I think it could be very interesting!  I've already begun doing some quick sketches in anticipation of my Prelim deadline on Friday evening.  I'll share my prelim sketches here, and talk a bit more about the individual choices for the characters.  I'll also share some research (original Eaton's and Sears catalogs from 1957-1963 are a godsend)  to look more closely (and even in colour) at the incredible shifts in style through these years, and what this meant for women, including women like Sarah.

So stay tuned, and watch this show develop before your very eyes, before we open at the end of July!  

--Erin

PS. if you want a more thorough idea of the story, there's a modern production of it on youtube, and you can watch it here.  The original TV recording is also available here.  I hope my production will be quite different!

Life Drawing (Very Nude)

1 minute gestures from week 2.  Gesture drawings are a quick representation of the movement of the body.  Every artist does these TOTALLY differently.  Some people draw squiggles, or cage like forms of the body.  You do these first to loosen up, and get used to looking at the body as a complete unit capable of so many different angles that play off each other. Claw/noodle hands optional (unless you're me). 

One of my biggest goals for this year was to start taking life drawing classes again.  I did life drawing classes as a degree requirement for a few years in University, but otherwise did not pursue life drawing as a hobby and devoted practice time outside of my studies.  This is something I really wanted to change, as my rendering style as a costume designer is something that I find really important, and can be a great opportunity to express your individual aesthetic as a designer.  And, well, you have to know what the human body looks like, if you're going to design clothes for it (and then try to draw the whole thing so someone else can build it!).  This is why drawing naked people for a few hours every week is a good idea.  Plus it's incredibly relaxing and fun.  I've been taking a drop in life drawing class for about 5 or 6 weeks now (not counting the ones where I didn't make it to class), and I've already seen quite a bit of improvement.  Here are my favourite works from each session.  

Week 1// conte crayon and newsprint.  I enjoy drawing breasts from real life, because the light and shadow has to be just right to express fullness.  Most women's breasts are not perfectly identical, and capturing this, or the way the pose changes the breasts (such as the pose on the left) is really tricky. 

Week 2// Conte crayon, chalk and grey pastel paper in 2 shades.  Sometimes your model is a fidget, and you end up drawing their hands and feet and flippers because the moment you go to flesh them out, they start moving the part you're focusing on.  True story.  #lifedrawingproblems

Week 3// Pencil and Newsprint.  I have always loved the illustrative style of comic books, but never really had a handle on doing shading in such a graphic way.  I tried to approach the drawings with this in mind, this week.  Also I find drawing eyes difficult, especially from observation.  Is it just me, or do the models tend to look around a LOT? 90% of the time I end up with something vaguely crosseyed.  It's so much worse if the face is at 45', Anything beyond the nose is constantly shifting!

Week 3// Pencil and Newsprint.  I likewise tried line as expressively as possible, to imply depth without shading and additional contouring.  I am not by instinct a minimalist, which makes cartooning and water colour very difficult mediums for me.

Week 4// black and white charcoal pencils and kraft paper.  After the success from my experiment drawing highlights and shadows on coloured paper, I picked up some charcoal pencils and large format kraft paper while in Toronto.  Living in a region with no dedicated arts supply store makes classes like this difficult, and I have to stock up before things become dire. 

The first couple weeks of this class I tried to focus on using different mediums, to find something I really enjoyed working with.  I knew from university that I liked conte crayons, but I found quickly that I was trading exactness and detail for quick brushy shadows a little too much for my liking.  Then after that I discovered how much I LOVE being able to put in highlights, by using chalk on a coloured paper.  I found that working off a "medium" tone instead of the bright white (or close, haha) of newsprint, made me feel I could push my shadows more, and really sculpt the body.  So far so good! I had some old charcoal pencils hidden away in my drafting table at home from a kit a friend gave me years ago, and loved the balance of control, fluidity and tone: being able to buy something in "light" "medium" and "dark" made laying out blocky shapes and continually refining really easy and less stressful if I made a mistake.  I do not use an eraser for life drawing, so if it's a dark line, it's there to stay.  And suddenly, your drawing has 3 arms...oops!

Week 5// Blacka nd White Charcoal on Kraft paper.  This was the same model as the first week, with a sweet new haircut.  I immediately notice how much more balanced and connected her shoulders and clavicles look here, compared to the first class.  I still need to work on laying out my darkest darks first, as gradually building them takes too much time.  Even in a 20 minute pose like this, I don't get the whole figure fleshed out. 

Week 6// Sometimes, a pose is too similar to be worthwhile, or I feel I'd get better practice working on something more specific.  Hands and feet are notoriously difficult, so I'm trying to dedicate more time to sketching just these from life.  I'm particularly happy with the foot on top.  The balance of light and shadow around the ankle gives the bone a crisp line, but indicates the fulness around it.  The model flexed her toes every time I tried to draw them.  It drove me nuts.

So far in this process I've been focusing more on accurately laying out the body and keeping things proportionate, than I have developing style.  I finally feel like I can start delving into that more, now.  As a challenge to myself, this week I tried to start a drawing not with the shadows, but with the light.  I think that because there tend to be fewer stark highlights on the body, I find it easier to keep the distances between them more accurate, and I think it lead to my best life drawing to date (below).  I'm particularly happy about her right arm and bent wrist.  I think the weight resting on it looks plausible. 

Week 6// black and white china marker on kraft paper.  China marker is like the awesome freak-baby produced if oil pastels,  pencil crayons and permanent markers managed to spawn.  Glides beautifully over paper, makes it very easy to get bright brights and dark darks, but only offers a small range of responsiveness to pressure.  So, you can cross hatch, but traditional shading is out of the question.  But it makes you strangely bold to work with something so accepting of a heavy hand (like mine). 

Though I've only been doing life drawing regularly for about 2 months, I can already see how drawing the body from observation offers the greatest insight to how the body is constructed, and how this can inform any drawing of people outside of class.  I see this time helping me reach my own goals as an artist, with the incredible work I get to see every day motivating me to keep pushing myself and to try new things.  I can't wait to get a couple more sessions under my belt and then apply what I've learned to the 3 shows I will be designing this summer. I'll do another bulk update on life drawing in a couple months, but if you want to see what I'm up to, I instagram my favourite piece or two from each class (@efgerofsky)

Are there any skills you have been working on lately?  And any other artists in the house?

--Erin 

April (in RetroSpecs)

Back when I started this blog (nearly a year ago, whoa),  I had a weekend review feature called "My Weekend in Retrospecs".  Shortly thereafter it was changed to " My Month in Retrospecs", as a pun that good should only be used so frequently.  Recently I've been feeling better prepared to choose my favourite posts of the month due to a stronger posting schedule (eep, except for this week! I'm in Tech Week for a show at work, which includes some 13 hour days and has certainly meant a lot of photoshop time for me! After editing things all day, the last thing I wanted to do was edit at home) but I think that finding 5 favourite posts for the month should be doable, haha!  Plus, I think that having a monthly recap would be a nice thing to look back on.  So... I'll be better about that, starting right now.

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 I'm also combining my yearly goal updates as part of the retrospecs feature.  It just seems like a good fit.  So let's see what was up with those the last 4 weeks!

• blog 4 times a week  Hahaha.. that's all I have to say about that! Let's not worry so much about this one going forward.  
• complete my 365 Days of iPhone Photos project
• complete one photo-an-hour post for each month Totally on top of this one.  Editing my April photos as soon as photoshop seems... not like the only thing I ever do.
• save my pennies and purchase a new laptop to replace the 8 year old glorified paperweight 
• take a trip  I'm writing a grant proposal that would see me going to Calgary for a couple weeks in the fall.  It'd be for work, but, y'know, mountains, so... fingers crossed!!
• create more, and consume less Netflix (or knit while I watch!) Been working on that dress on and off, but I've been feeling so burnt out from work as we're in tech week for a show that starts previews late this week.  So tired...
• read 6 books (this makes me sad.  how did it come to this?!) I read the first compendium of The Walking Dead this month, which covers the first 8 trade paperback volumes.  I devoured it in a week, and I regret not buying the second compendium at the same time! I'm not sure how to count it, toward my goal of 6, however! But at over 1000 pages, calling it 2 books instead of 1 (or 8) seems fair!  I'm also working my way through Stiff, by Mary Roach.  Blog, Inc. has been put on the backburner, after hitting a couple chapters that feel below my experience, and feeling a bit discouraged as to the value of the advice given.  Not leaving it behind forever, though.
• create an online portfolio Umm... nope.  
• look into continuing education I looked more into doing my masters, this month.  Should I get to travel to Calgary to do some work this fall, I'm going to take the opportunity to head to Edmonton and see if the University of Alberta seems like a good fit for a place to do my masters. 
• take my camera with me more (and invest in a serious camera bag) Still waiting for this Epiphanie bag I ordered a couple weeks ago.  I had it shipped to my work, and the USPS says it's been delivered, yet I do not have it yet... If I don't have it by the end of the day, I'm going on a hunt.  I want my bag!
• invest more time and effort into friendships, old and new I'm too tired for other people.  Fact.
• send 6 pieces of snail mail Or to write letters.
• build a small business
• exercise twice a week  I actually talked to my dad over dinner last week about weight lifting goals I'd like to achieve.  It's been a good motivator!
• take life drawing classes
• get a car

 **Editing this quickly to say, I just realized that my birthday is less than a week away! And though my birthday tends to bring some bad things (possible voodoo curse type territory, it's bad) I am really excited.  I'm staying in NotL this year, I mean really, nothing ever happens out here let alone anything bad! But let's not tempt fate.  Just... eee! I'm excited.**

--Erin
 

Currently...

Reading: Stiff, by Mary Roach.  I picked up the book from Ephraim a couple weeks ago, when he decided he just didn't need to know that much about the human body after death.  I tend to be a bit more interested in the macabre, and not easily grossed out by gore and details of the body (I was actually working toward a career in medical illustration for a long time), so I figured I'd have more luck with the book.  So far, I really like it.  I only started reading it a couple days ago, as last week I was tearing my way through the first compendium of The Walking Dead, which encompasses the soft cover volumes #1-8.  And man, did THAT ever fix my displeasure with TWD season finale.  If you're also a fan, and felt that the finale was just too anticlimactic, pick up the comics, you won't be disappointed!

Watching: I'm still working my way through Veronica Mars, and I'm already on the 3rd season.  Honestly, this season isn't as good as the first two, but I love me some snarky Veronica, and I'm emotionally invested in the show, so I'm seeing it through.  Other than that I've watched the first third of too many romantic comedies before I decide that I hate them, and go and read instead.  Yup.

Anticipating: A weekend FULL of plans.  I am double booked for Saturday night and can't wait to see some friends and have a good time.  Especially at formal bowling.  Fancy clothes, beer and bowling? It's like all of the things I like, at one time! Plus it's to celebrate my best friend's birthday.  So you know it's gonna be a good time.

Laughing about:  My inability to keep my Bloglovin' unread count under like, 100.  Just last week I got fed up and marked all as read, and now BOOM I have 125 unread posts already.  And you know what's to blame? Fuckin' blog hops, man.  I give up on bloghops (except for Chantilly's, but that's because it's special and not demanding).  Seems like every week someone I follow is hosting or co-hosting a blog hop, and oh it's free to join, as long as you spam the ever-loving shit out of your own reader with the mommy blogs of the 8 co-hosts.  Enough.  I am not a person who can handle that many blogs, particularly that many that I don't really find all that interesting.  A purge is gonna happen, and I'm no longer going to feel badly about missed posts here and there.  It's started to eat up too much time, and is making my reading list so long it's overwhelming to the point of avoidance.  Blog hops.  Not even once. 

Listening to: Lots and lots of 8Tracks while I work.  I'm a bit disappointed in their search function on the mobile site, I can't seem to search activities or moods as well... I don't know why "sewing" results in mixes consisting entirely of Rap and R+B.  So, it's a lot of just acoustic indie and pop for me, easy to find and less likely to require song skipping.  Do you stream music on your iPhone? Any suggestions for a good site? I'm pretty new to streaming music, outside of looking a tune I have stuck in my head on Grooveshark.

Eating:  The funny thing is that I talked about making brussels sprouts for the first time ever in my last "currently" post, and I literally ate a plate full of them, topped with Parmesan cheese, for dinner last night (at like 9:30.  I got in a sewing groove and had no idea how late it had gotten!).  But at literally this moment, I am sipping a chai latte (which in my last post I was wishing for.  I don't change much, month to month!)

Working on: Sewing a dress I designed and started working on this past Sunday.  It's been a weird and difficult balance between wanting it to look clean and professional, and not wanting it to take forever.  I've already decided to replace one of the back panels, because the one way pattern looks a bit too sloppy for my tastes.  It sets the progress back by a good 1.5 hours, but I know I'll be glad I did it, in the end. I kind of wish I was staying in NOTL this weekend, so I could finish it up, and make a trip to the fabric store to get the remaining supplies I need.  I spent 5 minutes hemming (hah, sewing pun) and hawing over zippers, and somehow managed to leave with a standard zipper and not an invisible zip.  Needless to say, that realization earned a hearty (and disappointed) slowclap... from myself, to myself.  Well done, Erin.  Well done.  I took a sick day this week (allergies plus spring cold equals no fun at all) and spent the vast majority of it sewing, and it was awesome.  I needed something inspiring to get me out of this little sewing rut I've been in ever since I abandoned my Sew for Victory dress.  I'm hoping this project kicks me in a high enough gear to actually complete my Sew for Victory dress in time for the Guys and Dolls opening night next month, but I am not going to hold my breath.

Wishing:  That the wind would die down and I could get a handle on taking outfit photos for myself, mid-week.  I get to dress however I want to to work, and sometimes it's pretty cute.  I hate feeling like I'm "saving it up" for the weekend, and frankly, I like outfit posts, and it would seem that the folks dropping by these parts do too, so being able to have more of them would be really swell.  I've been spoiled by Ephraim's photographer skills! 

I hope you all have a great weekend!! 
--Erin

2013 Goals: March Update

 Well, we're another month through 2013, so it's time to check in again and see how my list of goals has been going.  It's been a weird month, with lots of holiday time derailing my schedule, so I know before I even go to fill this out that some of these goals have fallen by the wayside.  Let's hope this just encourages me to get back on that bandwagon as we get cracking with April, hmm?  Alright, let's go!

• blog 4 times a week  I've been averaging about 3 posts a week. I decided not to worry so much about how many times I blog, but rather to encourage myself to get better about scheduling my posts in advance and not letting myself leave gaps because I got lazy. So far, so good...ish.
• complete my 365 Days of iPhone Photos project Oh, this one is SO dropped! After I forgot my fancy iphone lens in Toronto for a week, I just never got back into the habit of taking a neat photo every day.  Plus, the model building I was doing for work has been very finicky and doesn't photograph well.  So.... not so much.  This one's as good as over!
• complete one photo-an-hour post for each month Yes, yes and yes! Hoping to get April's day photographed this coming weekend.
• save my pennies and purchase a new laptop to replace the 8 year old glorified paperweight 
• take a trip  This one's still far off, and nothing has been booked yet
• create more, and consume less Netflix (or knit while I watch!) It's February March.  Lay off me.
• read 6 books (this makes me sad.  how did it come to this?!) I'm working my way through Blog, Inc, and loving it.  Looking like I am more into non-fiction right now, which is why I was having SUCH trouble getting through the novels I was trying to make myself read (and enjoy..)
• create an online portfolio No progress on this one, this month.  But I do now have a substantial number of edited photos to use!
• look into continuing education Internship didn't pan out (being overqualified is a gift and a curse), and I don't think that school is on the docket for next year, but the idea of doing my Masters in Scenography (set and costume design) is sounding more and more appealing all the time.
• take my camera with me more (and invest in a serious camera bag) I've definitely been trying to take my camera with me more.  My birthday is in May, and a new camera bag is at the top of my list, for sure!
• invest more time and effort into friendships, old and new It's been a good month, in this regard :)
• send 6 pieces of snail mail 2/6, I sent a little package off to Amanda of Salvaged Strawberry this month! Also sent Lisa of Lala Faux Bois her embossed leather banner necklace that she won from my first ever giveaway! Not sure that that one counts, though :P
• build a small business Premonitory Dreams opened in March! I'm still working at designing new items, to be added to the shop as soon as I have a solid day to cut, paste, and photograph.
• exercise twice a week  I started taking Zumba on Wednesday nights, to help keep me obligated to exercise at least once a week, making that second trip to the gym no big deal.  I am loving it, by the way! 
• take life drawing classes I'm SO loving taking life drawing classes at the niagara pump house.  I've spent the last couple weeks trying out a couple different mediums and focusing on accuracy, and now I'm feeling better equipped to play more with style.
• get a car

You know, that's actually not as bad as I thought! But I could still stand to do a bit of rededication to some of my goals.  I will begin by dragging my sorry butt to Zumba class tonight, and then an exciting evening of cleaning my room and clearing my head.  Really, after 2 weeks spent mostly in Toronto, returning to NotL only to swap out my clothes, it's well beyond due.  Laundry is a thing, too.  Ugh, but all I want to do is watch Veronica Mars!!

How are your goals for the year shaping up? Is the change of season botching up your plans a bit, or have you stayed the course?

--Erin

Currently...

Reading: Blog Inc.  I think that the problem I've been having with reading, is that I'm trying to consume fiction, when what I'm really eager to read is non-fiction.  I mean, good lord, I am reading stuff on Reddit all bloody day, and I can't get enough of the news articles, first person stories, you name it.  So, I ordered a couple books of Amazon, and started to dig into Blog Inc right away.  I'm really enjoying it so far, and look forward to seeing what new insights and practices it can bring to this here blog.

Watching: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.  I kept hearing of it, but not about it, and it turns out that it's the perfect comedy for me.  So much snark.  SO MUCH.  I love it.  And I watch too much of it.  I also restarted watching Veronica Mars, because it was one of my favourite ever shows (once again, snark factor comes into play), and if you didn't hear about the Veronica Mars Kickstarter campaign, GET ON IT! They exceeded the $2 million goal in only 1 day.  If we keep going, they're going to make a terrific movie! I'm just waiting for the negotiations about opening the campaign up to non-US residents, so that I can make my contribution (and get my digital download and copy of the script! For $35! WORTH IT).  Also, Veronica and Logan end up together or we riot.  RIOT I SAY. actually rewatching the first episodes when he's SUCH an asshole is really so enjoyable.  Oh, Logan.  We will come to love you.  But it's going to take some time (and some mellowing). 

Logan Echolls 4EVR.  Or the streets will be swarmed by hormone fueled angry girl mobs.

Anticipating: Driving to Toronto tonight.  As you know, I finally got a car last month, but it's a standard transmission.  I've been trying to get as much practice as I can around town, and have driven into St. Catharines (and planning on doing so again this evening for extra practice) but driving to Toronto still seems overwhelming.  The distance! The speed! THE TRAFFIC! Only way to get used to the idea is to just bite the bullet and do it.  But the thought still makes me anxious.  So there you go.

Laughing about:  My first Zumba class the other night! I haven't taken an exercise class since the 9th grade, so to "dance" in front of a bunch of people was an intimidating thought.  The class was only about 20 people, and while I definitely didn't get all the steps (is that step turn step step? Or step step turn step jump?) I threw myself into it, had fun, and sweat a LOT, which was the point.  I'm glad to know that I have an alternative to running for my cardio requirements, at least for one day a week! And it's good fun and the right amount of endurance for an asthmatic like me.  So three cheers for looking really stupid and not caring.

Listening to: I always forget how embarrassingly honest I answer these things *sigh*.  Alright, I've been listening to a lot of Katy Perry while I model build at work lately.  Apparently I have a pop deficiency. I was never a Katy Perry fan (wouldn't really call myself one now, either) but I watched the Katy Perry documentary, really just looking to see if they would deal with her religious upbringing and history as a christian rock singer.  They did, and actually I found the movie really humanized her for me, and made her more than a tabloid figure; it made her totally relatable.  And really, I never found her music bad, just really really shallow.  I still do, but damn if it isn't fun to work to.  And I work out to Britney Spears (except for Zumba class, which hilariously included Gagnam Style), so there you have it.  Colour me guilty.


Eating:  I made brussels sprouts for myself for the first time ever last night!! I always hated brussels sprouts and asparagus growing up, so I decided that I wanted to try making them for myself to see if I really didn't like the veggies, or just how they were cooked.  Yeah, I had been eating tragically overcooked brussels sprouts all my life.  I sauteed those suckers in a whole lot of butter, sprinkled them with a bit of sea salt, and they were AMAZING.  Nutty, and not at all cabbagy tasting.  I kind of want to pick up more to have with for dinner tonight.  But we'll see if that actually happens...

Working on: Designing some brooches for Premonitory Dreams, and my stick-shift driving skills!

Wishing:  I had a chai latte.  I am a simple creature.

2013 Goals: February Update

The end of another month!! Let's see how my yearly goals are coming along...

• blog 4 times a week  I don't need to tell you that this one has slipped recently.  It's all been in order to put that time and effort toward other goals, however.
• complete my 365 Days of iPhone Photos project Check my updates HERE
• complete one photo-an-hour post for each month February's post coming next week!
• save my pennies and purchase a new laptop to replace the 8 year old glorified paperweight 
• take a trip  I think I'd like to take a long weekend trip in Chicago, perhaps over the Canada Day long weekend.  That way, it won't be crazy busy in the states, I can drive, and Ephraim will hopefully be able to join me as there won't be auditions those days anyhow because of the holiday! Fingers crossed.  I have family in Chicago, and love to go and visit every couple years.
• create more, and consume less Netflix (or knit while I watch!) It's February.  Lay off me.
• read 6 books (this makes me sad.  how did it come to this?!) err, no... *shame*
• create an online portfolio I had to scan a bunch of stuff and organize it for a CD portfolio I had to create, so let's call that progress on this front.  I'm working on it.
• look into continuing education I think I should rename this "consider life after Shaw".  I applied for an internship this week, so we'll see how that pans out.  Anyway, I am thinking about it, and that's really the point.
• take my camera with me more (and invest in a serious camera bag) This has been more difficult with the volumes of snow we've had.  it's very cloudy, and tends not to be great photo taking weather!
• invest more time and effort into friendships, old and new I have had a lot of friend time this month.  And it has been rad.  I miss living close to people!!
• send 6 pieces of snail mail 1/6, with a little mail exchange with Erin of Charlie Foxtrot :)
• build a small business I've been working hard on this one! Nearly ready to rock and roll.
• exercise twice a week  This one hit the backburner the last couple weeks.  I have got a new roommate, and getting the house/my life in order took the rest of my evenings. 
• take life drawing classes I'm getting a drawing board and a new pad of newsprint this weekend so that I can take Tuesday's class.
• get a car got it!!  I am now the proud owner of a decade old Volkswagen Golf, which I have named Gertrude, or Gerty for short.  I am still learning the nuances of driving standard, and need to build some confidence and skill before I'm ready to drive to Toronto or anything.

44 MORE Questions (And Answers)

Over the past two months or so, I have been nominated for a couple Liebster awards! To cut down on spammy goodness, I've combined all of the questionaires into one MEGA POST (think Megazord, with text!) so that I can share a bit more about me here! You know, the random little tidbits that make a person who they are.  Also, may I just say, that the Liebster award and quizzes like this in general remind me so much of the LiveJournal days.  I was a serious LiveJournaler.  It's embarrassing.  Stream of consciousness like you wouldn't believe!! Eh hem, anyway, let's get to it...


I won't be nominating anybody, nor will I be asking my own set of questions (largely due to being...er, overwhelmed!) but I encourage you all to pipe in on any questions that stand out to you! "Getting to knooooow yoooou, getting to know all abooouuut yoouuuu...."


First up, Enid from Edit Twiglet (and now I totally have The Barenaked Ladies stuck in my head!!) asked these questions:

1. If you could only wear one colour for the rest of your life what would it be?

Black.  Maybe it's the goth-teen within me, but I feel I could (go back to) wearing nothing but black, day in and day out, and still feel very much like myself.  Plus it looks rad with my pale skin and red hair, so there's that!

2.If you could go back in time and offer advice to the 15 year old you what would you say?

Take art classes.  You have a part time job, you can afford it.  You need to be doing art in a setting other than a high school classroom. 

3. Who inspires you the most?

I'm not really a role-model having kinda person.  The person who has inspired me most recently, however, is Rochelle of Lucky Lucille.  She's motivated me to get up off my ass, get my sewing machines in order, and take a crack at my gigantic to-sew pile. Love it.

4. If you could have a theme song to your life what would it be?
Oh gosh, this one is hard!!! I guess maybe it would be Sukie in the Graveyard by Belle and Sebastian.  Sukie just sounds a bit like me... though I DID enroll in arts school (as well as wiping the floor with all the assholes.  I was a really scrappy kid, haha)

5. Did you have an imaginary friend/pet when you were little and if so what was their   name?

Nope, real friends for me.  Or quiet reading time (and epic fort building). 

6. What is the one talent you don’t have but really wish you did?

I wish I was really good at baking.  I'm really excellent at eating baked goods, so perhaps this is the cosmos ensuring that I don't overdo it.  Or I just haven't baked enough to really make an art of it

7. What did you want to be when you grew up and are you doing it/still want to do it?

I wanted to be a costume designer, and I am! I also do set design now, which I fell in love with in theatre school. Hooray!

8. If you could experience being any kind of animal for one day what would you be?

For reals, I think I would be a golden retriever.  I would get all the pets, and play in the snow, and cuddle with my human while they read. Dog food seems pretty gross though.

9. If you could conquer one of your fears what would it be?

Heights.  My lift training test was one of the scariest times ever.  I had to get in a cherry picker, drive it around, and take it to full height so I could touch the ceiling.  I stopped two inches short, shut my eyes and waved a hand over the top of my head feeling the lift sway, until my instructor let me come down.  Not fun. I am pretty awesome at driving lifts, but not a big fan of being at height!

10. If you could turn your life story so far into a book what genre would it be?

I would like to say magical realism, but that's only the result of a vivid imagination.  These days, it would read more like a Sylvia Plath novel, haha! Yeah, I think I'd go with some kind of embellished memoir, an allegorical autobiography if you will.

11. Do you prefer rainy days or  sunny days?

I am more productive on sunny days, so those win for me. Also I don't have a car, so I have to walk through the rain, which... sucks...

Megan's Questions:(Live Well and Breathe)

1. What's your favourite book?

My favourite book is Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami.

2. What's your favourite way to relax?

Depends on what I'm relaxing from! If I'm feeling anxious, I like to relax by going to the gym and working that energy out.  If I'm just tired from work, I like to relax with a bit of netflix and a good project to work on.

3. What's your best advice?

Edit.  Not every idea in a good idea, and not every good idea is appropriate to every situation.  Stop, reflect, be critical of yourself and edit.

4. What's one thing about yourself you like?

I'm resourceful.  It's fun to get inspired by the materials you have (be they tangible or otherwise).

5. What's the last thing you did that you think back to fondly?

I had an awesome dinner out with Ephraim on Sunday night. It ws delicious, we loved the restaurant, and we were seated next to comedians Martin Short and Andrea Martin, which was pretty neat.

6. What's one thing you're determined to learn?

French.  All I have is some rudimentary Canadian high school French, and it is seriously lacking.

7. What's the thing you're best at making?

A mess.  Sad, but true.

8. What's your favourite place to be?

Let's be real.  In bed.  Possibly watching The Walking Dead, and maybe eating a bit of ice cream.  In my pajamas.  AW YUSSS

9. What's something big you're planning to do this year?

I'm planning on opening a small business.  Now excuse me while I go freak out about actually starting a real life indie business for the first time (I sold bags and stuff like that in high school, but this isn't a livejournal account, this is REAL)

10. What's the first thing you do when you wake up?

Hit the snooze button.  I need to get my sleep schedule back on track.

11. What's the last dream you had that you remember?

Oh man, I had this dream last weekend and I only remember snippets buuuut: My Mum had married my former step father (they were common law, but they split up like 4 years ago, so this story line was... unsettling), and in a sub plot, Ephraim and I were involved in some kind of heist, in a mall, in South Korea (and we spoke Korean).  WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO TELL ME, SUBCONSCIOUS?!?! I think it's that I need to travel.  That is what I'm taking away from this.

Allie's Questions (Misfit Isle)

1. Who’s your favorite author?

Right now, I think my favourite author is Kurt Vonnegut.  This changes. (I know I said my favourite book is by Murakami, but that choice is slightly more permanent) 

 

2. Are you good at math?
Actually, yes! It was kinda sweet being one of the few people who is good at math while at school for theatre.  It's important, people! 

3. Do you wear an apron?
I wear an apron at work, but my apron is covered in glue and paint as opposed to flour and egg. 

4. What do you love about your best friend?
She can read my mind, deliver a snappy one liner like it's her job, and doesn't take anybody's shit.  Also we like almost all of the same things.  We get along, okay?? 

5. What’s your favorite blog?
This changes frequently, too! Right now I can't seem to get enough of Everyday Elsie. I love the photos, personal notes, and lack of (for lack of a better phrase) braindead DIYs.  I think I'm not the target audience when it comes to A Beautiful Mess' DIYs quite often!! 

6. What’s a quote that you feel best describes you?
Oh good lord, these questions aren't getting any easier!! I really don't know with this one.  So let's just say it's "Do, or do not.  There is no try" because sometimes I have trouble with follow-through. 

7. How do you take your coffee or tea?
Tea with milk and sugar!  Rip it, Dip it, Sip it, TEA.
 

8. How do you deal with meeting new people?
It's always easier not to meet new people, but it's also less fun.  I'm an introvert, so I may not actively seek people out, but if someone speaks to me I am not going to ignore them! I'm trying to make more of an effort and not just get super awkward/blush/wish I would drop dead. 

9. What’s your favorite song, album and band? Why?
Song: America by Simon and Garfunkel, though the cover by YES is a close second. Specifically the line "And the moon rose over an open field" does it for me.  Beautiful, simple harmony. 
Album: Deloused in the Comatorium by The Mars Volta.This album reminds me so strongly of a specific time in my life, and never fails to get me pumped up. 
Band: The Shins.  The lyrics, the occasional bit of banjo, the fact that most of the songs are a key I can sing along to... I just love them.  A whole lot.  Again, each album reminds me of a specific time in my life.

10.  What is something new you’d love to learn to do?
Knit socks.  I keep trying and getting stuck.  Heel turns just don't make any sense to me, I just don't understand how the stitches work, and the math to get everything to fit properly. Scarves are a breeze, though :) 

11. Is there something ( like a tv show, movie, song, saying, etc) that always makes you cry? 
UP.  Because I am like every person ever.  However, I don't cry at the opening sequence, I cry at the end because Russel went on this whole big adventure as a Scout to impress his Dad, and at the end ceremony to be awarded his badge, his father ISN'T THERE.  Onions.  Every damn time.  

Rhiannon's Questions (The Sparkly Panda)

1. If you are stuck on a desert island what 3 things would you want with you?
An economy sized tub of sunscreen, my multi tool, and twine.  I used to love wilderness survival classes and stuff at camp, and the sunscreen is because I burn easily.  

2. Do you have a hidden talent?
I do pretty great accents and funny voices.  It isn't that people don't know that, but not being a performer anymore, most people don't expect this of me.

3. Dress/Skirt or trousers to wear for the rest of your life?
Jeans, please.  I love skirts and all, but I am too active/messy for that to really be a sensible option. 

4. What's your favourite flavour of cupcake?
Lemon curd 

5. What are you biggest blog inspirations?
The Dainty Squid, Vanagon Champion, Keiko Lynn and The Militant Baker. 

6. 10 years from now, where do you want to be?
Designing full time, hopefully segueing into film work, hitched but without children.  That one's gonna take some time.  Kids still seem generally horrible to me. 

7. What is the one food you could live on forever?
Broccoli.  Seriously. 

8. What is your favourite day of the year?
Hallowe'en! I mean, it's a night to party, eat candy, and wear a sweet costume.  Is there anything better? 

9. Morning or night person?
Late morning.  My brain is ready to go at about 10am.  Sadly this does not synch up with standard working hours quite right. 

10. How do you spend your free time?
I like to watch tv/movies, cook, do a bit of crafting, and blog.  Basically, fun stuff that doesn't use my brain too too much, because after a long day at work, my brain is mostly out to sabotage my efforts.   

11. Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging because I had moved about 2 hours away from my home town (where all my family and friends are) and my social life took a nose dive.  Blogging just seemed like a great way to keep my family and friends in the know about what's going on, in one feel swoop, as opposed to relaying the same story 11 times until it's incredibly boring.  Plus, you know, a creative outlet.  Win win. 

A big thank you again to all the wonderful women who nominated me.  It's always a fun challenge to answer these questions honestly, and a neat opportunity not only for you to learn something, but for me to examine myself and learn a thing or two, too!  

And with that, I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! I'm headed into Toronto for a special someone's birthday :)  

--Erin