It's been awhile

Hello Blog land! It has been a long while since I have posted, I deeply apologize for leaving any readers hanging. Life has come at me very quickly and the new job (even though it's been 6 months) is still sending me zingers and keeping me so busy I barely have time to craft. In fact I barely have time for anything but MUAY THAI!

I have added yet another element to my life and that is Muay Thai kick boxing. I'm in love. I don't think very many people associate me with being active with all that crafting, video gaming and cats sitting on my lap but I really was, once upon a time. I suffered some pretty major back injuries about 6-7 years ago from a snowboarding accident and have kept on the side of safety. A good friend told me about the gym he goes to and suggested I try it since I was having problems getting into the habit of working my core and my gym routine was pissing me off only doing laps in the pool due to my weak core and back. I went and it's been amazing. It is some of the hardest training I have done in my life since Taekwando in Korea back in the summer of 1999. Not only has it been great physically but also mentally, everyone at the gym is great. They have a real community going there and lot's of love and support for all the students. I think this is also a huge part of why I have made huge efforts to keep with Muay Thai over everything else.

Community, it's an amazing thing and Columbus is well known for having such a terrific one. This is what made me want to work in my job with a non-profit, because I love the arts community and so many of my friends were a part of it. Muay Thai is the same way, such an amazing community in our gym that many days I stay up to half an hour after class just chatting with people. I recently saw the Nina does C-bus show and parts of it put me near to tears with all the love and seeing so many faces of friends in her show. I feel super fortunate of all the places in the entire world I grew up in a place where outstanding communities are all around me.

Now enough of this sap! Let's get to some updates!
I am no longer going to be having an art studio for two reasons:
1. Junctionview Studios will be closing it's doors for ever (boo)
2. I have spent so little time in the studio due to my job that is it just not fiscally responsible

So I have been moving everything home and it's fine, it works a little better aside from the smell of litter boxes next to me. I am set up in the basement in the far side from my sewing studio. It makes a little better sense to all be together, but the yarn..... dear lord the yarn is another issue.

Although most of my studio is already moved back home I will be a part of AGORA X at Junctionview Studios this coming weekend. There is a fancy Preview party Friday from 6-10 pm and then Saturday is the main event from noon-midnight! If you have never been to one, it is not something to miss. One of my favorite art events all year.

I've also been accepted into my first gallery show since college for my fine art and NOT fashion for once. I am super excited for that and it is a group show with two other ladies I have much respect and love for as well, Megan Coyan and Nicki Strouss. I have a lot of work ahead of me in embroidery and watercolor, but I am excited. Here is a peek of my current work still depicting bruises and how they represent interactions in our lives.

Lastly and on a fashion note I am one of the designers for the Alternative Fashion Mob fashion show in June. Once again a lot of work ahead of me. Coming up immediately is this fantastic Couture Cuisine collaboration with the Explorer's Club. I am going to be represented by dessert!

OH and one more thing! I met Ann Hamilton TWICE this month! I will get more into it in another blog entry but just had to share since it was one of the things on my personal bucket list. 

My vow going forward dear friends is to get a blog entry done once a week. This blog like my life is going to keep developing and changing to reflect my personal growth and exploration of the world.

Cheers!

Beard Team Ohio & Lady Jane

This weekend was filled once again with events, sickness and Highjinx.
Friday I went to an art show at Capital University and was pleasantly surprised to find that they have a really nice gallery with gorgeous collection.  It is called Schumacher Gallery and it is on the 4th floor of their library.  My friend Nicki was the highlighted as the postcard for the event and of course her work was present as well.  Unfortunately I was not in a high photo mood so the only picture I took were of these worm eaten looking close ups of this one sculpture.

After that we headed to What the Rock?! for their 5th anniversary of the store.  I got some amazing Edward Gorey Tarot cards and won a raffle! (Which I still need to pick up).

We drove around town and trying to kill sometime before my friends Show for My Kid Sister. This when we came up the name for my unmoving backseat passenger. Lady Jane.  Because I already have so many mannequins in the house I was told she was not allowed inside that house.  So Lady Jane sits in my back seat as a silent  companion until I can figure out what to do with her.   The night ended at Jury room sharing some fried Gnocchi and Meatballs.

Saturday However was an evening of volunteering for Beard Team Ohio for their event "Ohio's Second Charity Beard and Mustache Competition and Festival, "Beards of Science"" On the down side I wasn't feeling totally ship shape so once again not so many photos.  I was being the most lazy photographer ever.  I waved people down to come to me and I stood on my car instead of going out into the crowd.   It was appropriately held at COSI.

 Completely Packed Room

 A variation on facial hair and cultures

 Horseplaying around

 Lady Beards

 My Friend Jill With an American Chainmail Beard

 This was one of my Favorites

 

 After Looking at the pictures afterwards I noticed that this one Spelled Ohio in his beard!

This Lion Mask was my favorite thing at the event

After several hours of doing ticket sales and not enough food or proper food I wasn't feeling so hot.  So home I went to relax with some home cooked Korean food and Ponyo.

Sunday I laid low of the most part uber stressing on my letter of Intent for Grad school application and made some new colors of bubble scarves for the upcoming Crafty Supermarket!  

On the Scioto Mile

In Columbus last week this really nice new park opened up called the Scioto Mile.  Andy and I rode out bikes there to check out the opening night festivities.  It's no Bellagio but it is our own Columbus charm.  It was also a good night where I tested out our new small digital Camera and my Kodak Playsport.  We feared that since we rode our bikes and there was warning for rain that my DSLR would not be the best choice to bring on the ride.

The Park was beautiful!  It had these 4 circular rings that would either mist, spray water or even create a fog.  The ground had little water jets jumping up and down in neat rows and then there was the massive middle fountain.

 

 Here's some Video from when we first got there.

After the sun was completely set and they started the fountain show there were ton's of kids jumping into it having a great time.  I hope to go back soon with just some friends to do the same thing but as awkward 30 year old adults.

This was  photo of the Fog effect that the fountain was capable of.  It was really hard to see more then a foot in front of your face for a bit.  I'm sure some people ran into each other or wandered into the fountain unexpectedly.  

After the fountain we headed across the Main street Bridge to take some photos and check out the park coming form the other side.  I took the time to play with manual funcitions on the little Cannon Powershot S95.  First the just the photo of the city then the next two is me playing with the shutter speed and moving the camera around.  It was fun stuff, nothing I have done before but always wanted to try.  Next time I'm out with my DSLR I will have to play around more in the lights.

TiLT - Comfest Weekend Edition

1. Comfest. It is a yearly Community Festival in Columbus, Ohio.  The things I know it for are topless saggy titties with body paint, fair food, music, beer booths with tokens, booths selling craft and handmade wares amongst other weird paraphernalia and running into random friends around the park.  What is really is I'm not sure but here's a link.

 

2 .Steak and most importantly Cheese on a Stick.  These are Comfest staples.  To me there is no Comfest until I have consumed both these things, the rest of the time is just details.  I love having fair type food and not being at a normal fair.  Also the Fish boats from Queens table are Amazing......

3. Community. Just connecting with friends at the booths and catching up.  I love being a part of a rich and talented community.  There are so many different people and so many wonderful things going on, being at one of these events is a good way to catch up and see what new things are happening.  I am also able to let a lot of other people know personally what events I am involved in and how they can help our or particpate (cough Independent's day cough)

4.  Out and about.  It warms my heart to see handicapped (or handi-capable) people out and about at such a hugely crowded festival.  Even better when I see people helping them out and around.  Total stranger's being considerate and respectful, it makes such a crowed cluster a good experience for everyone.

5.  People Watching. Also spotting oddities that people do.  It's one of my favorite past times and what better place to do it then at a huge festival event.  So this Statue has a shirt on it every year, this was just the first year that I noticed it.  I found it charming.  Usually there is a little pond that we can sit by but this year it was drained and they are working on putting a new fountain in it.  Every year some idiot decides to swim in the pond full of grossness and carp.  Yes I said Carp not crap but I'm sure that was in the pond as well.

Have you been to any great festivals lately?  And what are your favorite things about them?

OTD January 4th, 2011

This is the other short set of bad Basement photos.  Also why do boyfriends enjoy failing to tell you when an outfit you are wearing makes you look boobalicious?  I had to retake this photo several times because it just looked weird and then I figured out what it was, OH it made my boobs look unusually huge.  Typically that is something Asian women do not have a problem with but with the "Chung Rage" in my family also comes the "Chung boobage".  At my cousin's wedding me and the other female cousins discussed the problem in depth, both the rage and the boobage.  Our Grandma left us with some very interesting genes.

Mock Turtle Neck - Express (back when Northland mall existed)

Babydoll shirt - Alternative Apparel (it was a STEAL on sale for $12.99)

Jeans - BDG from Urban Outfitters

Shoes- Minnetonka from Macys

Necklace - State of Ohio from Tiger Tree by Kris Nations

A closer look at the delicate necklace.

Close up of my shoes that I got for Christmas, super comfortable and warm.

From this set of photos I learned:

1. Detail shots are fun and enjoyable to look at

2. I should try to smile or do something instead of smirking in photos

3. Put some makeup on even if I didn't really wear it that day to at least make myself look awake

4. Check my hair before a photo

I should probably make a checklist and laminate it and keep it in my camera bag.

Speaking of camera bag that is one of my sewing projects I am working on.  Figuring out the pattern and how to keep my new lovely safe.  That my dears is yet another post...........

The Truth: Journals and Blogs

As odd as it sounds blogging is not the only documentation of my life.  I also have a hand written journal.  I used to do a lot of my thoughts and personal things on my xanga and my livejournal but nothing at all beats the honesty that I write into my journal.  I write just rambling thoughts of whatever is going on in my life at the moment or true ranting that no one else needs to hear.  A resolution I had made when I started this Blog was that I would not rant and become enbittered in this.  I have been doing a good job of it.   I wonder how hard it is for other bloggers to be this way and also if they have another source, outlet just like I do.  Over the years I've learned in my own way that ranting can feel good and all but who really wants to hear that or see that repeatedly?

I don't do this Blog to make a particular profit even though it would be a nice eventuality.  I do it because I love to write and share with my friends and strangers out there my thoughts, my talents, what I have learned and to me it is a continual teaching, at least with my sewing exploits.  I would without a doubt love it if I could make this like Gala Darling and Style Bubble my main source of income and receive hand outs from designers but the reality is not that.  I know the statistics, of the millions of Blogs out there how am I different?  What do I have to offer? and Why would any high end designer send something out to Columbus, Ohio?  The epitome of Midwest where the main thing we are known for is testing products and advertisements for big box stores and chains.  Perhaps that will change with our reputation of the Indie Craft Scene Growing more and more prevalent.

Here are a couple photos of my real paper journal.  I always like to take inspiration images and decorate with crazy stickers.

Pondering Validity

After today I just once again have to ponder my worth as a designer out here in the midwest.  I find it so much more difficult then Chicago or NYC not at all because of competition but more the lack of.  At least when I lived in those other cities it was a struggle in the fashion competitions that was worthwhile.  Here in the OH it feels more and more like a crap shoot.  Of all the contests I've entered I feel there is less then half the people who actually design on the same level as me.  Perhaps all my work is just too Avant -garde for this town.

I feel like I do the best when I submit things for the Gallery shows then I do for anything else.  At least there I don't feel like I need to dumb down anything or worry about the resale is.  I do well at the Craft shows but that is a lot of trickle down from what I really love to do design wise.  Also my underwear does pretty decently at Undone but once again not my main forte'.

It seriously breaks my heart a little to think that my love of fashion is one-sided with the public here.  I'm not alternative, not goth, not trendy, what in the world am I?   Somedays I feel like giving up and retreating to nothing more then my "PINK" sweat pant suits and calling it a day for getting dress.  I've less and less reasons to bother with my makeup.  Lately I'm just happy to cover up blemishes as opposed to how I used to make sure my face was the purest matte porcelain looking mask with impeccable liquid eyeliner cat eyes.

In better news I hope that my new position as the Fashion Editor for the "The Artists Interview" Newspaper will help shape and open up the eyes for this town I call home.  There is a lot of good fashion here it just needs to be strained away from the OSU Buckeye Scarlet and Grey.   I have high hopes for turning this into an ultimate creative outlet for myself and reinventing some local lives.

Things not found in NYC

Even though everyone else's fashion blogs are hyped up with all the Fashion week I am in quite the contrary here in Ohio.

Yep you read the banner! A WOOL GATHERING.

Maybe they have something similar in New York City but I can assure you it does not have the same charm and horror as an Ohio Fiber Festival does. Shearing sheep live and even letting you have a go of it! People dressed in Renaissance costumes taking the wool to card, spin and weave and also breast feeding a baby in the public eye. This event happened this past weekend. The next one in Ohio is in May at Wooster, Ohio.

But the Best part for me of course was the VENDORS!

Great goobs of colors, yarns, spinning wheels, knitting machines, computer knitting programs, drop spindles, raw wool roving, silk, alpaca, cotton, angora, hemp, bamboo and much more!

Both of these Are Angora. One is a Rabbit and the Other a sheep. I learned that Angora is a reference to the region they are from NOT a specific animal. I should of known that but alas there is too much knowledge in the world to be ascertained by just little ol' me.

The Rabbit whom I seriously considered taking home. How wonderful would it be to spin my own rabbit fur, have a companion for my Demon cat and have another loving pet in the home? Plus I can think of OODLES of combinations for long haired cat/angora rabbit and wool yarn to sell at craft fairs!

A less amused Angora Sheep

This Alpaca was just not having it. He was not spitting but he also was just wide eyed and refused to move from his central bin location where no one's arms could reach him.

My load was about 5 ounces of art dyed Roving

Top whorl drop spindle

2 skeins of worsted weight art Dyed wool yarn that is swathes of indigo and white

Hiya Hiya circular brushed steel size 9 knitting needles about 6" long

2 cones of Habu Textiles wool/steel mixed yarn for a great price!

I swear I am not turning into a Granny before your Eyes.............

Also for once in a blue moon I feel inspired and not so shy as to make a comment on other blog's. Today I touched only Galadarling and Doe-deere. I just read some things that made me want to post. I felt like sharing a little bit of myself more directly then my empty little posts in the the abyss of the internets where maybe someone is reading or maybe it is all just rambling into emptiness and pixels.

Also for those of you out there who do read me, I promise things will get infinity more fashion related in the next weeks. My wonderful Boyfriend Andy is bringing home another Digital camera and I have my work cut out for me in projects. Tomorrow I list them and maybe cry a little to myself about not enough time in a day to accomplish it all!