February 28, 2011

Home Away from Home


Welcome to my home away from home! My dorm room desk! I eat breakfast and occasionally lunch on it.  I do my homework on it.  I fold and iron clothes on it.  I even do my hair and makeup on it in the mornings.  I pile all the important things (like my paper due in class tomorrow....that I haven't started...) and the not so important things (like candy and cards from home) together in one space, so it's of course going to get really messy! Normally I don't really pay attention to the stuff on it, just whatever I'm doing on it. However, today I was feeling inspired by all of the vibrant colors: the greens, the reds, the yellows.  All of my junk kinda turned into something beautiful...until I remembered the reason I was sitting at my desk...to write a paper...a very boring paper.......



My mom is a sucker for cards, so she is always sending me them at random times.  Most of the time it's not even for a holiday.  I like to keep them because I hate throwing things away.  I pin them on the board behind my desk, so I see them all the time and think of her.  One says "Just Checking In," another says "There's a big gap," and another says "Do one thing everyday that scares you."  The last one is probably my favorite.  It can be pretty inspirational. 



Taken with Sony Cybershot. Edited in Photoshop 

Love Always, 
                         A

February 27, 2011

On a Lazy Sunday


Today is such a lazy day.  Midterms are about to start, so I'm savoring my last moments of laziness and freedom.  What do I do when I'm being lazy you ask? Well, I sit on my bed with the window halfway open so I can hear the tennis balls hitting the tennis courts below my dorm.  Right now I'm eating a poppyseed bagel with a cherry coke.  Sometimes on these lazy days, I also like to browse around on flickr.  I found these couple of pictures today, and they reminded me of my laziness...


Credit


Love Always, 
                         A

February 26, 2011

Far Away in the Sunshine


Welcome to my first lomography post!! Yay!! All the pictures were taken with my Diana F+ one warm day in November.  These are from my first roll of film, so they're not that great or that creative, but I'm about to get my 2nd and 3rd rolls back so hopefully those will be better (but I doubt it...).


This was on Saturday in November when the leaves were just starting to fall.  I dragged my boyfriend to take pictures with me because for some reason I always feel a lot less awkward when I'm taking pictures with someone else.  At my school, there are different gardens scattered around, so we decided to go exploring.  I got a mini Moleskine notebook to write down the specifics of each picture so I wouldn't forget the settings I used.  That kinda went out the window on my most recent rolls of film. I just get into taking the pictures that I forget to write the settings down.  


Gotta love red Keds.



Why am I so awkward?!?

I tried doing a long exposure shot at night of some cars driving by.  I didn't have a tripod with me so the shot didn't turn out the way I wanted it to, but it still looks pretty cool. 

Love Always, 
                         A

February 24, 2011

Silver and Gold



I got my nails done for the first time yesterday!! I went with some of my friends, and it was actually a lot of fun.  I'm not normally one who likes to be pampered, but occasionally I guess it's ok.  I got OPI Glitzerland.


 I have a new fancy!  It's an iPhone app called Retro Camera Plus (it's FREE).  Basically, you pick from different types of cameras depending on how you want your picture to look.  There are actually a couple of apps that make different types of lomography.  I used one called Instagram for the above picture.  I also like LomoLomo.  If you have an iPhone, I would definitely check these out.  I've taken so many random pictures using different effects.  It gets addicting after a while!


Love Always, 
                         A

February 22, 2011

To the End of the Earth!


I am so incredibly jealous!! My grandparents are on a 3 month cruise around South America and along the way they get to visit ANTARCTICA!  They left in January, and to keep the family posted on what they're doing, my grandfather is keeping a blog.  Who said old people can't be bloggers too?? These are some of my favorite pictures of their trip so far.  These first couple of pictures are of the Amazon River.  


These next 2 are Iguazu Falls.  I remember learning about this in my high school Spanish classes.  It's somewhere in Argentina, I think.  I can't get over that my GRANDPARENTS are on this amazing adventure, and I'm stuck here at boring school.  Why do they get to have all the fun?!?....I'm sorry.  Enough complaining.  



The next few are ANTARCTICA.  When I was little, I used to think no one was allowed to go to Antarctica.  I don't really remember why I thought that....maybe because I thought everyone who went there died.  Regardless, Antarctica was a place for polar bears and penguins.  Now, its crazy to think people live there (notice the little red houses?).  




This is Cape Horn.  I don't think I've seen a more beautiful landscape.  The blue skies, the ocean, the ice and snow, the huge mountains, and the patches of green make it seem very surreal.  

Even though I'm sure my grandparents are having a blast, I miss them a lot and can't wait for them to get home!!



Love Always, 
                         A

PS: Might I add that this is the 2nd post of the day.  Who's on top of things? ME!

It's Like a Concert Tour

A Million Little Pictures: Photomobile



I stumbled upon these projects the other day and fell in love with the idea.  The Sketchbook Project and A Million Little Pictures are put on by the Brooklyn Art Library in NY.  Basically, for the Sketchbook Project, you get a sketchbook and can use it however you want (draw, paint, cut, or fold it) then you send it back and they put it in art exhibits around the country.  The same goes for A Million Little Pictures except you get a disposable camera instead of a sketchbook.  The Sketchbook Project sign up date has already passed, but the A Million Little Pictures HAS NOT!  You have until March 31st to sign up for a disposable camera.  You have about 4 months to fill up the camera. I was thinking about doing it... What do you think? Would you sign up? 

The Sketchbook Project: 2011


By the way, if you're close to any of the cities on the map, exhibits of the sketchbooks will be on display during their tour which started this February and is going until July.  I would love to see what all the artists did with their sketchbooks.  Some of them look absolutely amazing.  

The Sketchbook Project: 2011


Check them out and see if you would want to sign up:


Love Always, 
                         A

February 19, 2011

"P.S I made this...."



One of my friends showed me this amazing blog the other day, so I thought I would share.  It's called P.S. I Made This...  There's even a book!  "I see it . I like it. I make it." is the motto of her movement: "reimagine, reuse, and reinvent."  She takes trends from the runway and other fashion inspirations and shows how to make the same sort of look at home with everyday items lying around your house.  She basically makes everything from accessories like earrings and necklaces to home improvement projects like chandlers.  I really want to try one of her projects, but I just can't decide which one! What would you choose....?









Love Always,
                        A


February 16, 2011

Knowledge is Free at the Library


Today is absolutely gorgeous.  Blue sky, 60 degree weather, birds chirping, dogs barking.  But where do I find myself? In the library. The cold, dark, boring library.  Yes I am stuck here because I have a HUGE psychology test in a couple of days, and I'm pretty behind on my studying.  I guess I deserve it since I haven't really been working all that much prior to today. STILL!   



During one of my many breaks today, I took these pictures with my phone (not bad right?).  Then during another break (when I wasn't checking Facebook), I edited them in Photoshop.  Yes, I have a horrible attention span.




I'm going to take a break soon, get some coffee, and take a walk to let my brain relax for a bit instead of getting distracted on my computer. 


Love Always, 
                        A

February 15, 2011

Love Somebody #2



Because we were both incredibly busy yesterday, my boyfriend and I didn't get to celebrate on time, so we made today our very own Valentine's Day! He was so sweet too.  This morning he gave me a single rose and my favorite truffles.  Later, he brought me these ADORABLE cupcakes from a local bakery.  I've almost eaten half the box.  They are just SO good. There is a vanilla cupcake with vanilla icing, a chocolate cupcake with caramel icing, and a chocolate cupcake with chocolate icing on top and vanilla icing inside.  Yum! And if that wasn't enough, he took me out to dinner but didn't tell me where we were going.  Today was just so full of surprises! Too bad Valentine's Day is only once a year. 









Taken with Sony Cybershot and edited in Photoshop


Love Always, 
                        A

February 13, 2011

Love Somebody

Happy Valentine's Day


Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I hope you all have someone special to share it with! I know I do.  My favorite part of Valentine's Day is not the chocolate or the flowers but the Conversation Hearts.  They are sooooooo good! I love how all the stores have them long after Valentine's Day.  I always stock up because I can only have them once a year, so I like to savor the moment.  I thought these pictures would be the perfect contribution to my love for them.  


Valentines

Credit 



 Credit


Love Always,
                        A

February 8, 2011

Sweet Springtime

quilt: explored

The wind has been blowing nonstop for a couple days now, and I'm getting rather annoyed.  I normally leave my hair down when I go to class because I'm lazy and don't really care at 10 am, but lately I've had to put it up because the wind whirls it around and shoves it in my face and mouth and then I can't see where I'm going.  I kept having to brush it out of my face constantly which is just a pain.  I can't wait for spring to come so it'll be warm outside and I can let my hair down again.


I found these pictures on flickr taken by a 15 year old (!).  The color and tones of her pictures just made me think of springtime when the sun is out and its warm all the time.  Spring could not get here sooner. 

hair

braid: explored

I have no idea why, but I've always loved pictures of hair.  I guess it's because I wish my hair could be that gorgeous. The girls' hair in the pictures are so natural and messy, but somehow still so pretty.  I envy them.

blondes

This is more of a fall picture, but I loved the colors, her outfit, the bike, and the scene so much I just had to share.  Also, notice the leak? It adds so much to the rustic feel of the photo.  I wish I was this talented.  I'll soon be posting some of my own shots taken with my Diana F+. Get excited! 

leak
Credit

Love Always, 
                    A