merry christmas!

happy holidays from my family to you! (yes christmas has already passed but i really need to brush off the dust off this blog!)

x

a little bit of sunshine amidst the stress clouds

it’s the last day of finals week. can’t wait for it to be over. i wrote an earlier post feeling so burnt out about everything but for some reason, i felt like it was JUST beginning tonight. in less than 24 hours, i’ll be released from the wrath-like grip of my textbooks and study guides! woopwoop.

but anyways, this week has been really really really blessed. i think it was tuesday morning, while checking gmail i realized i got an email from the Tyler, the art director from the Culver Center in downtown rside. turns out, i was one of the selected 5 artists (undergrads + grads were allowed to submit artworks to be displayed in the Chancellor’s house…I submitted one of my 2009 paintings about two months ago) chosen by the Chancellor himself & his wife to have our pieces put up for display! apparently people from around the state will see the installations. basically, some paintings have been sold in the past but that is not a guarantee. & for some reason, the insurance value for my painting (determined by size) had been set at $300…..

the unlucky part of it all was that i left my painting at home….thinking i wouldn’t hear from them for a while. i called my parents telling them the good news and explained to them the fear about not being able to take up the offer because my painting was an hour away from school (& i don’t have a car here). but God sure does some amazing things. i think my parents were really proud of this opportunity and my dad offered to drop off the painting (he came at 9pm!). i love him so much<3 regardless of what he did for me that night, i still love him with every bit of my heart<3

i still can’t believe that happened. dropping it off at the culver center (and my little bike ride adventure downtown…..) felt amazing.

i don’t know if we will be allowed to view the paintings (because most functions at the Chancellor’s house are private) but i’m so so grateful for this opportunity. the paintings will be up until the end of the school year….so two quarters!

Rejoicing, always. “The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” Exodus 15:2

Versace x H&M Collection

Was catching up on my fashion news and came across the Versace x H&M Collection sold in approx. 300 stores across worldwide on November 19! These are my favorites from the women's lookbook. Enjoy!

As you can tell, I love love LOVE black. It's simple, classy, and can be dressed up with different textures instead of worrying about color-clashing. Excited for this to be released in stores!

Know how to distinguish between a man who flatters you, and a man who compliments you.
A man who spends money on you, and a man who invests in you,
A man who views you as property, and a man who views you properly.
A man who lusts after you, and a man who loves you.
A man who believes he is "God's Gift to Women", and a man who remembers a woman was God's gift to man.

Not sure where this quote is from, but it's definitely a great reminder.

A verse from Isaiah that really spoke to me today as I'm beginning to finally try daily devotionals.

“Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made a road in the depths of the sea so that the redeemed might cross over?”

God really speaks wonders and lately during my quiet time before sleeping, I've been scanning through my Bible for interesting little blurbs but I made the mistake of not looking through my "Breaking Free: Day by Day" by Beth Moore book that is currently sitting atop my desk. She begins September 21 asking the reader the question, "Have you felt like the waves of the sea were pounding against you, and you were drowning in a relentless tide?" and that immediately made me try to think of a connection to my talk with Robb tonight, about how we can all feel so overwhelmed with the expectations, hopes, dreams, reality, disappointments...that are all being thrown at us daily. Can we handle it? No, not by ourselves. Robb said that it always seems "unmanageable" when you think about handling the pressure by yourself, but the perspective is different on the opposite side. When a friend (trusting that this a good friend) hears about your problems, they are able to give advice because their perspective is so much more open. I thought about it and after talking to my roommate and him tonight, I realized that it is so important to share what you're going through with others. Whether it may be troubles or any sort of mentally draining thing bothering you, there will ALWAYS be a shoulder for you. God is the one shoulder that will never, ever leave you and thinking about that reminded me that I shouldn't just expect Him to make events happen just so that I can praise him but I should endlessly TRUST that He is by my side, and has been from the beginning to the end. So, let God know what you're going through...after all, He's the one that has allowed everything to happen for a reason.

tnt!

jess

joe brooks

Heard of Joe Brooks? UK born and raised and only 24 (!), this boy's sweet voice has pretty much tugged my heartstrings. He might just have the voice of John Mayer with the melodies of Colbie Caillat and Jason Mraz mixed with an amazing acoustic talent. And trust me, anyone in the acoustic genre is automatically given a little eyebrow nod in my book! I fell in love with the song "Superman" after hearing just a few lines off of my friend's Shuffle and it was just one of those perfect moments when the lyrics applied to the current situation. Did my research as soon as I got home and even though I'm only just listening to the rest of his album titled, "Constellation Me"... I have yet to find a song I don't like!

I know Myspace is pretty old school but check out his album here and let me know what you think!

On a side note, I'm currently packing up again for my second year of college! Excited to be finally living in an apartment with friends and I am seriously planning on hitting up UO, Anthropologie, Target...oh you name it! Perhaps I'll scan some inspiration photos to share with some ideas for my new room for the year.... :)

tnt! (till next time),

jess

so here i am,

sitting at this table top of a kitchen, trying to FINALLY start a blog that i'll stick with. i have been looking for a place to spill my thoughts, emotions, photos, creations....you name it without having to worry about what effect it was going to have on my reputation. or whatever reputation i may have (not that it matters). so, this blog is all me. in its entirety and frailness of the person i am, of the person i want and dream to be and the person i can't get away from being.

here's a lonesome toast to the success of this blog. success meaning how dedicated i will be towards it, instead of dragging on and on and on on Tumblr while reblogging things that are not really original to myself.

so, to anyone who could possibly be reading this...thanks. please keep following me? keep me sane? leave a little blurb on any entry here and i'll really appreciate it. it's not needed but what the hey, doesn't hurt to make some friends here and there does it?

fashion illustration - art 9 facebook project

alexandre herchcovitch, spring 2011 rtw

alice + olivia, fall 2011 rtw

ariel, the little mermaid

badgley mischka, fall 2011 rtw

totoro in prabal gurung, fall 2011 rtw

Series of fashion illustrations heavily inspired by Fifi Lapin, whom I have adored since her collaboration with LeSportsac way back in spring/summer 2009. These five were used for my Intro to Web-Based Art design class last fall. (: Thanks for stopping by!

tnt! (till next time),

jess