my vice

i don't know why, but i am addicted to looking at wedding invitations.

i am nowhere near getting married, nor do i run an invitation business. but finding websites like this make me want to start one! i absolutely cannot help myself. it could be my sister-in-law's obsession with stationary. but it could also just be my desire to look at pretty things. let me just say, there are some fugly invitations out there. and let me follow that up with, "don't be that guy!"

here is my advice, as an aesthetic snob:

-the simpler, the better
-earthy/muted colors only, do not go bright, you will damage eyes
-be reasonable with size, nobody likes getting a 6 by 6 inch square with someone else's name on it
-stick with one-two fonts, if you don't, people with start thinking they're dyslexic.
--fonts: not too loopy, make it legible
-put your parent's[or whoever raised you] name on there okay? they deserve some sort of recognition.
-be classy, do the double envelope.

nuff sed.

what the hey!?

opened my mission call tonight. get the whole story here, she writes better than i do. i'm calling the church office building in the morning to see whatsup. i'll be sure to keep everything updated. basics are as such: i thought i was going to cleveland ohio, then i realized i was actually going to new jersey. now i'm trying to figure out what language i'm speaking... CRAZYTOWN, USA! i leave february 11, 2009. its gonna rock. i am out of my mind excited.

may he rest in peace

though i did not know him well, sam fogleman was an intricate part of my elementary school life. and became more so in high school when i became friends with his sister shayna. Sam had a degenerative muscle disease and passed away this week. my heart and prayers are with the fogleman family and especially with shayna for the difficulty of what may come. i love you forever, shayna. sam will not be forgotten.

as i said...

as promised. the pics of the bronze casting. just so you are aware, bronze is liquid at about 2500 degrees. it was blazing!!!

lifting the bronze out of the kiln. setting it down in order to pick it up with the other tools.

locking it in place. making sure we don't kill anyone by spilling yellow hot bronze on them.


actually pouring the bronze. i had the stable end, brian did the aiming. thank heavens.


finished sprews with cooling bronze. they should be ready in a couple hours or so.
note the boots, chaps, jacket, mittens and face shield mentioned in prior post.

fambly times

i was looking at pictures on my hard-drive and found these. some old trout lake pics that are pretty great. a good one of brad and liza [pre-liam].
is this not classic jojo[sitting on my lap]?! how great is that? and abby[far right with little H on her lap] is just sorta funny with her little chubby face.

and i like playing with my cousins. H and i had a good time playing airplane.
note: these pictures are about 4 years old. crazy town.

every girl likes a wink

so, at work today...
this guy came in and bought a bunch of paper. seemed to be stocking up. he said he was traveling and needed a box. so i offered the boxes we get our shipments in. they are massive. anyway, i took him and his friend back to take a look at them. they seemed pretty excited about the box and they decided to take it. i, trying to be nice, turned and gave them the box, the one buying the paper then turned and WINKED at me! SWOON! getting a wink is maybe the highlight of anyone's day. thank you ridiculously handsome artist man for winking at me today. i needed it.
ps- i was maybe a little starry eyed afterwards. just ask brittney...

my fave

i knew i liked this movie before. but i recently re-watched "run lola run" for my international cinema class. it is truly an amazing film. i love it. and this picture of franke potente just happens to be on my ic button. officially an ic addict everyone. don't love it til you try it.

ps- german is surprisingly easy to understand.

i am awesome.

we did bronze casting in my sculpture fundamentals class. i volunteered on the first day to help "pour". whatever that meant. on thursday he told us if i screw up, people die. yeah. so, i got all dressed up yesterday in my welding jacket, thermal jacket, thermal chaps, brian draper's old leather boots[one size too big] and tied my hair back with angela's extra hair-tie[shout out to you angela]. i then put on my face shield, and big leather mittens. with brian's help, lifted the liquid hot bronze out of the kiln, and we poured it into the sprews* everyone made for their pieces. needless to say, i have the COOLEST major on the planet! i love my classes.


*for those of you unfamiliar with casting, you create your piece out of wax, then you attach it to a "sprew" in which there is a cup and ventilation system so you can actually pour the bronze in. you then cover all the wax up with "slurry" and roll it in sand. repeat multiple times. then you melt out the wax and paper cup in another kiln, and you're ready to pour. oh jargon.

as it were

i'm in the market for a new template. i like colors. but i don't want any stupid graphics. i want to make my own and put em on there myself. help!

The [Big] Reach

so, this is already on the top of my little list of links. but people, seriously. you have an obligation to the world to check this out. we are growing so fast. 1023 in the mail, upcoming official tax form saying we are a non-profit. go to thebigreach.org and help us out. 3 bucks per net guys. nothin. help us save some kids in uganda. it will make you feel better. if you know people, want to donate, or just want to get involved, get in touch. my excitement for The Big Reach is just under my control. tell your friends, tell your enemies. WE ARE HERE!

did i tell you i talked to a real life GURU?!

yep. saw an indian drum concert on saturday night. AND i loved it. AND i talked to him after. AND it was awesome. AND they're famous in India. AND his daughter had the coolest bracelet ever[featured behind him in the first of the triptic].

made my life.

fall oh eight

art history 202
english 311
sculpture 217
ceramics 359
religion C 393
religion C 130
art seminar 395
international cinema 215

YESSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!
life is good.

new design

my recent lack of blog contribution is atrocious. abb, damon and i went to SLO[san luis obispo] today and pismo beach. pics are a comin'. as soon as i get back to p-town. things are going to be different.

cardboard boxes

moving. yuck.

nicknames

my dear sis-in-law and i were goog chatting this morning. nicknames became the topic of discussion. here are the faves:

madeline-
madelones pantalones[pantalones for short]
mad-dog
maddy
mad-woman
mads
madelini
mademoyzl[phonetic of modemoiselle]
maderine

kathryn mcneil-
katie
k-k-k-katie
katie j
kate
snates

julie-
jules
jooge
jujugee[counter part of tortati-the sister]

lauren-
lorena
rauren
lori[with a hispanic accent]

cameron-
cam
cameronay

abby-
abb
abbs
abby-dabby doo

jed-
jeddy
mack
dred
papa
dad

daniel-
dan
dan the man
poopy face

laurel-
ada-B
lalo
daado
mama

overall a good list. of course i could think of the most for myself. i'm the one who hears them.

ps- i don't actually ever call daniel poopy face. i wish i did though...