You had me at Halo [4]

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

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[That's my pretty little Spartan. Isn't she adorable?]

I finally got through Halo 4... months after it came out. I've been playing consistently... I just got distracted by Spartan Ops. Very distracted.

I see the Halo series as a staple of video game culture, and for good reason. The story lines are intriguing, flirting with the concepts of religion, humanity's future, and if you have an imagination like mine, romance. The main character is powerful enough to make him a blast to play (come on, who doesn't love jumping as master chief?), while maintaining basic human flaws. The enemies are varied enough to give you a challenge, but simple enough that you can be thrown into a level and complete it without throwing your controller through the tv.

To sum up how I feel about this game in just one sentence: I love Halo 4. A lot of people were initially put off by the whole 343 thing, but I thought they did a great job. It was refreshing to have a different enemies, which provided a new puzzle in learning how they worked, and what was the best way to kill them (watchers first, yeah?). As I mentioned before, though, Spartan Ops is hands down my favorite part. It's a side story where you get to play as a team that goes on little missions. It's great for people like me who don't like matchmaking, but don't always have the patience to make it through a whole campaign. You get points for all of the ops you complete, and points lead to levels, which leads to unlocking new items for load outs... and armor. So basically, yes, sometimes this is all an elaborate way to let me play dress up. And what makes it more awesome is that my character in spartan ops is a girl, and not just a guy with pink armor.

Visually, this game is beautiful. There are bunches of pretty plants, dazzling landscapes, beautiful skies,  and shiny buildings. I'm a huge fan of vivid colors in techno-ish landscapes, so I love everything forerunner. The game dives more into Cortana's storyline,  which I'm totally cool with. I've always been intrigued by the relationship between Cortana and Master Chief. Come to think of it, it might be why I wanted to play the games in the first place. The ending is a bit of a downer, but I'm expecting big things to come. You hear me, 343?

I sifted through the ridiculous amount of Halo products to link you the ones that I really loved. But before you trudge through this list, maybe you should mix yourself a Master Chief or Cortana drink.

Got your drink? Good. First off, etsy finds.



Up next, gear. Maybe you can't be a Spartan, but you can still wear awesome Spartan-y clothes.
This shirt is based off of Emile's (from Reach) helmet decal, and this shirt has a UNSC logo on front, and can be personalized to say your gamertag on the back. This shirt has the basic UNSC logo on it, which I think is totally cool. Also, this hoodie.

I couldn't find a hoodie to make you look like Cortana (which makes me super sad) but I did find some AMAZING female cosplays of her.  I also found some crazy awesome female Spartan cosplays, such as this one. As good as it is, though, it just doesn't measure up to my two favorite Halo finds... which are the most inspiring cosplay... ever. I think I need to build myself some armor.

see the creation - [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]



And if none of that stuff is cool enough for you, how about a real, working warthog?

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shoes, anyone?

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

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These are the shoes I wear every day. They are sooooo ridiculously comfortable. They've formed to the shape of my foot perfectly, and the laces are tied just loose enough that I can slide them onto my feet without any trouble. But I've worn through the plastic on the heel. And they make me look like a high school boy from the 00's.

So I'm on a quest for new shoes. A pair that I can put on every day and feel like an actual adult, instead of a teenager pretending (although, who am I kidding? I think I'll always feel a little bit like that). They need to be practical and mature, but still colorful and quirky. Arranged by price, here are a few of my favorites I picked out while window shopping. Okay, by a few I might mean about 25. I might have gotten carried away. I might be okay with that.










So, there's my list. I've been gazing at those boots from Free People (21) for months. Which are your favorite?
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insta-sketches

Friday, January 25, 2013

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Or some other creative phrase.

Halo, my Grandpas birthday cake, our local theater, found treasures, Odin, and pretty Warcraft landscape.


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ten things

Thursday, January 24, 2013

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I know I show stuff from Black Milk from like every other post. But I seriously love them. And these new releases are LotR themed so... yeah. Gimme.

These knitted yoga ball covers.
I want one for my house so bad.

This is easily the cutest blog I've ever seen. Can I have her hair, please?

A lace hoodie DIY from A Beautiful Mess. Classy laziness is a trend I can completely support.

This scarf is super cute, and it looks really easy to make.

I love everything about this picture. But maybe it's just cause I'm attracted to the tardis-ish background or maybe it's the highlighter yellow skirt and chunky necklace.
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WIP Wednesday

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

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Worked on lining the falling piece. That was fun... and scary. Ink such a permanent thing... I'm trying to decide if I also want to do a little shading with it as well, or just do it all in watercolor pencil. Right now the watercolor pencil is winning.

I have also been trying to keep up with my sketch a day project. But some days i am just too busy (Yay adulthood?), so I've been trying to double up on sketches on days that I can... oh geez. I'll update you with those pics uuuum... lets say Friday. :]
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we love underpants!

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

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Last September me and my co-workers feeling a bit... spacey. We had just finished a exhausting summer reading program, and we were ready for a simple theme with some crazy fun activities. So we decided to follow our gut and have a spacey month. We decorated with floating stars (fishing line again!), drank a lot of tang, and read some out of this world books (groaaaan). But my favorite story (by about 2,538,000 light years) was Aliens Love Underpants by Claire Freedman.

Everyone loves aliens, and everyone loves underpants. However, we've read this story lots of times, so we wanted a way to make it more fun. We decided that underwear was the way to go. And not just any underwear. Underwear that could be whatever color, design, or type you wanted. That's right. We let the kids design their own underwear. I drew up some almost life size coloring sheets, then we printed them off and let the kids go to town.

We got some really great underpants. One every talented boy even drew some zombie pants, and another had some awesome stripes. I, of course, had to color some Spiderman briefs.
After the storyhour we had some extra coloring sheets, so I left them out on a table so the public could contribute. By the end of the week, all of the coloring sheets were gone, and we had a bunch of new pairs of underwear to hang up next to the others. (I'll let you in on a secret... I think the adults enjoyed coloring just as much as the kids.)


And because I know you're jealous, here are some underpants to print out and color whatever way you want!


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look... walls and floors!

Monday, January 21, 2013

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House tour! I'm going to warn you right now... this isn't the prettiest house at the moment. There are lots of things to do before it's even ready to live in. But I am so ready for the challenge.


This first picture is the main room. The floors are going to have to be covered up, and it needs new trim, and a few coats of paint. It's got a lot of potential, and two absolutely beautiful windows.



This VERY blue room is going to be my bedroom... I think. Right now it's got dark, dirty carpet and dark, dirty paint so it's hard to picture. When I get everything painted, and the carpet out, maybe it'll be a different story. For this room I'm thinking white, with a colorful accent wall (which I've got all planned out, thanks to help from a friend). 


This next room is very bright, and I'm really tempted to put a bookcase in front of that door. Secret passage? Yes, please.


And this is the upstairs, which is going to be my studio eventually. It's got more windows than the rest of the house combined, I swear. But right now it is just a recently vacated squirrel nest... yeah.

No pictures of the kitchen or bathroom because... well the bathroom is gross, and the kitchen is really dark. And weird. Seriously, the weirdest kitchen ever. It's split into two rooms, and the bathroom is in the middle of it...


A close up of the floors, and a wonderful doorknob. Sadly, it's the only one like that. Also, the stairs are  leading up to my art studio, so I'm pretty sure they need to be painted bright and colorful. Right?


The basement might be my favorite part of the house. I have to admit, it's kinda creepy, with the whole locking from the outside, hand prints on the walls, and the words "help" and "murder" written on the ceilings. Though, the whole spooky effect is kinda taken away when you realize the ominous words are all painted in powder blue paint... Me and my boyfriend have a theory that it used to be the practice space for a teenage metal band. Whoever it was, they painted all over the walls and ceiling, and they were pretty talented. There's no way I'm painting over it til I have to sell it... it adds far too much character.

So that's it! I know I didn't show you everything, but I think I covered most of the important parts. Is there anything you like? Anything you'd do to make this the coolest house ever?

Any... zombie proofing ideas?
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looks like I'm gonna have to buy some paint...

Saturday, January 19, 2013

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Soooo... I've been slightly hinting at a surprise, and this is the big reveal... (drum roll...)

 I've officially got a home! For me! To live in! All by myself! :]

I don't have any pictures of the inside because I haven't been able to get into the house when it was bright enough to take any. Tomorrow I plan to stop by again, take some pictures, and maybe sit in the window seat and plan a little. (Yay, window seat!)
Its a confusing amount of explaining as far as the whole ownership thing goes, so I'll just summarize by saying I've got the key, and now its time to do some work. Okay, a looooot of  work. This is one of those houses that is structurally sound, but beautiful it is not. We're talking re-doing floors, re-painting... and maybe one day remodeling. Because who wants to live with their bathroom in the middle of the kitchen? Yeah, you read that right.

But for now, I'm just content with having my very own space, to decorate my very own way. Also, a space where I don't have to feel incredibly guilty every time Odin destroys something, which is his absolute favorite passtime.



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ten things...

Thursday, January 17, 2013

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Another just links post. Sometimes it just doesn't work the way you want it to, right? I've been too busy dreaming about other upcoming posts... so that's good!

These hoodie designs have me floored. The creator draws inspiration from comics and video games, and then designs epic, modern, and totally wearable hooides. Now if only I could afford one...

Giacometti is one of my favorite artists (which is why I named my WoW character after him) so when I found this art project for kids based off his work, I knew I would have to incorporate it into my art lessons in the furture.

This idea for a blank wall. I'm super into it. What would I write, if i had the chance?

The tattoos featured on this tumblr are amazing. Often times both graphic and organic, they truly turn skin into a unique work of art. This one is my favorite. Or this one.

This etsy shop has neutral napkins that are hemmed with vibrant neon thread. It fits right in with my love of almost anything that has a pop of color.

This dress looks comfy but subtly elegant. I could see myself wearing it in Rome or something.

I can't get this song out of my head.

This is the most amazing and unique and bad ass hair dryer to ever exist. Almost worth the insane price. Almost.

This house's decorating scheme is just what I want whenever I move. Eclectic and colorful and wonderful.

I love this idea, and I can't wait to have kids so I can do stuff like that!

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my 365 project

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

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Elise from A Beautiful Mess recently wrote about her new 365 project, and how some of the projects she's done before have changed her life. I've heard the same thoughts about projects like that before, so I've decided to tackle one.

Seeing that one of my resolutions this year is to do more art, I've decided that I need to sketch way more than I have been. Not want, need. I've described sketching as taking a deep breath before... it's relaxing, it opens my mind.

So my goal is to draw every day. It doesn't have to be anything complicated, and it doesn't have to be finished... ever. The aim of this project is to get my creative juices flowing, to force myself to sit down with a paper and pencil. To make art a part of my daily life again.


I've been doing well so far, I've just got to keep the momentum going. So I propose a toast. Here's to way more graphite covered hands, doodle-covered napkins, and characters that eventually take on a life of their own. :]


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last week...

Monday, January 14, 2013

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(Aren't those two on the top left just the cutest?)

Last week was really busy. I read a bit, worked a lot, and spent a LOT of time in a town that wasn't within practical driving distance. (yay Anime Zap and roller derby) But I had a lot of fun, and that's what matters, right? :]

I read Divergent by Veronica Roth. Loved it. It was kinda like a cross between the Uglies series (Scott Westerfeild) and the Hunger Games series (Suzanne Collins). Two thoughts about it? The main character was a bit more believable than Katniss, and the author isn't afraid to kill people. Very good.
And I listened to V is for Villains. They're not a band I could listen to on a regular basis, but they do what they do really well. The music sounds like it could be my life soundtrack... if I regularly set cars on fire, then walked away as they exploded. Yeah, it's that epic.

Hum... a water gun could be a viable tool against zombies... if you could fill it with something distracting, dontcha think? :]
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ten things

Sunday, January 13, 2013

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I guess you should know that I'm kinda addicted to weird leggings. So when I found this site, I got excited. I mean... really. Excited.

I've been looking at rooms for inspiration. This one is adorable.

I had an exhausting day last weekend, but my mood brightened considerably when we found some skeeball. It's like a comfort game. So I wish I could buy this. But if that can't happen, maybe I can just make one...

The blogger behind designlovefest instagramed a picture of a light the other day, and I've kinda decided I want one. By kinda I mean... I really want one.


This artist's work would look great in a framed wall collage.

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WIP Wednesday

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

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New thing! I'll be showing you pictures of the art I'm working on currently   Hopefully I'll do this bi-monthly, but we'll see how that works.

This piece is called falling... so far at least. These are just the sketching. Coloring is still happening... eventually.



Any critiques, comments? Don't be shy! :]
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a magical holiday program

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This year it was requested that we have a Harry Potter party. I thought I'd never get to plan another one after the release of the final movie, so I was delighted to say yes. At our library we've done all sorts of things with a Harry Potter theme. Our main event room has been the Gryffindor common room, the Great Hall (twice), and at one of our more ambitious events it was no less than five classrooms at once.

We decided to go simple with this program's activities, but we still wanted to have magical decorations. One of the prettiest rooms in Hogwarts in the winter is without a doubt the  great hall, so that's what we attempted to recreate. Let me tell you...fishing line is a muggle's best friend. We were able to suspend paper candles and the four house flags above our house tables, and in the right light, even I could believe they were floating.  We also painted some blue tablecloths to look like snowy skies, then hung them on the ceiling with sticky tack. We have a variety of Harry Potter themed decorations for past events, so we scattered those around the room.


The food was all just Christmas candy we got on sale. We tried to get treats that looked whimsical or were something that would be new to the kids. Or if it was something they were used to, we tried to serve it a different way (like the cloud tower, or the circus peanuts fancy sword appetizers.)


As for the actual event, we let the kids choose their own house after explaining the virtues of each and reading the sorting cap's song from the first book. Their choice was signified by a tie that we has printed and cut out, which was attached to the neck of their shirt by a paper clip.

After the participants were sorted, we told them they could open their "crackers." All of the crackers we found online were quite expensive, so we just wrapped up a toy, a tissue paper hat (homemade), and some shiny "magic" with wrapping paper, tootsie roll style. We explained what crackers were, and told them to have a friend help them open them. It was so colorful after they all put their hats on!


We let them gorge on sweets ("Tuck in!") While we read some stories from Tales of Beetle the Bard (by J. K. Rowling). Then we played Harry Potter Scene It, which was a big hit. When they were done eating, we went on a horcrux hunt, with objects we had hid around the room.


We finished the day off with the Hogwarts school song. The staff had to sing very loudly to get the others into the spirit, but by the second time around everyone was laughing and singing along.

Final verdict? Huge success. We had quite a few families come, and some new people who really got into everything. Both kids and adults were shouting out answers to the trivia, and everyone left extremely sugared up, but smiling.
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i resolve...

Friday, January 4, 2013

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1. Get fit. This has always been a goal for me, but this year I want to take it seriously. I really started to appreciate running last year, and  I would like to do the color run again... except it would be great to run the entire thing. I think I`m going to sign up for an August run, so we'll see!

2. Art more. Art, as a verb, means the creation of anything you want. Well... to me at least. I'm including crafts, drawing, painting, design... I've got an art degree, I think I should use it.

3. Throw parties. I am constantly dreaming up party ideas. This year i would like to take those ideas and use them for real life. I don't have a lot of friends who are the themed dinner party type, but maybe I can change their minds. Though with most of them you say the words "free food" and they'll be there. :]

4. Blog more. Self explanatory on here, right? Last year I got way better at consistency. This year i want to up the amount of original content. I've got a few idea for regular features, and I've got some exciting new stuff planned, too.

5. Decorate my space. I've been collecting inspiration and some small decor items... but now time to get organized and really define what my personal decor style is. I cant wait to have a space that's just for me.

So that's my resolutions for 2013. Bring. It. On. :]
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ten things...

Thursday, January 3, 2013

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In this sister style post on A Beautiful Mess they talk about why they love the library. I always feel all fuzzy inside when I find someone that still appreciates libraries.

I love the concept behind this USB loop. I am always leaving my USB at home, and this could be a cute but practical solution.

I love this cat scratch board tutorial! My cat (and my couch) would thank me.

Black fish are so pretty. This photo from pinterest makes me want a black goldfish. (I think that one's a beta... but I love the buggy eyes of goldfish. Haha!)

This tutorial for making a normal wall look like a brick wall might come in handy soon!

That's it for today. What have you been into this week?
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sketchy outfit twenty-two: New Years Eve

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

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I wore this:


I listened to this:

I ate this:
Totally spent way too much time making the cupcakes, but they came out so pretty! 
They were champaign cupcakes with champaign icing dipped in black sugar, with spun sugar as a garnish.  Very intense. Very yummy.

and I played this:

It was a good night. :]


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memories of 2012

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

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Part of the reason I started blogging was to have a space to catalog all of my experiences.  I'm a horribly forgetful person, so it's nice to have a place where I can scroll through my life and remind myself of the exciting things I did that year. Right now I'm taking a moment to reflect on what an amazing 2012 I had, so I thought I'd share my favorite posts with you. :]

In January I gave a old clutch a cute new update. I use it as my make-up bag now, because just looking at it makes me feel glamorous.


In June I switched my blog over to blogger, and I revamped everything. It made a big difference in the frequency of my posts. I went from average one post a month to at least one a week!


I loved the our library's Hunger Game's event, so of course the two posts talking about that go on my favorites list. (Do you have what it takes to be a tribute? and Let the Games begin!)

June was also the month I started my ten things series. I love curating those posts. :]





In September I made this colorblock neon side table. I'm still smitten with it. It perfectly fits my aesthetic personality at the moment. 



In October I was really busy with life stuff, but I did manage to post some pictures that remind me of how exciting of a month it was. I got to go to a librarian convention (which is a LOT more fun than it sounds haha) and another awesome concert.

In November I finally got around to posting about our library's video game tournament series. Even though it was not as popular as I would have liked, I still mark it off as a BIG goal that I completed. I mean... 4 big tournaments over half a year? That's a lot of work! :]


In December I actually had a lot of posts that I liked, including my print wish list (as an update, my wonderful boyfriend bought me the Pepper Project book, and we learned how long it takes to ship something from Singapore. Doh!) and my dream Christmas tree. I also finished my masters class (got the best grade I've gotten in any class since I left high school), and got really excited when ... well that's a surprise I can't give away yet. :]

So... looking back, yeah. I'd say last year was a success. I did a lot of things that I'll be able to look back on as some of the best experiences of my life. This year is going to be just as good though, so stay tuned!
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