I REMEMBER: THE INTIMIDATOR

Taken Summer '10

"I remember" is a photo series I started to look back at old photographs I've taken throughout the years. I've been feeling bittersweet about moving on to the next chapter in my life and I'd like to relive some of my favorite moments. Won't you come along?  

Probably one of my favorite roller coasters thus far - The Intimidator at Kings Dominion. This baby is 305 feet tall with a drop angled at 85 degrees with speeds going 90 mph. Sure, not the number one fastest/tallest roller coaster, but a great one indeed.

I am definitely one of those roller coaster fanatics. I think you're either in love with roller coasters or the sight of them makes you want to run under your covers/pee in your pants. I am definitely not the latter. I love the heart racing, the anticipation, the screaming, the speed, the photos at the end of the ride and the adrenaline. Of course I act like a big baby during the long lines before the ride, but deep down I just freaking love them.

I brought a disposable camera to the theme park and snapped this puppy before embarking on it (three times). This photo and memory means the absolute world to me. A lot of things have changed since then, but I remember this day and I hope everyone that was there does too.

How do you feel about roller coasters? Have a favorite one? 

Tuesday Tunes v.10 | Milo Greene

Tuesday Tunes has easily become my favorite posts. They have opened up the musical windows that have been closed when I get caught up in what feels like infinite deadlines. Each Tuesday Tunes posts makes me realize how much music has made an influence on my life & on others.

I am so excited to introduce you all to Milo Greene, honestly a band I recently ran across. By recent I mean exactly one week ago. I am just dying to be able to purchase their music, but for now I have their bandcamp and the free download of "1957" when you sign up for their mailing list. I can't believe I just discovered them.

Milo Greene are like the cool kids. Not the kind that make you feel inadequate, but the cool kids that befriend you and invite you to cool picnics during lunch. Like the cool kid who will jump over a fence for you...like Benny from Sandlot. Their music makes me dream of driving through California with the sun flashing in between the trees with the ones I love by my side and with hair that doesn't tangle when I put the windows down. Pretty good feeling huh? I mean, they are from California.

Milo Greene, please come out with a purchasable album soon. Pretty please?

Snow day turned LL Bean Catalogue Photo Shoot

 

 

 

Yes, the rumors are true. Boone finally got snow last weekend. It's been a weird winter this season. Normally I am cursing at every snowflake as a trudge to class with foggy glasses and more layers than a bean salsa dip. Did that make sense? Whatever.

Of course I made my roommates go outside and take pictures with me. Yes, we intentionally wore red flannels. Yes we look like we're modeling for the LL Bean Catalog :) Gotta love it.  

Thank you Boone for not being a complete snow globe in the hands of a five year old this year.

Did I speak too soon?

Guest post with Kitty Snooks | "What inspires you?"

Here is another installment of "What inspires you?" where I asked my blogging friends to answer this question and share with my readers. You can see all the posts here. Today let's welcome Katia from Kitty Snooks! We met through the small world project last year and am so glad we have stayed such great blogging friends. She is an artist of all sorts and I just can't get enough of her posts. Be sure to check out her blog asap!

I'm so happy that Melissa asked me to write a guest post, and about inspiration of all things!! These past few weeks I have gone through a creative, inspired surge and it has been pretty gosh darned fun. I'm an arts student studying Illustration, so for me, staying inspired enough to do my projects (some of which are a bore, until I find a way to make it fun for myself!) is super important. I probably couldn't explain how this came to be, but somehow my eyes have recently been opened to even more beauty in every single thing around me.

Tea bag tags? Some have the most beautiful designs. Those two annoying words they make you type for word verifications? The potential for great imagery! The way shredded cheese looks when it's half melted on top of your soup? First of all, YUM. And second of all, super pretty! Here's a few photos from my past week that go hand in hand with how I get inspired.

Patterns are exciting, and beautiful, and I love incorporating them in my artwork. Patterns are also great for fashion, and photography, or anything else you might be interested in! Take a look around you, look at an every day object and see if you can make out a pattern! This stove-top (though in need of a bit of a scrub!) has the coolest geometric pattern that is really graphic and I think would make a great textile. Who woulda thunk it?

Texture is just as important as pattern to me, and often can be created in art by repeating patterns! Look at the three differing textures in this milkweed pod. How beautiful are they? Nature has the best textures around and I love trying to imitate them in my drawings. Tree bark, flower petals, a dried up leaf, animal fur, there's so much to be inspired from!

And of course, just having your eyes open for beautiful coincidences. Two or three wood-like textures put together? Things that are wonderfully shaped, the light that comes through your window at sunset and makes everything golden. Everything has the potential for beauty and to be inspiring, you just have to take a second to sit back and see it.

So take photographs of the things that are strangely, strikingly beautiful. Even if it is just a texture, or a pattern. These aren't meant to be photos for the sake of photography, sometimes it's great to just capture colours you love or something you can look back on later to inspire you. Don't want to lug around your camera? Take a mental picture, because some little beautiful things are worth remembering. :) 

xo Katia

Such a beautiful post Katia. Finding inspiration in the everyday, little things in life. You just can't beat it. Thank you for stopping by this little blog and urging us to find inspiration where you wouldn't expect it. That milkweed pod is beautiful! I've never seen one before :)

So I ask my readers, what inspires you?
If you'd love to do a guest post, email me! m.ashleyvega@gmail.com.
I'd love to work with you :)

WANT LIST: Tree of Life

I am absolutely in love with this print from Degree - the detail, the statement and the simplicity.

"This unique poster aims to highlight the responsibility we have in letting animal species thrive in their natural environment—we have a choice whether or not to preserve nature and let it grow. Specially designed to assert this crucial message, it forms the basis of social attitudes towards Mother Nature for the many people out there who want to make a difference in our world."

One day this print will be framed + in my apartment.

Featured Artist + Shop | Another Feather

Welcome to another installment of Featured Artist. I am so happy to introduce you to Hannah, the beautiful artist behind Another Feather. I bought my first Another Feather utensil earrings a year or so ago and absolutely love them! She lives in Asheville with her husband Malcom who makes leather goods in his shop. Read more about her inspirations and her story :)

Etsy | Facebook | Twitter

1. Tell us a little about yourself and another feather

I live and work in the beautiful city of Asheville, NC. Everything is made by me using found objects and traditional metal smithing techniques and tools in my home studio located in the River Arts District.My line includes one of a kind metal made jewelry, found object assemblages, and simple everyday adornments. Each piece is slightly one of a kind, due to naturally unique imperfections, and evidence of the hand at work. Rustic and worn, all jewelry is given special attention to detail, and is often made from objects found on travels, flea market excursions, and walks through the woods.

I am primarily an artist, and have a Studio art degree in both Metals/Jewelry & Fibers. Before Another Feather I only made conceptual sculptural jewelry or large scale installation gallery work. Another Feather has opened up the design side of my work, and has given me a way to support myself financially with a production line, while still making my artwork. My business has also made a way for me to make my jewelry affordable for a younger low budget crowd, those (like myself) who maybe can’t afford to buy the one of a kind art jewelry I make, but what to have something with the same style and ideas behind it.

2. When and how did another feather come about?
Honestly I started Another Feather completely by accident in 2009. At the time I was a full time student (studying Studio Art), and had a part time job working in an art gallery. I had made a few samples that I enjoyed making, but took no time at all, as studies for bigger things I was working on in my Metals courses. Some local friends wanted to buy them, and suggested I open an etsy shop. So I did, with five whole items in it (really rubbish items I might add). They all sold in the following weeks, so I started to replenish with more samples.
That summer, I had some free time, and started making some fun affordable and wearable pieces and slowly adding them to my etsy shop. Then overnight I starting having sales daily, and then a few weeks later I got an unexpected call, From NBC’s Today Show. They wanted to feature 10 pieces of my jewelry, which were to be overnighted to their NYC studio on their tab. I thought it was a joke, but I did it, and there my jewelry was two weeks later on national television (I didn’t even have a television, so I caught it at a friends). All that to say, I was not prepared in the slightest to run a business, I had never even thought about it. I was so very lucky and blessed to be able to get on my feet so quickly and form a business.

3. What are your most popular items?
That's a tough one, it really depends on the season. Some month's I'll completely sell out of one necklace and then a few weeks later won't sell a single one. I pretty regularly sell a lot of feather globe necklaces, the quartz & layered chain necklace, antler slice necklaces, and a good amount of studs and cicada wings. 

4. What is your favorite medium to work with?

Metal of course (silver and brass especially), found objects from nature and from my travels, and any sort of fibers (ie. wool, cotton, leather, linen, silk)

5. What's up and coming for another feather?

I am about to release our newest line for S/S 2012, and debut our brand new lookbook that we just got done shooting last weekend! We are also preparing for the upcoming season of Markets and trade shows, and adding a few new one's on the West Coast to our line up!

Hannah's story is absolutely beautiful and inspiring, which shows directly from the jewelry she creates. Thank you for letting us peek into your studio and creations! I have a feeling all of you will be owning your own Another Feather piece very soon :)

Did someone say pancakes?

 

the [easy] recipe: via cooks.com

2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
4 eggs, well beaten
2 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. milk

Combine dry ingredients.
Beat eggs and add buttermilk and milk.
Add dry ingredients (a cup at a time) and mix well.
Recipe can also be used for waffles. (definitely doing next time!)

My roommates and I actually doubled the recipe because someone had said it only made nine "small" pancakes. NOT TRUE. We could've had breakfast for days with doubling the recipe, so unless you're the brady brunch, don't double :] These were really yummy. Once our favorite fruits are in season, we are definitely adding it to the recipe next time. Chocolate chips are also on the list.

Oh, and I highly suggest adding a side (or two) of bacon.

Tuesday Tunes v.9 | Andrew Belle

"There is a right and a wrong time." 

Can you tell I enjoy singer/songwriters? I have pretty much fallen in love with Andrew Belle's calming voice and ridiculously beautiful lyrics. He's a mix between a heartache and a heart skipping a beat. He's an artist I listen to every song without skipping a track and always on repeat. So thank you Andrew for making any day of the week feel like Saturday. I know you all will become instant fans because if you don't fall in love with his music, I don't know what kind of alternate universe your head is living in.

His new EP is being released in one week! My goodness I can't wait. I'm sure I'll be posting about the new EP soon after. For now, enjoy his wonderful music. My favorites include "Static Waves," "The Ladder," "In My Veins" and forget it, everything else of his, seriously.

Be sure to check out the rest of his music on his bandcamp.

*linking up with Danielle at Tongue Tied in Awe
You can check out the past Tuesday Tunes posts here

Imaginary Closet

Once upon a time, 
 in a land far, far away without credit card payments, tuition, deadlines or alarm clocks, there existed a tree that grew money. Real money where college girls could visit and pick as many dollar fruits necessary to buy dresses of all sorts from Mod Cloth. Also in this far, far away land existed to-go closets where everyone could have infinite room for all their beautiful dresses and take them wherever they please. Whenever they would wear these dresses, magical things would happen! Finding love isn't just for princesses. Love existed everywhere...in their bellies (because cuisine was exquisite in this land) and in their hearts. Life was just as beautiful as Pinterest makes it out to be. With their dresses by their side, beautiful college students lived happily ever after.

The End.

all images via Mod Cloth

Her Campus Appalachian State

For those of you who don't know, I am a staff writer for Her Campus Appalachian State, an online magazine with content on style, travel, career and anything that pertains to the college experience (and more!) Her Campus is a national online magazine, but college campuses can have their own branch. Her Campus has been one of the best experiences I've had professionally and personally. Our writing team consists of some of the strongest, humorous, dedicated and fashion forward women. I love our weekly coffee meet-ups, not even to discuss work but to enjoy one another! They are supportive and I wish I could just give them a big 'ol hug right now :)

We launched Her Campus Appalachian State last September 27th and come out with weekly content to keep you laughing, smiling, feeling inspired, and thinking. I want to give an overview of some articles I've written for the past five months. The national Her Campus is having a "One Million Collegiettes" campaign to try and reach one million views during the month of February! When they reach one million, they will be donating site impressions to She's the First nonprofit organization.

In spirit of the campaign, they will be hosting a giveaway every day for the month of February so be sure to enter daily to win free stuff. I've been entering religiously!

Be sure to check out all our Her Campus App State content weekly, daily, hourly, whatever your preference is :) Here's a collection of the articles I've written so far. You can find money saving tips, diys to advice. You can view all of them here too. I have until May before Her Campus and I will part, so I'll be sure to share the rest of the article links at a later date.

Now you all know a little bit more about what I do :) Click on each photo to read the article.

Read all of HC App State articles here and always check the site for updates. The rest of the HC App State writers have written some wonderful articles! New content gets uploaded daily! If you want you can follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook. Thanks to all our readers for the support!

If you want to support our online magazine, feel free to put this button I designed up on your site!

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