a curious blue

New Home!

2010-03-30T16:47:00.001-07:00

so for all three of you who read this, i've switched to a cleaner format at http://acuriousblue.wordpress.com...

come find me!

Calla

2010-03-15T23:40:00.000-07:00

that's all.

Ma Cherie

2010-03-15T23:36:00.000-07:00

cherry blossoms are supposed to be good luck in the Japanese tradition. Regardless of superstitions, I think they're beautiful. We had three of these trees in the backyard in Tehachapi (the garden was my dad's perpetual project), so even the smell makes me nostalgic. =) I took these pics on our recent trip to Monterey/Sonoma...

Let's go fly a kite

2010-03-12T23:19:00.000-08:00

...or a balloon... =)

It's a bird, it's a plane-- it's Rebecca!

2010-03-12T23:09:00.000-08:00

Fun with Becca

2010-03-12T22:28:00.000-08:00

Some of the more casual bits... won't work for her senior posters (School of Music wouldn't approve), but oh well. They're still pretty. I love the vintage feel.

Senior Recital portraits: Rebelody

2010-03-12T22:19:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone. Meet my beautiful roommate, Rebecca Melody. She's fabulous. She's also giving her senior recital (eek!) in about a month, and part of the process is creating posters... So guess who got a fun end-of-the-week project??? =) Here a few of the more formal pics

i was walking along, minding my business, when love came and hit me in the eye...

2010-03-06T10:55:00.000-08:00

so my mom and glenn stumbled upon this place during one of their adventures... she was so exited she took pictures and sent them to me right away!

Photo Phun

2010-03-02T15:56:00.000-08:00

Recent trip to San Francisco... more pics to come but Scott took this of me!!!

raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens

2010-02-16T00:25:00.000-08:00

finally! APU's wifi connection was down... again... so here are a few more pictures from our excursion. the flower district is surrounded by textile shops, beads, trims, and YES, buttons! we found a few cool treasures that will probably show up in some new art scheme soon... muahaha

two girls in a boat to say nothing of the dog

2010-02-16T00:07:00.000-08:00

roommate ellen and i, avid lovers of all things green, had never visited the los angeles flower district. so today we decided to go adventuring!

Text

2010-02-06T20:05:00.000-08:00

from a devotion two years ago. i rediscovered it by accident =) i'm not the type to publicize my deep times with God, but i thought this was a creative look at my relationship with him, at least very challenging.

blessings

e

HeadShot

2010-02-06T18:37:00.001-08:00

I had to have a head shot for mock auditions at school, this is what happens when you have a good camera with a ten-second delay =)

Happily Ever After (or, "Procrastination")

2010-01-31T21:59:00.000-08:00

Some of us do homework.
Some of us do this instead!

New Format!!!

2010-01-06T21:27:00.000-08:00

Newest creative project: reformatting my blog! (Yay for Christmas Break!) So, while half-watching the Apprentice with Scott, I threw a few elements together and TADA! Here's what happened.

Old School Photos

2010-01-06T17:05:00.000-08:00

Cuz I like 'em.

That's all.

O'Neill Regional Park: J and Steph

2010-01-06T17:02:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know it's confusing, but we have a new Steph in our lives... =) Juliana and longtime boyfriend Stephen were able to come visit for the holidays. We've really enjoyed getting to know him, especially since they live so far away!!! They both work as missionaries at the Harpendon, UK base (he's grown up there, and J had been staffing at Orphans Know More.)

Last week we got to visit the park in Trabuco Canyon ten minutes away... It's so beautiful there! But the traffic is a little crazy on that windy road, so it took us a little maneuvering to get this photo!

Final Thoughts on Christmas

2010-01-06T16:44:00.000-08:00

Got to snatch these before mom made us put it all away!

Holiday Cupcakes

2010-01-06T16:37:00.000-08:00

Rudolphs and Frostys!!!

Yes, I handpainted the marshmellows with chocolate... The noses are tictacs =) The little plastic snowflakes totally made these cute... I picked them up at the dollar store!

Christmas Chraziness

2009-12-13T13:11:00.000-08:00

unfortunately, the days of heavy rain have completely obliterated my reindeer... fortunately, i have plenty to keep me busy with finals this week (!) and Christmas only two weeks away. i almost have all my presents already!!!!! (considering i usually have them done by July, i'm running a bit late this year.) but at least i'm having some fun, too. still working on the stocking; i think the front panel is done. also working on a crocheted quilt, which is taking forever!!!!! i'm also arranging and recording a Christmas song i wrote for my final in "Special Projects in Music Theory" (my private composition class), and i'll try to get it up when it's done. until then...!

season's greetings!

2009-12-03T01:27:00.001-08:00

Having more fun with chalk. Scott was so excited to take pictures with his new camera!

christmas can't be very far away

2009-11-14T17:39:00.000-08:00

i've been working on my newest christmas stocking...i love joanne's fabrics this time of year. i started with a pretty basic overlay, all done by hand (as you can see) since i'll have to line it and the seam won't be visible.as it developed...
the current version, still unfinished. but it's coming along!

adventures in sepia

2009-11-08T01:38:00.000-08:00

in a bit of a creative mood. i love old, worn photographs that remind me of vintage film, victorian lace, and fancy coifs. so here's my imitation! the flowers are actually spun in silver, a gift from my Italian grandmother.

Not Doing Homework

2009-09-08T17:41:00.000-07:00

Classes start tomorrow, but my honors prof gave us readings already! grrr. Since I've already fallen asleep trying to absorb new information, I figured I would give myself a bit of a creative mental break. Food: check. Tea: check. Fun roommate (who is also studying...): check. New blog: check.

These are photos from our living room. I think we did a nice job on a shoestring budget! Props to Kohl's wall stickers, and to Shakespeare (of course) who donated a fabulous quote to our wall.The Big Picture (most of it, anyway.) Plus my lovely Ellen, who is not procrastinating like I am.

I like the little mirror fresco... reminds me of bubbles...Ellen!!!

New Apartment

2009-09-03T13:32:00.000-07:00

so i can show my mom... =) some of these components have been seen before, but here we go regardless:

Mucking around with Yarn

2009-08-29T21:08:00.000-07:00

coupla projects i've finished recently:a scarf for my sister, juliana, who lives in England (green is her favorite!)

and a pretty shell blanket to match my mom's couch!

Summer Photos

2009-08-29T11:07:00.000-07:00

I was given my father's lovely Canon A-1 for my highschool graduation. After my initial four years of trepidation, I finally chose to play around with it (along with its massive 8-in zoom and wide-angle lens!) Here are a few of the results.

Completing the Set

2009-07-31T21:21:00.000-07:00

so... this is what my wall looks like now =)

The Painting Endeavor

2009-07-29T01:53:00.000-07:00

confession: i like to paint. i do not do it well. but what i especially enjoy is mixing media (can't you tell?) to get cool effects. case in point: my recent adventure with an ocean "landscape." i painted this outside and got a nice sunburn ;)

Little Gifts

2009-07-27T18:05:00.000-07:00

i have a tradition every year: i get ready for school by making little housewarming gifts for my new roommates! i stash boxes or bags with supplies like mini staplers and pencils... it's so fun and it's a great way to let my new friends i've been thinking of them this summer.the inside of the pencil boxes, made from recycled plastic. they include mini pencils, highlighters, notebooks, and bath+body mini hand sanitizers in yummy scents!
little nametags, embellished with a fun, messy stamp. each one is coordinated to the color of the box.
tada! final product.

TO: my very own AFROTC man

2009-07-06T20:14:00.000-07:00

Scott is stuck in Alabama for five weeks this summer, no contact allowed except for letters... So, I'm having to get creative! The following is a photo card to be mailed tomorrow. The captions/messages are written individually on the back of each photo. This was really fun to put together!

as requested: self-portrait experiment

2009-06-14T23:45:00.000-07:00

these i took last spring... they are back by popular demand [aka scott wants them online], so viola!

the unknown region

2009-06-13T00:31:00.000-07:00

a project from last fall semester, inspired by the Carols of Death by Schuman, who wrote an amazing set of poems by Walt Whitman. the completed pieces contain a lot of dissonance and are perhaps some of the most difficult sightreading i've come across. this particular hymn is called "the unknown region," and it deals with the uncertainty of death and the courage necessary to face grief.

dar'st thou now, oh soul,
walk out with me toward the unknown region
where neither ground is for the feet
nor any path to follow?

I know it not, O soul; nor dost thou,
all is a blank before us
all waits undream's of in that region,
that inaccessible land
...

this was created by combining melted wax behind a pine lattice. the photos were taken with the morning sun providing a backlit effect.

coffee art

2009-06-05T20:55:00.001-07:00

during my freshman year at APU, i decided to get my hands dirty... literally... in an artform that was completely new to me. little did i know this was to become a new outlet and a beautiful medium! using a combination of brewed coffees (different strengths), coffee grounds, newspaper, and a few odds and ends, i was entertained for hours. what was produced is one of my favorite sets yet...!

christmas time is here.......... [i wish!]

2009-06-05T20:30:00.000-07:00

i love christmas. i usually start preparing for it about this time of year, be it quilting, gift buying, etc. SO! in that spirit: the first christmas crafts of the year--> gift tags! some sparkle, some are stamped, some are just made pretty with scraps. but i love that there is so much room for creativity...

Hello Stationary

2009-06-05T18:06:00.000-07:00

I've been dreaming of creating some stationary
for a while now, and finally got around to it...
featuring the most adorable "hello" stamp! so friendly.
i focused on bringing lots of texture and colors, as well
as an additional 3-d element to every card.

A World of My Own

2009-06-02T21:04:00.001-07:00

the last month or so i've had a song stuck in my head: "a world of my own" from Alice in Wonderland. so after spending some time at the lake with my brothers this afternoon, i came home inspired!

cats and rabbits
would reside in fancy little houses
and be dressed in shoes and hats and trousers
in a world of my own
all the flowers
would have very extra-special powers
they would sit and talk to me for hours
when i'm lonely
in a world of my own

enjoy
-e.

(my collection of supplies)

(the complete project)

(curious alice)

ode to scriabin

2009-05-27T15:32:00.001-07:00

having fun with chalk in the back yard...

scriabin was a twentieth century Russian composer famous for a condition called synaethesia, the ability to connect tonality to colors. my impression was not nearly as complicated as his, as i merely associated primary notes with pink and color tones (heh) with green. ok, i admit. i just like playing with chalk. =)

Crazy quilting!

2009-05-10T11:14:00.001-07:00

These are photos of two pillows I sewed when I was seventeen... I decided to piece them entirely by hand, so you can imagine how long this endeavor took to complete! My sister, Juliana, just asked me to post these so she could view them from her school in Switzerland--I miss you, hon. Big Kisses!

Secret Garden

2009-03-08T15:02:00.000-07:00

Paper flowers on my wall...

Contemplative

2009-03-08T14:08:00.000-07:00

so i love frames. and i have a few of them... okay i have a lot of them. but i don't think they necessarily require photos or art--i have a theory that an empty photo represents unlimited potential, the idea that i'm spending more time making memories than reminiscing. of course, that doesn't mean that all my frames stay empty......... as you can see =) the blue flowers are actually handcrafted letters made by former street-women and prostitutes in thailand (with the help of Youth With A Mission). i picked them up during my stay there, and their beautiful artwork reminds me of my time there and the transformative power of mercy and grace, as well as the willpower and determination of these women.

plus::: the silver frame my wonderful siblings bought me years ago...
plus::: the dove that i bought this christmas to remind me of God's grace for me, too...
plus::: the pendant that i snatched from my thai vest...
plus::: the reflection from my mac... ;)

this hurricane lamp has a special place in my heart... it was my dad's. not only is it meant to give direction, but it reminds me of his love for the ocean and, above all, his curiousity with all things ancient. the books are from various places, including thrift stores, one story book i'm working on, "captivating" from my mother, the plays of chekov, and several classics.

Cymbeline

2009-02-22T09:25:00.000-08:00

“Cymbeline.” Mixed Media. 2008.
Thou art past the Tyrant’s stroke.
-Shakespeare. Act IV, Scene II.

I created this piece as part of a theological paper attempting to portray the Divine preoccupation with solidarity. I haven't looked at it again, until I recently submitted it for review in my University's humanities newsletter. It's quite a task to describe the heart of grief. Having traveled that road with my family, I find myself recognizing the swift facade that is easily erected between the world and those in pain. It is precisely in this moment that God seems far away, but through His unedited, unadulterated humanity in Messiah, Deity walks with us in compassion through the everyday.

Valentine's Day

2009-02-13T14:24:00.000-08:00

For most of my life, Valentine's Day was only punctuated by the teddy bears my Dad brought home for my sister, my brother, and me. Now, with a fabulous young man rounding the two year relationship mark, I feel I really have something to celebrate!
I began by researching recipes... admission: I love to cook. So out popped two homemade jams, heart-shaped brownies, and (here comes the Italian in me) triple-baked biscotti in a cute wicker basket. My favorite touch, however, is hands-down the handmade valentines I whipped up with some ribbon and a bag full of black buttons:
Since Scott is Air Force ROTC and his LLAB often keeps him out till midnight on Fridays (like it will tonight =/ ), i'll be leaving his bag of goodies on his front porch and hanging cupid's mementos over his front door. Take that!

hope your V Day is wonderful and full of surprises.

-e

hello!

2009-02-13T14:17:00.000-08:00

seeing as this is my first post, i ought to say something ravishing and insightful. no such luck. this is going to be a blog about my creative goings-on, musings, etc. if i give you ideas, awesome! if not, maybe you can give me pointers.... which i can always use... please? =)

as you will see (shortly), i utilize every medium from photography to paper, from dance to music, from cooking to sewing to intellectual analysis and back again. am a music arranging/music business major in my junior year at Azusa Pacific University; however, i will probably pursue my graduate studies in conducting and english literature. meanwhile, i teach advanced ballet at the Impact Dance Academy and guest choreograph at the Azusa Pacific Dance Company. i cook a mean pasta, can do almost anything with glue, and love to read e.e. cummings.

ok, there's my brief introduction. let's get to work!

-e.