Doodling: Dreaming of Spring & Things

Hello again! Nothing super noteworthy has been going on with me as of late. Just some boring engineering stuff. Haha. But with March just around the corner and the sudden onset of even more cold weather including snow this past weekend, I have been dreaming of spring and summer. I love the warm months. I don't really have a favorite season. My favorite thing about them is that they change; so if one has been around longer than it should, I start itching for the next!

Here are some doodles of mine; some are spring inspired and others just are. I'd call 'em sketches, but I think "doodle" fits these better. :) Below, I have also shared some artwork that I have been admiring lately. One day, I'll share of the stuff that I do that I would label more as "art," but for now have some "doodles." :) Enjoy!
- Jenny -

This one really is a doodle. I drew it in my Biomass Conversion class hence the ruled paper... ha!

Now for some inspiring art!

"Tree Zero Three" by Matei Apostolescu (http://013a.com/html/tree_zero_three.htm)

"We Were Together" by meeralee (http://www.cargoh.com/product/we-were-together)

RadCon 6

Hey everyone! Sorry bout the late posting!! I was @ a convention this weekend in my home town & unfortunately caught some kind of flu right after! figures, huh? Anyway, RadCon 6 the local sci-fi & fantasy convention was here for three days this weekend & a few friends & I had an awesome time walking around in costume! In fact, that crazy hybrid costume I was working on?? Finished!! & just in time for the convention! (see above)  
                                                                                                                                                                                                          Who's the other awesome guy in the wolf shaman suit?? That was my suiting buddy who drove quite a ways to come hang with me & some of the other locals. :) We had lots of fun just being our characters & playing with the delighted little kids. Lots of people wanted pictures or just to ask us how we made our suits. some of us even got into a movie (along with some other furries that showed up) that was entered into the mini film festival while we were there. It was filmed over the three days & shown on the last day of the convention.-

All in all, we had a great time! Lots of fun panels & plenty of fun artists, & shops to visit! Not to mention the general awesomeness that just happens during convention! Can't wait for the next one!!~Anna

Food Adventures: My Perfect Meatloaf & More

Hello all!
I am back with a couple more simple, yet delicious recipes. I have done some pretty extravagant and involved recipes in the past and they have all turned out well - but man, did they take some effort! Maybe someday I will get around to sharing some of those more intensive recipes but for now let's stick to the quick, simple, and beloved recipes. :)

One of my favorite comfort food dinners is meatloaf and potatoes. Meatloaf is one of those dishes that can be made in so many ways and everyone has their favorite (and if you ask anyone who makes the best, their answer will be "My mom!"). This recipe is pretty good in my book and it's easy too! I made this last night with some baked potatoes and I was a happy camper!

The ingredients are things that you most likely already have in your pantry and fridge, making this an easy go-to dinner if you don't have one planned ahead.

So here's my recipe, I hope you enjoy it! And if you have any suggestions or favorite meatloaf recipes to share, feel free to drop a line. 

Last night, I also made dessert and it turned out deliciously! I can tell it was good because it's almost gone now and it hasn't even been 24 hours. Haha.

 

This is the "Too Much Chocolate" Cake. The recipe can be found here. It's not from scratch, it's just a doctored cake mix recipe, but that's what makes it easy!

When I made this recipe, I lightened it up a bit to make it a little less deadly. I replaced the one cup of oil with one cup of unsweetened applesauce and used light sour cream instead of regular. It turned out brilliantly and you wouldn't even know the difference! Needless to say, I had a delightedly yummy evening last night and had fun making some good food. 

Hope you have a great week! Talk to ya next weekend. 

- Jenny - 

Infrared Photography

Recently, I have come across this neat version of photography. The whimsical, dream-like results are breathtaking. Something about the cotton candy pink foliage and the pale, vintage feel really has me smitten. :)

I think it would be so fun to buy a filter and take some photos like this - if only had the funds to spend on such whims. ;)

This artist was also featured on Honestly... WTF and it was their post that brought infrared photography to my attention.

Yiu Yu Hoi (known as d3sign on Flickr) of Hong Kong has taken some beautiful shots using this method and I am truly delighted to share some with you! See more of his work on his Flickr page! You should really take a look at his Flickr stream, it's amazing! These photos below are via mymodernmet.com. 


Enjoy! 


- Jenny - 

Projects in the works

So, here's what I've been working on as of late. I still need to get to those aquatic masks I talked about, but a little side project popped up. This is a character of mine that I'm making a partial costume out of. @ this point she's only part of the way finished. The head is getting it's little makeover while most of the rest of the body is already done. She features a moving jaw with a taxidermy jaw set & tongue & follow me eyes. this character is supposed to be a wolf/lion/horse hybrid with deer ears. :) She needs a nose yet & some more fur, but I'm happy overall with her looks (creepy as they are) & the progress. She will hopefully be done in time to show her off @ a local sci-fi/fantasy convention next weekend!~ Anna

A Deep Breath

We all have those weeks that seem to go on forever, where everything is just harder to deal with. It can really get a person down - days or weeks like those. I've had my fair share, of course, and this past week was one such week (and to be truthful, the upcoming one doesn't have much promise of being any easier).

BUT! The true nature of the week can be controlled by how we approach and accept the events within it. I have to remind myself that it's just a day, just a week and in the big picture of life both my past and my future are bright, glorious, exciting, and full of joy. This is the nature of life! All of our lives are beautiful and overall, in the big picture, our lives are truly awe-inspiring - every single one. 

Smile, breathe - it's all gonna be okay. 

- Jenny -

via thisisnotareality

via sueswink, jaymug, surfthelimits, and outcamethesun.

viaMaryDevlin, UUPP on etsy, and helloletsrun. 

control paint

found out about a new website worth looking @ for all you people that love photoshop, particularly those who like to paint with it!  http://www.ctrlpaint.com/  is an awesome website stocked with tutorials which almost seem too simple... except for the fact that they actually help!! It teaches you how to make things simpler for yourself (things we generally don't even think of when in the middle of a piece) by teaching you shortcuts, commands, & lots of tips & hints to help yourself improve! It really is a tool that you should not be without if you're attempting to operate photoshop for drawing/painting purposes!! Go check it out!!
~Anna