Sketch roundup

As I've mentioned, I've recently decided to start sketching again and I'll probably share a few from time to time. I've been experimenting with watercolor pencils and have been enjoying them thoroughly. They force you to loosen up on the hard lines you draw -- something that's analogous to me right now.

Malaise-y

Shoes: Minnetonka; Blouse: Thrifted; 

Sweater: Found at summer camp years ago; 

Pants: J. McLaughlin, salvaged from Aunt P.; Necklace: Forever 21.  

There once was a girl who tried to take photos. Who loved the outdoors so much, even though her alarm clock and sleep rhythms told her otherwise. Whose beloved sweater, with its nubby, warm cotton threads, was supposed to act as a barrier to all things cold. I defy you, winter! It seemed to say. If sweaters could talk.

And ... no. The girl then promptly went back inside because it was so cold her tripod froze on her. No joke. The legs got stuck and would not close. And then she had to awkwardly carry a four-foot-tall tripod through the park, scaring small dogs and people who passed her on the trails.

Sigh. At least the lake was pretty.

Lately: Nature's inkblot test

Maybe it's because I studied psychology in undergrad, but I found it amusing to flip a couple of these photos to resemble Rorschach tests.

Eagle wings

 Dress: J. Crew, Plaid shirt: Gap; Green blouse: LEI; Boots, tights: Target; 

Belt: from camp years ago; Eagle necklace: vintage; Ring: Gift from mom;

 Bag: thrift find; Coat: H&M, thrifted.

It's a bit eerie going to the park during winter mornings because it's so, so quiet. Occasionally, I'll hear a twig snap or some rustling in the distance and I always fear that I'll turn around and get ambushed by someone's dogs. No egrets or ducks this morning, though I know they've been around this winter.

I celebrated my return to picture-taking by doing one of my favorite things: matching my surroundings. The blouse and accessories are new, and were enough to help reinvigorate this old dress. I've never worn this dress with this yellow plaid blouse because it seemed to be too match-y, but I like them with the buffer of the green blouse.

Off to another week! Mine will be spent writing reports, analyzing  movies (for class), and studying up on Oscar trivia...

Refresh, refresh

I have tried writing this post three different times this week and every time I've stopped short. I've no doubt been really quiet on the blog the last couple weeks, and there have been several small reasons why -- school started back up, and my birthday came up, and generally everything schedule-wise has been very chaotic.

And there's been one bigger reason why too, I suppose. My longtime professor and mentor passed away a couple weeks ago, and it's been really difficult losing the person who's helped guide me through my career and graduate school ambitions. And I'm not the only one. In his long, long career, my professor affected thousands of students as a trusted teacher, mentor, friend (and to some, a surrogate father), and it has not been easy to walk by his office and know that he'll never be in there again. He was a true gentleman, and a person of deep consequence.

I suppose with everything that's happened the last couple weeks, I've been especially pensive about what I write, and whether I've been doing it effectively, and well. Of course that is all up to how I define those terms, and for a while I didn't think I was going anywhere with this blog, and wasn't sure where to continue, or if I should. I had this weird impulse to make things with my hands, and so I've spent the last week painting sketchpads and fixing broken things around the house. 

It's been deeply satisfying. And doing those things have made me realize how much I do enjoy having this creative space, and how I want to get back into the blogging grind.  I'll be back here, slowly and surely, and I may expand the things I post here beyond outfits -- drawings, art, more photography, etc. 

So I guess what I am saying is thank you for your emails and comments around here and on twitter. They've meant the world to me, and have made me feel very lucky and grateful to be a part of this community. It's good to be back.

*photo from my cruise -- somewhere around Mexico.