Deviantart Preview

Hi everyone! I have been working on getting a portfolio and artist's statement ready for my portfolio review in the next few months. It got me to thinking about all the art I have done that I can't show... Things that were created before college and things that were created specifically for IMVU or Deviant art. Thus, I will be sharing three of my favorite manipulations with you! If you want to see more, check out my deciantart page at Smyhls.deviantart.com

This is my favorite one so far. I put a lot of work into the concept and the blending.

I loved the model here. She already had this illustrated look that drew me in to he original picture. 

(By the way, if you go to my page, I have the links to all the pictures, etc. used to create each of my images.)

This lady was one of the first manipulations I did. Still love her.

Maze Runner - Movie Review

Hi everyone! My husband and I LOVE watching new movies. Going to theaters is pretty pricey... almost $10 a person! We choose Redbox!!! (Even though they have raised their prices, too ... >.< ). Last night, we decided to rent Maze Runner (before having read the book, yes). Here is my quick overview of the movie.

Interesting.

I like the concept, but I had a few issues with the movie in general. 

1) There were four or five times where the kids swore. This could have been a film for teen boys to enjoy (even with the violent Grievers) if they just kept out the bad language.

2) The acting was not fantastic. Sadly. There were a few problem areas, like when Teresa wakes up. There's no way she could have seen and recognized Thomas before she passed out again. And the main runner that's a redhead? "We can't deny that." Lol. 

I loved that the Grievers are pretty creepy, but you don't see blood or skewering.

Great ending to lead into a sequel. The whole thing just felt like it was missing something... 

Probably not something I will watch again in the near future. I would give it 2/5 stars.

Don't ask those questions!!!

I have been married for two years, and yes, there are a few tricks to being married. One of them is to not ask questions!!! (Well, certain questions, anyways.) Our spouses are with us for a lifetime. They are supposed to be our best friend, our lover, and our support system. We expect the truth at all times... but sometimes the truth hurts. Sometimes being asked questions that will hurt the person asking hurts, too. Confused? Let's fix that :)

The first question that may come to your mind is "Does this dress make me look fat?" I encourage variations of this question for two main reasons: 1) it's nice to know what your mate likes to see you in, and 2) we women are very hard on ourselves about our body image. Yes, you can overdo asking this. 

This isn't the type of question I am talking about. I want to talk about those questions that just shouldn't be asked, especially since the likelihood of both or either party getting hurt is almost certain.

1) What would you change about my body?

There is no good answer for that one! And whatever answer is given will always be in the back of your mind.

2) Do you ever compare me to your ex?

The answer is probably "yes" since we can do it subconsciously. ("Wow, Jenna was never this cuddly after sex", etc.) People can't help it. Little things will pop up, like how he puts his pants on last, or how she says "sorry" so much. We draw from our experiences, especially those that were really meaningful or really hurtful. I still find myself thinking about The Jerk, with whom I was entangled for almost a year. It's not because I don't love my husband, it's because I was in an abusive relationship that was burned into my memory.

This is a bit of an odd post, I know, but it was something that I have been thinking about for a while. Be kind to your partner!!!

What Not To Wear Revalation

The past two weeks, I have been home by myself a lot. My husband started a new job. My father-in-law also decided to purchase cable for the house last week. Awesome! So, I have been watching a lot of Little House on the Prarie and What Not to Wear. 

I like seeing what they do to the larger women. One thing they said really hit home with me, because I do it all the time! They were dressing up a lady named Leeanne who said she would see someone her size in a fantastic outfit and think, "I wish I could pull that off". The hosts of the show pretty much said that if someone else your size can do it, so can you.

I have been trying to work up the courage to believe that. In the past 6 months, I have gotten a lot better at makeup and become more bold when trying new things. Step one, check. Step two, I was given an awesome curling wand. I want to learn how to do hairstyles other than ponytail and buns. And braids. As I'm working on this second step, I am also getting ready to do a no-tshirt campaign. If you remember about two weeks ago, I was able to hit a $0.25 thrift sale. I picked up a lot of awesome winter/fall tops and sweaters. My husband has appreciated the extra effort I have out into my look when we go out.

So, that's my spew for today! If you haven't seen WNTW, find it online. Their tips are great, and they help women of all sizes and age.

Floral Rayon Fabric + Plans

I love going to Walmart and checking out their clearance fabrics. This fantastic rayon, semi-sheer, floral beauty was on clearance for $2 a yard! I bought all they had: 2 5/8 yd.

I have four projects in mind for this particular fabric.

Top Left Corner: I want to put arm patches on a sweater and use this fabric in the slit, so you can see the pretty colors pop out when my arms bend.

Top Right Corner: I was doing some research on this one, and I think I might need to have a stretchy fabric (which this one isn't), but I'm not 100% certain.

Bottom Left Corner: I am thinking of making a pull-over. It will be nice to have in the summer when its really hot. I will have to have a tank top under it, but at least I will have a little more sun and mosquito protection!

Bottom Right Corner: I want to make a ruched scarf!!!!!!

...Okay. Admittedly, by  the time this has been posted, I have already made the scarf.

Creation Addictions + Updates

I haven't written in a while, because I have been busy with my hands. I have discovered two new loves to add next to my love of photography: pottery and sewing. Right now, I am working on sewing something every day since I don't have any classes. So far, I have made a scarf, a padded cage liner for my rats, and a t-shirt. The t-shirt was my first project, and I was pleased with how well my seams turned out. I took it to the Sewing Center here in Twin Falls and they gave me some good CC on how to improve. (Plus, all their patterns were on sale for $1!). Which brings me to my next topic.

I wanted to go buy some ribbing and thread for a specific project I had in mind, and we passed a thrift store called Mustard Seed. We don't normally go there, but we decided to stop in that day. Good thing we did, too! There was a 2-day $0.25 sell on anything you could wear! My husband and I got a good handful of awesome new clothes, including some heavy coats for this winter. I bought a ton of sweaters to turn into newborn pants to practice sewing and maybe sell on etsy. (I just opened my first store!) I also got a few project pieces that I'm excited to try out. I have so much material to practice on now! Stay tuned; I will be keeping you up to date on my projects and progress!

I might not be sewing a whole lot the next two days, though. There are Frozen Stone games (which are pretty much highland games in the winter) tonight and tomorrow, so I will be there taking pictures. I will share those after they have been edited!

Oh! There's another update! I have started doing portrait photography. I love editing the pictures a lot, so I offered to do free shoots on facebook. The response was fantastic, and I was able to add a ton of great images to my facebook portfolio!

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