drawing myself (spoilers: or a dinosaur!)

The other day, Jesse showed me his self-portrait... and it was amazing.

So, after crying for a little while at my own lack of art skills... I decided to draw myself!

...it didn't exactly go as planned.

As you can see, the facial ressemblance is totally there, especially in the teeth. (This is referring to the unfortunate period of time in which I had braces. My mouth was unfortunately pointy because of the weight of metal, and saliva frequently dripped from my glamourously coloured elastics... when they weren't snapping in people's faces, that is. SEXY TIMES.) Also, the butterfly wings. (I can see myself as a child wearing these.) Obviously, this is also a one-of-a-kind creation, which also fits my personality and style. (How many winged dinosaurs have you seen lately? Probably none. How many Tatianas wearing cat ears have you seen? Also probably none. There is some margin for error here, but it's Infinitesimal. ("Nothing really touches, bro, just kinda floats...")

The worst part, though? I was babysitting while I drew this (we were having an Art Time. I did not just abandon the poor child to fend for herself in order to create this masterpiece) and the girl's reaction, after looking at it dubiously for a few minutes: "Well, you did say you hadn't drawn in a while..."

Sigh. Apparently I should not rely on my drawings to get me by.

If you drew yourself, either seriously or in jest, how would you do it?

like mother like daugher

So... you know how I'm always talking about snow? And how much I love it?

Well, it's a genetic diseas-coughcough- trait. And by that, I mean that my mother is just as obsessed as I am. Just look what she made while I was at work!

It might be a bit difficult to tell... their camouflage skills are quite good... but that is Pothead (we live in a dangerous suburb) and The Cat (her creativity did not extend to a name).

So. Obviously, this could not be allowed to continue. I had to join the fun... and the other day, I finally had my opportunity!

You're probably all thinking "wow, they get so much snow!" but really, that is not the case. Well, this year it is,but most years we are (okay, okay, I am) the one(s) looking longingly at maps of weather patterns and doing dances of joy as a centimetre falls. This year has simply been a perfect ending to highschool (the universe is answering my prayers for many snow days) and therefore, I have to give thanks by making "art"!

Wally the whale, viewed from the side... just like Pothead, he blends in well to his natural habitat

Our teacup even has a giant spoon to accompany it! ...okay actually my mother broke the shovel. That is the shovel handle. (Note, once again, the genetic similarity of klutziness.) 

if I look a little bit worried, it's because the teacup was cracking around me

Penny says hello! she was originally meant to be an owl, but she turned magically into her current penguin-self

Sometimes it's just nice to return to childhood. Did you build any snow-creatures this winter?

(I'm setting this one to post while I'm away in France in case I feel a sudden nostalgia for snow and need to visit it immediately. You never know...)

a slight case of blabbermouth

I was told this morning that I was 'too happy' (although how this is possible I am not sure)... so I apologise in advance if this post is bothersome to you, dearest listeners. To combat this possible overjoyedness, I will confess a secret:

I live in fear that I will one day walk into my basement and discover that a tramp has taken up residence there.

...yeah, ok, moving on now.

The current dilemma of my life: exercise, read, or blog? (This is why I shouldn't eat chocolate any later than four. I get all hyper and bounce around like the Energizer bunny, frightening the cats in the process. However, they often frighten me with their unearthly howling- maybe that's why I think a tramp is in the basement? More like an elephant- so I suppose we're even.)

EXERCISE BREAK! Get up and do ten jumping jacks or run around your room for a while during my distraction... Okay, I'm back. You may now stop your mini-workout. (Did you actually do something?)

Without any graceful segue (which is really pronounced sedge-way... how bizarre!) this was my amazing outfit for casual day today!

(Glamour bathroom shots foreverrr!) I love casual day. It is literally the best day of the month. (No wonder I'm happy today!) Except this photo worries me a little... like, do I look like a Bratz doll? As in, is my head too big for my body? (I swear it's not like that in real life...unless I'm wearing one of my extremely large and lovely hats.)

Also, for your personal edification (yes, I'm in a big-words-mood) today was the birthday of the French-Ontarian flag! It's partyyyy time, y'all. (I really need to stop that...) Except not really... because there was only a boring ceremony -sadface- Not so happy.

However, I had Carly Rae Jepsen's new album to comfort me. I was literally dancing a bit (read: all over the place) in the hallway this morning. (This may also account for the 'too happy' comment.) Seriously though, how can you listen to this and not want to dance?

(Yes, you guessed it: I'm dancing again.)

Let's just end with: dinosaurs are the best. (Thank goodness I have pens to occupy myself during math class...) 

Kthanxbyeeee!

pda... no, not like that

Today I am finally beginning the Photo-Day-August Challenge (Just four days late. It's not so bad, right?) set by my friend Jesse over at his blog Obsession is my forte. If you haven't checked it out, you totally should! He's hilarious! (I am such a good friend, I'm doing this despite the fact that he keeps thinking I'm 12 -sniff sniff- Just saying.)

Here is the list of photos:

1. Breakfast
2.Sunset
3. Art
4. Something you made
5. Something fun and exciting
6. Someone you miss
7. Something you found
8. An animal
9. Hair
10. Something you don't like
11. The last thing you bought
12. Your handwriting
13. Clouds
14. A sign
15. Best friends
16. Moon
17. Happy place
18. Favorite store
19. What you're wearing
20. Reflection
21. Your favorite object
22. Guilty Pleasure
23. View from your window
24. Nature
25. Skyline
26. Take a picture and write a short story to go with it 
27. Favorite books
28. Favorite picture you've ever taken
29. Your bag
30. Something you own that isn't considered normal (I know you have something)
31. Yourself

Today (since I'm a little late) I'll be showing the 1st four! 

1- Breakfast.

Yay for mango smoothies! I'm on a smoothie kick right now... unsweetened almond milk + frozen mango + vanilla + protein powder= something that tastes like ice cream. OMG it's good!

2- Sunset.

...Ok, so this is a flower. Not a sunset. Whatever, it's a sunset-coloured flower! I actually took this in Spain and I love the way it looks like it's floating!

3- Art

This is actually another photo from Spain. There's a street there that is dedicated to statues made by Salvador Dali, and this one was my favourite! (Yes, they're just sitting there on the street... no big deal... we actually happened across them by accident!)

4- Something I made

This is one of my favourite art projects I've ever done. (Plus, there was no blood involved... always a bonus.) Idea credit goes to someone else- I saw a similar picture on the Internet, and would provide a link if I could remember where- but production is all yours truly. Because sometimes, I think with my heart and not my head... don't we all?

Stay tuned for tomorrow's exciting photo, and feel free to join in!

i believe in ghosts

Really, though, who wouldn't with these impressive faces staring down?

Yes, the one on the right is a woman. (I'm hoping that the artist was less than illustrious and that she didn't really look like that...)

I do like this couple, though. I would wear a dress like that. (Maybe not in our current drought... but hey, I'm sure back then she was all the rage!)

The bottom photo here isn't even my relative. My mother saw this picture at an auction and decided that, since my father had so many interesting (read: icky) pictures commemorating his family, she ought to join in. (And, again, the one at the top right is a woman... I do feel sorry for her...)

Yes. I am actually related to these people. Lucky me.(Hopefully this doesn't mean that I will one day look like a man.) (Although come to think of it, the reason they're haunting me may be due to the fact that I insult them so frequently. Hmmm...)

What happened, you ask impulsively? Why do you think your house is haunted by these illustrious characters?

Well, for one, no one who looks that grumpy (I exclude the younger couple from this. Although... maybe they just LOOK innocent? Hmm...) could possibly witness the joy and excitement of our household (...we read a lot. That's exciting, right?) without being inspired to mischief.

In addition, I have had some experiences that cannot be fully explained. Like the time I woke up in the middle of the night after being slapped. (My face still hurt in the morning, and my hand was nowhere near.) Or the time that I saw floating lights all around my bedroom.

Or the time I was almost pushed over our staircase railing.

Now, I am naturally klutzy (I fully admit this) but even I do not flip over banisters without reason when facing completely the other direction. Nor can I explain the time I felt myself being literally PULLED down a set of stairs. (I was alone in the house, so it couldn't have been my parents and their dubious sense of humour.)  

Let's just say, if you come to my house, stay away from staircases.

Have you had any haunting involvements, or do you simply think it's all inanity? 

Oh, and in case you hadn't guessed from the insane number of I adjectives, this is my entry to Jenny Matlock's I linkup!

cupcake girl

In my last post, I mentioned that I have no nicknames, but that I'm trying to popularise Cupcake Girl. (Amazingly enough, there is actually a story behind this!) On Tuesday, the art class was making mosaics. I had no idea what to make, so I looked around in my locker and discovered... a magazine about cupcakes! (Yes, I just happened to have a cupcake magazine in my locker. I think that it's a little like a black hole- things just appear there without my knowledge- but usually they're less pleasant, like dust bunnies or musty smells.)

Thankfully I found it- otherwise I might have ended up making something like a binder or a pencil. (A little less cute, and I don't think Binder Girl has quite the same ring...) I sketched out my design, and I don't know if my name was simply hard to remember... but for the rest of the day, the mosaic teacher called me Cupcake Girl.

Here's my finished project: 

(It's a bit brighter in real life- the lighting at school doesn't really allow things like nice photos or nice skin.) Not quite professional quality, but I'm pretty happy with it for a first attempt.

And really... what's cuter than cupcakes?

All this to say that, if you want to call me Cupcake, I don't mind. (And, funnily enough, I was just on Within My Eyes and her newest look is called Colorful Cupcake. I think this is a sign.) Hope everyone's having a great Friday! (We're in the home stretch now...)

sharpie love

So I'll bet you're all just dying to hear which was the correct answer from yesterday's post... and it was...-drumroll- B! A was completely fictive (thank goodness... can you imagine the embarassment?) and C wasn't me- it was one of my friends! (I helped cover her, but didn't do it myself for one reason: BUGS.) Obviously, this is just another reason why Sharpies are wonderful. I LOVE Sharpies, so today I thought I would make a list of all the uses they have! (Can you guess I love lists too?)

·         Clothing décor. There are tons of beautiful designs out there you can do with markers! You may not want to wash your clothes (or wear them in the rain) for fear of running... but hey, as long as you never sweat or go anywhere with dust you're dandy.

·         Hair colour. Has anyone tried this? Admittedly, I haven't... but I bet it would work like a charm! (Hey, if you can do it with food colouring...)

·         Installation art. You know how when you were younger, you drew on walls with crayons? Why not take it up a notch and use something a little more hardcore? (Plus, a marker is a little less suspicious than a can of spray paint.) 

·         Tattoo trials. Want a tattoo, but aren't certain if it'll look good? Draw it on with a Sharpie! You could even get your tattoo-er (tattoo-ist?) to do it- that way you'll know if they have a steady hand. (And a word of advice: if they smudge, you might want to find someone else...)

Does anyone else have any alternate suggestions? I hope you're all having a wonderful Friday, and using your Sharpies for good! (Aka: NOT drawing a mustache on the face of your nemesis while she's sleeping... muahaha, not that I would do that...)

the definition of art

I love my school. However, there are days when I wonder about the sanity of some of its denizens (myself definitely included). Just look at this photograph of a collective effort. (Or don't, if you're an art connoisseur. It might be harmful to your mental health.)

...Yeah. Aspiring artists? Maybe not so much. A little backstory: during our horseback riding class, we were shown simple ways to draw horses. This was an effort to remember them. (It's plain to see the lessons didn't really stick... and as demonstrated by the stick figure flying from a horse's back near the bottom, we didn't really stick to the horses either.)

Oh well. At least we had fun.(Other than shovelling manure. And freezing our toes off because rubber boots have no insulation. Mine turned a lovely shade of violet once.)

As for the other drawings... I have no idea. I don't think I want to know.