Love me some Fettuccini

Today ended the long winded search for what I have heard called "T-shirt" yarn. I've seen it all over pintrest and the cool-kid-knitting-blogs and have been excited to get my hands on this foreign fabric and craft the crap out of it...I just didn't know where to find it other than online(at prices that made me a little squeamish, TBH).  Finally I threw out a plea to fellow crafters on FaceBook as to where to find this elusive yarn, and someone had recently spotted it at one of our local craft stores...Lion Brand's own "Fettuccini" 

Last week I caved and finally bought myself a laptop(yay for new toys!) and found myself with the excuse to start another yarn-y project, a laptop sleeve/case! 

This stuff has been a pain in the pitutie to work with, but I love the way it looks and feels. I have literally sat for four and  half hours straight just working on this thing. My hands are killing me, my right arm feels like it spent the day at the gym, annnnnnnnnd I ran out of yarn a few inches shy of finishing this project. *sigh*

Guess I'll just have to go buy more. 

Emily Michael's Ruby Red Slippers

That's right, I bought them. After about two years of eyeing these red beauties I finally broke down and purchased them. I know, I know, these "TOMS" are the current shoes of the modern 'Hipster'...but I am NOT a hipster (that's what they all say...but believe me...I'm not.) But even if I were, even if I would be buying them in an effort to conform to nonconformity and to look cute, the fact that somewhere in the world another person is receiving a brand new pair of shoes simply because I bought this pair kinda trumps the cuteness and nonconformist factor. Of all the 'fads' to follow...this one really isn't the worst. And I figured after two years, since I haven't stopped secretly wanting them, I should just break down and get them or else I'll walk around for another two years looking at pictures, sighing heavily, and annoying my family.

And as it turns out, Febuary 3rd is National Wear Red day...or something of that nature, guess I'm covered. What'll you sporting?

This is my Therapy

"And you're kept in an open cage, So you're free to leave or stay.Sometimes you get confused, Like there's a hint I am trying to give you."

"talking bird" by Death  Cab For Cutie

Poorly drawn picture...by me.

I believe I've mentioned before about how much I love road trips, and have joked about having a touch of gypsy blood in me. I've expressed my restlessness of being in one place for too long (even though I always come back home.) I've talked about my longing for adventure and how I've made due by trekking through the rain and creating crazy story plots inside my head. 
And so...I find myself yet again feeling those stirring desires in my heart to go on an adventure and travel far far away...
I thought about it for a while, weighed my options, bounced thoughts and opinions off of close friends, prayed, and drank more than my outrageously large quota of coffee. 


The fact is, I still have no job. Let me reword that. I have no stationary job. No salon to call 'home', and not because there's a lack of salons or opportunities. When the Velvet Touch and I parted ways, somewhere in me, I felt peace. It was an odd and unexpected thing to feel upon losing a job. 
An opportunity for a stylist position in another salon arose, and I pursued it, but something about it just didn't feel right. It's hard to explain, but I couldn't shake it. Nothing came from this pursued position. But here's the beauty of it. My job doesn't have to be stationary! I can take it with me wherever I go...which means I can travel :) 


And so, after some deliberation, I have decided to go on my adventure. Finally. 
I have nothing that's holding me here. I have no salon to report to. No major responsibilities to look after. No relationships tying me down. So, I ask myself, why not? 


I've got a lot on my mind, and I'm a curious soul. Travel is a therapy to me. Staring out a window, watching the world pass by at blurring speeds, my mind seems to process things clearly. And so, I've purchased a train ticket, and next Sunday I begin my journey. To where? The Midwest. Kansas City, Missouri. Why? Because I have good friends out there (They're in the middle of an adoption, check them out and see how you can help contribute HERE!), and they belong to a church that I've been wanting to visit.


And so, I'm running away. Because I can. 

"I never thought I'd be driving through the country just to drive

With only music and the clothes that I woke up in

I never thought I'd need all this time alone it goes to show

I had so much yet I had need for nothing

But you

This is just therapy

Let's call it what it is

(Not what we were)

With a death-grip on this life always transitioning

This is just therapy

Cause you won't take my calls

and that makes God the only one who's left here listening to me

Letting it all sink in

It's good to feel a sting now and again

I hope it's one less woeful thing there is to fight through

Forgetting it all begin

Fresh paper and nice expensive pen

The past can not subtract a thing from what I might do

For you

Unless that's what I let it do

Loneliness and solitude are two things not to get confused

Cause I spend my solitude with you

I gather all the questions of the things I just can't get straight

And I answer them the way I guess you'd do

Cause this is my therapy

Cause you're the only one that's listening to me

This is my therapy

Let's call it what it is not what we were

With a death-grip on this life that's in transition

This is my therapy

Cause you won't hear me out

and that makes God the only one who's left here listening"

I tend to sing this when I start to get restless and need a road trip...so, on a pretty regular basis.

Cup art

Recently, there has been an outbreak of penned art on plain white paper coffee cups. In a recent visit up to my bro's college, a bunch of us gathered for coffee and proceeded to take out empty and used white cups back to our friend's dorm where she, an art major, then handed out pens and crayons and markers. We sat and had ourselves an art session. My brother, however, left his cup blank, informing me I could doodle what I'd like and joked about giving it to him as a Christmas gift....well I did. And today, I present to you my freshly finished (as of 10 minutes ago) product.

Cups: black india ink pen - pre color.














Ok, now for another 360, post coloring.

Cup: black India ink pen + water color paints (:

Doodles in the afternoon

- Posted from emikel's iPhone -

let the festivities begin! - Part one

Elissa Sundet - Self Portrait - Painting
I found a photograph of this on another floor and kind of laughed when I found the fountain itself. I took a picture on my iPhone and showed it to my dad, "YOU"RE AN ARTIST!" he said ;)

Antonio Campelli - Self Portrait - Painting

Elissa Sundet - Painting

This one appears small in the photo, but in reality it probably was the same length as both my arms, fingertip to fingertip. The picture does not do it justice.

Eye make up that Bella and I played with :)

I sit here writing to you as a freshly graduated cosmetology student. Last Friday, December 17, 2010 I clocked out for the last time at 12:30. It was most certainly a bittersweet day for me. Leaving the school wasn't too bad, but leaving the people - my fellow students and teachers - I came close to shedding a few tears, but I was scolded by the woman who had done my make up that I wasn't allowed to cry until after I had taken it off. It's hard to believe that my year of education is over already! It seemed to drag sometimes, but as I look back on it I just can't believe how fast it went by.

I had a job interview right after school so I hopped in the car with my parents and headed off to Gugliotti's Salon and Spa in Rocky hill. This was the second time I had applied and interviewed with them and I wasn't sure what to expect. One of my classmates was sure that I would get the job saying, "Isn't it just perfect? You finished school and got a job on the same day!" I told her not to say that because I didn't get the job yet. My first interview was around 30 minutes so we figured I could be dropped off and my parents would be able to go do some shopping or something. They were very surprised when I called them 10-15 minutes later with excellent news. When I stepped into the office the first thing that the woman asked me was, "Did Carmelo talk to you today?" I was puzzled...

She then proceeded to tell me that they normally higher people who are still in school just because you start as a receptionist and that gives the employee some time to acclimate to the salon, but if I was willing to be a receptionist even though I was done with school, for the time being, they would love to have me. The job was mine, if I wanted it...which I did ;) I go in sometime this week to talk over details and such.

After the "interview" I was treated to a tasty lunch at Wood 'n Tap. Thanks mom and dad!

My best friend was waiting for me when I got home, ready to jump on me and make me a "cosmetologist pancake". We then proceeded to have coffee and play with make-up - because that's what we do :)

That night I went to the MCC art show where a few friends of mine had some of their pieces on display and I was in total awe at the artistry that came from their hands. Particularly the self portraits of my friends Elissa and Tony that they did for their painting class.

Soon after I got home, one of our friends showed up for a hair appointment. I went to sleep that night quite happy with my situation, and glad that I wouldn't have to wake up at 6:45 for school the next morning. I would, however, still have to get up and do hair and makeup for a photo shoot, vintage style....