I am an artist.

I just felt like saying that. It's true. That's what I am.


More blogs to come about my artwork...

Little did she know....

It would be the best Christmas vacation ever!

The sobrinos and I in shadow form.

I didn't plan it. It just happened that way. I planned to go to Nevada City with the DeMartinis. I planned to go to Mexico with my Vegas friends. I planned to go to Salt Lake for New Years. BUT I ended up spending Christmas, snowed in at my parents new house in New Harmony. My parents are so good to me and it was so wonderful to be with them that week. They baby me.

After Christmas day, I made a weekend visit to Las Vegas to visit friends, shop at Savers and H&M and get my haircut.
kirsten and I at Tea Planet in China Town. Get the tapioca balls. You won't be disappointed. At least we weren't.

Here's my new haircut. Thanks Peedle!


Then I headed back up to New Harmony and 2009 came before I noticed. We were too busy playing scrabble, quilting a New Harmony quilt for my mom's Christmas present, cooking, rocking out on Rock Band, riding the inner-tubes down the snow slide and building an igloo. Yep, that's right. We sawed snow bricks and built a full-sized igloo, just like the eskimos. I want to use that word in scrabble....es-ki-mo.

SNOW SLIDE! EMOTICON!

Here's the process


Aaron on the inside putting in the keystone.

In the doorway of our igloo.


Happy 2009. It's looking pretty fine. Prospero ano y felicidad. Loves.

I don't mind the weather, I've got scarves and caps and sweaters. I've got long johns under slacks for blustery days.

But I do mind when my car breaks down.
After loading and starting the kiln last night I went out into the snow to go home. My car struggled to start, and sometimes it doesn't like the cold, so I wasn't surprised. But I didn't know what to do because it would start up for a second and I could drive about a block and then it would die, the anti-lock brake system would turn off and I would have to slam on the emergency break, put it into park and restart the engine. I did this about 4 times as I drove down the street and decided to roll into a gas station to figure things out. The gas needle was on "empty" but the gas light hadn't come on yet, so I figured I was ok. However, when I filled up the tank, that usually takes 16 gallons, I found that my car needed 19 GALLONS! Then it started right up and I haven't had any problems. I was out of gas!!! WOah. I never would have guessed that that is how it reacts if your car is out of gas. That was the first time that has happened to me. Now I know.

A-HA!!!!

I just found this. wow.

this just in.

I am heartbroken, a completely broken heart. I just found out that Kings of Convenience played a show in San Sebastian, Spain on July 26th. I was a short train ride away. I could have gone to see the one band I have wanted to see for 4 years now.....I had no idea. This might be the saddest moment of my life. ok. maybe that's an exaggeration. but still. i love them.

haircutting as an art form.

For some reason, years ago for Christmas, my mom gave me a pair of hair-cutting scissors and thinning shears. I must have thought that was the green light to become a self-proclaimed hairdresser. I love to cut hair and contemplate/consider going to hair school after I get my masters. maybe I will. I know I would really love it.
This week alone, I cut the front of my own hair, my brother's hair, my friend Logan's hair, Chris' hair, Lee's long locks and Emily's bangs!!! Wow. I cut Lee's hair tonight and his was the most fun. It was sooooooo long, past his shoulders, and he let me cut it up to his ears. I have never done such a drastic do....cutting hair is the best.
I have a crush on this haircut. I just want to give every boy the haircut of the boy sitting in the front with the camera. Great hair!!

In addition to the Christmix....

I keep finding wonderful Christmas songs everywhere. There's not a mix long enough....

The First Snowflake from The Boy Least Likely To on Vimeo.

sometimes I do other things when I should be writing a paper.

Haiku by Greg Stuart

Some just fall asleep
Leaves fall, dead, as the wind blows
While some fall in love

I LOVE Platforms Magazine. Such great stuff.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Merry Christmas everyone!! Can you believe it's almost 2009????

rachel's best friend.

I have been alive 26 years. Approximately every year I get a new best friend. So, if I have done my math correctly, that would leave me with a grand total of 26 best friends over the course of my life. Sure sometimes it's hard to always be meeting new people and getting close with someone and then having to uproot and start all over, but for me, that's life. I guess I am used to it.
However, lately my roommates and I have different schedules and I have been thinking about a new best friend. Yesterday I wondered why I never considered "man's best friend"
Maybe I should get a dog.
I'm serious.
Seriously breed shopping.
Ideas? Comments? Advice? Jealousy?

Olfaction Satisfaction

Today I was thinking that I am glad to have my sense of smell. Gratefully, it is very acute. I smell a lot and I thought I would share some of my likes and dislikes.

First: I LIKE to smell a small, not life-threatening waft of second hand smoke, popcorn, mint shampoo, the front seat of my sister-in-law's truck, GAIN (the laundry detergent) and pumpkin pie.
Second: I DO NOT LIKE to smell poopy diapers, humid exhaust from a bus, feet, spray adhesive, and mold.

voila! Olisfaction.

Listening Fever.

Today I have been in the mood to listen to some type of music. I am not sure what kind though. It has been bugging me all day. Maybe what I really am craving is silence. Sometimes a media fast is really beneficial.
Then today at Family Home Evening we were making Christmas cards for kids in Mexico and singing "Feliz Navidad" When I got home I felt that maybe I was needing Christmas music....and in particular this song. When it is actually Christmas season (after Thanksgiving) I always feel guilty listening to "That Was The Worst Christmas Ever" because I just like to be more positive than that. But right now, when I really want a break from school and work and alarm clocks, this is a good release. Indulge.

one more ukulele.

this seems a lot like the magnetic fields. and I am not opposed to more of them.

a day in the life....

Today I went to buy an outfit for my sister's wedding on Saturday. Before I went to the mall I bought a little bottle of orange juice from the grocery store and was so happy to be drinking juice. I quickly sipped some and stuck the bottle into my purse before I entered Banana Republic to see if they had any chocolate brown or baby blue articles of clothing. As I went into the dressing room I noticed something was dripping. To my dismay, I opened my purse to see that the whole bottle had drained out into the bottom of my purse. There floating in a small lake of orange juice was my wallet, some pens, a package of gum and some papers. I took out everything and poured all the orange juice back into the bottle from whence it came...then went to Nordstrom's bathroom to wash everything off. Luckily, there wasn't too much OJ damage. (make all the jokes you'd like here)
Driving off in my car this song came on. I remembered watching this video when I was in Spain and just felt, "Hey, life is pretty great. I still like orange juice."

summer to fall to winter to spring.

I really like summertime. The lido deck, the beach, lakes, rivers, swimming pools, the sun and heat waves.
I think I am capable of liking winter too. The scarves, gloves, jackets, snow, red noses and cheeks, ear muffs and hot chocolate.
But no matter how much I like it, it shouldn't snow before Halloween. That's one rule I think Mr. Winter needs to keep. Then I am sure I will like him more. And everyone likes to be liked. Bye Bye Snow by Bobby Baby.

How a shish-ke-dog changed my life...

Today in my "Art in Theory: Context" class I was enlightened. We are talking about Modernism and Minimalism. I always thought they were similar and kind of represented the same thing, but today I found out I was completely wrong. With that realization came just enough partial information about the theories behind both of the movements to be able to apprehend. This information has lead me to absolutely love Minimalism!! Mostly for all the theories behind it and its esoteric attitude. I never thought I would enjoy these movements, or this class. I think it goes back to lunch when I went with Meg to Hot Dog on a Stick and Emily made us a shish-ke-dog. That changed my life.

One more thing that I love, love, love.

Check it out.



The video was disabled. So here's the link.

finders keepers.

I just found a cd that I made 6 years ago. and remembered this song. Sweet Avenue by Jets To Brazil Remember these guys? I love it. I dedicate this to Def Leppard and A.

FB stands for "Too Much Information"

I took this picture in Spain at a costume contest parade. I really want to be the solar system for Halloween. We will have a sun in the middle and all the other planets will circle around him/her. Then Pluto will be this nerd outcast who keeps trying to join our awesome solar group, but we don't let him/her. funny.
I think my favorite topic of conversation these days is Halloween costume ideas. It reminds me of one year where Rob and Gian talked for probably 3 hours straight on this theme. Andrea and I just sat and laughed and laughed. They came up with the funniest things ever. That year Stefan (Hi, Stefan) was a French bumblebee. Amber and I were Siamese twin ghosts. Every year I love dressing up, more and more. Maybe I just like to make costumes. That part is fun.
I am trying to ween myself off of FB (facebook). Mostly, I just don't like how you can see soooooo much of everyone's life. Tonight I went to this "painting party". Everyone was talking FB this and FB that. I guess that's just the way undergraduates work these days. Grad students usually just use the phone. ha. We think real-reality kicks virtual-reality's bum. TOE UP!!!
So there you go, besides all that, I am trying to get into some craft/art shows to be able to sell stuff. Hopefully the world/Provo likes my art. I have been in the studio everyday for the past two weeks all day long. I love love love ceramics, if anyone was wondering. And right now I love love love going to sleep.

more like RAD school.

I am back here at BYU, going to grad school.
First of all, I live with Em. That couldn't be better.
Second of all, I sit across from Gian in the studio. He is inspiring.
Third of all, my brother and sister live sooooo close. I love them.
Forth of all, I have my new bike. I have a crush on it.
and fifth of all, I eat grill cheese sandwiches for lunch. Oh. I missed those.
Cheers to Rad School....