New Years Resolutions 2015

1. Spend more QT with family
2. Talk more
3. Get stronger
4. Eat better
5. Be on time
6. Cook more
7. Be present
8. Be selfless
9. Get the most out of classes

I also made an inspirational image as a wallpaper for my computer and to sum up my resolutions visually. I'm a visual person, so both concise statements and a collage speak volumes to me.

xxx,

Beth

Future Plan

Spring 2017 | Student Teaching and GRADUATE with BACHELORS!

Summer 2017 | Move to Fairfax, VA

Fall 2017 - Summer 2018 | Work on ART / take care of Iz!

Fall 2018 | Start grad school for MASTERS in Arts Management / Start planning for ii.

Spring 2020 | GRADUATE with MASTERS.

Summer 2020 | Start putting ii into motion / Second child??


Just wanted to put this on (paper).

xxx,

Beth

Week in Review (4TH WK OF OCT)

Hi, guys!

Here is the past week in a short little blurb.

Monday (10/26/15)                                                                     

We taught most of our hip hop classes for the week and found ourselves becoming more strict as teachers. We love our kids and have a lot of fun teaching them but understand that tough love can really help children learn.

                           Tuesday (10/27/15)                 

I had a work day in my drawing class and fell back in love with Patch Adams (My favorite Robin Williams movie).

Wednesday (10/2815)

We went to our first Moms on Campus meeting at Alliance! It was a wonderful experience getting to know other moms who are still in school and get a new perspective on budgeting money. It's been really hard putting our money where we need it to go and having enough for everything.

 Thursday (10/29/15) 

I checked back in with Lori from Hope PRC in Boone to make sure I was on the right track in my studies because of being a recipient of their scholarship. We chatted about life and prayer. It was a very needed conversation. I also was able to go and get fitted for one of the costumes I am wearing for FADE! (: I am excited to say the least. I also got to work on this beautiful image in my drawing class.                

Friday (10/30/15)

Izzy got to dress up to daycare!! (:

Saturday & Sunday (10/31/15 and 11/1/15)

We were able to head home to Raleigh on Saturday and go trick or treating with my family. It was so much fun getting to hang out with them and nom on candy! We also got to spend a lovely day playing with Izzy at one of those little playground in the mall. She made some new friends and so did we!

Have a good one, you guys!

xxx

Beth

Week in Review (3RD WK OF OCT)

Hello, all!

I am so happy to try this first "Week in Review". I'm just going to be talking about the highlights of my past week. Hopefully, this turns out somewhat interesting.


Monday (10/19/15)

Izzy's 9 month appointment! She weighs 18 lbs. and 9 oz. and measures about 2 feet long. All she got was 1/2 of a flu shot does that she needs to come back for to get the second shot.

















Tuesday (10/20/15)

We got to volunteer to hang out in Izzy's infant room in the morning so the classroom teacher could go to a staff appreciation breakfast on campus! It was so much fun hanging out with all the babies and spending a little extra time with our little bean. (:
















The same day, I had a final critique for an art project that I've titled "take a penny, leave a penny". This piece is about how I've lost a child and how I've gained a child. It was a lot of fun to do and made me smile the whole time. ^___^

Thursday (10/22/15)

I spent three hours watching the new Heroes season.

Friday (10/23/15)

These brilliant photos came out... and I put the video of the performance up! I'm still reminiscing of last weekend.

Saturday and Sunday (10/24 and 10/25/15)

I've spent this lovely weekend with my family. Yesterday, we took some long walks and watched the NCDF performance at Valborg.

Thanks for tuning in! (:

xxx,

Beth

Loose Leaves Showcase (Fall 2015)

Hello, all!

I am so happy to be blogging about this wonderful experience. I couldn't describe it any other way. It truly was a remarkable moment to behold. I applied to choreograph for the showcase early September and was notified of my acceptance a few days after. Then, I started working on the piece later that month with a group fellow dancers. Kai used to be on Entropy Dance Crew with EC and I, and I had met Jason during FADE auditions. We practiced about twice a week for 4-6 hours per week until the performance during Fall Break on October 17 and 18.

I finished choreographing the whole shebang after three rehearsals and for the rest of the time, we cleaned, worked on spacing and formations, and intent. Overall, I think the whole experience was very helpful for me as a choreographer and dancer in the NC community. 

The best part was being able to connect with fellow dancers and choreographers who were also new mamas! I met a mother of a 9 month old, Camerin Watson, and a mother of a 6 month old, Elsie Mufuka. Both of these dancers produced wonderful works while staying true to their new found identity of motherhood. It was inspiring to see these women as examples, as colleagues, as creative people. 

10 out of 10, would do again.

xxx,

Beth

P.S. - here is the link to the video of the piece: https://youtu.be/zV2Ep6XjCfs

Are you being objective or subjective?

Hey friends,

It's been a long while but recently, I've been doing a whole lot of thinking about the words "objectivity" and "subjectivity". These two words have a lot to do with life, especially right now, but maybe especially all the time. Many people lash out with emotions full of feelings that can be either objective or subjective and the way these feelings come about can be due to either of these things, as well.

Being objective means acting, speaking, and living through facts while being subjective is driven by opinions. What's so messy about this idea is that facts and opinions are still hard for the multitude to grasp.

No matter where you go in the world, there will be opposing forces which can be one or the other. A calculator is objective and a Facebook post is subjective. What's difficult about being objective is how hard it is to relate to something without emotion, feeling, or human attributes. A Facebook post is more filled with a person's manner of speaking and therefore something we can relate with.

I've encountered so many differing opinions in different conflicts. From discrimination to the art world to the dance world to the university as an organization...it's hard to take one side. Many things can be seen as black and white while others can take on a variety of grays. Taking all the art supplies from a classroom without notifying anyone? Wrong. This is stealing. Or is it right? Were the materials not being used regardless? Putting Football games on Thursday nights which are still a school night...? Right or wrong? Is this person racist? Are some services biased and wrongly force this opinion on their patrons? Are we being fair to every person and respecting all kinds of people's choices? Are we saying things out of turn? Are we publicizing a pretty image or who we actually are? If this person is a feminist, does that make them wrong? Donald Trump? Gun rights?

These things aren't black and white. Nothing is black and white. I suggest to all of you, to try as hard as you can to be unbiased, to live in a mind that can accept all things and act in the best possible solution (or not solution, not everything needs to be resolved). But seeing all sides and taking time to understand people you don't even want to look at might be eye-opening and better help you make an argument for the side you stand on.

Take a deep breath and listen.

xxx
Beth

6 MONTHS POSTPARTUM + BABY UPDATE!

• I am no longer breastfeeding. Izzy is completely on formula and eating rice cereal at least twice a day.
• Izzy can now sit up for a good while before she falls!
• Izzy can move in a circle and roll over but no back or forward crawling yet!
• Izzy weighs about 15 and a half pounds and is 25 inches long.
• She is being called Izzy more instead of Belly.
• She smiles all the time now! And laughs a lot. She's talking a whole lot more and will actually hold a conversation for a while.
• She can hold a bottle by herself!
• She is sleeping through the night now. She's very active during the day and takes a few long naps or lots of short ones.
• Izzy likes to bounce or pat her hands to music or rhythms!
• Izzy is starting daycare on August 3 and just got a note to tell them to put her to sleep on her tummy!
• As a mama, I want to hold every single baby I see. Even if I have Izzy and especially if I don't.
• Izzy's poops are definitely stinkier.
• My postpartum body is still at the same weight as it was five months ago! Once the year and Izzy's daycare starts, I will be doing a lot more to stay healthy and active.

Also, today we moved out of our apartment we have been living in for the last year. Today marks the start of a new journey WITH Isabella! I will be writing/creating some blog posts about the new beginning including some home decor, home cleaning, exercise, dance-related, college, and mommy-related subjects! Some if not all of these will be combined in some way, shape, or form. Look forward to those!

Thank you for keeping up with me and my little family. (:

xxx

Beth

Being in the moment.

Around this time last year, we went hiking at Julian Price Park.
The past few days, we've been hiking the trail at the same park to Hebron Rock Colony.

Last year, I was asked by a course I was taking to take a day without technology. I caved later in the day to using my cell phone and my computer.

Now, I feel at peace with technology. I say that with my laptop in front of me, my phone to the left, and my Nintendo DS to the right...

But, really, I do feel at peace. Yesterday, at the falls, all I could do was gawk in awe of it's natural beauty. I totally lost track of where my phone is. I didn't care for pictures. I recently started playing Animal Crossing: New Leaf. It's almost to the point of being religious. But in front of that waterfall, I couldn't do anything but stare in complete amazement. It was truly amazing.

Now, with all the stuff happening in my life, I am able to stop for a minute and think "Wow, this is amazing". Before, I would have stuff racked up in my brain and have not been able to hear myself think.

It's crazy how things can change in a year.

It's crazy thinking about where we used to be.

xxx

Beth

LET'S CATCH UP: 5 MONTH BABY & POSTPARTUM UPDATE!

Hey, guys! It's been a great 5 months and I just want to let you all in on how Izzy, EC, and I are doing.

Izzy:

• Can sit up with a little help.
• Grabs at everything put in front of her (esp. food and plastic containers).
• Puts anything she can into her mouth.
• Can put her feet in her mouth.
• Sleeps about 10-11 hours at night and wakes up in the middle of it to eat.
• Takes at least two naps a day.
• Loves to be in our Infantino mei tai carrier.
• Is super drooly always from teething.
• Is almost ready for real, kind of solid food.

Postpartum:

• Dancing is easier. Although the other day, I pulled something in my pelvis that hurt for a split second. Obviously, I still have limitations.
• I'm still at 170 lbs. I stopped losing weight once Izzy turned three months. I look like I'm five months pregnant instead of five months postpartum. Which I may not start to work on until I'm done breastfeeding Izzy.
• I'm having to eat foods to help produce milk (oatmeal, garlic, veggies, etc.).
• I walk five miles a day no problem but when I have to carry her in the carrier, my feet hurt like I'm still pregnant.
• Hydration is more important than anything else right now.

EC:

• Is figuring out how to be motherly while still being a father.
• Loves dancing with Izzy in tow.
• Loves doing chores around the house with Izzy in tow.
• Suggested he bring Izzy to work with him.
• Is getting a little more sleep than he used to thanks to late night shifts and the times when Izzy can be really fussy.

Overall:

• We are trying to be more frugal.
• We also have Nini here with us (It's tight, but working).
• We have been vegetarian for about a month now.
• We're dancing/choreographing more.
• Working more.
• Everything more.

Thank God for all these things that are possible through the life He has given us.

xxx

Beth

P.S. - here are some links to some new YouTube videos we have up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ibes2isIUlc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ptFScus0wo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ibes2isIUlc

What is a nice thing?

This is why we can't have nice things:

• I don't think I have enough nice things.
• I'm too attached to material objects: clothes, home decor, etc.
• I go into stores, look at things, and find a place for each thing instead of being at home, needing a thing, and buying only that thing when I go to a store.
• I don't understand the meaning of a nice thing.
• Instant gratification is more pleasing than long term; I'm an impatient person.

In short, I don't need any more than I have.

A few of the things I value most:

• Quality family time.
• Quality spouse time.
• Quality friend time.
• Quality moments.
• Not quality things.

EC and I have come to a point where we walk into the store and think "Wow. I don't feel like I need anything in here". And he's right. We don't. We never have. We only need the roof over our heads, the food on our table, and the people who love us.

Right now, our extra money is going to paying credit cards, settling debts, and knowing exactly how much we have. It's not about living within our means, it's about loving what we have.

I have plenty of nice things.

xxx

Beth

Settling down.

Hi guys!

Haven't really talked to you all in a while. EC and I have been getting used to the littlest member of our family lately. That, and all the stuff to do with school, jobs, family matters, government services, etc.

I'm starting a work study soon at the library and will be working a bunch of camps at TCVA this summer while taking 6 credits (2 courses). I'm excited but nervous? I don't like having a lot to do but also love having a lot to do. I used to be the person to take as many shifts at work as possible no matter what; I'd just down a bunch of Java Monsters. Anyway...

We're teaching at an intensive in Charlotte on June 27, which is the same day as my nephew's 1st birthday and the next day will be Belly's christening! We're trying to figure out baptism classes and the logistics of it all but that's all in one weekend. (And Megan's graduation is the Saturday before that [not to mention Father's Day])

We just have a busy summer on our hands! And Belly will be starting daycare on August 3rd...so we're facing the challenges of training our baby to do what they require of her so she can attend there. It's a little troubling having to base our parenting on their requirements but to finish school in a timely manner, we kind of have to. While it's not severely limiting, it's just troubling enough to dictate a few important things in her life like naps and feedings.

Trying to get back into dance is hard. I'm still not used to my new body and don't quite feel comfortable in it yet but the more I work, the more I will probably get used to it.

Talk to you guys later! (:

xxx

Beth

Plein Air Watercolor Summer Class!

Painting on a cliff about a mile above sea level is kind of great. I feel so inspired by the world around me and I love creating! I'm just glad my family can join me in my creative ventures. (:

xxx

Beth

We're VLOGGING!

In case you didn't already know, we've started daily vlogging!

We're not very good but we're trying. I promise. Royal promise.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGIqiBM16SOy80KkUPmJ73w

Check us out! (:

As the end of the semester comes to a close...

I'm reflecting on these past four(ish) months.

I am so happy to have my darling girl and my handsome husband. I only vaguely remember trying to get Belly to smile for the first time and now that's child's play compared to trying to make her laugh. She's growing up so fast.

My wrist is getting better! Taking care of her isn't that difficult anymore. Sure, it aches a lot here and there but I can usually just work through it and get blood flowing so it won't hurt as much. EC and I are learning to literally share the weight.

School has been the easiest thing to do compared to what else has been going on. Going to class and doing assignments, working on projects and studying for exams--not a problem. Waking up every 2 hours every night for two months, pushing a baby out of me, struggling to pay rent--my reality. And I love it. I don't love struggling in the moment. I love knowing we got through something so hard. After every fight, EC and I bask in the small glory of being able to forgive each other no matter what. Nothing worth having ever came easy.

I'm looking forward to taking summer classes and working more--and hanging out with my family more. (;

Don't lose sight of your victory! This last week and these last exams/papers/finals are just a stepping stone to get where you want to be!

xxx

Beth

Financial troubles of two married, independent college students with a baby.

EC's hours at work just got cut back and our bills are feeling it.

I don't mean to complain but we just... I don't know. We can't ask our parents for money. We can't pay our bills with credit cards. A lot of our bills are credit cards.

The credit card bills are from before I met EC.

I mean, we made it before when he was fired and didn't have a job for about 4 months...but we weren't trying to tackle his debt and we didn't have a baby.

I've just been so organized with our finances lately, it's really making us both anxious. Everything is thrown off balance. But, we'll get the money. The Lord always provides. That's what EC and I have been reciting since we moved in together.

The Lord will help us. He has always come through for us. He won't let us starve. He won't let us be homeless. He protects.

xxx

Beth

Tidying up!

So, I started reading "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing" by Marie Kondo.

When I was little, I was a habitual pack rat: the kind of person who would constantly say "I might need this later" or  "Someone else might be able to use this" or "I could sell this!". I always found a way to make a completely useless object useful. When I cleaned back then, I did it about once a month and it would take a full day to do. I went through all my possessions and through away at least two huge bags of stuff each time. However, I would always keep most things I owned; I just found new ways to organize and store them.

This is how I've never learned to love the things I have and to always feel like I've needed more. Being married, having a child, knowing I can't go beyond my means much, I feel as if a life change is in order. I'm not saying that having things is bad. I'm saying that having things that you don't LOVE is almost pointless. Having things around me that I'm not in love with but only somewhat care about clutters my space and therefore clutters my mind.

I'm not trying to live too simple. Just more simple than I am now.

Hopefully, I can keep up with tidying and using my space (and my belongings) with purpose and love.

She talks about being grateful to each of your possessions: showing love and respect for each thing you use by thanking it. 

Let's all try to be grateful for what we have!

xxx

Beth

One Year of MARRIAGE!

EC and I have been married a whole year. 

This is CRAZY. Before I met him, I would have never thought marriage was for me. I never thought raising a family was for me. I had always imagined it in my future but not this soon. 

But I'm so thankful to have him and Belly. I'm so thankful to have the life I do. 

Today, we went to Hob Knob, Dancing Moon, and Lucky Penny. 

I drank like 3 cups of coffee and we had an amazing conversation. 

We talked about where we were and where we were going, how hard it can be to focus on your own path, and how wonderful it is to revel in your own progress. 

The only person worth comparing yourself to is yourself. 

If you compare yourself to anyone else, you're setting yourself up for failure. 

That being said, it's better to take people as examples rather than competition. 

Anyway!

We blogged for the first time today and EC made an amazing tonkatsu. (: SO GOOD! He's such a great chef.

We also planned a few videos, talked about our plan for getting our degrees, and just enjoyed each other's company. 

It's wonderful having such a great friend also be your husband. 😍 Marriage is such a new experience and definitely not for everybody. You don't have to be married to love who you do forever. We got married because we were taking each thee seriously, we took our love seriously. But it's not the only way to take each other seriously. We aren't married because of a piece of paper. We are married because of how we treat each other, how we push each other, how we love each other. (I YUB YOU HUB IF UR READIN THIS😱😱😱 [I know you will at some point. You're lovely for supporting everything I delve into]). He isn't perfect. But he is perfect for me. He is all I need. 

2 years ago I met him. One year later, we got married. And today, we've been married for a year. Oh, how time flies!

Cheers to all our own personal achievements and personal progress!

xxx

Beth

Today. (4/13/15)

Across from me, sits and acquaintance doing a project-not for this class. Her backpack is red. Her jacket is a black hoodie. The table is moving constantly. Wiggling. Papers are spread out on the table in no real order. They are just sitting there, unused. My box of yarn is-now accompanied by it's box brothers and sisters. And a lot of yarn.

I couldn't resist the urge to play with the boxes and the yarn.
I just had been reading this art book and feel bursting to the brim with inspiration.

I don't have a lot of art books.
I don't know what else I have to do for this class.

I felt a moment of meditation trying to keep my tower of boxes from falling: BALANCED.
I might have been moving the table more than she was.

I don't want to miss a single creation
IN
THIS
BOOK.


I'm done with it. The book, I mean.


things I like eating right now:

• avocado and smoked salmon
• maple bits pancakes with honey
• coffee
• asparagus
• tuna cakes + brown rice
• green tea vanilla greek yogurt with granola
• water
• turkey+avocado+lettuce sandwiches
• juices + smoothies

things I like right now:

• making art
• coming up with art ideas
• playing with belly
• watching shows with EC
• my new sandals - they are so comfy!! and only $25 from tjmaxx *u*
• writing papers
• reading magazines and self-help books
• singing to belly
• eating EC's cooking *u*

xxx

Beth!

The motivational speaker.

Yesterday, Eric and I went on a date and part of that was going to a lecture given by Mikey Burton (here's his website). He's a designy illustrator who does NOT work for free and creates a lot of fresh, adorable work.

Eric and I do NOT aspire to be graphic designers but as artists we related to the message he was trying to get into our heads. He said multiple things but ended with "make work that you wanna make, and be patient & focus on your craft". Many of his ideas he fleshed out solely because he was deeply invested in them, not because he knew he would make money or be successful through it while still attributing value to his work and not taking a "resume-builder" for payment.

He made me realize that what is important is the reason you started doing something. A friend of ours, at the last NC Diggs Deeper event, asked why we all had started dancing in the first place. He said, "People say, 'Because I love to dance' but the real answer is that it's fun". The reason people are truly passionate about anything is because they enjoy how fun it is. I love to create visually because it's fun. It's fun to put pen to paper, move to sounds, sing words and melodies. I don't do these things to make money. I'm trying to do that with them but that's not WHY I do them.

As artists, we have to stay grounded. Not only in our minds, but in reality. We have to remember why we do this in the first place and that what we do DOES have value. What we do is not for free, to be taken advantage of, to be stepped on and stolen from what we have worked so hard to create. What we do is to be treasured. Not just by others but by ourselves.

xxx

Beth

Three Month Baby/Postpartum

WOW.

This word sums up pretty much everything that has happened in the past three months.
I am in disbelief and constantly find myself in a state of shock.
I'm finally starting to realize I'm a mom (thanks to so many conversations where friends will tell me "You're a mom now!" or ask "What's it like being a new mom?"). And to their questions I can only reply "Weird. Very, very weird".

Because, well, it is. Even being prepared for 9 months was not nearly enough preparation. Even after 3 months of her being on this planet with us I still don't feel prepared.

Being a mom in the beginning was just making sure she was growing (eating, sleeping, getting tummy time, bowel movements). Now, I get to play with her almost all day. I get to see her smile and watch her roll over. I get to talk to her, do laundry with her, sing with her, read to her. It's so much more than before and I know we're only going to get to do even bigger, more complex things farther down the road.

She's currently on a bedtime routine that starts around 7 and in no particular order she: eats, takes a bath, is read to or sung to, and a lot of play. She's sleeping through the night and sometimes she wakes up in the middle of the night to eat but she always goes right back to sleep afterwards. She's happy and healthy. That's all I can really ask for her. (:

And for me? I think I'm doing just as well.

Things I'm glad I can do again:

• Dance. (although limited)
• Eat raw fish and unpasteurized cheese.
• Cook!!!
• Put on my own shoes.
• Run.

Things I'm glad I can do now that I have a baby:

• Show her off. c:
• Always have company.
• Reassure pregnant friends that labor will NOT kill you (although it will feel like it).
• Pass on her weight to my husband.
• Dress her up.
• Send pictures/videos to my mom, mom-in-law, and sister.
• Hang out with my sister and her son. (:
• I could probably think of a lot more things.

My body:

• Does not hurt nearly as much. I can move a lot more but still not like I could before pregnancy.
• Tenosynovitis (I carry her a lot... Probably more than is recommended)
• My belly is still squishy but still going down! It's hard to remember that your abs separate during pregnancy and after having a baby, you have to basically build your abs from nothing.

My mind:

• Absolutely revolts at her cries. I always feel a need to soothe her (but my mom has told me she was the same way with me so I don't feel nearly as bad doing it).
• Is slowly working it's way to believing I am a mother (I was just getting used to being a wife...).

This was a lot of lists but I'm not really sure how else to put it. 

If you're currently pregnant I really recommend the What to Expect the First Year book to prepare you for what baby has in store for you. I didn't really read pregnancy books but I did read this one as far as the first month. It was very helpful and made me feel a lot more ready to take care of my little one. (:

Here's a link but try to look for the newest edition!

If you guys have any Qs for me don't hesitate to ask! (: You can comment below or email me at plizdeleon@gmail.com (:

xxxx

Beth

One month postpartum: I miss my long hair!

In the past month, I have learned so much.

• She will never be this small again so treasure every little second.
• You and your husband need to love each other NOW more than ever: let go of petty fights.
• Not many people get the kind of support I did from my boss and coworkers, my professors and classmates, my husband, my sisters and mother, my close friends, and the hospital/pediatric/gynecologic staff. (Not to mention the happy words of strangers -- thankfully, no one has said a mean word yet -- when they do, I will let you all know! (; )
• Appearance is completely unimportant when you're recovering, nursing, and learning to be a mom!
• My life is not nearly as important as her.

I am extremely lucky to be able to be a wife, a mom, a student, a money-maker, and myself.

Everyone is so kind and accepting. I didn't expect this kind treatment at all. I'm just glad I can surround myself with a supportive community and have the strength to simply ignore the rest.

I am very happy.

I am so so so lucky.

xxx

Beth

At 4 in the morning.

Around the world people are sleeping. People are waking up for breakfast. People are exercising to live longer. People are doing things to bring themselves closer to death. But the world is abuzz with life, with love, with soul.

And at 4 in the morning, my world is quiet.
I can hardly hear her breathe.

I can only see the slight rise and fall of her chest.
I turn my head.
He sleeps facing me, head buried at the edge of his pillow.
Her body is warm, bundled up.

At 4 in the morning, my world is complete.

Tiny Spaces.

Hello!

The morning began with Eric and me making breakfast and eating while watching a documentary called "Tiny". It's about people choosing to make a switch to a tiny living space (some 200 sq ft, some 90 sq ft). These people design and build their own spaces to simplify their lives, live green, the world at their fingertips and almost literally at the foot of their beds.

Watching this documentary, our 298 sq ft apartment looks huge. But hearing why they all converted to living simply made an even bigger impact on me. To focus less on material possessions; to live in the world rather than a gigantic mansion. To measure their success by their soul rather than their bank account.

I hope my soul holds more value than what money I have.

I hope my daughter will hope this, too.

We literally have one more week until her due date...
I wonder when she will get here and fill our lives with the hardest, yet greatest endeavor of all time.

xxx

Beth

Art Adventures 010715

I've been experimenting a lot lately.

Here are a few little pieces I've been working on this past week!

Brown and blue acrylics!

Plus graphite.

I love how organic this piece feels.

Red and brown acrylics.

Plus graphite.

I love sketching out girls like this...and I like how it can look when there are more than one! This was my scrap piece of paper for the commission I was making and it was just too beautiful to not work more with.

 This is a sketch, a mock-up, and the scrap piece of paper from the commission I'm working on.

I've only ever drawn lips so painting them is a brand new experience for me.

This is a in progress shot of one of the coffee pieces I worked on.

I have a lot of left over ground coffee that although expired still smells amazing.

It also looks amazing!

These pieces have had a lot more work put into them but I'll show that some other time.

Here is an in progress shot of a watercolor piece I've since finished.

I love mixing graphite and watercolor if that wasn't obvious.

I love the delicate colors mixed with the harsh lines.

A girl I sketched out.

She's had company since this sketch.

I'll show y'all in a little. (:

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Here are a few pieces I have hanging at Appalachia Cookie Company.

New and old. (:

"flower girls"

graphite + acrylic

"two worlds"

acrylic

"lies"

acrylic

"lull"

acrylic

"overcome"

acrylic

You guys have seen these before but I thought I would show them again in their lovely framed state! (:

I am also participating in a showcase in Raleigh, NC next month.

If you're above 18, your support by attending this event would mean so much to me!

Tickets are $15 each! (:

Come one; come all! (:

xxx

Beth