Mini Vacation at my Parent's House

Hello Everyone!

I am currently house sitting for my Parents and their two miniature Schnauzers whom are fondly called "the girls".

I actually love staying at my parents for a bit.  First of all their bed is FANTASTIC!  Second, I am currently on a horrible gluten free diet and I am craving bagels.  Since my mother loves me she bought me lots of tasty gluten free treats that make it even easier to stay here!  Third, having some time just for myself, not worrying about chores at home, what Mer and I are going to eat for dinner, or do I need to clean the toilet, makes me feel super...you guessed it, inspired!

Don't get me wrong, I love taking care of my family and now getting to call Meridyth my wife seems to make it even more official.  However, tying into my post yesterday it is nice to have fresh ideas and feel excited to create.

Now pictures of "the girls"!

These dogs love to bark which can drive you crazy but they are so loving and wonderful and I love them to pieces.

Until tomorrow....

Lots of love,

Jess

Being an artist yet trying to be consistent

Hello lovely readers!
I have to apologize for completely and totally slacking on the blog posts.

I had been blogging like a good little blogger for a few months and really felt good that I had been consistent about something.

This brings me to the topic of my post. 

I love to blog.  I love finding cool things on the web, reader others blogs, and sharing what i'm thinking. 

That brings me to being an artist.  The way that I create might seem insane to some artists, but honestly, I first need to feel inspired.  Not just a little inspired, but REALLY inspired!

Whether it be dreams, seeing something while i'm driving, or a song that hits me the right way, I HAVE TO FEEL IT!

That then takes us to the process of actually making something.  I wish this wasn't true, but usually the first time I draw, carve, make something it looks the best.  Whatever the image may be it does not look over drawn or over thought.  When I start to make adjustments and fix things I feel the image starts to feel too worked.  (I discovered this when I was in grad school in a very halted conversation in Venitian style italian with my intaglio professor).

I have found in the last couple of weeks that this also relates to my blogging.  I haven't felt inspired lately.  After the hype and workup to the wedding I have felt exhausted.  I have also had some ugly chronic medical issues that have caused me to be in bed and asleep by 7:30 or 8:00 p.m.

So, the question I have been asking myself is how do you as an artist be consistent with things without it feeling fake or forced?

That is the question.  I don't have an answer yet.  When I do I will let you know, but I would love to hear other's thoughts.

How to stay true to yourself and who you are as an artist/writer/creater without forcing it.

Lots of Love and hopefully more consistent blogging to come!

Jess

Adorable shop found on Etsy: Rodica

Happy Tuesday!

Hopefully you made it through unscathed or at least excited to be done with the day and happy to be home!

I wanted to share with you an adorable shop on Etsy that I found recently.   The shop is called Rodica and it is run by a woman who is Romanian born and lives in France.

She makes the most adorable little clay houses. 

I love little things.  As my Mother and now Meridyth say I love tchotchkes.  Yiddish for knickknacks, souvenirs, small toys, etc...

They are not telling a lie!  Do I ever! 

Don't you want every single little house?

Check out her etsy shop!

Lots of Love,

Jess

A great Irish author Tana French

Hello everyone!

I am slowly coming back to the world of the internet after the wedding.  I can't believe it was just a little over a week ago.

It is funny how fast one day, one night, can be.

I also finish the online class I was taking on Friday and I am taking the Summer off!  This is the first Summer in four years that neither Meridyth or I have school so I am hoping to we can enjoy it at least a little!

Now onto the title of the blog post!

I have been reading a lot lately.  I LOVE to read.  I have always loved it.  I am particularly fond of mystery books though as I have gotten older I will read pretty much anything.

I usually read two or three books at a time because if I get annoyed or bored with a book but don't want to give up on it I will have other books to fall back on.

In the past maybe two years I have been obsessed with the Irish author Tana French.  She is amazing.  Her books are not gruesome, more suspenseful and in each book, she has written three, she will take a character from the previous book and have them be the main character and have the voice in the book be theirs.

I am re-reading one of her novels called the likeness.

I would recommend reading her books in order since each character is introduced in a previous book, but if you read them I'm sure you will have a favorite.

She is coming out with a new novel on July 24, 2012 called Broken Harbor and I can't wait to buy it!

Do you like to read?  What are your favorite novels or authors?

Until tomorrow,

Love,

Jess

Wedding Photographer Worrying

Hello everyone!

I am officially starting to come down from the wedding!  I have now been a married lady for 6 days!

Truthfully, it doesn't feel very different for Mer and I, but it is funny how the rest of the world views the relationship now!  More on that later, but for now I want to talk about the wedding photographer I chose for the wedding.

I put an ad for a wedding photographer on craigslist and probably got about a 1,000 e-mails with portfolio links.  Being a wedding photographer myself I knew what I wanted.  I looked at portfolio after portfolio for two weeks and was getting a little frustrated.  I wasn't getting anyone that had the "eye" that I was looking for.

Then came Jacqueline Patton.  I looked at her portfolio and was BLOWN AWAY!  She was exactly what I was looking for.  She is super reliable, adorable, e-mails you back quickly.

Forward to week of the wedding...After 2 months of heavy steroid packs I was feeling...FAT.

Very, very fat and unattractive.  I started to freak out.  Mer assured me I was beautiful (of course she did!), my best friend flew in from boston and she said the same thing.

Day of wedding I had my hair done, my nails, my makeup, put on my dress...I was feeling pretty good!

Then the wedding was literally a blur!  People arrived early and my prescious time-line was thrown out the window!  I am still processing the whole experience and I think that, that will take awhile!

Monday after the wedding sitting at work, I realized I didn't see Jacqueline very much during the wedding.  Did she get the shots I wanted?  Would I look pretty?  Would I be disappointed?

Then I laughed a little and realized that my clients probably wonder the same thing!

I purposely hired a wedding photographer who photographed in a photojournalistic way and wouldn't be in your face the whole time!  I wanted the images to be natural and who we really were.

Being the nut I am I was sort of stalking Jacqueline's facebook page this week, which you should like by the way!

Then yesterday a few pictures went up.  They were amazing detail shots and I started to get excited.  Then I received an e-mail from her this morning and there were more images!  They were beyond AMAZING!

She captured me looking right at the camera when Mer and I were walking down the aisle and I never saw her!  I didn't know she was there!

 Jacqueline Patton Photography

I guess what I am trying to say is that I never realized what it means to be a wedding photographer or to hire one.  You see their portfolio, you hire them, and then you hope that they are able to navigate your day with their camera how you want them to.

There is a lot of trust involved that I was unaware of before.

So my advice, for what its worth, is go with your gut.  Pick the person you are blown away by and then let them do there thing.  Trust that they will capture the day how you think they will.

I never should have been worried.  The picture above is all I needed to know not to worry.

Or you can also hire Jacqueline, she's pretty awesome!

Love,

Jess 

Back in Business! Oh Yeah...and I'm married.

This past month has been a whirlwind of activity.

Of worrying, crafting, laughing, and not sleeping enough.

Meridyth and I finally got married last night and I have to say that it was an amazing.

I still need to let it sink in.  The support of friends and family was truly amazing.  I cannot be more grateful to my parents.  Without them the night would not have been possible.

I am exhausted right now and today there is a lot to do still.  I have an airport run to make in two hours, presents to get, a house to help clean up, and I have to get ready to go to work on Monday.

I think the last time I was this emotionally and physically exhausted was when I spent the night in the
Venice Airport to leave Italy after living there for a year.

However, my wife is sleeping upstairs and that is really nice to say.

I have a lot of things swirling in my head and I'm hoping after a few good night sleeps and maybe some Tylenol I will write a few posts about the whole experience.

But to let all of you know, I'm back!  I can't wait to blog again.

Lots of Love,

Jess