2010, A New Year, with New Possibilites

It's now officially 2010!

2009 came and went. It was filled with many good moments, and some sad moments. There were some good expriences, some of which I wish would've had a different ending. I made some new friends, while still keeping connection with old ones. It was a difficult year for me, with the loss of my job, and being unemployed for most of the year, and with the loss of my Grandma R., that was a very difficult month. However, God was with me through it all, and thankfully that will never change.

Now it 2010 - a New Year - full of New Opportunities and Possibilities.

I have many goals and ambitions that I would like to see accomplished in 2010.
I'm starting one of those by going back to school for a couple of certificates in Web Desgin...with those I hope to finally find a job in my field.
I also have a goal of completing at least one art project a week, and have a few projects that I am going to try and finally accomplish, and maybe possibly even sell.
One of my more important goals includes cultivating a closer walk with God, and being better prepared for my Sunday School class. I also want to memorize Psalm 139, my prayer group my senior year of college tried to do that...but I only memorized a few verses, and it's come up alot lately, so I decided I'm going to give it another try.

So there are some of my goals...I have others, but I'll have to see how those play out - this year anything is possible and I'm going to try and make this "My Year".

Happy New Year, Welcome to 2010!

Holidays 2009 - Thanksiving & Christmas

So I meant to make seperate post for Thanksgiving and Christmas...but since I've been workin' and such I haven't gotten around to it.

So let's start with the holiday that came first:

THANKSGIVING


Usually we spend Thanksgiving at our house, but seeing as Mom and Dad were putting in hard-wood floors and the kitchen and dining room were filled with stuff from the living room, and the furniture was out in the garage, therefore leaving us no place to sit or cook...we spent it at my Granparenis house.


We had our usual dinner of turkey, ham, stuffing, sweet potatoes, cheesy potatoes...and all the other fixin's that go along with thankgiving dinner.


Then of course there was the strategic planning for Black Friday Shopping! Of course the only one who really got into it this year was Little M, mainly because she was the only one who was going to go 'cause Mom was sick (although she did get up and go to about 2 stores), and I had to be at work at 6 (but I stopped by one store to pick up Dad's gift to Mom for him - which made my day really long).


Little M, starting the planning on the living room floor - yes she is making a list, and checking twice...or more. :)



Then she moved to the table.


Of course while she was planning, I was getting bored waiting for her to get done so we could play some games, so I gave myself something to do - doodle! I doodled on the Macy's ad (as you can see in the above photo, those litle Christmas trees are my doodles).


Then there are these...they are soo cute. :)

Yep. I doodled little stick figures on the furniture ad photos! :) I know I'm weird...but hey, I was bored.

This one is my favorite!

Of course, after the Black Friday planning was done...it was...Game Time!

We played one of our favorites - Aggravation!

We also played Phase 10...that took forever... :)

There is our Thanksgiving in a nutshell.

Now for the next holiday:

CHRISTMAS

Which is my most favorite holiday of all the holidays!

This year, I decorated the tree all by myself. I thought it looked pretty good.

And while I decorated the tree I enjoyed a little drink...no, it's not wine, nor is it in anyway alcoholic. It's actually Pomegranite Juice and Sparkeling Grape Juice, which is poured over a sugar cube - delicious!

Then we move on to the presents.

These two I recieved from my kids in my Sunday School Class.

R got me the basket filled with candy and makeup, and E brought me some home-made peanut brittle - yumm!

Then my dear friend B got me these wonderful gifts!

An Ice Skating Owl ornament, and a really cute owl necklace! I photographed them with the bag they came it 'cause it was just sooo cute!

Now how 'bout a look into that stocking! What goodies!

Sudoku, lotions and makeup from Bath & Body Works, Pictureka!, Sunny Seed Drops (Chocolate Covered Sunflower Seeds) in a Christmas light bulb shape, Ferrero Rocher candies (one of my favs!), and a Little Pet Shop's Turtle - which I've named Speedy and is going to sit on the dashboard of my car!

Then there are the gifts I got on Christmas Day!

Wii Resort from my Grandpa and Grandma (whom I also got the rest of my Christmas money and a bag of M&M's from), a Garmin Nuvi GPS from my Mom and Dad, a Zune from Little M, her Hubs M, her brother-in-law J, and her mother-in-law P.

Of course there was one of the best gifts...

SNOW! I actually had prayed and asked for a white Christmas - and we got snow on Christmas Day!

All in all th holidays were pretty good...now to look on to the new year and the challenges and blessings it will bring!

Back to School...

I thought I was done...but I'm not. Yep. I'm going back to school.

Waited for about 2 hours to talk with a counselor to figure out if I could do it in 1 year...looks like I can.

I'm going back for a couple of Certificates in Web Design. Hopefully that will give me the jump start I need to get a job in the Graphic Design field.

I'm registered, and as of today paid up for the upcoming semester. I should finish in Fall of 2010, provided everything goes well.

It will definitely be exciting - and if nothing else I'll be able to design a site for myself, and a site for my Church when all is said and done!

Designing on the Side...

As most of you know I'm currently working at Kohl's...but for the next week or two...I'm also designing on the side!

My good friend G contacted me on my FB page and told me his boss was looking for someone to design a logo, brochure, and website, and wanted to know if he could pass my info on to him.

Well...Yeah!

I can do it all...'cept the site for now, but he doesn't want that now anyways, but back to the point here. I met with him this afternoon, told him how much I'd charge, showed him some of my work, jotted down some notes...and I'm hired! Yessss!

Now I'll have something else I can put into my portfolio - that is being used for a real company!

Deadline for the logo...end of the week.
Deadline for the brochure...end of the year.

I'm so excited to do this!

I'm Thankful for...

My salvation first and foremost. I'm thankful for a God who loves us enough that He sent His only Son to take the punishment for our sins. I'm also thankful that He continues to forgive us, because I know I continually need His forgiveness. I'm thankful to have been raised in a home where my parents love God and showed me His love through their actions, and attitudes. I'm also thankful that I never stop learning about Him.

For my family:
My parents, who always continue to believe in me, even when I feel that I have let them down.
My sisters, who are always there for me, wether it's just to listen to me vent, or to hang out and do something fun together.

For my church family, who are just as close as my real family, and are always there to help in time of need, or to just simply pray for your needs.

For my friends, who are always there to talk to, or hang out with. Who I know I can be myself around, and have fun doing whatever it is we decide to do.

For the new friends I have made during the past year.

For my job. Though it's not my dream job, after being unemployed for about 9 months, just having a job is such a blessing.

I'm also thankfulf for the trials and tribulations that I have been through - I have learned from them and grown closer to Christ.

I know there are many more things I can put on this list, there is so much to be thankful for.
I hope you take the time this Thanksgiving to truly give thanks for the people, things, and events that have been or happened in your life.

It's Ordered...Now I Wait...

Today I finally ordered my new laptop!

I'm getting a Dell Studio 17...Yay!

It comes with a 17.3 inch screen, 4GB of Memory, 500G Hard Drive, Intel Core i7, Back-lit Keyboard, Web Cam w/Facial Recognition, among the other stuff that computers come with, and I got a fun artsy cover design! ('Cause we all know that black is just boring...) Oh, and I got me a new printer with it too, one that prints (obvs!), copies, and scans...and it's WiFi!!! Yay for no cords!

Plus, I got it below what I budgeted for....until they attached the shipping charges, but I planned for that to so I'm good!

The reason for getting new laptop...well this one (yes, that I am using right now) is getting slow, and if I'm running Photoshop, and Illustrator, and occasionally the Internet all at the same time it gets slow...well...it gets slow when I'm just running one program at a time lately too...so there's that. That and the fact that it get's really hot and Little M, had a laptop, basically just like this, same company and laptop - just a bit different configuration, and her's exploded (not literally I don't think) on her, and I know someone else who has had some problems with the same one as well...though I'm not sure if it was computer error or human error (or both) with that one.

My new laptop will have all the power I need to run the programs that I want to run and I'll have a longer battery life as well, this one last for maybe and hour if unplugged from the wall. Plus I will have ample storage to save all my work to.

Now I'll (hopefully) be motivated to get to designing something!

Looks like it'll be here on Dec. 12th! Yay I can't wait!

This Girl Is Ready for a Change...

Yep.

Me...I am ready for a change...or changes...

I have ideas of what I want those changes to be...for now they seem unatainable. Yet I know that if I trust God to have complete control of my life, these changes will occur at the exact right time.

So, now I just need patience.

And full reliance on God.

'Cause I know I can't do it by myself.

Domino Jewelry & Logo Design

So...on Friday, We (Mom, Lil' M, and I) headed out to a little jewelry shop that is settled on a quaint little brick-covered old main street. The purpouse of this trip - 2-fold, 1 - Mom made a santa hat for an animated triceratops...possibly the biggest santa hat one will ever see, and 2 to see if the owner of the shop was interested in selling my Domino Jewelry.

She was! She loved the peices! That being said, I left all I had taken with me in her hands...I must admit...it felt a bit odd...but I guess I'll have to get used to it. She also gave me some things to work on and will pay me in trades, so I can get some neat jewelry or what not for my self...or for gifts.

I'm also going to try and get some Christmas Domino Jewelry done, as well as Christmas Ornament - hand-painted - done too...now...to get my art room clean so I can get some work done.

Ohh! Upon hearing that I'm a graphic designer and seeing my personal logo I made for myself, she has asked me to design a logo for her as well! This is great 'cause it's something I can put into my portfolio also!

I'm excited to see how this all turns out!

Let's See If They'll Sell

So tomorrow I'm heading out to a little jewelry shop to see about selling my domino jewelry.

I don't know if they will sell, but hey I'm going to try. I might even try to sell them on ebay, or maybe open an Esty store and see how they go over there.

Hopefully I can sell some of them and make a little extra money.

:)

Verizon in C-Ville...You Rock!

So I went to a Verizon Store in C-ville, and the guys there are wonderfull!

I was having problems with my battery not holding a charge, and after going to the Verizon Store in E-Ville, I was told I needed a new battery - a new $30 battery.

So I got one on-line for $9. :)

It wasn't workin' either. :(

So the C-Ville store listened to my-thinking-it-is-the-phone-not-the-battery story, and started to see what could be done to fix it.

After numerous calls to my mom for information I needed regarding the account, they discovered they had to change the password - seeing as no-one knew what it was. Of course in order to do that...my Dad needed to be there, and since he was on his way home from work at the time, I thought I'd have to come back another day.

WAS I WRONG!

So the guy that was helping me took a bit more information, like my Dad's name, our address, and the such. So he calls...well who-ever it was that he called, and had to have the other guy be my "Dad", funny thing...his first name is the same as my Dad's, but anyways. He pretends to be my Dad, (pronouned our last name wrong, not a big suprise) and got the password changed.

I in the mean time was trying to not die from laughter watching all this go on.

So anyways, the guy that was helping me, makes another call.

LO & BEHOLD - I am getting a new phone on Monday at no extra cost even though my warrenty ran out 2 weeks ago. See, since my intitial visit (to the E-Ville Store) was with-in 10 days of my warrenty ended, I should have gotten a replacement phone and had the fee waived anyways, but they didn't tell me that option - just to get a new $30 battery. So after this guy explained this to the person on the other end, they said it would be no problem. YAY!

Oh, and they are going to switch everything over for me too.

I will be going to the Verizon in C-Ville, from now on...'cause ya know...they rock!

One Good = Two Bad? Somthing's Not Adding Up...

So I got the job at Kohl's.

Yes FINALLY a job! (Okay so it's not my dream job, but it's better than nothing and I'm thankful for it.)

I've also been babysitting a cute little boy, but just a few times, on the days I'm not working.

This makes for a long week.

Anyways...the job is the good...and the bad you ask.

Well, the bad is not cool. Oh it's nothing horrible, not any life or death situation or anything like that.

It is - my cell phone's battery decided not to hold a charge, see not so bad, so I get a new battery for it. It works the first time I put it in - but now it seems not to be holding a charge, this is bad. So now I don't think its the battery, but the phone itself. Which of course would means that I will most likely have to buy a new one, of course this all happens a month after my 1 year warrenty is up...go figure.

That's not all...one the way home from work tonight, my car decided to give me an extra light to look at on my dash - not one I like to see either, you know the one, the - service engine soon light. Now I can only hope that it is nothing major.

So 1 good = 2 bad, not a problem I like. (Though I don't like hardly any problems of any sort.)

Hopefully everything will work out. I know it will. I just really hope nothing else goes crazy, I could use alot more good.

:)

Well, I Can Check One Thing Off My List...

And that would be getting a job. Yep. I'm employed - at least until January, silly seasonal positions. I'm back at Kohl's, in the same department I worked before - intimates and accessories - only difference is, it's a different store. This of course means I have to drive a bit further, but it's a small sacrifice for a job.
There is a chance that I could be kept on at the end of the seasonal stint, but we'll see what happens with that. In the mean time I am going to continue to look for a more stable position and preferably one that pays more - like enough for me to eventually be on my own - kind of more.

A Photographic Interview

YAY!!! I got one done, perhaps a bit late...but I accomplished a goal!
So the purpose of this was to answer the following questions with a picture, so I did. I admit, some are not very good, but hey, it's done, that's all that matters to me.
Enjoy!

First Thing You See in the Morning?

Why, my pillows and wall, but of course.

Biggest Thing to Happen to You Recently/Soon?

Hopefully a new job. :)

Best Mirror Shot?

Okay...so this is a really bad one...but hey, I tried...

Person You See Most in a Week?

Mom.

Favorite Shoes?

My favorite dress shoes...love the color!

My favorite casual shoes...soo comfy!

Obvs, I couldn't decide which was my favorite, favorite pair...so I chose both. :)

Favorite Meal?

Ribs - though usually I get a baked -or- sweet potato with it. YUM!

Color of Your Eyes?

Yes, I realize this is really creepy looking. Also if your wondering what color my eyes are....they are gray....but they change color (blue/green) depending on what I am wearing.

Favorite Place to Be on a Friday Night?

Hanging out with my friends...not usually watching, football, but I'll take what I can get.

Interview Update...

So I had both of my interviews this week.

The first one was with a bank. I think it went well. Now I have to wait and see if I get a second interview, I should know sometime next week.

The second one was with Kohl's. I have worked at a Kohl's before, however not this one - oh it'll be pretty much the same, I'll just have to drive farther...that is if I get the position. Speaking of the position...I found out when I got there that it's a seasonal job - that's right, October to January (kinda explains why six other people showed up for the interview at the same time). Of course there is a small chance that one could be changed over to a full time, non-seasonal employee.

I really would prefer to have the bank job. That would be a better choice I think, even if it is part time, at least I know I'd be there for more than 4 months. Either way I will take either position, but if the Kohl's position...I'll be hoping to either
a) be put on full-time at the end of the seasonal time
b) have a job-lined up/started by the end of the seasonal time.

We shall see what happens.

When it rains...it pours...

But at least this is a good pouring!

So yesterday, I get this post-card rejection from a place I applied that I REALLY thought would be fun to work at - yet I was not as qualified as they would like me to be. I got really upset about it, I'm talking tears here - and a feeling of never being qualified for anything.

Well, wouldn't you know it today I get two, yep TWO, calls for interviews next week. One at a Bank, and one at Kohl's. I have worked for Kohl's before so there is probably a pretty good chance that I could get that one. I'm a little more nervous about the bank position, a teller to be more precise, seeing as I have never worked at a bank before, but I have had experience handling money while working at Burger King (and yes it was more than just working the register, I was a manager, so therefore I had to count down the drawers, make deposits, and do the end of the day paper work/money counting).

I think I'd really like to get the bank position for a few reasons:

1) It's closer to home, meaning I don't have to drive as far, meaning less money spent on gas.

2) I'd have more of a set schedule - no days part of the time and nights the other.

3) I'd have all major holidays off = more time with family and friends.

Of course Kohl's has it perks too:

1) Associate discount - need I say more?

2) I would constantly be on my feet. You'd think this would not be a perk, but let me tell you,

the last time I worked at Kohl's, I got toned and went down a few dress sizes...I really need

to do that again.

But I'd still rather have the bank position. :)

Of course I'll be happy with whichever I get, 'cause ya know - I kinda REALLY want/need a job.

I'll let you know what happens by the middle/end of next week!

You have exhausted your beneifts...

But don't worry, we'll give you more!
This is both good and bad. "How is it bad?" you ask?
It's bad because if it last into the spring semester, my plans of taking web design classes are dashed! So I guess, I just hope it runs out before the spring semester starts, or I get a job before then, so I can take the classes...I think they would help immensly, and I really want to learn how to do it, so I can make my own web site - how cool would that be!
If your wondering where this desire to take web design classes came from, I'll tell you.
Whilst I was in college, my freshman year...I had to design a "website" for a missionary, so I did the assignment and LOVED IT, however that was the only web-related designing we did. I believe there was other classes on web design, but they weren't required. Yet I could have probably taken one my senior year...'cept I was "in love" and took my, then-boyfriend-now-my-ex's, (long story) advice and took a bible class - which was a hard one and I thought I was going to fail it. Guess hind-sight is 20/20. Oh well.
Anywhooo...now I'm really wanting to do this...and feel like it keeps being post-poned...so seems to be the way everything else goes.
Oh and if your wondering about the job hunt...it's slow...not very fun...but I'm working on it...and trying not to be discouraged. As a matter of fact next week I'm going to a couple of career fairs...maybe I'll find something there.

Photographic Interview

Well, I have been trying to do some of the projects on www.sh1ft.org/projects/, unfortunatly I have not done any of them.....till now...I hope.
This months project is a photographic interview, just go the the site, look to the right of the page and you'll see a Current Project box, click on the Q&A: September 2009 List and it will give you a list of 8 things to take a photo of, then post it to your blog or flickster and show them you through photographs! (I'd like a link too so I can see it too!) I am going to try and have mine on here by the end of the month.
Oh there is also a Quick Snap challenge, that's due on Monday the 14th (yes this Monday, so I'm a little late on posting this, oops) this months challenge is "Up!". I'm not sure if I'll get this done, but I am sure going to try!
I hope some of you can participate in this! I'm going to try REALLY hard to actually do it this time...so stay tuned! :)

Plans, Goals, and Ambitions

So...now that all the craziness is pretty much over I have alot of plans, goals, and ambitions that I am going to work really hard at accomplishing - one of which just became a bigger goal: my jewlery.
However, in order to even begin any of these I have to be able to have a room to work in, which of course means that I need to get my art room clean and organized, and seeing as my Mom's scrapbooking things are all in there right now as well....it could take some time...but my goal is to get it to the point where I can at least work in it right now - the first goal, among many.
Then there is making my jewlery, starting a 30-day workout challenge on my Wii, and continuing working on some alphabets that I am creating and am one day going to sell.
Of course the biggest goal on my list to find a job - this is also going to be the most challenging, but I know I can do it and find something that will at least allow me to be able to take some web design classes. Yes, I am 99% sure that when I a) find a job, or b)run out of unemployment benefits that I am going to take web design classes and go for at least an associates in it.
So it looks like I just put alot on my plate...but I know with God's help and a little perseverance I can do it!

I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

A whole new world of opportunity...

Hello all! Sorry it's been a while since I have put a post up, but life around my house has been, well...crazy. For the last month or so, we have been taking care of my Grandmother, who passed away last week. The funeral was this week and since we had family in town we decided to go and enjoy a day of shopping together after all was said and done. So off to one of our favorite shopping spots we went, which we try and go to once or twice a year. There are a ton of adorable little shops selling all sorts of things, vintage, modern, jewlery, clothes, flowers, candy...you get the idea.
It was one of the first shops we went into, a jewlery shop, that this new door of opportunity opened...and I'm 99.9% positive that I am going to walk...or maybe even run...right through this door! As we were browsing, and admiring all the beautiful hand-made jewlery (and picking up our free cross pendants) my mom metioned something to the owner that I make my own jewlery (yep, it's true, I haven't done much with it, but I do) so then she, the owner, was like here's my information, send me some pics and and your pricing, and went over how the monies made off my jewlery would be split and all that jazz.
Now I never thought that something like this would just fall in my lap, but God does work in mysterious ways. I believe He has opened this door for me and I'm going to use it and see where it leads!

4th of July Fireworks!

So this 4th of July...like the past few years our church family gathered at one of our members home to celebrate our great country. It was a wonderful time of food, fun, fellowship, and of course...fireworks!

Of course, as there is every year, some of the guys in our church had their own fireworks and set them off throughout the day. It's always alot of fun to watch some of them too. :) Yet, when dusk rolled around, and the guys were setting off yet more of their fireworks, a group of us walked down to the town park to see their fabulous fireworks display.

Thus resulting in the photos you see here...and yes, I did enhance them (very slightly) using photoshop (such a great program!). So, please enjoy the fireworks...I sure did. :)

Oh...and these were all taken with a fujifilm point-n-shot digital camera...got some pretty good ones...and ones with really cool effects. :P

One of my faves!

I also love this one...little camera shake/long exposure (maybe??)