{finally! creativity!}

wow. actual creativity to post. on a weeknight! when i had a class! people, this is a breathrough. i'm as stunned as you are.

but today i had ten minutes of homework which never happens, like, ever. and when i have time on my hands, i start to think. and when i start to think, i need to write things down. so i decided to make something. now, this isn't the first thing i've made in, what is it now, a month? no, i've made some little things i never got around to take pictures of, and *gasp* finally got dain's book done (by the way, she has been making some awesome stuff lately, so go and check her out if you haven't done so before!).

anyhoo!

i was thinking today about how busy i've been, and how it's been all my fault for not remebering what that word means where you say you won't do something. i think it's two letters...possibly starts with an n? can someone help me out?

oh yeah.

no.

so basically i'm doing a billion things. and i was thinking about how i have no room to complain because it's all my fault, and truly, i should be slowing down. because i'm deathly afraid my junior year is going to fly past me and i'll look back and realize i missed it. that i didn't enjoy anything, just spent my time worrying about what i had to do next.

so i decided to break out what i have "fondly" called my "gosh-darn-frustrating-but-so-pretty" stamps to kill a couple of hours and really slow down. and, yeah. hoo boy, did those stamps take a while. but it was a good exercise because i am what you would call a *ahem* impatient person. oh yes. very impatient.

i just love how it turned out so simple, but pretty. i really like it.

i suppose you want to see it, so here you go ;) (the rest of the pictures are on my flickr)



um, yeah, there we go.

and if you're wondering what posessed me to put the urban outfitters card upside down, don't ask. i thought it would be funny to turn it upside down. sometimes my sense of humor is so lame i can't even believe myself. but i like me that way :)

and if that wasn't enough, here are some highlights from my week (boy i am over achieving today!!):

1) i got hired at the library! (this is a good thing) this means that i'll be working 15 hours a week (which, granted, is a lot) but making so much more money to put away for college. and spend on art supplies *insert evil laugh here*
2)picked out one of my christmas presents at urban outfitters. this baby. i am so excited!! this is like, the first time ever that i am actually excited for winter. go figure! (see, when you live in the midwest and get about 30 feet of snow accumlutating throughout the winter, and below zero days, it gets old really. really. fast. especially when winter lasts throught the spring.) but i can't wait to start using that lovely!! *sigh*
3) read three books over 300 pages in three days. truly, it was spectacular. good gosh, i love books. (my most excellent year, suite scarlett, airhead {and yes, pretty much all chick lit. i cried in my most excellent year. seriously, guys, you've got to love mary poppins and the cutest deaf kid ever. sigh.})
4) made a fool out of myself on many occasions, but what else is new?

okay, i've fully over exerted myself today. i hope your fridays are fabulous! i'll be back later this weekend with a september calendar and where i've been inspired lately :)

ciao!

{guerilla art. and my town. good combination.}

hmm. seems like i have a little problem with this deadline thing. i think it's because i really don't like to be predictable. so basically, i think i'm going to stop making deadlilnes. i do believe that you are going to have to be surprised.

another plan deviation.

i was going to share a bunch of stuff today about my trip, how i built a bookshelf (shocking, i know. the dent in my wall is screaming at me, but it actually holds books. now if only i could heal the cut on my hand...), how i finally mailed postcards and a package (again, shocking. but i got to use the self mailer with cool buttons at the post office. suddenly, mail is more fun. can i send someone else something? i had to buy extra stamps!! takers?), the september calender i'm working on, and many more exciting things about my unexciting life (such as the hostages from the bank downtown yesterday and the SWAT team...) (which actually happened. look it up on google)...

but.

my mom came home this afternoon from running errands and told me about a public art project downtown. so basically, i had to go. because i love guerilla art so much, it hurts me. and finally, finally, my town was in on the public art campaign. i started dancing.

for all of you who are scratching your head and asking "what the heck is guerilla art?", well, this is something you need, need, to know. this is technically guerilla art, but i see it in a broader sense, more of like art that gets everyone involved, not just the artist. here is where it all began for me. go there. then go here. then, go here, here {some of these are rauncy, i know, but i love the concept!}, here, and here. and here. hopefully i will start similar projects someday. i've been working on my own guerilla art projects on my own.

anyhoo! (funny how i get so sidetracked. wow.) my town!!

this guy that goes to our church is a graphic designer, and all because of a shoelace, he was inspired to do this fantastically cool art project all about his love for the city. you can find out more about it here. while you're there, select the three things that describe you. if for some reason tates ice cream comes up in where you should shop, i'll scoop it for you, since that's where i work (but i had an interview for a new job last week!!! will be discussed later. hopefully.).

but this mural. is. awesome.

he put all of these stickers on a huge mural, and it's pointillism, people! you can peel off all of the stickers that describe you. if you step back, it reads "what is wheaton?" i took off wild, poetic, bald, and vintage. i'm not really bald, but i thought it was funny. they're also cutting out blank spots to do something else wild with it. it's all terribly exciting.

i did not find the unique sticker. i saw it, but i didn't grab it. my sister saw it. she did not grab it. i got home, went to the website, and found out about the prize. needless to say, we were terribly disappointed. some kid has probably grabbed it by now.

sigh.

but still. feast your eyes on these pictures and then i'll tell you why i love my town so much.

11 reasons i love my town: (11 is a well rounded number, no?)

1) it's a college town. it's so fun to have all these kids running around. they hid the bench in our garage once. but that's another story. there was no raid, thankfully.
2) we're in the guiness book of world records. for having the most churches in one square mile. but, still. it's a good thing, people. really. and as a person who attends one of these churches, i can fully attest to it being a good thing.
3) our downtown is cool. kids try to bubble the fountain. and always get caught. it was fun to hang there in middle school. plus also, there are thrift stores. funness.
4) our library ROCKS. it's in the top ten for small town libraries. and it just got renovated. seriously. it rocks. (and i cave, i'm going to work there. starting in october. in the children's floor. eeeeeee!!!!!)
5) six words. lots of bigger and better hunts.
6) it's a small town. you know a lot of people. it's awesome. it's got such a great feel to it.
7) we get four seasons. snow in winter. 100 degree summer days. rain in spring. awesome crispness in fall. it's so fun. except that i don't like snow, so that can be an issue, seeing as though we get A TON of it.
8) two highschools. cross town rivalry. nuff said.
9) we have the most awesome art store downtown. i can't even explain it.


10) we are a 20 minute train ride away from chicago. a 45 minute drive. do you know how good this is for a high school girl? can we say michigan avenue on the count of three? or ice skating with friends in the winter? yeah. it's really, really great.
and finally...
11) exciting stuff happens here. like when bill clinton came to our high school last year. and when the psycho took hostages yesterday. or when we were on oprah. or when football players from the college go to the nfl (which is sort of a big deal here).

or when we get art exhibits. in the middle of town. for the world to participate in.

seriously, people. i live in the best town ever (which not a lot of people can say!). come to wheaton. it's great.

ciao!

{!!!}

i know. i am bad. i have been missing! and you (hopefully) have been missing me!!

but i will have to disappoint you for a few more days.

i have much to catch up on, much to take pictures of, and much to do.

my to do list is a mile long, and school does not help.

currently, i am trying to learn how to balance my life with creativity. it's very important to me, one of the reasons i have a blog in the first place. to kara and all the rest of you teenage blogger girls in school, i totally admire you. and i am nearly there! i feel so bad for abandoning you, all my readers. right now, it's just a matter of cleaning my room, doing my homework, and charging my camera. then it will just be you, me, and a bunch of paper, people.

can we wait till friday? i have so much to tell you!!

i hope you don't hate me too much. because i love you all.

xxx kate