Then and Now

Christy over at The colour 4 posted a "Looking Back" thing on her blog today, and I wanted to give it a try! She posted some specific points from the past, like 10 years ago and 5 years ago. We're supposed to think about what we were doing back then, and reflect on how much things have changed.

Sounds fun! And I even found some photos to supplement.


10 years ago: March 24, 2001
I was finishing up my sophomore year in high school. I was still discovering myself and who I was inside, and was quite uncomfortable in my own skin. I didn't have a boyfriend, although I had quite a few male friends, one of whom was Jon. I danced at the same studio where I had been attending classes since I was 3, and I was cheering on my high school's JV team, as well as an all-star team in the area.

Would you believe, my skin really WAS this clear!
I didn't do any retouching.

5 years ago: March 24, 2006
I was finishing up my 3rd year of college. I was dating a guy who I loved, but we didn't work well together. We knew it almost from the very start, yet we continued to date for almost 3 years, fighting each other and the truth until the bitter end. (This took an emotional toll on me and always left me feeling very empty and alone. Separating from him was like a breath of fresh air.) After living on campus for 2 years, I had moved back home and was cheering for a college-level team.




1 year ago: March 24, 2010
I was finishing up my Master's degree. I was dating Jon and we were so happy, even though I was anxiously awaiting his proposal. I knew it was coming, I just didn't know when. I was living on campus again, but I was miserable, and couldn't wait to move home. I was working part-time in the same job where I am now working full-time.




Yesterday: March 23, 2011
I worked most of the day, and was supposed to have class, but it was canceled because of snow. I was able to go home and have dinner with Jon, sloppy joe's over rice instead of buns and snap peas for a veggie.

Today: March 24, 2011
I am working all day. When I leave here, Jon and I have an appointment, and we'll be having dinner together again (which is a rarity). We're having mushroom barley stew in the crockpot. We are less than 5 months away from our wedding!

Tomorrow: March 25, 2011
I'll be working all day, as usual. When I come home, Jon will be out with his friends, so I plan to spend the night at home, writing a paper. Dinner will be pizza, because there is a place right by us that has great prices, tastes delicious, and delivers for free!

Wednesday Words

An auspicious event passed by recently, and I didn't even think to mention it.

I pondered the meaning of it, and I considered posting about it.

Yet, not a word. Not a hint. Not even a peep.

Well, the time has come.

My one year blogoversary has come passed!

It was on January 25, 2010, that I published my first blog post here, on purple-hippie.blogspot.com. It was a short post, nothing special.

I posted a photo the next day, along with a little explanation of my blog, its purpose, and the logic behind its name.

I've tried hard to live up to my blog's purpose, but I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew. I intended to write about and display my creative hobbies.

However, unintentionally, my focus has become photography. I believe that this diversion might be due, in part, to the fact that my first reason for wanting to start a blog was to post a photo to enter into an i♥faces challenge.

It was only once I started creating my blog that I realized I needed some sort of theme. Something to pull it all together. Something to strive for.

Had I known that photography would become that something, I probably would have named my blog peace-love-photog, or something to that extent.

As for my other hobbies, I still enjoy them from time to time. While I have taken an indefinite hiatus from both dolling and painting, I still love my scrapbooking and digiscrapping. I haven't done much recreational writing in the past few months, but it's a hobby that I yearn to pick up again.

In the meantime, I've found myself with some new hobbies, albeit not very artistic ones.

First, I've developed a love for hiking. When visiting the CT state parks, and after climbing a local mountain, my love for nature and a desperate need to get back in shape combined to create a fondness for trekking through forests. I am anxious for winter to move on and for spring to renew the Northeast region so I can nurture this new hobby.

Second, I ventured into indoor rock climbing. An activity that I never expected to have fun with. However, I have to admit, it's quite breathtaking. During our adventure, we spent 3 hours wrapped in harnesses and ropes, and it truly only felt like a half hour. It's an activity that I now appreciate and hope to start doing more regularly (if only the closest place to do it was less than 40 minutes away).

In the midst of all these discoveries and new trends, I wanted to stop to address all of my loyal followers. My little group has grown larger recently, and I wanted to thank each and every one of you for sticking around. And to my new followers - please stick around! Sometimes, my posts are just photos.... Okay, a lot of times. But every now and then, I get to urge to post words.

Like today.

And I also write about my family, my fiance, and wedding planning. I like to think that there is a little bit of something for everyone.

Before I hit "Publish Post," I wanted to remind everyone that my Etsy shop (Artistically Amy, same name as my blog) is open for business! I added 2 photos just the other day, and I have more to list soon. CLICK HERE to take a look.

Thank you all for reading, and here's to another creative year!

i heart faces Challenge - Barefoot Week

This is Angie and Amy's week off, so we get to focus on something OTHER than faces. And it just happens to be something I LOVE to photograph - bare feet! Well, I should clarify. I don't mind taking photos of my own feet. But I really can't stand other people's feet. Baby feet are fine, and I don't mind kid feet too much, but anyone older than, say, 4 - keep your toes away from me, please!


Angie and Amy chose to focus on bare feet this week because they are supporting a great cause, Soles 4 Souls.


This is a "Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from the warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. The charity distributes these shoes free of charge to people in need, regardless of race, religion, class, or any other criteria. Since 2005, Soles4Souls has given away over 7 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes (currently donating one pair every 9 seconds.) The shoes have been distributed to people in over 125 countries, including Kenya, Thailand, Nepal and the United States." (Source)

This charity reminds me of 2 things. One, TOMS shoes. This shoe company is AWESOME. For every single pair of shoes that they sell, they give a pair away to a child who has none. I think this is so incredibly generous of them. As soon as I get a job that pays a bit more than pennies, I am buying a pair.


Speaking of incredibly generous, the other thing I was reminded of is actually a group of people. A band. Hanson. Yes, the MMMBop kids from 10 years ago. They are all grown up, and now they spend a great deal of time helping others. They have started their own organization called Take The Walk. People all over the country (and all over the world) are organizing group walks. For each person that walks one mile at these events, Hanson then donates one dollar for various causes, whether it is drilling water wells, building schools, or providing access to medical help. They have even teamed up with TOMS to donate more shoes! One of my very best friends organized a walk at our college last year. We had over 150 people show up, and then the school donated an additional dollar for each walker. It was an amazing day.


Whether you are donating shoes or money, or just walking for a cause, go do something. Help someone who isn't family or friend. Do something for others that doesn't benefit you AT ALL. It'll leave you with this feeling that I can't even describe. Sometimes, I feel small; I am only one person. How can I possibly change someone's life for the better? To think that the mile I walked, helped to build a school for African children. One small donation, one short mile, one pair of shoes can go halfway around the world just to make one child happier. YOU can make a child happier, and give them a reason to hope.

Trust me, it's a great feeling.




I am linking up with Leigh vs. Laundry and her meme, The Happiness Project. What is making me wildly happy today? Helping others.

Also, beachy toes.


And sunny toes.

Quick note

I made a button for my blog! You'll see it if you scroll down a smidge and look to the right. It's nothing special, and it's too big, but I plan on redoing it soon... if I can come up with something cuter/better/more attractive. So, for now, grab it anyway, and when I change it, the image will change automatically on your page.

I also added a "Blog Button" page, if you move your eyes up a couple inches. I've added several of my favorite bloggers to that page, but if you would like to added, just let me know!

And if anyone wants to offer to make me a new button, because mine is lacking in creativity, please feel free! :)



Also, check the Color Splash Sunday page to get more information on next week's theme: FLAGS!



And a random raw photo:

Jon loves his Dew.

I am FEELIN' the love!

How am I feelin' the love on this blog? Well, first, I had a new record in comments - 18 on one post. It was my yellow post a few days ago, and all the sweet comments have given me more confidence in my photography and editing skills. Second, I gained a new follower - I am now up to 12 (according to my Blogger dashboard). Third, I've had over 6350 page views since I added the counter (2/15/2010). My newest country is Mexico (muchos gracias). And fourth, I've been given 3 more blog awards! All of them totally unexpected, and very much appreciated.

First up is the "I Love Your Blog" award from Cherees over at Our New Life. Cherees is so loyal and so supportive. Many thanks for her because in addition to reading and leaving comments, she has also been taking part in my Color Splash Sunday meme.

The rules for this award involve listing 10 things I love, and then passing this on to 10 bloggers. There is no way I can pass it on to 10 bloggers, but I will pass it on to Gail over at Delightfully Diva-ish, because I really love her blog! And I am going to list 10 people I love, vs things I love, because I already listed 10 things that make me happy.

1. Matty - my younger brother.
2. Mom
3. Dad
4. Dave - my older brother.
5. Jon - my boyfriend.
6. C - my best friend. We went to high school together, and grad school.
7. T - my other best friend.
8. K - our moms grew up together, so we are basically sisters.
9. L - ditto above.
10.Angelique - my twin at heart.

*Yes, I used initials for their names because I don't know how they feel about being on here.*

Next is the "Versatile Blogger" award from Bec over at iheartblog. Bec seems to be like me - full of hobbies and a crazy creative personality.

The rules for the award are:

1. Thank the person who gave you this award.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Pass the award along to 15 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic! (in no particular order...)

4. Contact the bloggers you've picked and let them know about the award.

Thanks, Bec, for the award! And I love the new graphic you made - so pretty! I don't have 15 other bloggers to pass this on to, but I do have one very versatile blogger I recently found when she commented on my blog. It's Didee from Art Cupboard, and she is fantastic! She does photo editing and digiscrapping, and she has so many resources for textures and actions and kits.

Here are 7 random things about me:

I texted/tweeted during my graduation ceremony last weekend.
I never had perfect attendance in elementary or high school.
I am utterly addicted to computer games.
I can knot a cherry stem in my mouth.
I enjoy reading Shakespeare.
I can't eat crunchy cereal.
I hate to exercise.

And then there is the "Super Comments" award from Neel over at Being Zara & Zidan. I've already developed a super relationship with Neel, because she is the epitome of a supermom and superblogger. She has super cute kids, takes super photos, does super creative edits, and leaves super comments.

The rules for this award are to answer the ten questions, pass the award on to your favorite bloggers, and tell them to answer ten questions. Okay, I have to pass this award on to Cherees over at Our New Life. She leaves super comments; she is so nice.

1) Why do you blog? I needed another hobby, and a way to record my thoughts as I overcome my quarter-life crisis and move on to the next stage of my life.

2) What are the 3 best memories? My first kiss with Jon, walking across the stage to get my Master's degree, and laughing with friends.

3) If you had to change your real name, what would you change it to? When I was a kid, I wanted to change my name to Tiffany Dawn Crystal. Now, I like Amy. :)

4) What are the 5 things you can't live without? I'm not too materialistic, but there are a few. My cell phone, my laptop, my stuffed turtle, sneakers, and chocolate.

5) What are the 4 best books you have ever read? Ooh, tough one. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, the HP series, Memoirs of a Geisha, and the Giver.

6) Tell me something unique & interesting about yourself? I am a very unique person. One interesting thing? I collected teaspoons when I was a kid. My family used to drive to South Carolina every year, and I got one everywhere we stopped.

7) What do you love about yourself? Basically everything!

8) What is the best movie ever made? Avatar.

9) If you had a freaky friday experience, who would you want to trade places with and why? An actress or celebrity, just for one day.

10) what's the best part about being a woman? It never fails to amaze me - women have this innate sense of creativity that is hidden deep within each of us. whether it is writing, blogging, photography, editing, drawing, baking, designing, painting, singing, dancing, or any other talent, we are each a creative genius in our own way. the moment a woman's creativity is recognized and allowed to grow, she shines. -me

YouCapture - Spring, part 2

This will be quite a comprehensive post. I have several topics to cover!


I'll start with YouCapture, which is run by Beth over at I Should Be Folding Laundry. Our challenge this week was to capture Spring, differently than we did last week.

The thing that really means SPRING to me, around my town, is the first trip to the local dairy bar. It has new owners that keep the place open practically year-round, but when I was a kid, it was only open from April to September. The windows would be boarded up, the giant ice cream cone would be taken down, and the garbage cans would be stacked up in a corner of the lot. We all waited anxiously for it to open, and the day that we would drive past to see the windows thrown open and the umbrellas shading the tables, it was a celebration. The big opening was lost with the new owners, but we still have the celebration when we get the first milkshakes of the season. And who can resist the classic dairy bar meal - burger, fries, and chili?! (Although I stuck with a chocolate milkshake.)

I have several photos (count 119)
from this memorable occasion,
but I couldn't just pick one...
or several, for that matter.
So I made this cool little collage.

On to the next topic: Color Splash Sunday. This weekend's theme is colorful food, which should be fairly interesting. You may also post the recipe, if you'd like.




And the next topic: I've been following another mommy-blogger, Neel over at Being Zara & Zidan, who sweetly decided to pass on an award to me. It's the Happy 101 Award!

Rules:

1. Copy and paste the award on your blog.

2. List who gave the award to you and use a link to her blog.

3. List 10 things that make you happy.

4. Pass the award on to other bloggers and visit their blog to let them know!


So, here is my list of 10 things that make me happy, 5 concrete and 5 abstract:

1. Free actions and textures for photo editing.
2. Sundresses and pretty skirts.
3. Cupcakes with whipped cream frosting.
4. DD iced coffee.
5. Messages from my best friends.
6. I officially had my last grad class yesterday!
7. Hugs from kids/babies/friends/anyone.
8. Helping high seniors decide where to go to college.
9. Rainbows in the sky.
10. Being surrounded by family.

I have 3 bloggers I'd like to pass this award on to:

1. Donna over at Double Happiness. She always posts such cute photos and stories of her near-twin daughters, and I LOVE her photo collages!

2. Jen over at Life... And All That Comes With It. She always has an inspirational message or a fun photo or a creative paper collage.

3. Natasha at 5 Minutes Just For Me. She does share a blog with her sisters, but this one is her own, and she always has some kind words and sweet photos.



Next topic: A Carbon Neutral update. I have now planted 4 trees, for myself and for 3 lovely ladies who have signed up to make their blogs carbon neutral. If you want more information, please click here. I'll be posting a tree planting tutorial one of these days.



And now for the last topic, the most important: Matty. My younger brother. His neurologist appointment yesterday. No news. More questions.

He has to get several more tests and see more doctors. That's it. That's all we know, for now. She was able to tell us that his reaction time and reflexes are getting better, and we also know that his vision hasn't worsened in years, which is a VERY good thing. We just have to get all the pieces of the puzzle.

Color Splash Sunday - Pink

Pink was my favorite color when I was a kid. I mean, pink walls, pink sheets, pink clothes... Yea, I was the definition of a girly-girl. But when I turned 12, I finally decided to repaint my walls. I randomly chose purple, and ever since then, that's been my favorite color, although my walls are yellow now.

When I shed the pink-ness of childhood by choosing purple walls, I unknowingly paved the way for other changes. I gradually gave up the pink clothes and the various pink trinkets, and starting really developing myself as a person, rather than a child. It's been fun getting to know myself.

I experimented making pink color splash photos with several different items. In the end, I chose my calendar blocks that you saw in my orange color splash photo.



This is our last week for color themes! We are going to branch out now by focusing on specific objects. Next week, we'll be doing flowers. I've done some flower photos already, so my advice is to pick one specific flower (whether it's in a garden or in a bouquet or even stuck in a vase all alone). Don't try to take a picture of a group of flowers and splash them all; it will be too busy.

Also, from now on, I'll try to keep the themes updated for the next 3 weeks. This way, you have time to think and prepare. You can always find these upcoming themes by clicking on my CSS page. I don't mind if you use older photos, as long as you don't reuse any photos. Any questions, just comment me!

Ultimate Blog Party 2010!

(Thanks to Cherees for bringing this to my attention!)



Welcome to my blog - Artistically Amy! This is all about me as a twenty-something grad student who is discovering herself through various artistic means. I am graduating with my Master's in just a few short weeks, but I manage to squeeze some time here and there to explore and expand upon my creative streak.

Some random things that might help you to get to know me:

--I like to go with the flow. I try not to let life's little (or big) mishaps bring me down. I spent too much time in high school and college on an emotional roller coaster. Not anymore! I am working on controlling my emotions so I can live life, enjoy it, and find joy in simple pleasures.

--I often complain about schoolwork and writing papers, but I really love it! I like researching new theories and strategies. I love taking my research and turning it into a well-developed paper. I have vague plans to get a second Master's, later on.

--I am very picky about little details, and I tend to miss the big picture. I will notice an ant on the ground before I see a bear standing in front of me. (Not that I've ever come across a bear besides in a zoo, but the situation seems likely.)

--I grew up in a small town where everyone knew everyone, and all the kids played in the street without ever having to worry about cars. That town is now quickly becoming overpopulated, and the kids have been banished to backgrounds. But my love for my town, and for small towns everywhere, is deeply instilled.



The lists below are my choices of all the prizes that are being offered. There are so many great prizes! I didn't list any of the prizes that included children's toys or clothing, because as much as I would love to start collecting stuff for my unborn babies, there are plenty of blogging moms who need that stuff much more than I do.

My top 3 prizes are as follows:

GRAND PRIZE at the Ultimate Blog Party 2010 is a Toshiba Satellite L505D-ES5025.

#4 - This beautiful pink bracelet from Star Bright Jewels. (Offered by Christine Leiser Schroeder.)

#94 - A bracelet of choice from Sydney Andrews; I really really REALLY like the Oval the Top bracelet that is on page 23! (Offered by Sydney Andrews herself.)

I also really like the following prizes: 11, 32, 44, 95, 102, 107, USC 3, USC 15, and USC 25. (Can you tell - I'm utterly in love with gift cards!)



I'm skipping some of my favorites memes today to post this party. No PSF, no YouCapture, and no FIF (i♥faces actually skipped it today because they have lots of other challenges going on right now.) But I'm hoping that sacrificing some photo posts to partake in the partying of UBP'10 will help me find new friends and boost my network. I linked in as the 1,122nd family-friendly blog!

Color Splash Sunday - Orange

ORANGE

I'm excited to see
what everyone chose to photograph for this color.
Carrots are ugly!
Let's see some creativity.

I chose a lotion bottle.
I put it on my nightstand,
which is a chaotic display of
purple glitter and colorful calendar blocks.

Yes, that is a lava lamp in the background.
I love them.
I want to live in one.
I can stare at it for hours.
(Simple pleasures.)

Purple Hippie

I wanted to take a moment to explain my url: purple-hippie.blogspot.com. My description under this title (currently blocked by the gorgeous LOVE header) reads as follows:

I have hair to my waist. I eat raw fish. I like to walk barefoot. I live by the motto, "Peace, Love, and Happiness." I have more hobbies than I can count.

It is entirely true. I'll post a picture of my hair soon enough, I could eat sushi for breakfast/lunch/dinner, I have way more pictures of my bare feet than is necessary, I go with the flow, and I love to create things. That is how I've been since I was a kid, proof of which is the videotapes of me dancing around the living wearing a random tutu (and nothing else), and without any music. I hope to raise my future children in the same fun-loving, carefree way.

*Image credit goes to my friend Chrissie. I wish I could link to her page, but she doesn't have one.