A Little Bit About Me

Hey guys! I thought I'd take the opportunity to tell you guys a little more about myself. I'm not sure how much you all, as my readers, know about me, and sometimes I start to feel like the Wizard of Oz, putting out content whilst hiding behind a curtain. No more! Today you'll get to know me, whether you like it or not (but hopefully you do, haha). 

I've structured this to be just like a Cool Person Interview so that I can utilize that handy-dandy Q&A format. Plus, this is my opportunity to test-drive these questions. I tweaked them a bit, to make them more effective! Here we go:

What do you do, make, or create?

     I am and have always been an extremely creative person, so my pursuits range from sewing, baking, and cooking, to doing things like drawing, writing, photography, collaging, and painting. I have several sketchbooks and art journals that I periodically keep up with, as well as doing my course work for my art major.  I'm beginning to venture into the realm of sculpture as well! I also enjoy singing, especially with other people, and I'm attempting to learn to play the guitar. I really love to do crafty things too, like making a DIY chalkboard or a Harry Potter wand! I'm always looking to expand and try new creative things, like making music on GarageBand with my friend or making jewelry for myself. I'm trying to expand into the zine frontier at the moment. 

What do you do for fun?

     Well, I do a lot of creative stuff, as I mentioned, but I also like to hang out with my friends and my boyfriend and talk about life and have deep philosophical conversations and go adventuring around Santa Cruz and the surrounding areas. I love to dance, spontaneous dance parties and concerts are extremely fun for me! I basically grew up in a redwood forest, so I have a deep appreciation for nature and I love going for walks with just my dogs and me whenever I'm home. I love hiking and bike-riding and going to the beach and going geocaching! I really enjoy exploring the town I call home and trying different restaurants and going to flea markets. I also love a good trip to the thrift shop, especially Happy Dragon, which is a shop near my old high school. When I'm not out and about, I like to read and write in my journal and explore the internet. And, of course, work on my blog!

What do you draw inspiration from?

     I get inspired by anything and everything. Alannah's tumblr, flowers, nature, animals, the textures and prints of fabric and clothes that I see in thrift shops, hippies, Santa Cruz, Miley Cyrus, the 70s, historic Japanese and Chinese art, fortune cookie fortunes, Lady Gaga, horror films, Grimes, Florence + the Machine, rainbows, amazing artists like Audrey Kawasaki and Wayne White, animated films, 80s music, scary stories, film noir, insects, colors, books, badass women like Elsie Larson, Gala Darling, and Tavi Gevinson, the 50s, films like Super 8, Grease, and Back to the Future, quilts made by my great-grandmother, my cultural heritage, American history, Tim Burton, weather, thrift store finds, DIY projects, the amazing people I've interviewed so far (!), Marilyn Monroe, pin up girls, my friends, water, and landscapes. 

How would you describe yourself?

     I am very ambitious. I always have big plans for tomorrow, next week, next year, etc. and I think that's a good thing because I'm constantly growing towards new things. I tend to be a battle of opposites: introverted vs. outgoing, loud vs. quiet, the life of the party and a very one-on-one kind of girl. I tend to be spontaneous but I also love planning things. I'm endlessly creative, very friendly, and I love meeting new people. I am very intelligent and I have an excellent work ethic, but I'm also pretty laid back and friendly. I'm vivacious and quite optimistic, I love to make lists and discover new things, and I always make time to be by myself.

What are some of your values or things you believe in? What advice would you give others?

     I believe that everyone is basically good, and that all people deserve happiness and that it is real and achievable  I believe that love is the only way. I believe that you must love yourself as much as you love anyone else. I believe that any obstacle can be overcome. I believe that you must only treat people with kindness, and there is no excuse for doing otherwise. I believe in justice, but I also believe in forgiveness and compassion. I believe that the Universe is amazing. I believe everyone is strong enough to heal and change themselves, and that everyone has the power to do what they want. To put it awe-inspiringly, everyone is destined for greatness. 

What are you studying in college and/or what career path will you pursue?

     I am currently an art major at the University of California at Santa Cruz and I am also pursuing a minor in education. I plan to get teaching credentials in Art and American History so that I can teach at the high school level. I can also see myself starting a business or furthering this blog to generate income, and I'm also looking into becoming a professional organizer. 

Where do you want to be in five years? In ten years?

Five years from now, I will be 23 (wow), so I will have graduated from UCSC about two years earlier and I will be pursuing a teaching credential in Art. I'll be living somewhere in a city in Washington or Oregon and having many grand adventures while I'm there. I want to either have secured a teaching job teaching American History or be working a neat job in a cute shop or a library. My blog will have become very popular at this point, and I will also be working towards starting a business, whether it be a professional organizing business, furthering my Etsy shop, or a business of some other kind. I want to continue signing and performing during this part of my life, and I also love to be a certified Zumba instructor!

In ten years, I will be 28 (WOW), and I will definitely be teaching art and American history at this point. I will also be making a considerable income both from this blog and from my business endeavors. I plan to have a house at this point and I will be having lot of fun decorating it! 

I will also have at least one doggie! In terms of children or marriage, I'm really not sure about my opinions on either at this point, so I guess I'll have to wait and see. Wherever I end up, I do hope my life is one full of happiness. 

Now, normally this is the part where the interviewee shares pictures of their style and creative work, but I share that stuff with you all on a regular through this blog, so if you want to see some of it, just surf my blog and check out the My Art tag, as well as the Outfit tag!