Open Sight

Tattoo Design

2012-01-30T23:15:00.004-05:00

In my spare time, I've been fond of taking tattoo commissions, as well as designing some just for fun. I haven't shown them off in a little while, so I thought I'd do a post about what I've been up to.

My biggest piece of pride is the design I created for my boyfriend, Max. I won't go into the true nerdiness of this Magic The Gathering Tattoo, but I was asked to compile the game's key elements together, to go on the back of his arm. My original design was circular, which I realized was dumb of me and would never fit - but I will post it here anyways, so you can see how it progressed. I then created a more linear one, which became the final. The shading I left to the artist, although I have gotten better at that myself. When he went for the first session, he told me the artists at our local parlor praised the drawing for being an apt body art piece, and not just a wonderful drawing that might look shitty on skin (apparently this happens a lot, I'm not surprised). I was super pleased!

After this, I took on a few other commissions. Recently, I drew this small piece for a friend of a friend, who was inspired by the water designs in my boyfriend's tattoo. She wanted a small sunset piece of the sun over the water to go on her hip, in black and white, with little shading. After eyeing both good and bad tattoos, and going back and forth, we decided on this little piece. She did not like the idea of rays, so this was my way of depicting the sun, so it didn't just look like a giant orb in the sky.

But besides just these, I've been doing other larger pieces. I was referred to by a friend to a girl who wanted a tattoo up her side of a tree of life, inspired by her favorite tapestry that hangs in her room. Alongside it, she wanted Hindi text that reads "My Family, My Life," and in Hindi because of her time abroad. I went off the deep end with the original design (the DNA tree below), which I loved, but it was not for her. I continued it for myself anyways, but her tree morphed into something quite different. Originally, I designed the words on scrolls woven through the tree, but she disliked the idea of traditional scroll work, and liked it much better when I simply ran the text down one side. I'll post both here for curiosity. She hopes to get it this semester, and I hope to see photographs when it gets done!

I was also commissioned by a girl online to do a chest piece. She had sketches of ideas, but wanted them shaped into something more solid, and colored as well. Though I still remain half unpaid for this, we all learn from the first time taking online commissions - be wary of young people with no money and make them pay beforehand (did pay half upfront, but then dropped off the face of the planet when I finished the tattoo). Either way, I loved this design, and I'm proud of what I did with it. This was my first color commission.

For fun, I've been designing pieces based on one of my favorite shows, Seinfeld. I have quotes saved from one of my favorite tumblrs, Seinquote. Deciding to work on created text, I took on the quote "They're real and they're spectacular," meant to curve under one breast. My text still needs work, but needless to say, it was fun to create my own and not rely on fonts.

My most recent work lies in another design for my boyfriend, which he wants as a chest piece someday. Also to be in black and white, this piece is to be in the Art Nouveau style, and will depict key imagery from his favorite Shakespeare soliloquy in Macbeth. I really love this one so far, and it might be my best and favorite! It isn't finished, but here is it's progress:

I hope there will be a lot more to come. Please let me know if you're interested in any designs for yourself, I'm always open for business. :) Just email me at Radiocommotion@aol.com !

I'm Back!

2012-01-29T18:21:00.003-05:00

My laptop just came back from the shop last night. Before I took it in, it wouldn't start up, and looked like this:

Scary, right? Sometimes, it was even plaid, not stripes. Oh man. Unfortunately, my graphics card crapped out on me. But it was an easy fix, and for free! It took longer than I wanted, but now, I'm just glad to have it.

Stay tuned for more posts soon!

DIY Shorts Pt. I: Cutting, Bleaching, and Distressing

2012-01-18T23:28:00.006-05:00

After cutting my first pair of shorts, experimenting with distressing for the first time, and dying as well as studding (and even employing my mediocre sewing skills), I decided I wanted more.

I headed out to a local second hand shop, and bought the only two pairs of jeans I could find that fit me. Many other pairs were large, but if there had been more, I would have so bought them up (they were pretty cheap). One pair was plain, and the other a Guess pair with a peace sign on one back pocket. To my delight, the Guess pair had zippers on the bottom. Guess who will be making more zipper shorts?

Taking them home, I cut them. I left one pair long, having in mind I'd try fringing them. Fringe shirts have worked out well for me in the past, why not try bottoms?

After cutting them, I threw the long pair in a bucket filled with bleach mixed with water. Here's a shot of the bleach I used, the bucket in the laundry sink, a beat up towel, and gloves. Make sure you're wearing something you don't care about, bleach splashes easily!

I had no idea how long it would take, but after an hour passed, I added the rest of the bleach. Oddly enough, the long pair took most of the afternoon, and turned a very pale yellow. Expecting the second pair to take just as long, I threw them in and left the room. Within half an hour they were white (which surprised me when I returned to check up on them). I still have no idea why the first pair took so long, but I suppose I'll never know. Below is the first pair soaking, and the second pair white.

Last time I dyed my shorts, I expected a mustard color, closer perhaps to a brown, especially after using dark yellows to dye my shorts. I was surprised when they came out a little more green - but of course, I had not bleached them, and thought the light blue wouldn't effect it so much. This time, I got smart and bleached test strips cut from the legs, that way I can test dyes on them to make sure I have the colors I want. Below is what they looked like unbleached. I left one zipper on the front of that one short leg, showing how I plan on sewing it. I will cut out the middle, and probably sew fabric between the zipper (after dying the shorts).

Shortly after, I began to cut the fringe on the legs of the first pair.

This made a lot of lint...

While shortening one end, I accidentally cut one fringe. It was just too noticeable to leave. So, I cut every other fringe off, which actually made them look better (in my opinion).

When I was finished with those, I started distressing the second pair on the front and back, using my Swiss army knife. I am debating whether or not to distress the fringe pair, which are already pretty busy. But, I have distressed the second pair, both on the front side that will not have the zipper, and the back pocket that isn't studded into the peace sign.

I am thinking of studding one front side completely of the fringe pair (evenly spaced studs). I am still thinking of colors for both. Ideas for how I should dye? What colors I should use? Or use of studs? Comment! :] Stay tuned for my progress once I get back to school. That's where the dying and sewing fun starts!

Fun and Recent Purchases

2012-01-13T23:45:00.004-05:00

This year, I told myself my resolution was to spend less money. My ideal was to save all of the money I'm getting, and only spend using gift cards I've gotten for Christmas on fun purchases (the truth is, I don't NEED anything more, especially clothing).

I've broken this resolution a few times already.

I am planning on letting it take effect when I get back to school. But for now? I treated myself to a few last things.

Just today, I bought two great things. I hadn't looked at Threadless for a few months, and remembered it today after running into a frequent tee designer on DeviantArt with some cool things. Browsing pages forever, I wanted so many. Since so many designs were on sale, many of the ones I had my eye on were sold out in my size. A few were just the wrong color for my skin, despite being a great design (I just can't do beige tees). But I settled on this one.... unusual, but too wtf hilariously awesome to pass up. I saw that there was only one left in stock, and it was my size. Meant to be!

A few hours later, camera accessories and nerdy items came up with my cousins when I went to go visit my aunt's house. She and my uncle had just received large canvas prints of three of my photos to hang, which will be going in their upstairs hall. It looks super awesome, and I will be posting on those soon. But after some visiting and Internet browsing, I settled on using a bit of the money for the above commission to buy something nerdily camera related that I've wanted forever - Photojojo's camera lens mug.

I have a Pentax, and sadly no one likes Pentax, so there was no mug for us - but the Nikon one was definitely my favorite of the options (two types of Nikon and Cannon lenses). It will be on it's way to Lake Placid soon, so I can settle in with a nice hot cup of cider in a lens on the chilly days to come!

A Friendly Feature

2012-01-10T17:18:00.004-05:00

I've got a resolution to be better about this blog now that I'm coming into my last semester at school. I will be working a lot, and hopefully should be making some pretty fun things (this includes clothes AND photographs)!

But to make up for neglecting my blog, and some of my lamer entries these past few months, I wanted to share a blog written by a friend of mine who has a lot of cool things to talk about. If you like reading about strange animal facts, scary movie magic, and how to potentially control your dreaming, you might want to check out Notes of Ranvier.

I don't know how people come up with this kind of stuff. People who manufacture helmets are looking at Woodpeckers for inspiration, and resources on lucid dreaming suggest you can become a practiced dreamer by learning to control certain aspects and actions of your dreams. In the end, I'm the kind of person who loves learning random stories and facts like this. It's inspiration for something to talk about with your friends with at dinner, or possibly to read about further just for fun.

To get the story on this odd looking creature, you're going to have to take a read! :)

Scenes from Jupiter Island, Florida

2012-01-01T23:27:00.006-05:00

This New Years I've been down in the warmth relaxing for a few days. But of course, it's only natural that I spent my first day of 2012 photographing.

My uncle has been thinking about hanging some photographs down in his house here, where we are currently staying. They are having trouble finding nice paintings, but want something to cover all the wall space in the various bedrooms. What he wants most is nice scenes from around the area.

Though I've spent most of my days here reading by the pool or relaxing on the couch, today I got off my butt in the afternoon to cart around in search of good shots. Yes, golf carts are allowed on the roads here on the island... but it's quite fun.

I have a few more places I didn't get to hit before the sun went down, but here are some iconic places here that I thought he would like. Enjoy, and happy new year! :]

Hopping on Board the Instagram Train

2011-12-27T19:25:00.003-05:00

For anyone who isn't quite sure what this is, it's an apple-made app for your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. It allows you to take photos, which are always in square format, edit them with some filter options, and post them on a page you develop. Best part? It's free. It also includes a touch of social networking - similar to tumblr, you can follow other photographers, and they can follow you. You can also tag your photos with the typical hashtags (#winter, #cute, etc) so people can come across you work in searches.

As far as I can see, this little program is fantastic for many, but a touchy subject for others. Real photographers get a bit pissy over it because there are tons of teenagers with iPhones who claim they are great photographers because they use Instagram. Of course, by no means is this little thing a substitute for a nice DSLR or film camera.

However, I think it's a step up for phone cameras. Frankly, my phone takes pretty shitty photos. When I was gifted the iPod touch for Christmas, my natural inclination was to turn this music device into yet another camera. What can I say, I am me. After downloading all my music, I got this free app, and went crazy. I've enjoyed taking holiday photos, and family photos, and this device will quickly replace my phone for taking quick shots in public. Since I don't always carry my big DLSR with me, this gives me the opportunity to take shots when I'm out with friends. Instagram also makes life easy when emailing pictures to myself or friends, so I can have them on my computer.

As far as I can see it, it's a win win. Just don't use it to inflate your ego!

If anyone else out there has one, you can find me under Carolyn M, or my screen name MizRolyns. Lots of my photos were recently tagged under "Winter" and "LakePlacid," so there's always that too. Cheers!

(PS - I promise to be better about this blog. I've been neglecting it, and haven't shown any of my work. More entries to come!)

LookBook in a Nutshell

2011-12-26T22:25:00.002-05:00

It's ok, I can make fun of it. I'm on it.

The DIY Short

2011-12-19T20:51:00.003-05:00

Lately the whole DIY studded and dyed shorts have been really in, although I've noticed that most pairs cost anywhere from sixty to ninety dollars. Since this is rather outrageous, I thought I'd give my own pair a try.

First, I went about cutting some old skinnies into shorts, since I never seemed to wear them anyways. The best part about the pants however, was the zipper detail at the bottom. I decided to save those for ideas later. When I'd cut them up, I borrowed a friend's switchblade and began to distress them - though I proved not to be very good at this. What was supposed to be exposed white threads (which would color when dyed) just turned into frayed holes. Thankfully, they still look ok.

I then took them into the art studio at my school, where I sewed on the zippers to the sides of the shorts, and cut out the fabric between them. This makes them a bit scandalous when wearing... but I need to figure out a lace short or something I can wear underneath. After this, I dunked them in a yellowy dye, which was a mixture of a golden color and an ochre yellow. Expecting them to be a bit more brown, I was a little surprised when they came out more green than ochre, but I didn't bleach them at all, and the light blue on the jeans must have turned the yellow a bit green.

After letting them dry and putting them through the wash one more time, I bought some studs on Etsy, and studded them up, like everyone else. Good news is, I think they're pretty cool!

:/

2011-12-06T16:58:00.007-05:00

So many people in my country want to or already look like this. Given this image is an exaggeration for most, for some... clearly it's not, and that's scary. The media represents people that look like this every day on TV and in magazines. There's every kind of way to get a fake tan, or put implants in various places in your body to make them "look better."

And yet, there are those of us who think the kissy-face fake girls are delusional. Why are those who have sleeves or look like the girl on the right trashy or scary to many? Why is having a fake tan, poorly done highlights/bleach jobs, and potentially plastic surgery better than having tattoos and interestingly dyed hair?

Why does the majority of my country aspire to be fake in every way?

Stuff - My New Boutique

2011-11-24T02:06:00.002-05:00

Hello all!

I have begun a little boutique where I am selling my wares - including everything from clothing to jewelry, and accessories to custom orders.

Here is the link, and I plan on having many more things up soon, more jewelry, shoes, blouses, skirts, outerwear, belts, bags, and bandannas. Keep your eye out!

A Return to Monochrome

2011-11-01T18:47:00.004-04:00

Recently, I was invited to a new website based out of Germany called ARTFlakes. Still in Beta, you can only join by invitation, but I was lucky enough to score one. After uploading your pictures, your art is available to the web for customers to buy high end prints, cards, and posters. For every sale, they are made and shipped by a a third party, without my involvement (thank god). I earn a royalty for every sale, a percentage I decide (though the higher you go, the higher your part is priced).

I am slowly building a collection to display. I get the impression this crowd is more for decoration arts, and keeping this in mind, am uploading things for a more domestic audience than necessarily an artsy one. Though we're all artists on the site, I am catering a different set of images than those I would put on places like Deviantart.

I have been primarily focusing on black and white works thus far. Though I will be uploading some of my favorite color images later, for now, these seem to add a classy edge to my gallery. I have been pulling images from Lake Placid, Carmel, Big Sur, Hobe Sound, and all over. It's very fun, and I hope to start making some sales soon. By all means, if you need an artistic gift, or some black wall space that needs to be filled - that's what I'm here for! This is my shop :)

DIY - Studs and Fringe

2011-10-25T22:36:00.003-04:00

Recently I've been trying to build up my collection of modified clothing for the up coming critique in November for my textiles class. My ideas have changed so many times since I finished my tapestry shoes, but I have enjoyed making these next two pieces.

After a sad night out and the death of an old friend (my poor studded belt), I pried apart the studs and applied them to some old leggings that needed some new loving. I definitely will wear them now, they've improved by far! Since the studs had prongs, and were hallow and light, they were easy to insert and space on the leggings, which had a handy side panel (if you're looking to do this, get some easy studs and try Nike leggings, the side panel helps hold them in place).

I was also pleased to find some bright fringe at Walmart the other day, and added it to the bottom of this shirt. After a failed attempt to dye an old crop top, I went to H&M to find this one, and I knew just where it'd be since I have the same shirt from weeks earlier, un-altered. But, I bought another one to mod up.

I shot them together for convenience - which I would never wear out. Remember, leggings are not pants! But I still love this shot. So take a look at my recent projects!

Risingstate and Red Boots

2011-10-20T17:44:00.004-04:00

Today I received a curious email from a clothing website I'd never heard of, prefaced by interest in my blog. I occasionally get these emails from various other blogs, clothing places, etc. but don't always have the time to check them out. However when I did this time, I was actually pretty rewarded.

Risingstate is a wholesale website for women's clothing in China. Their prices had me grabbed in a second. Being me, I went straight for the shoes. Even though I purchased a pair of shoes online today already (hey, it's been a tough few weeks), I definitely want to get my hands on these red boots sometime soon:

I know the fringe thing is a love-hate trend to many, and I've generally avoided it because sometimes wearing fringed things gets annoying, but these boots were too hard to pass up (and there will always be a soft spot in my heart for suede).

DIY - Tapestry Boots

2011-10-09T16:46:00.004-04:00

When I saw these Jeffery Campbell tapestry heels (both these and many other similar fabric-covered boots) - I knew I had something to do with my old fabric.

After working two years as an intern and assistant to an interior designer and decorator, I have amassed piles of old discontinued fabrics. When I started this year in my independent study class, I had a few scattered ideas of what clothing I was going to modify and decorate, but little did I know I was about to start off with shoes instead!

My pair of black faux-suede booties are a loved pair of shoes - I have worn them many a time. However, parts of the suede has worn off and they were starting to look a little sad. Knowing I could easily buy a replacement pair, I decided to recover them in some heavy duty tapestry fabric of my own - I don't need designer shoes if I can make them first!

Best part is, they count for a grade. I love turning hobbies into school work, it's how things come out best. The tapestry fabric is both beautiful and should wear well. Originally, I started out with a chevron design with a covered toe, but after pinning and cutting the fabric for the first shoe, I neglected to cut the pieces in the opposite orientation for the opposite shoe. Lamenting one of my favorite samples gone useless, I moved onto a red paisley fabric, which is both soft and heavy duty.

Using my old pieces as guides and cutting them correctly this time, I have embarked on a spectacular shoe journey. I have been working piece by piece, starting with the inner back section, which was the smallest. After cutting the pieces, I made sure they fit correctly before buying fabric glue and using that to put the fabric on. After letting the piece dry for several hours, I hand sew the places I can to reinforce it (basically anywhere not near the sole, where it is too hard for the needle to go through). So far, they look like this, and all I have left to do are the outsides:

I hope to finish them either tonight or tomorrow morning, and I can't wait to wear them!

Business with Friends

2011-10-04T21:09:00.003-04:00

You might see this as a bit of self promotion, but I see this as a bit of fun.

My friend and housemate Sam and I are beginning a small site for each other, where we offer Skidmore College our artistic services. While I am primarily offering photographic things such as product shoots or portraits (and randomly some tattoo design in there), she offers things in the area of graphic design, such as posters, layout services, and logo creation.

After coming together last year to make our friend a calender for her birthday full of fun photos, we decided working on projects like this were quite fun. Just recently we've finished the bulk of the site, and hope to get our work out there for the rest of the year. After all, pre-snow weather shoots are the best kind, I hope someone takes me up on it!

I know you guys aren't fellow Skidmore Students, but here is where I've been putting up my favorite shots from strict interiors to flowing landscapes. Check it out!

Back in Time, Indeed

2011-09-21T21:57:00.004-04:00

Finally someone that agrees with me - blog writer Enem Uko from LookVille featured me not too long ago with many of my vintage and vintage-inspired looks. I pride myself daily on dressing well, and some of my greatest finds are thrifty pieces like my fifties bathing suit - turned romper, or my necklace made from old jacket lapels. I've got nothing against modern clothes, but sometimes all of the charm and quality are to be had in the older pieces.

So for some of my looks, new and old, check it out! Thanks, Enem!

Ladies of LookBook - Put a Real Shirt On!

2011-09-13T21:08:00.005-04:00

One of the most recent trends I have seen has grown from the occasional thing to a regular daily sight, and an unfortunate one at that. People seem to have this attraction for wearing sheer - incredibly sheer - blouses with simply bras underneath. The sheer blouse worn right is a classy and sexily delicate thing, but when worn wrong, it can be an ugly whorish marker. I'm not going to name names, mostly because that would be kind of rude and I don't remember them anyways, but I'm going to post a few pictures. I am apologizing in advance for your eyes.

My advice is simply this - figure out how to wear it with a tank, a nicer bandeau, or just... something. Some of these girls have great outfits, minus how they are wearing their shirts. They could be doing a lot more for their bodies than just looking trashy. I wanted to find more examples of people with white shirts and black bras, but sadly couldn't now that I was looking for it - those are pretty terrible. But instead, here are a few people who are doing more wrong than not just wearing a shirt. In fact, I think I might add they're missing pants, too.

And worst of all, this one's not even wearing a bra, a real shirt, or pants. When people post these upon LookBook for all the world to see, I pray to the god I don't believe in that they didn't go out of the house like this.

Well, that is all for now.... keep the good fashion up, and don't dress like this for the sake of other's poor eyes!

Tattoo Stories

2011-09-06T21:51:00.003-04:00

The "small" font seems to have gotten smaller (and no, I'm not old, on ly 21), so I think I'll go back to the "normal" size, or whatever.

At any rate, I'd like to thank Funmilayo for featuring me and the story of my first tattoo :) It was really fun to talk about it again!

Customization

2011-08-31T17:43:00.003-04:00

After hours of cleaning my room and library yesterday, it seemed to be lending gifts to me like it was Christmas. I found things I had been missing for a long time, including this laptop case. It was probably meant for my old high school laptop, but fits my current laptop like a glove. I decided to elaborate on it for kicks - if I am going to use it, boring and white seemed unacceptable. Sharpie worked like a charm, and I'm very happy with how this turned out.

Before Irene

2011-08-27T18:11:00.003-04:00

I took my last vacation not too long ago at Cape Hatteras, down in Hatteras Village, an island off North Carolina. Unfortunately the area got hit pretty hard today, and the island is once again split, but I hope there won't be too much damage in the end.

My boyfriend's grandparents have a vacation house down there with a gorgeous view of the water. Joining him and his friends, we headed down from Baltimore on Friday last week. Surrounded by houses on stilts and sandy beaches, it is a very relaxing place to be. Here is a panorama I stitched together from the view from the deck:

Sunset every night also was gorgeous, and here is another (the colors here look TERRIBLE, goddamn you Blogger):

At 1AM on Wednesday night, we departed, getting around traffic of the next morning's 8AM mandatory evacuation. Driving long hours into the dawn, we were all sad to see our vacation short.

Sorry for the Neglecting of this....

2011-08-15T13:45:00.002-04:00

Of course I waste post 100 on something trivial. Only I would do this.

Anyways, entries soon about what I've been up to, I've been so busy I haven't done anything here! I feel bad nothing's been up here for a month, not even pictures of my new shoes! When work is over today or tomorrow, I would like to write posts on the photography I've been doing, both for my jobs and for pleasure.

See you all soon!

When Things Grow on You

2011-07-11T12:42:00.005-04:00

Jeffery Campbell Lita's. You probably hate them or you don't. When I first saw them, I was not a fan. But since those months ago, Lookbook's Lita-wearers have shown up almost daily when I choose to browse. Every time I scroll down the list of photos, there's bound to be a few of them.

After I decided I liked them enough to buy a basic black leather pair, I set out on eBay, only to wait too long. The cheapest auction was gone within a week. The others seemed expensive - and I turned to a site I don't like very much, Nasty Gal. I've never been a fan of their clothes really, but this place was for once, cheaper than eBay. I had also been debating Lita's American Flag shoes, but decided I couldn't wear those with much, the same going for the pink sparkley ones I had been eyeing.

After surfing google too, even other sites didn't have them the price I had found before on eBay (around $150). Thankfully, for only about $12 more, I bought this lovely pair on Nasty Gal (that comes with free shipping!). Can't wait to get them next week. I gave in.

Some Things I Want

2011-07-06T21:12:00.001-04:00

Please join me on These are a Few of my Favorite Things for some crazy posts. I'll be featuring things I want - from outrageous shoes to fascinating headware, stellar interior decor, and unique jewelry. You neer know! I will be posting regularly.

Seeing Things Come to Fruition

2011-06-30T18:28:00.003-04:00

This summer, I was lucky enough to be re-hired by my boss from last summer, a very efficient interior designer. Nearly a one woman business with only recently acquired full time help, I come in a few days a week to make sure fabrics are current, help her find things, and occasionally, go on site to some exciting jobs. I like having a hand in the creative processes and not just being on the phone - so when I got a chance to see the finished version of a job I helped with last year, I was very happy.

Most jobs we have are local. That being said, my aunt was one of them, and her family was just finishing up a house nearby. After they built a pool house, I had my hand in picking out fabrics for most of the furniture inside of it. Today, while over there, I had a peek at the finished product. Considering last time I saw it, the pool was a hole in the ground and the house was an empty wooden shell, this was beautiful!

Here are some crappily taken quick details to share - but to note, I spent hours searching for those rope and fringe trims, getting price quotes and availability, faxing orders for fabrics, and finding as many greens to match those fern pieces as possible. But now it looks great - so well worth it!

Abandoned Mines of Palmer Hill

2011-06-26T13:09:00.002-04:00

When it rains in the Adirondacks, we often find ourselves hard pressed for activities. As an outdoor place, I often spend my rainy days inside, drawing or surfing the internet. After days of doing this, I was happy to get a text from my friend and professor Kyle, who wanted to go scouting for shooting locations. When he offered waterfalls and caves, I couldn't decline.

We spent the afternoon exploring, starting out over a river near the gorge just outside Lake Placid. Though you have to pay to get into that part of the park, this stop is free! Parking just after a bridge, we headed down a muddy trail alongside the river. We saw painters all around, and people swimming nearby, and it seemed like a great spot to come hang out. Like many other stops in my mind, I bookmarked it as a place to bring people in the future.

Driving on, we passed through a few small towns before locating a residential road on the GPS, and taking it up to a four-way fork, where several trails led off from the dead end. Parking the car, we picked the one that seemed right, and headed in. We were presented with what seemed like a secluded area highschoolers favored for parties - a fire tower with cell tower equipment, and a few electrical sheds. Passing on, we continued down a trail we thought to be the right way, only to find it was an area carved out down the hill for power lines. We were sure we were wrong. Getting back in the car to find another trail in in search of the caves, little did we know we'd stopped but five feet from the entrance to the large mine.

Treading into the woods, we came across a small cave, and some beautiful light hitting the water. Just before getting some good shots however, the light died on us. Hoping it would come around, we slapped mosquitoes in wait for a few more rays. When they didn't come, we almost decided to give up. But we knew that small cave couldn't be it. There were supposedly hundreds of feet of connected mines, and the big cave had to be somewhere.

Heading north along a wooded trail, we finally found what appeared to be a main entrance, covered in piles of rocks. It was astounding to think anyone made a living hiking up into the woods and diving down into these dark holes. But we continued on, finding a string of deep cuts into the earth, projecting a series of dark abyss'. None of them seemed friendly enough to enter, and we were worried dark holes might be all we'd find - until we spotted a familiar area. Not too far above us was the cell tower we'd witnessed not too long ago, and we thought we'd been wrong! All along we'd been two feet from it. We must be close. Up ahead, we were glad to see some promising sights, where large holes opened into the earth, letting down light into a much more open section.

Descending a rocky, muddy trail, we emerged from the stones into a refreshingly chilly cave bathed with light. Two large openings in the rock above let in mist that sunk in the humid air, and it felt almost like natural air conditioning amongst the cool rocks. The ground was littered with grasses and pools of water, and with bags, cans, and the occasional article of clothing. We'd come to realize it was also a local hangout spot, probably for teenagers looking for a place to drink. Remnants of fires and burnt wood sat damp in a rocky outcrop, and graffiti lined the dark walls along the inside - I questioned who would ever want to wander into a cave potentially drunk during a dark Adirondack night. But despite the mess, it didn't take away from the area's beauty at all.

Loosing track of time, we took photographed and explored every rocky crevice and grassy hill inside. It felt nice and cool, both relaxing and mysterious, and certainly breathtaking with it's awe-inspiring and wondrous atmosphere. I regretted leaving my wide-angle lens back in the car, though I know where the cave is now, and will certainly return.

We were hesitant to leave. After goodbyes, we hiked out and back up towards the cell tower and down the road, favoring the roundabout route for it's clearness, instead of taking the buggy almost-bushwhack wooded trail back to the car. Ending our expedition with the area's best local ice cream, we sat on the parking lot benches watcing the clouds over the mountains, in hopes the rain would lighten up for future summer days.

Salvaging and Creating

2011-06-16T00:53:00.005-04:00

After a semester of not touching my jewelry box, I am back into creation! Before making many more pieces, I took out my dusty necklace holder, and eyed all the things I haven't worn in ages. I ended up reorganizing, and then taking apart several old pieces, so I could fuel my supplies even further. I figured I'd modify some old things to make them better, and sell many of my beaded pieces I made years ago, considering I don't touch many of them now. I was also finally able to fix many of the tangled chains and mend the broken earrings I hadn't had time to over last semester.

Of course, today's real gem was the earrings I created from a necklace I took apart. In this old webcam shot, you can see what this used to look like. The outer necklace here consisted of several tiny chains tied together, looping over several circles at the bottom there. In back, the slew of chains was tied to a series of links, and then a toggle clasp held it all around my neck.

After dislodging all the circles for my own use, the toggle was still connected to some chains, as was the receiving circle. I had an idea. Clipping off the toggle and a few links, I put on wires, trimmed the chains to the same length, and created a stunning pair of long chain-trailed earrings. I thought I'd sell them, but there's no way - I love them far too much! Here are some quick shots I took to show them off to a friend:

After separating out many old creations to sell, I have made a few new ones I have already put up:

All in all, I've been pretty productive lately. I hope to make a few sales, and keep on creating soon! To take a look at my etsy, I have many more necklaces and crafts for sale, as well as some vintage clothing. Cheers!

Let Summer Begin

2011-06-07T19:30:00.004-04:00

Sorry I have been lazy with the posts. All my energy lately has gone to blogging for Rome. Though I might post a few things here, all of my travels and many accompanying photos are here.

For now, I'm basking in the sun of this semester's surprisingly good grades and no work.

The Roads of Rome

2011-05-21T21:01:00.005-04:00

Tomorrow night, I will be embarking on my journey to Rome! Going with a class of 25 I have just spent the semester with, this is exciting news. Though I will be sure to post photographs and fashionable things here, as well as my usual sum-up, I have another blog that will serve for my travel purposes. I will be writing daily there, as is required by my program, and it will feature many of the sites I visit, and other photographs. I will save my funny stories and fashion posts for here, while everything informational and more in depth will go there!

So, if you would like to read along with me, please do!

Join Roads of Rome!

There are two assignments there already, the first post a reflection on our entry essay, and the second on how we imagine the first walk around with our class to be (inside jokes included). We were writing those for our final, however the posts include some of my photographs from my first trip to Rome my senior year of high school (such as that above).

Enjoy!

Sam's LookBook

2011-05-19T13:16:00.006-04:00

Over the course of this past semester, my friend Sam next door has taken many of my lookbook photographs. I always use her to stand in front of my place to test my exposure before I hand over the camera. After all these images built up, I jokingly said one day I had enough images to make a lookbook for her! I won't, but I thought I'd post it here anyways. :]

Hair changes and funny faces galore - lookbooker in training....?

;]

Shoes, Anyone?

2011-05-14T13:52:00.013-04:00

I have been cleaning out my closet since I got home from school yesterday - out with the old, in with the new. I don't wear these shoes a whole lot, and am trying to rid of them. If you're interested in a pair, let me know and we can talk paypal. My email is RadioCommotion@aol.com

Willing to go for $10 on all pairs (this price would include shipping - so a few dollars for shipping and a few for the shoes). They vary in size between 7.5 and 8. For those that do not have a picture of the size inside, they're likely 7.5's, such as the striped flats. Some have scuff marks, which I have taken pictures of, but they're not that noticeable. All shoes are lightly worn.

Above cream and white heels have sold.

Above striped flats have sold.

Trying My Hand at T-Shit Mods

2011-05-05T00:40:00.003-04:00

I have never modified any tee's in my life, but after the 2nd Annual Wait Day, I thought I'd give it a try.

Our dorm, Wait, has one day at the end of every year where the RA's go all out and spend their money on us residents, giving us tees to tie dye, free food, and this year, we even got to paint a mural on the basement wall! However, the tie dye process went a little differently. With spray dyes and no solution to dip in first, the dye didn't soak through very well, but allowed me to get down with spray-like textures.

I had two large tees and two smalls, and decided I wanted to modify one of my large ones. I kept one as a large shirt dress to belt, and this one I completely cut up. After browsing some Youtube type tutorials, I got some ideas, put on some vinyl, and got to work. While in the process, I listened to: Grateful Dead Hits, Sgt. Pepper, and Best of the Doobies.

The Tulip

2011-05-03T14:52:00.004-04:00

Since today is the last day of classes, and I'm headed off to my last Medieval Women class very soon, I thought I'd share one of my favorite tidbits from class this semester. Not only did I learn the origins of the word "hysterical" this semester (as well as a lot about the malevolent uterus), but I also learned quite a bit about this one flower in particular - the tulip.

These days, tulips are all over the place. They are a staple of spring - they bloom early, they littler peoples yards, and they blossom in baskets given out at Easter.

However, once upon a time, the tulip was a lot less common and much more craved than your average flower. After a they were brought back from Turkey, this flower stuck the Europeans as beautiful. Soon, it was worth more than gold, and the Dutch even started using the tulip as a form of currency. It became popular in Florence was well, and it was an expensive commodity. In order to cultivate this tulip, countries worked hard to reclaim their soils and protect their gardens, all so they could have more of this valuable flower. Later, they discovered how to cultivate colors, and the diseases that gave each bulb their unique colors.

Our class was rather stunned to hear such a simple bulb could put entire cities in awe, but it was interesting to hear that the tulip was just another link in a chain of events, during a period of developing travel and the beginnings of manipulating nature.

Fashion 05.01.11

2011-05-01T21:29:00.001-04:00

Today is my 21st birthday! Here's what I've been walking around in, it's very warm here today, and gorgeously sunny. After a brunch at the diner, I walked around the park and town with the boyfriend, and we hung out in the later afternoon before going out to dinner and ice cream. The movie we're going to starts soon, so I better head out - but it was a great weekend! I don't want to go back to the real world!

Easter with the Wieking Vikings

2011-04-24T19:59:00.010-04:00

Hello all, happy Easter!

Here at Skidmore tonight, my group of friends and I had a dinner we all made and then ate together at Wieking, in Alissa's apartment. So here are a few shots of the fun in the making - we made three whole cakes (two of them bunnies!) and one kind of failed marble cake. However, they tasted good anyways! We got to hang around, talk, and play old N64 as well. Hope you all had a good Sunday!

Fashion 04.19.11

2011-04-19T19:39:00.004-04:00

Spring hasn't really sprung yet, we've only had a few "warm" days here. However, the rain has washed away the spring pretenders from the green, and it's been a chilly few April weeks. However cool it was today, it wasn't raining! So I got to wear my new shoes. :]

In other news, I tried on my new tattoo tights today! They're pretty cool, but the top of the design can get a bit low on my leg - which means it might awkwardly show the top if I wear shorts with them. But nonetheless, I still love them!

Follow-up: Tattoos and Photography

2011-04-16T21:50:00.007-04:00

After my last entry, I wanted to share some of my favorite tattoo related photographs. So essentially, here is a thumbshare, enjoy!

Above by Mastowka.

Above by DocoPhoto.

By TOK5.

Above by BenoitPaille.

Above from ThisFellow, featuring Bobby.

Tattoos - History, Technology, and the Art Realm

2011-04-14T19:38:00.004-04:00

Today I was introduced to a site called "Cool Hunting," which I'm surprised I didn't know about before. However, it has many fun tags where you can read articles about anything you're interested in, such as illustration, food & drink, fashion, architecture, t-shirts, etc. However because I'm me, I was interested in the tattooing category.

I found several interesting things right away, and the first feature I stumbled upon was a brief history of Danish tattooing. Jon Nordstrom explains the history behind his book on the subject, including sailors, nautical tattoo designs, and a few of the first models for tattoo guns. My favorite part was the fact he states he had no tattoos before he first started the project. His arms are covered! It must have been great to go see some of the earliest parlors along the waterways, and meet some cool artists. To see the video (which has some funny quaint music to go along with it), here it is:

Another interesting (and helpful) concept Loic Zimmerman has created is a program which lets you scan your body, and put 2D designs on it, to see what you would look like with a specific design. Below is the photograph that came with the brief mention. However, many of the links on the article don't work, and the link for the program and the continued article don't work. Where can I get a hold of this? This would be so helpful when designing, since I've been asked by a few friends now for future designs.

I also found out that Ed Hardy apparently has a daughter, who is now designing jewelry under a line "Tattooed Steel" for those of you who are "tattoo-shy." Though I'm definitely not tattoo shy, the cuff, as I share below, actually looks pretty cool. Sure, anything connected to Ed Hardy is often connected to the Jersey Shore and general douchebaggery, but I think I may be able to pardon his daughter. I couldn't find her site online, if she has one (which I'm assuming she does), but it'd be interesting to peruse, I'm sure.

I found other things, such as articles on tattoos all about furniture and a vintage-loving tattoo artist who also love painting and shoe design! So hopefully in the future, I'll keep an eye out for cool things on this site, especially since some of these articles appear to be old (now that I notice the dates). Regardless, it's all new to me, and very fun.

Worlds Colliding - Greek Lesson of the Day

2011-04-12T20:14:00.002-04:00

Unexpectedly, a lot of my classes this semester have occasional little facts that overlap. Mostly my Medieval Woman class overlaps with ideals from both my Rome class and my Greek Art and Archaeology class.

Today, I learned the word "hysteria" comes from the Greek word for uterus, usteros.

Why? Because women visiting the Sanctuary of Epidauros in the fourth century BCE with pregnancy or uterus problems were hysterical. The uterus was thought to be of malicious intent well into the middle ages. This was because of the basis that men created and wrote on bodies during this time, and in later classical centuries. Aromatic treatment, taken in through your nose or down there, was thought to move the uterus inside your body depending on whether you wanted it to go up or down - and yes, the uterus moved. With malicious intent.

The whole class had classic WTF looks upon their faces, while I laughed. Classes colliding can be hilarious.

Cause to Celebrate!

2011-04-10T19:07:00.004-04:00

So, I don't think I realized I had attracted 29 followers until relatively recently. That's so cool! I didn't think that many people were actually interested in what I have to say (I aim high, clearly). Haha well, regardless, this makes me smile!

So here's a dumb webcam photo of my approval:

Cheers all, and thanks for reading! <3

Stuff Makes Me Angry.

2011-04-09T20:57:00.004-04:00

People who know me well know that I'm not one to keep up with the news all that much. Politics aren't my thing, and I often don't find out about current events unless it's through someone, and therefore later.

Though I did find this bit of news through Modblog (and therefore someone else this time too), I thought I'd bring attention to it. Most mass-media gets hate from many people for many reasons, so this is nothing new, but at the same time, I still felt the need to share it because of it's irritating nature.

ABC recently did a story called "Spock Ears for Kids," as notified by the little headline at the bottom of the screen the entire time. Well, this title is already pretty insulting. For those of you that haven't seen this story, or don't know anything about ear mods, what they're really trying to talk about is pointed ear procedures. Some argue it's a trend now that the whole supernatural thing is "in," but to many, it's just another body modification that some people chose to do. After titling it, two women spend most of the time in the beginning and end of the segment making fun of people with pointy ears, and comparing them to things like people from Avatar, elfin girl characters in movies like Lord of the Rings, Spock, and even Santa's elves.

They go on to interview a man named Steve Haworth, who often does these procedures, showing him in the video working on a girl with notably pointed ears. They introduce him by his name, and then say he "calls himself a body modification artist," as the modblog writer Bob points out, makes it "as if it's not a real thing." It's pretty sad to be an artist and have a bunch of news chicks jab and mock you by debating your status in the art realm. I mean, I've never had ear surgery, but it takes a lot of care and knowledge to do these kinds of things. To do it right as well, requires artistry.

Bob also points out, "they spent more time mocking him and those who get the procedure done then reporting anything substantial." The two women also interview one girl who talks about her pointed ears (which aren't really that pointed), and then proceed to take her "I thought about it for 18 months and am a Trekkie" statement to transition into putting up digitally altered pictures of themselves with pointed ears in mockery of others.

After showing many images, headlined as a procedure "for kids," insinuating only dumb teenagers do this kind of thing, they bring in a doctor who talks about the danger of it all. Infection is something to watch out for, which is legitimate, but they also talk about it's permanency and how this is not irreversible, like piercings or tattoos are (which the latter is pretty arguable still).

But I'd like to think most people getting this done are not as worried about the irreversible part. Like many other more permanent mods, most think about it for an allotted time before getting the procedure done. So when having their ears sculpted, I bet they're probably ok with their situation, and perfectly aware it's not reversible - it's not negative to them. Unlike many beliefs about people in the modded community, there are plenty of us who have a head on our shoulders, and think about these things before getting them done. Getting tattoos and other modifications on a whim is a negative stereotype people think about a lot. We don't all do that, despite some's views.

Though there are plenty of non-negative, non-biased stories on body modification out there, there are still really annoying mass-media representations of people. Poor Steve Haworth, he's probably going to get a lot of negative attention. Sure, elf ears aren't on my list, but why poke fun at the people that do it? It's their choice, how does that hurt the reporters in any way? And god, the mass mockery, and the lack of an open mind.... Sometimes, I just can't stand people.

So now that I've ranted, here it is:

My Three Must-Have Tights!

2011-04-01T15:54:00.004-04:00

Here are a few styles I've had my eyes on - I plan on buying all of them in the future. What do you guys think?

I've had my eyes on these for a while, I found them on Ebay. Though I wasn't planning on wearing them with these hotpants, I'm sure they'll go with all those black dresses and skirts I have.

After buying an amazing pair of black and white boots, I really wanted these two-toned tights to go with them. Unfortunately, I can only find them two places: Urban Outfitters (and they're not opaque enough in the front, so it wouldn't really be white, but nude) and Ebay (but the auctions I found were from China, and the cheapness and low shipping was a clear indicator of how it'd probably take forever to get to me, at which point I don't even know if I'd be still in school). I desperately want to find some, so if you've seen any for sale, let me know!

And last but not least, tattoo tights. Yeah, they're probably pretty corny, but I've always had a thing for crazy tights. I have several pairs at home, which I don't wear often, but I still love them. Someone pointed out to me that tattoo sleeves have been around forever, but I find those worse than the tights. They cut off awkwardly at the wrist and all, and you'd have to wear a cuff to pretend to disguise it, it's really a whole charade. Tights I feel like, are just tights. They're fun, and happen to be nude and make your legs look all crazy inked. Works out.

Big Sur, California

2011-03-26T20:13:00.008-04:00

Over spring break, I managed to de-stress for a few days all the way on the other side of the country, out in lovely Big Sur California. Though all the folks out there were still in their jackets, I was happy in weather that seemed warm to me! The combination of foggy and sunny days was a nice break from the snowy tundra, and this trip was all about the photography. No matter where I was, shopping, hiking, and all the like - a camera was by my side. I easily shot 20GB worth of memory, and I have spent much of those evenings and the past few days sorting it all respectively.

I re-discovered my love for black and white, along with reflections. To share a few of my favorite black and whites from the trip:

The rest of the trip consisted of foggy forests and sharp coast lines - my poor father was probably having to concentrate to drive a lot along highway one. It's very windy, and not quite the straight shot we're used to when travelling on New York's Northway. It was beautiful too, we drove many times along the coast, to travel north to Carmel, as well as south to San Simeon to see the gorgeous Hearst Castle.

The dining room of the castle - one of seven estates that belonged to a millionaire in the 1800's. Much of this room is furnished from European Gothic-era churches, therefore calling it the Gothic Dining Room. Every night, he would dine with guests that would stay with him at the estate, anyone randing from famous movie stars to sports players. Below is the indoor pool, or the Roman Pool, with gorgeous tiling of venetian glass, 10c gold, and blue, with statues copied from antiquity adorning the ends.

Our hotel was an amazing rural sanctuary as well. About an hour south of Carmel atop cliffs 1,000 feet up from the shore, the Post Ranch Inn was only surrounded by local campsites and hiking trails, as well as many national forests and a fog-covered ocean. It had three types of "rooms." There were tree houses - modern looking wooden houses on stilts, hobbit looking homes with grassy roofs, and ours, a duplex type building with one room on the two floors. I lived on the bottom floor down a flight of stone steps, while my parents were above me. Though I didn't get to take a shot of our rooms (most gorgeous from the shore I'm sure, but to take a shot would mean falling off a large cliff), I have shots of a tree house, the hobbit house, and even what the library was constructed like. They all had names as well, and my house was named "Peace."

Down below are other places around the hotel, the first being the restaurant on the premise where they would have a different menu each night (there wasn't many other options, we ate there almost every night). Below that is me in the infinity pool - my first experience in one! To sit in a vanishing edge pool and overlook the ocean was an amazing opportunity.

Overall, the vacation was amazing. Much of the photography I took will be in use for my photography class this semester - and results and photos will sure to be up from that at the end of the semester. For now, many of the artsy shots are visible on my DeviantArt, and slowly I am getting up many other shots of my travels as stock art for my fellow artists on DeviantArt [woodsy hikes, rocky outcrops, shorelines, animals, and many cool trees]. My fashions from the trip are of course on LB and LV!

Cheers all!

New Tees

2011-03-21T11:49:00.002-04:00

Threadless is having an awesome sale. I know I haven't been there in a while, and I spend more money on dresses these days, but I couldn't resist some cheep tees and splitting shipping with a friend. Though there were many I want, I settled on a tee perfect for a photographer, and then a looser fitting men's tank for chillin' with shorts.

This Makes Me Smile.

2011-03-17T22:10:00.003-04:00

Kind of cute.

Fashion 03.13.11

2011-03-13T22:22:00.003-04:00

Went to the Pacific shore today down at Big Sur. What a wonderful spring break it is so far! These rocks make me want to climb all day, and the water is cold, but the sand sure felt nice. It's great to be in just a light jacket again.

What Trends Do You Dislike?

2011-03-10T19:57:00.008-05:00

So because I'm slowly building a collection, I figured I'd share some terrible trends that have been plaguing the internet lately (or I guess, Lookbook). Though I (thank god) haven't seen many of these around where I go to school, apparently they're out there, and that's terrifying. So, here we go.

Something that came up quickly and has since seemed to fade a bit more is the tail-trend. These fuzzy accessories look like you have a giant rabbit-foot hanging from you, and I'm not sure how this is appealing at all. It appeared on the hot page often for the span of a few weeks before dying out, and I'm thankful it's gone.

A recent trend that has cropped up since late summer/fall is the pockets hanging out of the shorts trend. Some people defend it by saying it's supposed to look like you cut some jeans into shorts, but to me, it looks careless and sloppy. It doesn't help that they're not very practical either... and while a lot of people don't care for practicality, who wants to look dumb AND impractical? If I was going to look impractical, I wouldn't want to look sloppy too.

It's such a shame, that was such a good photograph, all with a poor pair of shorts. But speaking of sloppy, a trend I see commonly on LookBook is the half heartedly tucked in shirt. This looks terribly sloppy. Its in or its out, why look like you have an indecisive shirt? Choose one, Christ. And this image happens to contain TWO gems - another trend I dislike is the sheer shirt with the black bra look. It doesn't look stylish or sexy, it just looks careless and kind of slutty. You might as well just be wearing a bra, at that point...

This next trend has been going on for a while now, but for some reason, I dislike it. Coming from someone who likes vintage related trends, it may come as a surprise - but the ankle socks and heels thing just isn't doing it for me. It reminds me of what we all wore as little girls - young dresses with patten leather shoes and ankle socks. It's a girlish trend that makes me wrinkle my face a bit, and I have yet to see someone pull it off.

And my last but largest petpeeve - leggings or tights as pants. This subject warrents a whole other (long) entry from me, but for now, you'll just get one image. Paired with this awkwarldy cropped shirt, there are all sorts of wrong in this.

So, what kind of trends do you guys not like, and what do you think of these?

Inspiration Ruts and Lost Time

2011-02-23T15:01:00.003-05:00

I apologize for the sincere lack of posting that's been going on here.

Normally I have many things to share - which I still do. I simply have no time to post any of my thoughts lately, or write them out in a vaguely coherent and eloquent fashion. I have many articles and things I want to post here, but I will need to wait until I have a significant break in my time.

I feel as if I have been wasting my life away reading. By the end of this semester, I fully expect to have read a forest's worth of books.

Bogged down with easily 70 pages or more a night to notate and answer questions on, combined with working as the photography teaching assistant at night, there's been little time for myself. What time I do have, I've spent being social with my friends and boyfriend, mostly on weekend nights and at meals.

Meanwhile, my photography has gone to the wayside. I have produced little in the way of personal work (as my daily tumblr shows - most recent postings in the past month have all been old). I have produced even less in the way of schoolwork. My study is suffering of my lack of inspiration. Never have I felt such little will or motivation, or lack of ideas. Though I have worked well to explain the origins and ideas as well as inspirations behind my DayDream Photo project (what my study is an extension of), nothing I've seen in recent days have pushed me to produce any more. My one shoot so far was failed - though I liked the outcomes enough for myself, it was not the right mood I needed to present. I fear the subject matter I seek is hard to produce and find in such cold and snowy seasons, when the moments I search for are much more present in the warm weather. Though I know my spring break must be a productive time, as it is the only week I will be able to travel, nearly the rest of my spring is going to be consumed in nothingness if all continues the way it is now.

Friday at midday, all of the other students in study are meeting with our professor, Kyle. Though I managed to avoid implications of meeting last week, this week we are told to bring in many many images to show, since much time has passed since out initial meeting. I have simply nothing, except old photos. Though I do wish to use things from my winter break in the final collection, nothing new has been produced - and everyone will know this. I am disheartened to know I will be seeing Kyle's disappointed face in this near future.

What is most disappointing to myself is the fact that photography, my usual love and passion, is the very subject that has slipped to the lowest ring of my totem poll. In the hierarchy of classes that matter to me, it's facing the bottom. In order to stay afloat in my many other academic classes, I have spent hours reading and writing, and being a very diligent student. It has been since freshman year that I have taken classes that aren't studio art classes, so being the good student is something I haven't done in a long time. I need to work hard to make sure I complete these classes with good grades - simply because I do not want them to act as a GPA sink, nor do I want to sink low enough to be denied Rome come springtime. Maybe being on highest honors dean's list has spoiled me, but I like the rewards of working hard. If I can manage all these classes, my senior year will not need to have so many credits packed in.

And yet, here I am, pretending I have time to fit all five classes. I do not. My camera has lay here, day after day, nearly collecting dust. When I depend on the daylight hours for my work, it is even harder paired with the season. My daylight hours are spent in class and working, and I simply have no time until late night or early morning to relax. And then, it is too late; even if I had ideas it's well past sunset.

If you've gotten to the end of this, I thoroughly commend you. I'm pretty sure my pouring of fears and uninspirational complaints is not much in the way of uplifting or interesting, but I simply offer it as a long explanation as to my lack of presence here.

Hopefully sometime soon, I will be writing on the interesting things I've been learning in my hard work, and sharing a few things in the coming weeks.

Fashion 02.16.11

2011-02-16T22:46:00.003-05:00

I had a presentation this morning in one of my classes. Though several of my classmates were in sweatpants at 9am, I loved looking the part of a presenter. Mum sent me this blazer in the mail, it's a wonderful fitting vintage Armani piece, and it only cost her $5! I had many compliments today, which made me smile. It was a miracle I could last in those heels all day as well, but the ice has been reduced on the walkways here, so I'm glad to be out in nice shoes again!

Finalist!

2011-02-07T14:55:00.004-05:00

Looks like I am a finalist after all!

Though I was afraid I didn't make the cut after not recieving an email; but my parents were away on vacation and not at home, but received forwarded mail today - including my news! Looks like it was snail mail notification after all.

The 31st Annual Best of College Photography Contest will be publishing me in a book along with other finalists, and even if I don't win anything in the end, I will still be out there and published!

On the 14th I will find out what my fate is. But out of my five photographs I entered, The one that made it was an edit from my series "American Civil", shot out in the country last spring.

So excited!

IS THIS REALLY NECESSARY?

2011-01-27T20:09:00.001-05:00

I dunno, you tell me.

Fucking American Apparel..... I don't even know.

Exciting Art News!

2011-01-12T16:56:00.008-05:00

The other day, I received a mystery book in the mail that I did not order for myself. It took me a few minutes to remember I had let someone use my stock art on the cover art of this small, on-demand book release. I was so excited to get my free copy at last - along with full credit on the back cover!

It actually sounds like a good book, and I can't wait to find out the story behind my cover :]

Otherwise, this week has been relatively low key. I have been cleaning out my art things in the basement - out with the old and in with the new. It was pretty messy down there, and I need room to put all my piles and baskets of things. I also had fun finding lots of old things, like drawings from high school, old gift art, and much more. I was able to organize all my magazines, collage supplies, papers, paints, and old folders full of old characters.

On top of that, I hung a few things on the wall I had no room for, or didn't know where to put. Appearing here from top to bottom, left to right is; an old homework drawing I started, a design my friend Sam doodled in a corner of some paper, an old print of mine, newspaper and photo clippings, class text doodles, a rose in crayons, a copyrighted character of mine I created for T-shirts (Kibbs), and a print-out of Cole Mohr from the magazine I first discovered him in, the very boy who got me interested in male modeling my freshman year of college.

Lastly, I discovered a recent flower I drew with water soluble pencils while sitting with my friend in her drawing class while the teacher was out. It was an odd format, but I had fun. Upon going home for the semester I gave it to mum, who framed it! I think it looks nice, at any rate.

It's snowy here and I'll be in for most of it, drawing and more. Though I'll be heading to go away this weekend, it's nice to have some time to myself. Anyways, cheers all, and hope you are having a nice week!

Fashion 01.06.11

2011-01-06T15:44:00.004-05:00

I'm going on with the shors and tights/leggings look this winter. Usually there will be some long socks in there too, but it wasn't too cold of a day today. Mum couldn't fit into her old sweater here, so it's mine now!

Funny story; it's been quite a few years since that portrait on the left was taken, all senior-y and airbrushed. That was taken against my will, trust me. My hair looks like some kind of morphing blob! Thankfully, I used my own portrait on my senior page in my high school yearbook that year! Though I still do have that shirt, and love it so. :]

Cheers, all!

Florida in the New Year

2011-01-01T19:35:00.002-05:00

Happy 2011 everyone! I'm down here in Florida for a few days, and it's finally starting to get warm here once again. Though it's been too windy to spend much time outside, I've been down to the beach, and driving all around in the golf cart. Sadly, my uncle's pool heater broke - so I have no underwater photos this break. I packed all the clothes - but all in vain. At least there has still been time to chill.

Though I can't wait to go home and see friends, here are some shots I snapped today. Cheers!

Winter Wonderland

2010-12-30T16:48:00.003-05:00

I have left Lake Placid for the last time this 2010, but I almost want to go back. Though our Christmas days did barely get above 10 on a good day, a few still afternoons left me with the chance to go snap some pictures. Freezing rain iced the trees to give them a frosted look, and across all the mountains and fields, all was white. It was gorgeous! So, enjoy; I have a small photoshare:

Fashion 12.23.12

2010-12-24T23:10:00.001-05:00

What I wore yesterday decorating the tree. Tis the season! Bring out the winter dresses!

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-23T17:41:00.005-05:00

Hope you all are doing something fun over the break. Here's some ugly sweaters to gaze at - tis the season!

I may proudly proclaim the first beauty as mine. Cheers!

Camera Things that Pull my Heartstrings

2010-12-12T20:23:00.004-05:00

I thought I'd do a little photo share or photo-related things that make my inner dork happy. For those of you who also love photography, I thought you'd giggle inside just as I did. A friend of mine sent me the link to a tumblr blog called "photojojo", which is a site with an entire staff that focuses on featuring and highlighting fantastic work found around the internet. After spending well over an hour going through the entire tumblr, I collected these series of images I wanted to share.

The engagement ring is probably my favorite one, what a creative way for camera nerds like me to propose to each other! Also the ring below it was made by a husband for his wife, and just amazes me in it's well-made and creative qualities. So adorable!

However, that mug is also something I am dying for, or maybe a Polaroid printed scarf. I'll probably end up with a photography related tattoo someday, so that isn't a concern - but I did get to learn that apparently Nikons are made of red velvet!

And on that note, I leave you with the last picture which is simply amazing for it's creativity. Now THIS is how you shoot someone.

Hiking in the ADK, my Project in 3D

2010-12-08T19:59:00.004-05:00

My digital project has finally finished! Using a free 3D program called Unity, we were instructed to create a simple game with terrain, to collect something, that either tells a story or is a self portrait. My game served as both - a trail that leads you through the mountains I've hiked in the Adirondacks, in chronological order.

There are 46 high peaks, 8 of which I've completed. I included a total of 10 of the various peaks I've climbed, with the objective being to summit all of them and collect the 8 medals on the tops of the mountains. Trail markers similar to the ones in real life are on trees leading the way, and there's a sign-in hut to your left when you enter the game (lest you get lost, don't forget to check in!). Signs along the trail tell you how far the summits are, and gorgeous views can be seen from the top!

Complete with some simple woodsy sound effects and windy, bald-rock summits, you can play it here!

Here were a few screencaps I took while making everything:

Free Christmas Prints - 10 Slots!

2010-12-05T15:00:00.004-05:00

Hello all! I am doing free prints for the holidays this year - 10 slots only, first come first served. Since I'm advertising this everywhere I post - get the offer while you can!

Pick any photo, drawing, or other from here, my DeviantArt, Flickr, Lookbook, DailyPhoto, or Daydream Photo Project.

They will be on matte or luster paper, and will be on standard size paper. As soon as I get home for the semester, I will be printing them and sending them out. USA only, sorry everyone!

Please email me at radiocommotion@aol.com your address along with your choice, and I'll put you on the list. Cheers!

Creative Holiday Gift Ideas

2010-12-01T19:26:00.003-05:00

My digital class has introduced me to a creative, new site which could lead to some of the most creative gifts I've ever seen. Shapeways is a site which makes products from a 3D printer, and is based in Europe. Users can upload anything made on a 3D program to see if it is printable, and then they can order their products as well as sell them once a shop is set up.

After browsing for a while, I decided upon buying a customizable candle holder, formed from words around a base. With a line from a favorite song "All You Need is Love", I purchased a cute candle holder for my mother in white:

They end up looking like this:

So if you're looking for creative jewelry, housewares, and other fun things head over! It's got some really neat inventions I could have never imagined, all from a 3D printer. Just a warning - order soon, so you have enough time to receive them! Fancy materials take even longer - but if you're looking for the holidays or a birthday, or even yourself, it's fun to browse! Cheers :]

Design and Illustration

2010-11-29T19:28:00.005-05:00

Over Thanksgiving break, I went treasure hunting in my own house - a chest in my front hall, as it turns out, holds many treasures. Though I found everything from old love letters of my grandmother's, to a spiked collar mum must have hid from me in middle school - I found one awesome thing out of many I've been taking advantage of.

My grandfather's Chemistry Lab notebook from his term in 1948-9 surfaced, with only a few pages written on. The old paper is unlined, and has been yellowed with age, and provides a great backdrop for drawings. I've been working in pen and marker for the first time in years, inspired by several illustrators and designers. I am envious of the line work illustrators oftenincorporate, as well as the stylistic qualities. It takes an imaginative mind, and seems to be a completely different world from the one I am in. I wanted to experiment with a few techniques and designs, so here were the first few pages I've done since finding the notebook:

Thanksgiving brings Photoshoots

2010-11-26T12:51:00.004-05:00

Since I've been deprived since August, I finally had time upon this break to shoot once more. Before she went away, Rachel took time to drive out to a field with me and dress up for one last chance at an outdoor shoot. Out in the great swamp area, she'd spotted this one last grassy clearing that no one had cut down yet.

We drove right into the field and tramped around in sundresses in the November cold, each prepared with three different costumes and outfits. It may be the last time I can stand to shoot outside in such light clothing, but it will only make me look forward to shooting times outside in winter clothes, or over spring break somewhere warm.

My favorite shots were the few dark edits I completed at the end, and though the shoot produced many awesome images, I'll just post a few favorites here.

More here.

Hope you are enjoying the break and time with family; cheers!

Fashion 11.23.10

2010-11-23T23:01:00.003-05:00

New shots coming soon to LB and LV of some of my new favorite looks and purchases!

Finally had time to shoot these recent pieces - so there's a preview from the session. Cheers!

PF Magazine's 31st Annual College Photography Contest

2010-11-21T19:10:00.003-05:00

Enter before tomorrow, everyone!

I just entered, and am hoping to get something out of the contest! With open subject matter and only a 4.95 entry fee for each photograph, I submitted my pieces on Friday night. I wanted to share my five entries with you all, some seen before, others not. The prizes are fantastic, so if you've got something laying around and you're a college or high school student, I encourage you to enter!

Here's what I submitted:

Cheers!

Art in Books

2010-11-17T19:15:00.005-05:00

Starting this month, our library is running an interesting project with several old books I have chosen to be a part of. At any given time, you have three books to choose from, and you can pick one to take out for three days, and do anything you want in it. Most people draw or collage, highlight, and even paint.

I chose the largest book simply just to have space to draw - however, it ended up being a hilarious choice. It was an old dictionary of euphemisms, and many of them were written in such a humorous way I ended up reading more of it than drawing in it.

However, I managed to do two pages. Since I did them in my little time, I only did some quick inks - but I had fun.

My first page I chose to draw was where C started; for "Call-girl". Essentially, it was an excuse to draw something sexy! Though I was planning on doing a full body, I didn't quite get there. However, I was happy with the profile.

The second definition I chose was "Arse". It started somewhere along the lines of, "What people say instead of ass when they are trying to be cute". So, taking this in mind, I drew this:

Overall I had a lot of fun! I want to check them out again, but have little time in the upcoming week before Thanksgiving Break. Since there's no set deadline, I'm hoping I'll be able to do more when I return :] So if you ever get the chance, find an old book and make it your sketchbook! It's a fun project.

Lake Placid in November

2010-11-13T22:43:00.005-05:00

This weekend was the first weekend I was able to go somewhere other than the mall or the movies for a few hours - so, I took a night alone in Lake Placid. I drove up Friday afternoon, and back this evening. It was much too short of a visit, but I will be back.

Being there was like a sigh of relief; a breath of fresh air. On the drive up I passed the cascade lakes, with the rock faces of the mountains next to them lit up in bright orange afternoon light. The birches in the shadows were a dusky blue, and as the sun went down I arrived home to look out my window and see Whiteface a pinkish golden hue, spread out like a pair of broad shoulders.

I felt like I was truly home.

(Sorry for the poor saturation of these photos, they look much more colorful on other sites.)

One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure

2010-11-01T19:20:00.006-04:00

Several weeks ago, my friend forwarded me an email from her father (a jeweler) which contained an article about an interesting figure named J. Fred Woell. Last summer, I bought and was given several scrap pieces from my him to use in my own jewelry, since he did not need most of those pieces. This same man, he pointed out, "recycles" things as well.

After reading the article about the award Woell was given, I looked up a bit more about him. In curiosity, I discovered much about how he became who he is today, and what his craft is about, as well as many of his motives and ideas behind his pieces. His admiration came from a similar place mine did - the fascination of other's so called "junk". Beginning to design with pieces others had thrown out, he made work using found objects.

Because he uses pieces that our society has used and then thrown away, they often have cultural or political connotations and meanings. Everyone is likely to at least recognize pieces included in his artwork, and even have their own connection to it based on the familiar subject matter. Though he often changes and disfigures the pieces to make them more than what they looked like in a commercial state, he likes the idea behind reusing things.

Another connection I had to him was this very quote;

Embarking on a new piece, Woell often does not know ahead of time what he will use—he sorts and studies, and soon "things add up."

I am often like this. I collect pieces I like and would use in the future, but do not necessarily know how they will work with other pieces in the end, or what I will put it with. I may have compartments of chains and boxes of rings, pieces of old earrings and charms galore - but I never know how to put it all together until I lay them all out and choose what goes with what.

Since his beginning many years ago, he now teaches, and has been featured in several museums and galleries. In an attempt to push art over the troubles of American human nature, he stresses to show art as a passion and an emotional past time that is more than just spending time at the local mall. In the like, he says:

"We're certainly not living in a society where art is paramount in its interests," Woell remarks; "We're a lot more interested in sports and war and shopping at WalMart."

Being a college student, I may divulge in Walmart a little too often, and I have seen those fight over sports and war, but despite this, there are those of us who enjoy his craft, appreciate art, and like finding junk (much like myself). To finally show off some pieces, there are some as follows. Sorry for the small pictures, but examples of good digital quality seemed sparse.

Though I haven't had much time to create jewelry of my own, I'm glad to appreciate looking at others! Cheers, hope everyone had a good halloween!

Further reading / sources / cool articles:

Junk-to-Jewelry

Moments of Recognition

More Jewelry Successes

2010-10-19T20:26:00.006-04:00

Though I haven't had much time to make more jewelry, thankfully I've been selling some. Coming back from class to find waiting emails from etsy is very plesant! Much to my delight, I was promised a picture of the ring on the customer's finger.

Maya from Bye Bye Soccer Mom bought my "Ring of Time" recently, and let me know that she'd posted a photo, so to share it with you all, here we are!

Also note the cool nailpolish!

Cheers, folks.

A Fashion Interview with Myself

2010-10-18T16:49:00.005-04:00

Since I know I'll never get interviewed on lookbook for many reasons, I thought it would be fun to answer the questions to myself anyways as if I had been. Taken from a few previous interviews, here were my answers to the standard questions.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and where you live.

My name is Carolyn, I'm 20, and I live in a small suburban town west of New York City, in northern Jersey. Most of my life at this point however, takes place in a few small towns in upstate New York, mainly Lake Placid - my summer home and love, and Saratoga Springs, which is where I go to school. I'm studying to be an artist and photographer once I graduate college, and it is truly my only talent and path that's clear.

What are your passions?

Well besides my love of fashion, art of course - but mainly photography. There is nowhere I go without a camera, even if it's just going to dinner or a friend's room down the hall. I do love so many other things about art though, as the center of my life I enjoy it in so many other forms. I love watercolors, jewelry-making, occasionally drawing, and even tattoos and forms body art.

How did you first get interested in fashion and why is it important?

I first became interested in high school when I actually started to think about what I'm wearing as opposed to just throwing on clothes. I looked like a slob for most of middle school, and was raised with very well dressed parents so I began to think it was a shame I wasn't taking advantage of my own creativity in terms of appearance. I changed a lot about my style in a very short amount of time; I cut my hair and began looking for bargain clothing, and thinking about what I was wearing to school.

What's the fashion scene like in your area?

I grew up in a town where dying your hair was a big deal because it was so different. Everyone wore Lilly Pulitzer as children, you wore designer dresses to dinners at the country club, and appearances were very important. I rebelled from this as a kid, going through a kind of punk phase until high school. Now all I see when I'm at school is the lazy side of fashion - where uggs are real winter boots and leggings are pants, I tell myself I dress better than most. I feel that my choice in clothing makes up for the laziness of my peers - the only time I look sloppy is while sleeping, or in my studio clothes. I'm sick of seeing sweatpants with things written on the butt, crocks, and wifebeaters.

Describe your personal style and its influences / inspiration.

My personal style has gone through a lot of changes and inspiration, but recently I'd have to say my style is very vintage. Just like everyone else's, I suppose, these days. I wear heels almost daily until it gets icy outside, in which I usually switch to my winter boots in the snow, or my handy all-purpose docs or other boots. I believe in traditional staples like the peacoat and black basic heels, but also love unique outfits with odd patterns and colors. I wear dresses as often as I can because I love them, and if I'm wearing pants, they're usually skinny jeans or plaid pants in the winter. Western and Southwestern clothes have been a recent influence, as well as male models in Europe, Nautical summer wear, and even a little bit of fifties pinup. Essentially - I just wear what I want.

Favorite designers and places to shop?

Designers was something I was never really into all that much to be honest. The expenses have kept me far from them, but even so, I must admit that I am not as knowledgeable as many other fashionistas are about designers and their history. I'm not quite as invested, I guess. Though in recent years, I do appreciate the nautical look of Ralph Lauren, especially in their interior design section, I still don't agree with prices. My favorite places to shop are local consignment places, H&M, Forever 21 has some great dresses, and then best of all, I'm addicted to ebay.

The first thing you look at in another person's outfit is:

For other females, if the color of their outfit doesn't catch my eye, it's usually the shoes, which I'm a sucker for. On males it's usually their shirt; or if outside and well dressed, I'll note how much I like their blazer/coat/vest.

What do you skimp on?

Fur. My mother's fur coat always kind of scared me, despite how soft it is. I have some fake fur on the occasional jacket hood, but that I don't care about.

What do you splurge on?

Definitely shoes. There's nothing like feeling confident and looking fabulous in a great pair of boots or heels.

A fashion rule you never break:

In a world where Ke$ha and Lady Gaga are popular culture, I don't think there are many "rules" to break. But if dumbing it down to tradition, I almost never break the "don't wear navy and black" together rule. Maybe it's just the shades of those colors I own, but I can't seem put together an outfit that consists of those colors that looks decent together. Black pants and a navy blazer? Never!

What do you think is the most recent notable trend to appear/reappear, and what are your thoughts on it?

Probably a lot of reoccurring things from the eighties. I have mixed opinions on it, however. I love blazers, minus shoulder pads of course, but I am not really sure when those are out of fashion - they just seem big now. I was not enthused to see rompers and harem pants back this summer, I have only known one person who can pull those off who isn't a slinky model. A lot of eighties clothes weren't flattering on many body types, and I think this doesn't help most people become fashionable if they can't fit in clothes.

What is the most underrated item in menswear and womenswear?

Hats! I understand a lot of people don't think they have a "hat head", but I know a lot of my generation overlooks head wear unless it's cold and you need something up there to keep the heat in. I think they're fabulous and can make an outfit.

What is your next "must have" purchase?

Grey boots; I can't seem to find a pair I like. I can only find flat grey boots, and as someone who's short, that's not really what I'm looking for. I want at least a small heel!

Are there any fashion icons or famous people whose style you admire?

Despite my dislike of her music, I love Rhianna for how many times she's changed her hair, and how many wild styles she's tried. It takes a lot of guts for someone so public to do that, and I think it's awesome!

What's on your iPod / bookshelf / DVD player at the moment?

I was raised with classics and will never leave them - I can be found blasting seventies hits and the Beatles in my car when the weather permits me to have the windows down. Most of my DVDs are comedies, anywhere from The Hangover to A Fish Called Wanda and even Animal House; but recently I've been adding childhood favorites like Spirited Away and The Iron Giant to my list. Though I haven't been reading much as of late, I have been enjoying trashy romance novels that my friends have been passing around to each other.

What can't you live without?

Black tights. They keep me warm under my pants in the winter, and add to any simple silhouette. If I didn't have them, I don't know what I'd do!

Next place you want to travel to:

Ireland. I am half Irish and have never been. I'm fully aware the amount of rain might depress me - but I need to go, I feel a pull.

What is your personal favorite outfit on LOOKBOOK.nu by you, and by another member?

My favorite look as of right now is simply this, though it revolves around the dress and isn't really that inventive or different, I am convinced this dress works magic when I wear it. Since I have two favorites, I might as well go on about them. One is probably "Clueless" by N., who pretty much never posts anymore, but when I first started browsing lookbook before joining, I always came back to his page. Maybe it's the combination of simplicity, vintage styles, and nerdyness that gets me. I love it! I have also always loved Bobby - for more than just his heart-melting smile, but also his dress style of classics. This look got me in particular because I am a sucker for suspenders - but Bobby also seems to be a fan of vests and nice hats as seen in his other posts, and that is classy all the way!

In the year 2015 you will be:

Hopefully comfortable somewhere in a job I like and sleeping in the arms of someone I love - but realistically, probably struggling to earn enough money to support myself, and trying to establish myself as a photographer.

What would you say to someone seeking general fashion advice?

Always look for clothes that flatter your body type, and don't buy simply what's popular currently. Start with classics and then develop your style by finding what you love.

Awesome Things

2010-10-11T21:43:00.004-04:00

I thought about writing one of the posts I've been meaning to write, and then realized I was far too tired to write something intelligent and coherent. So instead, you're going to get one of those 'look how awesome this is!' posts.

Jewelry Successes

2010-10-04T12:49:00.002-04:00

Though I haven't had much time to make personal jewelry outside of my metals class, I have recently sold a piece from over the summer to someone on my Etsy. Today I got a message saying they posted a look on their blog, and I wanted to share it because my necklace makes an appearance!

You can see the post and blog here, lovely look by hivennn.

Cheers!

A Bit More on Text Tattoos

2010-10-02T20:11:00.004-04:00

For starters - I love text tattoos. I think they can be fabulous and wonderful and gorgeous.

The problem that comes with them though, is misspellings. I have been browsing tattoos for years, and whenever I come across misspelled ones, I laugh. But after seeing one more tattoo today, I had to share it.

The only person who has ever been able to carry off a misspelling seems to be Ash Stymest, a male model who had his dyslexic friend tattoo the same "Death Before Dishonor" on his lower left arm. At least that artist had a legitimate excuse for spelling something wrong (and yet we all wonder, despite the friendship, why let a dyslexic kid give you a text tattoo?).

At any rate, the caption beneath the above photo struck me as hilarious. From Ugliest Tattoos, the author writes, "Seriously, I am going to get a tattoo that says 'Dictionary Before Disaster'." And yes, I laughed. I would totally consider that as awesome/legitimate.