High School Nostalgia

This is not an official invite, just something I whipped up with the information provided.

So there have been talks on Facebook about a 10 year reunion for my graduating class, and my initial reaction took me aback. I was interested and eager. What the hell is wrong with me? I absolutely hated high school! I was so adamant about never going back, I put a skull and crossbones on my graduation cap, I walked out of my graduation without any tearful goodbyes because I knew the people I cared about would still be involved in my life years later, and yet, here I was. I was excitedly putting my contact information into an online form to be invited.

Who am I? This isn't me.

I got caught up in the nostalgia, but I quickly came to my senses.

Without being petty and mentioning specifics, the reunion planning got ugly really fast and I had a wake up call. What was I doing? I barely knew these people in 2005, and here I am about to pay money to awkwardly stand around in a hotel with them in 2015? I almost volunteered to help plan the thing! (Or at the very least do some design.) The me from 2005 wouldn't recognize the person I have become. (Only in regards to my sudden nostalgia. I am a bitchin' person and proud of who I have become. Also I still like the word bitch'n.)

Even in high school I was teaching youngsters about art.

During my short lived nostalgia trip, I whipped up this postcard-styled invitation (seen above.) This event is a year off, so maybe I'll change my mind, but right now I feel like the me from 2005 slapped me across the face. Fuck reunions.


Some schools have a great student body who may enjoy such an event, like the students I worked with during my student teaching semester, but my high school was not that type of place. I would love to see my teachers again and talk to them like the little teaching fan-girl I am, and see a few friends who I haven't seen in a few months, but that is something I can do on my own.

Right now, I need to get my butt in gear and start working even harder to achieve what I want. The me in that photo would be proud of who I have become, but I'm not satisfied yet. Look out 2015, here I come. (That was cheesy, but I needed a little slap in the face and a pep-talk.)

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I am a little obsessed with my dog

Some of you might know, but I have a little Pomeranian named Jack Jack. He is incredibly cute, cuddly, and spoiled. He follows me around like a baby duckling and constantly wants attention, so I tend to take a lot of photos of him.

Check out more Puffy cuteness under the cut

Custom Stamp Designs

I need to get some custom stamps made. For the last two years I have been ordering my logo on little oval stickers, that way I could easily add them to jewelry boxes and packages.

It was working out great at first, but trying to apply stickers perfectly is getting tedious and costly to keep up with. I am hoping that I can start using stamps instead.

I was thinking that if I got a custom stamp made I would most likely need a couple.

1. My Poison & Antidote logo w/website
2. Sometimes Foodie logo w/website
3. Coffee stain image
   
   

Polymer Clay Shiny Pumkaboo

Polymer Clay Shiny Pumkaboo

It's been a while since I have made anything using polymer clay, and it feels so good to be working in this medium again. I know this isn't a fantastic masterpiece, it's a little gift for my boyfriend, but I really enjoyed making it. 

With Valentine's Day quickly approaching, I've been trying to think of cute little gifts to make my boyfriend...who hopefully doesn't follow this blog. (I don't think he does...)He likes to play Pokemon, and recently he caught a shiny Pumpkaboo. Since I affectionately call him "Pumpkin" I thought a little shiny Pumpkaboo figure would make a sweet gift. (A pumpkin for my Pumpkin.) 

▾▼▾↓↓↓ Check out an animated GIF and progress shots under the cut! ↓↓↓▾▼▾

Fresh Taiyaki with Kyoko

My boyfriend and I made taiyaki for breakfast!

 

He bought a special pan online, we whipped up a the recommended recipe, tossed in some red bean paste, and voila! Taiyaki! Check out my foodie post with a finished taiyaki and link to the recipe HERE.

 

If you like Madoka Magica, you might recognize the little figure. I actually bought it for him last October for his birthday. (Kyoko is his favorite.) We are such nerds, we had to grab her for a dorky little photo-op.

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The 10 things I learned from my college teacher prep program : A Reflection

As of Friday, December 13th, I am now no longer a student teacher. After dozens of semesters, thousands of dollars, and countless stressed out sleepless nights, I can apply for certification and become a professional educator. My last day was wonderful, I'll make a post about it in the next few days, but I wanted to write a little something in the meantime.

The seminar that is tied to student teaching requires a reflection on our time at the college and our journey through teacher certification. At first I was really excited to write about my experience, but then I was given a rubric with various points I had to touch on in order to receive a good grade on the paper. So, in the end, it wasn't a true reflection of my time there and what I learned.

Instead, I decided to share what I learned with the rest of you. Maybe they will help some of you have more realistic expectations than I did, or maybe it can give you a little laugh, but here it is...

The 10 things I learned from my college teacher prep program :

All teacher prep programs are a bit different, so what I say may not specifically apply to you and your journey, but hopefully you can relate...

Student Teaching Signs

Being a teacher you start making signs for everything. Here are some of mine!

Just a sign to show new students where our finished artwork folders are for each period.

A simple sign for no-name papers. The elementary art teacher has a fun saying on her's, "No name, no fame." I love it, but it was a little too immature for high school students. 

After we started painting I tested out this student grade "acrylic." Why is acrylic in quotes? Because I am 99% sure this stuff is tempra. No way is this acrylic! It covers NOTHING. So I though I better let the student know.

This sign is one of my favorites. Now that we are painting we only have primary colors available, and students constantly ask how to make brown. These are just some of the many options. I explained that everything opposite on the color wheel will make a brown, but these were some of my favorites.

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I got 99 problems but setting up paint palletes ain't one!

 How do you set up paint palettes for each class of 25 high school students? Find out how and read more about my painting adventures in student teaching under the cut!