Lip Art

I recently did a post about theatrical make-up and my first attempt at using it.  I'm still attending the make-up class with my brother, but since I help him a lot during the class, I only have time to do little make-up projects with my lips.  It might sound strange, but it's a lot of fun.  Below is some of the lip art I have done:

Week 1 - Crabby Lips

Week 2 - Old Panda Lips

Week 3 - Whale Lips

 The best part about lip art is making your creations talk (the crab was especially fun to watch).  I'm all out of lip ideas, so maybe I'll start another mini make-up project: eye art.  I've always been inspired by such creative geniuses such as the person who made the eye art below:

Art by PixieCold

Whether I do more lip art, eye art, or a complete face project, I'm sure you'll be seeing more make-up in future posts.  :)

A Happy Fool

There is a lot of danger out there, and don't get me wrong, bad things happen to people everyday.  Severe illness, rape, house fire, and unexpected death are just a few.  Bad things could happen to you, and they could happen to me.  As a person with anxiety, you would think I would be tormented by the countless "what-ifs" that could happen to me at anytime.  I do worry about losing my husband, or getting attacked, but surprisingly, I don't worry about stuff like that too often.  I do some things to prevent and prepare for the "what ifs," but in the end, I don't really think about them.  Maybe I'm a fool for it.  On the one hand, I live without fear, so life could blindside me at any moment.  On the other hand, I live without fear, and that is a blessing in itself.

My husband is very interested in self-defense techniques such as reading body language, and he's always practicing drills with his gun.  He'll probably be a lot more prepared than I am to handle an emergency.  I want to learn how to use a kubotan (future post, maybe?) and take karate lessons one day, but I do these things because they're interesting to me, not because I am driven by fear.  There was a time when anxious thoughts clouded my mind.  I was afraid of the smallest things, and worried about the future constantly.  I was miserable all day, every day.  I just could not live like that.  One of the practices of unconditional living is to let go of the past and don't worry about the future.  This doesn't mean that I don't plan for things, especially emergencies.  It means that if I focus on the 5% of life that is bad, or could be bad, I miss out on the 95% of life that is happy and beautiful.  A boiling tragedy may be waiting around the corner for me sometime in the future, but as long as I live in the present, I am happy today.  I may be a fool for being like this, but at least I'm a happy fool.

This concept also applies to my religion.  Even the most stalwart saint has doubts sometimes about their religion.  Is there really a God?  What if I'm wrong and there's nothing waiting for me on the "other side?"  What if this life is all I got?  These fears might drive someone to live on the wild side of life and do what they want (like that silly phrase "YOLO").  But honestly, when did riotous living ever make someone happy?  No amount of money, partying, or sex can bring the kind of joy that unconditional living brings.  YOLO is all about seeking more; unconditional living is all about appreciating what you already have.  I might be a fool for believing in God, but since my religion makes me happy, then I will be a happy fool.  I'll worry about what will really happen on the other side when the time actually comes to go to the other side.  Until then, I will live the way that makes me happy, and unconditional living is that way.

I know what it is like to live in constant fear because anxiety made me that way for a long time.  Even if it's "realistic," I just won't live that way.  It's too dark and miserable.  I choose to embrace unconditional living because it combats my anxiety and brings happiness to my life.  No matter what life throws at me, good or bad, I want to be a happy fool.    
 

Image from Live Life Bigger

Content Guide

Note: this post is meant to be a guide to my content ratings under the "My Resources" page.  

A Word About the Media:

I am a Latter-Day Saint, so I try to keep my entertainment limited to things that are "virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy" (13th Article of Faith).  However, some of the things I read or watch do contain unsavory words or images.  I try to walk the line of avoiding inappropriate content while also appreciating and supporting the many artists out there who are trying to share their talents with the world.  Therefore, I've included a content guide with each of my media reviews so you know exactly what to expect.  At the same time, I hold a great respect for each of the artists' works here, and encourage you to enjoy their products along with me.

Content guide:

Mild language = occasional use of four-lettered swear words (i.e. d***, a**, h**).

Moderate language =  contains heavy swear words, but are rarely used (i.e. b****, s***).

Heavy language = excessive use of four-lettered swear words and/or the regular use of heavy swear words.

Homosexuality = I do not read or watch media with homosexual activity.  However, some of the media may include references of homosexuality that may not be appropriate for certain age groups.  I will briefly describe what kind of references are included in each individual instance.

Mild sexual references = these are teenage-level instances including making out, awkward sexual instances (i.e. accidental erection) and/or other sexual references that may not be appropriate for certain age groups.  I do not read or watch media with explicit sexual activity.

Sexual references = these are more mature instances such as implied sex (pre or post) and/or other sexual references that may not be appropriate for certain age groups.  I do not read or watch media with explicit sexual activity.

Disturbing images =  comic characters in underwear, gross references (i.e. pooping or barfing), etc.

Violence and blood = I do not read or watch media with explicit violence or gore, like that of a rated R movie.  However, with certain media, there may be presence of fighting, shooting, bleeding, and/or killing that is important to note for those who are sensitive to it.

E for everyone = no negative content to speak of.  It's a miracle!

Note: these content ratings are not perfect, so if you come across content that I did not describe, please let me know and I will update the rating.  Thanks! 

Makeup That's Theatrical

One of the classes my younger brother is taking at F.A.I.T.H. Academy is about theater makeup.  I became so intrigued with it that I ordered my own student theatrical kit to use at home.  It has everything I need to get started: six different creme foundations (I got the 'light' kit), eight creme shades (like red, blush, nude, yellow, blue, green, brown, etc.), three pencils (black, brown, and light brown), two makeup brushes, modeling wax, spirit gum and remover, some application hair, stage blood, and more.  As I unpacked the kit for the first time, my mind was reeling with the possibilities!

 
 I like to learn things like this by following someone's example, so I quickly searched for and found a makeup artist on Youtube that I liked: Danny Lynn Forever.  She does a lot of glamor makeup tutorials, but I really like the way she teaches theater makeup.  Tonight, I finally had time to try my hand at theater makeup.  I chose to do a Geisha girl with a Kabuki flair.  Here's the result:

 

 

It took over an hour to do my entire face.  The Graftobian makeup was very easy to work with and I could feel the high quality with every brush stroke.  The cremes blended well, were easy to wipe off if I made a mistake, and didn't irritate my eyes or skin.  I would definitely recommend it for anyone looking to try out theater makeup (although I hear Ben Nye is good, too).  One of my brothers said that I looked like a female version of Kiss.  Oh no!  I don't think I did too bad, though, for my first time.  It was a lot of fun, and I look forward to doing more!  You will definitely see more posts about theater makeup in the future.  :)

Outer Eye, Inner Eye

I take two of my brothers to a great homeschool group called FAITH academy (you can check out their website here).  I love the kids and the classes are so in-depth.  One of the classes I sit in on is a traditional art class where the kids are taught how to sketch still-lifes.  I've taught myself a little bit of art throughout the years, but I've never received formal training, so I was intrigued by the concepts being taught.  The teacher explained that sketching everywhere you go (i.e. the library, the bus stop, etc.) helps us develop an eye for the world.  We may look at something, but do we really see it?  For example, if we're coloring a picture of a tree, we usually color the bark brown.  But if you really look at bark, it's almost never brown.  Depending on the tree, it may be a combination of gray, green, black, or white.

Image from Wikipedia

Another example of looking without seeing is whenever we think of an object (like an apple, for instance), we usually have a preconceived notion of what shape that object is.  I usually think of an apple as a round shape with two bumps on top where the stem protrudes.  But apples come in many shapes and sizes.  In order to accurately depict one, we must learn to truly sketch what we see.  The art teacher described it beautifully: he sketches to "keep [his] eyes awake."

This concept struck me because I often feel like my eyes are not awake to the world around me.  I'm a very, very aloof person.  My husband is very interested in self-defense exercises and likes to practice analyzing people around him, knowing the small signs that indicate danger.  I, on the other hand, would probably walk right past an axe murderer if he was just standing there in the grocery store.  I'm usually lost in my own thoughts, thinking of stories and stuff like that.  Even my recreational activities are very introverted.  Reading, playing video games, and writing all make me less aware of the world around me.  So this means my eyes are the complete opposite of awake.  But, then again, which eyes?

A traditional artist must exercise their outer eyes in order to successfully transfer images onto paper.  They must be able to examine and expertly portray shading, angles, and other details.  Many artists, however, like to draw things that do not exist.  They don't use their outer eyes to sketch something that they can see in front of them.  Instead, they must use their inner eyes to examine and expertly portray something that is in their heads.  For a creative person, they can develop these inner eyes to see a make-believe object or creature that is just as real to them as the objects and creatures in the real world.  For example, when I write, I have to become separated from the real world.  Everything has to fade out until I can only see and hear the world within my imagination.  This takes more effort than you might think.  The real world is always louder and more vivid than my imagination, making it difficult to do introverted activities if I don't have the proper separation (I could never write in front the TV, nope).  Even once I have separated myself from reality, it's still a lot of hard work to take the images from my mind and translate them into writing.  I'm sure the process is similarly difficult for artists who primarily draw fantasy creatures and people.  But it's all worth it.  If it wasn't for people who have exercised their inner eyes, we wouldn't have the wondrous books, movies, and images that inspire and entertain us.  Sometimes I feel a little guilty that I'm such a spacey person, but then again, I'm grateful for the gift of writing and the joy it brings to my life.  So the next time you see someone staring out a window, lost in a daydream, they may actually be working on something beautiful.  

Image by Elle124, quote from X2

Check It Out! - Faith the Walking Dog

Image from Daily News Dig

While carousing iwastesomuchtime.com this morning, I came across an amazing article about an amazing dog.  Faith was found in a junkyard where her own mom was attempting to smother her.  This may seem cruel, but Faith was born without front legs, so her mom was actually trying to humanely spare her a life of misery the only way she knew how.  Thankfully, Faith was rescued by the son of Jude Stringfellow, Faith's adopted mom.  Jude and her family spent countless hours and spoons of peanut butter to teach Faith how to hop, and eventually walk upright on her hind legs.  Faith is a living example of strength, determination, and hope.  If she can overcome her difficulties, so can we!  Her family also is a wonderful example of love and patience.  They never gave up on Faith, and now, she is a inspiration for many people.  Below is a video of this incredible dog and her family.  I hope it brings a smile to your face and a warmth to your heart like it did to me.

Unconditional - In Pokemon and Life

Several months ago, I wrote a post about PETA's anti-Pokemon campaign.  On the one hand, I thought it was utter nonsense.  On the other hand, it got me thinking.  One of the things that has always frustrated me about Pokemon is that if you want to be a "professional trainer," there are only a handful of Pokemon that are strong enough to use on a professional level.  There are over 500 Pokemon now, and roughly, only 30 Pokemon are "good enough" to be on professional teams.  Therefore, when I look at top-level Pokemon tournaments, I see the same Pokemon used again and again.  How sad is that?  Blinded by their ambition to win, people miss out on raising all of the other Pokemon and experiencing their unique strengths and weaknesses.  Then it hit me: I'm one of those people.  I was so caught up in raising the strongest Pokemon that I was ignoring all of the other "weaker" Pokemon.  What's more, I stressed over the entire process, worrying that I would mess up or invest in the wrong Pokemon.  I was doing exactly what I was accusing other people of doing.  So I erased my Pokemon game and started over with a change of heart.  This time, I took the time to raise each and every Pokemon with love and care.  It didn't matter if they were weak, or had unfavorable stats, or had "Run Away" as their ability.  I raised each Pokemon unconditionally.  I have raised 190 Pokemon so far, and I'm loving it!  Each Pokemon is so special with their own personality and talents.  I'm so happy I was able to break away from my former mindset.  Otherwise, I would never been able to experience so much, well, happiness.  Whoever thought that a simple little change could make a video game so much fun?

Image by Hhell

The concept of living unconditionally is something I have been working on ever since I developed anxiety.  I was plagued by so many perceptions and expectations that I missed out on all of the beauty and wonder in the world around me.  I was also haunted by guilt from the past and fear of the future.  It was only when I learned to live in the present that I recognized that every moment is a priceless gift that can be mine to enjoy.  Living unconditionally is a work in progress, and I certainly can't be unconditional all the time (as it is, perfectionism has no place in unconditional living, anyway).  I could go on and on about how living unconditionally has changed my life, but that would take a long time.  I'll touch on some of the finer points in other posts.  I just wanted to share how living unconditionally has helped me be a happier person, even in the video games I play.  This is a philosophy that I will continue to develop and nurture as I go through life.  'Cause, let's face it, life is about finding happiness.  A lot of people go about it the wrong way, though.  They chase after money, or fame, or achievement trying to get it, but the secret to happiness is in your grasp, right here, right now.  It's that simple.  All you have to do is embrace it, unconditionally.