No Ice Cream May

During the month of May, I will not be eating any ice cream. No reason at all, but there are benefits. I have not been able to start my Helen/Heather Project because the boxes of recipes are in storage, but at least in this way I can still work towards a healthier me.

Craftstravaganza

Today was Craftstravaganza!!! Marisa and I had a fun time seeing all the jewelry makers, clothing designs and plushies! OMG, the plushies! Makes me want to start back up on my own collection soon.


The purses are handmade by Jenna Lou from Mankato, MN! I just love both of them. MOPEDS!


These cute little cupcake magnets are made by Giraffe. They also make LOST coasters!

The small mirror and buttons come from Book by J-Me.

And the 'stash is from Gentry Night Studios.

Ice Bat incognito.

AHS - Please Help the Animals

Image above: Copyright Ash Temple

Information below from Ash Temple and her team of Animal Lovers! From The Stubby Nubbs Team!

We created a team (Heather's friend Ash + peeps) to help support the animals that Animal Humane Society cares for every day. Animals suffer the effects of tough times and this is exactly the time when our commitment must be at its strongest. We have committed as a team to do what we can to help all of the animals in need.

Will you help too? Please consider giving what you can - either through a donation or by joining our team and helping us raise money for this important cause.

The Walk for Animals is about gathering and celebrating, but mostly, it?s about helping animals less fortunate than our own. This is the Animal Humane Society?s major, stand-up-on-your-hind-legs-and-bark fundraising event. Nearly 35,000 companion animals depend on AHS - and on you!

Thank you for your generous support.

If you would like to join our team "Stubby Nubbs" (named in honor of the dogs with nubbin tails!) Ash will make you a t-shirt with an illustration of your dog (or anything you want) and our team name. In fact, if you make a donation and would like a tshirt, please let her know as well! Just email her: ohtoast@yahoo.com what you want and buy a white t-shirt of your liking, and she will make you a sweet shirt!

DONATE! Here!

New Surroundings

A J shaped wall functions as a closet and hides my room.

There is a lot more on it now... but it's a fresh place to work again!

The TV and treadmill, which I hope to use, but I have some boxes to move.

The nook, a.k.a. the bedroom.

Moved, Stressed & Scared

As many of you may or may not know, I recently moved back home with my mother. It's been stressful, scary and kind of annoying. I was happy renting in the burbs being near friends and much closer to the cities and the job possibilities I was aiming for. But here, in Owatonna, I feel like I'm going to get in a rut being so far away from all the things, places and people I love. Don't get me wrong, I love my mom and family, they are awesome, but I'm just use to living on my own with my own schedule and doing things my own way. I guess stubborn runs in the family.

I've been trying to get back into the advertising/ marketing/ design field for some time now and it's just not working out for me. I feel I was caught in this middle zone between the times of Advertising Silos and this New Age of Advertising. I've been trained in the old ways and not being immersed in the biz I feel that I am missing out on catching up with what is going on. I still fall within the 'entry level' category when job looking, but in this limbo of a world I'm not prepared for needed jobs like web designer or interactive specialist, but I don't have the years experience to get art director or creative lead, things that I know how to do.

It's stressful and I feel that my 4 year degree is being wasted away. You know, "Use it or lose it." I'm still a good illustrator/ artist, but I feel like I am falling out of touch with my advertising degree and it's only been 2 years since I graduated. Now, I'm wondering if it was all worth it. Yes! On one hand, I had a great 4 years, learned many things that I use every day, plus friends and experiences that I wouldn't trade for the world. But, at the same time no, the 100+ thousands of dollars and stress from all of the aftermath is getting to me. I feel though that I lack focus and passion, which inevitably makes this all no ones fault, but my own.

So I got good grades, graduated on time and then had a full time job (Salary + Benefits) just months after graduating. Pretty successful right? Sadly, the economy wasn't something that I factored in when I made my 5 year plan for "After MCAD." Now I feel like I have to reinvent the wheel again and possibly go back to school. For what? I'm not to sure yet. One idea is just branching off and learning more web things, another idea is baking and cooking (which I do love), but I still love advertising too. There is no 10, 5 or even 1 year plan right now... The plan is to "Just be," for now.

Just for Swag, I mean Fun

"He Will Return"

"The Creation of Conan"

The new social media craze I'm With Coco has been flooding the web with images, comments and creations after the whole NBC/ Jay Leno/ Conan O'Brien fiasco earlier this year. Since then 2 online competitions have been held to win some swag and I of course had to play along. Conan as Baby Jesus ("He Will Return") received Honorable Mention and I will let you know what happen with "The Creation of Conan" after the contest ends Sunday night.

I'm #Lame, but these people ROCK!

Image above: Copyright Anna Bongiovanni

I was poking around my new friend Anna's blog - Soft And Fleshy. And she is an amazing artist! Seriously, I feel lame for not drawing as much as I should be! I have a ton of great friends who are great designers and artists. I am inspired to start some new work! Every year the Owatonna Art Center hosts the Festival of the Arts and I figure if I can't get in this year then I can save up and put some work in the MCAD Art Sale this coming fall/winter. Some other awesome people can be found below:

Alison Stump
Casey Cubulski
Evan Palmer
Jared A May
Joel Vollmer
Ricci Gertz
Steve Robbins

3-2-1 PUNCH!

The MCADers had such a great time together again! We celebrated an early St. Patrick's Day! Green foods, beer and green drinks! This lemon/lime punch was a BIG HIT! I recommend it for any time of the year.

St. Patrick's Day Party Punch (alcoholic)
2 (12 oz) cans frozen limeade concentrate
2 (12 oz) cans frozen lemonade concentrate
2 (2 liter) bottles lemon-lime flavored carbonated soda (7up or Sprite)
1 (750 milliliter) bottle rum (I used 1 L of Bacardi Superior)
2 quarts lime sherbet (I used 2 Pts)
ice

In a large pot, combine limeade, lemonade and lemon-lime soda. Stir in rum. Mix in the lime sherbet. (Cut's in 1/2 very easily.)

Enjoy!

Freelance Work

One day I was cashiering at Mikes and I was making some small talk with a pastry cheff, The Cake Diva, Janan. She gave me her card so I could check out her work for my sisters future wedding and I noticed she needed a logo. I slipper her my card and the rest is history. Today, I got my first freelance paycheck! I was pretty excited.

Some other illustration while working on The Cake Diva's logo.

Catch 22

"People familiar with Joseph Heller’s novel are irritated when they see “Catch-22” used to label any simple hitch or problem rather than this sort of circular predicament: you can’t get published until you have an agent, and you can’t get an agent until you’ve been published. “There’s a catch” will do fine for most other situations." Source Link

I've been trying to move my life always towards bigger and better things. I graduated from a private 4 year college, did the clique road trip, found a great paying (for just out of school) job with benefits and the whole nine yards. Economy went down the tube and I lost my job.

I get a part time job, keep busy through the holidays and when things slow down I get a second part time job to keep up the type of hours I needed to pay my bills (while still getting help from the government and my parents). I found a balance between the two jobs... yes, I have no social life, but I really didn't have one to begin with.

A higher level position at my first job became available, so I applied and interview... things went well. Today I learned that I was passed over for another coworker because of my availability. I asked in the interview if that would be a factor and I was informed that it may BUT not likely because of the other number of employees who have this same level position. I'm happy for my coworker who got the position... he's a nice guy, but I'm still sad for me.

So the Catch 22 of it all: I paid for this expensive degree to get a nice job, one that would help me get the things I want in life, nothing fancy, I don't want a mansion. But, when no one hires you or gives you a chance when you are right out of school (or opens up entry level jobs)... you can't pay your loans back. #FML