Per my lovely seester's request, I am going to share some images of my design process on the banners in the previous post. It's fun to look back and see where it all started! I can't share every little step (that would require its own blog), but I can share a few bits. Hopefully it will give you an idea of how I work, and maybe inspire some potential designers out there to try new things! ;)
The first two images are examples of elements I pull as potential pieces to the puzzle. My "image options" folders are always stuffed! I place and delete images faster than you can say "Sally Sold Seashells on the Sea Shore." That may be faster for some than others. :)
Anyways, I usually have an idea of the imagery I want to use, but I am constantly surprised by what does and doesn't work, so I like to gather together quite a variety. For example, there are 53 images in my "textures/watercolors" folder for this project. Some are purchased, and some are hand-painted and scanned in (see Chris helping me paint here). This first image is a purchased floral illustration (left), spruced up by placing a watercolor texture over it and make the texture a "clipping mask" (right). Can you see why the possibilities are endless??
This next image is an example of two of the watercolors I painted and then scanned. As I said before, I had 53 total images in this particular folder, so there was a lot to work with!
Here you can see two original sketches that didn't make the cut. I thought I wanted to use some cool branch silhouettes (left), but the result was sort of japanese, which is generally great, but not the look we were going for. The other version (right) was too pastel / soft / easter-ish / feminine. We decided we really wanted the colors to pop like crazy to avoid those very things!
In this final image, you can see a progression of the layers that make up the final product. The first image is the base, made using two or three textures layered together (this is where I begin playing with "blending modes" in photoshop, which determine how one layer interacts with the layers under it). The next two images show how things change as I continue to add more textures to the base. The fourth image includes the addition of the building and leaf photographs (first I made them monotone images — i.e., one-color images — and then once I had them in context, I played with their coloring and saturation); and also the floral illustration (mentioned above). I ended up using the floral illustration in white (without the textured clipping mask) because it stood out better that way. And then lastly you see the final touches: the borders, the "tag" graphic, and the SPU logo. Voila!
It's kind of a lot of information, and there are a lot of steps I'm skipping over. But that gives you a glimpse! Any questions, class? ;)
I thought I'd share a couple projects I've been working on lately that have been super fun to create. Phil Eaton, the President of SPU, has spent a lot of time this past year talking about flourishing, so that's been my key inspiration for some recent University materials. The first part of this "series" were the banners that are hung throughout campus. The visual inspiration came from Fabien Barral. He is incredibly talented, and my first thought was to have him actually do some custom illustrations for us. However, due to our tight schedule and the fact that he lives in, oh, France, we had to do the illustrations ourselves. Chris (one of my design colleagues) and I had a fun afternoon creating some watercolor textures:
Hard at work!
Dale (my boss) was super supportive, really believing I could come up with something beautiful. I am stoked about the final product:
Designed with a helpful hand from Chris!
Here's an example of one hanging on campus:
And finally, here's a teeny sample of a version that will displayed in five separate pieces in various hallways/rooms (I know it's hard to envision the final product. I'll post a picture after they've been delivered and installed!):
The next part of this series will be materials for Homecoming 2012. I'll post images when I'm able! Yay for pretty stuff to look at! :)
I ran my first official half-marathon on September 18. I went into it not even knowing if I would be able to finish (due to persistent knee pain), and somehow during this "practice" race I managed to hit the goal I had set for the end of November. I was choking back tears sporadically throughout the run, feeling so grateful to be running at all; so grateful for Darrick, who I got to see every few miles, cheering me on. My smile was so big when I finished, I thought I might pull a cheek muscle! I found out I finished 9th out of 625 women (what?!?) and that I had finished 1st in my age group (what?!?). But the biggest shock and best feeling was when we made our way to the results tent, I typed in my bib number, and there it displayed my average pace: 7'31" per mile. Then there were tears. I felt like God had completely answered every breathless prayer I uttered during the race, "Lord, give me wings like eagles, let me run and not grow tired." He did, and I did. And not only did he give me wings, he gave me angels. The first came in the form of my CrossFit coach/doctor (Dr. Tri) who claimed he could fix my knee. Well, he did! Thank you, angel number one. The second angel came in the form of an older man with a bit of a pot-belly… and also wearing a skirt. He was my pacing angel at the You Go Girl! race (skirts provided to all pacers by the sponsor). I was the only girl who ran next to him for the entire race, and he coached me through the whole thing; up hills ("Short strides. Lean into it. Power through."); along long, flat stretches ("We're cruising here for awhile. Relax. Find your breath."); and into the finish ("When you get to the top of that hill, you don't need to have anything left — See that girl? Catch her.") Thank you, angel number two. And thank you, Lord, for caring about something so small in the grand scheme of things, but so big to me.
The You Go Girl! half-marathon. Some girl in a cute outfit (she was running the 10k, so not my competition!); Bob, my pacing angel; and me!
Kipping.
Yes, I meant to write "kipping" which is my latest goal achieved and a huge confidence-builder! So, as you may or may not know, I started doing CrossFit about 6 or 7 weeks ago, and I LOVE it! Both Darrick and I are convinced that it had a lot to do with my race performance, by building both physical and mental strength (but probably mostly mental!) We've been discovering that our bodies are capable of much more than what we allow them to do. Think about the feats of strength people perform in "fight or flight" situations. When that adrenaline kicks in, you find out that your muscles really are up to the task! Darrick is on Day 7 of "30 Days of Fran" (CrossFit names many of their workouts after women: see Fran being done in the video below.) He's doing this workout everyday for 30 days, and already it's incredible to see how his time has dramatically improved. It's certainly not strength alone (after a mere 7 days), and maybe some of it is muscle memory (though I'm not sure how long it takes until muscle memory really takes effect), so that means that it's pretty much all in his head! His brain is tapping into strength that he had, but hadn't been using. Awesome! The lesson is, we are capable of far, far more than we realize. For example, I haven't been able to do a pullup since the second grade (and I'm just assuming I could do one then, because I don't actually have any memory of that). When I first started CrossFit, I heard about "kipping" pullups, which basically allows you to use all the muscles in your body (and momentum, if you're good at it) to get your chin over the bar. I thought it would be forever before I could do one of these, but while messing around at the box (CrossFit speak for gym) on Thursday morning after the workout, I did my first kipping pullup! I couldn't wait to get to Darrick's gym that night to show him, and I did five in a row! Giddy me!! I couldn't believe it. Below is a video of rockstar Miranda Oldroyd doing Fran, which is a 21/15/9 workout: 21 thrusters, 21 pullups; 15 thrusters, 15 pullups; 9 thrusters, 9 pullups — all as fast as you can. From what I understand, a sub 10-minute Fran time is a great goal for someone who's a consistent CrossFitter. Sub 5-minutes is freaking amazing. She does it in 3'19". Holy canoli. Anywho, in her first set of pullups, she is doing butterfly kipping, which is one type of (really intense) kipping. Then as she gets fatigued on her set of 15, she switches to "regular" kipping. I seriously can't wait to practice more! Oh, and she does puke at the end, but they warn you, so turn it off if you need to! :)
Everything in between.
As I'm training the Seattle half-marathon (Thanksgiving weekend), I am so thankful for these successes that keep me going. Whenever I mention this particular race to anyone, their eyes get real big and they say "man, that's a really hard course" (italics meant to represent the serious tone in their voice). Awesome. Now whenever I think about it, my legs gets weak and I have mini panic attacks. Angel Dr. Tri gave me a pretty intense training schedule, with workouts that have a way of simultaneously making me feel like a champion and like a failure, which I'm sure is the idea because it keeps me working hard. But in spite of (or maybe because of) this roller-coaster of emotion, I am increasingly happy to be healthy, to have the use of my whole body and be capable of using it well, to learn more everyday about this incredible human body that God created and all the things it can do. What a gift!
I wish the same for everyone — that we would all find joy in our bodies. Obviously, with Darrick's career change, helping other people get there is his daily focus. I have a feeling God won't let this passion in me go to waste either. ;)
It was a fairly exhausting week of workouts this past week and I was sooooo ready for my TWO rest days IN A ROW. That was awesome. :)
However, this morning I am getting back into it and heading out on a 10-miler. I've been learning a lot about training and it turns out I've sort of been doing it wrong. My workouts should be mostly easy and hard, but not so much in the middle. And I'm pretty much always in the middle. Woops. For example, last weekend my 10-mile pace was 40" to 1'40" faster than what it should have been. That's a lot!! So this morning my goal is to PACE MYSELF, which is one of my biggest struggles as a runner.
But before that, the primary goal is always just to finish. And here are some inspirational quotes and lines from songs that have been pumping me up:
Don't wish it was easier. Wish you were better.(Written on board at crossfit.)
I gotta taste it and I gotta have it and I gotta cut all through this traffic just to be at the top of the throne but I know I gotta have it. (Busta Rhymes, "Look at me Now")
You better lose yourself in the music, the moment you own it, you better never let it go. You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow. This opportunity comes once in a lifetime. (Eminem, "Lose Yourself")
Of course you're going to feel tired. … By becoming used to the sensation of fatigue and responding with assurance you can train yourself to run through it.(Complete Book of Women's Running)
Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.(Isaiah 40:31)
It has been forever since my last post! Here is the craziness of our lives in a nutshell:
Darrick is well on his way to a career change, but that means he is working at one gym, being mentored at another, and still bartending one night a week. On top of that, he is studying for his personal training certification and up until last weekend had been training for his Ironman 70.3. Oh, and he's also starting a business with two other friends. No biggie. :)
Here's a quick run-down of our weekends for the last month and a half:
7/17: Darrick competes in Tri-Rock, an Olympic distance triathlon, taking more than 20 minutes (!) off his time from his first tri (Lavaman in Hawaii this past March).
7/21–24: One of our best friends (and part-owner of The Rugged Elite), Tony Z., comes to visit. The guys get a Rugged Elite video filmed and will soon be raising money on Kickstarter — so exciting!
7/30–8/2: Davey and his amazing girlfriend Becca come to visit from the Chi. So, so good to see them… I feel like I kind of grew up with Davey. He saw me through my punk rock and rude girl stages. :)
8/5–8/15: Dad and Jane come to visit (they traveled around Western Washington during the week while D and I worked). I had such a wonderful time with them. They even helped me with tons of stuff around the house, which was absolutely amazing. I am actually sitting in the kitchen looking out all the shiny, perfectly clear (not a smudge anywhere!) windows they washed for us. Wow. The only bad part is that it's getting harder and harder to say goodbye to family when they leave. That will definitely be changing in the future!
8/7: Uncle Rob comes in and he and Darrick compete in the Vashon Island Heart of the Sound Sprint Triathlon. I believe Darrick won by about 12 seconds. :) So much fun!
8/14: Darrick competes in the Lake Stevens Ironman 70.3. That's a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run. Yowzers. He kind of fell off his training schedule because of other priorities, so it was a tough race for him, but I am so proud that he finished!! Go babe go!!
So, you can see why I haven't posted in awhile! I'll try to be better, I promise. :) In the meantime, if you're just looking for some good blog reading, here are (some of) my favorites:
Joyful AmbiguityWritten by my bestest friend from Seattle. Honest, beautiful blog about life and being a mom to a perfect (in my humble opinion) baby boy. Vizzion QuestSee my cousin Joe ride his bike across the US! The Ray in SpainThe adventures of my cousin Rachel who lives in Gijón Asturias. Great tips if you're planning on traveling to Spain! Empower to the PeopleCo-written by two very inspiring friends, describing their experiences in Uganda and Afghanistan. No Small DreamsOne of my fabulous coworkers! Great style tips and super fun links. Raven + Lily"A socially responsible brand dedicated to empowering impoverished women through design." Awesome, right? My New RootsDelicious (healthy) recipes and thorough nutrition information. Her writing style makes it fun to read about food! Rockstar DiariesIncredibly adorable family and beautiful photography. Pure Style HomeThis girl has amazing style and is so creative.
I love that feeling after a workout and your endorphins are doing whatever it is that endorphins do that make you feel so good. I have that feeling right now. It might also help that it is a gorgeous day here in good 'ol Seattle. :)
Speaking of workouts and endorphins, I have something to share that I wasn't really planning on sharing I think because deep down I don't really like accountability. Here it is: I am training for the Seattle half-marathon in November, with a "practice" half in September. I realize that doesn't sound like a big deal to a lot of people, but it totally is for me! I've been a runner my whole life and have never done an official half-marathon (or full, obviously, but that doesn't even sound fun to me!) I was training for a half a few years ago, but quit because of a calf injury. And since then I've been afraid of doing one because during my training, I started to hate running. And I love running! So why am I changing my mind all of a sudden? I think it's because since that time I've learned how to challenge my body (and my mind, for that matter) in so many different aspects, and have loooooved the process. Perhaps I'm a little wonky, but there you go. So I am running these not just for fun (although I'll love it) and not just for the t-shirt (though that's pretty exciting), but toward a goal that I can sweat my pa-tooty off for. So the big question in all your minds is probably, "What's your goal?" My goal is to run the September race in 8-minute miles, and the November race in 7:30-minute miles. Yikes! The hubster and I ran a 13.1 about a month ago and our pace was 8:21. So is my goal doable? I think so. Is it going to be a huge challenge? Uh, yep. Is it scary as hell??? YES! :)
So, if you find any running inspiration you'd like to send my way, please do! My bestest bud from college gave me a great women's running book a few years ago and I've been diving in! That's where I read that a goal should be attainable, but challenging enough that there's a chance you won't reach it. I concurred, and so my goal was set.
Oh, and one minor caveat I haven't mentioned is that ever since Darrick and I rode our bikes to Portland during the STP, I've had some pretty intense knee pain. I'm currently in physical therapy (and yes, I'm still training), so if you have the gift of healing, I'd appreciate it if you'd send a little word Upstairs for me. :)
So I hear there's a national heat wave. It seems almost impossible that the rest of the country is literally in danger of dying from excessive heat, when we ourselves have been dubbed the "home of the 78-minute summer." Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I have had this put into perspective over and over again (see example here). Yes, I would love to wear my shorts more than once. Yes, I would love an excuse to get a brightly-colored pedicure. Yes, I'd love to be able to sit outside before or after work without a jacket. However, summer isn't my favorite season anyways. And if it's gonna be chilly, I'm going to take this time to start looking forward to autumn!
Just wanted to show you how my plants are coming along. I spent four days with the fam in Chicago (more about that to follow!) and while I was gone, some things decided to pop up. So exciting to watch everything grow and change. I love it. :)
I haven't updated my garden pics lately because I've been waiting for everything to look *perfect*. Well, I realized we would all turn old and gray before my garden ever looks perfect! Besides, where's the fun in perfection? I am loving all the things I am learning about gardening — from edibles to groundcovers and perennials to annuals. There have certainly been mistakes. I've watched more than a few things die at my concerned but inexperienced hands. However, I have also watched many thing survive and even thrive! There's something about seeing the evidence of things growing that makes my heart swell with hope for life in general. So here's an update of some of my beautiful (albeit imperfect) plant life!
The front garden: The three plants in front are oakleaf hydrangeas. They get gorgeous fall color and big cone-shaped white flowers (see bottom left: fall color image mine, blooming image not mine). Then behind that are two spring blossom evergreens (RIP #3). They get pretty red berries and white flowers in early spring (above: image mine). Last night I planted two 'acapulco orange' agastache plants. Look how amazing that color is (above: image not mine)! They'll get to be almost three feet tall and will poke through the fence to welcome us home. They also smell like minty lemon. Mmmm. :) Oh, and the little guy in the front corner is the only one we kept from the previous owners. I think he likes the way we take care of him. :)
Front porch pots: A sweet little boxwood and some other fillers (petunias and I don't remember what else!) We're looking for some cheap-o patio chairs so we can sit outside at night and enjoy our plants while we watch the sun go down. :)
Lacecap hydrangeas: The one on the left was smooshed by our roofer. It's being held up by garden stakes, but you would never know! They're really thriving and are FULL of buds! Can't wait till they bloom!
Mophead hydrangea: This one got the worst of it from the roof debris. BUT, it looks absolutely adorable in the pot and it's beginning to bloom as well! Yay!
Herb garden:Top (L to R): Peppermint, parsley, sage, marigolds. Bottom (L to R): Three cilantro plants, and two dead basil plants. :) They will be replaced by kale (in the tray there) and slow-to-bolt spinach seeds so hopefully we'll have spinach throughout the summer. (Oh, and I planted some basil and rosemary indoors in the window sill where they will be warm and happy!)
Veggie garden:Top (L to R): Beets, spinach, red leaf lettuce, butter-crunch lettuce. Bottom (L to R): Cippolini italian onions, red onions, radishes, carrots. We've been harvesting the lettuces and they keep growing away! So fun!
Can't wait to have visitors so we can share our harvest! ;) Hugs!
Well, usually I heart running. I think the reason I have always loved running is because it's such a perfect analogy of life…
Sometimes it's great and you feel amazing. Sometimes it's hard and hurts like hell. Sometimes you quit. Sometimes your endurance surprises you. There are inclines — some steep and intimidating; some gradual, but still challenging. There are declines too — a chance to catch your breath, and yet carelessness here can lead to injury-causing mistakes. On some runs, you know your path. You know when it will be hard and when it will be easy and how fast you should be able to go. When you finish you are generally indifferent (eh, just average) or elated (usually followed by checking out your abs in the mirror). Then there are new runs. You've mapped it out, yet google fails to prepare you for the challenges of the road, so every hurdle you meet is a surprise.
I had one of those new runs today. The first part I knew — and I knew it was flat. I was flying and feeling good! However, I also knew the last part of the run would be a pretty significant downhill, which means, of course, that somewhere there is an uphill. About 1.5 miles in I take a left turn and there she is. It's such a beautiful, quiet street — yeah, if you're sitting on your front porch with a glass of wine! Which I am not. I, instead, am passing by each of those chic, cozy porches, panting like a dog in southern Texas. And I should note, this isn't one of those short, steep inclines where you sprint up it like a charging bull. This is one of those long, gradual, grindy (as the hubster calls it) hills. So here I am a couple blocks in and feeling NOT good. So I stop to fix my hair (no, it could not wait another second). And off I go again. My next turn is at 40th. I pass 38th (not sure if numbered blocks are good or bad in this case). I pass 39th. I'm so close!! I turn left on 40th and — it's uphill too. Awesome. Take the wind right on out of my sails, why don't you? I stop again — NO, not to fix my hair, just because I'm flippin' tired, alright? After a short recovery, I'm back on my way. A few more teeny uphills, some flat areas, mostly downhill. The last bit is long-ish and straight, the kind where you can see the finish line. I wanted to stop early and would have been totally justified in doing so (I had already met my mileage goal), but these are the moments when you conquer your mind. "BeckyJo," I say, "The chances that this will kill you are very slim. Suck it up biotch." (Excuse the language, I can't control my tongue when I'm tired, and I'm just being honest.) And so I sucked it up and I finished strong. And you know what? I still didn't feel that great. I was tired and had a stomachache and my time kind of sucked. But you know what else? I'll keep doing it. In running and in life, you shoot for the high… it's always there somewhere. So suck it up biotches, alright? :)
That's actually the title of this book my mom bought me awhile back — just one moment in the long journey of a woman learning to accept her body. I have found that I am happiest when I am constantly challenged in my workouts, when I am feeling strong and powerful. That's when I find myself being amazed at what the human body (even MY human body!) is capable of. Darrick is currently on a training schedule for a half-ironman scheduled at the end of August. In order to spend more time together, I find myself doing some of his workouts with him… and LOVING it! I love that I was able to run 9 miles this past weekend. I love that today I could finish a 45 minute bike interval workout and still take the dog on a 3 mile run. I love the strength I feel in these legs!
BUT, the bummer part is that when most people train this way (like my husband), they get skinnier. I, however, am not most people. I tried on some dress pants this morning that I was wearing a few months ago. Today they were definitely uncomfortably tight in the thigh region. (Though I will say that maybe for the first time in my life I have a bump that may somewhat represent something similar to a butt! Look out J-Lo!) Okay, but seriously, instead of being bummed that as my legs get stronger, they may get a little bigger, I am simply going to focus on finding clothes (inexpensively!) that flatter my changing physic. Here's some of the stuff I love:
First things first: Wedges! To make legs look miles long. I LOVE these from anthropologie! And they are expensive, so yes, I will keep dreaming. :)
Sailor shorts (anthropologie).
Bermudas (gap).
Absolutely gorgeous maxi (gap). Show off toned shoulders and arms!
Pretty yet comfy skirt (gap).
A little longer to hide thighs and show off calves instead (gap).
As the days pass, pushing us closer to summer with no sign of warmer weather, the more we're feeling the effects of SAD. I follow blogs of women across the country, and seeing all their summer dresses and pool parties makes it even more difficult. It's also tough this time of year to work inside a basically window-less office. It's not sunny today, but on the days we do have sun, it's so hard to be stuck inside! It reminds me of a story I remember reading when I was a little girl (summary below). I suppose I can be thankful I don't live on Venus (though it sort of sounds familiar… maybe the author is from Seattle?). Any ideas on how to beat this slump??
All Summer in a Day:
The story is about a class of school children on Venus, which in this tale is a jungle world of constant torrential rainstorms, where the sun is only visible for two hours every seven years. Such an occurrence is imminent.
One of the children, Margot, had moved to Venus from Earth five years before the story takes place, and she is the only one in her class to remember sunshine. She has become frail and miserable on Venus, and almost has a nervous breakdown from the anxiety of living with the relentless rain.
Margot describes the sun as "a penny", or "like a fire in the stove". The other children refuse to believe her, claiming that she's lying and she doesn't remember.
In her misery, Margot will not play with the other children, and they bully her for her separateness and refuse to believe her memories of the sun. As the sun's predicted appearance draws near, while the teacher is out of the classroom, William, the student who most often torments Margot for being a quiet outcast, convinces the other children to lock Margot in the closet. They ignore her cries and pleas; her beating against the closet door begging to be let out.
As the sun is about to appear, the teacher arrives to take the class outside to enjoy their two hours of sunshine. In their astonishment and joy, they all forget about Margot. They run and play, skip jump and prance about, savoring every second of their newly found freedom.
All at once, a girl feels a raindrop in her hand, and with the sad realization that the rain is returning, all the children start to cry. Thunder sounds, and the children run back inside. Suddenly, one of the children remembers Margot, still locked in the closet. They stand frozen with shame for what they have done, unable to "meet each other's glances." The precious sun has come and gone, leaving Margot still pale in gloom and darkness, not having seen the sun. The children walk slowly towards the closet, now silent, and let Margot out.
(Written by Ray Bradbury, originally published in 1954. Summary from Wikipedia.)
Bet you didn't know those were happening! I had the opportunity to do a really fast, really fun project for my friend Adam, and I wanted to share it with you — my four faithful followers. :) :)
Background: He's in Afghanistan with his employer TetraTech, partering with USAID on projects that will improve the lives of local Afghanis. So awesome. Read more about his experience here! Anywho, to help ease some of their "compound fever" (that's Afghani for cabin fever), they put on Kabul Olympics 2011, including sports such as volleyball, basketball, and ping pong. (I hope my extremely fast and vague description does this whole experience some kind of justice!!)
So Adam asked me to make them t-shirts!! So fun! Here's the design Adam and I liked best:
The team had me make some tweaks. It's still pretty sweet! :)
Here's everyone wearing their shirts!
And finally here's Adam killing it in volleyball! Go Adam go!!!!
I got this note today: "We had our first round of 5 of the Kabul Olympics today, full with opening ceremony and everything!!! …It was an epic day of competition. The locals LOVED the t-shirts more than any of the sports." Made my freaking day. Thanks for letting me be a part of this, Adam. Carpe the diem! :)
