Showing posts with label motivation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label motivation. Show all posts

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Monday, February 17, 2014

BurdaStyle 118A Cowl Dress Review

Pattern: BurdaStyle 118A Cowl Dress. From the Modern Minimalist Collection

After a recent closet purge of clothing I can no longer wear/haven't worn in over a year, I found my wardrobe surprisingly...bare. Which is great since it gives me an excuse to make moar cute clothes!

I used black cotton poplin fabric and a 22" invisible zipper that I purchased from Jo-Anns while they were on sale. I've also made a few minor alterations to the dress pattern - namely scooping the back a bit lower and folding/stitching the cowl part flat to imitate the blouse version from the same collection. I've also added slits to the side seams for ease of movement and to make said dress slightly daring. No errors/flaws were found in the pattern pieces.


The dress fit like a glove upon trying it on and felt absolutely comfortable throughout the entire day. My only complaint was the fabric itself, as it had the tendency to attract lint and pieces of thread like a mofo, but it's nothing that a lint roller can't handle.


I should note that if you purchase patterns from BurdaStyle, you MUST add the seam allowances yourself when re-tracing your size onto tracing paper, as they do not include them in the PDF printouts (unless they specify otherwise).





Friday, November 8, 2013

Dunmer sketch


Quick doodle of a Dunmer dude (I'll call him "Andril") with his cowl up. 'Cuz I loves me some hot Dunmer men. I might add more to the drawing or leave it as is, depending on how I feel.

EDIT: I did some speed-painting work on it last night. With only the track pad. While hammered. If the finished results don't look too crappy, I'll post an updated version.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Kickboxing, yo

I highly recommend this kickboxing workout from Fitness Blender. I tried it out for the first time today and it wore me out! You may need a yoga mat or something padded to lay on for the ab circuit. If you REALLY wanna go super workout-psycho, add in hand weights.

Note: If you've never done kickboxing before, it's best to do a bit of research on basics of form and technique since this video is fast-paced.


Monday, July 22, 2013

Work-in-progress


...of an oni mask for my newest t-shirt design. I may also make an art print version depending on the results. 

I do sincerely apologize for the lack of new illustrations/designs this year. I've been experiencing periods of "burnout" where I'd either start a bunch of projects but then lose the motivation to finish them or simply not touch my list of concepts at all. And whenever I get the gumption to pick up on my new designs, other non-related business and general life issues get tossed in my way. But come this year's holiday season, I'll try my best to put out at least a couple of new designs, dammit!

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

HURRRR!!


My reaction earlier this morning upon discovering that my abs are beginning to show, even if it's just the faintest trace of the upper abs. The strength training has been paying off well so far. Body fat went down roughly 2% since I got down-'n'-dirty into strength training a few months ago, currently putting me at about 19.4%. I've been doing TDEE - 10-15% for my daily calorie intake for a goal BF aimed at 15-17%.

My diet is roughly 75-80% healthy, 20-25% junk food. I've attempted the total clean eating during Lent, but all it made me was pissy and miserable. Not trying to knock those who can stick to the clean eating habit. More power to them. But I, however, will never give up my pizza, burgers, and ice cream. NEVER.

Thursday, January 31, 2013

New year, new resolutions

I apologize for not posting this until now, I meant to have this ready at the beginning of this month. Much of my schedule has been packed with filling in holiday orders, my part-time job on the side, and general holiday festivities. And the latest Dragonborn DLC. That took up much of my free time as well. How has your Christmas/Hanukkah/Solstice been?

I won't lie. Much of 2012 consisted of much drama and stress that has left me feeling emotionally, physically, and spiritually drained. However, I view life's curveballs as an opportunity to build character and become a stronger individual, so misfortune can bite my cute, well-toned ass. I'm plenty thankful for friends who have stuck by me through thick and thin, as well as new friends that I've made along the way...People who are fellow recovering "sponges" and "doormats." We get each other.

Moving along, I've met most of my goals for 2012, and I'm certainly not beating myself up over crossing off every single one from the list. Shit happens, ya gotta get over it and move on.

1. Fitness: Become ripped like Jillian Michael. Although I'm now about a size 4US, I still think I'm a bit "skinny-fat" when I look at myself nekkid in the mirror. I can see some muscle definition in my legs, butt, and arms, but I definitely need more work done to get rid of the remaining jiggliness in my midsection. Currently doing a mix of beginner/intermediate/advanced moves of Level 2 of Yoga Meltdown, and will eventually do the advanced moves of both levels in a row to get the most out of this dvd. Upon completion of that, I'll try out either her Ripped in 30 or No More Trouble Zones next. And perhaps I should also plunk down some extra monies for a pair of those Bowflex adjustable dumbbells, but well see.

2. Do an overhaul on my art style. Over the previous year, I've been stewing over my illustrations and have come to realization that I'm not satisfied with how they turn out. I feel that I'm getting a tad rusty in my technique, which partly explains the lack of new work as of late. Haven't had much time to curl up with my sketchbook and draw. I think now is a good time as any to experiment with new styles and see which one will "click" with my audience.

3. Sew moar cute outfits for meself! Since I started my part-time office job a few months ago, I've been having trouble finding cute and unique business casual attire that were reasonably priced. Luckily, I have a large collection of patterns I've amassed over the years that have remained in style (and those that weren't only required some minor alterations), as well as acquired several new patterns from Jo-Anns. So far, I've sewn five dresses, two skirts and a tunic, most of which were made from my existing fabric stash. Huzzah for couture clothing on a shoestring budget!

4. Install cherry hardwood flooring in one of the spare bedrooms. SO freaking glad that Lumber Liquidators just recently opened a new location in my area. I can just pick up the flooring in person and not have to pay high shipping costs.

5. Stain concrete floor in art studio.

6. Enjoy life more. Take my first vacation in years.

7. Find happiness...This will require some soul-searching.

That's pretty much it. Again, I'm making promises not to beat myself up over not achieving everything on the list. I'll just have to try harder next year. As for you guys: What are your New Year's resolutions?

Wednesday, October 3, 2012