I Just Might Explode

sicky girl.

So, I had meaning to jump back into blogging and working on some big projects, but I got hit with a head cold on Monday and have been feeling pretty miserable since. I've watched 9 episodes of Dexter(in season 4! oh so good!) and inhaled a lot of Theraflu.

Meet you back here tomorrow?

la dee dah.

I recently got around to finally scanning some of my black and white film photography work. These photos were done for a triptych assignment. I had the chance to use my Lomo SuperSampler that I got off eBay. I wanted to do similar scenes with one "sporty" girl and one "girly" girl. I probably will reprint them so they're lighter, but I liked how they turned out. I'm excited to pop some color film in that camera this summer. It's super fun and really easy to use!

through his eyes.

I'm rather overwhelmed with photos and homework and things to blog so I thought I would share some of the gorgeous film photos Kip took while he was here. It was so good to have him here... He left early Saturday morning and I already miss him...

Truthfully, I don't always like this city. I get tired of the subway and dirt and creeps and the busyness, but these photos totally remind me why I love it too.

(all photographs by kip stutzman)

A Word From Our Sponsors: March

Every month I have the pleasure of having wonderful and independent artists, shops, and blogs sponsor this little place. Every month I ask my lovely sponsors random question for you to know their souls a little bit more.

This month's question:

What a piece of wisdom has been most helpful to you in your creative process?

The gentleman of Apple Horse:

Probably when someone told us that if a practice wasn't going anywhere, we should put down our instruments and just hang out. If you're stressed or feeling negatively about your day, you never end up reacting as effectively throughout it.

(photograph by Kip Stutzman)

Apple Horse is an indie rock band from Boise, ID. Read more about Apple Horse in this post and check out their website and purevolume site for more. Apple Horse can also be found at Facebook and Twitter.

Samantha from Indie and Chic:

"Don't be afraid to put a piece of yourself into your work." I think sometimes it's really hard to try something new, especially if the idea comes straight from your heart and imagination. Because if it fails, it feels like your idea, your style or a piece of yourself wasn't good enough. However, I also think that it's important to create things that reflect who you are and what you love, no matter how many people feel the same way. Some artists go their whole entire life without being appreciated, but the artists that are themselves and produce from the heart don't do it for anyone else. In today's world it's hard to find that balance between being an artist and being business savvy. You are tempted as an artist to only create what you know will sell. I personally make many more things than I list in my etsy shop. I make them for myself in a process where I get to look inward and produce something tangible. I don't want to look back and only have mass produced jewelry, I want my pieces to tell a story of where I was at that point in my life and reflect the influences I had at the time To me, that is art.

Samantha is a 22 year old college student from Alabama who spends her free time cooking up pretty accessories for her Indie & Chic Etsy shop. Samantha can also be found at her blog and Twitter. Samantha was also this month's sponsor for The City and Cup of Joe feature. 

If you're interested in promoting your business, indie band, or Etsy shop or just wanting some new faces to check out your blog, send me an email to karahaupt(@)gmail.com for stats and rates.  Read more and hear some past sponsor testimonials on my Sponsorship page. Sponsors spots are open for The City and Cup of Joe feature  for May. Contact me for special pricing. Thanks so much!

guess who's here?!

Guess who's here and has an absurd haircut? KIP-BOY.

sponsor?

I'm majorly procrastinating my drawing homework that is due tomorrow(the drawing is supposed to be four feet wide and I'm not okay with drawing on paper that is almost as tall as me), so I thought I would blog and send out a reminder for April sponsorhip!

I'm trying out slightly larger ads and slowly filling in my blog calendar with fun posts for April. I do believe it's going to be a lovely month.

If you're interested in promoting your band, shop, or blog IJME might be a perfect fit. Send me an email at karahaupt(@)gmail.com for stats and rates!

Thanks again to March's sponsors, Indie and Chic and Apple Horse! :)

adventure three.

I'm excited to bring you a once monthly feature called 'The City and a Cup of Joe' where I venture into coffee shops in New York City with my camera, a fine tip sharpie, and my thoughts to keep my entertained. It's not a formal review, because I'm not much of a coffee snob, but I hope you'll enjoy it anyway.

I know it's a lot to say that last Friday was the best spring day of my entire life, but I think it was the best spring day of my entire life. Spring as a season is sort of a weird concept to me. It never seems to come and I always feel like, when I was living in Idaho, that it didn't come until mid-May, but it was still cold and then suddenly it was June and 95 degrees every day. Spring is nice in theory, but I never actually felt it...

But... last Friday? It was in the mid 60s in New York. This was pure ecstasy.  I took the liberty to wear more eyeliner than usual, doodle on a sharpie tattoo, and wear my favorite long skirt with a tank top. I think I said "I love this weather, I am so happy I could die right now" about ten times.

My lovely friend Janet and I took a walk down to Smooch. I  had looked it up online, but couldn't remember what the name or the street name were... I knew it was very close to the Fort Greene park and on the right side, but we found it, so all was well.

I knew we were in a good place when the cute and charming British barista, when asked what kind of coffee they had, responded "the best fucking coffee". I was charmed to say the least.

I ordered a cappacuino and Janet ordered... something... weird... that I can't remember... And I have to say that this was the best  cup of coffee I've had in New York yet. Go Smooch!

Afterwards we headed to the Fort Greene park to bask in the sunshine:

The sharpie tattoo:

 

I had Janet doodle on my napkin(I did the smooch part and she did the rest):

It was truly the best way to end a fantastic Spring Break(still need to edit about my adventures with Steph!

This feature was brought to you by Indie and Chic:

Samantha of Indie and Chic has a new line of darling flower accessories called "Coffee Shop Chic" that are seriously perfect for a random coffee date or study session. I think the Fancy Mustard Flower Ring is my favorite!

Samantha is really awesome and offering free shipping for the next week on everything in her shop! Just enter FREESHIP in the coupon code box.

If you have a coffee related business or would like to sponsor this feature, contact me at karahaupt(@)gmail.com for special pricing.

i'm gonna be.

i wrote one of those cheesy "your music helped me through a really hard time and for that i'm grateful" emails to a musician i adore last summer. i told her a little bit about a broken heart and how i was moving and starting afresh far away. i told her thank you.

a few weeks after i sent it, she emailed me back. it was one of those heart swelling moments that i will remember for a long time. i was humming along to her beautiful songs tonight as i was cleaning my little dorm room and i remembered the email.

i was in a rough place last summer. worrying i had made the wrong decision. completely not knowing if i could do it. i was scared out of my mind. i was still sad and raw and open...

she wrote me a lot of wonderful things, but one i remember amidst her beautifully placed italics and wise words was this:

"...and then in another way, i felt joy for you... this new beginning you're about to embark on in new york. diving into the beauty you are. you deserve it."

i'm cleaning my dorm room tonight. my coffee is brewing in my own little coffeemaker. i just spent the last week showing my best friend around a city where six months ago i didn't know Midtown from the Bronx. yesterday i wore a hippie skirt and drew a sharpie tatto on my wrist and giggled at British baristas in coffeeshops with my friend from Nashvillle. today i scanned art i have made. the usually grumpy security guard complimented me on my hair color and a random guy on the street said "you're beautiful... how you doin'?..." and then "god bless you!" as i walked on by and ignored him. i just realized how blessed i am to have such a beautiful life. it's not always glamourous, i mean tonight i spent a good hour watching chelsea lately videos on youtube and eating way too many ritz bitz and feeling annoying... i have a lonely night of homework and work to catch up on tonight, but i keep playing these songs over and over and thinking that i did it and i'm okay. 

with a lot of help from my friends. my supportive and loving family. from that beautiful musician who took the time to respond to my silly email. with minutes of peace from God when all i could pray was 'get me home safely' and 'i'm sad. i love you.'

and that's all i felt i needed to say tonight.

sweet dreams.

Japan with love...

My  friend, Jen has put together this amazing auction to contribute to the Red Cross for Japan tsunami and earthquake relief.

Here is what Jen has to say:

Wearing something you've knitted using Noro yarn is like wearing a work of art. If you're unfamiliar with Noro, they are a Japanese yarn producer, famous for their beautiful hand-dyed color compositions and natural fibers. And since all of our hearts and minds have been focused on the earthquake and tsunami that rocked Japan this past week, I've been looking at this project even more. Thinking about the people there, friends in the military who are stationed there, fellow bloggers that I 'know' online who live there, the horrifying potential nuclear crisis, the people who are still unaccounted for. The people who have lost everything.

I met Jen last October and I think she is one of the sweetest and most genuine people I know. When I saw she was doing this I had to smile because it's such a reflection of who she is.

This wrap is gorgeous. And all the proceeds go to the Red Cross.

Read more about this on Jen's blog and bid on the wrap. Only five days left!

 

thursday...

sent the lovely stephanie off to the airport. my hair is dyed back to the firetruck red that i so love. my hair is so long that it requires two tubes of dye and now it's braided in one long braid down my back. today is beautiful and i'm tired from all of our adventuring. my window is open and writing out a grocery shopping list. tomorrow it's supposed to be 68 degrees in new york and that makes me absurdly happy and then kip comes on monday and i just think that's wonderful. i've been listening to a lot of caroline smith and the good night sleeps and the adele album and thinking quite a bit. much love. <3