Hi! I'm Melly. I am also a web developer, designer, amateur photographer, creator, imaginator, writer, and dreamer. Read up on the blog for more information, or follow me on twitter!
101 Things in 1001 Days
Sounds simple, doesn’t it? I found this website on this project the other day (dayzeroproject.com), and I was considering doing it.
The problem is, I can’t think of 101 things. I don’t think I am thinking enough. In fact, I think that maybe I am just restricting my thoughts and thinking I won’t be able to accomplish things.
Then why the block, if I am aware of this? I don’t know. I am not even sure why I am bringing that part up. I’ve always been interested in these online projects (I started a 365, and have looked into other projects like blogathon and the mirror project), so I think I’ll try this one out once I have thought of 101 things. So far, I’ve got 27 things. A lot of my list has to do with other projects I want to do, but haven’t gotten around to. I know I have other things I want to add to this list, but I can’t think of them right now.
If you were to do 101 things in 1001 days, what would you do?
July 25, 2010 at 10:33 pm | Uncategorized | No comments
Early Decade Review
We’re almost at the ending of the first quarter of the year, and I thought I’d check in and reflect on my resolutions and status in the year.
So far, I have not succeeded in my painting. Of course, I haven’t expected to. I have the idea for it, but no sketches have succeeded in attempts to pursue this piece. It is a self-portrait of sorts, and that may be making me even more critical. To already be exposed is one thing, so it needs to be done right, I suppose. I’m thinking this may be the issue.
2010 is going to be a renaissance for me, in a way. I find that I need a rebirth in the way I create and the way I think, and I’ve taken complete advantage of a new decade appearing to do so. So far, I have found progress. I have completed two songs on my ukulele, and have two more to work on. I have kept my secret resolution of completing at least one book a month, and I even have a few in a queue to read in my spare time. I have, somehow, improved my work flow, and have found myself to become more productive.
Most importantly, I have found that I have pushed myself to learn and accept, as well as move forward. Some things I find pushing back towards, but there is always a struggle of sorts if you’re alive. I mean, what’s the point in living if you’re not learning or working on something? Whether it be yourself or a project that has nothing to do with your soul, humans need to work and to pursue. I’m grateful to be open to this idea of challenge.
I have a very large and very personal list of things I need to do. There is no deadline for many of them, but, like most clients do, I have set each list item to be completed “A.S.A.P.” That’s okay, though. I’m glad that I do not feed this added stress of rush, of impending doom, or of just falling apart. It’s a nice and new feeling for the girl more paranoid than most.
I am going to continue working on this song, and maybe recording it. I like recording these things so I can see what I need to fix. I’m my worst critic, and I am interested in listening to myself head-on.
How’s your year going so far?
March 1, 2010 at 12:04 am | Food for Thought | No comments
I have not abandoned this blog.
I just don’t know what to talk about. I was going to go off on a rant, but I am not sure if I want to do that just yet.
In other news, pixel is not feeling well :[ I hope she gets over it tonight!
February 9, 2010 at 6:01 am | Uncategorized | No comments
Pixelness and other cuteness galore!
So, I am a fan of Doe Deere and her Lime Crime makeup line, so when I saw she was posting a Weekly Glee edition on pets, I figured she needed to see the cuteness that is Pixel. I also shared some bunny facts that I remembered off the top of my head. Bunnies really are the best.
Check out the sweet post here, as well as see which picture I submitted with Pixel. You may not be able to tell which one she is in the photo, as she’s with friends :p
January 19, 2010 at 4:05 am | Pixel | No comments
and now, a new decade.
Happy New Year! I always find myself reflecting around the end of any year, but with people discussing what happened a decade ago, I find myself reflecting on that as well. I was 14 then, and some of my memories from the time make me cringe a little bit. I still love The Moffatts, though! No shame there :p
I am not a huge fan of resolutions, as I feel like if you’re going to do something, you should just DO them and not wait for a new year to have the excuse. However, I almost feel like the excuse is a helpful push sometimes. To many, a new year means a new chapter, a new leaf, an attempt to clean up after any messes made or thoughts thought. I like the idea of a new chapter, so I may try this resolution this time around. It won’t be a huge one, just one that I hope will actually work out.
For my resolution, I hope to complete one painting. Whether it’s good or not doesn’t matter, as the idea is to try to get myself to tap into that creativity I found burned out a couple of years ago. So many years in school where I had to channel energy in ordered ideas, I find it hard to release my own now. I hope to break that block this year, and with that I am writing down this resolution in hopes of doing it. I feel like if it’s here, I will feel more inclined to do it, since at least one person will see this :p
I was looking at a New Year’s Resolution Generator, and after laughing at the facebook and twitter ones, I really liked one that said “be remarkable.” I wonder how one goes about doing that, but it made me think about it and remember only that resolution over the others.
What will you do this year? This decade? I think I will just try to make it my own (whatever that will mean). I’ll find out in time.
January 1, 2010 at 5:13 pm | Food for Thought | 2 comments
I am a fucking beautiful and unique snowflake, tyler durden!
I’m a huge fan of unconventional furniture and style. For instance, I’d totally want a Scrabble Room or a couch full of Social Media Pillows. I just like taking that curveball in general, and sometimes it would be pretty practical, too! Take, for instance, a living room with this table:
And how about some dry erase walls? Do you know how much space I’d save with notebooks and stuff if I could just write all over the place? and imagine if you have kids- “oh, it’s okay dear, just use these markers on that wall over there and scribble the crap out of the wall!”
So, let’s see. That would be a good idea in a studio, maybe. Regardless, I know I do want a coffe table xylophone. A coffee table xylophone?! Why yes! Observe:
If I can’t have the ginormous piano FAO Schwartz has in their store in NYC, I’ll take a freaking xylophone coffee table.
You are probably wondering how ridiculous it would be if I were able to design my entire living space with anything I wanted to. Oh, it would be quite mad. I already want to have a museum look to post all of the artwork I have. It is probably a good thing I didn’t go into interior decorating- I am sure the people who do this job and do it well would cringe at my style.
Is there anything off the wall that anyone out there reading likes? Or any guilty pleasures? This is just one of mine.
December 22, 2009 at 5:07 am | Art | No comments
something different tonight.
Since this is a fairly new blog, I thought I’d try this out. Ask me anything you like here. If it’s nothing ridiculously personal, chances are I will answer it.
I already lost the game through it, so you can’t ask that :p
December 19, 2009 at 5:37 am | Food for Thought | No comments
Titles are difficult.
I had started a post since Friday, but I just deleted it to start from scratch. I tend to do this often with everything- artwork, web sites, music, words. It’s a nervous twitch of sorts I suppose, but I can’t help it. I’m a perfectionist at heart and eventually I just give in and try to finish things before I change my mind again. It’s quite a long process which fortunately does not occur when I’m working on things that are for other people, because at that point there are usually ideas to follow.
I’m pretty grateful for the people who surround me. No one’s perfect, but I can honestly say I have some really good friends who, despite my difficult moments (and I can be stubborn), they’ll stick by me and are willing to try to cheer me up. See below:
Now, in case you’re keeping tabs, I would like you to know that the way into my heart is red velvet cake. Mail is also a nice little gesture. To have both of these things collide in a surprise even though I should have known?! Priceless. It’s not every day you get freaking CAKE in the mail. I totally listened to the band while I had a slice. Liz and Wil are the best. I had my last slice of it today. RIP in my tummy. The first night everyone in my house tried some.
I have quite a number of friends who are willing to sit around and try to cheer me up either by sending me silly pictures and videos, or just plain changing the subject. I send lots of glompsauruses after my favorites- you know who you are.
I’ve been getting some awesome mail lately. I received a >kurt halsey original in the mail, and it is pretty gorgeous:
It was the last piece I purchased because I have holiday shopping to do, but it just spoke to me. I may have to start selling some of my other pieces I own (SAD), but you gotta do what you gotta do sometimes!
I also received an absolutely adorable painting by Kristin Tercek that is definitely worth mentioning. If I see something with bunnies in it, I find myself drawn to it. But when it is a WHITE bunny, oh no. And of course, I didn’t just photograph it, I allowed Pixel to inspect the piece for me:
Sniffing, tasting, inspecting…
Cuddle. Success! This means the painting is officially Pixel approved! I couldn’t help it- the little guy looks like Pixel in red contacts. I have a hoodie that even matches it! I will not pull it out right now, though.
I just realized how long this has gotten. I will leave you with a question- what are things that cheer you up when you’re down? What are things that make you happy, regardless of your mood initially?
December 15, 2009 at 5:24 am | Art, Food for Thought, Pixel | No comments
Friends and Art = Love
I will elaborate more tomorrow when I have some pictures to share, but as of right now I will just say I am grateful for the company I keep and the beautiful artwork and imagery that surrounds me.
In the meantime, check out these artists:
I will stop linking before this list gets too long, but I definitely have more to share.
Smile! Someone out there is hoping you will.
December 11, 2009 at 5:16 am | Art | 4 comments
Some people get struck by hands, I get struck by chords.
“Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work.”
- Chuck Close
There is a reason Chuck Close is one of the top two artists who have influenced me to continue in my journey in keeping my creativity and imagination flowing. This is a man who, after being dealt a really difficult hand of paralysis, continued painting and truly showing the world that you cannot shut an artist down if they are willing (and needing) to continue in their craft. I consider him the human computer, because he probably has a better understanding of pixels on a screen than anyone I can think of. Looking at his more recent works up close you will find that they are merely shapes and circles in a grid, making no sense whatsoever to the eye. Step back a few feet and you find an impeccable portrait. Before this mosaic form of work, all of his art was photo realistic, but you cannot deny how fascinating his work is now.
Sidenote: please tell me that I am not the only one amused by the fact that his last name parallels what people do when they see his work in person. I don’t think anyone can pass by a Chuck Close portrait without leaning towards it as close as the barriers allow you to in a museum.
When I was in college, I’d find myself thinking of Chuck Close and everything he has accomplished. I am definitely not that talented, but I do know from his story that it is possible to do, as long as you work and are driven to. With everyone it’s different, but with me I have found that the trick is to find your driving force. Sometimes I’ll sit at photoshop or with a sketchbook for hours, turning out pages of crap or deleting image file after image file. I think if the keys of my keyboard were to pop off right now in terms of most used, it would be the command + Z buttons. I suppose that I’m an amateur in that way. I can’t just do.
The point isn’t to just be able to do, though. The way I see it, you need to weed through a lot of crap in order to find what you’re looking for. It’s rooted deep inside of you, whatever it is. It’s between the swirls and repetitive characters and ugly noses and knees that are impossible to draw. It’s rooted between your grocery list for the week and your multiplication tables that you can’t seem to forget because they were grilled into your head at such an early age. You just have to do some spring cleaning.
Some seek inspiration, and I know I am one of them sometimes. The fact of the matter is that inspiration doesn’t just fall from trees (unless you are Newton, of course). Inspiration needs to be driven by something, I think. In order to be able to wait for something, I think you need to begin the energy first. Before a snowball can cause an avalanche, it needs to be pushed off a hill and pick up some snow in the process. Maybe I said that wrong- I’m native to Florida. You get it though, hopefully.
I thank @SirkRialb for paraphrasing the quote on twitter, because he made me want to look for the footage of him saying it (I had recalled it from something- turns out it was Charlie Rose). That quote slapped me in the face when I needed it most, as I am going through a minor dry spell when it comes to my own creativity. The design of this site came after maybe the 6th or 7th attempt to build something, and then I went dry again. My mind is reeling again.
I’d go into how my mind works, but I think this entry is long enough. If you’d like to learn more about Chuck Close, you can check out his Wikipedia Page and the references on there. Last I checked, they are accurate (and I would know- I have looked into his work and life a great deal). A quick google image search will show you why I admire this man.
We will leave the post about Tim Burton for another day. For now, I’ve got some work to do.
PS: it’s ironic that this quote would inspire me to work, I know. Just shows I’ve got a LOT of work to do :p
December 8, 2009 at 4:56 am | Art, Food for Thought | No comments