Umm, hello. Whale wallpaper?! I wish I could replace my current pink puff ball wallpaper with this from Walnut Wallpaper. . .
My friend recently gave me a bunch of his dad's old mix tapes, which included an old favorite, Clapton Unplugged. Maybe its because I love San Francisco so darn much, or maybe its just cause listing to a cassette tape is an entirely different experience, but this song has brought me much joy and car dancing the past few days. Enjoy : )
All week I've had to keep reminding myself to just keep breathing. . .everything will work out, because it always does. So I really like this little heart beat tumbler by urban soule.
*So sweet*
Today I'm grateful for:
All Wheel Drive
My "little" brother who is much more a man than many men will ever be
Our humanity, even though its ever so painful at times
My Friends
Bob Dylan
Dear blog world, do you ever feel like everything you've ever hoped for is right in front of you and you're too chicken to do anything about it? Hmm. . .me too.
The past few weeks have been interesting. From saying goodbye to my sister temporarily, to Thanksgiving (which tends to be a very emotional reminder of how much I love my family), to becoming an aunt for the first time, its been quiet a roller coaster. I haven't really taken the time to process everything since finals immediately took over my life. Instead I've sort of escaped it all through my imagination and I've learned what a powerful gift that is. Miraculous openings have occurred and I've felt things I didn't think were possible. Now its time I just write.
There are hidden places of myself that are ready to come back. I think for a few years it was necessary for them to close, as a survival mechanism, but I'm starting to find a balance again. I I'm also starting to get it through my head that some practices are necessary to cultivate any opening. I now know who I need to be in order to be fully self-expressed so its just a matter of employing those things. Yoga, poetry, music and the people I love inspire me the most, so sharing from those places are key.
There is a poem by the great Jelaluddin Rumi that a friend recently shared to such a beautiful extent that it really got inside my head. Here are my favorite excerpts:
A Community of the Spirit
There is a community of the spirit.
Join it, and feel the delight
of walking in the noisy street
and being the noise.Drink all your passion,
and be a disgrace.Close both eyes
to see with the other eye.Open your hands,
if you want to be held.Sit down in the circle. . .
. . .Move outside the tangle of fear-thinking.
Live in silence.Flow down and down in always
widening rings of being
Well, I haven't posted in uh, forever. I'm sorry blog world. Life has just been really busy and I haven't had the internet at home for a bit. I actually have a big post planned, but until then, here are a few things I've been loving in the e-universe.
This planner from UPPERCASE. I'm pretty sure I'd use it religiously.
My new favorite website/shop, Hygge & West. There are too many products to post them all, so just visit their website : )
And last but not least, my website is fully up and running. I'm just working on the pricing page and then we're off and running. Check it out at www.angelarumel.com.
Pictureline is the best photography store I can think of for miles and miles. They have this amazing feature for photographers called the Pictureline Community and I cannot even begin to explain how long getting on there has been on my list.
Today I finally made a profile! Hopefully the phone will start ringing : )
I have a big, long, dramatic and sentimental post almost ready to go, but this has been the first night I've done a good job of pampering myself in quite some time. So I'm sorry blog world, I've got nothing good tonight. But I'm also not going to read the 297 unread posts in my Reader, or watch True Blood. I'm going to drink my tea, eat my chambert and french bread, and read some Chopra : )
In the meantime, enjoy two songs I'm slightly embarrassed to admit I love. . .
Pretty pervy video, but I love the whistling:
And yeah, I'm a sucker for cheesy epic rock. . .
This brings up an important questions. . .can't we be human AND dancers? Oh boy. . .
This was going to be a post about so many other things, but as I sat to write my to-do list in my journal, I got to thinking about politics, hope and progress. . .
{journal excerpt}
November 5, 2008
It's been a great day despite the many emotions experienced. Obama won the election last night which is both monumental for America and historically significant. We're either greatly progressing as a people or this is the beginning of the end. I of course, voted for Obama so my cynicism isn't with him. I just find myself wondering if it's too good to be true. I guess the answer to this question depends on what I fundamentally believe in. . .and now that I think about it, perhaps a change of attitude is in order.
I've been stuck in the pessimistic thinking that we're all going to destroy each other and ourselves eventually. I can only assume this is a concept that was engrained in me via religion. You know, the "last days", earth will be destroyed kind of thing. But, inside of that thinking (or at least who I've let myself become inside of it), why even try to better ourselves, or the earth, or each other? Why create beautiful things? Why give and love and exchange thoughts and ideas or earn money or bail out economies to begin with? Perhaps the human race will continue to grow and progress the way we always have. Perhaps there is hope and we all get to contribute to it. Perhaps there is no such thing as "too good to be true." And maybe America can even have a leader we love. It wouldn't be the first time -- and maybe it won't be the last time.
I don't know much, but I think that if we always try to do what moves us, then it doesn't really matter what happens in "the end." And too good to be true or not, hearing a country I had lost hope in, chant "Yes We Can," moves me.
Something else moves me. The fact that 68% of Salt Lake County voters see the beauty and value of animals enough to vote for the bond to save the aviary. The Burrowing Owls and I thank you : )
So, I adore Halloween. Its such a perfect excuse for so many things. . .
After a fast weekend of campaigning and hanging out with my sister, its almost Monday. I think I'm going to be buying a car tomorrow morning and then its off to the UMA (Utah Museums Association) Conference in Layton for three days straight. Oh, and that stats test. Yikes.
I picked up the latest issue of Catalyst today to find a really compelling and straight forward article by Eve Ensler about Sarah Palin. If you haven't read it, please do. You can find it online here.
And I'm sorry, but as a person who gets a kick out of the occasional zombie, this is just too good. . .
God I love the internet. . .
Alright, that's enough. This is an art blog for crying out loud.
:)
I've seen two really amazing things today in the blogging world. First up is a new project underway at Flickr and I think it rocks. Its called My Day, Yesterday.
“Shoot video throughout a day in your life, then put it together and upload it the next day. Don’t add any music or sound effects, just use what the camera recorded. It’s easy. DO IT.”
-Garrett Murray
I find it really inspiring to see a glimpse of what random stranger spend their life doing. Such a cool idea.
Secondly, these photos of an abandoned Soviet train station are. . .well, something else. 
My little life today consisted of coffee, a frustrating trip to Walmart (I loathe Walmart), some ad photography, trying to get pumpkins donated, car letdowns, running errands and now, soup. I also exchanged my Burt's Bees Carrot Day Creme for the regular Moisturizing Night Creme and I must say, it literally is like putting wax all over your face. I thought smelling like a salad was bad. I guess we'll see when I wake up. Until then, its debate watching and tea time for me.
p.s. Burt's is still my favorite
So. . .I just realized how nerdy I am about the little intricate details around me. I will literally spend hours at consignment stores just to find a cute dish to put my jewelry in. I will skip much more practical things just to find the perfect rug, or curtains or dresser. And one thing is for sure, I could look at vintage furniture all day given the chance.
Anyway, tonight I continued the car search and then went with the boys to Savers where I had some good finds. This amazing corduroy jacket with little leather buttons:
I also ended up with a couple cool tops, a pair of black Antik cords (boy, I'm on a corduroy roll) for a whopping $8. They need to be altered a bit since I'm more of a simple gal, but still a great find. I also broke down and bought some Kenji sweaters (my favorite) that will be plenty warm for the snow we already have.
And this adorable pink tea cup:
I guess since decorating has been my obsession lately I'll share the latest and greatest also.
I finally found THE chair on craiglist. This beast is the perfect shape and personally, I quite like the color too. The best $25 I've spent in a while. . .
Curtains and a rug (see above) are taken care of too.
I also ditched my old boring jewelry box and finally used my cute turquoise dishes:
And just for the record, Lollia hand cream and this Rosebud Salve are not only two of my favorite things, but the best excuses to go to Anthropologie : ) I love being a girl.
I'm pretty excited to finally be somewhat settled. Here is the work in progress so far. . .
Well, its been a few days since I posted. I spent all weekend moving (again!) and there's no internet at home yet. Or at least not that my G4 is picking up. My room is finally in order enough that I can move around, but not nearly as organized as I'd like to be. I really want to make it a little oasis where creativity can flow. I was just reading this really inspiring page from my very favorite mixed media artist (Anahata Katkin) and it makes me want to finish all the random projects I've started.
Speaking of projects. . .I got my Etsy shop up and running (see left column)! There isn't a ton there yet, but its a start. I really want to move beyond photos and beaded jewelry though. I have some ideas brewing so we'll see where they lead me. Speaking of Etsy, I have found so many beautiful things! Check out the little thumbnails under my Inspirado section. And for the record, if I ever get married I want a ring like this {from kateszabone}. . .
I finally got my camera out last night to photograph my jewelry and then took a few shots for my Etsy avatar. But then, that turned into an hour of changing hats and taking random self-portraits. I started doing self-portraits a few years ago at the suggestion of a friend, and from there it turned into a great vehicle for self expression. I think I'm ready to try something new though. I'm not yet sure if that means finding models or just moving beyond what I can do in my room (with the few fun clothes I have), but we'll see. This is the one I came away really liking though. . .
And for the sake of the jewelry, here's a sneak peak! I need some better lighting, but this is a start.
Today I love. . .
Being busy and productive at work
Coffee
Laying on my bedroom floor listening to music
Essential oils
Rain
As I soaked up the evening, I noticed (for the third time) this amazing pattern that appears on my wall at sunset when the sun lights up the leaves in the tree outside my window. I finally took some photos to share. Nature and LIGHT are so amazing!
I've been in a bit of a rut with my artistic self lately and last night I think I finally got to the bottom of it (at least I'm hoping). Mostly, I've lost touch with the *why* and been focusing too much on the *how*. Too much time spent on trying to make everything perfect and very little time on actually creating or just simply letting it flow.
Rainer Maria Rilke is pretty much my favorite writer, ever. In letter 1 from Letters to a Young Poet he advises Franz Xaver Kappus (the "young poet". . .aka, the artist) against comparisons and/or focusing too much outside of oneself. I love this entire part, and even though I don't write much anymore, I definitely think its applicable to everything we do:
You are looking outside, and that is what you should most avoid right now. No one can advise or help you - no one. There is only one thing you should do. Go into yourself. Find out the reason that commands you to write; see whether it has spread its roots into the very depths of your heart; confess to yourself whether you would have to die if you were forbidden to write. This most of all: ask yourself in the most silent hour of your night: must I write? Dig into yourself for a deep answer. And if this answer rings out in assent, if you meet this solemn question with a strong, simple "I must," then build your life in accordance with this necessity; your life, even into its humblest and most indifferent hour, must become a sign and witness to this impulse. Then come close to Nature. Then, as if no one had ever tried before, try to say what you see and feel and love and lose. Don't write love poems; avoid those forms that are too facile and ordinary: they are the hardest to work with, and it takes great, fully ripened power to create something individual where good, even glorious, traditions exist in abundance. So rescue yourself from these general themes and write about what your everyday life offers you; describe your sorrows and desires, the thoughts that pass through your mind and your belief in some kind of beauty - describe all these with heartfelt, silent, humble sincerity and, when you express yourself, use the Things around you, the images from your dreams, and the objects that you remember. If your everyday life seems poor, don't blame it; blame yourself; admit to yourself that you are not enough of a poet to call forth its riches; because for the creator there is not poverty and no poor, indifferent place. And even if you found yourself in some prison, whose walls let in none of the world's sounds - wouldn't you still have your childhood, that jewel beyond all price, that treasure house of memories? Turn your attentions to it. Try to raise up the sunken feelings of this enormous past; your personality will grow stronger, your solitude will expand and become a place where you can live in the twilight, where the noise of other people passes by, far in the distance. - And if out of this turning-within, out of this immersion in your own world, poems come, then you will not think of asking anyone whether they are good or not... . . .for you will see them as your dear natural possession, a piece of your life, a voice from it. A work of art is good if it has arisen out of necessity. That is the only way one can judge it... . . .I can't give you any advice but this: to go into yourself and see how deep the place is from which your life flows; at its source you will find the answer to the question whether you must create. Accept that answer, just as it is given to you, without trying to interpret it. Perhaps you will discover that you are called to be an artist. Then take the destiny upon yourself, and bear it, its burden and its greatness, without ever asking what reward might come from outside. For the creator must be a world for himself and must find everything in himself and in Nature, to whom his whole life is devoted.I can say for sure, that as much of a head game and an internal struggle being an artist can seem at times, I'm not willing to give them up.
I'm excited to get fully moved into my new place in the Avenues and to turn my little room into a mini studio of sorts. I want to create a shelving/counter area on my west wall.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! I don't really want to end up at IKEA if I don't have to. Check out this awesome storage bin from Grace Daniel Designs.
This cabinet from Buck Creek Furnishings is rad too. Geez, does it get any better than Etsy?
Oh, If you haven't read Letters to a Young Poet, I highly recommend spending a few dollars and taking a couple hours to do so asap! Words cannot describe the genius. You can also read it here!
At last, I have what seems like infinite space (aka "the condo") and alone time with Mr. Photoshop, Flickr and The National. This is my idea of perfection. . .
Lately I have very little time to stop and smell the roses so to speak. But when I do pause for a moment, I realize how much adoration I have for life. With that said, I'd like to share what I appreciate and *adore*
*farmer's market peaches. . .they're imperfection is so refreshing
*heirloom tomatoes
*music
*silence
*fall
*old photographs
*long sleeved thermal shirts
*sleep
*turkey chili (thanks roommie!)
*my family
Speaking of my family, I finally scanned a few photos and must share!
Spencer when he was little. He would make that face whenever he was mad. So sweet!
Me with my great grandma Delilah on my first Christmas
Spencer & I in our grandparent's pool
Me! Wow, those goggles...
My little sis and I, eons ago...
Please comment and tell me what YOU adore!
