New Website!

Just a quick note to announce that I have a new portfolio website! I'm now housing my art and design projects on the main site, and this will just be my blog. Feel free to look around the new site—there are some new projects up there! And you'll notice that the blog has a new design as well.

#GoVote

Some great design here from the #GoVote campaign. I'll be voting today!

HT: Design Work Life

Sketchbook: Typography Doodles

These are just some little typographic doodles I did with some of the lines from a favorite hymn. I liked playing with different styles of type and the positioning of the words.

The blackletter style for "ponder anew" and some of the other words was something I hadn't done much of before. It was fun to try something new.

There is plenty of room for improvement in the quality of the lines and the consistency of the different styles of type, but it was a fun experiment since I love typography!

What do you all think? I'd love to hear your comments—positive ones and constructive criticism.

700 / This Is Life

This is my 700th post. And this post also marks a new season for this blog and for me. A week ago, I started college as an art major. I love that I get to learn about art (and eventually graphic design!) in school!

So it just seemed appropriate that in my 700th post, I should post my first college art project. The goal of this project was to create four progressions of lines from simple to complex.

As you can see, each column starts with a different type of line, and the designs get more detailed in each row. My favorite column is the third one; I like how the design rotates from square to square.

Also, I noticed that the shapes kind of look like the word "RISE." That was totally unintentional, but I thought it was cool!

I'd love your thoughts on this project! What do you think of it?

The Beach

I got to spend this past week at the beach, and I loved it. It's one of my favorite places to be.

New Fonts

My new Mac came with a  bunch of really great fonts on it. I am so beside myself that I get to play with all of these, especially the Helvetica. It came with a lot of different weights of Helvetica, so I'll have a lot of flexibility!

I love all of these, but I think my favorites have got to be Helvetica and Futura. Do you have a favorite of these fonts?

Fashion Fun II

Here are some more ModCloth outfits. (See Part I for more.)

This outfit is a flashback to my red and turquoise phase. Do you remember when I loved red and turquoise so much? And my entire blog was covered in them? Personally, I'm glad those days are over and I like the white and yellow much better now, but I still love the color combination of red and turquoise, especially when it's the deep red-orange of this skirt and shoes.

No. 1 // No. 2 // No. 3 // No. 4

Here's another outfit. I love the big platform shoes! And I think the striped bag adds a nice pattern into the outfit since everything else is solid colored. This has a similar color scheme as the above outfit: with red/orange/pink and white. But while the first one is very bright and fun, this is a little more calm and subdued.

No. 1 // No. 2 // No. 3 // No. 4

And let me just point out that I didn't use yellow in either of these outfits! Would you believe it? Maybe there are nice colors in the world besides yellow... :) But don't get me wrong, I'm still a yellow fan.

I'd love to know what you think of these outfits!

Maine

I went to Maine a couple weeks ago, and it was so lovely. I loved the variety of the scenery we saw, and also the opportunity to take out my camera! I haven't been taking many pictures in the past several months, but I enjoyed taking lots in Maine. I thought you all might like to see a few:

Fashion Fun

Every now and then I like to post some imaginary outfits from ModCloth. I like playing around with clothes, and this is a way I can do it without actually buying everything!

I loved the bright colored dress in this outfit, and of course the yellow sandals are right up my alley!

No. 1 // No. 2 // No. 3 // No. 4

Here's a more casual outfit. I like the idea of colored jeans (so fun!), and I like the yellow accessories too.

No. 1 // No. 2 // No. 3 // No. 4

If I had the $, I'd love to wear either of these outfits. Do you like them too?

Summertime

It's summertime, and I'm back to blogging! I can't wait to start sharing design inspiration with you all again. I have lots of cool stuff bookmarked that I'm excited to post about.

Now about the little blogging hiatus. I hit a little road block because I had just about run out of image hosting room on my account. But I found a way around the problem, so all is well and I can start posting again. It may or may not be every day; I have lots to say so I may end up posting more than I had planned to! Look for more posts in the coming days, but for now, I just wanted to say hello again. Also check out the free poster I put up earlier.

Here's What I'm Thinking

It seems like you all prefer posts every few days, so that's what I'll do most of the time! It also gives me to more flexibility during times when I'm really busy, and when I'm not really busy, I'll have time to make the less frequent posts better!

I may still do a daily series or something every once and a while, but for now, posts will be every couple days.

Okay, Folks...

Recently, I haven't been doing posts every day. It wasn't a conscious decision; I just got insanely busy and couldn't manage to do one every day! But it got me to thinking about how I want to do my blog scheduling, and I want your input, too. I'd love to know what you think, so please be honest!

Which do you like better: posts every day or posts every few days?

Quiet Time

I've had a million things to do lately, so blogging is going to have to take a back burner for the next few days. I will be back soon! And in the meantime, scroll down and check out the new "friends + inspiration" links and browse those while you wait.

Strength

So glad that God gives enough strength for today.

And that because of Him, tomorrow is a bright hope.

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A New Month

...one day late. Is it just me, or has 2012 gone by so quickly so far? It amazes me. It's been a full three months, but God has been good. Today I just wanted to share a Scripture verse that I've found encouraging lately.

I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all that you have done;
I ponder the work of your hands.
I stretch out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land....

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.

—Psalm 143:5–6, 8

Adie Music

I just came across Adie's music through Pandora, and I really like it. Give a listen if you'd like and check out her website.

(From Tumblr)

Every now and then I like to share a few quotes from what I post on my Tumblr. Since I've been thinking about hope lately, I thought I'd post some hope-related quotes today. For more, check out my Tumblr.

When God calls us to wait, it doesn’t mean he isn’t actively at work in our lives. Sometimes God makes us wait to teach us to trust and depend on him. Waiting humbles us – it reminds us that we’re very limited creatures. Waiting reminds us God is in control and our times are in his hands. Waiting strengthens our prayer lives as we seek God again and again for an answer. Waiting makes us compassionate toward others in their trials. Waiting builds patience, faithfulness and long-suffering. And waiting makes us all the more grateful when the wait is over.
—Mark Altrogge

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Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.
—Psalm 116:7

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He who would glorify his God must set his account upon meeting with many trials. No man can be illustrious before the Lord unless his conflicts be many. If then, yours be a much-tried path, rejoice in it, because you will the better show forth the all-sufficient grace of God. As for his failing you, never dream of it—hate the thought. The God who has been sufficient until now should be trusted to the end.
—Charles Spurgeon

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    I love the LORD, because he has heard
        my voice and my pleas for mercy.
    Because he inclined his ear to me,
        therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
—Psalm 116:1–2

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The Lord may not give gold, but he will give grace; he may not give gain, but he will give grace. He will certainly send us trial, but he will give grace in proportion thereto. We may be called to labour, and to suffer, but with the call there will come all the grace required.
—Charles Spurgeon

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When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.
—Psalm 94:18–19

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O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O LORD, with your faithfulness all around you?
—Psalm 89:8

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Always the same! It is this which makes the gospel so excellent and precious. We do not bid you depend on anything less than the tried corner-stone, the fountain whose water shall never fail—the city of refuge whose walls shall never be broken down—the sure Rock of Ages. Churches may decay and perish; riches may make themselves wings and fly away—but he who builds his happiness on Christ crucified and union with Him by faith, that man is standing on a foundation which shall never be moved, and will know something of true peace.
—J.C. Ryle

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www.tositathisfeet.tumblr.com

This Is Hope

(I'll be sharing a design project or two next week, but today I wanted to take the time to write. Lately this blog has been full of design inspiration, which is its main purpose. Yet I don't want to forget the importance of words, even on a design blog. So today I wanted to share some words.)

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One thing that I've been mulling over during this time is hope, the truth that regardless of my circumstances, I can place my trust in God.

My hope is in you, Lord
All the day long
I won't be shaken by
Drought or storm
The peace that passes understanding
Is my song
My hope is in you, Lord
(aaron shust)

Those words have needed to be my theme song lately. I'm learning, slowly, gradually, that I can indeed hope in God because of who is he and because of what he has done and promises to do. This hope is unshakable. Not drought, storm, or anything else can move it.

But sometimes I don't feel so unshakable. Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed that any little thing could push my emotions over the edge. That's when I need to have a good cry, remember that God is with me, and choose to hope in him. It's not an easy journey and it's not a one time decision. If I'm going to hope in God, I have to keep reminding myself of it every day. Every hour. Probably every minute.

One Scripture that has encouraged me so much is Psalm 57:2. It's only 15 short words, but it encompasses the place I'm in right now so completely:

I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.

Yes, there are times when I need to cry out for help. But I can cry to God Most High, to the God who knows all about me and promises to fulfill his purpose for me. I can hope because of that. Because of who God is—the all-wise, loving Father of my life. I don't know how, but he will fulfill his purpose for me.

This is the God who we cry out to. The God who hears every prayer. The God who keeps his promises. The God who sent his only Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for all our sins with his blood on the cross. This is the God who we hope in.

Listening Lately

I've been enjoying two music albums a lot lately, and I thought you might like to listen too. The Grooveshark widgets on the right side play all the songs on the album. Enjoy!

Shoes Galore

I love shoes a lot, so much that it's almost dangerous for me to go into a shoe store because I see so many things that I like. Coming up on a year ago, I did a post all about shoes. It was nothing major, just pictures of shoes, but I loved that post. So I want to do it again, just for fun. But this time there will be even more shoes!

01 // delicate & vintage. // h&m

02 // love the yellow! // ruche

03 // these are so fun. i'd love to wear them. // modcloth

04 // funky vintage boots. // coldfish

05 // love the color & style. // h&m

06 // these are great and retro! // modcloth

07 // classic & cute. // h&m

08 // very elegant. // ruche

09 // so fun and sparkly! // modcloth

10 // never knew there were fancy timberlands. // timberland

11 // such cute little girl style shoes. // modcloth

12 // love these cowboy boots! // ruche

13 // yellow & wood...very cool. // anthropologie

14 // delicate & pretty. // fossil

15 // so very tall! // modcloth

16 // fun and elegant.// h&m

17 // gray! // ruche

18 // love the plaid & work boots. // timberland

19 // very funky boots. // anthropologie

20 // plaid is my friend. // forever21

21 // love the polka dots. // fossil

22 // clunky & fun. // ginger root vintage

23 // yellow, tall, and very unusual! // anthropologie

24 // great mustard color. // target

25 // i like the fabric. // fossil

26 // retro colors. // modcloth
 27 // silver platforms. i like. // fossil

28 // fancy but funky. // payless

29 // these are rain boots i might really wear. // target

30 // more great cowboy boots! // reinvintage

I love the vintage looks in the first collage, the platforms and plaids in the second one, and the variety and bright colors in the third one. There are all kinds of shoes mixed in there, from high heels to yellow rain boots. I love it all.

I'd love to know what you think of shoes galore! Do you have a favorite style of shoe?

Font credit: Kristi